Part of my success this time around I think has to do with the fact that I am paying for my own education. Since I’m invested financially, I’m just stupid to waste my own money. Overcoming my propensity to procrastinate has also been quite the challenge and with the importance of group projects, keeping in contact with other people that may not share the strange Dot Com Lifestyle Schedule has been interesting. That prompted me to hunt for an online collaboration tool that would allow me to keep in touch with everyone in my group and to share work and collaborate all without having to physically meet up. That search led me to Glasscubes.

Introducing Glasscubes

Through the power of Twitter, I was approached, or rather, tweeted by Sophie Le Brozec of Glasscubes. I tweeted that I was looking for a web based CRM system that could support my group for collaborating on our term project for Marketing Strategy. She suggested that we try out their new online collaboration software that launched on October 13th of this year.

Glasscubes is an online collaboration tool that incorporates aspects of CRM and Intranet. The software is available exclusively on the web and unlike other more complex CRM solutions, does not require you to install it on a server, or download a client to access it. The clean and inviting interface encourages you to explore and become productive almost immediately.

Glasscubes has created a video that shows off the interface and some of the cool features…

After spending the last couple weeks using with one of my class project teams who is working on some marketing strategy for a winery, I’ve quickly fallen in love with this very useful and affordable tool. Here are few things that I love most about this online tool for sharing, communicating and collaborating.

Cubes for Collaboration

Glasscubes’ “Cubes” function provides for the ability to create workspaces for different projects that you’re working on. For example, I’m working on a project for Pacific Breeze Winery with my group and in order to organize our thoughts, documents and files, we’ve created this space to keep all of the related information together.

The beauty of the cubes is that each one is isolated from the others so that only the people that should be viewing the project can view it. This includes all the tasks, files and appointments related to a particular cube. The cubes also allow you to invite people that may not even be part of your organization to join in with the collaboration on each cube. For example, you can invite your professor in to view the progress of a project you are working on for the class without revealing any other projects you are working on.

Personally Accountable

One of the great features of Glasscubes is the ability for the system to help you see visually what tasks are related directly to you. The “Personal” tab allows you to keep track of all the items related to you, from tasks to current discussions to comments on files you’ve uploaded for further collaboration. If you’re using the CRM functions, you can even see cases and opportunities that are assigned directly to you. To the right, you can quickly see which “Cubes” you’re able to access or are a part of.

One of the things that I liked about the personal tab was the fact that you can schedule in all your availability. This allows your group to select the best times to schedule a meeting or conference call. I really liked the fact that I could also see when people were collaborating on documents and discussions you may have opened, giving you a timeline of all related collaboration.

Connecting With Others, Following Leads and Solving Problems

Glasscubes offers some basic CRM functionality that can be very useful to companies that don’t need a full blown solution. Clients and contacts are added through the “Connect” tab and from that one can effectively manage sales opportunities and even customer service issues. These opportunities or issues can then be assigned to the right person on staff to take care of and they’ll be able to see these assignments in their “Personal” tab when the login. Of course, from assignment to resolution, the steps can be tracked and shared with others in the company.

We never used the opportunities or leads functions on our project with the winery, but having used other more complex systems in the past, the Glasscubes approach is definitely more simple and I can see companies taking advantage of it simply because it is easy to use and understand.

Of course, Glasscubes does allow you to import your contacts from any number of contact management solutions such as Outlook or any other software that dumps to a CSV file. You can even export lists out to use for targeted marketing use.

Effective File Management

As I mentioned earlier, using the Cubes, you can upload files related to that Cube only keeping things private and allowing you an easy way to track what files belong with what project. While this in itself is pretty cool and Glasscubes allows you to upload pretty much anything you want, from MS Office Files, PDFs, to pictures and videos (it even labels the files as a DOC, XLS or IMG etc), the best part of this system is the fact that you can edit files like DOCs and XLS files right in Glasscubes.

