2014 - Technology the year ahead

2013 was the year many of the ideas of what and where technology is going was more buzz than actuality. Towards the end of 2013 things started to settle and during 2014 I believe they will become more main stream.
Areas I believe will have a big impact and start to increase in adoption and topic which are developing but still need to go further.

Cloud or (Infrastructure 3.0 / Services)

This was such a controversial subject. It was amazing the number of legal experts in the IT market space in this topic. Its a pity that many were quoting a friend of a friend, or something they read. Bottom line I think the Australian Government Chief Information Officer: Glenn Archer best said it at a FutureGov Summit in Perth in 2011. Was classify your systems, programs and data, get over it and get on it. The whole topic really is that the Cloud is not a silver bullet that it is horses for courses, Its all around risk.  Until we know what we have and what our risk appetite is we are not in a position to determine what cloud services and what data can go where. 
I believe that the important part about Cloud is the architecture. Building an infrastructure that is based around a consumption model. Having the ability to consume services, CPU, Storage and Network resource and when they are not needed returning them back to a pool. Building our infrastructure to have that ability and when and if we want to consume cloud services its a matter of pointing to the location and consuming the service.
One of the things I try to do in this area of conversation is not even to mention the word cloud, as it clouds the issue. I refer to different services. It tends to reduce the religious conversations on peoples beliefs and returns the conversation to facts, risks and costs. Because cloud does not necessarily reduce costs, the services can be higher. But sometimes the increase in cost is due to something that might work better. Like all systems, cost can be low due to the system being flaky and the system not being used with work-a-rounds being the order of the day. But when a service works and people become productive they then consume more so cost increase also can be a reflection of increased productivity.
I find at time with the disconnect of IT from the business, you will hear the complaint of IT costing too much. This I believe is a classic case of Business not owning their IT to provide their business outcomes and IT driving decisions based on their view of the world which is not reflective of the business. 
There are three questions to qualify technology decisions and they are the same that business uses for the rest of the business.

1. Is this technology going to save the business MONEY?
2. Is this technology going to improve my business PROCESSES?, or
3. Is this technology going to do both, Save me Money and improve my processes?

It is that simple. Because why else would you take on the technology? I then get comments that its future proofing, well that can be shown to be saving money. IT and business need to step back and look further than just this day or month. This is where having an understanding of the business strategy and where it is wanting to go and the working to provide systems and software to provide the outcomes the business need or organisation needs to provide its services. It IT and business talk together and at the same time when they are looking to the future it is amazing what can be achieved. 

Multi-Cloud

Another area that is about to hit is the Multi-Cloud. As businesses start to consume these services managing the different services from different providers will become a challenge. Security, Access, Data Protection, Disaster Recovery and Backup all will present their own challenges. 

Cloud Transference 

Once you have selected your services and have been consuming them you may reach a point where you find that the service is not what you want, or there has been a change or the services needed are not provided. In the mean time you have built a large quantity of data. Picking up that data and moving it will present some of the challenges in the future. This is being addressed in some part with the NBN in Australia but if the service is not in Australia how do you transport and validate your data. That traffic is also a cost and the time involved could create its own issues. The other side is can you access your data? in what format is that data? can it be processed to be imported into a new service. These are really things that need to be considered before taking on a service.

Consumerization and our Business Technology 

As time has moved on the technology between work and home has blurred. The lines between work and home again have blurred. This is creating considerable challenges to business and how they delivery their technology to the business consumer.

There is an expectation that business technology is either old or complex and the business consumer is wanting to only do their job and not be a technology specialist. They know that their technology at home can be far more complex and sophisticated but it is simple to use and consume. There is an expectation that business should work the same and they keep asking why it is not. We have gone through BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), COD(Corporate Own Devices) and now we are getting BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) which has grown wider and wider each day. Its not just a matter of device management as more and more the device will not belong to the business. What business is needing to do is create their services so it can be consumed the same and what people are use to with their own personal technology. What the business does need to do is manage their data. Who has it, where is it and who is responsible and how can they retrieve or delete their data which is their property.

Wearable Technology

The next exciting area is wearable technology and all you need to do is to see what was presented at the CES2014 (Consumer Electronic Show). Glasses, Kiwimove (Movement Activity Sensor), Myo Band (Gesture Control), GlassUp, Smart Glasses M100, Epson Wearable Screens, LG Lifeband, Fitbit, Watches (Pebble - Carbon Steel), Niki Fuel Band, Jawbone activity band,   Eye Tracking technology (Tobii) many more will appear this year. These are just a few and more are on their way. 

