mip's scan

Testing Done for the Torch and the Focus

I've been testing both the Blackberry Torch and the Samsung Focus over the past number of weeks.  I've nearly completed blog posts for each of them, but thought I'd put a short post out to set the context for these two devices; a high level introduction to what I've done. 

Being a long time iPhone user, I wanted to see how each of these devices worked for me.  On some days I carried just the Blackberry.  Other days I carried just the Windows Phone 7 Focus.  At other times, I carried all three on my belt (yes, I looked like Batman with his utility belt).  I really enjoyed going through the process of stress testing each of these phones through my normal working day and in my personal time.  I think that this is really the only way to get a sense of what works and what doesn't.  I tried hard to structure my thoughts in two categories:  1) how did the device fair on its own (no comparison to the iPhone or the other device) and 2) how did the device fair in comparison to other smartphone choices. 

The experience was an interesting one and I look forward to sharing them with you.  I will post my thoughts on the Focus early next week, then I will post my thoughts on the Torch in the latter half of next week.  Finally, I'll have a short video blog come out to talk about them both and show a little of the pros and cons to you.  If there are specifics you'd like to see, don't hesitate to drop me an email or post a comment.

Does Size Matter?

Ah, I thought my title might provoke some raised eyebrows.  It’s an important question don’t you think?  Does size matter?  Or perhaps more aptly put Is Bigger Better?  Now before I go too much further and this blog leads you astray in thinking that I’m talking about something more risqué than tech, let me put my question into context.  I’m talking about tablets (and shame on you for thinking otherwise).

The iPad, with it’s 9.7” screen is currently the market leader in a space that truly is in its infancy.  I think that 2011 will see many new entrants coming into the space, including RIM with their Playbook.  In attempt to not go head-to-head with the iPad, these vendors are trumpeting differentiating features, one of them being size.   The Playbook will come in with a 7” screen and everyone is wondering whether the smaller screen will hamper the device.  Is the larger screen really better suited for a tablet.

Well, as always on mip’s scan, I like to experience things first hand.  I decided to take the Galaxy Tab for a spin and assess it from a size perspective only.  I didn’t want to do a comparison of apps and the overall ecosystem, mainly because Apple has such a lead in this area that it wouldn’t be a fair comparison.  I wanted to see how the device's smaller form factor faired against the larger form factor of the iPad.

With that in mind I carried the device around with the intent of seeing how usable several things would be on a smaller screen: web browsing, ebook reading, newspaper reading and email.   Keep reading to see what I found.

Mobile Is Transforming Everything

I had the pleasure of presenting at an event last week here in Toronto.  My topic was Mobile Computing and Leveraging Cloud Services.  I thought I'd share some of my thoughts as it pertains to the acceleration of certain trends and the reasons behind the changes at hand. 

In my presentation, I talked about a variety of important/hot/emerging technology trends.  Those trends were:

• Mobile devices,
• Collaboration/Web 2.0/social media,
• Business intelligence,
• Virtualized servers, storage, and/or networks,
• Security related to wireless and mobile devices, and
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

As I introduced these items to the audience, despite mobile being the top one, I left that to the last.  The reason is that I feel that mobile devices are really bringing those other things together and heightening their relevance.  It is this new generation of mobile device, like the iPhone, like the Android platform, the iPad and other tablets that will soon follow, that is truly moving us to a new paradigm of leveraging computing technology.

A Lesson in "Starting From Scratch"

Why is it that great products that hold commanding market share can't hold onto that advantage over time?  We've seen it time and time again.  Take RIM and their Blackberry.  It was revolutionary.  It was a fantastic device that I carried for years and years.  It owned the market, but now has been under seige from the likes of Apple and Google.  With such a strong foundation, why is that RIM couldn't leapfrog Apple? 

The issue is being too wedded to the foundation you've created. 

There have been other cases of this as well.  Take Microsoft.  Windows dominated for years.  So what happened?  They tried too hard to continue re-using the same foundation in future versions and in other products.  They are still doing that as well!  Look at the response to the iPad.....its a tablet running Windows 7.  I know that letting go of something you've built can be hard, but the risk of not exploring that option is huge.  I've spoke about this before when Microsoft was struggling to evolve Windows.  It's not new. 

We can see examples of where starting with something entirely new can yield breakthrough products.  Take again Microsoft, this time with their xBox platform.  Sony was commanding the market with the PS2 at the time.  Microsoft could have built a platform based on Windows, but they didn't.  It took courage to pull together a team that could start from scratch.  What did it yield?  The xBox user interface was (and is) fantastic - it was different, it was effective, it was user centric.  It more than challenged Sony...it displaced them.

