News That Actually Matters

Cloud-Based Email Hosting Services – Cost Effective Alternative for Small and Medium Sized Businesses

January 3, 2011 – 7:43 am

There are so many computer programs required to keep your business running smoothly that it makes a lot of sense to have a server, especially if you are sharing information between multiple computers. But the cost of hosting a server and maintaining it are prohibitive for the average small to medium size business. The good news is there is another option–using a cloud-based hosted email service.

Why Choose Hosting?

Using this sort of service is often considered cost effective because you do not need to lay out the initial cost of the servers required for your office and you have zero maintenance fees. You essentially rent space on a server and your network becomes the host’s guest. The server equipment is not yours, so you do not need to maintain it. If something breaks or doesn’t work, the hosting company will take care of it. The cloud-based hosting service employs the IT professionals needed to keep all of their servers running at peak performance. This is a huge break, especially for a small business or one-person operation where every aspect of the business usually falls on the business owner’s shoulders. Not having to worry about the network will be one big worry off their plates and they can now spend more time doing their actual business instead of trying to fix things that they don’t know much about or don’t have time to do.

Little to No Downtime

If you self-host your computer network on your own server, if your server goes down, your entire company is off-line. This could mean hours or days of no productivity, costing you a lot of time and money while you try to have it fixed or wait for an IT person to come on-site to fix it. When you use a hosting service, your network is hosted on multiple servers. If one of the servers goes down or is corrupted in any way, your network will be routed through the other servers. This means that you should experience very little downtime in the event of a server failure. You won’t lose any productivity and your business can continue operating effectively which means that you won’t be losing money.

The advantages of third-party hosting are not only cost effective, they give you time free from trying to maintain your network and the peace of mind to know that you don’t need to worry about your network’s operations. Hosting services are the answer for many small and mid-size businesses, and they may be the answer for yours.

Email Hosting

Hosted email on a cloud based server could be an excellent idea for your business. The right tools could help you communicate and collaborate in real time.

Want to investigate cloud-based hosted email options? Check out http://www.getsyncd.com.

Smartphone Apps – A Gift that Gives All Year Long

December 27, 2010 – 7:41 am

Did you give the gift of productivity or entertainment for the smartphone user on your holiday list this year? If not, here are some tips for next year. Techies can be hard to buy for, especially for those of us who are less than technically inclined. Don’t fret! These ideas will help you to be the gift selecting champion of the day (and maybe even the year)!

Gifting Goes Virtual

Smartphone applications or subscriptions for smartphone services are a great gift to give your computer junkie. With all the apps and services out there, there is definitely something for everyone, from the completely nerdy techie who loves computer or gaming apps to the wine aficionado who wants an app to help to keep their tasting journal up to date, every type of techie is covered.

It is important to note that smartphone apps are not one size fits all-not every app will work on every type or generation of phone. They cannot be returned if you buy the wrong one, so be sure you know what brand of phone your techie is using before buying a gift card or credit toward their app purchases or subscriptions.

Gift Peace of Mind, Organization and Much More with One Small Purchase

Now if you really want to wow the technically inclined person on your shopping list, consider purchasing a subscription to a service like hosted e-mail. Hosting offers many benefits such as e-mail filtering and wireless syncing.

Advanced e-mail filtering roots out the spam and malicious phishing e-mails. This saves valuable space on smartphone data plans and protects the user from accidentally downloading something which could harm their network or be used to steal their personal information.

Wireless syncing automatically updates calendars, contacts and e-mails. This feature is a time-saver because your nerd won’t have to go searching for the proper cords and plugs to physically sync their phones to their computers. It also helps to prevent things like missed appointments or double booking!

Whether for Christmas, birthdays, appreciation gifts, or another occasion…gifting a subscription to a hosting service is a great idea because this is something that your giftee is not going to want to return. They will reap the benefits of hosting every day and may even find that they are able to be more productive when using their smartphone since they will be able to sync everything and keep tabs on their schedule and e-mails regularly. The gift of productivity, fun, or entertainment gift is sure to please your techie-and just think, next year, you can buy them a renewal, so no shopping required!

