One of the new features released by Amazon allows users to take pictures of items they want to buy with their phones and store them in an online shopping cart until they wish to purchase them from amazon.com, usually for cheaper than a normal bookstore. This application was designed for Apple’s iPhone and allows people to view customer reviews and prices for items through their mobile phones. This new invention is very important for amazon because it allows users to instantly see if they can get the item for cheaper on amazon.com just by taking a picture. One of the reasons that Amazon is so far ahead of the game when it comes to technology is because of the amount of money they spend on research and development. Over the past 5 years they have spent over 4 billion, which is far more than their competitors. For example, over that time span one of their largest competitors when it comes to online shopping, eBay, spent only 2.7 billion on research and development. They have also come out with several other new ways to shop online. They have a new browser widget which allows users to create a wish list from items they see anywhere on the web and retrieve the list at amazon.com. Their new feature coming out for the holiday season is called “Windowshop View” and allows users to view items in a 3-D format, as if they are in a toy store. These new applications are meant to help out Amazon’s bottom line in the long run. With the economy how it is they are not expecting any big gains in the near future.
Although Amazon.com is still the most popular place of shopping during the holiday season, many other normal stores are making big gains. Stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Sears are all gaining on Amazon according to polls taken of holiday shoppers. Wal-Mart.com is one of the biggest online competitors because of their ability to offer products that no one else has due to their close relationships with suppliers. For example, Walmart.com was able to sell thousands of Nintendo Wii’s online because of their relationship with Nintendo while Amazon.com was already sold out. Many online stores are likely to fail during the economic recession and therefore Amazon may be in a better position when it ends. Their decision to spend a large amount of money on research and development has benefited Amazon and given them a competitive advantage over other companies.
Business Week. Amazon: Armed to Beat the Recession. Douglas MacMillan
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Microsoft vs Google
The article in Business Week is about the battle going on between Microsoft and Google. These giant companies are able to build the systems to manage the data of many companies. Google has recently been hyping its ability to through software being run over the internet. This is what has become known as “cloud computing”. In response to this Microsoft is starting a project to build 20 supersize data centers. Each of these centers can cost up to 1 billion dollars. They are also creating a new operating system that will allow users to run it over the internet. They are also upgrading their corporate email software and Microsoft Office applications so that they can also be run over the internet. This change is due to the popularity that cloud computing is gaining. With companies such as Google already so far ahead Microsoft has some catching up to do.
Microsoft’s plan for building the giant data centers is long in the works. Prior to this Microsoft depended on other companies to manage their data. But when they acquired Debra Chraptay, a former chief technology officer, they decided to start the start doing it themselves. In order to accomplish this they started to bring in people from companies such as Intel and Hewlett-Packard. One of the major problems that can arise from managing data like this is the cost of energy. That is why when Microsoft opened a plant in rural Washington to use the cheap energy created from a dam nearby, Google followed and soon also opened a plant nearby. Most of Microsoft’s new data centers are juge, open buildings that are filled with serves. The data center is 700,000 square feet. The first floor of the center can hold 224 containers and each container can hold 2,500 servers. Therefore the first floor can hold 560,000 servers. The reason Microsoft set the data center up in this way is because they believed it would save time and money. This is due to the time it takes to open server boxes and connect the servers. This way they can just bring it each container with 2,500 servers and set it up in a few days. It is also easier to cool these servers because they can cool each container individually rather than have to cool the entire building. The goals of these changes are to be able to run the data center with half as many employees as would previously be needed and to cut heating costs by one third.
Microsoft is taking a different approach at data centers. Google generally remains secretive about its data centers while Microsoft is being open and collaborating with other companies in trying to drive innovation and technology forward. They are openly sharing details about their plans with other companies. Overall, the battle over data centers has driven both Microsoft and Google to innovate and drive the field of technology forward.
Business Week. “Microsoft to Google: Get Off my Cloud.” Peter Burrows.
Microsoft’s plan for building the giant data centers is long in the works. Prior to this Microsoft depended on other companies to manage their data. But when they acquired Debra Chraptay, a former chief technology officer, they decided to start the start doing it themselves. In order to accomplish this they started to bring in people from companies such as Intel and Hewlett-Packard. One of the major problems that can arise from managing data like this is the cost of energy. That is why when Microsoft opened a plant in rural Washington to use the cheap energy created from a dam nearby, Google followed and soon also opened a plant nearby. Most of Microsoft’s new data centers are juge, open buildings that are filled with serves. The data center is 700,000 square feet. The first floor of the center can hold 224 containers and each container can hold 2,500 servers. Therefore the first floor can hold 560,000 servers. The reason Microsoft set the data center up in this way is because they believed it would save time and money. This is due to the time it takes to open server boxes and connect the servers. This way they can just bring it each container with 2,500 servers and set it up in a few days. It is also easier to cool these servers because they can cool each container individually rather than have to cool the entire building. The goals of these changes are to be able to run the data center with half as many employees as would previously be needed and to cut heating costs by one third.
Microsoft is taking a different approach at data centers. Google generally remains secretive about its data centers while Microsoft is being open and collaborating with other companies in trying to drive innovation and technology forward. They are openly sharing details about their plans with other companies. Overall, the battle over data centers has driven both Microsoft and Google to innovate and drive the field of technology forward.
Business Week. “Microsoft to Google: Get Off my Cloud.” Peter Burrows.
Energetica de Minas Gerais to Use New GPS Tracking System
With over 17,000,000 customers spread across 516,000 sq. kl it is easy to see why efficiency is very important to the South American electricity company. Recently the company contacted a design company in California, Radio Satellite Integrators, Inc, and asked them to design a cost effective GPS system that the company could use to track their vehicles and hopefully save operating costs by better allocating its recourses. Radio Satellite Integrators was able to design that worked based off of the outdated radio system that the company’s trucks already had installed. Because they were able to do this, the cost for the system was drastically lower then it would have been other wise.
This new technology will benefit Energetica de Minas Gerais, because it will give them a better edge over their competitors in allocating their personal to the clients that need them. The company will now be able to know down to a matter of feet where all its employees are at any given time, and that makes for much easier and more convenient scheduling.
This article was very interesting because it not only gave the IT development on the side of the electricity company, but it also spoke of the California based company that designed the system. Because Energetica de Minas Gerais knew exactly what it was looking for in a new system, it was able to find the appropriate people, and tailor the system to the company’s needs. The system was then able to be implemented over the scale of land that the electricity company provides electricity too, and has already been put into 4,000 of the company’s 20,000 cars. The company admits that it is too early to know if the system will really cut costs as it expects, but early indications are looking good.
Written By Brian Tanner:
Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/shipping/131302-1.html
This new technology will benefit Energetica de Minas Gerais, because it will give them a better edge over their competitors in allocating their personal to the clients that need them. The company will now be able to know down to a matter of feet where all its employees are at any given time, and that makes for much easier and more convenient scheduling.
This article was very interesting because it not only gave the IT development on the side of the electricity company, but it also spoke of the California based company that designed the system. Because Energetica de Minas Gerais knew exactly what it was looking for in a new system, it was able to find the appropriate people, and tailor the system to the company’s needs. The system was then able to be implemented over the scale of land that the electricity company provides electricity too, and has already been put into 4,000 of the company’s 20,000 cars. The company admits that it is too early to know if the system will really cut costs as it expects, but early indications are looking good.
Written By Brian Tanner:
Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/shipping/131302-1.html
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dell going Green
As our entire world is beginning to realize, we must do something about the increasing effects of global warming. In the last five years thousands of governments, companies, and organizations have begun this quest to reduce the effects of global warming on our planet. The latest company to join in the PC power house Dell. Dell plans to go green by greatly reducing unnecessary packing materials in there desktops and laptops. They plan to reduce the materials by ten percent in the next four years. Doing this will actual save Dell 8 million dollars. Dell has been generating such ideas by paying special attention too customer feedback. The company was able to read costumers blogs who complained about how small memory sticks were shipped in huge boxes. Dell saw this an was inspired to make to change. The company stressed that its long time CEO Mike Dell takes personal pride in such things that will have an environmental impact. Another instance came after a group of Dell employees had finished installing several thousand new servers for a company. After the installation the crew was left with a mountain like pile of boxes. The crew was sharing a few six packs with representatives of the company when they pondered why not package servers like beer bottles. This revelation led Dell to try this strategy out. Its outcome was a success. The new method greatly reduced the set up time and left costumers with fewer boxes.
Reasons like these are key as to why Dell was rated one the top 50 most innovative companies in Business Week. It is clear that IT technology was essential to obtaining such a prestigious award. Dell used IT to allow customers to blog on their website in order to give critical feedback. This led the company to reexamine itself and the way it operates. Ultimately the IT technology led to Dell changing unnecessary expensive packaging costs. It is certain for years to come that Dell will continue implore IT technology in order to connect with costumers and enhance there business.
Business Week
Reasons like these are key as to why Dell was rated one the top 50 most innovative companies in Business Week. It is clear that IT technology was essential to obtaining such a prestigious award. Dell used IT to allow customers to blog on their website in order to give critical feedback. This led the company to reexamine itself and the way it operates. Ultimately the IT technology led to Dell changing unnecessary expensive packaging costs. It is certain for years to come that Dell will continue implore IT technology in order to connect with costumers and enhance there business.
Business Week
Monday, December 15, 2008
Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites
Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites
Marketing in today’s world is a relentless, and often tiresome reality. Everywhere you go you see “brand.” Let’s start in the morning. You wake up to the sound of you Sony alarm clock, and you get in the shower to use your Dove products. When you get out of the shower, you get into your Ralph Lauren suit, tie your Armani tie, and pour yourself a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee from your Cuisinart coffee machine. All of these items display the brand name and brand image for you and the rest of the world so by the end of the day, these companies should be paying you to be a walking advertisement. There isn’t anything wrong with this, but it is just the name of the game.
But the effects of these advertisements dull over time. None of these things have the same flash they had when they were new, and therein is the challenge for the marketer. How do marketers penetrate the market with their brand identity or make the market aware of a new product? They have made every experience throughout the day a brand experience, and the World Wide Web is not safe from that monster. Banner ads, in text ads, and other kinds of online ads have been around for quite some time, but sometimes people might just luck into that advertising. How do you reach exactly the right market segment with exactly the right product? What kind of website would have a database that easily defined? The answer is simple. Social Networking sites.
