27/12/2011 - Video Conferencing Will Save Money
According to the U.S. Interior Department, their staff can save millions of dollars avoiding flights to places like Denver, Sacramento and other state capitals. That's not telling people like you and I anything new. We've all know that and likely practice it more and more.
So lets get a few definitions on the table..
1. Video conferencing is more than two people in more than two locations. That could be 3 people in three different offices, or many people in many locations.
2. Video calling is a one on one video session. Think of Bria, Skype or SightSpeed one on one.
3. Video chat. See # 2
All of the above tie directly to the Interior Departments model of cost cutting saying:
27/11/2011 - Samsung Google Galaxy Nexus - The Phone for Internationalists
I won't go into reviewing in depth the Samsung Google Nexus as enough other reviews are out there, but what I will say is if you're a Google centric person, where you make extensive use of Google Apps, Mail, Calendar, Picasa and all that Google has to, then this is the Android phone for you.
First off an unlocked Google Galaxy Nexus is an ideal phone for anyone going international. It's pentaband so you get 850, 900, 1700, 1900 & 2100 MHZ which means you can use it all over the world. Here in the USA you may want to opt for T-Mobile's pay as you go, or AT&T's GoPhone plan or pay monthly plan and use it as little or as much you need to as your "other phone." Or put it on a subscription plan as your main phone and get blazing fast speeds a managable data plan rates. Another option is TRU from client Truphone, where you get to roam here in the USA on T-Mobile and on Vodafone in the UK. Both have fast networks and both are perfect for this phone as you can have numbers in both places that work so, so well. You can also use local pay as you go SIM's and manage them with a plethora of APN setting apps that are available in the Market (most times you don't have too though.)
Hidden inside the phone's settings is the Android's ability to place and receive Internet calls. Another feature is the native ability to configure your SIP accounts to place or receive calls over the Internet. This is a huge plus for those who already have SIP based VoIP service. I quickly configured mine and presto the calls were coming in and going out. Unfortunately, it's not as configurable as client CounterPath's Bria is but for those who want to SIPley (pun intended) connect, Android offers that feature.
Using Touchdown as my Exchange client solves the issues found with the native mail, calendar and address book.
Tieing in GoogleVoice of course is standard. You simply use that and your calls look like they are coming from your regular number. With this feature it really doesn't matter which phone I'm calling from, and with conditional call forwarding for when I'm busy, not available or not answering, the calls all ring everywhere. But it's the native Google/ Google Voice integration that makes the phone so sweet. That and the lightness of being that it is. Superlight in weight, the Galaxy Nexus clearly makes my Verizon HTC Thunderbolt feel like a brick. The way this phone behaves I'll certainly be thinking about grabbing the Verizon version for coverage here in the U.S.A.
Does the Google Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 beat my Apple 4S out as my favorite phone? No. but with all the features packed in the Samsung Google Galaxy Nexus one has to give the GSM version SERIOUS consideration as your other phone if you are locked to an unlockable AT&T iPhone (I'm not) as the benefits in the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwhich OS make it a serious contender for the Internationalist who needs more than just a phone.
08/11/2011 - Why I Love Being A Global Nomad
Image via Wikipedia
The last month has been meeting filled, travel filled, hotel filled, wine filled and friend filled. I've been in six cities, four countries. I've flown four different airlines, rented a car, taken trains, ridden in local cabs, and walked. I've also again stayed connected.
How?
My legally unlocked iPhone used a local SIM in each country. Pain in the butt to keep changing numbers but with my GoogleVoice (thanks guys) capability I am found easily. Plus cheap data can't be beat.
iPad-again local SIMs, cheap data.
Unlocked Galaxy Tab w/phone capability-local SIMs-i'm learning to appreciate Android
Nokia E71 and a Tru SIM from Truphone. Local numbers in the UK and USA. No real difference. Behaves just like any cell carrier. It's post paid and works great. (Yes, Truphone is a client so please take Matt Miller's word for it not mine.)
Where I work--Hotel rooms. Hotel executive lounges (InterContinentals rock) friends houses and Regus locations. The one located at 2 Berkelely Square is the best in the world...
How else so I stay connected? Boingo and Boingo Mobile. A Boingo Mobile account is only $7.95 a month. I use those on my iPhone and iPad or Galaxy Tab, but also have Boingo European and Boing USA accounts for my laptops. When I'm on the go, an unlocked MiFi is the way to stay connected.
Net net..it's getting easier and easier to do this, and I'm finding more time to have fun than just work....but that's another story..
10/09/2011 - OverConferenced
We are over conferenced. This week alone I will be at two, maybe three events and could be at more.
