Active Digital Blog

Mobile Device Manage Product Comparisons

2012-02-07T02:37:00.000-08:00

Below are different vendors and their Mobile Device Management solutions.

Vendors:

Good.com for Enterprise

Trellia MDM

Fiberlink MaaS360

Sophos Mobile Control Solution

MobileIron Virtual Smartphone Platform

SOTI.net MobiControl

Articles:

Ars Technica discusses Private App Stores for Business

RIM announces its upcoming "Mobile Fusion" MDM for iOS and Android (2012Q1)

Comparison Resources:

For iOS Devices - MDM Solutions (in a handy Tabbed Table)

For a full list of comparisons, click here

Apple posts record $13.06bn quarterly profits, up 118%

2012-02-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Apple reported record-breaking net profits for the three months to 31 December 2011 of $13.06bn (£8.36bn), up 118% from the same period in 2010. The company also sold 37 million iPhones, more than twice as many as it sold in the last quarter of 2010.

"Apple's momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline," said chief executive Tim Cook. The firm is expected to release its iPad 3 in March this year. "We are very happy to have generated over $17.5bn in cash flow from operations during the December quarter," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the second fiscal quarter of 2012, we expect revenue of about $32.5bn and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $8.50."

Apple's shares rose 6.8% in early trading on the Nasdaq technology stock exchange following the opening on Wall Street, reaching a new high of $449, and valuing the company at almost $420bn (£270bn).

Strong sales

Analyst reaction has been very positive on the news. "We're right in the middle of a transition from feature phones to smart phones and Apple is doing an amazing job in generating profits from this," Colin Gillis at BGC Partners told the BBC.

Carolina Milanesi, at Gartner said: "As expected this was a blow out quarter for Apple across businesses." "This to me demonstrates that consumers and businesses alike are continuing to see the value of Apple's end to end offering." Apple saw strong sales for both its iPads and its Mac range of computers, rising 111% and 26% respectively compared to the same period in 2010. In contrast, sales of Apple's portable music player, the iPod, fell by 21%

Mobile apps moving into the office

2012-01-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

Looking for ways to do business more efficiently? It turns out there’s an app for that.

As the smartphone revolution expands into the workplace, growing demands for software programs that allow employees to work faster, smarter and from anywhere have created a new market for mobile applications designed specifically for business.

Once the domain of consumers interested in reading the news, playing games and connecting with friends, mobile apps are becoming one of the top technology priorities for business.

Industry analysts predict that mobile enterprise applications will be one of the biggest business trends in 2012 as organizations look for new ways to streamline operations and stay ahead of rivals. A 2010 report by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan predicted that by 2015, companies will be spending nearly $7-billion contracting out the development of mobile apps.

“It is starting to happen in a big way,” said Mark Lowenstein, managing director of Mobile Ecosystem, a Massachusetts-based wireless consulting firm. “Companies are realizing that these devices can be used for a pretty strategic competitive advantage.”

It’s a shift driven largely by the increasing sophistication of tablets and smartphones, combined with a push from employees to equip their personal devices with apps that allow them to work on the go.

“Now with the growth of iPhone and with Android devices and so on, employees are saying, ‘I use this extensively in my personal life. [I] don’t want to carry two devices, I want to be able to use this for business as well as personal functions,’” Mr. Lowenstein said.

Mobile enterprise apps could change the way companies do business. Instead of clunky laptops or stacks of paper, employees can use tablet computers in meetings to provide a visual snapshot of products or projections. Salespeople can access up-to-the-minute inventory data needed to make a sale. They can also instantly record transactions in the company’s system as they happen, rather than waiting until the end of the week when they could forget vital information.

“When you think about business going forward, you’re going to think about what you can do at your desk and what you can do online,” said Maribel Lopez, principal analyst at Lopez Research, a mobile consulting firm based in San Francisco. “Basically, business is moving mobile and mobile is the business.”

But adopting a mobile enterprise strategy comes with challenges, such as deciding what functions should be incorporated into an app, how to roll it out across the organization, and how to ensure security.

“There’s a lot of challenges,” Ms. Lopez said. “There’s a lot of reasons this didn’t happen before.” Underlying these issues is the question of whether businesses can ensure a return on their investment. That’s why organizations must ask hard questions about which apps should be created and where they need to be in an organization, Ms. Lopez said.

