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TechBytes

Technology tips, tidbits, and useful information from the PremierePC team

TechBytes

Are you consistently wasting money on credit card fees?

Don’t waste your money…

PremierePC was losing money on credit card fees every month. The client pays their invoice, credit card company takes a percentage for themselves, and PPC gets the rest.

We were faced with having to punish the client by raising costs or adding additional processing fees, or finding an alternative.

We found, with GoCardless, how to get easy-to-use, seamless ACH Direct Debit capabilities for our clients, at a MUCH lower fee per transaction. PremierePC is saving $1,200 in fees each month.

See our co-founder, Matthew Rydzfski, discuss the benefits to partnering with GoCardless.

GoCardless has saved us about $1,200 a month in fees, and that money can be reused to better support staff, our services, and our clients.

– Matthew Rydzfski

View full article here.

July 26, 2022
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/cropped-logo-circle-576.png 512 512 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2022-07-26 13:21:592022-07-26 13:21:59Are you consistently wasting money on credit card fees?
TechBytes

Did You Know… (5 Google Tips)

Did you know you can customize your Google Searches?

Here are five tips to help you improve your search engine skills.

searching_google_tips

  1. Filter search results by date. Type your phrase and search. Then click TOOLS (below the search bar), change ANY TIME to CUSTOM RANGE. Insert your dates and filter.
  2. Exclude keywords you don’t need. Place a MINUS SIGN (-) in front of any words you don’t want included in your search. Emphasize important search terms by placing a PLUG SIGN (+) in front of it.
  3. Search for files. Type FILETYPE:_____ at the beginning of your search. Fill the blank with the type of file you’re looking for. Ex. filetype:pdf for pdf files and filetyps:xlsx for Excel spreadsheet.
  4. Use Advanced Search. Click SETTINGS and look for ADVANCED SEARCH; there are multiple ways you can further specify your search.
  5. Quick tips. Type exact searches in QUOTES. Search a specific site by placing SITE:____ directly in front of URL. (site:premierepc.net “computer and network support”)

Happy searching!

December 13, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/search-google-tips-5-e1639405768941.png 1732 1839 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-12-13 09:31:412021-12-13 09:31:41Did You Know… (5 Google Tips)
TechBytes

Dark Web Monitoring – Feature Update

Hackers and cybercriminals launch attacks every 39 seconds, which is an average of 2,244 times per day.

More than 8 Billion records were confirmed to be compromised in the last year alone.

By now I’m sure you’ve read or heard about our Dark Web Monitoring solution, combining human and sophisticated Dark Web intelligence with search capabilities to identify, analyze and proactively monitor for an organization’s compromised or stolen employee and customer data. Well, Dark Web ID just got an upgrade!

With the new release, PII Data capabilities have been enhanced. Dark Web ID now displays non-sensitive PII (Personal Identifiable Information) values when they available.

 

What does this mean for you?

Not only can you know the type of information the bad guys know, you can know what the bad guys know.

For example, you would previously be alerted of the email address, and type of PII (such as First Name Last Name and Address.)

Now, you will be alerted of the email address and PII values (such as John Smith 345 Main Street, Greenville, SC.)

This feature update continues to differentiate this solution from other dark web monitoring providers. Interested in learning more? Click here or call PremierePC today.

November 3, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/darkweb-monitoring.png 544 490 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-11-03 13:35:502021-11-03 13:35:50Dark Web Monitoring – Feature Update
TechBytes

Outlook: Cool Features For This Hot Summer

Ever open your email and immediately get a sinking feeling in your gut?

“WHAT‽ How do I have 37 messages from that one company‽ I want to keep these but I definitely don’t need to read them all. What do I do‽”

Introducing Sweep.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Go to your Inbox, select a message.
  2. On the menu bar, select Sweep.
    A screenshot of the Sweep button
  3. Choose how you would like to handle the email messages from that sender.
  4. Select OK.

Easy enough.

Stay tuned for more cool features to improve your daily workflow.

July 22, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/microsoft-to-ditch-nokia-e1619541991640.jpg 333 333 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-07-22 11:37:322021-07-22 11:37:32Outlook: Cool Features For This Hot Summer
TechBytes

Tips on Computer Health

Have you ever thought about the health of your computer?

If not, it may be time to start!

There are preventative measures you can take to prolong the life of your machine.

