I saw this ad last night on television, and I knew it had to go up today. Its message is quite clear and useful if you think about it...
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2isDZgoTFk&feature=youtu.be[/embed]
See what I mean? You can track a bit and learn some about Ultrabooks right from Intel's site, but suffice to say for an exec they're a need, and for sales they're a want. Speaking as someone who's had to travel with a big, clunky, heavy laptop on planes and trains...these things would be fantastic. Right now I own a 17" laptop and that guy...while awesome...could probably beat a huge dent in a car. Not so fun to carry around.
We're at a crux this year. With so many companies having to skip on refreshing hardware over the economic dip we had in 2009-2011, most everyone is behind a bit on technology. If you've got a salesforce, you need to consider either ultrabooks, or a tablet solution...something we can help you on.
If you're in the Los Angeles area, we'd like to invite you to our Secure Mobility Summit coming up on the 24th. Lots of good information on how to handle a mobility solution...and attendees will receive a free Apple TV. (1 per company I believe.) Just click here for to sign up to attend...make sure to select Michael Leader as your rep...or your rep's name if they differ from mine. :)
Hope you have a great week!
What...you didn't think I couldn't get a Doctor Who reference in there somewhere? ;)
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
HP Deal of the Week!
Man these guys are being RELENTLESS when it comes to these deals on Gen8 servers! This deal is only valid until August 21, 2012, but I think its worth looking at.
Normally this server runs at over $6500, so a $700 reduction in price is a good deal indeed.
Take a look! (it's in a book...sorry that's been in my head for nearly a week)
Normally this server runs at over $6500, so a $700 reduction in price is a good deal indeed.
Take a look! (it's in a book...sorry that's been in my head for nearly a week)
Microsoft and BYOD
Came across this article from Microsoft this weekend, and thought that I'd pass it along. I've talked about BYOD and the Consumerization of IT now for almost a year...and it's good to see many of you taking up this battle. It's not going to be easy, but we can help you if you want.
In the meantime, take a look at this article here.
Lastly, I downloaded this ebook last week and finally got around to mentioning it here. Worth a look. Cute and pretty succinct about BYOD. Granted it's by MaaS360, but it proves they've got their heads in the right place....just remember to buy your services from me/us! :)
Have a good Monday! :)
In the meantime, take a look at this article here.
Lastly, I downloaded this ebook last week and finally got around to mentioning it here. Worth a look. Cute and pretty succinct about BYOD. Granted it's by MaaS360, but it proves they've got their heads in the right place....just remember to buy your services from me/us! :)
Have a good Monday! :)
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Windows Server 2012 release!
Well...this just came down the pike via the Microsoft TechNet newsletter.
Join Us for the Launch of Windows Server 2012
September 4, 2012 – Windows Server has reached its release-to-manufacturing (RTM) milestone. Save the date and join us for an online launch event where our executives, engineers, customers, and partners will share more about how Windows Server 2012 can help organizations of all sizes realize the benefits of the cloud OS.
Now before you start going crazy, making plans and buying party hats...this is the release to manufacturer date. That means you'll be able to evaluate and purchase starting on that date. What I'd recommend is if you've not been a part of the evaluation process already, to do so starting on that date and see what it's all about.
Microsoft and the Cloud. Some of you may cheer, others jeer, others be aghast in horror of change...but change it has and it looks to be a good change. :)
(yea I'm excited...sue me. ;) )
Join Us for the Launch of Windows Server 2012
September 4, 2012 – Windows Server has reached its release-to-manufacturing (RTM) milestone. Save the date and join us for an online launch event where our executives, engineers, customers, and partners will share more about how Windows Server 2012 can help organizations of all sizes realize the benefits of the cloud OS.
Now before you start going crazy, making plans and buying party hats...this is the release to manufacturer date. That means you'll be able to evaluate and purchase starting on that date. What I'd recommend is if you've not been a part of the evaluation process already, to do so starting on that date and see what it's all about.
Microsoft and the Cloud. Some of you may cheer, others jeer, others be aghast in horror of change...but change it has and it looks to be a good change. :)
(yea I'm excited...sue me. ;) )
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Email Archiving - How to not lose your shirt...
Email archiving is something that all businesses need to do...by law. How to do it right is one of those things that can be elusive. I've had a couple of clients who've been successful with Arcmail, so I wanted to present this here...and get you to check out their webinars each week. The question, "Why Archive?" seems like a no brainer, but Arcmail breaks it down simply on their site here. Let me sum up some of the primary points.
1) Compliance - Whether it's HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, or others, you need to be in compliance. No to mention that if your company is sued, and email is involved, you have to be able to produce the emails. Failure to do so can be fatal...in a legal sense.
