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Using ROI Analysis to Build a Compelling Business Case for VDI

editor — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:46:48 +0000

Raj Mallempati from the VMware product team is joined by Steve Kaplan from INX, a longtime VMware business partner. Listen as Steve shares his experience as a technology implementer and ROI analyst and how he applies that foundation to VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

Speakers: Steve Kaplan, VP Data Center Virtualization Practice, INX, Inc.
Raj Mallempati, Group Product Manager, VMware, Inc.

Tags: VMware, Virtualization, Steve Kaplan, Raj Mallempati, INX

Woz @ IDF

Jason Lopez — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:56:11 +0000

Steve Wozniak motored by on his Segway during the IDF Blogger mixer. He was on his way to do preparation for his next-day keynote interview with the public radio host of Tech Nation, Moira Gunn. Hang out at the Blogger Upload Lounge on the 3rd floor of Moscone West and who knows who’ll happen by.

Tags: Apple, Intel, IDF, Intel Developer Forum, Moira Gunn, Steve Wozniak, Woz, Segway, Tech Nation, Moscone

Implementing Service Oriented Architecture: Organizing for Success

Paul Lancour — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:06:41 +0000

In this podcast, enterprise architecture expert Steven Kahn discusses some of the findings that went into the recently published, An Implementor’s Guide to Service Oriented Architecture - Getting it Right, produced by BearingPoint, Composite Software and other contributors. The bottom line: successful implementation of an SOA system is about more than technology. As Kahn explains, challenges in understanding the technology, to developing an IT funding model that will enable it to serve across the enterprise are all critical to success. There are many common implementation pitfalls, but Kahn explains how the process can be made simpler, and hopes to encourage more people to deploy their own SOA.

Steven Kahn is a senior manager in BearingPoint’s commercial services business systems integration practice where he works to define and deliver value-driven SOA and BPM solutions. He specializes in enterprise architectures with specific emphasis on enterprise integration and business process management.

Tags: Steven Kahn, Service Oriented Architecture, BearingPoint

The Deal - Opportunities in a Sluggish Market

Jason Lopez — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:59 +0000

When times get tough, investors need to answer a few key questions: which industries are most attractive for investment? What deal structures are investors choosing? Where are sellers’ expectations?

In this podcast, although there was some consensus around the prediction that deal flow in the U.S. will drop below the impressive levels it has achieved in recent years, the expert voices of a panel discussion tackling “Opportunities and priorities in a sluggish economy” hold true to their panel title, expressing optimism at the opportunities that present in a down market.

From manufacturing to distribution and even food processing, all kinds of industries are facing tough decisions about how to continue in the current economic climate. That means opportunities for investors, and that’s just in the U.S. Abroad, particularly in Asia, there’s still a healthier climate for deals. About deals in Asia, Peter Berger, managing director at SAC Private Capital, says, “That’s where the dealflow is”

So, what’s going to happen? If we’re in the “eye of the storm,” as CCMP Capital Managing Director Jonathan Lynch says, then “it’s going to get worse.” But with an “inexhaustible supply of bad management,” even the so-called good times keep turnaround investors like Raquel Palmer at KPS Capital Partners busy. These days, with more shakeouts, they’re even busier than usual.

In addition to Berger, Lynch and Palmer, panelists included Steven Besen, partner at Shearman & Sterling; Timothy O’Hara, managing director and head of global credit business at Credit Suisse; and Hamilton “Tony” James, president and chief operating officer with The Blackstone Group.

The Deal’s Private Capital Symposium brought together private equity professionals, angel investors, buyout and venture investors, corporate acquisition professionals, M&A advisors and professional services providers. The event took place in New York’s Essex House, on May 14, 2008.

Tags: Peter Berger, Jonathan Lynch, Raquel Palmer, Steven Besen, Timothy O’Hara, Hamilton “Tony” James, The Deal, Private Capital Symposium

The Deal - Deals in the Middle Market

Jason Lopez — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:15:13 +0000

Whether you call it a credit crunch or a credit squeeze, there’s evidence to be found that the chilled climate for deals has spread from the realm of the mega-deal into the middle market. To discuss the new economic realities in deal-making, The Deal convened a panel, “Deals in the Middle Market: How do they differ in this climate?” at the recent Private Capital Symposium, held in New York City.

