Tag: windows 11

  • Windows 11 updates as the fall release rapidly approaches

    Windows 11 updates as the fall release rapidly approaches

    While it hasn’t been made official yet, all sources seem to indicate an October 2021 release of Windows 11 is eminent. That date would track with previous release schedules and merges nicely with the big feature updates that always occurs around that time for mainstream Microsoft products.

    As we inch closer, and the beta versions reveal new details we want to continue our coverage of new features that are being announced as well as specification requirement updates that may impact your future device purchases (or device upgrades).

    For example as of August 2021 here are the minimum specifications to run Windows 11:

    • Processor:1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with at least two cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or SoC
    • RAM:4GB
    • Storage: 64GB
    • Graphics Card:DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
    • Display:720p, 8-bit per color channel, at least 9-inch diagonal

    These requirements are published by Microsoft but are still subject to change as the release nears. Also, computers currently running Windows 10 may not have the upgrade available to them as soon as October hits. It seems likely that new machines will be released featuring Windows 11 at that time but the free upgrade for Windows 10 running machines may come later in 2022.

    Tech News #12

    If you would like to try Windows 11 for free right now you can do so by joining the Microsoft Insider program. This program allows you to preview you Windows releases before they’re pushed out to the market, and you can take part in the Microsoft community to see what others are saying about Windows 11 in real time.

    Another option if you would just like to get a feel for the UI without downloading anything is a widget that was created by Github user BlueEdgeTechno. This Windows 11 simulator lets you access all the UI navigation elements and even browse through the new Microsoft Store. You can find it here: win11.blueedge.me/

    Also making a comeback in Windows 11 are Windows widgets. These widgets are AI determined, meaning your use of Windows 11 will help Microsoft dynamically choose widgets that will give you a customized Windows experience. Widgets such as weather and news as well as 3rd party widgets that you may have available on your Android and OS devices will all be possible options.

    Windows 11 is also making it much easier for users (even those not technically inclined) to keep track of the health of their device. With the new health check feature you can see at a glance how your machine is performing including applications that may have higher than normal battery usage or how much space is available on your SSD.

    Windows 11 is expected to be a free upgrade from Windows 10. If you’re still using Windows 7 or 8 on your device, we urge you to make the jump to Windows 10 while it’s still available as a free upgrade. You can learn how to take advantage of that here. We realize upgrading can be a complex task for businesses, especially if a number of machines are involved. You can schedule a consultation here and we can help you create a plan to bring your office computer software current.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    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.

  • Our first look at Teams 2.0

    Our first look at Teams 2.0

    As we mentioned in our last post, Windows 11 is coming and with its announcement also came with the announcement of what’s being dubbed “Teams 2.0”.

    In preview builds right now appearance wise Teams 2.0 is very similar to the Teams you’re used to using. It has the same minimalistic UI you’re used to. However, one change is you can now switch light, dark and high contrast mode. This is a customization feature found in other video conferencing software now brought to Teams to make the program more user friendly and inclusive.

    Speaking of customization, you can also shrink your Teams windows exactly how you like now instead of simply shrinking the window down horizontally only. This will allow users to integrate a Teams window as they’re setting up their workstations for the day. The application can also “click” into place, fitting the size of the square or rectangle the user has left for it.

    Under the hood you’ll find that Teams 2.0 is much lighter than your existing Teams applications. While this is an early build of the program it’s interesting to note and holds true to Microsoft’s promise of making Windows 11 lighter in every fashion. Many video chat programs are memory hogs for older machines and a more agile chat client would be welcome for those as well as lighter duty laptops with less memory capacity.

    You can also quickly invite users with a link with Teams 2.0, allowing users to hold meetings more on the fly without having to schedule something through the Outlook calendar. This is one benefit found in Zoom that we think Microsoft is wise to integrate into Teams to broaden their appeal.

