It Has Obnoxious Glasses

According to a recent study by BiTE, only 10% of American smartphone owners said they would wear Google Glasses regularly. Although the Google Glass technology has dominated the consumer electronics conversation in recent months, users clearly have a few qualms about the device.

A report called Google Glass Adoption Forecast revealed that people cited social awkwardness as a top reason why they would steer clear of Google’s intelligent web-connected glasses.  Similarly, 45% of BiTE interactive survey participants noted their disinterest due to the awkward aesthetic or because the device seemed irritating.

How irritating? Apparently even if the device was priced much lower than the $1500 beta period price tag, about 38% surveyed said they still wouldn’t want it. But being the majority isn’t an attractive option anyway.

Interestingly enough, the product skews toward a more artistic crowd. Forty-four percent of those who would wear the gadget cited taking pictures as its most compelling feature. Thirty-seven percent are interested in using it to record video. While the average consumer might fear social awkwardness, the device suits a crowd that is accustomed to standing out amongst a crowd.

It Likes Obscure Music

Google has already introduced a cloud music service that enables users to upload and listen to up to 20,000 purchased songs for cross platform usage. This is a satisfactory amount for those who enjoy transferring their entire vinyl library for easy access/instant DJ credibility on the go.

Additionally, rumors speculate that Google will debut a subscription music service at their annual developer conference, Google I/O. Google has reportedly secured licensing deals with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group for YouTube and Google Play, adding certainty to the initial rumors.

Theoretically, a deal with major record companies would put Google in direct competition with existing music services, particularly the main stream streaming streamer Spotify. Spotify includes 24 million monthly active users, six million paying subscribers, and more than 20 million licensed songs in 28 countries.

Spotify currently has the largest song library compared to Pandora, Slacker, and iHeartRadio. However, Pandora still has the most users with roughly 70 million monthly active users and 200 million registered.

Google+

Facebook was getting way too mainstream. The only solution was to create an anti-conformist website limited to invite only. Thus Google+ was born into the world of alternative social media and skinny jeans.

Top Secret Ben Affleck Love

No matter how much it prefers wearing ironic t-shirts, mustache wax, and highbrow literature…it still secretly searches for pictures of Hollywood Man-Mountain Beef Castle Ben Affleck on the regular.

Comparing Microsoft to Google is a lot like comparing an apple and a banana: Both are fruits with different yet equal benefits.

Office 365 and Office 2013

Microsoft’s Office suites have long since been established as a standard for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations the world over. The file formats used by these programs are often mandatory when collaborating with others on a project. Office is definitely the best choice for use in a more formal setting such as work or school.

Virtually everything in Office has retained the orientation from its last incarnation in 2010. When you open any of the applications, you will notice that the layout hasn’t changed very much. Stylistically, it boasts some of characteristics of Windows 8, unsurprisingly. You also have the ability to use the applications directly through a web browser, so you have access no matter which computer you are using.

One of the neatest features added is the ability to move files to the cloud via SkyDrive. When signed into your Microsoft account while using the application, your files are automatically backed up to SkyDrive. You can also save them to SkyDrive from the Save as menu.

Google Docs

As the most popular search engine and email client in the world, using anything Google means that you have high availability and widespread integration. With the constant introduction of new Google apps, the platform is perpetually becoming more powerful. At this point, if Google were a Dragonball Z character, it would have spikey blonde hair and a golden aura.

I have to admit, I don’t really use Google+. I’m used to Facebook. If it would have been introduced sooner, we may have been perfect for each other. This is one area Microsoft lacks – none of the social platforms (e.g. Xbox or SharePoint) are as ubiquitous as Facebook or Google+.

Microsoft’s software included in the Office suite are far and away the best tools for each individual application. However, the Office suite is more or less set in stone. More applications surface from time to time (OneNote is cool, I guess), and you can download additional tools to assist with certain functions within an Office application, but Google has the ability to integrate a wider variety of applications than Microsoft. I know UJAM is no Pro Tools, but why not? It’s free, like most things from Google, whereas many tools from Microsoft require a small fee.

Conclusion

Essentially, if you’re simply looking to access run-of-the-mill business applications, fork over the money or sweet talk your boss for a copy of Office 2013. Microsoft software is the way to go for business even if you’re planning on using Google Docs, primarily. Thanks to a snazzy new job, I have the Professional edition and have taken a shine to the on demand Outlook because it’s web-based. Previously, I preferred to navigate to individual sites to access email accounts (the latency drove me nuts.)

If you’re broke or you simply want to hurt Bill Gates’ feelings, use Google. It’s awesome, especially considering it’s free and easy to use, even if you’re more familiar with Office products. Some of the apps are actually fun, unless you consider making pie charts in Excel the best way to spend a Friday evening.

