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Macro Systems Blog

Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses

This Breakthrough By MIT Will Propel Artificial Intelligence to New Heights

This Breakthrough By MIT Will Propel Artificial Intelligence to New Heights

No security solution is perfect. Each one has its own set of pros and cons. For example, relying completely on an automated solution is thorough, but it will flag plenty of threats that aren’t really threats (aka, false positives). Meanwhile, a human overseeing security is great for spotting worrisome trends, but a human can’t possibly catch every single attack. With this dynamic in mind, a team of researchers from MIT has successfully blended the two.

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Tip of the Week: How to Avoid Back Pain and Eye Strain in the Office

Tip of the Week: How to Avoid Back Pain and Eye Strain in the Office

Working at a desk is a fairly inescapable for the modern office worker. The trouble with sitting at a desk for long intervals is that it causes physical issues, especially if the workspace isn’t properly set up. Fortunately, you don’t have to invest in specialized equipment; it’s fairly simple to establish best practices that will ensure employee comfort and productivity.

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3 Talk-to-Text Apps that are Well Worth the Money

3 Talk-to-Text Apps that are Well Worth the Money

The development of mobile platforms have led to the development of hundreds of apps that give users the ability to capture websites, take notes, and do just about anything else as it pertains to a person’s daily business tasks. Some users of modern smartphones (and other mobile devices) routinely complain about the reliability of the on-screen keyboard interface, as communication is as important to the development and outcome of projects as ever. For this reason, some developers have begun creating applications that allow users to dictate to their devices; turning spoken words in to text. Here are three of the most reliable options to turn your voice into text.

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Adoption of Cloud Services Continues to Increase in 2016

Adoption of Cloud Services Continues to Increase in 2016

There’s no denying that your business’s productivity suite is one of its most valuable software solutions. Cloud services like Google Apps for Work and Microsoft Office 365 continue to be huge game-changers in the business environment, and it’s been found that their increasing popularity is thanks to the convenience of providing mobile access to important data and applications.

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Tip of the Week: Convert a Picture to a PDF and Upload it to Google Drive for Android

Tip of the Week: Convert a Picture to a PDF and Upload it to Google Drive for Android

Google Drive, available for both iOS and Android, is continuously being updated with new features and functionality. One of the most interesting features is the ability to take a picture of a document, and store the file in Drive as a PDF. Plus, if the file has text, it will be compatible with Drive’s search function.

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Take it From This Poor Schmo, One Wrong Click Can Delete Your Entire Company

Take it From This Poor Schmo, One Wrong Click Can Delete Your Entire Company

It’s every business owner’s worst nightmare: one mistake, and all of their data is wiped out. This very situation happened recently to a hosting provider, and his story serves as a cautionary tale in regard to data storage best practices.

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4 Fun Facts That Will Make You See Smartphones in a Whole New Light

4 Fun Facts That Will Make You See Smartphones in a Whole New Light

Smartphone technology is currently experiencing cool innovations. Plus, there are some crazy reasons behind what these devices can and can’t do that you may not have known about. Check out these four cool smartphone factoids from List25.

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Tip of the Week: Tired of Those Windows 10 Lock Screen Ads? Here’s How to Turn Them Off!

Tip of the Week: Tired of Those Windows 10 Lock Screen Ads? Here’s How to Turn Them Off!

If your business is using Windows 10 on your workstations, you might have noticed that there are plenty of advertisements geared toward marketing some product or service to users. These advertisements can get annoying. We’ll show you how to turn off the lock screen ads that appear before you log in.

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Alert: Users of 7-Zip Should Immediately Upgrade to the Latest Version

Alert: Users of 7-Zip Should Immediately Upgrade to the Latest Version

One of the latest vulnerabilities in open-source software can be found in 7zip, a file archiver and decompresser. 7zip has been found to have several security vulnerabilities which have software developers rushing to fix their products. The damage done extends far beyond 7zip, reaching both people who use 7zip itself, and developers who have used the technology in the creation of their own tools and software.

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If You’re Running Older Versions of Internet Explorer, Java, or Flash, Your PC is at Risk

If You’re Running Older Versions of Internet Explorer, Java, or Flash, Your PC is at Risk

It’s important that your business uses the most recent version of any operating systems and software solutions used by your workforce, but Internet Explorer “fans” have had a rough start to 2016. Nearly a quarter of all Windows PCs are still using unsupported versions of Internet Explorer, half of which are still running Windows XP.