One of the technologies I have purchased is Leap Motion and their proximity sensor. similar to the Kinect from Microsoft the main difference with the Leap Motion device is the cost US$79 and accuracy and size.

Social Media / Web and Policy

This is becoming a bigger topic this year. It is fascinating how many organisation consider this a technology issue when in reality it is a HR (Human Resources) issue. At this point in time there are some 300+ and possibly more sites which are considered social. When looking around to get and understanding of what is social there are many examples. 

Wikipedia: Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.

Dictionary.com: social media

noun ( usually used with a plural verb ) Digital Technology .

websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts

Oxforddictionaries.com: websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

A simple example is, you have a photo and you either email it or put it online and point people to it or make available to other to see. That picture is considered social media. Basically and area online where people interact. Very much like the physical world but done in a virtual environment. 

What is important to business is the conduct of staff and their use of Social Media which:

• is likely to cause serious damage to the employment relationship; or
• the conduct damages the employer's interests; or
• the conduct is incompatible with the employee's duty as an employee

So as you can see locking access to Facebook does nothing. As it is the outcomes of their actions when they are using the different social media sites that a business should be focused on. The use and over use of any particular site or service should be determined based on management of staff and what they do and how they utilise the technology and services within a business. More importantly than just having a social media policy is showing that you the business have educated your staff on the topic. A great example produced for NSW DEC social media policy explained is a really good example. 

Tablets Computing Technology

Many time this discussion resorts to a religious debate, especially with users of apple technology. But at the end of the day it is the tool that fits the need. For apple users that is their 'i' series of technology with pads, phones and computers.

Again as with all technology it is horses for courses. The right tool for the right purpose.

iOS - iPads / iPhones

This will continue and provide many people a very easy to use device to consume services. Email, Digital Magazines, Browse the Internet, watch movies and take video and picture. Great consumer tool, and I hear the people say it also provides for the enterprise. I agree to a point. That is if you develop the apps to interface with your applications within the enterprise this works very well and there are some exceptional business cases to show that. BUT, and that is a big BUT, you have to do the development. The i-Series of technology does not seamlessly integrate into the most common business environment which love it or hate it, is Microsoft. There are better apps coming out but they end up being work-a-rounds and not seamless integration.

Apps we have millions

This is the next augment presented by the apple side, my augment is so what. I would say I am a bit of a geek and use my technology quite a bit more than most but all up I have 57 apps on my phone and might use 10 on a regular basis. I can't store millions of apps let alone use millions of apps. I have the basics covered, digital magazine, audio books, music, email, browsing, step counter, four squares, chat. Most of the different platforms have the basics covered and so the quantity of applications does not really matter. It is the quality and not the quantity, you need to be able to achieve the outcomes you want and if one platform does not meet that requirement they you choose another. I speak from the experience of having many of the different platforms and devices using them for what they are good at, as well as being aware of their pluses and negatives.

Big Data

To really understand this area of the technology space is to understand what it is. With big data there are a number of 'V' words that express what it is. They are:

• Volume - Scale of Data
• Velocity - analysis of streaming data
• Variety - different forms of data
• Veracity - Uncertainty of data
• Value - what is the value 

When looking at data in these scales these V each present their own challenges and opportunities. The downfall especially with the Variety of data is knowing how to make use of these different sources of data to get a meaning full return and value out of the data. This area of expertise is hard to find.

An example of Variety of data that once put together produce a value that no one had previously thought about. Take local council information about fruit bearing trees. This happen in Seattle where they get volunteers to harvest the fruit from public trees. This is time consuming and not all the fruit is picked. This leaves a clean up and is wasteful. An application was developed in Washington where you can enter your details of where you live, where you work and the fruit you might be interested in based on a list of seasonally available fruit from these public trees. The app will calculate your journey via these location to proved the most efficient trip and method to collect your fruit.

Another example a person collected all the public information about crime and murder. Then plotting it on a publicly available map showed the major crime areas and their crimes. This would be helpful you would think, but the effect on property prices was devastating. Because people were reviewing this information before buying a property. Good for the buyer not so good for the seller.

The challenge in the Big Data space is the realisation of the value and have the skill and resources to be able to analysis the information to return that value.

As the title of this blog states these are my rants and raves and my view of what is for 2014.

2012 ends, so what for 2013?

So what a year, both form a technology perspective and personally. Personally I got to complete my Churchill Fellowship and spend 9 weeks travelling around the world. I got to meet some interesting people and saw some interesting sights and project. I have come back with much in the ways of ideas but still looking for the opportunity to actually apply them.

