5 Factors to Consider when Buying a Business Tablet

If you're in the market for a new mobile computer, there's a good chance you're considering a tablet in lieu of a traditional notebook. 

Choosing a tablet is easy, but choosing a tablet for business presents a number of issues. Is the device secure? Does it have the compute power you'll need? What types of apps do you need, and will they run on your chosen device? 

Tablets are utilized in business more and more everyday. So much so, the IDC projects that tablets will outsell notebooks worldwide this year and, by 2013, they will surpass the sales of notebooks and desktops combined. 

I came across a great article on SmallBusinessComputing.com that addresses the 4 factors you should consider when buying a tablet for business use. I have taken some key information out the article for you to read here but  please follow the link above if you would like to read the whole thing. 


1.) Operating System

• iOS - Most user friendly tablet OS with an enormous selection of apps for business and personal use. Apple curates the apps when running on your device which minimizes technical problems or the chance of picking up malware
• Google's Android- More features and customization flexibility than iOS. The number of apps is about the same as iOS but Google doesn't keep track of its app store offerings like apple does. The potential for picking up maleware or other viruses is much higher. 
• Windows RT- Resembles Windows 8 and comes with a version of Office 2013. However, Windows RT is not compatible with Intel processors, so it can't run existing software designed for Windows notebooks and desktops--only Windows tablet-specific apps from the Windows Store. Ideal for people who don't need much more than office productivity, web browsing, and videoconferencing. 
• Windows 8-  Same Windows that runs on notebooks and desktops. Ideal for running conventional Windows software. (Which by the way is not designed for touch screens.) 

2.) Email and Productivity Software - 

• When it comes to email accounts, all tablets can handle basically any of them. Even Microsoft Exchange. So not much differentiation there. 
• Office productivity software includes working with documents, spreadsheets, presentations and PDFs. Not all tablets are able to run Microsoft office-- with the exception of Windows tablets of course. For all other OS there are apps you can purchase that will enable you to utilize productivity software such as Apple's iWork ($30, iOS), Google Drive (free, Android) or Quickoffice ($20, iOS/Android). Not the same features you would receive while running Microsoft Office on a PC, but chances are you don't need them anyways. 

3.) Tablet Screen Size and Data Storage 

• Android tablets range from 7-inch to 10-inch screens
• iOS iPad is 9.7-inches with the iPAD mini coming in at 7.9 inches. 
• Windows tablets range anywhere from 8 to 12 inches ( larger screens usually, but not always, mean higher resolutions.) 
• "Data storage on tablets is built-in and generally offered in 16, 32, or 64 GB. A few inexpensive Android models get by with 8 GB, while Microsoft's Windows 8 Pro-based Surface Pro has a 128 GB version. Many Android and Windows tablets let you expand storage capacity further via microSD cards (iPads, notably, do not.)"
• You want to keep in mind, the operating system and apps take up some of the built in storage, so right off the bat the amount available to you will ultimately be less than the actual number quoted on the device. The good thing is that work related emails and documents do not take up much space at all. 

4.) Wireless Internet Access

• Built in Wi-Fi is the standard with tablets so right out of the box you are ready to get online. If you want to ensure your tablet can get online just about anywhere you want to consider ones that offer a mobile broadband option (3G/4G data plans). This offering is available on all iPads as well as third-party Android and WIndows tablets from companies including HP and Lenovo. 
• If your device does not include a broadband option and you have a smartphone, it could always be used as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot but this can eat up your data plan limits quickly. 

It is not hard to see why tablets are so popular but with so many different options to choose from it is a good idea to get informed. I hope you found this article as helpful as I did. 

Maximize Your Mobile Video Conferencing Investment with 5 Easy Tricks

Enterprise mobility is a very hot topic today with the proliferation of smart phones, tablets and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in the workplace. What better way to communicate and collaborate on the go than face-to-face interactions via your mobile devices. 

Not sure if mobile video conferencing is for you? Below is an great post by LifeSize Communications showing 5 unique ways that your company can maximize its investment with mobile video conferencing technology.

Maximize Your Mobile Video Conferencing Investment with 5 Easy Tricks

Mobile and desktop video collaboration is exploding in the business world. According to Gartner, by 2015, over 200 million workers globally will run corporate-supplied video conferencing from their desktops. Additionally, with the growth of smartphones and tablets surpassing PCs, the demand has never been higher for a video collaboration solution that delivers mobile and desktop access so you can work anytime, anywhere.

