PC Product Blog from Hardsoft Computers

Kyocera FS-C2526MFP

and reduce print costs..….At HardSoft it is not only Apple Macs and PCs that are available on our flexible lease; we can offer a range of printers from A4 Colour Lasers, A3/4 Multifunction’s and large format printers.

In this blog I will explain how our range of Kyocera Colour Printers can improve your overall office printing and cut running costs i.e toner etc… Kyocera is our chosen brand as they are consistently cheaper to run. ..and these days its all about TCO – total cost of ownership.

Whether laser or inkjet; the general operating expense, the cost of consumables… can be expected to cost several times the purchase price of the printer. Over a typical printer’s life, the difference in toner costs between Kyocera colour printers and any competitors such as Samsung, Brother and Canon can amount to hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Unlike other manufacturers the only consumable for the Kyocera Mita range, is the toner. HardSoft use Kyocera printers in our business and is our printer manufacturer of choice.

All printers are available with an inclusive toner package (up to 2000 or 4000 prints per month); whereby we will monitor your printer remotely and despatch toners when they are needed up to an agreed monthly print usage.

Options of Kyocera printers include the Kyocera FS-C2526MFP A4 Multifunction laser printer which has the capability to print, copy scan and fax. The FS-C2526MFP is a fairly wide and deep printer due to the fact it has a big sideways mounted scanner. The main control panel is also pretty deep and allows room for a well laid out and easy to use set of controls. Included in the controls is a 100mm colour touchscreen and the physical buttons to the left and right of the screen. The main paper tray in the printer can take up to 250 sheets at one times, however, there are 2^nd and 3rd trays available as an optional extra each taking 500 sheets of paper each. Other benefits include printing of 28ppm (Pages Per Minute) double sided printing, copying, scanning and faxing and 10.5 seconds to wait until time of first print. The FS-C2526MFP is available on a 2 and 3 year flexible lease through HardSoft with the 3 year price at just £7.80 + VAT per week.

Kyocera FS-C8650DN

If you are after something high end and high speed printer then the Kyocera FS-C8650DN fits the bill. It is able to print 50ppm A4 colour and 25ppm A3 colour. It has Kyocera’s long life technology meaning this machine will run and run. It also has the unique cartridge free toner system that keeps cost and waste to a minimum, which is one of the main benefits to a Kyocera printer, and this printer in particular. Other benefits to the FS-C8650DN are that is has a 1500 sheet paper capacity as standard with up to 7650 maximum paper capacity, 160GB hard drive as standard and 9,600 dpi printing quality as standard. The FS-C8650DN is available, again on a 2 or 3 year lease basis with the 3 year price at £29.80 + VAT per week. Inclusive toners can be added at an extra cost and can allow for up to 2500 or 5000 prints per month.

At the end of the lease, ownership of the printer will pass to yourselves for just £1 for you to continue to use. These lease prices are based on a two or three year lease, inclusive of warranty for the full term.

 For more information on the flexible lease of any of the Kyocera range, please do not hesitate in contacting our sales team on 020 7111 1643 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk  

.. Total Cost of Ownership ! - Business owners today are expected to do more with less cash. Cost-cutting and belt tightening are now a way of life in these recessionary times. Capital budgets are being scrutinised like never before. So when you need to get new IT all the factors need to be taken into account.

IT capex spending —a major expense for most companies—is under pressure. When new IT technology projects or upgrades are needed, a growing number of companies require total cost of ownership (TCO) budgeting. It is not enough to look at just the upfront costs associated with an IT project; businesses owners need to understand the entire cost over the life of an IT project that could be several years. Computers break so costs for upkeep and repairs need to be considered.

At its most basic, a TCO approacjh helps business owners assess both direct and indirect costs of an IT solution,as well as the benefits. The goal is to develop a final budget  figure that reflects the full effective cost with everthing taken into consideration.

Acquisition and procurement While comparing the cost of different IT equipment can appear to be a relatively simple task, there are frequently less obvious costs unrelated to the initial purchase price which can influence your decision. Often, IT costs are viewed as the lion share of an investment. This expense can represent a low percentage of the overall investment, typically accounting for circa 30 per cent of the real cost.

Operations and maintenance A TCO review also helps answer questions about on going operations and maintenance by addressing cost consideration such as operations staff, maintenance, support contracts, software even electricity. The desire is to provide a comprehensive evaluation across the business, allowing you to select the solution that brings you the greatest return on your investment.

