To some fans of Apple's products the thought of using anything from Google is simply ludicrous. Why would you use something from a competitor? Well, it could be that the product or app is better than anything else out there. This is true for Google Search, which brings Google's powerful search tools to the iPad and iPhone. The app has recently been updated with a new feature called Google Now. Have you heard of it?

Here's a brief overview of Google Now, and how to install and use it.

Ok, so, what exactly is Google Now? Google Now is best thought of as Google's answer to Apple's Siri. It's an app that functions like a personal assistant and has become a large component of Google's Search for mobile app. The idea of Now is that you can use natural language to search for answers to questions, find recommendations or even perform actions like creating a calendar entry, or writing an email.

Google Now also passively delivers information that it thinks is useful to you. While creepy at first, especially when you see how accurate predictions can be, it is actually a really cool tool. What's interesting about Google Now is that relevant information is displayed below search results in what are called 'cards'. The cards shown will depend on your location, recent searches, calendar and even method of transport.

Probably the best way to explain Google Now is through an example:

Say you have a meeting with a potential supplier at a coffee shop across town tomorrow. You pull up the Google Search app on your iPad, tap the microphone button and ask Google, "What's the coffee shop on 5th Avenue?". Google searches for the coffee shop and comes back with three search results including the shop you are looking for. You then enter the name and address in your Google Calendar, along with the date and time.

The next day, you look at the Google Search app again because you've forgotten the exact address. Just below the Search bar you will see that new cards have popped up. The first is a reminder of the scheduled event, along with the contact information of the person you are meeting. Just below that is a map on how to get to the coffee shop, along with driving directions.

When you get in the car, you notice that traffic seems a little heavier than usual, so you pull up Google Search and the card has been updated with a map showing current traffic along with what Google thinks will be the fastest route, without you having to ask.

This app works surprisingly well, and many users have noted that both search results and the cards are accurate. Where Google Now really shines is when you are traveling. If you go to another country, cards will pop up with the exchange rate, translator, local map with landmarks, time back home and even flight information (assuming the reservation has been sent to your Gmail account).

How to install and use If this app sounds interesting, all you have to do to get it is download Google Search app from the Apple App Store, install it, open it and sign in using your Google account. Cards will start to popup after a couple of days. You can tweak what cards appear by using the search feature, or through the app's settings.

While this is a Google product, it can be useful for your Apple device, especially if you have a Google account. If you would like to learn more about this app or how the iPad can make your business easier, contact us today to see how we can help.

Using a tablet in the office or for business can help you be more productive or at the very least can make your job easier. One of the most popular tablets is the iPad, with many owners swearing that it has made them more productive. One common gripe however is that the keyboard isn’t the best for efficiency. There are some features that help though.

Here’s a tip on how you can improve typing on your iPad through the use of keyboard shortcuts.

What are they?
Keyboard shortcuts are a built-in feature of iOS that allow you to type in a few letters and have your iPad input full sentences or words. This is similar to a Web browser’s autocomplete feature which will fill in forms when you enter a few letters or even a word.

How it works
Keyboard shortcuts require manual setup, you will have to set a phrase, sentence, word, etc. as well as the letters that will input the phrase. For example you can set the letters ‘beml’ to be a shortcut for your business email; when you type ‘beml’, your iPad will input your email address.

These shortcuts could be quite useful, especially if you find yourself continually entering the same word or sentence. This will make you more productive and, as long as you have the correct information, will ensure that there are no typos in important words or phrases.

How to set it keyboard shortcuts
Taking the business email example from above, here’s how you can set keyboard shortcuts. Note: These instructions relate to iOS 6.1 (the latest version of the operating system.)

1. Open the Settings app (gray box with three cogs).
2. Select General followed by Keyboard.
3. Scroll down and select Add New Shortcut.
4. Enter the full word/phrase/sentence in the Phrase section. In this case you would enter your full email address.
5. Enter the shortcut letters that will be related to the Phrase. In this case you would enter beml.
6. Tap Save in the top-right of the window.

When entering shortcuts, it is a good idea to not use common letters or combinations that make up words. For example if you set a shortcut as ‘mai’, everytime you type ‘mai’, the phrase will be entered. To come up with a good shortcut, try using the first letter of the first word, a middle letter and the last. Or, you could enter three consonants or vowels in a row e.g., ‘eee’.

