Posts Tagged ‘website hosting’

Advantages of Choosing Kansas City IT Company MDL Technology For Your Website Hosting Needs in 2012

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

By: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology

Forget hiring multiple companies to run your hosting requirements. MDL Technology, LLC has IT covered. Think about it. Simply call one number: 816-781-3006, talk with one contact person and receive the one worry-free solution to help streamline your server, Exchange and web site hosting needs. It’s the reason why many of our customers tell us we’re the one and only IT company they’ll ever need.

From data communications/email to the hosting of your company’s web site, MDL Technology offers hosting options at a variety of levels, giving you a place to secure all your vital data, off-site.

Why Choose MDL Technology Hosting Hub
1. One company to handle all you IT needs
2. Doubly certified IT professionals providing the latest technology insight
3. Wait-and-worry free tech support so when you need us, we’ll rapidly respond
4. Jackrabbit fast data recovery and backup so your files are always secure and easily accessible
5. Troubleshooting genius’ on staff that haven’t met a problem they can’t fix

MDL Technology, LLC is a Kansas City IT company that specializes in worry-free computer support by providing solutions for around-the-clock network monitoring, hosting, data recovery, off site backup security and much more. MDL Technology, LLC is dedicated to helping businesses place time back on their side with quick and easy IT solutions. “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @mdltech.

Benefits of Having MDL Technology, LLC. As Your IT Company

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC

Why Should You Chooose MDL Technology?

Managing your IT needs can be overwhelming. You need a quick, fast and dependable fix. At MDL Technology we’re helping businesses place time back on their side with lightening-fast IT solutions. Our team monitors your computer network and offers simplistic strategies that accelerate your company’s uptime. There’s no challenge we can’t solve. That’ why for over five years 98% of our customers refuse to try another IT company.

Important Benefits:

1. Our rapid response rate increases a company’s uptime immediately
2. Support over 100 locations across Kansas City
3. Fixed monthly rate to help make IT budgeting a snap
4. 24x7x365 monitoring giving you solid peace of mind
5. Located only a few steps from the server you have hosted with us
6. Home of the No Down Time Guarantee
7. Bottom line, there’s no problem we can’t solve

Visit www.mdltechnology.com to see how else MDL Technology can serve your IT needs. Make sure you also join the mailing list to receive our e-newsletters to guarantee you stay updated on all of the latest happenings at MDL Technology, LLC!

MDL Technology, LLC is a Kansas City IT company that specializes in worry-free computer support by providing solutions for around-the-clock network monitoring, hosting, data recovery, off site backup security and much more. MDL Technology, LLC is dedicated to helping businesses place time back on their side with quick and easy IT solutions. “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @mdltech.

Apple’s iPhone 4S Becomes Best-Selling iPhone Ever: 4 Million Sold During First Week

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC.

Apple introduced the world to the original iPhone in 2007 and since then people have been scrambling to get the latest and greatest versions of the smartphone. So is it surprising that in less than a week, Apple’s iPhone 4S has become Apple’s best-selling iPhone ever? Here is an article from www.pcmag.com about how the 4 million iPhone 4Ses have made Apple history.

How the iPhone 4S Became Apple’s Best-Selling iPhone Ever

Apple’s iPhone 4S has been unleashed, and it’s already a bona fide hit. We all knew this was going to happen (it’s an iPhone for crying out loud), but the magnitude of the success is unexpected, especially to those who were hoping for a full-fledged, completely redesigned iPhone 5.

Since its launch at 8 a.m. Friday, Apple has sold 4 million iPhone 4Ses (including preorders). That’s more than double the 1.7 million iPhone 4s Apple sold during the its first weekend that phone was available last year. The 95,000 Kindle Fires that Amazon is said to have sold on the first day of preorders looks like a pathetic drop in the bucket when put up against the iPhone 4S. Apple’s Phil Schiller is already calling it the best-selling phone ever, and he’s probably right.

Clearly, demand for the iPhone 4S is extremely high. But why? At launch, more than a few people called it a letdown (including me), since the form factor is almost identical to the iPhone 4, and many of the rumored features—like a bigger screen, NFC, and a tapered design—failed to appear. The new AT&T model doesn’t even have the HSPA+ 21 connection that was predicted.

