OCTech is excited to remind you that Clean Out your Computer Day is on the 8th of February!

Friendly Reminder: If you have any concerns or issues with your #ComputerBuddy, we are here to help.

OC Technology Solutions LLC. Achieves a Microsoft Silver Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions Competency

OC Tech earns distinction through demonstrated technology success and customer commitment.

Laguna Hills, CA — October 28^th 2015 — OC Technology Solutions, today announced it has achieved a Silver Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions competency, demonstrating its ability to meet Microsoft Corp. customers’ evolving needs in today’s dynamic business environment. To earn a Microsoft silver competency, partners must successfully demonstrate expertise through rigorous exams, culminating in Microsoft certifications. And to ensure the highest quality of services, Microsoft requires customer references for successful implementation and customer satisfaction.

“Congratulations, there are 640,000 partners in Microsoft Corporation’s channel, but only 5 percent of partners worldwide can distinguish themselves with a competency and having attained this high degree of proficiency.” Phil Sorgen, corporate vice president, Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp.

OC Technology Solutions is a complete IT lifecycle services and technology partner and a unique, single-source alternative. OC Tech helps small businesses realize their goals and objectives by using information technology to simplify complexities, increase productivity, reduce costs and improve profitability.

 “This Microsoft Silver Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions competency showcases our expertise in today’s technology market and demonstrates our knowledge of Microsoft and its products,” said Doug Harvey, CEO “Our plan is to accelerate our customers’ success by serving as technology advisors for their business demands.”

“By achieving a silver competency, organizations have proven their expertise in specific technology areas, placing them among the top 5 percent of Microsoft partners worldwide,” said Phil Sorgen, corporate vice president, Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp. “When customers look for an IT partner to meet their business challenges, choosing a company that has attained Microsoft competencies is a smart move. These are highly qualified professionals with access to Microsoft technical support and product teams.”

The Microsoft Partner Network helps partners strengthen their capabilities to showcase leadership in the marketplace on the latest technology, to better serve customers and, with 640,000 Microsoft partners in their ecosystem, to easily connect with one of the most active, diverse networks in the world.

OC Technology Solutions’ mission is to be the most trusted single source for IT products and services by offering real solutions that maximize productivity, increase efficiency and lower costs for our small business clients.

For more information:

OC Technology Solutions LLC.

23322 Peralta Drive #16

Laguna Hills, CA 92653

866-439-5310

info@octechonline.com

www.octechonline.com

OC Technology Solutions LLC. has been selected by The Newman Law Group to manage their IT infrastructure including VoIP, Security, Backup, Collaboration and Vendor Management.  We at OC Tech are excited and extremely grateful for the opportunity!

“At Newman Law Group, we have developed unique systems to provide you with the counsel you need to build and maintain a life of prosperity and wealth, and to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having a plan in place for the future.  We encourage steady and open communication with all of our clients.  This is why you are never considered “on the clock” when you call with a question.  We bill on a flat-fee basis, with the fee agreed upon in advance, so you will never get a “surprise” bill from our office in the mail.  We have an entire team in place to serve you.  If you call the office, you won’t have to wait hours or days for us to get back to you.  When you want to meet with us, we will work around your schedule, not ours.”

Please check them out.  www.newmanlg.com

Windows 10 is the new major release of Microsoft’s Windows operating system and is the successor to Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1.  Windows 10 includes several new features and important changes, in addition to its platform unifying design. Microsoft believes the future of Windows is as a platform for all. The strength of Windows is in the thousands of companies that develop for it and use it in their products.  Windows 10 is no longer just an operating system for 32 and 64-bit PCs, as it will also run on the ARM platform for smaller tablets and smartphones.

Here are some of the exciting new features:

1. Start menu: Customize your Start menu!  Windows 10’s new Start menu combines the Windows 7-like application list and the live tiles interface from Windows 8’s Start screen. However, note that you can right-click on any tile and select “Resize” to alter the tile’s dimensions or if you despise live tiles you can select “Uninstall” to wipe them from your system.
2. Make Mail your own: Windows 10’s overhauled Mail and Calendar apps are amazing compared to Windows 8’s dull offerings. They’re faster, more full-featured, and have customization options.
3. Schedule your restarts: If you’ve got pending updates that require you to reboot your PC, Windows 10 will allow you to schedule a specific time for it to do so.  Finally!
4. Virtual desktops: Segregate your open apps into discrete areas; literally multiple, virtualized versions of your PC’s desktops.
5. Action Center: Provides you with a single location for all your app alerts, along with quick access to some of the settings you utilize most often.
6. Improved security: Microsoft is addressing security threats by strengthening identity protection and access control, information protection, and is threat resistance.
7. Microsoft Edge: Windows 10’s new Edge is a blazing fast engine and forward-thinking tricks like intelligent, automatic Cortana integration for supplementing the info you’re looking at.  Also very exciting are Reading View and Reading List.  Reading View (the small book icon, next to the bookmark star) strips away ads, sidebar images, and other clutter to present a clean, straightforward reading experience. You can also share to the Reading List app, which functions like Pocket or Instapaper, letting you add a story for later reading. Click the bookmark star and opt to save the article to your Reading List rather than as a bookmark.
8. Cortana integration: Cortana’s finally made the leap to the PC in Windows 10.  Microsoft’s voice-powered personal assistant can be configured to take over the Search box.
9. Xbox Live integration: Windows 10’s new Game DVR function is supposed to be used for recording video proof of your most magnificent gaming moments, but it will also let you create videos of any open app or desktop software.
10. Enhanced graphics: Windows 10 will include new versions of DirectX and WDDM to improve game performance.

