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Radical Change, it’s not limited to the technology

Posted on November 29, 2011 by GAFYDguy

We’ve become accustomed to radical change in Hardware and Software technology. Smart-phones, tablets, netbooks and other hardware are virtually reinvented annually, plus “cloud computing” allows major software updates to roll out to users every few months. But the radical change can also extend into the fiscal fortune of companies which produce (or make use of) these technologies.

2007 D5 Conference - historic joint appearance of Steve Job's and Bill Gates

“…If there was a single moment where the destinies of Microsoft and Apple diverged, it was D5. Nearly all of the buzz of D5 was centered around two products: 1.) The Microsoft Surface, which Steve Ballmer unveiled to the public on the opening day of the event, and 2.) The iPhone, which Apple had announced earlier in the year and which was about to go on sale a month later…”

The above quote is from; iPhone and Surface: The moment Apple and Microsoft diverged (from TechRepbulic by Jasson Hineron Hiner Nov 21, 2011) and highlights how dramatically the scales of fortune can shift. The article details how similar changes have happened in both revenue and Market Cap.

The “Market Cap line chart” below illustrates how extraordinary the shift has been – in 4 years a reversal of value to the tune of $300B (Apple up $250B and Microsoft down $50-75B). If the rate and direction of the trend during those 4 years continues for a 5th year – the result may be a complete reversal of position:

from 2007 where Microsoft’s Market Cap exceeded Apple’s by $200B
to 2012 where Apple’s Market Cap may exceed Microsoft’s by $200B or more!

Change of this magnitude can completely re-define who dictates market direction and who sets design criteria for the future. Yet we all know the tech industry is fickle – nothing is totally predictable – other than 2012 promises to be more of the same – large amounts of change in how we use and benefit from technology in our daily lives.

Radical changes as significant as the iPhone introduction are again underway – known as Cloud Computing and SAAS (Software As A Service). They hold potential to radically shift or impact the fortunes of key companies – including your company!

Have you considered the impact on your company if you don’t incorporate or adopt at least some key elements of Cloud Computing?
Do you have a strategy for evaluating or reviewing its benefits for you?
What about the impact it has on your mobile computing?

To reap maximum benefit from “riding a wave of change” (do you wish you bought Apple stock in 2007?) you must not wait until it has already passed. If you have questions or want information about Cloud Computing and Google’s “Google Apps For Business” solution from people that have been doing it for years – call Tom at 303-932-8146, creator of GAFYD.net (Google Apps For Your Domain).

Posted in change in IT, Chromebook, cloud computing, iPhone, Microsoft | 2 Comments

iPhone & Google Apps For Business (GAFYD.net) are BFF

Posted on November 14, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Stories with “high drama about competitors” are good for selling news. So the general media often will focus on stories where Apple and Google are pitted against each other in some manner.

Yet, certain products of these companies can be described as BFF (Best Friends Forever). Consider how well Apple’s iPhone, iPad and IOS 5 based MAC products work with the Google Apps For Business cloud computing solution. Google Apps brings enterprise quality multi-user app integration across all the platforms while also allowing companies to support a mix of Apple and non-Apple hardware devices. Here are some reasons why.

Eric Schmidt Google’s CEO from 2001-2011 (now Executive Chairman) often refers to himself as a “Proud Former Member” of Apple’s Board of Directors, a role he held for 3 years. And he holds the work of Steve Jobs in high regard.

What Steve has done at Apple is certainly the best performance of a CEO for over fifty years, maybe a hundred years,” Schmidt proclaimed

Equally, Larry Page, Google co-founder and current CEO, is not shy about expressing respect and admiration of Steve Jobs, Apple CEO and creator of the iPhone.

The late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs reached out to offer Google CEO Larry Page support as he took the reins at Google. The classy move showed strength of his character, despite the rivalries between Google and Apple.

Another demonstration of this is the technology market itself, as outlined in this GIGOOM.com article. It’s not Google vs. Apple. It is Apple & Google vs. the old way highlights how rapid adoption of smart-phones with Internet connectivity as a core element of their genetic make-up play a role in causing Apple and Google to often think alike vs differently. Yet each company has its own market focus – Apple is primarily a device and product company, while Google more a software and services company.

