Product Coverage Inquiries [email protected] (800) 247-4880 131 West Grand Drive Lincoln, NE 68521

Circulation (To adjust your bulk order or to Table Of Contents request racks.) XXXQDUPEBZDPN 7PMVNF

t
*TTVF

t
.BSDI
 [email protected] (800) 334-7458

Customer Service (For questions about your sub- ON THE COVER scription or to place an order or change an address.) [email protected] (800) 733-3809 Don’t Lose Your Data FAX: (402) 479-2193 Whether it’s the occasional lost PC Today file or a disaster that brings P.O. Box 82545 down a roomful of servers, Lincoln, NE 68501-5380 there are precautions that can prevent your company’s vital Hours data from going down the Mon. - Fri.: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CST) drain. Turn to the Essential Online Customer Service & Subscription Center Business Tech department to www.pctoday.com learn more about data recovery services and how they can Authorization For Reprints help your organization when (800) 247-4880 disaster strikes. These services can also help you prevent data Copyright 2012 by Sandhills Publishing Company. loss to begin with. PC Today is a registered trade- mark of Sandhills Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material IN THIS ISSUE appearing in PC Today is strictly prohibited without written permission. Printed in the U.S.A. GST # 123482788RT0001 (ISSN 1040-6484).

PC Today is published monthly for $29 per year by Sandhills Publishing Company, 131 West Grand Drive, P.O. Box 85673, Lincoln, NE 68501-5380. Subscriber Services: (800) 733-3809.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PC Today, P.O. Box 8 32 58 66 82545, Lincoln, NE 68501 ➤ Essential ➤ Mobile ➤ Personal ➤ Business Business Tech Office Electronics Travel 911 Scan this Technology Highly useful Electronics, Fast tech QR Code with your intelligence information services, and support mobile for executives, for conducting helpful advice especially for smartphone to see our professionals, and business on for home traveling Web site. entrepreneurs the road and leisure professionals IN BRIEF TECHNOLOGY NEWS

MERGER YIELDS continued growth, with revenues SYMPHONY TELECA CLOUD forecast to reach $288 billion for 2012 SOFTWARE COMPANY compared to $267 billion in 2011. ➤ Palo Alto, Calif.,-based Symphony Services recently merged with the NETWORK BOX USA INTEL BOLSTERS Swedish company Teleca to form GETS IPV6 READY HIGH PERFORMANCE Symphony Teleca. Symphony Ser- ➤ If you are not familiar with IPv6 COMPUTING vices specializes in cloud software (Internet Protocol version 6), you CAPABILITIES development solutions for ISVs (in- will be soon. The current stan- ➤ With a focus on supercom- dependent software vendors) and dard, IPv4, is almost out of avail- puting, and also with an eye enterprise mo- able addresses, toward “real-time, always on” bility, in addi- and IPv6 is in businesses with high avail- tion to many line to succeed ability requirements, Intel’s other services. IPv4. “Imag- HPC (high performance com- Teleca offers ine a company puting) products stand to get product de- moves its office, a boost from one of the compa- velopment, to find they can ny’s newest acquisitions. Intel business con- only get an IPv6 has struck a deal with Aliso sulting, and Internet con- Viejo, Calif.,-based QLogic to other services nection to their purchase QLogic’s InfiniBand to OEMs and new office,” assets for $125 million in cash. telecommuni- says Pierluigi InfiniBand is a high-bandwidth cations com- Stella, CTO of networking technology. “The panies. As one Network Box sale of these InfiniBand assets company, “Symphony Teleca is USA. “What happens at that point? Is will benefit our shareholders global in scale, has clear leadership their eclectic, yet typical, mix of new, by enabling us to provide bet- in the areas that will define next- fairly new, old, and very old computer ter focus and greater invest- generation cloud and connected soft- equipment going to work?” Network ment in growth opportunities ware applications, boasts one of the Box will soon be rolling out its Version largest R&D capabilities focused on Five systems to solve that problem im- enterprise software and mobility, mediately. “IPv4 and IPv6 are com- and employs one of the most expe- pletely incompatible,”Stella says. rienced global services teams in the With the Network Box systems, how- industry,” said CEO Sanjay Dhawan ever, “your computer can speak IPv4 in a statement. Citing significant and the Network Box will translate that positive change in the enterprise into IPv6. As far as I know, Network software and enterprise mobility Box is the only UTM device capable of markets, Symphony Teleca expects doing this.”

for the data center with our converged networking, en- BMC SOFTWARE BUYS NUMARA ➤ terprise Ethernet, and storage The Houston-based BMC Software, a global IT services company that area networking products,” serves more than 25,000 organizations, has entered into an agreement to pur- said QLogic CEO Simon Bid- chase Numara Software. Based in Tampa, Fla., Numara is best known for its discombe in a statement. “After FootPrints line of IT management products, which BMC will begin offering to the sale, our cash position will serve the mid-market as a complement to its own cloud-based BSM (business be further strengthened and we service management) solutions. “Now BMC can effectively serve the entire expect the impact on earnings spectrum of organizations hungry for IT management with products that truly per share to be neutral.” meet the specific needs of their businesses,” said Paul Avenant, president of BMC’s Enterprise Service Management division, in a statement. “Numara’s solutions, customer base, and sales and channel partners will round out BMC’s market leadership in Business Service Management and focus on customer care and support.”

4 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com IN BRIEF TECHNOLOGY NEWS

LAPLINK READYING SYNC PRODUCT ➤ Laplink, the Bellevue, Wash.,-based company perhaps best known for its PCmover data migration software, announced Laplink Sync, an upcoming product that works in conjunction with Intel’s My WiFi technology. My WiFi enables personal hotspots, or PANs (personal area networks), and Laplink Sync will serve to synchronize data across mobile and other devices using TWITTER BUYS a range of operating systems (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Windows MORE SECURITY Phone). Laplink Sync is due for release sometime during the first half of this ➤ In November, the San year. For more information about Laplink and PCmover for the enterprise, Francisco-based company see page 25. behind the eponymous Twit- ter micro-blogging service WATCH FOR ONLINE OWC LAUNCHES SSD STORAGE FROM GOOGLE FOR MISSION-CRITICAL ➤ Although no final product was in ENTERPRISE USE public view as of press time, The Wall ➤ Other World Computing recently Street Journal reports that Google is released its new Mercury Enter- getting close to launching an online prise Pro 6G line of SSDs (solid-state storage service, called Drive, which drives) for enterprise businesses and would keep files in sync between larger organizations seeking to up- devices and the cloud (i.e., Google’s grade for greater speed, lower total picked Whisper Systems, a servers). Integration with Google cost of ownership, and other bene- company that makes security Apps is likely, which means that fits relative to standard HDDs (hard software for mobile devices Drive would have a business-ori- disk drives). According to Wood- that use Google’s Android ented component, as well. It appears stock, Ill.,-based OWC, the Mercury operating system. It is not that Drive will also be available for Enterprise Pro 6G SSDs consume 90% clear yet how Twitter plans consumer use and will compete less power than HDDs and reach to incorporate Whisper Sys- with such services as Dropbox and data rates of more than 500MBps, tems into its service, but now Apple’s iCloud. making them ideal for mission-crit- Twitter has announced an- ical server use. OWC also touts the other security-related ac- VISA LAUNCHES drives’ security benefits as providing quisition: Dasient. Based in MOBILE SERVICES SUITE “up to 100x greater data protection” Sunnyvale, Calif., Dasient’s ➤ Each year brings us closer to compared to HDDs, storing data in services scan Web sites, being able to manage most of our AES-256/128 hardware double en- URLs, and Web-based wid- finances using our mobile devices. crypted format. The Mercury Enter- gets for any sign of malware. To that end, Visa recently released prise Pro 6G SSDs will soon be avail- “Since its inception, Dasient a suite of mobile services that pro- able in to 400GB. has been focused on solving vides financial institutions with web-scale security prob- the ability to extend certain Visa lems involving malware and services to mobile customers. Card- other types of online abuse,” holders will, for example, be able said Dasient co-founder and to monitor their account activity, CTO Neil Daswani in a blog transfer funds, and sign up for in- post. “By joining Twitter, stant transaction alerts on their Dasient will be able to apply smartphones or other mobile de- its technology and team vices. Visa worked with the UK- to the world’s largest real- based company Monitise to develop time information network.” the suite. Terms of the acquisition have not been released.

Other World Computing touts its new Mercury Enterprise Pro 6G SSDs as consuming 90% less power and offering 100X more data protection relative to standard enterprise hard disk drives.

PC Today / March 2012 5 IN BRIEF TECHNOLOGY NEWS

STARTUPS

XERO RAISES $20 MILLION FUNDING ROUND TOTALS $15 FOR ONLINE ACCOUNT MILLION FOR LEADS360 SOFTWARE BUSINESS ➤ Leads360 (www.leads360.com), seller of ➤ Xero (www.xero.com), a provider of Web-based software and services aimed NEXGEN STORAGE real-time, online accounting software, at helping organizations manage leads NETS $10 MILLION reportedly raised $20 million that it they already possess, recently netted $15 FOR STORAGE plans to use to help expand growth million through a new funding round SYSTEM EFFORT in overseas markets. CEO Rod Drury that Volition Capital led and existing ➤ NexGen Storage (www.nex stated in a company blog that the funds investor Rustic Canyon Partners par- genstorage.com), a provider of came from existing directors and major ticipated in. Founded in 2004, Leads360 enterprise-class storage sys- shareholders. Among the participants states it has managed tens of millions tems for virtualized infrastruc- was Peter Thiel, former PayPal founder. of prospects from more than 2,000 cli- tures, recently emerged from Jamie Sutherland, recently named presi- ents. The company also states that its stealth by simultaneously re- dent of Xero’s U.S. operations in San approach has resulted in 40 to 50% rev- leasing its flagship NexGen Francisco, stated, “Small businesses and enue gains each year for the past three n5 Storage System product. accountants are looking for new solu- years. Leads360 stresses that it doesn’t Additionally, the company tions to drive growth and are adopting sell leads but instead provides the means announced it closed an for clients to “achieve unparalleled re- oversubscribed $10 mil- turn on investment from their leads.” lion funding round led by new investor Next SOLERA NETWORKS World Capital and ex- RAISES $20 MILLION FOR isting investors Grotech SECURITY SOLUTIONS ➤ Ventures and Access Solera Networks (www.soleranetworks Venture Partners. The .com), provider of Network Security An- funds will help expand alytics solutions, recently raised $20 sales, marketing, engi- million in Series D financing that Intel neering, and operations Capital led and that current investors efforts. The company Allegis Capital, Signal Peak Ventures, states that its storage and Trident Capital participate in. The system helps enter- company’s patented DeepSee platform prises work past two works to collect, index, and classify all issues that have limited network traffic (cloud and mobile in- Xero provides real-time, Web-based accounting software aimed the adoption of virtu- cluded) in real time. Solera Networks at small businesses, accountants, and other users. The company alization: performance states that “the way Web analytics tells recently raised $20 million in new funds. uncertainty related to marketers what to look for in order to shared storage and high sell more,” the company’s “Network operational costs related to cloud services in record numbers. This Security Analytics tells security adminis- disk sprawl. NextGen Storage funding strengthens our U.S. efforts trators what is suspicious and potentially states its solution cuts storage and will help us build on the strong mo- threatening to the integrity of their net- operating costs for large virtual mentum we have in the market.” Xero works.” New funds will facilitate growth environments by up to 90% claims more than 60,000 paid customers by expanding global sales, marketing, and can provide 76 times more in 100-plus countries. and product-development initiatives. virtual machine storage den- sity as other offerings. UNIFIED SECURITY MANAGEMENT PROVIDER ALIENVAULT RAISES $8 MILLION ➤ AlienVault (www.alienvault.com), provider of unified security management solutions, secured $8 million in Series B financing recently it will use to quicken research and development and expand sales and marketing. The company also recently announced the appointment of Barmak Meftah as CEO and Roger Thorton as CTO. AlienVault is the creator of OSSIM (Open Source Security Information Management), described as “a comprehensive compilation of tools which, when working together, grant net- work/security administrators with a detailed view over each and every aspect of his or her networks, hosts, physical access devices, server, etc.” Users in more than 80 countries have downloaded OSSIM more than 160,000 times, AlienVault states. 6 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com IN BRIEF TECHNOLOGY NEWS

STATS

IT EMPLOYEE HOLIDAY SHOPPERS RELIED ON CONFIDENCE RISING THEIR MOBILE PHONES ➤ The IT Employee Confidence Index ➤ Shoppers are accessing mobile data showed an increase from 47.3 to 52% to help with purchasing decisions, un- in Q4 2011, according to a recent online derscoring the need for businesses to VIRTUALIZATION survey conducted by Harris Interactive. consider the importance of making SAVES GOVERNMENT The index measures the overall confi- product information accessible to smart- $15 BILLION SO FAR ➤ dence among U.S. technology workers. phone users. The Pew Internet & Amer- According to a study IT professionals are also showing more ican Life Project reports that more focused on government confidence in the economy because of than half of adult cell phone owners server and desktop virtu- the perception that more jobs are avail- used their phones while shopping in alization conducted by able and the increased ability to get a store during the 2011 holiday sea- MeriTalk, a government IT those new jobs. son. Research revealed that these indi- online community, 82% of viduals used their phones to consult federal and 77% of state- ULTRABOOKS FAVORED friends or to check pricing and online and-local IT professionals BY SMBS product reviews. say their agencies have ➤ This year, nearly one in started implementing serv- five computers that SMBs ➤➤ In-Store Cell Phone Use & er virtualization. This trans- purchase will be Ultra- 2011 Holiday Shoppers lates to an estimated sav- books. A Techaisle study 38% ings of 19% of IT budgets, predicts that U.S. SMBs or $15 billion across gov- will buy an estimated 3.6 ernment agencies. The re- million Ultrabooks by 24% 25% port revealed that by 2015, year’s end. Although only virtualized workloads 23% of SMBs are familiar are expected to nearly with Ultrabooks, 65% of double from 37% to 63% those intend to purchase and boost savings to an the devices, which are Intel estimated $23.6 billion processor-based notebooks government-wide. Server designed to compete with Called a friend for Checked online Compared online virtualization is reported tablets. buying advice product reviews pricing as a priority over desktop virtualization by 57% of INTERNATIONAL ROAMING COSTS COMPANIES federal and 64% of state- and-local respondents. ➤ Before sending employees abroad, it pays to find ways to control international data and voice charges. Research from CCMI found that 40% of Fortune 1000 compa- nies are reducing business use of wireless devices when employees travel abroad to manage costs. In addition, 24% report they have lost business as a result of roaming costs. Of those companies surveyed, nearly 37% spend an average of $1,000 or more per month per user on wireless roaming costs for their international travelers.

➤➤ Decision To Install Security SMARTPHONE SECURITY KNOWLEDGE LACKING Protection On Mobile Device ➤ Because many employees use their smartphones for business and User doesn’t know personal use, companies should consider educating their employees enough about mobile about smartphone security issues. NQ Mobile and the National Cyber Security Alliance released the results of a survey of consumer security to decide 21% whether it is necessary. attitudes and behaviors toward mobile privacy and security and found that while nearly three-fourths of American consumers are Aware of security aware of, and concerned about, security threats to their smart- risks but doesn’t think phones, they aren’t always taking measures to protect their phones. downloading product 58% For example, 70% of smartphone users said they had some type of is necessary. 21% security or security software on their phones, but only 50% of them Would not perform could identify the type of security, and 58% reported they didn’t most tasks without know enough about mobile security to decide whether they need having security it. Just 7% of smartphone users were offered information about the program installed. need for security for their phones at the time of purchase. PC Today / March 2012 7 happen to them,” says Alan Brill, senior managing director for the Cyber Security and Information Assurance Division at global risk consulting company Kroll Ontrack (www.krollontrack.com). “We’ve seen a lot of cases where a company suffers a data loss that a data-recovery organization can help them with,” says Brill. “But until then, they’ve never really considered that they could need a vendor. So when they do, they run around and pick one hastily. You don’t want to learn crisis management in the middle of a crisis.” But if you have never contracted with a DR provider, or you want to upgrade to a different one, you owe it to your company’s data to do your homework.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS “There are questions to ask yourself before you even start shopping,” says Mike Dillon, CTO for Quest Systems (www.questsys.com), a technology man- Data Recovery agement company. “When would you use data recovery? If there’s a power outage? If a phone circuit is down? If Done Right one of their own servers is down?” Tips For Choosing The Right Provider You should also ask what type of data are you trying to get back, the kind of recovery time you’re going to need, and Everybody thinks it won’t happen to them, but it eventually what your data availability happens to almost everybody: Through either a hardware or requirements are if di- software failure, crucial data is destroyed or becomes inaccessible. saster strikes. “Depending on your business, you might need t might be a contract saved as a Some companies are diligent enough rapid recovery. If you know that in Word document, an important about backup that they might not advance, it might weigh heavily on PowerPoint presentation, or data need to have a DR company on speed which provider you choose,” says Ifrom a specialized program that only dial. Other companies use such a rel- Eric Webster, chief revenue officer for your industry uses. atively simple array of programs (the Doyenz (www.doyenz.com). “For most Whether you’re trying to pre- Microsoft Office suite, for instance) small businesses, they’re OK with vent data loss before it happens or that they can call on DR help only using a company that doesn’t offer attempting damage control after a when needed. that level of service. If you can stand disaster, there are some guidelines But you’re best off if you realize to be without your data for several to follow when shopping for an on- that not only can a data disaster hours or a day, then obviously it isn’t premise DR (data recovery) provider. happen at your company, one prob- that urgent.” ably will. “The big difference be- Another tip before you call a DR DETERMINE YOUR tween those who get through data provider: If a computer at your com- REQUIREMENTS recovery situations and those who pany stops working, make sure you The first step is defining exactly don’t is that the ones who do have have an idea what the problem is be- what you need a DR provider for. recognized all along that it can fore you call in the cavalry.

8 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

“There’s a wide range of failures for both ADDITIONAL computers and hard drives,” says Steve CONSIDERATIONS Burgess of Burgess Forensics (www.burgess There are some more questions it’s impor- forensics.com). “You need to figure out what tant to ask when looking for a DR provider. kind of failure you have. If the hard drive is Does the provider you’re talking to pro- physically failing—if it’s clicking, grinding, or vide such services as data recovery, foren- scraping—don’t turn it on again. Continuing sics, and backup exclusively? Or is it just a to run it might cause it to fail worse, to the computer store that does data recovery on point that recovery becomes impossible, be- the side? If it’s the latter, odds are it only cause data’s getting scraped off the platters.” takes on easy recovery projects and pass Alan Brill Also make sure that a power connector the harder jobs to a provider that does DR senior managing direc- hasn’t come loose, or that your boot kernel or full-time. “You can tell by looking their tor, Cyber Security and Information Assurance startup files haven’t been corrupted. An easy website,” says Burgess. “If their services are Division, Kroll Ontrack way to test a hard drive is to networking, IT, websites, remove it from the machine and—oh, by the way—data “You don’t want and put it in an external en- recovery, that’s a clue that to learn crisis closure (which usually costs Most small this isn’t their specialty.” management in the no more than $50) to deter- businesses have Does the provider handle middle of a crisis.” mine whether it will mount one or two all operating systems? Does as an external hard drive on it handle all platforms and another machine. applications that storage systems? What about “Probably 10% of data loss are core to their flash drives, smart cards, and problems are due to physical business, and if smartphones? “You want a failure,” says Burgess. “The provider that has the tech- rest are software problems or those applications nology to deal with the kinds file structure problems.” go down, of problems you’re most A software failure can be their business likely to have,” says Brill. “We get literally everything worse than a bad hard drive, goes down. Steve Burgess according to Webster. Most from equipment dating back owner, small businesses have one or to the 1970s to gadgets that Burgess Forensics two applications that are core were released last week that to their business, and if those applications go someone ran over.” “Probably 10% down, their business goes down. What will you get back, and in what of data loss problems “[DR is] becoming more about applica- format? You might get your data back from are due to physical tion access than it is about data access,” says a DR provider, but it might be on a DVD-R failure. The rest Webster. “It’s about making sure your em- or some other format; you might not get back are software problems ployees and users can get to those applica- a working hard drive that you can just plug or file structure tions more so than getting to specific files. in. Some offsite providers, especially those problems.” Let’s say you have a dental office and you in other cities, will offer to return your data use specialized practice management soft- via download, which can be a burden for ware like Dentrix. If that goes down, you lose some companies. “A lot of companies will money starting immediately.” say, ‘Here’s your two terabytes of data. Have As you shop around for a provider, your fun downloading it with your DSL connec- initial phone call might tell you plenty. If the tion,’” says Dillon. provider doesn’t offer a couple of possible What happens if there’s a problem after quick-fix solutions such as the above, it might the job is done? What exactly does their price be time to keep shopping. quote cover? Does the company charge by “See if you get some helpful suggestions the capacity of the hard drive or the difficulty Eric Webster before the provider starts talking price,” says of the recovery? What’s the turnaround time? chief revenue officer, Burgess. “If the provider treats everything These are all reasonable questions to ask as Doyenz like an emergency, it might be just the person you shop for a DR provider. And one last im- answering phones is trained to do that. But portant word of advice from Burgess: “If they “Depending on your most ethical providers will try to offer some say they have a 100% success rate, they’re business, you might ● easy solutions first.” lying. Nobody does.” need rapid recovery.”

PC Today / March 2012 9 The criticality of data that may need to be recovered will vary, of course. However, almost any enterprise will have information that it must recover at some point, whether the data is mission- critical or just a few files an individual user may need. Here are some things to keep in mind to make sure that all of the necessary nuts and bolts are in place for successful data recovery.

SET PRIORITIES Data recovery strategies are tied to the time it takes for data-restora- tion tasks to be completed, which varies according to the types of data. Some applications and information, for example, must be very rapidly Data Recovery recovered if destroyed or damaged. But a viable recovery time for other data (say, data that might need to be archived indefinitely for regulatory compliance reasons) might be mea- sured in days or even weeks instead. TACTICS Determining viable recovery times involves categorizing data and appli- cations in order of importance. “One of the key steps is identifying the data. You really have to have a good definition of what the data is and what it means for your business and what it means for the overall profit- ability of the company,” says Patrick Conway, an analyst for Forsythe Technology (www.forsythe.com). Ideally, enterprises tier and classify the data. An enterprise might give data that needs to be recovered in a matter of minutes a “platinum” rating, Conway says. A “gold” rating would apply to Get It Right, Save Your Business data with an hour or less recovery-time limit and silver for a multiple-hour limit. marketing manager realizes personnel have a backup server up The ratings for the different data that she inadvertently de- and running at a colocation server sets will also change according to leted her PowerPoint presen- site in a matter of minutes. what kind of business the enterprise Atation when she was cleaning out her Neither incident has disrupted is in. “[Prioritization] really varies email inbox. Meanwhile, in the same the enterprise’s workflow or opera- from customer to customer, from in- building, a water leak floods part of tions that much, but they could have. dustry to industry, and from data to the server room, damaging the Web Unfortunately, many enterprises are data,” Conway says. server that receives and processes ill-prepared to effectively deal with customer orders. Fortunately, the day data recovery incidents like the ones WHAT NEEDS TO BE is saved. The IT help desk retrieves illustrated above, which can put a RECOVERED? the missing PowerPoint file, and, to monkey wrench in the cogs of an oth- Data recovery is often associated remedy the Web server situation, IT erwise well-run company. with disaster recovery. However,

10 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

data recovery primarily involves the processes are also common. According then loaded onto replacement servers. recovery of individual files when to a Forrester Research (www.forrester The new servers have the same hard- measured in volumes of job tickets. .com) study, 20% of all companies sur- ware and pre-loaded applications as the “You might run a patch update and veyed during the past five years had ones they are replacing, so only images then the file just won’t open. It is declared a disaster or had a significant of more recently backed-up data needs a common occurrence and is frus- business disruption. “People think that to be copied to them. trating for users,” says Molly Rector, disasters are rare and that they won’t The backup servers are often located executive vice president of product happen to them, but they do happen,” at a different facility where the back- management and worldwide mar- says Rachel Dines, an analyst for up storage disks and tapes are brought keting for Spectra Logic (www.spectra Forrester Research. and the data is restored. The users then logic.com). “Well over 90% of re- Data recovery following a disaster plug into the new servers by using high- trievals are just that.” can also be extremely challenging, speed Internet connections. “Once you For individual file recovery, because unlike recovery of a few files, get the data to the new address, you backup software typically makes the IT department often has a very still have to get all of your users access copies of incremental changes made short window of time to recover mas- to that data,” Rector says. “So there are to files on workstation and server sive amounts of data. The same soft- cool ways that network bandwidth is hard drives. For remote users, the ware for the restoration of a few files licensable by buying a large amount backups of laptops and mobile de- can be used for disaster recovery as of data network connectivity for a few vices can be made when plugged well, except the process can involve days until you get your primary site up into the network either over the hundreds of terabytes. and running again. Your users access Internet or when on location through Beyond the backup software that the remote facility and have sufficient the company LAN. is used for both individual file and di- bandwidth to do that.” The software should also have de- saster-recovery purposes, the recovery duplication features to help avoid data processes enterprises use in the wake DOES IT REALLY WORK? redundancy by only saving the parts of of large-scale incidents will differ de- Almost every enterprise, large and files that are changed. Automated in- pending on their size, industry, and small, has some kind of data recovery cremental backups typically take place function of the enterprise. Oftentimes, process in place. However, many en- once every 24 hours and full backups when disaster strikes and entire servers terprises learn the hard way that their are completed once a week. are destroyed, application data is recov- backups are not as reliable as they had Backup software that offers more ered from backup disks and tapes and thought they were. Oftentimes, short- advanced features will staffed IT departments are save the different ver- unaware that backed-up sions of files as they are files are corrupted or that changed, so that the dif- some data is not being ferent versions of a file backed up at all. They can be accessed according learn the hard way that to the date when it was the system is not working saved. When a user needs when users cannot recover to recover a file, he com- important files or that municates the approxi- mission-critical applica- mate date and time of Patrick Conway, Molly Rector, Rachel Dines, tions cannot be restored when a particular version analyst, executive vice president analyst, following a disaster. of a file was created to the Forsythe Technology of product management Forrester Research The remedy is to help desk, which then re- and worldwide market- ensure that data-res- covers the file for him. “One of the key steps ing, Spectra Logic “People think that toration processes are But while individual is identifying the data. disasters are rare and tested on a regular basis. file recovery represents You really have to “You might run a that they won’t hap- “[Enterprises] say ‘we the vast majority of cases have a good definition patch update and pen to them, but they are running backups, so when files need to be re- of what the data is then the file just won’t do happen.” we are fine,’” Dines says. covered, data recovery and what it means open. It is a common “But the issue is that they processes for disaster re- for your business and occurrence and is frus- are not doing the due dili- covery require very careful what it means for the trating for users. Well gence they need to ensure planning. Incidents that overall profitability of over 90% of retrievals recoverability and that require disaster-recovery the company.” are just simply that.” they can restore.” ●