TechCrunch Disrupt starts on Monday in San Francisco, CA
Demo starts on Monday night in Santa Clara, CA-Attending
IT Expo and a medley of co-conferences all start on Tuesday in Austin, TX-Attending/Moderating
StartupCamp is Wednesday in Austin, TX-Attending
The WLSA and BioCom along with Mintz Levin on Wednesday have aTown Hall Meeting to discuss the FDA and Mobile Devices.-Wish I could be there but can't be in two places at once (Where did i leave that Multiplicity technology?)
Twilio is holding their conference the week of September 19 in San Francisco-Skipping but wish I had the time to go.
Gigaom holds an expanded two day Mobilize on September 26 and 27 in San Francisco-Attending and it's almost SOLD OUT!!!
Yes- this month, I'm over conferenced. Next month-well, I'll be over-traveled. I feel a vacation coming in the middle of all that travel.
24/08/2010 - The Value of TripIt Pro and Flight Status Alerts
Yesterday, I was supposed to fly back to San Diego and my wife to Sacramento. We each had flights booked four hours apart. She on United and your's truly on AirTran as I wanted WiFi. The weather in Boston was dreary. Fog. Rain. Plus President Obama in the area down in Martha's Vineyard meant that flights were a tad all running late. Add to it that VP Joe Biden was in Milwaukee, the Air Tran hub I was connecting through, while my wife was connecting through D.C and these massive flight delays started to mount.
About ninety minutes before her flight I got the first alert from TripIt of her delay, which I immediately forwarded to her with a love note that read. "Go to your gate and ask if you'll make your connection." A few minutes later, my flight, slated for a 5:59 PM departure came through telling me there was no way I would make my connection. Fortunately, I had a very late check out scheduled for 4 PM and was still in my lovely apartment size suite at the Boston Intercontinental. I called AirTran and got a surprised customer service agent who had yet to get a status update, asking what my options were and if I elected to travel questioning if I would have a hotel room waiting for me in Milwaukee or if I needed to take care of that myself. She had no real answer other than the option of rebooking for Tuesday, going to the airport to see what could be arranged or getting a credit for the flights. About thirty minutes later I then received a call from AirTran's corporate customer service wondering "how did you know we had a delay before we notified our CSRs?" I said, the FAA provides flight data to services I subscribe to and then discussed that I was simply hoping to learn what my options were and explained that being in control of my own travel destiny was a far better feeling, than standing in line at a gate, with 100 people, all trying to get somewhere, with no real options other than to then go to another airline in hopes of getting somewhere.
Instead, I sat comfortably in my hotel suite, and reviewed my travel options. With Flight Stats, I was able to also review the departure times for some Virgin America non-stops to the west coast that I saw had availability. While they looked good on the schedules, Flight Stats showed that the flights to SFO and LAX both were running into weather delays. Since my wife wasn't getting out either, I simply extended our stay, in a great hotel, then booked my flight for today, after all my conference calls would be completed.
Had I not received the TripIt Trip alerts or had flight stats I would have been at the mercy of the harried gate agents, had to fend for a hotel room near the airport, and dined on airport area cuisine vs. had all the comforts of home and all of Boston at my door step.
Given we live in an information rich era, there's no reason not to use all the tools at our disposal to regain control of our lives, know our options and be able to decide what's best for ourselves vs. having someone who has layers of process and procedures staring them in the face, with no end of the day concern for what impact their actions or in actions cause you. To me, a good night's sleep, in a great bed with my wife, sure beat the daylights out of being stranded in an airport somewhere without any flexibility in options.
Oh, and yes. Air Tran will fly me today, and to where I need to be tonight, not where I was going yesterday. All at no additional cost other than one more night in Boston.
01/08/2010 - Part Three - Tips, Tricks, Devices and Services That Make Staying Connected Easier
In parts one and two I've discussed mobile calling services and tactics to keep the costs of International Roaming down as well as the devices and methods to keep your data rates down.
For transparency sake-My agency represents FreeTalk and parent company ISS which manages the Skype Shop. Some of the products mentioned below are available via Skype Shop.
Now it's time to focus on other devices that make staying connected easier while you're on the go:
A Respite from the Noise- Global Office Access Card
There are two ways to get away from the noise and being in a very public place when traveling. Either hide out in your hotel room, or find a place you can work that's got all the comforts of an office, or an airport airline club lounge. But joining every airline club is both expensive and unnecessary. I've been using Priority Pass for the past five years and have found that even one visit a year somewhere pays for it in value. While the lounges in all countries are not the same, their network includes both airline clubs and local business lounges in major airports around the globe, and they usually have access to more than one in each airport. Another way into some lounges is with the American Express Platinum Card. Just recently AMEX added US Air Lounges, but with the airline also selling day passes, and excluding their Envoy Lounge in Philadelphia, but since no US Air flights ticket is required, it's even more meaningful than the flight ticket required access to Admirals Clubs from American Airlines or the Delta Crown Room that as a result of the mergers between Delta and Northwest are now accessible, along with Continental's Presidents Clubs.
