This was last year’s Epiphany.

What led to the new epiphany was my pontificating on CRM systems.  This was a recruiter-centric talk about the future of recruiting.  Many recruiter CRMs have connections to LinkedIn profiles.   Every one of these, that I have seen, has been implemented incorrectly, not due to any fault of the vendors.  In an optimal situation, the data inside the Profile should be mashed up with current CRM data.  Instead, LinkedIn requires usage of their API which brings back a canned LinkedIn profile. This is what I call “social linkage”.

The optimal situation would be a pair of  “social agents”.  While a company may have 1000 company prospects  in their CRM, they may only contact 50 in a given day. One “social agent” would automatically refresh the entire CRM on a longer cycle such as once per quarter.  Another just-in-time social agent would update the CRM just before the outreach process.  Why is this important?  LinkedIn is not a definitive data-source; nothing is.  What happens when you combine Facebook, Google+, Jigsaw (now data.com), Foursquare, twitter and whatever social network Microsoft comes up with?  Are you going to clutter your Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics interface with 6-8 little snippets, much with redundant information?   This gets ugly fast.  The optimal implementation is to have a social agent retrieve LinkedIn, Data.com, Google+, Facebook, Twitter information.  Next, mash, score, apply analytics to present the information in a way that optimally fits your selling model.

What about Apps?

Enough setup.  First, I’m a huge iOS (iPhone/iPad) fan are there are some simply amazing apps out there.  Same thing for Android.  The iOS & Android AppStore model has really opened up a world of possibilities.  However, there is a problem.  While these Apps do great singular things, they do not communicate with each other.

That is a problem.

I’ll take FourSquare, the social check-in service, as an example.  Right now I’m at the SanFran airport.  When I got here, I had to open FourSquare on my iPhone, search for San Francisco International and check in.

This is why people get check-in burn out.  A check-in service is fun; keep track of your network of friends, compete for points, etc.  It should not be work.  Here is how it should work.

Build a special class of Apps called Agents.  Right now, there are Apps that can “push” notifications and work in the background, but that is limited.  An Agent would be able to interact with other Apps.  Example:  A Foursquare Agent could track my location and push check-ins to me for approval.  Now I don’t want to be checking into every gas station I drive by, so I would need an Agent to control my privacy/whereabouts.  The privacy Agent would screen the check-ins coming from the Foursquare agent.  Check-ins would then be automatic, or prompted for my to confirm, or anything I wanted it to be.

Newsflash: I just pulled up my Foursquare App to get a screenshot of it for this blog.  While I had it open, I saw that a friend of mine, Jenny D. also checked in to SFO.  Since I got sick on notifications popping up from Foursquare, I had notifications turned off (essentially, every app controls this individually, which is poor architecture). Luckily, I saw the notification and I would have the option to say hello if time permitted.  If I had a notifications App, that controlled all notifications from all Apps, I could set it up so when I was traveling, I would get all notifications from people in close proximity.

Setting these types of permissions on every individual App, would be (and is) a nightmare.  The only way to control it is with a master-permissions Agent.  A master permissions agent is called a “Clewd”.  I derived it from the word “include”.   The Clewd will be the agent that forces the world to work on your terms. You choose what to be included into.  Apps will not have the ability to push information in any direction, unless the Clewd agent allows it.

Your own Clewd should be stored on you mobile device.  When Facebook adds another feature, they would not be able to opt you in without asking you saying hello to your Clewd agent on your mobile device.

The Clewd is inevitable.  If you don’t see it yet, you are not overly connected. You have not experience “App-Overload”.  You have not joined the 4th social network, download the iPhone App and then turned off notifications.

The Clewd will control more than just the interactions between Apps.  If you have a business email address, you probably get a mass amounts of newsletters, webinar invites, and product announcements.  The marketing automation system that sends you these emails is the same as an App; *it* controls the permission options. You have no control over options;it forces you into it’s choices.  Example: Opt-in or Opt-out?  I say screw them!  I want to be in total control of how the world interacts with me.

