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e_Marketing Blog SmartyPig Social Saving Here's an interesting idea. SmartyPig.com is like an online piggy bank with a social twist. You create an account where you set a specific savings goal. Say you want to save for a new computer. You need $1,000. You create an account and then let your friends and family know what you're saving for. They can make contributions (or not). You can contribute to their accounts too. SmartyPig also has partnered with "top retailers" to offer you deals and cash incentives. It's free and you can even earn interest on your deposits. 2009 Will Be Pivotal for Microsoft 2008 has not been the greatest year for Microsoft, but they have still done surprisingly well in spite of the economic slowdown around the world. In an article from PCWorld called Microsoft's Top Three 2008 Mistakes, Shane O'Neill of CIO.com discusses some of the things that went well for MS, and some that clearly did not. In spite of aggressive marketing by Apple, Mac sales fell 1 percent over the year and Windows PC sales were up 7 percent. Microsoft's grip on the PC market remained firm - with 90% of users running Windows, and 70% of internet browsers using Internet Explorer. One has to think that the bad press MS keeps getting will have to impact these market shares eventually. Although it sure seems like both Apple and Firefox do not understand that their elitist attitude ("we're so much better and smarter than the other 90% of you") is an implicit criticism of the very customer they are trying to reach. 2009 will be a pivotal year for MS as they continue to try to beat off Apple, Google and Mozilla (Firefox). According to the PC Word article Microsoft's biggest mistakes for 2008 were: 1. Poor marketing of Windows Vista - They've been letting Apple get away with bashing Vista for years now. It's just not as bas as the critics say it is, and MS's own lack of promotion reinforces the idea that the critics are right. 2. Letting Apple Build Anti-Vista Momentum - Even though the sales figures may not yet show it in a convincing way, Apple has taken the marketing game away from MS with their constant Vista-bashing. MS has not shown that it can adequately respond. Expensive ads featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld missed the mark. Just recently I saw an ad touting the unique features of Vista in a straight-ahead way. It's about time. 3. The Failed Yahoo Bid - Early in 08 the bid for Yahoo looked like it might be a case of two search losers getting together. The failure of the bid did nothing for MS's image as a "winner" or a company forging into the future. As it turned out it was probably good for MS that Yahoo rejected their offer. Now Yahoo is worth a fraction of what MS offered, Jerry Yang, the big Yahoo opponent of the bid is gone, and new Yahoo investors are now courting MS. MS is still interested in Yahoo's search business, and may very well end up with it in 2009. WiMAX for Portland WiMAX service will soon be available in Portland, Oregon. What is WiMAX? It is a wireless alternative to cable or DSL. For a number of years this technology has promised to revolutionize the delivery of "last mile" service connecting homes and offices to internet access points. But these days the focus is more on mobile applications that make it a viable alternative to standard cell phone services. The provider of this service in Portland will be Clearwire, a company formed through joint cooperation of Sprint, Clearwire, Google, Intel, Comcast, and Time Warner. WiMAX will not be significantly cheaper than the alternatives, but it does promise to offer greater potential for merging disparate services such as internet, cell phone, Voip and cable tv. |
Linknet-News.com features news articles and news items in various categories including Health News, Real Estate News, Finance News, Marketing News, Business News, Entertainment News, Travel News, and more... Top five technology trends to watch for in 2006Jan 22, 2006 - Linknet Product News Top five technology trends to watch for in 2006 22 January, 2006 - By Doug Cooper, Country Manager, Intel of CanadaWith 2005 in the history books and this month's highly touted Consumer Electronics Show (CES) complete, here are the top five technology trends to watch for in 2006. Small business, big approach Research conducted by IDC reveals Canadian small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) spend about 42 per cent less per worker on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) than their U.S. counterparts. While there does exist shining examples of Canadian SMBs using ICT to improve operational efficiencies, studies have also shown that these examples are few and far between. In 2006, technology companies will assume a greater responsibility in educating the SMB market about the importance of investing in ICT to remain competitive. As a result, a responsive SMB sector -- the just under one-million SMBs (one to 20 employees) that account for 86 per cent of Canadian companies Statistics Canada, Business Register, December 2004 -- will see an increase in business efficiencies and market penetration. You can take it with you 2006 will be the year you can have your cake and eat it too. A new generation of thin and light notebook PCs have been designed to provide superior performance, enhanced wireless capabilities and improved battery life. And they won't have your daddy's processors inside. Notebooks with dual core processors will support surround sound, enhanced graphics and high- definition TV, allowing users to blend work and play in new and exciting ways largely where they want, when they want. With the proliferation of wireless notebooks growing and enlightened companies recognizing that employees want more flexible working hours and locations, expect to see more changes in where and how people work. In homes, small businesses and on campuses in Canada notebooks are rapidly becoming the computer of choice. We are seeing computers become truly personal. Computer downtime not a pastime Canadian IT managers' and employees' long-held complaints about computer downtime will begin to be resolved in 2006. Beginning this year, many PCs will ship with Active Management Technology (AMT). This new technology will allow companies and services to diagnose and repair PCs, software, operating systems or hardware failures remotely, 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week even if the PC is off. Employees will be able to complete tasks without interruption, while IT support staff can instead concentrate on higher-value generating functions. With five per cent of help desk calls accounting for 52 per cent of total support costs, AMT will reduce IT maintenance costs by 30 per cent and reduce desk side visits by 41.5 per cent, saving companies thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in productivity. 2003 Intel IT Trouble Tickets The need for speed ... in a smaller package (power and small machines) Not only will PCs get faster in 2006, they'll also get smaller, and quieter. The distinction between notebooks and traditional desktop PCs is blurring and is leading to the next wave of new devices designed for communication and entertainment. As computing devices gets smaller and more portable, the need for low power and extended battery life increases. In the coming year, businesses and consumers will see new, sleek PC designs being offered by original equipment manufacturers that will allow consumers to manage digital home content and work remotely with more ease than ever before. Division in the digital divide Home entertainment will make a dramatic leap this year and content will be king. With millions of hours of digital material poised to become available online, Canadians will increasingly turn to PCs to download, store, view, buy, manage and share their favourite music, movies, photos and more. Look for the digital home to find its groove in 2006 as Canadian companies offer new on-demand content and services over the Web. Trade Show Displays Trade Show Graphics and Display Graphics
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