IAL Training

IAL Training Online or On-site PC Training & Online IT Support Consultant Become More Productive in your Business & Home Office Environment.

Utilise your Windows 10 PC or Laptop & Microsoft Office applications more efficiently. We also provide additional online Technical IT Support for Hardware & Software, Android (Google) Smart TV’s & TV Boxes, and do Basic Web Page Design.

There's something incredibly satisfying about building a home theater setup that feels just right. But I've learned that...
31/07/2025

There's something incredibly satisfying about building a home theater setup that feels just right. But I've learned that you don't always need to buy everything brand-new.

In fact, if you're even a little bit savvy (or lucky), you can score some serious second-hand audio-video gems like speakers, receivers, and projectors without compromising on quality.

But not everything is worth the risk when it comes to buying used. Some items, like TVs, soundbars, and headphones, are riskier, and you're probably better off getting them new.

With that being said, let's get into my list of home theater you should and shouldn't buy second-hand.

Buy it used, not abused. Know what’s safe to thrift and what needs to be fresh from the box.

Everybody knows what a smart TV is these days, but what separates them all can be more of a mystery. Screen size is an o...
31/07/2025

Everybody knows what a smart TV is these days, but what separates them all can be more of a mystery. Screen size is an obvious difference, but resolution and audio features are also important to consider.

Those aren't the only things to keep in mind when you're making your next smart TV purchase. Here are the features I consider must-haves.

Keep these features on your checklist.

Creative Technology has released the Creative Stage Pro. This is a new 2.1-channel soundbar and subwoofer system designe...
31/07/2025

Creative Technology has released the Creative Stage Pro. This is a new 2.1-channel soundbar and subwoofer system designed to deliver cinematic audio in compact spaces.

This latest addition to Creative's Stage series is a much smaller soundbar than you'd be used to seeing, but it is still powerful.

It's small enough to be your monitor's speaker system.

On July 29, 2015, Microsoft launched Windows 10 to the world. It was a step in the right direction after the disaster th...
31/07/2025

On July 29, 2015, Microsoft launched Windows 10 to the world. It was a step in the right direction after the disaster that was Windows 8, merging the new live tile interface with the familiar Start menu design, and refocusing attention on the desktop experience for keyboard and mouse users.

Windows 10 was the OS of many firsts. It was the first to be built in the open alongside the public, with frequent technical and consumer preview builds on an almost weekly cadence, via a new program called the Windows Insider Program.

Users could test and influence development as it was happening, which shaped Windows 10 in a way no previous version of Windows had been.

It would also be the first version of Windows to be updated twice a year with new features and platform changes, be free for existing users coming from older versions of Windows, and transcend the desktop with a new core designed to run on everything from phones to XR devices.

Windows 10 entered full-time development in 2014 under the codename Threshold, a reference to a planet in the video game Halo. It would go on to receive 14 major updates in its lifecycle, with the last major OS release landing in 2022.

It was also supposed to be the last version of Windows, but that ended up not being entirely true.

So, to celebrate 10 years, let's look back at Windows 10's most defining and controversial moments that have led us to where we are today.

From modern app platforms to forced feature upgrades and telemetry concerns, we take a look at 10 of Windows 10's most controversial and defining moments on its 10th anniversary.

On July 29, 2015, Windows 10 launched with the promise to be the "last version of Windows," and it quickly became one of...
31/07/2025

On July 29, 2015, Windows 10 launched with the promise to be the "last version of Windows," and it quickly became one of the most popular operating systems, offering better stability, familiarity, and refinement after the rough Windows 8.x era.

However, as the operating system turns 10, the end is officially closing in.

Support for this version will end on October 14, 2025, after which no further free updates will be available unless you enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.

I've used every version (from 3.x and onward), and even though Windows XP and 7 were great systems, Windows 10 has been uniquely special in terms of usability, performance, and design.

Sure, Windows 11 is now the version that looks to the future, but it drops a number of the simple and useful features that users really appreciated on Windows 10.

