Egnyte
introduced Blackberry and Android device interfaces that allow small
business users secure access to all their business files via their
Blackberry or Android-powered smartphones.
Egnyte's on-demand file server enables both Mac and PC business users to
have online file storage, file sharing and automatic backup
in one solution. The new interfaces, which require no additional
software installation on the device, leverages a mobile drive -- "m
Drive" -- that lets mobile users access all of their data stored via the
Egnyte file server.
For existing Egnyte users who use a Blackberry or Android-powered
smartphone, the new user interfaces allow businesses and professionals
to easily navigate folder hierarchies and open and share files using
their Blackberry or Android device keypad or touch screen. Last year,
Egnyte introduced an iPhone interface following the launch of the Apple
iPhone 3G. Following its introduction, users quickly adopted the
interface, illustrating the need for mobile data support, as more and
more business professionals seek to complete work functions outside of
the traditional office.
The announcement coincides
with the release of a national study on smartphone usage and challenges
among small businesses. The study revealed that 88% of small businesses
believe that mobile file access is critical to business success, and
half of small businesses (50%) use their smartphones regularly to
conduct business, with one quarter of business owners using their
smartphone more often than their computer.
The study, which was commissioned by Egnyte and conducted by market
research firm, Decision Analyst, also showed that accessing business
data 24/7 from a mobile phone was the number one factor in an SMB's
mobile business strategy. The majority of respondents (64%) admitted
that they had been in situations where they needed critical access to
their business file server data while in transit. Fifty-five percent
stated that they needed access to critical data from their file server
while on vacation, and 36% said they were offsite and needed to handle a
dispute or clarify a question.
Other key findings from the survey included:
-
The majority of small businesses name Blackberry (48%) and Apple's
iPhone (29%) as the most innovative smartphone devices on the market
today. Interestingly, Google's entry into the smartphone market
doesn't appear to be appealing to small business users quite yet -- the
Android phones were rated last (3%). -
Nearly 75% of respondents reported greater customer satisfaction as a
result of data access while on the road. -
Slow access to data is the number one challenge to small business
owners while out of the office (36%). Not being able to access a
business file server was the second top challenge (16%). -
Nearly 25% of respondents indicated that they will upgrade their
smartphone in the next six months, in order to get a better phone with
advanced features.
About the Study
480 small business owners or IT decision makers responded to the online
survey, which was commissioned by Egnyte and conducted by independent
research firm Decision Analyst, Inc. of Arlington, Texas between October
15-25, 2009. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus four
percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The sample was a
stratified random quota sample from Decision Analyst's American Consumer
Opinion Panel®. Quotas were set in order to ensure national
representation.