ANTenna Blog -- November 2007 Archive

Cellphones Don't Kill. People Do

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:14 PM ET | Nov 30, 2007

A strange story about a South Korean construction worker being killed by his exploding cellphone battery has been cleared up. It seems he was killed by a coworker who then framed the cellphone for the murder.

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Mobile | Networking & Communications

Temp Workers Pose Large Security Challenge

Posted by Keith Ferrell 09:12 AM ET | Nov 30, 2007

Adding extra help for the holiday rush -- or any crunch-period -- requires taking extra time to seal any potential security holes. But according to Websense, many of you won't.

Work directly with Apple on hardware purchases…. and save money too

Posted by Alan Zeichick 07:13 PM ET | Nov 29, 2007

There are more ways to buy Apple hardware and software – and get technical help with configuring what you need – than going through the Apple Web site and retail stores, or by purchasing through resellers like Amazon.com (no sales tax!) or other merchants.

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More Power in Your Future?

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 06:21 AM ET | Nov 29, 2007

The number of Ethernet switches that small and medium businesses have deployed continues to increase, due in large part to growing acceptance of Gigabit Ethernet and the new Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) standard, according to a report from DellOro Group.

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Networking & Communications

Great Web sites and RSS feeds for business Mac owners

Posted by Alan Zeichick 08:11 PM ET | Nov 28, 2007

There are a lot of wonderful sources for information that can help you manage Macs in a business environment. Here are the ones that I monitor every day.

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Apple

bMighty bMobile Virtual Expo Set To Debut

Posted by Fredric Paul 03:11 PM ET | Nov 28, 2007

Next Tuesday, December 4, bMighty.com is venturing into the new arena of online events with the launch of bMighty bMobile, A Virtual Expo. It's the place to be -- right on your desktop!

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Mobile

Going Green the Google Way

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:48 PM ET | Nov 28, 2007

Google says it plans to invest "tens of millions on research and development and related investments in renewable energy." While it's a laudable move, there's no doubt that it's also a potentially cost saving venture as well. Maybe it's time for smaller businesses to start taking the "green" movement more seriously.

Comments(1)
Green Business

What Does Verizon's "Open Move" Mean For Smaller Companies?

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:34 PM ET | Nov 27, 2007

Verizon challenged the way America does wireless today when it announced that it plans to open its wireless network to third party mobile devices, software, and applications. If other carriers are forced to follow suit, what might that mean to small and midsize companies' mobility plans?

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Mobile

New TrustedSource Threat Portal Shows You Where The Bad Stuff Is

Posted by Keith Ferrell 03:53 PM ET | Nov 27, 2007

The latest update of Secure Computing's TrustedSource.org threat intelligence portal goes live today -- and provides a frightening look at the threat environment we live and work in.

Cyber Monday to Smaller Businesses: Get Online

Posted by Naomi Grossman 11:49 AM ET | Nov 27, 2007

Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving when online retailers offer shoppers deals, is becoming a real trend. At least The New York Times says so. Oh, and so do the shoppers who, by some estimates, bought nearly $700 million worth of stuff.

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Business & E-Business | Internet/Web | Sales/Marketing

Integrated Security Suites Attempt to Ease Management Chores

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 08:15 AM ET | Nov 27, 2007

Tired of trying to maintain and update a handful of different security products? Then security supplier Sophos offers you an alternative : the Sophos Security Suite Small Business Edition, one in a growing of integrated security suites.

Software Anti-Piracy Efforts Target Small Business

Posted by Fredric Paul 02:52 PM ET | Nov 26, 2007

Why are the big software companies going after small businesses for software piracy? Because they can!

Comments(2)
Company Size: 1-49 | Hardware & Software | Piracy | Security

Business Security Lessons From 60 Minutes

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:36 PM ET | Nov 25, 2007

Nice piece on information security on this week's 60 Minutes, with Lesley Stahl being walked through venues from wireless network vulnerabilities to stolen credit card number auctions.

Got Macs? Get Apple Developer Connection Select

Posted by Alan Zeichick 02:35 PM ET | Nov 21, 2007

One of the best investments I’ve made in Mac business technology is signing up for ADC Select. That’s Apple Developer Connection Select, a paid-for service that’s geared primarily towards software developers, but which provides tremendous value for any organization that’s deploying significant numbers of Macs.

