Medical Data Here There And Everywhere

Recently I was asked to pull together a HIPAA article for some medical folks. HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act. Sounds Washington D.C. kind of important, eh? Well it is since, among other sundry red tape things,  it is all about keeping your personal medical information secure while being stored in your doc's office or in transit between people and/or computers. You can only imagine how deep and wide this rabbit hole goes. Being that it involves technology, our IT practice is heavily involved in helping customers reach an acceptable level of compliance. This is true of HIPAA as well as SOX (Sarbanes Oxley) and PCI-DSS ( Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards). I see you yawning. Resist the urge and keep reading. Believe me when I say this is not a blog about compliance. Ok, so, these compliance standards are rooted in basic common sense, with a heavy dose of responsibility and a super-sized portion of technology control.  For a while now, many have argued that these so-called standards were toothless tigers. And they were right. That is until we really started to become a mobile society. 

Anyway, I agreed to write this article so long as I could take a different approach. People (especially doctors) don't need me to parrot volumes of regulations to them. They get this every day from everyone else in their lives.  I will go out on a limb here and say it is the least favorite part of their day. So I chose to do what I do best: use examples and analogies in order to get my point across. Upon completing it, I realized that while this article was primarily intended for medical folks, it would surely resonate with most of you. No, the idea is not to paint doctors in a negative light. Much the contrary. I have a profound respect for the fine folks in the medical community. The idea is to show how easy these kind of things happen to all of us every single day.

I should point out that the article slants towards the Mac side but absolutely applies to Windows and Android as well.  I chose this path since  most of us now live in mixed worlds  of Microsoft, Apple, and Google machines. Quite frankly, I believe most everyone is at least moderately aware of the inherent risks involving Windows use. The same is not true on the Mac side. All the more reason to make noise on this front given the growing number of Apple devices finding their way into the corporate world. Continue reading and you will see what I mean.  

You're a doctor. You’re entering a special place in our society. People will be awed by your expertise. You’ll be placed in a position of privilege. You’ll live well, people will defer to you. call you by your title – and it may be hard to remember that the word “doctor” is not actually your first name -  Alan Alda

Boy that sounded good some years ago when you went to medical school didn't it? Now comes the reality. And it goes something like this.

A Day In The Life

It's 11:00am and you have a cancellation. Just enough time to grab a quick bite and get caught up on some work. You steal away to the café downstairs to have a cup of coffee, late breakfast, and extinguish your hair. Out the door.

Let me grab my smart phone. Those test results should be here by now.  My PA better not forget to forward the email to me. She is the only one that knows where I am "hiding" right now. Nothing yet. Ok, let me whip out the laptop. Ah, forgot the café has free WiFi. Great! So nice that everything is web and remote desktop now. No more slow programs on my laptop. A few emails, updating our patient information system. Ugh. That damn password. So hard to remember and I am not at my desk to look at that sticky note. Ah, right, I put it in my phone. Here it is. Open sesame! Jeez, my laptop is running a bit slow. Making all sorts of noise.  Seems like every time I open this thing there are a hundred updates. It will need to wait until the next time. Where is the "Not Now" button (Click Here) ? Here it is.  I will do it later.  Emails, emails. Let's see; delete, delete, delete, read later. Hmmm. Ok, need to answer this other doc and his questions about our mutual patient. Here is the info he needs. Convert to pdf and off it goes with a cc to myself. What on earth did we do before email. Hey, looks like one of my med school colleagues is going to be in town (at least according to Facebook). Let me click this link and tell him I am here tomorrow. Jeez, now my laptop is really grinding away. I am so "over" this technology. It is supposed to make my life easier.  Need to bring this steaming turd back upstairs to our IT guy.  So much for getting work done.

"Hey, you're infected and I need to reload your laptop" he says. Great. No laptop for the rest of the day. Unreal. I bought this really expensive Mac because they said it never gets infected. Explain that to me! Never mind. Guess I need to rely on my...oh god...where is my phone? Must have left it in the café. I hope no one grabbed it. Everything is in there! My pictures, my passwords, my emails, account numbers, directions to my home...my entire life. And what about the patient info?  "Haven't seen it down here, doc"  says the waitress.  Holy cow this can't be happening. Not to me. Not today. Not right now. It has to be here. If not, I am totally screwed to the wall. How could I be so stupid to have all that stuff in my phone let alone lose it. Oh god what have I done.

Ticket To Ride

Ok, so what just really happened here? Quite a few things, some of which are not so obvious. Let's start with the easy stuff.  You have a Mac. So one of those Apple Store baristas told you that you are impervious to any type of infection, right?  If that is true, why do companies make antivirus software for Macs? Hmmm. The reason is because they CAN get infected.  In fact, 20% of Macs carry malware (Mac Malware). And the number is growing . Folks, if I told you that it was perfectly safe to leave all of your holiday gifts in an unlocked car while you walked into the mall, you would give me a free ticket to the funny farm. Or you would have me arrested for preemptive theft (if there is such a thing). Those days are gone. So are bullet-proof Macs, or any other device for that matter. Anyone telling you otherwise simply doesn't know.

So where were we? Oh right, you are using your laptop on a public WiFi system with no firewall between it and the Internet.  You thought you were immune, you never installed antivirus software nor any of those updates - remember the "Not Now" button.  This is how you get infected...the easy way. And now for what you don't see. Since the hard drive wasn't encrypted, all that data is leaping off your device like a hot chili pepper, for all the world to see. You might as well go on vacation with $100,000 on the dining room table, leaving all  the windows and doors wide open and announcing your departure as you drive down the street. Yea, it is that quick and that easy. That "griding noise" you are hearing is not an update or a virus scanner; it is the trojan yanking all the data from your hard drive and sending it to the Internet.  Sure a hacker doesn't really cares about those pictures from Cabo or the pirated copy of The Matrix. But they do care about those patient social security numbers and that QuickBooks file you run around with.  Congratulations! Your data just arrived in the Cloud, without your permission.

