Tag Archives: Yankee Group Research Inc.

Secure Your PCs for Free

Given the state of the economy, many small and mid-sized businesses and small office, home office (SOHO) workers might be tempted to trim essential services, such as anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, firewall, spam detection, and offsite back-up. The question isn’t whether or not you can afford security software — rather, it’s can you afford not to? Don’t fret, there is an alternative. Free software exists Rather than putting your company’s data at risk by not doing anything at all, consider a handful of downloadable tools that offer protection for your PC, without costing your company a dime. “Free is the best four-letter word in the English language” for small and mid-sized businesses, says Steve Hilton, vice president for small and mid-sized business and enterprise research at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group. “Try out free solutions and talk with someone who’s already used the product to avoid any gotchas.” What “gotchas,” you ask? Hilton says free software is free for a reason. “The vendor might support the free product, hoping you’ll upgrade to the pay-version, or some vendors rely on ad-sponsored revenues to support free products.” But in some cases the software might conflict with your operating systems or applications on your PC, adds Hilton. “Therefore, the best idea is to work with your tech advisor or IT department to make sure you won’t have any unfortunate surprises, because free software often doesn’t come with vendor-provided tech support.” Not everyone believes these free options are a good idea for your business. “While most of these tools, such as free anti-malware, are very good for consumers I don’t think they are a good idea” for businesses, says Peter Firstbrook, research director for information, security and privacy at Gartner, a Stamford, Conn.- headquartered technology market research firm. “They key requirement for business is centralized management and reporting and that is absent from these tools,” explains Firstbrook, and “in some solutions commercial use is specifically prohibited by the license agreement.” Recommended freebies Anti-virus software is important to safeguard your PC from the latest threats out there in cyberspace, which usually make their way into your e-mail inbox. Without anti-virus detection, all it takes is for you or an employee to click on an attachment, such as an .exe file, causing an immediate infection and perhaps propagating itself through your contacts list (and yes, your clients and customers will just love that). On a related note, spyware refers to other “malware” (malicious software) that can do everything from slow down your PC and spy on your Internet surfing behavior to causing inappropriate pop-up ads and hijacking your browser’s home page or toolbar. Some of the anti-virus software programs experts recommend include the award-winning AVG Free and Avast!, while competent anti-spyware tools include Windows Defender and Ad-Aware 2008 Free. On a related note, make sure you have a powerful firewall and intrusion detection to protect your PC from predators, such as Personal Firewall by Sunbelt or Comodo Firewall. Online storage Backing up important files is critical — but saving them to a local external hard drive, USB thumb-stick, or recordable DVD means they’re still vulnerable to theft, fire, or flood. It’s no wonder, then, why many companies prefer to upload data to a secure offsite location. An added advantage to these online back-up and storage solutions is the ability to access those files anywhere in the world you’ve got an Internet connection. While some services let you back a couple of gigabytes for free, such as MozyHome, Microsoft gives you up to 5GB of free storage per month with its Windows Live SkyDrive. All that’s required to use this password-protected virtual drive is a Windows Live I.D. (a Hotmail e-mail address will do). And if you need to send large files to someone — such as sending a huge PDF to a coworker or client — you can set up a separate folder on Windows Live SkyDrive only for shared files. Spam protection Spam, or unsolicited junk mail, isn’t just a productivity drain as you and your employees can spend hours deleting these unwanted messages per week, but often they contain viruses, spyware, or phishing attempts that try to lure you to authentic-looking websites to steal your identity for financial gain. If you use Microsoft Outlook, however, a free plug-in program called SPAMfighter dramatically reduces the amount of junk mail you get by segregating suspicious messages and dropping it into a folder. It catches quite a bit (with few “false positives,” meaning it thinks mail is spam when it’s not) and doesn’t slow down your PC. A word of warning: while free, SPAMfighter adds a “signature” to the end of your outgoing e-mails that is meant to spread the word about the software (and no, you can’t remove it), plus the company hopes you’ll upgrade to the paid version with additional bells and whistles.

