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Three quick tips for mobile security
May 21, 2014
Our tablets and smart phones go with us nearly everywhere — even to places many of us would prefer they didn’t (I’m looking at you, toilet-texters).
But although we treat mobile devices like extra limbs, I don’t know of any arms or legs that contain sensitive information about our identities, banking habits and current location.
Mobile threats range from app-based malware to adware and even ‘chargeware’ that costs you money without you realising it.
And, of course, there’s the age-old problem of leaving your phone in the pub after one too many pints.
Standard mobile security is pretty abysmal. So, what can you do to stay secure?
1. Know your permissions
When you open a new app on your smart phone, it may ask permission access other information or functions, like your contacts or location.
Don’t grant permissions without reading what the app is asking for. Instead, take time to get to know your permissions, then make educated decisions about what permissions you’re willing to grant.
A location-based application — like one that maps your runs — obviously needs to know your location. But does a drawing app?
Always ask yourself whether a permission request ties up with what the app is meant to do.
You can also check out the app’s reviews to decide whether to trust its creator. If they seem technologically adept, that’s a sign your data will be in good hands (or ones that aren’t malicious).
2. Don’t hack your device
Many smart phones come with restrictions put in place by your mobile service provider. For instance, you might only be able to install apps from an approved app store.
These restrictions can seem limiting, making it tempting to find ways to bypass them. But believe it or not, often those restrictions are in place for a reason.
They may relate to security holes or other vulnerabilities. You could expose these if you hack into your phone.
If you want to experiment, it’s better to do so on an old device. Keep your regular phone — and data — safe.
3. Reign in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
If you’re not using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, turn them off.
Keeping Wi-Fi on constantly can mean your phone connects to hotspots as you go, rather than using a secure mobile data connection.
That’s fine when you’re at work and you know the network. But it’s less secure when you’re using ‘Steve’s super-legit hotspot’ while you wait at a bus stop.
This isn’t an imagined threat. Recent research suggests rogue Wi-Fi networks are very much on the increase.
Even if Steve isn’t looking to steal your financial info, you have no way of knowing who else has access to his network.
The same goes for Bluetooth. Either turn it off when you’re not using it, or make sure the default settings don’t let other users connect to your device without permission.
For more information, read this mobile security guide guide from security experts Lookout.
Guest blog from Rosie Scott. Rosie is a content strategist at a digital marketing agency and avid blogger. You can find her at The New Craft Society www.thenewcraftsociety.com> or on twitter @RosieScott22.
Is technology damaging your health (and your business)?
May 13, 2014
This could be affecting your health.
Leading scientists warned today that we've become 'supremely arrogant' by failing to pay attention to our body clocks.
And guess what? Technology is part of the problem. The light from smart phones, tablets and computers tends to be in the part of the spectrum that disrupts the body clock.
Using these devices in the evening can delay the release of sleep-promoting hormones. That means you feel sleepy later and wake up feeling tired as a result.
Get more sleep, be more healthy
It would be easy to dismiss this as some Daily Mail-esque scare, except that reduced sleep has been convincingly linked to all kinds of health problems. Not getting adequate sleep could be a contributory factor in cancer, heart disease, obesity and other ailments.
There are less-serious consequences too, but these can be more disruptive to everyday life. For instance, who isn't less alert and more grumpy after a poor night's sleep?
If you find you're prone to making rash decisions or snapping at colleagues, is it because you were up late last night on your iPad?
The health risks of running a business
Many business owners work long days and answer emails at all hours. As a result, it's not hard to argue they might be particularly susceptible to tech-related sleep issues.
And even if it feels like you're getting things done by working long hours, you might be doing more harm than good. Some tech pundits argue that sleep deprivation leads to muddled thinking and poor decisions.
Throw in stress — which can also disrupt sleep — and you start to see how the working patterns you choose when running your company might affect both your future prosperity and your health.
Perhaps it's time we started turning technology off in the evenings.
Do you need to secure your smart phone?
November 04, 2013
If you own a smart phone, you’re carrying a powerful computer around in your pocket. And, like all computers, it’s a potential target for malware, online criminals and hackers.
Never given your smart phone security more than a passing thought? You’re not alone. Technology analysis firm Juniper Research has found more than 80% of company and personal smart phones will remain unprotected at the end of 2013.
Mobile risks are increasing
The report — Mobile security: BYOD, mCommerce, consumer and enterprise —found that security risks are on the rise due to an explosion of mobile malware over the last two years.
Cyber criminals are switching focus, targeting PCs less and mobile platforms more. These findings support Trend Micro data showing that that there are already more than a million different pieces of malware and high-risk apps for Android devices alone.
We’re more aware of mobile security
It’s not all doom and gloom though. The report identified that although adoption rates remain low, awareness that mobile security products exist is growing. So, if more of us know that there are tools to protect our smart phones, why aren’t we using them?
Well, perhaps the risks are less obvious than on our desktop computers. After all, have you, or anyone you know, been affected by malware on your smart phone? The dangers are growing, but aren’t yet high-profile enough to encourage mass adoption.
BYOD and security
The report claims that the low level of adoption of security software can be attributed to a number of factors, including the relatively low awareness about attacks on mobile devices and a widespread perception that the price of security products is excessive.
However, with BYOD (bring your own device) — where employees use their own mobile devices for work — becoming more common, it’s important that your business starts thinking about mobile security.
Using mobile security software may be a start, but really you need to step back, taking a broader look at how you use mobile devices and where the risks lie. Then you can create a mobile security plan to keep your data, your employees and your business safe.
What's next after tablet computers?
October 17, 2013
Sales of tablet computers have risen and analysts at IDC predict that the final quarter of 2014 will see their sales outnumber those of PCs.
That figure suggests the post-PC era is either looming quickly or already here. It also raises another question for anyone who likes looking ahead: what’s next?
The tech giants, Samsung and Google, appear to reckon that the next era is going to be about wearable tech. Samsung has just released its Galaxy Gear watch, while Google has Glass, a high-tech pair of glasses.
Give it another ten years or so, and — although we might not quite be cyborgs — there’s a good chance you’ll be sporting technology that knows a lot about you and where you are.
It’s all about context
The next generation of mobile devices will be both wearable and contextual.
