Cisco buys Jasper Tech for $1.4 billion, because Jasper's IoT cards are inside GM cars, vending machines and car charging stations.
The number of IoT developers is growing exponentially - "According to VisionMobile's new IoT Megatrends 2016 report, 4.5 million developers are working on IoT applications." According to TechRepublic, these developers are buying into revenue, not hype. Well, I would beg to differ as noted by the shift away from Wearables. I think even programmers follow the hype, then when the money isn't there move on. To me some of this feels like PowerBall lottery: play now, gamble some money (time and sweat) for a chance to be a millionaire.
The Lottery Economy is best explained by NYU Professor Scott Galloway in this very good 16 minute video.
Conferencing
Robert Scoble demos Speakeasy conferencing. It is an 18 minute demo, which is way too long. Well thought out features from a user perspective. Only iOS mobile app, but for folks like my brother who have replaced their laptop with a phablet, it will be great. Craig Walker and UberConf have some competition.
I shared this with my clients: West's study on How Companies are Using Collaboration Solutions - An Infographic Examining the Status of Unified Communications in the Workplace.
For channel partners, I will mention this again: there IS $$ in conferencing. PGi was acquired by private equity firm, Sirus Capital, for $1 Billion! PGi is a pure play conferencing company.
VoIP Phones
I don't know if it is the competition from other phone manufacturers - like Yealink, Grandstream, Mitel/Aastra, Sangoma, OBIhai, Panasonic and others - or if it is the fact that many desk phones are being replaced with headsets (winners here are Jabra, Sennheiser and Plantronics), but Polycom revenue is in decline.
Channel Management
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]]>Over-scheduling is a common problem. A client this morning asked me what she could take off her to-do list. That is a GREAT question! What can you get rid? What can you outsource? What can you stop doing? (I need to give some credit to Keith Rosen for this idea.)
I used to be an active organizer of the Tampa Bay tech community. I quit it all over 2 years ago (after an 8 year run). It was scary and refreshing at the same time. I was recently asked to help out with Startup Week -- and realized that I was not going to be able to be impactful. By impactful I mean: given my available time and participation, I wouldn't provide enough to make an impact and the group wouldn't get enough of me to be effective. I bowed out. It was not easy to say No. In fact, I struggle with it. As a consultant, I have to learn to say No to giving free consulting. You do too.
Seth Godin wrote a 92 page book on quitting called The Dip. A good read.
We live in a very cluttered, always on time. Either you manage your time - or it manages you to a result that you will not like.
All the success stories have one thing in common: time management.
Tom Peters says, "Show me your schedule and I will show you your priorities." He's right.
All the talk of habits is really about structure. Schedules are just putting structure around your day. And those appointments don't have to 30 minutes or even specific. It could be 3 hours for reading. Time for the gym. Time to leave the office. A 15 minute reminder to get up, stretch and drink a glass of water.
New year. Good time to get that schedule (calendar) off to a good start. See you at ITEXPO later this month. (And get on my calendar for coffee!)
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