Mozy Online Backup Solution Video Marketing Example

Mozy Online Backup

With the advent of “The Cloud” most of the files I deal with on a daily basis never exist on my computer. Whether it’s Google Docs, Dropbox or Apple’s iCloud there are a multitude of places to store your files but relying on one back up solution can leave you vulnerable.

That’s why I have started using Mozy Online Backup. Mozy is a great backup solution that is 100% automatic. You always have the most recent versions of your files in a safe online environment that you can access from anywhere. Unlike some other online backup and storage options your information is always encrypted during the backup process and while stored in the Mozy data centres.

Mozy uses SSL encryption, the same technology used by banks secures your data during the backup process. You choose Mozy’s encryption key using either 448-bit Blowfish or manage your own key using military-grade 256-bit AES to secure your data during storage. For even further peace of mind Mozy Online Backup is backed by EMC with over £8 billion of revenue, EMC stores and protects more information for the Fortune 500 than any other company.

They’ve not done too badly with their latest marketing efforts either, with this entertaining video campaign. In terms of viral video it does a great job of emphasising the importance of backing up, which is not normally a very exciting subject to discuss.

Read more >>

Tweet

A Drop-In Solution for Replacing Human Labor? Kawada’s Nextage Robot

Automation poses a real threat to the factory worker – two armed robots like Nextage can perform many of the same tasks as a human, but only take as much money to run as powering a hair dryer. AIST and Kawada, the developers of Nextage, want to assuage the fears of the working class. Their robot is designed not to eliminate human laborers, but to work side by side with them. The Nextage detects movement and won’t collide with people who enter its space. Without the need for safety barriers used with traditional industrial robots, the Nextage may be able to simply plug into spots previously occupied by human workers. In the video below taken in Tokyo, Kawada demonstrates the versatility of the two armed robots, and highlights how multiple Nextage bots can coordinate their movements to work on the same task at the same time. These robots clearly know the value of teamwork, and humans may actually be allowed to be part of that team.

It’s been two years since Kawada and AIST first started showing off the Nextage to the world. At first glance, the newest demonstrations below don’t seem particularly more advanced than those from 2009. Much of the physical stats of individual bots are the same: twelve degrees of freedom in the arm, stereoscopic vision, and sub-millimeter precision. Yet the newest Nextage demo showcases some key improvements in application. Nextage uses markers on tables to quickly orientate themselves, allowing a single robot to be moved from station to station (and job to job) as needed. Coordination between robots isn’t simply done in an assembly line fashion – the robots can manipulate the same objects at the same time to maximize their effect. This 2011 Nextage is flexible enough to work at one station and then be rolled into another station where it essentially becomes part of a larger robot – three bodies, six arms, but one goal.

Where will the humans fit in? It makes sense for most of the repetitive manual tasks to simply be given to robots like the Nextage. It costs ¥7-8 million (~$100,000 USD) but only requires about 1500 watts to run (about the same as a hair dryer). In the long run, robot labor is clearly cheaper. Yet the safety of the Nextage means that some manual tasks (especially those involving rapid decision making) may still rely on humans. That’s a combination already seen in other modern factories.

The ultimate balance between human labor and automation, however, is yet to be decided. Even the Nextage is still being developed. Kawada has a similar platform for researching human-robot interaction called HIRO. The HRP series, of which Nextage is a part, has more than 20 humanoid bots at major research institutions. Finding the most profitable, and sustainable, combination of natural and artificial labor is likely to take some time. However, the goals of Kawada and AIST are clear: with safe robots like the Nextage they will be able to place machines in the same environments, even side by side, with humans to create the future hybrid workforce.

[screen capture and video credit: DigInfo News]
[source: Kawada]

Read more >>

Tweet

When Being Frugal Isn't the Solution

Here at Wise Bread, we have a lot of articles on how you can become more frugal and still enjoy a great lifestyle. All of these articles are very useful, but sometimes being frugal isn't the solution to improving your life. Here are some instances when frugality isn't the whole answer, and some additional solutions for achieving a happy balance. (See also: 12 Frugal Compromises)

If you are trying to achieve financial goals simply by spending as little as possible, then you are ultimately limited by how much income you have. Some readers have written to me and said that it is impossible for them to save just because their fixed expenses eat up most, if not all, of their income. Most of them are not lavish spenders, but are just making so little that they're surviving paycheck to paycheck. In that situation, it's better to focus more on increasing income than saving nickels and dimes. If you think about it, an extra $25 earned a day equates to $500 a month, and that side income will definitely help pay down debts faster.