Why:  With several new features, including security updates, and a platform-unifying design, it marks the beginning of Microsoft’s new “Windows as a service” mentality.  Instead of releasing a new numbered version of Windows every few years, the company will continuously release new features and updates.  Microsoft has committed to support Windows 10 for a decade after the July, 2015 launch.

Who:  Windows 10 is available as a free upgrade to qualified devices running Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8/8.1 during the first year.  Users running Windows XP or Windows Vista, must purchase a copy of Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store or other retailer and do a “clean install”.

When:  It already happened!  Microsoft made Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro generally available on July 29, 2015 through a staggered release schedule. Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education editions were made available on August 1, 2015 through Microsoft’s Volume Licensing Center.  However, neither edition is included in the first-year-free program.

How:  Most Windows 7 (SP1) and Windows 8/8.1 users can get Windows 10 through the Get Windows 10 app.  Users can also download a Windows 10 ISO to be used on multiple PCs.  Here is step-by-step walkthrough.

OC Technology Solutions is excited to announce the addition of, Kyle Hannis, to the team as our new Account Executive!  He brings more than 10 years of business development experience having worked with Fortune 500, Top Workplaces, & Fastest Growing Companies.  Kyle graduated from California State University Fullerton with a degree in Marketing.  His background includes selling to business owners & CFO’s for small to mid size companies.  When Kyle is not working hard, he loves sports, BBQing, going to the beach and spending time with his dog.  Find out more about Kyle by visiting him here;  LinkedIn & Facebook.

Even if your relationship with Gmail is love/hate, I believe you will LOVE these Gmail hacks.

“Unsend” a message!

This Gmail feature made headlines recently.  There are so many reasons this app could save your life.  Have you ever sent an email half finished?  Have you ever replied to all with a personal message to the original sender?  Have you ever let your emotions get the best of you and replied to an email that made your blood boil?  Well, this new feature gives you a certain amount of time to change your mind and “Undo Send”.  After a designated time has passed (you can choose up to 30 seconds), only then will your email be sent.  Phew!  Here’s your Step-By-Step guide:  http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-unsend-a-sent-email-from-your-gmail-account/

Fake a timestamp!

The Boomerang app is utterly amazing!  It allows you to schedule emails, set up snooze messages, and get reminders. You can schedule emails to go out at any time, so it’ll look like you’re sending something at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, even though you scheduled it on Saturday at 2:00 am. You can also choose to “boomerang” emails, meaning you can mark an email to leave your inbox and return on a certain date. Let’s say there’s a reminder for a networking event next month and as much as you want the email, it’s cluttering your inbox. Just choose to “boomerang” the message, so that it leaves your inbox for now but returns two days before the event. You can also ask Boomerang to send you a reminder if nobody replies to an email, so you’ll never forget to follow up with people again.

Gmail keyboard shortcuts, Oh My!

To enable them for Gmail, go to the gear on the top right-hand corner of your main page, go to Settings, scroll down to “Keyboard shortcuts”, make sure they’re turned on, and then save your changes. Now you can plow through your email without leaving the keyboard. Need to draft a new email? Just press “C”. Need to mark something as important? Just press “+”. Need to mark an email unread? Just hit “Shift + U”. Get ready for your boss and coworkers to be amazed at how quickly you get through the morning emails.

Immediately pull someone’s name, title, mutual connections, etc…

Have you ever stalked one of your prospects?  Yea, of course you have!  Searching for them on LinkedIn, trying to see if you have any mutual connections, wait, how do you spell their name?  Problem solved!  A new Gmail extension called, “Rapportive”, is your new best friend.  You can now pull up LinkedIn profiles right inside of Gmail, so you can see someone’s profile alongside your message.  Rapportive will give you quick information to “warm” up your email whether you are sending or receiving an email.

We hope these tips and tricks help to put your mind at ease while you’re “Gmailing”!

Thanks for stopping by, see you next time!

Picking a weak password is like closing your car door and not locking it.  This mistake puts your financial and personal information at risk.  Password management is one of the most effective ways to keep track of even the most complex passwords.  Password manager software strengthens the effectiveness of your online passwords by remembering and encrypting them.  The use of a password manager is absolutely imperative in order to protect your sensitive information online.  After all, the No. 1 security mistake among internet users is a weak password.  Another common mistake is using the same password across different platforms and never updating it.

The best passwords are those that are long and unpredictable.  They also include numbers and symbols for increases security protection.  Having said that, it almost impossible to remember all of your various passwords and that is why a password manager is so important.  Password management software can also create effective passwords that are unique, complex and virtually hack-proof.   With the help of a good password manager, the only password you will need to remember is for the software itself.

DashLane is an industry and personal favorite.  However, here are some helpful tips on choosing the right password management software:

• Choose software that has strong encryption.
• Check for a lockout feature, which is helpful in case you forget your password.
• Should something go wrong, it is important that you understand how the vendor will help you and the measures that you will need to take.
• Check to see if the software offers identity theft protection and whether or not it takes other measures to protect against other malicious behavior.
• Be comfortable using the software. How easy is it for you to use?
• Compare the cost with the features and benefits.

Remember, whichever password management software you choose, you should avoid accessing it on public networks, because your data can still be captured at any time.  For further information, here is a link to an article rating The Best Password Managers for 2015.

Thanks for visiting!  Please feel free to contact us with any questions.  See ya next time!