Blog | Managed IT Solutions For Businesseshttps://acsapp.com/blog/2024-03-28T17:49:56-04:00ACS IT Services Blog
Has Your Website Been Optimized for Mobile Users?2019-09-11T00:01:00-04:002024-03-28T16:16:21-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/has-your-website-been-optimized-for-mobile-users/<p><br/>Did you know that this year there will be more mobile web surfers than stationary ones? That means more prospects are accessing your business website more through their smart phones, tablets or other mobile devices than with a laptop or PC. If you thought you had time to make the switch this year, you may want to reconsider in light of new research. A recent study revealed that around 40% of prospects move on to a competitor if they have a poor mobile experience. How prepared is your business for this change? Well, if you are just starting out, the following checklist will help...<br/> </p>
<p>1. <strong>Make sure your mobile site is different from your regular website -</strong> While you must stick to your branding standards, your mobile website should be simpler than your web version. The reason being is that complicated designs that load well and look good on computers are often distorted when accessed through a mobile device. Plus, mobile surfers don’t really have the time to sift through a lot of content. Bottom line: your website’s mobile friendly version should be short, simple and sweet...offering your viewers the most important and basic sections of your website.</p>
<p>2.<strong> Option to access the actual website - </strong>That said, do provide your viewers with the option to access your regular website through their mobile device, as some viewers will prefer to stick with what is familiar.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Sitemap - </strong>Whether it’s your actual website or the mobile version, make sure you have a sitemap in place. A sitemap just makes it easier for your viewers to navigate through the site.</p>
<p>4. <strong>Get rid of flash -</strong> Most mobile devices don’t support flash. Keep this in mind when optimizing your website for the mobile surfer. Simple images that load fast are your best bet.</p>
<p>5. <strong>Testing -</strong> Make sure you test your mobile website thoroughly on different operating systems, browsers and devices. What looks good on one device might be totally distorted on another.</p>
<p>You could also develop a mobile application instead of a website, but most SMBs find that option too expensive and complicated. So, for now, put the 5 tips mentioned above into use and get your mobile-friendly website into action...</p>
<p><br/><br/><br/> </p>BYOD: Why is This Concept So Attractive to Employees?2018-12-12T00:00:00-05:002024-03-28T17:49:56-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/byod-why-is-this-concept-so-attractive-to-employees-1/<p><br/>BYOD: Why is This Concept So Attractive to Employees?<br/> <br/>Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, to work was an idea a few years ago that is becoming a reality very fast. To use your personal smartphone, tablet or laptop for work seems increasingly natural. Employees are embracing this concept without any serious reservations. As more and more business activity becomes technology driven, to have electronic gadgets right by your side all the time make sense. According to a survey conducted by Logicalis about 75% of employees in high growth markets such as Brazil and Russia and 44% in developed markets bring their own devices to work.<br/> <br/>Let's examine all the factors causing people to want to use their own devices at work.</p>
<p>Familiarity: This may be the most relevant reason for someone to bring their own tablet or laptop to work. It may be the operating system, web browser, or other apps on their devices that they know so well and feel comfortable using.</p>
<p>Convenience: Companies have been providing their employees mobile phones for business use for a few decades. Now those employees have to carry two phones, since everyone also has a personal phone. This duality is a nuisance. It is hard enough to care for one mobile phone and now they have to worry about two of them. The reality is that companies expect employees to be in contact 24/7, so company devices can't just be used at work. They have to be carried home, out to the store, etc. If the employees have a choice they would much rather carry just one phone, their own, enabling them to be reachable by family and friends anytime. Also it could be cheaper if their company offers to share the cost of using their device for business.</p>
<p>Productivity: Convenience can also result in better productivity. Having fewer devices means fewer distractions. Fewer distractions equals less wasted time. Saving time is always good for productivity.<br/>Personal contentment: It makes employees feel good to be able to use their own devices at work. Higher employee morale is very important for any organization. Happier employees are more likely to work hard. A positive environment is also a factor in lower turnover. So if an employer gives its employees the liberty to bring their own devices to work it may have more satisfied workers.</p>
