ForbesOnTech

Microsoft Expands DreamSpark Academic Evangelism Program--Wouldn't it be Nice if Others Joined In

Microsoft pulled another of its feet onto the academic computing bandwagon with the announcement this week of DreamSpark, a philanthropy program aimed initially at college students but which will eventually include high schoolers as well, according to the online version of PC Magazine.

Microsoft’s Bill Gates announced new details of the program during a speech at Leland Stanford Jr. University on the San Francisco Peninsula earlier this week. DreamSpark has already provided software to about 35 million students worldwide, Gates said, adding that the program will be enhanced to include more college and some high school students in the future.

click here for PC Mag's original story.

Some of the titles that will be given to students free of charge include the 2005 and 2008 editions of Visual Studio, 2005 Developer’s Edition of SQL Server and the Standard Edition of Windows Server, according to PC Mag. Students will also be given access to Microsoft X-box development tools and the company’s game developmenyt community, the magazine says.

While much of Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts have been aimed at individual colleges and universities, the company has a long history of academic evangelism and has been a co-sponsor with hardware maker Hewlett Packard of large academic computing grants in the past.

DreamSpark’s sheer size-- more than 35 million students have benefited from the program-- is astounding.

Academic evangelism isn’t limited to immediate gratification. In decades past, companies such as Hewlitt Packard and Techtronic helped create entire generations of equipment buyers and brand specifiers by exposing young students to professional-level test and measurement systems through academic evangelism programs. In the 1980’s Apple made significant inroads into academic computing through its conspicuous evangelism.

The two companies in today’s market that have active and high profile academic evangelism programs are Hewlett Packard and Microsoft. Both companies have dedicated staff members who run their companies programs in this category.

The pay-off associated with academic evangelism isn’t immediate. Rather it happens years later when former students enter the job market and begin buying IT or engineering test equipment on behalf of their employers.

However, I believe there is at least one category of computer technology that could reap an immediate benefit from academic computing evangelism. That category is pen-based computing. And, looking out over today’s landscape the one company I hope jumps directly or indirectly on this bandwagon is Demo 2008 standout Live Scribe,

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makers of the Pulse Smart Pen. -- Jim Forbes 02/19/2008

Tablet Computing Evangelism Done Right-- HP Leads the Way Again

In the race to build market and awareness of convertible computing, Industry warhorse Hewlett Packard is beginning to stands head and shoulders above other manufacturers in exposing its products to large numbers of current and future users.  And the reason for its success may be closely linked to an evagelism program aimed at higher education.

Take a quick tour west coast colleges and it’s very hard not to notice teachers and students  using a stylus to take notes on their HP convertible notebooks. And the reason for the groundswell use of pen-enabled portables is an active evangelism program run by Jim Vanides (pronounced Va-nydes) HP’s program manager for worldwide higher education, who administers the company’s efforts to seed colleges, universities and other schools with tablets.

HP’s evangelism program is rooted in its decades old academic philanthropic programs, which originally seeded engineering labs and classrooms with test equipment such as oscilloscopes and other instruments.

Vanides, based at the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto, can often be found, however, visiting college campuses or speaking at educational computing conferences nationwide.

            HP’s tablet evangelism program is substantially different from those run by virtually all other computer companies (specifically Apple), which have largely been aimed at driving software developers to support new architectures or hardware platforms. HP focuses its evangelism program on a traditional market—education, Vanides reports. “We are focused on STEM (Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Medical) colleges.”

            Vanides, who has a Masters in education from Stanford University, notes  “a big part of the evangelism mission is to show teachers what they can do with (pen-enabled convertible notebooks), and how it helps improves learning.”

            Thus far, HP’s tablet computing program has spread its offerings to more than 200 academic institutions that are using the new technology to improve teaching and learning, Vanides says “And more schools are being added to the program.”

            HP’s tablet computing program isn’t a passive. In fact, it’s quite active in spreading the message.  Vanides notes HP recently issued a request for educational grant proposals and quickly received more than 80 responses.  Each award will be classroom-sized grants of 21 tablet computers, Vanides added.

            Although most of HP’s convertible evangelism efforts are directed at schools that fit it’s STEM educational framework, the company also has “mindfully” helped community colleges where its hardware, used in combination with wireless networking and messaging software has helped expand “office hours” by giving students electronic access to teachers.

            When talking to HP’s Mr. Vanides, it’s very hard not to notice his devotion to the concept of using technology to improve teaching and learning.

            Although he seems reluctant to admit it, HP’s evangelism program is also an informal close-up lens on what does and doesn’t work in tablet computing. “We do talk informally with product development and marketing,” he said.

