technology

The latest technology revolution isn’t just under way, it’s about to get bigger.

Hot on the heels of the “consumerization” of IT is a new uprising, one poised to forever change how we use technology at work. Known as “Bring Your Own Device,” or BYOD, it promises to provide the workforce with increased flexibility and mobility while possibly lowering costs for IT departments.

The consumerization-of-IT revolution took place after technology devices marketed for personal use—most notably, smartphones and tablets—began being released and adopted faster than corporate IT groups could test, deploy and support them. People bought these devices in droves and brought them—iPhone and Android, iPad and Kindle Fire—to the office. Read more

Looking at my iPhone and iPad today I realized there had been a changing of the guard. The apps I traditionally assumed I was using have kind of fallen by the way side and a new breed has taken their place. Change is normal and the tools we use do go in and out of favor every now and then but I thought it would be nice to mark the moment with a little blog post.

Here are my top three right now. Read more

We got one!

This post is by Fonnie Hassing, Voice of Reason at The Feisty Empire.

Paul wasn’t at all sure about getting an iPad, but I was.

So we bought one, just before our holiday – during which time we had plenty of time to check it out.

Here are my ten favourite things about it:

1.  The iPad is extremely useful for research when away on holiday (e.g. checking weather, planning dog walks at low tide, finding fish and chip shops and following maps). Read more

I was recently at a family BBQ enjoying a beer and a sausage in bread when I was asked the following: ‘Hey mate, you work in computers(sic), what’s all this Cloud computing stuff about?’

Now, being the families resident ‘computer nerd’, I’m often asked computer related questions (either that or cartoon related questions). Usually the questions are along the lines of ‘should I buy a Mac’ or ‘why isn’t my email working’. Most can be fairly easily answered with a paint-by-numbers answer, but this one required a bit more effort. Effort that by the end of the conversation – which only ended because if we didn’t stop talking, all of my auntie’s awesome trifle would’ve been eaten without me getting any – still could’ve been delved into a lot more.

This ‘Cloud computing stuff’ question became a 45-minute discussion about a bunch of seemingly unlinked topics – business, computers, iPhones and iPads, MYOB, the Patriot Act, Russians; the list went on and on. Read more

Does one need an iPad?

It’s 3.00 am.

Do I need an iPad?

They’re all the rage, it seems. But I’m unco.

Fonnie says everyone who goes to meetings at her work brings an iPad.

No-one uses pen and paper any more. Fancy that!

But remember our iPhone disaster? Read more

How do you come up with something new to write about frequently enough to build a successful blog? As blogs become more common, so too does the problem of blogger’s block: that awkward moment when you feel as though you’ve run out of things to say.

Coming up with enough material to write a weekly post is a big challenge for many people – so unless you have a background or passion for writing, be careful about the frequency you commit to. Read more

Life at the pointy end.

Hearing a rising howl about Pinterest, my first thought was, ‘Not another bloody social media fad!’

My second thought was, ‘I ignored Twitter for months, only to find it’s one of the most useful things ever.’

Then, when someone claimed Pinterest generates more leads than Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn COMBINED, I had to take a look.

What is it?

Pinterest is an electronic version of the scrapbook you may have kept as a kid.

‘Pinning’ (scrapbooking) is actually quite calming and … fun. Read more

Five seemingly small things that will make a big difference to the way you use AccountRight

Recently I have had the opportunity to spend time with our Seminar Presenters on the upcoming AccountRight Masterclass seminars, and had got an in depth look at the newest version of our much loved AccountRight software.

It took me back to the day we released Premier version 12, the whole interface had moved away from a grey background to the current white look. Most of the clients I spoke to thought it looked great, and while a handful thought it was too ‘bright’, they generally appreciated the cleaner, sleeker look. Read more

Happy Super Bowl Monday! (or Sunday, if you’re in the US)

Much like the AFL Grand Final in Australia and the Rugby World Cup Final in New Zealand, the match that stops a nation is currently playing out in lounge rooms and bars across North America.

Last year, a global audience of 111 million people tuned in to watch the Green Bay Packers storm home over the Pittsburgh Steelers, with an estimated 10% of those watching from outside of the US.  (and the preliminary figures for this year indicate that we might be on track to reach the 120 million mark.)

Read more

Have I got a story for you!

Social media is still the Wild West for companies seeking promotion.

Amid a year of spectacular fails, one quiet achiever is proving instructive.

Their online initiative is:

• Blindingly simple.
• Devastatingly targeted.
• Refreshingly modest.
• Extremely clever.
• Definitely worth a look.

Unpublished

It’s said that ‘everyone has a book in them’. Read more