The VAR Guy

The folks over at PC World Business Center are running an article titled, “Five Features the iPad Needs For Business” by Tony Bradley. Bradley raises some interesting points as to why the iPad isn’t quite ready for the prime-time suit and tie type. Naturally, I disagree. If you want to learn why the iPad is already business ready, read on…

The next sexy industrially designed thing to come out of Apple might not be something you put in your pocket. It could be something you wear. News is that Apple has hired wearable-computing guru Richard DeVaul to work on some new prototyping for Apple. Here’s the scoop…

It’s official, the iPad is coming. Pre-orders have started. With that comes several factoids worth noting. Here’s the wrap-up from the weekend and how Apple plans on getting these ‘magical devices’ into the hands of consumers ASAP…

Citrix Systems continues to bolster its virtualization story. Sometime later this month, the company expects to ship XenApp 6, a virtualization and application “delivery product” that lets users connect to corporate applications. You can also host apps with XenApp, or stream them direct to the local user. Here are some more details.

We’ve always got to hand it to Engadget; they have the most interesting sources. A new report is coming in that the attached picture is indeed an internal Verizon memo about upselling the Verizon MiFi for use with the iPad…but is that such a good idea?

Parallels, the virtualization and cloud enabler, has officially announced they’re supporting Chrome OS, Google’s mobile Linux distribution. What does that mean for VARs out there? Maybe nothing, superficially, but…

I know what you’re thinking: “Am I reading The VAR Guy or some other tabloid blog?” But let’s face it; no matter what business you’re in, you’re interested in Apple’s business, even if it’s just an ancillary glance. Friday, March 5th came and with it was the announcement that the iPad would be available April 3rd. It kind of slipped under our radar. What didn’t, however, was the fact the iPad is coming a little late. Oh, and Steve Jobs was at the Oscars…

On March 2nd 2010, Apple filed a suit against mobile phone maker HTC for patent infringement. HTC, who notably supports Android and the Google Nexus One is fighting back. What’s more, Google is backing HTC. Is this just another court-spat between companies, or the start of the oncoming mobile wars and Steve Jobs’ increasing hostility towards Google…?

Attention all those holding stock with Apple Inc., don’t expect any sort of dividend or buyback. Steve Jobs doesn’t plan on it. All the cash Apple has is staying in the bank, and that’s final. Is that a smart idea for Apple? For Jobs’ persona? Here’s the deal…

Parallels, the company you may know for their virtualization muscle, is bolstering their server virtualization by supporting Apple environments.That’s right, they’re introducing a ‘world first’ — the bare metal hypervisor for Apple Xserve. Any takers…?

Just when you thought the tablet rumors were over, they’re back. The latest is that February 25 will launch the pre-orders for the iPad. But here’s a twist: rumor has it there are a few extra features that weren’t discussed at the media launch. Read on…

The products aren’t even in the wild yet and the war is already brewing. Hewlett-Packard apparently wants their tablet (the HP Slate) to be cheaper than Apple’s iPad and still include 3G wireless. So, will VARs give the HP tablet a look? Here are some perspectives.

The ruckus began long  before Steve Job’s alleged “lazy” comment about Adobe Flash, but the issue certainly gained some more attention after the fact. Now, in an interview with All Things Digital, Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch has conceded a few criticisms about Flash’s overall optimization and shed some light on the future for the ubiquitous plug-in.

The Mobile World Congress 2010 is taking place this week (Feb 15th-18th) in Barcelona this year and there are tons of surprises, like the Windows Phone 7 series launching. But the latest surprise involves Opera, that ‘other browser’ that people tend to forget about. Opera has an interesting trick up their sleeve. They’ve developed an iPhone browser that’s 6 times faster than anything on the market.

In your opinion, what’s the best netbook operating system you’ve used? Be honest. Tell us. Over at Lifehacker.com, they  already asked the same question. So far, the leading answer is… (drum roll, please…): Windows 7. The other results may surprise you…

It’s finally here, Windows Mobile 7, or as it more colloquially wants to be known: Windows Phone 7 Series. It doesn’t really roll off the tongue and it’s not exactly the seventh series of any kind of Windows Phone, but that’s what they’re sticking with. So what’s the scoop on the new dialer from Redmond? Well, it all started at the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona…

Is Microsoft Office coming to the iPad? It may be more likely than you think. Apple already positioned itself to make the iPad a bit of a content-creator by offering their iWork suite along with the keyboard dock. With MacWorld in session this week (February 8-13th) the Office for Mac Team had some interesting information to share.

For all you Apple partners out there, or maybe those thinking about becoming one; here’s an interesting tidbit from ARNnet.com.au. The Apple channel partner network is launching down-under. Here’s the news…

Apple says their new iPhone update is going to be killer. Google’s Android Phone and OS proliferating is catching on like wild-fire. New rumors point to some groovy stuff for Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 7 experience. But the real story involves Steve Jobs’ preoccupation with Google. Here are the details.

Microsoft is looking pretty healthy for a ‘dead’ company. Sure, former Microsoft VP Dick Brass essentially buried the company in a New York Times Op-Ed piece today. But remember: Skeptics buried IBM in 1993 and Apple in 1996. Critics thought the HP-Compaq deal was forever doomed. And lots of folks thought Larry Ellison had lost his mind when Oracle started buying up big enterprise software companies. So, what’s the reality at Microsoft?

Whether Apple’s iPad will be a hit or miss for business is yet to be decided. But one thing is for sure: Apple’s iPad A4 chip is turning heads in the IT world. If you’re a mobile VAR with ties to Apple, Intel or Qualcomm, you should pay particularly close attention. Here’s why.

In the few days since the launch of the iPad, both naysayers and cheerleaders have had ample opportunity to either harangue or applaud Apple’s newest invention. Advocates say that the iPad’s intense, high-res display combined with its body-conscious touch screen and smooth operation takes media applications from sexy to smoking.  Apple has mastered the art of making us need things we didn’t know we wanted. But can the iPad do anything for your business? There are a few possibilities.

Oh, ye of little faith. Those who mocked the iPad and called it a foolish endeavor; a gadget that would never see the light of enterprise adoption. But now, thanks to Citrix, you can have your Windows 7 experience right at your fingertips. For those who don’t know, Citrix has developed receiver software for the iPhone that’s been in the loop for quite a while. Now it’s coming to Apple’s iPad. Interested, now?