http://www.informationweek.comInformationWeeken-usCopyright 2012, UBM LLC.2013-06-19T12:11:00ZHere's how Windows users could reap benefits from Redmond's retail strategy to put Windows Stores inside Best Buy locations.http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/best-buy-windows-stores-4-benefits/240156941?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/10-hidden-benefits-of-windows-81/240156630"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/1007/windows-8-secrets-1st-screen_01_tn.jpg" alt="10 Hidden Benefits of Windows 8.1" title="10 Hidden Benefits of Windows 8.1" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 Hidden Benefits of Windows 8.1</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view)</span> </div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Microsoft's pending <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-launching-600-windows-stores-i/240156662">fleet of Windows Stores</a> no doubt faces challenges in the quest to jolt demand for Windows 8 hardware and related products. The cynic -- or "hater," in the parlance of our times -- might declare them doomed simply by virtue of this fact: They're housed at Best Buy. <P> Yet it's a good move by Microsoft. While success is never guaranteed, there's plenty of upside without tons of risk, at least for Microsoft. <P> So, uh, what's in it for us? Actually, there could be some nice upside for Joe and Jane Windows Customer. Even battle-tested IT pros -- some of whom might not be caught dead inside a Best Buy -- could stand to gain if the Windows Stores succeed. <P> The caveats: We're drinking from a glass that's half full, setting asides concerns in favor of potential payoffs. This presupposes at least three not-so-small accomplishments by Microsoft and Best Buy: First, a knowledgeable, professional staff that actually gives a you-know-what about the customer. Second, well-organized, well-stocked displays that showcase the best of Windows 8 and the hardware built to maximize its potential. And third, a genuine interest in matching the right device with the right user. And so on. <P> <strong>[ For more on Microsoft's retail plans, see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-launching-600-windows-stores-i/240156662?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Microsoft Launching 600 Windows Stores Inside Best Buy</a>. ]</strong> <P> Microsoft stands to gain if these things happen. More importantly, so do Windows users -- here are four reasons why. <P> <b>1. Reach Out And Touch Something.</b> <P> Windows 8 asks users to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">fundamentally change</a> how they think about and interact with their PCs -- or even what a PC is in the first place. If you replaced a XP laptop with a Windows 7 laptop, the leap of faith wasn't particularly long -- find the right mix of specs and price online, and you could safely click the Buy button without a lot of hands-on test-driving. <P> That's simply not true for Windows 8 and much of the hardware being built for it, which is largely predicated upon touching your screen. "Bah, it's no different than using your smartphone," some users might say. Yes, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">it is</a>. As noted by <a href="http://blogs.forrester.com/jp_gownder/13-06-13-microsofts_best_buy_windows_store_a_critical_strategic_move_with_several_drawbacks">Forrester analyst JP Gownder</a>, the current technology <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-launching-600-windows-stores-i/240156662">retail experience</a> leaves much to be desired, unless you're in an Apple Store. Successful Windows Stores will give customers an accessible, no-cost way to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/lenovo-windows-8-ultrabook-my-first-14-d/240155025">test-drive touchscreen PCs</a> and many of the hybrid formats -- part tablet, part laptop -- coming onto the market. <P> <b>2. Find The Right Device For Your Needs <em>Before</em> You Buy.</b> <P> Similarly, the Windows Store experience should help customers sort through the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-device-choices-baffle-buyers/240150267">dizzying array of hardware choices</a>. Specifically, a successful Windows Store will help match the right device to the right use cases. Someone who mainly uses their device for light email and Web browsing has different needs from someone who's, say, starting a business out of their house. <P> Today, it's too tough for many people to make an informed, well-suited purchase decision. The fact that most employers <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8s-best-chance-depends-on-byod/240155033">aren't yet taking</a> the Windows 8 plunge means individuals are largely on their own when it comes to learning the new OS and hardware options, too. And at current prices -- upwards of $899 for Surface Pro or well north of $1,000 for some other Windows 8 models -- making the wrong choice is an expensive mistake. <P> <b>3. Test Your Favorite Tools In Windows 8.</b> <P> The Windows Store gives Microsoft another physical venue in which to showcase and market newer <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/8-free-must-have-windows-8-apps/240154590">applications</a> like SkyDrive and Office 365 -- on newer hardware and its newest OS, of course. Similarly, the Windows Store should ideally enable users to test-drive their go-to applications on various Windows 8 devices before buying. For example: How does Gmail look and feel on this device compared to that one? How does the Windows app for Dropbox -- or any of its competitors -- compare with the Web-based interface? Screen sizes, keyboard vs. touch, native vs. Web and other factors are worth sorting through before plunking down serious money for new hardware. <P> <b>4. For IT, It's Worth Keeping An Eye On.</b> <P> The Best Buy-based Windows Stores are worth monitoring from a BYO standpoint, for starters. If successful, there'd presumably be an uptick in employee-owned Windows devices on the corporate network. The success scenario could produce a tangible -- if perhaps unscientific -- benefit, too. IT can offload some of the UI education and training to Microsoft and Best Buy. It essentially becomes an outsourced testing lab for users. <P> Maybe you've got no immediate plans to deploy Windows 8.x in your environment. But Microsoft has placed its bets; Windows is heading in this direction whether you like it or not. In a <a href="http://community.spiceworks.com/tv/show/524-are-you-ready-for-a-windows-8-world ">recent webinar</a> for IT pros conducted by Lenovo and Insight, 78% of attendees said they had no plans to move to Windows 8 in 2013. Lenovo ambassador Frank Richichi wasn't surprised by that response, noting the Lenovo itself was both developing new products and form factors for the Windows 8 world while continuing to offer and support traditional business PCs. But Richichi advised keeping tabs on Windows 8's evolution even if you've got no plans to deploy it any time soon. <P> "When you all say you're not moving to Windows 8, that's not a thing to be afraid of -- but you do also need to be conscious of what's going on out there and what potentially is coming down the pipe," Richichi said. "If you look at it from a bring-your-own-device perspective, what you see is a lot of those devices are going to be rolling into your environments with Windows 8 on them. So whether you want to or not, you're going to have to deal with it."2013-06-14T08:49:00ZHoping to create "a great customer experience" for Windows 8 devices, Microsoft will take over the PC departments in hundreds of Best Buy stores.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-launching-600-windows-stores-i/240156662?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/google-apps-to-microsoft-office-365-10-l/240154989"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/993/GoogleApps_Office365_01_tn.jpg" alt="Google Apps To Microsoft Office 365: 10 Lessons" title="Google Apps To Microsoft Office 365: 10 Lessons" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Google Apps To Microsoft Office 365: 10 Lessons</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->In its latest move to capture a larger slice of the consumer technology market, Microsoft announced it will launch full-fledged Windows Stores inside 600 Best Buy locations in the U.S. and Canada. In doing so, it's ostensibly stepping in to run personal computing sales at those locations. <P> "Unlike a lot of store-within-a-store concepts, this will actually be a <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/06/13/talking-retail-the-new-windows-store-only-at-best-buy.aspx">department-level takeover within Best Buy stores</a>," said Microsoft CMO Chris Capossela in a blog post. "[The Windows Stores] will be massive in size, up to 2,200 square feet in some locations." <P> The deal's reach extends well beyond PCs: "It also means we will have a great Windows tablet table inside the Best Buy Tablet Department, Windows Phones in their Phone Department, and lots of space for Xbox in their Gaming and Home Theater Departments," he said. "So there will be a big Windows experience where we bring everything together, but we&#8217;ll also look great in the other departments where people go." The new Windows Stores also will have an online counterpart, according to Capossela. <P> <strong>[ What can users expect from Microsoft's next Windows update? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-microsoft-makes-6-big-bets/240156252?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8: Microsoft Makes 6 Big Bets</a>. ]</strong> <P> Techaisle analyst Anurag Agrawal sees plenty of potential for Microsoft in the deal, particularly as the company seeks new ways to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-adoption-hits-new-low/240155994">convince consumers</a> why they should buy Windows 8 -- and soon, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-81-thanks-for-listening-microsof/240155798">Windows 8.1</a> -- devices. It also gives Microsoft a way to increase its branded retail presence tenfold -- the company operates 68 Microsoft Stores in North America -- without a major capital outlay. <P> "In a crowded and very competitive market, the strategy will provide a level of focus to help differentiate Microsoft&#8217;s brand and thereby increase sales," Agrawal wrote in an email to <em>InformationWeek</em>. "It gives Microsoft the benefits of having its own stores but without the associated cost and complexity of opening and managing its own stores." <P> The launch of the new Windows Stores won't affect standalone Microsoft Stores, according to Capossela. Rather, Microsoft will apply some lessons learned from its solo retail initiative in the Best Buy partnership. "We&#8217;re committed to our Microsoft Stores," Capossela said. <P> Forrester <a href="http://blogs.forrester.com/jp_gownder/13-06-13-microsofts_best_buy_windows_store_a_critical_strategic_move_with_several_drawbacks">analyst JP Gownder praised the strategy</a> in a blog post, but said it's long overdue and less ambitious than it could have been. He noted several key challenges facing the Windows Stores. The opportunities for Microsoft, however, outnumber the risks, he said. If successful, Windows Stores will help Microsoft address two Achilles' heels in its consumer strategy. First, the current consumer technology <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-hardware-shopping-adventures/240012697">retail experience stinks</a>, according to Gownder, unless you're shopping in an Apple Store. Second, people are <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-device-choices-baffle-buyers/240150267">flat-out confused</a> by the explosion of new devices that arrived with Windows 8. <P> The deal is something of a no-brainer for Best Buy, according to Agrawal, who said the retail chain will benefit from Microsoft's sales and marketing muscle. Likewise, Forrester's Gownder said Best Buy didn't have much choice but to welcome Microsoft with open arms: "Beset by showrooming, the retailer entered a race to the bottom with its recent price guarantee," he wrote. "A spiral of disappearing margins has made direct investment in improving its stores challenging." <P> "Showrooming" refers to the customer habit of browsing and testing products in a physical store and then buying them elsewhere, usually online. Big-box retailers like Best Buy are hampered by it, but Microsoft could actually benefit from the practice in Windows Stores. "Even if showrooming behaviors persist, Microsoft can upgrade consumers&#8217; understanding of its brand and products, which will reinforce its platforms," Gownder said. <P> The Windows Stores will add 1,200 additional employees in those Best Buy locations "to provide a great customer experience, whether it&#8217;s choosing the right PC or showing consumers how to stream Xbox music through their Surface," Capossela said. While in theory a good thing -- a retail battalion devoted to selling Windows gear -- Forrester's Gownder noted a considerable downside. Most of that staff will be trained, not employed, by Microsoft. <P> "Can these non-Microsoft employees live up to necessary quality standards?" he asked. <P> Likewise,Techaisle's Agrawal listed that as a deep pitfall for the Windows Stores: "[If] Microsoft does not spend enough time and money in extensive training, [Windows Stores] will then not provide the deep experience that customers want," he said. <P> The store-within-a-store concept isn't new. Forrester's Gownder pointed out that Microsoft is taking a page from Samsung's playbook; the latter also has its own locations inside Best Buy stores. If the trend continues long term, that could be a problem, according to Techaisle's Agrawal. <P> "Within Best Buy, there could be a greater number of branded stores and each will compete with the other for attention," Agrawal said. "It will not be any different than going to a shopping mall." <P>2013-06-13T11:10:00ZLinux Foundation exec says the virtual office has made the team more productive and innovative, and happier in their jobs.http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/trends/how-linux-foundation-runs-its-virtual-of/240156624?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbThe <a href="http://www.linuxfoundation.org/">Linux Foundation</a>, the nonprofit that manages much of the day-to-day business behind the open source operating system, maintains a small office in San Francisco. Stop by, however, and you probably won't find anyone there. That's because the organization's 30-something employees work virtually. It's like the anti-Yahoo: Just about everyone, including <a href="https://www.kernel.org/">Linux kernel</a> creator Linus Torvalds, works from home. <P> "We really wanted to have that effectiveness and nimbleness of a virtual organization," said Amanda McPherson, Linux Foundation's VP of marketing and developer programs, in an interview. The results have been so strong, McPherson added, that she rarely goes in to the San Francisco office even though she lives in the Bay Area. Ditto for her boss, executive director Jim Zemlin, who lives in the city but still works remotely. "We all work remotely," McPherson said. <P> Cost was a big initial driver behind the decision to build the organization without building a traditional office and infrastructure. When McPherson and the group's co-founders looked at some of the common traits among successful non-profits -- or any small, lean business, for that matter -- low overhead was paramount. <P> "Some of these other companies are spending so much money on their office space or on, say, data centers," McPherson. "Then their funding goes down and they're really in trouble." <P> <strong>[ Should employers monitor their workers? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/personnel/watching-workers-wheres-the-line/240150904?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Watching Workers: Where's The Line?</a> ]</strong> <P> Working from home isn't a new phenomenon, but the recent explosion of mobile, cloud and similar technologies has made it easier than ever to do so. It also remains a hot, even divisive topic in the corporate world. Most recently, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer reignited the debate with her <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/yahoo-flap-should-it-leaders-ban-work-at/240149814">decision to ban employees</a> from working from home. McPherson noted that the choice may make sense for a large enterprise in Yahoo's position, but she thinks many organizations -- especially hers -- would lose big if they instituted a similar policy. <P> "We just kind of disagree with that notion that you all have to be in one place to collaborate or innovate effectively," McPherson. In fact, even if budget was no issue, the Linux Foundation would probably still run its operations virtually. "We've just found that this is a really great model to get more performance out of our people, to give them more flexibility," McPherson said. <P> McPherson pointed to the Linux developer community as an example of a virtual success: "They don't seem to have any problem <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/how-to-innovate-in-a-low-tech-industry/240154016">innovating</a> or collaborating," she said. "There's probably a faster rate of change in the Linux kernel than any other software product or project out there." Likewise, McPherson said the Linux Foundation, which has employees in the U.S., Canada, Japan and elsewhere around the world, has improved its programs and tools rapidly and consistently with a virtual workforce. <P> Another benefit of the virtual office, according to McPherson: Better <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/8-it-hiring-trends-you-cant-ignore/240155937">hiring</a>. Virtual offices can indeed cast a wider net for talent and hire the best person, rather than the best person in a specific area. Post-hiring, McPherson also finds it's easier to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/3-warning-signs-your-it-team-is-job-hunt/240150595">keep talented people around</a> for the long haul. <P> "One of the best benefits I've seen is around retention," McPherson said, noting that hiring and training are expensive and often painful necessities for just about any organization. One reason remote work can boost retention: Employees have more freedom to make life decisions that might otherwise require a job change. <P> "I've had an employee who for personal reasons wants to move across country, and by not getting in the way she doesn't have to quit," McPherson said by way of example. "I think you get more commitment back from your employees because you're giving them all of this freedom and saying, 'I trust you to work, you don't have to log in and punch a time clock. I trust you and rely on you to get your work done.'" <P> An added bonus of successful virtual offices? "Less politics," McPherson said. Her theory on why: Virtual offices require more personal, one-on-one interaction between employees, whereas traditional offices may tend more toward groups -- which can quickly become school-like cliques -- sometimes dictated simply by where people sit in the building. "It seems like it becomes much more political just by [virtue of]: 'Oh, that group has the better offices,' or 'that group gets to use the better conference room,' or something like that," McPherson said. "Maybe this proximity of people builds contempt in a way." <P> There are tradeoffs -- it's tougher to read body language in a virtual environment or to get the team together for after-work drinks, of course. Meetings are by nature, well, different. But for anyone who has worked in a meeting-obsessed office, even that has a silver lining. "We only do meetings that we need to have," McPherson said. "There might be something to that. Virtual organizations just have a little less of the day-to-day political negatives that I think most people have seen in offices." <P> Not surprisingly, Linux Foundation relies heavily on Web-based and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">open source technologies</a> to run its operations, keep costs in check, and maintain high levels of productivity. It uses the <a href="http://osuosl.org/">Oregon State Open Source Lab</a> in lieu of managing its own servers, for starters. McPherson listed Google Apps as "number one" in terms of mission-critical tools. Linux Foundation employees use it for email, IM, voice, productivity, collaboration, you name it. So while the organization does have systems administrators, they're not spending time rebooting servers or troubleshooting an employee's email account. <P> Among the other applications that the foundation uses regularly: <P> -- Communication & Conferencing: Skype, UberConference, YuuGuu <P> -- Customer Relationship Management: SugarCRM <P> -- Human Resources: Trinet <P> -- Project Management & Collaboration: Basecamp, Trello <P> -- Finance & Accounting: Bill.com, ExpensifyPolicies like Yahoo's aren't without their logic; poorly planned virtual offices or work-from-home flexibility can cause serious problems. McPherson said there are some key considerations and challenges that executives and managers can't shy away from if they want their virtual organization to succeed. For one, you'd better be ready to work hard on hiring the right people. <P> "You have to invest more time and energy into hiring than maybe you could get away with in a non-virtual org," McPherson said. Not everyone's cut out for remote work, and there's an inherent trust involved in managing and working with people that you rarely see in the flesh. That's not lip service, either: Linux Foundation takes its hiring so seriously it keeps an organizational psychologist on the payroll. The psychologist evaluates candidates and their likelihood of success in a virtual environment. People who value independence, freedom, and flexibility tend to be better fits; those who fear isolation or lack of direction, not so much. <P> "You need to hire people who are very self-motivated, very responsible, and who really prize freedom --who don't want someone looking over their shoulder or telling them to be in an office because everyone else is," McPherson said. While motivation and responsibility would certainly be fine attributes in a traditional office, too, McPherson said the face-to-face environment allows for a wider range of personality types and work styles to succeed -- some of which might be a poor fit for virtual work. <P> The new hire onboarding process can also be tougher in virtual offices. Things like orientation or shadowing veteran staffers get trickier when people are spread across several time zones. Managers have to be up to the task. "As a manager you have to work harder to make sure you have a connection with your employees," McPherson said. Email often leaves much to be desired from a management and interpersonal perspective, for instance. Linux Foundation makes a point of getting employees together in person at various events during the year. In general, issues of corporate culture -- or simply <em>creating</em> that culture -- require a different approach than the corporate campus environment. <P> "You have to take more time to communicate to people: This is the type of organization we are, and this is the type of organization we are not," McPherson said. "How you treat people is hopefully the embodiment of the culture." <P> When you do it right, though, the payoff can be far greater than just cost savings or a deeper labor pool -- especially if you invest the right amount of time and money in building the right team. <P> "I always hear jokes about: 'Oh, if I worked from home I'd never work.' Really? I feel like my employees work much more than when I had employees in physical offices," McPherson said, adding that schedule flexibility makes people who are well-suited for remote work more productive, not less so. <P> "You have that commitment and ownership of your job more than when you're just sitting there in that cube farm," McPherson said. "For us, if you hire the right people who are motivated by that, you just get more commitment. [You get] people who really love their jobs and like to work, but also like that they can go to the gym at 2 in the afternoon when it's not crowded. In an office, [people would say]: 'Why isn't he at his desk? It's 2. There must be something wrong.'"2013-06-10T15:46:00ZZeus reboot underscores the fundamental cause of many security breaches: Human error. Here's how to keep users listening when you talk security.