Tag Archive for: Apple MAC

Best Apple Mac For Small Business?

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Which is the Best Apple Mac for Business?

In the past, Apple products were seen as too expensive for most businesses, but this has changed a lot in the last decade. Now, there are numerous ways that Macs are superior to PCs in an office environment:

  • They are more secure than regular PCs
  • Macs are more easily managed in a business that is quickly scaling
  • Business-class PCs cost approximately the same as a Mac, but Macs have a lower cost of ownership
  • Macs are capable of fulfilling many of the core needs that PCs provide

For all these reasons and more, it is quickly becoming more practical for companies to use Macs instead of PCs. Smaller companies also benefit from the fact that Mac support is much superior to PC support and can help them save costs on in-house IT personnel.

Mac for business use?

Not all Macs are created the same though. You can choose to go with a desktop solution (iMac) or use a more portable option (MacBook). Initially, most people think that the only difference is the level of portability, but there is also the matter of cost and power to consider.

Apples Macs are highly effective tools, and making the choice between the two top picks (iMac and MacBook) is a difficult one. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of each solution are highlighted below.

Macbooks

Although you might not expect it, some MacBooks can be more powerful than their desktop counterparts. This is where you would consult your IT department to compare the specs on your current devices to your MacBook. The last thing you want is to experience a drop in technological capabilities for the sake of being able to carry your device around.

Using a MAC Book in a business environment allows for a much simpler workflow while travelling, and executives often benefit the most from the ability to work effectively while on the road. They are sometimes viewed as the consumer option, but for day-to-day work, there often isn’t a necessity to be able to move your device from location to location.

Apple iMacs

The desktop offering of Apple is a strong competitor in the market, and even though the iMac isn’t as portable as a MacBook, this isn’t always a big deal. With the widespread adoption of cloud technology, many of your files may be accessible from a different computer whenever you may need it.

One of the clear cases where an iMac may be the superior choice is when a user needs high visual capabilities, such as a designer or video editor. The screen on an iMac is much larger than that of a MacBook, and since it isn’t normally being transported around, it doesn’t need to be as durable as that of a MacBook. This results in superior visuals, which can definitely be a plus for certain roles.

Apple Mac – Final Thoughts

There is no clear cut answer here, but one thing is for sure: Apple’s products are becoming more and more accessible for corporate level usage. Even though you might not want to switch the entire office over to them, many businesses may benefit from having their executives use them.

From there, it is easy to start scaling out the solution. The lower cost of operation and higher functionality and networking capabilities often pay for themselves in a short period of time. This is definitely an investment your employees will thank you for down the line.

If you’d like help deciding which Apple Mac is right for your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’d be happy to share our expert advice. We specialise in designing and supporting mixed networks with Macs and PCs allowing you to get the best out of both. Read about our Apple Mac Support Services.

MacBook Must Have Accessories

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7 Must-Have Accessories for MacBook Owners

Once you have decided that a MacBook is the right laptop for you, your next step is to look into what MacBook accessories you need to make the most of your investment. Fortunately, one of the great things about purchasing a MacBook is the vast ecosystem of stylish, compatible MacBook accessories.

You might want to consider some of the following:

  • External Hard Drives –

    External hard drives are portable storage devices that are good for backing up all your important information as well as transferring information. They can connect to your computer multiple ways including through the USB port, FireWire connection, or wirelessly.

 

  • Wireless Mouse –

    Wires are a thing of the past and trackpads are not effective for working long periods of time or trying to edit photos. Make using your MacBook easier by using a wireless mouse. They connect to your computer using Bluetooth or RF. Apple’s new Magic Mouse 2 is a great addition.

 

  • Proximity Alarm –

    It is scary how many laptops are left on trains, buses, and airplanes each year. With the proximity and motion alarm never worry about losing your MacBook again. What you’ll do is download the hipKey app and then attach this fancy little MacBook accessory to your laptop. If the hipKey and your computer get too far away from each other, it will trigger the alarm.

 

  • Screen Protectors –

    More and more people are having the opportunity to work flexibly these days. When you make the decision to do your work in your local coffee shop, people may get a glimpse of what it is you’re working on. If you are working with sensitive information, or just don’t want people to see what it is you’re doing, you might want to invest in one of these. The Magnetic Privacy Screen created by STARK Inc. integrates with your MacBook seamlessly. The 60-degree angle provides you with optimal visibility while shielding your screen from onlookers.

