Blue Ridge Technology

Copilot+ PC A while back some PC manufacturers came out with a new line of PCs and laptops, called Copilot+ PCs. The branding’s a little goofy: the Copilot label is getting slapped on practically everything, and it hasn’t been clear exactly what the unique selling point of these Copilot+ PCs is. They’re built for the era of AI, so they say, but what does that mean exactly? Microsoft is already rolling out Copilot features in all sorts of products and places, and those features work perfectly well on regular ol’ vanilla PCs. Now, Microsoft is starting to differentiate this more clearly: the company recently announced a powerful new capability coming to Windows 11… but only for users with a Copilot+ PC. Let’s talk about the feature first, then about what makes these Copilot+ PCs different. Last, most importantly: has Microsoft finally given you a good reason to upgrade? New Windows 11 Feature: Natural Language Search We’ve all used the search function in Windows before. Someti...

Free Converter Tools Converting Word documents to PDF might seem simple, but security risks lurk behind many online tools. The FBI warns these free converters can be traps set by cyber criminals, aiming to sneak malicious software into your system. The hidden dangers of free converters When searching for a "free converter tool," it might seem like a convenient way to turn a Word document into a PDF. However, many of these tools come with hidden dangers. Cyber criminals use these seemingly innocent tools to install malicious software on your devices, compromising your data security. Online converters can act as a gateway for malware. Personal and business data are at risk of being stolen. The FBI's alert and why you should care The FBI highlights the vulnerability these tools pose. By using insecure conversion tools, your data can be silently accessed, posing a significant risk to your business's operational reliability. This can lead to a breach of customer trust and...

Free, right? Beware! Every so often, you come across some kind of computer task that’s outside of your normal workflow. Something like rearranging pages in a PDF or converting one file type into another. You need to do it quickly, and you don’t have access to or want to pay for expensive software (like Acrobat Pro in our PDF-rearranging scenario). If you’re like most of us, you head straight to your search engine of choice. “Free file converter” or “rearrange PDF pages” will give you millions of results and dozens of services and tools that can get the job done, with varying degrees of success. But watch out: some of these tools could be dangerous for your business. So much so that the FBI put out a recent warning about the problem . Here’s what you need to watch out for. The Problem With “Free”: Somebody’s Still Paying for It The big problem with free (tech) stuff is that it isn’t truly free. Someone, somewhere is paying for it — the question that matters most is who’s footin...

If you’ve ever looked into the specifics of network cabling, then you already know: there’s a lot of jargon and terminology floating around out there. At the same time, when you take a look at whatever network cables are nearby, you might also notice that they all look pretty much the same. So what’s the story here? What’s the difference between Cat5 and Cat6? What about Cat7? (And why are we talking about cats at all??) This week as we continue to roll out our low voltage and structured cabling service, we’re demystifying network cabling. Here’s what you need to know about the various options available, along with why it matters which one you choose. Ethernet Cables: The Basics When we talk about ethernet cables or network cables, we’re talking about those cables that look like an old telephone connector, only wider. Network ports on the wall of your home or office use this connector (called an RJ45), and all desktop PCs (and many laptops) have this port as well. The ...

Awkward Teams Meetings Just Got Better Have you ever been stuck in a Microsoft Teams meeting, constantly repeating, "Next slide, please"? This minor but impactful update from Microsoft will change the way you handle presentations, enhancing the fluidity and professionalism of your meetings. Control your own presentation slides Gone are the days of awkward pauses and miscommunication during presentations. Teams is rolling out a new feature enabling multiple people to control the presentation slides in a meeting. This upgrade may seem small, but it significantly improves the experience by allowing seamless transitions between presenters. How does this update transform your meetings? Smooth transitions : With shared control, passing the baton to another presenter happens without hitches. Reduced interruptions : Say goodbye to the repeated "Next slide, please," ensuring a more natural flow. Increased efficiency : No more waiting for someone else to manage your slides. Y...