Actually, contextual technology is already widely available. Google Now is a prime example. It displays information based on your location, search history, the time of day and so on.
In the future, Google Glass seems likely to provide the wearable aspect, incorporating contextual information into its user experience.
Glass will have to overcome a few social barriers to succeed, but if Google can manage that then we’ll see an explosion of services than utilise information from a user. With ubiquitous, wearable computing looming, the race has only just begun.
Are we heading for immortality?
The post-tablet era may not be hitting the mainstream yet, but the signs are pointing in a clear direction. It’s going to be all about the combination of wearable technology and contextual information.
Watching how the big players spend money and where they make early investments can give us a view of the way they expect the technology sector to go. It’s hard to know if they’re right or not, but would you bet against Google’s track record?
- Ok Glass, let’s revitalise the High Street
- What does 2013 hold for mobile computing?
- Are we using technology, or is it using us?
Shawn Hunt runs Satellite Broadband UK, delivering fast, reliable two-way satellite broadband services.
Apple iPhone 5s and 5c: what businesses need to know
September 18, 2013
In what has become a traditional September event, Apple last week announced the latest additions to its iPhone range.
If you're in the market for a new business mobile, here's our quick guide to the new iPhones:
- Apple has announced two new models. iPhone 5s is a significantly improved version of its popular iPhone 5. The new kid on the block is iPhone 5c, which is a tweaked version of the iPhone 5 in a new coloured case.
- Prices are going up slightly. To buy iPhone 5s outright will cost £549 — £709. iPhone 5c is cheaper, at £469 — £549, but it's hardly a low-cost option. If you get one on a mobile contract then it will cost you less up front.
- iPhone 5s gets some significant upgrades compared to the current iPhone 5. The camera is better and there's a fancy new 64-bit processor which should make it run much faster than previous iPhones.
- There's a new fingerprint sensor built into the home button of iPhone 5s. This will allow you to unlock the handset and authorise purchases from iTunes and the App Store using your thumbprint. (More on this in a forthcoming blog post.)
- When you buy a new iPhone, you'll now get Apple's Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps included. These apps are Apple's mobile equivalents to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel and could well make you more productive on the go.
- You'll also get Apple's redesigned iOS7. This is the latest version of the operating system that runs on your iPhone. It has a new 'flat' design and some nice features, like a tool called AirDrop that makes it easy to share files with other iPhones.
Should you buy a new iPhone?
It's been a while now since any new smart phone has offered much more than incremental improvements on earlier models. And it's a similar story with iPhone 5s and 5c. Sure, the fingerprint reader is neat and other improvements sound welcome.
However, if you already own a relatively recent iPhone (a 4s or 5) then there's no compelling argument here to upgrade, unless you've filled your current handset to capacity.
Owners of earlier iPhones will probably find they're getting a little long in the tooth by now. In that case, upgrading to one of the new models probably isn't a bad move.
Similarly, if you're considering buying your first iPhone then now is a good time, because it'll be a year or so before another improved model is announced.
In all cases, unless you're set on having a colourful iPhone or the price difference really matters, you'll be better off opting for the 5s over the 5c. It's much more powerful, has much better features and is likely to last you longer as a result.
Remember the competition
Don't let all the buzz around the new iPhones blind you to competing handsets. While Apple arguably offers the most integrated and simple user experience, other manufacturers offer smart phones that you might find more suitable — especially if you're not already tied into Apple's way of doing things.
CNET has a good comparison of how the iPhone 5s and 5c stack up against competing handsets from HTC and Samsung. Suffice to say, if Apple isn't your thing, there are plenty of powerful alternatives out there.
iPhone 5s will be available from Apple on 20 September. You can order iPhone 5c now. Learn more >>
What Glastonbury can teach us about smart phones
July 16, 2013
Glastonbury, earlier this year.
A couple of weeks ago I went to Glastonbury Festival. In recent years, one of the most notable changes there has been the explosion in people you see tapping away at their smart phones, posting photos to Facebook or filming video clips rather than actually watching the band on stage.
Of course, not everyone takes their smart phone to festivals. Many people switch to a basic handset, like this super-cheap Nokia.
Shorn of everything except call and text functions, these 'dumb phones' have batteries that last for days and days, yet still let you stay in touch in a festival environment.
Duplicate computing power
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And this all got me thinking: how many of us really need a smart phone in our professional lives?
I'm not saying for a moment that smart phones aren't useful. I refer to mine frequently - checking Twitter, firing off emails, finding the best public transport options and even occasionally making a call.
The thing is, many of us cart unneccesary computing power around with us. The £500 smart phone in your pocket is more powerful than the computer you were using for work a few years back.
If you work on the go, you almost certainly have a laptop in your bag too. That's another £500 - probably more, if you've chosen a super-portable model. And do you have an iPad? That's a smart phone, just bigger. Chalk up another £500.
That's a lot of money to have spent on different gadgets that can all be used for very similar things. Multiplied up across your business, you could be blowing serious cash on what almost amounts to duplicate hardware.
Why not get a dumb phone?
It's not just the money. If your 'dumb phone' gets lost or stolen, you don't have to worry that it might contain your entire customer database, or grant hackers access to your company servers.
And - as I mentioned before - if you're on a business trip, you don't have to find a power point every day to boost your juice.
Does it feel like you're paying twice for devices that do the same things? Would you consider switching to a 'dumb phone'?
What global mobile use means for your business
July 03, 2013
Next time you're on a train, stop and look around. Ten years ago, most people sitting nearby would have been reading books and newspapers.
But today, the most popular way to pass the time on public transport is to use a smart phone. Checking emails, reading tweets, playing games, checking the news ... we take smart phones for granted because they're so common these days.
But actually, those little glowing screens represent a big shift in how we use technology and consume information.
As we've said before, it's a trend you should take note of when you're creating a website or planning a new business. And now Lebara - which provides worldwide mobile phone access - has created this infographic to illustrate how the smart phone trend is playing out in different parts of the world.
It reveals that the world has gone mobile in a way nobody could have imagined just ten years ago. And some of the figures are surprising:
- Mobile use has grown everywhere, but in some places it's grown enormously. In Russia, growth was 3,205%. In India and Pakistan, growth was over 13,000%.
- The way people use mobiles varies considerably. For instance, 86% of people in the UK use SMS, compared to 58% of people in Germany.