Currently I am the vice president of the WA Churchill Fellowship Association and this year we ran the National Conference which was great. I got to meet and talk with many other Churchill fellows from around Australia. We got some great ideas and looking to a very active year next year 2013. We are holding a number of events; We have decided to separate the Returning Fellows and the presentation night of the new fellows. A cocktail party and finish the year with a Churchill Birthday Bash. We are hoping to generate interests and value to becoming a member of the association and relevance.
 
Rotary I have accepted to take on the Presidency of the Rotary Club of Heirisson in 2014/15. But first I serve as President elect for a year 2013/14. We have the Duck Race in March and I have taken on the design and graphics.

Musically Enchant Unlimited was looking to close down but a number of the members spoke to me and asked if I could keep things going. So from February 4th we start and are looking to kick off with 10+ singers. I have started to put a program together just having to come up with a name, one is "Broadway to Hollywood" but that is a work in progress. I look like I will have a great support team and looking forward to a great year.

Still in Cornerstone lodge and many will have a chuckle to themselves when they hear that I will be the Chaplin for the ensuing year. The master of the lodge said he was wanting me to take on the role as he considered it a role where someone would network among the members.

So what about the technology were do I think it will go this year.  As I indicated last year this was the year of the tablet and it can only get better. The three contenders with operating systems have now come to what I believe is a level playing field, with Windows 8 which Microsoft is considering changing its name. Windows 8 is a 180 degree change in the way you interact with a computer. It took me a very little amount of time to pick up and I really love it. Finally I have got an operating system that is starting to get to the point of working at the speed I am thinking. Its fast, intuitive and works.

Android and Jellybean is great to. For the Nexus 7 I have it too does what I need and want. Apple still continuing along its track. This year for Apple was just evolutionary and no revolutionary changes. Their life cycle has reduced and I don't think that is good. The price people pay for their technology, especially for Apple I don't think people are too happy buying expensive equipment to have it superseded only 6 months later. I am looking forward to see what Apple does this year but there is no indication of anything new on the horizon only further upgrades to existing products. The mini iPad I believe totally missed the point for its size but maybe it was an introduction in to some of the size issues with iPad's. I suspect that we will see a new iPad that is thinner and has more technology under the hood but not much more than that. It is concerning that Apple has return to selling bits and bytes. Steve Jobs would sell the dream and that is what people brought into it was the dream not the bits and bytes.

Windows 8 has had some resistance but from what I have read to date most reviews have either not even use the operating system or only judged it based on a cursory trial. I use all technology and I buy technology to do a job, if it does not do the job I get something else. Windows 8 is a complete revamp, yes a complete change but something that now is starting to work. After a little time with a tablet I liked it so much I put it on my desktop.

The next piece of technology I am really waiting to get my hands on is a device that has been developed by Leapmotion. This device will make using a computer very interesting especially with the new Windows 8 operating system. I have two on order and keenly wait for it to arrive early Jan/Feb.

The other area that will grow will be the mobile phone cross with 7 inch tablet. the 7 inch tablet I believe will develop in the area of screen resolution and the size of the screen within the 7 inch area. The point of these devices is that they fit in your pocket and are the size of a paperback. That is where the iPad mini just totally missed the point being that much bigger than your pocket means you have to carry it in a bag and if you are going to put it in a bag then why not go the full distance and get an iPad. This will become more relevant with the next iPads. I believe that the next iPads will become smaller in thickness, more powerful and higher resolution screens. The screen area will grow and the masking on the screen will reduce. As this happens then the iPad mini will become more irrelevant.

I believe that the Phone and 7 inch tablet will get closer and the next area will be the Bluetooth ear pieces will become more sophisticated so that you can use the phone function on these devices with more ease. Jawbone technology is going to become more prevalent in this area as well. Another area due for more attention is voice recognition. Less visible interaction with devices and voice driven.

The main thing I believe will come in 2013 is a 7 inch Microsoft Tablet, fingers crossed.