Here are a few of the highlights:

  1. Stay up to date
    PremierePC handles this. Windows updates are pushed from us to make sure security updates are always current.
  2. Scans/Anti-virus
    We also handle this. Webroot anti-virus is pushed to all service plan computers, running regular scans.
  3. Clean computer physically
    This can be useful. Make sure that computers don’t sit in places that accumulate dust or dirt, as an abundance of dust inside a computer and prevent it from cooling itself effectively. Computers also have built in fail-safes to slow down if they get too hot so the machine doesn’t completely break.
  4. Clean up files
    Saving files to the desktop is convenient and useful, but the operating system has to load additional resources when there are more files visible on the desktop. Additionally, files piling up in the recycling bin generally won’t have an adverse effect on computer speeds, but it doesn’t hurt to clean it out every once in a while.
  5. Close out programs not in use
    This is two-fold. One, it allows other programs on the computer to use more resources, and generally, run faster. Two, without getting overly technical, when a program is open for a long time, resources in memory can get “lost.” Closing or restarting a program can help flush out the system.
  6. Restart the computer
    It can be beneficial to turn off, and/or restart computers from time to time. Not necessarily every day, but once a week is a good time frame. This, similar to the previous tip, helps to clean things out that are stuck or wasting space in the background of the computers resources.

Want to learn more tips? Give us a call today.

May 28, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/orange-computer-e1622229958815.png 491 498 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-05-28 15:33:232021-05-28 15:31:11Tips on Computer Health
TechBytes

Our Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts

Let’s face it. We are all extremely busy all the time; or so it seems.

So we LOVE shortcuts. Anything that can maximize efficiency and multi-tasking gets my vote.

Here’s a review some of the most commonly used Windows keyboard shortcuts. This can increase productivity and offer a smoother workflow in day to day computing.

Note: ‘Win’ refers to the Windows Logo Key pictured below

windows_logo_key_win

  • Ctrl + X
  • Ctrl + C
  • Ctrl + V
  • Ctrl + Z
  • Ctrl + A
  • Win + Arrow
  • Win + D
  • Alt + Tab
  • Win + L
  • Ctrl + R
  • Win + Shift + S
  • Win + I
  • Win + Shift + Arrow
  • Ctrl + N (Within Edge)
  • Ctrl + T (Within Edge)
  • Ctrl + Shift + N (Within Edge)
  • Cut selected item
  • Copy selected item
  • Paste selected item
  • Undo an action
  • Select all text or files
  • Snap windows
  • Show or hide the desktop
  • Switch between open apps
  • Lock your PC
  • Refresh active window
  • Take a screenshot
  • Open settings
  • Move active window
  • New browser window
  • New browser tab
  • New InPrivate Mode browser window

Looking for one you don’t see?

Windows lists many more shortcuts on this page.

Stay tuned for more fun and helpful info from the PremierePC team.

May 6, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/microsoft-to-ditch-nokia-e1619541991640.jpg 333 333 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-05-06 11:00:592021-05-06 08:28:13Our Favorite Keyboard Shortcuts
TechBytes

Let’s Chat About Microsoft Edge

What’s the deal with Edge?

Microsoft Edge is the internet browser that was created to replace Internet Explorer. Edge runs faster and has more features than Internet Explorer, and comes preinstalled on all Windows computers. This browser is also offers faster performance speeds than every other browser.

Edge is a Chromium browser, meaning it can run hundreds of extensions that were meant for Google Chrome users in addition to the extensions in the Microsoft Store.

Let’s talk features:

*click each heading below to learn more*

Single Sign On

This browser uses the OS default account to auto sign into the browser. This may not sound like a big deal, but with necessary security measures you may find yourself signing in to different many websites each day, multiple times a day, slowing you down.

This option saves you the trouble of reentering your credentials to access your work websites and increases productivity.

For the techies: Edge supports signing in with Active Directory Domain Services, Azure Active Directory, and Microsoft accounts.

Syncing

This is one of my personal favorites – by signing into my Microsoft account in my Edge browser, I can sync all bookmarks, history, passwords, etc. across devices.

Collections

Multi-tasking more and more lately? Use collections to organize websites into different categories for later.

Vertical Tabs

If you’re someone who keeps many tabs open at once, this may be helpful. Vertical tabs allow you to easily find and manage many open tabs at once.

Smart Copy

This feature copies over the rich web format of selected text instead of reformatting the text from your browser into an ugly mess. Right click, choose “smart copy,” then paste – it’s that simple!

Tracking Prevention

Edge offers three options for tracking: basic, balanced, and strict. Depending on which is selected, Microsoft will adjust the types of third-party trackers blocked.

Password Monitor

This feature notifies you if any of the credentials you’ve saved in autofill have been detected on the dark web, then prompts you to take action.

InPrivate Mode

Edge’s private browsing will delete history, cookies, and site data upon closing the tab.

Increased security, increased productivity, and increased performance? Sounds like a good deal to me.

April 29, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/Edge-Logo-e1619528799116.jpg 800 802 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-04-29 11:00:082021-04-27 09:48:41Let’s Chat About Microsoft Edge
TechBytes

What is Malware? Am I at Risk?

Unfortunately, malware is a hot topic these days. SMBs are a target for the bad guys, and your data could be at risk.

So let’s make sure we know what malware is, what forms it can take, and how to mitigate these risks.

malware

Malware is a piece of software designed to cause damage to a computer, server, or network of computers – this is the umbrella term for malicious software.

