Businesses can rejoice! The START button is back with Windows 8.1.

Are you one of the many Windows users who’ve been missing the “Start” button? Well, on October 18^th a tweaked version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system will restore the beloved “Start” button, and update other features. A full retail version of Windows 8.1 will be available and will be offered as a free download to all Windows 8 users. Windows 8.1 will be available worldwide, starting in New Zealand at midnight on October 18^th.

CIO Magazine’s Jennifer Schiff recently interviewed IT executives to find out what questions customers should ask before hiring an IT consultant. Their answers are insightful and ones that you should be able to address.

According to Tabush Group's owner, Morris Tabush, customers should ensure a prospective IT consultant has experience providing services to their type and size of business. Morris explained, "An IT consultant who typically works with Fortune 500 companies will have a difficult time serving the needs of an SMB (small-to-medium sized business)—and a consultant who has been in the finance industry his entire career may not have the experience needed for, say, a manufacturing shop." Morris has been a successful New York IT consultant for many years, so his words of wisdom are definitely worth considering.

When it comes to productivity suites, Microsoft Office has won the title for the undisputed champion of the world. Many organizations and professionals use all of the programs in the MS Office Suite on a daily basis, which makes Office incredibly popular.

Additionally, Microsoft Office 2013 training is widely available, so becoming an expert with its use can be accomplished within a couple weeks. However, while there are a lot of advantages to MS Office 2013, there are also some disadvantages as well.

If you’re trying to decide whether or not you should upgrade to MS Office 2013, it’s important to be aware of the benefits and advantages that come from using Microsoft’s newest productivity suite.

When a natural or man-made disaster occurs, it’s a troublesome experience; but it can be a beneficial lesson learned when planning for the next crisis. When you consider events like the 2011 Japanese tsunami, it’s no wonder effective offsite back ups and business continuity solutions are such an important topic today.

A report entitled Beyond the First 48 Hours published by PricewaterhouseCoopers in January 2013, recommended that corporations think past a crisis:

“Businesses, including small ones, must implement long-range plans for reestablishing operations and preserving their company’s brand. They must have effective Business Continuity Solutions in place that include Offsite Back Up and Disaster Recovery Plans to safeguard business data via offsite storage.”

There is a wealth of new technology for the busy business professional out there today. But, what technology is best for your busy business?

(We all know it wasn't Al Gore)

Many of the nation’s top attorneys know that technology plays an important role in how they serve clients. The great attorneys know that technology can play a major role is separating their law firm from all the others.

I cannot believe it’s December already, and that in just a few short weeks, we will be in 2013. 2012 was a big year in IT, and for all of us in general.