Away from the airport nothing beats a Regus Businessworld Membership. With over 1000 locations around the globe, the $15 a month Gold Card gets you into any of their centers. While each center is very different, and has different rules and hours, I've used these in every country I've visited the last four years and would never leave home without one. With my Platinum membership I also have access to ten days a month of day offices, meaning I have the luxury of a door, a phone and administrative help all around the globe. Plus, with their RegusNet Internet Service, you'll be assured of amazing bandwidth, versus having to share the Internet at some coffee shop or cafe.
Travel Routers
Without a doubt, the travel router is a necessity if you are in a hotel, or meeting room, that doesn't have WiFi, or where they want to charge you per device connection. My favorite travel router is the Apple Airport Express that works all the way up through the 802.11 N standard. A second choice would be the Asus Wireless Travel Router followed by products from D-Link, Netgear and even Cisco.
Headsets and Microphones
I'm biased, as we represent FREETALK, and I serve as Head of Marketing for the company, but without a doubt the FreeTalk like of Skype compatible headsets is without a doubt the best value for money line on the market today. Between the Everyman Wired and new Wireless versions, as well as the FreeTalk Wireless Headset, these offer Skype's SuperWideband Codec, SILK, embedded into the headsets Digital Signaling Processor, meaning, the compression and decompression of SILK is handled by the headset, not your PC.
SpeakerPhones for Those On The Go
I remain a fan of the Polycom Communicator, the Skype and PC Speakerphone, but lately Polycom has been lagging in keeping the product updated. For example, they haven't updated the drivers for Windows 7, and when I've reached out to their folks who previously asked me for input on the product, they've gone silent. That's usually a sign that the product is being mothballed which is a shame, because the form factor, Skype integration and audio sensitivity, as well as price made it a very good value. It's one drawback is the lack of SILK integration into the device, something the more expensive, but very sleek Yamaha Speakerphone has adopted. While pricier, the Yamaha delivers more than the Polycom, as it doubles as a stereo speaker system. Lastly, the Clear One Chat 60 deserves a serious look. Like the Polycom and Yamaha it is also Skype Certified, and it's slim design, and low profile look makes it a easy tuck in to your travel bag.
Power Outlets and Surge Protectors
Nothing beats the MonsterCable Outlets to Go Six Outlet power strip. The reason is unlike some of the traveling surge protectors, this is not surge protection, which means you won't be turning out the lights in Europe or Asia with it. Take this along, add on a local country plug converter and you're now using your USA power plugs. Monster also makes a more petite four outlet version.
A second must have is an IDAPT if you carry more than one "portable device." Personally, I've used two of these, one at home and one in my carry bag, and between avoiding cable tangle, the iDapt offers a neat way to keep everything organized. Their newest product, the i4 will also make it easy to charge the iPad. Given the success of the i3, I'll be adding that to my carry on collection of essentials.
Don't Be Cheap
It's one thing to be frugal, and it is another thing to be cheap. Too many companies like to impose travel policies on employees and vendors that seem to make good fiscal sense, but waking up in a hotel that has lousy Internet connectivity, poor plumbing, or guests who party all night long really doesn't pay off when you have that important meeting the next day and just need to be at your best. Joining hotel loyalty programs is the first step but being property loyal in cities your regularly frequent wins hands down. Over the past few years San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Barcelona, Madrid, Seattle, Paris and London have become almost regular stops at least three or more times a year. As a result I've found that paying a negotiated business or industry rate, vs. a deep discounted rate usually results in a better stay and more perks. I've also become accustomed to a "welcome home" type of arrival, more than being just another nameless and faceless guest. As someone who has spent over 300 days on the road in 2008, and 275 days on the road in 2009 with a similar pace this year looming it seems, having those personal relationships, and paying a fair price each time has gotten me more upgrades, perks and benefits than any loyalty program ever would have. For example, at the amazing San Francisco Intercontinental, which is just down the street from Moscone Center I have my own personal bathrobe that's always hanging in my room (as does my wife.) We're greeted by the impeccable staff and almost always have a drink with the master of polite efficiency, hotel GM par excellance, Peter Koehler. The long time San Francisco hotelier is perhaps the finest GM on the planet. His encyclopedia like mind keeps track of guests likes and needs, while his guest relations manager Shehani and her team in the sixth floor lounge (Luis, Regina and Bridgette) find a way to make every stay just a bit more pleasant.
Up in Seattle, the technowonderful Hotel 1000 with 100 megs of XO powered Internet speeds, elevators that arrive when you walk up to them, non-intrusive housekeeping staff that know when your in and out of your room, plus a dynamite bar/lounge and restaurant (BOKA) makes this my first choice in Seattle each trip.
