Ryminate

.Mac vs. Google Apps

Lately I've had a bit of a Google Apps on the brain; particularly since our law firm made the switch to Apps last weekend. Today Merlin Mann of 43 Folders has a very interesting post on the future of .mac in which he postulates a comprehensive backup/sync/cloud-computing environment that sounds eerily familiar.

I think Merlin is right, but while Merlin seems to think that Apple and Google will continue to skip hand and hand down the yellow brick road, I see some major conflicts. Google is also racing towards a very similar end with Google Apps. Certainly there is room for both companies in this space, but their similar direction may aggravate their already awkward relationship. 

Prediction: Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, will leave Apple's board of directors in the next 6 months. There are just too many conflicts of interest.

2008 Will Be the Year of Google Apps

2008 will be a breakout year for Google Apps. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. GDrive/Platypus will go live, allowing Google Apps users to store  their files online. The current backup and file sync solutions on the market are frustrating. While there are a few notable exceptions (Mozy, Memeo),  no one has put together the gamechanging solution. Google Apps will do this in 2008, and it will be integrated with the Google suite of products (e.g., Gmail, Google Docs, etc.). It is useful to note that M$ is scrambling towards its own solution in Live Drive, but as long as it continues to take a "one foot in, one foot out" approach in their commitment to Live Drive they will not beat Google. (Come on M$, you've been sitting on Foldershare and Groove for years without getting fully behind either!)
2. JotSpot, acquired by Google over a year ago, will finally go live as a key piece of Google Apps. Hopefully, the delayed integration means that it will be robust. I expect to see a something akin to a JotSpot-Basecamp mashup with a dash of Google ingenuity, and of course it will be well integrated with all of the other Google Apps tools.
3. Postini - When Google acquired Postini last year, it sent a strong message to me (and to others) that Google is indeed building a enterprise capable application in Google Apps. This acquisition gives Google a competitive advantage and legitimacy. Postini allows Google to sell Apps not only as a viable, but market leading enterprise solution when it comes to managing communications.
4. M$ Exchange is TOO much for most organizations. Why is it that if all I want to do is to keep my Outlook in sync between a few computers and my smartphone, I have to use this beast of a program? Not only is M$ Exchange too feature rich for most organizations, it is also very expensive to both setup and then manage. Conversely, Google Apps provides the most commonly used features from Exchange (e.g., shared address books and calendars), but they manage it, and it's available for a fraction of the price.
5. Security and Privacy concerns are overblown. It's a bit scary to make your organization so Google-dependent, but consider the following: A) For many businesses, moving to Google Apps represents an increase in security and stability. Why? Security and stability are the sine qua non of Google's business and they know it; they allocate their tremendous resources accordingly. B) As Facebook has reminded us over the past few months, privacy is a costs benefits analysis. If Google provides killer applications at unmatched prices, (which they do), organizations may grit their teeth a bit, but will ultimately trust Google to follow their informal corporate motto, "Don't be Evil."

Happy 2008! It’s Time to Update Your Copyright Notices

While the use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law, it is often very beneficial. Your copyright notices, whether on the web or otherwise, should include the following 3 elements:

1. The symbol ©, or the word “Copyright,” or the abbreviation “Copr.”;
2. The year of first publication of the work, and then the years that the work was updated, if applicable (e.g., 2000-2008);
3. The name of the copyright owner.

For example, in the footer of my firm’s site, you will find, “© 2007-08 Hedberg & Howell, LLC.”

Happy 2008!

Microblogging

Usually there are several times throughout the day when I think, "I ought to blog about this." Unfortunately, there are a finite number of hours in the day and blogging often gets bumped off the to-do list.

Enter the microblog. Just to the left of the main content on my blog I've inserted a microblog--short posts of a sentence or two that I usually post from my Blackberry. To set this up I use a combination of the Twitter widget on the blog and then Twitterberry on the Blackberry. It's been great to be able to shoot off a quick update or thought a few times a day as opposed to writing a regular blog post.

If you're interested in following my microblog (as if you needed more noise in your life) you can do so via Twitter or RSS.

Running Again...

2008 might be the year...  the year to finally run a marathon. I've run half-marathons and completed short distance triathlons, but never attempted the full 26.2.

Last month I begin running in earnest again, after a knee injury last spring, and so far it's going well. I put together a spreadsheet to track my progress, (you can access the template I used as a base here), and I'm slowly cranking up the mileage.

