Hardsoft Computers Blog

Apple have been the choice of many school ICT coordinators but budgets and the monopoly market share of companies like RM have almost forced school decision makers to stick with the world of Microsoft Windows. Recent changes to government funding of ICT projects and the abandonment of BECTA allows schools to be more free and open minded in ICT and IT decisions.

Some ten years ago HardSoft Computers, who specialise in IT leasing, were exceptionally busy installing new PC systems into schools. As budgets loosened in the 90’s then schools had no need to lease and spent capital on computers. HardSoft have seen a significant uplift in enquiries for IT leasing from schools as the budgets start to be constrained. HardSoft now have various flexible leasing plans to schools. Whether its annual payments or monthly payments, deferred payments or staggered payments, an operating lease or a flexible finance lease. – All are possible. Becoming popular are our 3 years operating leases (which work like a pure rental) which the school can return the computers at the end or can choose to buy the equipment at the market price then finance this over 1 to 2 years. This path is very popular with Apple computers and the Apple Learning Lab as Apples retain up to 30% of their value after 3 years and generally have a longer life than a PC system.

Apple has a special iMac now available at a reduced cost to schools. Contact HardSoft for details of this unique product and the benefits of tailoring your budget to your needs.

HardSoft celebrate shortly twenty five years of successful trading and are now the leading IT Technology leasing company.

Uniquely offering a one stop shop as Authorised Reseller for a variety of IT manufacturers such as Apple HP Lenovo, Fujitsu etc. as well as independent finance provider and broker. HardSoft with an old fashioned flexible approach to underwriting accept over 90% of all lease applications and are proud to be working with new business start ups given the difficult recessionary times we live in.

Located in a beautiful bespoke barn conversion just a mile from the bustle of Stansted Airport in Essex/Herts. Borders. HardSoft Computers continues to thrive. HardSoft do not ‘sell’ computers and just specialise in leasing them. But it’s not just finance, services include installation and configuration as well as long term managed support contracts.

Established for twenty five years HardSoft have found their oldest customer and will announce this nearer to 2011 and are also proud that many staff have been with them for many years. Janet Higgs at Head Office has been with the company when it was just a small one man band and she was the first employee. Now she has over twenty five years of leasing computers. That with the other key figures gives probably a few hundred years of combined experience in the IT leasing field !

Rather than any design led changes the differences are all about internal specs….The Mac Mini has though changed colour from white to traditional Apple silver and is now easier to access internally but with higher spec CPU and graphics but at an enhanced cost. HardSoft have recently added the Logitech Cordless keyboard and mouse which is one third cheaper than the Apple equivalent. Prices for the new Mac Mini start at £8.50 per week on a three year flexible lease, inclusive and warranty.

 The Apple iMac was the next to be updated in July with faster Intel Core i3 processors introduced at the entry level and a new fastest ever i7 CPU with 2.93GHz. Again graphics performance was increased across the range. The cheapest 21.5” now starts from £ 9.20   plus VAT per week on a three year flexible business lease, and goes up to £  19.55  per week for  the  27” i7 with 16 GB Ram.

 The Mac Pro was overdue an overhaul. Even as an Apple Authorised Reseller we are still awaiting for stock to become freely available. The entry level Quad Core sees an increase in CPU performance and graphics card whilst the big change is on the higher spec options featuring eight core and twelve core ‘Westmere’ CPUs. Prices have increased by circa 5% as is now becoming the norm for each range facelift.

Ram prices are starting to drop which should offset some of the Apple prices increases reflected in the new products. For detailed pricing please contact us. The HardSoft website will reflect some Apple reductions in the coming weeks.