The Social Networking Site, at face value, appears to be the greatest gift to marketers. Let’s look specifically at Facebook. Users give a large amount of information about themselves: Age, location, race, religious views, hobbies, and so on. This is the easiest market segmentation ever devised. You can search for any characteristic or any combination of characteristics.
What’s better is the amount of time people spend on these social networking sites. People spend many hours a week checking facebook by looking at pictures, reading wall posts, sending stickers, or just stalking people. This is a captive audience. This should be a marketers dream!
Apparently not. Many advertisers feel that people ignore the advertising that shows up on their Facebook homepage. According to the New York Times article, “Seth Goldstein, co-founder of Social Media Networks, an online advertising company, wrote on his Facebook blog that a banner ad ‘is universally disregarded as irrelevant if it’s not ignored entirely.’” This is something that I can verify. Every time I go on Facebook, I completely ignore the advertising. This is a place people want to go spend time experiencing their friends, not a place to have marketing invade.
This is not the best way to get people to turn to your product. If you want to be successful marketing on these sites, it needs to be catchy and funny. It needs to be something that members will send to each other to laugh about. People aren’t going on Facebook to think about what kind of laundry detergent they need, they are going on to look at their friends, and laugh, and comment on pictures. So what do you advertise? Probably cameras and beer. Why? Because the beer will make people do something worth taking a picture of.
Stross, Randall. "Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites." New York Times. 13 Dec. 2008. New York Times. 15 Dec. 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
UPS Delivery Intercept
UPS has recently implemented a new service called Delivery Intercept that allows customers to stop a package mid shipping process and change its destination with a few simple clicks. Next year when UPS has fully implemented the technology, it will have spent $600 million on the project. This technology is in-part thanks to already existing technology that allows UPS and its customers to track packages instantly. Every UPS deliveryman is equipped with a device that scans packages and relays the information of where they are to a central database that is able to be checked by the customer who sent it.
This new information technology by UPS is great news for businesses using UPS to ship products. Mistakes in shipping can now be corrected for a small cost rather than having to lose precious time and money to entirely reship the product after it reaches the original destination. I think this technology will totally reshape the way businesses transport large scale shipments because it gives them somewhat of a security blanket in shipping and allows them to ship packages without having to hesitate on if the destination is completely confirmed. I think this will allow businesses to ship products faster on average, thus decreasing the overall shipping process time. This increases trust in UPS by both customers receiving products and by businesses shipping products.
This technology is also great for UPS because more large businesses will choose to use UPS for all shipping needs. Being the only shipping company with a service like this allows UPS to stand out among all shipping companies, which I think it points out very effectively in its humorous “white board” commercials. Since most packages that are shipped are from businesses, convincing more businesses to use UPS is a very profitable prospect for UPS. UPS is creating a larger name for itself by its new and innovative information technology.
I believe that there are a few very well known shipping companies such as USPS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS. I feel that in the past it has been hard for one shipping company in particular to stand out from the rest of the group. But now, I feel that UPS stands out among the group as having the most innovative and advanced information technology. This is exactly their goal. UPS is marketing themselves as the shipping company that is the most time and cost effective through its advances in technology. This bodes well for UPS in the large business aspect of the shipping industry.
http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/doc
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Wal-Mart Launches E-Health Program
Have you ever gone to the doctor and been told to fill out tedious health related forms? Well, a non-profit enterprise called Dossia has a brilliant solution. Backed by major corporations like AT&T, Intel, and most importantly Wal-Mart, Dossia is an “employee-driven, digital health records initiative, to help contain health-care costs.” At the beginning of the year 2009, Wal-Mart employees will no longer have to agonize over searching for their health information upon every doctor’s visit. Rather, their information will be stored in the company database and accessible by the employee at any time. With an unstable economy at hand, retailers are looking for any way to cut their costs. Studies show that 3,000 US corporations’ health-related costs are up nearly 6%; Dossia could not come at a better time!
Linda M. Dillman, executive vice-president for benefits and risk management for Wal-Mart, stated that these digital records would result in “healthier associates who are more productive.” The digital records of an employee that the newly designed technology provided by Dossia stores are more accurate and descriptive than the hurried descriptions usually written on doctors’ office forms. These records will attempt to eliminate the possibility that a patient leaves out any vital information necessary for a doctor to give a proper diagnosis. This reduction of error on the forms prevents further, more expensive doctors visits down the road and, in turn, keeps the corporations insurance costs to a minimum.
Some people argue that it would be unsafe to put all of one’s health related information on one system and that there is a threat that the information could get out. However, Dossia guarantees patient privacy through the E-health software. This software retrieves information from the databases of the participating pharmacies and insurers of the employee, then safely stores it in password-protected digital files that only the employee has access to. This eliminates any risk of an outside party gaining access to the individuals’ personal records while making health care more efficient. A representative from one of the pioneer corporations in this technological endeavor has stated that the software’s protections derive from “secure systems similar to those used to store bank information.”
I think this new development in health related technology will do nothing but benefit the community at large. Employees will no longer have to spend time filling out forms and/or worry about whether or not vital health information was left out. The new healthcare information database will also be useful in situations of emergency when a patient is unable to voluntarily give their information and medical history to the attending physicians. Dossia has provided the world with an E-health system that will alleviate some of the current high costs to corporations while providing more efficient health care to its employees.
Nokia's N97
Bryan McGovern
Information Systems
The recent buzz surrounding Nokia’s production of a lap top computer has been silenced by the introduction of their N97 smartphone. The rumors of the laptop are not far off because the phone looks extremely similar to a lap top but has the capabilities to fit in your pocket. The phone will go on the market for $695 when it is launched in mid-2009. The phone has a 3.5 inch touch screen but also has a fold out keyboard underneath. In the open position the phone resembles a miniature laptop. Users have the option to type on the screen or use the compact keyboard. This is a new innovation compared to the current phones on the market that do not have this capability. With this new option, Nokia is continuing to counter the recent surge by Apple and their staple product, the iphone. Nokia’s previous new product launched in October unveiled 5800 touch handset, aimed at music lovers in order to rival the iphone.
The key selling point of the new silvery finish N97 is that it targets younger generations and their proclivity to surf the Internet. Another facet that sets this new phone apart is the size and capacity of memory. With a built-in storage of 32 GB, those customers that are not satisfied have the possibility to expand to 48 GB. To entice buyers of the new smartphone, Nokia will package the phone with services such as music downloads and turn-by-turn navigation. Its camera produces DVD-quality video, and Nokia claims that the battery is the company’s most powerful yet allowing a day and half of continuous music. Unlike the iphone, the N97 will vibrate slightly when touched, offering confirmation that input has been received.
Despite Nokia’s unusual early release date, it in turn allows Nokia’s developers enough time to write the programs that will be crucial to the N97’s appeal. This new product line gives Nokia an upper hand in the new race for innovative phones. Not only does the N97 compete with the iphone but also the voyager and blackberry. Nokia has had a tendency to lag behind the leading competitors in the phone industry, however with the arrival of the N97, Nokia will regain their title as one of the top phone producers on the market.
Information Systems
The recent buzz surrounding Nokia’s production of a lap top computer has been silenced by the introduction of their N97 smartphone. The rumors of the laptop are not far off because the phone looks extremely similar to a lap top but has the capabilities to fit in your pocket. The phone will go on the market for $695 when it is launched in mid-2009. The phone has a 3.5 inch touch screen but also has a fold out keyboard underneath. In the open position the phone resembles a miniature laptop. Users have the option to type on the screen or use the compact keyboard. This is a new innovation compared to the current phones on the market that do not have this capability. With this new option, Nokia is continuing to counter the recent surge by Apple and their staple product, the iphone. Nokia’s previous new product launched in October unveiled 5800 touch handset, aimed at music lovers in order to rival the iphone.
The key selling point of the new silvery finish N97 is that it targets younger generations and their proclivity to surf the Internet. Another facet that sets this new phone apart is the size and capacity of memory. With a built-in storage of 32 GB, those customers that are not satisfied have the possibility to expand to 48 GB. To entice buyers of the new smartphone, Nokia will package the phone with services such as music downloads and turn-by-turn navigation. Its camera produces DVD-quality video, and Nokia claims that the battery is the company’s most powerful yet allowing a day and half of continuous music. Unlike the iphone, the N97 will vibrate slightly when touched, offering confirmation that input has been received.
Despite Nokia’s unusual early release date, it in turn allows Nokia’s developers enough time to write the programs that will be crucial to the N97’s appeal. This new product line gives Nokia an upper hand in the new race for innovative phones. Not only does the N97 compete with the iphone but also the voyager and blackberry. Nokia has had a tendency to lag behind the leading competitors in the phone industry, however with the arrival of the N97, Nokia will regain their title as one of the top phone producers on the market.
Cyber Monday
The biggest shopping day of the year for retail stores is the Friday after Thanksgiving also known as Black Friday. On this day stores offer outrageous discounts with some stores opening at 4:30 a.m. With the boom of the internet in the last decade or so a new phrase has been coined; Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday officially started in 2005 when the term was coined based on research showing that 77% of online retailers reported a significant increase in sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2004. Online shoppers can enjoy the discounts that are available to those on Black Friday without the hassle of waiting in lines and dealing with the crowds. It is very important that companies keep their websites up to date and make sure that they are offering deals that the consumers will not be able to say no to. Information technology plays an important role because they need to make sure the website is functioning properly and efficiently. This Cyber Monday lots of companies experienced difficulties with their online ordering services due to the heaving volume of customers. Sears, Saks Fifth Avenue, Costco, Dell, Victoria's Secret, Bloomingdale's and Williams-Sonoma all saw their sites malfunction at some point between Friday and Monday, according to companies that monitor Web performance. Some of the problems that people experienced included error messages, extremely long loading times, inability to recall previously stored account information, or collapsed all together. This turns people away from purchasing what they want and just causes aggravation. Many of the spokespeople from companies that were affected attributed the error to not properly testing the subsequent pages on their websites, and not preparing enough or realizing there would be a very serious problem. Due to the speedy reactions of the IT people in the companies the problem was communicated to them and steps were taken to try and solve the problem in a timely manner. A rep from Best Buy said that they ill begin preparing for Cyber Monday in January this year to ensure that every customer who uses their site will be satisfied with his or her experience.