Over in London and in New York City it's the new Hyatt Andaz properties. In London, they've learned I don't like the rooms without a stall shower, and need enough elbow room to shave. The grade A property there, converted by Terry Conran from a 1800's hospital into a 21st century hotel has no charge internet, but single sign on throughout the hotel and the public areas. In New York, the hotels internet sometimes though needs a boost, as the Nomadix gateway seems to be limiting in speeds. In Philadelphia the Sofitel wins hands down. The recent addition of more power outlets in every room, and the double paned windows makes it a can't be beat work and rest location, especially when you add in T-Mobile's rock solid WiFi hotspot coverage and wired outlets in every room. In Barcelona my two hotels of choice are Casa Camper and the Pullman Skipper while in Paris its Mama Shelter or the Pullman Bercy where I have stayed now for ten years and through at least three renovations and upgrades. All have great Internet connectivity, but more importantly provide the kind of vibe, and offer the kind of service that a business traveler in need of a bit of TLC can always expect.
At the root of all this is both convenience and the willingness to spend a little more, but save yourself from hours of inconvenience and hassles. Life on the road doesn't have to always be tough, but it's not all lights and glitter. After you experience a few later than expected arrivals or an early check in hope following a red eye, you begin to understand why having a hotel that feels like home and your own productivity amenities along with you, makes it all seem just a little bit better.
30/04/2010 - Best and Worst of Hotel WiFi
I can't say I disagree at all with Hotel Chatter's annual Hotel WiFi's Best & Worst Report at all. My favorite hotel chain, the upscale Hyatt ANDAZ is number one. I've been staying in the London Andaz practically every three months or so for the past two years and have spent many a memorable number of days there. One of the reasons is the fantastic WiFi. Same in NYC where the Andaz just opened in the Wall Street area. They use a service called interTouch, which is owned and operated by DocomoNTT out of Japan. Yup, the same folks who used to be in partnership with AT&T in the Mobile phone world many years ago.
If you notice, the major hotel groups, Marriott, Sheraton and Hilton didn't fare very well. That's because for the most part they have farmed out their WiFi to a few companies that work with the in-room entertainment suppliers and are running connectivity the most cost efficient way possible, vs. actually sitting down and figuring out how to do it right. Additionally, the capacity needed for quality WiFi, and quality Internet connectivity keeps going up, as more guests and more meeting attendees usage rises. Ten years or so the average hotel saw no more than ten percent usage per night based on the number of registered guests, so a T1 was likely more than enough. Now, that usage is north of 60 percent, and in markets like NYC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Seattle more than likely closer to 80 percent.
Hotels, even with 20 megs of connectivity are suffering from being underpowered, and also challenged by improperly positioned WiFi access points, as well as the growing number of P2P (peer to peer) clients running on guests computers. More and more guests are also downloading music and videos using Apple's iTunes, the BBC's iPlayer and of course a few other apps for services we won't mention.
So it's more than just the WiFi, its also the size of the pipe that matters. Oh. that fits in what we won't mention.......
Well anyway, it's great to see someone is keeping score. I for one have demanded better connectivity in hotels. I treat Internet access and WiFi like hot water. If you don't have hot water, the stay is usually free. Well the same goes for me if I don't have solid access and fast speeds of at least half a meg in both directions. You have a choice in where you stay. Stay where you can have hassle a free Internet life.
15/12/2009 - Google StreetView Goes Inside
A few weeks ago at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco, CA I spied the Google StreetView team taking photos outside of the hotel while I was waiting for a colleague.
Then a few minutes later the photo crew was wandering inside the lobby with tripod and cameras taking photos of INSIDE the hotel.
Is this something that's due up next for StreetView? Or is Google about to debut, what I'm calling InsideView? How will that be for you?
01/11/2009 - Winning The Award At eComm Means So Much To Me
Somewhere far, far away, in the heavens above my parents and two of my first two mentors in business, Sy Roseman and Ken Gesner, are smiling and hoisting back the finest 1959 wine they can find, because as of Friday, I now run an "award winning communications agency" called Comunicano, which that afternoon in Amsterdam was awarded the eComm 2009 Communications Innovation Community Award in the same esteemed group as Google and a few others.
Candidly, I was shocked, because I view my contribution, and that of my team, to events like eComm, Mobilize, GadgetFest and a few others as doing my part to give back to the community that makes it possible to continue to be a force in an industry. It’s not a mercenary thing, but quite the opposite. It’s about insuring the future, something I learned many years ago, and something I’ve learned is a lesson to be executed on the rest of my life.
Back in 1976 the third mentor in my life Aaron Siegel, approached Sy Roseman on behalf of the Philadelphia Flyers owner, Edward M. Snider with an idea that Siegel and Ken Gesner had hatched.
