Tag: technology procurement

  • “Windows 95 would be an upgrade” the state of technology in US aviation and the danger of outdated technology in your business

    “Windows 95 would be an upgrade” the state of technology in US aviation and the danger of outdated technology in your business

    As a technology provider it’s a red flag for us when we see clients holding onto older technologies, even computers with Windows 7 in 2025 can pose a significant security risk and in general are ticking time bombs waiting to go kaput spontaneously in the middle of a busy work day. Nothing in life lasts forever and this is especially true with business computer hardware that’s been put through it’s paces with our day in and day out workloads.

    Against all odd, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has held onto older tech – including computers still running Windows 95 or even Windows 3.1 and floppy disks still floating around the office containing pertinent information.

    This has come to the forefront of news cycles as we have seen instances of the devastating consequences of air traffic control issues gone awry, including the helicopter crash that occurred in Hoboken, NJ earlier this year that has now prompted the city to sue the FAA.

    The Government Accountability Office also noted recently that the platforms used to manage air traffic control were “unsustainable” or “potentially unsustainable”. Not only because the systems used feature aging hardware well past its prime, but also because the employees who know how to use it are retiring and much the knowledge of how to get these systems to perform adequately despite their age is leaving with them.

    We can’t say whether the current status of the FAA and the scrutiny they’re facing is entirely due aging technology systems, but it does introduce an element of doubt in the public perception when a system intended to manage the (on average) 45,000 flights per day hasn’t been keeping up with significant advancements in technology since the 90’s.

    Doubt is never something you want to encourage in your customers mindset, so even for clients who’s day to day operations involve something significantly less life-or-death than keeping our planes in the air, keeping up with the latest advancements in technology is still important.

    Here are four risks to keeping older technology in your business:

    1. Security Vulnerabilities
      Legacy systems often lack current security patches, making them prime targets for cyberattacks, data breaches, and malware infections.
    2. Reduced Productivity
      Old hardware and software can be slow, incompatible with modern tools, and prone to crashes—leading to employee frustration and workflow disruptions.
    3. Higher Maintenance Costs
      Outdated systems often require more frequent repairs and custom support, increasing IT expenses and downtime.
    4. Lack of Compliance
      Older technology may not meet current industry or regulatory compliance standards, putting the business at legal and financial risk.

    Ready to address the outdated technology in your business? Valley Techlogic can help you every step of the way – from procurement to deployment. Learn more today with a consultation.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on X at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • Need a new work laptop? Here are five features to focus on

    Need a new work laptop? Here are five features to focus on

    Selecting a new work device is a personal choice, there are factors a lot of buyers focus on. Sizing, screen type, track pad feel or material, keyboard type. All of these peripheral factors that go into choosing the perfect laptop to complete your work on.

    We want to dig specifically into what you should consider when it comes to the specs of your work laptop. What you do and how you do it will greatly affect whether a laptop is the right choice for you, from smaller footprint lower cost models that work perfectly for light duty to robust, graphic and memory intense models that can handle high use scenarios such as graphic design or multi-tasking.

    Here are the five things we consider most important when it comes to the use of your laptop for work.

    1. Battery Life. Battery life may not be as important if you intend to dock your computer at a desk and leave it there primarily. If you need your laptop on the go, however battery life is hugely important and what’s available varies widely. One thing to remember is that higher specs usually correlate to less battery life, so if your job is light duty but on the go it may be better to look for a lighter, less powerful laptop.
    2. RAM/Memory. No matter what we recommend at least 16 GBs in your laptop (or the ability to upgrade). This is because Windows itself uses quite a bit of memory, so if you opt for less memory in your work laptop you may find it struggles to keep up. 8 GBs might be okay for very, very light usage but for heavy users 16 or 32 GBs is preferable.
    3. Storage. Again, because Windows does use up some of the storage available for its installation we want to look for more capacity if possible. For light users 500 GBs is fine, but for most users we would recommend at least 1 TB.
    4. Video Card. When you think video cards you might think gaming, but a good video card is also used by your computer for certain processes, especially graphically intense one. If video editing or graphic design is part of your workflow, we suggest looking for a work laptop with a better video card even if it’s a laptop that’s marketing is aimed at gamers. As a bonus these laptops will usually have a better quality screen as well.
    5. CPU. We can’t overlook the CPU quality In the laptop buying process. More CPU power means more capacity to run programs or have a lot of tabs open in your browser.

    Of course, if you’re buying for many users within your organization, it can be difficult to customize your buying to specific users. At Valley Techlogic we’re able to make recommendations for laptops that will meet the needs of your workforce while also keeping budget in mind.

    Through Valley Techlogic’s procurement services we can help you buy new equipment for your office through our vendors with more choices than are usually offered through their brick-and-mortar presence. We have relationships with Dell, Lenovo, HP and more that we can use to your advantage.

    Valley Techlogic also offers installation services if you need help setting up your new equipment and getting it ready for your employees.

    Learn more about our procurement services today by clicking the banner below to get started, or click here to schedule a consultation.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.