Unified Communications

RSS
Unified communications news, solutions, reviews and analysis, covering VoIP, videoconferencing, messaging, and collaboration.

Unified Communications Reviews

  • Review

    Samsung Focus 2: first impressions of a $50 Windows Phone

    Posted May 10, 2012 - 7:50 am

    AT&T and Samsung Monday showcased the latest Windows Phone, the Samsung Focus 2, in an old colonial mansion in New Orleans' Garden District during CTIA 2012.

  • Review

    Autodial with your keyboard and Dial Directly for Skype

    Posted April 28, 2012 - 7:13 am

    Sick and tired of all that clicking and typing it takes to dial a number in Skype? Give your fingers a break with Dial Directly for Skype, a little utility that allows you to initiate Skype calls by simply pressing a combination of keys. But while it may save your fingers some effort--and may save you the embarrassment of a wrong number--Dial Directly may cost you some time.

  • Review

    Real-time wiki Hackpad makes Web collaboration fast and easy

    Posted April 14, 2012 - 7:41 am

    In software, "new" all too often means "complicated." New tools often tempt us with futuristic features and promises of improved productivity, but learning to use them can be a confusing experience, not to mention the time lost while trying to get up to speed. So when I see a tool that is truly new, but also manages to be simpler and more streamlined than the current alternatives, I am truly impressed. Hackpad is one such tool: A new breed of Wiki that shows how much simpler and fluid wikis can be.

  • Review

    The gamer's guide to the iPad

    Posted March 18, 2012 - 7:48 am

    Apple's OSX isn't exactly a gamer's paradise. But the same can't be said about iOS--especially when it comes to the iPad. In some ways the iPad is the perfect gaming handheld: It has great battery life, and games are cheap. But before you run out to give Apple all of your money, there are a few things you should know before using the iPad as a gaming device.

  • Review

    Droid Razr Maxx: An Android smartphone for big talkers

    Posted January 30, 2012 - 7:07 am

    Motorola's latest smartphone bulks up on battery life and business features

  • Review

    NetSpot helps you optimize your Wi-Fi networks

    Posted November 29, 2011 - 3:55 pm

    When you set up a Wi-Fi network, whether using access points (base stations) from Apple or another vendor, you're usually playing a guessing game. Where should I put a base station to get the best coverage and performance? Or multiple base stations? Apple provides some tools to help, including the somewhat hidden Wi-Fi Diagnostics program (buried in /System/Library/CoreServices/), but using them requires some expertise, as well as keeping your eye on ever-changing signal-strength numbers. NetSpot bypasses the technical in favor of the visual. This free site-survey software is a remarkable aid in laying out even a small-home network, using a Mac laptop as your survey tool.

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Home and office gear

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:53 am

    They say that a man’s home is his castle – we figure that if you’re going to have a castle, it needs to be filled up with some really cool, high-tech stuff. If you’re working at a home office or just want to boost that home network in order to get a better connected home entertainment system up and running, the following products are great gift ideas:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Computer, notebook and tablet tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:50 am

    We’ve always had a category covering the world of computers in our Cool Yule Tools holiday gift guide. But then computers gave way to notebooks (so we combined the category), and then tablets have entered the scene. With the arrival and success of the iPad and other tablets, many have said that “the PC is dead”, and we’ll admit, our choices of cool computers are fewer than in years past. But there are still some nice systems out there, here are a bunch of desktops, notebooks, and yes, tablets, that we think would make for some good gifts:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Miscellaneous tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:49 am

    In our 12th year of presenting our Cool Yule Tools holiday gift guide, we’ve done our best to try to categorize the gift ideas into different groups – portable entertainment, travel gear, etc. While many of these ideas could, in theory, be placed there, sometimes we just feel that the device/gift idea should just be placed in “miscellaneous.” So that’s what we did with some of these. Enjoy!