    Another change is you can now find users by their phone number or by syncing your contacts with Outlook and Skype. It’s clear with Windows 11 the goal is to have Teams be the de facto video chat choice and adding the ability to lookup friends and family will greatly extend the use of Teams outside workplaces.

    Although we still expect workplaces to be the primary use of Teams and we’re looking forward to more changes aimed at catering to the workforce marketplace beyond the scaled down client size (though don’t get us wrong, we definitely approve of that benefit). In the current preview builds video chat and voice chat are disabled so we’re unable to comment on that functionality at this time.

    This is still very early on in the process, and we anticipate more changes to come not just for Teams 2.0 but also Microsoft 11 as a whole.

    Skype for Business is Ending News

    In fact, it’s already been announced that the web client version will be released for preview soon, improved PowerPoint integration and also the ability to utilize multiple user accounts under a single client. Microsoft is a flurry of activity as they gear up for the fall release of Windows 11.

    Users currently on Windows 10 are already receiving patches aimed at getting their computers Windows 11 ready. As we noted in a previous blog Windows 11 will be a free upgrade to users already on Windows 10.

    Still on Windows 7 or 8 in your office? It’s still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 either for free or for a small $99 upgrade fee. This is going to much less than Windows 11 will be retailing for at launch and a 50% discount on the Windows 10 Pro retail cost. Windows 7 ended extended support in January of last year and Windows 8 will be soon as well. It’s not a good idea to remain on an operating system no longer supported by Microsoft and can leave your business much more vulnerable to cyber security attacks.

    If you need assistance upgrading the machines in your office so that they’re Windows 10 or 11 ready, reach out to us here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    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.

  • Windows 365 has been announced, and it could change workplaces as we know it.

    Windows 365 has been announced, and it could change workplaces as we know it.

    On July 14, 2021, Microsoft held their annual Inspire summit, a conference for Microsoft partners to be given inside information about what the year ahead will look like in the world of Microsoft products and how they can leverage changes and features for their clients.

    This year’s event issued in some big changes, all aimed at what Microsoft has dubbed the “Hybrid Workplace”. It’s clear Microsoft is betting that remote work is here to stay, at least partially.

    While Teams and it’s various new and exciting integrations seemed to take center stage in the event offerings, we want to talk about another massive announcement – Windows 365.

    Microsoft is going all in on cloud computing with Windows 365, and while it won’t be replacing Azure Virtual Desktop which will still be a staple in enterprise applications especially where security is especially crucial – it will offer extreme flexibility for businesses with a remote or hybrid workforce.

    Windows 365 Will Work On Any Device

    In the product demo we attended we were shown Windows 365 machines will be capable of lightning-fast data speeds across Microsoft’s networks. Users will also be given the ability to adapt the virtual computer on the fly from an easy to use and navigate interface that let’s you manage all of your active Windows 365 subscriptions.

    They will even offer recommendations based on the usage on these virtual desktops. For example, if one user is always running out of RAM you can perform the upgrade right then and there, instantly.

    The models pricing will be based on use and the virtual computers specs, but pricing hasn’t been made available yet. These virtual desktops will even have the option of including all of Microsoft 365’s product offerings such as Outlook, Excel, Word and more.

    The most intriguing part Isn’t just the functionality of these desktops, which looks impressive. It’s the flexibility of just where and how you use them.

    Windows 365 can purportedly be used across devices, that means not just laptops and desktops but even smart phones and tablets. You can use the web client but there’s also a browser option which could be a game changer for those with slow or unreliable internet connection speeds.

    If you think security features are limited to Azure Virtual Desktop you would also be wrong, Windows 365 will have two factor authentication built in and allow you to tie the virtual machine instance to the user’s phone. When they go to log in they will be prompted to allow the login via the registered phone. This is a necessary aspect for business’s who have been struggling to implement cybersecurity features in their business, especially when it comes to their remote workforce.

    Their Windows 365 virtual desktop will also be cross platform and save the user’s instance. If your employee is working from home three days a week and from the office two days a week, they can use their virtual desktop to remain on track because their work will be saved and ready to go no matter where they are logging in from.