Want to learn more about hosted email benefits and options? Check out http://www.getsyncd.com.

Are There Security Plugs in Your Messaging System?

December 21, 2010 – 7:37 am

Most businesspeople are aware of the many ways email security can be breached.
And for the most part, commercial enterprises have some sort of server-level anti-
spam policies in place. But is this enough to protect your network from malware
attack?

New Forms of Compromise

There are a couple new trends that will affect how companies fight malware that
compromises their databases in the upcoming year.

For one, file security should be a main concern. Sarbanes-Oxley requires that any
firm capturing sensitive data must take certain measures to ensure the safety of
that data. But the bill only addresses network-level security of database records –
not email attachments. How many of your employees share files with clients and
vendors? Could the transportation of these attachments pose a security threat?

The second concern that may be a big threat quite soon is Facebook’s unveiling
of their Messages system. This service combines email, SMS and instant
messaging for Facebook users. The problem is that many users allow a number
of applications to access their information – and that same information could be
more easily accessed by hackers who will no doubt quickly figure out how to break
into the messaging feature of this social media site. It also opens the door for new
spamming and phishing schemes.

Add to that the fact that Facebook is going to store archives of member
communication in a database – and the company has already been under attack
by many in the antivirus industry, such as Sophos, for its lax security and privacy
controls.

How many of your employees log onto Facebook while at work? Chances are, it’s
a large number, and this could present a very large threat to your company’s
network security.

Best Practices to Ensure Email Security

An increasingly popular trend of many firms is to put their applications on a cloud.
It’s tougher for hackers to penetrate the security measures provided by a cloud
infrastructure – typically much more effective than network-level anti-virus and
firewalls.

If you do not opt for cloud-based applications, then it is vital to keep your security
software and policies up-to-date. Your mail server needs to have strong anti-spam
and antivirus protection layers in place – and they need to apply to incoming,
outgoing, and relayed email messages.

Advise your employees to take a closer look at the applications linked to their
Facebook profile and encourage them to be circumspect about the information
shared with their contacts. They should never use a corporate email address to set
up a Facebook profile and should never allow any applications to access the address
book associated with this account.

Now perhaps more than ever email security is an important issue to address. As the
world becomes more and more dependent on electronic communications, there are
more and more hackers busily working on developing the next wave of malware.
Always keep your antivirus software updated and consider moving to cloud-based
applications that provide superior security and privacy controls.

Is your email full of security holes? Learn more about cloud hosted Kerio Connect, a great MS Exchange alternative, and the free GetSecure antivirus protection at http://www.getsyncd.com.

Getting a New Smartphone for Christmas? 3 Apps You’ll Probably Want

December 20, 2010 – 5:00 am

Hoping Santa will bring you a new smartphone? Smartphones are awesome and can make your life simpler and better. Here are three apps you’ll probably want:

Drivesafe.ly

Drivesafe.ly is a great app to have if you do a lot of driving.  It allows you to hear your text messages and e-mails.  The program reads your messages out loud to you and then you can respond if you choose to.

Simply say your response and the application transcribes it back to text.  You have the opportunity to hear your message back before you send it, so you can be sure that it has been captured correctly.  The best part is that you do all of this hands-free, so you keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel—right where they belong.

JotNot

Part of the joy of working wirelessly is being able to hold business meetings just about anywhere, but what happens if you need to make a copy of a document?  If you have ever needed to copy a document, scan a photo or simply remember something that is written down, the JotNot app might be for you.

Currently available for the iPhone and Android platforms, JotNot uses your phone’s camera to make a digital image of the document which it saves as a PDF.  You can then save, e-mail or store the scanned image for later use.

GetSync’d

One thing every mobile worker needs is an application to synchronize your data across all channels. Hosted Kerio Mail could be the ticket for you. Getsync’d, a cloud-based Kerio solution, is a great alternative for MS Exchange and alternative to MobileMe. It allows you to wirelessly sync your smartphone with your computer—instantly updating your e-mail and calendars and contacts.  Getsync’d uses Kerio cloud services to keep your virtual office running smoothly and with free GetSecure, it does this while filtering spam out of your e-mail account so that you never receive it.  You can also sort your incoming e-mails into specified folders so that everything is arranged to increase your productivity.  You won’t miss an appointment either, because once you add it to your phone, it will be sync’d with your computer, without the necessity of physically synching them.  This means you won’t double schedule yourself and you can collaborate with others in real time. Getsync’d offers many other benefits as well, making it a must for your virtual office. We know we’re biased but it’s an awesome tool!