The idea was simple. Get kids playing hockey so the future of a fan base is secured. Sy, who had first “adopted” me into the public relations fraternity at the age of 14, was also asked to “bring that kid into the program” so I would eventually run what was to be called Hockey Central, and then the Flyers Office of Amateur Hockey Affairs. Ed Snider’s vision of 33 years ago remains active today, with most of the programs I had created from scratch continuing, and having been expanded now some 21 years after I “retired” from the Flyers organization at the age of 28 and almost thirteen years of what could have best been described as “playing” at the game of marketing, the same way Bobby Clarke “played” hockey. To simply win.
Winning the eComm 2009 Communications Innovation Community Award this past Friday was for me, my “Heart Trophy,” a comment I shared with Jim Courtney who was attending eComm. My word pun was clearly understood, for in hockey, a sport I know Jim loves, the MVP award is named just that, but with a different spelling, “Hart Trophy.” You see, for years I’ve always been the guy picking the award winners or bestowing them on others, so to win one, and not just one that is handed out frivolously means so much more to me than anything on Earth (except of course my wife.)
By working with Lee Dryburgh, who puts his own heart and soul into each and every eComm, I’m doing my part to help do for telecom and the world of emerging communications, what Ed Snider continues to do for hockey in the Delaware Valley. Insuring the future of advancement and improvement. Helping out at eComm is not only fun, in many ways it’s a real high for me.
You see, not only do I get to associate and interact with some real masters of technology, but by playing the communications game with some of the best in the business, and being recognized as a peer of sorts, is how I stay sharper, because, like we used to say to hockey parents, “your kid doesn’t get better playing against kids they’re better than.”
So for me, I’m doing what I often told many a youth hockey parent. I'm playing up. For me, eComm the last few years has been just that. Being with the best, learning, improving, and always sharpening my game.
So, for Sy, Ken, Mom, Dad and Aaron..this award is as much for you as it is for me.
01/11/2009 - Sharing Broadband and More
While tethering on the iPhone in the USA remains a bit of a challenge (especially if your updated to the latest version of firmware on the Apple iPhone) there are other options emerging.
For years Apple Macintosh users have been able to turn a Mac that is hard wired to an Ethernet connection into a hotspot, but now the new Windows 7 OS from Microsoft has been turned into both a hotspot and a wireless bridge via Connectify.
Connectify.me is where you can find it.
Another way to share wireless broadband is Joikuspot, and now their new Boost (Beta) allows users to combine wireless broadband signals into one, giving the user really fast bandwidth.
Of course, Sprint doesn't want you to tether.
01/11/2009 - Sharing Broadband and More
While tethering on the iPhone in the USA remains a bit of a challenge (especially if your updated to the latest version of firmware on the Apple iPhone) there are other options emerging.
For years Apple Macintosh users have been able to turn a Mac that is hard wired to an Ethernet connection into a hotspot, but now the new Windows 7 OS from Microsoft has been turned into both a hotspot and a wireless bridge via Connectify.
Connectify.me is where you can find it.
Another way to share wireless broadband is Joikuspot, and now their new Boost (Beta) allows users to combine wireless broadband signals into one, giving the user really fast bandwidth.
01/11/2009 - Sharing Broadband and More
While tethering on the iPhone in the USA remains a bit of a challenge (especially if your updated to the latest version of firmware on the Apple iPhone) there are other options emerging.
For years Apple Macintosh users have been able to turn a Mac that is hard wired to an Ethernet connection into a hotspot, but now the new Windows 7 OS from Microsoft has been turned into both a hotspot and a wireless bridge via Connectify.
Connectify.me is where you can find it.
Another way to share wireless broadband is Joikuspot, and now their new Boost (Beta) allows users to combine wireless broadband signals into one, giving the user really fast bandwidth.
28/10/2009 - Boingo Goes Blackberry-A Huge Boon For Voice
My agency has represented Boingo for 18 months or so now, and long before that I was a Boingo customer, a happy customer, who found that using it on my Nokia N & E Series devices and my laptops was always something that allowed for easy connectivity.
One of the missing pieces, more due to RIM's SDK, was Boingo on the Blackberry. As a Blackberry user with T-Mobile I've always enjoyed logging on to WiFi at home (via Hotspot @ HOME) or at a T-Mobile Hotspot, and having my mobile number from the USA anywhere in the world accessible to me.
That worked great in the past at places like Starbucks, some airport lounges like those from American Airlines and at some airports. But as T-Mobile has been exiting the WiFi world in dribs and drabs, the most reliable and broadest reaching aggregator has been Boingo. Now, with Boingo on the Blackberry, UMA Voice will work as well on the Blackberry as client Truphone does on my iPhone, iPod Touch and Nokia E71 virtually anywhere Boingo connects.
