AccountingWEB’s 2010 technology review
Just like the January sales – which are enjoying an extra level of frenzy this year due to the VAT rate rise on the 4th – the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and Macworld in San Francisco extend the seasonal interest in gadgetry well into the New Year.
The Apple-focused event is always a treat, as users and commentators are usually desperate to find out what CEO Steve Jobs will unveil in his traditional keynote speech. Last January, he produced the iPad (see above) a 10in touchscreen tablet that failed to impress some of us here at AccountingWEB.co.uk.
My initial reaction to this “supersized iPod Touch” was that it appeared to be “less of a visionary paradigm-breaker than an engineering cut-and-paste job rushed out to gain a foothold in what looks to be the next hot spot for hardware manufacturers… for something that size, you might as well lug around a netbook”.
The less said about that comment, the better.
The other seasonal novelty encountered last year – a wave of blizzards that swept the country before and after Christmas – appears to be coming back for more this year, promising more transport disruption and billions in lost productivity.
According to meteorologists, a negative phase of the North Atlantic Osciliation could mean that several more arctic winters could follow. The big freezes of 2009-10 forced many businesses to consider their business continuity arrangements.
- iPad is Gadget of the Year
- Quotes of the Year
- AccountingWEB's 2010 Top 10
- The year in finance
- Quiz of the year
Continued...
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Thank you Sarah!
We might pretend to be stone-hearted hacks here at Aweb HQ, but we're suckers for praise just like anyone else. I'll be heading into the New Year with a warm glow in my heart and renewed enthusiasm for the job.
Thanks too for both for your ever-helpful contributions to our Sage 50 Accounts discussion group and for the comments here, which set a good example to other members. We'd love to hear what other members think mattered during 2010 and where they think technology is heading in the years to come.
Very Good article
Hi John
Excellent article. As you know I do love apple products and I also love windows based software. In the last couple of years there has been vast improvement on all fronts with regards to Userability. It does not matter whether it is a windows based or apple product. I love having the latest software. This has kept me in my business for years as that is my niche market.
The reason I think Apple is on top is because they are getting the products out there first. The first I phone was not great but the 3gsi is a great phone, and I am sure they will learn the mistakes for the I phone 5 from the I phone 4. it may be the case that another phone or tablet from another manufacture is better , but it always comes across as if the other manufactures have missed the boat.
I also think they have been far more successful at advertising to the younger generation and women in the last six years. They opened their stores up and it felt like a really good retail experience where you could touch and feel the product . The Apple store where I live in Glasgow is packed at the weekends. Also if you buy a Macbook or Apple computer you get one to one training for a year for £75 which is excellent. That was the selling point for me as I had not used an apple. Microsoft and the likes of Nokia almost seem to give up on advertising for a number of years till they realised Apple was overtaking them in some areas. One year I did not advertise and I have always regretted it as I was down about 10,000 that year, whilst word of mouth is good it is not everything.
With regards to the cloud I hope it does take off and become the norm, I think that is still a while off though. I would really like to see sage developing their L50 software for the cloud. There are many accountants that may not like the software, but there are a lot of business that do and I stress with the right training it is a good software . It may be over expanded but I have clients that use it for everything from a database to purchase ordering and stock system to chasing debtors, they just want it in one package. I am not sure accountants need that much control , but a business day to day does. So at the moment I use the likes of GO to my PC if I am away from their office
In the Year 2011 . I think the next phase will be a big increase on Apps for Accountants and Directors to be able to access their accounts via the Burberry and I phone. The reason I think this is because more and more people will be using smartphones.
Oh and Happy New Year 2011 to all your team.
-- Kind Regards Sarah@ Douglas Accountancy & Bookkeeping Services, Glasgow