3 Things We Learned at CTIA

The CTIA Conference in San Diego was filled with both strong ideas and subtle hints about where mobility is headed in the next year.  The week got started with keynote addresses by the  CEO's of AT&T, Verizon & Sprint.  The crowd didn't quite know what to make of uncomfortable jabs sent back and forth between AT&T and Sprint.  Sprint's CEO (Hesse) compared AT&T's CEO (de la Vega) to John Wilkes Booth; not so flattering a comparison.  In reply, de la Vega quipped that it was Hesse who was more like President Lincoln's assassin, because Hesse was "the biggest actor in the industry."  Here are 3 things SDSol took away from the conference:

1.  M2M (machine-to-machine) Technology is going to have a strong year next year.  As GPS hardware continues to evolve, more comprehensive data is becoming accessible over web and mobile applications.  For instance, do you own a fleet of trucks, and want to know where they are, how fast they're going, when they'll arrive at their destination, where the driver went to eat, etc...?  The hardware being created is getting more and more advanced, and is hungry for custom software integration.  Most of the companies SDSol talked to did not have applications for their hardware.    Software companies would be wise to make strong contacts in the M2M hardware industry.

2.  Healthcare Mobility will save lives and money in years to come.  More accurate record keeping, fewer visits to the doctor, document/x-ray viewing capability, and remote monitoring devices will drive costs down for patients and doctors.  The next incarnation of healthcare is certain to make Dr. Gregory House jump for joy, as it will bring about less patient/doctor interaction, and more efficient data accumulation.  Mobile Apps are bringing the Doctor’s office to your smart phone.  Elements of M2M and unique software ideas and integration will hopefully help to drive costs down for everyone.  We’ll believe it when we see it. 

3.  MVNO Companies need to play a bigger role in the market .  Mobile Virtual Network Operators are the second tier in the Mobile Network Environment.  These companies buy minutes from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, and offer recycled or revamped mobile packages for end users.  Boost or Virgin are examples of MVNO's.  As mobility grows, and smart phone technology is becoming a necessity, not a luxury for businesses, MVNO's are in a position to take a bite out of the market, ONLY, if they partner with the right MVNE, or Mobile Virtual Network Enabler.  SDSol was disappointed with MVNO presence at the show, but we know that MVNO’s are a growing industry with a promising future.

Creating Jobs in Today's Digital World

The majority of Americans are growing anxious about the jobs situation in the United States today.  Weak job creation effects us all, even the employed, as the state of the economy appears to be on a downward slope yet again.  Everyday, your average American is going out to buy the day-to-day products they need to survive, and occasionally they'll have enough funds left over to splurge and go out on the town.  Products are becoming more expensive while the contents of our wallets are dwindling and experiencing more alone time.  Obviously, they are not being used as much.  Jobs have always been a commodity in the past, but today, not having and retaining your employment could have catastrophic consequences, not only for the unemployed individual, but for the future of our country.  

Now, in an upcoming political year that is certain to be volatile and ideologically separative, we can already hear the main battle cry "JOBS JOBS JOBS."  Politicians of any political party will try their best to come up with the best jobs creation plan.  They will attack each others' approach and sling nasty words back and forth like a "Yo mamma's so ugly" battle, but none of them will tell us the truth: in today's digital world, the common job is becoming obsolete due to technology.  

This isn't an uninformed assertion, but a fact that needs to be addressed so we can resolve the question of where new jobs can be created. We live in an era where jobs are being reduced as a result of amazing technology.  Take the age old profession of retail cashiers for example. Up until the 80's to early 90's, such jobs were a mandatory part of the purchasing process.  You bought your Spam in aisle 7, took it to Flo in checkout lane 2, paid, and walked out the door.  The business landscape - just 2 decades later - has changed remarkably.  The retail cashier is being phased out.  Now, most retail stores have a very intricate software application, attached to a unobtrusive piece of hardware, that scans your items, adds them for you, takes your coupons, and gives you an option on how to pay.   It's quick, painless, and it makes you laugh at the poor schlubs in the "real person" line.  Cashiers are expected to increase a measly 4% by 2018.  And even that number seems high.

