Busting the Biggest PC Myths - So did Saddam really buy a bunch of Playstation 2 consoles for his weapons program? Or what about the idea that if you don't "stop" a USB device before unplugging it from a PC, even after it has stopped writing data, you can screw things up? Hogwash, says Gregg Keizer, of PC Magazine. Well, what about the notion that the Japanese edition of Windows uses haiku error messages like: "Yesterday it worked. Today it is not working. Windows is like that." Sadly, this too is fictional.

Anthropology in the Military - We at Menlo employ the concept of High-Tech Anthropology to create better software.  Now the US military is using a similar approach to create better uniforms.  After years of few changes, the makers of these uniforms started to take the time to observe the soldiers in action.  It became readily apparent that the current design was really poor.  A few of the things they noticed:  Pockets that couldn't be accessed once body armor was applied, camouflage patterns that included a color seldom found in nature, patrol boots that had to be frequently polished, and jackets that inhibited mobility. 

Know Your Enemy - Speaking of the military; the biggest foe of the Iraq war from a logistics standpoint was not Saddam Hussein, but dirty and disparate data. For instance, to one system, stock number "99 000 1111" was a 24-hour, cold-climate ration pack. To another system, the same number referred to an electronic radio valve. And if hungry troops were sent radio valves instead of rations, the invasion and rebuilding of Iraq wouldn't have gone very far.

A Wave of the Hand - If you want people to embrace a new interface, simplicity and intuitiveness are key. Enter the concept of gesture recognition. With this new technology, if you want your computer to do something, all you have to do is wave your hand. So, what might be some of the applications for such an interface? How about weather forecasting, games, safer automobile controls and even an updated version of Microsoft PowerPoint? (One-time registration  required.)

We Found a Cheater! - Thinking of doing a little "research" on the Internet? Well if you are, make sure that you cite the reference accurately. The tools available now to detect plagiarism are a lot more sophisticated than just doing a "Google" search.

Internet2 - We've all heard the talk about Internet2. So, what is it good for? Well, scientists and researchers are using it now to transfer very large files and do experiments with video. It is also really, really fast. In fact, Sprint and the Swedish National Research and Education Network used it recently and set a new data transfer record. They managed to send nearly 840 gigabytes of data across a distance of over 10,000 miles in less than 27 minutes!

Your next software project needs...Anthropology? - What the heck does software have to do with anthropology? Come to our next free 90-minute "Taste of Success" seminar focused on High-Tech Anthropology. A high-touch solution for a high-tech world.  Bring your toughest software project stories to share.  See you on July 27!

Mother of all IT Projects - So you think you've worked on some large IT projects? Imagine that you are the Project Director for all IT related work and integration on the new $800 million Queen Mary II cruise ship. The new ship weighs 151,400 tons and, at 1,132 feet, is a mere 116 feet shorter than the structural height of the Empire State Building. The project was successfully completed with a 28 member IT staff. Installing the equipment actually became an exercise in strength and stamina. For part of the project, the team had to install high-tech TVs in hundreds of guest cabins without the benefit of a working elevator. So, if the cabin was on deck 11, that meant 11 flights of stairs. At one point, it took three days to chase down someone who could turn on a breaker to get power to the equipment.

The Linux Killer - They call him Microsoft's sock puppet, the most hated man in high tech. SCO's Darl McBride is fighting a war for the future of free software, and he wants to make you pay.

Hurry! Sign up for a Menlo Class.  - The Menlo Summer class schedule is out.  Summer is a great time to buckle down and learn the real secrets of software success. 

Need a Speaker for an Upcoming Event? - We love public speaking (yes, we really do!) and are happy to deliver inspiring messages focused on business success with information technology. Call us at (734) 665-1847 to schedule your next event. Look here for a list of some of the topics that we’ve spoken about in the past. 

About Menlo Innovations

Menlo Innovations uses its unique High-Tech Anthropology®practice to help our clients build killer software applications. If you are asking any of the following questions, consider having us perform a Fresh Perspective Assessment:

• Do our customers really like my software product?
• Why don't we get more referrals?
• Is our user experience silently killing my market share?
• Do our users really use all of the features?
• How can we make our  product better?

A Fresh Perspective Assessment provides detailed insights into your product's strengths and weaknesses. It also provides a roadmap for where to best invest your design and development dollars. Designing, building, and selling software products can be innovative, creative, and profitable. It can also be highly challenging. Sometimes a Fresh Perspective is required.

Created in the spirit of Thomas Edison's Invention Factory in Menlo Park, Menlo Innovations is passionate about software innovations that make a positive difference in the everyday lives of businesses and their employees.

Menlo Innovations LLC
"Creating unusually useful software... What a bright idea!"
410 N 4th Avenue, Godfrey Building, 3rd Floor Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-1104
(734) 665-1847

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