Tag: Cloud

iPad thinking


Apple is about to ship (in the U.S. anyway) it’s latest gadget known as the iPad. I thought that I’d cover why I think this device will have a similar impact as other Apple devices such as the iPod and the iPhone. The broad basis of my argument proceeds along two lines of reasoning: rational and emotional.

On the rational side I would say that there currently isn’t a successful ‘tablet’ style device out there at moment. Lots of people have tried to create something but they haven’t really taken off. Sure, the odds maybe against Apple here but that still doesn’t mean they can’t be successful and fill what is a current hole in the market.

Next, I’ll point to the fact that no matter what Apple bring to market a significant number of people will buy it. This alone gives the product momentum which many competitors fail to achieve. This is one of the differences about Apple, they don’t have users they have fans and fans buy whatever you peddle. Thus, the first shipment is already sold out and second one is also I believe. That’s a pretty good way to kick start any market acceptance.

We are now living a world where ubiquitous Internet is almost a reality. It is certainly more ubiquitous in the places that we frequent, i.e. at home, at work, travelling, etc. the iPad is a device for these places because it supports ‘instant on’ and access to the Internet. Wanna see what’s on TV? Grab your iPad and view the on line program. Want to catch up on the news before a flight? Grab your iPad and get the latest information. The key factors here are ‘instant on’ and form factor. Being bigger than an iPhone reading becomes less of a strain and you also don’t have to wait for it to boot. Also don’t overlook that we have an aging population and our eyesite isn’t getting any better.

In the places that we frequent where the Internet is not ubiquitous (like cars) the iPad will most likely drive connection there as well. Imagine a GPS screen the size of an iPad rather than that of a pokey iPhone? What about all those places you need to lookup while on the move? What about some entertainment (movies and games) while you’re travelling (on a bus or train rather than driving a car in this case)?

However, rationally I think the most powerful feature of the iPad will be as an eBook reader. Take a look at all the books kids bring home from school these days. Imagine if they were all available in a simple device like an iPad. Electronic books allows students to much easier search, mark up and  share the information they use in their studies. I’m not only thinking of kids in school but what about those in technical colleges and universities? Need to check something in the text book while you are in the lecture? Just whip out your iPad to see. Again, in the past eBooks have never really taken off but that doesn’t mean they won’t now.

I do a lot of reading and writing everyday and I can see the iPad working in both aspects. I take a lot of notes in a paper notebook everyday simply because it is easier and quicker to do this than entering it in via a keyboard. I also don’t always have a keyboard in front of me and once again, most mobile devices screens are too small for this. However, an iPad is in a similar form factor to what I’m already using with my paper notebook so it has already checked off one box here.

As I said, I do read a lot of stuff as well everyday. From emails, to web pages, to magazines, newspapers, to RSS feeds, fiction and non-fiction I read it all daily. I certainly see the appeal of all that reading matter being in a single place. I see the appeal of it all be searchable as well as being able to remember where I’m up to. I also see the potential for this information to be delivered automatically to an ‘instant on’ device that allow me to read any of material whenever the mood takes me without me ever having to worry about how or when it gets onto that device.

I think you can start to see the rational reasons why the iPad may become widely accepted as a ‘new platform’ for IT in the very near future. But about the emotional reasons? These reasons have no logic but they are none the less just as valid in my opinion.

Firstly the device is from Apple and Apple is cool. Apple doesn’t make technology devices, it makes consumer products. As much as IT people love to discuss Apple technology it is the ‘huddled masses yearning to be free’ that buy their stuff. That’s why it looks the way it does and that’s why it is sold the way it is. If logic had anything to do with it we wouldn’t find the PC vs Mac ads funny now would we?

Secondly, to a consumer the iPad is simple. It doesn’t have a keyboard (which most users hate), it is just like a notebook. You simply point at what you want and it appears. Remember, I’m talking about emotion here not reality. I believe people secretly yearn for simpler technology, most use less than 20% of the features available in current software because it has become a case of feature overload. Something that is simple had great appeal.

