Utilizing the power of web applications and cloud computing

What is a web application? A web application is web-based software that can be accessed over the internet. Web applications communicate with back-end databases to enable users to store and manage information. Some good examples of web applications are Salesforce.com for managing customer life cycles, Basecamp for managing projects, and Freshbooks for doing bookkeeping online!

More and more businesses are moving their information systems towards web applications which are reliable and secure. Since data is stored in the cloud, your data is always safe; even if your computer is stolen or a virus wipes your entire hard drive, the valuable data that your business depends on can be accessed via any internet browser. In addition to being reliable, web applications can be extremely secure when they are deployed on secure servers and accessed using secure connection protocols; online banking is proof of this.

Web applications are the perfect medium to streamline data from different sources. They can connect to various types of databases and seamlessly integrate them together to give the user the functionality required. For example your customer data on Salesforce.com can be accessed by another application such as Freshbooks for bookkeeping purposes or accessed by a reporting application to generate …

Movie iPhone App Showdown

In this entry of our blog I will be evaluating four similar iPhone applications. The App Store is full of apps that contain similar functionality, so how do you know which one to download or use without wasting time or money?

Since we all love going to the movie theater, I will compare and contrast the following applications: Flixter’s Movies, Now Playing, Movies Now, and Showtimes. All of these applications have the same core functionality. Where they differ is the extra features and usability. All these apps are free and provide users with show times and theater locations. Hopefully after reading this guide you will be able to decide which app to use to keep up-to-date on all movie info.

Showtimes

Showtimes is definitely the most bare boned application of them all. It allows users to see theaters nearby along with the movies they are playing and times. Each movie has a synopsis and there are links to their corresponding web pages in rotten tomatoes and IMDB. The interface is simple and does not look as nice as the others. It does map out directions, but it is not integrated into the …

Why has iPad created such a big buzz?

Every news website or blog I have visited today has articles related to the iPad which will be launched in the United States this Saturday. Why has the iPad created such a big buzz and how will it affect your business? To understand the impact of the iPad it’s important to observe the trend that the information technology industry is heading towards; furthermore, it is important to analyze the behavior of the Net Generation (generation Y).

The IT industry is moving towards cloud computing and thin client applications. Many big players in this field such as SAP are working towards creating web-based equivalents for their server based systems. There is also a big growth in the mobile software development as companies are investing in Smartphone accessible Information Systems for their employees.

For the consumer market, it’s all about Smartphones and the various apps available for the leading platforms. Consumers, in particular the younger Net Generation, love to stay connected with friends through social media tools (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs…). Even in their daily jobs, they use social media tools to connect to the world to find the information they need to perform their daily tasks.

Going …

6 Must Have iPhone Apps for your Easter Weekend Trip

Since Easter is coming up, I decided to start our blog series with a list of must-have applications for this weekend. Many people take this weekend as an opportunity to get away to visit family or explore new places. This list of iPhone apps is perfect to use during your trip to or stay in your visiting city. Personally I know I will be using a few of these on my trip from Vancouver to San Francisco. Here’s the list.
Yelp (Free)
Don’t know where to go eat, dancing, or drinking? No worries! Plan your trip based on location, occasion, or time of day. The Yelp application lets users find businesses according to their preferences based on location. It also provides plenty of reviews and other features such as augmented reality.

HearPlanet ($4.99)
HearPlanet is an iPhone application that maps the nearest landmarks and attractions based on the user’s location. It provides valuable information about the different sites including an audio guide. With more than 250,000 audio guides for various landmarks in different cities it is highly recommended for folks who travel frequently, but still useful for those who vacation only …

Paltech Solutions and Government of Canada help post-secondary graduates in Vancouver gain career-related experience

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, December 3, 2009—Post-secondary graduates will get an opportunity to enhance and develop their employment skills through a Paltech Solutions Inc. project supported by the Government of Canada. The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“In today’s economic environment, it is more important than ever that all Canadians develop the skills they need to participate and succeed in the job market,” said Minister Day. “Our government is proud to support projects that offer post-secondary graduates the opportunity to develop the skills and gain experience that will help them reach their full potential in their chosen fields.”

“Paltech Solutions Inc. is pleased to be participating in the Career Focus program,” said Mr. Amin Palizban, President, Paltech Solutions Inc. “Canada’s economy is rapidly changing, and skilled youth, if trained and guided correctly, are the engines for innovation to support Canada’s world-class technology sector. The Career Focus program creates a win-win opportunity that allows companies to benefit from passionate young workers, and allows recent graduates to develop invaluable employment skills that are crucial to the growth of Canadian …

Paltech Solutions starts to develop an Information System for Attain Inc.

Paltech Solutions has started a project for Attain, a Florida based healthcare provider, to develop an Information System to track patients progress.

Attain is currently faced with challenges of the repetitive work required for tracking, monitoring, graphing, and reporting the progress of each patient.

Paltech Solutions is currently working with Attain to develop a complete system with the following features:

Functionality to record, track, and graph patients’ progress<\li>
Correct database structure, easy-to-use, and error-Proof<\li>
Ability to generate and print OCR compatible forms<\li>
Ability for multiple users to use at same time<\li>
Easily updatable and expandable for future requirements<\li>
Integrate effectively with company business flow<\li>

Since Attain is a non-profit healthcare provider, Paltech Solutions is very proud to be working on this project since it is in alignment with Paltech Solutions’ vision.

Attain, Inc. has been supporting people with developmental disabilities for over 20 years in the Central Florida community. Attain, Inc. is a Florida based not-for-profit corporation.

Importance of Measurement and Quantification in Business

Did you know that you could never know your business until you have quantified it? That is right; you could be looking at your business as closely as possible but until you have quantified your business, you are not objective and cannot make good decisions. Without good decisions, success is impossible.

Quantification is the process of collecting specific data relating to your business and setting indicators to track different aspects of your business. Once data is collected, it then must be converted to useful information and reports that are invaluable to your business.

These reports must be analyzed at appropriate intervals and must be utilized in decision-making.

Sometimes it is very difficult to measure intangibles in business. Some examples of real-life intangibles that companies have difficulty measuring are:

Value of information
Risk of failure of an IT project
Quality of products and services
Satisfaction level of clients
Public image

The examples above are usually related to an important decision a company needs to make; yet many companies, because of the perceived assumption that intangibles cannot be measure, do not make any attempts to measure and quantify intangibles which leads to uninformed decisions.

The fact is some businesses have succeeded in analyzing and measuring the above examples using methods that …