How to edit keyboard shortcuts
You may notice that when you navigate to the Keyboard section in the Settings app, there is a number of existing shortcuts. You can edit these by:

1. Opening the Settings app (gray box with three cogs).
2. Selecting General followed by Keyboard.
3. Tapping Edit and selecting the shortcut to edit from the Shortcuts box.
4. Editing the phrase and shortcut associated to it in the window that opens.
5. Pressing Save in the top-right of the window.

The next time you need to enter a phrase that you have setup a shortcut for, try entering the shortcut. This should make typing on the iPad a bit more efficient and save you time.

If you are looking to learn more about the iPad, or how using one can help improve your productivity at work, please contact us today.

The whole idea of a tablet is that it is mobile, you can take it everywhere. In order to make the tablet as mobile as possible, tablets like the iPad can be bought with the ability to connect to wireless networks. This has proven to be a popular feature, however you need to sign up for a separate data plan. The question is, how do you know which one?

Here's two ways you can figure out the areas covered by various wireless providers so you can get the most out of your data connection on your iPad.

Within the USA If you live in the US, you can install an app called Coverage. This app is a map of the United States that shows the network coverage of the major network providers - AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

When you install and open the app, you will be presented with a map and a panel where you can search for cities or your current location. You can also select which networks to show. The map covers all of the US including Hawaii, Alaska, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, which makes it ideal for business users who travel throughout the US.

Because this app doesn't require an Internet connection, the data isn't 100% accurate, but from tests, it looks to be accurate enough for most users. USD$2.99 from iTunes.

Rest of the world If you aren't in the US, don't worry. Check out OpenSignal, a website that keeps an up-to-date map of wireless coverage around the world. You can search for 2G, 3G and 4G signal strength using an address or by selecting a country and city.

The map displays what OpenSignal calls a heat map - it's the signal strength in the area you are looking at. It will also show the NetworkRank based on the strongest signal of the providers. For example, select Sydney as your city and Australia as your country, and zoom into the North Sydney. You'll see that the map is covered in a haze that goes from blue to red. Blue indicates weak signal strength, while red represents strong. You'll also notice that Telstra Mobile is the strongest provider in this area.

This site can help you pinpoint which carrier to go with, based on your local area. It is also a good way to see if your provider has signal where you may be travelling.

A word of warning If you do have a data plan for your iPad, and plan to be traveling outside of your current location, it would be a good idea to consult the map or OpenSignal before you leave. There has been many stories of iPad users leaving their data plan on while traveling out of state or country, and receiving shockingly high mobile bills.

This is because if you leave your iPad connected to Data, it will connect to any compatible network e.g., AT&T users in the US will automatically connect to Rogers Wireless if they go to Canada. This is commonly referred to as roaming, and many networks charge extra for this. When traveling, it may be a good idea to just turn off your iPad's data connection.

You can turn your data connection off by:

1. Opening your iPad's Settings app by pressing the icon with the gears.
2. Tapping on Cellular Data which will be located on the right-hand menu bar.
3. Sliding the bar beside Cellular Data to Off.

If you are looking to integrate the iPad into your business, and would like help setting it up, please contact us today.

It's safe to say that email has become the primary communication tool for businesses all over the world. Its instant nature has also made communication infinitely easier. Despite all of the benefits of email, there are some drawbacks, with the sheer amount of emails we get on a daily basis being the biggest of them. If you inbox is a little unruly, there are steps you can take to reign it in.

Here are five tips on how you can better manage your inbox.

1. Address last Most people start an email by typing in the address of the recipient(s). While there is nothing wrong with this practice, it can lead to emails being sent before they are finished, which could mean more emails in your inbox asking for clarifications or you having to send a correction email.

To stop this, try writing the body of the email first and when you have finished, put the addresses of the recipients.

2. Merge social with email Sometimes it can be hard to know who you are writing or replying to in your email. Using an app like Rapportive, which brings social information into Gmail can help. This app puts a bar to the right-side of an email with information about the sender, including their social profiles, recent tweets and even links to their LinkedIn profile. You can look up your recipients and connect with them directly from the email.

