Get your business moving
MOBILE computing is becoming increasingly important to SA’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and many are choosing to buy laptops instead of desktop computers. Wireless Internet connectivity while on the move is also a major requirement.
Danny de Beer, alliance director at Fujitsu Siemens Computers, said mobility of the workforce is important in companies of all sizes. “We have seen a steady increase in the number of people replacing desktop machines with mobile computers, which can be just as capable as their desktop counterparts.”
For years, companies had to pay significantly more for notebook computers that, although portable, tended to be underpowered, heavy and slow. Now advances in battery life, mobile communications and overall power have made the mobile option a first choice for workers. “Modern notebook computers are powerful, lightweight and have a range of wireless connectivity options, which is important because many organisations see the Internet as a form of virtual office.
“E-mail has to a large degree replaced the telephone as a primary means of business communication, and the web can be used to do anything from Internet banking to connecting with the company network.”
As was evident in this year’s SME survey findings, these businesses rely heavily on being connected. They happily pay for high speed Internet access via ADSL for the office, but around half also use mobile data services via cellphone networks as a form of backup connection or to send and receive data while out of the office.
“All our latest laptop models have wireless connectivity built in, whether via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth,” De Beer said. “Wi-Fi is useful for when people are on the road, and hot spots are available at airports, hotels and even coffee shops.
“Bluetooth is great for synchronising notebooks and cellphones, or for printing wirelessly when people are at locations that offer that service.
“Although most people use dedicated office productivity software based on their notebooks, many use free Internet-based services while they travel. That way, their data is secured at a remote location and, should disaster strike and the portable device is damaged, lost or stolen, the data remains safe elsewhere and can be retrieved later.”
De Beer said security is important on notebook computers and users should ensure they are protected by a password. Most mobile computers contain sensitive data about a company, its financial status, people and even banking records, and security should not be taken lightly.
“It’s also highly advisable to back up data on your mobile machine when you are back in the office as a precaution against data theft,” he said.
An external hard drive is a good way to archive data and free up space on a notebook computer. Many people also carry flash drives to duplicate smaller amounts of information. “Today’s notebook computers come in a wide range of shapes and sizes and it’s important to buy appropriately. If you plan to carry around a lot of data, go for a larger hard drive, as much memory as you can afford and perhaps a lighter, more compact device,” De Beer said.
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