Matt Young

Texas School District Embraces Avaya Networking Infrastructure to Enable 21st-Century Learning...

Case Study for Avaya: Networks Solution in Education

2015 State of the Union: Mobile Performance of the Top Travel Industry Sites

Web Performance Optimization White Paper

BlackBerry Keeps Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in the Game

BlackBerry client case study

Speed vs. Fluency in Website Loading: What Drives User Engagement?

White paper on the effects of neropsychology on the perception of web performance

REPORT: 2015 State of the Union: Performance of the Top Travel Industry Sites

Mobile devices travel the world with us. Whether we're flying, taking the train or doing the old-fashioned road trip, our smartphones are almost always within reach - if not in hand - and we take them to theme parks, hotels and Grandma's house. They're also changing the ways we make our travel arrangements in a big way.

Canadian Tech Mogul Michael Wekerle Sees Great Things in BlackBerry (And Loves Our Phones, Too)

Profile of Canadian Celeb/Businessman Michael Wekerle.

Putting a Price Tag on Enterprise Mobility Gains

Slide deck for Slideshare channel. Original article by Joe McGarvey, edited by Matt Young. Deck by Matt Young.

Customer Success Stories: Serious Mobility for Serious Business

Copy edited the book and wrote several of the case studies.

BlackBerry Passport: Breaking Design Boundaries

Widely-cited article announcing BlackBerry's high-stakes flagship smartphone. Made the front page of TechMeme.

The Keys to Executing a Turnaround the Right Way

Edited this piece together for the BlackBerry CEO from quotes and transcribed videos. Added connecting material and some additional writing.

REPORT: State of the Union for Ecommerce Page Speed & Web Performance (Summer 2015)

In the hyper-accelerated world of technology, the modern consumer is bombarded with near-daily news of technological breakthroughs, OS updates, device refreshes and breakneck broadband speeds. With this all comes a reinforcement of expectations for modern webpages to deliver dynamic, rich content on par with high-definition cable programming, delivered just as fast as a user would change a channel from one HD broadcast to another.

Website Magazine May 2016

Often those responsible for the success of their enterprise get bogged down in the intricacies of the practice of search engine optimization, concerned more with the science of the details rather than the art of the experience. From a high level, however, the foundation of SEO success relies on three pillars: content, links and experience.

Discover BlackBerry Passport: THE Guide to Working Wide

Product guide by Matt Young for BlackBerry

Outletiquette: A Guide to Wallhuggers

Humorous look at sufferers of poor smartphone batteries

How Blind Spots in Customer Service Will Kill Your Profits

Repurposed from webinar.

Why Are Sports Sites Striking Out In Web Performance?

It's hard to beat the excitement that comes with attending a major sporting event - there's a lot going on, with loud music and commentary, bright lights and Jumbotrons, and thousands o...

Do You Still Need Optimization After Migrating to HTTP/2?

There's a lot of talk about HTTP/2. Why? Possibly because it promises to help alleviate some of the bottlenecks that come along with the dynamic, rich webpages that people have come to expect. The consumer market is driven by media consumption, be it high-definition videos, third-party plugins or animations, and these are bandwidth-hungry elements in an adversarial relationship with page load speeds.

Why Are Online Retailers Leaving Millions Of Dollars On The Table?

Online retailers are leaving millions of dollars - yes, millions - on the table. Why is this? In the hyper-competitive world of online commerce sites, every second is absolutely critical in ensuring a user experience that will yield the maximum likelihood of conversion, meaning a site visitor follows through and makes a purchase.

Why Are Eighty Percent Of Travel Sites Failing Customer Expectations?

The travel industry is changing. As the world's population grows and migrates from region to region, it adds to the number of people traveling back-and-forth from their new homes to loved ones in their countries of origin. Additionally, the hyper-competitive tour industry continues to invest big money to entice vacationers and sightseers to venture to new places far and wide.

