Microsoft Windows 11 was released on 24th June 2021 and started rolling out on 5th October 2021. If you own a PC, you might be wondering whether it’s time to upgrade your operating system. This upgrade will be free to everyone on Windows 10 for the first few months, after which it will need to Read More
BBC series Sherlock
As well-know laptop providers for production companies, we can say we are proud stars of BBC TV Series Sherlock! We were delighted to be a part of the making of an episode for the BBC TV series Sherlock. Smart provided the laptops to the scene playing a key part for Sherlock to solve his latest Read More
Are you still using Microsoft Outlook 2010 or even older?
If you are still using Microsoft Outlook 2010 or older, then read on. You will have received a notification that you will no longer be supported by Microsoft 365 or Office 365 services. But what does this notification mean, and what can you do to protect your systems? Last August it was announced that Outlook Read More
What to do when your Laptop breaks
Having a broken laptop can be a genuinely stressful time, particularly if you have a lot of professional or personal data or images on there. When adding the cost of repairing or replacing it on top, it’s natural to feel a genuine sense of loss. However, before you lose all hope, it’s worth knowing that Read More
Which rental laptop is for me?
A Core i3 vs i5 vs i7 When choosing which rental laptop is right for you, you have the choice of the following processors: Core i3, Core i5 and a Core i7 But how do you know which option to choose? Firstly, let’s start by explaining what a processor is. What is a processor? When Read More
Calling all Festival organisers
Calling all UK Festival organisers! Summer has officially started, which means the festival season you have meticulously been planning for has too! And what amazing weather to kick it all off. We know that organising a festival requires a lot of preparation, planning and resources – including equipment – that’s where our IT rental service Read More
Spotlight on Founder and Sales Director, Tim Potts
We shine our spotlight on Tim Potts, Smart Computers’ Founder and Sales Director. He shares with us his journey over the past 25 years. ‘The business started out as solely IT rentals which became very successful; doubling in size every year for three years. When Will Rendell joined in 1998, we branched out into Sales, Read More
Smart celebrate 25 years in business!
Smart Computers has officially been serving the county and the surrounding areas with its bespoke IT solutions for an incredible 25 years this March. With a staggering 75,000+ computers repaired and 100,000+ computers, laptops and projectors rented out since 1996, Smart Computers has been providing a reliable IT service to a loyal customer base of Read More
The ‘must have’ IT equipment for your next exhibition
Running an exhibition or trade show? So, you’re running an exhibition or a trade show and want to generate more engaging and inspiring interactions. Both types of event are great for networking, displaying your latest products and services, and attracting new business. However, trade show stands and exhibitions can look unattractive and plain without the Read More
Spilt liquid on your laptop? Act now with these steps
What to do if you spill liquid on your laptop Working from home can bring with it additional complications and risks that you perhaps wouldn’t experience in an office environment. Couple that with children being home-schooled and using your tech more than usual – accidents like spillages are more likely to occur (we talk from Read More
Case Study – Stanbridge Accountants
Stanbridge Accountancy is a Gloucestershire based firm of accountants; we have been providing IT solutions to the team since 2014. Duncan Woodger, owner of Stanbridge Accountancy said: “I knew Will and Tim at Smart from a previous role, so found it the logical step to take when looking for IT solutions for my new business Read More
Case study – Abacus Money Management
Abacus Money Management, based in Tewkesbury have been loyal customers of Smart Computers for over 11 years. We spoke to Noel Greaves, Director at Abacus to find out more about the relationship. Noel said: “Over the past 11 years, Smart has provided Abacus Money Management with a wealth of IT solutions, they have become an Read More
Keep safe online this Christmas
While Christmas is the season of good will and joy for many, it’s also the time of year when consumers will spend millions online – the perfect time of year for fraudsters to try and trap you with their clever, believable scams. It’s estimated that one in four Brits has been a victim of an Read More
Microsoft are putting up their prices
In an effort to harmonise prices across Europe and as a result of the fall in the value of the pound, Microsoft are putting up software and cloud pricing in the UK. From 1 January 2017, users in the UK will see a 13% hike in enterprise software license fees, and a 22% rise in Read More
What is this cloud?