As Windows 10 turns another year and approaches its end of life, here are the features I'll miss the most.

After a decade, Windows 10 is heading into retirement. Here's what Microsoft is taking away, and why it'll be hard to move on.

Microsoft has now quietly admitted Windows 11 24H2 stability issues after recent mandatory cumulative updates.Windows 11...
31/07/2025

Microsoft has now quietly admitted Windows 11 24H2 stability issues after recent mandatory cumulative updates.

Windows 11 24H2 is comparatively better than the previous releases, but the rollout wasn’t exactly smooth. It caused a lot of issues for some of us, including Blue Screen of Death, but more problems were introduced with the follow-up cumulative updates.

We found that Windows updates would hit install errors like 0x800f0922 / 0x80070002 / 0x80070306 / 0x800f0991 when trying to download the mandatory updates.

We also observed that games like Fortnite would randomly reboot PCs, and some users also flagged taskbar freezes on waking up the PC.

Recent updates also introduced false Windows Firewall Event 2042 “Config Read Failed” warnings in Event Viewer, and also caused Alt+Tab cursor lag reports during games.

Microsoft has now quietly admitted Windows 11 24H2 stability issues after recent mandatory cumulative updates.

Recently, the Windows machine I've been using for nearly a decade began to slow down. My apps were slow to load, my boot...
11/07/2025

Recently, the Windows machine I've been using for nearly a decade began to slow down. My apps were slow to load, my boot times increased, and multitasking was sluggish.

My initial thoughts were, "This PC has had a good run. It's probably time for a new one," but after looking through the PC specs, I decided to investigate new RAM.

After a little research, I discovered that upgrading the RAM on my PC was not only possible, but it would also cost about a tenth of what it would cost to replace the PC entirely. So off I went, and I'm sure glad I did.

I thought my aging computer was beyond saving, but one small upgrade brought it back to life.

With subscription fatigue hitting everyone's wallets, cloud storage often feels like an easy expense to eliminate.But be...
11/07/2025

With subscription fatigue hitting everyone's wallets, cloud storage often feels like an easy expense to eliminate.

But before you hit that cancel button on Google One, there are some serious consequences you need to know about.

Your Google One benefits are far-reaching, so make sure you know what you're losing before you give them up.

Once every blue moon, I love going to the movie theater to see a blockbuster, and also for the experience.But when you d...
11/07/2025

Once every blue moon, I love going to the movie theater to see a blockbuster, and also for the experience.

But when you don't want to leave the house or just have some friends over, there are a few ways to capture the cinematic magic without leaving your living room.

You don't need to leave the house to get that full movie theater experience.

Smart TV web browsing sounds convenient until you're stuck wrestling with on-screen keyboards and sluggish interfaces.Th...
11/07/2025

Smart TV web browsing sounds convenient until you're stuck wrestling with on-screen keyboards and sluggish interfaces.

That said, with a few simple tweaks, you can actually make the experience surprisingly smooth.

You can browse the web on your smart TV—you just need the right tools for the job.

Spotify Premium makes your music experience better, but the price tag stings.So if your wallet is feeling the burn or yo...
11/07/2025

Spotify Premium makes your music experience better, but the price tag stings.

So if your wallet is feeling the burn or you want to save some extra dollars, there are a few smart ways to keep Spotify's tunes rolling without paying the full amount.

You don't always have to pay full price for Spotify Premium.

If your Word documents constantly need last-minute fixes or don’t look quite right, you’re not alone.After years of brut...
11/07/2025

If your Word documents constantly need last-minute fixes or don’t look quite right, you’re not alone.

After years of brute-forcing my way through Word docs, I found that a few small style tweaks actually made editing feel smooth.

Here are some of the go-to Styles options I always pay attention to on long documents.

Speed up your document edits with these five essential Word style tweaks.

Address

Johannesburg
2001

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 13:00
Sunday 09:00 - 13:00

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when IAL Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to IAL Training:

Shortcuts

Share