iPhone or Andriod?

As much discussed, there are IT issues with iPhone and Android deployments in the Enterprise. We’re comparing these two phones because unlike Blackberry devices, the iPhone and Android are consumer devices first. Blackberry has always courted the enterprise and today offers their Blackberry Enterprise Server for managing Blackberry devices in the Enterprise while iPhone and Android have entered the Enterprise, at least initially, through the backdoor as individual consumers brought in their personal devices to connect to corporate resources.

So, if you are IT and you’re being asked to make recommendations on which devices your users should use, you also need to figure out how to support them. Should you recommend iPhone? Android? And how to manage them once you have them?

Operating Systems and Software Distribution

Let’s start by comparing the two operating systems and the software distribution systems. iPhone OS is a closed system, but has a robust SDK, thousands of applications, and only two ways to get applications on the device: Through the iTunes App Store or through a distribution provisioning profile that allows signed applications to be installed on a device. Each application has to be installed at the endpoint individually; there is no way to push applications to devices. However because every app is subject to Apple’s approval process or your signed certificate, the iPhone has remained malware free.

Android is on the other hand is an open source OS, but with an equally strong SDK, and a growing list of developers and available applications that are easy to get on the device. There are multiple ways to get applications on the device, signed and unsigned, and as a result there have been reports of malware targeting Android devices. This has opened a market opportunity for 3rd parties to provide software management, anti-malware, and device management services targeted at Android.

Devices and Variety of Features

On the device side, to date there are a limited number of iPhone devices, which physically are almost identical. This makes support a little more straightforward, whereas Android, because of its good economics for device manufacturers (i.e. “free”), comes in a rapidly widening variety. You can get them with keyboard, keyboard-less, different screen sizes, feature sets, etc. This can be a challenge to support.

Networks and Carriers

Related to the variety of devices, Android is available, or soon will be on all major carriers. iPhone users must use AT&T, at least for now. For the multi-campus enterprise, a single provider may just not work for all potential users. And then, what happens when your user travels to another country?

What Next?

Blackberry has several OS5 devices out, Nokia is coming out with more Maemo/MeeGo devices, and Microsoft has previewed its Windows Mobile7 that will be out later this year. Recently, reports have come out showing that the velocity of Android entering the marketplace exceeds the initial surge of the iPhone. (Android outsold the iPhone in the first 74 days, or the time for the iPhone to hit the 1 million mark).

Android is clearly making in-roads into the enterprise (for recent data, look at the ” Mobile Worker Report “). Third parties, such as iPass, are planning to support Android. Apple is not about to willing cede any marketshare, so we anticipate new devices and new versions of their OS this year.

This is going to be a tremendous year for mobile devices, which means a busy year in corporate IT.

Hope this helps!

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please call or email me!

Sincerely,

Aaron Schlagel
President
S2 Consulting, Inc.
info@s2consulting.net
505-692-4953

Google Apps for Non-Profit

Google Apps is a cloud-based computing environment with collaboration technology that features several Web applications similar to the traditional desktop-based office suites, including: Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Talk and Sites.

What’s in it for nonprofits? Gmail: Includes email accounts on your organization’s domain. Best of all, you can access your email account anytime, anywhere, even if you are offline. Google also provides email migration tools so you do not have to worry about losing existing email. In addition, you can opt to use Gmail via an IMAP account and sync it to Outlook.

And yes! You can customize Gmail to fit the look and feel of your organization (logo and colors). Did I mention that you also have a 7+ GB inbox quota?

Google Calendar: Integrated into Gmail, calendars can be shared company-wide or with select co-workers. In addition, you can access your calendar on your iPhone or blackberry and even receive calendar notifications via text messages.

Google Docs: This is perhaps my favorite feature. It gives you the flexibility to create and access your documents from anywhere. You can say good bye to carrying USB drives or emailing attachments to yourself. With Google Docs all you need to have is access to the Internet to create and share a Word, PowerPoint or Excel document. And you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues between the different operating systems. Google Docs can be read by Macs, PCs and even Linux computers.