            HP’s interests in seeding convertible computers aren’t limited to colleges and universities; the company also has an evangelist that specializes in K-12 education.

            Jim Vanides is one of the most visible academic computing evangelists and his blog here should be a must read for anyone interested in tablet  computing’s potential.

            And what does Mr Vanides think about the effects of evangelism? “I’m very surprised more companies don’t do it.”

--Jim Forbes 06/22/2007

Convertible Computing--What Works and What's Needed

I’ve lived with tablet computers for the last year and have developed a pretty serious wish list for this category.

First, an observation: if you need an example of an ironclad bond between a user and their machine, look closely at tablet computer users. In my case, along with true persistent wireless connectivity it’s literally changed how I view personal computing.  My tablet, a Lenovo X60 convertible notebook, is the first thing I pack when I leave my house.  Leave my shaving gear at home? It happens. Forget to pack enough undershirts?  JC Penney’s is a nationwide chain, so that’s not a problem either. Leave my power supply in my car? Well, I regularly get six hours of battery life out of my beloved X60, so I’ll get by until a kinsmen can overnight the power supply to me.

First, what’s right with my  platform:

--Connectivity options: I routinely travel to some pretty remote places, so I still use dialup.

The version of the X60 convertible I use has an integrated EvDo modem that connects to Verizon’s national broadband network. If I really need broadband and don’t want to schlep my equipment to a Starbucks and connect there, I log on to the Verizon broadband network, using a $15 day pass. I can not imagine buying or using any notebook that does not include a modem as part of its basic configuration.

Persistent connectivity is a fundamentally a transformational feature. I decided last year to go “commando” on two convertible notebooks I’ve tested, A Lenvo X60 and a Gateway CX 200. I uninstalled every component of Microsoft Office except PowerPoint and began using Google’s web-based spreadsheet and Documents. Virtually everything I blog or write while on the road today is composed using Google’s online applications. My personal net takeaway from the experience has been that I’ve weaned myself from Office, but really wish Google would work on a web-based PowerPoint- or OneNote-compatible application. I need both of these applications when I go to local colleges. While web-based apps like I-Lighter come close to OneNote, it’s not the one-for-one replacement I andothers need.

--Modems and 802.11 transceivers: The basic building blocks that weld me to my computer. Easily attaching to multiple networks or ad hoc workgroups is something else that I routinely do with my convertible notebook. If I happen to be on a college campus talking to one or more lecture halls filled with students I may connect to several classroom networks in the course of a day and join one or more student workgroup networks after class. One day last week I connected to three different networks and two workgroups in less than one eight-hour period. Without software that detected the networks and let me save my settings in named files, I would have spent as much time fiddling with network settings as I did working with students. Oh, even when using dial-up, Google’s documents and Spreadsheets offers more-than-acceptable performance.

--Weight:  I prefer that my notebooks, including the power supply, weigh less than the M16 I carried as a teenager. I use a padded backpack to carry my computer and its accoutrements today. Subcompact convertible notebooks fit easily and securely in backpacks. And, using a backpack to carry my notebook frees my hands for important things like carrying my coffee in and out of classrooms.

--Form: the subcompact form factor is one of the most important basics in convertible notebooks. I use my convertible like a paper based tablet, cradling it in one hand as I take notes in the front of a class room, or delivering PowerPoint-based lectures. Balance is an important part of a successful design in a small form factor computer, and becomes a critical factor in applications where bipedal mobility is part of the usage pattern.

--Configuration: 2GB of system memory is about right for convertible notebooks. It boosts performance and helps to enhance usability with Vista, which appears to be a great choice for tablet computing. Based on my experience, tablets equipped with fast 60GB or larger hard disk drives are ideal. I’ve been surprised at how quickly my hard disk has filled with course work, and various types of presentations.

Things I’d like to see in Convertible notebooks

Backlit keyboards:  I’m not a touch typist, and I often use my notebook in dimly lit college lecture halls or in libraries.  I’d love to see manufacturers begin offering backlit keyboards. Alternatively, companies such as Lenovo could install two small LEDs in the top of the screen case to improve keyboard illumination. Lenovo’s X60S compact does incorporate one LED on its screen case, but this feature is not included in the X60 convertible. Granted this would cut into the power budget, but I think it could be very valuable.

Improved Bluetooth Implementation: connecting Bluetooth enabled devices to most convertible notebooks is a hit or miss proposition today. This absolutely has to be improved.

Digital Pens: The stylus (which includes the equivalent of an electronic eraser) included with the Lenovo ThinkPad X60 is the best I’ve ever used. It was designed and tested against solid human factors concepts. I have large hands ( I wear a mens size 16 ring) and the heft on the X60 pen as well as its shape works well for me, even though I’m handicapped and have degraded fine motor skills in my left hand.

