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DocuWare review
7:39 pm | August 25, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

DocuWare is one of the best document management platforms, ideal for both large companies, as well as SMBs. The system can integrate with more than 500 commonly used software applications, including Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce.   

Syncing DocuWare with your existing programs offers an efficient solution to eliminate inconsistencies and save time within your company. With user-friendly features like drag-and-drop functionality and automation, DocuWare caters to the needs of SMBs with varying workflows, and promises a transition to paperless offices in less than 90 days. 

The smart search function enables quick document retrieval, while OCR automates document indexing. Version history ensures comprehensive change tracking. Windows users can utilize the dedicated application, while Mac and Linux users can access the program through their browser. Additionally, mobile applications are available for iOS and Android, enabling convenient file access for employees.

DocuWare: Plans and pricing

DocuWare offers four cloud-based plans for its document management software, each providing a full-featured program with varying storage space and user support. Upgrading plans is flexible and can be done anytime. The plans are as follows:

1. DocuWare Cloud 4: Includes 20GB of storage and licenses for four users.

2. DocuWare Cloud 15: Provides storage space for up to 50GB and supports 15 users.

3. DocuWare Cloud 40: Offers 100GB of storage and allows up to 40 users.

4. DocuWare Cloud 100: Provides up to 250GB of storage space and supports 100 users.

While specific pricing is not publicly available, contacting the company will provide a quote tailored to your business needs. The typical price range for the fully-featured cloud system is $25 to $100 per user per month.

DocuWare: Setup

Install DocuWare Desktop Apps effortlessly through the DocuWare Client:

1. Open the DocuWare Client and navigate to the main menu. Choose "Install Desktop Apps."

2. The setup for DocuWare Desktop Apps will be downloaded. Run it as an administrator.

3. Select the desired desktop components during the installation process.

4. Once the installation completes successfully, click "Close" when prompted.

5. Switch back to the DocuWare Client and establish a connection to the Desktop Apps by selecting "Connect to Desktop Apps" in the pop-up menu.

6. Grant access to your local DocuWare services by answering "Yes" to the prompt.

DocuWare: Features

DocuWare offers an array of features designed to streamline tasks and maximize productivity through automation and eliminate repetitive steps. Its intelligent search function, equipped with full-text indexing, provides users with multiple options for quickly locating documents. Utilizing AI, DocuWare classifies each document based on key terms found within, and users can further enhance precision by adding advanced metadata through file naming fields.

To help your workflow automation, DocuWare enables the creation of customized tasks, triggers, and conditional statements. Users are notified when documents require attention, and the system seamlessly progresses to the next step until the workflow is successfully completed.

With the version history feature, DocuWare acts as a control tool, saving edits as new document versions, granting users convenient access to the complete document history. Its user-friendly interface features drag-and-drop functionality and provides multiple methods for adding documents. Upon adding a document, the software automatically classifies and indexes it, ensuring efficient organization.

To simplify the process of metadata addition, DocuWare has incorporated OCR software into its imaging process. This automatically generates metadata for scanned documents, complete with a confidence rating to indicate the success of the indexing process. If required, users have the flexibility to manually supplement the metadata. 

DocuWare integrates with popular customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning tools, facilitating effortless document sharing across the entire organization. Furthermore, it supports integration with a wide range of scanners and all-in-one printers, ensuring compatibility with existing hardware setups.

For those seeking guidance on integrating DocuWare with other systems, the official DocuWare website provides comprehensive instructions, enabling smooth integration with existing infrastructure. Moreover, DocuWare's implementation timeframe for transitioning to a "paperless" office environment is estimated to be approximately 90 days, and even shorter for companies already familiar with digital file management practices.

These features make Docuware a versatile and efficient solution for optimizing document management processes across diverse organizations.

DocuWare: Interface and in use

DocuWare has a user-friendly design, ensuring a smooth learning curve and immediate productivity. Its clean and intuitive interface enables users to effortlessly familiarize themselves with its features and start working right away. The system provides extensive customization options, allowing its users to tailor it to their specific requirements and preferences. The standout feature of DocuWare is its seamless document upload, indexing, and search capabilities, which require minimal effort from users. This exceptional ease of use sets DocuWare apart as a highly efficient and effective solution for managing documents, supporting you in various tasks and workflows.

DocuWare: Security and privacy

DocuWare, as a document management system software, prioritizes privacy and security with features such as access control, encryption, audit trails, and secure cloud infrastructure. It offers data backup and disaster recovery options, along with compliance support for regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. 

DocuWare: Support

DocuWare provides excellent user support, comprehensive documentation, and extensive training resources. They offer various channels for users to seek assistance. Users can rely on informative community forums and the Support Portal, available 24/7 from Monday to Friday, where they can easily submit a form to receive timely support. 

DocuWare: Competitors

Microsoft SharePoint is gaining popularity as an alternative to DocuWare, thanks to its comprehensive document control features and seamless integration with other Microsoft apps. However, SharePoint may pose a learning curve for non-technical users and lacks certain functionalities like archiving, retention, asset lifecycle management, audit trails, and CRM.

Laserfiche provides enterprise content management services that streamline processes, offer secure document storage, and seamlessly integrate with other applications. However, it has limitations such as the absence of an API, tracking options, commenting and notes, compliance management, a content library, and content publishing options.

Revver's eFileCabinet enables users to create, transfer, store, and search digital files securely. However, it lacks support for data capture and transfer, content publishing options, and customizable forms.

DocuWare: Final verdict

With its user-friendly interface, intuitive features, and extensive automation capabilities, such as OCR and AI-based document scanning, DocuWare sets itself apart as a leading solution in the market. Although the desktop app is only available on Windows, the convenience of its drag-and-drop functionality further enhances the user experience, allowing for effortless document management. 

These attributes make DocuWare a preferred choice for large companies, but also for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), cementing its reputation as one of the top options available. 

Whether users are looking to streamline their workflows, improve productivity, or enhance document organization, DocuWare delivers the necessary tools and functionality to meet their needs efficiently and effectively.

We've listed the best scanning software.

M-Files review
7:38 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

M-Files is one of the best document management platforms and is known for its user-friendly features. It allows easy drag-and-drop upload and quick dashboard functions. Users can effortlessly search and categorize files using metatags and document text. It offers essential tools like OCR, e-signing,offline access, along with workflow automation to enhance efficiency and reduce errors. 

The standout feature is its document organization system using metadata for keywords, tags, categories, making document management effortless. Apps available for iOS and Android enable on-the-go document management. M-Files prioritizes security with privacy and data protection tools, ensuring the safety of information and compliance with regulations. 

M-Files: Plans and pricing

Unfortunately, M-Files doesn’t provide any information about its plans, prices, or purchase options. Although this isn’t unusual in the world of document management software, it would still be nice if an indication of the cost were provided. 

However, we can only assume that M-Files does this because it specializes in custom document management solutions tailored to an individual business’s needs. Because of this, the price you pay will likely depend on the level of service and features you require, as well as the scale of your requirements. 

Fortunately, there is both a free trial and an in-depth demo available to help you decide whether this program brings what you need to the table. To download the 30-day trial, simply fill in the online form. For a demo, however, you will have to reach out to the M-Files team and arrange an appointment.

M-Files: Features

With its user-friendly features and intuitive interface, M-Files stands out as one of the best document management software for companies seeking ease of use and seamless functionality.

Gone are the days of complex uploading processes. With M-Files, you can simply drag and drop your documents into the system, saving you time and effort. Most of the software's functions can be accomplished with just a few clicks on the dashboard, streamlining your workflow and eliminating unnecessary steps.

M-Files' document organization system uses metadata to categorize your content by keywords, tags, categories, and more, ensuring easy access and efficient management of documents of all types. This means you can effortlessly locate the documents you need, even in a vast repository. No more digging through folders or wasting time on manual searches. 