<p>Conclusion: People in the workplace are using their own devices so they can accomplish more in less time. It makes them happy to have their personal devices at work, and it makes them feel good about their job if they are allowed to use the devices that they are familiar with.</p>BYOD: Why is This Concept So Attractive to Employees?2018-09-06T00:00:00-04:002024-03-25T13:39:21-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/byod-why-is-this-concept-so-attractive-to-employees/<p><br/>BYOD: Why is This Concept So Attractive to Employees?<br/> <br/>Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, to work was an idea a few years ago that is becoming a reality very fast. To use your personal smartphone, tablet or laptop for work seems increasingly natural. Employees are embracing this concept without any serious reservations. As more and more business activity becomes technology driven, to have electronic gadgets right by your side all the time make sense. According to a survey conducted by Logicalis about 75% of employees in high growth markets such as Brazil and Russia and 44% in developed markets bring their own devices to work.<br/> <br/>Let's examine all the factors causing people to want to use their own devices at work.</p>
<p>Familiarity: This may be the most relevant reason for someone to bring their own tablet or laptop to work. It may be the operating system, web browser, or other apps on their devices that they know so well and feel comfortable using.</p>
<p>Convenience: Companies have been providing their employees mobile phones for business use for a few decades. Now those employees have to carry two phones, since everyone also has a personal phone. This duality is a nuisance. It is hard enough to care for one mobile phone and now they have to worry about two of them. The reality is that companies expect employees to be in contact 24/7, so company devices can't just be used at work. They have to be carried home, out to the store, etc. If the employees have a choice they would much rather carry just one phone, their own, enabling them to be reachable by family and friends anytime. Also it could be cheaper if their company offers to share the cost of using their device for business.</p>
<p>Productivity: Convenience can also result in better productivity. Having fewer devices means fewer distractions. Fewer distractions equals less wasted time. Saving time is always good for productivity.<br/>Personal contentment: It makes employees feel good to be able to use their own devices at work. Higher employee morale is very important for any organization. Happier employees are more likely to work hard. A positive environment is also a factor in lower turnover. So if an employer gives its employees the liberty to bring their own devices to work it may have more satisfied workers.</p>
<p>Conclusion: People in the workplace are using their own devices so they can accomplish more in less time. It makes them happy to have their personal devices at work, and it makes them feel good about their job if they are allowed to use the devices that they are familiar with.</p>IT Defense in Depth Part II2018-07-31T00:00:00-04:002024-03-24T23:59:04-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/it-defense-in-depth-part-ii/<p>Defense in Depth Part II</p>
<p>In our last blog we started talking about the different layers of security necessary to fully defend your data and business integrity. Today we will look at the human aspect of it, and network defenses. The human layer refers to the activities that your employees perform. 95% of security incidences involve human error. Ashley Schwartau of The Security Awareness Company says the two biggest mistakes a company can make are "assuming their employees know internal security policies: and "assuming their employees care enough to follow policy".</p>
<p> <br/>Here are some ways Hackers exploit human foibles:</p>
<p>Guessing or brute-force solving passwords<br/>Tricking employees to open compromised emails or visit compromised websites<br/>Tricking employees to divulge sensitive information</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the human layer, you need to:</p>
<p>Enforce mandatory password changes every 30 to 60 days, or after you lose an employee<br/>Train your employees on best practices every 6 months<br/>Provide incentives for security conscious behavior.<br/>Distribute sensitive information on a need to know basis<br/>Require two or more individuals to sign off on any transfers of funds,<br/>Watch for suspicious behavior</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The network layer refers to software attacks delivered online. This is by far the most common vector for attacks, affecting 61% of businesses last year. There are many types of malware: some will spy on you, some will siphon off funds, some will lock away your files.</p>
<p>However, they are all transmitted in the same way:</p>
<p>Spam emails or compromised sites<br/>"Drive by" downloads, etc.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To protect against malware</p>
<p>Don't use business devices on an unsecured network.<br/>Don't allow foreign devices to access your wifi network.<br/>Use firewalls to protect your network<br/>Make your sure your WiFi network is encrypted.<br/>Use antivirus software and keep it updated. Although it is not the be all, end all of security, it will protect you from the most common viruses and help you to notice irregularities<br/>Use programs that detect suspicious software behavior</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The mobile layer refers to the mobile devices used by you and your employees. Security consciousness for mobile devices often lags behind consciousness about security on other platforms, which is why there 11.6 million infected devices at any given moment.</p>
