By Anne Shenton
This article is the third in a series featuring our commentary on each of the Big 5 IT Trends of the Next Half Decade (original article from ZDNet). The third IT Trend is Cloud computing. I recently interviewed Stuart Avera, Vice President and partner of Nexxtep Technology Services, to get his thoughts on what the future holds for cloud computing.
1. What are some advantages to adopting cloud computing, other than cost reduction?
Probably scalability; adding users or removing users easily is a huge advantage. Security is also another advantage, although you could argue there are some disadvantages here as well. But one way cloud computing offers security is through offsite data backups. The key to maintaining security with the cloud services you use is to choose reliable vendors.
2. How can you tell if a vendor is reliable?
Do your homework. Visit their website. If they’re publicly … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
It’s been a while, but “Getting to Know Nexxtep” is back! Today we have an interview with Gil Morris, Systems Engineer. Gil’s been with Nexxtep almost one year (Happy Anniversary on November 15th, Gil!). He has a degree in Computer Information Systems from Wiregrass Technical College, and he’s been working in technology since the mid-90′s.
1. How and why did you get involved with technology?
The tech boom in mid-90s inspired me. I loved the possibilities of the Internet while using it for research in college. I am sure that playing some online games may have had some impact as well 
2. What is your favorite part about working at Nexxtep?
Working with the best technology professionals in the Southeast! Also, working with clients and helping them resolve their issues so they can get back to their business. There’s never a dull moment around the office! I like … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
This article is the second in a series featuring our commentary on each of the Big 5 IT Trends of the Next Half Decade (original article from ZDNet). This post addresses the second IT Trend, Social Media-Social Business and Enterprise 2.0.
At this point, it’s pretty cliché to talk about how big and all-encompassing social media has become, so I won’t waste your time. However, if you still think it’s just a fad, check out this video before you read the rest of this post—I have a feeling it might change your mind. Most adult human beings with access to an internet connection have a social networking profile of some kind. So what does that mean for business? According to the article, it means there will be an entire transformation in the way business is done.
Some businesses are still slow to adapt to social media, and for … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
Patten Seed Company has provided the highest quality sod to homeowners and golf courses throughout the Southeast for over 50 years. Don’t let their age fool you; Patten may be an established business, but they’re also very progressive. They recently embraced mobile technology in the form of a sales support application developed by Nexxtep Technology Services, Inc.
Ben Copeland, Jr. is Vice President of Patten Seed Company. After watching a demonstration of a sales support application we created, he asked us to create a custom app that his sales team could use in the field. Ben and his sales staff had very specific requirements, and our development team worked side by side with Patten to incorporate every single request into the application. The result? Patten’s sales team can now access every piece of customer information they need from an iPad, iPhone, Android, or any other device with a web browser. … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
This article is the first in a series featuring our commentary on each of the Big 5 IT Trends of the Next Half Decade (original article from ZDNet). The first IT Trend is Next-Gen Mobile- Smart Devices and Tablets. I recently sat down with Ryan Williams, CTO of Nexxtep Technology Services, to get his perspective on the future of mobile computing in business.
Tablets are set to be on par with PCs by 2015. What do you think that means for businesses?
People won’t be tied to an office anymore. They will be able to conduct business anywhere. Most of the time now, when people think of mobility and business, they think of calendars and email on their phones. Mobile devices will take on a much broader aspect of the business, encompassing everything from order taking to accounts receivable. All aspects of business will be able to be … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
Dropbox is a useful and easy to use tool for sharing information between multiple computers and mobile devices. If you have Dropbox, you probably love using it to collaborate with coworkers and to access information when you’re on the road. Dropbox is a great tool for personal use too! Check out these 4 simple tricks you can use to get even more use from it. If you don’t have Dropbox, these easy tricks might persuade you to sign up, which you can do here.
1.) Share Photos by Using a Shared Folder
Use Dropbox to share family photos with your relatives. It’s easy. Just create a new folder within your Dropbox folder. Then, right click on the folder and select “Share this folder…” in the Dropbox menu as seen below.
Then your web browser will open up and you’ll see this screen.
Enter the email addresses of the family … Keep reading
By Anne Shenton
Last week, we received a Tech Tip question from Gail Arce, VP of Toxicology of Landis International. Gail asked:
Question: I want to use my iPad as my travel computer. I need an app that allows me to work on both Word and Excel documents through Dropbox. Is there an app that you would recommend?
Answer: First of all, kudos for using Dropbox to manage documents between your iPad and PC. Most of us here at Nexxtep use QuickOffice Pro HD to edit documents on our iPads. The app is $19.99, but the price tag is worth the productivity you can get from using it. Using QuickOffice, you can create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, and it integrates seamlessly with Dropbox, Google Docs, Evernote, and other applications. There are other options for word processing and spreadsheets (Pages, Numbers, etc.), but if you’re … Keep reading