Call me crazy, but I don’t think everybody’s running for the iPhone 4S because they want to get to know Siri, the much-buzzed-about voice-control app. As with most complicated events, the causes aren’t as simple as anyone one thing. Here’s how the iPhone 4S became one of the fastest-selling pieces of technology in history:

Carriers Matter: For the first time, an iPhone launched on no less than three U.S. carriers. Importantly, it was a new iPhone, with AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint all getting it at the same time. When Verizon iPhone 4 appeared earlier this year, it came mid-cycle, blunting its impact since everyone interested in buying one knew they could get something better if they just waited a little longer. Now that time has come, and the dam’s been burst. Getting the iPhone at the beginning of the product cycle is key to anyone who cares about upgrading year over year, and for the first time they can do it without shackling themselves to AT&T.

On top of that, we have the new species of Sprint iPhone. Sprint may be the third-tier carrier in the U.S., but it still has 52 million customers, and it’s the only carrier to offer true unlimited data for phones (we’ll see how long that lasts now that it has the iPhone, however). Sprint also came in first place when we asked readers which carrier they were choosing for the iPhone 4S. It’s pretty clear that Sprint’s contribution to those numbers was significant.

READ MORE

InformationWeek.com Reviews Mobile App Development for SMBs: 98 Billion Mobile Apps by 2015

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC.

Mobile app development has played a critical role in how companies reach out and connect with consumers. A recent study by Berg Insight estimated that by the end of 2015, there will be 98 billion mobile apps available, so making an app that stands out is a necessity, especially for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). Here is an article from InformationWeek.com that provides SMBs with tips on entering the mobile app development industry.

5 Mobile App Development Tips For SMBs

The apparently insatiable appetite for mobile apps presents small and midsize businesses (SMBs) with a big opportunity to connect with prospects and customers. But it’s far from an if-you-build-it-they-will-come proposition.
If you’re developing an app for smartphones and tablets, your potential audience is certainly huge. The world will have downloaded 98 billion mobile apps by the end of 2015, according to a recent estimate by telecom researcher Berg Insight. So how will your app stand out?

I turned to Appsbar founder Scott Hirsch for his thoughts on what goes into a good app. Appsbar is a free Web-based tool that enables SMBs to create mobile apps with no development know-how and publish them on the major marketplaces. Since its April launch, the service has signed up 35,000 users and launched 5,000 apps. Here is his advice for SMBs taking the app plunge for the first time–a leap he said should generate organizational excitement rather than fear.

1. Give it away. Unless you’re actually in the mobile development business, give your apps away for free. Treat them as a way to augment your business model rather than a business model itself.

“If you want to make the next Angry Birds or some unbelievable app that can coach a surgeon through brain surgery–absolutely, that should be charged for,” Hirsch said in an interview. “If you’re like most [companies] and you’re just looking to enhance your business and get into this app revolution, you’re better off not charging.”

2. Think beyond marketing. Marketing might be the most obvious business case to offer an app, but it’s far from the only one. Hirsch recommends SMBs consider functions such as market research, customer service, and customer relationship management (CRM), too. He also mentioned forms–as in mobile versions of the various forms that businesses use online or on paper–as a growing use case.

“Utilize it to its fullest,” Hirsch said, adding that SMBs should consider their particular business and specific goals and then develop an app strategy that actually supports those goals.

3. Get the word out. Just like websites, apps don’t just magically find an audience. They need to be marketed like any other customer-facing aspect of your business. This could be as simple as a sign in a physical retail location, links from an email or your website, or a mention at the end of a TV or radio spot.

“Apps are cool, apps are new, apps are fun,” Hirsch said. “At this point, it’s a very easy transition to get people to use your app–it’s just a matter of letting them know it’s available.”

READ MORE

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook Reviews the New iPhone 4S

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC.

