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Ben
Dr James Beatty currently serves as chair of the Physics Department of The Ohio State University. At the same time he is pursuing his research looking for the smallest particles in the universe. Understanding how these particles work could be key to further understanding of the relationships of all the components of the energies and particles we know as our universe.
His work focuses on projects in two very remote regions of the world. The Pierre Auger Observatory is based in Western Argentina. It uses widely scattered cosmic ray detectors that send data to OSU for processing and analysis before being forwarded to other project partners. The ANITA Project is based in Antarctica, and depends on the unique characteristics of the vast ice fields to provide a background making the particles – and their tracks – detectable.
This video explores Dr Beatty’s interests in these projects and discusses some of the challenges of managing such huge projects with many players from many institutions and countries. A unique insight into “big science.”
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council's "Small Business Survival Index 2009" ranks Ohio No. 11 in the nation for small business climate and public policy
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio has once again risen above all other Midwest states, this time taking the top spot for its small business climate and entrepreneurship. According to The Small Business & Entrepreneurship (SBE) Council's "Small Business Survival Index 2009," Ohio ranks best in the Midwest and No. 11 nationally for its public policy climate for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
According to the Ohio Business Development Coalition, the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment, the recent ranking is further proof that Ohio's purposeful redesign of its business climate is making the state an ideal location for businesses to compete in a 21st century global economy.
"Businesses of all sizes continue to discover the benefits of investing in Ohio. And small businesses in particular are increasingly important to the State of Ohio, helping create jobs for Ohioans, enhance our local communities and foster innovation in business," said Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel.
According to the SBE, the "Small Business Survival Index" is the "most comprehensive measure of which states are truly friendly to businesses and entrepreneurs, and which are not in terms of public policy decisions." The factors included in the Index are taxes, various regulatory costs, government spending, property rights, health care and energy costs, and more.
With its comprehensive tax reform, Ohio's corporate state taxes are on track to be the lowest in the Midwest for companies making new capital investments. Projections show that as of 2010 Ohio businesses will have seen a real world impact of up to a 63 percent reduction in tax burdens.
Ohio's geographic location also contributes to its successful business climate. Ohio is recognized nationally and worldwide as a business location with unbeatable access to Midwestern, Central Canadian and Mid-Atlantic markets, and with its sophisticated transportation infrastructure represents a strong global platform to route goods and services to anywhere in the world. Ohio is within 600 miles of 60 percent of the U.S. population and 50 percent of the Canadian population.
"Ohio's recognition and continued improvement are evidence that our economic development strategies for creating a healthy business climate are working and further prove that Ohio should be on every CEO's list of location options," said Ed Burghard, executive director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition. "Executives are realizing, in Ohio, they can find the perfect balance to successfully growing a business without sacrificing their life. Business owners profit from the bottom-line benefits of better work-life balance for their employees. Ohio's low-cost, low-stress communities and combination of micropolitan and metropolitan cities provides executives and employees the resources and time to make any ambition achievable. Ohio truly is the state of perfect balance."
Other Midwest state rankings include: Indiana (15), Kentucky (22), Michigan (23), Illinois (24), Wisconsin (30) and Minnesota (43). The complete report can be viewed at http://sbecouncil.org/survivalindex2009/.
About the Ohio Business Development Coalition
The Ohio Business Development Coalition is a nonprofit organization that provides marketing strategy and implementation to support Ohio's economic development efforts. For more information, visit www.ohiomeansbusiness.com.
Friday morning, a banner was lifted into place at the Ohio One building in downtown Youngstown, facing Front Street. The banner came about from some discussions immediately following the appearance of the Entrepreneur Magazine article featuring Youngstown as a top ten city to start a business.
Eric Planey at the Regional Chamber took the lead and began looking for sponsors to absorb the costs of printing and mounting the giant banner. It should come as no surprise that Mike Garvey of M7 Technologies stepped up to support the effort. Mike is a real supporter of the community, frequently without asking for credit. I’m glad to see M7’s name there in recognition of the Garveys’ frequent contributions.
With the support of Rich Mills, his Ohio One Corporation, the YBI, and the Regional Chamber, we are now one step further in driving home the message that the Entrepreneur Magazine article made about the spirit of Youngstown’s business and technology communities.
There’s a can-do spirit and access to resources for getting going with a start-up that are hard to match. Other communities are calling Youngstown to find out how to recreate the stupendous success of its business incubator. (Thanks to the Regional Chamber for the photos in this post.)