Here are examples of a Clewd and a set of Agents working together with emails.

1. For every incoming invitation to an event, webinar, etc, an agent parses of the date and time as well as the vendor information. Check the Clewd if you have explicitly blocked this vendor, if not, Agent #2 compares to your current Calendar, if you are not open at that time, deletes the email or adds it to your Calendar (as an option), based on your Clewd preferences.

2. For each incoming email, have one agent extract the contact information, agent #2 checks your CRM for *outgoing* emails from you.  The Agent provides the Clewd with credentials  “This email is from someone you have in-turn emailed before” says the Agent.  The Clewd likes that, as you have set it up that way.  Since Agents are very-flexible, you don’t have to be limited to a simple “exact email match”, it can look for anyone at the same company.

3.  Expanding on the previous example:  For all non-recognized emails, don’t show them as they come in. That can be distracting.  Show all non-recognized emails once every two hours in a group; don’t mix them with high-priority ones. Let me delete them as a group. Sorry Google: “Priority Inbox” was poorly implemented.  Take this idea: please.

There are 1000′s of potential uses of a Clewd.  What happens when the RFID label on the bottle of water you just bought communicates with your Ford Focus computer, which then tells the Billboard you are approaching on the hi-way that you have driven 200 miles and 4 hours since your last bottle of water.  It then shows you a ice-cold-water ad, just turn into the oncoming exit.  This is the world we are headed for unless the permissions rest with the individual.   Watch the movie Minority Report. With Mobile outselling PC’s, the majority of future interactions with technology will happen on your mobile device.  Apple and Google can be leaders here.  Agents that interact between Apps will be a prerequisite.

Where is the Clewd to be stored?  This all-important set of rules that defines how the technology world will interact with you?  Ask yourself: Do you want Facebook or LinkedIn to control it?  They would love that.  My ultimate prediction is one of two places.  My first preference is stored, securely on my mobile device. Secondly is a 3rd party service, secure, where you pay $20 a year to have them manage your world-rules, your Clewd. This service provider cannot have a conflict of interest; it cannot generate revenue via ads.  No Facebook, Google, etc.  It may be a new business model.

The future must be permission-based and we each must control our own permissions. If we don’t it will be a world where conversations stop and everything is pushing and yelling trying to out-do each other.

Will the AppStore turn into the AgentStore?  Probably not, but in the future, it will be the Agents, not that Apps that have unique value.  What would you pay for an Agent that made all email communication obey your rules?  I would drop $100 in a heartbeat.  What is an email App worth… $1.00?

I’ll continue thoughts on this topic as I have them.  The question next is how to force those pushing content to obey the rules of the Clewd.

Note:  At this point I am not sure if a Clewd is singular or Plural, meaning one Clewd contains all your rules or each rule is a Clewd…I’m leaning towards one-contains-all.

I have a message to those naysayers on the iPad: You have no imagination, you have no vision, or you have an agenda.

Before I pontificate about the iPad, I’ll share a personal story: Last year I bought a Jeep.

I always wanted one with a top I could take off in the warmer months. Fun to park it anywhere half up a plowed-snow embankment; a side effect of Wisconsin winters. The one I got was bare-bones. It even has manual crank windows. No extras. Here is the kicker…it came with a free year of Satellite radio. Having never used Sirius or XM, it was a great experience. The fact that there is a 24×7 Springsteen-only station still boggles my mind. I love The Boss, but I was glad to have many channels to pick from. Soon I found that one of my favorite morning stations was the BBC. It is nice to get away from the ultra left and right of American talk radio. From the beginning of my subscription, I pondered if I would renew when my free year was up. I got attached to the BBC and a few other stations; It became habit.

My year of Sirius/XM just expired. I did not renew, but I did review my portfolio to make sure that Sirius/XM stocks were not present.

