Go beyond Windows 10

Jennifer Hutchison, independent tech blogger

Welcome to a world that many have only envisioned in their dreams. A world where someone can check their email, shop, play games, meet with clients, and store important documents in one location, no matter what device they might be using or where they are. This is the world Windows 10 is trying to build; one platform, one store, and the ability to run across multiple devices from IoT (Internet of Things) to data centers. But does Windows 10 actually measure up to this dream of a connected business environment or are they lagging behind?

The idea of a connected environment isn’t a new one, in fact it’s become increasingly prevalent in the technology world over the last five years and before that, it was the stuff of science fiction. But today, offices everywhere have started to turn towards connected environments, looking to automate processes and integrate software as more and more employees are working from their own devices. The biggest driving factor in the rising need for a connected environment has come from the fact that more people are working outside the office. These people need access to the software that they use on a daily basis and the best way to ensure that they have the tools they need to do their job is by moving a company to the cloud.

Using the cloud for a business allows business owners to reduce the need to purchase and maintain servers in the office or home. It means lower costs and providing a way for companies looking to add telecommuting or BYOD policies to their operations. The world is growing more integrated and users want to be able to move seamlessly between devices during their regular day-to-day.

For small businesses especially, a connected environment means more than just an easy way to send email and store documents. A connected environment can now spell out success on a greater level than before. In fact, thanks to the cloud, many fledgling businesses can decrease their startup costs; jumping faster into their industry than ever before. And it’s not just startups that are benefiting from having a connected environment. There are great benefits for those that can leverage technology in order to increase productivity and efficiency. Invoices can be created and sent from a coffee shop while telecommuting teams can meet up and strategize via a conferencing app. Any work done on the home computer can be finished up on the work desktop or a tablet without missing a beat. Employees will be able to easily balance the demands of their personal and professional lives. There’s a lot of potential on the table if you have a truly connected environment that can be used across any device, no matter what the operating system.

With Windows 10, Microsoft is attempting to become a connected environment, but in several ways, it falls short and in no way does it spell out the death of cloud computing. In fact, despite the rough edges and empty marketplace that the operating system launched with, Windows 10 is still stuck firmly in the past. Users must still be on the same platform, with the same Microsoft or Microsoft-approved devices/OS, and everyone must upgrade in order to firmly connect themselves to the future. This can mean that businesses looking to take advantage of this new connected environment need to invest in everything from new devices that are integrated to completely new PC’s, while still remaining with on premise technology in the office. In addition, every IoT (Internet of Things) device must also be able to integrate with the Windows 10 OS, something that is still slowly taking place. There is no option for someone looking to move outside of this spectrum, into a cheaper alternative for software. Microsoft is essentially locking their customers into the same branded environment that many of them have been in from the start.

What the small business owners and entrepreneurs need is a device-agnostic environment. One where it doesn’t matter if Marketing uses Apple computers for graphic work while the Accounting team sticks to PC’s for Excel. Small businesses need to technology that can be flexible and that can grow with them. One solution is to find a cloud desktop that works on top of the connected environment of Microsoft devices. A cloud desktop would allow small businesses the ability to have a connected environment, regardless of operating system and complete with apps designed to help businesses grow. One place find the best apps, one secure location to store files, and only one password to remember. These truly connected environments are not hardware specific and can often supply affordable and quality solutions for startups, small business, and even enterprise clients.

By layering the power of Windows 10 with a truly device agnostic environment, like the one described previously, users can really start flying. There are plenty of affordable connected environments out there built specifically with small businesses in mind, such as SkyDesktop, Mikogo, Cloud My Office, and more.

With the cloud, the O/S becomes irrelevant and a small business owner armed with a truly connected environment can become unstoppable.

Jennifer Hutchison

Jennifer Hutchison is a tech blogger currently based in Los Angeles. She has had the pleasure of working for InfoStreet for the past three years, most recently as the Director of Customer Success. In 2012, she graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and has written on a wide range of topics included beauty products, travel, books, technology, and her favorite area, small businesses. In her spare time, Jennifer can be found outdoors with her camera in hand.