A P Systems News

  Leading IT solutions provider A P Systems is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew McCallum and Tania Bookallil as non-executive directors. Andrew’s career spans various domains including education and training, software development, business scaling, and successful exits. This multifaceted experience has provided him with deep insights into multiple industries, including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, event and project management, retail, and wholesale. Tania is a highly experienced finance professional, Non-Executive director and committee member. A certified and chartered accountant, she is experienced in capital intensive industry across a wide range of geographies in both emerging and established markets. David Anderson, chairman of A P Systems group, expressed his delight at these appointments: "We are enthused to have Andrew and Tania join A P Systems and honoured to have two people of such calibre on board as non-executive directors. Andrew brings a ...

Can’t find what you need in Teams? This makeover will increase your business’s productivity Ever feel overwhelmed by the maze of chats, channels, and notifications in Microsoft Teams? Well, here’s the good news: Microsoft’s rolling out an update to help streamline things. The update will create a simpler workspace that’s easier to navigate – grouping everything in one location under the Chat menu. Think of it as a central hub where all your key conversations and notifications live. The update also includes a new “@mentions” view that gathers all your direct messages and important mentions in one place. This will make it easier to catch up on messages you’re tagged in, helping you to make sure important notifications don’t slip through the cracks. Teams will also be getting improved filters and controls. This will let you do things like filter out less urgent notifications, as well as create custom sections to keep your chats, channels, and meetings organised by project or topic. Anothe...

                                    Security alert: Does your business have old logins for ex-staff? When someone leaves your business, you might be so wrapped up in the rush of everyday tasks, you forget to delete their login details. It’s easy to overlook. You’ll get around to it later, right? But unused login details could be a ticking time bomb for security breaches, leaving the doors wide open to cyber criminals. It can also be an unnecessary drain on your budget if you’re paying for old subscriptions you no longer need. A recent report found that almost half of businesses had accounts that were no longer actively managed. If you’ve forgotten about an account, you’re not monitoring it. And this leaves your business vulnerable to attacks. These risks aren’t just hypothetical, either. Many cloud security breaches happen because unused login details and accounts have been compromised. So, what do...

                                               How future-ready is your business’s IT? How do you feel about the technology you use in your business? A recent study found that 90% of business leaders felt confident that their IT systems today are “best in class”. But how about tomorrow? The same study showed that: Only 39% of business leaders felt confident that their current IT system was future-ready 64% worry that their technology might be getting outdated Around half the tech used by businesses was at its end-of-life. When technology is no longer supported by the manufacturer or software creator, it’s like driving a car that hasn’t had a service in years. Sure, it might run fine for now – but sooner or later, it’s going to break down (and it’ll probably happen at the worst possible moment). When it comes to business IT, cyber security is another big concern. The st...

  New phishing scam is smarter than ever… here’s how to protect your business Microsoft is warning business owners about a new type of phishing scam (where cyber criminals pose as a trusted source to trick you into giving away login info), which uses popular cloud services like SharePoint and OneDrive. Although these platforms are usually safe, scammers have figured out how to trick privacy settings to get past security checks. The scammers hack your cloud storage by stealing your login details or buying them on the black market. Once they get inside, they upload a file that is designed to look authentic – like a fake Microsoft 365 login page. They set the file to “view-only” or limit access to specific people, such as you and your team. Opening these files or following any links inside the emails could cause serious damage to your business. Scammers can use your information to access your systems, or they can install malware (malicious software) that lets them cause disruption and...

                      Start it on your phone… finish it on your PC? Microsoft is once again finding ways to make life easier for your business with Windows 11. If you ever work on your phone as well as your PC, you’re going to love the new “Hand Off” feature that’s being tested right now. The idea is this: Let’s say you’re in a meeting or on the move. And you start working on something in Microsoft Word or another app on your phone. Once you get back to your PC, a notification will pop up asking if you want to keep working on the document – allowing you to switch between devices seamlessly. This feature is made possible through OneDrive’s syncing function. It’s already compatible with Android phones, and it’s likely to work for iPhones too, although that’s not yet been confirmed. Being able to jump between devices without losing track of work could be a great benefit, especially if your team works remotely. Although it hasn’t been r...