Secure Your PCs for Free

Google’s Android: Phones for Your Business?

If Google can secure a fraction of its success in the smartphone space as it has on the Web, watch out BlackBerry, Apple, and Windows Mobile. The Mountain View, Calif.-based search giant has just launched its much-hyped Android mobile phone platform, powering the HTC T-Mobile G1 handset ($179 U.S., with two-year contract). This smart-looking smartphone features a large touch screen that resembles an iPhone to some extent, but it also houses a BlackBerry-like trackball and slide-out QWERTY keyboard. But what makes Android special might be less obvious to the casual observer. Unlike other smartphone platforms — such as those offered by Research in Motion, Apple, and Microsoft — Google’s Android is an “open” operating system given to developers for free to create applications. “There was no good reason why it shouldn’t do things your PC can do,” says Erick Tseng, product manager for Android at Google. “This isn’t just about Google, but rather the amazing third-party applications created by developers with unfettered access to the phone’s hardware, software and network.” Beyond the hype If you’ve been caught up in any of the hype surrounding G1, you’ll sense it’s geared towards (and generated by) the consumer space, opposed to a corporate crowd. Tseng, however, confirms Android is also ideal for businesses. “First of all you’ve got all the Google apps you’re used to such as Gmail, Calendar, Maps, and such, all offered for free and with the same login as your desktops,” says Tseng. “Because of this synchronous online connectivity between mobile and desktops, all your data ‘automatically’ updates for both devices since it’s the same account.” Second, Tseng says developers who are creating applications for the G1 and future Android phones can design and build something specifically tailored to their business. “Because we’re open, we encourage third-parties to create and upload your own apps to your own secure website and have employees download it onto the phone.” Along with integrated GPS, the G1 includes a built-in compass, an industry first, which will allow a savvy software company to create a “mash-up,” suggests Tseng, by fusing this technology with the integrated Google Maps program for better driving directions, satellite imagery, and navigation to local businesses. Not everyone agrees While the potential is there, many analysts don’t believe the Android platform is right for small or mid-sized businesses. “Android is not a business platform,” maintains Ken Delaney, vice president of mobile computing at the Gartner research and consulting group in Stamford, Conn. “It is squarely targeted at consumers.” “Business platforms have stability and strong interoperability or security as their hallmark; the two business platforms are RIM and Microsoft with Symbian S60 under Nokia as another alternative.” “While the G1 might be fine for a SOHO [small office, home office] worker who can use this for both a personal and business lifestyle,” says Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, he doesn’t believe that it’s necessarily geared for small or mid-sized businesses — or even larger enterprises. “It’s an exceptional device with loads of potential, and the openness is amazing, but the G1 is not business tool, primarily because there is no corporate e-mail, no support for Microsoft Exchange or Domino or any other server-based e-mail,” says Dyer. Google’s Tseng says Microsoft Exchange and Active Sync support “will happen” on Android, unquestionably. “It will happen because there is huge demand out there,” he says. “In fact, the third-party community has started to work on this already so very soon you will see the emergence of some of these business-focused apps.”

Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange

Many small and mid-sized businesses rely on Microsoft Exchange servers and services to manage e-mail and collaboration processes. But there are a growing number of alternative products on the market, each trying to chip away at Microsoft’s market share by delivering similar functionality for less money, making its software available on a non-Windows platform, or offering unique products and services not found in Microsoft Exchange. What Microsoft Exchange is Developed by the Redmond, Wash. software giant, Microsoft Exchange is the leading messaging and collaborative software solution, widely embraced by both small and mid-sized businesses and larger enterprises. Installed on a company’s premises, this server-based software is used for managing e-mail, calendaring, contacts, and tasks — all part of the Microsoft Office suite on the client end. Exchange also supports mobile and Web-based access to company info. Additionally, Microsoft’s offerings offers data storage, shared folders, and unified messaging solutions — such as accessing your voicemail box via e-mail or listening to your e-mail over the phone. “I wouldn’t say it’s the ‘de facto’ server solution but it’s certainly the leader in both revenue and the number of organizations,” says Mark Levitt, vice president of collaboration and enterprise 2.0 strategies at the Framingham, Mass.-based IDC research firm. “Because Microsoft has established itself as a provider of many applications and products, companies see value for a single source that offers a variety of management solutions, all using the same underlying Windows platform,” Levitt says. “Plus all upgrades and patches for multiple products can be handled by one company, which is very appealing.” The trouble with trying to compete According to Gary Chen, a senior analyst for enterprise research at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, e-mail management is “pretty much a two horse race” between Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino and Notes. “Exchange is definitely the leader — they’ve come up a lot over the past few years — though [IBM] Lotus Notes has really put a lot of effort into making a resurgence, and they have some interesting things on their roadmap,” says Chen. “Exchange can be hard to manage and the alternatives are cheaper, so [competing products] may find a niche for themselves.” Along with IBM Lotus Notes, Chen says Novell GroupWise is also a popular alternative for mid-sized businesses. “There are clear advantages to going with an accepted platform like Exchange, though,” concedes Chen. “In terms of the skills, ecosystem, and add-on products that you can take advantage of, Microsoft applications dominate [small and mid-sized businesses] and mid-market, and Microsoft has been integrating heavily with Exchange and SharePoint.” For some companies, e-mail isn’t a top priority, adds Chen. “Many rely on advanced functionality, applications that might be critical to their business, like unified messaging and shared folders – something Exchange does well.” PostPath and others Levitt says there are many alternatives to Microsoft Exchange. Along with IBM Lotus Domino and Notes and Novell GroupWise, competing integrated collaborative environments (ICE a.k.a. “groupware”) include Oracle Collaboration Suite, Yahoo!’s Zimbra Collaboration Suite, and PostPath, “which looks just like an Exchange server to other Exchange servers and to Outlook clients,” says Levitt. Sina Miri, spokesman for PostPath, which Cisco agreed to acquire on Aug. 27, says their clients prefer PostPath to Microsoft Exchange Server for a few reasons. The most critical is PostPath performs better on all hardware, says Miri. “This is especially true with modest and even low-end hardware, plus it’s low maintenance due to its architecture and the use of the file system as opposed to Exchange and its Jet database,” explains Miri. Standalone e-mail server software competitors include Sun Mail Server, CommuniGate, Ipswitch, MailSite, Gordano, Mirapoint, Scalix, and the Unix-based Sendmail. Levitt says free hosted consumer-oriented webmail services are often used by individuals for business purposes — such as Yahoo!, Gmail and Windows Live Hotmail — or free mailboxes bundled into Internet connectivity services, such as AOL, Comcast, Earthlink, Research in Motion, Verizon, and so on. Linux, too Linux has grown to be a low-cost alternative to Windows, says Levitt, and so companies like IBM, Novell, and Sun “have embraced the alternative operating system with competitors to Microsoft Exchange, which operate on the Windows platform.” The open-source movement can’t be ignored, says Levitt, especially with relatively high upfront costs for Microsoft Exchange, “not to mention ongoing upgrades, some of which you have to pay for, as well a licensing complexities when you’re dealing with multiple computers.” On the flipside, however, it might be harder for IT people to manager alternative software, which might add to your bottom line. “Many rush to open-source products because there is no initial check to write, but you don’t get anything for free,” cautions Levitt. “There are always associated costs when you’re dealing with a product not as well established or supported as Microsoft Exchange.”