This is a huge step forward as the business market end user which needs connectivity now can get connectivity in more places, where T-Mobile's footprint doesn't go. With Boingo, as with WiFi of your own or within the enterprise or campus, means you can get T-Mobile coverage higher up or farther away. Currently, AT&T in the USA doesn't have a VoIP client for their users, nor is there one with Verizon or Sprint on the Blackberry's that has any traction, as access to the SIP and WiFi stacks on the RIM devices has never been really offered.
Blackberry users though should not just take my word for it, or the insight above that I've linked to. They should also read some of the insider's viewpoints as well.
07/10/2009 - Kindle Goes International
CrunchGear's John Biggs has the goods on the GSM and International release of the Kindle from Amazon.
As a very happy Kindle user, I am thrilled to see this. Many friends outside of the USA have had major Kindle envy. As someone who cares about the environment the Kindle contributes to the savings by reducing our dependency on paper. Also, when it comes to travel, taking a Kindle along is a lot lighter than carrying books in my carry-on.
Most of all, the reading of magazines on a plane or train via the Kindle is very easy on the eyes.
24/09/2009 - Is Canada Wireless Opening Up?
News out of Canada via Mobile Syrup shows that Canada may be opening up.
Three stories that lead me to that conclusion:
1) Primus's relationship with Rogers is expanding. As an MVNO Primus will "increase to cover 94% of Canada, enhanced voice and text packages, picture messaging (MMS), web browsing and ring tones are all coming."
2) Dave Wireless, a new player in the North of the Border mobile world, which plans to basically just be better than the long, established players.
3) The potential arrival of a new player called Wind, which may have an uphill battle, but one that may reveal a lot more about the Canadian wireless industry.
14/09/2009 - Windows Mobile Users Get Unified Inbox
Windows Mobile users are being notified by Microsoft's Total Access about Fusion 2.0 the latest offering from PhoneFusion, which provides a unified inbox for voice mail ala visual voice mail, faxes and text, all in one.
I take a slight exception to the claim of "A new feature—exclusive to Windows Mobile users—is that for the first time mobile consumers can receive faxes right on their smartphone" as I've been doing that for years with Webley/Communikate on my Blackberry and used to do that on earlier generations of Smartphones with an Adobe PDF capable client. I also read faxes on my Nokia E71 with an Adobe client, however, may Microsoft customers are not cutting edge these days :-)
Regardless this is really a very good, and useful service as it consolidates a lot of what the business user needs and is a far cry better than anything currently being supplied natively by Microsoft and easier to use than other services out there making similar claims. To be blunt, if I was on a Windows Mobile device, it would be on my list of must have applications.
07/09/2009 - MiFi Offered With Data Bundle in Germany
As a fan of what I dubbed "PocketSpots" sometime back, it's great to see the mobile operators around the globe beginning to embrace the little darlings.
UMPC Portal is pointing out that Vodafone Germany is offering a bundle deal where for 40 Euro per month customers receive a 5GB HSDPA contract and the device for free.
I agree with Chippy from UMPC Portal. A MiFi PocketSpot is a better deal than a laptop or Netbook with an embedded 3G modem. I also agree that obtaining an unlocked version, and buying local SIM's in each country is a far more appealing approach.
06/09/2009 - Vodafone Boosts Wireless Broadband Speed in UK
Over the last three months I was in and out of London some seven or eight times. I've stayed mostly in hotels and serviced apartments, and for the most part had very good broadband. When I'm out and about, I was a regular user of 3 as their data plan and their data stick deals can't be beat.
In July I decided to experiment with Vodafone, and their Pay As You Go plans, which while much more expensive than 3, don't expire on a monthly basis. They also have a more complete and robust network vs. 3 which can best be described as the value for money operator, vs. the business person's network, a claim Voda could easily make. The pay as you go sticks top out at 3.6 megs a second, but I move the SIM into my Novatel MiFi and get the potential speeds of 7.2 megs.
Now I'm reading that Voda is boosting speeds to 14.4 megs which translates into really boosting capacity. As a frequent visitor to the UK this is good news, and for my friends in the UK this means greater access on the go.
Using mobile broadband though takes discipline. For starters heavy email users should not use Outlook or any POP/Exchange client, and instead should get in the habit of using web based email access. It's also not suggested that you download the latest episode of your favorite TV show or movie. Save those for when you're connected via WiFi or at the office or your home.
Lastly, recognize that these speeds are in perfect conditions. For me, getting 2 megs down and one meg up, is good enough most of the time, and Vodafone has delivered that time and again the last two months, so this network upgrade has to be looked at as a positive sign of the times.
06/09/2009 - Goodbye to Books
Dave Hornik, a veteran Sand Hill Road VC and industry observer eliminated books and used his iPhone in Europe on his summer holiday, something I have done and also not done.
