NEWS
3G/4G -- Do you need Internet access just about everywhere you travel? Your cellular provider likely offers 3G/4G data cards that plug right into your laptop. Better yet, they may also have a personal WiFi hotspot you can carry around with you. WiFi routers with this capability are offered by Cradle Point (www.cradlepoint.com) in many different configurations from personal to Small and Medium sized business routers. We have used cellular data cards from Alltel, Verizon and Sprint with very good success.
Apple iPad -- We are testing the ubiquitous Apple creation as an option for remotely accessing your network resources. Think a really powerful smartphone (well, without the phone part). There are several high quality Terminal Services Client apps (remote desktop), as well as an app from LogMeIn that allows remote control of any of your desktop computers. More and more enterprise applications are becoming available everyday at the Apple Apps Store. If your company uses Exchange Server, you can easily connect to your corporate email account (including contacts and calendar) to monitor your email, as well as open, edit and create MS Office attachments using Apple’s Pages, Numbers and Keynote (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
DELL -- Just a reminder that we are a DELL Premier Partner. We can provide special pricing for all of your hardware and software needs. Watch for DELL phones later this year, they are rumored to be developing both Windows 7 and Google Android models.
Buzzword: Virtualization -- We have converted some of our client’s servers to virtual environments using Microsoft’s Hyper-V technology. Increased performance, lower cost, higher availability and much improved survivability in case of hardware failure all are great reasons to consider virtualization during your next server hardware evolution. Desktop virtualization is next up on the corporate stage. Many companies will be virtualizing workstations to further reduce desktop support costs.
Security -- We really like Microsoft’s Security Essentials as a replacement for expensive and intrusive anti-virus/anti-spyware applications. Security Essentials is available at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
WIndows Vista Users -- Make sure you download and install Vista Service Packs 1 and 2. We have found that SP2 makes Vista work like it was supposed to! Download at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a4dd31d5-f907-4406-9012-a5c3199ea2b3&displaylang=en