Other day-to-day occupations such as restaurant servers are in trouble too.  Recently, a restaurant decided to do away with servers all together by placing iPads on their dining tables.  The customer flips through the menu, orders his or her food, and guess what...I bet their orders won't be screwed up when the food gets to the table!  Bank tellers, gas station attendants, telephone operators, and many other job titles are going bye-bye fast as a result emerging technology.  And now, we are hearing alarming reports of the US Post Office closing up shop.   Tech has changed the game...and it's only going to change it more.  

So what do we need to do to create jobs?  We need to invest in the education of our citizens to create better technology, and keep up with the rest of the world who is already on board with the importance of technology education.  Kind of a vicious circle, huh?  But the tech industry needs educated system architects and designers.  Tech innovation will eventually make most worldwide professions obsolete.  The question is: will it happen in our lifetime?  Many experts see technology growing so exponentially that a “Singularity,” or rebirth, of the human race is coming soon. Scientists like Raymond Kurtzweil, who is lauded by the likes of Bill Gates, Colin Powell, and others, believes that in our lifetime, the human race will infuse elements of technology into our bodies, and promote longer living, and better quality of life.

For the politicians that are already traveling on their buses to preach their job creation epiphanies, for once, tell it like it is --we must educate our citizens more than ever before to grow jobs in the US.  Stop focusing on filling positions that were important 50 years ago, and start informing your constituents about how the world is today.  Start planning for the future.  Computer science should be mandatory for all children k-12, and its importance must be drilled into our children's heads.  We can't get in the time machine and pretend that professions are still viable when they have obviously been phased out by our technological progress.  We CAN educate our populous much better.  We CAN remove the rearview mirror of historic job creation.  We CAN get smarter and more competitive worldwide.  We CAN create jobs… but we must be realistic about how to do so in today's digital world.


SDSol specializes in Custom Software Development, Mobile Apps, and strategic E-Commerce Solutions.  We increase revenue for small, medium, and large businesses all over the world.  Our certified software developers create new and innovative business applications every day.

PS-SDSol is hiring IT professionals.  Give us a call.

Can't Give Away Free Money on Facebook: An Experiment

SDSol recently conducted an experiment in the social media advertising realm. For lack of a better term, let’s just call it the “get a free toaster when you open a checking account” approach. In an attempt to attract new IT customers, our marketing team launched a Facebook advertising campaign in order to get rid of some soon to expire gift cards. We at SDSol were shocked by the response – or lack thereof.

Periodically, Google will send companies like SDSol complimentary gift cards to lure new advertisers to their Adwords service. SDSol had a bunch that were just sitting in a desk about to expire. Being that it is the end of the summer, and IT business has been a bit sparse, we thought it would be a great idea to give them to the business community in South Florida. We targeted business owners in Coral Gables, offering the following: “$100 gift card with every tech support estimate. Only 10 gift cards left.”

This writer did not expect to get rid of all 10, however, after 2 weeks, we had not received ONE call or form fill for tech support! We were happy to get several new followers on our Facebook page…but not one call or form fill?

The campaign reached over 60,000 pairs of eyes in the Greater Miami area. So SDSol would like to pose the question, why didn't the experiment work? Was it not the right venue or website to advertise in this way? Was it not directed at the right demographic? Does the ad play like a cheap ploy?

Bottom line is, this is a reflection of not only an economy in the dumps, but a general "advertising is not cool" opinion that has, and always will be part of the public marketplace. The preceding quote is even one of the most memorable lines in "The Social Network," ironically about Facebook's attitude towards advertising. For now, SDSol will seek other methods to market its gifts to prospects and customers.

Google Plus and Facebook Advertising In Miami

The next incarnation of the social network has burst onto the scene in the form of Google’s new Google+ network.  So far, it is getting mixed reviews (see http://searchengineland.com/google-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly-83630,  and http://softwareas.com/google-plus-the-good-and-the-bad) and many are delaying their painful social network migration.   It seems that the Google+ is stuck in limbo right now, as there hasn’t been THAT much buzz, or at least signs of an exodus from Facebook.  Many have to wonder how Google+ can differentiate themselves, and show some value to increase its numbers?  The only value Google can REALLY PROVIDE, is successful online advertising solutions. 

