The approaching BYOD wave

This holiday shopping season is being powered in part by demand for electronics, including boatloads of new tablets and smartphones, most of which will wash into enterprises in early January in a veritable bring-your-own-device (BYOD) tsunami. Besides the latest and greatest smartphones, such as the sleek Samsung Galaxy S III, the Apple iPhone 5 and devices powered by Windows Phone 8, a raft of sexy new tablets will appear in the office, everything from the Apple iPad Mini to Google's Nexus 10, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Microsoft's Surface and the Kindle Fire from Amazon.. . . . . . . . . . GIFT GUIDE: Be a hero for the holidays More than 75% of gift-giving adults plan to purchase consumer electronic products as gifts this year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, and during Christmas alone some 32 million tablets will be sold in the U.S., up more than 110% from last year. Chances are your organization isn't ready for the onslaught. In a Network World survey last summer only 16% of the participants said they have BYOD policies in place, which is a basic building block for BYOD given the need to spell out rules regarding use of personal devices to access corporate resources, security expectations and requirements, personal rights, etc. If only 16% have taken this rudimentary step, we can assume companies: 1) are hoping against hope employees will heed the corporate ban against using personal devices for anything work related, 2) have faith that the security controls they have in place can prevent said use, 3) don't perceive it as much of a threat, 4) don't have a grasp of the magnitude of the problem or the risk, or 5) a mix of 1-4. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that, other than highly secure organizations that are locked down, most organizations fall into the fifth camp. They realize BYOD is happening whether sanctioned or not, they have some controls in place that provide a bit of cover, but they either think the benefits outweigh the risks or simply aren't sure how much exposure they have. Our guess is that getting a better handle on BYOD will top many IT New Year's resolution lists (see "Seven BYOD policy essentials"). After all, the IT implications are big and multifaceted, touching on everything from wireless network performance to questions about compliance, support, productivity, IT costs and even worker satisfaction. The latter is important because, as hard as it may be to get BYOD right, it offers IT the chance to ride the wave rather than try to create it. In other words, BYOD creates a great opportunity to keep employees engaged, which, in turn, should help other IT initiatives, including collaborative/social endeavors.. . . . . . . . . . No use trying to hold back this tsunami. Read more about anti-malware in Network World's Anti-malware section.