For the busy professional on the go, M-Files offers a mobile app compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Whether you're attending a meeting or traveling, you can manage your documents anytime, anywhere, and stay productive even when you're away from your desk.

M-Files offers a range of essential tools designed to enhance your productivity. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software makes your documents fully searchable by scanning and extracting text, taking searchability to a whole new level. Additionally, M-Files' workflow automation features streamline processes, increasing efficiency and improving collaboration within your team. 

M-Files also allows you to designate files for offline use on your laptop or mobile device. Any changes you make offline will be automatically synced with the system once you regain internet connectivity.

M-Files: Interface and in use

To get started with M-Files, you will need to download the program and log in to your account. Follow the instructions provided by the onboarding team at the time of purchase and configure your account as required. 

M-Files is available via both desktop and mobile devices. The desktop application is very tidy, with a clear document hierarchy, useful search panels, and various tools to help you manage your content. There is also a great filter system to help you find and manage specific groups of documents. 

The mobile app is available across both iOS and Android devices. Simply log in to your vault with your server address, username, and password and manage your documents on the go. Although the apps aren’t quite as powerful as the desktop version, they are still very useful.

M-Files: Security and privacy

M-Files provides robust measures to safeguard information. The software incorporates comprehensive privacy and data protection tools to ensure confidentiality. It also works towards compliance with regulatory and legal requirements specific to your industry. 

M-Files: Support

Depending on your plan, you can reach out to their team via phone, email, or web chat. While phone assistance may not be available for M-Files Base clients, you can still submit tickets through their portal. M-Files also offers 24/7 phone support for M-Business users, a perk that sets them apart from the competition. 

Additionally, M-Files provides a range of online resources, including webinars, video guides, news, and forums.

M-Files: Competitors

Microsoft SharePoint offers several advantages, including robust access management, easy customization options, and versatile functionalities for various purposes. Its user interface is user-friendly, and it seamlessly integrates with non-Microsoft tools. However, while SharePoint is highly customizable, the customization process can be complex and challenging for some users.

Another attractive option is DocuWare, which provides SMBs with a user-friendly document management solution. Its features, such as drag-and-drop functionality, automation, and smart search, streamline workflows and enhance efficiency. It offers dedicated applications for Windows users and browser access for Mac and Linux users, with mobile apps for iOS and Android for convenient file access.

M-Files: Final verdict

All things considered, M-Files is one of the best document management platforms we’ve used. It’s backed by a wide range of advanced features and powerful security integrations.

It's an excellent tool with user-friendly features, including easy uploading, powerful search capabilities, innovative document organization, mobile app support, robust security measures, OCR technology, workflow automation, and flexible access control, which make it an attractive choice for businesses of all sizes.

And although the lack of transparency surrounding the company’s price structures is a little frustrating, there’s little else to fault. Ultimately, we’d recommend having a chat with the M-Files team if you’re looking for an advanced document management solution you can rely on.

We've listed the best cloud document storage.

Safari browser review
7:30 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Safari is a popular web browser launched by Apple in 2003. In the past few years and through multiple upgrades, Safari has transformed into a power-packed, privacy-centric browser that aims to give you the best web experience in every session.

It's faster compared to many popular browsers such as Firefox and Chrome, is highly reliable, and comes with a million customization options that make you feel a little at home every time you log in. It might not be the top leader of the browser industry, but it surely has a massive user base of more than 1 billion people.

So if you’re planning to set Safari as your next default browser, read our guide till the end and find out what you can expect.

Safari browser: Features

Safari’s best-known feature is “Intelligent Tracking Prevention,” which protects you from online trackers. Such malicious software have countless ways to keep following you across the web. Thankfully, Safari’s dynamic system is not only capable of tackling their current tricks, but it can also adapt and counter any hack they might develop to steal your data.

If you’re working on multiple projects at the same time, grouping the tabs together might be an efficient way to work faster and reduce the clutter. You can also label these tab groups, with each category leading you to a certain set of sites. To take it a step further, you can also add Focus Modes to these Tab Groups. This way, when a user opens the Safari browser with a certain Focus active, only those tab groups that are attached to it will show up.

Safari’s intuitive auto-fill feature will save you tons of time. For starters, it connects to your passwords saved on iCloud or other third-party password managers and auto-fills while logging. It also extracts information from your Contacts, Calendars, Credit Card, and other saved documents to auto-fill empty fields of forms and registration pages on your behalf. For sensitive information such as credit card details and passwords, Safari uses a special 256-bit AES encryption.

Safari also helps you create stronger passwords the first time you’re signing up for an account. You can either opt for traditional passcodes with a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols or go for advanced face ID or touch ID for better security. 

To minimize spamming from websites, Safari provides a unique feature called “Hide My Email” in collaboration with iCloud. Under this, instead of suggesting your actual email, it’ll suggest an alias to the website you’re signing into. This will help you recognize the spammers, and you can cut them off by simply deleting the alias email address.

Safari claims that it takes minimal battery power. Compared to Firefox and Chrome, Safari offers up to 3 hours of additional browsing and 4 hours of additional video streaming.

Safari browser: Privacy

Safari offers a decent level of privacy. It may not completely stop data collection from third parties, but it minimizes the transfer of user data to a great extent. On top of that, users get access to all its privacy settings by default, ensuring they’re protected from the get-go.

You can also modify the privacy settings if you want. For example, you can adjust how often you want your web history deleted or tell websites not to track your information, such as location or contact details.

We recommend adding a VPN to your arsenal, which, along with Safari, will prove to be the security you’ve always wanted on your device. 

Safari browser customizations.

(Image credit: Apple)

Safari browser: Ease of use

Safari is pretty easy to use. The address bar is at the top of the screen, and you’ll find the open tabs stacked right below it — much like Google Chrome.

What sets apart Safari’s user interface is options such as Bookmarks, History, and Edits are placed above the address bar. 

Our favorite thing about its user settings is that it lets you get the complete overview of your tabs on a much higher level. If you have multiple tabs open at once, this feature lets you zoom out and check them all at once.

The only thing we didn't like about Safari was some of the features, such as Tab Grouping, were slightly hidden on its Mac Version. You’ll have to click on the Page Icon for a panel to appear before you can use the grouping feature. 

Safari browser: Competitors

Safari’s biggest competitors are Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. But thanks to its features and outstanding performance, it’s not too far behind them in the race. 

For starters, a speedometer test by Safari revealed that it's almost 1.4 times more responsive than Chrome and Firefox. 

Another series of tests found that when the macOS is used for animation rendering and Javascript, Safari is 2 times and 1.4 times faster than Chrome and Firefox, respectively. 

With such outstanding performance, it's no wonder that millions of users are flocking to Safari every year.

Another benefit of Safari is that it's lightweight and doesn't take up too much battery power. In fact, compared to other browsers, Safari gives you at least 3 to 4 hours of additional battery life.

Also, unlike Edge, Safari lets you pick and put any picture you want as the browser's background. While Edge and Chrome let you experiment with multiple themes, Safari goes a step ahead and lets you personalize it.

Managing tabs with Safari is easier than most browsers. You can group them together, label them for quick searches and attach them to a particular Focus Mode to reduce the crowd of tab groups. No other renowned browser offers this feature.

Safari browser: Final verdict

After our careful evaluation, we found Safari to be one of the best products Apple has ever launched. It's fast, responsive, and comes with tons of tab management features that make it easy for users to maintain an online workspace.

Compared to Chrome and Edge, Safari is much more serious about user privacy and data leaks. After all, it has developed a whole new technology (Intelligent Tracking Prevention) just to combat that. 

It also comes pre-installed on every Apple device, be it an iPhone or Mac. If you’re a proud Apple device owner, there’s no reason you shouldn’t try Safari since there’s no trouble downloading and setting it up.

Also check out our roundup of the best anonymous browsers.

