iPad Makes Medtronic More Than Just Cool

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7 iPad Makes Medtronic More Than Just Cool ByArundhati Parmar, MedCity News|More Articles
April 30, 2011|Comments (1)

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Roughly 5,000 Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL??) iPads being used within Medtronic (NYSE: MDT??) have kept the IT organization at the world's largest medical device company pretty busy developing apps.

And now, four months into the launch of the Medtronic App Store, employees of the Fridley, Minn.-based company have downloaded the 28 apps currently available more than 10,000 times. These applications are primarily being used by the sales and marketing staff, although other divisions within Medtronic are beginning to explore ways to use the iPad to their benefit.

"Medtronic was really on the front edge of the iPad app development," said Jeff Bipes, the company's enterprise mobility IT manager.

The password-protected internal apps include mStar, a productivity tool that sales reps use to order and register products and then integrate them with the company's back-end systems. Another in-house app is mCMS, a content-management application that helps sales staff and managers organize, present, and distribute product information based on what the topic is or who the audience is. (Bipes declined to talk about the most popular apps because they are so specific to a particular group that any other group with a large sales force would skew the download results.)

The company first developed an iPad app in June, after the Medtronic App Store launched in December. Bipes added that he is not aware of any other company that has a dedicated App Store.

"It absolutely provides a competitive edge," Bipes said.

Medtronic certainly appears to be ahead of at least its local competition. A St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ??) spokeswoman said the Little Canada, Minn.-based company has just a "handful of apps" for employees.

"While we do not have an integrated SJM Apps store at this time, we are certainly evaluating where we want to be in this space," said St. Jude's Amy Jo Meyer in an email. "We are currently focused on deploying mobile solutions that increase sales force productivity, such as inventory replenishment and mobile case scheduling."

Some apps on the Medtronic App Store can be used on the iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, and even devices that use the Android operating system.

One employee in the company's marketing department is looking forward to using the iPad very soon. (She requested anonymity because the interview was not approved in advance.)

"Standard tools for marketers are PowerPoint slides, and that requires booting up the computer, going through the folders, and finding the right slides," she said. "It's awkward when you have seconds to grab the physician's attention. The iPad is so immediate and effective."

It's not just the speed; it's also the elegance of the presentation that makes the iPad so appealing to users, Bipes said. And given that the device is so popular among doctors, it's smart on Medtronic's part to have a team working on iPad app development. Bipes declined to say how many people work on the app development team but did say that the apps are developed both in-house and by other companies on its behalf. Medtronic plans to buy more iPads for employees aside from the roughly 5,000 that employees already use.

Now the company is also developing apps specifically for physicians. Bipes said one, called the "Carelink Demo," launched on the Medtronic App Store earlier this week.

A carb-counting iPad app called "Carb Counting with Lenny" was released last year on the Apple App Store and has an average rating of three stars.

To Medtronic, developing new, unique apps is equally as important as making new innovative medical devices.

"The quality of the apps and the usability is important, as opposed to just having a piece of hardware and some applications," Bipes said.

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Report this Comment On May 02, 2011,at 9:30 PM, froddobaggins wrote:

Boston Scientific has been using the IPad for 9 months.. This is nothing new. Just filler for a reporter without original material.

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'Max & the Magic Marker' makes its mark on iPad

 Press Play

If you had a magic pen, what problems would you draw your way out of?

By Winda Benedetti

According to a new study, the thing iPad owners use their tablets for the most is ... playing games. No, not reading e-books, not even surfing the Web for information.

That's right, 84 percent of tablet owners say they use their device to play games, while 74 percent say they use it for doing email and a mere 46 percent use it to read e-books.

And there's a good reason gaming is leading the charge?— because iPads are a really enjoyable place to play games. And it's games like "Max & the Magic Marker" that do a good job showing off the strengths tablets have to offer as?gaming gadgets.

"Max and the Magic Marker" is an award-winning indie game that first launched on PC?and as a downloadable title for the Wii and then?made its?mobile debut on Windows Phone 7 devices.

But with its recent jump to the iPad (as well as to the iPhone), players not only get the best price yet offered ($1.99 for iPhone, $4.99 for iPad), they get to enjoy this delightfully whimsical drawing game at its own scribbling best.

The basic story is this: Max is a boy with a magic marker and he needs to stop the inky monster that he accidentally created. To do this, he?must dive into a hand-drawn world.

Press Play

The game starts with some traditional side-scrolling platforming gameplay but adds?a really neat drawing mechanic that is especially well suited to touch devices — and especially especially?well suited to the large touchscreen on the iPad.

When Max comes up against obstacles and enemies, you’ll draw on the iPad's touchscreen to create solutions to his problems. That is, the things you draw become physical objects in the game world. If he needs to cross a ravine, for example, draw a line to create a bridge for him. If he needs to reach something up high, draw him a staircase.

But more than that, the game gives you plenty of room to be creative. Though you'll need to collect balls of ink and watch how much ink is stored in Max's pen, you can scribble all sorts of structures to reach your goals. Meanwhile, you can also manipulate time — pausing the action to doodle out a clever solution.

And now that the game has moved to the iPad, everything just feels?so much roomier. It's easier to let you imagination guide the way in this colorful world. And the graphics, by the way, look quite nice in iPad HD.

No, the?iDevice version of "Max?& the Magic Marker" isn't without its blemishes. The touchscreen controls are less than ideal and you'll notice this?especially during the trickier platforming moments. (Yes, this is typically?where iPads and their touchscreen brethren do not shine in the gaming department.)

