40nbvc by 330bigbob1

www.ibusinessmag.com

Apple Solutions for Business

iSTICK

USB FLASH DRIVE FOR iPHONE

TOP 25

BUSINESS TRAVELERS ACCESSORIES INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

PROTECT YOUR IPHONE IN THE MOST CHALLENGING CONDITIONS ADLENS - ADJUSTABLE FOCUS COMPUTER EYEWEAR ZIPZAP - BUSINESS PHONE SYSTEM FOR YOUR IPAD

Inside this edition SMB 4 When Is It Time To Get New Gear? Zachary Miller

5 7 Ways to Improve the User

Experience of a Mobile App Alex Bratton

6 Evangelist File002 Bill Hellman

8 Leather for Your Laptop David Holan

9 Introducing Print Shop 3 For Mac Dave Park

14 4 Branding Basics MarnĂŻ Melrose

17 iOS 8: The 5 Things I Like Best And Use Most Steve Overton

In Review 3 SpiderCloud 11 Top 25 Business Travellers Apps 12 Hdhat 13 MOFI 16 TextMyBiz 19 CrowdPlat 23 Adlens 24 HITCASE 26 iGear 27 Cooper Product 28 Kevo Locks 32 Amzer 34 ZipZap

27 New iPhone and iOS Tips Michael Loewenberg

Carmine De Santo publisher@ibusinessmag.com Publisher Alex De Santo Editor@ibusinessmag.com Senior Editor Ele Mansouri assistant@ibusinessmag.com Executive Assistant JC Seymour chiefeditor@ibusinessmag.com Editor-In-Chief Zoi Sotirakos production@ibusinessmag.com Production Manager Giuliano Rosati graphics@ibusinessmag.com Creative Director

29 Apple Pay and the

Jose Seymour pr@ibusinessmag.com Press Releases & Public Relations

33 Surface or Substance?

Joe Galati reviews@ibusinessmag.com Product Review Specialist

Payment Experience Kate Deutsch

Michael Muhney

37 Roughrider Bags

Billy Trimble info@inrich.me Product Review Specialist

Sean Laibovitz

38 Keeping Up and Staying Ahead Terry Jarrell

40 Mobility On The Road Rene Siegal

i.Business Magazine Apple Solutions for Business i.Business Magazine ISSN (Print): 2157-6629 & 2157-6637 (Online) is published bi-monthly by Loop USA Inc. If you would like to subscribe to i.Business Magazine both print & digital Editions, please visit http://www.ibusinessmag.com/i.Business_Magazine/Subscribe.html

DISCOVER THE WORLD OF i.BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The Only Apple-related Business to Business (B2B) & Enterprise magazine in the market is published bi-monthly available in all news stands and on subscription

Monthly Newsletter

The i.Business Magazine is available monthly. You can join our newsletter at http://www.ibusinessmag.com/newsletter

Print on Demand

You can get our magazine print on demand with our partner MagCloud.com - http://www.magcloud.com/browse/ magazine/133463

Newsstand Edition App

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just launched our iPad version of the magazine, with digital enhancements, you can get it at the Apple newsstand. www.ibusinessmag.com/newsstand

Kindle Edition - Now Available

i.Business Magazine is now available for the Amazon Kindle Tablet. You can purchase individual issues or subscription from the Amazon website. http://www.ibusinessmag.com/ amazon

Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter

Keep up to date with i.Business Magazine, our digital offerings and the latest news via our Twitter feed twitter.com/ ibizmag, facebook page facebook.com/ibusinessmag and our LinkedIn Page, find us under i.Business Magazine

Follow our pins at http://www.pinterest.com/ibusinessmag

Website

i.Businessmag.com - The website of i.Business Magazine www.ibusinessmag.com

Opinions expressed are not necessarily the views of i.Business Magazine or Loop USA Inc. All content are Copyright by Loop USA Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. i.Business is a registered trademark of Loop USA Inc. Other trademarks and copyrights appearing in this magazine remain the property of their respective holders. From time to time we may rent our mailing list (emails, names and addresses only) to select third party whose products or services may be of interest to our readers. Please contact us should you wish to be excluded from these mailings using our contact information on this page. We would love to hear from you! Please feel free and to contact us here at i.Business with any feedback, suggestions or questions that you may have about our magazine. Feel free to call us at 1-416-907-8410 or write to info@ibusinessmag.com. Printed in U.S.A

How often do you walk into your office or any building for that matter, while on the phone or surfing the Internet, and lose service? Maybe the service simply diminishes or weakens. First you have to understand that your mobile device is accepting this data, and sending it for that matter, through multiple layers of attenuation. Whether it is concrete walls or steel roofs it all effects the quality of signal that you send and receive. The higher the frequency, the higher the data rate and the more difficult it is to penetrate. The lower the frequency the more it can penetrate. This all being

“Our team has created a unique and different product and our customers and partners have embraced us,” said Michael Gallagher, CEO of SpiderCloud Wireless. “We continue to be humbled by the industry reception and accolades we are receiving and are thankful for the recognition among many worthy and truly innovative companies.”

said, wireless technology is not perfect, however we have found a company that can help solve those difficult environments indoors. Over 80 percent of all mobile voice and data traffic occurs indoors which means that network resources are disproportionate requiring the outdoor network to assign more resources. These challenges can be reduced, and likely solved with SpiderCloud Wireless. If you have LAN access you can take advantage of SpiderCloud Wireless.

When you invest in an in-building solution such as this, you expect your employees to have priority over the bandwidth, and SpiderCloud gives you just that. With a “white” list, Enterprise IT has the option to determine who has access to the system and who doesn’t, giving a user multiple venue credentials allows employees to travel from site to site with instant priority.

How does SpiderCloud Wireless work? SpiderCloud Wireless has built the world’s first scalable small cell system that actually works for enterprises of any size regardless of building size. Typically this technology in the past has worked well in confined areas, but SpiderCloud has taken it to the next level. Coverage and capacity is now offered in a 3G and LTE scalable, multi-access, small cell system that can cover from 50,000 to 1.5M square foot venues including office space and arenas. With the unique self-organizing and self-optimizing software, design configuration and deployment is simplified, RF management is made easier, and it can handle up to 100 Radio Nodes Powered over Ethernet (PoE). A system can be deployed in days. The Radio Nodes support 16 to 32/64+ simultaneous voice or data channels with 3G, 4G or dual-band 3G and 4G (or dual-band4G). With the dramatic growth in smartphone and tablet use, customer satisfaction is a huge priority forcing mobile operators to improve coverage, capacity and support. Through a Signals Research Group study it was found that in many cases nearly 80 percent of an operators licensed spectrum was being underutilized in enterprise environments. Serving a large building with an outdoor macro network simply doesn’t cut it anymore, and the expectations of the consumer prove it. Frustrations with slow data, dropped voice calls and limited service force the hand of these providers to come up with a better solution – one that SpiderCloud does very well.

Current customers include Vodafone UK, Vodafone Netherlands and more. With the need for a better solution, customers can expect a quick installation and maximization of the licensed spectrum assets indoors.

With tremendous funding from the likes of Charles River Ventures, Matrix Partners, Opus Capital and Shasta Ventures they have raised over $106M as of April 2012 giving them the resources to create a product that serves you, the customer. With quality and service at the forefront of this organization, there is really no need to look further than SpiderCloud when trying to solve the real problems faced each day in your medium-large environment. For more information be sure to contact your mobile operator about SpiderCloud today. Or, contact SpiderCloud here.

When Is It Time To Get New Gear? Zachary Miller zachary.w.miller@me.com

Technology is ever changing and constantly in need of updating. Finding the balance between holding onto ineffective, outdated equipment and upgrading to something un-necessary, new and too expensive is the goal. It can be difficult to do! A colleague who used to provide support for a school district gave a perfect example of this. This district got a giant grant for computers. They were very much needed. Though the school district was happy, the IT department knew it did not have infrastructure to accommodate a single extra computer. This grant was not allowed to be used on anything other than computers. No money came in for the network, servers or wireless and these computers sat in a storage facility till their obsolescence.

er out of the office. A significant percentage of productivity suffered from a lack of communication that happened while people got water. The owner put the water back and productivity increased again.

Commonly talked about but often overlooked is integration. Do your companies voicemails also get emailed to the recipient? Can your iPads, not just your iMacs print? Streaming wirelessly with an Apple TV is not a requirement, but it could make the difference between only a few people sharing content in 30 minutes, to many being able to share far more information. Where do you use technology the most? Is your biggest expense MacbookPros? Innovating here is a great place to start. Instead of paying for an expensive warHaving an unbalanced technological ecosystem is every IT ranty on each computer, start a contract with a reliable, local manager and administrator’s worst enemy. Obviously you repair shop. Look at where you use technology the most and hire IT staff to maintain and fix your technology; therefore, talk with a your IT department about efficiency. Lastly and I am suggesting that keeping a healthy balance between fix- maybe most importantly is to have some kind of metric to ing and bettering the companies technology is paramount. It compare efficiency before and after a new purchase. Make is similar to only reorganizing the messy part of your house sure and leave a grace period for the staff who are learning and never actually cleaning it. It would be easy to become something new and finding a groove. overwhelmed and leave it as is for far too long. Great businesses project and monitor the growth of their finances, per- Lets recap a few places to look while contemplating an upsonnel and business plans. Why not also plan improvement date to your gear. for the tools in which they use to accomplish gain? I would • Integration argue that the majority of businesses are not guilty of having older equipment, but that they are guilty of failing to update • Look at where do you use technology the most? when it is necessary for their success.

SMB

Zach works as a systems and network administrator for a school district in Colorado. He has worked for an Apple support provider as well as Apple itself. Zach Miller zachary.w.miller@me.com

Including your IT department in decisions does not guarantee that good or even reasonable decisions will be made, but having someone who understands the technical side of the picture while being able communicate with the organization’s financial decision-maker is critical. Challenge your IT department to have goals and improvements that they would like to make. Now granted, buying new things does not increase productivity automatically. It is hard to know when to replace your tires if you don’t pay attention to them. How bald do your tires get before you replace them? I would hope it depends on the kind of winters you have and the car you drive. Take a little extra time to learn about how the technology works together at your business. By ecosystem I mean the big picture. This means your printers, phones, TVs, network and computers. Depending on what kind of equipment your business owns, they all tie in together. It is hard to stream content in a board meeting when your wireless is spotty in the board room. How long are you ok with your phones being down when your network hiccups? Now not every business has 4 floors and 15 printers or several buildings and a huge phone system. Lets narrow it down a little more. Your employees perception of how reliable technology is, is important! They use these tools everyday and know how great or frustrating they are. Most businesses pay attention to downtime and loss of productivity. I would argue however, that they don’t pay attention to how the employees talk about the tools they use. You will always have someone who wants the latest and greatest so use wisdom and ask well crafted questions while getting feedback from your employees. Seemingly inconsequential decisions can have profound effects. This reminds me of a story from an economics class. A business owner took the water dispens-

• Take note of complaints about technology • Learn how things work • Challenge your IT department to have goals • Compare metrics before and after new equipment. Allow time for learning. Great companies often fine-tune and track their progress over long periods of time. You probably don’t need a committee before upgrading from macbooks to macbook airs, but many probably should spend more time planning for their next update. Perhaps a great way to end this is to quote Wayne Gretzky. He said “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

7 Ways to Improve the User Experience of a Mobile App Alex Bratton @ alexbratton

The goal of any enterprise mobile app should be to make life easier for the user. Developing apps that effect real change in your organization relies on them being used, and in order to boost adoption it’s important to build an app that does what the user wants easily and reliably.