Microsoft Teams Phone review
7:22 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Phone & Communications Pro | Comments: Off

If your business relies on receiving incoming customer phone calls or maintaining team communication between different locations, then ensuring that you have a reliable phone infrastructure in place is imperative. 

As many businesses make the switchover from private branch exchange (PBX) to voice over internet protocol (VoIP), it can often seem like a daunting prospect to migrate an entire business’s telephony system.

Right now, there are a huge array of VoIP services for businesses of all sizes, from sole traders to multi-hundred-employee operations. 

Today, we're looking at Microsoft Teams Phone, taking you through the functionality and features of Microsoft’s IP telephony offering to see if it is one of the best VoIP services for your business. 

This isn’t a review of the entire Teams platform – we have a dedicated Teams review for the video conferencing side of things, as well as reviews of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Word, and its other apps. 

One thing we need to stress before we begin: the VoIP market has a lot of different options, from the likes of GoTo Connect to RingCentral to Zoom, and we recommend taking the time to check out each one, their pros and cons, before making a choice. 

Let's dive in. 

Microsoft Teams Phone

(Image credit: Microsoft Teams Phone)

Microsoft Teams Phone: Plans and pricing

To use Microsoft Teams as a phone system, your business needs to have one of the three Office 365 enterprise plans (named E1, E3, and E5)

With E1 ($10/month per user) and E3 ($23/month per user), businesses will need to purchase additional licenses to use Teams as a phone system, however for users of the E5 plan, this is all included in the cost of $38/month per user. 

Microsoft Teams Phone pricing October 2022

(Image credit: Microsoft)

While these prices seem pretty high (after all, they have increased by $2-3 in the past few months), all users get access to Office apps in the browser and on mobile, with E3 and E5 plans bringing desktop apps to the party, too. 

Then there’s the access to Outlook, the Teams video conferencing suite, at least 1TB of OneDrive storage, and a lot more that would take an entire dedicated webpage to explain. Ultimately, this means that if you’re prepared to rely on the entire Microsoft ecosystem, there are huge savings to be had,

A domestic calling plan consisting of 3,000 domestic minutes is $12/month per user. Meanwhile, a combined calling plan of 3,000 domestic minutes and 600 international minutes costs $24/month per user. Each user must have a call plan, although unused minutes can be pooled if there are differing levels of usage between colleagues.

If your business has several meeting rooms with conference phones, then these will require a separate license of $15/month per device.

Microsoft Teams Phone System review

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Teams Phone: Features

Microsoft Teams Phone enables businesses to access features such as call queues, call forwarding, voicemail, transferring, auto attendants that can be configured for office hours, out of office hours and holidays, call parking, call blocking, group call pickups, and call delegation.

One of Microsoft Teams’ core features is Presence, which shows an individual user’s real-time availability, letting coworkers have a quick visual indicator before parking and transferring calls through to colleagues. 

One feature that the system is lacking is functionality for complex calling requirements, such as those that may be required by a call center. It's not possible to set up more complex hunter groups or ring settings further than the three default call distribution configurations. 

There is no native call recording functionality, and while there are workarounds available, there are no third-party apps currently available to do this. 

For businesses that use a customer relationship management (CRM) system, there is currently no integration between the phone system and any CRM platforms. This means that it is unable to automatically log incoming or outgoing calls on any platform, including Microsoft’s own CRM software, Dynamics. 

While there is reporting available within Microsoft 365, this is mostly focused on call quality and allowing businesses to troubleshoot any issues with devices on the system. Users are unable to drill down into many granular details that are used as key performance indicators, for example, ring times.

Microsoft Teams Phone System review

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Teams Phone: User interface

The Microsoft Teams interface is available on all platforms and is incredibly easy to navigate, particularly for businesses that already use Teams as standard. 

For those who are new to Teams, a degree of planning is required to ensure that new users can get off to a good start. Auditing your company’s staff and the various departments, roles, and teams before installation will allow for ease when setting up user groups. (For example, by sorting individual sales employees into a group, an administrator will be able to set up a telephone hunter group to ring all sales lines if a sales agent’s phone isn’t picked up within a certain amount of rings.)

While there are apps for Microsoft Teams on iOS and Android, if call forwarding is enabled on the system there are no requirements for users to download the Microsoft Teams app to their phone. If you prefer to work from a mobile phone, you’ll be pleased to know that the company is committed to making this easier. 

As well as the ability to transfer calls between devices (the same principle as Handoff for macOS and iOS), there’s a CarPlay app for Teams which extends to the VoIP offering.

The system uses Microsoft’s Global Delivery Network, allowing for it to be rolled out to a business of any size, with the ability to scale up to with minimal disruption. Additionally, as Microsoft updates its features regularly, users will always have access to the latest version and releases without any additional upgrade costs.

Microsoft Teams Phone System review

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Teams Phone: Support

The Microsoft 365 website has a feature-rich help and support section that contains videos, blogs, and documents to help users make the most of the platform.

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not have 24/7 live support. For any problems that arise, a ticket needs to be logged, and contact times can take up to a few hours. 

The quality of the support can vary as well, with some issues being fixed quickly, while others may take multiple tickets to be resolved.

Given that Microsoft is such a large company in most aspects of home and business technology today, we would like to see some class-leading support on offer here.

Microsoft Teams Phone System review

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Teams Phone: Security

If your business uses the E3 and E5 plans, additional security features come as a standard, including Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics, which incorporates advanced security, compliance, and analytical capabilities.

All data that is stored by Microsoft is SSL encrypted both at rest and in transit, and any audio and video that operates through Teams are run through SRTP. 

There have been concerns over the security of Microsoft Teams after a number of vulnerabilities were discovered during 2020, however Microsoft does release fixes regularly and it’s not alone in facing security mishaps – this is fairly common as technology advances. 

What’s important is that there have been no major disasters. Also, Microsoft security can be complicated, with many different licenses and add-ons required to ensure compliance in some industries.

Microsoft Teams Phone: The competition

There are many alternatives to Microsoft Teams Phone on the market, offering cloud-based VoIP systems that are worth considering. 

RingCentral MVP is equal in price per user and has much stronger call center features: automatic call recording, CRM integration for major platforms such as Zendesk and Salesforce, and 24/7 live support. In addition, RingCentral can integrate with Microsoft Teams. 

Another option is GoTo Connect, which offers similar features to Microsoft Teams Phone but has a much more simplified, per user pricing structure. Along with cost, Connect has much of the same functionality as Microsoft Teams, but includes SMS services and geolocation forwarding, and can also be integrated with Teams. 

We'd also recommend checking out 8x8, Zoom, Aircall, Vonage, and our other picks for the best VoIP services

Microsoft Teams Phone

(Image credit: Microsoft Teams Phone)

Microsoft Teams Phone: Final verdict

For those who already use Microsoft Teams, the ease of moving over to the VoIP offering is a big plus, and it’s also ideal for businesses that are looking to scale up in the future, as purchasing additional user licenses can be completed in minutes.  

The system does come with its flaws, though, and is not a good fit for businesses that require more complex phone configurations. In addition, the cost of purchasing the licenses and call plans can quickly add up if your business has heavy telephone usage, or if you want to use different solutions for other aspects of your business operations which means paying for multiple subscriptions. 

The lack of 24/7 support from Microsoft is also a concern when it comes to troubleshooting and potential downtime. Businesses that want 24/7 support with the system can however get this through a third-party supplier.

Finally, unlike some of its rivals, Microsoft is an incredibly well-established company, and so if you go to the effort of setting up Teams Phone – and buying into the Microsoft ecosystem more generally – the service won't disappear one fine day. 

Udemy learning platform review
3:30 pm | August 23, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Online courses have been a game changer for me since my University days. In this day and age, we have the advantage of numerous platforms to choose from, and Udemy is one of them. Udemy is one of the best online learning platform that offers various courses to develop new skills or enhance existing ones. Udemy’s founder Eren Bali grew up in a small village in Turkey with little opportunity to learn. In his quest to find learning opportunities online and make knowledge accessible to all, Udemy was founded.  

