Dynasty Communications

Put it in the Cloud

2010-10-11T13:00:00.004-04:00

I was recently in Washington DC for a channel partner show. There were several data companies there, providers, agents like myself. There were some underlining themes to the show.

The development of Software as a service (SaaS) is a leading technology to offer. Data is moving into the cloud (meaning it is moving to the Internet and to hosted servers that are encrypted and redundant across the globe)

Also businesses are moving away from cap ex and leaning towards opex. They no longer can afford capital expenditures but will more likely purchase services on monthly terms that can be accounted for as operational expenses. This also lends itself to a tax benefit. Companies must retain their cash yet invest in technology and this is the common thread.

There are many providers that host services such as data backup, VOIP phone systems to replace on premise PBX phone systems and even IT support.

If you are not moving services to the cloud, you are becoming a dinosaur!

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Sprint Android EVO

2010-08-13T13:28:00.002-04:00

Wow, I have been watching the momentum that Google Android has and now it is being validated. There are now articles stating that Android is the most used operating system in the US. It has consumed the I-Phone and even RIM Blackberry OS. Android does not operate on an exclusive carrier agreement like the I-Phone with ATT and as a result has blossomed. Take your pick, Verizon, Sprint, ATT or T-Mobile all work with Android devices. With partners like HTC and Motorola, this operating system may be the hottest thing in tech tech days.

Sprint launched the first 4G Android device the HTC EVO. It has an 8MP camera, a 1Ghz snapdragon processor, syncs seamlessly with Google apps, and their apps market store is full of options fr any end user.

I can picture a day in the future when every person carries this sort of web driven device. We used to discuss everyone carrying a cell phone, and now it is time to convert everyone to smartphone technology. It really will improve our productivity and our ability to stay in touch with more people.

Welcome to the future.

July 4th Smartphone sizzle

2010-07-01T15:08:00.003-04:00

The 4th of July, fireworks, sunshine, US flags flying, cookouts, and smartphones?

This topic continues to gather steam. The Android platform by Google is hot. HTC is hot with its new EVO 4G Android Sprint phone. Rimm Blackberry is only growing domestically because of Google and of course the I-Phone. Word is not that Verizon will launch the I-phone by Jan 1st of 2011. The real question is can consumers keep up with these devices? Most people I meat know how to do some things like e-mail or browse. But my estimation would be that the average person only uses about 40% of what the device can actually do. Also, what about cost? I mean the monthly cost for owning one of these devices is now well over $100. In an economic downturn it really is impressive how many of these services/devices are entering the market.

Now if we can just write an app for the smartphones to light our fireworks, or clean them up.

Happy Independence day everyone!

Welcome to the Future.

CTIA Show Las Vegas 2010

2010-03-29T16:46:00.004-04:00

Well, I am back from the show last week. It was a huge collection of people and technology in a city that is larger than life!

Google Android is a big hit. There are more Android devices hitting the market and in every size and shape. There was a new Sprint Android 3G/4G phone, and a new Nextel Android phone. There are over 20,000apps now for this platform.

Apps were the big thing again. Blackberry is even launching them left and right. Their entire booth was comprised of applications for business. go to www.appworld.blackberry.com to see them.

The US is leading the world in smartphone roll outs, mobile broadband infrastructure, app downloads, and also 3G/4G networks. It is evident that we are leading the world now in developing our wireless ecosystem. It does not hurt to have another $30 billion to invest towards those efforts this year alone.

The carrier competition to get to 4G is on. Sprint has WiMax, ATT and Verizon are developing LTE and T-Mobile is using HSPA plus network upgrade. It is becoming a data world where it is more important for us to browse, download, send pictures, and text than it is to make a phone call.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Technology 2010

2010-01-08T15:35:00.004-05:00

Well it is here, the new decade. The way we did things last decade, forget them, they are already old. What was normal then is not now. Goodbye old days.

Goodbye flip phones, hello Smartphones. Flip phones, just making cellular calls, are you kidding me, we need to Google stuff now and send e-mail more often. Goodbye voice, welcome data and VOIP. Remember those old analog lines, heck the FCC wants to ban them and go data only. Goodbye napping under a tree, hello GPS tracking. Business owners needs accountability to their bottom line and performance with the few employees they can even keep on payroll. Goodbye owning servers, hello hosted Exchange. Why would you spend $7,000 implementing an Exchange server when you can pay a couple hundred dollars a month to let those IT issues be someone else's problem? Goodbye travel, hello video conference. Let's see with budgets being slashed, Go To Meeting anyone?

It leaves me very optimistic to be honest. There are so many changing, evolving technologies, and businesses need help implementing them. Hello 2010.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Be Thankful for more than Technology

2009-11-25T12:35:00.004-05:00

Yes I am thankful for my family, the people in my life, the blessings from above, we all should be. Tomorrow we can all slow down for a moment and reflect and be thankful.

But something tells me the Blackberries will still be working, the videos will be rolling, the high definition will be in focus and the laptops will be in full swing. It is amazing, this time we live in. Think about now versus 10 years ago. Cell phones, smartphones, IP phones, VOIP, high def TVs, memory cards, servers, e-mail, IT, GPS, flat panel PC screens to name a few. How will the elves keep up with this type of demand? It is everywhere, just look around and it looks so different than it did just a few years ago. Are we smarter, maybe, more efficient, probably, but there is still something better for all of us out there. What will it look like in 2020?