- In most countries under 50% of people use their phones for social networking. So you can't assume that everyone with a phone is using it for Twitter and Facebook.
If you're planning to launch a mobile product or service, this overview highlights how important it is to do your research and understand how people in your target market actually use their mobile phones.
Here's the infographic - if it's hard to read then just click it to view the full-size version:
Infographic by Lebara.
View the full infographic >>
Bling-bling ... here's one iPhone you won't be buying for your staff
June 20, 2013
Although more and more companies are providing staff with iPads, iPhones and other mobile technology, gold plating company Goldgenie has announced a customised iPhone that'll smash even the most generous of equipment budgets.
The completely ridiculous Superstar Ice iPhone 5 is customised with 200 grams of solid 18-carat gold, making it look less like a phone and more like a prop from Bond film Goldfinger. (That's about where the parallels with James Bond end, mind you. We can't really see Daniel Craig using this abomination to place a call to Q.)
Oh, and the price? At £68,000, it's just a smidgen over the usual £699 retail price for a top-end iPhone 5. That does include a luxury cherry oak box, plus a certficate of authenticity, mind you.
There are a number of downsides to owning this fine customised gadget, of course. In addition to looking like a numpty every time you make a call, you'll find your iPhone 5 is noticeably heavier and more attractive to thieves.
No news on what all that gold does to signal strength, but encasing an antenna in metal is generally a good way to significantly reduce its effectiveness.
If gold isn't your thing, you can also get Goldgenie to cover an iPhone 5 with diamonds instead - or any other precious stone you require. Alternatively, this £3.99 cover from Amazon will accomplish much the same thing.
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Sponsored links: |
How one hour can critically damage your business
May 07, 2013
Do your staff understand the full risks involved if they lose their business smart phone or another mobile device that contains company data?
Quite possibly not, according to new research carried out on behalf of Kaspersky Lab. It found that over three-quarters of people working in European small and medium-sized businesses would wait more than an hour before telling the company about the theft or loss of a business-owned device.
An hour doesn't sound long, but if a company smart phone falls into the wrong hands, 60 minutes is time enough to do a whole lot of damage. Racking up call charges to premium rate or international numbers is the least of your worries. Being slow to report a stolen device could see your valuable company data being siphoned off.
Data that's easy to lose
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Customer and employee contact details, financial information, confidential emails, access to company Twitter and Facebook accounts ... these days a smart phone is as powerful as a computer, only harder to secure and easier to lose. You need to treat it with the same amount of care.
What's more, the research questioned IT managers too. 29% of them reckoned it would take a whole day for employees to tell them about a lost or stolen device.
Take more care
David Emm, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, has some good advice for companies that want to take better care of their mobile devices.
“The ever-growing abilities of mobile devices make our lives much easier," he confirms. "However, what we don’t always consider is the ease with which such tools can be stolen, leaving a wealth of business critical information in the hands of thieves."
"To a seasoned cybercriminal, it will take only a matter of minutes to bypass the four digit password protection used on most devices, especially smart phones. If your mobile device is lost or stolen, it is critical that the IT department is informed as fast as possible. They can then block access of this device to the corporate network and, in the best case, wipe all of its data.”
Of course, you can't remotely wipe a device unless you've put in place systems to let you do this. If you're a sole trader or run a very small company, it's probably enough to take steps to back up each individual device and install a remote wipe app. Read our advice here.
Larger businesses will want to look into mobile device management (MDM) solutions. MDM software gives you much greater visibility and control of the mobile devices in your business, so you can restrict how they're used, what's stored on them and - crucially - scrub them clean and lock them out of the company network.
Yes, you need to secure your smart phone too
February 07, 2013
Make sure you keep yours safe. (Image: Flickr user Johan Larsson.)
New smart phones have some strong security measures enabled out of the box. But did you know there are some simple steps you can take to make sure yours is secure?
Set a passcode
The simplest thing you can do protect your smart phone is to set a passcode. Once set, you will be required to enter the code to unlock and use your phone. The minor inconvenience of entering this each time will pay major dividends if your phone is ever lost or stolen.
A thief will be unable to access your phone without the passcode.
- With an iPhone, set your passcode by tapping: Settings > General > Passcode Lock
- On an Android phone, tap Settings > Security > Screen Lock
- If you use a Windows Phone, tap Settings -> Lock + wallpaper
Along the same lines, you should also make sure your phone is set to lock automatically when not in use. This means you won't have to remember to lock it yourself each time.
Keep your phone updated
Keeping your smart phone updated with the latest software is just as important as keeping your computer up to date.
Installing the latest updates helps you avoid any security problems that could affect your mobile operating system. For example, a security flaw in previous versions of Apple's iOS (which runs on every iPhone) could allow an attacker to bypass your lock screen.
You can search our website for details of security vulnerabilities affecting your particular model of phone.
Always be careful
All of the rules you've learned about being safe on your desktop computer apply when you're using your smart phone.
Be careful using public wireless connections, and particularly wary when the network doesn't require you to enter a password to connect. These connections are unencrypted, which means people can easily intercept your data.
Double-check the network you're connecting to is the one you think it is. Some attackers may try to steal your data by posing as a legitimate hotspot.
If you work with sensitive data a lot, consider a secure VPN connection for when you use public Wi-Fi. This should protect data even if you've connected to a dodgy network.
- Where to start with mobile security
- How to protect your phone from theft
- The business risks of smart phone apps
Giri Sreenivas is vice president of Mobile at security specialists Rapid7.
What does 2013 hold for mobile computing?
December 21, 2012
The next few months are going to be interesting for the world of mobile computing.
Take the smart phone market. Although Android-based phones have a 62.5% market share in the UK, it's Apple that makes most of the money. Some figures suggest the tech giant takes over 75% of the industry's total profits.
Dell shifts focus
It's all persuaded PC giant Dell to pull out of the smart phone business altogether. It thinks the best way to make an impact in the mobile computing world is to focus on Windows-based tablets.
It's a move that seems to make sense, as the firm's smart phones were generally overshadowed by manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and Apple.
Dell still makes a good proportion of the world's business computers though. If it can find a way to move those customers on to its tablets, maybe it could mount a challenge in 2013.
What about Microsoft?
