Why I Ditched the Desktop & Switched to a Laptop to Help Me Run My Small Business

As a small business owner, I manage many of our day-to-day activities, and for the last few years, I’ve used a business-grade laptop as my only work computer. My old T-series IBM ThinkPad (yes, pre-Lenovo) was retired from active duty last year, although it’s still used frequently here as a test machine, and I moved on to a newer laptop, an HP EliteBook 6930p. At the office, I keep the laptop on a docking station; connected to it are a full-size keyboard, an optical mouse, a wired high-speed network cable, and most importantly, a glorious 24’’ widescreen LCD monitor. Here’s the point: I don’t need a separate desktop computer for the office, and I’m part of a growing number of business people who are realizing that they don’t, either.

Switching to a laptop made me more productive

Using a laptop as my only computer has untethered me from my desk. I am more productive anywhere I go in the office, as well as at home, at client meetings, on the road—really anywhere. And because I have my computer with me all the time, I have all my software, my e-mail, and secure access to my files at work—all the time. I love my smartphone and it’s great for consuming content, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the content creation ability of my laptop.

My laptop offers features that match or beat our desktop computers

I am not your average computer user. I often run 10 or more programs at a time—generally a combination of several web browsers; Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel; Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat; and sometimes Windows XP Mode (a virtualized edition of Windows XP that’s included with Windows 7 Professional)—and my laptop has no trouble keeping up.

Just a few years ago, using a laptop meant compromising on performance and capabilities, but those days are gone. In fact, some modern laptops are more powerful and offer even more features than their desktop counterparts do.

Some examples:

  • Wireless – All laptops include some type of wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) capability—most desktops don’t. Many also support Bluetooth for connecting headsets and other accessories.
  • Security – Laptops are designed for a life on the road, and as a result, they often have more robust security features than desktops. This can include self-encrypting and password protected hard drives, smart card readers, and fingerprint sensors.
  • Touchpads and Touchscreens – Almost all of today’s laptops have some type of touchpad as a substitute for the standard mouse. There are people who prefer them and would be happy never using a mouse again—I’m not one of them— but the option is there for those who are. Some laptops also have touchscreens, some of which support the same multi-touch gestures (pinch-to-zoom, etc.) that you already know from your smartphone.
  • Videoconferencing – Many laptops have built-in cameras, and all have microphones and speakers, which making videoconferencing possible for everyone.

I love my docking station

I use a docking station with my laptop, and it’s a HUGE convenience factor: it saves me the hassle of manually connecting and disconnecting accessories (keyboard, mouse, LCD monitor, speakers, USB hard drive, etc.) every time I want to take my laptop off my desk. I just leave everything plugged into the dock and push one button when I want to disconnect the laptop.

Most docking stations offer a number of extra connections, including more USB and video ports, and some can even accept an extra internal hard drive or DVD drive. Using a docking station also makes it easier to use dual monitors—my big LCD screen is my main monitor and my laptop screen sits right next to it to give me extra work space.

Conclusion

With the ever-narrowing cost difference between desktops and laptops, as well as the ever-growing flexibility and capabilities of today’s laptops, there are more and more reasons for a small business owner or manager to seriously consider switching from their old desktop computer to a new laptop. I’m happy that I did. Since this is my business, I never really leave it at the end of the day. And because things can happen at any time, armed with my laptop, I can quickly react and respond from wherever I am.

Remember, as with any company laptop, you’ll need to implement additional security measures (passwords, encryption, etc.) to make sure that it and, more importantly, your data stay secure no matter where they go. Also, choosing the right laptop computer for your business is critical, so be sure to read my post, 5 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Buy Only Business-Grade Technology, for some insight.

 

 

Disclaimer: This post is purely the professional opinion of Jackrabbit Microware and has been authorized by them to re-post on www.1ix.com/blog/ .Original post located at http://jackrabbit.com/blog/2011/02/why-i-ditched-the-desktop-switched-to-a-laptop-to-help-me-run-my-small-business/

6 Easy Ways to Make Your Small Business Technology Last Longer

I cringe at the thought of a computer or a printer or any tech item in our office suddenly failing. We all know that this occurs from time to time, so around here we do everything that we can to make sure that it rarely happens. We strive to get the longest life that we can out of every single tech product that we buy—and so should you.

Here are 6 easy ways to keep your critical office technology products—your work tools—alive and kicking for many years:

