This is the last blog for the class. I think what I learned from Dr. White's class is that blog is not only an extension of thought and perspective but a reflection of self and expression of values. I think it is interesting to see if I will continue to blog but I feel it brings me back to journal writing and really sharing what I value the most and where it could better understanding and joy... Thanks Dr. White for getting me back to my roots..
Well, back to the blog....
Free texts to hurt carriers' bottom line?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20117904-94/imessage-to-hurt-carriers-bottom-line/?tag=mncol;cnetRiver
Just when the Telecom was embracing Apple's strategy and products, Apple release another feature that allows you to send messages to other devices that run on their famous iOS software. It is not like SMS where you will get charged by the telecom.
Like the Blackberry Messenger, "it sends the message over a wireless Internet data connection." Again, telecom makes a mound load of money in texting and this could be another game changer. Microsoft is trying to accomplish that as well and I wonder if an universal platform will ever be created...
At the end, telecom was expecting the technology to improve and change the way they do business (they are all unlimited fees now). I will not be surprise if text is bundled into the standard service fee of the phone down the road...
For me, it reminds of Netflix changes except consumers would like the cost saving. Netflix's decision to split their services to two entities makes sense of shedding the old for the online services but they did it at the expense of its consumers. This will benefit the consumers I believe in the long run and forces telecom to innovate their service or have people bypass their costs if possible.. They raked in billions for years and they need to innovate and invest back to improve their products or start losing those revenues.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Maintenance is keep
I tell my doctors that computer maintenance is key. Just like your car need routine maintenance and oil change, so does the computer. The same concept applies in health and the tooth. Having a check up is key to short and long term benefits. But why do people not utilize the same model structure in computers?
If your PC picks up a virus, whose fault is it?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/if-your-pc-picks-up-a-virus-whose-fault-is-it/4039?tag=mantle_skin;content
The article seems to hit a great point that updates are necessary in the computer world. Software and hardware was safe at one moment. Then it is a liability the next week. It is imperative that all software needs to be updated.
What most professionals and clients, they feel it is a waste of money. Why? Because nothing happens! That is why maintenance is working!!! That is irony of IT. It is there to make things run smooth. They are the first one in the budget to be cut thinking there is no need for it.... I give the best analogy to compare. If you do not have a tooth ache, would you stop brushing your teeth?
Some interesting points from the article:
"With the firewall enabled, the mean survival time of the Windows XP SP2 systems increased to 336 days. No system with this control enabled was compromised in less than 108 days.
The result? Users who were infected became victims because they were missing security updates, typically for third-party programs.
In the results of the 640 hosts that were used for this experiment, no system was compromised with a zero-day attack. Many new and novel attacks against known vulnerabilities did occur, but not a single compromise was due to an unreported vulnerability. Further, no attack without a patch was used to compromise any of the systems. This means that if the systems had been patched, none of the attacks would have succeeded.
(Basis of rootkits on rogue website to attack your computer)
On the basis of the total statistical data of this study it is documented that following products frequently are abused by malware in order to infect Windows machines: Java JRE, Adobe Reader / Acrobat, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Internet Explorer."
It shows value to our company and team in providing maintenance contract and services. No one value it until they are hit hard and then they see the value. I hope people really see that maintenance takes time and preparation. It might be simple but it is the most overlooked process in IT
If your PC picks up a virus, whose fault is it?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/if-your-pc-picks-up-a-virus-whose-fault-is-it/4039?tag=mantle_skin;content
The article seems to hit a great point that updates are necessary in the computer world. Software and hardware was safe at one moment. Then it is a liability the next week. It is imperative that all software needs to be updated.
What most professionals and clients, they feel it is a waste of money. Why? Because nothing happens! That is why maintenance is working!!! That is irony of IT. It is there to make things run smooth. They are the first one in the budget to be cut thinking there is no need for it.... I give the best analogy to compare. If you do not have a tooth ache, would you stop brushing your teeth?
Some interesting points from the article:
"With the firewall enabled, the mean survival time of the Windows XP SP2 systems increased to 336 days. No system with this control enabled was compromised in less than 108 days.
The result? Users who were infected became victims because they were missing security updates, typically for third-party programs.
In the results of the 640 hosts that were used for this experiment, no system was compromised with a zero-day attack. Many new and novel attacks against known vulnerabilities did occur, but not a single compromise was due to an unreported vulnerability. Further, no attack without a patch was used to compromise any of the systems. This means that if the systems had been patched, none of the attacks would have succeeded.