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/security-talk-7-ways-to-make-users-liste/240156308?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/the-syrian-electronic-army-9-things-we-k/240155028"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/994/Syrian-Electronic-Army-Tank_01_tn.jpg" alt="The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know" title="The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know" class="img175" /></a><br /><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view)</span><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know</div></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Privacy might be all but <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/government/nsa-prism-creates-stir-but-appears-legal/240156233">dead</a>. That's no excuse for poor security. <P> Yet the gap between ambition and execution is often wide when it comes to keeping the corporate perimeter secure. The usual culprit: human error. As the recent reappearance of the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/zeus-malware-returns-targets-smbs/240156113">Zeus banking malware</a> reminds us, the next <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/who-bears-online-fraud-burden-bank-or-bu/231000381">expensive</a> breach is only an employee click away. Malware, phishing emails and similar schemes thrive because people make mistakes. <P> You know the importance of educating staff, enforcing policies and deploying strong security technologies to backstop your training and awareness efforts. You know people need <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx">help to steer clear</a> of phishing emails and similar scams. You're well aware that <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/management/twitter-trouble-9-social-media-security/240153648">social sites</a> are fertile ground for malicious links and social engineering attacks. The pain is that no one seems to listen to your well-intentioned preaching on security best practices. And when they do listen, they seem to forget 15 minutes later. <P> <strong>[ What's your worst security nightmare? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/ransomware-social-scams-lead-2013-smb-se/240143019?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Ransomware, Social Scams Lead 2013 SMB Security Fears</a>. ]</strong> <P> How do you get the word out <em>and</em> make sure your users are actually paying attention? For starters, give those emailed security bulletins a rest. <P> "End users rarely read security emails -- and comprehension decreases with length," said Nate Ulery, head of the IT infrastructure and operations practice at <a href="http://www.westmonroepartners.com/">West Monroe Partners</a>, in an email interview. "IT organizations should focus on alternate means of consistently getting the message out to their employees." <P> If not email, then how? Ulery offered this advice for getting your security messages across. <P> <strong>1. Use The Corporate Intranet Or Internal Social Network.</strong> <P> Quick, ad-like images on the company intranet, social site or other internal Web presences are a good place to start, Ulery said. Any pages that offer customizable messaging and images are worth considering -- providing employees actually visit them regularly. (If the intranet hasn't been updated since 2009, skip to tip number two.) <P> <strong>2. Screensavers: No More Baby And Cat Pictures.</strong> <P> Some users might grumble, but Ulery advises a required, custom corporate screensaver. It's desirable real estate for corporate communications and marketing, company goals and values, and a healthy dose of IT training and security messages. <P> <strong>3. Decorate The Water Cooler -- Or The Water Closet.</strong> <P> Use old-school signage as a means of regular, repetitive security reminders. "Brief, graphical and comical signs on common-area doors work well," Ulery said. "A little humor in a sign hanging above the bathroom sink will be more memorable and effective than a boring, technical email."<strong>4. Get Out From Behind The Help Desk.</strong> <P> Sometimes, you need to get in front of people and, you know, actually talk to them. It's tougher to tune out security training when it's face-to-face. Real security failures make for good subject matter here. "Ask for five minutes in team and department meetings to share real-life incidents -- while also asking for feedback to encourage better communication between business and IT," Ulery said. <P> <strong>5. Attack Your Own Employees.</strong> <P> OK, don't <em>actually</em> attack anyone. But <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/how-one-midsize-bank-protects-against-ha/240009149">simulating phishing scams</a> and similar threats is a great way to identify and bolster weaknesses in your security programs and policies. <P> "Proactively engage employees in poor security behavior by sending out phishing -type emails that end up taking the employee to an immediate, two-minute training session if they click on the link," Ulery said. "Generate reports on who actually clicks the link [and retrain those users]." <P> Likewise, don't forget about the phone scams. Ulery recommends that IT pros periodically call employees and, under some non-IT persona, ask them to give out passwords and other sensitive information over the phone. Retrain staffers who fork over their credentials. <P> <strong>6. Test Your Call Center.</strong> <P> "If you have a call center that handles customer data, regularly test the processes and interactions by having employees call into the center and test their response," Ulery advised. In fact, you need not run a full-blown call center to run a similar program. Periodically test any employees with access that handle customer information across channels -- phone, email, Web, and so on. You might consider similar training for other employees and departments that handles sensitive information, such as finance. <P> <strong>7. Reward Good Behavior.</strong> <P> Don't just play the role of ominous Big Brother; highlight positive security habits and offer a little incentive for good behavior. One example: "Send Starbucks gift cards to employees who refuse to share their password as a reward for being diligent on security," Ulery said. The reward is ultimately up to you. If your company is already applying <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/instructional-it/as-iqs-fall-can-gamification-help/240154814">gamification</a> elsewhere in the organization, consider its possibilities as a security awareness tool. <P> Finally, although redundancy is a good thing in security training, don't confuse it with boredom or desensitization. "Through all of these efforts, insure that the message is regularly changed so employees do not end up having a blind spot for the message," Ulery said. <P> Got your own tips and tricks for keeping users safe and secure? Share them in our comments section below.2013-06-05T13:30:00ZZeuS banking Trojan again puts small and midsize businesses at high risk. Here's what you need to know.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/zeus-malware-returns-targets-smbs/240156113?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/the-syrian-electronic-army-9-things-we-k/240155028"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/994/Syrian-Electronic-Army-Tank_01_tn.jpg" alt="The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know" title="The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know" class="img175" /></a><br /><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view)</span><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">The Syrian Electronic Army: 9 Things We Know</div></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Even criminals need to periodically retool their operations for current market conditions. <P> The ZeuS/ZBot malware has resurfaced "with a vengeance," according to <a href="http://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/zeuszbot-malware-shapes-up-in-2013/">Trend Micro</a> security researchers. The "new" ZeuS is ultimately a matter of economics, according to Symantec Security Response director Kevin Haley. The data-stealing malware hadn't been eradicated, per se -- it was just getting a profit-minded makeover. <P> "Like legitimate software, malware goes through revisions and new releases," Haley said in an email to <em>InformationWeek</em>. "These new releases include improvements or new features that make them popular and increase their prevalence. ZeuS is no different." <P> ZeuS's second verse is much the same as the first; though technically a new threat, the fundamentals here should all sound familiar. The malware is good at stealing data off of infected machines. Banking credentials are the favorite target. And while ZeuS doesn't discriminate, smaller companies are especially vulnerable to its fallout. <P> <strong>[ Read more about ZeuS's renewed presence on Facebook: <a href="https://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/zeus-bank-malware-surges-on-facebook/240156156?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Zeus Bank Malware Surges On Facebook</a>. ]</strong> <P> "Small businesses have a bulls-eye on their back," Haley said. The reasoning is the stuff of sound -- albeit illegal -- market research: Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) have more money than the average individual, but often have less security protection than large enterprises. Bank accounts typically top the list of security risks inside SMBs, and Haley doesn't expect that to change any time soon. <P> Like phishing and other "old" scams, ZeuS is back because it works -- very well, in some cases. In 2009, for example, hackers lifted $588,000 from a Maine construction company's bank account before the theft was detected. A ZeuS variant was later found on an employee's computer, according to court documents. The company, Patco, sued its bank for the $345,000 it couldn't recover, a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/who-bears-online-fraud-burden-bank-or-bu/231000381">watershed case</a> for determining financial responsibility in such instances of online fraud. (Business accounts don't come with the same regulatory protections as consumer accounts.) Patco lost, but a federal appeals court later <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/court-slams-bank-for-ignoring-zeus-attac/240003172">overturned the verdict</a>. <P> The advice for defending against the ZeuS reboot and similar threats should also sound familiar. (If not, you've got work to do.) Use strong security technologies. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/how-one-midsize-bank-protects-against-ha/240009149">Educate, train and test employees</a> on security policies and risks; don't assume common sense rules the day, nor that "everyone" knows a phishing email or <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/malware-that-drains-your-bank-account-thriving-on-facebook/">malicious Facebook link</a> when they see one. Everyone does <em>not</em>, and even those that do make mistakes. In a case <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/who-bears-online-fraud-burden-bank-or-bu/231000381?pgno=2">similar to Patco's</a>, the controller at a midsize business clicked on a link in an email that appeared to be from Comerica, the company's bank. After entering the corporate username and password, crooks initiated offshore wire transfers totaling more than $1.9 million -- and ultimately made off with more than $560,000 after the bank's fraud protocols kicked into gear. <P> Symantec's Haley recommends spending extra training time with finance pros and any other employees with access to corporate financial accounts or other high-risk credentials. Such access should be granted judiciously, too. Every employee with access is a data breach-in-waiting, especially with ubiquitous social media usage and growing social engineering threats. <P> "Limit the number of people who have login and password access to bank accounts," Haley said. "And seriously consider dedicating machines to only banking. Email and Web browsing are popular infection vectors for Zeus, so avoiding those activities will significantly lower the risk of a machine used for online banking from getting infected." <P> The extra security effort is worth it, lest you log in one morning to find the corporate coffers have been cleaned out. "An infection like ZeuS can be devastating to a small business," Haley said.2013-06-03T09:06:00ZDrill down on the latest trends in the IT labor market for job seekers and employers and get expert advice from an IT recruiter.http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/8-it-hiring-trends-you-cant-ignore/240155937?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/social-business/news/galleries/social_networking_consumer/linkedin-10-important-changes/240154479"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/990/LinkedIn-original-screen_birthday-hat_01_tn.jpg" alt="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changesr" title="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes" class="img175" /></a><br /> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes</div> </div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The job market, like any market, is not a static beast. It's subject to trends, disruptions, and ups and downs like any other marketplace. You can't manage your current job search -- or your career in general -- with the exact same strategies you used, say, five years ago. <P> That's especially true for IT pros; the technologies and skills necessary to succeed are constantly evolving, perhaps more so than in most industries. So what should you be thinking about <em>now</em>? We asked IT recruiter Paul DeBettignies, head of <a href="http://www.mnheadhunter.com/">Minnesota Headhunter</a>, for his take on some of the top hiring trends on both sides of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/it-job-interviews-8-tips-to-avoid-disast/240155858">the interview</a> table. <P> <strong>For Jobseekers&#8230;</strong> <P> <strong>1. Social Media Profiles Aren't A Fad. </strong> <P> The use of social sites like LinkedIn, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/social-business/social_networking_consumer/10-twitter-power-tips/240155735">Twitter</a> and Facebook by recruiters isn't new. But it has intensified of late, acccording to DeBettignies, as skilled IT talent has become tougher to find. Yes, updated <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/5-social-strategies-for-job-hunters/240151962">social profiles</a> will lead to more unsolicited -- and sometimes unwanted -- interest from recruiters and hiring managers. But it will help cut down on irrelevant inquiries, too. <P> <strong>[ Work-life balance? Forget it. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/women-in-tech-career-advice-from-elite-e/240153543?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Women In Tech: Career Advice From Elite Execs</a>. ]</strong> <P> "IT pros could help themselves if their LinkedIn profiles are complete and their Twitter bio says, "Minneapolis, MN" and "Software Engineer" or ".Net Developer," DeBettignies said by way of example. "While this will may lead to more inquiries from recruiters it also may weed out the unnecessary ones." <P> <strong>2. Resumes: Not Going Away, But No Longer The Calling Card. </strong> <P> The age-old resume hasn't gone bye-bye, according to DeBettignies, but it's taking a back seat to newer methods of introducing yourself to potential employers. He's observed this shift both in working with his own clients and at other tech companies, too. <P> "A resume is not needed for an initial inquiry," DeBettignies said. "Send me a summary, a link to a portfolio or well-written LinkedIn profile. GitHub or other repositories [are acceptable], too. This allows me to get to know a candidate better, faster than a traditional resume." <P> That said, you'll still need a current, polished resume in many hiring situations. "At some point I would like to see that, too," DeBettignies said. "I don&#8217;t think the resume is going or should go away. It is a necessary evil." <P> <strong>3. Look Within First. </strong> <P> If you're downright miserable in your current position, or perhaps working for a company careening toward bankruptcy, your job-hunting strategy might aptly be summed up as: "Anywhere but here." But the best opportunity might be right in front of you, or at least down the hall. That's because more tech employers are finding strong returns by investing in their own people in lieu of external talent searches, according to DeBettiginies."With the tight [IT] labor market many companies are looking to train or do continuing education with their current employees to get the skills needed," DeBettignies said. Don't pass up on training and education programs offered by your employer; they could be your next step (or two) on the career ladder, he said. "Take advantage of education programs, ask to attend classes and conferences, get certification." <P> <strong>4. Learn The Language Of Business. </strong> <P> "iOS, Android, Ruby on Rails, Java ... everyone is talking about computer languages," DeBettignies said. "The best language you can learn is the business side of things. You don&#8217;t need to speak like you have a MBA but being able to talk with users, clients and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/6-tips-how-to-speak-c-suite/240155344">C-level executives</a> is priceless. This is a skill not easily outsourced or offshored." <P> <strong>5. Meet With Prospective Employers Even If You're Not Job Hunting.</strong> <P> Just because you're not actually on the job market doesn't mean you can't meet with people or organizations that you might someday like to work with. (There's also the general career wisdom that it's often easiest to find a good job when you don't actually need one.) <P> "If I were an IT pro I would on occasion meet with companies I one day may want to work for," DeBettignies said. "This can be informal at tech events, user group meetings or one-on-one at a coffee shop." <P> <strong>For IT Hiring Managers... </strong> <P> <strong>6. Prioritize Skills In The Job Description.</strong> <P> If you're writing job descriptions that just laundry list a dozen or more required skills, consider a modified approach for finding better talent matches: Prioritize programming languages and other knowledge into tiers. This helps both you and prospective employees. <P> "I am seeing, particularly with startups, tech skill requirements being listed in terms of 'must-have,' 'nice-to-have,' and 'would-be-great-to-have [as extras],' versus the long 14-item wish list," DeBettignies said. "This allows for a better understanding [of] what the job entails." <P> <strong>7. Develop "Talent Pools."</strong> <P> Much like <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/giants-red-sox-celtics-to-talk-customer/240155797">pro sports teams</a> keep tabs on players and farm systems in other organizations, some businesses do the same by creating "talent pools." <P> "Larger companies have been doing this for a number of years and it is now trickling down to startups and smaller tech companies," DeBettignies said. "The idea is 'always be recruiting' -- that while an Android developer may not be needed today or this month we know that we may need two or three more this year, [so] be constantly creating relationships with new developers and staying in touch with ones previously spoken to." <P> <strong>8. "Too Busy" To Recruit? Prepare For Mediocre (Or No) Talent. </strong> <P> "A number of startup CEOs are saying they do not have time to recruit. Which is insane," DeBettignies said. "They say between writing code, running the day-to-day business and raising funds they do not have time to recruit." <P> Make time, or suffer the consequences of a talent shortage. <P> On the flip side, DeBettignies offers some final words of advice for IT professionals: Because some executives and hiring managers aren't actively meeting with prospective additions to their teams, the burden's on you to take the first step. Don't sit around waiting for the phone to ring. <P> "Managing one's career, including thinking about new opportunities, is a must," DeBettignies said. "The idea of waiting to be contacted is obviously reactive and will cost you in the long run."2013-05-31T09:33:00ZIT job hunters, avoid foolish flubs in your next interview. Take this expert advice on manners, money and more.http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/it-job-interviews-8-tips-to-avoid-disast/240155858?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/internet/social-network/5-new-linkedin-tools/240152212"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/972/LinkedIn-collage_tn.jpg" alt="5 New LinkedIn Tools" title="5 New LinkedIn Tools" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">5 New LinkedIn Tools</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->So you scored an interview for that job you want. Congratulations. Now don't screw it up. <P> Not quite the words of encouragement you were looking for? IT pros with sought-after skills sometimes need a gentle -- or not-so-gentle -- reminder about job interview skills, according to Paul DeBettignes, head of the IT recruiting firm <a href="http://www.mnheadhunter.com/">Minnesota Headhunter</a>. <P> "There are a lot of ways to mess up an interview," DeBettignes said via email interview. "Even though IT folks are in demand, some things are difficult [for employers] to overlook." <P> Some interview missteps might seem like a failure of common sense, yet they occur regularly. DeBettignes took an informal poll of recruiters and HR pros -- not all focused on IT, mind you -- at a recent industry event: How many of their job candidates say or do something in an interview that left them thinking "What the heck?" The unscientific tally: 10%. <P> <strong>[ Don't ignore social networks in your search for a new job. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/5-social-strategies-for-job-hunters/240151962?itc=edit_in_body_cross">5 Social Strategies For Job Hunters</a>. ]</strong> <P> "Last week, a friend at a Minneapolis startup interviewed a woman who brought her dog to the interview," DeBettignes said. "Her current company allows it and she did not want to bring the dog home before the interview." <P> Such WTH moments are not always deal breakers but they're not, uh, best practices, at least not if you want the job. "The best way to prepare for an interview is to ask: who would you want to talk to you?" DeBettignes said. He shared his top do's and don'ts for IT pros hoping to ace their next interview. <P> <strong>1. Do: Your Homework.</strong> <P> "Research who you will be interviewing with," DeBettignes said. "Surely they will have done this in advance and so should you." <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/social-business/news/galleries/social_networking_consumer/linkedin-tips-10-ways-to-do-more/240154479">LinkedIn</a> is a good place to start, as is the corporate website. Social media can be rich fodder for background research, provided you <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/5-social-blunders-job-hunters-must-avoid/240153423">don't get weird.</a> (See also: #2.) If the company or manager has been in the press, it can't hurt to bone up on the coverage. <P> <strong>2. Don't: Be Creepy.</strong> <P> Don't go overboard with your research, something all too easy to do in the social media age. Stay far away from personal comments based on, say, the hiring manager's Facebook photos. "Do not mention how cute 'Fido' is," DeBettignes said.<strong>3. Do: Ask Questions, Rather Than Just Answering Them.</strong> <P> "Ask questions about career path, company culture, current projects, and what the future pipeline is like," DeBettignes said. "You want to show interest and you want to know what you are getting yourself into." <P> <strong>4. Do Not: Dress For The Beach.