Then there's Microsoft, of course, which hopes to have sown the seeds for its own mobile success in 2013.
Its latest operating system is Windows 8, and it's designed to provide a near-seamless computing experience across desktop and laptop computers, tablets and smart phones. If its Surface tablet can overcome some initial criticisms, it could make a splash.
What does all this mean for your business? Well, choosing a tablet isn't about to get easier. If anything, the raft of competing models will mean you have to spend a little longer figuring out which is right for you.
But at the same time, it's likely the increased competition will spark new ideas and innovation in the world of mobile computing. Flexible phones? Wearable computers? Watch this space...
Mobile commerce: what you need to know
December 12, 2012
Between summer 2011 and summer 2012, traffic to ecommerce sites from smart phones and tablets grew by up to 200%. Warren Knight, CEO and co-founder of social sharing and ecommerce platform Gloople, explains why mobile commerce is becoming more important every day.
Catering for mobile shoppers
I was recently with a new client who sells men's clothing. The first thing I helped them with was to understand their online customers through Google Analytics. To their surprise, not only had they seen a massive increase in mobile and tablet visitors and customers, but mobile customers were spending 10% more than other customers.
This is definitely not an anomaly. It's something I've seen time and time again. It's time to pay attention.
The big turnoff
The biggest turnoff for mobile shoppers is the difficult customer acquisition journey. This is the step by step process a website visitor goes through in order to purchase a product.
Some online stores lose sales because their website is either archaic or non-responsive, meaning that the journey of purchasing a product is intolerable. The result is that visitors leave the website without purchasing anything.
To solve this problem you can either build a responsive website design or create a mobile app.
Changing purchase habits
The way people purchase goods has changed since the days of going to a store and paying cash for it. Don’t get me wrong - in-store shopping is still leading in sales. However, most people will no longer drive hours to a shop just to find that what they want no longer exists.
There's been a big shift towards online shopping, and mobile commerce is the next logical progression. Indeed, eBay alone has 300 - 400 employees working on mobile solutions, with the company expecting to rack up mobile sales worth $10bn in 2012.
Mobile devices are becoming a central part of our lives and should be used as tools to help us shop and pay. With most mobile phones now coming with either 3G, 4G or the ability to connect via a wireless network, there is no excuse in avoiding the inevitable. Mobile commerce is the future.
The business risks of smart phone apps
November 12, 2012
Smart phone applications could pose a significant threat to your company’s IT system in terms of security, availability or mobile data costs if left unchecked.
In a worst-case scenario, valuable and sensitive data could be at risk if you allow employees to download and install apps at will to their personal and work devices.
Read the terms and conditions
While smart phone settings can vary from device to device, all potentially leave a company open to abuse. Every time you install an app, it's important to check what resources and data the app is requesting permission to use.
At some point, everyone has skipped through lengthy terms and conditions to save time. It's these terms and conditions which often explain what data the app will use and how it will use it - so not reading them could mean unwittingly giving an app control over sensitive data, or even the phone itself.
Although an app may appear to be a harmless game or a useful productivity tool, there is nothing to stop it from including code to send a text message, make a phone call or even read data stored on the phone and upload it to an external server.
Minimise app risks
To minimise these risks, your business and its employees should consider some simple steps:
- Only use apps from credible sources. Check the app's website to see who created it. Search online for the name to see if anyone else has reported problems with it.
- Ask if you really need each app. The fewer new apps you install, the lower the risk.
- Check the developer behind the app. Are they established and trustworthy? Do they have something to lose?
- Check what permissions the app is asking for. Are these what you'd expect? For instance, a collaboration tool might need access to the phone functions or the internet, but would a standalone game?
- If in doubt, say no to the download or modify the permissions (if you can) to only let it access the features you'd expect it to need.
- If you are unsure about anything, seek advice from someone who knows what it all means - such as your IT manager, your IT supplier or an expert.
How sure can you be that a company promoting an app has not included hidden features or a developer has not included some malicious code? Software vendors with a track record of delivering solutions to businesses generally have the development disciplines in place to protect you from these risks, so beware the unproven startup or one man band developer.
Smart phone apps are extremely attractive, but it’s important not to forget that under the veneer of simplicity, IT is extremely complex. Your systems can be manipulated by people who understand that complexity, if they are left unchecked.
- Mobile website or mobile app: what's the difference?
- Beginner's guide to building an app
- A mobile app to boost customer loyalty
Paul Ridden is Managing Director of Skillweb, a privately owned, UK based business that provides technology solutions designed to help organisations manage their mobile workforces and track the movement of their goods.
What we can all learn from Microsoft's new homepage
October 03, 2012
Over the years Microsoft's homepage has had many different designs. The software giant unveiled another recently, and it applies responsive web design, a relatively new technique that could be on the cusp of going mainstream.
A responsive website is one that automatically tailors its design and layout to fit whatever size screen it's being viewed on. Responsive web design came about because modern websites have to cater for people using a huge variety of screen sizes, from tiny phones to monster widescreen displays.
The best way to see what this means in practice is to visit Microsoft's homepage and watch how the layout changes as you resize your web browser window.
On the left is Microsoft's homepage in a full-screen window. On the right, how it looks on a narrower display:
Responsive web design has been championed by cutting edge web designers since 2010, but so far it's not been adopted by many big websites. This move by Microsoft could mark a turning point for the technique. Don't be surprised to see other big-name sites go the same way in the next six months.
Advocates of responsive web design say that as screen sizes continue to diversify, it's the only sensible way forward. Sure, you can create a mobile website that works fine on a small screen, but what about mobile phones with larger screens? What about tablet computers, which can have anything from a 6" screen to a 12" screen?
There's a message here for your business, particularly if you're looking to redesign your website. It's really important to think about how to cater for different devices (read why it matters here), and a responsive approach is a great way to do this.
It gives you more flexibility than creating a separate mobile website, because it will work on screens of all sizes. What's more, you don't have to worry about maintaining two different sites.
To learn more about responsive web design, there's a good introduction here. To see some real-world examples of responsive sites, check out Media Queries.
Does Samsung care about its older customers?
September 20, 2012
Over the last day or so a Samsung video has emerged that pokes fun at Apple and its customers.