Older equipment and end-of-life management It’s tempting to assume that coaxing additional months of service from older IT equipment saves money. Often this is not the case. In fact, holding onto IT assets for too long can lead to significant additional expense in a number of areas including unscheduled downtime, increased maintenance and lost productivity. Older equipment may also limit your ability to quickly upgrade as business demands change. These challenges ultimately affect customer satisfaction and your bottom line. Alternatively, replacing equipment on a programmed schedule can improve overall utilisation of resources.

Quantifying the cost Generally only 40% of companies’ IT expenses are hardware related. The other 60% encompass costs that are harder to quantify—items like support (including labour), maintenance, depreciation, energy and disposal fees. Only when companies take a comprehensive look at all the components of an IT solution can they begin to understand their total costs—and make decisions that reduce the impact to their bottom lines.

Leasing provides an answer – Companies that take a total cost of ownership approach to IT acquisition often turn to leasing as a means of refreshing equipment and reducing costs. HardSoft have been established over 25 years now and specialise in helping customers’ implement a life-cycle approach to IT— gaining efficiencies and capabilities while keeping a lid on costs.

Leasing computers offers a fixed budget solution and can include installation and servicing costs as well as Software and licensing. It will allow the business to keep its cash which can be used to invest in marketing, new employees or projects. At HardSoft our knowledgeable professionals will work with you to evaluate ways to improve the TCO for your next IT solution whether its Apple or PC’s. We offer financial solutions tailored to designed to help you manage to the lowest TCO—from planning  to installing new computers and software.

HardSoft are a one stop lease shop for those who need to move from restricted capex to flexible opex. 

The Sales team at HardSoft

Most businesses will use leasing to finance new cars, photocopiers, iPhones  and phone systems. In the US most businesses lease their computers as well. In the UK very few businesses consider leasing their IT equipment.
Large corporate customers understand some of the many financial advantages, and organisations such as the Financial Times lease-finance their entire IT. The Federation of Small Businesses says, ”We feel it makes perfect sense in this present difficult climate to lease rather than buy IT equipment.” We have taken a unique approach by being the authorised Supplier of the equipment as well as the Credit broker.

WE ARE A ONE STOP LEASE SHOP. By being in control of both equipment supply and the finance we can offer tailored solutions. It also makes us far cheaper- we only take one bite of the cherry! ‘Flexi-Lease’ by HardSoft is the fusion of this and is the unique alternative to the purchasing of your IT.

- We include 3 years warranty and support and have our own team of Apple and MicroSoft certified engineers.

- Competitive Insurance against theft and damage is available for a little extra , plus the option of a loan computer whould we need to remove yours for repair.

- Guaranteed ownership at the end of the lease for just £1.There’s no mystery here and many people have been put off by leasing as often you have to return the kit.

- The option to Upgrade and keep the old kit ! Without paying anymore per month. It’s similar to a a mobile phone upgrade and it is exclusive to our lease schemes.

We are authorised suppliers for Apple, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP, Fujitsu and Sony. Our Network solutions mainly include HP Proliant Gen8 Servers and all are installed and supported by our own team of engineers. We have several branches around the UK with the latest opening in 2012 in Shoreditch and is the only Apple Authorised Reseller in what is being referred to now as Techcity.

Delivery is just a few days from order. You can order online if you know what you want but our team of trained sales experts can offer decent advice on a solution that meets your needs. That’s not just the IT solution but the financial path to pay for it. Once an existing customer delivery is next day on most Apple Mac computers.

We are a serious alternative to Bank borrowing- business loan rates are often higher than that of lease finance. Banks often charge a weighty arrangement fee. We will endeavor to avoid any demands for Directors Indemnities and when we do these are ‘limited’ liability indemnities. Banks often require a ‘charge’ against your home. This is something we would never need or ask for. New start businesses are welcome but we will need to see some recent bank statements to show that the business can support the lease payments.

Our flexibility means we can offer leases from 1 to 4 years, monthly, quarterly or annual payments, by invoice or direct debit. We can defer payments( currently we are deferring to July 2013 at no additional cost) , or can accept a deposit to reduce the future rental payments. Software from Adobe and Microsoft can also be leased.

Give us a call or drop us an email or pop along to our Shoreditch branch . We will share our 25 years of experience to answer your questions and show you the benefits of our leasing to business users……If you are though a Home user then consider our new Zero interest financing scheme on selected Apple Mac and iPads is available.

