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eStorm is Your Brisbane HubSpot Specialist

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eStorm has partnered with HubSpot to provide a CRM solution suitable for organisations big or small.

One of the most important assets of your company is your customers. Knowing who they are, where they are, and how they interact with your store or brand is vital in ensuring they are happy with the services you provide and that they keep coming back.

As a business grows, it becomes more and more difficult to track customers across spreadsheets and documents. This is where Customer Relationship Management solutions like HubSpot CRM come in handy.

What is HubSpot CRM?

Customer Relationship Management solutions (or CRM) provide a centralised place for you to access information about your customers. The most basic CRMs will provide details like the contact info of your customers and when they last interacted with your business, allowing you to track your customer growth on the most fundamental level.

But we know your business deserves more than the basics, and with eStorm and HubSpot CRM you can take your customer relationships to the next level. HubSpot CRM will give you access to a variety of tools that aim to make the lives of your salespeople, marketers, customer service representatives and yourself easier in every possible way.

HubSpot for your Sales Team:

Get a constant view of your sales pipeline on a dashboard that is modern and intuitive. With access to detailed reports on productivity, individual performance and sales activity you’ll always be on track with quotas, and you’ll have all the data you need to coach and improve your team.

HubSpot’s free Outlook and Gmail integrations means you’ll spend more time building relationships with your customers and potential leads. Receive alerts the minute a lead opens your email so you can follow up with them, and quickly send a response by adding a personal touch to your saved templates. Alternatively, you can call directly inside the CRM!

 

 

HubSpot for your Marketers:

Expand your marketing reach beyond the leads you already have. Create professional landing pages with HubSpot’s landing page builder, attract more visitors with free ad management tools, and propagate your database with tools that can convert website visitors into leads. Create stunning mail outs using drag and drop templates and optimise your campaigns for higher clickthrough rates. Use live chat to connect and convert visitors in real time and utilise chatbots for one-to-one conversations – no coding required!

 

 

HubSpot for your Customer Service team:

Manage all of your customer communications from one inbox. Connect with your customers using free tools for live chat, ticketing, and shared team emails. HubSpot’s Universal Inbox supplies one place for your whole team to view, assign and reply to every customer conversation – regardless of which messaging channel it’s from. Each customer contact record is available inside the inbox, so you have a clear view of every interaction and the context to create a helpful response.

 

 

HubSpot for You:

Organise and manage your contacts in one powerful and intuitive database, and say goodbye to piles of business cards, confusing spreadsheets and unorganised LinkedIn connections.

HubSpot CRM takes no time to learn and makes it infinitely easier to track the details of your business relationships in one unified hub. Manage your sales pipeline, organise and respond to your customer support issues, monitor your website activity, and identify new visitors to your site all with one tool.

 

How can we help?

eStorm is your Brisbane-based HubSpot consulting and implementation expert. By assessing your current CRM infrastructure, we’ll determine how HubSpot can improve your business or organisation and will strive to help you get the most out of your customer relationship management software.

Contact us for a free consultation! Call 1300 378 676 or email [email protected]  and one of our HubSpot specialists will get in touch.

 

Mobile Guardian Partnership

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eStorm is pleased to announce that we have partnered with Mobile Guardian to provide modern and reliable Mobile Device Management solutions to both businesses and schools!

To preface, here is a quick explanation of what Mobile Device Management is:

What is mobile device management?

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a type of software used by IT professionals to monitor, manage and secure mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, etc) that are deployed across multiple operating systems and service providers.

MDM solutions provide your school or business with end-to-end security. This means the mobile applications, network and data used on the device – along with the device itself – are managed by a single mobile device control device.

What is Mobile Guardian?

Mobile Guardian is a powerful Mobile Device Management solution fit for businesses and schools alike. The multi OS platform currently supports iOS and macOS, Chromebooks, and Android devices.

They have customers across North America, the United Kingdom, the EMEA ande APAC regions, along with a growing global partnership network of which eStorm Australia is now a part of.

 

 

Mobile Guardian – For Business

Mobile Guardian has everything you need to manage every device within your company. Save time, decrease costs and improve efficiency amongst your employees with Mobile Guardian!

  • Increase productivity: Configure settings on devices to prevent procrastination and increase productivity
  • Save time: Send apps and software updates to every device within your organisation at the touch of a button
  • Track devices: Lower the chance of loss and device theft by monitoring and tracking devices to ensure you know where they are at all times.