The Google Advertising Network has become a cash cow for companies that know how to utilize  it properly.  And it seems that more small businesses are showing interest in Google+ than your run of the mill social networker.  Google+ will be capitalizing on this…and it’s a safe bet that Google’s advertising think tank is figuring out a way to make Google+ more alluring than Facebook’s model.  If they can show businesses solid ROI, they will be able to pull from Facebook’s steady stream of advertising dollars.  Facebook has yet to really make their online marketing and advertising model work, by the way.  Sure, it’s making Facebook money, but is it really making small businesses money?  Some consider it to be a slight step up from advertising on Craigslist.  There is an unspoken stigma about their advertising model, and it is getting very old to facebook users.

One thing is for sure, Google+ has a dragon to slay in Facebook.  Search Engine Marketing in Miami, and elsewhere,  is being driven by Google.  If they are going to slay the dragon, they must focus on what they do well.  Unfortunately for those who hate advertising, it is SEM.  We’ll leave it up to them how to incorporate it into Social Media.

***Update***
CEO admits Google+ is a giant advertising database. 

Click Here to Order: The Secret Ingredient To Local Restaurant Success.

As I've gotten older, and my trusted army of gadgets have coddled me more and more, I've begun to loathe the age old act of ordering the pizza.  I can't stand having to enunciate and repeat "Pepperoni and Pineapple!" to a teen age girl who is trying to concentrate on my order while changing her relationship status on facebook...again.  It is such a pain to have to spell my address over and over and over.  Don't even bring up having to pay by credit card!  Forgetaboutit.

So, it pains me when I go to my favorite pizza joint's website and they do not have an online ordering application.  If I want to order online, I've gotta order from the big chains. And, being that I am a complete food snob, this is unacceptable.  So I find myself having to talk to the nit witted, and sometimes incoherent cashier, wasting valuable time that could be spent watching the latest and greatest viral video.  The Big Delivery Guys know I don't want to talk to that nincompoop.  In fact, one of their commercials tells me all the time that I'll get my pizza "My Way, Right Away."  Well my way is on the internet.  Thing is, I don't want their pizza, I want good pizza.  Local pizza.  And I'm not the only one.

According to a study conducted at Cornell University, a survey of 470 internet users indicated that just under half of them have used their computers and/or cell phones to order food.  It is time for the local pizza joint to get in the game!  This is a simple business development tool, which is easy, affordable, and effective.  Many restaurants are ignoring this solution; assuming it is too expensive.  However, ordering food online is the type of solution which will pay for itself within the first year of implementation.  By maximizing your website's productivity, saving money will be in your near future.  Take another look at the Cornell Study. College towns are a hub for food delivery services.  Upwards of 50% are ordering online, and that number is growing by the year.  Does your business want a slice of that proverbial [pizza] pie?

SDSol Technologies provides dynamic mobile and web based solutions in today's tech driven world.

Miami Web Development

Romeo Innocenti Offering Buffalo, New York a Taste of Tuscany

Tuscan Way, the leader in Tuscany cooking courses and wine tastings and friend of SDSol, is bringing Romeo Innocenti stateside for a unique cooking demonstration and a mouthwatering food and wine tasting experience.


Join him in the WNED studios on July 19th for this exciting event. Space is limited so please RSVP for WNED: A Taste of Tuscany right away!  


If you would prefer to connect with Romeo in Tuscany, Italy instead please book an Italian cooking vacation here. 

Ciao! 

SDSol Wishing You a Happy Early IPv6 Day!

SDSol Technologies is pleased to be participating in IPv6 Day tomorrow, June 8th. This is the test date for ISPs, hosts, and individual website owners to switch over to the new version 6 internet protocol. For more information visit the Internet Society website .

The average website user will be unaffected and the actual transition is a ways away.

SDSol Technologies is glad to participate as it gives us yet another leg up on the competition in our Miami server configuration and management work.

