IT systems and support
The last days of Windows XP ( 3 July 2008)
Monday was that last day you could get a copy of Windows XP.
PC tracking - worth considering? (25 April 2008)
No matter how great your insurance policies and business continuity plans are one day the inevitable will happen and someone will pocket one of your precious PCs.
Green IT incentives (26 March 2008)
The problem is that less that one in five IT decision makers take responsibility for the electricity bill..
Is the time right for a "no laptop" rule? (19 March 2008)
If you've attended any meetings lately (and if not, you're fired!) you'll probably have noticed a creeping tendency: the ever-open laptop.
Be careful with that new laptop - it might make you miss your flight (13 March 2008)
An utterly fantastic story on the about someone whose MacBook Air caused him to miss his flight.
How long does your site take to load? (11 March 2008)
Microsoft's Vista has improved the speed at which Windows copies files, so that in most cases it's actually quicker.
What happens if you lose your notebook? (10 March 2008)
You walk into a meeting room for an important meeting, look in your briefcase, and realise that there's something missing: your notebook.
Say hello to the 99 pound laptop ( 6 March 2008)
If you've just spent £1200 on a portable computer for reading email and writing office documents, you might want to avert your eyes.
Which laptop is right for you? (17 January 2008)
If you're buying a PC for the home this year, then you're likely to be buying a laptop - and work machines cannot be far behind.
How to get more women into technology (16 January 2008)
Take a look around the average IT department, and the dearth of women will be obvious to anyone.
Is there a Mac in your future? (16 January 2008)
Even most Mac users accept that, in business, the Windows PC is king!
Revive an old PC with a Linux CD (13 November 2007)
Don't chuck out that old PC just yet; the Linux operating system is better than ever, and there are versions aimed at less powerful kit.
Size matters to the latest cheap PCs ( 8 November 2007)
Do Americans only trust PCs in big boxes? If so, they won't like the new Asus ultraportable laptop - a possible Christmas present?
BitTorrent: best for big downloads ( 7 November 2007)
Peer-to-peer downloading isn't necessarily illegal. It's an ideal way to distribute large files, and is starting to make waves in online video.
Survey reveals the truth of the web business ( 1 November 2007)
One of the web industry's leading websites has carried out its first ever reader survey. So, who's earning the big money then?
Beyond Notepad: powering up plain text editors (18 October 2007)
Plain text editors are the Cinderella of computing applications. But which of the countless replacements for Windows' Notepad should you be using? It depends what you're doing.
The best £50 you ever spent on IT? (11 October 2007)
Simon opens nominations for the best £50 you can spend on an IT product or service with his Wacom tablet. Suddenly a mouse seems so old-fashioned.
Microsoft Office for under forty quid? ( 8 October 2007)
Too good to be true? Microsoft really is offering a 94% discount for students, but it's a new complication in the already tricky world of software licensing.
IBM releases free office software ( 3 October 2007)
Symphony is IBM's take on the free OpenOffice software suite; but heed this warning if you plan on experimenting with the beta.
Easy access to Microsoft's next-generation tools (28 September 2007)
Microsoft's range of free Windows Live tools are now just a single click away - with updated versions of the ones you know, and probably a few you don't know.
Leave the laptop, put your programs in your pocket (27 September 2007)
Carrying a laptop around all day isn't much fun. Of course, if you're planning on working while you travel, you don't get much choice. But if you're going somewhere you know you can get online, and if you're only planning on using a couple of applications, there's a solution.
Let's talk dirty (20 September 2007)
What's the filthiest key on your PC's keyboard?
Small business is big business (11 September 2007)
Dell's new Vostro line of computers is supposedly designed specifically for small businesses. But what exactly do small businesses want?
Your IT manager thinks it's your fault (10 September 2007)
A new survey finds that staff behaviour is the biggest frustration for Europe's IT managers. I feel sorry for them: they're fighting a losing battle.
20-20 vision: PowerPoint by numbers ( 5 September 2007)
'Pecha Kucha' is a rigid approach to PowerPoint presenting, which started out in Tokyo's creative community, but is beginning to make waves in business.
Your next employee expects some serious IT (28 August 2007)
The next wave of entrants to the UK workforce has high expectations of workplace IT. For some, increasingly IT-literate staff will eventually kill off the company IT department.
The minimalist approach to PDFs (24 August 2007)
Adobe's Acrobat Reader is excellent at what it does - but it's become a bit bloated over the years. Two young upstarts promise faster responses, and more flexible usage.
Free replacement for Microsoft Project (23 August 2007)
At long last, there's an 'open source' replacement for Microsoft's project management tool - and it's great. But project management has arguably moved on in the meantime.
