Friday, July 18, 2014

July News - News from TRI

For 20 years, Providence has lit bonfires along the canal in the summertime. Waterfire Providence is a non-profit with the sole mission of inspiring through a community event. They offer numerous lighting events which offer fires, gondola rides, eclectic music and vending carts. As many as 81 braziers are loaded with hard wood and set ablaze. Volunteers ride up and down the canal keeping the fires burning while thousands of onlookers enjoy the sites and sounds. It is a sense of community at its best. For more information, click Waterfire Providence.

In This Issue
July 2014

SharePoint


Nothing but SharePoint!

Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back!

Greetings and Happy Summer! Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, we don't want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!

Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer?

Email me at rmj@trif.com The first consultation is always without charge.

You Already Have Microsoft SharePoint?

Over the last year, most of you have upgraded to Office 365 which is a powerful suite of integrated cloud, local and mobile software applications helping you manage email, contacts, calendar, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, publications, notes, news and databases. Some of you even manage instant messaging and phone calls. Office 365 users also have Microsoft SharePoint 2013 which is a seasoned content management and collaboration application.

More specifically, Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services is a very involved set of tools meant to allow a community to share, organize, discover, build and manage. Define a community as a business or organization.

SharePoint provides an environment to help people collaborate. It's like a virtual building where people can meet, talk, share things, store things, organize things, and work together toward a common goal.

Imagine, according to Microsoft, SharePoint is used by 78% of Fortune 500 companies. Maybe it's time for the rest of us to catch on.

The SharePoint Environment

One of the reasons why SharePoint is tough to use is because it comes as an empty shell. You need to set it up in order to make it work for you. This involves setting up the "Sites" or what I will call collaboration blocks that will be used as the brick and mortar for your community. Listed below are the collaboration blocks and here is a Microsoft guide to begin the planning; Planning Guide

: OneDrive to synchronize files, A single place to store documents and media, add social and news feeds,create private discussion groups, access in the office or when you are mobile

: Create sites to organize projects, content and ideas, manage personal and team tasks which can be integrated into Outlook, manage project email and documents all in one place.

: Use PowerPivot (an add-on for Excel) to explore data from multiple sources, use Power View for Excel or SharePoint Server to create information dashboards and reports.

: Customize SharePoint by adding SharePoint Sites, including:

    • Announcements
    • Calendar
    • Deliverables
    • Resources (things needing reservations like meeting rooms or vehicles)
    • Document Library
    • Forms Library
    • Wiki Page Library
    • Picture Library
    • Video Library
    • Audio Library
    • Link lists
    • Discussion Groups
    • Contacts
    • Projects and Tasks

All this allows you the following benefits:

    • Improve team productivity
    • Easily manage documents and help ensure integrity of content:
    • Get users up to speed quickly
    • Take file sharing to a new level
    • Provide a cost-effective foundation for building Web-based applications
    • Search capabilities



Social

Can You Do It?

If you are an Office 365 user, Maybe, maybe not. According to Techradar in their 5-star review;

"It's easy to change the look of a SharePoint site; you can change themes and colours, drag and drop images into the site to use as the background and get a look you like without any code. Adding web parts lets you lay out site pages with more than just document libraries, and you can create different layouts for mobile viewing.

Building web pages to host in SharePoint 2013 has also been made far easier; you can upload HTML pages which are automatically converted to SharePoint master pages. Or you can copy and paste code from a standard web development tool like Dreamweaver or Expression Blend instead of having to use SharePoint Designer.

SharePoint is also enormously extensible, and SharePoint Online 2013 makes some important advances here. You can use it with the new Office 365 Information Rights Management service to control not just who can see a document but what they can do with it, turning off the printing and copying functions for confidential information.

The new release is easier than ever to get started with, for IT administrators and for end users.

You can use it to share and find information, to analyse it with the business intelligence tools, to plan a project with the new timelines and shared notebooks, to discuss it (in email or the Facebook-like newsfeed) – and to protect and manage it, with rights management and access control (within your own company and for external partners) and legal holds. SharePoint can do a vast amount of what most businesses need to organise themselves.

Ironically, the main drawback is the fact that SharePoint 2013 is so comprehensive. It takes time to figure out everything you can do, and to get the most out of it you need to get everyone to put their documents and thoughts and analyses into SharePoint sites."

