To put it bluntly, the iPad is a glorified e-reader. Nothing more. The list of things that you can’t do with it far outweighs the list of things that you can. Why would anyone opt for a device that costs a whopping $699, and doesn’t include mobile broadband connectivity (the same unit with a 3G radio costs $829), has no webcam, will likely never never have full flash support (thanks Steve /rolleyes), can’t connect to any USB device (no USB ports), and has a maximum capacity of 64GB? BUY A NETBOOK!

Did you get that last sentence? Buy a netbook already, seriously. If you need ultra-portability, and want to actually be able to use your device in a productive environment, then a netbook is most certainly more in line with what you need. And guess what? You can get an awesome netbook for much less than the cheapest 16GB iPad. But please, don’t take my word for it. A simple Google search will reveal that I’m not alone in my opinion of the iPad.

Research, inform yourself, take a look at reviews, such as CNET’s recent compilation, and then make the right decision based on what you actually want to achieve with the device. But please, if you’re a business user, stop asking your IT people what they think of the iPad, because we think it’s a toy, and that you should grow up, oh, and chill on the Axe, it reeks.

I own an IT consulting firm, and as you can imagine, that means that I am not always in the office, and don’t always have connectivity available. With my BlackBerry, it was as simple as loading the Sprint SmartView software on my laptop (similar applications are provided by most carriers) and using my BlackBerry’s data connection. However, SmartView doesn’t work with the Samsung Moment, and Sprint has made the (poor) decision to do away with tethering or “Phone-As-Modem” options on their Simply Everything plans which are required plans for their smartphones. I speculate that their reason for doing away with tethering is an effort to drive customers to the increasing number of mobile broadband devices that they carry, including the new Novatel MiFi 2200 router, but I’ll save that gripe for another post.

So it seems that all is lost, I can no longer tether my phone to my laptop to use the data connection, and that’s a deal breaker. Weighing my options, door number one, I stay with BlackBerry and keep on trucking, but that’s not going to be a long term solution as Sprint will eventually drop tethering from my account. Door number two, I buy another device with another data plan, and I’m good to go. But why? Why should I have to fork out the money for another device, have something else to carry around, power, charge, and pay a monthly fee to use when I have a perfectly capable connection hanging on my belt, that I’ve been using for over a year, especially when I know full well that the only reason Sprint is making this change is to try to dig deeper into the pockets of smartphone carrying business professionals. Sprint, I’m still not against you, but I found door number three and I’m taking it (yes, it’s a line from National treasure).

One of the great things about the Android platform is the Android Market and the incredible amount of software that is available, more often than not, for free. One of these applications is June Fabrics PdaNet, a tethering application that is available for several platforms, including Android. Setup is painless on both the phone and the PC, but useage is a little different than what I was used to. The most noticeable difference, which I’ve already hinted at, is that you actually install PdaNet on both the phone and the PC that you wish to use it with. Once installed on both, you connect the phone to the PC via USB or bluetooth (Android 2.0 required for bluetooth tethering on the Android platform), launch the application on your phone and enable your connection method, right click the PdaNet tray icon on your PC, and select Connect.

That’s it, you are now using your phone’s data connection on your PC. PdaNet is one of the many applications available on the Android Market that provides a paid version and a “lite” or free version. The paid version gives you full use of your data connection, while the free version restricts you to http web access only. If you’re on the go as much as I am, you’re going to want the full version. The good news is that it’s cheap, $29.00 one time. I was paying an extra $15 a month for tethering when Sprint offered it.

This was one of the most crucial obstacles to overcome in order for me to be able to transition to the Android platform as a mobile business professional. Next time I’ll discuss some of the other applications and tools that I have found to make Android the platform for business now and in the near future.

