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News from Accent Information Systems
Greetings!
As we start the new year, it is a time to reflect on how we did during 2010, and what changes we can implement to make 2011 even better.
We would like to extend a "thank you" to our customers for letting us prove "we put the Accent on Services'." According to ShoreTel, Accent has scored a 100% in customer service based on customer surveys for all of 2010. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you, and we hope our services have saved you money, increased productivity, and made day-to-day operations more efficient, giving you time to watch your bottom line.
Technology changes at the blink of an eye, and it is our goal to keep you informed of the latest changes in the technology field, particularly business communications. I hope you take the time to look over this quarter's newsletter to see what I mean.
We wish you a prosperous new year!
With kindest regards,
Frank L. Goode, President |
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The World of Samsung
With the Consumer Electronics Show having taken place in Las Vegas recently, many have heard the name Samsung in regard to TVs and smartphones. Some are surprised to learn that this $90B company is also a strong player in the business phone system arena. Accent has been a partner of Samsung for nearly 3 years, and recently we spoke with Donald Murphy, Regional Sales Manager for Samsung North America, and Alex Kim, Vice President of Samsung Worldwide Sales.
We asked the Samsung team to describe some of the key benefits of the OfficeServ Family of product solutions, and they echoed their comments from earlier meetings with regard to simplicity and flexibility. According to Murphy and Kim, smaller sized companies needed a system designed for them that is affordable, simple, and quick to install, with full converged IP power in a pre-programmed system solution.
They also pointed out that the solution is designed to grow with the user, allowing reuse of all phone sets and modules. Users can buy the resources they need today and will be able to use them in the future when the need arises to upgrade or expand.
So just because you are seeing Samsung on the walls and counters of your home, and in your hands as you travel the globe, don't think that it is done making our lives easier. Samsung also has a strong strategy for the business desktop. To learn more, give us a call.
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Surviving Winter While Working Day-to-day
The first "Snowpocalypse" of winter slammed the northest recently, and it can happen here in Ohio, too. If you do become snowed out of your office, you'll probably be forced into working from home, or taking a day of vacation. How do you survive and still meet deadlines? You can be just as productive at home as you would be if you were chained to your desk at the office. Here's what you'll need to stay busy during this year's blizzards: - A remote log in application will help you access files on your office computer. One of the most popular and best-reviewed apps is LogMeIn. It works within your web browser to gain remote access to your Mac or PC. There are several service options that are free, and other options go up from there. Welcome to your office. - If you use a ShoreTel phone system, you can use a Web browser to connect to your desk phone while using your home phone. All calls to your office will automatically route to your home. When you make calls, the called party will see your office Caller ID. How's that for transparency? - A Bluetooth speaker phone accessory for your smartphone will let you conduct conference calls with your colleagues and clients. We've use Jawbone, and Plantronics makes several options that are good. If you don't have one of these today, is it time to invest?  - Google Apps is a great way to stay connected to other members of your team. While checking email, you can also have chat sessions with co-workers and even clients. Contact us for a demonstration.- Another colaborative tool is Skype, which allows you to hold meetings and conference calls with your co-workers, and to video chat as if you were in the same office. Download it here for free.. - If your Internet connection is down due to bad weather, use a portable hotspot like some smartphones, to connect a laptop or desktop computer to the the internet and to your office. With so many gadgets, you can meet those deadlines despite what Mother Nature brings! |
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What's on the Horizon
Have you seen these before? You have probably walked by them thousands of times before without realizing it. Soon you won't be able to avoid them.
Book stores, "big box" stores, clothing stores, and websites are starting to display the "Quick-Response Code". Technically speaking, a QR Code can be described as a two-dimentional barcode which can be decoded quickly by cameras, especially those in smartphones, and special scanners and webcams. With the advent of smartphones, appealing to customers on the go has become more pressing, prompting many companies to seek new ways to engage their customers across print, the Internet, television, billboards, and other channels. QR Codes are becoming increasingly popular as a way to do that.
Most cellphones today are able to scan a QR Code and open the associated resource in the cell phone. The resource is usually a website but can also be a phone number, sms or text. Anyone using a cell phone to open websites can imagine how much faster and efficient this method is.
Just think, while visiting a museum you can place your phone's camera over an image and be presented with an article from Wikipedia describing all of the details of the work of art.
Don't have a cell phone with embidded QR Code reader? Download a QR Code Reader from an App store. If you don't have an iPhone, upload the QR Code to an online QR Code Decoder.
Where is technology going next? Stay tuned. |
Technology Tip of the Quarter: Prepare for Internet Upgrade to IPv6
With the rapid depletion of IP addresses, we will be forced to upgrade to the new IP version 6 (IPv6) soon. Some estimates show we will run out of IP addresses within the next two years, but some experts are saying that available IPv4 addresses will be depleted within a matter of a few months! This new way of Internet addressing not only will provide abundant addresses for Internet growth for a long time, it will provide additional security, more efficient routing, multicasting, and greater mobility.
Currently, IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, and can support 4.3 billion devices directly connected to the Internet. With IPv6, 128-bit addresses will be used. The number of addresses that will be available is so high that even the experts don't agree on how many. One figure we've heard is 340 undecillion. That's 34 followed by 36 zeros.
China, Japan, Hawaii, and the Department of Defense are already converting to IPv6. Interestingly, June 8, 2011 is being dubbed "World IPv6 Day", when several of the Internet's most used websites (including Yahoo, Google and Facebook) will be participating in a trial of IPv6 on a global scale.
Our message here: Plan now. Don't be caught unprepared. Budget for the upgrade, and most importantly, provide training for your IT staff. Although equipment manufacturers have been required to make their equipment IPv6 compatible over the last few years, you need to ensure that your network administrators are prepared to respond to unforseen problems. We'll keep you informed of local training opportunities as we become aware of them.
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"Accent At A Glance"
Information technology isn't just phone systems. See our "Accent At A Glance" brochure. From the structured cabling backbone to the exchange of information via "the cloud" and everything in between, this portfolio of our services shows how it all works together. Take a glance. You might just find something that would make your office more productive, help you focus on your customers, grow your core business and maintain more of your bottom line. |
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Accent is
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Click here to visit our website and check out all of our services!
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