And what could be easier than getting infected? Why giving away your phone of course. No physical harm. No guns. No holdup. Just left it there for someone to grab. Yes, you should be mortified, but not because you lost your phone; its because of what was inside of it. And you knew better. But it was so convenient. And you never thought you would lose it. That is why they are called "accidents" and not "on purposes." Credit card numbers, SkyMiles account, patient system passwords, combination to your rental house lock box, and your kid's socials. Your IT guy told you to turn on the swipe lock. You didn't. He also told you to install that remote nuke program. You know the one that would locate and wipe your phone in case it got lost. Yea, on your todo list which happens to be on your phone. 

Fixing A Hole

With your head buried in your hands,  you didn't really see this coming. This is as serious as it gets. Wasn't exactly what you had in mind when someone long ago said your life could change in a moment. And why? Because over the years you been conditioned to watch out for medical meteors and not data ones. I'm talking about marginal insurance reimbursement, unrealistic cash flow, malpractice and lawsuits...those kind of things. Getting infected? Losing your phone? They sound so innocuous compared to the others. But they can be far more dangerous with ripple affects felt for years to come. Different kind of meteor. Just goes to show that taking a few of life's little conveniences and adding a pinch of distraction can produce catastrophic results. 

You experience a sense of being completely naked yet you are fully dressed, followed by a feeling of emptiness and anger. It is at that moment that you "get" what HIPAA is all about.  While it seems like it exists  solely to make your medical life a living hell, miring you in procedures and expense,  it is really about protection. Protecting patients. Protecting yourself. And protecting yourself from yourself. I submit to you that it should be changed to stand for Helping Important Professionals Acknowledge Awareness.  Ah, the difference a moment of pause can truly make.

Copyright © Richard Harber, Decision Digital Inc. All Rights Reserved

Digital Ploughmen Sowing The New Mentality

Eight. A number that holds significance in so many ways depending on who you talk to. You know it as the celebrated successor to the larger-than-life number seven, which by all accounts was hard to succeed given its popularity.  You may not know that it is the atomic number of Oxygen.  It is also considered to be a very lucky number in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. There are eight bits in a byte.  There are eight planets. In Judaism, Hannukah is eight days (as my daughter likes to remind me). And who could forget the "eight maids a-milking" on the 8th day of Christmas.  So one is left to wonder if it is just sequential coincidence or choice that the new version of Windows is aptly titled Windows 8. 

Well, the traffic was murder, you know. One of those manure spreaders jackknifed on the Santa Ana. Godawful mess. You should see my shoes  - Fletch

I've been using Windows 8  Consumer Preview now for about three weeks, and it is quite wonderful. Soon, there will be numerous books and You Tube videos covering every single feature. You don't need me for that, at least not yet. Instead, think of me as the noise filter. The proverbial Dolby Noise reduction of technology.  Therefore,  I thought that my first blog on it should speak to what is going to happen when it gets released.  So, if you'll climb up here into the front seat and take ride, we'll talk about it.

I started out running Windows 8 as a virtual machine on my Windows 7 Samsung laptop.  I was surprising impressed with how polished and smooth it was running.  Then, as they say here in the South, I went whole hog. I fearlessly upgraded my most important PC (my office machine) to Windows 8.  I know what you are saying right now. "Gee, why don't you just ski down a snow covered mountain in a Speedo. Sure you'll be fine as long as you stay in the sun."  Well, I've got news. It was effortless. Really, it was. Not the skiing; the upgrade. It went so well in fact that I was left feeling a bit empty and unchallenged.  This couldn't be a Microsoft product. So I went back and did it again, on a different machine. Then I did a side-by side install with Windows 7 . Four installs of all different types and not a single snag. Like riding a bike with no hands. What has Microsoft done here?  I'll tell you: something very un-Microsoft.

Who Went Mobile First? The Who In 1971

Here is a link for all you folks born A.W.B.  (aka After Windows Began) . By the way, that was 1990 for those of you reeling in the years. Just a little fun ;) People young and old have been transformed into device-toting mobile citizens. Think about the power in the palm of your hand. You can pinch and swipe without being punished or arrested. You can text with no hands. You can fly over Big Ben, the Taj Mahal, and Graceland  in less than a minute. You can change your airplane seat without speaking  to an agent. And, of course, you can slice flying fruit without making a mess (no Ginsu required). So why can't you have this ease of use on your PC? It is about to happen thanks to Windows 8.  See, for the first time in over fifteen years, Microsoft got up from the desktop PC and looked at the world. And what did they see? Well, to begin with, a world with fewer PCs. They also saw lots of smartphones and tablets.  But looking a bit deeper,  I believe they saw disconnected, dysfunctional disparity amongst these devices.  And folks, it wasn't just their own products (ie Windows Mobile, Windows 7, Xbox). For years, Apple has  quietly struggled to get iPhone features injected into OSX. And Google continues to fight the uphill battle with the likes of Big Red (aka Verizon) to keep the Android experience consistent across devices while marching towards  the desktop business (think Chromebook, Google Docs etc).

I also believe they observed that while all this  computer technology was in hyper drive, companies (including themselves) really forgot about the desktop OS and interface. CPUs, memory, hard drives, LEDs...the list goes on and on. Monumental advances in all...except the desktop OS and  interface. Doesn't matter if you are OSX or Windows. It’s the same ole' 20-year old analog. Here is your screen, your keyboard, and your mouse. Now go to it.  Talk about sleeping at the wheel of the getaway car. My friends, I give you motive and opportunity. Read on.

