How a BYOD Policy Frees Up IT Resources

More and more electronic devices are being integrated into the workforce. Whereas only the most elite business people owned smartphones in the early 2000s, nearly everyone has one in their pocket now. Accordingly to Business Insider Intelligence, 22 percent of … Read More

Insert Coin To Continue: Using Games On Social Networks to Enhance Your Marketing

How much time do you spend each day checking in with your social networks? Odds are good you not only use social media extensively, but you spend more time on it than all other online activities. We spend more than … Read More

The Internet of Things Has Arrived — Here’s How Your Company Can Succeed

 For success in a market that’s changing our everyday lives, you have to know how both sides of the Internet of Things must work together for users.

At its annual 2011 developer conference, Google announced it had developed [email protected]. The technology was … Read More

10 Tips to Increase Your Email Deliverability

Email marketing is an art. It relies on trial and error, it requires practice and continuous testing, and thrives on clean lists, simple content. Effective email marketing requires that you listen and engage with your audience. It depends on the … Read More

10 Ways Digital Currency Could Survive and Succeed

With all the recent news around Bitcoin and Mt. Gox, what do you think the future really holds for digital currency and why?

The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s … Read More

Why Application Operations are Needed in the Dynamic Data Center and the Cloud

Massive changes are occurring as to how applications are built, deployed and run.

The benefits of these changes are:

1. Dramatically increased responsiveness to the business (business agility)
2. Increased operational flexibility, and
3. Reduced operating costs.

The environments into … Read More

Do Small Businesses Have A Need For ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP as it is commonly called, has been an enterprise-level product for several years. This is not very surprising considering that an average ERP deployment costs anywhere between $100,000 to $750,000 – not accounting for the … Read More

6 Monitoring Capabilities Ops Needs to Consider in Virtualized and Cloud Environments

Application Performance Management (APM) have existed in their modern form since 1996, when Wily founded the business of monitoring custom developed Java applications in production. Today, many people still think of APM as just a solution for these custom developed … Read More

The Pains of a Startup Growing Up

It’s an unfortunate reality that less than 50 percent of small business startups make it to four years, according to BLS.gov. But it’s reality nonetheless, and everyone is striving to make it as one of the few still standing. Your sweat … Read More

How Being Data Driven Helps in Your Content Marketing Efforts

Content marketing is the preferred mode of marketing for many businesses these days. Not only is it very cost-effective when compared to traditional forms of marketing, but also allows brands to use the power of the Internet to increase their market base. … Read More

How 3D Modeling Changed Online Gaming

When video games were created in 1952, A.S. Douglas programmed a code that we now know as the first video game. He was writing a paper for his PhD at the University of Cambridge on human and computer interaction, and … Read More

Reasons Investors Don’t Support Your Crowdfunding Campaign

So you’ve recently started your crowdfunding campaign, congratulations! You’ve done your homework, all the business plan fields are filled in, and you’ve sent out your first mailing, but no ones investing. Why not? Here are some reasons investors don’t get … Read More

Under the Radar: 5 Tech Careers You Haven’t Heard About

Just about every job in the modern world involves new technology in some way, but if you can’t get enough of gadgets, code, and tech news, you’ll want to get your hands dirty in the deep end of the technology … Read More

9 Ways Open Source Will Affect Tech This Year

What is one way you think open source will affect the tech industry in 2014?

The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship … Read More

Keslow Camera Always Ready for “Action” with a Tablet Solution

Keslow Camera may not be a household name, but if you watch TV or go to the movies, you’ve seen our work. As one of the largest camera rental companies in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area, we have a long list … Read More

Improve Your Management Standards and Surpass the Growing Economy

The UK economy is predicted to grow by 2.2% in 2014, and the Service sector looks like it will be the top performer. Good news perhaps, but now is certainly not the time for any business to be complacent. Whatever … Read More

The Past, Present, and Future of Mobile Payments

Perhaps the earliest form of mobile payment can be found in the barter system, when wealth in many locations was tied to forms of currency that were inherently mobile, such as cattle. The advent of credit cards in the early- … Read More

Death by PowerPoint: The Advantages of Interactive Presentations

We’ve all been there at some point in our lives. Feeling every ounce of energy slowly being sucked out by listening to somebody drone along to a PowerPoint presentation.

