Kudelski and Mastercard are showing me the credit card of the future. This model can generate a new passcode on the fly, so if your card’s number gets copied it won’t be able to generate the right passcode.

More (via scooble)

Currently languishing/activating in my “favoured device” cradle at the home office.  The BB Torch has landed as a replacement to my Bold.  So far, all I can say is it is a big change to the last device, so I will need time to get used to it.  Also, it feels bigger, and a bit slower (although it is still activating).

Let’s give it a week and see.

Caller: “Can I speak to Paul Mooney please”

me: “speaking”

Caller: “I am xxx from xxxx bank.  I am calling regarding some credit card purchases charged to your account last week”

me: “ok”

Caller: “Before I begin, can you confirm your full name, address and date of birth”

me: “no”

Callter: “excuse me”

me: “how about you confirm some of my details”

Caller: “I’m afraid I can’t do that”

me: “well then we have a problem”

Caller: “I am calling from your bank”

me: “uh-huh.. Prove it.  You asked me to prove who I am.  But you cannot prove who you are.”

It went downhill from there.

I have some issues with “the cloud”.  As an infrastructure person, a consultant and a customer.  Over the next few weeks I will make these issues known in little posts here and there.  As a customer, there is a potential impact on your business by “trusting” your service provider.  The person that believes that the chosen cloud solution will never fail them is… well.. an idiot.

If your solution is a managed service or hosting company (e.g. Connectria) you can apply measures and SLA’s.  From what I have seen, the could is a bit cloudy about those things.  What you need is an ombudsman.  Or a product to be your ombudsman.  Enter GSX.

Orlando, FL – 31 Jan 2011:  GSX Solutions, a leading provider of monitoring and administration solutions for IBM collaboration software, Blackberry Enterprise Server and Microsoft Exchange, today announced that GSX Monitor can now monitor of the availability of LotusLive servers.

This is a smart move by GSX.  More.

The Lotusphere 2011 OGS trended on Twitter US last Monday.  This is no small feat.  A quick search of twitter indicates that many statistics were retweeted, but there was a lot of negativity regarding the OGS’ format.  I’m trying to figure out why it did not resonate for me at all.  To that end, I went back and re-watched quite a bit of it at lunchtime today.

Well, it all started brilliantly, with the music, then Allistair giving a great speech.  Followed by Kevin Spacey effortlessly entertaining the crowd with a very relevant, clear message.  Following him would be difficult but at first they manage it.  Then it all goes wrong.

The customer panel was tired, boring and sucked all the energy out of the room.  To add insult to injury Jeff Schlick comes on and hosts a second panel.  A few looks behind me at that stage and I could see a lot of interest was gone.   Finally, demos began excellently executed by Brian and Ron.  But then the demo was dissected, when there was no need.  Again, energy is lost.

Show the solution.. dissect in the technical sessions.

Lotusphere (and Lotus) is changing at a rapid pace right now, and I totally appreciate that the OGS was aimed at the CIOs and CTOs in the room (aka the suits).   The OGS was not aimed at the 500 students that were bussed in for the day, nor the tech staff that work with the product 365 days a year.  Lotus cannot be all things to all men, but they surely could have tried a lot better.  It needed a few cool demos at the start.  Even CTO’s like cool demos at the start for Christ’s sake.  A single panel that mentions the products in use, used as a teaser, while the details for the real sessions for those panelists go onscreen behind them.  If you are interested, you go.  The OGS should be a teaser, both at a technical and buisness level.  Come out punching and tell audience where to go.  I also appreciate that a lot of Lotus is mid-cycle at the moment, but there was a hell of a lot of future technology lab stuff that could of been used in the OGS.  Easily.

On the positive, IBM joked at their own failure in the closing, by “starting with  a demo”.  This received laughter and applause.  Also, based on the tweets/posts during the OGS, they acknowledged there was an issue, and have also agreed to bring demo’s forward for next year.   I have a feeling they will be held to that by many of the bloggers.

Again, to be found on Gab’s site.

Gab Davis has already been good enough to post a link to the downloads.  Go here for details.

I have made the slide deck available for download on my resources page. Enjoy and feel free to contribute to the next one.

A recap.  Somehow, a bunch of geeks that like bikes actually managed to organise the ride out.  Using all the wrong tools to collaborate a planned event (*cough* skype *cough*) was akin to herding cats with ADD.  Somehow, we all managed to book our bikes from Orlando Harley and rode over 400 miles in 2 days.  Saturday we headed north then west around lakes and through national parks.  Unfortunately Bill and Christian managed to hire the new Harley 48s.  Lovely bike with a small issue.  A full tank took them 60 miles. Yep… 60 miles.  Many gas stops required with much smug heckling from us lot.  Single stop at Hooters for fine cuisine.  Then back to the Dolphin where the staff allowed us to park near the main entrance.

The next morning, the Lotus media team took video of us lot reving like crazy.  Of course this brought us much joy, annoyed a lot of people and caused serious concern to Bill and Christian as they listed to their fuel tanks emptying.  Then straight to Clearwater to sit by a beach and wonder why the hell we live where we live, followed by a lovely evening ride back to the Harley shop to leave our bikes home.  Great two days.  No laptops, no work possibly, no thinking about Lotusphere.   Perfect end to all the prep stress and perfect rest before the madness began.

Google latitude followed me for the two days and checked in at these points.

My bike – Harley Night Rod Special (nice, although I am a tad too short for it)

Good times and guaranteed for next year.