    At Valley Techlogic we have long been a proponent of cloud computing and have implemented creative cloud solutions for our clients. We are excited to see where Windows 365 is going and to have the chance to bring this offering to our customers.

    Are you looking to implement Windows 365 or other cloud offerings such as backups in your business? Valley Techlogic is a dedicated Microsoft partner, and creator of the triple layer backup program TechVault. Schedule a consultation today to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    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.

  • Windows 11 system requirements – Will your computer be able to run it?

    Windows 11 system requirements – Will your computer be able to run it?

    Continuing our talking points about Windows 11 (which was officially announced June 24th of this year), we would be remiss to not talk about one very important thing – will your computer be able to run it?

    We know for business owners this question is even more loaded as you consider not only your personal machine(s) but also those of your employees. The initial system requirements looked pretty steep, requiring an 8th Gen processor and other specifications that would have phased out a lot of machines that are perhaps not even very old.

    However, Microsoft has since retracted their initially stated requirements in favor of a more modest range of specs that may still leave some very old machines out of the running but for anyone who’s replaced their computer in the last several years (which we recommend anyways) you should be fine. You can see the requirements in the chart below.

    However, minimum requirements are just one piece of the puzzle. By those markers most computers built in the last 5 years can run Windows 11, but what specs would allow it to run well and allow you to have access to the full benefit of all of the new features? Not only that, as we demand more of our computers we really need to consider optimizing them for our current usage.

    For instance, if you frequently are running out of storage space, or if having a lot of tabs open really bogs down your machine, you may find that the enhanced strain caused by a more demanding operating system could make using your machine a hassle to use. Or even just plain unusable.

    We decided to list out our recommendations for system requirements that would most benefit when upgraded to Windows 11.

    Windows 11 Our Recommendations

    As you can see some requirements mirrored those set by Microsoft, but we boosted the recommended storage space considerably and also the RAM. When it comes to RAM we really recommend clients lean towards the higher end of the spectrum, 16 GB would be a better option for future proofing your device in our opinion.

    The same goes for the processor, 4 cores is really a bare minimum requirement for a device that runs smoothly and helps you complete your tasks (no matter how demanding).

    Minimum system specs should never be seen as the best option when assessing what level of device will fit your needs, they’re just the base mark software companies must set when considering older devices on the market. The minimum requirements lets consumers know whether what they already have will work with their software.

    Microsoft also has a tool for easily checking to see if your device is ready for Windows 11, PC Health Check, however as of writing it’s currently down as they make changes to it to be in line with the current recommendations they recently set.

    Windows 11 will not be out until later this year and these recommendations may change yet again as they gather data from the version they currently have out in early access. We feel confident our recommendations will hold up and continue to serve as a viable option for anyone in the market for a new PC or laptop.

    If you’re considering upgrading the machines in your business to make them “Windows 11 ready”, we can help. We’re a Microsoft partner and specialize in helping our clients manage their Windows applications and devices on top of a host of other IT services we provide. You can learn more through a free consultation here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    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.

  • Why you SHOULD upgrade to Windows 11, but not necessarily Windows Server 2022

    Why you SHOULD upgrade to Windows 11, but not necessarily Windows Server 2022

    It feels like Windows 11 news is everywhere at the moment following the official announcement on June 24th. We covered that announcement in our post found here.

    More details will continue to be released as we move toward the estimated fall release of Windows 11. It’s going to be a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, and we think making the move to Windows 11 will be a smart choice for most customers so long as they’re running newer hardware (which to be fair is a big caveat). We’ll be covering the hardware required for Windows 11 in next weeks post as it’s an ongoing situation.

    In this week’s article we want to cover servers instead, and specifically whether Windows 2022 will be the smart choice for business’s when it’s officially released. It’s been out for preview for Azure Virtual Machines since March of this year, but the commercial release is estimated for later this year. It’s seems it will closely coincide with the estimated release of Windows 11.

