The IT Professionals at BCS Voice & Data Provide Product Reviews of Phone Systems, Hardware and More

An AI-charged blast from the past

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Happy New Year.

Remember Microsoft Paint? The simple drawing tool that many of us used to create pixelated masterpieces in our youth? It’s probably not an app you use very much these days. But what if I told you there’s a reason you might want to revisit it right now?

Microsoft Paint is getting a serious upgrade in Windows 11 – and it’s all about AI.

The big news is the introduction of Dall-E 3 support to Paint, or as it’s known in the app, Cocreator.

Sound familiar?

If you’ve seen the feature in Bing AI, you know it’s a game-changer. This isn’t just any old image creation feature. With Cocreator, you can tell it what you want, specify an art style, and an image based on your description magically appears.

And this isn’t some gimmicky add-on. When Cocreator first rolled out with Bing Chat (now called Copilot), there was a massive rush to use the image generation capability. And the buzz around how good it is? Well, let’s just say it’s been substantial.

Sure, there have been a few hiccups along the way, but when it comes to AI, a bit of turbulence is par for the course.

Windows Latest reports that Cocreator in Paint has left the testing phase and is ready for prime time – it’s now rolling out to all Windows 11 users.

If you’re not seeing the Cocreator feature yet, don’t worry, it’s coming. Just make sure you’re running the latest version of Paint. If Microsoft asks you to sign up for the waiting list, do it.

The Cocreator feature isn’t the only new addition to Paint. The app has been significantly beefed up this year. We’re talking a transparency effect, layers (a much-requested functionality), and even background removal. And these improvements aren’t just for Paint, Microsoft’s core Windows 11 apps are also getting a makeover.

At this point, you might be thinking, “That’s all well and good, but how does this help my business?”

Well, imagine being able to create custom graphics for presentations, reports, or social media posts in seconds. Think about how much time and money that could save.

With Cocreator, anyone on your team can become a graphic designer. No need for expensive software or lengthy training; just describe what you want, and let AI do the rest.

Raring to try this one out (it’s a nice way to start the new year)? You’ll need to have Windows 11 installed. If we can help with that, or any other tech problem this year, get in touch.

Microsoft 365 makes Multi-Factor Authentication easier

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Microsoft is planning to enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) directly in its Outlook app for many 365 business users.

MFA is a vital tool to help protect your online accounts from cyber criminals. It works by generating a second, single-use passcode every time you log into an account. It’s usually sent to an authenticator app on your phone that you have to download and set up first.

Security codes can also be sent via SMS text message, by a phone call, or you might be given a special USB key to plug into your computer.

The process is often made quicker by using a biometric login like your fingerprint or face ID. It’s a minor chore, but the protection it offers far outweighs the couple of extra seconds it takes to access your account.

Microsoft isn’t so sure about those extra seconds, though. If the tech giant can save you that time, it’s going to do it. That’s why it’s looking to streamline MFA for Microsoft 365 business accounts.

It’s rolling out the improvement by building MFA directly into the Outlook app in a feature called Authenticator Lite. Until now, it’s relied on a separate authenticator app or sending login codes.

There’s no news yet for those of us who want faster authentication on our personal PCs. If Microsoft does announce plans to make this feature available to more hardware or operating systems, we’ll update you with any news.

If you don’t already use MFA for your apps and online accounts, we recommend that all businesses implement it as soon as possible. The additional security it offers protects against the vast majority of today’s cyber threats.

For more help and advice about implementing MFA or getting the best from Microsoft 365, just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.

office worker at computer

Quick Tech Gift Guide

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With the holidays approaching, you’re probably already looking at gifts for office colleagues. With everyone trying to do more during their workday, we suggest gifting coworkers and employees with useful technologies that help them do just that! Become the best gift-giver this year with these tech tools that will make everyone’s lives easier and help your workplace run smoothly: 

Bluetooth Headphones

Do you have employees who are always on the phone? A customer service agent requires a crisp, great-sounding headset with a great connection to deliver the best service possible. 

Bluetooth headphones are updated versions of bulky over-the-ear headsets. These make great gifts, but also make life easier when you are multitasking or on the go.

E-Tip Gloves

E-Tip gloves may not be a tech item, but they make using your tech a lot easier in the winter.

Keeping endless lists, taking notes and staying in constant contact means using touch screens to do it all. No one wants to take off their gloves just to open their phone or answer a text! Help everyone hurdle this inconvenient frustration with a nice pair of E-tip gloves.

Tablet

If your team is frequently on the go, meeting with clients or collaborating with one another, having a tablet is a convenient way to keep the software and information they need at their fingertips. If you’ve invested in virtualization, your employees can access what they need and join video conferences on the go with helpful apps available from Starleaf and other brands.


These three items help your colleagues free up time and be more efficient in and out of the office. To learn more about the solutions that BCS offers to keep your office running smoothly, give us a call at (757) 497-3100, or use our online contact form.

StarLeaf Breeze Video Review

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We recently asked one of our StarLeaf Breeze users to share a review of their experience.  They went above and beyond and actually created a video review of the video conference system. Here’s what they had to say: