Barbecue season is nigh! We want to help you tech-lovers prepare for your most impressive, champion-league, "winningest" (thanks, Charlie Sheen) cookout ever. You've already got your stainless steel natural gas outdoor grill with dual burners, as well as far too many useless kitschy tools—corn holders, shrimp deveiners, avocado slicers—probably received as gifts, through gritted teeth, from some over-priced mod kitchen store. Forget this stuff. It's all old hat. You need to break out something wild!
The list kicks off with a group of tools that you can find in most hardware stores, some of which seem like they belong in the garage rather than the kitchen. From there, we'll move onto chemicals—not exactly "tech," but they fit right in with a scientifically equipped kitchen. We'll also explore some affordable plug-in appliances, some of which have unusual culinary applications. Finally, a few drool-inducing pro tools are too expensive for most people to own, but may inspire your culinary experimentation nonetheless.
In putting together this article, I spoke with several professional chefs and food experts who are on the bleeding edge of molecular gastronomy. Many thanks go out to James Beard Award-nominee Chef Francisco Migoya of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Michael Cirino, Alex Talbot of Ideas in Food, and Volcano Vaporizer distributor Adam Schoenfeld. They all contributed a significant amount of time and insight in putting together this list of 20 extraordinary tools that will not only wow your guests but also help you make one hell of a meal.
So cooks, get ready. Most of these tools are not for the faint of heart. But if you're prepared to order your first tank of liquid nitrogen, steel yourself for these 15 incredible and high-tech kitchen gadgets and tools, with tips on how to use them and what to make.
Read the views of online Certification Experts, which provide the real questions and correct answer and explanation for the students / professionals who are seeking or enhancing their level of expertise. more at certkingdom.com
May 29, 2011
May 27, 2011
AT&T's $1 Billion Cloud Bet Shows Carriers Clamoring For Cloud
AT&T (NYSE:T) has pledged to invest $1 billion in cloud services and mobility, among other things, this year as more traditional telcos and carriers show they're serious about cloud computing.
AT&T recently said it is focusing its plans to deploy global network-based cloud, mobility and networking sourcing solutions to companies of various sizes across multiple industries. The Dallas-based mega-carrier said the nearly $1 billion investment this year will focus on deploying next generation services like mobile applications, as-a-service cloud-based solutions and network sourcing.
"We continue to invest significantly in cloud-based, mobility and network sourcing solutions because customers are increasingly recognizing that transformative services like these increase productivity, improve operational effectiveness and lower costs," said John Stankey, president and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions, in a statement.
AT&T said the proliferation of high-speed wired and wireless networks, along with the massive influx of mobile devices and applications has made a cloud and mobile strategy an important component of the carrier's roadmap.
Along with pushing money into enterprise mobility apps and cloud and as-a-service upgrades, AT&T said it will also roll out platforms, systems and capabilities that enable automation, and enhance and simplify how business customers receive support.
The investment will be targeted at companies, government agencies and institutions in various industries like manufacturing, retail, hospitality, healthcare and automotive.
AT&T has already started investing in cloud-based and emerging services. So far this year the carrier has embedded cloud capabilities directly into its network so the company can manage and deliver services and applications to any device. The cloud services also give customers flexibility and shared economics in their compute and storage needs, the company said.
Another key area of investment, mobility solutions and connected devices, is also already receiving the fruits of AT&T's $1 billion bet. The company said that in the first quarter of 2011 it added 1.6 million emerging devices like tablets, netbooks and laptops pushing its total number of emerging devices connected to its network to 12 million. Additionally, AT&T has seen the use of mobile applications triple since 2009.
Other major investment areas include global enterprise networking, small business services and services for the healthcare industry.
AT&T's $1 billion blockbuster comes as carriers, cable companies and traditional telecoms look to corner the cloud computing market through strategic investments and acquisitions.
Last year, Verizon said a large portion of its roughly $17 billion growth investment would be flagged for cloud computing endeavors as the company spends to build, operate and integrate its networking and computing platforms. And earlier this year, Verizon bought cloud computing provider Terremark for a whopping $1.4 billion.
