get paid to drive safely

Do you like to multitask while driving? SafeCellApp will PAY you to put down the phone. The new points-based program rewards you for every mile that you drive without distractions.

This app uses iPhone's GPS to track how many miles you've driven safely -- i.e., without talking on the phone or texting. Each mile driven safely equals one point, and 500 points can get you a $5 gift card to retailers like Amazon, Apple, and Macy's. For emergencies, you can press a big emergency button and make a call. And even though your GPS location is being tracked everywhere, you are supposedly the only one who has access to the details of your whereabouts.

At $12, SafeCellApp is considered pretty expensive for an app, but the idea is that you'll make it all back with safe driving. Although you'd have to (safely) drive a whopping 1,200 miles before you break even. Personally, I can't imagine this being an effective incentive to get people to stop calling/texting while driving. The only person I can imagine having the patience to drive without distractions for 500 miles is my mom, and she's the kind of person who would never pick up the phone while driving in the first place.

A Solution to Mobile Phone Infrastructure

As the amount of mobile phone usage increases, the cost of developing and improving infrastructure increases as well. The amount of power needed to keep towers and connections up and running will increase proportionately. However, a study at Queen's University in Belfast has explored the idea of using mobile phones themselves as network nodes for transmitting data. In doing so, infrastructure costs will decrease and power will be saved, in theory, since data will be transmitted across shorter distances between phones, rather than between many phones and a single network node that is far away (as is the current state). In this situation, the more people in a certain area, the more potential for stronger data connections, which is drastically different than the situation now.

I believe none will be more positively impacted by such an advancement than those within the developing world. Since market potential is much less in the poorer areas of the world, the larger mobile phone companies have been hard pressed to improve or even add mobile phone infrastructure in these areas. Yet, if mobile phones are used as network nodes, infrastructure costs will decrease, and phone companies will be more likely to improve infrastructure in these areas since their would be more potential for making profits in these untapped markets. As connectivity with developing nations increases, the ability for those within such areas to improve their economic situations increases as well.

10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them

While reading about the article on 'Edge organizations and Business Platforms' I came to realize that social networks are playing a critical role in creating business platforms of today. No better example of how facebook and twitter are changing the way we stay in touch with friends and family. Also businesses are realizing that tapping into social networks will help them get alot more customers and revenue, and hence are putting emphasis on it on their websites.

So I did some research on social network platforms and came across this rather interesting blog by Erica Swallow which talks about the 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them. She mentions 10 of the most intriguing, but lesser known, location-based, Q&A, press and microblogging social platforms out there and how more businesses can start using them. Many innovative brands have already begun to experiment with these social platforms which helps them not only reach larger audiences but also test new advertising models.

10 Lesser Known Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them

Local Government and The Edge Orgamization

While most of the examples I thought of while reading Henderson's "The Edge Organization" were high-tech companies. I tried to think of ways that the platform model might apply in my field, local government.

I came up with this: Increasingly, small cities that are very good at a task are being paid by their neighbors to run theirs. So if Brookline had a great Park and Recreations department, Newton might outsource their Park and Rec department to Brookline. The same goes for schools, libraries, fire departments, IT functionality, etc.

This woks for the flexibility, modularity and core capabilities aspects, but I'm not sure if it fits with other concepts, like peer-to-peer networks.

Is The Edge Organization best at describing for-profit high-tech companies?

Organizational Modularity: Inter or Intra?

I find the new (to me) concept of business platforms and the modular organization intriguing, but puzzling. While I understand the idea in theory, I find myself struggling to actually distinguish in practice between modular (at the business level) and conventional organizational structures such as functional or divisional. In examples I've come across that cite organizational modularity, it is in all cases a kind of faux organizational modularity that is simply an extension of the modularity of products.

While mulling over this, I recalled last summer's discussions about SAP's ecosystem. To me, this is a more cut and dried example of organizational modularity (although in this case the "organization" is larger than just a single company). The boundaries are clearly defined, there are definite interfaces between modules (companies), and each module functions as a black box to other modules. Modules are unconcerned about implementation details within other modules, so long as there exists a consistent interface.

