The Chief Digital Officer

Felix sat back and congratulated himself on a job well done. He had been under pressure from activist investors telling him that he wasnot doing enough in digital, so poaching Clarissa from a silicon valley-based tech giant was a real coup. She was a star performer Stanford educated and a host of experiences working for tech start-ups, the last of which was acquired by Digital Megavendor inc. Felex knew he had to be seen as placing a bet on digital, but in his heart of hearts he still struggled to see the relevance to his logistics operations, his heavy machinery and some of the clients he worked with who still saw digital as something for their teenagers. As Chief Digital Officer, Clarissa would take care of digital. She would free up valuable time for the c-suite to get on with their real jobs and her appointment may just bump up the share price.

Clarissa joined with high expectations. Felix had made some pretty impressive statements about wanting to place digital at the heart of the company and transform the company by learning from the very best of the digital leaders. She was impressed with his drive and with the fact that whilst he clearly didnot really understand digital, he wanted to hire a change agent to lead the company through this period of disruption.

A few months into her role, it dawned on Clarissa that her role was simply not set up for success. A host of powerful middle managers and even the CIO just didnot seem to get it. They were so entrenched in their day jobs and fighting fires that she was never given the face time or the support that she needed. The budget and headcount that Felex had promised her had also failed to materialise, following disappointing quarterly results and a new drive to cut costs and maintain margin. In short she had a weak mandate and no real resources to get things done.

Clarissa is story is certainly not indicative of every Chief Digital Officers role. Some CDOs are empowered change agents, revitalising and re-imagining the companies that they work for and where that is the case I am fully supportive of the role. But the danger I see in the rush towards creating a Chief Digital officer role is that in some organisations the role is either a parking lot to park all of the challenges that no one else wants to deal with, or a vanity title with little ability to drive real change.

The impact of digital to an organisation is top to bottom  from strategy to customer engagement, operations, risk and tax. Digital should therefore be everyones job. If the role of the CDO is to incubate and infuse digital thinking and new ways of working across the company then the mark of success should be when the role is no longer needed.

The blessing of the latest technology

  A world wide web for robots? It sounds like a crazy idea but it could mean that once a task is learned any robot can find out how to do it just by asking RoboEarth.

Robots Get Their Very Own Internet

Guess who's getting their own internet? Robots! Robots are getting their own, robot-only internet, thanks to scientists who, according to the BBC, "hope it will allow robots to come into service... armed with a growing library of knowledge about their human masters." Why, hmm, yes, "armed," indeed.

"RoboEarth," as the project has been dubbed,

will be a communication system and a database, [researcher Dr. Markus Waibel] said. In the database will be maps of places that robots work, descriptions of objects they encounter and instructions for how to complete distinct actions.

European scientists have embarked on a project to let robots share and store what they discover about the world.Called RoboEarth it will be a place that robots can upload data to when they master a task, and ask for help in carrying out new ones.

RoboEarth is an Internet facility intended to make "life" easy for robots. You can think of it as the web for robots. Just as you look up something you want to know about on the web, a robot can do the same using RoboEarth, but in addition it will routinely upload data about what it is doing and where it is.

Researchers behind it hope it will allow robots to come into service more quickly, armed with a growing library of knowledge about their human masters.

If you are a fan of the Terminator movies or TV series you might well be thinking "SkyNet" and worrying about robots getting smart and taking over. This might be a worry for the future but at the moment RoboEarth is just a knowledge base and it doesn't have any central intelligence, artificial or otherwise.
RoboEarth will include everything needed to close the loop from robot to RoboEarth to robot. The RoboEarth World-Wide-Web style database will be implemented on a Server with Internet and Intranet functionality..

Logitech releases Keyboard Case for iPad 2 with Zagg

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech�s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). The Logitech Keyboard Case for the iPad 2 does exactly what it promises, offering a highly portable Bluetooth keyboard for use with an iPad; however, it's a better keyboard than it is a case. The Keyboard Case for iPad 2 will be available sometime in April

 The Logitech Keyboard Case is made of precision-cut aircraft-grade aluminum and features military-grade, high-density padding. The protective case wraps around the iPad 2 to cover the screen and sides. So you can go from Face Time� to e-mail in no time, the Logitech Keyboard Case offers a flexible, folding hinge, which makes it easy to place your iPad 2 in either portrait or landscape mode. And for your convenience, the Logitech Keyboard Case uses Bluetooth� connectivity to pair the included wireless keyboard quickly and easily and the keyboard charges over USB, so you never need to worry about replacing batteries.