Yeah now that I think of it, I am appreciative for those simple things like family and health. They really do matter more than our space aged gadgets, at least for one or 2 days a year.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Here comes Android

2009-10-29T13:10:00.003-04:00

Well, Motorola is officially back in the game. Their stock is up over 10% today on strong 4th quarter earnings and the launch of Android.

This new smartphone is ready to tackle Apple, Rimm, and Palm once it releases. Motorola has some major hitters behind them in Verizon and Google. Droid 2.0 has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full QWERTY keyboards slider phones now available. It has voice recognition, and could be summed up as a no fuss, high tech, over the air updating, multitasking machine. The screen is brilliant and has high resolution qualities as well and of course Google maps will be a staple feature. The camera is 5 mega pixels with a 16 GB memory card which is very impressive.

There are also many preloaded apps like gmail, youtube, calendar, Amazons MP3 store and another 12,000 apps that can be downloaded. Compared to Apple and its 90,000 apps, this may not be significant, but this phone will deliver competition to the smartphone market. The partners that are vested in this project are all serious players.

The unit will be exclusive from Verizon and run $199 with a 2 year agreement. For more information go to www.droiddoes.com. I love the press release I got earlier which starts off by saying "Hello Humans"

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Those misleading cellular prices

2009-09-28T10:26:00.002-04:00

You see the commercials. $49 for the new Blackberry Tour, or $29.99 for the Motorola Rival. Verizon, Sprint, ATT all of them do it. They advertise these prices left and right with the small print almost off the picture. These prices are for renewals for 2 year contracts. These prices are only available IF you are eligible for an upgrade.

Most cellular contracts are the same. You have to have made it roughly 20 out of 24 months through the contract to be eligible for the advertised prices I mentioned. I get calls every other day from people confused about this. They are 6 months into a contract, break or lose their phone, do not carry insurance and then I quote them "$289, are you kidding me I saw it on TV for $29.99" Well that is for an "eligible" customer.

The retail price of most all of these phones is not cheap. A Blackberry for example will run well over $400 to replace at retail if you do not carry insurance or have eligibility to get an upgrade with a discount off the new phone. In the carriers defense, when they discount or subsidize the phone they are losing money and have to keep you under contract for several months to reclaim the discount and actually be profitable.

Be careful of the E-bay purchases for replacements. Carry insurance on Smart phones and create a relationship with a broker that has access to wholesaler's if and when that dreaded day comes.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Observing New York technology

2009-09-17T10:21:00.004-04:00

My wife brought me to the Big Apple this last weekend as a pre birthday party. I turn 40 in January and she knows I love that city so we went there now before winter kicks in.
We met some friends there and had the time of our lives, what a city with so much to do.

As we toured midtown from day to day I watched and listened to the people and how business is happening. Ironically we flew in on the the morning of the 11th. As we got into the city, there was obviously a somber mood, that day will never leave any of our memories, let alone New Yorker's. The cab we were in had a touch screen GPS. So even though our driver did not speak English well, I knew where we were going. The girl that sat next to us on the plane was on Facebook on her IPhone the minute we landed. We used my Blackberries GPS to find our way around the city as well. I traded e-mails with people from Arizona to North Carolina with them having no idea I was not in the office. Almost every other person that you walk by is on their cell phone. The digital age is abundant in Times Square, it is quite a spectacle for your eyes to see. There are high definition TVs in all the bars and restaurants. The studios where they film NBC's nightly news look like something from 2112. Technology is everywhere. We have come so far since even 1980. Now we just need the people in New York to be as helpful as the gadgets we all own!

This is a weekend I will certainly remember forever for personal reasons. But once again technology strikes!

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Obama the Rock Star

2009-07-30T15:29:00.003-04:00

I was lucky enough to sit right behind the President on stage in Raleigh yesterday. I had never seen a US President in person before, it was a great experience. Politics aside, it is truly amazing to look the President in the eye as he speaks. His followers are so excited to see him, he really is a rock star, very iconic.

Whether he can sustain good policy for our country or not, he will no doubt always be remembered for his charisma and charm as a speaker.

When I first arrived there was a gal in line that I stood next to with a Blackberry. She was talking to her friend and she said "this device has truly transformed my life" Her friend soon after took a phone call herself. I could not help but now ask her about the phone and why she said that. She said her family never believed she would actually use it. But she talked about Internet access, e-mail, the ease of texting, doing business on the run.

I love hearing those comments. Ordinary people using technology to make life easier. That is what Blackberries or technology in general are designed to do.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Verizon and Alltel

2009-07-15T13:41:00.003-04:00

Verizon has purchased Alltel, we know that now. But there are several pieces of information coming to us day to day.

Sometimes I wonder if Verizon or Alltel truly know what is right or wrong. The end users lose the stockholders win. In North Carolina Alltel customers bills now read Verizon. But that may not be the case in another state. But coding/rate plan wise they are still Alltel. Their agreements and hardware are with Alltel until the contract ends. Verizon is offering deals/discounts to Alltel customers to move them completely over to Verizon. They are waiving early term fees and activation fees.

