Most small to medium businesses operate on razor-thin margins, with managers and owners on the lookout for ways to minimize costs in hopes of maximizing the bottom line. There are many ways to cut costs, and one area to look at could be your technology. As you likely know, technology isn't cheap, but there is always a way to keep expenses down.

Here are five ways you can reduce IT spending.

Backup everything If your business is like most other small to medium companies, the majority of your important files are located on one server or maybe a couple of computers. Technology doesn't last forever and the machine where you have your data stored on will eventually stop working.

When it does, you will have to replace it, and your files that were on it could be lost. The cost to recover them will be high. To minimize this risk, you should invest in a solid backup platform that runs on a regular basis.

Yes, this will cost money now, but would you rather have a copy of your systems and data from Yesterday which can be easily implemented when you have a problem, or would you like to pay to maybe recover year's worth of data? Backups will save you costs in the long-run, not to mention the stress they will help you avoid.

Have a strict anti virus policy The idea that your employees won't download programs or browser extensions simply because you tell them not to is like telling a child not to eat candy; they are still going to do it. By simply having computers and devices accessing the Internet through your network, you are at risk. If your systems are hacked or infected, you can face lost data, high recovery costs or worse.

How do you minimize the chance of malware infections and the risk of being hacked? Antivirus software and security solutions installed on every computer that can be run from one machine are your answer. This makes it easier for you or your IT partner to ensure all of your systems' antivirus software is up to date and scanning when it should be. This will minimize the chance of infection and keep costs down.

Document everything As your company grows, you will start to use more technology. Over time, it will need to be replaced, and you likely won't be able to afford replacing all your systems at once. This means that you will have to track down the systems, software, etc. that need to be replaced; which will take time and cost you money.

If you take steps to document all of your systems, computers, software, etc.; where it's located; when it was implemented; who is in charge of it, etc., you will be able to track things down quickly when needed, thus managing your systems better. This time saving measure will cut your costs.

Look into a CRM/ERP/HRM solution There are so many software solutions out there that can help you plan and run your operations. If you've been tracking employee data or planning using a simple spreadsheet, you could be getting more out of a tailored solution.

Solutions like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or even Human Resources Management (HRM) can help you spot hidden costs or even plan more efficiently, which will reduce costs well into the future.

Look for fixed-price solutions A major problem with all technology related systems is that predicting costs is nearly impossible. You simply don't know when/if an important piece of hardware will fail. This becomes even harder if you don't have expertise in tech.

One of the best ways to save money on IT costs is to outsource. Almost every IT provider offers flat-rate services that cover your systems and can ensure you maximize your IT investment. This makes budgeting for IT easier, as you know what your monthly costs will be. You can then focus on your business, and over time will see a decrease in IT costs.

If you are looking to cut your IT expenses, why not contact us. We may have a solution that will ease the budget burden.

Imagine getting off a plane after a long trip home from an eventful conference. You reach for your trusty iPhone, press the power button hoping to see the comforting glow of your near constant companion, but all you get is a black screen. Your iPhone won't turn on. Do you know what to do if this happens to you?

Here are four things you can try when your iPhone won't turn on.

1. Charge it with a wall charger One of the main reasons your iPhone won't start is because its battery is dead. Before you deem the battery 'dead', you should check if the phone is on. Press and hold the power button for up to five seconds. Chances are, the phone has just gone to sleep. If this is the case, you should see the unlock screen pop-up after a few seconds.

If it doesn't pop up, your phone is likely dead. All you have to do is plug it in, preferably to a wall charger. Your phone should turn on automatically after a few minutes (up to five). If it doesn't, let it charge for around 15 minutes before trying to turn it on. If it does turn on, it would be a good idea to let it fully charge.

2. It's charged but still won't turn on Like all operating systems, the one on the iPhone will crash from time to time. If it does crash, you shouldn't lose any data unless you were in the middle of downloading or uploading files. These will have to be started again.

