Apple Product Blog from Hardsoft Computers

As a director of HardSoft I have worked behind the ‘shop counter’  since 1984 and my first Windows PC I sold was the wonderful Amstrad PC1512 with Double floppy disk drives…but oh I have learnt to hate the PC. Not as a user but as some who needs to sell and service them every day for our business customers.

But my life is becoming easier as an Apple  Mac Reseller. HardSoft became Apple Mac Authorised about 3 years ago and the business has changed to where 80% of all computers we ship are Macs. But 80% of our time is spent sorting problems on a Windows based PC.

Let’s take my week last week at HardSoft  and a few examples…. We have a team of good engineers and if you ask them what computer they have they will all say a Mac despite some working on PC’s for over 20 years.  First there was the Car dealership who simply needed a new PC.  We delivered a standard Fujitsu PC but then it needed a 32 bit Windows 7 rather than 64 bit. Then it needed a Serial port- something a PC doesn’t have any more.

We ship a few Servers on lease every week and last week was no exception except they are all unreliable compared to their Mac sisters. After a week of testing and patching a Windows 2008 Server we decided on Friday afternoon to upgrade the Ram. It never started ever again and we had to replace it . .. Graphics Card on a PC- too many choices and too many standards of VGA, DVI, Display port HDMI.  Trying to get a screen to match a graphics card is almost impossible. Apple Mac screen maybe expensive but you just plug them in to the standard sockets and they all work.  And as for Anti Virus software I can’t believe how many phone calls we get on configuring then re-configuring the AV software. Forget about that a genuine customer may have a virus but everyone’s paranoid about security in Windows world.

As I now see it the Apple Mac maybe up to 50% more expensive than the equivalent Windows PC but is faster , smoother, works all the time and saves money by just being uncomplicated. No wonder Apple customers are in love with their Mac. I am  ! as are our engineers who see constant frustration from Windows owners. Business computing was invented by Bill Gates but Steve Jobs has certainly developed it.

For years it has been a Windows based product but it’s now available for the Apple Mac as well ! With more and more CAD professionals moving across to the Apple Mac; Autodesk have just announced AutoCAD LT 2013 for MAC !  This is a huge step in the 2D world, as Mac users can now install AutoCAD LT 2013 on their shiny new iMac, MacBook Pro or Mac Pro without having to fudge a solution with Windows under Bootcamp. The full 3D version has been around a while for the Mac but the vastly popular LT version is set to change things. AutoCAD LT2013 for Mac (and PC) is set to cost £13.80 + VAT per week on a flexi-lease from HardSoft Computers (the same as AutoCAD LT 2012) and is available to ship mid April 2012.

So, what is different about AutoCAD LT 2013 from 2012 ? I thought I would give you a general overview on the features you will be using and seeing in AutoCAD LT 2013, so here goes:

1. The Hatch Editor ribbon tab now allows you to select more than one hatch object at one time.
2. You can check out the object properties as you select them, including transparency, so you can get the property value right every time!
3. Point Clouds can now be easily attached from the External Reference Manager.
4. You can now Press and Pull multiple object at any one time.
5. You can import Autodesk Inventor Models!
6. It adds Detailed and Section Views. Also you can select the objects you want to include in your model.
7. You can now preview your offset results
8. Strike-through Text are now available for Mtext, Mleaders, Dimensions and Tables.

These are just a few of the new features of AutoCAD LT 2013 for Mac, so as you can see it is well worth looking at.

As I have said a few times (and the main point of this blog) is that it is available for Mac ! With the 27” iMac starting at £12.50 + VAT per week on a flexible finance lease, and the Mac Pro starting at £17.80 + VAT per week;  HardSoft Computers provide with the hardware and software to run your business ! Contact the HardSoft Leasing team on 01279 718 693 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk.

As an alternative to Autocad  from Autodesk we can also lease software from Vectorworks which up to now has been the the only CAD/CAM software for the Apple Mac. TurboCad Mac completes the choices of CAD software available to lease for the Apple Mac.

So we’re open in Shoreditch today with a new retail store focused on Apple Mac products for the business users. …. The usual teething issues from waiting for BT to install the Broadband to the decorator wanting to paint anything that moved all happened. At one point  it was like the last five minutes of ‘Changing Rooms’…

On display is the MacBook Air, Pro, Mac Pro and iMac and Apple Product Professionals are available to explain and demonstrate the range of Apple Mac products. Both sales and leasing is available on all Macs. Accessories such as those odd Thunderbolt cables and that odd mouse are available in store to purchase as well as memory upgrades available whilst you wait. Hard drives can be changed and replaced in store and in stock are some faster-than-Apple options such as the Mercury Aura 6G drives for the Air (available up to 480GB) and the Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid drive for the MacBook Pro. A 1TB option can be fitted to the Pro as well.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm though looking at opening till 7:30 on Thursdays and at weekends in the near future.If you feel you need ‘quality time’ then please make an appointment to sit and chat.