To Boldy Go Where No One Has Gone Before

So what did Microsoft do? Well, while standing up from the PC, they rubbed their chin and raised their index finger and said. "Ah-ha."  They figured  out that the OS IS the interface and the interface IS the OS.  Now, if you are Microsoft, what do you do with that little diddy?  Easy, you forge creativity and build something the world has not seen. Something  seminal; something fundamentally and uncharacteristically different;  Something..well…un-Microsoft. A future-feeling, fresh looking  interface to seamlessly rule and run  across all of your device. Your phone, tablet, and PC.  Wow. That's the whole enchilada.  No way. It can't be done  This is you shaking your head back and forth here. There's the phone, uh, then the tablet and the PC. All different yet "looking" the same. That's like crossing the streams. And Dr. Spengler warned us about that. Better charge up your proton pack. Windows 8  isn't the same old interior wrapped in a new body style with the addition of navigation and self-parking. It's an entire new class of vehicle never really seen before.  Squeeze this between your ears for a moment.  Apple didn't invent the smartphone. They reimagined and refined it.  I know you don't remember but the Internet was loaded with critics on both sides. It will fail, it's overpriced, it is revolutionary, it will do your dishes and water your plants. What the hell is an app? After all that pre-emptive fodder had passed, people were intrigued and enticed. As they dove into the device, people adapted, accepted, and fell in love with it.  Apple succeeding in changing the status quo of smartphones, the important word here being  "changing." People have forgotten what it is like to experience this phenomenon with Microsoft.  It's been the Apple show for so long that everyone just assumes that no other company can innovate any longer. And if they do, well it will stand  cold and dark in the long shadow of Cupertino.  Windows 8  will not reimagine or even change the OS-interface experience. Nor will it define a new standard. It will define THE new standard that others will painfully rush to mimic. Need proof? Within days of the Windows 8  Consumer Preview release, Apple hastily pushes out OSX Mountain Lion. Then comes the announcement of Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) arriving mid-2012 when Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is barely on 1% of all Android devices. Both were efforts to say "hey, look over here." Feeling a little pressure are we? 

Riding On The Metro

Windows 8 is blazing fast and will run on your current hardware.  That's right. You won't have to buy new gear.  First time that has happened in a while, huh? Let me make it better:  Windows 8 runs faster on your existing Windows 7 gear than Windows 7! You will notice it the second you boot up. And it really just takes seconds. Like 15-20 seconds. No, I'm not kidding.

After the quick boot, you will be introduced to Metro. Metro is the name of your new  desktop. And man it is cool. Metro brings the smartphone and tablet look and feel to your desktop. You add widget-like items called "tiles" to your desktop (think weather, email, social media, instant messaging, stock updates, news etc.) onto  your screen, all of which are alive and bristling with real time info on a stunningly pretty screen.  All this info right in front of you without opening up a single window.  Metro will seem very familiar and natural, yet a bit awkward at first. Natural because you've been using your smartphone and you will get the idea. Awkward because it is a PC acting like a smartphone.  I've caught myself reaching to my monitor to swipe and move things around which, by the way will work if you have a touchscreen monitor. Without one, your mouse and keyboard will work just fine.  Oh, and know that the old desktop is still tucked away under Metro...just in case you want to go old school.

Space, The Final Frontier

I like Metro a lot. Now that I have seen it on a phone and a PC, I can't wait to see it on a tablet. I think business and corporate users will love it on tablets but will need to warm up to it on the desktop. Microsoft understands this and has quite a trick up its sleeve come October.  And it will send Metro into orbit.  No, people aren't going to go out and buy up all these touch screen monitors.  We already hate those finger smudges all over our smart phones and tablets. You think we will put up with them on our computer monitors? No way.  So swiping your screen is out. But what if you swipe the air in front of your screen? What? So you're saying that the air in front of your screen becomes...well...a touch screen? Yes, yes I am. Hmmm, sounds like Minority Report doesn't it?  Well, it is hear and it is very real. If you are an Xbox user, you have had this technology for a year or so. It's called Kinect. And guess what? Microsoft  has baked it into Windows 8! If you are not familiar with Kinect, it's quite incredible. You can learn more about it here .  Move forward in the video about a minute and a half and watch. Within 30 seconds you will be captivated and your mouth will open wide enough to catch a swarm of bees. 

So here is how this is going to go down: The Kinect bar will fasten to the top of your monitor and  "space" will become your new interface. You walk up to your PC and it will log you in by "seeing" your face. Then, you move around the Metro interface by moving your finger around the air in front of your screen, as if you were using The Force. Yes, you will still use your keyboard and mouse for non-finger-friendly tasks.  It is still faster to use them for Excel and Word stuff. But, you don't have to. I predict that within the year you will see manufacturers start to build the Kinect technology directly into monitors, similar to web cams.  When you become Kinect-enabled, your PC experience doesn't  change;  your life will change.  Really, it will.  In fact, I firmly believe it will be bigger than when you got into (or should I say onto) the Internet. 

Learning How To Unlearn

Windows 8 isn't about learning a new OS; it's about allowing yourself to un-learn the old one(s), and the old (and sometimes bad) habits that go with them.  See, we've all been trained to go to the Start button for everything. And while it is convenient to do so because hey that is where everything lives, it becomes less efficient as time goes by. This is especially true if you install a lot of apps. Put another way, you spend too much time trying to find the app you need in the sea of selections within the Start menu. Windows 8 changes that thinking by implementing an instant search feature. Tap the Windows key on your keyboard, type "ou" and Outlook immediately jumps up for you to launch. And it is way fast. It takes a little thought the first week you use Windows 8 since you are reaching for the start button and it isn't in plain site. However, once you start using the process I described above, you will work faster.

Folks, I want to assure you that I didn't just come back from a Windows convention wearing a tin foil hat. Nor did I consume an entire bowl of Microsoft nachos before writing this blog.  I am genuinely excited about Windows 8 because of what it will do in addition to  what it represents. And this is coming from a guy who has been neck deep in the Android world for a few years. Windows 8  demonstrates that imagineering is alive and well at the Big M and not limited to those "other" technology companies we hear so much about.  It doesn't really change the game. It ends it and begins a new one. And the last time that happened in the Microsoft world was in 1995 with the release of Windows 95. It too was new, different, and disruptive. And it was also greeted with great fanfare and criticism. But in time people adapted, accepted, and fell in love with it, even on a Pentium 75Mhz which, I am sad to say can't even run your car GPS. Don't be scared. It may all sound a bit ominous and concerning. Change always feels that way for many people. It's all good. If you are using a smartphone or a tablet right now (which most of you are using one if not both), you are going to feel surprisingly comfortable with it.  Funny how Google and Apple have been teaching you how to use a Microsoft product and you didn't even know it!  Shhh. Don't tell them.  