3. Use links, not attachments With the increasing number of cloud storage and productivity apps like Microsoft SkyDrive and Google Drive which allow you to share files by sending people links, there's no need to attach files to an email. This is incredibly useful if you find yourself sending document versions back and forth on a regular basis and struggle to keep everything up to date.

These services use one version of the document that users you share it with have access to. Everyone sees the same document, which will cut down on the number of emails and confusion when it comes to version control of important documents.

4. Don't use email for everything Email is so quick and easy that we tend to rely on it for everything. However, there are certain situations when email is not the best form of communication. For example, if you have a tough problem, need to reprimand an employee, etc. it would not be a good idea to do so in email, it's just too impersonal.

As a rule of thumb: If there's any chance of human emotions entering into a response or being affected by an email, it may be a better idea to communicate face-to-face.

5. Cook all your bacn at once Bacn (pronounced Bacon) is solicited email; email you want, just not right now. Social media updates, newsletters, website update notifications, etc. are all forms of bacn. Checking these takes time and can be a distraction if you have work to get done. It would be a good idea to schedule a set amount of time where you focus on reading, deleting or archiving these emails.

Alternatively, you can unsubscribe from these alerts or set up a new email account that is just for this type of emails.

There are thousands of things you can do to make your email easier to manage. What do you do? Let us know. If you are looking for even more ways to manage your inbox, contact us today.

As technology continues to advance at an increased almost breakneck pace, most advances we see on a daily basis are largely aimed at retail consumers. A perfect example of this is Apple's iPad which was aimed at the domestic market on release and is now being readily adopted by business customers. One reason why the iPad is becoming so popular for businesses is because of the numerous apps that can help boost productivity while away from the office.

Here's some useful apps for the iPad that can help boost your productivity.

Document compatibility It's highly likely that your office uses a document production program that isn't made by Apple - Microsoft Office. Using another program to create documents and then spending time formatting on your work computer isn't a great productivity booster, but there are options.

If you do use Microsoft Office the iPad kind of supports Office documents through Apple's iWork. iWork does support Office files, however formatting and other things like fonts normally won't transfer over. This can be counter-productive.

While there will be a version of Microsoft Office heading to the iPad sometime in early 2013 (no set date yet), you're likely better off purchasing an app like Documents to Go which allows users to open, edit and create Office documents.

If you aren't doing serious work on the iPad and just need it for mobile document production, you can skip paying for an app and instead sign up for an outlook.com or Office 365 account. Doing so will give you access to cloud based versions of Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and Excel.

Not a Microsoft fan? There's also Google Drive. It's not 100% compatible with Microsoft Office  though as many functions and formatting won't transfer over properly. However, with solid word, spreadsheet and presentation programs it's a great option for Google users.

Notes Because of the iPad's size, it's a perfect tool to take notes on. There are literally hundreds of different note apps available for the iPad, some are great, others lack functionality. One of the most consistent is Evernote. Evernote is available for nearly every system, so a note made on your iPad can be accessed on your computer, iPhone, Android Device or even BlackBerry.

Evernote really excels when you need to take simple notes. There's also a number of excellent  add-on apps like Penultimate - which allows you to take handwritten notes - which make it a nearly all-in-one solution. The best part is: The basic app is free.

Sharing files When you are mobile with the iPad, you will no doubt need to share files with users. There are many different ways you can do this. The easiest way is to use an app like Dropbox or SugarSync which allows you to upload files and share them when needed. While you can upload most programs or files, you won't be able to edit some of these.

How most of these work is that you put a copy of the app on your hard drive which is essentially a folder. When you put files/folders into this folder, they will be uploaded to the cloud and allow you to access the files/folders from any device you have installed the app on.

There are many other apps available that can help boost your productivity. Have you found some that you can't live without? Let us know.

The tablet, while not a new device, has seen an impressive revival over the past four years. This is largely due to Apple’s iPad which has captured the imaginations and wallets of retail customers worldwide. On October 23, Apple launched not one but two new iPads, including a new smaller version called the iPad mini.

Below is more information on the two recently introduced iPads.

The new, new iPad Apple has wisely decided to go back to adding numbers to their products. In fact, the launch event contained no words on the new iPad (iPad 3) at all. Apple seems to have swept it under the rug, as you can no longer find the ‘iPad 3’ on the Apple store, it’s been replaced by the iPad with Retina display - read: iPad 4.

