Blue Ridge Technology

Stop and think about your first laptop: professionals over the age of 40 remember the days when laptops were absolute monsters in terms of size — but with extremely limited performance (compared to their desktop counterparts) and just terrible battery life. It’s amazing how far laptop technology has come since it hit the mainstream in the 90s: today’s laptops are widely capable in terms of performance, capable of matching all but the most extreme performance desktops. And battery life is so much better than it used to be. Even in 2008, most laptop batteries fizzled out after around 4 hours , and four years prior you couldn’t expect more than three . Today, it’s possible to get a sub-$1000 PC laptop with an advertised battery life of 13+ hours . And if you’re a Mac fan, you can do even better: the 2023 M3 Max MacBook Pro 16 boasts 21 hours of battery life! But no matter how long that battery lasts when you first power up, it’s only a matter of time before you start getting diminishing ...

Charging in public places? Watch out for “juice jacking” “Juice jacking” has been in the news lately. Do you know what this threat is, and how to stay safe? And just how much of a threat is it, anyway? Here’s everything you need to know about how to keep your devices safe, even when traveling. What Is Juice Jacking? Juice jacking refers to a type of cyberattack that happens when people charge their devices. USB ports and chargers are the new standard; practically every new phone charges via USB-C, and so do many modern laptops. Juice jacking is a somewhat sophisticated technique where the bad guys compromise or hack a USB port that looks like a charger, like a charging station at an airport. When you plug into the compromised port, you may or may not get charged up. But if the hack is successful, you may also pick up malware or other nasty elements. How Does It Work? Unfortunately, USB ports and cables do more than just send electricity through to your battery. They also carry data. (i...

Don’t forget your phone when you think about cyber security Cybersecurity is such a huge focus these days, both here at Blue Ridge Technology and in the broader business world. But given how connected our lives are these days, it’s easy to have blind spots in the way we think about staying safe. For many people, their smartphone is one of these blind spots. It’s a super powerful device, but it can do a ton of damage in the right situations. Your Smartphone Is the Skeleton Key to Your Digital Life So why do we say your smartphone can do so much damage? Because your phone is almost like a skeleton key to, well, everything in your digital life. If you use your phone like most people do, it has access to most of your most secure, most personal information. It also has direct access to certain work information — maybe even protected or sensitive data, depending on how you configure access. In your personal life, someone gaining access to your phone could do damage. They might gain access to...

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...