Clinton Health Matters Initiative Expands Telemedicine with Verizon's Help

by Holly Shoemaker

Former President Bill Clinton announced this week, the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, a partnership with General Electric (GE), Tenet Healthcare and Verizon Communications to promote healthy lifestyles and medical assistance to undeserved areas in the United States.

The Clinton Health Matters Initiative is designed to address “global health crises and the childhood obesity epidemic,” according to Clinton. It works by putting systems into place to support medical professionals and those in need of healthcare outreach.

Verizon provides the technology component. The company will support wireless networks and other technologies for patients. In particular, the company supports a technology that allows patients to take their vital signs at home and send them to their physicians. Doctors will also have the ability to assist patients with chronic diseases. Verizon has a system in place to notify doctors when patients suffering from a chronic disease need medical help. Rural areas will also receive needed connectivity to bring specialist expertise to them.

The foundation will start its work in California’s Coachella Valley and target forgotten desert communications and in greater Little Rock, Ark, which comes as no surprise. From there, the project will expand.

Concluding Thoughts 

The initiative is an extension of telemedicine. Without telemedicine, we would not be discussing how medical mobile apps, smartphones and tablets work together to change healthcare. These tools, along with video conferencing, allow underprivileged people and those without insurance access to specialists they would not have. The Clinton Health Matters Initiative supports the expansion of telemedicine and shows developers ways to keep expanding the field.

Consumer Reports Electronics Issue: Barnes & Noble Praise; Updated Tablet Rankings

by Holly Shoemaker

Consumer Reports Annual Electronics Issue has hit the stands. In this part one of two blogs, I have recapped the latest trends and rankings for tablets, with smartphones to follow. These are new ratings when compared to Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012.

Tablet Buying Guidelines

• Trends – The non-profit agency says to keep looking for better screen displays at lower prices. Besides mentioning the obvious choices of the Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus, Barnes & Noble’s nine-inch Nook HD+ at $270 is described as "an even bigger game changer." The model features a retina display close to Apple's and a lower price point. At the time of print, the model was unavailable for testing.
• Still an App Gap – Apple retains its praise for its selection, quality and innovation of apps over Android. Magazines also get a special mention as many have their own apps for iPad. Barnes & Noble's appears to want to gain ground on Apple. The Nook HD+ has a more-square design, specifically designed to make magazine reading easier. Barnes & Noble also features the 100 best-selling magazines.
• Laptop-Like Tablets – While the Microsoft Surface debuted too late for testing, many tablets feature more laptop features, like Samsung’s Series 5 and Series 7 Slate models.

Tablet Rankings

In the seven-inch range, Samsung still reigns. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 ranks first with a score of 82, followed by the Pantech Element at 77. In the WiFi only category, the Toshiba Excite comes in first with a score of 80, followed by Google Nexus at 77 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 16 GB at 77.

With little surprise, Apple remains at the top in the nine- to 12-inch category. In the WiFi plus category, the iPad scores an 85, followed by the iPad 2 at 81. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 ranks second with 83, after the iPad with the same score. Asus has many models that also make the list.

Developers: Small Business Owners Need Mobile Solutions Too

by Holly Shoemaker

A recent survey commissioned by Bank of the West, a financial services holding company, and conducted by Harris Interactive provides some insight into developing apps and mobile solutions for small businesses. 

Overview of Findings

From the period of July 30, 2012 to August 29, 2012, Harris polled 504 owners of small businesses. The poll defined these businesses as having two or more employees with annual revenues of less than $10 million.

The survey showed that small businesses rely more on traditional technologies like email, instant message and texting, followed by calendars and scheduling and then GPS.

When it comes to using more advanced mobile technologies, the survey shows some positive trends:

• Nine out of 10 small business owners use mobile technology on smartphones, tablets and other devices.
• Eighty-three percent of respondents said individuals/entrepreneurs and small business could benefit the most from mobile technologies.

News for Developers

While 56 percent of the respondents said that security concerns prevented them from implementing more mobile technology, relevance outranks that factor. In the poll, three out of five, or 58 percent of respondents said that mobile technologies lacked relevance for their businesses.

These results show a gap in the market that app developers could use to their advantage as 68 percent of respondents said that mobile technology could increase efficiency and grow business. Respondents would like to see solutions that target more effective customer processes like payment and expense reporting.

Researcher Claims Threat to Android Memory Cards

 by Holly Shoemaker

Apple’s app mess continues to garner attention, but security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar last week warned users about potential Android threats, noting that he informed Google of security vulnerabilities in June. He claims those using Android’s operating system risk disabling or wiping clean data such as contacts. In particular, those who open website links on a mobile app with malicious code could trigger an attack destroying memory cards in handsets made by Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson and Motorola.

The researcher also calls out the Galaxy S III. Samsung acknowledged that an issue affected early models of its flagship device, but said a software update issued in June fixed the problem. Despite that, Borgaonkar claims the fix was not publicized enough.

Outstanding Problems?

Borgaonkar claims that those using Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean remain vulnerable to attacks, and that Honeycomb, used for tablets, still needs testing to determine risk. Samsung said it will conduct an internal review to assess the threat level to other devices and encourages users to check for software updates to lessen threats by going to the “Settings: About device: Software update” menu.

Real Concern?

Security threats must contain some type of vulnerability. At this time, the risk level remains uncertain. Those who want to obtain data look for some way to profit from it. While Android by default opens its apps to more risk, always assess the potential for vulnerability before panicking.

Amazon Stays True to Profit Model; Peculiar Showcase Tablet Prior to FCC Approval

by Holly Shoemaker

As expected, Amazon announced its new Kindle lineup on Thursday. The standout item, designed to compete with Apple's iPads, but at a lower price point, is the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless for $499. Amazon expects the item to ship on November 20, 2012. However, there is one issue with the device – it has yet to receive Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval.

Potential Roadblock?

I received the email from Amazon shortly after the company’s announcement on Thursday. The email said the following, “The 4G device has not been authorized as required by the FCC. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.”

The FCC must approve tablets and other devices before companies start selling them. The FCC checks to ensure electronics do not interfere with signals and that they adhere to safety standards. Amazon expects to receive approval by the November 20, 2012 shipping date, but its move to announce a non-approved tablet seems unusual. At the same time, the company clearly has faith in its direction and expects to receive the required approval in time.

My Additional Findings

Amazon has once again updated its “Compare Kindles” section and the Kindle Fire HD is now available for $199 with16 GB of storage, and the tablet will start shipping on September 14, 2012. The Kindle Fire has a list price of $159, which will also ship on September 14, 2012.

e-Readers Not Forgotten

Amazon also introduced the Kindle Paperwhite, showing consumers the company still believes in its e-readers. E-readers still provide a good choice for those mainly interested in online books.

Concluding Thoughts

Amazon designed the Kindle brand for expansion. Its ability to offer different price points depending on a user’s needs and budget should appeal to a larger consumer base. While that in itself differentiates Amazon from Apple, Amazon has remained true to its profit model. While Apple makes more money off its devices, Amazon remains focused on content and accessories, showing that it understands the company’s revenue stream. Owning a device is only the start – customers need to build libraries, stream video and download apps, to name a few, to truly get the most out of owning a tablet.