In the sales department, for instance, apps could eliminate time-consuming phone calls or the need to carry often-outdated price books.

But employees who focus on creating content and who do most of their work behind a desk may not benefit in the same way, and focusing on that area could end up wasting, not saving, resources. The shift toward business-centred mobile apps will bring solutions to many of these problems, Mr. Lowenstein predicts, such as the emergence of better security, including the improved ability for IT departments to conduct remote wipes and locks if devices are lost or stolen.

But the logistics of setting up an app system has other challenges as well. Should apps be outsourced or created in-house? Should the company create an internal program, similar to iTunes, where apps can be downloaded? How do you ensure updates are continually pushed onto devices? And, most importantly, how do you persuade employees to use apps?

It’s critical that organizations consider these challenges, Ms. Lopez said, because it’s becoming clear that having a strong mobile enterprise app strategy will be necessary to be competitive. “This is the year when [businesses will] start getting really serious about their apps for their employees,” Ms. Lopez said. “Mobile is going to be an integral part. You need to figure out how to best leverage that.”

iPad 2 & Mobile Broadband Promotion

2012-01-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

The iPad 2 is a great device, there's no end to what you can do it. The device comes with a long list of features; Thinner, lighter, faster, features FaceTime, 10 hour battery, HD Video, Super-fast graphics, Dual-Core A5 chip and two cameras.

We currently have an offer running on the iPad 2 and Mobile Broadband for a limited time only.
You'll receive a discount on your new iPad 2 when you sign up for Mobile Broadband and a FREE iPad 2 screen protector. iPad 2/iPad 2 + Mobile Broadband prices are below:

iPad 2 16GB (3G) = £399
iPad 2 32GB (3G) = £485
iPad 2 64GB (3G) = £550

iPad 2 16GB (3G) + Mobile Broadband = £369
iPad 2 32GB (3G) + Mobile Broadband = £465
iPad 2 64GB (3G) + Mobile Broadband = £525

Mobile Broadband prices:

24 Month contract (cost per month)
1GB @ £7.50 and 2GB @ £13.50
Unlimited UK Wi-Fi
Prices ex VAT. Terms and conditions apply

iPad 2 Accessories

Marware MicroShell Folio case for iPad 2 / Black - £30.00
The Marware MicroShell Folio is an ultra sleek iPad 2 shell case that improves upon traditional shell cases by including a smooth rubberized shell for the back and a versatile, protective lid for the display. Plus, as an added bonus, the protective lid doubles as a foldable stand, ideal for multiple viewing angles or FaceTime usage.

Marware Eco-Vue case for iPad 2 / Black Leather - £30.00
The Marware MicroShell Folio is an ultra sleek iPad 2 shell case that improves upon traditional shell cases by including a smooth rubberized shell for the back and a versatile, protective lid for the display. Plus, as an added bonus, the protective lid doubles as a foldable stand, ideal for multiple viewing angles or FaceTime usage.

Kensington KeyFolio Bluetooth Keyboard Case for iPad 2 - £60.00
The Kensington KeyFolio™ not only protects your iPad when on the road but also provides a handy rechargeable and wireless Bluetooth® keyboard with hands-free stand when you reach your destination. The rubberized keys were specially designed to cushion your iPad screen from bumps and scratches when the folio is closed.

Kensington PowerBolt Micro Car Charger - £15.00
Turn drive time into charge time with the Kensington PowerBolt Micro Car Charger. With 2.1 Amps, there's plenty of power to give your iPad, iPhone and iPod a quick charge. And its ultra low-profile design blends nicely into your vehicle's interior.

Prices exc VAT
Subject to stock availability. T&C Apply
Offer ends 31st March 2012

Flying Start Promotion - 3 Months Free Fixed Line Rental

2012-01-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

3 months free line rental on your business fixed line and/or broadband

52% of enterprises have between three and eight different communications suppliers, and that 91% of businesses find tracking costs across multiple suppliers difficult. In addition, by switching your fixed services to join your mobile account with us, you’ll make substantial savings plus enjoy one bill from O2.

