4 家技术供应商的重要一周

由 Rob EnderleNov 2， 2020 4：00 AM PT

4 家技术供应商的重要一周 |网络应用 |技术新闻世界

我通常认为， 在选举附近的任何地方举行重大活动或宣布是愚蠢的。嗯，四个供应商决定证明我错了，它们决定通过通过证明事件和公告有重大的影响，有时，远远会超出技术市场和美国来证明我的想法是错误的。

尽管这是无意的，但每个供应商的公告似乎都是为了消除喧闹，有些可能会直接影响未来的选举。

让我们来谈谈思科、联想、微软和高通上周是如何扰乱世界的，我们将以我最爱的新数字助手——新的亚马逊回声第四代（Amazon Echo第四代）结束，这可能是100美元以下最好的节日礼物之一。

思科

思科上周有合作伙伴活动，虽然大部分活动都集中在思科的渠道努力上，但还有一吨其他内容。由于选举，他们宣布了两件事情，特别引起了我的注意。这些是法院和Webex立法的互联司法解决方案。

法院互联司法解决方案是一个允许美国国内外司法系统以虚拟方式更好地进行法庭听证的计划。但它不止于此，因为，与以教育为中心的系统一样，它占用了法官的开销，使他们能够更有效地完成工作。

此外，即使在大流行之后，它也解决了法院系统存在的几个问题，尤其是在美国。在过去的几年里，我去过几个法庭。技术上总是存在不可靠和不匹配的解决方案，律师及其客户缺乏连通性，以及不可持续的工作量，这大大降低了法官理解案件的能力，更不用说一贯的法治了。

这是与让陪审团及时就座、律师及其客户在法庭之间旅行以及围绕出庭的人身和电子安全威胁增加的问题。

思科的解决方案通过允许人们安全、安全地远程加入来虚拟化流程，并消除了所有错配技术在法庭上的混乱。其结果应该是提高法官的效力，提高人身安全和保障，提高生产率，从而实质性地改进法院程序，使其更加方便。

更强大的是Webex立法。此工具旨在帮助政府远程运行。由于像我们这样的立法机构倾向于允许立法者在家工作，他们更能够了解他们要投票的问题，在因疾病或竞选要求而远离地方时，他们更有能力投票，并能更好地预防疾病 --从普通感冒到大流行。

但更微妙的好处是，他们也以电子方式投票。这一努力可以消除过去十年的电子投票问题，当时在技术准备之前已经尝试过。这一解决办法应使任何使用该解决方案的国家的立法者更加有效，更有可能得到通知，同时为更方便的投票过程创造机会 -- -- 首先为他们，然后为我们。这将是巨大的。

联想

联想的科技世界2020年活动是上周，他们展示了许多心在活动。联想在人员、地域和产品广度方面的多样性展示是无可比拟的。然而，最令人兴奋的部分是它的工业机器人公告。一年来，联想一直是其一类最广泛的供应商，其产品线涵盖智能手机到后总部 IT（包括服务器和存储）。但今年的活动，该公司推出了第一个机器人，这是相当惊人的。

该机器人最初以汽车市场为目标，专注于绘画。然而，鉴于机器人的设计，它可以相对容易地转换，以做诸如组装，消防，医疗援助在医院或家庭，和安全。它是一个机械臂，附件位于电动底座上，可以快速向前和来回移动，并排移动，具有独特的配置车轮，允许横向移动。

我相信下一个是机器人，这个机器人最初可以远程训练一项任务，然后教自己如何更好地做这项工作，最后，它可以教它的同行机器人它学到了什么。这个机器人是一个重要的游戏规则改变者，因为它可能会促使联想的同行考虑这个市场，同时为可能成为可重新配置的人工智能驱动的机器人生产线设置一个新的标准。机器人的名字，晨星，可能会让一些人暂停，但它是一个令人印象深刻的产品，可以加速即将到来的机器人革命。

微软

对于技术和购买者来说，一个大问题是无法判断是否兑现了提高生产率的承诺。我们不仅不能确定用户是否正确使用产品或使用产品的全部功能，通常我们甚至无法判断他们是否在使用该产品。这有点像试图决定哪辆车是最快的， 而不发明速度计。与汽车不同，我们通常不在人之间进行生产力赛跑。我们需要一种可靠的方法来衡量生产率，以证明购买生产力工具的合理性。