Keep hearing the term ‘cloud’ being bandied about but don’t truly understand what it is? This article gives you the need to knows. What is the cloud? The Cloud is an internet based secure computing and storage solution that allows you to store and access data and programs over the internet instead of on Read More
The password minefield
How much thought do you give to setting up your passwords? You’ll find yourself often being asked to change your password, using a combination of letters, numbers, symbols, a certain length of characters and one that hasn’t been used before, it’s hard to come up with secure passwords regularly, but it’s important. No matter how Read More
Software ‘End of Life’
When software reaches ‘End of Life’ Even software has a use by date. So what should you do when software goes EOL? With the constant cycle of updates and incremental new versions of our favourite software, it’s understandable that not every version can remain supported forever. The process of putting a piece of software out Read More
How small businesses can bridge the tech skills gap
We all know how quickly the world of technology moves. It can be a minefield and feel impossible to keep up with all the changes and stay on top of the game to make sure you are getting the most out of IT for your business. It’s widely reported that there is a skills gap Read More
Renting – the future for businesses
Renting – the future for businesses Nowadays renting is the norm. The preferred option for many people and businesses over making expensive purchases. Property, mobile phones, cars, tools – the costly commodities that you just don’t want to commit to having…forever! UK economic uncertainty is a top priority for many businesses and protecting the balance Read More
Protect your mailbox!
There are 3.8 billion mailbox users worldwide. In today’s business environment, you’d be hard pushed to operate effectively without the heavy reliance on your daily email exchanges. They form an integral and effective form of communication regardless of your business size. Over 281 billion emails are sent every single day, which has made them the Read More
Preparing your stand for a Trade-show or Exhibition
Taking a stand at a tradeshow or exhibition is a significant investment in terms of both time and money, so it’s important to ensure you put a lot of effort into planning and preparation. This includes how the stand will look, how you will interact with visitors and how you will make those interactions work Read More
How we’ll move your business to Office 365 in 7 easy steps
The number of businesses choosing to move to Office 365 is rapidly increasing. The rise in demand is no surprise as the solution offers flexible and familiar collaboration across teams, devices, and platforms. Whether you’re working online or off, at home or at work, from a computer, tablet, or phone, from desktop to web and Read More
Important information if you’re using Windows XP
In April 2014 Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP with security updates, leaving the operating system vulnerable to malicious software and outside threats. At Smart, we have continued to support Windows XP users through our Smart Hosted Exchange service. However, this will be changing. Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010 have been using a system called triple Read More
Free web hosting vs Paid for hosting
Free website hosting vs Paid for hosting. What’s the difference? Free web hosting plans appear to be highly attractive when publishing websites. However, it’s wise to understand the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision on which option to choose. So, what is Free Web Hosting? Free web hosting provides a virtual Read More
Five benefits of renting a Laptop for your Start-up
In the early days of starting a business, money is always tight. This can make it difficult to source the equipment and resources you need to get your operation off the ground, including efficient laptop or desktop fulfilment to enable you to go about your work. Some businesses are looking for computer equipment for the Read More
Do you have a HTTP website?
Then you need to know about this… Chrome blogged earlier this month (but it has only really surfaced in the last few days), that they are going to be firmer from January 2017 in flagging websites that they deem to be not secure. Whilst it would seem that those sites that require passwords or logins Read More
CCP have rebranded
Our charity of the year, CCP, have rebranded! On 4th July, our charity of the year, CCP rebranded. The charity were formerly known as County Community Projects, often referred to as CCP for short. Although still referred to as CCP, the name behind the letters has changed to ‘Caring for Communities and People’. The rebrand also Read More
Beware Ransomware
What is Ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malicious software that is designed to disrupt or damage a computer, laptop or mobile device until a sum of money is paid to the cybercriminals behind it, to fix it. It’s one of the fastest growing forms of computer virus, mainly affecting individuals and small businesses. How Read More
Are you running courses over the Summer?
University finals are over and the extra curricular crash courses are underway! IT equipment can be difficult for Universities to supply for summer programmes, especially if students typically supply their own for most of the year and the summer students don’t. Second hand laptops are an option, however you may not be able to get Read More
Should you be allowed to use social media at work?
Should social media be allowed in the workplace? Social media has become a large part of modern life but should it be a part of our working lives? You don’t want employees using social media when they’re supposed to be working, but could it also be a security threat? Common social media scams aim to Read More
Windows 10: A guide to the latest update (version 1903)
Windows 10: A guide to the latest update (version 1903) Release date: May 21, 2019 Note the May 2019 Update is on a phased rollout, so you may not have received it yet. When shutting down your PC over the last couple of days, you may have been asked to update and shut down. That’s because Read More
Are your home-working teams jeopardising the security of your business?