Ultimately this is all good news for users of Cloud Computing solutions. Particularly Google Apps For Business – today’s leading Cloud-based productivity apps offering for businesses. Availability of advanced standard protocols has allowed iPhone users to reap benefit of “enterprise category” services made available on their iPhone with no additional carrier service costs. When properly configured, iPhone users can the device’s native mail, contact and calendar apps while still gaining 100% wireless sync of Google Apps for Business data between all desktop and/or mobile devices.

This critical synchronization process of daily operations data (Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Docs, Videos, Map and more) can all be layered under protection of the company’s private Domain. Using GAFYD.net – Google Apps For Your Domain gives benefit of centralized administrative management and control of all cloud resources no matter what size the user community is. Data is current and consistent, regardless of the mobile device (iPhone or Android), the wireless carrier used or the PC operating system.

For example, the enterprise quality sharing Calendaring adjusts appointment times for any global time-zone a traveler might visit, and phone numbers are immediately available even if just a WiFi connection exists. Companies using “Google Apps For Business” as their foundation data communication system even provide their individual employees automatic backup of their critical data for when their mobile device is lost, stolen or inoperable.

As we do more mobile computing with unending variety of new devices you want to have a strategy for keeping data secure, consistently synchronized and recoverable! Be sure to obtain professional guidance and advice about what the best solution is for your company.

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, Google Apps, iPhone, mobility, Security, Solo Practitioner, Web Presence | Leave a comment

Multi-Mobile Device Challenges for Road Warrior Sales Professionals

Posted on October 25, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Laptop / iPad / iPhone - courtesy of "House & Home - Digital" 3 formats

For those who think “required logins” on desktop PC’s to assure good security can be annoying – check out what highly mobile users deal with. Think about the synchronization and data backup issues that arise when you have multiple access points to related data.

Recently I chatted with two successful VP level sales professionals from large well known companies (Polycom and Tellabs). Both are tenured pros, having lots of “travel miles” and laptop computing time in their history. How surprised was I to find that today, being mobile means carrying 3, even 4 mobile computing devices – not just a laptop PC.

This reality was further driven home by some other events. As the above picture illustrates, today “House & Home” magazine found they must develop 3 presentation formats for one E-magazine (PC/Laptop, Pad/Tablet, Smartphone). Also the Road Warrior 2.0 Challenge contest, sponsored by Hyatt Place (asking real-world business travelers to help redefine today’s Road Warrior)! In addition to the expected Free plane tickets, 10 Free nights at their hotel etc. the prize package included – you guessed it, 3 mobile devices:

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 / Apple iPad 2 / Samsung Infuse 4G smartphone

The only item missing was a wireless carrier’s portable Aircard / WiFi Hotspot device (the 4^th item one of the above mentioned sales professionals sometimes carries). I’m not going to argue the logic of the approach one way or the other – I’m just presenting that it’s a fact of life for today’s highly mobile professional. Plus it is amazing what the combination of devices allows them to achieve.

Example: the Tellabs gentlemen uses his portable Verizon Aircard to give Internet access to ALL his WiFi enabled devices anywhere he wants while paying only one service carrier charge. The laptop PC, iPad (and Blackberry if desired) each have unique device benefits – but can all be online anywhere his cell service signal exists. On occasion he has provided internet access (WiFi) to 2-3 client visitors during a quick meeting in an airport lobby. Thus allowing each guest to avoid paying for a generic public WiFi signal – and making Internet login quick and easy for all.

Yet, the even BIGGER question is – how does one keep their address book, calendar and docs (Contracts, Presentations etc) files synchronized across all those mobile devices? Knowing you may need the latest data from any one device at any given moment in a day?Even more important – how do you successfully backup all your data routinely on 3 different mobile devices? Many people find themselves strained to routinely backup just their desktop PC.

Since Halloween is close let me give you the SCARY ANSWER first – buy some big multi-legged Octopus type sync cable that might fit all the different devices, then spend hours plugging and unplugging cables prior to and after each trip to keep everything in order!

A much less scary answer is - implement a Cloud Computing solution of enterprise quality, that handles not only sharing files (i.e. Dropbox, Box.net etc) – but also contacts, calendars and applications that also comes with a SLA (Service Level Agreement guarantee). Get everything fully synchronized in wireless fashion, regardless of where you are in the world and achieved via a single sign-on account. Google Apps For Business (GAFYD.net a professionally “managed services” version) will provide these features.

