More Commentary/How-To's
Social Networking: Open Is The New ClosedIt's a paradox that sites advocating collaboration are inherently closed. Stanford's MobiSocial team says we can do better. CES Sleeper Tech: 3 Mobile Collaboration Breakthroughs
Now that the hyperbole haze has dissipated, let's look at three products from small, innovative startups with the potential to break some mobile... 2012 Tablet Race: Where's Microsoft?
As I watch startup CloudOn and the hordes of Android mutants, I can't help noticing that CES isn't the only place Redmond is AWOL. Apps Need Collaboration At Core
Collaboration isn't a distinct activity anymore. It's an integral feature that people will soon expect from every application. Holiday Fun With Personal Collaboration
Use your free time to explore new consumer-driven products--and maybe pick up some valuable IT skills. UC In The Smartphone Era
In this age of IT consumerization, dedicated, centrally managed enterprise voice infrastructure is inconsequential. How Avaya Is Embracing Social, Consumerization Trends
Geek fun: getting the full Flare Experience of unified communications in a tour of Avaya's executive briefing center. Let's Get Metaphysical About Enterprise Collaboration
You can't swing a leg warmer without hitting yet another SaaS startup touting the next great idea in enterprise collaboration. But don't get so... How Siri Could Make Collaboration Mobile
Breaking the form factor vs. interface logjam would be revolutionary. All we need is an open API. Cisco's LAN Stronghold: Good As It Ever Was
In the networking industry there's Cisco and then there's everyone else. But in LAN switching it's even more so. Net Neutrality Saved, But Who Cares?
Net neutrality is a distraction. If the FCC focused on creating real broadband competition, net neutrality would solve itself. Microsoft, Google Struggle With New Face Of Collaboration
Microsoft's Office 365 is not the future and neither is Google's Gdocs. But it just might be Facebook or Chatter. Videoconferencing On Demand: Maybe Vidyo, Not Cisco
By virtualizing its video router, Vidyo adds the powerful dimension of scalability to its conferencing system. But it'll take some bigger players... A Video Chat I Actually Enjoyed
I don't usually enjoy video chats and conferences, but I got a kick out of Rounds and can see a business case for it. 2 Reasons Videoconferencing Remains A Niche
By now, video calls and conferences should be as common as texting. So why aren't we all saying, "Can you see me now?" How To Make SharePoint More Social
Can third parties like Neudesic and NewsGator drag Microsoft's entrenched collaboration system into the era of Facebook and Twitter? Big Data Means Big File Sharing
Need to move a few 60-MB CAD files cross-country? To the cloud, by way of Aspera's new virtual appliance. Why Sprint's WiMAX Dump Was Inevitable
LTE's on an unstoppable roll, and the carrier needed to get on board before it was too late. Will Tuesday Bring iPhone5-ageddon To Your Network?
Maybe, maybe not. But it still behooves IT to plan so that traffic bursts don't dent collaboration. Next Killer Tablet App: Multisite Videoconferencing
Tired of TSA pat-downs? The cost of a plane ticket now buys a year's worth of multiparty virtual chats via a SaaS model. Facebook In A Shirt And Tie
Cloud-based collaborative project management sites like Podio combine the best of social software, SaaS. Social Media And Unified Communications: Will They Blend?
Will social be subsumed by UC, or vice versa? Executives from Jive and IBM respond. How Microsoft And Google Could Change Smartphones
Voice calls are dumb; maybe Microsoft bought Skype to make them smarter. Avaya: IP Office 7.0 Takes The Cake
Unified communications vendor rolls in celebrity baker Buddy Valastro to tout the latest version of its IP phone system for SMBs. Why Microsoft Plus Skype Is An Enterprising Idea
If Microsoft can meld Skype and Lync, building a sensible enterprise and consumer offering while making Skype the de facto mobile unified...
UC Collaboration Technology Reports
Beyond Dial Tone: 6 Steps to Wring ROI Out of UC
Unified communications and collaboration represents a significant investment in money and IT resources. It's critical to determine whether your company will benefit from unified communications. Not every organization will. The key is to tackle complexity head on and ensure all stakeholders are fully engaged from the beginning. Our report provides in-depth detail on building an ROI picture for a UC deployment.
Desktop Videoconferencing: Ready for Its Closeup
The advent of Scalable Video Coding (SVC), which enables the use of the Internet for high-quality desktop videoconferencing, means enterprises can deploy videoconferencing to a majority of workers. Companies that value face-to-face communications can make it happen without breaking the bank. The report also includes exclusive research on IT’s adoption plans for videoconferencing.
2012 State of Unified Communications
The good news: The percentage of users who've deployed and are using UC jumped six points, to 36%, since our 2010 survey, and the number of "fence sitters" is down, too. The not-so-good news: For 65%of those who have deployed or plan to do so, UC currently reaches 50% or less of the employee base. What's the holdup?
Best Practices: Reliable Unified Communications
If your UC infrastructure is erratic or the communications quality poor, you're sunk, because end users today don't have the patience to give IT three or four chances to get it right. And that just adds up to wasted money. In this InformationWeek Best Practices report, we describe strategies to ensure quality communications between end users, whether they're on the LAN, WAN or a mobile device.
Into the Fold: Mobile Unified Communications Within Reach
IT’s been pushing UC and mobility initiatives on separate tracks. But if either technology is to realize its full potential, CIOs must make integration a priority. In this Strategy Session report, we discuss ways to bring smartphones and tablets into your overall unified communications plan.