Google, Office 365 and Dropbox lead in SMB cloud growth

Onwards and upwards for cloud servicesRelated storiesMicrosoft's Office 365 Home Premium races past one million usersShould you choose Office, Google or OpenOffice?How easy is it to migrate to Office 365?

Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are using an increasing number of cloud services, especially for hosted email and file sharing, according to a newly published report from vertical IT network Spiceworks.

The survey, sponsored by cloud connectivity services provider LogMeIn, took in 500 IT professionals from SMBs predominantly in Europe and North America, and shows that the desire to access applications and data on the go has prompted increased use of cloud services.

Hosted email is on the verge of surpassing on-premise, with deployments edging up from 42% to 46% over the past year, and another 5% planning to migrate in the next six months.

Google is the leading provider with 32% of the business, but its share is down from 34% a year ago and it is facing increasing competition from Office 365, for which the share has grown from 16% to 30%.

File sharing

File sharing is also becoming more widely used, with 24% of respondents having an approved vendor, up from 19% last year, and another 6% planning to have one in place within six months. 50% acknowledge that employees use the services off their own backs, up from 33%.

Dropbox is the stand out supplier, accounting for 40% of the company approved activity and being used by 93% of employees. Google Apps is the closest competition with respective figures of 24% and 14%.

When it comes to productivity suites, 35% of respondents are using cloud-based systems and 13% plan to adopt them in the next six months. Office 365 and Google Apps are competing closely for their attention, figuring in the plans of 60% and 59% of the respondents.

Cloud-based web conferencing is also growing in popularity, with 42% currently using the technology and another 9% planning to do so soon.

Kathryn Pribish, Voice of IT Programme Manager at Spiceworks, said: "The survey results show that cloud-based services continue to be an integral way employees access information, communicate and collaborate during their work day."

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By: Unknown On 10:42 PM

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OneNote update improves custom pens, syncs Office 365 notebooks

If you picked up a Surface Pro or another pen-friendly Windows 8 tablet, you're likely eager to wring every ounce of productivity out of that stylus. Microsoft hears your call. It just updated the OneNote app for Windows 8 to give pen customization a shot in the arm: a new radial menu makes it easier to choose a pen's color and weight while saving favorite pens to quick-access slots. Whether or not drawing's your thing, Microsoft has also simplified syncing with support for pulling in Office 365 notebooks, not just those stored on SkyDrive. Avid note-takers only need to grab the upgrade from the source link.

Via: OneNote Blog, The Verge

Source: Windows Store

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By: Unknown On 7:48 PM

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Microsoft confirms Office 2013 licenses can't be transferred to other computers

It's no secret that copies of Office 2013 bind themselves to a single computer, but Microsoft has now confirmed to Computerworld that the software's license can't be reassigned to another PC, as is possible with Office 2010. When asked whether a license could be transferred to another machine if the original rig was destroyed, lost or stolen, Microsoft replied with a frosty, "No comment." However, Redmond did mention that the productivity suite could be reinstalled on the same PC after a crash. Just how Ballmer and Co. will enforce the policy remains a bit murky, but it's pretty clear they hope folks who have a penchant for switching up computing environments will be enticed by an Office 365 subscription.

Source: Computerworld

More Coverage: The Age, WinSuperSite

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By: Unknown On 9:51 PM

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Microsoft rumored to be taking a 'meaningful look' at Office for Linux

Open source obsessive Michael Larabel says he has it on good authority that Microsoft is considering a native version of Office for Linux. Specifically, the company is taking a "meaningful look" at the idea, now that Linux is showing signs of becoming more of a player in the OS stakes. The information came to Larabel from an unnamed source during the Free Open-Source Developers' European Meeting (FOSDEM) in Brussels, and this voice in the shadows apparently also revealed the port could be ready in 2014.