<p>There are several common vectors for compromising mobile devices</p>
<p>Traditional malware<br/>Malicious apps<br/>Network threats</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To protect your mobile devices you can:</p>
<p>Use secure passwords<br/>Use encryption<br/>Use reputable security apps<br/>Enable remote wipe options.</p>
<p> <br/>Just as each line of defense would have been useless without an HQ to move forces to where they were needed most, IT defense-in-depth policy needs to have a single person, able to monitor each layer for suspicious activity and respond accordingly.</p>Is Your Website Mobile Optimized2018-07-06T00:00:00-04:002024-03-28T08:20:57-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/is-your-website-mobile-optimized/<p><br/>Smaller firms often struggle just to keep up with maintaining a website. Worrying about a scaled down version for mobile users seems like just too much trouble. Today's blog is all about why this matters to you and why should you bother with a mobile version.<br/> <br/>A bit of background: Mobile sites are versions of your website that can be easily read and used on a small mobile screen. What is readable on a laptop of desktop monitor can be too tiny to use on a small screen. Also, the buttons and fields on your forms become impossible to use.<br/> <br/>Why does this matter? Three reasons</p>
<p>1. Showing up in search rankings. If you want to be found in a search and appear high in the ranking, you need to have a "mobile optimized" site. Google has now included the failure to have a mobile optimized site as a specific reason to lower a website in its search rankings. If you don't have a mobile optimized site, you slip lower in the ranking. Slip lower in the rankings and fewer people ever find you in a search.<br/><br/>2. More search and web activity now occurs on mobile devices than standard PC and laptops. If you want attention, you need to be "mobile ready." You can't just write off those mobile users- there are too many of them.<br/><br/>3. If your site is too difficult to use on a phone screen, the user is just going to jump to another vendor. There’s nothing else to say.</p>
<p>So the summary is, if you haven't already done so, you need to bite the bullet and get a mobile optimized site. The internet offers too much business to just ignore the issue.</p>Security and your smart device2016-07-05T00:00:00-04:002024-03-28T04:05:43-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/security-and-your-smart-device/<p>As anyone who has met with me for our ACS Secure reviews knows, I have been working to educate my customers on some best practices surrounding their online banking. We basically recommend all banking happen on a computer that is isolated from the rest of the network, and is capable of only doing one thing, Banking.</p>
<p>Often I get asked, “I use my phone/tablet/smart device to do much of my banking, can’t I just do that?” To which I respond, “If you are using an apple product.” Recently I read an article in ars technica which outlines why I respond in that way (click <a href="http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/06/godless-apps-some-found-in-google-play-root-90-of-android-phones/">here </a>to read the whole article.)</p>
<p>Ars outlines an app which basically will “root” 90% of all android phones. This application is distributed through the Google Play store. What root means is, once the application is installed, the bad guys have full access to your phone. They are capable of doing anything they’d like with your phone. It’s a really bad thing!</p>
<p>In the apple world, apple is in control of every application that gets put on the iTunes store. They review and dissect every app to ensure that it is safe, and adheres to their policies. This system can be a pain for developers, but it means that the end users rarely have malicious software installed on their devices.</p>
<p>So if your phone/tablet is android, and you use them to do banking, be careful. Bad things can happen!</p>GTD-Q App2013-10-23T00:00:00-04:002024-03-25T14:54:42-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/gtd-q-app/<p><img alt="gtd-q-app" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1640" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/gtd-q-app.png" style="width: 186px; height: 184px;"/></p>
<p>In my most recent newsletter from David Allen at Getting Things Done, I noticed that they released a new app -- <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gtd-q-getting-things-done/id687588154?mt=8&uo=4" target="itunes_store">GTD-Q®.</a> What is GTD-Q? Well, it's kind of a quick and dirty check as to where you are as far as perspective and control in your workload. You take a short (18 question) survey with choices ranging from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree and it will place you in one of 4 quadrants, depending on your answers. Why bother?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.acs-service.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/photo.png"><img alt="photo" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1643" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/photo.png" style="width: 200px; height: 300px;"/></a></p>