The new store is the only Apple Authorised Reseller in the Shoreditch area and sits at the heart of the Tech City area. With many creative businesses using Apple Mac then this new East London Apple store location is perfect. HardSoft specialise in the lease of computers and this finance option is available to start up and new businesses. Leasing offers the ability to keep up to data and works very much the same way as a mobile phone contract. Software is available from Adobe and Microsoft amongst others and can also be included within a three year lease package.

If your Apple Mac is broken then we offer In-Warranty (and AppleCare) repairs , and chargeable out of warranty repairs and on site consultancy

The Dell UltraSharp U3011 is the new Apple iPad’s unlikely ally….. What’s this got to do with the new iPad?  Well Apple’s latest iPad (available here

The new iPad needs a hi-res partner ?

from £4.55 a week with 3 years warranty & insurance) has a Retina display which means it has a 2046×1536 resolution. This poses a problem for anyone who wants to connect their iPad to an external source and experience , the iPad has a million more pixels than even a HD TV. This is where the Dell steps in as the only display currently on the market that will support the iPads full display; making it very popular with iPad App developers. The Dell is available now starting at £8.30+VAT per week on a HardSoft Flexi Lease.

Dell and Apple are two of the world’s biggest rivals; but both have just released products that dovetail perfectly…..The Dell UltraSharp U3011 is Dell’s new goliath display ; a direct competitor to Apple’s own 27” Thunderbolt Display (available on a HardSoft flexible lease for

Apple's new friend..the Dell U3011

£7.50+VAT per week). The 30” size allows it to have 2560 x1600 resolution (something I will go into later) at a 16:10 aspect ratio. It also boasts Dell’s IPS (in-plane switching) technology for minimal colour deviation across the widest of viewing angles. With the ability to accept HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI-D it is very versatile, it also offers a 7 in 1 media reader and 4 USBs to make it extremely practical as well.  

This is the only screen compatible with the high screen resolution of the new iPad and will happily work with any Apple MacBook Pro, iMac or Mac Pro.

All options can be leased on aflexible finance scheme with HardSoft that includes three years warranty and options to renew the lease and get new equipment after two years- rather like a mobile phone contract.

Having been established for over 25 years HardSoft appreciate the importance of Data Backup. In that time we have had two server failures that have led us to restore from back up. It is a fact that 80% of businesses who suffer a complete data loss go out of business within 6 months.

Whether you have a standalone Apple Mac or PC or a network of machines you must have your data backed up regularly. Data loss amongst home users is very common- 66% in fact. Obviously you cannot afford to lose data in your business. Our lease scheme offers an inexpensive way to obtain a robust data storage and backup solution quickly and with only 1 months outlay. High end storage can be expensive but leasing with HardSoft makes the unaffordable now very affordable.

For standalone users or small networks we can offer the Lacie 2big 4TB Thunderbolt Drive for £ 5.45 + vat per week. With new fast Thunderbolt technology and being Apple Time Capsule compatible you can rely on this for regular daily automated backups. The Promise Pegasus R4 4TB desktop Raid drive is only £ 7.50 + vat per week and offers connections by both Thunderbolt or a normal network connection. So this is ideal for a small business network and long term has interchangeable hard drives so is easy to upgrade if you need more space. Best value for large data storage is the G-Tech G-Raid 6TB storage solution at only £ 4.70 + vat per week, lots of space but slightly limited as only has USB connectivity and is a sealed unit so cannot be upgraded in the future.

We also accommodate solutions on a low cost flexible lease for larger network users with heavy duty Backup solutions such as the Drobo Pro 8TB on lease at £ 15.80 per week. The Drobo Pro has 8 bays and can go upto 24GB of storage and with fast Ethernet connection links into your network easily. The cheaper Drobo FS 5TB device is only £ 7.50 per week on lease from HardSoft and has the features of the Drobo Pro but without the exapandability.  As Drobo Certified Partners we have the expertises and trained technicians to implement either solution into your business. Hardsoft have certified Apple technicians that can install.

HardSoft flexible lease solutions offer a low cost way to get a Backup or Storage solution that is correct for your business and your environment whether PC or Apple Mac. Our leases are 100% tax deductible and allow you to upgrade every 2 years; so as your storage needs grow then we can adapt the lease and the monthly rental costs to suit.

