The world's most-used Android app may surprise you

You'd expect to see apps such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp on top of the most used lists for Android, but this isn't the case. According to app analytics tracking firm Drawbridge, the most used app of Q4 2015 was Clean Master by Cheetah Mobile, a Chinese mobile internet company. Clean Master is an app management platform that promises to "improve your device's performance by cleaning junk files, optimizing device memory, providing complete protections against viruses and managing the apps you installed."

The company targets their app directly at the low level of tech know-how of the average consumer. Plain and simple, most users just want their device to perform fast! Without understanding what the application really does, they see a promising illusion of a 'speedier and cleaner' device. It's hard to blame consumers when the appeal is so great and the marketing and design is done exceptionally well.

Apps like Clean Master may have once been useful but Android has progressed far enough that they are now obsolete, unnecessary, and can be harmful. The Android operating system has it's own native handler for assigning RAM to apps and making sure that all of it is being used in the most optimal way. In fact, Android purposely tries to keep apps loaded into RAM for better performance. Remember, RAM is fast, so on mobile devices every bit of speed is crucial for a good user experience. Therefore, keeping apps in RAM is actually a good thing!

Not only does Android handle RAM assignment, but it also keeps track of background apps, automatically closing or hibernating them so that there isn't a noticeable performance hit for leaving apps loaded in RAM.

App killers, memory boosters, performance enhancers and the like, all claim that freeing up your memory will speed up your device. With current versions of Android, this simply isn't true and actually does quite the opposite. Task killer apps kill other apps which use resources to process. When the operating system restarts those tasks, or other apps to fill the memory again, this takes even more resources. The task killer app kills again and the process repeats itself continuously. Essentially, these apps reduce performance and decrease battery life by restarting apps again and again. It's important to understand that dormant apps on your device don't consume any additional resources (for example, CPU time and battery life) in the first place. Additionally, apps like Clean Master barrage your device with unnecessary notifications, like how a certain app is stealing x-amount of RAM and how another app is violating privacy (without any proof), which often hurt productivity and can be quite distracting and annoying for the user.

Beware of apps that claim to instantly 'breathe new life' into your device. Android's RAM and cache management systems are rock solid. Because these task killer apps clear out even the essential processes of the operating system, restarting them is a big drain on system resources. Whatever speed increase the user feels is purely imaginary which makes this probably the best example of a placebo effect in the Android world. Be sure to check out the Lifehacker article to learn more about task killer apps and alternative ways to increase the performance of your device. For expert advice on technology and Google related assistance, be sure to contact our InterlockIT support team!

Google Drive files - How to transfer ownership

If you create a file in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or upload a file into Drive, you are the 'owner' by default. What does this mean? There are essentially three kinds of users in Google Drive: owner, editor, and viewer. Although most users are able to view and edit a single document, there can only be one individual owner at a time. Being an owner of files, even pdfs or other other file types, counts against your 30 GB quota if you are on regular Google Apps (not unlimited) - this is a good enough reason to transfer ownership of files to stay under your storage limit.  Here is a chart outlining each type of user-privilege in Drive and what sets them apart from one another:

As illustrated in the chart above, the highest right an owner has over their files and folders is the ability to delete and transfer ownership. There are two kinds of ownership transfers: transferring ownership of single documents and transferring ownership of all documents collectively.

Transferring ownership of single documents in Google Drive

1. In Drive open the Doc, Sheet, Slides, file, or folder that you'd like to transfer the ownership of.
2. At the top right corner of the screen click the blue Share button as shown in the image below.

3. Click Advanced in the bottom right of the sharing box.

4. Type the email address of the person you want to transfer ownership to and click OK. (You can choose to send them a notification by checking off the Notify button)
5. Once their name appears under 'who has access', click the 'Can edit' drop down menu next to their name and assign 'Is owner'.