We at Hardsoft are proud to announce that we have successfully secured a lease contract to supply Hasselblad the world’s premier camera manufacture with new Apple Macs’s on our flexible lease option. Hasselblad UK have taken delivery of three highly specified Apple Mac Pros, which are installed at their UK head office in Borehamwood, Herts. Many photographers may well see them as they pop in. Hardsoft have been supplying IT and Photographic products through our Flexi Lease Program for many years. In fact the owner of the Cambridgeshire Franchise , David Hawkins, has fifteen years experience in Architectural photography.As a photographer, keeping up with digital age and the competition is important to stay ahead of the game, but so is hanging on to that hard earned cash. Our Flexi Lease program will not only give the equipment you need today but enable you to maximise your cash flow. HardSoft can provide a bespoke Mac , including the new 12 core Mac Pro with accessories and software such as Adobe, Aperture etc on a three year lease with hardware support and warranty and optional accidental insurance cover

If you haven’t time to read through Apple’s website, then HardSoft have done it for you, as there are several reasons why Apple thinks you should choose a Mac over a PC. These include:-

Design – not only is the Mac range aesthetically pleasing, it has been designed to be equally reliable and powerful. Software – no Bloatware, so it isn’t susceptible to the thousands of viruses plaguing Windows-based computers. Operating System – The Mac OS X Snow Leopard is incredibly powerful and intuitive, yet simple, which is what is so special about a Mac.

These have been accepted ‘Mac facts’ for many years – the dichotomy was always ‘Apple Mac are beautiful and work, but PC software is cheaper and more readily available’ and as we know from previous experience with Betamax/VHS and HD DVD/BlueRay, the best/cleverest/most powerful choices don’t always shine through, so what can Apple do?

What’s next then? Should you consider an Apple Mac when looking for a new computer, if so where do you start?  Here are the basics to help you decided:-

Laptops firstly  – the MacBook range has 3 basic models and all have something that a laptop generally lacks, a battery that will work all day!

MacBook – is  the cheapest Notebook in the range , with 2-4Gb of RAM – it is probably for the casual /home user and only a 13″ screen Finished in White !.

MacBook Pro –  with 8Gb of RAM and a 13,15 or 17 inch screen, Notebook is the most advanced in the range. It is for the serious user who needs it and needs it now.

MacBook Air – a thin and light Notebook, which comes with 2Gb RAM. It is less than an inch thick and ideal for the ‘out and about’ user.

Mac  – DESKTOP – range has three ranges

iMac – between 4 and 16Gb of RAM,  21.5 inch and 27 inch screens, and in 3 flavours, you would consider this the all-in-one computer. The iMac is very tidy and stylish, and  will suit the average business user, it also comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse , and Bluetooth /wireless networking.  Downside is that it is difficult to upgrade.

MacMini – they say beautiful things come in small packages; it has 8Gb of RAM as is not much bigger than your modem. You choose the keyboard and display that suits you best, however be  warned once you have added all these options your MacMini may work out more expensive than the iMac

MacPro – the fastest most powerful Mac, with 32Gb of RAM – like the MacMini you choose the peripherals. The MacPro is a highly upgradeable and scalable Mini Tower (without screen) and is designed for professional users or server use.  It is easy and cheap to upgrade, however expensive initially.

HardSoft have shipped their first new iMacs today and at no cost have upgraded all previous orders to the new specs at no cost. Essentially there has been a small uplift in price but the new Apple imacs feature faster CPU’s across the range and higher resolution screens inconjunction with better graphics cards.  The Apple iMac 21.5” now features a Core i3 CPU at a weekly equivalent lease price of £9.20 per week plus VAT including three years ‘collect and return’ warranty. As leasing makes things more affordable its not surprising that the most popular iMac to lease is the most expensive one !. This is the new Core i7 featuring the Quad Core 2.93 GHz CPU. This is available at £17.40 per week on a flexible and upgradeable lease with 8GB Ram

 HardSoft have also introduced the Bretford iCart  – This is a compartmental  secure mobile charging trolley designed for Apple MacBooks and Apple MacBook Pros. It makes transporting easy and safe. Multiple-point bolting doors and re-programmable padlock deters theft and helps ensure the security of thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

Available in 16 , 24 or 32 compartments . These can be included within the lease packages from an extra £7.50 plus VAT per week. Discounts are available for schools and college leasing.