I believe that Microsoft is doing this again with their soon to be release smartphone.  They  could have evolved Windows Mobile...which has steadily been declining into irrelevance.  They opted not to do that.  They could have played the copycat game like Google and RIM and tried to create an iPhone-like interface.  Again, they opted not to do that.  Instead they've created an OS that is user/social/info-centric.   It is fresh and in my opinion it is a step in the right direction as smartphone users become more sophisticated and comfortable with the mobilization of their world. 

By ignoring the legacy foundations that an organization has, they can indeed create innovative breakthrough products and services.  Apple does this exceedingly well.  It's no secret that I am a big proponent of what Apple has built.  I do, however, offer a cautionary opinion along the thread of this post:  don't become obsessed with the foundation!  The iPhone was revolutionary.  It has reshaped an entire industry and introduced a whole new way of leveraging our phones.  The iPad has furthered that, virtually jump-starting the tablet market after years of that technology never really grabbing hold of the public mindshare.   The risk to Apple is that they too could fall into this trap where everything evolves the iOS foundation.  If they do this, they too will be leapfrogged.  It is inevitable. 

Blackberry, finding itself now behind with regard to the innovations of Apple, has taken a bold step with the Playbook.  This device is a gamble because it will leverage a whole new operating system.  RIM is starting from scratch with this device and in my opinion that is a good thing.  They won't be hindered by old paradigms and sacred cows - instead they can create a product that fits with the evolving users that they are targeting.  It will be interesting to see how the final product is.  Regardless of it's success or failure, however, it will be a success from the perspective that it is a departure from the legacy foundation.

It's hard to move toward the future, if your organization is always holding onto what it created in the past.  Take a risk, and start something from scratch.  I'm sure that you'll be surprised with where that approach can take you.

 

GoToMeeting on my iPad

This is the stuff dreams are made of, for real! 

I've been carrying my iPad around all week, in some instances, not bringing a laptop with me at all.  I've been trying to see how far I can push the envelope.  I'll have a detailed post in a day or so with regard to how the iPad is fitting into my set of work tools.  

Moments ago, however, I got an invite to participate in a GoToMeeting call.  My day was "officially over" and I've stepped out to take my daughter to an evening class, when I got the call 'Can you jump on a quick review call?'.  Gulp.  I hadn't planned on this when I headed out and obviously I'd left my laptop behind, but I did have my iPad.  I quickly searched, feeling it was a long shot....would there be a GoToMeeting app?

Yes!

I've been a long time GoToMeeting user (I'll save that for another post on another day) and so I was so pleased to see that one of my favorite online collaborating/meeting tools is indeed available for the iPad.  I used the app to effortless join the meeting.  I was able to listen via a headset and participate via the built-in mic.  It worked so well that I caught myself grinning like a fool from ear to ear.  

It is apps like this that really start to drive home the potential value for the larger sized device, the iPad, over its smaller cousin, the iPhone.  You can really only start to discover these uses by carrying the tech around and seeing how it performs.  

Very pleased indeed!

PS - I've written this post using the iPad here at the offsite location I find myself at!  Another bonus in an already great day!

Initial Thoughts After Using My iPad

Well I got my iPad early yesterday morning and I've been using it now for the past 24 hours.  I've had several client meetings yesterday and had the opportunity to start putting the iPad through it's paces.  I will of course provide a more detailed review in a week's time - I don't think you can accurately comment on this device without really using it over a period of time.  The unit I got was the 64 GB WiFi unit; still not available in Canada but I had it brought up from the US.

I've capture a little video of myself below where I talk about a few initial observations.  Already I can tell you that this device will indeed change the consumption of content.  While I was conducting a GoToMeeting working session where the participants in the meeting where viewing my screen, I was referencing other documents off of my iPad.  I've got DropBox already installed and that basically gives me access to all my documents.  I was able to open a number of PDFs and Excel documents right on my iPad without the need to interrupt what I was viewing/sharing on my laptop.  It was an absolute joy to use.  What struck me the most about the iPad, besides the sheer elegance of the device itself, is how it seems to fade away while you are using it.  When looking at web pages, it really feels like you are holding that page and not some device showing you that page.  I felt the same way while viewing PDF documents.  The display and the feel of the device all make the consumption of content the front-and-centre aspect of what you are doing.  