Microsoft to drive Windows tablet strategy with smaller devices, OS rebates

Microsoft's chief financial officer yesterday confirmed that the company and its hardware partners would ship smaller, lower-priced Windows tablets in the next months. "We are working closely with OEMs on a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows," said Peter Klein Microsoft's outgoing CFO in a conference call with Wall Street analysts Thursday. "These devices will have competitive price points, partly enabled by our latest OEM offerings designed specifically for these smaller devices, and will be available in the coming months." Later in the call, Klein said that the expanded tablet portfolio would feature Surface devices as well as ones from its OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), and that lower prices would be one of their hallmarks.. . . . . . . . . . Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft itself would launch a series of smaller, less-expensive Surface tablets in 2013 to better compete in that fast-growing segment of the market. One analyst pegged $299 as a possible starting price; previously, other experts had speculated on prices ranging from $199 to $399. Microsoft's tablets start at $499 for the Surface RT, which uses Windows RT, the tablet-oriented, touch-only operating system, and $899 for the Surface Pro, the device that relies on Windows 8 Pro and can run "legacy" applications that also run on Windows 7 PCs. Those prices do not include the keyboard-slash-covers which Microsoft emphasizes as a key component of the it's-a-tablet-it's-a-PC strategy for Surface. Although the Surface RT's price is competitive with that of Apple's 9.7-in. iPad, all the Surface tablets cost significantly more than Apple's 7.9-in. iPad Mini or the slew of 7-in. tablets running Google's Android. Klein's comments were the first official word from Microsoft that it plans to join the sub-8-in. tablet market. Analysts have stressed how important it is for Microsoft to prove Windows 8 and Windows RT can compete with Apple's iOS and Google's Android as tablet operating systems. If its tablet strategy fails, the company faces waning influence as it becomes even more of an enterprise-centric vendor. Klein, speaking to investors through the Wall Street analysts on yesterday's earning call, laid out Microsoft's strategy and explained why Windows 8 and Windows RT have not yet gained traction. One of the factors in Windows 8's performance, Klein said, was a dearth of more powerful, less-expensive devices. The former will come when Intel starts shipping its next-generation processors, dubbed "Haswell" and "Bay Trail." "We've always felt that with Windows 8, it was a process of the ecosystem really innovating across the board, and really starting to see that on the chips," Klein said, talking about upcoming processors from Intel. "And we're very encouraged by both Haswell and some of the Atom processors to really improve the overall user experience that Windows 8 delivers." Intel's soon-to-retire CEO Paul Otellini talked up Haswell and Bay Trail, and their impact on Windows 8's performance and device prices, on Tuesday. Otellini predicted Windows system and device prices as low as $200 by the fourth quarter. Klein also acknowledged, with a frankness not expressed thus far by Microsoft's executives, that the giant faces a tough environment. "There is no doubt that the device market is evolving. Consumers and businesses are increasingly shifting their focus to touch and mobility, and as a result, they want touch-enabled computing devices that are ultrathin, lightweight, and have long battery life," said Klein, admitting that Windows' revenue has been affected by the change from PCs to more mobile devices. He also called that transition "complicated" for Microsoft, but not surprisingly remained upbeat. "We still have an immense amount of work to do, yet we feel good about the foundation we have laid and are optimistic about the long term success of Windows," Klein said. Simpler said than done, pointed out Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.. . . . . . . . . . Analyst credits Surface sell-out to Microsoft swinging conservative Best Buy does what Microsoft won't: Takes Surface tablets in trade Deja vu all over again: Microsoft warns of Surface 2 sell-out Microsoft steers same strategic course in Surface do-over Dumping a Surface? eBay averages double the return of a buyback vendor Microsoft's Surface to be under revenue microscope

Apple quietly launches iWork for iCloud public beta

Apple today quietly opened the free beta of iWork for iCloud to everyone with iCloud log-on credentials. The suite -- Web-based versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote, which collectively make up iWork -- debuted in June at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Registered developers immediately received access to the beta. Since then, Apple slowly added some of the public to the beta test through emailed invitations. Apple did not reply to a request for confirmation today that the iWork for iCloud preview was available to all, but Computerworld was able to access the apps using several different non-developer iCloud accounts which had not previously received invitations from Apple. The beta supports three browsers: Apple's own Safari, Google's Chrome and Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). Apple has promised to expand the list, presumably to Mozilla's Firefox and Opera Software's Opera, both of which run on Windows and OS X.. . . . . . . . . . Most analysts believe Apple will give away iWork for iCloud to iPhone, iPad and Mac owners, just as it does iCloud itself, as another way to entice customers into buying the Cupertino, Calif. company's hardware. Another reason they've cited: The competition, including Google Docs and Microsoft's Office Web Apps, is also free. Not everyone has agreed. Some have suggested Apple may tie the Web apps to the existing iWork on iOS and OS X. On those platforms the three apps are sold for $9.99 (iOS) or $19.99 (OS X) each. Apple's plan to upgrade OS X's iWork this fall has also lent credence to the tie-in theory. If those pundits are correct, iWork for iCloud would be available only to those who own the iOS or OS X software. That model would be similar to Microsoft's, which offers select Office apps on the iPhone and Android smartphones only to customers with an active Office 365 subscription. Although today's timing was a bit surprising -- previously, Apple said that the beta would go public "this fall" -- the company has yet to schedule a final release date or clarify whether it will charge for the apps, and if so how much. . . . . . . . . .. iCloud account holders -- anyone who owns an iOS device or OS X-powered Mac -- can access the betas of Pages, Numbers and Keynote by logging into icloud.com with their username and password. Anyone with an iCloud account may now try the beta of iWork for iCloud. The three apps -- Pages, Numbers and Keynote -- are flagged with 'beta' labels.

