Cyber Monday, the day when the retail industry encourages your employees to surf for internet deals. Many firms are growing concerned about lost productivity and the threat of a virus'. The concern over Cyber Monday should be equal to the concern your firm has every business day. Your internet guidelines should define the scopes and limits of what employees can and can not do - making sure that employees know that a good deal isn't worth losing your job over (if that is your stance). The protections put in place by your IT department should provide the necessary safeguards on cyber Monday as they due during the fantasy draft day for Football and Baseball.
The fact is that your employees shop at work - I have even classified it (shops@work) as a data element for a customer analysis I created for a large data aggregation company. Making cyber Monday less stressful - create a clear company policy that employees can follow.
Now on to the deals, how about a Kindle Fire for $129 - that's $30 OFF!
When you get to the page you will get a pop up for a code to enter at checkout.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
FaceTime Over Cellular
AT&T has announced that it is rolling out FaceTime to cellular customers. When AT&T broke the news to the Apple faithful it had lots cavaets - requiring specific hardware (iPhone 5 and iPad w/ LTE) and service plans. The good news is that customers of the older iPhone 4S have reported that they are able to use FaceTime over cellular, which means that AT&T has extended its coverage to include more device (heck maybe all ).
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Microsoft Windows 8 - Covering a Magazine Near You
In one of my previous post, Does Microsoft Still Matter? - I suggested that consumers are not aware of Windows 8. Step in Condé Nast - who will be featuring Windows 8 Start screen on the covers of 14 of its titles from Allure to Wired this December. A spokesperson from Conde Nast said "no advertising dollars involved," and that the company's goal is to inform customers about its new products on Window 8. Others believe that Microsoft provided a large financial incentive to take over the sacred real estate. The media business has changed and traditional publishers need to find new ways to generate revenue and create new partnerships. Now let's see if the covers help Microsoft.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
GoodFellas Style Heist for iPads
According to the NY POST, a pair of thieves committed a robbery reminiscent of the Lufthansa heist depicted in the movie GoodFellas. Interestingly enough, this heist took place in the same building as the 1978 crime.
Late Monday night, the criminals pulled up in a trailer and gained access to the cargo area. They used an airport forklift to load two pallets of iPad mini's, before they were spotted. The total take is estimated to be $1.5 Million, which is significantly smaller than the 1978 robbery.
But the consumer demand for Apple products has caught the attention of criminals small and larger. This crime goes beyond an individual robbery (which is scary enough), but now we are seeing more large scale / organized schemes to steal Apple products.
A comprehensive plan needs to be created to help protect consumers from having their smartphones stolen and punishments for criminals must carry stiff penalties.
Late Monday night, the criminals pulled up in a trailer and gained access to the cargo area. They used an airport forklift to load two pallets of iPad mini's, before they were spotted. The total take is estimated to be $1.5 Million, which is significantly smaller than the 1978 robbery.
But the consumer demand for Apple products has caught the attention of criminals small and larger. This crime goes beyond an individual robbery (which is scary enough), but now we are seeing more large scale / organized schemes to steal Apple products.
A comprehensive plan needs to be created to help protect consumers from having their smartphones stolen and punishments for criminals must carry stiff penalties.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Losing More Than Your iPhone
During hurricane Sandy many people resorted to charging their smartphones in their car. For people without power this was the only way to charge their phones. And as you might expect criminals were ahead of the curve in anticipated this approach. A good friend of mine had her iPhone stolen from her vehicle during the storm. When she called the phone - the thief told her "it's tough times out here".
I know several people who have had their smartphones stolen and I have heard about many others who have been robbed.
That's why I was shocked when I saw this product being advertised as a great holiday gift, the
I know several people who have had their smartphones stolen and I have heard about many others who have been robbed.
That's why I was shocked when I saw this product being advertised as a great holiday gift, the
Clearly a convenience item, this product is designed to allow folks to store their cash, credit cards and Driver's license. Criminals must love it when they see one of these. This should only be given as a gift to people who you do not like.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Who is Reading Newspapers and Magazines on Tablets?
As tablets make their way in to consumers hands, reading habits are being influenced toward digital products. So what does the demographic makeup of the digital readers look like? According to Comscore, the majority are Male , 25-34 and have an annual household income of $100k+. According to their findings, 1 in 10 tablet users read a digital newspaper or magazine daily, most likely on a Kindle or an iPad. For traditional print organizations this is important news, they need to know who is actively engaging with their digital products and on which platforms. Some publishers have opted to select a specific digital platform to showcase their products, but that is a mistake. In today's environment, publishers need to have the ability to distribute their content on any and all platforms where consumers are connected to the internet.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Does Microsoft Still Matter?