Subtract the scrolling sidebar on the left-hand portion of the screen, and Sportscenter becomes virtually indistinguishable from entertainment news. These days, the dividing line between sports and a given athlete’s personal life has diminished considerably.  As a result an important question surfaces: For better or for worse?

A ritualistic morning visit to a popular news and entertainment site brought about an article entitled “Sports Stars’ Adorable Mother’s Day Photos”. After quickly suppressing the initial impulse click, one has to wonder why this information is interesting. In many ways these interests parallel Hollywood celeb news, however there is a significant difference.

Tabloids are synonymous with gum and candy bars. This grocery checkout staple is continuously boasting the latest topical gossip and fashion news. To fully understand interest in sports figures, it’s important to explore why people are interested in the personal affairs of actors.

The idea of movies has always been associated with perfection. The greatest motion pictures are often revered for having the exact cast necessary to achieve the desired artistic vision. In nearly every way this industry demands flawlessness. However, the result draws attention to the harsh contrasting reality of human imperfection. Many people become fascinated with this notion as they satisfy their curiosity allowing them to live vicariously through the knowledge of fame and lifestyle, or alternately become satisfied with their own status and well being (often referred to as the Mo Money, Mo Problems Principle).

The movie industry insists upon a certain level of intrigue, presenting audiences with grand illusions of sight and sound in cinema. If anything, future generations are interested in the personal stories and characteristics of acting talent, just as much as the ins and outs of creating special effects, particularly with an eye for recognition, emulation, or future application. Thoughts, feelings, actions and the like are all equally relevant in this example.

For fans, individual athletes also evoke a significant amount of interest, yet for different reasons. Many avid fans observe athletes by the numbers. This type of entertainment provides information for fantasy teams and aids in the overall analysis and predictions for a given team. Perhaps most importantly, athletes represent role models for younger generations. Popular success stories frequently contain a form of credit to personal heroes. Alongside this notion comes a frequently violated responsibility to maintain some semblance of decorum.  As a result, the lack of filter amounts to hefty fines, damaged reputations along with potentially having a negative effect on a younger generation’s perception of the game (to one degree or another).

Alternatively, some argue that social media is actually beneficial to the sports industry. Sports fans may be considered more actively involved or informed by tracking athletes, which in turn, promotes a more holistic entertainment experience.

While this may be true to an extent (a well written update following a big win, for example) the problem lies in the inherent inability to filter content.

As the way people communicate and share information continues to evolve, we are urged to reassess the way in which it is regulated. For many sports fans, the experience is marred by irrelevant content that overshadows actual gameplay and outcomes. The sports industry comprised of teams has essentially shifted focus onto the individual.

It used to be that superior performance and talent deemed a player worthy of recognition. Now a nameless player is one tweet or small gimmick away from being a household name.

Suddenly it has become important for sports news programs to spend time covering an individual athlete’s weekend, hobbies, faith, and just about anything else that can be dissected and put under the microscope. For instance, the average fan won’t know how many tackles Detroit Lions’ Ndamukong Suh has under his belt, but they can regurgitate the fact that “he plays dirty and makes no apologies”.

Josh Reddick, Oakland Athletics Outfielder (former Boston Red Sox player) sent out a tweet sharing his thoughts regarding the Boston Marathon Bombing.

“What is going on in America? These people deserve to be tortured very slowly and make them beg for their lives. #americastrong”

 “The FBI is seeking Help. Find these two and torture them in front of the world. No need for court. #Justice #Boston”

Mike Wallace, Miami Dolphins Wide Receiver, released a controversial tweet about Boston Celtics Center Jason Collins coming out.

“All these beautiful women in the world, and guys wanna mess with other guys, SMH [shakin' my head]…”

Professional wrestler Jay Brisco also recently tweeted his thoughts on the recent passing of a Delaware bill that legalized marriage for same sex couples.

“The Delaware Senate passed a bill yesterday that allows same sex couples to get married. If that makes you happy, then congratulations!!!!!”

However this statement was soon followed by another tweet.

“… try and teach my kids that there’s nothing wrong with that and I’ll f*cking shoot you.”

These athlete social media incidents all resulted in public (and or Twitter) apologies, yet some of the damage done is largely irreparable. Athletes have been fined, and even released for controversial statements. While some choose to seize the limelight or soapbox, others create a significant amount of turmoil leaving the public to wonder if there will ever be a happy medium of responsible delivery of thoughts and information for athletes.