Googling Apple On Windows

Is it me or are there some strange things going on? Kodak will stop making cameras. Steve Jobs slept with a letter from Bill Gates on his nightstand. And the original members of Van Halen are back together. Just when you thought your figured it all out, right?

"Don't be obsessed with your desires Danny. The Zen philosopher Basha once wrote, 'A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish." Ty Webb

Speaking of figuring it all out, I've got one last tablet rock (slight pun there) that I should turn over; then I will find something else to wax about. I get this one asked to me all the time: For the love of all that is holy, please tell me the REAL difference between Google Android and Apple iOS. Give it to me straight so that I can really understand it. And can you tell me where Microsoft fits in too? Indeed I can. And you will totally dig the example cause it just makes sense. Here we go...

Running Down The Dream

Let's start with Google Android. Think of Android like owning a house. When you own a house, you are invested. You can do what you want, when you want, and pretty much how you want  (unless there is an HOA involved). You want a purple house, start painting. You want to put your washing machine on the front lawn, have at it. You want to break the world record for most holiday lights on your house? Well besides starting to put them up in September, it's all up to you. Now then, with that glorious house comes responsibility. Cutting your grass, trash pickup, exterminator...you get the idea. You can do many of these things yourself. Or you can hire a professional to provide those services whenever you want. Need your A/C fixed? No problem. Schedule a service call and leave work to meet the man since you are the only one with house keys.  You are the undisputed king of your castle.

My friends, this  is Android. Yea, it starts with the little green Droid (his name is Lloyd by the way). As an aside, the name "Droid" is actually copyrighted by none other than George Lucas. Yup, every time you procure a Droid device, the Force grows stronger...financially. No, I'm not kidding. Each day, over 850,000 Android devices are activated. More that you thought, huh? And why is it so likable? Not because of R2D2. Because it is an open platform that can be customized and hacked (aka rooted) to a near endless level. It is backed by Google and has a massive (and I really mean it) development and user community. You can download apps from multiple places. You can move things around on screens, change backgrounds, tether to your laptop. You can open and edit Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. You can use Flash. The list goes on. And, you can do all of this without installing any overlord  software or building a wall around yourself. So this, as they say, is bachelor #1.

Any Color You Want So Long As It Is Black

iOS is like renting an expensive apartment. Nothing wrong here as long as you know the difference. First, when you do an apples-to-apples comparison (I couldn't resist), renting comes up more expensive than owning. Second, ownership is never in the cards. But, as a renter, you seem to feel happier, more secure, and perhaps a bit less stressed. Why? Well, for started you live in a gated community (remember this) with beautiful landscaping. And while all the buildings look the same, they are clean and well maintained. Trash is never out in the open, the driveway is absent of cracks, and the pool is leaf-free. Need something? Just give the leasing office a call and they will handle it for you. Remember, they have a key to your place. All of this is done for a set monthly fee plus your commitment to follow the stated rules. There you have it. You have succumbed to being fenced in and have surrender control. Hmm, that sounds a bit oppressive. Let me put it another way: You are allowing someone else to handle all of your living arrangements with the understanding that it will be nicer and perhaps a more worry-free experience. No, you can't paint the outside the color you want. Nor can you walk naked to the pool at midnight (without getting fined or arrested). Want to watch a movie? You can so long as you rent it from the leasing office. Want gas cooking instead of electric? Not an option. Yes you can put your stuff all around you, so long as it is inside only. That means no lawn jockeys or grills on the balcony.  

This is what iOS is all about. I know it sounds a bit big brother-ish. It kinda is. Doesn't mean it is wrong or bad. The Apple mantra is about delivering a high-quality, very polished experience. This begins with world class industrial design and a smooth interface...and a few catches and limitations. First, Apple will control everything you see and do. They limit your device choices to what they believe you will like. Sure, you can download apps onto your device...so long as it comes from Apple and Apple alone. Apple's belief is that by imposing these choices (or lack thereof) and limits, the opportunity for failure is greatly reduced, thereby providing a more consistent and seamless experience. I give you bachelor #2.

   

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Which one is better? It really doesn't matter. Really, it doesn't. Can you like Star Wars and Star Trek? Well of course you can. And what of all those people with verbal diarrhea talking smack  about one being better than the other? It's a bunch of overrated, overstated, hyper-emotional fan-boy dribble. Millions of people live in homes and apartments. And they live in each one for a variety of very good reasons. Ironically, from a pure feature and app perspective, the line between both systems is very, very blurry. Just take a look at the latest iterations of both and you will see example after example of mutual feature hijacking.  Folks, it is much more about your needs and wants. It is possible that one platform will fiill all your needs. It is also entirely possible that you will use more than one. Take it from me, it is OK. You don't need therapy and your are not cheating if you use both.

 "What? Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

So where is Microsoft in all this? Much of their success in the mobile space will depend on Windows 8. Yesterday, the Windows 8 Beta was released to millions of people like me. And it is quite different than the Developer Preview that has been floating around since last year. If the OS delivers as many expect, the market will have another big player. What's interesting here is what Windows 8 has become (or was intended to be all along) and the timing of the release. No, Microsoft hasn't accelerated the release due to the current conditions. Remember, the milestone dates and development track was pretty well established three years ago.  What they did was pull a page from the Apple playbook. Now, go back to the top of this paragraph and re-read the quote in bold. 

You need a few more ingredients here. So, allow me to pour some more thoughts into your mental crock pot. Let them simmer a bit and you will be eating the same stew as me in a few short minutes. Bear with me though. I need to switch gears ever so slightly because what I am about to tell you applies to both tablets and PCs. 

