technology

Thank you to everyone who came to our event #TechTopTips @OctagonT @prwilsonmedia

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Paul from PR Wilson Media presenting
Paul from PR Wilson Media presenting

Paul and I presented our “Making Technology Work for You” masterclass this afternoon. We covered various tools and apps for social media and demonstrated how OneNote can help produce quality content. There was plenty of “hands on” and opportunities for people to ask questions. We also had chocolate biscuits!

From people’s reaction after the event, it was a successful afternoon.

Watch out for our next workshop, which will be another practical guide to help your business with technology.

Thank you to everyone who came to our event #TechTopTips @OctagonT @prwilsonmedia Read More »

Yet another use for OneNote

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Another use for #OneNote ‪@OneNoteC @OctagonT ‬

I have lost my voice and the doctor says, “no talking” so it can recover! My family and friends thinks this is really funny – plenty of jokes!

OneNote on my my iPad is coming to the rescue – I can easily write out notes on it to save my voice. If I want to “speak loudly” may be I’ll write in red.

At Octagon Technology we are big users of Microsoft’s OneNote. We particularly like:

  • the encryption security feature
  • that we can easily share a variety of information
  • that the information is then available across a variety of devices and platforms

Next Friday I am delivering a “hands on” seminar, with Paul, from PR Wilson Media, about how OneNote can help with social media content creation and management. Follow this link for more details and to book your free place.

Of course I need my voice back by then!

Yet another use for OneNote Read More »

iOS 10, more Apple apps I do not want and what is old? @OctagonT Updated

/ Technology / ,

iOS 10 and more Apple apps I do not want

I loaded iOS 10 onto my iPhone 6S last night and here are my initial impressions:

  • I was pleased I was not an early updater, as for some of those people Apple tuned their device into a “brick”!
  • I really like the reliable finger print security, however now a touch on the home button only unlocks the phone it requires a second full click on the button to clear the lock screen.
  • The new, two page, clean layout of the “Pull Down” Information/Notification screen is a great improvement of a function I should use more.
  • The same clean design has been applied to the Control Centre and that also has two pages which has stopped it being too crowded. However it would be great if Apple could provide a button to control the Power Saver mode on this panel.
  • iMessage has become a huge app – not sure I am going to use it that much, for many this will be the best thing about iOS 10.
  • The music player has been redesigned with a bold clear layout making it much easier to use – I am disappointed though that I will not get this benefit on my iPod, which I bought last year to play music.
  • I have more Apple apps on my phone that I will not use, or that I will not buy extra hardware for, that I cannot delete.

    • One bad thing is that I cannot put iOS 10 on my iPod Touch. So some time in the future when Apple moves on and Microsoft stops support for iOS 9, OneNote may stop working on that device. I carry the iPod for iBooks and music, but I often use the pocket sized device as a second screen when I am working in my phone and if OneNote, in particular, will not sync correctly then I will have to change the device.

    Overall I like the design idea that things should be bold, clear, clean and well spaced, I hate the ideas of “skeuomorphism” and was so pleased when Apple gave it up. When I am on my phone I want a clean interface that I can use quickly so I like this upgrade.

    As ever a new iOS is only really a shuffling of the chairs when it is put on an older device and there will always be those older devices that are left behind. The geek in me says that software features and security move beyond older hardware. The business person says it is impossible to support too many older devices. The cynic in me says it is a marketing ploy to sell more devices. What is “old”? Production of 5th generation iPod Touch devices stopped in July 2015 – that is not old.

    Apple iOS 10 – a full description

    Update

    Our friends at Basic Business Services replied to my Tweet about this blog post:

    So I have set up the Home button to my preferences and deleted all the stock apps I could – I never thought to try just deleting them as in previous versions they would not delete!

    Apple stick apps

    Thanks again to Basic.

    iOS 10, more Apple apps I do not want and what is old? @OctagonT Updated Read More »

    World Password Day – Guest blog – How secure is your password? @stonemoor @OctagonT #WorldPasswordDay

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    As part of “World Password Day” I was asked to write a guest blog for Stonemoor Business Services, which was published yesterday.

    World Password Day - Guest blog - How secure is your password?

    You can check whether your digital life is secure – read the article here:
    http://www.stonemoor.co.uk/world-password-day-how-secure-is-your-password/

    World Password Day – Guest blog – How secure is your password? @stonemoor @OctagonT #WorldPasswordDay Read More »

    Computer Security @OctagonT

    / Business, Cyber Security / , , , , ,

    Octagon Technology article

    The local Chamber of Commerce repeated an Octagon Technology article about business computer security – following the emergence on the internet of a new malware threat.

    http://www.baesystems.com/en/article/technical-experts-at-bae-systems-reveal-details-of-new-strain-of-virulent-cyber-threat

    Computer Security @OctagonT Read More »