Nokia Talks Up New N97, A Really Smart Smartphone
Danny Orr
http://www.crn.com/retail/212201347
Nokia Talks Up New N97, A Really Smart Smartphone
In Barcelona Tuesday December 2, 2008, Nokia introduced its response to the highly popular iphone. The iphone, created by Apple along with AT&T has controlled the market for a significant amount of time now. Verizon also has responded with its creation of the BlackBerry storm, which supposedly has the same capabilities as the iphone, if not more. The new N97 includes a full keyboard, WIFI, a 5 megapixel camera, 3.5 inch touch screen, 3G capabilities and GPS. Two new features that Nokia is most excited about revolve around users’ social browsing behaviors and habits. The Smartphone will have a quick contacts bar and a widgets screen to allow the customer to customize their personal cellular device. The full keyboard is an attempt to appeal to those who haven’t completely transferred over to the new touch screen technology. The phone mainly will be targeted to be sold in European and Asian markets because Nokia generally introduces most of its products to Europe, then gradually adapts to the needs of the US markets. The starting price in Europe and Asia will be approximately $695 US dollars and will be on sale in the beginning of 2009.
In my opinion, I believe this is absolutely necessary for the cellular device industry. Apple’s iphone has taken over a market that is rapidly improving technology on a constant basis. The iphone has begun to die down in the United States and the beginning of 2009 is a perfect time for a new, better smart phone to be introduced. Personally, I do not own an iphone and I am not a huge fan. I like to see that other companies are at least making attempt to compete and hopefully level the playing field in the industry. That being said, I don’t know much about the European markets in relation to the cellular phone industry. The 700 dollar price range is a bit pricey and with the economy taking a turn for the worst in many areas of the world, this phone may not appeal to the lower and middle class in many countries. Phone companies generally bill their customers a flat monthly bill, but with the introduction of these smart phones, companies now have the options of including internet service, music options, and other fees on the monthly bill. The upgrade of your personal cell phone may be beneficial for the time being, but the day that monthly bill is placed in your mailbox is the day the consumer realizes that these recent technological upgrades are not seeing eye to eye with your checkbook.
Hey Professor Pridmore, I apologize for posting the blog on my friend's account. My google account hasn't been working lately for some reason.
Thanks, Danny
http://www.crn.com/retail/212201347
Nokia Talks Up New N97, A Really Smart Smartphone
In Barcelona Tuesday December 2, 2008, Nokia introduced its response to the highly popular iphone. The iphone, created by Apple along with AT&T has controlled the market for a significant amount of time now. Verizon also has responded with its creation of the BlackBerry storm, which supposedly has the same capabilities as the iphone, if not more. The new N97 includes a full keyboard, WIFI, a 5 megapixel camera, 3.5 inch touch screen, 3G capabilities and GPS. Two new features that Nokia is most excited about revolve around users’ social browsing behaviors and habits. The Smartphone will have a quick contacts bar and a widgets screen to allow the customer to customize their personal cellular device. The full keyboard is an attempt to appeal to those who haven’t completely transferred over to the new touch screen technology. The phone mainly will be targeted to be sold in European and Asian markets because Nokia generally introduces most of its products to Europe, then gradually adapts to the needs of the US markets. The starting price in Europe and Asia will be approximately $695 US dollars and will be on sale in the beginning of 2009.
In my opinion, I believe this is absolutely necessary for the cellular device industry. Apple’s iphone has taken over a market that is rapidly improving technology on a constant basis. The iphone has begun to die down in the United States and the beginning of 2009 is a perfect time for a new, better smart phone to be introduced. Personally, I do not own an iphone and I am not a huge fan. I like to see that other companies are at least making attempt to compete and hopefully level the playing field in the industry. That being said, I don’t know much about the European markets in relation to the cellular phone industry. The 700 dollar price range is a bit pricey and with the economy taking a turn for the worst in many areas of the world, this phone may not appeal to the lower and middle class in many countries. Phone companies generally bill their customers a flat monthly bill, but with the introduction of these smart phones, companies now have the options of including internet service, music options, and other fees on the monthly bill. The upgrade of your personal cell phone may be beneficial for the time being, but the day that monthly bill is placed in your mailbox is the day the consumer realizes that these recent technological upgrades are not seeing eye to eye with your checkbook.
Hey Professor Pridmore, I apologize for posting the blog on my friend's account. My google account hasn't been working lately for some reason.
Thanks, Danny
GridApp Upgrade Boosts IT Automation Capabilities
GridApp Systems, a New York based software company, is looking to get a leg up on stiff competition from Windows and Linux by issuing their new software product Clarity 4.5. Clarity 4.5 is a database automation software that GridApp focused on tremendously in order to simplify the process of managing information. According to the article, data security threats have increased to an all-time high, so GridApp's focus was to simplify their program immensely. According to Evelyn Hubbert, a senior analyst at Forrester, GridApp's company is impressing over Windows because, "there are a lot of companies out there focusing on different aspects of data management, but GridApp is really the only one in the last six or 12 months that has realized there's a lot of work that can be automated at a day-to-day level." Clarity 4.5 was created in order to accomplish these day-to-day tasks and get more work done in the process than most other applications. This sounds great, but if the program can get the work done faster, what will happen to the employees themselves?
This type of program has increasingly worried employees involved with the IT process. They feel that automation could put them at risk for their job because it is able to do these tasks much more efficiently. Assuredly, that is not exactly the case. Hubbert believes that this actually helps these workers because it gets them away from a tedious job and allows them to focus more on other areas, such as innovation. GridApp is certainly pleased by the reaction that their product has gotten, and it is certainly a breath of fresh air within the technology ring. GridApp has focused on the customers' needs in automating, wanting to make it easier for the customers to focus on other central aspects of their jobs. They recognize that people who automate want things done efficiently, organized and done with stability, and Clarity 4.5 provides that with specific databases.
This upgrade provides a huge helping hand in the management world, providing GridApp a "niche" within that specific field. These characteristics of their program can only lead to bigger and better things for a company on the rise in GridApp.
This type of program has increasingly worried employees involved with the IT process. They feel that automation could put them at risk for their job because it is able to do these tasks much more efficiently. Assuredly, that is not exactly the case. Hubbert believes that this actually helps these workers because it gets them away from a tedious job and allows them to focus more on other areas, such as innovation. GridApp is certainly pleased by the reaction that their product has gotten, and it is certainly a breath of fresh air within the technology ring. GridApp has focused on the customers' needs in automating, wanting to make it easier for the customers to focus on other central aspects of their jobs. They recognize that people who automate want things done efficiently, organized and done with stability, and Clarity 4.5 provides that with specific databases.
This upgrade provides a huge helping hand in the management world, providing GridApp a "niche" within that specific field. These characteristics of their program can only lead to bigger and better things for a company on the rise in GridApp.
Danny Granatell Wal Mart IT to Improve Healthcare
Danny Granatell
Info Systems
11/23/2008
Wal-Mart Leading Team to Improve Health Care IT
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina several major companies in the United States began to see the need for a better health care information system. The devastating affects Katrina caused the loss of entire medical family histories in New Orleans and other areas of the country. As noted by Vice Chairman John Menzer, "Medical records, property records, court records were lost. Entire family histories -- medical, cultural, and otherwise -- were gone in an instant, and the entire region is still recovering from this massive loss of information." In response, Wal Mart pledged $1 million dollars over the next five years to develop an information system that could store medical records using information technology accessible through the Internet. The leading company, Wal Mart, is working closely with the University of Arkansas and Blue Cross Blue Shield to develop a fully functional database that will store medical records with real time access at any part of the country. This will allow for more efficient and better medical care, as doctors and pharmacists will be able to look up the medical history of a patient via the Internet instead of paper files. The designers also hope that the system will enable them to track the procurement and distribution process to significantly reduce costs and “streamline” operations. They also hope that the system reduces the likelihood of shipping errors that bring unexpected costs. As a result of the reduction in costs, the companies plan to lower the prices of generic prescriptions and drugs for the benefit of the consumer. The system will not only grant people easy access to their medical histories for personal use, but also reduce the costs of medicine enabling less wealthy people more access to these drugs.
In my view the development of such an information system would greatly reduce the inefficiencies that occur in medical practice. Imagine if your medical history was accessible through a database over the Internet. Doctors would have easy access to medical records that would allow them to make quicker and more efficient diagnoses. It would diminish the need for traditional file records, as medical histories could be stored through an online database. The system would also help out college students. I can remember the hassle it was as an incoming freshmen to track down documentation of medical records that were scattered over many hospitals and states. If the system were enabled then I easily could have downloaded my file online and sent it to the health center on campus. In other instances a health care information system would also be useful in the case of serious accidents in which little information is known about the patient. A patient knocked on conscious cannot provide doctors with information regarding what they are allergic to. The new healthcare information system would allow doctors to look up the patient’s medical file and provide the proper medical treatment. The system not only makes medical practice more efficient, but also limits mistakes and errors that could be costly.
Info Systems
11/23/2008
Wal-Mart Leading Team to Improve Health Care IT
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina several major companies in the United States began to see the need for a better health care information system. The devastating affects Katrina caused the loss of entire medical family histories in New Orleans and other areas of the country. As noted by Vice Chairman John Menzer, "Medical records, property records, court records were lost. Entire family histories -- medical, cultural, and otherwise -- were gone in an instant, and the entire region is still recovering from this massive loss of information." In response, Wal Mart pledged $1 million dollars over the next five years to develop an information system that could store medical records using information technology accessible through the Internet. The leading company, Wal Mart, is working closely with the University of Arkansas and Blue Cross Blue Shield to develop a fully functional database that will store medical records with real time access at any part of the country. This will allow for more efficient and better medical care, as doctors and pharmacists will be able to look up the medical history of a patient via the Internet instead of paper files. The designers also hope that the system will enable them to track the procurement and distribution process to significantly reduce costs and “streamline” operations. They also hope that the system reduces the likelihood of shipping errors that bring unexpected costs. As a result of the reduction in costs, the companies plan to lower the prices of generic prescriptions and drugs for the benefit of the consumer. The system will not only grant people easy access to their medical histories for personal use, but also reduce the costs of medicine enabling less wealthy people more access to these drugs.