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Google Apps, Independence, iPhone, mobility, Smartphone, Web 2.0 | 1 Comment

GAFYD.net* can redefine CELL PHONE messaging – PART 3

Posted on October 3, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Big, bigger and biggest — we see it a lot in product offerings. But as this picture hints – the age of the person connected to the feet is unknown. Is it a Child, Teen and Adult – or just 3 different kids? The point is size alone doesn’t reveal ability, capabilities of each pair of feet depends on the body they are connected to.

The same truth holds for messaging systems. Increasing announcement length or message count storage alone adds limited value to a messaging product. I imagine all the feet shown can stand and walk – we’ll just assume that basic. But which ones can sprint, run great distance, play complex sports or maybe do ballet steps or other dance? That all depends on what body they are attached to.

What’s your mobile device messaging system attached to? If only your wireless carrier facility, then it’s limited by definition. If connected (integrated) into the Web, it gains virtually unlimited storage, software sophistication, global connectivity and becomes part of an ever expanding and improving environment. If your mobile messaging isn’t integrated (connected) to the Web – then like the feet shown above you have to assume it only does the basics, stand and walk (or even less!)

My first post (9/13/11) on this topic referenced specific wireless carrier messaging limitations. My Part 2 post (9/22/11) identified how Google Maps (Internet Integrated App) on a mobile devices advances a simple App to levels of “Super App and On Steriods” App. Using an Internet based messaging system for your Cell (mobile) Phones can do the same thing.

As a Simple Mobile Messaging App (use wireless carrier facility)

1 announcement, voice mails are 2 min duration max, only retained for 30 days
requires a telephone to hear voice messages, must play messages in fixed sequence
memorize telephone keypad commands, no search ability, overseas retrieval adds cost
no management tools for locating or archiving historic (or lost) text messages
no access to text messages if mobile device isn’t powered and present

As a Super Mobile Messaging App (incorporate basic Internet integration)

use home, work or other phone to directly access voice messages
receive voice message via email (audio file) or text message (transcribed to written form)
have inbound call options (announcement based on caller id), extended length messages allowed, listen in / cut in on active message, read transcribed messages
retrieve messages from telephone, PC or other mobile device (i.e. tablet, iPad etc)
archive messages to save for any length of time
one calling directory for voice and text messaging
“visual voicemail” directly play any message, in sequence play not required

As a Mobile Messaging App On Steriods (Full Internet and Voice Cloud integration)

Equal access to all messages from Mobile Device(s) or password protected desktop device
Contacts directory wireless sync’ed between all desktop and mobile devices
Ability to redirect calls to other phones (mobile or land) prior to forcing to voice mail
Multi Party conferencing and Call Recording (to voice mail inbox)
Full visual viewing, word search and external archiving of voice and/or text messages
Message Sharing – via download to MP3, send via email or embed on a web page
Annotate stored voice messages with personal notes or reminders
Automatic disaster recovery and backup (of Contacts Directory and all messages)
Easily block (mark as Spam) calls you never want to get again
Can establish password protected “limited delegation” to admin assistant

The On Steriods feature list is hardly exhaustive. In addition, creative combination of listed features establishes unique never thought of business solutions for tough problems. These features have be called life saving by highly mobile “solo professional practitioners”, and at minimum handy for personal cell phone users.

Benefits are further multiplied when implemented under a company domain via *GAFYD.net (Google Apps For Your Domain). WHY? Services (powered by Google Voice) are centrally managed and ALL mobile messaging is retained under Domain protection regardless of wireless carrier or mobile device used. Company owners are assured critical and/or proprietary data exchanged via voice and text messages will always be accessible to them, even if when employees leave or devices are lost or stolen.

Just like Google Maps continues revolutionizing how we find our way from point A to point B, Web integrated mobile messaging will revolutionize business use of Cell (mobile) phone messaging. Whether for personal or business communication, the fact these features can now be added to even inexpensive and basic cell phones (smart phone NOT required) further assures Cell Phone messaging will continue to change how we communicate and live.

