If you’re still uncertain cloud computing is right for your small business, here are the top 10 benefits that the cloud has to offer small businesses.

1. Lower costs – The cloud reduces dependency on excess hardware and software and maximizes your IT expenses. Instead of paying a flat rate for storage and data usage, you only pay for what you use.

2. Scalability – The cloud is a ubiquitous, elastic entity. It can stretch and shrink at will to fit the needs of a wide range of tasks, including application use. In times of higher traffic, the cloud scales up temporarily to suit the user’s increased needs, and shrinks when it is no longer in use.

3. Automated Updating – This takes the burden off of the shoulders of the IT guys, who will no longer need to worry about paying for expensive hardware and software upgrades.

4. Remote Access – Information is automatically synced via the Internet in a remote location. This allows anyone to access and update their information from any location as long as they are connected to the Internet.

5. Disaster Preparedness – Data is stored in external location away from the main office. In the event of natural disasters or fires, the data will always be backed up and there when you need it. Users no longer need to worry about losing important documents in the event of a power outage.

6. Ease of Use – You won’t need to depend on IT resources as much; cloud services are easy to set up and maintain. Instead, you will be able to focus your energy (and money) on areas that may need additional work.

7. Dependable Third-Party Vendors – Companies who offer cloud services are reliable and have several years of functional knowledge in the industry. They have great customer service for any concerns or problems you may have. The bottom line: you’ll be partnering with people who are qualified to handle your data.

8. Reaction Time – The cloud responds notoriously faster than physical servers.

9. Closing the Competition Gap – One of the biggest struggles a small business faces is competition from larger companies. By using cloud services, a small business is able to fight back by using the same powerful tools that top-profiting companies use. As an added bonus, you’ll only be paying a small fraction of the cost.

10. Customization – Shaping the cloud has limitless possibilities. Users have thousands of tools from various vendors directly at their fingertips. It’s a fully customizable space with endless potential.

By now, most mobile users are aware of the threat of having their data stolen due to improper security. With infinite options to choose from and millions of apps to make our lives easier on the go, smartphones often function as a mobile extension of our work and personal lives. You may be familiar with the common methods of safeguarding your information: changing and maintaining a secure password, scanning for viruses on a scheduled basis, and not sharing personal information. Now, there’s one more thing to worry about – the SMS Trojan sparked by the sudden rise popularity of the photo sharing app Instagram.

Instagram is a photo sharing program that allows you to enhance captured photos or images saved in your smartphone’s gallery with several different filters. It gives users the option to add tags and upload the polished photos to a number of social networking sites. Instagram’s appeal is their signature vintage feel; images are formatted in a style that mimics old Polariods.Instagram has been around since 2010 and was initially available on devices running Apple’s iOS. It caught on quickly and spawned several sites and blogs that posted Instagram photos. Facebook bought the photo giant on April 3, and on April 12, an app was finally released for Android phones running version 2.2 (Froyo) or higher. Since the release of the app, the Android market has seen a surge in interest for the app. Malware watchdogs reported that several copycat Instagram websites have popped up offering “genuine” downloads of the app. These third-party installs can seriously cause harm to your phone and expose personal information.

What’s scary is that this has happened before with hyped apps, namely the Angry Birds Space unveil back in February. And while malware on Android has been limited until now, it’s clear that hackers are picking their targets wisely. The websites who have been spotted offering the Instagram app purportedly also offer a variety of popular apps and games for free. While you may have the urge to nab the paid app that you’ve been craving for free, it’s important to remember to not openly trust third-party websites claiming to offer the latest and greatest technology, especially if it is claiming to be a paid app for free or a pre-release. Official copies of the app will be sporting the company’s name on trusted markets such as Google Play and the Apple and Amazon App Stores. If you believe that you may have fallen victim to a malware scan, there are several free solutions available for your device.

