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Contents

1. Is it time for an upgrade?.......................................... 2

2. Boosting your business with IT………...……………... 3

3. Microsoft OS: the changing of the guard…………. 4

4. Top 10 reasons to move to Windows 8.……………. 7

5. Top 5 apps for Windows 8…………………………….. 9

6. Case Study: Allrecipes…………………………………… 11

7. Windows 8: Ask the experts…………………………… 12

8. References………………………………………………….. 14

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1. Is it time for an upgrade?

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are well known for their financial prudence and

efficiency with resources - after all, it's no easy feat trading on a limited budget. In a tough

economic climate, SMB leaders can be forgiven for focusing on technology return on

investment - looking to extract every last bit of value from their PCs and laptops. However,

it's important to remain pragmatic, and recognise when your IT is costing more than it

delivers.

Across the UK, SMBs are soldiering on with worn-out desktop PCs, dated software and

outmoded operating systems (OS), despite the emergence of newer, faster and more

powerful alternatives. Hardware usually tells you when it is ready to be replaced - either by

working at a snail's pace or simply shutting down - but knowing when to upgrade your

software and OS can be more difficult. This is particularly the case when employees seem to

be coping well enough, and there are various other projects competing for funding.

Sometimes the question to ask is what your systems can't do, as opposed to what they can.

What is your company missing out on by failing to modernise? If you're running a decade-

old OS on computers of the same age, then in all likelihood, you're missing opportunities to

add value every day. In a computer age defined by apps, mobile working and the cloud,

most legacy systems just aren't up to the job. So by failing to upgrade, SMBs are conceding a

competitive advantage to their rivals.

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2. Boosting your business with IT

The online revolution has created almost limitless opportunities for SMBs. Firms can harness

the power of the internet to develop new services and reach wider markets, and reduce their

overheads at the same time. Advances in IT are helping to level the playing field - enabling

agile and innovative SMBs to mount a genuine challenge to their larger and better-resourced

competitors.

SMBs have the opportunity to grow quickly and gain market share - but they need to have

the basic infrastructure in place. In-house IT must be fit-for-purpose, in terms of hardware,

software and a modern OS. Budgetary constraints should be no reason to avoid upgrading -

all you need is strong connectivity, enough bandwidth, and the right hardware/OS

combination. Then it's just a case of putting in the hard yards, and convincing people you

have something worth buying.

Research suggests the majority of SMBs recognise the importance of investing in IT - a study

commissioned by TalkTalk Business revealed 80 per cent see it as being essential to their

growth plans1. The ten per cent most ambitious companies were twice as likely to recognise

the role technology has to play in bringing about growth, compared to those happy to stay

the same size. But firms need to follow words with action - ensuring they can benefit from

the productivity and efficiency gains offered by IT. In many cases, an operating system

upgrade may be the ideal place to start.

"There is no doubt that the application of technology is increasingly important to all

businesses, regardless of sector and irrespective of their ambitions for growth."

Richard Cree, editor of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales'

magazine 'economia'2

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3. Microsoft OS: the changing of the guard

Despite the arrival of three successors in the last few years - Vista, Windows 7 and Windows

8 - many SMBs are still reliant on the old warhorse Windows XP for their daily computing

needs. In some respects this is understandable - after all, it has been a great operating

system, supporting millions of companies and individual users over the years, helping them

to boost output and achieve bottom line gains.

Yet OS technology has moved on significantly since XP was launched in 2001. Vista and

Windows 7 have come and gone, and Windows 8 has now arrived - complete with fancy

touch-screens, super-fast browsing, cloud services and multi-functional apps. With this latest

release, the game has changed dramatically. Perhaps more so than ever, continuing with an

outmoded OS means compromising performance, reliability and productivity.

Windows 8 brings a host of intuitive features into the hands of PC and mobile device users,

allowing them to customise their computing experience and work effectively, irrespective of

time and location. For the first time, SMB users can switch seamlessly between devices, in or

out of the office, enabling them to make the most of every minute in the working day.

As Microsoft prepares to withdraw vendor support for XP on April 8th 2014, its latest OS -

Windows 8 - is giving SMBs and consumers the chance to fully modernise their IT systems,

and unleash the potential of online operations. In an increasingly competitive business

climate, this could make all the difference going forwards.