To put it in a simple way, imagine Udemy as a virtual school where instructors from around the world create and offer video lessons, quizzes, and assignments. You can choose topics from its vast course catalog ranging from programming and business to photography and personal development. And to top it all off, you can learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. We’ve also tested the best online courses and online class sites. 

Udemy: Plans and pricing

Udemy pricing

(Image credit: Udemy)

Udemy offers three distinct plans to cater to various needs. If you’re looking to develop a new hobby, learn a new skill, or simply want to try something new, then the Personal plan is an ideal choice. The Personal plan is $19 per month and you gain access to over 11,000 courses across a wide range of topics. 

Next up is the Team plan which is designed for groups of 5 to 20 people and costs $360 per user annually. This plan is ideal for organizations aiming to enhance team skills and efficiency through structured learning and development. While it includes the same course access as the Personal plan, it also offers additional features such as analytics and adoption reports. However, the price difference between these two options is quite big so if you’re not looking for analytical reports, you are better off with the Personal plan since both these options provide the same number of courses. Both plans offer a 7-day free trial.

The third plan is targeted towards smaller organizations. This plan grants access to over 25,000 top-rated courses and includes dedicated customer support, customizable content, and hands-on tech training as add-ons. It encompasses all the features of the Personal and Team plans but adds more tailored support and resources to meet the needs of a larger workforce. The pricing for this plan is not available on the website so you will have to enquire with the sales team.

Even though Udemy offers well-structured plans, if you’re hesitant about long-term commitment Udemy also allows you to purchase individual courses with lifetime access. This option lets you explore specific subjects at your own pace and you can decide if the platform suits your learning needs.

Udemy: Features

Udemy features

(Image credit: Udemy)

Creating an account on Udemy is straightforward and free. Once your account is all setup you answer a few questions to receive personalized course recommendations based on your interests, desired skills, and preferred certificates. When I specified my job as a writer the dashboard promptly suggested popular writing courses tailored to my profession. 

For Learners

Udemy course catalog

(Image credit: Udemy)

Once you find a course of interest, you have the option to either purchase it individually or you can opt for a monthly subscription. The only difference between these options is that the subscription would give you access to multiple courses without the need to pay for each one separately. Each course listing includes a ‘what you’ll learn’ section and a detailed breakdown of the content. A notable feature here is the ability to preview some video lectures before purchasing, so you can assess if the course is a right fit for you. All the courses are also accessible via the mobile app and can be downloaded for offline viewing. Learners have a personal dashboard where they can manage courses, add items to their wishlist, and even set reminders for their learning goals.

For Instructors

Udemy instructor challenge

(Image credit: Udemy)

Now let's take a look at Udemy from an instructor’s perspective. As an instructor, you can utilize resources provided by Udemy to design engaging courses. And to top it all off, Udemy has introduced a new instructor challenge. This initiative incentivizes timely course publication by promoting your course on Udemy’s social media if published within 45 days. Instructors also benefit from being part of an instructor community where they can network, share insights, and learn from peers. Marketing insights are available to help instructors choose relevant topics for their courses. 

Udemy instructor feature

(Image credit: Udemy)

Even though we found the course catalog to be diverse, it is worth noting that anyone can become an instructor on Udemy so the quality of courses varies significantly. Some courses may lack depth or professional quality. Upon completion of the course, the learner receives a certificate of completion. Unlike some other platforms like Coursera, Udemy’s certificates are not accredited by universities or institutions, which might reduce their value for some learners seeking formal recognition. This also means that Udemy does not offer any structured degree programs.

Udemy’s content is meticulously organized into categories. Each course is categorized by subject such as business, technology, arts, and more. Within these broad categories, there are sub-categories and specific topics. Each course features user reviews and ratings so learners can access the relevance of the courses. The course length is also varied. Some courses we looked at were 3 hours long, while others were more comprehensive lasting 11 hours. Overall, we found the interface easy to navigate, allowing seamless switching between learner and instructor dashboards.

These are the best laptops for students on the market.

Udemy: Support

Udemy support

(Image credit: Udemy)

Udemy’s support options are quite limited. They don’t offer email or phone support, instead, users have to rely on the Help Center. The Help Center is accessible to both learners and instructors. While there is a chatbot option, it is somewhat hidden. You need to click on a few links to access it. Despite these limitations, we found the Help Center to be quite useful for immediate support. The FAQ section is quite comprehensive and there is a separate section for searchable topics like account profiles, refunds, and more, providing users with detailed information and assistance. 

Udemy: Final verdict

As someone who enjoys enrolling in online courses, I found Udemy to be an accessible learning platform. The extensive course catalog can be overwhelming with so many options to choose from. But if you’re looking for a very specific type of course, rest assured you will find it on Udemy. Pro tip: once you have decided on the topic, check out the popular courses for that category. For those seeking formal academic recognition or degree programs, alternatives like Coursera may be more suitable.  

Udemy: Also consider

Coursera is the closest competitor to Udemy which also provides buying individual courses. However, what sets Coursera apart from Udemy is its partnership with top universities, providing certified courses from these prestigious institutions. You can also apply to get an online degree from Coursera. Read our full Coursera review.

Skillshare only works on a subscription model, where users get unlimited access to courses. It mainly focuses on creative skills and project-based learning. Read our full SkillShare review.

LinkedIn Learning is integrated within LinkedIn and is mainly targeted toward professionals looking to enhance their interview skills, find new jobs, and develop career skills. Read our full LinkedIn Learning review.

Network Solutions website builder review
8:40 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Network Solutions website builder delivers a no-frills approach to creating business websites. While it may not compete with the best website builders of 2025, it works for small businesses looking for simplicity. The platform clearly prioritizes ease of use over advanced functionality.

Techradar reviewers have spent thousands of hours testing 140+ website builders. We've found that while Network Solutions meets basic needs, it falls short of modern expectations. For users who need more robust features, Wix remains our pick for the best website builder in 2025.

Still, Network Solutions' website building tool works well for straightforward business sites. You won't find cutting-edge design tools here. But you will get reliable hosting, AI tools, decent performance, and 150+ user-friendly templates.

Network Solutions: 2-minute review

Network Solutions website builder targets small businesses wanting quick online presence. The platform delivers on its core promise: simple website creation without coding knowledge. However, it lacks the sophisticated features found in competitors like Wix or Squarespace.

Founded in 1979 as a technology consulting company, Network Solutions was the world's first domain registrar. The company expanded into website building to serve its small business customer base. Today, it competes in a crowded market with feature-rich no-code platforms like Wix, Webflow, and Bubble. Network Solutions holds its ground through simplicity and reliability, but it struggles to match its competitors' innovation.

What is Network Solutions?

Network Solutions started as a tech consultancy in 1979. The company became famous for managing internet domain names before opening to competition. Today, they offer web hosting, domain registration, and website building services.

Web.com acquired Network Solutions in 2011. More recently, they've decided to combine both website building products into a single solution. Their new website builder targets beginners who need simple sites. You get basic tools without overwhelming options. The platform suits small businesses, personal sites, and anyone wanting quick results without technical complexity.

Features

Network Solutions Website Builder features

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides essential website building features without unnecessary complexity. The platform includes over 150 templates, drag-and-drop editing, and mobile responsiveness. You'll find basic SEO tools, SSL certificates, and integrated hosting. These features target small businesses needing professional-looking sites quickly.

The feature set works best for straightforward business websites. Restaurant owners, consultants, and service providers will find adequate tools. However, advanced users seeking sophisticated design options or extensive e-commerce capabilities may feel limited. The platform lacks advanced animations, complex layouts, or detailed customization options.