There are dozens of apps that enhance the smartphone experience. So, which smartphone do you hope to get for Christmas? Here’s hoping you don’t get a lump of coal instead :)

Are You Using the Right Antivirus and Spam Solution for Your Business?

December 14, 2010 – 7:30 am

We all know that antivirus software and anti-spam protection are a necessity in today’s business world. No matter how secure your network is, no matter what steps you take to protect your computer system, and no matter if your network is hosted on a cloud infrastructure or onsite, viruses, Trojan horses, malware, and spam can bypass your firewalls and creep their way into your employees’ inboxes.

There are many products to choose from when considering the best antivirus solution for your business, but not all are created equal. Before you invest, investigate the options and understand the key differences between products made for consumer use and their more robust cousins aimed at keeping business networks safe.

The Problem

Although commercial computers experience infection rates half as much as consumer PCs, that doesn’t mean your company’s network is safe. Even with a staff of IT professionals working diligently to close off access points in your system, today’s virus developers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, figuring out new ways to attack. When attackers find one hole plugged, they simply move on to the next unprotected area. The tools of the trade are easier to get, and quicker to deploy, making it nearly impossible to keep up with the increasing number of threats.

The creators of malware often run illegitimate business that are more profitable than legitimate models. And when there’s a market, there’s sure to be any number of providers eager to get their share of it. Malware isn’t expected to be going away anytime soon – if ever.

The Fix

The biggest weapon a company has against malware is a late-release antivirus program that is continually updated with the latest security patches.

Most of us have heard of the common antivirus providers that offer a free basic product, such as Avira and Avast! along with upgrade options from McAfee, Symantec Norton, and Panda. Unfortunately, the majority of products aimed at the consumer market aren’t sufficient to protect a vast network integrated with mobile computing devices and a variety of platforms. Nor are these solutions truly scalable.

A better solution is to go with a product specifically created to provide more robust security in the commercial environment. Look for such features as quarantine management, fine level control, comprehensive reporting, deep level searching, and end user summaries.

Where your antivirus program resides is another consideration. Cloud technology is becoming an increasingly popular option for many businesses although some executives fear the removal of physical data from their onsite premises. Rest assured that most the cloud vendors use highly functional security patches. If you are still worried about the safety of your data on a cloud, ask the vendor to provide a copy of their SAS70, which shows exactly what measures are in place and how often the security updates are installed. Some cloud vendors include robust antivirus solutions in the price of their hosting packages, making it very affordable to keep your data safe and secure.

Whatever antivirus solution you choose, be sure that it will provide maximum protection. There are few things worse than losing your company’s records to malware or infecting the computers of everyone who logs onto your website.

Dana Prince writes for GetSync’d. Learn more about GetSync’d, Kerio Connect Hosted Email services, and find out about GetSecure — free antivirus protection and spam protection offered by http://www.GetSyncd.com.

Do You Need a MobileMe Alternative?

December 9, 2010 – 8:00 am

MobileMe is an Apple product which is meant to sync all of your devices across the board without the need to physically sync each device to the others—for example, your iPhone, iPad and Apple Desktop computer.  This type of tool is great for any one who does a lot of business outside of the office because it syncs your calendars, e-mail accounts, and contact information accurate and up-to-the-minute.  If you add an appointment to your calendar on your phone, it will automatically update the calendar on your computer.  This means that you will never double-book yourself again!

GetSync’d – A Great MobileMe Alternative

Hosted Kerio from GetSync’d is a great alternative for MobileMe.  A lot of opinions about some of the problems with MobileMe point to users looking at alternatives. One key benefit is that it can be used for Apple, Windows and Linux products.  This means you don’t need to buy different solutions for each product type.  Kerio mail hosting allows you to receive messages in real time without having to log in to your e-mail client to see if you have messages.  It also comes with high level spam filtering so that you are not using up your valuable data plan receiving and deleting junk mail.

