Central Michigan
University
January, 2015
Agenda of Program
Agenda of Program
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What is “The Cloud”?
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How do you get to it?
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What can you do with it?
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Is security a concern?
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What are the benefits of “the cloud”?
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Sharing on The Cloud
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Productivity & Time Management on The Cloud
So, what is
So, what is
“The Cloud”?
“The Cloud”?
Best Definition
Best Definition
I've Heard:
I've Heard:
Your “stuff” on someone else's
Your “stuff” on someone else's
computer network, and you
computer network, and you
get/use/share your stuff
get/use/share your stuff
via the Internet
via the Internet
How do you access the cloud?
How do you access the cloud?
YOU ALREADY ARE!
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… through your computers, phones, tablets
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… and a live Internet connection
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SHAMELESS PLUG: All CMU faculty and staff now
have access to Microsoft OneDrives
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Big spread of 4G networks and expansion of public WiFi
options have made it available virtually everywhere
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Funny travel tip – getting out of “the cloud”
What kind of stuff goes on
What kind of stuff goes on
“the cloud”?
“the cloud”?
Pretty much ANY data file:
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Documents (private and public)
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Productivity: E-mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Texts
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Music & Media
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Photographs
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Social tools/info
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Application Data (The “Apps” on your phone!)
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… and more!
Where is it stored?
Where is it stored?
On another firm's network:
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Amazon
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Google
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Apple
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Microsoft
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IBM
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Box & Dropbox
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Even places like Facebook, Evernote, & Instagram
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Some lesser-known providers may offer more secure
storage/access
Is Security a Concern?
Is Security a Concern?
In short, YES, but ...
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Much of the risk can be mitigated with smart computing and
Internet practices
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Use private networks and VPNs when available
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Use different browsers for secure and non-secure browsing
(different computers too? Personal vs. work phones?)
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Have smart, difficult user names and passwords
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Avoid using public terminals and public WiFi (personal hotspot?)
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Avoid putting highly sensitive data on popular public sites
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More Private = More Careful
What are the benefits of
What are the benefits of
The Cloud?
The Cloud?
So MANY!
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Virtually unlimited storage (depending on what you pay for)
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Your IT is outsourced! (Data is professionally managed and
backed up.)
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Get to your stuff from virtually any Internet-capable device
(computer, phone, tablet – even your TV)
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You can share and collaborate (more on that in a minute...)
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You can create virtually & remotely ...
What Happens When Two
What Happens When Two
Clouds Merge?
Clouds Merge?
Magic!
Evernote &
Evernote &
Google Voice-to-Text
Google Voice-to-Text
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Used my cloud-based Evernote account to create first draft of this
presentation
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… using Evernote app on my Android smart phone
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… using the cloud-based Android voice-to-text
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Then, brought up my web Evernote client on my laptop browser
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… and pasted each slide “note” into the corresponding slide in this
presentation
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Who types anymore???
Business Benefits of
Business Benefits of
The Cloud
The Cloud
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Social connection with clients (FB, LinkedIn, G+ ...)
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My entire customer database is cloud sourced – use to send
promotions, new course announcements, and e-newsletter (best
$50 spent per month)
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Post promo videos on YouTube
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Have most of my products in digital format now – no inventory!
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Sales 24/7/365 to potentially global audience
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People building apps & stores on cloud making fortunes
Let's Talk About Sharing
Let's Talk About Sharing
in The Cloud
in The Cloud
First: A Personal Example
First: A Personal Example
We moved last year ...
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Moving is tough
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Especially with young kids
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And two full-time+ working parents
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… that are Type A perfectionists
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But the cloud helped ...
Second: I'm releasing a new
Second: I'm releasing a new
recorded product
recorded product
Online Now:
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3 Minutes a Day
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30 Days
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“From Distracted to Productive”
I wrote each day – my editor provided
I wrote each day – my editor provided
comment in Dropbox:
comment in Dropbox:
Third: Groceries (no kidding)
Third: Groceries (no kidding)
Grocery IQ app:
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Shared account (same username
& password)
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Cloud-based list shared on both
of our phones
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“Happy wife = happy life”
Using “The Cloud”
Using “The Cloud”
For Productivity
For Productivity
E-mail
Calendar
Task/To Do List
Notes/Memos
Addresses/Contacts
Google Shortcuts for Chrome
… Turns Chrome into “G-Outlook”
Copyright 2011-14 Randall F. Dean, MBA
Smart Phone Success
& Terrific Tablets:
Getting More Productivity From
Your Smart Phone and Tablet Devices
PLEASE, at this time ...
Keep your phones ON!
(but turn off the ringer).
The Original Four Buttons
Calendar
Address/Phone Task List
Memo Pad
Then, along came
BlackBerry ...
e-mail
phone
some web
some GPS
but at about the same time ...
