Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Microsoft has heard the uproar from customers over the draconian Office 2013 licensing limitations, and it has relented. Today, Microsoft announced an update to Office 2013 retail licensing agreement that should quell the uprising and force customers to put away the torches and pitchforks.
Effective immediately, customers who purchase (or have already purchased) the Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013, Office Professional 2013 suites, or any of the standalone Office 2013 applications can move the software to another computer once every 90 days.
Microsoft changed the Office 2013 licensing in response to customer backlash.Read more »
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Evernote revealed over the weekend that it was the victim of a data breach, emailing users and posting a notice on its Web site that attackers had gained access to usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords associated with Evernote accounts. As a precaution, Evernote forced all 50 million users to reset their passwords. That's a good step, but it's not really not good enough—so Evernote is accelerating its plan to roll out two-factor authentication.
Evernote users were locked out of their accounts until they changed their passwords.
Evernote wasn't originally designed as a business service, at least until the December release of Evernote for Business. Evernote is primarily a note-taking and organizational tool similar to Microsoft’s OneNote. Evernote provides a range of services—including Evernote Food, Evernote Peek, Skitch, Penultimate and more—as Web-based tools or apps across a range of operating systems and mobile platforms. Its capability to access and sync data across a broad range of devices makes it appealing as a business tool.
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
For many IT managers, moving your company's backbone to the cloud brings a certain sense of freedom. However, the task of caring for and protecting your assets remains. After all, the operative word in "virtual server" is "server"; virtual or not, it’s still a fully functioning server from an operational sense, carrying the same risks and vulnerabilities inherent in physical servers. You'll need vulnerability management tools to ensure those servers are secure.
To that end, Qualys announced this week that QualysGuard—its cloud-based suite of security and compliance tools—now works with Amazon's popular cloud services.
The rate at which new vulnerabilities are discovered is staggering. An estimate from 2010 put the figure at two per second. That may be on the extreme high end, but the point is that securing a server—virtual or physical—is a fluid, constantly changing process. You have to monitor regularly to determine which vulnerabilities your servers are exposed to, what the potential impact is, and what you can do to eliminate or mitigate the risk.
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Rumors have abounded this month that Apple is designing a smart watch—maybe even a flexible-glass, slap-bracelet type of device. As cool as that sounds, an "iWatch" needs to be equal parts form and function for working adults to take it seriously. There’s still no confirmation that such a device is being developed, but let’s consider what it would take for it to have a serious impact on mobile productivity.
Businesses are still coming to grips with the consumerization of IT and the BYOD (bring your own device) trend, with smartphones and tablets entering the workplace. Wearable tech could bring a whole new shift in mobile computing. What if an iWatch were a mobile command center that lets you get things done more efficiently? You could read email, check your schedule, set reminders, and video conference right on your wrist. An added bonus is that you're less likely to drop or lose a device worn on your wrist.
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Mobile malware and narrowly-targeted attacks are steadily rising, according to a McAfee report released earlier this month. These ticking time bombs and other security threats should concern your small business.
In many ways we've achieved a sort of equilibrium with regard to malware since the days of Internet-crippling cyber attacks like Code Red and SQL Slammer. The flood of malware hasn't stopped, but as long as you have security software in place and keep it up to date you're relatively safe from most threats. You still can't let your guard down, though. McAfee's research indicates that threats are rapidly proliferating as criminals' goals and techniques evolve.
The majority of mobile malware threats target the Android OS. Credit: McAfeeRead more »
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Microsoft might be selling two versions of its Office suite, but its licensing policies suggest the company is not only trying to thwart software piracy, but also drive customers away from Office 2013 and over to the Office 365 subscription model.
First, a little background. Purchasing Office 2013 only provides a license for a single PC (as opposed to up to five PCs with Office 365). The Office 2013 license goes one step further into the draconian abyss, though, by specifying that the software is literally tied to the device it’s installed on. This means you can’t re-install Office 2013 if you get a new PC.
Microsoft is taking a draconian approach to Office 2013 licensing. Read more »
Tony is principal analyst with the Bradley Strategy Group, providing analysis and insight on tech trends. He is a prolific writer on a range of technology topics, has authored a number of books, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. More by Tony Bradley
Rumors have ramped up this week that Apple is developing an "iWatch." The success of wearable technology like the Nike Fuelband, and demand for the Pebble, the Kickstarter-backed smart watch, have fueled the speculation.
It's a logical move for Apple, which could use a new device to generate buzz and drive revenue. The iPhone and iPad are still selling almost as fast as Apple can produce them, but it will be hard to sustain growth and relevance by pushing out annual, incremental updates to them.
If Apple is working on some sort of intelligent watch, what exactly would it be? Here are a few concepts to consider.