“How many slides are there?”

“Twenty. Wait…let me squint. Oh no, … Read More

3 Ways to Reduce Crowdfunding Campaign Duration

Aren’t crowdfunding campaigns used to spark enthusiasm, create more customers, get in touch with the media, and bring in some money? Then why would you want to reduce the time your campaign takes? Let me name a couple; you have … Read More

6 Tips to Prepare for Enterprise Mobility

Application portfolio managers and business analysts in an IT environment are being asked to redesign business processes to take advantage of the capabilities provided by mobile applications and devices. However, despite pressure from line-of-business managers for new strategies and approaches … Read More

Advancements and Predictions in E-Commerce

Chances are if you’re like most people you use your phone for a lot more than making calls. Between smartphones and tablets, the wireless industry is changing the way we live, work, and play, thanks to turbo-charged mobile devices that … Read More

The Importance of Maintaining Web Security in a World of Hackers

The vast majority of Internet users have shared personal information such as credit card numbers and routing numbers at some point in their online lives. These sales account for a large portion of profits in nearly every industry imaginable, with … Read More

5 Trends Driving Business Communications

The intersection of mobility, cloud, and increasingly fast network speeds will continue to shape communications this year. As businesses seek to better compete, integrate decentralized workforces, and enhance client satisfaction, advanced cloud technologies will become a key enabler of business … Read More

Traditional Industries Are Being Upended by Apps

It isn’t news to anyone that we live in a mobile world now. Over half of adult Americans own smartphones, and the desktop business has been steadily declining as tablets and phones continue their ascent. As consumers, we have spoken: Our world … Read More

Cables vs. Wireless: Telecommunication Standoff

Telecommunications is the future; it enables millions of people to connect all over the world within seconds. It also offers development, improvement, and relatively inexpensive availability. People are looking out for what is better, what can offer me them the … Read More

The Culture of Open Source

When you hear open source software, what do you think of? Software developers hunched over keyboards, fueled by sugar and caffeine, or a recent request by your IT department to try new “free” software? It’s both of those of things, … Read More

Simple Software Design is a Complex Process

Developing user-friendly software for the small business market is a challenge. These customers generally fly by the seat of their pants. They may be experts in the subject matter of their business, but when it comes to accounting, payroll, developing … Read More

Why ‘Flappy Bird’ Went the Way of the Dodo

In Greek mythology, Icarus built himself wings of wax in order to soar through the skies, but his wings melted when he flew too close to the sun and plummeted to his death. Soaring too high, too quickly has claimed … Read More

Challenges of Me-Too Startups

As part of my work I meet many startups trying to replicate business models that are successful in the United States, or that at least look successful because they raise big investment rounds. [1]

The good thing about me-too startups is … Read More

5 Reasons Why You Need a Truly Mobile-Friendly Website

Jorge is co-founder of Sidengo.com, an easy-to-use website builder that allows anybody to create a simple, yet beautiful and powerful website in a matter of minutes.

There’s a term that has gotten popular in contemporary web design lexicon, responsive design. … Read More

5 Online Products Every Small Business Could Use

Every business needs a professional website, a reliable accounting system, and a system for staying organized.

Starting a small business often means having a small budget, but that doesn’t have to result in cutting back on the essentials. These … Read More

Equity Crowdfunding: Is It Hype- Worthy?

Crowdfunding is hot, kick-starting not only our companies but entire economies. It is the go-to miracle measure to create ambassadors, marketing, money and products out of nowhere.

