The potential bottom line savings using Android Mini Pcs

Earlier covered a note on 
http://emergingtechnologiesaview.blogspot.in/2014/01/on-android-pc.html

We had been showing the demo inside and outside to several people. Several use cases emerged (For a quad core, Jelly bean based, 2gb local memory, 8gb flash memory - wireless, Ethernet enabled, camera  - 2MP - TF Card 32 GB - external hard disc 2TB - USB hub - wireless keyboard, RF mouse - under $70)

1. Can easily replace desk top operations - word, excel, ppt - microsoft / quick office app, Skype, Gmail, Outlook, RDP (Windows), Citrix, and VMWare apps are there to connect with apps, or any systems - imagine savings on desktop (capital cost) and updates - maintenance costs

2. Google drive, Drop box, facebook, linked in other cool apps - are good

3. TED, Pinterest is great surprise - with HDMI sound

4. In a large group conference - great collaborator - wireless key board passed on - every one can share their doc / ppts and express ideas.

5. Great use case for conference systems - mic is pretty good - picture quality is better.

6. Could be low cost for training class rooms (instead of  desktops)

7. Good BYOD that can be implemented at low cost - professional is productive at office - needs just HDMI monitor and key board only - at home - HDMI TV - at the hotel - Has HDMI TV - seen it work - and even on the airport (they can think of giving only HDMI monitors - Think of that!!! -

Only down side - though jelly bean - can't play Temple doom or other games - the monitors are not touch enabled - 

8. If we are taking to to enterprise and clients - what about security - what about updates - what about apps that need to be blocked - good questions - remember this is Open source - can be hardened - one answer - There are apps that will allow you to control or block app specific bandwidth - example - I can provide low bandwidth to skype of video based apps - This way, if the person is in VISA environment - certain apps (Games!!!) may not work, but when you are in the lobby - it might - then, if you are back in office space of home - apps blocked - in your drawing room apps enabled - possibilities are unlimited - and truly collaborative - with a true out-side in flavor.

Future Desktop / Laptop?

There was a brand doubt - Dell answers that - all features (and more) are available in Android PC

http://hothardware.com/News/Dell-Wyse-Cloud-Connect-Puts-an-Android-Thin-Client-PC-on-an-HDMI-Stick-/

Now that Dell is Retailing at $129 (without camera and a little less memory) - we can look at alternative cheaper options

Interestingly even at $129.. (a 40% more expensive solution) - The IT shops can save significant money - per seat per hour 

Consider this - Mobile development is a key strategy - Android development environment, platform, currently managed through simulators -

When the IT shop adopts this - the platform, environment is all mobile ready (or android ready)  - this can be one' secret agility.

Are there solutions in apple / ios?

Not fully - Here is what we have

http://reviews.cnet.com/apple-tv-review/

Primarily focused on audio / video streaming - they could potentially look into providing access to apps

Similarly chromecast

Google Chromecast Review - Watch CNET's Video Review

What I find most interesting about Android Mini PC - is the disruption and the innovation possibilities - With dell adopting.. the business prospects are brighter.

For me - I do not have to have a desk top - lap top (I do not have to lug this everywhere) - tablet -

Just give me an HDMI monitor - I am good

Further good news - you can load ubuntu into this RK3188 based android PC

http://liliputing.com/2013/10/picuntu-4-5-installer-loads-ubuntu-onto-rockchip-rk3188-devices.html

Have loaded ubuntu into my android mini pc - works great

Before I sign off - you have to check this - heard of ubuntu server in 2"x2"x2" sized cube? - like a key chain!!

The CuBox i From SolidRun | The Little Computer that can

Incredible price of $129 - quad core - ubuntu - with e-sata - imagine that

I remember Jack Nicholson (Joker) in 1989 - Batman - 'Where does he get those wonderful toys? -

On Android PC

I had been tracking and writing about this disruptive innovation - Android Mini PC - that could be future of desktop / laptop combined for individual and corporations 

Wrote a blog in Sep 2013

http://emergingtechnologiesaview.blogspot.in/2013/09/mini-android-pc-likely-to-change.html

Made several presentations to larger audience within several times - This was too good to be true for many people, was looking for validation from big client or big brand.

Now it has happened

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/29/dells-129-dongle-puts-android-on-any-screen-with-hdmi-input/

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/29/dell-wyse-cloud-connect-android-hdmi-dongle/

Dell has it how. price at $129. There are several benefits we can get both from bottom line and top line - will write about this

What is interesting is - same hardware (or perhaps better - Quad core, extra 1 GB  memory, and a camera) - much reduced cost (around $80)

http://dx.com/p/jesurun-nx004-quad-core-android-4-2-2-google-tv-player-w-2-0-mp-camera-mic-bluetooth-us-plug-260225#.UupJvNKSwm8

Cloud Connect - good name

Top 10 ideas for Multinational corporations - 9

Idea No. 9

Have a Distributed Economies approach for your portfolio in your Organization

The concept of distributed economies (DE) as a fresh strategy to guide industrial development towards becoming more sustainable.

The concept calls for a transformation in the industrial system towards DE departing from the socio-economically and environmentally difficult dynamics associated with large-scale, centralized production units that are favored by neoclassical economic drivers.

