The 3 most important areas to discuss with your technology partner (jargon-free)

IT support is a technical job, and some of the language used can be a bit, well… technical.So here’s our jargon-free look at the 3 most important areas to discuss with your technology partner.
Read more

tKnow IT Jargon Buster: Learn to talk Tech

Does IT jargon feel like an alien language? We steer clear of tech talk as much as possible when we’re working with our clients. But next time you need help with an IT issue, it could save you a lot of time if you have a few words of lingo in your locker.That’s why we’ve created our new, free IT Jargon Buster. It’s a great A-Z of just some of the terms you might hear when you’re talking with an IT expert.
Read more

How do you stop programs loading at startup

One of the reasons windows can take ages to start can be due to the number of programs or apps trying launch automatically at startup. Over time you install programs and they decide they should add something to your startup list. Our new video shows how to manage this.
Read more

Help plan 2021 with Microsoft Planner

Microsoft 365 has some amazing productivity and collaborative tools already built in.Did you know that within Teams there’s a useful project planning tool?Watch our short video for the lowdown on how to use Microsoft Planner.
Read more

What does ransomware mean to you?

It's one of the fastest growing crimes in the world.. but what does it mean to you? Ransomware can be scary. What if you switch on your work computer tomorrow morning and instead of the screen you normally see, the screen goes totally red. Your then shown a message saying that your business's data has all been locked and that the only way to retrieve it will be to pay thousands in Bitcoin. Statistics suggest is not a rare event. It happens to businesses every day - everywhere - even in Ryedale. Every business is at risk. And it can be one of the hardest things for us as your IT support company to fix. We’ve written a brand new guide.
Read more

Is your phone system ready for the hybrid workplace?

When was the last time you upgraded your business phone system?If it’s been 5 years or more, then you’re overdue an upgrade.You probably update your laptop and mobile phone every few years. Business phones are no different.Designed to work in the office, from home or on the move, watch our new video to see the benefits from installing a 2020 VoIP system for your business.
Read more
tKnowITman

Working From Home: Slow Internet? Try hotspotting your phone

I've had a few people saying that their broadband is slower than normal at home. This can be because you are normally not working from home at this time of day but more likely due to the increased volume of people using the internet for surfing, watching Netflix, Prime, YouTube, etc. First, try rebooting the router, check the microfilters on phone outlets and try an ethernet cable if wi-fi is poor. If you are using a laptop over wi-fi and you also have a smartphone with a decent 4G signal then try creating a local HotSpot on the phone and then connect your laptop to the hotspot rather than your normal router. See if things run any quicker Remember to check your data tariff and allowance though
Read more

tKnowIT: Services mostly as usual

With the latest announcement from the government, it is important that you know that tKnowIT is able to provide you with your normal IT support, monitoring and maintenances services. This includes businesses who currently don't have a support agreement with tKnowIT but need help on a pay as you go basis. tKnowIT can help with IT systems, assistance with staff working from home, auditing and securing their machines, etc. It is sad to see so many businesses are having to shut their doors until this all blows-over but I’m in the fortunate position that a lot of IT tasks can be performed remotely.
Read more

MS Teams: Here’s how to make project communication as easy as possible

Managing multiple projects with lots of different contributors can be a real headache.Unless you use one of the world’s favourite collaboration tools – that you may already be paying for.
Read more

New Utility: Has your email address been stolen?

Has your email address been stolen?We have put together a new tool for you to use for free that can tell you if your email address has been stolen.If it has been stolen you can use the contact form to request more information from us.
Read more

Office 365: Checking for updates

Start MS Word Click File menu option then click Account Click Update Options followed by Update Now A message will then appear
Read more

Windows 10: How to check for updates

Click Windows flag in bottom left corner of screen then click on the cog Click on Update & Security Click the Check for updates button
Read more
scribble

A clever way to replay notes you’ve scribbled on a document

Using Word, PowerPoint and Excel is so much fun now. Because there are so many things you can do with your documents.Like scribble notes on them. Perfect when you’re using a tablet.And did you know, there’s a functionality called Ink Replay that allows you to literally watch the exact moment you scribbled the note again.
Read more

Your email is your greatest tool. And biggest threat

Because we rely on email so much to run our businesses, it’s our greatest tool (no matter how much you might sigh when you see how many unread emails you have).But because there’s so much activity in there. And you can receive emails from anyone, it’s the most common way to try to breach your business.Hackers are targeting every business, every day. Using clever automated tools.
Read more

Hackers are targeting your business right now

This is 100% true because they are targeting all businesses,…
Read more

Wouldn’t it be life changing to reach Inbox Zero… every day?

