The iWatch

Before I start on the post about this watch, I have to ask if it is really needed? Are we really solving any problems? According to the rumors, it will be coming out in October and have a huge health element with many different sensors. These sensors might be a good idea so that people can really track their progress and take action in order to be healthier, especially coupled with the mobile applications in the iOS. The watch will also have multiple different designs so that it will appeal to many different people. The watch face measures 2.5 inches diagonally, and is semi-rectangular. Another interesting rumor is that they are expecting to sell a lot of the watches which seems like a bit ambitious because there are plenty of these smartwatches on the market and the general population is not too thrilled with the technology. I guess the real question here is does it tell time?

Medical iOS Attachments

The designers say that this three inch cube, Cue, provides analytical precision substantially equivalent to the results produced by massive and expensive desktop lab equipment. Tests that were previously only available through a doctor’s office now can be administered at the bedside of a sick child or following a workout at the gym. The laboratory is getting much smaller and cheaper. These days you can test many different things right at home. Testing is simple. Bodily fluids are collected on pristine white strips which are inserted into disposable, color-coded microfluidic cartridges. The cartridges are then analyzed by the Cue and results are displayed through an iPhone mobile application. One of the major hurdles that this technology is facing is approval from the FDA which is crucial to marketing it. They need to show that it works consistently and has good quality control. It also needs to make sure that there is no way the user can mess it up. And of course there is what we like to call phase four testing, where the population uses it and things are discovered that can only be discovered through the use of the technology.

Working Remotely

The trend is that people have been able to work remotely and be in the office as much. This means that they are in the field and possibly getting more accomplished that way that being stuck in a cubicle somewhere. Obviously there are many communication services such as video conferencing and call forwarding that are needed but for the most part the people use their own phone. One of the best tips that I have heard about how to get your workers to be more comfortable about working from home (or wherever) is that technology needs to be utilized to make collaboration much easier. Setting a clear standard for communication will help teams avoid miscommunication and streamline the workflow process. Start with daily and weekly check-ins so employees can share what they’re working on. You can take things even more granular by sharing a list of daily tasks to ensure that the whole team is aware of one another’s immediate priorities. Then, coordinate weekly or monthly lunch-and-learns during which team members present projects they’re working on, and use videoconferencing to bring in those not located in the office. Co-workers can give feedback on projects and help improve product quality and collaboration.

Life Before Email

I know that it is hard to believe but there was life before we had emails, internet faxing, and Facebook. We all had something we did before email, texting and social media. Some of us cooked, some drank, some read, some of us made quilts, some of us played tennis. And what do we accomplish with all this emailing? Are we getting more work done? Are we more effective? Individually perhaps yes, but collectively there is very little change to how productive we are. Oddly enough, with all these communication services and mobile applications, we are not closer to our family and friends. In fact, I think that it might have added some distance. We are only human which means that there will always be misunderstandings and just a text or a post will not be the answer. We need to see them in person and understand how they are feeling.