</strong> <P> It should sound like common sense, but proper interview attire is often anything but -- especially during warm weather. "With the summer months your current employer may have a casual policy -- think shorts and sandals -- but do not be that casual in an interview," DeBettignes said. If you're not sure what to wear, DeBettignes said it's perfectly OK to ask about company dress-code guidelines. Err on the dressier side, not vice versa. "Oh, and iron your shirt. Yes, you need to buy an iron," DeBettignes said. "Properly dressed bonus: take the sunglasses off of your head." <P> <strong>5. Do: Discuss Past Projects And Skills. </strong> <P> If you're rusty in certain coding languages or other <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/7-it-skills-help-you-get-hired/240154822">skills required</a> of the job, dust them off before sitting down to the interview table. "Be prepared to talk about code you have written," DeBettignes said. "The job could be a Ruby on Rails developer who has some past experience in Python. It would be wise to brush up a bit on Python coding. At some point there may be a code test." <P> Think beyond the job description, too: "The more skills you show the greater bargaining power you have." <P> <strong>6. Do Not: Be Late.</strong> <P> As with proper attire, this one should go without saying. Don't be the prima donna who waltzes in 20 minutes late to the interview. If you want the job, act like it. "Be on time, everyone is busy," DeBettignes said. "Yes, folks like you are in demand but that does not excuse bad behavior." <P> <strong>7. Do: Be Comfortable Talking Money.</strong> <P> Don't assume salary and other compensation are just the stuff of job offers. "It may come up in a first interview," DeBettignes said. "Be prepared to talk about your current salary, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/what-it-staffs-want-more-than-salary/240154463">total compensation</a> -- bonus, equity, healthcare, continuing education, [and other factors] -- and what it will take to get you to say yes to this new opportunity." <P> <strong>8. Do Not: Leave Your Phone On. </strong> <P> Seriously, don't be that person. That person is the worst. "Turn off your cell phone. Do not look at it, do not answer it and do not text during the interview," DeBettignes said. In fact, DeBettignes will do you one better: Don't even think about turning that phone back on until you've left the premises entirely. "Do not call anyone until you leave the property," he advised. "Calling your spouse, cube mate or best friend while in the elevator or lobby is just silly." Why? Just because the interview's done doesn't mean you can't hurt your cause blabbing away on the phone. <P> "You never know who is listening," DeBettignes said. "That fella who looks like he has not slept in two days or shaved in five days with the backwards hat? That could be the CIO." <P>2013-05-30T12:14:00ZConsumers will keep chasing new and shiny; business users will keep working on a PC. Microsoft finally appears to understand that.http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-81-thanks-for-listening-microsof/240155798?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-should-fix-in-windows/240154570"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/991/Windows-Blue-Blue-1st-screen_tn.jpg" alt="Windows Blue" title="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes" class="img175" /></a><br /> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">8 Things Microsoft Should Fix In Windows Blue</div> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->A confession: The original headline for this article was "Don't Forget About Us, Microsoft." By "us" I meant PC users, and especially business users. We'd previously been assigned standing room in the cattle car on Microsoft's continuing journey with Windows 8 and beyond. <P> I hit pause after <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/heres-how-the-new-windows-blue-start-button-may-work-7000016042/">new reports</a> of what Microsoft will <a href="http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/blue-start-experience-changes">change</a> in Windows 8.1 began appearing Wednesday afternoon. Hallelujah -- it appears Microsoft's actually listening to its customers. <P> The company on Thursday officially announced many of the changes in a <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/30/continuing-the-windows-8-vision-with-windows-8-1.aspx">blog post</a>. And yes, they include the return of the Start button -- even if Microsoft's not calling it that. 8.1 will also include more boot options and Start screen customizations, built-in SkyDrive integration, and other updates. A full Windows 8.1 preview will be unveiled next month at Microsoft's developer conference. <P> <strong>[ What other tweaks has Microsoft made in Windows 8.1? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-81-restores-start-button-with-tw/240155767?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8.1 Restores Start Button, With Twist</a>. ]</strong> <P> The news should be at least partially reassuring to PC users who <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">didn't love Windows 8</a> out of the gate, in part because it was a one-size-fits-all approach to a wide range of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/lenovo-windows-8-ultrabook-my-first-14-d/240155025">hardware</a> -- much of which doesn't yet support touch. Windows 8 as currently constructed felt like over-compensation as Microsoft attempts to crack the consumer mobility market that Apple and Google have dominated to date. Microsoft's public commentary on the matter indicated as much. "Windows 8 redefines our market from PCs to mobile computing," read a recent blog post. This from the company whose software powers more than <a href="http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=0">90% of computers</a> around the world. <P> The tune changed on Thursday, albeit slightly. Microsoft's sticking to its touch guns, but acknowledged that it's not currently optimal for plenty of users: "We also recognize there are many non-touch devices in use today -- especially in the commercial setting," corporate VP Antoine Leblond wrote on the Windows Blog. "As such we've focused on a number of improvements to ensure easier navigation for people using a mouse and keyboard." <P> You could argue that it shouldn't have taken this long for Microsoft to realize that. I say: Better late than never. Good on ya, Microsoft. <P> While we're here, can we give this "death of the PC" thing a rest? The PC is a commodity. Commodities, like toothpaste, aren't sexy; they're necessary. This doesn't make for a good growth story on Wall Street, nor a cool trend story on Madison Avenue. Tablets and tablet-like devices are new, they're <a href=" http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/28/4260886/tablet-computers-overtaking-pcs.html">shiny</a>, and people are <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/tablet-buying-demystified-10-tips/240155502">buying them</a>. Lots of them. PCs have been around for forever and a day, and people -- consumers, in particular -- are <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/pc-market-hasnt-hit-rock-bottom-yet/240155648">buying fewer of them</a> than they used to. <P> That doesn't mean millions of professionals no longer need full-featured, powerful desktops or laptops (aka notebooks) to do their jobs. Take anyone who relies heavily on computer-aided design (CAD) applications -- engineers, architects, designers, and the like. I've heard from several readers in these fields who've pointed out that heavy-duty CAD work just isn't suited for tablets or phones, at least not yet. <P> The same typically holds true in roles that require heavy content creation or data entry -- accountants, say, or writers. Does it mean these pros don't embrace mobility? Of course not -- many also tote tablets and certainly smartphones, too, especially in BYOD offices. And an increasing number of "traditional" PCs will no doubt include touchscreens. None of this means the PC is disappearing. (Video did not, in fact, kill the radio star.) PCs will remain necessary in many corporate environments, just as tablets and other devices will be increasingly important in certain jobs. There's room for both. <P> There's a common perception problem with necessities, though: They're usually kind of boring, unless maybe you're making million-dollar bets on <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/markets/commodities/futures/">the future price</a> of oil or wheat. Social sites like Facebook are hot; toothpaste is not. But guess which one I'd give up first? (People who don't use toothpaste? Not often hot.) <P> Windows 8.1 ushers in a new Windows era of shorter, faster development-and-release cycles. In <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-blue-will-microsoft-give-free-up/240154695">recent interviews</a> with <em>InformationWeek</em>, Forrester senior analyst David Johnson pointed out that shift has a lot of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">upside for IT and businesses</a> as a whole. Among the potential boons: Making it easier for organizations to stay current and reducing IT management burdens. <P> Of course, it has a downside, too. If Microsoft uses a more frequent release cycle as a means to chase the latest consumer trend or shareholder pressure -- rather than actually listening to customers and addressing their needs -- business users stand to lose. And there will always be something newer and cooler that gets consumers all riled up. Something will eventually usher in the "death of the tablet," too, even though tablets -- like the PCs that came before them -- probably aren't going anywhere. <P> No one should blame Microsoft for hunting the Almighty Consumer; it doesn't have much choice. It's just that the hunt shouldn't come at the expense of people who rely on computers to do their jobs. We don't really care if the new Angry Birds app is available; we do care whether our devices -- Microsoft's new word of choice -- are usable, productive tools for work. <P> This is a step in the right direction, an acknowledgement that tablets and desktops aren't the same thing, that people use technology for different reasons, and that the <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/14/windows-keeps-getting-better.aspx">"world that blends our work and personal lives"</a> may be more of a lifestyle issue than a computing problem. Microsoft appears to be using the first wave of the 8.x model as an opportunity to listen to what customers -- even us boring PC users -- actually want. <P> Thanks for that.2013-05-22T13:10:00ZTo get better results in budget and project negotiations and make career path progress, IT pros must learn to speak less tech and more "boss."http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/careers/6-tips-how-to-speak-c-suite/240155344?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/social-business/news/galleries/social_networking_consumer/linkedin-10-important-changes/240154479"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/990/LinkedIn-original-screen_birthday-hat_01_tn.jpg" alt="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changesr" title="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes" class="img175" /></a><br /> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes</div> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> Tired of tight budgets, project bureaucracy and career stasis? You might need to stop talking tech and learn to speak "boss." <P> Alas, there's no Rosetta Stone course or Google Translate option for learning the language of the C-suite. You'll have to roll up your sleeves; we're here to help. It's worth the effort. During a recent webinar on the topic of "talking boss" over at IT pros' social network <a href="http://www.spiceworks.com/">Spiceworks</a>, 87% of participants said they'd been turned down for a technology funding request during the past two years. Another 64% said they had zero input into their company's planning and budgeting process. <P> If that sounds familiar, it's time for a language lesson. In an interview, Spiceworks CFO Jeff Dean shared these insights for better communicating with nontechnical executives and management. <P> <strong>1. Remember: The Bosses Have Bosses, Too</strong> <P> "The CFO is not a mythical figure who is 100% in control," Dean said. "They seem like these spooky gatekeepers, and a lot IT pros probably have no relationship with their CFO." <P> That can lead to plenty of incorrect <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-things-ive-learned/240155234">assumptions</a> about strategy, planning and how decisions get made within the organization. Bear in mind: the CFO and other higher-ups almost always answer to other stakeholders, whether that means the CEO, the board, investors, debt-holders or other constituents. Identifying the boss' bosses lays the groundwork for understanding how the higher-ups are being judged -- a crucial step toward speaking their language. <P> <strong>[ What is a "good" job? Hint: it's not just money. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/what-it-staffs-want-more-than-salary/240154463?itc=edit_in_body_cross">What IT Staffs Want More Than Salary</a>. ]</strong> <P> <strong>2. Start The Conversation</strong> <P> Dean stressed the importance for IT pros to open a dialogue with nontechnical management to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/how-to-innovate-in-a-low-tech-industry/240154016">improve IT's standing</a> within the organization. The best way to do so is not in terms of bits and bytes, but "under the guise of wanting to help the CFO and organization meet their goals and objectives for the year," Dean said. "Part of that is understanding what those metrics are that the CFO [or other executive] measures themselves by -- how do they define the year?" Some common examples might include revenues, operating expenses and profit. But the list will vary by organization and industry; education environments, for example, would likely care more about learning outcomes and other measurements than strict financial data. No matter what measurements your company uses, they become the lexicon of the executive suite. <P> Along with that, it's also critical to know your company's budgeting and planning process. While startups and other smaller firms sometimes operate under some form of "managed chaos," many organizations have a "budget season." If you're not aligning your IT requests with that calendar, you're less likely to get what you want during the course of the year. <P> <strong>3. Translation Strategy #1: Communicate In Terms Of Business Goals</strong> <P> A firm grasp of the company's goals -- and how progress is measured -- essentially generates the vocabulary of "speaking boss." Budget requests, project plans and other communications stand a better chance of approval if expressed in terms of corporate metrics and keywords rather than technical jargon. In other words: Show, in plain language, how Project X or New Application Y will help meet corporate goals. Save the technical stuff for IT meetings. <P> "[IT pros] need to figure out what those measurements are so that they can equate back the projects that they feel they need and how they impact those measures," Dean said. "[Don't] express the project in terms of 'hey, this quad core processor is fabulous and I've got this many reads-per-second going to the hard drive now.' That doesn't mean anything to a CFO." <P> <strong>4. Translation Strategy #2: Communicate In Terms Of Risk</strong> <P> Speaking in terms of business goals and metrics is the optimist's strategy; communicating everything that can go wrong, though, can be equally effective. Help the bosses understand IT risks in non-IT terms -- What happens to employee productivity, website transactions or other business currencies if that server or this application fails? Dean offered an example from within Spiceworks: the company's director of IT wanted funds for more effectively backing up the organization's Active Directory deployment. When discussing it with Dean, he laid off the IT lingo in favor of terms the C-suite could easily understand: If Active Directory goes down, here's how many employee hours would be lost. <P> "That's expressing the risk to me in terms I can understand," Dean said.A clearer understanding of the business and of how the executive team is assessed -- along with an open, ongoing dialogue -- will also foster far more options for expressing return on investment (ROI) proofs or otherwise making business cases for IT investments. There's a writing 101 lesson that applies here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show,_don't_tell">"Show, don't tell."</a> With solid grounding in your company's goals and metrics, you paint the ROI picture and let the higher-ups connect the dots themselves. Typically, Dean said, that comes from showing a productivity or efficiency gain tied to corporate objectives -- or risks that threaten achieving those objectives. <P> Another example from inside Spiceworks: The firm's CTO had noticed that the Spiceworks website was averaging about six seconds per page refresh; he thought he could get it down to two seconds with the appropriate resources. While he couldn't explicitly prove ROI for the initiative, the CTO and CFO discussed the project in terms of how it could improve the company's main revenue stream: Advertising. <P> "It was very logical for me to quickly get that if the refresh rate can be cut down by two-thirds, I'm going to generate more page views, keep people within my environment longer, be able to provide them more useful information faster, [and] that's going to help my overall traffic a bunch," Dean said. "That was another way of expressing ROI in a business measurement that I could relate to." <P> Consider the terms most applicable to your business -- labor hours, order processing times, compliance, risk and so forth -- and communicate IT strategy and requests accordingly. <P> <strong>6. Think Like An Owner</strong> <P> Beyond budgets and project approvals, speaking "boss" can help elevate IT's overall stature within an organization -- and also be a boon for IT pros that aspire to one day <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/so-you-want-to-be-a-cio-4-tips/240155134"><em>become</em> the boss</a>. "You've got to think like an owner," Dean said. Again, that means you need to know more than your network or other IT responsibilities -- see the company's big picture. If you feel you're too far down the chain of command to be having lunch with the C-suite, at least start with your higher-ups within IT. Find out if <em>they're</em> talking to nontechnical management. (If they're not, suggest they start.) Dean believes most executives will welcome the input. <P> "[If I was a CTO], I would still want to know from the guy running the network what he sees, because there are plenty of things he sees that the CTO doesn't see," Dean said. While Dean can't imagine writing a budget without IT input, the 64% poll figure above shows it does happen -- frequently, even. Dean half-joked that his next webinar will be for CFOs and other execs on why they shouldn't create budgets without soliciting IT's input. "You don't know what you don't know," Dean said. <P> It comes back to starting that conversation in terms the bosses can understand. Dean acknowledged that this can be intimidating. "It absolutely is," Dean said. It may be easier to start the discussion in the form of a question, or in the form of a helping hand: "How can IT act as a catalyst for achieving our corporate goals?" or "Hey, I want to better understand our objectives and metrics so I can ensure we don't have any unforeseen technology risks that might hinder success." Dean believes most executives will embrace this type of dialogue -- again, provided it's in a language they can understand. <P> "All but the most curmudgeonly managers will really welcome when someone comes to them just wanting to be a part of the aggregate solution," Dean said. "That's generally pretty well-received."2013-05-21T09:06:00ZAfter spending two weeks on a touchscreen laptop, I've revisited my initial assumptions about Windows 8. But Joe and Jane user will need training.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-things-ive-learned/240155234?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-should-fix-in-windows/240154570"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/991/Windows-Blue-Blue-1st-screen_tn.jpg" alt="Windows Blue" title="LinkedIn: 10 Important Changes" class="img175" /></a><br /> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">8 Things Microsoft Should Fix In Windows Blue</div> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->You've heard the popular wisdom about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Belson">assumptions</a>, right? I figured it was time to revisit mine to ensure I wasn't living up to the old, if somewhat vulgar, adage. <P> Specifically, I'm talking about Windows 8. I've weighed in a few times on <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-why-i-wont-upgrade/240008430">why I'm not sold</a> on a one-size-fits-all OS that prioritizes tablets and other mobile devices over the traditional PC in the user interface. I've <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">had my doubts</a> about the business value of a touchscreen on laptops and desktops -- enough so that my editor referred to me on Twitter as <a href="https://twitter.com/lmclaughlin/status/320175183811981313">"our touch skeptic."</a> <P> I recently spent a couple of weeks using Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon, a touchscreen ultrabook running Windows 8 Pro. Although it was primarily for review purposes, the session provided a timely opportunity to retest some of my early responses to Windows 8. <P> <strong>[ Two weeks with a high-end Windows 8 ultrabook revealed plenty of pros and cons. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/lenovo-windows-8-ultrabook-my-first-14-d/240155025?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Lenovo Windows 8 Ultrabook: My First 14 Days</a>. ]</strong> <P> As an ultrabook, the X1 Carbon is a close cousin of the "old-fashioned" laptop -- no "tent mode," detachable keyboard, or other explicitly touch-centric features. I went in with an open, even enthusiastic, mind. The touchscreen PC experience grew on me while immersed in it for an extended time period. Nonetheless, I found many of my prior thoughts were underscored rather than undermined. <P> <b>1. Touch on PC Is a Bonus, Not a Requirement.</b> <P> As I said, I enjoyed the touch experience on the X1 Carbon. It's new, it's novel. The app model currently favors personal over business use by a wide margin, but there's promise in the live tiles concept and in the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">Windows Store</a>. From a design standpoint, certain <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/8-free-must-have-windows-8-apps/240154590">apps like Twitter and SkyDrive</a> look great in Windows 8, and make logical sense for the streaming data idea behind the UI. <P> Here's the thing: I can do my job without it. There could certainly be other roles and tasks where touch becomes table stakes for PC users, but those users are probably already using tablets. For the deskbound crowd -- and there are a lot of us -- it's more nice-to-have than must-have, at least for now. I only "touched" a Word doc because I could; doing so didn't make it easier or more productive. Ditto Excel. Even Web browsing, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">a potential boon</a> for touch PCs, was underwhelming. On my phone, touch-based browsing is a necessity; not so on the laptop. <P> One reason why that distinction matters: While prices seem likely to come down over time, business-grade touch hardware is expensive. Microsoft's Surface Pro starts at $900, well north of the iPad. (The two aren't an apple-to-apple comparison, yet many tablet buyers will certainly stack the two side by side.) The X1 Carbon starts at $1,349; plenty of the other, newer Windows 8 hardware hitting the market likewise retails well north of $1,000, a high price tag in the traditionally budget-friendly PC market. Why pay the premium if it's not adding productivity? <P> <b>2. I Would Not Install Windows 8 on a Non-Touch Device.</b> <P> I don't doubt there are specific use cases -- likely in IT positions -- where installing Windows 8 on non-touch hardware makes sense. <em>InformationWeek</em> readers have regularly pointed out some of the under-the-hood improvements that have nothing to do with touch, for example. But for most people, I think Windows 8 on a non-touch device is a nonstarter. Can you use the Modern UI with a touchpad or mouse? Sure. Should you? I just didn't enjoy it -- the live tiles experience was designed for touch, not for touchpads, and needs the hardware to match. Otherwise, Windows 7 should meet the needs of most workers just fine for the foreseeable future. <P> <b>3. Windows 8.1 <Em>Must</Em> Include the Option to Boot to Desktop.