为了解决这个问题，微软上周宣布了微软的生产力得分工具。它仅适用于 Microsoft 365，但它为用户提供了所需的信息，以查看他们是否以最佳方式工作。生产率得分提供反馈，以确保工具尽可能高效使用;它会告诉经理用户是否需要培训或帮助。它还有助于标记用户可能不堪重负或处于困境时的时间。

此功能对于远程工作的员工尤其重要，因为问题往往在损坏项目或员工之前不会显现出来。此外，对于 Microsoft 365 等复杂产品，我们通常没有时间发现或正确使用所有功能，这会影响我们的工作质量和工作效率。此工具将帮助发现此类问题，并帮助指出我们需要做的事情来改进我们的绩效，并突出显示管理层可以提供帮助的方法。

这不是员工监控工具。相反，它提高了生产力，减少了挫折感。这应该会导致其他公司创建类似的解决方案，以确保我们充分利用相关产品。微软生产力得分工具令人印象深刻。我唯一的问题是， 我希望它几十年前就可用了。

通

最后，但最不重要的一点，上周，第九巡回法院终于就由苹果推动的伪造的FTC对高通案的上诉做出了裁决，driven by Apple该案是利用美国法律制度来欺负高通以苹果规定的价格提供技术。

幸运的是，这一努力以惊人的方式失败了。联邦上诉法院拒绝重新考虑今年早些时候关于放弃政府对高通的反垄断案的决定。这既验证了高通的商业模式，也惊呼了为什么通过制造针对供应商的丑闻来滥用供应商是一个可怕的想法。

即使从脸上看，这还是一头拧得要命，因为高通拥有苹果一小部分的权力和资源，然而苹果却尖叫着说，这个规模更小、实力较弱的供应商正在滥用它们。除此之外，苹果还试图让高通公司（Qualcomm）退出业务，而高通对于美国技术领导地位至关重要。

在 OEM 曾经对供应商做过的讨厌的事情的清单上， 这将是在顶部。明确要为此，应该向其他实力雄厚的公司发出警告，不要利用政府资源为供应商获取繁重的财务优势。我希望这个结果将明确表明，我们的执法机构，或者更准确地说，我们的司法系统，并没有腐败。我们需要不时的提醒。

包装

虽然选举是一个巨大的分心，强大的事件和产品推出由思科，联想，微软和高通削减噪音和承诺，使我们的未来更光明。从更有效的法院和立法者，到灵活和智能的机器人，到可用于提高远程生产力的工具，到验证我们的司法系统能否正常工作——上周非常了不起。

希望这能发现你们都安然无恙，希望我们的重要供应商继续开箱即用地思考，努力使我们的未来更加光明。

第四代回声

我是亚马逊回声的超级粉丝除了壁橱和半浴室外，我家几乎每个房间都有回声设备。是的， 我甚至有一个在我的车库里和户外， 我们坐在夏天。

亚马逊的原版《回声》是破冰的。它结合了实惠的价格，良好的声音，和易用性，使它的巨大成功。但它的设计是过时的，而且，无可否认，声音缺乏深度。与其他成本较低的 Echo 设备变得更好时，原始设备需要刷新。

第四代回声看起来更现代，活动灯环移动到底部，它使设备看起来像它想要起飞。它有三种颜色，木炭，冰川白色和暮色蓝色。我想我最喜欢暮光之城蓝。

此迭代具有充满空间的深度，其低端远优于其前身。除了添加低音炮， 我怀疑你能从这样的设备中得到更好的低端声音。目前售价只有99美元，并且圣诞节前可能会以更低的价格上市。

第四代回声

每年我都会挑选一份圣诞礼物。这个回声可能是我选择 2020 年， 因为它的低成本和伟大的声音的组合。

它没有摄像头，它适用于我们这些不希望相机任何地方，我们可能脱衣服。像所有Echo设备一样，它可以控制更多的智能家居比任何其他制造商的数字助理。只需几分钟即可进行设置，我希望我测试的所有技术设备也能够成功。

因为新的第四代Echo是一个显著的改善比第三代 - 并可能成为我的圣诞礼物 - 新的第四代亚马逊回声是我本周的产品。

A Momentous Week for 4 Tech Vendors

By Rob Enderle Nov 2, 2020 4:00 AM PT

A Momentous Week for 4 Tech Vendors | Web Apps | TechNewsWorld

I'd typically argue that having a significant event or announcement anywhere near an election is foolish. Well, four vendors decided to prove me wrong by having events and making announcements that have a material impact that, at times, goes well beyond the technology market and the U.S.

