Model Airplanes

Four hundred years.

And scientists are still at it. Chasing odd questions. Trying things that might not work. Driven by curiosity, not short-term profit.

Plenty they can teach us entrepreneurs about innovation.

What can a world expert on science commercialization tell us here?

Armed with a PhD in physics, Alistair Brett is a long-time consultant for the World Bank, and also the International Technology Commercialization advisor at T2VC — a Silicon Valley venture firm that designs ecosystems to stimulate innovation.

In my interview with Brett, he shared valuable ways to improve your innovation mindset.

So let’s dive in.

1) Think in terms of models.

What is a model? It’s a way to approach complex problems. Lifted straight from the scientific method.

Simply put, you break things down and simplify. Say, you got an idea for a visual way to make it easier to browse for books. So you break it down: how do people currently find books? They go to Amazon. And they use a grid-based layout to browse.

That’s a model: it’s not 100% correct (some people don’t browse a grid, they type and search), but captures a basic behavior.

So how do you test your idea? Reinvent Amazon and build your new layout on top? Nope. You build the layout and grab some book lists off Amazon. You don’t reinvent.

“What often happens…is that too much reinventing is going on.” says Brett.

But if you model — break

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-red/get-your-lab-coat-3-innov_b_7450388.html

When I type ‘TM Forum’ into my word processor it unhelpfully produces the trademark™ sign, a classic case of over-enthusiastic predictive text and an example of how systems can go wrong when making contextual assumptions… or any assumptions. In this case it’s easily fixed (a backspace then a space) but it keeps happening because the system doesn’t learn. I have, in effect, to do my own ‘exception handling’ as this sort of hiccough might be called in the automated process world.

So looping back, if there’s been a fundamental criticism of the forum’s work –  and I’ve heard this voiced from the inside as well as from the outside – it’s that it has tended to make too tight a set of assumptions about who would use its guidelines and frameworks and what sort of business model they would probably be pursuing. Too much ‘assuming’ around context, in other words, just like my word processor.

At one time during an earlier association with the forum, I observed the subject matter experts being gently taken to task for not once mentioning the word ‘wholesale’ in an entire NGOSS, (now Frameworx), document. This was at a time when wholesale business models were assuming a new importance in telecom. The omission was flagged up as being emblematic of a deeper flaw. The default  NGOSS ‘context’ then was clearly the traditional, silo’d, vertically integrated fixed and mobile communications service provider – new competitive network operators, not so much; other industry sectors not at all.

Clearly that had

Article source: http://www.telecomtv.com/articles/tm-forum/tm-forum-goes-for-a-name-and-mission-change-12487/

Enabling Cookies in Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9 +

1. Open the Internet Browser
2. Click Tools (or “gear” icon at top right hand corner) Internet Options Privacy Advanced
3. Check Override automatic cookie handling
4. For First-party Cookies and Third-party Cookies click Accept
5. Click OK and OK

Article source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/comfort-at-tipping-point-says-key-boeing-insider/story-e6frg95x-1227373151308

In stark contrast to Microsoft Build, Google I/O 2015 was a developer’s conference that was exciting and full of brilliant forward-thinking ideas. Here’s a brief round up of the all of the major announcements from Android Pay, to Google Photos, to its new VR capturing feature, Jump.

What was announced (at a glance):

• – Jump VR
• – Google Cardboard 2.0
• – Google Play parental controls
• – New Google Maps features
• – Photos app
• – Google Now
• – IoT: Brillo and Weave
• – Android Wear
• – Greater control over app permissions
• – Android Pay
• – Improved charging and power management
• – App streamlining

Google Jump

Google also announced Jump, a new method of capturing VR footage. A 16 camera array, Jump captures 16 simultaneous feeds of high-definition content, using shared camera settings and frame levels to synchronise each separate feed. It’s then up to the Jump’s software to join the feeds together, benefitting from computational photography and computer vision to create a stereoscopic image – and iron out the seams. Thanks to 3D depth alignment, Google Jump also doesn’t suffer from the same joints as other composite 3D footage.

A heftier announcement is that Cardboard SDK will now support both Android and iOS, meaning you can use Apple phones with a Cardboard setup.

Bavor then went on to reveal Expeditions, a VR tool for the classroom allowing teachers to take students on virtual reality field trips. I’d imagine this could be an incredible tool for immersive teaching of history or science.

Google Play parental

Article source: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/google/1000844/google-io-2015-announcements-android-m-photos-app-jump-vr-android-pay-and-much-more

Certain mileage rewards programs let you board first. (AP Photo)

It’s hard to determine the more complicated task: landing a Boeing 787 in 100 mph crosswinds on a short runway with one engine out as someone tickles you — or trying to make sense of airline frequent flier programs.

Frequent flier mileage programs used to be easy: You earned X number of miles, you got a free ticket. Now they’re way more complicated. And unlike in the above scenario, there’s no air traffic control tower to talk you through the process.

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Virgin America partners with several international carriers. (AP Photo)

“It’s getting more confusing to understand how far your miles will take you,” says George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. He says airlines now use a “dynamic model,” where the awards you get for cashing in miles are based on a number of categories, such as how far you’re flying, when you’re flying, the route you’re flying. “If you try to spend miles on Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, or Virgin, they really charge more [miles] for peak holidays, longer flights, and more ideal departure times. The redeye might be cheaper than 5 p.m.”

The result: “You won’t know how many miles you need to redeem until you actually try to book the ticket,” says Hobica.

Redeeming miles isn’t the only thing that’s changed: Airlines are much stingier in awarding them, too. More airlines are awarding tickets based less on how many miles you fly and more on

Article source: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/05/27/12-things-need-to-know-about-frequent-flier-programs/