Are you a business professional who falls under the regime of an IT department that does not let you install the apps and devices you want? What happened to basic freedoms? What happened to choice? Does anyone realize how hard your job is?
Or… are you the IT manager who has to manage hundreds, nay thousands of devices and is constantly amazed at the audacity of workers who are still trying to slide one past you? Oh yeah, like that iPhone will ever be secure enough? Does anyone realize how hard your job is?
Whether you’re the business professional who needs to make that big sale or the IT manager that has to keep things running smoothly, you’ve got a tough job and we’re all dependant on you being effective at your job.
We believe that we have a product you can both agree on: Splashtop for Business
Of course you know that Splashtop is an instant-on environment found on over 15 million devices from the likes of Lenovo, HP, Acer, Sony and more. It gets you from a cold-boot to the internet seconds after hitting the power button.
We’re excited to announce that Splashtop for business has just unlocked the doors, turned on the lights and turned the sign around to Open.
Millions of consumers have enjoyed the Splashtop experience on everything from netbooks to nettops, laptops to motherboards. Now we’re adding a layer of functionality that brings all of that efficiency smack dab into the center of the way you do business.
You know we’re instant already making you more efficient in business – no more waiting 10 minutes to get to that phone number for the conference call. But, Splashtop is secure – really secure. Some of the smartest people in the world can click the wrong thing. Protecting your company from viruses is important, very important. IT folks have a lot of control with Splashtop - the ability to push updates, set a password policy and even wipe user data in case of theft.
Yep, increased efficiency means happier business people but it also means a happier, healthier earth. It might not seem like a lot of energy keeping that laptop on 24 hours a day but it adds up – in fact, it adds up a lot! A recent report showed that a company with 1,000 PCs can save $28,000/year by turning them off after hours.
You have to see for yourself all that Splashtop for business can do. I can go on and on about Citrix and VMware thin client/VDI stuff… Personally, I’ve been most excited about accessing my Outlook information without having to go into Windows. I use that feature constantly, especially on the road – where battery power is often quite valuable.
Recently Baidu CEO, Robin Li, gave the keynote at BaiduWorld Beijing, a huge event for the mammoth Chinese search engine. Our CEO Mark Lee and CSO Cliff Miller were VIP attendees at the Beijing event. During his keynote he unveiled the concept of “Box Computing,” for the future of computing. In the image above you’ll see a laptop projected behind him showing instant Baidu search, powered by Splashtop, and will be launching on various major PC OEMs in China soon.
We translated the last paragraphs of his keynote below as this really summarizes our shared vision of “Box Computing” well:
“….We believe that the future of the computer, or terminal — it may be mobile, it may be the Internet appliance, we believe that users no longer need to wait several minutes before the operating system boot up. When you press a power key to open the device, within a second a Box will appear. We have traditionally called this the search box, but now it is actually no longer a simple search box, and it becomes a more universal box. In fact, as long as there is such a Box, all your needs can be met, without needing the users to learn anything. Ask your questions, and we will do needs analysis and deliver the result.
…Today, when you want to start a computer, it must first start the operating system, connect to the Internet, open the browser, type in search engine address, and then you see this box. The future is not necessarily so – in the future of computing, you press a power key and the Box shows up. You press a key on your cell phone, and the Box shows up. You press a key on your refrigerator, and the Box shows up. This Box will become ubiquitous.
Box Computing is what I want to share with you today. Thank you all.”
We are very excited about the vision of “instant-on Box Computing” that’s available before the OS is booted and the browser is even started. Instead of entering search terms, users can just type in any question, spoken naturally. As more and more intelligence is built behind the Box, we will deliver enhanced simplicity and convenience to the consumer. This universal “instant-on Box” will become the central component and starting point to our ever-connected world.
