The news as of the first coffee this morning, and the music is Neil Young's re.ac.tor. A rather uninspired hard rock workout released during his rather uninspired "Hey, let's steal David Geffen's money!" phase, with a lot of what sound like dummy lyrics, but a bracing shot of noise when you need to wake up:
As soon as you heard Apple was updating its iPhone software you knew what was coming next -- and sure enough: Salesforce.com officials say the Salesforce CRM Mobile application has been updated to "take full advantage of the new iPhone 3.0 OS software," giving customers features including the ability to cut, paste and copy, clone records, create custom filters and manage tasks using a new calendar interface."
Users can cut, copy, and paste text from e-mails and text messages directly into Salesforce CRM. They can use the, ah, "thumb-saving clone button" to create identical records and save a bunch of typing. If that's a good thing. No, First Coffee does not have an iPhone, Mrs. First Coffee correctly identifies his pleas to get one as "just technolust, buddy."
As soon as you heard Apple was updating its iPhone software you knew what was coming next -- and sure enough: Salesforce.com officials say the Salesforce CRM Mobile application has been updated to "take full advantage of the new iPhone 3.0 OS software," giving customers features including the ability to cut, paste and copy, clone records, create custom filters and manage tasks using a new calendar interface."
Users can cut, copy, and paste text from e-mails and text messages directly into Salesforce CRM. They can use the, ah, "thumb-saving clone button" to create identical records and save a bunch of typing. If that's a good thing. No, First Coffee does not have an iPhone, Mrs. First Coffee correctly identifies his pleas to get one as "just technolust, buddy."
The upgrade lets users manage events with a new date-indexed view and a calendar-like interface, find information with custom filters on any list of data and convert a lead "as soon as the user hangs up the phone. The iPhone now offers lead conversion on a single form."
Evidently you can also create custom mobile links on any object in Salesforce CRM, linking directly from an account to a Yahoo! news site with news about a company, or link to a custom Visualforce page to show all related contacts and their images.
Salesforce.com officials say their mobile application is approaching 100,000 downloads, and is on pace to cross this threshold in July. Salesforce CRM Mobile is available free from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod touch. It's included with Salesforce Unlimited Edition and available to Enterprise and Professional Edition customers.
...
Metastorm, a Business Process Management and Enterprise Architecture software vendor, has announced the release of a software product called Metastorm ProVision Connect for SAP.
Company officials say it's designed to be "an interface between the Metastorm ProVision enterprise architecture and business process analysis suite and SAP Solution Manager," adding that it's designed to "accelerate the design and deployment of solutions running on SAP and help customers gain a broader picture on how their SAP processes are interlinked to other assets in the organization."
It lets users link Metastorm's software with SAP's Solution Manager for two-way exchange of models and associated information. Basically it's being pitched as a way for customers of both Metastorm and SAP to extend visibility, speed process design and enhance governance.
It gives users a way to model SAP with a modeling tool and, if desired, within the broader context of the business strategy, business architecture and technology architecture. Metastorm officials say it helps users "understand the broader relationships, and impact, of SAP components to people, broader processes and other systems so that solutions can be implemented with lower risk." You might want it if you need to implement SAP and need help complying with any legal and regulatory requirements.
With the economy in a downturn and companies tightening IT budgets and scrutinizing every project, "our ability to accelerate the deployment of SAP, minimize rework, and maximize business results is more critical than ever before," says Jens Steuer, Solution Practice Principal at Hewlett-Packard GmbH.
Metastorm, a Business Process Management and Enterprise Architecture software vendor, has announced the release of a software product called Metastorm ProVision Connect for SAP.
Company officials say it's designed to be "an interface between the Metastorm ProVision enterprise architecture and business process analysis suite and SAP Solution Manager," adding that it's designed to "accelerate the design and deployment of solutions running on SAP and help customers gain a broader picture on how their SAP processes are interlinked to other assets in the organization."
It lets users link Metastorm's software with SAP's Solution Manager for two-way exchange of models and associated information. Basically it's being pitched as a way for customers of both Metastorm and SAP to extend visibility, speed process design and enhance governance.