Larabel is often right about things like this. But regardless of whether Office for Linux comes to fruition, the idea of Microsoft even thinking about it -- and potentially giving such oxygen to a (free-of-charge) Windows rival -- may come as a surprise. When someone alluded to this on Twitter, Larabel replied that he wouldn't be surprised if there are "many doubters" but challenged them to "wait and see." He points out that Microsoft has offered "unlikely sponsorship" to Linux projects in the past, albeit on a relatively small scale, and that the rumored Office for Android may also function as a stepping stone. Still, there'll need to be a few more meetings in underground parking lots before we're totally convinced.

Source: Phoronix, Michael Larabel (Twitter)

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By: Unknown On 10:53 PM

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Study suggests shutting down MegaUpload hurt box office ticket sales

It’s probably a safe bet to assume that members of the Motion Picture Association of America were among the happiest around when they learned that file hosting site MegaUpload had been shut down and their servers had been seized as part of a raid back in January.

The MPAA was a firm believer that MegaUpload was a threat to the entertainment industry although a recent study from researchers from the Copenhagen Business School and the Munich School of Management would suggest otherwise.

These researchers combed over five years’ worth of data and statistics from BoxOfficeMojo.com during the study. They discovered that there was very little evidence to suggest that closing MegaUpload had a positive effect on movie ticket revenue.

In fact, the data (although statistically insignificant) shows that MegaUpload’s closure may have had a negative impact on box office sales of average size and low budget movies. An opposite effect was noticed for larger blockbuster films, however.

They conclude that file sharing serves as a method to spread information about a product from a group of consumers that have zero or very little willingness to pay to users that are very willing to pay for a film.

In layman’s terms, this simply means that people that won’t pay to see a movie may encourage others to do so by making a particular movie available – in other words, helping to spread the word about a movie they might not have heard of.

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By: Dilusha On 1:13 PM

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Lantronix xPrintServer Office Edition brings more control to iOS printing for $200

Lantronix Launches New xPrintServer - Office Edition, iPad and iPhone Printing Solution for Business Users

Next Generation of the Network Edition Now Supports Enterprise-wide Mobile Printing

Irvine, Calif. – November 12, 2012 – Lantronix (NASDAQ: LTRX), a leading global provider of smart M2M connectivity solutions, today announced the launch of its xPrintServer™- Office Edition, the newest member of its award-winning xPrintServer family, designed specifically for office use by business and IT professionals wishing to print from their iPad®, iPhone® or iPod® Touch to virtually any printer. The new product is available for pre-order now at www.Lantronix.com, and will begin shipping November 21, 2012.

Developed to provide an easy mobile printing solution for business users of Apple iOS products, the xPrintServer – Office Edition enables printing directly from the native print menu of the device to network-connected printers without any apps to download, software to install, or need to buy a new printer. The xPrintServer - Office Edition is the evolution of the xPrintServer-Network Edition. Building on the first version, the Office Edition offers significant new enterprise features, including remote authentication / Active Directory, proxy server support, and the ability to network- enable USB printers.

"Since the introduction of the first xPrintServer product last December, I have observed a ready market for this type of printing solution, as an increasing number of business people are relying on their tablets and smart phones for work purposes," said J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., principal analyst, MobileTrax LLC. "The new Office Edition of the xPrintServer boasts the same simplicity as its predecessor, while providing more robust enterprise features for IT managers, including Active Directory support and more control over user permissions and printing functionality as it relates to iOS devices. Additionally, it will enable USB printers to become network printers, so the users can print from their iOS devices right over the network. The xPrintServer - Office Edition is truly a timely product that addresses the growing adoption of mobile devices in businesses."

