Greetings!  Hopefully everyone is enjoying this mild February in the northeast.  And now onto this month’s news!

First, a reminder: Windows 7 is no longer supported by Microsoft.  If you are still running Windows 7, you should immediately upgrade to Windows 10.  Always make sure your applications are up to date and Windows 10 compatible before migrating to Windows 10.  If you need assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Every month Microsoft releases updates and security patches on the second Tuesday of the month, which we refer to as “patch Tuesday.”  Last week Microsoft released a security update for Windows 10 (specifically KB4532693).  Users have encountered many issues: the Start menu is reset, Search stops working and (the most serious) any files on your desktop are erased.  While Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, DO NOT INSTALL the Windows 10 February 2020 updates.  Postpone any updates and wait for the March 2020 updates.

Much has been going on in Apple’s world this month.  Due to the coronavirus outbreak in China, Apple has closed all its Apple stores in the country.  Their main iPhone supplier, Foxconn, was also forced to shut down.  These closures will impact Apple’s bottom line as the company announced yesterday, they will miss their quarterly revenue targets.  Here in the United States, the iPhone supply may be constrained if the Foxconn factories are not 100% back online in the next week.  Apple was expected to announce updates to its iPad Pro line next month which may also be impacted by the coronavirus.