6. Eye-catching design is important, but it must be simple. Dull design robs your users of some excitement, but flashy design can be distracting, especially if it comes at the expense of a fluid UX. Eye-catching design falls somewhere in between, giving your app a sleek look without overshadowing its intended purpose.

A few years back, the race began among software developers to add features to apps as a way enhance their app platforms. 7. UX encompasses everything, even less obvious app Unfortunately, many of these features were added at the ex- functionality. The user experience needs to take how the app is used into account. One great example of this is the imporpense of the user experience (UX). tance of “ruggedizing” your app. A rugged app performs alToday, the pendulum has swung back to improving the UX. most as well offline as it does online, storing information and Great websites are built on a solid UX foundation, and the housing enough data to help users do their jobs. same is true for mobile apps. Excerpted from “Billion Dollar Apps: How to Find and Implement It’s important not to confuse UX with user interface (UI). The a Winning Mobile Strategy,” by Alex Bratton. A free chapter can UX is the flow of what the user is able to do and the steps for be downloaded at returnonapp.com. The print book can be purdoing it. The UI is what it looks like while taking those steps. chased from amazon.com, and will be available soon as an e-book A great UX with a mediocre UI can still drive big value and on Amazon and an iBook on iTunes. ease of use. A great UI without the UX will be used once and then forgotten. There are seven things you should know about UX for app development before you start your mobile app project: 1. UX has a lot to do with the path an app user navigates from start to finish. The user experience is heavily defined by how your user gets from point A to point B. UX experts spend a lot of time understanding user motivations, building paths, testing apps, revising paths, and retesting apps. When your user asks, “What’s next?” your app should have an immediate answer. Otherwise, you risk losing the user’s attention.

Fujitsu-Mobile-Thermal-Printer-outlines.pdf 1 4/11/2014 1:58:24 PM

2. UX has a lot to do with touch. Have you ever tried to click a link on your mobile device and accidentally click a different link in the process? Websites and apps that aren’t optimized for mobile don’t take “touch” into account. UX strategists understand that it’s more important to have accessible buttons than it is to cram a bunch of different pathways into a mobile app. C

SMB

3. Web designers often don’t have the right UX experience. A compelling UX should be left to app design professionals because web developers are accustomed to designing for the desktop experience. The web was fundamentally designed to function with a mouse, and that’s how many designers approach it. They haven’t been trained to focus on touch, information architecture or UX. Many web designers focus on visual design over user flow.

CMY

4. Value and ease of use result in strong engagement. App users only care about two things: the value the app offers them and how easy it is to obtain that value. UX strategists are concerned with both of these elements and go through a strategic process to ensure the app delivers value. The perfect combination of value and simplicity results in apps with excellent engagement levels. K

Alex Bratton is the CEO and Chief Geek of Lextech Global Services, a mobile app development firm that helps businesses reinvent processes with apps. Alex is a technology visionary, author, and entrepreneur who has helped 100+ organizations improve business processes and generate revenue with technology.

5. More features result in weaker engagement. The more functionality added to an app, the more confusion for users. The adage “less is more” is true for UX. Members of your team may want more from your app, but it’s more important to focus on usability and add features later.

Evangelist File002 Bill Hellman

SMB

As previously mentioned your last episode, our passionate during my career and I wish he was still here to read this arMac Evangelist, who was born in Latvia, was asked to jour- ticle. He would have thanked me and then spent the next 10 ney behind the former Iron Curtain to the University of Riga minutes telling me what I should have said :) in Latvia to lecture on North American Micro Computing developments. He stated he would be glad to help as long as you didn’t have to say three letters IBM.

In his world, IBM meant: IBM = I Bought a Mac

Or We are happy to have Bill on board as the contributing Editor to our new column “ The Evangelist Files” highlighting the contributions of Mac Evangelists who had dedicated their careers to promoting and protecting the Apple Macintosh platform. The founder of the iBusiness Magazine was and still is such an Evangelist. Submit your favourite Evangelist experience too bill@grabil.ca

IBM= I’ve Been Mislead The university agreed to his terms and he proceeded to make travel plans. Before leaving he called me and asked if my company (GCC), could donate a couple of hard drives for him to give to the university. I managed to obtain two 100mB external hard drives (largest at the time) for his cause. One made it to the University of Riga, the other one somehow found it’s way to the offices of the FREE Latvia Underground Newspaper ( all run on Macs). This was our unintentional contribution to bringing down The Iron Curtain. “ Our now deceased Evangelist was Mr. Juris Mazutis who was one of the most charismatic and passionate individuals I‘ve met

i.Menu

EXPO New 2015 Show Dates Visit for details

Mobile Solutions for Field Employees

Order Placement

Notes

Dealer Locator

Remote Update

Videos

Bookmarks

Navigation

Page Zoom

On-Demand Printing

Go Green

Quizzes

Notes

Highlighter

Web Services

Remote Update

Videos

Bookmarks

Navigation

Analytics

Digital Glossary

Go Green

“Troy Apps created an incredibly beautiful design and a full-featured application that truly demonstrates the creativity and high quality of Disguise costumes. And the cost savings of the iPad catalog app versus our printed catalog is astounding when we account for printing and postage. Updates are also a real plus. Once you send the printed catalog to press, it’s essentially out of date. With our iPad catalog we can continually update SKUs, pricing and add new releases for our retail customers.” — Bernice Nesbit, Director of Marketing at Disguise “The Troy Apps mobile learning tool creates a competitive advantage for ACE and for students that are studying to become an ACE-certified Personal Trainer. Used anywhere a student can take their iPad, the tool doesn’t require web connectivity to be fully functional which gives students the freedom to study in a fashion that mirrors their active lifestyle. The term game changer is defined as “an event, idea, or procedure that effects a significant shift in the current manner of doing or thinking about something”. I think the ACE Academy Elite App is a potential game changer that will significantly shift the way students prepare for a career as an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.” — Scott Goudeseune President & CEO

NATIVE APPS FOR BUSINESS

collaborate . design . engineer . support

troyapps.com

866.598.8001

Leather for Your Laptop David Holan kaosdoc@gmail.com www.kaosdoc.com

Most of the reviews I’ve written recently have been of iPad or iPhone cases. Presented here are five laptop cases, all in leather, and each distinct in its own way. There are three cases that fall roughly into the ‘rugged’ style, and all would equally suit an executive. Each case arrived with at least one accessory as described below. For those of us who still travel with a laptop, either from here to Switzerland, or just down to the local java hut, a bag that carries my MacBook Pro in style is always appreciated.

The Mercer Messenger Bag, by Brenthaven

The Mercer has a few unique and nice surprises. It is constructed of a nice dark brown full-grain supple ‘glove’ leather. The interior is a nice golden nylon with a quilted texture (inside the main compartment and the two pockets under the flap), and the color is a great contrast and makes it much easier to find things inside the bag. Although the bag won’t stand on it’s own, there are rubber feet under the bottom of the bag. Brenthaven as very creative in its use of magnets for closures. The pocket for your water bottle, iPhone or keys on the end of the bag is held folded and flat when not in use, as is the bottom of the front flap, the curved side of the front flap, and the back outside pocket. Inside the main compartment is a padded pocket for both your MacBook and iPad (though it needs to have a minimal cover or none), organizer pockets for power supplies, pens, a key loop, and a zippered compartment on the inside front of the bag. There is a non-removable, adjustable nylon shoulder strap. Now for the two surprises: The Mercer comes with a serialized tag with a toll-free number to locate the owner if the bag is stolen or misplaced (although I couldn’t find where to input that number on their registration page). The other very useful surprise was the inclusion of an internal integrated power supply by Joey Energy, model T1. The spec sheet says it will provide up to 3 hours for an iPad, and can work in ‘pass-through’ mode when plugged into a wall outlet.

SMB

David Holan has been a Mac user since ’86, has an eye for uncovering surprises, and for seeing the big picture before getting caught in the details. David has a Master’s in psychology, and has been a writer and IT consultant for 20+ years. He has a bit of cowboy in him, and likes to call it like he sees it. David can be reached at kaosdoc@gmail.com, or www.kaosdoc.com

ers or pockets; there are two full length slots - though they are not quite deep enough for file folders, and the front of the bag (under the flap) has three smaller pockets just the right size for power supplies, along with three pen loops. The interior of the bag’s main compartment has one divider to keep files; it’s rather thin, but deep enough for your MacBook Pro or Air, but not in the bundled sleeve. The bundled sleeve is cool with it’s plastic window for the Apple logo and the mesh cutout on the back for ventilation. The sleeve has the MacCase logo front and back and is well padded, however I would have preferred that the hook and loop flap had been a landscape rather than vertical flap. And there’s also a rigid bottom in the interior main compartment that gives the bag some structure and helps it stand. Hardware is all metal, stainless, and there’s no plastic fasteners to be found. I like the hardware. It looks nice and and the quality will ensure it lasts and works. The shoulder strap is all leather, though not removable, and has a rubberized should pad. Great bag for a great price, especially in the bundle. It’s available as a bundle from Mac-Case.com for $299.

The Burnished Commuter Bag, by Sena

I’ve always been impressed by Sena products, and the Burnished Commuter Bag is no exception. The dark brown bag I reviewed comes with black chrome hardware, a removable shoulder strap, two leather handles, and a black and grey (ocean) shirt-print interior. There’s a padded pocket for up to a 15” MacBook and iPad. There are matching ‘feet’ on the bottom of the bag, though it won’t stand on its own. The zipper of the main compartment matches the black chrome hardware, and there’s a protective flap inside the bag that separates and protects your MacBook from being scratched. Inside the main compartment you’ll find the pockets for MacBook, iPad, a larger area for files, etc., as well as pockets for power supplies, iPhone, etc. The front pocket has 2 pen slots, business card slots, with two slightly larger pockets behind them, and a larger area. Plenty to organize and carry everything you need. The back pocket closes with a magnet, and has an internal zippered pocket as well. The only thing not there is a key loop, but I’ve never really been a fan and seldom use them. The outside corners of the bag are also reinforced with an additional layer of leather.

The BX2 iPad Folio has a hard plastic back, nylon cover, and fitted silicon internal frame for the iPad air. Though not bundled with the Mercer, and the iPad in the BX2 case won’t fit in the iPad pocket in landscape (it does fit in portrait) orientation, it’s worth the $60 MSRP if you value protection for your iPad. I would offer it in a brown that coordinates with the Mercer, though. The BX2 also carries an ID# for return to the owner. The Commuter Bag is remarkable for its small size and how much you can actually put in it. You won’t mind carrying this bag on The only fault I could find with the Mercer is the handle on the the train, nor will you ever be less than pleased by the impression back. It seems to need a bit more reinforcement so it doesn’t it makes. The Commuter Bag is finely crafted and will age well strain the stitching when the bag is loaded. Nicely done, Bren- over time. $369 from Senacases.com. thaven. Available from brenthaven.com for $299.

