Google joins $5 billion U.S. offshore wind grid project

By: Brad Cebula

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39626515

http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/12/technology/google_wind_power/index.htm

The article I read talked about how Google is using its financial clout behind a proposed investment geared toward a new wind grid project off the eastern seaboard of the U.S. "This will serve as a clean-energy superhighway, with on-ramps for wind farms and the ability to be intelligently expanded," Rick Needham, Google's green business operations stated. "We can help kick-start an industry that can provide thousands of jobs" he later went on to say. Yet, while this article is talking about how technology is going to help a business—Google, it also is a pinnacle for the world to see how to invest in long-term green energy.

In my opinion, this investment is a home run. It is a win-win situation because it is going to set a national standard for how clean energy should be along with billions of dollars in long term revenue. It is influential to see how a private company is taking steps to develop an offshore transmission capacity that will help grow the offshore wind and renewable energy industries for the years to come in the future.

Many off the investors are concerned though because it is out of the company’s realm or industry. Investors worry Google will misuse its funds and appropriate them where it is not needed. However, I feel with a balance sheet of thirty billion, any misuse of funds will have a very miniscule affect on the search giant.

Green energy is the industry for the U.S. that is going to allow this country to prosper in the future just as the industrial revolution did in the 18^th and 19^th century. I truly feel this industry will get our nation out of this economic ruin; should we recognize and educate ourselves about the ramifications of not investing in this technology will be our true downfall.

However, truthfully I feel this project will never work in the near future, and by that I mean it will never get up and running due to one factor: politics. Just getting all the permits is going to take years, if not a decade. An example of this would be the wind farm proposal off the coast of Massachusetts. The president has very unclear energy and environmental policies in Washington. This is going to make it very difficult to get this project under construction in the given time frame. However, should they get all the permits for the 350 miles of offshore coastland, this project will have amazing potential. Yet, it must also be very difficult for some investors to wrap their heads around the magnitude surrounding this project. However, only until one of these projects is completed and succeeds will the domino effect begin.

A Simple Swipe on a Phone, and You're Paid

As said in David Pogue's article "A Simple Swipe on a Phone, and You're Paid"  the human race truly is full of unsuspecting genius. We have always questioned 'Why?' and then found a way to say 'Why Not?,' well its been done again. Have you ever wondered why can't we pay with credit cards everywhere we go? Well now its possible; not without minor catches, but with the help of any IPhone, IPad, ITouch, or Android  phone, any small business can accept credit cards. Pogue only raves about the ease of the Square, all you need to do is plug the device into the headphone jack of your "Square" capable device, swipe and sign. The software of the Square authorizes the purchase, emails you the receipt, and logs the transaction onto the Square web page.  

The Square, who's chief executive is Twitter creator Jack Dorsey, is a innovative piece of technology, whether it is ready for the world, I'm not so sure I can say yes. The Square, like any new innovation, has its faults, because it is a device that handles peoples money there are some concerns. The Square has created its own contract, so unlike when opening a transaction account with a bank there are no monthly fees, and no transaction minimums. The Square even has a lower transaction charge rates than most banks. This set up will help small businesses, allowing them to complete transactions without the stress of not being able to afford the big bank charges. This helps business from everything as big as as the coffee shop down the street or as small as the bake sale raising money for charity or a school. Though this could be a great asset to those small businesses, it could also run into a lot of problems for the big banks who are making their money through those credit card reading equipment and software. While the Square is aimed at smaller businesses that doesn't mean that big companies won't want to take advantage of their low cost benefits as well. 

Everyone having the ability to have a credit card reading equipment raises some concern. Though the Square does have an authenticity and auditing system, doesn't make it out to seem the most secure way to transfer money. By swiping your card you give that machine your information, putting your information out into the public, wherever you swipe. This brings up concerns of the ability of the person with who's Square you swipe with, having control over your information; primarily revealing the threat of Fraud. This is a technicality that the company is working on, so much so that they believe to have fixed it the threat recently as seen in this article on Mobile Beat. 

While the Square does seem to be in competition with banks, hopefully there will be benefits from this new found competition. Maybe, because of the Square, banks will look forward for a way to "beat" the Square in competition, through technology. Who knows maybe because of this new innovation we won't have to carry credit cards around at all, maybe there's a way to lighten our wallets; in a good way. 

"A Simple Swipe on a Phone, and You're Paid"

New York Times (written edition September 30th, 2010) 

Written By: David Pogue 
Sources: 
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/technology/personaltech/30pogue.html
http://venturebeat.com/2010/06/18/square-mobile-payments/

Forever Changing Face

"Facebook Lets Users Interact With Small Groups" -New York Times, Technology, October 6, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/technology/07facebook.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

I have to be honest, I don't know how I feel about Facebook anymore. Since my mom and other family members, as well as adults who are more associates than friends, have joined Facebook (and my friend count), I've been less interested in Facebook and more aware of what I post. In return, I've turned to Twitter to be my outlet of frustration and my arena for complete honesty. Facebook has also made me weary with its continual changes, in which time has to be taken to learn how to use all of its new features. It's also annoying when I post a status for venting purposes and everyone and their mother (literally) has to have an opinion and then share that opinion with me via comments. Sometimes I just don't want to know what you think about what I said, does that mean that I shouldn't write what I feel? There are just so many variables with Facebook that has led me to believe that less usage=better usage.

Facebook created a new service called Groups, which allows users to segment their "friends" on the basis of relationship. For instance, I may have a group for my family members, middle school friends, high school friends, camp friends, etc. The theory behind the group feature is to allow users to share what they want with some groups, while not having to share all of your information with all of your friends. Everyone in a given group will be notified of other members of the group, regardless of whether you or someone else added them. In essence, people will be more relaxed about what they post to Facebook, and in return, share more aspects of their lives freely.