In my view the development of such an information system would greatly reduce the inefficiencies that occur in medical practice. Imagine if your medical history was accessible through a database over the Internet. Doctors would have easy access to medical records that would allow them to make quicker and more efficient diagnoses. It would diminish the need for traditional file records, as medical histories could be stored through an online database. The system would also help out college students. I can remember the hassle it was as an incoming freshmen to track down documentation of medical records that were scattered over many hospitals and states. If the system were enabled then I easily could have downloaded my file online and sent it to the health center on campus. In other instances a health care information system would also be useful in the case of serious accidents in which little information is known about the patient. A patient knocked on conscious cannot provide doctors with information regarding what they are allergic to. The new healthcare information system would allow doctors to look up the patient’s medical file and provide the proper medical treatment. The system not only makes medical practice more efficient, but also limits mistakes and errors that could be costly.
Monday, December 1, 2008
New Power Devices Getting Closer
Are you sick of your laptop or iPod constantly going out of battery? Does it seem like you spend more time charging your favorite electronic product rather than enjoying it? Well it seems the answer is almost here. Tiny fuel cells, powered by liquids or gasses to generate electricity without combustion, have long been publicized as the eventual solution. These would allow users to skip the wall plug and simply swap out a fuel cartridge to continue listening to music or checking e-mail. Potentially, they could power a laptop for days between refills. Lilliputian Systems Incorporation, a Wilmington, Massachussetts company founded by former Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers, plans to introduce a portable fuel cell late next year for any device that can be charged via a USB port. The cigarette-pack-size charger will use a canister of butane, the same fuel used in cigarette lighters, to juice up anything from iPods to BlackBerrys to GPS Navigators. Each teaspoon of the fuel can provide 20 times the run time of a battery of the same size at a cost of $100 to $150 per device ($1 to $3 for refills).
But you might ask why haven’t researchers been trying to fix this problem a long time ago- it’s a problem everyone suffers from? It turns out the U.S. government removed a key roadblock just this year when the Department of Transportation amended its hazardous materials regulations to allow cells with methanol, butane or formic acid to be carried on airplanes. This opened many doors for innovations. Now other companies such as Panasonic, MTI, and Medis Technologies Ltd have been creating fuel cell products to be sold in the market as soon as 2009. I think this is a great invention and will make life much easier for consumers. Having a weak battery is something everyone hates and this upgrade in technology will let consumers feel secure that their products won’t die on them. What also comes to mind is the idea that consumers are used to getting a free battery charge from any electrical outlet. I wonder how many people would pay for this fuel-celled charger instead of settling for the free alternative. I feel like refill cartridges would have to be as ubiquitous as cigarettes and bottles of Coke in every 7-Eleven in order for fuel cells to take off. Especially with the economy the way it is today, it’s going to have to be pretty efficient for people to spend money on something they can get for free. Lastly, I wonder if these products will overheat after staying on for days at a time. After about three hours you could almost cook an egg on my current laptop so I wonder how developers will approach this problem. Either way this upgrade in technology is a step in the right direction for making technology more suitable for consumers and I’m excited to see what products reach the marketplace.
But you might ask why haven’t researchers been trying to fix this problem a long time ago- it’s a problem everyone suffers from? It turns out the U.S. government removed a key roadblock just this year when the Department of Transportation amended its hazardous materials regulations to allow cells with methanol, butane or formic acid to be carried on airplanes. This opened many doors for innovations. Now other companies such as Panasonic, MTI, and Medis Technologies Ltd have been creating fuel cell products to be sold in the market as soon as 2009. I think this is a great invention and will make life much easier for consumers. Having a weak battery is something everyone hates and this upgrade in technology will let consumers feel secure that their products won’t die on them. What also comes to mind is the idea that consumers are used to getting a free battery charge from any electrical outlet. I wonder how many people would pay for this fuel-celled charger instead of settling for the free alternative. I feel like refill cartridges would have to be as ubiquitous as cigarettes and bottles of Coke in every 7-Eleven in order for fuel cells to take off. Especially with the economy the way it is today, it’s going to have to be pretty efficient for people to spend money on something they can get for free. Lastly, I wonder if these products will overheat after staying on for days at a time. After about three hours you could almost cook an egg on my current laptop so I wonder how developers will approach this problem. Either way this upgrade in technology is a step in the right direction for making technology more suitable for consumers and I’m excited to see what products reach the marketplace.
Hallmark's Project WOW
Since its beginnings in 1910, Hallmark has succeeded in becoming the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1966, this private business, humbly headquartered in Kansas City, made the crossed the pond to international markets, and today has a retail network in over 100 countries, publishing greeting cards in over 30 languages. Hallmark is now making another jump, this time into becoming a technological superstar.
Project WOW, the latest Hallmark initiative, was designed with the goal of wowing customers. The newly-employed technologies allow card purchasers to embed a personal message or sound clip into a deliverable card. This capability is the result of years of hard work by the design, IT and "Advancing Technologies" teams as they collaborated and produced a method to provide Hallmark cards that include, built-in, a computer chip, a battery and a miniature speaker.
Anybody can make a card—a paper and pencil are all that is required—but not everybody can make a card that is different and yet still effective. Hallmark has accomplished this with their audio cards. They were allowed a competitive advantage through their utilization of technology and their trust in their IT teams. As technology becomes even more ubiquitous, I hope that other companies look to this Hallmark innovation and look for competitive advantages within their own information technology groups.
Project WOW, the latest Hallmark initiative, was designed with the goal of wowing customers. The newly-employed technologies allow card purchasers to embed a personal message or sound clip into a deliverable card. This capability is the result of years of hard work by the design, IT and "Advancing Technologies" teams as they collaborated and produced a method to provide Hallmark cards that include, built-in, a computer chip, a battery and a miniature speaker.
Anybody can make a card—a paper and pencil are all that is required—but not everybody can make a card that is different and yet still effective. Hallmark has accomplished this with their audio cards. They were allowed a competitive advantage through their utilization of technology and their trust in their IT teams. As technology becomes even more ubiquitous, I hope that other companies look to this Hallmark innovation and look for competitive advantages within their own information technology groups.
Microsoft To Deliver Movies To Mobile Devices, Eventually
Blockbuster has taken a little longer then most other technology services to develop movies on mobile devices. They are a little behind then that of Apple. But the new service will be more efficient and maybe be able to be powered with a longer battery while be watched in multiply places. The new services will be built on top of Microsoft’s new software platform Live Mesh, a device that uses internet connection to share information in other devices or application. Live Mesh currently allows Microsoft programs to talk to one another, but the software giant says it will eventually support Macs and Windows Mobile smart phones. Blockbuster has been interested in letting consumers view movies on their mobile for some time now. Jim Keyes who is the CEO of the movie rental giants has used a storage device to download rentals and then transferring it to his blackberry. The only problem was trying to make it user friendly and getting it out to the public. "You can see how it would make a lot of sense to give users a way to share the movie they’ve downloaded from the new set-top box onto a mobile phone. But despite the upbeat tone of the story, this is all still theoretical stuff for the company. Blockbuster CIO Keith Morrow said eventually the company “wanted” to give customers access to “any movie on any device” with an internet connection and a screen." Morrow has yet been able to show his confidence in the new device, but has been working on it within the last year. In another way of developing this technology, Blockbuster is more concerned about giving this technology to portable media players for those who travel through Blockbuster kiosks. Morrow has yet to announce when this project will be put in the works. Other ideas that were included was using "Live Mesh to allow a person to pause a movie on one TV and pick it up at the same exact place the show left off in another building and a system that would let parents know if their kids were trying to watch a movie during homework time."
Sunday, November 30, 2008
BluStar Energy Implements New SOA
BluStar Energy Services is a company that buys and then resells electricity to residents and companies in Illinois, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Its wise investment into open source Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) has saved it $24 million dollars over the past five years and has made it one of the most efficient companies in the area. SOA is an IT infrastructure that allows different applications to exchange data with one another as they participate in business processes. BluStar has successfully implemented this into their business and has allowed them to manage the flow of information across the multiple parties it deals with such as power generators, transmission operators, local distribution companies, and its customers. SOA has also allowed its customers to specify the type of energy it wants whether is be green, renewable, energy or brown energy that has carbon offsets. SOA has also allowed for BluStar to monitor its customers’ hourly electricity usage and bill them for it.
What is unique about BluStar is that it had the opportunity to simply buy off-the-shelf Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) packages but believed that these packages were not flexible enough for the services it wanted to provide so it built a SOA from scratch that tailored to its exact needs. It is now able to respond to the market very quickly so that if green energy suddenly becomes important to its customers, it can rapidly adapt to meet their needs. They do not have a gigantic server that runs all of their service operations but rather BluStar has single services scattered across their network, which allows for an easy fix if one service dies. BluStar management says that their goal was to have a very stable business infrastructure. The success of BluStar is mainly due to the early recognition and understanding of its business goals, and the implementing of a SOA was the way that its IT met them. In today’s markets it is understood that most businesses will need some form of IT, but the success of the business is reliant upon the manner in which the business shapes the IT to tailor to its needs.
What is unique about BluStar is that it had the opportunity to simply buy off-the-shelf Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) packages but believed that these packages were not flexible enough for the services it wanted to provide so it built a SOA from scratch that tailored to its exact needs. It is now able to respond to the market very quickly so that if green energy suddenly becomes important to its customers, it can rapidly adapt to meet their needs. They do not have a gigantic server that runs all of their service operations but rather BluStar has single services scattered across their network, which allows for an easy fix if one service dies. BluStar management says that their goal was to have a very stable business infrastructure. The success of BluStar is mainly due to the early recognition and understanding of its business goals, and the implementing of a SOA was the way that its IT met them. In today’s markets it is understood that most businesses will need some form of IT, but the success of the business is reliant upon the manner in which the business shapes the IT to tailor to its needs.
Hallmark Wows its Customers With IT
The big power companies aren’t the only ones using technology, intelligence, and insight to further themselves in the information technology war. Although invisible to the consumers’ eyes, it seems that every company is reaping the benefits of having IT teams, dedicated to creating new and exciting products. For example, Hallmark, the producer of cards for over 100 years, is using technology to “wow” its consumers. Specifically, their product is called Project WOW, which is a series of greeting cards that include a sound bite or part of a song. Back in 1910, ideas of a recorded greeting in a birthday card, for example were deemed impossible. Yet today, Hallmark is using information technology to create a fresh, new way to say “Happy Birthday!”