The Business Case for the iPhone 3G

A few months ago, IncTechnology assessed the worth of the Apple iPhone for business purposes, but the newer iPhone 3G — which launched with much fanfare on July 11 — introduced more than 100 new features not found in its predecessor. This includes “3G” wireless connectivity, therefore users no longer need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot to access applications or download files at high-speeds. But do these additions and improvements make it easier to justify buying an iPhone for work? Here’s what the experts say: Faster, more secure e-mail Those who need access to secure corporate e-mail while on the go were happy to hear Apple’s Steve Jobs announce Microsoft Exchange server support for the iPhone and 3G connectivity, allowing users to access data at higher speeds when not in a wireless hotspot. While this is true, it seems the smartphone is still missing some security features which might not sit well with your IT department. “Apple delivered on Exchange functionality, yes, but the iPhone is still missing one security policy available in Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices,” cautions Ken Delaney, vice president of mobile computing at the Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner research and consulting group. “While the new iPhone supports the ability to remote ‘wipe’ a device if lost or stolen but doesn’t force the use a complex password, which some potential customers might take issue with.” GPS The addition of GPS support in the iPhone is handy for when traveling to a client’s office or finding a nearby restaurant based on your location. “If you’re a mobile professional who travels three or four days a week, an iPhone might make sense for email, browsing and multimedia — and now, GPS for local search and directions,” says Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group. “GPS capabilities might not be provisioned by IT but can be very useful to those who spend a lot of time on the road,” Dyer adds. Keyboard The “soft” on-screen keyboard might still be an issue for those used to button-based QWERTY keyboards found on most BlackBerry or Windows Mobile devices, but in the end it boils down to personal preference, says Dyer. “Yes, the [iPhone] keyboard takes time to get used to, but if you talk to users they’ll generally adapt their typing style to the touch keyboard,” explains Dyer. “It’s not for everyone — some will struggle while others will adapt after a grinding out the steep learning curve.” Delaney says to buy a device that matches your needs, and says to think of it this way: A BlackBerry Pearl with its compressed SureType keyboard and small screen would be ideal for voice first, e-mail second, and browsing third. A BlackBerry Curve’s QWERTY keyboard, on the other hand, means the user priorities would be e-mail first, voice second, and browsing third. An iPhone’s huge screen and button-less keyboard suggests browsing first, e-mail second, and voice third. “The iPhone’s onscreen keyboard makes it difficult to type without making mistakes — it’s not a fault, per se — but just be aware there are tradeoffs with the smartphone you choose” says Delaney. Mobile Me Mobile Me is a new pay-for-use service designed to keep your computer (Windows or Mac) and iPhone or iPod touch all in sync when it comes to e-mail, contacts, and calendar entries. Dyer says Mobile Me seems to be geared more to consumers than the small or mid-sized business crowd, but he can see this “as a useful application for those who juggle their professional life, from 9 to 5, and personal life, from 6 to whenever, help make life easier with wireless synchronization of contacts and appointments.” Cost still an issue Delaney says even with these new business-like features — including 3G speeds, support for Microsoft Exchange, GPS, Mobile Me and the App Store — many will find the high price for the iPhone a tough sell at the office. “Considering you can get a BlackBerry for about $79 these days, it’s hard to justify an iPhone for business,” says Delaney. “As a result, some bosses are saying ‘if you want to use an iPhone for work, go ahead, but you’ll have to buy it yourself.’”

