updates on more reviews

Very little to cover today regarding new conversations. So let’s go over a couple more previous reviews. The first is the #wristcam. It was originally pre-sold as CMRA. It is a very useful tool for just one of its functions. The other functions add value beyond but let’s start with the first. I love being able to see something and take a picture right away. No fumbling in my pocket to get my phone. That alone makes it a great tool. The watch face makes it even better. Now, in honesty, there is one feature I’ve tried that I don’t love.

Holding your arm in front of you is inconvenient to participate in a video call with the WirstCam. Short video calls are perfect, but longer calls aren’t as effective. Although, in fairness, holding your phone up for a video call isn’t much better. But that is my only downside, and even that is applied only to longer video calls!

Next is the Livescribe Pen. I had one for many years and went away from the pen. I recently returned, and they have done a great job updating the pen and paper so that it is far easier to use and enjoy. I had moved to the remarkable for editing books and whitepapers. But I was not as happy taking notes on the tablet format. I needed the concept of pen and paper. Livescribe gets me back to where I can use pen and paper for notes, convert the letters to digital and text, and then send them to myself. They also upgraded the handwriting recognition software a lot! I’ve used various OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software packages in the past, but that was almost always with typed text or books. With the Livescribe software, you can convert handwriting. The only issue I have is if the notes are taken in a hurry, it is really hard for me to decipher what I was trying to say when I wrote them. Nevertheless, I got some interesting converted results!

Now if I only could convert what is in my head into pictures. Text, I can do no problem! Actual drawings are not going to happen!

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robot project update

Technology and fun project update. So, I am on a learning robotics kick. In particular, land-based robotics or ROVs. Vehicles that can go places I cannot go or, more fairly, I do not want to go. So far, I continue to use the Spero system; it is a lower-end ROV and has its development language for ROV programming. The next thing is learning about camera systems and adding a camera to Spero. The other two robotics systems I am playing within the short term are less directly programable.

I have Ebo, an interesting camera on tracks that can be taught to patrol and take video. Ebo is also loud, announces things at interesting times (I am going home to recharge), and has to be moved away from my office. That was because, at some point, it is embarrassing to explain to people on a call that I am not going home to recharge; my robot is. But it does take good video overall, and the patrolling can be configured. Unfortunately, the battery life on Ebo could be better.

Astro, the Amazon robot, has a lot more basic built-in capabilities. I am still exploring the capabilities. The fun thing so far has been the exploration. The robot can be taught rooms, where to hang out, and what to do on patrol. Additionally, Astro can play amazon music and Amazon Prime video. But the funny thing I’ve learned so far is facial recognition. Astro can be taught to recognize people. When Astro sees me, it lights up, makes a noise, and says good (time of day), Scott, I missed you. Or good to see you.

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Life changing DVR!

Well, now it may be something I have to do! Last year Purdue came to IU; IU was struggling, and thanks to great play at home, it managed to pull off the upset. I forgot, last year, to set the DVR to record the game to watch it. This year, we beat Purdue at home. I enjoyed watching that game, but the second game of the series was yesterday. I forgot to set the DVR again, and IU won. So, when playing Purdue, can I ever record the game again, o purpose? I have the B10 network set up to auto-record football and basketball games. I can delete the ones I don’t want to watch. But the game yesterday was not on the B10 network.

(PS, IU’s Women’s team, losers of one Big Ten game this year, also beat Purdue and are the Big Ten Champs!)

DVR is one of those inventions that changed the world. I don’t remember the last time I intentionally watched live TV. I do not care as much about TV now as I used to. There was a time when I was younger, that I would watch 6 hours of NFL on a Sunday and 6 hours of college football on a Saturday. But as you get older those kind of days slide away. Responsibility takes over! But the DVR means I can watch what I want and not worry about what else is happening.

Why bring this up now? I’ve been thinking about my athletic heroes. In 1985 when the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, we didn’t have DVR. We had a VCR but couldn’t play back and record simultaneously. So you watched the Super Bowl live and ran to the bathrooms every commercial break. Of course, later in life, I would prefer the commercials, but with a DVR, I could pause and saunter to the bathroom. Sauntering is much more pleasant than rushing!

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on printers and stuff like that there

I veered away from HP about ten years ago from a technology perspective. I didn’t have a single bit of HP hardware for the last ten years. I have added two HP devices to my home lab in the past four months. One is a portable printer (the HP 250) the other is a desktop that I converted to a server. I am always playing with virtual machines at home. Based on that, I have one computer running VMWare Workstation and another running Hyper-V to see the differences.

