Blue Ridge Technology

Microsoft has announced some major upcoming changes to the Windows Photos app in Windows 11. You might tend to think of that app as something for personal use (like organizing vacation photos), not a business tool. But with the updates coming soon to the app, it could be time to reconsider. If you work with photos at all in your workflows, even in seemingly small ways, Windows Photos might have something for you in the next update. Here’s what’s on the way. Biggest New Feature: Visual Search with Bing Microsoft is about to infuse its desktop photos app with the power of its Bing AI, giving you the ability to conduct what it calls Visual Searches. Visual Search looks like a version of something called a reverse image search, possibly with other enhancements as well. So what’s a reverse image search? It’s where you use an image you already have as the “search term”. Imagine going to Google.com or Bing.com to ask a question or search for “best ergonomic keyboard” — but instead of giving y...

Have you heard of cyber extortion? It’s a very real threat to your business. Our latest tech update video explains what it is and how to stay safe. Does your work PC feel slower than it used to? Do your team members complain about sluggish computers that take forever to boot up, or that lock up once they’re running with no explanation? Before you sign off on a costly upgrade cycle, it’s worth exploring whether the PCs are truly too old and slow — or whether they can keep serving you well with some small adjustments. There’s one small move that can make a serious difference in your PC’s performance, so we always recommend trying it before moving on to more expensive solutions like replacing your entire fleet of desktops and laptops. Here’s what you need to know about why PCs seem to slow down — and how cleaning up your startup folder can turn things around. Do PCs Slow Down As They Age? There’s a notion out there that says our computers get slower the longer we use them. Some even go so...

Microsoft isn’t happy just boosting individual productivity. Now it’s set its sights on helping your team work better together. Watch our latest tech update to find out how. Microsoft has a new line of PC laptops that are just now arriving. They’re called Copilot+ PCs, and small business owners have good reasons to be excited about them. But not all of the marketing hype around these new machines is worth paying attention to — at least not yet. Here’s what to know. What Are Copilot+ PCs? Copilot+ PCs are Microsoft’s second-generation AI PCs, specially built with both hardware and software designs to take advantage of Microsoft's latest AI tools. They have a neural processing unit (NPU) that runs separately from the main processor and graphics chips, and there’s a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard that instantly launches the Copilot AI assistant (Microsoft’s integrated answer to generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini). Most importantly, Copilot+ PCs are the first Win...

What’s the Big Deal with Biometrics? Biometrics are a big deal. Even if they aren’t using the term biometrics, more and more digital apps and services are starting to offer some form of biometric authentication as a way of logging in. But just why is this a big deal? We’ve shared here numerous times about how bad the old username and password system is, so we won’t rehash all those details today. Just know that the old system is really, really bad, and we need a modern alternative. Biometrics could be a big part of that alternative — which is why they’re a big deal. Done right, biometrics offer us an extremely reliable system for authentication that’s far more secure than the old faithful password. Here’s what you need to know. What Are Biometrics? The term biometrics describes the practice of identifying, recognizing, or authenticating an individual using attributes unique to that individual, such as fingerprints, retina scans, or 3D face modeling, typically for security purposes. If...

Today’s business gets done on devices, and for most of us, that means a work PC. Whether it’s a laptop, a desktop, or a 2-in-1, chances are you spend a decent chunk of your workday hammering away on a keyboard, getting work done. Even though our computers are central to our work, the fact is they don’t always work like we want them to. Many professionals can relate to the experience of dealing with a slow, unreliable PC, one that takes a while to start and frequently gets stuck as it tries to load the software you need to use. One option is replacement: every computer has a useful life that will end, after all. But before you go replacing your business’s fleet of PCs, it’s a good idea to do some troubleshooting to make sure they actually need to be replaced. Try these 3 troubleshooting strategies that can help your PC zoom back to life. If these don’t do the trick,then it really might be time to replace. (We can help with that, too.) Step 1: Restart Your Computer We know, we know — you...

Are your people Christmas shopping from work? The holidays are fast approaching, and let’s be real — we’re all scrambling for those gifts, especially for the folks on our lists that are hard to shop for! More than likely, you’ve got an employee or two doing a little holiday shopping on their work machine. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they’re doing it on break time or over lunch. Still, if you and your people aren’t careful, that online holiday shopping could actually turn into a business threat! Here’s how — and how you can keep your business data safe this holiday season. Online Scams Are Everywhere We’ve said it before, and it’s just as true now: online scams are everywhere. Well, not everywhere. If you’re buying from trustworthy retailers like Amazon or Macy’s or Wal-Mart — and you’re certain you’re on their actual legit website — it’s pretty tough to get scammed. During the holidays, online scammers like to take advantage of how busy and even desperate some p...

If any of your staff work remotely, you need to be on top of this Is remote or hybrid work here to stay for your business? It is for many (formerly) office-based businesses operating in services or in the knowledge economy. If you weren’t set up for remote work before the pandemic, chances are you had to pivot quickly to get set up for remote work or work from home. And many businesses that went remote for the first time were operating in “emergency mode”: all that mattered was finding a way to keep business going. But as the pandemic eases into endemic status, one thing is clear: remote work isn’t going away, and hybrid is here to stay, too. If you have staff working remotely, it’s time to make sure your security protection is sufficient. One recent industry poll found that only around half of businesses today had the kind of security protection they need to keep employees and their organization safe no matter where people work. Those aren’t good odds. Here’s what you need to know so ...

Two thirds of remote workers are using faulty tech Does your company have any workers who work remotely some or all the time? Your at-home or remote workforce can be a powerful contributor, and many love the flexibility of ditching the commute or being able to spend lunch breaks with pets or loved ones. Yet an increase in acceptance of remote work has led to a new round of logistical and practical concerns for business leaders like you. One that you might not think of? What happens when company tech breaks at home. A new report reveals that as many as 67% of remote workers fail to report damaged or broken technology to their employer. It’s a little weird that this is the case, but what’s more alarming is that this can turn into a security concern for your business. Here’s what you need to know. 67% of At-Home Employees Don’t Report Broken Tech If you’re working in the office and your keyboard stops working, what do you do? You request a new one. What if the reason your keyboard stopped...

Time for a Work from Home Review? As we finally get to a place where the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be winding down (or at least toward endemic status), many businesses are reassessing their emergency work-from-home plans. If you opened up to remote and/or hybrid work for the first time due to the pandemic, your teams might be wondering what’s next. Maybe you’re wondering that yourself! Do your teams hate working from home, or do they love it? Are they eager to come back to the office, or will they quit if you require it? We’ll provide some key answers here, plus top strategies for supporting your at-home or hybrid workers long-term. Desire for Remote and Hybrid Work Has Never Been Stronger So, what do your employees want? Polling your employees can offer insights, of course. But some might be reticent to tell you how they really feel. And there’s already some good research out there that can give you a hint about what they’re thinking. According to a wide-ranging FlexJobs survey co...