Google Drive joins the cloud sync storage fray

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:57:28 GMT

The highly anticipated Google Drive was finally released this week. Google Drive is a cloud based storage service that provides users drag-and-drop syncing for documents, videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and more. Often compared to a virtual USB flash drive on the Internet, cloud based storage provides users the ability to share files and folders with others across the Internet. Google Drive gets you started with 5GB of storage for free and additional storage for a fee. Files are synced to the service from your Windows, Macintosh, Android and soon to be released version for IOS devices. Documents can be shared between different devices or with other users.

The new Google Drive folds in all the files stored for those using Google Doc's. Google Doc's is Google's online cloud based suite of productivity applications and storage. Google has included some uniques features such as OCR and image recognition for none text documents. So if there is a picture of the Washington Monument in your Google Drive a search by that name for such image would find that picture amidst your other photographs. Google does offer these as new features and acknowledges they are working on refining the functionality.

Google Drive is not alone in this space and frankly is a little late to the game. Dropbox is the preferred service for personal cloud storage. It offers similar files syncing services between devices including Blackberries, but only provides 2GB of storage for free. Dropbox does provide developer support for access to these services and has the largest contigency of third-party apps.

SkyDrive, Microsoft's foray in this hunt, was upgraded this week and now provides the most free storage of any service with 7GB. As with the other services more storage can be purchased and offers the best value of all the upgrade options at 50GB for $25 a year. SkyDrive provides access for Windows, Macintosh, IOS and Android users to round-trip their personal and shared files between devices. Integration of Microsoft applications is beginning and makes it a strong use-case for cross platform Microsoft users.

iCloud is Apple's offering into the cloud storage space. Apple originally had the iDisk, which was one of the first cloud based storage services with a similar metaphor of drag-and-drop file storage and now appears to be sundowning that service for iCloud. For now, iCloud is for Apple IOS and Macintosh applications only and does not have the same easy to manage folder approach to other cloud storage services.

So which one to use? Obviously it depends on your needs and technology mix. Currently Dropbox users still have the most feature rich services with hooks into apps. So no need to abandoned it just yet and one can I only hope Dropbox increases their free storage amount shortly. But if you are new to cloud storage, you might enjoy SkyDrive or Google Dive depending on your preferred technology platform and storage demands.

There are several other companies offering similar services and with these latest announcements the competition will benefit consumers. We all should be hearing about additional free storage, enhanced features and access to existing applications coming soon.

Ease Technologies is an IT consulting and technology services firm that supports clients and markets seeking flexibility, creative talent and high reliability in a partner. Our expertise and current service offerings include IT Managed Services, Deployment Services, Software Development, Education Consulting, as well as IT Staffing. We have two decades of experience serving clients across a variety of industries and varying sizes from small businesses to large global organizations.

MSA and Cloud Computing Seminar

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:15:08 GMT

On Saturday, March 31, Ease led a Cloud Computing Seminar for members of the Maryland Society of Accountants. The event was held at the Linganore Winecellars in Mount Airy, Maryland. Attendees got a chance to hear from Matt Schmidt and Jason Shirdon about topics, issues and solutions facing small businesses regarding cloud computing. Other topics included a discussion of iPads, Android and other mobile devices.

The event included wine tasting, food and a tour of the Linganore Winecellars. A special thanks to Sandy Steinwedel and Maryland Society of Accountants for partnering with Ease for this event.

Ease Technologies is an IT consulting and technology services firm that supports clients and markets seeking flexibility, creative talent and high reliability in a partner. Our expertise and current service offerings include IT Managed Services, Deployment Services, Software Development, Education Consulting, as well as IT Staffing. We have two decades of experience serving clients across a variety of industries and varying sizes from small businesses to large global organizations.

Stunning display for the new iPad

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:50:43 GMT

The new iPad has been released and the Retina-display is a significant improvement over the previous iPad2. In addition to the upgraded display, there is faster graphics processor and a 5-megapixel (2592 by 1936 pixels) iSight camera.

This means that reading, gaming, conferencing and multimedia uses that were pretty good in the iPad2 are now visually striking and even more responsive in the new iPad. Apps need to be updated to take advantage of the higher resolution, but most of the popular apps have done so already or have updates underway.