Avid Software  is the leader for creating digital media for video, film, music, audio, animation and games. A few weeks ago we blogged about how Avid Software  had announced a recommended specification of the HP Z820 Workstation for use with their products. Described as an “unbeatable technology solution” as a result of Avid’s “intelligent system architecture” and HP’s breakthrough performance, dependability and design, this certainly makes for an unbeatable pairing!

Here at HardSoft, we are pleased to announce that we now offer Avid Certified HP workstations on a 3-year lease.  These Avid bundles are now available to order on our website… There are two options of the Z820 available to lease – either with two 2.5GHz E5-2640 Intel Six Core Xeon processors, or with faster dual  E5-2665 Intel Eight Core Xeon processors. Both are offered with a starting spec of 16GB RAM and a 1TB hard drive. Options for SSD and larger storage and RAM can be leased . For Avid media Composer then the recommendation from Avid is the 2GB NVIDIA Quadro 4000 Graphics card.

HardSoft are an approved supplier for both the HP hardware and the Avid software and can bespoke what you need on a flexible financial business lease. Like Mac equipment, these PC Workstations are available on a Return, Renew or Retain basis after just 24 months, therefore ensuring that your business equipment remains up-to-date. What’s more, we are able to offer a full installation service as well as maintenance support throughout your lease !

If you dont need the awesome HP Z820 then consider the Z220, Z420, Z620 which are all configurable to suit. tell us what software you use and we can tailor it to suit and support it. Visit our website or feel free to contact one of our team on 0207 111 1643 and let us explain our concept of the one the one-stop-lease-shop.

We have lots of great offers on here at HardSoft this month! To save you trying to get your head around them all, we thought we would summarise them ; and all offers can be combined which could save business users loads of cash. 

FREE Office Home and Business Edition…You will receive a FREE edition of Mirosoft Office Home and Business for any newly leased Apple Mac or PC (2011 edition for Mac, new 2013 edition for PC). This will already be installed on your computer when it arrives and will include Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook. With an RRP of over £200 this is certainly a fantastic free bonus! Look no further and check out our website to find a flexible and affordable lease on the Mac or PC  that is perfect for you!

FREE Parallels Windows 8 Windows OS…This brilliant piece of software allows you run Windows on your Mac parallel to OS X. It will come pre-installed and FREE of charge throughout April when you decide to lease any Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display. The 13” MacBook Pro with Retina Display starts at £11.20 + VAT per week and the 15” model at £15.60 + VAT per week on a flexible lease through HardSoft.

How about some CASHBACK?…HardSoft are able to offer £100 cashback on any new equipment ordered on a lease that is worth £12 or more per week. Those who order new equipment leased at £20 or more per week are eligible to £150 cashback ! What’s more, this offer also applies to the leasing of networks and servers ! Both available on a Flexible Lease basis, a 3 PC network equates will get you £300 cashback whilst a 6 PC network gives you a hefty £500 ! And if the thought of installing a network scares you, have no fear ! When you lease your brand new PC or Apple Mac network HardSoft can offer on-site installation by a  Microsoft and Apple Certified Technician; to ensure everything starts off running smoothly.

Want to defer until July?…Subject to status, get your new computers NOW but there is no need to make your first quarterly payment until mid-summer!So, if you want to avoid expensive start-up costs, enjoy a brand new Mac or PC for your business immediately on a flexible lease with free software and get cashback, then April is the month for you ! There’s only a few weeks left in April but dont worry our turnaround is just a few days.

For more information or for a flexible lease quote, please contact our friendly sales team on 020 7111 1643 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk .

HardSoft have offered small-medium businesses the flexible lease of IT hardware for over 25 years. Whether you are a small business with 2 employees or a medium business with circa 25 employees, we have the perfect

The new HP ML350e Gen8 Server

package for you.

A popular choice for new, and established, businesses is the 5 and 10 user network package which includes a server, desktop PCs and all the ‘bits and bobs’ to give you a complete office setup.