Millions of federal stimulus dollars are headed to Ohio through a round of funding announced Wednesday aimed at green job-training programs.
The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled details of nearly $100 million in grants through the Energy Training Partnership Grant program. The funding, which will be spread out nationally, is a piece of $500 million set aside through the federal stimulus legislation to train workers for jobs in the green sector.
Of the 25 grants announced Wednesday, two are headed to projects exclusively in Ohio, while the state is receiving a piece of three other multi-state grants. The largest grant headed solely to the state is $4.8 million for the Ohio Electrical Labor Management Cooperative Committee. The funding will help workers in dozens of counties around the state through a new training center network dubbed the Ohio Green Renewable Opportunities for Workers. The Columbus-based Central Ohio Transit Authority will take part in the so-called GROWS project through training centers in Madison and Union Counties, U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, said in a release Wednesday.
A $4 million state-specific grant is headed to the Communications Workers of America and National Education and Training Trust to help dislocated workers and veterans in several counties in northern and southwest Ohio.
Three other multi-state grants totaling nearly $14.7 million are for training efforts in Ohio, including a $5 million minority job-training grant for the International Transportation Learning Center that includes Columbus.
Click here for a detailed listing of grants awarded nationwide.
PMI Central Ohio Chapter is Celebrating its 35th Year as a Chapter
Register Now to Attend January Events !!!!!
January 2010 Central Ohio PMI Programs Theme: Managing Your Own Career Project managers MUST become the CEOs of their own careers. In a world that becomes more complex and uncertain with every passing year, it is imperative that project managers take control of their own destinies so that they can survive the unpredictable nature of an ever-changing global. 1/14/10 Evening Chapter Meeting and 1/15/10 PD Workshop Presenter Dr. Jerry Brightman is a global specialist in leadership development and career management. The informative evening presentation will underscore the importance of career planning and management for Project Managers. The one-day PD Workshop is dedicated to self-awareness as it relates to career management, especially in turbulent times. Date: 01/14/10 Topic :Becoming the CEO of Your Own Career Speaker: Jerry Brightman Location : Villa Milano Early registration for this event ends at NOON on January 11, 2010. Date: 01/15/10 Topic :Managing Your Own Career in Turbulent Times Speaker: Jerry Brightman Location : Villa Milano Early registration for this event ends at NOON on January 12, 2010.
Srinivas Koushik is Senior Vice President, Enterprise Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Srini leads the IT Strategy and Planning functions for Nationwide IT.
How PMs get involved in planning and execution of their own career…
A fundamental component of proactively managing your own career begins with understanding your role/expectations, your experiences, your opportunities for career growth and your personal development needs. Date: 01/20/10 Topic :Managing PM Careers Speaker: Srinivas Koushik Location : DeVry - Alum Creek Early registration for this event ends at NOON on January 18, 2010.
Week long intensive review session to assist the candidate in preparing for the certification exam.
Provides the required 35 contact hours of project management education required to sit for the exam.
Held at the PMI Central Chapter office Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00PM (lunch break at noon).
4th Edition of the PMBOKÒ Guide
Early registration for this event ends at Midnight on January 18, 2010.
Plan Now to Attend February Events !!!!! PMOLIG Meeting 02/02/10: Often management familiar with the waterfall approach to software development does not understand the differences in reporting and executing an agile project. They allow agile practices, but expect waterfall deadlines and progress reports. This "iterfall" approach is confusing and counterproductive to many project managers, taking the focus away from building software and putting it into what seems like irrelevant documenting. Al Cline will share a simple technique for mapping the waterfall approach to agile practices. A simple project work plan, although not typically waterfall, can be done once (even in Excel) and satisfy waterfall managers while clarifying the roles of the agile team. Reporting can be done as and when waterfall managers expect it, and yet not get in the way of agile execution speed. Date: 02/02/10 Topic : A PMO question - Waterfall or Agile Methodology?: How to use both for winning project performance Speaker: TBD Location : TBD Early registration for this event ends at NOON on February 1, 2010. February 2010 Central Ohio PMI Programs Theme: Managing Complexity – The Agile PPM Organizations are beginning to take an enterprise view of projects and treating them as investments not as expenditures. As organizations mature with respect to managing its projects, attention has turned away from individual projects towards the portfolio of projects. Successful project execution continues to be a critical success factor and the choice of investments in those projects is now an integral part of corporate strategy. 2/11/10 Evening Chapter Meeting and 2/12/10 PD Workshop Presenter Bob Wysocki has over 40 years experience as a project management consultant and trainer, information systems manager, systems and management consultant, author, training developer and provider. He has written 17 books on project management and information systems management. Date: 02/11/10 Topic :Agile PPM – A Resource Constrained Approach Speaker: Bob Wysocki Location : DeVry - Alum Creek Early registration for this event ends at NOON on February 8, 2010.
