Ian Waring

Simplicity Sells

Apple’s share of Profits and Revenue in the top 8 Mobile manufacturers. Stunningly impressive. See http://www.asymco.com/2012/02/03/first-apples-rank-in-mobile-phone-profitability-and-revenues/

The time the iPhone piece of Apple outgrew the whole of Microsoft in both revenue and profits also had one commentator reflecting what Steve Ballmer said just after the iPhone was first announced. See http://www.businessinsider.com/flashback-steve-ballmers-first-take-on-the-iphone-september-22-2007-2010-6

Apple's iPhone Business now bigger than Microsoft

In both revenue and profits. Amazing. Also very true about the fixation with Google, as Apple sailed past. In an environment when big bonuses to CEOs get dissed, no-one appears to be concerned with the $400m+ that Tim Cook received. Worth every cent.

Click the title to see the covering article.

With thanks to Oksana. Networks always defeat hierarchies in the end.

With thanks to Oksana. Networks always defeat hierarchies in the end.

Airport Extreme retired from service

Gave up trying to get it running in daisy-chained WDS mode, and reverted back to our Netgear router running on it’s todd. Updated the Airport firmware to 7.6.1, then reverted it back to factory settings. Anyone want to buy an Airport Extreme?

Take care before attempting to install the Apple Airport Utility 6.0 with the new AirPort Extreme 7.6.1 firmware update. The firmware doesn’t work if you daisychain your Airport Extreme to another router with an ADSL connector in bridge mode. Compounding this, the Airport Utility 6.0 removes the ability to go back to a previous firmware version. Fortunately, I’d only done a software update on Janes MacBook Air, and still had the previous utility and firmware on the iMac upstairs. Restored firmware 7.6 and we suddenly have our network back. I don’t think Apple will win many friends with the two bodges in one take. Here’s hoping they clear up the mess quickly.

Take care before attempting to install the Apple Airport Utility 6.0 with the new AirPort Extreme 7.6.1 firmware update. The firmware doesn’t work if you daisychain your Airport Extreme to another router with an ADSL connector in bridge mode. Compounding this, the Airport Utility 6.0 removes the ability to go back to a previous firmware version.

Fortunately, I’d only done a software update on Janes MacBook Air, and still had the previous utility and firmware on the iMac upstairs. Restored firmware 7.6 and we suddenly have our network back.

I don’t think Apple will win many friends with the two bodges in one take. Here’s hoping they clear up the mess quickly.

Just looking at desk.com. I watch the price of Software products every now and then. Lots of pressure on costs by customers, and a never ending quest to show better value for their money. Not sure if it’s just me, but there seems to be a groundswell of hosted SaaS apps at the gates, and I can’t imagine it being too long before a few dams start to burst. The move from CapEx to OpEx (even with hardware) will further drive the change. The business models I’m personally adept at driving from my sordid past - low cost monthly subscriptions to SMBs - seem to be coming to the fore for folks that don’t insist on heavy customisation. I’ve long thought really highly of 37signals Basecamp for Project Management, Blinksale for Invoicing, Salesforce for CRM and Google Apps. Add VMware’s SlideRocket for presentations, and Socialcast for information flows. Zuora for subscription billing. Huddle as a collaboration tool (just worry they put themselves in Microsoft’s cross hairs but bleating about their claimed supremacy to SharePoint at every opportunity). Today I’ve been looking at desk.com (owned by Salesforce), which is a Facebook/Twitter integrated helpdesk for small and medium sized businesses. Think it’s neat that the first user in is free, $49/month per full time employee after that and there’s an hourly $1 cost for part time agents. All paid from the next months billing period. The big needs locally are to keep the data in the UK geography, or worst case in Europe. Then to be able to get your data out in a useful form if you elect to leave the service. It’ll be interesting to see how the adoption rates trend in the next couple of years.

Just looking at desk.com. I watch the price of Software products every now and then. Lots of pressure on costs by customers, and a never ending quest to show better value for their money. Not sure if it’s just me, but there seems to be a groundswell of hosted SaaS apps at the gates, and I can’t imagine it being too long before a few dams start to burst. The move from CapEx to OpEx (even with hardware) will further drive the change. The business models I’m personally adept at driving from my sordid past - low cost monthly subscriptions to SMBs - seem to be coming to the fore for folks that don’t insist on heavy customisation.

I’ve long thought really highly of 37signals Basecamp for Project Management, Blinksale for Invoicing, Salesforce for CRM and Google Apps. Add VMware’s SlideRocket for presentations, and Socialcast for information flows. Zuora for subscription billing. Huddle as a collaboration tool (just worry they put themselves in Microsoft’s cross hairs but bleating about their claimed supremacy to SharePoint at every opportunity). Today I’ve been looking at desk.com (owned by Salesforce), which is a Facebook/Twitter integrated helpdesk for small and medium sized businesses.

Think it’s neat that the first user in is free, $49/month per full time employee after that and there’s an hourly $1 cost for part time agents. All paid from the next months billing period.

The big needs locally are to keep the data in the UK geography, or worst case in Europe. Then to be able to get your data out in a useful form if you elect to leave the service.

It’ll be interesting to see how the adoption rates trend in the next couple of years.

Found the Secret Railway Bridge

I usually eat my lunch with my bucket of coffee reading stuff on my PC at my desk in Thames Valley Park. Having had a good week weight loss wise, I elected to go for a walk up to the BP Garage at the top of Shepherds House Hill instead. I’ve now found the bridge under the Reading to Paddington Railway line behind the Regus Building, and walked up past what used to be Earley Power Station. Felt great for the break and exercise.

Tomorrow, Jane’s asked me to repeat the trip to buy some of the Marks & Spencer Ginger and Honey Yoghurts they sell at the M&S Simply Food Shop inside the BP Garage.

I manage to burn about 2/3 the calories that a Mars Bar contains doing that walk. Good habit to keep repeating.

Computacenter win two VMware European Awards

Just heard that Paul Casey and Martin Clarkson will be picking up VMware EMEA Solution Partner of the Year, plus VMware EMEA Emerging Products Partner of the Year, at Partner Exchange in February. Go team!

Carbs/Fat/Protein balance this week so far, having started the diet mid-December. Just under 4 bags of sugar lost, and 58 to go. Long process, but two people mentioned an apparent weight loss unprompted today. Secret appears to put less in your gob, at reasonable times of day (microwaved dinners at 9-10pm unhelpful), and to exercise judiciously. Seems to work so far.

Carbs/Fat/Protein balance this week so far, having started the diet mid-December. Just under 4 bags of sugar lost, and 58 to go. Long process, but two people mentioned an apparent weight loss unprompted today. Secret appears to put less in your gob, at reasonable times of day (microwaved dinners at 9-10pm unhelpful), and to exercise judiciously. Seems to work so far.