Network Solutions now also includes AI-powered tools like content writing and logo creation. These features help beginners overcome common obstacles. The AI writer generates website copy, while the logo builder creates basic brand graphics. These additions make the platform more accessible to complete novices.

The pricing justifies the feature set for budget-conscious users. Starting at $1.99 for the first month, it offers good value for basic needs. However, competitors provide more features at similar price points. You're paying for simplicity rather than comprehensive functionality.

Tools

Network Solutions Website Builder tools

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides essential website building tools designed for simplicity. It focuses on core functionality rather than extensive options. Each tool serves specific business needs but does not overwhelm beginners.

Drag-and-drop editor

Their visual editor lets you place elements anywhere on your pages. You can add text, images, videos, and forms without coding. The interface uses a section-based approach rather than true drag-and-drop. This keeps things simple but restricts design flexibility.

Template library

150+ professionally designed templates cover various industries. They provide starting points for different business types. All templates include mobile responsiveness, so they can adapt to any screen size automatically. However, switching templates requires rebuilding your entire site from scratch.

AI content creation

There's an AI writer that creates website copy based on your business details. Meanwhile an AI logo builder produces basic graphics using your brand preferences. These tools help overcome creative block for beginners.

SEO and marketing tools

Built-in SEO features include title tags, meta descriptions, and XML sitemaps. The platform also offers social media integration and email marketing capabilities. Additional marketing tools include paid ads management and link-in-bio creation for driving traffic to key pages.

E-commerce features

Basic online store functionality allows product sales through your website. You get shopping cart features and secure payment processing. However, the e-commerce tools remain limited compared to specialized platforms. This works for simple product catalogs but not complex online stores.

Ease of use

Network Solutions Website Builder interface

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions excels in simplicity. The drag-and-drop interface welcomes beginners without overwhelming them. You get 150+ templates sorted by industry, making it easy to find relevant designs.

Their builder uses a section-based approach rather than true drag-and-drop. This keeps things simple but limits design flexibility. We also found the AI tools quite helpful for newcomers. The AI Content Writer creates website copy based on your business details. And the AI Domain Generator suggests relevant domain names using your keywords.

The platform takes an all-in-one approach. You get hosting, domain, SSL, and professional email bundled together. This eliminates the need to juggle multiple services. However, switching templates requires rebuilding your entire site from scratch.

Pricing

Network Solutions Website Builder

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Renewal rate (paid annually)

Website

$1.99/month

$16.99/month

Website + Marketing

$3.99/month

$21.99/month

eCommerce

$9.99/month

$29.99/month

Network Solutions offers competitive introductory pricing. The basic Website plan starts at just $1.99 monthly for the first year. This includes hosting, a free domain, SSL certificate, and professional email for three months. The Website + Marketing plan adds appointment scheduling, social media tools, and AI copywriting for $3.99 monthly.

The pricing jumps significantly at renewal. Your $1.99 plan becomes $16.99 monthly in year two. This represents a substantial increase that may surprise budget-conscious users. However, even renewal rates remain competitive compared to premium builders like Wix, which starts at $17/month.

Security

Network Solutions Website Builder security features

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides basic security features but charges for advanced protection. All plans include free SSL certificates, which encrypt data between your site and visitors. You also get Perfect Privacy to hide your personal information from WHOIS databases.

The company offers SiteLock Premium as an additional security service. This includes daily malware scans, automatic malware removal, and basic web application firewall protection. It also provides blacklist monitoring and a Content Delivery Network to speed up your site. However, these security features cost extra, unlike competitors who include comprehensive security in their base plans.

Support

Network Solutions Website Builder support

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides multiple support channels with mixed results. You get 24/7 phone support and live chat, plus a comprehensive knowledge base. Phone support runs from 7 AM to midnight ET, seven days a week. Live chat operates Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 11 PM.

The quality varies significantly between support agents. Some users report helpful, patient staff who explain solutions clearly. Others encounter abrupt agents who seem reluctant to assist. This inconsistency makes support a gamble. The knowledge base offers hundreds of well-written articles with helpful screenshots. You can usually find answers quickly without contacting support.

Network Solutions includes one hour of expert design support with the basic plan. This helps beginners get started without struggling alone. The company also offers professional design services separately if you prefer hands-off website creation.

Alternatives

Network Solutions targets small businesses seeking simplicity over sophistication. It competes in the budget-friendly segment alongside Hostinger ($2.99/month) and Weebly. The platform works best for basic business sites, restaurants, and service providers who need quick online presence.

The main competitors include Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy. Wix offers more design flexibility and advanced features starting at $17 monthly. Squarespace provides premium templates and better design tools for creatives at $16 monthly. Shopify dominates e-commerce with specialized tools starting at $29 monthly. Network Solutions fits between basic builders and feature-rich platforms, offering reliability without complexity.

Network Solutions website builder: Summary

Network Solutions website builder delivers on its core promise: simple website creation for small businesses. You get reliable hosting, decent templates, and helpful AI tools at competitive introductory prices. The all-in-one approach eliminates service juggling, while customer support provides mixed but generally adequate assistance.

However, significant renewal price increases, limited design flexibility, and basic security features may disappoint users seeking advanced functionality. It's ideal for beginners wanting straightforward business sites without technical complexity.

FAQs

Can I switch to a different template after building my site?

Unfortunately, you cannot easily switch templates in Network Solutions. Changing templates requires rebuilding your entire site from scratch. This means you should choose your template carefully from the start. Consider browsing all available templates before making your selection to avoid later regrets.

How does Network Solutions compare for SEO and marketing?

Network Solutions includes basic SEO tools like title tags, meta descriptions, and XML sitemaps in all plans. The Website + Marketing plan adds appointment scheduling, social media integration, and email marketing tools. The platform focuses on simplicity rather than advanced SEO features. For comprehensive marketing, you may need their professional digital marketing services, which cost extra.

What happens to my website if I don't renew at the higher price?

Network Solutions requires renewal at standard rates after your promotional period ends. If you don't renew, your website will eventually go offline and become inaccessible to visitors. The company typically provides grace periods and renewal notices before deactivation. However, pricing jumps from $1.99 to $16.99 monthly for the basic plan, so budget accordingly for year two.

Does Network Solutions include e-commerce features in all plans?

Ecommerce functionality requires the dedicated eCommerce plan at $9.99 monthly. The basic Website and Website + Marketing plans don't include online store capabilities. The eCommerce plan allows unlimited products and selling on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay. If you plan to sell products online, factor this higher cost into your budget.

Can I use my own domain name with Network Solutions?

You can absolutely use an existing domain name with Network Solutions website builder. All plans include a free domain for one year, but you can connect your existing domain instead. The setup process is straightforward through your account dashboard. If you prefer keeping your current domain registrar, Network Solutions supports domain connection from other providers.

SOTI MobiControl MDM review
5:30 pm | August 19, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems are at their best when they cover the complete range of mobile hardware. While compatible with a wide range of devices, MDM software must also be easy to configure and enroll devices on.

SOTI MobiControl is one of several mobility and IoT solutions from SOTI. It aims to provide a simple user interface for managing multiple form factor device types from various vendors running most operating systems.

It simplifies the security and management of multi-vendor, multi-form-factor, and multi-operating devices in your multi-purpose business mobility deployment – all through a single, easy-to-use interface.

In this review, we'll look at what SOTI MobiControl offers to manage multiple mobile devices.


Features

SOTI MobiControl aims to make it easier for organizations to manage their mobile workforces (Image credit: SOTI)

Features

SOTI MobiControl offers an extensive range of features that can effectively manage a fleet of devices across different users, operating systems, and locations. The software supports several operating systems, including Google Android, Apple iOS and macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux, and is compatible with Zebra mobile computer enterprise devices.

