Computerware Blog

You’ve heard of 3G and 4G technology for your mobile devices, but have you ever stopped to consider what these phrases actually mean? Since the world is on the cusp of a 5G introduction, it’s time to take a look at what these wireless technologies do, and how 5G can further expand on its formula.

Every business owner has a lot of work on their plate that can make organizing vast amounts of information difficult. Thankfully, there are software solutions out there that can be incredible assets for the business owner. Evernote is one such application. It is designed to help your business focus on completing tasks and communicating effectively. Some of the main uses that it has for business-class use is for connecting teams through a unified platform and gathering information for later review. Of course, the main purpose of Evernote is to provide a comprehensive platform for note taking and organizing notes.

Once you’ve experienced the freedom of using a wireless device, it’s hard to go back to being tied down to your desk. How nice would it be to have your office be completely wireless? In years past, this was a dream or something out of science fiction. Now, however, the all-wireless office is quite possible.

Granted, converting your office (which is likely already utilizing Wi-Fi and various wireless devices) to an all-wireless workplace may not be easy. Although, for organizations wishing to make the wireless leap, investing in wireless technologies will prove worth it.

This claim is proven true in a recent study by Cisco via their “Connected Workspace” project. In order to test out the cost-effectiveness of operating a wireless office, Cisco removed allocated desks and offices in favor of hot-desks and meeting spaces that support mobile devices. ITProPortal reports on the project’s bottom line: “The result has been a 30 percent reduction in floor space per person, increased productivity and a saving of $2.5k saving per employee per year.”

For companies with a large office building and large workforce, just do the math. Numbers like this should be tantalizing in regards to what’s possible for your own office.

Of course, transitioning to an all-wireless office isn’t going to happen overnight just because you decreed it. A decision to go wireless needs to be accompanied by a well-thought-out plan that takes into consideration the networking needs of your business (both current and future), security protocols, hardware needs, and more. If you’re serious about transitioning to a wireless office, we recommend starting out by thinking through these four wireless networking challenges.

• The management of your network: Don’t think for a moment that the conveniences of going wireless means that you can take it easy in regards to managing your network. You will still need a comprehensive networking plan, which must include protecting your data from the unique threats posed by having more access points.
• Deploying resource-heavy solutions that use voice and video: Consider the major bandwidth drain your network would experience if every employee used their mobile device to participate in a single video conference. While this scenario is unlikely, it just goes to show that your wireless network needs to be strong enough to handle high demanding tasks such as this during peak hours, lest you experience bottlenecking issues and dreaded downtime.
• Higher user density from having multiple employees with multiple devices gathered in one spot: You’ll also want to account for physical meetings. If your workers are all gathered in one spot and each person is making use of their mobile device, then this kind of demand may cause lag if such a spot isn’t accounted for by placing strong Wi-Fi routers nearby.
• Meeting high user expectations: When implementing a wireless network, you’ll want to avoid spotty coverage and have wireless signal available at every conceivable spot, like the parking lot and even the bathrooms (gross, but true). For the most part, end users have high expectations when it comes to accessing a wireless network. If you make the announcement that you're now an all-wireless office and your team is experiencing connectivity issues while in the break room, you’ll be sure to hear about it ad nauseum.

For most businesses, instead of completely upgrading to wireless technology in one big move, a more prudent approach would be to gradually go wireless as you upgrade your network, piece-by-piece. For example, when it’s time for a hardware refresh, migrate your data to the cloud and replace older workstations with mobile devices.

Whether your office goes wireless as soon as possible, or over the course of the next few years, the fact remains that the future of the modern office is wireless and your business will benefit by taking advantage of this trend sooner rather than later. For assistance implementing wireless technology or overseeing any of your company’s networking needs (wireless and/or wired), be sure to seek out the help of the IT pros by calling (703) 821-8200 today.

If your organization hasn’t already realized that mobile devices have changed the landscape of the business environment, take a look at each and every one of your workers. How many of them utilize a smartphone or mobile device for work purposes? How do businesses handle an influx of network activity from mobile devices? How do these devices access this information? These are all questions you should be prepared to ask when considering mobile devices in the workplace.

There’s no question that mobile devices have changed the way society works on a fundamental level. It’s hard to imagine even leaving the house without your trusty smartphone by your side. The iPhone was once advertised as “life in your pocket,” and this phrase has proven to be entirely too true. Eight years following the introduction of these devices, businesses have grown reliant on this type of mobile technology to stay relevant in their chosen industry.

How much time do you waste on your mobile phone’s applications on a regular basis? With so much entertainment and social media at your fingertips, it can be tempting to just forget about work for a bit and zone out to Candy Crush. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of employees have this mindset. The Nielsen Company made some shocking discoveries about how much time is wasted on mobile applications each month, and the results are disturbing.

If you’re a heavy tech user, then eventually, your photos, apps, and videos will take up all the space on your mobile device’s hard drive, making it impossible to add anything new. Plus, Murphy’s Law states that this will happen at the worst possible time, like while you’re recording your kid’s recital. Follow these four tips and don’t get stuck with a lack of space.

Some businesses embrace Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies in the workplace, while others aren’t so sure. If you think that employers are the only ones worried about BYOD policies, you might be surprised to learn that employees are just as concerned about it as their employers. Of course, their reasons are entirely different, but are still valid reasons to be on edge.

It seems as if you can't go anywhere on the Internet without encountering some security violation, and there's a lot of discussion concerning how to keep your data safe. Undoubtedly, mobile devices will surely arise in the debate. Without a doubt, mobile devices are capable of vastly improving productivity while out of the office, but is this enough to offset the incredible amount of risk which comes with hopping from network to network?

For years, we have been watching the growing trend of mobile computing. All of us knew that one day mobile technology would overtake PC desktops, and 2014 looks to be the year when the scales finally and decisively tip in favor of mobile tech.

70 years ago, psychologist Abraham Maslow published his pyramid theory on human motivation called "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." At the top of the pyramid is self-actualization. Before this can be achieved, a person needs things like esteem, belonging, safety, and basics like food and water. Because people change, we feel that it's time to update Maslow's need pyramid and add a new layer: WiFi.

It's no secret that employees love working from home. In fact, in a recent survey, 25% of employees admitted that they would accept a reduction in salary for the opportunity to work from home. This statistic may sound odd, but it makes perfect sense when you understand how much money working from home saves both employees and employers alike.

Those paying attention to technology industry news may have noticed the current trend of declining PC sales. Any way you spin it, the latest statistics dealing with the PC market are not favorable toward the future of widespread desktop and laptop computer purchases. Let's take a look at some of the numbers and their implications for your business.