The Latest Technologies and Small Business

Traditionally, small businesses are late adopters of technology. After all, many owners lack the time and money to stay on top of what’s hot in the latest gadgets in the world of technology. However, it’s often small businesses that can benefit the most from new technological advances to help keep their lives and their businesses running smoothly. So this month, we’ve put together an overview of the latest gadgets and gizmos and their usefulness to business owners.

Smartphones. The omnipresent cell phone isn’t just for making calls anymore. With the arrival of the iPhone^®, Blackberry^®, Android^® and others, smartphones have become an absolute necessity for most small business owners. They serve as a portable office with the ability to make calls, check email, find contacts, update calendars and more. And with an ever-growing number of powerful applications and increased broadband connection speeds, smartphones are becoming more indispensible to business owners with each passing day. If you don’t have one already, expect to pay at least $200 for one of the top models, plus the cost of an annual service contract. Wi-Fi connectivity and a new generation of operating systems, in addition to Google^®’s new Nexus One, are expected to be hot commodities in 2010.

Bluetooth headsets. As they tend to go hand in hand (or ear) with smartphones, Bluetooth headsets have been quickly adopted due to the convenience of hands-free calling. Many states already have laws requiring hands-free units for cell phone usage while driving, with many others considering similar legislation. Look for 2010 to bring better-fitting and more comfortable models that also offer longer battery life. If you decide to buy a headset, make sure you choose one with noise reduction or an enhanced noise-filtering feature to prevent superfluous background sounds. Just remember that using Bluetooth devices tend to quickly drain the life from your cell phone’s battery.

Wireless charging. Last year, a company called Powermat USA introduced a mat that recharged gadgets such as cell phones by simply placing the object on top of it (as long as the object was equipped with a special cover). This year, they’ve introduced a battery that replaces your cell phone’s original one and lets you charge your handset by placing it on the mat – no plugging or cords necessary. If you’re one of those business types whose cell phone is always dying because you keep forgetting to recharge it, this affordable piece of technology might be for you.

Cell phone tether. A company called Zomm has introduced a small device that connects wirelessly with your phone via Bluetooth and sets off an alarm if you venture too far away from it. The device also comes with a personal alarm and a button to call for EMS should the need arise. For some busy businesspeople, this might be another interesting, affordable piece of technology to help you keep track of your cell phone.

GPS navigation systems. Standalone GPS units are still quite popular among small business owners – especially traveling salespeople and realtors. But watch for their popularity to possibly wane as a growing number of smartphones are equipped with built-in GPS functionality. And while some smartphones may require the purchase of third-party applications to use the premium GPS features, the ability to provide turn-by-turn directions and instantaneous on-screen maps is still invaluable to many entrepreneurs. Ever wonder how many people barely made it to an important meeting on time thanks to these little gizmos?

Netbooks. Perfect for your mobile workforce, these compact, lightweight machines are great for daily business needs like email, word processing and web surfing on the go. Watch for the upcoming year to bring additional computing power, touchscreen capabilities, dedicated graphics cards, and even sexier, lighter weight frames at a lower cost. However, you might want to see what tech reviewers have to say about Apple^®’s new tablet-like iPad™ just released at the end of January. CEO Steve Jobs billed it as “more intimate than a laptop and so much more capable than a smartphone.” Time will tell if it will revolutionize the industry like so many other of Apple’s products have.

Cloud computing. Untethering users from the traditional desktop seems like the wave of the future in computers, but cloud computing still has a plethora of security issues before it truly mainstreams into the business world. Cloud computing allows you to store and access data remotely and collaborate in virtually real-time with colleagues half a world away. However, great applications are extremely limited at this point. You’re likely to be hearing more about cloud computing in the years to come.

Digital camcorders. Have you wanted to post a product video or demo online? Then it might be time to investigate getting a digital camcorder for your business. Decent and web-quality mini-HD camcorders can be found for around $200 these days. And with video content proliferating in places like YouTube and on social networks like Twitter^® and Facebook^®, small businesses can put the power of moving pictures to work on these affordable marketing platforms. Start an Internet buzz with preview videos of upcoming products on your website or create your own viral videos.

Blu-ray players. These devices aren’t catching on as fast as some people predicted – possibly because their application for the business world just isn’t really there yet. After all, there are very few industries where a Blu-ray DVD does a substantially better job than a regular DVD in things like selling a product or training employees. If you really enjoy your home entertainment and/or have a home theater setup, then you might enjoy a Blu-ray. But you can probably get by in your office just fine with a regular DVD player for now.

3-D cameras and filters. Probably similar in their lack of practicality and applications to the business world as Blu-ray players, these inventions are for people who want to shoot their own 3-D movies and photos.

Electronic reading devices. You’ve probably already heard a lot about these little wonders. Sony’s Reader, Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Nobles’ Nook were hot items during the last holiday season, but their application for small business seems limited right now. These e-readers allow users to enjoy digital literature, but you’re likely to experience some interface issues, and they’re still relatively pricey. Plus, if you have a good smartphone, the need for a single dedicated device to read digital literature seems quite unnecessary.

Do your homework first. Finally, before diving into any new technology, be sure to check out product reviews on websites such as CNET.com and other online review sites. Sometimes the best resource is someone within your own industry who’s ahead of you in the technology curve. Browse magazine racks or even chat it up with a salesperson at your local retailer so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Often new technology has bugs to be worked out or hidden extras that aren’t always obvious in that attractive sales copy.

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

cforms contact form by delicious:days