Date: 02/12/10 Topic :Managing Complexity in the Face of Uncertainty Speaker: Bob Wysocki Location : DeVry - Alum Creek Early registration for this event ends at NOON on February 9, 2010. 2/24/10 Morning Chapter Meeting Presenter Andy Burns is the President Elect of the South West Ohio Chapter of the Project Management Institute (SWOC PMI). A freelance writer contributing to Information Week, an IT Architect, Program and Project Manager, and a dedicated PMP, Mr. Burns approaches difficult topics with pathos and a wealth of experience. Mr. Burns has addressed the 2009 Global Congress in 2009 and several Chapter meetings in the past with a signature wry sense of humor, tempered by demonstrated dedication to the art and science of project management. Date: 02/24/10 Topic :Fixing the Broken WBS Speaker: Andy Burns Location : Platform Labs Early registration for this event ends at NOON on February 22, 2010. 2/27/10 Saturday PD Workshop Presenter Gary Monti has been active in project management and change management since 1979. In 1984 he established the Center for Managing Change providing management, consulting, educational, and mentoring services on an international basis. That same year he received his PMP status, being number 14. Date: 02/27/10 Topic :Decision-Making and Uncertainty: There Be Dragons! How to simultaneously address stakeholders and a no-scope environment Speaker: Gary Monti Location : Quick Solutions Early registration for this event ends at NOON on February 22, 2010.
Look Ahead at Future Events and Opportunities !!!!! 2010 Monthly Program Themes
March Theme – Getting Results
April Theme – Be the Expert
May Theme – Applied Project Management
June Theme – Achieving PM Success
July Theme - Leading The Way
August Theme – Innovation & Leadership
September Theme – Leveraging Technology for Project Success
October Theme - PM Knowledge & Skills
November - Professional Development Day
December Theme – Enthusiasm & Leadership
2010 COC PMOLIG Roundtable Meetings
February 3 – Scrumban Agile Usage in PMOs
April 7 – Portfolio Management and Prioritization
June 2 – How Do PMOs Handle Troubled Projects?
August 4 – How Do PMOs Handle Training Skills Sets?
October 10 – Selling Project Management to Others Outside of PMOs
2010 PMP Certification Boot Camps
April 5 – 9
July 12 – 16
October 4 – 8
PMP Review Seminars
Spring PMP Review Seminar – March 29 – May 31
Fall PMP Review Seminar – September 13 – November 22
Partnership with TechLife Columbus The PMI Central Ohio Chapter partners with local professional organizations to inform prospective members of the services and benefits provided by the local chapter. These partnerships provide access to additional forums to convey this message to audiences who may not be familiar with the local chapter. In addition, local chapter members, as well as prospective members, are given direct access to professional organizations giving them the opportunity to build new professional relationships. Check out the partnership opportunities via the TechLife Columbus link on our web site. Non-Chapter Events Section of PMICOC Web Site The PMI Central Ohio Chapter routinely gets requests from groups outside of our Chapter to post events that may benefit our membership. PMI Central Ohio Chapter is not affiliated with these events. They are posted to assist our members in promoting their Project Management Careers. Check out the Non-Chapter Events opportunities via the Events link on our web site. Social Networking The PMI Central Ohio Chapter has now expanding our networking presence. You can now find us on Linkedin. This is a great opportunity for Project Management professionals to network with each other. Be sure to check us out and pass this on to other Project Management Professionals you may know in the Central Ohio area. For more information about PMI Central Ohio or to register for an upcoming event visit our web site at http://www.pmicoc.org
“Facebook is one piece to the puzzle of an intergrated marketing campaign,” said Brad Kleinman, Director of Education at WorkSmart Integrated Marketing. Kleinman addressed the Columbus American Marketing Association Social Media, SIG monthly meeting, at the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, Wednesday January 6, 2010. According to Kleinman, Facebook is the “most popular site online in the world” and “the average user has around 130 friends.” Kleinman’s presentation, “Emerging Trends in Facebook for Business” (Click here for Slideshare presentation) featured compelling Facebook statistics, alongside benefits of an advertising campaign, privacy settings, and the differences between personal and business profiles. Kleinman identified organizations making use of Facebook in innovative and engaging ways. A key point for Lori Crock, Principal and Founder of Written Impact was “delivering compelling content is critical to the success of the business page.” For this business owner, Kleinman’s confirmed for her that “addressing the needs and interests of your target audience matters more than the number of fans.”