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Apple

Squeak! It’s a Two-Button Mouse for Your Mac!

Posted by Alan Zeichick 12:29 PM ET | Nov 21, 2007

If you’re looking for the perfect holiday present for your business Macintosh users, buy each and every one a two-button mouse.

Comments(2)
Apple

Is Your Site Ready for the Holiday Rush?

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 07:08 AM ET | Nov 21, 2007

The Christmas season officially begins Friday, traditionally being the busiest day of the year for retailers. So as customers get ready to open up their wallets, the question becomes: Will your Web site withstand the dramatic surge in traffic?

Work From Anywhere -- Carefully

Posted by Naomi Grossman 04:23 PM ET | Nov 20, 2007

The ability to work anywhere, at anytime, is crucial for anyone involved in a smaller business. Until recently, though, working in airports or hotels was a hit or miss affair.

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Business & E-Business | Internet/Web | Mobile

Get A Human

Posted by Fredric Paul 10:04 PM ET | Nov 19, 2007

As the holidays approach, customer and tech support often become issues when we try to deal with all the new stuff arriving in our houses and businesses. Most large companies send you off to voice mail jail, doing their best to keep you from talking to an actual human being. Fortunately, you don't have to play along.

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Networking & Communications

Security Players Pick Top Threats You Should Be Worried About

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:05 AM ET | Nov 19, 2007

Next year's biggest security threats for small and midsize businesses? More of the same with differences, according to Symantec and McAfee's seers.

The Mac OS X 10.5.1 update has improved stability

Posted by Alan Zeichick 06:33 PM ET | Nov 16, 2007

I am delighted to report that after installing the initial Leopard update, both of our pilot Macs have back to their “normal” pre-Leopard stability.

Comments(1)
Apple

Email isn't Dead -- Even if the Teens Say So

Posted by Naomi Grossman 01:07 PM ET | Nov 16, 2007

Apparently, teens are abandoning email for more immediate forms of communication. That doesn't mean the working world will follow suit. But it does mean that there could be better ways to communicate to get the job done.

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Networking & Communications

Real Security Means Securing Every Point, Not Just Entry Points And End Points

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:55 AM ET | Nov 16, 2007

A good recent book about effective network defense, written by a Cisco security engineer, has plenty to say to anyone trying to defend a network, whatever its size, and, to a point, whatever hardware it rests upon.

Oracle OpenWorld Demonstrates Why Smaller Companies MUST Be Nimble

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:08 PM ET | Nov 15, 2007

Because if you go toe-to-toe with the big boys you're likely to get crushed. This point was driven home to me by the massive Oracle OpenWorld conference just around the corner from bMighty's office in San Francisco.

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Management

First Update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Is Out Already

Posted by Alan Zeichick 04:12 PM ET | Nov 15, 2007

I knew it was coming, but didn’t expect it to hit today: Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5.1, the first update to Leopard.

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Apple

The Last Roar of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger

Posted by Alan Zeichick 04:07 PM ET | Nov 15, 2007

Yesterday, Apple released an update to Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger.” If you are not yet running Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard,” you should consider installing Mac OS X 10.4.11.

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Hats Off to the Feds

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 05:13 AM ET | Nov 15, 2007

One of the deviants who spend their time writing software to wreak havoc with your company’s computers will be spending a long time, as many as 60 years, in jail, thanks to the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Be Prepared For a Wild Ride With the Unstable Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard

Posted by Alan Zeichick 08:16 PM ET | Nov 14, 2007

Over the past few days, I’ve upgraded two modern Macs up to the new Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard” operating system. On both, the new operating system has proven to be sufficiently unstable to affect productivity.

Comments(4)
Apple

Simple IT Strategy Better Than No IT Strategy

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:07 PM ET | Nov 14, 2007

For many resource-strapped small and midsize companies, IT "strategy" means determining which technology fire to put out next. We all know that's not really good enough, and fortunately buidling a strategic IT plan doesn't have to be that difficult.