Alltel phones currently work on the Verizon network but data features may not work properly so at some point it will be wise to switchover. Business customers are being treated differently than consumer accounts. The Verizon friends and family feature was offered now to comply with Alltels my circle feature. But it is not offered with all rate plans. You must meet minimum rates to get that type of service added to the rate.

Ask questions, find agents that follow the carriers. They typically get detailed information faster through their resources than the direct teams do. The agents that deal with businesses are pushing to obtain that information because the customer is demanding it.

I hope this is the last merger for awhile, the confusion is too great for everyone involved.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Power cycle

2009-07-15T13:37:00.003-04:00

Have you ever been instrcucted to restart your PC? It gets locked up, it needs to be refreshed. Cell phones are the same way. Does your phone ever act up on you? Always power cycle (turn the phone off and back on) at least once a day. It is like giving the phone a nice shower without having to make an insurance claim! Phones need to reregister with their perspective networks.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

GPS vehicle asset management

2009-07-15T13:29:00.003-04:00

You own several vehicles or trucks. Fuel prices go up and down. It is 2009 and most major companies with fleets are using tracking technologies to manage these assets.

What is so great is there are a host of financing options out there. There are great leasing programs, and rental agreements. Competition has brought lower overall prices on both the hardware and the monthly live services.

Track the vehicles, dispatch the closest vehicle, run route reports, customer visit reports, take charge of the fleet. The fuel and time costs are enormous. Imagine riding with every driver every day everywhere they go. Reduce idling and speed to reduce fuel costs. Reduce risk management with seat belt requirements and insurance premiums go down. Customer service is precise, and billing is accurate. After hour use is eliminated saving fuel costs.

It is 2009, get on board, this is a technology that will be as common as a cell phone in a couple more years. Your competitors have it.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Smartphones still on the Rise

2009-06-19T12:28:00.004-04:00

What an exciting time for smartphone manufacturers. Turn on any stock analyst show and you will hear mention of this segment in our markets. Even though RIM introduced the new Tour world phone, Research in Motion's stock is sliding today because of more competition. I am a big RIM fan but this may not be such a bad thing. Apple is introducing its new I-Phone, Google's G-1 Android phone has sold over a million devices, Samsung just announced 4 new smartphones, and Palm introduced its Pre on the Sprint network. What is next, Nokia gaining demand domestically again?

The winner in all of these new launches is the you, the consumer. We are seeing a more universal approach by the carriers to offer devices that meet our needs. Social media browsing, browsing in general within the data plans are becoming easier to use. There is plenty of memory and the data speeds are improving, 4G is also around the corner. The quality of the camera's are catching up to what Best Buy puts on its digital camera selection. You can post a video on YouTube in minutes. We are an e-mail centric nation now, how does anyone live without e-mail in their hands? This one factor alone is pushing demand.

I think there is a cool factor also here. It is a less expensive way of "keeping up with the Jones" People cannot be approved for refinance their homes so why not flash their smartphone bling. But there is no doubt a more effective approach to communicating with these devices. What was once an Enterprise device only, now the smartphone has caught the attention of the masses.

The market share for smartphones is less than 20% of the market. So there is plenty of room for growth for these manufacturers. The economy dominated with recession yes but it sure is impressive to see this segment prosper. The Internet is literally in our hands now and regardless of the soft economy, the demand continues. Buy their stock or buy their devices, either way, but do not let this momentum pass you by.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

GPS- Navigate or track?

2009-05-18T15:21:00.006-04:00

GPS. Global position satellites. It is often misunderstood. But GPS can mean either tracking or navigation.

There are 2 totally distinct conversations to have. Navigation would be like using google maps for Blackberry or a Garmin Nuvi to find your way from one point to another. You may just want to see where you are at on a map. You can use Google maps before you leave an office or home to gage your trip. You can even e-mail those directions to your Blackberry before you leave. There really are no excuses for being lost anymore.

Tracking on the other hand comes in the form of vehicle asset management. The goal for a company is to reduce fuel costs, create better customer service, in a nutshell improve the efficiency of the fleet as a whole. What would happen to your productivity or fuel costs is you were riding shotgun every day with each and every driver? GPS tracking is becoming a significant technology. It will be ordinary in 5 years to have this type of technology in a vehicle. The stakes of employee misbehavior and fuel costs are too great for an owner to worry about the politics of being called "big brother". On top of their business seems more appropriate. So the next time you are thinking about jumping in that vehicle and driving down to the beach, or going to the park or even running that extra errand, remember there may be an e-mail arriving in your managers inbox once that vehicle so much as moves. Scary but very useful! Putting one in your wife's car you ask, I am not going there!

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Blackberry still on top

2009-05-08T13:48:00.004-04:00

Well, once again I read that 3 out of the top 5 selling smart phones are produced by yes, Rim Blackberry. The Apple I-Phone and the new Google G-1 Android also made the list. If Google and Apple would expand distribution beyond only ATT (I-phone exclusive) and T-Mobile (Google exclusive) they would certainly penetrate the market more effectively.