First, let me say that I had not been looking to leave the BlackBerry/Exchange family, but I was holding out for a full screen BlackBerry with a physical keyboard, a slider if you will. Those of you who follow mobile devices closely, especially those who follow BlackBerry hardware, are well aware of the numerous design concept drawings, mock-ups, etc. of a BlackBerry slider that have been floating around for at least a year. Never revealing just exactly when we would see such a device, RIM has only been willing to confirm that several design options have been considered. This secrecy is nothing unusual among device manufacturers, but the lack of information and an opportunity provided by a competitor presents a precarious position, and, in this case, caused a long time RIM fan to jump ship.

One of my fellow TechVirtuoso staffers, Eric Iles, made the move to the Palm Pre when it first came out earlier this year. He had several problems with the device that caused him to go through a few of the phones before getting one that seemed to work without issues. Even though Eric finally worked through the issues he was having with the phone and seemed to finally have a working unit, he still wasn’t happy with the device, or the lack of applications available. Eric ended up switching to the HTC Hero, Sprint’s first offering on Google’s Android platform. I visited the local Sprint store several times and played around with the Hero. I really liked the look and feel of Android, and HTC’s custom Sense UI is very aesthetically appealing. The only thing I couldn’t get used to, and it turned out to be a deal breaker for me, no physical keyboard. This wasn’t a huge surprise for me. I have never liked typing on any touchscreen phone. My daughter has a Samsung Instinct, I hate it. I’ve used friends iPhones, hate them too. I have big fingers, and no matter how much I “train” the phones, I always seem to spend more time hitting backspace than I want. So, the HTC Hero was a no go for me. Then along came Polly, err… Moment.

Having told Eric that I couldn’t get used to the on screen keyboard, he directed me to a Sprint press release announcing the Samsung Moment, a slider Android based phone, that was due out on November 1st. Monday, November 2nd, I was at the Sprint store. Having gotten my hands on the HTC Hero several times, and having read as much online as I could, I was somewhat familiar with the overall functions of the Android OS. I was more interested in how the Samsung Moment felt, how the keyboard worked, and whether or not I would be able to type on it reliably. I spent about 20 minutes looking over the Moment, and decided to make the jump, and just to make sure I saw it through and wouldn’t have a crutch to fall back on, I let Sprint buyback my BlackBerry Curve. I was going Android.

Once the transactions were complete, the new phone configured, my next concern was getting my e-mail, calendar, contacts, etc. setup on my new phone. I ran my own Exchange server and my own BlackBerry Enterprise Server, and was considering setting up ActiveSync and just moving forward. Once again, Eric offered up a suggestion, that I should take a look at Google Apps, and moving my e-mail and letting Google host it. Our TechVirtuoso e-mail is Google hosted, as was our e-mail at our previous venture, and we’ve had nothing but positive results with it. After I thought about it for a day or two, I thought, why not. It takes the responsibility off of me, it will simplify the unison of data between my devices, and if I don’t like it, it’s easy enough to switch it back. Back, don’t think that’s a direction I’ll be taking.

Signing up for Google Apps Standard (free) Edition is simple, and in doing so, provides the opportunity to try Google Apps Premier free for 30 days. This is key, because Google Apps Premier gives you access to Google’s migration tools which provide you with easy solutions for migrating your existing data from another server, such as a Microsoft Exchange Server. So, I signed up for my Google Apps Standard account and registered for the free 30 day trial of Google Apps Premier, setup the Exchange migration to pull my existing contacts, calendar, e-mail, etc. from my Microsoft Exchange Server, and let it run overnight. The next morning the transfer was complete, and I canceled my 30 day trial of Google Apps Premier, reverting my account to Google Apps Standard. I now have all of my mail, contacts, calendar, etc. transferred over to my new Google hosted e-mail service, it’s automatically synchronized on my phone, my laptop, any PC for that matter, as I just log into my account via the web and there it is, wherever I am.

This is where I start experimenting with the Android platform, and finding out for myself just how useful and business friendly it is. I’ll save those thoughts for my next post, so stay tuned!