So, is true modularity only inter-firm? Or does anyone have good, real examples of organizations that are truly internally modular?

Microsoft - The biggest startup

Microsoft has been under a transformation during the past years. They have developed their 3 screens and a cloud strategy and are currently working in creating a new set of capabilities. They have been lagging in high growth markets such as mobile but are playing catch up. For instance, Windows Phone 7 operating system for mobile phones will go on sale on devices next month. What is interesting about Microsoft is that their old core products (Windows and Office) are giving them the opportunity that other companies wouldn’t have had if they needed to change in such a dramatic way as Microsoft has been changing. Luckily for Microsoft, Windows and Office were/are so dominant that they have not only bought extra time for the technology giant for a strategic shift but also provide enough cash to fuel this transformation. How many companies out there can transform their strategy while announcing a 51% increase in profit on their “old products”?
Microsoft is currently the biggest startup.

Twitter's Evolution

Recently in class we've spent a substantial amount of time discussing what business platforms and business capabilities are. Earlier today I came across this profile of Evan Williams from Twitter in the New York Times. The article is largely about his decision to transition out of the CEO role at Twitter; however, there were two particularly telling paragraphs talking about Twitter's business transformation as it has honed in on its core capability.

Then - From the article: "The founders likened Twitter to ice cream: not that useful, but “a fun thing for family and friends when they are not in the same place,” Mr. Williams says."

Now - From the article: "Mr. Williams and his colleagues no longer liken Twitter to ice cream. They now describe it as an information network, not a social tool, and see it as an essential way for people to communicate and get information in real time."

Now that Twitter has a more defined sense of purpose, it will be interesting to see how this impacts their launch plans in new geographies.

Nintendo reaching for hardcore gamers?

In the past Nintendo has targeted the casual gamer. The Wii platform does not pack the horsepower of Sony's PS3 or the XBOX 360, but Nintendo created a following with their relatively low cost system and games centered around the casual gamer. This strategy was also used with the Nintendo DS. The problem with targeting the casual gamer audience, is that they are less likely to continually buy games. Nintendo is now attempting to reach out to the hardcore players by redesigning their hardware and releasing the 3DS in early 2011. The 3DS is a more powerful handheld device and will be able to handle the typical hardcore games, but will also have a 3D capability.

While this added capability is a differentiator, I am skeptical of whether it is going to pull the hardcore gamers toward the Nintendo platform. Especially when considering competitors such as the Sony PSP, and the increasing capabilities of the various smartphones such as the iPhone.

Apple overtakes RIMM

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This table provides a summary picture of where things stand. It does not explicate the relative roles of hardware manufacturers (who can be seen as resellers of devices on specific platforms) and OS providers (Apple versus RIMM versus Google versus Windows).  But, the trend for Apple looks interesting for sure.
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TextMyFood!

A new service provided by an equally new company, TextMyFood, has embraced the texting movement on cell phones and taken it to a business level. Restaurants who have installed TextMyFood's server provide a new venue for diners to flag down their waiter and purports that managers will be better equipped to balance the level and quality of service provided by the waitstaff. This is in response to a survey which identified service as being the most irritating aspect for customers dining out.

Basically, diners are provided with a number to send text messages to a computer server in-house should they feel they are not being waited on properly. This helps management better regulate the attention servers provide their diners and, in theory, will ultimately provide a more enjoyable experience.

Obviously, a lot rests on the staff to make effective use of the data gathered, but I thought this illustrates a more novel way of using cell phone technology than as wait-time reporting devices and the like.

