Running On The iPad

This morning I had a great time with a friend working out some issues of moving (and editing) documents between the Pages app on the iPad and Microsoft Word on a notebook (laptop) computer (or desktop for that matter). We had a few trial runs and then it all came together very nicely with the use of Dropbox.

It also worked for me using SkyDrive however it was not as clean or easy. This puts the iPad back up on top for me as I had been straying over to the Nexus 7. Pages is a very clean word processing app on the iOS platform and is easily accessed on the iPhone and the iPod as well. For me this is unfortunate for Word.

Now I have gone to Blogger online to access the composing tool to see how I could use this rather than the Blogger app which is limited. I really like the Microsoft Windows Live Writer however, or I should say as normal, there is not an app for iOS.

I have always been a Microsoft fan however they just cannot seem to get out of their own way when it comes to change and to projecting in the future.

I would like more controls however I am sure we can learn to work with it. Blogger does give you HTML control and I know a little about that so perhaps this is the way. Time to publish and see what happens. 

Microsoft's Subscription for Office 2013 as a Perk?

There are so many advantages to having Office 2013 today that any way an office can get upgraded would be the best. We are a connected group and this office package not only adds technology advancements it is aimed at being connected.

Employees that are using the latest software both at home and at work would become more efficient and this would be both a benefit to the company/organization as well as to the individual. 

In light of this and the potential of the BYOD of today; could Microsoft have a way that an employer could offer their employees a monthly $9.99 Perk to not only upgrade their software on their BYOD device but to have the same software at home on another computer (or computers) of their choice?

I realize the SkyDrive feature would be beneficial for both the individual and the employer. The employer’s account, or SharePoint connection would be different and could be controlled.

I see this as an opportunity to keep everyone current and up to date and the cost to be a variable expense of doing business. There would not need to be a one-time expense for software every three years, it would be expensed over time as needed.

Should the employee leave the company it will then be up to the employee to continue the subscription. The connection to the employer’s SharePoint or SkyDrive account could be terminated.

As I stated this could work both as a Perk for the employee and a benefit for the employer. Employees would become more efficient at the use of the software and continued updates would be there without a hassle. 

Are there support packages for Office 2013? Hmm… I see a potential there.

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Smartphone Assistant, Admin, or Annoying Pop-up

If you have a smartphone today there are many apps that can help you get you life in order – or at least that is the premise of what they say. I am not quite sure that anyone can really help me but I keep trying.

Today with the advent of the smartphone our email goes with us everywhere and that does not matter what device or OS you are using, iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, as well as others. Along with email is our calendar, SMS or text messaging, and then numerous note taking apps.

With Google Now I know how long it is to get back to my home and what the weather is outside as well as anything else I may need to know on an instant notice.

I personally have tried a number of the note taking methods starting with Microsoft’s OneNote. At the time (2003) I thought this was the best of the best and away went the yellow legal pad. A number of years later, while trying to figure out a successful method of having my notes everywhere; desktop, laptop, I discovered Evernote. At the time OneNote did not make the leap so I ventured out. It took awhile but I eventually succumbed to the pull of Evernote and OneNote went away.

Once the smartphone made it’s inroad into my life Evernote was right there.  Now I have my notes everywhere I want them. I am now a premium member of the Evernote tribe of users. It’s FREE however there are advantages to paying the $5.00/fee to be a Premium member. Membership has it’s privileges. 

Just recently I used Evernote and Skitch (an Evernote product that allows annotating photo’s as well as other things) to take a picture of a sink, show the dimensions, and make a note so that when I was in the local DYI store I could pull out my phone and get the information I needed.

While in the store we found some a fixture of interest and wanted to be able to review it later. With my phone and Evernote I took a picture and added it to a Bathroom notebook in the Home ‘stack’ in Evernote.

I do still carry a tape measure in my pocket but one day I suspect there will be an app that will allow me to move the phone across a small distance like the top of the sink and it will record the exact dimension. Now wouldn’t that be cool. I do have a leveling app however I do not carry my smartphone in the toolbox.

Having said all of the above I am still looking for “scrap paper” type of note taking tool for my phone. One that is quick and a throwaway. I am a prolific note taker and since I have traded in my pen/pencil for a stylus I want something that I can scribble on and go back to later. If important I can send it up to Evernote.

I have been using AK Notepad (by Catch) for just that but I keep looking. AK Notepad is available at Google Play.

This morning at Computerworld  there was a list of 10 free Android apps for your to-do list. Now another quest to find the best of the best.

If there is a problem with my note taking it is how does one successfully clean the capacitive rubber tip of the stylus? They collect the dirt from the phone or tablet and then start sticking rather than flowing nicely over the surface. On the other had you can fine all the stylus’s you want at Amazon for prices that make you wonder why clean it. Let’s see; I found 6 for $8.99 or 9 for $8.99. At a dollar apiece do we want to clean them? I like the 6 as they are by The Friendly Swede. Why not, it’s Saturday. So I placed the order and shared it on Facebook. Now the world knows and it’s true because it’s on the Internet.

I think I need more coffee.

Billions and Billions of Pixels

Not pixies, Pixels.

With the latest snow fall here in the Cincinnati area I find myself taking more and more pictures. First with my Samsung Galaxy S III phone and then with my Samsung CL80 camera (14.2 megapixel), which is a few years old. Click, click, click, another Samsung moment. Click, click, and then up to Facebook.

Many of these pictures not be seen by anyone. Isn’t that just throwing pixels away? Can we use up pixels?