The soon-to-be released Office Edition comes with a wide range of robust features to support mobile printing throughout the enterprise. Designed in partnership with enterprise customers, the new Office Edition addresses the challenges faced by IT departments on how to identify, deploy and manage iOS device printing throughout the extended organization. Key features include:
• Support for both USB and network-connected printers (wired or wireless)
• Enhanced printer-user management, including printer usage rights, security and control over printers and user groups
• Proxy Server Support, global save and restore functionality, and the ability to now export print logs
• Remote authentication / Active Directory support
• Firmware / driver loading via USB port
• Supports over 4,000 top brand printers, and an unlimited number of iPads, iPhones, and iOS users and devices
• Roughly the size of an iPhone with no additional software, CDs or application downloads required
• Automatic printer discovery and provisioning
• Easy to use and no configuration. Simply open the box, plug it in, print
• Anything that can be viewed, opened or read on an iOS device can be printed with the xPrintServer

"The reception of the xPrintServer in business environments has been overwhelmingly positive and has become a strong solution franchise for Lantronix. We are thrilled to build on the previous xPrintServer generation and offer more capabilities to make the xPrintServer – Office Edition even more valuable to our customers," said Mak Manesh, vice president of product management for Lantronix. "Apple has made tremendous in-roads for driving the adoption of iPads and most iOS devices into enterprise environments, and business-critical iOS accessories such as the xPrintServer - Office Edition will not only benefit from this market penetration, but should also serve to speed that adoption into enterprises."

The xPrintServer: Open it. Plug it in. Print!
The xPrintServer Family is an easy-to-use hardware solution that utilizes the iOS native print menu and requires no additional applications, software downloads, or printer driver installations. With automatic printer discovery and no configuration, printing is hassle-free. Simply open the box, plug in power and Ethernet, and print –from any iOS device running iOS version 4.2 or later, to virtually any USB or network-connected printer, whether wired or wireless.

How to Buy
The xPrintServer – Office Edition retails for $199.95 MSRP and is currently available for pre-order and will begin shipping on November 21, 2012 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe through Lantronix.com, Fry's Electronics, Micro Center, and leading e-tailers including Amazon, Best Buy Online, Buy.com, CDW, Ebyte.com, Insight Enterprises, MacMall, Mavtechonline.com, NeutronUSA, Newegg.com, NextDayPC.com, NextWarehouse.com, PCMall, PowerMax.com, Provantage, SemiconductorStore.com, SoftwareForLess, and more.

About Lantronix Lantronix, Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX) is a global leader of secure M2M (machine-to-machine) communication technologies that simplify access and communication with and between virtually any electronic device. Our smart connectivity solutions enable sharing data between devices and applications to empower businesses to make better decisions based on real-time information, and gain a competitive advantage by generating new revenue streams, improving productivity and increasing efficiency and profitability. Easy to integrate and deploy, Lantronix products remotely and securely connect electronic equipment via networks and the Internet. Founded in 1989, Lantronix serves some of the largest medical, security, industrial and building automation, transportation, retail/POS, financial, government, consumer electronics/appliances, IT/data center and pro-AV/signage entities in the world. The company's headquarters are located in Irvine, Calif.

For more information, visit www.lantronix.com. The Lantronix blog, http://www.lantronix.com/blog, features industry discussion and updates.

To follow Lantronix on Twitter, visit http://www.twitter.com/Lantronix.

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By: Dilusha On 4:30 PM

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Office for Android and iOS purportedly caught in screenshots, won't lure away Surface loyalists

By Jon Fingas posted Nov 7th 2012 11:13AM

We're wondering if Microsoft is a master of the non-denial. While it has twice downplayed rumors of an upcoming Office for competing mobile platforms, supposed new screenshots and details from The Verge hint that the Redmond team's use of the word "inaccurate" wasn't a flat-out rejection. The Android and iOS versions (iOS seen here) are believed to be real, but to serve mostly as hooks for those who crave Microsoft-sanctioned portals rather than full-fledged productivity suites. Excel, PowerPoint and Word apps would start off as free viewers and only unlock editing for those who dutifully subscribe to Office 365; to no one's shock, even the paid versions would be simple enough to leave Surface owners free from buyer's remorse. Anyone who hasn't already been lured away by Google Drive or iWork offerings may have some time to wait if the claims hold true, however. A mobile Office bundle may meet the rumored launch targets for iOS users with a launch sometime in late February or early March, but the Android fans among us might have to wait until May. It's safe to say that Microsoft won't clear the air anytime soon.

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By: Dilusha On 11:24 AM

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