If pressing the power button doesn't turn the phone on, you should still plug it in and let it charge for 15 minutes. Then conduct what's called a hard reset:

1. Unplug your device.
2. Press the Home and Power buttons for 10-20 seconds until you see the Apple logo.
3. Let the device run for a minute or so and you should be able to use it again.

It would be a good idea to not do this while the phone is connected to your computer.Your computer may recognize your phone's hard drive and start automatically syncing through iTunes. Doing a hard reset when the device is syncing may result in losing information.

3. A hard reset won't work Another good thing to consider at this stage is switching cords. Chances are someone next to you has another iPhone cable. Borrow it and try the first two steps again. These cables aren't the most damage resistant thing in the world and have been known to wear out or fray at weak points rendering them useless. If you were trying to charge your phone through a wall charger, try again but this time connect it to your computer - make sure it's on.

4. It's truly dead If after trying different cables and charging methods, hard resetting and charging for a couple of hours your device still won't turn on, you have one option left. Go to an Apple store, or reseller. They may be able to get your iPhone working, or at the very least will to confirm the problem.

Sometimes the phones display a USB cord with an arrow pointing to the iTunes icon. This is your iPhone's way of telling you that something has gone wrong with the software and it needs to be plugged into your computer and connected to iTunes. If you see this, you will likely have to reset your phone which means you will lose everything stored on the hard drive. If you have been backing up your phone, however, your data loss will be minimal.

Has your iPhone stopped working? Are you unsure if your backup solutions are enough to keep all of your files safe? Contact us today as we may be able to help.

The main way users interact with Facebook is through their News Feed. It shows what their friends are sharing, videos to watch, what companies you have liked are sharing, etc. Despite other changes to the layout, the News Feed has generally remained unchanged. Until now that is, Facebook has recently announced multiple changes to the News Feed.

Here's an overview of the new changes introduced in Facebook's News Feed overhaul.

Bigger, more engaging content The biggest, most obvious change is that the new News Feed is wider. That's because the menu bar that traditionally has taken up the left-hand side of the window has been more or less removed. It's now a hovering bar that can collapse to the left-side of the screen. If you've seen the recent Android and iPad/iPhone layout, where you can press a button to see your friends menu, it's similar to that.

Because of the new layout, the content shown on the feed is now larger. This means larger images, news stories, events and maps. To better take advantage of this, it is recommended that any images you upload to your profile be around 600X600 pixels - no smaller than 200X200 pixels.

There is another change that could pose useful: When a friend or local business appears on a user's wall, they will see the entire Timeline badge and location if they have allowed it.

New feeds To get the most out the new layout, Facebook has also introduced a number of new News Feeds to explore. Before we get into the new feeds, it would pay to talk about how Facebook has become smarter. Over time, as you comment on posts or share items, Facebook will start to show recommendations based on your past activity. For example if you are sharing news about cloud storage, you will begin to see suggestions around other cloud storage posts, articles or programs that could interest you.

This new layout comes with a few different feeds that can help filter the content you see. The announced feeds are:

• Music - Shows you posts related to the music you listen to. This likely won't be the most useful for the majority of companies out there.
• Photos - Displays only photos that have been uploaded by friends or pages you like. This could be important, especially if you have a visual based profile e.g., restaurants. Because of this new feed, it would be a good idea to ensure you are sharing high-quality images.
• Following - The latest news and information from Pages that you have liked. This feed could be quite interesting to companies, as it only shows Facebook Pages. What this means for most Page owners is that they had better be sharing good content, as they just became more visible.
• All Friends - Shows the traditional News Feed namely everything your friends and Pages you have liked are sharing and commenting on.
• Close Friends - This is a bit of a dangerous view for companies, as it will only show information posted by their friends. All business and ad-related content is not shown.