BOOM! IPhone and Droid
app insanity (750K+ on Apple &
Google Play!)
dramatically improved web
dramatically improved media
both phones/OS systems “game changers”
Now, 4G and tablets -- WOW!
computers in decline?
multidimensional devices
speed faster than DSL
streaming media
video communication
even hotspot and virtual meeting
capabilities
... and "the cloud"
much of your "data" does not need to be hosted
locally
and can be shared across numerous cloud-
enabled devices (and people!)
e-mail
calendar
contacts
social media
music and video
even documents and files
tablets and smartphones now effectively "cloud
access devices"
THIS is our reality, and it is
changing FAST.
How do you find productivity (and limit
distraction) in this "smart phone”
reality?
First, go back to basics:
E-mail
Calendar
Contacts
Tasks
Notes
Google????
Office 365???
The Original Four Buttons
Calendar
Address/Phone Task List
Memo Pad
E-mail:
integration w/ work e-mail critical
using Outlook?
worked seamlessly w/ BlackBerry
K-9 Mail worked great for me on
Droid
take a good look at Office 365?
apps available for online cloud-based
e-mail: Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, more
Calendar & Contacts
auto-sync w/ BlackBerry & IPhone
requires Google sync app download
for Droid w/ Outlook
want to consider posting both
Calendar and Contacts to cloud app
can then access anywhere
professional & life contacts to
Facebook/LinkedIn??? ("Sticky")
Tasks
easy sync w/ BlackBerry
a bit tricky for Outlook users on Droid &
IPhone
on Exchange?
Touchdown for Droid & iOS
TaskTask for iOS
Office 365
Not Using Tasks in Outlook?
PLENTY of Options
I really like ToodleDo – browser-based on
PC or Mac, but synced apps for tablet
and/or smart phone
Using Google Tasks? Several syncing
apps with online Google Tasks account
(GoTasks, Google Tasks Lite, etc.)
Several other solid task apps – do some
research to find one right for you
Simple option for Outlook users: e-mail
photo of daily tasks BACK to phone when
away from Outlook using Snipping Tool
Key need:
Can you get current access to
your e-mail, calendar, today's
tasks, and important contacts?
Notes:
handy to have access to many useful
notes/reminders
Company/Staff info
Shopping Lists
Travel numbers/sites
Even passwords and private info
(Best “Happy Hours” & Golf Yardages)
better in your phone than in your head!
used to teach on Outlook, but now...
Current Best-Practice
Note Recommendation:
Evernote
widget downloads into Outlook -- easy to copy notes
(and e-mails, tasks, etc.) to cloud
cloud app can then sync notes to other devices
(including tablets)
also can "clip" web articles and store PDFs for later
review -- AWESOME!
built most of this presentation on Evernote (to start!) --
worked on it on laptop, Droid phone, AND Kindle Fire
even scanners now can scan directly to Evernote
LiveScribe pen will save handwritten notes directly to
Evernote (tons of other apps being developed too)
Passwords and Private Info?
need a "password keeper" -- one
master password for access to all
accounts, passwords and log-ins
I also use for highly personal
information – stuff I don't want “on
the cloud” or my work computer!
need to download for IPhone & Droid
using UPM on Droid
wife is using My Eyes Only on
IPhone
Dashlane???
Now that have basics, what
else for standard productivity?
Office docs reader/editor (Word, Excel, etc.)
I'm using OfficeSuitePro
Google just changed QuickOffice
DocumentsToGo on IPhone (Prezi? ClearSlide?)
Adobe Reader for PDFs
Box or DropBox for document storage/access
search tool for web
I use Google search and Google Voice Search
Siri is pretty sweet for IPhones!
Something New for
Windows 8 Users
BlueStacks App – provides an Android
Emulator for your Windows 8 device
Can then download apps from Google Play
(Haven't tested yet – just found out)
Voice Assistant??
- Siri & Google Now
Both can provide great help with hands-
free, voice-based commands and
communications.
Google voice-to-text is amazing – wrote
this presentation using it (on Evernote!)
Test these – and get in the habit of turning
them on as soon as you get in your car!
The more you use them ...
Something Siri-ously Silly ...
Productivity Peripherals
Productivity Peripheral Devices/Services?
Internet Tethering/WiFi Hotspot
capabilities
WiFi Printer/Copier
Bluetooth keyboard for IPhone/IPad
Both allow phones/tablets to effectively
act as standalone laptops
Phone docking station allows me to
"port" my phone screen/apps/games to
large screen TV/projector
Peripherals Continued ...
LogMeIn app??? (Pretty amazing
[especially for tablets], but a bit expensive)
Your VPN is more secure
Coordinated Tablet device???
Great potential synergy here
Bluetooth/corded “radio” charger and/or aux
port “male-to-male” cable for car
Brand New: Seal Shield
Consider What You Have ...