So, has this new feature led me to change my beliefs about Frankenstein Facebook? Groups will allow me to segregate my friend community and essentially allow me to share what I want with those I want. It will help me to avoid those awkward questions like "so who's that guy in the photo with you?" or "is that an alcoholic beverage in your hand missy?" I wont have to break my poor cousin's heart (who lives in California and who I've only met twice) by denying their friendship request because I didn't want him to get to know me through my Facebook rants. I will probably be more inclined to share more, which is Mr. Zuckerberg's main agenda.

The answer, for now, seems to be YES. However,  I will be a little weary of this feature in terms of how the addition of members to these Groups are monitored. I shall give my former bff, Facebook, a chance to mend its ways and a route back to my heart. Lets see if I'll end up heartbroken again.

The Social Network That Gets Down to Business

Social Network has not only become an important social tool for society but also a business tool. In today’s economic crisis, it has become difficult for many to people to find a job and has made networking key for an individual success. The business-minded social networking website, LinkedIn, has evolved in these difficult times and made it easier for those to find jobs and clients for their business. LinkedIn allows its user to make business connections with any of its other 75 million users that would have never been possible without this technology. LinkedIn users can follow a company and see whom they have recently hired or fired and connect to others in the same career field. Also, it allows the user to post their business resume, history and recommendations, allowing companies to find their right person to hired with little trouble at all. Recently, LinkedIn has incorporated a new tool that allows them to find new customers and recruit candidates at home or at the office. The article also mentions how companies are using LinkedIn to communicate with self-employed people. By simply changing a status update, it can alert all the people following that company with information about deadlines or tax payments.

I believe that LinkedIn is a useful tool in the job market because it makes people’s business information more available and easier to access. In the article that I read, it gives an example of a woman who makes fashion for horse lovers. While I am unsure why anyone would want to buy horse lovers’ fashion, LinkedIn allowed the woman’s company to be successful. Using her social network, she was invited to well known events such as Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix to meet with clients and investors. I feel like it is necessary to remind anyone that is reading this, that the woman was promoting handbags with pictures of horses on them. This goes to show you how important it is to connect yourself with right people for business success and with LinkedIn it is as easy as pressing a button on your computer.

In my opinion, LinkedIn is the future for business. By allowing business and people’s information to be so readily available, it speeds up the process of hiring and lets someone in Iowa do business with an executive in New York instantly. I believe that it is important for any company to be successful to invest time and resources in using LinkedIn. Companies can use a new feature called “LinkedIn Career Explorers”, which is aim towards college students finding a career in a certain. By the time I graduate, it will be a necessity to have a LinkedIn page because of its growing importance in the way business hire employees. In conclusion, I believe that LinkedIn is a significant information technology because of how easy it is to make personal business information readily available and networked between people in mere seconds. It is a growing IT trend that will become a essential in the future for the business world.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/technology/personaltech/30basics.html?pagewanted=1&sq=Business%20Technology&st=Search&scp=39

http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/03/linkedin-targets-college-students-with-career-path-data-visualizations/

IBM Reduces Water Usage with Emergent Cloud Technology

In the Fortune Tech article “How IBM is Using Water to Learn the Cloud” on CNNMoney.com, Shelley DuBois discusses IBM’s new plans to reduce and improve the efficiency of water usage in Dubuque, Iowa. In connection with the company Neptune, IBM has installed smart meters that will output data on the amount of water used every 15 minutes in each of the 300 plus participating houses.[1] From this data, IBM will then use its emerging cloud computing technology to make sense of the information, and provide consumers, towns and industries with a user-friendly report to help reduce costs.

One thing that was interesting from this article is that IBM is not actually engineering the meters to measure water usage. Instead, IBM is simply collecting the information provided from Neptune’s smart meters and “accessing that data, integrating it and making sense of it” with the use of their IBM Smarter City Sustainability Model[2]. Without IBM’s cloud computing technology, the output from the smart meters in Dubuque’s homes would purely be data with no attached purpose. From reading this article, I learned that IBM has multiple motives for its role in the monitoring of Dubuque’s water usage. As the article states, IBM is known as “mainly a data-processing company.”1 With this reputation, consumers don’t see IBM as an integral part of their life, letting them quickly disappear from the market’s mind. As a consumer myself, I related to this since I have only ever thought of IBM as a computer company with nothing new in technology industry. Now however, IBM will have a concrete connection to the people of Dubuque, Iowa and an extension to their company resume. As a result, IBM can use top-line strategy to increase their customer base and increase their profits. In addition to increasing their notability, IBM will also prove the abilities of their new technology. In the GCN article “Dubuque Uses Smart Meters to Get a Handle on Water Consumption,” IBM program director Milind Naphade was quoted as saying that “the idea is to validate cloud computing as a mechanism for collecting and managing data and to lower the barrier for entry for cities.”3 Although cloud-computing has been around almost as long as the Internet itself, its full potential is only being realized as of yet. As such, IBM will have tested and confirmed the potential and accuracy of their cloud-computing system by the time the technology becomes integral to operations. No matter what IBM’s motives, this experiment will secure the placement of cloud computing in the world of technological advancement and give companies a new way to use technology for their competitive advantage. Besides very interesting, I found the information in this article to be vital. For anyone with running water, the success of this project and IBM’s explanation of the data would mean the ability to “identify waste and view potential corrective measures to save both water and energy.”4 On a larger scale, this could also increase the sustainability of cities as they choose how to designate their resources.3 Overall, individuals as well as larger organizations and companies could reduce water usage and have an incredibly positive effect on the overall environment.