Battle of the Mobile Operating Systems

Decision-makers at small and mid-sized businesses don’t have it easy these days, especially when it comes to deciding what kind of smartphone to deploy among its mobile employees. This is because there are many operating systems to choose from today, such as BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, iPhone, Nokia’s N Series and Palm OS. There are also various handset manufacturers to consider — among them Motorola, Samsung, HTC, Apple, and BlackBerry’s maker, Research in Motion. And of course, then there are the form factors to consider. Do you go for flip, sliders, or candy bar-shaped phones, each with or without QWERTY keyboards and/or touch-screens? Before making all these decisions, it’s best to address which mobile smartphone operating system is best for your business. In the end, that will likely help narrow down your choices for handset maker and form factor, too. And what of Microsoft’s chances in succeeding in this highly competitive and overpopulated space? Read on. It’s all in the apps The first thing you need to do is to research the strengths and applications for each of the smartphone operating systems, says Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at New York City-based Jupiter Research. “Perhaps you need the phone to work with Microsoft Exchange, or maybe you need to create or edit e-mail attachments, such as [Microsoft] Office documents,” explains Gartenberg. “Knowing what you’re going to use the smartphone for, and if it works with your company software and services, will help determine which one you’ll invest in.” Speaking of attachments, Windows Mobile-powered devices have an edge over the competition when it comes to file support and smooth PC synchronization, believes Ken Delaney, vice president of mobile computing at the Gartner research and consulting group in Stamford, Conn. “While Research in Motion has done a great job, Microsoft has tremendous back-end services, Windows file support and a host of applications, making it a natural choice for businesses to gravitate to Windows Mobile,” says Delaney. Windows Mobile is also supported by many manufacturers, which gives the consumer more choice in smartphones, adds Delaney: “More vendors mean more hardware options, including ruggedized PDAs for field applications which you won’t find with other OS’s.” BlackBerry and Nokia are also major players in the business space, agrees Delaney, but the iPhone has “a ways to go.” “The iPhone isn’t anywhere yet — it’s the new kid on the block — and while intriguing, it hasn’t made its full statement yet,” says Delaney. E-mail receiving, sending Led by BlackBerry, most of the major smartphone operating systems support the popular “push mail” application, meaning messages arrive on the phone as soon as they’re received in the user’s PC inbox (if not sooner). But a user must also be concerned about writing e-mails when out of the office, therefore Gartenberg says to consider the type of keyboard, as well. “Some swear by a tactile keyboard like a BlackBerry, while others like a soft keyboard a la the iPhone,” Gartenberg says. “The key is to try out the phone first to see if it’s comfortable for you.” While all BlackBerrys offer a button-based keyboard, some models offer a QWERTY layout (including the Curve and Bold), while thinner models (like many Pearl handsets) house a SureType keyboard with two letters per button. Security, too Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at Yankee Group, a Boston, Mass.-based research firm, says Windows Mobile is “gaining ground” on BlackBerry, the No. 1 smartphone maker in the U.S., because of more vendor relationships (RIM, Apple, and Nokia make their own handsets), strong brand recognition and familiarity, and more aggressive security measures than it did in the past. “Security had always been lagging in Windows Mobile,” says Dyer. “ActiveSync met most of the minimum requirements for businesses including ‘wiping’ and encryption — especially for [small and mid-sized businesses] that didn’t want expensive middleware — but they’ve only recently stepped up to the plate with new and stronger tools,” explains Dyer. For example, ActiveSyc only met about a dozen security policies, explains Dyer, but now its service System Center Mobile Device Manager (SCMDM) meets more than 125 security policies.