The new iPad has updated mobile options to take advantage of newer 4G and LTE data capabilities. This provides faster network speeds on the data networks being rolled out by Verizon and AT&T.

I am pleased to see that Apple keeps battery life as a priority feature when engineering their tablets. Apple claims to offer the same battery life as in previous iPad models of up to 10 hours. As reported by MacRumors, to maintain this battery life a 70% larger battery has been incorporated into the new iPad.

Anyone considering an iPad or waiting for a significant upgrade, wait no further. Frankly, Apple has raised the bar a couple of notches against any competitors with this latest new iPad update.

Pricing and options can be found at the Apple Store.

Ease Technologies is an IT consulting and technology services firm that supports clients and markets seeking flexibility, creative talent and high reliability in a partner. Our expertise and current service offerings include IT Managed Services, Deployment Services, Software Development, Education Consulting, as well as IT Staffing. We have two decades of experience serving clients across a variety of industries and varying sizes from small businesses to large global organizations.

Wine Tasting and Cloud Computing

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:42:16 GMT

It seems like every tech company is now offer some form of cloud based service. These companies are now beginning to battle for "The Cloud."

CNET recently reported, "Microsoft is targeting a host of improvements for SkyDrive, potentially giving iCloud and similar services some healthy competition."

For members of the Maryland Society of Accountants (MSA), Ease will be providing a seminar discussing the challenges and answering questions regarding cloud computing.

MSA Members can take the afternoon off from taxes and enjoy the beautiful scenery while sipping a glass of award winning Maryland wine.

The festivities will begin at 1:00 pm with an hour of wine tasting and cheese tasting. At 2:00 pm, relax and enjoy a two hour CPE presentation on Cloud Computing by EASE Technologies. We will conclude with a tour of the Linganore Winery in Frederick, MD.

Join Ease Technologies and the MSA on Saturday, March 31st, while we discuss cloud computing at the Linganore Winery in Frederick, MD.

To register, call the MSA Office at 1-800-922-9672 or email: heather@msacct.org

Secure your Internet Passwords

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:14:22 GMT

Over the last year there have been several incidents of hackers gaining access to websites like Zappos, Sony's PlayStation Network and the CIA. In some cases millions of id's, credit card numbers and passwords were potentially compromised. Even with all the news about hackers getting access to these systems, the #1 most commonly used password across the Internet is still “12345678.”

Take some time to follow a few simple steps and help prevent hackers from gaining access to your personal data.

Be Complex
A combination of upper case, lower case, symbols and numbers. Most cyber experts suggest a minimum of eight characters passwords, but using fourteen characters or more is something they encourage. Lean towards random multi-words like bright rose if you must and turn them into something like bR!6hTR0$e. Better yet, think of even more random sequence of non-sensible characters.

Think Different
Don't use the same password across all the sites you access. It would be very troubling to have your Facebook account compromised, but foolish to give those same thugs access to you bank, email, and credit cards, too.

Get Help
Plenty of people still write down their passwords and hide them under a mouse pad, keyboard or worse post them on a monitor. Don't write them on a piece of paper! Use a program to keep track of all you passwords. AgileBits offers an application called 1Password that provides round-trip access to all your password data between your laptops, iPad’s, smartphones and other systems. It is a quick and easy way to securely store all your passwords while at the office, home or on the road.

Think Frequency
Just like you hear about you about testing your smoke alarms at regular intervals, take the time to schedule and change you passwords. Most security groups encourage that you change your passwords every 90 days.

Local Lockdown
Require login access on all your computers and mobile devices. There are plenty of stored passwords that are automatically held in your Internet browsers. Eliminate those compromises by enabling the auto-locking features that protect those devices after several minutes of inactivity.

While these steps don’t stop hackers from gaining access to companies holding your information, it does help protect a variety of security points that you control.

Ease Technologies is an IT consulting and technology services firm that supports clients and markets seeking flexibility, creative talent and high reliability in a partner. Our expertise and current service offerings include IT Managed Services, Deployment Services, Software Development, Education Consulting, as well as IT Staffing. We have two decades of experience serving clients across a variety of industries and varying sizes from small businesses to large global organizations.