In An Era Of Decline, News Sites Can't Afford Poor Web Performance

For all industries, web performance is an essential part of the online equation, and if there's an industry that's been disrupted by the web as greatly as the retail sector, it has to be news and media, making every aspect of the online experience even more important.

eCommerce Closes in on the Three Second Pageload Target

It may be hard to believe, but ecommerce sites have been around in earnest for a little over 20 years - Amazon and eBay were both founded in 1995 (right as the Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers were debuting), preceded the year before by J.C. Penney.

Why it takes so long for news, sports, and travel sites to load

What's the price of a second? When Amazon.com went down for 20 minutes earlier this month, it cost the ecommerce giant an estimated $3.75 million - $3,125 per second. Many other sites are leaving money on the table even when their sites are fully operational.

What Did The 10 Latest Reviews Say About The BlackBerry Classic?

The BlackBerry Classic continues to pull in solid reviews since its launch in December. From its near-all-day battery life to productivity enhancers such as the BlackBerry Hub, Blend and Assistant to the triumphant return of the toolbelt, the Classic builds on the strengths that drew people to BlackBerry in the first place.

What Happens When A Couple's Phone Goes Missing? They Get It Back, Intact, With BlackBerry Protect.

How many times have you misplaced your phone or had it go missing? The mere thought of having your photos, memos, contacts and other personal information gone forever (or in someone else's hands) is enough to make the average person sick with anxiety.

How Do You Swap SIM Cards and Switch Carriers on Your Unlocked BlackBerry Phones?

For many people, buying a subsidized, on-contract phone from a carrier feels like a can't-go-wrong move. After all, a subsidized, locked phone is usually several hundred dollars cheaper than an unlocked phone. But consider this: an unlocked phone lets you choose which carrier to use, and that can result in hundreds of dollars of savings over two years (the typical life of a mobile contract).

Q and A: Celebrating World Usability Day - Reflecting on User Experience

With today, November 13th being World Usability Day, and hot on the heels of an enterprise launch complete with a brand new web experience for enterprise customers, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on User Experience. Worldusabilityday.org explains it this way: "User Experience is all about engagement.

Press Plaudits for NantHealth-BlackBerry Cancer-Busting App for BlackBerry Passport

Patrick Soon-Shiong (left) may not be a household name, but he's someone worth knowing about. The California-based doctor and entrepreneur is one of the most influential people in the medical tech field. Soon-Shiong runs cloud-based healthcare startup NantHealth, in which BlackBerry has invested a minority stake.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's BlackBerry Q10 Redefines Security

Nobody needs stronger mobile security than heads of state. It's well-known that Barack Obama is only allowed to carry a customized BlackBerry. And so now does German Chancellor Angela Merkel, reports the German publication, Bild (or read the BBC version here).

Leading Magazine Declares BlackBerry OS 10.2 "World's Best Mobile OS"

BlackBerry OS 10.2 is being heralded as " The World's Best Mobile OS" even as we prepare to launch an even better, updated version. India's largest-selling computer publication, Digit Magazine , pitted BlackBerry 10.2 against other leading mobile operating systems: Android 4.4, iOS 7.1.2, and Windows Phone 8.1.

Check it Out: BlackBerry Passport Rocks Leading Apps Via the Amazon Appstore on BB OS 10.3

In case you didn't know, the Amazon Appstore's inclusion in the BlackBerry 10.3 update will transform the end-user experience, coinciding with the BlackBerry Passport's release.

Keep Calm and Type On: BlackBerry Passport may Quadruple your Typing Accuracy

There's a truth fans of hardware keyboards have known for a long time: physical QWERTY keyboards are best for inputting text accurately. It's not just anecdotal. In a new study, BlackBerry tested users of the BlackBerry Passport and found that they were almost 4 times more accurate than users of BlackBerry 10 devices sporting virtual, touchscreen keyboards.