This software simplifies securing and managing mobile hardware throughout its lifecycle with multiple enrollment methods such as SOTI Stage, Apple DEP, Android Zero-Touch, and Samsung KME. SOTI MobiControl's advanced IoT management feature is particularly noteworthy as it supports Linux, making it the first solution for managing Linux-based mobile devices and endpoints. With the increasing use of IoT devices in various industries, this feature is a valuable addition to the software.

Features 2

SOTI integrates with other products from the company as well as many third-party solutions (Image credit: SOTI)

SOTI MobiControl offers seamless integration with SOTI Hub and SOTI Surf, giving you access to essential documents and files from anywhere on your mobile device. With mobile app management, you can quickly deploy applications across a multi-OS environment, whether using your device, a company-owned device, or a device of your choice.

Android 11's COPE implementation is fully supported, and with SOTI MobiControl, Premium Plus, and Enterprise Plus Service, customers can keep track of system health with the System Health Dashboard. This dashboard provides a real-time view of the past 48 hours of activity, including critical operational stats on queue lengths, processing time, mobile CPU and database health, and server health.

Installation and setup

SOTI MobiControl offers on-premises and remote cloud hosting options, depending on your needs. If you have the required expertise and resources, on-premises installation may be a viable choice. However, it can bring about complications when adding new services. 

Depending on your setup, scale, and budget, you'll need to consider whether a dedicated or virtual server is required. In such cases, cloud hosting may be a more practical solution for using SOTI MobiControl. Furthermore, enrollment is quick and supported across various device types, generations, and platforms.

Resources

SOTI has numerous guides available on its site to help you get MobiControl working on a variety of operating systems (Image credit: SOTI)

Compatibility

SOTI MobiControl is a highly versatile and powerful device management solution that can be used with a wide range of hardware. One of the critical benefits of SOTI MobiControl is that it is compatible with various devices, including the latest smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even older devices like PDAs. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses that want a comprehensive device management solution capable of managing all their different devices.

Unlike other MDM solutions, such as Jamf, which primarily cater to Apple devices, SOTI MobiControl is compatible with a wide range of different devices and operating systems, including Android, iOS, and Windows tablets, Android devices used by couriers, and even legacy Windows PDAs. This means businesses that use SOTI MobiControl can manage all of their devices from a single platform, saving them time and money.

Overall, SOTI MobiControl is an excellent choice for businesses that want a comprehensive device management solution compatible with various devices and operating systems. Whether you are managing a fleet of smartphones and tablets or older devices like PDAs, SOTI MobiControl can help you keep your devices secure and up-to-date while providing you with a wide range of powerful management tools and features.

Usability

Regarding SOTI MobiControl, its presence is mainly inconspicuous from the endpoint's point of view. However, this can vary depending on the provisioning type in use.

On the administrative end, SOTI MobiControl offers a simple browser-based user interface. This makes selecting the relevant devices, gathering information, and creating groups easy. It also allows for specific permissions, applications, patches, and updates to be rolled out based on device role, user location, and other considerations.

Endpoints can be located according to various criteria, such as device name, manufacturer, model, operating system, remaining battery life, memory, and standard identifiers like phone number, owner's username, and MAC address.

Free Trial

SOTI offers a free trial of MobiControl for evaluation purposes (Image credit: SOTI)

Plans and pricing

If you're interested in SOTI MobiControl, a free trial is available for evaluation purposes. This lasts 28 days but freezes after seven days of inactivity and is closed after a further seven. Strict pricing is on a business-by-business case, with scalable options, but based around a $4.00 per device per month license for the cloud system and $3.25 per device per month for on-premises hosting.

A $90 per device per month option is also available, with $18 per year for maintenance. 

With such flexible pricing available to suit any business dynamic, SOTI MobiControl is a smart choice. However, beware of the hard sell. I was contacted several times during the evaluation despite informing the sales team early on that I would email them when I had questions. If you're not keen on being rushed into deciding on software procurement, this may understandably put you off.

Final verdict

SOTI MobiControl is a device management solution that offers extensive support for various devices without overwhelming you with unnecessary features. It caters to multiple device management scenarios, including BYOD, CYOD, COBO, and COPE, ensuring your devices remain up-to-date, error-free, and secure from misuse.

The evaluation period for SOTI MobiControl is very generous. Still, it's important to note that the sales team may contact you frequently to schedule a demo, as they're eager to close the deal quickly.

Whether you prefer on-premises or cloud hosting, setting up and implementing SOTI MobiControl should be a breeze. Additionally, Premium and Enterprise Plus subscriptions offer a System Health Dashboard that provides a useful 48-hour overview of various operational stats, highlighting the full potential of SOTI MobiControl.

Miradore MDM review
5:30 pm | August 18, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

If you've been searching for information about Mobile Device Management (MDM) software, you've almost certainly run into Miradore. Occupying sponsored positions at the top of Google search results by positioning itself as an alternative to various big-name MDMs, Miradore is used by over 10,000 companies across 180 countries worldwide.

Miradore is a comprehensive Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution that supports the three main operating systems used on mobile and portable hardware. It is widely promoted as a free MDM but also offers a Premium option that includes Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) features. 

In this article, we will take a closer look at the cloud-based MDM offered by Miradore to help you make an informed decision about which MDM solution to choose.


Mobile Device Management

Miradore allows you to remotely manage devices from the cloud (Image credit: Miradore)

Features

Miradore's MDM service is a fantastic solution for any business that wants to ensure the security and control of their mobile devices. With four main functions - security, control, app management, and automation - Miradore provides a comprehensive set of tools to help you manage your mobile devices effectively. 

One of the most significant benefits of using Miradore is the ability to implement secure passcode policies and wipe lost or stolen phones. This feature is critical for protecting sensitive data and ensuring that your company's information remains secure. 

Additionally, if your company has a BYOD policy, Miradore can selectively delete any corporate data from a phone, providing an extra layer of protection for your company's information. 

Overall, Miradore is an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their mobile device management capabilities.

Configurations

Miradore's configuration profiles make it easy to set up multiple devices (Image credit: Miradore)

With Miradore, you can control your devices using configuration profiles that limit certain apps and settings, like turning off the camera. You can also track your device's location through Miradore's web-based user interface, which presents location data on a map and various analytics easily accessible through pre-configured reports and device inventories. 

Furthermore, Miradore's app management feature allows you to quickly roll out software across any enrolled device while also placing limits on installed apps. The app store can also be locked in favor of an admin-specified curated alternative, and software licenses can be managed easily through a single portal. 

Miradore's automation feature covers device enrollment, automatically configuring connectivity, adding email accounts, and preinstalling necessary software. It also includes integration with third-party systems, such as Microsoft Active Directory. 

In addition, Miradore provides kiosk functionality, which allows for a single device to be limited to one or two apps, patch management, and an MSP portal for overseeing devices across multiple locations.

Installation and setup

Miradore is a comprehensive mobile device management (MDM) system that offers a cloud-based administration console accessible through a web browser. You can easily enroll in Miradore, either through the administration interface or the mobile client, depending on the operating system of your device. However, ensuring that the hardware you intend to use with Miradore is compatible and supported is crucial. Before enrolling, ensure your organization has the necessary licensing for Android Enterprise, Samsung KNOX, and the Apple Device Enrollment Program.

What sets Miradore apart is its integration with these management systems, which guarantees reliable and secure device administration, regardless of the location of the enrolled device. With Miradore, you can manage your devices remotely, configure security policies, and ensure compliance with regulations. The best part is that you can do it without worrying about device compatibility or security breaches. So, if you are looking for a trustworthy and efficient MDM system, Miradore is the answer!

Usability

The Miradore user interface is undoubtedly one of the most well-designed interfaces out there. It is organized into three primary categories - "Mobile Management," "My Company," and "System" - which are intuitive and easy to navigate. You'll find it easy to understand and use even if you have never worked with mobile device management (MDM).

