From Greg's Head

Just in time for the busy holiday travel season, Google has partnered with airports across the country to provide free WiFi access through January 15, 2010.

Google has set up a website listing the 54 participating airports.  Both Bush-Intercontinental and Hobby are on the list. 

Google says, “We’d like to make the holiday travel crunch a little easier and more pleasant – and what better way to do it than with what we know best: the Internet?”

Thank you Google!

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Count me in as the latest iPhone convert.  I bought one a few weeks ago when it was time to upgrade my phone.  I was definitely skeptical about being able to use it for business, as it seemed to be more of a “toy.” But the iPhone 3GS I purchased doesn’t seem to have any problems.  It does everything I need it and more.  Even in very remote faraway places.

I can get all of my business email, there’s an app for editing Microsoft office documents, and there’s even an app for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.  I love having everything at my fingertips.

I know I frequently question the need to be connected 24-7, but with the iPhone, it doesn’t seem like you’re plugged in the whole time.  Dare I say I don’t feel like I’m doing work when in fact I am?  I have yet to think of an app that I might need/want that doesn’t already exist.  Really no matter what you think you need, someone has developed the app for it.

Recently, while in Canada I was visiting with some engineers who were frustrated with the fact they couldn’t connect their laptops in the Canadian Rockies to get some very urgent emails.  So I showed them my iPhone and download their content, allowed them to check their emails, check flight schedules, etc.  Needless to say I sold three iPhones on the spot.  I wonder if Apple and ATT will give me a commission?  Just joking of course, but for sure whenever I show people the iPhone, they are blown away by its ease of use and functionality.

At a wedding reception while in Canada I pulled out the iPhone to show some pictures and one the guests had over 1,000 photos of her recent African Safari on her iPhone.  We wowed everyone at our table.

How many of you have made the switch to the iPhone?  What is the coolest app you’re using?  What do you think I should download?

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Here it is July 20, 2009 and I was reflecting back to that historic day of July 20, 1969.  I can remember exactly what I was doing that evening when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon.  Watching on my parents small black and white TV that evening, I was struck with amazement as I saw Armstrong take his first steps and issue his immortal words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  That was time when we embraced the challenges we faced and led to so many improvements in our daily lives, words seem inappropriate in placing them in the proper context. 

I have some links here from President Kennedy’s famous speech from Rice University to kick off our space program.  I have never seen the entire speech but I am glad that I watched it today.  His vision and goals for America and the space program have never been equaled since that famous speech. 

I would encourage you to watch the entire speech and think about his words..in particular his support of Houston and the State of Texas as innovative and strong are powerful.  As Texans we need to draw our own internal personal strength from his words and define our goals and challenges because they are difficult.  
 
 

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Last week, I had the opportunity to introduce Jason Pontin, Editor-in-Chief of Technology Review magazine and technologyreview.com, at the MIT Enterprise Forum April Flagship event.

Jason gave a great presentation on the Top Emerging Technologies of 2009. They are:

• Intelligent Software Assistant
• $100 Genome
• Racetrack Memory
• Biological Machines
• Paper Diagnostics
• Liquid Battery
• Traveling-Wave Reactor
• Nanopiezoelectronics
• HashCache
• Software-Defined Networking 

These companies are all doing really cool things.  For example, Paper Diagnostics created by George Whitesides, has developed cheap diagnostic tests made from paper.  This technology can be used to screen people in developing nations for a host of diseases, effectively and inexpensively.  The $100 Genome uses a nano chip to unravel DNA, untangling long strands of DNA molecules much quicker than standard techniques.  Bionanomatrix, the company developing the technology, is currently working on a process for sequencing the DNA.

We’re now linking to Jason’s blog, The New Commonplace in our blog roll, be sure to check it out when you're reading the PKF Texas - The Entrepreneur's Playbook every Friday!

I also want to share a few of my thoughts that I included in my remarks before introducing Jason.  I believe the idea of community is very important to the success of the emerging market and technology sector based here in Houston. 

The human spirit needs a sense of belonging to achieve its highest scale of success.  While Houston has a long tradition of success in innovation and technology development, most folks outside of our fair city don’t necessarily share that knowledge of our legacy.  And yes, while many people on the planet know of the Johnson Space Center, few understand the business and financial impact of that research center on a local and global basis.  Another equally important research center is the Texas Medical Center.  Between these entities, and many global oil and gas research and development centers our “community” has already established a track record for success.

We developed the Fast Tech 50 Awards program in connection with many of our friends and family in the Houston community.  During the past 8 years the Fast Tech 50 program has highlighted and showcased some outstanding examples of human spirit and achievement.  More importantly, we see tangible results that prove Houston is the place to be if you are entrepreneur.

I am struck with a sense of pride and accomplishment pertaining to the region’s tenacity and desire to take an idea and make it a reality, which quite frankly in other parts of the country would never see the light of day.  It’s a commitment to community-not the transaction that is the recipe for success.  When we lose sight of that, we lose our bearing or compass point.
 

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MessageLabs, a web security company, now part of Symantec [link] recently released a good whitepaper looking at the Top 5 Security Tips for 2009.  

The whitepaper primarily targets IT professionals, however, it’s worth applying the information to your home or business computer.  One note, to access the paper you have to fill out an online form before you can download it for free.

With known threats like the Conficker C worm that is supposed to cause problems on April first, it is a timely reminder to back up your computer on a regular basis, be mindful of the websites you visit, and to stay alert to potential threats to your systems.

Taking proactive steps to protect your computer and network, should be a central part of your business continuity planning.  Back in 2006, Sheldon Eveloff, a now retired partner from Amper, Politziner & Mattia, wrote a guest spotlight for us discussing this very topic. 

What steps does your company take to ensure network and data security?  How have you been able to combat threats to your system?  What advice do you have pass along to those looking to secure their systems?
 

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Jason Pontin, editor of Technology Review magazine and technologyreview.com will be speaking at the Federal Reserve here in Houston on April 22nd.  The MIT Enterprise Forum has scheduled him as the keynote speaker for their April MIT Flagship event.

Pontin will present “2009TR10” – Revolutionary technologies which will impact the future of Alternative Fuels, Global Healthcare, High Technology and Nanotechnology.

If you don’t know about the MIT Enterprise forum, their mission is to foster successful growth of innovative technology oriented enterprises in the South Texas area by providing access to MIT resources and through services and programs that inform, educate and support these business endeavors. 

I’m looking forward to hearing what Pontin has to say.  The cover of this month’s Technology Review addresses the Top Emerging Technologies of 2009.  There’s some cool stuff they’ve identified, like the $100 Genome and Software-Defined Networking.  It’s worth noting that when browsing through technologyreview.com, there are a number of articles discussing technology companies doing business in Houston.

Glad to see Houston is continuing to be on the radar of tech publications around the country.  With the 9th anniversary of the FastTech 50 and the 10th anniversary of the Houston Technology Center right around the corner, we’ve come a long way in establishing Houston as a technology center in the U.S.

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The Houston Technology Center is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. There will be a celebration gala, “A Celebration of Entrepreneurs,” held on Thursday, May 14th at the InterContinental Hotel. Below is the description of the event.