Stay tuned for an update tomorrow. 

How to fight back against Facebook if they block your business

Usually reserved for TPB URLS, Facebook is now throwing the "Content blocked" box up for links to our favorite Facebook banner site.  I have found they offer a free quality product and have never spammed me.

Leveraging the power of social networking they asking users and fans to help resolve the problem via a landing page with instructions on how to let Facebook know the blocking is an error and should be resolved.

Very clever use of Facebook to...remain popular on Facebook. Best of luck guys. 

Google I/O Announces Chromebooks...and New Business Model for Chromebooks

Day 2 of Google I/O is bringing some interesting news. Google took the opportunity to unveil their new Chromebooks  which are lightweight. browser-only computers. Currently models are being manufactured by Samsung and Acer, with a June 15th launch scheduled.

Google is pitching them as a saving grace for IT managers, claiming the cloud storage and browser-only functionality will do away with the long load times, viruses, malware, and endless updates and patches found on most platforms. The downside, of course, is that the Chromebooks do not run traditional PC software. Of course, companies like Citrix Systems are developing virtual PC solutions to overcome this. I'm interested to see how other web based software developers will take to the new platform.

Even more of a shocker to computer repair and IT support companies  is the business model Google is running with on these. They are using a subscription model that offers the Chromebook, use of the management console and Google Apps, and online storage for $28/user/month.

More interesting developments to follow from Google I/O. You can tune into the webcast at http://www.google.com/events/io/2011/index-live.html

ProStores update bug fix: The case of a broken product scroll.

Recently one of our clients, Rico Perez, which offers affordable supplements and vitamins sent over a ticket mentioning his product scroll was broken. A quick look confirmed, and we were off to the races to fix it. A quick look revealed a “minor” ProStores update had been executed, which disturbed the product scroll. Ah, the joys of hosted eCommerce solutions.

The site uses a custom prostores template which we developed that includes pages for both English and Spanish. While they had the same issues, -- no featured product and the product scroll stopped at “n.” The featured product item was fixed with a new line of coder, but the product scroll remained broken. There were minor differences, which led us to believe it was a paging issue.

One of our developers dug in, not finding any reason in the template or code why the scroll was broken. The suggested solution was to rebuild the scroll from scratch. Right before we began the 4-6 project I took a closer look at the admin panel and found a revised option in the ProStores admin – “Show 30 products on one page,” which was the maximum value. We went ahead and omitted the paging from the template and everything was fixed.

While it was a simple fix, we figured we should share because it is a sure thing someone else is stuck on this and we hate seeing 5 minute fixes turn into large projects.

Lessons learned here include:

• Before starting a new project or bug fix make sure to take one last high-level look.
• Custom work on hosted solutions can be at the mercy of unannounced updates – be careful out there.
• The solution is probably right in front of you J

Please use the comment section below for any additional ProStores info or questions or to share what lessons you have learned by experience.  

New Offerings from Google and ThinkGeek

Some interesting offerings from Google and ThinkGeek for you fools on this April 1st. 

Google launched a new product for April 1st, 2011.

Google Motion allows Gmail users to navigate their inbox simply by moving their body Microsoft Kinect style

Also from the overlords of the internet -- the usually private folks on Google's Search team detail what it is like being an auto-completer. 

ThinkGeek, not to be outdone, launched some products of their own. These include

The world famous Bonsai Kitty, previously only available in Japan.

An actual USB powered portal to the Netherworld.

and of course, Angry Birds Pork Rinds

Of course time to find April 1st offerings was limited because Woot's new play for the right to buy business model ate up some of the day.

Coral Gables Miami Tornado(?) March 10th, 2010

We at SDSol Technologies are programmers and computer specialists, not weather-people, so I will hold off on calling this a tornado, but circling air definitely just picked up the dumpster outside the office and threw it into a car.

Coral Gables Tornado?

Good to see all the UPS kick on and no data was lost when the power went out. :)



Miami web development 
Miami computer repair 

Browser and SERP updates from your friends at Microsoft

The folks at Minyanville have an interesting write up on Microsoft's movements in web and search.

