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How D7 Consulting uses the iPad at work
We've been covering the story of D7 Consulting for a while here on TUAW -- that's the company that originally won 20 iPads from Box.net through our comments section, and then became a showcase project for how the iPad can be used in real-life business. I called up CEO Joe Daniels for one final interview this week to see how things have progressed and what he and his company have learned from using their iPads while out and about. He told me that even though the dust has settled on the initial program, the iPad implementation at D7 "is going to be ongoing forever." It's "an evolutionary thing," Daniels said. But it has gotten to the point where the company no longer uses paperwork to share files. "Everything I do when I go out to a job site is done through the iPad and Box. I don't even take a file with me any more."
Final Box.net iPad campaign video
Box.net has released the final video covering their project to set up a company called D7 Consulting with 20 iPads to implement in their day-to-day business. It sounds like the whole thing has been a rousing success -- back when the project first kicked off, D7 said they wanted to use the iPad to track statements and reports directly from their construction work sites, and according to this video, that's exactly what they've done, reducing paperwork and serving as a great example of how to put Apple's consumer technology to use in the workplace. There's also some information in the video about Box.net and their service, and of course the whole project was developed partly as a demonstration of what's possible with Box.net's filesharing software. But what's really impressive about this for everybody is that with the ubiquity of powerful, connected devices like the iPad, almost every kind of business can benefit from having access to files and all of the other features that the iPad brings to the table. Stay tuned -- we're aiming to do one more visit with D7 Consulting to see how the project went and what they learned from putting the iPad to work in their office. TUAW originally helped kick off this project with Box.net by helping them choose someone from our readership to start using these iPads, and there's definitely more to learn from what Box.net and D7 have done with this project.
Box.net's iPad project at D7 Consulting: How the iPad works at work
Here's another update from the folks at Box.net on how the iPad deployment at D7 Consulting is going. Through TUAW, Box.net found a company to give 20 free iPads to. Box.net helped D7 set up a workflow that's built and run around Apple's tablet and their service. The first fruits of that collaboration are starting to grow, and as you can see in the video above, Box.net is getting some solid feedback from D7. Box.net is looking at using that feedback to develop future features for their software, including some methods for offline access. Another exciting forthcoming feature concerns more ways to share not only text and documents but also "rich content," including drawings and audio notes about those documents. CIO magazine talked to D7's president Joseph Daniels, who described five lessons he's learned in implementing the project so far. There's a lot of good stuff in there, especially if you're considering using iPads on your job. For the rest of us, what's probably most surprising is that iPads can take all kinds of abuse without having issues. The one problem D7 has had so far is overheating; on a job in the deserts of Las Vegas, an iPad did overheat on them after being in the sun. But 20 minutes in the AC got it back up and working just fine. Another problem is a lack of enterprise support from Apple directly. Don't forget that, while it has a lot of applications on the job, the iPad is still a consumer-targeted device, and D7 has bumped up against that designation a few times already. It's very interesting stuff. It looks like this collaboration is paying off for all involved, including those of us who are just watching to learn from the sidelines. We'll continue to watch how the project is going, and we'll provide you with another on-location look at the project here in a while. In the meantime, if you have questions for Box.net or D7, post them in the comments below. If Sean Lindo (of Box.net) or Terrell Woods (of D7) don't reply directly, we'll make sure to ask in the future.
Found Footage: Box.net's iPad kickoff at D7 Consulting
A little while ago, I told you that Box.net had brought their iPads out here to California in order to give them away to D7 Consulting (originally given away thanks to a post here on TUAW). They also had a video team on site, and they've produced this little video that will show you what D7 is up to and what they are planning to do with all of those iPads. As I said in our previous post, this will be an interesting experiment. The folks at D7 Consulting are trying to figure out how they can use both the iPads and Box.net (along with a few other common apps) to benefit their business in a profitable and helpful way. This is the first of a few videos that Box.net is producing about the process. We'll also be doing some followup sessions with D7 to see how it is all working out. The iPad has been marketed as a consumer device, and it definitely is. However, it's also a very powerful computer, and it'll be interesting to see how these folks are able to integrate it into their everyday business, both in that office and out on the construction sites. Stay tuned for more.
Box.net's 20 iPads arrive at D7 Consulting
A few months back, Box.net launched its effort to deliver 20 brand new iPads to a business that could make use of Apple's tablet and the cloud sharing service in an innovative and interesting way. Box.net eventually chose D7 Consulting, a construction consulting company in Newport Beach, California, to receive the iPads. Yesterday, I drove down to the company HQ to see the beginning of the project. Over the next 12 months, Box.net will provide not only the free iPads but also free service to D7's employees. Together, the two companies hope to get a good look at, as Box's Marketing Communications Manager Sean Lindo put it, "the possibilities and realities of cloud and mobile devices for how people need to work today." TUAW will be following up periodically with Box.net and D7 to see how the project is going. As you can hear directly from D7 CEO Joe Daniels in the second half of this post, the next year is going to be an interesting experiment, not only to see how his employees are able to use iPads with their work on construction sites but also to see how Apple's tablet can be used reliably and well in the workplace. In the gallery below, you can see yesterday's unboxing. Read on for more on how this all came about and what challenges Daniels expects to face in the coming weeks. %Gallery-97114%
What could your business do with 20 iPads? Box.net & TUAW want to find out
The application period for the Box.net iPad offer has ended. Stay tuned for more on the progress of the experiment soon! There are plenty of cloud storage and collaboration services that sound good in an elevator pitch or seem promising when sketched on the back of a napkin; precious few ever really get working at a scale and sophistication that truly can make a difference for the vast majority of users. One service that has the track record to claim that crown (not to mention a long list of happy customers) is Box.net, which has been pushing bits and making friends since 2005. Beyond the web-centric file storage and laundry list of distributed applications that Box offers, there's an item of keen interest to iPhone and iPad users: the new and improved Box.net app, which gives you easy and rapid access to your entire file library on the go. You can also find Box.net API support in apps like Goodreader, giving you plenty of options when it comes to getting at your stuff. With all this mobile support in place, it's interesting to think about the usage scenarios and new solutions that businesses could devise ... if only they had some iPads, and some help. Wouldn't it be exciting to experiment? And wouldn't it be that much more exciting if, say, the iPads were free? The hunt begins for one fortunate firm that's ready to answer the question "Is the iPad ready for business?" Box.net is offering 20 iPads and a Box business account to the company that comes up with the best fit and workflow for how your business would take advantage of the iPads and the collaboration tools. In 200 words, in the widget below, upload a text or Word file with your rationale, and put your contact info/company name in the description field. If your story resonates, your shop may benefit. The Box account lasts a year, and the iPads are yours to keep. Meanwhile, TUAW will be checking in with the winning firm frequently through the course of the program, sharing the lessons learned and the experience gained with other would-be iPad adopters in the business world. We'll be chatting by video, visiting the office (geography permitting), and helping share your stories during the year to come. Full details and FAQ are here. Give it a shot -- you could find yourself sitting atop a stack of 20 iPads. Disclaimer: Box.net is the sole administrator of the iPads for Business program and will determine all the conditions and requirements of participation. TUAW is not responsible for the iPads for Business program and cannot answer questions or provide support for any device or application on the iPads. No advertising contract or financial relationship exists between TUAW and Box.net.