For this podcast, panelists Steven Rattner, managing director, DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, and James Epstein, partner, Pepper Hamilton, spoke with PodTech’s Jason Lopez.

Tags: middle market, The Deal, Steven Rattner, James Epstein, Jason Lopez, The Deal, Private Capital Symposium

Classic Scoble : Getting into Adesso’s tubes

Robert Scoble — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:14:00 +0000

What was Scoble up to one year ago today? Check out today’s video for a trip down memory lane.
And for more context, check out his blog, from one year ago today!

We sit down with Steve Chazin, VP of marketing at Adesso, and talk about what was behind the company’s decision to do its Tubes service, which lets you send files around securely to your friends, family, and the world.

Other posts from a year ago:
Demo of Adesso Tubes: secure file sending/sharing/replication
Editor’s Choice: highlights of TV Tonic
Demo of video on Windows Media Center with TV Tonic
Talking Media Center with TV Tonic
Editor’s Choice: best and shortest look at Seagate’s new FreeAgent
Getting to know Seagate’s latest hard drives

Tags: Steve Chazin, Adesso, Tubes

Consumer-Directed Healthcare: Transforming the M&A Market

Paul Lancour — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:00:54 +0000

Join BearingPoint Senior Manager Kirsten Trusko in this podcast to explore consumer-directed health care and how it is affecting the mergers and acquisitions market. A rush of M&A activity is under way at the convergence of the banking, insurance and health industries. Companies in all three areas, as well as private equity and venture capital firms, are looking to capitalize on the market dynamics emerging with the growth of consumer-directed health care and the emerging vertical market of “health banking.”

While the complexities of cross-industry M&A are even greater than those for intra-industry transactions, the similarities between the industries contribute to a compelling business case. The key is a deep understanding of market direction and growth, a well-planned approach to the transaction and, equally important, clear confidence as to what happens post-transaction, both inside the company and in the marketplace.

The convergence of banking, insurance and health is driving great opportunity to leverage strengths, capabilities and channels across market sectors to the benefit of consumers, companies and investors. But the risk of disappointing outcomes is especially high in inter-industry efforts without essential knowledge and planning. To improve the chances of a positive outcome, look well beyond the deep financial analysis applied to traditional intra-industry efforts. Finally, design and articulate a post-transaction operating model that can position you to take advantage of this dramatic U.S. economic shift.

Tags: BearingPoint, Kirsten Trusko, consumer-directed, mergers and acquisitions, M&A, private equity, venture capital, health banking, CDH

The Deal: Healthcare Dealmaking with Steve Elek

Jason Lopez — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:54:58 +0000

Deals in healthcare M&A have soared over the past two years, continuing to attract capital and drive activity in the sector. Industry insiders are monitoring the current pace of healthcare M&A deals and developing an outlook for 2008. On Wednesday, The Deal hosts a one-day symposium with attendees such as strategic acquirers, private equity and other alternative investors. The aim is to acquire the foremost dealmakers’ outlook on mergers and acquisitions taking place in the healthcare industry, top deals and the transactions impacting healthcare M&A. In this podcast PodTech’s Jason Lopez speaks with Steve Elek, of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who will moderate the symposium’s opening panel.

Tags: Healthcare, M&A, the deal, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Steve Elek

How to: Quick and Easy Video for the iPhone, Apple TV and new iPods

Kevin Edwards — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:03:18 +0000

Ripping DVDs, transferring video from cameras, or converting downloaded videos from various sources for Apple products can be a difficult and time consuming process. Now with a software update for the Turbo.264 hardware-based video encoder from Elgato Systems, Macintosh users now have a definitive best and fastest way to encode video for all of Apple’s latest products.

This small device simply plugs into any Intel or PowerPC based Mac with a USB port (USB 2 is highly recommended). All of the heavy processing normally done by your computer is offloaded onto the Turbo.264 encoder, resulting in much faster encoding and freeing up your Mac for other tasks.

