The Tech Gap

I Really WANTED This to Work So Sad

2010-02-27T13:46:28-06:00

The Wi-EX zBoost-One (the model I tested was the YX400-P) cell-phone signal booster claims to be a simple, straight-forward solution to your indoor cell phone signal problems. Supposedly it grabs whatever signal you have and “amplifies” it, making your cell phone actually USEABLE in your home or office (about 2,500 square feet). The Wi-EX zBoost-One creates a “Cell-Zone” for up to 4 phones (data cards, too). It’s a good looking unit – about 10” x 9” x 3” with a single button. It’s a take-it-out-of-the-box and plug-it-in set-up. The device then finds whatever signal you have (instructions tell you to place it near a window where you get the best reception). When placed by my window the Wi-Ex zBoost-One showed a full 5 bars. Following the instructions I then placed a call with my cell phone and pressed the “SyncLink” button on the Wi-Ex. It dutifully registered my phone and the green handset indicator turned on. Ah – success!!

Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ends. Before I had unpacked the device I tested two Sprint phones in my home. I tried 14 different locations and noted the bars I received. The results were the same with both phones and over two separate testings. The data were consistent with what I already knew – I had lousy coverage with mostly 1s and 2s with a few 3s. After I setup the Wi-Ex I ran the same test --- with exactly the same results! OUCH!! No effect? Can’t be. What’s wrong? I re-installed and re-tested. Same result. Next stop, my office. Overall, better reception there with mostly 3s and an occasional 4. Again, two separate phones (one actually different from the home test) and two different testings. I installed the Wi-Ex and retested only to find the same result. In desperation I called the company and they immediately sent me a new unit --- good news, right?

WRONG --- received the new unit only to find exactly the same result. So sad because I really WANTED this to work. Bottom line is that it simply has no discernible effect. I suggest you avoid the Wi-EX zBoost-One.

gll

PS – If you’ve had experience with this unit, or a competitive model, please feel free to chime in or let me know by email.

A Quantum Leap of Faith

2010-02-22T11:05:25-06:00

I am fully aware that this is a TECHNOLOGY blog --- in fact, it’s even more narrow in that it’s an ACCOUNTING TECHNOLOGY blog --- so what the heck is a book plug doing here? Well, first let me assure that I have not gone completely crackers and I still think the religious right is a bit wacko. But the specificity of TheTechGap and my mental state really do allow this post. Honest!

Michael Bodner is known to many of you as a former VP of Development at Thomson Reuters Creative Solutions. I worked closely with Michael when I was VP of Product Strategy there and many of the breakthrough products that are so popular in the profession had roots from out team collaboration. Examples would include FileCabinet, Virtual Office, Client Portals, etc. Although Michael in no longer working in the “accounting” part of technology, he has remained a mainstay popular speaker at the AICPA TECH+ Conference. He is also 1) a dear friend and 2) the smartest person I’ve ever known. His doctorate in is theoretical physics and he has a Hawking-like ability to explain very (very) complex concepts in terms that even I can understand --- well, for a while, anyway.

Bodner’s book, “A Quantum Leap of Faith” is an exquisite marriage of science and religion --- a reconciliation of Genesis to the Big Bang Theory. If you are, as I am, troubled by or are simply curious about how science can coexist with the Bible, then this is a book you do NOT want to miss. In the introduction Michael describes his experience teaching this material at an Presbyterian church in Ann Arbor. That was my church and I watched as the crowds grew larger week after week --- it was an amazing series!

I personally guarantee this to be a GREAT READ. Enjoy.

gll

Your Opinion, please?

2010-02-17T11:33:08-06:00

As you know I speak at many conferences each year. A common complaint of conference go-ers is often that they are not able to attend every break-out session that they so desire. It’s also a huge challenge for conference planners --- to offer every session twice effectively halves the number of session titles they can offer. Something for each attendee or the same for most attendees? Quite the quandary. Last fall at the Sleeter 2009 Accounting Solutions Conference in Orlando the conference planners tried video (sort of) recording every session. The platform is from Pro Libraries and the process pairs an audio recording with the accompanying PowerPoint slides. While it does solve the problem of not being able to be in two places at once it sure isn’t a equal substitute for “being there”. The Sleeter organization has posted one of my presentations from that conference in the “free” area until mid-March. If you’d like to “virtually attend” the session you can simply click on the title below. There’s no CPE and the jokes aren’t any better than when you see me live, but you may find value in the information. If you do watch I’d be very interested in your opinion of the platform --- is this something that I should suggest to other meeting planners? Comments are open, or just drop me an email. Thanks --- and enjoy.

