During the past few year’s MacWorld Expo shows I’ve spent very little time at the typically huge Apple pavilion because the really interesting and exciting stuff is spread all over the rest of the convention floor.

At the show earlier this year I encountered a host of interesting products and emerging technologies that are taking full advantage of either Mac OS X or the Mac hardware or both. The number of products out there for iPods and iPhones is stagering in it’s breadth and depth and quality. At almost every MacWorld Expo I stumble onto some software that I had heard about but never investigated but after using it hands on I buy it before I leave the show floor. Although I rarely ever buy a new computer at the Expo I was very tempted at the show earlier this year.

I might miss Mr. Jobs giving the keynote a little–maybe more than a little–as it is a little bit like getting to see your favorite actor give a talk about his favorite pet project. Could you imagine Charlton Heston coming out to present the MacBook Air? That would be wild but I don’t know if it would help Apple sell more Macs which, like any well managed company, is why they are in business.

Fujitsu 4120/5120 Scanners with ScanTango software. The scanners are very reliable and we run 100-300 pages through them each day 5 days a week (they are rated for 1K pages/day). The ScanTango software allows you to create scanning defaults so that users can just click a shortcut on the their Desktop, Dock or wherever that executes a specific type of scan (i.e. single sided, grayscale, 200dpi, save to network share). It also allows scripts to call up these same readymade workflows. What makes ScanTango work so well with FM Pro is that it is scriptable using Applescript. Patch Cards are what really make any attempt at document scanning and management automation possible. In our case documents are stored on a network share and linked to FM Pro records. The scanning process breaks down to the following:

1. From FM Pro click a button that says “scan for this client”, the button runs a script that manages the following (this is actually a mix of Filemaker scripting and applescripting).
2. The user is asked what type of scan they have (double-sided, single-sided, B&W, color, etc.)
3. Based on the user input one of the readymade scanning workflows is selected
4. As each document is scanned the user is asked to name the files before they are saved*
5. The script in FM Pro has already inserted a variable into the ScanTango workflow that has told it where to save the documents*

The solution we have implemented requires knowledge of Filemaker scripting and Applescript to create if you are in an all Mac environment. I think this could be replicated in a Windows environment using the software supplied with the Fujitsu scanner. In the Mac environment you’ll need to pick a scanner model based on what is supported by ScanTango. From the user’s point-of-view this is all magic. FYI The ScanTango team has always been quick to respond to my questions or problems. Disclosure: I used to work for Fujitsu so I am little biased towards their scanners although my real-world experience has backed up this bias.

In the near-future we plan on moving all of our documents to an intranet/extranet wiki so that clients can access their documents using an extranet interface (or I may ditch this idea and create an all Filemaker solution). This will require re-thinking the whole scanning workflow but it won’t require purchasing any new hardware or software. My limited testing so far indicates that things will be simplified on the Filemaker side by doing this and a little more complicated on the applescript side. Actually I’m not sure I will need the applescript component in this new environment as ScanTango can handle all the variables using pre-printed patch cards.

Additionally to add to our capability I am integrating our office copier/scanners so that they to can scan directly to the network share (or future wiki). We have several Konica-Minolta BizHub units which are good for scanning 50+ page documents as well as odd-sized documents and currently they scan to email. This means the user has to manually name the file and select it’s destination. By adding on some eCopy units to each BizHub they will be able to automatically save files to the appropriate network location and the user will only have make a few selections from the eCopy interface as well and enter some meta data (key words or tags).

* as things stand now the user still ends up selecting a sub-folder where the documents are actually saved. Using the patch cards correctly will allow us to bypass this step as well as automatically naming the documents (but this is not fully implemented yet in our environment).

I picked up my iPhone the first day they were sold. In fact I was number five in line at the downtown Portland Apple Store. My iPhone was purchased for me by the firm I support as a business tool. I also purchased phones for the two senior partners and my Support Specialist so that at this point the firm has 8 users with iPhones in addition to Blackberrys, RAZRs, and basic Nokia phones. The bottom line is that I deal first hand with many of these phones plus their problems as well as issues with the providers (T-mobile and AT&T).