With DE, a selective share of production is distributed to regions where a diverse range of activities are organised in the form of small-scale, flexible units that are synergistically connected with each other and prioritize quality in their production.

However, rather than the total abolishment of large-scale production, the argument concentrates on finding a renewed balance between large- and small-scale and between resource flows that take place within and across regional / global boundaries.

Follow distributed capitalism with a report from McKinsey

http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/strategy/creating_value_in_the_age_of_distributed_capitalism

Key approach on DE / DC has the following steps

• Inversion
• Rescue
• Bypass
• Reconfiguration
• Support

Key factors that could help the adoption of DE / DC

1. Price is high
2. Trust is slowly fading
3. High fixed cost, no further optimization possible
4. High middle management costs
5. Not having solutions / assets needed for customer
6. Key economic solution / service not fully leveraged
7. Users requirement is ahead of provider. 

iTunes / Apple to the music industry and Ford are widely quoted as examples - ebay, amazon, smart phones app stores are few more examples that has a DE model. 

Here is another link

http://www.serviceinnovation.org/2013-executive-summit-summary/

Check out the video as well

Here is the key note to fine-tune practices around DE

DE surely can give us the benefit - what 1900s has given us due to industrialized mass production!

Top 10 ideas for Multinational corporations - 10

Idea No 10.

Set up a Disruptive Innovation lab

MNCs (Multinational Corporation) need to accelerate the disruptive innovation practices to improve agility on technology adaptions. Every year this list changes and the list varies between industry analysts.

12 Technologies that will disrupt our world
Mckinsey Tech Report

One more view point you cannot miss -
Another list - Check out Software Defined Network (SDN)

MIT has a view (a different slice) - Nice visuals - Check out the tabs
MIT List on top 50 companies

Here is what PWC thinks
PWC list

Well are there directional estimate on what we get?
Benefits of Disruptive technologies

Here is a diagram outlining innovation process - flow chart from Journal of Innovation Management

There is surely much to be gained by adopting disruptive innovation for the MNCs

Mini Android PC - Likely to change landscape of IT

A Disruptive Technology - Awaiting the tipping point..

I heard about the feature rich piece - Quad Core, 2GB local memory, 8GB flash, Android Jelly bean 4.1. Micro SD (32 GB). No. Not a mobile phone or tablet - but a look-like-USB-drive - seems to take care of quite a bit of computing needs.

Check this out.

Mini Android PC

I bought the above mentioned make along with Air mouse (move the remote-looking-key-board like a wand, cursor moves). This has mouse Click 1 and Click 2 button. Bought from India. Commercial and delivery logistics seems to work OK.

Connected to TVs and Monitors with HDMI - works great!

Has wireless - for network connectivity. Again simple to connect.

The Air mouse / keyboard connects through RF.

Supports almost all android apps. Camera works great with Skype.

I was able to load Android apps and view this in a large screen (My TV). It costed me $110. It is a bit of a sting with falling rupee.

Office Mobile, Outlook, on windows - Pocket Cloud, AWS on cloud connectivity, Sugar CRM, SAP on larger applications, AutoCAD on special application - are the few things I tried and works very well.

One can even find a simplex algorithm - as an app -

Simplex Algorithm as an app


Around this time, I noticed something - Mobile OS separation as disruption , as an innovation, is able to provide a much more effective Last Mile Platform (LaMP), pushing OS and other components to the middle (or can we say, the new middle-wares) - For all windows applications, windows connectivity, professional applications, there are apps android.

Then I saw this news from dell

Dell ships Project Ophelia

Interesting. Dell perhaps, can nurture the mini-pc-in-a-stick adoption.

Feels like Blue Ocean opportunity.

Me and some of my friends (Venkata Krishna Naren, Suresh Samuel, Magesh Rajendran, Vikram Viswanathan) discussed few use cases.

It felt like these devices can be very effective for corporations, governments and institutions to address their end user computational environment strategy. It can also be effective for IT servicing and outsourcing companies. With a bit of hardening in the software, IT companies can look at providing secured connectivity at a effectively low cost, to their clients.

Presentations can do away with projectors. One could use large screen TVs / Monitors for conferences or large gatherings. Even for home office, I notice that our TVs are better than some of the large screen monitors even. Application program development or any group discussion, is easy to do when we have large monitors.

I also watched you tube, and TED lectures. Due to HDMI interface, the picture and sound delivery gives a complete experience. This approach can be useful for educational institutions even.

This also brings new significance to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and MDM (Mobile Device Management). This can be significant catalyst for mobile initiative with in corporate.

This can easily support the functions of laptop, desktop, some workstations and the last mile can be standardized on Android. This can connect to all systems in the network, using apps - most of them free.

This is better than thin client - provide freedom of networking local storage to end users. Interestingly key thin clients are be supported through applications.

This may be far fetched idea.. but imagine. if the computing genie is put in small device (which is the current Android mini PC), the display can be anything - monitor, or laptop or mobile phone or tablet, or even wall projection.. connected through HDMI or a hub that connects a variety of displays..

Truly IT Services can be provided from anywhere - as per client conditions.

We are getting the glimpse of the power of disruptive innovation.