Even though we all know that mobile video conferencing is the latest buzzword, you may be wondering if it really is a useful business tool and not just a fun toy for your employees to play with. We have compiled five unique ways that your company can maximize its investment in mobile video conferencing technology.

How To Get the Most Out of Your Mobile Video Calling Solution

1. Extend video capabilities to everyone: customers, vendors, partners, interview candidates and more. HD video collaboration has come a long way since its early days, and now mobile video collaboration is accessible to nearly anyone with an Internet connection or a mobile device. New products, like LifeSize UVC ClearSea, allow for unlimited, free guest invitations, so you can truly maximize your investment by utilizing video for every meeting. The more you use video inside and outside of your organization, the more ROI you will experience from your investment.

2. Think outside the box when it comes to where you can connect: Mobile video conferencing isn’t just for road warriors. Typical 9-to-5 office workers can benefit from the technology as well. Your employees will appreciate the flexibility that video conferencing provides, since they can now join meetings from anywhere, anytime. If they need to work from home to wait for the cable guy or sit in the waiting room during their son’s orthodontist appointment, they don’t have to miss an important meeting. Equip all of your knowledge workers with mobile video conferencing and you will be amazed at how productive they can be.

3. Allow employees to “BYOD”: Unlike certain consumer-grade video conferencing products, LifeSize UVC ClearSea can run on PCs, Macs and more than 50 Android and iOS devices. Through a BYOD program, your staff can use their own personal devices to collaborate (which can save you a bundle on purchasing company-provided devices).

4. Sync your mobile video solution with all of your devices. Features like “ring all” allow you to sync your mobile video conferencing solution with your desktop PC, tablet and smartphone. So, when someone calls you, all of your devices ring simultaneously (ensuring you never miss an important call). Again, this helps ensure more usage by employees which will help build a video culture to maximize your investment.

5. Don’t skimp on quality. It may be tempting to invest in a consumer-grade video conferencing product for your organization due to its low cost, but in the long run, this decision will actually result in less usage across your staff (due to the often poor performance of these solutions). An HD, enterprise-class mobile video solution is the right choice if you are looking for a professional way to communicate with important business colleagues.

Today, LifeSize announced LifeSize UVC ClearSea, introducing the Smart Video™ experience for desktop and mobile calling. To learn more about this new solution, click here.

Hurricane Season is Near: Do you have a Disaster Recovery Plan in Place?

One of the most talked about yet least implemented activities concerning IT infrastructure is the design and

execution of a disaster recovery plan. Whether man-made or natural, disasters of all shapes and sizes signify costly disruptions to business practices.

As of June first, Hurricane Season in the Atlantic begins. Still reeling from last year’s Hurricane Sandy, which caused billions of dollars in damages, many small businesses have never reopened. The most common business disaster is data loss and can be the most crippling loss a company can face. Fortunately, if you’re proactive about having a backup solution in place, data loss is easy to recover. 

A few helpful tips to keep your business running smoothly: 

1.) Think critically about your data. If you were to walk into your office tomorrow and all your business data were gone, what would you miss the most? Know what you have and what's important. 

2.) Consider backup options. Tape, external media, outsourcing--whatever you choose, your backup must be offsite, duplicated, secure and available for recovery at all times. Think beyond onsite back-up. 

3.) Outsourcing could be your best bet. As are most small businesses, if you are short on IT staff, outsourcing to a reliable partner is certainly your best option. A disaster recovery service can provide you a shorter window to recovery when disaster strikes and give you the peace of mind in knowing you will always be protected. Customers that use Convergent Technologies Group's Managed Backup Service receive security, monitoring and support 24/7 by taking advantage of our monthly service packages.

4.) Backup is nothing without recovery. Do test runs and be familiar with your recovery process. If you have a provider, they should be happy to walk you through a test-recovery procedure. 

5.) Review. Review. Review. Did I mention review? Make sure your data is being backed up regularly and reflects ALL changes or additions to your business processes and infrastructure. This should be done on a quarterly basis if not more often. 

It is not if, but when a disaster rears its ugly head. Be it fire, theft, system failure, man-made or natural, they all have the same effect--costly disruptions to your business processes. Don't risk it - get protected and we can help.

If you are ready to take the next step Contact Convergent Technologies Group and learn more about our complete data recovery and backup service. 