(Basis of rootkits on rogue website to attack your computer)
On the basis of the total statistical data of this study it is documented that following products frequently are abused by malware in order to infect Windows machines: Java JRE, Adobe Reader / Acrobat, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Internet Explorer."
It shows value to our company and team in providing maintenance contract and services. No one value it until they are hit hard and then they see the value. I hope people really see that maintenance takes time and preparation. It might be simple but it is the most overlooked process in IT
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Do you really want to run everything on DRAM?
I know everyone is talking about the death of Steve Jobs and I was aware of it while researching on my Green Envy paper on iPads yesterday. I would leave and say that innovation starts with an idea.. Jobs has done something many can't do... Make the idea into fruition and reality. It does take two things.. Passion and Persistence. He is known for both and may he rest in peace..
RAMCloud puts everything in DRAM
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/storage/ramcloud-puts-everything-in-dram/1546?tag=mantle_skin;content
The article in idea is to eliminate the Hard drive, solid state drive, etc. Everything will be running on memory..
Why?
"Imagine a world where data layout doesn’t matter, where apps are optimized for sub-millisecond storage, where 100 byte I/Os are faster and just as efficient as 8KB I/Os. The architectural implications are huge and would take a decade or more to get our heads around"
I eliminates the need for hard drive where performance speed is bottled at hard drive speed.. My example is having a supped up computer that has a lot of hard drive space, have a lot of data stored, and its RPM is low (5400rpm just say). You will see a lag because the read and seek time to find your needed data. It might not be significant now but consider if you have TBs of data.
The issue, the information is volatile. Just like what RAM is, it will lose everything if you have an interrupted power outage. Also, the article points out that DRAM is costly at this current stage.
The whole concept is that it eliminates another variable to the processing flow. It does not need to go to hard drive to read, write, or seek if all could be done on memory.
I do not see that happening in the future or my profession. Would someone by UPS, backup generator, etc. to ensure your information is safe? Some would but not all would (economically). Also, if the memory goes bad (electrical), it could impact your back up log (which is the way it protects the data). This is all hinging that memory rarely goes bad (in my experience, I dealt with many over time).
Great idea but might be bad in application. Maybe with more R&D, it might change again for actuality
RAMCloud puts everything in DRAM
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/storage/ramcloud-puts-everything-in-dram/1546?tag=mantle_skin;content
The article in idea is to eliminate the Hard drive, solid state drive, etc. Everything will be running on memory..
Why?
"Imagine a world where data layout doesn’t matter, where apps are optimized for sub-millisecond storage, where 100 byte I/Os are faster and just as efficient as 8KB I/Os. The architectural implications are huge and would take a decade or more to get our heads around"
I eliminates the need for hard drive where performance speed is bottled at hard drive speed.. My example is having a supped up computer that has a lot of hard drive space, have a lot of data stored, and its RPM is low (5400rpm just say). You will see a lag because the read and seek time to find your needed data. It might not be significant now but consider if you have TBs of data.
The issue, the information is volatile. Just like what RAM is, it will lose everything if you have an interrupted power outage. Also, the article points out that DRAM is costly at this current stage.
The whole concept is that it eliminates another variable to the processing flow. It does not need to go to hard drive to read, write, or seek if all could be done on memory.
I do not see that happening in the future or my profession. Would someone by UPS, backup generator, etc. to ensure your information is safe? Some would but not all would (economically). Also, if the memory goes bad (electrical), it could impact your back up log (which is the way it protects the data). This is all hinging that memory rarely goes bad (in my experience, I dealt with many over time).
Great idea but might be bad in application. Maybe with more R&D, it might change again for actuality
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
New iPhone: Solid but a Disappointment
Takeaway from the iPhone event: Solid phones, end of an era
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/takeaway-from-the-iphone-event-solid-phones-end-of-an-era/4812?tag=content;feature-roto
I know the author's belief and don't change what is selling but that is what made Apple what it is today... It disappoints because of Applegate and that fact that my wife and I were going to upgrade our phone this year (I have iPhone 3GS and got it right before 4G and my wife does not have a smartphone).
With all the baggage of the 4G in the past year, I would think they would change the phone design and remove the reputation of the 4G phone. With the improvement of Siri (voice speech feature), it would be a buy. BUT Siri could also be provided in an update to all previous iPhones.
"Sure there is a faster processor and better camera to update the technical specs of the iPhone 4S, but iPhone owners have never cared about that. They want the iPhone to do what they want nicely, and no doubt the iPhone 4S will serve their needs, better than the earlier model."
That is the point the author makes that hits the argument. It is all about innovation and functionality. It is never about the spec with Apple products and it has to just work. The author forgets that.. Will the phone work? Yes but it is not a innovation that I would expect from Apple.