Almost all businesses deemed ‘non-essential’ and with the ability to work from home, were forced to, at short notice at the end of March 2020 due to Covid-19. This was a first for many businesses who were more accustomed to having their entire workforce working from central premises, and they had to act quickly to Read More
Working from home?
Do you, or are you planning on working from home? Here’s what you need to know Many businesses and industries are becoming a lot more accepting of remote working. If working from home is an option for you, here are our top tips for ensuring optimum efficiency. 1. Invest in the right home office equipment Read More
Why Office 365 ProPlus?
Important note if you have Office 2013 Microsoft has announced that with effect from 13th October 2020, Office 2013 will no longer be compatible with Office 365 cloud services including Exchange Online, Sharepoint Online and OneDrive for Business. After this date there will be an increased security risk and a risk of noncompliance with industry Read More
Warning: Critical WinRAR Flaw identified
If you are a Windows user, you may be affected. A dangerous new remote code execution vulnerability has been discovered in the WinRAR software. This vulnerability is affecting hundreds of millions of users worldwide. WinRAR is a popular Windows compression application that has around 500 million users. The vulnerability is affecting all versions of the Read More
Tricks of the trade – 25 Top Tips
To celebrate Smart Computers’ 25th year in business this March, the team are giving you their 25 tricks of the trade that will change the way you use your computer for good! Did you know that you can delete a whole word by pressing just two keys rather than repeatedly pressing backspace? Or that there is a Read More
Top tip – Working Offline
Smart Support Top Tip One of our most frequently asked questions is how to continue working when you are offline. Click on the image below to see the steps you can take to continue working unaffected… We hope you find this helpful!
The importance of Disaster Recovery Planning and Data back up
OVH fire On Wednesday, 10th March 2021, a huge fire occurred at European cloud computing giant, OVH, offices. The fire has destroyed one of its Strasbourg data centres and damaged another. As a precautionary measure they closed two other data centres located at the same site. Luckily no one was hurt in the fire. The Read More
Staying safe on public Wi-Fi
Free public Wi-Fi is so convenient, but have you ever thought about how it can compromise your security? In this article we show you how you can reduce the risks you face when using your laptop, smartphone, or tablet when you are out and about. We’ve all been there, stuck without a data connection when Read More
Spotlight on Technical Director, Will Rendell
Here Will Rendell, our Technical Director shares his journey with us as Smart’s longest standing member of staff at 23 years in. ‘I joined Smart back in June 1998, two years after they began trading. I had been working as a plumber but had always had a self-confessed passion for computers and wanted a change Read More
Smart Top 10 Backup & Recovery Tips
Know your business requirements: How long a company need to keep its backups is based on legal and operational requirements for each type of system. Keeping the backups for longer than required will unnecessarily increase storage costs. Keep IT simple: The most reliable backup systems are the simple ones. Over complicating your backup routine, makes Read More
PuTTY security patches
PuTTY releases an update. PuTTY has released the latest version of its software that includes security patches for 8 high-severity security vulnerabilities. PuTTY is a popular, widely used open-source client-side program that allows users to remotely access computers over SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin network protocols. According to their website all previous versions of PuTTY software Read More
Office 365 users…
Don’t be lost with insufficient data backup Did you know that Microsoft does not back up and recover your Office 365 emails or files as standard? And that instead you need a backup solution! This includes: Emails Attachments Contacts Calendars OneDrive accounts Sharepoint document libraries. Without a backup solution, once your emails or files are Read More
Hold your most engaging business meeting yet!
Smart’s top tips! Meetings are an essential part of any business and are important for effective communication with colleagues, teams, and stakeholders. The issue with meetings is if you’re not careful, they can be a bit dull. We all know the drill, hour-long meetings with bucket loads of information being thrown at you that can Read More
Historic events that made 1996…
The year that Smart Computers was born was a big one for historic events. Here we take a trip down memory lane and get all nostalgic over some of the key events that changed the world in 1996. Major events that happened in the world of Information Technology in 1996 The most significant of course Read More
Get Cyber Essentials accredited
1 in 5 businesses unaware of the benefits of Cyber Essentials accreditation A recent independent study has highlighted that a worrying number of UK businesses still aren’t aware of the benefits of the Government-backed Cyber Essentials scheme. Almost 1 in 5 IT managers reported that they were unaware of how Cyber Essentials compliance could help Read More
Ethernet, what is it and why could you benefit from using it in your home office?