It gives users a way to model SAP with a modeling tool and, if desired, within the broader context of the business strategy, business architecture and technology architecture. Metastorm officials say it helps users "understand the broader relationships, and impact, of SAP components to people, broader processes and other systems so that solutions can be implemented with lower risk." You might want it if you need to implement SAP and need help complying with any legal and regulatory requirements.
With the economy in a downturn and companies tightening IT budgets and scrutinizing every project, "our ability to accelerate the deployment of SAP, minimize rework, and maximize business results is more critical than ever before," says Jens Steuer, Solution Practice Principal at Hewlett-Packard GmbH.
...
Never let it be said that First Coffee doesn't go the extra mile to bring you news that might be of serious impact to your life. Yes, we're speaking to you San Franciscans who don't realize how much you're overpaying for parking.
According to Urban Mapping and its Urbanware Parking database, prices for off-street parking in the same general area of the city can vary greatly from one lot to another. For example, the city's most expensive lot for a weekday morning costs $17.75 for the first hour -- that's the one you're using. A lot one block away costs $7.50 for the same hour, and another option six blocks away is only $2. That's the one your ex-wife's using and not telling you about.
Further evidence is the large disparity between prices for all-day parking, according to Urban Mapping officials: "To park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a weekday, the priciest lot costs $54. A lot 200 feet away charges less than half that amount, $25 for the day, and a spot five blocks away costs $11 a day."
Ian White, CEO of San Francisco-based Urban Mapping, hits the nail on the head: "Technology is supposed to improve our lives, yet something as rudimentary as where to park has largely been overlooked." That'll preach. Products "to help get us from Point A to Point B are becoming mainstream, and some do provide basic parking data, but many of the important attributes of a lot are overlooked. How do the rates change depending on the day of the week or time of day?" he asks. Does the lot accept credit cards or just cash? Does it validate? Where do you actually enter and exit?
Further evidence is the large disparity between prices for all-day parking, according to Urban Mapping officials: "To park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a weekday, the priciest lot costs $54. A lot 200 feet away charges less than half that amount, $25 for the day, and a spot five blocks away costs $11 a day."
Ian White, CEO of San Francisco-based Urban Mapping, hits the nail on the head: "Technology is supposed to improve our lives, yet something as rudimentary as where to park has largely been overlooked." That'll preach. Products "to help get us from Point A to Point B are becoming mainstream, and some do provide basic parking data, but many of the important attributes of a lot are overlooked. How do the rates change depending on the day of the week or time of day?" he asks. Does the lot accept credit cards or just cash? Does it validate? Where do you actually enter and exit?
"We've put people on the streets to collect all this data, not just for San Francisco, but for the top 50 metropolitan areas across the country," White says.
Other highlights from the San Francisco data include:
What's that? Oh okay. The city's most expensive hour of parking on a weekday morning ($17.75) can be found in the Nob Hill area, specifically the 1000 block of California Street. But don't feel too bad -- parking during the same time in New York City can cost up to $34.63 per hour. The priciest lot for all day parking during the week ($54) is near the Ferry Building on 100 block of Spear Street. Equivalent parking options in New York go as high as $73.50, so again, count your blessings.
Other highlights from the San Francisco data include:
What's that? Oh okay. The city's most expensive hour of parking on a weekday morning ($17.75) can be found in the Nob Hill area, specifically the 1000 block of California Street. But don't feel too bad -- parking during the same time in New York City can cost up to $34.63 per hour. The priciest lot for all day parking during the week ($54) is near the Ferry Building on 100 block of Spear Street. Equivalent parking options in New York go as high as $73.50, so again, count your blessings.
Parking from noon to 2 p.m. at the Westin St.-Francis on Union Square costs $18; for the same times, the lot under Union Square goes for five bucks. And two hours of parking near the Transamerica Pyramid on a weekday costs $24 at the priciest lot, one block away it's only $4.50.
And here in Mangawhai, New Zealand? Wave at the clerk in the Foursquare grocery store and you can park free in their lot all day, as long as you pull around back.
...
For the second consecutive year conferencing and collaboration services provider InterCall has been named Frost & Sullivan's 2009 Conferencing and Collaboration Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific.
...