The science behind Project WOW is ingenious. After much research, the IT, design, and Advancing Technologies teams worked together to create a Hallmark card that included a computer chip, battery, and a high-quality miniature loudspeaker, which were all built into the card. The audio greeting card has been a very successful project and Hallmark sees it as an asset that they dedicate a significant amount of support to IT.
The craft of card making is something that anybody can do, in a factory or on his or her desktop at home. This great accessibility to make cards thus makes the business very competitive. As a top maker of card, it is obvious that Hallmark needs to have that competitive advantage that sets it apart from the rest. Its use of information technology to create a card that can speak to its consumer is an example of their great insight and intuitive, which is why it is a top producer of greeting cards. As they continue to challenge their card-producing boundaries, I foresee a great dependence on information technology in order to do so.
The science behind Project WOW is ingenious. After much research, the IT, design, and Advancing Technologies teams worked together to create a Hallmark card that included a computer chip, battery, and a high-quality miniature loudspeaker, which were all built into the card. The audio greeting card has been a very successful project and Hallmark sees it as an asset that they dedicate a significant amount of support to IT.
The craft of card making is something that anybody can do, in a factory or on his or her desktop at home. This great accessibility to make cards thus makes the business very competitive. As a top maker of card, it is obvious that Hallmark needs to have that competitive advantage that sets it apart from the rest. Its use of information technology to create a card that can speak to its consumer is an example of their great insight and intuitive, which is why it is a top producer of greeting cards. As they continue to challenge their card-producing boundaries, I foresee a great dependence on information technology in order to do so.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Blockbuster to rent through new on-demand device
Are you a former vistor of a Blockbuster store who has in the past few years converted over to the every growing Netflix company? If so, you are among the majority. It is no secret that since Netflix has come into the scene Blockbuster's losses have just kept coming. Since 2001, Blockbuster has lost nearly $4.5 billion due to the convience and popularity of their rival, Netflix. Over the past few years, Blockbuster has had to shut down hundreds of their stores. It is clear that if Blockbuster wishes to remain in business, they need to think of a way to reinvent their company to make it more appealing to customers than using Netflix. Blockbuster has recently released their intention to use a new gadget that should help them get back their customer base. The device is a small box which connects to television sets. The device downloads movies and television shows over high speed internet which are then stored after. The idea branches off other devices made my Apple and other companies whose goal is to make connections between television and the internet. While Blockbuster has used other programs to rent out to customers, this device will appeal to a wider range of people who prefer to watch their T.V. on large screens. Although the amount of movies this service is starting at a much lower number than Netflix currently offers, their main focus is "quality over quantity." They are aiming to offer more recent, popular films. It is also believed that this service will provide a better quality film because "all the video will be stored on the 2Wire box."
I think that this sounds like a very innovative device. While Blockbuster believes their stores will still be used, it is obvious that everything is moving into the direction of more convient, faster, and better qualtiy products. I think that this sounds like a device with a very high potential. It is unfortunate that Blockbuster has been hit so hard by the popularity of Netflix, but with this new technology, I think they have great potential in taking back the majority of movie renting customers. I would definitely consider getting this device and hope that all of their plans for it work out. I think that Netflix offered something cheaper and more convient for movie watchers and I think that this device should do the same, with better quality. I am interested to see how successful this new technology becomes and am definitely rooting for Blockbuster.
I think that this sounds like a very innovative device. While Blockbuster believes their stores will still be used, it is obvious that everything is moving into the direction of more convient, faster, and better qualtiy products. I think that this sounds like a device with a very high potential. It is unfortunate that Blockbuster has been hit so hard by the popularity of Netflix, but with this new technology, I think they have great potential in taking back the majority of movie renting customers. I would definitely consider getting this device and hope that all of their plans for it work out. I think that Netflix offered something cheaper and more convient for movie watchers and I think that this device should do the same, with better quality. I am interested to see how successful this new technology becomes and am definitely rooting for Blockbuster.
Visual Computing Will Change Your Life
When was the last time you checked your e-mail? Logged into Facebook? Downloaded a song from iTunes? Watched a video on YouTube? In this generation, computers are no longer used for simple word processing or spreadsheets. Over the years computers have been equipped to work harder while we sit back and enjoy the 3D living color and sound. This 3D computing software is not only used my consumers, but also other industries, including graphics designers, oil companies, and pharmaceutical compounds. While these businesses have found 3D computing very useful, there are some businesses that still use simple character-oriented programs, which deal with simple letters and numbers, rather than graphics.
This 3D computing software includes three major components: data visualization, videoconferencing and on-demand video. Visualization helps to detect patterns and organize data in a more effective and timely manner. Companies can use this feature to keep track of inventory or even medical records. In addition to large data-set visualization, this software enables video chatting and on-demand video. Constant travel can become costly for a business. This concept of video conferencing saves money on airfare and hotels. However, videoconferencing is still rather expensive but will become more popular as it advances. Finally, on-demand video can create a more interesting website with videos rather than text.
Not all companies have adopted this new software due to the amount of updates that it requires. Bandwidth, the latest equipment and a lot of money are necessary to join this video revolution. Fortunately, the software is improving and becoming less costly. I think that regardless of all the necessary updates, this 3D computing is crucial for a company. While it has not picked up enough momentum to be essential for a company’s success, I think that almost every company will be using this software in the near future. Change is unavoidable once all the features have been perfected.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2008/tc2008103_228076_page_2.htm
IT Compliance in a post Enron world
Welcome to Statement on Auditing Standards or SAS-70. The corporate scandals at Enron, Tyco and Worldcom, have dictated that corporate compliance become a huge priority at companies of all sizes and from all industries, and SAS-70 has become the standard for auditing information technology providers. In the last five years, IT departments have seen great increases in regulations associated with corporate compliance in their industries, especially in many fortune 500 companies whichin which the software is used.
I found this article to be particularly interesting because we hear so often about the regulations that have come into place because of the Sarbanes Oxley Act following Enron and other disasters, yet we are never told how these regulations are upheld. Information Technology picks up the grunt work where the people leave off. It is truly interesting to see how Information Technology alone can keep a company on the straight and narrow, allowing them little deviation to stray as is the case with SAS-70. Ideally SAS-70 will keep further mishaps from occuring in the business world.
I found this article to be particularly interesting because we hear so often about the regulations that have come into place because of the Sarbanes Oxley Act following Enron and other disasters, yet we are never told how these regulations are upheld. Information Technology picks up the grunt work where the people leave off. It is truly interesting to see how Information Technology alone can keep a company on the straight and narrow, allowing them little deviation to stray as is the case with SAS-70. Ideally SAS-70 will keep further mishaps from occuring in the business world.
Law Firm moves online to offer cheaper services
It is no secret that we live in a technology age. New innovations are constantly changing the face of companies and making everyday tasks a lot easier for the average person to accomplish. The Internet, arguably one of the best pieces of technology out there, has completely changed the world we live in. We have the ability to research, shop, communicate, publish, and search for and find information, all of this lies right at our finger tips. Now, one more company has turned to the Internet to make their services more available to people all over, and that company is Axiom.
What is Axiom? I had never heard of it before and I am sure that most people haven't either, but suprisngly enough, it is a law firm. I was shocked to hear that a law firm could some how be internet-connected, other then recieving emails through their office. Axiom is a relatively new San Franciso based law firm created in the year 2000 to completely change the face of the law industry as we know it. The company office is not the typical home to a law firm, but instead it is simply a small, chic space filled with computers and other technologically related devices. People who "work in the office," the main one located in San Franciso, are simply there to manage "client relatonships" and find "corporate work." I find that job to be a little ironic since the management of the client relatonships is done through a computer screen, however, it must be working since Axiom has proven to be successful so far. There are 216 people who do the "lawyering" for the company and they are located throughout San Fransico, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and London. These people do not go into the office or have the typical 9-5 work hour schedule because with the internet-connected law firm, they are able to work from their homes or meet with their client's wherever they work. They can also, according to the article, decide and choose what type of clients they want. All of the lawyers can use Axiom's website, which is very well-constructed, as a form for legal disucssion. Basically, Axiom is a pioneer in it's field. It has very boldy used information technology to gain a competitve edge over other law firms, and to truly change the "business of law."
And I believe that Axiom is genuis. The advantages of Axiom are endless. First of all, the article said that Axiom is legally considered a corporation, unlike other firms which are usually partnerships. I think that this difference means a lot more equal working hours and salaries. My father is a lawyer and as he nears his retirement, he has switched firms. His old firm, where he worked long hours traveling to courts all over New Jersey, and constantly working with tedious paperwork, was a partnership where the partner consistently made a large sum of money and worked about half the amount that he worked. I told him about Aviom and while he hadn't heard of it yet, he said that he would love doing something like that. I believe Axiom provides something for everyone. The lawyers who work there would probably, like my father, be a little bit older with many, many years of work experience to provide to their clients and the clients would be exposed to these services at a much cheaper price. Axiom is able to provide service fees up to "50% cheaper than those of more traditional, top law firms since it doesn't spend money on a nice office, and have partners and billing in six-minute increments." Also, clients could meet on their schedules in the comfort of their own workplace. Essientally, the lawyer is coming to YOU. Who wouldn't like this?
It makes perfect sense to me that this company is continuing to generate revenue each year and that companies are investing in it. Companies, especially today, love the advantages and competitive edge that technology gives them and following that logic, of course they would invest in a law firm that mirrors their thought process.
I was and still am fascinated by Axiom. I predict that more and more law firms will want to follow this trend and begin becoming technologically equipped and connected to their clients. If Axiom continues to make it big, does this mean that the future of law will be changed forever? I hope so and I actually can't understand how the idea hasn't caught on fire yet.
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/24/technology/axiom_legal.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008112512
What is Axiom? I had never heard of it before and I am sure that most people haven't either, but suprisngly enough, it is a law firm. I was shocked to hear that a law firm could some how be internet-connected, other then recieving emails through their office. Axiom is a relatively new San Franciso based law firm created in the year 2000 to completely change the face of the law industry as we know it. The company office is not the typical home to a law firm, but instead it is simply a small, chic space filled with computers and other technologically related devices. People who "work in the office," the main one located in San Franciso, are simply there to manage "client relatonships" and find "corporate work." I find that job to be a little ironic since the management of the client relatonships is done through a computer screen, however, it must be working since Axiom has proven to be successful so far. There are 216 people who do the "lawyering" for the company and they are located throughout San Fransico, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and London. These people do not go into the office or have the typical 9-5 work hour schedule because with the internet-connected law firm, they are able to work from their homes or meet with their client's wherever they work. They can also, according to the article, decide and choose what type of clients they want. All of the lawyers can use Axiom's website, which is very well-constructed, as a form for legal disucssion. Basically, Axiom is a pioneer in it's field. It has very boldy used information technology to gain a competitve edge over other law firms, and to truly change the "business of law."
