The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Papakilo search engine and database aims to become a one-stop site for all things Hawaiian. Though still a work in progress, Papakilo’s creators consider it a “database of databases” as it offers online access to…
Name: Marc Kassis, Ph.D. Job: Support Astronomer for W.M. Keck Observatory Years of Experience: 9 Starting out: In high school, Kassis thought physics was “the coolest stuff ever” and went on to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy from Boston University.…
Problem: Box jellyfish kill more swimmers than sharks in Australia and elsewhere in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Stings from the smaller Hawaii species can be painful and debilitating. Controversial “antivenom” treatments have a poor 40-year track record and fail to…
Maui-based Jennifer Varner is an ecommerce veteran. She started BellaBluMaternity.com, which grew into one of the largest online maternity stores. She sold it in 2006 and, six years ago, founded Pure-Ecommerce.com, which helps people start their own ecommerce businesses and offers ready-to-go…
Secure DNA provides information technology security and compliance services. www.secure-dna.com Question: How can I protect myself from Automated Clearing House fraud? Answer: The ACH network is used by financial institutions to process direct deposits, checks, bill payments and cash transfers. Unfortunately,…
Today, I learned how to manufacture an oxygen tank. After that, I assembled detailed financial reports for a handful of Hawaii companies. Then, I began a six-week interactive course in Quickbooks. Finally, I created a 10-page draft for a last…
EXPERT OF THE MONTH: BEAU MONDAY, INFORMATION SECURITY DIRECTOR, HAWAIIAN TELCOM, WWW.HAWAIIANTEL.COM Question: Most of my employees access their work files from home or using their personal, mobile devices. What should I do to ensure our company network is not compromised?…
Tuesday, 1:27 PM Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute, Honolulu Photographer Kevin Blitz >> Chanel Kaneshiro, lead MRI technician at Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute, tests a patient in a 3.0T Open MRI scanner. One of only two such devices in the state,…
Pacxa becomes Hawaii’s largest locally based IT service provider with patience and a mix of strategies This January, at our monthly all-staff meeting at Pacific Basin Communications, company president Scott Schumaker ended the morning’s events with a surprising announcement: “Oh,…
What is C.E.P.A.S.? Navatek, the R&D subsidiary of shipyard operator Pacific Marine, specializes in developing advanced hull forms and flow-control technology. Its new Catalyst Enhanced Plasma Actuation System is designed to improve the efficiency of large, commercial wind turbines by…
Spencer is a serial entrepreneur who has served as president of HVCA since 1999. He talks about venture capital in Hawaii following the death of Act 221 and his plans for offshore fish farming using his patented 200-foot wide “Oceansphere.”…
Sonny Bhagowalia has a plan to fix the state’s archaic IT system in June 2011, Bhagowalia became the state of Hawaii’s first chief information officer and the point man in Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s ambitious plan to “reinvent government.” Bhagowalia and…
In the spirit of the season, we share some favorite free or low-cost online resources, with the hopes that you may enjoy them this holiday. www.audible.com: Choose from thousands of audiobooks, including bestsellers, biographies and business books. www.evernote.com: Keep…
Sam O. Hirota Inc. has a high-tech answer to Oahu’s pothole problems. The local company has contracted with the city of Honolulu to create 3D images of thousands of miles of city streets using technology derived from NASA’s Mars Rover.…
First impressions aside, each of these services has a definite niche. iCloud (icloud.com) provides 5 GB free storage to anyone who has purchased an Apple device; options to purchase more space start at $20 per year for 10 additional GB.…
Three Styles: iRun Performance is a short-wired earphone for iPod Shuffle users who wear hats or shirts while they train. iRun Advantage is for those who strap smart phones to their arms or attach iPods to their sports bras. iRun…
Cloud-storage and collaboration tools are readily available, but how do you choose the best fit for your needs? What makes each unique? This month I’ll compare two popular options, Box.com and Dropbox.com, and next month, I’ll look at Google Drive,…
Volta Industries has established a network of free-to-use charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across Oahu. Scott Mercer, Volta’s co-founder and CEO, talks about finding partners and expanding the business. Who are your partners? Mercer: We provide our stations to shopping…
Highlight your location. Whether it’s inside or outside, Hawaii provides endless opportunities for iconic images – photos of people with beautiful backdrops, culture, diversity and style. You’ll always get the nicest shots at dawn and dusk, when the light is…
Need to check on a business while you’re on the road? The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs lets you use your mobile phone to conduct business name searches or even complete your annual business filing. The online business-name…
Like other innovative companies, Upspring Media saw how technology could help organizations improve services and increase efficiency. However, in this case, the clients are homeless shelters, which means that, though the need is great, there’s little profit to be made.…
The next time you forward an image to your communications person or a magazine editor, have a heart. Even though publication professionals often can make something wonderful with very little raw material, they can’t create a story where there isn’t…
Newlyweds Carey and Brandon Bennett were living on a budget, but still liked to go out, grab a drink and hang with friends. However, finding information about happy hours in Hawaii wasn’t easy. “It was difficult to find out which…
The App: HealthCare Alert is a free app created by a Hawaii physician, Dr. Alfonso Jimenez, who has an Ewa Beach practice. The app has iPhone, Android and Mobile Web versions that are all designed to alert users of preventive…