Partnering with Allscripts for Revenue Cycle Management

Eric Beier, MD, discusses his experience with Allscripts Revenue Cycle Management solutions for physician practices.

Special News: Astaro joins Sophos

Astaro announced that Sophos and Astaro have signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Sophos. Together with Sophos they will offer a complete security solution, deliver protection regardless of where the use is, what device they are using, or where the company’s network boundary may lie.

With more than 100 million users in 150 countries, Sophos is the fastest growing of the three largest endpoint security companies. And with more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.

Astaro will be the network security product line within Sophos and will be able to leverage a global brand and a larger organization with complementary technologies. We will stay very focused on high quality network security products and their role in what will be the industry's first coordinated gateway and endpoint security solution.

We see this as a positive change giving both companies the products that each needs to widen their security support.

HBO GO released for ios devices

It wasn’t that I could hardly wait for this to be released but I was surprised how well it works in its first iteration. It is fast and seemed to stream very well over my WIFI network. You must be an HBO subscriber to access the content but after you key in your account information up pops all of the current movies and shows playing on HBO as well as past documentaries, sports and HBO produced series. So if you haven’t been following a current series, missed a passed series or episode you can quickly come up to speed with this application. This app works on all of you ios devices so you can watch you HBO content on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

HBO GO allows users to view programming over either a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, making the entire lineup of HBO shows and movies available while on-the-go. Bonus features and special behind-the-scenes extras are included in the HBO GO service and the app allows users to also create customized watchlists and smart “Series Pass” lists to easily follow their favorite shows. HBO GO is available only in the U.S. and requires a 3G or Wi-Fi connection for viewing content. The universal iOS app requires iOS 3.2 or later and an iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third- and fourth-generation iPod touch or iPad. HBO GO isavailable from the App Store as a free download.

Just a quick note on the Logitech K750 Solar Kbd

They have hit distribution and are now available for about $70.

I like the sleek design and the thought of not needing batteries, ever is a big plus in my book. Looking back over my posts I see that I had two post about this keyboard previously.

http://www.bobstechtalk.com/blog/2010/11/11/pr-logitech-announces-k750-light-powered-wireless-keyboard.html

http://www.bobstechtalk.com/blog/2010/11/21/logitech-wireless-keyboard-solar-powered.html

Acer Iconia Tablet slated for release April 24th

One of the first sub $500 tablets is being released by Acer this week. This is a Honeycomb Tablet, WiFi only, for around $450. It is supposed to have the same specs as the Motorola Xoom with: a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 250 SOC, a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 LCD screen, 1GB of RAM, a 5 megapixel camera around back and a 2 megapixel imager up front, HDMI-out, not to mention a pair of 3260mAh batteries that Acer claims are capable of eight full hours of life while playing HD video.While it is a bit thicker and heavier and only has half of the flash storage (16GB) it is positioned with a great price. You still have two cameras, a 2.0 megapixel on the front and a 5.0 megapixel on the back. The biggest negative will be its bulk but the biggest benefit will be its price. So if you are looking for a Honeycomb tablet this is one that you don’t have to give away your kid’s college fund away to obtain.

The Kno may still get known…

We have all be entranced with the multi-screen design of the Kno hardware and will be really interesting if it will really finally become available. Intel is apparently spearheading the investing some money (30 million dollars) to bring this product to reality. The primary focus for this product is to bring it to the education market as a research and note taking classroom device. This is an interesting concept but I can’t help but wonder if they can ever get the product down to a price point to make it affordable for a classroom environment.

Sharkoon Announces QuickPort Intern SATA Drive Cages

So, you're trying to make the most out of the front bays of your tower machine.  We never seem to have enough storage in our computers anymore, and we want the fastest speed we can get to access our information stored on our computers.  So here is an interesting product that expands the five of the quarter inch PC Bay with either a four or six drive bay solution that will house 2 1/2 inch format drives.  You will of course need to have the appropriate number of SATA connections to connect all that drives to your system.  Power is supplied via a 4-pin power connector.

Eee Pad!