E-mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes
Password Manager
Web Browsing & Search
Document creation & storage (via the cloud)
PDF viewing & creation
Media playing/viewing/storage/streaming
Keyboard & printer? (via Bluetooth & WiFi)
YOU HAVE A FULLY FUNCTIONAL COMPUTER!
… that also has voice-to-text AND touchscreen!!!
… AND APPS!!!
Power Management
Don't get cheap with chargers!
One near bed
One in each vehicle
One in travel bag
Droid or BlackBerry user? Get an extra battery
(BOY SCOUT MOTTO!)
IPhone – Power “Cases”
Which apps are power hogs? Manage them!
WiFi, GPS, Data Service, Music/Video, etc.
Advanced Task Killer (great app for turning off
too many apps!)
QuickSettings App for Droid (turn off volume,
ringer, data, GPS, wifi, go to Airplane mode)
Extended Productivity
Reference/News
Communications
Scanning/Search/PDF
Online Shopping/Search
Financial Management
Social Networking
Travel Management
Health & Wellness
Time to go to the
App Store!!!
Reference/News
Wikipedia & AskWiki
Encyclopedia Brittanica (paid)
Dictionary & Thesaurus apps
White Pages (full app-based phone book)
Zip Code Tools & Instant Area Codes/Area Codes for IOS
WolframAlpha
Google Earth, Maps, Moon, Mars, etc ...
Major News Apps (TV, newspaper, etc.)
Language/Translation Apps (check out Google
Translate!)
Specific Reference apps (what's your interest?)
Tons of Knowledge
At Your Fingertips
Extended Communications/
Video Capabilities
Google Voice (Single line to different
lines/integrated voicemail to text)
Google Talk & Apple FaceTime
My preference: Skype!
Free Skype-to-Skype calls AND video calls
Works cross-platform
Awesome on 4G!
TextPlus (multi-person text messager w/ free
calling)
Scanning/Search/PDF
Google Search widget, Bing, even Siri
CamScanner/Scan to PDF Free (turns phone into
auto-scanner/PDF creation device)
Related CamCard/Full Contact for biz cards
Barcode Scanner (search QR & bar codes)
Grocery IQ (synced shopping list -- multiple stores
-- between multiple users)
Keyring – all store loyalty cards in one app!
Amazon, Google Play, ITunes App Store,
BlackBerry AppWorld, Windows Marketplace
Comparison shopping/app insanity
4 stars, many reviews, tons of downloads!
Have become a big fan of Amazon Prime
Financial Management
Mint.com and Mint apps
Square and other E-commerce apps
Expensify (take pictures of and auto-
categorize receipts, download from CC)
AMEX receipt manager
Bloomberg Mobile (market/investing
news/feeds)
Individual bank/trading apps
Even an app for finding ATMs!!!
Social Networking
Facebook
Twitter (& Seesmic)
LinkedIn
FourSquare
Flickr (lots of cool photo apps)
Instagram
StumbleUpon
Pinterest
Flipboard is pretty cool! & Doggcatcher for Podcasts
So Many Others!!
Travel Management
GPS (my preference is Google Maps)
Poynt & Yelp (takes current location and provides
nearby weather/shopping/restaurant/gas options)
MapQuest also good for location-based search
Air & Hotel Apps (Provided by many major firms)
Hipmunk, Kayak, TripIt, FlightView, GasBuddy
CarrrMatey!
Postagram
(Area of opportunity/necessity for your firm?)
Health & Wellness
WebMD, ITriage
Weight Watchers (my wife loves it)
MyTracks (track mileage, elevation, speed)
MyFitnessPal
Losethebelly, Couch to 5K apps
Evernote “Doctor's Diary”
Track conditions, medications,
procedures, allergies, etc.
Epicurious, Fooducate, etc.
Just Really Cool ...
Bump
Kindle app (and Audible)
Spotify, Pandora, Slacker, Radio.com, TuneIn Radio,
iHeartRadio, etc.
Google SkyMap, Go SkyWatch & Apple StarWalk
Netflix, Amazon Prime, JetFlicks & HuluPlus
ScoreMobile (sports scores, favorite teams)
WolframAlpha (other “ed” Apps)
Instagram, GorillaCam, other photo apps
Percent (for tips)
Even More Apps!
Zip Code & Area Code Finders
Public Transit Apps
Real Time Traffic Apps
Circle app (find nearby friends)
Square & Stripe (credit card device and app)
Prezi (cool presentation tool for Ipad)
IAnnotate (PDF reader/write comments)
Numerous handyman apps (level, measure, angles, etc.)
Shazam & SoundHound
Nature Sounds/Relaxation apps
OpenTable (dinner reservations)
IPhone Secrets app
Fireplace (and other nature sounds) apps
What are your favorite
apps & tools???
Send me a note at randy@randalldean.com with your faves!
I'll post on the related program web pages.
Interested in this or another program for your team?
Contact Randy Dean @ randy@randalldean.com