Adam Warshaw's Hot Tech

As the pace of business continues to increase in 2010, staying on top of the latest technologies can help you stay ahead of your competition. Technology expert Adam Warshaw, president of DataVelocity, provides his suggestions on the must-have technologies for business owners next year.

Asus Eee
The netbook is the powerful little brother of the laptop. It has far less storage and memory capacity, but was built for web browsing, which is inherently light work. If you need to create and travel with large spreadsheets and major PowerPoint presentations, then stick with the laptop. But for web-based work like email and browsing, a netbook is great. I recommend the Asus Eee series. The screen sizes for the series range from 7 to 10 inches wide, making them small enough to easily fit in a pocketbook or carry-on. Additionally, Asus continues to push the envelope with developments like Bluetooth integration and an Eee tablet. Remember that good battery life and reliable connectivity determine the true mobility of any product you are contemplating. Keep that in mind when purchasing your Asus Eee. Look for a battery with six or nine battery cells; the extra cells will give you more mobility than the usual three. And while the netbook is Wi-Fi ready, there is still more you can do to enhance the connectivity, such as using a USB wireless modem. Prices of the Asus Eee vary depending on the size and features you select. A base model starts at around $300.

Windows Small Business Server 2008
Whether you have one now and are thinking of upgrading, or have recently come to the point where you need one, the most cost-effective, high-performance server software we can recommend is Windows Small Business Server 2008. It provides many of the features used by Fortune 500 companies, such as email, Internet connectivity, internal websites, remote access, support for mobile devices, file and printer sharing, backup, and restore—all at one affordable price. It allows for integration with other platforms such as the multiple Linux flavors and Mac OSs, giving your business the versatility it needs to thrive. Additionally, Small Business Server 2008 also comes with Hyper-V, Microsoft’s virtualization software, and a license for one instance of Windows Server 2008 Standard, allowing for the expansion of the network functionality for no extra cost. The standard edition license costs $1,089 for a 5-pack.

BlackBerry Bold
Being the new kid on the block, the Droid is getting a lot of press right now, mainly because of its cornucopia of lightning-fast apps. HTC is also a good option. But for a small business owner, email is king, and in the realm of syncing Outlook Exchange with your smartphone, BlackBerry is still most people’s top choice. For 2010, I recommend the BlackBerry Bold. While you can pay extra for applications and services that sync up Outlook email to your Droid, BlackBerry does this natively and includes all other Outlook features including contacts, calendars, notes, and more. BlackBerry’s newly released Bold 9700, for AT&T or T-Mobile, features 3G and WiFi connectivity, track pad navigation, high-resolution display, and an extended battery life. Both carriers offer the phone for $200 with a two-year contract.