Remo Knops

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
  • What I use
  • Contact Me
  • Disclaimer

Personal Blog

linkedin
500 Followers
follow
facebook
424 Followers
follow
twitter
915 Followers
follow
rss
10 Followers
follow
MENUMENU
  • Innovation
    • Business Analysis
    • Business Intelligence
    • Tools and models
  • Personal Development
  • Books
  • Cycling
    • Accessory
    • Bike Part
    • Clothing
    • Maintenance
    • Nutrition
    • Tools
    • Training
    • Cycling Reviews
    • How I test and review
You are here: Home / Archives for Microsoft

Office Scripts in Excel – Power Automate your Spreadsheet

published on December 14, 2020 by Remo Knops

Office Scripts in Excel is a new feature in Office365 that allows your to Power Automate complex spreadsheet calculations that normally would require a VB script.

Robert Sep, one of the founders of The Qoders Community, shared an update in his LinkedIn feed on Office Scripts that caught my attention.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Cloud, Microsoft, Office Tagged With: Flow, Macro Recorder, Microsoft, Office 365, Office Scripts, Power Platform, RPA, VBA

Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Bluetooth Keyboard

published on November 30, 2020 by Remo Knops

The Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Bluetooth keyboard stands out because of the curved ergonomic design, that follows the natural angle of your arms and wrists. This should provide more comfort during long use of the Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Bluetooth keyboard.

In the following sections I will discuss my experiences with the Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Bluetooth keyboard and highlight some of the hardware features that I like.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: Bluetooth Keyboard, Microsoft, Sculpt

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse review

published on June 27, 2013 by Remo Knops

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is one of my favorite and most used accessories for my Windows powered notebook. It is a very lightweight mouse, with an excellent battery life, that is perfectly suited for every modern nomad.

Arc Touch Mouse Microsoft 4195

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse – A design overview

I would like to provide an overview of the product design and highlight the features that I personally like. On the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse product page you can read the following description:

“Arc Touch Mouse’s innovative design allows for quick use and storage. Curve it comfortably to get started.”

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is really thin, when not curved. This makes it very easy to store the Microsoft Arc Touch mouse in a small front pocket of Tom Bihn Empire Builder or the back pocket of the Waterfield Sleevecase.

Arc Touch Mouse Microsoft 4200

“Then smoothly glide your finger up or down the scroll pad. Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse responds precisely to the speed of your finger movement, using Haptic feedback (light vibration that signals scrolling speed) to scan through documents or web pages as quickly—or as cautiously—as needed, entirely by feel.”

When you curve the Microsoft Arc Touch mouse, it is immediately switched on (you can see the blue BlueTrack light). The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse offers enough support for my hand to comfortably rest on the curve of the mouse. Instead of a scroll wheel, there is a touch-sensitive strip between the two mouse buttons. If you would like to scroll up or down you simply swipe your finger up or down over the strip, while getting haptic feedback about the scrolling speed.

Both the mouse buttons have a pleasant size and travel. Below the touch-sensitive strip there is a led, which flashes red in the case of low batteries.

The Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center allows you to easily configure the mouse buttons and additional features in Windows 8. Download the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center for Windows 8 here.

Arc Touch Mouse Microsoft 4204

“When you’re done, keep the tiny transceiver plugged into your computer’s USB port, or tuck it into the underside of the mouse. Then flatten Arc Touch Mouse to turn it off, and slip it into your pocket or bag as easily as a cell phone.”

The Microsoft Arc Touch mouse comes with a small but unique to the mouse USB transceiver. The backside of the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse has a magnetic area in the case that you would like to remove the transceiver and attach it to your mouse. The Nano Transceiver however is permanently plugged into a USB port of my Lenovo work laptop.

Arc Touch Mouse Microsoft 4202

BlueTrack  Technology

“With BlueTrack technology from Microsoft, your computer mouse will work on even more surfaces than ever before, including granite and carpet, wood tables or park benches.”