</b> <P> Sometimes divisive tech topics -- Windows 8 certainly qualifies, to the point that <a href="http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2013/05/10/staying-centered.aspx">Microsoft is blogging about the public discourse</a> -- turn out to be a lot of hubbub for no substantive reason. Take the polarized reaction to Microsoft making desktop mode the second-class citizen in Windows 8. Without a third-party app, you've got no choice but to boot to the touch-oriented Start screen. (You know the script: "Gaaaaaaaaah, where's the start button!" "Stop complaining, noob! Get over it!") Either side might seem like an overreaction. <P> Yet this hubbub had a very real cause -- subordinating the Start button and overall desktop UI that millions of people are comfortable with. My X1 Carbon came with <a href="http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/">Start8</a> installed for demo purposes; this is a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">paid app</a> that enables you to bypass the Start screen at startup in favor of the traditional desktop. It made a world of difference, even if some of that was psychological. I lived in desktop mode and switched to the Start screen and my live tiles when I wanted to, not vice versa. It better suited my usage -- lots of documents, some spreadsheets, plenty of content creation and other forms of data entry, email, and so forth. It also better matched my hardware -- not some slow, XP-era desktop, but a modern, high-end laptop built for business. <P> It shouldn't require a non-Microsoft app to make this happen. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-81-no-cost-big-pressure/240154876">Windows 8.1</a> needs to include a system setting that allows <em>users</em> -- not investors, partners or competitors -- to decide which best suits their needs. I'll be floored if this doesn't happen. I'd even take it a step further: the default setting on touchscreen PCs should be desktop mode. The default on tablets or hybrids that feature a keyboard but are more tablet than PC, like Microsoft's Surface Pro, should be the Modern UI. <P> <b>4. Don't Kid Yourself: Joe and Jane User Will Need Training.</b> <P> At the moment, it <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8s-best-chance-depends-on-byod/240155033">doesn't appear</a> that IT has grand plans for widespread Windows 8 deployments. But if Windows 8.1 or other factors change that, you'd better get your training programs ready. It's no media-driven myth; Start mode does take time to get used to. That time has a real dollar value when you're talking about employees on the clock versus consumers tinkering at home. <P> A couple of quick examples: It's not particularly intuitive to swipe -- or pull, really -- the Search, Settings and other options from the right side of the screen, or the All Apps option from bottom -- or top -- of the screen. On the X1 Carbon, at least, even using the keyboard's Windows key to return to desktop mode isn't especially elegant. (There's a back-and-forth hitch when exiting Start mode.) These are the kinds of things that drive some users -- you know the type -- to send a rash of panicked tickets to the help desk, or at least to grumble about it at the water cooler. <P> Can users figure it out? Sure, but it's going to take time and, in some cases, plenty of hand-holding. Prepare accordingly. <P> <i>E2 is the only event of its kind, bringing together business and technology leaders across IT, marketing, and other lines of business looking for new ways to evolve their enterprise applications strategy and transform their organizations to achieve business value. Join us June 17-19 for three days of 40+ conference sessions and workshops across eight tracks and discover the latest insights in enterprise social software, big data and analytics, mobility, cloud, SaaS and APIs, UI/UX and more. <a href="http://www.e2conf.com/boston/?_mc=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Register for E2 Conference Boston today</a> and save $200 off Full Event Passes, $100 off Conference, or get a FREE Keynote + Expo Pass! </i>2013-05-20T09:06:00ZIn two weeks, I learned plenty about the pros and cons of Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch, a high-end Windows 8 ultrabook.http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/lenovo-windows-8-ultrabook-my-first-14-d/240155025?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/989/Intro_01_tn.jpg" alt="8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25" title="8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->I'm about to return the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch ultrabook that Intel lent me for review purposes, and I'm not eager to do so. It's a fine piece of hardware. Overall, I've enjoyed using it and wouldn't mind hanging on to it. <P> That said, there are a some downsides that make the parting a little less sorrowful. Read on for a recap of my first two weeks with the X1 Carbon. <P> <b>The Overview</b> <P> The first thing I noticed: This Windows 8 machine booted straight to desktop mode. (<a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-are-pc-people-out-of-touch/240009279">Start Button devotees,</a> rejoice.) That's because my demo came outfitted with <a href="http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/">Start8</a>, a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">paid app</a> that enables you to bypass the touch-oriented Start screen that has caused so much commotion in the early days of Microsoft's so-called Modern UI. (Note: Lenovo is not actually shipping the X1 Carbon with Start8 preinstalled.) Without getting off on a Windows 8 tangent, my Start8 experience confirmed that a system option to boot directly to desktop mode -- and opening the Start screen only if and when you want the live tiles UI -- is a no-brainer addition to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-81-no-cost-big-pressure/240154876">Windows 8.1</a>. Doing this would enable the best of both worlds rather than forcing a single experience regardless of hardware or use case. <P> This 64-bit X1 Carbon ran on Windows 8 Professional. While there's a non-touch version of the X1 Carbon, this is the "multi-touch" device that enables full touchscreen capabilities with Windows 8. It has a 14-inch screen, 4 GB of RAM, and an Intel Core i5 processor (1.80-GHz). It also came with full desktop versions of Office 2013. <P> <strong>[ What's next for Windows 8? Read <a href=" http://www.informationweek.co.uk/windows/operating-systems/windows-81-no-cost-big-pressure/240154876?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8.1: No Cost, Big Pressure</a>. ]</strong> <P> I did not conduct rigorous performance or durability testing. Rather, I put it through my normal paces -- lots of time at the desk, occasional use around the house, and one quick-turnaround plane trip. (The latter helped test an assumption that this would be a good fit for regular business travelers who want a full-blown PC rather than a tablet.) Here's what I found. <P> <b>The Good</b> <P> For what it's worth, this a good-looking piece of hardware. It's slim without feeling fragile, and I like the graphite black color. I really liked the keyboard, which is sleek and comfortable without making me feel like I've got hot-dog fingers or otherwise shortchanging the productivity of a traditional keyboard, which is a gripe I have with some of the "ultra" ultrabooks on the market. That speaks to one of my higher compliments of this machine: It strikes a nice balance between modernity and productivity. It lays off <a href=" http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/acer-reveals-windows-8-hybrid-tablets/240154151">the flair</a> in favor of business sense -- a smart choice given the ThinkPad line's historical market. For someone who spends a lot of time typing and reading on-screen, the X1 Carbon delivered a productive work experience. <P> The X1 Carbon is fast; boot time took just a few seconds, as were shutdowns. Some credit to Windows 8 here: For all of the grumbling about usability, it's speedy. Battery life was strong. I didn't do lab tests but it met expectations based on Lenovo's 8-hour claim. <P> This is an ultrabook for "PC people" who need to get work done. It paid off on some of the commonly touted benefits of the ultrabook category -- slim hardware, lightweight, fast boot and shutdown times -- without sacrificing screen size, keyboard real estate and other factors. I've found smaller ultrabooks sometimes feel too precious in the sense that they're less comfortable to spend long hours working on, especially if that work involves extensive typing and other kinds of content creation or data entry. There's an 11-inch MacBook Air in my household, for example; it's stylish, fast, and certainly mobile. But the times I've tried using it for extensive work, especially writing work, I grew tired of the keyboard and smaller screen. Not so on the larger X1 Carbon.<b>The Bad</b> <P> The touchscreen experience on a relatively traditional laptop grew on me a bit during this test. It never quite moved past "nice-to-have," and I'm <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">still skeptical</a> of its widespread business value on the PC (versus tablets and smartphones). The only times I used touch in Microsoft Word, for instance, was simply for the novelty. Even in touch-friendlier applications like a Web browser, I didn't find tons of additional benefit relative to the keyboard-and-mouse interface. When in Start mode or <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">the Windows Store</a>, however, I actually found touch easier to use than the touch<em>pad</em>. <P> This revealed a significant problem, though: The X1 Carbon's screen wobbles when using touch unless you're being especially gentle -- and even then, there's some give. This was especially true for any tapping functions. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but this ultimately hindered the touchscreen experience -- and it's an issue that simply doesn't come up on most smartphones and tablets. <P> The X1 isn't a convertible like some Windows 8 devices in that it doesn't flip or otherwise transform into "tablet mode." Its monitor will fold flat against a desk or table -- which removes the wobbling -- but I didn't find much practical use for this feature in my own day-to-day use. <P> Another drawback will vary from user to user: This is an expensive machine. It <em>starts</em> at more than $1,349 <a href="http://www.lenovo.com/products/us/laptop/thinkpad/x-series/x1-carbon-touch/">direct from Lenovo</a>. (For sake of comparison, that tops the $1,199 starting price of the 13-inch MacBook Air.) Budgets vary, of course, and if yours is large or unlimited you might not blink at the price tag. I blinked. Stack this next to a well-built Windows 7 laptop that might run half that cost, and the X1 Carbon would certainly win the "cool" vote. But in the practical categories, budget among them, I'm not sure there's a clear upgrade for most people, especially if the touchscreen is more "nice to have" than "necessary for use." It's a solid machine; I'm just not sure it's a $1,349-plus machine, unless price is no object or your employer will pick up the tab. <P> <b>The Ideal Users</b> <P> This PC is well-suited for road warriors and other highly mobile workers. It traveled well while retaining the "real" laptop experience and performance, both in the office and on the go. It was reasonably comfortable to use on an airplane seatback tray, even on a short-hop puddle jumper. The pound-and-a-half or so weight difference from my regular laptop was actually noticeable in the carrying case -- especially when I had to do my best Usain Bolt impression through the terminal to avoid missing my return flight. <P> As an ultrabook, it's a good fit for people who are, well, unsure about ultrabooks. It's a nice middle ground between the "old" PC and newer form factors. (In a twist, a person next to me on one of my flights began working on an older, heftier ThinkPad. I instantly felt younger and cooler with my X1 Carbon. Alas, the feeling didn't last.) Executives who want a high-end laptop might also make a good fit; the price tag matches that market, too. <P> <b>The Bottom Line</b> <P> This is a very good PC that I'd like to have in my arsenal -- if only someone else would foot the bill.2013-05-15T09:06:00ZJAR Systems disrupts bigger competitors by using SAP and other tools to optimize a complex sales-and-service lifecycle.http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/how-sap-helps-smb-tame-tough-sales-cycle/240154832?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbSales are usually a good thing for a business to have. Yet while they help the bank balance, they can sometimes cause technical pain, especially for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). <P> Such is operational life at JAR Systems, where sales are booming but the sales lifecycle itself is mind-bendingly complex. JAR makes mobile charging and storage carts for tablets and other devices. Public school districts spread around the country comprise its primary customer base, and the firm relies on resellers and other partners for sales and distribution help. <P> "We have a very convoluted and complicated sales process," JAR Systems president Axel Zimmermann said in an interview. The mix of resellers, partners, school districts and other stakeholders means there are plenty of cooks in the sales kitchen. "I've got seven to 10 to 15 people working on the same opportunity that can hit our desks at any point in time." <P> That gets tricky when moving a lead through the pipeline toward becoming a customer, and even trickier when it comes to things like ensuring the right people get paid the right commissions. JAR's 10 employees turned to SAP's Business One platform, plus HANA-enabled industry-specific add-ons from <a href="http://www.boyum-it.com/">Boyum IT</a>, to keep up. JAR's SAP implementation was done with MCS Business Solutions. <P> <strong>[ Want to know how to save money on SAP? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/sap-customers-may-overspend-by-25/240154555?itc=edit_in_body_cross">SAP Customers May Overspend By 25%</a>. ]</strong> <P> SAP unveiled Business One 9.0 on Wednesday at its <a href="http://www.sapandasug.com/">Sapphire Now</a> conference; the latest version includes enhanced development capabilities, new business processes and analytics features, and tighter integration with the SAP-owned Ariba supplier network. <P> Zimmermann's a happy customer to date, enough so that he was almost apologetic for his raves. Chief among reasons for that enthusiasm: The ability to customize the application to JAR's industry and specific business needs, with Boyum's help, is huge. Zimmermann said he's able to essentially mirror each step and variable in that sales cycle. The ability to write an application that does just that -- which Zimmermann knew would be necessary because "there's not going to be anything out there that matched our business" -- set SAP apart in Zimmermann's eyes. <P> "That's why we didn't use Salesforce or Sage or any of these other things," Zimmermann said. "You can't do all that as easy and as simple as you can do in SAP." <P> While Business One 9.0 can be deployed <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/sap-cloud-push-starts-with-hana/240154340">on-demand over the Web</a>, Zimmermann will stick with his on-premises environment for the foreseeable future. That was also a factor in his SAP decision, too. "My data is my data; it's not the cloud's data," he said. JAR maintains its own servers, fully backed up, in part because of data and corporate security concerns. JAR's data <em>is</em> its business in many respects, according to Zimmermann. "I don't want it to be at somebody [else's] mercy. That is data that is so critical to our business. It has got to be mine." <P> IT is also <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/how-to-innovate-in-a-low-tech-industry/240154016">a tactical force</a> for Zimmermann and company; his comfort level with technology has enabled him to disrupt larger, older competitors in his industry, such as traditional furniture makers and other manufacturers that haven't been as quick to adopt and adapt to newer tools. He pointed to JAR's use of the inbound marketing platform HubSpot as an example of that strategy. JAR is currently working on a tighter integration of its SAP and HubSpot deployments, the two prime pieces of its technology portfolio. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">Mobility</a> is another priority given JAR's small staff and nationally distributed sales network. <P> "I'm really focused on using IT to revolutionize how my competitors are doing business," Zimmermann said. "All my guys are running around with iPads that plug into SAP Business One [and other data sources]."2013-05-13T11:06:00ZThese free Windows 8 apps will help you and your business bootstrap your way to using Microsoft's new OS productively.http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/8-free-must-have-windows-8-apps/240154590?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbMicrosoft recently bragged about the fast growth of its relatively new Windows Store for Windows 8 and Windows RT apps. The store has served up 250 million downloads since launch, according to the company, and 90% of the current catalog is downloaded at least once every month. "Apps momentum has been steady as the number of apps in the Windows Store has <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/06/windows-8-at-6-months-q-amp-a-with-tami-reller.aspx">increased 6x</a> since launch," said Microsoft chief marketing officer and CFO Tami Reller in a blog post. "Comparatively, that's already passed what iOS had in store, in its first year of app development." <P> It's safe to say the majority of the growth that Microsoft is touting is driven by free apps. There are more than 70,000 apps in the Windows Store, according to AppCounter; nearly 47,000 of them are free. (AppCounter itself is a free Windows 8 app that tracks Windows Store data.) In a recent two-week period, developers published roughly 450 apps per day. <P> "Free" sometimes comes with hidden costs. You could end up with unnecessary privacy or security risks. Overly intrusive adware is another concern with free downloads. You probably shouldn't bank on high levels of support and service from free apps. And if you get a little too app-happy because of the $0.00 price tag, you could end up with a cluttered device full of stuff you never use. <P> Note, too, that there are "free" apps that won't do you much good unless you have a paid account with the underlying platform. Citrix's ShareFile was quick to roll out a Windows 8 app, for instance, but if you're not a ShareFile user you won't get very far with the app. <P> Similarly, there are plenty of compelling "free" Windows 8 apps that are really just free trials for paid software, a distinction that's often glossed over. A website monitoring tool such as Appfail could be a good fit for Windows 8 users, but the "free" app in the store is a 30-day trial. <P> From a budget standpoint, though, genuinely free apps are tough to argue with. If you account for the potential downsides, it's okay to act on the temptation. I bought some Windows 8 apps while reviewing Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook, but I downloaded more free apps, because -- well, they're free. <P> For this review I went in search of free apps that I could either use myself or see as potential fits in corporate contexts, especially for small businesses and individuals procuring their own apps. Although free often feels easy -- it's just a click, after all -- I did run into the occasional headache in addition to the ones already mentioned. <P> A prime example: Apps for services I already used seemed like no-brainers, but in some instances I struggled to find a good reason to use the Windows 8 app instead of the desktop or Web interface. Exhibit A: Dropbox. Like many others, I use it regularly, usually in folder mode on my old Windows 7 laptop or via a native smartphone app. I've got no issues with the Windows 8 app -- I just found myself not needing it all that much, so you won't see it here. (This could be partly a function of my hardware; although the X1 Carbon is equipped with a touchscreen, it bears much more in common with a traditional laptop than a tablet or smartphone.) <P> I did include Microsoft's own SkyDrive service. I'm more likely to use this app in folder mode, too, but I like the Windows 8 app's design. I'm also a fan of SkyDrive's default integration in Office 2013. <P> The general goal here was to keep the list manageable, and eight's a fitting number when discussing Windows 8. Are these the only useful free apps? Of course not. Tell us about your own favorites -- or rejects, for that matter -- in the comments section below.<a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/skydrive/2682e314-15ab-4510-bbb3-d33da78a44d9">SkyDrive</a> has slowly worked its way into my collection of backup apps since I <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/microsoft-skydrive-vs-dropbox-google-han/240005958">first started using the service</a>. In desktop mode I'll probably stick with the SkyDrive folder, but I do like the Windows 8 app when on the Start screen. It's likely a "must" backup and sharing app for SkyDrive users on tablets and other mobile devices where there is no folder mode. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>If you need a crash course on how to use Windows 8, look no further. This <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/windows-8-cheat-keys/24f62990-98c7-4c26-95cb-cb09267680e8">cheat sheet</a> for using the Windows 8 Start screen and Modern UI came in quite handy. It's a fast class in touch gestures and keyboard shortcuts for when you need to see all installed apps, rearrange or remove tiles, or modify app permissions, among other common tasks. Recommended for new Windows 8 users. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>I use Skype regularly for work and personal communications, including voice, IM and videoconferencing. On a full-size laptop, I'll likely stick with the desktop Skype app, but the <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/skype/5e19cc61-8994-4797-bdc7-c21263f6282b">Windows 8 Skype app</a> could be valuable on smaller gadgets, including tablets and some of the smaller hybrid or convertible laptops. One minor gripe: The Windows 8 app forces you to merge your Skype and Microsoft accounts. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a><a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/windows-8-company-store/9b22e9ba-50cc-4e0c-8aa6-c84d351c4ddb">Company Store</a> is an open-source tool for creating and managing an internal app store. Administrators can serve up homegrown Windows 8 and Windows RT apps, third-party Windows Store apps, and links to internal and external Web applications. Customizations include the ability to brand the storefront with your company name. (Note: Microsoft doesn't support the storefront, so be prepared to manage it yourself.) <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>The <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/twitter/8289549f-9bae-4d44-9a5c-63d9c3a79f35">free Twitter app</a> begs the "Why do I need this?" question when compared to the desktop social media client or the Twitter website. I found myself drawn in, though, by the clean, elegant design. Social media marketers and Twitter junkies will want to at least check to see how their handles appear, as the design differs from the Twitter Web client. The app probably isn't something you'd want to rely on for managing multiple accounts, but it's a good free Windows 8 app for individuals. The natural brevity of Twitter is a strong fit for the Live Tile concept, too. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>There are all manner of note-taking, productivity, task management and calendar tools these days. <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/tiles-reminder/6f03abc2-7085-4be0-9eda-d4010b858e39">Tiles Reminder</a>, however, takes advantage of the Modern UI concept to enable users to set a simple "note to self" as a Live Tile on the Start screen. The content is up to you, whether a reminder, to-do or even a <a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/daily-affirmation-with-stuart-smalley/n11654/">Stuart Smalley-like</a> daily affirmation. It's easy and makes good sense for the Live Tiles concept. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a><a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/pc-monitor/9efc1d1c-6816-48bc-8de7-d4b21a5b3589">PC Monitor</a> is a free remote IT management tool for up to five PCs or applications, which makes it nice fit for small, virtual groups on a tight budget. An accompanying <a href="http://www.mobilepcmonitor.com/">PC agent</a> -- also a free download -- is needed to monitor Windows, Mac and Linux computers. Note: PC Monitor is a freemium app, so if your needs grow, you'll likely need to pony up for a paid upgrade. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>You probably don't really need AppCounter, an app that lets you keep tabs on what's hot and what's not in the Windows Store. But it's a compelling download, especially for anyone with a stake or interest in Microsoft and its entry into the app universe. <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/appcounter/d8deb335-bf0f-49e4-a0f6-724779a83a71">AppCounter</a> tracks key stats and the general progress of the Windows Store. For example, you can see app categories ranked by quantity. (Education is currently in the lead, followed by Entertainment, Books & Reference, Games, and Tools.) Is it the most productive app ever? Nah. But it's an interesting, quick scorecard for charting the Windows Store's growth. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">4 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Windows Store</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">Windows 8 Users See Red: Is Microsoft Listening? </a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/google-apps-to-office-365-why-to-switch/240154193">Google Apps To Office 365: Why To Switch</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">What Microsoft Windows 8 License Numbers Don't Say</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>2013-05-13T08:45:00ZMicrosoft hasn't said if it will offer Windows Blue as a free service pack-style upgrade to Windows 8 customers. Some analysts say it should.http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-blue-will-microsoft-give-free-up/240154695?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-could-do-to-save-wind/240153124"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/980/Windows-1st-screen_tn.png" alt="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" title="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Microsoft is officially, kind-of-sort-of talking about Windows Blue, the codenamed update to Windows 8 set to roll out some time later this year. <P> Although the company had already <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-blue-confirmed-but-microsoft-mum/240151802">acknowledged Blue</a>, it's now ratcheting up the volume. Microsoft corporate VP Julie Larson-Green told the Wired Business Conference that the company will release a <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/10/building-on-our-vision-of-modern-computing.aspx">public preview of Blue</a> at the Build developers' conference in June. Fellow Windows executive Tami Reller also addressed Blue in a recent <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/06/windows-8-at-6-months-q-amp-a-with-tami-reller.aspx">Q&A blog post</a>, saying the update "will deliver the latest new innovations across an increasingly broad array of form factors of all sizes, display, battery life and performance, while creating new opportunities for our ecosystem." <P> Although short on specifics, both Larson-Green and Reller noted Blue represents a chance for Microsoft to address user responses to Windows 8 since it launched last fall. "The Windows Blue update is also an opportunity for us to respond to the customer feedback that we&#8217;ve been closely listening to since the launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT," Reller said. That might -- or might not -- include the return of the popular Start button, for example. (Of that possibility, Larson-Green told <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/05/2013-wired-business-conference/">the Wired conference</a>: "There's been meaningful discussion.") <P> <strong>[ What's wrong with Windows 8? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-should-fix-in-windows/240154570?itc=edit_in_body_cross">8 Things Microsoft Should Fix In Windows Blue</a>. ]</strong> <P> There's one Blue topic that Microsoft is not talking about yet: Pricing and licensing. As Windows 8 user Dave Lorde asked in a comment on Reller's Q&A: "Does this mean current Windows 8 users get a 'Windows Blue' service pack?" <P> Microsoft doesn't have an answer yet, at least not a public one. A company spokesman on Thursday declined to comment on pricing or licensing. <P> It seems borderline unconscionable that Microsoft might charge early Windows 8 customers to upgrade to Blue, particularly as the latter gets framed as a fix for the former's shortcomings. Referring to Windows 8, Reller recently told <em>The Wall Street Journal</em>: <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/05/07/a-humbled-microsoft-outlines-how-its-rebooting-windows-8/">"We didn't get everything we dreamed of done."</a> So why not come right out and say Blue will be delivered to Windows 8 buyers as a free upgrade? Aside from the risk of jilting early adopters, why would anyone pony up for a new Windows 8 device until the Blue picture comes into sharper focus? <P> This doesn't mean Microsoft <em>won't</em> offer Blue as a free service pack-style upgrade to Windows 8 customers. But it has yet to come out and say so, even as the Blue bandwagon's engines start to rev. <P> "I would not be surprised to see them offer an upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows Blue for free," Forrester senior analyst David Johnson said in an interview. An upgrade for "little or nothing" gives Microsoft a chance to make amends with <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-users-see-red-is-ms-listening/240154488">dissatisfied</a> Windows 8 buyers, Johnson noted. <P> Beyond pricing, Johnson is glad to see Blue on the horizon. "I'm happy to see the admission that, hey, maybe we overshot this a little bit," he said. "What they're quickly learning is that tablets and PCs <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">are two separate things</a>, not just from a use-case standpoint but also from a legal, audit and compliance standpoint." <P> Johnson also <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">sees upside</a> for customers in a new, faster development-and-release cycle for Windows. The previous, multi-year cycle made it too easy for companies to skip versions of Windows, in part because of the challenges often associated with major migrations. "That's how you get stuck on XP for 10, 12 years," Johnson said. A yearly cycle of smaller releases, for example, could enable more organizations to stay current. "[Companies could] move level to level rather than having to wait for every three years and get in a mode of inertia." <P> Smaller, quicker releases could reduce pain in areas like application compatibility, which Johnson said has hampered Microsoft and kept plenty of organizations on older versions of Windows. "[Application compatibility] is just a disaster," Johnson said. "That turns it into a change project for any company that wants to [upgrade]." <P> The Windows Store and Windows 8's <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ieinternals/archive/2012/03/23/understanding-ie10-enhanced-protected-mode-network-security-addons-cookies-metro-desktop.aspx">App Container</a> offer a lot of promise for security-minded businesses, according to Johnson. He even envisions the possibility that IT might be able to enable local admin rights for end users to choose and download their own applications from <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">Windows Store</a> without unnecessary security or stability risks. <P> "The locked-down desktop environment is just not a good experience, which is what's driving people to an iPad in the first place," Johnson said. "I think Microsoft has been slow to understand that."&#9; <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422">Possible enhancements</a> to the Windows app world might include the ability for enterprises to offer an internal app store within Windows Store; Johnson pointed out workflows such as payment approval for employee-purchased apps that could be opportunities for Windows Store to become more enterprise-friendly over time. <P> Johnson thinks businesses will pay close attention to Windows Blue to see if it suits their needs. And yes, the desktop, highlighted by the traditional Start button, is a big reason why. These aren't organizations full of Luddites and naysayers; rather, Johnson said they'd like to stay current and many of them were probably early adopters of Windows 7. But usability is more than a throwaway concern, and Windows 8's dual design is a problem. <P> "Everybody's interested in it, [Blue], mainly for the reason that they don't feel comfortable moving away from Windows 7 unless they have a Start button," Johnson said. "They're just afraid that they've got a high percentage of workers that they would have to retool and retrain. They've got laptops and desktops that aren't optimized for touch-based interface."2013-05-08T09:06:00ZMicrosoft's app store for Windows 8 shows promise but has room for improvement. Here are four ways it can better serve users.http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/4-ways-microsoft-could-improve-windows-s/240154422?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-could-do-to-save-wind/240153124"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/980/Windows-1st-screen_tn.png" alt="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" title="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->You don't need me to tell you that the nascent Windows Store is light on apps, especially relative to what's on offer from Apple and Google. It's true, but it's already old news. &#9; It's also a practical matter. The Windows Store, like the Windows 8 platform it accompanied to market, has barely had time to take down the proverbial Grand Opening sign. The developer community needs room -- and perhaps some more <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">optimistic headlines</a> about Windows 8 adoption -- to do its thing. <P> If you're rooting for Windows 8 and its subsequent releases, though, it makes sense to root for the Windows Store, too. There's no end of variables that will determine whether Windows 8 or 8.1 makes its way onto <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/what-microsoft-windows-8-license-numbers/240154345">as many devices</a> as Windows 7 or XP did. But a successful Windows Store could help <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">sway doubters</a> that Microsoft's Modern UI is a positive change, for starters. Likewise, it could make a better case for shelling out 900 bucks (or more) for Microsoft's Surface Pro when you can buy an iPad -- <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/bill-gates-ipad-users-frustrated/240154235">keyboard notwithstanding</a> -- for 500 bucks. <P> <strong>[ On a strict software budget? See our slideshow, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All&itc=edit_in_body_cross">8 Windows 8 Apps Under $25</a>. ]</strong> <P> After recently spending a good bit of time <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177">shopping the store</a> on a Windows 8 ultrabook, I see a few ways to both improve the Store and do so sooner rather than later -- always a plus in an industry where patience is a precious commodity. Here are four suggestions, with a bias toward business users and how they could help Microsoft differentiate its entry into the app marketplace. <P> <strong>1. Jumpstart The App Economy.</strong> <P> Microsoft has already offered bounties for Windows 8 app developers; why not post bounties for app buyers, too? Buy a Surface Pro, get a $50 credit in the Windows Store. Heck, buy <em>any</em> Windows 8 device above a certain price and get a Windows Store credit. This seems particularly important for the business market, where the hardware is expensive compared to Windows 7 or non-Windows PC options and the value is iffy. It could work on the consumer side of things, too. Get Best Buy to absorb some of the cost and run a Windows 8 retail campaign that taps into our international app fetish. Everyone loves free stuff. <P> Why would Microsoft give away the store, so to speak? It can afford it, for one. It has <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-jacks-up-windows-8-upgrade-pri/240146630">already run</a> plenty of deals aimed at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">getting people to upgrade</a> to Windows 8 and Office 2013. Aside from offering a carrot for customers to take a chance on the revamped OS, it could motivate developers if users are shopping the store with an infusion of house money. Although there are plenty of logical theories on why businesses shouldn't discount products, Microsoft might not have much choice. It was late to the app craze. It needs to draw users into the touchscreen Windows world and get them hooked on the platform, not unlike how Apple and Google have already done. <P> <strong>2. Set Up A "Business Class" Store.</strong> <P> The Windows Store has a ton of catching up to do on the consumer and entertainment front. So be it. Where it could develop a competitive advantage over time is to give some special attention to business users and apps that actually matter to them. Currently, you need to swipe or scroll through 17 categories to get to "Productivity" and 20 to get to "Business" in the Windows Store. <P> Why not offer business users their own storefront that focuses on apps people actually use to get stuff done and make money? This would limit the noise and save time when browsing and buying. It could also better foster a community element. Businesses and professionals could find out what their peers are using, how they use it, what's working well (and what's not), and so forth -- not unlike the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">customer ecosystem</a> on the Salesforce platform. I've got no gripe with games, nor having them on business devices. But you shouldn't have to wade through a flock of Angry Ducks to find an app that helps you schedule your time or keep tabs on your website analytics. <P> The "business class" concept ultimately could empower developers to charge higher prices for their apps, too, by concentrating the business audience in a single place. Professionals willing to pay $899 for a Surface Pro or well north of a thousand bucks for a touchscreen ultrabook might not mind paying a little extra for business apps from a marketplace that caters to their needs, rather than treating them like everyone else. <P> <strong>3. Improve Search.</strong> <P> As the Windows Store infrastructure and inventory grows, search will be increasingly critical, as it is elsewhere online and off. It's decent today -- suggestions as you type, for example -- but it's imperfect. A recent example: I went looking for SkeletonKey's password manager app, but typed in "Skeleton Key" with a space. Three apps return in the results; SkeletonKey isn't one of them. The search tool should be smarter than that, especially for spelling-challenged smartphone and tablet typists. Typos trip up the search function, too; "SkeltonKey" returned zero results, for example. <P> <strong>4. Create A "PC Apps" Category.</strong> <P> The case for touchscreens on tablets and phones is open-and-shut; it's less so on traditional PCs. Convince <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">the skeptics</a> why they need apps -- a term synonymous with mobile devices -- on their laptops and desktops. Create a "PC" category in the store that highlights apps optimized or built specifically for laptop and desktop users on the Windows 8.x platform. This doesn't necessarily mean developers need to write multiple versions of every app they build. But set aside space in the store for apps that take advantage of larger screen sizes or computing power, that are more application than app. Those applications might not quite exist yet, but if we're going to buy into a mobile-centric user interface on a touchscreen PC, it would help if there were apps tailored -- or at least well-suited -- to the hardware.&#9; <P>2013-05-06T11:41:00ZThese eight budget-friendly Windows 8 business apps provide time management, voice-to-text dictation and more, for a grand total of $24.42. http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-windows-8-apps-under-25/240154177?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbThe folks at Intel recently sent me Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch laptop to try out for a couple of weeks (we'll be publishing a review soon). To outfit the laptop, Intel sent me $25 to spend on Windows 8 apps. $25 -- that's all. <P> That sounded like a fun, practical challenge: How far could I stretch 25 bucks when buying apps I might actually use for work? Business users are the X1's sweet spot, as has historically been the case with the ThinkPad line. Fruit Ninja and Big Buck Hunter need not apply. <P> It <i>was</i> fun -- and it was a challenge. The fun part was pretty straightforward: It's always better to shop with someone else's money. <P> The challenges were a little more varied. A big one was, of course, limited funds. That's something most small businesses and individuals can relate to. If I could buy whatever I wanted, this would be a longer list. Alas, that's not the real world. So although I was intrigued by apps like <a href="http://tweetroapp.com/">Tweetro</a>, even its $9.99 price tag was too high. <P> Price was a factor when deciding which of two similar apps to keep for the list as well. For example, if I kicked the tires on two relatively similar apps and one cost $1.49 and the other $2.99, the lower price often won out, even if that meant forgoing a feature or two. <P> Another challenge was supply. It's no secret that the Windows Store doesn't have a big inventory compared with other marketplaces, especially Apple's and Google's. There just aren't as many apps yet, especially if you exclude categories such as games and entertainment. <P> Patience could pay off for Windows devotees, though. The Windows Store shows promise. It looks good and although there are some kinks, it's mostly easy to use. But it's going to need time, perhaps a lot of it, for developers to put some meat on the relatively lean app menu. <P> My self-imposed ground rules: I skipped free apps, which are obviously great for tight budgets. (I'll cover my favorite free Windows 8 apps -- from the obvious Skype to the not-so-much Windows 8 Cheat Keys -- in a separate article.) I also passed on apps that might be great but don't really fit my day-to-day job. Interesting apps such as Rental Manager for property managers and Binterview for HR and recruiters caught my eye, but I'm not a landlord and I'm not hiring. <P> Keep in mind, too, that I'm not necessarily stamping these apps as the gold standards in modern computing. The goal was to come up with a good mix of work tools while staying within a meager budget. Your mileage may vary. (Tips and suggestions are welcome in the comments and via email or <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinrcasey" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.) <P> My grand total: $24.42. Tough to leave that $0.58 on the table, but a budget's a budget -- or so I thought. My zeal to come up with a good mix -- and perhaps some questionable accounting acumen -- caused me to forget about sales tax of $1.63, which put me at $26.05. Rather than drop one of the apps, I decided I could stomach a cost overrun of $1.05. Read on for what my spending got me.The PDF is one of the file types I interact with frequently for work alongside word processing documents, spreadsheets, audio, video and images. This <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/pdf-touch/c9d9c388-68ca-499b-ae0f-d829f19ad613">app</a> lets you mark up PDFs via touch or mouse. Let the page bleed with red ink: you can highlight, chicken-scratch and strike-through to your heart's content. On my touchscreen ultrabook I found the experience a bit awkward. It helps to have a light touch when making marks and the interface and responsiveness could use some work. I imagine the experience improves on the Surface Pro or other Windows 8 tablets. Nonetheless, for the price this app was a no-brainer for me to make my touchscreen more usable. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>This <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/pomodoro-focus/500b0ac5-410a-4a65-99fb-29eb599c88fb">app</a> brings the "Pomodoro Technique" for time and task management to Windows 8. (The Pomodoro Technique breaks down work periods into regular timed intervals, separated by short breaks.) I can't help wondering if such apps are more necessary to save us from all of our <em>other</em> apps that loom as potential distractions. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>Passwords are top of mind these days; just check the current <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security">security headlines</a> to see why. Given the app-centricity of the Modern UI, a password manager and encryption tool like <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/app/skeletonkey/f75a5696-3316-42a5-91af-b73ee2c42e14">SkeletonKey</a> seemed even more relevant. There's actually a decent menu of security, password manager and encryption apps in the Windows Store, so it's worth checking to see if the ones you already use are available. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>Nerd alert: I've always kind of dug the traditional Explorer interface in Windows, dating back to my first Windows 95 PC, when it was still File Manager. <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/modern-file-explorer/fa9ad8d1-46d8-4482-85dd-4bada79a2247">This app</a> essentially reproduces at least some of that experience for the touchscreen era and Microsoft's Modern UI concept. SkyDrive integration is a plus. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>This was my big splurge -- at just under 10 bucks, <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/speechtrans-dictation/e9658d8a-1f31-47a3-85be-b010027e4566">the app</a> eats up a large slice of a small budget pie. You could stretch your $25 by sticking to $2 apps, but this one is powered by Nuance, the company that makes Dragon NaturallySpeaking dictation software. That starts at $75 for the Home Edition and runs well into the hundreds for the Professional and Legal versions. Dictation seems like a no-brainer for touch-enabled Windows 8 devices, even when they -- like the ThinkPad I'm using -- include a real keyboard. My early results have been somewhere in the "decent" to "good" territory. (See the image, the result for: "Can you hear me as I test this SpeechTrans Dictation tool?") Social and email integration are pluses for the always-connected crowd. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>Search might still be Google's game to lose, but the reality is there are more information sources than ever. <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/pan-search/71646acf-4122-4af5-bb68-4f7f21adbb9d" target="_blank">Pan-Search</a> aggregates 80-something of them in a single app, from Bing to Google to social sites -- and plenty of others. It's a boon for businesses and individuals looking to keep tabs on their online presence, competitors and so forth. Among other features, you can stack results side-by-side for comparison. (Pictured is the blessing and curse of my relative search anonymity: I share my common name with a UFC fighter.) <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a><a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/invoicing/b918787b-a458-456d-9705-31074bf6158d">This one</a> caught my eye because I've been considering trying a new way to handle invoices. In early testing it looks promising, especially at this price -- clean design, easy to use. Not sure how much touch will factor in here, but it might be the most useful if you're running Windows 8 on the go across more than one device. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>There are some whiteboarding and note-taking apps that appear to have more features than <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-ca/app/inkpad/5542fc21-1bc7-47a0-b22d-8c0dd3b3fc97>InkPad</a>, but for simple note taking and doodling the price was right. It's simple and clean. It's probably also a better fit for tablets and phones. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/operating-systems/windows-8-adoption-limps-on/240153971">Windows 8 Adoption Limps On</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/10-ways-microsoft-could-improve-surface/240154051">10 Ways Microsoft Could Improve Surface Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">Microsoft Dangles Windows 8, Office 2013 Bundle</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454">SkyKick Tackles Microsoft Office 365 Migration Headaches</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a>2013-05-01T13:28:00ZIT manager at family-owned Bremen Castings discusses how the firm capitalizes on new technology in the old-fashioned foundry business.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/network/how-to-innovate-in-a-low-tech-industry/240154016?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-ways-an-smb-makes-most-of-salesforceco/240148303"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/947/01_Intro_tn.jpg" alt="8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com" title="8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Want to run an innovative IT shop? It helps when the Powers That Be build the company around technology. <P> That's the case at <a href="http://bremencastings.com/">Bremen Castings</a>, a foundry and machine company based in Bremen, Ind. The 300-person firm makes metal and ferrous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casting">castings</a>, and performs additional processing -- milling, grinding, manufacturing -- to produce finished product rather than only raw materials. <P> The industry isn't generally known for its early adoption of information technologies. Rather, it's somewhat old-fashioned in that regard, according to Bremen's IT manager, Darrin Sweet. <P> Not so at Bremen, which runs IT as a competitive advantage rather than a service-and-support organization. "We're using technology to the <i>N</i>th degree," Sweet said in an interview. "That's a far different stance than what our competitors are doing throughout the country and throughout the world." <P> <strong>[ Mobile tech is big with SMBs -- but what about measuring results? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896?itc=edit_in_body_cross">SMBs Love Mobile, Struggle On Strategy</a>. ]</strong> <P> Sweet described Bremen's IT portfolio: "Gigabit all the way through to the desktop, fiber-optic local area network, standard high-availability VMware infrastructure with high-availability storage and presence on the network -- pretty straightforward as far as networking goes." <P> Bremen recently began rolling out Citrix virtual desktops to its employees and is now at about 40% thin clients. There's a mix of terminal server, terminal services, and "fat" clients, too. The company has become the flagship user of its industry-specific ERP system; other companies model their own deployments after Bremen's. <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896">Mobility</a> is "huge," according to Sweet -- iPads and iPhones are in regular use throughout the business, and they're always looking at ways to shrink hardware size when possible. Remote access and connectivity across devices and systems is also a must. Bremen relies on state-of-the-art <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/management/twitter-trouble-9-social-media-security/240153648">security</a> systems to protect both its physical plant and its network and other IT assets. <P> And we haven't even gotten into the cool stuff -- <a href="http://foundrymag.com/feature/robotic-grinding-cell-heavy-parts">robotic grinders</a>, anyone? <P> It's all part of an organization where IT is very much woven into the corporate fabric. Sweet is in a sense lucky: Three generations of family ownership have treated tech as a priority rather than an afterthought. "The owners are very technically savvy people," Sweet said. "It's not just networking and computers and whatnot -- we also have video security, passcard access systems, electronic timeclock systems, and that type of thing. [IT] isn't just for production manufacturing. Technology is permeated throughout the entire company, and that's primarily owner-driven." <P> Proving return on technology investments is another relatively pain-free area. "In our environment, it's very easy to do a ROI proof-of-concept," Sweet said. "It just comes down to labor hours -- two people doing the job of five [for example]. It's very easy to quantify the ROI and cost savings with technology -- or disproving it, for that matter." <P> It's not all gravy. There's a constant IT balancing act between improving performance and managing the day-to-day realities of an "office" where people melt down hundreds of pounds of metal, among other job duties. You thought your user community was tough? Try employees working with hot liquid steel. <P> "Some of our challenges are getting the technology out to the floor and making it usable for the end user, the people that are actually pouring the steel, pouring the iron, working on the line, whatever it may be," Sweet said. As a result, you'll see large-screen displays on the floor, thin clients tailored for harsh work environments, and the like.The developers behind Bremen's ERP system worked closely with Bremen to develop specific user interfaces and other features for positions on the production line, for instance. IT also recently began using Citrix's GoToAssist to provide real-time support to users on the plant floor. <P> The same holds true for Bremen's nationally distributed sales force. "This helps us reach out to those clients without 'sneakernetting' it out to the individual users and going out into the environment," Sweet said. "Every minute helps when you're dealing with this environment." <P> It helps, too, when you can generate multiple benefits from the same investments. Large monitors, for example, aren't just a good fit for the foundry floor. They're also productivity and efficiency drivers. Similar screens are posted in all common areas, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/5-data-sources-for-visualization-beginne/240152047">displaying data</a> and workflows from the ERP system to keep everyone informed of production scheduling, upcoming jobs and tracking how well teams are doing on particular jobs. "Everyone sees those numbers, so it also adds to accountability throughout the entire infrastructure," Sweet said. <P> Not everyone gets to work for owners and executives who "get it" when it comes to IT. But that doesn't mean you can't stay ahead of the curve rather than constantly playing catch-up or the patch-and-maintenance game. For Bremen, IT strategy is an ongoing process, not a large, long-term project followed by stasis until it's time for the next major tech refresh. "We're always looking for new and improved ways to complete our business processes and workflow," Sweet said. <P> The Bremen team also completes significant research before deploying new technologies. This minimizes unpleasant surprises and headaches; Sweet said Bremen hasn't had any IT projects roll out in the last couple of years that he would call a failure. "Do your research," Sweet advised. "Talk to other people that have already implemented the technology." <P> Given its ongoing approach to IT projects, the team works closely with end users to minimize disruption, offer training, and solicit feedback. That cuts down on the grumbling on deployment day, among other upsides. <P> "We have regular meetings, lunch-and-learns, send out training videos, links to YouTube videos -- we do whatever it takes to get information out to the end users," Sweet explained. "It's very important that they don't become stagnant as well. You keep them in a mode of constant learning, constant change, and the users tend to be a lot more receptive." <P> In other words, Bremen doesn't do anything simply because it's the way it's always been done. "What works for you today might not work for you tomorrow. You always have to keep an open mind," Sweet said. "That's the biggest hurdle that most companies have to get over: They keep using something out of habit and that's just not going to work in today's world."2013-04-30T10:06:00ZMobile use skyrockets in small and midsized businesses, says SMB Group annual survey. But what about measuring results?http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/smbs-love-mobile-struggle-on-strategy/240153896?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/mobile-world-congress-2013-9-hot-gadgets/240149064"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/950/SlideOne_TheFira_tn.jpg" alt="Mobile World Congress 2013: 9 Hot Gadgets" title="Mobile World Congress 2013: 9 Hot Gadgets" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Mobile World Congress 2013: 9 Hot Gadgets</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> How much do SMBs love mobility? Let us count the ways. <P> Overall usage of mobile technologies is nearing total saturation at 91%, according to the <a href="http://smb-gr.com/">SMB Group's</a> annual mobility study. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) offices have nearly doubled from the previous year. Employee use of internal apps for things like collaboration and CRM is up 20% from <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/mobile/3-mobile-trends-smbs-might-be-missing/232900761">the 2012 study</a>. Mobile device management (MDM) is also on the rise, with adoption up 15%. All of this means mobile is commanding larger slices of SMB technology budgets, too. <P> Indeed, all arrows continue to point skyward. "I've been in the IT industry over 20 years [and] I've never seen any kind of category of technology take off like this," said SMB Group partner Laurie McCabe in an interview. All in a relatively short time, too. Apple's iPhone, a major catalyst here, doesn't celebrate its sixth birthday until June. "[Mobile has] just taken off like a rocket," McCabe said. <P> The question: Is there strategy behind such pervasive mobile usage? SMB execs and employees certainly seem to think so. More than half (58%) of SMBs report improved productivity as a result of internal apps, and 52% say such apps enable better and faster decisions. Nearly half (48%) say that "internal" apps have a significant external impact in the form of improved customer service. <P> <strong>[ Will wider availability of Wi-Fi help SMBs? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/36-nyc-subway-stations-get-wi-fi/240153631?itc=edit_in_body_cross">36 NYC Subway Stations Get Wi-Fi</a>. ]</strong> <P> "Do [SMBs] view [mobile] strategically? I think a lot of them do," McCabe said. "That doesn't mean they have a great strategy." <P> There's the rub. Calling something strategic and having a sound strategy aren't the same thing. As <em>InformationWeek's</em> Chris Murphy wrote recently: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/have-you-really-started-a-mobile-strateg/240152742">"Apps aren't a plan."</a> <P> So what makes a smart mobile strategy in the wide, diverse world of SMBs? And how do you effectively measure results? McCabe pointed out an advantage here for smaller companies, especially the "S" in SMB: It might be easier to find reliable qualitative measures for mobile's impact -- as in, "I literally see my employees becoming more productive because of Device X or App Y" -- without needing hard quantitative data to prove results. It's easier for time-crunched small businesspeople, generally speaking, to connect the dots between their mobile usage and their bottom lines -- more so than other boomtown categories like <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/management/twitter-trouble-9-social-media-security/240153648">social media</a>. <P> "It's not like a large enterprise, when you're doing a [complex] return on investment analysis," McCabe. "In their gut, [SMBs] feel that these things are benefits they are getting." Gut metrics might not satisfy Wall Street; they can be perfectly sensible on Main Street. <P> In the case of some customer-facing apps and technologies, SMBs <em>can</em> rely on the kind of numbers that please Wall Street, too: Dollars and cents. McCabe pointed to the rapidly growing mobile payments sector as Exhibit A. For a small retail business, a mobile payments app could be a linchpin of a mobile strategy -- if not <em>the</em> strategy. If you're handling an increasing volume of transactions over iPhones or other mobile devices, showing results could be as straightforward as showing an account statement. Appointment scheduling apps offer another example, McCabe said. Service businesses that experience an uptick in bookings after deploying a mobile offering don't necessarily have to do a lot of heavy-duty analysis to prove ROI. <P> McCabe noted that internal tools often require more qualitative assessments, especially for small firms with resources already stretched thin. But even then, such assessments don't need to rely on the "mobile's hot so it must be making a difference for us" types of "measurement" that doesn't really hit upon any tangible benefits. McCabe pointed to inventory management apps. Once upon a time, inventory tasks required you to be in a physical place at a specific time, but not anymore. "I think you measure that in time savings, which you then translate to cost savings," McCabe said. She doesn't think most SMBs are actually doing that calculation. That's not necessarily a problem -- again, smaller organizational size becomes a boon here. <P> In his Global CIO column, Murphy shared a quote from an exec at a recent tech conference that illuminates a problem for some large businesses: "In a lot of organizations, you have 27 mobile apps with different corporate sponsors with no cohesive strategy." Sure, the same problem could plague midsize firms, especially those approaching 1,000 employees or more. But most SMBs can exploit a competitive advantage here. The buck stops with fewer people and mobile strategy should be no exception. Nor should the qualitative approach be looked down upon simply because of an insatiable thirst for stats. <P> "[SMBs] may not be quantifying the [mobile] benefit -- but they clearly see the benefit," McCabe said. "It's their gut. It's working. But like I said, this stuff <em>can</em> be quantified if they want to."2013-04-26T09:06:00ZTwo-factor authentication is coming to Twitter, but that's not your only social media security worry. Here's how to lock down individual and corporate accounts.http://www.informationweek.com/security/management/twitter-trouble-9-social-media-security/240153648?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbTwo-factor authentication is <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/twitter-preps-two-factor-authentication/240153539">coming soon to Twitter</a>, but it's not likely to happen overnight. And it won't solve the world's online security woes when it does roll out. <P> Phishing attacks -- like <a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2013/04/23/ap-warned-staffers-just-before-ap-was-hacked/">the one</a> that may have been behind the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/ap-twitter-hack-lessons-learned/240153626">recent Twitter AP hoax</a> -- will persist because they work. Social engineering scams will grow more creative in their efforts to con people into coughing up bank account info, network credentials and other sensitive data. And social sites -- all of which are predicated upon words like <em>sharing</em> and <em>connecting</em> -- will be a prime breeding group for such activity, even with tighter perimeter defenses such as two-factor authentication. We're still human, after all, and therefore susceptible to making mistakes. <P> "Social networking sites can roll out great levels of security," said AVG senior security evangelist Tony Anscombe in an interview. "The problem is at the other end of it, you've got users." <P> Should you delete your social accounts, unplug your router, throw your phone in the ocean and move off the grid? Keeping your information secure doesn't necessarily require drastic action -- but it does require action. Consider these steps to better protect your social media accounts. <P> <strong>1. You Guessed It: Use Strong Passwords.</strong> <P> It's been said countless times, yet people continue to use things like birthdates or "1234" as passwords. Even worse, they often use the same password across every account they own. That's not good enough. "That is primarily the number-one thing you must do," Anscombe said. Passwords don't have to be random or impossible to remember, but they do need to be <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/application-security/want-stronger-passwords-try-bad-grammar/240147348">tough to crack</a>. "Make it difficult for somebody to socially engineer what [the password] is," Anscombe said. <P> <strong>[ What advice have we gleaned from the recent phishing attack on the Associated Press? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/ap-twitter-hack-lessons-learned/240153626?itc=edit_in_body_cross">AP Twitter Hack: Lessons Learned</a>. ]</strong> <P> <strong>2. Review Your Apps, Add-Ons and Other Settings.</strong> <P> Anscombe noted that he checked <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyAtAVG">his Twitter account</a> prior to our conversation and was reminded of just how many other applications can gain access to your Twitter account. Yet many people forget to whom else they've granted access, not just on Twitter but on any social site. Take time to review your apps and other add-ons and revoke access from any you don't use or don't remember installing. <P> "We all download things to try to make it simpler for us, and then we don't use it or use something else," Anscombe said. "What we don't do is ever go back and decline those privileges afterwards." <P> Among other potential problems: Even when Twitter and other companies roll out two-factor authentication, it doesn't mean the other sites and apps that have access to your data will, too. To review your installed apps in Twitter, just visit Settings and then Apps. The site makes it simple to revoke access from there. <P> <strong>3. Be More Cautious with Mobile.</strong> <P> "Make sure your mobile phone is secure," Anscombe advised, adding that while most PC users these have some form of anti-malware protection in place, many folks don't take the same precaution on their mobile devices. At minimum, use a free security app. (AVG and many of its competitors offer one for Android and other platforms.) <P> Don't let a security app fool into thinking you've eliminated all risks, though. Anscombe noted, for example, that mobile browsers may make users more susceptible to phishing sites and similar scams. One reason is that mobile screen sizes sometimes make it hard -- or impossible -- to detect irregularities in a browser's URL bar. "The Web browser does that so you get maximum screen vision of the content rather than the address bar, but you don't have the same visual protections," Anscombe said. "They're trying to make it easier for us, but in [doing so] it also loses some of its security as well." <P> <strong>4. Sites Update Privacy Settings -- So Should You.</strong> <P> Regularly review your privacy and other account settings on social sites to ensure they meet your current expectations and needs. Sites regularly revise those settings; users need to as well. Otherwise, you might find your information being used in ways that you're uncomfortable with, Anscombe said. <P> <strong>5. Beware "Password Check" Sites.</strong> <P> Scams often ride on the coattails of other scams. A common one after high-profile breaches: Password-check sites. Paul Ducklin of Sophos noted in a recent <a href="http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/04/24/beware-twitter-password-check-sites-there-are-fakes-and-there-are-fake-fakes/">blog post</a> that while these sites are sometimes legitimate, they're often cons built to capture your credentials in the wake of other hacks. "That sounds like phishing, doesn't it?" Ducklin wrote. "And the reason it sounds like phishing is that it IS phishing!" Treat such sites with extreme skepticism. <P> If you're responsible for your employer's corporate Twitter handles and other social media, you should consider tighter controls over those accounts. Anscombe noted that even companies with very restrictive policies governing data security, external communications, content management and similar areas often don't treat their social accounts with the same degree of gravity, exposing themselves to unnecessary risks as a result. <P> Nate Ulery, who leads the IT infrastructure and operations practice at <a href="http://www.westmonroepartners.com/">West Monroe Partners</a>, concurred. Two-factor authentication on Twitter and other sites definitely helps, but don't expect <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/twitter-battles-syrian-hackers/240153424">hackers and criminals</a> to simply log off and call it quits. <P> "While two-factor authentication will help minimize social media hacking risks, companies will need to continue to be vigilant in enforcing their security policies," Ulery said via email interview. "For example, Facebook's standard two-factor authentication is only required when a login occurs on a new computer or mobile phone. Since recognized devices can still access the account without the additional security requirement, malicious software installed on a PC or mobile phone could still potentially expose the social media account." <P>Ulery offered the following advice for keeping tighter reins on corporate Twitter handles and other social accounts: <P> <strong>6. Partition Work and Personal Social Accounts.</strong> <P> "Insist that social media accounts are completely segregated from personal accounts so social hacking or compromised personal accounts do not put the corporate accounts at risk," Ulery said. Building that wall could help reduce the risk of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/social-business/news/social_networking_consumer/5-tips-avoid-being-a-social-media-turkey/232200038">social missteps</a>, too, such as <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/03/10/chrysler_twitter_fail/">embarrassing mistakes</a> that can occur when an employee accidentally posts a personal message to a corporate handle. <P> <strong>7. Limit Hardware and Account Access.</strong> <P> "Require that corporate Twitter users access the account only from corporate-managed workstations," Ulery said. The same rule can be applied across any and all corporate social accounts. If you really want to reduce your threat vectors, Ulery recommended taking an extra step -- one that might be tougher for social media mavens to abide: Do not enable mobile phone integration. <P> In terms of access, Anscombe of AVG stressed the importance of companies treating social media account credentials as sensitive data. Grant access only to select employees who actually need it for their job; the more people who know the password, the greater the potential for breaches. "Everyone in a sense is a potential repeater," Anscombe said. <P> <strong>8. Give IT More Control.</strong> <P> Here's one IT pros might especially appreciate: Give end users less control. In particular, Ulery advised making it harder for employees to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/application-security/apple-patches-password-reset-vulnerabili/240151604">reset passwords</a> on corporate social accounts, in part as an extra precaution against external hijacking. "Consider utilizing password reset email addresses that are not accessible by the social media team without IT involvement," Ulery said. <P> <strong>9. Make Social Media Explicit in Security Policies.