First off, for AT&T Customers who are heavy business mail users like I am, the iPhone is NOT a useful replacement for the RIM BlackBerry with International Roaming as I'll blow through 100 megs in a few days just with email in an always on mode on the iPhone. A better option I've found is the unlocked Nokia E71-1 (the European variant with Euro 3G) and Mail For Exchange, plus a local SIM card with Data if I want a device for mail and light surfing. The E71 and the Berry blow away the iPhone as well due to the keyboard.
A second option is a Novatel MiFi (unlocked GSM Model) and a iPod Touch.
If you really want to use the iPhone, do as David and I both do. Don't make calls over it (unless you're in a WiFi hotspot and use client Truphone or SKype or Fring to make your international calls) or as I like to do, I use my E71 and either call via Truphone Anywhere or buy bundles of international calling (as T-Mobile offers in the UK 120 minutes to the USA for 11 dollars and change and my local minutes are not consumed)
As for data, I used the iPhone for many of the same things Hornik did, but in reality for all but two weeks out of six I had it turned off when I had a rental car with GPS. Candidly, most of what I needed to know-like how to get from place to place was there, and the only time the iPhone or even Blackberry maps via Google was used was when I was walking around.
As for books-guidebooks especially, I find too many local books in book stores that are full of information that's not easily found the first time, online. For me, places like winery's with full restaurants, rooms for rent and more are not all in one place online. I'm sure the same applies to other categories that are more niche than generic, which is where the travel guides tend to be that first make it online.
At the end of the day, it comes down to three parts. The service, the app and the content, not the device alone, that will make for the end of books as we know it.
10/08/2009 - iPhone VoIP Clients
The folks at VoIP Users Conference tend to be on the cutting edge of what's out there in VoIP and toying with the iPhone is not far from their targets.
This weekend I came across a post that lists three applications that are designed to work. By reading their post you'll save time and buy the right app for your use.
19/07/2009 - Event Season Cometh
I was on the phone this week with the Big Boss Man at TMC, pal Rich Tehrani going over a few things when I realized we're about six weeks away from IT Expo in Los Angeles in September. With it the IP Communications industry has the start of another eight week period of pretty much non stop expos, conferences, trade shows, meetings at them and more.
What's it look like for me and people in our VoIP and Mobile world:
IT Expo in Los Angeles September 1-3. It's bundled in with the 4G Wireless Evolution put on by another pal, Carl Ford. The two events together promise to be bigger and better than ever as its time to buy and the selling on the floor should be as good as the conference was a few months back in Miami Beach, which was outstanding.
Nokia World 2009 in Stuttgart on September 2 & 3. This is where the world of what's going on next at the Finland based mobile and now services giant gets known and seen for the first time. Last year in Barcelona was a treat, and where the N97 debuted. To see what 2010 brings from Nokia means going to Germany this fall.
GigaOm's Mobilize 09 in San Francisco, staged by Om Malik, and organized by another friend of some time Surj Patel. My favorite part of Mobilize is Launchpad. Launchpad had its roots inside eTel. Companies like GrandCentral got a big pump at that in 2006, as did Fonolo in 2008. Who will be the star of Launchpad this year. Go to SF on September 10th and find out.
A few days later on September 14 and 15, the TechCrunch 50 rolls into San Francisco, showcasing the unknown who will be the soon be known. Michael Arrington and crew will promise and deliver a no holds barred match up of early stage companies.
Demo happens here in San Diego from September 21-23. The granddaddy of launch events, this years marks the end of the Chris Shipley era, as she passes the microphone and producers baton over to VentureBeat's Matt Marshall. The two will tag-team up on stage. For companies looking to meet VCs and get in front of media that cares, DEMO without the head to head issues of last year vs. TechCrunch will draw a very big crowd to sunny San Diego.
VoN/Channel Partners happens in Miami Beach, sadly at the same time as DEMO so I'll miss it. The Virgo Publishing group took over the VON name, and has started from scratch, with VON editor Rick Martin putting a lot of time and energy in on the panels and the speakers. Bundled with the sales lead generation and dealmaking event, Channel Partners, plus offering a Latin/South American track or two may make this event as hot as Miami Beach will be in the fall.
October
CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment comes to San Diego after its tour of Las Vegas and San Francisco in prior years. Considered the smaller show vs. the spring edition, that will likely change as San Diego is the capital of wireless in the USA with Qualcomm and the whole CDMA eco-system pretty much in the neighborhood.
eComm 2009 Europe wraps up the two months of almost non-stop conference activities, and picks up where this past March's eComm in Burlingame left off. Expect some blockbuster news from the companies that are making a difference and changing the landscape of communications around the globe. Money meister James Enck, on his Eurotelcoblog reminds us that using ENCK will get you a discount on top of the early bird pricing that runs through next week.
Eagle eye Doug Mohney also brings to light two more conferences of note- Jeff Pulver's second HD Communication Summit happening in the Big Apple on September 15 and 16. The summit is all about the ways voice can sound better, richer and clearer, picking up on the May event that kicked off the series.
