Author: Justin Hesser

Three Connecticut cities are joining forces in an effort to bring ultra high-speed Internet connections to the state. Officials from New Haven, Stamford and West Hartford announced a plan on Monday to begin talks with providers who could upgrade Internet speeds up to 100 times. Companies including AT&T, CenturyLink, Cox Communications and Google Fiber have already implemented similar upgrades at the local and regional level throughout the country, but such services have not reached most of New England.

State and business officials were also present at the unveiling of the plan, and warned that a statewide installation could take anywhere between three and five years. But they also expressed their optimism that the adoption of ultra high-speed connections could provide a significant boost to Connecticut’s economy by making local businesses more competitive. West Hartford businessman Charles Ward said that Kansas City, which was the first city to begin installing Google Fiber in 2011, is already attracting a large startup community.

“We are part of a world economy,” said New Haven mayor Toni Harp. “The time has come to move forward.”

Elin Swanson Katz, the state’s consumer counsel, agreed that high-speed Internet is no longer just a commodity. “There is an overwhelming need today for cheaper, easier access to ultra high-speed Internet service,” she said. “Internet access is now a necessity. It’s like electricity.”

The plan is the latest move on the part of local and state officials to make Connecticut attractive to science and software developing companies. As mentioned on this blog recently, a science and technology startup community is in the works in Southeastern Connecticut. Obviously, this plan and others like it would benefit greatly from the availability of ultra high-speed connections.

Young application development companies got some good news late last week, as Google became the latest tech giant to launch a platform aimed toward helping them grow. The Google Cloud Platform for Startups will award $100,000 credit to startups that are less than five years old, generate less than $500,000 in annual revenue and have received less than $5 million in overall investment. Applicants must already be part of a technology accelerator or incubator or have received venture capital funding, in order to prove their ability to pay back the credit.

As well as the $100,000, the startups will receive around-the-clock support for the Google Cloud Platform, the same one that Google itself uses for its search engine and YouTube. The product suite includes the Google App Engine, giving startups yet another option for integrating their apps with a major platform. Apple is in the process of launching its own application programming interfaces, including HealthKit, which will allow developers to link their software to the iPhone 6's Health application.

The Google Cloud Platform already counts the Khan Academy and Snapchat among its biggest clients. As far as startups go, one of the biggest success stories is Pinterest, which began with a dozen employees working with Amazon Web Services. All in all, app developers, even those whose financial and manpower resources are limited, are finding an increasing number of available options to work with, and major tech companies are making it easier for them.

"This offer supports our core Google Cloud Platform philosophy: we want developers to focus on code; not worry about managing infrastructure," wrote Google's Julie Pearl in a blog post. "Starting today, startups can take advantage of this offer and begin using the same infrastructure platform we use at Google."

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has published the results of a global survey of over 1,100 business executives by the Economist Intelligence Unit on the ways big data is changing decision-making processes. Twenty-three percent of respondents said that data and analytics are the most important factors they take into account before making decisions, placing them third behind their own intuition and experience (41 percent) and the experiences of others (31 percent).

Although executives continue to trust their instincts, 40 percent said that data is the element that has most changed the way they make decisions, with 83 percent saying their decision-making has improved over the past two years.

"Business leaders have long used their own tried and trusted intuition alongside more scientific and financial factors to make decisions and this has served them well in the past," said PwC consulting data analytics partner Yann Bonduelle. "As data become more pervasive, algorithms become more accurate and visualization more intuitive, business leaders are realizing they can make better decisions through using data and analytics more systematically."

Tom Lewis, PwC's head of data analytics, added that 81 percent of executives believe a familiarity with data-driven decision-making is a prerequisite for senior management roles.

"In the digital age, as business becomes ever more complex and data becomes ever more available, business leaders need to ensure they know how to quickly make decisions based on their analysis of data," he said.

Custom database software such as FileMaker can be an essential tool for businesses to get ahead of the competition through the use of big data. FileMaker developers can create databases that are tailored to the needs of each company, helping them make better decisions through the analysis of the information they gather.

On Wednesday, Accenture published the results of a comprehensive study on big data, showing overwhelmingly that businesses that make use of it are reaping the benefits. For the survey, the tech services company interviewed over one thousand chief analytics, data, financial, information, marketing and operating officers and other IT managers from companies that are applying big data across 19 countries and seven industries.

