Future Web Design sponsors Junior Achievement award

Published on June 16, 2010 in News. Closed

This year, I had the pleasure of sponsoring the Best Website award for Junior Achievement of Prince Edward Island.  Junior Achievement is one of my favorite organizations.  As a junior achiever myself (not that many years ago) and winner of the Best Website and IT Manager of the Year awards, it was wonderful to be able to sponsor and present the award this year.  There is nothing better than sitting in a room filled with future business leaders.

Junior Achievement allows young people to experience business first hand and risk free through their Company Program.  Junior achievers start and run their own business as part of this program.  Junior Achievement does not get enough credit for the great work they do in the run of a year.

(Rhyanne Beatty, Vice President of IT at BB4GG;
Nicholas MacLeod, Owner of Future Web Design;
Philip Reid, Company Program Manager)

The winner of this year’s Best Website award was Bath & Body 4 Gods & Goddesses (BB4GG).  Rhyanne Beatty (Vice President of Information Technology Services) with BB4GG did an excellent job of marketing their products and company online.  Their website can be found at http://bb4gg.web.officelive.com/default.aspx.

Congratulations and keep up the great work!

Review: Dropbox, GoogleDocs, and QuickOffice for iPhone

Published on June 8, 2010 in Review. Closed

Since my recent switch to the land of Apple and iPhone I have been on the hunt for great apps that will make my (mostly mobile) life a little easier.

One problem I have while on the go is documents. I am always in need of a price list, estimate, or template while I’m away from my desk. A friend of mine referred me to an application called QuickOffice. This application started as a service where you could email a document to a specific email address and have it transferred into the iPhone app where you could edit and send it back. While this seemed a little cumbersome for me, I investigated further and realized they had recently added new features.

The QuickOffice application now allows you to connect to Dropbox (famous for syncing files across many computers and mobile devices). I can now simply copy a file into my Dropbox on my desktop or laptop and it will sync up with both the Dropbox and QuickOffice apps on my iPhone. For people who need to use documents and spreadsheets on the go, this is a life saver.

What about GoogleDocs?

Another of my favorite web applications is GoogleDocs. I use GoogleDocs for mostly personal documents (I’m still a little shy of Google because I think they are going to take over the world). There is nothing of great importance in my personal documents so they can do with them what they wish. To my surprise… QuickOffice also allows me to access my GoogleDocs on the go as well. I have now mastered both personal and business documents in a single application.

At a price of $9.99 in the iTunes store, this app may seem a little pricey. I found that even though this application was expensive, I got my money’s worth the first time I was in a bind and needed a file.

Check it out for yourself. You won’t regret it!

My Digital Life…Unblended

Published on June 2, 2010 in Fun and Information. Closed

Have you ever seen the “Will it Blend?” commercials on YouTube that are created by BlendTec?  I find these commercials quite amusing.  Unfortunately these commercials are not so amusing when your digital life feels like the making of one.

Imaging a giant BlendTec blender… Throw in “my digital life”… Which consists of four desktop computers, five network laser printers, a laptop, a tablet PC, a NAS (Network Attached Storage), an iPhone (or BlackBerry depending on the day), and almost enough network gear to power NASA. To equate the number of files I have stored.. drizzle about six filing cabinets full of paper over the top like you would chocolate sauce.. Will it Blend?

I have found that, in fact, all this stuff will blend perfectly and make your digital life a living hell.

It surprises me how much influence my digital life has on my actual life. We think of technology as a tool that we use on a daily basis that has no more impact than the toaster sitting on your counter in the kitchen.  Would life continue normally without a toaster? Would it continue normally without a cell phone?  For some people the answer to both of these questions would be yes.  For me, I could live without the toaster but definitely not without the cell phone.

Back to the blender full of stuff… The reason my stuff is in a blender is because I neglected my digital life for a while and eventually it started to fall apart.  As you can imagine my “snarl” (definition: a complicated or confused condition or matter) of technology can be difficult to maintain on a good day.