The Premium Leather Shoulder Bag, by MacCase

The vintage leather Premium Leather Shoulder Bag bundle, with matching laptop sleeve, is the same style I reviewed last year for the iPad. I like the MacCase line, especially their vintage leather bags. The shoulder bag has the most pockets for organizing of all the bags in this review, so if you a brief case ‘neat freak,’ this is the bag for you.

The Pullman, by SkyTop Trading

There’s something about a saddle leather bag, especially one as nicely crafted as this one. Maybe it’s nostalgia for all those early days I spent in the saddle. Maybe it’s the heft of it; this is a quality saddle leather brief, nicely moulded and crafted, and built to last generations. Seriously, it’s not hard to imagine that your grandkids will be fighting over it and making up stories about all the ‘scars’ of your life left on the bag.

The bag has a nice soft synthetic interior, with pockets galore. Hand-crafted in Colorado, this isn’t just a briefcase, but a There’s a pocket on the right outside of the bag, perfect for your iPhone or iPod. There’s a zippered pouch on the back with Continued on page19 a handle just above the zipper, and another zippered pocket in the main flap. Lift the flap and you’ll find three vertical divid-

Introducing Print Shop 3 For Mac Dave Park dave@xcel.on.ca

Big businesses need a marketing department with documents designed in Adobe’s or other professional desktop publishing tools. For the smaller business owner, often signage or flyers are done in house. If your business only needs flyers to hand out door to door, or perhaps a simple sign to post on a grocery message board, Print Shop 3 for MAC, is the perfect tool.

photographs from iPhoto. The included graphics are searchable by keyword, color, category, clip art style and more. Once you select a graphic and add it to your document it is easy to resize, and move about the page until placed exactly where you want it.

The Headline Tool allows you to create document Headlines in a variety of styles with options for predetermined styles or a creation I installed the program and at first I was a little taken aback by the of your own. One feature I found interesting was it allowed you complete lack of instructions that came with it. However after us- to use a photograph as the interior of the letters and have them ing it, between the built in help, and naturally intuitive nature of show up at full opacity whereas behind the outline of the letters it is lesser. I played with this tool and created a stunning headline with the program, instructions were not really needed. a photograph of my wife and son apple picking that would make a When you start the program you are offered an array of project great photo collection cover. types, and then the option to either modify and existing template to your needs, or start your own project from scratch. I modified The Text box Tool is just that a click and place text box. a few of the existing projects at first to get the hang of things, and then started from a blank page to create a simply flyer for a friend’s The Circle Text Box Tool is the same with circular text. used clothing store. Inserting objects and text is straight forward, and the program features something called Smart Snapping, which The Shapes Tool allows you to place basic shapes as well as placing is a tool that shows you animated red lines when one object or text custom shapes and lines in your document. box is lined up with another. This is so much easier than trying to The Backdrop and Watermark Tool brings up the Backdrops and line things up with an in program ruler. Borders submenu that allows you to pick and choose for your docAfter creating my document and setting it to landscape orientation, ument from a variety of options. The Border and Decorative Line I cut the page in half down the center with a line. The storeown- Tool is similar to this and allows you to insert these objects as er wanted her flyer created on a half page to cut down on paper well. The Photo Frame Tool takes you to that section of the Backcosts. So I was to mirror my creation on both halves of the page. Af- drops and Borders submenu as well, but specifically opens the photer getting the layout and title down, I saved my work just to be pru- to frame section. dent. The software picked up the text I used in the headline of the flyer and prompted me to use that text as the file name. I have seen word processors like MS Word do this with the first few words of a document, but had never seen print software smart enough to pull the title out of context and I thought this was a thoughtful touch.

The Custom Graphics Tool allows you to create Logos, Initial Caps, Time Pieces (allowing you to set what time the graphic clock shows), as well as a gimmicky option to insert some famous signatures. The last tool is a QR code generator that allows you to create QR codes to convey contact information, websites, locations and more.

The Print Shop document creation screen is laid out with a tool palette on the left side, and an effects palette and text palette on The right side of the screen includes a straightforward Text Palette the right. that lets you adjust font and sizing, as you would expect. It includes a surprising level of detail of control including kerning, spacing and The Tool Palette includes: more. • A Graphic Selection Tool • A Headline Tool • A Text Box Tool

SMB

• A Circle Text Box Tool • A Shape Tool with basic shapes and lines as well as the option to create your own custom shapes • A Backdrop and Watermark Tool • A Border and Decorative Line Tool

Dave Park has been an avid computer hobbyist for over 30 years. For the past 10 years he has been selling all the greatest computer products to retailers all over the world with Xcel Source Corp. Contact him at 1-905-564-9235 ext.

• A Photo-frame Tool (which brings up a backdrops and borders submenu)

The Effects Palette allows you to Adjust Opacity, Change Colors and Backgrounds, add Drop Shadows, add Glows. It also includes a Photo Workshop for photographs that allows you to edit photographs and either fix minor flaws such as Red Eye, Pet Eye, Remove Dust and Scratches and more. As an added feature it includes a teeth-whitening tool for photographs. This photograph features are in a submenu that also includes a variety of artistic filters for photographs. Basic tasks such as cropping and adjusting hue and saturation are also included. With this software I found it easy to create simple straight forward, but professional looking documents. The software does not have the steep learning curve of high-end software that costs much more.

• A Custom Graphics Tool

Print Shop 3 runs on MAC OS 10.6.8 or later including the new Yosemite OS.

• A QR code generator Tool that can create sophisticated QR Codes

This software is available to purchase via download at: http://www. mackiev.com

The Graphic Selection Tool, allows you to use the clip art and pho- For wholesale inquiries on this product and over a thousand more tographs that come included with Print Shop 3 or pull in your own please contact the author.

Adjustable focus computer eyewear

Avoid eye fatique and improve screen viewing Designed to help: REDUCE eye strain IMPROVE clarity ADJUST your focus

HDHat

14.

OfficeTime App

HitCase Products

15.

Expensify App

Adlens

16.

iPro Lens

RHA MA450i HeadPhones

17.

GigSky

Mophie Juice Packs

18.

MOFI Router

Buffalo MiniStation ThunderBolt

19.

KudoCase

Business Card Reader App

20.

Hyper Juice

Cooper Products

21.

STM Grip2

iGear Products

22.

Brookstone Virtual Keyboard

10.

Targus Compact Rolling BackPack

23.

Jawbone ICON HD Bluetooth Headset

11.

ZipZap

24.

TwelveSouth PlugBugv

12.

WritePad App

25.

CoulVue by TouCoul

13.

PhatPad App

The Makayama Universal Movie Mount by Makayama and HDHat.com The Makayama Movie Mount is a unique piece of hardware which al- So what other video accessories does HDhat.com make for lows users to radically improve video capture with the iPad. It turns the the iPad and iPhone? iPad into a complete movie studio. A 37mm lens fitting and two hotshot The Makayama Movie Mount created great demand for other accessories mounts allow for use of tele and wide angle lens, attach microphones, vid- such as wireless microphones, shotgun microphones, dual microphones eo lights and a tripod! and various pro level lenses. So we began to engineer fantastic exclusive microphones which can be used to produce pro level video. The wireless So how did the Universal Movie Mount product evolve? systems in particular are priced under $100 have proven to be quite popular. ! Well early on HDhat had become a distributor of the Makayama Movie Mount and noticed that many of our clients wanted to also user their iP- Are there specific video apps that you recommend to users hones to shoot pro level photos and video. So we went to work in our shop of the Makayama Movie Mount? and designed simple to use carbon fiber inserts that can be used to add Yes there are lots of video specific apps but some certainly standout such as any iPhone into the Movie Mount. In just seconds a user can snap in their Filmic Pro, ProCamera 8, iMovie, Vizzywig, VideoGrade and Vidcaboodle. iPhone and use the included wide lens as well as optional lights, micro- Vidcaboodle specifically is a great app for businesses that need to organize phones, and tripod to create a full movie studio. Youtube content into better categories that are more specific for their inWhat makes the Universal Movie Mount really stand out is HDhatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of physically larger 58mm lenses that produce fantastic distortion free images and video.

dustry.

Mark Passerby is the founder of HDhat.com. HDhat is the US distributor of the Makayama Movie Mount and the Universal Movie Mount. You can find their unique mobile video tools on HDhatStore.com or contact Mark directly at mark@HDhat.com or 517-896-4376

Who doesn’t travel anymore? How many times do you wish you could have internet access on devices that either don’t support cellular networks or you simply didn’t by the cellular version? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a fullon wireless router, WiFi, without being home tethered to your local cable internet or DSL service? MoFi network has created the ultimate solution. Imagine your wireless router that sits in your kitchen or office and pumps out those incredible speeds [insert laughter] but wait, you aren’t tied to your cable or DSL! I am seriously in love. I can’t tell you that I have actually used this product however in theory this is what we have been waiting for. Do you ever switch off your WiFi on your iPhone and go straight to the LTE service so you can download something much quicker? I do it all the time and welcome the fast speeds. Now, lets be clear about something. You will be using data off of your data plan. Some carriers offer unlimited data and some offer data that gets throttled after certain periods, etc. but I still think this is a welcoming opportunity for higher and more reliable speeds.

For home use it is simply plug and play. You will need a “stick” from your wireless carrier (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) which plugs into the back of the router. Data is streamed into the stick which broadcasts out over WiFi to all of your devices. If you prefer to hardwire devices into the back of it, like another switch, you can do that too. If you play video games such as Xbox or PlayStation, the MOFI has optimized coding to ensure the best online experience possible. Of course it offers advanced wireless security including 64/128-bit WEP, WPA and WPA2. To add icing to the cake, you can install multiple MOFI units so your network can be broadened to your needs. The MOFI can also act like a print server so you can share the printer across your network allowing all of your devices to print seamlessly. Consider me out the door to pick one of these devices up. They are available on Amazon, along with Best Buy and many other retailers. ENJOY your new high speed network!

Coming straight from the horses mouth, this wireless router is a super high performance mission critical router and can be used as a standard high performance N 300 Mb/s router for us with any Cable or DSL service. That’s fine but we want LTE speeds.

4 Branding Basics Marnï Melrose www.macangel.com about.me/marnimelrose

Branding is the way your company makes your customers able. Picking a good domain at the beginning is so important. feel, here are 4 branding basics. 3. Now for a website Let’s take Apple for instance, when I say that word, the feeling that comes to you is a classy, clean, easy high tech Rainmaker lifestyle. All of that just from the word Apple and the fun- I have been a big proponent of wordpress for a few years afny thing is, I didn’t even say Apple computers did I? I might ter the debacle of expression engine. Expression Engine was have been talking about an actual Apple. That’s how strong super powerful and did everything I wanted but it cost me a fortune to develop and maintain. $18,000 to create our their brand is. membership site. Then my site got attacked and it was game So you are a small company and you may wonder where you over. I didn’t have the time, the technical understanding or start. the resources to fight the attack.