Looking online, you hear all about the iPhone 5. Be it design issue or production issue, quality control should have been a must for Apple. Ironically, I feel the CEO is following what he knows best. He is definitely not Steve Jobs and the conference was less than anticipated.
(confirmed: http://gawker.com/5846600/the-iphone-5-failboard-how-everyone-got-it-wrong)
Lastly, Apple could be doing this because of contract of telecoms. It would be hard to purchase an upgrade from 4G to 4GS when you renew last year. Added, the LTE 4G infrastructure is not there to handle the network (though that seems to be an excuse I do not buy since the features of iPhone 5 is all about potential holographic and infrared/laser display keyboard and rich features of the phone).
http://www.thetechlabs.com/tech-news/iphone-5-features/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg iphone 5concept
Lastly iPhone 5 resembles the concept Mozilla seabird phone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lj109xEZw
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/takeaway-from-the-iphone-event-solid-phones-end-of-an-era/4812?tag=content;feature-roto
I know the author's belief and don't change what is selling but that is what made Apple what it is today... It disappoints because of Applegate and that fact that my wife and I were going to upgrade our phone this year (I have iPhone 3GS and got it right before 4G and my wife does not have a smartphone).
With all the baggage of the 4G in the past year, I would think they would change the phone design and remove the reputation of the 4G phone. With the improvement of Siri (voice speech feature), it would be a buy. BUT Siri could also be provided in an update to all previous iPhones.
"Sure there is a faster processor and better camera to update the technical specs of the iPhone 4S, but iPhone owners have never cared about that. They want the iPhone to do what they want nicely, and no doubt the iPhone 4S will serve their needs, better than the earlier model."
That is the point the author makes that hits the argument. It is all about innovation and functionality. It is never about the spec with Apple products and it has to just work. The author forgets that.. Will the phone work? Yes but it is not a innovation that I would expect from Apple.
Looking online, you hear all about the iPhone 5. Be it design issue or production issue, quality control should have been a must for Apple. Ironically, I feel the CEO is following what he knows best. He is definitely not Steve Jobs and the conference was less than anticipated.
(confirmed: http://gawker.com/5846600/the-iphone-5-failboard-how-everyone-got-it-wrong)
Lastly, Apple could be doing this because of contract of telecoms. It would be hard to purchase an upgrade from 4G to 4GS when you renew last year. Added, the LTE 4G infrastructure is not there to handle the network (though that seems to be an excuse I do not buy since the features of iPhone 5 is all about potential holographic and infrared/laser display keyboard and rich features of the phone).
http://www.thetechlabs.com/tech-news/iphone-5-features/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg iphone 5concept
Lastly iPhone 5 resembles the concept Mozilla seabird phone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lj109xEZw
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Your Social Media could Cost you (or Save you)?
Oracle Big Data Appliance: Scary-big cloud data is coming
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/oracle-big-data-appliance-scary-big-cloud-data-is-coming/59543?tag=mantle_skin;content
The the ever changing IT environment, this article seems to show the biggest concern for social media. Whatever you leave out in the public (or by your own friends), you could pay more or be denied promotion (let alone employments).
As Oracle rolls another appliance, they changed the model to deal with unstructured database (compare to their strength, structured). It is in light of the social media and the vast knowledge and tool to obtain more information about people.
As the article points out;
"The big data software for this insurance company could set the standard rate for the customer and then provide a discount (or penalty) based on more thorough data analysis. The first analysis would be based on structured data (driving record, legal record, credit score, etc.). The second analysis could be based on an unstructured source of data such as the person’s social graph (Twitter stream, YouTube views, etc.). People that do a lot of parental stuff on their social graph would likely get a discount, while those whose social graph is full of thrill-seeking activity would likely get a penalty.
Your social graph having a financial impact on you personally may sound a little scary — and let’s be clear that this example is only conceptual at this point — but everyone should be aware that this is the kind of thing that companies are going to be able to do in the future. This shows how businesses will soon be able mine public data with products like the Oracle Big Data Appliance. You can already do much of this now by hacking something together with NoSQL and Hadoop, but Oracle is ready to commercialize it in a big way."
It is not funny that someone post a picture of you (or fake picture) of you and it cost you more that otherwise would not be known. Your public life becomes your private and perception of you in the public could change everything about you.
As a rule, if you are going to post it..... Well, make sure you ask two questions: Would you post it when it could impact your image to the public?
How does images online impact your reputation in your private life?
It is scary to see that companies are doing just that. Utilizing social media to obtain more information about you. This could deny your future employment because you believe in the theory of socialism or you are anti-corporatist (though you work for a corporation).
