So…What’s the Next Big Tech Thing? by Peter Strasser

December 9, 2011 in Technology, Uncategorized

I may show my age a little here, but I have been through a lot of tech changes in my business and recreational life. When I was going to college, computer programming classes were still using keypunch cards as the primary medium for input of both computer programs and data. I would listen to music on my drives in to college on my 8-track tape player. I would plan trips to Toronto to purchase record albums not easily found in Buffalo. My first sales position relied heavily on the fax machine to receive purchase orders and to send out credit applications. Almost all marketing materials were sent through the mail. I remember buying a word processor and then purchasing my first computer, an IBM 286, around this time for personal use.

As time went on, internet and email were thrown into the mix. I remember using a noisy dial up connection at home, before a cable internet connection that was followed by DSL and now FiOS. Very early on, my TV choices consisted of ABC, NBC, CBS, and a couple of public television channels. With my family’s roof antenna, I could watch hockey on the Canadian channels. Now I have satellite TV and streaming TV and movies via my Ruku player. Music is much easier to collect now, with no more visits necessary to record stores. When you go to concert, you can record songs on your phone. You can then jump on YouTube and see your favorite performers in the concert recorded by fellow fans.

It is a great time now for all things technical both at home and at work. So what’s the next big tech thing? I am not sure, but I look forward to it improving my life.

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Polycom® RealPresence™ Mobile Solution by Dennis Thomas

November 22, 2011 in HD Videoconferencing, Uncategorized

With the day to day operations of a company shifting more to mobile employees there is a definite need in being able to include or provide video conferencing capabilities to the “mobile” user.

Enter Polycom’s® RealPresence™ Mobile solution. This solution provides enterprise-grade video collaboration software that will increase the productivity of the mobile user by extending companies video network beyond the conference room to tablets, laptops and eventually phones.

With companies allowing employees to bring their own technology and an increasing trend for mobile employees, there is a need for a company to have a low cost implementation. The RealPresence™ Mobile application is a free solution for the Samsung Galaxy Tab™, Motorola XOOM™ and Apple® iPad® 2. This solution is available for download via the app marketplace and iTunes.

Choice and flexibility will allow for organizations to meet their mobile video needs without being tied down to a single mobile device or solution. It delivers the highest quality experience whether calling other mobile devices or standards-based telepresence end-points.

With Polycom’s® mobility client and RealPresence™ Platform software, users will be able to connect to traditional enterprise video endpoints and room systems while remote. The RealPresence™ Mobile app leverages Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G networks to effectively enable real-time collaboration regardless of location and presence.

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ScanSource Communications Shows Their Partners Why They are ‘The King’ of Distribution by Joseph Miller

October 19, 2011 in Uncategorized, Unifed Communications

I attended the ScanSource Communications Partner conference in Memphis the week before last and just got caught up so I could write about it. Experts at mixing business and pleasure, Brian Cuppett’s team put together a solid agenda filled with technology and market updates as well as fun ‘networking events’ incorporating the best Memphis had to offer.

High marks to Andy Miller from Polycom who prepared the reseller community for Polycom’s metamorphosis into a software company that will be rolling out new service and cloud variations of their market strategy. AV integrators will need to be onboard and prepared for some new offerings in 2012 that may shake up the apple cart. Differentiation was the theme and will be the key to success for Polycom partners who want to leverage Polycom’s relationship with Microsoft and their Open Collaboration Network.

Other highlights included the tour of the ScanSource Distribution Center, the Partner Expo and of course, Graceland! The event was a great opportunity to meet ‘fellow travelers’ in the industry and talk to manufacturers about their roadmaps. I was specifically intrigued with the Edgewater and ShoreTel offerings and I am looking forward to follow up discussions. Thanks to Buck Baker and his team for being great hosts and an outstanding partner. Wish we could do it once a quarter!

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Is Office 365 the right solution for your business? by Peter Strasser

