The bMighty Blog -- Fredric Paul

Based in San Francisco, Fredric Paul is publisher and editor-in-chief of bMighty.com. He's spent the last 25 years in technology publishing, in print and online, including more than 8 years in a variety of positions at United Business Media, including editor-in-chief of TechWeb.com.

His small-business experience includes being the founding editor and vice president of content programming for AllBusiness.com, as well as covering small-business technology for such publications as CNET, PC/Computing and PC World. He was editor-in-chief of Electronic Entertainment Magazine, founding editor of CNET's Builder.com, and a contributing editor for the MIT Sloan Management Review. He has also served as a Web and e-business consultant for several start-up companies.

Paul's Web work has won numerous awards, and he has moderated discussions at a wide variety of international events, including Comdex, Seybold, MILIA and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), as well as virtual events such as bMighty bMobile.

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The "Consumerization" Of Business Intelligence

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:06 PM ET | Jul 24, 2008

You might think that business intelligence is the last software category to be affected by the trend toward consumer technology eclipsing its business equivalents. But according to the CEO of BI vendor QlikTech, it's already happening.

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Finance/Accounting | Hardware & Software | IT | Management | Strategy/Analysis/Biz Dev

"Smaller - Cooler - Faster" Meets "Carry Small, Live Large"

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:01 AM ET | Jul 24, 2008

bMighty.com doesn't usually cover new chips and stuff, mostly because that kind of technology doesn't have an immediate impact on small and midsize companies. But when I heard not one but TWO awesome new marketing phrases in a single press briefing, I was hooked. And besides, Intel promises its new smart System on Chip (SoC) designs will accelerate some important trends that could benefit bMighty readers.

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Mobile | Retail | Services | Storage

Picture This: The New bMighty Imaging How-To Center

Posted by Fredric Paul 04:08 PM ET | Jul 21, 2008

Despite repeated promises that the paperless office is just around the corner, the true paperless office remains "just around the corner." Nevertheless, bMighty's brand new Imaging How-To Center can show you how to leverage document imaging to save money, improve your company's workflow, and even go a little green.

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Green Business | Hardware & Software | Imaging How-To | bMighty

Everybody Loves "Presence" -- In Unified Communications

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:56 PM ET | Jul 17, 2008

OK, so that may be the worst pun I've ever used in a blog headline, but according to a Yankee Group post in No Jitter, presence -- not VoIP -- is the key to Unified Communications. And frankly, that seems like one of the few reasonable things I've seen written about UC.

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Networking & Communications

9 (+1) Things NOT To Do On Your Web Site

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:47 PM ET | Jul 15, 2008

I love lists, and I especially love negative lists. They kind of remind me of the old elephant joke: QUESTION -- How do make a sculpture of an elephant? ANSWER -- Get a giant chunk of granite an carve away everything that doesn't look like an elephant. Nevertheless, check out this list of Web site DON'Ts.

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Internet/Web

Small Businesses Hate Government, Like McCain

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:11 PM ET | Jul 14, 2008

A whopping 86% of small businesses believe that the government is doing "little" or "nothing" to help them, according to a new survey. So what else is new? Well, the survey also reveals that small business owners lean significantly farther to the right than does the general public.

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Company Size: 1-49 | Economics | Entrepreneurs | Government

Why Business Blogs Suck -- And How To Make Sure Yours Doesn't

Posted by Fredric Paul 04:28 PM ET | Jul 10, 2008

Business blogging can't that hard, right? After all, this Fredric Paul character does it, so it can't be rocket science. Well, maybe it's tougher than it looks. According to a new research report, most BtoB blogs are "dull," "drab", "unimaginative" "failures."

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Internet/Web | Sales/Marketing

Microsoft Readies New Windows XP SP3 -- And Windows Small Business Server 2008

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:11 PM ET | Jul 7, 2008

Microsoft says it will distribute a new version of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP through its Automatic Update service "shortly," and launch Windows Small Business Server 2008 on November 12.

