Inteltrax: Top Stories, October 24 to October 28
October 31, 2011
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, the economic challenges that are realized and overcome thanks to the use of big data and analytics.
The best example of this situation that we found came from our story, “BI’s a Part of Germany’s Strong Economy,” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2647 showcased the fascinating trend of how one of the few thriving European economies is directly tied to business intelligence and data analytics.
The story, “Analytic Jobs a Possible Economic Solution,” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2652 discussed how analytic work has been steady while other industries dry up. Could data analysis be the fix to sluggish economies?
Another economic staple, FICO credit scores, were magnified in the story, “Pushing 60, FICO Adjusts to Analytics.” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2655 Here, we discovered how the credit giant takes the massive amounts of personal data to streamline its analytic system.”
No matter how you slice it, economics is a hot topic these days. We were pleased to discover a positive side to this talk when paired with analytics. We are optimistic about this union in the future and will continue giving it our attention at IntelTrax.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
October 31, 2011
Tableau 6.1 Available for Apple iPad
October 25, 2011
App mania is in full stride.
Seattle based rapid-fire business intelligence software producer, Tableau Software, http://www.tableausoftware.com/ has gained recognition for performing “simple business analytics,” has now made Tableau 6.1 available for public use and can be made available on the iPad. This is important because most apps insulate the user from of the messy fiddling old style enterprise applications required. Some were beyond the MBA and required a programmer, who, in theory, could verify that data were clean and the functions appropriate to the data set available.
The Tableau blog post “Tableau Makes Business Intelligence Faster and Mobile” states:
The new version delivers automatic touch and gesture optimized support for the Apple iPad, whether views are accessed via Tableau’s new iPad App or via Mobile Safari. In addition, Tableau enhanced its in-memory analytics engine with increased query and loading performance. People can also rapidly update existing extracts in Tableau’s data engine. Other improvements include localization and new maps.”
In addition to having an even faster in-memory data engine, what’s really cool about this new version is that through the new iPad app, you can still create quick and easy interactive dashboards and reports from both Tableau Server and Tableau Public. There is no need for up-front design changes or maintaining multiple versions of workbooks to serve multiple platforms and when a view is accessed from the iPad, Tableau automatically detects and optimizes the user experience.
Several observations:
- Will end users know what data delivered the output?
- Are the data fresh? How will end users know?
- Will end users make a decision based on a graph and some highlights?
Our thought is, “Many users will accept what’s on the iPad as accurate.” In some situations, the assumption may be incorrect by a little or a lot.
For more information on Tableau 6.1 and any other Tableau happenings, feel free to check out the company blog.
Jasmine Ashton, October 25, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Inteltrax: Top Stories, October 17 to October 21
October 24, 2011
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, the ups and downs for some of the industry’s biggest names.
Those in the know about cloud computing were surprised to see our story, “Amazon Analytics Experiences Setbacks,” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2591 since the book and cloud giant’s analytics offerings aren’t taking off like its Kindle.
On the upswing, we offered “Jaspersoft Climbing the BI Competition Ladder” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2595 detailing how one of our favorite BI vendors has made some bold moves pay off recently.
Back on the negative side of the spectrum, “Google Analytics Gets Weaker in Germany” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2588 tough data mining laws are keeping the search king from knowing too much about Germany’s users.
This is just a taste of the news we deliver. There’s never any telling from day-to-day when a major player will suffer a blow and when a little guy will climb higher. Sometimes vice versa. So we watch the big data game like a hawk, showing all sides of the story to give readers a full view of the roller coaster ride.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting http://www.inteltrax.com/
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
October 24, 2011
Baseball Embraces SAS Analytics
October 20, 2011
Baseball as an institution is known for its love of numbers. Now it’s embracing analytics. KDNuggets reports more in, “Pittsburgh Pirates tap SAS Analytics.”
The article explains the use of statistics and analytics:
As ‘Moneyball’ has become a valued statistical approach to selecting talent, teams such as the Pittsburgh Pirates are also embracing analytics to improve operations and marketing and build stronger relationships with fans. Using SAS Visual Data Discovery, the Pirates surface a treasure trove of fan insights. The point-and-click interface gives quick entry to advanced analytics from SAS, the leader in business analytics.
The Pirates had previously used Microsoft Excel, but it’s widely known that the application of such flat data is challenging. SAS will now allow the club to analyze everything from attendance to marketing to statistics. Now to get back to that business of actually winning some games . . .
Keep in mind that SAS now has the Teragram text processing technology. You can put words with your numbers.
