Texting your patience – how to switch from iMessage to Android

By on January 14, 2016 in Blog, Mobile devices, Telecoms and mobile data, Tips & tricks

If you received a new smartphone for Christmas, we hope that by now you have successfully transferred or resynchronised your contacts and diary information to the new device, as well as re-establishing any links to cloud data services like Drop Box and OneDrive.

But if you moved away from an iPhone in favour of an Android device, did you also remember to de-register your phone number from Apple’s iMessage service before you upgraded?

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New app to improve Google’s AI offering

By on January 14, 2016 in Google, New technology, Social networking

Google’s voice-recognition software could soon become much more sophisticated, as the tech giant looks to boost its artificial intelligence capabilities.

Currently, Google users are able to get replies to simple questions they ask aloud, much like Apple’s famous Siri assistant. By prefacing their query with ‘OK Google’, users can ascertain the song playing, share prices or directions home. Anything that moves beyond the rather small pot of sample questions and answers, though, isn’t quite so successful.

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Moving offices with ACA Compliance (Europe)

By on January 12, 2016 in Case studies

The London based branch of ACA Compliance moved their UK office location from Berkeley Square in Mayfair to Haymarket. M2 Computing were involved from the outset to recommend and configure the optimal IT support infrastructure for the new office. The proposals needed to be planned with guidance from the U.S. branch who set the standards and procedures for the company operations.

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Farewell to Scott Maybank

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Company news

This month, we are saying farewell to one of our senior IT support engineers Scott Maybank. After thirteen years with the company, Scott has decided to take up a new opportunity with a friend.  We will be sad to see him leave, but wish him every success in the future.

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How to narrow your search in Outlook

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Microsoft, Tips & tricks

Some users prefer to store thousands of emails in their inboxes whilst others ruthlessly delete messages that have been dealt with or forwarded to colleagues. But whether you’re a hoarder or a spring cleaner, all of us struggle to find the email we’re looking for sometimes.

Outlook offers a search bar, which you may have already tried, but did you know it is possible to create more advanced queries using specific search criteria and logical operators?

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Facebook word cloud app could be data security minefield

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Security, Web privacy

Facebook users that found out their most-used words on the social networking site could have opened themselves up to a world of data insecurity.

Though it boasts more than 1.44 billion users across the world, Facebook has long been plagued by complaints of data harvesting, with some even going so far as to suggest that the active user count wouldn’t be nearly as high if people were aware of how much personal information was collated.

Now, a seemingly innocuous app that creates personalised word clouds for users has brought the issue back into focus, after data analysts discovered some potentially spurious clauses in its Privacy Policy.   

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A new look for M2 Computing

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Company news

When you click through to our blog articles this month, you will notice something slightly different. We have given our website and blog a fresh new look. Whilst maintaining the M2 Computing brand design, images and strapline, the overall idea was to create a simpler modern look with easier navigation.  The new website is created on a more responsive platform, making it easier to view on multiple devices.

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Happy Birthday Windows! Iconic OS turns 30

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Microsoft

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Microsoft’s defining operating system, Windows.

Though it’s been 30 years since Windows became formally available to the public (on November 20, 1985, to be precise), it came after a long gestation period. Microsoft first unveiled its operating system in 1983, with the two year gap leading many sceptics to consider it ‘vapourware’.

When first in production, the system was going to be called ‘Interface Manager’, which many developers thought would go on to become the final name that went to market. However, ‘Windows’ trumped it, not just as a more concise title but one that accurately describes the new “windows” that made this system so revolutionary.

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Connected lightbulbs could kill off Wi-Fi

By on December 16, 2015 in Blog, Internet, New technology

The idea of connectivity passing via light into our devices may seem fanciful, but teams of researchers from Edinburgh and Estonia have created a system to do exactly that.

This so-called ‘Li-Fi’ technology works by flickering the light in a way that would be impossible to spot with the human eye. However, this flickering can be picked up by nearby machines and acts similarly to Morse code, sending messages across the air. Harald Haas, who first came up with the idea, discovered that one simple LED would be enough to transmit far more data than even a cellular tower.

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