How Tablets Are Transforming Business Intelligence

I recently have been looking into purchasing a tablet and during my research for different ways tablets can increase business productivity I came across this article from TechCrunch on the various ways to monitor news. I like to keep an eye on the news daily and I am always interested in knowing what’s going on locally and globally. I got some really great ideas on news apps and how to simplify my daily news feeds.

By Mitch Lazar, TechCrunch

Staying on top of your game and understanding the competitive landscape is essential to winning in the modern business world. A huge component to staying ahead of the curve is keeping a close eye on competitors in your market, which entails maintaining a watchful eye on industry news. Some companies turn to expensive news monitoring services to keep track of their respective industry, but in reality there are more viable options. Emerging tablet news and information services like Flipboard, Pulse and others are proving an incredible companion to business and consulting executives in staying current with industry changes occurring around them.

Jeff Cavins, CEO of Fuzebox, recently wrote in Business Insider that the explosive uptake of tablet computers is fueling the growth of what he called the new “iPad economy.” Cavins said: “The iPad is shifting the way businesses function, changing how executives interact and transforming the economics of today’s business operations.”

The iPad economy is a growing reality across the globe, and businesses are turning to enterprise apps to help them succeed. Simple RSS readers are used to condense multiple streams of content from a variety of sources into single channels, granting users access to diverse content all in one place. Some applications have further simplified news aggregation by using innovative search technology that goes beyond the function of RSS readers to deliver richer streams of highly targeted information to business users – a critical asset to businesses large and small.

Better Search and Filtering Offers Essential Time Savings

Gesture Based Information Consumption Increases Efficiency

Bookmarking Makes for Easier Follow Up

Read More from TechCrunch Here

Editor’s note: Mitch Lazar is CEO of Taptu. He Founded CNN and Cartoon Network Mobile. He was a former journalist at CNN and one of the co-founders of CNN.com. Prior to joining Taptu, Mitch headed Yahoo! Mobile Europe.

zBoost Solves Weak Signal Problems in Homes, Offices, Conventions Centers, Hospitals and More

Businesses’ Rapid Increase of Mobile Data Usage Increases the Need for Strong Signal

New Orleans – Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com), a leading provider of commercial and consumer cell phone signal boosters, showcased today its zBoost line of consumer cell phone signal boosters including 4G, as well as new commercial cell phone signal booster kits for small businesses and commercial applications such as hospitals, factory floors, M2M, convention centers, museums, ATCO trailers, offices and high rises. Highlighted at CTIA Wireless in booth #4050 and CTIA Mobile Focus, the zBoost line provides consumers and businesses with a solution to the slow data and dropped calls caused by weak cell phone signal indoors.

“From homes and small offices that use the zBoost SOHO to installs of our Commercial Solutions Division Kits in convention centers and hospitals, we work closely with our dealers and installers to provide solutions to meet the needs of our customers,” said Michael Cummiskey of Wi-Ex. “In fact, just last week we worked with Spot On Networks to install zBoost signal boosters for the WIRED Business Conference: Disruptive By Design. The event organizers realized that the more than 400 thought-leaders in attendance would need (and expect), a reliable signal for their cell phones and tablets.”

Consumers and businesses rely on a strong cell phone signal for making calls, receiving and sending texts, checking email and ever increasing for their online multimedia applications such as gaming, downloading music, uploading pictures and streaming high-definition video at optimal quality and speed. A poor indoor cell phone signal results in millions of unhappy customers.

“As we continue to focus on developing solutions to meet the needs of today’s mobile society, zBoost is focused on two trends: the rapid increase in mobile data and the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets,” said Sharon Cuppett, vice-president of marketing at Wi-Ex. “Recent industry stats predict that more than half of the Internet’s traffic will come from mobile devices by 2016 and when combined with the staggering growth of smartphones and tablets, there is the potential for millions of unhappy mobile users as a result of slow data and dropped calls.”

The newest addition to the zBoost line, the zBoost 4G-V, provides consumers using Verizon LTE with an end to slow data and dropped calls allowing them to enjoy all of the benefits of their smartphones and other connected devices.

