Benefits of Cloud Computing for Small Businesses

22 12 2012

Cloud Computing technology has had great advancements throughout the past years, and now plays an integral part of many start-up companies and small businesses. Cloud computing offers a secure, flexible, and cost efficient way to manage your personal or corporate documents and programs. Businesses now have the opportunity to get rid of their onsite servers, and rent a virtual space on a centralized server where they have access to software and data when and where they need it most. Large companies have been taking advantage of centralized management systems for years, and with the recent advances of cloud computing, small businesses can now utilize this technology as well.

Cloud services offer a secure way to manage your documents, and give businesses the ability to reduce their risk of losing important data or information. In many instances, small businesses keep the majority of their information stored on their in-house computer systems. This can be extremely risky, as irreplaceable information can be easily lost due to a computer virus, crash, or power failure. By locating the company files on a secure cloud server, they gain the added security measure of the provider’s firewalls and encryption. A cloud service is also more reliably in terms of data retention and server uptime when compared to basic in-house systems.

Cloud Computing

Cloud systems are a flexible alternative to in-house systems, and allow clients to access important information from anywhere, at any time. They are also given the ability to easily share this information, for example, giving their bookkeeper access to specific files that are hosted from the cloud.

Aside from security and flexibility, cloud computing offers small businesses a way to reduce costs, and ultimately increase profitability. The adoption of a cloud based system can help to reduce labour and capital costs which can be the difference between life and death for a start-up or small business. Labour costs are reduced by having less staff to manage and maintain local servers and software, and IT services will be covered by the cloud provider. Capital costs are reduced because there is no need for physical servers and other equipment required to maintain a dedicated local server. The typical monthly fee for a cloud service will be substantially less than the upfront costs required to set up a similar service in house.

There are many examples of a cloud based system, generally in the form of software as a service (SAAS) offerings. LedgerDocs is an offering like that, providing an online application built for bookkeepers, accountants and small businesses to store and collaborate on the accounting related documents more efficiently. Learn more about LedgerDocs features.


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Categories : Accounting, Cloud Computing, Technology

Social Media – Listen before you speak

19 10 2011

I read a great article in the Harvard Review the other day based on the changing environment of businesses in relation to how they use social media. The article was written by Brian Solis, and entitled “The Impending Flood of Customer Unlikes and Unfollows”. Brian based his article on a recent encounter he had with a Facebook representative trying to sell him on the ideas of taking a company online. The selling point was simple;

“Don’t over-think any of this…. Do four things every week; ask a question, run a poll, share links, and engage with your fans.”

This sounds simple right. Unfortunately it is not that simple, and this trend is becoming a norm with company’s who have not sufficiently researched their markets, and have not invested in the proper help needed to run a social media campaign. The article goes on to say that if businesses do not rethink their strategies, consumers will change it for them.

To finish, a social media strategy now plays an integral role in business. When designing a strategy, it is important to understand the target market, as well as their expectations towards the company. The needs of both sides should be taken into consideration, and the content being shared should be relevant to both parties. Lastly, depending on the individual circumstances of the company (and industry), a successful social media campaign is not about the content or the profile, but about understanding and delivering what customers want.

To learn more, visit Brian’s article here


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Categories : Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

Augmented Reality – Is this the future?

9 08 2011

What Is Augmented Reality?

Although Augmented Reality (AR) has been common practice for decades, it is only recently earning itself a reputation for being one of the most important and innovative advancements in the electronics industry. The basis of this technology allows for individuals to superimpose a graphic or audio bit from a computer screen onto a real time environment. These graphics or sounds are reliant on the user’s perspective, and are adjusted to every movement of the user’s eyes or head.

The most well-known example of AR technology can be seen in Football, where the broadcasters have the ability to superimpose a yellow line across the field to symbolize a first down line. Throughout the years, technology has advanced, and we have seen this simple yellow line evolve into a number of diverse creations. As you read further, you will gain an understanding as to how Augmented Reality works, and the role it is playing in today’s society.

How Does It Work?

As Augmented Reality is still in its infancy, the technology remains relatively simple. Generally relying on either a headset or video screen, AR uses a combination of cameras and GPS systems to help blur the line between the reality that the user is experiencing, and the content provided by technology.

As computers are becoming more powerful and cost efficient, we are seeing an abundance of new opportunities emerging to put this technology to use. In the future, we will see a heavy focus on Augmented Reality through a variety of industries and life styles. Although AR is still relatively new, there are some interesting prototypes that can influence this vision. Pioneer’s AR Navigation system was recently released, and contains some of the most advanced technology available in this field. Google has expanded their “Google Lab” into their android phones, and Layar has designed an interactive application that processes real-time surroundings and reports a variety of data. Let’s take a look at each of these applications, and how they are influencing the future of Augmented Reality.

AR Navigation

Pioneer Japan recently announced their new In-car Navigation system that is based on the combination of AR technology and GPS. This system is the first of its kind, and augments reality by identifying cars, traffic lights, streets, and other objects in the real world to help guide the driver through traffic. The navigation system consists of a 7 inch LCD display that is wirelessly hooked up to an small dash camera. With all the basics such as DVD, CD, USB, and SD readers, this is one of the most technologically advanced navigation system on the market. This device was released to the public on May 2011, for the price of $3700.


Google Goggles

Google released this technology based on their previous “Google Lab”, which allows users to upload an image to their website, and receive a variety of information regarding the image. Google Goggles is an experimental application that was designed specifically for Android phones (Google branded phones). The user opens the application, snaps a photo, and waits. Google processes the information present in the image, and returns a variety of information. This application eliminates the need to type on your phone, and allows for a variety of possible functions.

The most useful application of this technology is for exchanging business cards. When a business card is photographed, information such as the individual’s name, phone number, email, and business are directly imported into your android’s contact information. This is important, as it takes a mundane task that can take 1 – 2 minutes, and does it almost instantaneously.

As the technology is still young, Google Goggles has some weaknesses. It struggles to distinguish different varieties of vehicles, animals, and people. With this being said, Google is focusing on advancing this technology, and ultimately changing how we use our devices in the future.

Layar

Layar is similar to Google Goggles, as it processes real-time information and instantly reports feedback. Layar takes this technology to the next level, by displaying real-time digital data on top of the physical world surrounding the user. Layar is an application designed for smart phones that allow the user to point their camera anywhere in their surrounding, and receive information on top of the real world objects.  These layers range from real estate information, bars and restaurants, testimonials, and company information.

Layar has played a huge role in the advancement of Augmented Reality, and are going to be a leader in this industry. Recently, Layar has partnered with a number of big online names, including Twitter, Wikipedia, Yelp, Brightkite, and Trulia. With this strong foundation, Layar will be one of the most influential companies designing Augmented Reality applications.

The Future of Augmented Reality

As you can see, Augmented Reality has the capability of changing how we see the world. Imagine meeting someone for the first time, and having their information instantly displayed in front of you. As technology advances, there will be more and more opportunities to incorporate Augmented Reality into our daily lives. Today, we still have the basics; the yellow first down line that is superimposed onto the Football field; the navigation system that shows you exactly where you need to go, on a real-time screen; the ability to instantly upload an individual’s information via scanning their business card; the opportunity to display local restaurants through scanning the environment with your phone. Augmented Reality is changing the foundation of Marketing, eCommerce, and Business. Where will we be 10 years from now? We haven’t designed an App for that yet!


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Categories : Marketing, Technology


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