PC Today / March 2012 11 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

The Sky’s

➤➤➤The Limit A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT DATA RECOVERY

The in-house counsel for a Fortune 500 company learned that the company’s IT staff had moved its DR (data recovery) service to a cloud-based provider.

he immediately got on the simple online backup or data ware- in cloud-based recovery. “Because phone with the provider’s CEO housing that lets businesses store data your data is often stored there, pro- and asked where her compa- on the cloud instead of on tape drives; viders are able to say, ‘I know your Sny’s data was. data virtualization services that take system; I’ll have it back up in 24 It’s in the cloud, she was told. No, regular snapshots of a company’s hours,” says Dillon. she said – it must physically reside on server system and the data stored a server somewhere, and we need to on them; and full cloud recovery, in BENEFITS know where it is. which a vendor operates all appli- Many of the advantages of cloud- She was told that the company’s data ances, data centers, physical recovery based recovery become apparent resided on numerous servers around servers, and software online. with a little research. The main one the world, and chunks of it could “When people talk about being able is, ideally, instant access to your change location on any given day. The to do recovery through the cloud, very data and applications in case of a di- news made her break out in a cold often what they mean is storage as a saster or data loss. If your company’s sweat, wondering how secure the data service,” says Alan Brill, senior man- end-users can’t get to the office, or if was, and how many compliance and aging director for the Cyber Security there’s a corruption of your data on- regulatory breaches were being caused and Information Assurance Division site, you want a service that’s going by the data’s scattered status. at global risk consulting firm Kroll to offer employee access to all of their That true story, shared by a data- Ontrack (www.krollontrack.com). “That’s data and applications in the cloud, recovery consultant, is an illustration of where you store data in the cloud and instead of waiting for tapes or a drive how cloud-based data recoverysome- you can get it back when you need it, to be shipped to you or to have a times referred to as RaaS (recovery as a you can get it back.” server rebuilt. service)—while preferable in a number Cloud-based DR is similar to tradi- “As cloud technology involves, of ways, also needs to be approached tional DR in that most of the time it’s a RaaS providers are saying, ‘Let’s carefully by business owners. product, and not a full solution. “A lot take your entire production environ- of people don’t look at it much differ- ment and store it in the cloud,” says DATA RECOVERY ently than they would look at traditional Eric Webster, chief revenue officer at IN THE CLOUD data recovery,” says Mike Dillon, CTO Doyenz (www.doyenz.com). “A good As its name suggests, cloud-based with Quest Systems (www.questsys.com), provider can leverage your data in the DR moves all backup and recovery a technology management company. cloud and provide you almost imme- duties to offsite servers. The service One difference is that providers diate recovery and access to your ap- comes in numerous forms, including offer more service-level agreements plications. If I were a business owner,

12 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

I would be asking myself, how can I Find out the provider’s security spec- maximize my uptime? The cloud can ifications. “Ask for a third-party audit be a good solution.” report, such as an SAS-70 Type 2,” says The price of cloud-based recovery Brill. “If they don’t know what you’re is also competitive with that of talking about, that would worry me.” traditional DR. George Ferguson, Be careful of charges for services a business manager for Hewlett- you don’t need, or that should be stan- Packard (www.hp.com), estimates dard. “Don’t even think of taking an that depending on the service you ‘extra charges for recovery’ service Alan Brill get, cloud-based DR can cost from option; you’ll wish you hadn’t,” says senior managing direc- 10% to 40% less than offsite tape Bill Horne, owner of William Warren tor, Cyber Security and storage. Plus, he says, “The rule of Consulting (www.william-warren.com). Information Assurance thumb in the industry is that one- “And, encryption is a good idea, but Division, Kroll Ontrack third of tape backups either get cor- not essential for most users. The watch- rupted or lost. With the cloud, there word is, ‘simpler is better.’ “You might not want are no tapes to lose and the level of Find out about the stability of the your sensitive data packaging is higher.” provider, and whether the provider is residing in a country actually doing the entire backup and where the intellectual CONSIDERATIONS recovery itself. “You may think you’re property laws aren’t as One of the primary disadvan- dealing with a cloud-based DR pro- strict as they are here.” tages of cloud-based recovery is vider, but they might actually only be that, as in the example cited above, re-selling another company’s services you don’t always know where your and technology and white-labeling it,” data is. “Ask where the data will says Brill. That isn’t necessarily a bad physically reside,” says Brill. “You thing, but it’s good to know. might not want your sensitive data Have a lawyer look at any agreement residing in a country where the in- you sign to make sure you’re covered tellectual property laws aren’t as under all circumstances. “Make sure strict as they are here.” there are the appropriate indemnities, Also, cloud-based DR isn’t for ev- protections and clauses in the contract,” George Ferguson eryone. “If you have multiple data says Brill. “[It’s important that] if the business manager, HP centers, the cloud can be tricky,” provider gets bought or if they intend notes Dillon. “Once you get above to move your data to another data “With the cloud, there medium-enterprise level, you should center, that you have some rights and are no tapes to lose probably have something more in- some notice.” and the level of pack- depth for data recovery. But up until Also, ask how you can test the ser- aging is higher.” that point, a cloud-based provider—if vice out. Get references. And ask if they they do everything—can work great.” recover a wide range of data, such as As you begin shopping for a cloud- voice data. based DR service, there are a number Finally, Dillon advises choosing a of tips to keep in mind: provider that will give you a service- Determine your recovery time level agreement and a guarantee that objective, and what type of disaster it will have your data back up within you want to plan for – ranging from 24 hours. “Business owners don’t want a single missing file to a large-scale to be DR experts,” he says. “They natural disaster. “How long are you just want to send their data offsite to Heinan Landa willing to go before you get your data someone who can get to know their CEO, Optimal Networks back and reach your recovery point system and their users, and if there’s objective?” says Heinan Landa, CEO a problem, they can take care of it “How long are you of Optimal Networks (www.optimal quickly. The last thing a business owner willing to go before you networks.com) “How much data are wants to hear is, ‘We’ve backed up get your data back and you willing to lose? The smaller these your three servers, 2TB of data, 24 pro- reach your recovery two numbers are, the more expensive cessors and 28GB of RAM. Here it is— ● point objective?” the solution becomes.” good luck.’”

PC Today / March 2012 13 FirewallsThat Mean Business Next-Generation Firewalls Blend Technology, Innovation

Backed by nearly limitless resources spanning the globe, today’s computer-based attacks serve as formidable foes for IT managers.

he firewall remains a first-line defense against threats, but simple firewall configurations Tare no longer sufficient for warding off sophisticated intrusions that can fool aging security technologies. As such, so-called NGFWs (next-gener- ation firewalls) are gathering more attention for their ability to extend firewall defense lines far beyond tra- ditional deployments. A standard firewall can block or allow network traffic by monitoring elements such as ports, IP addresses, and network protocols. For example, a firewall can prevent network traffic from traveling over a certain port, or it can prevent inbound connec- tions from a particular IP address. Although this approach is effective for limiting or preventing certain attacks, it’s also regarded as inflex- ible and can’t recognize attacks that

Whereas traditional firewalls Stronger filtering and Although a next-genera- Experts recommend testing offer rule-based monitoring threat detection help tion firewall might include next-generation firewalls in of ports, protocols, and IP to reduce traffic to a wealth of security production-level conditions addresses, next-generation authorized applica- technologies, enabling all to ensure they perform as ad- firewalls integrate technolo- tions and users and or most of them can create vertised and provide tangible Key gies such as intrusion detec- simplify detection of performance-related issues benefits over the existing Points tion and application control. potential attacks. on the network. security deployment.

14 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ➤➤ seek to circumvent standard firewall simplify detection of potential attacks Improving The rules. NGFWs, on the other hand, by focusing on what gets through.” Firewall Formula blend certain technologies to provide Firewalls can perform many dif- DEVIL IN THE DETAILS both the flexibility and security re- ferent security duties, but some quired for modern protection. With the advent of unified threat experts feel that firewalls should management and other systems that have at least a minimum number EXTENDING THE WALL bundle various technologies under one of capabilities. René Bonvanie, An increasingly popular security enterprise security umbrella, confu- chief marketing officer at Palo trend revolves around a kitchen-sink sion has risen about the exact nature Alto Networks, identifies the top approach that places a wealth of se- of NGFWs in relation to bundled so- responsibilities that a firewall curity technologies at the network pe- lutions. According to René Bonvanie, should cover. rimeter. These can include the firewall chief marketing officer at Palo Alto www.paloaltonetworks.com itself, along with antivirus, antispam, Networks ( ), ● Identify and control applications intrusion detection, content filtering, most traditional network security ven- on any port, not just standard and other tools designed to catch a dors attempt to provide application vis- ports (including applications us- wide range of attack variants. NGFWs ibility and control by using a limited ing HTTP and other protocols) streamline this concept by integrating number of application signatures sup- ● one or more of these technologies into ported in their IPS (intrusion protection Identify and control circumven- the firewall itself, creating a singular system) or other external database. tors, such as proxies, remote product designed to efficiently target “But underneath, these capabili- access technologies, and multiple security vectors. ties are poorly integrated, and their encrypted tunnel applications “As the first ingress point and an products are still based on legacy ● Decrypt outbound SSL inline security control, NGFWs are port-blocking technology, not NGFW ● characterized by the ability to perform technology. Perhaps most importantly, Provide application function deep packet inspection at the applica- these folks are missing the point—it’s control tion layer; application and user iden- not about blocking applications, but ● Scan for threats in allowed col- tity awareness; integration, rather than safely enabling them,” Bonvanie says. laboration applications, such as simple colocation, with network in- NGFWs can identify applications SharePoint trusion prevention systems; and the on the network regardless of the ports ● ability to enforce fine-grained, context- being used or whether encryption is in Deal with unknown traffic by based security policies,” says Neil place, adds James McMurry, chief ex- policy, not by just letting it Roiter, director of research at Corero ecutive officer of Milton Security Group through www.corero.com www.miltonsecurity.com Network Security ( ). ( ). However, ● Identify and control applications Traditional firewalls, he adds, are simply loading a firewall with as many sharing the same connection limited in how they control access to next-generation technologies as pos- ● traffic and users because they are solely sible isn’t always a recipe for success, Enable the same application network-based. Most also have limited particularly if a company decides to visibility and control for remote application awareness based on proto- enable all (or most) of them. McMurry users as for on-premise users cols and can’t distinguish applications says that multiple features may result ● Make network security simpler, that use certain protocols. This inability in performance issues—one of his cli- not more complex, with the ad- to distinguish applications means that ents had to disable features on a NGFW dition of application control applications—whether they’re mali- system, because it couldn’t keep up ● cious or not—will have the freedom to with the incoming traffic. Deliver the same throughput roam networks by searching for ports and performance with applica- that the firewall hasn’t closed. MAKING THE SWITCH tion control fully activated “By integrating firewall technology An argument could be made that on the application layer with intrusion the attack-stifling technologies found prevention, NGFW appliances can in NGFWs could help any organiza- provide stronger filtering and threat tion, but it appears that these firewalls detection,” Roiter says. “Unlike tra- are particularly useful for certain cus- ditional firewalls that collocate with tomers. For example, Roiter says that other security technologies, NGFWs organizations with demanding compli- can more effectively reduce traffic to ance or contractual requirements for authorized applications and users and access control for employees, partners,

PC Today / March 2012 15 ➤➤ and customers may have a strong jus- controls and network performance of Almost, But Not Quite tification for a NGFW. He also points its current firewall and IPS deployment, According to research firm Gart- to organizations that place a premium it may not have a compelling reason to ner, there are several network- on application usage for user produc- “rip and replace” or phase out the ex- based security products that tivity and/or acceptable use policies isting products. After all, the company are similar to next-generation and those with evergreen opportunities still has to manage a firewall. firewalls, but they aren’t equiva- to deploy new security equipment (for “Is the NGFW easier or as easy to lent. They follow: example, with mergers and acquisition manage as your incumbent firewall? activity) as prime NGFW targets. You can achieve highly granular iden- Small or midsize business Roiter also notes that tity/application-based multifunction firewalls or UTM organizations unable to controls, but are you pre- (unified threat management) cost-effectively deploy pared to or even inclined devices. These single appliances network security devices to exercise and man- host multiple security functions across all parts of their aged this level of control? but aren’t generally integrated, large, distributed net- Consider whether you lose single-engine products. They can works could find refuge business-critical features be appropriate for smaller com- in a NGFW, as could by replacing your current panies or offices, but not for larger those reaching natural re- IPS and firewall products enterprises. fresh cycles for firewalls with NGFW appliances,” James McMurry and/or IPS solutions. He Roiter says. Network-based DLP (data loss adds that it’s technically chief executive officer, He recommends that Milton Security Group prevention) appliances. These possible to place NGFW NGFW shoppers check products provide deep packet appliances in front of “[NGFWs have] the with existing customers inspection of network traffic but existing firewalls or fire- ability to go beyond of vendors, especially implement data security policy wall clusters to take ad- just a port-based around service and sup- without real-time requirement. vantage of features such firewall to full packet port issues. Further, it’s as application usage and inspection, control, crucial to test features in Secure Web gateways. These identity-based controls. and access based the organization under enforce outbound user access “However, I wouldn’t on identities of production-level condi- control and inbound malware pre- recommend it except per- applications.” tions, and be sure to per- vention through integrated URL haps as a proof-of-con- form due diligence. For filtering and Web antivirus. SWGs cept initial deployment,” example, Roiter says, is the follow a user-centric Web security he says. “This type of performance as advertised policy, rather than a network se- deployment renders the for your traffic, using your curity policy. original legacy firewall applications, under peak pretty much redundant loads? Is threat detection Messaging secure gateways. and undermines or truly superior, or are there These focus on latency-tolerant neutralizes many of the better standalone options, outbound content policy enforce- traffic performance and including your incumbent ment and inbound mail anti-spam security strengths that IPS? Are you going to take and anti-malware enforcement. NGFW purports to offer. René Bonvanie ample advantage of the Bottom line: Don’t shop chief marketing officer, application control? for NGFWs unless you Palo Alto Networks “Performance and best SOURCE: GARTNER, “DEFINING THE NEXT-GENERATION FIREWALL,” intend to replace your ex- of breed need to be con- OCTOBER 2009 isting firewalls.” “Companies can, for sidered when choosing NGFWs are seen the first time, safely any new platform, espe- as powerful, innova- enable the use of cially one that unifies a tive weapons in the war applications, main- lot of different types of against cyber intruders, taining complete vis- services into one system,” but they aren’t a guaran- ibility and control and McMurry says. “Relying teed perfect fit for every significantly reducing on a single vendor to pro- organization. Roiter says total cost of owner- vide AV, IPS, firewall, and that if a company is sat- ship through device Web filtering made not be ● isfied with the security consolidation.” a wise decision.”

16 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

High-Speed Security For High-Speed Networks Meet The Edge10G From Milton Security Group

s networks continue to get Milton Security Group’s sessions and identify good faster and support more con- flagship product can ex- vs. bad on the network,” nections than ever before, it’s pect the same level of pro- says McMurry. And the Aimportant to make sure that your se- tection without a decrease built-in security features curity solutions can keep up. Milton in performance. are designed to block un- Security Group (www.miltonsecurity.com) “In the same way that wanted access and a wide designed its new Edge10G Adaptive 1Gig interfaces replaced James McMurry range of threats. Network Security appliance to keep 10/100-megabyte inter- “Milton Security president and CEO, your network safe without creating bot- faces, 10-Gigabit Ethernet Milton Security Group Group’s Edge10G Adap- tlenecks or negatively affecting perfor- is expected to replace tive Network Security mance. And, according to the company, 1Gig interfaces and be “In the same way that appliance provides com- the Edge10G will help fill a need that’s used to interconnect local 1Gig interfaces re- prehensive threat remedia- not currently addressed in the network area networks, wide area placed 10/100-mega- tion and network access security market. networks, and metro- byte interfaces, management to defend “There are currently no other 10Gig politan area networks,” 10-gigabit Ethernet is against intrusions and at- Adaptive Network Security solutions says McMurry. “10Gig expected to replace tacks on the network by that monitor end nodes and traffic in will soon become the stan- 1Gig interfaces and be screening users and de- real-time, with the ability to adaptively dard and connecting a used to interconnect vices without the use of decide what to do with each packet 1Gig device in the middle local area networks, an agent; restricting ac- or session,” says James McMurry, of a 10Gig network intro- wide area networks, cess, inspecting traffic for president and CEO of Milton Security duces a bottleneck. The and metropolitan worms and viruses, and Group. “We would not want our cus- Edge10G is designed to area networks.” enforcing access policies,” tomers to lower their security standards keep pace with the in- says McMurry. simply because there were no devices creased bandwidth of like the Edge10G operating at 10Gbps.” your 10Gig infrastructure.” CURRENT TESTING & FUTURE AVAILABILITY FASTER NETWORKS A TOTAL NETWORK Milton Security Group is currently REQUIRE FASTER SECURITY SECURITY SOLUTION in the customer testing phase with its If your company is planning to In addition to offering faster Edge10G security solution and have make the move to a 10Gig network, speeds, Edge10G is flexible. Thanks to a handful of companies “running the then the current security offerings on the increase in speed, you can deploy Edge10G live in their network to help the market may not provide the right it inline between two 10Gig switches us add more features,” according level of security or could slow down or as a Top-of-Rack solution. This to McMurry. He says that Milton the network and negate the benefits of allows you to maintain your 10Gig Security Group has been speaking 10Gig. Edge10G provides the same core network in its current form without with businesses that are ready to tran- features and adaptive NAC (Network making unnecessary adjustments to sition to 10Gig infrastructure to make Access Control) functionality as the accommodate the Edge10G. sure that Edge10G will meet their company’s Edge7200i, but at 10 times Using the benefits of 10Gig speed, the needs when it’s released near the be- the speed. Businesses familiar with Edge10G is able to “dig deeper inside ginning of Q2 2012. ●

Milton Security Group | (888) 674-9001 | www.miltonsecurity.com

PC Today / March 2012 17 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

OCZ Technology Group makes SSDs for the enterprise, including the Deneva line of SATA-based solutions. The SSD Turbo Charge When Solid-State Drives Are Worth The Price For Storage

ince the beginning of the PC data is written directly to and from conducted by SSD vendor OCZ revolution, performance leaps in SSDs’ volatile memory. Depending Technology Group (www.ocztechnology desktop computers and servers on the use and application, SSDs can .com), a Windows laptop with an SSD Shave largely occurred thanks to ad- therefore offer as much as a 10-fold installed can power off 10 seconds vances in CPUs, memory, and graphics boost in performance compared to faster than the same laptop with a processors. Now it’s the storage me- hard drives. hard drive installed. dia’s turn to make a contribution. SSDs SSDs are also robust, making (solid-state drives) provide faster per- BUILT FOR SPEED them perfect for mobile users whose formance, primarily because they don’t & DURABILITY laptops take a fair amount of abuse have the mechanical burden that hard The immediate benefit of SSDs— when on the road. This is another drives possess. or at least the one that users tend benefit to having no moving parts in- While hard drives read and write to notice first—is faster startup and volved in sending and receiving data. data to and from spinning platters, shutdown times. According to tests For stationary applications, SSDs’

SSDs may be more It is possible to replace SSDs can offer a much The quality of SSDs can vary expensive than hard hard drives in most PCs better ROI for com- greatly from one vendor to drives, but they can and servers with SSDs putationally intensive another, while the reliabil- Key speed up performance without making any other applications than they ity of some inferior-quality in PCs and servers in a modifications to existing can for basic storage products is the same as that Points very noticeable way. components. and office tasks. of traditional hard drives.

18 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

failure rates are lower than those of But while SSDs can more than pay hard drives, although quality can for themselves when measured in vary depending on the manufacturer. productivity gains for high-end ap- As with so many good things, plications, making TCO calculations there is a price to pay for the SSD’s for less-intensive applications can get advantages. SSDs can cost five times complicated. A server used for tape as much as hard drives, sometimes backup, for instance, does not require more. An enterprise would certain see the same I/O speeds as a server han- a productivity boost for computing dling large amounts of time-sensitive Alex Mei tasks if it were to immediately replace customer data. executive vice president all of its hard drives with SSDs, but “People will argue that SSDs will and chief marketing whether doing so is worth the cost de- offer improved performance for all officer, OCZ Technology Group pends on the enterprise and its needs. applications. That’s true, since they do go faster, are more reliable, and, “People will argue that WHEN THE PRICE IS RIGHT in the field, are less prone to physical SSDs will offer improved SSDs make the most sense for orga- damage in laptops than hard drives performance for all nizations using applications that re- are,” says Alex Mei, executive vice applications. That’s true, quire a lot of computing power. Such president and chief marketing officer since they do go faster, applications typically need the latest for OCZ Technology Group. “But if are more reliable, and in high-end processor, memory, and you are not routinely running appli- the field, are less prone graphics components, as well. CAD cations that are filling the pipe, then to physical damage in (computer-aided design), software you are not going to leverage all of laptops than hard drives development, and video editing are the benefits of an SSD.” are. But if you are not common examples of these. A soft- Hard drives will continue to serve routinely running applica- ware engineer might save an hour or a purpose, especially for basic appli- tions that are filling the more per day using a system with an cations such as productivity suites pipe, then you are not SSD due to time saved loading appli- where SSDs are not going to make a going to leverage all of the cations or transferring large amounts huge difference in performance, Mei benefits of an SSD.” of data to and from a workstation’s continues. “If you buy a Ferrari and storage drive. you only drive 65 miles per hour, then SSDs also help enterprises that live you are not going to leverage a ben- and die by how fast customers can efit, either.” access data or complete transactions However, enterprises can nev- online. SSDs can also improve perfor- ertheless see small yet quantifiable mance further when several physical benefits in productivity for users servers are aggregated into a single who spend most of their day using machine with virtualization that uses basic office applications, says Kevin SSD-only storage so that users have Crow, channel marketing specialist much more rapid access to the enter- for Intel’s NSG (NAND Solutions www.intel.com Kevin Crow prise’s centralized database. For all of Group; ). According to product marketing these applications, SSDs are typically an Intel study involving 500 workers engineer, Intel NAND worth the investment. using Microsoft’s Office suite every Solutions Group “If there is a bottleneck when the day, Intel found that the average software is trying to do more reads SSD user saved seven minutes per “SSDs have a higher and writes than the disk drives can day. That time would have otherwise tolerance for shocks handle, then SSDs will most definitely been spent booting up the system, and vibrations [and] boost application performance,” says opening files attached to emails, etc. thus have low failure Andrew Reichman, principal analyst “You might say that seven minutes rates, but once you for Forrester Research (www.forrester a day is not a big deal,” Crow says. add additional .com). “There are certainly a variety “But you are actually looking at engineering and firm- of cases for workstation and server saving 1,400 minutes per year over ware management, you workloads where you will see a per- 200 workdays. That type of produc- can reduce your failure formance boost.” tivity can add up quickly.” rate [even more].”

PC Today / March 2012 19 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

NOT ALL SSDS modifications. “Any PC can use ARE CREATED EQUAL them since they are hot-swappable According to research firm Gartner with a hard disk drive,” says Joseph (www.gartner.com), SSD pricing should Unsworth, analyst for Gartner. remain at about $1 per gigabyte “Windows 7 is actually optimized through 2012 and then begin to de- for use with SSDs, so you will get a cline. Using the average price as a better experience than you will with benchmark, buyers should keep in an older OS, but the performance mind that the quality of media can advantages are still very obvious vary, especially when it comes to [with all operating systems].” Andrew Reichman SSDs sold at below-market prices. Still, some enterprises may hesitate principal analyst, Forrester Research Indeed, the failure rate of poorly de- to replace newer hard drives at the beginning of their lifecycles, even if signed SSDs is similar to that of hard “If there is a bottle- the SSDs can offer productivity boosts. drives, and only about 50% of ven- neck when the soft- “You are probably not going to get rid dors offer SSDs that are less crash- ware is trying to do of capacity for SSDS,” says Reichman. prone than hard drives, Crow says. more reads and rights “You have to have a very compelling “SSDs have a higher tolerance for than the disk drives reason why you might throw some- shocks and vibrations [and] thus can handle, then SSDs thing in the garbage that is only a have low failure rates, but once you will most definitely year old. So for more potential buyers add additional engineering and firm- boost application per- of this technology, they will look at ware management, you can reduce formance. There are buying it for the next refresh cycle.” your failure rate [even more].” certainly a variety of Enterprises should replace their In addition to performing in-house cases for workstation hard drives gradually, Reichman adds. tests to gauge the quality and perfor- and server workloads Typically, enterprises large and small mance of SSDs from various vendors, where you will see a should look at initially switching only buyers can also use the SNIA (Storage performance boost.” Networking Industry Association; www 10% to 20% of their machines to SSDs. .snia.org) as a resource, as the SNIA has “[Enterprises] will not say, ‘we are published standards and going to buy this across benchmarks for different the board,’” Reichman SSD devices. “Unlike hard says, “Instead, they will disks, SSDs do not have say ‘let’s identify the pop- well-known, established ulation where it makes standards for specifications sense.’” and product comparisons,” For all usage scenarios, says Jeffrey Janukowicz, buyers need to determine research director for IDC how much storage ca- (www.idc.com). “However, pacity they need locally Joseph Unsworth the SSD vendors recognize Jeffrey Janukowicz for the next three years analyst, Gartner this fact and have made an research director, IDC and whether or not they effort to educate customers need to pay a premium for “Any PC can use and develop standards.” “Unlike hard disks, SSD. “If one needs 500GB, them since they are SSDs do not then SSDs will never do hot-swappable with WHEN TO REPLACE, have well known, economically. But if 80GB a hard disk drive. WHEN TO ADD established standards is good enough, then an Windows 7 is actually SSDs were designed to for specifications SSD is more palatable,” optimized for use with work with today’s moth- and product Unsworth says. “If you SSDs so you will get erboard configurations, comparisons. How- have hard drive failure a better experience which means that orga- ever, the SSD vendors rates of more than 10% than you will with an nizations can swap out recognize this fact and or have a workforce that older OS, but the hard drives for SSDs in have made an effort needs performance and has performance advan- many PCs, laptops, and to educate custom- a clear ROI from produc- tages are still very servers without having to ers and develop tivity gains, then SSD could obvious [with all ● make any motherboard standards.” be an alternative.” operating systems].”