Bottom line, it is worth a try! Start slow and add collaborative blocks as desired. Here are some resources to help you begin:

Microsoft SharePoint Help

Microsoft OnLine Training

Bamboo Nation Sharepoint 2013

MSDN Sharepoint Blog

Virtual Training Videos

Like to know more? Want some help? Want to have a conversation? Send me an email.

TRI is a

Specializing in deploying

Robert McKay Jones
TRI
9 Waushacum Avenue
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

978-422-7770
rmj@trif.com


Copyright ©2014 TRI
All Rights Reserved
All Photographs Copyright ©2014 by Robert McKay Jones unless otherwise credited
Artists Sketch by Bruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email


This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |  

Transportation Resources, Inc. | 9 Waushacum Avenue | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

Friday, June 27, 2014

News - News from TRI

There are two places in the world I have seen dollar bills covering almost every inch of wall and ceiling. The first, Cabbage Key, an island in Pine Island Sound near Useppa Island not far from Ft. Myers, FL. Stop there for lunch and you will see walls covered with a purported $70,000 in one dollar bills. The second is pictured here. Willie T's on Duval Street in Key West, FL. Ask for a marker and a stapler and add your own history. It only costs a dollar!

In This Issue
June 2014

Enterprise Resource Planning

Apple vs Google

The New Lytro Illum

Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back!

Greetings and Happy Spring! Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, we don't want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!

Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer?

Email me at rmj@trif.com The first consultation is always without charge.

How are You Using Your ERP System?

Wikipedia will tell you that ERP provides an integrated view of core business processes, often in real-time, using a common databases maintained by a database management system. ERP systems track business resources; cash, raw materials, production capacity; and the status of business commitments: orders, purchase orders, and payroll. The applications that make up the system share data across the various departments (operations, purchasing, sales, accounting, etc.) that provide the data. ERP facilitates information flow between all business functions, and manages connections to outside stakeholders.

All too often, ERP Systems are used for operations and billing, but fall short in offering business intelligence, customer relations management, resource planning or analysis.

Think about the information that goes into your ERP system and how you can make use of or enhance that information to better communicate and manage staff, vendors and customers, contain costs, market your strong and profitable strengths and cut out your losses.

Think about real time profitability tracking and sales forecasting. Consider possible service improvements and customer satisfaction programs. Add new and valuable information that will help you evaluate things that work vs. things that don't. Think out of the box when it comes to collaboration and cooperation between members of your team. Enhance your use of your ERP system elevating it to a single integrated application all team members to use for customer and vendor management, operations, service, collaboration, review and analysis.

A Fresh Look at Apple vs. Google War

In technology-time, the mobile smart phone war has been brewing for eons. Apple had a head start, but Goggle and the Android operating system made incredible strides and overtook Apple in market share. That said, Apple revenue is still ahead of Google. Way ahead! Apple has revenues of 40 to 50 billion per quarter. Google hovers around $15 Billion.

Google has a market cap of 378 Billion as compared to Apple's 565 Billion.

In the end, the war is fought in the field by passionate users who love their device. I lean towards the intuitive design of Apple mobile devices although I recognize the benefits and attraction to Android.

It isn't really an issue any more because every important App is available for either device and it is the Apps that provide the real value. Without the Apps, they are just phones and similarly functional.

Time to move on to other technology fronts, this war is over.



Social

Adjusting Focus After You Shoot?

The Lytro Illum is a Light Field Camera, What is that? It is a camera that has a sensor that captures the color, intensity and direction of the light rays flowing into the camera. It allows you to change the focus of your photo AFTER you take the picture. That means you can modify the subject of the photo after the photo is shot. Change the focus from forefront to background and you see a completely different picture. See a video of what this means here. It is extraordinary.

Sporting a uniform F/2.0 and a 30-250mm zoom the options are framing and that's about it. Until after you shoot the picture.

Per Lytro, "During image capture an interactive depth feedback display shows the relative focus of all objects in the frame, allowing composition in three dimensions. A real-time color-coded overlay of the live view lets you know which elements of the picture are within the re-focusable range."

They continue: "The Lytro desktop tools also give you the ability to transform pictures into dynamic animations that can be experienced on desktop, mobile devices and in 3D. That means every nuance, dimension and emotion as envisioned and authored by the photographer"

I am not so sure about this. It is a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking. Today, we take a picture focusing on what we think the subject should be. Tomorrow, we will just take the picture and decide later what the subject really was. It is hard to wrap your head around what the new process will be like. Where is the art?

The Illum will be available in late August, but can be pre-ordered now. Have a look for yourself. It is really very cool.

