BYOD - A Tug of War Between System Security and Employee Productivity

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Irrespective of the nature of business, organizations cannot overlook the impact of 'Bring Your Own Device' practice over the workplace, network security, and employee productivity. While owning personal devices in the office can be exciting, the workplace usually becomes highly vulnerable to IT related concerns and threats.

Foreword
With the advent of Information Technology, we are not handicapped with the connectivity and portability of communication devices any more. Hundreds of devices and services are available in the market that facilitate 24/7 connectivity. While that can be more than just tempting for almost everybody, it actually carries security threats and concerns that are increasing dramatically.

Talk of the Town
With reference to IT and its enabling features, BYOD is a term that is the talk of the town. It stands for "Bring Your Own Device." This phrase refers to the idea that employees in most of the organizations have a regular practice of bringing their own portable devices for corporate connectivity. The excessive use of portable devices at the workplace like PDAs, tablets, notebooks, laptops, smart phones, etc. has raised several issues.

Dual Faced Portability
Many organizations allow their employees to bring their own devices at the workplace. It saves employees from the headache of maintaining two separate devices, one for personal use and the other for corporate connectivity. The practice is indeed reducing organizations' costs of purchasing and maintaining employee devices. Therefore, it is a win-win situation for both when it comes to cost. However this is not the end of the story.

BYOD practice has posed constant security threats for IT specialists at every organization that has this policy. When employees use their own devices for corporate connectivity, governance and strict implementation always arise as issues to look after. An organization's upper management with the collaboration of IT teams then devises a framework of network security and expects employees to abide by all the rules laid down by the policy.

Governance and Implementation
This framework for network security imposes certain requirements and restrictions over employees; for instance, keeping passwords on devices, not installing certain applications that may pose a threat to system security, limiting access to specific websites only, etc. In addition, the IT department also conducts device audits on regular basis in order to make sure that employee practices and device configurations are in line with the company policy.

Data Clouding
Previously, it was only a device that was mobile; you could carry it anywhere and use it in the real sense. However, lately added features and practices are even more advanced that now even data is mobile. With the practice of BYOD, not only do the employees carry their devices with them everywhere, but can also access corporate data from virtually anywhere. This mobility is indeed a big difference in the way one thinks of portability.

The day when the line between personal and professional use of communication devices blurred, was the day when security issues started arising. The accompanying disadvantages of BYOD practice are standing like a wall in front of IT specialists who are in constant endeavor to overcome such security threats. There is no doubt that employee productivity is increasing through BYOD practice, but organizational security concerns cannot be avoided too.

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Difference Between Laptops, Tablets and Ultrabooks

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Laptops, tablets and ultrabooks are computing devices that have all contributed to the rapid advancement in technology in the past few years. These devices have replaced bulky computers like desktops and helped us get work and personal stuff done, while on the go.

If you're in the market looking to invest in a laptop, tablet, or ultrabook, it's important to understand what these portable computing devices are and how to choose the right one based on your needs. In this article, we will review these three computing devices so you can decide which one is right for you.

Laptops became popular due to their portability, convenience, as well as their overall performance when compared to desktop computers. They come in screen sizes from 13 to 17 inches with varying screen resolution. Though, you do get smaller-sized laptops called Netbooks which are light-weight laptops meant mainly for accessing the internet and cloud-based computing. Laptops have a traditional keyboard and touch-pad to help navigate through the computer programs.

The battery life of a laptop is around three to five hours before it needs to be charged again. Most new laptops are Wi-Fi ready which means that you can connect to the internet through a wireless connection. Also, they come with a webcam which aids in video chatting over the internet.

When buying a laptop, some of the specifications you need to bear in mind are the processor which determines the computing speed; hard-drive storage space; Random Access Memory (RAM) or temporary memory; battery life; screen display size; removable media drives like a DVD / CD player; and the types of ports like USB, HDMI, Ethernet, headset, etc.

The price of laptops depends on the specifications, but they are generally less expensive compared to tablet PCs when you compare the specs of the two devices and their overall functionality. Talking about tablet PCs, let's see how they compare to laptop computers.

Tablets are mobile PCs which are far more portable, slimmer and lighter when compared to traditional laptops. Unlike most laptops, tablets have touch screens which come in sizes between 7 to 10 inches. Most tablet PCs do not have a traditional keyboard, rather they have a virtual keyboard which can be accessed via the touch screen. So laptops are better served if you want a bigger screen and need to do work that requires a considerable amount of typing.

Tablets use less intensive operating systems and apps instead of programs making start-up times much faster when compared to laptops. Battery life in tablets range between 7 to 10 hours of continuous use, an advantage over laptop computers.

Most tablets connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and some of them support 3G and 4G LTE connectivity. The memory storage and RAM in tablets is far less than you would get in a laptop. As well as the availability of external ports like USB, HDMI, SD card slots is better in laptops.

Therefore tablets are more suited for people who use the device for accessing the internet, watching short videos, listening to music, video chatting, and social networking. In short, tablets don't replace laptops at the present time.

Ultrabooks are light-weight, slim, and portable laptops. They were introduced by Intel during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2012. Ultrabooks can be compared to Apple's MacBook Air.