In the weeks that followed Verizon (NYSE:VZ)'s Terremark acquisition, Time Warner Cable said it would purchase cloud hosting provider NaviSite for $220 million.
Then, in April, CenturyLink Inc. revealed plans to acquire cloud provider and hosting operator Savvis Inc. for a $2.5 billion cash and stock purse. As part of the deal, CenturyLink also agreed assume or refinance Savvis' $700 million in debt, pushing the total deal to $3.2 billion.
AT&T is also no stranger to big time investment. While it is putting $1 billion toward cloud and mobility efforts, AT&T also revealed plans to acquire wireless rival T-Mobile for a whopping $39 billion.
AT&T recently said it is focusing its plans to deploy global network-based cloud, mobility and networking sourcing solutions to companies of various sizes across multiple industries. The Dallas-based mega-carrier said the nearly $1 billion investment this year will focus on deploying next generation services like mobile applications, as-a-service cloud-based solutions and network sourcing.
"We continue to invest significantly in cloud-based, mobility and network sourcing solutions because customers are increasingly recognizing that transformative services like these increase productivity, improve operational effectiveness and lower costs," said John Stankey, president and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions, in a statement.
AT&T said the proliferation of high-speed wired and wireless networks, along with the massive influx of mobile devices and applications has made a cloud and mobile strategy an important component of the carrier's roadmap.
Along with pushing money into enterprise mobility apps and cloud and as-a-service upgrades, AT&T said it will also roll out platforms, systems and capabilities that enable automation, and enhance and simplify how business customers receive support.
The investment will be targeted at companies, government agencies and institutions in various industries like manufacturing, retail, hospitality, healthcare and automotive.
AT&T has already started investing in cloud-based and emerging services. So far this year the carrier has embedded cloud capabilities directly into its network so the company can manage and deliver services and applications to any device. The cloud services also give customers flexibility and shared economics in their compute and storage needs, the company said.
Another key area of investment, mobility solutions and connected devices, is also already receiving the fruits of AT&T's $1 billion bet. The company said that in the first quarter of 2011 it added 1.6 million emerging devices like tablets, netbooks and laptops pushing its total number of emerging devices connected to its network to 12 million. Additionally, AT&T has seen the use of mobile applications triple since 2009.
Other major investment areas include global enterprise networking, small business services and services for the healthcare industry.
AT&T's $1 billion blockbuster comes as carriers, cable companies and traditional telecoms look to corner the cloud computing market through strategic investments and acquisitions.
Last year, Verizon said a large portion of its roughly $17 billion growth investment would be flagged for cloud computing endeavors as the company spends to build, operate and integrate its networking and computing platforms. And earlier this year, Verizon bought cloud computing provider Terremark for a whopping $1.4 billion.
In the weeks that followed Verizon (NYSE:VZ)'s Terremark acquisition, Time Warner Cable said it would purchase cloud hosting provider NaviSite for $220 million.
Then, in April, CenturyLink Inc. revealed plans to acquire cloud provider and hosting operator Savvis Inc. for a $2.5 billion cash and stock purse. As part of the deal, CenturyLink also agreed assume or refinance Savvis' $700 million in debt, pushing the total deal to $3.2 billion.
AT&T is also no stranger to big time investment. While it is putting $1 billion toward cloud and mobility efforts, AT&T also revealed plans to acquire wireless rival T-Mobile for a whopping $39 billion.
May 26, 2011
5 questions to ask before buying Microsoft licenses
Also, you don't have to make the upgrade during the three years of your Software Assurance contract. "For example, if you have a Desktop Platform EA ending in 2011 you will have rights to Windows 7, Office 2010, and CALs [Client Access Licenses] for Windows Server 2008 R2 even if you don't renew it. You can upgrade at any time in the future," Forrester notes.
Corporations often take several years to consider, plan and implement a companywide software upgrade, so the ability to upgrade after SA coverage expires is important.