With the zBoost 4G, consumers using Verizon LTE can maximize their 4G devices. For larger spaces, zBoost offers the zBoost Commercial Solutions Division Kits System available for coverage areas up to 20,000 and 40,000 square feet. The kits include all of the components for a complete system solution whether for commercial environments or large residential applications and utilize the proven zBoost technology from Wi-Ex to improve cell phone voice and data signals.

Benefits:

● Increases indoor signal coverage-up

● Supports multiple users simultaneously

● Increases voice and data transmission

● Decreases dropped or missed calls

● Easy to set up

● No cradle or connections to your phone

● Extends phone battery life (uses less power when signal is stronger)

● Protects the carrier network using patented technology

zBoost Pro Line Provides Installers New Solution Kits to Boost Data and Voice

Las Vegas, NV-  January 09, 2012

Wi-Ex, a leading provider of consumer and commercial cell phone signal boosters, announced today the launch of the new zBoost Pro Line of cell phone signal booster kits for professional installers at Digital Experience at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The new line of kits includes the zBoost Pro, zBoost Pro Panel and zBoost Pro Plus. The Pro Line extends a Cell Zone™ for multiple users and all devices operating on 800 and 1900MHz frequency bands – except those using Nextel/ iDEN or 4G.

“Today’s mobile lifestyle requires a strong indoor cell phone signal for users to stay connected to work and family. The new zBoost Pro Line provides an affordable and uncomplicated solution designed to meet the needs of challenging indoor environments,” said Mike Cummiskey, vice president with Wi-Ex.    “Designed specifically for professional installers, our commercial solutions benefit multiple wireless device users by reducing dropped cell phone calls and increasing cellular data speeds on iPhones, DROIDS and other smartphones, as well as iPads, tablets and air cards. This can translate to attracting and keeping tenants, as well as increasing employee production.”

The Pro Line is designed for professional installation and sold only to professional installers. The zBoost Pro Line solutions increase cellular coverage inside buildings ranging in size from 5,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet.

•     zBoost Pro: Improves coverage up to 5000 square feet and includes zBoost amplifier base unit in ruggedized casing, power supply, high gain signal and broadcast antennas mounting hardware and coax cable.
•     zBoost Pro Panel: Improves coverage up to 8000 square feet in open spaces and includes zBoost amplifier base unit in ruggedized casing, power supply, high gain signal and broadcast antennas mounting hardware and coax cable.
•     zBoost Pro Plus: Increases indoor signal for two levels up to 15,000 square feet in open spaces. and includes zBoost amplifier base unit in ruggedized casing (3), power supply (3), high-gain signal (2) and broadcast antennas (2), attenuators and mounting hardware.

The zBoost line allows users to take full advantage of data, voice and Internet services on their DROID, iPhones, iPads, connected devices and smartphones. Key customer benefits include:

•     Decreases dropped or missed calls and increases data speeds
•     Increases voice and data transmission speed on cell phones, smartphones, wireless data cards and wireless alarm panels
•     Compatible with all US carriers and devices using 800 and 1900MHz (except Nextel/iDEN and 4G)
•     Extends phone battery life (uses less power when signal is stronger)
•     No cradle or connections to your phone
•     Maintains network integrity using patented technologies

 

About Wi-Ex
Wi-Ex (www.wi-ex.com), a leading provider of cell phone signal boosters, developed zBoost, the first consumer-priced signal booster that “extended cell zones” for the small office/home office cell phone market. Wi-Ex has expanded their “extending cell zone coverage” beyond consumers to corporate enterprises and large commercial applications. From M2M applications to large commercial complexes to the rising number of teleworkers, the zBoost line provides a business-centric solution for improving poor in-door cell phone coverage domestically and internationally. The zBoost product line works with most carriers in the US and abroad including AT&T, Sprint, Vodaphone, Verizon and T-Mobile. The award-winning zBoost home and office solutions help today’s connected consumers including iPhone, iPad, Android (DROID), BlackBerry, and smartphone users with dropped calls and slow data. They were awarded a 2007 and 2010 Consumer Electronics Association Innovations Honoree by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and a 2011 EXC!TE honoree. They also were selected as a finalist for the 2007 and 2009 CTIA Emerging Technologies (E-Tech) Award. As the leader, zBoost has more awards, more sales and more locations than all their competitors combined. Wi-Ex continues to develop innovative products to meet the demands of an increasingly wireless society by enhancing wireless signals.