Many businesses are switching their infrastructure to a cloud-based one, and it’s clear to see why. The benefits are abundant; it gives a business more freedom and customization while freeing up valuable budget resources for more important processes. It’s not just the business that reaps the benefits from the change. IT departments have the most to gain from the conversion, and here’s why:

Simplified Model: IT organizations are mostly concerned with the costs related to maintenance and how to align their budget with the needs of the business. Implementing cloud services in their infrastructure gives the company more direct control over operating expenses (OPEX) and capital expenditure (CAPEX). Freeing up the budget for the IT department will also give them room to focus on increasing revenue and growing the company.

Appropriate Size: The cloud is not limited by spatial restrictions like typical data hosting; it can grow and shrink depending on necessity. It offers rapid deployment that enables it to quickly scale in size to meet the need of application usage and can accommodate “peak times” of increased traffic.

Ease of Integration: The cloud is flexible, secure, and has access mechanisms that make it a great option as a core platform. Many applications for use by enterprises require integration outside of the structural mainframe.

Security: Cloud services are system-based and not point-based, meaning they are secure on all levels of the infrastructure, including applications, remote networks, and software. It also supports users connecting from non-secure sources, such as from a mobile network. These safeguards protect the database on multiple levels and helps prevent gaps that hackers and get into.

Infrastructure Safeguards: One of the most vital things a business can do to protect itself is to have preparedness in case of disaster or other situations. Standard recovery systems only protect the most important applications of a business. With cloud services integration, the entire infrastructure can be protected because its scalability incorporates into data recovery.

Computer security is often a huge game of cat and mouse – antivirus software companies are always in a race against to protect against the multitude of threats facing the public. Companies and consumers alike are constantly under siege from malware, viruses, hacking attempts, and phishing scams. If you want to be better prepared, keep a lookout for these top security trends in 2012:

Apple has a booming market from whatever angle you look at it. Every shiny new device that is launched is met with an incredible demand and rave reviews. The App Store is full of (mostly) paid versions of apps that generate an enormous amount of revenue. The iTunes store is one of the biggest go-to markets for everything from music to movie rentals. Although Apple keeps notoriously tight regulations over the App Store and iTunes store, the amount of attacks launched against users has begun to rise. In lieu of this, the tech mega giant recently decided to increase their security in an attempt to counter the attacks.

The new prompts are an attempt to restrict criminal access to accounts. The App Store is a big target for Apple product thieves who often use a user’s information to purchase expensive apps on their account. New security measures should help give peace of mind to users concerned about phishing, as long as they choose to use the additional security. Unfortunately, the security measures added are more than bizarre; they’re outright cumbersome and redundant. If users choose to add the extra security features to their accounts, they will be required to create three questions and input the answers every time they download a new app. They can also opt to link another e-mail account to their Apple ID in case they lose access to their main account. Many users have already expressed their dissatisfaction with the additional security measures with some expressing concerns about giving out so much personal information. It’s uncertain how many will want to answer a slew of security questions for every frivolous app download.

Within 24 hours of the security update, several users were confused as their devices were requesting additional information from them. Apple support forums quickly filled up with users questioning if it was a legitimate update or a phishing attempt. While it was indeed a legitimate request, it’s easy to see why some were left befuddled. What is your take on the matter? Would you put up with excessive security measures if it meant your wallet was protected?

Mobile carriers and tablet developers boast that this is the age of portable personal devices. With cloud computing services booming along rapidly, consumers have many new resources to add to their browsing repertoire. Along with a new era of computing comes a new way of illegitimately obtaining personal information from consumers. In 2011, the sheer amount of cyberattacks and criminal activity was vast. The majority of these attacks were made against businesses and companies over the Internet. However, experts claim that personal devices have inherent problems when it comes to keeping them secure.

“The rapid inflow of consumer-owned smartphones and tablets is causing significant security challenges for many organizations. IT departments are being asked to connect devices to corporate networks and secure data on these devices, which they have very little control over,” Gerhard Eschelbeck, CEO of Sophos, explained in a letter addressing security concerns. “Due to the high degree of mobility, security requirements are plentiful, including enforcement of use policies, corporate data encryption, access to corporate networks, productivity/content filtering, and of course malware protection. The unique nature of modern form factors (in terms of processing power, memory, battery life) requires rethinking of security and defense mechanisms.”