Lastly, no matter what you think about Apple’s products you have to recognize that they have been successful. One could argue that iPod and iPhone were devices that changed our world and forced many others to reconsider the position in the market. Again, there is never any guarantee in a commercial world about what will be successful but if history is anything to go on then you’d certainly have to say it has a better than average chance.

So there you have it, why I reckon the iPad will be a success. Maybe not initially but the more I stop and think the more I can see an application for a device where one doesn’t currently exist. More importantly one where the iPad would fit the bill. I believe the real secret to the iPad is not that it is more technologically advanced but that it is simpler, or perceived that way, that will make it a winner with its target market – the average consumer. Too often technology people get seduced by the geez whiz factor and forget that the far bigger market is those who simply want something they can use easily and makes them look cool. That my friend will be the iPad I believe.

Real world BPOS solution

I’m always on the lookout for real world solutions of Microsoft Business Productivity Online Services, especially those for SharePoint. As such, I came across the following blog post:

 

http://www.mickhuxley.com/?p=89

 

from Mick Huxley. Although he is a techie he is also a volunteer for the SES (State Emergency Services). Now this is basically a totally volunteer organization that provides a major amount of emergency and disaster relief. Interestingly, it seems that the SES has been given BPOS accounts.

 

Mick’s blog post talks about:

 

“Personally I have seen EOS/BPOS yield immediate results for my unit.  We have Distribution Lists, owned by our Controller for the distribution of incoming pages.  He is able to update the list membership on the fly to ensure that only unit members whom are active are notified.  Likewise each week an automatic email is sent advising of the Duty Officer, Team Leader and Operations Controller for the week.”

 

he also speaks of the benefits of SharePoint:

 

“SharePoint has provided us with a location to store our unit documents online and work on them away from Local Head Quarters (LHQ).  This has improved my Units ability to focus on training and incidents.  Whereas previously some members would skip training to complete “paper work” they can now work on the docs, outside of training nights, and spend training time increasing their skills.”

 

he concludes that

 

“Is the SES the only Organisation that would benefit from BPOS?? No, not at all.  Hosting these solutions outside the Organisation can reduce time to provision, reduce technical headcount, reduce carbon footprint, reduce datacentre requirements for cooling and power and reduce Capital Expenditure, whilst improving availability and potentially security.”

 

The trouble is that most people simply look at SharePoint and expect it to ‘magically’ do everything. You gotta mould to your needs and this requires some investment to get the most out of it. SharePoint is simply a tool, like Excel, you only get out of it what you put in.

 

To me this is simply more evidence that BPOS and hosted SharePoint provide real solutions for any organization, commercial or not. As much as I am disappointed by the current lack of uptake of SharePoint I feel better when I see stories likes these from the front lines. I know that one day soon we’ll reach a tipping point and people will begin to recognize the benefits SharePoint can play in their organization.

I’m not the only one

I posted some thoughts yesterday about the ramifications of the demise of Essential Business Server for the SMB and particularly Small Business Server market. I was reading through Susan Bradley’s blog and was interested to see that she raised many of the same concerns in a recent blog post including:

 

“Make no mistake the chatter is less about a concern over the future of “M” and more over the future of “S””

 

and

 

“What’s the future hold?  I’m not going to lie to you and say that Response Point, Office Accounting, MPAN program and now this, doesn’t put a slight bit of chill up my spine.”

 

When people of Susan’s stature start voicing these concerns you really need to be paying attention I believe. Again, this not about the product or the market segment, I truly believe that it is bigger than this. If you still have doubts have a look at this article:

 

’Cloudy days ahead from Microsoft’

 

as the subheading says here:

 

“MICROSOFT has switched its cloud computing marketing from half-hearted to full bore.”

 

This means that the focus has shifted (rightly or wrongly) from infrastructure to cloud. This is where Microsoft is throwing its resources. Maybe Microsoft’s solution is half baked but that doesn’t stop them allocating their resources there. History shows us that Microsoft tends to start slow and awkwardly in many markets but eventually, usually through sheer brute force, they take a dominate stake. I see no reason why the same won’t occur here.

