If you are a business owner involved in computer or website services it is important that your computer hardware is in tip top condition, that is it is running smoothly and quickly, is virus free and is powerful enough for the applications that are accessed on it. If there are issues with the hardware or if it is outdated then there are several options open to businesses today.

The first thing to establish is whether the business actually needs to own the computer hardware or whether the equipment could be leased instead. There are many advantages to leasing computer equipment with the main one being that there is no big initial outlay but rather a monthly fee. This can be a boon for any new start up business. Another advantage is that the hardware can be kept up to date as the lease company will replace the hardware periodically.

If leasing is not an option for the business then consider buying second hand and upgrading parts of the computer such as increasing the memory or the graphics card. This can be a cost effective way to get a better computer system for the business. Many larger companies sell on their hardware when they replace them so look out for advertisements online or approach companies directly.

Technology is great but it can also cause issues if it fails or if it falls into the wrong hands. Many businesses use lots of different types of hardware such as tablets, phones, computers, printers and servers. All of these items need to be looked after and maintained to prolong their life and ensure that data is protected. It may be that you store all your customers details on your in house server. It something happened to this server then you could potentially lose your entire database and if that data got stolen, you may be liable for compensation.

Devices such as tablets may be used by members of the sales team to enable them to go through things with customers on a screen. Without these devices the sales staff may find their job really hard or even impossible. It is important than you ensure all hardware is kept up to date in terms of software updates and that if it stores important data, it is backed up regularly.  You may do this yourself or if you have a lot of devices you may outsource it to a third party IT company.

As the majority of routine computer tasks can be completed on a smartphone whether it be reading and sending emails to doing online shopping many people are questioning whether to replace their bulky computer with a sophisticated mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet however there are applications that do not translate well from a computer to a mobile device so it is important to consider whether the applications that you use most frequently are amongst these.

As had previously been stated for most ordinary people’s needs a mobile device is fine but if you are a person who uses a computer to write more than an occasional letter perhaps because you work as an author or journalist then a smartphone just will not do. The frustration of trying to type on a small keyboard is one of the main problems as is the ability to organise your work and format it appropriately. In the same way If photography is your hobby and you like to manipulate the images you have captured; a computer makes this process much easier although simple changes to images can be made on modern smartphones.

The decision on whether to go along the route of replacing your laptop with a tablet or smartphone should not be taken lightly as high end smartphones are an expensive purchase but if you need to replace an old computer it is certainly worth considering.

Many businesses require the use of some kind of computer. Be it a desktop PC, laptop or tablet, the advantages of some kind of computer system are far too obvious to ignore.

Most businesses that do make use of a computer either use a laptop or a desktop PC. Both of these do relatively the same thing, you can send and receive emails, browse the internet or manage word documents.

But it’s not so much in what the different types of computer can do. It’s more in how they allow you to do it.

Mobility is a great example. A laptop can run on its own power supply, allowing you to use it varying places. This can be a necessity depending on the type of business you have. Someone who has clients that they visit personally will make great use of a portable computer like a laptop.