The same views across all platforms Finally, Facebook has noted that with this new layout, the News Feed will be the same across all devices. No more looking at a completely different News Feed on your phone or tablet. This is a good move, and should increase your company's exposure over time.

If you access Facebook on your mobile phone - Android or iPhone/iPad - you have likely seen the new changes, as the apps were updated in mid March and included the new mobile version of the News Feed. The company started rolling out the new layout on March 7 and has noted that the change will take place over a couple of months. Some lucky users may even have it now.

Looking forward to the new changes? Or, perhaps you are a little apprehensive? Why not contact us today to see how we can help you get the most out of any change Facebook introduces.

What exactly is data? Many define it as a set of values that belong to a set of items. Essentially, data is all around us, and we use it on a daily basis. Data, by itself is largely useless - think of the last time you saw a spreadsheet without any labels. But through the use of tools that help us analyze, interpret and manipulate data, we are able to turn it into something useful: Information. The question is, what are the useful data analysis tools?

Here's a brief overview of five data analysis tools that you could use in your business.

BigML

One of the more common uses of data is to help a business manager make predictions. We all know predictions are among the hardest things to do. Enterprises hire staff and invest in systems solely with the aim of making predictions. If you're a small business, you likely don't need expensive software that is hard to use.

Enter BigML. How it works is you define and upload a set of data and format it. BigML will then take that data, help you to create a prediction model which you then can apply 'what-if' variables to and have it generate predictions. The site runs on credits; you pay for a set amount of credits and each part of the process - dataset, model and prediction - is worth a certain amount of credits. Prices start at around USD$6.50 for credits, which gives you 10MB of data, 5MB worth of models and 10K predictions based on this data.

Wolfram|Alpha's Facebook Reports

WolframAlpha is a search engine that collects data and uses algorithms to interpret it. One feature of this site is that you can develop reports, one of the more useful being Facebook Reports. You can access the report feature by clicking here. Alternatively, you can go to the WolframAlpha website and search for Facebook.

This report provides users with a glimpse into their Facebook Page's information. It provides you with information on who are the most active posters, how many shares/likes, etc. you get and other useful information in easy to read charts and graphs. The key here is that the report can show you how customers access your Page and where they come from. You could use this information to see what posts users liked and didn't like, and provide more engaging content.

The basic version of the report is free. More advanced controls and data analysis is available for USD$4.99 a month.

Many Eyes

Many Eyes is a data analysis and visualization tool developed by IBM Research. If you already have data sets then you can upload them to the website and use one of the many different visualization tools to create charts, graphs, etc.

A cool feature of this site is that it has the ability to analyze written documents. Say for example you are writing new content for your website, you can copy and paste the content and get a visual representation of the words you use, how you connect words, etc. If you have a set of keywords you would like to use for SEO and search purposes, you can manually compare them with the visualization. If you notice that an important keyword is missing, or not represented enough, you can go through and re-write the copy a bit.

Best of all, it's free.

Tableau Public

If you have an idea about Business Intelligence, or have worked with data on a regular basis and have sets that are structured, Tableau Public is probably the most powerful free analysis tool available for small businesses.

While powerful, it isn't the most user-friendly of options. To get the most out of this program you are going to need to know the basics behind data analysis. If you feel comfortable with the basics, you'll be creating dashboards, charts, interactive graphs, maps, etc. that look great and can be embedded on your blog or website. Oh yes, did we mention it's free?

Excel

Big data is all the rage these days, it's hard not to hear techies and data specialists talk about it. While it is an important part of many large businesses' data analysis practices, the truth is many small businesses don't need big data just yet. If you have simple data you need to analyze e.g., how many hours have your five employees worked this month? Why not stick with simple spreadsheets like Excel or Google Spreadsheet.

As long as you have data entered in a logical way, you can easily create graphs and charts that can help you visualize and analyze your data.

If you would like help establishing a system that can help you track and analyze your data, please contact us today, we may have a solution that works for you.