Call our broadband technical help desk for FREE (14 August 2007)
Dial free 0800 800 154 for broadband technical help.
Windows Vista: speechless or listless? ( 2 August 2007)
Simon has been leading a double life for the past couple of months: half on XP, half on Vista. How does Microsoft's new operating system compare to its predecessor? Thankfully, it matters less and less.
New security advice for small companies (26 June 2007)
60% of small firms say they would grind to a halt if their IT system failed; the Get Safe Online campaign has just produced a leaflet to help them avoid such a crisis.
Portable passwords: extracting your personal data from your browser (25 June 2007)
So many websites, so many passwords. Storing your security data in your browser is fine, until you need to use the details on a different PC.
Refresh your Windows desktop with these freebies (18 June 2007)
If you're bored of staring at the same old Windows XP desktop, here are a few free eye-candy tools which might brighten up the daily grind.
Tiny laptops at equally tiny prices (13 June 2007)
Several manufacturers launched new ultra-portable PCs at last week's big Taipei trade show. If you're about to buy a new laptop, you may want to hang on.
Over a quarter of UK software is 'pirated' (21 May 2007)
Software piracy isn't just counterfeit CDs or dodgy downloads. A remarkable number of us are guilty of it; and a lobby group is calling for more aggressive government action to stop it.
Counting the cost of a stolen laptop (18 May 2007)
Research among UK police forces shows a 6% annual rise in laptop theft, but the picture varies dramatically from region to region.
'IT support teams have lost colleagues' confidence' (16 May 2007)
Well over half of us will try to fix our own PC problems at work, rather than contact the IT support desk. And why shouldn't we?
Time to try Linux on your desktop? (11 May 2007)
The new version of Ubuntu is probably the most user-friendly, and certainly the best-looking version of Linux we've seen yet. It's a huge download, but it's never been easier to try it out.
Gordon Ramsay should do what he does best (30 April 2007)
Everyone's favourite foul-mouthed chef is to be the face of the new BT Business ad campaign.
Can a free Microsoft Office rival do the business? ( 3 April 2007)
Open-source competitor OpenOffice.org continues to improve, showing you can survive without Word, Excel and PowerPoint - but it's still a brave choice for any small business.
Microsoft study says your PC is a slacker (28 March 2007)
A study suggests the second most popular task for your typical PC is 'doing nothing'.
New government study highlights 'digital divide' in business (22 March 2007)
Small businesses generally trail behind larger rivals in terms of IT investment and capability, according to a new report from National Statistics - but the gap is closing, and the spending continues.
Tablet PCs: laptops with a touch of magic (19 March 2007)
Tablet PCs have yet to have the impact on the laptop market they deserve. But Windows Vista, and new cheaper machines may change all that.
Online tips on slashing your electricity bill (12 March 2007)
Electricity costs the earth, literally and figuratively. We've found some great ways to cut the amount of power your PC uses, making them cheaper and more efficient to run. Your conscience will thank you too.
Windows Vista: Early reactions ( 8 March 2007)
Windows Vista, the new version of Microsoft's operating system, has been available for just over a month now... and there's a surprising amount of negative feeling out there.
The scoop on Microsoft's Windows Vista ( 2 February 2007)
What does Windows Vista offer to you. Our summary and links to reviews.
Time to give your IT system a healthcheck (31 January 2007)
Are your systems running at an optimum? Answer these questions to see how your IT system stacks up.
How to prevent an IT disaster (13 December 2006)
Following the launch of BT PC Backup yesterday, it's now also a good idea to talk about why it's important to backup your data.
Laptop theft: How to protect your business data (22 November 2006)
The theft of a laptop belonging to a Nationwide employee highlights the impact a single loss can have on a business, even one the size of the Nationwide.
The truth about IT skills and small business (20 November 2006)
A new report from BT and the Centre for Future Studies explores the issues small businesses face when it comes to adopting new technology.
Join our flexible working web seminar (15 November 2006)
BT Business is hosting a live web seminar exploring the choices small businesses have for flexible working.
21CN: When are you getting switched-on? (26 October 2006)
BT has launched a new site which allows customers to find out when they will be switched over to BT's new 21st Century network and how it will affect them.
How fit is your IT? (19 October 2006)
Find out how health your IT systems are using our "Tech Mass Index" calculator.
Apple recalls iBook and PowerBook batteries (24 August 2006)
The computer giant recalls over 1.8 million iBook and PowerBook batteries over fire risk concern.
Dell battery recall (15 August 2006)
Dell recall over 4.1 million laptop batteries because of a fire risk.