It shows a bunch of people waiting in line outside a shop to buy a new mobile phone. To pass the time, they discuss the phone's exciting new features, like a connector that's 'all digital' and 'the coolest adaptors'.
The ad is clearly aimed at Apple, the tone is of friendly mockery, and it makes some good points. Many new iPhone features have been standard on Samsung phones for some time.
But around a minute in, one member of the queue reveals that - shock, horror! - he's not there to buy a phone himself. He's just saving a spot for his parents.
"Thanks for holding our spot," says his coffee-cup-clutching mum, while a bearded, grey-haired chap (dad, presumably) looks on with a benevolent smile.
The implication is clear: the iPhone is for oldsters. If you're hip, with it and under 30, a Samsung phone is way cooler.
Just a bit of lighthearted fun, or casual ageism? I can't quite decide, but in this day and age it seems patronising to suggest older people are behind the times with technology and have a tendency to make poor purchasing decisions.
We've mentioned before how research shows the stereotypical view of older computer users isn't very fair or accurate. Yet in the process of having a dig at its biggest rival, isn't Samsung needlessly reinforcing those stereotypes?
Watch the video here and decide for yourself:
Buying an Apple or Samsung phoneIf you want to buy a new phone without a contract, you can order iPhone 5 on the Apple website (from £529). Samsung's Galaxy SIII is available from online retailers like Simply Electronics and Misco (£400 - £500) For a phone on a new contract, both handsets are available from networks like Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone. |
What to expect from iPhone 5 ... and the phones that already deliver it
September 11, 2012
A queue outside a London Apple Store for iPhone 4. (Image: Eddie Shannon on Flickr.)
Unless one of the world's most valuable companies is trying to mislead us all, Wednesday will see Apple unveil iPhone 5. The latest in its line of smart phones, the shiny, desirable object will almost certainly prompt long queues at Apple stores and deliver a surge in sales. Shareholders must be rubbing their hands with glee.
Rumours abound about what new features iPhone 5 will have, and some of the less outlandish suggestions seem pretty much guaranteed. We look at three top feature rumours and ask whether they'll really make a difference to how your use your phone. We've also rounded up some phones which already offer them.
1. A bigger screen
Although smart phone screens have grown larger over the last couple of years, Apple has stuck with a 3.5" screen for its iPhone. Expect that to change for iPhone 5, which looks likely to offer a 4" screen that will be taller, yet no wider. It'll allow more space for apps, email, websites and maps, without making the phone harder to use one-handed.
Is it worth having?
Probably. A larger screen may appeal to existing iPhone users, and taller-but-not-wider proportions would keep the phone more pocket-sized and easy to work with one hand. However, big screens often mean reduced battery life, and can an extra half inch really make that much difference?
Other options
There are heaps of smart phones out there with bigger screens. But if you really want a phone with a large screen, why hold back? The Samsung Galaxy S3 has a huge 4.8" screen, which is certainly handy for viewing websites and documents. It costs around £450 to buy outright, or you can get it for £25 when you sign up for a £36 a month contract with T-Mobile.
2. A new connector
Apple's range of iPods and iPhones uses a long, thin connector for charging and transferring data. But to keep the phone as small as possible, it looks like the company will move to a smaller connector with iPhone 5. This will frustrate existing iPhone owners, who will - presumably - have to ditch all their accessories if they decide to upgrade.
Is it worth having?
No. Engineering benefits aside, any change to the connector will simply spell inconvenience for existing iPhone owners who are upgrading. It also means none of the super-cheap iPhone cables you can currently find online will work.
Other options
Apple seems to take pleasure in forcing its own standards onto things like connectors, yet there's a perfectly good universal connector out there. It's called Micro USB, and you'll find it on many other handsets including the Nokia Lumia 800. This mid-range Windows Mobile handset is available for free with a £30 a month Three Mobile contract, or for £300 outright.
3. A faster processor
Today's smart phones are super powerful. Pretty much whichever one you buy is likely to have more than enough oomph for web browsing, playing games and so on. I've had an iPhone 4S for months and it's still snappy with no sign of slowdown. However, many experts expect iPhone 5 to come with a quad-core processor, which should make the phone faster when you're running several apps.
Is it worth having?
At the moment, there's little benefit because few apps require all that processing power. Fast forward a year though, and you might be glad of the power - historically, the iPhone's new features have only been fully exploited over time.
Other options
There's no shortage of quad-core smart phones on the market at the moment. The HTC One X is a monstrously-powerful handset that's received excellent reviews. It's free with a £36 a month T-Mobile contract, or you can get it with no ties for £419.
Apple's box of tricks
The big unknown with any Apple launch is, of course, which of the more outlandish rumours are true. Could we see a phone with a built-in chip that allows you to pay for things, fingerprint recognition ... or something that nobody has guessed yet? Find out on Wednesday.
Amazon lights a fire in the tablet market
September 09, 2012
If you live under a rock or something (or, y'know, just don't spend your days obsessively reading technology news websites) then you might have missed the exciting news that Amazon made a big product announcement a few days ago.
The online giant's Kindle Fire tablet computer has been available in the US for quite some time now. Now the company has announced that two improved models are coming to the UK. On paper, they're a tasty proposition:
- The Kindle Fire, a £129 tablet with a 7" screen and 8GB or storage space (not masses, to be honest, but enough to be useful).
- The Kindle Fire HD, which costs from £159 and has a higher-resolution 7" screen, more power and more storage.
Neither of these will be available until 25 October, so it's very hard to say how much of a good buy they'll be until they're out there where we can test them. But they should really do something for the tablet market, posing a serious threat to Google's Nexus, another 7" tablet which gets good reviews and is available from PC World for under £200.
However, although all the attention has been directed at the Kindle Fire, I reckon it's a different Amazon product that's going to be a must-buy for many people.
The new model of its Kindle e-reader will be here on 12 September, and it looks good. Already the best-known e-reader out there, this Kindle is smaller and lighter than any previous models.
But it's the price that's the real eyecatcher. At just £69, it costs about the same as ten paperback books, putting it well into impulse buy territory if you read a lot or commute regularly.
The weight reduction means it might just be the best e-reader yet. The only downside I can see is that there's no 3G connectivity, which means you need to be connected to a wireless network to download books and content.
Whether for reading business bibles on the train or escaping into a novel when you need a break, I think the new Kindle will be making its way into the bags and briefcases of many business owners.