Is Windows 8 just a flash in the pan?

"Windows 8 is not your normal low or even high-impact major release of the OS. It's the start

of a new era for Microsoft - the RT era - which follows the NT era, which began in 1993 and

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is just now starting to fade out. Microsoft eras seem to run about 20 years, so the technology

underlying Windows 8 will last a long, long time."

Steve Kleynhans, research vice-president at Gartner3

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4. Top 10 reasons to upgrade to Windows 8

Let's look at Windows 8 in a little more detail. To get you started, here are ten reasons to

consider upgrading to Microsoft's latest operating system.

1. Continued vendor support

Support for Windows XP is ending on April 8th 2014. This means that if you continue to use

the OS after this date, you won't receive any security updates - and this could potentially put

your IT systems at risk. Remaining on XP will create software compatibility issues, increase

the risk of downtime, and mean you have no online or phone-based vendor support.

2. Reimagined Windows

Windows 8 includes a host of new features designed to put the user first, and boost the

overall computing experience. The new start screen is smooth, intuitive, and offers instant

access to files, documents and apps, while the tiles are brimming with content. Real-time

updates are available, meaning Windows 8 users never miss a trick.

3. Improved mobile browsing

Touch-screen functionality brings the full power of Windows to mobile device users,

including those with tablets and smartphones. Windows 8 still works with a keyboard and

mouse if this is your preference, but the OS operates equally well without. Simply use your

finger to navigate - it has never been easier to point, tap and scroll.

4. Windows 8 apps

Windows 8 is all about apps - you have a set of built-in applications for email, calendaring,

social networking and sharing content, plus countless others on-demand. Available from the

moment you switch your device on, these integrate with existing services to deliver a

seamless user experience.

5. Custom options

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A host of other apps are available to select in the Windows Store - simply browse at your

leisure, choose the ones you want and then tap to install. The apps are available in an instant,

meaning you can get started straight away. It couldn't be easier.

6. The power of the cloud

Windows 8 is very much the OS of the cloud age. As soon as you sign in to your Microsoft

account on any device, you have access to all your files, documents, personal themes and

settings. Your mail, calendar and people apps stay 100 per cent in sync across all devices and

the SkyDrive app offers ready access to hosted files. You can switch from a laptop to a tablet

or smartphone, and pick up exactly where you left off.

7. Flexible working

Working patterns are very much different to a generation ago, with agility and flexibility all

important in the fast-paced, 24/7 world of business. Professionals need to interchange

between corporate and consumer devices, accessing the same files, documents and apps

wherever they are, and however they are getting online. Windows 8 allows them to do all of

this, meaning business leaders and employees are connected at all times.

8. Improved browsing

Internet Explorer 10 is designed specifically to work with Windows 8, offering a fast and fluid

browsing experience for touch-screen users. Every navigation and action is just a swipe or

tap away, but there is no compromise on security and privacy.

9. Easy upgrade options

Any PC or device that is currently running Windows 7 should operate even better with

Windows 8. If you are still using XP or Vista, your hardware may be due an upgrade anyway.

This will help to ensure computer performance levels and reliability are maintained, allowing

your people to optimise productivity levels.

10. Embrace the future

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As ever-more SMBs move IT services into the cloud, and mobile devices become ubiquitous,

there is no going back. Firms are becoming increasingly flexible in the way they work, and

technology is moving to the centre of everything they do. So Windows 8 is not just the OS of

today, but also a sign of things to come for the industry.

Should security influence the decision to upgrade?

"It is important to keep your operating system up to date simply because you have the latest

patches and fixes. Windows XP is facing end of life in less than a year - when that happens,

security patches and so forth will stop coming out for Windows XP.

"I think it would make a great deal of sense to get off XP and move onto a more current

operating system which has better support, such as Windows 8."

Al Gillen, program vice-president of system software at IDC

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5. Top 5 apps for Windows 8

Windows 8 users have a wide range of apps at their disposal, some of which are built-in with

the OS, and others which can be easily downloaded from the Windows Store. Here are five of

the most popular, which can be used to customise your Windows 8 experience:

People - converse with contacts from your email accounts, Facebook and LinkedIn, and

collaborate in real-time with your work colleagues.

