|
|
|
|
|
Tech News from FlexITechs | July 23, 2013
|
|
FlexITechs' 10th Anniversary
Approaching!
FlexITechs is now in its ninth year of serving Sussex County residents and businesses, WITH OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY COMING UP IN OCTOBER 2013!
After two years as the computer services arm of our sister company, Sussex County Online, FlexITechs was formed to better define the computer services offered by owner Eric Magill.
We thank all of our customers who have made it possible for us to close in our 10th anniversary! |
|
|
|
|
REFER A FRIEND AND SAVE
ON YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL!
Dear (Contact First Name),
Thank you for your continued interest in FlexITechs. If you'd prefer not to receive our occasional email newsletters, use the "Unsubscribe" link above.
Also, be sure to:
Sincerely, Eric Magill, FlexITechs |
|
|
Back to School Tips
Yes, it's only mid-summer, but back to school offers have already started at major computer manufacturers and retailers.
A couple things to keep in mind for back to school computer shoppers:
- Apple computers are all the rage among young people, but they're also twice as expensive as comparable Windows computers. Take the Macbook Pro, for instance. At $1,200 for the 13-inch model, it's twice as much as a comparable Windows 15-inch laptop. Besides the money, the choice will come down to personal preference and what the child will be studying.
- Don't go cheap, especially for college computers. The computer should at least be powerful enough to last four years. That would mean a dual core processor (at least 2.2ghz), at least 4GB of Ram, and a 500GB hard drive.
- If your son or daughter are looking for a computer for college this fall, be sure to talk to their school's IT department first. The IT department should have general system specifications, including the platform (Apple or Windows). Some majors, such as business majors, will likely want Windows, while others, such as graphic designers, will may want Apple. This information may be available on the school's web site, too.
- Check the software used at the college or school (do you absolutely need Microsoft Office and if so, what year?) This information should be available from the IT Department or from the academic department for your child's major.
- While reviewing back to school specials, don't overlook the college bookstore if you have a college student. This is particularly true for Apple. College bookstores often have better academic pricing on computers and software than the manufacturers and retailers.
- Don't forget peripherals and supplies, such as printers, ink and paper. Also, see what kind of Internet the college offers (i.e. campus-wide wireless or Ethernet). With Ethernet, you'll probably need to provide your own Cat-5 cable to connect to the wall jack.
- If you're looking at retailers, don't forget to check online retailers like http://www.newegg.com. NewEgg regularly matches or beats the prices of my wholesalers and you don't have to buy in bulk to get the deals.
Manufacturers should start ramping up more back to school deals shortly, especially as computer sales continue their descent in the face of mobile devices like tablets and SmartPhones. Start checking the manufacturers' web sites on a daily basis now for the best sales. |
My Latest Recommendations
I am often asked for recommendations for everything from computers to printers, and my recommendations usually come as a surprise to those not familiar with modern technology manufacturers.
Note that the following rankings are not scientific but based entirely on my experience of using and fixing computers over the past nine years.
Computers (in order):
- Lenovo - the former IBM just beat HP as the top computer maker in the world in the second quarter of 2013
- Acer - A very close second. In the Top Five of computer manufacturers worldwide, I've had very good luck with this brand
- Dell - Dell is in a state of flux as its namesake and founder, Michael Dell, tries to sell the company, but its computers remain in the hunt even though its customer service has fallen way off. From a business perspective, we always recommend Dells for the 3-year Next Business Day guarantee on hardware repairs. Beats having to pack up the computer and ship it to the manufacturer and doesn't add that much to the price.
- Toshiba - If there's a great deal, they're ok. Otherwise, I avoid them due to bloatware (extraneous software installed by a manufacturer)
- HP - Not a fan. Like Toshiba, too much bloatware
- Sony - Again, not a fan, especially of the all-in-one computers with the monitor and tower combined into one unit.
Printers:
Printer quality and reliability, especially for inkjet printers, has dropped off dramatically in the past couple of years, and that goes for all brands.
