A new consumer service has been launched by Google which enables users to store photos and other online content using a cloud-based storage system.

Google Drive is expected to offer 5GB of free storage with additional storage for a monthly fee which is to rival services such as Dropbox and Microsoft’s SkyDrive. According to experts, compeitor Facebook could be forced into entering the cloud market.

The popularity of cloud based storage has grown rapidly due to users wanting to access their content from a variety of places and devices.

It has been reported that Google Drive will have an advanced image search technology that will allow consumers to look through a number of different document types such as PDF files and photographs.

PepperIT has integrated Google Drive into their extensive range of Google Apps for Business services and back it up with expert IT support tailored around the Google Apps for business suite.

Rob Pearson, Google Apps for Business advocate says, “Google Drive not only now challenges Dropbox and Microsoft’s SkyDrive but is the final piece in the jigsaw for Google Apps for Business which is the better alternative to Microsoft Small Business Server”.

Xoom based in Brighton, are a fantastic VoIP (Voice over IP) provider. Their system provides true, great quality UK based telecoms with all the features you’d expect including Voicemail, hunt group and call recording. But what makes this solution stand out is the flexibility with which you can use the platform on. A softphone can be downloaded which will provide you with true access to the VoIP system as if you had a handset on your desk and its compatible with most smartphones, tablets and iPads.

Integrating Xoom’s great VoIP system as part of the IT strategy can lead to massive benefits. Rob Pearson Director of PepperIT says, “VoIP provides a great ability to get your team working out in the field which is where they need to be. Integrating Xoom solution with Google Apps, PepperIT consultancy expertise and IT Support ability means problems that restricted your ability to work are actually turned into business advantages”.

Businesses across the region are picking up on the possibilities of VoIP as part of an IT strategy and ongoing IT Support which has meant PepperIT has had a very busy year!

We’re just hoping businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire aren’t missing out on our expert IT consultancy and IT support!

The business I was talking to use the same mixed risk Computer Support model as myself – which is basically an unlimited on-site and off-site IT Support experience delivered by experienced IT engineers and consultants, but through our conversation we realised that the services we offer are fairly unique and business love the fact they can have unlimited IT support at the end of the phone.

Most other IT Contractors or Support Contracts especially in Mansfield, and North Nottinghamshire work on 2 charging mechanisms:

1. Pay as you Go. Pay an extortionate rate for IT support or consultancy as and when you need it – I could go into the pros and cons of this but I’d be here forever.

2. Sign into a support contract. This tends to be the favoured mode of operation from IT and Computer Companies across Mansfield and North Nottingham, however when a problem crops up and an IT engineer is needed on site the business end up paying from the time. It strikes me this is just a very bad insurance policy. Imagine if you had an insurance policy, paid each month and then when you needed to replace your stolen TV they said you can replace it but if it costs more than £10 you’ll have to pay us more.

PepperIT don’t run our IT support Contracts in this manner and we believe this makes us fairly unique in Mansfield and North Nottinghamshire.

We offer an unlimited contract – you have a problem with your computer, server, network or Internet give us a call and we fix it, and we go to the end of the world to make sure it’s fixed not just down the A38.

But one of the best things about PepperIT and the IT service we offer is our expert IT Skill set, unique insight into business technology and our independence which means we can apply Google Apps for Business next to Microsoft Applications.

If you’d like to look at our IT support contract please feel free to download it here.

Our customer is moving to a brand new purpose built office and warehouse in Mansfield and PepperIT have been tasked with moving the IT equipment and ensuring the IT works up to the move and the IT continues working after, seamlessly!

Because PepperIT work really close with all our IT support Customers we’ve been advising every step of the way putting our client in touch with our trusted technology suppliers, talking over the best upgrade path and you can guarantee that when the move happens we’ll be working 24 hours in Mansfield to make sure the IT equipment, IT network, and Windows servers are up and running for 9am on Monday morning.

To take a look at the site now please take a look below.