4 Branding Basics

WordPress didn’t quite do everything I wanted but it was way easier than Expression Engine. I hosted it with WP Engine. They were awesome. Great customer service. They If Steve Jobs was emailing you and his email was steve@ helped with wordpress as well as the task of maintaining the gmail.com would you take him seriously as a business per- back end, like wordpress updates and all of that. Because you son? Or would take him more seriously if his email was know what, I am a business person and I didn’t have time to steve@apple.com. Probably the later right? deal with that. However, having said that. I have still spent massive amounts of time on plugins trying to get my site just So job number 1 is to secure a domain for your company and the way I wanted it to be. Tweaking it here, adjusting it there. set up email. And to be honest with you, I’ve spent way too much time on that and when I spend time on that, it’s not time spent on I prefer google email to others, for all sorts of reasons, but my business. any IMAP provider will do. I don’t recommend POP email anymore as it’s an old technology and doesn’t keep what Enter Rainmaker it’s a new platform for content producers you read in sync on all of your devices, which these days is like me. I just want to communicate my message. I don’t just unacceptable. Why Google and not Apple iCloud? The want to be bogged down with the back end. In my opinion, bottom line is more apps can use Google Gmail than Apple’s technology should make my life easier, not harder. What I iCloud. like about it is that gives me all the tools that I need to re1. Let’s start with some basics. Email

set up my membership site, which is what we are doing right I also prefer to have my email provider to be different than now. And it takes away all of the under-the-hood stuff so that my website hosting provider. The reason for this is that if the I can focus on producing content. I can set up a membership website or host goes down, I still want to be able to receive forum, podcast, digital products & membership and landing email. pages. It’s pretty slick! 2. Which leads us to domains

Pick a website platform that doesn’t become a time suck!

Before you can get email for your company, you need a good 4. Next up social media domain.

SMB

Marnï Melrose is the Managing Director & Chief Technology Evangelist of MacAngel, LLC. Founder of the MacAngel Academy. www.macangel.com about.me/marnimelrose

I’ve learned from my mistakes. First my company was xgenius.com because I was a former Genius at Apple. However, it was more important to me in my branding to be helpful than smart and aloof. Thus came MacAngel, which stuck for many years and is still my company name. However, it pigeonholed me into working with Macs so when I moved away from Daylite and to Podio, I tried to take a bigger leap with residualreach.com however, no one liked the name. Great. I decided the angel thing worked for me, so I became podioangel.com which worked well for me until Podio decided that even though they had signed off on the name when I set it up, that they were no longer going to allow partners to use their name. Thus came a mad scramble to find something else. My next name was midasmarni.com which worked well until I realized that King Midas starved to death. Oh no another doomed name. So again I went back to my angel.

What have I learned from all of this?

Pick an easy name that doesn’t constrict you but still communicates who you are and what you do and stick with it! From an SEO standpoint an older domain is far more valu-

Set up a social media presence on all of the major sites. For my business that meant, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook. But it might be different for you. Each has a different feel and community and audience. Just make sure that your voice and your brand is consistent across them all. Make sure that your domain is listed clearly. Use tools that space out your posts. Post consistently. Over the past 12 years I have amassed a social following of 13K+ across all social networks. I did that by consistently sharing my opinions, content and other people’s content. Interacting and actually talking with people is key. So there you have the 4 basics of branding, get going.

Are you an installer? Looking for a custom router?

with iPhone USB TETHERING

We offer custom firmware with an initial order of 10 units Contact us to set up your dealer account

Introducing the MOFI3500-3GN

MOST ADVANCED 4G/LTE ROUTER

FOR BUSINESS

FOR THE HOME

Failover Load Balancing (Multi-Wan & 3G/4G/LTE) Remote Cloud Management Interface Monitor all your customers with 1 central interface Custom firmware with your logo & remote update Public IP Service from MOFI with any Connection VPN Services & Termination - Device to Cisco, Linux, Juniper IPSec, L2TP, & PPTP OpenVPN Server & Auto Port Forwarding Feature Advanced Monitoring to Control Data Usage

Share your 3G/4G/LTE Internet with Multiple PC’s/Phones, Tablets & more (wired & wireless) Simple Set Up with Nothing to Install and up to 1000 feet Wireless Range (Plug & Play) Works with Everything - Cable/DSL/Satellite Make your USB ink jet printer into a network (Now everyone can print to same printer) XBOX & Playstation Optimized with auto port forwarding for best gaming experience Watch Netflix USA in Canada - MOFI Super DNS iPhone and Android USB tethering

Your 4G/LTE Internet modem or iPhone/Android cable Goes Here



www.MoFiNetwork.com

TOLL FREE 24/7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT: 1-800-586-0345 WWW.MOFINETWORK.COM

Innovative Technology: Text Enable Your Existing Business Number with TextMyBiz In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fast paced business markets, messaging has surpassed all other forms as the preferred method of communication worldwide. Clients and customers alike are already texting every day and most likely your business is not yet text enabled. TextMyBiz now gives the consumer an efficient and quick way to connect with a business. TextMyBiz has launched new technology which provides texting capability to an existing business, landline or toll-free number. This messaging platform enables both customers and business operators to send and receive texts using the same number they typically call. So how does it work? A customer sends a text message from their mobile to an existing business number just like they are texting to their best friend. The business is immediately notified and receives the message on a web browser or iOS device. At that point, any designated staff member can respond and have a real, two-way chat. This is not to be confused with mass text marketing services as TexyMyBiz is genuine communication between the consumer and the business operator. Furthermore, the same business is able to initiate a chat with an outgoing text. There is no app to download, no training necessary. Customers only need to know the number and how to text message. No more missed calls, voicemails and miscommunications.

respond to customers with two clicks. This application can accommodate multiple users, departments and phone numbers in a single interface. All business chats are archived and may be monitored by management at any time. Signing up is as simple as going to the TextMyBiz website. They offer a 14 day trial and you can be up and running within minutes. There are 3 plans to choose from: Lite, Business and Professional. The Lite ($19.95 per month) and Business ($99.95 per month) plans will cover the majority of businesses in the US and Canada. In addition, the service can provide international numbers in 25 other countries. There are very few industries that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t benefit from this service. Customer service and sales departments will see immediate engagement. Appointment requests, confirmations and reminders from physicians to beauty salons. Reservations made easily at restaurants and concierge desks. College and school staffs can now easily communicate with their students. Businesses are using it for internal communication with their own employees. Real estate brokerages, Insurance agents, retail, auto repair shops, hotlines, finance, public safety, general inquiries, trade shows, libraries, etc. The list goes on and on. See it in action. Try it now. Send TextMyBiz a text message on their toll free number 844-GET-TEXT (844-438-8398) or head to their website www.textmybiz.com to sign up for a free trial.

This service has built-in features to make this solution even more simply including reminders, auto replies, group texts and keyword responses. A Millions of texts were sent in the time you spent reading this review. How popular feature is the canned messages which allows the user to quickly many went to your business?

iOS 8: The 5 Things I Like Best And Use Most Steve Overton techandrealestate.com @wonder777

It’s been almost a month since I stood in line to get my new iPhone 6. I have to say I really do love the larger form factor especially the larger screen. Although there are quite a few upgrades to the new phone, the biggest difference is IOS 8. There has been some press about the new operating system bricking phones and having serious bugs, but my experience is very different. I have upgraded to 8.02, and have found it quite solid. Some apps do still crash but I think that’s more to do with the apps than the operating system. There are some things in IOS 8 that make my life much easier. The first has to do with Siri. Here in Vermont, as of October 1 it’s illegal to hold a cell phone in your hand while you’re driving. Although I have been driving with my phone in a dock for some time, there have been times I’ve held it to do something, but now I know the state police are watching. As long as my phone is plugged in, I can say “hey Siri” and she will wake up and be ready for my command. If I need to make a phone call, all I have to do is say” hey Siri, call my wife at home” and she will begin to dial my wife’s telephone number. I don’t have to touch the phone at all. One of the other nice additions to Siri in IOS 8 is that she translates what I say immediately rather than waiting for me to stop speaking to translate. It makes a huge difference to be able to see what she’s translating as I’m speaking.

SMB

Steve is a Realtor and technology coordinator at KW Vermont in Colchester, Vermont

The second thing that I use all the time in IOS 8 is the custom keyboard feature. Android has for a long time had a keyboard called SwiftKey that allowed you to drag a finger along the keyboard to type. I was both jealous and disappointed that we didn’t have that ability on our iPhones. Now we do. SwiftKey is indeed a timesaver, and it’s amazing how intuitive it actually is. I don’t have to be exact when dragging my finger along the keyboard. It seems to understand just what I mean to type. While on the topic of keyboards, Apple added predictive typing to

their own keyboard. Predictive typing has been around since the beginning in a primitive form in that as I type a bubble would appear offering a suggestion of what I might mean to be typing. It worked on a word by word basis. Now there’s a bar that appears above the Apple keyboard that offers up three suggested words that I might mean to type in addition to suggestions for the next word I may want to type. It takes some getting used to, watching the bar above the keyboard as I type, but as I have become more familiar with it, it has sped up my typing dramatically. Interactive notifications is another addition then enhances productivity. It’s quite common to be working in one app when I get a notification or and imessage from someone. Prior to IOS eight I would have to leave the app that I was working in, open the app that was notifying me and perform whatever action was required. Now when the notification pops up on the top of my screen, I can simply tap on it, reply, and send it without ever leaving the screen I was working in. In addition, the notification window that appears by dragging a finger down from the top of the screen, now is customizable. There are apps that have things called widgets that can be added to this notification window. I have added Evernote and Weather Underground to my notification window. So, now instead of having to tap on my home button, find and open Evernote, all I have to do is drag down and tap on the icon of what I want to do within Evernote and I’m there. I also can see my favorite weather app and it’s information right in front of me as I am drag down the notification window. Now not every app has created a widget, but my guess is many more will get on board. If you haven’t downloaded IOS eight, I personally recommended it. I know many more people that love it then have had trouble with it.

Completely redesigned around the iPhone 6

TOUGHER. SLEEKER. BETTER. Interchangeable TM TrueLUX Lenses 3X Wide Angle and Flat Lens Included

Full iPhone Functionality Call, Text, Shoot and Share.

ShockWave Audio

Waterproof 10m/33ft

Quick Latch Design

2m/6ft

Easy In - Easy Out With Bumpers for Improved Shock Resistance

Railslide Mount System

Lightning Port Access

Shockproof

8 Available GoPro速 Compatible Mounts

Charge Your Phone in the Case

BUY NOW AT HITCASE.COM

VIDOMETER

by HITCASE

Do you have a software project that is just burning in your heart to start? Do you hear about different developers around the world that can help you? Is funding an issue? Trust me, there are plenty of people out there looking to help. Whether it is funding, development or project mangagement, CrowdPlat serves as your one-stop-shop for developing that dream piece of software. CrowdPlat was started with the mission to reduce application development cost and cycle time while providing superior quality by leveraging talent from around the world. So, yes, now you don’t have to go out and search the world for your perfect team.

Here is how it works.

Simple to use online software allows you to progress through 6 easy steps towards final production of your software or application. Step 1 includes customers posting an app development project. This includes details about the app and what it will do. Step 2 is a CrowdPlat proposal sent back to you detailing all of the milestones necessary to achieve the perfect result. Step 3 is when the customer accepts the proposal and signs the agreement insuring all legalities are kept in tact throughout the project. Step 4 is when you get to meet your virtual project team, understanding whom you will work with throughout the project is important. Step 5 is when the magic starts to happen. The Virtual Project Team builds the application and delivers it back to the customer just as it was requested. Step 6 includes the customer making payments as each milestone is hit. This is the ultimate in crowdsourcing to achieve the software developments goals you had thought were so far off.

