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Intel Compute Stick: Is It Right for You?

Sep 2015

The Intel Compute Stick has been released which fits into the palm of your hand and promises to turn your TV into a fully working PC. Is it right for you?

What Intel has aimed to create with the Compute Stick is an HDMI stick which allows you to run your TV (or monitor) as a Windows 8.1 PC. Yep, you get full access to everything a desktop PC can do, but at a fraction of the size.

Sounds exciting, right? And too good to be true, right? And that’s why we’re going to take a look at whether the Compute Stick is what you need.

What Does the Intel Compute Stick Excel At?

Turning a TV into a SmartTV

Let’s be honest, SmartTV’s offer a lot of choice, but they’re notoriously difficult to navigate through and typing information into them is a laborious process!

However, with the Compute Stick you can now reap all the benefits of a Smart TV e.g. access to YouTube, NetFlix and Hulu with the bonus of desktop accessibility in the form of wireless mice and keyboards.

The Compute Stick doesn’t just stop at video; it also allows you to stream music through your TV to transform it into a home entertainment system.

Video Conferencing System

The Compute Stick is powered by a 1.3GHz Intel Atom processor with 2GB of ram, so this means it’s more than capable of streaming high definition video.

This is allows users to set up video conferencing wherever there’s a display. Due to the compact size of the Compute Stick this means it’s ideal for those on the move or those with limited space for conference rooms.

Running Basic Business Functions

The portability of the Compute Stick is an amazing feature as it allows individuals to carry out business work no matter where they are.

Perhaps they’re away at a sales conference, but desperately need to edit a spreadsheet for a potential client. With the Compute Stick in their pocket (and it will fit in a pocket) they can easily get to work with Office applications.

With 32GB worth of storage on board you can carry around a lot of spreadsheets!

Where Does the Compute Stick Struggle?

Multitasking

Now, the Compute Stick is more than capable of running almost all your standard PC software, but there is a slight lag in performance. After all, there has to be some payoff for such a tiny PC.

This can become very frustrating when you have a couple of applications open e.g. transferring information from an Excel document to a Word document whilst you dip in and out of your browser is going to be a slow affair.

Memory Intensive Applications

The Compute Stick is going to really struggle running certain software which demands huge amounts of processor power, so it won’t be suitable for everyone.

Graphic designers and video editors, in particular, are going to find that trying to run programs such as Photoshop is a thankless task as all they will do is grind your system to a halt.

Also, many hospitals are now using ‘computers on a stick’ to help manage patient records, but this type of demand is far too risky especially when such sensitive information is involved.

Final Thoughts

As long as your PC needs are simple and you don’t mind a slight lag in performance then the Compute Stick offers a cut price alternative to a business PC or a home entertainment system. However, if you have rather complex needs then the Compute Stick is going to be far too frustrating to rely on.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Is it the End of Adobe Flash?

Securityfirefox, FlashOphtek, LLC

Aug 2015

Many people thought Adobe’s Flash would be playing online videos forever. However, it’s now been blocked in the Firefox browser, so is it coming to an end?

Yes, Mozilla – the makers of the popular internet browser Firefox – have announced that as of the latest update (V. 18.0.0.203) they will be automatically blocking Flash from running in their browser. This comes shortly after Google announced that their Chrome browser would automatically be pausing irritating Flash videos.

Things aren’t looking good for Flash, but what are the basics behind this seemingly enforced retirement of a perennial piece of web software?

What is Flash?

Adobe Flash is a design program specially created to design online graphics, create apps and, perhaps most famously, power online videos.

The birth of Flash actually took place during the mid-1990s, but it wasn’t until 2005 that Adobe took control of the software.

And it was around this time that a new generation of exciting web sites hit the internet and ushered in an era known as Web 2.0.

The emerging websites of Web 2.0 were highly innovative and prized usability and user generated content above anything else. And what was powering these amazing websites? It was, of course, Flash.

Problems with Flash

Flash, however, now finds itself in a precarious position where big players in the online arena appear to be trying to force it out of existence.

But why is this? What exactly is Flash struggling to cope with in the modern age?

Security Issues – Perhaps the biggest nail in Flash’s coffin has been Adobe’s inability to create a safe piece of software. Riddled with security flaws, Adobe has been accused of failing to protect its users from security attacks. Only recently, the Hacking Team spyware company lost a huge 400gb worth of files thanks to a Flash vulnerability.

