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Office 365 – Top reasons it helps increase business productivity.

There are specific reasons for companies to choose productivity services that are cloud-based. Most enterprises want increased business agility, supporting mobile workers, and latest technological updates. All these reasons permit businesses to have enough time to concentrate on their core operations without worrying that their network or system may have been compromised. Microsoft Office 365 can take good care of people’s businesses, and it can be considered an ideal solution provider for IT business.

Initiating a Gmail to Office 365 migration is a strategic step many companies are exploring in the pursuit of advanced business productivity. Recognizing the ever-changing needs of modern businesses, this shift, while significant, offers a multitude of advantages. By transitioning from a platform like Gmail to Office 365, companies gain access to a richer set of productivity tools, enabling greater integration and streamlined workflow. Ultimately, this forward-thinking move could be instrumental in boosting business productivity.

microsoft office 365 for business

Microsoft Office 365 comes with various capabilities for business such as collaboration, email, calendar, and it has been offering enterprise-class productivity for over 20 years. With hundreds of millions of users, there are lots of reasons for companies to use Microsoft Office 365. Here are some of the most important ones:

Privacy above everything else

Office 365 makes use of secure mobile access and state-of-the-art data centers to store customers’ data. Its clients will know exactly where their information is being kept; they can manage who has access and what can Microsoft do with the data. Microsoft is concentrated on offering enterprise-grade, feature-rich production solutions, as well as excellent software services.

  • Office 365 doesn’t recycle a user’s personal information and it will never use it for marketing purposes
  • A customer’s information can only be used to offer services back to the users
  • There’s a transparent distinction between consumer services  and business needs
  • There’s a privacy policy that explains very clearly the way a customer’s data can be used
  • Clients have the right to know the people who are given access to their data thanks to a granular permission feature available

?Top security

Office 365 was designed to meet the security requirements of the world’s leading businesses; their security-aware engineering and strong governance have managed to convince other companies that Microsoft is excellent for IT support. The Security Development Life Cycles guarantees that the rules are being respected and that the best security practices are being applied at every stage of delivery and development.

To stay protected and far away from unknown threats, Office 365 monitors its services proactively. In the Office 365 program package there the Forefront Online Protection for Exchange included, that protect companies from spam and viruses.

Complete access to content anytime, anywhere

Workers must stay productive in all circumstances. Hence, Office 365 delivers an optimized and consistent experience to employees on their PCs, laptops, tablets, and phones. By having Microsoft Office on a desktop, you can work offline in perfect safety and finish your duties on time. Documents and archived emails are readily accessible to workers, permitting them to stay productive without having to use the internet.

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A wealth of capabilities at your fingertips

No other cloud output service can live up to the expectations of Office 365. Thanks to an industry-leading email feature powered by Exchange online, video and one-click voice conferencing via Lync Online, and strong SharePoint Online team collaboration, Office 365 has proven to be excellent for business. All these online servers can be seamlessly integrated with other Microsoft Office apps that users use on a daily basis. Microsoft has been struggling for decades to perfect its productivity apps, and it has finally achieved all its goals.

Easy to understand and manage

When clients choose to move to the cloud, their main demand it to give users an output solution that reduces ramp up time. This experience can be provided by Office 365 because online, mobile and desktop apps share a steady experience with common Office apps, thus offers users instant accessibility. Employees are free to use Office 365 immediately, since it is built upon on-premise versions of SharePoint, Office, Exchange and Lync. Companies receive flexibility and simplicity from the cloud, while at the same time improving functionality user’s needs and expect.

A company won’t be able to relocate all its data to the cloud at once. With the help of Office 365, clients are free to select between an on-premises solution, cloud environment, and a hybrid environment that incorporates cloud services into the IT infrastructure. Customers will be allowed to relocate users to the cloud, thus keeping others for operational or compliance reasons. Basically, Office 365 gives customers all the time they need to relocate and do what’s best for their businesses. In case you’re having doubts and you’d like to know more about the excellent features of Office 365, maybe you should choose IT support in London to help you make the right call.

Guest post by Davis Miller

Vend – Best Point Of Sale (POS) Software for Retailers

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Vend is POS (Point Of Sale) software system for all type of business whether big or small. And the best part, everything is on cloud. Search, upload and sell your product without any much effort. You can track products in one or more stores, enjoy the real time reporting feature and much more. Vend helps you grow your business in many ways at fare price.