My brother Ed sent me a link to ASUS webpage describing the new ASUS Eii Pad Transformer TF101 and, you know, it really looks interesting. I had seen on one of the podcasts that I watch, (I watch way too many to provide credit), but the ASUS powerhouse has come out with a very interesting PAD product in this product. If you follow this column you know that I have an iPad, and on May 5th I will be moving up to the iPad2… but I am anxiously waiting for all of the Android Tablets to come out. All of their data specs showing what is coming out, makes me drool with the external accessory connections that I know that I will scuff one up as soon as I can get my hands on one.

Anyway, this is another product that is coming out in the June timeframe that will be one of the Android products I will be looking to add to my gadget portfolio. It supplies the best of both worlds, giving you a the experience of a tablet and then easily extending that experience by allowing you to place the screen on a keyboard dock to provide the tactile feel of a real keyboard for easing the creative experience with the physical response that a real keyboard gives you. The other benefit is that the keyboard will add more battery life to the tablet so you can work longer between recharges.

Based on NVIDIA’s Tegra™ 2 technology you will get the best response that you can expect with this current technology in this platform. Here are the specs from ASUS’s site:

• NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 1.0GHz dual-core CPU for excellent multitasking & 1080p video playback
• Android 3.0 Honeycomb O.S. with Adobe® Flash® 10.2 support (Adobe® Flash® 10.2 can be download from Android Market or can update from ASUS’ later release)
• Full QWERTY keyboard, touchpad input with Polaris® Office® for mobile productivity
• 16 hours long battery life for all day computing with docking station (9.5 and 16 hour battery life estimated under certain conditions.)
• Brilliant IPS panel with ultra-wide 178⁰ viewing angle made from scratch resistant and super tough glass
• One year of Unlimited ASUS WebStorage, two USB ports, SD and Micro SD card readers for easy sharing & storage expendability
• 3D stereo with max bass response with SRS premium sound

It is ultra thin, 12.98mm thick and weighs only 680grams I tis light and comfortable to hold. The back surface has been textured to offer a better tactile sensation so hopefully it won’t be as easy to slip from your hands. The screen has a viewable angle of 178°, this allows the screen to be easily shared with the person sitting beside you.

It has two cameras, the front facing is only 1.2MP, disappointing, but there is a rear facing 5MP that can record HD quality video. So while the camera can give us 5MP quality to achieve 1080p, it will be interesting to see how good the lens is. As most photographers know, it is all about the glass.

It has built-in SRS sound technology that is supposed to provide a dynamic 3D stereo audio experience that is enhanced by the placement of the speakers that are placed in the transformer (the keyboard). Interesting way to get a little more base out of you tablet, but of course you will need it plugged in to get this benefit.

Connecting the tablet to its Keyboard Docking Station gives you several expanded features. I have already mentioned the speakers, you will also add the battery life contained in the keyboard to give you many more hours of use, you also have a touchpad, 3.5 MM audio jack, two USB ports as well as a built in SD card reader for easy file sharing and storage expandability.

Preloaded on the Transformer is Polaris® Office® 3.0, a professional mobile office Solution which enables users to edit various types of office documents including documents (.doc), spreadsheets (.xls) and presentation (.ppt) files, making the Transformer very attractive for professional use. In addition, the ultra-convenient ASUS WebStorage with one year of unlimited storage space provides worry-free cloud computing.

This will be one more product utilizing the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. It will be interesting to see how well this new operating system we'll take advantage of all the capabilities of these new tablets.  June will be an exciting month.

GoPano micro - Capture 360º videos from an iPhone 4

love the KickStarter program that allows people to come up with new ideas and throw them out there to see if there is any interest. It allows for short run manufacturing so that these products can actually be built and delivered to those that are interested enough in owning them. The GoPano micro is just one of these projects. The goal of $20,000 was set to to initiate the project and it has been met. The go ahead date for the project is May 14th so it will move forward. So what is it?

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Who is Epsilon and why does it have your data?

If you haven’t received an email from one of your credit card companies or favorite online stores this past week consider yourself lucky because the majority of us have. In an article written by Elinor Mills of CNET today, Elinor goes into great depth describing the how's and why’s of the professional email industry in marketing most the the major corporate lenders and many of your favorite retailers and service companies. Take a look at what Elinor has to say about this security breech and what it might mean to you. Be sure to take what you feel are appropriate actions to protect yourself. This article outlines several things that you can do to protect yourself. As always be careful how you work with unsolicited email and be sure to act intelligently so as not to put yourself into a position to make it easy to be a victim of scams and identity theft.

