5 Ways That Gmail’s New Priority Inbox Will Affect You!

Google announced on Monday that it will be rolling out a new feature to all Gmail and Google Apps users’ inboxes called Priority Inbox. Although by name this sounds very different from Hotmail’s new interface, at a basic level it appears to be a similar idea: Give the inbox owner a better view into the email they want the most.
 
Gmail’s filters will look at the email you read or reply to most often and prioritize that as your most important email, and display at the top of the inbox. Gone are the days of inboxes being sorted by date. Instead, Gmail users have a view showing them what Gmail’s filters think is most important to them. Users will have the ability to fine-tune things by telling the filters if messages are a higher or lower priority than where they were originally put.
 
What does this mean to you as a sender? Here are five ways.
 
First, it’s important to note that this covers more than just @gmail.com addresses. Google Apps hosts all sorts of personal- and enterprise-level domains, so the impact to your particular email list is hard to judge.
 
Second, this just reinforces the need for marketers to stay relevant to their subscribers. With Gmail’s filters, if a subscriber has been opening your messages, then it’s more likely that your future messages will show up on the top of the inbox. Better yet, if your subscribers are interacting with your messages — by replying or clicking — then they are telling the Gmail filters that your messages are important to them. On a similar note, this is not the time to over-message your subscribers, as that will more likely end up with several messages going unread and bumping you to the bottom.

Third, it’s important to make sure you encourage your subscribers to add you to their address book. Knowing you’re a priority sender puts you higher in the inbox.
 
Fourth, if you aren’t already talking with your customers through social media, then give it a try. Social media is a great way to get your customers engaged with you and your brand. This will carry over to them wanting to read your emails as well.
 
Fifth, take a deep breath and relax. If you’ve been marketinging effectively all along, then you are probably all set. If, on the other hand, you have low open and click-through rates, then it may be time to reconsider your strategy to say relevant to your customers and keep them engaged. It’s never too late to start.

Tech news on Chips, Apples, and Social Voodoo!

1. Google is now definitely going to be getting into the social network game. CEO Eric Schmidt said so, publicly, by noting a "social layer" will go into its search systems, mapping offerings and YouTube. So actually this Google expansionist effort isn't about pies, it's more about a cream-filled layer cake ... and now the Internets are wondering what on Earth the actual outcome will be. Hopefully it'll be more successful, and less care-free about user privacy, than the failed Buzz network.

2. Verizon, keen to retain as much power over the smartphone market--in other words, taking its carrier control-freak urges into the next generation of mobile devices--is now reported to have an app store for Android devices on the way. The V Cast store will support only Android 2.2 units at first, possibly expanding to earlier Android OS's, and submissions from developers are already being requested by Verizon. The confusing aspect of this should be immediately obvious: Google has its own app store, and Android is an open standard. So is Verizon in competition with Google, supplementing it, or merely desperately hoping it can kill the openness of Android with its red-painted OCD-powered urge to own your phones?

3. Watch for the reports about Intel's new chipsets and app store today. The chip maker revealed them at its Intel Developer Forum--the chips are the CE4200 (formerly Groveland) and the E600 (codenamed TunnelCreek) and the AppUp center is now out of beta testing and in the public domain. Intel's application store is aimed at supporting netbook users, with both free and paid apps for all the usual uses. Its Atom chips are going into smart TVs and embedded systems in cars and so on. So basically Intel is making good on its promise to shove Atoms into as many devices as possible. Is it running scared ahead of the tide of ARM innovations and AMD's new low-power silicon?

4. Mad scientist alert: One of the U.K.'s most prominent boffins, Baroness Susan Greenfield,has just pronounced the Internet, computer games, and social networking as potential evils in society. Her beef is that while some "good things" had emerged from these techs, they may have unforeseen effects on society, and her data is sourced in (this is the mad bit) "anecdotal evidence from talking to parents" among other things. Seems like her concerns echo the best British traditions, like complaints back in Britain's 17th Century past when folks worried about this newfangled "window glass" and how it may affect health.