And I believe that Axiom is genuis. The advantages of Axiom are endless. First of all, the article said that Axiom is legally considered a corporation, unlike other firms which are usually partnerships. I think that this difference means a lot more equal working hours and salaries. My father is a lawyer and as he nears his retirement, he has switched firms. His old firm, where he worked long hours traveling to courts all over New Jersey, and constantly working with tedious paperwork, was a partnership where the partner consistently made a large sum of money and worked about half the amount that he worked. I told him about Aviom and while he hadn't heard of it yet, he said that he would love doing something like that. I believe Axiom provides something for everyone. The lawyers who work there would probably, like my father, be a little bit older with many, many years of work experience to provide to their clients and the clients would be exposed to these services at a much cheaper price. Axiom is able to provide service fees up to "50% cheaper than those of more traditional, top law firms since it doesn't spend money on a nice office, and have partners and billing in six-minute increments." Also, clients could meet on their schedules in the comfort of their own workplace. Essientally, the lawyer is coming to YOU. Who wouldn't like this?
It makes perfect sense to me that this company is continuing to generate revenue each year and that companies are investing in it. Companies, especially today, love the advantages and competitive edge that technology gives them and following that logic, of course they would invest in a law firm that mirrors their thought process.
I was and still am fascinated by Axiom. I predict that more and more law firms will want to follow this trend and begin becoming technologically equipped and connected to their clients. If Axiom continues to make it big, does this mean that the future of law will be changed forever? I hope so and I actually can't understand how the idea hasn't caught on fire yet.
Source: http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/24/technology/axiom_legal.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008112512
Supercomputing "brain-like" computers
Technology, especially computers seem to get more and more advanced by the day. When you buy a computer, it seems that it is out of date within the same month of purchase. There are always upgrades that need to be installed and after about three to four years, you need to buy a new computer to keep up with the latest technology. Computers back in the day were basically just used for typing and other minute tasks. Now computers can do almost anything. A lot of computers have built in cameras so you can talk to someone and see them, even if they are in another country. Also, some computers are great with graphic imaging and even writing music or making videos.
Today companies are working on “brain like” computers where computers are being put together similar to the human brain. “IBM has announced it will lead a US government-funded collaboration to make electronic circuits that mimic brains.” This job will require the help of neurobiologists, computer and materials scientists and psychologist. The US defense agency has giving IBM $4.9 million to start its research. They are studying simple animals brains to learn about the inner workings like neurons and the synapses, which connect them. This new supercomputing will hopefully be able to work like a brain and be able to problem solve and think just like humans do. One of the major problems is finding materials that will be able to perform the same functions as in the brain. For example, synapses break, weaken and are even strengthened by the signals that pass through them. Finding a material that will be able to do this is going to be very difficult.
I am not sure exactly how I feel about this new super advanced technology. I think that this new advancement is extremely interesting and there is nothing else even close to it but at the same time I am not sure if it is totally necessary. I understand that the government would want something this advanced for their usage but for everyday people, I am not sure if it is needed. A lot of adults today still don’t know how to use the new technology like options on the computer and their cell phones. Introducing something like this, as a household computer would be way too advanced for our everyday society. I understand that this wouldn’t be available for many years, so maybe then it could be possible to open it up to everyday people. I also think that if they are able to make such advanced technology like a computer that works like a brain, I don’t understand how they don’t have technology that can be used to get rid of viruses and sicknesses like cancer. People donate millions of dollars to find a cure for cancer but for some reason we just don’t have the technology for it. How is that possible? We are able to build a computer that can think and perform functions that only our brain can do.
BBC News
Today companies are working on “brain like” computers where computers are being put together similar to the human brain. “IBM has announced it will lead a US government-funded collaboration to make electronic circuits that mimic brains.” This job will require the help of neurobiologists, computer and materials scientists and psychologist. The US defense agency has giving IBM $4.9 million to start its research. They are studying simple animals brains to learn about the inner workings like neurons and the synapses, which connect them. This new supercomputing will hopefully be able to work like a brain and be able to problem solve and think just like humans do. One of the major problems is finding materials that will be able to perform the same functions as in the brain. For example, synapses break, weaken and are even strengthened by the signals that pass through them. Finding a material that will be able to do this is going to be very difficult.
I am not sure exactly how I feel about this new super advanced technology. I think that this new advancement is extremely interesting and there is nothing else even close to it but at the same time I am not sure if it is totally necessary. I understand that the government would want something this advanced for their usage but for everyday people, I am not sure if it is needed. A lot of adults today still don’t know how to use the new technology like options on the computer and their cell phones. Introducing something like this, as a household computer would be way too advanced for our everyday society. I understand that this wouldn’t be available for many years, so maybe then it could be possible to open it up to everyday people. I also think that if they are able to make such advanced technology like a computer that works like a brain, I don’t understand how they don’t have technology that can be used to get rid of viruses and sicknesses like cancer. People donate millions of dollars to find a cure for cancer but for some reason we just don’t have the technology for it. How is that possible? We are able to build a computer that can think and perform functions that only our brain can do.
BBC News
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Brave New World
The political community is very excited these days about the forthcoming launch of Barack Obama 2.0, a cutting-edge plan for effective governance in the Internet era. The heady expectation is that the new president will usher in a brave new world of communication, using the power of the web to conduct an unprecedented two-way conversation with citizens, all in the interests of providing the change they seek.
Steps have already been taken to see this revolutionary idea through. Obama delivered his first YouTube address the other day and members of his transition team are talking about their work in videos posted on change.gov, the official website of the president-in-waiting. Obama’s boosters argue that it all makes perfect sense; given the fact that the candidate broke new ground by successfully harnessing the Internet, who’s to say that he can’t similarly revolutionize the art of governing?
Obama’s ambition, a laudable one, is to maximize his political capital by communicating online with the 10 million supporters on his e-list – and, hopefully, doing broadband outreach to millions more. The goal is to engage the citizenry in the unsexy process of governing, to build and sustain support for his policy initiatives, to put pressure on recalcitrant congressman by rallying the grassroots. Regarding the latter, political consultant Joe Trippi recently predicted that the Internet “will be a power that no American president has had before. Congress’ power will be taken over by the American people.”
I think this is an extremely important step, as being the President of the United States now is much different than it was one hundred years ago. Technology is rapidly advancing, and by opening the lines of communication via the internet for the President and the people, the proper steps can be taken to fully realize our potential for communication channels.
Steps have already been taken to see this revolutionary idea through. Obama delivered his first YouTube address the other day and members of his transition team are talking about their work in videos posted on change.gov, the official website of the president-in-waiting. Obama’s boosters argue that it all makes perfect sense; given the fact that the candidate broke new ground by successfully harnessing the Internet, who’s to say that he can’t similarly revolutionize the art of governing?
Obama’s ambition, a laudable one, is to maximize his political capital by communicating online with the 10 million supporters on his e-list – and, hopefully, doing broadband outreach to millions more. The goal is to engage the citizenry in the unsexy process of governing, to build and sustain support for his policy initiatives, to put pressure on recalcitrant congressman by rallying the grassroots. Regarding the latter, political consultant Joe Trippi recently predicted that the Internet “will be a power that no American president has had before. Congress’ power will be taken over by the American people.”
I think this is an extremely important step, as being the President of the United States now is much different than it was one hundred years ago. Technology is rapidly advancing, and by opening the lines of communication via the internet for the President and the people, the proper steps can be taken to fully realize our potential for communication channels.
Samsung Installing Charging Stations At Airports
Many travelers often complain of the hassles of traveling through the air, especially during the holiday seasons. With unexpected lines and flight delays, travelers often miscalculate the time that they need to charge their cell phones to keep the battery alive. With a dead cell phone battery, very important calls and e-mails are unable to be received. Acting upon this common knowledge, Samsung plans to have over one hundred charging stations installed in three of the nation’s busiest airports. Along with the marketing advantage, Samsung cell phones will be favored by those charging stations. Samsung also plans to put small shelves in the stations to hold the device being charges.
This push will be the largest number of charging stations Samsung has announced in one day said CIO Bill Ogle. He commented that these charging stations will reduce stress, keep families connected, and provide a much-needed convenience to travelers trying to reach their destinations. By the end of 2008, it is said that Samsung will have installed over fourty stations in Miami International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Washington Dulles Airport. "Providing electronics outlets for passengers to charge their gadgets while they're on the go to Bush Intercontinental's 105 domestic and nearly 70 international destinations will definitely be a plus for them," said Rob Wigington, the Houston airport's system deputy director.
These charging stations are only one of the newest technological developments that will revolutionize the ease of airport travel. Airline companies are most recently developing programs that might allow flyers to present their boarding passes through their cell phones. Pulling up the boarding passes will not be a future problem because many airports and airlines are implementing in-flight Wi-Fi. This latest technological advance could revolutionize the airline industry.
This push will be the largest number of charging stations Samsung has announced in one day said CIO Bill Ogle. He commented that these charging stations will reduce stress, keep families connected, and provide a much-needed convenience to travelers trying to reach their destinations. By the end of 2008, it is said that Samsung will have installed over fourty stations in Miami International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Washington Dulles Airport. "Providing electronics outlets for passengers to charge their gadgets while they're on the go to Bush Intercontinental's 105 domestic and nearly 70 international destinations will definitely be a plus for them," said Rob Wigington, the Houston airport's system deputy director.
These charging stations are only one of the newest technological developments that will revolutionize the ease of airport travel. Airline companies are most recently developing programs that might allow flyers to present their boarding passes through their cell phones. Pulling up the boarding passes will not be a future problem because many airports and airlines are implementing in-flight Wi-Fi. This latest technological advance could revolutionize the airline industry.
HP Revamps Online Customer Support
Just last week, Hewlett-Packard did a restructuring of its online customer support. When buyers of its consumer notebooks, desktops, printers, and monitors need help using their products, they can access a peer-to-peer support forum in which members can trade tips and answer each other's questions regarding HP products. Another aspect of the revamp includes free online classes that educate consumers on subjects such as wireless computing as well as building digital scrapbooks. One more component of the overhaul includes the addition of online video which aims to provide tips and tutorials on topics such as connecting dual monitors and configuring a TV tuner on a PC.
