Hosting's most influential magazine provides service providers with insight into the small business market by profiling a range of unique small business customers, and their hosting relationship.
Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) August 17, 2011
The Web Host Industry Review, the leading resource for information on the web hosting industry, is exited to announce that the July 2011 issue of its Web Host Industry Review magazine has shipped, providing readers with unique insight into the small business hosting market through a series of customer profile stories.
July’s cover story “Understanding Small Business†takes up the bulk of the special issue, which uses a series of profiles to illustrate the reality that “small business,†while widely agreed to be a large and growing market for hosted services, is far from uniform. Small businesses come in a near-endless variety of shapes, and those produce a wide range of IT needs.
“We set out to help [hosts] understand small businesses on a more individual basis,†writes editor in chief Liam Eagle, in his July editor’s letter, “by profiling a series of small businesses that are also web hosting customers, examining their IT needs, as well as their relationships with the hosting providers who support those needs.â€
The series of eight small business profiles includes a mobile app developer, Hidden Pineapple; a web designer, Design903; a rock band, Decibilt; a blog, Werd; a contract- and appointments-based business, FM Automation; an online game developer, WoozWorld; an online retailer, Gathered Foods; and a SaaS operator, Vonigo.
In profiling each of the companies, and the hosting providers that support their needs, as complex or simple as they may be, the issue illustrates how specific and different those needs can be from customer to customer, and how specialization on the part of the host can go a long way toward making its small business relationships work well.
“I’m really proud of this issue,†says Eagle. “It’s a really unique cross-section of a very important hosting market. Along with containing a lot of valuable information and insight, this issue is a lot of fun to read. it was more fun than usual to put this one together.â€
Some of the July issue’s other key features include a look at how legislation impacts the hosting industry, and what hosts can do to have input into government decision-making, and a look inside SoftLayer’s new managed hosting offering, as well as a conversation with Jonathan Bryce, a leader in the OpenStack community.
The July 2011 issue of WHIR magazine, along with all if its back issues, is available in an online edition on the WHIR website.
About the Web Host Industry Review:
Since 2000, The Web Host Industry Review has made a name for itself as the foremost authority of the Web host industry providing reliable, insightful and comprehensive news, reviews and resources to the hosting community. TheWHIR Blogs provides a community of expert industry perspectives. The Web Host Industry Review Magazine also offers a business-minded, issue-driven perspective of interest to executives and decision-makers. WHIR TV offers on demand web hosting video interviews and web hosting video features of the key persons and events of the web hosting industry. WHIR Events brings together like-minded hosting industry professionals and decision-makers in local communities. TheWHIR is an iNET Interactive property. For more details about TheWHIR, visit theWHIR.com For more information on iNET Interactive, visit iNETinteractive.com
For the original version on PRWeb visit: prweb.com/releases/prweb2011July/WHIRMagazine/prweb8724287.htm
What do you know about Ventrilo or TeamSpeak?
Many people have never heard of Ventrilo and or TeamSpeak. They have both been used in the gaming industry as well as the office environment. Both have been leaders in the VoIP industry, but which one should you use?
What is Ventrilo?
Ventrilo (also known as Vent) is a voice communication program allowing users to connect to a central server and chat with other users much like a conference call. This is essentially voice over IP technology, and in video game terms can often mean the difference between a successful raid run and or a complete wipe. Ventrilo users can count on no lag, amazing codecs and great stable performance. Ventrilo is definitely one of the industry’s leading players in VoIP.
What is TeamSpeak?
TeamSpeak (also known as TS) is a communications tool that uses the internet as a highway for delivering clear communication. TeamSpeak was originally targeted toward the gaming community. This software was made for increasing the communication in online games. however, the same possibilities with games became very useful with business. This software created a revolution in the multiplayer gaming around a couple of years back. Before TeamSpeak all gamers knew of was in game voice commands.
The features and differences:
Ventrilo
# Cross channel communications.
# User-to-user private conversations.
# Individual channels that can be created dynamically.
# sub channels.
# Muted channels.
# Queued channels.
# Password protected
server login and channels.