For the second consecutive year conferencing and collaboration services provider InterCall has been named Frost & Sullivan's 2009 Conferencing and Collaboration Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific.
Frost & Sullivan officials say the award "recognizes InterCall's commitment to expand and enhance service to its regional customers during 2008."
InterCall offers "an excellent value proposition to small and large businesses alike," says Pranabesh Nath, industry analyst, Frost & Sullivan, adding that the company has also "taken a lead" in integrating shared work spaces and enterprise social networking to its existing unified audio and Web conferencing services.
During 2008, InterCall expanded conferencing options for customers in the Asia Pacific region with the introduction of InterCall Unified Meeting, and increased partnerships with companies such as IBM, ON24 and Huddle. The company also invested in international conference calling with the introduction of Global Network Access, which provides a link for international conferences through a distributed conferencing option.
Hain MacKay-Cruise, managing director, InterCall Asia Pacific, said his company was pleased to receive the award. It was conferred at the 2009 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT Awards, described as recognizing companies in the information and communications technology industry "that have risen above the competition and demonstrated outstanding performance across the Asia Pacific region." Criteria include revenue and revenue growth, portfolio diversity, major wins and key achievements in financial year 2008, according to Frost & Sullivan officials.
InterCall offers "an excellent value proposition to small and large businesses alike," says Pranabesh Nath, industry analyst, Frost & Sullivan, adding that the company has also "taken a lead" in integrating shared work spaces and enterprise social networking to its existing unified audio and Web conferencing services.
During 2008, InterCall expanded conferencing options for customers in the Asia Pacific region with the introduction of InterCall Unified Meeting, and increased partnerships with companies such as IBM, ON24 and Huddle. The company also invested in international conference calling with the introduction of Global Network Access, which provides a link for international conferences through a distributed conferencing option.
Hain MacKay-Cruise, managing director, InterCall Asia Pacific, said his company was pleased to receive the award. It was conferred at the 2009 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT Awards, described as recognizing companies in the information and communications technology industry "that have risen above the competition and demonstrated outstanding performance across the Asia Pacific region." Criteria include revenue and revenue growth, portfolio diversity, major wins and key achievements in financial year 2008, according to Frost & Sullivan officials.
...
It's not all bad news out there, friends, the Global IPTV market is up to nearly 24 million with 9.77 percent quarterly growth and "strong activity" across North America, according to the Broadband Forum.
It's not all bad news out there, friends, the Global IPTV market is up to nearly 24 million with 9.77 percent quarterly growth and "strong activity" across North America, according to the Broadband Forum.
The Forum has announced the latest broadband and IPTV statistics, which show what they consider to be "impressive growth in the face of the global economic downturn." Its report, prepared for the Forum by industry analysts Point Topic, shows that broadband "grew by 16.6 million lines globally in the last quarter alone, with more than three million being added across North America - while IPTV continues to expand strongly."
Broadband lines in the world now top 429.2 million and the last quarter shows growth slightly higher than the previous three month period. Twenty countries grew by 10 percent or more in that time. The biggest growth in the top 20 came from India at 13.4 percent, while the other large gainers were Ukraine (15.2 percent), Egypt (10.6 percent) and Mexico (10.3 percent).
Broadband lines in the world now top 429.2 million and the last quarter shows growth slightly higher than the previous three month period. Twenty countries grew by 10 percent or more in that time. The biggest growth in the top 20 came from India at 13.4 percent, while the other large gainers were Ukraine (15.2 percent), Egypt (10.6 percent) and Mexico (10.3 percent).
North America was again "a major factor in the continued IPTV success story," Forum officials say, pointing to the region's growth of more than 15 percent over the last quarter and "a huge" 94.2 percent year-on-year improvement: "There are now nearly 4.5 million lines of IPTV across North America."
In terms of technology, DSL continues to be the most popular broadband access technology, Forum officials found, "although fiber grew by more than three million lines to reflect a 12.4 percent share of the market, while wireless showed a healthy proportionate increase of over one million lines to a total of 5.58 million."
The Broadband Forum's mission is "to develop the full potential of broadband," its officials say. The organization has around 200 members of service providers, equipment manufacturers, chip vendors and other organizations.
Leave a comment