FRESH TECH — December — 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech.  Monthly theme: Fresh design and tips....

Sneak peek: a mobile app for customized denim

Looking ahead in turbulent times

COVID-19 has brought doubt, change, and instability the world over. The virus has wreaked havoc on our health and wellness—the very foundation from which personal development and prosperity are built.....

Happy Thanksgiving — 2021

  LimeTech is a creative tech company with a focus on innovation and adaptive change. We use technical know-how, design skills, and deep experience in entrepreneurship to help companies advance their....

FRESH TECH — November — 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech.  Monthly theme: diversity & creativity.....

Everything is agile: the story of agile (and how it became everyone’s favorite work method)

Everything is agile Origins Back in the 90s, software development was a laborious, time-consuming process, and products could easily take three or more years to build. This time-lag meant that....

Report Back from Adobe MAX — 2021

Our team shares highlights from last week’s virtual conference, October 26-28, 2021 Inspiration Who was an inspiring speaker? Best quotes? From Addie: “Creativity is a fundamental force.” Laura Jordan Bambach....

Fresh Tech — October 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech.  Monthly theme: reimagine with intention.....

On remote and hybrid transitions: how the right approach can get your company ahead

On remote and hybrid transitions: how the right approach can get your company ahead Millions of companies were forced to make the fast pivot to remote work in the early....

Cloud migration FAQs

Cloud migration FAQs Cloud migrations have been a big deal over the past couple years, as thousands (if not millions) of companies did a fast pivot to remote work during....

Nice to meet you, color! Color terminology explained.

Nice to meet you, color! Color terminology explained. Building on our article “Hello, Color!”, published last week, we’re going to cover some common color terminology. This will help you have....

Hello, color! How to choose the right colors for your app.

Hello, color! How to choose the right colors for your app. So, you’re building an app and you’re starting to think about your product’s look and feel. This process usually....

Fresh Tech — September 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech. This month, we shine some....

The 5 stages of design thinking (and how they can help your app development process)

The 5 stages of design thinking (and how they can help your app development process) Whether you’re designing a new toothbrush, a stoplight, or a mobile app, the process of....

A glossary of agile software development terminology —  A to Z

A glossary of agile software development terminology —  from A to Z Agile software development is a method used by the vast majority of software development teams. For the layperson,....

What is agile mobile app development?

What is agile mobile app development? Agile as the new norm If you’re in the process of researching app development partners, you’ve likely heard the phrase “agile development” more than....

Fresh Tech — August 2021

Fresh Tech — August — 2021 Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on....

LimeTech’s website design process

LimeTech’s website design process Your new website. With all the things. You’ve got big ambitions for your site. But do you have a plan? Don’t worry — we do. Here....

LimeTech favorites

Favorite stuff (tools and fun things) Here’s a peek under the hood at LimeTech. Check out some of the tools we love and the places we hang out.   Tools....

Fresh Tech — July 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech. This month, we continue the....

The 4 stages of app prototyping

The 4 stages of app prototyping There are lots of good reasons to start your app project with a prototype. Savvy entrepreneurs choose this method to save money, conduct early....

5 reasons to start your app project with a prototype

5 reasons to start your app project with a prototype You’re a savvy entrepreneur, right? So starting your app project with a low-stakes prototype just makes sense. Prototyping is the....

Creating your app monetization strategy

Creating your app monetization strategy So you’ve got a great idea for an app and you’ve done some planning. Now it’s time to think about revenue. How will you generate....

What to include in your mobile app marketing plan

What to include in your mobile app marketing plan (and how to not get overwhelmed by the process) So, you’ve ventured into the process of building a new mobile app.....

Choosing an app development team for your project? Make it easier with these 7 things.

Choosing an app development team for your project? Make it easier with these 7 things.   So you’ve got an idea for a mobile app but lack the technical chops....

Fresh Tech — June 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech. This month, we enjoy the....

Native vs. cross-platform mobile app. Comparing the pros and cons.