According to HP, the overarching goal of this overhaul is to increase customer satisfaction. Tara Bunch, VP for global customer support operations for HP, articulated this view in a statement, claiming that the new support system’s main function of enabling “customers to assist each other through a community and get better support online helps us achieve our goal of improving customer satisfaction worldwide”.[1] In fact, an increase in traffic to the company’s Customer Care site initially spurred HP to make the changes. As more and more customers began to use the online support system, HP wanted to make it more helpful and manageable as a big increase in traffic has the potential for a greater number of dissatisfied customers who find the system to be ineffective. HP realizes that a less than optimal experience with a company can encourage customers to change companies or maybe even return the product for a refund. Therefore, HP would rather give their customers positive experiences than lose them to competitors when customers choose to switch companies after having a negative interaction with HP’s support system.
HP claims that such improvements in its customer technical support have helped it achieve a thirty percent increase in buyer satisfaction. However, aside from this increase in buyer satisfaction, an online support system has two other major advantages. First, vendors monitor these forums in an effort to identify problems with products as well as to gather customer feedback. Second, online services help to cut down on expensive phone support.
I think it’s pretty clear by now that the revamping of HP’s online support system is helping the company to strengthen its customer relationship management system. A primary objective of one of these systems is to increase revenue by providing delightful experiences for the customer. As mentioned above, it sounds as though that HP’s new support system is easy to use and effective and the increase in customer satisfaction indicates that many of its customers are having very delightful experiences with the system. Indeed, the support system is helping HP achieve two of the most important goals of a CRM system. It’s enabling the company to better serve its customers and to treat them better by allowing them to improve the quality of their products as well as gain insight into their feelings and attitudes towards the company via customer feedback. Ultimately, HP’s superior performance in the CRM function of providing after sale service and support should give the company a competitive advantage. Not only does the new support system allow HP to better serve its customers, but it also has the added benefit of cutting costs as it greatly reduces the need for additional employees to administer expensive phone support. The only apparent downside to such a system is that customers won’t always know all of the answers to difficult questions and some customers may become frustrated when they can’t get advice from a real expert. However, overall it appears as though HP is moving in the right direction as the benefits of this new system largely outweigh the costs.
Companies Eye Location-Services Market
Tracking devices have recently become more popular in our society. But what about tracking devices for people? Location based servers are now looking to find carriers to supply developers with location information in order for people to gain the opportunity to track others via cell-phone. Both Nokia and Google are working together along with several technology start-ups to help. So far, they have had difficulty bringing them into markets because of the complex coordination that is required. Their only idea for compromise thus far, is an exchange between location information and selling ads on their website to advertise.
Many new phones come with GPS systems that can tap into the satellites or nearby cell phone towers to locate a particular phone. Phones with Wi-Fi transponders may also get additional information by finding the nearest hot spot. Nokia is well on their way to success. 70% of their latest cell phone models have a built in GPS system and their next step is to open a location platform. On the other hand, Google has done the same thing without the need for GPS chips. They have used only information about Wi-Fi spots and cell phone towers to acquire this information.
This idea may be plausible in cases involving a person's safety, or even to find the locations of restaurants, homes, stadiums or anywhere you need to go, but if anyone can potentially find your location, to me, this sounds a little creepy. Of course, there will be a price placed on the location of your cell phone, but nothing that is not affordable. I don't know if I would want strangers, or even my friends to know exactly where I was in each moment. A little privacy is nice.
Many new phones come with GPS systems that can tap into the satellites or nearby cell phone towers to locate a particular phone. Phones with Wi-Fi transponders may also get additional information by finding the nearest hot spot. Nokia is well on their way to success. 70% of their latest cell phone models have a built in GPS system and their next step is to open a location platform. On the other hand, Google has done the same thing without the need for GPS chips. They have used only information about Wi-Fi spots and cell phone towers to acquire this information.
This idea may be plausible in cases involving a person's safety, or even to find the locations of restaurants, homes, stadiums or anywhere you need to go, but if anyone can potentially find your location, to me, this sounds a little creepy. Of course, there will be a price placed on the location of your cell phone, but nothing that is not affordable. I don't know if I would want strangers, or even my friends to know exactly where I was in each moment. A little privacy is nice.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Extra Credit Lecture
The lecture given by Matt Lazenby and Brian Sullivan from Sogeti USA was both informative and interesting. Brian Sullivan made it clear that MIS is not just about computers and coding, but can have a big business aspect too. He helped us realize the possibilites we can have if we are MIS majors. However, he also noted that it is never too late to become involved in this field since he himself was a general business major and a marketing minor. Brian Sullivan's enthusiasm kept my attention and even got my excited to join the work force after graduation. He highlighted four main aspects of life after college and told us how we can apply them to better ourselves and our success. The first idea he talked about was competition. To keep the lecture fun, he showed a clip of cheetas chasing eachother and had a man appear out of no where and reach the target cheeta first. Through this example, he was trying to show us that competition can come out of no where so it is important to set ourselves apart from other people by accomplishing everything we possibly can, despite the current state of our competitors. He then spoke about communication. He showed us many quotes from former Loyola students who have gone on to accomplish great things. One point an Alum made was that it is not always the exact material that we learn at Loyola that will be used in the real world but rather the skills we acquired. Next he spoke about the need for direction and set goals. Finally, he spoke about opportunity. Basically he stressed that we need to take every opportunity we are offered. To show how life changing a single opportunity can be, he told us a story about his own life. As a young man he waited tables and one day when he told a person he was waiting on that he would be graduating in the spring, the man gave him his business card and said to give him a call. The summer after his graduation, he called the man and was given a job a Xerox. At a party for employees early on in this job, he met a woman that would later become his wife. Overall, Brian Sullivan and Matt Lazenby gave a very informative lecture.The combination of Brian Sullivan's excitement and enthusiasm as well as his desire to help us in any way he could made the lecture very worth while.
Extra Credit Lecture in Knott Hall
Today I attended the lecture in Knott Hall which featured a speaker from Sogeti USA, a company that works with clients to design, develop, and implement business solutions. Brain Sullivan the VP and Matt Lazenby a recruiter came and spoke to us in Knott Hall. I enjoyed the presentation they gave and they made it very interesting and applicable. The power point presentation was very interesting and I learned that a degree in MIS can prove to be very helpful and not as restricting as I thought. During the Power Point there were four main words that were used to describe careers one can achieve with a degree in MIS. The words include competition, communication, direction, and opportunity. They introduced each word with a video clip that gave us an idea about what they were going to be telling us. Competition is all around us and if you are not top of your game anyone can come up from behind you and take your job or potential job. Without communication we can not accomplish our goals and it is important that we work with the others around us to do the best job possible. We all need direction as well. They stressed the importance of having direction and setting goals. Opportunity was what I though was most interesting that we discussed. During each of the topics there was a quote from mostly Loyola graduates who were MIS majors and what I learned was interesting. MIS can give you opportunities that I was not aware of. The people who gave quotes ranged from the director of e-commerce for Under Armor to a woman who worked in a bank and dealt with customers on a daily basis. This lecture was very informative and Brian Sullivan had great energy and really kept everyone’s attention.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Future Role of ICT in Meeting Operational Challenges in Energy Utilities
In an ever-changing business world, the energy industry relies on innovational technology to meet market demands. Companies understand the important of the role of technology and the positive possibilities up-to-date technology brings. In the article I read, it exemplified several different market trends that will govern how energy companies use/invest in their new technology and how they will chose to run their business. Some examples include merger and acquisition activity, climate change, government policy and regulation, rapid shifts in consumer demands patterns, and the renewable energy debate. The company must also determine how it will be the most operationally efficient throughout the entire company. This will help greatly reduce costs. Although cutting costs is a goal of nearly all companies, with the increase of M &A’s companies must now manage a larger set of assets, while trying to drive down costs. The main idea is to cut costs without conceding any quality or capability of the operating systems. It is particularly essential to think about the three C’s (Condition or health of the systems, Capability (today and in the future), and Capacity). In the business world today it is imperative to have a modern and quick communications infrastructure. Everyday the amount of information available is increasing and if technological innovations are not made in the communications field, companies will be left behind. For example, page 5 of the article states, “databases will need enhancing to be capable of handling massively increased amounts of data in real-time, billing systems will need upgrading, network bandwidth will need improvement, and customer management processes will have to be transformed”. These necessary advances will take place in the near future as well, absolutely within in 15 years for most companies. The bottom line is that companies must prepare for investment in new technology and make smart technological investments as well. The rapid modernization of technology on a daily basis is intriguing to me. In my opinion, I not only agree with the article, but I believe that our technological growth is growing exponentially. In the upcoming years, it will take close monitoring of the success of a company’s information and communication systems to make sure that company doesn’t fall behind in their particular industry. I feel as if this is currently happening at a greater pace, especially with the United States and international markets struggling. Companies are fighting for that technology edge in their field and at this point, with the world’s economy on thin ice, they are fighting for their lives. Take the Grand River Dam Authority for example, their CEO looked at two questions concerning his company, “where are we, and where do we need to be? He realized that his systems needed upgrading and that his existing infrastructure was unable to meet regulation standards. In my mind, this article illustrates how companies must take a particular interest in technological innovation and focus on informational communication as top priority.