But I have to say, I am impressed with HP’s overall improvement. The reason I went away from HP printers was simply that they just weren’t good enough. So far, the new devices have done more than expected. Time will tell if this was a good decision or not. I can always go back to my HP ban!

I am down to four printers, the lowest I have ever been down to! One portable printer, a plotter, a color laser, and a high-capacity laser printer. The high in terms of printers in the house was ten. But, of course, that was when there were printers on every level, and each kid had their printer. The high was also when printers were more specialized, and I was printing many large and medium-sized prints. I could have gone to the office, but it was an hour-plus trip one way.

So I had a large format, a plotter, three lasers, and multiple color inkjet printers. Plus, I packed a portable printer in my suitcase to print on the road. Those were the days! In the next few years, I will eliminate the plotter and go down to two printers. (portable and color laser).

Time, as always, will tell!

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I still don’t like SPAM, of any kind :-)

Ah, SPAM; as a child, I have to say I did not like you. In Hawaii, it is considered the height of dining. But I am still not a huge fan. Also, I wouldn’t say I like the SPAM that comes into my inbox or via email. First, any email you get is simply a right-click before considering action. If you get an email that looks legit, right-click the address and ensure it returns to Amazon.com if it comes from Amazon. People don’t send messages from long email accounts when they notify you something is wrong.

Yesterday I got three identical pieces of SPAM in that it was three other messages but multiple copies of both. I got five various Microsoft notifications that my Microsoft account was locked (2 went to my Gmail and listed my Gmail account as the locked Microsoft account.) Two notified me that my prime benefits had been shut off. The funny thing was one went to my work email account. I don’t have any commerce connected to my work account.

At some point, it just makes me laugh. But, sadly, I know some people click on the links. The sad reality of SPAM is that the scam that brings the SPAM keeps going because at least one person clicks on it. They are trying for several things, your account information or sometimes simply a known good email address. But we must be safe no matter what or how we do something. We have to apply security to ourselves online. We are the responsible party, so right-click and see who sent that email to you, shutting off your prime!

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Thoughts while drinking coffeee

There are days when the conference calls start at 8 in the morning and last until seven at night. Those are the long days. However, some days begin and end on time. The balance is where you get things done sometimes. I will admit to, at times, having to multi-task during calls in which there is a set of scheduled speakers, and I am one, but I am still getting up. I listen in case the customer says something I can build on but I also focus on other things. Multi-tasking is an interesting skill humans have.

Could an AI, or machine intelligence, be developed to do that? It is nuanced communication because you have to listen for three things. First, the customer is saying something that impacts them (earnestly). The customer replies to the speaker or asks a question but rejects the speaker’s topic (sarcasm). Finally, the last piece, the system would need to recognize an interaction that was not meant as a serious response (humor). Based on language patterns, the first one is pretty easy.

I suspect machine intelligence (ChatGPT) could easily manage that first. The other two are less about content and all about context. The hardest would be sarcasm, only because it requires combining two parts of communication (humor and knowledge). Spirit alone can be accomplished without the ability of the topic. A conversation about the issue, earnest in my scenario, would also be easier. But Sarcasm may be the highest and lowest forms of human communication.

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oh weather where art thou?

Well, I was not pleased to find my weather station on the ground, 15 feet below where it had been placed the other day. It was sadly beyond repair. In their quest to eat all the bird seed in my #birdbuddy, the beloved squirrels of my oft-shared videos knocked it off. It returns to a new place in a few days (replacement).

People ask me why I have two separate weather stations. One of the reasons is that the Tempest system includes lightning detection. The other is I can have one outdoor thermometer in the sun and one in the shade. Walking outside in the summer, you often know shade and sun temperatures. It is always good to know beforehand what they both are. So I have the two stations (technically, including the video, I have three systems). The other thing is that it is important to me to have backups!

The other cool thing about connected weather stations is that when I am outdoors, walking, they notify me of weather changes. Although I will admit, there have been times when the notification of rain falling came long after I had gotten wet. But that is my biggest risk when walking outside. The weather is changing more rapidly than I predict.

