Acronyms drive me nuts.

But I couldn’t resist putting together this post’s headline after reading this article, courtesy of eWeek. 

It shares some insights gleaned from this week’s CITE (Consumerization of IT in the Enterprise) Conference and Expo in San
Francisco.

Of particular interest to me, and the text from which I plucked the above acronyms, is this quote from the conference’s keynote speaker, Gary Hamel of the London Business School:

“Employees want the power to make their own decisions, set their own schedules, work from wherever they can be comfortable, and BYOD [bring-your-own-device] helps free them to do that.

“As amazing as it sounds, companies can get along without a hierarchical group of managers if the employees are self-motivated enough to do their work on their own volition. What we’ll be seeing next are concepts such as SYOG (set-your-own-goals), DYOJ (design-your-own-job) and AYOE (approve-your-own-expenses). It’s not that far-fetched.”

And then this, which relates directly to an Office Solutions blog article I posted recently:

“Remember when Tom Peters wrote the mega-bestseller In Search of Excellence in the mid-1980s?” Hamel said. “He focused much of the book on a great, creative company called HP. You know, ‘The HP Way,’ creating new $50 million businesses, the story of the garage, classic Silicon Valley. And HP was an innovator in those days. But then [CEO from 2005 to 2010] Mike Hurd, Mark Hurd—what’s his name?—basically drove all the innovation mojo out of them.”

Also, according to the article, Hamel reflected on the day Steve Jobs introduced the iPad.

“About three or four times during his presentation, he stopped and said: ‘It’s just so beautiful to hold!’ Can you imagine Mark Hurd standing up on stage with an HP product and saying: ‘It’s just so beautiful to hold!’  Not a chance. Companies have to keep reinventing themselves and their products.”

Based on those two key themes—workplace evolution and innovation—it will be interesting to see what other takeaways emerge from the CITE conference.

Today my colleague, Cheryl Otstott, posted a new article on the At Your Service blog. The post, “Xerox ConnectKey™ –
Mobile and Connected to the Cloud,” discusses many of the exciting advantages provided by our new lineup of ConnectKey-enabled printers and MFPs.

With today’s increasing emphasis on BYOD and Cloud connectivity, ConnectKey technology offers the most complete set of tools for businesses of any size that want to stay in stride with rapidly evolving workplace practices.

We’re all aware of the seemingly ubiquitous banter regarding the industrialized world’s shift to a mobile workforce. But is what we hear media hype, or truly an indicator that a dramatic evolution is underway?

In this incredibly informative Forbes.com article, the author makes a strong case in support of worker mobility, and discusses the many benefits in terms of new-found efficiencies and increased productivity.

To quote from the piece: “For workers and employers alike, the mobile revolution represents a sea change in productivity and the very nature of work itself. Work can be performed from anywhere, freeing workers from the tethers of a commute or finding day care for their children. Employers benefit from lower overhead, greater productivity, and heightened morale from a labor force that no longer sees work as a mere place to go, but as an integral part of a life lived on their terms.”

In my mind that statement perfectly encapsulates the many reasons why workplace mobility is not simply a fad, but rather a major shift in how many of us should expect our workplace environments to evolve.

An interesting study conducted by SourceFire, “25 Years of Vulnerabilities,” concludes that among the major smartphone operating systems, Apple’s iOS contains more software vulnerabilities than Android, Windows and Blackberry combined.

However, as explained in this ZDNet report, there are several key factors at play that make iOS appear more vulnerable than the other operating systems.

Regardless, as enterprise businesses continue to embrace the BYOD (bring your own device) trend and implement their own workplace policies regarding employees’ usage of personal smartphones and tablets for business purposes, extra emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring that proper safeguards are in place to protect mission-critical data from outside exploitation.

Today, in our third installment of the Xerox ConnectKey video series, we’re highlighting the technology’s exceptional mobility advantages.

“Xerox ConnectKey: Anywhere, Anytime,” is a humorous dramatization of several real-world scenarios in which ConnectKey MFPs enable a variety of mobile print solutions that save the day for a few frantic employees, both in the office and on the go.

With working professionals operating beyond the confines of office walls and a 9-to-5 schedule, yesterday’s workplace conveniences may not provide much help today. Which is why ConnectKey MFPs offer mobile printing and scanning solutions that integrate fully with cloud-based technologies and mobile devices. Everyone from small businesses to enterprise customers will benefit from enhanced convenience, increased productivity and a more cost-effective infrastructure.

I encourage you to watch the video and then visit our Xerox ConnectKey site to learn more.

In support of the recent ConnectKey launch, we produced a series of lighthearted and informative YouTube videos that demonstrate some of the key features and capabilities made possible by this groundbreaking technology.

Today we’re highlighting the ConnectKey technology’s unparalleled data security advantages. 

Second in the series, “Xerox ConnectKey: Always On Guard,” is a humorous dramatization of a real-world office scenario in
which a ConnectKey MFP protects sensitive information from the prying eyes of a particularly nosy employee.

Xerox ConnectKey MFPs include McAfee® technology integration, resulting in the industry’s first lineup of multifunction printers that protect themselves from potential outside threats. McAfee’s whitelisting technology ensures only safe, pre-approved files or functions are executed on your devices, minimizing the need to manually update software levels against new security threats. Also, seamless integration with the Xerox® MPS toolset and McAfee ePolicy (ePO) allows for easy tracking and monitoring.

Plus, automatic Cisco® TrustSec Identity Services Engine (ISE) integration provides comprehensive visibility of all ConnectKey MFPs’ endpoints to enforce IT-centric security policies and compliance.

I encourage you to watch the video and then visit our Xerox ConnectKey site to learn more.

This week we’re shining the spotlight on our recently launched Xerox ConnectKey technology, highlighting the many leading-edge advantages Xerox MFPs built on the ConnectKey platform provide businesses large and small in any industry.

In support of the ConnectKey launch, we produced a series of entertaining YouTube videos that demonstrate some of the key features and capabilities made possible by this groundbreaking technology.

First in the series, “Xerox ConnectKey: Always There,” is a humorous dramatization of a real-world office scenario in which a ConnectKey MFP helps staff simplify complex scanning workflows.

Whether you are a skilled administrator managing hundreds of devices, or one person managing a single device, Xerox gives you tools anyone can use to implement new workflow processes or other tasks. Onboard tools help you address potential issues, enabling multifunction printers built on ConnectKey to stay more productive, longer. And when help’s needed, speed is the key. That’s why we put Online Support and Embedded Help Videos that anyone can follow right on the front panel for fast assistance.

Our Remote Control Panel feature further reduces support and response times, enabling real-time training and troubleshooting from anywhere so you can resolve issues immediately and eliminate the need to wait for on-site visits. Customizing solutions is made possible by Extensible Interface Platform® (EIP) serverless technology that allows the creation of applications to run on ConnectKey MFPs, without the need for additional IT infrastructure. This allows you to simplify and personalize the usability of your device with a range of capabilities from support applications to scanning.

I encourage you to watch the video and then visit our Xerox ConnectKey site to learn more.