Cloud computing helps SMEs compete
Adopting cloud computing can help smaller businesses compete with larger organizations according to communications and data center specialist Node4. However, many have yet to embrace the full potential of the cloud despite the fact that it can give them a competitive edge.
Node4 says that making the switch from using a capital expenditure model to a pay-as-you-go operational expenditure plan opens up opportunities to use enterprise grade IT without the hassle of maintenance.
Enterprise security at risk in the post-PC era
Almost three quarters (73 percent) of US-based office workers with enterprise-issued tablets have used them to download personal software and apps. A new survey carried out for content collaboration specialist Huddle by IPSOS-Mori reveals this and other potential security risks resulting from blurred lines between personal and enterprise devices.
The nationwide survey of 2,000 US office workers shows that 62 percent download personal software to company-owned smartphones and 45 percent do the same on laptops. The majority of the 44 percent of office workers using company-issued devices download personal software such as iTunes, Spotify and Dropbox. In addition 52 percent admit to storing, sharing and working on work documents via their personal smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Over 7,000 dangerous apps in third-party Android stores
Long-term research by AV-Comparatives shows a growing risk of malware infecting Android phones via third-party app stores. Conducted between November 2012 and May 2013 on 20 major Android stores, the study found 7,175 malware and greyware programs.
Most were hosted in Chinese-based markets with the lowest incidence of malware being on European stores. With 95 percent of malware and greyware apps hosted in Asian stores the findings reflect the market's rapid growth. European and US markets with growth in a steadier phase are now considered secondary targets but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down.
The FUZE aims to make UK fall in love with coding again [Q&A]
The FUZE is a new programable computer and electronics workstation based around the Raspberry Pi. It's built in the UK and its designers believe it will appeal to the education sector as well as home electronics enthusiasts.
We hope to get some hands-on experience with one soon but in the meantime we spoke to Jon Silvera the managing director of Binary Distribution, the company behind the FUZE, to find out more about it.
Server shipments up but revenues fall
IT research company Gartner has released its latest research showing that in the second quarter of 2013 server sales were up by four percent though revenues declined 3.8 percent over the same quarter last year.
IBM remains the leader in the worldwide server market based on revenue with $3.2 billion totalling 25.6 percent of the market for the second quarter. HP leads on numbers of boxes shipped but managed only a 25 percent market share by revenue.
Social technologies evolve to meet changing business demands
Research giant Gartner has revealed its latest 'Hype Cycle' -- a series of reports that offer a graphic representation of the maturity and adoption of technologies -- focusing on social collaboration in enterprises.
It shows that the use of social technologies to meet business needs is increasing along with growing expectations of their effectiveness. More vendors are adopting an approach in which social features aren't bought separately but are incorporated into something else. You can see this trend in new product releases from Clarizen and Deltek which we've reported on recently.
Big isn't always best when choosing enterprise content management
Size isn't everything when selecting an enterprise content management (ECM) solution, according to independent global analysts Ovum. Companies also need to consider vendors in terms of market share, profitability, and capability to support the deployment along with the enterprise’s own business requirements through its lifetime.
In its latest Ovum Decision Matrix, which is focused on the selection of ECM solutions, the analysts reveal that file sync and share is becoming the next must-have feature as organizations demand secure ways of sharing information outside the corporate firewall. In addition, end users are demanding empowerment through the use of social media in a business context, as well as increased support across various mobile platforms.
AV-Comparatives puts Android security under the spotlight
It's become almost unthinkable to use a Windows PC without some form of protection and that’s put the emphasis on other systems when it comes to security. Last week independent testing organization AV-Comparatives released its report on Mac security and now it's Android’s turn.
With mobile devices it's important to guard not just against hackers but against the loss of the device itself. Smartphones are an attractive target for thieves and security software needs to make the data on them difficult to access for the thief but still easy to get to for the owner. Most of the products tested offer some form of anti-theft measure, with either the ability to lock the phone remotely or to track it.
Clarizen mixes social networking and project management
Californian work collaboration and project management specialist Clarizen has launched the latest version of its cloud-based platform. Clarizen v6 combines social engagement and project management to achieve better results.
Clarizen’s co-founder and CEO Avinoam Nowogrodski says, "Clarizen v6 was designed from the ground up to support the requirements of today's changing modern workplace. Increasingly, companies and organizations are staffed by people of different generations, with different skill sets and who are located around the world. Clarizen v6 delivers on our Work Funnel concept of connecting social context, tasks and projects on a single cloud-based platform, so collaboration will drive results".
UK tech boss launches £1m fund to protect online business
The man behind UK cloud and hosting provider UKFast is launching a new fund to help protect businesses from online threats. Called BASE (Building A Safer Environment) it aims to make quality security solutions available to businesses who can't afford the inflated costs charged by suppliers.
The fund set up by Lawrence Jones, CEO of UKFast, aims to help businesses add security features to their network and grow to the next level. UKFast grants £5,000 to each business that qualifies for the funding to boost their solution.
Independent test rates Mac security products
The myth of Mac invulnerability has been looking shaky for a while and received a further blow in February when some machines used by Apple's own staff were hijacked and used to launch an attack on Facebook.
Growing numbers of Macs mean that the platform is increasingly attractive to cybercriminals and even if the number of attacks remains small compared to Windows it's still a threat that needs to be taken seriously. With this in mind independent testing company AV-Comparatives has been looking at security software for OS X Mountain Lion.
Businesses must focus on optimizing IT costs Gartner warns
After years of cost cutting through the recession, businesses now have the challenge of continuously optimizing their IT costs. According to a survey of over 2,000 chief information officers worldwide, 65 percent see the main barrier to optimization as the mindset needed for all resources to work towards the same goal.
"Organizations don't often achieve the desired results from their optimization initiatives, and costs end up returning into the business," says Sanil Solanki, research director at Gartner. "CIOs should consider incorporating five key principles into their organization's cost optimization practices to form a basis for continual optimization. These principles are geared toward avoiding the danger of tactical cost initiatives, which may seem to generate savings in the short term, but can mean costs returning into the business in the long term".
Survey shows most of us would rather work from home -- shock!
"I'm working from home," is often seen as one of the great lies of modern life. But a new survey released today by Kona, the cloud based social collaboration and productivity platform, shows that a majority of employees would rather telecommute than be in the office.
The survey conducted with SodaHead shows that 70 percent of us would prefer to be sitting at home in our pajamas than traveling to the office. For those aged between 35 and 44 the number wanting to telecommute jumps to 81 percent. The 18-24 age group though obviously likes to get out more with only 66 percent preferring home working.
Knowing your customers helps boost business
The holy grail for businesses is to understand what their customers are going to do. Marketing departments spend a lot of time and effort trying to predict consumer behavior. Enacomm's 4Cast customer relationship management product looks to help in the quest by using past and present data in order to predict future customer behavior.
By creating what it calls a 'Dynamic Decisioning Solution' Enacomm aims to help companies know who their customers are, what they want and what they're going to do. The result is better customer service, enhanced brand loyalty, increased efficiency and improved profitability thanks to the ability to cross sell.
HubSites lets local businesses harness the mobile web
The Texas-based marketing platform for small businesses Main Street Hub is introducing HubSites. These provide a mobile-friendly landing page to act as a link to a company's main site.
Features include a prominent click-to-call button, the ability to capture testimonials, Google Maps integration, a real-time Twitter feed and more.
Ian's Bio
Ian spent almost 20 years working with computers before he discovered that writing about them was easier than fixing them. Since then he's written for a number of computer magazines and is a former editor of PC Utilities. Follow him on Mastodon
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