I grew up with camera’s. My Dad, a very good amateur, taught me how to both take pictures and develop them. Ah yes, film. I developed my first pictures around the age of 5 in our Kitchen. Memories of working in the Red Light area – different connotation here.

My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and I have that camera in the basement. It will soon be part of history, along with all the other camera’s that I have been carrying along and looking to get rid of.

My first 35mm Minolta SR1 SLR was fantastic. I did the same thing after I got married by developing film in the kitchen and turning the living room into the printing darkroom. My wife had to hide out in the bedroom. All those glorious prints. Now the days of film are disappearing along with the devices that used the film.

Today everyone has access to taking great pictures that do not cost to process (develop and print). We can just take pictures. Let the eyes do the walking/talking. Good pictures are in the eye and heart not necessarily in the equipment. The equipment becomes important when we want to refine our output. Serious photo art can require some great expense. 

Today anyone can have digital camera’s but better we have GREAT digital phones. My Samsung Galaxy S III has the following specs.

Camera: The Galaxy S III is as powerful as it is stylish. For starters, the camera has 8.0 megapixels and absolutely zero shutter lag, so you can catch memories the moment you press the shutter. Want more? Take up to 20 continuous shots in seconds with Burst Shot. The front-facing camera even has a full 1.9 megapixels, so you can get yourself into the HD action. http://www.samsung.com/us/galaxy-s-3-smartphone/?cid=ppc-

I long for the days when I was shooting pictures of our son playing baseball, football, or just playing. Click, click, click, another memory. More pixels with instant gratification.

My first Sony Mavica MVC-FD5 (1997) stored it’s pictures on a 3.5 inch floppy and if you printed them over 2” by 3.5” they did not look good. Actually some did not look good even at that size. On a computer screen they looked great. WOW – ahead of my time. I cannot tell you how many times I heard; “Digital camera’s will never replace film.” Yes, Kodak thought that also.

Today we have a deluge of camera phones. Just look at the statistics below and then discover that we have not reached all of the market. These phones make the instamatics of the late 60’s and 70’s and even later look really bad. And you had to have the ‘film’ processed.

Some current statistics regarding the proliferation of camera phones.

You will find more statistics at Statista

We shoot and shoot and shoot but what happens to all of the pictures? We don’t post everything to Facebook or even YouTube, only the ones that we like. Most of these phones will take a picture and let you post straight to Facebook or wherever. I do that. Where are all those pixels going that do not get posted?

We are all photo journalists right? The eyes and ears of the world. Go out and take some more pictures. I understand the pixels are free.

RIP Windows Start Button

You have served us well but it is time for you to retire. You can rest up there with Clippy and return occasionally when we have reunions'. Have a safe trip. Who knows, maybe like Clippy you will bring your historical wisdom to us in a game. We will look forward to telling the great-grandchildren  that we knew you personally.

Now for the rest of you IT pundits – get over it. You learned to use the Start button in 1995 (if you go back that far) and it is time to move on. They moved the high-beam button off the floor and we accepted that. No more 3 (or 5) on the floor.

“Know what I mean Vern?”

The “NEW” Start Window is so much better. Easier to navigate and can be made to fit your needs. It is customizable. It’s right up there with the push button radio and Power Steering..

Get over the change, it happens every day. This one happens to be for the good. I suspect it will be with us for some time.

To often IT gets in the “what’s good for me” mode. You need to think about those, the many, who do not use a computer hourly. The Ribbon succeeded at  making it easier for those new to Office. The new Start Window (and Tiles) will bring enlightenment to many people.

Now back to another episode of The Green Hornet (on the radio). Radio? 

What is the data you collect good for?

I have just finished reading one GREAT short article my Om Malik at GigaOM and I highly recommend you take the time to read this.

The article; "Data? What is it good for? Absolutely………something”, is spot on. I do not believe that this could be said any better. If fact go read it, I will just ramble on below as Customer Service is one of my favorite conversations.

I spend way too much time ranting about WHY you collect data, and we keep collecting it, but does anybody use it for the right purpose/objective? Is it just an Excel (Access) exercise for reporting?

I know we have inventory and we have personnel, however we also collect purchasing data. Doesn’t it stand to reason that we should be using our customer/client data for something other than historical looks at what we did last month?

What did your customer(s) do last month? Should they be thanked? Should they be rewarded? Is the only time you connect with a customer when they stop buying? That makes the job even harder. I see, you have a Facebook page and that takes care of it.  Not likely.

If you buy things, personally or for your business, you know how you like to be treated. Your customer/client has the same issues. Now if you don’t really care then I am hoping you sell to people who don’t really care. What will your next business be?

Hey, just sayin’……..

Google Trial and The Reporting Conundrum.

This morning in reading about a trial in Germany regarding the Google Search Engine, I found two different headlines as a result of the outcome.

First: Google Defeats Publishers Over Web Copyright in German Vote. This headline was from Bloomberg BusinessWeek – a primarily print production. From the headline it appeared to be a slam-dunk for Google.

Second: German parliament passes ‘Google tax’ law, forcing royalty payments for news snippets. This headline from GigaOM, a primarily digital magazine/report. No so much of a slam-dunk, perhaps a loss.

Both of those headlines are the result of the same trial.

Who won? Did the print people (newspapers, magazines) get raked over? Did the digital world of search just get a small setback?

I guess it all depends on your perspective. Same trial, same vote, same words in the court. Who is doing the reporting? Were the reports biased? Hmm….