Computers in Business

Start-up technology companies — where to begin?
In this special feature, we give advice to entrepreneurs and start-up companies on the following issues:
– where to turn to for finance
– the options when it comes to IT deployment
– what help is available

Computer-aided design
From advice on professional packages to sourcing contractors, we advice Irish companies on the best means to secure and deploy CAD solutions.

Web hosting and development
Irish companies now seek ever-more sophisticated services from their hosting and web development companies. We look at what Irish companies should be doing and discuss the different ways they can achieve it.

Enterprise content management
Enterprises continue to look for more efficient, better value ways of organising and structuring their information. Where should they turn? We look at the newest technologies and ask whether they’re worth the investment.

Buyers guide to laptops and UMPCs
From the desktop replacement powerhouses to the ultra-portable carry-ons, our review guide will cover the best of today’s laptops and advise business users what to look for.

Project management
Deciding on an infrastructural migration and delivering it are two different things. There are firms out there that can manage the whole process painlessly as a standalone project. We show why this can be a blessing.

Security: Anti-virus technology
Protecting your company’s vital network assets and data has never been more important, with the gradual switch over to total digital content in Irish industry. We show you what the threats are and how to protect against them.

Icon guide to MP3 players
A look at the newest consumer models.

Our congratulations go to our own Adrian Weckler for winning the Business Technology journalist award in the very first UCD Smurfit School Business Journalist Awards. Well done to all winners and those shortlisted. Here’s the full list:

Business Technology
Winner: Adrian Weckler, Sunday Business Post
Shortlisted: John Kennedy, Silicon Republic

Business News
Winner: Kathleen Barrington, Sunday Business Post
Shortlisted: Nick Webb, Sunday Independent and Aine Coffey, Sunday Times

Business Comment
Winner: Brian Carey, Sunday Times
Shortlisted: Ciaran Hancock, Irish Times and Arthur Beesley, Irish Times

Business Feature
Winner: Arthur Beesley, Irish Times
Shortlisted: Aine Coffey, Sunday Times and Mark Paul, Sunday Times

Business Broadcast
Winner: John Murray, RTE Radio One, The Business
Shortlisted: Emma McNamara, RTE and Diarmaid Fleming, BBC Dublin

Specialist Business Reporting (marketing, personal finance and recruitment)
Winner: Niall Brady, Sunday Times
Shortlisted: Bill Tyson, Sunday Tribune and Laura Slattery, Irish Times

Young Journalist of the Year
Winner: Mark Paul, Sunday Times
Shortlisted: Ian Kehoe, Sunday Business Post and Laura Noonan, Irish Independent

Regional Business Reporting
Winner: Alison Donnelly, Evening Echo

Business broadband
As businesses rely more on the internet to communicate and deliver greater efficiency, we look at the services to choose from. We also explain what issues are important for firms to take into account when choosing a provider and look at the geographical reach of the current national roll-out.

Financial software
What do users really want from their financial software packages? That’s what Leslie Faughnan sets out to discover in this extended feature article. The answer will shed light on how to address many of the typical problems that Irish companies have with financial software.

Online backup
Few companies realise that there are many alternatives to storing and backing up data than simply transferring gigabytes to an external drive. Emmet Ryan looks at the rise of the online backup service and discovers how useful these services can be.

SME networking
With the panoply of business technology that surrounds us, almost anything can slow your network down. Adam Maguire looks at how to keep an SME’s network healthy and humming and talks to the experts on the latest solutions to help.

Anti-virus technology
Sometimes taken for granted as a business resource, anti-virus strategies are among a very few core building blocks that companies need to put in place and monitor on a regular basis. From software to skillsets, Dermot Corrigan looks at the technology and the issues to take into account.

Buyers Guide: Business Mobile Phones
We take a look at the latest handsets on and what they can offer your business.

Our next edition of Computers in Business is out on September 2nd and will be a must-read issue for Irish businesses seeking to be informed of the latest trends and technology and services.
With advice, commentary and how-to guides, the issue will feature a number of special in-depth articles. These will include:

IT training and services
A comprehensive 8-page section on the latest developments in IT training. This will include:
:: What the essential skills and courses are for those seeking to qualify for career-enhancement opportunities
:: An industry listing of training specialist firms and service providers in Ireland
:: Interviews with IT professionals on what they are seeking from an IT qualification nad how what they seek from their training service provider

Buyers guide to business PCs
What differentiates today’s business-ready PC? Increasingly, it is value-added features and services. These include new levels of security, system restoration, back-up and remote support. We look at the services essential for today’s business PC user and what the market currently has to offer.

Internet and e-mail monitoring
Companies need a solution to help prevent unwanted e-mail and internet activity happening under their legal auspices. We advise on what these solutions are and how best to prepare staff in corporate internet activity.

Managed services
We examine the extra value and efficiency that managed services, sometimes referred to as outsourcing, brings to companies seeking to maximise effectiveness in their IT services.

Business intelligence
We look at the systems and processes required for medium and large sized companies to drive better performance. These are, in particular, specialist software systems.

External hard drives for small businesses
Storing and accessing large volumes of business critical files has never been easier. We explore the how-tos of setting up a external data flow and look at the machines available to facilitate this.

Social networking, business blogging
With the boom in social networking activity comes a significant opportunity for businesses to open new channels of marketing and customer loyalty. We look at how to take advantage of marketing on social networking sites and examine the Dos and Don’ts of setting up a business blog.

On the back of Michele’s post about purchasing a Mac laptop a question popped into my head - with Macs now running Windows, OS X, Linux, Unix etc. natively, is it the only computer out there that does the whole lot - has it become the one-stop-shop for all platforms? Technically what would it take for PCs to run OS X - or is it just licensing? Is it the future? I’m a big Mac fan and user, always have been and (probably) always will be, it is most definitely a brand with sex appeal but under the skin is it as serious a computer as I (and many more like me) think?