Small Business News

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) just announced it is replacing the classic desktop Skype (7.0) with a host of new features which resemble the mobile version. With Skype 8.25, Microsoft says it has improved the usability and performance to help users stay connected.

The move to 8.25 comes a little over a year after Microsoft made Skype Preview available on Windows 10 with version 8.0. In that time, the company has been testing the new additions and 8.25 is now ready for the public. Users will have until September 1 to switch.

With over 300 million active monthly users around the world, Skype has become a reliable communications solution for small businesses. The free and paid versions can bring together anywhere from two to hundreds of people together for conferences and collaborations.

However, Skype hasn’t been increasing its user base as competition from Slack and others have entered the market with more business features. In the consumer sector, Apple’s FaceTime and Facebook’s Messenger and WhatsApp have the lion’s share of texting and video chatting both on mobile and desktops.

The official Skype blog says the changes are in part made after feedback from its users. The blog goes on to say, “We built Skype version 8.0 based on feedback from our com

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Staying connected is critically important for any business operating in today’s mobile environment. The new Verizon Connect Work Mobile app allows field service workers to stay connected even when they are offline.

According to Verizon (NYSE: VZ), the app will let workers in the field share notes, photos and signatures as well as continue to receive details about their job even if they are offline.

For small businesses such as electricians, plumbers, contractors and delivery services, it means never losing touch with their workers. With the Work Mobile app, workers can get signatures, new work orders, updates and more in near real-time.

In the press release, Erin Cave, vice president of product management at Verizon Connect, said the app will let businesses be more efficient by staying connected with their mobile workers. She added, “The Work Mobile app helps make it easy to access and communicate job information to any smartphone without the need for paperwork or phone calls.”

The Work Mobile app makes it possible for users to access the information they need faster. The app has improved the way maps and jobs lists with assignments are delivered to workers. This includes uploading multiple images with thumbnai

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Digital signage can be rather expensive. But it does offer plenty of benefits for small businesses, including the ability to easily change up messages and catch customers’ attention as they pass by. Luckily, there are some affordable solutions out there that even the smallest Main Street businesses can take advantage of. Here are some different solutions to consider that would work for businesses with all different types of budgets.

These LED signs from Stewart Signs consist of many tiny LED lights, so they can show basically any type of image or animation you

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As small businesses continue to increase their digital presence and capability, the computers they use have to handle the ever-growing workload. The new ThinkStation P330 family of entry-level workstations Lenovo just released look to do that at price points small businesses can afford.

The Lenovo ThinkStation P330 Tower, Small Form Factor (SFF), and Tiny come in several configurations and at several price points. Starting at just $746.10 and going all the up to $1,899.00, these workstations can be configured to address the needs of the vast majority of small businesses.

Having a robust digital presence is essential for any small business. Everything from daily operations to e-commerce, social media, video and image editing and more require a computer which will not slow you down. The new ThinkStations have the specs to make this possible and the ability to expand as your needs grow.

In addressing the capability of this new line, Jennifer Huffstetler, Vice President and General Manager of Datacenter Product Marketing, Intel Corporation, explains how the new Intel Xeon E processors in these computers will perform.

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In a press release, Huffstetler says, “The new Intel Xeon E processor delivers a powerful combination of performance and capabilities for entry

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