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What is Vend?

Vend is a software system for managing sales through POS (Point Of Sale) method. Cloud technology is used and everything is carried out online. However, if internet is unavailable Vend syncs the work done offline as soon as connection is up and running again. Think Vend as your online cash register with much more features!

Who can use it?

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All types of sellers ranging from very few products and customers to corporate networks with many outlets and products/customers upto 50,000.

Now since we took a look on who can use Vend lets glance on its working style.

How does all this happen?

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Vend is a complex online cloud based software for POS (Point Of Sale) markets. Sellers can do a lot of stuff with Vend with much more productivity compared to conventional working method. Vend helps sellers to track inventory and products across stores, monitor sales performance in real time add/remove products from lists and accept payments in multiple methods. Once a product is sold it is billed in Vend and payment can be accepted in many ways.

Vend makes it possible for sellers to set up custom buttons and accept payment in following methods,

  • Cash
  • Cheque
  • Gift cards

Apart from these the seller can accept payments by any methods deposits, partial payments etc. Debit and Credit cards payment methods are also supported with Vend.

Any special hardware required?

Vend works with PCs, iPads, Mac with latest hardware like barcode scanners, cash drawers etc. Sellers can use their existing POS by taking the data to cloud with Vend and also use existing hardware provided it is supported.

For multi-store corporate business Vend can be of great use. Such sellers can monitor their inventory in real time alter variables quickly in any of the store locations without physically being there.

Vend provides more

With Vend sellers can engage and keep customers interested in their business with loyalty programs. Yes, Vend helps sellers setup loyalty programs and track customer loyalty to know their top customers.

Customer Support

Boasting a non-ordinary customer support, 20 hours a day, 7 days a week customer support is made available to Vend users with offices US, NZ and Australian time zones. Vend customers are encouraged to rate Vend with every support they get from Vend and publish ratings publically. Premium support is also provided by Vend to its customers.

Advantages

Vend provides its clients a large feature spectrum and toolset to work with. Cloud based and hence sellers can login and work from anywhere. Moreover, Vend supports offline business whenever internet is down and syncs instantly when back online. Sellers can accept payments in standard payment methods as well as custom methods. Works with majorly used hardware across the globe. And more importantly Vend provides extensive customer support to its customers. Lot more than a conventional cash register, isn’t it?

Vend is a comprehensive business tool for every seller however small or big.

For more information have a look at Vend website

Android L vs. iOS 8: Can Apple take on Android’s Biggest Update

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Finally, the wait is over and Android L is here which bought many new changes with it. The head of Android, Sundar Pichai exclaimed that Android L is the biggest upgrade to Android till date. They proclaimed that the new Android upgrade, Android L will have a new radical design along with 5000 new APIs. All these will be made available soon for the developer previews and it will surely go beyond the form factor associated with mobile. The devices featuring OS Android L will be able to communicate properly as well as the experience will be seamless. Android L will give a very tough competition to iOS 8. Do you think Android L is better than iOS 8?

Android and iOS are both two major influential mobile technologies and every year both fins up with new enhancements leaving behind the loopholes for any complaints about their superiority as well as inferiority with each other. Within a span of a year, the new flagship’s has something catchy and interesting which add up to its previous flagship and thus both Android and iOS are competing shoulder to shoulder with each other.

Android  L vs IOS8

Design

As compared to iOS, Android basically focused on their designing part this time rather than on their material. Android gave wide variety of variations to its colours as well as visual enhancements which increased its brighter hues along with some versatile shadows which will eventually give a new experience to its users. This time there will be not much enhancement in iOS because they already done their experiments in the previous upgrades.

How would be Battery Life?

There is a slight issue regarding the battery of Android L and the project Volta is being working really hard in solving those rising issues. They are trying to increase the time of power saver by 90 minutes while the phone will be less on charge. The power is the main region where there is no main factor of differences between the two.

The notifications are getting a huge renovation in Android L even in the iOS as well. Both the mobile operating systems have the same calls as well as similar options which gives an amazing user experience to its users. In Android L, the banner associated with the notifications features allotted buttons which helps users in accessing their phones easily.

