Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
Move Over, iPhone: 5 Reasons Android Now Works for Small Enterprise
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 by Matt Hymel
While large corporations usually depend on certain hardware
manufacturers for their technology, today companies are adjusting
to their employees mobile and computer preferences. With the market
growing beyond Microsoft for operating systems and Hewlett-Packard
for technology hardware, consumer options have turned into
corporate IT nightmares-so many devices, so many alterations to
protect the user and company from malicious content.
After Apple exploded with the release of the consumer-targeted
iPod, they entered the mobile industry with the iPhone. This
product, also aimed at consumers, eventually fell into enough
high-ranking hands that companies were overwhelmed with the demand
to cover iPhones within their IT protection protocol. To this day,
iPhones and Blackberries continue to dominate business
environments, but the mobile market is evolving quickly.
In fact, Google now has the fastest growing mobile OS with its
popular (yet fragmented) Android platform, ranging from version
1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.1, and the latest 2.2. With more consumers
opting for an open-source platform, businesses both large and small
may need to cover their tail when it comes to data protection and
user security. Fortunately, here are five reasons why small
businesses can utilize Android 2.2 as an efficient enterprise
tool:
Exchange Support. While users have no problem
syncing their Google services with Android devices, Exchange was a
different story. With the release of 2.2 (out now only for Nexus
One, more devices later this year), Exchange support offers Mail,
Calendars, and Contact sync. If the platform continues to gain
market share, don't be surprised to see Google create a more
enterprise-worthy deviation.
Video Conferencing. While most people were
"introduced" to FaceTime, video chatting is nothing new to the
business and technology world. Now with the software and hardware
widely adapted, video will become a more effective business tool
and help shape the way small businesses and clients communicate.
For example, product demonstrations can be streamed through the
camera of one employee's cell phone straight from a client's
shop.
Security. One of the most important aspects
from an IT department's point of view is security. While users want
a flawless experience, IT specialists work hard to bring that
functionality while protecting important data from leaking or
malicious content from entering. In the case of Android 2.2, you
can now use full alphanumeric passwords (as opposed to pattern
drawing on previous versions), a big step in IT protection
capabilities.
Remote Management. Along with the advances in
security, version 2.2 permits IT departments to control passwords
and wipe devices remotely through an Exchange server. Still
required for IT to function would be encryption for removable media
cards and remote tracking.
Business-specific Applications. The explosion
of the Android platform has been due in some part to its
open-source community and the quickly-developing Android market.
This week, Google launched App Inventor for Android, an application
that allows anyone to build an app from scratch. While this won't
turn the average mobile user into a certified developer, this
reinforces the direction of Android's open system: build whatever
your company needs and use it on our operating system. Small
businesses could utilize application development for simple or
complicated enterprise endeavors.
For more information about Google Android 2.2, check out this article from computerworld.com.
Until Next Time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Small Business IT Support
& Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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