<p>Well, if you are starting to feel a bit out of control, this might help you pinpoint how/where you can rein things back in. You can even set a reminder to check your GTD-Q on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. I kind of wish there was a quarterly option because I tend to go through life and plan in seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall). Oh, well, nothing free is perfect, is it? Because it is -- free, I mean. </p>
<p><strong>How often do you step back to take a look at the bigger picture?</strong> </p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/steed%20jen_0049%20mailer%20copy.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 210px;"/> Jen Steed writes about technology, travel and more. You can find her writing for various online and print publications. To talk to Jen or see all of her articles as they are published, you can follow Jen on <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JenSteed?rel=author" rel="author" title="Author: Jen Steed on Google+">Google+</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>New Apple Announcements -- What they Mean for You2013-09-13T00:00:00-04:002024-03-24T23:56:32-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/new-apple-announcements-mean/<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44223840@N05/5288349613" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="iPhone 2g, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4" class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5288349613_9475e73c09_m.jpg" title="iPhone 2g, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4" width="240"/></a></p>
<p><span class="smText">iPhone 2g, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (Photo credit: reticulating)</span></p>
<p>Earlier this week, Apple made several announcements that mean great things for your business.</p>
<h1>Free iWork</h1>
<p>Apple announced that iWork (which includes a word processor, spreadsheet & slide show app, along with iPhoto & iMovie), would be free on all new devices. Free is good :). If you haven't yet purchased an i Device, this might be a good time to make the plunge. Especially with...</p>
<h1>Biometric Security on the 5S</h1>
<p>With biometric security on the iPhone 5S, you will be able to unlock your phone with just your fingerprint making doing work on your phone MUCH more secure than the 4 digit security code on your old phone -- if you had it activated at all.</p>
<h1>Affordable iPhones</h1>
<p>And finally, for those businesses who are run by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589795474/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1589795474&linkCode=as2&tag=acsblog-20" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Millionaires Next Door</a>, there is finally an affordable iPhone option that is made of plastic instead of metal and is at a lower price point. </p>
<p><strong>Do any of these announcements make buying an iPhone or iPad more likely for you in the next 6 </strong><strong>months?</strong></p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=22cb07fb-7c22-4787-b382-aba4191a8962" style="border: none; float: right;"/></a></div>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/steed%20jen_0049%20mailer%20copy.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 210px;"/> Jen Steed writes about technology, travel and more. You can find her writing for various online and print publications. To talk to Jen or see all of her articles as they are published, you can follow Jen on <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JenSteed?rel=author" rel="author" title="Author: Jen Steed on Google+">Google+</a>.</p>Cross Platform GTD App - DoIt.im2013-05-14T00:00:00-04:002024-03-28T16:12:41-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/cross-platform-gtd-app-doit-im/<p><img alt="doit.im-review" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1781" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/doit_im-review.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 231px;"/> Last month, I shared with you a view of my favorite personal productivity book - <a href="https://www.acsapp.com/blog/getting-things-done-business-classics-book-review/" title="Getting Things Done – Business Classics Book Review">Getting Things Done</a>. Prior to sharing that book with you, I had decided to get back on the full GTD bandwagon -- reviews and all. I just had TOO MUCH to do and keep track of and things were falling through the cracks. I tend to work everywhere and anywhere I find a few spare moments, leaving me with quite the problem. </p>