How faster is it?

Android L is faster as compared to the iOS 8 as well as features better looks and is more efficient. The new Android upgrade has got various new features and Google has really put forward their amazing hard work as well as effort to make it the fastest of all. Even there are various hidden features which are rumoured to be arriving with the update of Android L.

The Android L update will come up with an introduction of not just the visuals but even under-the-hood features which are even improving the operating system in various ways. Some of the changes are touched in the keynote and now Google is even spending little more time in various changes which they think that are most important for this updating.

Conclusion –

Overall, we can see that Android L and iOS 8 as both are having advanced features which help in interacting with the external devices along with the chrome books. So what you think is Android L is better than iOS 8 or not? Do you think the new Android L update will be able to attract users or not? What you think about our judgement as well because we simply think that Android L is better but it is important for us to know that what our readers think about the same.

Author BioThis post is contributed by Yogita Aggarwal who blogs at www.dreamtechie.com. She is an avid passionate blogger from Delhi, India. To know more about her visit – About.me/yogitaaggarwal

Acer Iconia A1-830 – Designed for Both Work and Play

Acer recently released its first fully featured tablet – Iconia A1-830. Equipped with 1.60 GHz Intel Atom processor for smooth performance, 7.9 inch brilliant display for improved viewing experience and durable metal back cover Iconia A1-830 is ideal for work as well as leisure. One can use the all new Iconia A1-830 in office, gaming, browsing and entertainment. Acer is one of the leading brands in displays, servers, projects and related services and are in business since 1976 and know has made it into smartphone domain.

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What Iconia A1-830 offers?

Performance

Acer Iconia A1-830 is a well-equipped tablet with Intel Atom dual core processor, 1GB standard memory and flash memory capacity upto 16GB. Ensuring high quality performance, Iconia A1-830 promises a smooth processing experience for all kinds of users.

UI and Operating System

Android operating system for Iconia A1-830 tablet along with multi touch support add to the performance. The Active Matrix TFT Color LCD screen with 1024 x 768 is built for superior viewing experience.

External Interface

The tablet supports standard IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN and Bluetooth for sharing and tethering with other devices. One can build one’s own cloud for creating reliable and secure self-built clouds.

Looks and Design

The tablet comes with aluminum rear cover for firm grip and a metal frame for strength. It is 0.3 inch in height, 5.4 inch in width and weighs around 13.40 oz. Moreover, it’s a tablet that fits in a purse.

Take a look at the specs for detailed information:

  • 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Dual Core Processor.
  • 7.9 inch Active Matrix TFT Color LCD multitouch display.
  • Expandable Memory upto 16 GB.
  • Micro SD and Micro SDHC support.
  • Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) 4000 m Ah battery.

Verdict

Acer Iconia A1-830 is designed for work and entertainment. Beginning with durable design to high performance processing the tablet is useful for reading, browsing, viewing videos and gaming applications.  Overall, it is an all in one type tablet with a reasonable price tag.

Post brought to you by Acer

 

Guide to Plan a Successful Website Development

Websites are now arguably the most important asset a business can have. With more and more people able to use the Internet and people attempting to log on wherever they are in the world – at home, at work, in the city centre shopping or as a passenger in the car on a long road trip – it’s crucial that people can find your site and that they like the all-round look and feel of it.

Plan web development
That doesn’t mean that they just like the high resolution images you’ve used on the homepage or that they like the font you’ve chosen for the logo, it means that they can quickly and easily find the information they’re looking for, use it, and move on and in the case of a retailer that can make the difference between a sale and someone who decides to look elsewhere. A sharp, clean website can make all the difference and having your own web development team or knowledge could make all the difference.
When starting out with a website it’s like an artist with a completely blank canvas, it’s a case of “where do I start?” Before long you’re flowing with widgets, images, content and category pages and without knowing it there’s a lot of clutter – and why would you know it, because to you it’s all essential information about your company and what you do.

Target Audience

The first thing you need to consider before you do any kind of web development, design or content creation; is your target audience. They are the people who are going to be visiting your site to buy something, to learn about something or to ask something and you need to make sure that those people are treated exactly how they should be. Do your research into your own audience in terms of gender, age and sales patterns (for example) and this way you can tailor your site accordingly, using a more relaxed tone if they’re younger or a more professional tone if your audience is likely to be people wanting to buy a service from you, such as, (while we’re talking about it), a web development or design package. You would need to talk to them as if they already had some idea about what they wanted, and just needed you to give them the information they need to make a decision to go with a highly professional company.