Yesterday, Apple’s Tim Cook took the stage for his first product launch since he was named CEO. The Apple’s Let’s Talk iPhone event brought in much anticipated news of the new iPhone 4S. I wanted to share an article from Mashable.com about the history of the iPhone in lieu of the launch.

iPhone History: The Story So Far [INFOGRAPHIC]

In a scant few hours now, we’ll dive into chapter five in one of the most compelling stories of our digital-dominated era: The Life And Times of the iPhone. So for those of you who haven’t been paying attention, and even those of you who have (hands up if you remember the ROKR iTunes phone), here’s a recap — courtesy of Thinglink, a startup that makes interactive photos and ads.

Hover over the infographic to reveal pictures, videos and links from iPhone history. (The launch date of each phone is at the top of its screen.) Take note of the chips used in each iteration, and find out more about the real genius behind the iPhone’s design. Wax nostalgic in the comments about your favorite moments. And get ready for a whole new chapter Tuesday morning, whether it’s the iPhone 5, the 4S or both.

White House Aimes at Using Innovative Technologies to Transform Education in the United States with Digital Promise

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Posted by T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Tech, LLC.

Merging technology into education has become a hot topic as of late, with many people discussing the pro’s and con’s of the matter. This article from CIO.com discusses Digital Promise, the new nonprofit orginization created by the government in collaboration with private breakthrough technologies to transform and improve students’ education.

White House Targets Innovative Education Technologies
Digital Promise, a collaboration between the government and the private sector, will identify breakthrough technologies to improve student performance.

The White House has formed a nonprofit organization aimed at creating innovative learning technologies to transform education in the United States.
The National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies, aka Digital Promise, will engage exclusively in research and development (R&D) to use the most advanced technology to improve learning at all educational levels, according to the organization’s website.

The organization’s ultimate goal is to equip American students better to compete in the global economy, already a key focus of the Obama administration through the Educate to Innovate Campaign. That campaign–also a partnership between the federal government and private sector– is specifically aimed at increasing the competitiveness of American students in science and math.

“If America is going to continue to succeed in the global economy, it is vital that we transform the use of educational technology,” said U.S. secretary of education Arne Duncan in a White House blog post. “With technology, we can more rapidly increase opportunities for excellence and equity, as well as provide a world-class education for America’s students. And that’s a promise we need to keep.”

READ MORE

Social Customer Relationship Management Spending to Increase: CRM Market to Reach $1 Billion by 2012

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Tech, LLC

Customer relationship management (CRM) has and always will be a focus for the majority of businesses, and now its become even more important with the emergence of social media. This article from CIO.com explains how CRM will become more of a priority as it becomes integrated with social media.

Social CRM spend set to surge
Business-to-business spending on social CRM is growing fast

The worldwide social customer relationship management (CRM) market is forecast to reach over $US1 billion in revenue by year-end 2012, up from $US625 million in 2010.

According to Gartner analysts, spending on social software for marketing, customer service and sales increased by 40 per cent in 2010, but social CRM remained less than 5 per cent of the total CRM application market.

“Spending on business-to-business CRM use is growing fast and will account for 30 per cent of total CRM spending by 2015,” said Gartner research director, Adam Sarner.

“The market will continue its rapid consolidation throughout 2011.

“Until recently, many companies have treated social CRM as a series of experiments and tactical purchases. Few have a social CRM policy or established metrics to measure its effect on hard business results. Different departments, employees and managers implement different types of applications for different purposes.”

Gartner said research and development in social CRM will centre on five main areas: Deeper integration with traditional CRM processes; tools to measure ROI; deeper integration with social network services — especially Facebook and Twitter; increased use of analytics; and new use cases for CRM.

READ MORE

MDL Technology, LLC Reviews: 10 New Technologies That Will Impact Education

Friday, September 9th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC
Technology has changed the way students of all ages have gathered and shared information, so it is important for educators and parents alike to be familiar with these new methods. Here is an article from www.emergingedtech.com about 10 new technologies that educators should be aware of.
10 Internet Technologies Educators Should Be Informed About – 2011 Update

It’s been nearly two and half years since the publication of the first “10 internet technologies that educators should be informed about” article on this site and given the fast paced evolution of technology it’s time for an update. The start of new school year is the perfect time to refresh this list!