Disruptive Innovation Apple and the Future

Disruptive Technology

"As companies tend to innovate faster than their customers’ needs evolve, most organizations eventually end up producing products or services that are actually too sophisticated, too expensive, and too complicated for many customers in their market." - Clayton Christensen

Many of these factors can be applied to apple except maybe the complicated to use. But what has changed recently is the speed with which apple is bringing things to market. So far this year we have had the iPhone, 4s, 5 and already predictions of 5s early next year. The iPad has become the New iPad, iPad 4 and the mini iPad. Again a new mini and possible iPad predicted early next year.  Apple produce high quality for the most demanding users but how are they feeling with their investment being superseded so quickly? How many times will they return to buy a new device if it is being improved and upgraded so quickly? or will they start to take on the "Osborne Effect". Early in the PC era there was a company called Osborne Computers. They started in the market quick promisingly but soon after starting they would start to market what was coming next. People were buying their computers which were quite expensive in those days. We are talking the 1985-1995 period. So buying a computer was a big decision. Buyer were encouraged to buy more as is the norm you got some technology you can always do with more as it will make thing easier to do. But what happen was the sales people of Osborne Computers were starting to suggest to their buyers to buy the latest computer, but in the next breath inform the client that if they waited a little longer there was a bigger and better computer coming. As most of the computer being used were performing well businesses would wait. The next computer came out and business would delay. The sales teams would then hit the market, they had a growing client base so to keep them they would continue to service them. But decisions to buy were taking time and the computers were still being effective. Again the sale people would try to make the sale but again the next breath suggest waiting for the next greatest system coming out. The only problem is that business did keep waiting as the next computer was going to be bigger, faster, better but there was one problem to this model the company needed to sell its current technology more consistently to support it future technology development and sale. Buy the time they realised this the company had gone.

"Companies pursue these “sustaining innovations” at the higher tiers of their markets because this is what has historically helped them succeed: by charging the highest prices to their most demanding and sophisticated customers at the top of the market, companies will achieve the greatest profitability." - Clayton Christensen 

For quite a number of years Apple has been on a sustaining innovation track. Many of their innovations have been ground breaking and game changing to a number of different industries outside of computing. Much of this innovation lead by Steve Jobs, a founder and CEO of Apple. A lot of these innovations have been quite large jumps and Apple has been a market leader in consumer electronics with the release of the iPod, iPhone and iPad. These were massive game changers and were what I believe Blue Ocean devices. In true Blue Ocean Strategy they eliminated the competition, for quite a while there was no competition, Apple owned the space.

"The cornerstone of Blue Ocean Strategy is 'Value Innovation'. A blue ocean is created when a company achieves value innovation that creates value simultaneously for both the buyer and the company. The innovation (in product, service, or delivery) must raise and create value for the market, while simultaneously reducing or eliminating features or services that are less valued by the current or future market. The authors criticize Michael Porter's idea that successful businesses are either low-cost providers or niche-players. Instead, they propose finding value that crosses conventional market segmentation and offering value and lower cost. Educator Charles W. L. Hill proposed this idea in 1988 and claimed that Porter's model was flawed because differentiation can be a means for firms to achieve low cost. He proposed that a combination of differentiation and low cost might be necessary for firms to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage." - W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne

But as indicated with Disruptive Innovation Apple has open the door to "disruptive innovators" at the bottom of the market. The likes of Samsung, HTC, Google and many others enters the bottom end of the market. These companies produced products which allowed a whole new population of consumers to access the technology that was historically only accessible to consumers with a lot of money. Apple products were not cheap and they are still in the top end of the price market. As many have experienced Apple controls their market price and no one can discount. For Apple this is good, it keep the position of the product in the market and their margins are high. The thing with disruptive innovation is that is does not address the top end of the market due to a number of factors. The product is inferior, does not have the polish or capabilities of the higher end product but one things it does have is price and an approximation to the high end product. The buyer are not so fussy and are prepared to put up with these deficiencies. But what happens next is the part that many industries have failed to take into account is the speed and veracity of development and improvement. Due to the price companies are able to turn over more product and then develop further product. At each iteration they start to improve their offerings and each offering is then purchased with much more zeal. This cycle of improvement then moves them closer to Apples customer base. For a while now Apple would then present to the market a product that was well hidden and a leap above the others and again secure their foot hold and market presence. Another factor which Apple has always claim to be their ability to do so well is that they own the entire Apple eco-system. That is both the hardware and software, which has given them quite an ability to manage and control how their products and services worked together. But again this is changing.