The Rise of Mobile Devices – Mobile device internet usage is now outstripping desktop internet usage, but Adobe has failed to adapt to this new digital landscape. Steve Jobs – the godfather of mobile devices – famously refused to accept Flash as part of Apple’s iOS as it was too power hungry, unreliable and constantly crashing.

HTML5 – What Steve Jobs was backing was a new update of the HTML web programming language called HTML5. And this language was especially designed with mobile devices in mind, so programmers rapidly shifted from the headaches of coding in Flash to HTML5. This is why YouTube, for so long the great backers of Flash, have shifted to HTML5 as their preferred video delivery system.

Is It Game over for Flash?

Mozilla’s dramatic move isn’t actually an outright blocking of Flash. Mark Schmidt of Mozilla has confirmed that this is only a temporary blocking until Adobe can prove that Flash isn’t infested with security bugs.

However, it certainly feels as though Flash is on the ropes with the increasingly powerful HTML5 language outperforming it in almost every area. Maybe it’s time for Adobe to accept that technology has moved on and Flash should be discarded as a relic of times gone by.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Comcast Announces 2GBPS Fiber Internet for Homes

Internetcomcast, fiber, internetOphtek, LLC

Aug 2015

Comcast’s new 2gbps (gigabits per second) broadband service – Gigabit Pro – is here and they hope it can challenge Google Fiber. Can Comcast compete?

Google Fiber currently offers a 1 GBPS broadband service and that’s currently seen as eye poppingly quick and without compare. However, Comcast is keen to get into this super-fast broadband market and has decided to double the speed offered by Google Fiber in order to entice subscribers.

Let’s take a look at exactly what Gigabit Pro has to offer.

The Basics of Gigabit Pro

Gigabit Pro is a form of high speed internet service known as fiber to the home (FTTH) where a fiber optic communication runs from the central office directly to the subscriber. The only other competitors in this arena are Google and AT&T.

Comcast has spent the last decade laying around 145,000 route miles of fiber to facilitate the launch of Gigabit Pro; at present the availability of Gigabit Pro is limited to selected cities in the following states:

Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Tennessee
California

Benefits of Gigabit Pro

Obviously, the most mouth-watering aspect of Gigabit Pro is the insane speeds being offered. These speeds are possible due to the use of fiber optics to send signals across huge distances with barely any signal loss. Standard, everyday broadband uses copper wires and is prone to significant signal deterioration.

But what do these high speed fiber connections mean for their users? Well, just imagine how quickly you’ll be able to download, stream and transmit data – this is essential for businesses and any increase in speed and reliability will always be welcomed.

Fiber is also seen as being relatively ‘future-proof’ as the fibers are not limited in the speeds that they can offer. The only limits are imposed by terminal equipment, so it’s highly unlikely that users or providers will need to update their fiber.

The Downsides of Gigabit Pro

Comcast has certainly gotten people’s attention with the announcement of Gigabit Pro, but the service is not without its problems.

The main issue facing Comcast is the prices they’re charging for Gigabit Pro. That cost is a huge $300 per month along with fees of up to $500 for installation and a further $500 for activation. Subscription fees in the Midwest will be available for $159 per month, but that reduced prices comes in the form of a 3 year contract.

The next issue for Gigabit Pro is its limited availability. In order to sign up for Gigabit Pro’s service you need to be living within 1/3 of a mile of the fiber network. This is frustrating for the vast majority of internet users and reduces Comcast’s potential revenues.

Final Thoughts

Comcast has the right idea by entering into the fiber market and, by providing Google with another rival, is ensuring that consumers will eventually get better service due to the competition.

However, in the present time, the costs are very high – particularly for domestic internet users – and the availability is low.

Fiber, though, is the future of broadband and as costs fall you should see fiber becoming more prevalent in internet users’ lives.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Microsoft Edge – IE Reskin or Powerful New Browser?

Internetinternet explorerOphtek, LLC

Aug 2015

Browsing the web with Internet Explorer can be a risk, so it’s no surprise that it lags behind. Microsoft is hoping to catch up with its new browser Edge.

Many years ago Internet Explorer was the go to choice for web browsing, but in the last 10 years more innovative browsers such as Chrome and Firefox have come to the fore. Not only are they less clunky, they also improve the user experience.

Naturally, Internet Explorer has fallen to the wayside and feels like a relic from a bygone era of dial-up modems where a single MP3 took an age to download.

Microsoft, it seems, has finally had enough of trailing behind in a niche which they previously dominated, so they’ve announced Edge for the upcoming Windows 10 release.