Mobile Guardian – For Schools

Mobile Guardian was designed for education. As such, it boasts plenty of incredible features to manage devices and ensure the safety of students on – and off – campus.

Some of Mobile Guardian’s key features include:

  • Multiple enrolment options: Bulk enrol students through Apple Manager (DEP), Apple Configurator 2, G Suite and Android EMM. OR enrol devices using QR codes or URLs.
  • Remote app management: Install, update and remove apps on devices from your desk
  • Off-site web filtering: Whether the device is at school or at home, your school’s Acceptable Usage Policy is always honoured.
  • Inventory management: Ensure all your mobile devices and hardware are accounted for, check their battery usage and make sure they have the latest software updates.
  • Multiple filtering options: Filter web content by category, keyword, URL or YouTube channel.
  • Track lost or stolen devices: Quickly identify lost of stolen devices and receive alerts when the stolen device comes online.
  • Remote media distribution: Distribute media such as websites, PDFs, web clips and audio files at just the touch of a button.

On top of these key MDM features, Mobile Guardian also provides classroom management tools that empower teachers and help keep students focused during class.

With classroom management tools you can:

–  Quickly communicate with students and keep the lesson on track by instantly locking devices, activating ‘eyes up’ or    messaging the students.
– Set devices to single-app mode to keep students focused during lessons or exams
– Message students directly to remind them to stay focused or to assist with any questions they may have
– See what content the device can access and push learning content to devices during lessons
– Check what students are doing on the devices and how much time they are spending on certain applications

Check out the Mobile Guardian Classroom Management Tools Brochure for more information!

Ready for a quote and a no obligation assessment of your MDM infrastructure? Contact eStorm at [email protected] (or call 3120 0640) today!

eStorm has partnered with Exclaimer!

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Get the most of your email signatures with eStorm and Exclaimer

Did you know that around 269 billion emails are sent worldwide every day?

Even with internal communication software such as Microsoft Teams and Slack, emails are still predominantly used for communication in businesses across the globe.

Your email signature can be the first impression that a new potential client gets of your business, and we all know that first impressions last. Having a personalised and consistent email signature across your organisation not only ensures brand consistency, but also delivers a professional attitude in every email sent.

A branded email signature. . .

 

What is Exclaimer?

We understand the importance of having an email signature that matches your corporate identity. That’s why we’ve partnered with Exclaimer – so we can help you present the best image of your company. Exclaimer provides world-class centralised email signature management solutions. This enables organisations of any size to achieve brand consistency, legal compliance, and customer engagement from anywhere, on any device. Their email solutions for Microsoft 365, G Suite and Microsoft Exchange are used by over 40,000 companies worldwide!

Ensuring brand consistency across all employees, branches, and departments can be a difficult task and you may find there are multiple out-dated or improperly formatted emails in rotation. With Exclaimer, you will have total control over everything from professional email designs to promotional banners and legal disclaimers, and eStorm will be there to guide you from set-up to deployment.

Different signatures can be designed for different departments. A marketing team can showcase an event while customer services receive a signature with the company’s trading hours.

 

Achieve more with your email signature by incorporating dynamic marketing content such as social media icons, promotional banners and award logos.

 

Benefits of Partnering with eStorm and Exclaimer:

  • Exclaimer provides the perfect solutions for centrally designing and controlling email signatures across your entire company.
  • Every company email will get a full, dynamic, and professional email signature when sent from any web-enabled device, including mobiles and Macs.
  • You can easily customise signatures for different branches, individuals, and replies or forwards.
  • Set up specific promotional banners for different departments and track clicks for marketing purposes.
  • Be confident knowing your brand identity will be protected and consistent across every email, every time.
  • With the help of eStorm, integrate Exclaimer with Microsoft 365 or G Suite

 

Ready to get started? Contact the friendly eStorm team today at [email protected] or call 3120 0640!

A Quick Guide to Microsoft Teams Calling

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Take Your Business to the Next Level with Teams Calling!

If you’re already an avid user of the Microsoft Teams software you’ve probably heard of the external calling capabilities you can utilise as an add on to the app.

In the past, Microsoft’s calling plans were exorbitantly priced and furthermore were only available in 16 countries, making the decision to switch your traditional VoIP to the cloud almost impossible. However, Microsoft now has another option – Direct Routing.

Read on to discover what Microsoft Teams Calling is; how you can get it; and whether it’s right for your business!

What is Microsoft Teams Calling?