Google Talk: Also integrated into Gmail, Google allows you to share quick thoughts in real time. You can exchange quick chats right within Gmail. This feature is especially useful if you need to have a quick answer right away (e.g., you are on the phone and need more information from a co-worker). In addition, you can receive files in Google Talk. Forgot to bring that financial report to a meeting? No problem. Your co-workers can send it to you instantly via Google Talk.

Google Apps are packed with powerful spam filtering and customizable security features. The Google team has some of the world’s foremost experts in information, application and network security. Remember that even though Google Apps is free for nonprofits, big businesses, with highly sensitive corporate data, do pay for these services and they expect the system to be reliable and secure…and it is.

Advantages of Google Apps for Nonprofits

Free for nonprofits

Requires no hardware or software

Easy to administer and support (it needs minimal administration)

Reduces IT Costs by decreasing total cost of ownership

Empowers your employees with state of the art technology

24/7 customer support (via phone or email)

What to Do Next?

Find out if your nonprofit qualifies United States non-profit organization with under 3,000 users with current 501(c)(3) status and verified by 9-digit Employee ID Number
Complete the Sign-up form on the Google Apps webpage
Learn more about Google Apps for Nonprofits

Hope this helps!

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please call or email me!

Sincerely,

Aaron Schlagel
President
S2 Consulting, Inc.
info@s2consulting.net
505-692-4953

Use iPhone & Android Phones to Drive Business

This is a digital era, and the computers and other computing devices are virtually changing the world and the way in which we lead our lives in the present days. The Internet has completely taken our life and it is the wonder medium that is virtually connecting all in a way that the entire world comes closer as a single family. The Internet has opened vast opportunities for the promotion of business in a wide variety of ways. The mobile phones have expanded our business and personal horizons in wholly unexpected ways. The Apples iPhone and various Android smart phones have brought the whole world on to our Palms.

The smart phones of the present days are the constant companions wherever we go and use these wonder devices for a variety of useful chores in our daily lives. To enrich our user experience of these devices there are millions of iPhone Apps and Android apps that can be used for achieving many things. These iPhone apps and Android apps are becoming powerful marketing tools for the present day marketer penetrates the highly affluent and vibrant segment of our society. The days have come when the iPhone Apps and the Android apps are becoming effective alternatives to the desktop websites that have been designed for the conventional personal computer.

These iPhone apps are developed and marketed not only as an alternative to the websites but also as a tool for building your brand name and popularizing it among the elite group of smart phone users. Various mobile apps are making it possible to bring the business information of the companies into an app that becomes useful to the users as well as effectively communicating their business information and able to bring new customers to their businesses. The iPhone app development is being done by thousands of businesses with particular emphasis to build their brands online and making their businesses popular among the millions of iPhone users.

You must understand that there are certain things the iPhone app and Android app can accomplish that a website cannot. These mobile apps, are a great way to encourage word of mouth recommendations and salesmanship in a marketing scenario as they offer portability & mobility through which you can easily show anyone, anytime through the iPhone app and Android app what you’re interested in, or what you would like to share and to recommend to others in real-time. These are far better effective than emailing someone and waiting for a response. The mobile applications that are run in an iPhone and Android are very good for real-time interactions as instant messages; notifications and alerts can be sent to the iPhone easily. This makes possible the instant sending of marketing messages to the iPhone app and andriod app users directly.

Social networking is emerging as one of the best marketing platforms in the present days and the ability of the iPhone and smart phone for social media integrations are being used for best Android apps and iPhone apps that can easily target and get into the social media integrations giving enormous lift to your marketing efforts.

Hope this helps!

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please call or email me!

Sincerely,

Aaron Schlagel
President
S2 Consulting, Inc.
info@s2consulting.net
505-692-4953