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, cloud computing, Google Apps, Google Voice, mobility, Smartphone, Solo Practitioner, Text Messaging | Leave a comment

GAFYD.net* can redefine CELL PHONE messaging – PART 2

Posted on September 22, 2011 by GAFYDguy

A recent article in the United Kingdom sheds light on a basic truth Mobile phone bonanza ‘over’, despite demand in developing markets (The Guardian, Sunday 18 Sep 2011, by Juliette Garside)

Highlights from the article

Much of the mobile companies’ new business will come from the developing world, where they are unable to charge the same level of fees as they do in western markets… Delusions that this industry will continue to grow astronomically have to be thrown out of the window now… We can safely say that the telecoms industry is now mature, and what we have here is a utility sector… Western Europe is predicted to be the worst performing region and the only one to experience revenue decline… It is time for operators to embrace the fact that their data revenues are going to replace their voice revenues”

So while phone connections may grow by nearly 30%, total new revenue is predicted to grow less than 10%. This places pressure on profit margins and all but eliminates R&D dollars for non-direct revenue services (like voice mail). So how do customers overcome inadequacies and limitations of the wireless carrier aging voice mail / messaging services? ANSWER: Use a mobile phone’s “data (internet) connection” to tap into and integrate the mobile device with advanced data / messaging systems that are integrated with the Internet.

In a word – Apps! think Simple, Super and On Steroids Apps. Smart-phones have access to 10,000s of apps (standalone and Internet based) that are independent of wireless carrier offerings. They dramatically enhance the value of your mobile phone, are low cost (many are Free) and can even have complementary versions available on the PC. Google Maps is a great example.

as a Simple App, Google Maps provides instant access to an enormous database of classic road and terrain information for nearly the entire Globe.
as a Super App, it adds the ability to search those Maps (even by voice) to find places, businesses and get directions to any location
with the mobile device GPS location feature you get an App on Steroids. The app can now provide detailed voice guided navigation while you are driving

Wireless mobile phone carriers cannot afford the cost of creating advanced mapping / navigation systems like Google has (provided FREE via being subsidized by Google Ads). Google also specifically built a mobile version of this extremely complex and data-intensive Maps app. It works seamlessly on a wide variety of mobile phones.

This approach of seamless integration to advanced Internet technology (i.e. Google Apps related) will give mobile devices Simple / Super / on Steroids Apps for Cell Phone messaging. In my first post (AllThingsIp.com 9/13/11) I referenced specific limitations of today’s wireless carrier mail / messaging systems. The following excerpt from AT&T’s – Voice Mail Quick Start Guide / Terms And Conditions (para 4, page 10) pretty much sums up the whole situation.

– your Service will retain only a limited number of messages and will store messages only for a limited number of days. AT&T retains the right, at AT&T’s sole discretion and at any time, to change any of the capacity limits on message exchange and storage.

* GAFYD.net – Google Apps For Your Domain added to your mobile system will not only provide better voice mail and text services but will do so under the branding and protection of a company’s private domain. Read our coming PART 3 post to learn more about the specific features.

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, cloud computing, Google Apps, iPhone, Maps / Geocoding, mobility, Smartphone, Text Messaging | Leave a comment

GAFYD.net* can redefine CELL PHONE messaging

Posted on September 13, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Voice mails and text messages are a critical part of everyday communication. Billions of text messages are sent daily. Yet, the paying customer has limited access and control over storage management, viewing and retention of their own messages. Consider the following facts.

Voice Mail was introduced commercially by IBM in the late 70’s. Gained wide acceptance in the 80’s, became pervasive in the 90’s and is used everywhere today. It’s so prevalent, the leading wireless Mobile phone providers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint) just include it automatically in their service plans. But remember their main business is “wireless signal transmission” NOT voice mail systems. Their fiscal investment in the research or feature capability of voice mail is the bare minimum. Voice mail is offered primarily as “competitive necessity – the other vendor has it so we have to have it”.

What does that mean for the customer? You buy a “state-of-the-art” iPhone, Droid, HTC Evo Smart-phone / Web Device which ends up using 10+ year old voice mail techniques and policies. Systems designed to assure they would work no matter how in-expensive your cell phone was. This was good for the vendors, it assured they could provide some level of service to every customer. How else would you explain these limitations that people live with today:

you are limited to a 2 minute message (maximum)
only allowed to keep 20 stored messages at any given time
each message is permanently deleted 30 days after its creation regardless of space being available
having to pay $5-6.00 to the vendor and wait 3-5 days to get a permanent recorded copy of 1 voice mail message?