Sources:

---

[1] http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/07/how-ibm-is-using-water-to-learn-the-cloud/

[2] http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/32612.wss

3 http://gcn.com/Articles/2010/10/06/Dubuque-IBM-smarter-cities.aspx?Page=1

4 http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/1248-ibm-teams-with-dubuque-in-smart-meter-pilot.html

Business Adds iPads to their Briefcases

Wall Street Journal - August 24, 2010

iPads are becoming increasingly popular among a variety of businesses. In contrast to the iPhones, which were first seen by business as a distraction that could not be used productively, the iPad has been proving itself to be more useful than a real laptop in some cases. It is cheaper and easier to use when employees are standing or giving demonstrations. Mercedes Benz Financial have began using iPads in their dealership loaded with an app designed to allow people to begin filling their credit information while they are looking at the cars. Other companies such as Busch & Lomb Inc built its own iPad app for its salespeople to use in the field. Sean Chai, the senior IT manager at Kaiser Permanent, a health insurance provider, said “apple didn’t design this for the health-care industry, but it’s a tremendous form factor.” They have begun to use the iPads for viewing X-rays and accessing medial records, they are working implementing them to use more in hospitals.

This article was interesting to me because in my mind Apple produces gadgets that are for personal use and I never thought about the business aspects they could help with. Of course the iPhone has email capabilities, which are useful but may devices offer secure email such as Blackberry, but what apple as successfully done is corner the market with the applications that are now offered. The opportunities are endless in the app store; some apps have been advertised on TV to help run small business. But in addition to the applications that already exist, now companies can create their own applications that can be tailored to their specific needs. The iPad also has been secured to protected valued information. According to Apple’s website the iPad has increased security in device protection, data protection, network security and platform security. One important feature is remote wipe can be wiped clean remotely if they are lost or stolen; this helps prevent important information from being lost or released into the wrong hands. I think this is very important because keeping important information secure is crucial to protecting your business. These security features make the iPads appealing to companies where security is of the highest priority. I think that it is very smart to use iPads in the case of Mercedes Benz Financial. When people are looking at the model cars in the dealership is the time when people realize how badly they want to buy a car, but as time goes on they begin to think about the cost and if they can afford it. With the use of the iPad I believe they can increase the people who go through with buying or leasing cars. If the sales people have iPads on the floor with them and can get people started on the paper work while they are still looking at the cars, people will be more likely to follow through on purchasing them because it seems so simple to go through with. The iPad can be very productively to help improve businesses productivity and sales.

Sources:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703846604575447531699309858.html?ru=yahoo&mod=yahoo_hs

http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/pdf/iPad_Security_Overview.pdf

When digital marketing campaigns actually work

When digital marketing campaigns actually work

Fortune Tech October 7, 2010

By: Chelsea Lambert

            Many companies face issues when determining how effective their digital marketing campaigns are in today’s world. It wasn’t until this year that digital media spending surpassed print media in the United States as companies spent over $120 billion this past year in digital advertising and marketing efforts. There are two companies that have been able to capture their customers through the Internet and measure the success of these digital campaigns. Pizza Hut developed an iPhone app that allows customers to build their own pizzas manually and locate the nearest location. The app now has millions of users and accounts for about $500 million in revenue, as half of the company’s phone orders come in through the app. The second company is the Tourism Queensland agency that used digital campaigning to attract tourists to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. They developed an online recruitment reality show for “the best job in the world” where people fought for a generous salary and the ability to live in the islands while blogging about their experiences.

            Digital marketing refers to the promoting of brands using all forms of digital advertising such as television, radio, Internet, and mobile. As the use of technology and Internet sites such as facebook, twitter and youtube become more and more popular, companies find themselves relying on these sources to promote their brands. Being a customer myself, I am proof alone that digital marketing campaigns are very influential on spending habits. On a daily basis I find myself ordering clothes, movie tickets and even food online due to its convenience and availability. The great use of digital media in today’s society explains why these campaigns have had such an impact on consumer’s spending decisions. It is understandable how it is very difficult for so many companies to measure digital marketing’s effect on their revenue, which makes it even more interesting to see how successful it has been for Pizza Hut and Queensland Tourism. The use of apps seems to be a source of digital campaigning that is very innovative right now and will most likely continue to be successful for companies over time. Now that cell phones have incorporated the Internet and these apps, it is much easier for consumers to do simple tasks as well as make purchases wherever they may be. I find it very interesting how companies have started to incorporate digital advertising into their marketing strategies and I am eager to see how they continue to do so in the future. I also find it very interesting how much more companies have began to spend on digital advertising this past year as opposed to print media due to the mass increase in technology. It is obvious that newspaper and magazine ads are being replaced by facebook ads and commercials at a rapid rate. I believe that the use digital marketing will consume the majority of advertising expenses by most companies in the next couple of years as they progressively show more improvement and it becomes easier to measure it’s success. 

The New Age of Advertising

For many companies, especially small, privately owned companies, advertising and marketing can be the hardest part of running a business. It is difficult for companies who don’t have the money, especially when they are just getting started, to afford big-time advertising. Therefore many times they resort to advertising in local newspapers and magazines. While it may be initially inexpensive, it can be ineffective, and there is no guarantee they will reach the client base that they are trying to market and sell to. That is why geolocation services, such as Foursquare, are revolutionizing the way small businesses advertise and market. Geolocation is an application available for smart phones. It allows participating businesses to target people that are in the location of their stores or restaurants and send them promotional offers; for example, samples, freebies, or good deals. “Location based services help businesses present coupons, reward loyal clientele and gather valuable data about customers” (Pattison). It also helps to create foot traffic for businesses that rely on it, such as restaurants, retailers, etc.