Microsoft Teams has a multitude of capabilities that allow you to communicate via instant message, video chat, or conference calls within your team – whether you’re in an office of 10 people or 1,000. If your organisation is currently using Teams it may be possible for you to consolidate your inbound AND outbound communications into one unified hub within the app.

By adding Teams Calling capabilities, you can connect to external phone lines and use Teams as a fully-fledged business phone system (PBX). This means you can make and receive phone calls, and enjoy traditional call handling functions like call hold, transfer, forwarding, and voice mail – all for a potentially more affordable rate than your current PBX system.

Additionally, the cloud-based system allows you to retain your current phone number and make/receive calls from anywhere and from any internet-enabled device (including tablets, desktops, laptops and mobile phones!). For a full list of call handling features you can visit: https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4owMT.

Maintain your professional image by making and receiving calls from your business phone number whether you’re in the office or on the road

 

How Does it Work?

As mentioned before, businesses in the past would need to purchase a Microsoft Calling Plan that was pricey and limited to only a few countries. Now, with Direct Routing, anyone can gain access to Teams Calling.

First of all, you will need to contact a CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) such as eStorm. Your CSP will assist you with getting the correct PSTN connectivity (more on that soon) and will help obtain Microsoft 365 Business Voice licensing.

The Business Voice add-on to Microsoft 365 includes the following under one licence:

  • The Teams cloud-based phone system with advanced features (make/receive calls and set up call transfers, multi-level auto attendants and call queues)
  • Microsoft PSTN Dial-in for up to 250 people per meeting
  • 24/7 customer support
  • And user phone numbers (which users are able to transfer from their previous phone system)

Once you have purchased your licence, you are able to use direct routing with your telephony provider in order to access affordable Teams calling plans.

WHAT’S DIRECT ROUTING, you ask? Your business may currently be using a Public Branch Exchange phone system, which is traditionally how internal and external calls are delivered in organisations. With Microsoft Teams, you can replace your PBX system (and all the associated costs) with its cloud-based alternative via Direct Routing. Direct routing is a way to provide a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection to Microsoft Teams users in order to make and receive external phone calls on ANY device using Teams. To make things even simpler, you can use your existing telecommunications provider to directly connect their SIP trunks to Microsoft Teams.

Use your exisiting telecom provider to make external calls in Microsoft Teams

 

Is Microsoft Teams Calling Right for my Business?

So now you know what Microsoft Teams Calling is and how it works, you’re probably wondering; is it right for me?

The Microsoft Business Voice Add On integrates flawlessly with Teams (as it should) and is generally the perfect solution for businesses who are already using the app for their internal communications. There is a catch though; as of writing, if your business has requirements such as call centre functionalities, call recording , or multiple business hours for different stores (Teams currently only allows for one set of hours), you may need to hold off on MS Calling until Microsoft expands to converge these features. (Visit our Business Telephony page for alternative PBX solutions)

Another reason you may hesitate in getting MS Teams Calling is if you currently do not incorporate Teams and Microsoft 365 plans into your business. You absolutely need to have these licences in order to access the capabilities of MS Teams Calling, and purchasing them can put you out of pocket more than your current PBX and VoIP solution.

HOWEVER

If you’re a business currently using Teams and seeking a collaborative space for all your communications then we’re confident Teams calling is the perfect solution for you!

Visit our Microsoft Teams Calling page for more info

Contact us at [email protected] (or call 3120 0640) for more information and a free, zero obligations quote!

Use any app-enabled device to make phone calls (including tablets, desktops, laptops, traditional desk phones, or mobiles)

Best Practices for Backing Up Your Data

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Cyber-crime and data loss are ever increasing in today’s technology-reliant society. The loss of important company data and client records can be damaging for businesses. If you are yet to experience some level of data loss, you may be considered one of the lucky ones. 

There is always the risk of an accident or malicious behaviour impacting your business’ data. To avoid this happening to your business, we explain how you can protect your data through backup methods, and set yourself up for a secure future. 

Identify the important files you need to backup

Firstly, you will need to identify which data or files are most important to your business. Most commonly, this is customer billing history, client details and work history, contracts and so forth. For these essential documents, it is often best to consider multiple backup solutions. Depending on the documents sizes and importance, you may wish to store copies on at least two of the following methods. 

USBs, Flash Drives or External Hard Drives  

Every business has a random drawer filled with these small, portable storage devices. USBs are useful for storing and transferring files from one device to another. However, the amount of storage is restrictive, and they are often easily misplaced or damaged due to their size. 

