Posts Categorized: Competitive advantage

Is this the moment e-sports comes of age?

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Consumer Technology, Emerging Technologies, Entertainment.

It is a deal that could mark the moment e-sports enters the big league. The US owners of a famous basketball franchise and investors in Premier League club Crystal Palace have snapped up two of the leading e-sports teams.  The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Team Dignitas and Apex, and will merge them into what the… Read more »

Snapchat launches sunglasses with camera

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Consumer Technology, Emerging Technologies, Ethical Issues.

Messaging app firm Snapchat has announced its first gadget – sunglasses with a built-in camera. The device, which the company is calling Spectacles, will go on sale later this year priced at $130. The glasses will record up to 30 seconds of video at a time. Source: BBC Date: September 28th, 2016 Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37460682 Discussion 1) Why might Snap(chat) succeed… Read more »

The logic in Apple buying McLaren

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Emerging Technologies.

  The reports that Apple has been considering a $1.5bn (£1.2bn) acquisition (or at least significant investment) in British car maker McLaren have thus far been played down by both parties.  But there are several compelling reasons to take the reports seriously. Source: BBC Technology News Date: September 22nd, 2016 Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37436171 Discussion 1) “In the car industry… Read more »

The Six Reasons Smart Folks are Worried About Apple

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, disruptive technology, Emerging Technologies.

There are two huge topics of discussion in Silicon Valley right now. The first is “Who will win the level 4 autonomy race, Tesla or Uber?,” and the second is “Is Apple in trouble?” Source: LinkedIn Pulse Date: September 20th, 2016 Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/six-reasons-smart-folks-worried-apple-jason-calacanis?trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-hero-22-null&midToken=AQH2XEf9DJ0DqA&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=1CMvbpe3qJTno1 Discussion 1) Why does it matter than the #1 company in the U.S. and a… Read more »

Why Microsoft Bought LinkedIn

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, IT Trends.

  Microsoft recently purchased the professional networking site LinkedIn for $26.2 billion dollars.  Is it a good fit? Source: Wall Street Journal Date: September 13th, 2016 Link: http://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-gains-link-to-a-network-1465922927 Discussion 1) Microsoft “hopes to jump-start its software packages by connecting them with LinkedIn’s vast network” of 400 million users.  “Hopes” seems a little weak a word when you spend $26.2… Read more »

How Amazon Organizes Its Warehouses

Posted by & filed under Amazon, Competitive advantage, data analytics.

How Amazon arranges its warehouses – it’s a total mess! Source: TechCrunch Date: September 13th, 2016 Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUVLZmDKeT-mV4H3ToYXIFYg&v=5TL80_8ACPc Discussion 1) What can other companies learn from the way Amazon does things at their warehouse? 2) Which companies might most benefit from copying Amazon?

GitHub CEO Talks About How Microsoft and Apple Are Changing

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Emerging Technologies, Open Source.

Big companies are now embracing open source.  If more companies are turning to software, they are going to need someplace to store all that code.  Enter GitHub, the hot startup behind the popular online source code repository used by thousands of individual developers as well as big-name companies like John Deere, SAP, and Microsoft. These… Read more »

As tech clusters spread, a fight to be Silicon Valley North

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Emerging Technologies, IT Trends.

The stretch of the 401 that connects Toronto with Kitchener-Waterloo has many hallmarks similar to California’s Highway 101. Source: The Toronto Star Date: August 30th, 2016 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/08/28/as-tech-clusters-spread-a-fight-to-be-silicon-valley-north.html Discussion 1) There is a notion explicit in this article that being like Silicon Valley in California, USA is actually a good thing.  What are some of the downsides of… Read more »

Thailand’s students reveal their vice — cheating by device

Posted by & filed under Competitive advantage, Cybersecurity, Ethical Issues, fraud.

  This is a confiscated smartwatch showing a student’s math data.  In Thailand, being brought up to be polite, tolerant, and respectful hasn’t prevented rampant cheating on university entrance exams, now aided by embedded cameras, smartwatches and all other manner of high tech gear. Source: Toronto Star Date: September 1st, 2016 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2016/05/11/thailands-students-reveal-their-vice-cheating-by-device.html 1) How might you prevent… Read more »