Content

You should then think about the content on your site. Is it going to be mainly text or image based, for example? The best way to sell a product is to provide an image, but a site full of pictures can either look like a quality website, Pinterest or a child’s picture book to some people. The actual text you use should be tailored to your audience, as discussed, and used to support these images – especially if you’re working in ecommerce, where it would also need to be optimised for search engines with the right keywords to make online searches simpler and direct more traffic (potential customers) towards your site over your competitors.

Structure

It’s also important that the structure of the site is well planned. There is no point starting with no plan whatsoever or a gung-ho attitude because the site will look as though it’s all over the place. If you’re website is for a business, and you don’t know how to do it yourself, it really makes sense to employ a development agency to build it for you. Many will work with you every step of the way, something people are unaware of or skeptical of, and will ensure that the messages you’re trying to get across, and the brand image you’re trying to portray, are communicated to all visitors and that the site is working beautifully.

Accesibility

In the modern era it’s also becoming increasingly important that your site is built to work across multiple devices. The ‘old’ way of just accessing a website through a desktop PC are still around, to an extent, but more users than ever are now logging on via smartphones, laptops and tablet computers and it’s vital that the site is as easy to use on the smallest device as it does on the largest to ensure that visitors get a positive experience no matter where they come from to make sure that they find what they’re looking for, and come back again in the future.

How Landline Phones Help Us Stay Happy and Connected?

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The telecommunication industry has revolutionized society, politics, and commerce, reshaping how we work and how our brains are wired. These technologies have surely enhanced freedom and democratized the spread of information. As a result, more and more people have the ability to access information. They can be a part of any change they want, using these communication channels. 

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However, it is quite difficult to evaluate modern technologies unless we understand how people used to communicate in the past. Landline phones are remarkable in ways never imagined. Yes, your smartphones are pretty and convenient but landline phones are better in their ways. 

We see a general trend towards getting rid of landline phones in the country. People simply do not feel the need to pay some bucks for a wired phone they barely use. However, with the pandemic situation going on, landline phones are more relevant than ever before. 

To make people understand the importance of a landline even in these cellphone times, we came up with all the reasons to get one for your home. 

Landline Phones have changed over the years 

People have a perception that you can only make and receive calls with the landline. It serves no additional purpose. However, the reality is different. The landline phone has been able to cope up with the challenges of today. The modern landline phones have countless features. For example, if you subscribe to Charter Spectrum™, the Spectrum phone features amount to 28. These are all unique features tailored to meet the requirements of your household. One of the most prominent features is E911 access. In case of any emergency, you can just dial 911 and they will know your location. Secondly, you get unlimited local and long-distance calling with providers like Spectrum. There are no added fees. 

Modern Landline phones have no dropped calls 

We were made to believe that the worn-out landline phones are bound to drop calls when you need them the most. With the introduction of VoIP phones, the scenario has changed entirely. Now, landline phones are the most reliable form of technology when it comes to calling quality. Almost all the top landline phone providers offer no dropped calls. 

This is relevant in the pandemic situation where most of the business and office work is done from home. You need a phone to talk to clients and make work-related important calls. With no dropped calls, you can close any deal. 

Differentiate work from personal life 

The biggest problem with working from home is our inability to differentiate work life from personal life. It intermingles and starts to create many problems for us. For example, you will be working at one moment and getting groceries the other moment. There are no fixed office hours. As a result, it is easier to get exhausted. The frustration gets real when you get work calls from the clients or co-workers at times when you are with your family. Therefore, it is necessary to separate work calls from your cell phones. The landline phone fits the equation here. You can use it entirely for work reasons; communicate with the clients, or people from work when required. This simple step will keep us connected and most importantly, help to differentiate work life from personal life in these odd times. 

Stay connected to your kids at home while you are outside 

Communication and connection are very important especially when you are a working parent. You have to make sure that the kids are doing fine. Many kids have smartphones these days but for younger ones, it is not a good idea to hand them one. Nevertheless, you still need to talk to them while you are outside. A landline phone fits the equation for families like this. It helps them to stay connected all the time. The wellbeing of a child is very important for any mother or father. 

