Clay

The International Space Station has just made history by 3D printing metal parts in space for the very first time 🤯

Imagine an astronaut needing a new part on a mission to the moon and being able to print it right there mid-flight. Melting stainless steel at 1,200°C with a metal 3D printer and building each part one layer at a time. This could be a total game changer for long space missions 👏

The very first metal part was successfully printed in August, and now the parts will go through quality testing back here on Earth 🌍

How can your business become more innovative? We'd love to help you find out 💪

Good news! Some of our clients prefer old school and are resistant to change - we get it! However, in terms of tech and security, you just can’t afford to stay vintage. But here’s a treat for you today: If you miss the Windows 10 File Explorer simplicity in Windows 11, well…Microsoft forgot to remove it! You can easily access it without any tech tricks; here’s how:

1. Type ‘Control Panel’ into the search box in the Windows 11 taskbar and open it.
2. Click on ‘System and Security’
3. Click on ‘Windows Tools’

This opens the ‘Windows Tools’ folder with the classic Windows 10 File Explorer look. You can navigate through your files and drives using this familiar interface. It doesn’t interfere with the rest of Windows 11, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds 👏

✔ No downsides
✔ Use both File Explorers side by side
✔ You get back the ‘drag and drop’ feature in File Explorer’s address bar

For quick access, right-click ‘Windows Tools’ in the ‘System and Security’ section, create a shortcut, and pin it to your Start menu or taskbar 👍

Today is National Fish and Chips Day 😋

Noting the importance of fish & chips during both World Wars and D-Day, the UK contingency of Clay decided we just had to do a work lunch at the chippy 🐟 🍟

Had an email from your bank or the government? STOP! 🛑 Don’t click anything and be really careful…a trojan is currently targeting business owners and managers like you 🫵

❓ What’s a trojan? A cyber enemy disguised as something harmless, like an email attachment. Once you open it, the trojan installs itself on your system, aiming to steal sensitive info like bank details.

The current one, called Grandoreiro, has been spreading since March 2024.

❓ How does it work? You might get an email looking like it’s from the government or a bank, telling you to click a link to view an invoice or statement. Clicking redirects you to an image of a PDF icon while a ZIP file downloads in the background. This file contains a disguised executable that, once opened, installs the trojan.

Once inside your system, Grandoreiro can track keyboard inputs, simulate mouse activity, share screens, and display fake pop-ups to steal usernames, operating system info, device runtime, and most importantly, bank details. It spreads through your inbox, leading to more spam and infections.

❓ How do I protect my business? Follow these precautions:

* Be cautious of unexpected emails, especially those with links or attachments.
* Double-check the sender’s email address and contact the organisation directly if unsure.
* Ensure your systems and protective software are up to date.
* Make sure everyone knows about phishing tactics and how to recognise them
* Regularly back up important data.

📞 If you need a hand with anything to keep your business secure, Clay can help, so please get in touch.

With Mental Health Awareness Week, we're reminded that all work and no play is never a good thing, so LinkedIn is launching a lineup of thinking-oriented games 😃

🧩 Quick mental break between meetings
🧩 Fun way to unwind after a long day
🧩 Develop connections with friends, colleagues & business partners

From logic puzzles to word associations, there's something for everyone…

🎯 Pinpoint It: Can you guess the common category of five hidden words with only one revealed at a time? Challenge yourself to guess the category with as few reveals as possible.

👑 Queens: Test your logic skills by placing queens on a grid so that each column, row, and region has only one queen without them touching each other.

🧩 Crossclimb: Combine trivia and word puzzles to fill out a crossword and word ladder. Rearrange words so that each word in the ladder differs by only one letter.

Perfect for fitting into your busy work schedule and you can see which of your connections have participated, sparking opportunities to reconnect 😃

Will you give these games a try? And would you encourage your team to do the same? 🤝

Clay in the city 🏙

Happy International Women’s Day to all the amazing women in our lives - family, friends and clients! You are truly remarkable; we appreciate and celebrate you today! 👏👏👏

Google Chrome has just rolled out a new experimental feature called “Help Me Write” ✍

It offers suggestions to polish up your online content, from web pages, to emails and social media posts 👌

Here's how to give it a spin:

Head to Chrome Settings > Experimental AI and toggle on Help Me Write.

Right-click within any text field on a webpage and select “Help Me Write.”

Enter your writing prompt or highlight existing text, and watch as the magic happens.

