Michael Doan

Microsoft has put up a web-based demo of Windows Phone 7. Launch the demo site from iPhone Safari to give Windows Phone 7 a try.

WP7 has a great user interface. It clearly shows that Microsoft does have some design chops and can be innovative (when it drops the need for backwards compatibility). Windows Phone 7 has good chance to take market share from iPhone, but it needs to do somethings first:

1. Drop “Windows” from the name and call it something else. The name is awkward sounding and there’s no reason to hang on to the “Windows” legacy.
2. Focus on creating the best end-to-end user experience for the phone. This means make the hardware too.
3. Develop the best must-have app for the phone in order to set the tone for future WP7 app developers and to get consumers excited.
4. Ignore what Apple is doing.

Yesterday I posted a link to a story about Microsoft actively developing Office for iPad.

Some people believe that Microsoft won’t do this. David Sparks lists [two great reasons][] why Microsoft should.

A friend of mine suggested that Apple won’t approve the app if Microsoft submits it to the app store. To that argument I have one great reason why Apple will approve the app: Apple will collect 30% of the revenues. Nothing would make Apple happier.

Sageworks releases ProfitCents for iPhone:

The app allows current Sageworks and ProfitCents customers to access SIDA, our industry data platform that provides real-time benchmarking data and trend analysis using all available (more than 1,300) NAICS industry codes plus custom breakdowns.

According to The Daily:

the tech giant is actively working on adapting its popular software suite for Apple’s tablet.

This is good news for those of us who are trying to incorporate iPad into our workflow but don’t want to use hacky workarounds to deal with Office documents.

I’m a big fan of the Fujitsu Scansnap and I’ve always found Doxie scanners intriguing, but a little too much on the cutesy side (I don’t want hearts on my scanner). What I didn’t realize is that Doxie’s new scanner, the Go, is completely mobile. No power source needed, no computer needed. Documents are scanned to either an internal memory (limited), SD cards, or USB keys.

Ben Brooks has a nice review of the Go.

If you are an OmniFocus for iPhone user and have an iPhone 4S, you will be happy to know that you can now add new tasks using Siri (watch the videos).

You’ll need to update OmniFocus through the app store (verions 1.13). Set up is easy, just flip the switch to on under Settings > Capture > iCloud Reminders.

There are two things I hate to carrying everyday: keys and wallet.

Every merchant needs to to use Square’s payment system so I can use their new Cardcase app to pay. Then, I can finally ditch the wallet (almost – driver’s license!).

From CFO.com:

…the SEC appears willing to pursue cases even when the agency knows the defendant did not act with what the law calls scienter — that is, an intent to defraud, knowledge of wrongdoing, or at least reckless disregard of the law.

You only need to be negligent in your duties as CFO to attract possible prosecution from the SEC. This is a scary thought because mistakes do happen, but the SEC seems to be less forgiving. Time to sharpen the pencils.