How Hospitals are Using the iPad

Shortly after iPad's launch in April 2010, many hospitals start launching iPad programs. Doctors find the touch screen intuitive and gives a hands-on experience for patients as they navigate through the images using iPad instead of sitting in front of a PC. It's also easy to carry on rounds, has a long battery life and is afforadable. Instead of finding a workstation to do what he/she needs to do, the doctor can gain access to get some work done on-the-go, which can be quite helpful when it comes needing to process time-sensitive patient cases.
However, there are obstacles that need to be addressed before iPad moves forward fully in hospitals. There is lack of standards, the need for more safety regulations especially for storing patients' health record and personal information, and more marketing to both doctors and patients.

Do you think iPad will be widely adopted by doctors? What other challenges will it face?

(http://www.cultofmac.com/how-hospitals-are-using-the-ipad/64565)

Barnes and Nobles NookColor - eReader or Tablet?

Yesterday, Barnes and Noble announced the new NookColor. Whereas the original Nook uses e-ink technology, the NookColor displays 16 million colors on its 7" LCD screen. It's interesting to see how Barnes and Noble segments two types of readers to differentiate the habits of Nook and NookColor users. Barnes and Noble obviously does not want to cannabilize sales of the Nook, but it will be interesting to see how these two products will compete in the marketplace against each other as well as the Kindle, iPad, and Tablet PCs. As we witness how technology is transforming the traditional print publishing industry, there is shift for publishers to become known as"content providers". We also see this transition here from the Nook, which is a static, standard e-book reader, to the NookColor, which gives readers a more dynamic, interactive experience (including integration with Facebook and Twitter). The NookColor might not be as fully functional as an iPad, but one advantage it has is its lower price tag. Do you think this a smart move for Barnes and Nobles, and how do you think e-book reader devices will continue to evolve over the next 5 years?




































Here's the link to the Nook website.

Further Reading:
Here's an article that discusses Nook's positioning: eReader or Tablet?

Ray Ozzie's Latest Memo (Dawn of a New Day)

This memo (blogpost) is a good follow-up to Ray Ozzie's earlier memo from 2005.  I urge you to take a look at this and reflect on the message.... What key ideas do you take away as they relate to IT strategy?

Crowdsourcing for Medical Research

With millions of dollars spent on medical research and fewer results from those investments, the Myelin Repair Foundation has proposed an interesting game to try to spark discussion about how to deal with a public health crisis and subsequent medical research.

November 9-10, a virtual game will begin. Anyone can play (register here). The coolest result of this game will be the collection of collaborative thought from people - both inside the medical community and outside - to try to reevaluate the current processes of medical research and development to try to find more effective and efficient ways of progressing medical research.

When Should We NOT Incorporate IT?

With the CEO memo due today, I was obviously thinking a lot about the role of IT in business and business strategy nowadays. I came across an interesting article in Businessweek that suggests maybe it's not always a good thing to rush to implement technology into standard business practices.

Many foreclosure proceedings are getting held up due to lack of sufficient (physical and legal) documentation. Back when the market was booming, an overwhelmed mortgage industry decided to create a digital database to handle all the paperwork. However, once information and promissory notes were entered into the database, they were promptly shredded, to "avoid confusion immediately upon conversion to an electronic file." This may have created loopholes in terms of bringing foreclosure proceedings against someone when no physical record of a promissory note exists. In the legal system, you must see the note to confirm the ownership of the property being foreclosed. No note means lots of problems.

I thought this article was really interesting because it highlighted the point that IT can be very effective for businesses-- but only if it is used effectively. The mortgage industry uses technology to organize, code, monitor, and store millions of records. Computer programs can help cut down on the time it takes to assemble information and data. However, many of the current problems arose due to the attempt to keep the flow of information going, even if it meant cutting corners.

Happy 9th Anniversary!

October 23rd marked the 9-year anniversary of the iPod. It's truly remarkable that in 9 years, Apple has sold over 278 million iPods with net sales in excess of $47 billion. It's equally impressive that Apple has been able to attract "early adopters" with each new upgrade/product introduction. As the spikes on the graph depict, Apple experienced tremendous success with the introduction of iTunes for Windows in the first quarter of 2004, the iPod Shuffle in the second quarter of 2005, the iPod Nano in the first quarter of 2006, and, as shown by the red trendline, the iPod Touch in the first quarter of 2008. At present, the iPod is a relatively small component of Apple's revenues, replaced by the iPhone, iPad and the Mac. As Apple continues to innovate and maintain the interest of early adopters of new technologies, its success appears to be sustainable in the future.