Front of office click here

Main warehouse click here

Much is written about how to select a good partner on Google (a good article that is worth a read is INC. How to choose a Cloud Vendor)and I don’t want to go over dead ground in this blog, instead I want to bring your attention to a recent experience I came across from 1and1′s dedicated server team.

A friend had a number of clients sharing an Exchange deployment on this server. At about 1pm on Monday 31st October 1and1 decided to turn the dedicated server off. My friend tried to contact the 1and1 dedicated support team to discuss the problem and identify a way to resolve it. Unfortunately it wasn’t until 9:30am on the 1st November that 1and1 decided to inform my friend that they had turn the server of due to a Spam attack. However the server couldn’t be turned back on until the abuse team came in to the office at 9am New York time (1pm UK time). The server was back up and running by 1.15pm UK.

This example shows how important selecting the perfect cloud partner is, in this case the problem wasn’t technical but the level of service 1and1 delivered. 1and1 wasted 24 hours by incompetence service delivery.

This is why PepperIT teamed with Google Apps for Business. Google Apps for Business not only has the backup of one of the most trust brands in the world, Google, but it also has guaranteed service levels (99.9% up time per month), a fantastically simple service level agreement.

Google Apps for Business and PepperIT is truely unbeatable.

Google Apps for Business is a revolution that PepperIT is proud to be a part of, the freedom it gives the business and it’s employees is truly amazing and the compatibility it brings across all platforms is second to  none. But the really hard nose benefit is in the cost saving it will bring sometimes as much as 50% over 3 years!

Take a look at our photos below of our BEUK East Midlands exhibition in Derby:

See the press release: hp decision on PC Market

The Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710 mark the beginning of Nokia’s fightback against Apple’s iPhone and rivals using Google’s Android software.

Nokia’s new boss, Stephen Elop, had previously warned that the company was stuck on a “burning platform”.

Today he said the launch marked the “rebirth” of Nokia.

In an unusual move for the company, it will start shipping the Lumia 800 range almost immediately and hit the shops in France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain and the Netherlands in November.

The firm also announced four new basic phones.

The brightly coloured handsets are pitched at developing countries.

Mr Elop said the phones would blur the boundaries between feature phones and smart phones, bringing the internet “to the next billion people”.

The new range will be called Asha, a name that clearly identifies Nokia’s target market: the name is derived from the Hindi word for “hope”.

Although the phones will be relatively cheap, they will sport features like touch screens, 5 mega pixel cameras, bright screens, 32GB storage for music and long battery life.

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment

2night Entertainment

6th Sense Analytics

80beans

AAPT

APN

Abraham & Harrison

Akeena Solar

Allen Labs

Altium

American International Insurance Company plc (AIICO)

Austcover

Avago Technologies

Avalon Enterprise

Axstores

Baker Security & Networks

Berlingske Media

Betta Electrical

Bio-Botanica

Boost New Media

Broadway Malyan

CapeNature

Capgemini

Certain Affinity

Ceva Santé Animale

Choice

City of Canton, GA

Complinet

Controlled Projects

Cordys

Core 10 Architecture

Counterpoint Consulting

Countersoft Limited

Cully & Sully

DOCOMO interTouch

Deeset

Diputación provincial de Burgos

District of Columbia Government

Drew George & Partners, Inc.

Dunham-Bush

EAT.

Eli Research

Essence

Essilor

Exactus

Fairview Trust

FantasticGreece.com

Flight Centre

Food Junction

Free Range Studios

GE

Genentech

Google

Green Bay Harvest

Green Power India

Grockit

Hamilton Beach

Hill House Products

Home Care Assistance

Hub City Media

ISIPP

Imagination

Impelsys, Inc.

India Forge

Indoff

The risk mobiles present has been much debated over the past 20 years as use of the phones has soared.

The latest study led by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark looked at more than 350,000 people with mobile phones over an 18-year period.

Researchers concluded users were at no greater risk than anyone else of developing brain cancer