In a market with negative feels about it, smart phone technology continues to prosper. E-mail, GPS navigation,Outlook sync capabilities, browsing being just some of the "extra" features. While I was at lunch yesterday my buddy said to me, "I just do not know what I would do without this Blackberry anymore" For the record, I agree.

Heck Rim's stock was at $43 a share just 30 days ago and is trying to break through 80! What recession?

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Online etiquette

2009-05-01T09:53:00.006-04:00

I mingle in social media more and more these days. Linked in, Inside 919, Twitter. They all have a good purpose. Meet people online, create introductions for people that are in your network, gather information, share ideas.

I like Linked in because you can get feedback in a group forum setting. You can ask a question (I believe you can ask 10 per month) and get real feedback from other professionals or people in your network. It can be very valuable. But there seems to be those few individuals out there that just cannot follow proper etiquette.

I recently was a part of a group discussion about hosted VOIP phones/Internet/voice services. We just had to have that one guy who cannot play nice. Rude comments, personal attacks, just in mature. They cannot help themselves. They are know it alls, they rub us the wrong way by delivering condescending comments. It seems to me out on the web and in your network, you would want people to like you, and to respect what you have to offer. I find it amazing when that one person in the group has to be disruptive. This person ripped multiple attendees and I am still not quite sure why. At the end of the day though that person completely discredited himself and now has a negative reputation with at least the folks that were in this discussion. I am sure he has done it before and will do it again. I guess my wish is for people using social media is to work with integrity within the forums. The old comment "Why can't we all get along?" idea. After all there is so much for all of us as vendors, buyers, end users, suppliers to gain from these discussions. As a person in communications technology, with this online tool, I have access to some great minds out there, great or input. Unfortunately since it is an open forum sometimes it comes with a price.

Welcome to the future

Mike

Hosted solutions

2009-04-27T10:01:00.003-04:00

It is a new catchy term, hosted. It appears more and more in technology so get used to it. There are a few key areas in communications technology that this term is cementing itself. First of all database and application hosting. Up until know most businesses have tried to manage these services on their own. Hiring IT people, purchasing hardware, and maintaining services within a "telco" room. But it is becoming more attractive to move these services off premise (off location) and let someone else manage them for you. The end user pays a flat fee to have these services maintained.

Phone systems are also now becoming hosted. In the past companies would purchase hardware like routers and servers or PBX phone routing systems, and then deal with several carrier providers for local voice and data. Then the company would employ IT people to manage those services. The problem is the management of a network can bombard an IT person's day taking away the very thing they were hired to do which is provide Intelligence to c level folks. Plus it allows companies to preserve capital by lowering up front costs. Let's face it that is a major concern these days.

I am now allowing Intel to Host my Quickbooks data. It is a great feature for a small business. I do not have to worry about backing up the data manually or through a software purchase. Also for disaster relief scenarios, you cannot beat hosted services. What would happen to your business if a natural disaster like Katrina ruined your city? This hosting idea will be a valid market for businesses to take advantage of over the coming years.

Welcome to the future

Mike

Dedicated internet connection 101

2009-04-24T08:01:00.004-04:00

I find businesses trying to cut cost from week to week, it make sense, business is off. But buyer beware when it comes to your Internet connection.

I spend time consulting my clients on this topic. There are several forms of catching an Internet connection in your office. Wireless, cable, DSL, and then there is dedicated. If you can afford it, I recommend businesses using dedicated connections. In other words it is a connection that only your office uses. It is not a shared connection like we see with DSL or cable. The speed does not fluctuate. If you purchase a 512k dedicated connection then it is always 512 up and down, that does not change, plus it is more secure. It provides superior performance and most the IT folks I know would agree with that. You will hear cable providers and phone companies DSL service promise 4 to 7 MB download speed but that is if there is nobody else using the Internet while you are. What are the odds of that?

So before you cut that tie and go DSL or cable and share a connection with your neighbors to save money, make sure you understand the performance consequences. We can negotiate with the service provider on price which will be not much more than DSL. We can bundle the Internet services with your voice calls and LD. Don't cut the corner on this one, I think you will find yourself regretting it if you do.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Sprint/Nextels unlimited plan is hard to beat

2009-04-20T09:17:00.005-04:00

I got a call from a potential client a couple weeks ago. They were looking for a Blackerry roll out and because they are high end users, wanted unlimited usage on all of them. Initially they had mentioned they were partial to Verizon wireless services. That is fine Verizon wireless has a great product. But the unlimited Verizon plan runs at $129.99 monthly without any text messaging included. My consultative voice inside of me had to ask them. "Why are we not considering Sprint?"I was told that because Sprint was losing subscribers that this customer would not consider them. I found this extremely odd. Sprint has a very thorough national digital network. Is it as good as Verizon's, maybe not but the Verizon network is not worth another $40 plus dollars per month per subscriber in this example? Especially in these times. On a 2 year contract, this was a huge difference in price over the 2 year term. But at same time, this same customer was extremely worried about the cost of the handsets. It did not add up for me. To set the record straight, Sprint offers THE most complete unlimited plan in this business. There are carriers that still do not offer or have an unlimited plan. Sprint includes unlimited voice calls, unlimited data which means e-mail and Internet browsing, unlimited texting and even GPS navigation. Recently Boost Mobile which uses the Nextel network offered their unlimited plan for $50. In a time when car manufacturers are offering unique plans for laid off workers, both consumers and businesses alike need to recognize this great value being offered by Sprint.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Alltel gets a victory