Apple turns on iTunes Radio

Apple today launched iTunes Radio, the company's first foray into streaming music, as it upgraded iTunes to version 11.1 and its mobile operating system to iOS 7. The Cupertino, Calif. consumer electronics giant unveiled iTunes Radio in June at its annual developers conference, where CEO Tim Cook and other executives highlighted the visual overhaul of iOS 7 and trumpeted a handful of new features, including iTunes Radio. With the delivery of iOS 7 and iTunes 11.1 today, Apple made good on its promises. The free ad-supported service can be played on Macs and Windows PCs through iTunes 11.1, while iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches running iOS 7 access it from the Music App. Customers who fork over $25 annually for iTunes Match -- the service that launched in 2011 which stores tracks purchased via iTunes or ripped from CDs in iCloud, then makes the library available on all of a user's iOS, OS X and Windows devices -- have an ad-free experience. iTunes Radio is most like Pandora in that it offers pre-set and customized "stations" based on artists and genres. Computerworld tried the pre-set "Southern Rock Radio" station, among others. Apple said iTunes Radio launched with 250 ready-to-play stations. Users can tweak existing stations by including or excluding artists or songs that have played, or move a slider that ranges from hits to discovery. All customers can skip an unlimited number of tracks when a disagreeable tune begins playing. A prominent buy button next to each tune is intended to lure users into purchasing tracks at the regular iTunes rates. When Apple unveiled iTunes Radio in June, analysts pointed to the purchase option as the sign of the company's business model. " "It's not about competing with Pandora, but about getting people to spend more money on iTunes," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi at the time. Apple wrapped up negotiations with music labels just days before the June introduction of iTunes Radio, but only after agreeing to pay a higher percentage of advertising revenue than it had originally offered. iTunes 11.1 can be downloaded for OS X and Windows from Apple's website. iOS 7 can be downloaded over the air from iPhones, iPads, iPad Minis and iPod Touches, or through iTunes. From an iPhone, for instance, users must tap the "Settings" icon, then the "General" button on the resulting screen. Tapping "Software Update" will kick off the update process.

Google may use Flutter's gesture control to boost Android and Glass

With its acquisition of gesture-recognition company Flutter, Google may be looking to beef up Google Glass and its Android products while also looking to win over the hearts and minds of Apple iPhone users. Flutter, a San Francisco-based startup, announced the acquisition on its website on Wednesday. The Flutter app uses gesture recognition technology over a built-in webcam in a user's computer, enabling the user to control programs like iTunes, Spotify and QuickTime using hand gestures. It also allows users to control music and videos in Google Chrome with gestures. Google and Flutter already have signed the deal. The purchase price and other terms were not disclosed. "Today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be continuing our research at Google," wrote Flutter CEO Navneet Dalal. "We share Google's passion for 10x thinking, and we're excited to add their rocket fuel to our journey." A Google spokeswoman said the company will collaborate with Flutter's team of developers and engineers but would not say how Google plans to use the technology in its products. However, there are some fairly clear products that could benefit from new gesture control technology. Google is a company that would like to have its finger on a wide range of aspects of the user experience -- hardware, software and user services. That also includes control interfaces, such as touch, speech and gesture. "Flutter fills in the IP and experience gap Google has with machine vision to control devices with air gestures," said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy. "The best natural user interfaces will be multi-modal, meaning the device will use the best input method for the situation, melding direct touch, indirect touch-like gestures, and spoken word into one UI." Google Glass, for instance, is controlled by voice, touch and gesture control. Improving its gesture control feature would only help users once the computerized eyewear is officially released. About 8,000 early testers having been using Glass for several months but the device is expected to ship in 2014. Flutter's technology also could be used to add gesture recognition control to Android devices, which are in a hot competition with Apple's iPhone and iPad. If Google could make the Android platform the clear leader in gesture control, it would have a solid leg up on rival Apple. "This might help them win over the hearts and minds of some Apple users," said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. "Giving developers more ability to program to the gesture API could also drive development of more tablet applications oriented toward business. We could see applications specifically geared to speed up workflow in particularly keyboard-intensive jobs.Cons" For example, consider how many keystrokes it takes for an airline reservation agent to book or change a flight, Olds said. With better gesture recognition technology, there would be less typing and possibly faster work to get a passenger a window seat on his next trip. Gesture recognition looms as a key technology in the future for simplifying and speeding common tasks. The technology is expected to evolve from novel uses today to more useful tasks, even in the enterpise, in the next five years or so. "It's not the best input method for everything, but best when used from a distance from what the user is trying to control, when manipulating a complex object, with large display surfaces, or where speech control or direct touch isn't appropriate," Moore said. Google also could use Flutter's gesture control technology in products like Google TV, Chromebooks and even automobiles.