Admittedly, I am behind the cutting edge as it relates to Internet Radio (IR). I use Pandora occasionally, but IR is not part of my routine. It is not yet a habit. Satellite radio was habit, but I did not want to pay $12.95 per month. Why the discord with paying for a enjoyable service? I was raised on FREE radio. It just seems wrong to have to pay for radio.

Enter the Apple AppStore. I fired up my iPhone and found a whole list of Internet Radio applications. The average Internet Radio app supported about 30,000 radio stations from around the world. After trying a few Apps for $.99 to $1.99 I found one that I liked call TuneIn Radio. Yes, it supports the BBC, all the stations I wanted… and many, many others.

Naturally I asked myself the question: Why does anyone pay for Satellite radio and when they can just use Internet Radio? If it is Howard Stern, I am simply disconnected from the mainstream mod. If that is the case, stop reading. Is Howard Stern on Internet Radio? I’m not going to take the time to check.

The answer was not Howard. The answer is… that it is not super seamless AND simple. To make this work in my Jeep and would have to have my iPhone, charger, output cord and maybe a bracket to prop it up on my dash. In addition, the iPhone has a tiny little screen that is hard to interact with while I am driving. Maybe even hazardous. Most teens could hook this up easily. I’m a techie, so it is easy for me, but most people simply won’t do it. Additionally, most cars today don’t have an external input jack. That is changing, but it is not the norm.

What would make it super seamless AND simple?

(1) Improved connectivity. Bluetooth input for car radio. No cords, unless you want to charge it. Everyone understands charging

(2) Simple to use application: Done. 100′s of them on the AppStore

(3) Larger screen. Interface will be easier to work with while driving.

(4) Really good mounting. Not hard to do. I have one for my iPhone

As I was thinking about making my new iPhone powered Internet radio

Questions to ask:

Q: What are the convergence factors in moving from the iPhone/iPod to the iPad?

A: Bigger screen, faster processor, more memory, 140,000 applications

Q: Based on convergence factors, what did NOT work well on the iPhone, but will work on the iPad.

A: GPS applications: The screen was too small. Browser: Unless you have to, no one wants to read a webpage on a tiny little screen.

There are a whole set of possibilities that involve convergence on the iPad. For the nay sayers. Yes, right now the iPhone and Internet Radio is not a perfect replacement for Sirius/XM. On my drive to work, I get reception about 95% of the trip. Taking into account that I have spotty AT&T coverage and I live out near cow fields, I’m excited with 95% reception. Again, for the nay-sayers: guess what… connectivity is going to improve. Unless satellite radio does something stunning, it is going to be disrupted.

iPhone in my Jeep, Playing the BBC

I’m getting social network apathy.  How many can I join, watch, etc? I have to guess that I am a few years ahead of the average person in terms of connectivity.  What will happen when the thick middle says “enough is enough”?  There will be a backlash.  There will be/must be business models that will give control back to people.  My gut tells me that the solution has to do with preference…and carrying that preference with you. All social networks (which is a very limited term) will have to interact with you based on preferences that you set in ONE PLACE.  Basically, a single-point-of-truth for how you require the world to interact with you.  I don’t want to set my preferences on myspace, facebook, linkedIN, etc etc.  Social networks, airport signs, your car, all should obey your rules.  I can see a flood of preference requests coming that I don’t want to answer.  Multiply social networks of today by 50, this is what we are in for.  Instead of social networks, I’ll group them all together as “intelligent systems”

With this being said, one of my new side projects is defining single-point-of-truth preferences.

Some axioms that I am playing with

“You own and control your preferences.”
“If a intelligent system does not obey your preferences, it gets cut off”

I believe that if I develop axioms first, the rest will be natural.  If anyone wants to brainstorm with me on this one, I’m game.

Today I stared on my iPhone, Blackberry, GPhone and Palm pre on my desk and ask myself  “what are these?”

Cell Phones, Mobile Devices or Mobile Computers?

My company, Broadlook is developing software for mobile devices and I needed to have all of them.  I’m also a gadget freak, so I enjoy having all of them. Perhaps the collection of them, together, was odd and put me into a bit of a trance.