2009-03-26T19:06:00.002-04:00

Have you noticed Verizon adds for "Friends and Family"? It was Verizon's answer to the Alltel gang in Arkansas pushing to keep some things the same. Verizon is a big beast, not always interested in listening to the small guys. Their purchase of Alltel was a delicate subject for all the dedicated folks in Little Rock. This time they used better judgement and offered Alltel's version of My Circle. I had many many Alltel customers asking about this feature, and guess what, it is here to stay. Verizon is not the least expensive service on the block. But allowing this free mobile to mobile feature add was a wise move. I have to admit, this time they got it right. The story of this merger though is only beginning.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Smartphone features

2009-03-26T18:46:00.003-04:00

I notice market share increasing every so slightly for Blackberries/I-Phones, Windows Mobile devices. People are catching on. But do not fall too far behind if you still carry that old boring flip phone. They find a handful of useful features that make their lives or work that much easier.

Synchronize your phone with Outlook. Taking notes on a device, going paperless. Utilizing a full QWERTY keyboard for easy text. Texting to a Twitter account is a cutting edge idea. Managing media files like pictures or video is becoming easier on a smart phone. How about surfing the web, tracking the stock market portfolio real time (well not quite like a broker but close!) How anyone can do without e-mail on the fingertips is beyond me.

Find features for your business that increase productivity. Make sure that your office encourages the use of the features and even offers training on how to utilize them. These devices will bring value to your everyday affairs if they are used consistently.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Keep insurance on those Blackberries

2009-03-18T13:12:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had to purchase a replacement phone for one that was lost or stolen or damaged beyond repair? It is not cheap. The retail value of these phones we all buy has gone up. We demanded Bluetooth, cameras, Smart phone technologies and so the cost of the phones was driven up. When we sign a new 2 year agreement or have an upgrade available to us, we can get a discount off of the new phone so it is not as expensive to buy. But if you are replacing a phone and you are not eligible for a discount, you will pay handsomely for it.

Consider this: The retail value of the new Sprint Nextel Curve Blackberry is $569. The Motorola Q9C retails for $399. The Treo 800w retails for $599! Heck most nice flip phones retail for well over $200.

Keep a spare phone or 2 handy. It is tempting to sell those old phones that we have but wise to keep them for backup purposes, especially if they are still in decent shape. You can have a current address book loaded in them and ready for that untimely moment when the phone is lost or damaged. Most of our business clients keep a drawer full of phones handy. If an emergency pops up then we can move a phone line to the spare right away and avoid any downtime. I have purchased phones from e-bay. I have had clients purchase them from e-bay. It is a cheap alternative. But buyer beware, I can also give you examples of you get what you pay for! If you want to replace an expensive phone with a new expensive phone, then you should carry insurance.

Insurance runs between $5-$7 per month per phone. I have always maintained that if you carry a nice phone, you better carry insurance. Asurion Protection Services is the insurance company that writes policies for most of the carriers. As of April of this year, deductibles on Smart phones like a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile device will go up to $100 per incident. All other phones carry a $50 deductible. You can make 3 claims per year, per phone number. They will overnight the phone to you and you will be up and running in no time at all. All it takes is one claim to pay for several years’ worth of monthly fees.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

President Obama, we need short term lending!

2009-02-25T14:25:00.003-05:00

I watched President Obamas address to congress lastnight very closely, with optimism that we will begin our upward journey. Some things were positive, some were not. He is an encouraging figure no doubt but I keep wondering where all this bailout money is coming from?

Then I follow up with 2 more customers this morning that want GPS services for their fleet but do not have the cash flow to invest in a technology that will return savings to them. Now what is wrong with that picture?

Ask or work with enough small businesses and you will hear it from all of them. The banks are not lending. You know the $750 billion dollars that all of us taxpayers approved to bail them out so they could supposedly start lending again? Yeah those banks that President Obama knows we are all so frustrated with because they kept our bailout money for their own agenda. Why would we consider another dollar of bailout for them, the transparency of the original $750 billion has not been disclosed. He acknowledged that "he gets it" Yet he may want to bail them out even further. The solutions that are in the stimulus bill are long term in scope. But I ask myself where are the short term solutions to these lending issues? The fact remains as I speak to my clients, if the lending does not start and start soon, the results will not change. If our small business community does not have the means to invest in technology to reduce their expenses, or hire their staff back, how will they operate at all? How will they flourish?

A note to the banks- Lend that money that we gave you now, develop your own layoff agenda, thin out and stop the golden parachute dilemma. Families and small business have had to stop spending, reduce expenses, so should our bailout recipients and our Government.

Please President Obama, congress, tell me again, do you get it? The taxpayers demand a better solution, a short term solution.

Welcome to the Future
Mike

Blackberry versus I-phone market share

2009-02-11T11:12:00.004-05:00

Well, the data is hot off the press: Smartphone purchases in the US shot up 68% in 2008. We now buy smartphones in greater quantities than our Western European counterparts. It is not just a phone anymore, it is mobile e-mail, mobile web, mobile applications for data, navigation, synchronization with Outlook, calendars, contacts, notes, QWERTY keyboard for text. There are endless features that present themselves in the form of a smartphone.

