The iPad completely disrupted the traditional computer/laptop market in a way no other device has. (Brace yourself) Amazon’s newly announced “Kindle Fire” could burn quite a hole in the Apple iPad  market. Like, a several-hundred-dollar-sized hole.

Jason Calacanis, THE guy in the center of tech startups and investors, was blown away by Amazon’s new Kindle. More specifically, the Fire’s price and go-to-market strategy:

1.       The Kindle Fire is one cheap tablet.  
At $199, Amazon is, more than likely, planning to lose money on it. Why? Because, he says, “price is the biggest hurdle in tablet space.” (For all the Google-lovers out there, he’s got some sad news as well: “Chromebooks? Netbooks? Garbage! They are not important. Folks don't want underpowered, crappy laptops. Give them high-powered tablets with zexy, zexy screen resolution.”

2.       The Kindle Fire is about content…not specs. 
Amazon’s strength is media, so its marketing is about books, movies and TV shows. The promise of faster web browsing is also on the record. With a $70 Amazon Prime subscription, you get free movie and TV show streaming and some other perks.

So what does this mean for the beloved iPad? Calacanis says there are two likely options:

·         Smaller, one handed iPads for $299

·         Cheaper, full-sized iPad to probably $349

Have you had a chance to look at the Kindle Fire? Do you think it’s a viable competitor to the iPad, or are Calacanis’s thoughts completely off?

 

Claris Networks has been blessed with some massive growth over the past few years. As a result, we will be taking applications for an Administrative Assistant to facilitate our expansion and continue our mission: to provide our clients the best service they will ever experience. We are looking for someone to join the energetic, all-hands-on-deck, service-minded culture we value so much here at Claris. Here is some more information about the role and responsibilities:

·         Full time with benefits

·         Answering phones

·         Receiving visitors

·         Shipping and receiving

·         Ordering supplies for facility

·         Assist with Claris events

·         Support CEO and Vice President in various administrative tasks

·         Scanning and electronic filing

·         Various administrative tasks

If you know of anyone who may be interested that reflects the values and culture of Claris Networks, please have them send an application to bfinnegan[at]clarisnetworks[dot]com

Who is Microsoft’s greatest competitor? Exact numbers on market share are difficult to come by, but many would say Google, with Gmail and the Google Apps suite. Ted Swanson, CEO of IT Solutions, says “Google’s market share in the email market with Google Apps is estimated around 6%, with some people estimating around 1-2%.” Despite the common perception, Google hasn’t quite succeeded in taking over the world.

At this point, Swanson says, Google does not pose a substantial threat to the Microsoft enterprise market. “I just don’t see this Microsoft/Google thing as a huge threat just yet. Google will get it right eventually, but I really think the tipping point is still years away.  Every short-term prediction takes longer and every long-term prediction happens faster, but this is still not a major threat.”

Though it doesn’t dominate the email and workplace collaboration market, there is a place for services like Google Apps and the recent Microsoft Office 365. You might be wondering, “Does Google Apps fit in my business?” In Swanson’s experience, the typical office to employ Google Apps has less than 15 users, with pricing at $50 per user per year.  If you are in that category and considering a migration to Google Apps, please speak with a Google Apps Reseller like Claris Networks or IT Solutions. We would love to see if we could assist you in either your strategy or implementation.

 

Everyone knows this guy. Was it an old college roommate? Your techie younger brother? Or maybe, Nick Burns reminds you of your computer guy? Hopefully not. Either way, we’re pretty sure this will get a familiar chuckle.

Like the 799,999,999 other people in the world using Facebook, you're probably wondering what's up with the new changes. Claris’s Dan Thompson and Shane Rhyne with Ackermann PR sift through the recent updates and shed light on some of their benefits to the end user.

Some of those new features include:

·         A Timeline that sorts photos, videos and comments by year and month

·         A ticker feed that displays your friends’ activity in real-time

·         Integration with Spotify and Netflix

Watch the full news feature below.