Archive for the 'IT' Category

It May Be (Kind of) Ugly, But It’s What People Want

Published by Ben Kepes on October 14, 2008 in Business, Design, Efficiency, IT, SaaS and Society. 3 Comments

Well not ugly - just not full of Web 2.0 rounded corners et al. I’m talking about Zoho mail, after the announcement the other day that it’s gone offline with Google gears.

I’m an outlier I guess - I use Gmail pretty much exclusively, gave up on the traditional look of email clients (Outlook/Thunderbird et al) years ago and have a natural affinity for the Gmail conversation view and Web 2.0-ness.

That said… I’m also a realist. The fact is that in the real world (which means either business or Ma and Pa ‘pooter users) the feel of the traditional client is what people are used to and understand.

Over a pint of Three Boys Wheat Beer enjoyed immensely at the Twisted Hop in Christchurch the other day, Mike and I discussed just how long change will take to come. Admittedly we weren’t talking about email per se, but more about the general "cloudiness" and what users in the real world would actually do.

All of this was in my thoughts when I got home to read an advance email advising of the release of Zoho mail with offline support. The release itself has been well covered so I’ll not add to that - what does interest me however is the fact that Zoho mail looks kind of "traditional" while Gmail marches to another, more modern (dare I say 2.0?) beat. The offline thing is a given and huge ups to Zoho for beating Google at their own game, using Google’s own tools and having Google even break the news for them!

Mike and I talked about the real world use case - you know the one where non tech-heads want to use something that feels traditional and known. It’s hard not to agree that Zoho fulfills this requirement, it’s a similar situation to the previous discussions about iPayroll - the real world users (ie those who know not about Twitter and who can’t imagine the pain we feel being disconnected for extended periods (go on  - admit it)) want something that they can understand that mould with their workflow and that doesn’t require any sort of cognitive leap. As Zoli said over on his post;

I had to realize that I am NOT the mainstream Zoho customer….   And if it wasn’t clear before, the current crisis brought home the message loud and clear: only businesses with real revenues survive.  Which probably means that for all my yelling and screaming, Zoho is quite right coming out with an email system that meets the needs of businesses who actually pay for it.  After all, this is what enables them to offer all the other apps I like for free.

So yeah - real customers like their products to feel the way they’ve always felt - the challenge for SaaS vendors is to move the traditional look and feel onto a web delivered platform (and to be ready for that mass market paradigm shift if, and when, it comes).

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Wellington to the World

Published by Ben Kepes on October 13, 2008 in Economic Development, IT, New Zealand, New business and Strategy. 3 Comments

Just advance warning that November 7th sees the inaugural Wellington to the World showcase event. Organised by the brilliant people at Unlimited Potential W2W aims to showcase ICT start ups from the greater Wellington area.

W2W is a DEMO style event that gives start ups six minutes to pitch their ideas to their peers, potential funders, customers and the world.

It’s going to be videocast to a global audience, there’s a bunch of smart people from the University going to be there, it’s supported by both NZTE and KEA and better still - there’ll probably be good Beer and Pizza.

Although I live in the South island now - I spent my first twenty something years in Wellington and am always happy to get behind people making a difference up there in Welling-town!

More information from the Unlimted Potential website.

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Diversity Competition - Experience Life at the Edge

Published by Ben Kepes on October 10, 2008 in Business, Business and the Environment, Efficiency, IT, SaaS and The Cloud. 81 Comments

Over on Geekzone Mauricio wants to send someone into space. Here on Diversity we’re not up to that level (yet) but we do want to send someone to the bleeding edge.

I’m a firm believer in the Net PC concept - the idea that a low power machine, leveraging web applications and storage, is a useful tool - lightweight in terms of ecological footprint and lightweight in terms of cost.

I’m excited to introduce TechNovus, a company out of Australia that is launching their hybrid Cloud Computer to the Australasian market. As part of their launch, and in recognition of the fact that Diversity is a Cloud Computing evangelist, TechNovus and us are joining together to run a competition. One lucky winner will receive - gratis - a Nova Navigator ‘hybrid’ cloud computer along with a 6 month subscription to TechNovus’ cloud based applications.

The subscription gives users Cloud based updates, protection, storage and applications - after the trial period the subscription will run to around $20/month - not much for a managed, secure and accessible environment!

The Nova Navigator is a smart, low energy, low cost and completely managed computing solution. It provides customers with a choice of apps from Windows, Linux or Mac with Peace of Mind Computing.

The specifications of their device are as follows;

Processor: 1.6Ghz Intel Atom
Size: 12in X 10in X 2.5in
Multi OS: Windows, Linux, & Mac Apps
Local Apps: Firefox, Skype, Mediaplayer, Multi network IM, Notepad, Image Viewer
Cloud Apps: Open Office, MS Office*, Others coming soon
Storage: 50 GB online storage, use from anywhere through a browser
Devices Supported: USB I/O Devices (Keyboard, Mouse, Mass Storage Devices like USB Drives, External HDD, Printers)
Audio: In - Microphone, Out - Speaker
Networks: Ethernet, USB Wifi Dongle Supported
Technical Support (Phone & Email): Free 
Peace of Mind: Yes (No Virus, No Spyware and No Software Installations)
Energy Consumption: Maximum of 22W
Req. Bandwidth: Works with 512Kbps connection, 1 Mbps recommended

So how do you enter? Simple really - write a comment on the bottom of this post and you’re in with a chance. We’ll draw a name using a top-secret random number generator (some pieces of paper and a hat) and TechNovus will ship the device directly to the winner.

Entry is only available for our Oceania readers (but that’s only fair - normally we get cut out of US competitions) and the winner will be drawn on the day of the official launch of the Nova Navigator - October 27th.

So there you go - comment below and be in with a chance!

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