SMART Blog

Smart Services has been providing independent agents with proactive, fast, and expert technology services since 1991.

Is Unplugging From Technology While on Vacation a Good Idea?

Is Unplugging From Technology While on Vacation a Good Idea?

Vacations are an important part of maintaining one’s sanity, especially if you’re an agency owner. However, unless you have a reliable staff that can handle the management of your business, chances are you might feel you can’t get away from the office long enough to relax. While it might seem tempting to disconnect yourself from the office entirely while on vacation, it’s actually better for your business if you don’t.

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Tip of the Week: 4 Steps to Troubleshoot a Weak Wi-Fi Signal

Tip of the Week: 4 Steps to Troubleshoot a Weak Wi-Fi Signal

Your wireless router is critical to your business’s online infrastructure, providing your team precious wireless Internet connections throughout the office. You need to ensure that the signal can reach your entire office. Here are some tips to help you figure out where to put your router to ensure its signal is as strong as possible throughout your office.

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2,000 Year-Old “Computer” Discovered Off the Coast of Greece

2,000 Year-Old “Computer” Discovered Off the Coast of Greece

When you think of a computer, you think of a machine that makes your life easier. You can look up events, check facts, record data, and so much more. However, the first computer might be something extraordinarily unexpected; a submerged treasure off the coast of Greece called the Antikythera mechanism, which was used to predict and track astronomical events, like the movement of the planets or the occurrence of eclipses.

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One Wrong Click Can Delete Your Company's Data

One Wrong Click Can Delete Your Company's Data

It’s every agency 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 regarding data storage best practices.

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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 has led to the development of hundreds of apps that give users the ability to capture websites, take notes, and help with 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 into text. Here are three of the most reliable options to turn your voice into text.

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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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Microsoft Enters the Technology as a Service Market

Microsoft Enters the Technology as a Service Market

One of Microsoft’s latest moves to appeal to business owners is its Technology as a Service program, allowing small businesses to purchase Surface products, accessories, and support via a monthly payment plan. The plan allows for upgrades, although some fees may apply as dictated by the lease.

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Tip of the Week: How to Download Everything You’ve Posted to Facebook

Tip of the Week: How to Download Everything You’ve Posted to Facebook

If you’ve had your Facebook profile since the dawn of social media, chances are it’s accumulated an immense amount of personal information. While you might have felt uneasy handing over all of this data to Facebook, the company has made it surprisingly easy to take it back.

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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: 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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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: 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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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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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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How We Know that Mark Zuckerberg Has Never Seen Spaceballs

How We Know that Mark Zuckerberg Has Never Seen Spaceballs

Twitter recently experienced a major hack where it saw 33 million user login credentials stolen. What may be more alarming than the hack itself is what the stash of stolen credentials reveal about users’ password security habits. Or, to put it more accurately, the lack thereof.

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When Relocating to a New Office, Make Sure Your Technology is Up for the Move

When Relocating to a New Office, Make Sure Your Technology is Up for the Move

Moving your office is a difficult task. Moving furniture, personal objects, and technology can be a hassle that you don’t even want to think about. There’s nothing easy about moving your office’s technology to a new location, and we’re not going to let you do it alone!

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Tip of the Week: 5 Touchpad Troubleshooting Tips

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Laptop touchpads can be difficult to work with. If you’ve ever been stuck in a frustrating situation where your touchpad isn’t working properly, you know what this feels like. In a worst-case scenario, touchpad problems can cause data loss and a loss of productivity, leading to downtime that directly affects your ability to work properly. If you’re having touchpad problems, try these five troubleshooting tips.

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Sneaky: Some Microsoft Users are Reporting Unwanted Upgrades to Windows 10

Sneaky: Some Microsoft Users are Reporting Unwanted Upgrades to Windows 10

Windows 10, the latest operating system in Microsoft’s repertoire, has several business-friendly features that can potentially improve your organization’s workflow. However, many users are reporting that Windows 10 is installing on their devices automatically without their consent. If this is true, and your organization’s software is upgraded without your consent, you could be facing a big issue.

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Adopt These 3 IT Concepts to Ensure Future Success

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By its nature, technology is always changing, evolving, and moving forward. Organizations that understand this and plan for these changes end up making the most out of their technology. Those that don’t, get left behind. Here are three ways to make sure that your company’s technology will best serve your future needs.

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New Technology From LG Lets You See What a Bowling Ball Sees [VIDEO]

b2ap3_thumbnail_lg_rolling_security_400.jpgNew consumer technology, he LG Rolling Bot, looks like it will be a nifty little device to leave either in your office or at home. Basically, it’s a rolling security camera that can be controlled remotely through a smartphone.

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