"Characteristics of disruptive businesses, at least in their initial stages, can include:  lower gross margins, smaller target markets, and simpler products and services that may not appear as attractive as existing solutions when compared against traditional performance metrics.  Because these lower tiers of the market offer lower gross margins, they are unattractive to other firms moving upward in the market, creating space at the bottom of the market for new disruptive competitors to emerge." - Clayton Christensen

So there is not much in the margins in the bottom end of the market for Apple. Their products are high quality and high value designed for the most demanding customers and to change that would lose that market. In the last year we have seen so many different devices coming out and competing with Apple and trying to find their market place and customers. Apple has not paid any attention to the lower end of the market as those products and services were not competing with Apple as they did not have the quality or compare to what Apple was offering. But as disruptive innovation has moved we are now seeing that the likes of Samsung is knocking at the door as are many companies. Google developed their open source platform "Android" and now Microsoft with Windows 8. Apple has resorted to the legal avenue which for Samsung has been a great marketing campaign. It is totally a perspective but to be compared to being like or similar to Apple has raised its profile. Apple had to protect its patterns and IP and they were dammed if they did and dammed if they did not challenged Samsung. But what has been the fall out. There has been so many Android Tablets released and now Windows 8 Tablets they are all similar and some different but none stuck out like the iPad. That was until Apple made us aware of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 until then it was one of many. Now as the court case was in every days news reports. That is from a tech perspective we all started to look deeper at the other offering. Why, well if Apple was worried and spending so much to stop these companies then maybe there is something that might be different or better. Better you say, but who knows let just check them out. In doing so we started to see there was alternative to the totally controlled ecosystem that Apple offered. It wasn't as good initially but we were able to customise and design to our tastes, this became infectious and others started to look the rest is history. We now have considerably more offering in the tablet space. Each offering its own type of experience and not just one view.I hear many people now saying but that's ok Apple could never fail they are just to big and they are the best. This won't stop Apple they will keep going. I would suggest that if Apple does not take heed to "Disruptive Innovation" this may not be the case. Many industries have been in the exactly same position as Apple and very sure they would continue forever, but time has proven otherwise. They did not just become dumb or the people working in them did not sabotage their futures, they were displaced by disruptive innovation. ie

• Main Frame Computer > Personal Computers
• General Motors > Toyota > Hyundai > (China and India Car Companies)
• Super Steel Mills > Mini Mills

These are just three industries but there are many more. To get a better appreciation of Disruptive Innovation check out Clayton Christensen's book the The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business

Update: I have recently come across an interview with Clayton Christensen and here is what he had to say about Apple and their future prospects.

Day 5 - Apple and Stanford Tour

The day started off at Apple. I got there early as I was not sure exactly where the office was located. On arrival there were quite a number of police around. At the front door was a capsule with the apple logo and more police. Once I got inside I found out that Green Peace had been there on a protest about something. Green Peace had been projecting messages on the wall of the front wall.

Apple Campus - One Infinite Loop

I entered the building and enquired about meeting John DiTomasso who is the Apple Federal Manager, Department of Defence. The receptionist pointed me to a Mac terminal to log in and that when my host arrive he then swiped his card to print a pass for me.


John turned up just after 9am and we went through to the Apple cafeteria. There we talked about what I was looking to achieve. John spoke about a number of the customers he has been working with and projects that they had developed. He explained the development programs for iOS developer both individuals and Enterprises. We discussed other developments and how the change in understanding that Apple brought to the table with respect to mobile development. During our discussions John identified a number of organisations that had been dealing with similar issues that we are facing at DCP. 


The meeting was more confirmation in my understanding that development of mobile applications is a totally new way of thinking. Applications need to be more based on User Processes and Business outcome and let about functions and features. Again as like Oracle the change which Apple has been the leader in, is the need to engage directly with the end user and understanding what they are doing and what they need to achieve. Apple has a number of case studies which explain this scenario. 


I finished at Apple around 11am and then headed towards Stanford University. I thought I would have a look around and identify where I was going for Wednesday and Thursday. I have two lunch events with the HCI section at Stanford, the first is a lunch time workshop with the HCI (Human Computer Interaction) Department. The second event is on the Friday where a guess speaker will be presenting. 

Hoover Tower

This tower is part of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, a major campus research center. The first nine floors of the 285-foot building house more than 1.6 million volumes on Social, political and economic change in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Observation Platform on the 14th floor is open to visitors, offering an aerial view of the campus and much of the Bay Area. The observation deck also houses a carillon of 48 bells, the largest weighing 2.5 tons.

A view from the Observation Deck

Stanford Art Gallery

Signing off 3:58pm 15th May

Can Developers of Application Systems, Develop for Mobile Devices

52 days, 11 hours, 18 minutes and 3 seconds

till my Churchill Trip - 11th May - 13th July 2012

So what does it take to design a mobile application. Personally I believe that the thought process behind designing a mobile app requires a different skill set. I am not talking about programming per say, but the through process in designing a mobile app that is intuitive and does not require a major training manual or instruction.