When managing your Facebook content, you should use the 80/20 rule, with 80% of your content as information that your fans may find useful, and 20% business promotion. This creates trust and helps your users see you as an expert. Clients buy from people they know and trust. Facebook can help businesses create that relationshiop. Brad Kleinman, Education Director, WorkSmart Integrated Marketing.
For the novice user, Kleinman identified features to use while developing a Facebook business profile page, including the newly added “List.” For Kleinman, this feature is a simple way to create categories of contacts. This feature--first used by Twitter--provides users with a way to make available certain status updates, profile information, images, and links to specific friend “Lists.” This feature helps business owners to “not bombard your Facebook friends with business stuff,” said Kleinman.
For the advanced user, the Director of Education discussed the range of Facebook “widgets,” adding to its successful incorporation across social media outlets. These add-ons are avenues towards creating an integrated marketing campaign, according to Kleinman. Connect and share widgets provide Facebook users with the ability to become a fan of your website or blog, identify comments left on your blog in their status update, as well as show others an event the user plans to attend. These innovative features said Kleinman, “make Facebook an essential component to any integrated marketing strategy.”
The American Marketing Association, Social Media Special Interest Group meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center. To view a listing of DEC evets click here.
Company Description: Go Big Media, LLC is the largest online website for connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with early-stage funding. We help business owners acquire the capital necessary to take their business to the next level. Our website is www.gobignetwork.com.
Job Description: We're looking for a customer support person to handle email and phone calls from our website users. We have thousands of users each day that visit our website and review our funding tools. The client support person will be responsible for answering sign-up questions via email and phone and ultimately helping to close the user on a paid account. In addition, the customer support person will handle users with paid accounts who have trouble with the site in some fashion (technical, billing, etc).
Job Requirements: Must have previous customer support experience with an online company/website. You must be willing to be on the phone most of the day helping our customers. A friendly, positive attitude is the most essential tool for being successful in this position. If you are not a naturally positive person, please don't bother to apply. Web savvy applicants are preferred.
Work Schedule/Environment: We work 8:30am to 5:30pm. Business casual dress policy.
* Location: Powell, Ohio
* Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
* Please, no phone calls about this job!
* Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
How To Apply: Email your resume to jobs@gobignetwork.com.
Most morning I try to either read or view something inspirational. Here's a great one
Jimmy Valvano's 1993 ESPY Speech. "Don't give up, don't ever give up." The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship (APTE) Summit 2010 The Ohio State University | Fisher College of Business February 5th, 2010 | 8:00am - 5:00pm
Why?Poverty exists locally and globally! Poverty means not having access to basic human needs – such as food and clean water. 16,000 children die each day due to hunger. Two-thirds of people in the world lack access to clean water. Poverty robs people of their dignity and limits their ability to improve their lives.
We can use entrepreneurship to increase access to opportunities and improve the quality of life for the poor around the world. Social entrepreneurship uses business practices and innovation to create solutions to society’s problems.
What?There are ways to solve poverty… The APTE Summit 2010 at The Ohio State University will bring together students, professionals, and community members to connect with each other and learn about market-based approaches to solving poverty. The Summit will feature local, national, and international speakers - presenting the approaches through three perspective lenses: Policy, Academic and Practitioner.
Speakers include: Ashoka, The World Bank, Acumen Fund, Bridgespan Group, leading academics, international & domestic social entrepreneurs, and more...
This event is collaboratively organized by two student organizations at The Ohio State University, the Business Builders Club and Net Impact, with key advisory support from Professor Sharon Alvarez. Free to attend and open to the public.
GoalsEducate and inspire students to change the world…
Educate students about market-based approaches to poverty alleviation
Call attendees to action to apply their new knowledge and connections to solve the challenges of poverty, locally and globally
Highlight initiatives and research at Ohio State to propel the university to become a leader in field of social entrepreneursh
SponsorsAPTE Summit 2010 made possible by: The Business of Good Foundation, The Tony Wells Foundation, Undergraduate Business Council, Ohio State Union, Fisher College of Business
But more Ohio teachers could use technology to better prepare students to succeed in school and life, a new state report finds.