Let’s understand crowdsourcing a little more before we get started. Crowdsourcing is the CrowdPlat way. It is a business strategy which involves companies completing tasks by combing different contributions from different parts of the world. Crowdsourcing is what allows CrowdPlat to offer our services with such a high quality standard. Face it, applications run the Dust off those notebooks and ideas and start making things happen. world. There is increased needs for custom apps to be built cheaper, fast- CrowdPlat is the perfect solution for the idea that “doesn’t have enough er and better. By utilizing the power of the crowd, CrowdPlat is able to time, or doesn’t have enough money”. achieve this. Continued from page 8 well-designed bag (with snaps and D-rings everywhere) for attaching the various complementary system of well-thought out accessories. The clasp is brass and lockable. This is some of the nicest hardware I’ve seen in a while. The shoulder strap is brown canvas with heavy removable clips (also in brass) and has a removable pad with a rubber (not rubberized) backing. I do wish the strap was a nice leather, though. Starting from the solid “canoe handle” to the sewn strap that wraps all the way around the bottom of the bag, this case is well-thought out and meticulously crafted. The blocked leather gives the bag a solid construction, and loaded, it will stand on it’s own. The flap is moulded to wrap around the 3-compartment front pocket. All rivets are covered by a piece of felt on the inside to prevent scratching your iPad or MacBook. The two internal dividers of the main c ompartment are also removable, and the whole compartment is lined with soft glove leather. The front pocket closes with a snap, has 3 compartments, as well as pen and business card slots and a key loop. The back of the bag has another moulded pocket with snap closure perfect for keeping your travel documents and passport close at hand. SkyTop Trading also sent their iPad Folio. It’s heavy. It’s luxurious. It stands incredibly well (and I’ve tried many folio cases and have not said this before). Probably due to it’s rigidity and weight. And it likely is upgradable since the clear polycarbonate snap-in backing also snaps out of the leather folio. Some bags will earn you points for swag. This bag is so well-made that, of such fine materials, swag is irrelevant. $1175 from SkyTopTrading.com. iPad Folio, $279.

The Rough Rider Messenger Bag, by WaterField Designs

The Rough Rider is unique in this review in a couple of different ways. You can pick the color of the front panel, the number of pockets is the least of the bags reviewed, and the design itself sports a shoulder strap system that pulls the bag into your body via two-angled connection points to the body of the bag. You won’t see the Waterfield logo until you lift the front flap (secured by

two-position snaps on each side), and there aren’t a plethora of tiny pockets everywhere. Truth is, I love the simplicity of it. Put your MacBook and iPad in an Outback sleeve (you’ll need them since the Rough Rider has no padding otherwise), drop them in the main compartment, with two half-width inside pockets, and you’re off. When I’m travelling light, though ‘light’ is relative, I carry my MacBook, my iPad, one charger, and maybe a book or magazine (or files, if I’m working). The Rough Rider is perfect for those days. There are two padded pockets under the flap for an iPad mini or iPhone/iPod. I love the quality of the leather, it comes with whatever markings happen to be there and has character right out of the box. The strap is non-removable with a slip pad of matching leather and a rubberized surface. What else is there to say? The Rough Rider with it’s ‘urban wrangler’ leather and canvas trim, simplicity, quality materials, excellent construction. Made in San Francisco by folks who obviously care about what they’re doing. It’s like taking a street car to Fisherman’s Wharf: You know where you’re going, and you know how to get there. Straightforward. No pretence. No apology. Criticisms? None really. Though I keep debating about a leather shoulder strap vs. nylon. Did I mention the camouflage factor? With no obvious tech label, it looks like just an ordinary messenger bag. But there’s nothing ordinary about it. $335 for the 13” and $355 for the 15” size. Outback Sleeves are $59. See sfbags.com for more. So, how would I rate them? Well, you can’t go wrong with any of the bags reviewed here. If I wanted ‘urban chic,’ I’d definitely pick the Rough Rider from WaterField; it’s simple, packs and unpacks in seconds, and it’s going to last. It’s elegant in its simplicity. The Mercer from Brenthaven is very nice, and the internal power shot is a unique and practical difference. The Burnished Commuter from Sena is classy and will impress anywhere you go, as well as keep you organized. The MacCase bundle is classy, rugged, well-made and the Apple logo window on the included sleeve is cool. And the Classic Pullman from SkyTop, if you don’t mind the heft, transcends. Period. You can carry this bag from the judge’s chambers to the train and back, and no one will ever question its fit. But then ‘cowboy’ is like that; it gets the job done, and won’t quit till it is.

Are you protected from Digital Eye Strain? New adjustable eyewear from Adlens assists eye focus and battles lightweight frame style makes them easy to wear for long periods at the computer, TV or viewing a smartphone, and your eyes will be shielded at harmful blue screen light the same time. Startling research from The Vision Council shows that many Americans put themselves under unnecessary strain every day. ‘Blue’ light is continu- The adjustable focus technology, controlled using two small dials on the ally emitted by screens and could be a major factor behind eye strain – and corner of the frames, allows you to gradually adjust the power of each lens screens are now in front of people’s eyes for more time each day than ever until you achieve near-perfect focus at any distance – even as close as 30cm! – making them the perfect tool for any screen in your daily life. Forbefore. get buying multiple blue-light filtering pairs for every screen you have, and According to the research, the number of adults viewing screens for over get one adjustable pair you can easily take with you whatever the occasion. 10 hours a day rose by 4% in the last year alone, with some 70% saying they have experienced some form of strain using electronic devices. Neck pain, Adlens have been researching and producing the latest in adjustable focus eyewear since 2004. Find out more about Adlens Interface at dry eyes, headaches and dizziness can all be traced back to eye strain1. www.adlens.com

What can be done?

For many years ophthalmologists have provided guidelines for those using screens, for example: • 20-20-20 rule encouraging people to take breaks every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, giving your focussing muscles a resta • Remembering to blink often and stay hydrated, with the intensity of screen use contributing to dry eyes and often decreasing our natural blink rate • Help your eyes to focus more easily on screens by getting corrective glasses for the right distance; whether your work computer, home TV or smartphone on your daily commute Now we can add one more to the list: get eyewear that helps to limit transmission of the most harmful wavelengths in the blue light spectrum.

How can Adlens help?

Adlens® has quickly reacted to this problem, creating Adlens Interface™ – adjustable focus eyewear with a blue light-filtering lens. Protect your eyes from harmful light, and prevent them from overworking to focus on screens at different distances with its adjustable focus technology: a no-compromise solution to an increasingly widespread problem. On average, Adlens Interface eyewear has been shown to block 65% of light in the blue range, and an incredible 80% at the harmful 450mn. The

HIT ME MORE THAN ONE TIME Cases, cases and more cases. We continue to see more and more cases come out each and every year. Some stack up in the category of normal with no special features and designed to lightly protect but more importantly provide fashion. Others serve very specific purposes for very specific situations. Anything from stands, to cameras to durability, they come in many shapes and sizes. Recently we came across a newer idea that brings multiple uses together. Introducing Hitcase. Hitcase brings you three different models of cases for your iPhone 5s/5c/5. The iPhone 6 models are coming soon and you can sign up on their website to receive updates on their arrival. The Hitcase PRO+ offers a rugged case design that can withstand up to 33 feet of water for nearly 30 minutes. But its not just a rugged case. Built into the case you get a 3x super wide lens that is interchangeable depending on the situation. Even with this armor of a case you get 2x clearer sound and full functionality of your iPhone. Along side the case, Hitcase offers numerous accessories giving you a very GoPro experience. From mounts to stands and tripods, every photographic scenario is covered. Pricing is $149.99

terchange lenses. It comes standard with the flat lens. It also shares a lower price point at $99.99. The third and final Hitcase is the Hitcase Pro. Available only for the 5s/5. It doesn’t seem to carry quite the ruggedness of the other two using a patent pending ShockSeal technology. It also offers a fixed 3x wide angle lens and starts at a price of $129.99. All of the Hitcase models work well with their free app in Apple’s App Store, called Vidometer App. You get things like Overlay Speed and Elevation that you can add right to your videos using the built in hardware from the iPhone. As mentioned before, there are a plethora of accessories available of the Hitcase products. Each case uses the Railside Mounting Sytem allowing you to use things like a TubulR Mount, ChestR Mount, Telescopic Extension poles and much more.

If you don’t want to invest in the extra hardware of the GoPro, Hitcase is definitely worth the look. We all know how powerful the onboard camera The Hitcase SOLO, which also fits the iPhone 5s/5c/5, gives you the ulti- system is with the iPhone. Take advantage of it. For less than $200 you can mate durability and waterproofing of the PRO+ without the ability to in- be doing backflips off the side of a mountain or scuba diving like the pros shooting video that National Geographic would be jealous of.

Why use this?

When you can use this?

Or this?

Finally, a business phone system for your iPad. ZipZap. ZipZap streamlines all of your communication needs onto one tool. Your iPad. Simple conference calling, without special codes or dial-in numbers. Text from your business phone number, eliminating the use of your personal phone for work. Social Media integrations keeps you socially up-to-date with your contacts. Pricing is simple. And you may add lines easily as your business grows. Plus itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun to use. Drag and drop technology and a pop up keypad are fool-proof.

Visit www.zipzap.com/iBusiness for a free 30 -day trial. No credit card required. C opyright ÂŠ2014 ZipZap, LLC. A ll rights reser ved.

With so many cases and so many protectors out there, the number one part of your iPhone that serves as the most important tool is the screen. If the screen isn’t protected you may as well not have this great tool at your fingertips. There are many protective screen covers out there and we won’t be making any comparisons today but we will dive into a great product that protects your iPhone. Not only is important to protect the screen of your iPhone but something that isn’t talked about much is the blue light that reflected off of the screen into your eyes that is posing as a harmful threat. iGear Glass tags their products as “sunglasses for your phone”. With the strength of sapphire iGear Glass has been proven to protect your phone and your eyes. It is ultra hard, shatter proof, anti-impact, high transparency, anti-scratch and protect from UV. Available for most phones past the iPhone you can find an Azul Series screen protector for virtually any phone. The videos on their website do a tremendous job showing the incredible toughness of this product. See those videos at: igearglass.com

New iPhone and iOS Tips Michael Loewenberg mike@meshbiz.com

blogmeshbiz.com

SMB

Michael Loewenberg is the president of MESH Business Solutions, Inc., located in New City, New York. Michael writes a Technical Blog that teaches people to be more effective with their technology tools – blogmeshbiz.com You can contact him at mike@meshbiz.com.