SkyDrive - access your cloud-based files from any device using the Windows storage app,

irrespective of location. The service offers effective online back-up in the event of an on-

premise outage or disaster.

Mail - access all your emails from multiple accounts in a single location, helping to save time

and ensure important messages receive an immediate response.

Twitter - tweet, follow others and watch trends from your Windows 8 device, ensuring your

organisation or personal brand has an active voice in social media.

Get to know Windows - a guide to getting started with the new OS, and how to use its

various features. A few minutes spent learning about Windows 8 should allow you to add

value with the OS from the outset.

Windows 8 apps - do they improve the user experience?

"There is no question about it - that is why mobile devices have been so successful. The apps

and user involvement that can be put on these devices without any involvement from the IT

department makes those devices so useful to end users.

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"We are looking at a paradigm shift in that side of the market where the updates and

deployment of those updates are going to come more quickly and be more consumable for

the end-users."

Al Gillen, program vice-president of system software at IDC

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6. Case Study: Allrecipes

Digital food brand Allrecipes has used Windows 8 to create a new video app, designed to

encourage people to be more confident in the kitchen. Ideally suited to media tablet users,

the app pairs up words with photos and moving pictures, offering step-by-step guidance for

people learning to cook. Users can stop videos at any point they choose - or move to a

different step in the recipe - simply by tapping the screen or clicking their mouse.

"Our apps allow people to navigate content through a photo-centric system, when they slide

through different pieces of content they can look at what the food looks like, and then they

are drawn to it, to select to go in it and get more detail.

"The whole Windows 8 platform allows our users to find the content they are looking for

very quickly, and in kind of a fun way. I think the nature of the interface - people are going to

start using it. And we want to go where our users are. We believe our users are going to be

using Windows 8, and so we want to be there."

Bill Reller, vice-president of new business at Allrecipes4

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7. Windows 8: Ask the experts

Our computers already use Windows 7 - is it worth a further upgrade?

"Windows 7 is an excellent operating system but Windows 8 is the start of a new ecosystem

in which Microsoft combines its software, services and devices so that everything works

better together. Windows 8 is a lot more than an operating system upgrade and that's a

good reason for giving it a try."

Jack Schofield, computer editor at the Guardian5

How easy is a Windows 8 upgrade?

"Windows 8 is not fundamentally different than Windows 7. The user interface is very

different, but the operating systems themselves are very similar and that is why you have

almost 100 per cent compatibility between applications that run on Windows 7 and Windows

8."

Al Gillen, program vice-president of system software at IDC

What is the best way to use Windows 8?

"Windows 8 shines most on a touch-screen system. Even older touch notebooks that were

awkward to use with touch under Windows 7 give you a great experience and the latest

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tablets are fun and engaging to use. But touch-screen or mouse, Windows 8, undeniably,

shines.

Mary Branscombe and Dan Grabham from TechRadar6

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8. References

1 TalkTalk Business (04/04/2013) 'Technology is the ‘tipping point’ for SME success'.

http://www.talktalkbusiness.co.uk/news-events/news-ttb-listing/video-news/technology-is-

the-tipping-point-for-sme-success/

2 TalkTalk Business (04/04/2013) 'Technology is the ‘tipping point’ for SME success'.

http://www.talktalkbusiness.co.uk/news-events/news-ttb-listing/video-news/technology-is-

the-tipping-point-for-sme-success/

3 Gartner, Inc (24/09/12) 'Gartner says Windows 8 is a big gamble Microsoft must make to

stay relevant in world where mobile devices with new experiences are becoming the norm;

Gartner, Inc. http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2172815

4 Allrecipes.com (08/07/13) 'Microsoft Windows 8 Case Study'.

http://press.allrecipes.com/microsoft-windows-8-case-study/

5 Schofield, J. (15/11/12) 'Should I upgrade to Windows 8?'; The Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/askjack/2012/nov/15/should-upgrade-microsoft-

windows-8

6 Branscombe, M. & Grabham, D. (12/06/13) 'Windows 8 review'; Techradar.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-8-

1093002/review