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Thoughts and things I care to shareNew Years Resolutions
For me, the new year has become meaningless; other than a convenient marker on the calendar, it’s simply another day. Nothing changes today from yesterday, this week from last week. Even the celebration of a “new year” loses any significance. Maybe I’m getting old. 😉
What does gain my interest in place of this, is the significance of thought. The posts where people talk about what’s important to them and what influences them. Reading about what they’ve learned in the past and how to leverage that in the future holds my attention.
For the most part, new years resolutions are simply dreams that we feel guilty about neglecting. They’re important to us, but we never set goals or milestones, and plans on how to achieve them. So the ongoing learning of life-lessons is of more interest to me than coming up with resolutions that are abandoned as quickly as I click the “publish” button.
There are some great people I’ve read, met, and worked with in the recent past that I am grateful to have found. I’m looking forward to meeting more, reading more, learning from more, and working with more in the near future.
Blogging; it’s a constantly evolving environment that constantly brings fresh voices to the forefront and allows others to listen, learn, and contribute as they please.
Photo credit: Photo Gallery
T-Mobile 3G: When?
You know, I’m a fairly patient guy. However, I’m just about at my wit’s end with the constant delays in T-Mobile rolling out 3G data services. I use mobile data services, and really need to have a faster connection than the ~150kbps that my current T-Mobile EDGE service allows.
Sure, I’ve got the plan that includes all their WiFi Hostspots, which is nice, but trying to use EDGE when in motion gets a bit old. Quickly. The only “nice” thing I can say about it right now is that it’s reasonably “cheap” compared to the pricing all-you-can-eat data plans from AT&T and Verizon (sorry – Sprint doesn’t count in my book).
The shitty thing is that I like the phone service and the company. Customer service has been great. Coverage for me in my area has been great. Coverage for me when traveling has been great. Other customers may have had a different experience, but overall, I’ve been very satisfied with T-Mobile – even with EDGE.
However, now that it’s 2008, and knowing that the spectrum they licensed in 2005 has yet to be opened to their customers in two years, I’m growing tired. Yet, it’s not all T-Mobile’s fault. The biggest problem for T-Mobile and their customers is that the spectrum they licensed is still in use by government agencies in many cases. And there may be up to 4 years in some cases before that spectrum is vacated by these agencies. They’ve been slow to roll out 3G, sure, mainly because they know that value and service is what’s going to win them customers. If they could’ve been the first horse out of the gate 3-4 years ago with 3G, they could’ve been the speed/tech leader. But, instead, they’ve become the value leader. Yeah, that “you get what you pay for” phrase does come to mind.
So, what should I do? Wait for the 3G service to launch, or skip on over to AT&T or Verizon and pay at least double for the unlimited data I have today? The other part is nearly all of my family, and a number of friends, are on T-Mobile making efficient use of my unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes and allows me to have a lower-minute (lower cost) plan.
Frustrated.
2008 – My Predictions
Well, It’s time I talked about what I think is going to be growing trends in 2008. I’ve been amazed at the trends in 2007, with the rise of micro-blogging, Facebook, and other social-networking and social-media tools. Seeing the interest, functionality and participation in these tools, to me, fosters ideas of how they can be leveraged in the enterprise. It’s been a great ride, and I believe a lot of this will continue into 2008.
So here is what I think will be some of the trends and events in 2008.
- Social Network tools & platforms make inroads into the enterprise.
- Public micro-blogging tools continue their growth.
- The original “New Media” disrupter, the blog, re-emerges as the focal point of many individual and businesses.
- Personal Branding gains more mainstream understanding and acceptance
- Video becomes more prevalent as a social media tool for posting, sharing, micro-blogging, and more
- More, simple, social media tools (SocNets) become available for business or professional networking
- Microsoft and Apple continue to look more alike in their successes and failures.
- The use of “bite size” media becomes an easy to use building block for the average person
Well, that’s it for now – not a big list, and probably not many revelations there. It’s probably more indicative of what I’m looking for and focusing on for the next few months anyway. Cheers!
links for 2007-12-30
- While this post at Lifehacker is almost a year old, it still answers questions many may have on how better to use Google Reader. Read away…
- I started using Zoho Notebook about a month ago, and really am impressed with how well it compares to Microsoft OneNote and Google Notebook. Check it out.
links for 2007-12-29
- Steve Rubel shares his secrets in leveraging the power in Google Reader. Good stuff.
links for 2007-12-28
- I don’t mind their predictions on innovation, but I’m getting mighty tired of the effing use of “green” to spin everything. A good read though.
links for 2007-12-27
- Jeff Pulver provides some great examples and reasons how policies governing the Internet should be adopted by nations looking to leverage it for their economic growth.
Contemplating the mobile worker
Up here in Minnesota, we quite often get some good winter storms. Because of these, travel can become quite difficult. Not just because of the snow & slush that accumulates on the roadways, but because of the population growth of the Twin Cities as well.
I’ve long driven in from the fringe suburbs, or more rural areas to work in the "cities" (as we call the combination of Minneapolis & St. Paul). This is the first year that I’ve gotten truly frustrated with the traffic experience tough. So lately I’ve been working from home, or even more enjoyable, from conveniently located coffee shops in many locations.
The ability to work from these remote locations constantly amazes me – even though I work in technology, specifically in regards to making these options available to the general worker. The flexibility afforded the worker that has no real ties to a physical location is what makes it a powerful tool for them when the occasion warrants.
The real "trick" for remote access solutions to work for a business is for the business to really believe that their people can work outside the office. This can be very hard for many businesses with a "traditional" point of view on working. Many believe that if they can see their people at their desks "working" then that person is probably wasting time, or otherwise being unproductive.
While this can be true, its the flexibility and freedom that helps motivate and empower the individual worker that makes working remotely a benefit to an organization rather than a risk. When managers and supervisors believe in their team members, and allow them to structure their own day according to their natural work rhythms real productivity will become quite obvious.
So here I sit at a global coffee chain writing about working remotely – using the tools and technology that makes it possible. Once again, just amazed, and enjoying it.
links for 2007-12-25
- Will the Apple crowd bitch as much as the Windows crowd about the similar technology? Only time will tell.
Whatever happened to Christmas lights?
We went out to look at Christmas lights the other night, taking a nice slow wondering journey through town. The only problem was, there were hardly any houses decorated it seems. Whether it was just the wrong night, or whatever, I’m just a little disappointed that so few people get into the holiday spirit any longer.
I can only guess at the reasons that people aren’t celebrating the holidays much any more. Oh well.
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
I think it’s safe to say that @GovEvers should stop blocking audits in Wisconsin and open the books…
“Only AMERICAN citizens should vote.”
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
Wrong. Democrats are solely responsible for hours-long airport lines.
They voted to defund TSA three times and won’t even entertain a conversation about reopening it. Why?
They’re using it as leverage to stop enforcing immigration laws.