With a wide choice of storage solutions available we can design the perfect storage solution. Ask us.

One of the most attractive options on a lease from HardSoft is the flexibility of the lease and options available part way through. We not only guarantee ownership at the end of the three year  lease for just £1 (a much more attractive deal than those who ask for a percentage of “fair” market value) regardless of the real value but we also offer a Renewal option. This works slightly differently for both PC and Mac and it often raises questions from people who say it must be too good to be true so let’s go through the details…. It works in a similar way to a mobile phone contract.

PC Renewals are as they have been for many years here – to coin a phrase if it isn’t broken don’t fix it, so here is the PC process summarised for you: After 18 months of lease payments you will be eligible to take a new lease on the latest equipment (which doesn’t have to be like for like- sp a HP PC could be Renewed to an iMac). As part of that brand new lease you stop paying for the first one. This means you get a brand new machine and continue to make only one monthly payment, so this is easy to budget for while keeping your business ahead of the tech curve – better still you keep your old equipment as part of this too, which is a great option for the expanding business (or a few customers have been known to hand their old laptops down to the kids heading off to University etc.).

Mac Renewals are where we have mixed it up a bit in the last year, much the same as the PC option this one only kicks in after 2 years – Macs have a much longer lifecycle and as such we noticed a trend of people voluntarily bucking that Upgrade opportunity until at least two years. As part of this change we also added some extra benefits… You can give back your Mac after two years and walk away from the lease without any further rental payments or penalties. As with PC’s your Apple Mac Renewal allows you to get the latest kit on a new lease but unlike the PC option you may return your old Apple Mac OR Retain it . A discount can be applied to anyone opting to give back old kit and we pay a good fair market price.

All customers with Renewals are told via a letter once every few months but there is nothing to stop you putting a note in the diary to make sure you contact us and get the most out of the offer.If you are happy to accept an increase in Rental then please contact us before the Renewl date.

Existing customer who thinks they have a Lease renewal due ? Email Ryan@hardsoft.co.uk and enquire on new leasing and financing options on a new Mac.

Available to lease from today ! Yesterday Apple unveiled the third generation of their tablet simply named…. The new iPad.  Whilst  the dropping of
the numerical moniker may have come as a small surprise the majority of the upgrades did not. It looks the same and is available in black or white.

 Apple’s worst kept secret of all was the “Resolutionary” (Apple’s words not mine) Retina display. Boasting 2048 x 1536 pixels ; that’s nearly four times the amount of pixels on the iPad 2 meaning they are undistinguishable from a normal viewing distance. This means that images and videos will look sharp, crisp and realistic.

 As expected there is also an upgrade to the chip at the heart of the iPad with Apple developing the new A5x with Quad Core Graphics (It’s not quite the quad core A6 chip we were hoping for, maybe next time).  To show off its new graphics ability Apple demonstrated the new iPhoto App as well as a new sketching App from Autodesk called Sketchbook.

The rear camera gets a major improvement going from a measly 0.7MP camera to a nearly respectable 5 mega pixel offering that can also film in full 1080P HD; whilst these isn’t ever going to be anyone’s primary use of the iPad it’s a nice addition and makes up for one of the shortfalls of the iPad 2. The new iPad also has the ability to offer 4G meaning blistering speeds when you are internet roaming; however this is just a future proofing exercise for us Brits as the mobile networks here still haven’t decided how they are collectively rolling out the technology. But still; it’s there for when they do!

 One of the nicer surprises is that Apple have frozen their prices meaning that HardSoft’s flexible leases will stay the same price:

• 16GB Wifi iPad @ £4.55 +VAT per week
• 32GB Wifi iPad @ £5.25 +VAT per week
• 64GB Wifi iPad @ £6.45 +VAT per week
• 16GB Wifi + 4G iPad @ £5.55 +VAT per week
• 32GB Wifi + 4G iPad @ £6.45 +VAT per week
• 64GB Wifi +4G iPad @ £7.45 +VAT per week

All the above prices are on HardSoft’s 3 year flexible  lease and include 3 year’s inclusive warranty and a zero excess insurance policy !

HardSoft are an Authorised iPad Reseller and  taking orders for leasing and hire of  the new iPad; which is due to start shipping on March 16^th. However as usual there is likely to be a shortage so make sure you get your order in as soon as possible. Email sales@hardsoft.co.uk for more details or call the sales team on 01279 718693.

