Wouldn’t it be cool if you could use your BlackBerry to access Office 365? Well, now you can! Yesterday RIM officially announced that BlackBerry Business Cloud Services was available for Office 365 customers.
Key features:
The RIM-hosted, cloud-based service offers powerful administration and flexible smartphone self-service features to support an organization’s BlackBerry management strategy. It’s available at no additional charge to current medium-sized or enterprise subscribers of the Office 365 suite or standalone Exchange Online and works with BlackBerry smartphones on business or consumer data plans.
More details about this service are highlighted in a new wiki topic.
The service is available today in over 50 countries. Customers can go to www.blackberry.com/cloudservices to get started.
Posted by Howard.
We’ve been attending UK GovCamp, an ‘unconference’ that aims to bring together public sector professionals to discuss best practice use of technology. The event lasts 2 days, read our day one wrap-up post to see what happened yesterday.
As with yesterday and in the true ‘unconferencing’ style, the tracks were decided by the attendees. First everyone stood up and introduced themselves, stating who they work for and what skills they have to offer. This would later help people in finding the right people for their sessions and who to go to for some expert advice. Open data, social engagement and ideas collaboration were some of the most popular topics discussed, as shown by the word cloud below, generated from today’s introductions.
Word cloud of introductions at GovCamp. Picture courtesy of Sharon Dea / Flickr
After the tracks had been pitched – the level of whooping would decide whether or not the session was worthy of an audience – the timetable was set. There were up to 15 tracks each hour, full of enthusiastic session leaders and others who were just hungry for expert advice. We attended the four sessions below, starting off with the ‘digital response team’.
The question in this first session asked whether we need digital response teams in times of crisis. The answer appeared to be a resounding yes; however there is also the argument that current crises teams should skill up for digital media. It would be put forward towards the end that a middle ground is the best place to be. The groups suggested digital response teams who specialise in online media should be put together, while the current crisis team learns the skills required for both to merge. A key highlight was ‘Social Simulator’ from Helpful Technology. The tool simulates a crisis, with Facebook and Twitter clones set up to bombard digital response teams with a barrage a negative content. Very nifty.
The day’s focus continued with the digital theme as we attended a session about digital maturity, asking whether we are at a digitally mature, and if not, how far away are we. The consensus was that a large amount of people are there already, but then a large amount of people are not. The divide means more education is require, so the recent decision for the government to shake up ICT classes in schools certainly lifted hopes in the room. Stefan Czerniawski ended the session well by pointing out that digital maturity is when we don’t need to say digital anymore. Image of the session tracks at GovCamp. Picture courtesy of David Pea / Flickr
After a lunch break – which seemed to be more of an extension of session time for many – we attended a Wikipedia workshop. English Wikipedia receives over 7 billion unique visitors a month, making it the 6th largest site on the web, so the topic is quite important. The main points were quite simple, yet often forgotten; when editing an article you should reference facts with credible sources, conflicts of interests should be declared in the talk page and flag any of the following issues if you think an article is incorrect or unfair:
Open Data was the last session of the day where the term was to be defined. However, even by the end, it seemed the debate was not over. Speaking generally, open data was defined as information that is created by the government or outside agencies that should be made available (so long as the information does not cause harm). Information that private companies hold was of particular interest, with supermarkets being used as an example. Due to loyalty cards, supermarkets have a wealth of useful data that could potentially be used to find plenty of detailed information of a person. For example, what day of the week and time of the day you are most likely spend the more money and make bad purchasing decisions. This short session had plenty more to give, but time was not on our side. Feel free to discuss open data in the comments below to add your opinion.
This concludes GovCamp UK 2012. Don’t forget to read our day one wrap up if you haven’t already and take a look at the videos on our YouTube channel to see what people thought of the overall event. Make sure to share your thoughts too in the comments below.
Microsoft plays host again today to ukgovcamp, an ‘unconference’ that aims to bring together public sector professionals to discuss best practice use of technology. The event was sold out long ago, and with over 330 delegates registered to attend across the two days, it promised to be an unparalleled gathering of those looking to make a difference in this sector. Hosted at the Microsoft Cardinal Place offices, the format was the de facto for unconferences.