Seems like we're recommending replacement for many printers under two years old these days. With that in mind, here are my printer recommendations:
- HP - Quality not nearly what it once was, but still the best overall
- Epson - A trusted name for many years
- Brother - we've never recommended one but customers seem to like them
- Canon - Probably better known for cameras but printers are ok
- Lexmark - The printers themselves are ok but the software is buggy and often has to be reinstalled
- Dell - about the same as Lexmark. In fact, many Dell printers are Lexmarks.
If you do a lot of printing, you should consider a laser printer. Prices have come down quite a bit and printer reliability is usually better. For color laser printers, be sure to compare the cost of the toner cartridges to the cost of ink cartridges for inkjets.
There are many other brands I didn't touch on here, but these are the most likely brands you will find in stores and online retailers. One final tip: When buying any new device, look for reviews from people who have actually purchased and used the product. There are many such reviews on Newegg.com. Staples has some too. Even if I don't buy a product from New Egg, I always look for reviews there first. |
|
BizTech -- Technology Life Cycles
The most difficult part of my job right now involves advising business clients on their next computer systems and how long they can expect them to last -- known in the industry as a Technology Life Cycle.
A Technology Life Cycle is a plan to determine when you will replace certain parts of your network infrastructure to match your anticipated business needs in the coming years.
With Microsoft ending support for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Office 2003 in April 2014 and a large install base of those products still in use in small businesses, virtually every small business will need to upgrade at least some of their computers by next April.
Ordinarily, small businesses purchase technology to last five or more years, so they usually buy the most powerful systems they can afford now rather than lower end computers that might not be able to handle advances in software in a couple of years.
Technology Life Cycles Growing Shorter
Now, however, as computer sales have declined for the fifth straight quarter and software developers continue making more software for mobile devices like tablets and SmartPhones, it's difficult to know what types of technology businesses will be using in three years, much less five.
In five years, I can imagine many small businesses replacing workstations with tablets, especially if their employees need to be mobile.
In the past five years, I, myself, have moved from a 15-inch laptop with a doctor's bag of parts to a Netbook in a purse-sized bag with a couple of parts to walking into clients with nothing more than my SmartPhone.
Researching Your Technology Needs
So, what should you be looking at?
First, you need to talk to the sales and support departments of your major hardware and software vendors, including your line of business applications, to learn about their plans over the next three to five years.
You should do this by email rather than by phone. You will want this in writing. Trust me on that.
Questions to ask include:
- What are the plans for their software over the next three to five years? What system specifications do they expect future versions of their software to require in that time-frame?
- Will they offer mobile versions of their software (if they already don't)? If so, do they plan to offer apps for the iPhone or Android or Blackberry or Windows phones or all of them? Will all of the features you currently use be supported by the apps? This will have a bearing on tablet and SmartPhone purchases and might have a bearing on whether you replace workstations with tablets or SmartPhones.
- Do they plan to offer a hosted (Cloud) version of their software that won't require an on-site server? If so, will the pricing of the monthly subscription be less than the cost of a new server that should last five years and will the hosted version offer all the features you currently use?
- Will your LOB vendor, like Microsoft, start making things so difficult for on-premise versions of their software that you will be forced to go to their hosted version? If so, when will that shift take place? That will make the difference between buying a server now for three years or five years.
- Do they envision technologies that will have a major impact on your business? If so, seek their guidance, as well as that of a qualified IT consultant, in determining your Technology Life Cycle.
- If you use Office, don't forget Microsoft's hard push to the cloud, and the annoyances of Windows 8 and Office 2013. Perhaps it will be less disruptive for your organization to go with Office 2010 and Windows 7 for the next three years and see what technology exists then.
For assistance in determining your company's Technology Life Cycle, contact Eric Magill at 302-537-4198 or ericm@flexitechs.com
|
|
|
We thank you for your past business and hope we can continue to fulfill your technology needs in the future. If you have any questions about current technology issues, feel free to contact us at 537-4198. |
|
Sincerely,
Eric Magill
FlexITechs
Microsoft Small Business Specialist |
|
|
|
|
|
Refer a Friend. Save 10% on Your Next Service Call!
Now through August 31, 2013, when a friend tells us they were referred by you, we will offer you 10% off your next service call, no matter when you need us.
So, if your friend has us perform a service call by August 31, the next time you need us, we'll take 10% off your bill. | Offer Expires:
August 31, 2013
|
|
|