Below you will find updated information for 5 of the technologies from the original posting, and 5 new technologies that have earned their rightful place in the list (displacing 5 other types of tech, that while still worthy, are not quite as relevant today, IMHO). This is not intended to be a definitive listing, but rather an informed resource that provides insights and raises awareness. Lots of links to example apps and articles have been provided, so readers can learn more about each application category.

1. Video and Podcasting Resources – One of the most widely adopted internet technologies for use in instructional settings is video streaming. In addition to the ubiquitous YouTube, there are several education-specific video hosting sites, including TeacherTube, EduTube, and SchoolTube. There is an abundance of lectures, how-to videos, and similar materials available on the web. The Khan Academy is one such resource that has garnered a lot of press, but it’s just one of many web-based free lecture and tutoring resources available today. Check out “A Dozen Great Free Online Video Lecture Sites” for a wide selection of lecture content, and our Tutoring Category for more tutoring resources. Podcasting has also been used to provide similar offerings of audio materials through popular sites like iTunes U (learn more about Podcasting here).

2. Digital Presentation Tools – There are dozens of tools on the Internet that can be used to create and share presentations. This summer’s post, “8 Great Free Digital Presentation Tools For Teachers To Try This Summer” provides a good starter set of tools to try if you wish to learn more about these fun applications. These tools can be used to support classroom teaching or distance learning, and provide engaging ways for students to create and deliver reports and presentations.

READ MORE

Justice Department Sues to Block AT&T Takeover of T-Mobile

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC
Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice stepped in to stop the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T, arguing the $39 billion deal would reduce competition and raise prices for consumers. Here is an article from latimes.com about the buyout and what it would mean for consumers.
Justice Department sues to block AT&T takeover of T-Mobile [Updated]

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to block AT&T Inc.’s proposed $39-billion takeover of T-Mobile USA, arguing that the blockbuster purchase would result in a “significant loss of competition.”

The Justice Department’s complaint was filed Wednesday morning in federal court in Washington, D.C., and asks for a court order that would prevent the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier, AT&T, from buying and operating the fourth-largest carrier, T-Mobile USA.

In the civil complaint, the department said that not only competition among wireless carriers would be lessened, but prices would rise, consumers would face poorer quality services and fewer innovative products could be produced as well. Bloomberg was among the first to report on the suit.

If the Justice Department wins its push to prevent AT&T from buying T-Mobile USA, AT&T would have to pay Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s German parent company, $3 billion.

AT&T and T-Mobile officials were unavailable for comment Wednesday morning.

“T-Mobile has been an important source of competition among the national carriers, including through innovation and quality enhancements such as the roll-out of the first nationwide high-speed data network,” said Sharis A. Pozen, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, in a statement. “Unless this merger is blocked, competition and innovation will be reduced, and consumers will suffer.”

READ MORE

Technology Helps Students Go Back To School: 17% of College Students Will Use Smartphones to Make Purchases

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

Posted by: T.J. Bloom, COO of MDL Technology, LLC

As summer winds down and kids anticipate the start of school, parents are racing to get the latest school supplies. These parents have turned to technology to aid them in their quests to find the best deals, look up store information and redeem coupons. Here is an article from napavalleyregister.com about the role technology is playing in students’ lives.

Kids go back to school with technology

With a little help from their smartphones and tablets, families with school-aged children are hitting stores and websites ready to tackle their back-to-school lists. According to National Retail Federation’s 2011 Back-to-School and College surveys, consumers with smartphones and tablets will use their devices to research products, redeem coupons, look up store information, and even make purchases.

“Retailers are using everything in their arsenal to attract customers whenever and wherever they want to shop — and mobile retailing is a big part of that strategy,” said federation President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Consumers looking to save time and money while shopping for school items will be able to find their favorite brands in an instant, complete their checklists and purchase what they need, all with a swipe of their finger.”

Though shopping via a smartphone or tablet device is still an emerging trend, many Americans are already keen on the concept. The survey found 4 in 10 college shoppers and 3 in 10 kindergarten-12th grade shoppers with tablets say they plan to use their tablet devices to purchase products for back to school this year.

READ MORE