What’s the right development approach for your new mobile app?  Should you build a native app for iOS or Android? Or take a cross-platform approach and build for both? Your....

iOS or Android for your new mobile app?

iOS or Android for your new mobile app? These 5 questions will help you decide In this multi-part series we talk about how to explore, vet, and develop your great....

Planning your dream app? Let’s talk mobile app terminology.

Planning your dream app? Let’s talk mobile app terminology. In this multi-part series we talk about how to explore, vet, and develop your great idea for an app. We move....

Fresh Tech — May 2021

Our monthly series — Fresh Tech May — a collection of fun things on the web that sparked our interest with their fresh takes on tech. This month, see how....

How to write a great mobile app project brief

How to write a great mobile app project brief In this multi-part series we talk about how to explore, vet, and develop your great idea for an app. We move....

Validating and mapping your app idea

Validating and mapping your app idea Got a great idea for a mobile app? Before you start building and coding, you’ll want to validate your idea and make sure it’s....

5 easy steps to prepare your web design project

When you’re getting ready to design, or re-design, your website, it can be hard to focus on what’s essential. What information do you need to assemble for your web design....

What to do if you have an app idea: getting started

In this multi-part series we’ll be talking about how to explore, vet, and develop your great idea for an app. We’ll move from the exciting early phases of brainstorming and....

Planning a website for your business? Answer these 5 questions to get some clarity.

Planning a website for your business? Answer these 5 questions to get some clarity. Embarking on a new website design project? Congratulations! You’re taking a step toward one of the....

How to save money on mobile app development

How to save money on mobile app development If you’ve been thinking of hiring a company to build a mobile application, you may be concerned about the potential for high....

How to help your web design team succeed at your website build project

How to help your web design team succeed  You’ve agreed on the price and terms for your web project. Now, your kickoff meeting is approaching. Here are our tips on....

What is a minimum viable product?

What is a minimum viable product, and why do you need it? The 411 on MVPs A minimum viable product (MVP) is a concept popularized by author Eric Ries in....

How does a cloud migration work?

How does a cloud migration work? You’ve heard the phrase “cloud migration” before, but what does it mean and how does it work? Essentially, a migration to the cloud involves....

8 easy steps for going remote with your business

Going remote doesn’t have to be painful Many companies put off a true transition to remote work out of anxiety that it will slow down operations. With proper planning, though,....

How cloud computing can help your staff succeed at working remotely

With COVID-19, a sudden transition The fast conversion to remote work due to the coronavirus pandemic has been a bumpy road for all. Some companies have weathered the transition better....

Green information technology solutions for a better future

Green IT, improve IT, sustain IT Implement green information technology solutions and save on energy consumption, resource allocation, and financial expenditures. Consider moving to the cloud to free up internal....

10 advantages of cloud computing in 2020

The cloud is the message The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened theneed for companies to adopt digital businessmodels—and only cloud platforms can provide theagility, scalability, and innovation required for thistransition. From....

Cloud computing: key to business resilience in tough times

With COVID-19, fast pivots are the norm The coronavirus pandemic forced many businesses into an unanticipated pivot to remote work and telecommuting. Companies of all sizes now face massive pressures....

Onboarding remote workers in the age of COVID-19

Onboarding remote workers in the age of COVID-19 With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a hard pivot to remote work, it’s likely your HR team has their hands....

Website hosting and security in the age of COVID-19

More than ever, your website is one of your company’s most valuable assets. As business moves increasingly online, you should be taking active measures to protect the integrity of your....

How taking your company remote may benefit your company in the long run

COVID-19 has demanded hard, fast change from business owners and workers alike. After facing the pain of suddenly taking your company remote, you might also discover some surprising advantages. Here....

Creating a disaster recovery plan in the age of COVID-19

6 steps to creating a disaster recovery plan While it may seem like working through a pandemic is your worst-case scenario, you should still take time to cover all the....

Business location security in the age of COVID-19

Your team has gone remote and your location is either not in operation, or only partly so. However, your office space is still home to valuable equipment and data. While....