"Just when Microsoft (MSFT) seems to have forever lost its status as the default choice for anything, it's poised to release a new version of its Internet browser and a new version of its search engine, and both look like compelling alternatives to Google's (GOOG) current offerings."

Interesting read, and I always value the financial analysts perspective on IT/web issues. 

What would Microsoft, or anyone else for that matter, need to do to get you to make the switch from Google?

Use SSL Wherever Possible

Learn from Ashton and use SSL wherever it is offered. You never know what sort of weirdos may be on your network listening in. This includes Twitter and Facebook folks!

Stay safe my friends.

Shallow Thoughts Tech Round-Up

I'm not really one for musing (they call if fall because the leaves fall from the trees...) but there are a few quick items worth mentioning:

• The Verizon iPhone is in store today. I am hearing the dedicated souls that stood in line ahead of time didn’t need to. Not selling well at all. Why? Also case makers are none too happy over the slight shift in the ‘silence’ button. 
• Next week Jeopardy! pits man vs. machine as IBM’s Watson squares off against humans Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Who wins? Can I tailgate for this?
• The iPad 2 is being manufactured. Will it replace my Samsung Galaxy Tab? Doubt it. 
• What does everyone think of the Gawker redesign? I guess since everyone copied their old they need something new.

Let me know.

Gonzalo Sanabria for Coral Gables City Commissioner Group 4

We at SDSol Technologies are proud to support Gonzalo Sanabria in the upcoming election for Coral Gables City Commissioner, Group 4.

There are about 1,000 reasons why Gonzalo is the man for the job, I'll post a detailed recommendation once I can narrow those down to the ten best reasons, but in the meantime see below for some useful links.

Gonzalo Sanabria for Coral Gables City Commissioner, Group 4.
Request an absentee ballot from the Miami-Dade Election Department.
City of Coral Gables Website 

Vote for Gonzalo on Tuesday, April 12^th 

Extended After-Market Warranties Youtube Video

Congrats to Protection Headquarters on their new YouTube video and thanks to our designer for a stellar job. Everything was done in house, happy with the results. Contact us if you need something similar.

Links!
View the extended after-market warranty video. 
Subscribe to their after-market warranty blog
Receive a free electronics or home warranty quote. 

Enjoy! 

Uncensored Google Searches

The online investment wizards at Minyanville have a very funny info-graphic up of

Seven Shocking Searches Google Doesn't Censor

Typical Facebook Debate

We got a kick out of the discussion below. Originally found on http://www.someecards.com, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs.

 

Which role do you play in social media discussions?

Unindexed Google Search Terms

I was having fun with alt keys earlier today and noticed that ☻☺☻ has no search results on Google. Let's see how quick they find this.

Happy Friday!

AT&T Developers Summit. Mobility at its Best

The 2011 AT&T Developer's Summit was a great experience for SDSol Technologies. We learned a ton about new happenings in the mobile space and are more excited than ever to grow out from our back-end programming  roots into front-end app development. Basically the themes of the day were new smart-phones, better software development kits for mobile platforms, and more connectivity for traditionally off-line devices.

4G – Still some debate as what truly qualifies as 4G. From the perspective here it seems as if both HSPA+ and LTE are 4G networks. The first half of 2011 will see AT&T finish up their HSPA+ deployment, moving onto LTE in the second half. I am still under the opinion that no carrier’s US network is truly 4G at this point in time. My qualifier for 4G is the ability to ditch my Comcast internet at home and play Xbox Live via my cell-phone connection, without violating the data usage agreement.

Motorola Atrix 4G – this thing is awesome. It speaks to a belief that I have had for awhile – you only really need one “computer” if it can play nice with accessories. Add on a “laptop dock” or keyboard and monitor and you have a workstation, unplug them and you have a phone. Very cool, and it has more RAM than some computers out there.