'Note to self: Check with Internet provider about updating connection speed.' How many times have you found yourself making mental notes like these only to forget them by the time you've arrived at the office? Many people find that it helps to write these reminders and notes down. If you have an Android tablet, why not write the note on there? There are some great apps that can help you.

Here's three note apps that different users will find useful:

Google Keep For users who are integrated with Google; using Google Drive, Gmail, etc., Keep is a recently released note app that allows you to create notes and lists. You can also attach voice reminders, pictures and change the color of each note.

What separates this app from others is that it syncs your notes automatically with Google Drive, which means you can access, edit and manage the notes from any system. The mobile app looks great, as it follows Google's new 'clean' look with lots of white space. Notes are added to the main screen as thumbnails with the main content featured in the image. If you use Google's apps, this is a great addition that you will likely find useful. Free on Google Play.

OneNote Mobile If your office uses Microsoft Office, or Office 365, you may have already used OneNote. The mobile version lets you create notes and lists with bullet points, checkboxes, text and pictures. You can sync these notes with your SkyDrive account, or your Office 365 ID - they should both be the same ID - and have access to them on nearly every device including your desktop.

If you use OneNote on your desktop or browser, you will be able to view and open these notes using the mobile app and vice versa. Free for 500 notes on Google Play. If you want to create more than 500 notes, there is an in-app upgrade cost that varies depending on your account.

Evernote If you use multiple mobile and desktop platforms, or aren't picky about an app's integration with existing systems, Evernote should be right up your alley.

Like Google Keep, this app lets you create notes and lists, and also add voice reminders and pictures. The ability to search your notes for keywords is also included, which makes this app useful if you take a large quantity of notes.

The key distinguishing feature of this app is that it isn't just for one system. You can install versions on nearly every platform e.g., iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, etc. And your notes will be synced as long as you have an Internet connection. This makes it perfect for the business owner who has a Windows PC in the office, an iPhone and an Android tablet. Free on Google Play.

These are just three potential note apps that you can use on your Android tablet. Do you use other ones? Let us know.

Computers, love them or hate them, you most likely use them on a daily basis and would be lost without them. Like the car, these machines are an integral part of modern society, but few of us know the first thing about them beyond how to use them. Yes, computers are complicated, but it can really help to know a bit about the internal components of your trusty computer.

Here's a basic overview of the seven essential hardware components of the modern computer that businesses rely on. These components are found in nearly every computer, and now many tablets and smartphones too.

1. Motherboard Think of the motherboard as the backbone of nearly any technological device. It holds all the major components of the computer, including the hard drive, processor, memory and peripheral ports like the USB. Most motherboards in computers, and to some extent laptops, are called expandable. This means that you can replace components as long as they are compatible. For example, you can take out a hard drive and replace it with another that has more storage capacity.

If you can't take parts out, you may see the term mainboard used. This term is usually applied to devices like TVs, washing machines, refrigerators, and so on.

2. Networking cards Networking cards, or network interfacing cards, may be separate cards or integrated into the motherboard. Their purpose is to provide a way for your computer to connect to the network and Internet.

Many new computers will have the network card integrated into the motherboard, along with other components. If you own a laptop, you can connect to Wi-Fi networks through a Wi-Fi card which is usually close to the outer edges of the device. Most desktops don't have this card, but you can purchase them if you want to be able to connect to Wi-Fi.

3. Graphics card A graphics or video card can come in two varieties - integrated or expansion. An integrated video card is connected directly to the motherboard and is usually found as a part of the processor. An expansion video card is a separate card that is connected to another part of the motherboard called an expansion port. The job of the video card is to create the graphics and images that can be shown on a monitor. Without one of these, we would not be able to visualize the data, and computers would be useless.

4. Processor The processor - also known as a Central Processing Unit or CPU - is the brain of the computer. Its job is to carry out the instructions of computer programs that are stored in the computer's memory.

