iPhone Apps: Why Do They Seem to Perform Slower After Every iOS Update

I am not sure if I am the only one that notices but every time an update to my iPhone occurs my phone acts like a dinosaur.  It seems so much slower than before the update, each and every time.  Why?

Even though I have not downloaded any new mobile apps and am not using my iPhone any more than I previously was, the phone is downright slow.  I have heard it repeatedly from many iPhone users, but it seems to continue.  That leads me to wonder if it’s happening, is Apple doing it on purpose.

Battery Issues?

Some investigating into the health of the iPhone has been done over the years by several different outlets.  Some truth has been found to the claim as some users have found that once the batteries of older iPhones are replaced the phones seem to speed up.  What was found is that Apple’s iPhone processor seems to slow down after the battery hits several recharge cycles.
The issue in the past with iPhone batteries is that they have said there was life left on the battery, but the phone still shuts down without warning.  It was found that the same processor is used in in a variety of iPhones and the issue occurs throughout.  Apple also stated that they use Lithium-ion batteries which become less reliable in colder temperatures, when the battery has a low charge, or it is an older battery.
When an iPhone battery or processor ages it naturally decreases in efficiency and apps perform slower.    To combat this known defect Apple released a feature that helps to level out peak instances.  The new feature prolongs the battery by slowing it down over the lifetime of the phone.

Solutions To Speed Problems

If the speed of your mobile apps is affecting the way in which you interact with your phone there are a couple of things that users have offered as solutions.  One is to replace the batteries in the phone.  This simple fix allows the phone to basically function as new.  The battery life is set back to one.  Now, this process is not as simple as changing the batteries in your television remote.  To update the battery in your iPhone you will need to make an appointment at one of many Apple stores.  Having the battery replaced at an Apple store also help to avoid voiding the warranty.
Users can also choose to upgrade their phones.  Most note that IOS updates always seem to occur around the release of a new model iPhone, coincidence?  I think not!

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive  IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residentia

Custom Mobile App Development vs Template Designs

A single mobile app concept can literally change the way we operate in the world today. App ideas like Facebook, Uber, and Pinterest are extremely popular today, not because they have been initiated by famous people but rather the innovative approach of these mobile applications that has surprised the technological world.
What is the difference between custom-built apps and template-based apps? In nutshell, an application programmer for mobile devices creates a custom application from scratch, to fit perfectly to your specific needs, by writing the code for each function. And they will create new codes to give your application the unique features that you and your team recognize are appropriate to meet the goals of your own application.
On the other hand, a template-based mobile application is when a designer uses existing models as the basic framework on which to import and "copy-and-paste" their designs. What are the practical disadvantages of template-based applications?

1. Custom apps are tailored to your specific needs

Template-based applications are limited in terms of functionality, both now and in the future. Basically, what you get with a template is limited to the features that come with it.
However, with a custom built application you can edit, refine and modify according to your needs, where you only pay for "adding" or "remodeling" without having to eliminate everything.

2. Custom app development is unique and authentic

Unlike Custom-built, application templates are not originally designed to attract many end-users. They, therefore, combine several characteristics recognized by designers to attract a general market instead of adapting to the unique nature and needs of their specific features.

3. Templates are outdated

Template-based mobile apps are usually based on older code designs because they were developed a long time before you realized them: Therefore, might not conform with the latest running OS on the IOS or Android.

4. Troubleshooting

Using Android as an example. There are thousands of different Android smart devices. with varying sizes of screens, operating platforms, and manufacturers. Proper coding of an application to run on so many devices is a very complex task, requiring a high level of experience that only the best code developers have. No mobile app template can guarantee the possibility of creating an application compatible with all available Android devices.  Therefore, the average mobile app template normally works properly between 3% and 8% of Android devices. On the contrary.

5. Templates are not usually optimized for search engines

A major disadvantage of a mobile app designed with a template is that they cannot normally be "SEO" (search engine optimization, also known as "app discovery"). Without proper SEO, search engines do not place the app in the appropriate categories. So, when you look at different categories of applications, you will see that many applications appear that have nothing to do with your searched results, even when you do a search with the app name.

