The Laszlo Letter

Bedside Portable Computer

Motion Computing has announced the availability of their Motion C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant (MCA) tablet computer. This flash demo gives a good overview of the device.

The device was created in collaboration with Intel Digital Health Group. While currently intended for hopital use, the tablet could be used for other purposes such as EDC.

It should be noted that the device is primarily a hardware solution and does not come with healthcare application software. A good example of the way the device can be adapted for bedside use is described in this field study by Intel. In this case, the tablet was integrated with the Eclipsys Sunrise Clinical Manager platform.

The unit uses the Intel Centrino processor, runs on either MS Vista or XP and includes a bar code reader, RFID reader and digital camera. It also supports wireless and bluetooth connectivity.

Forget the prints. Publish a book instead!

Once in a while I like to tell you about something that I find fun, refreshing and useful in my personal life. My Canon XTi digital camera is one of those and you have heard my views on that in the past. Now comes something with a huge WOW factor, the BLURB web site.

Imagine a piece of software that is fun to use and allows you to create a professional (really!) published book that can rival something you would normally buy at Barnes & Noble. I set out to find something like this and actually found it!

Read on...

No More Stolen/Lost Laptop, mobile, camera, etc.!

Here is a life saver I could have used a few years ago when my entire briefcase was stolen on the train from Milan to the airport. It's called Loc8tor Plus by the company of the same name.

The device has two main parts, a locating device and a locator tag. Actually, you can use any number of tags depending on the number of "things" you want to protect.

The MO is simple: Register the tags with the locating device, attach them to the item you want to protect and set the alert range.

Here is what the Loc8tor web site says:

"In Locate mode audio beeps and the on-screen directional display guide users quickly and easily to mislaid tagged items even if they are out of sight. The Alert mode enables an invisible boundary to be set around the Loc8tor – near, medium or far, and warns the moment any tagged item goes out of your preset safety zone with an audio alarm, on screen display detailing the item/s missing and a vibration Alert."

The Loc8tor Plus device has a list price of $169.99. Since this is a UK company, the price in pounds is 99.99. You can buy it direct on the Loc8tor web site.

While this price seems a bit high, what price can you put on the data and documents you stand to lose without this device. From my perspective, a device like this should be standard issue to any business person who works in untethered mode. Maybe you can put this on an expense report.

Below are some of the FAQ Q&A pairs from the Loc8tor web site.

Point-of-Care Tablet Computer

Motion Computing Inc. has announced the May 2007 availability of their C5 point-of-care tablet PC.

The computer was design in collaboration with Intel Health. Intel devised a set of specifications for this type of device and plans to make it available to other hardware manufacturers as well.

According to the Motion Computing press release, "Motion and Intel are working with leading hospitals worldwide that have enrolled in Motion’s Clinician Usability Study Program. This program uses a systematic methodology for identifying workflow requirements and usability risks and, following the introduction of point-of-care technologies, documenting clinician usability experiences and measuring C5-related process improvements. This work is being done in close collaboration with leading clinical information system partners."

Holographic Mass Storage in Life Sciences

Several years ago, I read that the use of holographs was going to revolutionize data storage. Then came silence.

In November 2005, however, Turner Entertainment revealed that they had been working on a demonstration project to show how holographic media could be used to store and retrieve all types of content from their vast media library.

The article explained the advantage of holographic storage this way: "Holographic disk storage can attain far higher density than standard magnetic disk drives, which store data only on the surface of a disk, because the holographic technology allows data to be stored throughout the polymer material that makes up a disk."

Now, fast forward to October 2006, when an article in Computer Reseller News, reported that commercial versions of holographic drives and media will become available in 2007.

The Apple iPhone SFA Solution

Let's face it. SFA has always been the perennial under-performer in our industry.

Sales Force Automation vendors have always oversold the benefits to be gained from their systems and the buyers have never come to terms with the real needs of the sales force or what can reasonably be expected from it.

Thus, we need to recognize that technology by itself will not solve these problems. Having said that, and as exemplified by the iPhone introduction by Apple, our ability to tackle them can be greatly simplified by such newer technologies.

Note: Photo is the copyright of Apple, Inc.

Clipping & Printing from Web Sites

I'm not exactly sure if a software utility qualifies as a "Gadget", but since I'm in charge here I can make believe that it does.

So, I want to introduce you to a new software tool from Travelocity and Hewlett-Packard called "Clip Book." Essentially, it is a tool that let's you capture any part of a web page, organize what you captured and then print it, including the "printing" of an Acrobat PDF file. Just imagine how much aggravation will be avoided by not printing useless pages or having the margins cut off inexplicably! And that's only a few of the benefits.

Read on to learn how to get your hands on this tool. Be warned, however, that it is currently in beta but seems to work fairly reliably.

Canon Digital Rebel XTi Camera

This entry is somewhat of a diversion since it has nothing to do with Life Sciences. On the other hand, I have already had a posting on Philly Cheese Steak and New York Egg Cream. So, why not a digital camera?

Anyway, I'm taking this opportunity to reveal that I have been an avid photographer since I was 8 years old. Over time, I have found myself focusing on travel photography. If you are interested, you can see some of that on my photo web site. Just click here to get there.

In the past 10 years I have used Canon cameras exclusively. Each one has been first rate whether film or digital. A lot of my digital photos have been taken with a Canon G2 5 megapixel camera. It's now pretty old and I'm planning to replace it. In fact, I have been planning to do that for almost a year. I have held out, knowing that Canon would eventually come out with a new version of its popular Digital Rebel camera.

My wait is over. The new model, called the Digital Rebel XTi, will hit the streets just about now.

Gadget Watch: Talk and Click

What will they think of next?

With internet telephony (VoIP) getting hotter by the day, you can bet that creative designers are having a field day coming up with new ideas. Take, for instance, this new multi-function device from Sony.

It's a mouse that converts to an internet phone. If someone calls while you are busy surfing the net, your mouse will ring. You then pick it up, flip it open and start the conversation. When you are done, you close the lid, put the mouse down and continue your work.

Sorry, this gadget is not yet available in the United States.

The device provides a nice but unintended feature. Since the mouse won't work when you are talking, you will not be tempted to surf at the same time. The person on the other end will certainly be grateful.