Dave Briggs opened the proceedings, followed by Microsoft’s host Dave Coplin, who as well as pointing out the toilets and exits, welcomed all the guests in his usual unassuming and humorous manner. Sponsors thenintroduced themselves followed by introductions to all of the delegates. The best introduction, based on laughs from the rest of the audience, was from Dave Simmons from the National Police Improvement Agency, who, deadpan, said he was here to improve the police.
Dave Coplin opening ukgovcamp 2012. Picture courtesy of Ann Kempster / Flickr
To begin the day, with the unconference format, delegates formed an orderly queue to propose sessions for the day and stick their suggestions on to the conference agenda wall planner.
Open Standards was one of the first round of sessions of the morning, taking place in the main auditorium. The discussion focused on how there is a lot of work taking place on how open standards are defined, and how there is a process of standards creation underway and a website coming soon that will allow government to enable information sharing across departments and outwardly suppliers. It was announced that there will be a Data Standards Panel coming soon, made up of people in and outside of government, using and creating data, with the aim of implementing the outcomes of the Open Standards Consultation. The discussion darted around the room with time running out, and all the delegates in attendance keen to hear more about how open standards can be fostered and harnessed.
Social media and influence was the focus of one of the second round sessions of the morning. The session began with the question: what impact does social media influence have on campaigns, and how can influence be measured? The delegates in the room brought up the issue that social media should help to bring about outcomes, and measurement of influence should really be about social media’s impact on these outcomes, whether this is about the use of services or something different. The point was made that value in social media often comes from the connections that can be made, which often cannot be valued. Social media is about asking questions of government, not just for government to run campaigns, it was concluded.
During the lunch break, the event saw many delegates sitting on floors due to the volume of Govcampers in the building. The afternoon started with a session on ‘what it takes to make a public sector organisation internet-native’. The session was given an opening framework of best practice principles that can help an organisation become internet-native:
The discussion that followed centred on practical ways that technology and digital projects can be used to bring about change for a public sector organisation. The session was the busiest of those to have taken placein the day, and also the most linear, with the speaker delivering the majority of the session then taking questions from the floor.
The next session was about culture hacks, or hacking public sector culture. The discussion was very much focussed on organisational behaviour and workplace psychology. The first part of the discussion pointsfocused on whether to disrupt and fix, or to foster collaboration with the aim of bringing about change. The second part focused on participants from the room and their practical experiences and lessons in changing public sector culture.This ranged from scrapping hierarchy in organisations and in working teams, and moving to flat networked structures with project swarm that can work on specific jobs in an agile way, to looking at how line management works in teams in a way that can bring about more innovation in individual that feel stifled. Broadly speaking, the discussion was a lively debate and refreshingly touchedvery little on technology per se.
The last session of the first day at ukgovcamp 2012 was about content management and how this role has changed with the new types of content needed for a modern public sector web strategy. This looked at some of the fundamental reasons for a public sector organisation existing, such as provision of services, reduction of costs and getting content to people. The solution is to focus not on the technology itself, neither is technology the fault in any outdated content management system. What should be prioritised is to focus solely on the content itself and the user needs, and the long term running of websites and services.
Wrapping the day up was Mike Bracken from the Cabinet Office talking about upcoming plans at GovUK. The session was ‘Chatham House rules’ but tweeting, Mike said, is allowed, so this is a brief write-up of Mike’spresentation without divulging too much detail.
Mike talked about his role in the newly launched Government Digital Service in streamlining the Government’s online estate, amongst other things such as cost saving and new services. He presented demonstrations of the new Gov UK web service on a single domain. It all looked simple, functional and received great feedback from the Govcampers.
That was all for day one. A full agenda and full delegationready and waiting for day two.
Posted by Drew
Whilst the concept of online transactions is now a mainstream activity for most consumer organisations, designing and building this type of online service in government presents unique challenges. Unlike online banks, or eBay or Amazon, an online government transaction platform has to be designed with inter-agency operation in mind from the very beginning - which is a much more complex challenge than a commercial, single-domain solution.
When I think of successful projects focused on e-enabling government services and transactions, my mind often goes to the pioneering Government Gateway system - the website citizens use to register for online government services. Established over 15 years ago in partnership with Microsoft, today the Gateway processes tens of millions of transactions per year.
I believe the Gateway is a clear-cut example of how to design a robust e-government system that spans departments, services and business processes, yet provides a single, front-end view for the citizen. And it continues to grow. Today, 166 enabled services from over 55 government offices are made accessible to citizens using the system. People use the Gateway for a seemingly endless list of services, from claiming child tax credits to paying parking fines to checking pension entitlements. In fact, these days people are very likely to use the Government Gateway without even knowing it. This is a result which I believe speaks to the ease-of-use and seamless experience it provides citizens.
