The SMB Tech Report

Is Apple Moving into SMB Market?

Apple Inc. may be about to expand its presence in the small business market. At least that is what The Wall Street Journal thinks based on recent job postings on Apple's Web site. Apple is looking for engineers with proficiency in networking hardware and server platforms to work in some of its retail stores creating and implementing computer systems for small businesses. more

Microsoft Releases Embedded Windows 7 to Device Manufacturers

Microsoft Corp. has announced release of Windows Embedded Standard 7 to smartphone and other handheld mobile device manufacturers. more

iPad Demand Swamps Apple, International iPad Launch Delayed One Month

Apple announced it has delivered 500,000 iPads, with U.S. demand much higher than the company predicted and exceeding supply. Apple has also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models. As a result, it is postponing the international launch of the iPad to the end of May. It will announce international pricing and start accepting online pre-orders May 10. more

Apple Announces Three New MacBooks

Apple has announced three new Macbooks, with 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch displays, more powerful graphics, faster processors, and longer battery life. The 13-inch model has up to 10 hours of battery life, while the other two have 8-to-9 hours. The 15-inch and 17-inch models feature core i5 and core i7 dual-core processors, boosting performance up to 50%. more

Wyse Releases PocketCloud Virtualization App for iPad

Wyse Technology, a provider of thin computing and client virtualization systems, has released the Wyse PocketCloud App for the iPad, delivering cloud-based virtualized application support. This new version, completely rewritten for the iPad to get maximum use from its high resolution screen, includes more than 20 new features and improvements including support for VMware View 4. more

Citrix App Brings Virtualized Windows Desktop to iPad

Citrix has announced a version of Citrix Receiver for the iPad that will allow users to run Windows applications on the Apple tablet. Citrix Receiver for iPad allows the user to connect to a Windows computer via the Internet and run the applications on that computer. more

Microsoft and I-O Data Sign Linux Software Patent Agreement

Microsoft has signed a patent agreement with I-O Data Device Inc. under which Microsoft will provide patent coverage for users of I-O Data's network-attached storage (NAS) devices and routers running Linux. Details have not been announced, but the signers indicated that I-O Data is compensating Microsoft for the coverage. more

Hewlett-Packard Announces Ultra-Thin Tablet and Notebook PCs

Hewlett-Packard Corp. has introduced its first multitouch-enabled convertible tablet for business users as well as notebook PCs tailored for small-to-medium size businesses:

• HP EliteBook 2740p: An ultra-thin, multitouch-enabled convertible tablet;
• HP EliteBook 2540p: HP's lightest EliteBook notebook PC, starting at 3.3 pounds, designed for businesses that need a rugged, high-performance notebook; and,
• HP ProBook standard series notebook PCs. There are four new models in this line. more

FalconStor and Violin Deliver High-Performance Solid-State SAN Solution

FalconStor Software Inc., and Violin Memory Inc., have partnered to provide a flash-based storage area network (SAN)-based storage system that simultaneously accelerates reads and writes for higher performance. The FalconStor SAN Accelerator doubles SAN performance, delivering high-speed data-access and minimal latency at lower cost than conventional solutions. more

BitDefender and Kanguru Team to Protect Encrypted Flash Drives

Kanguru Solutions, manufacturer of secure, portable IT storage solutions, has partnered with anti-malware software developer BitDefender to provide built-in anti-malware protection for Kanguru Defender Elite Secure Flash Drives. The Defender Elite uses 256-bit AES hardware encryption, is tamper resistant, and can be remotely managed to ensure compliance with organizational policies. The addition of BitDefender's technology adds real-time virus and malware scanning. more

HP Offers Services for Data Centers

Hewlett-Packard has announced a set of services designed to improve operational efficiency and address resource constraints for small-to-medium data centers. These services are focused on helping data center owners maximize business return on existing assets and implement change using current staffing. more

LaCie Introduces Mobile, Rugged eSATA Drive with Power Interface

LaCie has released a portable eSATA hard drive, a mobile drives that uses the powered eSATA interface with transfer rates up to 90 MB/sec data transfers. The drive is encased in a scratch-resistant aluminum shell with internal shock absorbers and a shock-resistant rubber bumper. more

LaCie Announces NAS Desktop Systems for Small to Medium Size Businesses

LaCie has introduced a line of desktop network-attached-storage (NAS) systems for small-to-medium businesses that feature data transfer rates of up to 70 MB/sec., multiple hot-swap RAID (redundant arrays of inexpensive disk) modes for data backup and recovery, full-featured Web-based administration, and quiet and energy-efficient operation, and up to 10 TB of shared desktop network storage. The systems come in single-disk, two-disk, and five-disk models and allow SMBs to manage their vital data in a central location rather than having it spread over multiple desktop and laptop devices that may experience hard drive failures or be lost or stolen. more

Hewlett-Packard Reports 13% Year-to-Year Non-GAAP Profit increase for Quarter

Hewlett-Packard has reported a 20% year-to-year GAAP profit increase and a 13% non-GAAP profit operating profit increase on an 8% net revenue increase for its first quarter of 2010. The increases were driven by double-digit year-over-year growth in printers, industry standard servers, and PCs. more

Synology America Announces Two-Bay NAS Server

Synology America Corp. has announced a new scalable, 2-bay network attached storage (NAS) server, the DS710+, which scales easily to seven bays and provides a flexible, high performance storage and file management solution for small-to-medium size businesses. more

Axxana Signs European Distribution Agreement with MTI

Axxana, supplier of preconfigured "black box" data backup and recovery systems, has signed a distribution agreement with computing infrastructure systems provider MTI to distribute the Axxana Phoenix System in Europe. MTI will also showcase Phoenix it the MTI Solutions Center, which it established last year in partnership with EMC, VMware, and Cisco. more

Hewlett-Packard Announces Quarterly Financial Results Feb. 17

Hewlett-Packard  will announce its first fiscal quarter financial results in a live Web cast at 4:30 PM EST Feb. 17. A recording will be available on the corporate Web site after the event. more

Hewlett-Packard Offers 0% Financing for Small-to-Medium Businesses

Hewlett-Packard has announced 0% financing promotions. Offered through HP Financial Services, the promotions cover both lease and purchase options for HP equipment and include a 12-month lease with a $1 purchase option and a 36-month lease with a fair market value purchase option. more

e-Book Reader Market to Nearly Double in Next Four Years, Says Yankee Group

Computer industry guru Yankee Group is predicting that the "already hot" U.S. e-Reader market will "catch fire," and grow from $1.3 billion in 2010 to $2.5 billion by 2013. The growth will be driven in part by an expected 15%-per-year price drop for e-readers during the next five years. Yankee Group believes $150 to be the "sweet spot" for the devices. more