I have seen those extreme couponing shows, and it actually scares me that some people buy so many boxes of processed foods. I'm not sure if all that stuff actually gets consumed, but I have seen many instances where people bought so many of something just because they got a good deal, and then a lot of it went to the trash. With the rise of deal sites like Groupon, I've also heard of stories of many paid coupons that aren't redeemed. I am a fan of looking for coupons for the things I need immediately and buying just enough, and I really like Phillip Brewer's article on shopping European style. I think more people can actually save money by buying what they need on demand instead of buying too much of something on sale.

A phrase that has been popping up lately is "frugal fatigue." Basically, it means many people became frugal due to the recession, but now they are sick of pinching pennies and out to spend again. I've heard stories of people giving up their coffee or changing the grocery store where they shop, and it's the mentality of sacrifice that makes people unhappy. I think as long as you can comfortably afford something, then there is nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while. Sometimes happiness costs very little, and you don't have to feel guilty about spending.

Ultimately, I think that a combination of living below your means and generating extra income will help you reach your financial goals faster. You can't just concentrate on looking for deals and clipping coupons to improve your financial situation. Just like a well-balanced diet is good for your physical health, a well balanced set of financial actions will improve your financial health.

What do you think? Are you too fixated on saving money and not on earning money?

Read more >>

Tweet

Realization that I'm a Business Solution Designer

Takeaway: Brad Egeland proclaims that he is a next-generation, hybrid IT professional known as a Business Solution Designer.

Independent consultants have quite a bit of flexibility in the job titles we give ourselves — well, within reason and as long as the title attracts the desired clientele.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I called myself a Strategic Business Architect. It captured the essence of what I was doing at the time, and it still does. Unfortunately, the title led to problems with recruiters not understanding the type of work I wanted to do. At the time, I was consulting and actively pursuing W2 work and because “architect” was in my title and because I have been an application developer, I was getting calls daily to do contract development work or interview for a development position, and it grew tiresome to tell recruiters that I wasn’t interested or wasn’t the right person for the job. I still get a lot of email from recruiters about development positions, and I think it’s because I have that title in my online resume in some databases.

Fast forward to October 2011 when I read the CIO magazine article by ICEX president Rick Swanborg titled, “IT’s Creative Class.” He discusses how to craft a new generation of IT leaders who are focused on solving business problems. The author contends that companies are creating positions for hybrid IT professionals who can take leadership roles in devising and executing technology-enabled business ideas. Mr. Swanborg refers to these hybrid IT professionals as Business Solution Designers, or BSDs.

As I read Mr. Swanborg’s great article, I was thinking that the qualities he describes as important for BSDs are also qualities of every good IT consultant. Read the common qualities he identifies as important for this next generation of leaders, and see if you agree with my assessment.

Focus on business capabilities. BSDs will not be stuck on just functional requirements; they will be equally focused on people, process, and technology. The BSD will generate conversations about what is really needed and not just what the business leaders think they want.Know technology’s limitations. BSDs will understand that IT can’t work miracles. They must understand the legacy systems, the limitations, and the current business capabilities.Skilled negotiators. BSDs must be able to work with business leaders to prioritize projects, know which ones to pursue, and make good business decisions about resource usage in pursuing those projects.Curious. Mr. Swanborg states that CIOs need IT leaders who can see beyond the current system implementation and understand future needs. The must be innovators and visionaries.

Mr. Swanborg thinks CIOs should be scouting universities for business students with MIS minors. Hmm… I have a bachelor’s degree in MIS.

So, after reading the CIO article, I proclaimed to my wife that I am now a Business Solution Designer. (She was unimpressed and probably didn’t even hear me.) I contend that most good tech consultants have been this type of IT professional all along.

Are you a Business Solution Designer? What do you call yourself to clients? Let us know in the discussion.

Brad Egeland is an IT/Project Management consultant and author with over 24 years of software development and management experience.

Read more >>

Tweet