This is a great technology that makes everyday life a lot easier. No matter on which surface you would like to use your Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse, it always simply works. 🙂

Arc Touch Mouse Microsoft 4201

Concluding thoughts and wrap-up

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is a very compact and lightweight mouse, with a more than excellent battery life.

I think I change the two AAA batteries once per half a year with intensive daily usage. Personally is this excellent battery life a major pro for buying the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse.

Like I mentioned in the introduction it is very easy to store in a bag. When I walk around the office (from one meeting room to another) I sometimes even put the Microsoft Arco Touch Mouse in the back pocket of my jeans. It is that flat … 🙂

You can argue about the price point of €69.99, but honestly it is the best mouse I’ve ever bought and you get a lot of design- and technology for your money.

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse furthermore has won several design prizes:

  • Winner of a 2011 IDEA Gold Award for design excellence;
  • Winner of a red dot 2011 Product Design Award and Best of the Best Award;

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is the perfect notebook accessory for every road warrior.

Remo Knops WordPress Signature

 

Filed Under: Windows Tagged With: Arc Touch, BlueTrack, Microsoft, Mouse and Keyboard Center, Nano Transceiver

Innovation Management with the Microsoft Project Server 2010

published on August 27, 2012 by Remo Knops

Some time ago I attended the event “Innovatie management op het Microsoft-platform” where I could experience a cool intersection of open innovation and information technology.

CXS B.V., a joint venture between Campana & Schott and Corporate Project Solutions, shared a case study at a market-leading pharmaceutical company, where they’ve build an innovation management solution build up-on Microsoft Project Server 2010.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Microsoft, Open Innovation Tagged With: Financial databases, Microsoft, Open Innovation, Portfolio management, Project management, SAP

Microsoft Mixed Minds Business Course 2012

published on August 13, 2012 by Remo Knops

After last year’s success of the Microsoft Mixed Minds Business Course 2011, I would like to inform you that it’s time again for students to challenge Microsoft Netherlands!

Are you a talented student in the final phase of your study ? Are you creative and passionate about technology and ready to challenge the status quo ? If these are descriptions that suite you will, don’t hesitate and enroll for the Mixed Minds Business Course on September 27th 2012.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Microsoft Tagged With: Microsoft, Traineeship

Microsoft, Yahoo! – Will the Search Landscape really change ??

published on July 31, 2009 by Remo Knops

Perhaps some of your remember the acquisition propositions of Microsoft to Yahoo! earlier this year, which in the end didn’t result in Microsoft buying Yahoo!. However yesterday the news spread very fast on the web that both companies announced a long-term agreement in the Web Search segment.

“Yahoo! and Microsoft announced an agreement that will improve the Web search experience for users and advertisers, and deliver sustained innovation to the industry. In simple terms, Microsoft will now power Yahoo! search while Yahoo! will become the exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers.”

microsoft_yahoo_website_570px 

Analysis key terms of the agreement

But even the simple term version in the summary made me think about the advantages and impact the agreement has for both Yahoo! and Microsoft. Dueto my background in and interests in technology trends I wanted to have a closer look at the key terms below:

 

@1.   “Microsoft will acquire an exclusive 10 year license to Yahoo!’s core search technologies, and Microsoft will have the ability to integrate Yahoo! search technologies into its existing web search platforms;”

Remarkable is the long-term character of the agreement, especially in the fast moving and hard to predict digital era we currently live in. However the agreement might be a good strategic move, in order to continue development and expand marketshare for the Microsoft Bing decision engine.

 

@2.   “Microsoft’s Bing will be the exclusive algorithmic search and paid search platform for Yahoo! sites. Yahoo! will continue to use its technology and data in other areas of its business such as enhancing display advertising technology.”

This key term only supports the expansion of Microsoft Bing, since it will power the search platform on Yahoo! websites. A questionmark however is if Microsoft will also have access to the Yahoo! search data, which is collectd by Yahoo! until now.