Research in Motion still holds a convincing 46% market share while Apple and its I-phone hold an impressive 21%. Palm, Samsung, and Nokia are on the radar for market share but it is clear that RIM and Apple are our leaders. RIM has agreements with all the major domestic carriers, even ATT. The Apple I-phone on the other hand is sold exclusively through ATT. It is impressive that Apple is on this list like this in such a short time. But I believe this exclusive agreement will prevent ATT from expanding its market share much more dramatically. The fact is, ATT is not known for its network. If the professional consumer (who predominantly is purchasing these smartphones) does not have adequate choice or coverage, ATT will struggle to overcome RIM. Make no mistake, both of these devices have brought a win win to the consumer and the carriers. The consumer has a more intelligent advantage to do business and work while the carriers are collecting the data fees from month to month. I believe though that RIM and Apple will have a hard time sustaining growth and demand for smartphones like we saw from 07 to 08.

I find it promising to see another American company pick up the slack for sluggish Motorola and compete with this giant from Canada (RIM)and the likes of Korean international vendors such as Samsung or LG. I just hope on the next I-Phone generation that Apple will unlock its technology away from an exclusive arrangement with ATT. Verizon which has now merged with Alltel, and Sprint Nextel are powerful domestic partners to grow their share with.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Congrats to The 2008-9 Cardinals

2009-02-03T13:42:00.004-05:00

I posted a blog a week back about how excited I was about the Arizona Cardinals being in the Superbowl. They did not dissapoint me at all! No they did not win, the Steelers made a heroic finish, but I could not be any more proud of my guys. A team I had followed for years. Terrible losses, years of football agony, all thrown to the wayside by this current roster. They showed the true courage that it takes to be a champion in any capacity. The few fans that stuck by their side, now rewarded beyond belief. There is a hope that miracles, great things can happen, but only through optimism and hard work. What does this have to do with technology, nothing! But my life does not only encompass technology.

Welcome to The Future!

Mike

Obama needs to get beyond Blackberry

2009-01-27T14:51:00.003-05:00

President Obama recently admitted his love of his Blackberry, a device he said he is still "clinging" to. Well that raised my eyebrows, a President with some desire for technology. But he may need to rethink his wireless choice.

Bill Clinton sent 2 e-mails while in office. President Bush has not e-mailed since 2001. He found it irresponsible to correspond in cyberspace. Our new President may want to think closer about this as well. There are a couple of approved devices by the US Government. They are afraid of hackers, eavesdropping, or even digital snoops. Blackberries do have encryption, but the requirements for the leader of the free world are stricter. The Blackberry encryption is not strong enough for The National Security Agency. There are a couple Windows Mobile devices approved with a heft price tag but these may be more reasonable for the President to consider using.

The National Vulnerability Database lists 14 vulnerabilities for Blackberry's. These include ways that a malicious attacker can install malware, and perhaps even crash the device. The device can become infected with spyware, texts can be stolen, e-mail intercepted. Can you imagine, someone actually stealing information from our Commander in Chief? Maybe he should consider using on of the Windows Mobile devices already approved. There is also a risk of someone tracking the coordinates of the Blackberry through its built in GPS. Bush White House aides say that security reasons prompted them to disable the GPS feature on their Blackberry's.

So Mr. President, as hard as it is for me to say, put the Blackberry down. Switch to an approved PDA that will prevent you from answering unnecessary questions about wireless data scandal and your naive love of Blackberry. Leave the Crackberry obsession with us civilians in the free world.

Welcome to The Future.

Mike

Cardinals in the Superbowl

2009-01-23T08:29:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year

I am back after a few weeks of X-Mas, New Years, family, friends, food, parties and chaos! It seems like it always takes a little time to get back into the grove after the Holidays. But I am hear to share a fun story.

I am a Phoenix guy, an Arizona guy. I lived in the Phoenix area for over 11 years and went to college in Tucson for 5 years. So I have a good sense of the scene there. I especially have a good sense of sports in Arizona. If anything and I mean anything will bring someone a sense of hope and pride, it is that the Arizona Cardinals have made it to the Superbowl! I got to take my 9 year old son to the Panthers game in Charlotte, what an experience that was! We also saw them two other times throughout the year. The Steelers making it, congratulations to them, but they actually have a great history of making it to the big dance. The Steelers, that is not surprising. But the Cardinals, wow, they have sustained so many losses over the years, that this event really is a monumental occasion. We sat through so many tough seasons, wondering when the day would come, wondering. But guess what? That day is here and for the FEW people that actually supported the team, it is very gratifying.

My hope could not be any stronger right now. The hope for my business, my family, this economy, our new President, our country, my team! This team has put a bounce in my step and they should give you hope too. With the right attitude, persistence, teamwork, individual accountability, and hard work this shows that anything is possible. This team never listened to critics, they only believed in themselves. We can all learn from this team. Go ahead, dream big, you might be surprised what happens! Go Cardinals!