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/oracle-big-data-appliance-scary-big-cloud-data-is-coming/59543?tag=mantle_skin;content
The the ever changing IT environment, this article seems to show the biggest concern for social media. Whatever you leave out in the public (or by your own friends), you could pay more or be denied promotion (let alone employments).
As Oracle rolls another appliance, they changed the model to deal with unstructured database (compare to their strength, structured). It is in light of the social media and the vast knowledge and tool to obtain more information about people.
As the article points out;
"The big data software for this insurance company could set the standard rate for the customer and then provide a discount (or penalty) based on more thorough data analysis. The first analysis would be based on structured data (driving record, legal record, credit score, etc.). The second analysis could be based on an unstructured source of data such as the person’s social graph (Twitter stream, YouTube views, etc.). People that do a lot of parental stuff on their social graph would likely get a discount, while those whose social graph is full of thrill-seeking activity would likely get a penalty.
Your social graph having a financial impact on you personally may sound a little scary — and let’s be clear that this example is only conceptual at this point — but everyone should be aware that this is the kind of thing that companies are going to be able to do in the future. This shows how businesses will soon be able mine public data with products like the Oracle Big Data Appliance. You can already do much of this now by hacking something together with NoSQL and Hadoop, but Oracle is ready to commercialize it in a big way."
It is not funny that someone post a picture of you (or fake picture) of you and it cost you more that otherwise would not be known. Your public life becomes your private and perception of you in the public could change everything about you.
As a rule, if you are going to post it..... Well, make sure you ask two questions: Would you post it when it could impact your image to the public?
How does images online impact your reputation in your private life?
It is scary to see that companies are doing just that. Utilizing social media to obtain more information about you. This could deny your future employment because you believe in the theory of socialism or you are anti-corporatist (though you work for a corporation).
Monday, October 3, 2011
Who makes the most profit out of Android?
World's most profitable Android company? Microsoft!
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/worlds-most-profitable-android-company-microsoft/9651?tag=mantle_skin;content
This is a continuation of legal battle and lawsuit of patents.. Out of all people involve with Android, the biggest winner of profits is no other than Microsoft.
"Goldman Sachs estimates that Microsoft will pick up $444-million in revenue from its Android patent deals for fiscal year 2012. For those of you playing at home, that’s $3-$6 per Android device. Yes, that may well be more than Microsoft makes from its own troubled mobile operating systems."
So the irony is that Andriod that is "open" is not really open. With patent violation and legal matters, Microsoft seem to made out a bit on the Android. The better question is another legal lawsuit is pending.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/worlds-most-profitable-android-company-microsoft/9651?tag=mantle_skin;content
This is a continuation of legal battle and lawsuit of patents.. Out of all people involve with Android, the biggest winner of profits is no other than Microsoft.
"Goldman Sachs estimates that Microsoft will pick up $444-million in revenue from its Android patent deals for fiscal year 2012. For those of you playing at home, that’s $3-$6 per Android device. Yes, that may well be more than Microsoft makes from its own troubled mobile operating systems."
So the irony is that Andriod that is "open" is not really open. With patent violation and legal matters, Microsoft seem to made out a bit on the Android. The better question is another legal lawsuit is pending.
Friday, September 30, 2011
When Cost and Innovation reaches a Crossroad
Digressing from normal blog, I wanted to reflect about how America could get out of this plague and see why we are in here in the first place.
HP: Is it a broken company?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/hp-is-it-a-broken-company/59293?tag=content;feature-roto
I know my blog goes away from the article to a point but it sees to reinforce the issue we are dealing with.
How does a company generate revenues and stay profitable in a dynamic environment?
To have a competitive advantage!
What competitive advantage could be focused on operations, products, and strategy.
HP has becoming the laughing stock because they have become the fool they made themselves to be especially going away from their roots.
HP was founded and focused on research and product development. HP was all about innovation and was the biggest reason for their success.
When the economy started to tank in 2000, companies got focused on business operational cost. This led to Dell and its outsourcing of their business to India. Then companies followed like HP. Seeing that it still did not resolve their budget, they cut research and development instead developing better products.
I remember how Mark Hurd was given so much accolades for his profitability. But it was clear that he was all about cut business costs (including R&D) and did not really improve on new product lines (see the past 5 years of HP product lines). Now, Mark is gone and all his directives are clear and visible in that it helped the short term but failed on the long term.