After selecting the file and locking it for edits (so that no one else can alter the file while you’re working on it), Glasscubes will launch an editor allowing you to work on the file as if you were working on it in WORD or EXCEL. You can do your edits and then save it as a revision, allowing your group to keep track of versioning and changes. Like most areas of Glasscubes, members of your group can leave comments and suggested changes for you.

Other great features include a useful search function and the ability to label things so that they can be easily found. As you start to label more items, the the labels show up in a list in the right sidebar, and even show how many documents are related to that label.

Lots to Discuss

Like how documents, tasks and even schedules can be related strictly to a single cube, discussions can be related to specifically to a specific cube. We used this function a lot to discuss different aspects of our project from our presentation plans to what additional work and tasks needed to be undertaken to complete our project. This also helped cut down on ineffectual email traffic and allowed us to track our conversations so that we don’t keep repeating ourselves. You can even post polls to democratically decide the direction a project should take.

Outside of the Cubes, Glasscubes labelled the open discussion area as the “Coffee Break” where anyone can post a topic and get feedback on non cube specific items. The Glasscubes put in an example “Coffee Break” post asking about who would be running the NYC Marathon, for example.

What Does It Cost?

As I learned in my CRM class, there is a huge range of pricing for CRM solutions. Most of the time the cost is so high that most businesses that could benefit most from a CRM simply can’t afford it. The best part about Glasscubes is that depending on what your needs are, you start at FREE and can scale with the system as your business grows. The basic FREE account gives you a maximum of three users plus 2 cubes, up to 100 contacts and up to 100MB’s for storing your files: Perfect for most school project needs.

Their most popular account is the medium package ($64US per month) which gives you an unlimited amount of users, up to 20 cubes, 10GB’s of storage, up to 10,000 contacts. This package (along with the lower end small package – $25US per month) allow additional security enhancements including the ability to edit documents online: something that the FREE package does not have and is one of the coolest parts about Glasscubes as I noted. As you head up the product line, you get more storage, more cubes, and the ability to add more contacts.

All of Glasscubes products come with a 28 day free trial so if you’re sure the FREE product won’t work out for you, can take one of their larger packages for a whirl. You will have to enter in a credit card number though which can be a bit of a turn off for some.

Final Thoughts

Since launch, Glasscubes has been continually improving their product offering and working out the bugs. You can keep track of all the new developments on their corporate blog. I was really impressed at how quickly an issue I was experiencing at the beginning of my trial was taken care of, even on a weekend. It’s clear that someone on the other end was using effective CRM to solve my problem lickety split.

Whether it’s for school, managing projects for your consulting practice or dealing with sales leads, Glasscubes seems to be a great alternative to more complex and more expensive systems on the market. The fact that it is completely hosted online and can be accessed anywhere by any of your team members is also a huge convenience. I definitely recommend it for anyone that wants to be more organized and more effective when dealing with any task requiring collaboration with others.

PS: We’re giving away an ULTRA Products 750 Watt Modular ATX Power Supply over at Futurelooks. Check out the contest details to find out how to win it!

The main difference between the HF100 and the two higher end Canon HD Camcorders, the HF10 and the HF11, is the lack of internal memory. Because SDHC memory cards are so cheap these days, it’s definitely not worth the price difference to have either 16GB or 32GB onboard. The HF10 and the HF100 are essentially the same except for the color and the 16GB of onboard memory (HF10), while the HF11 does have the extra ability of recording at 24Mbps recording in HD.

Check out the unboxing video below…

The Canon HF100 is substantially cheaper than the HF10 and HF11 and with those extra dollars, you can buy extra memory cards or take advantage of the advanced hot shoe by adding an external mic or video light, making this into a great camcorder for the amateur videographer. Look for this machine to make an appearance in an upcoming DotComPho Episode.

