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."
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