“Just as literacy has the power to reduce barriers to success and advancement, technology has the ability to open new doors and opportunities by transforming the learning and teaching environment,” said Kate Harkin, executive director of eTech Ohio.
The state agency, which promotes educational technology in Ohio, announced yesterday that it has submitted a five-year plan to Gov. Ted Strickland and lawmakers to prepare students for jobs and help grow the economy.
…
ETech’s plan calls for the state to provide more training to help teachers use handheld devices, podcasts, social-networking sites and other technology. The report doesn’t provide details about how this might be done because it wants school districts and colleges to create individual programs to deal with their particular needs, Harkin said.
Click here for the eTech Ohio press release announcing the plan.
Source: Business First of Columbus - by Matt Burns
If 2009 was a rough and uncertain year for the economy, it wasn’t much better for a ColumbusChamber-led panel’s forecast.
A year ago, a panel of four local economists expected Central Ohio to begin the new decade with 3,500 fewer jobs than when it began the year before. The decline finished at more than four times that, the largest percentage drop in a generation and the biggest raw loss of jobs ever seen for the eight-county region.
“The 2009 forecast was wrong,” Bill LaFayette, the chamber’s vice president of economic analysis, said at a Wednesday panel presenting the 2010 outlook. “Vigorously, impressively, dramatically wrong.”
This year, LaFayette and economists Joseph Mandeville, George Mokrzan of Huntington National Bank and James Newton of Commerce National Bank see the region’s jobs picture taking a tiny nudge for the better. Averaged estimates from the four project growth of 0.1 percent, or 800 jobs, for the region. That makes for an estimated payroll of 925,200 at the end of 2010.
“Things really will start to look and feel better in 2010,” LaFayette said.
Specifics of the growth forecast and the outlook presented at Wednesday’s panel, however, indicate that while the prolonged recession might be over, the tug-of-war between growth and decline and the reign of uncertainty aren’t.
Newton, the self-described pessimist of the panel, said continued uncertainty in the face of a tentative upturn likely will continue to pose problems for businesses as they recover.
“There are still so many uncertainties ... it is going to be an incredibly difficult year for planning purposes,” he said, adding later that the chances of federal policy hitting the mark on driving a turnaround aren’t good. “I feel the government tends to botch these things incredibly well.”
Mokrzan, whose outlook on 2010 was the most optimistic of the group, said the big surprise of the year could be on the positive side of the ledger as an increased flow of federal stimulus dollars makes a mark.
“As the economy begins to move forward, firms are going to have to increase employment levels,” he said. That, in turn, will translate to a boost in consumer spending that’s the backbone of the economy.
Despite an overall eye toward growth this year, LaFayette said the region will have to bear a weak first six months, and the panel’s outlook on specific sectors runs the gamut. Professional and business services are expected to lead employment growth this year, but manufacturing and construction losses will shed a combined 4,000 jobs.
And while the area’s economy has fared better than the rest of the Midwest at large, it isn’t immune to its struggles, either.
TECH CORPS Ohio is recruiting technology volunteers in Cincinnati, Ohio to implement its newest program, TECHie Club. Tech-savvy volunteers will use TECHie Club lessons and activities to expose students to the fundamentals of computer programming, robotics, web development, digital media and much more. The over-arching goal of the program is to introduce students to knowledge, concepts, and skills that are necessary for success in today’s classroom and tomorrow’s workplace.
TECHie Club will be implemented during after school hours at the following Cincinnati Public Schools: Fairview-Clifton German Language School, Hartwell School, Kilgour School and Mt. Washington School. The programs kick-off in February, 2010 – and wraps up in May, 2010. To learn more about volunteering, contact Gary Prater, Cincinnati Regional Coordinator at gary@techcorpsohio.org or visit www.techcorpsohio.org.
We'd like to thank Fast Switch for their sponsorship. Their support is helping us to continue delivering this blog to you as well as invest in the infrastructure for the next gen TechLife blog.
About Fast Switch:
Fast Switch, Ltd. is one of Central Ohio’s fastest growing privately-held companies according to Columbus Business First. Fast Switch was formed in December of 1996 and currently has over 180 employees working in almost half the states in the US. Revenues for 2008 exceeded $16 million. Its client base includes 2 of the Fortune 10, 4 of the Fortune 20, 22 of the Fortune 500, and 25 of the Fortune 1,000. It has two major offices in Dublin, Ohio and Wixom, Michigan. Fast Switch expects to open new offices in Cincinnati, Chicago, Cleveland, and Minneapolis-St. Paul during 2010.
