Even though all the bigwigs in the financial world finally had to admit what we knew months ago, we’re in a horrible recession, people are still reluctant to speculate on the outcome of this “little downturn.” That’s why it was so refreshing to find predictions of the 10 ways the recession will affect our tech-centered world. It’s not because I want doom and gloom; it’s because I want to know what to expect.

1.  Free Tech Support - Companies won’t be willing to pay for real people to field your phone calls when they can just post help files and FAQs on their site.

2.  Paying for Wi-Fi - Nobody will pay for Wi-Fi because people will be looking to save money by finding free hotspots. This will drive the market toward public Wi-Fi access.

3.  Landline Phones - This should be obvious; the death of landline phones has been predicted for years.

4.  Movie Rental Stores - Another one that’s been predicted for a while. Downloadable content will become so ubiquitous that traipsing to the rental store will seem so old fashioned.

5.  Web 2.0 Companies without a Business Plan - Frankly it’s incredible that they’ve lasted this long without a clear way to make revenue, but with the current economic conditions investors will be a lot more interested in companies that can make money instead of headlines. When these companies have burned through all their capital and still don’t have a solid way to make money, they’ll disappear. You might want to say goodbye to some of your favorite free online services and get ready to see a lot more subscriptions.

6.  Most Companies in Silicon Valley - Failures and mergers will cull the Silicon Valley tech industry to 25% (PCWorld’s prediction) of its current number of companies.

7. Palm Inc. - The company seems a little “clueless” according to PCWorld, and isn’t likely to be able to compete in the smartphone market already dominated by iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices.

8.  Yahoo - A bold prediction, but possibly a correct one considering all the bumbling and flailing it has done lately.

9.  Half of All Retail Stores - Similar to the consolidation of Silicon Valley companies, the economy won’t be able to support so many retail stores. It won’t help that more and more people will turn to the internet for shopping instead of brick-and-mortar stores.

10.  Satellite Radio - This is the one prediction that might be more obvious than the death of landlines. There just aren’t enough subscribers and car sales are dropping, meaning fewer people are getting new cars with satellite radio.

The outlook isn’t totally bleak for the tech industry. In some cases, the consolidation of companies and technologies might be a benefit for consumers. And nobody is really going to miss satellite radio.

Every year two things happen in the world of technology overall and especially in the world of small businesses.

1. Technology remains the same (cell phones, computers, web browsers - ho hum)

2. Technology evolves and gets better (think iPhone, Netbooks, Google’s Chrome - match them to the list above)

What this means for your business is that if you want your business to grow through leveraging technology you simply can not continue to rely on the same old technology you have always used.

For example, the 10 notebook computers you purchased 3 or 4 years ago, for your sales team, might be quite functional. However, new and more powerful software, better and more wireless options and smaller notebooks are now available and could dramatically boost the productivity of your team.

What are the top 10 technology trends you need to be on the lookout for in 2009, for your small business?  Let’s take a look:

1. Netbook Adoption Accelerates

Mini computers, weighing around 2 pounds and the size of a large book, are ideal tools for busy executives and professionals on the go. They are not as powerful as traditional notebooks, the screens are a lot smaller and the battery life is not as long. However, for simple web browsing, emailing and other light computing needs - they are going to be used more and more by many professionals.

If you need a portable computer for basic computing tasks and find that your main notebook is too heavy and bulky and your smartphone’s keyboard and screen are too small, a Netbook could be something for you to consider. With the rise of hosted applications (cloud computing, software as a service, etc) using a Netbook makes even more sense as the requirement for a large hard disk and synchronization of data will not be an issue.

Growth of netbooks has accelerated sharply.  For example, more netbooks were sold in Q3 of 2008 than the wildly popular iPhone.  This trend toward netbook adoption should continue in 2009 as entrepreneurs and professionals see the advantages.