Written by Danny Orr
Source: http://next-generation-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/business-critical-communications/articles/43562-future-role-ict-meeting-operational-challenges-energy-utilities.htm
Written by Danny Orr
Source: http://next-generation-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/business-critical-communications/articles/43562-future-role-ict-meeting-operational-challenges-energy-utilities.htm
No need to touch
With the new advances in technology there is no surprise that in a short period of time that touches screens will become obsolete. The Microsoft Corporation is in the process of developing a new technology called SideSight that uses inferred sensors, they can sense up to 10 cm from the side of the phone or mobile device. This technology allows you to both scroll and search the internet without ever having to touch anything except for thin air. There will also be an option where you can use a pen to mark up the screen with notations; you could mark the internet, important documents, etc. This technology will forever change the size of the technology that is released. Cell phones, PDA’s and all other handheld devices will become smaller and smaller without the necessity to touch the screen or any buttons. This will also change the IT world forever; it will make both travel and everyday use of mobile devices both faster and more convenient. There are only a couple things wrong with the SideSight software that Microsoft is in the process of making. First it will be difficult to control the inferred sensors; the phone or mobile device may move the screen or scroll when you do not want it to. The other problem is that the sensors are only fast enough to move at 11 screens per second and Microsoft wants to get that number up to 20 screens per second before they release the technology to the public. This technology will not just impact the use and speed of IT but it will also change the carriers that companies use. Since Microsoft will obviously not release the technology to apple for the Iphone, companies will be hesitant to use AT&T and the Iphone and will choose to give their business the carrier that has the rights to the new technology. I am really hesitant to believe that this SideSight technology will actually work, it seems that it is pretty farfetched to move a screen without touching it, I think that the software will lag and not work very efficiently. In summary if Microsoft is able to fully develop this software it will change the way IT is used for ever, things will be done more quickly, and people will be able to hold actual computers at the palm of their hands. With this type of innovation the rate at which mobile devices srink is unpredictable.
Land Information Systems Are Transforming Community Development, New Lincoln Institute...
Recently, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge Mass. has developed a new social use for information systems in declining neighborhoods. The new technologies that are being developed are aimed at revitalizing our countries declining neighborhoods. The information systems help to target failing neighborhoods and help protect them from foreclosures and “home-flippers.” The new systems also help to develop plans for which type of public works would be most valued within a given region. Researchers here have developed new technologies which will enable them to restore urban areas which are in decay, and vitalize land values and overall quality of the areas. These new technologies have been very successful in facilitating revitalization, improving vacant lots, building on affordable housing initiatives, heading off foreclosures, or integrating neighborhood efforts into a larger regional framework.
I think that this is a much better use for technology innovation then simply increasing profits and productivity within a company. If more technologies such as these were being developed and implemented, it would go a very long way to help the economy, and thus booster businesses across the nation.
It was stated within the article that these new technologies that were developed were able to rehabilitate and renovate over 150 acres of abandoned lots into a vibrant neighborhood with affordable housing for its residents. This is the kind of progress that we need as a society, affordable housing which benefits everyone. We have come to a point in our society where we should at least be able to eliminate poverty within our own borders, and this new technology is the first step in doing so.
While technology is important to businesses for their day to day procedures, I believe that the focus of new technologies should be something that everyone can profit from, rather than solely a company which will only use it to cut costs. By using information systems to help the greater good, we become more productive and efficient as a society. By eliminating the poverty that exists in many regions across the United States of America, we are then as a nation more prepared to advance our society both socially and economically.
It is important to understand that technology is more then just a way to become more efficient in our day to day operations or even in the day to day operations as a company. Technology is a way for us to be more efficient and informed as a society, and thus affect both businesses and individuals. If we devote our energies to solving the separation of wealth within this country, all of our other problems will be less significant, and our workforce will be more capable then ever.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS130710+19-Mar-2008+PRN20080319
I think that this is a much better use for technology innovation then simply increasing profits and productivity within a company. If more technologies such as these were being developed and implemented, it would go a very long way to help the economy, and thus booster businesses across the nation.
It was stated within the article that these new technologies that were developed were able to rehabilitate and renovate over 150 acres of abandoned lots into a vibrant neighborhood with affordable housing for its residents. This is the kind of progress that we need as a society, affordable housing which benefits everyone. We have come to a point in our society where we should at least be able to eliminate poverty within our own borders, and this new technology is the first step in doing so.
While technology is important to businesses for their day to day procedures, I believe that the focus of new technologies should be something that everyone can profit from, rather than solely a company which will only use it to cut costs. By using information systems to help the greater good, we become more productive and efficient as a society. By eliminating the poverty that exists in many regions across the United States of America, we are then as a nation more prepared to advance our society both socially and economically.
It is important to understand that technology is more then just a way to become more efficient in our day to day operations or even in the day to day operations as a company. Technology is a way for us to be more efficient and informed as a society, and thus affect both businesses and individuals. If we devote our energies to solving the separation of wealth within this country, all of our other problems will be less significant, and our workforce will be more capable then ever.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS130710+19-Mar-2008+PRN20080319
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
IT at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is a leader in the IT world. The company is constantly trying to improve its IT infrastructure in order to make its daily business practices faster, cheaper, and more convenient. Wal-Mart does this, yet still manages to spend less than 1% of its global revenue on IT. Wal-Mart is currently developing a system that will automatically trigger a purchase order for a new product the moment it is taken off the shelves in a given store. This is an example how Wal-Mart encourages its suppliers to upgrade their IT as well so that the entire purchase and sale of items is easier on both ends.
I think that what Wal-Mart is doing as far as encouraging its suppliers to upgrade their current IT is great. This system of getting items on the shelves faster while having them spend less time in storage is better for everyone, including Wal-Mart and its customers. This new system of having a purchase order made the moment a customer buys a product is a great way for Wal-Mart to save money, and in turn, to pass some of the savings down to the customers. Wal-Mart is constantly trying to go out and be the first to get its hands on a piece of IT technology. This is why Wal-Mart is a leader in its field.
The more efficient Wal-Mart can run its business, the more enjoyable the public will find shopping at Wal-Mart. If new IT offers a better shopping experience, while at the same time decreasing Wal-Mart's costs, then it is a no-brainer; Wal-Mart must strengthen its IT in order to remain a leader with a loyal customer base. This is something that Wal-Mart realizes and will continue striving to upgrade. I do not believe that there will ever come a day where Wal-Mart or any other company totally maximizes its IT efficiency. There are always slight details that can be improved to make the purchase and sale of products by a company like Wal-Mart better. This is what Wal-Mart understands, and this is why Wal-Mart will not be failing anytime within the foreseeable future. Wal-Mart does not have to strive for perfection, it simply must consistently stay ahead of any competition in the IT field.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/RFID/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=L5MO1TXU0E2ZEQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=47902662&pgno=3&queryText=&isPrev=
Computer Technology Opens a World of Work to Disabled People Danny granatell
Computer Technology Opens a World of Work to Disabled People
David Joachim, New York Times
The development of information technology over the last twenty years has increased globalization making the world smaller and more connected. During this time, outsourcing has become a common method for companies to cut cost using the benefits of technology and the Internet. Many Americans believe that outsourcing and innovative technology has been the reasons for the loss of jobs in America as companies move over seas for cheaper capital and labor. However, the development of new technology has created work opportunity for many disabled people, which have difficulty finding work due to the constraints of their medical conditions.
The evolution of computers, telecommunications, and cheap access to these at home has allowed for disabled people to find a new means of income. The combination of these developments “lets a blind person use a keyboard instead of a mouse to navigate a program, and voice synthesizers that turn text into speech. There are also alternatives to the mouse for people with limited use of their arms.” In one example, Steven Stingley, a quadriplegic as a result of a car accidents twenty years ago is able to field phone calls for Office Depot from his home in Centerville, Utah. Stingley, who works about 20-24 hours a week, said the new technology has allowed him to find consistent employment and income. Another interesting fact is that at home answering agents generally make as much or more than their counterparts in large companies. They are paid anywhere from $10-$20 dollars an hour depending on benefits and commission. This is in large part due to the reduced cost of capital. Companies that outsource their answering service to home agents do need have sunk costs for rent space and utilities expenses. The home agent pays those expenses, which is the price they pay for working at home. Another interesting fact is that the I.R.S. is one of the largest employers of disabled home agents. They currently have over 350 employed disabled home agents in 42 different states that handle customer service calls.
The development of information technology for disabled people is remarkable. Not only has it allowed many disabled people to find a steady means of work and income, but also allows companies to cut costs giving them incentive to higher more disabled workers. These benefits not only help disabled people and companies, but also the public as it allows disabled people to fend for themselves and not depend on government aid. The use of this technology also raises another question about the future of business. The developments of information technology allows for disabled workers to compete for job opportunities by working at home. Could this technology allow disabled workers to become major role players in large companies? As information technology becomes cheaper, faster, and more reliable it is not impossible for one day to have disabled workers to be high-level employees in large companies. The use of advance technology levels the playing field as competition for certain positions becomes more mental than physical as employees can work from home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/technology/01disable.html?scp=7&sq=computer%20technology&st=cse
David Joachim, New York Times
The development of information technology over the last twenty years has increased globalization making the world smaller and more connected. During this time, outsourcing has become a common method for companies to cut cost using the benefits of technology and the Internet. Many Americans believe that outsourcing and innovative technology has been the reasons for the loss of jobs in America as companies move over seas for cheaper capital and labor. However, the development of new technology has created work opportunity for many disabled people, which have difficulty finding work due to the constraints of their medical conditions.
The evolution of computers, telecommunications, and cheap access to these at home has allowed for disabled people to find a new means of income. The combination of these developments “lets a blind person use a keyboard instead of a mouse to navigate a program, and voice synthesizers that turn text into speech. There are also alternatives to the mouse for people with limited use of their arms.” In one example, Steven Stingley, a quadriplegic as a result of a car accidents twenty years ago is able to field phone calls for Office Depot from his home in Centerville, Utah. Stingley, who works about 20-24 hours a week, said the new technology has allowed him to find consistent employment and income. Another interesting fact is that at home answering agents generally make as much or more than their counterparts in large companies. They are paid anywhere from $10-$20 dollars an hour depending on benefits and commission. This is in large part due to the reduced cost of capital. Companies that outsource their answering service to home agents do need have sunk costs for rent space and utilities expenses. The home agent pays those expenses, which is the price they pay for working at home. Another interesting fact is that the I.R.S. is one of the largest employers of disabled home agents. They currently have over 350 employed disabled home agents in 42 different states that handle customer service calls.
The development of information technology for disabled people is remarkable. Not only has it allowed many disabled people to find a steady means of work and income, but also allows companies to cut costs giving them incentive to higher more disabled workers. These benefits not only help disabled people and companies, but also the public as it allows disabled people to fend for themselves and not depend on government aid. The use of this technology also raises another question about the future of business. The developments of information technology allows for disabled workers to compete for job opportunities by working at home. Could this technology allow disabled workers to become major role players in large companies? As information technology becomes cheaper, faster, and more reliable it is not impossible for one day to have disabled workers to be high-level employees in large companies. The use of advance technology levels the playing field as competition for certain positions becomes more mental than physical as employees can work from home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/technology/01disable.html?scp=7&sq=computer%20technology&st=cse
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