20 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com IT and data center technologies and trends change fast. Make sure your company stays a step ahead with PC Today’s sister publication, Processor. While you get the “executive overview” version here in PC Today, your IT and data center managers get the in-depth, detailed information they need in Processor.

Each issue contains t
*OEFQUI
JOGPSNBUJPO
BCPVU
OFX
QSPEVDUT
BOE
UIF
DPNQBOJFT
QSPWJEJOH
UIFN t
/POPOTFOTF
BSUJDMFT
UIBU
DPWFS
UIF
UFDIOPMPHJFT
BOE
USFOET
ZPV
OFFE
UP
LOPX t
5JQT
BEWJDF
BOE
IPXUP
JOGPSNBUJPO
UP
JNQSPWF
ZPVS
FOUFSQSJTF
EBUB
DFOUFS

(800) 819-9014 | www.Processor.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

Storage Virtualization Companies Benefit From Better Performance, Efficiency & More

s data demands in today’s previously locked down by stiff stor- Virtualization is already a proven enterprises boost the build age architectures. commodity in other areas, such as complexities of storage en- Those who dig a little deeper into servers and networking, and now it is Avironments, retaining a tight rein storage virtualization will find that quickly becoming a go-to resource for over those environments can prove the technology can even deliver tre- efficient storage management. a harrowing exercise. But by virtu- mendous savings, in the short- and alizing storage, organizations can long-term, through its innate ability THE VIRTUAL APPROACH simplify these intricacies through a to improve performance and provide A SAN (storage area network) rep- common pool of resources that cre- better flexibility for companies with resents the storage architecture of ates new opportunities for companies perpetually changing storage needs. choice at many larger organizations

Storage virtualization Organizations with consis- Because the average orga- Experts recommend can help reduce the tently varying storage needs nization uses only half of its taking a gradual ap- sprawl and complex- for users and applications storage, adopters of storage proach with storage ity of modern storage can use virtualization to virtualization can make big virtualization to ensure architectures through ensure that resources receive reductions in storage hard- staff grows comfortable Key its ability to pool precisely the amount of stor- ware and see cost benefits with the technology Points storage resources. age they need. across the data center. over time.

22 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

due to its raw speed, power, and capacity. The block- level storage design used by these systems is generally efficient, but it can create a stovepipe of storage, says Ray Lucchesi, president of Silverton Consulting (www .silvertonconsulting.com). A storage subsystem allows Ray Lucchesi J. Lance Reese John Meyer Mandar Vanarse automatic migration of data president, Silverton president and national practice director practice partner, within tiers and replication Consulting CEO, Silver Peak for data center solutions, enterprise architecture Dimension Data with Wipro between one system and its Consulting “Storage Consulting Services remote twin. However, mov- virtualization “When storage “With storage virtual- ing data to another storage should make requirements ization, the risk of data “Storage virtualiza- system is difficult, as appli- managing larger, grow at loss is greatly reduced, tion technologies cations will not be able to heterogeneous unexpected rates, which allows business are increasing the access the data until it is storage environ- or there are nu- units to define their ability of data centers moved and the applications ments much easier, merous servers, own speed, set their to maximize storage re- are reconfigured to access meaning less the least expen- own goals, and try new sources, manage more the data in the new location. administrative sive and most technologies without logical data per unit of “But with storage vir- burden and being stuck with one physical storage, gain tualization, data can be reliable method fewer application vendor/one architec- flexibility, and lower the moved at will from one of implementa- outages.” ture to suit the lowest overall cost of storage storage system to another, tion is virtualized common denominator.” management.” transparently without ap- storage.” plication interruption,” Lucchesi explains. “This is often used process and gives you the flexibility Storage virtualization provides the for tech refresh, as you just need to of only allocating storage to the flexibility that end users want so that plug in new storage, move the data to hosts/applications that need it,” says they don’t get stuck with a mono- it, and unplug the old storage—with John Meyer, national practice director lithic storage array just to achieve the application none the wiser.” for data center solutions, Dimension specific business goals,” Meyer adds. This agility is the key to storage Data (www.dimensiondata.com). virtualization’s widening popular- For example, Meyer explains that COST CUTTER ity. According to J. Lance Reese, if an application owner asks for 500GB As a company grows, so does its president and CEO of Silver Peak of storage but actually requires only data. Storage environments can Consulting (www.silverpeakconsulting 150GB, a virtualized storage environ- quickly become unwieldy monoliths, .com), traditional storage technolo- ment lets the storage administrator even within the confines of a SAN gies are rigid in their configurations allocate only 150GB and save the re- or other architecture, such as a NAS and difficult to adjust. A virtualized maining 350GB for another host or (network-attached storage) system. approach helps to bring fluidity to application. As the first application Storage virtualization can address storage performance and allocat- consumes that 150GB over time, ad- that problem from both physical and ion by simplifying more labor-inten- ditional capacity is added dynamically execution standpoints, because it re- sive processes. as needed. The result is a far more ef- moves some of the roadblocks typi- “With storage virtualization, you ficient storage ecosystem that pools re- cally associated with big storage. get improved performance as a re- sources where they’re needed, rather “In larger environments, storage sult of utilizing all of the drives in than holding resources for a future virtualization’s biggest impact comes an array and not just a certain subset point in time. from a reduced carbon footprint com- of drives allocated in a RAID group. “Virtualizing storage also im- pared to a traditional storage array A virtualized storage system will pacts the data center footprint by architecture,” Meyer says. “Multi- spread the data across every drive in reducing the number of storage ar- petabyte storage networks that aren’t the group, eliminating hot spots and rays needed to hold the data, thus re- using storage virtualization are be- bottlenecks. Storage virtualization ducing power and cooling costs and trothed to the form factor of their improves the storage provisioning supporting sustainability initiatives. vendor, and that vendor may not

PC Today / March 2012 23 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

have the same designs on simplify- complexity is no greater than that of a ➤➤ Who Can Benefit? ing infrastructure builds or adding physical storage architecture. Because Almost any organization with a large new functionality alongside produc- there are numerous available configura- storage environment can experience tion data.” tions, it’s important for managers to de- better performance and efficiency Adopters of this technology can termine the best configuration for their through storage virtualization, but cer- benefit by employing small instances particular storage environment. tain organizations represent particu- of multiple configurations, with each “A traditional environment con- larly viable candidates for reaping the managed under a common frame- sists of allocating different RAID technology’s benefits. Mandar Vanarse, work and allocated according to groups and drive speeds configured practice partner, enterprise architec- business need instead of vendor ca- and allocated to different servers and ture with Wipro Consulting Services, pability, Meyer explains. The finan- applications that all require certain identifies several of them here. cial implications here are substantial: parameters. In a virtual environment, Half the storage of an average com- you create one disk pool that can ● Organizations that have regulatory pany is unused, Meyer says, so with have different types of drives and requirements to store and produce virtualization, companies can use half allocate to whatever drives are re- data for a number of years, such the drives, will require fewer chassis quired base on a specific I/O [Input/ as banks, financial services, and to hold the drives, and need less Output] profile,” he says. healthcare organizations. floor space. These physical reduc- That’s just one configuration ex- tions will have positive trickle-down ample, but Meyer asserts that if you ● Organizations that need to maintain effects on infrastructure, power, have a basic understanding of a tradi- various transaction logs for billing as cooling, and administration. tional storage environment, you’ll have well as regulatory purposes, such as On the administration side, little trouble grasping a virtual one. telecom companies. Lucchesi notes that a single storage Lucchesi adds that many organizations management interface can handle all see the migration to virtualization as ● Organizations that produce huge the external storage attached to a vir- a one-way move, but it doesn’t have amounts of data that needs to be tualization engine. In a traditional to be, because you can limit the use of analyzed to make business deci- storage environment, more than one advanced storage features to simplify sions, such as companies in the management console might be re- the process and make backing out po- oil and gas industries. quired to oversee storage products tentially easier. from two or more vendors. But with “Storage OEMs are building storage ● Companies that sell digital data, virtualization, administrators can use virtualization solutions for everybody,” such as those in the entertain- just that one console for all of their says Mandar Vanarse, practice partner, ment and media industries. These virtualized storage. enterprise architecture with Wipro Con- companies will increase as most www.wipro.com Further financial benefits can be sulting Services ( ). “Each organizations focus more on selling realized through the application of solution offers similar advantages de- products and services through digital storage virtualization to older or lower- pending on size of the storage, speed, marketing and social media. end storage. Rather than upgrading a and criticality of data availability. Most storage architecture to take advantage of the solutions hide the underlying de- of features such as thin provisioning, sign complexity from data center ad- using products from only one vendor storage pooling, advanced caching, and ministrators by providing simple to use can benefit, he says, especially if they auto-tiering, organizations can use vir- storage management interfaces” have loads of storage and retire ele- tualization to use them on lower-class, Most organizations ease into storage ments every month or so. external storage (that is, storage that virtualization, Lucchesi explains, ad- “Storage is a key member of the sits behind the virtualization engine), dressing older storage first and then virtualization trio in the data center,” Lucchesi says. gradually adding other pieces of their Reese says. “IT leaders that imple- storage architecture as they become ment virtualization across the storage, INTO THE VIRTUAL POOL more familiar with the technology. server, and network layers will enjoy Despite the wealth of benefits af- And for organizations that aren’t sure lower investment requirements, much forded by storage virtualization, it’s whether storage virtualization is a good shorter deployment cycles, and more not necessarily a good idea to use the fit, Lucchesi recommends that anyone comprehensive performance tuning technology blindly. Meyer says it intro- with a heterogeneous storage environ- and adaptive capabilities, leading duces a different way of thinking when ment with products from two or more to higher profits, better internal cus- it comes to laying out a storage environ- storage vendors should seriously con- tomer service, and potential competi- ● ment, even though the implementation sider the technology. Even companies tive advantages.”

24 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

Data Migration For Everyone Laplink® Serves Businesses Of All Sizes

ou may recognize Laplink migrations to any number of PCs with can install and run PCmover from a (www.laplink.com) as the com- zero-touch, low-touch, or end-user con- network, USB, or other type of por- pany behind PCmover®, trolled migrations.” table storage solution. Ywhich has been helping consumers Finally, PCmover Enterprise is move important data and applications MADE FOR COMPANIES packed with features that larger busi- from old computers to new ones since OF ALL SIZES nesses need most. PCmover integrates 2004. But Laplink also has a line of The business versions of PCmover well with configuration management PCmover products designed for the are flexible because they are designed tools, such as Microsoft SCCM, and enterprise, with features that make for any size of company. “PCmover companies can use the built-in Policy large-scale data migrations easier to can be used for migration and PC re- Manager GUI for migration custom- control, customize, and manage. fresh projects for companies with only ization, take advantage of access con- a few machines in one location, or to trols, run multiple migrations from PCMOVER FOR complete the same type of projects in one location, and completely person- THE ENTERPRISE large corporations with thousands of alize the interface and logos. Plus, The biggest difference between PCs deployed across multiple loca- Laplink provides Priority Technical the consumer and business versions tions,” says Minetto. Support for Enterprise users to make of PCmover is how Laplink is able to In fact, there are three versions of sure the migration process goes as personalize migrations for a specific PCmover for businesses. The business smoothly as possible. company. The Enterprise Edition of line starts with PCmover Professional, PCmover, in particular, is designed to which is best suited for SOHO busi- MORE SOLUTIONS give businesses more control over what nesses or small-scale migrations where In addition to the PCmover line, is migrated and how it is managed. only two computers are involved. This Laplink offers an imaging product, version lets you select DiskImage™, which lets you create which data, programs, images of an entire PC and quickly and settings you want to restore it in case of a system failure. migrate as well as restore There is a Professional Edition for an old PC image to a new desktops as well as a Server Edition. computer’s OS. Laplink also offers a disk-cleaning PCmover Business product, SafeErase™. After using has all of the same fea- PCmover to migrate data to a new tures as the Professional computer, you can use SafeErase to “With our Enterprise Edition, we version, but adds features that are completely wipe data from your old created a Policy Manager tool that al- helpful for somewhat larger organi- one. The program deletes Internet lows IT managers to completely cus- zations. With PCmover Business, you browsing data, files, full hard drives, tomize a migration based on the needs can run migrations from a command and everything else that needs to be for the project, whether upgrading PCs line, pre-activate PCmover licenses to removed. By combining Laplink’s to a new OS or refreshing PCs with new initiate migrations while offline, and software, you can easily fulfill all of hardware,” says Neil Minetto, director create migration reports. With this your PC backup and data migration of marketing at Laplink. “This allows version, administrators or individuals needs. ●

Laplink Software, Inc. | [email protected] | www.laplink.com

PC Today / March 2012 25 IT Asset Tracking Save Time & Money With Integrated Solutions

nowing where your company’s outright loss of assets because they bar code, but it’s designed to allow for assets are, and who is using weren’t tracked correctly. very quick and accurate scanning. them, is just one of the many Modern IT asset tracking is per- Optical systems are a big step for- Kbenefits of IT asset tracking. For years, formed using automated tracking ward, but there is room for improve- asset tracking was performed using systems, which virtually ment in the technology. The the same old technology (and we’re eliminate the drawbacks of main problem with this using the term loosely). It consisted of manual systems. The most system is the need to phys- walking around and reading asset tags common IT asset tracking ically see the optical tag hanging off of various pieces of equip- systems fall into two main when scanning, which re- ment. It often ended with some poor categories: optical-based quires more time and staff guy with an asset slip stuck to his ear, systems and RF (Radio Fre- power than other methods. waiting to be counted. quency) systems. Perhaps the best-known optical sys- RFID TRACKING OPTICAL & RF-BASED tem is the bar code we’re SYSTEMS ASSET TRACKING all used to seeing on goods Kurt Mensch The current preferred IT If you’re still taking inventory of IT sold at grocery and other re- principal product strat- asset tracking method is assets the old-fashioned way, you’ve tail stores. egist, RFID, Intermec RFID (Radio Frequency got bigger problems than employees There are other optical Identification), a wireless with ear tags. Tracking IT assets by systems, including a QR “Mobile assets can non-contact system that hand is subject to many disadvan- (Quick Response) code sys- be identified once they allows an RFID chip em- tages, not the least of which is the tem Toyota originally de- are returned to a bedded in an asset to significant labor it consumes. There’s veloped to keep track of specific area, such as a broadcast its identification also the potential for counting er- automotive parts during the room or a staging area, information to an RFID rors resulting in an inaccurate tally, assembly process. The QR using either a fixed or reader. RFID-based systems improper asset assignment, or the code system is similar to the handheld reader.” can be built using portable

26 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

readers, stationary readers, marketing department. they move between spaces. He ex- or a combination of the two. With RFID readers situated plains that this is far from perfect RFID systems are avail- throughout your company, and, by itself, it is not a foolproof able in two configura- you can maintain up-to- asset tracking method. tions. In passive systems, the-minute inventory of The second form he describes uses the RFID tag doesn’t con- your IT assets. mobile RF scanners that scan IT tain a battery or other equipment in relatively close prox- power system; instead, it ADVICE FROM imity (in IT racks and office environ- harvests energy from the THE PROS ments) to the item to audit against RF signal generated by Chris Gaskins For insight into using what is expected. With correct tag the RFID reader, and then VP of product RFID technology for IT asset placement and scanner usage, he says development, RF Code responds with its ID in- tracking, we consulted sev- this method can essentially provide a formation. Passive RFID “Outside of IT asset eral experts, including Chris 100% audit rate. systems typically have tracking, RF Code’s Gaskins, VP of product de- RFID can also track mobile assets, www a range of up to 3 feet, solution is used in velopment at RF Code ( including assets in transit to another .rfcode.com making them ideal for healthcare to track ). He explained location. Kurt Mensch, Principal handheld or stationary mobile assets such as how companies can use Product Strategist, RFID, Intermec www.intermec.com RFID readers that act like crash carts, beds, and RFID to track assets and as- ( ), pointed out a few checkpoints; think of the infusion pumps. In sign costs to specific groups. methods for keeping track of assets theft-prevention portals the pharmaceutical “The asset tracking soft- on the move. many stores use. With industry, RF Code’s ware communicates in real “RFID requires either a fixed read these systems, you can solution is used to track time with the active RFID point or a handheld reader to read the actively track an RFID- high-dollar, short shelf- readers,” says Gaskins, tag ID and its data. A fixed reader can tagged asset as it moves life medicines. Finally, “and the assets can have be mobile if it is installed in a van or in and out of various lo- in the area of industrial multiple custom attributes box truck, and you can gain visibility cations on your premises. solutions, RF Code has assigned to them such as to the assets while they are in transit, You can also use hand- one of the largest active owner, department, pur- from pick up to delivery. Assets (or held RFID readers to RFID deployments chase date, warranty expi- containers holding the assets) that quickly inventory items. in the world with ration date, etc. All of this move though a supply chain can be Active RFID tags con- Container Centralen data can then be managed tracked using a fixed portal reader at tain an internal battery tracking over 350,000 proactively with reports specific points in the chain, such as at and broadcast their ID carts used to transport and alerts. For example, a the shipping dock of a manufacturer information at predeter- plants to retailers all simple report can easily be and the receiving dock of a distribu- mined intervals ranging across the U.S.” produced for each depart- tion center. Also, mobile assets can from every few seconds to ment manager showing be identified once they are returned every 10 minutes. Because them their list of assets and to a specific area, such as a room or they transmit their ID at where they are located. If a staging area, using either a fixed or regular intervals, you can an asset is not ‘seen’ by the handheld reader. “ track assets and their ap- RFID readers, this can be proximate locations in indicated on the report as A COMPLETE SOLUTION near real time. There’s a ‘missing ‘ asset that the In both their passive and ac- no built-in GPS system, manager is responsible for.” tive forms, RFID systems have the so location information Paul Goodison, chairman potential to reduce labor costs for is derived from the RFID and CEO of Cormant (www tracking assets and management reader that is servicing .cormant.com), talked about costs for supervision and reporting. an area. An active RFID Paul Goodison how companies can use pas- But one thing the experts we spoke tag can transmit its signal CEO, Cormant sive RFID systems to track with agreed upon: The need to see at a range of up to 300 their assets. RFID as a complete solution. Trying feet, so you could place a “With correct tag He says RFID is used in to cobble together bits and pieces single RFID reader in placement and two main forms for asset of an RFID system may seem like a your company’s ware- scanner usage, mobile tracking. One form uses reasonable way to start, but the real house, a second reader scanners can provide loops in physical space ac- power of RFID solutions comes from in your research lab, and basically a 100% cess points, such as doors, completely integrating them into your a third reader in your audit rate.” so assets are tracked as business practices. ●

PC Today / March 2012 27 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

To help you zero in on what’s new, here’s our latest roundup of business software releases and updates.

BOND INTERNATIONAL SOFTWARE BOND ADAPT When searching for new employees, efficiency is key, and Bond International Software’s Bond Adapt (www .bond-us.com) suite of solu- tions features recruiting and Bond Adapt’s Recruitment Studio lets staffing tools that make it administrators view all available information faster and easier to contact regarding potential employees, including past potential hires. Bond Adapt experience, job qualifications, and whether those includes enhanced email individuals are currently available for hire. marketing tools that remove unnecessary and repetitive actions from sending out bulk emails to customers and job can- didates. Bond also updated the main dashboard of the Adapt Recruitment Business Studio so users can complete many of their tasks from one window. Head to the company’s website for a compli- mentary demo of the solution. SoftwareThe Latest Releases & Updates FILEGENIUS VERSION 5 FileGenius 5 (www.filegenius.com) is a cloud-based file sharing service specifi- When you keep on top of new and updated cally for businesses. Companies of any business software, you can learn about ways size and in any industry can use the program to secure an online portal, you can enhance your business by upgrading giving employees inside the company or adding to your technology solutions. Our access to the files. The latest version of the program supports multiple file coverage of the latest releases and updates types, including documents, images, in the world of business software includes music files, videos, and much more. FileGenius uses a subscription model products that can help you manage docu- where customers pay monthly, every six ments, analytics, and email. We also have months, or yearly for 100GB of storage. information on accounting software, admin- LBI SOFTWARE AT-TRAC 4.0 istrative solutions, and more. For SMBs and enterprises with a large number of employees, it’s nec- essary to have an in-depth attendance solution. LBi Software’s At-Trac 4.0

28 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

(www.lbisoftware.com) is an all-in-one so- lets IT staff monitor cloud setups, de- an important message at some point lution, which you can also deploy as ploy virtualized applications, and tend in their careers. And sometimes a mes- SaaS, that allows administrators to track to other tasks using the secure and easy- sage can be the difference between the overall attendance of employees. to-use software. System Center 2012 is establishing a solid customer relation- You can manage time sheets, vacation available in Standard and Data Center ship or losing that customer forever. days, payroll data, and more all from versions with overall costs depending Luckily, zebNet (www.zebnet.us) released inside the software. At-Trac 4.0 can also on the features your company requires. Outlook Backup 2012 (price varies), be used from outside the company as which archives your emails so you’ll long as you have access to an available SENTRIC SENTRICWORKFORCE never lose an important message again. Internet connection. Sentric’s SentricWorkforce (www.sen The newest version of the software has tric.net) software provides an all-in-one an updated user interface that is easier MICROSOFT DYNAMICS solution for most HR and management to use, increased security measures, CRM MOBILE needs. SentricWorkforce includes pay- and other performance improvements. Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) is up- roll tools, a built-in tax filing feature, Outlook Backup 2012 is designed to dating its Dynamics CRM service to time management tools for assessing work with Microsoft Outlook 2003, support mobile devices, including labor-related costs, and more. The soft- 2007, and 2010. the Apple iPad and iPhone, as well as ware is set up as a cloud-based SaaS Android, BlackBerry, and Windows system that makes it easier for admin- ZULTYS MX RELEASE 7.0 Phone 7 devices. The popular desktop- istrators to keep track of employee re- UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS based service is now available as a full- cords. Sentric’s solution also lets you SOFTWARE featured, native application for mobile manage the communication and train- A well-built unified communica- devices. It includes sales and marketing ing of your workforce. tions system should connect the busi- tools, customer data, and everything ness traveler, whether he is in the office else you expect from the full-scale ver- TROPICAL SOFTWARE or on the road. In addition to support- sion. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile TOPXNOTES 1.7.2 ing BlackBerry devices and Apple’s is available starting at $30 a month per If you attend multiple business meet- iPhone, version 7.0 of Zultys’ MX user, and each user can use the service ings each week, then you know how Unified Communications Software with as many as three devices. beneficial a good note-taking app can (www.zultys.com) extends services to be. TopXNotes 1.7.2 is a customizable Android devices. The desktop-based MICROSOFT SYSTEM note-taking app from Tropical Software version and the mobile app lets users CENTER 2012 (www.tropic4.com) that lets you write, edit, access their company’s and lets them Private cloud deployment can be a and share notes. You can also read mul- use features such as call logs, instant time-consuming process, especially for tiple notes at once using the built-in messaging, call forwarding, and much companies that are just starting to use MultiView feature. The app is available more. Improvements in version 7.0 in- cloud computing solutions. That’s why for the Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch, so clude voicemail enhancements, a Report Microsoft designed its System Center you can sync notes between platforms Scheduler, and SuperView, which is 2012 software to help make transi- and access them while on the go. a statistics monitoring screen. To use tioning to the cloud easier. This soft- MX Release 7.0 on mobile devices, ware suite is a combination of multiple ZEBNET OUTLOOK BACKUP 2012 you must first download the Mobile individual solutions designed to work Many people will accidently delete Communicator client, which is priced at ● together. Microsoft System Center 2012 an email or spend hours searching for $99 per license.

FileGenius has a simple and clean interface, so Microsoft System Center 2012 gives you a bird’s-eye MX Release 7.0 from Zultys provides a categorized you can upload files with ease. You can also view of your cloud infrastructure, including indi- list of contacts, a call log, scheduling and Web create folders for categorization or share files vidual virtual machines and the applications installed conference tools, and other features all from the with other employees within your company. on them. (Image courtesy Microsoft.) main menu.

PC Today / March 2012 29 ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

Energy-ConsciousGreenovations Tech

A PORTABLE Most businesses want to find new and innovative SOLAR-POWERED SPEAKER ways to become more energy-efficient. Eco-conscious Etón ($149.99; www.etoncorp.com) has developed a rugged, portable sound technology companies are working to meet this de- system called the Rukus Solar. It fea- mand, judging by the numbers of new green products tures full-range speakers to accu- rately reproduce audio, Bluetooth and energy-saving devices coming out on the mar- technology, an enhanced monocrystal ket. To get a taste of what’s new, this month we look solar panel, and an E Ink display. The Rukus Solar combines mobility with at some of the latest tech products that can help your green technology to offer a conve- business meet its sustainability goals. nient, energy-saving audio system that works indoors and outdoors. It gets its power from an internal Li-Ion battery that you can charge via the 40-inch built-in solar panel. When needed, you can also use the included AC adapter. The Rukus Solar can stream audio from your mobile devices via Bluetooth, and it includes built-in device storage and a carrying handle. The virtually indestructible E Ink SURF (Segmented, Ultra-thin, Rugged, and Flexible) dis- play provides useful information such as battery strength, solar charge, and Bluetooth connectivity, and it uses very little power. Readable in direct sunlight with a 180-degree viewing angle, the The Solar e Power Case 450 from Wagan Tech is a solar power generator that is small enough to fit in a display works in any environment so rugged case for added portability. you can use the Rukus Solar wherever you need a portable sound system.