2. Built-in Wireless Broadband Usages Widens

Many of us use external wireless cards that provide cellular phone connectivity for mobile computing just about anywhere in the United States. This connectivity, with service from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon Wireless offers access to the Internet from a train, hotel, taxi or just about anywhere - especially handy when WiFi is not an option.

Instead of having to use an external wireless card, most every notebook vendor sells an option to embed broadband wireless access into their notebooks. No longer will you have to fumble with an external card, but you can now have relatively fast access to the Internet built into your computer. If access to the Internet is a must, ensure your productivity is not hampered by using wireless broadband in 2009.

3. Cell Phones Get more Software

Google’s newly launched Android cell phone and Apple’s iPhone have ushered in a new way of buying cell phones. Instead of wireless cell phone carriers controlling the applications that reside on cell phones, Google and Apple have changed this model. The Android and iPhone software are not controlled by wireless carriers but controlled by their respective software vendors. Google and Apple are working directly with developers to ensure applications are developed for their respective platforms.

In 2009 you’ll still see more cell phones released in the traditional model (such as the BlackBerry Bold and Storm), but you’ll also see more cell phones on the market led by software vendors. Why is this important for your business? Smartphone communication is not an option but a standard business tool. The software options available on these devices, as exemplified by the breadth of tools on Apple’s iPhone, increase  productivity for businesses.

As Google’s Gmail forced other email providers (Yahoo Mail, Microsoft Live/Hotmail) to enhance their services, Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhone will force the cellular market, overall to do more for customers - consumers and businesses.

4.  Unified Communications Increase

Large companies are investing in unified communication (UC) systems from Microsoft, Avaya and Cisco. These systems place the power of telephony onto the computer and include an integration of telephone, CRM, chat, address book, calendar and other things. Many companies are also developing feature rich and low cost UC platforms specifically for small businesses. Many of these systems work in conjunction with voice over the Internet solutions and allow one to use a telephone, PC or smartphone to access the UC features.

If you want to ensure that your small business, even with minimal resources, has the productivity of a larger business, integrating your communication tools is critical. For example, if customers call your office, you should be able to see their profile on your computer screen automatically. Being able to greet the customer in a more personalized manner and even knowing about the last interaction with the customer (order, returns, complaints, etc) is important.

Another example:  If you get a fax, there’s no reason why you should not be alerted to the fax and even see the fax from your smartphone. Being able to respond to customers as soon as possible boost your customer service, responding to vendors or employees in hours and not days boosts productivity.

5. Online Data Backups Proliferate

We all know that we should back up our data — but unfortunately not everyone backs up their data. In 2009 you’ll see vendors offering more online backup solutions. Instead of backing up your data to a hard disk, DVD or other local media, the data is sent over the Internet and stored on the remote servers.

There are many “consumer” oriented backup solutions, many free. In 2009 these consumer backup solutions will offer options for more storage and more enhanced backup solutions for small businesses - through the Internet.

When (some might say if) something happens to your data (accidental deletion, disgruntled employee theft, etc, etc) a good backup solution will ensure your customer records, contracts, personnel files and other data can be retrieved. Online, or cloud computing backup solutions, makes the backup solution completely automated and hassle free.

6.  Social Media Becomes Strategic

Social media is not new to any of us, but we are not using it as strategically as we can. In 2009 expect more businesses to use social media as a way to communicate with customers. While web sites and email newsletters are still important communication tools social media tools as a standard (not exception) communication tool will increase.

For example, more people will be aware of Twitter (beyond just geeks) and start to use it to receive information from businesses they want to keep in touch with. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for finding connections, but users often under-utilize it. In a recent conference, almost 80% of the hands went up that they were LinkedIn users and the same hands stayed up that they really didn’t know what to do with LinkedIn.

It is important that you learn as much as you can about enhancing your use of social media  in order to network with other businesses, find new customers and better communicate with existing customers.

7. Online Video gets Cheaper and More Widespread

I recently bought a Flip video camera and am amazed at the quality of the video it produces. While a $500 or $1,500 traditional video camera is the best option (better video quality), their size, expense and complexity limit their use by most business persons. Cell phone videos are simply too grainy for use.