Microsoft exec scoffs at talk that Apple's free iWork threatens Office

Computerworld - Microsoft's head of communications took shots today at Apple's decision to give away its iWork productivity software, calling the move "an attempt to catch up." In a post to the Official Microsoft Blog, Frank Shaw countered what he said was misguided at best, reality-bending at worst, coverage by the media and blogosphere on Apple's giving away iWork to new Mac and iOS device buyers. Apple made that announcement Tuesday during an 80-minute event in San Francisco, where executives touted new iPads, lower-priced MacBook Pros, and declared OS X Mavericks and the iWork apps would be free to segments of the Mac installed base. "Seems like the RDF (Reality Distortion Field) typically generated by an Apple event has extended beyond Cupertino," Shaw wrote. "So let me try to clear some things up." Shaw took exception to the conclusions by some pundits that the Apple maneuver was a shot at rival Microsoft, and that by throwing in iWork with a new Mac, iPhone or iPad, Microsoft's Office franchise, the Redmond, Wash. company's business model and its tablet strategy were threatened. "When I see Apple drop the price of their struggling, lightweight productivity apps, I don't see a shot across our bow, I see an attempt to play catch-up," said Shaw. But Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, saw it as exactly that: A shot. "I don't know any other way to interpret that than to say Apple was going after Microsoft," said Moorhead. The "that" Moorhead was talking about was the slide shown behind Eddy Cue, Apple's head of Internet software and services, yesterday just before Cue announced that iWork would be free for new device buyers. That slide displayed the logo of Office 365, Microsoft's software subscription service, and cited $99 as the annual price for Home Premium, the consumer SKU. Shaw has lashed out at the press over reports or at bloggers over their interpretations of news before. In May, he decried negative coverage of Windows 8 in general, and the update then code-named Windows "Blue" in particular. He took special exception to news and news analysis stories that compared Blue's restoration of the Start button to Coca-Cola's "New Coke" disaster of nearly thirty years ago. Windows Blue was later named Windows 8.1, the free update that launched last week. More recently, Shaw called out the media over how it handled news of current Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's retirement announcement two months ago. Unlike in May, today Shaw did not cite examples. But there were plenty to be had, ranging from the measured "Apple Drives Consumer Software Prices to Zero" on Techopinions to the over-the-top headline of "Apple's Plan to Destroy Microsoft" on The Street. Computerworld's blogger, Preston Gralla, also weighed in with his "Why Microsoft is Apple's new whipping boy." Shaw did not call out the most obvious example, that of Apple CEO Tim Cook, who took his own swings at Microsoft yesterday at the iPad launch event. "Our competition is different," said Cook. "They're confused. They chased after netbooks. Now they're trying to make tablets into PCs, and PCs into tablets. Who knows what they will do next? I can't answer that question. But what I can tell you is that we have a very clear direction and a very ambitious goal. We still believe deeply in this category [of traditional notebooks] and we're not slowing down on our innovation." Although Cook did not breathe the name "Microsoft," he was clearly aiming his comments at the rival, in particular its Surface tablet strategy. Them's fightin' words! That's how one analyst viewed the slide Apple put on the screen during its Tuesday announcement that its iWork suite would be free to new Mac and iPad buyers. (Image: Apple.)