Use RSS to Stay on Top of Competition

It’s one of the most convenient, time-saving Internet innovations to surface over the past few years: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a technology that pools online content that matters to you — be it sports scores, movie reviews, fashion articles, tech blogs, or political podcasts — and consolidates these “feeds” for you in one place to read whenever you like. For a small-to-midsized business, subscribing to RSS feeds can also help you stay on top of your game by delivering relevant news about your industry to your PC or smartphone. Best of all, subscribing to an RSS feed is free. “The value in subscribing to RSS’s for a business are the same for consumers — the key benefit is you don’t have to manually check industry blogs and such because all the information is automatically delivered to you,” says Oliver Young, an analyst with Forrester Research, a Cambridge, Mass.-headquartered technology and market research company. “This is very handy and takes a lot of the guess work out of keeping up to date with your industry.” For example, a start-up health care company can find out what’s going on with new developments in politics, insurance trends, and emerging health care technologies and treatments, as well as subscribe to blogs and articles that deal with local or national health care initiatives. Keep an eye on competition Young also says RSS is a great way to stay on top of the competition. “Many companies, including your competitors, are putting out information, so seeing what they’re up to and how they’re communicating with clients and customers can be tremendously valuable,” he says. Brian Kotlyar, an analyst for the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, agrees RSS is a great way to “get to know the landscape of your competitors.” “When it comes to industry knowledge and competitive intelligence, RSS takes a lot of the legwork out of what is traditionally a manual endeavor,” says Kotlyar. “It’s like going to the grocery store or having your groceries delivered to you — and for free — so which one would you choose?” Both Young and Kotlyar also suggest using the free “Google Alerts” service that automatically sends any articles or other information on the Web to your inbox if any keywords are found. “Instead of spending money on tracking services, Google Alerts are free and work very well,” says Young. “It’s handy if you or your company were mentioned in a press release, article, or blog post — you can now find out what the wider world thinks of you.” Starting an RSS feed Kotlyar says a company may also want their news to be disseminated in a convenient fashion. “From building your brand and becoming more of a presence in your industry, starting a blog, which can then be part of a RSS feed, is a great way to start for your business,” he says. It’s also good for search engine optimization. “Every time you post a new blog, you’re raising your profile locally and nationally, and you better your chances on being on page one for search results,” Kotlyar says, “which is key.”

BlackBerry Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts

More often than not a mobile executive would agree the BlackBerry is both a blessing and a curse: while it can liberate you from the office by allowing you to keep in touch via e-mail or voice, virtually anywhere, it can ironically have the opposite effect by tethering to the office well past 5 p.m. (and on weekends and holidays, too). It could be argued it’s too late to go back to the pre-24/7 work culture. So perhaps we need to find a way to best integrate our smartphones into our daily lives — without keeping our face buried in it when in public. So we thought it would be fun to chat with tech experts about what is socially acceptable when it comes to e-mail and messaging on smartphones. Interestingly, we found conflicting opinions. E-mail etiquette When is it appropriate to pull out a BlackBerry, iPhone, or other smartphone and start tapping away as if you were alone? “Five years ago there weren’t too many of these e-mail devices, so someone might have been disturbed about you picking up e-mail, say, during a lunch meeting — but not today when these things are commonplace,” says Brian Kotlyar, an analyst for the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group. “Today we may notice, but we don’t mind much, and in five years we might not even notice at all.” Michelle Warren, however, disagrees. The senior analyst at Info-Tech Research Group, a London, Ontario-based research firm, believes “it is rude to disrupt a face-to-face meeting to check for messages.” “This activity gives the impression that the person in front of you is insignificant, which is not a career-enhancing tactic.” Phone etiquette If shutting down the phone for the meeting is out of the question, she adds, then set it to “quiet” and proceed with your meeting. “Once you are finished, then check for messages and missed calls,” says Warren. Kotlyar agrees employees of small or mid-sized businesses must remember they’re in a professional setting. “Your phone needs to be on vibrate or at least be conscious of the fact your loud ‘50 Cent’ ringtone might not be appropriate,” says Kotlyar, with a laugh. “Ringtones give off a persona, so be aware of where you are and what’s ideal for that setting.” Warren acknowledges there are often exceptions, such as times when you need to answer the phone. The trick is to handle yourself professionally. “If you are waiting for an important call, mention it at the forefront of the meeting.” “When the phone vibrates — as the ringer will be shut off — exit the room, quietly, and take the call outside,” suggests Warren. “Don’t answer more than one call — if you are urgently needed elsewhere, politely excuse yourself from the meeting,” adds Warren, who also shares this last piece of advice: “Don’t wear your earpiece while in a meeting — lunch or otherwise. Ever.” Super software, too Kotlyar suggests executives should subscribe to SpinVox, a handy mobile phone service that transcribes voicemail messages into text messages for you. Therefore, when someone important calls and you can’t answer, perhaps because you’re in a meeting, you’ll know right away what the call is about. An accurate transcript of the voicemail message is sent to your mobile phone automatically so you can simply read the message, no matter where you are. With SpinVox, you can discretely glance at a text message which has the content of the voicemail message on your phone. If you need to jump into action — you can forward the text message on. SpinVox also includes the number of the caller, so as long as it was sent from a mobile phone you can press a button to text a note back immediately. Another scenario might be a noisy restaurant, where it’s easier to read a message rather than listen to one.