“We are taking a journey in the direction of what businesses are made of,” explains Phani Nagarjuna, CEO of big data company Nuevora. “What are the business processes that are crucial in any given company, in any given industry?” These business processes are the building blocks of any company in any industry.

Taking customer marketing as an example of a business process, Nagarjuna outlines the component parts of it, which include retention, upsell, cross-sell, profitability, and the “LTV” factor that brings growth. ”While an organization is focused on customer profitability, it ought to have a strategic lens for a longer-term view, to grow and optimize the lifetime value of each individual customer relationship.” This allows the customer marketing department of an organization to move from being product-centric to being more customer-centric. And, big data has become an enabler of this evolution.

The cloud has put just about everything imaginable into the “as-a-service” model. Until now, most of the “as-a-service” model has been functional (efficiency-driven) processes: Productivity apps, processing, and infrastructure like storage or web servers. But what about the most basic building blocks of a business? Going a level deeper, if you can determine the lifeblood – the most granular, atomic structure of what makes a business tick – and put that into the cloud, you have something very powerful. Now, all of a sudden a business is not limited to using the cloud to run everyday business processes, but also to run deeper levels of management and decision making (effectiveness-driven processes).

Making Big Data More Accessible

Traditional big data vendors have a business model that revolves around approaching large clients, and saying, “Give us millions of dollars and a couple years, and we’ll give you a big data and analytics environment.” And once that big data environment finally gets implemented, the strategy is to take all that information, shake it up, and see if anything useful falls out.

Nuevora is turning the big data market on its head by bringing it into the cloud, and adding Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) as a way of putting a much finer point on the results, and getting useful information on a continuous basis. It brings a level of definition to big data that has been lacking in other solutions.

Traditionally, the biggest roadblock for organizations wishing to adopt an analytics environment is getting the data ready. Nuevora is allowing companies to gain insights and very precise business intelligence about very specific problems, without having to invest in on-premise technology and product management, and without having to worry about preparing data sets or even providing relevant analysis.Nagarjuna explained to techie.com how it works: “We crossed that chasm. We enable the benefits for decision makers with a unique big data platform – nBAAP™ that is capable of taking in & synthesizing any kind of data, structured or unstructured, applying business rules and heuristics, and on the fly building & scoring numerous predictive models.”

Nagarjuna explained to techie.com how it works:

Phani Nagarjuna, CEO of Nuevora

“We crossed that chasm. We enable the benefits for decision makers with a unique big data platform – nBAAP™ that is capable of taking in & synthesizing any kind of data, structured or unstructured, applying business rules and heuristics, and on the fly building & scoring numerous predictive models.”

How those context-sensitive big data predictive models are built and configured on the fly is what makes Nuevora one of the most disruptive big data companies in the market today. Instead of relying on the client to provide models, Nagarjuna says, “We have a library of best-practices based frameworks, algorithms and models as part of our modeling engine with appropriate analytical answers to each question at hand.” From that library of pre-built solutions, Nuevora can generate rapid-fire actionable insights, and send them back to the client in a platform-agnostic visualization platform.

Turning the Pyramid Upside Down

In the big data world, the focus has been to-date more on the technical infrastructure side – how to collect, unify, and parse the data, rather than how to mine it and make timely business sense out of it. To be sure, decision support components are part of a lot of big data tools, but they have tended to be secondary, and have relied heavily on the end user to try to squeeze some useful insight out of it.

The big data vendor collects massive amounts of intelligence, and proudly presents it to the client. “Look at all the stuff I gathered!” they say. But still, the client is left with what Nagarjuna calls a “lack of relevant and actionable insights.” “The reality is,” he says, “You cannot enable critical decisions based on that approach. So we turn the pyramid upside down. We begin the journey for the client with the end in sight – what is that end business outcome for the executive to achieve. At the end of the day, every organization wants to move from point A to a desired point B, enabled by certain business leaders making decisions on a daily basis. The challenge is can you show them the most optimal path in a dynamic environment.”

By “turning the big data pyramid upside down”, Nagarjuna says that the first order of business has to be, rather than simply collecting massive amounts of data, to figure out the desired business outcome and go from there. It’s a more granular approach, and a more practical one for big data. “And for achieving that particular outcome, build an analytics bridge. That’s what we do.”

BPaaS and the Library of Analytical Models

Each analytical model in their ever-growing library is targeted at a particular business outcome. “Because we already have an end in sight, our frameworks, approach and our technology quickly sift through massive amounts of big data, and can figure out that 2% of data out of the 100% that is most relevant for the destination an organization is trying to reach. Instead of trying to boil the ocean, we can quickly sift through large data sets, and come back and say, ‘here are the data that is most relevant for solving a given problem.”