Remote work series: laptop provisioning, management, and safety

In the midst of a hard pivot to a remote work model, it’s easy to become lax in the management of company devices–especially laptop provisioning management. In fact, whether you’re....

Assess your IT systems after going remote

In the brave new world of COVID-19, remote work is the new norm. For many companies, the transition to remote work has involved a fast, hard pivot…often a painful one.....

Mega-list of Bay Area startup resources

Mega-list of Bay Area startup resources Newly edited in 2021: Whether you’re a newbie entrepreneur or a seasoned veteran of the startup scene, here are 40+ Bay Area startup resources....

Crypto ransomware threats: a growing concern

Crypto ransomware threats: a growing concern This post is just to warn our community about some virulent ransomware attacks that are currently circulating. At this point, none of our clients....

Who should hire an IT consulting firm?

For today’s blog, we wanted to take a moment to discuss the topic of who should hire an IT consulting firm. Working with an outside IT provider is not a....

How to Encrypt Your Mac With FileVault

What is FileVault? FileVault is a data encryption software that is included in all Apple computers (OS X 10.7 or higher). When FileVault is enabled, all the data on the....

Error When Sharing Outlook Calendar

Error When Sharing Outlook Calendar Some of our clients have reported a permissions error message when adding a shared calendar in Outlook 2011. When attempting to add the shared calendar, they receive....

Honing Your Focus in an Age of Attention Deficits

Honing your focus in an age of constant contact (and constant interruption) is challenging business. Gloria Mark, a Professor in the Department of Informatics at UC Irvine has found that the....

Attention Writers: Upcoming Social Media Management Class

Writer or Artist? Confused by Social Media? You’ve heard the success stories of new entrepreneurs building a massive following on social media. In fact, the potential for one person to....

East Bay Coworking: The Latest

East Bay Coworking These days there are many options for coworking in the East Bay, and a lot of them are new. Some of the more unique locations are mixing....

Five Fast Shortcuts for Mac Users

Most great magic tricks rely on sleight-of-hand techniques. Wow your friends with a different kind of magic using these five fast shortcuts for Mac Users. Quick Calculations Tired of searching....

Protect Yourself From Heartbleed

  Protect Yourself From Heartbleed You’ve probably seen some of the security alerts regarding the Heartbleed Bug. This security vulnerability involves the widely used encryption software known as OpenSSL. OpenSSL....

50+ of the Best Tech Websites

A Collection of Some of the Best Tech Websites Writing a blog about tech? Trying to get the dish on the latest SF startups? Don’t waste time hunting around the....

Tech That Subtracts

We aren’t unique in the San Francisco area in that we often struggle with the fact that our lives have become increasingly complex, with constant demands on our attention and....

Smart Methods for Password Creation

It’s challenging to come up with secure passwords that will protect your data from online crooks. The crooks are, in fact, becoming more and more savvy with each passing year.....

What Do We Love?

Giving Thanks for The Good Things As 2013 quickly draws to a close, it’s a great moment for us to take stock of all we have to be grateful for.....

Watch Out for SEO Scams

Watch out for SEO scams If you run a small business like we do, you probably receive countless emails pushing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services. Many will make rash promises....

Adobe Creative Cloud Promotion

Adobe Photoshop is offering a limited-time Adobe Creative Cloud promotion. Until December 2, 2013, you can subscribe to Photoshop Photography CC for just $9.99 per month, though you do have....

For Entrepreneurs: Contact Management and CRMs

If sales is the lifeblood of any business, then your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system would have to be the blood bank. Without a centralized place to keep track of....

Techie Perks in SF

There are always a thousand reasons to appreciate why we live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here are just a few of the latest. Living Innovation Zones–High Tech Playgrounds....

San Francisco Small Business Resources

A Hidden Gem: San Francisco’s Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center If you own your own business in the Bay Area or you’re thinking of launching a small business, you may be surprised....

Great Startup Checklists

A Bag O’ Great Startup Checklists Time to get your startup on! Here’s a curated group of checklists for startup founders. You can never be too rich or too thin....