Getting your hands on a KindleThe new Kindle e-reader is released on Wednesday, and the two colour screen models will be available from 25 October. You can order all models now direct from Amazon. |
Friday Donut tip: protecting your phone from theft
July 27, 2012
Smart phones are portable and valuable, making them prime targets for theft. Some reports suggest that 20,000 mobile phones are lost or stolen in the UK every day. And with the Olympics expected to attract extra opportunistic thieves, now's not a bad time to give your smart phone security the once-over.
Quite apart from the cost of replacing a phone (Apple's top-of-the-range iPhone costs £700!), you need to think about the value of the data stored on it too. All those contact details, emails, files, photos ... could you afford to lose them? That's why this Friday, we have three crucial security tips every smart phone owner should follow:
1. Regularly back up your phone
Most smart phones come with software to copy data to your computer, creating a backup of everything on your phone in case it gets lost or stolen. iPhone users will be familiar with iTunes. Android handsets usually come with something similar, like Samsung's Kies software.
Be careful though - if you keep your phone and laptop in a bag which gets stolen, you could lose your backup too. Perhaps it's better to back the data up online. Again, most smart phones offer this option: Apple has iCloud, and MyBackup Pro is a good option for Android phones. If you use a BlackBerry, check out the BlackBerry Protect app.
2. Use keylock with auto-erase
Keylock is the first line of defence when a thief gets their hands on your phone. It prevents them from accessing any of the phone's functions without entering a PIN code or drawing a certain pattern on the screen.
Every smart phone offers a keylock and you should definitely use it. Many handsets also have an auto-erase option, which wipes everything from the phone if an incorrect PIN is entered too many times.
3. Track your phone from afar
Mobile apps can help you fight back against mobile phone thieves. GPS functions can pinpoint where a stolen phone is. And - as news stories show - the police are becoming increasingly switched on about how to use these tools to recover stolen property.
The best-known is Apple's Find my iPhone. But other platforms are catered for too. Windows Phone handsets have tracking functions built in. Android users can try Plan B, and BlackBerry Protect includes tracking functions too.
Some tracking tools let you remotely wipe the phone too, but the key is to install one now. Because once your phone's gone, it's too late to do anything about it!
Previous Friday tips:
- Be careful what you share
- Faster ways to select text in Microsoft Word
- Generate unique passwords for any website
Image: Flickr user JAK SIE MASZ.
Five simple apps to help your business keep good financial records
July 24, 2012
How not to look after your receipts (Image: Flickr user Carly & Art under Creative Commons.)
Maintaining financial records can be tricky for the smallest businesses, like sole traders and companies below the VAT threshold. There's a temptation to simply bumble through and hope you don't miss anything.
The inevitable result is that your tax return is painful. You spend about three days hunting for paperwork that hasn't been eaten. Then you sheepishly give your accountant a shoebox full of crumpled, illegible receipts and politely ask them to sort it all out.
It costs you in time, in accounting fees and in expenses you failed to claim back because you've lost the receipts or forgotten about them.
Do little and often
Like most things, keeping up with your accounts is easiest if you do it little and often. Don't wait till the end of the month to record all your expenses - do them every week, or every day.
And that's why it's interesting that, buried away on the HMRC website in the 'support for software developers' section (yep, I bet you've checked that page recently), is a handy list of five mobile apps designed to help smaller businesses keep good records.
Using a mobile app makes sense. You'll always have your phone with you, so it's a good tool for noting down expenses, payments and so on. You can even photograph receipts with your phone's camera.
Here are the five apps listed on the HMRC website that could make your record keeping a little easier. Most are from established accounting software firms, so if you already use accounting software it's probably a good idea to try the matching app first.
For iPhone and iPad:
- Intuit MyBizTracker. This app from the makers of QuickBooks lets you record income and expenses so you can check your position at a glance. You can also snap a photo of receipts with your phone's camera, to save with the other details.
More about MyBizTracker >> - Sage Record Keeper. This app is from the makers of the comprehensive Sage accounting software. It offers similar functions to MyBizTracker, but can also handle CIS deductions (which only apply to businesses in the construction sector).
More about Record Keeper >> - Earnest. With similar photo functions to the other apps, the main difference with Earnest seems to be that it'll give you a rough idea of your tax liability at any moments. It's from the people who make FreeAgent accounting software.
More about Earnest >>
For Android devices:
- ZipZipBooks. Although it promises similar features to all the other apps listed here, ZipZipBooks is specifically designed for companies in the construction and property sectors. From the screenshots, it looks quite utilitarian.
More about ZipZipBooks >> - Forbes Record Keeper. Scant information is available from the 1999-style Forbes Computer Systems site. But this app is similar again, although its ability to send data to a Dropbox account might be useful if you use the online backup service.
As all these apps are free, the best way to figure out if they work for you is probably just to try them. Let us know how you get on! You can see the list on the HMRC website too.
You can't avoid bringing your own device
July 18, 2012
No matter what industry your business is in, you have probably noticed your colleagues using a dizzying array of mobile devices, including smart phones, tablet computers and more. In fact, you probably use one of those devices yourself.
Increasingly, staff are refusing to wait for employers to sanction, purchase and distribute mobile technology. Instead, many are using their personal devices for work. This trend has been dubbed ‘the consumerisation of IT’ or ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD).
With more than 302 million smartphones shipped worldwide in 2010 and a healthy 19% annual growth rate predicted until 2016, BYOD should continue to grow, fuelled by the continuing introduction of new tablets, smart phones and mobile apps.
But should your business encourage this blurring of the lines between business and personal use?
The benefits of BYOD
Embracing BYOD can certainly bring benefits. Encouraging employees to use their own smart phones may enable them to access communications and information on demand.
Mobilised employees often respond to email after hours, in effect extending their workday. And if you can make company data – like files or documents - available through mobile apps then you’ll save people considerable time and effort.
“The on-demand aspect of mobility means that as you need access to information within your company, it’s right there via your smartphone or tablet,” says Tiffany Benson, SMB mobility marketing senior consultant at Dell. “The mobile device is a central point for all your information and activities.”
The benefits of employees bringing their own mobile technology into the workplace may be too great to ignore, regardless of the IT challenges it creates. After all, staff are probably already using their own devices in your business, no matter if you want them to or not.