But the last reason I love weather stations and have two is to honor my father. He loved weather stations my entire childhood; he had one in his home and office. I always remember looking at the two thermometers and barometers. Dad had it in his office as a kid. Although, after we moved out of Sherwood Oaks, dad didn’t connect the outdoor thermometer. He had the same manual station for over 30 years (and in the four houses mom and dad owned in or near Bloomington, Indiana).

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This week’s theme continues. We have been making upgrades better since 1969!

The most interesting concept right now is the fluidity of the technology market. Things that ten years ago seemed impossible are now in our pockets, literally in our bags. But in all of that, the improvements and the additions, it is still about reliability. No matter how good your application is, it is useless if no one can connect to it well. That concept of the three pillars of the ERT is one I know I keep coming back to and repeating over and over.

Over the years, I have watched many organizations struggle with what and how they upgrade. I’ve talked to CIOs and VPs about the reality of upgrades. Be smart, and think, but look critically at why your applications aren’t performing. Sometimes the easy button is just stopping, looking around, and understanding the applications. However, there are many considerations in the overall improvement of an application. That process isn’t hard; it just takes a little time.

Many years ago, I worked with a Director of IT; he was a very interesting leader. At the end of the year, the company did budgeting. He would start the process roughly three months earlier than other departments. In the first meeting of the budget process, he would say the first thing was simple but powerful. He would hold up a hammer and a nail. He would then look at his team and say, “I’ve solved the everything is a nail problem by purchasing a hammer. Now, solve other problems that don’t require a hammer.”

I have taken that to heart over the years. However, only some things are a nail. Therefore not all projects start with a hammer!

Hubpages piece

Futurist: A Formula to Find What Is Beyond the Art of the Possible | HubPages

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Update on the Apple Watch review…

I’ve been using the Apple Watch Ulimtate now for nearly four months. I’ve found several improvements, one of which is changing my watch features, one is the newest version of the Wristcam, but the remainder of the cool things are wholly the watch itself.

1. I ordered a new watch with cell service. I hadn’t thought about it until the other day. I was updating my iPhone, but still able to talk via the watch’s shared cellular connection. So my iPhone rebooted. I could still speak because the eye is also a phone!
2. The Wristcam is amazing. I find myself taking more and more pictures without ever taking my phone out of my pocket
3. The new apple watch screen is more touch-friendly than the smaller previous versions were.
4. I like the heft of the watch, no,t too heavy, not too light!

The new screen is larger, but also more capable of touch. That is a great feature. Beyond my list above, I am also impressed with the improvements that Apple continues to make. I was, many years ago, an Apple Fanboy; I only had a Mac for many years. In drifting away and returning, I can appreciate the fit and finish Apple is so proud of regarding its products. I find the iPhone and the Apple Watch to be amazing productivity tools. But this is about the watch, so that I will stop with the iPhone here!

Siri on the new Watch is better than Siri was in the past on the watch. That is a powerful addition. I can do things now on the clock (track my walking, get directions) that don’t tie up the phone. The watch is now my official second screen, reducing my pulling the phone from my pocket by 70%. Yes, sometimes you still have to take the phone out, but that has been greatly reduced!

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Inquiry + OODA Loop = ERT

For me, the simplicity of the OODA Loop by John Boyd is the power. It is a four-step process you can modify to produce good-fast decisions. We get even more power if we take the Inquiry Method of Scientific modeling and combine it with the OODA Loop. The Inquiry method or model (my father, as a long-time professor of Science Education, loved the model) pushes us to ask questions that lead to testing. That fits with the OODA Loop in both the Orientation and feedback loops.

It was from these two frameworks that I created the ERT or Enterprise Resource Triangle. In that, you have three distinct endpoints. First, organizations have destinations; that is where you have the information users in your organization need to access to do their jobs. You have the device, the device simply being how the users consume the information provided by your destination. The last piece in the ERT is the landscape, or how the goal accepts inbound traffic and how the device communicates with the plan.

I have hashed and rehashed this on my Hubpages blog and this blog many times. But it is truly important to remember the critical components here: no device and no productivity in this model. Could you write the destination for the wrong machine? No value here? Goal and apparatus are designed to work together. But no path to get to the destination from the device; useless. I will end with this. Organizations that deploy dumb landscapes (non-automated point-to-point networks) will, in the end, regret that decision. The power of the ERT for your application is that it is an equilateral triangle. All three angles and all three components are equally important. A smart landscape will notify the destination that the user is on a low-bandwidth remote cellular network. Smart networks are the future!

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