To get your business off to a flying start, we have some fantastic new propositions available to our customers. Receive three months free line rental on your business broadband and/or fixed line when you join O2 fixed services by 31 March 2012 and is subject to a 24 month contract. The promotion covers all our business broadband tariffs – Home Office, Office 10 and Access and all our fixed landline tariffs – for both analogue and ISDN 2/30 lines and channels.

Buying bundles of inclusive minutes controls call costs

Calls to UK landlines & mobiles: from 1.5p a minute with a bundle
Incl. calls to O2

Key Benefits

- Contact us for a free savings review (we just need a copy of a recent fixed line bill)
- One integrated bill for mobile and fixed
- One customer service helpdesk (24/7)
- Less paperwork for you

Make an Enquiry

Inclusive minute bundles include calls to standard UK landlines and mobiles
Research source: (Coleman Parkes Research 2010)

Fiberlink Named a Mobile Device Management Innovator

2012-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Fiberlink®, the leader in software-as-a-service solutions for secure mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM), today announced that it has been named an "innovator" in a January 2012 Forrester Research, Inc. report on mobile device management vendors and solutions. The report, "Market Overview: Cloud-Hosted Mobile Device Management Solutions and Managed Services," cites Fiberlink as one of two innovators in a landscape of more than 40 vendors.

"...Fiberlink's single pane of glass, web-based console and experience with and commitment to security and compliance in the cloud computing arena has earned the vendor traction with the US federal government and a place on customers' shortlists," noted Forrester Research Principal Analyst Benjamin Gray and Researcher Christian Kane in the report.

Fiberlink was among 24 vendor companies that were interviewed for this report, and found to be an innovator in cloud MDM. The report shows which vendor companies have certain criteria among core mobile device management, mobile security management, mobile application management and differentiation. Vendors were segmented into four groups, innovators, new entrants, best-of-breed and services.

"The need for visibility into and control over corporate and personally-owned mobile devices that enter the workplace has never been more important," said Jim Sheward, chief executive officer at Fiberlink. "We are excited that Forrester Research has recognized Fiberlink's innovation and contributions to the mobile device management marketplace."

Delivered as a true cloud service, MaaS360 is the only solution that provides instant availability from the web to a single console for managing all enterprise mobile devices - including Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire devices. MaaS360 also supports Mac and Windows laptops.

Unlike other vendors that offer a confusing array of deployment options, Fiberlink is singularly focused on cloud MDM, delivering a unique combination of powerful mobile security and management capabilities that are easy to use for both IT and employees. With MaaS360, businesses can instantly implement MDM, MAM, secure document sharing and mobile expense management (MEM) best practices. This includes over the air configuration, passcode enforcement, remote wipe, application management (required, blacklist, whitelist and VPP), enterprise application catalog, and secure document sharing. MaaS360 also offers the most advanced contextual policy management and real-time reporting functionality to help meet the most strict compliance requirements.

Google persuades Spanish bank BBVA to use the cloud

2012-01-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Spanish banking giant BBVA is switching its 110,000 staff to use Google's range of enterprise software.

The deal is the biggest that the search giant has signed with one company for its cloud-computing services, where software is offered as a service via the internet.

The bank said that it would use Google's tools only for internal communication. But the deal can be seen as a breakthrough in corporate adoption. Banking - with its high security needs and strict regulations - was always considered to be one of the last industries to accept cloud-computing.

BBVA's director of innovation, Carmen Herranz, stressed that all customer data and other key banking systems would "stay in our own data centres" and be completely separate from the cloud solution.

The bank would use Google applications like email, calendar, docs, chat, video conferencing and other collaboration tools to "achieve a cultural change" and get "the whole company working together" across the 26 countries where BBVA is based.

Ms Herranz said the project - with roll-out across all employees to be complete by the end of the year - was not about saving cost.

Also driving the change was the increasing mobility of the bank's workforce. A lot of the bank's computing needs had moved to smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers at home, she said.

Jose Olalla, chief information officer at BBVA, said because workers now had "access [to] the information they need at any time from any internet-connected device, anywhere in the world, [they] will be able to be more flexible and mobile". BBVA is one of Spain's largest banks.

It is also the largest provider of financial services in Mexico, and has a large presence in the south of the United States.