If so, you have two choices: you can just let it happen, or you can be proactive, decide what you want to achieve through BYOD, and then plan to achieve it.
Getting started with BYOD
Some companies are encouraging employees to use their own devices by paying a stipend for any device they buy to use at work. For instance, you might pay £100 to an employee if they bought a new iPhone with the intention of using it for work as well as for personal use.
If you take this approach, it’s tempting to create a list of approved devices – certainly, that makes it easier to manage IT support in your business. But you need to be careful. One of the main aims of BYOD is to give employees choice over what technology they use. It’s a tricky balance to strike.
“Different devices have different levels of security and connectivity,” explains Benson. “So the challenge for IT administrators is managing the security requirements across those different devices based on their capabilities. You can see how that would get really complicated really quickly.”
There’s also the issue of devices being used for business and personal use. How can you keep your company data and apps safe without violating users’ privacy?
One option is to narrow the your choice of devices based on operating system. For instance you could require employees to choose a smart phone based on Google’s Android system, or Microsoft’s Windows Phone. This makes it easier to provide IT support without limiting choice too much.
BYOD is still in its early days. Yet as technology becomes ever more embedded in our everyday lives, it seems more and more ridiculous for employees to have two mobile phones (one for work, one for personal use), two tablet computers, or two laptops.
So, how do you feel about your employees bringing their own gadgets to work?
Andrew Miller is technology marketing consultant for Dell UK and Ireland.
O2 mobile meltdown is a warning for your business
July 12, 2012
If - like me - you're an O2 mobile user, you may well have found your phone strangely silent yesterday afternoon. From around 2pm, thousands of customers were unable to make or receive calls on the company's network.
As I write this the company says the problem is on the way to being fixed, but the resulting news stories and thousands of tweets don't make pretty reading for the telecoms giant.
In a world where we rely on mobile phones for, well, everything, it can come as quite a shock when the expensive one in your pocket is rendered useless for 18+ hours.
No calls. No texts. No emails. No tweets. No maps to guide you if you're in a strange place. No point in having the thing!
Your business, incommunicado
The consequences of this outage for business could be serious. If you're out and about, you can be rendered incommunicado. Companies which rely on homeworkers or have mobile sales teams are likely to have been particularly hard hit.
If customers and colleagues can't get hold of you, it holds things up. Decisions don't get made. Perhaps sales get missed.
If you've been affected by the outage, it's lousy. But it should be a wake-up call for all of us: sometimes, these things happen (they shouldn't, but they do). And that's why you need to be prepared.
Coping with mobile meltdown
The problem is, short of buying a second mobile phone on a different network for each member of staff, it's hard to put in place a failsafe backup for this sort of event. Even if everyone does have a second phone, it's no good unless people know its number!
However, here are three suggestions that can make it a little easier to stay in touch during a big mobile outage:
- Spread the risk. Instead of issuing all your staff with mobiles from the same provider, split them between two if it's practical. At least that way not everyone will be affected by a single-network problem. (Obviously this isn't always worthwhile, because your business will have to deal with two suppliers, two different support numbers and so on.)
- Adopt basic VoIP. If you don't already use VoIP in your business, make sure everyone with a smartphone has an app like Skype on it. This will at least allow your staff to make and receive calls when connected to a wireless network. It doesn't mean callers can reach you on your normal number, but at least you can place calls.
- Communicate the issues. Let people know you're experiencing communication problems in any way you can. Put a message on your website, mention it on your Twitter and Facebook pages, and be sure to mention it in emails to customers and clients during the outage.
More fundamentally, perhaps problems like this highlight the benefits of a unified communications system. That can give you just one number, which you can redirect to wherever required.
Has your business been hit by the O2 outage? Is your service back to normal yet? Leave a comment and let us know how you coped.
- VoIP explained
- How unified communications can help your business
- Your 20-minute business continuity plan
(Image: Flickr user sridgway under Creative Commons.)
Surface and Nexus: tech giants get into tablets
June 29, 2012
Any doubts about whether tablet computers have a future have faded. Apple's iPad might have seemed like a bit of a gamble when it was first announced, but it's been an enormous success.
For proof, you can check the company's impressive sales figures or simply count the number you spot next time you're on a long train journey.
You can also look at new tablet devices. Everyone wants a slice of the action, and recently we've seen two major announcements which could shake up the tablet world.
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft revealed its new tablet computer, Surface, at a hyped-up media event in LA. Surface is a touch-screen tablet computer which Microsoft has designed and built itself. That's a real departure for a company which usually focuses on software.
Surface will come in two flavours: one running a cut-down version of Microsoft Windows for mobile devices, the other running a full-blown version of Windows.
Initial reactions to Surface have been positive: the 11" device looks sleek and capable and has a retro rubber keyboard which doubles as a screen cover. But it won't be available for months, and as no details are available about battery life or price it's hard to judge it fairly.
Having said that, the next version of Windows is meant to be tablet friendly. If it really is (previous attempts have been less than impressive), Surface could be a real contender for business use, because you'll be able to run all your usual Windows apps.
Microsoft Surface is not yet available, and prices are still to be confirmed.
Google's Nexus 7
The other tech giant to jump on the tablet bandwagon this week was Google, which showed off its Nexus 7 tablet. With a smaller screen (7") and prices starting from £159, it's unlikely to be a direct competitor to Surface.
But this light and portable tablet may find business fans. At that sort of price, it's easy to envisage companies equipping sales and mobile staff with them as standard.
The most significant feature of the Nexus is its quad-core processor and 12-core graphics processing unit. In English, this means the Nexus 7 can crank up to run demanding apps. But at other times it can turn some of the cores off to extend battery life.
You can buy the Nexus 7 online from PC World Business, Currys, Comet, or direct from Google.
What's next for tablets?
These announcements show that it's an exciting time for tablet computing. If your company is thinking about investing in these new devices, your choice is increasing and stiff competition may drive prices down.
But Surface and Nexus also spell interesting times for business computing as a whole. Are tablet computers soon to become our mobile computing tool of choice? And if so, what does that mean for expensive, super-slim ultrabooks?
