It started out being called ‘bloatware’ but as consumer’s patience wore thin it was eventually replaced with the title ‘crapware’. In short, it’s the software that manufacturers load onto new hardware before purchases in an attempt to drive customers to new products.

Virtualization allows you to eliminate dependency on physical hardware limitations and software requirements. Exactly how you achieve that comes in a number of different solutions with even more confusing lingo and acronyms, but before you can tackle any of that it’s a good idea to go over the different companies providing the services.

When was the last time you used Microsoft Excel? And no, hovering over the icon doesn’t count. If it’s taking you too long to remember, then it probably is. Digital literacy is an essential part of finding a job these days, in fact taking a look at it further reveals that proficiency in Excel is a skill still sought after by most companies.

Microsoft smartphones have been on their last legs for months, if not years. Though builds and new features held promise in revitalizing the device, Microsoft announced the removal of their phones from the consumer market. While Microsoft maintains its stance on “fully committing” to Windows Phones, the fact that they are selling off their handset business, shows otherwise.

Think happy thoughts. Peter Pan knew the power of positive thinking more than any of us, which is why if he had a business today it would have likely been a great candidate for cloud technology. You see, half the battle when adapting new IT, whether it’s the cloud or managed services, is going in with the right attitude.

Privacy and security concerns can derail a lot of great software ideas -- but Microsoft is determined not to let that happen to their browser-based Office Online services. Last week, the software giant announced that their cloud-based versions of Office would be available to be hosted locally, wooing over security skeptics.

No matter how much technology advances, human error has always been a fact of life. Nowhere is this more pertinent than when it comes to email security as many of today’s breaches start in an employee’s inbox. But now Microsoft is looking to change this.

You’re likely a busy person. So the last thing you want to be bothered with is a slow computer. If you’ve recently upgraded to Windows 10, you may be surprised (and slightly annoyed) to discover that it’s running much slower than expected. So what can you do? Here are a few steps you can take to significantly speed up your new OS.
Prevent programs from launching at startup
Windows loads several programs at startup so they’re quickly available.

Repetition is a proven way to incite people into action. Children use it to break down their parents’ psyche and get them to buy the latest toy, and advertisers use it to sell their product. Now, Microsoft is using the same tactic to try and get you to upgrade to Windows 10. But this time, you don’t have to stand for it.

Are you looking for a way to change up your Microsoft Office experience? It’s actually pretty easy to do thanks to a plethora of add-ins available for your favorite Office application. While these tools aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel, they do add a nifty wrinkle to the popular Office suite.