It is truly amazing how much easier it is for companies to reach out to customers today. Instead of groping for customers in a local newspaper or magazine, which is likely to be skimmed over and thrown out, businesses are able to market real-time to anyone with a smart phone in their pocket, with is an ever-growing population that includes virtually everyone under the age of 30. Beyond what Foursquare is now providing businesses, other services are evolving that allow businesses to specify their clientele based on people’s interests. The internet has given businesses an easy and relatively inexpensive way to learn about their customers. For instance, Youtube has created a “recommended for you” section that monitors the previous videos you have watched and presents you with new ones that you may be interested in based upon that. Another example is Facebook. When you advertise on Facebook you have the option of selecting the customers you want to show your ads to by their location, age and interests. You can also pay only when people click or see your ad. Google also tracks a tremendous amount of information about peoples browsing habits, including sites they visit and searches they make for products. "Google is pushing into uncharted privacy territory for the company. Until recently, it refrained from aggressively cashing in on its own data about Internet users, fearing a backlash. But the rapid emergence of scrappy rivals who track people's online activities and sell that data, along with Facebook Inc.'s growth, is forcing a shift"(Vascellaro). Using this data, advertisers are able to target customers based upon the customers browsing behavior and attract customers that are already interested in their product. Theoretically this is all great for business because it puts people in touch with businesses and advertising that they are actually interested in. This helps cut through the clutter that is associated with other types of media, such as newspapers, television, and magazines where a business is fighting with every other business to get their message across. This approach gets lost in an information overload where people get too much data about too many things and either become bored or aggravated and just stop paying attention altogether. The targeted marketing that the web has enabled avoids these problems and this can be mutually beneficial for the customer and the business. It allows these two to find each other and can help promote customer loyalty once the connection is made. So it all sounds great, right?

The issue with many of these new advertising technologies is how far they are infringing on personal privacy to promote commerce. The internet companies are able to track tons of information about you and the question is how comfortable are we with having that information circulating on the web and known not only to people that gather the information but also to people who want to use it. For example, take a second to look at the website Spokeo.com. This website shows everything from your phone number to a satellite picture of your house, your income, your education, how many people are in your family, your hobbies, your house price, and a host of other creepy details that you may not want any random person – or business - to be able to see. To get a little creepier, with GPS now connected to many phones, people’s location can be potentially tracked to within a few meters. You can even link your GPS to allow it to track your friends and find out where they are. One person may use that information to simply find their friend at a local coffee shop while another person might use that same information to stalk their ex. Who is to say where this information could potential go or what purpose it might be used for? For example, can the government subpoena the information these companies have gathered about you and use it against you? Will companies have to surrender this information when they are asked for it? This should give anyone second thoughts about how much personal information they make available on the internet.

The truth with any technology is that as amazing as it may sound and be, we are likely to get the bad along with the good. At the end of the day, we may be able to easily find a good restaurant or that pair of boots we were looking for, but the real question will be whether we found them or they found us.

Pattison, Kermit. "Geolocation Services: Find a Smartphone, Find a Customer." New York Times (2010): n. pag. Web. 12 Oct 2010. .

Vascellaro, Jessica. "Google Agonizes on Privacy as Ad World Vaults Ahead." Wall Street Journal (2010): n. pag. Web. 12 Oct 2010. .

Pimp my Solar Panel

Solar energy has been on the rise because of different projects that are optimizing solar technology. One of these new projects is the solar microinverter. Enphase Energy is currently the leader in microiverter technology, they claim that their technology can increase energy harvest anywhere from five to twenty five percent. Enphase Energy has partnered with Main Street Power and Morgan Stanley to bring customers more efficient solar energy. Enphase Energy announced today that its microinverter technology will power 4.5 megawatts of solar projects developed and operated by Main Street Power and financed by Morgan Stanley. The Main Street project will sell energy generated to the San Diego Unified School District through a 20-year power purchase agreement. Main Street Power’s Senior vice president had a few words about the partnership. “We included Enphase in our proposal because it offered substantial cost savings in system design, operation and maintenance, while also increasing energy harvest and system reliability.”

The reasons that the solar sector is so excited about this new microinverter technology is because it lets the solar panel and therefore the solar energy work more efficiently and create more energy. The way these microinverters work is by using solar panels. These solar panels are connected in a series, so if one panel starts to fail or underperform because of different factors like shade or dirt falls on it, it drags down output of the entire system because the entire system produces one consistent current. What this means is that the solar panel works to the best of the worst panels ability. Therefore the weakest panel defines the total system’s output. Microinverters solve this problem because they can be attached to individual panels, allowing them to function separately from the series. What the microinverter does is it converts direct current or DC power that is produced by the solar panels into alternating current or AC power used by the object this solar panel is hooked up to. Some of the best microinverters can monitor, adjust, and maximize panels by using maximum power point tracking technologies. This technology lets people maximize their solar energy.

Panels that use solar optimization technologies are called smart panels. This is because they can react to panels that underperform and make adjustments to maximize energy production. These solar technologies are already limited in how much sunlight is converted to usable energy. What this means is that maximizing the output of usable energy along with bringing the cost down is the most important thing for the solar sector. Ron Van Dell, president and CEO of SolarBridge said “For solar energy to become truly mainstream among residential and commercial sites, installation and operating costs must come down, and energy harvest must go up.” This is why solar energy companies are teaming up with companies like Enphase Energy who make these Microinverters so they can maximize their profit and so they can create a bigger market share for themselves by lowering the cost of installation and fees and maximizing the energy the solar panels are producing.

In conclusion I feel that if the solar sector wants to get competitive with other types of energy companies, they are going to need to make their prices competitive and that is what the microinverter is doing. If this microinverter works well than I believe the Solar Sector can market their product to upper-middle class families especially women who try to care about the environment. This is what Toyota did with the Prius and they saw significant profits come out of this. I believe that the solar sector whatever the company maybe can do the same and maximize their profits as well as gain market share and more importantly compete with other energy sectors.

http://www.nytimes.com/external/venturebeat/2010/10/11/11venturebeat-pimp-my-solar-panel-microinverter-activity-p-85649.html?ref=business-computing

How IBM is Using Water to Learn the Cloud

Article: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/07/how-ibm-is-using-water-to-learn-the-cloud/#more-39297

How IBM is using water to learn the cloud, discusses how IBM is planning to monitor the amount of water consumed by 300 houses in Dubuque, Iowa. A company named Neptune made the low-flow monitors and IBM’s new could-computing software will manage the data and provide feedback. It also states how the new monitors will provide more readings and important information about possible leaks and over consumption.