Recently I was in a presentation held by an Apple representative on a case study of theirs. It was not so much that they insisted that the Apple environment is a better solution but the process that they articulated about the designing of a mobile app. The case study was based on Mount Sinai Hospital and the monster of systems they had, they looked ugly and they looked as though you would require a masters of some sort to be able to use the systems.

By the way there were some 60+ systems which had been developed in a window environment. I was not so much about the environment that it had been designed in but the style which is all to common. Tabs everywhere with buttons for everything. I dare say it captured all that they needed but like so many applications it was designed to capture data and forgot who actually provided the data. The other part was how they captured that data and the process they went through.

It reminded me of a system I once had to assess for a local government client. While reviewing a process within this applications I traced the screens and click that were needed to register a dog. I took 72 screen going backwards and forwards through the system to register one dog. It was incredible for two reasons. One that anyone would design such a system and two that anyone would buy the system and not challenge the process. It just highlights that IT and developers have had is so good that they could sell such software.  

Going back on the Mount Sinai Hospital example the process they followed was to identify from the users the key processes they used. Working with them then streamlining those processes to reach an agreed end result. From there then replicating those processes within an application on a mobile device. As the process was a current process of practice the replication on the device just meant that there was a position of reference so instruction was not required to the level with some of the systems that are developed. Using the user centric idea just showed the simplicity and beauty of the whole process and end user experience.

The issue and challenge I know have is how do I change the way that business works with developers and understand that they need to own the space of usability. You don't have to be a techs geek you just need to know your processes and then find a solution that can closely replicate them.

2011 has ended, so where will the Technology go in 2012

127 days, 19 hours, 16 mins and 02 seconds
till my Churchill Trip - 11th May - 13th July 2012
Perth>SF>Seattle>Austin>NY>Boston>London> Heidelberg >Salzburg>Vienna>Singapore>Perth 

2011 has been the launch of many different tablets. Apple has the iPad 2 and I would suspect that iPad 3 is close around the corner. There are roamers that something will be announced at iWorld. Samsung has let a cat out of the bag with the announcement of a new System-On-Chip (SOC) Exynos 5250. They have indicated the capabilities and specs and some believe it is the strongest indication of where iPad 3 may be heading.

Apple has been in the courts battling with Samsung over the Galaxy Tab 10.1 over IP, but all they have done is highlighted that this may be something to checkout. And boy have you seen the ads, and when they come on everyone is aware of Samsung and the Galaxy Tab. Well done Apple great advertising campaign for Samsung. Are Apple afraid that it is too good and could take market share from the iPad, why don't they just let the market decide. Apple user will stick with Apple but the undecided will now wait because Apple has made such a point maybe there is more to the Samsung offering to consider. This may or may not be true but you would have to ask why a company with such innovate products would try so hard to stop someone from getting their product to market, there has to be more than just being a look alike.

I believe that tablets will now start to come out with more power, features and function and the price will also drop. We are seeing it happen already with Sony just in the last couple of days reduced the cost of theirs table S by $100.

The Operating Systems are all starting to level out, take a look at iOS, Android 4 (ICS) and Windows 8. These OS's are all now taking into consideration the touch experience on large format tablets. I still say there is an issue with data input and that the devices that will win in the end will have a pen device which recognise hand writing, and utilise Wacom technology. The important part is that you can search your hand writing. There is no point in having the hand writing capabilities and not being able to search that writing. You are then reduced to searching visually, with a couple of documents that is fine but if you are serious this is totally impractical.

The other areas which is starting to really pick-up is the Ultra-books. These are starting to become serious desktop replacement material. Currently I am researching more into finding the ultra that has the power and capabilities of a desktop. Connecting to a screen and keyboard for when you are working from a fixed position then detaching easily to become totally mobile.

Over 2011 the table market has hit the Desktop PC market the greatest. I believe that end of the market will start to change in a big way to end up with very small foot print devices. So as I indicated last year the old desktop as we know it will become smaller and smaller mobility with the growth area. Especially with the tablets and Ultrabooks, what will add to the Ultrabooks and which is starting to show with the tablets is having an imbeded phone sim capability. A big area for improvement is the screen technology. Its fine having all the mobility but if you can not read the screen while you are mobile then where is the value of the mobility. We started to see the Pixel Chi screen coming out with their liquid paper technology making the screen readable in full sun light. I suspect this screen technology as seen in the Kindle will get even better and full colour. 

