Tag Archives: Android

Surface Pro vs. iPad vs. Android

So we played with the Surface Pro and the iPad and measured each for productivity.   What did we find?

After using an iPad for a year and having the Surface Pro for just under a week, the Pro far out shines the iPad tablet and our Android we’ve had for two years; no comparison.  Why?  Here’s what we found.

With the Surface Pro 128 Gb,  you have a stylus, USB and every application that a laptop has.   The critics say the 128 Gb is wrong because you get less than you pay for.   Part of this is used by the OS.     Have you ever purchased a laptop?  The Pro can be used with every application you ever had and with the VGA adapter, you can hook it to a full size monitor ($39.99).   The USB can be hooked to a cheap USB hub ($1.99) and guess what?  External hard drives can be used for storage (and don’t forget you have an SD slot), flash drives, external DVDs, a full size keyboard and 127 other USB accessories including printers.   The same as Windows 7.   The speed is much faster and the reliability and new features are an excellent addition to this OS compared to Windows 7.  Why aren’t critics looking at that?  Another great mystery of American consumerization.  So there you go.  You can have a full desktop by laying your tablet on your desk and plugging in two things.   When you are ready to go, just disconnect and you have a tablet or with the keyboard, a laptop.   So the $900+ price tag is a bargain.

Also navigation is NOT hard.   All you have to do is remember corners…touch any corner and you have menus.  Is that really hard?  Nope.  Are we overlooking a great OS?  I truly think so.  Thanks Kenny for bring the Pro to school.  Mine’s on order.

Surface Pro

The Surface Pro and what Microsoft is not telling you – it can replace your laptop and desktop.

For the IT Professionals – join it to a domain and use the policies you have to further control this device on your network.

For midsize businesses, there is a new way to spell risk: BYOD

“Online and offline, in IT departments and across organizations, the bring your own device (BYOD) debate is raging….For midsize businesses, there is a new way to spell risk: BYOD.

Find the best route from other drivers with Waze

Here’s a cool app available for Android or iPhone.  Waze uses other drivers (a community) to edit maps and provide information about finding the best way to your destination.  Waze

 

(Live Map Sample)

Acer Iconia Tab 500 wireless modification

Need to enhance your wireless signal with your Acer Iconia Tab 500 series?   TechRepublic has an excellent series of pics on how to disassemble the tablet.  (http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/cracking-open-the-acer-iconia-tab-a500/6279615?seq=66&tag=content;siu-container#photopaging)

  • This will void your warranty!
  • Track the antenna from the wireless card (You’ll find a convenient open space perfect for your new antenna)
  • Add a 5.5″ wire with four small turns 1″ from the solder joint- use a 1/4 ” drill bit (smooth end) to create the coil
  • Carefully solder the wire onto the end of the antenna (at the Iconia solder joint)
  • Carefully reassemble your device
  • Enjoy your extended range!

 

Thanks Tyler for letting us experiment with your tablet!

SkyDrive – The best storage solution for Apple, Android and PCs?

Is Skydrive the best solution for your iPad, iPod, Android and PC documents,  music and other files?

Microsoft’s comparison

Free vs. free and Dollar for Dollar, Microsoft’s SkyDrive wins hands down.

SkyDrive for Android

SkyDrive for iPhone and iPad

SkyDrive for Windows Phone

Nearly half of firms supporting BYOD report data breaches

Nearly half of enterprises that allow employee-owned devices to connect to a company’s network have experienced a data breach, a study has revealed.  

Nearly half of firms supporting BYOD report data breaches.

BYOD – Should family members use the device?

BYOD (Bring your own device) is a great concept and it can work.  I recently read an article on an opinion that made mereally think of how some look at this concept and its security as though the IT pros are over protective.

The opinion was that if you used BYOD,  how it would change business and industry to a point that it could help these entities by having employees be more productive.   The opinion went on to say that the IT personnel were looking at password changes, encryption and remote wiping of the device along with wiping the device if the password was attempted too many times.   The concern (author of the article) was if your child used the device, the child could erase the device and personal data on the device.   Should anyone use the device in your family if company data (email, documents, etc.) is on the device?

My belief is that if company documents were or are on the device, it is a way to PROTECT the data on the device if it falls in the wrong hands.  (See the Identity Theft Resource Center’s breaches).   Companies should protect the data.

DroidSheep Guard helps protect you on networks

Have an Android device?  DroidSheep Guard helps to protect you from session hijacking.

Always use https when using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other accounts.  Also use a VPN software to protect and encrypt your data.

Thanks Kenneth!

Manage your computer with your Android phone or tablet

Need to manage your computer with your Android?

Unified Remote allows you to use your mouse or keyboard, PowerPoints, Windows Media and more when giving demo. Unified Remote allows you to give your demo, presentation or to teach while using your computer at a distance.  As long as your computer is on the same network, you can use the programs on it when presenting or teaching.

Unified remote can be downloaded from Google’s Play Store and the server software for your computer can be downloaded from their website.

 

 

After downloading to your android and installing to your computer, get your computers IP address and make sure the settings are ok including security (set password if necessary).

Use the icon to start and stop Unified Remote.  You can setup your server from this icon.

On your android, start Unified Remote and you can manage your computer (using your mouse and dozens of programs)  remotely.

PC Monitor

PC Monitor allows you to see and manage your computer on a professional level.

Mobile PCMonitor offers an excellent software to monitor your computer’s resources.  PCMonitor monitors your logs, processes, services, network, receive notifications and monitors other resources remotely.  PCMonitor  also allows you to remotely restart, run a command line utility along with dozens of other options.

PCMonitor allows you to view your computer on another computer by using my.mobilepcmonitor.com.

It is rare that I find a truly useful app that is beneficial and productive to enterprise IT.  This is an excellent application to monitor critical computers.

AirDroid


Want to move music or files to your phone without a usb cable?   Google Play (Android Market Place) has a really cool program that is Free and it allows you to use your laptop or computer to connect to your Droid.  AirDroid’s remote management allows you to manage the device across your network.  The concept is very simple and works great.   All you do is connect your laptop and your Droid to your home wireless.   Download and install AirDroid.    When you start AirDroid, it will give you an ip address (with a port number – 8888) and a passcode.   Open Google Chrome on your laptop and navigate to the website  - http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8888 (Replacing the x’s with the ip address AirDroid gave you as it started).  Enter the passcode and you can now manage your Android tablet or phone remotely with dozens of features.

      

      

Connect to your Android Phone or Tablet with AirDroid


Want to move music or files to your phone without a usb cable?   Google Play (Android Market Place) has a really cool program that is Free and it allows you to use your laptop or computer to connect to your Droid.   AirDroid’s remote management allows you to manage the device across your network.  The concept is very simple and works great.   All you do is connect your laptop and your Droid to your home wireless.   Download and install AirDroid.    When you start AirDroid, it will give you an ip address (with a port number – 8888) and a passcode.   Open Google Chrome on your laptop and navigate to the website  - http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8888 (Replacing the x’s with the ip address AirDroid gave you as it started).  Enter the passcode and you can now manage your Android tablet or phone remotely with dozens of features.

      

      

Just click away – it’ll be ok…

Here’s 10 things the younger generation is doing online and how they can stop behavior that can lead to malicious theft of data and great food for thought about their online reputation.
10 things Gen Y do online.. and shouldn’t.  – Charlie Osborne – ZDNet