  Just lik ClamCase, Logitech now also brings a keyboard case for Apple�s tablet. However,  the latter works with iPad 2. This might be a new name for iPad 2 keyboard cases in the market but Logitech Keyboard case for iPad 2 is actually ZAGGmate for iPad 2 which is provided by Logitech too.

• Precision-cut aircraft-grade aluminum.
• Military-grade high density padding.
• Supports both portrait and landscape made.
• QWERTY keyboard.
• Connects with iPad 2 via bluetooth.
• Charges over USB.

 Logitech has recently introduced its new Keyboard Case that specially designed for Apple iPad 2. It comes with smart and sleek design that provides type-and-go convenience and style to use the iPad 2 at any time, any place.
 

The Logitech Keyboard Case utilizes the Bluetooth technology for quick connecting between the wireless keyboard and the iPad 2. Users can charge the keyboard over the USB cable, so they never worry about replacing the batteries. The Keyboard Cases is flexible enough to cover the iPad 2's screen and allows to folding hinge, so users can make it easy to place their iPad 2 in portrait or landscape mode. Also the Keyboard Case is crafted from precision-cut, aircraft-grade aluminum, and inside edges are lined with high-density padding to protect the iPad 2 from scratch or drop.The Logitech Keyboard Case will be available in April 2011 for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

 

Logitech has collaborated with ZAGG to launch the new iPad 2 Keyboard Case. It is actually the re-branded and re-designed version of ZAGG�s ZAGGmate. The device doubles as a protective case for transport, but quickly converts to hold the iPad 2 either horizontally or vertically. Weighing 12.8 ounces, the iPad 2 Keyboard Case also incorporates a 510mAh battery, which is good for �several weeks� of normal use without charging. Each purchase comes equipped with a Quickstart guide, four optional rubber feet and a micoUSB cable for charging. The Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by ZAGG will be available in April for $100 a pop.

Still some people think that the biggest fault in an iPad is its �virtual keyboard�. While many iPad users do not find it difficult to use, but still a large number of people just prefer to press the real buttons when they type. Logitech has come up with a solution.

Logitech has come with a new case for the iPad 2. Logitech incorporates Bluetooth keyboard into the case itself. Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad have been around for a while now, but lugging one around in addition to your iPad and iPad case seems like a bit of a hassle. For those who prefer to type on real, three dimensional buttons, the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 ($100) combines the keyboard and case into one sleek aluminum attachment. The case won�t do much to protect the back of your iPad, but the soft padding inside will keep your screen protected and scratch-free.The Keyboard Case for iPad 2 will be available sometime in April.

 A new iPad keyboard case has been unveiled by Logitech made in collaboration with ZAGG. The smart, sleek, convenient and stylish keyboard is specifically designed for the iPad 2. The new keyboard case called the ZAGGmate is made of aircraft grade aluminum and has military grade and high-density padding. It also has a protective case that covers the screen as well as the sides. The device also offers a flexible, folding hinge, which makes it easy to place your iPad 2 in either landscape or portrait mode.
For the convenience of users, the Logitech Keyboard Case uses Bluetooth connectivity to pair the included wireless keyboard quickly and easily and the keyboard charges over USB, so replacing batteries would not be a concern any more. The case is priced at $99.99 and will be available in the United States from April 2011.

If your iPad stops responding to keyboard key presses in apps like Notes and Safari, you can use the steps below to try to resolve the issue. Test the keyboard between each step to see if functionality is restored.

Power your keyboard off, and then back on, using the power switch at the top left of the keyboard  Charge the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad completely. Restart your iPad 2 by pressing and holding the Home and Lock buttons together until the screen goes blank. Then, wait for the iPad 2 to reboot.

Logitech is going to gladden all the Apple iPad 2 with its multi functional keyboard case. It is not just an attractive case for your iPad but with a keyboard placed inside. This new case does not only protect but also carries a stand along with a keyboard. This Logitech Zaggmate Keyboard Case does look like it is made of aluminum and lets you stand up the iPad 2 in two different modes: portrait and landscape. This Keyboard Case can be recharged via USB and can be connected to iPad via Bluetooth

 One more positive feature of the Keyboard Case is its thickness, reaching just .54 inches. Thus, it will not make your iPad 2 heavier or expand it in sizes. This rather useful device is a result of cooperation of two companies: Logitech and Zagg. Logitech takes the responsibility for marketing, production and distribution of the case, and Zagg, in its turn, produces a similar case (with or without the keyboard). Zagg is rather popular with its production of screen protectors for numerous gadgets. The price for its great device is $100 and we can state that at present it is the only device that carries out three functions at one time: case stand, and keyboard.