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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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OneNote

5 ways OneNote will help you have a more organised life

To get more done in your business, you and your team need to be highly organised, and have systems to leverage information.There’s a perfect tool for this – and you probably already have it.OneNote from Microsoft is part of the powerful and popular Office 365 suite.
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GDPR One Year On

Fines issued over the past twelve months have already totalled €56m. And watchdogs say the European data protection agencies are just warming up. Yes that includes here in the UK.In the first few months alone, more than 205,000 cases were reported across 31 countries.And now the data officers have settled into their roles, they’re taking a zero- tolerance approach to breaches.
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3 in 4 staff would fail a simple password check

You want your staff to watch this video. Because their weak passwords put your business at risk.3 in 4 people use passwords so weak, they are very easily hacked. We're talking:123456 Pet names, children' names, spouse's names Football teams, favourite player, etcWe're TKNOWIT , local data security experts. And almost every day we see the consequences of local businesses being hacked, due to weak passwords.We've got a brand new educational video on password security. You can watch it right now.
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Which member of your staff is using the password “Fluffy1234”?

Someone is. Or some other weak variant of their pet's name, child's name, or their favourite football team.We've seen all of these. And so have the hackers. And that's why passwords like these are so easy to crack.People and their passwords are the weakest link in any organisation’s security. That includes businesses in Ryedale and beyond.Our new video shows you how to easily add a powerful extra layer of security.
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the 2020 problem

Do you use Windows 7? Office 2010? Exchange 2010?

Millennium Bug, GDPR and now the 2020 Problem.A number of…
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the 2020 problem

The end for Windows XP

On 8th April 2014 Microsoft will end support for both Windows…
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the 2020 problem

tKnowIT Video Promo

Please take a look at our video.
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the 2020 problem

Linux: Revitalise your old computer for free

Not everyone can afford the latest Microsoft Windows 7 PC or…
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the 2020 problem

Tablets: A long-term test

As with most new things, tablets have become the shiny must-have…
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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?