In the News: MoneyInc.

Our CEO, Russ Taylor, is the newest business contributor on MoneyInc., an online business and finance outlet that covers personal finance, technology and travel. The outlet reaches 1.1M visitors on average, per month. As a regular contributor, Russ will be sharing his perspective on mobile technology, and how businesses can maximize the use of mobile devices in their organizations. Check out his first article, Top 5 Corporate Gift Ideas This Holiday Season.

 

Protect and Secure Your Company Devices

In the digital age, online identification and security have become very complicated. Businesses are using fingerprint readers or complex password requirements that most of us can never seem to remember, all in the name of protecting the user’s identity and the data inside. Here are two valuable ways to protect and secure your company devices.

1. Protect Your Devices & Prevent Theft

Taking the simple step of “putting your name on it,” a method you first learned in kindergarten, can help secure to your company devices. That’s where techniques like laser etch and custom branding come in.

The benefits of customizing devices with your company name or logo go far beyond aesthetics. Particularly beneficial for businesses with a large number of remote employees using mobile devices, branding allows for easier identification and tracking. Thieves are less likely to take something that has been permanently marked with a name or logo since they are usually hoping to sell what they steal.

2. Secure & Safeguard Your Data

Inside the device itself, additional security measures are needed to protect the data and privacy of the company and the user. When multiple devices are used in the workforce, an efficient way to manage and control the devices is through mobile device management (MDM).

Implemented and managed over the air, MDM optimizes the security of all the corporate devices from one place. Functionalities include, but are not limited to:

  • Securing emails and documents
  • Managing passwords
  • Restricting app or device usage
  • Setting up firewalls on the Internet

Additionally, if a device is lost or stolen, MDM can also remotely clear passcodes, lock the device and wipe all of its data.

Mobile devices bring incredible benefits to the workplace. Like the adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” it’s important to take appropriate measures to safeguard your mobile technology.

Contact FUSION OF IDEAS for more information about how customization and MDM can protect and secure your mobile devices.

The WORLD’S FIRST Customized Apple Watch Series 4

As soon as we got our hands on the new Apple Watch Series 4, our design team went to work to find the best points of customization and created the WORLD’S FIRST customized Apple Watch Series 4.

Here’s what we did:

  • The specs. We started the process by getting the exact specs of the device, down to the millimeter. Precise measurements are crucial as we only get one chance to print directly on a device or accessory.

 

  • The mockup. Once measurements are logged, our design team went to work creating a mockup of the design, painting a picture of what a finished custom device will look like. A final proof is sent to the client for approval before production begins.

 

  • The production process. Depending on the device, we may build a custom housing to hold the device while it is in the printer. Our patent-pending color and laser customization process allows us to permanently brand devices with high-quality, full-color graphics without voiding the device’s warranty.

 

  • The packaging. We extend the brand experience with custom packaging solutions including sleeves, boxes, gift wrap, shrink wrap and one-of-a-kind packaging experiences.

We are thrilled about the new Apple Watch and the results of the customization. The most significant added feature on Apple Watch Series 4 is that it is also a health-tracking powerhouse. Game-changing features such as fall detection and emergency SOS open the device to new audiences: fitness and outdoor enthusiasts, senior care providers and healthcare workers.

For us at FUSION OF IDEAS, deciding whether or not this new wearable gadget is worth purchasing is a no-brainer. And with the holiday season around the corner, this is the perfect gift for your valued employees or customers. The only question remaining: how will you customize the Apple Watch to fit your company brand and culture?

Check out how we transformed Apple Watch Series 4, from ordinary to extraordinary:

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For the third consecutive year, we are honored to contribute to the THINK PINK Wall of Honor, presented by Valiant Women of Mission Hospital. Located at The Shops at Mission Viejo, the month-long event during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month encourages community members to honor breast cancer patients and survivors through a beautiful collection of tributes which are displayed on the wall.

In 2016, Valiant Women was looking to update its board of handwritten messages to appeal to the more tech-focused millennial generation. The solution? A four-sided 10 ft. electronic kiosk with LCD screens to display the tribute messages. The kiosk was made a reality by the organization’s generous donors, but the software needed to bring the digital tribute wall to life was missing. That’s where FUSION OF IDEAS came into the picture.

Our app development team went to work to create a custom portal that allows the Valiant Women team to manage, arrange, delete and add content to the four screens of the kiosk. These screens – one for event merchandise, one showing sponsor spotlights, and two screens dedicated to survivor tributes – can be accessed by the client through the portal from any computer, tablet, laptop or cellular device. The digital kiosk, updated annually by FUSION, has been in use by Valiant Women for the past three years, and it has been a huge success!

“This is our 16th annual Wall of Honor, and every year we strive to engage and educate more community members,” shared Mary Miyamoto, Chair of the Valiant Women THINK PINK Breast Health Wall of Honor. “Our message to the community is about the importance of early detection. Our digital wall encourages engagement and inspires people to donate, honor loved ones by posting messages, and purchase merchandise. It’s eye-catching and super easy to use.”  

FUSION OF IDEAS is proud to be a partner and supporter of this amazing cause. The THINK PINK Wall of Honor will be at The Shops at Mission Viejo throughout the month of October.

Hilton Grand Vacations & Tru by Hilton

As summer winds down, many of us are reminiscing about sunny vacations in idyllic destinations. One of our favorite app development stories comes from the Grand Vacations division of Hilton Worldwide, a household name in hotels and resorts. When we first connected with Hilton, they were seeking to create a piece of technology that was both a gift to their timeshare owners, as well as a continuous branding vehicle for all of the Hilton Grand Vacations offerings. The Fusion of Ideas development team worked with Hilton to build a custom iOS application showcasing videos from various resort locations, links to other Hilton programs, and information about the timeshares. The finished app was loaded onto custom iPads featuring Hilton Grand Vacations branding on the lock and home screens, Smart Covers, sleeves, and the etch on the iPad itself.

Our second encounter with the Hilton organization was a project for their newer brand of affordable hotels, Tru by Hilton. The goal was to create an aid to hotel General Managers, who could use the app to upload audit reports and view videos, images and PDFs pertaining to their specific location. Our DCS solution turned out to be the ideal strategy for this app – the client was provided with an admin portal, where they can update and adjust the content being displayed to the GMs. As with the Grand Vacations project, the team at Fusion loaded the app onto iPads with custom print and sleeves.

Customer satisfaction and a good employee experience are two things we can relate to, and we were lucky to have the opportunity to work with Hilton brands on their efforts in both areas. This combination of Fusion solutions – custom apps with custom branding – can be a fitting complement to the polish and professionalism of the hospitality or any customer facing industry.

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