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It's your monthly dose of tech news, tips & how-tos, as well as our favorite receipes and some other web goodies.

January 2016

DEAL OF THE MONTH

Everyone at ThinkSpace IT wishes you a very happy & prosperous New Year! With a new year it is always a time to think of new beginnings. And new beginnings can start with the reevaluation of your businesses IT needs. We are always ready to schedule a time to meet with you to discuss your current IT situation and make any suggestions for upgrades to make things run smoother. This month we are offering some great deals on monitors.

If you could use an upgrade to your existing desktop monitor, check out the HP P242va 24" LED backlit monitor for $150.00. This thin, space saving monitor is sure to take your desktop to the next level. We like this one so much that we've featured it in our product spotlight this month.

You can also optimize your workspace with the LG 21:9 UltraWide Business Monitor for only $389.00. This monitor offers efficiency at it's finest with its 4-screen spilt and dual linkup/controller allowing you the capability to multi-task effectively.

If you are looking for a digital signage solution, look no further than the Samsung 65" Slim Direct-Lit LED Display for Business for $2325.00. Achieve your business goals with vivid and reliable digital signage designed for 24/7 operation. DME Series displays deliver industry-leading performance, proven Samsung technology and a wide array of sizing options for adaptable and dependable business usage to meet various business needs.

Enjoy the start of your new year!!

a work break guide to fun urls

AUTHOR | the staff @ThinkSpace IT

January 28th is FUN AT WORK DAY so, here is a brief look at fun, quirky, and interactive websites. Although... we aren't technically recommending you view these during your working hours. We wouldn't want you getting into trouble or anything!

Just as the website name suggests you draw a stick man and watch him come to life. Think of this one as more of a history lesson instead of waste of time. This one is relaxing and creative using sand! This one is memorizing! Because, who doesn't want to translate their words in to Shakespearean language? Or Klingon? If you have money lying around and need something to spend it on, this site is good to find some useful and not so useful items. Create your very own "Keep Calm and..." posters using the Keep Calm-o-Matic! Make your own world cloud with Wordle. Got a few spare minutes and want to create your own comic strip, check out Stripgenerator. If you delight in mis-spellings, typos, and all-around generally bad grammar found on the web, Funny Typos is probably for you.

Product Spotlight | HP ProDisplay P242va

AUTHOR | Jessa Erickson @ThinkSpace IT

Give your HP Pro PC content room to roam on the extra-large HP ProDisplay P242va Monitor, a sleek display that delivers essential presentation features and advanced connectivity for your everyday business productivity needs at a highly affordable price point.

We have one of these in the office specifically for our Intel Compute Stick because it requires an HDMI port, but honestly, at this price point I'm considering moving all of my office monitors over becacuse it's just such a great value! The extra large screen size and awesome resolution make viewing documents, applications and website a lot easier. Setup is super simple and you have 3 connection options (VGA, display port, or HDMI) and it supports multiple monitor connections from a single PC, which is a huge help since 95% of our PCs in the office are a multiple monitor set-up.

As an added bonus, this is a great monitor to use with an HP Desktop Mini or Chromebox because you can mount the mini PC directly behind the display.

FEATURES

  • 1920x1080 resolution
  • 24" diagonal screen
  • 178-degree viewing angles
  • included ports: display port, HDMI, VGA
  • warranty: 3 years

New year, cool gear

AUTHOR | HP Technology at Work

The average American spends roughly a third of their waking hours at work during their career. So it’s no surprise that many of our office devices function as much more than just productivity tools. They’re part of our professional identities. And just as we often have both professional and personal personas, our devices can do double duty in after-work activities.

Far from being a distraction, the dual-purpose device can actually be a net positive for your work. People who are more expressive at work actually have greater working memory performance than persons low in expressivity, allowing them to focus their attention and resist distraction. So the next time you’re in the market for a new device, consider some of the playful, and productive, options below.      Read More

As an added bonus, check out HP's 2015 in numbers infographic.

The Case for Multiple Monitors

AUTHOR | Jessa Erickson @ThinkSpace IT

I've been there. I used to think that having multiple monitors was a waste of desktop space and of money. But, like most tips and tricks I'd been holding out on, I was wrong. I was SO wrong that now whenever I'm out of the office using my laptop and don't have my extra monitor, I feel like it's more difficult to accomplish certain tasks and that I'm far less productive. Granted, some of that could be in my head, but studies have been released that do coroborate my theory.

If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet and need a little more info on just why you should take the plunge into multiple monitor land, check out the links we've rounded up below.

Samsung seems to be a big proponent of multiple monitor usage, which isn't really a surprise considering they manufacture some of the most widely used monitors out there today. My internet search helped me stumble upon a few pieces of literature from the hardware giant, including the following:

Other articles making the case for multiple monitor usage (including one who also talks about the disadvantages) include Microsoft, Dell, WebDesignerDepot.com, and PC World (who, naturally, gives us helpful tips and tricks to set up our new workspace).

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