BlackBerry's Acquisition of Secusmart Gets Positive Reviews from Media, Analysts

The Tuesday announcement that BlackBerry is acquiring mobile encryption company Secusmart is stirring up the technology corners of the web, as reporters and analysts recognize the significance of the move. Secusmart, a leader in high-security voice and data encryption and anti-eavesdropping solutions for government organizations, enterprises and telecommunications service, was BlackBerry's partner in designing German Chancellor Angela Merkel's headline-grabbing, ultra-secure phone.

Media, Pundits Hail BlackBerry's Strong Progress

Things continue to get better at BlackBerry, shown in the strong earnings report released on Thursday, detailing our Q1 2015 financials. Besides reporting a $23 million profit, our total cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments grew 16% ($429 million) to $3.1 billion, up from $2.7 billion at the end of the previous quarter.

Engadget Readers Endorse BlackBerry Hub as Solution to 'Messaging's Mission Impossible'

Over on popular tech blog Engadget, we saw a well-meaning, thoughtful article on Tuesday, " Messaging's mission impossible: One inbox to rule them all." The author, Nicole Lee, pines for an integrated experience to stay on top of all of the various communication channels vying for attention on smartphones today.

Media: Celebrity Hacking Leak Reinforces BlackBerry's Security Leadership

As the iCloud hacking story continues to unfold, experts are finding it hard to talk about strong mobile security without bringing the corporate embodiment of it into the discussion. "One tech name popping back on the radar is BlackBerry, which still has one of the best enterprise security systems out there," stated Fox Business anchor, Liz Claman.

Get to the Finish Line in Style with BBM's Location Sharing and Channels Features (Video)

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, BlackBerry's mobile computing partner, have been having a banner season. At the recent Canadian Grand Prix, we sent our correspondent, Carl-Edwin Michel, in Montreal to catch all the action and provide tips for using BBM to connect with friends while o...

The Story Behind the Immortal HeLa Cells

Hearst Journalism Award-nominated feature.

Are Your Profits in a Slump? Might Be Your CEM…

Are your profits in a slump? Maybe it’s your Customer Experience Management (CEM). CEM is a strategic business building block, a critical key to unlocking untapped business potential and is strongly tied to business success and growth trajectories. A new study* by independent market research firm Dynamic Markets on behalf of Avaya finds a stronger-than-realized correlation exists between CEM and increased profits.

Enterprise Connect 2014: Mark Massingham on Innovation in IP Office Contact Centers

At Enterprise Connect 2014, Avaya has focused on solutions into the midmarket--roughly defined as businesses with 5,000 employees or less. As part of our ongoing coverage of Enterprise Connect, I sat down with Mark Massingham, Senior Manager of Avaya's Midmarket Segment Marketing team, to talk about how we're innovating in that space.

3 Ways to Inspire More Collaboration at Your Company

Ah, collaboration. That term can mean very different things depending on a person's previous experiences. For some, the memory of a professor-mandated group project in college brings to mind a lopsided affair, with a vocal group leader taking the credit, while a few workhorses did the real heavy lifting (and that one guy who just...

Enterprise Connect 2014 Preview: Managed Cloud in Focus

Orlando is getting a little cloudy. With Enterprise Connect kicking off today, I sat down with Bruce MacVarish, Avaya's Director of Cloud Product Management, Marketing and Strategy, to discuss how cloud applications are taking center stage at this year's show. Matt Young: What can you tell me about what you're doing with the cloud?

CYOD: Balancing Uniform and Freeform?

Have you ever driven by a school where the students are in uniforms? The rationale is that having students wear the same, pre-approved clothes lets the school control variables they see as disruptive to the school experience. The trade-off leaves students often feeling like their individuality and personal comfort is compromised.

Avaya Charts a Course for Interop

Tim Titus is an innovator and problem-solver in the enterprise networking space. The founder of PathSolutions, a data and VoIP network monitoring solution, Tim took the time to speak with me about how PathSolutions is uniquely paired with Avaya technology as a core component of the Interop trade show in Las Vegas, which is being...

Behind the Scenes of the SJSU Event Center

Feature on how the SJSU Event Center puts big shows together. An interview with Events Director Ted Cady.