What to Get the Geek Who Has Everything

By Kacey Patterson

If you’re like me, you are trying to shop for someone who just can’t seem to wait for holiday gift giving before buying the latest gadget. Last week, Thursday, December 1 to be exact, I got a phone call from my boyfriend from his newly upgraded phone, the Samsung SII Epic.  What’s wrong with that? That’s what I was planning on getting him for Christmas!

For myself and for anyone else whose early adopter trumped their gift giving ideas, I’ve compiled a list of gadget friendly and geek worthy gifts:

• HUBMAN USB PORT: $29.99

 

With four USB ports, the Hubman USB Port streamlines your digital life.

Hubman features:

-4 USB 2.0 hi-speed ports

-Connects to a USB port on your computer

-Compatible with all USB devices

-LED indicator shows port status

Available at: UncommonGoods.com

•  iCADE – iPad Arcade Cabinet: $69.99

How cool would it be to slide your iPad into a desktop-sized arcade cabinet and rock it old school with some Battlezone or Tempest?

Enter the iCADE iPad Arcade Cabinet! To use the iCade, gently slide the iPad into the cradle. The iCADE uses Bluetooth to connect to the iPad so there’s nothing else you need to do. You’re ready to “insert coin” and game on!

 

–          Beautifully retro-styled tabletop arcade cabinet for your otherwise useless iPad

–          iPad connects to the iCADE controls via Bluetooth

–          “Atari Greatest Hits” iPad App ready to go with the iCADE, including support for over 100 classic Atari games.

Available at: ThinkGeek.com

• Roll Up Travel Charger– $49

Portable charger minimizes cable clutter and maximizes style by placing multiple charging outlets on a single bar that rolls up into a slip-proof, polyurethane mat.

–   Compatible with iPhone® 3G, iPhone® 4, iPad® 1, iPad® 2, 1st to 5th generation iPods®, iPod nano®, iPod touch®

–  4 different connectors for various mobile devices (iPhone®, Mini USB, Micro USB, Samsung)

–  Can recharge all 4 devices simultaneously

Available At:  RestorationHardware.com

• Belkin Wireless Dual-Band Travel Router: $40

The Belkin Wireless Dual-Band Travel Router gives you a high speed WiFi connection that is perfect for hotel rooms and airports. So you don’t have to rely on wired Ethernet connections or slow bandwidth.

Available At: Belkin.com

 

 

• UP by Jawbone: $99.99

The new Jawbone UP tracks your physical activity, your sleep patterns and what you’ve been eating. It’s the perfect gift for someone who aspires to live a healthy lifestyle.

Available At: Jawbone.com

How to Use Tablets for Business

With desktops, laptops, netbooks and smartphones, do we really need another device to help us get our work done? Sure, tablets are nice to have on a long flight or road trip- the large screen for movies and multiple game apps like Angry Birds are good distraction but, why would you need a tablet for business purposes?

According to a survey by ChangeWave, 45% of tablets used for business are for sales support.  With software for presentations and sales apps, such as SalesForce.com, the light weight tablets are perfect for toting to meetings. With sales’ accessories like, Square, companies can even make sales transactions directly on their tablet. Square sends a free card reader that fits in your tablet or smart phone.

Other uses for tablets are as simple as note-taking. There is still a large group of professionals who take pleasure in crossing items off a to-do list. With apps like Evernote, you can now organize your to-dos in tidy folders. Another neat feature is you can set reminders and alarms to remind you of due dates.

Many companies are creatively implementing tablets into how they do business. Best Buy’s plans to use of tablets for salespeople on the floor. Mercedes-Benz announced last fall that it would distribute iPads to all of its 355 dealerships in the United States. Loan applications and other paperwork involved in the sales and leasing processes can now be completed by salespeople right next to customers on the sales floor. And, SAP AG has already deployed 3,500 Apple iPads as a way to provide executives with real-time access to vital business intelligence data. To read more, visit: 6 Ways Businesses are Using Tablets

Also, for more informationoin which tablet is best for your business needs, read Business Insider’s The 5 Best Tablets For Business

zBoost State of the Signal Survey Reveals More than 50 percent of Online Teleworkers Experience Cell Phone/Smartphone Service Problems

zBoost Puts an End to Dropped Calls and Slow Data for Teleworkers

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With summer in full swing and gas prices remaining high, more companies are providing employees the opportunity to telework. However, according to the annual zBoost State of the Signal Survey commissioned by Wi-Ex, a leading provider of consumer and commercial cell phone signal boosters, and conducted online by Harris Interactive from April 5-7, 2011, 55 percent of online teleworkers¹ who use a smartphone or cell phone for teleworking experience problems with their service while teleworking including poor signal, dead zones or dropped calls. The survey also found that almost 60 percent of online teleworkers who own a cell phone or smartphone said a cell phone or smartphone is extremely or very important to successfully teleworking.