HTC quarterly profits plunge 25 Percentage

2012-01-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has reported a 25% fall in fourth-quarter profit, as its models struggled to compete with those of its rivals.

Net profit dropped to 11bn Taiwan dollars ($364m; £235m) in the three months to December, from 14.8bn dollars in the same period a year earlier.

Sales for December fell 20.3% from a year ago to 26.3bn Taiwan dollars.

In October the firm said it expected lower revenues in the fourth quarter due to "uncertainties from new models".

But its latest update also revealed that net profit for the whole of 2011 rose 57% to 62bn Taiwan dollars.

HTC is the world's number four smartphone maker, behind Samsung, Apple and Nokia.

Rival Samsung said on Friday that it expected operating profits in the fourth quarter to jump 73%, thanks largely to record smartphone sales.

New technologies unleashed at CES

2012-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

The first technologies have been unveiled at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Waterproof smartphone coatings, diet-aiding armbands and a social network that warns drivers of the latest police speed-traps were all on show.

Microsoft's chief executive Steve Ballmer will present his company's last keynote at the three-day event.

The firm's pullout has led several attendees to speculate if the trade show will be a smaller event in future.

But if that is CES's fate you would not know it from the throng of press, analysts, executives and PRs packed into a huge hotel conference room for the first teaser event - CES Unveiled.

Some 70 companies were selected to take part in the "sneak peak" preview ahead of the show's official launch.

- Among them is Qooq, a French company that has designed a tablet computer for the kitchen. The Linux-based device is splash-proof, is held off the ground by feet that allow spilled liquids to run underneath, and can shrug off temperatures of up to 60C (140F).

- The Chinese computer maker, Lenovo, used the Unveiled event to show off its first take on what it terms a "business class, commercial grade" slimmed down laptop - the ThinkPad T430u.

The CES show is far from being just about new types of computer. In fact much of the technology is based on mixing smartphone apps with other technologies.

- One example is Bodymedia which is showing off the latest version of its health monitoring system. Sculpteo has also unveiled what it claims is the first ever app to turn the shape of a human face into a 3D printed object.

- Perhaps a bit more practical is Escort Live - a social network for motorists. The app communicates via Bluetooth with Escort's existing detectors to record sites where speed cameras have been installed or there are police officers using laser guns or radar equipment.

A total of 2,700 firms will take part, with others - such as the video games company Nintendo and chip designer Arm - holding additional invite-only briefings.

Despite doubts over the event's long-term popularity, there is a lot of competition for attention from the many attendees claiming to offer the tech industry's next big thing.

Steve Backley's Book Launch 'The Champion in all of us - 12 Rules for Success'

2012-01-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Active Digital’s company ambassador, Olympic Javelin champion, Steve Backley, is due to launch his book, The Champion in all of us - 12 Rules for Success by Steve Backley OBE.

A symbolic tale of four athletes and their desire to succeed at the Olympic Games. The '12 Rules for Success' revealed along their journey, can be applied to any area of life in which you, the reader, have a passion to succeed. This book is a maze of ideas that will help turn your dreams into reality, whether in sport, business or in everyday life improvement. If you wish to bring out your full potential and live your dream, the lessons imparted in its pages are for you.

His new book will be available from 6th March 2012.

Follow more details on Steve’s official Blog - http://www.stevebackley.com/blog/

Government Technology Officials Name MaaS360 Best Security Solution

2011-12-14T02:23:00.000-08:00

Fiberlink®, the leader in software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for secure mobile device and application management, today announced that its MaaS360 mobile device management platform has been selected “Best Security Solution” by the Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA). GTRA is a non-profit organization comprised of public and private sector leaders dedicated to the development and success of the government IT community. Cloud-based MaaS360 provides a number of federal agencies with mobility intelligence and control over mobile devices, applications and content to keep sensitive government data secure across smartphones, tablets and laptops.

MaaS360 was selected Best Security Solution after helping public sector officials at several agencies enable and secure government-issued and personally owned devices for their mobile workforce. MaaS360 earned the distinction as an invaluable resource to government IT through rapid deployments and the ability to instantly block, quarantine, configure, manage applications and documents. MaaS360 is also recognized as the first and only mobile device management (MDM) solution to receive an authority to operate (ATO) in accordance with the U.S. Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) by the U. S. General Services Administration (GSA).

