"For the past four centuries, science has been victim of the delusion that all that is necessary to pursue truth is the 'scientific method'. The history of science reveals that this view is false. Scientists squabble as bitterly--and as frequently--as theologians, and are just as prone to use personal authority to suppress their opponents. Does this mean that scientific truth is unattainable? Obviously not. Newton was probably the most neurotic and paranoid of all great scientists; he was so suspicious of others that he refused to publish his discoveries lest they be stolen."

- Colin Wilson (Mysteries)

"Essential to any form of American business is the blame game. It is never one's own fault - but always the fault of others."

- Morrissey (Autobiography)

Dominance of Chinese premium phones imminent

While not yet reigning supreme, the global smartphone market, including that in Indonesia, is witnessing the rise of Chinese products. 

Sales performance figures for the second quarter of the year tell a tale of woe for South Korean technology giant, Samsung.
In the second quarter of this year, for the first time in three years, the company reported a decline in its net profit, a 20-percent fall compared to the same period last year. Despite the company reporting the fault lay in low market demand, the fact is that other companies reported an increase in sales in the same quarter.
Samsung continues to be the global leader in the cellular phone market. But with other companies, including another South Korean giant, LG, aggressively trying to woo consumers with their latest products, the market should see an interesting battle for dominance through the end of the year.
Samsung, LG, Sony and Motorola, with their Android-powered products, as well as Apple’s iPhone, may need to rewrite their marketing strategy soon as the market is witnessing the rise of premium products from China. 

IT transformation, a step toward an efficient organization

Hardware and software solution providers continue to innovate to help organizations develop and adopt end-to-end IT solutions.
Thanks partly to the incorporation of high technology in day-to-day operations, many corporations have moved forward and have recorded growth. However, the cost of IT implementation is likely to rise, leading to many companies seeking ways to cut expenses.

In response to the companies’ concerns, several IT service providers are introducing their latest IT solutions to the market so that corporations can be helped in their work.

IT transformation is one such IT solution.

Many IT experts agree that IT transformation can bring momentous changes to corporate culture.

“It’s a shift from being a reactive order-taker culture to driving business growth and improvement,” said Dan Roberts, president of Ouellette & Associates, a consulting firm with a focus on IT transformation.

The aim is to make the IT department a more pro-active and flexible part of the business, arming the IT department with an arsenal of resources to respond quickly to changing business requirements.

One of the aims of IT Solutions is to help companies cut the cost of their operations, according to an IT expert.

Accenture, for example, promises a 30 percent reduction in IT costs should a company decide to work with Accenture in its IT transformation program.

Accenture is a multinational, management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, that also has its office in Jakarta.

Oracle, a hardware and software solution provider, last week introduced its latest products aiming at simplifying data processing.

Exalytics X3-4 and Exalytics T5-8 apply Oracle’s latest system, which can process structured and unstructured data, freeing the application of the system for not just one type of business.

“Structured data, like research or marketing reports, can be incorporated with unstructured data from social media. So, it’s applicable in any field, from banking, telecommunication, health, even government,” explained Francis Han, Oracle Corporation general manager for ASEAN application.

As reported by swa.co.id, IBM Indonesia recently introduced IBM System x6 which, the company reported, could transfer important workloads, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and analytic and database clouds, from the client’s traditional system to IBM’s latest system. Using the new system, clients will experience an improvement in efficiency and cut costs.

“The architecture of the latest system is especially designed to deliver a new level of performance and higher resilience for enterprise-class applications,” said Gunawan Susanto, country manager of the system technology group (STG) of IBM Indonesia.

He added that clients who transferred their enterprise-class application to cloud models and adopted an analytical approach introduced by IBM to expand their businesses needed integrated solutions, which helped distribution, efficiency and performance.

Lots of companies have benefited significantly from using IT Solutions.

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina, for example, has been transforming its IT solutions via implementing its ERP system using SAP Solution since 2002.

Aside from SAP, the company also uses systems and software provided by big names in IT, such as Accenture, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, provided by local vendor Perdana Consulting. “I’d say many state-owned enterprises operate with ERP SAP nowadays,” said T. Darmawansyah, a project analyst for Pertamina Hulu Energi.

Another client of Perdana Consulting is Bank Mandiri, the country’s biggest commercial bank based on assets.

The bank implements various solutions, such as financial and human capital management, supplier relationship management and technology upgrades.

Choices of package

In terms of hardware, key players have also been introducing solutions for IT transformation. Different work plans are offered, giving clients the choice of package that works best for them.

Dell Indonesia last week launched Dell Solutions Tour 2014. In this campaign, the company is set to answer important questions about and assist IT professionals handle various conditions that drive IT transformations.

Introducing four main strategies: Transform, Connect, Inform and Protect (TCIP), Dell solutions will help companies cut down on IT expenses and help clients innovate more.

Dell Fluid Cache for SAN and Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme were introduced at the event. The former helps cut the distance between data and the server, thus, improving the performance of applications and reducing response time.

Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme is especially designed to withstand a dangerous work environment, as well as unfavorable outdoor conditions. This will especially be helpful for military, manufacturing and industrial sites or disaster mitigation efforts.

Dell Indonesia managing director Catherine Lian said with the new hardware and system from Dell, clients were given more freedom to innovate and achieve efficiency, as well as responding to growing demands.

“Today, organizations of any size face changes and challenges bigger and more diverse than ever before. With this in mind, Dell is setting a business strategy that can help organizations develop and adopt end-to-end IT solutions,” she added.

Important partners also attended the event and showed their support for the solutions. Companies, such as Intel, Microsoft, nVidia, Trend Micro, Targus and McAfee are known to have worked with solutions from Dell.

The rise of IT managed services

Major IT players are taking more active roles with customized solutions to support systems essential to industry and government.

Many of today’s companies and institutions opt for outsourcing some of their day-to-day management responsibilities and functions as part of their business strategies for improving operations and reducing expenses.

These can effectively be achieved with the implementation of IT managed services, which handle the organizations’ growing need for modern operations, and online presence and services for easy access by the organizations’ partners and the public.

Yet, more and more clients of managed services require features that directly answer their specific organizational needs. And, today’s IT manufacturers and resellers respond by moving away from off-the-shelf solutions to offer customized solutions.

In Indonesia, major IT manufacturers and service providers, like IBM, Oracle or Fujitsu, have been offering customized solutions to corporations and government bodies.

Services offered

IT managed services offer a wide array of solutions for organizations and institutions. Equipment relocation and initial installation, hardware management and maintenance, backup and recovery services, and virtualization services, as well as all-round security maintenance and protection are services offered by IT managed services providers.

Fujitsu, one of Japan’s leading providers of ICT-based solutions, earlier in the year announced the implementation of its Disaster Information Management System (DIMS) by Jakarta’s Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD DKI Jakarta). With the system, BPBD DKI Jakarta can improve the agency’s coordination and disaster response. Fujitsu Indonesia president director Achmad S. Sofwan said the system integrates hardware and software with the capability of accelerating the management of information during a disaster mitigation process.

BPBD DKI Jakarta hopes the implementation of DIMS is one major step in the right direction in the agency’s efforts to provide a better disaster management response and mitigation process.

“The solution from Fujitsu has helped us in accelerating information management during the disaster mitigation process, particularly during the major flooding that hits DKI Jakarta,” Bambang Surya Putra, head of the informatics section of BPBD DKI Jakarta, said.

“In the January 2014 floods […] with the support of Fujitsu’s disaster management information system, we were able to obtain real-time information, and distribute it on time, to ensure effective coordination in the whole disaster mitigation process,” he added.

Wincor-Nixdorf, a corporation that provides retail and retail banking hardware, software and services, has also been operating in Indonesia and offers managed service solutions to its clients. The corporation’s familiar logo can be found in almost all ATMs across the country. The corporation’s vast portfolio of IT managed solutions have helped the corporation become the leader in Europe and among the top three globally in providing programmable electronic point of sale (POS) systems and number two in ATM installation and maintenance.

Earlier in February, Wincor-Nixdorf introduced The Aevi, the corporation’s business-to-business (B2B) application for Android-based devices. With The Aevi, the retail industry can manage and improve sales, process cashless payments and bring added value to the business. The service can lead to an array of new methods for mobile online transactions.

“Every day people are becoming more mobile and need quick and practical cashless processes. One of the goals of the application is to respond to the needs of the market, as well as building a platform for an integrated ecosystem. We hope the application will give unique experiences, extending to more than just a payment process,” said Nugraha Santosa, president of Wincor-Nixdorf Indonesia.

Taste of a homemade system

Enterprise resource planning or ERP is another IT managed service many corporations use. PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, which manages one of the biggest integrated tourism areas in Southeast Asia, has been outsourcing its IT managed services. Since 2005, PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol has been working with PT Pro Sistimatika Informasi (Prosia) to build and manage the recreational hub’s ERP or back end system. Prosia and PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol uses Orlansoft Solution for the establishment’s financial integration project.

“Orlansoft is the most flexible business system for a quick and painless financial integration,” said Fransiskus Xaverius Husni, chief internal auditor at PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, when the company announced the decision to work with Prosia for the project.

Very flexible software customization; annual maintenance, which means Orlansoft system undergoes continuous development by its vendor; relatively low implementation costs compared to other products, such as Germany’s SAP ERP are three added values which helped PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol make its decision to use Orlansoft.

“The support is available locally. This makes it quick for us to get a response, should we face any support and maintenance issues. Besides, the business process in the system is developed with the business process existing in Indonesia in mind,” M. Hami Siregar, one of PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol’s IT staff, said in a text message.

All financial processes at PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol and the company’s unit businesses use Orlansoft. This means the company has made the full transition of its financial process from manual to a computerized system.

“And Orlansoft being a locally made product doesn’t hurt either,” Hami added.

Other national-level companies that use Orlansoft are the Danapaints Distributors chain and Kalbe Group’s international division. (Gandi Faisal)

The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps.