The new iPhones, iPads and Mac Operating Systems let us tie things together in the Apple ecosystem better than ever before. This month, I’ll tell you about a few things that I’ve discovered that make my iLife easier. Handoff I have an iPhone 6 (gold/64), an iPad 4 (128) and a MacBook Pro (mid 2010). Each of the devices is running the latest version of its iOS and they are interconnected through my iTunes account. I love the Handoff and Continuity functions and they work seamlessly and intuitively. When my iPhone rings, so does my iPad; I’ve answered calls on my iPad using it as a speakerphone. iMessage works everywhere and that includes text messaging! I can message on one device and continue to read and answer on any of the three. And if I start writing an email on my iPhone, I can put my phone down and open my iPad and continue to write that email without missing a beat. Go to Settings > General > Handoff and turn it on.

with mobile devices. The iPhone 6 and 6+ are the best yet but it’s still helpful to know what’s eating your power. You can see the programs that are the biggest consumers of battery power by going to Settings > General > Usage > Battery Usage. It lists the apps with the percentage of battery use for each one. You can see your battery usage, by app, for the last 24 hours and for the last 7 days. Armed with that information, you can take steps to close the battery heavy applications to increase your battery life.

More Fingers You can unlock your phone with a code or, if you have a 5S or later, with your fingerprint. You also need to use your fingerprint when you use Apple Pay. You can set up 5 different fingerprints on your phone and I suggest you do that. I find it extremely useful to have fingers on both hands set up on my phone. On my right hand, I have my thumb, index and middle fingers and on my left hand, I have my thumb and index finger set up. My phone sits to my left on my desk so I can unlock it with a touch without moving Make ‘em Buttons. You can make the links in iOS apps into it. Add more fingerprints to yours! buttons by changing Settings > General > Accessibility > Button Shapes. Normally, the links are words you tap; changing ‘Til next month. that setting gives the words a background like a button and makes them easier to see. It can make your iPhone and iPad look distinctive and this feature, coupled with larger fonts and bolder text, can make the whole device easier to use and manage. What’s Eating You? Battery life has always been an issue

COOPER PRODUCT Innovative Solutions www.cooper-product.com

Now that you have that great tablet be it an IOS or Android device keep the prepared like a clean tablet screen. When your friends and colleagues see screen clean with the patented iSlipTuFF or iSlip Lite cleaner from Coo- you use the iSlip to keep your screen squeaky-clean they will be amazed at per-Product.com. Remember that new screen feel, revive that jazzy appear- how easy the iSlip works. ance each day by using an innovative iSlip Cleaner. iSlipTuFF or iSlip Lite cleaners use the softest 100% Microfiber and are offered at the best price, With exclusive access to premium Microfiber and high quality elastic $4.99 each. Cooper-Product.com not only creates the most efficient screen cleaners on The iSlip elastic and rugged Microfiber cleaners from Cooper-Product.com the market but also the coolest. Available in a host of terrific colors and were designed by a Los Angeles Firefighter who became intrigued by the fashion forward patterns the iSlip cleaners are built to remove all of the variety of ways people were using to remove fingerprints from their tablet days fingerprints, oil, grime or dust from not only your tablet but from all screens. He observed people using everything from shirt sleeves, blouses, of your electronic devices screens. The iSlip works wet or dry and is the opskirts, neck ties, paper napkins, towels, and just about anything else except timum partner when using any liquid based cleaner. A tablet isn’t complete what the manufacturers recommend, Microfiber. until it is combined with an iSlip cleaner. Although many people do use a Microfiber towel, the cloth just never seems to be handy right when they need it to be. The elastic used on the iSlip is designed to seamlessly fit onto any folio style tablet case solving one challenge, while the Microfiber conquers the other challenge that tablet users face each day. Using an iSlip with your tablet ensures that you will always have an excellent cleaner ready for use.

Cooper-Product.com ships all orders FREE within the continental USA. Satisfied customers have ordered over 30,000 iSlip cleaners. All iSlips are guaranteed for 15 machine-washing cycles, or six months of use As a member of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) Cooper-Product. com fulfills promotional campaigns with the quantity orders. The iSlip is the ideal platform for promoting your firm, or fundraising for your school, team, or university.

That’s right your Microfiber cleaner is not at home, or at work on your desk, or in your pocket picking up grit, or lost somewhere in your bag. The Look for the Cooper-Product.com iSlip, case, and covers crowd source iSlip cleaner’s cleaning power is functionally paired up with your tablet, to funding campaign winter/spring 2015 as Cooper-Product.com launches be used right where you need it, when you need it the most. Nothing says into tablet cases, and custom covers.

No Key No Problem

up the sun. Your sun, who attends North Dakota State University is coming back to the house in Fargo for the weekend. He doesn’t have a key and needs to get in. You can provide him an eKey. An eKey is an encrypted key that allows Your Smartphone is now your key. Keeping your phone in your pocket is you to send your house key to anyone, anytime. You can disable the key, perfectly fine. No more fumbling for keys in the dark or when your hands permanantely, delete users and they never expire so you can reassign them are full. Just touch the lock to open it for ultimate convenience. Compati- to other people as needed (like the house cleaning people after your son ble with the iPhone 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 plus. I don’t have a Smartphone. goes back to school). You can preset time constraints and control days and No problem. Kevo offers a key fob that serves the same purpose and can time of the week when the eKey is active. reside in your purse or pocket. The key fob is pre-enrolled so there is no With this powerful application you can also see usage tracking, underadditional setup when you purchase the lock. standing who is entering and leaving at the touch of a button. Now, lets get serious. You are still reading because you want to know more about the mobile app, where the real power lies. The Kevo mobile app does Kwikset prides itself on maximum security giving you peace of mind when many things. First download the free app and go through your typical ini- you aren’t there to let someone in. While you are home you can trust the tial setup. You never have to reopen the app unless there are changes to be highest quality deadbolt systems on the market. made. It is always running in the background giving you full access to your home when you need it. That being said, lets come up with a fun exam- Enjoy safety, enjoy convienence and enjoy control with Kwikset’s Kevo ple. You are in Southern Australia on vacation looking at birds and soaking deadbolt and app system. Pricing on Amazon starts at $199.00 and comes in different finishes to blend right in with your current door décor. Groceries in your hand. People coming to the house without you there. Kids opening the door when they shouldn’t. All of this sounds like familiar problems with any door that requires a key, doesn’t it? Meet the award winning Kwikset Kevo lock. Installed as a standard lock on any door, this lock allows for normal key use as well as Smartphone entry. How does it work?

Apple Pay and the Payment Experience SMB Kate Deutsch

Apple introduced Apple Pay—a mobile-payments service— during its September 9th keynote. The service will be available starting October in the U.S. for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users and in early 2015 for Apple Watch users.

Uber

One of Apple’s key achievements is simplicity of design facilitated by an ecosystem of products and services. Apple Pay is yet another example of Apple’s ability to bring together multiple stakeholders (merchants, developers and payment solution providers) to achieve a seamless experience for the user. In addition, Apple Pay incurs no charges to merchants, developers, or users.

These screens illustrate basic payment-options screens where a user would add, edit, and remove payment preferences, typically in the form of individual cards.

Users can import credit cards from iTunes simply by entering the card’s security code. In addition, users can add credit cards by scanning them with their phone’s camera. All cards are managed via Passbook. The actual card number is never stored on the phone. Rather, a Device Account Number is created and stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip on the phone.

In this case, Apple Pay eliminates the need to add a credit card specifically for Uber (either by entering the card number manually or scanning it with the camera). The ability to select one payment type that pre-populates all of your payment info across the multiple apps on your device will reduce friction and save users a tremendous amount of time. Instead of thinking, “Do I really want to buy this?” while typing in a card number, the user simply selects Apple Pay and completes the transaction with Touch ID.

On the left is a mockup from Apple’s newly published Apple Pay Identity Guidelines. On the right is a screenshot of the Uber app.

In the mockup, Apple Pay is presented as a selected option. Since Uber launches with Apple Pay in October, it will be interesting to see if Apple Pay will appear as a default payment option or if users will need to tap “Add Payment” and select Getting Started - Adding A Card Apple Pay to add it to their payment options. I’d recommend Apple Pay is supported by the Visa, MasterCard, and Ameri- an opt-in because a default inclusion could spur user-confucan Express networks for cards issued by American Express, sion and backlash. In the payments space, it’s important to Bank of America, CapitalOne, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo allow users to actively make their own payment choice and with more banks coming soon. to select which apps have access to which payment methods.

Paying - Retail

To pay at retail locations, simply, place the phone next to a contactless payment terminal (identified by the icon at right) Target while pressing your finger on Touch ID. The user’s payment On the left is a promo screenshot from Apple’s website of information is sent to the merchant using Near Field Com- what the Target app may look like with Apple Pay and on the munication (NFC). right is a device screenshot of the Target app displaying the same product.

Paying - App

Apple Pay can also be used for the purchase of physical goods and services via an app, though users will continue to use In-App Purchase to buy virtual goods and digital content subscriptions.

In this case, Target may be launching a new “express checkout” feature for users of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Customers would presumably click an Express Buy button and then have the option to immediately pay via Apple Pay or add the item to their shopping cart for additional consideration. Using Apple Pay is easy: simply tap the ‘Apple Pay’ or ‘Buy Target’s typical mobile payment flow is a multi-step process with Apple Pay’ button and the user is presented with what that involves: Apple refers to as the “Pay Sheet.” From here users can confirm or modify the details of their purchase (e.g. card, billing 1) adding an item to the cart address, shipping address, shipping method, contact and price). The user then completes payment by pressing a finger 2) viewing the cart on Touch ID. 3) checking out

User Experience

Now that we know what Apple Pay is, and how to use it, let’s 4) entering delivery info and shipping method explore how it improves the payment experience for custom5) selecting payment method ers in a manner that leads to increased sales and/or brand affinity. 6) entering payment info, including billing address With any payment experience the goal is reduction of fric- 7) reviewing and tapping to complete the order. tion, making the entire purchase process—whether a single item purchase or a checkout flow—as easy and simple as With the new flow, these seven steps have been reduced to possible in order to maximize conversion and reduce cart three: abandonment. 1) tap to enter express checkout Let’s now discuss the current user experience of popular apps and discover how Apple Pay might improve that experi- Continued on page 30 ence when added as an alternate payment method.

Does my payment solutions provider support Apple Pay?

Continued from page 29

Apple Pay is currently officially supported by Authorize.net, Chase Paymentech, CyberSource, First Data, Stripe and TSYS. Many of these com3) confirm details on pay sheet then confirm and complete the transaction panies provide SDKs that now include Apple Pay as an option, as well as via Touch ID implementation documentation. 2) tap Apple Pay button

Apple Pay makes the experience more seamless by relying on stored pay- Do I understand the Apple Pay - Human Interface Guidelines and ment and address data, requiring fewer taps to purchase. do I have the right resources? It will be interesting for companies that implement Apple Pay to compare sales of the same item in the same period for users with access to checkout via Apple Pay versus those using the traditional process. It will also be an interesting metric to determine the number of users who have Apple Pay enabled devices but choose not to use it as a payment method. This can be done by tracking the device type in analytics and comparing to the final payment method across device types. Will users trust Apple as a single entry point for all of their payment data across apps or will they feel more comfortable providing it on a merchant by merchant basis?

Pay Sheet

Here’s a look at the pay sheet displayed when Apple Pay is chosen as the payment type. The pay sheet can be setup to display only the fields needed for a transaction. For example, for the Uber app, only Card & Billing, and Contact might display. It’s interesting that the user is able to approve a purchase with Apple Pay even when the price isn’t final. With Uber the final price isn’t determined until the ride is over so in this case Apple Pay is actually authorizing a future transaction for an unknown amount.