 

@3.   “Yahoo! will become the exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers. Self-serve advertising for both companies will be fulfilled by Microsoft’s AdCenter platform, and prices for all search ads will continue to be set by AdCenter’s automated auction process.”

It sounds like this key term is really aimed at combining complementary skill sets, or to reduce Microsoft’s sales force for premium search advertisers.

 

@4.   “Each company will maintain its own separate display advertising business and sales force.”

Thus the agreement is only for the search-segment of both the companies, while other parts like the Instant Messaging platforms and the Web Properties, etc. will not be part of this agreement. From a Microsoft perspective, it looks like this deal is fully aimed at brining Micrsoft Bing to the next level. What intrigues me is how the close collaboration agreement will be shaped in practice? Will the Microsft Yahoo search become a separate business unit under the Microsoft Bing “umbrella” ?

 

@5.   “Yahoo! will innovate and “own” the user experience on Yahoo! properties, including the user experience for search, even though it will be powered by Microsoft technology.”

This one is very interesting, since I believe that both companies will invest in continuous development of the user experience as well as the search experience. This key term triggers a question again: What will happen to the Intellectual Property (IP) that is a result of a co-creation process, which required both parties’ knowledge to develop / or create ?

 

@6.   “Microsoft will compensate Yahoo! through a revenue sharing agreement on traffic generated on Yahoo!’s network of both owned and operated (O&O) and affiliate sites.

  • Microsoft will pay traffic acquisition costs (TAC) to Yahoo! at an initial rate of 88% of search revenue generated on Yahoo!’s O&O sites during the first 5 years of the agreement.
  • Yahoo! will continue to syndicate its existing search affiliate partnerships.”

Well here come some financials in play. Microsoft (Bing) will pay Yahoo! compensation for the market expansion which seems to be fair for both companies. The first bullet however only covers the first 5 years of the agreement, while the exclusive license agreement on Yahoo!s search technologies is bought for a period of 10 years! Honestly in the fast moving internet era, these periods seem to be long but might be the result of “slow moving giants” compared to the flexible start-up companies.

 

@7.   “Microsoft will guarantee Yahoo!’s O&O revenue per search (RPS) in each country for the first 18 months following initial implementation in that country.”

Looking a the compensation-term of the agreement  above and the fact that Microsoft will guarantee Yahoo! revenue per search, both companies but foremost Microsoft have really faith in the success of Microsoft Bing, which is more than a Google search alternative.

 

@8.   “At full implementation (expected to occur within 24 months following regulatory approval), Yahoo! estimates, based on current levels of revenue and current operating expenses, that this agreement will provide a benefit to annual GAAP operating income of approximately $500 million and capital expenditure savings of approximately $200 million. Yahoo! also estimates that this agreement will provide a benefit to annual operating cash flow of approximately $275 million.”

Nice to write down the estimates, but which prediction and estimation models are used to calculate these numbers. What is the balance between the financial win for Microsoft and what is the financial win for Yahoo!?  However I do think that this merger / acquisition can result in highe efficiency improvements by combining the best of both worlds in search and advertising. If the numbers and calculations we’re correct we will see in time.

 

@9.   “The agreement protects consumer privacy by limiting the data shared between the companies to the minimum necessary to operate and improve the combined search platform, and restricts the use of search data shared between the companies. The agreement maintains the industry-leading privacy practices that each company follows today.”

Consumer privacy is certainly a good point, but will this key term not slow down the companies since they seem te rely both on certain types of information for additional development of their services.

 

Thoughts and wrap-up 

Todd Bishop -co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash- has written a series of articles on the TechFlash website about this deal from a variety of perspectives in the following highly recommended articles: “What people are saying about Microsoft’s Yahoo partnership” and “Analysts, investors react to Microsoft’s Yahoo partnership” and “Audio: Ballmer and Bartz discuss partnership, Google, and f-bombs“

“While Microsoft gets the larger market share to improve Bing’s search relevance and advertising volume, Yahoo still gets 88 percent of the revenue from ads on Yahoo search, without the R&D and operating expenses that it would normally encounter. That frees up Yahoo to concentrate on its online media business, Ballmer said.”