Can you hear me now? - Why field service solutions are vital to your mobile workforce

Enterprise mobility is booming—field service solutions are no longer “nice to have” they have become essential enablers of organizational transformation by improving productivity, increasing customer satisfaction and ultimately increasing profitability.

Mobility is the extent to which service organizations can use mobile solutions to their advantage when managing a field workforce. As such, mobile work force and work order tracking solutions are a way organizations can better equip their field technicians. The ability of technicians to effectively perform in the field makes service organizations more efficient, leading to happier customers and increased revenue streams.

Improve Productivity

Mobile field service software, like Mobility XE (Mobile VPN) and Locality(Performance Management) by NetMotion Wireless, allow companies to equip their technicians with all the necessary information at a touch of a button.

The foundation of a successful mobile deployment is a Mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) – a solution providing mobile workers with secure, reliable, remote access to network resources and information from virtually anywhere. Workers are more productive because their work isn't interrupted by lost connections or by moving from one network to another.

In addition to a Mobile VPN, cellular network performance software provides the visibility into your cellular deployment and business intelligence tools needed to ensure that mobile field workers and IT support staff are operating at their highest potential. With this level of visibility, you can improve productivity and save costs by identifying causes of chronic connectivity problems, ensuring your mobile field workers have access to the best coverage and the fastest network technologies and redeploying or disconnecting under-utilized devices.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

The ability of field technicians to correctly perform the job on their first visit is paramount to customer satisfaction. Accessing customer information from a mobile device lets techs see notes on past services performed, equipment and access details, work order types and invoice history. Through field service software, companies can provide all the necessary information needed to complete the task at hand—pleasing the customer.

With this information, the technician can bypass process inefficiencies and focus on the job at hand meaning lower time-to-service for each technician and significant improvement in service operations.

Increase Profitability

As the old 80/20 rule applies, 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers. It is more costly bringing on new customers than keeping old ones so customer retention is key.  Executing a level of sales-service collaboration via these kinds of mobile software solutions is an easy way for organizations to grow service revenue. When a missed service, late arrival, or incompetence in repair can mean losing a customer, it is vital that technicians be provided with all the information they need to succeed in the field.

In closing, by managing tasks with mobile field service software solutions, and providing mobile workers with secure, reliable, remote access to network resources and information, you are laying the foundation for a successful mobile deployment. This will empower workers with the resources they need to be effective –resulting in faster business transactions, improved customer service, and ultimately, happier customers and increased revenue.

To learn more about NetMotion Mobility XE or NetMotion Locality contact Convergent Technologies Group. 804-353-5307.

Gartner Analyst Suggests Dell Enterprise Customers Should Start Looking Around

HP Customer & Market Insights has just made a recent Gartner report, Dell’s Leveraged Buyout Necessitates Scenario Planning for Customers, available to all HP Employees.  In this report, Gartner Research Director Adrien O’Connell provides perspective on Dell’s leveraged buyout, and the implications it may have on Dell’s enterprise and consumer customers. 



The Dell LBO has been big news lately, with the $24.4bn Michael Dell, Silver Lake and Microsoft funded initial offer being joined now by offers from Blackstone Group, and activist investor Carl Icahn.  While these offers are debated by Dell’s board, O’Connell suggests that Dell customers view Dell’s claims that it can transform itself into an enterprise tech company “with a degree of caution.”  Dell’s low margin PC business is not enough to sustain the company, and delayed delivery times or account team responsiveness may indicate danger signs for the company as it shifts strategy, and realigns its business.  Dell enterprise customers need to have alternative plans developed, and consider how private equity may impact Dell’s future, and their own supplier portfolio.

One outlet taking notice of the Gartner report, channelregister.co.uk, asks “Can it really be that enterprise customers should make sure they have an emergency raft ready to head to the shores of rival PC makers should Dell jettison its desktop and notebook portfolio when it goes private?”  Gartner’s report seems to suggest the answer is “Yes.”

·         Check out more of Gartner’s take on Dell’s LBO: “Dell’s Leveraged Buyout Necessitates Scenario Planning for Customers”.
This report is provided by Customer & Market Insights, and available to all of HP through 25 June, 2013.

·         Get weekly perspective on Dell from the Dell RADAR

·         Search MarketVision for insights on Dell

·         Read the channelregister.co.uk article