        6G Unleashed: The Future of Connectivity is Here What is 6G? 6G refers to the sixth generation of mobile network technology, expected to succeed 5G by the 2030s. While still in its conceptual phase, 6G promises unprecedented capabilities, including terabit-per-second speeds, near-zero latency, and seamless integration with advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and holography. Why is 6G a Big Deal? Unimaginable Speed 6G could offer speeds up to  1,000 times faster than 5G , potentially reaching 1 Tbps. This will enable instantaneous downloads of massive files, real-time data sharing, and high-quality streaming of immersive content like 16K video and virtual reality. Ultra-Low Latency Latency in 6G is expected to be less than  1 millisecond , making interactions nearly instantaneous. This is critical for applications like self-driving cars, remote surgery, and gaming. ...

                      If it ain’t broke… Windows update makes signing out simple again   Microsoft recently updated the Windows Start menu, sparking a bit of controversy. Here’s what happened: in an attempt to streamline the menu, Microsoft grouped related settings together and moved the “Sign Out” option into a three-dot submenu. This change left many users scratching their heads as they tried to log out of their accounts. Fortunately, Microsoft listened to the feedback and is now testing an update to restore the sign-out button to its original, more accessible location. This update is especially helpful for teams that rely on multiple profiles on one computer, making it easier to switch between accounts. And it’s just one of several improvements Microsoft is rolling out as part of a broader update to Windows 11. Other new features include media controls on the lock screen for music and videos, plus the ability to sh...

                              Beware this malware: It “annoys” you into handing over login details How cautious are you and your team with online security? You know about phishing scams, dodgy downloads, and not clicking suspicious links, right? But an even sneakier new malware (that’s malicious software) wants to frustrate you into giving up your Google login details. The malware doesn’t have a catchy name yet, but it’s part of a larger threat known as “Amadey”, and it’s been on the rise since August. It forces your PC into something called “kiosk mode” (a setting often used on public computers that only lets you access one window). This allows it to lock your browser in full screen mode, hiding all your usual navigation buttons like the address bar and menus. Then you get sent to a fake Google password reset page. Normally, you’d just hit the Esc or F11 keys to get out of full screen mode, right? Well, not this...

                     Microsoft’s browser takes back the Edge with streamlined settings If you’ve ever tried to tweak a setting in Microsoft Edge and found yourself lost in all the options, this one’s for you. Microsoft is cleaning up the Settings page, so you’ll no longer need to dig around in endless menus to find the setting you need. What’s changing? You’ll see a new quick access panel under the main Settings menu, giving you shortcuts to the features you’re likely to use the most. Settings will also be split into smaller submenus, like “System and Performance” and “Appearance”, making it easier to find exactly what you want. Better yet? The submenus will have their own quick access shortcuts too. The improvements will give Google Chrome (which has been praised for its well-organised settings) a run for its money. So if your team doesn’t already use Edge as their default browser, it’s a great time to give it another try. Microsof...

                              A third of all data loss is caused by problems with backups Losing access to your business’s data – even temporarily – is a nightmare worthy of a horror movie. Data backup tools create copies of your data and store them in a safe place. If something goes wrong, recovery tools will use these copies to restore your lost files. So, if your business already uses backup and recovery tools, you’d think your data is safe… but this isn’t necessarily true. A new report shows that some backup tools aren’t always as reliable as they should be. In fact, a third of all data losses are caused by backup-related issues. When people try to recover data, they discover it’s been lost or corrupted. It’s not just corrupted backups that you should be aware of. One of the biggest threats to businesses right now is ransomware. This is a type of malicious software (or “malware”) that locks you out of your fi...

                                             A third of all data loss is caused by backup failures Losing access to your business’s data – even temporarily – can feel like a nightmare straight out of a horror film. Backup tools are designed to create copies of your data and store them securely. When things go wrong, recovery tools should restore your lost files using these backups. So, if your business already uses backup and recovery solutions, you might assume your data is safe. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. According to a recent report, some backup tools aren’t as reliable as they should be. In fact, backup-related issues account for a third of all data losses. Many businesses discover too late that their data is either corrupted or missing when they attempt to recover it. Corrupted backups aren't the only concern. One of the most significant thr...

                              Reverse image search makes purchasing and marketing easier You might think of the Windows Photos app as a basic tool for viewing and managing images. But with an upcoming update to Windows 11, there’s a new feature that could be very useful for your business: Visual Search with Bing. With the update, you’ll be able to do a reverse image search straight from the app, showing you similar images and related information. How can this benefit your business? Let’s say you’re looking at a photo and you want to know more about a product, place or person in the image. Reverse image search is a faster way to get the information you need. It’s a great tool for eCommerce store owners – you can use it to find out who else is selling a product, compare pricing, or track down new suppliers. Marketing teams can also use it to easily find similar visuals to use in campaigns, or to make su...