Google Eats Its Young

Posted on by Jeff Posted in good business ideas, Other News, web development — No Comments ↓
  1. Hot on the heels of the roll out of the Motorola Droid, a smart phone that uses the Google mobile operating system, there are now confirmed rumors that Google plans to release its own smart phone-Google designed and Google branded-after the first of the year, possible as early as January.
The New York Times has reported that Google employees have been give the phones to test, in anticipation of a product roll out after the first of the year, perhaps as early as January.
Motorola desperately needs a hit product, having its market share of cell phone sales continue to erode since it introduced the Razr in late 2005.  That’s a long time to go without making a serious impact on a fast changing industry.
Now it appears that Google intends to take on Apple directly, moving into the hardware business and forcing Motorola back to the sidelines.
No one sees this first version of the Droid as an IPhone killer, but those who have one like it, consider it a worth opponent to the Apple device, and love being able to cut their ties to AT&T.
I predicted that the next version of the Droid would be the smartphone that would match Apple toe-to-to, but I’m quickly backing off that prediction now that Google is throwing their hat into the ring.
You can be sure that Google had access to the Droid’s development months before it was released, and you can be equally sure that the Google phone will improve on every aspect of Motorola’s effort.
We hope you sell a lot of Droids for Christmas, Motorola.  Chances are that next Christmas will belong to Google.
GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  Share your ideas about cell phone development with our readers.

spokesguyHot on the heels of the roll out of the Motorola Droid, a smart phone that uses the Google mobile operating system, there are now confirmed rumors that Google plans to release its own smart phone-Google designed and Google branded-after the first of the year, possible as early as January.

The New York Times has reported that Google employees have been give the phones to test, in anticipation of a product roll out after the first of the year, perhaps as early as January.

Motorola desperately needs a hit product, having its market share of cell phone sales continue to erode since it introduced the Razr in 2004.  That’s a long time to go without making a serious impact on a fast changing industry.

Now it appears that Google intends to take on Apple directly, moving into the hardware business and forcing Motorola back to the sidelines.

No one sees this first version of the Droid as an IPhone killer, but those who have one like it, consider it a worth opponent to the Apple device, and love being able to cut their ties to AT&T.

I predicted that the next version of the Droid would be the smartphone that would match Apple toe-to-to, but I’m quickly backing off that prediction now that Google is throwing their hat into the ring.

You can be sure that Google had access to the Droid’s development months before it was released, and you can be equally sure that the Google phone will improve on every aspect of Motorola’s effort.

We hope you sell a lot of Droids for Christmas, Motorola.  Chances are that next Christmas will belong to Google.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Here’s a link to our new “How To” animation series.

Is Your Church Breaking The Law?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, mic cables, microphones & mic stands, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

mike2It seems that churches are being turned into lawbreakers by the FCC

It is certainly not news that churches, technically at least, are legally required to have licenses for their wireless mics.

At this time of year when so many churches produce special events that use wireless mics, this issue has been brought back into sharp focus.

A group called the White Spaces Coalition has come together to advocate for the use of unused broadcast spectrum intended for televison to actually be used for wireless internet.  This is group of lightweights.  Members include Microsoft, Google, Dell, Earthlink and Samsung among others.

While the FCC has turned a deaf ear to unlicensed wireless microphone users in the past, it is unlikely that those who make up the White Space Coalition will allow the FCC to continue to ignore the use of spectrum that is now seen as being so valuable.

I have written before about how these companies are pushing the FCC to build databases of unused broadcast spectrum nationwide.

The chances that a high school theatre or “Sunday only” wireless mic user will be able to stay under the radar if the spectrum they use is commandeered for wireless internet use, since these sorts of services are in as high demand in rural areas and secondary markets as they are in major metro areas.

If you don’t think Microsoft will turn the FCC loose on you, you don’t know Microsoft.

You can read more about the White Space Coaltion here.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Here’s a link to our new “How To” animation series.

Hey AT&T. What Part of “Unlimited” Don’t You Understand?

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, Other News — No Comments ↓

spokesguy One of the best parts of my day is the time I spend reading the New York Times.  It seems to be one of the few daily papers that is holding its own, at least when it comes to generating lots of useful content.

I’m not sure how they are doing financially, but their bottom line has to be helped by the constant barrage of gaudy (orange!) full page ads that AT&T is running.  Seems like there have two or three in the front section every day since the beginning of the month.

I ignore the ads (not easy to do) but my eyes were drawn to this article in the business section about none other than AT&T.

It seems that they are asking their customers who subscribe to unlimited data plans to limit their bandwidth usage or face the possibility of being forced to a “pay as you use” plan.  Apparently, AT&T is unable to handle the data requirements that are being generated by IPhone users, even though they are the only service provider that works with the Apple smart phone.