“What are these?”, I asked myself again.

Cell phones and mobile devices were the first 2 that came to mind.  Then I glanced at a desktop computer under my desk.  “A little computer”, I thought to myself, then “a mobile computer”.

I looked at my laptop, back to the desktop and again to the cell phones on my desk. “They are all computers”.  I thought.  What is the difference?

Why are they not called mobile computers or pocket computers?  When I asked myself that question, I knew I was on to something.  It was something big.  I realized that the fact that most people call these fabulous devices “mobile devices” and not “mobile computers” is a hindrance to big thinking.  It’s a draw back to the nature of our culture, something that I will fight to the freeze*.

So I took one more look at the devices on my desk and decided to start thinking about them as “mobile computers.” The first thing I needed to get my mind around was how these mobile computers related to the desktops and laptops that are ubiquitous at a software company.

“What are they capable of?” I needed to do some research.  I needed facts.  So I started with the CPU of my mobile computer of choice, an iPhone 3GS.  How did it compare with my desktop or my laptop. Using my new favorite search engine  www.bing.com, I did a search for “iphone processor speed” to find out that the iPhone 3GS runs at about 624Mhz.

Next, I  did a search to find out when in the history of the PC desktop. Did it run at about the same speed?  Being a computer historian, I knew that speed was around the speed of a 486, so I did a search for “iphone speed 486 processor” and found several references to the iPhone being about the speed of a 486 desktop computer in 1995.  So 1995 is my baseline year. Looking at the CPU only would not be thorough, so I decided to compile some information on some of the other things that effect a computers performance as well as a few other attributes.

If you don’t like tech stuff, skip this next few sections and get right to the “Vision stuff” iPhone vs. 486 shootout:

Comparing a 486 desktop computer in 1995 to an iPhone 3GS today.  Today is mid 2009,  14 years beyond the 486.  14 years, remember that. Check out how the numbers match up.  I researched a several sources to find configurations for a new 486 in 1995.

• CPU:  The current processor in the iPhone 3GS running at 600Mhz is equivalent to an Intel 486 processor in mid 1995.
• Memory:  The iPhone 3GS has 256MB of memory or 16 times the 16MB that 486 had.
• Storage:   The iPhone 3GS has 16GB of storage,  32X the storage of the 500MB hard drive of the 486.
• Display:  The iPhone 320X480,   the 486 had XGA or 1024×768
• Network:  The iPhone can connect to modern WAN/LAN @ 100Mb, the 486 had 56kb modems. Additionally, the iPhone has bluetooth capabilities for a wireless data transfer rate of 1Mb/S.
• Software:  The iPhone has over 50,000 applications, the 486 had about 5000 commercial titles
• Software development:  You can create an iPhone application in a few days.  It could take weeks, months or years to create anything of substance for the 486
• Voice control:  iPhone, no problem for basic stuff.  486? Muhhahha ha.
• Price:  iPhone 3GS is $500,  ($200 if you get a cell phone plan).  The 486 was about $2000.

Shootout conclusion: Looking at CPU only, the iPhone is similar to the 486.  The 486 wins big on the display capabilities.  When looking at the big picture, the iPhone or any high end mobile device makes the 486 look like a toy.  Memory, storage and network speed all are large contributors to overall system performance.  Put it all together and it means that the iPhone would look like it was from another planet in 1995.

Technology backbone.  Now and near future:  Wireless data transfer

• USB 2.0 data rate 480 MB/sec  (now)
• USB 3.0 data rate 4.8 GB/sec  (soon)
• Sony “Transjet” technology   70 MB/sec  (now)   Drawback: only transmits 3cm
• Certified Wireless USB -  60MB/sec  (soon)  Transmits 3 meters

Exercise 1:  Can we use full size mouse and keyboards with our Mobile Computers?