While established several years ago, the Gateway continues to inspire and influence many similar Gateway models, most notably in the Czech Republic, which has deployed the same logical architecture. As governments continue to strive to deliver public services and transactional platforms online, I believe that this success story can provide a valuable reference. Learn more about the Government Gateway and how it’s influenced similar projects. One of our earlier blog posts, also has some great background.
Have a comment or opinion on this post? Either comment below or let us know via Twitter @msukingov.
Written by Gordon McKenzie, Government Solutions Lead, from the Worldwide Public Sector Team.
EVENT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Test drive the future of productivity with Microsoft and our partner Risual! Join us for a hands-on, interactive exploration of just what the latest Microsoft solutions have to offer. There are two dates and locations to choose from...
Wednesday 25th January 2012Location:Risual House, Parker Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford. ST18 0WP
OR
Monday 13th February 2012Location:Microsoft Offices, Cardinal Place, 80-100 Victoria Street, London. SW1E 5JL
Register here.
With just over a week to go until Govcamp2012, we’re taking a quick look at what we can look forward to on 20th and 21st January!
UKGovcamp is all about people making the time to talk, listen and think about how digital changes the way the UK government works.
Conversations around this digital change have already begun - a lot of anticipation has been building on Twitter (#ukgc12) surrounding the event and on Govcamp’s forum group. As the sessions are unconferenced and crowdsourced, there are plenty of you who are really looking forward to talking about things that interest you.
Day one will be in the usual Govcamp style of no predefined agenda where sessions are agreed at the start of the day. All sessions resulting from the discussion will be posted on a huge grid on the wall for participants to choose from.
Day two is the all new GovCamp ‘Doing Things Day’, where all attending can dream up some cool stuff to do – whether it’s collaborating on the best social media strategy ever, running training sessions on how to create video or building a useful app.
All in all it will be a great even and will no doubt throw up some very interesting topics for discussion. I will be attending Govcamp along with several Microsoft colleagues. We will be providing Twitter coverage from the event to make sure every interesting discussion, interview or idea doesn’t get missed. At the end of each day, we will also be reviewing what has taken place in our blog. For a live stream of parts of Govcamp, check the Govcamp website's buzz page during the event.
The conversation doesn’t stop when Govcamp does of course, it will and must continue. Why not let us know what you’d like to discuss at Govcamp 2012? You can get involved plus follow all the action from Govcamp 2012 and beyond via:
Twitter: @msukingov
Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukgovernment/
We look forward to seeing you there!
In the UK there are still 8.4 million people who have yet to use the Internet and 5% of schoolchildren do not have access to a PC at home to assist with their education and learning.
As initiatives go, ones which provide computers for as little as £99, are winners. That is exactly what the Get Online @ Home initiative does and it’s available now.
Backed by Microsoft, Get Online @ Home aims to provide affordable, refurbished, internet-ready computers for those who may not be able to afford, or have access to the internet. From a local council perspective, it’s a great solution for your residents who might benefit from this offer.
There are a range of options available to choose from – if you’re on certain benefits, you can pick up a desktop computer for £99, meanwhile anyone else can buy one for just £149!
Or, if you prefer a laptop, those receiving certain benefits can buy one for £169, alternatively everyone else only need spend £199.
All PCs come with a selection of Microsoft software, warranty, support and easy installation guidance and information on the most cost-effective Internet broadband deals currently available.
To find out more, please see the Get Online @ Home website (featuring some great case studies).
Attending BETT 2012 this week (starting today!)? Microsoft’s Get Online @ Home team will be there on our big stand in the middle of Olympia! They’re ready to help answer any questions you may have.