SOLAR GENERATORS THAT ARE FREE OF NOISE & FUMES LOW-POWER USB MONITOR Wagan Tech’s (www.wagan.com) Solar e Power product line offers solar genera- If you are looking for a second moni- tors that are easy to use and set up. The company’s new Solar e Power Case 450 tor to add to your existing notebook ($799) and Solar e Power Cube 1500 ($1,199) solar power generators capture the or desktop computer, consider the sun’s energy and store it in an onboard battery to power your electronic devices. AOC 22-inch USB monitor e2251Fwu Unlike traditional generators, the Solar e Power Case 450 and the Solar e Power ($199; us.aoc.com). This low-power Cube 1500 are noise-free and fume-free. LED-backlit monitor does not require The smaller Solar e Power Case 450 uses a 40-watt solar panel unit and an AC outlet or video port to receive comes packed in a rugged case with a carrying strap. It weighs about 40 its power and video signals. Instead, pounds and includes AC, USB, and DC power outlets. The Solar e Power the display plugs into a single USB Case 1500 delivers more power with a larger battery and 80-watt solar panels port on your computer. With fewer that fold and slide out from a wheeled, rugged case. It also offers AC, DC, cords, a plug-and-play setup, energy and USB outlets. efficiency, and an ultra-slim form

30 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ESSENTIAL BUSINESS TECH EXECUTIVES, PROFESSIONALS & ENTREPRENEURS

factor, the e2251Fwu is easy to deploy ECO-FRIENDLY ACCESSORIES as an add-on monitor. The new Fujitsu M440 ECO (www.fujitsu.com) mouse is a biodegradable mouse AOC uses green manufacturing that is manufactured without the use of plastic or oil-based resources. Made from standards for the e2251Fwu monitor, BIOGRADE, a material based on cellulose (a product of the paper industry), the including mercury-free components M440 ECO offers all of the same features as a standard optical mouse, including a and display packaging made from scroll wheel and a design that works for both right- and left-handed users. recycled materials. Despite its low Due to the BIOGRADE shell, the M440 ECO mouse provides more elasticity power needs, the e2251Fwu offers than hard plastic devices for an ergonomic feel. The mouse is entirely recyclable, full HD 1080p resolution, a 5ms re- and it uses a PVC-free cable. Fujitsu also makes the KBPC PX ECO keyboard, sponse time, and a 20,000,000:1 dy- which replaces 45% of the plastic keyboard components with renewable materials. namic contrast ratio.

A UNIQUE LCD PANEL Companies that are looking for unique and eco-conscious digital signage solu- tions may be interested in Samsung’s (www.samsung.com) transparent LCD panel. Winner of a 2012 CES Eco- Design and Sustainability Technologies award, the Samsung transparent LCD panel combines HD picture quality and glass-like transparency with low power consumption. It can also oper- ate wirelessly on solar-replenished battery power. LCD panels need some type of light source to display an image. The Samsung transparent LCD panel uses ambient light, such as sunlight or The Fujitsu M440 ECO mouse is a biodegradable mouse made from materials based on cellulose. indoor lighting, as its light source, rather than the standard BLU (back light unit) used with regular LCD You can use the USB Outlet Quattro special recyclable fuel cell (a one-time panels. If it is dark, the transparent and USB Outlet Duo as replacements use cartridge called a PowerPukk), LCD panel can use the included to your bulky AC adapters with a and a bottom container. The lid in- transparent BLU as a light source. more direct, less messy, and more cludes an internal battery that you When the transparent BLU is not acti- energy-efficient charging method for can charge before traveling and use vated, the Samsung transparent LCD your electronics and mobile devices. as a separate power source if desired. panel requires only 10% of the elec- The outlets include faceplates and When you need to generate en- tricity used by a regular LCD screen come in three colors: ivory, light al- ergy to charge your mobile device or of equivalent size. mond, and white. The Quattro also other USB gadget, add about a table- features a tamper-resistant door that spoon of water and a PowerPukk USB WALL OUTLETS completely eliminates standby power to the container and replace the lid. To make charging and using your to save energy. The PowerTrekk starts a chemical mobile devices easier and more en- reaction that converts hydrogen gas ergy efficient, CurrentWerks (current LOOK TO POWERTREKK WHEN into electricity and produces a small werks.com) has designed USB wall YOU NEED A POWER SOURCE amount of water vapor. Attach your outlets that you can install in a When you don’t have access to a USB device to the PowerTrekk’s USB standard electrical outlet. The Cur- power source and your mobile de- port, and it begins charging. Because rentWerks Quattro ($39.98) replaces vice requires a charge, PowerTrekk the PowerTrekk generates energy an electrical wall outlet with four (www.powertrekk.com)can come to the using a passive, soundless system, USB charging ports, and the Current- rescue. The PowerTrekk charger is a it can be used almost anywhere. The Werks Duo ($24.98) offers two USB combination portable battery charger product is currently available in charging ports and two 110V elec- and fuel cell. It is comprised of three Europe and should be available in ● trical sockets. main components: a charging lid, a the U.S. in May.

PC Today / March 2012 31 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

WEB-BASEDEmail The Cloud’s Pros & Cons

hile using a cloud-based IDC expects that number to almost Hickernell, an associate lead research email service can free up double by 2015 to represent 19% of analyst for Info-Tech Research (www resources by moving email total email revenue worldwide. And .infotech.com), cloud email providers Woffsite and simultaneously accommo- according to Gartner (www.gartner “are not there yet for everybody, but date the growing need for anywhere, .com), 50% of email applications will they are getting there.” anytime email access, it is often ill- be on the cloud by the end of this However, today many organiza- adapted to enterprises’ compliance, decade. These predictions, however, tions can find use for current cloud security, and specific email manage- are contingent on providers’ ability email options despite their limita- ment requirements. to widen the scope of their offerings tions. Here are some things to keep in According to research company to meet the specific needs of more mind when pondering whether Web IDC (www.idc.com), Web email repre- enterprises, regardless of their size or email makes sense for your enterprise sents just 10% of email revenue, but application needs. According to Tim at this time.

Enterprise Web email Email is by no means Web email usu- Hybrid email configurations usage should increase a one-size-fits-all com- ally offers a better can allow organizations to significantly in the future, modity product; cloud fit for medium-sized outsource their more basic but today’s cloud offer- providers struggle to enterprises and email needs while keeping ings can lack advanced tailor their offerings to smaller companies email accounts with more Key features many organiza- the specific needs of than it does for large complex requirements Points tions require. enterprises. organizations. on-premise.

32 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

NOT A COMMODITY ➤➤ Cloud Email Adoption Because email has existed as an ap- plication for decades, and because the Percentage of cloud email 100% fundamental way email works has as part of email-related changed little over the years, one might hardware, software, and 80% deduce that email applications are very service revenue: mature and don’t differ much. It is 60% easy, then, to think that email applica- 40% tions can simply be replicated on the 20% cloud with the same enterprise-class 20% features that on-premise options offer. 10% However, email is hardly a commodity 0% 2011 2015 product, says Matthew Cain, research SOURCE: IDC vice president for Gartner. While it may be right for one enterprise, it can represent more problems and costs lend themselves well to the rigid access it, especially if the cloud ser- than it is worth. world of cloud email,” Cain says. vice combines email with other appli- “Email is far from being the perfect In terms of security, cloud email cations for a customer. “Anytime you cloud application,” Cain says. “It has may not be as private as many enter- want to do anything useful with the an ill-deserved reputation as a com- prises would like. Some organizations information [on email servers], you modity, and that is just not so.” will not appreciate, for example, how must decrypt it, and if you want to Enterprises often require custom- court orders can prompt providers take advantage of cloud computation ized email configurations that cloud to turn over their customers’ data to capabilities, you need to give your keys providers struggle to offer with more third parties. Even encrypted data can to the cloud,” says Ramon Krikken, a generic and one-size-fits-all products, potentially be accessed by the cloud research director with Gartner. “Then Cain says. For example, organizations provider, which possesses the keys to there are two parties with access to the might not find a provider that can keys: you and the cloud provider.” integrate cloud email services with But despite the drawbacks, critical business applications such there are potential benefits, espe- as CRM, CMS (content manage- cially for those with no need for ment system), or ERP (enterprise high-powered features or without resource planning). IT depart- complex compliance concerns. ments are often able to maintain “Cloud email is a three-legged uptime, security, and content con- stool: You need antivirus [and trol more effectively than cloud other security features], archiving, providers can, Cain says. or—at the very least—journ- Ramon Krikken, Tim Hickernell, aling as some sort of compliance CONTROL & SECURITY research director associate lead driver that does more than just ISSUES Gartner research analyst serial backups,” Hickernell says. Info-Tech Research IT administrators often need “Making the shift is complicated Group very direct control of email con- “Anytime you want since you need to make sure that tent and its management. Even if to do anything useful you have these features.” with the information “Users want their email accounts are stored in the email anywhere, cloud, administrators often need [on email servers], THE DRIVERS you must decrypt it, anytime, and on any to monitor accounts, establish device. That has sur- One driver in cloud email privileges for users, and integrate and if want to take adoption has been the perceived advantage of cloud passed the demand email with other applications. by IT to cut costs cost advantages. “Organizations Larger organizations may have computation capabili- notice how many people they ties, you need to give and to become more offices in different countries with operationally efficient have running email servers and storage and content compliance your keys to the cloud. they shake their heads and turn Then there are two by shifting email to regulations that are radically dif- the cloud.” to the cloud because they can save ferent from one another. “Many parties with access to costs and don’t require the same corporate email implementations the keys: you and the level of expertise [in-house] to are extremely complex and don’t cloud provider.” manage it,” Hickernell says.

PC Today / March 2012 33 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

However, the primary impetus real sweet spot for cloud email,” for cloud email adoption is the Hickernell says. need for workers to access their Small enterprises facing expen- email accounts with different mo- sive email server costs associated bile devices wherever they are, with in-house email represent good Hickernell says. “Previously, the candidates for off-loading much of value proposition was about IT their email management needs onto lowering its operational costs by a cloud provider. Many small en- shifting operations to somebody terprises, for example, continue to else. But what we are seeing today Matthew Cain, Robert Mahowald, use Microsoft Exchange 2003 and is the impact of consumerization of research vice president research vice president are interested in alternatives to in- IT,” Hickernell says. “Users want Gartner IDC vestmenting in the newer Microsoft their email anywhere, anytime, Exchange 2007 servers and architec- and on any device.” “Email is far from be- “With hundreds of tures, Hickernell says. “So we are ing the perfect cloud cloud providers avail- seeing many Microsoft Exchange SHORT-LISTING OPTIONS application. It has an able, you have many 2003 folks at small enterprises, Despite the risks and potential ill-deserved reputation choices.” gravitating towards [cloud op- drawbacks, there are cloud email as a commodity, and tions]. In this case, it is cheaper for offerings that can meet the needs that is just not so.” them instead of going through the of many enterprises. But deter- complexity of implementing newer mining what service options might Larger companies’ email architec- [servers].” Hickernell adds that small or might not be right for an organiza- tures often must exist under complex startup enterprises, or rapidly growing tion involves making very accurate circumstances, such as when a com- ones, are also particularly good candi- total cost of ownership calculations pany has offices in multiple coun- dates for Web email adoption. beforehand. Determining whether a tries with varying regulations. These potential vendor’s services offer an and other requirements that large THE HYBRID WAY adequate fit for an enterprise’s needs, organizations often have can make Many organizations can benefit regardless of its size or industry, is Web email more expensive than on- from a hybrid email architecture that obviously critical, as well. premise offerings when all costs are combines onsite servers and cloud ser- Factors to consider include the considered, Hickernell says. vices. In some cases, for example, it price of extra storage and whether or For medium-sized businesses, the may be cheaper for an enterprise to not the provider can offer the backup, cloud can serve as an attractive email keep email servers onsite for the email account management privileges, hosting environment for many but needs of some (but not all) of its users application integration, and other not all organizations. Enterprises with who have complex application require- features that an enterprise might re- 500 to 2,000 email inboxes are in what ments or special security needs. That quire, Hickernell says. Any potential Hickernell calls a “gray zone.” In the same enterprise might outsource its vendor under consideration should case of medium-sized enterprises with email management to a cloud provider also have SAS 70 Type II certification, a large number of users that require ad- for users that only require a basic (and which indicates that the provider is vanced features vs. only a small group lest costly) email package. meeting compliance regulations. of workers that only have very basic Public universities with tens of Pricing can vary tremendously, re- needs, keeping email in-house can thousands of students often opt for flecting the varying degrees of com- make more sense, Hickernell says. a hybrid alterative, Hickernell says. plexity of the wide range of options in Small businesses can almost al- They often keep the email servers the market. Consumer-grade products ways benefit from cloud email, es- for the faculty and administration are free but lack management and en- pecially those that are cash-strapped staff in the universities data center terprise security features. On the other and do not require advanced email but will offer students cheaper cloud end of the spectrum, high-end cloud features, Hickernell says. Cloud alternatives. In addition to univer- alternatives can cost $50 per seat per email lends itself well to the needs sities, large organizations and even month, according to IDC. However, of smaller organizations that require some medium-sized enterprises are most enterprise-class accounts cost in more basic yet reliable management, increasingly opting for a hybrid im- the $7 to $10 range, IDC says. “With hosting, and backup services at a plementation, Hickernell says. hundreds of cloud providers available, much cheaper cost than what is re- “There is growing interest in hybrid you have many choices,” says Robert quired to buy servers and run them offerings than saying ‘let’s switch com- Mahowald, an analyst for IDC. on-site. “Small businesses are the pletely from on-premise to cloud.’” ●

34 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com

MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

OnEYES The Road Recommendation Would Ban All Mobile Phone Use While Driving

hen the National Trans- numerous users, organizations, and By ending all cell phone usage portation Safety Board officials have voiced opposition, par- while driving, the recommended ban (www.ntsb.gov) pub- ticularly for the recommended ban’s would go beyond any partial ban on licly called for a na- inclusion of wireless headsets. The fol- cell phone use that various states have tionwide ban in mid-December of all lowing explores what the ban would already passed. To date, 10 states and Wnon-emergency use of cell phones entail, what it would mean to users, the District of Columbia ban hand- while driving, including hands-free and what its chances of becoming law held cell phone use while driving, 30 usage, you could seemingly hear a really are. states and the District of Columbia ban collective groan emitting from the usage by novices, and 35 states and the millions of U.S. drivers who have AS PROPOSED District of Columbia ban texting. grown accustomed to maintaining “No call, no text, no update, is The NTSB, an independent federal personal communication, conducting worth a human life.” That’s how agency charged with touting traffic business, and organizing their work NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman safety and conducting investigations and personal lives while manning the summed up the NTSB’s recommenda- into vehicle accidents, announced its steering wheel. Under the ban, a time- tion, which specifically “calls for the recommendation following a review starved executive, for example, would 50 states and the District of Columbia it conducted into an August 2010 have to pull off to the side of the road to ban the nonemergency use of por- pileup crash in Missouri that resulted to call a client and let him know he’s table electronic devices (other than in two deaths and nearly 40 injuries. running late for their meeting vs. those designed to support the driving That crash involved a 19-year-old simply firing off a hands-free call to task) for all drivers.” Still somewhat driver who law enforcement officials do the same. unclear is if the NTSB’s recommen- discovered had exchanged 11 text By all appearances, the NTSB’s dation includes GPS navigation sys- messages in the 11 minutes directly recommendation stems from good tems and hands-free systems that before the accident. Missouri law pro- intentions, namely the board’s rea- are integrated into automobiles by hibits those under 21 from texting soning that saving lives by preventing manufactures. What is clear is the rec- while driving. car crashes outweighs the need to ommendation does cover handheld Over the last 10 years, the NTSB has use a cell phone while driving. Still, and hands-free usage. issued numerous recommendations

36 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

to limit mobile device usage while attitudes about the deadliness of dis- The CTIA also stated it has always driving, including ones involving tractions?” Hersman stated. “encouraged the industry to continue school bus, novice, and commercial to develop new technology-based drivers. To support its recommendation WHAT BECOMES A tools and offerings that are affordable to ban all usage while driving, the RECOMMENDATION? and consumer-friendly that would NTSB cited NHTSA (National Highway For opponents of the recommended create safer driving. The industry Traffic Safety Administration;www.nhtsa ban, key to understand is that the rec- constantly produces new products .org) data stating more than 3,000 people ommendation is just that; states aren’t and services, including those that lost their lives in 2010 due to “distrac- required to uphold it and would can disable the driver’s mobile de- tion-related accidents.” The NTSB have to individually pass their own vice.” According to estimates through also cited: laws. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of November 2011 from NPD Group, r
/BUJPOBM
4BGFUZ
$PVODJM
EBUB
UIBU
Transportation Ray LaHood stated U.S. citizens have spent roughly $230 drivers using cell phones look but shortly after the NTSB’s announce- million on devices enabling hands- don’t see up to 50% of information ment that he doesn’t support the rec- free mobile device usage. in their driving surroundings ommendation, saying “the problem is Meanwhile, the Alliance of Auto- r
/FX
&OHMBOE
+PVSOBM
PG
.FEJ mobile Manufacturers (www.auto cine research revealed that alliance.org), which represents 12 ve- a driver using a cell phone is hicle makers, states on its Web site 4 times more likely to have a that it “supports banning text mes- crash resulting in a hospital visit saging or calling using a handheld r
"O
"""
.JE"UMBOUJD
SF- device while driving a vehicle.” port that more than 50% of Following the NTSB’s recommen- the roughly 210,000 people dation, the alliance stated it was driving on the Capital Beltway reviewing the recommendation, daily drive while distracted by but automobile manufacturers have cell phones Deborah Hersman Ray LaHood designed wireless systems to “be r
"
/)54"
PCTFSWBUJPOBM
TVSWFZ
used in a way that helps drivers Chairman of the Na- Secretary of the indicating that at any daytime keep their eyes on the road and tional Transportation U.S. Department moment in 2010, roughly 5% of hands on the wheel.” Safety Board Chairman of Transportation drivers were using a handheld cell phone DOWN THE ROAD “No call, no text, “If other people r
"
OBUJPOBM
"""
'PVOEBUJPO
Despite knowing its recommen- no update, is worth want to work on survey of 2,000 U.S. residents dation is “going to be very unpop- a human life.” hands-free, so be it.” that found 69% reported ular with some people,” Hersman they had talked on their cell stated, the NTSB’s chairman added phones while driving during that the NTSB isn’t attempting to the 30 days prior to the survey not hands-free” related. LaHood’s de- win a popularity contest and is trying and 24% had texted or emailed partment holds rule-making authority to do the right thing. “This is a dif- while driving over traffic-safety issues. ficult recommendation, but it’s the r
"
OBUJPOBM
TVSWFZ
PG
 
QFPQMF
On behalf of the CTIA-The Wireless right recommendation and it’s time,” conducted for the NHTSA that Association (www.ctia.org), the inter- stated Hersman. found 77% are willing to answer a national organization representing As Barbara Harsha, executive di- call while driving on at least some the wireless communications in- rector of the Governors Highway driving trips dustry, President Steve Largent stated Safety Association, stated, it could r
"
7JSHJOJB
5FDI
5SBOTQPSUBUJPO
“manual texting while driving is ultimately take considerable time Institute study related to commercial clearly incompatible with safety” and before states pass and enforce laws drivers that found a “safety-critical the CTIA has “historically supported a and users’ behavior starts to change. event is 163 times more likely if a ban on texting while driving.” Where Hersman, however, stated that al- driver is texting, emailing, or ac- using wireless devices while driving though the recommendation is aimed cessing the Internet” is concerned, however, Largent stated at states, the U.S. Congress could the CTIA defers to state and local law- play an instrumental role on the issue “The data is clear; the time to act makers and constituents and “what in general by flexing its influence is now. How many more lives will be they believe are the most appropriate through driving distracted-related lost before we, as a society, change our laws where they live.” grants and incentives it offers states. ●

PC Today / March 2012 37 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

DOCUMENTSmartphone MANAGEMENT Master Your Files From Anywhere

Why just look at PDFs when RepliGo lets you highlight and annotate them? By using your touchscreen, the app even lets you sign forms with your fingertip.

s the component speci- MANAGEMENT well together, and work best for com- fications on smart- Microsoft’s SharePoint (sharepoint panies committed to the SharePoint phones begin to rival .microsoft.com) is the de facto option for and Windows Phone platforms. those of low-end note- businesses that want to create work- Box (www.box.com) is a 100% cloud- books, more and more group sites shared document libraries based file storage and sharing system. users want the convenience of per- for those workgroups. With the ar- The service focuses almost entirely on Aforming the basic document viewing rival of Windows Phone 7, accessing file and folder synchronization across and editing they’ve traditionally done those libraries from a handset becomes desktop computers and Android, on notebooks from their handsets. easier. Users running SharePoint BlackBerry, and iOS devices. Any Certainly, no one wants to write a Workspace Mobile can tap into any change saved on one device syncs to the white paper with an on-screen key- SharePoint site hosted on SharePoint others, and to the organization’s cloud board. But review one? Maybe make Server or Office 365 and download files storage on Box’s servers. If a device is some highlights, strikethroughs, and for viewing and/or editing in mobile ever lost, simply buy a new one, install comments? And if those changes could versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, the Box client, and all of the data will be be easily managed through versioning and OneNote. Workers can also down- synched back moments later. The ser- in a centralized workgroup document load files for offline use. Many mobile vice also permits large file sharing via repository, even better. This can all be browsers will provide read capabili- email links, and those doing the sharing done through smartphones now, with ties for SharePoint libraries but little can establish viewing or editing rights intuitive navigation and full fidelity . . . else. The new mobile capabilities of for recipients. With a Box Business ac- if you know which apps to use. SharePoint/Windows Phone work count, groups can create self-branded

38 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

“virtual data rooms” (essentially file li- availability and on-demand file syn- the side, lets you perform conventional braries for specific recipient groups). By ching. Editing on mobile Google Docs Word, Excel, and PowerPoint editing, sharing files and folders with others, is fully supported only on Android 2.1 then merges those stripped formatting Box enables multi-party collaboration, and iOS 3.0 or higher. Viewing is sup- elements back into the document when including attaching comments to any ported through most HTML mobile you resave. given file, although collaboration does browsers. Google provides 1GB of free Another alternative, MobiSystems’ not extend to multiple users being able storage in the Docs service; more space OfficeSuite Professional 5 (www.mobi to edit one file simultaneously. For a is available for a fee. systems.com), is a Word/Excel/Power- solid, similar alternative to Box, also If your workers rely on viewing and Point/PDF-compatible Android app check out Dropbox (www.dropbox.com). editing Microsoft Office documents with hooks into Box, Dropbox, and Some users live and breathe through spread across management services such Google Docs, long on features and email attachments. Unfortunately, most as Google Docs, Dropbox, Evernote, short on fluff. OfficeSuite also provides of us still throw around large attach- MobileMe, and SugarSync, then some subtle advantages, such as RTF ments assuming they’re destined for 21- Quickoffice Pro (www.quickoffice.com) is a support and the ability to go to a foot- inch LCDs tied to Ethernet connections. life-saver. This intuitive and robust app note. Similarly, the Excel module sup- Now, instead of having to download for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Symbian, ports CSV files and allows for hiding attachments on a phone just to open and webOS offers its own processors and unhiding of rows and columns. them, Mobile Documents (www.mobile for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, each Password-protected files are supported documents.com), currently in beta for loaded with a surprising number of for- throughout, and an integrated file Android and Ovi/Nokia, can stream matting and process capabilities (140 browser will zip and send files as well them from the cloud. Navigating PDFs Excel formulas and functions alone). as filter files by type. and presentations becomes a snap, as is the app also has ability Unlike other ed- converting PDFs into text-only mode. to save files in native iting apps, RepliGo Super-sized images load almost in- Office formats either Reader from Cerience stantly because only a screen-resolu- locally or to cloud ser- (www.cerience.com) lets tion version loads at first; as more data vices. Send files to re- you do more with is needed from the attachment file, it cipients via your cloud PDFs than simply streams in on demand. The immediate services or post files view them. This tool benefit is speed in opening and navi- directly into social site for Android and gating the file, but Mobile Documents pages. Quickoffice Pro BlackBerry provides can also save on data usage charges and is intuitive, robust, and fast, gesture-based can remove the phone from being a pro- one of our top recom- navigation and sup- ductivity bottleneck, as when brokering mendations. ports all document an email attachment straight from Documents To Go hyperlinks and book- Google Docs to a recipient. (www.dataviz.com) grew marks. Unlike other up on the Palm plat- PDF viewers, RepliGo EDITING form, but today it’s Reader can rewrap Google Docs (docs.google.com) brought owned by Research text like an ereader, editing to Android and iOS devices in Motion, making fixing line breaks to fit MobiSystems’ OfficeSuite Professional in late 2010, and it remains one of the this the default—and the screen as font size 5 lets you edit documents and sup- top services available for viewing and pre-installed—Word/ changes. The best part ports RTF, CSV, and ZIP file formats. editing documents, spreadsheets, and Excel/PowerPoint/ of RepliGo Reader is presentations from handsets. Google PDF/iWork suite for its annotation skills. Docs is best for quick and basic con- BlackBerry 7. (Office file editing re- By using handles to select text, users tent generation while sitting in a lobby. quires the Premium version.) While can apply highlighting, strikeout, and Google is constantly improving the ser- Documents To Go supports the five top other effects, as well as add sticky notes, vice, however. Google Docs supports 15 mobile platforms, the iOS version adds shapes, and comments, all of which file formats, including OpenDocument, hooks to Box, Dropbox, Google Docs, can save as part of the document. For Photoshop (PSD), archives (ZIP and iDisk, and SugarSync. The software groups that work with PDFs, RepliGo RAR), and iWork Pages. The service ex- supports desktop synchronization via Reader is a godsend. For even more cels at multi-user collaboration, with PC, its own client, but DataViz’s top claim to of the same, RepliGo Professional is a tablet, and smartphone users all being fame is its InTact Technology. This takes hosted service that expands these fea- able to edit the same file simultane- all of the complex formatting that can’t tures to non-PDF files, such as Microsoft ● ously. Google Docs also enables offline be reproduced on phones, saves it to Office, OpenOffice, and WordPerfect.

PC Today / March 2012 39 In its heyday (this was 2006), prototypes like this WiMAX- enabled scooter were all the rage. Today, hopes for the standard are far more muted.

soon be replaced with the even faster LTE-Advanced. Even Clearwire, the chief adopter of WiMAX in the U.S., has announced it WiMAXTechnology Update will develop an LTE network to com- plement its WiMAX offering. Does this mean WiMAX is dead? The truth is n 2001 when the WiMAX Forum 1Gbps (gigabit per second) and at dis- complicated and depends on to whom (www.wimaxforum.org) was founded tances of up to 30 miles; it seemed invin- you speak. as a consortium of companies to cible. Companies invested billions in the Ipromote conformity and interop- technology, which required expensive A DAY LATE, A DOLLAR SHORT? erability of the standard, the air was infrastructure development. If you look at WiMAX from a U.S.— full of promise. WiMAX (Worldwide Fast forward a little more than 10 and especially mobile—perspective, Interoperability for Microwave Access), years, and WiMAX is a term you don’t the outlook is fairly grim. According which sprung largely from an effort to hear much anymore. Mobile carriers to Jim McMurry, founder and CEO of develop low-cost, reliable “last mile” are touting their 4G services, but only Milton Security Group (www.miltonse (neighborhood level) broadband ser- Sprint (www.sprint.com) offers WiMAX curity.com), “WiMAX’s future is rap- vice, was supposed to be the next killer through Clearwire (www.clearwire.com), idly diminishing for most, if not all, wireless technology. a company in which it holds signifi- plans by our customers. WiMAX held First appearing as a specification for cant interest. Making matters worse, a promise of high bandwidth, but at an fixed (non-mobile) devices, WiMAX Sprint announced in January 2012 that extreme cost level.” soon had a companion mobile speci- it will replace WiMAX with 4G LTE Milton Security isn’t specifically fication. WiMAX could penetrate ob- (Long Term Evolution) this year. LTE is a mobile broadband player—its net- stacles and didn’t require line of sight; currently the number one, high-speed work access control devices help secure it could transmit at data rates up to mobile broadband technology; it will both wired and wireless components

WiMAX is the oldest specification Sprint, the only U.S. Globally, WiMAX The WiMAX Forum capable of meeting 4G standards, carrier to offer WiMAX has much higher remains hopeful but lagging adoption rates (espe- phones, announced rates of adoption for WiMAX, and Key cially in the U.S.) have allowed in January 2012 that than in the U.S., some uses of the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) to it was moving to LTE although there are technology still Points jump ahead. this year. signs of erosion. hold promise.