# Advanced channel control options and filters.
# Text-to-speech (TTS) voice generation.
# Key binding to execute special program functions, play wave files, send TTS messages.
# Separate phonetic spelling of user and channel names for proper TTS.
# Built in chat similar to IRC.
# Users can enter dynamic comments for all other users to see.
# User assigned names for server connections. no need to remember IP numbers.
# Multiple platform support for servers.
# Servers are now ready and supported on 64bit platforms.
# Ability to restrict server admin features. Useful for hosting services.
# Server specified codec’s to control voice quality and bandwidth usage.
TeamSpeak
# Optimal bandwidth usage with codecs ranging from CELP 5.1Kbit to GSM 16.4Kbit to Speex 25.9Kbit for optimal voice clarity
# Local addressbook allows you to connect quickly to your favorite servers
# Webserver list allows you to find TeamSpeak servers without their IP
# Channel and subchannel creation
# Client is designed to work well with firewalls and routers
# Passworded servers and channels
# Completely configurable keybindings (hotkeys) to quickly join specified channels, mute your microphone, etc.
# Whisper functions so you can speak privately to inidividuals, groups of persons, or other channels
# Auto voice normalizing (no need to adjust your mic manually)
# Supports Microsoft Gamevoice hardware
# Windows/Linux server
# Windows/Linux client
# Text messaging in the client
# Seemless optoinal MySQL integration, allowing you to customize your server database
# Minimal CPU and RAM requirements
# Given bandwidth requirements are met, servers can easily handle thousands of users
At the end of the day it is personal preference in choosing between a Ventrilo server or a TeamSpeak server. They are both without a doubt amazing products
Late last week, we reported that despite having three of the four major labels on board with its plan for a cloud-based streaming service and the final label apparently close to signing a deal, Apple still needs to reach agreements with the music publishers before it can launch its service. At the time, we noted that the two sides were essentially on the same page, with only monetary compensation to be negotiated.
CNET now provides an update claiming that the two sides are actually quite close on the monetary issue, leaving only a small amount of negotiation. The report does caution, however, that unexpected delays can still pop up and that even seemingly simple negotiations can take significant amounts of time in the complex landscape of music sales.
Negotiations between Apple and music publishers have begun in earnest only recently but the amount of money that separates the two sides from reaching a deal is relatively small, according to two sources with knowledge of the talks. That said, these are cloud-licensing contracts, which are new and complex and there’s still several ways Apple’s service could be delayed, insiders say.
The report lays out how Apple and music publishers are having to forge into entirely new territory with their negotiations over cloud-based streaming services. Publishers are currently paid at a fixed rate of 9.1 cents per track sold either digitally or on physical media, a rate set by the U.S. Congress. Separate cloud streaming rights are not part of that package and thus Apple and the publishers have had to hash out new standards for the industry.
Reports indicate that labels and publishers are keen to have Apple launch its service quickly, looking to the service as another revenue-generating opportunity to help reverse declines in the industry and as a means to get Google and Amazon to reach similar agreements after those companies launched basic cloud services without the agreement of labels and publishers. That said, there is reportedly some tension between labels and publishers, with publishers apparently upset that labels have already claimed the vast majority of money Apple is prepared to pay for cloud streaming rights, leaving little for the publishers. The disagreements may primarily be posturing by the different parties, however, and thus it is likely that they can be overcome.
CNET does still expect Apple’s cloud-based streaming service to debut at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, an event that begins in just two weeks.
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Just as Apple’s cloud-based music storage service has been said to be ready to go amid claims that Apple has inked two of the four major record labels to deals permitting the service, CNET now reports that Apple has reached a deal with Warner Music Group (WMG) in support of the plan.
Apple has an agreement with Warner Music Group to offer the record label’s tracks on iTunes’ upcoming cloud-music service, music industry sources said.
In the race to the cloud, Apple is apparently stepping on the gas. All Things Digital reported Thursday that Apple has signed two of the top four record companies. ATD reported that Apple content chief Eddy Cue was due to fly to New York on Friday to try and finalize agreements with the two labels that were still unsigned.