Each of the above is an actual condition that exists in the Terms of Service contracts of at least one of the leading providers. Would you possibly accept anything even remotely close to those limitations in your email messaging service? Never!

The wireless mobile phone industry effectively invented “Text Messaging”, a type of messaging that people today are madly in Love with (2.5 billion text messages are sent each day in the USA, more text messages are sent per phone than phone calls). Yet do you know the limitations? How many you can keep? Can you easily find 30 day or 1 year old messages with a simple Search command? Can you easily broadcast a text message to a list of people in your email contact list? (without having to have a Twitter account).

Texting is known as a $$Profit gold mine for wireless providers – yet the service retains some major limitations. All impacting the customer that pays for them. Consider what happens to your critical business text messages — if — you lose your mobile phone? Can you just call the provider and have them instantly restored, or access them immediately from any available internet connected PC? Yea, I don’t think so, forget about doing that.

This is a big topic and will take more than one post to cover. Come back in a few days and read about how you can not only overcome these problems and limitations – but get features you haven’t even thought about. Plus you CAN DO IT ALL using your existing cell phone number, existing mobile phone (any brand) and your existing email accounts.

* GAFYD.net – Google Apps For Your Domain

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Blackberry, cloud computing, eMail, Independence, iPhone, mobility, Smartphone, Text Messaging | 1 Comment

Using Google Apps (For Business) to help save email marketing costs – PART 2

Posted on August 22, 2011 by GAFYDguy

"article by B. Eric Rhoad...says that the power of marketing lies in repetition."

Do What Works, Repeat – Do What Works, then Repeat. A simple marketing concept, not complex but often easier said than done. Because it takes discipline and a vigilance for consistency and detail – tasks well suited to software, such as Google Apps for Business.

Everyone likes to be recognized, that is why timely replies to prospect inquires are a successful way of building positive relationships. But lets face it, first time inquires from total strangers are hard to gauge regarding potential value – and how much time to invest. Using automated “canned responses” can provide a lot of value – by assuring the prospect you respect their time and interest, plus it provides opportunity to further qualify an opportunity – all in a professional yet low cost manner.

Google Apps For Business includes Google’s 3 core Message/Collaboration apps (Mail, Calendar, Docs) plus multiple others (i.e. Talk, Groups, Sites, Video etc). What really makes them powerful is the the ability to have them professionally administered and operating under privacy of your company’s WWW domain.

Here’s one way to use these services in an integrated manner to perform a sophisticated followup to a marketing campaign without any additional Google Apps monthly costs, regardless of volume of responses. Sample scenario:

REQUIREMENT	SOLUTION
Your company receives inbound email as result of a marketing campaign	Use Gmail “trigger filters” to reply with timely automatic responses
Company needs to send timely / immediate “pre-scripted email reply” based on the inquiry	Use a Gmail “canned response” to provide a professionally pre-scripted and signed reply.
Include simple 2-5 question online survey in reply to prospect, get fast and simple prospect qualification	Use “Docs / Forms” to include survey questions or an online link right in the auto-reply.
Digitally compile survey results without having to gather, process or print paper forms	Use “Docs / Spreadsheet” to auto capture survey reply data plus review & tabulate right online.

Timely followup is a critical component to successful marketing campaigns, yet seldom happens due to the complexity, effort and cost. This automated approach;

is performed 100% via standard Google Apps For Business – no special software.
captures Prospect replies in a database absent of storage space concerns,
sends data over an encrypted connection and data gains company Domain privacy protection (versus stored with another third party),
not to mention the value of Google Apps storage disaster recovery benefits.

The referenced features are included in the standard monthly subscription cost for a registered Domain. Any employee with some macro and file processing knowledge can develop the process, or it can be pre-built by an Google Apps authorized reseller (i.e. GAFYD.net) and loaded to the company’s Domain for private use.