A report by the Institute of Directors (IoD) says that one third of UK businesses that have asked for new borrowings with their bank this year have been declined.  This is a poor reflection on the current availability of money that will power the UK out of recession. But the story is worse than it appears as the figure is probably over 50%.

The IoD survey is based on lending to Limited Companies. Many companies excluded from this survey are the Sole Trader and Partnership businesses that are even less likely to get lending as they tend to be the smaller companies. Additionally the survey is based upon ‘formal’ rejection by the lender. Most businesses would informally approach their bank before going through the lengthy paperwork process. Could the figures then be nearer two thirds being rejected ?

The market for lending to small businesses via Leasing is starting to grow. New lenders have entered the fray and companies such as Hardsoft who specialise in Computer Leasing  have seen a 25% increase in business this year. Hardsoft can reassuringly quote approvals for lending running at over 90% acceptances.  For new start up companies the figure is 70%. Often computer leasing companies will also require less security than the traditional bank lenders . The rates charged for leasing are now generally much cheaper than bank interest rates and admin fees are minor.

Over 90% of business users of mobile phones have them on a Contract, rather than Pay As You Go.

It is in fact quite difficult to even buy a phone,  then separately buy the connection. A two year mobile phone contract , for instance , with O2 for the new Apple iPhone 4 will cost on average £45 per month and for an unlimited contract is £60. That excludes bolt ons and insurance.  That means just to make a phone call costs approximately £13 per week.  If you were to take a HardSoft Lease deal and spent £13 per week you could get 2 X MacBooks or a beautiful Apple 27” iMac !

Most businesses in the UK will buy their Computers and not take on a lease. In the USA this is the opposite and with the UK struggling out of recession then leasing contracts are an ideal way to control costs . Leasing, like Mobile Phone contracts, offer upgrade options and support and insurance.

A Business will rent a mobile phone, contract hire a car, lease a franking machine or a copier…The next logical step is to lease their computers.

HardSoft are an Authorised Apple Reseller and with a chain of nationwide branches can offer you the right IT for your business under their Flexible IT Leasing arrangements. Perfect for all businesses.

HardSoft have seen a dramatic increase in enquiries from Schools and the Public Authorities for their specialist IT Leasing arrangements.

Review of the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ (BSF) by the new government last week has meant an instant reduction in IT budgets by some £3.7billion. The most popular supplier of Computers to Schools is RM whom analysts believe will lose £306 million of business.

Headteachers will have less of a capital spend on computers and IT but would seem to get more choice and control. The budget circumstances mean that Leasing is now the way to plug the hole in the budget gaps. HardSoft offer both Operating Leases – whereby the equipment is returned at the end of the 3 or 4 year contract or Flexi-Lease- which allows upgrades and renewal through the lease term. HardSoft include warranty and support within their lease contracts and this could mean further savings to Schools as effectively the IT support is outsourced.

Schools look like being more in control of their own destiny with BECTA being disbanded and the Government this week cancelling their Microsoft licensing agreement for schools. In particular Apple has introduced a unique 20” iMac for the educational sector which is some 15-20% cheaper than their traditional Macs. Children love Macs and this is a great oppurtunity to get them in classrooms.

With all the doom and gloom in the economy going on, we thought it would be nice to share a good story for once. It also shows with the right infrastructure and planning that anything can be obtained.

It started 4 years ago when an old personal friend approached us to help with his IT requirements as he was setting up his own cruise business. He needed a small server and a couple of PC’s. Over the year he then started taking on home workers which again need PC’s but also routers with specific VOIP connections.

Subsequently since then, he has grown his business to in excess of 40 staff and last week it culminated with them winning the Travelzoo award for best cruise deals supplier in Europe.

We are proud to be involved in their success and it shows with the right IT solutions anything can be achieved.

Well done to Ian at Jetline Cruise and his team.