At Splashtop, we are continually looking at ways of improving people’s online experience, making it faster and simpler. We see continuing innovations in client-side distributed searches, vertical searches, real-time searches, and new input methods for search initiation. Instant-on Box Computing is just the beginning of the kind of innovation Splashtop will bring to the market.
The singular goal of DeviceVM and the Splashtop technology is to get you to whatever you’re looking for, quickly and efficiently. We’re the inventors of this space and continually think of ways to innovate. Sometimes we innovate by solving large technical problems like getting your machine up and functional in a matter of seconds. Other times, we observe how people are using technology and attempt to make interface changes that improve the experience of using Splashtop.
Sometimes a small shift in an interface can create a revolution and open up a world of possibilities. That’s why our adding instant search to our list of features is a huge step for Splashtop. Here’s an understatement: people do a lot of searching. We all know this but we didn’t realize how many people use search as a tool for navigating the web. Many of us open a browser check our email, news and Facebook. But a lot of people put the word “Facebook” in a search box and click on the result. Are you one of those people?
Whether or not you use search as a tool for navigating the web, instant search is something we can all appreciate. Where was that restaurant? What was the name of the guy in that movie? What time does the hardware store close? Answers to these questions and more are now seconds away from your inquiring mind.
Our first partners on instant search are very exciting too! Yahoo, Baidu and Yandex have all jumped on board. When we set out to provide this feature it was important that we didn’t let one search engine be the only dominant player. We really wanted to give people a choice as search can be very regional. That’s why we picked partners who had incredible regional relevance. Splashtop users also have a choice as you can switch up the default Search Engine to whatever you prefer. Everyone wins with Instant Search!
There’s no doubt that the instant internet revolution is here. A couple weeks ago we announced that we are now working with both Acer and Sony. Add that to HP, Asus, LG and Lenovo. We’re on a roll and millions of people are booting up to Splashtop every day. We get lots of feedback about Splashtop - most of it is very complimentary and often we get suggestions how to make it better. Sometimes the suggestions are very specific about peripherals and applications that our users would like to see. Other times, it’s more general about the direction of our software or devices folks would like to see Splashtop running on.
Great startups listen to their users and we aim to be great. Lately, we’ve heard a lot of feedback about using Splashtop at work. One was from an IT manager who realizes how easy it would be to manage her fleet of devices with Splashtop. Another was from a sales representative that travels a lot and thought instant internet would make his 3G netbook way more useful when on sales calls. These are all great use-cases and ultimately we’d love to see everyone using Splashtop all the time! So, we thought we should start doing some research on how to bring Splashtop to the workplace.
The workplace can be a complex environment. In a big company, for instance, IT professionals often make very good, specific decisions on what kind of software to support. It’s not enough that Splashtop can prevent lawsuits. Splashtop also has to be secure and easy to manage. So, we’re beginning to do our due diligence on the subject.
Are you someone who uses Splashtop at work?
We want to hear real stories so please click this link and be as detailed as possible. Include specifics around how Splashtop has changed the work environment for you. If you’d like to submit a video, podcast or other form of your story just paste a link in the form. Well detailed submissions get a sweet Splashtop shirt! So, hit this link and let us know how you use Splashtop at work.
I’ve made no secret of my love for gadgets big and small. It’s something about the unboxing of a new gadget that makes me long for more and more. Am I the only one that blocks extra time on the calendar for Apple keynotes so I can watch it again online? Does anyone else just go to Best Buy for no reason whatsoever? Do you have a room where you retire your old gadgets to? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then allow me to suggest a new site called, “gdgt.”
If gadgets are drugs then gdgt is your dealer. It’s a social network for gadget lovers done right. You can post things that interest you, questions you have or link to posts that might benefit the community. This plays on an interesting trend. If you’re a fan of Engadget or Gizmodo you’ll notice that the comments get quickly overwhelming. People are very opinionated about technology and more than any site I’ve ever seen, Engadget (in particular) gets a ton of discussion around nearly every post. gdgt seems to channel that enthusiasm into something more tangible. This is no surprise given that it was created by the original founders of Engadget and Gizmodo.
