March 15, 2010
There was a time when if you were told to “get your head out of the clouds” you might be somewhat offended. But now, having your “head in the clouds” can actually be an asset to your business.
How exactly? Cloud computing. If you haven’t already heard this business buzz word … you will very soon. Traditionally, data and software has been stored internally; meaning we keep all of our information on our computers in the office and we run software off those computers. But times are changing…
I’m thrilled to announce that we are working with Microsoft to spread the word about cloud computing. We want to help people better understand what it is and why it’s taking over ;)
Cloud computing is a shift towards the creation, deployment, and management of web-based applications on a local network called your “private cloud.” This can also be done over the internet, which is usually referred to as “the cloud.”
With cloud computing, you can tap into a pool of resources that all operate together, effectively as a single computer allowing you to experience a new level of computing freedom. Freedom to access the technology you want, where and when you want it. Freedom to take advantage of the latest technology as a capital expense or an operational one. Freedom to focus on running your business – not running IT systems. Hallaluya!…Is what I have to say to that. In layman’s terms it means that eventually we’ll be able to access any document we want and run any software application we want, without being tied to a specific computer or device.
For example, I could access my customer relationship management software from my home computer or from my smart phone just as easily as from my work computer. Many of us are already doing this, but the shift to cloud computing is becoming far more mainstream. And much more integrated into our business systems.
I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that Microsoft is hot to trot for cloud computing. Microsoft’s cloud service is about the power of choice – a hybrid model of on-premises and off-premises resources that enable you to move as much or as little as you want to the cloud. It’s not an ‘all or nothing’ approach; instead it enables you to flow workloads into your own infrastructure, as well as outside sets of infrastructure so you can complement your existing IT assets with web-based services. And by having applications available across the Internet, you can help ensure the experience is consistent across all devices.
Want to know more about cloud services? Come check them out at F5 EXPO on April 7! Microsoft will be there to help steer your business in the right direction :)
Oh and don’t forget to sign up for the cloud computing panel! Details here.
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Tech Advice, Tech News | Tagged: business software, business systems, cloud computing, f5 expo, microsoft, ryan stogaard | 
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Posted by techlinz
March 13, 2010
Amber Alert – Most of us are familiar with this term. When we hear it, our hearts sink knowing that a child has gone missing. But add the words “GPS” to those two words and hope is restored.
Newly introduced in Canada is the Amber Alert GPS. It’s an itsy bitsy device (1.77″ x 1.68″ x .78″) that tracks your location via GPS. The, slightly bigger than a piece of chocolate, mechanism can tell parents where their child is instantly via text message.
Features include:
Temperature warnings: If the device reaches beneath or above a safe level, you’ll get a text message warning you of danger.
Location/Movment tracking: You can see where the device (and the child) has been in the last 24 hours
Sound monitoring: Simply text the devices # with a command and you can hear everything that is going on in the surrounding area of the device
Set perimeter: You can set-up the device so that you’ll know if it (and your child!) leaves the yard
Speed Monitoring: This is my favorite! You can set it to text you if the device starts traveling over a certain speed. This would be great for parents of teenagers who borrow the family car. Imagine tossing the device in your glove box and getting a text if the car starts traveling too fast. You could text your kid and say “Hey, Stop Speeding! Drive more carefully – Mom”. Your kid would think you have magical powers, LOL.
Amber Alert GPS is intended for children two to ten years of age. However, I can see many other useful features for it like tracking your vehicle location and speed.
I will be demoing this product on Global TV’s Noon News with Sophie Lui, Saturday, March 13th at approximately 12:30pm. Channel 11.
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16 Comments | Tech News | Tagged: amber alert, Global TV, gps, gps tracking, safety technology, tech toys | Permalink
Posted by techlinz
March 11, 2010
Rogers announced the launch of their corporate blog – Red Board this week and it’s managed by their Social Media Team…yes, Rogers has a team of 11 people dedicated to social media community building, online pr management, and blogger relations.
They’ve done a stand-up job and I think many businesses will be impressed with it. If you’ve been looking for ideas to spice up yours, you should definitely check out Red Board. It’s a shining example of how to make a corporate blog professional, and yet, fun and personable at the same time. The team that behind the blog, which took many months to plan and build, were inspired by Google’s. Although, I have to say I like theirs better!
Complete with videos and the scoop on their latest product releases, they are positioning themselves for transparency…something that many of the corporate giants have been afraid to do.
Kudos to Miranda, Rob (and the rest of the team) for a job well done!
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Leave a Comment » | Tech News | Tagged: blogging, mobile, rogers, social media, social media marketing | Permalink
Posted by techlinz
March 5, 2010
Apple announced today that it will release the WiFi enabled iPad on April 3rd in the US. Later in April, both the wi-fi and 3G versions of the iPad will be released internationally to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The US wi-fi version will be priced at $499US.
The iPad, which is being touted as the ultimate entertainment device, will come with free iBook software and will likely give both Amazon (Kindle) and Sony (eReader) a good run for their money. The eBook industry made about 60 million dollars in sales for 2009, up from 18 million in 2008. At this growth rate, 2010 could generate well over 100 million in sales.
I’ve recently purchased several hard cover books; however I can see myself switching to digital books using the iPad. While I see the benefits digital books and digital readers, I’ve never been sold on the idea of needing a specific device for this. I demo’d the Sony eReader at the 2009 Massive Tech Show, but couldn’t see myself running out to buy one. It might sound silly, but I wasn’t excited about lugging it around. Traditional books seemed just as good to me. I am, however, sold on a device that gives me access to my email, the morning news, my favorite Malcolm Gladwell books, and a plethora of apps. Actually, the thought of it makes me think I’ve died and gone to heaven ;)
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Posted by techlinz