Instead of expanding capacity and providing the service that they promised, mighty AT&T intends to “educate” their customers about their data consumption in hopes that they will  “cut back”.

Hey AT&T!  Instead of spending huge sums of money on luring new customers with full page ads, how about building some new towers.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. If you’re frustrated with AT&T, share your story. 

‘Tis The Season To Be ……….. Scammed!

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, web development — No Comments ↓

spokesguy Even though our national economic woes continue to depress holiday retail sales, online sales are expected to grow 8% this year.  That’s great news if you, like we, count on internet sales to sustain and grow your business.

Still, there is a big bump in the road before online sales can really take off.  That problem is consumer concerns about security.

We get orders every day from customers who find us on the web, but then insist on calling us to place the order because they are uncomfortable with using their credit card at our web sites.

We’re happy to hear from them, of course, but  they never seem to realize that placing an order at a secure web site is much safer than giving your credit card info to a stranger over the phone.

We host and manage our own e-commerce web sites and can always assure you that you want be presented by any pop ups or phishing scams that originate from our server.

Unfortunately, if you don’t know what to look for, it is difficult to know when you are at a web site where you can make a secure purchase.

When you move from the catalog portion of one of the goodbuyguys web sites to begin an actual checkout, you will see that the “http:” part of the web address at the top of the page, changes to “https:”   That “s” means “secure“.  The “s” is an indicator that the details of your purchase will be encrypted before they are submitted over the web.

You’ll also see a tiny image of a padlock at the end of the address line.  Click on that padlock image if you want to know the details regarding who is certifying that the site is secure.

Here are some more tips to insure the security of your online purchase.

-Never provide your credit number in an email or instant message

-Use long, complicated passwords that use numbers, letters, upper case and lower case

-Purchase only from sites that have an “s” in the address line or show the padlock image

-If you have security concerns but still want to consider making a purchase, look for a phone number

-Check your credit card bill carefully every month.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  Your security is our top concern.

Our (and your) security is certified by Usertrust.  You can read more about it here.

Internet Marriage To Intercom-Thousands of Offspring

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, good business ideas, mic cables, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

mike2 My email in box stays stuffed with promotional material related to concert and special event production-mostly hardware.  I’m lucky if I have a chance to look at one in ten messages.

I’m really glad I clicked on the one from Clear-Com.  Clear-Com is a leader in intercom systems used in theatres, tv studios and touring production.  Producing a show would be impossible without it.

On a complicated event, concert or television shoot each production company will usually have their own closed system that deals with one aspect of the production.

Unfortunately, one of the problems with a closed intercom system is that there is always somebody on a different system that you really need to talk to.

Clear-Com has released an intercom system (Clear-Com Concert) that uses internet protocol (IP) rather than standard xlr microphone cable for connecting users.  This means that anybody with internet access and the proper clearances can join the conversation related to putting on the show.

The video director can include a follow spot operator in the conversation by adding him or anybody else to the work group.  As long as internet access is available (wired or wireless) there is no limit to the number of participants.

There are multiple ways to administer the user group so that those who need to be included for only a little while can be managed, hopefully preventing what might be really chaotic.  The software package developed for this system allows for a simple “drag-and-drop” method to build your temporary user group and users can also communicate by real time texting in addition to spoken word.

Perhaps most interesting, now participants who are not on-site for the event can be given access to the intercom loop.  Imagine being able to bring in the original set designer or a qualified repair tech in real time to address an issue as the show unfolds.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  If you know about a new innovation in concert production hardware, please share it with us.

This Sounds Too Good To Be True

Posted on by Jeff Posted in batteries, good business ideas — No Comments ↓

battery bob This article from ABC News had me reaching for my calendar to see if it was April Fools Day.  Nope, it’s still December.

The headline said:

Scientists Say Paper Battery Could Be In The Works

We sell a lot of batteries, particular around Christmas, and I am always surprised at how much the shipping cost adds to the final price.  Unfortunately, a 4 Pack of D Cell batteries weighs over a pound.  25 pounds for a case of 72!

ABC News reported on work being done at Standford University in developing a special paper coating that can be applied in a manner that creates a new type of high-performance energy storage.

This promising development in nanotechnology may some day power the electronic devices that today require alkaline or rechargeable batteries.  You might even be able to “wear” the battery that powers your cell phone and notebook computer.

Perhaps even more important, the scientists working on this development predict that the cost will be low and that they can see bringing this technology to the commercial market in the foreseeable future.

Not just lightweight, small electronics will be impacted.  This new way of storing power may someday.  This combination of supercapacitors and nanotechnology might even be used in electric cars.