Emily Rae Aldridge, October 20, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
IBM Makes Headlines with Dr. Jai Menon
October 18, 2011
These new computers can extract and find information in data that can aid human cognition. When we created [supercomputer] Watson, it combined hardware and deep analysis software that we designed to work together. We are moving away from computers that compute, to computers that can extract information from the huge amounts of unstructured data – because every two days we generate more data than all data from the dawn of civilisation until 2003.
Menon goes on to expound on its practical applications, not just theoretical significance. Industries such as medicine, business, and communications will all be revolutionized by the successful implementation of this new technology. We will continue to follow data-centric computing and report on its future implications.
Our question, “When will the PR about Watson give way to some products and services we can use here in Harrod’s Creek. Marketing speak is not useful, although it can be entertaining.
Emily Rae Aldridge, October 18, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Inteltrax: Top Stories, October 10 to October 14
October 17, 2011
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, how analytic technology depends so heavily on funding and what those dollars signify.
Our feature story this week, “Palantir Back From the Grave,” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2775 details how one BI company suffered some near-fatal blows, but has bounced back with new software and confidence, thanks to some new funding.
Another funding-centric tale was our story, “Opera and Xignite Make Waves by Raising Millions” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2573 that showed two smaller companies on the rise thanks to some big time investments.
We turned the tables with “Actuate Analytics Contest Gets Attention” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2541 to show how one company is supporting the next generation of analytic thinkers by offering their financial support.
Money makes the big data globe spin, it’s no secret. But funding carries a lot of meaning in this industry, usually it’s a sign of impending success. We’ll see if that theory holds true, as we follow these and other stories in the ever-expanding world of data analytics.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax.
Protected: Into the Future of Sharepoint with a Smooth Sail
October 12, 2011
HP and Autonomy to Effect Change on Each Other
October 11, 2011
Unstructured information growth is so high now, and it’s becoming such a core part of what we have to do within the enterprise, that it’s time for the database to be eclipsed by something that can handle both rather than just one type of information.
Inteltrax: Top Stories, October 3 to October 7
October 10, 2011
Inteltrax, the data fusion and business intelligence information service, captured three key stories germane to search this week, specifically, how analytic technology is helping the average worker beyond the IT department.
Those in the auto sales industry were boosted by the news found in “Kelly Blue Book Learns the Real Value of Analytics” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2514 which showed how the venerable bible of automotive value is getting more accurate with its big data software.
The up and down world of high fashion looks a little more balanced after reading “Microstrategy and Tukatech Forge Fashion Business Intelligence” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2496which showcases how runway walkers and designers are embracing this technology.
Newspapers, too, are getting into the act, trimming already tight budgets, according to “Reporters Digging Deeper with Big Data” http://inteltrax.com/?p=2507 with research analytics, but also possibly ruining the institution of journalism by using data analytics to compose stories.
Big data analytics is trickling down to the everyday workforce. Whether selling a car or picking next season’s fashion trend, these tools are becoming indispensible. However, it’ll never replace a trained reporter’s eye. Expect us to watch the workplace dynamics shift with these new tools.
Follow the Inteltrax news stream by visiting http://www.inteltrax.com/
Patrick Roland, Editor, Inteltrax October 10, 2011
Paving Stones of Good Intentions
October 9, 2011
Even Orwell didn’t foresee this, not specifically. From Kindergarten through college, students are now subjected to more forms of monitoring than I could have conceived of when I was a little rabble rouser. From cameras to RFID badges, it’s an entirely different world.
Now Michael Morris, is a lieutenant with the University Police at California State University-Channel Islands, is calling on universities to take surveillance to a whole new level. NetworkWorld reports on this in “Privacy Nightmare: Data Mine & Analyze all College Students’ Online Activities.” That’s right, the good lieutenant recommends recording every little thing college students do online and analyzing the data to predict and prevent “large-scale acts of violence on campus.” What’s more, it would be easy enough to do with today’s data management tools. Wrote Morris,
Many campuses across the country . . . provide each student with an e-mail address, personal access to the university’s network, free use of campus computers, and wired and wireless Internet access for their Web-connected devices. Students use these campus resources for conducting research, communicating with others, and for other personal activities on the Internet, including social networking. University officials could potentially mine data from their students and analyze them, since the data are already under their control. The analysis could then be screened to predict behavior to identify when a student’s online activities tend to indicate a threat to the campus.
Take a moment to reflect on the side effects of such a large-scale invasion of privacy. What other behavior, unrelated to potential violence, will be “predicted?” And how will those predictions be acted upon? The possibilities are endless.
Look, I get it. I once attended Virginia Tech, after all, and now I have a child in college myself. Not much scares me more than visions of some nut-job with guns descending on that campus. But I also realize that throughout history, fear has been the key to gaining citizen acceptance of the unacceptable. And now we have technology that allows the unacceptable to reach heights like never before.
Cynthia Murrell October 9, 2011
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