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IT

Businesspeople Finding Emailing, Texting on iPhone a Challenge

Posted by Naomi Grossman 04:49 PM ET | Nov 14, 2007

The iPhone is entering the enterprise with a bang but new research indicates that business people have a harder time adapting to the mobile phone's keyboard.

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Apple | Mobile | Networking & Communications

Cisco Juggernaut Keeps Rolling Along

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 10:36 AM ET | Nov 14, 2007

Network equipment suppliers are taking drastic steps, including taking themselves private, in order to survive. Amidst all the devastation, market Behemoth Cisco just keeps rolling along, exceeding revenue expectations quarter after quarter.

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Company Size: 1,100-1,500 | Company Size: 1-49 | Company Size: 250-999 | Company Size: 50-249 | Networking & Communications

Surprise! Smaller Companies Are Cheap On Tech Spending

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:28 PM ET | Nov 13, 2007

In a stunning validation of the stereotype, a new survey shows that keeping a lid on spending is the top technology challenge facing businesses with under 1,000 employees.

Comments(1)

Next Year's Top Security Threats? Here's One Early Take

Posted by Keith Ferrell 02:14 PM ET | Nov 13, 2007

Too soon to start worrying about next year's threats? Not hardly -- and the prognostications are already starting to proliferate.

The 4-Hour Workweek: Feasible or Just Fashionable?

Posted by Naomi Grossman 09:43 AM ET | Nov 13, 2007

The tech industry's latest management craze -- Timothy Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek –- was not covered in the New York Times' Technology section but rather in its Fashion and Style section. Is it just a fad?

Comments(1)
Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software

Why Smaller Companies Make The Move To Unified Communications

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:21 PM ET | Nov 12, 2007

When Cisco announced new solutions in its Smart Business Communications Systems last week, I got a chance to query a Cisco exec about what prompts smaller companies to take the plunge into unified communications.

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Networking & Communications

What IBM's Cognos Buy Means For Smaller Companies

Posted by Fredric Paul 02:14 PM ET | Nov 12, 2007

IBM's long-rumored plans to acquire business intelligence vendor Cognos for $5 billion will put half of the consolidated BI tools market in the hands of IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, and SAP. Clearly, the days of buying business intelligence tools from an independent software vendor are drawing to an end.

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Hardware & Software

The iPhone as a Business Tool?

Posted by Naomi Grossman 09:44 AM ET | Nov 12, 2007

Whether IT managers like it or not, the iPhone is worming its way into the enterprise. According to new research from IDC, 70 percent of those polled who own, or plan to purchase an iPhone in the next year, consider it to be for both personal and business use.

Comments(1)
Apple | Business & E-Business | IT | Mobile

IT Jobs and the Economy: Strong at the Broken Places

Posted by Cora Nucci 11:55 AM ET | Nov 10, 2007

The IT job market and IT salaries remain strong despite the unsettled economic climate: oil at nearly $100 per barrel, inflation looming, and persistent uncertainty in the markets.

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HR | IT

Security Threats Keeping You Up Nights?

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:44 PM ET | Nov 9, 2007

Nice new approach to security survey questions: what threats cost you the most sleep? For government workers the answer includes bots, spyware and breaches.

Google Maps at the Gas Pump

Posted by Naomi Grossman 11:27 AM ET | Nov 8, 2007

Attention all small and midsize business road warriors: Stopping at the gas station for directions when you're lost somewhere will no longer be a humiliating experience involving convoluted instructions from an attendant. Google Maps is coming to your gas pump.

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Internet/Web | Mobile | Travel

Wait for Mac OS X 10.5.1 Before Deploying Leopard Throughout Your Business

Posted by Alan Zeichick 10:07 AM ET | Nov 8, 2007

Early reviews of Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard” have praised its new features, especially Time Machine. However, reports have surfaced about nasty bugs and minor design flaws.

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Apple

Hackers Now Preying on Your Sympathy

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 08:45 AM ET | Nov 8, 2007

When tragedy strikes, small and medium businesses as well as individuals often reach into their pockets and help. Unfortunately, that willingness to offer assistance to others in their time of need is turning them into fodder for hackers.