5. Apple's iPad may have spawned a host of upcoming competitors and clones, but the halo effect on the tablet PC market is only just beginning to kick in, it seems--Now there're rumors about HTC's entry with, interestingly, mention of Android 3 aboard. It's predicted to benefit from HTC's strong ties with Google and U.S. cell networks, and its smartphone making expertise. But HTC has overlooked one thing: Its tablet is due Q1 2011, around about the time Apple will reveal the iPad 2.0

Transformational Disaster Recovery In A Hybrid Universe

Virtualisation and Cloud Computing have been touted for the last few years as the panacea for the IT industry and, in a time of economic uncertainty, both have the ability to help companies get the most out of their existing server and storage infrastructure. With both technologies at the forefront of the IT debate once again, what effect are they having on the backup and recovery arena?


Click here to read the article fro eWeek

Cloud-Based Services are Altering the Communications Space

Over the last few years, a growing number of enterprises and SMB’s have begun implementing VoIP-based phone systems and cloud computing services to consolidate and better manage their communication needs. Companies that take advantage of technological advances in the voice space no longer need to install expensive, space-eating servers.

In an effort to gain a better understanding of voice telephone services and where they are heading, TMC CEO Rich Tehrani (News- Alert)recently sat down with Darren Schreiber, CEO of 2600hz, a provider of open-source telephony software that powers companies’ monitoring and maintenance tool sets, GUI and cloud-based telephony switches.

Schreiber also provided his thoughts on net neutrality (which he is in great favor of), wireless networking and mobile video conferencing, among other hot trends in the industry. He also spoke to Tehrani about his company’s upcoming role at ITEXPO West 2010, which will kick off on October 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

For more information on Schreiber’s views on the future of all matters relating to IT, check out the full interview below.

What is the most significant trend in communications today? Why?

Voice telephone service is becoming a service provided over data networks. The entire voice infrastructure is being upgraded or dismantled and replaced by data services, and voice is becoming a service provided on top of these data networks. The transition is over halfway down at the carrier level, but is only just beginning at the enterprise, consumer and small business level. The ability to move voice over data also implies the ability to move voice over new mediums such as cable, WiFi (News - Alert) and cellular data networks, opening up new opportunities for integration.

What is the one product or service the market is most in need of?

A simplified end-to-end solution that fits SMB.

How is your company leveraging the growth of social media to enhance your own business?

The costs involved in marketing have shifted dramatically and caused an integration of marketing and support services. Customers complain or promote services actively over the same channels that typical marketing activities occur on. This is difficult for most “older” style businesses to handle and the exposure of flaws scares some businesses.

Nearly every phone manufacturer is now incorporating support for wideband codecs.  Will we finally see widespread HD voice deployments in 2011?

Already here. We deploy HD in all our installs.

What are your thoughts on the viability of mobile video chat or conferencing?

Mobile video chat is interesting. We would say that it is more of a “cool” feature then a useful application. Yet in a very short time that will be changing. As far as conferencing, the big companies are realizing they no longer charge an arm and a leg when all the small players can do it for pennies on the dollar.

Which wireless operating system (Android (News - Alert), iOS4, Microsoft, etc.) will see the greatest success over the next three years?  Why?

Android. Google has spent a lot of money to tell the world that everyone is free to use the Android. Because of this, people are not just looking at putting it on mobile phones, but are also looking to incorporate it on business phones.

Some have suggested wireless networking will soon replace wired networks in the enterprise.  Do you agree? Why or why not?

Wireless is making leaps and bounds in technology. Yet at this time the wired connection is still more secure and can handle a larger amount of bandwidth. With many companies going to video conferencing and video phones for communications, there will be desk phones for some time to come.

What impact has the growth of cloud-based services had on your business?

A huge impact. Our business model is to allow companies be their own VoIP providers. This is done by having their PBX (News - Alert) based in the cloud so we can spin up servers based on their cliental. No longer do they have to install expensive servers on site just to make a phone call. Cloud vendors can use our software to move around and negotiate better deals with data centers to reduce costs, as well as seamlessly failover. It's game-changing.

If you had the opportunity to decide the Net neutrality (News -Alert) debate, how would you rule?

Absolutely in favor of net neutrality. It is important that the success of the Internet, which was based on free access for all, include high-speed access and not favor one type of data or technology over another.

You are exhibiting at ITEXPO West 2010.  What is the most exciting thing attendees will see at your booth?

We will be showcasing two very promising cloud-based technologies that will bring the barrier to entry for deploying VoIP to zero – literally – for both small businesses and carriers alike.

What is the one technology development that will have the greatest impact in 2011?

4G Wireless Networks and the wide-scale acceptance/deployment of wireless broadband data networks.