Putting the “as-a-service” into the big data equation provides a key advantage. It’s less of a “snapshot” picture of data and intelligence, and more of a continuous feedback. Every new decision puts data back into the mix. On the fly, the models are constantly recalibrated. “Next time you apply that model, you will have the latest context-sensitive insights that are relevant, based on the latest data you have already put into the decision-making process,” says Nagarjuna.

The “Last Mile” of Big Data

Because it’s big, big data has to have a highly automated approach, and that has been both the great benefit of big data analytics as well as the bane of its existence. The high failure rates many big data implementations have seen in the past are the result of over-automation, lack of a granular end result in mind, and what Nagarjuna calls “paralysis through analysis” without a context in mind. In addition to those automated functions, to get good results out of that big data, there’s a personalized aspect that is necessary for success. This is what Nagarjuna calls the “last mile talent.”

“Big data analytics is unlike IT outsourcing, where there are discrete back office functions you can outsource to a bunch of people. In the world of analytics, you cannot do that, because analytics is very customer-specific, context-sensitive and industry-relevant. You can produce the standard models and algorithms to get you about 80 percent of the distance, but you still need that last mile talent, qualified data scientists & business consultants, who can quickly understand the context of the customer, the business outcome the customer is trying to optimize, and the customer’s unique situation.” The data scientists handling the last mile then apply the industry-specific or process-specific algorithms that are relevant to the particular outcome.

The Big Bang of Business Process

Most businesses go on day to day, sometimes making money and sometimes not, never truly understanding what they really are. A business may say, “We manufacture this product, and we sell it to this type of audience.” They define accounting practices and operational processes, the production line on the shop floor churns out product, and they’re loaded onto trucks on the dock. But those things are just what a business does. They don’t define what the business is — the essence of the enterprise. Once you’ve captured that essence, you can gain an Einsteinian understanding of your business that will let you build something truly incredible that the world has never before seen. That’s the real potential of big data.

Nintendo recently reported that it failed to meet a Wii U sales target of 5.5 million units by a significant margin. The industry giant attributed this lag to the delayed release of upcoming titles; however the absence of a legend likely remains the deciding purchase factor for a small majority. The reasoning lies behind the numbers, as history tells us that Mario Kart Wii sold a staggering 34.26 million copies. As expected, late last month Satoru Iwata announced that a new Mario Kart title was currently in development, and was planned to be playable at this year’s E3. With a set summer beta, it’s safe to speculate that a new Mario Kart is a potential release for the Holiday season.

A Breakdown of Personality by Character Selection

Waluigi

Nefarious by design, this character choice clearly reflects some hidden agenda of shenanigans. Merely a product of his environment, Waluigi creates misadventures not out of evil intent, but rather as the result of a chaotic existence and the absence of any moral barometer. His piercing voice and sounds of mischief can often be heard throughout the entire racecourse.

Toad

Bent on reckless speed, the Toad character requires a resilient sense of self-confidence, necessary to endure continuous gameplay ridicule. The reward often times amounts to a mushroom cloud of shame for those left in the dust of Toad’s quick acceleration and haunting laugh.

Daisy

There’s nothing more annoying than the polite sound of Princess Peach saying “thank you”, as a disappointing combination of pink and pale girl zooms by. Enter Daisy: a cocky character of royalty from a land that isn’t constantly invaded by sweaty plumbers who use recreational psychedelics on the job.

Bowser

The beast with a boost demands respect by slamming his way to the top, one plumber at a time. This player knows that winning is not about quality item management and banana distribution; it’s about sloppy brute force and good old-fashioned turtle evil.

Rosalina

As a hidden character from Mario Kart Wii, Rosalina is the obvious choice when being a recognized princess is just too mainstream. Popularity is the kind of thing that gets a girl captured in the Mushroom Kingdom. Repeatedly. When players hear Daft Punk music quickly approaching, they know exactly who is responsible for that painful green shell.

Everyone Knows Someone Who is Always Yoshi

Yes, it’s been established. This fictional character is not only secretly adorable, but a well-balanced selection for a player choice. The currently extinct beast will yelp its way into surefire victory, unless properly restrained. Remember, outside of the game Yoshi is merely a form of transportation.

Real Life Kart

Scientists or engineers tend to mention on a regular basis that they make the world go round, constantly bringing to life gadgets that people take for granted. Generally, most ignore this accurately smug statement, but Nintendo Life Towers recently offered up a perspective that gamers can relate to. An assortment of intelligently nerdy people from Waterloo Labs in Texas have found a way to create a real-life game of Mario Kart with actual, functioning items.