2) Extending Mail Server life - These servers take a beating every day. You know they do, but most email servers are just slow and overloaded. By archiving regularly, you take the burden off of the email server to manage all of those emails. (How many does your company get each day?) This will help extend the life of that server just a bit longer, so you're not forced to purchase a server when you're not ready.
3) Accessing Archived Data - There are those companies that would just rather settle a lawsuit with someone than dig through their email archives. Arcmail has a great little search feature that will help you discover what you need, rather than hiring a firm to go through and manually search your archives. A lot cheaper yea?
Consider that it's effective to have an archiving solution. If you want to know more, contact me...I'm happy to talk to you about what you want to do and get you in front of the right folks to talk about it. If you want to learn more about their product click one of these links for their webinar. Make sure to add PC Mall and my name (or your rep's name) to the form:
Thursday August 9, 2012
Tuesday August 14, 2012
Thursday August 16, 2012
1) Compliance - Whether it's HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, or others, you need to be in compliance. No to mention that if your company is sued, and email is involved, you have to be able to produce the emails. Failure to do so can be fatal...in a legal sense.
2) Extending Mail Server life - These servers take a beating every day. You know they do, but most email servers are just slow and overloaded. By archiving regularly, you take the burden off of the email server to manage all of those emails. (How many does your company get each day?) This will help extend the life of that server just a bit longer, so you're not forced to purchase a server when you're not ready.
3) Accessing Archived Data - There are those companies that would just rather settle a lawsuit with someone than dig through their email archives. Arcmail has a great little search feature that will help you discover what you need, rather than hiring a firm to go through and manually search your archives. A lot cheaper yea?
Consider that it's effective to have an archiving solution. If you want to know more, contact me...I'm happy to talk to you about what you want to do and get you in front of the right folks to talk about it. If you want to learn more about their product click one of these links for their webinar. Make sure to add PC Mall and my name (or your rep's name) to the form:
Thursday August 9, 2012
Tuesday August 14, 2012
Thursday August 16, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Windows 8 RTM to the head...
Yup...here it is...
Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing. You can see the official blog post here, and more on RTM here. It looks like distributors and VARs will be getting the OEM versions of these around August 16, with September 1 being the licensing release date to those without Software Assurance.
Exciting stuff. Hopefully y'all were able to test the product like I have been. Now it's time to get this stuff and start testing it with your current setup. If you're using touchscreens, how about an operating system that is designed to work with them AND be a real OS? The ARM version for tablets is going to be a killer, and for those of us saddled with using Android on our old HP Touchpads, this should be a godsend.
Enjoy your weekend! I know I'll be enjoying mine! :)
Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing. You can see the official blog post here, and more on RTM here. It looks like distributors and VARs will be getting the OEM versions of these around August 16, with September 1 being the licensing release date to those without Software Assurance.
Exciting stuff. Hopefully y'all were able to test the product like I have been. Now it's time to get this stuff and start testing it with your current setup. If you're using touchscreens, how about an operating system that is designed to work with them AND be a real OS? The ARM version for tablets is going to be a killer, and for those of us saddled with using Android on our old HP Touchpads, this should be a godsend.
Enjoy your weekend! I know I'll be enjoying mine! :)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Symantec Renewals - saving 20%
For those of you who are using Symantec's Endpoint Protection, or the Symantec Protection Suite...it's a good time to renew. Symantec is offering 20% off with 3 year licenses. It's a good time to take advantage of their renewal structure, and/or co-term any of their licenses that you have already...because it'll be a lot easier to renew in 3 years if you do. :)
They're also offering to trade you up to Symantec Protection Suite and save 30% off MSRP for doing that. That means upgrading from Endpoint Protection, Antivirus, mail security for exchange/domino, messaging gateway, or web gateway.
You all know me well enough that I don't pitch things that make me money...they save you money. If you're interested, give your PC Mall rep a call today! :)
They're also offering to trade you up to Symantec Protection Suite and save 30% off MSRP for doing that. That means upgrading from Endpoint Protection, Antivirus, mail security for exchange/domino, messaging gateway, or web gateway.
You all know me well enough that I don't pitch things that make me money...they save you money. If you're interested, give your PC Mall rep a call today! :)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Box.net and Today's Enterprises
I think that by now, many of you out there have been using Cloud storage like Box.net, dropbox, and others...they can be an invaluable tool for most. Personally, I have a ton of PDFs that I need to access at a moment's notice for non-work-related things...and Box.net has been my savior. I was first introduced to them last year when I received my HP Touchpad (RIP WebOS), and they offered a 50GB account for those of us who had one. Now, they're on every device and I use them for all documents I need to access easily.