These expectations came into existence after major crowdfunding successes, like that of … Read More

Smart Terminal’s New Age

There has never been much agreement on the definition of a “smart terminal,” though the term has been used for a long time.

Typically any device with a digital display and some kind of network capabilities, with or … Read More

Mobile Transaction Growth Outpacing the Payment Establishment’s Ability to Self-govern

Payment companies and mobile technologists alike agree — at least in public, to hide the fierce competition going on behind the scenes.

In order to grow mobile commerce and best serve the retailer and consumer, there needs to be … Read More

Startup Real Estate

So you’ve started your dream company, ready to take on the whole world with your market altering product. You have your MVP (or not).You have product-market fit (or not). You have your VC money in the bank (or not).

… Read More

Why I Won’t “Buy it Now”

In my book I claim businesses sell 1 of 2 things: services or products.

There is plenty social proof, of course, that enterprises of all sizes can experience success with either offering. Fortune 500 is a smorgasbord of … Read More

Is it Time to Say Goodbye to the Enterprise Desktop PC?

The days of the enterprise desktop may be numbered. Traditional desktop deployments, with hundreds or thousands of mid-spec PCs running a usually outdated version of Microsoft Windows, are being displaced by DaaS (Desktop-as-a-Service) solutions that lower the burden of IT … Read More

Gates and Chrysler Were Wrong: Choose the Stingy for a Difficult Job

Big Data: Problem and Solutions

Big Data is a concept more related to data processing than to data size in absolute terms. We know we are dealing with Big Data when traditional ways of processing the data don’t work … Read More

10 Tips to Create Robust Social Media Content

If you are a stranger to social media marketing, it can be briefly described as acquiring traffic and attention through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Social media sites allow a range of social interactions with users, from … Read More

Why Broadcasters Embrace the Second Screen

People are sick of ads; even the most clever and engaging campaigns seem to outstay their welcome (I’m looking at you Flo.) Broadcasters need a new strategy, and as I have said before, the answer is gamification. The time has … Read More

Output Level: Increasing Productivity with Mobile Data Collection

Recently, we took a look at some best practices for mobile data collection at the input level. This week, we turn our attention to best practices at the output level. Following the critical input stage, data is often transferred to … Read More

How To Start A Business With Little To No Capital

Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, recently wrote in a blog article that he considers 2014 to be the “Year of the Entrepreneur.”

Branson says, the growing buzz around startups has generated a lot of excitement and … Read More

Why Being Acquired Should Not Be Your Whole Goal

In a business landscape where having your own startup carries undeniable cachet, entrepreneurs are guided by many motivations.

Some want to be their own bosses, otherswant to turn their personal passion into a career, and still others are inspired … Read More

The Dangers of Crowdfunding

In a previous blog entry (http://citizentekk.com/2013/11/08/engage-contract-manufacturer/), I mentioned that crowdfunding was a good way to get initial market validation as well as obtain some capital so that your hardware startup can build some product.

There are lots of good … Read More

The Death of Tech?

Technology has flourished as an industry by creating substitutes for human processes and even for itself.

Increasing compute power, storage and bandwidth has helped us to automate, accelerate and connect ever faster with increasing richness and context. Telecoms and … Read More

The Cloud has Precipitated a Sea-Change in Enterprise Data Management

As a recent article on Wikibon notes, the changes wrought by the cloud, Big Data, and the advent of technologies like MongoDB and Hadoop are hitting traditional database vendors hard.

While Oracle and its competitors are still forces to … Read More

Can You Really Make Money Out of Apps?

Every mobile developer out there is worried about the business model that will follow.

Creating a cool app is only the first step in creating a successful application that can be monetized. Mobile developers are looking for more revenue … Read More

Recipe for a Green Revolution

There are millions of people around the world who are burning for the cause of green and renewable energy.