First, as you know, Apple and Google have been bare-knuckle boxing with each other, sans Microsoft, thanks to Microsoft's lack of presence in the tablet market. They certainly weren't paying much attention to the Windows 8 OS timetable. After all, Windows 8 was going to be the successor to Windows 7...a PC operating system. Well...surprise! Windows 8 is a tablet and desktop OS, heavy on the tablet. And it looks really, really good. Microsoft now has a window (I know, I know...a real comedian I am).  One of those rare times when, instead of being opportunistic, Microsoft has an opportunity. Apple and Google have succeeded in selling a boatload of devices, thereby creating economies of scale. For those of you less economically inclined (or who don't wish to be reminded of those high school and college economic classes) that means that due to so many people plunking down paper Franklins to buy tablets, the cost of making them continues to go down. This means that Microsoft can jump into the eye of the tablet hurricane instead of the turbulent eye-wall. Put another way, Microsoft gets into the very competitive tablet market, at a lower price point that is still profitable. Very appealing when you are the new guy.  Grand plan? Not likely. Good timing and a bit of luck? Most definitely. But wait, there is more.

Microsoft has one advantage over everyone else: awareness. And this is really important, if played correctly. See, many people and businesses have been in a long-term relationship with Microsoft. And it has been quite a real one, filled with romance, memorable moments, dysfunctionality, and...well...Vista.  Yet it's this level of comfort and familiarity that have kept something like 57% of people away from the Apple cart and the great Google machine, anxiously awaiting a Microsoft  solution.  I know these people all too well as they make up a large majority of customers and friends. Many of them coexist in multiple worlds. Windows PCs and iPADS, Android phones and Mac Books. And yes, still quite a few Blackberries. Microsoft knows that people yearn for seamless consistency between their smartphone, tablet and PC. Windows 8 is poised to do this. And Microsoft will really be the first to do it. A single platform that adapts to the device and the user, with a consistent look and feel regardless of how you use it. Unless Windows 8 completely misses the mark, I predict that legions of people will flock to it early on,  with hopes of that seamless consistency. Believe me the Microsoft marketing engine will be blowing gaskets to get this message our the door. And from what I have already seen, they are going to deliver big time.  Alas, bachelor #3

And Now For The Big Dating Game Kiss

Now then, I will be the first to tell anyone that the elegance and simplicity that Apple and Google deliver in their OS' is very appealing to people, including myself.  And I will also freely admit there are a number of things they both do better than Microsoft. The same is true of many Microsoft features. In many ways, it is like knowing three different languages. You speak English each day but love the romantic elegance of Italian and the passion of Spanish. As each day goes by, words from each language seem to assimilate into the other. Funny how that happens. 

We're about to experience a three-way (no not that kind). So sit back, listen, and enjoy the show. And be comforted in knowing that the winner will be you!

How HP Set The Tablet World On (Kindle) Fire

I'm a little late on this post. Actually, I am very late. Sorry for the delay. I will make up for it with a few posts this time. Always something to talk about, isn't there? So, come sit for a spell and let's catch up.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it - Ferris Bueller

 

By now, most of you are know about the Kindle Fire. No, it's not the best tablet to ever hit your hands, and it didn't start the tablet craze. But it may be your first tablet and will likely be credited with beginning the widespread adoption of tablets. So, how is it that Amazon is selling millions and a stalwart like Motorola can't get past the million mark with its Xoom.? Well my friends, the Amazon holiday card list now has a new address on it. Nope, not that fruit company in Cupertino. This is a Palo Alto, CA address; the HP mothership. Not what you were expecting, huh? Amazon is smart. Very smart. And they have been throwing a full tablet idea around for some time. But they needed a bit more more time and intel (not the company; intelligence). And who better to provide it than your competition. It was primarily done by HP, with a slice of Apple and an honorable mention going to Motorola. Here is how this all shakes down.

Hey Ferb! I know what we are going to do today

Almost a year ago, Motorola launches the Xoom. Day one, I was the second one in line to grab one of these puppies. No, the experience did not resemble the Samsung vs Apple commercials. It was more low-keyed. Anyway, I continue to dig it very, very much. Unfortunately, thanks to its $600 price tag, the public punished Motorola by sentencing it to a kind of electronic purgatory for what amounts to an excellent piece of hardware; to date, they have barely sold a million (perspective check: Apple sold about 50,000 iPADS in 2011. Ahem, 50,000 per day). It is not the "iPAD killer." Frankly, it couldn't be considering it was the first of its kind in the Android world. And besides, you all know there is only one Elvis in a world full of Elvis impersonators. But, it was a start. And a good one at that. Note to Amazon, send flowers to your teacher: Motorola.

Now, we switch classrooms to HP. Ah, the HP Touchpad. The "Neil Young" (or Def Leppard if you are slightly younger) of tablets. Quoting them both, "it is better to burn out than to fade away." And boy did they. While the rest of the world was digging on chocolate (Apple) and really starting to like vanilla (Android), HP thought they would become the third pillar of ice cream: strawberry. Ok, there is a forth flavor out there: Blackberry. But it seems to be an acquired taste.  Just couldn't resist ;) Well, not only was the world not ready for strawberry, it had already become a bit lactose intolerant due to all the chocolate and vanilla being consumed. Some tough ice cream love for HP. And what did they do? The unthinkable: they dumped their CEO, stopped production, and blew out their inventory at $179.00 then $99.00  (not necessarily in that order). And while no one saw that coming, they certainly didn't expect what would happen next: the Touchpad became THE most desirable device to own. That's right a dead end device is now the hottest device in the world. And now you can actually hack the device and run Android on it. Amazing. Note to Amazon: people like strawberry; they just wanted the cheap store brand and not Haagen Daz.  

Hey Phineas! Whatcha doin?