It is unclear whether Warner was one of those two that had previously licensed Apple or whether the label inked a new agreement on Friday.
The report notes that WMG is the third largest record label in the United States, joining Universal, Sony, and EMI in the group of major players that sets the tone for the industry. WMG may be the most important agreement, however, as the label has reportedly been the “fly in the ointment” that has caused both Spotify and Google issues in neogtiating their own music deals.
It is not yet known when Apple plans to introduce the new cloud-based service, but the company appears to be racing full speed ahead toward a launch.
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Reuters reports that a new study from research firm Strategy Analytics is showing that Apple is now the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer as measured by revenue, outpacing Nokia for the first time ever in the January-March quarter.
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) became the world’s largest phone vendor by revenue in January-March, overtaking Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE) for the first time ever, research firm Strategy Analytics said on Thursday. “With strong volumes and high wholesale prices, the PC vendor has successfully captured revenue leadership of the total handset market in less than four years,” said analyst Alex Spektor.
According to the report, Apple’s iPhone revenue of $11.9 billion last quarter easily topped Nokia’s phone revenue of $9.4 billion.
Apple has long led the mobile phone industry in profits, now raking in half of the industry’s total profits. But Apple’s ascendance to the top of the list for revenue in addition to profits demonstrates that the company’s strong growth in the smartphone market is continuing.
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Image from Droid Life
All Things Digital reports that Google is having difficulties as it works to develop its own iTunes competitor, describing the company’s talks with major record labels as “going backwards”. Google has been working since last year to roll out a music service that would also integrate with the company’s Android platform in an attempt to rival the iTunes-iOS mobile media combination and move into cloud-based storage.
Google’s negotiations with the big music labels are “broken,” says a source familiar with the search giant’s thinking: “There’s definitely a problem with the Google music conversations.” Another industry source says Google’s top executives are reconsidering their music plans altogether. “They’ve gone backwards,” I’m told.
Some label sources have suggested that Google is continuing to negotiate and that things are moving forward, but there appears to be growing discontentment at other labels due in part to Google potentially changing its demands at the last minute and label concerns over Amazon’s new cloud-based storage service and music player launched late last month.
Apple of course is widely rumored to be working on a revamp of its MobileMe services that would allow users to store their media in the cloud and access it from any Internet-connected Apple device. The company has been said to be talking with record labels for many months now, working to get labels on board for the service that they have repeatedly said is not a permitted usage under current distribution contracts.
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Apple’s U.S. Market Share Trend: 1Q06-1Q11 (Gartner)
Just as it did last quarter, Apple appears to have once again demonstrated year-over-year Mac sales growth for the first quarter of 2011 while the rest of the industry has been mired in a slump reportedly due in no small part to a shift in consumer interest to new media tablets dominated by Apple’s iPad. The data comes from research firms Gartner and IDC.
Gartner’s Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 1Q11 (Thousands of Units)
According to Gartner’s report, Apple once again checked in in fifth place in the U.S. market, grabbing a 9.3% share that marks a significant rise from a 7.3% share in the prior-year quarter. The number is down slightly, however, from a 9.7% share in the previous quarter and marks the second consecutive decline in Mac sales share, although Apple’s market share does tend toward cyclical fluctuations that have led the company’s share to still be significantly higher than it was in the first quarter of 2010.
“Weak demand for consumer PCs was the biggest inhibitor of growth,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. “Low prices for consumer PCs, which had long stimulated growth, no longer attracted buyers. Instead, consumers turned their attention to media tablets and other consumer electronics. With the launch of the iPad 2 in February, more consumers either switched to buying an alternative device, or simply held back from buying PCs. We’re investigating whether this trend is likely to have a long-term effect on the PC market.”
Gartner’s report pegged Apple’s year-over-year unit growth in the United States at 18.9%, outpacing fourth-place Toshiba’s 10.9% growth as all other top manufacturers saw declines that led to an overall decline of 6.1% in the U.S. PC market.