According to the report, titled "Big Success with Big Data," 92 percent of respondents said they are satisfied with the results of their big data use, 89 percent rated big data as "very important" or "extremely important" for their digital operations and 82 percent said big data provides significant value to heir business. Nearly two thirds of the 4,300 targets initially contacted said their companies had successfully implemented a big data project.

Further, 94 percent have used big data to identify new sources of revenue, 90 percent to acquire and retain existing customers and 89 percent to develop new products and services through market research.

Narendra Mulani, senior management director of Accenture Analytics, said, "Businesses are at a transition point where instead of just talking about the potential results that can be achieved from big data, they are realizing actual benefits including increasing revenues, a growing base of loyal customers, and more efficient operations. They're recognizing that big data is one of the cornerstones of digital transformation. Companies not implementing big data solutions are missing an opportunity to turn their data into an asset that drives business and a competitive advantage."

Custom database software can help businesses do just that. A FileMaker developer can create databases that are adjustable to each company's needs, helping them keep track of important information and analyze it to obtain business leads or identify market trends.

Following much speculation, Apple publicly introduced its first smartwatch at a headline-grabbing event on Tuesday. The Apple Watch will be in stores early next year, and with it will come plenty of new possibilities in custom application development.

There is really no precedent for a smartwatch from one of the major mobile device makers, which means that the months leading up to its release will likely be a flurry of activity and experimentation on the part of developers. At the unveiling, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained that the Apple Watch will work in conjunction with an iPhone, so many design and functionality elements will be similar. But the watch runs on its own operating system, Watch OS, and has many unique features.

During the presentation, Cook spoke at length about HealthKit, an application programming interface (API) that allows developers to work on health care-related software and tie it in with Apple's own Health app. Indeed, the introduction focused heavily on the Apple Watch's health and fitness applications. The watch will work as a monitor, tracking heart rate as well as the wearer's movements and physical activity, including whether they're walking, jogging or cycling.

Similarly, HomeKit is an API that will link mobile devices with smart home appliances. Other features that were mentioned included locating a car in a crowded parking lot and unlocking a hotel room door. One of the elements that has the greatest potential to be a true game-changer is the ability to use the device as a credit card through the use of near field communication.

For companies that deal in mobile software development, the Apple Watch is a whole new world to explore, with plenty of untapped potential and whose limits we won't fully know for months. 

Government Technology magazine published the findings of its biennial Digital States Survey last week, showing very positive results for Connecticut. The survey evaluated all 50 states on the degree to which their governments' adoption of technology helps serve their citizens. Connecticut was the most improved state, rising from a C to an A- grade in the two years since the last survey. Only Michigan, Missouri and Utah obtained an A grade, and there were four others with an A-.

According to the survey's official criteria, states that are rated A "are trending sharply up. They show results across all survey categories. Modernization is used to realize operational efficiencies and strategic priorities. There is evidence of meaningful collaboration, and performance measures and metrics are widely adopted."

The survey also details advances in particular areas, with some interesting conclusions for the data sector. According to the results, open data is one of the hot topics for states, who rank it as their fourth biggest priority for the next two years, behind cyber security, cloud migration and shared services. Already, it is second only to mobile-enabled websites in terms of implementation.

Conversely, the report reads, "only a quarter of states report having mechanisms in place to manage and secure big data." This will undoubtedly change in the coming years, as big data is poised to become a significant point of emphasis for governments and private companies alike. As the amount of available data grows exponentially, it will become increasingly important to have the means to process and analyze all that information.

Connecticut FileMaker developer Kyo Logic can furnish local organizations with custom database software, allowing them to gather and sift through as much data as they deem necessary. This can help any business streamline and focus its operations, gaining a significant edge on the competition.

Three major North American publications have begun the week with looks at where big data usage currently stands and where it is likely to go in the future. Tech news website Business Insider recaps two recent reports on the intersection of big data and social media, and how the information gathered from both can boost business. Among the cited statistics is that Facebook processes 500 times more data daily than the New York Stock Exchange.

Both the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and International Data Corporation have predicted up to a 50-fold increase in data generation by 2020. Similarly, a Fortune column cites dramatic increases in cloud computing, data center storage space and device connectivity. But both articles conclude that there is much work to be done before the business world is ready to handle all the information that is coming its way. More available data, says Fortune, "means hiring people with the right skills to make sense of it all."