<p>I needed a cross platform GTD app since I switch between an Android tablet, my iPhone 4S, and my laptop depending on where I was and what I was doing. I was quite tickled when I stumbled across <a href="http://doit.im/features" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DoIt.Im</a>. DoIt.Im covers both major tablet/smartphone OS's -- IOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android. In addition, it has a web interface which allows you to work from any computer with internet access. While every feature does not work 100% on every device, you can do most of it and fine tune it later on your main computer or desktop. I've put in 100's of tasks and projects so far and I've never been to limited to be effective (I primarily use my iPhone though I do have an Android tablet as well).</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <a href="http://doit.im/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DoIt.Im</a> enables you to Collect your thoughts in two ways. The longer, more involved way for when you have 2 minutes to fully process it and a super short way for when you would otherwise scribble a cryptic note on a sticky so you don't forget. It's extremely simple to process and organize your thoughts and you can do it with very little thinking about your system. You can really just jump right in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <a href="http://doit.im/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DoIt.Im</a> also allows you to review your tasks easily, both in projects, scheduled items, and even someday dreams. In addition, you can also check to see how well you do at clearing your to-do's on a daily and weekly basis. It's great for keeping track of what <strong>feel</strong> like not so productive days, even though you've worked non-stop. And finally, you can group your tasks based on project, context or time so that you can pick what you have the time and energy to do next knowing that nothing has fallen off of your radar. They do offer a 30-day trial of PRO, which is available for the bargain price of $20/year. Yep, $20 a YEAR. </p>
<p>My productivity has tremendously increased since I started using DoIt.Im. Not only am I getting essentials completed, but I'm getting extra projects completed as well. That alone is priceless since we are welcoming a new member of the family in June and I'd like to get a little ahead! So, if you are looking to increase your productivity and are wanting a super easy way to do it, check out DoIt.Im. They don't have an affiliate/referral program and haven't given me anything they won't give you. I just love their app and had to share it with you.</p>
<p><strong>How do you GTD?</strong> </p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/steed%20jen_0049%20mailer%20copy.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 210px;"/> Jen Steed writes about technology, travel and more. You can find her writing for various online and print publications. To talk to Jen or see all of her articles as they are published, you can follow Jen on <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JenSteed?rel=author" rel="author" title="Author: Jen Steed on Google+">Google+</a>.</p>Secure Your Data In Case Your Smartphone is Lost or Stolen2013-02-14T00:00:00-05:002024-03-25T14:25:37-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/secure-your-data-when-your-smartphone-is-lost-or-stolen/<p><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/secure%20your%20data%20incase%20of%20lost%20phone.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 276px;"/></p>
<p>In this age when people have gotten rid of traditional telephones, losing your phone can be devastating, especially since many have photos and other information on them. It's even worse, however, when you lose the smartphone that you use for work! There are many apps on your phone and while most have some level of security, the finder has all day to try to hack into to everything -- your email, bank accounts, work computers, and more! So how do you secure your data in case your smartphone is lost or stolen? </p>
<h1>Have a password.</h1>
<p>I will be the FIRST to admit that having a code to use your phone is pretty annoying. BUT. It helps keep my kiddos from getting into things, deleting files and removing apps. It should do the same for anyone who finds your lost phone. </p>
<h1>Set permissions on your phone.</h1>
<p>Most smart phones have various levels of permissions. Go into your settings and lock down as many as you feel are necessary. I know on my iPhone, I can keep people from getting into iTunes, the App Store, my camera, the web browser, and even prevent changes to various programs, in addition to managing privacy settings. </p>
<h1>Back up your data!</h1>
<p>Just like any other computer, if the information on it is important to you, BACK IT UP! This includes photos, contact information, documents, or anything else. If you have a <a href="http://db.tt/57CbB1j" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Dropbox</a> account, you get free storage for having photos automatically upload on some plans. If you have an iPhone, you get a free (but limited) amount of space on iCloud to back up your mail, calendar, music, documents, photos and more. Find a backup app that works with your smartphone. </p>
<h1>Have managed services on your mobile device(s), too.</h1>
<p>When all your services are managed by your IT company, they can shut down and or change passwords to many services that they are in control of such as secure, hosted exchange accounts/email, remote access services, back up services and more. One phone call and all your passwords are changed and your data is again secure. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, once they get a hold of your email, they can get any password for any service reset. Scary thought. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Have you ever had your smartphone turn up lost or stolen? </strong></p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jen Steed writes about technology, travel and more. You can find her writing for various online and print publications. To talk to Jen or see all of her articles as they are published, you can follow Jen on <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JenSteed?%20rel=author" rel="author" title="Author: Jen Steed on Google +">Google+</a>.</p>Mobile devices - a security plague!2012-05-18T00:00:00-04:002024-03-26T01:25:48-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/mobile-devices-security-plague/<p><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/run-away.jpg" style="width: 303px; height: 166px;"/></p>
