Four Laptops for Ideal Business Deployments

                You and your coworkers are always on the go. In between out of office meetings, in house conferences, and the average day to day hustle and bustle, there isn’t much time to stay at your desk. This is the case for many business professionals, and the very nature of “on the go” work demands portable business solutions. While many businesses provide employees with desktop computers for their various tech applications, you can see some inherent difficulties with such deployments; namely, how effective can a computer be if it’s stationary and the user isn’t always in the office? Because of this, many businesses opt instead to provide laptop computers to their employees, focusing on efficient and portable computing. Cost effective laptops for business deployments needn’t be high-end performance machines – rather, they should exemplify proficiency in basic business oriented tasks like word processing, document and data processing, emailing, etc. Not sure where to start in your search for business deployment ready laptops? Check out four affordable options below:

The HP NC6400. Expected Cost: $340

The HP NC6400 is an excellent entry level business laptop. It has a business optimized configuration. The 14 inch display might be smaller than many of today’s 17 inch models, but this works for added portability. The NC6400 has a sturdy design, ideal for the traveling professional. With good connectivity and security, it is ideal for in-business deployments. The standard configuration of the NC6400 has an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83 gigahertz processor, a sixty gigabyte hard drive, and up to four gigabytes of RAM.

The HP Pavilion 6530b. Expected Cost: $270

This Pavilion is a step up from the NC6400, boasting a bit of an expanded configuration.  The lower cost results from a generally increased availability and a few less utilities. The 6530b features a 2.4 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Standard memory configurations consist of DDR2 memory modules with two gigabytes memory. The hard drive is a standard 160 gigabyte SATA drive. The DVD / RW drive is a nice addition, and with 4 USB, one VGA, and an Ethernet port, it offers good accessibility.

The Dell Latitude E6400. Expected Cost: $288

This Latitude is the answer to HP’s Pavilion 6530b, offering roughly the same configuration. Windows 7 support, a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, two gigabytes of DDR2 memory, and 160 gigabytes of storage put it on par. The addition of an eSATA port and one Firewire port give it a leg up over the 6530b.

The Dell Latitude D630

This Dell Latitude D630 comes in at the most affordable price while still offering a fair configuration. The Standard configuration has only one gigabyte of memory and a 60 gigabyte hard drive, though both of these can be customized for increased performance. The IntelCore Duo processor has a clock speed of 1.8 gigahertz, clocking in just below the previous laptops. These four laptops are ideal for large scale business applications, blending performance and low cost for an ideal business solution.

Three Desktop Motherboards Rated for Performance

                If you’re considering the build for your next computer system, you’re probably checking prices and making a sizeable list of every part you need to order. As you begin your build, it’s important to start with the foundation and work your way up. Here, I’m not talking about the computer case, but rather the central component in any computer: the motherboard. The processor and motherboard are the two most important components in a computer, the processor being akin to the brain and the motherboard being akin to the skeleton. The motherboard connects every piece together, bringing forth the actual computing power from the synergy of several components. In many ways, it effectively charts the course your computer will take – its build, its expandability, and its long term viability. Investing in the proper motherboard for your specific needs is essential. Not sure what to look for? Here are three motherboards rated for performance, arranged by specific classes.

The General Use ASRock Z77

The ASRock is what you might call a “bread and butter” motherboard, blending together a great amount of features in a rather affordable bundle. New units retail for an average of $130. The ASRock is an Intel based motherboard supporting the Intel i7, i5, and i3 CPU types, along with support for Intel’s Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology. The memory expansions allow for four 240 pin memory modules, supporting DDR3 memory (the fastest available today). A full memory expansion would allow for thirty two gigabytes of memory, more than enough for most average computer applications. The ASRock has a good range of expansion slots and supports SATA3 drives. With DVI, HDMI, USB 2.0 and USB3.0, the ASRock has an excellent range of interface/peripheral options.

The Gigabyte GA-X79

This is a higher end motherboard, ideal for workstations or gaming computers. With support for the Core i7 Intel processor, this is recommended for only high end computing applications. Memory expansions support 8 240 pin memory modules, allowing for up to an impressive 64 gigabytes of quad channel memory. With onboard LAN, numerous expansion slots, 8 USB (2 USB 3.0 and 6 USB 2.0) and a full range of Gigabyte power and accelerator features, the GA-X79 is a good choice for intensive computing motherboards.

The Dell 437793-001

The Dell 437793-001 is ideal for business computer deployments. A step down from the previous motherboards, this motherboard is an excellent choice for business budgeting professionals. Intended for use in Dell’s DC7800 desktop computers, the Dell 437793-001 supports SATA 2 storage, Intel Processors, and DDR2 memory. It is important to note that this motherboard isn’t suited for high-end applications, though the range of interface and expansion slots makes the Dell 437793-001 ideal for minimum need business applications. These are three motherboards which have been rated for performance, each of which is ideal for either casual, performance, or business applications. Best of luck in your search!

Effective Ecommerce Practice

                Ecommerce has undoubtedly opened up new avenues for business owners all over the world. While hosting a ecommerce ready website used to require thousands of dollars, recent advancements in software and hardware have brought the requisite assets into the hands of the common man. If you’re looking to bring your business onto the global scene, you no longer need to have dozens of employees and thousands of dollars to dump into your online campaign. There are a few effective practices which can establish you as a solid web presence, all of which will translate into more profit for you and your business. Not sure where to start? Check out these tips below.

Establish a Storefront

The same way a baker would never sell any donuts without a conveniently located bakery, you won’t have much of a chance to generate traffic to your site without an accessible and user friendly web storefront. This boils down to some common sense practice alongside with some graphic design. Grab a domain for your store which is short, sweet, and relevant. If you’re selling custom t-shirts, don’t bother with something excessively long like “WeWillPrintYouYourCustomTShirts”; marketing dictates we use the KISS method: keep it short and simple. You want people to remember your page and be able to navigate to it easily. In terms of web development, you may want to consult a professional graphic designer. However, many people opt to use ecommerce software with established and visually appealing designs. Magento Community is a free, open source ecommerce program which allows a great degree of manageability and themes which will have your website looking user-ready in a pinch.

Introduce Yourself to the Market

People have enough trouble finding a small restaurant in downtown – it’s even harder to find a website unless you know what to look for. Take advantage of search engines and ecommerce options. Let Google and Yahoo representative know the physical location of your business and its purpose, which will help you get started on a local market. While you won’t start off with a huge client base, building one isn’t impossible. Listing your products with sites like Amazon and Ebay is a great way to introduce yourself to a market. While you will be paying fees per transaction, it’s worth it to establish yourself and get some customers to spread the word.

Find Your Niche

Don’t try to be everything to everybody. Start small, and as your business warrants, begin to branch out. For instance, an IBMparts UK dealer wouldn’t immediately transition into providing every manufacturer’s inventory and whole systems. Establish a reputation for yourself in one niche market, and once you are well established, push the envelope to expand on your established market. While these three tips are just a cursory examination of successful web practices, they provide a solid start for your web campaign. Best of luck!