• Yes.  Bluetooth works for monitors, keyboards and audio communication

Exercise 2:  Can we use full size monitors with our mobile devices

• Low end monitor:  1024×768 @ 60 frames/sec.   Requires 47MB/sec transfer rate.  (no compression).
• High end monitor: 1920×1200 @ 60 frames/sec. Requires 138MB/sec transfer rate  (no compression)
• Bluetooth 2.0 is a factor of 47X too slow to stream video over wireless.  Even Bluetooth 3.0 at 24Mb/s (3MB/s) is too slow for video unless it is really small and highly compressed.
• The upcoming “Certified Wireless USB” will work fine for video transmission with bandwidth to spare.

Vision of a mobile future

I wake up naturally.  My breathing changes and my iPhone 10GS senses the noise in the room and determines that I am awake.  The iPhone is sitting on a charging pad on my nightstand,  cords connected to devices is a thing of the past.  The full size wall screen in my bedroom silently turns on.  It is all powered by my iPhone. I had a great dream about flying and I want to record the feeling in my journal.  My wife is still sleeping so I opt out of dictation mode.  My iPhone presents me with 4 options that have been selected from my patterns at this time in the morning.  Check news,  review my schedule,  record a dream or plan a workout.  With a button press, I choose “record a dream.  The wall monitor turns into a simple word processor and the iPhone projects a laser keyboard on my bed.  My dream gets recorded and I start my day inspired.

Off to work.  The iPhone/Mobile computer on my belt.  I’m running low on hydrogen so I stop at the local refilling station.  As I drive up to the pump a large touch screen comes alive, connects with my iPhone and performs the financial transaction.  The only interaction from me would be my optional PIN code, but the touch screen verified my fingerprints, so it really is not needed.  In addition, my car communicated with my Mobile Computer.  I’m supporting a local business and it knows my car for the “free fill-up” if I after 10 fill ups.

My to-do list on my Jeep’s monitor, tells me the refrigerator at the house, told my iPhone that I should pick up Milk today.  However, 1/2 way to my office, the task is checked off, as my wife picked up the milk already her way back from the gym  (Powered by a private family social network), all interconnected.    3/4 the way to my office, the computer at my children’s school let me know that they checked into class.  There are 100 other things that I could be notified about this morning, but my preferences screen out the noise and keep my updated on what is important to me.  In fact, my phone is already communicating with my admin’s phone.  I’m running late, schedules need to be adjusted.

At work:  I sit down at my desk.  There is no computer, just interface devices.  Keyboard, mouse, and yes, a kick-ass monitor.  No desktop. The mobile device IS my computer.   Wherever I go in the facility,  I can access any screen that I have rights to.  My favorite is the picnic table outside with an embedded surface computer.

Off to the airport.  On the drive, I am confirmed and checked in.  My ETA to arrive, park, get to the terminal, and get on the flight are all displayed (my preferences).  I’ve got plenty of time.  The car and phone communicate with my wife’s and my admin’s phone.  “Donato did not forget to go to the airport” it lets them know.  As is my pattern, I’m given a 1-button option to call my children.  They are in class, so I record a “see you when Daddy gets back video”.   I’m going to Texas.  My iPhone gives my children’s mobile computers all sorts of interesting facts about where Dad is going.  Upon my return, I’m given a lesson by my oldest about the Alamo.

At the airport:  Every terminal is a smart terminal. Touch sensitive, connected to my iPhone.  My credit card credentials are in the phone.  If someone else has my Phone, it won’t work, since it is a touch screen, it continually verified my fingerprints to make sure that it is me.  My children’s allowance limit is set on their mobile as well.  I can track what they are buying.  I will know what they are watching, and I can be an informed parent.  As they grow into adults, they will gain the rights and privacy of an adult.

In the mobile future, everything is permission based.  Everyone has the right to privacy and to opt out.  The level of opt is by choice.

In the airplane:  No more laptops.  Instead, smart screens on the backs of the seats that face you.  200 passengers minus 15 pound laptop + cases, the plane is 3000 pounds lighter.