We stay up to date on everything Apple because we love Macs, but we’re also certified to support you and your computer. At HardSoft , five sales colleagues this week qualified as Apple Product Professionals…..Two engineers became Apple Certified Technical Coordinators.

Certification is part of being an Apple Authorised Reseller. On top of our Apple training and certification, the HardSoft team is drawing on years of Apple product support and service experience- in fact established in 1984 ! Every member of the HardSoft sales and technical team holds some sort of Apple certification.

The newly qualified Apple Sales Professionals

But all these Apple Product Professionals are also experts at not just creating the Apple solution but are experts in leasing, financing and budgeting. Each can create a lease payment plan over 1 to 4 years and you can choose a deposit of nothing or tailor it to suit.  Deferal of payments is also possible and we love start up business.

HardSoft are an Apple Authrised Reseller that specialises in leasing of the Apple Mac range; from the Macbook Air to the Mac Pro. HardSoft Computers have been established for over 25 years and are just about to open a retail store in Shoreditch, London. HardSoft offer both the lease finance and the supply from one source as well as extended support options and bespoke accessories and software such as Adobe.

Are you covered ?  Check ! as most business or household policies don’t cover the higher values of Apple Macs or Laptops. All Risks Insurance aginst loss theft and accidental damage  is available as an option on all leases from HardSoft on  PC Laptops, and all Apple Macs. It is available for as little as £1 per week and is tailored to meet the high demands of Mac users.

Internationally famous party organisers Simon Liebel Ltd has that cover luckily as  they recently had three Apple iMacs stolen from their London Chelsea offices. After reporting to police, within 72 hours new three new Apple iMacs were delivered by a HardSoft engineer who helped re-instate their software.  Unfortunately three days later they were stolen again ! Again the all risks insurance cover allowed replacements within a further 48 hours. No excess was payable on either claim and the customer has installed extra security.

Insurance is included within the costs of every Apple iPad on lease from HardSoft. iPads are currently the most popular item for thieves as they have a great resale value and are in great demand. But if you damage your iPad our insurance covers it as well..

Hasselblad are a famous name in professional cameras and have leased many Apple Macbook Pros from HardSoft. Only recently a Pro was stolen from a hotel room and was replaced within days by Haardsoft under the insurance included within the Hasselblad leasing package.

This Apple iPad (pictured left) was actually driven over by one of our customers after leaving on the roof of a car. But it’s all covered and a new replacement was shipped on -though no data was recoverable !

If you need policy terms and conditions or a quotation for insuring your computers then contact us and we will happily forward the full policy terms and conditions. You will be surprised how inexpensive computer insurance with HardSoft can be. Combine that with our three year warranty on every item we ship and all the financial advantages of leasing then consider a quotation from HardSoft .

Leasing is a flexible alternative to the purchase of the IT for a new company and great for cash flow !  At HardSoft Computers we can provide leasing to new and start-up businesses, unlike many other suppliers and banks.  As a new start-up business it can be difficult for us to establish any credit history for the business, therefore, some further information may be required. We may ask for owner’s home address and 2-3 months’ worth of personal bank statements to establish some credit history and the owner’s ability to meet the lease payments.  If it’s a brand new Limited Company we may require a director’s indemnity.

One new start company that HardSoft have recently helped obtain finance last weeks to furnish their new studio with Apple Macs is The National Youth Film Academy in Newcastle. The NYFA (National Youth Film Academy) is an organisation created to locate, educate, develop and showcase the talents of gifted young actors and film makers aged 16-25 years old from around the UK.

In August 2011, The NYFA introduced its first summer programme ‘Make it Happen’. Supported by BFI Future Film, the Directors Guild Trust and the Directors Guild of Great Britain, graduates showcased their talents at the  BFI Southbank.  We supplied the NYFA with Fifteen Apple Mac  computers including the 21.5” iMac which we were able to discount by around 14%. Usually at  £8.95 + vat per week, we took this price down to just £7.70 + vat per week on our Flexi-Lease. Also supplying Apple 27” Thunderbolt Displays, a Mac mini and iPad 2’s. The NYFA studio is now kitted out with brand spanking new machines thanks to HardSoft thats also helped the cash flow. All Apple Macs came with 3 years collect and return warranty and I am sure they will take advantage of Hardsoft’s unique 2 year Renewal option that will allow the lease payments to remain the same whilst getting  new Apple Mac computers and keeping the old !

At HardSoft we understand the importance of IT in any new or start-up business and are therefore willing to help. We have over 25 years experience in finance for new businesses and are Apple Authorised. Please feel free to us contact by phone or email on 01279 718 693 or sales@hardsoft.co.uk.