</strong>&#9; <P> Don't assume everyone recognizes the risks associated with social media. Clearly include social media rules in security-related policies. If you've got a high-priority user group for anti-malware updates and other security protocols, include the corporate social media team. Likewise, apply the same password rules used elsewhere in the company to social accounts. And no matter what security safeguards social sites put in place, remember that they're not foolproof. <P> "Use of two-factor authentication does not relieve corporate security managers from their responsibility to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/how-one-midsize-bank-protects-against-ha/240009149">train users</a> on the potential risks of social media security, especially as it relates to the corporate brand's reputation risk," Ulery said. <P> <i>Protect the most fragile part of your IT infrastructure -- the endpoints and the unpredictable users who control them. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/drdigital/030413dr?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">How To Sharpen Endpoint Security</a> special issue of Dark Reading: Some say the focus should be on education to deal with the endpoint security conundrum; some say technology. But it's not a binary choice. (Free with registration.) </i>2013-04-23T10:38:00ZWant to get more out of the WordPress Web publishing platform in areas like analytics, SEO and security?http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/13-wordpress-add-ons-that-mean-business/240153363?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbNews flash: <a href="http://wordpress.org">WordPress</a> is popular. <P> OK, so that's not much of a revelation. But it's certainly true -- more than <a href="http://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress/all/all">60 million websites</a> worldwide run on the open-source publishing platform, which first launched in 2003. Additional anecdotal evidence of the WordPress phenomenon: Within minutes of posting a query over at <a href="http://www.helpareporter.com/">HARO</a> asking businesses and professionals to share their favorite plug-ins, my inbox was flooded with people eager to talk about how they're using the platform. And these weren't your navel-gazing personal blogs or family-photo sites, either. Rather, the responses poured in from designers, marketers, corporate blogs, SEO pros, retailers and other business users. Once thought of as "just" a blog publishing tool, WordPress has grown up in its first decade. <P> "WordPress started as just a blogging system, but has evolved to be used as a full content management system and so much more through the thousands of plug-ins, widgets and themes," <a href="http://wordpress.org/about/">WordPress says</a> on the "About" section of its website. <P> Indeed, part of the platform's popularity derives from the ability to customize it to your particular site needs, often without much in the way of technical know-how. Sure, it doesn't hurt if you've got coding skills -- that's true of many open-source platforms -- but they're by no means necessary to add tools for social media integration, security, site performance and other purposes. <P> In fact, simplicity is often the foundation of the most popular plug-ins. "As many as we have tried in the past, it's typically the uber-simple but useful plug-ins that stick around long-term," said Katie Laird, PR and social media manager at the online retailer <a href="http://www.blinds.com">Blinds.com</a>, which uses WordPress to publish its company blog. "Bells and whistles just don't cut it and stop getting used pretty quickly." <P> It's no small achievement, either, when a couple of free plug-ins help a business quantify the bottom-line impact of various blogging, social media or related activities -- an area where many organizations are still feeling their way around in the dark. That's the case for Scott Benson, senior SEO manager at <a href="http://www.vocus.com/">Vocus</a>, the online marketing firm behind HARO, PRWeb and other services. Benson uses Yoast's plug-ins for SEO and analytics in tandem to help prove the dollars-and-cents value of Vocus' blog activities. <P> "We put a lot of effort into our content marketing and we need to show it is working," he said. The ability to add a Google Analytics custom variable, for instance, enables him to track new and return blog visitors and identify the ones that later -- perhaps even much later -- become leads or convert to sales. Previously, the company was only capturing blog visitors that converted on their first visit, only a partial picture at best. "We're now showing how our blog attracts new visitors and converts them to sales after one or several return visits," Benson said. <P> No doubt, WordPress is used by all kinds of people for all kinds of sites. We focused here on the plug-ins that matter most to businesses, the kinds of apps and add-ons that can show up in the bottom line. Keep in mind, too, that there might be WordPress plug-ins for the other applications you already use, especially if they're well-known. "If you use MailChimp, Constant Contact or Salesforce, there are some awesome plug-ins for all of those," said <a href="http://www.kercommunications.com">Ker Communications</a> founder Nick Ker. Those are just a handful of examples; if you rely heavily on other online apps, it's worth checking to see if they offer WordPress plug-ins or integrations, too. <P> Read on for some of the top plug-in picks from business-minded WordPress users.<a href="http://yoast.com/wordpress/">Yoast's plug-ins</a> for SEO and Google Analytics were hands-down favorites among the businesses and professionals we heard from. "The SEO plug-in knocks out 90% of the SEO consideration for any business blog," said Vocus' Benson, adding that features like Google+ author attribution help his blog content stand out in search results. "The analytics plug-in has helped me put a definitive dollar figure on our content marketing efforts." Both Yoast plug-ins are free, although there are premium upgrades for features such as video SEO or e-commerce analytics. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a>Jameson Brandon, co-founder of custom software firm <http://nettysoft.com">NettySoft</a>, noted the recent news of <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">widespread, well-organized attacks</a> against WordPress-powered websites. "This can be scary for a blogger but even more scary for a business owner that runs everything on WordPress," Brandon said. <P> NettySoft takes additional security precautions as a result. "There are many security plug-ins out there, but we focus on a firewall and brute force protection," Brandon said. His picks: <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-login-security-2/">WP Login Security 2</a> (pictured) and <a href=http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-firewall-2/">WordPress Firewall 2</a>. Note: WordPress warns that the latter plug-in hasn't been updated in more than two years, which could cause compatibility issues for some sites. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P><a href="http://www.gravityforms.com/">Gravity Forms</a> is the one plug-in Lindsey Marshall, production director at <a href="http://www.redclayinteractive.com">Red Clay Interactive</a>, can't live without. "[It] is a fantastic plug-in that allows you to easily build and manage forms," she said. "The plug-in comes with a full host of features and also offers add-ons to allow additional advanced options like integration with other software such as payment processors and email marketing providers." <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Cate Conroy's content marketing firm, <a href="http://www.conroymediagroup.com/">Conroy Media</a>, was among those hit by the recent brute-force attacks on WordPress sites. She slept better knowing her site was backed up with Code Garage twice a day. "That meant that I was able to go back a few hours and find a version that was not impacted by the issues and restore based on that version," Conroy said. "As it turns out, I didn't need to restore my site, but I breathed a pretty big sigh of relief when I realized my work was safe either way." <P> Code Garage was recently acquired by Automattic, and is referring new sign-ups to the parent company's similar <a href="http://vaultpress.com/">VaultPress</a> service. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>It's 2013, people. Web users don't have much patience for slow sites. That's where <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/w3-total-cache/">W3 Total Cache</a> comes in, according to Zane Schwarzlose, community relations director at <a href="http://www.fahrenheitmarketing.com/">Fahrenheit Marketing</a>. "We've found that using a caching plug-in is crucial in reducing our sites' load times and improving our visitors' on-site experience," Schwarzlose said. "We wouldn't launch a site without it." <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Katie Laird of Blinds.com loves <a href="http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/in-post-ads/">In-Post Ads</a> for integrating content-relevant messages and ads into her blog posts. "[It's] a great way to push seasonal sales or encourage social media interaction elsewhere," she said. "Great for lead generation and keeping our readers' interest." <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Spam isn't the bane of just email inboxes; it pollutes website comments and discussion forums, too. <a href="http://www.akismet.com">Akismet</a> helps automatically keep the spammers and bots at bay, leaving the good stuff that real people contribute. <P> "This is a must-have for blogs that allow users to comment on posts," said Leslie Handmaker, senior marketing manager at <a href="http://www.nextdayflyers.com">Next Day Flyers</a>. "It weeds out all the spam, and there is a ton of it." She's not exaggerating; Akismet recently blocked more than 97 million spam comments across all user sites -- in a single day. It has blocked more than 77 billion messages since the service launched. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Leslie Handmaker at Next Day Flyers is also a fan of Buffer's <a href="http://bufferapp.com/diggdigg">Digg Digg</a> plug-in, which adds social sharing buttons for the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest to blog posts and other content. Aside from the word-of-mouth potential, it has an amplifying effect on SEO. "The social signals help boost our organic search efforts," Handmaker said. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Blogs and other content-driven sites don't do much good when they don't get updated. Advance planning can help ensure your site doesn't join the vast Internet desert of sites that stay stale for months on end. Laurie Morse-Dell, owner of the online pet store <a href="http://blog.pupsplace.com/">Pup's Place</a>, found her answer: the <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/editorial-calendar/screenshots/">WordPress Editorial Calendar</a>. <P> "I can't sing the praises of this plug-in enough," she said. "When you're trying to schedule posts to fit with your marketing calendar and plan for promotions, events, holidays, this plug-in is essential." Among her favorite features: "I love that you can save draft posts in a column to the right of the calendar view so you can brainstorm lists of topics and then drag them to the calendar when you're ready to schedule." <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>Security is top of mind for WordPress users right now, or at least it should be. WordPress' popularity all but guarantees it will be a favorite target of hackers and criminals for the foreseeable future. As a result, more businesspeople are taking extra steps to ensure their sites are secure. <P> "Many small businesses appreciate the power of WordPress, but many of these same businesses fail to recognize that WordPress is a common target for hackers," said Josh Waldron, founder of the Web design firm <a href="http://www.studiojwal.com">Studio JWAL</a>. He's a fan of <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/login-lockdown/">Login Lockdown</a>. The plug-in hasn't been updated in a while, but Waldron said it has worked well for him on WordPress 3.0 and up. "If a person or automated script is looking to gain access to your dashboard, this tool will deny them access sooner rather than later," Waldron said. <P> Laurie Morse-Dell of Pup's Place likes <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/better-wp-security/">Better WP Security</a> (pictured), in part because it you don't need to be a hardcore security pro to use it. "[It's] very easy to set up and use and gives you a nice color-coded system for rating the security risks of different parts of your site," she said. "Any novice can walk through the site suggestions it recommends and there are great explanations for why you might want to make each of the changes or how changes might affect other parts of your site." <P> Skip Shean, CEO of <a href="http://www.16wells.com">16wells</a>, likes <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sucuri-scanner/">Sucuri</a> to prevent his customers' WordPress sites, many of which are in the financial services sector, from becoming malware farms. "[It] heads off a lot of problems for clients around malware and other Internet stupidity," he said. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/wordpress-hackers-exploit-username-admin/240152864">WordPress Hackers Exploit Username 'Admin'</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/salesforcecom-secrets-8-apps-help-you-do/240148303">Salesforce.com Secrets: 8 Apps Help You Do More</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/9-bargain-it-tools-for-smbs/240144347">9 Bargain IT Tools For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711">Domain Names Like .Food May Leave Bad Taste</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">New Web Domain Names: Should You Pass?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/security/tumblr-hack-4-security-reminders-for-smb/240143798">Tumblr Hack: 4 Security Reminders For SMBs</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980">Dell: SMB, School PCs Not Doomed By Tablets</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/why-these-smbs-say-no-to-seo/240003696">Why These SMBs Say No To SEO</a> <P>2013-04-23T10:23:00ZStartup promises to reduce the pain for IT providers that help SMBs move from on-premises Exchange environments to Office 365.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/skykick-tackles-microsoft-office-365-mig/240153454?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/959/01_Intro_175.jpg" alt="Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask" title="Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> Thomas Allen wasn't easily sold on SkyKick, a new tool for migrating from on-premises email servers to Microsoft Office 365. <P> "I was a cynic out of the gate," Allen, marketing manager at managed services provider <a href="http://www.cyberstreams.com/">CyberStreams</a>, said in an interview. "The first time we talked to them, it was pitched like a bit of a miracle product." <P> That made two of us. An initial PR pitch described <a href="http://www.skykick.com/">SkyKick</a> as an <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-365-why-a-law-firm-switched/240151241">Office 365</a> migration tool that "automates the entire IT consulting project with a push of a button." That sounded optimistic. Allen thought so, too. When CyberStreams joined SkyKick's beta program, the managed services provider (MSP) began padding its customer estimates to avoid getting burned by pie-in-the-sky promises. <P> In reality, there's no one-click magic -- but Allen is a convert nonetheless. "It did turn out that my caution was highly unnecessary," Allen said. "We had some very pleased customers [because they received] invoices that were for much, much less than the low end of our estimates." <P> <strong>[ Is Office 365 right for you? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/microsoft-office-365-how-one-company-sav/240150383?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Microsoft Office 365: How One Company Saves Big</a>. ]</strong> <P> The reason, according to Allen, is a more holistic approach to cloud migration that takes into account everything from the sales process to post-migration support. In Allen's view -- and SkyKick's -- other migration applications focus mainly on the actual server-side transfer of data to online platforms while ignoring the other moving parts and pieces. As such, SkyKick is actually composed of four different Web-based products. <P> -- Web Planner handles the discovery and planning process, such as assessing existing hosts and mailboxes, and automates much of the statement of work and project plan for partners like CyberStreams. <P> -- Migration Sync moves the actual data: email, domains, calendar, contacts and so forth. <P> -- Outlook Assistant configures Microsoft's email client for end users, including their settings and customizations, and helps handle the actual switchover. <P> -- Portal is an app that enables project management, reporting and similar administrative tasks for the IT consultants in the trenches. <P> SkyKick, whose team includes former execs from Microsoft's Office and Bing divisions, emerged from beta Tuesday. Its customers are <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/services/5-tips-for-working-with-a-managed-servic/231601302">MSPs</a> and other IT providers that comprise the vast universe of "the channel," which depends heavily on small and midsize businesses (SMBs) for its own client base. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/microsoft-office-server-sales-fuel-stron/240153251">Microsoft</a> itself put CyberStreams in touch with SkyKick as part of its effort to mobilize its vast partner ecosystem in its push for greater Office 365 adoption among SMBs. "They're trying to push partnerships that can help their channel better deliver to customers," Allen said. <P> While there's not necessarily a light-switch approach to moving businesses online from legacy servers, Allen said SkyKick has helped alleviate some key pain points for third-party IT providers like CyberStreams. For one, the end customer no longer needs to know much about its own infrastructure to enable a successful migration project. After some initial data input, SkyKick can answer many of the technical questions itself. "If you're talking to a typical business owner and ask questions like 'where is your DNS hosted?' -- they don't necessarily know what that means," Allen noted. Or, they might <em>think</em> they know what it means and give an incorrect answer.<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/8-things-microsoft-could-do-to-save-wind/240153124"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/980/Windows-1st-screen_tn.png" alt="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" title="8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">8 Things Microsoft Could Do To Save Windows 8</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> Automation is another key part of the puzzle, from switching domains to generating system emails notifying an end user that he or she hasn't completed a required task. In effect, it reduces the amount of at-the-desk grunt work for the IT pros involved. "When everything's set up and end users have properly followed the instructions and everything's going well, it's going to actually do a DNS change and a data sync and [other] settings and aspects of a migration which, typically, my team would have to do," Allen said. <P> As for the "button push" claim, Allen said there's some truth in it -- provided the Web Planner piece of the project goes smoothly and that the customer isn't problematic. "Assuming that everything has been properly discussed, once we're done with the Web Planner we simply press play," Allen said. "The rest of it is us sitting back and making sure nothing goes wrong -- and it doesn't, at least not so far. We haven't had a situation post-pressing that button where we have to freak out." CyberStreams has completed around 20 migration projects to date using SkyKick. <P> While some Office 365 work may be moving products and services like Outlook, Office applications, Lync, SharePoint and others towards a more integrated model, SkyKick is focused on email and legacy Exchange servers. SkyKick wouldn't handle a cloud migration for an on-premises SharePoint environment, for example. <P> Beyond that scenario, Allen noted that there are certain kinds of migration projects that might not be a good fit for other reasons. He gave SkyKick credit on that front, though, saying that the firm has no problem saying "no" to new business if the project is a bad fit for the platform. <P> In the bigger picture, Allen had this to say about demand for Office 365 among SMBs: "I would describe [demand for Office 365] as blowing up," Allen said, noting that more MSPs and similar IT providers are showing interest. "It's a pretty big deal." <P> <i>E2 is the only event of its kind, bringing together business and technology leaders across IT, marketing, and other lines of business looking for new ways to evolve their enterprise applications strategy and transform their organizations to achieve business value. Join us June 17-19 for three days of 40+ conference sessions and workshops across eight tracks and discover the latest insights in enterprise social software, big data and analytics, mobility, cloud, SaaS and APIs, UI/UX and more. <a href="http://www.e2conf.com/boston/?_mc=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Register for E2 Conference Boston today</a> and save $200 off Full Event Passes, $100 off Conference, or get a FREE Keynote + Expo Pass! </i>2013-04-16T09:59:00ZDell reveals a new Latitude laptop, <em>sans</em> touchscreen, for small businesses and schools. What does the future hold for PCs in these environments? http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/dell-smb-school-pcs-not-doomed-by-tablet/240152980?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/leadership/educational-technology-across-the-ages/240149241"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/954/1_tn.jpg" alt="Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages" title="Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->If the traditional PC is dying, Dell must have the missed the memo. <P> Sure, Dell's business has expanded and evolved well beyond PCs, thanks in part to acquisitions and other moves. And it certainly has its stake in the so-called <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-8-did-not-cause-pc-sales-slump/240152856">post-PC era</a>, with tablets and other touchscreen devices already in the market and more to come. <P> That hasn't meant turning its back on the PCs that helped make Dell a mainstay in corporate offices and other organizations. The company continues to roll out new models, such as the Latitude 3330 laptop it announced on Tuesday, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/pc-market-bleeds-windows-8-tablet-fix-ne/240152706">gloomy PC sales reports</a> be darned. You'll never believe this, but there might be room for both PCs and tablets -- and other touch-oriented devices -- in business and educational environments. <P> "We still see significant demand for traditional notebooks," said Dell product marketing director Brett McAnally in an interview. "Obviously, we see demand for tablets as well." <P> <strong>[ Tablets are the future, according to one educator. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/mobility/why-tablets-will-kill-smart-boards-in-cl/240145886?