 

Now you can quote me that this time it is different because of Google and guess what I totally agree with you. Why? Because it again reinforces my point that this online stuff, for better or worse, is not going away. The reality is that it is the traditional in house stuff that is.

 

You shouldn’t need to ‘read the tea leaves’ as Susan says in her post, to see that markets generally go where the dollars flow and Microsoft is currently tipping its bucket into the cloud. To reap the benefits you’ll have to probably follow their lead because in the end it is their products that people sell and support.

 

Technically, maybe the cloud stuff isn’t quite there but guess what that doesn’t matter because it is not the greatest driver here. Because the IT industry is being commoditized here major decisions are now based on cost. The cry is no longer ‘I want the best technology’ it has become ‘I want the cheapest technology’ because to the customer, most technology now looks identical whether it is delivered in house or from the cloud. Therefore in a world where there are few differences between products price becomes the differentiator and the cheaper one always wins. It would certainly seem that this is what we are seeing now.

Cloud wars

Here are some interesting videos from both Microsoft and Google on their cloud based solutions:

Why Microsoft: Microsoft compared to Google – Total Value Overview

New version of Evernote available

One of the best applications I have found is Evernote. Basically you can think of it as an electronic notebook. In many ways it is similar one of my other favourite applications (OneNote) but has a number of differences that still make it something I use regularly.

One of the main areas that I thought Evernote lagged OneNote was the in the way that it presented information. I like OneNote’s ability to easily create and organize information via sections and tabs. The new version of Evernote is certainly a step closer to being as easy to visualize as OneNote, although it still has a ways to go.

Probably the biggest plus Evernote has for me is the ability to access and add to your information via a browser. You can of course use an application that you load onto just about any platform, but it is this ability to access Evernote information via a web page that put it above OneNote in functionality I believe. I always found it handy if I was ever on a customer’s machine to take a screen shot of the error. With Evernote I could save that information directly via a browser and have it sync’ed with my desktop machine upon my return.

There is still a place for OneNote and Evernote in my took kit but the latest Evernote version 3.5 is certainly getting closer to including all the bits I like in OneNote. Even better, Evernote is free to use and you can’t beat that for value.

More change


If you haven’t heard, Google has now launched it own phone called the Nexus One. You can read more about it at “Google launches Nexus One ‘superphone’” and read an online review from Endgadget. Interestingly, Google is offering this phone directly to customers via its web site, which means you can just buy the handset and insert just about any carrier’s SIM. This is certainly a big change from the way things have been traditionally, yet it is not the only change that this Google phone is likely to create.

The article “Google shows how to trash a business model or three” demonstrates how the Google phone could dramatically affect not only the handset, phone provider and GPS markets but how the operating system that runs on the Nexus One (Android) could end up running in many common household devices. If this is not bad enough for the competition I can think of another major reason why the competition should be running scared.

What would happen if Google offered the phone for free say, in exchange for pushing you advertising? Would you take it? Such a business model really only makes sense for someone like Google and it could potentially blow competitors our of the water. How can they compete with a $0 phone? The phone business is not what’s important to Google, it’s about getting more people connected to the Internet so they view Google Ads, and in that respect it makes sense to subsidize handsets for consumers.

You’d therefore think that it’s also logical for Google to offer free Internet WiFi access to people wouldn’t you? Guess what? They’re already doing that, see “Free WiFi for the holidays”. Do you begin to see how Google is shaking up the market? I certainly do and can only see it only getting rougher for anyone who doesn’t appreciate that (barring an anti-competition suit from the U.S. Department of Justice or the European Union, which is becoming more likely every day now).
 
If you want to start understanding the mind of Google I’d recommend you read “What Would Google Do” by Jeff Jarvis. You can even read in on the Amazon Kindle but maybe soon the Google e-book device.