As the article points out:
"Add it up and I argued that HP’s problems will outlast Whitman’s tenure:
Whatever HP decides it wants to be when it grows up it needs to focus on research and development and carve its own path. The current model revolves around being someone else—IBM, Cisco, Apple, whoever’s next. The problem is that HP has starved R&D at 3 percent of revenue all through the Mark Hurd years. Now HP doesn’t have the financial heft to suddenly jump to 6 percent (IBM levels) or even higher. That’s why I’m arguing that Whitman can’t turn around HP. HP’s R&D problems will last longer than Whitman’s tenure if history is any guide."
So HP can't be Cisco or IBM. They do not have the manpower to research and innovate new products. They can't develop their own competitive advantage. Cost is as low as HP could focus on strategy (but that is already an issue at hand).
This is the same issue with corporations today. R&D development is in what companies do internally. Instead, it is all about acquisitions and mergers. So there is a lack of fluidity and continuity and makes innovation harder to achieve efficiently. To constantly make profits short term could hamper the long term goals and revenues.
Why I am so adamant? It is the same thing of placing American workers as commodities and expecting profits short-term. Selling goods at a premium while not fairly compensating Americans workers for their hard work. Who do you think is going to buy your goods? All I hear is that American workers are lazy but the reality is far from the truth. Do Americans have to lower their cost of living? Maybe but the extent seems a bit unfair and naive on both fences. Companies tell us to re-invest ourselves at our own cost but won't pay necessarily premium wages. Our education is by far more than the wage but that is easily justified one way (workers) but not with corporations (R&D and self-innovate)...
HP is reflective of corporations' mentality of trying to get most for little. At one point, investment has to be made and requires commitment for success. Do I think companies need to be lean? Of course but being lean and starving are two different things. It is important to understand that even well-trained athletes just can't be lean but be strong to perform. Why does corporations fail to acknowledge that?
HP: Is it a broken company?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/hp-is-it-a-broken-company/59293?tag=content;feature-roto
I know my blog goes away from the article to a point but it sees to reinforce the issue we are dealing with.
How does a company generate revenues and stay profitable in a dynamic environment?
To have a competitive advantage!
What competitive advantage could be focused on operations, products, and strategy.
HP has becoming the laughing stock because they have become the fool they made themselves to be especially going away from their roots.
HP was founded and focused on research and product development. HP was all about innovation and was the biggest reason for their success.
When the economy started to tank in 2000, companies got focused on business operational cost. This led to Dell and its outsourcing of their business to India. Then companies followed like HP. Seeing that it still did not resolve their budget, they cut research and development instead developing better products.
I remember how Mark Hurd was given so much accolades for his profitability. But it was clear that he was all about cut business costs (including R&D) and did not really improve on new product lines (see the past 5 years of HP product lines). Now, Mark is gone and all his directives are clear and visible in that it helped the short term but failed on the long term.
As the article points out:
"Add it up and I argued that HP’s problems will outlast Whitman’s tenure:
Whatever HP decides it wants to be when it grows up it needs to focus on research and development and carve its own path. The current model revolves around being someone else—IBM, Cisco, Apple, whoever’s next. The problem is that HP has starved R&D at 3 percent of revenue all through the Mark Hurd years. Now HP doesn’t have the financial heft to suddenly jump to 6 percent (IBM levels) or even higher. That’s why I’m arguing that Whitman can’t turn around HP. HP’s R&D problems will last longer than Whitman’s tenure if history is any guide."
So HP can't be Cisco or IBM. They do not have the manpower to research and innovate new products. They can't develop their own competitive advantage. Cost is as low as HP could focus on strategy (but that is already an issue at hand).
This is the same issue with corporations today. R&D development is in what companies do internally. Instead, it is all about acquisitions and mergers. So there is a lack of fluidity and continuity and makes innovation harder to achieve efficiently. To constantly make profits short term could hamper the long term goals and revenues.
Why I am so adamant? It is the same thing of placing American workers as commodities and expecting profits short-term. Selling goods at a premium while not fairly compensating Americans workers for their hard work. Who do you think is going to buy your goods? All I hear is that American workers are lazy but the reality is far from the truth. Do Americans have to lower their cost of living? Maybe but the extent seems a bit unfair and naive on both fences. Companies tell us to re-invest ourselves at our own cost but won't pay necessarily premium wages. Our education is by far more than the wage but that is easily justified one way (workers) but not with corporations (R&D and self-innovate)...
HP is reflective of corporations' mentality of trying to get most for little. At one point, investment has to be made and requires commitment for success. Do I think companies need to be lean? Of course but being lean and starving are two different things. It is important to understand that even well-trained athletes just can't be lean but be strong to perform. Why does corporations fail to acknowledge that?
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