These folks have recreated classic items and their effects by using microprocessors and sensors bolted onto go-karts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Iat_WmvrI

The primary deployment mechanism for software in the very near future is going to be the cloud. Just a few short years ago, cloud apps were still in the domain of small, consumer-based programs, games, and in the enterprise, only smaller and proof-of-concept apps. Today, strong PaaS tools like SaaS Maker from Virtual Global are making it possible to create and deploy enterprise-class cloud apps.

There is a certain democratization of programming involved, and this has been the trend ever since we stopped using those annoying punch cards so many years ago. As it gets easier, more people can create apps, and that back-room mystery is becoming a front-line productivity tool.

While SaaS Maker can be used to create highly robust, enterprise-class apps, the greatest potential of the PaaS tool is in spurring innovation and bringing in a new class of entrepreneur. “Using SaaS Maker, developers can build, deploy, and sell SaaS applications with zero upfront investment, in sharp contrast to the venture backing or project funding that was required a few years ago,” said Cary Landis, Virtual Global CEO. “As a result, the software industry is on the brink of a new age of innovation fueled by entrepreneurship, worldwide participation, and a transition toward the ‘as a service’ delivery model.”

The major upgrade of SaaS Maker announced today now includes a SaaS Developer’s Console, an enhanced application designer, streamlined publishing, a high-performance .Net SDK, and a “Gizmo Exchange” for sharing cloud service adapters. The platform includes an open API, and is portable across data centers.

The demand for SaaS applications is expected to rise sharply over the next several years. According to Gartner, the SaaS market will reach $22.1 billion by 2015. At the same time, the cloud brokerage market is expected to reach $100 billion by next year. Landis suggests that SaaS development and brokerage cloud services should go hand-in-hand.

“Software developers want to do both things: Build applications and integrate cloud services, and we’re simply making it easier for developers to do both things in one place,” says Landis. According to Landis, PaaS technology lowers barriers-to-entry and allows more developers to freely participate, inevitably shaking up the software development industry. The mega-million-dollar implementations of enterprise-class software, which suffered from a high failure rate as well as an untenable cost structure, are rapidly being replaced by a new as-a-service model. This model not only changes the underlying economics and operational structure of large enterprise users, it also brings in SMBs that were previously shut out of the market.

Big Data as a concept is not new. For decades, companies have been using computers to amass large quantities of data for the purpose of subsequent analytics, customer relationship management, and decision support. The problem, until recently, has been the cost of doing so, the lengthy implementation and integration time involved, and an unsatisfactory failure rate seen after spending millions of dollars on highly customized, on premise big data and analytics.

What is new today about Big Data is its implementation. Companies like South Bend, Indiana based Data Realty are moving Big Data to the cloud, and delivering a host of value-added services that get very specific and actionable results, quickly.

So why aren’t these guys in Silicon Valley?

As to the question, why aren’t these guys in Silicon Valley? They just don’t need to be. “We have people from Notre Dame, Cal Berkeley, MIT, and Stanford,” says Rich Carlton, President of Data Realty. “We can make South Bend one of the data analytics capitals of the world. I say, if you want to say ‘why’, my better question is, why not? We have all the infrastructure you need from a computing standpoint. We’ve got access to not just good talent, but world class talent. These guys are recognized in their fields nationally.”

The assumption that mainstream tech centers need to be in one of a handful of coastal (high priced) cities is an obsolete one. Carlton notes that besides better logistics and lower cost of living, a big part of making any town the “capital” of anything, is just staking a claim. The nearby city of Elkhart is the recreational vehicle capital of the world. “Why?” he asks. “Because somebody grabbed hold of an industry early on, and more people got entrepreneurial about it, and they created it. Warsaw (Indiana) is the same thing in orthopedics. There’s no reason that they should be, other than the fact that they claimed it.”

There’s more to it than just staking a claim though, South Bend proved to be one of the most strategic locations for big data in the country. Because there was so much manufacturing done in the area in the past, there is still a robust and redundant power infrastructure. Business naturally gravitates towards locating in areas that have the lowest price and highest quality. “In computing, what are your biggest factors?” asked Carlton. “If you’re looking at infrastructure, it’s the cost of the build, and we’re definitely cheaper in a secondary market. It’s the cost of power, the cost of fiber to get there, and the cost of ongoing management. We’re at about six cents a kilowatt hour here. California’s at about 16.5 cents.”  The central Midwestern location also is advantageous because of all the fiber that uses the right of ways on the Interstate highway and train systems that come right through the Midwest.

From Bullet Nose Studebakers to Big Data

Data Realty is located in South Bend’s new Ignition Park, a high tech industrial park rising up out of what was the Studebaker manufacturing plant. The big, glistening facility stands amidst piles of dirt and vacant land that until recently, held little more than abandoned factories and rust.