40 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

of networks in large enterprises, gov- was largely driven by is expensive both to install ernments, and universities. So, when Sprint’s development hardwired cable and to McMurry says WiMAX is on the way of WiMAX.” In other provide cellular coverage, out for his customers, he refers to both words, the excitement sur- remains one of the most fixed and mobile deployments. To put rounding WiMAX ended logical uses for WiMAX. the situation in perspective, McMurry up as an accelerant that is adds, “Cisco and Alcatel-Lucent have fueling its possible demise. REALITY CHECK both said they are no longer sup- There is little doubt that porting WiMAX as a standard.” NOT OVER YET big challenges remain for WiMAX has been around longer Fortunately for the James McMurry the technology. Some of the than any other high-speed wireless technology, not everyone president and CEO, implementations Shakouri technology. It is capable of meeting takes a pessimistic view Milton Security Group touts (especially M2M) the requirements of the 4G stan- of WiMAX. The WiMAX are equally well served by dards set by the ITU (International Forum, now 10 years “802.11ac and [other LTE. Furthermore, as the Telecommunications Union; www.itu old, maintains an upbeat technologies] that are global fixed-WiMAX pro- .int) for both fixed and broadband ser- outlook. WiMAX is rep- rolling out now al- vider market moves to mo- vice. With so much potential, why are resented by nearly 600 op- ready achieve 1Gbps bile implementation, some the big players abandoning it? erators around the world at a much lower cost providers may consider The answer is more than one of cost. and has more than 17.2 [than WiMAX].” moving to LTE. Already, In its early days, WiMAX suffered million subscribers. Korea Telecom, which be- while multiple competing interests At its “birthday party” came the first company to fought over various technical details. in June 2011, WiMAX Forum VP Mo attempt a nationwide WiMAX-based of- Those arguments are largely moot Shakouri stated the group would focus fering in South Korea, recently launched now; what’s important is that these dis- on the technology’s core strengths: LTE service. agreements, paired with the high cost highly localized solutions such as mo- Finally, McMurry says, the technolo- of building out WiMAX infrastructure, dems, embedded laptops, and M2M gy’s successful challengers are not lim- kept many players on the sidelines. (machine-to-machine) modules. He ited to LTE in mobile deployments. He Meanwhile, mobile carriers recog- also indicated WiMAX would not try predicts growth in upcoming wireless nized the threat from WiMAX and to challenge LTE for the mobile market. standards, such as 802.22 and 802.11ac, accelerated their development of pre- Shakouri also said that the Forum will combine with LTE to “drown out 4G technologies (which the ITU has would encourage and facilitate mo- most, if not all future deployments of obligingly allowed them to call 4G). bile deployments by existing, fixed- current WiMAX technologies.” 802.22 Specifically, says Berge Ayvazian, a se- WiMAX operators, many of whom is a standard for WRANs (wireless re- nior consultant with telecom research provide much-needed Internet service gional area networks) that runs over firm Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading to subscribers in under-developed unused spectrum on the television fre- .com), “Verizon’s development of LTE rural areas. Fixed deployment, where it quencies; 802.11ac is a developing it- eration of Wi-Fi that is proposed to ➤➤ 4G Worldwide Subscriber Forecast (Millions of Subscribers) support throughput of up to 1Gbps over the 5GHz band. Although WiMAX currently outpaces LTE, the balance will shift There has been talk of WiMAX this year, and LTE could have 10 times the users by 2014. playing a supporting role to LTE, per- 350 haps as backhaul (the link between the ■ Internet and smaller, localized sub- 300 WiMAX ■ LTE networks) for cellular transmission 250 strained by distance or obstacles. As 200 Ayvazian notes, “The [mobile] market 150 is rapidly converging on LTE as the 4G technology standard, but the lim- 100 iting factor is spectrum.” However, 50 McMurry thinks it’s too late, even 0 for that role. “Technologies such as 802.11ac that are rolling out now al- SOURCE: IHS ISUPPLI 2011 2010 2012 2013 2014 RESEARCH, 2010 2009 ready achieve 1Gbps at a much lower cost [than WiMAX],” he says. ●

PC Today / March 2012 41 accepts SD, and print from there, but this is as limited an approach as it is cumbersome. And, of course, that only works if the tablet accommodates SD media to begin with. Printing should be simple and take only seconds. The work-around that most of the in- dustry has pursued relies on sending a print command wirelessly from the mo- bile device to the network. Depending on the software being used, the com- mand may travel to the printer along one of three paths: r
"DSPTT
UIF
XJSFMFTT
-"/
UP
B
1$
which then passes on the print job to an attached printer r
"DSPTT
UIF
XJSFMFTT
-"/
EJSFDUMZ
to the printer, which is running an embedded printing application r
'SPN
UIF
DFMMVMBS
OFUXPSL
UP
UIF
*OUFSOFU
BOE
UIFO
UP
FJUIFS
UIF
1$
or directly to the printer

Given a choice, it’s often prefer- BCMF
UP
UBLF
IBWJOH
B
1$
QSFTFOU
PVU
of the printing equation. This not only saves power, but also makes printing capabilities available even JG
UIF
1$
XFSF
UP
DSBTI
$POWFSTFMZ
with a direct wireless connection to UIF
QSJOUFS
UIF
1$
XPOU
FYQFSJFODF
hiccups or become bogged down by large print jobs. Print Anywhere FROM THE PRINTER VENDOR Enable Printing From Your Mobile Device *G
ZPV
BSF
FYQMPSJOH
XBZT
UP
FO- able printing from your mobile device, check with your printer manufacturer s 2011 saw the worldwide be modified or accidentally deleted for applications that can aid in this shipments of smartphones later. Or maybe because a lot of people task. Here are a few options from BOE
UBCMFUT
FYDFFE
UIF
OVN still prefer paper. some of the top printer manufacturers: CFS
PG
1$T
BOE
MBQUPQT
JUT
There are countless reasons why Canon Easy-PhotoPrint.
$BOPOT
inevitable that millions of users are users still want to print from their Easy-PhotoPrint app (free; www.usa looking at content in their hands that handheld devices, but none of those .canon.com) for Android/BlackBerry/ athey wish to print. Sure, ultramobile de- devices come with Print buttons. J04
XPSLT
BDSPTT
B
XJEF
SBOHF
PG
$BO vices help to cut down on the amount 8IBU
DBO
ZPV
EP
8F
FYQMPSF
TFWFSBM
on’s wireless PIXMA printer models. of printing we require. After all, why mobile printing options here. $BOPO
QVUT
NPSF
FNQIBTJT
PO
QSJOUJOH
print out a slide deck to review on the photos from galleries than documents road when you can call it up from the THE BASICS from storage sites. However, EPP does cloud on your 4-, 7-, or 10-inch screen To date, we haven’t seen a mobile handle scanning and lets you print a in seconds? Maybe because the col- printer that can interface with a smart- NBYJNVN
PG

DPQJFT
QFS
UBTL league looking over your shoulder phone or a tablet’s USB port. You could Epson iPrint. With versions for iOS would like a copy to take with her. Be- save a file on a tablet to its SD card, and Android, Epson iPrint (free; www cause you want a hard copy that can’t plug the flash card into a printer that .epson.com) for Android/BlackBerry/

42 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

iOS is designed for use with a wide AirPrint. For iPad 2 users, Apple’s Google apps. Access the Cloud Print range of wireless-enabled Epson own AirPrint feature adds printing feature via the Share menu or by tap- Artisan, Stylus, and WorkForce print- functionality to several iPad apps. ping the wrench icon in Chrome. ers. Like most other printer apps from HP has been the most aggressive Cloud Print offers a dizzying number vendors, you can use iPrint to wire- vendor in offering integrated Air- of printing options tied to the printer lessly send images, PDFs, and Print support on several late model driver—everything from color levels to Microsoft Office files to the associated (network-ready) printers, although duplexing—and sharing printers with printer. The app will also work with Epson and Canon have also started others is exactly as easy as sharing a files stored in the Box, Dropbox, and offering native support in many Google Docs file. Speaking of which, Evernote cloud services. You can con- models. Alternatively, any printer Cloud Print can also output documents figure print options by choosing one- can be made AirPrint-capable ei- in Google Doc, PDF, XLS, or fax for- or two-sided printing, paper type, and ther through an additional Mac mats, just like on a desktop. number of copies. You also can check app (such as AirPrint Activator) or ink levels and print status. Another through the configuration of addi- COMPATIBILITY feature of the app lets you scan a doc- tional router services. There are dozens of other wireless ument and send it to the handheld Google Cloud Print. Google Cloud printing options available, but the ones device for storage. Print is the go-to option if you use an covered here provide a good idea of HP ePrint. If you don’t want to Android device or nearly any other the available types. The key is to make mess around with additional appli- device with a Chrome browser, espe- sure that whatever app you choose cations on your devices, HP ePrint cially if you have a legacy printer. The supports the type of files you want to (free; www.hp.com) may be exactly service works with Facebook, Google output and the level of device sharing ● what you need. HP puts its own twist Docs, Picasa, Gmail, Gallery, and other your organization needs. on wireless printing by assigning a unique email address to each HP ePrint-capable printer. After you es- tablish an account, you (or anyone on your team who has the address) In addition to letting your can email a compatible file attachment mobile device print directly to that address and the file will au- to select HP printers, the tomatically print. Supported file for- ePrint service can also mats include: Microsoft Office (Word, output jobs to nearby PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel), document services Web pages (HTML), PDF, and image businesses. files (BMP, JPEG, GIF, and TIFF). You can attach up to 10 printable files to each email as long as the total size of the message doesn’t exceed 5MB. HP also offers free mobile apps that work Google Cloud Print works with ePrint printers, including HP with any printer, albeit ePrint Service (works with Android/ from Google-friendly BlackBerry/iOS and helps you iden- mobile devices. tify FedEx Office stores and other HP public print locations), HP ePrint Home & Biz (works with Android/ iOS and includes limited photo ed- iting capabilities), and HP Printer Control (works with iOS as a remote Epson’s mobile printing control for ePrint printers). app, iPrint, excels in its support for document THIRD-PARTY APPS handling as well as If you are looking for alternatives rudimentary image editing. to the vendor apps, check out the fol- lowing third-party apps to fulfill your mobile printing needs.

PC Today / March 2012 43 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Apple’s Find My iPhone is an example of soft- ware that lets a user remotely find a lost or stolen iPhone, as well as wipe the data from it.

trust. Otherwise, you could unknow- ingly install a virus that a hacker has embedded in the attachment to steal data, track the device, access contacts, and more. This mentality also applies to scanning QR (Quick Response) codes, which hackers can infect with malware. Mobile Lockdown Practice due diligence. Installing up- Simple Steps To Make A Smartphone More Secure dates as they become available is vital as they often contain fixes for security vulnerabilities. Also regularly back up here is a great deal of personal it. Typically, this involves installing an the contacts and data on the device so and professional data residing application on the device and creating that if it’s lost you can easily replace that on your smartphone. If obtained an online account from which you can information. Only download apps from Tby a user with nefarious intentions, your track the phone’s location and wipe its official app stores, check reviews before data would be vulnerable. Thankfully, data if needed. downloading, and keep them updated there are several easy measures you can Beware attachments and QR codes. after they are installed. take to secure your device. Similar to the approach you should be Disable automatic wireless con- Set PIN or password protection. taking toward opening email attach- nections. If you routinely use any free The easiest way to instantly beef up ments from unknown senders on a Wi-Fi network, or if you leave your smartphone security is to create a PIN computer, you should take precaution Wi-Fi connection always on, consider or password that’s required to unlock on a smartphone when opening links ending both practices. Turning off a the phone. This is typically done in and files from those you don’t know or smartphone’s automatic Wi-Fi connec- the device’s Settings area, but de- tion setting reduces the risk of break- pending on the smartphone plat- in by a hacker who has created a form and model, your only option public Wi-Fi network expressly to may be creating a PIN; a password Lookout Mobile steal the personal data traveling is generally considered more se- Security’s paid An- over it. For the same reason, turn cure. Android (2.2 and later) device droid app includes Bluetooth off when not in use. owners can also set a swipe pattern a feature that backs Keep your smartphone where to unlock the smartphone. up contacts, photos, you can see it. Perhaps the simplest Configure remote find and and call history but best advice concerning smart- data wipe. If you should lose your from an Android phone security is to never let the de- smartphone, or if it gets stolen, re- smartphone to vice out of your sight. Considering mote find and wipe software will let online storage for the valuable personal and work data you remotely pinpoint the device’s restoring if needed. at stake, either keep the smartphone location and erase the data on it so on your person at all times or lock it whoever has the device can’t access in the desk when you step away. ●

44 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

GetBluetooth Ready To Get Smart 4.0

evolutionary” is arguably used too liberally in tech circles. The detector,” Jawanda says. “The radar Bluetooth SIG’s (Special Interest Group; www.bluetooth.com) use detector is displaying radar traps and of “revolutionary” to describe Bluetooth 4.0 potential seems war- other information. The devices are ranted, however. Formally adopted in July 2010, 4.0 is the latest talking together via Bluetooth, and specification of the wireless technology standard that enables cre- the application is where the magic ating short-range personal networks over which devices (such as resides, using the phone as a remote a smartphone and a wireless headset) can communicate. Backward-compatible control or as a display.” with previous Bluetooth versions, Bluetooth 4.0 looks to give throngs of previ- Another example could include an ously disconnected devices the ability to communicate. employee wearing a Bluetooth Smart- enabled bracelet that constantly Included in Bluetooth 4.0 are When an employee carrying the pen monitors the employee’s pulse, heart proximity- and security-related in- comes within, say, 1 to 5 feet of the rate, or other information and sends novations made possible via low-en- PC, it automatically logs the employee the data to a Bluetooth Smart Ready- ergy technology powered by small, in. When the employee walks away, enabled PC. An enterprise could then long-lasting coin-cell batteries em- the PC automatically locks. “From a turn that data into real information bedded in Bluetooth devices classi- security perspective . . . the employee used to help improve employees’ fied as “Bluetooth Smart,” such as doesn’t have to worry about securing health and reduce healthcare costs, key fobs, heart rate monitors, and the data on his PC,” Jawanda says. Jawanda says. security cards. Using one-way radios, Instead, by possessing “this tiny, little “We’re just on the cusp of some- Smart devices in turn send data to radio in this pen, or [maybe in] an em- thing absolutely huge because we’ve connected “Bluetooth Smart Ready”- ployee badge or card that doubles as brought these billions of discon- classified devices containing two-way security entry card, it’s authenticating nected devices into the connected radios, such as PCs, laptops, smart- and communicating with your PC.” world where data is no longer phones, and tablets. The first phone to include Blue- trapped,” says Jawanda. “It’s sent to “Smart Ready devices are re- tooth 4.0 was the Apple iPhone 4S. these Smart Ready devices where it’s ally your hub devices,” says Suke Although it continues to support typ- turned into information through ap- Jawanda, Bluetooth SIG chief mar- ical Bluetooth uses, Jawanda says, plications that end users, health care keting officer. Smart Ready devices in recent months “other hardware providers, and companies can use to can connect to the billions of devices manufactures, and particularly ap- consume this new data.” ● embedded with classic Bluetooth tech- plication developers, are in nology already in the market plus the the midst of creating very Smart devices now entering it. Smart interesting applications” devices are compatible only with that enable new periph- Smart Ready devices, while classic erals to talk to the iPhone Bluetooth devices are compatible with 4S, such as radar detectors, Bluetooth and Smart Ready devices. which traditionally haven’t According to the Bluetooth SIG, by provided a user interface. the end of this year nearly all new Now, upon downloading smartphones will provide Bluetooth an app to the iPhone 4S for 4.0 with Smart Ready abilities. a Smart-enabled radar de- An example of Bluetooth 4.0’s use- tector, the app becomes the fulness, says Jawanda, could include user interface. “At the very The Bluetooth SIG has released various logos, as well as this chart, a Bluetooth Smart-enabled pen and basic level, the phone is a to help users identify compatibility between Bluetooth, Bluetooth Bluetooth Smart Ready-enabled PC. remote control to the radar Smart, and Bluetooth Smart Ready devices and accessories.

PC Today / March 2012 45 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Tablet Updates You interact with your tablet’s operating system every day, so you don’t want to be left out of the loop when developers roll out intuitive new changes. Because we know you have other priorities, we researched the latest OS (and firmware) updates so your mobile device is an always-ready digital sidekick.

❮ Chrome for Android Beta functions in much the same way as the desktop version of Google’s Chrome browser, but Google built the Android version to meet the demands particular to mobile devices.

ANDROID GETS CHROME into focus the links on a Web page so and the screen standing upright in BROWSER users don’t have to pinch to zoom in monitor mode. Due to ship in H2 2012, Users of both the tablet and smart- to different parts of the page. YOGA will run Microsoft’s Windows 8 phone versions of Android 4.0 (aka As a bonus for its Chrome desktop operating system and include an Intel Ice Cream Sandwich) can now install users, Google added a Web page- processor, 8GB memory, and a 256GB Google’s Chrome browser on their saving feature. If logged in to Google, SSD (solid-state drive). devices. Chrome for Android Beta, users browsing a Web page on the which is now available in the Android desktop Chrome can save that page IPAD 3 RUMOR MILL IN Market, includes many of the same for viewing later on their mobile device FULL SWING features found in the desktop version running Chrome for Android Beta. Grazing the Internet for news of the Chrome browser, such as fast about Apple’s upcoming iPad 3, it’s browsing, tabbed browsing, book- LENOVO’S HIGHLY FLEXIBLE easy to hit rumor overload in a hurry. marking, multiple privacy settings, TABLET DUE IN H2 2012 As usual, Apple is remaining almost and a private browsing mode. As in Lenovo announced an interesting completely mum about its next iPad the desktop version, the “omnibox” new “flip-and-fold” Ultrabook at launch. Will it support the Siri vir- (Google’s name for the address bar) this year’s International Consumer tual assistant (unlike the iPad 2)? Will doubles as a Google search engine. Electronics Show: the IdeaPad YOGA. it sport an even higher resolution The Android version lacks support In addition to Lenovo’s claim that the screen? Only time will tell. Apple has for Adobe Flash video, but Adobe has YOGA, at 0.67 inches, is the thinnest indicated that it won’t support 4G ceased development of mobile Flash. convertible notebook around, what LTE (Long Term Evolution) until that Although Chrome for Android makes the YOGA unique is its overall technology proves itself, but that’s Beta is designed to behave similarly design. It functions as a notebook about it. So take any iPad 3 news to the desktop version, Google built (keyboard flat, screen connected at an with a grain of salt. If you haven’t the mobile browser from scratch, angle) and can be folded into a tent heard any solid news from Apple yet keeping in mind the specific de- view thanks to a 10-point capacitive about the next iPad, you can expect mands of mobile devices. The Link touchscreen. The YOGA also works as to soon, at least according to reports Preview feature, for example, brings a tablet or with the keyboard detached circulating at press time. ●

46 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Skitch For iPad for iOS

Top Tablet ContactFlow Apps for iOS

There is a seemingly endless supply of apps available for today’s popular tablet platforms. In these pages, we have selected some of the best tablet apps for business, produc- tivity, and travel. You’ll find a mix of apps that are new or have been recently updated and apps that have stood the test of time and received high ratings from users. MindNode for iOS

SKITCH FOR IPAD other users. So, for example, rather ➤ iOS | Free | 8.7MB than sending a static map to a client Evernote promises users will be able of the location you’re set to meet at, to express themselves with fewer Skitch lets you include your own words, emails, and meetings with notes and sketches on the map. Skitch for iPad (Rel. Jan. 16, 2012) in their arsenal. Skitch for iPad en- CONTACTFLOW ➤ ables iPad users to use shapes, ar- iOS | $1.99 | 5.9MB Wikipedia rows, sketches, and text annotations Fabien Foulon’s ContactFlow (Rel. Dec. for Android to embed information on photos, 12, 2011) helps users navigate through screenshots, maps, and Web pages all the contacts on their iPad. To un- and then share the information with derstand the approach, picture Apple’s

PC Today / March 2012 47 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Coverflow feature for seamlessly ONLIVE DESKTOP ➤ navigating through music titles, only iOS | Free | 4.8MB rather than album covers, ContactFlow OnLive Desktop (Rel. Jan. 13, 2012) pro- involves swiping through photos of vides iPad users with a remote, secure contacts. Tap a contact’s photo, and it Windows-like PC desktop experience flips to reveal the contact’s informa- wherever they’re at via the cloud. Upon tion. Beyond the ability to display all signing up for an OnLive account at contacts, ContactFlow can display www.onlive.com/desktop, OnLive uti- only contacts for specific groups or lizes a video compression technology sources (Exchange, MobileMe, etc.). that’s touted as providing an instant-re- Additionally, users can alter contact sponse desktop on the iPad. Users can OnLive Desktop information in the app, display a Photo view, edit, and create Microsoft Word, for iOS Wall of multiple contacts, conduct Excel, and PowerPoint documents and searches, share contact information via transfer files among devices and their email, generate QR Codes for contacts, OnLive Desktop account. OnLive states and more. its approach provides lag-free anima- tion and video interaction. The com- MINDNODE pany also provides 2GB of free cloud ➤ iOS | $9.99 | 2.8MB storage space. For fans of mind maps, MindNode (Rel. Jan. 20, 2012) from IdeasOn- CLOUDON ➤ Canvas provides the means to gather, iOS | Free | 3.2MB organize, and outline thoughts and With a required Dropbox account CloudOn ideas into a visual format on the iPad. in hand, CloudOn (Rel. Jan. 3, 2012) for iOS The app is suitable for creating to-do gives iPad users the ability to create, lists, conducting brainstorming ses- view, and edit Microsoft Word, sions, compiling and organizing re- Excel, and PowerPoint files on their search, and more. MindNode lets users device. Further, CloudOn states that create and edit nodes on the provided Microsoft programs work the way canvas; search, collapse, and view you expect them to and the files look nodes in an outline view; export mind the way you want them to. Managing maps, including PNG images; apply files occurs through Dropbox so that various customizations; cut and paste users can open, edit, and save files information; print; and more. directly from the CloudOn work- space. The app also includes support WIKIPEDIA for renaming files, tracking changes, ➤ Zip Browser Android | Free | 558KB presenting in full PowerPoint mode, for iOS This official and highly user-rated opening files from iPad email ac- Wikipedia app (Rel. Jan. 21, 2012) for counts, and auto-saving documents. Android devices gives users access to more than 20 million articles available ZIP BROWSER ➤ in 280 languages. The app, from the iOS | $0.99 | 2.3MB Wikimedia Foundation’s free ency- Zip Browser (Rel. Jan. 25, 2012) from clopedia, is billed as “the most com- Alexander Rudenko provides users prehensive and widely used reference with the ability to view the contents of work humans have ever compiled.” .ZIP files, including those that are pass- The Wikipedia app includes support word-protected. Among the app’s var- Vibe for saving articles for offline reading; ious features is support for previewing for Android various search abilities, including file content and emailing archived files. full-screen search; sharing articles via Other features include searching within Android’s Share function; and more. archives, saving images, sending an

48 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

entire .ZIP file, opening files in other Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sand- applications, accessing files via iTunes wich) and is compatible with RDP Sharing, and viewing various file types and VNC. Users must first visit jump (Word, Excel, PDF, text, images, etc.). desktop.com/go on their computer to configure the app via Wi-Fi or 3G. VIBE Features include SSH Tunnel sup- ➤ Android | Free | 1.3MB port, full multitasking, and external Base2Apps reasons that “if ringtones keyboard and mouse support. RDP can be customized to help you recog- features include audio streaming, Groovy Notes nize a contact, why not let your phone’s console sessions, multiple monitor for BlackBerry vibrations indicate who’s on the other support for Windows 7 and above, end of the line?” To that end, the simple and more. VNC features include Mac but effective ViBe (Rel. Jan. 25, 2012) lets OS X screen sharing and multiple users assign one of 10 specific vibra- monitor support. tion patterns to a contact to help iden- tify the contact when he or she calls or TIME RECORDING- texts. Users can unlock the app ($1.99) TIMESHEET APP to create customized vibrations. With ➤ Android | Free | 429KB this app, if you’re in a meeting and must This time-tracking app (Rel. Jan. 27, turn off your phone’s ringer, you’ll still 2012) from DynamicG provides have the ability to know that, say, your basic and advanced configurable op- daughter is calling without having to tions for managing timesheets. Basic Jump Desktop view the phone. Toggling the app on tools include check in and out, task for Android and off and entering silent mode are assignment, daily and detailed notes, also supported. data exporting, email support (CSV, HTML, XML), Google Calendar Sync, GROOVY NOTES integration with Dropbox, and inte- ➤ BlackBerry | $4.99 | 6,271KB grated backup and restore abilities. Groovy Notes (Rel. Oct. 20, 2011) from Configurable options include date and XLabz Technologies is said to work like time formats, hourly rates and paid your personal diary. Actually resem- overtime trackers, calendar options, bling a diary or daily planner, the app target time, status bar notifications, and lets users record voice notes with one integration with other apps. tap, as well as use the keypad to create Time Recording-Timesheet App notes, memos, lists, to-dos, and journal BUSINESS CALENDAR for Android entries that can be organized into cat- ➤ Android | $4.99 | 683KB egories with dates and tags. Further, In addition to syncing with Google cal- the app allows for recording voice endars, Business Calendar (Rel. Jan. 15, memos while simultaneously taking 2012) from Appgenix Software provides notes. In addition to full search sup- a zoomable and scrollable multi-day port, the app provides export, backup, view (one to 14 days); graphical and tex- and sync functionality for notes as tual presentations; month, agenda, and PDF, Text, and MP3 files when used event views; and search and drag-and- with Dropbox. drop functionality. The app provides customizable widgets, which users can JUMP DESKTOP configure to different sizes for month, ➤ Android | $0.99 | 1.9MB week, agenda, and day views. Business Business Calendar This remote desktop app (Rel. Jan. Calendar also supports linking contacts for Android 19, 2012) from Phase Five Systems to events, selecting individual calendars enables users to control a computer for widgets, various options for recur- from an Android tablet (supports ring events, and more. ●

PC Today / March 2012 49 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Smartphone Updates You probably rely on your smartphone for many things, and with updates, you can improve both the efficiency and functionality of your mobile phone. We’ll detail newly released updates to help you maximize the use of your smartphone while you are on the road as well as keep you up-to-date on smartphone-related news.