But how can we relate this agreement back to the failed acquisition in February this year, and what was te initial goal of the Yahoo! acquisition at that point in time ? Was it also aimed at buying the search technologies of Yahoo! in order to improve Microsoft Bing and leverage the Yahoo! network to collect data and expand in advertising as well ?

All interesting questions, which will require some additional research. However what most strikes me in this deal is the long-term character and trust both companies have in this agreement and the partnership. I would like to know when you really can measure the impact of this agreement, both in financial- and in operational and efficiency terms as well.

In the article I explicitely didn’t talk about Google -another industry giant an leader in the search segment-, but I’m also really curious on their strategic reaction as well. And:

  • Is the agreement between Microsoft and Yahoo! a clever move to dismantle Yahoo! piece by piece or is it a better deal for Yahoo! so they can really develop ventures in new or related industries ?
  • Will the two industry giants be able to be more flexible and move faster due to this agreement, like a early start-up ?
  • Which management challenges will the (partly) merger of Yahoo! and Microsoft (Bing) bring ?
  • What impact has this acquisition on the innovative power of Yahoo! and Microsoft ?
  • What is the impact on the business models of Yahoo! and Microsoft ?

Concluding

The current agreement betweent Microsoft and Yahoo! is a very interesting business case, of which I will follow the developments. I hope in time some questions will be answered and perhaps some new challenges will come on their path. The long-term character of the agreement and the open formulation of the key terms, makes it even more interesting to follow. Please let me know what you think of this agreement, and you might have some thoughts about the proposed questions as well.

 

Reference List

  1. MICROSOFT PRESS PASS: News Press Release Microsoft Proposes Acquisition of Yahoo! for $31 per Share
  2. CHOICE VALUE INNOVATION:  Microsoft, Yahoo! Change Search Landscape
  3. TECHFLASH:  Analysts, investors react to Microsoft’s Yahoo partnership

Filed Under: Business Administration Tagged With: Google, Innovation, Microsoft, Partnership, Web Search, Yahoo!

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Search

Related Posts

  • Google – More than just a search engine, but not the only motor of economic growth
  • UPDATE: Microsoft Live Search released with customer-driven features
  • Evernote PDF Search – New Premium Feature

Advertisement




POPULAR POSTS

  • Garmin Edge Mount Viber for Vibe Stem from PRO Bikegear 12 views
  • Who moved my cheese ? (Johnson) Book review 11 views
  • Gem for OneNote 2016 review – Supercharge Productivity 8 views
  • BBB LinkFix BTL-77 pliers for KMC Missing Link 5 views
  • Elite Fly Team Water Bottle review 4 views
  • Schwalbe Tire Levers with rim clip 4 views
  • PDFtk Pro – Review of an excellent PDF Toolkit 4 views
  • Giro Synthe MIPS Cycling Helmet review 4 views
  • Stahlwille Manoskop 730N/2 Mechanical Torque Wrench 2-20 Nm 4 views
  • Solestar Kontrol BLK Cycling Insoles 3 views

Advertisement

Popular Shared Posts

CEMA Bearing Bottom Bracket Replacement Tool166 Total Shares
Operating Model Canvas book review – Andrew Campbell, Mikel Gutierrez, Mark Lancelott121 Total Shares
Design a Better Business – Book review71 Total Shares
The Secret of Cycling – Vroemen, Van Dijk, Van Megen50 Total Shares
Who moved my cheese ? (Johnson) Book review48 Total Shares
Mark J. Owen – Business Analysis Wisdom eBook42 Total Shares
C-Bear Bottom Bracket for BB86/BB9238 Total Shares
Onetastic addin for Microsoft OneNote36 Total Shares
Elite Fly Team Water Bottle review33 Total Shares
Aspiring Advisor Book Review – Moritz Dressel33 Total Shares

Copyright © 2021 ·Minimum Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

X
Subject:
Message:
Ajax loader