“Spotlighting our Honoree, Robert C. McNair, Founder and CEO of the Houston Texans, as well as 60 of Houston's landmark entrepreneurs, this year's event will be a red carpet gala to remember. We are extremely pleased to have Javier & Lucinda Loya, Dan & Allison Parsley, and Steve & Leticia Trauber as co-chairs for the event. Joining them, as honorary co-chairs, are Michael Holthouse, Anne Mendelsohn, John Mendelsohn, Walter E. Johnson, L.E. Simmons and Matthew R. Simmons. The evening will also feature the presentation of 5 outstanding achievement awards.”

PKF Texas was one of the first sponsors of the HTC 10 years ago. Like the FastTech 50, it’s been great to see how the HTC has grown. In the past 10 years the HTC has provided feedback to well over 1,000 companies and coached more than 200 companies, helping them raise in excess of $500 million and create over 3,000 jobs.

They are supported by more than 300 corporations and organizations, Houston's leading academic institutions, Greater Houston Partnership, Texas Medical Center, NASA-Johnson Space Center and the City of Houston, HTC has become Houston’s center of technology entrepreneurship by assisting companies within several key sectors: Energy, Technology, Life Sciences, Nanotechnology, and NASA/Aerospace technologies.

Congratulations HTC!

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I mentioned it briefly in the PKF Texas – The Entrepreneur’s Playbook™ last week, but it seems like everywhere I turn, there’s another story about cloud computing.  It’s not a new concept, but with companies like Google, Amazon and Salesforce.com leading the charge, it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.

Below are several articles I’ve read recently from Inc.com and InformationWeek that debate the pros and cons of cloud computing.

• Keep Your Head in the Cloud
• Technology: When the Forecast Calls for Clouds
• 10 Cloud Computing Predictions
• Remaking Microsoft: Go All-In In the cloud

I really like the 10 Cloud Computing Predictions article.  It provides insight into where cloud computing is going, and what you should keep an eye out for if you’re looking to make the jump.  The biggest concern all of the articles point out is data security.  That’s something that IT departments need to look at closely when choosing a cloud service provider.  Are there enough checks and safe guards in place to ensure your data is not compromised.

Does your business use cloud computing?  How have you protected your data?  Do you have any best practices for those looking to use cloud computing?

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I read a great blog article yesterday, “2010 Too Late for Windows 7 to Save Microsoft,” from Paul McDougall over at InformationWeek.

In the PKF Texas – The Entrepreneur’s Playbook™ airing this week, I discuss tech predictions for 2009, one of which is the launch of Microsoft’s Windows 7 and Apple’s OS X Snow Leopard.

McDougall is right on in his assessment that, “Microsoft needs to ship Windows 7 as soon as possible.”

With the misfire of Windows Vista and the ensuing backlash both verbal and financial, it just goes to show that the world’s best doesn’t always get it right.  There’s hope for Microsoft this time to get it right.  They can’t afford to continue losing market share to Apple on the “home front” or Google with their net-based apps. 

What do you think Microsoft needs to do to right itself in the eyes of the consumer?

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I’ve been reading a lot of reviews lately about the recently released 4th generation (4g) iPod nano.  With holiday shopping in full gear, I wanted to share what I’ve read with all of you.  Now that users have had plenty of time to try it out, (it was released in September) the “real” reviews have begun to roll in.

The reviews are definitely mixed.  Most people really like the return to the shape of the 2nd generation iPod, the shake to shuffle feature and the choice of color.

One of the most common complaints was that users couldn’t turn off the Cover Flow feature, which when the nano was turned on its side the user could browse through the songs by the album cover art.  This has apparently been corrected by a software update that Apple released in early November.

Other frustrations included the lack of compatibility with existing iPod accessories, shortened battery life, and problems with the sensitivity of the accelerometer.  The accelerometer is the part of the nano that allows the screen to flip when it’s tilted.  Until now the only Apple products using the accelerometer were the iPhone and the iTouch. 

What have your experiences been with the 4g nano?  What features do you like?  Which features have been problematic? Do you plan to buy one for yourself or as a gift?
 

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Several PKF Texans attended the Gulf Coast Innovation Conference, hosted by the Houston Technology Center, yesterday. This was the first year for this conference, and it was a very well attended event.

Approximately 32 companies, with specialties in life science, energy, nano tech and IT, made individual presentations. In addition, there were two panel presentations and a keynote speech from Leo Linbeck. All of the company presentations were quite impressive. I've said it before and I’ll say it again, the amount of entrepreneurial talent in Houston is astounding. We are lucky to live in a city that supports such a diverse group of innovators.

The panels and Linbeck all had great things to say. The several of our team members commented to me that Linbeck’s speech was the highlight of the conference. He was very candid about the current economic situation and how it will impact entrepreneurs. While the news wasn’t all upbeat, he did say that even in rougher economic times, entrepreneurs should keep going, and that it’s actually not a horrible time to start a business.   There is a lot of opportunity if you seek it out.

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Have you registered for the Gulf Coast Innovation Conference yet? The conference will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel, next Tuesday, November 18^th. This is going to be the innovative conference of the year in Houston.

Hosted by the Houston Technology Center, PKF Texas is proud to be a sponsor. This year’s keynote speaker is Leo Linbeck III, President and CEP of Aquinas Companies, LLC. He will present “Entrepreneurship Life Cycle, Early Stage to Seed Capital and the Implications of Current Economic Trends.” I think that given our current economic climate, this is a must see presentation for any entrepreneur. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Sue Moore at 713-658-1750 or smoore@houstontech.org.

If you attend the conference, let me know what you were able to take away that will be useful for your business. 

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Congratulations to all of the FastTech 50 winners! 

This year’s Number 1 ranked Fast Tech 50 honoree is Globalogix .  You will find a profile on this company later inside this special section of the Houston Business Journal.  They grew a remarkable 1,343% during the past year!  Congratulations to James Hamilton and his team.  It’s a great story of entrepreneur collaboration.  The single largest revenue contributor from the Fast Tech 50 to our local economy is The Planet at $122 million.  As we noted earlier, the cutoff this year to make the Fast Tech 50 was approximately 37.4% year over year growth.

Here is the official 2008 FastTech 50 list by Alphabetical Name:

Access Sciences Corporation
Additech, Inc.
Agoric Source, LLC
Alert Logic Inc.
Apollo Sales & Marketing Group
B Resource
BBS Technologies
Bluegate Corporation
CONTENTACTIVE, LLC
Customer Velocity
Eagle Information Mapping
eCardio Diagnostics, LLC
Enaxis Consulting, L.P.
Energy Solutions Inc.
EpiladyUSA, Inc.
ERGOS Technology Partners, Inc.
Fairway Medical Technologies, Inc.
GlobaLogix
HighRadius
HostGator.com
I.T. Works
iKAN Software
Ingenious, Inc.
Institute of Information Technology, Inc.
Kerdock Consulting, LLC
Lensec
LHR Technologies
M3 Technology, Inc.
Medical Metrics, Inc.
Merrick Systems
MicroSeismic, Inc.
ObjectWin Technology, Inc.
omNovia Technologies, Inc.
OpenSpirit Corporation
Paymetric, Inc.
Petris
Pop Labs
PreCash, Inc.
RigNet, Inc.
Search Technology, LLC
Secure Cash Network, Inc.
SolArc, Inc.
Spring Medical Systems, Inc.
Spur Interactive (Formerly Spur Digital LP)
Techcess Group
The Planet
Transtar POS
US LED, Ltd.
Whitefence
X-ISS (eXcellence in IS Solutions, Inc.)