 

  • Photo Editing Console –

    If you are an experienced photographer or someone just starting out, you are going to love the photo editing console. This console lets you control even the smallest of details on your images. It plugs right into your MacBook and from there you use dials, buttons, and switches to edit and customize your images exactly how you want them.

 

  • USB C-Adapter –

    USB-C is the new standard of USBs. It allows faster data transfer speeds than previously before as well as faster charging speeds. Since the USB-C handles data transfers, video output, and power input there is no need for multiple inputs. Even though this all sounds amazing, the new MacBook’s come with only a single USB-C port. How are we supposed to charge our computers but still access our flash drives? The answer: the USB-C adapter. The adapter allows you to plug any standard USB accessory to the USB-C port.

 

  • MacBook Skins –

    Stand out from the crowd with style. Personalise your device with MacBook skins. With so many options out there, you can get as creative as you choose.

These MacBook accessories vastly expand the potential of your MacBook, turning it into a fully personalised, secure, mobile workstation. This is just a small sampling of the types of interesting accessories that are compatible with the MacBook, so take the time to look around and find the right ones for you.

 

Find out more about Apple MacBook support here

Mac Backup Options

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Backup Options for Mac Owners

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers for both our work and personal lives. But what would happen if you lost your laptop, it was hacked, or in some way became corrupted?  Your IT Support guru might not be able to sort this out for you.

Unfortunately, incidents of cyber-crime are on the rise, and while anti-virus software might protect you from this; it won’t help you if you lose your laptop.

It would be wise to back up important documents somewhere safe and avoid further disappointment should something unforeseen happen.

But you may be wondering exactly what your Mac Backup options are.

Manual vs. Automated Mac Back up

Backing up your files needn’t be a complicated task.

The solution can be as simple as manually copy and pasting your important files and folders from your hard drive on to another storage medium, like an external drive or DVD.

Alternatively you can use one of several automated tools that will make the job easier for you, and give you a far more comprehensive backup of your entire hard drive.

Apple’s Time Machine feature, built into OS X, lets you go back to previous versions of files. This ensures that you will always be able to pick up from the most appropriate point, whether you had a serious hardware malfunction or accidently deleted content that you actually wanted to save.

Other popular tools include Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper! Both will let you create a backup of your whole drive, and update that backup file as you make changes to your documents.

Deciding whether to use one of these tools will depend on how important your work is, and how frequently you update your work. The automated tools are great for work that is updated regularly, as it removes the risk of you forgetting to back it up.

For really important files, some people still like the action of manually backing their work up anyway.

Back up Options:

  • External hard drive – The cost of external drives has fallen significantly over recent years, and using the tools outline above you can keep a safe backup of your entire hard drive. You can also create a bootable backup, which will allow you to boot from the external drive if your main drive becomes corrupted.
  • USB sticks –While the storage capacity of USB thumb drives has increased, they typically won’t be large enough to back up your whole hard drive, but they are definitely a good option for creating a copy of important files while on the move.
  • Cloud storage – iCloud might be the natural choice for Apple fans, but there are a number of cloud storage solutions that will offer you a safe place to backup your files at little or no cost. Popular examples include DropBox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. The benefit of cloud storage is that it’s a great way to access data across multiple devices.
  • CD or DVD – You can manually burn files to disk, or set up a burn folder. A burn folder will allow you to keep shortcuts to important files in a folder that you can burn to disk at regular intervals when you update the files. This might be a good option for something like keeping a snap shot of files at a regular point in time.

Apple also offers more granular features for backing up certain types of data. For example, iCloud Photo Library it will automatically sync your photos and videos, so you’ll have a copy of them.

So what are you waiting for..?

You should backup your devices regularly to ensure that you have up to date copies of your most important data.

While the reliability of computers has improved significantly, and Macs are generally seen as more reliable than other brands, you can never predict the future and it is definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Whether it is something malicious like theft, or hacking, or something more innocent like accidental damage, knowing that your precious memories and most important files are safely backed-up will give you one less thing to worry about.

So don’t delay. Think about the files and folders that are most important to you and manually copy them to another medium, or be a bit more strategic about it and use the tools above to create safe copies on a more regular basis.

Want to know more about Mac Backup options?  Just give us a call for  a no strings chat about solutions- 0207 952 8123
or take a look at our Online Backup Services

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