What is Microsoft Edge?

First and foremost, let’s get one thing straight: Edge is not an evolution of Internet Explorer. It won’t simply be Internet Explorer 12 with a fancy name. Instead, Microsoft is planning for Edge to be a complete revolution of their browsing capabilities.

One of the biggest complaints about Internet Explorer has been its rigid, antiquated design in an age of streamlined simplicity where speed is the key. Edge will be powered a by a new rendering engine which promises to deliver a more user friendly design which will slot seamlessly into mobile as well as desktop devices.

With Chrome being the most popular desktop browser, it’s no surprise to learn that early previews of Edge have revealed it to have a similar, lightweight aesthetic. The accessibility of Chrome will also be apparent in the new features offered by Edge.

Voice activated software has come a long way in the last few years – thanks to Apple’s revolutionary Siri. Microsoft is keen to integrate a similar feature into Edge. That’s why Microsoft’s voice assistant ‘Cortana’ will be available to perform searches and check emails for you.

Touch screen technology is also an area that Microsoft is investing heavily in with Edge and this raises the opportunity for users to annotate/share pages via a stylus which, again, is an amazing increase in accessibility over Internet Explorer.

Edge is also heavily rumoured to be lined up as a downloadable app rather than the built-in default of Windows devices that Internet Explorer is. Not only will this widen the audience available for Edge, it also enhances the ease with which updates can be distributed via the Windows Store.

Will Edge Succeed?

Microsoft certainly has an uphill struggle on their hands to compete with the current market leaders in the battle of the browsers. Due to the popularity of mobile devices in the current digital landscape, users feel more in tune with Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

And developers, too, have been concentrating their efforts on the more popular browsers at the expense of compatibility with Internet Explorer.

With Edge, though, Microsoft appears to finally be getting on track with the trends of this new era of accessible and intuitive browsers. It remains to be seen exactly how much of a dent Edge can make into the market, but by canning Internet Explorer they’ve made a great start!

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Are Solid State Drives Worth It?

hardwarehard drive, hardware, ssdOphtek, LLC

Aug 2015

Solid state drives are non-mechanical storage devices which reduce load times and replace hard drives. Are solid state drives worth it for a small business?

What is an SSD?

Traditionally, the hard drive of a computer has always been a hard disk drive (HDD) made up of spinning disks covered in a magnetic coating to allow data to be read/written.

An SSD, however, has no moving parts and is powered by Flash memory. Essentially it’s a giant USB memory stick. And we all know how much quicker they are than fiddling round with disks!

SSDs, therefore, have become increasingly popular due to the speeds offered. In fact, sales of SSDs are currently doubling each year as HDD sales fall.

But what is it about SSDs that make them so appealing?

The Benefits of an SSD

Increased Speed

We all get frustrated with the load up times for our computers and it’s even more irritating for business users who need to connect to numerous networks. However, by replacing an HDD with an SSD, users can find a 1 minute load time reduced to 15 seconds.

And it’s not just operating systems that receive this sprightly boost. Software such as Microsoft Office will also load in a fraction of the time.

Where SSDs really excel is their capacity to read and write data at speeds that are double that of an HDD. This results in a much quicker rate for creating and transferring files.

There are never enough hours in a business day, so anything which increases work time is a real bonus.

Better Data Integrity

A huge benefit of SSDs is that they’ll never crash and take all their data to silicon heaven. They simply stop writing data and preserve the current data load. Anyone who’s ever lost data to a hard drive crash will know that this is invaluable.

No Moving Parts

The fact that SSDs have no moving parts brings a number of benefits to your computer.

The main area of concern for a business is the process of wear and tear on an HDD due to the intense pressure the disk is put under by running at up to 7200rpm. An SSD, though, is never going to wear out and die.

No moving parts also make SSDs more energy efficient and help promote your business’ green image.

Is an SSD Worth the Extra Cost?

You’re probably getting quite excited over the prospect of SSDs, but they do have one drawback – the cost.

A 128gb SSD costs around $40 at the time of this writing, but a 160gb HDD can be as low as $15. This may not be a huge difference for a one off consumer, but if you’ve got a workforce of 50 computers then it begins to get pricey!

However, costs are dropping rapidly – as with all new technology – so SSDs are only going to become more affordable. You’re getting more bang for your buck with SSDs due to the increases in speed and reliability they offer.

For a small business, SSDs offer an exciting upgrade which will increase productivity and help your business reach the next level.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

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