These environmentalists have seen the long term effects of polluting energy sources. Therefore, they spend a lot of time and … Read More

Finding Ideas the Easy and Productive Way

Have you ever found yourself in the situation where you need to immediately deliver ideas or create solutions for a certain task, for instance in your business life? There you go. You know how hard it can be to produce … Read More

Beyond Email: The Case for the Ideal Business Messaging App

Email sucks. However, as much as people hate it, it is still effective. It is a decades old medium that serves a very simple purpose. Sending a message to another person anywhere, anytime, and on any subject.

They can … Read More

From Primetime to Facetime: How the Evolution of TV & Video Has Changed Our Lives

Only three years after Steve Jobs released his first iPhone model, the Facetime-boasting iPhone 4 was introduced, and suddenly, everyone became a video producer, director, or actor any time they simply pulled their phones out of their pockets.

But … Read More

How Data Can be Beautiful, Impactful, and Poetic

When most of us think of data we tend to think of bland spreadsheets and rows of numbers. Data entry is hardly the most glamorous of jobs, after all, and most people who have studied statistics will probably have cold-sweats … Read More

7 Tips for DIY Mobile Market Research

Smartphones are radically shaping almost every industry today since there are an increasing number of people who are accessing the internet through their smartphones and tablets. As a result, market research is shifting, for one more time in its history, … Read More

Tracking News: Beyond the US Filter

Bing, Google, Yahoo, and dozens of other US-centric services provide news to millions of Web users.

The shift from desktop computers to mobile devices has forced changes upon the online news providers. The headlines and text of the old-school … Read More

SEO Is Not Dead, but Most SEOs Are

I am tired of hearing about how SEO is dead. When I read an article from someone telling me that SEO is dead, I immediately think, “That guy is just lazy.” 

Why? Well, SEO is clearly … Read More

7 Creative Valentine’s Day Ideas for Techies

My fellow techies, Valentine’s Day is one week away - I just realized this too.

As a 20-something in a new city, I’m also scouring my brain for creative ideas to show that one girl a uniquely, romantic … Read More

Input Level: Increasing Productivity with Mobile Data Collection

When it comes to mobile data collection, it’s essential that retail field teams are equipped with an optimally effective input system.

After all, it’s the retail field teams that bring critical store-level performance data to corporate departments, who in … Read More

Does Google Glass Have a Place Behind the Wheel?

Who would have thought that a speeding ticket could have such a large impact on the tech community?

When a California judge recently dismissed a ticket that was handed out to a driver wearing Google Glass behind the … Read More

Bespoke or Off-The-Shelf Software?

When deciding what kind of software is the most suited for running your company, think about what’s the best for its operational needs: Is there something on the market that can do the job, or would you be better off … Read More

Technology’s Role in Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well. However, the needs of the present are vast and often conflicting. Today, technology plays a big … Read More

Does Augmented Reality Work Alongside Windows 8?

These days, most gadgets are compatible with Microsoft’s brand new operating system, Windows 8, and its latest update, Windows 8.1.

As well as the Windows phone,  numerous tablets, and ultrabooks support the new interface with companies … Read More

The Ins and Outs of Trigger Campaigns

What’s the first thing you do after placing an online shopping order?

Most of us hop into our personal email as quickly as possible and wait for the ever satisfying “Thank You for Your Order” email to pop up. … Read More

Creating Tablet-Friendly Blogs

The love of tablet computers is growing exponentially, according to a report by International Data Corporation.

The IDC Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker shows a definite increase in shipments of tablet computers all over the world, with growth potential expected to … Read More

Optimize Your Startup Work Strategy

Building a startup is hard. If you’re lucky enough to have funding, you’re in a race against your runway. You need to show some serious traction before you can refill the bank. Bootstrappers need to work even harder against potentially … Read More

Why These Mobile App Trends Have Failed

The mobile app industry is something to look out for as recent studies have indicated that mobile usage has increased 115% in 2013.  With such high stakes - the next round of mobile apps that succeed are expected to raise … Read More

7 Things To Consider When Choosing Keywords For Your App

Developing the right keywords for your app is a process that requires extensive research and diligent investigation.