AT&T OUTLINES NEW Wi-Fi connectivity. If you The Motorola Droid RAZR DATA PLANS rely heavily on a Wi-Fi con- Maxx is one example of a Following in the footsteps of other nection, you may want to 4G smartphone that will be mobile carriers, AT&T recently an- hold off until the next up- available to customers in nounced new tiered smartphone and date, in which Sprint will Verizon’s newly expanded tablet data plans. For smartphone more than likely address LTE network. users, AT&T offers Data Plus 300MB, the issue. Data Pro 3GB, and Data Pro 5GB plans Falls, N.Y., Utica, for $20, $30, and $50 per month, re- T-MOBILE & AT&T N.Y., Brownsville, spectively. The AT&T Data Pro 5GB SPECTRUM Texas, and McAllen, plan also includes mobile hotspot TRANSFER Texas. The mobile and tethering capabilities. As for tab- Although the FCC and carrier also expanded lets, two of the available plans are other parties blocked 4G LTE coverage DataConnect 3GB for $30 per month AT&T’s acquisition of in Spokane, Wash., and DataConnect 5GB for $50. These T-Mobile, the two com- Houston, and Atlanta, plans are currently in effect, but AT&T panies are working to bringing the total stated that users can keep their current transfer a small por- number of markets plans, so those with unlimited data tion of AT&T’s wireless spectrum to 195. Verizon says that with this plans will be grandfathered in. to T-Mobile, in a deal that will help latest expansion, its 4G LTE network T-Mobile keep up with its competi- is now available to more than 200 SPRINT EVO 4G UPDATE tors. In addition to the spectrum, million people in the United States. Sprint released a new software up- AT&T will also pay T-Mobile $3 bil- date (4.67.651.3) for the HTC EVO 4G. lion in cash as a part of the agreement. VIRGIN MOBILE USA TO THROT- The update is designed TLE HEAVIEST DATA USERS to fix bugs and add VERIZON CONTINUES In an effort to corral some of the new functionality to the ITS 4G LTE most prolific data users on Virgin smartphone, including a EXPANSION Mobile’s network, the cellular car- security update, updated Verizon Wireless is rier put a plan in place to lower the Peep client for improved busy building out its overall data speed for customers that Twitter performance, and 4G LTE offerings and use over 2.5GB of data per month. a boost to battery life. Since recently announced ac- According to Virgin Mobile, data its release, some users who tivation in a few new speeds will be lowered to 256Kbps installed the update have markets as well as after a user passes the 2.5GB complained about spotty the expansion of al- threshold, but will be brought back ready established LTE up to normal speed when a new plan The HTC EVO 4G received an in other locations. month starts. The company recom- update, but it may have caused a Verizon flipped the mends that users take advantage of Wi-Fi bug that can disconnect the 4G LTE switch in Wi-Fi whenever possible to avoid ● phone from wireless networks. Lawton, Okla., Glenn going over the limit.

50 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

ContactMover for iOS

Top Elegant i7 Free Smartphone for BlackBerry Apps

Choosing an app that fits your needs can be an over- whelming task as the number of available apps increases daily. We browsed a variety of websites and selected some of the best applications for business, finance, productivity, ezPDF Reader and travel. In the pages that follow, we highlight a mix of for Android those that are new or recently updated.

CONTACTMOVER phone during the transfer process, ➤ iOS | $4.99 | 1.0MB or simply copy them to another ad- It can be a time-consuming process dress book. The app was recently to move your contacts around from updated to support contacts stored address book to address book man- on iCloud, as well. ually. Luckily, Immense Networks designed ContactMover (Rel. Oct. ELEGANT I7 FREE FileMaker Go 19, 2011) for iPhone users who ➤ BlackBerry | Free | 1.8MB for iOS want to move contacts from their If you aren’t the biggest fan of your phone to Microsoft Exchange, or BlackBerry’s current user interface vice versa, without all of the extra or are just in the mood for a change legwork. You also have the op- of scenery, Elegant i7 Free (Rel. tion to delete contacts from your Nov. 15, 2011) from Adorno can

PC Today / March 2012 51 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

help. Elegant i7 makes it easier to GENIUS SCAN+ find the apps you want with a five- ➤ iOS | $2.99 | 7.1MB panel home screen, six customiz- To build your arsenal of PDF and able icons, 24 quick access icons, file apps, The Grizzly Labs’ Genius 16 hotkeys (‘C’ for calendar, ‘F’ for Scan+ (Rel. Feb. 2, 2012) lets you Facebook, etc.), and much more. convert pictures of printed docu- With this app, you can personalize ments, handwritten notes, receipts, your BlackBerry experience with a shopping lists, and more to PDFs. Genius Scan+ new background as well as custom The newly created PDF scans can for iOS colors and fonts. be uploaded to online services, such as Dropbox, saved on your EZPDF READER phone, or shared as JPGs with your ➤ Android | $2.99 | 4.8MB contacts via email. Using a Wi-Fi Viewing and editing PDFs without connection, you can transfer PDFs a computer or tablet is some- from your phone to your computer times a difficult proposition. With without a cable. ezPDF Reader (Rel. Feb. 2, 2012) from Unidocs, you can not only IMEET MOBILE highlight and write on PDFs using ➤ iOS | Free | 3.6MB your Android smartphone, but fill If you’re a frequent business trav- iMeet Mobile out PDF forms, as well. The app eler, you probably understand for iOS lets you view PDFs in portrait or how frustrating it can be to miss landscape orientation; zoom in on important meetings or need to ex- portions of PDFs to get a better press something visually when all look; and access photos, videos, you have available is your iPhone. and other embedded media all Premiere Global Services designed from inside the app. You can also iMeet Mobile (Rel. Dec. 18, 2011), download the ezPDF Reader Cloud an easy-to-use meeting app, for Plugin to upload and download just such occasions. You can send Google Docs files. meeting invites via email or with a phone number and speak to up FILEMAKER GO to 15 people at the same time. And MicroStrategy ➤ iOS | $19.99 | 29.4MB iMeet Mobile is available for the Mobile for iPhone FileMaker Go (Rel. Dec. 7, 2011) ex- iPad, so tablet users can interact, for iOS tends much of the functionality of as well. FileMaker Pro to iPhones. As long as your company uses FileMaker MICROSTRATEGY MOBILE Pro for its database creation and FOR IPHONE other tools, you’ll be able to ac- ➤ iOS | Free | 32.5MB cess a wealth of information no Made for companies that have a matter where you are. FileMaker MicroStrategy Mobile Server Go supports portals, Web Viewer setup, the MicroStrategy Mobile objects, and other solutions to for iPhone app (Rel. Jan. 28, 2012) give mobile employees access to lets iPhone users take advantage company files while on the road. of MicroStrategy’s business ana- Navita The app also has a built-in digital lytics software. With this app, you Translator signature capture tool, so users can view demographic informa- for BlackBerry can sign off on important work tion, reports, graphs, dashboards, documents and complete time- and other documents while you’re sensitive tasks while away from on the road. Using the tools, the office. MicroStrategy Mobile makes it

52 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

easier for executives to run their application named Siri, Blue- business while out of the office. Tornado designed Skyvi (Rel. Jan. 5, 2012), an Android version of the NAVITA TRANSLATOR Siri app with many of the same ➤ BlackBerry | Free | 389KB features. Skyvi will help you call For your business to be as suc- contacts or find phone numbers for cessful as possible, you may want businesses; access multiple apps ShareFile Mobile to take advantage of the global using voice controls; find direc- for iOS market. But this means you may tions to specific locations; or an- be interacting with people that swer almost any question you can don’t speak the same language you think of. Skyvi can even tell you a do. Navita Tecnologia’s Navita joke when you’re feeling stressed Translator (Rel. Dec. 8, 2011) for on a long road trip. BlackBerry devices lets you trans- late words and sentences from USPS MOBILE one of 50 supported languages to ➤ Android | Free | 3.0MB another. You’ll be able to trans- The official USPS Mobile app late SMS messages and emails or (Rel. July 1, 2011) from the United type words and phrases into the States Postal Service does every- app. Navita will also read English, thing you want a mobile mail app Skyvi Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, to do. You can look up ZIP codes, for Android French, and Portuguese aloud to search for nearby post offices or help with pronunciation. drop-off locations, and track and confirm packages that were sent SHAREFILE MOBILE via Express Mail. USPS Mobile is ➤ iOS | Free | 2.2MB great for small business owners ShareFile Mobile (Rel. Feb. 14, 2012) and other users who want to make by Citrix lets employees access sen- sure their products are arriving for sitive work documents stored in customers or that they will be re- a ShareFile account on the go and ceiving an important shipment on download files to their device as time. The newest version of this needed. App users can email files, app includes new products in the USPS Mobile synchronize files across all devices Free Shipping Supplies section. for Android connected to the account, upload files from the device, and more. The WIKINVEST PORTFOLIO newest version of the app includes ➤ Android | Free | 386KB a pull-down refresh feature. To use It can be tiring to visit individual ShareFile Mobile, you must first brokerage websites or open mul- sign up for a ShareFile account. You tiple apps at once in order to view can try the service free or sign up your entire investment portfolio. for one of the plans ranging from Wikinvest Portfolio (Rel. Oct. 24, Basic, which is $29.95 per month for 2011) makes it easier to track your two employees, to Enterprise Gold, stocks, mutual funds, and other which starts at $499.95 per month holdings by pulling multiple ac- and supports businesses with more counts together and displaying Wikinvest than 100 employees. the most important information Portfolio all in one place. With Wikinvest for Android SKYVI Portfolio, you can get a quick view ➤ Android | Free | 1.1MB of how your stocks are performing After Apple’s iPhone 4S was re- with a lot less effort. A version of leased with a personal assistant this app is also available for iOS. ●

PC Today / March 2012 53 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

Smartphone Tips INTERFACE ADVICE

54 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com ANDROID favorite music playlists. To do this, ➤ Add Direct Dial & Messaging find an empty spot on your Home Shortcuts To The Home Screen screen, press and hold your finger For the one or two phone numbers there, tap Shortcuts, tap Music you call frequently, it’s a good idea Playlist, and then tap the playlist you to add a Direct Dial shortcut to your want instant access to. Home screen. To add a Direct Dial ➤ shortcut for a favorite contact to your Forgotten Lock Pattern Home screen, find an empty spot on If you protect your Android de- your Home screen, press and hold vice with a lock pattern, forgetting your finger there, select Shortcuts, it can keep you from accessing your and select Direct Dial. device for anything Next, you’ll see a list beyond making emer- of every contact phone gency calls. To disable number in your ad- If you protect the pattern, just input dress book. Scroll to your Android the wrong pattern five find the phone number times in succession, for which you want in- device with a lock then tap the Forgot stant access and then pattern, forgetting Pattern button when it tap to select it. To it can keep you appears (after 30 sec- make a call, all you onds). Then, input the need to do is wake from accessing Gmail account user- your phone and tap the your device for name and password shortcut on your Home anything other that corresponds to screen. the phone’s primary You can also add than making account. If you don’t a Direct Message emergency calls. have access informa- shortcut to your Home tion, a hard reset is screen to get one- your only recourse. button access to the contacts you frequently send text BLACKBERRY messages to. Press and hold your ➤ Camera Flash Shortcut finger on the Home screen, select When you want to quickly cap- Shortcuts, and select Direct Message. ture one a moment with your You will see a list of every contact BlackBerry’s camera, you don’t have phone number in your address book; to jog through menus to adjust the scroll to and tap the phone number flash settings. Simply launch the you often send text messages to. Camera by selecting the appropriate As long as a photo is associated icon from the Home screen, and then with the phone number, Direct Dial press the Spacebar to cycle through and Direct Message shortcuts will dis- Automatic Flash (uses the phone’s play an image of the contact. Direct light sensor to determine if flash is Dial icons feature a green phone necessary), Never Flash, and Always symbol in the upper right corner Flash settings. whereas Direct Message icons have a Another flash-related tip: If the sideways smiley, to help you distin- BlackBerry’s light sensor determines guish between the two. The letter in that you might be shooting in darker the upper left corner denotes whether than ideal conditions, a circle icon it’s home number (H), mobile number with an exclamation mark appears (M), or work number (W). next to the flash indicator.

➤ Create A Playlist Shortcut ➤ Close Those Apps Attention music lovers: You can If you’re like us, you’ve prob- add Home screen shortcuts to your ably come to rely on the Escape

PC Today / March 2012 55 MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

key for moving out or applications, Search option, press the trackpad, on the lock screen, and promptly menus, and more. That’s all fine and and then scroll to and select the disappeared once you swiped to good as long as your BlackBerry search engine you prefer. the Home screen. You’d have to has enough resources to handle a In the newest version of the launch the individual apps to view handful of applications running si- BlackBerry OS, however, you can the notification. With iOS 5, Apple multaneously in the background. add search engines that aren’t al- has tossed the old inefficient no- If it doesn’t, then you could expe- ready in this list of options. If tifications scheme in favor of the rience an occasional performance you’re running BlackBerry 7 OS, Notification Center, a dedicated hiccup. Your best defense against launch the Browser, press the menu screen that collects all of your no- the slowdown is to get into the habit button, select Options, and then se- tifications and alerts. To access the of manually closing applications in- lect Manage Search Engines. Sadly, Notification Center from your iOS stead of just backing out of them. To you’ll need to insert a little more 5-based device, just swipe down do this, every time you finish using than the basic URL for your fa- from the top of the screen. You can a particular app, press the Menu key vorite search engines to get key- do this from the Home screen or and select Close. This ensures the word search to work from your from within any app, at any time. app doesn’t continue to consume device. Start by navigating to your Tap on any notification from the resources when you’re no longer favorite search engine’s Web page, Notification Center to launch the using it. and then perform a keyword search corresponding app. using Web site’s native search field. To access the Notification ➤ Hide Panels Copy the URL that appears at the center settings, tap Settings from If you’re using a BlackBerry top of the results page and paste the Home screen, and then tap device running BlackBerry 6 OS, it into the Manage Search Engines Notifications. From here you can then you’re probably readily fa- screen. To get the search to work configure the order in which the miliar with Panels, which displays properly, replace the keyword notifications appear using the Sort your apps on Frequent, Favorite, from the URL you just pasted with Apps setting. Tap Manually to view Download, and All pages. As you percentage symbols (%). For in- a sortable list of apps, then just download and use apps, they will stance, Google’s search engine URL touch and drag the items around on be added to your Download and is http://www.google.com/m/ the list. For instance, you can drag Favorite panels. This makes it search?q=%s and Amazon’s is Phone, Mail, and Calendar items to easier to navigate apps that you use http://www.amazon.com/gp/ the top of the list to put these noti- often, but the more you use your aw/s/ref=is_box_?k=%s. fications above less important ones, BlackBerry, the higher the likeli- such as Twitter posts and Game hood that the same app could ap- IOS badges. Tap Done when you’re pear on more than one page—even ➤ iOS 5 Notification Center happy with the order. Back on the on all pages. Prior to iOS 5, your iPhone’s Notifications screen, tap By Time to With BlackBerry 7 OS, however, notifications (such as text mes- allow app notifications to be filed you can now hide panels you don’t sage, calendar appointment, and as they appear chronologically. want to see and thereby eliminate app notifications) all popped up You can also take control over some redundancy. To do this, select how individual apps display their Options from the Home screen, and notifications. Tap Mail, for in- then select Manage Panels. Now stance, to control the number of no- just uncheck any panels you want tifications to display (1, 5, or 10); to hide and press the Escape button whether you want the notification to return to the Home screen. to appear as a classic alert box, a banner at the top of the screen, or ➤ Add Custom Search Engines not at all; enable/disable Badge BlackBerry OS version 6 and 7 App Icons (the red numeral that ap- devices let users select the default pears on the app’s icon); show/hide search engine that the Browser a preview of the notification; and turns to for queries. To change the default search engine, se- lect the Browser from the Home screen, press the Menu button, se- On your iPhone, you can enable lect Options, highlight the Default FaceTime mid-call.

56 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com MOBILE OFFICE BUSINESS ON THE ROAD

enable/disable notifications on the WEBOS letter. To do this, swipe to the left lock screen. ➤ Adding Apps To Exhibition from Start and then tap People, If you’re running a webOS 2.1- flick to All, and then tap a Letter. ➤ FaceTime based device and you have the For instance, if you’re trying to call The iPhone 4 supports video calling touchstone charging dock, then Joe Smith, just tap the “S” icon and via a feature called FaceTime, which you probably already know about you’ll be taken right there. uses the front-facing camera to cap- Exhibition mode. This ture your image while the person alternative lock screen ➤ Filter Facebook you’re calling (who must also be displays all kinds of Friends From using an iPhone 4) appears on the nifty information, in- If you have a Contacts screen. (There’s a small thumbnail of cluding the time, your large number of If you have a large yourself in the lower-left corner of the photos, and Agenda, number of Facebook screen so you can make sure there’s which displays your Facebook friends, friends, you may not no spinach between your teeth.) To upcoming appoint- you may not need need them to be ac- initiate a FaceTime call, select a fellow ments when your them to be acces- cessible from your iPhone 4 user from your contacts list, device is connected Windows Phone 7 and then tap the FaceTime button. If to the touchstone. sible from your contacts list. To re- you’re not currently connected to a Because webOS de- Windows Phone 7 move them from Wi-Fi network, you may be prompted velopers have access contact list. your contacts, flick to do so as FaceTime is a high-band- to Exhibition mode, left from Start to width function. Finally, just speak they can add support access the apps into the phone like you would when for Exhibition mode, list, scroll to and in speakerphone. which means you may already have tap Settings, swipe left to access You can also enable FaceTime several apps that support this feature. Applications, tap People, and mid-call by taking the phone from To check, just open the Launcher then scroll to and tap Only Add your ear to look at the screen (the and swipe to and tap the icon for Facebook Info To Existing Contacts. motion should wake the screen) and Exhibition mode. Next, you’ll see a Keep in mind, while this will then pressing the FaceTime button. list of apps that support Exhibition lighten your contacts list, it won’t When the other caller accepts the mode. Then just tap the switch adja- make any changes to how friends FaceTime invitation, you can speak cent to the Exhibition-capable apps appear in the Facebook app or face to face, even if you’re thousands to enable or disable them. Back out Windows Phone 7’s People app. of miles away. of this menu by swiping to the left in the gesture area. The next time you ➤ Explore The People Hub ➤ Add/Remove iPod Buttons connect your device to the touch- Windows Phone 7 devices with By default, the iPhone’s iPod app stone, or any Exhibition mode com- the Mango update now have access features five buttons at the bottom patible peripheral, you can access to the Groups tab within the People of the interface, Playlists, Artists, the apps you enabled by swiping Hub, which lets you keep the most Songs, Videos, and More. Tap the down. Then just tap the one you important people in your life close More button to see the full range of want to enable. at hand. To create a Group, swipe functions you can access. If there are left from Start and tap People, flick some functions you access more than WINDOWS PHONE 7 to All, tap New, tap New Group, the four default buttons, for instance, ➤ Quickly Find Contacts type a name for the Group, tap Add if you listen to podcasts but rarely If you’re like us, you’ve prob- A Contact, tap a contact name, and watch videos, just tap the Edit button ably synced your Windows Phone then tap Save. Repeat this process in the top left corner of the More 7 device to your Outlook account, for each new person you add to the screen and drag the icons you want Facebook, Google, and perhaps group. The new group will appear to the desired spot on the bottom half a dozen other services. While at the top of your contact list. Tap row. In addition to the default func- having all those contacts on your and hold a group to pin it to Start, tions, you can swap in Audiobooks, phone is great, sometimes scrolling edit it, or delete it entirely. Compilations, Albums, Composers, through them can be a chore. Remember, this feature is exclu- Genres, Podcasts, and iTunes U. Windows Phone 7 lets you quickly sive to Windows Phone 7 devices ② Rearrange the icons by dragging tap letters from an onscreen key- with the 7.5 update, so you’ll need them across the bottom row to your board to quickly jump to all con- to install the update to start en- ● desired location. tacts whose names begin with that joying it.

PC Today / March 2012 57 PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

DIGITAL

POLAROID GIVES ANDROID A WHIRL WITH SC1630 ➤ Take a 16MP digital camera with 3X optical zoom; sprinkle it with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and op- tional cellular data connections; add a scoop of Android; and what do you get? Polaroid’s (www .polaroid.com) upcoming SC1630 Smart Camera, a smartphone lookalike that can connect to the Android Market, upload photos to sharing sites immediately after you snap them, and more. As Polaroid states, having the SC1630 in hand means you no longer have to “choose between your smartphone and your point-and-shoot camera.” Features include 18 shooting scene modes; a 3.2-inch touchscreen; geo-tagging; on- board editing (cropping, red-eye removal, color correction, and resizing); automatic face and smile detection; and a Smart Album tool that automatically organizes photos by date, location, and people. The SC1630 will reportedly debut in April for $299 complete with 2.5mm headphone jack and ability to store 32GB’s worth of photos and video via a microSD card.

LIQUIPEL AIMS TO EASE YOUR SMARTPHONE-WATER WORRIES ➤ Starting at $59, Liquipel (www.liquipel.com) promises to do some- thing for your smartphone that could save you a great deal more than $59 in the long run: protect it from accidental water-related damage. The company states the patent-pending nano coating it ap- plies to smartphones “creates a liquid-repellant coating that’s 1,000 times thinner than a human hair but will last the life of the device.” Once applied the coating is “virtually untraceable and will not af- fect nor compromise the look, feel, and performance of the device,” Liquipel promises. Further, the nonconductive coating also seeps into the smartphone’s headphone jack and ports, safeguarding those areas without affecting performance. Currently, Liquipel’s service is available for various iPhone, HTC, Motorola, and Samsung models. Word of warning: Liquipel stresses the coating is designed as a “pre- ventative coating” to assist against such accidental water exposure as “rain, spills, baby drool, and short-term submersion.” Swimming, surfing, and the like are no-nos.

58 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

SAMSUNG DOES DOUBLE-DUTY WITH DA-E750 DOCK ➤ Samsung (www.samsung.com) has yet to announce pricing or release details concerning the new DA-E750 audio dock it previewed in early January. When the high-gloss, wood-constructed beauty does hit the scene, however, it’s very likely audio lovers will like what they see and hear for several reasons, the foremost being that the dock will output audio flavored by Samsung’s “proprietary hybrid vacuum tube amplifier technology.” For the uninitiated, audiophiles have long praised vacuum tubes for the “warmth” they produce in audio details. Samsung’s product will implement a vacuum tube in the preamplifier, while the power amplifier will use digital technology, an approach Samsung states enables it to keep the 2.1-channel dock on the physically smaller side. Elsewhere, the DA-E750 also entices by offering docks for Apple iOS devices and Galaxy S smartphones, and it integrated a 100W built-in subwoofer, composite and USB ports, AllShare and Airplay support, and Bluetooth.

ROKU PUTS STREAMING IN A STICK ➤ Meet the Streaming Stick, Roku’s (www.roku .com) newest way to turn a television into a Smart TV and provide you with hundreds of channels’ worth of up-to-HD-quality streaming media. Essentially identical in appearance to a USB memory stick, the Streaming Stick plugs into a TV to “instantly transform it into a Smart TV.” Wi-Fi and a processor, memory, and software aren’t built in, but no cables or separate power source are re- quired. Instead, the Streaming Stick draws power from the MHL-enabled (Mobile High-Definition) HDMI port it’s seated in. Once plugged in, you can control the Streaming Stick and the television using the TV’s remote. Expected for release later this year, the Streaming Stick will provide 400- plus channels for streaming but will get regular PARROT LOOKS TO SOAR WITH free updates and channel additions, Roku states. WIRELESS ZIK HEADPHONES Thus, unlike a Smart TV that becomes outdated in ➤ Parrot (www.parrot.com) has our ears buzzing in excitement, and a couple of years because its hardware can’t keep we haven’t even had the pleasure of slipping the company’s new pace with software upgrades, the “easily replace- ZIK headphones on yet. Featuring a gorgeous design from Philippe able” Streaming Stick means viewers don’t have Starck, the pioneering ZIK Parrot by Starck (pricing and release date to worry about their “large-screen Smart TVs still to come) also plies on several layers of uniqueness, including becoming obsolete before their time.” Roku plans providing both Bluetooth and NFC (Near Field Communications) to release the Streaming Stick later this year (with support to stream audio wirelessly from devices. (There’s also a prices ranging from $50 to $100 depending on wired headphone jack.) Additionally, the ZIK integrates active model) and is working with TV manufacturers to noise-cancelling abilities for music listening and phone calls, as bundle the device. well as a “Parrot Concert Hall” sound effect made possible by DSP (Digital Signal Processing) algorithms that are billed as putting “the music in front of you, like at a concert.” Arguably most intriguing is the touch panel built into the right earpiece and the onboard presence-sensor system. The former enables navigating music tracks and adjusting volume with finger swipes on the earpiece. The latter automatically puts the headphones in standby mode, as well as pauses music, when you take the headphones off.

