Dear Dan: We’re in the early stages of startup and beginning to shop for tech. We’ll need basic hardware and software, plus other technology. What do other startups and small companies like best? — Tech Shopper
Dear Tech Shopper: Check out the 26 winners (and runners-up) that small business owners voted for in the Small Business Computing Excellence in Technology Awards for 2007, just announced. There are lots of tech awards, but this has long been my favorite, because winners are determined by the very people who buy and use these products and services.
To be eligible, products and services must have been newly released or upgraded last year. Dell again dominated the PC and notebook categories, as did HP for printers. QuickBooks always wins for accounting software, as does Google for search.
But beyond those stalwarts, there are some surprise winners and trends of note. In a major surprise, Apple’s iMac was runner-up in the desktop computer category, behind the Dell OptiPlex 745.
The voting showed small business owners and startups are choosing Web-based solutions over installed software at a breakneck pace. As just one example, Web-based Salesforce.com passed ACT (software you
install) as the most popular sales and customer management solution for small business.
In the Web storefront category, Volusion (www.volusion.com) – which keeps introducing features and improvements appealing to small business – was the clear favorite. Other winners of note include:
* Web hosting: Yahoo Web Hosting takes top honors on the strength of its full line of products and services catering to small e-tailers and starting as low as $8.95 per month.
* Online marketing and advertising: Google AdWords leads, followed by Constant Contact. Google AdSense was the top choice among affiliate programs.
* Online collaboration: Top choice here is Citrix Go to Webinar.
Runner-up is Central Desktop.
* VoIP: Skype for Business, offering voice over IP service primarily to businesses with fewer than 10 employees, got 71 percent of the vote.
* Data storage: The NetApp StoreVault S500, launched by a company known for supplying storage solutions to big business, earned 45 percent of the votes.
* PC security software: Symantec’s Norton Internet Security 2007 took top honors, offered at a friendly price of about $70. Runner-up was McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007, also about $70.
For complete Excellence in Technology Awards results, visit Smallbusinesscomputing.com.
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at editor@business.com.
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