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Windows

Confusion Reigns About Small Businesses Coping With The Economy

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:13 PM ET | Jul 7, 2008

Last week we reported on surveys showing small and midsize companies were more upbeat than larger competitors. But today's installment indicates widespread belt-tightening among small firms -- including "staycations."

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Economics

Using Cloud Computing To Beat The Enterprise

Posted by Fredric Paul 02:32 PM ET | Jul 3, 2008

Many enterprises remain reluctant to embrace cloud computing. They have their reasons, but this could be a big opportunity for smaller companies.

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Cloud Computing | Hardware & Software | IT | Internet/Web

No Excuse For Mailbox Quotas

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:02 PM ET | Jul 1, 2008

According to a new survey, almost two thirds of business users have to manage their own e-mail inboxes to stay under corporate capacity limits. And for almost a third, those limits are a paltry 100MB or less.

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Internet/Web

Server How-To Center -- A New Service Of bMighty.com

Posted by Fredric Paul 08:05 AM ET | Jun 26, 2008

The new bMighty Server How-To Center is the place to go for practical, hands-on information about how to choose, install and maintain your company's servers.

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Server How-To

New Laws Make Now The Time To Get A Bluetooth Headset

Posted by Fredric Paul 03:10 PM ET | Jun 25, 2008

You know the joke, right?

What’s the first thing to do after getting in a car accident? Hang up the phone!

Driving while holding your cell phone to your ear has always been dangerous, but it’s about to become illegal in several more states. To avoid accidents and tickets, get yourself a Bluetooth headset for your mobile phone, and make sure to use it.

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Internet/Web | Mobile | Transportation

Miles Per Gallon vs. Gallons Per Mile

Posted by Fredric Paul 03:39 PM ET | Jun 20, 2008

A "math illusion" makes it hard to use miles per gallon to figure out how much fuel you can save. With gas prices topping $4 per gallon, this is not just an academic exercise. Fortunately, there is a relatively simple solution.

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Transportation

Firefox 3 Leaves Idiot Enterprises Cold -- And Presents An Opportunity For Smaller Companies

Posted by Fredric Paul 10:38 PM ET | Jun 18, 2008

Mozilla's focus on the end user means that many large-enterprises are less than excited about the release of Firefox 3. That's a real opportunity for growing companies not burdened with ossified thinking.

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Internet/Web

D-Day For Firefox 3 - Is Today!

Posted by Fredric Paul 10:01 AM ET | Jun 17, 2008

Download the Firefox 3 Web browser now. Right now. You'll be glad you did.

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Apple | Company Size: 1-49 | Hardware & Software | Internet/Web | Linux | Windows

Dell's New Storage Array Gets Small -- And Green

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:23 PM ET | Jun 16, 2008

Dell's 2.5-inch storage array for small businesess is intended to combine power efficiency and performance.

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Storage

SalesForce Summer 08: Community as a Service?

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:14 AM ET | Jun 16, 2008

Like just about everyone else, SalesForce is pushing "community" these days. It's latest update -- announced today -- concentrates on sharing content and ideas and letting developers build better user interfaces.

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Hardware & Software | Internet/Web

bMighty Moves bForward

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:22 PM ET | Jun 13, 2008

bMighty.com has just launched a new microsite called bForward.com, Technology Innovation for the Small Enterprise. Sponsored by AT&T, bForward offers useful articles, tools, whitepapers and case-studies from bMighty, AT&T, and others.

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Mobile | Networking & Communications | bMighty

4 Keys To Choosing A Smartphone

Posted by Fredric Paul 12:30 PM ET | Jun 11, 2008

These days, equipping your company's employees with smartphones isn't an option, it's practically a requirement. bMighty's friends at Info-Tech Research help you figure out who should get what.

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Mobile

Smartphones Attract Women

Posted by Fredric Paul 02:37 PM ET | Jun 10, 2008

No, sorry, carrying one doesn't turn a man into a babe-magnet. Instead, it turns out that more and more women want their own smartphones.

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Mobile | Women in Business

Wikis Meets Spreadsheets In SocialCalc

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:05 AM ET | Jun 10, 2008

It may not be peanut butter and chocolate -- or even baseball and apple pie -- but SocialText today announced a spreadsheet application than runs on the company's wiki platform. The multi-user product is designed to simplify version control and reduce errors.