One of the most valuable features of the Miradore console is its "Enrollment" feature, which is located under the "Mobile Management" category. This feature leads you to the platform selection screen, where you can quickly launch the appropriate enrollment wizard. Additionally, the Miradore console has a dashboard that displays device statistics, and you can modify device permissions and settings quickly by using dropdown menus and checkboxes.

The user interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it an excellent option for businesses and individuals seeking an efficient and effective mobile device management solution. The Miradore console is designed to make managing mobile devices as easy as possible so you can focus on your work without getting bogged down by complicated software. Whether you're a small business owner or an IT professional, you'll appreciate the simplicity and effectiveness of Miradore's user interface.

Compatibility

Miradore allows you to manage Android, iOS, macOS and Windows devices with its free plan (Image credit: Miradore)

Compatibility

Miradore is a reliable and comprehensive mobile device management (MDM) solution that offers services for the four most commonly used operating systems: Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. As a free MDM option, Miradore provides general device management for laptops, phones, and tablets, making it an ideal solution for organizations that require a simple and effective way to manage their devices.

One of the most significant advantages of Miradore is its compatibility with Windows 10 tablets and laptops, as well as Windows Phone 8.1 devices and Windows 10 Mobile. This feature makes it a helpful MDM solution for organizations that cannot upgrade to Android or iOS due to limitations in their app usage.

For popular mobile devices, Miradore supports Android Enterprise, Samsung KNOX, and the Apple Device Enrollment Program, offering comprehensive MDM coverage. This means that no matter what type of device your organization uses, Miradore has you covered.

Additionally, Miradore offers a range of features that allow you to manage your devices remotely. With Miradore, you can remotely wipe lost or stolen devices and control device settings, apps, and updates. You can also monitor and track device usage, including data usage, battery life, and location.

Overall, Miradore is a reliable, flexible, and easy-to-use MDM solution that can help your organization manage its devices effectively and securely. Whether you need to manage a few devices or thousands, Miradore has the tools and features to do the job.

Pricing

It costs $3 per device per month for Miradore's premium offering (Image credit: Miradore)

Plans and pricing

At Miradore, there are two plans available: Free and Premium. The free option is suitable if you want to manage Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows devices, but it has some limitations. You won't have access to support options, workstation encryption, location tracking, device usage and application restrictions, in-depth analytics, or full administration capabilities.

If you opt for the Premium plan, you'll have complete control and access to all features for just $3.30 per device per month (if paid monthly) or $2.75 per device per month (with annual billing). The total cost will depend on the number of devices you require, which you can select using the slider on the Mirador pricing tool. You can request a volume pricing quote if you need more than 1,000 devices.

Choosing the Premium plan also gives you access to Miradore's UEM features, allowing for remote monitoring and printer administration.

To get started with Miradore, you can sign up for a free trial of the Premium plan for 14 days. No credit card is required to start the trial.

Final verdict

Miradore is quickly becoming one of the most talked about MDM providers today. What sets them apart is that they offer a free package, which is unique in the industry. While the free option doesn't include some important management features, you can easily upgrade to their reasonably priced Premium package to get access to these features.

One of the things that makes Miradore so appealing is how simple it is to set up and enroll devices. They work well with various platforms, including Android, iOS, and Windows 10. This makes it an excellent choice for companies with multiple devices to manage.

Compared to other MDM products that seem to provide the same level of functionality, Miradore is a must-see. Its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing make it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes. So, if you're in the market for a new MDM solution, be sure to add Miradore to the top of your list.

Brave Browser Review: Features, Usage, and Competition
8:47 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Brave is a unique browser that puts a strong emphasis on privacy. While you can equip the popular web browsers to thwart unwanted information leaks, the Brave web browser ships with privacy strengthening features built right into its core.

A relatively new entrant, the Brave browser was only founded in 2016. But thanks to its unique set of features, the browser has emerged as one of the most promising entrants in the industry and has amassed over 70 million users in less than a decade.

Besides its strong emphasis on privacy, another interesting feature in Brave is that it offers users the option to earn cryptocurrency by viewing privacy-respecting ads.

If you want to know more about how Brave can transform the internet for you, read on.

Brave browser: Features

It’ll be in fact a folly to look at Brave as just another web browser. Instead, think of it as an ecosystem of apps and services.

Along with the list of recently visited websites, you can also ask the browsers to enable the Brave News service.

One prominent component of that ecosystem built into the web browser is Brave Rewards, which again you can enable from the dashboard. When toggled, Brave Rewards will display the occasional, unobtrusive advert. In return however, if you view enough of them you’ll be rewarded in Brave’s native cryptocurrency, the Basic Attention Token. You can then pass these over to your favourite content creators.

Also, by default the browser uses Brave Search, which is the browser’s privacy-centric search engine. You do however get the option to switch to any of the other popular options. Another interesting feature is its ability to display vertical tabs.

The privacy offered by Brave is simply unparalleled. It clearly states on its website that it isn’t in the business of selling user data. In fact, it actively fights trackers, malware, hackers, and anyone who might try to break into your system through the browser.

Brave will let you know exactly how many ads and trackers it's blocking every day. Along with that, you’ll also get to customize your browser’s shield settings. For example, if you want to keep the ads coming in from a website you’re familiar with and block the ones from the rest, you can adjust those settings accordingly.

For additional security, Brave offers a built-in VPN and firewall. While most other browsers with VPNs limit their functionality to masking IPs alone, Brave goes a step ahead and encrypts everything you do online. In short, there’ll be no way to trace back any activity to your account.

Brave also includes a privacy-focused video conferencing feature called Brave Talk. You can use it to make free, unlimited one-to-one video calls, without creating a separate account. The browser also integrates Tor to help you browse the internet anonymously.

It also includes a webpage translation function, and will help you find archived versions of missing web pages thanks to its integration with the Wayback Machine service.

If you don't like the default design of the browser, you’ll have plenty of options to experiment with the colors and the background. By default, the browser displays random images as the background, but you can add images from your system, edit, crop, or resize them and turn on the dark/night mode to protect your eyes during long working hours.

Reading a report or blog is highly convenient and quick with Brave’s Speedreader feature. All unnecessary visual elements are removed upon activating this feature, and only pure content is filtered out and displayed in a simpler format. Reducing design elements also helps the page load faster, which further reduces the reading time.

And keeping up with the times, Brave also includes an AI assistant called Leo that can summarize web pages, answer questions about content on a web page, and more.

Besides the Brave-specific functionalities, the browser has all the features you’d expect from a mainstream web browser. As it’s based on Chromium, the browser is compatible with all the extensions in Google Chrome’s Web Store. Oh, and it’ll hide those irritating cookie consent notices.

Brave Browser Review

(Image credit: Brave)

Brave browser: Privacy

After reading through Brave’s privacy policy and observing its performance over the years, it's safe to claim that it's a privacy-friendly browser. As per its policy, it doesn’t store your data, track your activities or sell details about you to any third party.

Brave also supports fingerprint randomization, which essentially makes you appear different to all websites, further thwarting any tracking attempts. There’s also its Tor mode for anonymous browsing.

If you want more robust privacy, you can use Brave’s built-in VPN to keep all your online activities anonymous.

Speaking of built-in tools, Brave also offers integrated ad blockers and tracker blockers so that it becomes impossible for any third party to monitor your web history or disrupt your experience with annoying pop-ups.

Also, since it's a Chromium-based browser, you can look up Brave’s code any time you want and come up with your own ways to make it more secure.

Brave Browser Review

(Image credit: Brave)

Brave browser: Ease of use

Whether you are an experienced campaigner or a newbie, getting started with Brave shouldn’t pose a problem. On first run the browser offers to import settings and bookmarks from other installed browsers.

The interface of the Brave browser is quite similar to Chrome, so if you’re familiar with the latter, getting started with Brave will be a piece of cake for you.