TRI is a

Specializing in deploying

Robert McKay Jones
TRI
9 Waushacum Avenue
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

978-422-7770
rmj@trif.com


Copyright ©2014 TRI
All Rights Reserved
All Photographs Copyright ©2014 by Robert McKay Jones unless otherwise credited
Artists Sketch by Bruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email

This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |  

Transportation Resources, Inc. | 9 Waushacum Avenue | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

Friday, June 20, 2014

News - News from TRI

There are two places in the world I have seen dollar bills covering almost every inch of wall and ceiling. The first, Cabbage Key, an island in Pine Island Sound near Useppa Island not far from Ft. Myers, FL. Stop there for lunch and you will see walls covered with a purported $70,000 in one dollar bills. The second is pictured here. Willie T's on Duval Street in Key West, FL. Ask for a marker and a stapler and add your own history. It only costs a dollar!

In This Issue
June 2014

Enterprise Resource Planning

Apple vs Google

The New Lytro Illum

Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back!

Greetings and Happy Spring! Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, we don't want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!

Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer?

Email me at rmj@trif.com The first consultation is always without charge.

How are You Using Your ERP System?

Wikipedia will tell you that ERP provides an integrated view of core business processes, often in real-time, using a common databases maintained by a database management system. ERP systems track business resources; cash, raw materials, production capacity; and the status of business commitments: orders, purchase orders, and payroll. The applications that make up the system share data across the various departments (operations, purchasing, sales, accounting, etc.) that provide the data. ERP facilitates information flow between all business functions, and manages connections to outside stakeholders.

All too often, ERP Systems are used for operations and billing, but fall short in offering business intelligence, customer relations management, resource planning or analysis.

Think about the information that goes into your ERP system and how you can make use of or enhance that information to better communicate and manage staff, vendors and customers, contain costs, market your strong and profitable strengths and cut out your losses.

Think about real time profitability tracking and sales forecasting. Consider possible service improvements and customer satisfaction programs. Add new and valuable information that will help you evaluate things that work vs. things that don't. Think out of the box when it comes to collaboration and cooperation between members of your team. Enhance your use of your ERP system elevating it to a single integrated application all team members to use for customer and vendor management, operations, service, collaboration, review and analysis.

A Fresh Look at Apple vs. Google War

In technology-time, the mobile smart phone war has been brewing for eons. Apple had a head start, but Goggle and the Android operating system made incredible strides and overtook Apple in market share. That said, Apple revenue is still ahead of Google. Way ahead! Apple has revenues of 40 to 50 billion per quarter. Google hovers around $15 Billion.

Google has a market cap of 378 Billion as compared to Apple's 565 Billion.

In the end, the war is fought in the field by passionate users who love their device. I lean towards the intuitive design of Apple mobile devices although I recognize the benefits and attraction to Android.

It isn't really an issue any more because every important App is available for either device and it is the Apps that provide the real value. Without the Apps, they are just phones and similarly functional.

Time to move on to other technology fronts, this war is over.



Social

Adjusting Focus After You Shoot?

The Lytro Illum is a Light Field Camera, What is that? It is a camera that has a sensor that captures the color, intensity and direction of the light rays flowing into the camera. It allows you to change the focus of your photo AFTER you take the picture. That means you can modify the subject of the photo after the photo is shot. Change the focus from forefront to background and you see a completely different picture. See a video of what this means here. It is extraordinary.

Sporting a uniform F/2.0 and a 30-250mm zoom the options are framing and that's about it. Until after you shoot the picture.

Per Lytro, "During image capture an interactive depth feedback display shows the relative focus of all objects in the frame, allowing composition in three dimensions. A real-time color-coded overlay of the live view lets you know which elements of the picture are within the re-focusable range."

They continue: "The Lytro desktop tools also give you the ability to transform pictures into dynamic animations that can be experienced on desktop, mobile devices and in 3D. That means every nuance, dimension and emotion as envisioned and authored by the photographer"

I am not so sure about this. It is a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking. Today, we take a picture focusing on what we think the subject should be. Tomorrow, we will just take the picture and decide later what the subject really was. It is hard to wrap your head around what the new process will be like. Where is the art?

The Illum will be available in late August, but can be pre-ordered now. Have a look for yourself. It is really very cool.