I believe IBM’s new innovative data software is very promising, it is a good concept and if it works out the way they plan, it will be very advantageous. My only concern with this concept was, what would your average citizen do with the data this new monitor will supply? Someone who doesn’t have an information systems or technological background would look at the meter’s record and consider it gibberish. However Neptune’s creation is the physical meter which will spit out the numbers but IBM’s component, their expertise in cloud computing, is the link between the raw data and the comprehensive information which is what will make the difference. This cloud-computing software will manage the data and from there IBM will be able to portray it in a “web portal.” This portal will be very easy for customers to read and understand.

I believe this new technology is very helpful in two ways when considering the broad subject matter. The first is that it’s helpful to IBM as a company. This test run is the perfect scenario for them to test their new software. Also, their interest in pushing their “image as the leader in cloud computing for sustainability initiatives” will be satisfied. The article states that other companies will soon require the same type of software and by IBM mastering it now, they will have an advantage in the market. It is always a company’s goal to gain a competitive advantage in their industry and it looks as though IBM is on their way to do so. Finally, IBM has always been “mainly a data-processing company.” People haven’t really identified with them because they don’t typically make consumer products. Now, the customers will have a product to attach to the company. If the product is useful, people will have a positive view, supporting their high value products.

The second way this new technology is helpful when considering the broad subject matter is, through “IBM’s three tiered cloud strategy.” This strategy is will allow the new software to benefit people on three different levels. First, the individual consumers, who will be more fully aware of their water consumption and can potentially see if there is a leak. Second, the city can use it to plan more efficiently; officials will be able to see the effects of their changes in policy. I believe this is very helpful for the above two because it allows for the saving of money, which is especially important in economic times like these. The third tier is the possible utilization by utilities companies. This would help them deliver a better product to their customers while at the same time, eliminating unnecessary costs for internally.

The union of Neptune’s hardware and IBM’s expertise in information technology, seems very promising to many sources especially James Governor, who is an analyst for RedMonk. He believes it has the capability to expand to electricity monitoring. Support like this keeps everyone in suspense to see the result of this latest project.

Works Cited

DuBois, Shelley. "How IBM Is Using Water to Learn the Cloud - Fortune Tech." Fortune Tech: Technology Blogs, News and Analysis from Fortune Magazine. CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2010. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . .

Blog#1

Matt Tenaglia

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vnsny-uses-advanced-technology-to-assess-in-home-performance-of-nurses-and-incorporate-new-medical-research-to-improve-patient-care-104704649.html

This article talks about New York and its effort to integrate Information Technology into it’s health care. They use feedback and other applications to find out what treatments are having what effects on home rehab patients as fast possible. This lead to a 10% reduction in patients having to be hospitalized and a more efficient system.

This article was intriguing to me because, I’ve had relatives who have been in a situation where they had to be cared for from home. I feel that a system like this could greatly have benefitted my grandfather. Also I think that this is one of the first small steps for IT in the healthcare industry. The potential for IT in the healthcare industry is enormous. I found the feedback aspect unique, the article claimed that they average around 22,000 hits per year. I feel like patient feedback is an obvious requirement for all treatments, but how did they retain feedback before this program? Or did they get any at all? Also this new system allows the company, through a series of algorithms, to determine which patients are best suited for home care and which patients need to remain hospitalized. This streamlines their process as well as saves valuable resources by sending a patient home to rehab, who will only be sent back to the hospital shortly after. My argument is why hasn’t the health care world done things of this magnitude sooner? Why don’t I have something similar to a flash drive that contains all my past medical records, instead of some folder back in Boston? How long will it take for a hospital in Baltimore to reach my medical information in Boston? I know there are a lot of Health Care reforms in the works with this new presidency and that every state has their own laws. A lot of the health care budget for technology isn’t directed at information technology but more along the improving machines/devices as well as biotechnology. But I feel that the Health Care industry is so reliant upon knowing as much information as possible about the individual patient, this industry was built for Information Technology to thrive upon. All these reward cards for the retail industry track exactly what we buy and what we buy repeatedly. Why can’t we have a card similar to this, for every time we check into a doctors office, hospital, or clinic so that it’s all stored. I know this would be a huge undertaking to convert into a system. The population could be eased into it over time to reduce the confusion. Not only would this make patient care easier, it would be more accurate nd have faster response time. It would only increase patient care and quality, just as the small scale system VNSNY is using has.

Dupont, Spotless Group and Sunoco Move to Microsoft's Cloud

Recently, Microsoft Corporation has introduced the new concept of its new technological innovation called Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, more simply referred to as BPOS. On October 4^th, they announced three new customers that have decided to take advantage of Microsoft’s new technologies in the hopes of reducing costs and increasing productivity. DuPont, Sunoco, and Spotless Group just joined the ranks of business like Coca-Cola, McDonalds, and Starbucks, among many others that have utilized Microsoft’s BPOS. This new software is now available in 40 countries and regions, and includes all of the Microsoft programs that companies and employees are used to using in their everyday business transactions.

According to Chris Capossela, a senior vice president at Microsoft, “since the start of the year, the number of businesses using the BPOS has more than tripled and [they’re] seeing growing interest from organizations of all types and sizes.” The customer base for Microsoft’s new BPOS has grown significantly since it first began, and not only includes large industry leaders, but also several other small and medium sized businesses. It is also being used by the government at all different levels, most recently by the State of Minnesota, becoming the first state to use the “cloud” for e-mail and collaboration among it’s 33,000 employees. Falling in line behind companies and the government, many colleges and universities became Microsoft Live@edu customers.

Dupont, Inc. decided to replace their Lotus Notes environment with BPOS. Employing over 58,000 people in approximately 80 countries worldwide, “with a thriving network of more than 1 million partners, suppliers and contractors”, DuPont is hoping that this new modernized technology provided by Microsoft will be the catalyst that augments collaboration in their global networks. BPOS would provide a secure extranet as well as provide a modern template for standardizing their IT environment. Phuong Tram, Dupont’s CIO, reveals that they chose Microsoft’s BPOS because it is “an all-encompassing partner that has the capability to foster a culture of information management and walk along with us into the century of collaboration and communication.”