The Drobo FS in-depth

I have always been enthralled with the technology from Drobo and have used it in several customer solutions that I have designed. Lee Hutchinson has written a two part article about his experience with the Drobo FS product and how it works. If you are interested in technology I’m sure you will find this as interesting as I did.

The Drobo FS in-depth, Part 1: what it is, how it works

The Drobo FS in-depth, Part 2: day-to-day use

Can a Display Screen Let Me Recharge My Cell Phone?

I want to thank Sofia Sheppard for this article and making me aware of this wonderful new technology. I am looking forward to seeing it used in new products as they are being introduced. It is important for us to take advantage of all the ways we can to conserve energy whenever possible. I hope that engineers learn about these new technologies and begin using them in their designs. Thank you Sofia for bringing this product to my attention and thinking of my site as a forum for introducing others to this company that is designing products for the future. Be sure to visit Sofia’s site to see other information solar battery chargers.

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Toshiba has a monitor that is truly portable!

The Toshiba 14” USB-powered Mobile LCD Monitor is ideal for adding an additional screen to any Windows-based laptop at work, school or home. Featuring a 14-inch diagonal widescreen display with up to 1366x768 HD resolutions, it provides clear and crisp images as a laptop’s LCD. Weighing only 2.8 pounds and less than 1” thick, this ultra-portable monitor is designed to fit in most laptop bags. Both the monitor’s power and video are powered via USB, eliminating the need to carry an AC adapter or video cabl

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Astaro Endpoint Security–Coming Soon

USB drives are the most popular way to transfer data. Keeping endpoints safe and preventing data loss on PCs and mobile devices is a challenging task. Astaro Endpoint Security solves this by controlling the usage of USB ports, DVD drives, and other peripheral devices. Managed by a central Astaro Security Gateway, security agents can be easily enrolled to all endpoints on your local network or even at remote locations. Comprehensive reporting tools allow you to analyze device usage and even track their location.

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StarTech.com announces the ultimate USB device with the Combination 4 Bay SATA Drive Dock and Toaster!

Backup your Data and Fulfill your Need for Warm Breakfast Pastries with the SATDOCKTOAST4 from StarTech.com

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(PR) Acer Announces Iconia Touchbook Dual-Screen Tablet

Acer today announced that its much anticipated dual screen tablet, the Iconia-6120 Dual-Screen Touchbook is now available for pre-sale in North America. Providing a powerful, immersive touch experience like no other, it is the world's first and only tablet to offer two touch-enabled 14-inch high-definition widescreen LED backlit LCDs.

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Logitech Announces Wireless Mouse M325

Press Release: The new Logitech Wireless Mouse M325 is here, combining our world's best selling shape with new micro-precise technology that is specifically designed to improve your online navigation experience with a better mix of precision, comfort and control.

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Buffalo Ships the Revolutionary CloudStor Device

Looking for an easy solution to accessing your files located at home or at your office? A new product from Buffalo Technologies a leader in storage appliances that are both useful and affordable. Available in 1 and 2TB capacities this NAS storage device adds some cloud services to it for no extra cost.

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Seagate 320GB GoFlex Slim Drive with FreeAgent Software

Looking for a super small fast USB 3.0, 7200 RPM hard drive to add to your mobile kit bag? Seagate is finally releasing it’s 9mm 2.5 inch GoFlex external HDD. This drive is probably thinner than your cell phone. It has a 3 year warranty and is priced at $99.99. It only weighs 0.356 pounds and measuring 4.91 x 30.7 x 0.354 inches. It requires a special USB cable that is included. It can transfer files at upwards of 40MB/sec when attached to a USB 3.0 system. To put the size into perspective this drive is thinner than a pencil. It is supposed to be shipping now and we do see it SKU’d up now.

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Windows 7 Pro Upgrade for Students: Why Do It?

Microsoft is offering inexpensive upgrades for college students to upgrade their Windows Vista to Windows 7 Pro for just $29.95. A post by Kristina Libby on April,1 (no this isn’t an April Fool’s Joke), on the Windows Experience Blog, talks about the reasons why you might want to upgrade. The site to click through to requires that you are a college student with a valid university ID.

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