6. Click Done.

Transferring ownership of all documents in Google Drive: 

If you're an administrator for your Google Apps domain, you can transfer ownership of all documents in Drive from one user to another. Being able to transfer ownership of all documents can be useful in the event of an original owner leaving the organization. It's important to note that once a user is deleted from the domain, their documents cannot be transferred. The good news is that administrators are able to restore the account for five days and transfer the documents that way.

1. Sign-in to the Google Admin console.
2. Go to Apps > Google Apps > Drive.
3. Click Transfer Ownership.

4. Complete the Document ownership transfer section:

5. In the Form field, enter the username of the current owner and select the user's domain.
6. In the To field, enter the username of the new owner and select the user's domain.
7. Click Transfer documents to save.

Once this is done, the newly transferred documents are automatically organized in a single new folder, titled with the previous owner's email address, in the new owner's Drive. The original owner will maintain editing privileges until their account is deleted or their edit permissions are revoked.

You can find additional details directly from Google's support page. If you need assistance, training, or support for you Google Apps, be sure to contact our InterlockIT team!

Google FTW! - Why you should go all cloud

One of the most important decisions a business needs to make when switching from a legacy email system to cloud-based email is whether or not to support the variety of different operating system and email client combinations that require unnecessary amounts of troubleshooting. These legacy clients can chew through cost savings from the initial changeover in a matter of weeks while IT staff work out syncing problems, broken updates, and other issues that crop up all too often.

With a true cloud-based solution like Google Apps, there's no need to worry about whether a new update to the platform will break compatibility for anyone since everything runs simply within a browser window. If you have a browser, which is pretty much anywhere on any device nowadays, you have your business at your fingertips. While Google Apps does offer support for traditional email clients such as Outlook, Mac Mail, and Thunderbird, use of these applications limits both the overall ability and feature set of the robust cloud system. It's unwise to overlook the versatility of using the entire Google ecosystem together, as doing this hinders productivity and restricts a business' potential.

If you're a Google Apps user, all your work is automatically saved in the cloud. You have access to your email, calendar, contacts, documents, sites, and are able to work securely, regardless of where you are in the world or what device you use, as long as you have an internet connection. There's offline integration as well so you can view and edit your files even without an internet connection. This empowers you and your organization to be productive from virtually anywhere on almost any device. You can attend a meeting from your kids soccer game, edit a spreadsheet on a flight, or respond to an email from your local library's public computer - Google Apps makes it easy to stay connected to projects you're working on and with the people you are working with.

Ask yourself if your current legacy system is working to your advantage? How can you improve your IT infrastructure? Google Apps let you work faster and smarter by making it easy to collaborate with employees, partners, vendors, and customers. For example, you can edit and share all your files including docs, sheets, and slides in real time, saving you from emailing multiple versions. Google Apps also saves you the costs you would pay to purchase, install, integrate, maintain, update, and troubleshoot legacy systems. When everything is in the cloud, it simply just works!

We at InterlockIT have certified Google Apps Deployment Specialists and thoroughly understand how to get your IT solutions to work for you! We provide deployment management, technical setup, data migration, user training, system integration, custom scripting, support, and best practices to make the Google experience work efficiently and effectively for you. Contact us today to book your ticket to the cloud!

Xero integrates Google mail - A Potent Mix

If you are a small-medium business owner, it's often difficult to get a clear picture of where you stand with a particular customer. Our favourite tool to keep track of this is Xero. With over half a million global subscribers and counting, Xero provides online accounting, bank reconciliation, invoicing services, and integrates with a wide range of powerful software solutions and add-ons. Now, with the integration of Google's Gmail, it's more powerful than ever.

Just before the end of 2015 Xero pushed their final major update of the year: Contacts were updated and Google's Gmail service was integrated into the contacts screens. Essentially, this gives Xero users complete visibility of the business they've done with their customers or suppliers, making it much easier to make decisions and develop opportunities. This vital update makes Contacts a hub for customer communication and demonstrates how cloud accounting has opened the doors of opportunity for innovation and efficiency.