For example, we discussed some of the intellectual property (IP) that HP has had a hand in developing, and has licensed to manufacturers to be included in their products. As an example we discussed a series of network adapters made by a variety of hardware vendors that include some HP IP in their design. These adapters are sold in systems from just about every vendor, and are fully functional network adapters that have the same basic performance specs across the board. However, because HP participated in the development of the technology, there are some functions that are only available if that technology is in an HP product. So you take two different servers, one from HP and the other from another vendor, and both have the exact same NIC in them. The core functionality of the network interface is exactly the same on both systems, but the HP system could have capabilities that don’t show up at all on the other vendor’s system. Abilities such as being able to eliminate extraneous cabling by controlling data flow at the core level of the NIC itself. I asked Gregg about  other examples of these core hardware differences, and while some of the details are out there in individual white papers, there isn’t a list that points out the differences across the hardware spectrum.

As a follow-up to this discussion, HP has presented us with an opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with their ProLiant G6 folks, and we would like to get some participation from you, our readers. So if there’s anything that you’ve ever wanted to know about the HP ProLiant G6 line, or any suggestions or concerns that you feel should be addressed, please feel free to submit them here. HP will collect your submissions and they could make it into an upcoming interview and blog series that HP plans to kick off soon.

Over the last decade, HP has developed the Superdome platform to provide mainframe performance and stability. According to a 2008 Dataquest Insight survey, the cost of downtime within large organizations (2,500+ users) has jumped from $40,000 in 2005 as the average cost per hour of downtime of mission critical business systems to $128,000 in 2008, an increase of 120%. These same companies reported that the amount of downtime they had experienced during the 2005-2008 time frame had also increased 69%. With statistics like that, it becomes painfully obvious that IT downtime downtime directly affects the bottom line. Throughout the growth of the HP Superdome platform, features like redundant cell board components, double chip spare memory, and hot swap I/O have been developed to provide resiliency and to prevent downtime, all with the goal of providing near perfect availability.

With the goal of providing near perfect availability always in mind, HP also knows that the total cost of ownership is a major consideration for its customers. With the tremendous costs of traditional mainframe systems, both initial and operational, the Superdome platform has been developed from its inception with the goal of providing mainframe comparable reliability and performance at a fraction of the cost, both in the initial purchase and installation as well as the management and maintenance, providing a considerably lower TCO for its customers.

One of the ways the HP Superdome platform provides these cost savings is by reducing power consumption and producing less heat than a comparable mainframe solution. The IBM z10 mainframe uses 42% more power than a comparably equipped HP Integrity Superdome system. That same HP Integrity Superdome also produces 42% less heat and requires one-third less physical space than its IBM mainframe counterpart. Mainframe owners who have migrated to HP Superdome systems typically report savings of more than $30 million over four years. With the previous examples of rising downtime costs, that’s an impressive savings.

“By investing in new IT solutions now, SMBs will be in a stronger position to seize growth opportunities and thrive as the economy rebounds,” said Kathy Chou, vice president, Worldwide Small and Midsize Business Strategy, HP. “With today’s announcement, HP continues to enrich its Total Care offerings to meet the evolving needs of our SMB customers.”

“AMI has surveyed thousands of SMBs in over a dozen countries over the last four quarters, and noted that the current economy has greatly changed the way they purchase technology products and services,” said Anil Miglani, senior vice president, AMI-Partners. “As we exit the global recession, SMBs will try to protect their existing technology investments while making new investments to grow their business and strengthen customer relationships. HP is well-prepared to help SMB customers achieve this balanced growth through its comprehensive Total Care portfolio.”