Kerio’s mail hosting also offers custom mail filtering so that you can organize your messages as you go.  Since you can separate your mail into specific folders as it arrives rather than moving each message individually later, you will find it to be a great time saver because it does the work for you!

A substantial benefit of using Kerio hosting is that you are able to keep all of your business contacts and e-mails and calendars up to date and at your finger tips at any given time.  Everything is synched wirelessly so that you do not need to wait until you get back to your desktop to sync your smartphone and your desktop to each other.  Updating one item updates them all.  Want more info about GetSync’d, a premier Kerio partner? Check us out at http://www.getsyncd.com.

Shopping for a Touchscreen Tablet? Some Options for Mobile Computing With a Tablet

December 7, 2010 – 7:00 am

Although Apple started the new revolution of mobile computing with its wildly popular iPad, many smartphone and netbook manufacturers are now jumping on the bandwagon. With so many consumers purchasing the Apple iPad, it just makes sense that the PC industry would want a piece of the tablet mobile computing pie. Dell, Samsung, Avaya, Lenovo, and Cisco have all recently announced plans to bring their own touch screen tablets to the market in the next several months.

With all these new tablets entering the market, how can you decide which one will provide the maximum computing, collaboration, and mobile unified communications capabilities? There are several considerations to take into account before shelling out your cash on a new mobile device.

Shopping for a Tablet? Factors to Consider

Let’s start with operating systems. Of course, the iPad uses Apple’s iOS, but the majority of new tablets hitting the market will be based on the Android OS made popular by the latest smartphones. The Android platform has already proven its exceptional capabilities for a wide variety of utilizations. Lenovo is the sole exception, opting for Microsoft’s Windows 7 OS.

Along with the Android OS, all will utilize 3G, the third generation of developments in wireless technology for increased bandwidth. Only one, the Avaya DVD, is instead offering Dongle for security authorization.

What about size and weight? At just a half a pound and with a tiny five-inch screen, the Dell Streak is the smallest of the new tablets. It’s also one of the cheapest, with a proposed price of $550; of course it also has the fewest features. At the top end of the scale is the Lenovo X201, which weighs in at three pounds but features a screen just over twelve inches.

When it comes to Wi-Fi technology standards, the choices are 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n.Apple and Cisco are the only two manufacturers to currently offer them all.

As far as features in relation to price and size, none of the new tablets really comes anywhere close to what you get with the Apple iPad. Since it’s been on the market for a while now, the price has come down and it’s the beefiest when it comes to computing capabilities.

Tablet Mobile Computing Success

Unfortunately, tablets are not the best choice if you need heavy-duty computing functionality. But when it comes to communication and collaboration, a tablet is a good smartphone alternative. Email access, texting, and media playing are the best features on a tablet, taking smartphone capability to the next level by offering a larger screen. Another advantage of a tablet over a smartphone is the ability to use it as an eBook reader.

Since communication and collaboration are the two advantages of a tablet, it’s best to connect these devices with synchronization service for your business. Choose a service that updates data between devices immediately and wirelessly. It’s also a good idea to ensure that the synching works across platforms so that Apple and Android users can share calendars, contacts, and project notes. Some mobile syncing applications will offer extras, such as free antivirus and anti-spam service.

Some Disadvantages of Tablet PCs

The biggest disadvantage of a tablet is data input. Yes, the touch screen is larger than a smartphone, but tablets just aren’t set up to easily input data other than through check boxes. Freeform text and graphics are often a requirement of mobile computing in many businesses and any of the tablets currently available or proposed do not address this capability.

Tablets make mobile computing easier but they are not computing workhorses so may not be as productive as you’re hoping. You may want one now but look at your options before investing in one, particularly if you already own a smartphone and investigate available apps / software tools that could make your tablet work the way you need it too.

GetSync’d could be great for your tablet and GetSync’d customers also get free GetSecure antivirus and anti-spam protection.