Users of the iPad, or any other tablet, are at high risk of developing neck discomfort, according to study done by the Harvard School of Public Health. The problem comes from the way people position themselves when using the devices, especially when doing so for a long period of time.
"If you think about your position when you are hunched over looking down, your head is hanging out over space, so you are using your neck muscles to support the weight," said lead writer of the Harvard study Jack Dennerlein. (Source: Joe Arico, MobileMedia)
Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 4
Hastings also talked about the growing importance of tablets, which are especially interesting as a mobile device to Netflix because most people use them via Wi-Fi, so video viewing doesn’t collide with carriers’ data caps. And people are using their iPads, Kindle Fires and Android slates a lot for watching Netflix: “We do see people enjoying a lot more of their viewing on tablets relative to the PC,” Hastings said. That’s significant, because PCs used to account for close to 20 percent of all Netflix traffic just a few months ago. (Source: Janko Roettgers, Gigaom)
Posted Friday, January 27, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 5
Inexpensive tablets with screen sizes up to 10 inches and Google's new Android 4.0 OS will soon become available at prices ranging from US$100 to $250. The prices are a breakthrough for users looking to get Android 4.0, code-named Ice Cream Sandwich, on tablets, which have so far been equipped with Android 2.x or Android 3.x. Some of the sub-$250 tablets run on smartphone processors and may lack the processing power of Apple's iPad 2 or Asus' Eee Pad Transformer Prime. But with cameras, high-definition video capabilities and HDMI ports, these devices could provide good value to budget buyers. (Source: Agam Shah, IDG News)
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 4
The tablet market has become a two horse race, starring Apple and Amazon. It's important also to recognize this will in future become a three horse play, once Microsoft launches itself into the market with Windows 8-powered devices, which I think likely to pose a credible -- and differentiated -- alternative. Today, it's Apple's game to lose, but it isn't losing. (Jonny Evans, ComputerWorld)
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 2
Service Orders that Previously Took Three to Four Days Can Now Be Completed in a Single Day
AUSTIN, Texas & SAN ANTONIO, Jan 24, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As a provider of wholesale and retail electric service to 44 communities in five counties across southeast Nebraska, Norris Public Power District is responsible for constructing new facilities, tackling necessary upgrades and repairs, performing maintenance work, reading, repairing and exchanging meters as well as performing meter cutoffs and disabling service.
Tweet this: .@MotionComputing #tablets help @NorrisPPD realize up to 75% time savings http://bit.ly/i5SaXR #mobilecomputing
With its entire meter service depending on a paper-based process, Norris Public Power District knew it needed an upgrade to deliver on its goal of providing the highest quality of service possible. After an extensive search, the District came across the Motion(R) J3500 Tablet PC and found exactly what it was looking for -- a Windows(R)-based tablet that was compatible and powerful enough to run its software, while still lightweight enough to carry and use while mobile.
Norris Public Power District relies on the J3500 Tablet PCs to provide real-time access to schedules, service orders and business-critical information as well as the ability to process meter readings and update the database from the field. If a new service order comes in at any point during the day, a customer service representative (CSR) can assign it in real time based on a lineman's location, which is pulled from the software's integrated GPS functionality.
"Once the linemen leave the office in the morning, they are typically in the field for the entire day and previously could only work on the service orders in their hands," explained Ryan Krupicka, Manager of Consumer and Business Information Systems, Norris Public Power District. "With the paper-based process, the linemen would not come back to the office to get more service orders to work on, and any new ones had to be processed the next day. Now, the CSRs can assign service orders as they come in, updating the linemen via the tablet while they are in the field."
According to Krupicka, with the real-time access, insight and communication capabilities that the J3500 Tablet PCs provide, a service order that previously took three or four days can now be completed in a single day -- resulting in up to 75 percent time savings. Additionally, the District no longer worries about unnecessarily disabling a customer's power as the CSRs can update or delete a service order in real time, which automatically notifies the linemen via the tablet. This helps the District continue to provide excellent service through improved access to dynamic information.
"That time savings means we can increase the number of customers we service on a daily basis and provide more efficient and accurate service in general, which means enhanced customer service," said Krupicka.
Looking to the future, Norris Public Power District plans on utilizing the J3500 Tablet PC's integrated camera for enhanced documentation when dealing with meter tampering issues. The District also plans to incorporate its outage management system with the tablets. During a storm, for example, Norris Public Power District will be able to alert the linemen in real time via the tablets when customers experience power outages, where the outages are occurring and when power has been restored. The District will be able to more efficiently manage the linemen and restore power to its customers sooner.
"What it comes down to for us is being able to enhance our customer service and increase our efficiency, and the J3500 Tablet PCs help us do just that," said Krupicka. "The tablets streamline our entire workflow, from the office to the field and back again, reducing errors, increasing productivity and saving time and costs."
Finding Motion at DistribuTECH Motion is exhibiting in booth #1826 and demoing the F5v Tablet PC, J3500 Tablet PC and the CL900 Tablet PC. Stop by the booth for product information, case studies, giveaways and more.
About Norris Public Power District Norris Public Power District is the proud provider of wholesale and retail electric service to 44 communities in five counties across southeast Nebraska. Dedicated to providing its 18,000 customers with safe, reliable and affordable energy service, the non-profit, publicly-owned company strives to keep rates low while providing the highest quality of service, which enables customers to achieve their ultimate business and personal goals. For more information visit www.norrisppd.com .
About Motion Computing Motion Computing is a leading global provider of tablet PCs and supporting mobility solutions, combining world-class products with services customized for the unique needs of mobile professionals across vertical markets, such as field service, retail and healthcare. The company's enhanced line of rugged tablet PCs as well as mobile point of service solutions and accessories are designed to increase mobile productivity while providing portability, security, power and versatility. For more information visit www.motioncomputing.com .
Motion Computing and Motion are registered trademarks of Motion Computing, Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. (Source: Press Release)
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 4
The share of adults in the United States who own tablet computers nearly doubled from 10% to 19% between mid-December and early January and the same surge in growth also applied to e-book readers, which also jumped from 10% to 19% over the same time period.
The number of Americans owning at least one of these digital reading devices jumped from 18% in December to 29% in January.
These findings are striking because they come after a period from mid-2011 into the autumn in which there was not much change in the ownership of tablets and e-book readers. However, as the holiday gift-giving season approached, the marketplace for both devices dramatically shifted. In the tablet world, Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet were introduced at considerably cheaper prices than other tablets. In the e-book reader world, some versions of the Kindle and Nook and other readers fell well below $100. (Source: Lee Rainie, Pew Internet)
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 5
But as nice as the idea to improve education sounds, there are several major flaws in Apple's strategy. The company has yet to say how it will attract public school systems that haven't adopted iPads and doesn't quite acknowledge the fact that there are already several higher education portals designed to do what iTunes U does. Interactive textbooks are great, but they can only go so far in appealing to the stakeholders that will be using them.
Simply put, Apple might not have enough technology and services to make its education push as strong as it could be. This could prove to be a real problem as it goes to market in the months ahead. (Source: Don Reisinger, eWeek)
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by ChrisD Rating: 2
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