    That’s pretty much where the similarities between the two operating systems ends. Servers are a different beast both in their hardware requirements and their intention.

    Many very small businesses get by without a physical server and by just relying on cloud backups for their data. There are some downsides to that, we talk more about moving to the cloud in this article.

    If you already have a server (or even more than one) in place for your business though you may have an understanding of the undertaking that is upgrading your Windows Server version. It’s not quite as cut and dry as it is with upgrading your desktop version of Windows, which is usually just a few clicks of the mouse.

    There are usually vendor considerations in place with a Windows Server upgrade. Some clients even have proprietary software that will not work with an updated version of Windows Server that necessitates having a plan in place to mitigate the issues that come from having an older version, many of those cyber security related.

    We’ve made a chart that shows the risk level with various versions of Windows Server as you move out from their End of Life date as well as from their Extended Support date.

    Windows Server Chart Small

    It’s a good idea to keep as current as you can but we don’t necessarily advocate for jumping onto the newest server version immediately. Like we said there are vendor considerations and also the compatibility with software you use in your business, it can take a while for developers to create patches and drivers that make the usability of the newest version of Windows Server the same as what you’re used to.

    Also, like with the desktop version of Windows there are hardware considerations. Upgrading server hardware is always a significant expense for your business and can result in significant downtime. We help our clients mitigate this downtime but it’s still a consideration especially if you’re navigating this topic without a good IT team behind your business.

    We would never discourage anyone from upgrading when the time is right, aging hardware that fails suddenly can also result in significant downtime, much longer than an upgrade would take before you reached that point. We recommend reaching out to an IT professional and having them run diagnostics on your current server as that will help you make an informed choice.

    If you find yourself trying to navigate this topic and other IT service related topics, Valley Techlogic can help. As a Windows partner, we’re well versed in everything Windows and have navigated even the most complicated server setups. Like we mentioned, we even help clients mitigate downtime when it comes to performing necessary upgrades. You can reach us for a consultation here to get started.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT 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.

  • On June 24th, 2021 Microsoft introduced Windows 11, a free upgrade to Windows 10

    On June 24th, 2021 Microsoft introduced Windows 11, a free upgrade to Windows 10

    Yesterday, June 24th 2021 Microsoft unveiled Windows 11. While they struggled to get the live stream going (it went down several times during the unveiling) Windows 11 itself still had an impressive range of features, many of which we think will shake the PC industry as we know it.

    To start, they revealed that Windows 11 will be faster than past versions and updates will be 40% smaller. These features are a nod to what came later in the stream in our opinion. Faster and more agile seems to be the name of the game with Windows 11.

    Windows 11 will have many user adaptive features, including window “snapping” that will allow users to arrange their desktop environment exactly how they like. They showcased grids that had even 4 or 5 squares of varying sizes. If you dock your laptop to a second monitor then remove it, it will even “remember” your setup when you plug it back in.

    Also, in the same vein is the new widgets feature that will show users a custom set of data specific to them and how they’re using their device. If you’re sensing that Microsoft is aiming to bridge the gap between PC and mobile devices with Windows 11, you wouldn’t be wrong. With it’s slick appearance widgets seem to be a much improved version of the the “Interest feature” that was released to Windows 10 in April.

    Windows 11 Widgets

    Speaking of bridging the gap between PC and mobile devices, one of the biggest ways Microsoft is aiming to do that is by allowing Android applications to downloaded and used on Windows 11 PCs. We plan to do a deep dive on this later on when more is known, but Android applications will be available in the Microsoft store powered by Amazon’s Appstore.

    The combined efforts of these two tech behemoths seems like a move squarely aimed at taking a piece of Google’s mobile pie – and a large pie at that with the Android phone market making up 72% of the market share as of 2021.

    Converting mobile users to PC seems to have been a concerted effort of Microsoft for a while now and it will be interesting to see what effort merging their various services together (Xbox will also be more accessible through Windows 11 with the addition of Xbox Game Pass for PC being expanded upon) will have on those efforts.

