Technology & Productivity Weekly
July 2, 2009
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This
Week's Headlines
Beware the Mobile Rogue
Telecommuting Best Practices
Managing the Tweets
What’s a Business App Appliance, and Why Should You
Care?
Savings for Small Business in Health Plan
Twitter on Your Intranet: 17 Microblogging Tools for
Business
Smartphone Smarts
Making Twitter Work for You
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Information, Inc. is not affiliated with the referenced
publications.
to the top Beware the Mobile Rogue
Entrepreneur (07/09); Stratford, Carla
Smartphone usage is currently a popular platform for mobile business
communications, yet potentially critical data threats exist. According to
Bob Egan of TowerGroup, "Employers have no way of knowing whether these
devices are being used for non-sanctioned applications or whether their
data is secure." Former employees pose data threats, while current
employees carelessly carrying around enormous information about a company
could set the stage for a security breach. Egan says that companies that
believe they are at-risk should erase handsets and put VPN connections in
place. He also advocates limiting Wi-Fi access. For employees that do
telecommute, they contend that ability to use wireless during a flight is
essential to their productivity, noting that working on other assignments
such as PowerPoints or items that need multiple drafts is time well spent
in-flight. Others contend that flying is the downtime they need in between
meetings and presentations, using such time to potentially network with
other travelers.
(http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/july/
202240.html)
to the top Telecommuting Best Practices
Processor.com (06/05/09)Vol. 31, No. 16, P. 25; Millard, Elizabeth
Telecommunications is a crucial part of best business practices, but
companies should consider a few key suggestions to improving the remote
work environment. Remote management is essential to assisting employers
with flexible communications while simultaneously allowing IT
administrators access to the remote desktop. Security considerations are a
significant part of telecommunications operations, so including the usage
of USB devices with limited capabilities and specified access for different
types of secure devices will mitigate vulnerabilities. Implementing
virtual or hosted desktops provide remote workers with optimum access to
data from virtually anywhere, eliminates time that IT staff expends on help
desk issues, and the convenience of centralized data. Also, access for
real-time updates is crucial in a telecommuting environment and many
real-time applications can be streamlined across multiple devices.
Finally, companies should update their systems accordingly since the
ability of processes to run efficiently will rely on ensuring systems
in-place can handle current capacity.
(http://www.processor.com/editorial/article.asp?article=artic
les%2Fp3116%2F26p16%2F26p16.asp&guid=&searchtype=&WordList=&bJumpTo=True )
to the top Managing the Tweets
BusinessWeek (06/01/09)No. 4133, P. 20; Conlin, Michelle; MacMillan,
Douglas
Employee updates on Twitter can be amusing--feuds with boyfriends and
girlfriends, gripes about clients, etc.--executives admit, but for the most
part Twitter and other social networking sites carry huge risks when it
comes to brand management. Managers are divided over the uses of these
platforms. On the one hand, they give employees a wide audience with which
to gush about their employer, but on the other hand, they can be a platform
for leaking employer secrets. Noticing an online blogging trend among its
employees, IBM issued a social networking code-of-conduct in 2005 that asks
employees to be transparent about their identities, accept responsibility
for everything they publish, and proofread before hitting the send button.
Though many employees use Twitter as a way to indulge personal thoughts and
feelings, IBM wants each worker to "add value" to their updates.
(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_22/b41330006
31535.htm)
to the top What’s a Business App Appliance, and Why Should You
Care?
Small Business Computing (06/18/09); McCabe, Laurie
Business application appliances are bundled with features such as CRM
packages, storage, and virtualization all-in-one. The efficiency of this
model allows small- to medium-sized businesses to more easily run these
appliances, yet certain applications offer more flexibility and
customization for the SMB client. IBM-Intuit Smart Cube's appliance
contains the Intuit QuickBooks Enterprise accounting software that provides
users with the option for collaborative databases. IBM Lotus Foundations
Start also provides more breadth for business application appliances
through its Lotus Notes/Domino collaboration and Lotus Symphony. Clients
using these platforms also have the option of having Windows-based
solutions through virtualization. The Sage MAS 90, 200, 500, and Sage
SalesLogix solutions offered from Sage's Applianz, allows clients to
combine hardware maintenance and automated nightly backup service into one
solution. Business application appliances are a sound investment as they
cost little for IT support and end up being more efficient in the long-run.