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As we prepare our program for the eighth year of the Fast Tech 50 Awards Luncheon, I am struck with a sense of pride and accomplishment pertaining to the region’s tenacity and desire to take an idea and make it a reality, which quite frankly in other parts of the country would never see the light of day.  It’s been six weeks since we all felt the impact of Hurricane Ike in the Houston region.   And while many parts of our region are still recovering from Ike, the entrepreneurial leaders and emerging companies are still humming along.   Our community came together in ways that are reminiscent of time gone by.  Neighbors came together, offered help and took an interest in the welfare of each other so that all could make it through those tough days after the storm passed.  That same spirit is found within the emerging market community as well. With entrepreneurial leaders from all backgrounds, service providers, and investment communities offering their assistance, the emerging companies of Houston are finally getting the national respect long deserved. 

The Class of 2008 will be one of the youngest we have ever had in our program. In comparing this year’s group of winners, it’s clear that they represent a much younger and still developing group of early stage companies.  They will have an impact on our local and national economy for many years to come, and they will add to the legacy of what makes Houston the top city in the country to start a business.  The youth of many of our new emerging companies is evident with the threshold to make the list rising to the second highest ever at 37.4% for 2008!  The average growth rate for this year’s group is a staggering 133%.  You always know that you have arrived on the scene when several “national entrepreneurial magazines” are now mentioning many of our Fast Tech 50 companies as organizations to invest in, or watch.  Thanks for the publicity guys, but the Houston Business Journal and our Fast Tech 50 program, already scooped you!  We’ve been blowing the horn of these entrepreneurs for over 8 years!

During this past year we had over 360 companies express an interest in becoming a member of this exclusive club.  The Fast Tech 50 class of 2008 continues Houston’s tradition of technology excellence.  And they also bring to the forefront new and different stories of entrepreneurial success.  This year’s list of honorees includes; 21 first-time honorees, 14 two-time honorees, 4 three-time honorees, 5 four-time honorees, 5 five-time honorees and 1 six-time honoree.  Our five time honorees include:  BBS Technologies, Inc., Bluegate Corporation, I.T. Works, Paymetric, Inc., and PreCash Inc. And our only six time honoree this year is Merrick Systems, Inc.  What staying power!

During the past year we saw many successful technology events throughout the city.  The Houston Technology Center and the Rice Alliance (including the highly success Rice Business Plan competition) held many forums for the start up community.   The Houston based Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (RCIC) is doing very well in its third year.  We continue to hear from the State’s oversight group that the plans submitted from the Houston area are some of the most well received.

Qualifications

Let’s review the nomination and listing process.  To qualify for the Fast Tech 50, a company’s headquarters, or a foreign company’s US headquarters must be located in Houston SMSA region.  A minimum of 51% of the company’s consolidated net revenues must be involved in the original manufacture, design or development of technology products or delivery of services.  A nominee must have minimum net revenues of more than $200,000 in both years.  Rankings were determined on the revenue growth percentage from fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2007.

The nominees were asked to submit the following information:  nomination form; audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements or tax returns for 2006 and 2007; an overview letter; and background information on the company, its products and/or services.  Representatives from PKF Texas validated the information on the nomination form from the information packet.  The percentage of revenue growth was computed by comparing net revenues from 2006 to 2007.  During the past year we received over 360 nominations for the Fast Tech 50.   The organizations that made the top 50 places were then listed. 

Overview of the 2008 Fast Tech 50

Our Fast Tech 50 represents a wide variety of industries.  The industries represented by our award winners, and the number of entries by their area are as follows: Medical Devices 3, Software 24,  Hardware 5, Technical/Consulting Services 5, eCommerce/Business Portals 6, Energy Technology Products 5, and Communications 2. 

One honoree was started in the 1970s.  Two of our honorees were started in the 1980s.  Fourteen honorees were started in the 1990s.  Finally, thirty three honorees were started since 2000.   This group of honorees is by far, our youngest group of companies ever.  Hang on Houston; we’ve got some growing to do!

The local economic impact made by this year’s Fast Tech 50 is phenomenal!  When reviewing the entire 50 companies, an impressive overview quickly emerges.  These organizations are responsible for creating almost 3,270 jobs and over $629 million in revenues to our local economy.  No one industry dominates the Houston business climate anymore.  Our businesses are as diverse as our people and our cultures.

Nominations will be accepted for next year’s Fast Tech 50 listing by contacting the Houston Business Journal, PKF Texas, or any of the additional sponsors.  Organizations that are nominated will receive additional information and application packets during the spring of 2009. Congratulations to all of our honorees!  We look forward to seeing you in next year’s listing.

I have long known that Houston is the best place to start a business, but the facts speak for themselves.  Houston, we believe in you! And thanks, for being what you are: The Home of Entrepreneurism.

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The numbers have been crunched, the envelope has been sealed and the final preparations for the FastTech 50 luncheon are being taken care of as you read this!

If you are in the tech community here in Houston, then you better be at the InterContinental Hotel in the Galleria on Friday for the 8th Annual Fast Tech 50 Awards.   It’s the can’t miss event of November!
 
This is the eight year of our participation as the presenting sponsor and it will be the best event yet!  This is the second year we will be awarding one company the Paul Frison Accelerator Award. 

If you don't have a seat you will miss out on the premier event for emerging and tech based companies in Houston. To register visit:http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/event/4270 or contact Lee Ann Semmel at lasemmel@bizjournals.com or 713-688-8811.
 
I look forward to seeing many of our friends at the luncheon.  A huge thanks to our sponsor group the Houston Business Journal, FOX 26, Capital One Bank, the Houston Technology Center, Oracle Software, Pierpont Communications,  Griffin Partners, the Rice Alliance, and Phillips & Reiter, PLCC.
 
I also want to shout out a personal thank you to my assistant, John Stephenson for doing such a great job behind the scenes working with me to get the rankings established.

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The FastTech 50 is rapidly approaching. Please join the Houston Business Journal, PKF Texas, Capital One Bank, Oracle, Pierpont Communications, Phillips & Reiter PLLC, The Griffin Partners: 1301 Fannin, The Houston Technology Center, Rice Alliance and Fox 26 News at the eighth annual Fast Tech 50 Awards Ceremony. This high-energy event is a must to attend especially if you want to meet the top executives of the hottest technology companies in Houston.

The Fast Tech 50 Awards are presented to the 50 fastest growing Houston area based high-tech businesses ranked by percentage of revenue growth in 2007. These top level CEOs of the Fast Tech 50 will be honored at this exciting luncheon on Friday, November 7, 2008.

The winners are also announced in the Fast Tech 50 Special Section of the Houston Business Journal that will be published on Friday, November 7th and handed out at the event.

Do not miss your chance to network with over 600 businessmen and women as well as congratulate the Fast Tech 50 of 2008. Deadline for reservations is Friday, October 31, 2008.

When? Friday, November 7, 2008 11:30am - 1:00pm
Where? InterContinental Houston Hotel 2222 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027

Click here to register online

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The National Space and Technology Association (NSTA) is hosting the first annual State-of-the-City report featuring Mayor Bill White as the keynote speaker. 

The luncheon will be held on September 15^th at the Houston J.W. Marriott. Mayor White will be speaking about a number of City of Houston IT initiatives implemented during his administration. A brief question and answer session will be held after his presentation.

With the leadership of Houston’s goal to make Houston a destination workplace, I’ll be interested to hear what he has to say and will report back to you in September. The Mayor is an important figure to become involved with the future of technology aligning with Houston’s future.

