SmallBizResource Blog -- Networking & Communications

15 Inexpensive VoIP Options

Posted by Gayle Kesten 02:59 PM ET | Oct 28, 2008

I promised my folks I'd never (publicly) knock their limited know-how about technology, so let me say how EXTREMELY IMPRESSED I am that they're using a VoIP service to cut down on their long-distance phone bills.

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Economy | Mobility | Networking & Communications | Productivity | SmallBizResource | Software

Apple Rolls Out iPhone 3G

Posted by Gayle Kesten 01:22 PM ET | Jul 11, 2008

Back in the day, I camped out for tickets to see Bruce Springstein and Hall & Oates. So I really can't fault Mac fans for wanting to be among the first to buy the new iPhone.

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Hardware | Mobility | Networking & Communications | Software

5 Reasons Your Voice Mail Doesn't Get Answered, And What To Do About It

Posted by Janet Attard, Courtesy of Business Know-How 08:20 PM ET | Jul 10, 2008

Hate voice mail? Who doesn't!

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Business Know-How | Networking & Communications

Jaxtr: Another Option For Low-Cost Calling

Posted by Gayle Kesten 11:47 AM ET | Jun 24, 2008

Two months after Skype debuted a trio of inexpensive plans for calling abroad comes a new option from VoIP provider Jaxtr that lets callers dial out of network for a handful of pennies per minute.

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Mobility | Networking & Communications

Comcast Woes, or How I Learned to Love Free WiFi

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:44 PM ET | Jun 16, 2008

How important to a telecommuter or someone running a small business out of their home is access to the phone and the Internet? I found out the hard way. (And, in the process, decided that free wireless access should be a constitutional right.)

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Internet | Networking & Communications

Apple Unveils 3G iPhone

Posted by Gayle Kesten 07:58 AM ET | Jun 10, 2008

Fans of the "i" will be happy to know Apple's next-gen iPhone is just one month away from availability.

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Hardware | Internet | Mobility | Networking & Communications

bMighty bConnected NetSeminar: Communication Innovation For Small And Midsize Businesses

Posted by Gayle Kesten 12:47 PM ET | May 20, 2008

And now a word from our parent, bMighty...

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Networking & Communications

Skype Intros Inexpensive Plans For Calling Abroad

Posted by Gayle Kesten 08:04 AM ET | Apr 22, 2008

Talk is now cheaper, particularly when you need to make an international call.

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Networking & Communications

A Resolution That Requires Attention

Posted by Judy Mottl 05:30 PM ET | Dec 30, 2007

2007 was the year of the data breach, with more companies acknowledging stolen data and more data getting illegally snagged--a four-fold increase over last year alone.

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Networking & Communications

Make Time For A Quickie (Security Test That Is)

Posted by Judy Mottl 03:45 PM ET | Dec 20, 2007

Web sites are often the backbone of a small business and security is key to making sure all's working well. Here's a chance to take a free DIY test to check for those nasty flaws.

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Networking & Communications

The Seeding Of The Soft Upsell

Posted by Judy Mottl 01:57 PM ET | Dec 13, 2007

My little guy was on a tear the other day, answering any question I posed with the additional comment of "do you want fries with that?" It was 9-year-old humor at its best and he completely cracked himself up. I admit I laughed a bit too..laughter, thankfully, is contagious.

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Networking & Communications

Never Having To Hunt For A Restroom: Priceless

Posted by Judy Mottl 10:01 AM ET | Dec 13, 2007

Imagine this scenario: you're in a city you've never visited and have no clue where a restroom may be. I'm pretty sure we've all experienced the situation. But someone smarter than us saw business potential in the potty dilemma.

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Networking & Communications

A Big Technology Gets Small For SMBs

Posted by Judy Mottl 11:23 AM ET | Dec 6, 2007

I know, the word virtualization might not mean a great deal to small business owners. But when you put it together with incredible tech savings--like having to spend just $1K instead of $20K for a server farm--you need to pay attention.