Even though this was unintentional, each vendor's announcement appeared designed to cut through the noise, and some could directly impact future elections.

Let's talk about how Cisco, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Qualcomm disrupted the world last week, and we'll close with my new favorite digital assistant, the new Amazon Echo 4th Generation, which may be one of the best holiday gifts under $100.

Cisco

Cisco had its partner event last week, and while much of that event focused on Cisco's channel efforts, there was a ton of additional content. Due to the election, there were two things they announced that particularly caught my attention. Those were Connected Justice Solution for Courts and Webex Legislate.

Connected Justice Solution for Courts is a program that allows judicial systems both in the U.S. and abroad to carry out court hearings better virtually. But it goes beyond that because, much like education-focused systems, it takes the overhead away from the judge, allowing them to do their jobs more efficiently.

Also, even after the pandemic, it addresses several pre-existing problems with court systems, particularly in the U.S. I've been in several courtrooms over the last few years. Invariably there are technological messes with unreliable and mismatched solutions, a lack of connectivity for attorneys and their clients, and an unsustainable workload that detracts significantly from a judge's ability to understand a case -- let alone consistently rule on the law.

This is on top of the problems associated with getting juries seated on time, travel to and from the court for attorneys and their clients, and the increased security threats, both physical and electronic, that revolve around court appearances.

Cisco's solution virtualizes the process by allowing people to join safely and securely remotely, and removes the aggravation of all the mismatched technology that clutters up courtrooms. The result should be an increase in the effectiveness of judges, greater personal safety and security, and far higher productivity which should materially improve the court process and make it far more convenient.

Even more powerful is Webex Legislate. This tool was designed to help governments function remotely. Since legislatures like ours tend to allow lawmakers to work from home, they are better able to be informed on the issues they are to vote on, better able to vote when they are remote due to illness or campaign requirements, and more protected against illnesses -- from the common cold to pandemics.

But the more subtle benefit is that they are also voting electronically. This effort could remove electronic voting concerns from the last decade when it was tried before technology was ready. This solution should make legislators in any country that uses it both more effective and more likely to be informed, while creating an opportunity for a far more convenient voting process -- first for them and then for us. That would be huge.

Lenovo

Lenovo's Tech World 2020 event was last week, and they showcased many hearts at the event. Lenovo's diversity demonstrations in terms of people and geographies and its product breadth were unmatched. However, the most exciting part was its industrial robot announcement. For some time, Lenovo has been the broadest vendor in its class with a product line that spans smartphones to back-office IT (including servers and storage). But at this year's event, the company launched its first robot, and it is pretty amazing.

The robot is initially targeted at the automotive market, with a focus on painting. However, given the robot's design, it could relatively easily be converted to do things like assembly, firefighting, medical assistance in hospitals or homes, and security. It is a robotic arm with accessories that sits on a motorized base that can quickly move forward and back, and side to side, with uniquely configured wheels that allow for that lateral movement.

I believe the next big wave is robotics, and this robot can initially be trained in a task remotely, then teach itself how to do the job better, and finally, it can teach its peer robots what it has learned. This robot is a significant game changer, potentially, in that it may drive Lenovo's peers to consider this market while setting a new bar for what could become a reconfigurable AI-driven robotic line. The name of the robot, Morningstar, may give a few folks pause, but it is an impressive offering that could accelerate the coming robotics revolution.