“Continuous monitoring of laptops and smart devices is one of the top government concerns government security executives are facing this year,” said Kelly Yocum, co-founder GTRA. “MaaS360's solutions presented at the GTRA SecureGOV Council Meeting were definitely on point so we are excited the attendees voted them as the Best Security Solution Award winner!”

Fiberlink helps federal CIOs get a cloud service up and running in less than an hour, and MaaS360 already has FedRAMP controls included in its audited System Security Plan. Fiberlink was also recognized by GTRA members for its work with government agencies to quickly and cost effectively meet the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “Cloud First” policy - the government’s cloud migration initiative - for its ability to increase efficiency and reduce federal operating costs. Agencies use MaaS360 to meet OMB goals for Telework, GreenIT, COOP and Continuous Monitoring.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by GTRA’s membership of government technology officials as the Best Security Solution at this prestigious event," said Fiberlink’s vice president of Federal, Jeff Ward. “MaaS360’s reputation for excellence in safeguarding sensitive government data on iOS, Androids, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and laptop devices comes from our work across multiple agencies. We look forward to helping additional branches meet OMB goals for Cloud First, GreenIT, Continuous Monitoring and Telework with MaaS360.”

About Fiberlink

Fiberlink is the recognized leader in software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for secure enterprise mobile device and application management. Its cloud-based MaaS360 platform provides IT organizations with mobility intelligence and control over mobile devices, applications and content to enhance the mobile user experience and keep corporate data secure across smartphones, tablets, and laptops. MaaS360 helps companies monitor the expanding suite of mobile operating systems, including Apple iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone. Named by Network World as the Clear Choice Test winner for mobile device management solutions, MaaS360 is used to manage and secure more than one million endpoints globally. For more information, please visit http://www.maas360.com.

About the GTRA

The Government Technology Research Alliance (GTRA) is a 510c(3) non-profit organization comprised of public and private sector leaders dedicated to the development and success of the government IT community. With over 10,000 members, GTRA provides multiple forum to collaborate, strategize and create innovative solutions for the common challenges facing the civilian, defense, and intelligence communities in areas including Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Architecture, IT Reform, Sustainability, Health IT, Acquisition and Leadership. By sharing best practices and lessons-learned, knowledge at the executive-level is exchanged among peers and results in actionable government-wide strategic plans to meet OMB, White House, DoD and agency-specific objectives/mandates. More information can be found at http://gtra.org

Click here to download a FREE trial

Active Digital scoops two major awards

2011-12-13T06:34:00.000-08:00

November proved to be an exciting month for Active Digital after winning win two major awards, O2 Fixed Partner of Year 2011 and the Diamond BenchmarQ Award achieved for Customer Satisfaction. We are already looking forward to a successful 2012 as we focus on delivering the business market with new technology-driven innovations which bring real financial and operational improvements to our clients.

Head of Partners at O2 - Maggie Kennedy stated – “O2 were delighted to present this award to Richard Groves MD of the Active Digital team at the recent Partner Conference – this is a testament of their hard work and drive to win in the FMC space. A big well done from me and the team at O2.”

For the Diamond BenchmarQ Award, an independent customer satisfaction survey was carried out by QMS Plc, whereby QMS surveyed Active Digital clients on the customer experience, including staff performance, service and knowledge of products, showed an outstanding overall result of 93%.

Richard Groves, Active Digital’s Managing Director, commented; "We are delighted to win both these prestigious awards which is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work and dedication of our team. 2012 already looking to be a very exciting year for us and we are continuing to increase our innovative and diverse product range which is bringing exceptional results to our clients.’

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2012/01/active-digital-scoops-pair-of-industry-awards/

Download the Active App from iTunes today

2011-12-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

Active Digital is now working with some of the best iPhone App developers in the UK and can develop an iPhone, Android or Blackberry App specific to your personal business requirements. It could be a fantastic business opportunity and a great way to reach out to your clients.

Download App

Please contact the iPhone Development Team on 01892 835522 or email support@activedigital.co.uk to find out more.

Looking for any new connections this month?