Eschelbeck believes that cloud computing holds the key for revolutionizing security systems and how threats are handled. He says that by using the cloud as a resource for protecting consumer data, it takes the burden away from the consumer and sets a new standard for regulating security practices. Of course, creating a privacy standard and security system for the cloud imposes a new, unique challenge that developers will have to face.

The Internet will remain the number one source for attacks; it’s been around longer and criminals have developed methods of obtaining information that continue to be successful and lucrative. It will take some time before targeted attacks on personal devices are refined and worthwhile for criminals. In that time, it’s important that the security of consumers is addressed and devices are made more secure.

Analysis of big data is typically a slow and lengthy process that requires a large amount of computing resources and power. Still, consumer data is important for predicting trends and helping companies see the results and outreach of their marketing campaigns. As big data becomes more popular, companies are racing to find the best way to harvest and analyze such vast and expanding amounts of consumer information.

During the Adobe Digital Marketing Summit, Adobe recently announced that its forthcoming Digital Marketing Suite would boast new predictive marketing capabilities that would make it easier to detect patterns and reoccurring behaviors present in big data. This groundbreaking news comes as a relief to market researchers that have been in dire need of a better way to filter through an abundance of data. 

Brad Rencher, senior vice president of digital marketing at Adobe, stated “[…] the data is getting bigger, the details that matter are getting smaller.” Adobe’s marketing suit will help improve on existing digital marketing strategies and offer a wider range of tools to customers, including improved personalized engagement and media monetization. In addition, the predictive analytics will allow marketers to forecast campaign results with multiple ‘what-if’ scenarios and allow them to easily identify risks.

“In the early days of digital marketing, analytics emerged to tell us what happened and, as analytics got better, why it happened,” Rencher said. “Then solutions emerged to make it easier to act on data and optimize results. But the sheer amount of available data presents a challenge to quickly extract insights and act while those insights are still valuable. The new predictive capabilities within the Digital Marketing Suite address these challenges and help marketers turn big data into a big opportunity.”

When smartphones first became popular, the threat of viruses, spyware and malware was little to none. There was less than a 1 percent chance of downloading a malicious app or running across spyware on a mobile browser. Now, consumers have to proactively safeguard themselves against dangerous threats that can target their most sensitive data. Luckily, as hazards become more targeted and sophisticated, antivirus software steps up and stays one step ahead.

While the risk for downloading malicious software is still relatively low – at least for users who stick to using their stock app store – mobile security is a must for smartphone users who want to keep their data and identities safe from criminal hands. Below are the top choices for mobile security. Each comes with its own trial or free version, as well as a paid version that comes with premium features. It is also important to note that every app on this list proactively scans new apps when downloaded them and offers to show relevant privacy information.

McAfee: McAfee was recently nominated the best overall mobile security app. It’s an aggressive antivirus scanner with many additional features, including data backup and restore, anti-theft, and privacy measures. The UI is less user-friendly compared to some as it is more 

of a direct port from the desktop version. Negativities aside, McAfee demonstrated a 100% detection rate of malware. After a seven day free trial, a paid subscription will cost you $29.99 a year.

Lookout: Lookout for Android is a mobile-only security company. They specialize in data backup, antivirus software, privacy protection, and tools that help you find your phone when lost. The UI is simple and easy to use. Even the free version comes packed with a bunch ofhandy features to keep you safe on the go. The paid subscription costs $29.99 a year.

F-Secure: F-Secure for Android is a top-tier antivirus that comes bundled with parental controls as well. This makes it appealing to parents of young children. It doesn’t have someof the extra features touted by other software, but what it does, it does incredibly well – AV-Test.org noted that it successfully blocked 90% of all threats it came into contact with. The downside is that F-Secure is one of the pricier options, with the premium version going for$39.99/year.