The main page is quite simple and clutter-free. Brave’s dashboard proudly displays the number of trackers and ads it has blocked, and the bandwidth and time this has saved.

If you want to enroll in the Brave Rewards program to earn some extra tokens, simply click on the red triangular icon on the right side of the search bar to get started.

Next to it is the Shields icon that’ll give you details about the trackers, ads, and other nefarious privacy-intruding elements that it has blocked. You can enjoy the protection as is, or customize it using this icon.

Most useful functions, such as the VPN are also within reach and can be toggled with a single click. Some, such as the Talk video conferencing tool, don’t take much effort to get going.

Brave browser: Competitors

Brave is rather new to the market, just like Vivaldi. Its lack of experience puts it at a disadvantage, especially against big tech companies like Google and Microsoft, which are dominating the industry.

However, there are more than a few reasons why Brave could be your next default browser. Firstly, unlike Chrome, Brave is renowned for the tight security of user data. It not only comes with a built-in tracker blocker and ad blocker but also disables bad cookies by default.

On top of that, its privacy policy page confirms that it neither collects your data nor sells it to any third party.

Brave is also the only well-known browser that lets you earn rewards and tokens for watching privacy-respecting ads. The money you earn from these ads can then be forwarded anonymously to creators you want to support through its own payment portal called Brave Payments.

On the downside though, Brave doesn’t have the same extensive portfolio of extensions that you’ll find on some of its peers like Chrome. And while its ad-blocking can be a boon to privacy conscious users, it’ll cause issues on certain websites.

Also, while it does ship with a VPN, unlike VPNs in Opera and Edge, Brave VPN is a paid subscription service that offers a 7-day free trial. It’s also currently not available on the Linux version of the browser.

Brave browser: Final verdict

Although Brave is relatively new to the market, its new-age features and adaptive design have given a glimpse into its potential.

Brave offers some unique features like no other browser. For example, it lets you earn rewards by watching privacy-respecting ads, which you can then donate to support your favorite creators.

Also, it deletes all bad cookies and prevents any unauthorized third-party software from tracking by default. This means that even before you configure its settings, Brave will ensure that all your online activities are safe from day one.

All things considered, if you value your online privacy and can live with the occasional site breakage, you can’t go wrong with Brave.

Also check out our roundup of the best anonymous browsers

Microsoft Intune MDM review
5:30 pm | August 17, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Managing mobile devices in a corporate setting is crucial for IT teams, regardless of whether the organization is based in one or multiple locations. Microsoft offers its Mobile Device Management (MDM) tool, Microsoft Intune, with Microsoft Endpoint Manager as part of Microsoft 365. 

With a range of features, Intune enables you to effectively manage a fleet of mobile devices and the installed software, making it a popular choice for many corporations that rely on Microsoft.

Is it the MDM solution you're looking for? Here, we look at the features and other aspects of Microsoft Intune to help you decide.


Documentation

Microsoft provides plenty of documentation to help get you started with Intune (Image credit: Microsoft)

Features

Microsoft Intune is an incredibly powerful device management tool that seamlessly integrates with the services your organization already uses. It offers a wide range of features that can manage every aspect of device usage, from users to apps and security settings. One of the standout features of Intune is its configuration profiles, which can be applied to individual devices or groups and can restrict user access to Bluetooth, limit printer options, manage updates, and even run a device as a dedicated kiosk. 

In addition to these powerful configuration options, Intune also offers a variety of administrative templates, cloud-based settings overview, authentication certificates for Wi-Fi, VPN, and email profiles, and custom settings for managing devices beyond the limits of Intune. The device restrictions offered by Intune also control security and hardware, limit or prevent data sharing, and maintain the integrity of the hardware and data. This means that you can be confident that your devices are secure and that your data is protected. 

Identity protection, Wi-Fi and VPN profiles, multiuser device management, preference files for macOS, and a settings catalog for Windows and macOS are also available. With all these features and more, it's clear that Microsoft Intune is one of the best choices for managing devices in an organization. 

Compatibility Diagram

Microsoft's Configuration Manager and Intune work together to allow you to manage both on-premises clients and servers as well as mobile devices (Image credit: Microsoft)

Compatibility

Many devices are typically connected to networks, from printers and PCs to phones and tablets. MDM and Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solutions, therefore, must be able to handle devices from multiple manufacturers, running a mix of operating systems.

Can Microsoft Intune handle this? 

The MDM software is designed to manage various devices, including those operating on Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android. It uses the existing MDM frameworks in third-party operating systems, such as the Apple Company Portal app and Android Enterprise.

This allows for implementing and managing various device ownership and usage dynamics. For instance, Android devices can be managed under the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), CYOD (Choose Your Own Device), COBO (Corporately Owned, Business Only), and COPE (Corporately Owned, Personally Enabled) systems.

However, for cross-compatibility between management environments to be successful, some knowledge of the individual host systems is required. Therefore, understanding the iOS/iPadOS deployment framework methodology is critical for managing iPhones and iPads.

To utilize devices with Microsoft Intune, they must run Windows 10/11, Android 8.0 or later (including Samsung KNOX 3.0 or above), Apple iOS 14.0, Apple iPadOS 14.0 or above, or Mac OS X 11 or later.

Free Trial

You can sign up for a free trial to Intune on Microsoft's site (Image credit: Microsoft)

Installation and setup

Managing devices has become much easier with the Microsoft Intune platform. Its cloud-based management console allows users to oversee all enrolled devices conveniently and efficiently. With this platform, users can easily register and manage devices of different operating systems, including iOS, Android, and Windows. 

The enrollment process can vary depending on the device and operating system. For instance, iOS devices assigned for Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) require resetting before enrollment. However, devices registered for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) purposes will not be wiped. The enrollment process is much more straightforward for Android and Windows devices and can be completed in just a few steps.

Microsoft devices are highly compatible with the Intune platform, with only the Autopilot enrollment type requiring a machine reset or wipe. This makes the platform ideal for businesses that use Microsoft devices and want to streamline their device management process. Additionally, the platform offers a range of management features, including device inventory, monitoring, and policy enforcement, making it easier to manage devices across the organization.

Considering all these factors, it's apparent that the Microsoft Intune platform is an excellent choice for quick and efficient device management. With its easy-to-use interface, cloud-based management console, and compatibility with various devices and operating systems, it's no wonder the platform has become a popular choice among businesses looking to streamline their device management processes.

Interface

Intune can be used to retire, wipe, rename and scan mobile devices (Image credit: Microsoft)

Overall, installation and enrollment for Microsoft Intune require considerable planning and prior awareness of the organization's mobile inventory. Working methods across all departments should also be understood before Intune is licensed and devices can begin to be enrolled.

Plans and pricing

Microsoft offers a variety of pricing options for Intune, depending on the type of business and device usage. It's important to note that the use of Intune may depend on existing licenses for Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Microsoft 365. 

If these licenses are already in place, the cost for Intune is $2.00 per device per month ($1.50 for non-profits). However, if the other licenses are not accounted for, the total cost is approximately $32.00 per user per month.

For those who are looking for a standalone Intune license, the cost is higher at around $8.00 per user per month. This makes Intune one of the pricier MDM solutions available.

Final verdict

When it comes to Mobile Device Management (MDM), there are numerous options available to businesses. From well-established companies to newer entrants, the market is full of choices. If you see the Microsoft name, it may either pique your interest or give you pause. 

If you're interested in exploring Microsoft Intune, there's much to consider. For example, it boasts broad compatibility with mobile platforms, a cloud-based management console, and device enrollment that can be simple or detailed based on your organization's needs. However, it's essential to remember that the per-device licensing costs of Microsoft Intune may lead you to consider alternative MDM solutions. 

Overall, weighing the pros and cons of various MDM options before deciding is essential. Each business has unique needs, so what may work for one may not be the best fit for another. By researching and considering all factors, you can make an informed decision that will benefit your organization in the long run.

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