For more information about the event, visit the NSTA website at www.nstaworld.org.

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I want to give a shout out to Marc Nathan, Director of Entrepreneur Development, Information Technology for the Houston Technology Center, Kelsey Ruger, VP Technology and Operations for Pop Labs and Josh Tabin, founder/President of Mosaic CFO and Startup Houston. They gave a presentation on social media to our firm at our PKF University.

Raissa Evans, Sr. Manager in our Practice Growth department said, “The presentation this morning was particularly effective in that it was tailored specifically to our industry, and gave both the theoretical and then the tactical insights to how accountants can use social media.”

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!

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Last week Houston played host to Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference. According to conservative estimates there was $9.7 million in direct spending into our economy. That is a great figure!

Houston has become more than just an oil town. Successfully hosting an event of this size (third to the Offshore Technology Conference and the International Quilt Festival) and scope in the technology arena will only help cement Houston's place as a leader in the industry. I agree with Greg Ortale, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau who said in last week’s Houston Business Journal that this will definitely attract other tech and business related events to Houston

How do you think this changes the perception of Houston in the tech industry?  Should we as Houstonians try to attract more conferences of this nature?

On another Microsoft front, I’ve got some changes/additions to coming to the blog in the near future regarding Dynamics-NAV. Stay tuned…

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The new iPhone came out last Friday to mixed reviews from Tech Guys and everyday users alike. The main criticism? The glitch that won’t allow you to complete the set-up in store.

I have yet to jump on the iPhone train. I still like my AT&T Tilt. When I was deciding between the two, the guy at the AT&T store told me, “The iPhone is a cool toy and the Tilt is for business functionality.” I use mine for business functionality, though I can’t deny there is a certain cool factor to owning the iPhone.

What do you think? If you had the first generation iPhone, did you trade it in for the new 3G version, or did you just download the updated software? If you are a new iPhone user why did you jump in now and not a year ago?

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We welcome another new FastTech 50 sponsor, Capital One Bank.  We’re glad to have you on board!

We recently took a photo of all of the sponsors to be incorporated into a FastTech 50 ad that will appear in the Houston Business Journal. I’ll post the picture as soon as we receive it. 

The nomination forms are now available at www.pkftexas.com/FT50. Contact John Stephenson at jstephenson@pkftexas.com or Lee Ann Semmel at lasemmel@bizjournals.com with questions or for more information. 

Don’t forget, this year’s award ceremony will be held on November 7^th at the InterContinental Hotel in the Galleria area. Last year’s event broke attendance records, and I’m anticipating the same this year. 

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The days of being totally disconnected when you’re on the plane are quickly coming to an end. American Airlines and Virgin America will be offering internet via a Wi-Fi connection on select flights later this year.

There will of course be a fee involved. $12.95 for flights three hours or longer and $9.95 for trips that are shorter.

Walter S. Mossberg, a journalist from the Wall Street Journal, recently wrote about it in his column Personal Technology. He tried a variety of devices, downloads and watched streaming video. Overall he appeared satisfied with the results.

I have mixed emotions about this service. There’s something nice about getting on a three hour flight and knowing no one can reach you. On the other hand, being able to get actual work done and send it off while you’re on the plane would be nice. 

What do you think? Would you pay to use the internet on the airplane? Are we close to opening Pandora’s box and being able to use our cell phones in the air?

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Back in May, I blogged about the Microsoft/Yahoo! merger falling apart. Now, according to reports, Yahoo! is seeking a partnership with Google. Well…at least to handle some of its advertising sales.

Announced last Thursday, the deal is a 10 year, non-exclusive partnership that gives Yahoo! the ability to use Google’s search and contextual advertising technology.

The deal still has to face the Department of Justice to determine if it breaches anti-trust regulations. 

I’ve got to admit, I’m skeptical about this latest move and I’m curious to see the reaction from Yahoo!’s shareholders. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of corporate coup in the future. There’ve been rumblings about it for a month or two now, since the Microsoft deal fell through.

Though folding into Microsoft might not have been ideal, I’m not sure how partnering with Google will be beneficial in the long term. In the short term I see the influx of cash as a positive, but can’t see much beyond that.

Tameka Kee, from Online Media Daily, wrote a great piece about it including Yahoo! president Sue Decker’s official statement.

Would you partner with one of your direct competitors? What do you think about this latest move from Yahoo!? 

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I had a conversation the other day with some PKF Texas colleagues the other day and wanted to pose a question to my readers:

What are the gadgets/devices that you use with your cell phone to improve its usability?

For example, I’ve been hearing about the Jawbone a lot recently. Supposedly it’s one of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market. Do any of you use it? Is it worth the price?

I recently ran across www.tiltdepot.com, it has all sorts of accessories designed specifically for my phone, the AT&T Tilt. I wish I’d found it before I dropped my phone last weekend and scratched it up! 

Have you found that devices designed specifically for your phone work better than those designed to be used for “all” types of phones?

What one gadget for your phone can you not live without?

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I was recently asked, how can Houston continue to attract top tech companies and talent to the city. Interesting question. I see two things that have to happen.

First, we need to continue the branding and awareness of the Houston tech community to those outside of the Houston and Texas regions.  I know it sounds old fashioned, but folks outside of the Texas region still consider Houston a two dimensional city.  Energy and Space Exploration.  While both of those are very important to Houston, the growth in the high tech, health care research and delivery, educational research, telecommunications and manufacturing will continue to outpace our baseline industries. 

We see it every day, but those not as familiar to our community do not.  That’s one of the reasons why PKF Texas created the Fast Tech 50 Awards program and brought that to the Houston Business Journal.  We wanted to start the ball rolling on branding and awareness of the city as a source of great success in the tech sector.  We are fully committed to making this sector a success for our city.  One of the areas that the Houston Technology Center, HBJ, and our firm supports is the Rice Business Plan Competition.  Its success and the information the participants receive during the competition has reached around the world.  We had several plans from outside the U.S. this year.  The Rice event has turned out to be so successful that Fortune Small Business decided to drop their own competition and endorse the Rice event.  Also, working with the Greater Houston Partnership, Walter Ulrich, our President of the HTC was able to get Houston’s visibility changed with some national rankings recently with a national publication as well. 

Second, we have to create jobs and fight for talented tech personnel to relocate to our city.  This is no longer a fight for economic survival on a local, or regional basis.  I recently had the opportunity to review some economic strategic planning from another region and they indicated they were fighting for business from communities their size in the domestic U.S.  They couldn’t be further from the truth to be successful.  In my opinion, we are fighting to secure talent to our community locally, from the global community.  I can assure you Houston through organizations like the Greater Houston Partnership, and the HTC see things on a global basis and we want to compete globally for all kinds of business opportunities.  Given our baseline business in Energy, this gives us a leg up on the acceptance of Houston as a global city and not just a city in Texas.  Our cost of living and the baseline for salaries for tech personnel are very favorable to both companies and individuals alike.  And our existing talent pool is just outstanding, some of the success stories we have in the tech sector would rival any region in the US and beyond. 

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Over the weekend Microsoft dropped its bid to take over Yahoo!. This is an interesting development in what initially appeared to be an inevitable take-over.

This brings up a few questions:

• Who can compete with Google?
• What does this mean for Microsoft in terms of the next step to compete in Web 2.0?
• Where does Yahoo! go from here? They’ve been playing second fiddle to Google for quite some time.

CNN/Fortune has an interesting article that speculates about the above questions.