2011-12-13T03:28:00.000-08:00

We're offering our existing clients 3 months free voice line rental on any new mobile connections they connect to the O2 network by 31st December 2011.

Receive 3 Months free line rental from Active Digital. We offer a large range of business mobile phones to choose from, so sign-up today and save money for your business. There are several great business tariffs and our expert advisors can give you help and advice on choosing the right business plan.

Just speak to your dedicated Account Manager on 01892 835522 to find out more.
Email the Business Excellence Team - support@activedigital.co.uk

Active Accessories Corporate Promotion

2011-12-13T03:04:00.000-08:00

10% OFF EVERYTHING ONLINE*

With Christmas is fast approaching this is the ideal time of treat your friends and family to their ideal Christmas gift. Take advantage of Active Accessories 10% discount offer and surprise a loved one with a fantastic mobile or iPad accessory. The Elago iPad P2 stand (featured below) would make an ideal gift for those wishing to watch their favourite movie over the festive period.

Choose from a wide range of iPad 2 and iPhone 4 /4S protective cases, leather book stands, screen protectors and much much more....

iPhone 4 Cases - £8.99

iPad 2 Cases - £24.99

Screen Protectors - £9.99

iPad/iPhone Stands - £24.99#

iPhone 4 Cases - http://www.activeaccessories.co.uk/product_list.php?cUID=9|43|27

iPad 2 Cases - http://www.activeaccessories.co.uk/product_list.php?cUID=9|26|27

Screen Protectors - http://www.activeaccessories.co.uk/product_list.php?cUID=10

iPad/iPhone Stands - http://www.activeaccessories.co.uk/search.php?searchTerm=elago

To receive 10% off, simply log onto www.activeaccessories.co.uk, create an account and at the checkout enter the code below.

Code: WIN10OFF

You can purchase accessories using a credit/debit card or from your equipment fund or 30 day account. Once your account is created, simply choose from the different payment types available on the payment page.

*PROMOTIONAL OFFER! 10% OFF XMAS OFFER at www.activeaccessories.co.uk

Delivery charges may apply. Terms and Conditions Apply. Offer ends December 31^th 2011

Inside Active HQ

2011-12-13T02:50:00.000-08:00

Recent Company Events

On Saturday 26^th November 2011, we thoroughly enjoyed a business networking event at our Twickenham Stadium Executive box, which was a great success. Thank you to all our clients who attended the day and a special thanks to Saracens Scrum Half / Fly Half, Richard Wigglesworth who also joined us for the event.

Interested in joining us for future events? Contact Louise Standen on 01892 835522.

Workplace Fundraising

Workplace Fundraising provides an opportunity for employees to take part in our monthly fundraising events and help raise much needed funds for a chosen charity selected by the team. We actively encourage our employees to organise fundraising events at work in a fun and safe way. Our ‘Giving Back’ program supports non-profit organizations and we make a donation to a different charity every month. In November we held a dress down day and bought cupcakes made by the team to donate to Children in Need.

For December, as a special Christmas treat, we have arranged for the children from Mayfield Children’s Home to enjoy some festive Ice Skating in Tunbridge Wells with our compliments.

Team Building Events

A lot is expected from a successful communications company. Our focus is the successful support of our customers, without losing sight of our employee's satisfaction. We're building a culture which makes our customers and employees feel truly valued. Encouraging people to work together and build excellent working relationships with colleagues and clients is very important to us.

In recent weeks, our teams have enjoyed an adrenaline filled go karting night and the girls enjoyed a cupcake making event, which sounds much more civilised! Great fun enjoyed by all.

As the last e-newsletter of 2011, we would like to wish all our suppliers and clients a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year

Announcing the new ProntoForms iOS Client v3.0

2011-11-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

ProntoForms iOS Client v3.0

Look for it soon on the Apple App Store!

You’re going to love the new ProntoForms client for iPhone and iPad:

- Streamlined User Experience for more efficient data entry & submission
- View your geo-stamps on a map
- Many customer suggestions and improvements implemented!

See all the details about the new ProntoForms iOS client!

**Note, the new iOS client works on devices running OS 4 and above.

What’s new?
The new iOS client won’t use an “index page” by default now… if you like the look of it on your device, see how to add one on your form. (Note: Android and BlackBerry users will also now see an index page if you enable it on your form)

Navigation has changed a bit—you’ll use “Next” at the bottom of the page and go back by clicking on the page label at the top left.