You must evaluate the costs and benefits of each type of application. If you do not understand what is needed it is easy to end up with an app that doesn’t meet your need.  A personalized, custom designed mobile app, with appropriate "SEO", is one of the best commercial tools and/or marketing investment that any company can achieve. It is an investment that will yield desired results over and over. Whereas a template-based designed app will offer a much lower return on investment.

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive  IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residential computer services, custom programming, website design, iphone & android app development, and more.  More information can be found at https://cpsmi.com.

How Combining Professional Website Design and SEO Can Boost Your Online Business

When an online business launches a new website, careful consideration goes into their online image including the websites design and usability. Websites should be designed in a manner that allows visitors easy access to answers they are seeking. However, all of that is wasted if customers never visit a business’s website in the first place.

Search engine optimization, SEO is one part of a company’s marketing mix that helps to create a strong foundation for your company’s content strategy. On page content that is featured prominently in organic searches that beats out the competition for customer attention is just one goal. Good SEO design begins with the websites layout. Whether your business is currently designing your website or not, it’s important to ensure it’s getting the best search results possible.

SEO

SEO encompasses a series of activities that makes your website rank higher on various search engines. These activities include executing an SEO strategy, choosing to focus on long-tail keywords for website pages, and constantly generating new content on a blog. Search engines frequently update their search algorithm, which can be a problem for marketers and web designers. If you are running your own SEO strategy, you’ll need to monitor the changes and adjust accordingly.

Professional Website Design

Web design is the process of creating a website. This includes, layout design, graphics design, navigation, metadata, responsiveness to different resolutions, and content production. Web design also involves ensuring the website is programmed correctly and optimizing the speed. A professional website design communicates your brand messaging to the world, tells the story of your company, describes your services and products and can even sell directly online.
Combining both boost your online business, below are some aspect of SEO and website design that boost your online business.

Navigation

Navigation involves SEO and web design principles. The easier it is to navigate your site and find the information needed, the longer a visitor will stay on your site. A longer session leads to better SEO rankings. If customers cannot find what they’re looking for easily, they will abandon the site, and this affects your SEO ranking negatively. You can design an easily navigable site by using descriptive URLs, giving readers directions to find certain materials, and limiting the number of drop downs and sub-drop downs in your menus.

Engagement

Engagement on a web page depends on two things: the design and the content. To enhance the engagement on a page, you want the design to be pleasing to a reader’s eye because people make quick conclusions about a website based on appearance. Following the appearance is your content which is also a vital way of keeping a visitor on your site. Your homepage content should hook the visitor and make him want to read on. Content fall under both SEO and web design as content will help your SEO ranking and determine if a visitor stays on your page.

Speed

It is easy to focus on the visual appeal and website content over the mechanics behind how your website functions. This however often leads to a slower than average site that is bloated with useless information. If the website is slow upon loading people will abandon their effort. Many elements can come into play that can lead to a slow site; website elements including plugins, sharing buttons, and JavaScript that has not been optimized. All these are consequences of a poor website design. Search engines incorporate a variety of metrics into the algorithms they use to determine which sites are the most useful to users and therefore deserve higher organic rankings. This can include the use of keywords and long tailed keyword phrases, site links, and individual page load times. If your site loads too slow, search engines will favor other sites over it.

In conclusion, when SEO and a Professional web design come together, the result is a user-friendly, informative, and easy to find website that will maximize your sales.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Computer Maintenance: Everything You Need to Know

Computers have become a vital item that everyone needs to use on a regular, if not daily basis.  While many people, especially the younger generations, thrive with technology, some of us simply need to take things slow as we learn about each aspect of these devices.  Thankfully, the basics are extremely easy to learn about, which means that you can take care of some of your own minor computer needs and repairs.