Welcome to the Future

Mike

Sprint picture mail for the Holidays

2008-12-18T12:42:00.002-05:00

Just about everyone knows that most cellular phones are now standard equiped with cameras. But not everyone takes advantage of the services and features that come along with the camera.

I had just recenlty bought the Samsung M540 Rant by Sprint. This devise has a 2.0 mpxl with a zoom feature. There is a self timer, a multi shot function, and resolution settings. There is also a memory card slot to save the images on so you do not fill up the phone memory. The carriers have really upgraded the quality of these devices.

Sprint has a picture mail pack you can purchase for $15 per month. You then register an online account with them at www.sprint.com/picturemail Once you have done this and logged in you will find all kind of features to use. When you take a picture or video on the phone you can immediately "upload" it to the picturemail site. You can create albums from the pictures and videos that you have uploaded. You can lighten or darken a picture, crop it, put a comic bubble next to the picture, even give it a cartoon look. You will create a contact list inside this site whom you can send the pictures to. You can also send the picture immediately from the phone to another phone (on any network) or any e-mail address. You can even order prints online and send them to places like Wolf Camera or Sams Club for pickup. Earlier today I was taking pictures of my daughters X-Mas play and texting them to my wife's phone so she could look at them as the play was happening.

This is a simple process but somehow I get the sense it is not being used by enough people. Once you save enough pictures online and have an album to look back at, I think it will be well worth the few bucks to create the memories. Get on board, start snapping and uploading!

Happy Holidays and Welcome to the future.

Mike

Hands on the wheel

2008-11-14T10:38:00.002-05:00

As I drive around town I am amazed at how many people still hold a cell phone to their ear. Oh I know we have all done it before. But within time, there will be State laws requiring us to use hands free devices for using our mobile phones in our cars. Those laws already exist in Washington DC, New York and there are several more States reviewing this legislation. Look, having a phone conversation in the car is a distraction, with or without a hands free device. But I would rather have 2 hands than 1 to drive or react to a potential situation on the road, that I know.

I have tried Bluetooth headsets but have always found them to be uncomfortable for my ear. Plus I do not know if I like the Dr. Spok look! So I have been using a device built by Motorola called the ROKR T505. It is a Bluetooth device that clips to my visor in the car. This device is perfect if you do not have Bluetooth technology built in to your car. When I get into my car, I pair up my Sprint Blackberry (or any other cellular phone with Bluetooth in it) to the ROKR. Once they are connected my conversations can be sent either through the speakers in my car or through the ROKR's speaker itself. I love the conversation going through the car speakers because I can really turn up the volume. Both hands stay on the wheel, my drivers ed teacher would be so proud!

In terms of how I sound on the other side, most of the feedback I have got has been very positive. There are cheap Bluetooth devices and there are quality devices like the ROKR. It retails for $150 and is very easy to set up. Try to stay away from the cheap Bluetooth headsets that you see in places like Office Max. They are up next to the candy for crying out loud, how good do you think the quality is going to be?

Welcome to the future.

Mike

I already have wireless built in

2008-11-03T19:38:00.002-05:00

As I speak to customers from day to day about their laptops I quite often hear this comment, "I already have wireless built into my laptop so I do not need an aircard" This can be a confusing topic for folks and I would like to shed some light on it.

Just about all laptops today have Wi-fi built into them. This means that the end user can connect to a hotspot. A hotspot is a small area like an office or coffee shop or a residence that has an Internet connection and a router. The router takes the high speed Internet connection and splits it so other laptops can share the connection. Sometimes you may pay a fee to access this connection, other times it is free.

But once you leave that hotspot you will lose connection to the Internet. That is where an aircard from a wireless provider comes in handy. A wireless card from a domestic carrier like Sprint allows you to jump on the Internet anywhere that you can connect to the Sprint network. Essentially anywhere your phone works, the card works. So there is much more coverage and far less restriction than connecting through hotspots. Most of these carriers charge $60 per month for unlimited data plans. The actual cards actually cost next to nothing with a new 2 year service agreement.

I have to say next to a smartphone, the wireless aircard is the greatest current product that our major carriers have been able to offer. The applications are endless for individuals and businesses to utilize these cards. So remember just because you have wireless "built in" to your laptop, that does not guarantee convenience in using Internet connections on your laptop like a wireless aircard does. Surfs up!!!

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Rise of the Smartphones

2008-10-27T14:07:00.002-04:00

You know, the day is coming when generic cell phones will become obsolete. You have seen them, you have owned them, the models made by LG, Samsung, Sanyo, Motorola. Flip or non flip it does not matter, these phones are losing steam. They are still out there, but they are losing market share to the Blackberries, and Windows Mobile type devices that are out there. The features that these smartphones bring to us make everyday life so much easier.

Let me give a couple of examples. I went to Las Vegas this weekend to meet some friends. I did not even have to bring my laptop in this case. On the way there in the airport I was still replying to e-mail that I had received at the end of the week. I went online several times over the weekend. I went to google.com from my browser inside the Blackberry to get restaurant info/make reservations/directions/mapping. Texting is also so much easier with a full qwerty keyboard. I even went to Southwest.com to do an advanced check in to reserve my seats on the way home. These are features that can be performed on regular phones, but it is very cumbersome to do so.