Ultrabooks sort of give you the best of both worlds when comparing traditional laptops and tablets. They are slim and light-weight which makes them very portable, at the same time, they as powerful if not more, than traditional laptops. Also, they have a traditional keyboard and a touch-pad.

Ultrabooks come in 11 to 13 inches in screen sizes, with processors, hard-drives and RAM comparable to traditional laptops. They have battery life of around 5 to 7 hours and are Wi-Fi ready. Some ultrabooks do have touch screens and convert into a tablet.

On the downside, ultrabooks don't currently have 3G or 4G wireless connectivity, weight more and costlier when compared to tablet PCs. Tablets are among the most popular computing devices. You can check video reviews of the best tablets PCs in the markets.

Anthony Godinho is a Human Resources professional, Trader and Entrepreneur, who has a wide range of interests he writes about on topics like healthy living, philanthropy, technology, internet marketing, social media, blogging, and others.

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Cases Can Mean The Difference Between A Scarred iPod And A Pristine One

Lots of people feel that their iPod is one of their best friends because they're always listening to it or pitching it into a handbag or knapsack to take with them. It's a constant companion, and whenever there's a dull moment, it's right on hand to play some music and to keep you cheerful no matter where you might be.

Stopping nicks and scratches from marring the surface of your iPod can be a struggle when you're taking it with you everyplace. Typically, it's the other objects you keep in your bag, such as keys, coins, pens and other potentially malevolent objects that can bust up your iPod in short order.

Construct your own case for your iPod, and that will likely cut down on the damage that it bears due to your keys or other metal items scraping up against it. Craft a pouch from plush fabric, or make a hard shell case from cardboard and vinyl to shield your music player from eventual damage.

Make use of your creative skills and construct your own iPod case with the help of instructions you'll easily find on the Internet. Not everyone is skilled at making things, or has the time to do so, and for them, it's a better idea to simply buy iPod cases.

If you can't find a case you like among the many styles available then you need to look a little harder, because there's sure to be something that's great for you. The right arrangement in iPod Touch cases might include a pattern and color combination that reminds you of the types of music that you like to listen to.

Not only a fashion statement, iPod cases are a sound investment because they'll protect your iPod from scrapes and bumps, and extend the life of your music player. If you should accidentally drop your iPod, it won't necessarily end up damaged, so long as it's in a good protective case that can help absorb the shock.

You'll always reap lots of use from your iPod when you make a good protective case part of your standard gear when you're listening to music at home or when you're traveling. You should always prevent dropping or bumping your iPod, but when accidents occur, you want to make sure that you have the best defense you can get.

You'll likely have a splendid time seeking out the right case for your iPod, and when you do find it, it'll go a long way toward preserving your favorite music player and making it look a bit more fashionable.

Shades makes cases the coolest new iPod Touch cases! Extremely thin, light, and Stylish Shades also makes the best selling product the iPod cases. ShadesCases believes in supplying low cost, innovative products and quality customer service. Typical iPod skins cover only part of your device, and most cases are often bulky and awkward. Shades stand out on your iPod, not in your pocket. "It's not a case. It's not a skin. It's a Shade."

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The Difference Between Ink Cartridges And Toner

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Be it OEM, generic, or remanufactured, toner cartridges typically have an average shelf life of about 2 years. Whether you use it or not, that cartridge of laser toner should be thrown away within two years after you bought it. How in the world can printer toner spoil? Before we can answer this question, though, we have to pose another: what is printer toner? Toner was designed for one reason: to print things on paper. It is as simple as that. Toner works in a very different way than printer ink. They were made to do the same thing but they are far from being the same thing.

Carbon and plastic are the main constituents of Toner. When the heating drum in a laser printer comes in contact with it, the particles fuse together and actually melt into the paper. Though it seems simple, printer toner took decades to perfect. It is truly a modern marvel. Plastic was introduced to the carbon particles to allow for smaller particle size. With smaller particles, a toner can produce higher resolution. How, then, can printer toner go bad?

To understand, you need to take a look at how toner comes packaged. The cartridge comes wrapped in a specially designed package that resists moisture and light. To a certain degree, it even protects against heat. The sad fact is that toner is very sensitive. If it is exposed to moisture, light, or heat, it can be easily ruined. Too much moisture, for example, can turn your toner into a soggy mess. If the toner is exposed to even a slight source of ultraviolet light, it is just as bad. Yet another way your toner can be ruined is by leaving it near a heat source. Since it is designed to fuse when exposed to the heating drum, the toner can melt together and clog in the cartridge. As you have seen, toner is very sensitive to adverse environmental conditions.

If you keep it in the perfect conditions, though, toner can probably last forever. If you bought a bunch of toner to get the bulk discount and keep them in an environmentally controlled room or container, disregard the "expiration date". If they are put in a room or storage container that maintains a constant temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of around 50%, they could theoretically last forever. Keep them for a few decades in the "perfect" environment, take one out, and print a few documents. You will see that it still outperforms cheap ink. Even if you do not use your toner all the time, it will get great results. If you use cheap ink, make sure you clean the print heads on a regular basis if you do not print documents every day. When stored in the proper environment, the one and a half to two year shelf life does not apply. They can possibly last forever.

Peachtree INK specialize helping consumers to find high-quality printer ink cartridges at the most affordable rates. To find out more about cheap ink visit us at peachtreeink.com or email us at info@peachtreeink. com

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