FCC Announces Digital Textbook Initiative for Schools

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:56:10 GMT

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports on new plans by the FCC to accelerate the move to digital textbooks for schools. This five-year plan comes after Apple's announcement last month regarding the companies new digital publishing software iBooks 2 and iBooks Author. These new digital textbooks announcements are ideally suited for Apple iPad's and other tablets.

"FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced plans yesterday to get all U.S. students from kindergarten through the 12th grade using electronic titles within five years. The initiative, which doesn’t involve any additional U.S. government funding, is meant to speed adoption of e-textbooks. The U.S. spends $7 billion a year on textbooks, and digital versions are the exception, rather than the rule, Genachowski said.

Textbook publishers including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Pearson Plc and McGraw-Hill Cos. have been making the digital transition and offer a “vast array” of electronic textbooks, while many schools don’t have the devices needed to use them, Jay Diskey, executive director of the school division for the Washington-based Association of American Publishers, said in an interview."

The digital textbook initiative, while heading in the right direction, will only be successful as schools are able to make the necessary investments to existing networks, technical support services and training for teachers.

How to Recycle Your Tech Products

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:49:30 GMT

The dumping of tech equipment is widely known to be harmful to the environment with the many toxic metals and carcinogenic chemicals that have been identified to leach out into landfills. Now more states are banning the disposal of electronics into those landfills. Improper recycling exposes security risks with many of the phones, personal electronic devices and computers that all retain stored critical data. The proper planning of your electronic waste should not be overlooked.

Many companies already provide recycling options for individuals and businesses. You can start by checking with some companies that you already do business with every day. Dell, Apple, Office Depot, Stables, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T all offer some sort of recycle program for old equipment. The downside to most of these companies is they often only handle their old products and at the same time you are purchasing new equipment.

Best Buy has gone a little further with the Best Buy Trade-in Store. They offer, “That no matter where you bought it, they will recycle it.” There are some limitations; they will take your old CRT monitors, weather stations, but not your hard drives or waffle makers. Check their site out for the complete list before heading out the door with that old 8-track tape player because that is a no-go as well. With the devices they do take they can properly recycle that e-waste and potentially provide a gift card for certain equipment.

An online alternative is Gazelle, which provides a fast and straightforward way to sell back and recycle your old tech products. They claim to accept over 250,000 different devices. If you go online and search for your old tech products Gazelle will indicate the value and also provide steps in mailing that item back. They will even send you a box. If there is no value, they will assist you by still handling the recycling of many old devices. They are probably a good fit if you have some more current technology that still has some value for you to receive some cash.

E-Structors of Elkridge, Maryland, specializes in secure media disposal and electronics recycling for businesses in the region and across the county. E-Structors hard drive destructions services meets the information security requirements for HIPPA, SOX, FACTA, CERCLA, and RCRA. They offer a variety of ways on or off premise to securely remove and dispose of out of date technology. Their enhanced security hard driving shredding creates pieces no larger than 1.5" of your hard drive that is then sent off to the next step in recycling. The resulting materials of steel, glass, plastic and precious metals are then separated into processing for proper recycling.

It can be one cell phone or thousands of old PC's there are many easy, secure options to tackle much of your old equipment. Remember to remove your data before recycling.

As part of our Managed Services, Ease Technologies facilities the best ways to help our customers dispose of their old e-waste, too. Contact us today to learn more.

Mobile Support Starts With Updated IT Policies

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:41:50 GMT

A majority of employees are now connecting personal mobile devices to corporate networks. A significant number of departments are striking forward with their own initiatives that include these devices, as well. Trends show that organizations are rapidly adapting projects for iPad’s and other tablets. Findings from the recent CIO Insight survey 2011 Emerging Technology Adoption Trends Study, suggest 9 out of 10 in organizations are in some stage of adopting tablets for employee use. The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and new internal projects suggest there is host of new challenges that should be dealt with proactively.

The best mobile support starts with an updated IT policy that recognizes the position for corporate and personal mobile devices. Keep in mind that a policy needs to include consideration for what is acceptable and what is unacceptable with tablets and smartphones. This may mean simply revisiting and updating your current IT use policy or establishing a separate policy for mobile workers.