———- Part 1 and Part 2 SUMMARY ———–

Specialized email services like Constant Contact, MailChimp, Vertical Response and others do more than enable sending large volume emails and basic survey emails. Their monthly subscriptions reflect this, $15-$50/mo would be a fair range to support a mailing list of say 2500 names.

Considering the same dollar amounts would cover FULL Google Apps for Business subscriptions for 3-10 employees ($4.17/person/mo) one has to strongly consider the Google Apps option. Not only do you get Google’s amazing Gmail, fully branded with your Logo and Private Company Domain but also the Calendar / Docs / Talk / Sites / Groups and Video cloud apps. Industry leading Web based email, plus “collaboration services that just work”, for marketing as well as every other company department.

A managed services approach to using Google Apps For Business

It’s even available in a “Managed Services” package offer – GAFYD.net (Google Apps For Your Domain) frees you of all administrative tasks. A modest monthly Domain maintenance fee assures they are handled by the qualified experts of an authorized Google Apps reseller.

Posted in cloud computing, eMail, Google Apps, Legal, Privacy, Security | 1 Comment

Using Google Apps (For Business) to help save email marketing costs

Posted on August 17, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Many statistics exist showing how companies must both avoid SPAM email that comes their way, PLUS steps they must take to avoid being considered a SPAMMER.

Google’s Gmail system is considered to have one of the best SPAM filtering systems in the industry. Many people actually get a @Gmail.com account, and forward their other email accounts to it just to benefit from the exceptional Spam control. Gmail can also help prevent email you send from being labeled as Spam by other email services.

Email remains one of the most commonly used and powerful communication systems for business – particularly marketing. So how does a small/medium company do email marketing cost effectively and keep it simple?

Many businesses must determine whether or not to use specialized “email services” just for marketing related mail. These services add direct expense, as well as indirect costs of time and man-power to learn and manage the external system and the email lists it needs.

However, these specialized services have the value of being able to send “large volumes” of email for you without getting “blacklisted as a Spammer” by other email services like AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, Comcast etc. This is important, because you don’t want your legitimate marketing promotion emails being refused or placed in a SPAM folder just because one day you send a larger number of emails than typical.

For example, lets say you normally originate 75-150 emails a day from a given address. Then one day as part of a special promotion you send 1,000 emails – very often that will place you on a “watch list” by other providers as a spammer. This can result in your legitimate email being immediately declared as Spam by the recipient’s email service and thus likely never read by the intended recipient.

If you are sending from a “trusted email provider” such as GMAIL that will not happen. But it’s also why gmail LIMITS the number of emails you can send (typically 500/24 hrs), it helps assure they stay on the trusted list. It prevents Spammers from using Free @gmail.com accounts to abuse the system by sending tens and hundreds of thousands of emails daily from one account.

Google Apps for Business is also a “trusted Gmail provider” but allows 2,000 emails/24 hrs (max 500 at a time) from a given user account. So even though your email is fully branded with your private domain name (key feature of Google Apps for Business) it enters the system from a trusted provider (Google). Therefore the email is more likely to be read by the recipient, versus placed in the intended recipient’s Spam folder by their email service.

A small/medium business using Google Apps for Business could logically send out 10,000 emails in one week branded with their company’s private domain (i.e. GAFYD.net) and not be blacklisted. That limit likely would satisfy the vast majority of businesses in this category.

Another important email marketing related feature is the ability to send consistent and timely replies to inbound email inquires sent to your company. I’ll explain how Google Apps for Business can do this task, also at zero added cost – in a subsequent post. For further information about Google Apps for Business feel free to call 303-932-8146.

Posted in cloud computing, eMail, Google Apps, Legal, Security, Solo Practitioner, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Cloud Computing Matters – because IT Connects all MY DEVICES

Posted on July 26, 2011 by GAFYDguy

Roger McNamee, courtesy of Business Insider

An early Facebook Investor, Roger McNamee (well known co-Founder of Elevation Partners) gave an amazing talk recently offering his view of some of the biggest trends affecting the technology industry.

One result of that talk was a main stream news article titled “WHY SOCIAL IS OVER” born out of his remark “Social is “done”, it’s now a feature, don’t go do a social startup.” Many may debate that issue depending on the context of the conversation – but I believe another statement he made is relevant regardless of the conversation context:

…The fact that most people now have more than one device means the cloud is vital, because you want to have all your stuff on all your devices. It also means the old PC paradigm is dead, because the old PC paradigm means everything stored on one device, instead of everything in the cloud synced to many devices.