As the Big Data anchor, Data Realty is already drawing interest from big data/analytics entrepreneurs and innovators from all over the country. With Data Realty providing the common cloud platform, they become the reseller of other big data related services. “If you’re a midsize customer, you get the benefits of the data center, and the data analytics infrastructure all in one place, with access to talent you probably wouldn’t be able to find on your own,” said Carlton. In fact, Data Realty, though it is organized as a colocation center, is more than that. “The colocation facility is about getting the data in here. But what’s getting people really excited is the opportunity to do something with the data once it’s here. What we’re doing is pulling together the technology out to the marketplace.”

So you have Big Data, Now What?

Big Data has evolved rapidly over the past few years, and midsize companies that were previously shut out of its benefits are now on board. “We’re all about a partnership model that allows midsize organizations to get unprecedented access to computing, infrastructure, and talent that they otherwise wouldn’t normally get,” said Carlton.

Carlton brings Big Data to more recipients, rather than just focusing exclusively on the traditional huge enterprise customer. “The first way we do that is the facility itself,” he says, gesturing around the modern facility. “This is designed with folks that did a lot of work with Google and Microsoft – the best of the best. This is the kind of facility that you don’t see in secondary cities. We brought in best-of-breed infrastructure.” Opportunities for the area, and for big data becoming useful for helping midsize businesses, are enormous. “The facility is designed to be high density,” said Carlton. “So you can do a lot of computing without having to have a ton of physical space. You’re going to see more things. There’s going to be analytics companies. It’s about what you can really do with the data.”

From a service offering standpoint, Data Realty again stands out, providing midsize companies with the tools they need to compete against larger contenders. This competitive edge comes not just from the ability to collect Big Data, but in focusing on what comes after. “Great, I’m collecting all this data,” said Carlton. “What can I do with it? We have a customized architecture that allows clients to actually do something with that data once you’re storing and protecting it, in a way that gives you a competitive business advantage.”

There’s a growing analytics culture that’s coming into town. It’s more than just a building for housing data. It’s about what can be done with the data, and how it can be used to make companies better, faster, smarter; and giving midmarket organizations access to talent they wouldn’t normally have.

That’s a lofty definition of “job”, but we’re a lot closer to it today than we have ever been in history. The Internet Revolution brought in changes to the definition of “job” that are still evolving  today, and twenty years hence, “job” will still come to mean something completely foreign to what it is today. The inflexibility of the hierarchical, on-premise office is rapidly becoming obsolete, both as a way of making a wage, and as a way of running a company.

Business Ecosystem

Traditional growth of a large enterprise used to mean adding more employees, more departments, and more square footage. Today, it’s very possible to have a company with fifty employees, which accomplishes more than a company just 25 years ago that had five hundred employees.

Rather than growing a big, vertical company, we’re starting to see the emergence of a “business ecosystem”, which has a smaller core and several satellites all the way around. These satellites may be smaller business process outsourcing (BPO) providers, freelancers, tele-workers, and more recently, “the crowd”. Bringing in the crowd in an intelligent way that is productive and beneficial to both the core business, and to members of the crowd, is what Jovoto is all about.

There are two driving forces behind this sea change; technology, and a new type of culture that brings the crowd closer to the core in a truly collaborative and meaningful sense. The underlying cloud technology is the enabler. Sharing data and information across great distances, collaborating virtually in real time, and providing anywhere access to software and infrastructure has irreversibly set the wheels in motion. But now that such a thing is possible, what really makes it work is how it’s organized. Peter Ryder, co-founder of open innovation platform Jovoto, talks about building a virtual community of people that are highly incentivized, not necessarily to work for you, but to work with you.

More than just a match-maker

Globally speaking, unskilled labor has been moving offshore for many years, and that’s a trend that cannot be reversed. The net result is a trend towards higher wages in emerging countries, and if you think globally, we can see this trend as a “win”. But what does that leave within first world borders? It leaves a lot of room for innovation, and for developing and utilizing great talent for great results. Jovoto’s goal is to re-invent work environments that nurture this creative talent and drive great results.

There are plenty of existing sites that do little more than match small companies and freelancers with those who need their services. Still other sites offer very limited “contests” in which freelancers and creatives, eager to prove themselves and gain recognition, spend hours in isolation creating something of value only to have a one-in-a-thousand shot at getting a few dollars. Those sites lack the element of community and collaboration, and are frankly, exploitative in nature.