This afternoon, I had a chance to finally meet my Samsung rep face to face as he made a stop in Vancouver during a media tour. Samsung and Futurelooks have been working together since 2001, but it’s not often that we get a chance to see eachother face to face. Arun here is one of the newer members of the Samsung Canada team and has been our contact there for the past year. Although we’ve been very well connected via email and over the phone, there is no substitute for a face to face meeting.

Today, we talked about Samsung and Futurelooks and had a great meal over at one of Vancouver’s best French restaurants, Le Crocodile. Here are a few highlights…

After settling in with some fresh bread and a complimentary goat cheese tart (not pictured), I had my favourite comfort food of all: Foie Gras. It was a special they had at lunch that combined a healthy sized pan seared piece of foie gras, topped with a crispy potato wafer and a pan seared scallop. It was drenched in a rich savoury sauce and they even added some extra butter for the full heart attack.

For my main course, I had the Grilled Wild B.C. Salmon, served with a light Saffron Velouté Sauce and a sauté of Calamaris. I don’t think there was anything light about this dish, but it was fresh and downright awesome. The even left us with a mess of french fries just in case we weren’t having a coronary.

Next, more free stuff came our way. The chef was all about freebies this lunch. First the goat cheese tart, and now we get a scoop of freshly made pear and mint sorbet served on a mint leaf. This was offered to us so we could cleanse our pallets for the real dessert.

Finally, for dessert, I had the frenchest of all French desserts: Creme Brulee. The blowtorch action was good, and the dessert was rich, but it didn’t have the gentle sweetness that I’ve experienced with versions from Feenies or WEST. It was also more uber thick than I’m normally used to. It almost had the consistency of cheesecake. Not bad, but not my favourite. I would have preferred a little bit more sweetness and a little less of a butter like consistency.

Finally, our meal was finished off with little chocolate Le Crocodiles and of course, the bill. Our total came to about $112 plus tip for the two of us which made it the second most expensive lunch that I’ve had, next to the Feenie Foie Gras Burger. Actually, that’s not true since I didn’t pay and Samsung Canada picked up the bill. Free is good. Thanks again Arun and Samsung Canada. You’re welcome back anytime to take me to lunch

The Elbow Room Cafe is a well worn local eatery that specializes in breakfast all day and is home to clientelle ranging from your typical Yuppies to Movie Stars, and of course everyone in between. Strangely, it’s the product of an insurance adjuster and an ex-teacher. However, no matter who you are, you are not exempt from their unique style of abuse. Everyone is greeted at the door as a couple of ladies, though I’m pretty sure they mean it more when they are talking about Ed Lau, connoisseur of such things as the said mens skin care products in the previous paragraph. Want coffee? Get it yourself. Need service? They’ll be right with you…when they are done talking. If this offends you, Denny’s is on the other side of Burrard. I guess after all those years of abuse in insurance and teaching, this is pay back.

After partially recovering from a coma induced by Cleaning and Jerking for four hours, the previous day, I was in need of sustanance and ordered up the comforts of something called “The New Yorker” which consisted of two large poached eggs served over a mixture of mushrooms, onion, tomato, bacon and pepperoni in a spicy tomato-BBQ sauce. All of this is tossed on top of a couple of toasted croissants, with a nice ladel of hollandaise sauce to finish it off. Not only is it messy and sloppy, but it’s also a great cure for a hangover and wonderfully delicious in the most non-nutritious way.

Kelly had the “Hillary Swank” Omelet aka the “Don’t Make Me Cry”. I have no clue why but if you had to finish it, you’d cry because it’s absolutely enormous. Made of cream cheese, avocado, sauteed spinach and tomato, it destroys anything health beneficial by being absolutely gargantuan. This is followed by a side of generously buttered toast. If you toss in a few chocolate chip pancakes and three fried egg sandwhiches and they could call this the “Michael Phelps Breakfast“. There was enough stuff inside this one omelet to make two regular ones. Stingy on the service but not stingy on the food.