Before purchasing an application appliance, SMBs should consider the
ability of the vendor themselves to backup company data, the frequency of
such backups, and the maintenance included in the purchase price.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/3
825551)
to the top Savings for Small Business in Health Plan
New York Times (06/11/09) P. B2; Abelson, Reed
A new report from the Small Business Majority stands behind the Obama
Administration's health plan proposals, which the nonprofit group says
would be more affordable than the existing system. While the small
business community largely opposes a measure that would compel small
employers to help cover the cost of medical insurance for their staff, the
Small Business Majority's analysis suggests that -- even with this
requirement -- the measures now on the table could save small firms tens of
billions of dollars annually. This would be an improvement over the
current structure, according to the organization, under which 50 percent of
companies with nine workers or less cannot afford to offer any employee
coverage.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/business/smallbusiness/11i
nsure.html)
to the top Twitter on Your Intranet: 17 Microblogging Tools for
Business
ZDNet (06/01/09); Hinchcliffe, Dion
Many businesses are considering adding microblogging tools to their
intranets to enable workers to conveniently share information. Microblogs
have unique capabilities, focusing on short messages, social
messaging-friendly user profiles with short handles, integrated URL
shorteners, specialized tagging, and Twitter-compatible APIs to use the
high quality clients on desktops and mobile platforms. Most businesses
have their own requirements, which may include adhering to internal and
external technical standards, industry and local regulations, enterprise
architectural guidelines, and other factors. A successful workplace
microblogging effort should feature several tools, including a strong,
unique search application and social network analytics to prevent
microblogs from being lost and to help users find important social
connections. Most well-managed organizations also require centralized
identity and single sign-on via a managed enterprise-wide security system.
Some excellent workplace microblogging tools include SocialText Signals,
which is part of a broader Enterprise 2.0 suite; SocialCast, an Internet
hosted microblogging site for businesses; CubeTree, which offers structured
social messages amongst other unique features; and Yammer, which includes
policy-based controls, bulk account management, directory integration, and
governance tools such as keyword monitoring.
(http://blogs.zdnet.com/Hinchcliffe/?p=414)
to the top Smartphone Smarts
Financial Planning (06/01/09); Bruckenstein, Joel P.
Smartphones have become more commonly used among a variety of
businesses, no longer exclusive toys for the business sector. The
availability of more phones such as Apple's iPhone that allow customers to
download a variety of applications, including speech-to-text/text-to-speech
features, has boosted the appeal of smartphones. Other iPhone applications
include the Fring, which allows users to place long-distance calls via a
wireless connection. The general use of the desktop has been expanded
through smartphones, with companies such as Redtail Technology offering
smartphone applications that provide desktop to mobile phone sharing.
Considering a mobile browser is also important for smartphone users, since
the selling point for smartphones is their ability to boost productivity.
Although security vulnerabilities exist over mobile connections, software
such as Pyxis Mobile software and Junxure offer programs to safeguard data
transmission.
(http://www.financial-planning.com/fp_issues/2009_6/smartphon
e-smarts-2662104-1.html)
to the top Making Twitter Work for You
Fortune Small Business (06/09)Vol. 19, No. 5, P. 33; Alsever, Jennifer
With Twitter's user base surging 1,841 percent last year to 14 million,
many small business owners and professionals are using the free social
media service to reach out to customers, advertise their businesses, and
generate sales leads and sometimes contracts. "It's immediate, public and
searchable," says "Citizen Marketers" co-author and online marketing
consultant Jackie Huba. "It's never been easier to know what your
customers and your prospects are saying about you." However, experts say
users should not aggressively "tweet" about advertisements or press
releases, and they would be wise to respond to private messages, provide
relevant and timely information, and be mindful of what they say. While
not a problem presently, experts say business owners should keep an eye out
for Twitter users employing their names and posting harmful messages that
could damage their reputation.
(http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/12/smallbusiness/make_twitter_w
ork_for_you.fsb/index.htm)
Sponsored By: Information, Inc.
Information Inc.'s handcrafted business intelligence services provide
up-to-the-minute information on critical issues. Decision-makers in more
than 2,000 major corporations, associations and government agencies
worldwide have relied on our comprehensive news services for the past 22
years. To learn how our timely, targeted, custom
services can help you compete in the 21st century, go to: http://www.infoinc.com/s
tatecpa/contact.html