External hard drives are probably the most popular backup method used by small businesses. Unfortunately, similar to a USB, hard drives have a reputation for failing at any time without notice or warning. 

Using Remote Storage

To ensure your backup efforts are not in vain, you should store your backup data off-site or at least off-sever. This means that your backups will remain viable and recoverable even if your central server is compromised. Remote storage can be done using a physical dedicated server or a cloud-based server. 

Here at eStorm, we offer reliable, flexible and secure colocation and server hosting services. Find out more about how we can help you store your data securely today. 

Cloud Backup 

Investing in and implementing a cloud backup truly is the most viable and trusted solution. To transfer and store your data on the cloud, you can individually select the files or sync your entire device. Cloud data is stored in a secure location with a form of encryption, ensuring your data is always protected. 

For more information on cloud storage and how it can help you manage your data, check out our Private Cloud services. 

How often should you be backing up your data?

To effectively backup your data, you will need to ensure you are backing up your data frequently and regularly. The frequency of how often you backup your data will depend on how often your data is updated. For example, if critical data is continuously updated your business will need a more frequent backup schedule. 

How long do you need to store your old backups?

Once you have determined the frequency of your backups, you will need to consider how long each backup should be retained. Storing every backup simply is not feasible and it can limit the amount of storage space available to your business. 

Depending on industry standards, there may also be legal requirements imposed upon your business to retain certain data for a set period. Most commonly, businesses will retain their monthly or bi-annual data backups for as long as possibly allowed by their servers. 

Encrypting and Protecting Your Backups 

Depending on the data contained in your backups, you may need to secure the data in an off-site location. Physical data centres provide several security features to physically protect your data. However, it is always best to encrypt your files to ensure your data is protected if a breach was to occur.  

It is best to stay updated on your security hardware and software. Doing this will ensure that it is working at its highest performance capability. Staying up-to-date with new updates will keep your system working with the most current anti-malware and antivirus protection. 

Website and Database backup 

No business is ever exempt or safe from hackers. Many say small businesses are ‘too small to be hacked’; however, this makes them a perfect target. Here are a two methods to implement a secure backup for your site:

  • Request a copy of your website and database files from your developers and secure these in a nearby location. 
  • Often the best and most secure solution is to implement a cloud backup of your entire site. Doing this, allows you to restore the previous version of your site before it was hacked. 

Having access to your data no matter what happens to your system is vital to running a successful business. By partnering with eStorm, we can help you decide how often and through what method your business can use to backup your data. If you are interested in creating secure backups of your business’ data, speak to the friendly eStorm team today!

The Pros and Cons of Chromebooks: Are They Suitable for Students?

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eStorm has seen a rise in popularity for Chrome OS and G-Suite in classrooms, but many schools and teachers are still cautious about introducing Chromebooks to classrooms as they are not sure whether the device’s capabilities can meet the demanding needs of many school students.

So teachers are able to make a more informed decision, we’ve put together a list of Pros and Cons for Chromebooks in schools.

What is a Chromebook?

Chromebooks are notebooks and 2-in-1’s (tablet + notebook) that run on Google’s Chrome OS rather than more traditional platforms like Windows 10 and MacOS.

Chrome OS is an operating system based on the Chrome browser that most students, teachers and parents are already familiar with. In 2011, Chrome OS was disparaged by many and considered nothing more than a glorified browser. Many people still hold onto this initial opinion of the operating system, but almost a decade later the world has fully embrace the cloud and Chromebooks are also able to run various Android and many Linux apps, making them much more versatile and an attractive option for those seeking a new device that won’t break the bank.

Chromebooks for Students: The Pros

1. Costs

Chromebooks can be up to 60% cheaper for schools to procure than standard laptops (especially if purchased through a reseller like eStorm). This is because Chrome OS does not have demanding hardware requirements, making the devices smaller, lighter, and less expensive than the average laptop. This also means that many manufacturers, such as ASUS, can create modular Chromebooks that can be fixed fairly easily, quickly, and cheaply.

2. Share-ability

Chromebooks and Chrome OS are designed for sharing. Multiple devices can be deployed to each classroom in your school, and students need to simply log in to their Google account from any Chromebook to access their assignments and documents. Likewise, if a student forgets their Chromebook at home or school, they can easily access their learning materials from any other device just by logging into their account. No more ‘I lost my assignment’ or ‘I left it at home!’ excuses.