Click HERE to view the full article and a 10 min video of his presentation.

A large portion of the population (all age groups) now own wired (PC) and wireless (Mobile Device) computing devices. This creates high demand for integrated “Cloud” Apps that synchronize data between all your devices with 24 x 7 reliability, plus provide continuity in the user experience regardless of device.

Apple is one company that has done a pretty good job of making this happen. But Apple is also a completely “closed” system, controlling all standards, programming languages, protocols and even the software purchasing of its Apps. This can severely limit creative competitive startups and even Apple admits they are still perfecting iCloud, their just recently introduced cloud offering.

Google, alternatively was “born in the cloud” and provides a 99.9% up time SLA, open systems compatibility and non-ownership of data as a general theme. So their Cloud Apps (i.e. Google Apps For Business) work on virtually every device and platform (Apple, Windows, Linux etc). Each Google service and application is architect-ed for the cloud from inception. However, Google is still new to the world of creating the physical devices which access the cloud (i.e. Android based Smart-phones and Chrome based PC’s).

So the big three (Apple / Google / Microsoft) have specific expertise and unique competitive advantages – which one will ultimately become lead Gorilla in the “cloud computing” jungle? I can’t say! But I know today, Google offers the best APPS solutions for cloud environments. I also believe, only companies that are blending a quality “cloud” solution like Google Apps For Business with their technology portfolio will be able to effectively compete, short term and long term.

A managed services approach to using Google Apps.

GAFYD.net (Google Apps For Your Domain via Net) places the power of Google Apps within the native protections of a Private Domain. Add in “Google Groups for Business” to your Google Apps deployment to obtain the 5 common attributes of Internet based tools while establishing Maximum Privacy. Additional info available at 303-932-8146.

Posted in AAA Computing, Android, Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Google Apps, iPhone, mobility, Smartphone, Social Network, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

PUBLIC vs PRIVATE Identity and Google+

Posted on July 12, 2011 by GAFYDguy

In the last month Google released multiple changes to their Gmail and Calendar services plus released a new service called Google+. This post does not describe Google+ or its capabilities, there are many blogs and articles in process of doing that. As summary statement I’ll say that it’s a suite of new powerful and sophisticated “Social Networking” features (i.e. Circles, Sparks, Hangouts, Huddle etc) layered right on top of your everyday Google universe of services.

However, your Google Identity is a critical component for gaining Google+ benefits. So I have clarified certain aspects of what makes up your Google Identity. Digital ID’s are simple in concept, but often have elements we may not think of or be aware of. Awareness of these items can help protect privacy and retain the desired control over your online digital presence.

First you must be a member of the Google Universe (just as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft Live etc. require you to be members of their universes)
Membership is identified by having an Account (each account is an email address + a password). Every person with a Gmail.com email address automatically has a Google Account.
NOTE: You are also free to have a Google Account WITHOUT having a Gmail.com email address. For instance a Google Account can be associated with an AOL.com email address.
Each account can have a PROFILE. Original Google Accounts did NOT require you to make the Profile public (referred to as a Private Account).
Google has stated that PRIVATE accounts will no longer be allowed after July 31, 2011 (see following article There Will Be No More Private Google Profiles After July 31 — Here’s What That Means

The PUBLIC profile that is associated with the email address that identifies your Google Account stores the information Google search engines index so that others may find you. Indexing is the magic behind how search engines work. But remember you have extensive control over what you put in your Profile, so, therefore you can limit what is indexed about you. Such as:

Keywords, Occupation, Places of Employment …
Education, Places Lived, Nicknames …
Links to other sites which contain information related to you such as your Facebook Page, LinkedIn page, company website, Blog etc

As you can see, the degree of visibility you have in the search engine is under your control. Here are some other articles that relate to the matter.

Google Privacy Center “…In order to use the Google +1 button, you need to have a public Google Profile visible to the world…”

Google Profiles Decide what the world sees when it searches for you.

Posted in Anytime Access, change in IT, cloud computing, Free, Legal, Privacy, Social Network, Web Presence | Leave a comment