Will you try it? 🤔

Can you believe it's only been 19 years since the world was introduced to the magic of YouTube - on this day in 2005? 🎬😃

What's your favourite video/channel? 🤔 For team Clay, it's , , , and 👌

Clay Fully managed IT services and solutions to the SMB community

Microsoft is updating keyboards for the first time in 30 years 🤩 Why? To add a Copilot key and make AI interaction easier. Will you find this helpful? 🤔

Here's the scoop:

👍 The Copilot key will be placed next to the right-hand alt key
👍 It's taking over the spot of the application key between the alt and ctrl keys
👍 Just hit the key, and Copilot springs to action on compatible PCs. If Copilot's not available, it'll open Windows Search instead

This might seem like a small tweak, but its potential impact is huge. It's the most significant update to the Windows keyboard since the addition of the Windows key. Remember when that was new?
Starting next month, this feature will roll out on new Surface devices and those from Microsoft's partners. It's a small step for keyboards, a giant leap for AI accessibility 👊

If you’re ready to try out Copilot, or upgrade your devices, we can help. Get in touch 📞

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-is-changing-the-keyboard/

Mo Bros! 💪🫣😃 Prime Performance

“Movember fundraisers are a global community of fired up Mo Bros and Mo Sisters – aka rock stars making a difference in mental health and su***de prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

Your donation could help save a father, a brother, a son, a friend, a partner, a man’s life” 👏

If you can, it’s super simple to donate here: https://us.movember.com 🤝

Today is Cyber Monday! 🔊🔊🔊 So if you missed Black Friday today is the day to get some incredible online discounts for all your tech gadgets...a great way to get those Christmas gifts for less, or just treat yourself for all that hard graft you've done this year 💪 💪💪

There's a new AI kid on the block and it's got a rebellious streak...Grok 😎 Elon Musk's latest venture - a chatbot with a sense of humour that answers ‘spicy’ questions other AI systems might reject 🤠

Grok is currently in its early beta stage and available by invite only, but Musk assures us that it will soon be a part of the X Premium Plus subscription. It's designed to answer almost anything and will effectively be your research assistant.

The main differences between Grok and its rivals seem to lie in Grok's focus on humour and its real-time knowledge of the world; it's been trained to answer questions most other AI systems would reject, and it comes with a warning label: "Please don’t use it if you hate humour!” So, if you're tired of overly politically correct AI, then Grok might just be the chatbot for you.

Do you use a chatbot? Would you be prepared to give Grok a try? 🤔

https://www.techradar.com/computing/elon-musks-new-ai-chatbot-will-answer-the-spicy-questions-that-chatgpt-wont

We love a good movie night! Wouldn't have connected that with the Blackberry smartphone though 🤔 But that's just what happened this year and the Blackberry movie's TV release is due to happen very soon 😃

The iconic gadget was once our tech darling but, as we know, every rise has a fall. Enter iPhone 2007📱 Despite the company's downfall, the film serves as a reminder of BlackBerry's significant contributions to the tech industry.

As Johnson puts it, "They set up the scaffolding for a revolution, but then didn't realise one was about to happen."

Will you be adding this one to your watchlist? 🧐

Everyone.Hates.Passwords 😟

But Google has your solution! Why? Because passwords are a total pain: Having to create them, enter them, and then enter them again when you get one character wrong. Ugh. Horrible.

If you agree with us, there’s very good news.

Google has officially made passkeys the new default sign-in method for all personal accounts.

What are passkeys?

They're being called the "next evolution for online security." Instead of having to remember a password, you can use a simple four-digit PIN or your biometrics to login.

And guess what? They're also harder for hackers to steal.

Setting up a passkey is easier than finding a decent parking space in the city centre. Just head over to Google's official passkeys website, create a PIN or connect your biometrics, and you're done.

But wait, there's a catch (isn't there always?). Your PC needs to run at least Windows 10, Macs need macOS Ventura, and smartphones need Android 9 or iOS 16. And they only work on Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Google Chrome.

If you're a fan of password managers, good news. Some of them now support passkeys, so you can store them away from Google itself.

Or if you're thinking “passkeys? Not on my watch!", don't worry. You can opt-out. Just go to the Sign-in options page, find "Skip Password When Possible", and turn off the switch.

But we recommend you embrace this change.

Why the sudden change, you ask? Google says 64% of surveyed users found passkeys easier to use than traditional login methods. Plus, logging in with a passkey is 40% faster.