September 28, 2011 in Uncategorized

Microsoft Office 365 takes the industry’s most recognized set of productivity and collaboration tools and delivers them as a subscription service. Combined with hosted versions of Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync, Office 365 is designed to enable users to share, collaborate, and communicate in the cloud.
Many businesses will wonder whether Office 365 is a reliable alternative to desktop office suites and whether their information will be safe. Microsoft provides a financially-backed 99.9% uptime guarantee. Microsoft also includes its Forefront Online Protection for Exchange. Microsoft Forefront Online Protection for Exchange is an internet-based service that helps protect your businesses’ inbound and outbound email from spam, viruses, phishing scams, and email policy violations.
Powered by Microsoft Exchange Online, Office 365 gives businesses access to e-mail, calendars, and contacts from virtually anywhere, on almost any device. This allows users to work from almost anywhere and get automatically updated email, calendar, and contacts on the devices used most, including PCs, Macintosh computers, iPhone, Android phones, Symbian phones, BlackBerry smartphones, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phones.
When it’s time to create documents, Microsoft Office Web apps act as companions to the desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. View, share and edit Microsoft Office documents on the web with Microsoft Office Web Apps. Using virtually any device connected to the internet, view Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft OneNote documents online and make basic edits on the go.
Office 365 enables you to keep your organization’s work in one place by creating a Team Site that’s only available to users you choose. Microsoft SharePoint Server technology delivered as an online service makes the power of the cloud work for your organization. SharePoint Online lets you create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, and customers.
Even with access to Office 365 from anywhere, sometimes you need to contact someone directly–even if it’s over the Web. Powered by Microsoft Lync Online, you can have a quick chat over a secure IM client, hold online meetings with audio and video, or share your desktop to show an employee exactly what you mean. Lync Online transforms interactions with colleagues, customers, and partners from today’s hit-or-miss communication to a more collaborative, engaging, and effective experience.
When you’re ready to share work with the world, you can use Office 365 to create and maintain a public-facing Web site. The service gives you several layouts, and you can pick from hundreds of themes to match your type of business.

Information in this blog first appeared in the following article:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20074853-12/reviewed-office-365/

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Food For Thought by Dennis Thomas

September 13, 2011 in HD Videoconferencing

A Team Environment

There are added psychological returns that come from a video conferencing solution with regards to remote locations and employees. There is always a feeling of not being as one. Remote employees tend to feel they are left out, not included within the usual workings of the organization, and often feel as though they do not receive the recognition they would typically receive if they were at HQ.

Video conference allows day-to-day contact with all employees. Weekly and monthly meetings, trainings and even quarterly reviews could all be performed with the use of video conferencing.  The remote employees are now integrated into a daily or weekly infrastructure within the organization and in all essence, effectively working at a better pace.

Having an Agile Business

 When employees have collaboration tools that are easy to use and allow on-demand interaction, their business experiences two basic changes:

 • The business is more fluid, it has an ability to respond quickly.

• The quality of business decisions improves with access to  vital information and key personnel from anywhere.

 In fact, businesses that use collaboration solutions achieve gains with their business processes and workflows that involve fixed location employees as well as mobile and remote offices.

 As your company looks towards lowering travel costs, increasing productivity and focusing on “Agile” business methods, look towards video conferencing and truly understanding your return on investment.

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Video Conferencing Increases ROI by Dennis Thomas

September 13, 2011 in HD Videoconferencing

Travel, Video Conferencing and a Return on Investment

With corporations all across cutting back on travel costs and tightening up the budgetary constraints on training, it’s only logical to assume that the purchase of a video conferencing  solution to be put on the back burner or set aside.

For a lot of companies, they do this because they do not see the inherent value to their organization and are truly looking at the bottom line.

How does one quantify the expenditure of a video conferencing solution?

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with a company about a solution for their main office, located here in Buffalo, NY. Two of their remote offices, however, are located in two completely separate countries, one in Europe and one in Asia/Pacific. In talking with them, I learned that they have two employees traveling at a time travelling to each of these locations six times a year. These employees stay in the remote area for a week at a time.

 I then sat down with them and worked out the following based upon their numbers for travel, assuming they cut down the travel by 50%.

 Europe Cost and Potential ROI

  Dollar Cost Man Hour Cost
Cost for 6 Travel meetings $32,675 642
Cost for 3 Video Conference and 3 Travel Meetings $18,605 441
     
Potential Savings $14,070 201

 

Asia/Pacific Cost and Potential ROI

  Dollar Cost Man Hour Cost
Cost for 6 Travel meetings $41,469 812
Cost for 3 Video Conference and 3 Travel Meetings $23,007 526
     
Potential Savings $18,472 286

 

Combined Costs and Potential ROI

  Dollar Cost Man Hour Cost
Cost for Travel meetings $74,144 1,454
Cost for Video Conference and 3 Travel Meetings $41,612 967
     
Potential Savings $32,542 487

 

As you can see, the total savings back to the company is assumed to be around $32,542. The total savings would cover the cost of a video conferencing solution. This also frees up a total of 487 man hours that could be repurposed within the organization and help the company move forward with critical projects and deadlines.

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We now have a blog. Veraview.info for more info!

January 12, 2011 in Uncategorized

We now have a blog. Veraview.info for more info!

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