More Appropriate Blog

More Appropriate Blog

I thought I would open up a new blog that is more appropriate for gadgets, car reviews, and everything non-strategic. Check it out!

 

My IoE World: Starting the Day Fit and Connected

A great example of what’s possible today with connected devices. Going to have to look at the Phillips Hue lights, that’s pretty cool.

Cisco Canada Blog

It’s mind-boggling to see the speed at which people, process, data, and things are becoming more and more connected. The Internet of Everything (IoE) world is already happening.  But what does that world really look and feel like in our daily lives?  How are our everyday experiences changing as a result? How is it helping us attain our goals and desired outcomes?

To answer these questions, we need to take a step back to understand a few critical elements.  First, IoE is coming at us like a freight train, but it may not be evident because it’s happening in silos and with very specific technologies and applications.  To appreciate how much activity is going on in this space, it’s critical to begin looking at the IoE landscape in specific segments. Here are two things that can help:

1. A video of an interview I conducted with Rick Smolan, author of “The…

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Cisco Champion

Some exciting news, recently I was selected by Cisco to join the “Cisco Champion” Program.   You may ask just what is the Cisco Champion Program?  Well you can click on the icon on the left for more details but a quick summary would be; to create and nurture a network of people who are passionate about Cisco and enjoy sharing their knowledge, expertise, and thoughts across the social web and with Cisco.  I’ve heard of other such programs but never knew how people were invited, now I know.

I’m pretty honoured to be invited by Cisco and looking forward to contributing where I can on areas that interest me.  I’ve expressed some of my interest areas to Cisco around Community, IoE, and Social Media/Social Enterprise and that’s where most of my focus will be within this program.  You can actually find one of my latest blog posts on the Cisco Canada blog around the Internet of Everything “IoE” here where I talk about the NEST Thermostat. 

I’m still quite new to this program so stay tuned for more updates on this and other posts!

The Internet of Everything

You’ve heard this term many times now, if you haven’t then head over to the Oxford Dictionary which explains it. Basically it is “a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data”. I’ve always been a gadget guy since I can remember and that has not changed to this day. 

My venture into the Internet of Everything started this year with the purchase of the Nike Fuel Band which I blogged about earlier this year.  This taps into the “People” dimension as described by Dave Evans, Chief Futurist at Cisco in an article Huffington Post released today. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-evans/cisco-beyond-things-the-interne_b_3976104.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003  I highly suggest you read this article, it’s short and describes what Dave describes as the four dimensions of The Internet of Things.

I also picked up a NEST thermostat which also applies here in the “Data” and “Things” dimensions talked about in the above link.  I figured as a gadget guy I wanted to have better visibility and in turn control over my heating and the NEST does just that.  It’s overkill for most people but these type of thermostats will become the norm over the next few years as people look to cut costs in areas like heating and cooling.  I know by April next year I’ll notice a difference in my heating bills and the cost of the NEST will have been justified.

The Internet of Everything is in it’s infancy and is just taking off.  We are going to see some pretty amazing things connected that we never thought of before. If you want to stay in touch with The Internet of Everything / Internet of Things check out Cisco and their blog, as are in touch with where things are going and have great content.  Check it out. http://canadablog.cisco.com/

So a question I have out there for those who follow, where do you see this fitting in with the Corporate Enterprise?  A lot of this is being driven through the consumer side (NEST, FuelBand) so how does this technology fit within the every day business?

Here is a great video on “What is the Internet of Everything?” http://www.cisco.com/web/tomorrow-starts-here/ioe/index.html

Microsoft Surface Pro 2–Initial Thoughts

Microsoft has recently announced the release of the Surface Pro 2 which is slated to ship October 21st.  For anyone following this blog, you’ll know I’ve been using the first Microsoft Surface Pro as my only desktop at work.  I’ve been pretty happy for the most part and very vocal about my feedback and suggestions to Microsoft via many social media outlets (@MicrosoftCanada, @Surface, and the Microsoft Canada Enterprise Forum via LinkedIn) as well as our Microsoft Account Manager.  There are a few things that Microsoft could have done to make this a game changer and I’ll get to those in a second.

The new Surface Pro 2 has some great features which will contribute to what I think has been a pretty good device. 

• Intel i5 processor
• Up to 512GB of Flash Storage
• Dual-angled kickstand
• Increased battery life
• 1080p display
• 200GB of additional SkyDrive storage
• Docking station (Early 2014)

Now these features really don’t change a lot, just increase the performance of the devices.  What I was looking for was more enterprise features that would make this device a game changer and would help penetrate the enterprise. 

1. Direct Access – This was something I’ve mentioned multiple times however has not been well received.  If Microsoft wants to see more of these devices in the Enterprise they need to incorporate Direct Access out of the box.  Currently the only way is for IT shops to reformat the Surface device and install Windows Enterprise edition.  Not acceptable.
2. Docking Station Accessory – I do have to give props in that Microsoft did listen to consumers and created this accessory.  However “early 2014” is to late.  Accessories need to be delivered when the device goes live.  Unsure why the delay here, no explanation to date.
3. LTE/4G cellular support – A lot of laptops and tablets from other manufactures are including this which helps extend the connectivity of the tablet. To compete with the iPad this needs to be standard fare and is another miss.

Time will tell if Microsoft hit the mark with it’s consumers and I’ll probably end up getting one to test however Microsoft needs to be ahead of the curve here not behind.  I’m afraid they are still behind the mark when compared to the rest of the tablet market and if they want market share they need to do better.  I’d love to replace the iPad’s in our environment however won’t be able to until at minimum Direct Access is enabled out of the box.

If you’re looking to pre-order one you can check out the Microsoft Store here.