PC Today / March 2012 59 PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

Got A New Laptop? Unlock Its Potential With Additional Software

aptops are powerful and fea- very basic measure, you should as well, which include identity pro- ture-rich right out of the box, have a firewall in place that blocks tection, file protection, and more. but even the most advanced unwanted access to your computer. Llaptop still has room for improve- However, that may not be enough. PRODUCTIVITY ment. The best way to unlock the A security software program with Even if you purchased your laptop potential of your new laptop is to antivirus, anti-spam, and regular specifically for home use, there’s a good invest in software that gives you the updates will ensure that your com- chance you’ll need a word processor, additional functionality you need. puter is fully protected from threats spreadsheet program, or other produc- And whether you want to focus on and attacks. tivity software. These programs are nice security, productivity, or entertain- One example of a security software for making greeting cards, designing ment, we’ll explore features you’ll suite is Webroot’s SecureAnywhere your own address labels, and more. want to keep in mind as you shop for Antivirus ($39.95 for one PC for one While most laptops come with some software for your new laptop. year; www.webroot.com). It can block form of productivity software, it usu- viruses, Trojan attacks, and more. ally doesn’t have full functionality or is SECURITY Perhaps SecureAnywhere Antivirus’ a limited trial version. When it comes to preparing a best feature is its ability to fully scan If you don’t choose a commer- new laptop for regular use, the first your computer for viruses in less cial productivity suite at the same things you want to look at is secu- than two minutes (after the initial time you buy your new laptop, then rity. Many websites require pass- post-installation scan). Webroot’s OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org) is words you need to enter before you program can also automatically scan an example of free software that can can access them, and there’s a good your computer at scheduled times help you get by. OpenOffice is a pro- chance you’ll do some online shop- and prevent threats from getting ductivity suite that includes a word ping on occasion. Without security through. Plus, the program will rou- processor, spreadsheet creator, pre- software installed on your laptop, tinely update your systems when up- sentation designer, drawing program, it is susceptible to hackers, viruses, grades become available. Webroot and database builder. OpenOffice and malicious applications. As a offers other more in-depth solutions supports multiple file types and is

60 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

regularly updated with new features photo editing programs separately fails or your computer crashes. And and functionality. or find a suite of products that in- while it’s a good start to back up cludes everything you need. Either your data to an external hard drive, DATA TRANSFER way, you should have something it helps to have software in place that Unless this is your first computer, in place to manage your media and can manage those backups and help you’ll likely have files you want to make sure you always have quick you establish a backup schedule. transfer from your old desktop or access to your files. Rebit 5 Backup Software ($49.95 laptop to your new computer. After Roxio Creator 2012 ($99.99; www per computer; www.rebit.com) is a all, if you’ve taken thousands of .roxio.com) lets you edit photos and fully automatic backup program that photos, filmed hours of home movies, videos; rip and convert audio; and runs in the background and makes and downloaded enough music to burn CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray Discs sure everything you put on your give your life a soundtrack, you don’t all using the same program. You can laptop will be backed up on an ex- want to risk losing that media and also use the program to add 3D ef- ternal hard drive or NAS (Network have to start over. fects to your videos and photos for Attached Storage) device. And if Although it may seem feasible enhanced projects. After you finish there is ever a system failure, Rebit’s to transfer files via a USB flash your creation, you can share it on backup software can fully restore drive, memory card, or external social networking sites, such as it without losing any of your data. hard drive, these approaches can Facebook, or video sharing sites, such With Rebit 5 Backup Software, you be time-consuming and, if there is as YouTube. For even more features, can use your own hard drive with a failure along the way, you may check out Roxio Creator 2012 Pro or without a recovery CD or buy a lose your data forever. Instead, data ($129.99). portable hard drive with Rebit prein- transfer programs such as Laplink’s stalled for an easy-to-use, plug-and- PCmover Professional ($59.95; www DATA BACKUP play solution. .laplink.com) lets you move selected After you have all of your data files and settings to your new com- transferred to your laptop and se- ENTERTAINMENT & MORE puter with nothing more than easy- curity measure in place to prevent Laptops are powerful with graphics, to-use software and a cable. All you unwanted access to your system, you video quality, memory, and storage have to do is install the software, still have to make sure that your data space comparable to desktops. Some connect the two computers, and start is backed up in case the hard drive of these laptops can be used as the en- transferring your photos, tertainment hub for your entire family. videos, music, programs, And with the previously mentioned bookmarks, Internet and nuts and bolts in place, you can get network settings, and ev- down to the fun part. erything else you want You can install educational games to keep. or more advanced PC games for you MULTIMEDIA and your family. After you have the soft- Or you can turn to ware in place to move your home theater media and programs from system, connect it to your old computer to your your TV, and play new laptop, you can focus DVDs or BDs, as on making more projects long as you have and recording all of the the right drives and new memories you’ll have outputs. Depending for years to come. You on the specs of your can buy audio, video, and new laptop, the sky is the limit in terms of what you can do Roxio Creator 2012 combines video, photo, and audio editing tools with it and software into one software suite so you can add extra polish to your projects. is the key to get- ting everything you Laplink’s PCmover Pro makes it easy to transfer multimedia files, want and need out programs, and other data from your old computer to your new laptop. of your laptop. ●

PC Today / March 2012 61 PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

For Your Consideration Choose The Right Tablet For Personal Use

here’s a time for work, and says, a “good movie app, there’s a time for play. When enough battery life for the it’s time to play, few devices flight, and enough storage Tare as adept at letting you do so as for several movies” might a tablet thanks to the Internet con- be important. For users who nectivity, relationship with apps, ease are only interested in Web Apple’s iPad is the only tablet that of use, portability, and user-friendly browsing in bed, a lightweight de- runs iOS. The BlackBerry OS is avail- features it provides. Buying a tablet vice with a strong Wi-Fi connection able on the company’s BlackBerry for personal use isn’t just a matter of and a 10-inch display will probably Playbook, and you’ll find Windows 7 eyeballing spec sheets and hoping for rate higher. If you want a tablet your on the Lenovo IdeaPad. There are nu- the best, however. The key is selecting children can read or watch movies merous other manufacturers, however, a tablet that provides what you want, on, Enderle says a robust exterior that supply devices that are compatible whether that’s a user interface that’s and lower-priced device might be the with the different versions of Android: easy to pick up, support for the media best path. Android 3.0 and higher (the first tablet- files already in your digital library, optimized Android OS version) and or access to must-have apps. The fol- PICK A PLATFORM Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich). lowing guide details notable tablet Although all tablets generally Although the platforms share some features and buying advice. feature thin frames (0.5 inches or basic traits, which include touch-capa- less), 5- to 10-inch displays, Internet bilities, there are notable differences HERE & NOW connectivity, and support for apps, concerning supported file types and For Craig TerBlanche, Archos (www tablet models are defined by the technologies, user customization op- .archos.com) director of marketing, platforms on which they run. Your tions, and more. the most important tablet buying ad- choices for OS include Apple iOS, “Tablets are similar to laptops at vice is purchasing a model based on Android, BlackBerry, and Microsoft this point in the market where they get what the device is currently. For ex- Windows 7. compared by specs and specs alone,” ample, he says, don’t buy a tablet that “runs Android 3.2 because you can get it at a great price and you are hoping it will be upgraded down the line to Android 4.0 or 5.0. Buy a tablet for what it is, not what you hope it will become.” Doing this requires having a firm

grasp on what you’ll use the tablet . PPLE

for primarily. Pinpointing intended A uses, must-have apps, and so on, says Rob Enderle, Enderle Group (www .enderlegroup.com) principal ana- MAGE COURTESY OF

lyst, should help form a solid list of I tablet options. For those who fre- quently take long trips, Enderle Apple is the only manufacturer that makes a tablet (the iPad) that runs the company’s iOS operating system.

62 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

The 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Amazon.com’s Kindle Fire is Tab is an example of a one of several tablets that are tablet that provides Wi-Fi mixing elements of ereaders and cellular connectivity. and tablets into one device.

says TerBlanche. “This you purchase a tablet and is dangerous for a con- you have a lot of music or sumer to do.” For ex- movies from your personal ample, if a consumer is collection that you want to shopping for an Android put onto the tablet, the last tablet, he needs to be thing you want to do is con- sure it’s Google certified. vert files or lose quality be- “This means the tablet cause the tablet doesn’t have has met certain technical the ability to play certain file requirements set forth by formats and codecs.” Google that allows [the manufacturer] monitor. Additionally, while some tab- App-wise, tablets typically come full access to the Android operating lets provide only Wi-Fi connectivity, with at least a few preinstalled apps system, Google Market, and the Google others offer Wi-Fi and 3G/4G (with a (weather, maps, Web browser, email suite of apps, such as Gmail, Google cellular data plan) options. client, calendar, etc.) to get started, but Maps, and Google Talk.” TerBlanche “Tablets are great devices for con- tens of thousands of others are avail- adds that although many tablets nectivity whether in Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G,” able in official and unofficial app stores, now coming to the market are touted says TerBlanche. “Additionally, what including from the official app stores as running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream consumers should look for are ports that Google, Apple, Intel, BlackBerry, Sandwich), if a “consumer buys a that can help enhance your tablet ex- and Amazon.com operate. Key to re- noncertified tablet, they will need perience. Specifically, a tablet with an member is that although some apps are to understand if and where they HDMI port or a full-sized USB port is a available for multiple tablet platforms, will be able to download additional great addition to have.” Enderle, mean- many aren’t. TerBlanche says “having apps from.” while, cautions that “many of the tab- a proven and optimized content solu- lets, including the iPad, are relatively tion for a tablet is paramount. Without MATTERS OF HARDWARE fragile and people want to use them content or the ability to download apps One area where tablets differentiate around children with a costly result. that work properly for your tablet, all themselves is hardware. Although Folks forget that pretty is nice but being you have is a fancy Internet device.” some basics carry over from tablet able to survive being dropped can save to tablet—Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, built-in a ton of money.” TRY & THEN BUY speakers (some with enhanced audio), As with many purchases, choosing internal flash storage (typically 8GB, CONTENT IS KING a tablet often comes down to a per- 16GB, and 64GB), multitouch screens, For some buyers the overriding sonal preference. To determine yours, front- and rear-facing cameras, HD motivation to buy a tablet is accessing Enderle suggests trying several tab- video recording, dual-core CPUs, audio their music, movies, ebooks, photos, lets “to determine what aspects of jacks, etc.—there are significant differ- audiobooks, apps, and other content the product are important to you. ences where expansion, ports, and con- whenever they go. TerBlanche considers Otherwise, you’ll pay to learn on your nectors are concerned. content the most important tablet fea- first tablet and enjoy your second one Some tablets, for example, use ture for consumers and stresses that better. You can get to that second expe- proprietary connections and cables. buyers should understand where their rience first with a little due diligence,” Elsewhere, some tablets include a content is coming from and they will get he says. Additionally, knowing what memory card slot you can use to easily apps onto their devices. “CPU speed, you want from a tablet before buying add media or expand storage via an storage, screen resolution are all good one can help you avoid having to ad- inserted memory card while tablets things to understand, but the content is dress “incredibly painful” issues after only offer a fixed storage amount. The key,” he adds. the fact, Enderle says. “Read the fo- same is true of ports; one tablet may Where playing your own content is rums on the device and get a sense if only supply a USB port while another concerned, TerBlanche says “general you can live with the unique problems may add an HDMI-out port for output- consumers tend to overlook the media it has before experiencing them your- ● ting HD-quality video to an HDTV or playback ability of the device. When self,” he says.

PC Today / March 2012 63 PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

What Is

SAND WHYO SHOULDPA YOU CARE? ?

o to any major search engine, to the same anti-piracy rules found in 1998, which lets intellectual property type in the name of a song, the country where the download link is owners send takedown notices to web- book, movie, comic, or any clicked. The RIAA, MPAA, and many sites that illegally host their property. Gother kind of intellectual property, other organizations and businesses have Hosting sites receiving these notices and somewhere in the results there lobbied Congress hard to make changes have a grace period to take down the is likely to be a link to a free illegal in U.S. laws to help combat piracy via content or challenge the takedown no- download. How many people click foreign websites, and the end results tice, which may result in legal action. that link is not clear, but according are two bills: SOPA (Stop Online Piracy SOPA is different and more vague. to the RIAA (Recording Industry As- Act) in the House and PIPA (PROTECT Where the DMCA lets content owners sociation of America), between 1999 Intellectual Property Act) in the Senate target particular files, the initial draft of (when file-sharing service Napster (see the “What About PIPA” sidebar for SOPA contained provisions that let con- debuted) and 2010, music sales in more on this). tent owners take down entire foreign the U.S. fell from $14.6 billion to $6.9 websites hosting the infringing content. billion, respectively. The RIAA also ENTER SOPA The parties involved would not delete claims that between 2004 and 2009, SOPA’s chief sponsor is Rep. Lamar sites or seize servers, rather they would approximately 30 billion songs were Smith (R-Texas), and its written aim use a technique called DNS (Domain downloaded illegally. is, “to promote prosperity, creativity, Name System) blocking. Although there is no way to verify entrepreneurship, and innovation by DNS servers translate a Web address those staggering numbers, it is clear that combating the theft of U.S. property, you type, such as www.google.com, into a the Internet makes it easy for users to and for other purposes.” numerical IP (Internet Protocol) address download content illegally, particularly This sounds similar to the DMCA assigned to that website. A list of sites from foreign websites that aren’t subject (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) of and their associated IP addresses are

English Wikipedia went com- pletely dark for a 24-hour period in protest of the pending SOPA and PIPA votes.

Google also changed its site to protest SOPA/PIPA while raising awareness.

64 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com PERSONAL ELECTRONICS TECH FOR HOME & LEISURE

➤➤ stored on DNS servers, which handle could be easily bypassed using plug- What About PIPA? the request and direct your browser to ins that point browsers to the proper PIPA (PROTECT IP Act ), sponsored by the proper website server at the desti- IP address or to foreign DNS servers, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), also nation you’re trying to reach. circumventing U.S. blocks. Security is contained DNS blocking provisions in its DNS blocking erases those as- compromised because tools used to pre- initial draft that would let content owners sociations, so when you type a URL, vent scammers from redirecting Web take down sites hosting content instead your browser goes nowhere. A recent browsers to scam sites can’t tell the dif- of merely having the site remove the example of this technique happened ference between scammers and SOPA- infringing content. Unlike SOPA, PIPA on January 19 when the U.S. Depart- required DNS blocking, meaning those is not designed to apply to any site ment of Justice used it to block access tools would need to be disabled. hosting infringing content, it only affects to Megaupload (www.megaupload.com), sites that exist for no other purpose than an online file storage site that was noto- PROTESTS to host infringing content. rious for letting visitors illegally share SOPA’s potential ramifications and download copyrighted works. sparked substantial protests ranging On January 12, in the face of upcom- In its original format, SOPA also from petitions to site blackouts. Wiki- ing protests against the bill, Leahy said gives content owners the power to pedia, the sixth most-visited website the DNS blocking provision would be choke off the revenue stream of a site in the world according to Alexa.com, removed. “. . . This is in fact a highly tech- that illegally hosts their intellectual made its site inaccessible for 24 hours nical issue,” he said in a release, “and I property. Advertising partners, pay- starting at midnight on January 18 to am prepared to recommend we give it ment providers, and other companies show what could happen if SOPA more study before implementing it.” doing business with the infringing site was passed. Other Internet heavy hit- would be forced to halt that business. ters, such as Google, Facebook, and The Senate was supposed to vote on This sounds reasonable in theory, Amazon, also voiced their disapproval PIPA in January, but on January 20, but the wording in SOPA is broad of SOPA. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid enough that it could impact any site Backlash against companies that (D-Nevada) announced that, “in light of hosting infringing content, including publicly supported the proposed law recent events, I have decided to post- message boards, video sites such as also caused some of those companies pone Tuesday’s vote on the PROTECT YouTube, and other sites that allow to reverse their positions. One example IP Act.” No word was given on when for user-generated content but would was Web domain registration and Web a PIPA vote would take place, but it is never have the resources to police it hosting provider Go Daddy, which expected the bill will be heavily modified all for copyright violations. Imagine championed the measure and immedi- before it is brought up again. posting a picture of a copyrighted char- ately saw upset customers transfer tens acter to a message board you frequent of thousands of domain names to other and finding that site gone or cut off services. Go Daddy then issued an of- opposition to it in its current form. Even from its funding the next day due to ficial retraction, saying, “Go Daddy is the White House Administration offi- that one piece of content, and you get no longer supporting SOPA, the ‘Stop cially spoke out against SOPA, intro- an idea of the power that SOPA osten- Online Piracy Act’ currently working its ducing the possibility of a veto should sibly gives content owners. way through U.S. Congress.” the bill somehow pass. Detractors have pointed out other Many politicians, including co- flaws in the legislation. DNS blocking sponsors of the bill, also announced STAY TUNED In a statement made on January 13, Smith said “after consultation with industry groups across the country, I feel we should remove Domain Name System blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the Committee can further examine the issues surround- ing this provision. We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign In an example of DNS websites cannot sell and distribute ille- blocking, the Department gal content to U.S. consumers.” Even- of Justice made Megaupload tually, voting on SOPA was halted. For inaccessible to U.S. Internet users. now SOPA may be down, but it is far from out. ●

PC Today / March 2012 65 Wi-Fi hotspots are convenient because they provide high- speed Internet access when you’re away from your home or office. But the threats and security risks associated with these networks can some- times outweigh the convenience. The truth is that most Wi-Fi hotspots, and especially publicly available ones, can be hotbeds for viruses and hackers.

Use Wi-Fi Hotspots Wisely

BUT IT MIGHT EASE YOUR MIND to locations, allowing anyone to con- intercept your passwords or credit know that there are ways to protect nect to them. card information.” your computer from these threats The biggest threats related to public To prevent wireless packet and still be able to access some Wi-Fi Wi-Fi hotspots are wireless packet sniffing, data encryption is a must hotspots with no fear. We’ll show sniffing or capturing and MitM (Man and can be included in a full security you what to look for in a wireless in the Middle) networks. With wire- software suite or as an extension of network, how to connect to it, and less packet sniffing, someone on a net- your company’s email security solu- how to prevent threats from at- work is able to view the information tion. And to avoid connecting to a tacking your computer. being sent to and from your computer MitM network, you should always and is able to capture it for use later make sure that a network is pass- LOCATION, LOCATION, on. MitM threats are similar in that word-protected and not available to LOCATION they also gather data from your com- the general public. One of the easiest ways to make puter, but they do so in a much more sure a Wi-Fi hotspot is safe is to complex way. INSTALL ANTIVIRUS recognize where it is located. If “With MitM attacks, a rogue ac- SOFTWARE & REGULARLY Byou’re accessing important work cess point pretends to be the network UPDATE YOUR COMPUTER documents, checking your busi- you actually want to connect to,” says Even with email encryption in ness email, or performing any other James McMurry, president and CEO place and a solid understanding of work-related tasks, you shouldn’t of Milton Security Group. “All data how to avoid potentially dangerous connect to “public” Wi-Fi hotspots you send through that rogue access hotspots, it may not be enough. To that don’t require a password or cre- point can be actively manipulated. fully protect your computer, you dentials for access. These types of Often this kind of threat will direct should invest in antivirus software networks are often seen at coffee you to sites that look just like your that blocks malware-hosting web- shops, restaurants, and other similar bank or email, so that they can easily sites and other threats; provides

66 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

some form of data encryption when and then click Manually Connect To connection or tethering your com- information is transmitted to and A Wireless Network. Here you can puter to your smartphone. There are from your computer; and has reg- enter the network name, security similar risks associated with mobile ular updates available that help pro- type, encryption type, and security networks, so you’ll still have to in- tect your computer from the newest key to connect to the vest in data encryp- and most sophisticated viruses. hidden network. tion for email and For example, Trend Micro’s For Mac users, other applications. Worry-Free Business Security look for the wireless In most situa- And if you do Standard software provides protec- network symbol on tions, using com- need a high-speed tion against viruses, rogue appli- the taskbar in the mon sense is the wireless network cations, malicious downloads and upper right hand connection, you can email links, potentially hazardous corner and click on best way to avoid have your IT de- URLs, and much more. And the it. A list of networks connecting to a partment set up a Advanced version of the software will show and you bad Wi-Fi hotspot VPN tunnel on the has specific features designed for can click on them company end, so Mac computers. to connect. As with and opening your traffic is put “onto McMurry also recommends Windows 7, you computer up to the VPN tunnel and keeping your operating system up- may have to enter outside threats. not on the public to-date with service packs and other a username and/ Wi-Fi” network, ac- improvements. Both Apple and or password to con- cording to McMurry. Microsoft provide regular updates nect to it. If the net- Employees will then that patch potential vulnerabilities work you want to access isn’t on have safe access to internal com- and add new features that may put the list, click Join Other Network pany assets and be as productive on an extra layer of security between and search for it. From there, you the road as they are in the office. your computer and outside threats. should be able to connect to the In most situations, using right network and start surfing common sense is the best way to CONNECTING TO A the Web. avoid connecting to a bad Wi-Fi WI-FI HOTSPOT hotspot and opening your com- After you’ve located a safe wire- CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE puter up to outside threats. Avoid less network and have sufficient se- NETWORK TYPES & public hotspots whenever pos- curity measures in place, it’s time COMMON SENSE sible, only connect to networks that to actually connect to the network. If you are ever in doubt that a you know and trust, and when in With Windows 7 computers, you Wi-Fi hotspot isn’t safe and you doubt, don’t connect. Always re- can go to the Control Panel, click don’t need access to a super high- member that a small decrease in Network and Internet, Network and speed Internet connection, McMurry connection speed is a small price to ● Sharing Center, and then Connect recommends using a 3G/4G pay for a safe computer. To A Network. You can also look for the network menu icon on your taskbar and click it. From there, you will see a list of available wireless Setting up your networks. Find the one you want Windows 7 firewall to connect to, click it, and then will help lower click Connect. You may be asked the risk of viruses for a password. If so, enter it and or other threats then you should have full access to accessing sensitive the network. data stored on your You may encounter a situa- computer. tion where a wireless network is hidden and unsearchable. If this happens, but you know the name of the network and its log-in in- formation, go to the Network and Sharing Center menu, click Set Up A New Connection Or Network,

PC Today / March 2012 67 You’re ready to give your presentation, but until that first slide appears on the big screen, you can never be sure that your equipment has got your back. We can’t tell you not to worry, but these handy tips should help bail you out if your presentation goes south.

Solve Notebook-Projector Setup Problems

GET CONNECTED: THE BASICS but both the notebook and the pro- GET CONNECTED: MAKING THE CONNECTION between jector must support audio over the dig- NETWORK PROJECTORS your notebook and your projector can ital video connection. Many corporate venues supply net- sometimes be the hardest part of set- Traditionally, audio is connected work projectors, which are connected ting up your presentation. Not be- using the notebook’s audio out jacks to the company’s network and are cause it’s difficult to do, but because (RCA jacks or a 3.5mm stereo head- made available as a shared resource. when it doesn’t work, you are left phone jack) and the projector’s audio in Making a connection to a network pro- scratching your head wondering how ports (often RCA jacks or 3.5mm jacks). jector is as easy as plugging your note- such an easy thing can go wrong. If you’re not using the projector’s book into the corporate network via Video. Turn off all equipment and built-in speakers/audio system, make wired or wireless Ethernet. Check with connect your notebook’s video out sure you connect your notebook’s audio the company’s IT staff for specifics. port to the projector. The usual con- out to the sound system you intend to Once connected, you can use nection choices for a notebook are use and turn the volume down on the the network connection wizard in VGA (Video Graphics Array), DVI projector’s speakers. Vista or Windows 7 (not available in (Digital Visual Interface), HDMI (HD Mouse. If you are using a mouse, Windows XP) to find the projector MMultimedia Interface), and Display- or a remote mouse controller, make you wish to use. Select Start, All Pro- Port. Many projectors have VGA sure the controller/mouse is con- grams, Accessories, and Connect To and one or more digital connections, nected, usually through the note- A Network Projector. When you run such as DVI or HDMI. When possible, book’s USB port. If you are using a the connection wizard, you may be use a digital connection for a high- wireless mouse/controller, make informed that your notebook’s fire- quality presentation. sure the notebook has the appro- wall is blocking the ability of the pro- Sound. Some HDMI and Display- priate wireless connection enabled. jector to make a connection; click the Port digital video connections can This is typically Bluetooth or a USB button to allow the network connec- carry the audio through the same port, port wireless dongle. tion to be made.

68 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

You can either have the wizard and select Extend These Displays from in WinXP/Vista/7 to select the display search for available network projec- the Multiple Displays drop-down associated with the projector, usually tors or enter the projector’s address menu. Your Desktop background the second monitor. manually if it is available. After you should now appear on the projector. Use the resolution slider (WinXP/ make the connection, a Network Win7 also has a pop-up display for Vista) or the resolution drop-down Presentation window will minimize selecting the content that is sent to the menu (Win7) to adjust the resolu- to your Taskbar. When you’re ready projector. Press the Windows-P keys tion to the correct value; try 800 x to make your pre- to bring up the four 600 or 1,024 x 768 as these are fairly sentation, open the possible selections: common resolutions that most projec- Network Presentation Computer only (turns tors can handle. window and select You can either the projector display Resume. Your note- have the wizard off); Duplicate (mir- KEYSTONE IMAGES book will treat the search for rors your computer’s Keystoning occurs when the pro- network projector like Desktop on the pro- jector isn’t perfectly perpendicular an external monitor. available network jector); Extend (uses the to the screen. Try repositioning the projectors or enter projector as an exten- projector to get it as perpendicular as VIDEO IS the projector’s sion of your Desktop); possible in the horizontal and vertical MISSING and Projector only axis. If the image is still a bit bent, use In many cases, your address manually (turns off your note- the projector’s keystone adjustment. notebook will detect if it is available. book’s display and that you have a pro- uses the projector as the DISPLAY TURNS OFF jector plugged into main display). If the projector’s display turns off one of its video outputs and will au- during your presentation, check your tomatically turn on the port. Not all VIDEO IS OUT OF RANGE notebook’s power management fea- notebooks do this, however; and even You’ll see an out-of-range mes- ture, especially if you’re running the those that do can still have missing sage when the projector is expecting notebook off of its battery. Whenever video if the notebook isn’t set to du- a video signal from your notebook possible, use your AC adapter to run plicate the Desktop or extend it to the to comply with the projector’s preset your notebook. secondary monitor (the projector). resolution. When the projector can’t Many notebooks use a function key make heads or tails of the signal, it VIDEO WON’T DISPLAY combination to toggle the projector displays an out-of-range message. OR IS CHOPPY port on or off and set how you can use Right-click a blank area on your Your slide presentation works fine, the display. We prefer to use the con- Desktop. In WinXP, select Proper- but when you try to show a video, all trol panels in Windows to perform this ties and click Settings in the Person- you see is a blank window or a choppy function rather than pressing random alization window. In Vista, select rendition of the video. Trying to dis- key combinations in the hopes we find Personalize, and click Display Settings play a video on two monitors can be the right combination. in Display Properties. In Win7, select too much for a video card that has mar- In WinXP, right-click a blank area Screen Resolution from the pop-up ginal graphics capabilities. Try setting on the Desktop, select Properties, and menu. Next, use the drop-down menu the projector as the primary display. ● click the Settings tab in the Display Property dialog box. In Vista, right- click a blank area on the Desktop, click Personalize, and select Display Settings. In WinXP/Vista, select the second display in the drop-down menu. Place a check mark next to Extend My Windows Desktop Onto This Monitor. Click Apply. Your Desktop background should now ap- pear on the projector. In Win7, right-click a blank area on the Desktop and select Screen For the best audio quality, connect your notebook’s audio outputs to the projector, which you can Resolution. Select the second display see on the back of this Epson EX7210 Multimedia Business Projector (www.epson.com), or to separate from the Display drop-down menu audio amplifiers/speakers. Don’t use your notebook’s headphone jack to make audio connections.