Here's to early morning runs through the Colorado winter!!!

Armchair Science

Recently I've been reading Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, which I must say is the best armchair science book I have ever read (with perhaps E=Mc2: A Biography, placing second). Bryson does a great job of taking my mind to places I've never been since high school science class, and then providing just enough novel information to provide my mind a "leaping off point" in terms of thinking about how the universe works.

I just finished a chapter on the asteroids and their many near misses with Earth, and now I'm onto earthquakes. Bryson paints a sobering picture of both that has me looking at force majeure clauses in a new light :). Highly recommended book!

JOTT -- My "Always There" Personal Assistant

I hate to admit it, but my work life can be a bit email inbox-centric; consequently, I think I've necessarily become quite effective at inbox processing. In fact, I kind of delight in plowing through my emails each morning, firing off responses, dumping some to my task list,  delegating...   until I get to that beautiful moment of zen when my inbox is empty.

Since identifying my proclivity for inbox processing, I've tried to channel as much "stuff" as possible to my email inbox. Enter Jott, a free service that allows you send transcribed messages from your cell phone to your inbox. It's kind of like having an "always there" personal assistant. Since getting on board I Jott on the road, while in bed, and sometimes on bike rides. Check out a video demo:

How a Pocket Audit Saved Me From the Man-Purse

A few days ago I decided I was carrying around too much junk in my pockets. It was getting uncomfortable, and it probably looked even worse--especially in dress pants. While my pocket inventory consisted only of a wallet and keyring, both were getting out of control. It was either simplify, or spring for the man purse; I chose the former.

I began the simplification process by doing a pocket audit. My wallet was a leather, tri-fold model full of membership cards, punchcards, business cards, gift cards, notes, receipts, etc. (i.e., it was a fatty). My keyring had several keys on it that I only used periodically, a sentimental knickknack, a broken usb drive, and the keyless entry fob for my car.

After taking an inventory, I decided to strip down to the bare essentials (See picture). The wallet became a binder clip holding my driver's license; two debit cards--one work, one personal; and some cash. The keyring was downsized to two car keys, an office key, a house key, and a new usb drive (containing PortableApps for the geeks out there).

After making these changes I've been DELIGHTED with the difference. So far I haven't missed any of the extra inventory. I admit, I was a bit apprehensive about going without keyless entry for my car, but it's really not that big of a deal. It's amazing to me how small simplifications in my life can pay such large dividends.

The inspiration for this change was ZenHabits, a great resource on simple productivity.

Spc. Howell at the Broncos-Packers Game

A few weeks ago my brother serving in the Army in Iraq emailed us to say he would be on the jumbotron at the Broncos-Packers football game. Tickets were sent to our family to attend the game and me, my dad, and my two other brothers all ended up going. We had little idea that we would also be on the jumbotron, but when we arrived at our seats midway through the first quarter Miles the Broncos mascot and the cameras were all waiting. Check it out:

Doing Good Via the Internet

What do you do on the Internet? Me... a lot! I do email (gmail, Exchange), read a TON (mostly via Google Reader) , connect with people (LinkedIn, Facebook), do research, check the weather (SimpleWeather), listen to music (Pandora), watch TV, chat (Meebo), talk (Skype), build my family tree (Geni), blog and more.

While these things are all good, (like Google, I try not to be evil on the Internet), if I'm honest with myself these things are pretty self-interested activities. I guess I do send get well emails from time to time, or make charitable donations via the Internet, but I could certainly be better at using  the Internet to "do good."

Here are two great opportunities to "do good" on the Internet, each of which only take a few minutes:

1. Let'sSayThanks - Regardless of your position on the current Iraq mess, you have to give it up for our troops. They are loyal and courageous despite the tough situation. Let's Say Thanks is a site that allows you to send a free printed postcard to U.S. military personal serving abroad. Take two minutes and do this. On a personal note my brother and his new wife are both stationed in Baghdad, he on his second tour. They are both Army combat medics so they see the worst of the worst. I love catching them from time to time on Gmail chat--cool, huh.
2. FreeRice - Want to brush up on your vocabulary and at the same time do something good? Go to FreeRice.com and you will be quizzed on your English vocabulary. If you click on the correct answer you donate 10 grains of rice to those in need. The rice is paid for by corporate sponsors. This site is simple, fun, and good. (Maybe StartupWeekend should take a look at doing something good like this. Andrew...?).

Let me know if you have any other cool ways to "do good" on the Internet.