Communicate with other departments to find out what issues already may being problematic for the organization. For example, reach out to Human Resources and your General Counsel to find out what new challenges have arisen recently with disciplinary and termination issues. Check in with Finance to understand the current expense policies, as they may vary by department. Many organizations need to follow very specific laws such as HIPAA, SOX and others.

Create a mobile policy that directs employees to protect confidential company assets including intellectual, data, and communications. Better define that information with examples that are pertinent to your business: social security numbers, healthcare records, payroll, bank documents, or customer data.

Explain not only what kind of information is relevant, but share what types of issues end users need to be wary of including: virus, theft, electronic invasion and loss.

It also needs to be clear if the organization will or will not be backing up or managing the data on these devices. Some organizations may need to be transparent about GPS tracking and access to that data that resides on these devices. Specific text may need to cover camera phone use, texting will drive, and even harassment.

Ultimately there must be clear responsibility established by the organization for the end user in:
• Following all local, state and federal laws
• Securing devices with passwords
• Communication steps in case of loss or data compromise
• Be clear with personally devices that the individually is responsible for their use of the phone, SMS and data plans.

Provide a list of guidelines for use with wireless access points, mail, white-listed apps and cloud storage for all employees to follow. This may include an explanation of steps that would be taken if an employee is terminated. Each organization is different and the constraints of each policy will reflect that as well.

Apple talks iPhone 4s

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:38:42 GMT

Apple announced the much anticipated and highly rumored iPhone 4s today. At first glance the new iPhone 4S doesn't appear to be much different from the iPhone 4, but is a solid update. The standout features for the new phone offer a faster processor, improved camera, and enhanced voice command software.

Under the hood the iPhone 4s sports a new A5 dual-core processor, which is the same chip that is in the iPad2. This new processor to the iPhone provides about 7x faster graphics and 2x processor speed. The improved speed is critical for many of the new high-end features on the phone and will give it a much snappier response.

Many people enjoy the convenience of taking pictures and shooting video with their phones. The new eight-megapixel sensor is engineered to let users take higher quality photographs very quickly and in much lower light situations. The video recording is now at HD 1080p with real-time image stabilization. These changes give it technical parity with some competitors, but Apple's final fit and finish always makes it stand out in this space.

Battery life has always been a critical feature set for Apple when designing personal electronic devices. Even with the new technologies built in, phone users can expect eight hours of talk time and six hours of data usage on 3G networks. This capability is often passed over, but one of the reasons iPhone users are passionate about their iPhones.

The iPhone 4s has a revamped wireless antenna system to overcome issues that became evident with the iPhone 4 model's antenna. The antenna and chipsets inside intelligently operate to provide the best local service or while roaming throughout the world.

Apple also introduce Siri for the iPhone 4s, "an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking." This powerful voice command system will quickly provide you information from weather reports to stock market updates. What is unique with Siri is that it not only listens to your voice commands, but will perform tasks as well. It can set your iPhone alarm clock, schedule a meeting or provide directions. In addition to this assistant functionality there is built-in a natural language dictation for transcription capabilities.

The new iPhone 4s is not an earth-shattering announcement, but does provide a significant improvement over the current iPhone 4. The new iPhone keeps Apple as one of the leaders in the high-end smartphone market. If you have been waiting to upgrade your current iPhone or still just a little undecided, wait no further.

Apple is offering the new iPhone 4S in black and white models - 16GB for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for $399 shipping starting October 14, 2011.

Business Communication Plans Make a Difference

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:47:51 GMT

Recently, the northeast region of the US has experienced some highly unusual natural disasters including an earthquake, hurricane and tropical storm. Thousands of organizations have been flooded or left without power. Immediately after the earthquake, local cell phone coverage was lost for almost two hours. These natural disasters showed us just how vulnerable we could be in just a short period of time.

A clear plan of communication is critical for any organization for many situations. Power outages and floods can play havoc with any normal communications. What if the email is unusable? How about if you are evacuated out of your building and can't make cell phone calls? All of these are situations many organizations have faced recently.

Communication plans should very straightforward and directed from the executives of the organization. Every situation is different, just like every organization, so the plans should be clear and directed to teams for specific action. Email is certainly one of the easiest ways to reach a large audience and disseminate information quickly in the event of an emergency.

