Windows 7 is reaching the end of its life and support on January 14, 2020. It’s now time to plan your upgrade to Windows 10. What’s happening to Windows 7? Windows 7 (as well as Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2) will no longer be supported by Microsoft...
SpireTech Company News and Tips
Connecting and Presenting in Microsoft Teams
If you regularly use Skype for Business in your organization, you may now know that Microsoft has begun replacing Skype with Teams. Microsoft Teams is a new platform that acts as a hub within Office 365 and brings together chat, meetings, notes, and integrations...
5 reasons why general software updates and patches are important
used with permission from Norton by Symantec, by Steve Symanovich You’re probably no stranger to those little pop-up windows. They tell you software updates are available for your computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile device. You might be tempted to click on that...
Netflix phishing scam: Don’t take the bait
used with permission from FTC.gov., by Colleen Tressler Phishing is when someone uses fake emails or texts to get you to share valuable personal information – like account numbers, Social Security numbers, or your login IDs and passwords. Scammers use your information...
Check email header information for signs of spoofing
Think about this scenario: A friend tells you that they received a message from your email address that wasn’t really sent from you. They think you’ve been hacked and your account is sending malicious emails to friends. How do you know if your email address...
Improving business efficiency with AI
used with permission from Microsoft Industry Blogs Small businesses can use AI to improve their bottom line Chatbots cut business costs by $20 million last year. By 2022, that savings is expected to jump to $8 billion.[1] That’s an increase of about 75% in five...
Windows 10 Tip: Schedule items by dragging a task to your calendar
used with permission from Microsoft, by Athima Chansanchai If you need to allot time to take care of the items on your to-do list, wouldn’t it be great if you could drag and drop those tasks right into your calendar? Now, you can. The new Tasks experience in...
Essential Steps to Handle Negative Reviews
used with permission from SBA.gov., by Anita Campbell Bad online reviews can cause potential customers to shop elsewhere, negatively impacting your business’ bottom line. If your business has received a bad online review, here are steps you can take to handle it and...
Cybersecurity for small business: Ransomware
used with permission from FTC.gov., by Andrew Smith, Director, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Mention the word “ransomware” at a meeting of small business owners and you’ll feel the temperature in the room drop by 20 degrees. A ransomware attack is a chilling...
2018 is Heading for the Finish Line!
We are starting to hear from clients interested in IT capital expenditures or projects they want to accomplish before the end of the calendar year for both operational and tax deduction purposes – in many instances equipment purchases and IT projects can be...