3. G Suite for Education:

Schools are able to keep costs down in the long run as there are no licensing fees to keep Chrome OS and Google apps updated. The use of G-Suite for Education is completely free, and offers everything you’ll ever need such as:

  • Google Classroom, Assignments and Forms: Google’s Classroom app allows teachers to create lessons, share assignments with students and parents, track their students’ progress, and much more! For students, the app creates a hub for them to keep track of assignments and due dates, and collaborate easily with other students and teachers.
  • Docs, Slides and Sheets: Create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations and have them save automatically to the cloud. Teachers and students can edit files and instantly have them available for review.

4. Improved Productivity

The no-nonsense, simplified and clutter-free Chrome OS platform aides students in delving into their work without much distraction. Google Admin Console also provides the opportunity for parents and teachers to place locks and demands on devices to ensure students are getting the most out of their study time.

5. Device Deployment and Management

Easily distribute 1 or 1000 devices through the Chrome partner ecosystem. Schools are able to manage thousands of devices and set over 200 policies and demands via the Admin Console, including; pre installing and blocking apps, customising user features, and managing user and network access. Administrators are able to ‘Powerwash’ Chromebooks to easily restore them to a factory default state.

6. Ruggedised Designs

Because Chromebooks do not need the same hardware requirements that more powerful Windows and Macs rely on, they are considered to be some of the toughest notebooks for the classroom. Many of them can survive drops from up to 1.2m, have rubber edges for shock absorbency, and are spill-and-tamper-resistant.

 

Chromebooks for Students: The Cons

1. Offline Capabilities

Because Chrome OS is mainly cloud and web based, Chromebooks are not as functional when they are offline with no internet connection. Students are still able to access Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets files as long as they enable offline mode before being out of service coverage.

2. Storage Capacity

Chromebooks and Chrome OS’ entire purpose is to focus on cloud-based storage, which means most devices only have a local storage capacity of up to 32GB. This is also another reason why manufacturers are able to cut down on costs. However, if your students are desperate to have more space on their Chromebooks, models with micro-SD drives can be purchased.

3. No Adobe Suite

Adobe has announced they are working on a version of Photoshop that can be used via a web browser, however there is no timeline for this. Consequently, if your students are currently using Adobe Suite it will be almost impossible to use the software on a Chromebook. While there are alternatives in the Android library (such as Pixlr for basic photo editing) these apps do not come close to the capabilites of the Adobe Suite.

4. No Installed Microsoft

Since Chromebooks rely on Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides, the devices are not designed for compatibility with desktop versions of Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, and Excel). Yes, you can download the Microsoft apps from the Android library or run the online versions, but you will find that they do not offer all of the functions and capabilities of installed versions.

5. Hardware

Most Chromebooks on the affordable end have very basic processors, which means running graphic and memory intensive games/applications may cause lagging or crashes. It is possible to purchase Chromebooks that have more powerful processors (including Intel Core i5 and i7) but these won’t come cheap.

The Verdict

Overall, Chromebooks are an affordable and efficient device students can utilise for most everyday schooling tasks – writing assignments, researching, and watching videos. The battery life of Chromebooks generally last a complete school day, and they are even more worthy of consideration if teachers and students rely on G Suite for most of their learning materials.

However, if your students require more powerful hardware to access applications such as the Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office, and video editing software, then a more traditional Windows or Mac notebook is recommended.

eStorm: Your Device Procurement Experts

If you’re interested in procuring Chromebooks, eStorm can help! We’ve partnered with ASUS to provide Chromebooks that are not only affordable but designed specifically for the use (and abuse) of classrooms.

Check out the ASUS Education Solutions Handbook and contact us for any enquiries!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Apple Silicon M1 Chip – Everything You Need To Know!

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Whether it be on the radio, the news, or from your co-workers and friends, you’ve probably heard whispers of excitement over the new Apple Silicon processor for Macs, officially announced on November 11. Or if you haven’t, you’re now probably wondering – what is the new Apple Silicon chip?

For over a decade, Apple’s world class design and development team has been building and refining Apple silicon for iPads and iPhones, while they have simultaneously relied solely on Intel to provide processors for their Macs. The transition to their own homegrown processor represents the biggest and boldest leap ever for the Mac, but it will take up to two years to complete the shift from Intel. Nevertheless, Apple has already unveiled three Macs powered by Apple Silicon; available for orders as of 11 November 2020: the MacBook Air, the MacBook Mini, and the MacBook Pro. 