  1. Buy only business-grade technology—Take a look at our post called “5 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Buy Only Business-Grade Technology” and you’ll see why this is #1 on my list. The key takeaway is: Business-grade technology will last longer and cost you less in the long run.
  2. Keep ’em Clean—Dust is the enemy! If you let it accumulate inside your equipment, delicate components will overheat and fail prematurely. Once a month, wipe down the surfaces on or near any critical tech product to reduce the amount of dust falling inside or getting sucked up by a cooling fan. Every 6 months to a year, depending on your physical environment, shut down and unplug each tech item, open it as much as possible, then carefully vacuum out the dust. You can also use compressed air to blow the dust out.Keep your computers off the floor because every time someone walks by, dust is kicked up and is sucked in by the cooling fans. Raise the computer box 18 inches or so off the floor; better yet, put it up on your desk. If you work at home and have pets, know that fur in a fan inlet is a major cause of overheating problems.
  3. Plug anything with a circuit board, except a laser printer, into an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)—You can substantially reduce the work of the power supplies in your office equipment, which will significantly extend their lives. Instead of plugging the items directly into a wall socket, plug them into a UPS.A UPS plugs into a wall outlet, and your equipment plugs into it. It filters and adjusts the electricity that passes through to the devices that it is protecting. A modern voltage-regulating UPS will eliminate electrical spikes, surges, and dips; adjust the voltage; and deliver clean, smooth power to your devices. The uninterruptible part of a UPS is the built-in battery, which automatically cuts in when the UPS detects a brownout or blackout; this gives you a few minutes to save your work and shutdown your system gracefully.As for your laser printer—it draws too much power and will overwhelm a UPS, so plug it into a good surge suppressor.
  4. Be aware of your environment— Electronic devices hate heat and moisture. If you work in a hot and/or humid climate, you must protect your business equipment by keeping your windows shut and your A/C on. Also, don’t put equipment on the floor, tight up against a wall, or in a corner—you’re looking for maximum ventilation.
  5. Buy for the future— Before purchasing any new office technology, anticipate your needs over the next 3 to 5 years, as well as your current needs. Spending a bit more now to get features that your business might need in the future often makes sense. Also consider the product’s upgradeability and flexibility—Can you add more functionality to it? Can you re-purpose it later in its life? These considerations will help you “future-proof” your purchase, which will save you time and money in the long run.
  6. Consider upgrading or replacing a part instead of tossing the whole thing—Your time and money might be better spent upgrading components or replacing a failed part instead of completely replacing the whole item. If one of your computers starts to run slowly, adding memory or reinstalling the operating system might well be the cure. Or if the hard drive or the DVD drive dies, you can often replace them with something more capable for close to pocket change.

Taking care of your work tools on a regular basis really pays off. Do these 6 easy things and you will minimize the need to repair and replace your high-tech business tools, which is, after all, the goal.

Disclaimer: This post is purely the professional opinion of Jackrabbit Microware and has been authorized by them to re-post on www.1ix.com/blog/ .Original post located at http://jackrabbit.com/blog/2011/03/6-easy-ways-to-make-your-small-business-technology-last-longer/

Should Your Small Business Be Using Windows 7 64bit?

Two questions that our small business clients often ask us are: “What is Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit?” and “Should my business be using it?” In this post, I’ll answer the first question and help you make an informed decision about the second, because it’s not an obvious answer.

What’s the difference between a 32-bit operating system (OS) and a 64-bit operating system?

Simply put, a 64-bit computer (comprised of 64-bit-capable hardware components and a 64-bit operating system) that is running 64-bit-aware application software provides greater processing ability and allows the use of considerably more random access memory (RAM) than does a computer running a 32-bit OS with 32-bit-aware software.

The 32-bit version of Microsoft Windows 7 Professional will only be able to recognize and use around 3.5 GB of RAM—no matter how much memory you install in the computer. In contrast, the 64-bit version of Windows 7 can recognize and use up to 192 GB of RAM—a huge difference.

So why isn’t everything 64-bit? Why not go for the one with the biggest number? More is better, right? Well, that’s not always true.

Is 3.5GB of RAM enough?

For a vast majority of office tasks, you won’t need more than 3.5 GB of memory in your computer. In fact, 2 GB of memory on a typical Windows XP or a Windows 7 computer is usually plenty. Email, word processing, and web browsing simply don’t require a huge amount of memory, so if that’s mostly what you and your staff do—it’s OK to stick with a 32-bit OS.

But if you are working on resource-heavy tasks, such as video production, photo editing, CAD, web development, giant spreadsheets, or graphic design, or there’s just a general need to have a lot of files and programs open simultaneously, the relative lack of processing ability and the 3.5 GB limit of a 32-bit operating system will make your computer run extremely slow, and it will surely impede your productivity. This is where 64-bit computing, with its powerful processing abilities and capacity to use so much more memory, will be immensely valuable.

Consider the pitfalls: important, potential drawbacks to 64-bit computing

There are limitations to 64-bit computing that you need to be aware of before you consider
using it.

The first issue is hardware compatibility. If your business relies on older hardware and you’re thinking of upgrading what you have, know that not all older computers will support a 64-bit OS, so check with the manufacturer. And even if they do, extra RAM won’t help the fact that your 4-year-old computer has a 4-year-old processor/hard drive/graphics/etc., all of which will keep you from realizing very much in the way of performance gains.

Also, in the case of older USB printers or other peripherals—there’s a good chance that 64-bit drivers (the software that makes your hardware work with your computers) don’t even exist. However, if you simply want to replace your older devices, know that all new professional-grade computers and peripherals will work in a 64-bit environment.

The second issue is software compatibility. Like older hardware, older software may not work, or not work well, on a 64-bit OS. Generally you can install and run a 32-bit application on 64-bit Windows without any problem, but don’t assume that’s always the case. If you have a critical piece of business software, be sure to check with the vendor to make sure that it’s 100% compatible with 64-bit Windows.