Determining the right keywords is an important component of App Store Optimization (ASO), the processes and strategies employed to boost your app’s … Read More

How Desktop Virtualization Enhances IT Capabilities

Virtualization of desktop computing capabilities is helping to make IT more of an asset for businesses and in many cases, enhances the capacities of individual employees within an enterprise context.

Let’s take a look at how and why these … Read More

The Future of Content Marketing is Owned and Embeddable

When we, as content creators and consumers, first engaged with the internet, we did so via platforms.

We chatted with Usenet, we built websites using GeoCities, and we distributed electronic mail through Yahoo! Groups. This technology, as primitive as … Read More

5 Ways to Protect Your Cloud Storage From Cyber Criminals

Cloud storage is becoming a standard option for more and more people wishing to store their data conveniently and securely, but are we taking that security for granted?

If you make the decision to store your files using a cloud … Read More

Social Shopping Takes Advantage of Niches

Online shoppers are presented with a plethora of options when it comes to the decision on where to purchase a product, and on where to seek information on the product.

But when it comes to social shopping, quantity does … Read More

Personalized Online Tutor Technology

Let’s say there is a student in China who wants to learn English on the weekends. He types “English Tutor Online” into the search bar and clicks “Enter.” He finds a service, connects with a tutor, and schedules their first … Read More

Big Data Reality Causes Privacy Concerns

Twice a year, ThoughtWorks publishes the “Technology Radar”—our view on the technology trends that are important in the industry right now, and the trends that will be important in the near future.

It’s a unique perspective from ThoughtWorks and … Read More

So You Think You Can Dance in the Enterprise: Part Two

You have successfully crossed the chasm (if you don’t know what that means, stop reading and go buy this book immediately) by building an awesome product, choosing a target market, positioning the product, building a marketing strategy, and choosing the … Read More

Consider the Clouds in 2014

As the dust settles into 2014 and we’re in the midst of our Q1 roadmap, we thought we’d share some thoughts of where we think cloud and mobile are heading, as they may influence how you think about your product, … Read More

NYC Is the New German Startup City

Bye bye Silicon Valley, hello Big Apple. German startups are attracted to New York, but what should be considered in terms of visa application, company establishment, living, and working in the U.S.?

New York – A Startup Landscape With … Read More

Responsive web designs allow websites to stretch across multiple platforms: computers, smartphones, and the increasingly common tablet.

With a responsive design, websites will look great no matter the size of screen it’s shown on. As the screen (or window) … Read More

Chinese Tech and Startup Scene

“Zhongguancun” may not sound as familiar to you as “Palo Alto” or “The Valley,” but, one day, it might.

Zhongguancun, located in one of Beijing’s northwest districts, is deemed by many to be the “Silicon Valley of the East.” … Read More

Today’s Success is due to Your Web Presence

I just read Macklemore’s heart-felt open letter he wrote about the unbelievable year that him and his producer, Ryan Lewis, have had.

I encourage you to read it for yourself, because it is a true testament of how diligence … Read More

Three Misconceptions CIOs Have About Mobilizing Enterprise Applications

Although the global enterprise mobility market is predicted to rake in more than $140 billion a year by 2020, many CIOs are still reluctant to invest.

Out of 300 surveyed CIOs, 87% believe that mobilizing business apps … Read More

The Million Dollar Mobile App

You have a great idea and eager to create a mobile app based on your idea. You are sure the moment it hits the Appstore or Google Play its going to create a buzz around the world.  

Yay… … Read More

Success by Design

The internet has become a very crowded place. Even the most original idea can get lost in the digital sea of content.

A new website or application needs to have every element of their webpage to perform seamlessly in … Read More

9 Advantages of Blogging

Blogging is a powerful tool for startups, particularly when it comes to increasing awareness of your business, engaging with followers, and demonstrating your expertise.