The Apple Silicon M1 Chip

“With industry-leading performance, powerful features, and incredible efficiency, M1 is Apple’s first chip designed specifically for the Mac”

The seismic and daring shift from Intel to Apple M1 enables Apple to create an experience on Macs that is more consistent with that of iPads and iPhones, and allows Apple to have more control and flexibility over the launch cycles and features for its notebooks and desktops.  Combined with macOS Big Sur, M1 delivers extraordinary battery life, maximum performance capabilities, and access to more software and apps than ever before.

The Apple M1 is a 5nm 8 core System-on-Chip (SoC) with 16 billion transistors and an integrated 8 core graphics processor (GPU).

 

What This Means for Future Apple Macs

The best CPU performance per Watt: The 8-core CPU (consisting of 4 high performance cores and 4 high efficiency cores) provides industry-leading performance while running as efficiently as possible. This means photographers are able to edit high-resolution photos at lightning speed and developers can build apps nearly 3x faster than before!

Faster Integrated Graphics: The M1 includes Apple’s most advanced GPU. Featuring up to 8 powerful cores capable of running nearly 25,000 threads simultaneously, the GPU can handle extremely demanding tasks with ease. This includes smooth playback of multiple 4k streams and rendering complex 3D scenes.

Blazing-fast On-Device Machine Learning: The Neural Engine in M1 enables up to 15x faster machine learning performance, so tasks like video analysis, voice recognition and image processing will have a level of performance never before seen on the Mac.

MacOs Big Sur Optimised for M1: Apple’s latest macOs is engineered to take full advantage of the capability and power of M1. It delivers a massive boost in performance, incredible battery life and the strongest security protections on the market. Macs will instantly wake from sleep, and iPhone/iPad apps can now run directly on the Mac.

The Next Generation of Mac

 

MacBook Air: A Thin and Light Powerhouse

Boasting the title of one of the world’s best-selling 13-inch notebooks, the M1 chip will take the MacBook air to extraordinary new heights.

The powerful 8 core CPU and GPU allows it to perform 3.5x faster than its predecessors and run immersive graphics-intensive games up to 5x faster. It’s fanless design means no matter what users are doing, it remains silent at all times. It also features astonishing battery life, with up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback (compared to approx. 11 hours on previous generations).

From November 11, it will no longer be possible to buy MacBook Airs with an Intel CPU.

 

13-inch MacBook Pro: More Powerful, More Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is Apple’s most popular pro notebook and combines high performance with a portable design. The introduction of M1 to the MacBook Pro will allow professionals to channel their creativity and provide the tools students need to succeed. Enjoy a system that is 2.8x faster than its predecessor thanks to its 8 core CPU, and take advantage of remarkably smooth graphics performance due to its 8 core GPU. Other new features include studio-quality mics and Apple’s latest camera ISP, which enables sharper images on video calls.

Apple claims the 13-inch MacBook Pro is up to 3x faster than the best-selling Windows laptop in its class, and now boasts up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing and 20 hours of video playback – up to twice the battery life of the previous generation and the longest battery life ever on a Mac.

Unlike the MacBook Air, you can still purchase a 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel CPU, but you’ll be paying a considerably higher price for them compared to their M1 counterparts.

 

Mac mini: Staggering Performance, Ultra-Compact Design

The Mac mini is by far Apple’s most versatile computer, and with M1 it combines incredible performance and new features with the compact design many users have come to love. M1’s 8 core CPU and GPU make for a faster desktop that delivers a massive 6x increase in graphics performance, allowing users to play graphics-intensive games like “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” with 4x higher frame rates.

Mac mini also features an advanced thermal design to remain cool and quiet throughout heavy usage and supports up to two displays (including Apple Pro’s Display XDR in 6K resolution).

The Mac mini will also continue to offer options with Intel CPUs, but like the MacBook Pro, these will be priced higher than M1 minis.

 

Watch Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ event for a complete overview on their latest announcements and products!

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happens to my Intel Mac after Apple completes the switch to M1?

Considering Apple is still releasing products with Intel CPU’s and it will take 2 years to complete the switch to M1, it should be expected that Apple will continue to provide support and updates for Intel Macs for years to come. This is backed by the fact that Big Sur, Apple’s newest macOS update, will be compatible with MacBook Pros from 7 years ago!

What are the major benefits of M1? 

Longer battery life, faster performance, and enhanced graphics on the new Macs are the major benefits of Apple’s M1 chip. Combining those with the cost-effectiveness, and the ability to access all of your apps across all your Apple devices, makes it hard to deny this is a major upgrade for Mac products.

Intel vs M1: Which Mac is right for me? 