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With tax day behind us, we can now begin think about things other than the IRS, bean counters and filing deadlines. As you know I am a big fan of Inc. Magazine. I want to let you know about their newest comprehensive technology website for entrepreneurs called Inc Technology.

A spin off site from Inc.com, it has the latest technology trends affecting your business, expert IT advice and commentary, as well as strategies for deploying and choosing technology products and services.

There are articles and forums for just about every technology topic you can think of. Let me know what you think of the site. Is it useful for your business? Are there topics you would like to see me talk about or record for a PKF Texas – The Entrepreneur’s Playbook?

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(L to R) AMA Houston Tech SIG coordinator Rob Roberts, Michael Berry, Katie Laird and Greg Price after the blogging for business panel on April 2, 2008.

This morning I was one of three panelists at the AMA Houston Technology SIG’s event, “Blog Forward: The Rapid Evolution of Blogging as a Marketing Tool.” A big thank you to Rob Roberts and the AMA for asking me to present, it was a great crowd.

Katie Laird from Schipul and Michael Berry from Clear Channel Houston joined me on the panel. The links to their blogs are below. Katie contributes to six!

• Katie’s blog – www.happykatie.com
• Michael’s blog on the News Radio 740 site

It was interesting to get their perspectives on blogging, as their blogs have a different focus than fromgregshead.com.

To those who attended, thanks for your questions and thoughts. I enjoyed our interaction. Feel free to comment here on the blog, or email me with any questions you may have about fromgregshead.com or blogging in general.

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Envision08 speaker Guy Kawasaki recently interviewed Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at the MIX08 conference. MIX is an annual event that brings together professionals in the consumer Web space - Web developers, designers, business and digital marketing professionals - to explore new ways to build next-generation Web experiences using Microsoft technologies, and create digital customer connections that drive business results.

The video of the interview and Q&A session is about an hour long, but you can read the transcript if you don’t want to watch the whole thing.

They discuss a wide variety of topics including social networking, the changes coming after Bill Gates fully transitions to working full-time at his foundation and Microsoft’s potential takeover of Yahoo!. It’s really interesting stuff, especially considering Kawasaki’s history with Apple. Ballmer definitely has set the course for moving forward. It’s going to be fun to watch what Microsoft does in the coming years.

On a related side note, I am going to be on a panel at Envision08. I’ll be one of three panelists talking about the top ten accounting mistakes that businesses make. I'm looking forward to it. 

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This week Houston was named the #4 Up-And-Coming Tech City by Forbes Magazine. Here’s what Forbes had to say about Houston:

“Houston hasn't exactly earned a reputation as a city teeming with techies. But that's changing. "Fifteen years ago, we had all the assets, but we weren't really developing them," says Walter Ulrich, chief executive of the Houston Technology Center, the state's largest technology incubator. "So all the leaders of Houston got together and recognized that the city needed to diversify its economy. There's been this tremendous transition."

Houston's strategy: Smash different discoveries together. To wit: Houston's itRobotics, founded in 2002, has developed new cost-cutting robots that inspect a variety of boilers and energy pipelines for structural flaws.

Other Houston start-ups are commercializing technologies originally developed at local research institutions. Nanospectra Biosciences, a local drug delivery company, is working on a nano-scale particle (pioneered at Rice University) that destroys cancerous tumors. The particles are injected in the bloodstream and accumulate inside cancerous tumors. When the tumor is exposed to a laser, the particles absorb the near-infrared light and convert it into thermal energy, destroying the tumor.”

An interesting back story on how the article came together: the reporter, William Pentland, contacted Christina Garza, media relations manager at the Greater Houston Partnership about the story. Christina referred him to Walter Ulrich, president and CEO of the Houston Technology Center [link]. Walter provided the background for the story and as you can see was quoted. It’s great to see the collaboration between the GHP and HTC lead to such a prominent feature. 

One more local connection to note is Rice University. The two companies mentioned, itRobotics and Nanospectra Biosciences were both founded based on innovations at Rice and are licensed through the Rice Office of Technology Transfer.

Kudos to Houston for providing the environment where technology start-ups can flourish. The main reason we created the Fast Tech 50 program was to change the mindset of those outside of Houston about our advancement in tech savvy.

The 2007 Fast Tech 50 companies are responsible for creating almost 3,250 jobs and over $387 million in revenues to the local economy. Houston is about more than just oil and the space program (which are pretty good in their own right!). No one industry dominates the Houston business climate anymore. The city's businesses are as diverse as its people and cultures.

Congratulations to the GHP, HTC and Rice, it’s great to see your efforts in the tech community being recognized on a national level.

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Crackberries strike again! Monday’s three hour BlackBerry blackout serves as a reminder to keep our addiction in check. Like last April’s outage Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry, was slow to diagnose and address the issue. As of yesterday afternoon, they were still trying to determine the cause.

This outage continues to solidify my choice to use my Cingular smart phone instead of the Crackberry. I’ve already read about several customers who plan to ditch their Crackberries for smart phones that don’t rely on RIM’s network. Once again, who knows how much this outage cost its customers in business. Two major outages within ten months of each other indicates to me there are problems that need to be addressed. 

Was this second blackout in less than a year enough for you to decide to make the switch? Do you think RIM has addressed their issues properly? Did the outage push you into Crackberry rehab?

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Stephen Nunes, the Controller from Merrick Systems (www.merricksystems.com) and I were recently talking about various technology trends and new items and the capabilities of the Nintendo Wii came up. It really isn’t just a gaming system. Stephen wrote a helpful document describing how to connect a Wii to use it as a multimedia center. With the success of the Wii during the recent holiday season, I thought this might be helpful to those of you who received one. Merrick Systems is a software and technology solutions provider for the upstream market located here in Houston.

If you have a Wii connected to your main television, it can be more than a gaming unit. You can also use it as a multimedia box to browse the internet on your television (go to Youtube to watch videos)  and to stream pictures, videos and music from your PC to  your TV.

Here’s how:

1. if you have a wireless network in your home, start by connecting the Wii to the network
   1. At the main Wii Menu, go into the settings menu and follow the network settings from there. Connecting a Wii is very similar to connecting any other wireless device to your home network.

2. Download the Opera browser for Wii to the unit. Do this by going from the main Wii menu to the Wii Store. You will need to spend $10.00 to buy “Wii Credit” on the site, but again, the menus will guide you through how to do that. Once you have the required credit, you can choose to buy the browser from the Wii store and it will download to your unit and update it’s operating system.

3. At this point, the internet browser will appear as a menu choice in the main Wii menu. You can now use it to browse almost all web sites by typing in the web addresses on the on-screen keyboard using the Wii Controller. You can save frequently visited sites as favorites for one-click retrieval.

4. To stream media from your PC, you now need to go to Orb.com, set up a free account, and download and install their client software to your PC. During that installation process, you point the program to the folders where your media files are. I have all my music, pictures and video stored on an external hard drive so it is separate from my other data. You can then go back to the Wii, an browse to your account on Orb. After signing in, you will see the folder with your music**, pictures etc and you will be able to double click on them to start them up. The flash media player within the Wii Opera browser should then allow you to view pictures and play music** and video.

5. Note that you can even play music from your Itunes libraries, but all media has to be unprotected (non-DRM in the case of music) format to play. Thus music you added to your library from CD’s should play, but music purchased from the Itunes store will not.