Enterprise Connect 2014: Val Matula on How Video Will Change Contact Centers Forever

WebRTC is new, hot, and not terribly well-understood by many. Thankfully, Val Matula, Avaya's Senior Director of Multimedia Technologies, knows the ins-and-outs, where it came from and where it's going, and laid it all out in this Q&A as part of our Enterprise Connect content. Matt Young: I know you spoke at Enterprise Connect last...

Midmarket Collaboration for Dummies: Avaya Edition

Copy edited the book and did light writing for several sections.

Guy Kawasaki at Avaya Evolutions: Humor, Insight and Innovation

It's not every day that you sit down to listen to a keynote address, thinking, "Hey, I really like this guy - He's funny! I actually did laugh out loud!" But then again, there's something really likable and unique about Silicon Valley venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki, who recently spoke at the Avaya Evolutions event in...

Why Can't Microsoft Get Lync to Work In Its Own Backyard?

Well, this is embarrassing: Apparently, Microsoft can't get the phones to work in their own county. The company recently sold King County, Washington-home of their Redmond headquarters-an $18.6 million, Lync-based phone system that has been plagued with problems since being installed in 2011. Chief among those glitches?

Maximize Customer Lifetime Value by Improving all 360 Degrees of a Customer's Experience

The customer experience is changing ever faster today due to new technologies. The habits of customers are shifting as companies broaden when and accelerate how they deliver service. The always-on aspect of 21st century life is leading to an expectation of instant information in all areas.

How to Get Smart about Customer Lifetime Value

Every business is focused on the bottom line: Making sure revenue exceeds costs each month. One big line item for most companies is spending hundreds--or, in some cases, even thousands--of dollars on acquiring new customers. Once you get that customer, what then? Customer Lifetime Value, or CLV, is a different way of looking at the...

Why Today's Avaya Collaboration Pod News is a Big Deal

Have you ever used a Swiss Army Knife? It's full of everything you could conceivably need in a pocket-sized tool: knives, files, a magnifying glass and even a toothpick and corkscrew. It's pretty useful, but you still have to pull out the specific piece for the corresponding function.

Moon bases might be 3D-printed on-site, if the European Space Agency has its way

Piece on 3D printing's potential use for space applications.

Words Hurt

Cyberbullying issues piece.

Speaker Touches on 'Humanity' in Israel-Palestine Conflict

News piece on presentation about Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Innovation Award Winner Spotlight: Pearland School District's Blazing-Fast Network

Congratulations to Texas's Pearland Independent School District (ISD) for their 2014 IAUG Customer Innovation Award for Technology Innovation Best Practice! Let's take a look at their story: The Pearland ISD, located just south of Houston, was thinking about updating a few computers. Like 12,000. Across 28 locations.

Avaya's New Wireless LAN 9100 Mutes the Sucking Sound of Network Downtime

Do you hear that "giant sucking sound?" That's the sound of millions of dollars enterprises lose each year to network downtime. In a recent survey of mid- to large-sized enterprises in the US, Canada, and the UK, Avaya found that 90% percent of companies have experienced negative effects from complex networks, including limiting business analysis,...

SJSU Women's Vollyball Team Crushed by Conference Leader Hawaii

Sports story.

Why I Haven't Been Playing my Xbox One Lately

Thog wants Elder Scrolls on his Xbox One NOW. As I detailed in my last post (been a while since then), the Xbox is a nice piece of tech, with some unique features.

Will Microsoft be able to lead the next generation of consoles?

Speculation about Microsoft's upcoming console

http://theverylateadopter.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/could-kickstarter-have-saved-the-phantom-console/

Could Kickstarter have made the Phantom a reality?

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 Review

Review of Sony Cyber-shot.

Interview with Indie Rocker David Bazan

Exclusive Interview with Rock Band Adema (part 1 of 2)

Exclusive interview with Adema for Your Music Magazine. Video shot by and shared courtesy of Dan Gard, AKA "gritphilm."

Exclusive Interview with Rock Band Adema (part 2 of 2)