Virus

A computer virus modifies the system files of the host computer to execute malicious code and infect other files. This is the only form of malware that modifies other files on a computer. Viruses can be attached to emails and then downloaded by the end user.

Ransomware

This type of malware encrypts data in an information system and demands payment in exchange for regaining access. These types of attacks have increased drastically during the COVID-19 pandemic, think 72% or more. However, many ransomware variants refuse to unencrypt data and some even delete the files after ransom is paid. Ransomware is often spread through spam emails.

Trojans

This malicious software looks and behaves like legitimate software but contains malicious code. The most common entry point of a trojan is from pop-up banners on websites that indicate that the user’s computer is infected with viruses and needs antivirus software to clean it up. The “antivirus software” user download contains malicious code designed to gain backdoor access to systems, steal sensitive data, or spy on user or network activities. The important thing to remember about trojans is that the user must take some action for this to take root in the computer.

Spyware

Spyware tracks the activities of the user on the infected computer including keystrokes, passwords, pin codes, payment-related information, personal messages, and other identifiable information. This can come in the form of adware – a malicious advertisement designed to force clicks from users – spoofing emails, and freeware – bundled with other software. Spyware can infect a device when a user agrees to the terms and conditions of a legitimate software program – so always read the fine print!

Worms

Worms are able to replicate themselves in different computers in the same network as the infected computer. Software backdoors, vulnerabilities in operating systems, and flash drives all provide opportunities for worms to gain access. Once a worm has gained access, it will replicate itself, spreading from device to device, with no action from the end user. These worms can then be used to initiate a DDoS attack, steal data, or give attackers control over the system.

Bots

Bots are hybrid forms of malware, often originating in spam messages, than can execute automated tasks through remote instruction. Many bots are used for legitimate purposes, but can also be appropriated for nefarious actions. A large set of these bots creates a botnet, a swarm of bots, attacking a number of systems in sync, making them capable of large-scale attacks.

 

Now what

  • Understand the risks
  • Educate yourself and employees on malware and prevention strategies
  • Build your security stack
  • Stay up to date on cyber criminal’s attack methods
  • Contact PremierePC today
February 17, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/malware-sign.jpg 600 600 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-02-17 14:18:402021-02-17 14:18:40What is Malware? Am I at Risk?
Solution Highlight, TechBytes

GoTo: Switch a Call Between Devices

Ever experience a client call running over and you need to get on the road?

Have you taken a call in your car on the way to work and need to transfer to your desk phone when you get there?

GoTo offers three ways to answer any call: the desktop app, mobile app, and the physical desk phone. This can be extremely convenient for you if you move around the office, take calls on the road, work remotely, etc. A useful feature many users are unaware of is the ability to switch active calls between devices.

Calls can be flipped that are active, waiting in queue, in the process of being transferred, or even calls that have not yet been answered.

Currently, there are no permission checks. Keep in mind if there are multiple active calls, you can’t pick which one flips.

Follow these steps to flip a call:

GoToConnect Desktop

  1. While on an active call on another device, open GoToConnect desktop or web.
  2. Hover over Your active call on another device in the left sidebar and then click to complete the switch to the desktop app.
    • The call will be automatically ended on the original device. This change will be transparent to the other party.

GoToConnect Mobile

  1. While on an active call on another device, open GoToConnect mobile.
  2. Tap Active Call at the top of your screen.
  3. Tap Take the call to complete the switch to the mobile app.

Desk phone

  1. While on an active call, dial *77 from the desk phone.
    • The call will automatically end on the original device. This change will be transparent to the other party.

Want another pro tip? When a colleague’s phone is ringing, you can pick up the call by dialing *97 from your phone then entering the colleague’s extension.

Interested in VOIP phones? Contact PremierePC today.

February 12, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/logo_circle-1.png 192 192 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-02-12 14:55:082021-02-12 14:55:08GoTo: Switch a Call Between Devices
TechBytes

Google Workspace: merging Gmail, Chat, and Docs

Introducing Google Workspace

Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, encompasses Gmail, Docs, Meet, Sheets, and Calendar.

Some new features will include:

  • Google has added a new “Business Plus” level with more device management features.
  • A Chat window can spawn a new document for everybody in the group without needing a new tab.
  • In Google Docs, you can immediately start a video call in the same window for everyone who is active in the document.
  • Google Workspace apps will let users bring up small previews of other documents embedded in the thing they’re working on.
  • Google will expand the use of smart chips, little contact cards that can pop up when you @-mention somebody in a document.
  • Create a doc directly from a chat window.
  • Start a video call from within a presentation.

Some of these changes will begin rolling out immediately, others coming in the next few months. 

Click here and access the Google Workspace Admin help center to learn more.

February 5, 2021
https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/gmail.png 189 248 Geena Hammond https://www.premierepc.net/wp-content/uploads/premierepc_business_it_solutions_greenville_sc.png Geena Hammond2021-02-05 15:20:412021-02-05 15:20:41Google Workspace: merging Gmail, Chat, and Docs
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