    They also plan on making the Microsoft store more accessible for developers, who if they bring their own eCommerce solution will not even have to share a cut with Microsoft.

    We haven’t even touched on Microsoft 11’s appearance, which seems much sleeker and perhaps slight Apple-esque with the slim task bar with centered icons. One of those center icons was a built in Microphone mute button, which Microsoft used as a segue to announce Teams as a built in Windows 11 integration.

    Microsoft Teams Windows 11

    With that we only assume Microsoft is moving away from Skype and trying to make a move that again takes aim at a competitor, namely Zoom. Teams will even work across non-Microsoft platforms including iOS. We’re eager to see what features are added to Teams as not too much was showcased in this demo.

    There’s not currently a release date set for Windows 11 other than later this year, but the speculation is it will be released sometime in October which would fall in line with Microsoft’s typical major update release schedule.

    We’ll be following this topic closely, as a Microsoft partner new Window’s releases can be both an exciting yet daunting prospect for our customers. If your business needs assistance in getting your office “Windows 11 ready”, we can help. Schedule a free consultation here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT 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.

  • Windows 10 End of Life is Coming, and It’s Sooner Than You Think

    Windows 10 End of Life is Coming, and It’s Sooner Than You Think

    While Windows 11 (code name Sun Valley) hasn’t officially been introduced to the public, it’s created enough of a stir that the topic of Windows 10 support ending has been pushed to the forefront of the tech news cycle. Windows 10 will officially end mainstream support on October 14, 2025.

    Back in 2015 it was circled around that Microsoft 10 would be the “last Windows release”, indicating Windows would follow the route of Apple and just continuously update this version in perpetuity. We would have said that was unlikely back then and it seems we would have been right.

    While the comment that initiated that rumor can be tied back to one Microsoft employee, Microsoft didn’t exactly dismiss the notion at the time. They have been moving forward since then into the “as a service” model, especially with their service Microsoft 365 replacing Office 365 as it was known.

    Most of us can remember a time when you paid a one-time fee to use the Office suite of software, but Microsoft has fully moved to a subscription model only under Microsoft 365. “As a service” is basically the de facto model in tech at this point, with Adobe also being another example (remember when you could just buy Photoshop?).

    Businesses like Google always operated under an “as a service” model. So, it makes us question if the roll out of Windows 11 will look the same as past releases.

    Especially for businesses, instead of pricey one-time licensing fees will we be looking at a monthly charge potentially? And how would that work when Windows 11 eventually went end of life?

    Tech News #13

    Microsoft has operated under two models for end of life so far, fixed and what they now call the modern lifecycle. Under the fixed lifecycle there weren’t really too many restrictions for support, as long as you kept your version up to date you would receive some level of support for 10 years.

    Now, they operate on a regular update cycle. With a feature update usually arriving in October, a year end update in November and a mid-year update in June or July. While you can expect regular updates between those dates, major feature updates are now condensed.

    Customers are encouraged to perform at least one of these updates a year to stay current. Failing to update with one of these major releases may make your version ineligible for next year’s releases.

    More news about Windows 11 may be arriving next week in an event announced by Microsoft, you can attend the live stream here on June 24th at 11 AM Eastern Time. We’re looking forward to summarizing the details of this event in next weeks blog.

    Beyond Windows 10 for PCs, there will probably be a significant update to Windows Server as well. Server updates tend to happen more often, with Windows Server 2022 following just 3 years after Windows Server 2019 (it’s been in preview since March of this year).

    If your business needs help navigating the ever-changing landscape of Windows or if you’re trying to figure out how to get outdated, unsupported versions back to mainstream support, we’re here for you. Valley Techlogic is a Microsoft Partner and we’re experts when it comes helping businesses manage their Microsoft products, whether it’s Windows or Microsoft 365. Connect with us today to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT 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.