“Teleworking is quickly becoming a necessity in today’s workplace. From transportation challenges with the high cost of gas and long commutes to added flexibility and work life balance, employees and companies are embracing teleworking, but without the right tools teleworking can become a frustrating experience”

“Teleworking is quickly becoming a necessity in today’s workplace. From transportation challenges with the high cost of gas and long commutes to added flexibility and work life balance, employees and companies are embracing teleworking, but without the right tools teleworking can become a frustrating experience,” said Sharon Cuppett, vice president of marketing of Wi-Ex. “No one can afford to miss or drop more than 50% of their business calls. It’s why so many of use cell phones for business in the first place, but they HAVE to work – that means they need a strong signal and in 50% of the cases, they need an indoor signal booster like zBoost.”

The zBoost line allows users to take full advantage of data, voice and Internet services on their iPhones, BlackBerry, DROID, connected devices, smartphones and other mobile phones including 3G high-speed data and video, instant messaging, pictures and more – at home, in their personal workspace or in a corporate office, both in the U.S. and abroad.

State of Teleworking

Cell phone and smartphone owners are helping lead the growth of teleworking. The zBoost State of the Signal Survey found that 34 percent of employed online cell phone and smartphone owners’ telework and 22 percent of those online teleworkers expect their time teleworking to increase in the next 12 months due to increase in gas prices, changes in the economy and more flexible work situations.

The zBoost State of the Signal Survey also found that nearly 80 percent (76 percent) of online teleworkers who own a smartphone or cell phone save time each week due to teleworking. However, the survey also found that 27 percent of employed online cell phone/smartphone owners strongly or somewhat agree that their work day has been extended by the use of their cell phone or smartphone for business use and 28 percent of employed online cell phone/smartphone owners sometimes read emails or websites when they can’t sleep.

Tablets Take on Teleworking

Tablets like the iPad and Android Zoom are quickly becoming a staple in today’s businesses. The zBoost State of the Signal Survey found that 28 percent of online teleworkers cite a tablet as at least somewhat important to successful teleworking.

The zBoost line of products improves signal strength for better voice and data transmission while maintaining the integrity of the carriers’ networks using patented technology. zBoost speed tests reveal that the zBoost line of cell phone signal boosters can increase data speeds by as much as 180 percent or almost three times as fast helping the growing number of tablet teleworkers with faster data speeds.

Technology Helps Spur Teleworking Revolution

As gas prices go up, commutes seem to get longer and companies are looking to cut cost, teleworking becomes a more viable option for both employers and employees.

A recent survey from Skype, Future of Workplaces, revealed around 62% of the companies surveyed already allows employees to work remotely. Of these companies, 34% of their workforce occasionally works remotely, and of that 34%, remote employees say they spend around 40% of their work hours at home.

As the walls of traditional cubicles are torn down, teleworkers are changing the use of formal communication with new technology.

“In large part, social networking, simple collaboration and sharing tools, cloud-based storage services and touch-based tablets have entered the workplace in a bottom-up way, meaning that individuals started using these technologies for personal reasons, then insisted on using them for work as well.”

So what does all this mean for seemingly office mainstays? Data shows that email and landline use, the dominant communication tools for the past two decades, will begin steadily declining with the overwhelming use of texting, mobile phones, social networks, video communications and instant messaging/chat.

How has technology affected your working habits or protocol? Do you think the use of social media and video conferencing decreases or increases workplace camaraderie?  And do you think the new technology is a necessary tool or trending distraction?

For Skype’s full report, visit Future of Workplaces.

http://livingworkplace.skype.com/assets/pdf/Future_of_Workplaces-GigaOmPRO.pdf