HP Elite x3 – The Future of Mobility?

By Brendan Loughrey

In August 2016 HP introduced a new member to the Elite Family and hailed it as ‘a revolution in mobility’ which, despite its appearance, is not a smartphone! HP’s reasoning for this is evident in the name, The Elite x3: The world’s first built for business 3-in-1 device that combines PC power and productivity with premium smartphone capabilities. This device has the capability to perform as a smartphone, laptop and desktop.

That being said, let’s take a closer look at how HP’s pioneering product in the business mobility category may have hit or missed the mark.

Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 now available at Westcoast

But what does this mean for you?

By Phil Lamplugh

You’ve probably seen the news that Westcoast are now selling Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 and the ultra-sleek Surface Book. This means along with all of your usual Microsoft products and software, you can get all of your Microsoft needs from one place.

So, why should you consider adding the Surface to your product portfolio?

Thin, but not light – the new HP t730 caters for heavy content needs

As the cloud-based computing architecture has advanced, Thin Clients have played an increasing role in business tech. Carving a niche in high-performance sectors, such as financial services, oil/gas, digital media, and engineering, the Thin Client provides easy access and secure computing power through virtual desktop provision. While the benefits of this set up are patently clear – reduced costs, enhanced security, simple manageability, and optimal scalability – Thin Clients do have their drawbacks; image quality often suffers; add-ons and extra features are habitually required to maximise performance; they can be complicated to upgrade; and the pre-loaded software is frequently sub-par. The new HP t730 sets out to redress the balance.

Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac: One month on...

In August, we took a look at the launch of Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac and some of the key benefits of using the software. Now, one month on, we take a deeper delve into the software and asked our resident Windows on Mac user Phil Leblond for his thoughts....

Windows 10: 1 Month On

                        Windows 10 is now on 75 million devices. Is yours one of them?

So, Windows 10 has launched, and chances are that you’ll either have the upgrade by now, or you’re waiting for ‘Service Pack 1’, and for any bugs or compatibility issues to be ironed out. The thing is, of course, that there isn’t going to be a Service Pack 1, and that there’s been very little noise about issues at all. That’s not to say that there aren’t any, but it seems like it’s safe to say that the launch has been a smooth success.

Now that we’ve had a month to play around with the full release, this is a fantastic time to evaluate what the OS is actually like: Does Windows 10 change the way we use our devices? Is Edge really that good? Why do I need multiple desktops?

Well, let’s find out.....

Parallels Desktop 11 Makes Cortana the first Windows Feature available to Mac Users in OS X

Almost everyone who uses a Mac for work should have heard of Parallels Desktop for Mac; the great piece of software that essentially allows you to use Windows on your Mac without the need to reboot. With the launch of Windows 10 as well as the upcoming release of OS X 10.11 El Capitan, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is looking primed to take the software to new levels.....

How to gain the most from the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

Platinum sponsorship – Check.  

All access pass – Check.  

Hotel – Check.  

Flights – Check.  

That is the easy part. Now is the time for planning for WPC to make the most out of your investment.

WPC is a great week of the year for any Microsoft partner looking to discover the Microsoft strategy for the next year from their worldwide leaders, build relationships with key Microsoft employees and partners from around the world and to get sight of future technologies.   

The key for us is to make sure you keep your agenda packed, the busier your agenda the less time for tiredness! 

Here are our top tips to help you gain the most from WPC:

1. Use WPC Connect as this is the best way of scheduling meetings with Microsoft employees and partners. 

2. Make sure you go to all the evening events laid on by the Microsoft team, most networking happens at these events so make sure that you have enough business cards. 

3. Spend time in the UK lounge, this is where a lot of the best networking happens along with many valuable ad-hoc introductions and meetings.

4. Do your research - What is CSP? What is Cloud? This will enable you to ensure you gain the most out of your experience. Make sure that you visit us in the UK lounge to find out what our offering is and how we can help you demystify CSP.

5. Enjoy yourself – The WPC is a huge event and will be a full on rewarding experience. You may find yourself asking these questions; Why am I so tired? Have I not slept? It’s inevitable. So make sure you enjoy yourself whilst you’re there and you can catch up on sleep when you’re back!

I think we know that Cloud and Microsoft services available on monthly billing, through the CSP program are going to be the hot topics for the week, and here at Westcoast we are perfectly aligned to the Microsoft strategy to be able to support partners with the transition to cloud and to CSP. 

Not forgetting Windows 10 – one platform across all devices, Microsoft Edge browser, Continuum, A PROPER START BUTTON! Have you ordered your free upgrade?

Be sure to follow us for the latest news and exclusive competitions on WPC and Westcoast Cloud..  

Twitter - @WestCoastCloud 

Linkedin - Westcoast @ WPC

Online - www.westcoast.co.uk/csp

See you in Orlando!

 Ben Feurtado – Microsoft Business Manager at Westcoast Limited