Thoughts on Persistence

We’ve all been inspired this week by the story of Diana Nyad’s successful swim from Cuba to Florida. Not only was this an extraordinary achievement in terms of distance covered—110....

Your Privacy on the Web

Somebody’s Watching You With widespread media attention on topic of domestic spying by the NSA, fear and paranoia are plaguing the interwebs. Beyond the conspiracy theorists, many regular folks are....

When Your Phone System Fails

Client Case Study: Total Phone System Failure Nobody likes a crisis, but when one happens, the best outcome is a quick and effective resolution. Since we’ve been involved in the....

Founder Friday at Google SF

I recently witnessed some of the energy and vitality that distinguishes the local tech scene when I attended a Women 2.0 Founder Friday event at Google’s offices in San Francisco.....

Ten Online Tools To Help Your Business Be More Productive

Save Time And Be More Productive With These Ten Online Tools It seems like there are a bazillion applications vying for your subscription these days. It can be hard to....

DIY Laptop Repair

Ready to Try Your Hand at DIY Laptop Repair? When DIY laptop repair is your only option, try doing a little research before you take things into your own hands.....

LimeTech Yelp Reviews

Our Positive Yelp Reviews Were Filtered We recently revisited our business page on the website Yelp.com and were surprised to see that our positive reviews were “filtered.” In other words,....

What to Do When You Spill Water on Your Laptop

What to Do When You Spill Water on Your Laptop If you are like us, you never thought seriously about what to do when you spill water on your laptop…until....

How to Record a Screencast on Your Mac

How to Record a Screencast on Your Mac If you’ve had ambitions to create a tutorial, now is the time. Perhaps you’ve been waiting to teach the world your special....

The Agile Family

How Agile is Your Family? The world of software development has influenced many sectors of business, but this is the first time we’ve heard of someone taking the methods of....

What is the cloud?

What is the cloud? Confused by the idea of cloud computing but afraid to ask? Here’s our best explanation of this technology which is transforming industries of all kinds–perhaps even....

Cloud Storage Price War Brings Discounts

As reported today in TechCrunch, Amazon and Google seem to be locked into a cloud storage price war. As is the case with such battles, cloud customers stand to win.....

Post-Sandy Recovery and Disaster Planning

It is a tough week for a lot of East Coast small business entrepreneurs, and our sympathies are with everyone. There are few greater challenges than facing the aftermath of....

IT for Startups

What Are The Unique IT Needs Of Startup Companies?   We’ve had great working relationships with a number of startup companies. We’re often asked by prospective clients what’s unique about....

How To Open Up Your Laptop

Ever wondered how to open up your laptop? Not everyone is brave enough for the task. In fact, some would say don’t even try this at home. However, here’s a....

Opportunity Knocks with National Small Business Week

National Small Business Week is coming up fast, on May 20-26, 2012. A number of organizations and businesses are putting together events geared toward recognizing and enhancing the success of....

A Small Business WordPress Website For You

You Need a WordPress Website, But Who’s Got the Time? Imagine you run a busy local coffee shop and you’re at the store, setting up shop at 5am every morning.....

More April Startup Events

Got a little extra time this month? Here are a few of the larger startup events coming up later this month in the San Francisco Bay Area. April Startup Events....

Protect Yourself From the Mac Flashback Trojan

For all those who prefer Mac computers solely because they don’t get viruses, the jig may be up. A piece of malware called the Flashback trojan has reportedly now infected....

Startups and the JOBS Act

Seems like everyone wants to get on the startup bandwagon these days. In case you were on a retreat or were completely unplugged over the past week, President Obama has....

Computer How-To Articles: Improving Your Computer’s Performance

How to Improve Your Computer’s Performance Every so often, we like to take on a mini research project just for you. Today we’ll be giving you a list of how-to....

Tech Overload? Join the National Day of Unplugging

With the mass proliferation of smartphones, many of us struggle with the obsessive urge to constantly check email and update our social media profiles. The endless opportunity for distraction may....