Still with me? Good. Let's now talk about Amazon. They are perhaps the most trusted brand on the Internet. They sell pretty much everything. However, I'd like you to take a moment and focus on a couple of specific things they sell: music, books, and movies. The very same things as that Cupertino fruit company. I hear the gears turning in your head. Remember what I have said before about tablets and the magic price of $200.00? Buckle up, here it comes.  

You are Amazon and here is what you know. First off, you know that people really like and trust you. You know people like ease of use, portability and content. You know people enjoy reading books on the Kindle. You know you need the Internet to make it all really sizzle. And you know that the elephant in the room happens to not be Microsoft. A grab of the chin gives you a moment of pause as you begin to think. You have a massive following, and they are agnostic to OS and device. You have more to offer. Besides music, movies, and books, you have merchandise and storefronts. Lots of both. And you know that your customer demographic is wide and likely the most desirable of any company on Terra Firma. A strong beat of the chest and a proclamation that "we are Amazon." finishes the thought. Now, throw in a dollop of the Motorola and HP (jeez, can you tell I am hungry) and what do you realize? This: Apple taught us that people want tablets; HP taught us that people want tablets for $200.00; And Motorola has given the unexpected vote of confidence. So, what do you do? Introduce a tablet, at a $200.00 price point, that gives a mere mortal person full access to the world that is Amazon. Give it to them with WiFI and Internet access. And do it with a platform that people know, that is fully customizable with hundreds of thousands of apps: Android. That's right, your phone apps work on your tablet. And if you had such a device, you could surely do something that no one else (to this point) could really do: compete with Apple. The price advantage; the content advantage; the trust advantage. Great white buffalo? No. Kindle Fire. 

You guys are so busted!

Fly up to 10,000 feet with me for just a moment and look at the ecosystem and not the animal. The animal (Kindle Fire) will evolve. And it will do so rapidly thanks to a very healthy ecosystem (Amazon's full content and merchandise offering). I know what you're saying. The Kindle Fire v1 ain't no iPAD. You're right. It's not. But it will get better. Quickly. Don't believe me? You should. Apple sure does. So much so that they are looking to introduce a lower priced iPAD. And, they are working VERY hard to increase their ecosystem because they are keenly aware that evolution happens in near-real time these days. Moreover, the brewing battle to be fought will not be against is old pal Microsoft or its new foe Google. It will be Amazon. You heard it here first. Not to worry though. Amazon won't lose regardless of your choice. You can still use Amazon on your iPAD. Yes there is an app for that. 

If Moses Had A New Tablet What Would He Do?

I just received my Motorola Xoom back from the Mighty M, supercharged with some 4G goodness. It is fast. Way fast. Like 25Mb down fast. Fast enough where you are waiting on servers to deliver content to you. While I am confident others will narrow the speed gap eventually, Verizon has got it going on, especially here in Atlanta. I've been wanting to blog about my real tablet experience, putting it into perspective in addition to knocking down some of the fodder that is floating around the Net about these things.

And the Lord spoke, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once at the number three, being the third number to be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it."  - Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Third Time's A Charm
I am a three-peater when it comes to tablets. I'm not hearkening back to the Newton. I'm talking more current tablet technology. In 2004, I began with a "new" tablet from a company called Motion Computing. It was the first slate style tablet (now referred to as a slab design). It ran Windows XP Tablet Edition, had about an hour and a half battery and an 866MHz processor. My daughter's Leap Frog reader was faster. Hell, I think the CPU in my microwave was faster. Needless to say, it was cutting edge and a glimpse of how things would eventually be. I remember going to meetings and traveling with it, feeling like I was Willy Wonka taking select people on a secret chocolate factory tour, as I wrote and drew on the screen as if it was a piece of paper. Lots of "oooo" and "ahhhh" moments. Very practical and useful...for about an hour. Then you were racing to find an outlet. Most of you who travel know that until recently, finding an outlet in an airport meant bare-knuckle boxing for a spot on a cold concrete floor, usually near or inside of a bathroom, with a power cord stretched like a jump rope. Only thing worse was watching some poor soul picking up the pieces of his smashed ThinkPad as a running traveler, in a OJ Simpson-inspired moment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W1hnR3kLwo) didn't clear the power cord hurdle and yanked the laptop clear out of his hands and dragged it down to the next gate.  I hear most of you laughing right now. A few of you are crying.

Number two was a Dell Latitude XT, some time in 2007. This was a convertible laptop. A twist top if you will. Worked like a usual laptop until you twisted the screen and laid it down flat. And it had a touch screen like a smart phone. It started life as an XP laptop and quickly got moved to Windows 7. A much better tablet experience but still saddled with the same weaknesses: short battery life and a PC OS trying to act like a tablet one. And at 5 lbs, it was still a shoulder-breaker, especially when you add a 1 lb extended battery and the power brick. As they say, close but no cigar. 

I became an Android guy in the Summer of 2010 when I ditched my Windows Mobile 6.5 phone for a Droid X. The iPhone wasn't available on the Verizon network at the time so I dove straight into the deep end with Android. Being very pleased with that experience, I felt the Xoom held great promise as number three and was the second person in line the day the 3G version was released. To be truthful, I didn't know exactly how I would use it. But like a good tech jock, I would find a way to turn what could be something useless into something quite useful.  Who knew that on that faithful February 2011 day that my technical life would be forever altered. 

Riding A Bike With No Hands

So yes, this generation of tablets got it right, be it Android or Apple. I won't bore you with a long list of apps and fan-boy BS about Apple vs Android. Both are really, really good and there are plenty of blogs out there on both sides of that little war that will numb your cranium if that is what you desire. You want real life. Ok, here goes. For the record, I have included hyperlinks for the programs I use. I was not compensated or given promotional consideration for mentioning them. I use them. I like them. I am sharing them so that you don't have to roam around trying to find them. 