HardSoft have just improved their 5 and 10 user network packages and REDUCED the cost ! with increased Cloud Back and new Gen8 HP Servers, and PC’s now with i% CPU’s

Being a HP Preferred Partner, HardSoft offer the brand new range of HP ProLiant Gen8 Tower Servers. For a smaller 5 user network, the HP ML310e is perfect and has a Quad Core Xeon processor, 2 x 1TB 7200rpm Mirrored HDDs and 24GB RAM. The ProLiant ML310e Gen8 is a cost effective choice and ideal as an entry level server for smaller businesses and businesses with remote workers. The HardSoft 5 user network will also come with 5 x ASUS Mini Tower PCs with a Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, a 22” LCD Monitor and Windows 7 or 8 Professional. Bundled up with 2 x Western Digital 1TB portable Back-up drives, 1300VA UPS, Draytek 2830N Wireless Router; the HardSoft 5 user network starts at just £39 + VAT per week.  That’s 5% cheaper than before with all the extras.A small cost for the complete IT setup for your business.

If you’re business have 10+ employees then HardSoft recommend a server which is more ’beefy’ and will allow 10+ PCs to run seamlessly. Again, HardSoft opt for the HP ProLiant range and the ProLiant ML350e Gen8 Server is perfect. Packed with a Quad Core E5 Xeon processor, 3 x 1TB HDDs in RAID 5 Array and 36GB RAM. The ProLiant ML350e delivers the most powerful embedded management technology with HP integrate Lights-Out 4 (iLO4), which allows businesses to manage the server anywhere at any time. Again, packaged up with 10 x Mini Tower PCs and all the ‘bits and bobs’ the HardSoft 10 User Network package starts at £69 + VAT per week.

As for software, both HardSoft 5 and 10 User Network packages come with Microsoft Small Business Server 2011 and AVG Anti-Virus 2012 Business Edition. All PCs will also come with Microsoft Office 2013 Home and Business for Mac.

Finally, there are 3 levels of support with a HardSoft Network and these are BRONZE, SILVER and GOLD. The BRONZE option will include a 3 year next day on-site warranty including telephone technical support and all the equipment will be shipped by courier on a next business day basis. The SILVER option then includes full on-site installation and project management by a HardSoft Microsoft Certified engineer, 100GB of Daily Cloud Backup and FREE changes to email users/details throughout the 3 year lease period. The GOLD option is the highest support option and also includes full on-site installation and project management, 200GB of daily cloud backup, data recovery on failed hard drives, free virus removal and AVG CloudCare which allows web filtering, remote monitoring, employee reporting and Anti-Malware for 3 years.

If you’re interested in equipping your business with a brand new PC network for a small monthly cost on a HardSoft Flexible Lease; then please contact us now on 020 7111 1643 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk. 

…We have been leasing computers to business users for over 25 years. After all this time we still maintain that it is the most cost-efficient way to stay in touch with the latest technology, whether this be for use within a business

Leasing computers is as flexible as you at HardSoft.

or within a home. Many people tend to shy away from leasing as it is often associated with lengthy and restrictive contracts. At HardSoft however, we pride ourselves on offering positive solutions to these well-known negative connotations. Therefore, we thought we would summarise for you why leasing with HardSoft is undoubtedly the way forward to best satisfy your technological needs…

.. now available for free when you lease any PC or Laptop from Hardsoft ! 

Office 2013 is the new productivity suite for Microsoft Windows and is the successor to the highly successful Office 2010. It includes your favourites such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook for email, Excel for spreadsheets and Powerpoint for presentations. Although the PC version of Microsoft Office has been updated the Mac OSX version was not updated and still is Office for Mac 2011- though they have included a SP3 that drops MSN messenger and Remote Desktop.

Prior to the release of the Microsoft Office 2010 the tablet market that we know today didn’t exist, however in those three years Microsoft have adapted Office 2013 to accommodate for the use of fingers and thumbs for the influx of touchscreen tablets, laptops and desktops. One of the main benefits of this that every app within the Office 2013 suite are able to scroll and pan using hand gestures, this allows for on screen typing. The benefit of this is it allows organisations to use tablet as more than just on screen document viewers. Another benefit of Office 2013 is the ability to save documents directly to Microsoft Skydrive providing that you have a Microsoft account. Once you have logged into your account, regardless of which machine that you are on your settings and recent documents are accessible. Office can be run as an app which allows for sharing of documents over a number of devices such as, PC’s, Apple Macs and touchscreen tablets, all available with various leasing options from HardSoft.

The new, clean and fresh interface of Word seems less laborious than the 2010 version with new features such as read mode and the ability to edit native PDF files (not just read them) . Similarly Microsoft have simplified the visuals of their Excel spreadsheets allowing you to concentrate more easily on your work area. Combining this with the new integration of social network contacts into Outlook and the impressive new formatting options available in Powerpoint, Office 2013 seem to be a considerable upgrade on the 2010 version.