<p> </p>
<p> It's official, mobile devices are a security plague! Like an army of zombies descending upon business to cause wreck and ruin. From a McAfee survey released in December 2011, here are the gruesome details:</p>
<ul>
<li>63% of malware volume for mobile OS's are from Android</li>
<li>51% of survey takers said thier organization has experienced a data breach due to insecure devices (an additional 23% didn't know).</li>
<li>38% of those breached suffered theft or loss of information and or resources</li>
<li>31% suffered disclosure of confidential information</li>
<li>10% had interrupted services</li>
</ul>
<p>Keeping close tabs on the security of mobile devices is extremely important for businesses. This may include watching the devices that the business IT doesn't know about, such as your employee's personal Android phone.</p>Can a lost phone put you out of business?2012-05-16T00:00:00-04:002024-03-28T10:18:35-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/lost-phone-put-business/<div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="https://www.acsapp.com/media/uploads/image/phone-flash.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 187px;"/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">What would happen if you lost your phone? Businesses are being damaged daily by Internet security threats. Bank accounts are being emptied, trade secrets are being lost, data is being destroyed. One of the single largest threats to a company are the smart phones being carried in everyone's pocket. These phones are a literal gateway into the heart of the business. Lets look at the information that is available on most smart phones.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Email</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This is number 1 on the security threats to your business. One of the main reasons most people have smart devices is to access their email. Email is the system most businesses use for basic communication. Thus all your correspondences are available via your smart phone.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Online Banking</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Many people have the app's that their bank provides installed on their phones. These apps allow us to view account status, pay bills, and do various other things with our banks.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Company files</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Through services like drop box, or VPN's we have made it easy to access all of the information on our company networks. This information includes spreadsheets, Word Documents, and databases.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">What can we do about securing our phones so that they aren't literally a Trojan horse directly into our most prized business assets? We can start by password protecting our phone. Forcing any would-be thief to enter a password into the phone in order to access the phone. We can also password protect the applications that are on the phone. I would also suggest for small businesses that they work with their IT provider to implement some sound security policy and security tracking and monitoring. This will allow business owners and managers to manage these threats and proactively work to eliminate them.</p>
</div>Free Iphone, Ipad, Android applications for your business.2012-04-27T00:00:00-04:002024-03-28T04:54:31-04:00adminhttps://acsapp.com/blog/author/admin/https://acsapp.com/blog/iphone-ipad-android-applications-for-your-business/<p>Iphone, Ipad, Android Applications for your business.</p>
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<p>I'm frequently asked about iphone, ipad, and android apps, and how to have them created. I have come across a very cool site called <a href="http://www.appsbar.com/index.php">appsbar</a>. Appsbar allows you to create applications for all of the major mobile and tablet operating systems FOR FREE.</p>
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<p>They walk you through a step by step process which when completed will (after approval by the app store god's) result in your app being available for download to your favorite touch device. These app's are not extremely complicated, and really nothing more than a web site in an app. However for the right business this could be very useful, such as restaurant menu information, service guides for products, locations of stores, etc.</p>
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<p>Appsbar pay's for itself by putting advertisements into your app. This is annoying, but to get an application fast and cheap, I think its a fair trade-off.</p>
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<p>I am still working on my app, and determining how it will best fit with my business. I'd love to hear from you on how this service worked for you!</p>