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Directive has been serving the Oneonta area since 1993, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Kindle Users May Not Like the Latest Windows 10 Upgrade

If you happened to plug your Kindle into your computer and get a blue screen of death, you aren’t alone. Many Kindle users have discovered that the Anniversary update to Windows 10 has caused an issue when attempting to use USB to charge the device or transfer books. It would seem that, within moments of connecting the Kindle to a Windows 10 device, the device will lock up and display the dreaded Blue Screen of Death before rebooting.

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Boost Productivity With These 3 Automation Apps

Today’s fast-paced work environment demands multitasking and juggling various projects at once. Thankfully, there’s a lot of great technologies designed to make workloads more manageable. If you’ve not yet looked into utilizing automation apps for your business, you may be surprised to learn how they can improve efficiency.

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Tip of the Week: 5 Ways to Add a Second Phone Number on Your Smartphone

Smartphones have become an inseparable part of the workplace, to the point where they’re almost necessary in order to maintain efficiency. Yet, sometimes it can feel like a hassle to switch to another device, even if it’s for something as mundane as making a phone call. Did you know that it’s super simple to add a second phone number to your smartphone?

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Tip of the Week: 4 Reasons Why “Dumb” Phones are Smart for Business

The benefits of utilizing smartphones in the workplace are many and obvious. Yet, it may be in the best interests of some companies to ban smartphones altogether, and instead go with older-model flip phones. As counterproductive as this sounds, more companies are saying “out with the new in with the old.”

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3 Strong Incentives to Get Your Office’s Computer Hardware Organized

Businesses rely on hardware, like workstations, servers, mobile devices, and more, to keep operations moving forward. However, managing these knowledge-intensive machines can demand time and resources that are finite for SMBs. If you’re challenged by the management and deployment of hardware, let us guide you through the process of doing so.

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Can an Emoji Smiley Face Bring Down Your Network?

Technology grows more mobile with each passing moment, and emojis have popped up in places that nobody could have dreamt of. In particular, business communications have experienced a surge of emojis, but how (and why) is this the case? Aren’t emojis unprofessional? Shouldn’t they have no place in the business world? Well, let’s explore this a bit.

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Tip of the Week: 4 Ways to Avoid Buying a Lemon of a Used PC

Every budget-minded business owner is always on the lookout for deals, especially when it comes to technology. The quest to save money might cause one to consider buying used computer equipment, which could work out great, or it could be disastrous, depending on a multitude of factors. If you’re serious about purchasing used computer equipment, then take into consideration these four tips.

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Professional Football Teams Use Virtual Reality to Prepare for the Season

Football season is upon us, and the National Football League is filled to the brim with teams that want to make this year the one in which they win it all. In order to get the competitive edge, many teams are turning to virtual reality training, which has proven to be quite effective in preparation for on-the-field practice.

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Windows 10 Gets a High Score From PC Gamers

Windows 10 has been gaining traction in the workplace, but to see a different side of the value that Microsoft’s latest operating system provides, let’s look to the exact opposite of the workplace: recreation. Specifically, Windows 10 has gained in popularity amongst PC gamers, reaching almost half of the total user base of Steam, the PC gamer’s cloud-based preferred gaming solution.

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Free Windows 10 Upgrade Coming to an End on July 29th

Over the past year, Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 10, has gained a massive user base. With over 300 million devices worldwide running it, it’s safe to say that Windows 10 has, thus far, been a commercial success. However, the biggest reason for upgrading to Windows 10 (the free upgrade) will soon expire. So, are you going to take advantage of this, or wait until later?

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Microsoft Sets Itself Up Nicely With Windows Store Loophole

When you’re managing your business’s technology, you want to limit access to time-wasting applications and keep your employees from accessing the Windows Store. It just makes sense. Yet, for the businesses that want to restrict access to the Windows Store on Windows 10 devices, well, that’s too bad; Windows 10 Pro version 1511 just made your life a whole lot more difficult, unless you’re willing to pay extra for Windows 10 Enterprise edition.

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Tip of the Week: 4 Power Tips for Windows 10 Users

Windows 10 is almost one year old, and people have found all sorts of ways to best leverage Microsoft’s great new operating system to their business’s advantage. Yet, some folks tend to forget some of the most basic new features that got everyone so excited about Windows 10 in the first place. Have you taken advantage of these Windows 10 features yet?

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Windows 10 is Super Popular... Microsoft’s New Edge Browser, Not so Much

Have you upgraded your business’s workstations to Windows 10 yet? If not, you should ask yourself why you haven’t done so. However, if you have upgraded, you’re one of the 25.3 percent of people using Windows 10. Windows 10 seems to be a great hit among end-users, but Microsoft’s new browser, Edge, isn’t so fortunate.

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3 Talk-to-Text Apps that are Well Worth the Money

The development of mobile platforms have led to the development of hundreds of apps that give users the ability to capture websites, take notes, and do just about anything else as it pertains to a person’s daily business tasks. Some users of modern smartphones (and other mobile devices) routinely complain about the reliability of the on-screen keyboard interface, as communication is as important to the development and outcome of projects as ever. For this reason, some developers have begun creating applications that allow users to dictate to their devices; turning spoken words in to text. Here are three of the most reliable options to turn your voice into text.

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When Online Teaching Assistants are Really Robots in Disguise

Many students are taking advantage of online education, yet there are some pitfalls that can hold students back; namely, the lack of face-to-face interaction and assistance from the instructor. Now, artificially intelligent teaching assistants might be able to offer some reprieve to this issue.

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The Pros and Cons of the 3D Printing Boom

Ten years ago, 3D printing was nothing but a long shot that the average consumer knew nothing about. Nowadays, printing parts with 3D printing technology for machines and some consumer goods is not only common, it’s growing more popular. All types of industries, including manufacturing, have found that 3D printing is a great way to incorporate modern technology into their current workflow.

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Reminder: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Period Ends July 29th

b2ap3_thumbnail_upgrade_today_400.jpgIt’s been over two years since Microsoft officially cut the cord on Windows XP. As the most popular Windows operating system at the time, it was a huge blow to both businesses and consumers alike. Thankfully, a migration to Windows 10 isn’t nearly as difficult as one from XP. What lessons can be learned from Windows XP’s end of life event that can be applied to upgrading to Windows 10?

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Wireless Retinal Implants Give Functionally Blind People a Second Lease on Sight

b2ap3_thumbnail_retinal_implants_400.jpgTechnology has unlocked some marvelous advancements for human civilization, and thanks to the Argus device by Second Sight, it can now provide a cure for blindness!

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Tip of the Week: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB or More - How Much RAM Do You Actually Need?

b2ap3_thumbnail_random_access_memory_400.jpgYou can tell when a workstation might need an upgrade if it’s slowing down, or if the machine is so absurdly slow that you can barely accomplish your daily tasks with it. One of the easiest ways you can improve the quality of your workstation is by increasing the amount of RAM.

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4 Compelling Reasons to Upgrade to Office 365 Business Premium

b2ap3_thumbnail_microsoft_office_365_400.jpgMicrosoft Office 365 offers many different solutions that allow your employees to be able to do their jobs, keep everything organized, and communicate efficiently. Although, it can be tricky to select a good Office 365 plan for your business. To help streamline operations, the Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium edition offers a versatile selection that can meet any needs your business may encounter.

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Our business began its journey with the purchase of a personal computer back in 1992. This purchase ignited a passion with Chris Chase, our CEO, and there was no stopping its momentum. Less than one year later, he had his first IT support client (and...

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