You can request a password reset directly from the device if you forget yours.

Switching between phones or accounts? Are your forms missing? Request a re-send of all forms by clicking ...More / Settings / Reset Forms. Now, click on the Send/Receive arrow at the top right to get your forms back.

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

Active Digital scoops two major awards!

2011-11-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

Active Digital – O2 Fixed Partner of the Year 2011

Active Digital is part of an elite circle of O2 Strategic Partners invited to be a member of the O2 Centre of Excellence. The O2 centre of excellence programme sets demanding criteria based on acquisition, retention, superior customer excellence and a commitment to the business sector.

Our commitment to delivering excellence was recently rewarded as Active Digital were announced as O2 Fixed Partner of the Year for 2011 at the O2 Partner event held at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire on 23^rd November 2011. By continuing to work together by setting new objectives to drive standards forward even further, the centre of excellence programme has a long and valuable future in the telecommunications industry for business customers.

Richard Groves, Active Digital’s Managing Director, commented; "We are delighted to win this prestigious award and is a fantastic achievement which reflects the hard work and dedication the team to our clients. We have an exciting roadmap for 2012 and are looking forward to an even more successful year ahead.’

Diamond BenchmarQ Award achieved for Customer Satisfaction 2011

Active Digital recently took part in an independent customer satisfaction survey carried out by QMS Plc, whereby QMS surveyed Active Digital clients on the customer experience, including staff performance, knowledge, products and services.

Following the survey results, Active Digital was awarded the Diamond BenchmarQ Award for Customer Satisfaction after achieving an outstanding overall result of 93%, which is considered to be an outstanding result. Furthermore, all clients who took part in the survey commented that they ‘happily recommend us to other businesses’.

Peter Gamble of QMS Plc stated, ‘I am delighted to award Active Digital with the Diamond Certificate for the Customer Satisfaction achieved and I look forward to conducting their survey on their behalf again in 2012‘

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

Mobile Device Management

2011-11-22T02:03:00.000-08:00

Secure all Mobile Device Platforms

MaaS360 supports all major smartphone and tablet platforms including iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Palm WebOS - in both Exchange and Lotus Notes environments.

Embrace Employee-owned Devices

MaaS360 Provides workflows to discover, enroll, manage and report on personally owned devices as part of your mobile device operations.

Experience Simple Device Enrollment and Approval

MaaS360 provides auto-quarantine for Exchange, and alerts IT personnel to approve all new devices. Additionally provides for easy user self-enrollment, via web, email or SMS.

Click here for a FREE 30 day evaluation

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

Continued Growth and Exciting Times Ahead for Active Digital

2011-11-22T02:02:00.000-08:00

The world of mobile is continually changing and the application marketplace is booming. With so much opportunity on the horizon, picking your strategic mobile communications partner is critical.

Active Digital specializes in connecting your business with mobile voice and data solutions, iPhone app development and software solutions so your business receives a complete end to end communications partner.

Our experience and confidence in providing award winning mobile and fixed services to our clients has enabled us to move into new mobile technologies, which is a winning relationship for our customers and partners. We work closely with medium and large enterprise clients aswell as premiership rugby players and Olympic Athletes to deliver mobile solutions which are in a premier league of their own.

In the last month, Active Digital has successfully built and sold 20 iPhone Apps for clients and sold over 2,000 Apple iPad2 devices. As competition continues to grow in the app market, professional iPhone application development and user-centric mobile app design becomes paramount in driving measurable results that ultimately lead to a significant return on investment. We produce innovative iPhone apps that are designed and developed to enhance user experience, engage your customers, and build your mobile brand.

Key iPhone Stats

- As of June 6, 2011, there are at least 425,000 third-party apps officially available on the App Store

- 10 billion iOS apps downloaded since July 2008

- At early July 2011, 200 million iOS users have downloaded over 15 billion apps from its App Store

- 16.10% Smartphone Market Share Sales in Q4 2010 (The Nielson Company)

- 15.7% iOS Market Share in 2010 (14.4 % in 2009)

- 57% of iPhone users are male, 43% are female (AdMob February 2010)

- 42% of iPhone users are aged between 18-44 years

Contact the Active 550 Team

Our mobile and software applications are all part of our new Active 550 product portfolio and our team are ready to talk to you today on how mobile applications such as an App for your organisation or a solution such as ProntoForms to enhance user experience, engage your customers, and build your mobile brand.