Smartphone market share is pushing 50% of the prosumer (professional) market. That figure seemed very accurate from my observations in Las Vegas. The everyday features are well worth the extra data plan fees to operate the smartphones.

Welcome to the Future!

Mike

Greenberry

2008-10-14T18:30:00.001-04:00

Two nights ago I attended a SBA (small business administration) class at Wake Tech Community College here in Raleigh. As a small business owner, I found it compelling to understand another financing option that exists in this challenging world of ours. There were 20-25 people in the class. Our class leader started into the program. There was a lot of information to swallow so I took out my Sprint World Blackberry to take a note which is an option that rests within the main menu of the device. Give it a title, type away, save it, and then go back to the office and sync it with Microsoft Outlook on your PC. The note can then be edited, and even e-mailed. This was a much cleaner way to manage this activity than using pen and paper, besides this is 2008.

The beauty of this is that I had no paper trail. I hear all this talk about being green. Well this was my way to jump in and contribute. I would much rather have all this info created electronically than have it on paper that I could lose, or misplace and would eventually shred and throw away anyway. With the market share of smartphones soring, this is a simple and effective tool that is available to all of us. If RIM wants a new tag line, how about Greenberry? Hey Microsoft, tips appreciated.

Welcome to the Future.

Mike

Even at Busch Gardens

2008-10-07T15:36:00.001-04:00

I took my family up to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg VA. on Sunday. We love it there, it is 3 hours from our house, and really a great place to go for the day. The lines are relatively short, the weather was perfect, and they had their annual Hallowscreem event going on. Halloween rocks!! I could not help but notice that football was in the air. It was Sunday and there were jerseys being worn everywhere. I saw Cowboys, Ravens, and plenty of Redskin garb. But what I really noticed was how people were using their cell phones to catch up on games, scores, anything NFL.

You know it was not long ago that of you could choose a theme park over your house and TV, that you would never know what happened until you returned home. Now you can go online from your phone and stay up to date. So I joined the fun and I pulled out one of my Sprint phones, and powered on my NFL live application. I lived in Arizona for years and follow the Cardinals over the years. I literally followed play by play during the game (which AZ. thankfully scorched the Bills!) for one quarter while my wife and kids were on a ride and I was sitting with our youngest who was napping.

You just have to have a data plan on your phone. Most of the carriers have these sort of plans to add on. They range from $10 to $20 and are add on features that can be added or deleted without any contract extensions. The carriers are really banking on all of us adding these kind of services. As voice rate plans have plateaued, the carriers really need the data revenue to sustain profitability. But I have to admit, on this Sunday I was more than happy to be paying for this service.

Welcome to the future.

Mike

Google Time

2008-10-06T16:33:00.001-04:00

Today was one of the worst days on Wall Street I have ever seen. The DOW dipped 800 points and then rallied back to only a loss of 369. It finished under 10,000 for the first time in 4 years. There is widespread panic and fear, so much for the taxpayers bailout plan achieving results on Wall Street. Even Google dropped 4% today. This coming at a time when Google should be so excited about entering the wireless handset market. They have announced the launch of their G1 this month. The phone will be sold in T-Mobile stores in markets that T-Mobile has launched its 3G data network upgrade like Miami, LA, Houston, totalling 21 markets this fall.

The device will be accessible to other areas but it is formatted for higher data networks mentioned above. It will have a large touchscreen like the IPhone, but also have a trackball like the Blackberry with a slide out keyboard. It will not initially be setup for corporate e-mail functionality though so RIM and Windows Mobile smart phones and the IPhone still have quite an edge. Most 1st generation phones are not overly sophisticated though, there will be modifications coming.

But in an age of massive competition with the likes of Motorola, LG, Sanyo, Sansung to name a few, now we have Google jumping in. I wonder how long it will take them to pursue other carriers like Sprint or Verizon. T-mobile has its limitations just like IPhone does because it is exclusive to ATT. Microsoft and Yahoo are also investing heavily into the wireless handset market to slow this giant down.

Welcome to the Future

Mike

This stuff really works

2008-10-02T18:08:00.001-04:00

Here I am, at football practice in Rolesville NC wayching my boy from my fold up chair. I love this time of year. The change of seasons, the break in the weather, and the football season upon us. I have my laptop with me , and I am typing away. I have my Blackberry in my lap also. I am receiving/sending/replying to e-mails that are still coming through for the day. I have my Sprint Sierra USB aircard with me to connect to this blogsite. It truly is amazing how we can use these modern day tools. Remember 5 years ago these cards only had 16k connection speeds, now we have true broadband speeds. "Too connected" I hear people say, referring to these devices. Well I view it as ahead of my competitors, on top of my business, and being efficient with my time. This stuff really does work!

Welcome to the future.

Mike

There is a first time for everything

2008-10-01T18:27:00.000-04:00

Well, after all this blog talk over the last several months, I am up and doing it myself! I believe this is another modern day version of communication in this tech world we live in. This is a first for me. I am primarily going to focus on my busines, and my customer experiences. But I also am going to explore my day to day observations within my own life. I hope you will find this blog to be educational, but also humorous in my points of view. I would love to hear any stories of how my blog relates to your own life or business.

Welcome to the future.

Mike