Donate Your Used Computer Locally

Where to donate used computers and electronics in the Bay Area Seeing as we’re in the Bay Area, you’ve got no excuse not to dispose of your electronics the right....

The East Bay Startup Scene Heats Up

We’re probably not the only entrepreneurs who have wondered why the East Bay isn’t more of a hub for innovation–especially considering the proximity to UC Berkeley and the comparatively affordable....

What Do We Actually Do?

Technology Support for Bay Area Businesses IT support becomes important for any business, even the techie ones, when the business outgrows the capacity of the savviest staff to troubleshoot problems....

SF Startup Social

If you’re thinking of launching a Bay Area startup, then you’re missing out if you’re not already immersed in the vibrant scene of mixers and pitch events in San Francisco’s....

Join the Fight Against SOPA/PIPA

Looking for a way to participate in the fight against SOPA/PIPA without actually taking your site down? Local San Francisco startup CloudFlare has created an Anti-Censorship App that will enable....

Had It With Comcast?

If you’ve ever been in the unfortunate position of having to wait for Comcast to restore your internet service, then you’ve truly seen the bowels of purgatory. Well, misery loves....

Girl Geeks Unite at Perforce

You missed out big-time if you weren’t able to get onto the attendee list for yesterday’s Girl Geek Dinner, sponsored by one of our local Alameda neighbors, Perforce.com. Perforce is....

On Protect IP / SOPA and Internet Freedom

By now, you should have heard of the controversy around the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act. Not only do both Acts have the potential to limit internet freedom, but they could have crippling effects on the startup sector.

Local Learning Opportunities

Upcoming Classes and Workshops for Small Biz Entrepreneurs Not getting out enough these days? Tired of stewing in your own juices? There’s no excuse with so many great local workshops,....

Jazz Hands, P2P and Direct Democracy

Occupy Wall Street Goes Tech Much of the discussion around Occupy Wall Street has weighed in heavily on the nature, character and origin of the protestors and whether they’ll ever....

Is Cloud Computing the Right Choice?

To Cloud or Not to Cloud… Still trying to get your head around cloud computing? Doubtful about whether your business is a good candidate for the cloud? All this month,....

Find Out What’s Slowing Down Your Mac

You’re Wondering Why Your Mac is Slow? If your Mac has been acting lethargic lately and you’re tired of watching little spinning beach balls, you might have maxed out your....

Expect Great Things From Your Prospective IT Provider

The hunt for a great IT team can be a challenging process. Here’s a list of the five most important traits you should look for in a prospective IT provider…....

5 Ways to Save for Your Business

Unbeatable Savings for Your Biz Whether you’re saving for a rainy day or just saving, sometimes it’s a tough job to find great deals for your business. However, in the....

Report Back from WordCamp SF 2011

I’m finally just now getting a chance to report back from this week’s WordPress WordCamp conference in San Francisco. I attended the final day of the three-day event, which included....

Learn About WordPress CMS at WordCamp

  Calling all fans of the WordPress content management system: if the economy doesn’t implode and we’re all still around after August 2nd, you should check out the upcoming WordPress....

11 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a SaaS Vendor

  Whether you’re searching for an online CRM system, a web-based registration program, or an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) service, you should take the research process seriously. After all, information....

MS Exchange or Google Apps for Your Business?

Small businesses are popping up everywhere. Even in this economy, the office space in the SoMa (South of Market) area in San Francisco is dwindling. Which makes me think that....

Welcome to Suite #320

Well, it’s official. After searching far and wide, we discovered the perfect office suite…across the hall from our old space. Three times the size, with more light and walls in....

What Your Current IT Provider Won’t Tell You

  At LimeTech we like to think we’re ahead of the curve in IT architecture and planning. No one wants to live in the past, after all. But, old technology....

The Rising Trend in Standing Workstations

Lately, we’ve noticed the increasing proliferation of standing desks at a range of offices in San Francisco. This may be old news for some, since this kind of setup has....