The iPad 4 contains a new processor, the A6, which according to Apple, “is up to twice as fast as the previous-generation A5X chip [featured in the iPad 3], and it delivers up to twice the graphics performance, without sacrificing battery life.” Users can look forward to a smoother operating environment, a difference that will be noted by users of the older first and second generation iPads.

Other new features include the new charging port that Apple introduced with the iPhone. The Lightning connector is a port that replaces Apple’s 30 pin connector and can be plugged-in in any direction, meaning you can just plug the device in and not worry about ruining the connector ports. The downside to this is: older peripherals won’t work with the new iPad without an adaptor which currently costs USD$29.00.

Aside from a new processor and connection port, the iPad 4 is the same as the iPad 3. The screen is still 9.7 inches, LTE is featured and from what we have heard, battery life is the same. If you’ve purchased an iPad 3 in the past 30 days, contact Apple as you may be eligible to return the iPad 3 for an iPad 4 at no extra charge.

It’s like the iPad, only small(er) Over the past year, Samsung and Google managed to highlight that there is wide demand for a device that’s smaller and more portable than Apple’s iPad. Their 7 inch tablets have been great sellers and Apple has now entered into the 7 inch fray with the 7.9 inch iPad mini. The screen has a resolution of 1024 X 768 which puts it at the same resolution as the iPad 2. The key with the screen is that it doesn’t have a Retina display, a confusing move on Apple’s part considering nearly all their new devices have it.

The processor in the mini is an older A5, the same processor found in the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2. While it may seem like a big step down, remember that these two devices are only a year and 1.5 years old, respectively. This means the mini should have no problem running apps already available on the App store. We do predict one potential issue with this however. With the introduction of the new A6 chip, many developers will be starting to develop apps that only run with this, thus rendering devices running an A5 chip obsolete much faster. Time will tell but don’t worry too much as it will be at least a year, probably closer to two, before this potentially becomes a problem.

Other features business users will enjoy include the Lightning connector, 10 hour battery life - according to Apple - and the ability to connect to 4G networks if they are offered by mobile providers in your area.

Prices and availability Both the iPad 4 and Wi-Fi versions of the iPad mini will be available for pre-order on October 26, and in stores November 2 for most countries, including: Australia, Canada, the UK and the US among others. Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini models will be available in mid November. The iPad 4 will be available in two different models:

• Wi-Fi only:
  • USD$499 for 16GB
  • USD$599 for 32GB
  • USD$699 for 64GB
• Wi-Fi + Cellular:
  • USD$629 for 16GB
  • USD$729 for 32GB
  • USD$829 for 64GB

The iPad Mini will be available in two different models:

• Wi-Fi only:
  • USD$329 for 16GB
  • USD$429 for 32GB
  • USD$529 for 64GB
• Wi-Fi + Cellular:
  • USD$459 for 16GB
  • USD$559 for 32GB
  • USD$659 for 64GB

With the iPad mini, Apple has stayed true to history and chosen to present it as a tablet with a luxury price tag. Will it sell well? Most likely. Should you buy one? If you have the budget, go ahead, but we don’t predict the iPad mini sales will be huge in the business market, it’s simply priced outside the budget of most small businesses to make it a viable device. At the very least, hold off until the first week of November, as Google has scheduled an event where it’s rumored to be launching new tablets too. Once the event is revealed it might be a good time to look deeper into the iPad.

Do you plan to get a new iPad? What do you think of Apple’s latest offerings? Let us know your thoughts on this.

There’s little doubt as to how useful mobile devices like the iPad are, salespeople who give a large amount of presentations don’t have to lug around a computer and managers can check in on the office from anywhere; the uses are near infinite. As the iPad and mobile devices continue to be used in offices, it’s important that you take care of them so you can get the most out of these machines.

Here’s what you can do to ensure you get the most out of your device, and will be able to use it for years to come.

Take care of your Retina The screen and display on the iPad and other devices are things of beauty, however they are slightly fragile. Drop it or scratch it and your flashy device could be rendered useless. You should know that the iPad, and all mobile devices’ screens are made of glass, so it is obviously likely to break if dropped from a height. It goes without saying: be careful not to drop it.