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

RIM develops Blackberry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365

2011-11-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

Research in Motion (RIM) has developed the Blackberry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365. Blackberry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365 is aimed at giving SMEs access to Microsoft Exchange Online from Blackberry smartphones.

The cloud-based service is available for no additional charge to Microsoft Office 365 mid-sized businesses and enterprises plan subscribers. It works with Blackberry smartphones on business or consumer data plans. "Blackberry Business Cloud Services will help accelerate how Blackberry customers can realise the full benefits of the best productivity experience across the PC, browser and phone with Microsoft Office 365," said Julia White, senior director of Microsoft's Exchange product management group.

Blackberry Business Cloud Services allows organizations to self-manage their Blackberry deployments in the cloud. Rim says users can reset a device password or remotely lock or wipe a device in the event of loss or theft.

In other news, RIM has delayed an update on its Blackberry Playbook operating system until next year.

The Playbook has been criticized for its lack of e-mail client. RIM had said earlier this year it would include an e-mail client on the Blackberry Playbook by November in its next operating system. RIM now says it expects to deliver the Blackberry Playbook OS 2.0 upgrade to customers in February 2012.

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

O2 brings superfast 4G to London

2011-11-22T01:57:00.000-08:00

UK’s largest LTE trial network launches to explore the technology before national introduction

On 16th November 2011, O2 will switch on the first 4G (or LTE - Long Term Evolution) network in the capital, offering a unique glimpse into the future of superfast mobile broadband. The trial, which will run for the next nine months, will see O2 equip hundreds of consumers, businesses and venue owners with the latest 4G technology and give exclusive access to the first and largest urban 4G network in the UK.

Over 25 4G sites will go live across London this month, covering a combined area of 40 square kilometres, between now and summer 2012.The network will stretch from Hyde Park to The O2 in Greenwich and has been carefully designed to cover key areas of the capital, including Canary Wharf, Soho, Westminster, South Bank and Kings Cross.

The network will enable O2 to provide a mobile internet experience comparable to the fastest landline fibre home broadband connections, unlocking a wealth of services including high speed corporate LAN access, high-definition film and music streaming, mobile online gaming and high-speed access to social networks. At these speeds, the time to download a 500MB file could be as fast as under one minute, compared to over 5 minutes on 3G.

Ronan Dunne, Chief Executive Officer of Telefónica UK (O2), said: “Today’s launch of the UK’s first 4G London trial network demonstrates our commitment to delivering 4G to our customers at the earliest opportunity. The work we are doing now will lay the foundations for our commercial 4G network when it launches in the UK.”

O2 will provide trialists with Samsung B3730 mobile broadband dongles, supporting speeds of up to 100Mbps, and well as 4G personal wireless hotspots and handsets from a number of other vendors. Over 1000 individuals are expected to take part. Among those involved in the trial are a number of exclusive partners, including:

John Lewis – the leading retailer, John Lewis, is one of O2’s largest corporate customers to be signed to the trial to pilot the benefits of 4G internally and explore the impact it will have on its operations.

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522

Next Event at the Active Digital Executive Box at Twickenham Stadium

2011-11-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Our executive box for the above event is now FULL.

We look forward to joining our clients at this event for a fantastic day of sport and entertainment.
Active Digital’s company sponsorship with Saracens Scrum Half / Fly Half, Richard Wigglesworth
will be joining us in the box for this event.

Rugby World Cup winning coach Graham Henry and his assistant Steve Hansen have accepted invitations to coach the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday 26 November.

Joining Henry and Hansen in a star-studded line-up will be other headline names from the Rugby World Cup, including several of New Zealand's triumphant squad. Sonny Bill Williams and Keven Mealamu are scheduled to make their second Barbarians' appearance while the All Black debutants include Jerome Kaino, Piri Weepu and Adam Thomas.

www.activedigital.co.uk

01892 835522