While the M1 boasts myriad new features, we understand it can be difficult to say goodbye to what we’re used to, especially considering Intel has been the trusted leader of CPU’s for over 15 years. While Apple is still offering a range of Macs available with Intel processors, it is predicted most versions of Macs will be transferring over to M1 by late 2021. It is therefore recommended that you purchase the M1 Macs if you are currently in the market for a new device, HOWEVER please check with eStorm before doing so as your current software may not be compatible with Big Sur or the M1 chip. Big Sur, Apple’s latest macOs update, is also expected to run marvellously on M1’s, as it was specifically engineered to accommodate the new chip.

What’s Big Sur?

Big Sur (or MacOs 11) is Apple’s newest desktop and laptop operating system, released on November 12 2020. It is full of new and redesigned features that make for a better user experience, and is compatible with Apple’s new M1 devices along with its older Intel-based machines. It features a revamped Safari browser, improved privacy features, and the option to have widgets on your home screen. More info on the Big Sur update can be found here: https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur/

Need More Info? Contact eStorm Today for Further Enquiries!

 

Pokemon Go’s plans to make 3D scans of the world

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In 2016 we saw the world go crazy for Pokemon Go. The game sent hundreds of millions of people of all ages wandering the streets searching for virtual creatures. This game has paved the way for augmented reality in today’s technological landscape, and the ability to overlay computer-generated imagery onto real-world environments. Niantic (developers of Pokemon Go) are leading the way in advancing augmented reality technology, especially in their new proposed update.

Niantic plans to encourage users to create and upload 3D scans of real-world locations while they play Pokemon Go. With the incentive of unlocking “new kinds of planet-scale AR experiences”, avid Pokemon players will be helping develop the future of AR gameplay.

The Future of Augmented Reality

Given Niantic’s success, Big Tech companies are now in an arms race to see who can develop and execute this technology the fastest. Businesses such as Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google are currently developing similar AR products. By using simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (SLAM), the companies can regularly scan and collect data about a user’s environment.

We consume new technologies very quickly, so it is easy to imagine a world where augmented reality is integrated into our everyday lives. However, there are growing concerns about pervasive augmented reality being used by big companies to create more targeted advertising. Other organisations have warned against these new technology developments with concerns over the potential influence on surveillance and control.

Using augmented reality in the classroom

It can be tempting to ignore this technology, given the potential threats or concerns on how it can be used for ‘evil’. However, there are many benefits and positives in using augmented reality into today’s educational setting.

While the new 3D scanning feature is yet to be implemented, the current game provides opportunities to build lesson plans around the game now. For example, in an English lesson, you may have primary students write a fact file on a certain pokemon. A Maths lesson may involve high school students measuring the distance travelled, defining speed, the area covered and so forth. There are numerous lesson plans relating to the app in computing, design technology, art, geography and PE classes.

For more inspiration on how you can create fun and engaging lessons using the latest technology check out our blog on the newest education tools.

To learn about more opportunities to integrate technology into the classroom, or if you are wanting to upskill your teachers to effectively use new tools in lesson plans, contact our friendly eStorm team at any time on 1300 378 676 or [email protected].

Is my business fit for managed cloud services?

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The “Cloud” is a new and disruptive trend that has been gaining momentum in businesses for some time. With many businesses unsure how cloud computing and cloud services can fit into their business strategy. Managed Cloud Services may sound like a complex concept; however, it is simply storing your data offsite in a data centre or a private cloud.

Benefits of the Cloud

Businesses who make the shift to cloud software often do so for many different reasons. The most common include flexibility, scalability, cost savings, as well as the uses of cloud services such as data backups, disaster recovery, and so forth.

Managed cloud services are not limited to small businesses or start-ups, and are beneficial for companies of all sizes. Many businesses will often associate managed IT services as unaffordable and unnecessary. However, managed cloud services are affordable, easy to deploy and simple for businesses to manage.

Evaluating your business needs

Before obtaining managed cloud services, you need to evaluate your business from a strategic and operational perspective. Does your IT demand fluctuate throughout the year? Do your IT costs negatively impact on your ability to grow your business? If your answer is yes, making the move to managed cloud services may be in your best interest.

Businesses will typically choose a cloud service from three distinct types of models: private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud. Unlike a public cloud, private and hybrid clouds require businesses to maintain, manage and update their data centres through dedicated administrators. Often the cost and ability to execute these tasks are not in the best interests of the business; this is where managed cloud service providers step in.

What cloud service is best for you?