Beyond Print - A New Kind of Magazine

ScrollMotion is an app developer that is working with some of the top names in the publishing world to create "digital, interactive content experiences for the iPhone, iPad and beyond." Yes, experiences, not just content. From interactive polls and quizzes, to being able to rotate an image of a fashion model 360 degrees with the swipe of a finger, these types of applications are revitalizing and revolutionizing traditional print media.

For the full article, click here.

Test Drive the Outlander Sport... Over the Internet??

Mitsubishi has figured out a way to turn a physical product into an online experience. For four days next month, users will be able to log into the Outland website and test drive a physical car using their computer. I'm guessing it might not feel exactly the same as driving the car in real life (things like suspension are kinda hard to recreate online) but none the less it's a kinda cool idea.

I'm not sure how many more cars it will sell, or whether the online test-drive experience will actually make the decision to buy the car any easier, but it's certainly a clever publicity stunt! I can only imagine how much traffic Mitsubishi will drive to its site!

Companies that produce physical products have always had a harder time linking their web presence to the product experience. Car companies have started doing a great job connecting the in-car experience to information available online. Mitsubishi has turned this concept on its by taking the website experience out to the car.

Solutions through Simulations

While researching how cities are using IT to solve traffic problems, I came across Legion, a company that has a few interesting products for simulation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. See the brief video below, and check out the company.

Chrome plug-in eliminates Facebook connect

An enterprising Google engineer has written an extension to the Chrome web browser which eliminates Facebook's presence and connective ability on non-Facebook pages. The image below illustrates this:
This is particularly interesting because it strongly mirrors the AdBlock extension for Firefox (an equivalent exists for Chrome) and functions in a similar manner: as the page is being loaded, specific elements belonging to Facebook are dynamically removed. Both extensions are free to use and install.

What I found interesting about this is how much power is returned to the user/browser and it makes me wonder about the implications of a mass roll-out or upscale of such a practice. Imagine if Firefox or Chrome came bundled with these extensions; are extensions like these, especially those which block ads, detrimental in the long run? What good will it be for a company to pay Google for advertising space if their ads are largely eliminated from web pages? Will Google suffer and need to move to a new revenue model? Or will this foster a need to innovate new methods of ensuring content delivery? I remember when adblockers first debuted, they simply removed images (banner ads were quite popular at the time). As a result, many advertisers shifted to using Flash or pop-up ads which were harder to identify/block at the time. What will happen now that the geeks have caught up?

Starbucks is trying everything!

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20020129-36.html?part=cnn-cnet

Not only has Starbucks started offering wine and beer, it has also created a landing page featuring various digital content that's only accessible from its in-store Wi-Fi networks. Starbucks is teaming up with Yahoo, WSJ, GOOD, The New York Times, iTunes, LinkedIn, and Foursquare to deliver news, free music download promos, weather, movie trailers, etc.

Essentially, this new Starbucks Digital Network is a sort of digital newspaper to eventually replace the physical stack of newspapers in-store. The content featured on the hub is generated specifically to target and appeal to the interests of coffee-shop-goers.

This article is interesting because when you think of the players and competitors in the digital publishing industry you naturally think about traditional publishers making a transition into digital content. However, even retail outlets like coffee shops are becoming portals for delivering your media content.

SmartGrid, SmartPhone, now SmarterCar?

Will your next car be a smartphone?

It’s clear that as technology advances, we are able to increasingly stay connected to our networks. Often, we can hardly hold a conversation without someone pulling out their phone to check something. This has definitely not been lost on auto manufacturers Ford and GM as they intend on making it easier for us to continue this while we are in our cars.