HTC Inspire 4G – another impressive phone. While the Atrix gets its cool points via the laptop dock, this one wins by ringing louder when it is in your pocket or purse. HTC Sense adds a lot of functionality.
Samsung Infuse 4G – rounds out the pack of sponsor phones for the introductory presentation. Thin, fast, and a very nice screen.  I am still mad at Samsung at this point because my Fascinate runs Android 2.1, while I am seeing 2.3 being deployed. They absolved themselves (and then some) later in the day.

The U-Verse app is very cool. In the demo, offered by AT&T’s Peter Hill, we are watching a sale on HSN on a TV, as the product is automatically displayed on his iPad. Essentially what happens is content on “the other” device is tailored to what you are doing on the primary device. This will be killer for sports fans. Imagine if every time I see Ron Artest on TV my computer will automatically go to YouTube and display “Malice at the Palace” replays. Works with DVR.

A lot of talk about how much HTML 5 can do on phones; we like this (along with WAC), because our developers won’t have to learn a dozen new languages. AT&T is launching their own SDK complete with carrier billing. Take a peek at www.developer.att.com/html5. AT&T Connection Kit for Device Developers is another cool one. We look forward to jumping in.

Lunch had some cool sponsor booths and free stuff. While there were plenty of shiny toys to play with, the biggest standout would be Sierra Wireless. They are doing some interesting work in the wireless mobile computing space. In addition to their Shockwave HSPA+ USB device for computers, look for them to do great work in connecting traditionally “dumb” devices such as home appliances into wireless networks.
During lunch Samsung redeemed themselves for their slow OS releases when I won a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. This thing is awesome.

Stuff We All Get

Apple & Google were both noticeably absent. Where were you guys? I would have imagined a presence since they have perhaps the most to gain with AT&T’s mobile future.

BrewMP is aggressively taking over the “dumb phone” space as the leading, developer friendly platform. I think they will. 

W.A.C. is anything but. The Wholesale Application Community offers mobile developers a one-stop deployment option. We will be able to submit applications to them, with the hopes their might will force manufacturers to all follow the same standards. I believe they will even handle billing, payments, and placements in app stores.

BlackBerry, as always, had some great business offerings. I didn’t get your card but thanks to the BlackBerry development team for the Torches. They are in good hands and we are tinkering already. Our business clients looking for more productivity out of their employees thank you in advance.

As the day progressed we ended up at the closing party at Rain Nightclub. Food was A+, Barenaked Ladies had a nice performance, and there was an amaaaazing whiskey tasting. Cheers to the Alcatel Lucent folks we met! I haven’t thought up a business offering for you guys (yet), but it was great to connect nonetheless. As the night wore on we got a kick out of seeing the mobile community loosen up their ties and shake their moneymakers.

Overall a very motivational experience for the company. 

Our to do list:

• Develop and release a kick-ass app using the WAC standards.
• Develop a productivity enhancer for BlackBerry
• Learn and love BrewMP

Off to C.E.S. now.

Looking for Miami mobile and telecom developers? Contact SDSol Technologies.

Las Vegas for CES and AT&T Dev Summit

Last week saw both me and Azam attending the AT&T Developers Summit as well as the Consumer Electronics Show (C.E.S.). Both events were very interesting for different reasons, and we returned more excited than ever about our work in the mobile space. Follow the blog for updates on each. 

What happens in Vegas...gets posted to blogs

Youtube and Google Single Sign On Mandatory Now

Last night I was planning on a bit of YouTube time. Generally, after work I like to log-on and catch up on the latest real-life hip-hop soap operas and get baited into arguing with a racist twelve year old or two. Along with "Will it Blend" and "David After Dentist" these are the central components of YouTube. As you can guess, much of my YouTube commenting is better suited to unique YouTube handles rather than my Gmail, which follows the adult first.middle.last@gmail.com set-up. Having my "real" email address associated with these comments in any way would we a horrible idea.

After months of ignoring the "Would you like to link your accounts?" message I finally received this screen:

Accountability for my comments? I don't think so Google!

Yikes. I guess my free-wheeling YouTube commenting days are over. I could raise popular buzz-words like "net neutrality" "freedom of speech" and the like. Alternatively, I can just behave on YouTube.

Miami Social Media Consultants