6. **Security note - Since I’m paranoid about hackers, viruses etc, I only start the Orb client on my PC when I want to stream multimedia through the Wii. Otherwise, I make sure that the orb client has been exited and is not running on my PC. As part of setup, I choose not to have it automatically start up when windows does.

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This week's guest spotlight is from Walter Ulrich, President and CEO of the Houston Technology Center. 

Houston, Texas, January 7, 2008 – Mark my words, “2008 will be remembered as the inflection point for transforming the Greater Houston Region from the 20^th century leader in oil and gas to a 21^st century globally recognized high technology hub.”

How about “Happy New Year” first???  If you are in this region like me, you had better have gotten over celebrating the New Year by January 2^nd and on your way to making a difference today and every day in 2008.

What is going on here?  Houston faces a great opportunity and a great challenge!

The challenge is that Houston must generate 600,000 new jobs over the next ten years.  If we do nothing, only 450,000 jobs will be created in Houston: The Oil & Gas equivalent of Detroit!

But a lot is being done.  The Greater Houston Partnership is raising $30 million to $40 million to bring in those incremental 150,000 jobs.

So problem solved?  Not so fast!  We attack the symptoms – job counts and wage rates – but that does not solve the underlying problems.

The Opportunity è the right kinds of jobs.  While we need more oil workers, logistics businesses, retailers, manufacturers and call centers, those kinds of jobs alone will not provide long-term, sustainable economic growth.  High technology employment is the flywheel that builds robust, growing economies.  The entrepreneurial spirit, which Houston has in its very DNA, will favor those who seize the opportunity and meet the challenges head on.

This cannot be accomplished using traditional economic development methods.  And competition, nationally and globally, is fierce, so we must create high technology jobs now.  THIS YEAR!

The stakes are HIGH!  Failure is not an option.  Did I say opportunity???  Under these circumstances, this is NOT an opportunity!  It is an outright OBLIGATION to transform this community and we must do it now.  THIS YEAR!

Houston: one of the richest troves of innovation in the world – thousands of entrepreneurs, tens of thousands of researchers and scientists, great institutions, lots of intellectual property and a regional economic base that rivals some of the largest countries in the world… oil and gas capitol… mega medical centers… $4 billion IT economy…  pioneers in Nanotechnology at Rice University… and NASA’s largest R&D facility.

And yet, “we don’t get no respect.”  If you believe the pundits, Houston is seen as one or two dimensional only with the real innovation elsewhere.

So why is that?  We have not demonstrated long-term sustainable high tech results.   We have the economic capacity; we have built the infrastructure in the last ten years.  We have to deliver the goods.  Now.  THIS YEAR!

The Houston Technology Center is ready to lead.  It is the largest non-profit community-based organization in the region focused exclusively on fostering innovation and driving emerging technology success:  Emerging energy and clean energy technologies, bio/life sciences, IT and web 2.0, 3.0 and beyond, nanotechnology and NASA-related aerospace.

Our full time technology development managers work side-by-side with over 70 emerging technology companies helping them to identify gaps, find customers, raise money, grow and prosper and thrive.  We partner with over a dozen other organizations and work closely with major Universities, economic development organizations, municipalities and the State of Texas.

Our objective is simple: Houston will be a globally recognized technology hub on a par with the most highly lauded technology centers of the last decade.

AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Go to our website, www.houstontech.org.  Attend the free orientation if you don’t know us.  If you do know us, then join us.  The HTC could not accomplish its mission without the support of the community and we need your help.

If you are a technologist or an entrepreneur, you share with us the challenge, the opportunity and the obligation.  Get engaged, give us your support and actively participate (and financial contributions are always welcome).  Greg, his shiny head and PKF Texas get it è they are actively involved and set a great example.  Make a difference!  Get involved!  RIGHT NOW!

www.HoustonTech.org

_____

About our guest contributor – Walter Ulrich is President and CEO of the Houston Technology Center, Chairman of the Gulf Coast Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization and active in many community organizations.  Appointed by Governor Perry, he recently completed a two year term as one of the founding members of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund Committee.  He has been CEO of several technology companies, a management consultant to major corporations, an expert witness on technology issues, and was responsible for the first commercially successful email service in the 1970’s.  A former Marine and graduate with a bachelors and master degree from Stevens Institute of Technology, he lives with his wife in Pearland.

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As I announced back in August  the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) is coming to Houston. Microsoft has finally announced the dates, July 7-10, 2008.

This is what Microsoft has to say about Houston:

“The fourth-largest city in the United States, Houston has emerged as the Gulf Coast’s cultural capital. A major U.S. hub for international business and trade, Houston boasts industry leadership in energy, information technology, medicine, and even space exploration. The city is hip. Diverse. And offers a world-class art scene and the kind of cuisine foodies crave.”

I whole-heartedly agree with the above. By choosing Houston for such an important conference, Microsoft is demonstrating exactly what Joel Kotkin was talking about in his Opportunity Urbanism report. 

Houston is an opportunity city and it’s great that large corporations are recognizing they can find business success here.

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Speaking of more Microsoft news, have you heard about the new Microsoft Surface? It’s pretty cool. From the Microsoft site:

“Surface features a 30-inch tabletop display whose unique abilities allow for several people to work independently or simultaneously, all without a mouse or a keyboard. Surface can simultaneously recognize dozens and dozens of movements such as touch, gestures and will be able to recognize actual unique objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes.”

Apparently, it won’t be available until “Winter” 2007, but they’ll be doing previews around the country up until the launch date.

I highly recommend checking out the website, as it has a ton of information and some cool demonstrations about the different capabilities. 

Of course there’s no cost information as of right now! Take a look at the website and let me know if you’d spend the money for one. 

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Exciting news! Houston has been selected at the host city for Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in 2008!

The Houston Chronicle alluded to it in an article on August 3^rd and I received confirmation yesterday from our Microsoft Partner Account Manager, that WPC will be here in early July 2008.

This is a huge event, the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau is expecting 50,000 rooms to be booked during the conference. This is a great opportunity for Houston to show off what a great city it is. Looks like we’re moving up in the world!

Stay tuned for updates as they become available!

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In response to Monday’s blog, several people asked me about Skype.

“Skype is a free program that uses cutting edge p2p technology to bring affordable, high-quality voice communications to people all over the world.” – Skype.com

Basically it’s a program on your computer that you use to place “phone” calls to anywhere in the world over the internet. One of our directors at PKF Texas uses Skype to speak to her husband when he is in China on business. 

It seems like a pretty cool concept. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it seems like it would be a viable alternative to long distance phone bills or using a ton of minutes on my cell phone. 

Do any of you use Skype? How do you think the application will affect the way we communicate in the business world? Will business land lines become a thing of the past?

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As many of you know PKF Texas was a founding sponsor of the FastTech 50. The nomination period for the 2007 FastTech 50 is now open. 

To qualify for the FastTech 50, your company's headquarters must be located in the Houston SMSA ten county area which includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto or Waller counties. A minimum of 51% of your consolidated revenue must be involved in the original manufacture, design or development of technical products or services. Your company must also have net revenue of more than $200,000 for both 2005 and 2006. All nominations are subject to review by the FastTech 50 board.

To nominate your company visit http://consult.pkftexas.com/fasttech50/. The deadline for submissions is July 27, 2007.

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The latest Accounting Technology asked readers, “What is your biggest technology need for 2007?”

Here are a few selected responses from the magazine.