The screen also has an oleophobic coating on it, this means it doesn’t like oil and should, in theory, repel fingerprints. Anyone that’s used the iPad knows this isn’t truly the case, fingerprints will still be left on the screen. They do wipe off easily though and you can clean the screen with a lint-free cloth. If you wear eyeglasses, the cloth you use to clean them will work well.

If you’re worried about scratches, or small nicks you could buy a screen protector - a thin, transparent film that goes on top of screens to protect them. Some films also have oleophobic coating, and are matte or completely transparent. Be sure to follow the instructions on how to apply them, as poorly applied protectors can detract from user experience.

Long lasting batteries The batteries in most mobile devices, the iPad included, are lithium based, which makes them rechargable. While they are rechargeable, you will notice that over time the charge doesn’t last as long. To extend the life of your batteries you should ensure to keep your apps up-to-date as developers will often tweak power consumption of their apps. Beyond that, you should complete a full cycle of the battery at least once a month. This means charging the battery to 100% and using the device until the battery dies, then charging to 100% again.

Environmental care Electronics can be extremely sensitive to the surrounding environment. Prolonged use in extreme temperatures (higher than 95 degrees fahrenheit/35 celsius; lower than 32 fahrenheit/0 celsius) could damage internal circuits along with the display and battery. Similarly, humid environments or water can cause problems, so best to keep your device away from damp or wet conditions. If your device does get wet, don’t use heating elements like the microwave or hair dryers to dry it (common sense, we know, but it has been heard of before!).

Beyond that, it’s a good idea to be careful with peripherals. That cheap power cord/charger you bought off ebay may actually have pieces that can break the connectors/ports of your device. If it’s not a popular name brand, better steer clear of it.

Use a “crash helmet” for your device When riding a bike, it’s important to wear a helmet to protect your head in case you fall. The same can be said for your iPad, and you should have a protective case, cover or folio to protect the device from bumps, drops and daily use.

Smooth operator A brand new iPad is a smooth machine, where navigation is snappy, and loading apps is super speedy. Over time however, your iPad will slow down as you install more apps or put more information and data on it. To ensure the experience stays smooth, it’s a good idea to periodically review your apps and delete ones you don’t use anymore. You can also transfer pictures and media to your computer or the cloud to free up even more space. If you’re iPad is still really slow, a factory reset could also help. Be warned, you will loose all your data, so backup first.

Extended warranty? We don’t need no extended warranty It may seem like the extended warranty that you can purchase for your mobile devices is an unnecessary and costly addition to add on to the purchase of the device. While it does undoubtedly add to the cost of the device,it does mean that if your iPad stops working you can get Apple to replace it, or at least cover the repairs. It’s a good idea for businesses to pursue this option as it can extend the life of a device while minimizing upkeep costs.

These are just a few ways you can ensure your iPad or other mobile device will last longer. Do you have any other things you do to extend the life of your device? Let us know. If you’d like to learn more about how to ensure you’re getting the most out of your device, please contact us.

In mid July, Google released its new tablet, the Nexus 7. The Nexus 7 is one of the first tablets to truly challenge the iPad. The Nexus 7 has some great features that have many small business owners contemplating whether they should get one or not. Before you invest in a new tablet, we have compared the iPad and Nexus 7 tablets.

Here is a comparison between the new iPad (iPad 3) and the Google Nexus 7 (N7).

On the outside The iPad is 9.5 inches long and 7.31 inches wide, with a viewable area of 9.7 inches from the top-left to the bottom-right of the screen. The Nexus 7 is smaller at 7.81 inches long by 4.72 inches wide, with a viewable area of 7 inches. The iPad weighs around 1.4 pounds while the Nexus 7 weighs .75 pounds. Due to its size, the Nexus 7 is more portable and due to a rubber backing it’s easier to hold.

Displays The display is one of the most important features to take into account when buying any device. The iPad uses Apple’s Retina display, a super high resolution display that produces by far the best images. The resolution of the iPad is 2048 X 1536 while the Nexus 7’s display is 1280 X 800 - the higher the number generally means the better the display. With a higher resolution, the iPad’s display is the best, however, the Nexus 7’s display is a close second in terms of image quality and viewability.