Will the iPhone Fly as a Business Tool?

Gadget geeks will forever remember June 29, 2007, as the date Apple unleashed its much-hyped iPhone, a digital Swiss Army Knife that fused a handful of features — mobile phone, camera, media player and Wi-Fi-enabled Web device — with a graceful touch-based navigation interface. It became a sought-after consumer sensation, and remains as one to this day, but it seems Apple and third parties are trying to find a way the iPhone could also double as a clever business tool. But is there room for the iPhone in a world dominated by powerful smartphones with cutting-edge e-mail delivery, such as the BlackBerry? We spoke with analysts on whether or not it’s possible. Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, believes it can happen, and transforming this consumer product into a business tool will likely come from Apple opening up the platform to software developers. “The ‘holy grail’ in the mobility space for businesses is maximizing productivity and effectiveness of its workers, regardless of their location,” says Dyer. “Mobile workers need access to the same applications and corporate data that they have in the office — and it’s these third-party software vendors that will provide the infrastructure hooks to make the iPhone ‘business class’.” In March 2008, for example, Microsoft officially announced it was offering built-in support for Exchange, it’s messaging and collaboration platform, on the iPhone. “This is significant,” believes Chris Hazelton, senior analyst, mobile device technology and trends at IDC, a Framingham, Mass.-based technology research firm. “With Exchange ActiveSync on the iPhone, mobile businesspersons can connect to a company’s Exchange server behind a firewall.” Hazelton says Microsoft is also considering building Excel, Word, and PowerPoint accessibility into the device, which also means those receiving corporate e-mail on the iPhone can view and edit Microsoft Office attachments. Pro: Intuitive design and functionality When asked what might help the iPhone’s chances of catching on as a business device, Dyer says the device is extremely powerful and intuitive to use. “It takes complicated functionality, such as Wi-Fi integration and embedded Web searching, and makes it intuitive to the user.” Dyer adds, “The Safari Web browser on the iPhone has enormous potential to shift how workers access and generate content.” Hazelton says the iPhone’s popularity makes it an attractive alternative to other smartphones: “When I look at the history of the BlackBerry, it was a sign of prestige that you were important enough for the company to give you email anywhere you need it,” says Hazelton, “and now the BlackBerry is a standard for mobile workers.” But maybe it’s time for BlackBerry to move over, because there’s a new status-symbol for business users. “Now the iPhone has that air of elitism and prestige — executives want the iPhone in their world — so IT departments believe they have to account for that,” says Hazelton. The iPhone’s extras, such as a camera and music playback, also make it an appealing phone, says Hazelton. “You’ve got this willingness to carry device with you — you can load it up with music, movies, photos, and podcasts, which can make a long flight for an executive a better one.” He adds that the HTML browser is perfect whether you’re checking inventory or sports scores. Con: Lacks a compelling productivity story for IT Despite its growing popularity, Apple doesn’t have very much brand recognition — especially among IT departments — argues Dyer. “That, and the iPhone lacks a compelling productivity story to justify investment at this point.” One common issue, for some, is the “soft” keyboard, opposed to the BlackBerry or Treo with its button-based QWERTY keyboard (note: some BlackBerrys offer a condensed “SureType” keyboard). “The messaging interface [on the iPhone] is very cumbersome and takes some time getting used to,” says Dyer. But Hazelton says the keyboard isn’t an issue for everyone. “Yes, with the iPhone you actually need to look at the keyboard because there is no tactile feedback, it’s a different type of experience, but I can’t say one type of keyboard takes longer to type an e-mail than the other.” Hazelton says not many iPhone users know you can drag your thumbs across the soft keyboard and lift up when you get the desired letter. “If you can master this, you can text as fast as any BlackBerry.” Finally, security is an issue for all mobile devices, claim Dyer and Hazelton. The iPhone is no exception, especially as it has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. Hazelton, however, says the next-generation iPhone software should support Cisco Virtual Private Network (VPN) and other security measures to help protect company data.

