Austin, Texas-based Spiceworks Inc. has rolled out new benefits for members of its professional IT network.
The first, introduced in beta form today for users of Android-based devices, is a mobile app named Spiceworks Mobile that provides on-the-go access to the latest IT discussions and insights from the Spiceworks community. A version of the app for iOS devices will be available shortly, and Spiceworks says support for push notifications, advanced searches, and private messaging will arrive within the next few months.
Also introduced today are:
- A personalized newsfeed, available in both the mobile and desktop editions of Spiceworks, that highlights new and relevant content about a user’s favorite people, groups, and vendors.
- A quiz game called the “Daily Challenge,” also available for both mobile and desktop users, that tests members’ knowledge of IT topics like cloud computing, security, and networking.
“As the pace of technology rapidly changes and an overwhelming amount of information becomes available, the relevancy of content to individuals has become a critical element to any professional network,” said Spiceworks vice president of products Tabrez Syed in a press release. “We’ve recognized an opportunity to help IT pros by creating a more personalized experience and surfacing the right content, people, and information that’s accessible anytime and anywhere.”
Announced separately today is the beta release of a new cloud-based Connectivity Dashboard tool. Available free of charge, the solution is designed to save IT professionals time by helping them quickly identify slow websites, applications, and broadband connections, as well as the users or organizations affected by them.
“Our research shows IT professionals spend approximately half their time troubleshooting technology issues with hardware, applications, and operating systems,” Syed said in a press statement. “With the Connectivity Dashboard, IT professionals can now use real-time information to diagnose and solve problems quickly and effectively across their network.”
The new solution joins a family of free products from Spiceworks for tasks like network monitoring, help desk management, and mobile device management.