Back-up communication plans are critical for these types of situation as well. During the recent earthquake, SMS text messaging was one of the most reliable ways to communicate. Smartphones that had data services with social media sites like Twitter worked, too. Knowing this allowed many organizations to stay in touch with important contacts during these recent crises.

Other ideas include:

Set up a telephone call tree. Keep in mind that, USA Recently reported that, "More than one in four U.S. homes, or 26.6%, had only a wireless phone as of June 2010, up from 13.6% in 2007."

Some organizations could establish a private group on Facebook. This would offer an alternative portal and communication framework especially for small and medium businesses. Company updates could still be shared even if internal IT issues were problematic.

Again, use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook again as backup media to reach customers and partners.

Executives and managers should write and share a plan that includes:
• Scenarios likely for your region
• A printed list of internal contacts, e.g. employees
• A printed list of external points of contact, e.g. customers, vendors, and partners
• Test your plan with your company and be prepared to modify it on an annual basis

Timely and directed communication from your organization can provide much needed continuity during a crisis and speed up the recovery time as well.

How Good is Your Reserve Chute?

cbubeck@easetech.com (Chuck Bubeck) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:43:09 GMT

A skydiver – you carefully pack your own parachute to be extra safe before each jump. One day during a jump your main chute does not deploy when you pull the ripcord. Panic ensues. No problem, there is always the reserve chute ready to be put into action at times like this.

But what if the odds of it working were only around 50%?

Recent studies have shown a significant percent of data back-ups fail when attempted to be used after a data loss. For tape back-up, this failure rate can be as high as 70%. This can be due to improper back-up procedures or just data corruption that is left un-checked, hardware failure or user error. Nobody dies when a back-up fails, but if it is your data that is suddenly gone, it may feel the same as hurtling towards earth wearing an open backpack and holding a used rip cord in your hand.

Unlike hurricanes and earthquakes where early warning systems can now help minimize some loss, planning proactively for IT disasters can help stop them from having any real impact on your operations. A good disaster recovery plan can also help bring things totally back to where they were – something those other weather disasters never offer. Once a hurricane is heading your way, there is no stopping it or changing it's course. Don't let technology problems give you the same frustration.

Data loss strikes most computer users at some point and a surprising number have no back-up strategy in effect. For those that do, evidence shows a sizable number of those archive when called upon after a disaster, will fail. A proper back-up plan requires a well thought out strategy that takes in to account the amount of data being stored, the frequency of changes and the technical environment it resides within. Current back-up methods now include cloud-based storage, where data can be constantly copied to off-site hosts and retrieved as needed. This and other methods should be examined and implemented in your business operations before disaster strikes.

Just as you would not jump out of a perfectly good plane without a working parachute and reserve, learn about how to minimize your technology risks back here on ground.

Contact us to learn more about protecting yourself from technology disasters and making sure your reserve chute really works.

The Hidden Costs of IT

cbubeck@easetech.com (Chuck Bubeck) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:03:09 GMT

One of the easiest items to overlook when budgeting and evaluating costs, is the hidden financial impact of maintaining and using office technology. For many small businesses, the price of admission for technology is assumed to end after un-boxing new computers and peripherals.

If only it was that simple.

Easily overlooked are many of the seemingly minor costs that can slip by over time but add up quickly. Much of the gain from using technology is assumed from increased productivity, but therein lays a potential negative effect. For every hour of time saving technology can provide, it can be robbed by lost time fixing and supporting issues that will inevitably occur when least expected. Much of this lost time can be under the radar and not counted when evaluating costs – sitting on hold with an internet provider, researching an email issue or diagnosing a printing problem all cost time and money. Every small business resource is essentially a billable one – whether directly or indirectly, and when that time is spent on computer problems or googling for answers, that is lost revenue.

Also often missed when totaling up your true IT costs is the real toll of computer downtime. When email is inaccessible or critical back-up files are missing or corrupt, productivity gains promised by technology are easily erased, often without being noticed right away. Other cost items critical to maintaining technology also can add up – exponentially so when not properly implemented. Virus protection, spam protection, firewall and back–up software, etc. all need to be purchased and more importantly, regularly updated to ensure they perform as expected. System software updates need to be evaluated regularly and if applicable for your environment, installed and tested. These expenses are not just one-time costs and need to be monitored and updated on a regular basis by those familiar with their operation.