This application (Figure A and Figure B) gives immediate access to Google Analytics, allowing prompt feedback on Web site traffic. Using this app is easier and quicker than the actual Analytics Web site. For more information, visit the Inblosam, LLC Web site.
Figure A
Figure B
2: LogMeIn Ignition ($29.99 US and rated 4+)
I use LogMeIn extensively, yet I balked at getting this app because of the price. Then I thought why not use my iPhone instead of a notebook and expensive data card? All of a sudden, 30 dollars didn’t seem like much. If you aren’t convinced, LogMeIn offers a free trial of Ignition (Figure C) on its Web site.
Figure C
3: Network Utility Pro ($0.99 US and rated 4+)
This one offers a lot of capability for one dollar: Ping, TCP/IP port scan, GeoIP lookup, and Whois query. All the utilities work well, with the exception of GeoIP lookup. It never provided the correct location. For more details about Network Utility Pro, refer to Codepacity’s Web site. Figure D and Figure E show the available utilities and the results of a Whois query.
Figure D
Figure E
4: Network Ping ($3.99 US and rated 4+)
Network Ping is a series of network tests (Ping, Ping a subnet, Traceroute, and Telnet) ported to the iPhone. I prefer this app over Network Utility Pro when it comes to Pinging. It remembers past queries. For more detailed information, check out MochaSoft’s Web site. You can see the available utilities and the results of a trace route in Figure F and Figure G.
Figure F
Figure G
5: RDP Lite (Free and rated 4+)
RDP Lite is a helpful application when dealing with networks containing Windows XP Pro, Vista, or Windows 7 computers. It allows remote access of workstations, solving all sorts of logistics issues. RDP Lite is another application from MochaSoft. Figure H and Figure I show the configuration page and the log-on window.
Figure H
Figure I
6: SIO to Go (Free and rated 4+)
Cisco has a project called Security Intelligence Operations. It is a global threat-monitoring network. Zeek Interactive, along with Cisco, developed an iPhone app that delivers SIO early warning intelligence, threats, and Cisco-built solutions. The app also allows you to check the reputation of an e-mail or Web site address (Figure J). Figure K shows current security items of interest.
Figure J
Figure K
7: Snap ($1.99 US and rated 4+)
Simple Network Area Prober (SNAP) locates all active devices on the network. It displays both IP and MAC addresses, as well as services of each device found. It’s a great tool for network administrators who need to keep track of devices. 9Bit Labs is responsible for this handy app. Figure L and Figure M show an in-process scan and the results.
Figure L
Figure M
8: Speedtest Pro ($0.99 US and not rated yet)
Speedtest Pro is a simple application for evaluating the bandwidth of the iPhone’s 3G, EDGE, or Wi-Fi connection. Several bandwidth apps are available for the iPhone, but few register latency. This app was developed by Xtreme Labs. You can see a completed test and a comparative history in Figure N and Figure O.
Figure N
Figure O
9: Telnet ($1.99 US and rated 4+)
Telnet allows the iPhone to connect to standard telnet servers running Linux, BSD, Solaris, OS X, Cisco, or Windows operating systems. I consider this a must-have application. Throughput Inc developed the client and recently released several improvements. Figure P shows the setup page. Figure Q shows an actual connection.
Figure P
Figure Q
10: WifiTrak ($0.99 US and rated 4+)
WifiTrak scans for available Wi-Fi networks. The app displays a list of networks, prioritized from most usable (open and strongest signal) to least usable (secure and weakest signal). The application was developed by Bitrino, Inc. Figure R and Figure S show the ranking of available networks and specifics for the mjvn network.
Figure R
Figure S
Two more iPhone apps
Where are most device labels? On the back, of course. Instead of struggling to see the label, I reach around with my iPhone and take a picture. And being older, I find small print is getting tough to read. That’s where the iMagnify application comes in handy.
There are occasions when I wish I had a flashlight with me. While researching this article, I came across an app called Flashlight. It’s not perfect,
This application (Figure A and Figure B) gives immediate access to Google Analytics, allowing prompt feedback on Web site traffic. Using this app is easier and quicker than the actual Analytics Web site. For more information, visit the 
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