Ethernet, what is it and why could you benefit from using it in your home office? Crazy to think that we are nearing a year of home working! A concept that most businesses hadn’t previously considered pre-covid. Many companies have seen the benefits that working from home can bring. Less time wasted in meetings, less Read More
Cyber Attack
NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY ISSUES WARNING ON GAMEOVER ZEUS AND CRYPTOLOCKER You have probably heard on the news about the impending cyber attack affecting computers in the UK, there’s no need to panic, just follow this simple advice from William Rendell, our Technical Director: “Firstly let’s not panic, this infection is not as new as we are Read More
Covid-19 update 17.03.2020
Covid-19 update 17.03.2020 The team at Smart Computers understand that our customers may be worried about the impact of Coronavirus (Covid 19) and the ability for the Smart team to operate ‘business as usual’. Following the Government announcement on 17th March 2020, we are taking measures to ensure both our staff and our customers are Read More
Computer Hire for Training Courses
At Smart Computers, we provide number of training facilities (hotels, conference suites etc), training companies and delegates themselves with a range of IT equipment to support short term training needs. If you are running or hosting a training course, it is likely that if IT equipment is required you won’t have all the necessary equipment Read More
Smart and the CCP Big SleepOut
On Wednesday 10th October 2018, Smart Directors Tim Potts and Will Rendell are taking to the streets and joining a team of up to 100 local business people in sleeping out for the night, all in aid of Smart’s charity of the year, Caring for Communities and People (CCP). The event will see Tim and Read More
Adobe Flash End of Life – What you need to know
Important information if you run any Adobe Flash programmes. Flash to HTML5 — What the End of Life for Flash means for you On December 31, 2020, updates and distribution of Adobe Flash will stop. Why? Adobe Flash hasn’t been the most secure product. While Adobe has kept up with patching zero day Read More
Microsoft issue a rare Windows XP patch
A story was released on IT News on 14th May 2019 that Microsoft have issued a rare patch for Windows 7 and XP. Microsoft is warning users to apply a critical patch for a remote code execution vulnerability that could attack older versions of Windows. They have warned that the exploit can trigger even when Read More
Keep safe online this BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY
There’s no denying there are some really genuine deals to be had over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s forecast that consumers will spend millions online as they kick off (like us), add to or finish their Christmas shopping while picking up some bargains, but sadly in this day in age it’s also the perfect Read More
Cyber Essentials
We take IT security seriously. It’s our job to! We regularly undergo rigorous testing as a business, and are proud to have added to our impressive list of awards, the certification in Cyber Essentials. What is Cyber Essentials? Cyber Essentials is a Government backed scheme. To obtain the certification, we had to prove that we Read More
USB memory sticks in business
Whose memory stick is it anyway? USB use poses a unique problem. Most are personal property and contain personal data yet have found their way into daily use in just about every organisation, despite the fact that many can carry malware infections, they can be easily lost or stolen and putting data of any kind Read More
Impressive, Professional, Polite
“I would have no hesitation in recommending Smart Computers” Transport and Logistics company – Driver Hire required a projector at short notice. They found the Smart Rental Service by doing an online search. Neville Thomson of Driver Hire had this to say about Smart and the service he received: “I was very impressed by the Read More
SCAM Awareness Month – July 2016
THERE’S ONLY ONE YOU; KEEP IT THAT WAY! Do you know how to protect yourself against identity crime? Identity theft is the UK’s fastest-growing method used to carry out criminal activity and the internet provides numerous opportunities for fraudsters to harvest the personal data of unsuspecting members of the public. Once a criminal has your details they can Read More
Bring memories to life with a projector on your wedding day!
Bring memories to life with a projector on your wedding day! With the wedding season upon us there are a million and one things to be considering and projector hire is probably the last thing on your mind! However, here at Smart Computers, as well as renting out laptops, Apple Macs, iPads and computers for Read More
The ideal partner for Production Companies
As you may have read in our previous articles, renting a laptop has many advantages over buying – especially for businesses who need to scale up and/or down their IT requirements regularly; or for companies who need a large number of machines in one go, would rather spread the cost and have peace of mind Read More