The older and slower your Mac, the more significant the speed increase will be with this device. We found the Turbo.264 encoded video up to 20 times faster on a G4, but even on higher end Intel based Macs, encoding times were drastically improved with the Turbo.264.

The Elgato Turbo.264 goes for about $90 on Amazon.com, making it a very inexpensive way to bring new life to an old Mac as a video encoding workstation.

The new software for the Turbo.264 couldn’t be any easier to use. As with the earlier software, it allows for batch processing, but more importantly, it provides support for custom data rates and other settings. It also includes simple selections for encoding video optimized for the Apple TV, iPhone, iPods, or the recently announced iPod Touch, iPod Classic and iPod Nano (also known as the iPod Nano Fatty.

While the included software is easy to use, the Turbo.264 comes with plug-ins for QuickTime that allow it to work with any application that uses QuickTime for export. This includes Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro, iMovie (including both HD and ‘08) and third party video apps such as Roxio Popcorn.

For an alternative to the Turbo.264 from Elgato, consider the VideoExpress from Miglia. The Miglia compares very well in terms of hardware and performance, but we find the software for the Turbo.264 to be much better due to the ability to easily customize the settings.

[9/12/2007 - update…]See also:
More Quick and Easy Methods for Video on Your iPhone, Apple TV or New iPod

Tags: Ripping DVD, Turbo.264, video encoder, Elgato Systems, Macintosh, Apple, Intel, PowerPC, USB, Apple TV, iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch, iPod Classic, iPod Nano, iPod Nano Fatty, QuickTime, Final Cut Express, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Roxio Popcorn, VideoExpress, Miglia

Is TV the New TV?

Jason Lopez — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:01:06 +0000

What would your response be to this scenario: you’re watching television and you forget that it’s being distributed to you on the Internet. Who won? TV or the Web? James McQuivey covers television and media technologies for Forrester Research. He spoke with PodTech’s Jason Lopez about the current state of affairs for this audio podcast.

Friday’s announcement from Yahoo! Video touted a “wider viewing experience,” in addition to more content, bigger files and more sharing opportunities. And then there are those who ask whether another user-generated video site is what we really need.

Then there’s Apple TV Take Two. Steve Jobs and Apple continue to suggest that integration, convergence and usability might help consumers make the switch from TV as they know it to greater reliance on broadband and computing for downloadable video (including movie rentals).

Regardless of where things will ultimately end up, TV set sales are still big business (you may have seen coverage recently suggesting that men would still make considerable sacrifices in order to get a 50-inch TV display. We might as well ask: what would you be willing to give up for a big TV?

Tags: television, Internet, James McQuivey, Yahoo! Video, user-generated, Apple TV, Take Two, Steve Jobs, convergence

Facebook Status Update

Jason Lopez — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 08:01:46 +0000

Last October, Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook, suddenly placing Facebook’s value at a lofty $15 billion. Now, we see that revenues for 2007 came to around $150 million, while expenses still leave the company with a negative cash flow that could be as high as $150 million next year.

Microsoft’s recent move to acquire Yahoo!, which began with a telephone call from Microsoft CEO Steven A. Ballmer to Yahoo! CEO Jerry Yang (a call that Ballmer later claimed was “definitely not a courtesy call”) prompted us to revisit the Facebook/Microsoft relationship - what it means for Facebook, and what Microsoft might have been thinking last Fall.

As Facebook moves to launch versions in Spanish, with more languages coming soon, analysts are looking again at the juggernaut, guessing about whether breaking into languages will erode its power as a single network around the world. Meanwhile, widgets and applications continue to proliferate, and Microsoft’s role in aiding advertising at Facebook continues to be a work in progress.

Forrester Research senior analyst (and former host of PodTech’s own Web Strategy show) Jeremiah Owyang speaks with PodTech’s Jason Lopez about Facebook’s evolving business.