TRI is a

Specializing in deploying

Robert McKay Jones
TRI
9 Waushacum Avenue
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

978-422-7770
rmj@trif.com


Copyright ©2014 TRI
All Rights Reserved
All Photographs Copyright ©2014 by Robert McKay Jones unless otherwise credited
Artists Sketch by Bruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email

This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |  

Transportation Resources, Inc. | 9 Waushacum Avenue | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564

Thursday, May 29, 2014

New News - News from TRI

Earlier this month, I was so fortunate to have visited lower Antelope Canyon just outside Page, Arizona. If you search the web, you will see thousands of pictures like the above. It is impossible to take bad photographs in this wonderland of multicolored sandstone weathered by water over thousands of years. The canyon is on Navajo land and a $50 photographers pass is required for visitors like me carrying an SLR and tripod. Do you know how many pictures you can take in the allotted 2-hour trek through the canyon? Not enough! The picture above was taken in mid-afternoon light. Amazing!

In This Issue
May 2014

Sedona

Google Glass

We've Moved

Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back!

Greetings and Happy Spring! Welcome to our Newsletter! We wanted to share the many photos we have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month our headline photo will be something new and different. The caption will present a small explanation. We hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, we don't want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!

Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations. Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer?

Email me at rmj@trif.com The first consultation is always without charge.

Sedona - Before the Fires

Courthouse Butte Rock, pictured here, was just one of the breathtaking sites to be found during my visit to Sedona, Arizona. Oak Creek Canyon on the north side of Sedona is now under siege by fire with more than 20 thousand acres burning. The fire is said to be 45% contained and there is some optimism but the damage has been devastating.

The fire is under investigation, but it is thought to have been man-made. It is easy to imagine how easy a fire would start and spread considering Sedona is extremely dry and has less than 2 inches of rain between April and July. We had that much rain just this past week.

So I was lucky to have visited Oak Creek Canyon and Slide Rock and traveled Highway 89 north before these fires began. The area will certainly have a different look for years to come.

I was able to take thousands of pictures during my visit with hikes at the foot of Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Courthouse Rock and in the valley overlooking Chimney Rock and Airport Mesa. It is hard to describe the feeling when you witness the awesome and breathtaking beauty of these natural monuments of nature especially at sunrise and sunset. It was a powerful and meditative experience. i will repeat.

Google Glass

Well, we just received our pair of Google Glass(es) to allow us to develop Apps for the new device. We haven't yet donned the pair in public, but have certainly tested them in our office. In essence, Google Glass is a computer capable of listening to your voice, respond to your commands, take pictures, record videos, link to your mobile phone or wi-fi hotspot, browse the Internet, share your experiences with FaceBook, Google+ or Twitter in real-time and feel the touch of your finger along the stealth touch-pad just in front of your ear.

With just over 100 Apps available, Google is hungry for developers to create new and wondrous real-world applications. We can see the potential for sensible applications in logistics especially when it comes to the inspection of goods, step by step driving directions, immediate speech translation, hands-free communication. There is even an App for long-haul drivers that will wake you up if Google Glass senses you are falling asleep.

We can imagine an App that provides real-time traffic warnings, surveillance applications or enhanced driver trip logs

Google faces a major hurdle. Price. Google Glass retails for around 7 times what it cost to make - not accounting for research and development costs. Retail price tag $1,500.



Social

We Have Moved

It has been a busy month! After 14 years, we have left the retail plaza in Sterling and moved back to the office space we had used between 1988 and 1997. We are now back at the corner of School Street and Waushacum Avenue just around the corner from the Sterling Fire House at 9 Waushacum Avenue in the downtown historic district of Sterling, Massachusetts.

We have spent the last 10 months renovating the structure from top to bottom. Our new office is larger, brighter, energy efficient and very peaceful.

It gives us large offices, a great conference and meeting room, kitchen with lunch space along with computer room and library.

The building which we purchased in 1988 was originally constructed in 1840 and was showing its age. We used Maynard based ACH Construction to handle the rehab and were delighted with the results. The professionalism, workmanship and attention to detail was beyond our expectations.

With the help of Bogen Electric and Super Mario Plumbing and Heating, our new offices are ready for action. If you have an opportunity, please visit us at our new facility.

TRI is a

Specializing in deploying

Robert McKay Jones
TRI
9 Waushacum Avenue
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

978-422-7770
rmj@trif.com


Copyright ©2014 TRI
All Rights Reserved
All Photographs Copyright ©2014 by Robert McKay Jones unless otherwise credited
Artists Sketch by Bruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization.

Forward email

This email was sent to robertmckayjones.stager52@blogger.com by rmj@trif.com |  

Transportation Resources, Inc. | 9 Waushacum Avenue | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564