The speed of a processor is measured in MHz or Megahertz. This measurement indicates how fast a processor can read electrical pulses. For example, a 100MHz processor can read 100,000,000 pulses of light in one second. As a reference, most mid to high-range computers have processors with speeds around 3.0GHz.

5. Hard drive The hard drive is where programs and files are stored. More traditional drives are called Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and are comprised of a series of magnetized disks which store the data. These disks spin under a magnetic arm which can read and write data.

Newer hard drives are called Solid-state Drives (SSD) and use electrical circuits to store data. These are much faster than traditional HDDs and are starting to be found in more and more computers.

6. USB ports The Universal Serial Bus, or USB, is a standard that covers a certain type of cable, connectors and communication. It is a standard way for computer components like mice, keyboards, phones, etc. to be connected to the computer. Nearly everything that is not a physical part of the motherboard or internal computer is connected using a USB connection.

The cool thing about the USB is not only does it allow you to use your computer as a communication device, but it also allows the connected device to draw electrical power from the computer, essentially transforming your computer into an electrical outlet. That's why you can charge your phone, or run an external hard drive simply by plugging it into your computer's USB port. This standard has become so popular that many computers now come with multiple ports - some with as many as eight!

7. Monitor ports Computers are great, but without monitors, they would be largely useless for everyday use. Monitors come in many sizes and varieties. Newer monitors can connect to your computer through HDMI or VGA ports. HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface - is a newer format that can display high-definition images, while VGA - Video Graphics Array - is typically found in older monitors.

As technology advances, you will see fewer VGA monitors and connections in use, with many manufacturers offering monitors that only use HDMI.

This was just a basic overview of the essential components of a computer, if you would like to learn more about the machine you use on a daily basis, please contact us. We would be happy to sit down with you and give you a more detailed tour of the inside of your computer.

As a business owner or manager, you know that running a business is not easy. There is always something that can put your business in harm’s way or hurt your bottom line; something that needs your attention. This is simply a part of business. But there are steps you can take to minimize any adverse effects from both the external and internal environment. One of those steps is the adoption of a Business Continuity Plan.

Some companies are hesitant to adopt a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) because of the perceived costs and complexity involved. We won’t deny that plans are usually on the complex side, but there are good reasons as to why your company should adopt one. Here’s five.

1. Your business will be seen as more valuable
Banks, venture capitalists and other investors tend to air on the side of caution, and as such will usually look to businesses that appear to be stable as more viable investment vehicles. Companies with a BCP are often seen to be more valuable, as they can address diverse situations better than those without. As a result, they will make the investor more money over time.

2. Compliance
Big companies in a number of industries have had continuity plans for years and many have started to look for suppliers/vendors with continuity plans. Beyond that, some industries and government bodies have made BCP a requirement. If you are a vendor, supplier or even in specific industries, it is a good idea to have one in order for business to run smoothly.

3. Potentially lower insurance premiums
Operating a business is filled with risks, and business managers are often looking for ways to minimize it. One way includes the purchase of insurance – many industries and situations require you to carry it. Generally, insurance providers will give more favorable rates to companies that take steps to minimize risk. A solid BCP will go a long way in showcasing how risk-averse your company is, which could lead to lower rates or at the very least, stable rates.

4. More efficient communication
Developing a BCP involves constant, company-wide communication in order for it to be successful. For many businesses, this involves collaboration between team members who don’t normally work together on a regular basis.

A BCP also fosters communication plans during disasters, both within the organization – most employees have a role, and will need to work together to pull through – and outside – customers, suppliers and other stakeholders will be contacting you. If your employees know how to communicate what needs to be done, effects of the disaster will be minimized.

5. Survival
Recent natural disasters around the globe have highlighted that businesses without a plan will most likely be forced out of business. Having a BCP will minimize the chances of this, while preparing your business for survival.

If you are looking to implement a business continuity plan, or improve on an already existing one, please contact us today. We may have a solution for you.