Hard Drive Data Recovery for Desperate Times

So you slacked off on backing up your data. One day, your computer starts giving you critical errors and making a clicking/whirring sound.  Suddenly, you’re desperate to recover your data....

Life Gets Easier with Online Storage

Which Box is Your Box? Many small businesses and freelance workers struggle when it comes to sharing files and collaborating on projects from different locations or devices. There’s nothing more....

How to Escape from Voicemail System Limbo

As techies, we spend a lot of time on the phone with vendors, which means occasionally getting trapped in voicemail system limbo. Comcast, Microsoft, or BofA…you’ve been there, so you....

iPad 2 Glass Stress Test

With all the talk about busting out of your cubicle and working in the great outdoors, maybe you’ve been hesitating to take your iPad 2 to the park. After all,....

How to Categorize Calendar in Outlook 2011 for Mac

This is the second addition to our new series of Outlook 2011 How-To videos. This video will demonstrate how to select/add/remove calendar categories in Outlook 2011 for Mac. Thanks for....

How to Create Your Default Signature in Outlook 2011 for Mac

How to create signature in Outlook for Mac 2011 from LimeTech Solutions on Vimeo. With the release of Outlook 2011 for Mac, we’re finding that there are many questions out....

How the iPad is Changing Business by Bringing People Together

We’ve all heard about the ways the iPad and iPad 2 tablets will help us live happier, sexier lives through our enhanced ability to know and see anything, anywhere, anytime. ....

iPad 2 to Take Over Mobile Teleconferencing

As mobile technology advances steadily, it becomes more clear by the year that we are just that much closer to being truly connected to each other. Emails and voice serve....

Jawbone JamBox for Your Outdoor Events

Jawbone Bluetooth headsets have been a hit with their highly detailed industrial design and noise assassin technology. FuseProject, the studio behind industrial designer Yves Behar has yet again partnered up with Jawbone....

How to Quickly Create a New AppleScript

As computing productivity geeks, we’re always looking for new ways to automate tasks and run small programs to make our computers work more efficiently. That leads to a lot of....

Negative Carbon Footprint Cement

As businesses expand, they require more office spaces and server warehouses, and an increasingly large carbon footprint. The idea of taking infrastructure off the grid has been rather old news.....

Comparing Online Trouble Ticketing Systems

I know how time-consuming it can be to find the right help desk ticketing solution for your environment. We’ve spent hours researching this topic, creating demo accounts, and comparing functionality....

Use an iPad to Reduce Paper Waste

Tablets possess an advantage not many other multitasking electronic devices can offer. We know that iPads are well-known as a consuming product, but the by-product of this trait is its....

Some Tips and Apps for Tax Season

  If you have an inkling that you might want to upgrade your business technology, 2011 is the year to do it, thanks to generous deductions and bonus depreciations through....

A Winning Entry: IT for a Better California

Well, there’s winners and there’s losers, and this time we have a winner (though we may yet be both)! Upon cranking up the old OS X on this gray Wednesday....

Configuring Mac Outlook 2011 for Gmail

We’re heard that a few of you struggle with accessing your company Gmail accounts. Issues can include slow viewing times, poor internet connectivity, and organizational challenges. For Mac Outlook 2011....

What Makes a Great Coworking Space?

  We’re big fans of the whole coworking movement and enjoyed a recent visit to some of the more popular San Francisco coworking spaces. The coworking movement is growing fast. They....

Rocking the Terminal at the SF Ruby Meetup

So grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the SF Ruby Meetup / Rails Outreach for Women this Saturday at the Twitter headquarters. These events have been taking place....

Wandering the Booths at the MacWorld Expo

We wanted to report on our recent experience at the MacWorld Expo. While the range and diversity of iPad and iPhone accessories was most impressive (um, more iPad cases than....

From San Jose to SOMA

We’ve been out in the streets doing IT so much we haven’t taken the time to write about what we do. That’s changing now, with the unveiling of this new....

Blog Launch Today

Welcome to the new blog for LimeTech. We’ll be using this platform to keep you updated about the IT work we’re doing with all kinds of cool businesses in the....