As more companies produce low cost and quality tools for video production and sharing of those videos (such as YouTube, Flickr, Vimeo and Blip.tv) businesses can leverage video as a powerful marketing tool. Video can complement a blog, email newsletter or Facebook page quite nicely.

8. Video Conference Solutions Expand

Although Cisco’s Tele Presence is too expensive for many small businesses, there are video conferencing solutions to consider that are a lot cheaper but feature rich. The majority of these solutions include software and a web camera and communicate over the Internet.

The systems of 5 and 10 years ago, with grainy images and low quality are much different than the feature-rich and higher quality systems of today. Being able to connect with customers, prospects, vendors or employees “face to face” via video is often better than simply email, telephone or instant messaging. A plane ticket is expensive and the trip takes time, but video conferencing is quite doable. There are dozens of good, inexpensive, video conference solutions - Skype and Sightspeed are two you might want to try out.

9. Hosted Software Applications Go on the Fast Track

Just last week I threw away several years worth and dozens of old CDs and floppy disks of really old software. I even had copies of Windows 95.

When I think of the physical software I have in my library now, compared to years ago, I don’t have many CDs. Why? Hosted applications continue to be used more and more because of its benefits over traditional software.

Traditional software has to be installed on a server, rolled out to individual computers, could cause other applications to crash and adds more complications if remote employees must use the application. Hosted applications, or software as a service (SaaS), on the other hand, removes all of these complications. All you need is a web browser to access the hosted application. The downside? If you lose access to the Internet you lose access to your application.

If your business is on a fast track of growth — be it customers, employees or more offices — hosted applications can definitely boost your productivity.

10. Online Presence Gap Widens

Whether small businesses need a web site or not is no longer an issue of discussion. In fact, the conversation has moved from web sites and email marketing to blogs and social media for business. Those businesses that strategically use online media to communicate and market their businesses will have more loyal customers and can better attract prospective customers.

There is no question that online search is the way that just about everyone searches for a solution. If you’re a florist in Atlanta, Georgia, your next customer is going to type in florist and their zip code into Google. If you’re a tennis racket repair shop in Akron, Ohio, your next customer is going to type in “tennis racket  repair” and their zip code. You must be online and visible if you want to thrive and beat your competition.

A dynamic website, database driven, with content under your control costs you only £399 and includes:

A range of customized designs to choose from
After receiving your information and instructions, we will design a selection of templates for you to choose from and you can make comments/changes to your chosen design.

8 Dynamic Pages
Dynamic pages allow you to make changes through the cms systems giving full control of your website.

Flash Animated Banner
The homepage of the website will carry animation and will be designed and developed in flash. This gives the website a fresh and attractive appearance.

Logo Designing
We will design up to 4 versions from which you can choose. You will be able to add your inputs/changes to the final design.

Stationary Designing
We will design your letterhead and business card.

Hosting
To complete our solution offering we can if you wish host your new site on one of our specially selected web servers. This is optional but customers find our rates very attractive and our service levels second to none. Your hosting package will include:

• 250MB Disk space
• 2GB Bandwidth
• 8 POP3 email accounts

Domain Registration
We will register a .co.uk domain for 1 year. The cost of domain is included in the package.

Online Enquiry Form
This is how we will make the website interactive so your customers can reach you from your website.

Contents Management System
You can add/edit/delete the text of your website. For example:

- You can add any number of images.
- You can add unlimited text on any page.
- You can upload images and PDF files anywhere on the website and can edit/delete them whenever you want, by yourself.
- You can have as many links to other websites as you want.

Appealing? it’s easy either call us free on 0800 0437907 or Click Here for a free consultation.

(Please use “xmas-csd” as reference code in your email or on phone.)

Regardless of purpose of your website, there are some basic do’s and don’ts you need to keep in mind.  It’s very easy to get carried away on your first site and do things that send visitors away which is most definitely not what you want to do.