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Home entertainment tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:38 am

    The home entertainment category in our Cool Yule Tools holiday guide used to be a part of the “After Hours” section, but with the explosion of high-tech features in the consumer electronics space, there’s a multitude of devices that will keep you entertained after a long day of work. Here are our picks for gift ideas that can keep you entertained and connected when you’re home:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Digital video and photo tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:36 am

    Like smartphones and music players, the digital video and photography category has exploded with cameras over the past few years. Rather than focusing on every model and device with an X number of megapixels, we’ve focused our attention new ways and gadgets that incorporate photography or video in new or different ways. There are plenty of sites that cover each new camera (PC World comes to mind), rather, here are some cool gift ideas to enhance your existing camera or video device:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Portable entertainment

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:32 am

    In the category of portable entertainment, what once was filled with different portable music players has been replaced instead by accessories that go along with the iPod, iPhone or other smartphone device that can play music. Listening to music is no longer dedicated to a single device, but part of a comprehensive device. Instead, our portable entertainment category features a variety of cool earphones and speaker systems that you can take along with you when you travel or go running.

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Tablet accessories

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:20 am

    While last year may have been the year of the tablet (with the introduction/invasion of the iPad), this year certainly qualifies as the year of the tablet accessory. Whether it’s a case, a pillow, stand or speaker system, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite devices to go along with our favorite tablets:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Health & fitness tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:20 am

    Making a big comeback in this year’s holiday gift guide is the health and fitness category. Whether you’re just starting out on the path of exercise, or are a seasoned athlete, the number of consumer electronics products dedicated to a person’s health has increased steadily over the past few years. Here are some of our favorites that can make a good gift under the tree for your favorite fitness enthusiast:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Smartphones and accessories

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:07 am

    Remember when cell phones were as big as a brick and required a separate shoulder pack to keep the battery up and running? Yeah, so do we. But we also remember the birth of the smartphone, and since then, they’ve gotten smarter and smarter. With dozens of choices out there now (several iPhone models and carriers, along with multitudes of Android devices), we figure that your gift recipient already has a smartphone. So we’re focusing on some products that can enhance their smartphone, whether it’s a nice case, charging device, Bluetooth headset or other cool accessory. Here’s what we liked this year:

  • Review

    Cool gifts for geeks, 2011: Personal storage tech treasures

    Posted November 26, 2011 - 9:05 am

    There’s a lot of shiny and flashy gadgets and home entertainment devices that will entice most of the population during the holidays – cameras, music players, camcorders and tablets are sure to be this season’s top sellers once again. But once gift recipients start to create content, listen to music, download apps or record videos, they will eventually need a good, safe and reliable digital place to store their stuff. That’s where storage comes in – it’s not always the sexiest product category, but there’s a lot of new innovations in storage that we think will make good gifts as well:

  • Review

    CA Mobile Security app: Lots of features, but not many feel finished

    Posted November 20, 2011 - 10:12 pm

    Joining the ranks of countless other paid mobile malware apps, CA Mobile Security does very little to stand out from the crowd. The user interface is not very user friendly, and there is no help menu with which you can learn the ins and outs of the app. CA does offer free technical support if you have any questions, but most people probably won't want to call a help line in order to get a smartphone app up and running. Like most other security apps, CA Mobile Security allows you to set parental controls, backup and restore a device, and scan for malware but in the time I've spent with the app I have noticed several quirks and bugs that set it behind its competition.

  • Review

    Group video chat showdown

    Posted November 12, 2011 - 8:56 am

    Everyone wants to be in on the conversation, but sometimes distance can make in-person meetings hard. We tested five multiperson video chat services--Google Hangouts, Skype Premium, Tinychat, AV by AIM, and AnyMeeting--to find the best place to conduct a group meeting online.

  • Review

    iPad 2 vs. business class tablets

    Posted November 8, 2011 - 10:00 pm

    Tech lovers have been flocking to the iPad 2 and other tablets in order to watch movies, read books, surf the Web and make video calls on the latest, greatest, thinnest, lightest, coolest devices. But where do tablets fit within the enterprise?

  • Review

    Alfresco: An open-source ECM alternative for SharePoint

    Posted November 7, 2011 - 3:03 pm

    In any business organization, the need to effectively communicate and collaborate in a timely manner is very important. Contending with mobile workers and shifting schedules, many businesses look toward enterprise content management (ECM) systems such as Microsoft's SharePoint. Their purpose is to allow users within organizations to collaborate and share work inside of a commonly accessed website framework.

  • Review

    Linksys prevails in dual-band duel

    Posted November 7, 2011 - 11:42 am

    Wireless routers are always something of a mystery. They combine a number of features into a single box and are usually complex to set up, but require little attention after that.