Interestingly, the real potential of gdgt lies in the database of user generated content. gdgt seems more like a distributed blog where the community can create content about their passions. I see it differently than a wiki as so much of the content will be IMO-based.
Engadget says it right in their review:
Look, we’ve found the best way in life to learn about something is to scuttle the user manual and dive right in — we highly suggest you do the same and take gdgt out for a spin. We think you’ll like what you find.
It’s hard to keep up with all the great new devices out there by OEMs who are doing truly innovative things to make the consumer experience better and better. Every day I drool at all the shiny new devices featured on my favorite gadget blogs. It’s nice to see Splashtop showing up on more and more of them. We’re excited to announce a couple of new OEMs using Splashtop to bring instant internet to millions more consumers out there. This week we get to debut two! One by Acer and another by Sony.
The AspireRevo by Acer
This is a great device! This is, of course a growing category - that of the nettop. Nettop gets its name from Netbooks and is the Desktop equivalent. Thus, it’s a great value in a convenient package. I’ve seen a bunch of reviewers stick this thing right on their TV. It features some amazing hardware, some hot design and, of course, Splashtop. On the AspireRevo Splashtop is called, “RevoBoot.” Check it out more here.
Sony Vaio NW Series
Sony makes beautiful notebooks. I remember my very first Sony Vaio - it was super small, thin, light and felt like a piece of science fiction. Sony has continued a great tradition of building awesome, consumer and business focused notebooks that often excel in design and functionality. Just as with Acer we’re very proud that Sony has included Splashtop on a platform such as this. It’s cool to think of consumers powering on Splashtop under the famous Vaio logo.
Yesterday Engadget (my favorite tech blog) did a great review of LG’s netbook - the X120. As you might remember from CES, Splashtop is one of the prominent features of this awesome netbook. The review itself was a nice hands on with the LG X120 as the writer, Donald Melanson, spends some real time talking about the various aspects of the device. My favorite part:
Like any other current netbook, the X120 gets along well enough with Windows XP, but one of LG’s biggest assets is its Splashtop-based Smart-On interface, which gets its own dedicated power button to allow for quick and easy access. As you may recall from our CES coverage, the interface boots in a matter of seconds and gives you access to a few essential applications, including a web browser, a music player, a photo browser, an instant messaging app, Skype, and even a basic games application that links to some online games.
It’s awesome to be recognized as one of the devices “biggest assets.” This is a great pat on the back for everyone who works so tirelessly to provide a seamless experience for our users. In addition, it’s interesting that people are starting to recognize what we’ve been talking about on this blog for quite a while - that those essential applications are often all you need, especially on a netbook:
The choice of apps is actually quite telling, and is virtually the very definition of a netbook. No word processor or office apps (not even a calculator), no video player or editor, no dedicated email application, no time-consuming games — nothing that requires your full attention or an actual time commitment.
As I mentioned in my recent post, Life with Splashtop, Month 3, I really need only a great web browser when it comes to my netbook. All that overhead of a traditional OS is wasted on a netbook. I swear I haven’t had to boot Windows XP on my Lenovo S10 in months. This Engadget article is a great reminder that the right OS makes or breaks your computing experience. On the outside the LG is quite like a lot of other netbooks. But on the inside it is a cut above. Make sure your next Netbook has Splashtop!
Three months ago I got my first real netbook - A Lenovo S10 with Splashtop. I blogged about it here and tried to share some pointers about how I was using Splashtop. Well, three months have gone by and that Lenovo has become my best friend. I don’t know about you but I’m constantly place-shifting. I go to the office in Cupertino, I work out of my house in Santa Cruz and work in just about every coffee shop in-between. I travel a bit here and there and when I’ve had to much coffee you can find me sitting in my car right outside the local Starbucks “borrowing” some wifi. It’s amazing what the right netbook with Splashtop has done for me.