In the healthcare sector, safeguarding patient information is paramount. With the rise of digital communication, ensuring HIPAA-compliance has become a critical concern for medical practices. VoIP unified systems can play a key role in secure patient communication, providing a blend of efficiency, security, and compliance. Here’s how integrating these systems can benefit your practice. Understanding HIPAA compliance in communication HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, sets stringent standards for protecting sensitive patient data. Any communication system, especially involving electronic data exchanges, must comply with these regulations. Non-compliance can lead to severe penalties, so it’s essential to choose technology that aligns with these standards. Data encryption : Ensures that all communications are secure, preventing unauthorized access. Access controls : Establish who can access patient information and to what extent. Audit controls : Keep track of...

Cybersecurity! Can you recognize a phishing attempt? In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses in Asheville, NC, face an increasingly sophisticated array of cybersecurity threats. At Blue Ridge Technology, we recognize that the greatest vulnerability in any organization could very well be overconfident employees. As cybersecurity threats advance, even the most seasoned staff can unknowingly contribute to security breaches. The illusion of confidence in cybersecurity A startling 86% of employees believe they can identify a phishing email. Despite this confidence, over half have fallen victim to phishing scams. Cybercriminals' tactics are evolving, ensuring their messages emulate legitimate emails from banks, suppliers, or colleagues, making them harder to spot. Recognizing the subtlety of modern threats Gone are the days of easily identifiable scams filled with spelling errors. Today's malicious emails can mimic internal communications or trusted contacts, ...

We announced in last week’s post that Blue Ridge Tech is now offering low-voltage and structured cabling service ! We’re excited about adding another way to serve our customers well, so we’re devoting a few blog posts to this important topic. This week is all about structured cabling: What it is, how it works, and why your business should care about it. What Is Structured Cabling? Put simply: structured cabling is a standardized, organized way of running cables and wires through a building. Even in modern offices where everyone’s phones and laptops are running on wireless, you’ll still find quite a bit of cabling behind the scenes, handling data, voice, and video. All those Wi-Fi antennas, networking equipment, phones (including VoIP phones), and other hardware like on-premises servers—they’re all connected by cabling. When a business sets up a building with structured cabling, the cable routing and layout follows consistent principles and is clearly labeled. In contrast, when business...

Hands up: Who's sick of spreadsheets? A lot of us, right? Spreadsheets can slow us down and are too easy to mess up. They're often a source of frustration, leading to inefficiencies and errors. So, what if I told you there's a better way to handle data in your business? The Power of Automation Automation can be a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline processes and reduce errors. By automating data entry and analysis, you can save time, improve accuracy, and free up resources for more strategic tasks. Benefits of Automation Efficiency : Automation speeds up processes, reducing the time spent on mundane tasks. Accuracy : By minimizing human intervention, the likelihood of errors is significantly decreased. Scalability : Automated systems can easily adapt as your business grows, handling larger datasets without additional strain. Cost-effectiveness : Over time, automation reduces operational costs by optimizing resource allocation. At Blue Ridge Technology, we un...

Blue Ridge Cabling Get to Know our Latest Service Offering At Blue Ridge Technology, Inc., we’ve been serving customers for years as a high-quality managed IT service provider in the greater Asheville and Hendersonville, North Carolina, area. And now we’re excited to announce a new service type: low-voltage wiring and structured cabling. Why Wiring and Cabling? Put simply: because there’s a need. Businesses need a better approach, one that we’re already well equipped to provide. Throughout our history as an MSP, we’ve worked in, with, and around all sorts of physical environments, from new-build offices to facilities at every stage of age and renovation. And in all of that work, when it comes to wiring and cabling, well: we’ve seen some things. DIY setups, patchwork Frankensystems with parts and pieces bolted on, mislabeled and unlabeled tangles of wires—you get the idea. These systems can limit a business’s ability to do what it needs to do, and they certainly limit or hamper efficie...