IDC’s report tells a somewhat similar story, although that firm pegs Apple’s year-over-year unit growth in the U.S. at only 9.6%, behind that of Toshiba at 10.4%. But IDC also sees a much steeper drop-off for Acer than Gartner sees, with IDC showing a 42% drop in unit sales that bumps Acer down from third place to fifth place and allows Apple to rise to fourth place with 8.5% of the market.
As usual, neither Gartner nor IDC covered Apple’s worldwide performance for the quarter, as the company does not rank in the top five by global shipments. Both reports did, however, record year-over-year declines in the worldwide market similar to those seen for the United States, with Gartner seeing a 1.1% decline in sales while IDC tracked a 3.2% drop.
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Apple is rumored to be launching a dramatic new version of Final Cut Pro next week during NAB. The rumored venue for the launch is, surprisingly enough, a Final Cut Pro User Group SuperMeet on April 12th. The early rumors claimed that several speakers and sponsors had been shuffled around at the last minute to accommodate Apple.
Philip Bloom just confirmed with me that Canon has canceled his appearance at the Supermeet, though he still may present (possibly as a guest of Apple.) At present he doesnt know if he will speak or not. Canon was told last night that Apple has demanded ALL lecturn or stage time exclusively.
….UPDATE: Avid confirmed that Supermeet (Michael Horton) told them last night that their sponsorship had been canceled. According to Avid, Apple doesnt want anyone to have stage time but them.
The SuperMeet website has been updated with the removal of many sponsor logos and a teaser about a special guest that you won’t want to miss:
The Final Cut Pro User Group Network is excited to have a very special guest presentation at the 10th Annual Las Vegas FCPUG SuperMeet. Come to see a surprise sneak peek at something very special – you really do not want to miss this one!
FilmMakerMagazine collects some reaction about the possibilities and also points to this pre-NAB panel discussion with Mark Raudonis, head of post production at Bunim/Murray Productions. Raudonis was actually invited to Apple’s preview event for industry leaders and shares some hints about the new product:
Raudonis’s part talking about Final Cut Pro begins at 3 minutes into it and he starts off saying that he can’t get into details and says this is as specific as he can get: “I was there, many other industry pros were also there, it was ‘awesome’”. But Roudonis does goes on to use some metaphors to describe Apple and the new Final Cut Pro.
What’s Wayne Gretsky got to do with Final Cut Pro? If anyone knows the great one. If people asked him what was the secret to his success, his answer was “Skate to where the puck will be”. And that really exemplifies Apple’s philosophy, their attitude, their approach to what Final Cut will be.
….
I would say to you that there are few companies in the world that are as good at skating as [Apple is]. Your next question is probably… What the “puck”? Where is the puck headed? Again, I can’t speak specifically, but I think the rest of the time here will be very interesting. Filebased workflows, Thunderbolt, iPad, Competition, it’s a moving target. Adobe, Avid, Lightworks. There’s a lot of other stuff out there. And they are certainly not ignorant of what’s going on in the market at the moment.
I would also end with. Henry Ford “If I asked people what they wanted, they’d tell me they wanted a faster horse”. So, Apple is very good at going their own way and figuring out where things will be. They may not ask you what you want. They are going to tell you ‘we’re going to invent something different.’ And that’s kind of my take away from it. I was very impressed, it was awesome and look out, I believe they say it will be available in Spring 2011. So, that goes all the way up to June 20th. So, that’s what I know, that’s what I can say, and if there’s anyone from Apple out there, I hope you don’t sue me.”
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One of the major talking points long used by Google in support of its Android smartphone operating system over iOS is its “open” nature that has allowed handset manufacturers and others to tweak and customize the software for their needs. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has argued that the “open” nature would more accurately be described as “fragmented” in justifying why he believes that Apple’s “closed” or “integrated” iOS is a better platform for consumers.
Google executive Andy Rubin responded to Jobs’ comments last October by using his first ever Tweet to define “open” as the code needed to get the Android source code installed and ready for use by anyone interested in it.