Tags: Microsoft, Facebook, Steven A. Ballmer, Jerry Yang, Web Strategy, Jeremiah Owyang, Jason Lopez

Intel at CES 2008: Go Off and Do Something Wonderful

Jason Lopez — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:00:03 +0000

In his CES keynote, Intel CEO and President Paul Otellini introduced the concept of virtual Smash Mouth, and with a nod to the slew of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) on view on the massive CES show floor, as well as the newer, more powerful laptops and gaming systems on display, he made clear the significance of Intel’s 45 nanometer transistor technology. The bottom line, from Otellini’s keynote: “The Internet is going to come to us.” (more…)

Tags: Intel, Paul Otellini, Smash Mouth, Mobile Internet Devices, MIDs, CES, gaming systems, 45 nanometer

MacWorld 2008 and CES 2009: Steve Jobs’ Keynote Address Previews

Kevin Edwards — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:00:06 +0000

PodTech’s Jason Lopez and Kevin Edwards roamed the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show floor where it seems Apple rules–in certain product categories–without even being there. In this 18 minute podcast Kevin and Jason check out a few of the many products made for iPods/iPhones and talk about Apple at CES 2009 in anticipation of the MacWorld Keynote Address next week.

Also, Kevin spews his Mac-cult inspired thoughts on Steve Jobs delivering the keynote at CES 2009

See the Flickr photo set for this podcast.

Tags: Jason Lopez, Kevin Edwards, CES 2008, CES 2009, Consumer Electronics Show, Apple, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, CES, MacWorld, Steve Jobs, Keynote

What Is Human Computer Interaction? Part-1

Kamla Bhatt — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:44:26 +0000

What is human computer interaction? Prof John Canny of UC Berkeley explains that human computer interaction is making computers (technology) available to people. Macintosh is an early example of this. According to John Steve Jobs of Apple was a key entrepreneur and agent in making this happen, but lot of the early ideas came from Xerox Parc and their Star project (Yogen Dalal of Mayfield Fund was a key member of the Star team).

Tags: Human Computer Interaction, John Canny, Macintosh, Steve Jobs, Yogen Dalal

vPro: Encryption at the Hardware Level

Jason Lopez — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:29:23 +0000

There’s a revolution afoot in the computer industry that’s not so sci-fi. It’s more in line with the notion of “heavy lifting” and “blocking and tackling.” Corporate networks are benefiting from software at the chip level below the operating system. Intel has been providing the software building blocks for greater functionality in the hardware in vPro and CentrinoPro. The updates to the technologies continue in 2008 with “Danbury,” which performs core encryption in hardware. PodTech’s Jason Lopez interviewed Intel’s Steve Grobman, director of business client architecture.

Tags: Corporate networks, vPro, CentrinoPro, Danbury, core encryption, Steve Grobman

Conserving Bandwidth with IP Multi-casting

Michael Johnson — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:46:51 +0000

IP multi-casting can conserve bandwidth and optimize network performance. Learn how Verizon Business Private IP Multicasting VPN@Work can be used to stream applications to multiple corporate site while limiting bandwidth requirements, with Steve Goodman, Product Marketing Manager – Private IP, Verizon Business.

Tags: Verizon Business, Private IP Multicasting, VPN, Steve Goodman

The Future of Intel Architecture - Intel Chip Chat - Episode 15

editor — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:11:04 +0000

Intel Senior Fellow, Steve Pawlowski, explores the next 10 years of challenges and innovation for Intel architecture.

Related Stories: Intel, IntelMooresLaw, IDF

Tags: Intel, Steve Pawlowski, Intel, IntelMooresLaw, IDF

Steve Fairbanks on BackupExec System Recovery

James Gaskin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 03:46:48 +0000

Symantec product manager Steve Fairbanks discusses improvements in their BackupExec System Restore product during the Altiris ManageFusion user conference.

Tags: Symantec, Steve Fairbanks, BackupExec, System Restore, Altiris, ManageFusion

ICT Access for Africa: Intel, UN and ITU Efforts to Globalize Broadband

Jason Lopez — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:44:35 +0000

Broadband, connectivity, Wi-Fi, accessibility and education efforts are all priorities for the ongoing efforts in developing nations and regions around the globe. Intel, along with the United Nations and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), among others, is participating this month in the Connect Africa Summit, which aims to bring together human, technical and financial resources to speed development and improvement of Africa’s Information and Communication Technology, or ICT infrastructure. Expanding broadband, wireless and mobile access technologies is the current push, after indications that Africa’s general ICT development is lagging behind its unprecedented adoption of mobile phone technology (400 percent in just a few years - well ahead of projections).