Given that this year the number of mobile devices accessing the Internet (i.e. mobile phones) will exceed the number of desktop devices (i.e. PC’s), so I’ve heard at least, who stands to benefit the most from this? Perhaps Google and Apple? Who stands to loss the most from this? Perhaps Microsoft? What is Microsoft’s response so far to the threat? Good question. Not having used either alternative to Microsoft’s offering I can only speculate, but having read “What Would Google Do” and know who I’d put money on at this stage.

Another nail

One the major selling points of something like Microsoft Exchange Server is that it not only allows you to send and receive emails, but it also has a calendar that in a network environment you can share with others. This allows people to see when others are busy, schedule meetings and so on. Very handy. The problem now is that this type of functionality is locked inside a business’s network and also it typically doesn’t work with people using other calendaring platforms like Google Calendar.

A potential solution to this issue that I have discovered is Tungle. In summary here’s what it offers:

Schedule – Send invitations proposing multiple times and let Tungle find the time that works for everyone. Tungle handles everything from time zones, to double booking, to updating your calendar.

Publish – Customize your personal scheduling page. Show only the times you want to be available. Invite others to schedule meetings with you. Meetings get booked on your terms and others don’t have to sign up.

Share – Share calendars across companies, systems and time zones. You control who you share with and what you share – free/busy or full details

Tungle works from Outlook, Google Calendar, iCal/Entourage and Lotus Notes. I have created an account and published my calendar at http://tungle.me/ciaops. If you visit the you’ll see all the available times I have. If you wanted to have a meeting with me then you could simply select a time and make a request via the web page. All the details, once approved, get sync’ed to everyone’s calendar.

I’ve already used Tungle to schedule couple of meetings and I have to say that so far it was worked really well as most requests I get are ‘I’d like to meet when are you free’. So rather than bouncing requests back and forth via email email I can simply get the person to select a time in Tungle and it’ll end up in my calendar. All very nice and easy.

Once you have something like Tungle, then why would you need Exchange calendaring? I could simply use Outlook and sync my calendar with other members of my team no matter what calendar they use. I can let external parties view my availability directly from the web or their iPhone. I don’t you can do that as easily from Exchange.

Now I must admit I can’t see how these guys are going to make money (hello premium services I’ll bet) but this ‘proof of concept’ is certainly a great step. Of course there will always be concerns over privacy but these can be worked around (like only publishing a ‘business calendar’), however if the business value grossly outweighs this then it is less of a concern.

If you need a tool to allow people to schedule appointments with you and reduce the amount of time wasted finding a convenient free slot for everyone concerned then I’d suggest you take a look at Tungle. If you are interested to see how Tungle could be another nail in the coffin of the traditional Microsoft Exchange calendaring, I’d also recommend you take a look.

A fresh coat of paint

One of things that I have been conscious of late is that fact that many of my web sites are looking a bit old and tired. Given that the people that I host them with are making noise about wanting to upgrade their service (for more money obviously) I thought it was time to have a look for a better web platform.

I’m happy to report that I have found something that I reckon is pretty good. As a test I have migrated my World War One Battlefields across using this new tool and I have to say that I’m impressed. It has taken only about six hours to get it up and functioning. What I can do now is really just amazing and the speed is so much better as well. If you are interested in seeing what I have been able to create then take a look at http://www.anzacsinfrance.com.

Now that I have the process pretty much down-pat I’m probably also going to move my main CIAOPS web site across. This might take a bit longer to migrate as I want to redesign and re-architect what I have on offer here to take advantage of what the new platform offers. I’ve also settled on a really nice e-commerce solution that should also integrate nicely.

Bottom line is that I’m so confident about this new platform that I’m going to start offering it as part of a complete web development package from the CIAOPS. So if you are interested in revamping your site, incorporating e-commerce and improving your web presence or that of your clients I’d suggest you drop me an email (director@ciaops.com) so we can work out exactly what you need and how much it will cost.

In the meantime give me you feedback on www.anzacsinfrance.com and watch out for further updates.