Another screen technology is the transparent screens, if you saw the move Avatar you will understand the concept. Recently some people at MIT have developed transparent battery technology so this will add more to the possibilities.


The next area we will see some big steps I believe with be in the bluetooth arena. Providing the connection to your mobile device and having all the functions of your phone. The audio area with better bluetooth ear pieces, bluetooth storage devices and you are already seeing digital camera's with wireless capability to transmit their photos to you computer or onto the net directly. 

The place to see what we will be getting is at the International Consumers Electronics Show (CES) Jan 10-13th in Las Vegas. Follow it online unless you are lucky enough to get there in person.

So where do I see it going this year: 

1. Tablets will keep dominating the market. ICS, Win8 and iOS are all out there these devices will really take off

2. I hope Apple gets back to it game of innovation and leaps ahead of the game and gets out of the courts. Its harder to copy if you are leagues in front. But once the competition gets in front then the challenge becomes harder. Has Apple lost its way? have they reached their pinical of innovation? We will see this year hopefully

3. There will not be any major updates to the range of Netbooks and they will disappear if not this year by 2013.

4. Ultrabooks will become even more powerful with better battery technology they will start to have a major impact on the desktop and they will become cheaper.

5. There will become more technology integration with the phone and other technology, storage, internet, cameras the lines will start to blur.

6. Finally I believe and hope there will be the appearance of more surface technology. Microsoft is one of the leaders in this space. They demonstrated their version 2 surface last year at CES 2011 what will come this year? This is becoming more cost effective and there will be some of this technology demonstrated at CES this year. The Minority Report, have a look at the real thing and Avatar were great examples of the real direction this technology is starting to move. To see some great examples take a look at 'A Day Made of Glass'

i.e. an example of some of the types of integration can be seen with ASUS Padphone.

ASUS Padphone

I am really looking forward to what comes next.

Form over Function

167 days, 23 hours, 6 minutes and 3 seconds
until my Churchill Trip - 11th May - 13th July 2012
Perth>SF>Seattle>Austin>NY>Boston>London> Heidelberg >Salzburg>Vienna>Singapore>Perth 

The debate at the moment I believe is over form rather than function when it comes to tablet technology. People are getting caught up in the hype of the marketing and not considering function and fit for purpose. 


Over the last year there has been many different tablet and net-book and now the ultra-books hitting the market. All with their many offerings, but when it gets down to it what are we looking for? What I see is many people are just adding another device to their stack. Another way to consume their own and others content. In fact I have an Android table which got a lot of praise and damnation, that being the "Notion Ink Adam".

As I said on the Notion Ink forum at the time when I purchased the tablet, it was innovative and was leading in a direction that many tablets did not. It was different and it took the mobility aspect to a new hight utilising the Pixel Qi display technology. Many of the tablets in the market place all claim to be capable in the mobile space but take them into the bright light as see what you can see. The adam goes from a back light device to liquid paper screen. In bright light I can continue to use the device where ever I am. 


Camera, big thing with a lot of devices, one on the front and one on the back, the adam came up with a rotating camera so you only needed one. There are many little components of this device which I believe that were thinking outside of the box. Yes, there are issues and these were outside of the companies control, but the open source community came to the assistance and many different ROM's have now be developed which address a majority of issues the users paid.


It was very exciting when purchasing as it was done online and at a set hour in the day. There were hundreds online at 2am in the morning in Australia and around the world waiting to buy. I have not seen anything like it other than with Apple, but this company was not Apple it was a small company in India. There are still things to be sorted out with the device but I am still a very proud owner of a new innovative product. But this is not the issue of this posting.


The issue is Form over Function, many of the organisations I seen are jumping on the Apple bandwagon to get their iPad. Don't get me wrong I am not an Apple basher, I like the product. I have been a proud iPod user for years, my daughter and wife use MAC laptops and my daughter is about to get an iPad. For what they are used for they are fantastic, easy to use and able to consume a lot of different media. But what I am looking for in a portable tablet device is something that will provide me mobility but when I as sitting at my desk provide the necessary capabilities to replace my desktop. If the tablet has 3G capabilities then replace my phone. If I am going to be totally mobile then give me the tool to do the work.


I have to laugh when I see people showing off there mobile device and then the phone goes off. The next the next thing they need to get at their desktop to carry out further work. Then when they head off they pack the laptop as well. The portable and mobile concept just looks like it is adding something else to carry. 


