Category: Research

For many general consumers, a PC loaded with Linux is not a great idea. Unless the consumer is technology savvy, I do not recommend that they purchase a Linux-based PC—unless they’re using it for a very specific reason or have someone handy that will be willing to support them. Even though both Microsoft and Apple operating systems are far from perfect, they’re a much better bet for general PC usage. For example, it’s typically more difficult to install and configure options such as peripherals or software drivers when using a Linux operating system.
PCs with Linux preloaded are a great idea for some small businesses and technology-savvy shoppers who want to save some money.

It’s critical for even small companies to make sure they’re protecting personal and business data on the road. While large companies typically have security specialists and IT policies to manage potential data security risks, most small businesses are on their own when it comes to figuring out how to ensure the security of data when employees are on the road. At Upside Research, we have a few key recommendations to help small businesses secure their data, including:
– Start with the basics. Make sure you’re using passwords (and reasonably secure ones that mix numbers and letters) for any laptop logins.
– Another alternative is to put all your data on a small, USB memory drive for both portability and security. That way, it doesn’t matter if your laptop is stolen or damaged, you data will be fine as long as you have the USB memory device. Many of these devices also allow users to encrypt the data, providing good security.
– Users of Microsoft’s Windows Vista also have great options when it comes to security, such as BitLocker. BitLocker is drive-level encryption, which allows a user to encrypt (or secure) all the data on their hard drive, so that even if it’s lost or hacked, other people will not be able to read any of the files or data.
– Another good alternative for security data on laptops is to use a program like TrueCrypt, which can easily encrypt files or folders. TrueCrypt is free and works on Windows XP, Vista and other operating systems.

Over the past several years, we have seen an uptick in the number and variety of services-based software solutions across enterprise computing.
Saas can be especially appealing for small and mid-sized companies that don’t want to invest in servers and centralized IT resources. Saas approaches can help companies reduce capital expenditures while expanding their capabilities.Consider the other following points about Saas:
– Another key point about Saas solutions is that they’re typically kept up to date with the current release of software, so that organizations using Saas know that they’re getting the latest and greatest versions of applications, supported by experts who know and understand the software.
– For traditional software vendors, Saas approaches are turning into another marketing and sales avenue, as well as a potentially lucrative new market.
– One of the main selling points is budgetary, with a sole department being able to sign off on using the service under the IT radar. Among the services that Upside Research has reviewed in the past year, the average monthly fees range from $500 to $2000 per month depending on the number of users.
– Another selling point is speed of deployment, because many business-focused applications can get bogged down in implementation cycles within the enterprise. With services-based software, many customers can get up and running literally in hours, once they have signed the papers and worked out billing arrangements.
– In most cases, the solution is hosted at a central location by the solution provider, and for a monthly fee (based on transaction rates or number of end users) the customer has use of the software, and access to any upgrades or improvements that occur, all with minimal or no interruption in service. This is extremely appealing for efficiency-driven organizations that want to feel the business benefits of a software solution as quickly as possible without the IT burden of having to configure, manage, support, maintain, and upgrade a software application.
– In many cases, the total cost of ownership with a services-based solution is five to ten times less than traditional installed software.
– With companies focused on ROI more than ever, a services-based approach enables a project to become profitable more quickly.

Over the next 5 -10 years Upside Research projects that the graying baby boomers and growing senior population will have an important impact on technology manufacturers and technology marketing trends. The implications include:
– While the youth market is always hot for technology companies, over the next few years seniors and baby boomers will be an important technology market. Over the years we’ve seen PC and technology gadget colors go from standard black to shiny white. Now we’ll see technologies go gray, along with our growing senior and baby boom population.
– Manufacturers will be releasing mobile devices with larger screens and easier-to-use buttons. The Apple iPhone is a great example of this.
– For years we’ve seen phones and MP3 players get smaller, but as the population ages, there’ll be an increased need to provide larger and more usable products for the older population.
– We’ve already seen youth-oriented services such as Facebook update their service to include professionals and adults. I believe that we’ll see even more extensions of products and services designed to serve and increasingly large senior and baby boom market. For example, social networking sites are great for kids with time to kill in between classes, but they could be a boon to seniors who want to be sociable but can’t just go hang out at the local 7-11.

Many small businesses operate with a basic IT infrastructure–a number of laptops or PCs working individually, or perhaps strung together as a peer-to-peer network so they can share files from one computer to another, instead of having a single, centralized server.
However, almost every business, no matter how small, can benefit from a server. These days, even small organizations should consider buying a server. They’re incredibly economical, they make it easy to add large amounts of storage space, and make it easy for organizations to back up, secure and organize important files or data.
For small companies, a small investment in an entry-level server will give them a huge step up in their ability to manage their data, increase availability and plan ensure reliability and security. In addition, centralized servers allow companies to more easily support mobile users (through remote access software) and easier file sharing.
A few tips for moving from a peer-to-peer network to a client-server network:
– Look for small business servers that are ready “out of the box.??? They should have a compatible operating system and be easy-to-use. Many companies such as Dell and others are providing preloaded business servers that are ready to roll.
– Don’t over invest. Today’s servers are much more flexible than servers from five years ago. As a business grows it’s easy to add additional storage, new applications or other devices to support changing business needs. Thus, organizations don’t need to worry too much about getting the “wrong??? server. Simply purchase one that is capable of managing the applications and data you have (as well as some room for growth).
– Look for servers that provide built-in security and mobile computing support. Both capabilities are critical for even the smallest organizations these days.

Getting a really good deal in consumer electronics generally means being patient. While technology prices can drop quickly (though not usually as quickly at the Apple iPhone), they frequently drop in cycles.
– For many consumer electronics, including computers, cameras, and music players, January and February are great times to buy. Many manufacturers announce new products at the consumer electronics show in January, and put last year’s models on sale. Retailers also try to clear out unsold holiday stock early in the year, before inventory.
– Over the past few years, I’ve found that many stores offer extremely good deals early in the holiday shopping season—early to mid-November shoppers can actually get some extremely good deals if they’re willing to look through the Sunday ads and get out there early.
– In general, phones are a best buy anywhere from 6-12 months after the first come out. I’ve seen the price on many advanced phones drop by $100 or more after six months. The best shopping strategy is to follow the latest phones your provider releases, learn the initial price, and then check back once a month or once every two months and purchase after the first big price drop.