business-processes

Enterprise security control for Google Docs
Source: JD Speedy

A new web app helps enterprise security IT control the security of Google Docs. This is interesting to me in particular becuase it arrives at the intersection between functionality and security.

Google Docs can be such a powerful tool for business but is sometimes overlooked because it seems hard to fit into the entire security strategy. DomainWatch is a web app that's well suited to small businesses looking at Google Docs as an alternative to Office or other competing brands.

It allows enterprise IT teams to set policies from a central dashboard and control permissions, users, etc. as you might with a fully featured app suite.

If you're interested, DomainWatch is available for $8 a year, per user and is available on its creator's website, BetterCloud.

JD
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday bigger in Canada in 2011
Source: JD Speedy

Since 2010, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (previously a U.S.-only phenomenon, following Thanksgiving in the States and marking the start of Christmas shopping) has been growing. But the numbers for 2011 are staggering.

According to a study from Richmond Hill-based Orderdynamics claims retail in this period in Canada grew 15 per cent (accounting $35 billion total) from 2010 to 2011.

During the Black Friday weekend, big retail chains offer large "door-crasher" discounts on mostly consumer technology. Cyber Monday - the monday after Black Friday - the deals go online-only.

Companies that have really cashed in on the big holiday-starting sale phenomena have included HP with its TouchPad product and RIM with a Playbook markdown.

The fact that retail did so well in 2011 over 2010 will most likely influence how big businesses will go with their sales for 2012. Expect a lot of pomp and possibly some good deals, assuming you're quick enough on the draw (or the click).

JD
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Want to be more distracted while driving?
Source: JD Speedy

What's long been rumoured in the whole 'connected cars' area of tech is now becoming a reality. In a video for the Wall Street Journal, Joe White explores some new cars that feature 17 inch screens (for the driver, mind you), can check in on your favourite social networks and even help you grab movie tickets on the go.

I'm trying to muster up some surprise here, but really, this is a lot of what your smart phone already does, but implemented into a car interior. In fact, hasn't there been an issue with distracted drivers because of this type of functionality? Granted, not every car will have this type of connectivity, and it's up to the driver to decide when it's pertinent to use, but come on. Do we need it?

Either way, it seems like it won't be long before every car has some version of this type of functionality, even if it's as simple as automatically connecting to your smart phone as you enter the car to let you make calls through the stereo system instead of putting the handset to your ear.

JD
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Amazon rumoured to release larger Fire
Source: JD Speedy

Since yesterday ended with a glut of rumours, why not start today with one? According to the blogosphere (which I assume is a snowglobe full of blogs) Amazon may be readying a 9 inch version of its first and only true tablet, the Kindle Fire.

With a 9 inch version, the Fire would come in direct comparison with another big tablet manufacturers marquee product, one which sports a display around the same size.

No word on what pricing its considering for this new, super-sized offering, but it's pretty safe to say there won't be a huge difference in hardware. Amazon has been pretty intent on nailing the cheap end of the scale, as evidenced by its new ad I wrote about yesterday.

I can't really predict at all what the reception would be to a 9 inch Kindle Fire because it's still a little early to tell what the reception was to the original, 7 inch incarnation. The vote's still out for now. Then again, the pricepoint has been selling it pretty well, at least for now, so it stands to reason that matching the iTab, size-wise, is a pretty interesting move that could divide that target demographic of large size tablet users.

JD
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Google to launch Dropbox rival, according to a rumour
Source: JD Speedy

I think today must be rumour day in the IT biz. Google is not immune to this, and in the 'most likely to be true' rumour of the day, the big G is getting ready to launch it's own secure storage service, Drive.

This would come as a surprise to almost no one, except for maybe the few that ask "but I already use Gmail for that".

For everyone else, this would offer the same kind of experience you know and love, but with dedicated ties to Google Docs, Gmail and - wait for it - Google+. Or at least that's what I figure.

Naturally, Google is a great fit for this type of service, if only for the amount of successful cloud products it's already launched and the fact that anyone familiar with consumer cloud probably already stores stuff with Google.

Reportedly, and by reportedly, I mean it's a rumour, the service would be free up to a certain GB mark for all users - much like Gmail - with premium space available at a premium.

JD
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