Archive for the ‘Tech Stories’ Category

I was reading on business ideas, and came across the idea of a Sales Route Delivery business. Thought it was interesting, and looked further into it, and wondered how I would automate it, or rather make it easier for myself.

I have a friend that basically does the same thing for an international foods company. All he does are the sales and someone else does the delivery. I noticed he used a sort of cellular device to transmit to his company or the office the orders of the day.

I looked into that and found the CIS Group. From what I gathered on their site, they seem to be a software company and offer a range of products and solutions in variety fields, including distribution, direct store delivery software, sales force automation (SFA) and merchandising, Bus and Coach Solutions and trucking transportation operations.

There seems to be a lot of money to be made in the route delivery business, I mean I was able to find Snapple beverage routes that net over $3,500 a week. But, the combination of a good sales route and good sales automation software will provide the efficiency needed to accomplish success in such a business.

I was impressed by CIS software solutions offered on their website. I found exactly what it is that is needed and what my friend’s company uses: Route Companion ® a route accounting software. It is offered to provide a complete software solution allowing efficiency and proper management of direct store delivery (DSD) transactions. They also offer a tough handheld computer that you can equip yourself with to manage your company’s daily activities.

What is also impressive is that all the collected data can then be transferred directly to your system.
We have to admit that in today’s competitive business environment, computer systems are necessary in order to obtain real success. The products offered at CIS seem to be designed for efficiency, and this of course results in an increase in productivity and profits.

This is a very common question in our field of IT, and what’s worse is that the wrong answer can cost you money.

Not too long ago a client brought in her PC to have us install PC3200 DDR400 SDRAM upgrade she had purchased from an online vendor…. Weelllll, I felt so bad because the memory purchased was not the correct bus speed. Her motherboard just could not handle it. She was willing to give me the memory for free, 2GB of RAM.  My heart did not let me accept it.

Imagine I had in my hand a 2GB memory upgrade, that I know would have done me some real good.

Instead I tried to help her out and give her a quick lesson and at the same time, help her save some money. I was able to show her an online company that helps in taking that worry out of purchasing memory upgrades. MemoryDeal.net has in place a great tool to help dummies like me, prevent falling into the upgrading computer memory money pit. It offers a service that actually guarantees all memory modules ordered are an exact match of those originally installed at the factory.

Not many companies, or I don’t think any company can actually make such a guarantee. And what is a great asset is that they also offer Apple Memory & MAC RAM. So, we can also offer MAC users an upgrade option.

The client was very happy to know that she can actually order with confidence after getting burned by the other company…. Tech Dummy to the rescue!

I have to rant here a bit… it is, however, my blog so I will!

I previously had Dish Network satellite and I have to say that I was pleased with the quality and the guide program as well. I would love those automatic channel changers at a scheduled time, which by the way my new cable company does not have and I hate.

The cable company that I’m currently with is ok… it has ok programming, and I like that it is all in real time. Unlike Dish where it was on a delay and would hate, because when talking to my dad while watching a game he would scream they scored, and on my side they still haven’t hiked the ball.

I have heard good things about Direct TV. What a lot of my friends have raved about is the NFL Sunday ticket… man that sounds great. But how the heck am I going to justify paying over $260 for 5 months of games.

I guess I’m really going to have to work hard on this blog to start making that kind of dough.

How many of you currently have Direct TV? How many have gotten the Sunday NFL ticket?? Should I let go of my cable company? recently i found out that Verizon will be installing FiOS in out neighborhood….  yeah baby! Now aren’t they associated with Direct TV for their tv package?

I’m gonna have to look into that and get back to you…

While visiting a client, I was asked to work on a PC because it was a bit slow. I suspected spyware and sure enough that’s what it was. But while working on the PC, or in this, while waiting for the PC to be cleaned the client asked if I by any chance knew of any sites that offered MAC games especially for kids.

LOL…. I dunno! I’m a PC guy. Anyway, I showed her my trusty tool, Google.com, and how to use it for better searches. So, I typed “MAC games for kids”.

Immediately we were shown a list of hits for kids games. As we scrolled and looked at each one, because of course we’re looking for free ones, on in particular caught my clients eye, Midoritech.com.

One game that was most interesting was the one listed as “Global Warming“. I thought it was an excellent idea to incorporate the current need of education on global warming and our environment into a game. It’s a nice way to teach kids at a young age on how to be responsible for their environment, and the future generation.

Shame I don’t have a Mac… I may just convert….

NOT!! Just give me Ubuntu any day! Plus,  I don’t have any kids…. I’ll get for my little nephew.

This is off topic from our blog, but I was just wondering. I was watching a moive last night, Ransom, with Mel Gibson. This is the movie where he yells out over the phone, “give me back my son”.

I don’t have any kids currently, but I do have niece’s and nephews. At that particular scene of the movie, I tried to put myself in a parent’s shoes and wonder “how would I feel? “. What if that were my kid, or your kid, for that matter, that was kidnapped. You knew he was alive, but where?

How would you feel, about being able to track your kid? Your teenager? Would you be invading their privacy?

Of course we have heard of being able to track our shipments, our cars…. but our jewelry?

At first glance it may seem beneficial, but what if your employer was using GPS tracking capabilities to keep an eye on YOU?

It sounds like something out of a Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer film, but it’s true. GPS Tracking is no longer something you see out of a James Bond movie.

You suspect your spouse is spending way too much time at the office after hours…. are they really at the office? Is your infant kid, really at day care?

When is too much? Where do we draw the line? Is it ethical, moral? Would you do it?

GPS tracking or Global Positioning Systems tracking, can be a double edged sword…. hmmmm.

What would you do??!?!