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Tackling IT Administration from a MacBook Pro

August 4, 2017 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

Recently, I was given the opportunity here at Tech Solutions NC to try out a brand new MacBook Pro as part of a focus group.  This is something that really intrigued me, so I signed up for it.  Last week, I received the MacBook Pro, and am now in the process of testing it out.

First, a little background information.  The computer is a Mid 2015 MacBook Pro, with a 15″ screen, Retina display, 2.5 GHZ Intel i7 Processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

For the computer itself, it is incredibly responsive, quick, and does just about everything I could ask of it.

Well, that was a short post, wasn’t it?  Well, I’m not quite done yet.

Using a MacBook Pro in a Windows Environment

There are a few things related to the environment that I am in that do make things a bit problematic for the MacBook Pro.  Most of these are common sense things, but still, if you are considering making the switch from a Windows system to a Mac system, and you manage any sort of IT environment, these are things you’ll probably want to consider.

Remote Administration

Like you would expect, on a Mac OS X system, the options for connecting to a remote system are suited primarily for connecting to other Mac systems.  Fortunately, though, the Microsoft Remote Desktop app is available, it’s free, and it makes connecting to a Windows system pretty seamless.  Search in the App Store for Microsoft Remote Desktop or click the link.

Office 365 Apps

For many businesses, Office 365 by Microsoft is the tool of choice for productivity software.  Unfortunately, though, while Microsoft has released 2016 versions of their software through Office 365 for the Mac environment, not all the apps are created equally.

The biggest issues I’ve had with this new laptop is related to how Outlook 2016 for Windows works verses how Outlook 2016 for Mac works.  There are some significant differences that I’ve documented here.

  • The CRM I use for my business is from Hubspot.  I came across them over the Internet, and knew them from other stuff, but had never used their CRM.  The good news with Hubspot is that they have a plugin that you can install in your Outlook 2016 for Windows program that will log the emails you send to your clients to the client account you have setup in your CRM.  The bad news, though, is that, due to limitations with Outlook 2016 for Mac, such a plugin does not exist, so you can’t seamlessly log those emails to your clients.
  • One workaround for this problem is to just BCC the address that logs the email in your CRM.  Doing so is fine, and is what I do right now, but I’d prefer a simpler way to do that rather than type it each time.  Of course, I can set a rule that automatically BCCs the correct address, and I may do just that, but I’d rather not have to do that.
  • The only other thing with Outlook 2016 that isn’t quite up to my standards is the calendaring portion.  Since my mail is driven through GSuite, my calendar is also, and the calendar for Outlook (either version, really) just doesn’t handle Google’s email very well.  This is definitely something that Microsoft and Google should work on.  The good news, though, is the the built in Calendar app for Mac OS X works all of my email and calendars really well, and I’ve not had any issues with using that.

Having just started working on this MacBook Pro, there are other things that I’m sure are not as good from an IT perspective as they are on the Windows platform, but I haven’t run across them yet.  The great news is that, by and large, operationally, there has been very little I have had to do to utilize my MacBook Pro in a Windows environment, and still be able to perform the IT tasks that I need to do day in and day out.  That, my friends, makes this testing a win in my book.

What do you all think? Are you able to perform IT administration work on a MacBook Pro or other Mac system?  Let me know your thoughts on what works well and doesn’t work well, and thanks for reading!

Filed Under: Tech Solutions, Technology Tagged With: Adobe Photoshop, AGCO, Amazoncom, Google Chrome, Google+, IOS, Mac OS, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, OS X

Are you getting the Computer Support you deserve?

October 25, 2016 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

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When it comes to computer support, are you getting the level of service and support that you expect?  Far too often, a company offers up great support, great service, and you, the consumer, is left to wonder whether or not that claim is, in fact, a true one.  There are so many computer support companies out there, how do you know which one to go with?  With that in mind, here is my list of the top five qualities to look for in your support company.

Top five qualities to look for in your support company

  1. Does your support company have the experience to tackle all of your problems quickly and efficiently? At Tech Solutions NC, LLC, we have 22 years of experience in the IT arena, and we can help you with virtually any support issue that crops up.
  2. What do you know about your support company? Do they have the integrity you should demand of someone that is working on your computer systems?  Can you trust them to take care of the problem and not invade your privacy while doing so? I am a Christian, a husband, and a father.  When I am called to work on your computer, I will do so knowing that my word is my bond, and you will know that I can be trusted with your computer information.
  3. Does your support company work on your schedule or theirs?  At Tech Solutions NC, we know that not all of our clients can be expected to be at their house during normal business hours.  As a result, we are flexible in our support offerings.  We can come to your home at a time that works for you, we can connect to your computer remotely, or you can bring your device to our location for service.
  4. Does your support company provide a good value for what you pay them?  We take pride in the value that we offer to our customers.  We have a 30 day satisfaction guarantee policy on any service we perform.  If your system acts up within that 30 day window, and we are unable to correct the issue, then you will receive a complete refund of what you paid. At Tech Solutions NC, your satisfaction is everything to us, and you’ll know that by the time we are finished working on your system.
  5. Does your support company try to up-sell you with things you don’t need? At Tech Solutions NC, we know that everyone’s hard earned money is important to them.  We don’t recommend things you don’t need, and we make sure that you understand what we are doing and why so that you can learn some things about your system in the process.

So there you have it, folks, my list of the top five things you should look for from your computer support company.  Does your list compare with mine? Please let me know in the comments, and let me know how I can help you with your home or small business computing needs!

 

Filed Under: Featured, Tech Solutions Tagged With: Active duty, ActiveX, Adult contemporary music, Amazoncom, Appellate court, Bert and Ernie, Christian Institute, Information technology, Limited liability company, Northern Ireland

Holiday Gift Cards

October 24, 2016 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

Holiday Gift Cards

With the holidays fast approaching, what better way to show your special loved one just how much you care for them than with one of our Tech Solutions NC holiday gift cards? Available in any of these four patterns, you can load them up with 1 hour of service, 2 hours of service, or you can choose any amount you like!

By doing so, you are showing that you care for them, and that you want them to get the best possible service when they have a computing need.  Your gift card can be used as payment for any of these technology needs:

  • Computer diagnostics
  • Data backups
  • iPhone repairs
  • Application training
  • Network setup/diagnostics
  • and more!

As always, drop in service receives a 15% discount, but we also can travel to your home or business if that is more convenient for you.  Service typically starts at $75 per hour, but some services, such as email or printer configuration issues, cost less, typically $40 for a half hour block of time.

So stock up today on all the gift cards you’ll need to give as presents this holiday season.  Your family will appreciate it, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that a) they aren’t calling on you for help all of the time, and b) they are getting top notch service at a reasonable price.  Remember, our core values are integrity, experience, flexibility, and value.

To purchase your gift card, start by giving us a call at 919-606-6725, shooting me an email at mike@techsolutionsnc.com, or stop by our location at 4900-B Craftsman Dr., Raleigh, NC!

Tech Solutions NC, LLC — your one stop location for all your computing needs!

Filed Under: Featured, Financial, Tech Solutions Tagged With: Amazoncom, Apple Inc., Apple Store, Australia, Best Buy, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Cabela's, Canada, Gift card, ITunes

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