Reliability

My iPhone has been absolutely reliable for 8 months. My previous smart phone was actually 3 different phones during the course of 13 months. I used a Palm Treo 650 for 3 months then it died. It was replaced with another brand new unit which worked fine for another 6 months until I dropped it. So I got another replacement which worked for about 2 months then it died. At this point I charged up the previous Treo, the one that was dropped and for whatever reason it was now working again. It looked like it was falling apart but it worked fine for the next few months until I purchased the iPhone. My iPhone has now been dropped 3 times, twice on asphalt and once on carpet. It has the dents and scratches to prove it. Each time a simple restart restored the iPhone to working condition. Because the iPhones case is a mix of metal, glass, and plastic I feel this is why it survived these drops while the all plastic Treo would crack and break apart.

Features:

The firm is heavily dependent on Email and viewing PDFs both of which the iPhone works well with.

Note that the Treo’s built-in Email program worked OK but not very well so I purchased ChatterEmail which worked really well. If you have a Palm Smartphone and rely on Email then spend the money to get ChatterEmail. The iPhone’s email capabilities worked perfectly right out of the box. I get three IMAP accounts on my iPhone and they all sync up well with both over wi-fi or the AT&T Edge network. My only complaint is that so far the iPhone only allows Email to be sent from a single account, I really need to be able to choose an account when sending.

Because the iPhone is such a media and graphics centric smartphone viewing PDFs on the device is fantastic. Well, as fantastic as it can get on a small screen device when compared to a computer with a nice display. Viewing PDFs on the Treo simply sucked. Moving around the document was a tricky combination of moving around with the stylus and tapping on various buttons. On the iPhone of course I use gestures directly on the display without the need for on screen buttons which in any case would take up valuable on-screen real estate.

Apple also included viewers for Microsoft Word and Excel documents so you can review those too. This is where there is a significant advantage for a Windows Mobile smartphone is that it can edit these documents and not just view them.

Productivity:

How does the iPhone help me in my role as a Systems Administrator? I installed a Filemaker server plug-in that allows me to administer the firm’s Filemaker server just as I do from my other computers. I can connect to the Help Desk ticketing system which is completely web based and review as well as act on tickets.

What I Don’t Like About the iPhone:

The wi-fi security capabilities were limited so I actually had to lower the enterprise class security I had set up to allow the iPhones to connect. The VPN seems to work but it doesn’t work as well as the one on the Treo or a Blackberry. It seems to disconnect at random intervals or not connect when it should be able to. Maintaining a reliable backup of my iPhone has been a chore as Apple did not execute this well. Backups are created and restored through iTunes but they are totally hidden. They also don’t include everything on the iPhone which makes them nearly useless. This has become a job for third-party software but Apple needs to address this issue.

Final Thoughts:

The Treo never impressed me as a phone or an internet device but it did work really well when used to manage my schedule, notes, and email (although not with the default software as I used ChatterEmail). Using the small physical or onscreen buttons of the Palm was always frustrating. It never got any easier. I can remember when I used to write directly on the Palm screen and that worked really well. Trying to type using those ridiculously small keys always drove me mad.

I have been thinking about what I would have liked to do and thought my ideas would be both helpful and useful to anyone confronted with a typical non-profit start up dilema: no bucks, no computers, no internet, no technology to communicate with those they wish to serve and those who may want to donate.

So how do you get useful computer technologies into the hands of a freshly started non-profit that may not have significant financial resources available?