But there is another slate coming out which I believe is starting to head in the right direction. Not only is it a capable device but I believe it is heading in the right direction to become a desktop replacement as well. That is the Samsung PC Series 7 Slate. I has the power of an i5 CPU, 4Gb of RAM and 64 Gb of solid state drive and is only 13 mm think, front and rear cameras and with the docking station provides the ability to connect to a large screen when sitting at a desk and also comes with a nice blue tooth keyboard. With this device you have mobility and a real desktop replacement which can connect to the network via the Gigabit Ethernet connection in the docking station. 


But one of the best parts and the part that really gets me excited about this technology is that it has a WACOM pen device. Using the pen which works exactly as like a real pen and you can lean on the device while writing. The other part that many people don't realise is that in Windows when you use the pen device, in an application like One Notes or any of the window product you can actually search your writing. Try that on any other device and you wont have such success or the ability to lean on the device while writing. The WACOM technology is something worth having.


This is the technology which will be worth watching. 

Coming to the end of another year (2010)

So what a year. The moves in the technology and tablet space has been enormous. At the start of the year it was the launch of the iPad. A great device which was position to take a very large market share from the e-book readers. Strategically this was a great move by Steve Jobs. He made the e-readers irrelevant and being basically the only type of tablet/slate technology in the market at that time with the functions and feature which no-one else had Apple cornered the market. There sales numbers have shown that and the e-reader has moved into the space it should have started and that was the consumer area. e-readers that were in the US$5/600 space dropped to US$99/149 space.

There are still some in the top end trying to compete with iPad and other tablet/slates that are entering the market but you know longer hear much from them. The only thing they did have over iPad and other tablets is the e-paper concept. But now that is also changing and the Tablet/Slates are starting to take that up.

The other small entry into the market is the Net-book computer great again but I feel just missing the boat. I feel the Tablet/Slate has come of age and they will now take the place of the Net-book. But we will still need our desktop and I see that the Desktop will become more prominent. I feel the laptop and the net-book will be things of the past and we will see a migration to more capable desktops and the Tablet/slates being the mobile option of choice.

Over this last year I have been scanning the market for a new tablet/slate computer. A project that I am working on has been part of the reason as well as I believe it is the natural progression. The important part if finding a product that is fit for purpose. People constantly forget there is a purpose and reason for a technology and it is not always to replace an existing technology.

I have been looking to take the analog forms of the past and moving them into a digital space. This is nothing new but finding a tablet that was light weight and functional has been a challenge but I have been getting closer. The project I am working on has to demonstrate a windows solutions so I have been struggling to find something to fit that bill. So far the only tablet that partly meets the requirement is the ExoPC Slate that is because of the interface. It runs windows 7 but the designer has developed their own interface which has been great to see. There are still two issues which I feel still needs work in the Tablet/Slate space and that is usability in small screen factors and data input.

This I believe has been well addressed by Notion Ink with their use of the Pixel QI screen and their rethink of the interface. As Rohan Shravan has pointed out we need to re-think the way we interact with our technology. To this end the work that Rohan and the Nortion Ink Team has done with the 'adam' tablet offering in the  market has been a leader in thinking in this space.

The work being done on screens with the introduction of Pixel QI and other e paper screens will bring in a very different landscape for users. With lower power consumption it will mean we will be more  attuned to be totally online 24/7. The next area I feel will have to move fast is the method of accessing that data. That is in the area of 4G and 4G and Max WiFi. These will be the space to keep an eye on.

But going back to a previous post we will need to get a better understanding of portable identity management. We will need to improve in this space as I believe that the Tablet/Slates are a short term technology and that intelligent surfaces will start to emerge. The Tablet/Slates will be here for a little while but the marketing parts of business will want to take it further. Embedding the intelligent surfaces in common areas but the issue that will face all of these technologies is identification in a quick and easy fashion but secure.

Bio-scanners, RF-ID tags, DNA markers who knows? We shall see, I am forever looking forward to what new ideas and progress are being made. But of the technology I have seen this year, Rohan Shravan and his company Notion Ink are out there in front. Not competing with other technology companies but leading the way and the conversation.

Well I am now waiting for 2011 and my new 'adam'. I was one of the fortunate people who was able to place my order when the pre-orders were open. It was a great time waiting to get on to the form. I remarked at that time which by the way was 2:30am in the morning as the launch was at mid-night India time that the last time I cued up was at the launch of Star Wars the very first movie. I was some 200 meters down the street waiting to get in. Notion Ink has generated this type of interest, not for the fact they have a new device in the market place but the way Rohan and Notion Ink approached their market. For what it is worth check out the adam at the Notion Ink Website