Long-distance calling 

As we have discussed before, modern landline services offer free long-distance calling. You can make unlimited calls nationwide and connect with your clients, family, and friends. 

Back-up option 

No matter what technology you have, it has certain flaws. We are made to believe that we need to rely on one technology and it is the only reliable option in the world. However, this thought is wrong on many levels. Cellphones are not perfect. You face power outages, battery issues, and signal problems every other day. In situations like these, you need a backup option. Landline phones offer a great backup for situations like these. There are no dropped calls, signal issues, and most importantly, no one will steal your landline from you. 

Final Verdict 

We are living in difficult times. In moments like these, it is important to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues. Landline phones might not be the perfect solution but it still is the most reliable communication medium out there.

4 Things to Look for in a Colocation Provider

When it comes to storing data, you have plenty of options all with their own advantages and disadvantages. Cloud computing frees up office space, but you can’t always trust that your data is secure. On the other hand, on-site storage keeps you in charge of your own servers, but you need to have staff on hand at all times to service any technical issues.

colocation hosting provider

The perfect blend of these is colocation — buying your own servers and paying someone else to house and service them. Still, you can’t sign up for the first colocation you find and expect great success. Here’s what to look for in your colocation provider.

Physical Location

The main problem with cloud storage is that you have no idea where your data is actually kept. The servers where your data live could be anywhere from down the street to Hong Kong, China, for all you know. So if you like the idea of colocation, you should be shopping around for a provider with an appropriate location.

Most companies prefer providers who are located with traveling distance from their base of operations. Because the servers you’re using to store data are technically yours, you’ll probably eventually want to make modifications to them, check on their health or possibly even replace them, and it is easiest to perform these actions when your server storage space is nearby. You don’t necessarily need your servers within a mile from the office, but you probably don’t want to have to travel out of the country to get to them either; try to balance your colocation provider’s proximity with its other features.

Security Protocols

Another common issue with cloud storage is the lack in certitude about security. You probably know about big-name companies (Target, Neiman Marcus, Michaels) who’ve had their data hacked and stolen, and it’s smart to make sure that this definitely won’t happen to you. You need to be able to trust the security of your data, both in the physical world and cyberspace, and that’s a feature you can certainly look for in your colocation provider.

It’s likely your office has certain physical security measures in place, but your data is the lifeblood of your business, so it should have the top-of-the-line protections. Valuable colocation providers will provide on-site security staff, closed-circuit cameras, alarm systems and more. Plus, you’ll be able to have complete control over the cyber security of your information because the servers belong to you.

Pricing, Fees and Services

Like any business, colocation providers are in the industry to make a profit, but you don’t want to overpay or get tricked into services you don’t need with fees you don’t want to pay. Sometimes providers will have varying levels of security for different rates. Make sure you know what you’re getting — and whether it’s appropriate for your needs — for the price you’re paying. Be aware that the lowest price probably isn’t going to net you the best features, like top-notch security or full scalability. Instead, look for a fair price and rest knowing you’ve gotten the best bang for your buck.

Additionally, watch out for hidden fees from your provider. Like with gym memberships or cable companies, some colocation providers advertise low prices only to stick their customers with unexpected fees for various “upgrades” or even necessary services. Startup or set up fees may be common across the board, and not all fees are deal breakers, but try not to get suckered in by a low price.

Stability, Predictability and Reliability

We tend to better trust brands that have been around longer. Something about their longevity encourages the feeling of dependability and responsibility in both long-held customers and potentials alike. Though colocation and data storage is a relatively new industry, try to find a provider that’s been around for a while. It’s likely they’ve been able to stay in business because they’re doing the right things, either with customer service, additional features or just unbeatable pricing.reliable colocation

On a related note, you also want a provider whose network service is stable. Waiting around for your office computers to connect to your service is a waste of time and money, so a fast, reliable connection is a must. However, beware of providers who sell too much bandwidth to their customers; if they push the limits of their connection in an attempt to make another buck, you’ll suffer for it.

Don’t be afraid to ask your potential colocation providers plenty of questions. This is a choice that could affect the quality of your business for years to come, so do your research before you sign any contracts.