            If you’re a tablet computer designer or enthusiast and want to have fun, dip into your pen pot, find a couple of old pens, dip their writing ends into hot wax, and offer your tablet and a selection of styli to male and female potential convertible notebook users. The results of this primitive field experience are pretty much what you would expect: women prefer small balanced input devices;Guys seem to gravitate to larger devices.  There also seems to be some preferences for electronic pens that have faceted sides. I’d love to see convertible notebook makers offer a selection of aftermarket styli that would match individual tastes or preferences.

Better built-in audio or DVD players:  I’m carefully watching Hewlett Packard right now.  They recently launched a tablet notebook that’s got strong entertainment features, and which I think could be a hit in college dorms. If convertible notebook makers are serious about the academic computing market they’re going to need to recognize that their tablets will fast become primary computing platforms and need to fully support students in the classroom as well as in dorms or when used on a college quadrangles. This means displays will need to be tweaked for use indoors and outdoors and audio subsystems will need to be improved.

Student Discounts: Convertible notebook makers may need to offer student discounts on their hardware that are independent of academic platform adoption programs. What I’ve noticed is that convertible portables are gaining ground much like the Macintosh did in its early days. They’re being bought and put to use by people who are attracted to their capabilities and specific functionality. This is one of the prime reasons I believe convertible PC makers need to evangelize their products nationwide, not just at specific schools.

Improved Software: Google’s failure to provide a web-based PowerPoint application is a glaring error in its strategy. Many college lectures and curricula are now delivered via PowerPoint or using OneNote.

Speaking of OneNote: While it’s possible to convert single slides into OneNote format, it’s extremely difficult to easily create entire decks from this application.

Odd and Ends: The convertible computing ball is squarely on the side of Vista in Microsoft’s court. Microsoft is the one company that has the wherewithal and the need to evangelize convertible computing.

            And that’s my screed on convertible notebooks so with apologies to Guy Kawasaki, it’s time to plant a thousand seeds and let 10,000 flowers bloom. Jim Forbes from my outside office on a glorious 68-degree sunny rural San Diego County morning.

Time to go Face to Face--Off Thy Butts and Into the Field

Developing and marketing products in the chrome vacuum of a corporate headquarters or a stylishly messy incubator can be lead to a fast and costly derailment.  Yet, despite the obvious need for real market interaction based on face-to-face interaction, vacuum-based marketing is still the norm in technology.

In my years as a technology reporter, finding companies that actually went out and met with real users and potential customers was a rare thing.

Long before I moved from covering crime, sundry ad hoc disasters, and transportation to writing about technology, I learned an important lesson: If you need the truth, you have to invest shoe leather, countless reporters’ notebooks,  lots of  pens or pencils and hours in face-to-face meetings with the people that provided the basic information for your story.

As I churned through technology, I quickly became alarmed at reporters penned-up in offices who were unwilling or unable to hit the streets to meet subjects in their native environment.

But what I quickly learned is that most technology companies rapidly lost touch with real customers and assumed that since they had slight growths, they were on the right track.

Looking back,I can single out one person who got his company off its collective ass and out into the field, interactively working  with and listening to customers. That person was the first Macintosh marketing manager, Mike Murray. Murray founded the Apple evangelist program and made sure that Mike Boich and later, Guy Kawasaki, proactively took what they learned from customers back to Apple. It was Murray who broke the closed-loop marketing paradigm.  Missionary work was a part of Murray’s spiritual ethos and he grokked its importance as corporate concept  that’s nearly unparalleled in the history of technology.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about missionary work and its importance to technology categories, specifically to tablet computing in academic and other classes of computing. Part of the reason I’ve devoted a lot of time to this is in preparation for an interview I’m going to do with HP’s bishop to academic computing, Jim Vanides.

Sadly, part of the time I’ve spent preparing for this interview was in the isolation of abandoned California mining settlements, several of which are between my home here in rural San Diego County and Palm Springs, a 90-minute eastward drive.

            Isolation isn’t good. It most often does little more than seal an already closed loop thinking process. Although wandering around the desert I did tan a little more and my large Chihuahua, was tail-wagging pleased  to be out ‘sploring with me.

            But what really derailed my closed loop thinking was a post this morning by Dave Churbuck on the importance of getting out and meeting with customers. The post http://www.churbuck.com/wordpress/?p=1062 says it all.

            Now read it and hit the road with your eyes and ears wide open.  Dave says it better than I can. Jim Forbes-- outside by my mountaintop garden in the morning sun on the final day of February, 2007.