61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog, but … Read More

Cloud Operations Analytics Improve IT Efficiency

We hear a lot about the benefits that big data and cloud platforms can bring to businesses.

The ability to collect and process vast amounts of information gives enterprises the power to engage with the real world in ways … Read More

So You Think You can Dance in the Enterprise

You have a great idea that solves a real pain point for enterprises. Woohoo! You actually built a minimal viable product that people are interested in. Aye Caramba! You got a major enterprise to test your product in a paid … Read More

Entrepreneurship Advice From the Coolest Entrepreneurs

What’s one piece of advice you have for entrepreneurs who are building enterprise software right now? What do you wish they would consider (or what principles do you use) to make that software great?

The following answers are provided by … Read More

The Future is so Bright, I Gotta Use Android

Coke vs. Pepsi, Ford vs. GM, Gates vs. Jobs, Nike vs. Reebok and Android vs. Apple.

Throughout time there have many many high profile corporate competitions, but the battle had always fueled innovation and progress. Like the cola wars … Read More

First Steps to eCommerce: Persuadability

The main obstacle for eCommerce platforms is achieving their customers’ trust so that they will buy online. This sometimes becomes a life or death struggle. Persuasion becomes crucial to get your potential customers to buy your products or services.

… Read More

The DNA of Successful Mobile Apps

The mobile app industry has flourished at an incredible rate since the arrival of the iPhone in 2007— and now, Gartner predicts this year, global revenues from apps will be $26 billion, a rise of more than 44% since last … Read More

Lifting the Ban on Dropbox

Dropbox can put organizations at risk by not having adequate security controls, increasing the chance of security breaches.

In one incident, Dropbox email addresses were successfully hacked and then used to send Dropbox users spam.Many enterprises are not prepared to … Read More

IT Risks of Toolbars

Toolbar add-ons are a type of browser extension that typically provide users with various additional functionalities by adding a bar with several buttons within the browsers, oftentimes along with a search box as well.

Toolbars may … Read More

Busting Social Media Myths Once and For All

It’s a pattern: once something gets popular, it comes with a bucket load of myths that we have to break out of. The longer we cling on to these myths, the more we suffer. Cash stays on the table, nothing … Read More

Responsive Web Design or Native App: Which Would Suit You Better?

You have probably been hearing a lot about responsive web development lately, since it has become increasingly popular.

If your current website is not responsive, you might be wondering if you are missing out on mobile customers as a … Read More

On Designing Mobile Education Apps

The art of design has a long tradition. History is filled with wonderful examples. But we are in a new age, where design, and especially educational design, is not only about space and graphics and looks. It is about the … Read More

Requirements of Big Data in the Cloud Uprising

The inevitable Big Data may only emerge if it meets the qualitative criteria of Cloud. A requirement level has trouble reaching for some Cloud players. This opens the way for the consolidation of this market.

In recent years, the issue … Read More

Collaborative Social CMS

My name is Brian Beaumont, and I’m not famous.

If I were, I’d most certainly be posting socially for the people who are interested in the one who is Beaumont.  Everybody would know about the restaurants Beaumont dines at, … Read More

Why Your Startup Needs Visuals in its Social Media Strategy

With users of Pinterest and Instagram increasing at a startling rate, social media is more visual than ever. Shareaholic has identified Pinterest as the fourth largest traffic driver worldwide, and Instagram boasts 150 million active users per month. Other networks … Read More

Why Paper Is Your Startup’s Biggest Enemy

As a consultant who advises clients on their technology strategy, I have worked with several small businesses that are not tech savvy to a large extent. My performance is rated based on how much money I bring or help them … Read More

The Real Reasons to Adopt Marketing Personalization

According to Mckinsey & Company, digital marketing is entering a more challenging territory. Marketing should no longer be always “on” but rather “on demand.”

That is to say, with the innovations brought about in this digital age, marketing should … Read More