Build Quality Small business owners or managers that spend a lot of time on the road need devices that can keep up with the rigorous demands of travel. Apple is well-known for high quality devices, the main weakness of the iPad is a slightly fragile screen which is prone to cracking with even the slightest impact. The Nexus 7 is untested, but from drop and dunk tests, it looks like the Nexus 7 is the more durable device without a case. Add a protective case and the iPad is just as durable.

OS and Apps Any Apple device will run an Apple OS, in this case, the iPad runs the iOS which is an extremely user friendly environment. Turn on your iPad for the first time, enter your information and away you go. As the iPad has been out for a couple of years, a number of developers have made iPad specific apps, which means the iPad has a ton of useful business oriented apps.

The Nexus 7 runs on the Android OS and is the first device to have Google’s new version, Jelly Bean. The new OS goes a long ways in making devices easier to use, but it still can’t compete with the iPad in terms of ease of use. There are a large number of apps on Google Play - Google’s app store - but the number of tablet optimized apps is lacking.

Security Android devices like the Nexus 7 are built on an open-source OS - Anyone can download the OS and make changes - which means that it is less secure, as has been proven by an increase in the number of malware and viruses that target Android devices. The iPad, while not immune to viruses and malware, is a more secure environment.

Price There is a stark difference in the price of the two tablets. A basic iPad starts at US$499 and can run up to US$829. At the same time, the Nexus 7 starts at US$199 and costs up to US$250 if you chose to go with more storage.

Which one should small businesses buy? When businesses owners ask which tablet should they buy, we strongly recommend that they look at their needs and current environment. If you’re buying a tablet to take the office with you, or mobilize your office, you need to ensure that there are apps available for your device that will allow you to do this and that your current system is compatible. In general, companies will release apps for the iOS environment first, with Android apps coming later, sometimes up to a year later.

Which tablet do you use, or would you consider using in your business? Let us know below. If you’ve made your mind up and would like to know more about integrating the tablet into your operations, please contact us.

One of the most common elements of small businesses is the point of sale system. Many businesses use the traditional setup of a cash register, cash drawer, printer and inventory management system. These systems have historically been the last to be upgraded. There’s a new app for the iPad however that’s out the change this.

The system is called Square and is a series of apps that turn your iPad into a point of sale system, similar to standard touch screen point of sale systems already in use by many small businesses.

How Square works There are essentially three different aspects to the Square system. The central aspect is the iPad app called Square Register. You, the shop owner, install the app and begin by adding your inventory. You set the price, sales tax and the category the item belongs in. When a customer wants to buy something, your employee selects the item and starts the transaction. As you can connect both a printer and cash drawer to the system, it works just like any other point of sale system.

The second aspect of the Square system is the card reader. The vast majority of customers prefer to use debit, credit or ATM cards instead of cash. For these situations, Square provides a card reader that plugs into the iPad’s headphone jack. Simply swipe the card through the reader, as you would with normal systems. What’s cool about this is the card reader also works on Android and iPhones, which makes the system portable.

The third aspect is rewards. Using Square Register you can set up a rewards program for return customers, while providing them with yet another way to pay. The client downloads the Pay with Square app, links their credit card to the app and is able to open a tab with you. When they buy something, you can bill their account directly. When they use the app to pay for something, the reward program is updated and they receive a receipt by email or SMS.

What’s the catch? While Square sounds like a viable system, and is a theoretically great idea, there are some things you should be aware of. First, merchants pay a flat transaction fee of 2.75% each time a card is swiped. If you manually enter a payment, or if a customer uses cash, the fee is slightly higher. While this may seem a bit steep, the upside to it is there’s no monthly fee or commitment. you just pay the flat fee.

The other thing to be aware of is Square does put holds on transactions of over USD $1,000 if the credit card information is keyed in, this is a weekly limit. In other words, if an employee manually enters a credit card number for a purchase of $1,500, $500 will be held by Square for 30 days. This isn’t ideal for businesses that manually enter credit card numbers.

This system is a good option for the small business owner looking to replace their current point of sale system, while at the same time integrating the iPad into their business environment. This is also a good option for a company looking to mobilize their business. If you have any more questions about Square or other similar options for the iPad please contact us.