One of the first things that you will want to ensure is completed on your computer is the installation of an anti-virus software.  Of course, once you have this software installed, you will want to make sure that it is scanning your computer for viruses frequently and that you keep the software up to date.  These scans can be set to automatically run in the background.

If you are noticing that your computer is running slower than usual or that you are having issues with certain websites, you may think that it is time to take your computer in for updates.  However, you may be able to solve these issues on your own by simply clearing the cache on your browser.
We know that you are grabbing snacks to devour as you are working on your computer, and while there is nothing wrong with that, you will find that your keyboard and computer can get a little dirty after a while.  A buildup of crumbs underneath the keys of your keyboard can also prevent you from typing the way that you want to, which is why we recommend keeping all these areas clean.  A damp cloth will keep surface stains away, while compressed air can eliminate all those crumbs and the dust that has become stuck to them.

Many people are tempted to keep their laptops plugged into the outlet for long periods of time, or forever, but it is not something that we recommend that you do.  The reason for this is that you will find that after a while, your battery will not be able to hold a charge for any length of time, which means that you will not be able to use it unless you have an outlet nearby.

One of the best things that you can do to prolong the life of your computer is making sure that you turn it off each night, or when you are done using it for the day.  This is one of the most important computer services that we recommend, and you will find that your computer will last months or even years longer than any of the ones that you have owned in the past.

It doesn’t take a certified technician to complete certain computer services or computer repairs, which is why we are confident that you can take care of the items above, as well as a few others.  Of course, there are certain computer repairs or computer services that only a person well-versed in computers should tackle, and those are the ones that you should steer clear of at all times!

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

PC Repair: Is Your Computer Ready for A Trip into The Shop?

Your personal computer contains a great deal of personal and private information.  When it needs to go in for service there can be a great deal of anxiety with leaving it in the hands of a computer repair technician.  Not only will they have access to your password-protected accounts, technicians will be performing complicated procedures that can often include your computers hard drive.  Thus, it is important to take necessary precautions to ensure that your computer and its data are protected before it is services to avoid any unnecessary disasters resulting in lost data.
Preparing Your PC for A Trip into The Computer Repair Shop

• Store Important Information on The Cloud: Many people cannot live without their personal computers or the information on them, so it is inevitable that you will more likely than not need to access to the info on the PC while it is in for repair. To be able to accomplish this it is vital to add current projects into a folder on the cloud such as Dropbox or OneDrive.  This allows the files to be accessed from another source at any time. 
• Backup: A backup of your PC is always important but never as much as when your computer is going in for repairs, just in case something was to happen that damages the hard drive. This ensures that the data files can be restored, and your computer returned to its original state. When a backup is restored it is important that the original image was not the cause of the initial need for service. 
• Protection of Sensitive Materials: For most of us there is information stored within our PC’s that we don’t want people to see or have access to. Some of this could include bank statements, credit card information, tax forms, or anything that is potentially “embarrassing” to you or those to stumble upon it.  These files should either be removed, after you have securely backed them up to an external source or encrypted. 
• Be Prepared for An Unexpected Diagnosis: Many times, over we self-diagnosis our computer problems without much to go on.   Even after talking with the PC repair technician we often have a false sense of what is wrong based on their best guess given they have yet to dive in to the system for a proper diagnosis.  It is vital to be prepared for a diagnosis that is different than what you had anticipated; also meaning the time frame for fixing said issue could be significantly different. 

Often the trip to have your computer worked on will go smoother than anticipated but it is always important to be prepared for the inevitable.
Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

In-House or Outsourced IT Services: Which is Best for Your Business?

Businesses of all sizes struggle with their own set of challenges. Amongst the challenges for small and mid-sized businesses, is that business owners often insist on doing everything themselves.  The age-old adage, jack of all trades, master of none has not lost its meaning in 2018.  Far too many business owners try to handle managed IT services on their own or in-house with employees that are not necessarily up on the latest in IT.  The problem with this is that they are unaware of all that is involved in creating a successful IT solution for their business.