Improve security and risk management

For SMBs needing increased levels of security to protect their data and keep mission-critical systems running smoothly, HP introduced these new solutions:

• To significantly improve system availability while reducing the risk associated with security breaches and data, the HP Total Care Business Risk Mitigation solution offers customizable configurations of servers, storage, networking and security products. By leveraging this solution and best practices for data management, SMBs can reduce outages by as much as 85 percent.
• For affordable data management, the HP StorageWorks X500 Data Vault Series (starting at $699) allows small businesses to remain competitive by improving the protection of critical business data and automating backups. It enables small businesses with up to 10 PC and Mac clients to store information in a central place and easily share files regardless of employee location. Also, business owners can save money through a low purchase price, which is up to 22 percent less than comparable solutions.
• For maximum uptime, the HP StorageWorks X3000 Network Storage Systems High Availability Bundles combine hardware and software into an efficient shared storage solution for file and application data. Based on the HP StorageWorks X3000 Network Storage Gateways and HP StorageWorks MSA2000 G2 storage arrays, the bundles increase efficiency by automatically eliminating duplicate files, protecting against drive failures and reducing setup time by up to 50 percent. Helping to keep costs in check, the solution does not require extra license fees for networking protocols, file replication or snapshot capabilities.

Enhance productivity, reduce costs

To help customers save money, be more productive and manage security threats, HP announced:

• Improved administrative productivity with the HP ProCurve 1810G Switch Series. This series provides affordable gigabit connectivity that can be configured and maintained without a large or specialized staff. It offer customers flexible deployment options such as a fan-less design for silent operation, mounting options for easy deployment in any location and network security capabilities for protection against denial-of-service attacks. The eight-port model also features a Power-over-Ethernet option for connectivity in locations without readily available power sources. The series also is supported by the ProCurve Lifetime Warranty to help customers better manage their overall networking expenses by providing value and choice for their business applications.
• For an affordable, lightweight notebook that does not compromise performance, the HP ProBook 5310m Notebook PC, starting at $699, is the world’s thinnest full-performance notebook at 0.9-inches thin and 3.7 pounds. Ideal for mobile SMBs, it delivers seven hours of battery life, sports a 13.3-inch diagonal LED high-definition display and a standard voltage processor. HP QuickWeb allows users to access the web in seconds when the notebook is shut down.

Maximize impact, decrease energy use

For SMBs that want to affordably grow while minimizing their environmental impact, HP introduced new printing and online marketing solutions:

• The HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5220 printer series, which is available for purchase in Asia and Europe, offers exceptional print quality and network performance, making it easy for small businesses to affordably market themselves. It is the first printer to offer HP Auto-Off Technology, an industry-leading technology that intelligently senses when there is no print activity and automatically adjusts the power settings. This latest addition to the HP LaserJet family builds on 25 years of leadership in innovation, quality, performance and dependability, and sets the gold standard in business printing.
• To help SMBs easily select the best HP LaserJet printing system for their business, HP announced new sub-branding. Customers can choose from a comprehensive line of HP LaserJet “Professional” printers that provide professional and cost-effective results, while larger organizations can select from the HP LaserJet “Enterprise” portfolio.
• To help small businesses better connect with their customers, HP released a new version of its MarketSplash by HP web service. HP printer and PC customers in the United States can now download and edit hundreds of professional-quality brochure, flyer and business card templates at no charge and print them in-house. Beginning next month, MarketSplash will offer a print fulfillment option that enables customers to select a local print service provider.
• HP and Yahoo! have teamed to help small businesses in the United States easily and affordably create a cohesive brand identity across different online and offline marketing functions. Through the HP Creative Studio, the HP Total Care site and the Yahoo! Small Business portal, customers can receive special offers including web hosting prices for as low as $7.46 a month and access custom design services from Logoworks by HP to create a professional-looking website.

New services and financing offers

To complement its new solutions, HP introduced services and financing offers to help SMBs in the United States purchase, use and manage their IT resources:

• To help SMBs manage costs and make purchasing easy, HP offers flexible financing solutions to deploy next-generation HP technology and services through HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and lifecycle asset management services subsidiary. From now through Oct. 31, 2009, SMBs can take advantage of the Economic Recovery Lease program, which offers a 36-month plan with fixed price purchase options.
• From now until Dec. 31, 2009, SMBs can receive up to $1,000 cash back when purchasing a new HP LaserJet, Officejet Pro or Scanjet and recycling an old printer through the HP Trade-in and Save Program. Within the last six months, HP has generated nearly $16 million in revenue and sold more than 17,000 units through the program.