I have spent the last month trying to “unblend” my life.  (NOTE: First step is to turn off the blender!) I can officially say to you today that my “snarl” is no longer blended (much like Chuck Norris in this commercial).

It has been a complex process to get everything working properly. My VPN is once again communicating to all the computers on my network, all the laser printers are working and are accessible from anywhere (not sure why but it’s cool), my files are somewhat contained to two file servers, and my iPhone seems to fit in just fine as “the new kid on the block”.

From this I have compiled a list of tips to keep your digital life out of the blender.

  1. Think of files as real paper. If you take it out, or create it, put it away when you’re done.  This may sound a little like your mom telling you to clean your room, but it will save lots of time. (NOTE: Your Desktop should be used for quick access for files for a short period of time, it should not be a dumping ground.
  2. Sync. Sync. Sync. There are some great tools out there to synchronize your files across computers, networks, or even to a USB flash drive.  SyncToy is one that I have like.
  3. Don’t neglect it or you’ll regret it! If part of your digital world becomes obsolete or stops working.. Fix it now to prevent problems later.  You’ll be surprised how interconnected technology is.
  4. Backup. Backup. Backup. It doesn’t have to be anything complex.  Even if you backup to a USB flash drive with the SyncToy software mentioned before. Do it!  Nothing will bug you more than losing files to a hard drive failure.
  5. Tidy up. Just like you would clean the garage or the closet, a couple times a year clean your digital world.  Archive old files, delete the files you don’t need, and sort some files into new folders.  It may also be time to get rid of things you saved but don’t know why (Bunny with Pancake)

For those of you that thought I fell off the face of the earth and have been looking for a post… I’m still alive!

On a company related note (since this is a company blog)… I am working on several new projects with summer launches.  Stay tuned.

Team Member Spotlight: Red Swingline Stapler

Published on April 2, 2010 in Fun. Closed

I have decided to expand my blogging to include some “team profiles”.  I would like to recognize all the team members at Future Web Design that make projects happen.  Who says team members have to be human?  You are definitely thinking what I’m thinking!  I will be profiling all sorts of office “characters” otherwise known as office equipment.  Most people would look at these as just objects that one can purchase at the local Staples outlet, I see them as productive members of my office community.

The very first team member that I will be profiling is my Red Swingline Stapler.  This guy really helps “keep things together” (pun intended!) around the office.  He joined the team at Christmas 2008 as a transfer from Initech (after an unfortunate fire), and has been with the team ever since.  Why a Red Swingline Stapler?  This is not just any ordinary stapler.  Made famous by the movie Office Space in 1999, Swingline released a limited edition stapler, indistinguishable from the one Milton had in the movie.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia

A Swingline product was featured in the 1999 cult-classic film Office Space. One employee, Milton, constantly mistreated by his boss, has his favorite stapler, a red Swingline, taken away. At the time, Swingline had not manufactured red staplers for years (a prop department employee, named Ric Trzeciak, painted one using red paint [1]according to the film’s commentary). In 2002 they released a limited edition series as a result of customer interest.

The Red Swingline Stapler has taken up permanent residence in my LaunchPad office at UPEI (somewhere between the phone and the computer monitor).  Although this may be a stapler, he has his preference in meals, his favorite snack… TPS Reports are hard to find but worth the hunt. Although he has been a loyal member of the “team” there have been some “incidents” in the past.  I am not able to go into detail but he has inherited a love for “setting the building on fire” which prompted me to hide the matches and take out an additional fire insurance policy.  For those of you who have not seen the movie Office Space I suggest you watch the video below for a better understanding.

I would like to personally thank the Red Swingline Stapler for the dedication over the past few years.

Check back often for the next Team Member Spotlight!

Nicholas

Student Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 PEI Award Photo

Published on March 19, 2010 in Media. Closed

The ACE Regional Exposition in Halifax was a great experience.  It is not often that one is fortunate to be in the company of the top Student Entrepreneurs for Atlantic Canada.  I met lots of great people who have been very successful in their ventures.

