Dropbox  is an indispensable part of many a computer users’ arsenal, including several here at Telemagen. But, the company hasn’t had a viable option for businesses who would have an obvious use for a tool that allows you to easily sync files between PCs, share them amongst users and always have backups in the cloud. The boys and girls at the Y Combinator startup know that there’s lots of money to be made in the enterprise space and that’s why they’ve unveiled Dropbox for Teams. The general experience is the same, but rather than individually managed chunks of storage, teams share one large repository, starting at 1TB for five users. The base plan costs $795 a year and additional users, which also includes 200GB of storage, can be tacked on for $125 annually. The business offering also includes special tools for administrators to add or delete users and dedicated phone support.Check out the full PR below.

Do you think this is a viable solution for your business or organization?

The company’s lower price strategy applies not just to its iPhone and iPad products, but also to the MacBook Air–all have been able to meet or beat the prices offered by some of its rivals, according to an analysis in last Friday’s New York Times. But Apple also keeps its own internal costs down by locking in prices on huge amounts of hardware components through multi-year deals with manufacturers.

Looking at the iPhone 4S, Apple sells the entry level 16 gigabyte model for $199. That price comes in lower than some of the popular Android handsets, such as Motorola’s Droid Bionic ($299 through Verizon Wireless), though as CNET’s review points out, the cost drops to $199 if you shell out $50 for a data plan.

The Times also noted that the Samsung Galaxy S II sells through T-Mobile for $230, though it’s available through AT&T for $199, while the HTC Amaze 4G costs $260 through T-Mobile, but it can also be had from such retailers at Amazon for $199.

However, smartphone consumers who don’t want to choose an expensive data plan, switch carriers, or check Amazon for better deals could easily see the iPhone as the best option based in part on price.

Then there’s the iPad.

The first crop of Android tablets that hit the market failed to come close to the iPad’s entry-level price of $499, with the Times specifically pointing to the Motorola Xoom, which was priced at $800 off contract. The failure of Android tablet makers to compete on price or quality gave Apple the opportunity to corner the market.

Now, of course, rival tablet makers have finally caught on and are quickly introducing models that match or beat the iPad on price. Amazon may present the biggest challenge when it launches its $199 Kindle Fire next month. But even though the iPad’s share of the tablet market has dipped over the past several months, Apple is expected to hang on to its leading share at least over the next several years.

Even Apple’s traditionally high-priced laptops have seen their prices chopped. In July, the company tweaked its MacBook Air and cut the entry-level prices to $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch edition.

Finally, Apple’s own costs are kept in check, noted the Times, as the company uses its hefty war chest to stock up on large quantities of flash memory and other components. This puts its rivals in a difficult position as they then have to pay higher prices for the small amount of memory left in the marketplace.

Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe told CNET that the pricing strategy shows current CEO Tim Cook’s hand at work, as he had been running the supply chain for 13 years.

“This is not a new thing,” Howe said. “They started this process in 2005 when they prepaid $1.25 billion for flash memory. It was an unheard of deal at the time that they would pay in advance for access to a large amount of flash.”

Howe added that it’s the type of strategy that a company like Apple, which has a ten-year horizon, can pull off. But companies operating quarter to quarter “don’t have a chance.”
 

[This Article is Copyright of Cnet.com and has been summarized for easier interpretation.]

Do you think this strategy can withstand without loosing the quality of products and fan-base that they are most famous for?

Cisco Company  killing

Flip line of camcorders

550 employees get flipped
to the curb in the restructuring effort

Once a spunky upstart with oddly shaped camcorders, you got snapped up by Cisco in Spring of 2009 for a hefty $590 million in stock.  Cisco CEO John Chambers says the brand is being dispatched as the company refocuses, done in by the proliferation of high-definition sensors into smartphones and PMPs and the like. We had been waiting for the company’s next products (if you’ll recall, a WiFi-enabled Mino HD hit the FCC just a few months back), but at this point, it looks like those hopes and dreams will remain unfulfilled. Looks like the “exit of some consumer operations” will lead to 550 employees being left out of work. If you’ll recall, the outfit reported in February that sales of consumer products sank 15 percent, while profits slipped 18 percent as margins slid for a fourth consecutive quarter. Meanwhile, Umi will be integrated into the company’s TelePresence product line and operate through an enterprise and service provider go-to-market model. In other words, Skype just ate Umi’s lunch.

Do you think SmartPhones willl replace the camcorder?

Leave a comment below:

You can evaluate iPhone and Android devices from countless angles, so rather than pretend that we’ve got the One True Comparison, it only seems appropriate to highlight that we’re not necessarily your average user.

For our purposes, we’re measuring each phone OS against 20 features we care about most, declaring a winner (or a tie) for each category, and adding it all up. The extent to which our measurements match up with what you most care about may vary, but we suspect that many of you share similar values when it comes to your smartphone.

View More Detailed Results

[This Article is Copyright of lifehacker.com and has been summarized for easier interpretation.]

Which type of Phone do you choose?

-Leave a Comment Below-

DO’s

• Always fill in the Subject: field with a very brief description of the message as this helps in categorizing the email and later to search for it.
• Be brief and on-topic. Long, rambling messages will be ignored and deleted. They are also usually misunderstood.
• Keep emails as structurally simple as possible. Not all email software can interpret fancy fonts and stationery.
• Use the CC: (copy) field to send FYI only messages to certain recipients. One in a CC field should not be expected to comment or reply to the message.

DON’T’s

• Email is not the best way to communicate and avoid email wars at all costs.
• Do not list a recipient in the TO: field unless he/she is expected to act on your message.
• Minimize the amount of quoted text and use embedded links to URLs instead. Just copy and paste the links into your email.
• Avoid using the “confirm receipt” feature as this is annoying to most and can be avoided by the Outlook user anyway.

• Avoid emails for large file attachments. Use shared resources instead.

Things to keep in Mind…

• The use of CAPITALS is basically the email version of shouting!
• Watch your tone in the email. Avoid humor, sarcasm, and irony unless you are absolutely certain the recipient will understand your meaning.
• Using the “high importance” or “low importance” flag on EVERY email you send is unnecessary and annoying.