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Hardware & Software | Internet/Web

Get Smart: Time To Get Smartphones For Your Business

Posted by Fredric Paul 04:32 PM ET | Jun 9, 2008

The faster, cheaper new iPhone 3g makes it official -- smartphones are the new baseline. If you haven't already, now is the time for your company to take the plunge and equip key employees with phones that do more than just make calls.

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Apple

Reflections On A Very Bad Day

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:18 PM ET | Jun 8, 2008

Friday, June 6, 2008 was not a good day for the U.S. economy. What does that mean for your company's future?`

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Economics

What Do SMBs Want?

Posted by Fredric Paul 05:31 PM ET | Jun 5, 2008

What do small and midsize companies want from their suppliers? And which vendors are giving it to them and which aren't?

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Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49

Microsoft Toolkit Promises Error Pages That Don't Suck

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:15 PM ET | Jun 4, 2008

Everybody who surfs the Web occasionally encounters the ubiquitous 404 Error pages when you navigate to a Web page that doesn't exist. Most of those Web pages suck, and that's a problem if it's on your company's site. Microsoft thinks it has a solution.

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Internet/Web | Windows

New Backup Options Blur The Line Between Physical and Virtual Storage

Posted by Fredric Paul 11:41 AM ET | May 30, 2008

NovaStor's new NovaBACKUP 10 data protection and disaster recovery software for Windows lets small busineses store data locally and online in the cloud.

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Cloud Computing | Storage

Ultra Low-Cost Laptops: A Viable Option For SMBs?

Posted by Fredric Paul 07:04 PM ET | May 29, 2008

No one likes to spend more than they have to on a computer. And no one likes to carry around more weight than they have to. You'd think that would make a killer combination for ultra-low-cost ultra-portables like the Asus eeePC, OLPC XO, and HP 2133 Mini-Note. And now a new teeny tiny machine is on the way from Dell.

But don't throw away your traditional notebook just yet.

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Hardware & Software | Mobile | Open Source

Small Businesses Look To The Web For Recession Relief

Posted by Fredric Paul 05:57 PM ET | May 23, 2008

When the going gets tough, small businesses get on the Web. At least, that's the impression you get from Register.com's new Small Business Web Survey.

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Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49 | Economics | Internet/Web

Why You Should Pay Your New Hires To Quit

Posted by Fredric Paul 05:47 PM ET | May 22, 2008

No, this is not a joke. Online shoe-retailer Zappos.com actually offers its trainees $1000 to quit after the first week. And The Harvard Business Review explains why it's a good idea.

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Management

Are SMBs Turning Green?

Posted by Fredric Paul 05:19 PM ET | May 21, 2008

A new HP survey says companies in the U.S. and Europe are paying at least some attention to green issues, at least when it comes to printer-related issues. But there's plenty of room for improvement.

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Green Business

Top 10 Small Business Marketing Frustrations

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:11 PM ET | May 20, 2008

Did you know there is something called the 2008 U.S. Small Business Marketing Frustration Survey? Neither did I 'till it turned up in my Inbox. Apparently, the biggest issue is the inability to consistently follow up with prospects.

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Sales/Marketing

Survey Says: Midsize Companies Catch IT Funk

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:09 PM ET | May 20, 2008

A new survey by CDW warns that midsize companies are catching the pessism from their small business compatriots.

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Business & E-Business

Who Says You Can't Make Money Blogging?

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:15 PM ET | May 19, 2008

Some people will tell you that you can't make money blogging. Don't tell that to Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes. They just sold their Ars Technica blog to Conde Nast for a reported $25 million.

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Business & E-Business | Company Size: 1-49 | Internet/Web

If The Onion Rips Your Business, You're Toast

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:33 PM ET | May 16, 2008

These days, it seems like the humorists are smarter than the analysts. Beyond The Daily Show's nightly truth-telling, The Onion has a unique ability to continually cut to the heart of the matter. Even, sometimes, when it comes to business issues.

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Business & E-Business | Internet/Web | Retail