Each business is unique, their size, business objectives, industry and IT software; therefore, every business deserves a customised service. With a variety of cloud packages available, you can choose which services and features are best for you, your budget and strategic needs.

Co-location providers

Co-location services provide businesses with an opportunity to install their own servers in a managed facility. The location provider then has the responsibility of keeping the servers on and maintained. However, the responsibility of physically maintaining the servers rests with the owner of the server (i.e. the business).

The next step up – Managed Co-location

Providers have begun to offer managed co-location services, where businesses can buy a server from the provider, who then oversee the installation and ongoing management. Using this framework allows businesses to reduce operational overheads as well as take advantage of the increased resilience of off-site systems.

Experience more freedom – Managed Apps and IaaS

The next service in the managed cloud includes full hosted and managed applications in the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. This also includes large platforms such as Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure, allowing businesses to move key applications to the Cloud.

The support, management and maintenance of their cloud infrastructure is the responsibility of the service provider; everything else is left to the business to handle.

The Saving Grace of Cloud Services – Fully Managed Cloud

Fully managed cloud services allow you to hand over the management and stress of the entire platform, as well as all of its parts to a third party (that’s us!). Here at eStorm, we take the time to understand your business’ IT needs and identify and deploy new services that help you reach your goals.

Why we recommend Managed Cloud Services

Including managed cloud services into your business strategy, your business will experience the following benefits:

Cost Saving

Managed cloud services can help you control and reduce your costly IT maintenance costs. Maintaining an in-house IT department is expensive and is often unnecessary for businesses with simple networks. Making the switch to a managed cloud service provider means you decide how much you are willing to pay for IT services and have a consistent monthly bill.

Future-proofed technology

Migrating your data to a secure cloud is the first step in setting up your business for success in the future. The friendly technicians at eStorm are always prepared with the newest technology. We are by your side when new technology comes on the market, or a required update is released, supporting you every step of the way.

Custom and integrated service

At eStorm, we understand each business is unique and requires a custom cloud solution for a seamless transition and minimal downtime. To accommodate this, we offer a variety of services to unlock your business potential, including, private and hybrid cloud, Microsoft Office 365, Sharepoint, Amazon Web Services and many more. View our full list of services, here.

If you are unsure if your business is ready to make the transition to the Cloud, book an appointment with the friendly team at eStorm Australia today.

Is your business ready for the Essential Eight?

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At the beginning of 2020, the Federal Government and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) announced the Essential Eight (E8). The E8 is a strategy for businesses to mitigate cybersecurity incidents, protecting their systems against a range of adversaries.

What is the “Essential Eight”?

The ACSC has admitted that no single mitigation strategy guarantees total prevention of cybersecurity incidents. However, they encourage organisations to implement the eight essential strategies as a baseline. These mitigation strategies are also deemed cost-effective with regards to time, money and effort when compared to the resources needed to respond to large-scale cybersecurity incidents.

  • The E8 strategies are categorised into three groups:
  • Strategies to Prevent Malware Delivery and Execution,
  • Mitigating the Extent of Cyber Security Incidents, and
  • Recovering Data and Maintaining System Availability.

For more information on these strategies visit the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

How will the Essential Eight affect your business?

These new strategies are now a benchmark for any business or organisation who is required or aspires to work with the Government, Health or other contracts containing sensitive data. Whether your business is compliant with these strategies or is not is now a big factor when it comes to Government tenders, contract pitches and so forth. It is also likely that other big corporations dealing with data will also require their business partners to be compliant with the E8 before starting any work.

Complying with the Essential Eight

As a business owner or IT professional, your first task will be running an IT security audit and comparing your current system to the strategies outlined by the Government. From here, you will be able to identify your weaknesses and gaps in security. Your business can begin implementing the eight strategies anytime, and suggested approaches from the Australian Cyber Security Centre are available.

How eStorm can help

You do not need to handle or manage this change on your own. Our team understands auditing your current system and updating your strategies to suit the new benchmarks is not an easy task. Our friendly IT support team is here to help your business obtain a high-security standard, going beyond the E8 strategies.

Currently, the E8 strategies are heavily based on Windows-based systems. However, our team covers this and more to ensure your business’ IT is secure. Our broad services include Mac Controls, Perimeter Security (Firewalls and Universal Threat Management), and breach mitigation (honeypots and intrusion detection systems).

If you have questions regarding how the Essential Eight will impact your business or how to maintain high-security standards, the eStorm is here to help. Contact us today!