Wouldn't that be good. No emails at the end of each day. No worrying that you've missed something important.Or scrolling through the same emails again and again, when you'd rather be playing with your kids (doh!).Inbox Zero isn't reached by having fewer emails... that's really hard to achieve. Instead, you need to change the way you handle emails.
Read more

What secrets are you giving away on social media?

Could a puppy get your business hacked?How lovely. Lisa in accounts has a brand new puppy.It's taking over her life. There are photos on her desk. It's all she seems to talk about. Hey - she even changed her password to include his name.And suddenly that puppy has become a security risk to your business.Because hackers are clever.
Read more

5 terrifying password stats

Are poor password practices putting your business at risk?Our…
Read more

If you have a Windows 7 machine and you use it for business, you MUST replace it by the end of this year.
Why? Because it’ll be a major target for hackers in January next year (2020).
This is a serious threat to many businesses in Ryedale and beyond. It will leave their entire computer network open to hackers.
We’ve created a new short video to tell you why it’s such a problem, and why you mustn’t wait too long to replace your old tech. Remember what happened when the NHS were still running Windows XP?
To comply with GDPR you should also have a plan to replace any machines running windows 7.

It might have only just turned 2019. But we want you to look ahead to next January, in 2020.
Because there’s a major software problem on the way… and it’s going to affect half of all businesses and organisations in Ryedale.
In January 2020 Microsoft is ending the life of lots of old versions of popular software.
This includes the 2010 version of Office, some popular server software – and Windows 7.
If you have even one computer that runs any of this software, you’ve got a major headache from next January.
In fact, your business will be at severe risk of being hacked, as well as no longer being GDPR-compliant.
We’ve put together a brand new guide to help you see if your business will be affected – anyone can check, regardless of technical ability.
Plus we tell you why you mustn’t wait till next year to take action. This problem has to be tackled now.

21 ways to help your staff get more done, in less time – with Office 365
Do you already use Microsoft Office 365 in your business?
Lots of people already do. It’s now got 120 million active users across the world. And 50,000 small businesses sign up every month.

Be more productive with these Microsoft Edge features

Be more productive with these Microsoft Edge features

In the never-ending mission to be more productive, the latest Microsoft Edge browser could be a powerful ally. We’re telling you about 3 of its best productivity features.
Is this the most dangerous phishing scam yet?

Is this the most dangerous phishing scam yet?

Bad news: Cyber criminals have yet another new phishing scam up their sleeves and it could be the most dangerous one yet. They’re using genuine subdomains that have been abandoned. We tell you how to stay safe.

Here’s how to save time, money, and stress on your IT

Your business couldn’t function without its technology, right?And from time to time, things go wrong.If these are the only times you speak to your IT support provider, it’s very likely you’re wasting a lot of time and money. Plus creating yourself a ton of stress.

Why you’re better in a contract with your IT company

What happens when your business suffers an IT issue?Whether it’s suspected malware, a data breach, or a computer that refuses to connect to anything, chances are it’s going to cause you and your team downtime.And if you only have a break/fix relationship with your provider (that’s where you only call them when there’s a problem), it’s going to mean unexpected costs, lots of waiting, and stress. Plenty of stress.
Is Wi-Fi 7 worth the investment?

Is Wi-Fi 7 worth the investment?

Is upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 the right investment for your business? We look at the pros and cons of the next-gen wireless connection.
Cyber attacks: Stronger, faster and more sophisticated

Cyber attacks: Stronger, faster and more sophisticated

A new cyber security report has brought some bad news: Cyber attacks are getting stronger, faster, and more sophisticated. We have all the details.
The little things that make a big difference

The little things that make a big difference

Microsoft’s made another update to Windows 11, and while it’s a small one, it could make a big impact. We have all the details of what’s changing.
And the award for most common phishing scam goes to…

And the award for most common phishing scam goes to…

Which phishing scam are you and your employees most at risk from? We tell you about the most common phishing emails and the easy way to stay safe.

Encryption: the difference between chaos and calm

What would happen if your business data was stolen?Would it:a) Throw the company into chaos and put everything on the line? Or… b) Be an inconvenience that, fortunately, you’d already anticipated?