- Robert Benchley
#quote

Zooming in on the trend in technology

Entering the second quarter of 2014, the world of technology is shaping up to be dynamic, with smartphones still the darling of technological companies. 

In terms of sales records and technological varieties, smartphones surpass other technologies. Yet, producers have other trends to develop to accompany smartphones. Ultrabooks, tablets and wearable devices are what they hope can garner big revenues.

Computing the Downward Graphics

Ultrabooks remain PC producers’ mainstay against the assault of the tablets. PC markets have been dominated by notebooks, but after the launch of the iPad in 2010, there has been a steady decline in the sales and shipments of notebooks. 

The International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that, for 2014, the sales of tablets are set to rise 
by 19.4 percent and worldwide shipments of desktop PCs and notebooks are forecast to total 278 million. A consumer survey by Gartner reveals that less than 8 percent of users would switch from computer to tablet; with twice that figure opting to switch to ultrabooks, instead.

Computer users have seen slow progress in new computer chips development, as producers seem to focus more on developing technologies for tablets or hybrid gadgets. Processor-wise, Intel’s Core i-series and AMD’s Core A series are what consumers have to contend with. And with Intel’s plan to delay the shipments of its low-powered Core i-series “Broadwell” chips, the market really does not have much to offer.

The power of traditional PCs to handle true computing experiences, such as multitasking capabilities, is what holds people to desktop computers and notebooks. With the producers of 256-gigabyte solid state drives, like Transcend, continuing to cut prices and pushing for more shipments, consumers can expect a better performance in their notebooks, especially in boot time and processes. 

As Intel is now cutting down the prices of its quad-core Intel Atom processor notebooks, and producers are using this processor in their lower-price notebooks, consumers are getting the benefit.

For Indonesia, there is a growing optimism that sales will improve. The Indonesian Computer Businesses Association (APKOMINDO) expects the sales of PCs to pick up from May to August, especially by government institutions and departments. The general election is one reason cited to have an impact in the delay of computer procurement by state ministries and government institutions.

Ever-surging tablets

Most expect tablets to make a big splash this year. Despite the forecast revealing this year’s expansion to be much less than it was in 2013—shipments will still reach 260.9 million units worldwide (Source: IDC).

Tablets have become part of daily life in many countries. Apple and Android remain the world’s two biggest names in tablets. Samsung remains the dominant player in the world, selling 37.4 million tablets in 2013, which in turn helped increase Android shares of the tablet market to 61.9 percent against Apple’s 36 percent.

Pretty much the same thing has happened in Indonesia. Many Indonesians say Samsung is the one brand they would like to have. The wide range of Samsung Galaxy tablets makes it easy for consumers to choose the one they need. 

Other global brands, such as Acer, Asus and Lenovo, have not been sitting idly. They keep churning out their latest tablets and hybrids, such as the Acer Iconia, the Asus MeMOPad, and the Lenovo IdeaPad.

As reported by indotelko.com, Acer is set to flood the Indonesian market with their products. Despite the Windows-powered tablet’s slow market penetration (2.1 percent of market share in 2013), Acer still believes in Microsoft’s experience and ability to turn things around in its favor. Acer opts to provide consumers with a choice of Android-based or Windows-powered tablets, paving the way for more markets for the company.

More and more tablets in the market are using quad-core processors, promising smooth on-screen movements and operation. With thinner bodies and crisper graphics, more powerful processors will continue to be the trend for this year. Interestingly, some producers are following Samsung’s move and are including a pointed-tip stylus to accompany their tablets or phablets (devices with the functions of both a smartphone and a tablet). 

Two examples are the Asus FonePad Note 6 and the Polytron Wizard Note W7530. Both are equipped with a stylus, which the producers claim to be precise and fully functional. But will a stylus turn out to be a gimmick or a useful peripheral? This remains to be seen.

Telling the time

Another technological breakthrough producers are trying to push in the market is wearable devices. Samsung and Sony are said to be at the forefront of the development and the introduction of wearable devices.

More and more producers are joining the bandwagon in producing smartwatches. Huawei, several other Chinese high-technology companies and several local brands, are keen on entering the wearable market.

Samsung has Galaxy Gear, which is now already available in Indonesia. The company has even developed its own OS for future Samsung wearables, called Tizen, citing the limited compatibility of Android OS and apps when applied to the small-screen smartwatch.

In the second week of March, Google introduced Android Wear, a project that extends Android to wearables. It’s the company’s response to the problems smartwatch makers address.

Android Wear is designed to improve smartwatches from a mere extension of a smartphone—reminding users of incoming messages from social media accounts, for example—to a device that can actually help improve users’ social life and work.

Motorola and LG are the first two companies ready to adopt Android Wear. Motorola has released the company’s own smartwatch, dubbed Moto 360, sporting a great-looking round watchface, though whether this device will be available in the country any time soon is still a question. 

LG is also ready with its own LG G Watch. But for now, consumers across the country will most likely only see Samsung and Sony smartwatches in shops. (Gandi Faisal)