  • Review

    6 great apps to help you manage your household

    Posted November 5, 2011 - 8:14 am

    Whether you're a couple or married with children, managing the intricacies of a household--keeping up-to-date with everyone's schedules, tracking chores, making grocery lists, and formulating travel plans--can be a handful. To help out, we've collected six great mobile apps (many with complementary websites) that can help you stay on top of these challenges.

  • Review

    Nokia Lumia 800 vs. iPhone 4S vs. Nexus Galaxy

    Posted October 26, 2011 - 11:30 am

    Nokia is betting its future on Microsoft’s mobile OS, and on Wednesday introduced its first Windows Phone 7 device, the Lumia 800. If the Lumia 800 looks familiar, that’s because it’s similar to the Nokia N9, which runs OS (MeeGo) soon to be ditched. The Lumia 800 brings a few improvements over its relegated sibling, including a faster processor, but compared to the big boys, the iPhone 4S and the latest Android Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR,

  • Review

    iOS 5 review: Ambitious update rings in the changes

    Posted October 12, 2011 - 10:08 am

    It seems like every time a major software revision comes along, it’s described as the “biggest ever.” In the case of iOS 5, though, that might not be hyperbole—there’s hardly a part of Apple’s mobile operating system that isn’t altered in some way by the latest update.

  • Review

    Hotmail's 'graymail' filter will help you navigate email

    Posted October 8, 2011 - 6:19 pm

    All the major Web-based email services have junk mail folders and spam filters that strain out obvious offenders. Categorizing messages and filtering out those you don’t want may help, but limits control. It would be nice just to tell your email program which messages you want to receive and when--and dump the rest. Windows Live Hotmail may be coming a step closer to that, with changes announced this week.
More Reviews on Unified Communications

Unified CommunicationsWhite Papers & Webcasts

White Paper

Market Landscape Report: Online File Sharing and Collaboration in the Enterprise

The trend toward "consumerization" marches onward in IT; more and more end-users are choosing their own hardware plaforms and software applications in lieu of the IT-sanctioned business tools provided by their companies. These end-users are looking to tackle issues like data sharing, portability, and access from multiple intelligent endpoint devices, creating a conundrum for IT as it needs to balance business enablement, ease of access, and collaborative capacity with the need to maintain control and security of information assets. This need for balance is one of the drivers of the fast growing online file sharing and collaboration segment of the SaaS market. This paper examines the market drivers, inhibitors, and top vendors in this segment, including Box, Citrix Sharefile, Dropbox, Egnyte, Nomadesk, Sugarsync, Syncplicity and YouSendIt.

White Paper

Sharing Simplified - Consolidating File-sharing Technologies

Employees need to share content with colleagues within their organization and outside. Yet, ECMs make it hard to share content within a business and impossible between organizations. Read how one company consolidated multiple file sharing technologies to increase productivity and reduce complexity.

White Paper

Content Sharing 2.0: The Road Ahead

A growing number of companies are taking advantage of the natural synergies that exist between cloud-based IT services and content access and sharing. Legacy content management and collaboration systems simply weren't designed to meet the evolving requirements of today's IT and business managers, as well as the needs of content users. Box provides cloud-based content storage, access and collaboration services that require virtually no user training and supports file access and delivery on almost all popular PC and mobile devices. Read how Box let companies rapidly implement a cost-effective and secure content storage and sharing system that can easily expand to accommodate any size and number of files.

White Paper

Box Private Vendor Watchlist Profile: Cloud-Based Content Collaboration Services Enabling Enterprises to Move Toward Next-Generation Collaboration

This IDC Vendor Profile analyzes Box, a company playing in the public cloud advanced storage services market and the content management and collaboration market, and reviews key success factors: market potential, technology/solution, corporate strategy, force multipliers, and customers. The company, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, has over 8 million users and is growing quickly in the file synchronization and collaboration market. Leveraging IDC's expert understanding of the competitive landscape and future outlook, this document highlights company and market information tailored to the investment professional's needs.

White Paper

Farmers Triples Email Usage and Meets FINRA Requirements with Integrated Messaging Solution

The Farmers Insurance Case Study tells the story of Perimeter's progressive relationship with Farmers Insurance and Perimeter's messaging suite of services. Download this case study now to find out the benefits of messaging solutions and how working with Perimeter can simplify your IT needs.

See more White Papers | Webcasts

Ask a Question