Another consideration is that a lot of software is still being written for 32-bit operating systems. Sure, they’ll probably run just fine on a 64-bit system, but they won’t be able to take advantage of increased RAM or advanced processing abilities. Again, check with the software vendor to see if a 64-bit edition is available.

Conclusion

We believe that 64-bit Windows will eventually be the norm in business computing, but for now 32-bit Windows continues to be the dominant business OS because it’s appropriate for most circumstances, and it’s very well supported by software and hardware vendors.

So, should your business use Windows 7 64-bit now? If you base your decision on the following, you can’t go wrong:

  • Consider your current needs and circumstances.
  • Consider the positives and negatives of both 32-bit and 64-bit.
  • Try to anticipate your needs over the next 3 to 4 years, so that you buy technology today that will help meet your needs in the future.

 

Disclaimer: This post is purely the professional opinion of Jackrabbit Microware and has been authorized by them to re-post on www.1ix.com/blog/ .Original post located at http://jackrabbit.com/blog/2011/07/should-your-small-business-be-using-windows-7-64bit/

Which Office 365 Plan is the Best for Small Businesses? (Hint: It’s not the “Small Business Plan”)

We recently finished our migration to the new Office 365 service from Microsoft, and we’re very, very excited to offer it to our clients. Very briefly, Office 365 is a cloud-based suite of services comprised of Exchange Online (for e-mail, calendaring, and tasks), SharePoint Online (for document sharing and collaboration), and Lync Online (for instant messaging, voice calls, and more). It’s a monthly subscription service, meaning that companies no longer need to pay for costly on-premise servers. Read my past post We Switched to Microsoft Exchange Online and Your Small Business Should, Too to see why we’re big advocates of Exchange Online, which is a huge part of Office 365.

Setup for Office 365 is simple and, minus a very short recent outage, the entire system has been extremely fast and stable. We have no qualms about migrating our clients to the new system, but a question that has already come up is, “Which Office 365 plan is right for my small business?”

P1: Office 365 for Professionals and Small Businesses

Microsoft offers a plan they call P1, which is specifically aimed at small businesses with 1 to 25 employees. It includes three main components, Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync, as well as Office Web Apps (the online versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint); all of it for only $6 per user/month. Sounds great right? Well, it’s not that simple. In order to keep the cost of this plan down in an effort to lure people away from the low-cost Google Apps, Microsoft excluded a number of features from the P1 plan that we think are deal breakers.

Two important limitations of the Office 365 P1 Plan

  1. No telephone technical support – This is the single biggest reason why the P1 “Small Business” plan is truly not a good fit for small businesses. Office 365 is extremely easy to deploy and manage as compared to on-premise Exchange or SharePoint, but it’s important to understand that because Office 365 exists on Microsoft’s remote servers, if a technical issue arises Microsoft is the only one who can fix it. And I would be lying if I said there won’t be an occasional technical issue. Whether it’s right at setup or 6 months down the road, I can guarantee that you will need Microsoft’s help at some point with Office 365. With the P1 plan, Microsoft only allows you access to an online forum where you can post questions—this is unacceptable for small businesses.
  2. No SSL with SharePoint– SSL (secure sockets layer) is the standard for ensuring security on the Internet. It’s what protects your credit card numbers from thieves when you buy online, and it verifies the authenticity of sites on the web that ask for your personal information.SSL is not available with the SharePoint site in the P1 plan, which means that any documents you upload and download to and from your site are not encrypted and can potentially be stolen while in transit. This is especially significant if your business plans to use SharePoint to store any sensitive client data, social security numbers, etc.

For more details, Brett Hill, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and Office 365 expert, goes in-depth about further limitations of the P1 plan in an article on his site:  http://www.office365answers.com/Office-365s-P1-Plan-What-you-must-know.aspx.

As small business technology consultants, we can’t overlook these shortcomings, and we simply can’t recommend the P1 plan to our clients.

A better Office 365 plan

Fortunately, in addition to the P1 plan, Microsoft offers 4 levels of Enterprise Plans (Plan E1-E4) that address these shortcomings. They are a bit more expensive, but in our view they’re well worth the extra cost per month. And they’re still quite affordable. The E1 Plan, for example, includes Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync and is still only $10 per user/month. Don’t forget that the purchase, installation, and continuing upkeep of a new on-premise Exchange server or a new SharePoint server for your office will easily reach into the thousands of dollars.

An important note: If your business is only interested in Exchange Online and you don’t need the whole Office 365 suite, it’s available à la carte for just $5 per user/month. And, yes, it includes phone support.

If you’re new to Office 365 and want to learn more about how it can help your small business, feel free to post questions or contact me directly. And be sure to look for future posts where I’ll go into depth about our experiences with Office 365.

The official Microsoft Office 365 website: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/what-is-office365.aspx.

 

Disclaimer: This post is purely the professional opinion of Jackrabbit Microware and has been authorized by them to re-post on www.1ix.com/blog/ . Original post located at http://jackrabbit.com/blog/2011/09/which-office-365-plan-is-the-best-for-small-businesses/