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Tip of the Week: 4 Ways to Get a Handle on Social Media in the Workplace

Tip of the Week: 4 Ways to Get a Handle on Social Media in the Workplace

Social media may be a great way to connect with other professionals and communicate with your friends, but it can be dangerous if you have poor posting habits. Before you share something, think twice about whether it contains any sensitive information that could be risky to yourself and your business.

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40 Microsoft Software Titles to Reach End of Life/Extended Support in July 2016

40 Microsoft Software Titles to Reach End of Life/Extended Support in July 2016

All business owners should be aware of which Microsoft products they use. It’s one of the many complex and confusing parts of managing your technology. Of course, all great things must eventually come to an end, and the same applies to your mission-critical applications and operating systems. When your solutions can no longer be considered secure and are no longer supported by the developer, you know it’s time to move on and upgrade to something better.

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Before You Act on a Hack, Know the Extent of the Breach

b2ap3_thumbnail_we_got_hacked_400.jpgGetting hacked is a scary occurrence. It’s a major reason why you have security measures put into place. You try to avoid it as much as you can, but getting outsmarted by hackers happens to the best of us. The good news is that as long as you approach your hacking incident in a reasonable way, you can limit the amount of damage that’s done to your infrastructure.

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How Colocation Makes Everything Easier for Business Owners

b2ap3_thumbnail_colocation_good_for_business_400.jpgThe business owner has always had the unique challenge of managing and maintaining all of their organization’s operations and administrative difficulties. These days, technology is also a major pain point for organizations that rely heavily on it. Your business can free up valuable time and resources by choosing to outsource your organization’s technical obligations to a managed service provider.

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How Inconvenient Security Protocols Can Sink Your Company

b2ap3_thumbnail_it_employee_mistakes_400.jpgSecurity is important for much more than just the Internet. It’s an integral part of organized society, to the point where there are several layers of security for public transportation, airports, and so much more. The only problem is that properly taking advantage of security is only as effective as how well your employees adhere to corporate policy.

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Cloud Computing is Easy to Use and Implement, Stop Being Intimidated By It!

b2ap3_thumbnail_business_cloud_options_400.jpgThe cloud becomes more popular in the business environment with every passing day, and it’s so prevalent that you’d have trouble finding even a single business that doesn’t use it to some degree. However, we often find that the way that the cloud is explained to businesses is counter-productive and confusing. We’re here to help you understand the real trend behind cloud computing that’s driving cloud adoption: virtualization.

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A Fascinating Look at How the Internet Has Changed the Stock Market

A Fascinating Look at How the Internet Has Changed the Stock Market

When you think about the stock market, one vibrant image that comes to mind is the chaotic trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, with traders climbing over each other and barking orders. Today, the NYSE trading floor is much more subdued, a testimony to just how much technology has changed the financial marketplace.

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Tip of the Week: 10 Google Easter Eggs - Because the Internet Isn’t Distracting Enough

Tip of the Week: 10 Google Easter Eggs - Because the Internet Isn’t Distracting Enough

In a recent poll by WSJ/NBC comparing tech companies to US presidential candidates, Google came out on top with 67 percent of respondents having a positive opinion of the company. Compare this to Apple’s 54 percent, and 43 percent going to the highest-rated candidate. Perhaps Apple and the politicians can take a cue from Google and make use of Easter eggs, because who doesn’t love Easter eggs?

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Reminder: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Period Ends July 29th

Reminder: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Period Ends July 29th

It’s been over two years since Microsoft officially cut the cord on Windows XP. As the most popular Windows operating system at the time, it was a huge blow to both businesses and consumers alike. Thankfully, a migration to Windows 10 isn’t nearly as difficult as one from XP. What lessons can be learned from Windows XP’s end of life event that can be applied to upgrading to Windows 10?

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Wireless Retinal Implants Give Functionally Blind People a Second Lease on Sight

b2ap3_thumbnail_retinal_implants_400.jpgTechnology has unlocked some marvelous advancements for human civilization, and thanks to the Argus device by Second Sight, it can now provide a cure for blindness!

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