Ipad - Thumbs up or Thumbs down?

I have now seen then Ipad a couple of times and had the opportunity to play with one and it has made me think. You might say that given the sales in the US and Apple's track record in general the question of success is moot, but that doesn't stop me considering it.

It us undoubtedly a sexy piece of kit and on many levels I want one. On another level I am not sure if I could justify it or if my interest would last. In many ways it seems to be a very large Itouch and in that respect it defeats one key feature of the Ipod and that is the small package used to deliver a huge amount of usable functionality. When I tried it the natural way to use it was to rest it on the palm of my left hand and operate it with my right. This highlighted a conern I have which is that it did not feel safe in my hands. The shiney finish, light weight and curves meant that it felt like it was always about to slip or be dropped. This was a criticism I heard of the Iphone and of course a rubberised skin could address the issue, but that reduces some of the design values.

It is also, I understand, still without multitasking. On the Itouch this can be a slight pain but is not a great draw back. However with the laregr device I wonder if the expectations naturally rise and this lack of multi-tasking would become limiting and annoying?

I did see someone using an Ipad on the train and its use for video delivery looked impressive as did many of the games, but the key for me was when they started looking at webpages and documents - I think I may have spotted the "killer-use" for the Ipad - as a document pad -esepcially.

For a long while we have tried to get away from carrying loads of paper around, but nothing has really been in place to make it really effective and practical. Laptops tak too long to fire up and by default dispaly in Landsacpe. The new Ebooks are really to small and the electronic ink only presents in black and white. Ok the battery life is longer for this, but if it doesn't work for you it doesn't work.

I think that I will start seeing more and more business people using it on trains and planes to view documents, in colour, in portrait!

We shall see, eh?

Gobsmacked!!

This is not why I set up this Blog, but I have just been moved hugely and want to record it.

In the Sunday Times today (Sunday 23rd May 2010) is an interview with Andy Ripley. He was a boyhood hero. An England rugby player who also played for the Lions and the Barbarians. We was a giant of a man and although we never met it was so obvious that he was both a superb athlete and a superb human.

For those that do not know him this earlier interview may help http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article581684.ece

Anyway the shock today was picture of him collecting an award (OBE?) from Prince Charles on Friday. He is frail, in a wheelchair and has been blind for two weeks due to tumours pressing in his optic nerve. This is all the result of a battle with prostate cancer. He is receiving a Blythe Spirit award from his rugby community later this week and I wish I could be there.

It is not about realising ones own mortality or about the change in him (tho' I confess that is a shock), but that this world is on the verge of losing a great, but in many ways unknown man.

I wonder how many of this generation's top sports stars will make such a mark?

Enough said. Let me just say that if the lump in my throat is any measure then this man deserves our admiration and spiritual support in his growing struggle.

Here is the article http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article7133833.ece

Investing in improvement

It has been facinating looking around BPO operations in first Bangalore and now Mumbai. Today I asked a simple question about how they worked to improve tone and style of communication and this led to the revelation that they invest around 10% of their working day in improvement activities.

Why don't we manage to do that in the UK? How much better could we be if we did? I certainly have been involved in many initiatives that have just dried out in the end. Exaples are Quality Circles, TQM, etc.

It seems to me that in the UK (and maybe wider) we have two failings in this respect. The first is one of control; too often management and/or our regulatory framework seem unwilling to give any power to the working staff in the area of reall improvement. Oh yes, they say that they are empowering employees, but how often is that really true?

Related to this is that in current management thinking it seems that as soon as there is an perceived "fat" in the work force, ie the effort we might put into improvement, we tend to cut it out rather than use it. This is comparatively recent phenomenon as there was capacity to do this twenty years ago, but not now.

So who has got it right? Are the Indian so much wiser than us? Or is it just natural process allowing each part of a system to perform its best function?

In truth I don't know, but someone might. I for one will keep thinking on this until I find an answer that makes sense. Any insights/contirbutions are welcome.

I find I am most energised when I my mind is stimulated and doing in interesting things. I plan to use this as a place to capture and maybe share a few. You never know they may be of interest to others.

I have a few topics in mind, but right now I am heading to India for a few days on business; my first visit so it should be interesting and may trigger a post or two - who knows?

Welcome

I find I am most energised when I my mind is stimulated and doing interesting things. I plan to use this as a place to capture and maybe share a few. You never know they may