On the ground:  The Hilton knows that I am coming in.  My phone tells me the shuttle is running 10 minutes behind.

With more information and fewer unknowns, traveling is less stressful.

At the Hotel:  I am checked in as soon as I walk through the doors at the Hilton.  I don’t have to go to the front desk; I like carrying my own luggage. Room number 2120, close to the elevator, no smoking room, breakfast options are presented.  I choose Eggs Benedict.   Hmmm,  a 30 minute workout gets added to my schedule to burn the extra calories.  I’m given the option of Eggs Benedict and workout OR granola and no workout.  I choose the Eggs Benedict. Wake up call is scheduled 30 minutes early and a lane in the pool is reserved for me.

At the conference:  GPS inside my mobile shows me where everything is.  No running last minute to find out where I am speaking.  Thai restaurant choices and reviews of each are presented for my review.  The conference social network connects me with 3 other people that were craving Thai.  Reservations are made and I meet 3 new people.   Never eat alone.

Coming home:  I’m updated on the soccer game I missed.  In fact, I watch the entire video on the plane.  In flight video conferencing is an option, should I choose to talk to my family…while in flight.  Technology, done right, improves the human condition.

All the things that I’ve talked about are possible today.  No kidding.  The only thing that is lacking is the infrastructure and the middleware, and the desire.  The software (middleware) is being created now.  Airports already have the big monitors, the next generation needs to be smart terminals for our mobiles.

How it will happen.

Each niche piece of software will be created by someone.  It will solve a problem in arriving at the airport, getting a taxi, ordering breakfast, etc.  Private, permission-based social networks will have a huge opportunity to play in the mobile future.  They will replace the Facebooks, MySpaces, and LinkedINs.  The small and niche always chip away and kills the big, slow and generic.  Look at what is happening to Job Boards today. Most of the companies making these mobile apps will NOT make much money.  Next, consolidation of technology will occur. Some will happen with mergers & acquisitions. Companies in India and China will not innovate, but simply copy what 100′s of smaller firms are doing.  Right now, anyone can make a few bucks on a mobile app.  That will change.  Most of these micro apps have nothing truly unique to patent.  The best a small operator can do is either become very popular or truly innovate to protect themselves.   The best protected apps are ones like Contact Capture for the Blackberry and iPhone.  These apps are extremely simple, but are powered by a back end services that have years of R&D and robust technology.

Soooo much opportunity for those that understand that this will happen and is happening now.  The mobile future is exciting.  Get on or get left behind.

*yes the freeze, not death, I intend on being frozen.

Tag Cloud

I’ve had some recent fun with Tag Clouds.  These are the sections of blogs that show the most frequently used words in blog postings; the most used words are shown in larger text, less frequent in smaller text.

Tag clouds are great summary tools.  In my next presentation at the Specialized Information Publishers Conference in DC,  I am presenting on The 7 laws of Internet List Generation.  I thought it would be fun to start the talk with the first slide that shows a Tag Cloud of the most frequently used words in the PowerPoint presentation.

Then I started thinking.  Broadlook will be recording the presentation and we will have a transcript of what I talk about.  What will my audio tag cloud look like for the presentation?   How will my audio tag cloud look vs. the presentation tag cloud? Will I stay on topic? In fact, what would the tag cloud look like if it followed me 24/7 recording everything I said?  What about thoughts?   Then I thought more.  How many other situations could a tag cloud be applied?  What about a website?

PDA’s are becoming so powerful that we are not far from a point where everything you say, over your entire life, could be transcribed and stored into a cyberspace tag cloud.

I’ll show you my cloud if you show me yours.   eHarmony move over.

A simple tool such as a tag cloud used in non-traditional ways could yield some very interesting results.

I’ve often wondered how to select people on twitter to follow that are not going to post crap about what they had for dinner.  Twitter are you listening?  Create a tag could that is a summation of people’s tweets.   Tags to avoid (for me)  I, me, my, ate, food, dinner.