New channel offerings

Lastly, HP announced enhanced SMB offerings available through its channel partners, including channel-only products, channel-led Managed Print Services programs and HP certified solutions, that enable SMBs to better compete in today’s marketplace. The offerings include:

• Products available through the channel will initially focus on the workflow, imaging and printing security and job accounting, and device management arenas;
• Greater investment in tools and programs that enable reseller partners to offer Managed Print Services to their customers. In the United States, HP has established new relationships with industry leaders that offer managed print infrastructure and services for resale by value-added reseller partners. In Europe, HP is creating an integrated platform and brokering a network of service partners that will enable resellers to sell contractual print offerings as well as higher valued services not previously available to SMB customers; and
• Certified solutions for the channel that include partner training, product sourcing and technical support for select independent software vendor solutions from HP’s Solutions Business Partner Program.

Initially, Light Peak cables will be able to deliver 10GB/s of bandwidth (fast enough to transfer a full Blu-Ray movie in less than 30 seconds), with the potential ability to scale to 100GB/s over the next decade. Optical technology also allows for smaller connectors and longer, thinner, and more flexible cables than currently possible. Light Peak also has the ability to run multiple protocols simultaneously over a single cable, enabling the technology to connect devices such as peripherals, workstations, displays, disk drives, docking stations, and more.

Intel is working with the optical component manufacturers to make Light Peak components ready to ship in 2010, and will work with the industry to determine the best way to make this new technology a standard to accelerate its adoption in many devices including PCs, handheld devices, workstations, and throughout the consumer electronics industry. Light Peak is complementary to existing I/O technologies, as it enables them to run together on a single cable at higher speeds.

“Staying connected on an increasingly broad array of mobile devices has become the most exciting and quickly evolving part of technology,” said Perlmutter. “Intel is delivering the total mobile experience on each device, offering different levels of performance and power in sleek form factors coupled with compatibility, a superior mobile Internet experience and embedded WiMAX wireless broadband. We’re truly taking mobility to the next level of cool.”

Moving on to the next generation of Intel mobile processors, codenamed “Arrandale,” Perlmutter discussed the integration of a dual-core CPU with graphics into the 32 nanometer manufacturing process, and incorporating advanced transistor components that would provide increased performance and power efficiency for mainstream mobile PC’s. Perlmutter said that production on the 32 nanometer process would continue building on these technologies, evolving in to the next processor, codenamed “Sandy Bridge.”

By insulating transistors against electrical leakage, IBM’s SOI technology is able to boast performance increases of up to 30 percent while reducing power consumption by 40 percent over conventional silicon technologies. This has allowed them to produce sample embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) chips that have the smallest memory cell in the industry, while offering density, speed, and capacity surpassing that of conventional on-chip static random access memory (SRAM) in either 32 nanometer or 22 nanometer technologies, and closer to that of 15 nanometer SRAM technology. With latency and cycle times of less than 2 nanoseconds, IBM’s 32 nanometer SOI eDRAM is the fastest embedded memory announced to date.

Embedded memory is a critical part of the performance of many technologies, benefiting everything from multi-core processors to printers, network appliances, as well as many mobile and consumer devices. IBM plans to introduce its 32 nanometer SOI technology to many of its application-specific-integrated circuit (ASIC) and foundry clients, and will include the technology in future chips for its own servers.

“We are making this 32nm offering available to clients who are ready to benefit from the significant performance and power advantages of this seventh generation of IBM SOI technology,” said Gary Patton, vice president for IBM’s Semiconductor Research and Development Center. “The industry-leading, dense embedded memory, and our design library agreement with ARM, underscore our ability to provide clients with a market edge and a clear progression path to 32nm and 22nm SOI technology nodes.”

IBM engineers plan to describe the features of the 32nm and 22nm eDRAM at the International Electron Devices Meeting in December.