Other popular business tablets |
More popular content on tablets:
Two alternative ways to do tablet computing
June 11, 2012
It’s interesting to see how tablet computer manufacturers have lined up behind the indisputable industry leader, Apple. In some ways it feels like the iPad doesn’t have many head-on competitors.
Some tablet makers have tried to be a bit canny. Knowing Apple products aren’t cheap, they’ve aimed towards the budget end of the market – offering a tablet experience without the iPad’s price. Others have changed or added features – for instance, by making the display much smaller, including a detachable keyboard or adding an extra screen.
We’ve tested two tablets recently. The first is the Archos 101 G9. Available for a little over £200, this is a 10” tablet for the cost-conscious that fits squarely into the first category. The second we tried is the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550. At around £700 it ain’t cheap, but it’s one of the few tablets you’ll find running the full version of Windows 7.
Archos 101 G9: cheap but capable
The Archos 101 G9 is no iPad in looks or build quality. It’s made of fairly flimsy plastic and feels cheap. But when you’re paying half the price of an iPad, you have to tolerate the odd compromise. And although it might be plasticky, the Archos case has some nice touches.
The screen is responsive to touches and swipes, there’s a built in slot to add an optional 3G data card (to get online via a mobile phone network), and the convenient fold-out stand props the tablet up at the right angle to read or watch. It sounds like a small thing but it makes a real difference to this tablet’s usefulness.
Sure, the charging cable is far too short (would it have killed them to make it just a bit longer?), but the battery lasts well and the screen is fairly crisp, if lacking in contrast. Maybe most importantly, this tablet has reasonable power. With a proper dual-core processor, it runs the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, allowing you to access loads of different apps and they’ll run at a decent speed.
We did run into some quirks with the standard web browser. Tapping links didn’t always seem to register first time and there were a few stutters and judders that might put you off if you’re used to a smooth iPad.
In all, this is a capable tablet for the money. Although its features are geared more towards home than business users (Archos bill it as an ‘amazing multimedia’ machine for photos, videos and music), there’s no reason you can't use it for email, documents and more.
Fujitsu Stylistic Q550
Not to be confused with this Philadelphia soul group, and quite in contrast to the Archos, the Stylistic Q550 feels really solid. Fujitsu is clear that this tablet is for business users and has included a full-blown version of Windows 7, enabling you to run the exact same software as on any other Windows PC. That means no cut-down apps and no nightmares trying to view websites in an awkward mobile browser.
It also means the Fujitsu should easily integrate into your existing network without compromising security or compatibility. Further boosting its security credentials is built-in encryption and a fingerprint reader, although we’ve yet to come across anyone who actually uses the latter.
Other notable features include excellent connectivity (there’s USB, HDMI for an external display, an SD memory card slot and more), front and back cameras and a stylus, which is basically a pen you can ‘write’ on the bright, crisp screen with. This is attached to the tablet by a cord, but frustratingly there’s nowhere to tuck it when you’re not using it. It also requires an oddly-sized AAAA battery (no, that’s not a typo).
The stylus adds an interesting dimension. It’s fantastically helpful if you’re doing jobs that require pinpoint accuracy, like editing photos. But in other circumstances it doesn’t offer many advantages over your fingers. We can see how it’ll serve a niche market well. But for most people, the stylus will be superfluous.
More useful is wireless USB. Not yet available on many tablets, it lets you connect to compatible devices wirelessly. It’s ideal for giving presentations without having to plug anything in.
This tablet takes a while to start up but once it’s going performance is reasonable, especially as you’re running demanding Windows software. Strangely, there’s no sensor to rotate the display, so Fujitsu has included a button to do this manually. There’s also a button for classic Windows key combination ‘CTRL-ALT-DEL’, which hardly inspires confidence in the operating system’s stability.
Value for money trumps unnecessary features
It’s true these two tablets aren’t direct competitors, but while we warmed to the Archos for its excellent value for money, we found the Fujitsu harder to like. If you’re looking for a really portable Windows computer, you could add a dock, keyboard and display and it might do nicely. But as a tablet, it’s flawed: unless you really need the stylus or strong security tools, you’d be better off with an iPad.
Where to buy tablet computers |
More content on tablets:
Infographic: is now the time to embrace mobile commerce?
May 31, 2012
Statistics provided by SellerDeck
A lot has been written about selling online through your website. And it's true that the burgeoning internet shopping sector has generated many a successful business.
Now, as mobile internet access gets better and smart phones become more common, people are starting to make purchases with their phones. That means having a mobile website or effective mobile app could lead to more sales.
Our infographic explains more:
- Beginner's guide to building an app
- Mobile apps vs. mobile websites
- How to design for the mobile web
We created this infographic using a new tool called infogr.am. Look out for a future blog post reviewing this new service.
Friday Donut tip: secure remote working
May 04, 2012
Every Friday we bring you a great business IT tip. From nuggets that make repetitive tasks easier to easy ways to banish tech annoyances, we’re here to help.
If there’s something you’d like our help with, send an email to [email protected] or just leave a comment on this post. We’ll try and cover it in a future IT Donut tip.
Safer remote working
As remote working becomes more common, businesses are having to cope with some new security risks. There’s the possibility of laptop theft, of course, and using insecure wireless connections means anyone could be eavesdropping on your data.
And what if your laptop gets rained on, or you leave it in a taxi by accident? You won’t just lose your laptop, but you’ll lose all the data on it too – and that could be a big blow to your business.
To avoid this happening, whenever possible, don’t save important documents and data to your laptop. If your business has a network server, you should have space on there to save everything. If you don’t have a network drive available on your computer, ask your IT supplier to set one up and put a shortcut on your desktop so you can find it easily.
Of course, it’s not always possible to save to a network server. If you’re not in the office, you need to be connected remotely to your company network so you can access your resources. If you’re working without a connection, save files to your laptop and make sure you copy them to the server once you’re back online.
Use the power of the cloud
If your company doesn’t have its own network server, you can achieve a similar effect using cloud storage. Services like Dropbox and Box let you create a special folder on your computer. Anything you save in there automatically gets copied to a server on the internet too. So if you lose your laptop, you don’t lose your data.
Finally, here’s one last tip for laptop workers: if you’re stepping away from your computer, make sure you lock it. In Microsoft Windows, just hold the Windows key and tap L. That’ll make sure nobody can meddle with it while you’re not there.
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