Computer Tip of the Day — How to Disable Automatic Update In Windows 10

a computer desk topped with two monitors and a keyboard

One of the new features of Windows 10 is that it automatically updates itself, and there is no real way to turn it off in the Home version. Although updating your Windows system is crucial to staying safe in the cyber world, there are times when automatic updates aren’t wanted. For example, if you have work to finish at a certain deadline, you don’t want to have to sit through an update and reboot. It’s also bad if you have a limited or slow internet connection and you want to wait until you get to a quicker internet connection before you update. Here’s how to get around the automatic update feature.

Set Your Network as Metered

Cellular networks and mobile hotspots are automatically set as metered, but you can set any Wifi connection as metered. Metered connections won’t download updates automatically. Go to your Wifi settings, click on Manage Known Networks, choose your network, and click on Properties to do this.

Change Reboot Hours

If you go to your Updates settings, you can set hours when Windows won’t automatically restart. Just set the hours that it should restart, which can be at night. However, your computer will have to be powered on then for the update to be installed. It also won’t stop the update from downloading during your non-active hours — it just won’t reboot then.

Show or Hide Update Tool

There is a show or hide update troubleshooting tool that you can download from the Microsoft website. Using this tool, you can set certain updates to be hidden. Hidden systems and driver updates won’t be downloaded automatically.

For more computer help, just contact us!

Welcome to the World of the New 5G Phones

a woman in glasses is looking at her cell phone

Welcome to the world of new 5G phones, expected to greet the masses in the United States by 2023. 5G phones, also known as fifth-generation cell phones, aim to raise the quality of service as well as expand the range of service by 2023.

5G technology will improve data and communication speeds for both the average consumer and automated services. The new and exciting 5G technology will also increase accessibility with affordable prices and an expanded service range. 

Welcome to the World of New 5G Phones

The 3rd Generation Partnership project that organized the third generation (3G) roll-out in 1998 is developing the industry standards for the fifth generation, which are outlined in a document known as Release 15, or REL-15. These standards will allow vendors and companies to conduct complex tests with more advanced equipment. 

These changes will also bring about far faster data and communication services. Users can expect reduced lag times for cloud data as well as video streaming, such as Netflix. However, these improved speeds aren’t solely for the benefit of consumers. Software services, such as automated text messages, are another driving force behind these upgraded rates. 

5G will have three various service classes, tailored to specific business and consumer needs.

  1. Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) will provide service speeds of close to 1GBps in densely populated areas, such as cities and metropolitan areas. 
  2. Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) will encourage Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications, without clogging up servers for the everyday consumer. 
  3. Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) edge-to-edge computing and critical computing where bandwidth is not as much of a concern. This is crucial in vehicles on the road, where delayed reaction times can lead to severe injuries or death in an accident. 

The new and exciting world of 5G phones will improve speeds, expand the range of these services, and implement three specific service classes tailored for the needs of different users and areas.

The future is just around the corner, with a third of the United States predicted to have fifth-generation cellular technology in their purses and pockets by 2023. 

Get IT Tips, stay up to date on the latest technology, and more all over on our blog. To learn more about Bluwater Technologies and our services please contact us. 

Outsourcing in Fort Lauderdale: The Advantages!

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Monetary profit is generally the highest priority in any business — it makes sense that business owners and managers would prefer to focus on that rather than “chasing tails” and spending hours managing a computer, or network of them, to achieve unforeseeable and potentially damaging results. Those who run small businesses and are at the same time computer-savvy have an advantage in that they can save some money on hiring professionals to manage their computer equipment — but sometimes professionals have better solutions than tech-savvy folks can provide — and even if a business manager is indeed tech-savvy, most likely she doesn’t want to spend time dealing with the maintenance and repair of business computers. This is when outsourcing comes in. 

