Blog
Tired Of Windows 10 Ads? Here’s How To Disable Them
Are you currently running Windows 10? If so, you’re not alone. The new operating system has seen the fastest adoption rate of any OS in Microsoft’s entire history, with a user base well over a hundred million users, and growing. It may seem strange to see an article praising a Microsoft OS, but the company […]
The Starwood Hotels Hack
Mark this down as yet another in the seemingly endless parade of successful hacking attacks of high-profile targets. Recently, Starwood Hotels was hit, and hit hard. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is the owner of high end hotels and resorts like Sheraton and Westin. If you’ve stayed at any of these in the US or […]
Fiber-Optic May Not Be A Shining Beacon of Security
It’s becoming increasingly common for businesses of all sizes to use fiber optics in their network architecture. Companies have been spending big bucks to “upgrade” their networks, and yours may be among them. Sprint, for example, made the news a couple years ago for setting new network speed records after building and upgrading its fiber-optic […]
Merging AI and Big Data
You probably remember when IBM’s first generation super computer/AI beat Chess Master Gary Kasparov in 1997. It was a landmark achievement. Prior to that point, no AI had ever been able to beat a reigning chess champion. Watson is IBM’s latest exploration into AI, and in every way that matters can rightly be considered Deep […]
Li-Fi Lights the Way to a Faster Internet-Connectivity Future
In a handful of offices and industrial facilities in Estonia, wireless data communication speeds reach 1 GB per second. Think Wi-Fi on steroids, at 100 times the bandwidth of average current wireless connections, and it’s all done without the traditional support technologies that underlie Wi-Fi installations. Magic? No, it’s Li-Fi, short for visible light communication, […]
Keep Your iPhone Hack Proof
Whatever tech gadgets a small business owner chooses, keeping your contacts and content secure should be a number one priority. Many consumers love the versatile features and quality of Apple products but worry about security. Keep your iPhone or iPad safe from hackers and other prying eyes by following a few simple steps. Choosing a […]
Google Hangouts Just Got A Lot More Convenient
As of late, those who do not have a Gmail account may access Google Hangouts. Google Hangouts is a popular web conferencing app by the search engine giant of the same name. While its user base is huge and is constantly growing, one group of people have always been turned away from using it – […]
Facebook Quizzes – More Intrusive Than You Might Think
If you have more than two or three Facebook friends, odds are good that at some point, you’ve gotten someone’s quiz results on your wall. One of your friends took a quiz and found out which Lord of the Rings character they were most like, or what words they tend to use most often in […]
Why Firewalls Matter for Your Company
Firewalls don’t get a lot of press, and some people figure if you have some or other antivirus software, that’s all the protection you need. Unfortunately, that’s very far from the truth. No matter how little press time they get, firewalls are, or should be, an important part of your overall security setup. First, if […]
iPhone Bags 92% of Smartphone Profits, Sells 14% of World’s Smartphones
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, indicated that when he started the company, he would have been happy selling a mere 1 percent of the world’s mobile phones. As Apple creeps up in popularity and now dominates 14 percent of the smartphone industry, the company is thriving more fiercely than Jobs could have ever […]
A Visionary Approach to Your Security
The purpose of an IT partner isn’t just to fix something when it is broken, it is to keep your people working and your data secure. Astral moves beyond traditional managed services by addressing all the key areas of cybersecurity in today’s complex landscape.