PC Today / March 2012 69 Someday you will face the inevitable notebook failure.

You’ll be working diligently on the docu- ments you need for your three o’clock meeting or be right in the middle of composing a lengthy email describing the highlights of your previous business trip, and your Windows notebook will freeze, suddenly shut down, or reboot itself. Or perhaps your Web browsing is halted by an unexpected blue screen bearing an ominously lengthy error message.

Revive A Crashed Notebook

UNFORTUNATELY, these common er- conflict with device drivers. A BSOD could be numerous issues causing rors could be the result of several does not always mean serious trou- this, there are three common pos- different issues, so it can be difficult ble, but it does slow you down; for sibilities. If you or your IT staff re- to pinpoint the cause of a failure. But example, an attached external hard cently upgraded the hardware in luckily there are also many common drive left on before the notebook your notebook, some components solutions that often yield positive powered up may cause a blue screen may be incompatible, causing the results. Next time your notebook ex- at startup; you have to wait as Win- system to shut down to avoid dam- periences an error, you’ll want to dows scans the external drive before age. You or your IT staff may try remember these tips. completing startup. removing or replacing a newly Restarting the notebook will installed component to see if the NOTEBOOK WITH often solve the issue. However, if shutdown error persists. If you are A BLUE SCREEN a BSOD error appears repeatedly, certain that the failure is not hard- The cryptic error message on a write down the stop error message, ware-related, check to make sure BSOD (blue screen of death) can such as “STOP: 0x0000007E.” This that the air intake fans are not im- make it difficult to determine the message will tell you which error has peded. Blocked fans decrease the Uproblem’s origin. But the BSOD, occurred so you can investigate a amount of cool airflow into your also called a stop error, is actually a solution at Microsoft Help And Sup- notebook, and if the computer gets safeguard. When Windows detects port (support.microsoft.com). too hot, it will shut itself down as a a serious problem, it will stop what- precautionary measure to prevent ever it is doing and revert to a blue SPONTANEOUS REBOOT component damage. screen to protect your OS from fur- OR SHUTDOWN Automatic reboots or shutdowns ther damage. Most often, Windows Without warning, your note- could also be the result of a virus. will display the error when there book may reboot itself or even shut If you have an antivirus program is a hardware issue or possibly a down completely. Although there installed on your notebook, make

70 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

sure it is up-to-date and then run program you attempted to open). A regular freezes, notify your IT de- a full scan of the hard drive. If you problematic application name may partment; you may need to rein- don’t have an antivirus program, be labeled “not responding,” which stall the OS. you’ll want to buy one or down- helps you identify which program load a free program such as AVG is causing the trouble. If the key- INABILITY TO SHUT DOWN Anti-Virus Free (free board or mouse is The inability to turn off a note- .avg.com). Once your not responding, you book is often caused by a software antivirus program is may have to per- (not hardware) error. A program installed and ready Freezes are often form a hard (aka may be unable to close, and be- to go, run a full scan the result of mem- cold) shutdown by cause it’s still running, Windows to search for any mal- ory overload. The holding down the can’t exit. If your notebook refuses ware. When the scan power button for to turn off each time you shut down, is complete, follow memory in your five to 10 seconds then you’ll want to determine which the program’s in- notebook has a until your notebook program might be causing the prob- structions to remove certain capacity, turns off. When you lem. Note any “end program” or “pro- or quarantine any start your notebook gram not responding” messages or discovered malware. and if there are once again, chances press CTRL-ALT-DELETE to check too many process- are everything will the Task Manager for programs run- FROZEN es running simul- run smoothly. ning in the background. NOTEBOOK If your notebook If you recently made a change to You’re undoubt- taneously, your freezes up every that program, make sure that up- edly familiar with notebook may time you open a dates aren’t available for the pro- this scenario: Things freeze because it specific program, gram. Otherwise try System Restore are going fine with then you’ll want to return your notebook to the state your notebook when can’t keep up. to make sure you it was in prior to any change you suddenly you can’t have installed any made. To do this in Windows 7, click switch between mul- updates or patches Start, type system restore, and click tiple applications or a program that the program might need. If System Restore; in Windows Vista, hangs when you try to open it. The a program is out-of-date, then that click Start, Control Panel, System mouse and keyboard may or may can cause your notebook to freeze And Maintenance, Backup And Re- not respond, and you usually have each time you open it because store Center, and Restore Computer; to restart the computer, which is your system is incompatible with in Windows XP, click Start, All Pro- an inconvenience that can turn into another program or the OS. If a grams, Accessories, System Tools, a disaster if you have not saved specific program doesn’t seem to and System Restore. If the problem your work. be causing the problem, try de- persists, you may have to remove Freezes are often the result of fragmenting your hard drive. De- the program. memory overload. The memory fragmenting combines fragmented To uninstall a program in Vista, in your notebook has a certain ca- files and cleans up your hard drive click Start, Control Panel, and Un- pacity, and if there are too many so that your notebook can access install A Program to get started; processes running simultaneously, files faster. If it takes less effort in WinXP, click Start, Control Panel, your notebook may freeze because to find and access files, your note- and choose Add Or Remove Pro- it can’t keep up. Malware is a com- book will use a smaller amount grams. Locate the appropriate pro- mon culprit in causing freezes, and of its memory capacity and there- gram in the list and choose Remove. sometimes two programs in con- by gain the ability to perform Don’t remove a program unless you flict with each other can freeze your more actions simultaneously. If have the executable file or the installa- computer, especially if the note- your notebook still suffers from tion discs on hand. ● book doesn’t have sufficient pro- cessing power or memory. If the keyboard or mouse is responsive, ➤➤BACK TO NORMAL start troubleshooting by pressing CTRL-ALT-DELETE. Enter the Task If your notebook problems persist, you’ll obviously have to resort to consulting your Manager and end the program that IT staff, local computer repair store, or the manufacturer. But take heart: Unless your you believe may have caused the notebook has undergone physical duress or your hard drive has become damaged, freeze (in most cases it is the last your data is most likely retrievable.

PC Today / March 2012 71 What should you do when your smartphone decides to play dead? Resist the urge to throw it against the nearest wall and try one of these techniques instead.

Revive A Dead Smartphone

SOFT RESET for at least 30 seconds. Reinstall the ➤ Nokia (all models). Power the phone ALL PHONES HAVE a soft reset func- battery and turn the device back on. off and remove the battery for 30 sec- tion, which is similar to restarting your onds. Reinstall the battery and power ➤ computer. Beware that a soft reset will iPhone 4 and earlier. Simultane- the phone on. Alternately, you can enter cause you to lose data that isn’t saved, ously press and hold the Sleep/Wake the code *#7380# and select Yes. but you will retain information previ- button on the top of the iPhone and ➤ ously stored on your smartphone. the Home button. Hold both buttons Palm Pre. If the phone’s menus are for approximately 10 seconds, until the active, select Device Info, Reset Op- ➤ Android. Most Android models screen goes blank. You’ll see the Apple tions, then select Soft Reset. If it is use a simple power cycle to perform logo as the iPhone reboots. locked or frozen, hold the power but- a soft reset. Just turn the phone off ton and cycle the ringer button on and ➤ and then back on again. iPhone 4S. Simultaneously press off three times. If that doesn’t work, and hold the On/Off button on the press and hold the Orange, Sym, and ➤ BlackBerry (QWERTY). Press and top of the iPhone and the Home but- R keys until the device reboots. Turn hold the ALT-CAP-DEL keys. The dis- ton. Hold both buttons for approxi- the phone off, remove the battery for Aplay goes black and your phone resets. mately 10 seconds, until the screen 10 seconds, reinstall the battery, and goes blank. You’ll see the Apple logo power the phone up. ➤ BlackBerry (SureType). Press the as the iPhone reboots. ➤ ALT-CAP and Right Shift-DEL keys. T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide. Un- ➤ When the screen goes blank, release Microsoft Windows Phone 7 (all lock the display. Press and hold the the keys. models). Power the phone off and then Power/Lock button and then tap Re- back on. If the power cycle doesn’t cor- start. When asked to confirm, tap Restart ➤ BlackBerry (touchscreen). Turn the rect the problem, try removing the bat- again. If the phone doesn’t restart, re- BlackBerry off and remove the battery tery and replace it after 30 seconds. move the batteries for 30 seconds.

72 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

➤ All other smartphones. You can Power button. When the device con- menu and select Settings, Privacy, and generally perform a soft reset by pow- figuration screen appears, release all Factory Data Reset. When prompted, ering the phone off, removing the bat- buttons. Use the Volume Up or Down tap Reset Phone to erase all data and tery for 30 seconds, and powering the button to move to Factory Reset. Press return phone to factory conditions. phone on. the Camera button to select the Factory Reset option and start the reset process. ➤ Motorola Backflip. Power the phone HARD RESET off. Press and hold the Power and Cam- A hard reset is a last-ditch option that ➤ Google Nexus One, Nexus S. Turn era buttons. When the phone turns returns your phone to its factory settings, the phone off. Press and hold Volume on, release the Power button but con- which means you will lose all data and Down while you press and release the tinue to hold the camera button until installed applications. Before you per- Power button. Use the Volume Down prompted to release it. Next, press the form a hard reset, remove the memory button to select Clear Storage from the Volume Down button. After about 15 card from your phone; that way you can list of options. Press the Power button, seconds, a yellow triangle with an ex- recover data from the card later. and confirm your selection by pressing clamation point will appear. With your the Volume Up button. phone closed, tap the bottom-right ➤ Android (all models with func- corner of the display and select Wipe tioning menu systems). One of the ➤ HTC Arrive, HD7, Surround. Press Data/Factory Reset. Press OK and fol- following menu-based systems for per- Start and tap the right-facing arrow. low the on-screen instructions. forming a hard reset should work, de- Tap Settings, About, and then tap pending on the phone and version of Reset Your Phone. Tap Yes, and then ➤ Nokia (all models). With your phone Android. Open the application menu. tap Yes again. If the screen is frozen, powered on or in standby mode, type Tap Settings, SD and Card Storage, turn the device off. Press and hold *#7370# and select Yes, when prompted. Factory Data Reset, and follow the on- the Volume Up-Down buttons and You may need your Lock Code for screen instructions. briefly press the Power key. When the confirmation. The default lock code is r
'SPN
UIF
)PNF
TDSFFO
ZPVMM
XBOU
screen displays instructions for reset- 
*G
ZPVS
QIPOF
EPFTOU
UVSO
PO
to tap Menu, Settings, Privacy, and ting the device, release the Volume try pressing the On/Off button, *, and 3 Factory Data Reset, and then follow Up-Down buttons. simultaneously. the on-screen instructions. r
'SPN
UIF
)PNF
TDSFFO
ZPVMM
XBOU
➤ iPhone (all models). 'SPN
UIF
)PNF
➤ Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Android to tap Menu, Settings, Security, and screen, tap Settings, General, Reset, and 4.0). Turn off the phone. Press the Factory Data Reset, and then follow Reset All Settings. This resets all prefer- Volume Up and Power buttons. When the on-screen instructions. ences but retains applications and data. the Recovery Menu appears, use *G
UIBU
EPFTOU
XPSL
GSPN
UIF
)PNF
the Volume Down button to select 8IFO
UIF
NFOV
TZTUFN
JTOU
GVOD- screen, tap Settings, General, Reset, Recovery, and then press Power. The tional, follow these phone-specific op- Erase All Content, and Settings. This phone will reboot; this process can tions to perform a hard reset. will delete all data and applications and take a bit of time. If the phone fails return the iPhone to factory conditions. to reboot, remove the battery, wait ➤ BlackBerry (all models). Remove the about 30 seconds, and then reinsert battery for 30 seconds. Reinstall the bat- ➤ Microsoft Windows Phone 7 (all the battery. tery and turn the phone back on. models). Press Start and tap the right- facing arrow. Tap Settings, About, and ➤ T-Mobile G2x. If possible, back ➤ BlackBerry Style, Bold, Storm, Reset Your Phone. Tap Yes, and then VQ
ZPVS
EBUB
UP
(PPHMFT
TFSWFST
CZ
Curve, Tour, Torch. Click the Options tap Yes again. selecting Privacy from the Settings JDPO
PO
UIF
)PNF
TDSFFO
4FMFDU
4FDV screen. Select the Back Up My Data rity and then Security Wipe. Select all ➤ Motorola Droid. Turn the phone option. When the backup is com- three of the available checkboxes to off. Press and hold the Power-X keys plete, power off the phone. Press perform a complete wipe and reset the to force the phone into recovery mode. and hold the Power/Lock-Volume device to factory condition. Type the Next, press and hold the Volume Up- Down keys for at least 15 seconds. word BlackBerry and click Wipe. Camera key, select Wipe Data/Factory The phone should turn back on and Reset, and then select Reboot Phone. perform a factory reset. If the screen ➤ Dell Venue. With the device turned JT
GSP[FO
PS
UIF
QIPOF
EPFTOU
UVSO
off, press and hold the Volume Up and ➤ Motorola Droid Pro, Droid 2 Glob- back on, remove the battery, wait 30 Volume Down buttons. Without re- al, Droid 3, Droid Bionic, Droid Razr. seconds, then reinstall the battery leasing the buttons, press and hold the 0O
UIF
)PNF
4DSFFO
PQFO
UIF
"QQ
and try again. ●

PC Today / March 2012 73 BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

The Traveler’s 911 Directory

AIRLINES ➤Frontier Airlines ➤Air Canada www.frontierairlines.com www.aircanada.com Reservations (800) 432-1359 mobile.aircanada.ca Customer relations Information and reservations (800) 265-5505 ➤ (888) 247-2262 JetBlue Airways Baggage information www.jetblue.com (888) 689-2247 mobile.jetblue.com ➤American Airlines (800) 538-2583 ➤ www.aa.com; mobile.aa.com Lufthansa Reservations (800) 433-7300 www.lufthansa.com TDD (800) 543-1586 mobile.lufthansa.com Flight information Information and reservations (800) 223-5436 (800) 399-5838 ➤ Baggage delayed less than five Southwest Airlines days (800) 535-5225 www.southwest.com Ticket refund requests mobile.southwest.com (918) 254-3777 (800) 435-9792 ➤British Airways TDD (800) 533-1305 ➤ www.britishairways.com Spirit Airlines ba2go.com (mobile) www.spiritair.com Information and reservations (800) 772-7117 ➤ (800) 247-9297 United Airlines ➤Continental Airlines www.united.com www.continental.com www.ua2go.com (mobile) pda.continental.com Reservations (800) 864-8331 Reservations to U.S. and Mexico International reservations destinations (800) 523-3273 (800) 538-2929 Reservations to international TDD (800) 323-0170 ➤ destinations (800) 231-0856 US Airways TDD (800) 343-9195 www.usairways.com Flight information Reservations to U.S. and Canada (800) 784-4444 destinations (800) 428-4322 Baggage information Reservations to international (800) 335-2247 destinations (800) 622-1015 OnePass frequent flyer TDD (800) 245-2966 assistance (713) 952-1630 Customer service ➤Delta Air Lines (800) 943-5436 www.delta.com mobile.delta.com VEHICLE RENTALS Reservations ➤Advantage Rent A Car (800) 221-1212 www.advantage.com Flight information Reservations (866) 661-2722 or (800) 325-1999 (210) 344-4712 outside the U.S. Baggage information Customer service (800) 325-8224 (800) 777-5524 SkyMiles members ➤Alamo Rent A Car (800) 323-2323 www.alamo.com

74 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com BUSINESS TRAVEL 911 ON-THE-GO TECH SUPPORT

➤ (800) 462-5266 Hotwire ➤Hilton Hotels TDD (800) 522-9292 www.hotwire.com www.hilton.com ➤ Avis (866) 468-9473 hilton.mobi www.avis.com OCS (Overseas Citizens (800) 445-8667 mobile.avis.com Services) traveler’s ➤Holiday Inn Reservations (800) 331-1212 hotline (202) 647-5225 www.holidayinn.com TDD (800) 331-2323 or (888) 407-4747 mobile.holidayinn.com Customer service After-hours emergencies (888) 465-4329 (800) 352-7900 (202) 647-4000 ➤Holiday Inn Express ➤ ➤ Budget Rent A Car System Orbitz www.hiexpress.com www.budget.com www.orbitz.com mobile.hiexpress.com mobile.budget.com mobile.orbitz.com (888) 465-4329 Reservations in the U.S. (888) 656-4546 ➤Homewood Suites ➤ (800) 527-0700 Priceline www.homewoodsuites.com Reservations outside the U.S. www.priceline.com homewoodsuites.mobi (800) 472-3325 priceline.mobi (800) 225-5466 TDD (800) 826-5510 (800) 774-2354 ➤Hyatt Hotels & Resorts ➤ Roadside assistance Travelocity www.hyatt.com (800) 354-2847 www.travelocity.com (888) 591-1234 Customer service mobile.travelocity.com TDD (800) 228-9548 (800) 214-6094 (888) 872-8356 Hyatt Place (888) 492-8847 ➤ Dollar Rent A Car Hyatt Summerfield Suites www.dollar.com HOTELS (866) 974-9288 Reservations (800) 800-3665 ➤Candlewood Suites ➤Marriott Reservations outside the U.S. www.candlewoodsuites.com www.marriott.com (800) 800-6000 mobile.candlewoodsuites.com marriott.mobi TDD (800) 232-3301 (888) 226-3539 (888) 236-2427 24-hour roadside assistance ➤Chase Suite Hotels ➤Park Plaza (800) 235-9393 www.woodfinsuitehotels.com www.parkplaza.com ➤ Enterprise Rent-A-Car (800) 966-3346 (800) 777-1700 www.enterprise.com ➤Choice Hotels International ➤Radisson Hotels Reservations (800) 261-7331 (Cambria Suites, Comfort Inn, & Resorts TDD (866) 534-9270 Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep www.radisson.com ➤ Hertz Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, (888) 201-1718 www.hertz.com Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, ➤Ramada Worldwide hertz.mobi Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn) www.ramada.com Reservations (800) 654-3131 www.choicehotels.com (800) 272-6232 Reservations outside the U.S. (877) 424-6423 ➤Renaissance Hotels (800) 654-3001 ➤Courtyard Hotels & Resorts TDD (800) 654-2280 www.courtyard.com www.renaissancehotel.com Extend rental (800) 654-4174 courtyard.mobi (888) 236-2427 Billing information (888) 236-2427 ➤Residence Inn by Marriott (800) 654-4173 ➤Crowne Plaza Hotels www.residenceinn.com Customer relations & Resorts residenceinn.mobi (888) 777-6095 www.crowneplaza.com (888) 236-2427 ➤ National Car Rental mobile.crowneplaza.com ➤Ritz-Carlton Hotels www.nationalcar.com (877) 227-6963 & Resorts (800) 227-7368 ➤DoubleTree Hotels www.ritzcarlton.com TDD (800) 328-6323 www.doubletree.com (800) 542-8680 ➤ Payless Car Rental doubletree.mobi ➤Sheraton Hotels www.paylesscarrental.com (800) 222-8733 & Resorts (800) 729-5377 ➤Embassy Suites Hotels www.sheraton.com ➤ Thrifty Car Rental www.embassysuites.com (800) 325-3535 www.thrifty.com embassysuites.mobi ➤Staybridge Suites Reservations (800) 847-4389 (800) 362-2779 www.staybridge.com Emergency (877) 283-0898 ➤Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts mobile.staybridge.com www.fourseasons.com (877) 238-8889 TRAVEL SERVICES mobile.fourseasons.com ➤Westin Hotels & Resorts ➤AAA (800) 819-5053 www.westin.com www.aaa.com ➤Hampton Inn Hotels & Suites (800) 937-8461 aaa.mobi www.hamptoninn.com ➤Wingate Inns Roadside assistance hamptoninn.mobi www.wingatehotels.com (800) 222-4357 (800) 426-7866 (800) 228-1000 ➤Expedia ➤Hawthorn Suites ➤Wyndham Hotels & Resorts www.expedia.com www.hawthorn.com www.wyndham.com (800) 397-3342 (800) 527-1133 (877) 999-3223

PC Today / March 2012 75 HAPPY TRAILS Intriguing Gear, New & Around The Bend

A CUSTOMIZABLE BUSINESS NOTEBOOK STYLISH CUFF LINKS FOR WITH IN-DEPTH SECURITY FEATURES SPACE-SAVING BUSINESS ➤ What makes the ASUS B23E (www.asus.com) different from other TRAVELERS & SECRET AGENTS notebooks are its charging, security, and damage prevention features. ➤ If you’ve ever wanted to feel like The 900-cycle Sonata battery only takes 90 minutes to charge up to James Bond with sophisticated gadgets 90% capacity using the included ASUS Xpress Charge features and hidden in regular, everyday items, then detachable docking station. The B23E is also secure with a Kensington Brookstone’s Polished Silver Oval Wi- lock, BIOS User Password Protection, Intel Anti-theft, fingerprint Fi/2GB USB Cufflinks (www.brookstone reader, LoJack theft recovery service, and more. Plus, anti-shock .com) are for you. These stylish cuff links hard drive technology ensures that your data will be safe in case are designed to do much more than just you drop your notebook. hold your cuffs together, they also pro- And because not every company is the same, laptops must be cus- vide 2GB of built-in USB memory and tomizable to fit specific needs. Asus designed its B23E notebooks to serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot that multiple be just that. Choose from Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, mobile devices can access at the same Professional, or Ultimate; get up to 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM; and store time. To use Wi-Fi, you’ll have to first as much data as you need with hard drive options ranging from install software on a laptop, and then 320GB to 750GB. The B23E also comes with your choice of Intel pro- plug in the hotspot cuff link. These cuff cessors: Core i3, i5, or i7. The notebook features a 12.5-inch HD LED links cost $249.99, but that’s a small display, 2MP webcam, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and an price to pay to feel like an international HDMI port, as well. man of mystery. 76 March 2012 / www.pctoday.com

Certified Piedmontese Beef

Unlike conventional beef, Certified Piedmontese doesn't need fat to be tender. Instead, it's naturally lean, naturally tender—so you get all the taste and tenderness you love, but less of the fat you don't need.

Filet Mignon New York Strip Boneless Ribeye The leanest and most tender cut of beef, A perfect balance of marbling and The natural leanness of Certified the filet is often called “the king of steaks,” tenderness makes this steak widely Piedmontese makes this a flavorful steak and with good reason. appealing to a variety of tastes. with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, but Four 8-oz: $55.95 Four 8-oz: $39.95 without the guilt of a traditional ribeye. Four 10-oz: $49.95

Sirloin Filet Cowboy Cut Ribeye Brisket Flat You won’t believe it’s not tenderloin: Like the boneless ribeye, a flavorful, tender Great for summer barbecue or the smoker, Becauseof the extra lean and tender steak, but with the taste accentuated by the a Certified Piedmontese brisket is also characteristics of Piedmontese beef, this cut added flavor of the bone-in. perfect for the oven or slow cooker. closely resembles tenderloin, but at a fraction Two 20-oz: $47.95 One 48-oz: $37.95 of the price. Four 8-oz: $31.95

Boneless Strip Loin Roast Standing Rib Roast Tenderloin Roast Like the New York strip steaks that come from The prime rib is known for its buttery Lean and tender, this roast is easy to this roast, this cut balances marbling and flavor and tenderness, and a Certified prepare and will easily take on your tenderness, making it a guaranteed crowd- Piedmontese standing rib roast delivers on favorite flavors and seasonings. pleaser. Can also be cut into steaks of varying both counts. Two 32-oz: $111.95 sizes, depending on family or guest preferences. One 80-oz: $93.95 One 80-oz: $98.95 Gift Box Collections

Dinner For 2 $78.95 Premium $125.95 Elite $80.95Executive $239.95 1 ea. 14-oz/10-oz 3 20-oz Cowboy Cut Ribeye 2 10-oz Sirloin Filet 4 14-oz Boneless Ribeye Boneless Ribeyes 4 8-oz Filet Mignon 2 16-oz Bavette Steaks 4 12-oz New York Strip Steaks 1 ea. 12-oz/8-oz NY Strip Steaks 2 16-oz Flank Steaks 4 8-oz Sirloin Filet 1 ea. 8-oz/6-oz Filet Mignon 1 16-oz 85% Lean Ground Beef 1 32-oz Tenderloin Roast

Eye of Round Roast Sirloin Roast Beef Kabobs Flavorful and normally cut thin, an eye of Lean and tender, the sirloin roast, like the Lean and juicy, these are guaranteed to be round roast is a good value and is excellent tenderloin, takes on flavors extremely well and the most tender and tastiest kabobs you’ve braised or prepared in the slow cooker can feed a large group at a reasonable cost. ever eaten. One 64-oz: $49.95 One 32-oz: $31.95 Three 16-oz: $21.95

Skirt Steaks Bavette Steak Tenderloin Tips The flavorful Certified Piedmontese skirt Similar to a flank steak, the lesser-known Think of these as bite-sized filet mignons: steak is perfect for fajitas, stir-fry, and more. bavette is a great value, and a Piedmontese Juicy, flavorful, and buttery tender. Goes well Also great grilled or barbecued, especially in a bavette is so tender that it’s suitable for a with anything, but especially with pasta. tangy marinade. variety of preparations. Three 16-oz: $51.95 Three 16-oz: $35.95 Two 16-oz: $26.95

Flank Steak Stew Meat 85% Lean Ground The long and flat flank steak is great for Certified Piedmontese stew meat is all natural The wonderful taste and succulent texture ethnic dishes; unlike some conventional and makes for a rich and hearty addition of all-natural Piedmontese ground beef, flank steaks, a Piedmontese flank steak is to any stew or soup. The perfect meal for ground to 85% lean to create a consistently tender enough to prepare using a variety of warming up those cold winter nights. rich, meaty flavor. Perfect for grilling or cooking methods. Three 16-oz servings: $21.95 broiling. Three 16-oz: $44.95 Three 16-oz: $18.95

For more details and ordering information, go to www.piedmontese.com. Certified Piedmontese Beef

Delicious Nutrition, Now Available Online

Certified Piedmontese beef tastes great: lean and tender, juicy and delicious. But there’s more to it than just tasting good. Certified Piedmontese is also low in fat, low in cholesterol, and low in calories. At the same time, it’s protein- rich and high in omega fatty acids—the kind that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. With Certified Piedmontese, you get all the taste and tenderness without all the fat.

Nutritional Comparison

Now buy online at www.piedmontese.com.