But as Android’s popularity has taken off and the number of manufacturers and devices utilizing it has exploded, Google has begun tightening its control over the operating system, perhaps recognizing that a purely open system might in fact not be best for consumers and looking to exert its influence over how Android is presented to and behaves for users.
Last week, Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Google has decided to hold back from releasing the source code for its new “Honeycomb” version of Android to the public, claiming that the code is not yet ready for public tweaking given corners that needed to be cut to bring it to market to compete with the iPad.
“To make our schedule to ship the tablet, we made some design tradeoffs,” says Andy Rubin, vice-president for engineering at Google and head of its Android group. “We didn’t want to think about what it would take for the same software to run on phones. It would have required a lot of additional resources and extended our schedule beyond what we thought was reasonable. So we took a shortcut.”
Rubin says that if Google were to open-source the Honeycomb code now, as it has with other versions of Android at similar periods in their development, it couldn’t prevent developers from putting the software on phones “and creating a really bad user experience. We have no idea if it will even work on phones.”
Still, Rubin argued that Google has not changed its philosophy about Android being an open source project.
Bloomberg Businessweek continued digging into the situation, however, and yesterday published a report outlining how Google has in fact been taking new steps to crack down on how Android is being deployed, moves that have angered some hardware manufacturers.
Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google (GOOG) has reached out to the major carriers and device makers backing its mobile operating system with a message: There will be no more willy-nilly tweaks to the software. No more partnerships formed outside of Google’s purview. From now on, companies hoping to receive early access to Google’s most up-to-date software will need approval of their plans. And they will seek that approval from Andy Rubin, the head of Google’s Android group.
According to the report, Google has been increasing enforcement of “non-fragmentation clauses” in recent months, requiring partners to submit their plans to Google for final say on their implementation. The policies have ruffled some feathers in the industry, including at Facebook and Verizon, where tweaked versions of Android have been under development. Google’s actions have sparked a few complaints to the U.S. Department of Justice, although it is unclear whether there is any momentum for a coordinated push back from manufacturers or regulators.
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Perhaps the most notable information comes at the end of the article, revealing that sources have said that Apple’s April 2010 acquisition of personal assistant software company Siri is set to bear fruit in the form of “deeply integrated” artificial intelligence and voice control for iOS 5, a change that could potentially transform the way iOS devices are used.
A year ago, Apple bought Siri, a virtual personal assistant startup that had released a very cool iPhone app. The Siri team and technology are now said to be a big part of iOS 5.
The use of Siri’s artificial intelligence and assistance technology is said to be deeply integrated into the OS for all the different services offered. And the team is now putting the finishing touches on the elements that will be demoed at WWDC, we hear. This tech may also be opened to developers for use in third-party apps – though that information isn’t quite as concrete.
The report also notes that a fall release for new iPhone hardware provides Apple with additional time to incorporate LTE 4G capabilities, speculating that a desire to add LTE may even be the reason for the shift in release schedule compared to past years.
TechCrunch contributor Steve Cheney (who nailed the timing of the Verizon iPhone last year), believes that a fall iPhone 5 launch makes LTE much more likely. He currently puts the odds at zero to ten percent for LTE if the iPhone 5 launched this summer (again, not happening), 50 percent if it comes in the fall, and 100 percent if it comes in January.
A fall timeframe would give Apple a more vetted and lower power Qualcomm chip for LTE, Cheney says. When the Verizon iPhone was unveiled in January, Apple COO Tim Cook addressed the LTE issue directly. “The first generation LTE chipsets force some design compromises. Some of which we would not make,” he said. If Cheney is right, that may not be such an issue later this year.
The report notes that Apple waited to adopt 3G technology until is had significantly matured, opting to release the original iPhone as an EDGE-only device despite relatively widespread 3G coverage available at the time. But at that time the iPhone was a completely new concept for smartphones setting the stage to remake the industry regardless of whether it was an EDGE or 3G device. In the much larger and much more competitive smartphone market today, Android devices are already moving to LTE and Apple may not wish to wait until mid-2012 to introduce its own LTE iPhone.
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