The passkey revolution isn't stopping here. Google plans to make it usable across Chrome and Android, and it's already present on Uber and eBay, with WhatsApp soon to follow. Passwords are heading for the exit!

Are you looking forward to switching to passkeys? Or will you miss passwords? 🤔

Microsoft Teams is launching it's AI-powered assitant, Copilot, next month! 👏 But the question is: Will you actually use it?

Copilot in Microsoft Teams aims to cut through those tedious admin tasks that clog up our working day, leaving you more time for what truly matters. With this new addition, Teams users can ask Copilot "any question" related to their work and contacts, and use the insights to stay organised and on top of their information.

Can't think of a specific question? No worries! Copilot will suggest prompts based on your recent meetings, most used files, or frequent contacts. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can ask a "free text question" of your own creation.

The rollout of Copilot in Microsoft Teams is set to begin in November 2023 and will be available for Teams users across Windows desktop and web, Mac, Android, and iOS.

The "all-new" Microsoft Teams app promises a faster, more efficient experience, consuming up to 50% less memory and disk space than classic Teams. Plus, it features Copilot, which can analyse chats and calls to provide short summaries of key points, action items, and decisions.

Using Microsoft Graph, Copilot can sift through your documents, presentations, emails, calendar invites, notes, and contacts to find the information you need and bring it all together in one place.

Will this be something you’ll get a lot of use from, or will it be another addition you’ll never use? 🤔

We wanted to let you know that Chrome's making browsing safer! 😃 When you visit a website, Google will check its URL against a list of malicious sites that's constantly updated in real time, making it harder for you to fall for a phishing scam 👏👏👏

The list of malicious sites used to be updated every 30-60 minutes, but the majority of phishing sites vanish within 10 minutes, so this wasn’t quick enough. Real time is where it’s at 👍

So does this added protection encourage you to make Chrome your default browser? Or do you prefer Edge? 🤔

Typed out “I am feeling” into Google last night, and the most searched result was “lonely”. Computers are amazing, but one thing they can’t provide is human connection. If you think someone may be feeling lonely, always reach out 💚

Happy Friday everyone! 🥳 Guess what - Google Chrome's soon to launch a cool Read Aloud feature! So get ready to sit back and relax as you soak in all that information being read to you 🤩

It never disappoints - CyberIsle 2023 🖥 Staying at the forefront of security best practices 👊 Not only excellent discussions this morning, but also great to catch up with friends Kurt Schrauwen Riela Tech

Fishing = great 👍 Phishing = not so great 👎

Microsoft has issued a serious warning about an ongoing phishing scam targeting Teams. Often disguised as communication from a trusted source, these fraudsters trick the user into giving sensitive information and downloading ransomware.

Microsoft, and Clay, are doing everything in our power to stop these attacks, but here's how you can do your part:

✔️ Apply "principle of least privelege" where minimum security priveleges are handed out.
✔️ Get 2-factor authentication.
✔️ Notice the domain and address - if it looks dodgy, something may be up.
✔️ Notice grammar and layout of content - it's the little things that often give these scams away.
✔️ If something seems odd, listen to your gut and check with the source before actioning the request.

Even the most tech-savvy individual can fall prey; they've even tried to trick Microsoft itself. So if you'd like to find out how we can help your business stay safe, hit the call button on this post, send a message or go check out our website; we'd be happy to help keep you safe 😄

Yesterday was Google, today is Apple! 🍎 26 years ago, Apple launched it's Think Different campaign - a very moving and genius marketing strategy that communicated who Apple was and what they stood for. It was their belief that "people with passion can change the world for the better".

At Clay, we believe that every person, every business has unique IT needs and they need to be heard. We get so much satisfaction out of seeing clients able to do what they are passionate about because we've taken care of the behind-the-scenes tech challenges 👏

Apple - Think Different - Full Version www.applewebmaster.comApple's Think Different advertising campaign. 1997-2002Full version.

Today is Google's official birthday! 🎁 25 years ago (with an intial server built of LEGO) Google was created in a rented garage and has grown into what is now the world's greatest search engine.

Check out the cool doodle they've created to celebrate their special day that shows all the logos over the past 25 years 🥳 Cupcake anyone? 🧁

We had a great time at the PwC Isle of Man "Question of Sport" event last night 🤩 Thanks Phil Butler and Cara Skillicorn at Atla Group for the guest invite; apologies my knowledge on football (soccer 😃) needs a few updates ⚽️