The technology battle for consumers is taking place on the mobile front for most companies. Mobile devices - smartphones specifically are consumers gateway to the internet and to their social network of friends and peers.
Let's face it Microsoft isn't even in the picture anymore, but they are trying to claw their way back to relevance.
Microsoft is ready to unleash the world of Microsoft Windows 8 on consumers, which will power its next generation of devices including its Windows phone 8 and the surface tablet. Microsoft is ditching Windows Messenger for Skype, they are also releasing a FREE Office app for iOS and Android, and have even redesigned their logo. This entire effort is aimed at re-launching a technology icon, which has seen its market share get erode by the heavy influence of consumer products from Apple and others into the enterprise market. I must admit that I find it ironic that Microsoft would release FREE apps on Android and iOS - even if they are viewer only apps. It seems to run counter to their plans to try take market share away from Google and Apple.
I have heard positive things about Windows 8, which is good since this is the most significant update for the company since 1995 – unfortunately I expect adoption to be slow. The simple fact is that consumers aren't even aware of the product – so Santa won't be getting many requests for the Surface tablet. On another note, developers will need to be convinced that they can earn a living developing from the new platform - they won't want to spend time developing based on analyst projections.
I do expect Microsoft to make inroads at universities – where their ability to provide security controls will make it a compelling choice - plus within a few months after sales under perform - they will start giving product and support away for free. I am a firm believer that at the right price – a product can become the right choice, at least for a short while. I can't wait for the fire sale, so I can purchase a Surface tablet for $99 dollars - or maybe I will get one for FREE!
In many circles, Microsoft still matters, but its market share will continue to eroded and its impact on mobile will remain insignificant.
Let's face it Microsoft isn't even in the picture anymore, but they are trying to claw their way back to relevance.
Microsoft is ready to unleash the world of Microsoft Windows 8 on consumers, which will power its next generation of devices including its Windows phone 8 and the surface tablet. Microsoft is ditching Windows Messenger for Skype, they are also releasing a FREE Office app for iOS and Android, and have even redesigned their logo. This entire effort is aimed at re-launching a technology icon, which has seen its market share get erode by the heavy influence of consumer products from Apple and others into the enterprise market. I must admit that I find it ironic that Microsoft would release FREE apps on Android and iOS - even if they are viewer only apps. It seems to run counter to their plans to try take market share away from Google and Apple.
I have heard positive things about Windows 8, which is good since this is the most significant update for the company since 1995 – unfortunately I expect adoption to be slow. The simple fact is that consumers aren't even aware of the product – so Santa won't be getting many requests for the Surface tablet. On another note, developers will need to be convinced that they can earn a living developing from the new platform - they won't want to spend time developing based on analyst projections.
I do expect Microsoft to make inroads at universities – where their ability to provide security controls will make it a compelling choice - plus within a few months after sales under perform - they will start giving product and support away for free. I am a firm believer that at the right price – a product can become the right choice, at least for a short while. I can't wait for the fire sale, so I can purchase a Surface tablet for $99 dollars - or maybe I will get one for FREE!
In many circles, Microsoft still matters, but its market share will continue to eroded and its impact on mobile will remain insignificant.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Keep Your Mobile Device Charged During a Power Outage
Hurricane Sandy taught everyone in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that your mobile device is the most important device you can have during a disaster. The worst problem is keeping your mobile device powered up. With widespread power lose in the tri-state area many people reverted to charging their mobile devices in their cars, which was the least safe thing to do. I purchased the ReVIVE Series Solar ReStore External Battery Pack - This small device is an excellent way to charge your device even when you are out of power. The USB out will allow you to connect an device. I charge my iPads and iPhone. I used the suction cups to connect it to my front window and 6 hours later I was ready to charge my phone.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Google's Chromebook
I won't beat around the bush on this one. You simply DO NOT need this thing. Its not a laptop and its not a tablet - it requires internet connectivity to be able to do anything. Don't get me wrong this device looks great - it looks like an Apple MacBook Air , but it not a PC. If you want a computer then buy one or buy a tablet, but don't get a Chromebook unless its a secondary browsing device. Yes, there are apps available for the device, but just like your Chrome browser on your current computer they only work unless you have internet access. I just quite understand why Google didn't drop Android on this thing. Then we would have something to discuss.
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