Here are some points to consider for deciding whether outsourcing in Fort Lauderdale is the right path:

  • Exceptional ROI — Return On Investment
  • Better Security

Money is spent on expensive equipment. Additionally, many times, to save money, business managers will attempt to install and configure computers on their own. However, time is being taken away from focusing on how to bring in monetary profit by doing this. Also, there’s the high potential of improperly configuring the equipment which could have disastrous results, generally speaking. Outsourcing the installation, set up, and ongoing maintenance of computers will increase the ROI — return on investment — due to the equipment running at its optimal ability. In this case, managers and business owners pay no mind or worry.

Business owners and managers taking computer security into their own hands is a gamble. There are two basic vectors to be concerned about when attempting this. First — computer hackers who seek to illegally obtain and use private information using sophisticated abilities are out there, and they are waiting for just the right time to attack. Computer systems that are not secured by experienced professionals are at a high risk of being compromised by criminals. Second — computer security also encompasses the preservation of computer data. Human error or hardware malfunctions can render a business dead in its tracks with nowhere to go. Efforts have been made by the computing industry to mitigate the risks of data loss. Thus, they should be taken advantage of correctly — allowing professionals to handle the job.

Outsourcing in Fort Lauderdale will achieve optimal return-on-investment and security for small businesses. Allowing owners and managers to focus on what’s most important to them — monetary profit!  Please contact us for a consultation. 

Economic Use of Funds

a person holding a tablet with a map on it

Deciding which types of computers and software to purchase for a business environment is a painstaking task. However, it does not have to be tedious. Understanding what is available is probably half the battle of figuring out what is best suited for economic and business needs. For example, there is fancy (relatively expensive) computer hardware that can be purchased for a business and there is less-than-fancy (less expensive) hardware that can be purchased for a business that can do just as good of a job as the fancy.

Apple products and various other manufacturers are commonly compared with much hype being placed on Apple products. While some may argue that the more expensive equipment is “better”, that does not necessarily mean that it does a better job. Furthermore, the specific task that the computer is being used for must be considered. There’s no need to buy an expensive computer if all one needs it for is simple printing jobs.

Microsoft

Computer software is very much like computer hardware in that there are relatively expensive software products that accomplish a specific goal needed by the user. However, less expensive and less hyped software can accomplish the same goal. Microsoft Word is a good example of this. Microsoft Word is a type of “word processor” software that allows typing and editing of documents. Although Microsoft Word is a good product, there is free word processor software that can be downloaded from the internet. It can also be installed without much hassle. It accomplishes the same goal as the more expensive and hyped counterpart. Examples of free word processor software that can be downloaded from the internet are Open Office and Kingsoft Office.  

As one can see, a little knowledge of what’s available can light the way to help maintain a company’s budget.

Please contact us for assistance in determining an economic plan for obtaining computer hardware and software.

Computer Tip of the Day – 4 Tricks for Using Gmail for Business

Gmail is the preferred email service provider for many people. People use it for business and personal purposes alike. Here are four useful tips to help you use Gmail more effectively.

Forward Mail From Another Client

If you have a business email address that is associated with your website, it can often be a pain to constantly have to go to your cPanel dashboard and log in. As an alternative, you can have your mail forwarded to your Gmail account. Just go to settings and click on Forwarding and POP/IMAP. Follow the instructions or ask your website hosting provider if you run into any hiccups.

Undo Send

What if you send an email and then suddenly realize that perhaps it wasn’t worded right or that sending it was a mistake? Click the Undo Send option that pops up in the yellow bar at the top of the screen if 30 seconds haven’t yet passed. First, though, you have to enable this option in the settings.

Preview Your Gmail Messages

If you have a large screen, you can enable a preview tab so that you get a pane to preview the beginning parts of your emails without even opening them. First, though, you have to enable Gmail Labs in the settings. You can then toggle between a preview pane, a vertical preview pane, and a horizontal preview pane. Gmail Labs is where you can get many features that haven’t yet been released to everyone yet.

Forward Entire Gmail Threads

If you want to forward an entire thread of emails to a contact right away, you can do that by enabling Conversation View in your settings first. When you click on the forward button, click on More and select Forward All.

For more computer tips and IT help, contact us today.