The Case for Mobile Thin Clients

Considering an ordinary notebook may hold sensitive corporate data and intellectual property valued between $1 million and $8.8 million dollars — as published in a 2007 McAfee and Datamonitor Data Loss Survey — perhaps it’s best that your employees didn’t carry around a hard drive at all. This is the premise behind “mobile thin clients,” which can best be described as a portable device, such as a notebook computer or smartphone, that doesn’t hold any data on it. “The thin clients approach is a concept that takes processes normally performed locally on a device and shifts them to the network,” explains Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group. “Processes like computing and data storage would then be controlled by the network.” In other words, a “thin” client is just a shell, lacking local memory such as a hard drive. But when logged securely onto, say, a corporate server, the thin client can access company files and applications as if the data were stored on the device itself. If the laptop were stolen or lost, the business’s data won’t be compromised because, well, there isn’t any on the device. Advantages to thin clients There are several benefits for using thin clients on mobile devices, says Dyer. The single most important advantage is increased security. “The risk of leaking sensitive data from mobile devices is mitigated when using thin clients,” he says. Accessing files or running applications in a secure, controlled environment, like a corporate server, means your data will be better protected, says Klaus Besier, vice president and general manager of thin clients at HP. The computing giant has rolled out new thin-client alternatives. “Thin clients on desktops or laptops have been around for a long time but they’ve now become a hot commodity,” says Besier. Aside from many well-publicized examples of data breaches in the media, contributing factors to its growing popularity include pervasive Internet connections and more Web-based applications, including payroll software and word processors. Another advantage is related to performance: “Mobile device resources are freed up, which means better battery life,” says Dyer. A typical laptop might only last, say, three to four hours with its spinning hard drive and cooling fan, but a mobile thin client could last well over six hours. Besier says mobile thin clients could also mean “lower admin costs.” “If a laptop breaks down, it could be a while for your company to replace it for you. But mobile thin clients are easier to maintain,” he says. “There are no moving parts like a hard drive and fan.” They can often be replaced with another one since they’re virtually identical. Because there are fewer components, another advantage is lower hardware costs. For example, HP’s 6760t mobile thin client costs $725, but a laptop with the same chassis and similar configuration, such as the nx7400 business notebook, runs close to $1,200. Disadvantages of thinking thin The obvious disadvantage is the requirement of ubiquitous network connectivity for mobile devices, says Dyer. In other words, if your Internet connection is down, or if the server is down, you’re out of luck. “As the connectivity fails, so does the usefulness of the device,” Dyer says. As most road warriors have realized from finding dead spots in elevators and remote locations, there is no such thing as 99.999 percent reliability in the world of “anywhere,” Dyer adds. Besier admits that the thin client isn’t for everyone. “If you’re a road warrior, you might want to be able to work offline,” he concedes. During long airplane flights, some road warriors actually like to be able to use their computer without an Internet connection. “It’s not for everyone or every scenario, so a small-to-mid-sized business might opt for a bit of a mix and match scenario,” he adds, “combining regular laptops with thin clients.”

Tag Archives: Yankee Group Research Inc.

Secure Your PCs for Free

Secure Your PCs for Free

Google’s Android: Phones for Your Business?

Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange

The Business Case for the iPhone 3G

Battle of the Mobile Operating Systems

Use RSS to Stay on Top of Competition

BlackBerry Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts

Will the iPhone Fly as a Business Tool?

The Case for Mobile Thin Clients

Twitter Updates

CHANNELS

Tag Archives: Yankee Group Research Inc.

Popular Posts

CHANNELS