Jovoto adds in all the missing ingredients, including collaboration, reward, interest, and fairness. It’s more of a co-creation space than it is a mere contest platform, and it establishes a productive link between the crowd and the core enterprise that is beneficial to both sides. Ryder, who is also co-author of the book Crowdstorming, talks about the Jovoto model as one of community-building and collaboration. Companies that engage Jovoto often put up serious prize money as well as lucrative licensing agreements, and the crowdsourcing that goes on within Jovoto really lends itself to team effort. “We do this because it’s interesting stuff, if it’s something we think the community would be interested in doing. So much of what makes this work is the cohesive community.”

Just what is it that interests the community? Often, it’s dollars and cents, but in other cases, it’s attention that one might get as a result of participation, or PR value for a small startup. Keeping tens of thousands of community members interested and engaged requires more than a simple prize, it calls for “building a healthy relationship, where people can interact with each other about ideas. There’s no reason for people to show up unless you’re doing something that they believe in.”

Jovoto creates a virtual community of people. “Whether they’re working for other companies, or are independent people, you want those people to feel that they are treated fairly”, said Ryder. “This is a new work environment. That’s the real disruptive part of this. If companies are going to find talent anywhere at any time, you have to treat that talent the same way you would treat your employees, and make things good for them – better than employees in fact, because you want them to come, even when they don’t have to come.”

Jovoto fills the gap that has existed thus far in crowdsourcing. “A big part of that is being open, being transparent, and always being fair,” says Ryder. “And rewarding people with as much financial reward, and other kinds of rewards, as you possibly can, and keeping the mix of interesting ideas for them.”

Tomorrow’s most successful companies are going to need to have a combination of leanness and great size. This seeming paradox is easily met with today’s technology and with engaging platforms like Jovoto, allowing companies to embrace a new business model of lean operations, while still bringing a crowd of potentially thousands of interested and engaged participants into the business ecosystem.

Now, if you are an uber-anime nerd like I am, the word Gundam brings to mind some anime programs, such as The Big O or Mobile Suite Gundam that played on Cartoon Network’s Toonami. For those of you who have led a completely normal existence, and have no idea what I am talking about, a Gundam is a Japanese invented word that refers to a metal, robotic exoskeleton or mech suite that encases human pilots within the ship itself. Gundams are often depicted as being over the top; they can be larger than a three-story building and armed with laser weapons, high explosives, the ability to lift anything, and rocket thrusters to enable flight. Gundams have even found their way into the hearts of the world through such pop culture icons as Tony Starke and his Iron Man suit or Samus Aran from Metroid.

Gundams might seem like a crazy farfetched idea that may or may not have been taken straight from a 10 year old’s imagination, but in reality the idea of Gundams, mech suits, and robotic exoskeletons are quickly finding their way into our everyday lives. Exoskeletal robotic technology is reaching out far beyond the science fiction movies and into the fields of medicine, military, and industry.

For the military, back injuries abound due to the fact soldiers’ backpacks can weigh upwards of 90 pounds, which means eliminating these injuries while allowing the soldier to still carry his or her equipment is paramount in the eyes of the military. Lucky for them Raytheon Sarcos and Lockheed Martin stepped up to the plate with the XOS 2 and the HULC. In 2010 the XOS 2 Raytheon Sarcos Exoskeleton, version 2, was introduced to the public and according to its scientists is less than five years away from seeing actual duty. The XOS 2 is a full body exoskeleton that allows the user to carry as much as 200 pounds without placing any strain on the wearer. Lockheed Martin matched the XOS 2 capacity of 200 pounds with HULC or the Human Universal Load Carrier, a hydraulic-actuated anthropomorphic exoskeleton which they acquired from Ekso Bionics. The HULC however, does not have the arm attachments like the XOS 2; so trying to do push-ups whilst carrying a massive load is not recommended. The HULC is still in the field-testing phase and Lockheed Martin is currently exploring other uses for exoskeletons, including the industrial and medical fields.

The biggest pioneer in the medical mech suits is Ekso Bionics. In 2010 they introduced the eLEGS, a robotic exoskeleton that allows paralysed persons the chance to walk again.  The 2012 version is called Ekso, which allows the wearer to determine the pace at which they walk by shifting their body weight. The suits are used in conjunction with a three part physical therapy program to get the user accustomed to walking with the aid. Ekso suits are still in the testing phase, and while Ekso uses sensors to adjust movement based on weight shift, Cyberdyne, a Japanese company, is taking it one step further by creating HAL or Human Assistive Limb, which actually adjusts movement based on faint bio-electric signals it senses on the user’s skin. HAL was designed to help those with mobility issues and to assist people in the industrial field. HAL suits are available for facility use in Japan, which means you will have to go there to snatch up your very own Tron inspired ensemble.