The current plan is to add the ability to talk and text on a touch screen that sits on the dashboard, which will eventually allow you to update your Facebook status by voice as well.

As many of us probably discovered when we were writing our Ford memo, Ford will be rolling out “App Link” that links smart phones to some Ford vehicles, a precursor to this step.

But as the article also inquires, how safe is this? Laws have been passed in most states that limit the driver’s interaction with their phone and with good reason. It will be interesting to see if this allows enough of a “hands off” approach that will actually make a difference in driver safety.

New York Times Adherence to the Old-School

New York Times CEO: "We will be printing newspapers for many years to come"

http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-times-ceo-we-will-be-printing-newspapers-for-many-years-to-come-2010-10

Does the New York times really believe that print is here to stay or are they simply trying to prevent any more cannibalization of their print product by their online offerings? Is the New York Times online keeping current readers from going elsewhere, or simply killing print with increasing speed?

Between the new iPad app, mobile phone apps, NYT online, and DealBook, (the NYT's business news blog) consumers are being given more and more alternatives to the physical newspaper. In this environment, it is no wonder both circulation numbers and ad revenues are declining. Is the New York Times doing everything it can to recapture its lost readership with these other media, or has it missing an emerging news delivery channel? Are they using enough user-generated content or are they simply transferring their old model to the three screens?

FaceBID

It has just come to my attention how Facebook is monetizing is data. Can it be true what this article shades light in? There are actually applications in the platform that know more about us that they´re suppose to.

My mother use to say trust is like a cristal, once is crack is over. Fortunately I never trusted "much" any website, I just don´t believe that any human can be imparcial with so many information. My take away for this news is that we as a society create this phenomenons and except them to behave as we should in our current situation. That is simply imposible, regulation has to come from a third party, in some countries violation of private policy is nothing of relevance, gladly we are not in one of them. I only hope we can learn more about this issue and I can say I am glad I do not use any application in Facebid, sorry Facebook.

Surprising Leadership Change at Microsoft

It was announced today that Ray Ozzie, the Chief Software Architect at Microsoft, is leaving the company. In a memo to employees, Steve Balmer reported that he will be moving into the entertainment space. The only other person to have held this position is Bill Gates himself, and it has been announced they will not fill the position again.

Ozzie worked at Microsoft for only five years. As we all remember, he wrote his very influential memo on Internet Disruption. Since that time, he has been focusing primarily on Microsoft's cloud initiative. It is interesting to see him departing before that product has really been launched and taken off. For someone who saw this as the future of not only Microsoft, but for the IT industry, I am surprised to see him depart before his vision comes to fruition.

It makes me wonder if there are mixed thoughts on the future of the cloud, even at the highest levels of Microsoft. This could be the first evidence that the "three screens and a cloud" idea are not as simple, or realstic, as some have thought. Considering the stock dropped over 2% on the news, my guess is that many investors are also in doubt.

Time for CIO’s to Lead from the Front

I came across an article that echoes a lot of the discussion we had in the second half of today’s class. The article points out the importance of CIO’s to move away from solely leading from the back (contributing to their company through work on projects behind the scenes to deliver business strategy at speed and scale) and start leading from the front (start proposing, encouraging and challenging their enterprise to take advantage of new opportunities often created by technology innovation).

This idea is very similar to the challenges we discussed today for executives that have to balance innovation (the front) and implementation (the back). The article goes on to discuss that is especially important for the CIO to lead from the front because of the increasing reliance on technology to help generate revenues, cash, and productivity for companies.

To me this seems like an obvious concept that all CIO’s should adopt, but I think it is important to remember that sometimes company norms and other factors may deter CIO’s from being able to do this. It may be a lot harder for CIO’s to change their leadership posture than simply deciding they want to embrace innovation. The CIO may need to convince the company, shareholders and other C level executives that the Chief Information Officer needs to have more of a balance between implementation and innovation responsibilities.