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Networking & Communications

Don't Be So Jolly About That Office Party

Posted by Judy Mottl 01:40 PM ET | Dec 3, 2007

I know you probably think the holiday office party is a good thing--a morale booster, a time to have fun and show appreciation for your employees. It's also prime time for disaster and you might want to reconsider how to celebrate the season in the office.

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Networking & Communications

Making Online Communication Even More Valuable

Posted by Judy Mottl 09:27 AM ET | Nov 16, 2007

There’s a neat little communication tool for the small office that could go a long way in making meetings actually valuable and it's got a enticing price tag to boot.

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Networking & Communications

A Wireless Innovation To Keep An Eye On

Posted by Judy Mottl 03:19 PM ET | Nov 3, 2007

Sharing content, among any wireless device held by anyone anywhere, would be a beautiful technology capability for home and SMB offices.

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Networking & Communications

Keeping The Boogeymen, & Other IT-Crushing Zombies Away

Posted by Judy Mottl 12:04 PM ET | Oct 30, 2007

On the eve before the most magical night of the year, Hallow's Eve, there's no better time for a IT security checkup.

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Networking & Communications

Online Networking Can Be Done Easily, Cheaply – and it Works

Posted by Naomi Grossman 11:05 AM ET | Oct 30, 2007

A Discover small business survey yields results that aren't very surprising, but are nonetheless disappointing. Only six percent of small business respondents cite online sites for networking opportunities.

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Marketing | Networking & Communications | SmallBizResource

Best Practices For Data Protection

Posted by Judy Mottl 07:57 AM ET | Oct 23, 2007

Managing data is one of those daily tasks that’s never going to go away, or get any easier. Just one data theft or loss can hit a small business hard—-from damaging a company's reputation to losing customers.

But there are some good best practices you can put in place to reduce risk.

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Networking & Communications

Want To Go WiFi? There's A Vendor For You

Posted by Judy Mottl 08:05 AM ET | Oct 11, 2007

If you've made the big decision to go wireless, but have no idea who to turn to or where to first reach out, there's a new player in the marketplace you may want to ring up.

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Networking & Communications

Virus, Worms, Spyware, Oh My!

Posted by Judy Mottl 07:07 AM ET | Oct 9, 2007

If you think viruses and worms are your company’s biggest data and networking security threats, think again.

And if you think your spyware solution is working perfect, then you really need a reality check.

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Networking & Communications

Hosted Telephony Offers More Than Low Price Point

Posted by Judy Mottl 07:25 AM ET | Oct 8, 2007

Consignworks is a virtual business in every sense of the phrase. The full-service estate liquidation, consignment and asset resale company sells to customers through every channel possible and requires flexibility when it comes to communications technology.

After doing a bit of homework the company founders found exactly what they needed with a hosted telephony solution that costs much less than a landline approach yet provides nearly every feature a business needs.

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Networking & Communications

Hello Microsoft? I Need a Tech Guy

Posted by Naomi Grossman 01:59 PM ET | Oct 3, 2007

Pity the small business owner. You can't afford a tech guy, you usually don't need a tech guy, but when something goes wrong, boy do you wish you had one.

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Hardware | Networking & Communications | SmallBizResource | Software

Microsoft Enters The Office Phone Business

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:10 PM ET | Oct 2, 2007

Its new Response Point software is designed to power digital telephone networks without requiring a costly or complex PBX system.

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Networking & Communications

Networking Comes Easy With The Right Tool

Posted by Judy Mottl 10:30 AM ET | Oct 2, 2007

Denis Oakley runs Oakley Steel, which sources high quality European steel for engineering and construction companies building oil rigs, pressure vessels and a variety of other applications where steel quality is paramount. His company is a three-person team looking to double staff in the next three months. Oakley himself runs all things IT.

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Networking & Communications