Features in this update enable you to:

• Connect your Gmail account to view emails with contacts directly in Xero. This saves emails to a contacts activity tab, adds email to a new invoice, quote, or bill, and allows you to download attachments to the contact record.
• View emails between you and your customers in real time.
• View emails from the email account that you've connected to Xero while they remain invisible to other users in your organization.
• Share an email with other users in your organization by simply adding it to the contact's activity tab

You can see here email messages have been pulled from Blair's account using the contact's email address or emails including the words "GotoMeeting.com"

Connecting Xero to your Google account is simple, here's how:

1. From the Contacts menu, select All Contacts.
2. Select a contact.
3. Under the bar graph, click Email, then click Connect to Gmail.
   
4. Sign in to your Google account.
5. On the permissions screen, select Allow.

You can find further details on Xero's Business Help Centre page and Xero's blog.

If you're already using Google apps and are looking for a great accounting solution to bridge the gap between you and your customers, Xero with Gmail is a robust and ideal solution. We at InterlockIT are proud Xero and Google Apps advocates and are more than happy to help make your business's IT solutions a breeze. Be sure to contact us to learn how we can assist you.

To Cloud or not to Cloud? Google Apps for Work

Google Apps and Cloud computing in general has always been uniquely susceptible to myths due to the confusion and hype surrounding it. Although moving to the cloud has undoubtedly become a growing trend among various kinds of business and organizations, the vast majority of IT decision makers frequently ask us questions about how moving to Google Apps will affect them. These questions, if not addressed with the correct knowledge, can impede innovation, distract from real progress, and sometimes even induce fear. Ultimately the truth gets skewed and myths are born. Here are the most common ones:

Myth 1: Cloud is more expensive.

Google Apps is delivered to your business over the web at a fraction of the cost of installed systems. It may seem like purchasing a continuous cloud subscription of services over a one-time on-premise installation is costing you more money, but when you review the total cost of ownership you'll recognize that cloud-solutions such as Google Apps for Work save you money in the long run. The cloud yields substantial savings as you no longer need to invest in hardware, IT personnel, maintenance, upgrades etc. for on-premise infrastructure.

Myth 2: Cloud isn't secure and it's better to keep data on-premise.

This is probably the most common one. Kimbley IT goes over some of the security myths of Google Apps. Over 5 million businesses already use Google Apps for Work and it's helping them improve teamwork and reduce costs without compromising security. Some business owners still have concerns about security and understandably so if they've been given the wrong impression of the cloud. Google does not sell your information and your data will always belong to you. Unless you use the services to do so, Google does not share your data with other people and protects its transit over the internet with SSL encryption. Plus, most SMB owners don't have recent back-ups and don't secure their data off-site. With Google Apps, data is automatically backed up in global data centers, protecting it from accidental damage, loss, theft, and fire. You can also enable extra security protocols like 2-step verification in addition to your password to make unauthorized access nearly impossible. Learn further details on Google Apps security.

Myth 3: You are ‘locked-in’ once you move to the cloud.

Google keeps your data for as long as you have an account with them - but in the rare event of wanting to exit the cloud, they have tools to help you export your emails, contacts, calendars, documents, and sites. For example, you can export your documents to various Microsoft compatible formats. Check out Google Takeout for further details.

Myth 4: Migration to the cloud is more hassle than its worth.

While some cleaning and infrastructural management may be required, especially if you are running on very old servers, migrating into the cloud is relatively pain free if you work in partnership with a trusted and experienced cloud migration company like us! It can all happen fairly quickly and seamlessly with minimal downtime. What is important to understand is that the short-term inconvenience cannot and does not outweigh the long-term benefits of having greater efficiency, cost effectiveness, and a business that is virtually future-proof, regardless of the changes the market brings.