In the case of Sunoco, the best asset provided by BPOS is the superior IT that allows the company to have better control of their operations, whether they decide to amp up or cut back as they see fit. This scalable platform is ideal for a manufacturing company like Sunoco so they can produce and provide in tandem with the flow of demand. Another important factor that influenced Sunoco’s decision to switch to BPOS is the already user-integrated products provided by Microsoft. The system was not such a shock for employees since they have seen several of the Microsoft Office programs on their desktops for years. Sunoco CIO Peter Whatnell offered that “since BPOS enables close integration between e-mail and Microsoft Office products, [Sunoco] could ensure a smooth transition without incurring abrupt changes for our user community.”

Lastly, Spotless Group, an international contract manager and retail supply chain solutions provider based in Australia, has partnered with Microsoft and its BPOS. The main reason for this is to provide support for its global workforce while simultaneously reducing costs. With employees and customers all over the world, it is important that BPOS gives everyone, no matter their location, access to a secure business server. Microsoft beat out a competitor like Google due to the fact that in addition to reducing their costs, the template used by Microsoft is extremely user-friendly, especially when so many companies already have Microsoft-based desktop platforms. Thus, even with the implementation of brand new technology, the familiarity of Microsoft gives comfort to its customers, making it more desirable than Google.

In all, I believe that Microsoft’s BPOS, will continue to pick up speed. With so many organizations already partnered with Microsoft, it is evident that whether it is through integration, collaboration, comfort, or streamlining costs, Microsoft is a step ahead of the competition. Giving its customers the ability to communicate and access company information on a secure platform over the internet is extremely important, especially in this day and age when everyone has seemingly gone global. This phenomenon is just one more step toward the future of technology that is changing businesses everywhere.

"DuPont, Spotless Group and Sunoco Move to Microsoft’s Cloud." Microsoft.
Microsoft, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2010.

H&R incapable of finding new jobs in the economy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/11/AR2010101100369.html

In today's job market, it is difficult to imagine finding a good job nowadays. But now add that trouble with jobs that are just too incapable of being filled. Because the downsizing companies instilled within the last few years, jobs mixed departments, workers now knowing PR who were also hired to do accounting. The mixes are fantastic (for those who took part in it) but in all honest reality the repercussions of this occurring means troubles for future workers. With the mixing of offices, companies now search for multi-capable employees. And by this, a single degree would most likely not cut it.

For this, H&R now have a harder task of finding suitable workers. And by this, I am fearful that perhaps my International Business degree and Comm Degree won't cut it. Yet, maybe if the promotion of versatility in the workforce brings better paying jobs, it can work.

AT&T Selling Satellite-Enabled Smart Phone

AT&T has just begun selling its TerreStar Genus, a new cell phone that will have complete blank coverage over the U.S. using satellite. AT&T has created this phone to satisfy customers who have once complained about spotty coverage or drop calls. It can cover areas that normal phones cannot reach such as the wilderness and miles off shorelines. Along with having satellite coverage it is also a smart phone containing the web and email features. Taking both components and putting them together. By AT&T introducing this new innovative cell phone with widespread coverage using a satellite, it hopes to become an important tool for people such as fisherman, forest rangers, and emergency crews.

The new TerreStar Genus phone that AT&T has introduced will be a great benefit to business professionals whose jobs meet these requirements. Some jobs such as fishermen that require them to be offshore for long periods of time or forest rangers whose work in the woods is daily will primarily benefit from the features of this phone. The satellite component, which is directly aimed at the U.S. that the TerreStar contains, is a technological advantage that AT&T has over any other cell phone. For fishermen who are out on their boats, all they need is a view of the sky and this phone will be able to function because of the satellite coverage. Not only is it a satellite phone but it is the first satellite phone that is a smart phone as well. Meaning it has all the benefits of the web or email and does not posses an antenna like traditional satellite cell phones. This phone will come as a great benefit to fisherman and forest rangers, but also to business people who frequently travel to various places and emergency crews who need contact at all times. This phone is appealing to business professionals because of its coverage and consistency, making business more efficient. While the cell phone is very expensive, I believe the TerreStar Genus will set AT&T apart from competing companies because it combines the satellite with the smart phone a product very useful for fisherman, forest rangers, emergencies, and various other business occasions. This phone will probably be in high demand once it has been out for a little while and shows future promise.

The TerreStar Genus is one of the first phones established to be a satellite and smart phone all in one and while the price is high, in the near future the price will surely come down making it more available to a broader variety of customers wishing to purchase the phone. Most customers number one concern is their coverage and dropped calls. By AT&T ensuring the satellite feature of the phone it makes the TerreStar Genus all the more attractive and reliable. People will be able to communicate while over water, in mountains, valleys, and the wilderness more easily and not have to worry about dropping calls or disconnecting.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39279960/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets

Bar Codes Add Detail On Items In TV Ads

By: Elizabeth Olson

The New York Times, Monday September 27, 2010

Today bar codes are becoming a very popular way to obtain information about certain companies who use this new technology. The “online fashion retailer Bluefly” has started to put bar codes on their television commercials. When the customer scans the bar code with his or her phone, they are taken to another commercial that is significantly longer than the commercial on tv. This commercial gives the customer more information about the company. In addition to more information, the company will give the customers who scan the bar code a coupon to use on their next purchase on Bluefly.com.

This idea is very interesting. I think people enjoy new technologies and they want to try new things. For example, the iPhone was a new idea with new technology and sold a significant number when it was introduced and with every new model that comes out the sales grow more and more. The bar code is something that has not been seen on commercials, which will cause people to be interested in it, and they will try it out. The commercials run on the television network, Bravo. This network has an audience that is “very engaged in fashion and pop culture” as Bradford Matson says, who is Bluefly’s chief marketing officer. I think Bravo is an excellent place to have these commercials with this new technology because the people who watch this network are interesting in fashion and new and improved technologies. This audience will also be interested in the special offer that the company will give them if they scan the barcode with their phones. Also I think that the people who watch these shows will be willing to try to scan the barcode and see the addition information about a company who sells fashion items.

