May 11

Netbooks for Business? Talk to the Guys In IT First

Posted in: business, enterprise, HP, msi, netbooks, Notebooks, sony, Today's Chili

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Puny, lightweight netbooks are making their way into plenty of homes, but they must leap over a few hurdles before they become widely used in offices. First step: Convince the IT guys that the netbooks can handle the business and security needs of your company.

ZDNet polled a few Asian corporations who said they were experimenting with netbooks for their employees, and they raised a number of issues.

YCH Group, a logistics and supply company, said netbooks are suited to executive employees who are often on the road. However, the firm said it made major investments over three years to optimize business software to run well on the low-powered netbooks. Companies who haven’t done similar planning and investing will have a difficult time adopting netbooks due to performance and logistical issues, the company said.

Also, Hong Kong Jockey Club said it is only considering netbooks as an additional option for “non-business critical notebooks,” because netbooks are still aimed at consumers. Manufacturers must aim netbooks directly at business users with corresponding enterprise support and maintenance programs, the company said. Most netbooks ship with Windows XP Home, which lacks security features found in XP Pro or Vista, notes Liliputing’s Brad Linder.

At January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, many manufacturers, including HP, Sony and MSI were showcasing netbooks marketed for business use. The common hardware upgrade targeted at enterprise users was the addition of a 3G modem, which enables users to access the internet anywhere they can get a cellphone signal. Other than that, the business-oriented netbooks gained a more professional appearance than their consumer-oriented predecessors. ZDNet’s report suggests that, in order for netbooks to make it in the business world, manufacturers must address less visible areas as well — software and IT.

Netbooks making some enterprise headway in Asia [ZDNet via Liliputing]

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Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com


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Apr 13

Mystery of the Huge Box Finally Revealed

Posted in: enterprise, Today's Chili, top

What was inside the the Huge Mystery Box? Some people got it with Trekkie Betty’s stockings, others with the second hint, and some with Uhura’s bra. Here is the seeeecret—revealed: The Hot Rod Enterprise.

A couple of months ago Brian asked me: “Do you want to do something cool?”

This is something that Brian asks sometimes. It usually involves latex, handcuffs, and chocolate pudding. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case.

“It’s not what you think,” he added. (see?)

“Hmmm…”—I replied—”does it involve getting in scuba gear, jump on a supersonic plane, skydive into the Pacific Ocean, search for the remains of a Spanish galleon, find a gazillion gold doubloons, buy an island, and hire five former Playboy playmates to play rock paper scissors all day long?”

“No, but it’s pretty cool”—he said—”what about doing a custom Enterprise for JJ Abrams.”

Which, mind you, is not as cool as my first idea, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. And I did. They sent me the Enterprise, one of 30 models. The other 29 were sent to other people: artists, movie directors like Robert Rodriguez, and designers around the country.

Not all of them have arrived, but they are being distributed across cinemas in the US as I write these lines. Mine—Enterprise 10—is located at the The Bridge Cinema de Lux in Los Angeles, California. And my favorite so far—Enterprise 15, or Oreo Enterprise—is located at Rave Town Square Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Check the rest in this link. [Star Trek Enterprise Gallery]

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