Top IT Salaries Revealed

Posted by Cora Nucci 11:49 AM ET | Nov 7, 2007

Datamation's 2008 IT Salary Guide reveals that IT salaries continue to rise due to a shortage of talent. Demand for IT pros is higher than it's been in five years, the guide to IT salaries reports.

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HR | IT | Management

Google's Android: What Does it Mean to IT?

Posted by Naomi Grossman 11:48 AM ET | Nov 7, 2007

Google's non-release of a phone, but rather of the promise of open software standards for mobile phones can either have IT managers quaking in their sneakers or dismissing the whole thing as a consumer device. Which is it?

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Hardware & Software | IT | Mobile | Open Source | Security

How Much Memory Should You Get For Your Mac?

Posted by Alan Zeichick 10:20 AM ET | Nov 7, 2007

The three biggest factors that affect a business Mac’s performance are the processor, memory and I/O subsystem. The first and last you don’t have much control over. The middle one – memory – you do.

Comments(1)
Apple

Meeting Miser Proves It: Time Is Money

Posted by Cora Nucci 10:42 AM ET | Nov 6, 2007

Meetings are known productivity killers, but how much productivity they push six feet under has not been easy to quantify. Until now.

Comments(1)
Business & E-Business | Finance/Accounting | Management

Microsoft's Free Enterprise Search Tool Targets Smaller Businesses

Posted by Naomi Grossman 09:50 AM ET | Nov 6, 2007

Microsoft is venturing deeper into enterprise search territory with its release of Search Server 2008 Express, a stand alone business search tool. A release candidate is available now as a free download.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Internet/Web

Security Training: Take This Job And Secure It!

Posted by Keith Ferrell 09:27 AM ET | Nov 6, 2007

Did you hear the one about the technology that was changing the way people do business? The one everybody wanted but nobody wanted to learn how to use safely?

Someone Please Pay Attention to Me -- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!!!

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 08:16 AM ET | Nov 6, 2007

As an illustration of how far the mighty have fallen, there was barely a blip on the radar when industry behemoth IBM unveiled the newest partner, Alcatel-Lucent, supporting its attempt to become a key supplier of unified communications solutions.

RIM Announces Blackberry Software for Small Businesses

Posted by Cora Nucci 04:21 PM ET | Nov 5, 2007

Smaller businesses are getting more attention than ever from vendors that used to steamroll by them on their way to enterprise customers with big bucks. The latest such vendor is Blackberry maker Research in Motion.

Comments(1)
Company Size: 1-49 | Hardware & Software | Mobile | Networking & Communications

Big Blue Security Lessons For Small And Midsized Businesses?

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:09 AM ET | Nov 5, 2007

IBM's planning on pumping a whopping (even for IBM) $1.5 billion into security research next year. Their target? You, me, our colleagues and employees.

BlackBerry Users are the Happiest Business People

Posted by Naomi Grossman 10:53 AM ET | Nov 5, 2007

A new survey indicates that business smartphone users are most satisfied with their BlackBerry handhelds. We don't call them CrackBerrys for nothing.

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Business & E-Business | Mobile | Travel

What to Test Before Deploying Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard

Posted by Alan Zeichick 08:01 AM ET | Nov 5, 2007

The latest incarnation of Apple’s desktop operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, looks to be a significant improvement over the already-excellent Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.

Comments(1)
Apple | Hardware & Software | IT

Open Source Apps Can Pave the Way

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:12 PM ET | Nov 2, 2007

Open source as your operating system may be too scary a prospect but are you at least taking advantage of open source applications? You should.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source

Coming Soon to Every Desktop Near You: Linux?

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:46 PM ET | Nov 1, 2007

"I believe Linux will become the de-facto standard desktop operating system," states former Linux Journal editor Nicholas Petreley. Oh yeah?

Comments(3)
Hardware & Software | IT | Linux

Competitors Turn Vonage into a Piñata

Posted by Paul Korzeniowski 08:17 AM ET | Nov 1, 2007

Singing a familiar Warren Zevon tune: “I’m down on my luck … Send lawyers, guns, and money”, Vonage had a tumultuous October, settling patent disputes with Verizon and Sprint for approximately $200 million, but now finding that AT&T’s hand is reaching into its pockets.

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