Recently I have seen barcodes being used in magazines also. It looks very interesting however to scan the barcode you have to have a phone that is capable of doing this. This means that the company is only marketing to a select group of people and they are not including the people who do not have these phones. However the number of people who do have smartphones is significantly large which will benefit the company. Technology supplies information to people and the use of these barcodes does just that.

eHarmony's Algorithm of Love

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/23/the-algorithm-of-love/

eHarmony is an online match-making service, that has been around for 10 years. They have recently joined business to use predictive software. Their technology chief, Joseph Essas, who was a former employee of Yahoo!, stated that they have developed their own computer algorithms to enhance the love connections. Before the newer technology was utilized, eHarmony only took into account a few dozen attributes per each user. Now, with the more complex technology that they have started using, they have begun to take into account hundreds of different characteristics and traits about each user in order to match them up with a love connection. They analyze other things besides characteristics about users, such as how long they spend on the site, which could tell them how interested they are or how long they take to respond to an email which could show whether or not they are interested in a match. They take into account geographical terms and how willing people are to travel to meet someone when presenting them with matches.

I think that using this technology will enhance the amount of love connections that are made within eHarmony. Therefore, this will increase their revenue and more people will be satisfied with the company. By trying harder to create better matches rather than ones based on just a few things, they will now be made based on hundreds of attributes, making the success rate of a potential relationship much higher. Despite there being several other match-making sites, eHarmony has made its mark in the industry. By creating their own computer algorithms, it enables them to help their users to the fullest extent and improve the chances of them finding a perfect match.

The company, who has an estimated $250 million in annual revenue, reported that they have seen a 10% increase in users communicating with their matches. This increase is due to the change in technology the company began using. The usage of the newer technology and improvement to the analyses of each user, has improved their sales and have helped people find better matches and ones that they are more likely to actually meet in person. This is a way of using IT because they are utilizing the newer technology that they have and are creating new steps within the process of finding love for a person. Recently, they have doubled the size of their technology team and have made technology innovation and top priority and investment to the company. Their efforts towards technology have paid off not only for them, but also for their users who have been more likely to find a match that they will actually meet in person and possibly go on to have a relationship with. I believe that companies such as eHarmony will just continue to grow in the future due to it's convenient and practical features for people in search of a relationship.

IBM In Deal To Acquire Netezza for $1.7 Billion

On Monday, September 20, 2010, IBM acquired Netezza, the data warehouse appliance global leader, for $1.7 billion (McDougall). This is a solid investment for IBM because Netezza allows for low-cost, and high-performance data warehouse appliances. Netezza would open up IBM’s offerings in the market for database and business intelligence platforms. This will help IBM’s Porter’s five forces model because it will lower its rivalry among existing competitors, giving them a competitive advantage. The bargaining power of the suppliers will also increase because supplying and marketing would become more efficient. I noticed that the addition of Netezza would also increase the power of the buyer’s because the products will be user friendly because of Netezza focus on the client, as well as, the business it is working with.

Netezza also provides advanced analytics applications including enterprise data warehousing, business intelligence, predictive analytics, and business continuity planning (Netezza). This kind of investment will strengthen IBM's value chain because it will make the primary value process, such as receiving and storing raw materials, making the product or services, and delivering the product and service run smoother. This will, in turn, lower the pressure of the support value processes because the management of IBM would have less to worry about because Netezza will be responsible for the primary value process of the company. Because Netezza has the ability to help IBM focus on understanding clients’ needs, it will help in the research and development of the products, human resource management, and service after the sale of the product.

Upon doing further research on the official Netezza website, I discovered their new product, Wave 2. This appliance was created in order to integrate the database, server, and storage into one system. Netezza simplifies the data warehouse and the analytics infrastructure. The data compliance of the Wave 2 includes controls, reports, and workflow. Not only is the Wave 2 the perfect product for business intelligence, it is also an environmentally friendly product, and, due to the increasing amount of data volumes, it has a special security system that allows organizations to see who is accessing information and why it is being accessed. It is also a fast system that is able to backup data and restore it at a very quick rate. I also found out that Netezza uses con-way freight, which reduces fuel consumption, and therefore, lower costs and increases profitability (Netezza).

Video on how Netezza and IBM will work together:

A statement from Netezza on its background and why it is an important part of a company’s life: “We introduced the world's first data warehouse appliance and challenged the status quo. We created a new market segment and set the agenda for an entire industry. And now, driven by our customers, we are developing solutions to solve bigger, more complex enterprise-wide challenges including global federation, data integration, legacy system integration, business continuity, advanced analytics and compliance. With our strong financial base, profitable business model, focus on growth and extremely enthusiastic ‘enzee’ community, you can be sure that Netezza will always be a strong partner for analytics, scaling with you as your data and demands grow.”

IBM’s investment in Netezza is bound to increase its profits because its overall affect on the value chain and the five forces model is a positive one.

Sources

Data Warehouse Appliance, Data Warehouse Appliances, and Data Warehousing from Netezza. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.

McDougall, Paul. “IBM In Deal To Acquire Netezza For $1.7 Billion.” Information Week. 20 Sept. 2010. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.

Ford Integrates a ‘Safer’ Way to Drive

Article: http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=227700434

Ford introduced new tools called Software Developer Kit and Application Programming Interfaces for their upcoming cars’ dashboards. The article suggests these tools can prevent distracted driving, by providing a safer way to text, listen to music, or talk on the phone. Everything is through hands-free voice activation.

After reading the article, it is clear to me that Ford is using this technology as a competitive advantage towards its competitors. They are integrating innovation and collaborating with applications to make the driving experience more enjoyable and to increase the focus in driving. However with that being shown in the article, one of my main concerns has to do with the safety of the driver. The article never explains how it really promotes safety. I think by having more, or an easy access to applications in a car while driving, should really distract the customer more.

