Connected – Tomorrow's World

These truly are testing times! Though, what is good to see, is how everyone is trying to stay connected.

I did share in a previous blog post on how you can stay in touch with friends and family – the technology that is available via your mobile phone, tablets (iPads etc..) and computers. But recently, I was asked, what do you do if you don’t want to use your mobile phone or if you want a bigger screen?

Well… then you can either purchase the Portal by Facebook, or Echo Show by Amazon – both are what we call a ‘Smart Display’.

Now – whilst I could go through all the features of both – there is some simple things you need to know first – before making a decision.

Are your friends and family on Facebook? Do they use WhatsApp? Are you on Facebook and WhatsApp? Do you use Facebook Messenger?

If you answered Yes to the above – head over and get yourself the Portal by Facebook. If No – then the Amazon Echo Show is for you.

Now – I’m going to be honest, the Portal is great for video calling, staying in touch – and you can even use ‘Alexa’ commands with the Portal. If your primary goal is to stay in touch, have excellent video calling capabilities and use either Facebook or Whatsapp – this will be great for you.

Yes – you can use a tablet. Yes, you can get this all on an iPad (or something equivalent) but where the Portal is better is in sound and quality. Also there’s some additional features like the camera will follow you and stay focused on you, you don’t need to be holding the phone/tablet to your face as the Portal (not only looks nice) but sits nicely on any worktop, cabinet, table, surface at home.

Now – if you’re worried, oh… the camera will always be watching me… then guess what, you can always turn the camera off

Now… if you don’t use Facebook or WhatsApp or are just worried about Facebook collecting more information and data about you… (but being honest… everyone, everywhere is collecting data about you), then you can look at the Amazon Echo Show. It’s like the Echo… but with a display.

For video calling – the Show uses Skype. So you’ll have to make sure the person you’re calling has skype installed. From personally experience – and talking to friends (not on skype)… it’s not the best video calling platform out there – but it is an option.

So…. want a specific display for video calling, with better sound and video than your phone or tablet…. I would seriously think about the Portal.

Already got a display and want something you can plug into it? … then you can get a Portal that plugs into your TV!

The little device plugs into your TV… and makes the whole TV the display for you to see (and talk to) family and friends.

Again… privacy concerns are addressed…

A few options – to stay connected, stay safe and keep talking.

Most of you may know, I travel a lot.

Quite a bit. On planes, through security and immigration. Taxi (usually Uber, mytaxi or Lyft) and to the hotel.

Now, usually… the process of travel is getting a lot easier. I don’t need a ‘paper’ boarding pass… it’s all on my mobile phone. In fact… (not showing off) but I’ve even used my watch!

Uber or mytaxi is also very easy. In fact… up to the point of reaching the hotel, if I didn’t want to… I wouldn’t have to speak to anyone, nor would I need to show any form of payment nor would I need anything to hold (like a receipt or card of some sort).

You know where I’m going with this… why are hotels behind the trend?!

When are hotels going to start rolling out… at high speed and on a large scale… mobile phone door unlocking and entry?

We’ve seen the technology. We know it exists. So why is it taking so long?

Even in some hotels… having to queue up at reception desk… to let them know I’m here… honestly?! – how is it that, Canada know I’ve entered their country by me being able so do all the necessary work via kiosks and computers… but when I’m at the hotel, I need to queue and wait!

Ok, there’s mobile check in now being more readily available at hotels…

But once again… the whole process is not being looked at. The whole process from end to end. From the moment, I need a hotel… to the moment I check out.

We all talk about an integrated world we live in. How more and more ‘things’ are connected. Why aren’t hotels more connected?

Ok… we can’t do everything at once, but there can be improvement steps.

Progress over Perfection.

Why not have some services available via mobile phone. Why not use QR codes. Why not use iBeacons. Why not just do something to make the process a little easier…

Yes – this post has been a bit of a moan. But I also see it as an opportunity.

Opportunity for us to a) think about what we do… and are we looking at the end to end process…. and b) whichever industry we are in, are we really connected? – are we really taking advantage of the various API’s that are available out there… and truly being ‘connected’ and serving our customer the best we can.

By the way… not sure what API’s are? –

noun

COMPUTING

a set of functions and procedures that allow the creation of applications which access the features or data of an operating system, application, or other service.

Watch out for my next blog post… with an IT Architect who’ll explain this a little more…

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