• “Better backup solutions for our customers.” – Bryan L. Wilton, InterDyn Progressive Group
• “An integrated practice management application.” – Gary C. Crouch, CPA, CITP, MCP, Crouch, Slavin & Co.
• “To get our website developed.” – Linda Fletcher, A-Soft Professionals
• “Faster, more reliable wireless.” – Mike Palmatier, Sikich LLP

These are all great ideas. Even though it’s already February, it’s still a good time to assess your technology needs for the year. What do you need to upgrade? Is there new software or hardware that you can use to make your business more efficient? What do you have right now that’s working well enough for you to provide a best practice to others in your industry? 

We’ve heard from some Accounting Technology readers, let’s hear from some FromGregsHead readers! What are your technology needs for 2007?

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Tomorrow, January 30th, marks a significant event in information technology.  Microsoft will roll out its latest operating system release, Windows Vista, to consumers.

There is so much information surrounding the launch floating around, I wanted to give my readers the basics and where to find more info.  

What: Windows Vista, the next generation of Microsoft's flagship PC operating system.

When: Available starting 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Editions: Seven in total, but only three aimed at consumers - Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate.

Home Basic: Is roughly equivalent to Windows XP Home Edition, and lacks the much-touted Aero Glass look.

Home Premium: Includes Aero, and is similar in features to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

Ultimate: Has all the features of all the Vista editions, including those aimed at businesses.

Here are some helpful links on the Microsoft website.

Bill Gates’ Webcast introducing Windows Vista

Windows Vista Homepage 

It will be interesting to see what reaction the public has for Vista. Will you be upgrading? 

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I want to give you all an update on some Dynamics NAV happenings. Back in August, PKF Texas hosted the Houston Dynamics NAV User Group Steering Committee.

The steering committee consists of me, Roger Oliver, a Navision developer at VeriCenter, Inc., Ray Boone, a project manager at Texas Medical Center, and Robert Wolfram, the CFO of Pileco, Inc. 

The user group was formed last year to provide a network for Houston Dynamics NAV users to discuss issues such as training, product add-ons, new features, and best practices.

We discussed various programs Microsoft offers specifically for Dynamics NAV partners. There will be a conference in Atlanta at the end of October where Dynamics NAV 5.0 will be previewed. I’ll give you updates on what I learn at the conference in early November.

Because the Jet Reports training in July was so successful, we discussed how we can implement and offer new training sessions and programs to the users in Houston.

Based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants of the Jet Reports training, we scheduled another training session to be held at the PKF Texas office, October 17-19. 

There are only 4 spots left and they’re filling fast. Contact Jim Batson for pricing, registration and more details. 

I will be posting future announcements about training and programs right here in my blog.   

I am very encouraged by the direction our group is taking. We have a committed steering committee and a great network of Dynamics NAV users here in Houston. Please do not hesitate to contact me and let me know what you would like to see the user group offer.

The next users group meeting is tentatively scheduled for mid-November. Keep an eye out for more announcements closer to November.

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What is your opinion on the use of widgets?

From Weatherbug to the new Sports Illustrated widget, mySI, which downloads sports scores and photos directly to your desktop, they seem to be cropping up all over cyberspace.

There are literally hundreds of these add-ons we can install and use on our computers to make our lives “easier.” Most are free and can be used by anyone. With so many to choose from can you have too many? Most likely yes. When do they stop being useful and merely become an annoyance?

My kids have widgets on their Myspace pages. Music, photos, countdowns, the list goes on. These widgets help them to “personalize” their small slice of cyberspace. 

Do the widgets you have make your life easier? Is it worth it to have content “conveniently” delivered directly to your desktop, or are we making ourselves too accessible to potential hackers?

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I want to say congratulations to VeriCenter, DataCert, The Merrick Group, Gimmal Group, and RigNet for their inclusion on Inc. Magazine’s 2006 Inc. 500 list. 

Similarly to the FastTech 50 and the Aggie 100, the Inc. 500 list recognizes the top 500 privately held, independent companies with the greatest revenue growth from 2001 to 2005.

Overall, Texas had 32 firms listed with 10 of those firms right here in the Houston area. Looks like the Fast Tech 50 is doing a great job in recognizing some of the Houston area’s most successful companies!

The article accompanying the list states:

            “It is the story of how entrepreneurship has energized the economy and captured the public’s imagination in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries”

I wholeheartedly agree with the author of the article. These lists are important because they show the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well both here in Houston and across the country. You don’t have to be part of a huge mega-corporation to for your business to be a player in the global marketplace. 

Does your company pay attention to these lists? Do they help you to set goals for your company’s growth? If you have appeared on any of these lists, has it had a positive impact on your company?

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I read an interesting article last week in the Houston Chronicle about what happens to information stored on your phone after you “delete” it. 

Apparently, despite following the instructions in your phone’s manual, if you delete content from your phone it may not really be gone. 

The next person to use your phone (if you sell it or return it to your carrier to be refurbished) would be able to, if they had the desire and know how, to retrieve any information you thought was deleted.

The alarming thing is, this also applies to computers. Think of all the personal information stored on just your home computers. Bank account information, passwords, social security information, the list is endless. 

My wife and daughter recently sent their old phones back to Cingular to be refurbished and resold. After reading this article, I’m not so sure that was a good idea. 

There are several firms who can, for a fee of course, truly erase and reset your phone or computer so it is empty for the next user. While that seems to be worth the time and money, I kind of like the author’s suggestion of running over my old phone with a truck.

What do you do with your old phones and computers? Is it worth the price to have your phone completely erased, or would you just run over it with a truck?

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As many of you know, I was featured on the BusinessMaker’s Radio Show several times, and now they have asked me to present a series of best practice business tips to air during their Saturday morning show on FM Newschannel 97.5.

I am going to be the voice of PKF Texas’ Entrepreneur’s Playbook.

The first tip from the Entrepreneur’s Playbook will air this Saturday – July 1. Each Friday, I will post both the written and broadcast versions of the current tip here in the blog.

Here is a list of some of the topics The Entrepreneur’s Playbook will cover:

• Blogs
• Inventory Control
• Profit Enhancement
• Human Capital
• Cash Management

As someone who writes a blog with a technology focus, it is always interesting to see how technology plays a role in different industries. The amount of time that went into recording and mixing these spots, as well as the BusinessMaker’s Radio Show, is commendable. Thanks to John Whiteside and Russ Capper who helped make me “One Take Jake.”

Let me know what you think about the Entrepreneur’s Playbook and especially using the blog for broadcast clips. Were the tips useful for your business? Are there any topics you would like me to touch on? What are your own best practice tips? I look forward to your interaction on my blog.

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I was elated to learn that my blog won the top award from the Association of Accounting Marketing (AAM) during its annual conference in Denver.

The award, “Best in Show,” was ranked highest among 200 entries in 16 categories. AAM also honored the blog in the Public Relations and Multi-Media categories – competing with firms with more than $15 million in annual revenue.

In case you didn’t know, AAM is an organization of marketing directors and gurus from accounting firms across the country. Its annual conference draws hundreds of members who participate in educational sessions and networking to learn more about the marketing function within their firms. PKF Texas – my firm – has always been a big part of this group.

The awards are given in honor of accounting marketing and communications. Congrats to my fellow winners!

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Friday Update
Well, I visited with Doug Burgum and got the lowdown on the future of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
He said its all the rage …
Just kidding, fellow Dynamics consultants.