I finally had a professional photo taken of the award I received in Halifax.  Thanks to Alanna at Image Factory for making me look “wise”.

Award Web


Media Release: Province and UPEI Introduce New Business Incubator Program

Published on March 17, 2010 in Media. Closed

Link: http://www.gov.pe.ca/index.php3?number=news&lang=E&newsnumber=6923

March 17, 2010
For immediate release

Province and UPEI Introduce New Business Incubator Program

Innovation PEI

Supporting entrepreneurship and encouraging business development are the key objectives of a new LaunchPad business incubator at the University of Prince Edward Island.

LaunchPad at UPEI provides a professional setting for students to start a business. In addition to the use of a furnished office space and access to communications LaunchPad10Webtechnologies, students benefit from the services of professional mentors at the university’s School of Business.

“The introduction of the LaunchPad program to UPEI means that full-time student entrepreneurs will have access to the infrastructure and support needed to start a business while completing their degree,” said Hon. Allan Campbell, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning. “Our Government is committed to partnering with the business community and post-secondary institutions in an effort to strengthen our economy and labour force.”

“The University of Prince Edward Island is pleased to partner with the Province and Innovation PEI to promote entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Roberta MacDonald, dean of the School of Business. “The LaunchPad program complements the philosophy of the University and the School of Business. We believe in inspiring excellence in our students by working together so students can pursue their dreams and realize their ambitions in life and in business.”

Two students have already been accepted as the LaunchPad participants for the 2010 year. They are Nicholas MacLeod and Erica Wagner. MacLeod’s Future Web Design provides clients with a complete package of internet options such as web development, e-commerce and IT technical support.

“Business is continually evolving with the advancement in technology and the capabilities of the internet,” said MacLeod. “My clients’ needs range from a basic website to effectively promote their business, to a site with e-commerce capability.”

Erica Wagner focuses on Social Media Marketing as a business tool and Personal Branding. Services range from logo creation to an affordable, seamless and integrated marketing campaign for small businesses on PEI.

LaunchPad business incubator facilities are also available at Holland College, the Atlantic Technology Centre in Charlottetown, and the Holman Building in Summerside.

For more information about LaunchPad at UPEI, contact Joan Fleming at the UPEI School of Business at jofleming@upei.ca.

Site Launch: Image Factory – Alanna’s Photography

Published on March 13, 2010 in Site Launch. Closed

The Image Factory – Alanna’s Photography website has been in the works for far too long.  It took a lot of design revisions to find something we liked.  Yesterday was the official launch of the new website.  We are very pleased with the end result.  To check out the new site you can visit Image Factory – Alanna’s Photography.

ifap

Student Entrepreneur Champion Prince Edward Island 2010 Award

Published on February 26, 2010 in News. Closed

I made it to Halifax!  I will be presenting in the World Trade and Convention Center tomorrow at 11am.

I have also just been presented the award for Student Entrepreneur Champion Prince Edward Island 2010 by ACE.  I have posted a photo below for anyone interested.  (Better photo to come later)

IMG00007-20100225-2006ADJ

I will be posting updates as the competition progresses.  Stay tuned!

Article in The Guardian “Designing a future”

Published on February 26, 2010 in Media. Closed

Here is a link to the PDF version of the article featured in The Guardian on February 22, 2010

Designing a future (68)

Radio interview on CBC Radio One Island Morning

Published on February 18, 2010 in Media. Closed

Future Web Design owner, Nicholas MacLeod was featured on CBC Radio One Prince Edward Island’s Island Morning.  The interview took place with Karen Mair, the host of the morning program.  The main focus of the interview was the recent accomplishment of Nicholas MacLeod being named 2010 Student Entrepreneur of the Year for Prince Edward Island.

To hear the radio interview please follow the link below and you will be prompted to download the MP3.

February 18, 2010 CBC Interview