In another article[1], Ford defends their application system by only allowing certain kinds of apps on their dashboard (i.e Pandora, navigation, or financial apps). My next question/ concern would then be how these tools wouldn’t supply multiple distractions. For example, since everything is voice activated, let’s say that I am driving using a navigation app to the airport and on the phone with a friend. I can see Ford being helpful because I don’t have a phone in one hand and my other one on the wheel. However, I can safely assume that my phone is somehow attached and I am also getting incoming texts from other people. The voice on the navigation app, the voice with my friend, and the many text voices are happening all at the same time causing a confusion of voices and therefore an accident. Are these tools not the same as being on the phone, while driving? By having the access to many applications, isn’t the driver given more freedom to be distracted?

However after researching other opinions on this matter and as much as I would like to be against this tool, Ford shows in many YouTube videos[2] that one would have to first state the command before any multiple distractions could play a role. Therefore my example of being on the phone and multiple texts coming in would be incorrect because the dashboard would be playing the role of any phone, and an incoming text would result in a beep or vice versa.

Depending on the consumer, Ford’s tools can have either a positive or a negative impact. But, the impact this tool can have on the broader world around us can be seen as a positive. The negative connotation of an innovative product would be the more expensive it would probably be. However by looking at the market price for a 2011 Ford Fiesta with the voice activation features, the price varies from 13,000 to 16,000 dollars. Also according to the National Automobile Dealers Association[3], “the average price of a new car sold in the United States is $28,400”. Therefore, one can conclude that not only is Ford’s SYNC more likely to decrease distraction in the car, but also increase revenue for their company and spending in the US economy.

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[1] http://www.betanews.com/article/Ford-releases-SDK-to-pair-smartphone-apps-with-SYNC-voice-command/1286569132

[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g39JrObzmg&feature=related

[3] http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut11.shtm

Google's Self-Driving Car

This past weekend, Google announced that they have produced an automobile that can drive by itself. They have had a small number of cars drive themselves to rack up over 1000 miles on the road. Google also expressed that these same cars had tallied 140,000 miles with very little "human intervention". Google has invested many hours and technologies into this self-driven car in order to expand into a different direction of business.

Google's emergence into the automobile production shows that they aren't just an advanced search engine company, but a company with a broad outlook on future technologies. I believe that Google's ability to create new technologies will increase the advancements in today's life and it will only increase their strength as a company and economic force. Having great internet based technologies, I think that Google will be able to continue this investment of the self-driven car. The data that will have to be processed and used by the automobiles must be collected and separated into different sections of "Real-Time" data, in order for the car to function. I believe that Google has come into a field of technology that a very large portion of people will never try to conquer, but in my opinion, they are one of a few technological companies that have the ability to possibly succeed. The "artificial intelligence" that consists of networking and programming of real time data, "promises big gains in safety, efficiency and quality of life for everyday drivers" (NY Times). Google also said this; "Our automated cars use video cameras, radar sensors and a laser range finder to 'see' other traffic, as well as detailed maps (which we collect using manually driven vehicles) to navigate the road ahead" (PCMag). I believe that advancements in the "Real-Time" technologies that Google uses and continues to develop will only further the advancements in everyday life for consumers.

Google has really put themselves out into a new branch of technologies. I think they could possibly succeed only because they have such a great data, networking, and technological background that gives them an advantage into this under the radar development. Being able to create this self-driven car will not only advance Google as an economic power house, but it will allow advancements in safer driving for bad drivers and the people around them. Google is not the first company to invest time into this development, but I believe that they have one of the better chances of making this "model" into a reality. People look at Google and think they are just a search engine, as did I, but now reading about this self-driven car, I have been able to understand why Google has an advantage in creating this obscure technology. Google's large databases, in my opinion, will be the biggest beneficiary in the creation of the automated car. I think that having these databases will help Google to understand how they should network and process the information into and throughout the car. I believe that Google has taken an incredible leap into an extremely difficult product, but if a company were to successfully develop such a car, Google would be one to do so.



http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/10/11/11readwriteweb-googles-self-driving-car-is-just-the-beginni-3680.html?ref=technology
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370598,00.asp

Course Signals at purdue

Purdue university in West Lafayette, Indiana just introduced an educational information system that warns students if there grades are low and is shown to significantly increase overall grade point average in students who use it. The solution known as course signals allows an institution to combine the information already available within campus systems to determine whether a student is at risk of failing or withdrawing from a course as early as the second week of the semester or quarter. Based on the data the solution displays a red, yellow, or green signal to students and faculty. This makes it so the student can see his or her progress in real time so that they have a constant idea of how they stand in a particular course. The status of the student's grades can be checked at any time. The system is also automated so that it sends e-mails on a weekly basis as well as when the students grades have fallen below a set threshold. This system uses predictive student success algorithms to process the data and spit out a resulting red, yellow, or green. SunGard Higher Education is the developer of this system and also the developer of other information systems technologies. These systems consider various factors when analyzing a students success in class. Some of these factors include demographics, course schedules, previous G.P.A., and test scores. This program was implemented by the university to boost their retention rates and have a higher graduating percentage. The implementation of this information system was made at the right time especially with the current state of the economy. This system also emphasizes the importance of synchronizing information with Blackboard technologies. The greatest thing about this technology is it's red, yellow, green system. The student no longer has to look at the specifics of his courses to know where he or she stands. They just have to look at the color and know immediately whether they are in good or bad shape in terms of academics. These reports are also sent to teachers and faculty in order to provide support for the student. The ongoing influx of students in big universities shows a need to provide this type of service. It is not only benificial to the student and his or her family but it also makes the school money and can improve its overall academic standing compared to other large institutions. This technology has already received a lot of attention in the higher education community. One of the most notable things that this technology offers is that it makes the teachers job easier. It is now much easier to track the students progress especially in a school where one teacher could have over 1000 kids. Purdue has set a precedent in this type of information systems technology that will surely be followed by other big name schools. With schools getting more and more advanced I would not be surprised to see these same IT technologies in a majority of college campuses nationwide.