Author: Mike

Providing IT support and solution to small and medium businesses. Servicing Edinburgh, Livingston, Fife and surrounding areas. Responsive, Flexible, Professional and friendly local support.

Microsoft Launches Free Version of Collaborative Chat App ‘Teams’

Microsoft has announced the launch of a free version of its collaborative chat app ‘Teams’ which doesn’t require an Office 365 subscription. What Is Teams? Introduced back in November 2016, ‘Teams’ (as the name suggests) is a platform designed to help collaborative working, and combines features such as workplace chat, meetings, notes, and attachments. Described…
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NHS … Still Reliant On Fax Machines

A Poll by the Royal College of Surgeons using freedom of information requests has revealed that 8,946 fax machines are still in use in NHS Trusts in England. World’s Largest Purchaser of Fax Machines The poll was carried out after a report last year by DeepMind Health revealed that the NHS was the world’s largest…
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Misleading Broadband Adverts

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been criticised for a lack of regulation of the use of the term “fibre” in broadband adverts, which has meant that some consumers may have been misled. Findings of Research The findings of the research, commissioned by network provider CityFibre, appear to show that customers may be confused about…
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Cambridge Analytica Re-Born

A new offshoot of Cambridge Analytica, the disgraced data analysis company at the heart of the Facebook personal data sharing scandal, has been set up by former members of staff under the name ‘Auspex’. Old Version Shut Down After news of the scandal, which saw the details of an estimated 87 million Facebook users (mostly…
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12 Russian Intelligence Officers Charged With Election Hacking

Even though, in an interview this week, President Trump appeared to absolve Russia of election interference (since retracted), the US Department of Justice has now charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic officials in the 2016 US elections. The Allegations It is alleged by the US Justice Department that, back in March 2016, on…
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Tech Tip – Open Files With The Right App

Sometimes in Windows, when you double click on a file to open it e.g. a file that’s been sent to you, the wrong app can open. Here’s how to make sure you select the right app for your file: – Right-click your file. – Choose Open with, then Choose another app. – Make sure the…
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New System Detects & Warns Of Mobile Phone Use in Cars

Norfolk-based company Westcotec is piloting new technology that can detect whether a handheld mobile phone is in use in a passing vehicle, and then warn the occupants of the vehicle. How? In a UK first, the pilot scheme, which is taking place in four locations in Norfolk, uses a directional antenna, with a detector that…
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Now You Can Search eBay Via A Photo

Ebay has launched Image Search in the UK, an AI-based technology that means you can now enter a photo into the search box to help find the product you’re looking for. Smart Phone Camera Search With so many of us now using smart-phones, this innovative new feature means that users can take a photo on…
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UK Slips To 35th Place In Global Broadband Speed Table

A recent comparison of 163 million broadband speed tests across 200 countries shows that the UK has slipped from 31st to 35th place in the global average broadband speed league tables. Lagging In Europe This latest result means that, even though average speeds in the UK have risen in the past year and, at 18.5Mbps,…
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£500,000 Fine For Facebook Data Breaches

Sixteen months after the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) began its investigation into the Facebook’s sharing the personal details of users with political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, the ICO has announced that Facebook will be fined £500,000 for data breaches. Maximum The amount of the fine is the maximum that can be imposed under GDPR. Although…
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