First, know this: a tablet does not replace a laptop or a PC so don't think you will lose a device by getting one. Anyone that tells you otherwise likely thinks Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix are living as roommates in some Tahitian fishing village with Stevie Ray Vaughn cooking chili. My tablet compliments these other devices and actually keeps me from reaching to them as much. Why? Because the tablet is always on. No real boot time. No sleep/hibernation recovery. No hard drive.  Like a puppy, it's just there waiting to be picked up and played with. So besides the minutes of time savings in your daily digital life, it becomes something practical to grab and use in any fleeting moment.  You see Emeril cooking up some etoufe', you grab the tablet, get the recipe, and print it to your printer in-between the first and second "BAM!" On a laptop, you would go to commercial and come back before it even booted up. Amazing.

Then there are movies. Not streaming movies. I'm talking about that stack of twenty DVDs that you schlep around and play on your laptop or portable DVD player. All the parents in the audience just nodded their heads. No more! Take ten of your kid's favorite movies (after all they want to watch the same ones over and over again), rip them digital, and place them in the tablet. Viola. You just took 8 lbs out of your travel bag (and made the TSA really happy). And here is the cool part: the battery will not die with 5 minutes left in a two hour movie because my tablet battery last around 10-12 hours!  That is not a mis-type. I use my tablet for days between charges. Days!

My tablet is the primary device I take to meetings. See I live in two worlds. Creation and presentation. In my creation world, there is no substitute for a desktop or laptop. Take this blog for instance. No, not writing it on the tablet. I have a Samsung Series 9 laptop (http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops/NP900X3A-A03US ). It is a razor thin Windows 7 version of a Macbook Air/Macbook Pro. Blazing fast, 2.8 lbs and 8 hours of battery. One look at it and you will know why Samsung and Apple are not getting along right now. Although it remains to be seen who actually stole the design. Anyway, I need the full capabilities of a machine for the creation work I do in things like Excel, Sharepoint, SQL etc. Presentation is a different story. Used to be I would take my Dell XT with me to appointments and presentations (before I had the Sammy). Always a drudgery as I waited for it to boot and watched the battery like a hawk. My tablet changed all that. I transfer my presentation docs to my tablet with Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) or EverNote (www.evernote.com) via wireless or 4G. I can then share them with customers or pop them up on a conference room LCD TV thanks to a quick, non-proprietary HDMI cable connection. I whiteboard (www.skitch.com) on my tablet.  I take notes on my tablet (www.evernote.com). I photograph customer sites and mark them up in real time...with my tablet (built in camera + Skitch).  Want a copy? No problem. A quick click sends those items direct to my customers, my engineers, my audience, or my desktop at work. No fussing around with a thumb drive, zipping up the files for email,  proprietary sync cables or rapidly dying battery. Elegant. Intuitive. Easy. And the best part? Bringing customers and my audience back into the conversation since I am no longer peering at them from behind a laptop screen; you know, that rather impersonal and borderline rude practice which we have all been forced to accept as SOP in our current laptop world. A practice which cannot leave quick enough.

What else do I do? I view my calendar and emails. I take remote control of Windows PCs using RDPLite (http://www.remotespark.com/).  I use Pulse Reader (http://www.pulse.me/) for collecting news from a bevy of different sites and giving it to me in one scrollable view. I edit pictures, create quick videos, and Skype with my tablet thanks to two built in cameras (front and back). I program my DVR with my tablet (www.directv.com). I even have a DirecTV remote on my tablet (http://www.facebook.com/WiredDFWSoftware). Really, DirecTV remote? Absolutely. View the guide, select programs to record, watch recorded programs...all without interrupting my wife as she watches  "Dancing With The Stars." I must confess it is also fun to play and pause Peppa Pig, from another room, as my daughter stares at the remote control and doesn't seem to understand ;) 

Being a music guy, I constantly find the need for a good tune or two. Over the years I have amassed a serious digital music collection. But I don't have everything. And sometimes I just don't want to think about pulling together a playlist. On the tablet,  I use Audio Galaxy (www.audiogalaxy.com) to listen to my personal music collection anywhere I go. But I am also a hopeless addict to Pandora (www.pandora.com). Both have native tablet apps that work amazingly well over WiFi and 4G. They even work well when I fly. Nothing like "Comfortably Numb" at 35,000 feet. 

Now that so much content is digital, you feel compelled to read on the tablet. And unlike a laptop, it becomes personal again. Years from now, I fully expect that a study will be released that speaks to an increase in reading thanks to tablets and other readers. Personally, I find myself immersed in articles and e-zines (no surprise here). But what I have picked up on recently are these enhanced websites that go along with the different television series I choose to watch. It offers me a deeper appreciation for the show since the tablet gives me extra content that both answer questions and fill in the blanks about the series episode. After all, there is only so much you can cram into :47 minutes of airtime. Don't understand what I mean? Go and watch an enhanced episodes of "Lost" or "Boardwalk Empire," using your tablet and you will get it. 

My Crystal Ball

If you have been around me the last year or so, be it at a conference or onsite, you know that I have maintained a very clear and certain level of thinking when it comes to tablets: You won't have one of these things; you will have two or three of them. And in a very short time (likely within the year), the average price for a 10" tablet (not a 7") will be less than $300. I believe the "magic" price to be around $200. At that level,  they will be all over your house and everywhere you go. Device controls (think TV remotes, whole house AV, and thermostats) have already began the transition to tablets (http://www.nest.com). And Microsoft isn't even in the game yet. Their turn will begin this time next year with Windows 8. While you may be incline to think that the Apple iPAD or the Amazon Kindle Fire are behind the revolution, you should really be thanking HP. You know, the company that recent bailed on the tablet business after six months and $12 billion dollars spent. Next blog I will tell you how the demise of HP led to the real tablet revolution, enabled Amazon to become Apple's biggest competitor, and forced Apple to do something it has never done before. Man I love a good story.
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P.S. Even in these uncertain times, I find many things for which I am thankful. I certainly hope you do too. Happy Thanksgiving.

iSad

"Brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world and talented enough to do it."

Thank you Steve. You will be missed.