What do you do on your netbook?
Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a rambling man - I don’t like to sit still. I’m in a lot of coffee shops. Whenever I see a netbook (which is every day lately) I ask people, “what do you do on your netbook?” This has been a fairly informal poll - I’m no scientist but I’ve probably talked to close to 50 men and women, mostly in Northern California about their netbook usage. Again, I’m not claiming that this is the right target demographic for a study but these Valley-types tend to be early adopters and technically proficient. Without exception every individual I’ve talked to with a netbook is using primarily their web browser. You’re thinking that this is obvious, right? I mean, we are all primarily using our web browser for most things?
Clearly this is true - but if you dig a little deeply you’ll find out that this is all people use on their netbooks. They *might* use Skype in addition but they are emailing, watching video, facebooking, tweeting, reading news, chatting and studying all through their web browser. On our normal computers we might spend a lot of time in the browser but we’ll have a whole host of other applications open. Netbook users seem quite content just using their browser.
I’m in the same boat. I can blog, email, chat, tweet - do everything I want through my browser. I don’t have any other applications open because I don’t need anything else. To be honest, I have another OS (that shall remain nameless) on my Lenovo. I haven’t started that OS in over a month. I just don’t need it. Splashtop gets me online instantly, doesn’t waste a ton of battery when I’m not using the S10 (instant off) and works ridiculously fast. It doesn’t have all the overhead of a full-blown OS. It starts faster from a cold boot than the other OS does out of sleep or hibernate.
The Lenovo S10 was the first device with Splashtop that I could buy in the US that matched my needs. I pledged 3 months ago that I would start using it every day. The more I use it, the more confident I am that the simplicity of Splashtop will appeal strongly to computer users. More than that, even, I find it an essential element of any netbook.
You know we love us some Twitter! One of the reasons we love Twitter is because we get to more easily connect with people that are using Splashtop AND we get to be real and actually develop awesome relationships. A few of us marketing types are on Twitter from Splashtop. You should follow us because we’re cool, good looking and have our own idiosyncrasies which make us endearing (like an old stuffed animal). Here’s the rundown…
Sergei is our fearless leader. He’s like the Marketing MacGyver, plays hockey with reckless abandon and keeps tabs on all things Splashtop. Sergei keeps the ship pointed in the right direction. He really cares a lot about Splashtop and making instant internet something that everyone can enjoy. Follow Sergei!
Now K2 (we call him K2) is a trip. First of all, the man changes computers more than anyone I know. And he doesn’t just buy a new computer every 3rd day…he also configures them, hacks them and buys special stickers for them. Also, little known fact, he has a webcam on his puppies so he can keep an eye on them all day long. He’s good at all things marketing and is a pretty handy product designer. Follow K2!
Sol is clearly the best looking of the three. He writes the blog (shocker) and loves to update his Twitter using video (he’s vain that way). Sol, too, loves gadgets and anything that makes the consumer experience on a PC better. He’s an expert badminton player and schools the rest of the DVM employees during company outings. Follow Sol!
I have a tech job. And, like the throngs of other people in Silicon Valley we all have parents who don’t even try to understand what we do because, you know…it’s technical. “Oh he works in technology,” my Mom would say to friends and family at holidays. No other details. She never tried to understand. Well all that changed last week when NBC came into the DeviceVM office to do an interview. I’ve tried to explain a thousand times what Splashtop does because I think it’s easy enough to understand. But, my mother just says, “that sounds real nice honey.” I know she doesn’t get it.
Why is it, then, that when Scott Budman, NBC news correspondent, talks about Splashtop it suddenly makes sense? I guess that’s why he’s on TV and I write a blog. After this aired last week, my Mom called me excitedly, “Scott Budman says that Splashtop can get you online in seconds!” Thanks, Scott, for giving my Mom something to talk about at Maj Jong next week.
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