Microsoft

One of the big problems for firms and buyers of technology is not being able to tell if productivity enhancement promises are met. Not only can we often not determine if the user is using a product correctly or using the product to its full capability, often we can't even tell if they are using the product at all. It's a bit like trying to decide which car is fastest without inventing the speedometer. Unlike cars, we typically don't have productivity races between people. We have needed a reliable way to measure productivity to justify the purchase of productivity tools.

To address this problem, Microsoft last week announced the Microsoft Productivity Score tool. It only works with Microsoft 365, but it provides users and managers the information they need to see whether they are working optimally. Productivity Score provides feedback to assure that a tool is being used as productively as possible; and it will tell managers if a user needs training or help. It will also help flag times when the user may be overwhelmed or in distress.

This capability is particularly critical for those working remotely because problems often don't become apparent until they have already damaged the project or the employee. Besides, with complex products like Microsoft 365, we often don't have time to discover or properly use all of the features, which adversely impacts our job quality and productivity. This tool will help surface that kind of problem and help point out things we need to do to improve our performance and highlight things management could do to help.

This is not an employee monitoring tool. Rather, it enhances productivity and reduces frustration. This should cause other firms to create similar solutions to assure we are getting the full use of the related product. The Microsoft Productivity Score tool is impressive. The only issue I have is that I wish it was available decades ago.

Qualcomm

Last but not least, last week, the Ninth Circuit Court finally released its decision on the appeal of the bogus FTC case against Qualcomm that had been driven by Apple in an attempt to use the U.S. legal system to bully Qualcomm into providing technology at a price that Apple dictated.

Fortunately, that effort failed spectacularly. The federal appeals court refused to reconsider its decision earlier this year to throw out the government antitrust case against Qualcomm. This both validated Qualcomm's business model and put an exclamation point on why it is a terrible idea to abuse a supplier by manufacturing a case against them.

Even on its face, this was screwy as hell because Qualcomm has a fraction of the power and resources Apple does, yet Apple was screaming that this smaller and weaker supplier was abusing them. On top of that, Apple tried to put Qualcomm, which is crucial to the U.S. technology leadership, out of business.

On a list of nasty things an OEM has ever done to a supplier, this would be at the top. Having this end definitively should stand as a warning to other powerful companies not to use government resources to gain an onerous financial edge on a supplier. I hope this outcome will definitively showcase that our law enforcement agencies, or more accurately our judicial system, aren't corrupt. We need that reminder from time to time.

Wrapping Up

While the election is a huge distraction, powerful events and product launches by Cisco, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Qualcomm cut through the noise and promise to make our future brighter. From more effective courts and legislators, to flexible and intelligent robots, to tools we can use to improve remote productivity, to validation that our justice system works -- last week was remarkable.

Here is hoping this finds you all safe and well and that our significant vendors continue to think out of the box in their efforts to make our future brighter.

The 4th Generation Echo

I'm a huge Amazon Echo fan. Virtually every room in my house, except for closets and our half bathroom, has an Echo device in it. Yep, I even have one in my garage and outdoors where we sit during the summer.

Amazon's original Echo was what broke the ice. Its combination of affordable price, good sound, and ease of use made it an enormous success. But its design is dated, and, admittedly, the sound lacks depth. As other, less expensive Echo devices got better, the original needed a refresh.

The 4th Generation Echo looks more modern, with the activity light ring moved to the bottom where it makes the device look like it wants to take off. It comes in three colors, Charcoal, Glacier White, and Twilight Blue. I think I like the Twilight Blue the most.

This iteration has depth of sound that fills the room, with a low end that is far superior to its predecessor. Short of adding a subwoofer, I doubt you could get better low-end sound out of a device like this. It's currently priced at only $99 and is likely to go on sale for less before Christmas.

4th Generation Echo

Every year I pick a go-to Christmas gift. This Echo will likely be my choice for 2020, given its combination of low cost and great sound.

It has no camera, which works for those of us who don't want cameras anyplace where we are likely to be undressed. Like all Echo devices, it can control more of your smart home than any other manufacturer's digital assistant. It takes just a few minutes to set up, and I wish all of the technology devices I've tested worked as well.

Because the new 4th Generation Echo is a significant improvement over the 3rd Generation -- and likely to become my go-to Christmas gift -- the new 4th Generation Amazon Echo is my product of the week.