When you have a website built for you:

Do keep your web site simple.  Don’t cram it full of clutter.  Unless it’s a how-to site like this one, the less text, the better.

Do make it eye pleasing.  No crazy fonts or colors.  The standard fonts for web sites are Arial, Verdana and Times New Roman.  Whatever font you decide on, use it throughout your site.  Don’t alternate fonts.

Don’t use a Flash introduction.  Web designers love this and if you use a website builder they can be really fun to create, but most people click off as soon as they see it loading.  The object is to get people to see your web site, not drive them away.

Don’t put music or sound files on your site.  It startles people when they are surfing and suddenly hear music blaring out.  Their immediate reaction is to back track immediately.

Don’t put a lot of slow-loading graphics on your page.  No matter how pretty the graphics are, people aren’t going to stick around and wait for them to load.  You can optimize your images for free at NetMechanic.com.  What this means is that you load the image onto Net Mechanic’s web page and they will condense the size of the image for you, then let you pick the image you like from the results.  Usually you can reduce the size by 50% or more without there being a noticeable change in quality.

Do make sure visitors to your site can tell at a glance what your site is about.  For example, if you sell widgets, make sure that’s evident right up front.  Most people will leave in the first two seconds if they don’t think your site offers them what they are looking for.  They aren’t going to take the time to scroll around to see if you have what they need.  Make it immediately clear to them what your site is about.

Don’t use pop-ups on your web site.  Visitors find these really annoying.  The less you annoy a visitor, the more likely he or she is to stay.

Good news for workers addicted to Facebook, Bebo and MySpace — a British think-tank says bosses should not stop their staff using social networking sites because they could actually benefit their firms.

The report by Demos said encouraging employees to use networking technologies to build relationships and closer links with colleagues and customers could help businesses rather than damage them.

Author Peter Bradwell said that while companies were using specific systems to share information, online social networking sites could also play a role, helping with productivity, innovation and democratic working.

However, he said there should be practical guidelines to limit non-work usage.

“Bans on Facebook or YouTube are in any case almost impossible to enforce; firms may as well try to put a time limit on the numbers of minutes allowed each day for gossiping,” he wrote.

“The answer is not to close down staff access to social network platforms, nor is it investing blindly in collaborative platforms.

“Rather, we argue that we need to understand how, once we accept the implications of social networks, we can manage the new challenges and trade-offs.”

His research concluded that trying to control the use of sites such as Facebook, which alone boasts more than 100 million users worldwide, could even harm organizations.

“Smart” businesses recognized that social networking could not easily be separated from “professional” networking, he argued.

“In today’s difficult business environment, the instinctive reaction can be to batten down the hatches and return to the traditional ‘command and control’ techniques that enable managers to closely monitor and measure productivity,” he said.

“Allowing workers to have more freedom and flexibility might seem counterintuitive, but it appears to create business more capable of maintaining stability.”

Robert Ainger, Corporate Director of Orange Business which co-produced the report, said it would be wrong of businesses to ignore the importance of networking in the current economic climate.

“The report points out that the value of networking within an economic downturn is perhaps more important than ever and I believe it could mean the difference between a business collapsing or capitalizing on the tricky conditions,” he said.

BT wants more people to connect using its Openzone service, and has slashed the cost of subscribing in a mission to do so.

In addition, it has also added a number of new hotspots through deals with other providers that take the number of options up to 50,000 internationally, and over 100,000 in the UK and Ireland.

Power lunches

Prices for a month’s subscription start as low as £5 per month, with the highest being for business power users who browse over important lunches with important people. And it only costs them £28 a month!

The new deal BT has signed with Swisscom Hospitality Services gives access to 2,500 new sites throughout Europe, including NH Hotels and Hilton in Continental Europe, and will come online before 2009.

It also has a tie-up with Comfone, which will provide access to 418 hotspots in France.