A good Managed Services program can help expose these hidden costs and help reduce them through a proactive approach to IT support. By using a fixed-cost model, annual IT costs can be understood and planned for up front and locked in regardless of issues down the road that may occur. By also shifting the burden of problem prevention, identification and resolution to your provider, valuable time can be spent on your business instead of lost chasing down problems or waiting for things to work as expected. A proactive approach to IT support by an experienced provider also lowers costs and increases the availability of office technology. Spending time ensuring a potential problem is avoided up front is infinitely less costly than fixing it after it has already happened – especially when you pay for neither as part of a Managed Services plan.

When you total up your IT costs, make sure you look at all the costs, not just initial computer purchase receipts. You may be surprised and also find your small business is a candidate for a support model which maximizes the productivity you thought technology would give you, but with a cost you know up front and can live with.

Time to Hunker Down or Move Forward?

cbubeck@easetech.com (Chuck Bubeck) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:33:28 GMT

With uncertain economic times comes increasing stress on critical decisions regarding hiring, expanding and investing in your business. Even if your business is not experiencing the financial doom and gloom that seems to be the prevalent media storyline, hesitation and second guessing are all the rage. As large corporations hold off on hiring while simultaneously watching their cash reserves grow, smaller businesses try and find parallels in their operations and results. It may not be the same.

Larger organizations have found ways to maximize the output of its stalled workforce numbers by shifting responsibilities , expanding job roles while also holding or trimming salary levels. In smaller businesses, this is much more difficult to accomplish, with less resources to split up the work and an already broad employee job responsibility scope. So where do things like technology fit in and how can a down economy provide advantages for small business?

Technology is both an equalizer and a double-edge sword in today's business operations – both large and small. It can help expand into new markets, increase communications and save valuable time. It can also cause frustration, unexpected and variable costs, and comes with mounting security issues and the real potential loss of key business data. Large organizations long ago saw the benefit of Managed Services – the use of an outside organization to handle the care and feeding of technology so workers can focus on using these invaluable tools. These services have now evolved to smaller operations and can provide a fixed-cost management of your technology investments. In most cases, these fixed monthly costs can be significantly less than hiring a technical resource or trying to use valuable billable time struggling with computer problems.

Now is the time to examine your real costs managing your office technology and re-evaluate how you function with these invaluable business productivity tools. This means adding up the time you spend chasing down vendors, waiting on hold and missing important emails and business data while doing your day job. This may be the perfect time to go after new business, expand operations and increase your presence while larger competitors hold back and remain dormant. Make sure your technology is able to keep up with your plans and that you know your IT costs today and tomorrow, no matter what crises may happen.

Forget hunkering down, just work smarter.

iPad Security Basics

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:22:04 GMT

Mobile computing devices like the iPad afford users great flexibility and access to information while on the road. Having a little security savviness about your iPad is an important part of the trip.

• Safe Wi-Fi Access is a good way to start by keeping you iPad safe and secure, use only known wi-fi access points. This means avoid using free wi-fi access that are convenient. The allure of cheap free internet access is one way the bad guys use to trick unwary users. Using trusted wi-fi at places like Starbucks or MacDonald's is the way to go. If you are uncertain just use your prepaid 3GS data service.

The Best iPad Business Apps

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:16:54 GMT

It has recently been calculated that there are over 100,000 native apps for the iPad. For those business users who want more than Angry Birds on their iPads here are a few of the most popular apps that provide the best productivity.

Dropbox - Dropbox lets you easily store your documents and photos between all your computers. This free service will automatically save files and let you quickly access them between devices.

Green Small Business Tips

dkile@easetech.com (Dave Kile) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:50:21 GMT

On Earth Day in April 2011 the EPA announced the urgency for all consumers and businesses to conserve energy and find new ways Go Green! Most organizations have their recycling boxes already set-up in their mail room. That is a good start. Here are a four tips that are not only responsible, but help you save some money along the way.

Remove your dedicated fax machines and start using efaxing. By making this switch you can shut off your old POTS phone line and enjoy the convenience of faxes coming right into your email. The savings can be about $600 a year.