Current guidelines around the world in response to the Corona virus suggest we work from home if possible. Will that mean that many more of us never go into the office again?
Author: Ian McMurray
Ian McMurray
Ian McMurray started his 40-year career in the technology industry back when 4K wasn’t the latest TV resolution — it was as much memory as you needed to write a complete, integrated accounting system for a computer. He started life as a mainframe salesman but eventually succumbed to the lure of marketing, and has since held a variety of European and worldwide marketing management positions, as well as occasional forays into sales training and development. He’s now the PR guy for Abaco Systems, and is based in Towcester, England.
A universal truth?
A quarter of a century ago, the military embedded computing landscape changed forever. 25 years later, the same questions are still being asked in a range of situations – and they still get the same answer.
Never assume
In the latest of his posts on sales technique, Ian McMurray recalls a lesson he learned many years ago about how wide-eyed innocence can stand a salesperson in good stead.
2020: the year of 8K?
4K/UltraHD has rapidly become the de facto resolution standard for video - but how long will it be before it's replaced by 8K?
Better isn't always better: part two
In the second part of this 2-part blog post, Ian McMurray describes another example of where a product featured leading edge technology - but it wasn't a product anyone wanted to buy.
Better isn't always - better...
It's one thing to develop products that outperform competitive alternatives - but a completely different thing to understand what it is that customers really want.
If you don’t ask, you don’t get
In the ninth of his occasional posts on the art of sales, Ian McMurray returns to a favourite subject – the art of closing the deal.
“Alexa: prepare to engage the enemy.”
The ability to interact naturally with computers has come a long way. In this post, Ian McMurray looks at where we’ve come from – and where we might be going.
The Connected Battlefield: looking back (part 2)
In the second half of the year. The Connected Battlefield covered topics as diverse as deep learning and the latest developments in processors, touching on autonomous vehicles along the way - and how we revolutionized mission ready systems to deliver exactly what our customers want, but far faster and at lower cost than would be possible with in-house development.
The Connected Battlefield: looking back
Our blog has featured a new post every week - sometimes, more than one. Here, we look back at some of the highlights of the first half of the year.
Demonstrations: the lost art
In the seventh of his occasional series on sales skills, Ian McMurray bemoans what seems to be the passing of the killer demo - the one that brings it all together, and makes the order inevitable.
“Off-the-shelf?” You Wish…
Today’s increasing focus on innovations that utilize the modularity of COTS technology indicates that a future of readily available, mission-specific embedded computing technology isn’t far off.
COTS: Where the Defense Industry Leads, Others Follow
In the past, the defense industry was seen as behind the times. But now, between IP-based networking, COTS platforms and other cutting-edge innovations, its technology is leading the way.
From Wired Backplanes to Rugged Reliability: We’ve Come a Long Way
From wired backplanes and dial-up internet to rugged, reliable solutions, the technology changes many of us have lived through are amazing—and the future looks brighter than ever.
Abaco Wins
We were recently recognized with two Gold Awards by the annual Military & Aerospace Electronics Innovators Awards program, but the real win is being able to support our customers with innovative solutions.
Stayin’ Alive
Everyone in corporate life, at some point, has to make a presentation. And the most important thing to remember when building PowerPoint slides is that simpler is better. Find out why your sales presentation motto should be "short, sweet and simple."
Of Boy Scouts and Lighthouse Keepers…
You may be surprised by how often sales qualification is done inadequately. Here's why—and what you can do about it.
Exciting Times in Huntsville
Here at the Westin Hotel, Huntsville, Alabama—close by our US headquarters—we’re into day two of the first ever Abaco Systems worldwide sales meeting. There’s over 100 of us here. If that seems like a large number of salespeople, Mark Wade, our VP of Global Sales, made the point that, in fact, if the job of sales is to serve and support our customers, then the whole organization is in sales—which means that about 600 of our salesforce aren’t...
Abaco Receives Mentor Graphics Award
Last week, the design team for the SBC347D single board computer received their award from Mentor Graphics ( originally announced here ) as the winner of “Best Overall Design” in Mentor’s 26th annual PCB Technology Leadership Awards. The award was presented to the team—Jim Rose, Zeshan Hussain, Eric Mills and Peter Woodruff—who are based at Abaco’s Towcester, England facility, at a celebratory dinner by Simon Vines, PCB Applications Group...