Let's Get Personal: VARs Reveal Their Own Go-To Mobile Devices

VARs' Mobile Choice

BYOD is something every business faces, even solution providers themselves. Solution providers can be recommending certain smartphones, tablets, hybrids or laptops for their customers while carrying a completely different device for their personal use. This year at UBM Channel's XChange 2013 in Washington, D.C., a sample of solution providers gave insight into what devices they use themselves. Here are their picks.

Tom Dugan, CEO, Recovery Networks

Currently, Dugan said he is carrying an iPad as his tablet but he is waiting on the next generation of Surface Pro tablets. "I want something with the ability to take notes on," Dugan said. Revealing a stack of handwritten notes and disclosing he has dozens more notebooks on his desk, Dugan expressed the need for a large screen and a stylus.

Zach Clanton, Director Of Technical Services, Gravity Networks

Clanton said Gravity Networks' employees use iPads and iPhones companywide. "It just works all the time," Clanton said. According to Clanton, many of his clients are in the education and health-care verticals and he sees a lot of interest from those clients for Apple devices. Applications are the primary factor driving clients' decisions when it comes to mobile devices, Clanton said.

Don Shownkeen, General Manager, SAI Systems

Shownkeen's smartphone of choice is the BlackBerry Curve, a decision he said he made based on security. "I got used to BlackBerry and don't want to change," Shownkeen said. He added he typically associates Apple products with the younger generation. "I see an iPad as a toy; it's not for me," Shownkeen said. As for SAI Systems' employees, Shownkeen said they are free to choose their own device. Shownkeen said he has seen iPads and Lenovo tablets running the Windows operating system around the office.

Al Karimi, President, MIS Alliance

Karimi said he began using an iPhone for simplicity and now he is carrying an iPhone 5. Shortly after, he added an iPad to his device lineup because of its easy integration. "I only use my phone for email, text and calls. For me, Apple is just the easiest option," Karimi said.

David Alger, Chief Technology Officer, Mobius

Alger said he looked at the gamut of smartphones available before deciding on an iPhone. "I started with an ASUS phone, went to another Android phone and ended up with an iPhone," Alger said. Alger is currently carrying an iPhone 5. When it comes to Mobius employees, Alger said the company leaves it up to them to decide what to carry. According to Alger, decisions are generally made based on operating system preference.

Clifton Steele, Chief Authenticator, Biztex

Steele said he is "an app aficionado" and carries an iPhone 5 loaded with 1,600 applications. "Apple is the friendliest option for personal and business use," Steele said.

Juan Overstreet, CTO, Integracon Technologies

Overstreet said his personal devices consist of a MacBook, iPad, Kindle and iPhone. Internally, Integracon Technologies moved from Nokia phones to BlackBerry and then to iPhones. He added the company landed on iPhone for the security embedded apps. Overstreet said his clients mostly abide by BYOD policies but are in no way homogeneous.

Todd Davis, President, Westcoast Technology

Davis said his staff functions on Windows devices; Davis in particular uses a Nokia Lumia 920, a Surface Pro tablet with Windows 8 and a Samsung ATIV with Windows 8. Westcoast Technology, Davis said, bases solutions around whatever device a customer wants, whether the device runs on iOS, Android or Windows.

Hugh Sazegar, CEO, Techcess Group

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Michael Goldstein, CEO, LAN Infotech

Goldstein said he carries both an iPad and a Microsoft Surface Pro. "Windows 8.1 tells me Microsoft is listening. Touch is cool, but it's not a requirement," Goldstein said. In regard to Apple smartphones, Goldstein said, "Apple is under a lot of pressure to do something very innovative." He added two years ago, he would not have considered Samsung an option for his customers but now they are asking about the mobile devices.