Hi Jim - thanks for your kind comment - I'm glad you are still reading my blog - it had bee a while since I'd posted and it's nice to be getting back into blogging.

Thanks for the comment Brydon. I took a look at your post and it was great! Your truck story reminded me of when I first got and drove the SMART car. As for Microsoft and their latest phone, I agree, they needed to be different, otherwise, they'd be lost in the sea of Android, Blackberry and iPhone features/functions/hype. I also think that making the phone "social-centric" with the live tiles is brilliant, given that the social layer that has emerged is increasingly becoming the conduit for everyone on the web.

Thanks for the comment - great perspective and examples you gave. I agree, it will be very interesting to see how the Playbook evolves. I have a blog post in the works to discuss the approach RIM is taking and their framework for delivery of apps. Should be posting that next week. Thanks again for reading and commenting. Ciao mip

The iPad defies explanation - very hard to describe until you hold it, use it and feel comfortable with it's strengths. For example, today, I've used only my iPad through the full day. I haven't missed my laptop at all. It alters how content is consumed - whether that content is an email, a PowerPoint document, an excel sheet, photos, a book or a movie. It just all "feels" right.

Michael O'Conner Clark - I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for providing the added detail in your comment. I agree totally with the added advantages. I will continue to use Freshbooks and if I have questions I will definitely reach out and let you know. Michael Detwiler - thanks for the comment, it's always great to get real world input from end-users who are benefiting from the tools directly. I'm glad to hear that Freshbooks was a winner for you. Thanks for sharing.

The issue here is not really about collaborating. Lack of collaboration is a symptom, not the problem. When you collaborate with someone, or a group of people, all the people collaborating are taking equal responsibility for the end-result. That shared responsibility is accepted whether the end-result is good or bad. People who don't want to take any responsibility resist situations where they have to collaborate. They are happy to partake in group sessions, but they aren't active participants. So if you want to foster an environment of collaboration, you have to breakdown the barriers of accepting responsibility. Get the team to know that making mistakes is ok - it is part of the learning experience. If they refuse to change their behaviour in terms of being accountable, then you need to change out team members. If you don't, any attempt to collaborate, whether it be with tools, processes, etc...they will all fail.