Mobile Purchasing

Google has announced that the next generation of android phones will contain RFID readers that will link with other phones and payment systems. I wonder if we, as a society, have become comfortable and trusting enough of technology to allow our mobile devices to control our finances. While I have began seeing mobile deposits and people using online banking via mobile devices, I am skeptical that individuals and for that matter retailers would be willing to use their mobile devices for day to day purchases. If so, I feel as though there will need to be a serious focus on mobile security and this brings about the two serious security issues. Also the instability of some phone platforms would need to be addressed.

Chance favors the prepared

When it comes to vendor selection I believe that companies should do their homework. While it is great to be lucky, chance favors the prepared. If you do your background research one increases the possibility of getting lucky. It is also paramount that you find a vendor that is aligned with your company’s goals and culture. While performance is great it is important that there is no clash of cultures between company and vendor. Especially if the difference in performance is negligible, one should find a vendor that matches company culture.

Outsourcing Issue in Politics

As a result of the elections this week I became interested on the outsourcing debate in the political sphere. Two of the strongest supporters against outsourcing Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln, were defeated by their Republican opponents. Members of Indian-American lobbying groups donated to candidates who stood against the anti-outsourcers, like Congressman Kasich, who will be the next Ohio Governor. However, it seemed that in this election cycle outsourcing was not as divisive an issue in past elections. I wonder if this was due to the perceived importance of other issues or if the public has come to terms with outsourcing.

Microsoft No Longer at the Top

Over the past few years it has become obviously apparent that Microsoft has lost its strangle hold in the consumer technology market. In the early to mid 90s Microsoft was synonymous with technology, innovation, and the future. As an Apple user since 1999 I can remember being technologically ostracized and different from nearly every one of my peers. As I glance around my classrooms today I see the ratio of Apple computers and PCs nearly even. This is just one example of decreased market share I have noticed regarding Microsoft. This problem is even more exacerbated with regards to Internet browsers, with many open source browsers becoming the popular choice. Microsoft is at a crucial point where it needs to decide if it is going to continue to compete in the commercial computing sector and develop the mobile products that consumers desire. It is very interesting and alarming that once such a leader in consumer computing is now struggling to find a foothold for the future.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/27/technology/microsoft_pdc/index.htm

Outsourcing Thoughts

Outsourcing has been a growing concern in this country over the past few years. Many Americas solely associate outsourcing with losing jobs or call centers in India. Would education about the benefits of outsourcing and how it can be beneficial for businesses change public opinion? Or will horror stories of layoffs and corporate restructuring always sway the minds of the public against outsourcing? Either way the current state of public opinion with regards to outsourcing makes it a difficult decision for companies considering outsourcing business processes.

Crossing Borders

During our panel of speakers on Thursday I was very taken by the messages of Kevin Stone. It was very interesting to hear how churches and organizations of that type have embraced technology. The ability for easy cross-country and international communication allows these organizations to create and foster relationships around the globe. I was particularly touched by Kevin’s anecdote about the church in Florida, with whom they partner. It just lead me to wonder how these organizations could use technology more to expand their network and create new relationships.

Open source but not open to theft

I am a proponent of open-source development. I believe in the collective power of minds around the world improving software for the enjoyment and use of others. However, as we have seen with the release of Dell’s Streak Tablet, companies have tried to take credit for using this open source software without providing the underlying code. Thus making it apparent that it takes not only an army of the brightest and best computer minds to develop new open source software but also to regulate it and protect it as well. As open-source is growing and becoming more prevalent we may be a need to create a more official set of open-source regulation to make sure that when companies decide to use open source products they give credit where credit is due.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/business/26ping.html?_r=1&ref=technology

Taking a bite out of social media

http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/16/technology/4food/index.htm

The article I linked above discusses a Manhattan restaurant, 4food, that uses social media as an integral part of their business model. The restaurant promises to give the best burger in NY for $6 and to make up for the cost of ingredients it saves money in menu and advertising costs by utilizing social networks. Patrons can build their own burger on their phones and then post it to the restaurant. Furthermore, by posting their creation on twitter or facebook, customers are inherently advertising to their friends about 4food. 4food also lets customers promote their own creations via social networks, increasing the restaurant’s visibility. While this is the first example of social media in restaurants I have seen, I don’t hesitate to say it will not be the last. This article just goes to show the reach of social media and the endless possibilities that it creates. If 4food is has taken “have it your way” to social media, what else is next?

Clouds...the wind of change

Cloud computing, while it may sound fluffy and abstract, has taken a firm hold as the future of business computing. The successes of web sites such as flickr (photo storage), mozy (data storage), and Facebook have shown the viability of online computing and storage. Making people’s data, photos, music, video, etc. available to them wherever they have internet access, including their mobile devices has changed they way people store data in their digital lives. Furthermore, these cloud-based companies have evolved the idea web applications into a pocket-sized, go-everywhere “app”. These apps, which are designed to work on an exponentially growing number of devices, provide the full features of proprietary software and access to client data. Along with the expansion of open source applications cloud computing is allowing nearly any computer based activity to occur though an internet portal, saved, and then accessed anywhere. Yet when rolling these ideas into a business application one must be cognizant of the security issue created my sending out extremely sensitive information to store on the internet. I see the major issue in the implementation of a large-scale cloud computing system as the security that companies have over their data and intellectual property as it is transferred over the internet. While encryption is continuing to develop, the fact there is still a risk may be deterring some companies from jumping into the cloud.

Mobile Technology

I would like to focus this week’s response around the future of the mobile market and mobile technology. I believe, similarly to Microsoft as shown by their billion-dollar investment, that the mobile market is unequivocally going to continue to grow by leaps and bounds. No matter how technology continues to grow all new advancements are going to need an applicable mobile interface. Five to ten years ago businesses were worried about launching web sites and designing their web interface. In today’s market a clean, crisp web site is standard and business are trying to determine how they can best “mobilize” their goods and services.

Mobile technology has also created a 24-hour workday in the business world. As we discussed in class information is power, and information is not always created between 9am-5pm Monday through Friday. Mobile devices have made it easy for employers to reach their employees with critical information at any time of the day. Furthermore, it mobile technology has shrunk the idea of the “work computer” into the palm of your hand, allowing employees to not just receive information but to act upon it immediately. The importance of the constant and instant contact created by mobile devices can be exemplified by the fact that most large companies issue and pay for their employees smart phones because of the flow information mobile devices generate.

When looking to the future, there is no exact way to predict where mobile technology is going. However, there are a few trends that still have lots or room for expansion. The first I want to discuss GPS based social media. While some may cringe at the though of broadcasting your location at all times, the application of GPS based social interaction is continuing to grow on the backs of GPS enabled smart phones. The second growing technology is the mobile video chat. Although video conferencing has become prevalent in today’s business world, there is a certain amount of equipment required for it to work. The future of video conferencing will be in every individual’s hand removing the need for designated video conference rooms or times. Soon every business call could be face to face.