Apple has very specific requirements for how to present Apple Pay as a payment option as well as specific buttons required to invoke the pay sheet. More information can be found at: https://developer.apple.com/ apple-pay/ Has the development team obtained a Merchant ID, generated a Certificate Signing Request to obtain a key, and received a payment entitlement certificate from Apple? All of these tasks can be accomplished via the Apple Developer portal as well as your respective payment provider’s dashboard. Did I plan with my UX/UI team for the Apple Pay experience? Does Apple Pay provide additional shorter payment flow options I can test for better conversion? Am I going to treat Apple Pay as the sole payment option and present the Buy with Apple Pay button or offer it as a payment option amongst many? Did I ensure my payment flow has both a standard and Apple Pay enabled workflow?

From the Pay Sheet, users can select and modify Card & Billing, Shipping, Method, and Contact and then pay with Touch ID—or simply confirm the Companies need to provide an alternative workflow for users who do not have iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. How will this flow be setup and how will this info visually without making changes and then Pay with Touch ID. affect conversion?

Key Considerations for The Enterprise

If you have an app that accepts payments, consider the following when ex- With these considerations in mind your organization can elegantly implement Apple Pay to improve the user’s payment experience by reducing fricploring implementing Apple Pay: tion, resulting in overall increased affinity and sales.

MOVIES IN MINUTES SHARING IN SECONDS

Vizzywig for iPhone® and iPad® ($29.99) invented real-time movie making. Watch your movie being formed in the timeline while you shoot. Apply smooth auto-zoom, snapshots and edit points while recording. Tap the done buttton to add background music, titles, intros and scrolling credits. Share online with one tap!

Vizzywig Video Editor

Search “Vizzywig” on the App Store today.

HDhat Mobile Video Tools Wireless Mics starting at $99.95 Dual Mic Systems Video Lights Movie Mounts for iPad/Air/Mini Movie Mounts for iPhone

Use coupon code ibusiness for 10% off

www.HDhatStore.com ww

With all the talk about cases and all the talk about screen protectors we is a textured finish TPR ring that provides impact protection and unique have finally found a case and a screen protector built into one. The screen texturing. The TPR ring has precise plugs for all the ports which double as protector is great and we will talk about that. I think we you go down this dust protectors. hybrid path you have to love the case too – which I think you will. The rugged case obviously protects you from life’s drops, spills and resists What the heck is Crusta? Amzer Crusta is the world’s first tempered glass dust and dirt preserving your smartphone (so you can sell it when the new embedded case. This is a multilayered smartphone case consisting of four one comes out). The fourth layer includes a 360-degree functional belt clip functional layers all constructed of premium materials. Each layer serves holster and there are 42 different color combinations that will surely satisits own purpose but collectively working together to provide style and pro- fy your fashion tastes. tection. Layer one is an Edge2Edge Glass Screen Protector using superior materials for scratch and impact protection. Layer 2 is an embedded tem- If you are in the market for a new case or a new screen protector, look no pered glass hard shell case and the core of the protective layers. Layer 3 further than the Amzer Crusta as it supplies all of your needs!

MULTI-CAMERA RECORDING MADE SIMPLE

Vizzywig 5.0 for iPhone® and iPad® ($29.99) allows you to simultaneously record and live-switch betweeen up to 16 iOS devices at the same time. When recording is complete, all high-resolution files are transferred to the Stage device. Perfect for capturing meetings, demos, experiments and special events from multiple angles in real-time.

Vizzywig Video Editor

Search “Vizzywig” on the App Store today.

Surface or Substance? Michael Muhney viporbit.com @MikeMuhney

3 Ways to Invest in a Relationship Past the In- Meet In-Person, if Possible troduction When you get together, try to meet in person, so that you’re It seems as though a new software product or online networking platform emerges almost weekly. Often they entice users with effortless ways to find new “connections” by accessing address books and other social platforms to cull for people you “may know” or wish to know. But what are they offering, really? Are they providing just another aggregated list of names and profile pictures? So what.

communicating on as many sensory channels as possible: eye contact, body language, and so on. If meeting in person isn’t possible, choose a virtual method that allows more sensory channels, rather than fewer, for a higher-intensity connection. (For example, choose a videoconference over a phone call, and a phone call over texting.)

What should you do from there? Should you call someone in your contact list to tell them that you saw the picture they just posted on their Facebook page and can tell them how cute their new puppy is? Or reach out on LinkedIn to acknowledge that you both graduated from the same school? Or should you favorite their latest tweet that has nothing to do with anything pertinent to your newly formed “relationship” with them?

Keep the relationship moving forward by following up quickly—ideally within 24 hours—with a note of appreciation. Let the other person know you enjoyed getting together and appreciated the time he or she spent with you. Don’t try to solicit a response. Simply offer a respectful “tip of your hat” and leave the decision of whether to respond up to the other person.

I’m not suggesting that social networking is a bad thing, per se. What I am pointing out, and hoping to spark some deeper thought about, is that like so many things in life, you get out of a relationship what you put into it. These superficial attempts to build a relationship may give you a starting point, but only that. There are four main components that determine meaningful relationships: time, intensity, reciprocity and consideration. What may be superficially acceptable on a social network with a new connection does not necessarily translate into a valuable business relationship without effort. In other words, just as businesses invest in many things to help them achieve the greatest return on investment, so too do each of us need to invest the time and effort it takes to build lasting business relationships. We must capture the hearts and minds of those we deal with to gain a competitive edge that goes beyond the globally-available-to-all information about people with whom we associate. Real relationships, and I am talking about where there really is a mutually satisfactory connection, move away from the “publically available” knowledge to “this-is-between-just-us” private state. That is where we actually begin to develop that all-important trust. It might be said that when it comes to “working” a contact, where there is no up-front work there is also little back-end value.

SMB

So, how do you build that substance with a new connection? Whether the introduction is virtual or in real-time, consider these three tips for investing in a newly formed connection:

Don’t Forget the Follow-Up

If you understand that professional success is tied to the strength of your networks, you probably also realize the need for real, deep and authentic relationships. Success is not achieved by amassing a list of contacts. Those introductions are only as valuable if you continue to invest and develop them. We make meaningful relationships by making investments in others. Therein lays the potential for infinite opportunities and mutual rewards.

i.Menu

EXPO New 2015 Show Dates Visit for details

Be “Them-Centric”

Mike Muhney, co-inventor of ACT!, is now the co-founder of vipOrbit, creators of mobile contact manager apps for iPhone, iPad & Mac. www.viporbit.com

Think about what you can offer to the other person, not what you may want to get out of the relationship. Remember, the best way to invite reciprocity is by giving to others without expectation and without pressure. And keep in mind that one of the most valuable gifts you can give is your attention. By asking questions and listening attentively to the answers, you can get to know others better and show them true consideration.

ZipZap Case Study: Vintage Vapours

Vintage Vapours is an exclusive retailer of vaping devices, liquids, and accessories. With an online presence as well as a brick and mortar storefront, the company was searching for a phone system that would meet their needs both in the back office and the retail environment. Owner Rob Zahr needed a system that could handle all of the company’s communication needs—including inbound calls to the store, conference calls for the corporate team, and transferring calls amongst employees—but he didn’t want to invest in a lot of extraneous business equipment. “As a small business owner, I’m always looking for ways to streamline our operations,” says Rob. “We were already using an iPad for inventory management and credit card processing, so adding our phone system to the iPad with the help of ZipZap was a natural fit for our company. It’s extremely convenient to have all of our essential business tools at our fingertips on the iPad.”

of use. The company has replaced cumbersome conference call and video chat programs with ZipZap—to coordinate a call, the meeting organizer can simply dial out to all of the conference call attendees directly and then drag and drop them into the call. Employees no longer need to remember or distribute troublesome conference call numbers or codes. ZipZap’s functionality also allows the Vintage Vapours team to quickly transfer calls to employee cell phones if necessary. “Whether transferring a call to a colleague across the room or to a colleague working remotely, ZipZap gives my business the flexibility to communicate the way we need to,” explains Rob.

“When searching for a business phone system, I was initially attracted to ZipZap because it’s an app that I could easily access from the iPad I was already using,” says Rob. “Now that I’ve been using it for over a year, I’ve also Vintage Vapours has now been using ZipZap for over a year. In addition really come to appreciate how easy it was to set up and now how seamlessly to simplifying their business processes by consolidating everything on to it fits into our everyday workflow. It meets far more of our needs than a the iPad, Vintage Vapours employees particularly appreciate ZipZap’s ease traditional landline, and I truly believe it’s the best solution on the market for a small business like ours.”

360o

EXPLAINING CES TO SOMEONE WHO HASN’T ATTENDED IS LIKE EXPLAINING PARTICLE PHYSICS TO A HOUSECAT.

In other words, you really can’t. What you can do is make sure you don’t miss what promises to be our most innovative and rewarding show ever. That and maybe take some pictures for the unfortunate cats left behind. Register at CESweb.org.

JAN. 6-9, 2015 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA CESWEB.ORG #CES2015

Roughrider Bags Sean Laibovitz

Gear reviews are all the rage. Did you know that users listen to other users reviews more then that of the industry or marketing reviews. That is to say that a user reading another users review will hold more weight then the actual companies product marketing. When you think about it, it does makes sense. Someone who is like minded like me, enough to buy the product i’m looking at should have the same type of opinion that I would have. With all that being said i’m going to review a product from a company called Water Field.

I can’t begin to tell you how many things I’ve purchased from these guys. However, every time the product is delivered to my door, its quicker then expected. Your Water Field box arrives and you know it’s going to be great.

For me, my new Rough Rider Messenger bag was just sitting in the box waiting to be used. It wasn’t waiting a long time mind you. I intercepted the shipment at the Fedex depot. I just couldn’t wait the full two days. In the car I ripped open the box and immediately admired the quality and workmanIf you’ve never heard of Water Field you may have heard of ship of my new bag. It was tough looking like it was used by the cowboys in an old western. Exactly what I was looking SFBags.com for. Time was wasting. The urge to start transferring my stuff Water Field is an American company who prides themselves from my old bag to the new one was intense. I wanted to jam on making quality products locally in the USA. I’ve purchased it full of stuff. Laptop, chargers, hard drives, pens and papermultiple bags, cases and wallets from these guys. With each work. It all fit so nice. purchase being better then the last. This company continues to impress me with each new item, and each purchase. I’ve The smell of the Rough Riders leather was awesome. This had email discussions with the owner, talked with people truly is a bag that has that been around the world a couple in marketing and support for product questions. This is an of times. It did just make the awesome crossing from west american made company that oozes pride for what they do to east. It looks like it did on horseback and was ready for action in the urban jungle. The stitching was beautiful, the and what they produce. colour was tough, the durability of this bag looks like it will My latest purchase. last forever. I use a macbook air 13 inch. This sits in an Water Field outback sleeve for protection from the urban elements. It fit perfect. With gear in all the pockets and room to spare for paperwork this is the perfect fit bag. If your looking for a bag that sets you apart from the standard nylon or computer bag community this is it. It’s not to big and not to small. It actually is the perfect size. I love it. Get you hands on any Water Field product and you will see exactly what I am talking about.