Still, this is far from a deal breaker.??And I should add that another great thing about "Max & the Magic Marker" is that it really is the kind of game that everyone in the family can enjoy.

The 58 levels are?challenging enough for adults looking for some unique and thought-provoking puzzles to attack, while younger players?are sure to?get a kick out of the heroic young Max and the feel of putting finger to screen and seeing their doodles follow. (To get a peek at what it's like,?try a free demo of the game online here.)

This kind of tactile experience is one of the joys of touchscreen gaming.?Speaking of which, if you like this kind of drawing puzzle game then be sure to check out the game?"Crayon Physics Deluxe"?for the iPhone and iPad. It too will help ensure that?you spend most of your time using your iPad to play games.

Tune in?each week for a new installment of?App Addicted.?And if you want to feed your app need right now, check out:

Winda Benedetti writes about games?for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things right here on Twitter.

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PC Hudak makes campaign-like stop in Mitchell

Tim Hudak, Ontario PC caucus leader, is flanked by Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman (left) and Perth-Wellington candidate Randy Pettapiece, calling for an end to skyrocketing energy costs outside a transformer in Mitchell on March 17.
Respect for Ontario families. That was the message Ontario PC caucus leader Tim Hudak delivered to supporters at a stop in Mitchell on March 17.

"I'm hearing more and more that people want change. They want a government that will give them relief and respect that fact that every dollar the government spends comes from a hard working Ontario family who earned it," he said.

Hudak, after an earlier stop in Stratford, was in Mitchell along with Perth-Wellington candidate Randy Pettapiece and longtime MPP Ernie Hardeman. He met with members of the Mitchell Business Improvement Assocation (BIA) at the town hall before gathering with supporters at the Crystal Palace for a luncheon.

"Families are getting nickeled and dimed to death. Every time they turn around they are hit with a new tax or new fee," said Hudak, alluding to the HST that has been added to the basics of heat, hydro and gas and the eco-tax.

He added, "Hydro bills are going through the roof. Smart meters are nothing more than a tax machine that takes more money out of the pockets of families that are already struggling to balance the family budget.

"To give Ontario families and seniors a break, we have called to pull the plug on the mandatory smart meters because not every senior can get up at midnight to wash their clothes and do the dishes, not every family can have all the kids showered and fed and ready for school by 7 a.m. when the high rates kick in, not every family meets Dalton McGuinty's definition of an ideal family and that is why we have said a PC government would pull the plug on the smart meters and give every family a choice," he continued.

In January, the PC caucus travelled across Ontario to more than 80 communities to warn Ontario families about how McGuinty's "expensive energy experiments are causing hydro bills to skyrocket."

"Sadly, since then Ontario families and seniors have seen two more hits that will drive up their bill," he said, referring to the smart meters that have cost over $1 billion, or $200 per consumer, and the $18 million in fines and legal fees that utilities have been charged with for overcharging customers in late fees.

Hudak said this month the Conservatives brought forward a motion in the house, calling for a forensic audit on the debt retirement charge, which can be upwards of $84 per family.

"We want to know how much has been paid to date, how much is left over and when will that charge come off the hydro bills," he said.

He said the Liberals voted it down.

"And when it comes to respect, we need to restore respect to the average tax payer in Ontario. The current government has lost the fact that every dollar spend was earned by hard working people. The government should work for the people who pay the bills," he said.

Hudak said a PC government would eliminate the inefficient Local Health Improvement Networks (LHINs) and put every penny back into frontline health care.

"Respect also means respect for property rights and for communities to have their say. We have called for a province wide moratorium on industrial wind turbine farms because we need to get the science right, the setbacks are not working, we need good environmental and health information and contracts need to be affordable to families," he added. "We are going to respect local decisions."

Hudak said there a significant challenges right across the province.

"We have the biggest deficit we have ever faced, we have lost too many young trades people and seniors who have fought for our country are struggling to pay the bills. Change is coming to Ontario, change for the average family, seniors, small business, and change that will restore respect.

"Families deserve a chance to catch up, to balance the family budget and have money left over to spend on their own priorities, not the governments," said Hudak.

"This October we will offer a clear choice between an out of touch Dalton McGuinty that treats consumers as his personal ATM machine or a PC government, who will put consumers, families, seniors and small businesses first and give families the relief they desperately need."

Hudak also welcomed every family to visit HaveYourSayOntario.ca to tell the PC government how to make Ontario a leader again.

"We have had over 20,000 people that have spoken up and gone to our website. Whether it is abolishing the HST, reducing it, income tax reductions, all options are on the table. We want you to tell us what is going to help Ontario families," he said.

View the original article here

What Makes a Good Computer Desk?

One of the most important aspects of a computer desk is table space. Before you go out to purchase one make sure you consider how much space you will actually need. Common computer desks come in two flavors - full size and compact.

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When purchasing a computer desk keep in mind the type of computer you will be using at it. A computer with a CRT monitor will require more space than one with an LCD monitor. If you plan to use a laptop or desktop replacement system at the desk your actual computer usage space will be much smaller than if you were going to use a full size desktop computer. For full size computers you may want a computer desk that has an integrated space for the computer itself, rather than putting the desktop literally on the desk or having it free floating somewhere next to or beneath the desk.

Obviously if you are using a laptop instead of a desktop those types of space considerations will be irrelevant to you. However, laptop users may want to consider a computer desk that can easily hold a docking station with enough space for multiple external hard drives.

When choosing a computer desk keep in mind not only your current requirements, but also try to anticipate your future needs in order to maximize the life of the desk.

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