To my surprise at lunch today, I read on the Box.net blog that they just raised $125 million to invest in their infrastructure, grow overseas, and do more for their users. Based on that, now is the time to start looking at the cloud for business storage. Using iPads for your salespeople? How about a place where they can store all of their documents securely, and access them when needed? That's just a simple example, but I am seeing it used more and more frequently.
Is the cloud right for you? Let's talk about it...while I can't obviously help you with Box.net, I can help you understand how things like Cloud Controllers for Wireless and Wired networks will save you money...how putting your disaster recovery far far away & replicating data to it will save your bacon after a disaster...the list goes on.
Let's talk cloud. I'm here waiting to talk to you...
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Happy to be back!
Howdy everyone! Hope you enjoyed the posts from the road...some were pre-recorded, some were posted when I had a few minutes and internet access, but mostly I spent two weeks resting my mind and opening it to experiences. Every single place we stopped at on the trip, I had been to back in the 1980s. It was amazing to see that not much had changed at the national park level, but watching my family's homestead in Wyoming change was interesting. Who'd have thought in 25 years the creekbed would move 50 feet? Very strange indeed. :)
But like the title says, I'm happy to be back this week...and while I"m getting things caught up (on a conference call right now listening to a client and manufacturer chat about their product) through the mountain of email over the past few days...but I wanted to take time to post this and share a few pictures from my trip.
Ahhh...the Tetons. :)
Pinedale, WY - Rendezvous Pagent, celebrating the fur trappers who opened the western territories in the 1830s.
Dinosaur National Monument - Yup...we got to touch real dinosaur bones! :D
"Take a picture of yourself, Mike...they'll like that." Sorry, I tried to blur it more. :)
My second-favorite part of the trip...Mesa Verde. We hiked down there with the tour group...worth the look to walk in history!
This is a Kiva, religious center for the ancient pueblo indians (Anasazi).
Let me know what I can do for you in the meantime. Look for more posts to come!
Best Wishes!
Addendum: Since some people are fussy about wording...the term "dinosaur bone" is inaccurate. They were "fossilized dinosaur bones" ...and I hated to burst their bubble, but YES we were allowed to touch them. You normally are not allowed to touch them in museums, but you can at Dinosaur National Monument for the $10 for 7 day entry fee. :)
But like the title says, I'm happy to be back this week...and while I"m getting things caught up (on a conference call right now listening to a client and manufacturer chat about their product) through the mountain of email over the past few days...but I wanted to take time to post this and share a few pictures from my trip.
Ahhh...the Tetons. :)
Pinedale, WY - Rendezvous Pagent, celebrating the fur trappers who opened the western territories in the 1830s.
Dinosaur National Monument - Yup...we got to touch real dinosaur bones! :D
"Take a picture of yourself, Mike...they'll like that." Sorry, I tried to blur it more. :)
My second-favorite part of the trip...Mesa Verde. We hiked down there with the tour group...worth the look to walk in history!
This is a Kiva, religious center for the ancient pueblo indians (Anasazi).
Let me know what I can do for you in the meantime. Look for more posts to come!
Best Wishes!
Addendum: Since some people are fussy about wording...the term "dinosaur bone" is inaccurate. They were "fossilized dinosaur bones" ...and I hated to burst their bubble, but YES we were allowed to touch them. You normally are not allowed to touch them in museums, but you can at Dinosaur National Monument for the $10 for 7 day entry fee. :)
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Smartglass is the future...
I had a chance to see a little bit of Smart Glass when I was a special guest of Microsoft's Expert Zone at E3, and the more I read about it...wow, just wow. This isn't just a piece of MS software that lets you manage tv and gaming. This is really a companion for everything to do with your Xbox, computer and tv set. It works with all devices, iOS, Android, Windows...and is going to likely change the way you watch TV and play video games in the future.
When I say companion that's pretty much what it is. One of the examples was while watching an episode of Game of Thrones, the unit displayed a map of the show's world, and relevant information. A character comes on screen, their background becomes available to read.
This is what Microsoft wants...the Xbox console to be the center of entertainment in your living room. For many of us it already is, and even they've started announcing that more movies and music are downloaded and played on the Xbox than games. I know, I remember when Tivo was cool and everyone got one...but I've always said that first gen tech while being neat, always gets blown away the second time around. :)
When I say companion that's pretty much what it is. One of the examples was while watching an episode of Game of Thrones, the unit displayed a map of the show's world, and relevant information. A character comes on screen, their background becomes available to read.
This is what Microsoft wants...the Xbox console to be the center of entertainment in your living room. For many of us it already is, and even they've started announcing that more movies and music are downloaded and played on the Xbox than games. I know, I remember when Tivo was cool and everyone got one...but I've always said that first gen tech while being neat, always gets blown away the second time around. :)
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