A second and uber-VoIP tech event is AstriCon in Phoenix, AZ October 13-15 , put on by Digium and all about the wild world of open source PBX's.
Now where did you leave that credit card?
06/07/2009 - Banks And The International Business Traveler
I have just spent the better part of ninety minutes contacting a series of financial institutions to notify them that I'll be out of the country for the next week on business. This is an exercise that I do each and every trip and it's getting OLD.
Wells Fargo takes the cake for the most technology lagging of the bunch. This wasn't a surprise, but their CTO is too chicken to talk to a customer despite requests from my private banker and even a request via their PR team to hear how things can be made easier for everyone. Why? They have over 90 products spread across some 15 or more platforms, and as a business and personal customer, and one who uses a number of their services, I need to notify multiple departments (or have my private banker handle it) each time I leave the USA because as of the 1st of the year, a blanket notification stopped being any good for them. Once I made a payment to a vendor from Madrid, then another from Valencia and Wells Fargo FROZE my access for over 24 hours....and the excuse was "our departments are different" even though they had been notified, but only one department.
Next was Bank of America. It seems their systems were down for weekly maintenance (have they heard of redundancy in the banking world?) and as of six months ago, paper and pencil were banned for security reasons, so that card is not going to get used until I have a word with them tomorrow (like I have nothing better to do on a business trip.)
On the other hand, AMEX was a breeze, telling me that as a valued cardmember of many years my profile is such that their security features can detect the patterns and I'm all set. WOW...
Here's the rub. The banks all have online systems, yet not a one has an International Travel Notification engine. To me, and I bet any other global business person that's an easy notification system, the same way services like Do Not Disturb work with Google Voice and CallVantage or a service like AwayFind handles your notifications by email.
It's just technology and security has to stop being the excuse for not doing things that are for the convenience of the customer and the overall business.
04/06/2009 - Twitter Conferences Are The Rage
Last week TwitrCon was in SF was viewed as a hit, more because of the people in the room, than what was necessarily said on stage.
Upcoming in this month is Jeff Pulver's 140 Conference is happening on June 16 & 17 in New York City and it's lining up to be something special. The cast of characters Jeff has lined up for the conference is an eclectic blend of people from all facets of social and traditional communications.
Sadly, my travel schedule with clients has me out of the country, or I would be in New York, both to support Jeff and to stay current on the whole 140 character craze.
26/05/2009 - Emerging Market Mobile Merger
The potential merger announced last last night Bharti Airtel of India and the MTN Group of South Africa may have shocked some folks, but not me. I'm a big believer that just like with cable television and telephony here in the USA we're going to be seeing more and more consolidation in the mobile world.
The merger is totally logical as it brings together two emerging nations growing companies in parts of the world where mobile uptake is really just beginning, and where the need for more structure is needed.
(Note: In emerging markets, MTN reportedly is the largest player, with over 100,000,000 customers using their telecom services.)
A friend, who recently spent time in India going across the country revealed how complicated and complex the Indian mobile scene really is (that friend was Dean Bubley) prior to dinner in London less than two weeks ago. With this merger, we're seeing the first step to bring order into the market, as the MTN management team will provide that kind of approach. But what this also means mobile operators in the Indian Ocean boarding countries will start having the same opportunities to be acquired and consolidated ala what we've seen in the USA with Alltel being gobbled up by Verizon and with AT&T snatching up smaller GSM operators.
This global consolidation is just starting, and with so much money in the Sub Asian continent, the move to consolidate makes total sense. This also likely will signal some turf wars in India with Tata and Reliance entering the fray, while other imperialistic minded companies in Asia join in too.
Where this leaves the Vodafones, Oranges and AT&T's of the world is a good question. But one things for sure, with consolidation, innovation won't be as fast as return on investment and extracting as much money as possible tends to rule the day. This also means that the Ciscos, Alcatel-Lucents, Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericssons of the world have less customers, but bigger stakes to play, so they too have to sharpen their game as the innovation will come via the network equipment manufacturers not the network operators initially.
26/04/2009 - EasyMeet Can't Come Soon Enough
It may only be in prototype stage, but the idea of Nokia's EasyMeet is something that is perfect for the wireless mobile worker of the future.
Wireless Moves has the details, to the concept that sounds much like Pronto from iotum, a proof of concept play that Alec Saunders introduced at DEMO a few years back that led to iotum winning a DEMO God Award.
If you watch the Easymeet Demo video, you'll see lot of similarity between the EasyMeet concept and iotum's Calliflower service which is already available today.
You can also try the beta version of easymeet online as well. The big difference is Easymeet is combining the Nokia devices and services platform, while also making the invitation media rich, while Calliflower is making the experience richer during and after the call.