All of these features with Microsoft Office 2013 standard are free this April when you take out a lease with Hardsoft on any PC or Laptop. You can also pay a small cost (just 95 pence per week) to upgrade to Office 2013 Professional when leasing with Hardsoft. This  includes Microsoft Access –the database. HardSoft are a certified Microsoft partner and all Micrososoft licensing can be leased.

HardSoft were established many years ago and the MD of HardSoft recalls Office’97 that came on 40 or so floppy disks that each needed feeding in. If you need further details on how leasing computers helps businesses contact us or we’ll come and discuss this with you. Otherwise please feel free to contact our friendly sales team on 0207 111 1643 or email: sales@hardsoft.co.uk.

Technology in schools is not only now expected by students of all ages, it is also vital. In today’s world, technology is often seen as the essential learning platform for children. Computer games and educational programs, as just two examples, offer new and enjoyable ways of learning. What’s more, for the student preparing for university and beyond being technologically literate is a fundamental skill. We live in an age where “everything is done by computer” and as a result there is a huge amount of pressure on schools to provide up-to-date equipment.

What impact has the new Government had ?…Although this week’s budget vows to protect schools, the coalition government’s relationship with the education system is far from perfect. In 2010, the Specialist Schools Programme was abolished. Under Labour, this gave said schools an extra £130 per pupil per year; a significant sum! Such cuts certainly raise questions as to whether the coalition recognises the importance of technology in schools.

Leasing is the way forward…Leasing is the best way to overcome the combination of spending cuts and technological demand in schools. Traditionally, schools tend to shy away from leasing and its association with long contracts, meaning that equipment becomes out-of-date quickly. However, HardSoft’s Flexible Lease allows a school to choose a contract to suit their preferred time frame. Even better is the fact that equipment can be updated within the contract to avoid it becoming out-dated. Furthermore, with HardSoft there is no need to worry about up keep as installation and maintenance are offered throughout the contract.

More than just computers…Schools nowadays are often looking for more than just Desktop PCs. Here at HardSoft we also provide networks, servers, laptops, smartboards, projectors and iPads and all are available for schools on a lease basis.

The Apple iPad with Retina Display starts at just £4.40 + VAT per week on a flexible lease through HardSoft, with discounts available for schools and multiple units. Insurance is included as well as well as a comprehensive three year warranty.

So, whilst the government and the banks might not want to listen, HardSoft do! For up-to-date equipment that is easy on your school’s budget, leasing with HardSoft is definitely the way forward!

Contact us now on 020 7111 1643 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk for a quotation !

Postpone payments until July with a HardSoft flexible lease….. extending an offer we introduced in January, you can now take a new Apple Mac or PC and start paying the direct debit in July .

For all those desperate for the latest Apple Mac or PC, a scheme is now available that permits the lease payments to be deferred for up to three months AT NO EXTRA COST. Why wait ? This makes leasing at Hardsoft Computers  even more affordable than it already is ! We promise no fine print, only that when payments do begin, they are paid on a Quarterly basis, allowing you that payment holiday period at the start of the lease. Order in Spring and  make your first payment in Summer -simple;  No stress. No extras.

Leasing has always been the optimum choice for cash flow and this extended offer takes that to a new level. Naturally this offer is subject to credit status and is specifically designed for low value leases for equipment of less than £18.50 per week plus VAT. Don’t let this put you off !  This amount is even enough to lease the most expensive Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display or even a few lightweight PC Touchscreen Ultrabooks; all with FREE Microsoft Office software included. Apple iPads have now been added to this promotion and we still have the Mac Pro to lease despite the fact its now discontinued and off the Apple Store.

It’s not just that can defer your first rental that makes our IT leasing unique.

So keep your valuable cash and use ours….….If this is something that tickles your fancy then give us call ! We can explain all the options for your business and answer any queries on our ‘Get it now, pay later’ policy.  And remember all HardSoft leasing prices include three years warranty with options for accidental damage/loss insurance and the option to Renew/Retain/Renew after 2 years on a Mac. At HardSoft , leasing is flexible and now very very easy on the cash flow.

For more information on our “Lease now, pay later” offer, or any of our flexible business leases; contact our friendly sales team on 020 7111 1643 or email sales@hardsoft.co.uk. If you are around London then pop into us in Shoreditch.