To do it right from the start I recommend:

• That you get some donated computers that include a “current” operating system
• Set up a Google Docs account for the staff and volunteers to share
• Include one extra computer to act as a network file server and backup system
• Dig up printers, fax machines, and copiers as necessary

My firm had recently upgraded many of its old computers to newer models so there were several 4-5 year old computers available. All of these computers could run the latest operating system and applications from Apple and third parties. This meant that the non-profit could run any applications that they might need to. Here is a short list of some of the most useful and necessary apps I set them up with:

• Google Docs
• Intuit Quickbooks for Mac
• Filemaker Pro and Filemaker Server with Filemaker Donations
• Open Office for Mac Suite
• Adobe Contribute (for their web site editing)
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Apple Mac OS X (Mail, iCal, Safari, iChat, Text Edit, Address Book and more)
• Omniplan for Project Planning and Management (used for events and long-term fund raising plans)

If you are willing to send a few emails and make a few phone calls you should be able to purchase most of the software at discounts of up to 50% if your non-profit has the appropriate IRS tax status. By using Macs and Mac OS X the non-profit saved the daily hassle and frustration of having to defend against the thousands of computer viruses, trojans, spyware and adware that is out there. Also the Mac OS included applications such as Mail and the Address Book that initially were able to handle the large mailing lists and such the non-profit quickly developed. I later recommended that they switch to an affordable online service for their mailing lists in order to have a better feedback loop with their supporters.

A simple Mac mini with Mac OS X Server and Filemaker Server installed serves up their databases as well as a critical network share. The inexpensive Mac mini combined with an external hard drive is a very affordable and reliable server.

Several of the ISPs providing service at their headquarters location (on an unused floor in the same building as the firm) offered a discounted rate for a non-profit. I have checked around and this is somewhat common in most areas.

Although all the computers used at the non-profit were donated by the firm it wouldn’t have been a problem to reach out to the local community to find other sources for computers. Again it is a matter of having a knowledgeable person who has the time and energy to devote to picking up computers from individuals, businesses and schools.

Before I forget to mention it, what did I do about a web site?

The firm hosts several domains with a hosting provider that offers unlimited domains for a low monthly price. That meant in this case I simply added their domain to our hosting plan and set up an account for them that had administrator access to their domain and email hosting. The senior partner of the firm negotiated a deal with a interactive agency to provide web site design and development at no cost to the non-profit. This is actually version 2.0 of the web site as the initial site was set up by a designer who donated her time as well. Again some legwork, both real and virtual, and good design and services can be found. It is all about being open to opportunities and creative in your approach.

If you are an IT Guy or Gal tasked with setting up a non-profit I feel this process won’t be as hard as you may have first thought. You will be able to get all the gear together in a timely manner at an affordable cost to your non-profit.

And what of the non-profit that was set up by my firm? They have had several successful seminars with notable presenters. The Filemaker Donations solution has helped them track their donors as well as the campaigns conducted to raise funds, the old computers have–mostly–operated flawlessly for the past 2-years, their staff has increased a little bit and they are planning future events and seminars to get their message out.

In the opening day MacIT Administrator session we learned is that starting in 2009 two new ships of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line will be outfitted with 2905 Apple Mac minis and 2200 Apple TVs. Um, yes that is not a typo. The Mac mini and Apple TVs will be used to drive HDTV displays used throughout the new ships to provide helpful information as well as entertainment. This set up also includes 50 Mac Xserves on the back end serving up all the content. The tech guy from Royal Caribbean says going this route over using a Windows based system is saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars (mostly in licensing fees paid to Microsoft). If you want to know more about this just head over to TUAW.

Need to take a nap? Need to take a high tech nap?

Each Pod has a Mac mini inside that plays ambient music, colored lights that glow across the dome as you nap, and it even controls the temperature of the bed.

This guy drew the picture on the display seen in the photo in about 20 seconds. It is a very good sketch of the guy speaking a few feet away. He drew it directly on the screen on this highly modified (“modded”) MacBook. These modded MacBooks are from Axiotron.

I decided that actually the new MacBook Air is thinner than my iPhone.

I’m going to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for all these gadgets.