I’ve Seen the Cloud from Both Sides Now – How to Keep Your Feet On the Ground When Your Head’s In the Cloud

gll

Intuit to Announce its new QuickBooks Hosting Program (finally!)

2010-02-07T17:32:14-06:00

Tomorrow Intuit is to announce it's "new QuickBooks Hosting Program .... the Program is available to Intuit partners including commercial hosting companies, QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers...". Last weeks scheduled briefing on this had to be re-scheduled due to travel difficulties, so I don't have up-to-date information but I'll just refer you to my post of almost exactly one year ago. Looks like I was a tad early on the whistle back then --- once they get this new Program announced and we've all seen the terms and conditions (that's where the devils will live) we can come back to this post and see just how wrong (or possibly right?) I actually was.
I'm just saying .......
gll
February 15, 2009

Intuit to Begin Enforcement of “no-hosting” Rules for QuickBooks

What’s long been widely known as a “dirty little secret” regarding access to hosted QuickBooks is about to become very public. Rumor has it (from several independent sources, most of whom are in position to know) that Intuit will soon announce the creation of an “authorized hoster” program and will, by inference if nothing else, finally begin enforcing a no-support policy for all others. Initially those officially authorized to host QuickBooks for third-party use will be InSynq, RightNetworks, and Uni-Data. Technically if you, or more importantly, your CLIENTS, are currently utilizing QuickBooks hosted by a third-party other than those listed above, you (and your hoster) are (and have been) in violation of Intuit’s licensing terms. This move to enforcement simply means that Intuit is going to begin enforcement of what they’ve always disallowed.

The open question is how the enforcement will proceed. Will there be “cease and desist” letters sent? To whom? What’s the timetable for users to get into compliance? What is the process for a vendor to join this “authorized hoster” program and is Intuit ready to accept the almost certain flood of applications? Finally, and certainly most important to us as practicing tax and accounting professionals, what do we tell our clients?

I’m sorry that I don’t have more answers --- seems like all I have are questions. I’m sure Intuit will answer (most of) these questions when their official announcement is released. Although I have no direct knowledge of the timing of this announcement my sources seem agreed that it’s forthcoming and most certainly will be released before the end of tax season.

How’s THAT for one more thing to worry about when your plate’s already too full?

gll

06:26 PM | Permalink

5th Annual Thought-Leader Appreciation Forum Dinner a Resounding Success.

2010-01-12T10:11:26-06:00

The 5th Annual Thought-Leader Appreciation Forum & Dinner was held on Thursday, January 7, 2010 (during CES) at the beautiful, newly-opened ARIA hotel in Las Vegas. This get-together has become a tradition and this year, thanks to a generous sponsorship from Sage, we were able to expand the format this year. The Forum was born because so many of attendees (all nationally recognized presenters, authors and consultants of the tax and accounting technology world) attend the Consumer Electronic Show. Although we see each other often at conferences, seminars, and trade shows we’re usually much too busy to visit with one another. The Forum changed that by providing a venue and the exclusive invitee list guaranteed quality time for learning from, relaxing with and enjoying each other.

We had a great program featuring presentations from Randy Johnston and Rich Oppenheim, ample time for conversation, and a great Q & A interchange with the Sage executives. (Sage attendees included Jodi Uecker-Rust, Motasim Najeeb, Doug Meyer, Connie Certusi, Tom Miller, Jamie Sutherland, Dennis Frahmann, Jennifer Warawa and John Parisi.)

Dinner followed with wonderful food and more than just a few bottles of wine at the very appropriately named “Sage” restaurant at the ARIA. The party then moved to the Rodney Lough Gallery for a private, invitation-only reception.

This event has become my absolute favorite and I’m already planning for next year!

gll