It's a sure thing that if you say 'social media', the vast majority of people will think of either Facebook or Twitter. These are two of the largest networks that are used, with users often having accounts with both. Because of this, it's not uncommon to see a trend develop on one network and expand to the others. One of the more common trends is the use of the hashtag (#). Do you know what it's for though?

The hashtag (#), commonly referred to on telephone systems as the pound key, is a character first used by users of the popular social network Twitter. According to the help forum on Twitter, "It is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages."

Look at nearly any Twitter message and there will usually be hashtags attached. If you were to search for the term e.g., #Cloudbackup on Twitter, you would get a list of all tweets that have mentioned the above example. When Twitter talks about a 'trending topic' it means a subject that has become popular.

This way of categorization has become so popular amongst Twitter users that it's starting to spill over onto the other networks. Instagram for instance has given members the ability to add hashtags to pictures, so that they can be added to groups which can subsequently be searched for. Even Google has gotten in on the act, with Google+ and YouTube both supporting this system.

With Facebook, the hashtag has come to give context to a status. You've probably seen some status updates such as: I love Mondays #sarcasm #bored. This should be read with a sarcastic and slightly bored tone.

Because of the usefulness of the hashtag, some users have become overzealous in their use. Reading a Tweet that says '#Friday is #awesome, here comes a #fun #weekend.' just looks unprofessional and could put off followers.

While effective, there are some basic rules you should follow to help get the most out of your hashtags. Here's four.

1. No long hashtags. Hashtags are meant to be short and associated with one word. Don't make the mistake of adding more than about two words together, as the likelihood of users finding the tag will decrease. e.g., #Cloudservicesareawesome should be avoided, use #cloudservices instead.
2. Minimize their use. It can be tempting to hashtag every keyword in messages, however makes them look weird, while decreasing their readability. It is a good idea to limit use to one or two per message.
3. The hashtag is special. Don't use it for everyday words. Instead use it for product names, or a special part of the announcement. Remember that you don't have to use hashtags in every message. Check out Samsung Mobile's Twitter feed to see a good example of proper use.
4. Use a unique hashtag. If you can, try to use a unique hashtag, something that followers will be able to associate and relate to you. The key here is that when it's used, the user is referred to you, and only you. Do a quick search on Twitter for the hashtag you would like to use, to ensure it's not taken. Many companies will shorten their tag to initials or a shorter term, which is perfectly acceptable.

Hashtags, when used correctly, can be a great way to build brand identity and increase social media presence. If you are looking for a social media plan, please contact us today to see how we can #expandbrands.

In the developed world, outsourcing is commonly seen in two very different ways: Employees see it as a threat to job security, while companies often see it as way to capitalize on less costly labor markets. There's little doubt that many businesses could benefit from some form of outsourcing. Why not start with one of the areas many managers and owners feel least comfortable with: IT.

Outsourcing IT is a bit different than the usual outsourcing you get in factories, or support services. Instead of going overseas, you can partner with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) in your local area. MSPs provide comprehensive IT management services which usually cover everything tech related.

Working with an MSP often has a direct impact on your bottom line, and can help make your company even more successful than it already is, or at least increase profits to get you there. However, there are many more reasons companies outsource. Below are our Top Five:

5 reasons why you should outsource IT

1. Increased control of operational costs - Most MSPs group their services together into monthly plans, meaning you have one cost associated with the IT department. Overhead expenses such as staffing, overtime hours, and operational costs, as well as software licenses, etc., are all included in a flat monthly fee. This makes it easier for you to control IT related costs, while also saving money.
2. Take focus away from IT, refocus on business functions - Technology is great and a necessity of running most modern businesses but it does break and become either worn out or outdated. Seemingly endless tech issues can take your focus away from key business functions. MSPs take care of all this, allowing you to re-focus your efforts and energies into running your business.
3. Access to better resources - The best and newest tech is often pricey; well beyond the budget of a vast majority of small and medium sized businesses. This is further compounded by the fact that you likely can't afford to hire the new employees needed to to run these systems either. MSPs can provide the latest tech along with the experience to support it, allowing you to get more for less.
4. IT functions are beyond current abilities - If you are like most small to medium companies, you have a few staff who are designated as computer experts, even though that may not be their main role or responsibility. Or it could be the case that you and your colleagues simply lack the knowledge and experience required to run increasingly complex technical systems. The employees at MSPs eat, sleep and breathe tech, and can provide enterprise level IT support and knowledge.
5. Reduced risk from IT failure - Technical systems are built to be robust. However, they aren't perfect and will eventually fail. This could mean lengthy downtime, increased costs and lost data. Managed Service Providers reduce this risk by actively monitoring your systems and offering back-up services which will reduce productivity loss and lost business.

3 things you can expect from an MSP There are a wide variety of MSPs, serving many industries, but there are three things you should expect from any MSP.

1. Flexibility - IT companies have access to a wide variety of vendors, tech and resources. This means they should be able to develop scalable solutions that meet your companies needs as you grow.
2. Product experts - The main business objective of an MSP is to provide IT services.To do this they need employees who know their stuff. To get the best, most hire staff with specific qualifications and certifications and experience with the systems offered.
3. Long-run cost savings - In the short-term it is entirely plausible that internal staff are cheaper than a monthly MSP. Factor in the cost of purchasing technology, maintaining it, plus the cost of recovery, and the cost of retaining an internal IT team will skyrocket. Most companies you outsource to offer a flat rate monthly fee, and will be able to maintain your systems longer. This means lower replacement costs and increased uptime, which in the long run make outsourcing a viable, cost-efficient option.

If you are tired of IT problems and cost overruns, contact us today to see what we can do for you.

A number of recent studies have shown that the iPhone has become the most popular phone for business users. Take a look around the office and chances are the majority of phones you see are iPhones. One of the reasons for this popularity is ease of use. The iPhone is simple to operate. However, one aspect that is overly-complicated is the transfer of files from the device to your computer. It can prove to be maddening always having to connect to iTunes just to transfer one picture. Luckily, there's apps that make file transfer much easier.

Here's two great apps that you can use to make the transferring of files to/from your iPhone onto your computer not only quicker but less taxing too.

Bump This app started out as a way to share contacts with other iPhone users and has since been updated to include transferring files and pictures. A recent update introduced the capability to move files from your computer to your phone and vice versa.

How this process works is you install Bump on your iPhone, open the app and select a file you would like to transfer. On your computer you can navigate to bu.mp and then bump (hit) the spacebar with your phone. A new window will open with a preview of the file, giving you the option to download it, or share it.

If you would like to transfer a file from your PC or Mac to your iPhone, click on Send files to your device on the bu.mp page and select the files to send. They will be automatically sent to your phone and can be accessed by opening the app.

The app is free from the website, and works on both Mac and PC. There is a 20 mb per file size limit, so for larger files you would be better off saving them to a cloud storage app.

Instashare If you have a Mac, Instashare is new app that allows you to simply drag and drop files from your computer to transfer them to your iPhone.

Once you have downloaded the app on both your computer and iPhone, you then find the file on your computer that  you would like to share, drag it to the app icon and let it go. As long as your iPhone is connected to a W-Fi network, the file will be transferred in as little as a few seconds. You can also send files from your iPhone through the app, selecting the file and dragging it onto connected computers. Instashare will take care of the rest.

This app is an easy way to transfer files within the Apple environment while not having to physically connect your device to your computer. It's also free, which could make it an interesting tool for your business. Download it from the website here, or search for it on in the App Store.

There are many other ways to transfer files from your smartphone to your computer, including using cloud storage. What are your favorite ways? Let us know. Or, if you are looking for a more efficient file sharing solution, contact us today.