Between its reliability and low cost compared to other sources, the Cloud is a piece of technology that isn't going away anytime soon and is growing rather rapidly. Cloud solutions have given SMB owners access to the same level of services as larger companies and solutions like Google Apps have leveled the playing field and introduce an incredible amount of power, efficiency, and collaboration to its users. H3 Secure Cloud Services do an excellent job explaining the benefits of switching over to the Cloud. If you're looking to take your organization off of it's outdated footprint into a new and improved direction, be sure to contact us at InterlockIT to help you make your leap into the cloud!

Our top 5 Android phones!

Our last post was inspired by iOS users that wanted to see Google applications integrate into Apple's mobile platform. Although there are many iOS users that use Google services, we also see a lot of Android users in our customer base. The iPhone is a popular smartphone in North America, but Android is steadily growing and owns over 80% of the global market share.

Android users typically already use a Google application such as Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts etc., which makes sense since Android is an open-source operating system from Google built for mobile phones and tablets. Androids are known for their customization, usability, and come in many flavours. Companies such as Huawei, LG, Motorola, and Sony are among a few that offer Android phones in a variety of builds, specs, and sizes. What sets a great Android experience apart is user-friendliness and a well-rounded seamless mobile Google experience.

Our top five picks are based on two main components of any smartphone; hardware and software. The phones listed below offer a beautiful build and most of them are paired with a buttery smooth OS - Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Note some devices, like the Nexus', receive OS updates before others. Nexus phones are our first picks since our team members find them simpler and more reliable than non-Nexus phones.

Here is our list of the top five Android phones:

1. Huawei Nexus 6P
2. LG Nexus 5X
3. Motorola Moto X Play
4. Sony Xperia Z3 or Z5
5. Motorola Moto X (2nd Gen)

Nexus phones are pure Android, which basically means they were designed under Google's requirements and specific guidelines. Essentially, Nexus phones are how Google intends Android to be - slick and easy to use - and are available unlocked to any carrier if purchased directly from Google. A huge advantage Nexus devices have over other Androids is frequent and timely firmware updates, so you're always first to run the latest version of the OS. After having used both Nexus and non-Nexus Androids, one of our biggest gripes with non-Nexus devices is bloatware (factory installed apps you can't remove and don't need). Nexus devices don't come pre-installed with bloatware or a skinned version of Android such as Samsung's TouchWiz. This is one of the primary reasons our boss switched from his Asus ZenFone 2 to Huawei's Nexus 6P. Even though the ZenFone 2 has good hardware for the price, the software end user experience between the two devices is night and day. Manufacturers such as Asus and Samsung make great quality hardware, but it's a shame the user experience falls short of great due to bloatware and software add-ons.

Nexus 5X (left) & Nexus 6P (right)

To illustrate the difference between Nexus and non-Nexus Android phones, say for example, you go to buy a new car. It's a great car and you can tell the designer put a lot of thought into every detail. It's very refined and elegant.  Now the dealership you are buying the car from has given it a few 'upgrades' including things like racing stripes, a fuzzy dice, steering wheel cover, extra cup holders, and several bumper stickers. This all comes pre-installed as a package. Maybe you don't really want or need all that, but it's all or nothing. Oh, and the radio presets are already installed for you and cannot be removed. After you purchase your new car the manufacturer releases a safety recall, but you can't get the safety issue resolved for 8 months because it's not compatible with those cup holders yet. Of course, this is an exaggerated example but hopefully this analogy emphasizes the difference.

All in all we do have non-Nexus Androids listed on our top five which should indicate that not all of them come pre-installed with heavy bloatware and get well-delayed firmware updates. At the end, it really depends on user preference as some user's find the Nexus Android experience too bland and prefer a skinned version of Android such as Sony's Xperia Home. There are other factors that can steer your decision when purchasing an Android device; like price, display, battery life, and even the camera. Checkout GSM Arena for detailed specs on the latest and greatest smartphones.

This is by no means a conclusive ranking of all Android phones - it's simply a list of what we consider the best five out there for businesses. Be sure to contact our InterlockIT team for all your mobile support for Google apps!