iPadCTO Whitepaper – “Apps – The Second Wave of IT Consumerization”

I just finished reading a new whitepaper published by Bill French, at iPadCTO.com and found it full of some pretty insightful information.

To just highlight a few areas I found particularly interesting:

• A survey conducted by IDC-Unisys in June 2010 contains excellent statistics regarding the overall trend of consumer uses of technology moving into the enterprise. I think everyone is aware of this trend which is underway, but facts around it really cause you to pause and try to think about what this means. And Bill provides a link directly the report within his whitepaper – very helpful! So if you review the whitepaper on your iPad, the IDC survey is one tap away. Personally, this interactive capability has absolutely changed the way I prepare documents/presentations AND changed my expectations of what I want in documents I receive.
  
• "Enterprise App Chaos, A Simple Scenario" – It is fairly obvious that if an organization provides iPads to its executives, sales people, etc., there is a substantial "ramp up" process. In this section of his whitepaper, Bill provides an excellent example where he attempts to quantify the time and effort the iPad conversion will take. It is a reasonable scenario and a little eye-opening to say the least!
  
• Under the section "Guideposts for Enterprise Resource App Planning", Bill provides a useful framework for identifying mobile apps for work activities around six key task areas. While each person may view the groups slightly differently, it is a great starting point for anyone (or business) venturing into the iPad or mobile app environment.
  

Definitely worth a read – enjoy!

A dozen benefits of Dropbox file storage

This is a nice summary of the significant benefits of Dropbox.

A dozen benefits of Dropbox file storage – and some caveats « NspireD2: Learning Technology in Higher Ed.

Driving Log on the iPad (with Google Docs)

My son recently got his temporary driving permit, which started us down the road of accumulating driving hours. Since our family uses iPhones, iPads and Droids, we all have easy access to posting data online.

Thus, we used Google Docs to set up a driving log for him to track his time behind the wheel. Although it may not be necessary, it has become his responsibility to record all time he spends driving (which he does through a Google Doc Form through his Android phone). My wife and I can add comments, etc. as necessary for each other to see.

Although this isn't iPad specific, the seamless integration of Google Docs with the iPad makes this a very simple solution to something that every family with a new driver must address in some fashion. And we are happy it teaches my son to be responsible (just a little bit..)

The input form screenshot:

The Google Doc spreadsheet, which shows all of the input is here:

Granted, this is a small thing, but the ease of use and flexibility of the iPad made this very simple to do.

Here is a link to a generic driving log that I posted to the Google Docs Gallery that is available to anyone.  You can easily obtain the spreadsheet and customize the form to your own preferences.

New Content Sharing Tool - Yokto.tv

I recently learned of a service offered by Yotko.com that lets you collect and embed video from multiple sources and embed them all in a single player on your website (or in this case, a blog post).  I am giving it my first attempt here, where I have embedded several videos and slideshare presentations that address three of my favorite iPad applications - GoodReader, Dropbox and Box.net.  GoodReader is a content management app for the iPad; Dropbox and Box.net are file synchronization services that not only have standalone apps for the iPad, but synchronize seamlessly with the Goodreader (and many other document managers).


See the video compilation below:



I intend to update the video compilation as I become aware of more interesting stuff...

Thornhill is Sponsoring iPad Webinars

In the near future, Thornhill Financial will be offering webinars regarding the iPad.

These webinars will consist of "how-to" training, as well as providing insight we have gained from working with clients on integrating the tablet into their business processes (presenting different scenarios that may be relevant to your use). We believe these webinars will serve as a great "springboard" into either starting with the iPad, or taking it further if you are already a user.

We will only notify individuals who have specifically signed up to be notified of future events. Please click here to sign up for notification. Also, feel free to pass along to anyone else you know that may be interested.

If there are any questions or comments, please contact me. Thanks!