Business Insider has the results of a Strategy& survey by which 61 percent of data professionals believe big data will change marketing for the better, but according to IBM, 71 percent of marketing officers admit their companies are not prepared to make the most of that data.

Which is where education comes in. The Toronto Star says that demand for business analytics MBA programs is rising fast in both Canada and the United States, where the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects there to be 1.5 million jobs for data analytics experts in the business sector in 2018.

Already small and medium-sized businesses have tools at their disposal to get ahead of the curve. Custom database software is available for companies who want to easily access and analyze all the information that will help them improve business, from production to sales numbers.

Several dozen Connecticut entrepreneurs gathered at the headquarters of Applied Physical Sciences in Groton to discuss the state’s startups, and the possibility of a tech community centered on New London County. Groton is already home to a Pfizer campus, and the pharmaceutical corporation is set to open up a new lab space as part of a project in conjunction with Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE). Pfizer will donate a 24,000-square-foot building for CURE to establish an incubator, which will have room for science and technology startups to work in.

CURE, Pfizer and several business networks, including the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, organized the meeting in order to attract emerging science and tech firms. The plan is to have several startups sharing the same space, with the hope that that openness will lead to greater advances than they could achieve by working in isolation from each other.

As reported on this blog, small businesses are thriving recently in Connecticut thanks to government-sponsored programs. Private efforts such as this can also go a long way toward further improving the prospects of the state’s SMBs and opening Connecticut up to new sectors. For startups to thrive in this newly competitive market, they can turn to business software solutions, which are available from locally based providers.

A certified Connecticut FileMaker developer can create customized databases that will help run an SMB’s operations smoothly. FileMaker is a versatile piece of software that allows companies to gather and analyze all their data, from financial information to production numbers. Its ease of use enables employees to focus on the research and development that will lead a tech startup to continued success.

While custom application development is on the rise, it is sometimes easy to forget about the apps that never reach the public. Now, with mobile operating system iOS 8 already in the hands of developers and, due to reach consumers with the iPhone 6 later this month, Apple has listed the top 10 reasons why app submissions are turned away. The information does not include details on what percentage of apps are rejected.

At 14 percent of all rejections, by far the number one reason for denial during the week of August 21-28 was simply a lack of sufficient information on iTunes Connect, the platform where apps are uploaded and described. A few of the most common causes for rejection are related to apps not being ready for release, because they still have bugs (8 percent), feature placeholder text (4 percent) or are labeled as beta, demo or trial versions (2 percent). Most of the top reasons are specific violations of Apple's guidelines, such as having excessively complex interfaces, irrelevant or false information or incorrect audience ratings.

The top ten reasons account for 58 percent of all rejections, and Apple has not detailed the remaining 42 percent. But for fledgling application development companies, this information can serve as a useful checklist of mistakes to avoid and actions to take before submitting an app. The company has made it clear that the screening process is quite stringent, and developers should not expect to be able to get away with a flawed or unfinished product. Indeed, the post states that the main motivation for its publication was "to help you better prepare your apps before submitting them for review."

Developers would do well to take heed, and ensure that they are putting out quality products that will succeed in the age of iOS 8.

Matt Wood, the head of scientific and technical computing for Amazon Web Services, spoke to IT website TechRepublic about big data, its use and the challenges that businesses face when trying to implement it. In Wood's opinion, rigid technology has been the main obstacle for the widespread adoption of big data solutions in recent times.

"You need an environment that is flexible and allows you to quickly respond to changing big data requirements," he said.

A Gartner survey of businesses from one year ago showed that the main challenge they faced with big data was determining how to get value from it. Wood believes that problem is starting to go away because big data analysis is no longer such a daunting task.

"It was true 18 months ago that people didn't know what they were doing with big data," he told TechRepublic. "Now, however, because customers can start experimenting easily at low cost, the growth in skills has been astronomical over the last two years."

Custom database software like FileMaker can play a major role in expanding data usage and application. A FileMaker developer can tailor the software's characteristics to each client's specific needs, ensuring that the compiled data is relevant and easy to read. For any business, being able to draw reliable conclusions from data is not just helpful but necessary to adjust business strategies accordingly.

Instruction on how to use FileMaker, which is carried out by certified trainers, is also available for business owners who want their employees to be able to expand and work with their own databases. For a small or medium-sized company, to have workers who are qualified to record and track important statistical information can be a significant advantage when it comes to analyzing and interpreting that data.