Computerware Blog

With businesses now able to migrate their computing needs over to the cloud, and with cloud-based mobile devices now able to perform more enterprise-level tasks, many companies are seriously considering going all-in with the cloud and scraping their traditional IT infrastructure. As nice as it would be to clear out a closet full of servers, you will first want to address the pros and cons of such a drastic move.

At one point in Google's not-so-distant past, they were able to house all of their servers in one garage. True Story. Times have certainly changed for Google. In fact, Google has grown so rapidly that they saw the need to develop a new technology for the sole purpose of managing their growth. Google calls their new creation the Google Spanner.

It is the goal of every business to grow, but if there is a lack planning, then new growth will bring new problems. This principle applies to every area of your business, including your technology. Without any planning towards the expansion of your technology, you could end up with a Frankenstein of a computer network that can cause monster problems to your business.

The core idea behind social media is that it is a technology used to connect people. As people from all over the world embrace using social media, new and complex dynamics are added that turn social media into much more than a tool used to poke a friend. One of the most complex people groups is the modern family; and when entire families adopt social media, all the weird dynamics of family relationships are now posted for the world to see. We will attempt to analyze these new social media family dynamics, starting with the bad, and then the ugly, and eventually making our way to the good.

Your staff is a fine-tuned team that can crack any problem. You watch them destroy challenges every day, all while staying within budget. It only seems natural to assign one of your bright employees to repair a broken computer; sure they can figure it out, but factor in all the time spent on the issue and all of your savings may vanish.

Public speaking can be difficult, and with some people it can be even more difficult to sit through. With technology like PowerPoint and projectors, technology has really helped make public speaking easy to do and even tolerable to sit through. Here are some new presentations tools that will help take your next speech to the next level.

"The Internet? Is that thing still around?" -Homer J. Simpson. Not only is the internet still around, but it grows exponentially every year. Internet giant Google exemplifies this, growing from a start up in a garage in 1998, to dozens of data centers around the world today. Each data center stores massive amounts of data that make up what we call the internet.

Sit back in your chair and take a look around your business. Your employees are helping customers from all over the Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC region and beyond. Your mailbox is full of letters and packages from all around the globe, and your presence on the world wide web is literally connecting you all over the world. The complex coordination of people and resources you see in front of you is called logistics.

Like dandelions blooming in springtime, QR codes seem to be popping up everywhere. In fact, QR codes can even be found on flower pot labels! QR codes are widely used to communicate product information and direct smartphone users directly to a company's website, but QR codes have more uses than marketing. Here are three QR code secrets that can make sharing data easy.

Microsoft did not hold back any punches when they boldly revamped their new Windows 8 OS, the Surface tablet, and Windows Phone 8. Up next for Microsoft is the release of Office 365 for Q1 of 2013. We can expect to see similar innovations with their popular business productivity applications. Today, we will look at a few new features planned for Word 2013.

Almost from its inception, Microsoft has been partnering with outside Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) partners to offer computing solutions. For the first time, Microsoft looks to tackle this endeavor alone. Their new tablet, the Surface, is the first mobile device developed and produced solely in-house by the world's biggest software company.

Registering for a domain name is an easy procedure: Pick your name, and register for it at a domain registrar. You then pay for everything and begin the adventure of building a website. Perhaps registration is too easy; because many businesses have their websites registered incorrectly, and may not realize it until years later.

After months of anticipation, the Apple iPhone 5 has been released and the world-leader in smartphone sales' newest offering doesn't disappoint. Apple, however, is encountering some serious competition from Samsung with their Galaxy S III model smartphone. Comparing the two flagship devices is like comparing apples-to-oranges as they are two of the best smartphones on the market. The two devices have many similarities and both are on the cutting edge of smartphone technology. That's not to say that there aren't some stark differences. A comparison of the two products suggests that neither device disappoints.

On October 26, Microsoft will make Windows 8 available for the masses as they aim to usher in a new era of Windows-based mobile computing. In recent times, the use of Windows has fallen starkly behind those mobile devices that run Android and iOS operating systems.

It seems like every other commercial on television is pushing the newest mobile devices like ultra-thin laptops, smartphones, and tablets. When was the last time you saw an ad for a traditional desktop PC? It was probably the guy from "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" riding a Gateway 2000 dairy cow.

Apple's personal virtual assistant Siri is helpful, fun, a little kooky, and always a hit at parties. Even if you don't have an iPhone, you still have likely encountered Siri; it is hard to ignore her cool-yet-sassy robotic voice coming from across the room. Siri is so much more than a party trick; she can also operate your iPhone applications at the command of your voice, and answer your deepest questions.