"Few companies upgrade every three years as Microsoft releases new versions, but an EA removes one obstacle: the challenge of securing budget to buy a complete set of new licenses," Forrester notes.
3. How does your company budget for and fund IT investment?
The process of securing approval for a major software upgrade can vary depending on whether a company handles all technology budgeting centrally, or spreads the decision-making process across many autonomous business units.
"Financially empowered group sourcing executives" can make decisions without worrying about politics, but companies without a centralized purchasing system may struggle to bring disparate business units to agreement on budgeting.
"One public sector procurement director told Forrester, "'I'll never be able to persuade the departments to put SA back in their budgets if I ever let them take it out,'" the analyst report states.
4. How much are favorable licensing rules worth to you?
Microsoft periodically adds benefits to Software Assurance (or, restricts benefits to Software Assurance, you might say) to convince customers to upgrade.
The questions is, are you willing to pay a premium for what Microsoft offers? Besides upgrade rights, Software Assurance provides access to Windows 7 Enterprise edition, the right to extend licenses to virtual desktops and application streaming instances, and enhanced ability to deploy a standard desktop image across a company's user base.
Unfortunately, the rules regarding virtual desktop licensing are unclear, so customers need to do some legwork to get the right information, Forrester says.
While an Enterprise Agreement might "be the cheapest way to support large VDI or streamed environments, ... there is a major potential gotcha, which is that employee-owned devices that employees use regularly for business purposes might count as qualifying desktops," Forrester writes. "Microsoft might insist that you include, for example, the home PC of someone who frequently uses it to work from home. Unfortunately some Forrester clients have received erroneous advice on this point from Microsoft reps and LARs [large account resellers], so you need to be careful."
One possible solution: Don't buy the Enterprise Agreement, and get Software Assurance only for PCs whose primary users need access to virtual desktops.
5. Do other Software Assurance benefits sway a close decision?
If your decision is still unclear after weighing the previous four questions, there may be some less well-known Software Assurance services that might make the extra cost worth it.
Corporations often take several years to consider, plan and implement a companywide software upgrade, so the ability to upgrade after SA coverage expires is important.
"Few companies upgrade every three years as Microsoft releases new versions, but an EA removes one obstacle: the challenge of securing budget to buy a complete set of new licenses," Forrester notes.
3. How does your company budget for and fund IT investment?
The process of securing approval for a major software upgrade can vary depending on whether a company handles all technology budgeting centrally, or spreads the decision-making process across many autonomous business units.
"Financially empowered group sourcing executives" can make decisions without worrying about politics, but companies without a centralized purchasing system may struggle to bring disparate business units to agreement on budgeting.
"One public sector procurement director told Forrester, "'I'll never be able to persuade the departments to put SA back in their budgets if I ever let them take it out,'" the analyst report states.
4. How much are favorable licensing rules worth to you?
Microsoft periodically adds benefits to Software Assurance (or, restricts benefits to Software Assurance, you might say) to convince customers to upgrade.
The questions is, are you willing to pay a premium for what Microsoft offers? Besides upgrade rights, Software Assurance provides access to Windows 7 Enterprise edition, the right to extend licenses to virtual desktops and application streaming instances, and enhanced ability to deploy a standard desktop image across a company's user base.
Unfortunately, the rules regarding virtual desktop licensing are unclear, so customers need to do some legwork to get the right information, Forrester says.
While an Enterprise Agreement might "be the cheapest way to support large VDI or streamed environments, ... there is a major potential gotcha, which is that employee-owned devices that employees use regularly for business purposes might count as qualifying desktops," Forrester writes. "Microsoft might insist that you include, for example, the home PC of someone who frequently uses it to work from home. Unfortunately some Forrester clients have received erroneous advice on this point from Microsoft reps and LARs [large account resellers], so you need to be careful."
One possible solution: Don't buy the Enterprise Agreement, and get Software Assurance only for PCs whose primary users need access to virtual desktops.
5. Do other Software Assurance benefits sway a close decision?
If your decision is still unclear after weighing the previous four questions, there may be some less well-known Software Assurance services that might make the extra cost worth it.
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