The use of Wi-Fi is also starting to pick up with mobile users, with people keen to be able to access information as fast as possible on modern handsets without munching into a fairly low data allowance on some contracts.

Today CSD has been awarded a new contract to build a social networking site for NFL players. The 1st phase of the site will be available by end of October 2008. The completed full scale version would be released in the new year and would be officially launched at the February Super bowl in Tampa Bay.

Today T-Mobile announced that its 3G network will be available by mid-October, roughly the same time the HTC Dream Android phone is expected to go on sale.

T-Mobile will be premiering the world’s first Android phone in just five days; the 3G device is presently without an official sale date and price. Unofficial reports have placed availability between October 13 and October 21, and though today’s announcement from T-Mobile does not provide any further information on dates, its “mid-October” availability of 3G services is in keeping with that timetable.

Twenty-seven major US markets will have T-Mobile 3G by the end of the year, the company said today, and expansion will continue through 2009. Work on the network began in 2006.

Deployment is currently complete in Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, and the New York metropolitan area, just short of the 20 that were expected in the spring, but the German mobile carrier says that Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle will be switched on in October.

A further six markets — Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis, and Tampa — are expected to be receive UMTS/HSDPA connectivity before 2009.

 

There’s a new comic book hero and it’s well…a Web browser. Google launches Google Chrome Tuesday, its new Web browser and part of the launch includes an 8-page online comic book explaining the browser. Actually, the comic book was posted a bit earlier than it was supposed to, according to Google, but it’s now publicly available. “We hit ’send’ a bit early on a comic book introducing our new open source browser, Google Chrome. As we believe in access to information for everyone, we’ve now made the comic publicly available. We will be launching the beta version of Google Chrome [Tuesday] in more than 100 countries,” wrote Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, and Linus Upson, engineering director, in Google’s official blog.

So what is Google Chrome anyway and why do you need a new Web browser?

The Mountain View, Calif.-based company developed Chrome based on the assumption that Web use has evolved beyond simple text passages to more interactive applications, according to Pichai and Upson.

“Because we spend so much time online, we began seriously thinking about what kind of browser could exist if we started from scratch and built on the best elements out there,” they wrote in the blog. “We needed to completely rethink the browser. What we really needed was not just a browser, but also a modern platform for web pages and applications, and that’s what we set out to build.”

The browser will retain a clean and simple look, but will be capable of running more complex Web applications, according to the company. “By keeping each tab in an isolated ’sandbox’, we were able to prevent one tab from crashing another and provide improved protection from rogue sites,” the Google team wrote. Chrome includes V8, a more powerful JavaScript engine, and is available in Beta for Windows and it is working on versions for Mac and Linux. “We owe a great debt to many open source projects, and we’re committed to continuing on their path. We’ve used components from Apple’s WebKit and Mozilla’s Firefox, among others — and in that spirit, we are making all of our code open source as well. We hope to collaborate with the entire community to help drive the web forward,” according to Google’s blog.

Fed up with all the doom and gloom? You can still grow a business in a recession! Can’t you? You just need to know where the next move is in promoting your business. On Monday I’m in a studio all day shooting what I’m advising you to do.

Midas, king of Pessinus, was popularly remembered for his incredible ability to turn everything to gold; Google appears to have similar powers. In less than a decade they have grown to become one of the most widely recognised brands in the world today. And when they do something, people pay attention.

Why?

Well, put simply, when Google makes a move it means that enormous profits are at stake. So, when they bought You Tube for billions this past year, the world stood up and took notice.

Google was saying loud and clear that video is the next enormous wave of the Internet. Would it make sense for you to get on the “wave”? Yes. You should grab the biggest surfboard you can and ride that wave to gigantic profits.

I seriously suggest that you look into this with urgency! How many of you wish that had started search engine optimisation or internet marketing years ago? How many times have you wished as a business owner that you’d gotten into something “early” that turned out to be really big! Well this, in my opinion, the next big wave of the internet especially with Google Universal increasingly incorporating pictures and video into the search results.