When it comes to interacting with government agencies, I am sure many of us think of stacks of complex, multi-page forms asking for information on all sorts of aspects of our lives.IEG 4, an innovative company based in the UK, is making this a thing of the past for local authorities. Through the use of ‘smart forms’ and applications that automate much of the process, as well as integrate with the back office applications normally used by internal staff, IEG 4 is making these interactions easier and far more enjoyable for constituents. But beyond the user experience, these smart forms are also saving local authorities a lot of time and money:
The technology is based upon Windows Azure, Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Platform Service. With its dynamic scalability, pervasive deploy-anywhere model Windows Azure dramatically lowers the entry costs for these types of solutions. Another example can be found in my recent post,“Cloud computing helps clean up London,” demonstrating how Windows Azure has enabled a similar transformation for environmental services modernisation in London.Hybrid application architectureThe Hybrid Cloud: A Promising Platform for Future ‘Smart Forms’As shown in the example above from IEG 4, using a hybrid cloud model to support ‘smart forms,’ We believe, offers a compelling platform for cloud-powered application services for government. Instead of hosting the data in the cloud - like the 311 type systems do today - this application uses the cloud as a presentation layer and makes use of SSL encryption to move data between the on-premise legacy application and the user. We believe that the use of a hybrid model like this is going to be the default for many service applications in the foreseeable future as agencies develop trust in the cloud to do more over time.
Follow us on Twitter: @msukingov
Recently, at the ITU Telecom World 2011 in Geneva, Microsoft, along with several partners including Neul, the University of Strathclyde, Steepest Ascent, and Inveneo, demonstrated innovative new wireless technology. Described as “Super Wi-Fi” by some, it shows how unused TV and other spectrum could be used to connect some of the more than two billion people in the developing world living in rural and remote communities who lack basic access to information and communications technologies (ICT).
At ITU Telecom World, heads of state, government and international organisation leaders, national and regional politicians, researchers, and private sector innovators from around the world are gathered to learn about and debate the future of broadband technologies to create a more connected world. The ITU is the United Nations body responsible for developing ICT standards and regulatory frameworks, identifying frequency spectrum for globally harmonized uses and promoting the use of technology to bridge the global digital divide.
Wireless broadband technology is at an important crossroads. With TV broadcasters transitioning from analog to digital transmissions, there is an opportunity to use that freed up space for innovative broadband technologies. It is expected that the first TV ”Super Wi-Fi” products in the US will enter the market in 2012. Prototype products already have been used successfully in trials and demonstrations in the Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Microsoft is committed to the efficient use of this spectrum in new and novel ways – including exploring how the next generation of wireless technology can help address critical broadband access issues for rural communities. This year, we are helping showcase how so-called “cognitive radio systems” can dynamically use unassigned TV channels for cost-effective broadband-grade voice, data, and video applications. The demonstration is comprised of a base station and client device, provided by hardware suppliers Adaptrum, KTS, and Neul, and a prototype white spaces database developed by Microsoft Research.
Microsoft, joining several consortium partners including BT, the BBC, and Nokia, is supporting a major ”Super Wi-Fi” trial in Cambridge. Likewise, several other partners, including Steepest Ascent and the University of Strathclyde are supporting a trial on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. The dense mixture of historic stone buildings in Cambridge and the rugged, remote terrain of the Isle of Bute present technical and economic challenges for traditional wireless technologies. After implementing “Super Wi-Fi” solutions, the results so far have been promising.
The solution we have been helping demo uses the base station and client station as a whitespace (“Super Wi-Fi”) system where the base station is connected directly to the Internet over a high-bandwidth broadband connection. Meanwhile, a Microsoft XBOX is connected to the Internet through the client station allowing users to browse and stream videos, and conduct video chats to other trial locations like the Isle of Bute.
It is our belief that with ever-growing demand for universal broadband access and exponential mobile data growth, we need to make more efficient use of the TV spectrum. There are a number of advantages of making use of this space through White Space technologies. By using TV band spectrum, these “Super Wi-Fi” next generation wireless networks more effectively penetrate walls and other obstacles than current Wi-Fi and can have a range of several kilometers.
Not only do the networks afford a better and more robust service, they are also envisaged to bring down costs and increase availability of access to consumers, helping to close the access gap in internet connectivity – especially in rural areas and in the developing world.
Microsoft has a long history of working in partnership with the ITU. We are members of the United Nations’ Broadband Commission, set up by the ITU and UNESCO to boost the importance of broadband on the international policy agenda and achieve ambitious Millennium Development Goals for broadband accessibility. Beyond broadband policy and innovation, we have also worked closely with the ITU in critical telecom areas like cybersecurity and cloud computing.
We are excited to be a part of such a pioneering demo this year – showcasing how making the right policy choice and enabling the next generation of broadband technology can improve Internet access for some of the hardest to reach and most underserved communities.