Blog
Shifting to EMV Chip Cards: What You Need to Know
October 2015 marked the start of a new era in the world of payment by card. The switch to EMV cards is well underway, and it’s important to be aware of what they are and why the change is being made. What Does EMV Mean? EMV stands for EuroPay, MasterCard and VISA. EMV cards are […]
3 Tips for Better Presentations
On average, it takes less than half a minute for an audience to gauge the worth of a presentation. You heard it right: if people aren’t interested enough, they stop listening before the end of an introduction. When it comes to presentations, first impressions matter. Here are a few ways to help make sure your […]
Do You Need An Online Backup Solution?
There are two key advantages to online backups, and whether or not you ultimately need one will depend on how important these two key advantages are to you. For a significant portion of internet users, “The Cloud” represents something hazy and unknown. Because of that, many people are reluctant to trust their data to it. […]
Windows 10 Update, “Threshold 2″, What’s New?
Are you one of the users who updated your computer to Windows 10 when you got the offer to get the new OS for free? If you did, you’re not alone. More than a hundred million people around the world have adopted the new platform, making it the fastest adoption of any version of Windows […]
5 Cool Tech Gifts Under $100
If you’re scratching your head wondering what to get the gadget lover in your life, check out the ideas below. You’ll be impressed and amazed, and whomever you’re buying for will be blown away by any of the following fantastic gift ideas! The Amazon Fire HD Tablet Amazon’s Fire tablet got a lackluster reception when […]
The Importance Of Password Security
If you’re not a Comcast customer, you may not have heard, but recently, a list of more than half a million Comcast user logins and passwords was found for sale on the Dark Net. Fortunately, a significant portion of those user id’s and passwords were for defunct accounts, but more than 200,000 of them were […]
Encouraging Your Customers to Talk About YOUR Business
Did you know that Facebook has more than 728 million daily users? They have roughly 1.44 billion monthly active users on top of that as well. Yeah, that’s quite a breathtaking amount of people, especially if you consider how small they were just a few short years ago. Through word of mouth, Facebook has grown […]
Useful Smart Phone Apps for Small Business Owners
We live in a world that is easily accessible with our fingertips via smart phones. Running a business can be hectic, but luckily, smart phones give us access to many different ways to help the adventure run smoothly. With a few simple taps, you can get apps that do a lot of your most pressing […]
Angry Customers Matter: Turning Upset Customers into Assets
It’s okay: dissatisfied customers are a part of business life. Your response is everything, though, and a good response will make the difference between a good angry customer and a bad one. The fact is that you can turn an upset customer into an asset, and while it isn’t easy, it’s entirely worth it. An […]
Is the Mac Versus PC Debate Still Relevant Today?
For years, the debate over the differences between Mac and PC has raged on between experts and novices alike. The consensus often reached is that PC is better for work-related tasks, especially in an office environment, while the Mac is the best choice for creative endeavors such as graphic design, audio editing and video editing. […]
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.