I attended Doug's keynote session and was pleased with what I saw and heard regarding the future for Microsoft Dynamics. A $500 million advertising and air cover campaign is about to be unleashed. They also showed us some of the early work on the product, which is directed at creating branding and awareness of the Dynamics brand. I thought it was pretty good work.

During a lighthearted part of his talk, Doug was in charge of rumor control and pointed out some falsehoods and corrections to various "rumors" floating out there. It's nice to see a senior executive who doesn't get too full of himself.

Doug opened and closed his presentation with a warm "Thank You" to all the folks who have been working hard to make MBS a success.

South Central Region Reception
I made it over to the Hyatt to attend the reception for the South Central Region, and found out when I got there that it was a little bigger than the South Central Region ... it turned out to be the whole Central Region. I met several Microsoft Partners and Microsoft Team members, and we all had a good time visiting and learning more.

I looked across the room and who do I see? Doug Burgum and Todd Cione from the Central Region visiting with partners.

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Well, I am here at Convergence and it seems that every year Microsoft sets a new attendance record. Sitting in the community lounge area, I noted that this year we are expecting in excess of 7,000 attendees at Convergence. That's up from a little less than 4,000 attendees in 2003.

Some things are better organized, and as you might expect some are not. Check-in was a breeze thanks to some smart thinking, but when a young lady directed me to open portal, things went amiss. Poor marks to the signage and coordination folks, who had some people going in two directions to hear the kickoff session this morning.

Listening to the speakers this morning - Jeff Young, Tami Reller and Satya Nadella - I was impressed with what I saw and heard concerning the Microsoft Dynamics product line and the future investments that are coming down the line. As a Navision reseller, (oops, Dynamics NAV reseller), I was pretty jazzed, but what is coming in version 5.0 of NAV product? Pretty cool stuff and something that I know our clients will like to see and use.

The kickoff Dynamics NAV session this morning with Mogens Elsberg (product manager) and Kim Ibfelt, was great. I saw some additional features of 5.0 up close and I was impressed. Lots of features and role-based activity coming to the user community. And, the interaction with Office is going to be fantastic! I know our clients will love it.

I also heard some great news today that some time in the past 30 days, NAV sold its 1 millionth concurrent session for end users. That's a great milestone for the NAV product … and NAV continues to be the number one seller in the Dynamics product group.

Well I have to leave now to go hear the Dynamics guru himself, Doug Burgum, pontificate about the future. This is usually pretty entertaining stuff. Later, the South Central Microsoft Business Partner group is holding a reception and I must stop by to see what tidbits they offer.

Stay tuned, and yes, Gates will be demonstrating Dynamics NAV 5.0 on Monday!

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Microsoft Business Solutions is "re-branding" its four ERP systems (Navision, Axapta, Solomon and Great Plains) all to Dynamics (Dynamics NAV, Dynamics AX, Dynamics SL and Dynamics GP). Microsoft has a number of reasons for these name changes, including communicating the message that, in the long-term, there is one product line with a variety of feature choices. Our Navision clients will be pleased to know that Dynamics NAV is the best-selling Dynamics option. That, in turn, is leading to more attention from Microsoft and investment in Dynamics NAV.

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Through my association with Texas A&M's Mays Business School and Microsoft, I heard the other day about an upcoming meeting that piqued my interest. Presented by WITI (Women in Technology International) and co-sponsored by Texas A&M and Microsoft, Hilda Camargo of Profiles International will present, "Does one develop a career strategy or a life strategy?" on April 5.

Based on the meeting's promotions, Ms. Camargo presents two scenarios:
1. Be clear on where you want to be - "You have to know where you want to get to have any real hope of getting there."
2. Do an outstanding job in your current position - in today's evolving business environment, how do you do in the following areas:
* Communication
* Adaptability
* Relationships
* Personal Development
* Leadership
* Production

Sounds like a not-to-miss event to me for women and men.

P.S. WITI's Web site (not a Houston-based site) is a treasure trove of really useful information, articles, upcoming events and much more.

WITI Houston
Regional Network Event
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
6 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Microsoft, 2000 W. Sam Houston Parkway, South

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Here are two upcoming and noteworthy tech events:

Friday February 17, 2006
MBA Tech Transfer Challenge at Texas A&M University.
Sponsored by Ford Motor Company

75+ MBAs and 125 judges from a variety of business, professional firms, investors and those with connections to emerging markets will review ideas and submissions to the Texas Center for Commercialization. For some MBAs, this is the first attempt at working as a entrepreneur in planning and building a business. Participants have real-life experiences with feedback from investors and potential investors on their presentations.


Friday March 3, 2006
Rice Alliance
5th Annual Life Science Technology Venture Forum
Showcasing Promising Life Science Start Ups

Each year, the Life Science Forum showcases the most promising early stage life science, biotechnology, medical device and information technology-related companies. Leading life science venture capitalists and investors discuss their investment strategies. In 2005, more than 340 entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, researchers and members of the life science community attended the program.

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As a person who rarely considers himself "old" and likes to stay connected with the future, I had a chance to participate in a recent recruiting event that left me with a wonderful range of emotions.

One emotion that left me feeling very old is the satisfaction that our future, the young people of our profession, and this country, are indeed headed in the right direction.

On Thursday Feb. 2, the PPA (Professional) program for the Mays School at Texas A&M hosted an event in which 15 middle-market firms met future graduates to provide them information about our people and the firm. As a member of the Executive Committee for the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship with the Mays School at Texas A&M, I was on campus that day and joined several colleagues from my firm to meet and greet the students.

From time to time, I work with students from a variety of universities; the folks we made contact with at Texas A&M are outstanding. In fact, I would rank the students in the top five of the schools I visit or work with in the country. Applause to Dean Strawser and Professor Daily for putting together a great program. To the students … it's hard work to finish in the PPA program, but when you come out on the back end, the rewards will be great and your future will be very bright, indeed.

You know your getting old when you meet students who went to kindergarten and elementary school with your oldest child (mine is almost 21!). I was also very impressed with the students' questions and what they wanted to learn about the profession and our firm. They not only have a very good grasp of the profession, they have a real sense of what they need to focus on for their professional and personal futures.

If you are student (Texas A&M or otherwise), please feel free to post questions on the blog regarding career choices, accounting matters or practically anything else related to your future. I will try and get them answered for you.

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I consider it an "event" when Bill Gates visits Texas, especially when he's part of a venue that will be practical and informative for Navision customers - Microsoft Convergence 2006, March 25-28 in Dallas.

This is the 10th year for Convergence. In addition to Gates, keynotes include two heads of the Microsoft Business Solutions Group: President Jeff Raikes and Senior Vice President Doug Burgum.

Before and during the event, I'll follow the progress of Convergence in future blogs. Let me know, too, if you're attending this event - I'd like to see you there.

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What is nanotechnology and why is it so important?

As technology continues to evolve, processes become more efficient. Nanotechnology comprises technological developments on the nanometer scale, usually 0.1 to 100 nm. (One nanometer equals one thousandth of a micrometer or one millionth of a millimeter.) The term has sometimes been applied to microscopic technology.

To learn more about nanotechnology and emerging nanotechnology companies, you should attend the 5th Annual Nanotechnology Venture Forum on Jan. 20 in Houston. At the Forum, six early-stage companies will present their technologies to investors, industry leaders mentors and service providers.

Supported by the Houston Technology Center, the Forum is co-hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship, the Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the Rice Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology.

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