SMB

Sean Laibovitz is a seasoned IT executive with a proven track record of successes building and managing complete technical infrastructures for companies with sophisticated functionality, connectivity and security requirements. One of Sean’s keys to success is his ability to deliver solid solutions using new technology. “As an early adopter of technology you can leapfrog your competition by years.”

When you purchase that best laptops & tablets cary them This is an all leather bag except for the colour inset under around with the best cases. Water Field is the company to the flap. But hang on. Before I go over the bag let me first protect and carry your stuff. talk about the purchase. SFBags.com has fully revamped the site. With the help of their ambassadors, yes ambassadors. Water Field has a group of users that have signed up as company ambassadors. This team was first on the new site. “Beta testers” checking it out and giving feedback. You See Water Field listens to their customers. Customers help inspire product improvements and even new products. Back to the site. The website is clean and easy to navigate. Go look for yourself. http://www.sfbags.com I love the fact that each product has a video with Garry laying out some of the key features and usability tidbits that make the purchase so much easier. Watch a video and you can tell that Garry has passion for his products. Ok, back to the purchase. Once you’ve watched your video, selected your size and colour option you simply press Add to cart. Nothing earth shattering here but its simplicity is just that. Simple. With the thousands of options for purchasing WF product they have made sure that the purchase cycle is clean and easy. Shipping options are presented and nothing is hidden. Now the waiting begins. Waiting for your new product to arrive.

Apple Solutions for Business

New 2015 Show Dates Visit ibusinessexpo.com for details

Keeping Up and Staying Ahead Terry Jarrell

SMB

Terry Jarrell founded Max Your Macs LLC in central Florida in 2004, serving the needs of Mac users in Daytona Beach, Orlando and literally all over the state. As a long standing member of the Apple Consultants Network, Terry also served three years on the Apple Consultants Network Advisory Council. As a writer, he has authored various Apple training guides as well as articles for online and print publications including MacsimumNews, Techware Labs, Cult of Mac, Daytona Beach News-Journal and many others.

Everything changes. One thing you can count on is that time does not, ever stand still. Even though the clock ticks the seconds away at the same pace all day every day, technology advancements just seem to come faster and faster. Remember way back when only a novel few people even had cell phones and those were the giant “Miami Vice’ style shoeboxes with a heavy coiled cable tethered to the car? It gives us a smile to think about those days but try to imagine how we ever got along without our MacBook Air or iMac. Shudder to think of a life without our iPhone and iPad.

popular apps. Webinars such as this give the viewers the opportunity to be flexible with their schedule and save time by not needing to travel to an outside venue or alter their work day in order to get the information they need. It also opens the door to interact with the presenter (not all presenters offer direct communication as we do) either during or after the session to put a laser beam point on what interests you specifically.

Along with these advancements in technology, productivity and efficiency also comes new elements and complications. Upgrades, updates, different iOS and OS X versions and compatibility should make you ask:

Technology isn’t going to be slowing down any time soon and neither is the need for you to stay up on the latest information you need to know to be the most productive and efficient you can. Just try not to forget to set aside a little time each week to learn something new in any way that

Will my old software still work with the latest system? Is my computer or iPad/iPhone capable of running the new stuff? What are the best Apps for me to use in my business and personal life too? What can I do to get more out of my Mac, iPad or iPhone? Who has the time to figure all this out???!!!

works best for you. Again, using online libraries, Google searches or focused webinars from many sources will help minimize those question marks that hover in the air over your desk and make your work much more productive and enjoyable.

You probably have asked yourself at least one of these questions before - and probably a few others too. The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy. The solution lies in being educated in a regular, efficient and easy to assimilate way by someone who has already done the leg work for you. Unless you are in the technology industry, you likely do not spend all day, every day working with these devices, apps and software enough to filter through the so-so ones and get to the better tools. Much less see them used in the real world by numerous users where you can monitor feedback and how well something actually works. With hundreds of thousands of apps now available in the iTunes App Store as well as the Mac App Store it is important to rely on professional resources to be your guide. Online resources are always fairly good, again if you have the time to dig around for one answer at a time and sift through the forums while dodging all the off topic commentary and ‘IMHO’s’ which may or may not reflect much accuracy. Then there are other more reputable websites such as Lynda.com which offer training on just about any subject you can imagine. A reasonable subscription fee unlocks their library of videos so you can pick a subject and watch the videos at your leisure. A more focused and tailored approach is through webinars or workshops. Both offer a more concentrated dose of information usually pertaining to a specific area of interest than just a general overview website or a DIY/watch-the-videoand-figure-it-out-on-your-own method. Our company, Max Your Macs, has been teaching in a variety of venues for years but our clients have begun to appreciate the convenience of webinars over coming to classes. Our webinars can be viewed at their convenience either at home or office, individually or as a group. Whether we are covering fundamental Mac or iOS usage for a regularly scheduled event or a personalized session for groups, this method works extremely well. This allows for specifically targeted webinars for different industries, such as our sessions for attorneys or general business on how best to use your iPad effectively and cover the most

Apple Solutions for Business

New 2015 Show Dates Visit ibusinessexpo.com for details

http://www.ibusinessexpo.com

Direct Mail for OS X

jumpstart your small business

with powerful email marketing

• Professionally designed template gallery • Real-time email open and click tracking • Customizable subscribe forms • Fast, reliable email delivery • Integrates with the Mac apps you already use.

Download for FREE Today at www.directmailmac.com

Mobility On The Road Rene Siegal siegelrj@mac.com

Whether at work, around town on weekends or during extended travel, I always seek ways to support mobility, minimally tethered or untethered to wired power and Internet connections within current technological limits. An Apple iPad Air is my mobile device of choice, replacing a laptop for up to 60% of my workday day and up to 100% when I travel. Mobility needs have become easier to achieve over the past 20 years and the load has gotten much lighter. An iPad Air with a location-appropriate selection accessories is usually all I need to get me either through a work day or while traveling. Keyboard case. Zagg makes excellent keyboard cases which provide various levels of protection from minimal to rugged. Logitech makes a fine keyboard case but it leaves the back of the iPad exposed. Belkin also makes one similar to Logitech’s. I use a Zaggkeys Folio; it protects my iPad Air while allowing rapid input and striking a good balance between protection and weight. It is so integral to the way I work and communicate that I consider a keyboard-case an extension of my iPad. VPN Key—A VPN assures a secure connection whether to a corporate or private account and does not allow unauthorized “eavesdropping”, particularly when connecting to work resources. I consider this one of the most essential accessories. Cabled Power—I always travel with an Apple power adapter and 2 meter and 3 meter USB power cables. The 2 meter power cable is long enough to be useful in an airport or on an airplane without getting in the way. A 3 meter power cable allows about 9 feet between device and adapter allowing me to move around a hotel room with my iPad while keeping it continuously powered. USB Power Adapters. Many can be found that accommodate multiple USB devices. Belkin makes a compact two-port adapter with retractible prongs for two smaller devices such as an iPhone and iPod. It can only accommodate one larger device like an iPad so I carry two.

SMB

Rene Siegel is a research administrator at a major hospital where she is responsible for the day to day operations of two clinical imaging research programs. She has been using mobile technology since 1994, and has contributed to FoxPop. com (a UK-based user oriented website).

Mobile Power/Stand-Alone Battery Packs. Mophie makes a great USB-connected mobile battery pack with varying capacities and which can charge either one or two mobile devices at once. The two-device model can charge an iPhone and iPad simultaneously; It charges devices quickly and the battery pack recharges quickly. The Mophie Power has a standard USB port and a mini USB port which lets me keep my iPad connected to the Mophie Power while the battery pack is connected to the USB port on my PC AC adapter. Mobile Power Strip/Surge Protector. Even though most venues now use digital power to which to directly plug mobile devices, I am conditioned to plug in my devices through a surge protector wherever I am. Road warriors were often warned that accidentally plugging into analog power without surge protection could “brick” a mobile device. One of my favorite mobile surge protectors is made by Belkin and provides three AC outlets and 2 USB ports. One model accommodates laptops and smartphones; another is made for smaller mobile devices. The prongs rotate in different directions and ground the connection. It’s heavier than others by Monster or Philips; it’s only downside is a non-retractible plug. A close second is a very lightweight, but hard to find, Philips mini power strip/surge protector which provides three AC outlets but no USB ports. A short cable ending in a plug wraps around the surge protector when not in use. Monster makes one that is similar and works the same way but is heavier.

Mobile Hot Spot. I use a mobile hot spot compatible with my cellphone carrier. The device is a lifesaver when in-room hotel WiFi reception is an issue—it happens at least once every trip. I increase my plan to the maximum for the month that I travel so I don’t end up with per Gigabyte overage charges. It’s expensive up front but a less disruptive than keeping track of overage charges. Consistent WiFi accessibility was so suboptimal on a recent trip that the only ways to get a secure Internet connection were through a mobile hotspot for extended use or my iPad’s cellular data plan for limited use, coupled with a VPN key. Stylus—Sometimes it’s just easier to “point and click” with a stylus on an iPad in “laptop” mode. My current favorites for the iPad are made by Wacom—the Bamboo Fineline, the Intuos Creative. The Fineline is best suited for writing in apps optimized for its use such as ArtRage, GoodReader and others. The Intuos Creative 2, coming out in October (which replaces the original Creative stylus) has a slightly wider nib and is better suited for doodling and drawing. I often use a stylus to create mindmaps and process flows on my iPad using one of many flowcharting apps that allow freehand input. Laptop Bag—My favorites for travel are structured and padded for protection with enough room for both an iPad and a PC or tablet. My accessories are organized into smaller pouches by function. My iPad fits in a totebag for daily use when I have access to a friendly wireless network and don’t need much more than a stylus, notebook and pen and a set of earbuds. Office Apps—Whether a Microsoft Office user or an iWorks user, these apps are essential for continuous and seamless productivity no matter where one travels. Moleskine App. I used to carry Moleskine notebooks, one for each clinical trial on which my team works. Clinical trials have too many processes to trust all projects to a single notebook. Moleskine now provides its core journals (ruled, square, plain) in an app optimized for the iPad. The app replaces all but one hard copy book for general use. The virtual journals on my iPad are far more secure and I have not encountered a page limit. When the journals are full, I print them out, lock them away; after a period of time I delete the virtual journals. The only downside of the app is having to copy journals to Pages or MS Word for iPad before printing. Including an “Open In” feature with PDF conversion as well as the ability to AirPrint directly from the app would make printing much easier. Book and Magazine Apps—I have been collecting E-Books and audiobooks for years and my sizable collection of mystery novels is enough to keep me busy for years. I also subscribe to a number of magazines and journals for professional and recreational use; my favorites are Harvard Business Review with its in-app interactive blog, Wall Street Journal which now supports saving articles to PDF, and BusinessWeek. My most frequently industry-based information sources now have apps, such as the Fierce Healthcare series. Movies, Music, Audiobooks and Podcasts—I always download a good selection of each to provide a break from work while flying or for downtime alternatives to television. The iPad allows us to work and play and has made extreme mobility feasible in a wide variety of circumstances when combined with a well-edited selection of accessories and apps.

Contact 647-560-4290 x 102

info@igearglass.com

IS YOUR MOBILE STRATEGY IN NEED OF A RESCUE?

collaborate . design . engineer . support

troyapps.com

866.598.8001