Steve Jobs - 1955 - 2011

Am I A Plumber or Fisherman? You Be The Judge

Let me begin by expressing my appreciation for the great feedback on the last blog.  Seems I made a whole mess of people tug on their chins and utter a collective "hmmm." Even the RIM folks. Glad I was able to make you think a bit. Now, on with the show

"Occupation? Stand-up philosopher. What? Stand-up philosopher. I coalesce the vapors of human experience into a viable and meaningful comprehension" 
- Comicus (aka Mel Brooks)

Let's see, where were we? Ah, the rabbit hole and the departure of your data. Alice, are you ready? Cue White Rabbit music and let's begin. 

One Pill Makes You Larger...

Like a hippie at Woodstock, your data dances freely and completely uninhibited as it flies out the door. It is unchecked, perhaps sensitive in nature, and oh so easy to move. That's right, no midnight break-ins with flashlights and ninja suits. And it's happening right now, down the hall, in plain sight.There are lots of ways that data leaves your network. Examples would be email, thumb drive, or Trojan. The latter two are easier to control thanks to network security and countermeasure systems (think antivirus systems). The same is not true of email. You really don't think about it, do you? That is about to change...
Let me raise your eyebrow for a minute. Check out my favorite email "accidents." Yea, you know where this is going. The "uh-oh" moment. For those of you playing along at home, let me make sure you understand that the lesson here is that as long as it can be typed or attached to an email, it gets its very own digital wings and flies right on outta here. We'll start with the well known "accident" of an email to the wrong customer or company.  Embarrassing to everyone involved and is usually a legit accident. Usually. That is, unless it is a competitor.  Then there is the "accident" of an email being sent to yourself so that it lands on your smart phone. This one is usually done under the guise of "hey I needed it for a presentation." Nice.  Not so believable but nice. We'll round out the list with the big kahuna: the "accident" of sending data to your personal email address (like Gmail for instance). Can I do it and get away with it? Well, you just did. Screw those IT guys! The song "Can't Touch This" begins to play in your head (MC Hammer for those of you who just got lost) as you high five yourself and proclaim, "I am sticking it to the man!" 

Jeez. Did we just roll over one morning and discover that data loss was sleeping next to us in the business bed? Not really. It has always been there. I just made you more aware of it. And if you are a small business, you are a bit more in trouble thanks to blind faith. No, not talking about the 60's music group. See, in the SMB space, many things, including data security, are driven by trust acquired through blind faith. And it is given more so than earned, primarily due to small size and necessity. Long listed as an acceptable risk, it is also a huge "gotcha" that has unexpectedly removed large portions of flesh from the hind quarters of many business owners.

And One Pill Makes You Smaller...

Ok, so this seems easy enough to stop doesn't it?  You'll just stop allowing email attachments. Yea, that'll work. Think about that for a second. No, really think about it. How much stuff we all send via attachment these days. I mean legit stuff. Quotes, bids, brochures, fax (yea I said it: fax)...the list is nearly endless.  Not so easy now is it? So what do you do? You raise your index finger and say, "Ah ha, I will control the phone." Not so fast. Remember my Blackberry example? The evaporation of device control (click here for last blog) . You gave up that gig to put some Benjamins back in your pocket. What do we do now? Jedi mind trick? Not likely. Enforcement from Jules and Vincent? Not unless your name is Marsellus Wallace. Old fashioned honesty? Well, there are still some honest folks in the world. Wait a minute! If you can't control it, surely you can control what goes TO it? Indeed you can. My friends, I give you Data Loss Prevention (aka DLP), your new e-mployee.  He is cheap, tough as nails,  never calls in sick, and you don't have to pay matching social security. Got your attention? Walk with me…

Master of your Domain. King of the County. Lord of the Manor.

DLP technology has been around for a little while but is just now being talked about with small business. The technology is complex but the concept is quite simple: keep unauthorized data from leaving your network. If DLP was an employee describing their job to you, it would sound something like this: Day and night, I read every single email and every email attachment before it leaves your office. Period. I don't care who you are, you have to get through me before you get out the digital door. See, I am an expert on your company policies, your customer data, and your proprietary information.  I know the difference between a credit card number, a customer database, and a price list. I know if you are even allowed to send email, let alone an email attachment of any kind. When I question something I have read, and I do this a lot, I alone decide the fate of your messages. I delete them. I quarantine them. I even encrypted them before they are sent.  I can do all of this, and more...in real time. I learn from what I have previously read so that I can make better and swifter decisions in the future. And, so you know, I am very detail-oriented. I keep track of all my decisions and know when it is proper for me to get someone else involved, especially if I suspect something is questionable or flat-out wrong.

Good stuff, eh? This is real. This is what DLP is all about. The good news is the technology behind DLP has been fleshed out and vetted by many businesses before yours. You should thank them for being early adopters, working out the kinks and getting the price down. As a result, there are a number of companies offering this technology. However, you need to be careful here. The term "Data Loss Protection" is twisted and torqued by a number of companies in order to steer business to products that are...well...not real DLP products. WatchGuard does it right with their XCS device. They didn't re-invent the technology. Instead, they found a leader who has perfected it. See, XCS  was born and raised as Borderware before being assimilated into the big red collective that is WatchGuard. A battle tested product, they have stayed true to the definition of DLP. It's worth your time to check out their XCS product.  

Time To Go Fishing

So...you are leaking all over the place. But at least you now know what to do about it. Who knew it was all about hippies! Remember, the rod must control the fish, not the other way around. And that my friends will never change. Ask any fisherman. Need more proof? Just look at your desk, your nightstand, and your hip. The device-to-person ratio is beyond 2-to-1 for most of you. That's a lot of fish. And thanks to our obsessive infatuation with technology, it ain't going down. Think about it. We have 3D in HD and Hifi over Wifi. We have Internet on the ground and in the air, with Angry Birds everywhere. Smartphones, laptops, netbooks galore. Tablets, iPads, Kindles and more. You're gonna need a strong rod and a small nuclear device to run all this stuff. Sure, wind power would be better. But you would look pretty silly with a windmill on your head now wouldn't you?