Bitdefender: Bitdefender is a lightweight app with a simple, easy-to-use UI. It offers additional features aside from basic antivirus, including a firewall and anti-theft features. Unfortunately,the firewall will only protect the stock browser on your phone and the antivirus is average at best. This has the cheapest paid option on this list, with premium access costing only $9.99 per year.

Mobile payments are a popular way of paying for goods and services without needing to pull out a credit card for every minor transaction. Some companies, such as Paypal, have been offering these mobile services for years and have proven that having an app-based payment source can be both secure and effective. Other newcomers, such as Google Wallet and Square, are revolutionizing how and where transactions take place.

So which e-payment option do you choose? If you are a member of a particular bank chain, you probably have their app so you can keep track of your financial accounts with just a few taps of your finger. If you frequently buy things online, you probably use a service like Paypal, which may or may not link to your bank account, in order to purchase goods online without handing out your credit card information to every retailer. If you are a small business owner, you might use one of the new merchant services like Square, which allows you to accept credit card and debit payments from customers on your smartphone.

With an increase in mobile banking – mobile computing in general – there are concerns for customer privacy. Every company is starting to market their own brand of mobile wallet, much like how all retailers now have their own store credit cards. And much like the over-abundance of store credit cards, experts are worried that an oversaturation of mobile wallet options will cause consumers to become confused and their personal information compromised. Retailers have decided that the security risks for third-party payments are too risky that they are developing their own version.

The risk for theft is not exclusive to mobile payments; breeches of security that stem from credit card numbers being swiped from registers are often reported in the news. Security is not really the issue, although the retailers want you to think otherwise so you use their services. But once they have you hooked on their services, they’ll have all your sensitive data and will be able to market their products to you more effectively; they’ll know more than your interests and purchases, they’ll know your income and spending habits.

“[The retailers] want that same piece of the payments pie,” said Daniel Trigub, a business developer at Blue Bite. “They want to own the consumer and all that data that comes with knowing who the transaction is coming from. There is ultimately a fight for user data and information…whoever owns that (POS guys, handset manufacturers, Googles of the world, credit card companies, etc.) will be very powerful.”

But let’s face it, quick payments are too convenient to do away with. Mobile wallets aren’t the threat, but in order for them to continue working appropriately, there needs to be more regulations in place to prevent unwanted data harvesting.

Google has been developing their own slice of the almighty cloud for the past 10 years; now they’ve unveiled what they’ve been doing with all their hard work with a revolutionized marketplace for Android devices. Google Play rolled out at the beginning of last month. The all-in-one service gives users an entirely new experience that is akin to Apple’s App Store with the added advantage of fresh new UI and user-friendliness.

Not long ago, Google updated their Market interface to include several different types of media for purchase, including books, music and movies. It was just a small sample of what they had in mind for the future. On the surface level, Google Play is just an overhaul of the Android Market that includes even more micro-distractions for customers to browse and spend money on. Of course, there’s much more to it than that.

Google Play puts a large amount of emphasis on the cloud aspect of the service by touting its convenient design that only requires having the app in order to connect to a library and past purchases. It requires no extra software, syncing or additional devices, something none of their competitors can offer. The app seamlessly integrates with the cloud in an incredibly user-friendly way. Users can purchase media from anywhere on any device and have access to it on other devices. All a user’s media becomes completely portable, giving them access to entertainment on the go.

It is collectively everything Google has to offer in one convenient location. Users can even preview media before purchasing, view ratings, and check out top picks. It also acts as a social networking device, giving users the option to share their finds and purchases on Google+ and via text message. As an added bonus, members of Google+ can give and receive free samples of media they have purchased. And as before, there is plenty of free content to choose from as well.

As far as the entertainment market is concerned, Google is shaping up to be a fierce provider of content, challenging the likes of Apple and Amazon. With the added bonus of cloud functionality, the new Google Play deserves a big +1.