While these suits are making headlines, there are still a plethora of them out there from NASA’s own X1 to Israel’s ReWalk. So while you probably will not be walking out your front door, climbing in your three-story robot, and then rocketing yourself into work anytime in the immediate future, you can at least be comforted knowing that we are getting there.

Some anxiously await the arrival of new game sequels. Search engines are scoured daily to find glimpses of new trailers and gameplay footage. Employers are alerted of black out times for availability so the midnight release may be attended (and the subsequent 72-game binge) when the game released is announced. I clearly remember many midnight releases like my first for the Nintendo GameCube, a nightmarish 10-hour wait in a tent outside of Walmart for the Wii and a 60-person tournament hosted at Game Stop for the release of Super Smash Bros Brawl.

Today, endless gaming sessions have taken a backseat to other hobbies and professional endeavors. Though I have spent a measurable portion of my life in front of a TV screen clutching a controller, I’ve missed a hit or two along the way, as is the case with most current and former gamers. The success of Nintendo’s Virtual Console makes clear that many are finding joy revisiting old games for a sense of nostalgia.

What is emulation?

In computing, emulation refers to the process where a host system (e.g. your computer) replicates the function of another computing system such as a Nintendo Entertainment System. Game emulators are software that act like the consoles of your past. A ROM (“Read Only Memory”, i.e. game file) is a copy of a file used by the emulator to produce the game. With their powers combined, it’s possible to relive classics, and fall in love all over again, before you remember the intense frustration of trying to navigate the awkward isometric pitfalls in Battletoads, which is why you broke up in the first place. Fortunately, decent PC and Mac gaming controllers are inexpensive. Furthermore, special benefits are inherent to some of the emulators that help circumvent temper tantrums.

Legal Emulation

Essentially, every platform today has the ability to run an emulator in some way, including your PC or Mac, your smartphone, and your Nintendo 3DS. Working emulators exist to run old favorites as well as custom “homebrew” titles for other platforms. Today’s major gaming consoles all make use of emulators to legally play classics you purchase from the Wii Shop Channel, the Playstation Network, and Xbox Live Marketplace.

If you have never used an emulator before, you will likely become curious and surf the net, which will unveil multiple hosting sites for emulators and ROMs. However, there are many IP and copyright laws that make the game emulation of classic console games technically illegal. Many of these sites have been running for years but that is because they provide appropriate disclaimers and theoretically own all the software and hardware available on the site. Kind of like how the show South Park states that it “should not be viewed by anyone”, many sites will state somewhere that you must own a copy of the game you’re downloading or follow the “24 hour rule”, which isn’t real.

Read the “fine print” before you game

First of all, you should be aware that anti-piracy programs, as established by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), protect games. Also, companies like Nintendo have rules in place for the use of their Intellectual Property (IP). It sounds scary, but Nintendo’s legal page is simply an attempt for the organization to appeal to its own faux authority. It is not set in stone and further, is not upheld in the legal system.

In actuality, with any software or digital platform, you are entitled to one copy for your own personal use. Legally, you must possess a physical copy of these items. You may not sell or distribute this content unless you’re prepared to face a lengthy prison sentence and heavy fines.  The following is a break down to help answer a common question asked by people interested in emulation:

Downloading and retaining an emulator is legal. Certain emulators have a completely unique BIOS (or none at all), which makes these emulators perfectly legal to download and possess. However, some emulators like ePSXe (a Sony Playstation emulator) require a BIOS file, which must either be a custom creation or ripped from your own console.

Downloading a ROM is illegal. Technically, you must make a copy from your own personal game. Even though the data is likely verbatim, the act of downloading the file is illegal. Yes, the “24-hour rule” is made up just like the Easter Bunny.

For games, you must possess a physical copy of the game to legally play on an emulator. Any emulator that directly uses a console’s OEM BIOS requires you to possess the physical system.

Don’t come crying to me if you take it upon yourself to hoard an entire library of games from an emulation site and a nasty letter comes from your ISP or the Feds come to your door with a warrant to look through your digital content. I recommend you do not steal. Keep in mind: It isn’t inconceivable for a ROM file to contain a virus.

Why do these sites exist?

The de facto speculated legal enforcement isn’t in hard effect despite the fact that obtaining free software from these sites affects the gaming industry. Basically, it is a cost issue. It is far more expensive to engage everyone who downloads a game from one of these sources. With that said, sites that charge for these games don’t last very long, as they are quickly shut down, and organizations may seek compensation for revenue gained by the illegitimate hosting site.

Emulating games is a great way to kill time, relive classics, and explore small developer’s creations. In Part 2, we’ll look at the right way to legally emulate games on your PC or Mac.