If you don’t finish your dish, not only do you get called a lady again and verbally abused, but you’ll also get charged a couple of extra dollars on your bill that goes directly to feeding the less fortunate that are afflicted with AIDS. Mean to you. Good to the people that need it.

If you’re looking for someone to suck ass for a tip, then turn around and leave. This ain’t no IHOP. But if you’re looking for a place that’s different, that has some great comfort food plus some very charismatic servers, and you don’t mind getting your own coffee, then check out the Elbow Room Cafe next time you’re in the Vancouver area.

I guess the evil coffee kingdom of Starbucks clued in on this work habit of hanging out longer and spending a few more dollars. Although I’m not a fan of Starbucks Coffee in general, opting for smaller, much cooler hang outs, the Seattle Java Giant has just made it harder to reject them and their burnt beans (though their light roast has improved lately). Starbucks recently launched a whole series of rewards tied directly to their gift cards. When you register your gift card at their website, you get to take advantage of a whole bunch of freebies which include…

• Free Beverage Customizations – If you want a flavour shot or a switch to soy in your beverage, it’s free when you use your Starbucks Gift Card to purchase the drink. Perfect for taking off the edge off the edge on those burnt beans.
• Free Refills on Brewed Coffee – When you purchase a brewed coffee with your Starbucks Gift Card, you get free refills on all brewed coffees. This includes iced or hot. This is good if you like their coffee, but when it’s cold and slightly watered down, it ain’t so bad. You can also go to town on milk and sugar if you have to. Since you’re downing that much coffee, you’ll need to have more snacks. So evil. I do wonder if the said perpetual fill ups work during your visit, or if you can just come back through out the day with your cup like we used to do in the good old days at MacDonalds.
• Free Tall Beverage With the Purchase of a Pound of Coffee – When you buy their burnt beans, you get a free tall drink of your choice. Just offer to buy beans for your buddies and cash in on a free drink if you don’t use their coffee. I’m sure a Hot Chocolate or something would be nice on a cold day.
• Two Hours of Free WiFi Every Day – Whether you purchase a drink or not, you’ll get free WiFi at any Starbucks with a Hot Spot. You get two hours each day by just by registering that gift card, which you should have done already to be able to get the above three things.

Finally, all of these bribes are available to you whether you are in the US or in Canada. Your gift card gets registered for North America and you’ll be able to leach off the WiFi in the US or in Canada. What I should do one day is login for two hours at a Canadian Starbucks, then cross the border and login for two hours in a US Starbucks to see if I can double dip on the Interwebs. The only catch is that your card must have a balance and you need to use it at least once a month. Since Starbucks seem to outnumber cool coffee shops with stable WiFi, it makes the ‘bucks, that much harder to ignore. Also, their Internet seems extremely fast at least at the locations that I’ve been too.

The only hitch that you may run into is that some locations may not be fully aware of these benefits. I went to the busy Pinetree Location in Coquitlam, and they had no clue that it was tied to their gift cards and tried to get me to sign up for their Duetto Credit Card. Also, not all stores have a WiFi HotSpot so make sure you look on the door before you sit down and enjoy that whatever you ordered. This is especially true of new locations. I went to the one beside the new Thrifty Foods in Port Moody near IOCO Road and they were FAIL on the Interwebs. Not to mention, not everyone reads the memos so if you get some part time dude or dudette, they might not know that you get all this free stuff and you might have to jump through a couple hoops initially.

Another thing I found out, for all you K-12 teachers, is that every Monday, you guys can grab a free coffee at any Starbucks in Canada, whether you use the card or not. I’m not sure if that applies to the educators of the young in the US, but I’m sure they get something similar. Though I do wonder if you get the pertual fill ups. Someone try that and let me know

It’s hard to reject Starbucks when they bribe you this much. If they’re throwing this much stuff out there free, I wonder what else they’ll toss at us to get us to not go to the cooler place down the street.