Staying ahead of technology. Timezones. Workflows

Been back in USA a bit over 2 weeks now, and being Sunday, its always my “planning and strategy day” no matter where I am in the world, Sunday is the most “calm” day, the least amount of new incoming emails, and a chance for me to catch up, reflect, and think ahead.

Timezones: In just 2 weeks so many things have happened, perspectives changed, ideas budding. Being in USA means that (obviously) my timezone has changed and its daytime here and night in China / Philippines. Therefore I’m staying up for the other side of business, China talks. Its amazing how hard it is dealing with people on the other side of the world – even as technology, internet, and communication tools make it easier – just that 10am in NY is 10pm in China makes it a struggle. And I have to adjust for that, hope that “workflows” are enough in place to support communication. So far so good, its just adjusting.

New phone, Apps – As soon as I landed in JFK new york, my China mobile didn’t work! grrr, I am paying 59rmb (about 10usd a month) and I thought it would work, sure expensive roaming, but just for emergencies. So then I thought I could just get a prepaid SIM card and pop it into my unlocked cell phone. Well….seems America’s carriers have this on lockdown….T-mobile has one, but its $25usd just for the SIM card (no credit /minutes) and I put a $25usd charge on it…..burned through it in 4 days, thinking text messages would be cheap (barely made calls from it), turns out it is 20 cents per text – INCOMING AND OUTGOING. Amazing….ripoff. So I was looking for a carrier, Verizon was definitely out because of CDMA technology and the phone is GARBAGE overseas, at least the other carriers you can get the phone unlocked and use it in China, or Europe, Philippines, etc. Verizon amazes me they are still on CDMA. So I picked T-Mobile, as AT&T coverage I am told is horrible in New York City, and I didn’t want the iphone – I wanted an android. I have had a smartphone before (nokia e63) but it never worked installing apps. Having this new android has been awesome, and with unlimited data I don’t even second guess my usage of downloading, uploading, etc. I am installing all kinds of apps, using GPS location, chats, emails, online banking – trying to do as much as I can directly from my phone to further my ability to run the office from any location, worldwide (well have to unlock this phone when I travel to get it that far). But its been a little annoying moving MICROSOFT to GOOGLE – with the outlook (email, calendar, contacts), excel (google docs) but now everything is ONLINE and not a locally stored data file on my computer and phone. I don’t have to connect my phone to my computer to “sync” its now done online and syncs each through their data connection.

Workflow – I mean I knew I would be away from China and Philippines office for a few months, but now that I am looking to stay even longer, I really have to adjust how the workflow works. That on top of the changing apps (outlook, google, contacts, calendar) at least now I’m not fighting for wi-fi in coffee shops, I have unlimited data on my mobile (still can’t tether my tmobile to my laptop though)

Anyway, its been a bit over 2 weeks and I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. Just gotta “go underwater” for a week or so and swim back up to catch a breath.