Latest News

      • Windows 11: Coming Late 2021

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      • Donna Aplin
      Later this year, the Windows 10 era will officially come to an end with the release of Windows 11. The latest version of the OS promises a raft of new features that will offer a "Next Gen" experience.
      • Your Pocket Sized Security Threat

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      • Donna Aplin
      You guessed it. We're talking about phones. How many people in your business have a company-issued phone, or use their own to access company data like emails, client information, or documents? It’s probably a high number, right?
      • Latest Windows Update May Improve Your Webcam And Display

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      • Donna Aplin
      It's not often that people actually look forward to a Windows 10 update, but the upcoming 21H2 "Sun Valley" update may be the exception that proves the rule.
      • What Is Clubhouse?: The New Social Media App

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      • Donna Aplin
      With 'audio-only', social media app Clubhouse starting to hit the news after its launch one year ago, we take a look at exactly what it is and why you might consider using it.
      • Top Tech Trends For 2021

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      • Donna Aplin

      Technology is evolving at a rapid rate and the speed at which it is moving is allowing us to change the way we work, live and play. It’s fair to say that 2020 was a unique year but it has taught us just how important technology is and so how will 2021 shape up when it comes to trends? Read on to find out more.

      Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

      • What’s all the fuss about ‘Robinhood’ ?

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      • Donna Aplin

      We’re not talking about the legendary Sherwood Forest Outlaw!

      In the light of the recent controversy over GameStop shares, we take a look at the growing trend for casual, amateur investing and how the Robinhood app has enabled this.

      Robinhood

      • Rules & Regulations: Social Media

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      • Donna Aplin

      In this article, we look at the rules, policies and guidance around what types of content is –  and isn’t – allowed on social media websites.

      Social Media Platforms

      Social media platforms reflect many different views and motivations and can be used for harm (as well as good) e.g., cyberbullying, hate speech, grooming and more.  With social media forums positioning themselves as platforms rather than publishers, they are currently protected from the same regulation that publishers are subject to.  Given that there are now vast quantities of rules and guidelines introduced and published by the social media platforms themselves to show that they can work without the need for regulation or other intervention, this article focuses mainly on Facebook and Twitter as examples.

      • Stay Safe Online This Christmas

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      • Donna Aplin

      With Christmas just around the corner here are some suggestions for how you and your loved ones can stay safe online over this festive period and beyond.

      The Shift Online

      The pandemic has prompted a huge shift online this year for work and now, with the second wave in full flight, for online shopping. Back in June, an Alvarez & Marsal and Retail Economics survey showed that 17.2 million British consumers (25 per cent of the population) were planning to make permanent changes to the way they shop i.e., by shopping more online. This Christmas, this trend is now becoming a reality as online sales surge as well as an extra forecast surge of online purchases on Christmas Day as soon as retailers lower prices on Christmas Eve.

      • Is Your IT Guy Holding You Prisoner?

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      • Donna Aplin

      Here’s a question you’ve probably never thought about: If your IT guy went away, would you know where all the passwords, data, software licenses, and disks, key codes, and other important information were stored? Do you know how to log into your server? Do you know the passwords to all your employee’s workstations? Do you know where your offsite data is stored and how to access it? Is your network documented so that another IT person could come in and pick up where they left off? If not, your IT guy is holding you, prisoner.

      • Password Security and The Road Ahead

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      • Donna Aplin

      The fact that websites continue to be hacked and passwords are frequently stolen (and that a computer recently set a record by guessing 100 billion passwords per second) calls in to question how passwords can still be used safely and what lies ahead for them. This article looks at password security now and the progress being made towards a ‘passwordless’ future.

      • Data Breaches : The Fallout

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      • Donna Aplin

      In this article, we look not just at data breaches but also at the impact of data breaches on business and organisations.

      Data Breaches

      A personal data breach, as defined by the UK’s data watchdog and regulator, The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), is “a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data.” This definition highlights, therefore, that a breach could be accidental or deliberate, and could be more than just about losing personal data.  For example, data breaches could occur through third-party access, accidentally sending data to the wrong recipient, devices being lost or stolen, altering data without permission or losing the availability of personal data.

      • The Difference Between Cloud Backup and Cloud Storage

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      • Donna Aplin

      This article looks at the difference between cloud backup and cloud storage and how each contributes to daily business life; business continuity and disaster recovery.

      • Making This One Mistake With Your Computer Network Could Put You Out Of Business

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      • Donna Aplin

      How do you handle network issues? If you’re like most small businesses, you wait until something breaks or goes wrong before getting an IT services company on the phone. At a glance, it makes sense. Why pay to fix something if it isn’t broken?

      • CAF funding opportunity for charities

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      • Donna Aplin

      CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) has launched a new £20m grant fund.  Both registered and unregistered small and mid-sized charitable organisations, including community interest companies and community education organisations can apply, and the grants are flexible, meaning organisations can spend them on core costs such as rent and utilities.

      • Where is your business data and how secure is it?: ESP can help to secure your data!

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      • Donna Aplin

      We regularly talk about cybersecurity and the need to make sure your systems secure.

      However, one item that rarely gets mentioned is the actual data sitting behind your companies IT systems.

      The majority of cybersecurity breaches that happen today encrypt corporate data.

      As more and more breaches happen governments all around the world are looking to tighten up their legislation on data.

      • One Virtual Desktop To Rule Them All

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      • Donna Aplin

      With cloud computing at the front of the line in most IT firms arsenal of “Technology Solutions” virtual desktops have taken a back seat.

      But what even is a virtual desktop and how exactly could it benefit your business where the cloud might not?

      We promise in this article not to make it too techy but at the same time give you an understanding of virtual desktop technology and how it could drastically reduce your IT management costs.

      • Social Enterprise Support Fund – Final Round of Applications

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      • Donna Aplin

      The Social Enterprise Support Fund opens for it’s third and final round at 1pm 10th September and will close at 1pm on 17th September. This could be the ideal way to get your IT infrastructure and software requirements in check, to ensure sustainability in the current climate!

      • Back To Work! (at the office)

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      • Donna Aplin

      For those whose workplace would normally be the office, going ‘back to work’ after remote working during the pandemic has its own challenges, so here is a brief reminder and checklist for moving back to the office to work.

      • Microsoft Teams – The Command Box

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      • Donna Aplin

      This is the first in a series of help articles around Microsoft 365.  This one provides some useful tips and tricks about Microsoft Teams, right-now, one of Microsoft’s most popular applications due to the ability to bring people together that are physically in different locations.  The tool allows video conferencing, instant messaging and a whole host of other useful tools.  There are even applications that you can add inside of Microsoft Teams to extend the functionality further still.

      • Notable Cyber-Attacks from the Last 12 Months

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      • Donna Aplin

      We live in an age where the majority of our business, indeed much of our lives, are conducted through digital means. This being the case, cyber-attacks are now a common occurrence.