Consumer

On the consumer front, HP announced that its proprietary mobile operating system WebOS will soon be in the hands of the open source community. WebOS development began ink2009 by Palm, Inc., better known as the hardware maker that revolutionize the world of personal computing with the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices. When HP acquired Palm in 2010, it made a commitment to carry on the development of WebOS. HP intended to make the mobile OS platform standard across all its hardware devices. The HP TouchPad tablet computer was the flagship product that the company intended to showcase WebOS. The lukewarm reception of the TouchPad is thought to have been behind HP’s decision to discontinue production and contribute WebOS as open source.

Business

On the small and medium business front, HP launched two new promotions aimed at companies that wish to acquire IT equipment without being forced to dip into precious cash reserves. The new promotions are available to business owners in the United States and Canada through HP’s own Financial Services arm. The first promotion is being marketed as 1-2-3. It is a 36-month lease program that starts off with very low monthly payments during the first three months. Payments gradually increase in small steps after the fourth month and later again at the seventh month. Participating businesses can take advantage of a purchase option at the end of the lease term, something that could prove advantageous due to the new cloud computing paradigm which does not require as many hardware updates as the old client-server model.

Financial Services

The second small business promotion offered by HP Financial Services involves a payment holiday. The 90 Day Deferral program allows businesses to enter a 36 month lease program without having to worry about making payments for the first three months. Both 1-2-3 and 90 Day Deferral programs will be in effect until the end of January 2012.

Small Enterprises

On the small enterprise front, HP has partnered with cloud computing firm Box to offer small and medium sized companies a solid storage and online collaboration platform. The purchase of an HP Compaq 6200 Pro Series or 8200 Elite Series desktop computers will entitle customers to a free Box account with different storage and file sharing capabilities. The young CEO of Box, Aaron Levie, recently discussed the future of cloud computing with The Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital publication. The 26-year old Levie, who is one year younger than Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is deeply committed to helping companies such as HP teach their customers about the joys of being connected to the cloud and cutting the cord.

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of how humans interact with equipment in their environment, especially in a technological setting such as extensive computer use. The goal is for workers to have equipment that is designed to be used easily and comfortably. This can be anything from a split keyboard to a comfortable designer chair.

Why is Ergonomics so Important?

Equipment may be functional but not be comfortable. This leads to injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or overextension. A desk may seem comfortable to sit at, but if it is three inches too high for an employee to properly see their computer screen, it can cause eyestrain from squinting or neck strain from repeatedly staring up at the monitor. Ergonomics ensures that an employee can work safely without putting strain on their bodies to perform their jobs. This greatly reduces the chance of injury. It also provides an easier physical environment to interact with, allowing employees to be focused without the discomfort and distraction of poorly designed equipment.

How Does an Ergonomically Correct Sitting Position Lead to Better Work?

With an ergonomically correct position, everything will be comfortable and easy to reach. There will be no need to slouch or constantly look up or down to see the monitor. The back and arms will be fully supported and there will be no strain on them while working. Aches and pains from sitting incorrectly will disappear. This will lead to greater productivity. It is much easier for an employee to stay focused and perform tasks when they are comfortable.

How Can an Ergonomically Correct Sitting Position be Achieved?

The first step is to have the correct equipment: in this case, an ergonomic chair. Contrary to what some might believe, ergonomic chairs do not have to be unattractive. With some research it is easy to find a comfortable designer chair. You can search in the internet an find a good store like fashionforhome.com for example. One important thing to look for when selecting an ergonomic chair is the amount of lumbar support it offers. Lower back pain is a frequent compliant of office workers. A chair with ample lumbar support helps to alleviate this. It is also important to have a chair that offers adjustable seat height. Sitting too low or too high can add strain to the arms and wrists.

Once the chair is properly adjusted to the correct height, practice sitting in the correct posture. Feet should be resting flat on the floor or on a stool. The back should be in contact with the back of the chair. Wrists should line up with the elbows at a comfortable distance from the body.

Accessing Your Website

If you want to access a website to upload content, you’ll have to connect with your web host’s server over a secure connection. Typically, an FTP client like FireFTP or FileZilla is used. Regardless of which client you use, the procedure is generally the same. Fire up the client and enter your login credentials. For the hostname, you’ll use the name of the website you’re connecting to. Enter the FTP login name you chose when setting up your website or the name given to you by your host, as well as your password. Then click ?Connect? and you’re done. It’s really that easy.

Using VPNs

A virtual private network is the preferred method for corporations and home users to allow access to machines within the LAN from outside the network by authorized users. Accessing a VPN with Windows 7 is easy to do, if you follow a few quick instructions. To begin, go to your Control Panel and find the Network and Sharing Center. Click on Set up a new connection or network?, followed by Connect to a Workplace. Then select Use My Internet Connection (VPN)?, and create a connection by clicking Create. The VPN connection is all set up, and will appear in your Network Manager tab on the Task Bar. Just click on it and enter your login credentials to log into a work VPN from home.

Third-Party Remote Service Providers

If you’d like to set up easy remote access to another computer from home or access your home computer from the road, the third-party remote service provider is just the ticket. Such services include GoToMyPC, LogMeIn, TeamViewer, and TightVNC. Generally speaking, such services require that you download and install a software program on the computer you want to remotely log into as well as the PC you’re using to access it. Aside from that requirement, they’re the most foolproof method for safe remote access over the web. They require little or no configuration, are reliable and fast, and are the easiest way to access remote PCs through firewalls and routers.

Final Thoughts

Remote connections over the Internet aren’t that much different than local connections within your own home network. The main difference is encryption. When you send private data over the web, you want to make sure it’s unreadable to outsiders. In order to do that, you’ll need to encrypt the connection you use so that anyone reading your data as it flies by sees nothing but a jumble of incomprehensible text. All the options detailed above use secure Internet protocols by default, so it’s not something you have to worry about or understand on a technical level. Whatever your remote access needs, there’s a secure method for remotely accessing any server over the web.

HP acquires additional market share

HP acquired 3Com Corporation in a deal worth $2.7 billion. This enhances HP’s Ethernet switching offerings and increases routing solutions. The deal solidifies a solid position for HP in China. In addition, HP will now be a player in the network security market with 3Com’s TippingPoint portfolio.

HP is a good citizen

From bible times to Spider-man, many have quoted “with great power, comes greater responsibility.” HP has taken this concept to heart and has become a global leader in the areas of sustainability, innovation and human rights. HP actively pursues product material choices that are environmentally sensitive. In addition, HP is fighting the brain drain in Africa by technically linking foreign universities so students can study at University in their home county. This information was reported in HP’s 2009 Global Citizenship report released April, 2010.

• Enterprise Mobility Applications: The demand for mobile brandband services continues to increase. AT&T will invest in Wi-Fi based applications to meet this need.
• Small Business Services: In 22 states, AT&T will enhance its small business network. Additionally, AT&T plans to improve broadband speeds.
• Scaling-application based services: The focus will be on cloud computing, digital media and Unified communications.
• Globalization: AT&T will continue to build-out its network that now reaches 99% of the global market.
• Vertical Industry Focus: AT&T will focus on creating applications for the following sectors: education, retail, healthcare and manufacturing.

AT&T appears to be positioning themselves as a technology leader. They are making a large economic commitment. Only time will tell if the investment will pay off.

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