Dr. Hamadoun Touré is secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union. His call for what he refers to as a “Marshall Plan for ICT infrastructure development in Africa,” has been heard by the United Nations, and particularly by Intel Chairman Craig Barrett who, leading the UN’s Global Alliance for ICT and Development, or UN GAID, is working to bring the leading ICT companies in Silicon Valley and around the world to the challenges in Africa.

The United Nations’s Millennium Development Goals are driving innovation around the world, as the challenge of reducing global poverty by half by 2015 looms. The Connect Africa effort brings together private enterprise and non-governmental organizations for a two-day summit in Kigali, Rwanda, beginning on October 29, hosted by Rwanda President Paul Kagame and John Kufour, president of Ghana and chairman of the African Union.

Intel’s World Ahead Program, established in May 2006, has already seen the chip maker pledge more than $1 billion over five years to bridge the digital divide and bring full access to technology to the developing world.

(Explicit) Keen on… an airport conversation

editor — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:53:00 +0000

The Comedy stylings of Andrew Keen and Steve Gillmor, still bantar on who is more in love with Hillary Clinton. I think Andrew Keen wins hands down!

Facebook, 1000 Billion? Are these guys serious?

Tags: Andrew Keen, Steve Gillmor

Talking about Wikis with Mindtouch

Robert Scoble — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:34:39 +0000

Aaron Fulkerson and Steve Bjork, co-founders of MindTouch, talk to me about the Wiki market and what makes their tool better than others.

Tags: Aaron Fulkerson, Steve Bjork, MindTouch

Steve Sanghi of Microchip, Part 2

Kamla Bhatt — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:31:50 +0000

Steve Sanghi, CEO of Microchip Technology, talks about how the company went from a small, struggling outfit to a successful one. What made Steve believe in Microchip Technology? How did he do it?

He also talks about the connection between the U.S. housing market and Microchip Technology. And then there is his favorite toy: Segway, which is powered by Microchip’s microcontrollers.

Tune in to find out how Steve brought in fresh thinking and perspective to Microchip after spending more than 10 years at Intel.

Tags: Steve Sanghi, Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology’s Steve Sanghi, Part 1

Kamla Bhatt — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:10:04 +0000

Arizona-based Microchip Technology is an important player in the microcontroller and analog semiconductor space. The company registered $1.039 billion in net sales for fiscal year 2007.

Yesterday, I spoke with Steve Sanghi, the CEO and the chairman of the board of directors of Microchip Technologies, in Bangalore, to find out about the company’s India plans.

Microchip Technologies started its India operations more than 10 years ago by opening a small sales office, and slowly expanded its presence. It now has about 500 customers. A few years ago, it opened a design center in Bangalore that works on IC design, mask layout and applications developments among other things. Bangalore is the hub for embedded development work in India. The company recently set up a call center and technical helpdesk for its domestic and international clients. Microchip has offices in Pune and New Delhi.

Steve was born and brought up in India and migrated to the U.S. when he was 20 years old.

Tags: microcontroller, analog semiconductor, Steve Sanghi

Microsoft partners with Atlassian over Sharepoint Wiki

Robert Scoble — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:00:20 +0000

Atlassian builds enterprise wikis and is white hot. Today at the Web 2.0 Summit Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, will announce that it is partnering with Atlassian, who is building a Sharepoint connector so that Sharepoint customers can use Atlassian’s wiki. This is pretty significant news and here Jeffrey Walker, Atlassian’s president, and Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian’s CEO, discusses what this means for Atlassian.

Tags: Atlassian, Steve Ballmer, Sharepoint, Jeffrey Walker, Mike Cannon-Brookes

Turning dumb phones into smart phones

editor — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:52:48 +0000

Migg33 is a mobile social networking company and a phone software developer. The comapny has found a way to enhance regular phones with extra smart features including ways to use VOIP for cheap international calls as co-founder Steven Goh explains to Larry Magid.

Tags: Migg33, mobile social networking, Steven Goh, Larry Magid