In short, after a full day of use, I can say that the iPad doesn't replace the laptop or the iPhone, but it does indeed augment them.  People who rail against the iPad as not being up to the task of replacing a laptop have missed the point.  It is a unique device that fills a need that has been unanswered for some time.  I look forward to continuing to use my iPad and sharing my further thoughts on it as a business tool and a personal tool.

iMockUps for iPad

Here is another brilliant looking app I'm looking forward to putting to good use once I get my iPad (boy it is going to be a long April waiting for it).  

I've used numerous tools for developing wireframe mockups in the past. I was waiting to see if these types of tools would eventually become available for the iPad.  Check out the video demonstration below of iMockUp.  It looks tremendously promising.  

Feeding the Realtime Web

I was sitting this evening tinkering with some prototype ideas for a client-facing iPad application.  That led me to think about the iPad and the effect that it will have on the consumption of content.  This was something I'd written about before and won't retread here in this post.  I only mention this little side-note because it was those thoughts that led me to another aspect of the changes that these devices are going to bring about.  Not so   much the iPad (and other such devices that will surely follow), but more so, the smart phones.  It is the smart phone and the real time web that are creating a very interesting "perfect storm" for disruptive innovation.  What do I mean?  What I'm talking about is how, for example, the iPhone and Android smartphones are feeding the real time web.  These devices a driving enormous amounts of network usage.  

We've heard about how much bandwidth iPhone users are using.  What I'm talking about though is that all that network usage isn't just downloading/consumption of content.  I posit that there is a lot of outgoing bits & bytes that are a result of users feeding the real time web.  Yes, some of that outgoing traffic is outgoing email and other such "traditional" usage, but I think that the outgoing traffic is increasingly traffic that contributes to the realtime web.  Applications like Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook and such are just the tip of the iceberg.  I think that applications will emerge that are going to flood the Internet with realtime data and information.  We will flood the Internet with micro-content and that in turn will result in users consuming increasing amounts of micro-content in the form of "context-sensitive", "location-sensitive" information and alerts.  

Cloud Storage - Which To Choose?

I was with a client last week for a series of meetings.  I didn't bring my laptop or netbook with me because of the nature of the meetings I was going to be in, neither was required.  At the close one of the meetings, my client asked me about some printed material I'd shown him previously and was wondering if he could have a soft copy of it.  

I simply pulled out my iPhone, opened a tool I use called SoonR and was able to give him the file (I will explain in greater detail how this all works).  An IT person was looking over my shoulder and said "Oh, you should use Dropbox."  I told him I had Dropbox as well and he said "You have both?  That's kind of redundant isn't it?"

By now you may be scratching your head?  SoonR?  Dropbox?  What in the world is mip talking about?  Well it all relates to services that are cloud-based storage.  I want to talk about three such services:  SoonR, Dropbox and Zumodrive.  I'll describe the three and let you know which one I think is worth installing on your computer and (if you have it) a handheld device like the iPhone.

The New HSPA+ Rocket Stick from Rogers Wireless

I've been a long time user of the Roger's Rocket Stick USB device that allows me to jump onto the Internet wherever and whenever I like when I'm away from home or the office.  I'd written a review of the stick I'd been using but wanted to update my thoughts now that I've been using their newest USB cellular modem, the HSPA+ Rocket Stick. 

From the Roger's site, the key functions of this new stick are as follows:

1. Download speeds of up to 21.6 Mbps on the Rogers HSPA+ network, faster than ever before
2. Zero-Install Plug and Play Software (No CD required) for Windows® 2000, XP, Vista or Mac OS X 10.4 and above
3. Multi-colour LED indicator for real-time service status, technology modes, and error conditions
4. Enhanced functionality with memory storage capability up to 8GB
   Small and compact USB form-factor with integrated antenna

Let me step through what I've found for the first two claims in the above listed items (the two that matter most in my opinion).  Let's start with the most important - download speeds.  The claim is up to 21.6 Mbps.  The key words to take note of in that claim is up to as they are important.  Those 2 little words mean that your speed can go up 21.6Mbps or you could, at any one given time, be below that.  For my, over the past month, I've been below that speed claim. No surprise here.  I knew that going in.  What is important is that the new HSPA+ Rocket Stick from Rogers is a lot faster than the previous Rocket Stick.  I have done numerous speed tests from numerous locations around the GTA and on average I have gotten ~12Mbps.  That is pretty good.  The highest I've had is 16Mbps and the lowest was 5Mbps.