Wrapping mCal Up

As I first introduced mCal: My idea is to create a web-based application that would allow groups of people to sync their calendars together. Since then, mCal has developed to a bigger and broader idea. Now it will have applications for most mobile smart phones, personal-computer operating systems, and a  web-app. It will become a larger business that will serve large and small companies (ideally) and, of course, the average family. 

My experience with the project was pretty good. I enjoyed thinking through many of the things and steps that I would need to make this idea a reality. I had a good time writing my posts each week and figuring out new ways to move the idea forward. At times, the project was difficult to apply to Professor Jeff Rubin's lectures because the topics did not alway mesh exactly with the sort of project mCal is. However, overall, mCal was successfully applied and got bigger and better as the lectures went by. Each topic brought a new idea and perspective to the features my idea could incorporate and my idea is better for it!

In order to turn mCal into a reality, I would need a large budget to start out with and man power. I would need experienced developers and all of the hardware that was mentioned in previous posts. I would also need patients because, realistically, mCal would take a long while to get off the ground floor. 

To me, entrepreneurship is finding or having an idea and developing it to a point at which it can realistically be implemented for a market. My project started as an idea with potential features that could appeal to a larger market. Now, it has been developed, although not fully, to a point where it could actually begin to be implemented. At this point, it would need another set of eyes so that I dont miss anything when I do reach the implementation stage. I think it is a worthwhile project that has good potential to have a market, especially in the future.

mCal would be challenged by the other applications that have similar features even if those applications only preform the more simple functions that mCal will also have. It will be challenging to market this product to a population that is making due with what they have. It will be challenging to convince people and companies that this solution will be beneficial to them. Once there is a base though, it will be easier to get clients when they know that other people use our product.

At this point, mCal can only grow. I would not necessarily make too many changes or cuts to mCal yet, however, I feel that it would be better to continue to add to its functionality by adding features, no matter how little. At this point, it can only get better and become bigger. Changes and modifications will come before the final product is released and after it has had a trial period. 

If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them Max's way! mggreenb@syr.edu

mCal with different Operating Systems

Since one of the great appeals of mCal is its use with any device, it will be extremely important for mCal to be compatible with different Operating Systems (OS). mCal will have versions, as previously explained, for Windows, Mac OS-X, as well as mobile devices such as Apple iPhone OS, Google Android, Palm OS, and BlackBerry OS (and perhaps Windows Mobile).

Since mCal will be supporting many different devices/OSs, its program will have to be rewritten for each Operating System that it supports. It will most likely be written and tested for Windows, then for Mac, then, once settled on regular PCs, it will be submitted as an iPhone app, an Android app, a Palm app, and a BlackBerry app.



Since each OS supports similar features, mCal will generally be the same from system to system, however, some devices, in particular mobile devices, do not support some features which PCs do which could limit mCal On-The-Go. Mobile devices also have certain features that PCs do not have which could also help enhance and appeal mCal On-The-Go (working title: a.k.a. mCal-Mobile).

Identity Theft and mCal

mCal users are going to demand that their identities are protected. This will be guaranteed by the way mCal accepts credit cards using a site such as Authorize.net and by the way we destroy customers information after they leave mCal or after we take a server or hard drive out of commission.

mCal may choose to keep all of their old hardware just incase anything will need to be accessed or referenced at a later date. For example, if mCal was ever required by a court to give the calendar of  particular user, we would be able to recover a potentially deleted event from our system or go into an older unit and look up the files necessary. 

How mCal discards of hardware and old storage will have to be addressed since it is an important precaution but at this point in its existence, it is not necessary. mCal may never have to get rid of any hardware. However mCal decided to address this issue, we will definitely do it in the most secure way possible.