As the end of 2022 approaches in the coming months, so does the support for Windows 8.1. That's right, Windows 8.1 will reach end of support on January 10th, 2023, that means that technical assistance and software updates for 8.1 will no longer be offered. Not only will Microsoft halt software updates to Windows 8.1, but the company will be halting security patches as well.

Running a successful business takes a lot of work, and a great deal of the early work in bringing customers in the door lies in the visual realm. As a business, your visual identity can do a lot of the talking for you, and if done improperly can push traffic away. While some of the top companies are always changing their logo to chase yearly trends, keeping a consistent visual tone can be one of the key factors in creating lasting relationships with your clients and customers. 

When thinking about tools and platforms for your business, it can sometimes be difficult to define the line between cutting costs, improving workflow efficiency, and setting up diminishing returns. Oftentimes, small businesses or startups may be tempted to use a desktop or laptop computer as a cheaper alternative to a dedicated server. This mistake can not only put you at risk of data loss, but also could have your business miss out on some of the best perks of a dedicated server.

Regardless of the size of your home or business, it's likely that somewhere along the way you will require the help of a tech support professional. Most of the time, the best course of action is to look for the IT team your company employs within its walls, or the third-party company they rely on for help. Sometimes, the best course of action is calling the manufacturer or developer of the product or software that is causing problems.

Every year, security technology gets more and more intricate. The tools we have at our disposal to defend against malware, direct hacking, DDoS attacks, data breaches and more have been consistently improving as bad actors continue to innovate on the technology they use to attack businesses. However, while this battle is constantly waged over a virtual field, the overwhelming majority of attacks are still perpetrated through a single old-fashioned tactic: social engineering.

When it comes to managing your business online, there are a lot of places where people can voice their opinions. Public-facing reviews are a great way to collect feedback about your business, and when used strategically, can be a huge boon to your Google rankings. But if left ignored, Google reviews can also do harm.

In our previous blog we described the different types of ads and some of the ways they can be sent out to your audience. When coming up with a plan for sending out blogs, a few things are important to keep in mind: targeting, reach, and budget. Balancing the first two against the third can be troublesome, but you're not alone. The Technical Resource Solutions team is here to work with you to plan out and set up your ad campaigns to ensure that your budget is being spent as efficiently as it can be.

Advertisements on the internet have been around almost as long as the World Wide Web itself. Whether you're looking for information on your favorite search engine, pulling up a favorite music video, or corresponding with old friends on social media, it's likely the first thing you see when attempting to do any of those things is an advertisement. While your first reaction might be one of annoyance, nearly everyone has a memory of a particular ad that caught their eye, or even that led to a purchase.

Digital advertisements are one of the best ways of interacting with an audience that you may not have ever interacted with otherwise, but the road map for accessing those audiences, thanks to the ubiquity of the internet, is becoming progressively less clear. To help with that, Technical Resource Solutions has put together a short primer on digital ads, their utility, and some frequently asked questions!

Any business owner knows that data can be a powerful thing. Tracking sales can help you optimize inventory, find upselling opportunities, and companion items to increase your average order value. Research data following customers' eyes as they peruse store aisles informs on what shelf real estate is more valuable for brands. Tracking customer movement in and out of the store can help you determine what hours are best to stay open, and what hours are best to schedule additional staff.

The same can be said of your digital marketing presence. If all you do is post occasionally on a Facebook page or sending out emails to your list of clients without checking the data first, you might be leaving a huge source of potential revenue untapped. 

Computer security is a constant battle. Cybersecurity experts and researchers are continually working to thwart attacks, but attackers are finding new ways to exploit unsecured machines just as quickly. As such, traditional tools for identifying and snuffing out malware are no longer sufficient on their own – a better way is needed.  

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) provides a means for business owners needing to protect their networks from malicious software.

When it comes to buying equipment for a workforce, you're faced with a balancing act. Between the cost of the equipment, its capabilities, and its practicality, it can be hard to narrow down what the ideal workplace machine will look like. To top it off, the issue is made even more confusing thanks to widespread supply issues for computer components. Despite all this, standardizing your workplace's computing infrastructure can have real effects on a company's bottom line.

With recent changes to both the Google algorithm and Google's analytics tools, it's clear to see that websites' rankings are not only dependent on relevance and usability, but also the amount of time users spend interacting with your site. In many cases, your website is your "first impression" to clients who might be finding you from the wider web, and keeping your site at the top of those search results is key. That said, here are four ways to increase interactivity on your site and keep people engaged before they make that final conversion to "customer."

When browsing the internet, some of us may encounter a very familiar pop-up on the top-left corner of the screen: "This website wants to show notifications." In some cases, these push notifications can be useful to the end-user. Push notifications enabled on Facebook, for instance, may allow a user to see what their friends have messaged them, even when they're not currently browsing Facebook itself. Unfortunately, some websites have recently seen fit to take advantage of consumer trust and have been using these push notifications (and other granted browser permissions) to malign purposes.

You may be surprised to know that making a website available to others online isn't simply a matter of "putting it up," but is instead a chain of interlocking pieces that contribute to the function of a whole. Between hosting, domain names, DNS settings, nameservers, and more, each of these pieces combine to create the larger puzzle that makes your website accessible to others on the internet. 

As an internet user, you've likely heard some of the recent discourse over web privacy, tracking, and changes regarding those topics. Last year, Safari took the first step in blocking third-party cookies, and now other internet browsers are following suit. The death of the third-party cookie is a pivotal moment in the history of internet usage and in the history of internet privacy, but their nebulous description and wide variety of usages has left some in the dark about what cookies actually are.

So, what are cookies, and what are they for?

In 2015, Microsoft said that Windows 10 would be the last versioned release of the operating system. So it came as a surprise to many when the company announced the upcoming release of Windows 11 earlier this year. If you're not inclined to keep up with the latest technology, this may come as a bit of a surprise, and you may be wondering how such an upgrade will affect the IT infrastructure of your business. The tech news world has been aflutter with information and speculation as to the nature of the Windows 11 update, but now that there are more concrete facts, here's what you need to know: 

If you've ever been the victim of data loss, a hack, malware or similar without a backup, you know the sting of losing hard work and vital company data when things go wrong. Data loss without a backup, at a best-case scenario, can cause the loss of countless hours and dollars spent. At a worst-case scenario, data loss without a backup can lead to irrecoverable damage to a business. Research has shown that after a catastrophic data loss, 40 to 60% of small businesses will never reopen.  

First impressions are everything, right? More often than not, your website serves as that first impression for potential customers, helping them decide if they want to choose you as their service or product provider. Since your website holds so much weight on a viewer's decision, it's crucial to maintain a positive, updated image in the public eye. People are more and more tech-savvy – and they expect you to be too! In a world full of competitors, make yourself stand out in the crowd by refining your website design, content, and images – after all, this is the part of your website that everyone interacts with. Make it a good experience!