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Why Tablets Will Kill Smart Boards In Classrooms</a>. ]</strong> <P> The Latitude 3330 is intended primarily for use in schools, with crossover into small businesses. That's in part because of a starting price tag as low as $419 (running Ubuntu) or $519 (running Windows 7), a number that cash-strapped school administrators and business owners can stomach more easily than, say, a $1,200 ultrabook. That's all the more true for schools upgrading a classroom's worth or more of PCs at the same time. <P> There's another factor here, too. Schools, like most businesses, are focused on work rather than play. Among the Latitude 3330's notable features is one that <em>isn't</em> included: a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">touchscreen</a>, although the Latitude 3330 does support Windows 8. <P> McAnally noted a couple of reasons offices and schools aren't likely to stop buying traditional PCs any time soon. "One is just the need for high productivity," he said, adding that some tasks or applications, such as building PowerPoint presentations, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-8-doubt-3-ways-touch-wont-help/240152445">aren't optimal</a> on a touchscreen today, especially small ones. He offered an education-specific example: Standardized testing. <P> "The smaller screen-type devices tend to be more of a challenge for some of the standardized testing that's out there today," McAnally said. Screens that require too much scrolling or movement to complete might put students at a disadvantage, for instance. "There's a high preference, especially among the younger kids, to have that large screen size." <P> Windows 7 is another factor. "We're seeing continued demand for Windows 7 as a lot of businesses, small businesses, and even education accounts are still just planning or just beginning a Windows 7 migration," McAnally said. <P> McAnally's far from a touch naysayer. On the contrary, he's an optimist and noted that Dell has offered touch on commercial hardware for years, and has recently been building out a more robust consumer lineup. Among other areas where McAnally sees a strong current or future match with touchscreens: health, touch-centric service businesses, and, yes, schools. <P> "Windows 8 is clearly an investment area. We're very bullish," McAnally said. "We think touch definitely has a place and is a natural fit. We continue to evaluate and expand our touch offerings." <P> McAnally declined to comment specifically on recent reports from Gartner and IDC that painted a less-than-positive picture of PC sales. "We still see, through thousands and thousands of customer conversations on a regular basis, strong demand for both tablets as well as PCs," McAnally said. "There are general preferences depending on usage models and how things are being used, but there's clearly demand for both." <P> That's likely to spill over into operating systems, where Windows 7 and Windows 8 will coexist just like previous versions have. Windows XP, after all, retains a significant market share as it approaches its <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430">end-of-support</a> date. <P> "It's a combined play between those two for the foreseeable future," McAnally said. <P> <i>Mobile technology is changing the way we live, work and play. Attend <a href="http://www.mcommworld.com/sanfrancisco/?sourceCode=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Mobile Commerce World </a>, June 24-26 in San Francisco, to learn how to develop and deploy your company&#8217;s mobile commerce strategy. Spend three days learning from key players at Walmart, Amazon, Zappos, 1-800-FLOWERS, Advance Auto Parts, Alex and Ani, Groupon, REI, Vegas.com and more who are harnessing the power of mobile commerce. Register with code MP_BTMEDIWKAXE and save $200 on an All Access pass.<i>2013-04-12T09:06:00ZSymantec, Go Daddy, Trend Micro and other digital certificate authorities raise security, other concerns with ICANN about new top-level domain names.http://www.informationweek.com/security/vulnerabilities/domain-names-like-food-may-leave-bad-tas/240152711?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbA group of the world's largest digital certificate authorities (CAs) is warning of potentially serious security and networking risks for businesses when Internet domain names ending in the likes of .food or .law soon join .com and other currently available suffixes. <P> The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is readying the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/icann-domain-landgrab-what-smbs-should-k/240002069">release of thousands</a> of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Approved domains could become available <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-22mar13-en.htm">as soon as April 23</a>. Therein lies an underlying cause of potential problems, according to DigiCert associate general counsel Jeremy Rowley. <P> "ICANN is moving a little too fast with these new gTLDs without really giving people time to get ready," Rowley said in an interview. <P> Rowley is a member of the CA Security Council (CASC) alongside executives from Symantec, Comodo, Entrust, GMO GlobalSign, Trend Micro and Go Daddy. While some Internet stakeholders have focused on <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/new-web-domain-names-should-you-pass/240151540">marketing, brand and legal issues</a> with the new domain names, CASC is raising its red flags about the common use of "internal names" by businesses when setting up and managing their private networks. These are, in effect, private domain names such as .mail or .corp that aren't currently resolvable using the public domain name system (DNS) -- but could soon be. <P> When that happens, digital certificate owners and Web server operators could face security problems and other headaches. CAs currently issue digital certificates for these internal domains. But if those same names become available as public gTLDs, the bad guys could get digital certificates for those domains for the purposes of running man-in-the-middle attacks and other <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/attacks/how-south-korea-traced-hacker-to-pyongya/240152702">security threats</a>. <P> "Say .corp gets [released as a gTLD] -- a bad guy could go and get the certificate and then use it for an attack against the new gTLD after it becomes operational," Rowley said. While CAs are preparing for such scenarios, the risks still loom. <P> <strong>[ Search data offers more information that most realize. See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/patient/google-searches-show-seasons-shape-menta/240152611?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Google Searches Show Seasons Shape Mental Health</a>. ]</strong> <P> Beyond the digital certificate issue is a similar set of challenges for Web server operators at large. When their internal names such as .mail or .corp become part of the public Internet, costly networking conflicts and security holes could arise. As once-private domains get public counterparts, email clients, filesharing applications and other services will, to put it plainly, become confused. The only real solution is for administrators to essentially re-architect their networks, a process that could take some organizations several years because of budget, staffing and technical know-how. <P> "You're asking Web server operators to go in and reconfigure the servers, sometimes buy new hardware, hire brand-new staff and things like that in a very short timeframe," Rowley said. <P> While once considered a security and networking best practice, the use of internal names such as .corp is set to be wound down over the next several years. The CA/Browser Forum has <a href="https://www.cabforum.org/Guidance-Deprecated-Internal-Names.pdf">published guidelines</a> for deprecating internal server names by 2016, and trusted CAs will stop issuing certificates for internal names altogether as of November 2015. Current CAB Forum guidelines will also require CAs to stop issuing certificates for internal names within 100 days of being delegated as a new gTLD. That still leaves a considerable gap between the pending release of thousands of new gTLDs and the planned phase-out of internal names. <P> While ICANN itself has <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/groups/ssac/documents">acknowledged the issue</a>, CASC and others say the organization hasn't addressed the full scope of the potential problems. ICANN did not respond to emailed requests for comment. <P> PayPal recently sent ICANN a <a href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/bc-gnso/pdfNFDozNA9Ka.pdf">public letter</a> expressing similar unease with the release of new gTLDs. Verisign has also published a <a href="http://www.verisigninc.com/assets/gtld-ssr-v2.1-final.pdf">letter and report</a> on its own risk findings. PayPal noted that while the use of internal domain names may have been misguided in hindsight, it has been a widespread practice for two decades, often at the recommendation of hardware and software vendors. Moreover, abandoning the use of internal names can, as DigiCert's Rowley pointed out, be an arduous task. "For example, re-naming a Microsoft <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/software/dropbox-for-business-adds-active-directo/240152645">Active Directory</a> Forest is often operationally impossible," the letter reads. <P> The PayPal letter continued by outlining the potential networking conflicts and ensuing fallout: "Consider a typical enterprise laptop configured to look for network services ending in .corp. What happens when that system roams to a public network, such as the user's home or a public Wi-Fi hotspot?" PayPal's answer: Dozens of services will start hemorrhaging sensitive corporate and personal data, such as usernames and passwords, network authentication credentials, and other information, if and when .corp and other internal names are released as gTLDs on the Internet. <P> "The potential for malicious abuse is extraordinary, the incidental damage will be large even in the absence of malicious intent, and such services will become immediate targets of attack as they inadvertently collect high-value credentials and private data from potentially millions of systems." PayPal said. <P> According to DigiCert's Rowley, the bulk of the potential problems would be mitigated if ICANN postponed the release of four new gTLDs: .ads, .bank, .corp and .mail. That would wipe out 90% of the potential problems in CASC's analysis; the other 10% are easily remediated, in the group's view. <P> PayPal's list, on the other hand, includes the top 10 current invalid domain queries, such as "local," "localhost" and "home," and focuses on the broader set of networking risks beyond digital certificates. Rowley concurred that those networking challenges will likely be the real burden as new gTLDs start rolling off the assembly line. <P> "CAs can take care of the certificate problem, and I think we have done so and done so quickly in a way that mitigates the problem," Rowley said. "What we can't take care of is getting the people with these networks to change in what amounts to overnight for them." <P> The question then is: Who <em>will</em> take care of it? In its report's conclusions, Verisign warned in no uncertain terms against moving forward on blind faith: "Addressing these issues doesn't simply mean publishing a speci&#64257;cation and expecting the community to have immediately implemented it and be capable of responding to all operational and security corner cases conveyed therein." <P> <i>Easily overlooked vulnerabilities could put your data and business at risk. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.darkreading.com/drdigital/031113s?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">10 Web Threats</a> special issue of Dark Reading: How hackers compromised an iOS developers' website to exploit Java plug-in vulnerabilities and attack Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter. (Free with registration.) </i>2013-04-08T13:58:00ZOne year from the end of Windows XP support, Microsoft offers SMBs 15% off if they upgrade to current versions of Windows and Office simultaneously.http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-dangles-windows-8-office-2013/240152430?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smb<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-2013-10-questions-to-ask/240150037"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/959/01_Intro_175.jpg" alt="Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask" title="Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">Office 2013: 10 Questions To Ask</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> T minus 365 days and counting: If you're still on Windows XP, you're officially on the clock. <P> Microsoft will end support for the popular but aged operating system on April 8, 2014 -- one year from today. The company marked the occasion with a reminder for businesses still running the 12-year-old XP: You need bid the OS adieu. <P> "NOW is the time to move to a more modern Windows operating system and modernize your IT infrastructure," wrote Erwin Visser, senior director of Windows Commercial, in <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/business/archive/2013/04/08/a-year-from-now-support-for-windows-xp-ends-now-what.aspx">a blog post</a>. "Businesses still running Windows XP are missing out on the tangible benefits of modernizing their IT investments from dramatically enhanced security, broad device choice to meet the needs of a mobile workforce, higher employee productivity and lower cost of ownership by future-proofing their IT investments." <P> <strong>[ Are you ready to make the move? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Tell Me Again: Why Rush Into Windows 8?</a> ]</strong> <P> It's no revelation that Microsoft's preference would be for companies to upgrade to Windows 8, the latest version, which Visser called "the modern OS for modern businesses." To that end, Microsoft sweetened the pot for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) that are still on XP: SMBs running XP Professional can get 15% off an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro and Office Standard 2013. (Microsoft will end support for Office 2003 on the same day as XP.) <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/business/retiring-xp.aspx">The offer</a> is good through June 30 for up to 100 licenses of each. Companies must upgrade <i>both</i> Windows and Office, not one or the other. <P> While Microsoft had previously run more <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/microsoft-jacks-up-windows-8-upgrade-pri/240146630">aggressive offers</a> for Windows 8, the new deal should appeal to SMBs that are already considering a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-rollout-one-smbs-story/240146487">simultaneous upgrade</a> of both Windows and Office. <P> XP still powers nearly 39% of PCs, according to the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/windows8/windows-8-momentum-sputters/240152051">latest Net Applications stats</a>. That's second only to Windows 7 (44.48%) in terms of OS market share. Windows 8 has garnered a 3.17% share since its release last year. <P> Microsoft noted that a move from XP straight to Windows 8 might not make sense for some organizations, such as those that already have a Windows 7 migration in progress. "Recognizing that not all situations are alike, businesses may need to take different approaches to their operating system migrations due to the specific needs of their environment," Visser said. Microsoft has <a href="http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/business/archive/2012/10/19/identifying-your-unique-windows-8-adoption-path.aspx">also acknowledged</a> that some companies might be best served with a mix of more than one OS, such as Windows 7 on some machines and Windows 8 on others, depending on user needs and other factors. <P> Visser's blog post offered another affirmation of the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/240151839">touch-oriented direction</a> of Windows, not just on mobile devices but on PCs as well. Microsoft's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-8-10-questions-for-microsofts-en/240009997">enterprise chief</a> urged businesses to consider touch devices -- "whether it is tablets, laptops with touch capabilities, all-in-ones, or other innovative devices" -- as part of any hardware refreshes associated with their Windows migrations. <P> "This way, companies conducting hardware refresh cycles can benefit from higher productivity of its users in the immediate term, while ensuring that they are modernizing an increasingly higher proportion of their installed PCs with touch capabilities &#8211; readying their business for the future Windows platform migrations," Visser said. <P> While Microsoft calls the April 8 end-of-support date for XP a "deadline," it's not actually one in the truest sense. XP won't suddenly stop working one year from now. And some <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/3-more-reasons-smbs-stick-with-windows-x/240146118">SMBs have their reasons</a> -- such as legacy apps, tech-laggard customers, or even <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/why-one-smb-sticks-with-windows-xp-truck/240145237">printer toner</a> -- for planning to keep at least some XP machines running for the foreseeable future. <P> Just don't expect any security patches or other updates after April 8, 2014 -- or much sympathy in Redmond if things go wrong. <P> <P> <i>Attend Interop Las Vegas May 6-10 and learn the emerging trends in information risk management and security. Use Priority Code MPIWK by March 22 to save an additional $200 off the early bird discount on All Access and Conference Passes. Join us in Las Vegas for access to 125+ workshops and conference classes, 300+ exhibiting companies, and the latest technology. <a href="http://www.interop.com/lasvegas/?_mc=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Register today</a>! </i>2013-04-08T11:01:00ZWindows 8 emphasizes touchscreen capabilities, but there are several scenarios where I see little benefit for information workers.http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/windows-8-doubt-3-ways-touch-wont-help/240152445?cid=SBX_iwk_related_mostpopular_Hardware/Software_smbTouchscreens, which have helped to make smartphones the must-have device for most information workers, have generated a more mixed reaction when the technology is deployed on personal computers. <P> <em>InformationWeek.com</em> reader jqbecker <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/tell-me-again-why-rush-into-windows-8/article_240151839/permalink/comment/845329661">recently said</a> of Windows 8's touchscreen orientation: "Most [small and midsize businesses] are actually doing WORK, not looking up cat videos on the Internet. By work I mean a lot of typing into Word documents, and entering data into spreadsheets." <P> That sounds like the world I live in, a tad more so than Microsoft's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2KPQNP1Z1s">Surface Pro</a> commercial. (Even the coolest offices I've worked in didn't break out into synchronized dance routines.) It also jives with the day-to-day of many of the SMBs I speak with. Their focus is on productivity and profit, even when "cool" is <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/jordache-redesigns-it-around-cloud-googl/240005266">part of the business model</a>. I'd wager that premise extends well into the largest of businesses, too. <P> <strong>[ There are arguments on the other side. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Windows 8 Doubt: 4 Ways To Sway PC People</a>. ]</strong> <P> That's been a big part of my problem with the touchscreen emphasis evident in Windows 8 and the early looks at Windows Blue. PCs might not be in vogue but they're still core tools for lots and lots of workers, me included. As reader justindunn <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/article_240152307/permalink/comment/855513098">noted</a>: "Most of us have decades of experience with a mouse and keyboard, and I for one won't give them up for something because it makes me look cool when I am working or presenting material." <P> I know desktop mode in Windows 8 is a click away. (Google, for one, <a href="http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/issues/competition.html">says the same</a> about the competition.) I know about <a href="http://www.classicshell.net/">Classic Shell</a>. I do see <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/windows-8-4-upsides-for-smbs/240010007">upside in Windows 8</a>. But I still see fundamental shortcomings in an OS that prioritizes touch -- an interface native to tablets and smartphones -- on a laptop or desktop. <P> A counterpoint to my perspective: I'm shortsighted. This is the future of computing. Change is challenging. Adapt or get left behind. <P> But adaptation should be driven by productive value. Change for the sake of change is as inefficient as a stubborn refusal to try new and better ways of doing things. While I can see applications and uses where a touchscreen PC might someday <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/windows-8-doubt-4-ways-to-sway-pc-people/240152307">offer advantages</a>, there are several business-critical areas where I see little benefit. Here are three of them. <P> <strong>1. Long-Form Content Creation</strong> <P> In my case, "long-form content creation" is just a fancy-pants way to say: "writing." It's what I do. As a result, I spend a good chunk of my workday in Word documents and, to a lesser extent, Google Docs. Perhaps a future Office release will reveal innovative new ways to create and edit substantial documents via touch -- rather than simply read and review them, as we do more often on tablets and phones today. We'll see. As someone who earns a living on a keyboard, let's just say those would have to be some pretty phenomenal innovations. Does Windows 8 mean I can't use a keyboard? Of course not, but it does subordinate clicking and clacking to touching and swiping. <P> Content creation includes a much broader set of jobs and applications -- essentially, we're talking about folks whose job requires generating and modifying large amounts of data in various forms. A reader recently emailed me because she's in the market for a new work PC. An architect, she's unsure whether Windows 8 is a fit for her uses and applications, such as SketchUp and computer-aided design (CAD) software. "I have a hard time envisioning a touch-screen interface out-pacing the mouse/keyboard interface for those kinds of applications," she wrote. "Maybe, but I just need someone to show me how." <P> <strong>2. Excel</strong> <P> Excel remains a mainstay in many businesses. I use Excel quite a bit, too, mainly for managing the administrative necessities of self-employment. My spreadsheets are child's play compared to what some CPAs, finance pros and other number-crunchers are doing. And I can't fathom how a touchscreen PC would help them -- much less Excel wimps like me -- be more productive with spreadsheets. Slicing and dicing rows upon rows of cells and formulas by swiping and "pinching" your fingers? That seems like a nightmare. (If you're a finance or accounting pro and see advantages of using Excel or other applications with a touchscreen, I'd love to <a href="mailto:smb.casey@gmail.com?Subject=Touchscreen PC">hear from you</a>.) <P> The same might be said of the broader set of accounting and finance platforms that involve the entry and manipulation of vast amounts of numbers and other data. That was one of reader jqbecker's reasons for doubt: "You ever see a [doctor] try to enter patient charts on a touch screen? Too painful to watch. How about an accountant entering data via touch into QuickBooks? Too slow." <P> <strong>3. Custom & Industry-Specific Apps</strong> <P> If homegrown or "legacy" apps cause pain for companies <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/why-one-smb-sticks-with-windows-xp-truck/240145237">moving from XP</a> to Windows 7, what does that mean for Windows 8 and its UI overhaul? <P> This is a difficult area to quantify because, by nature, it's comprised of a hodgepodge of custom-built or industry-specific applications, some built forever ago. It's safe to say that few of those apps were developed with touchscreens in mind. Yet plenty of businesses rely on such applications, whether developed in-house or by a third party, and Windows 8 compatibility and support issues can be a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/productivity-applications/office-365-why-a-law-firm-switched/240151241">cause for caution</a> with the new OS. <P> No doubt, this also an area of opportunity for touchscreens. I met a home appraiser a while back, for example, who had all but replaced paper and the traditional PC with an iPad running an app developed specifically for his job: assessing the value of a home and the property it sits on. There's a big opportunity for the touch-centric future Windows in those kinds of (very) specific business uses, but there's probably a ways to go before that is reality. <P> I appreciate all of the thoughtful responses and comments on this topic, whether they agree, disagree or are somewhere in between. Keep them coming.