Properly managing IT systems for a company of any size involves:

• Increasing equipment longevity
• Boost system uptime
• Monitor staff productivity
• Secure data and systems
• Patch management and updates
• Oversee server reliability
• Routine disaster recovery drills and tests
• Hardware procurement and monitoring
• Network management
• Software licensing, installation, and upgrades
• Filtering for spam
• Server setup and management
• Email maintenance
• Detection and removal of spyware
• Data backup systems
• Disaster recovery solutions

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list but servers to point out the myriad of services that are typical within managed IT services.  Most, if not all these activities require a highly specialized skillsets to perform.  Business owners who skirt these issues by attempting to do all of them on their own will quickly find themselves swamped and unable to execute them effectively, not mentioning the hours that go into running their business.  Even worse, many try to pass the buck onto employees who are unskilled in IT which causes several other problems, including less time to focus on their own tasks.

Outsourcing Managed IT Services

The solution, outsourcing managed IT services to an outside firm or team of professionals who specialize in IT services.  There are several benefits of outsourcing your business’s IT services including:

• Protection against outages and downtime
• Cost-effective
• Disaster recovery
• Increased data security

Outsourcing IT services means that instead of relying on your own knowledge or employees that are unskilled in IT you can trust in a team of experts that are not only trained to perform IT tasks but is resourced to do so with maximum efficiency.  No business owner wants to deal with downtime caused by equipment failure or server crashes.  Qualified managed IT professionals have all the resources to handle your business while preventing outages.

Outsourcing your businesses IT services can be more cost-effective in the long run.  Consider that salaries for technology experts are on the higher end of the scale. Recent estimates show starting salaries for technology professionals hover right above $50,000 a year. This means small to midsized businesses would be hard-pressed to afford to hire a permanent team to staff their IT department. Outsourcing IT work to an outside firm can help mitigate against the costs of hiring a permanent IT in-house team.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

Professional Computer Consulting Saves Time and Money

Nowadays businesses cannot run without technology.  Business comes to a startling halt when software or program failures occur.  When technology goes awry it affects day to day business.  Most companies can’t afford the costs associated with downtime but also can’t absorb the expense of having an IT specialist on their payroll to fix issues with technology as they arise.  A middle ground is reached through contract services in the form of managed IT.

Computer consultants are a precious commodity for businesses of all sizes. IT consultants are able to contract with a number of companies to basically be on call for a flat monthly service fee or hourly rate depending on the option that best fits your company’s IT needs.  Some IT companies specializing in only one service whereas others venture into the tech world as a whole.  Companies, such as Creative Programs and Systems offer clients a variety of services from website design to computer consulting which allows for an all-inclusive approach to IT services.

Hiring an IT consultant can save your company quite a bit of time and money in a variety of ways.  For one there is no need for training or continued education to keep employees up to date with the latest technological advancements.  There isn’t a need to pay employees overtime to work on computer issues after business hours or benefits which helps save on overhead expenses.  Contracted services also don’t require paid sick time, vacation, or the expense of recruiting and training new employees when staff turns over.

Hiring IT consulting services is a win/win for business owners as well.  From computer consultants, professionals can also learn how to more effectively run their business as those experts have picked up many new tricks of the trade from working with numerous companies over the years.  A more efficiently run business will earn more money with less effort, which is helpful to those who are trying to find time to expand their services and grow their businesses.
Business owners who hire computer consultants will find that they are spending twenty-five to fifty percent less than they would if they hired their own on staff IT specialist.  Computer consultant services are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, that is a great deal for any business.  With this comes computer maintenance services, changes with websites, solving emergencies to eliminate downtime, and more.

By hiring computer consultant’s business owners and employees alike can focus more on everyday tasks rather than dealing with technological issues.  Instead they can simply pick up the phone and make a call or send an email regarding the issues that are occurring, and a consultant will either remote in to your network or go on-site to ensure your problem is quickly taken care of.
Managed IT services not only save time but also money while making life simpler.  Often in business the simple solution costs more, however in the case of computer consulting, it is in fact the most economical option.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.