We’re really looking forward to sending you your battery order in a #10 envelope.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.  New scientific developments in battery technology is always exciting news!

Droid No IPhone Killer. Prefers To Kill One App At A Time

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, good business ideas, Other News, web development — No Comments ↓

ted_head.jpg Lots has been written about whether the new Motorola/Verizon Droid cell phone will be an IPhone killer.  I’ve used both and think I can see the future.

No question, the IPhone is easier to use and has an elegant feel in your hand.  When it comes to building user-friendly computer and telcom hardware, Apple has no peer.

I you are willing to take the time to peel back a couple of layers of the onion, you find something quite different.

While the IPhone may offer more apps, the Droid uses an open source operating system that allows a developer to create an application and sell it on their own without Apple’s approval, since the sale doesn’t have to go through an ITunes transaction.  No more censoring gatekeeper that expects to be paid for every app sale!  There are already more than 10,000 apps for the Droid.

The turn-by-turn GPS navigation on the Droid is far superior to IPhone navigation.  Spoken word instructions mean there is no need to look at tiny maps on the screen while driving.  No subscription service required.

Perhaps best of all, the Droid works with the Verizon wireless network.  No more dealing with AT&T No Customer Service Department.

The future-A handheld device as intuitive and elegant as the IPhone, running the next generation of the Google Android operating system and able to access the Verizon network.  Put it on your 2010 Christmas list.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.   Share your ideas about cell phone development with our readers.

New White Space Worries For Wireless Mics

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, mic cables, microphones & mic stands, Pro Sound — No Comments ↓

mike2 Just when we thought the discussion regarding reallocation of wireless mic frequencies (known as the “white space debate”) was beginning to die down, a new problem is looming on the horizon.

Users of high end (UHF) wireless mics are now mostly aware that mics designed to be used in the 700mHz range of the broadcast spectrum were supposed to be retired in June of this year because the FCC has auctioned off that part of the spectrum for other uses.

Mic users in high end professional audio and those users in metropolitan areas have mostly migrated to new frequencies, many times taking advantage of great manufacturer rebates in the process.  Many users in secondary markets and rural areas have decided to stick with the mics they have while they wait to see what new users will show up in the 700 mHz range.

New initiatives by the FCC to allow currently unused spectrum between major broadcasters in the impacted 700 mHz range are intended to make these “buffer” frequencies available to bring wireless broadband internet services to rural areas.

Furthmore, the FCC is teaming up with the private sector to build databases of unused spectrum that could be made available for broadband. This could force those whose 700 mHz wireless mics to give up their strategy and upgrade.

Big companies like Microsoft and Google are pushing the FCC to allow them to use this space without licensing it.  Since their signals would be much more powerful, they would quickly override the unlicensed wireless microphones that now use the same spectrum.

How have you decided to handle wireless mic upgrades.  Let us know.

You can read more in this article in the current InformationWeek magazine.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.   Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Here’s a link to our new “How To” animation series.

Battery Wars! Just In Time For Christmas

Posted on by Jeff Posted in audio visual, batteries, good business ideas — No Comments ↓

spokesguy Our battery sales always spike around Christmas.  Between the number of special holiday performances that use wireless microphones and battery buying for Christmas toys and electronics, we ship lots of batteries.

It seems that  CVS Pharmacies has chosen “battery season” to fire a major shot over the bow of Engergizer Holdings, the manufacturer of Energizer alkaline batteries.  CVS, one of the nation’s largest battery retailers, has seen a major impact from the nation’s economic downturn on its alkaline battery sales.   They’ve decided that the best way to respond to this decrease in sales is by reducing inventory.

The winner in this skirmish?  The Duracell Coppertop.

CVS points to evidence that more consumers are buying their batteries from big box retailers or making their purchases online, where major savings can be realized.

CVS’s annual Energizer sales have been estimated at about $25 million.

Chances are that the long term results of this decision will reduce competition and cost consumers more in the end.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We enjoy sharing our observations about audio-visual industry trends.

A Seasonal Reminder From Google Alerts

Posted on by Jeff Posted in customer service, extension cords, Pro lighting — No Comments ↓

ted_head.jpg I use the Google Alerts notification system in order to track information about our customers, products and vendors.  It’s a great time saver and turns up a lot of unexpected information.

One of my alerts is set to the search phrase “extension cord“.  Unfortunately, all too often this time of year these alerts also include the word “fire“.

Somehow, it seems that Christmas decorating and overloaded extension cords regularly make headline news.  While it’s easy to understand how this can happen, it’s also easy to prevent.

All electrical devices (including lights and powered decorations) are required to be tagged with information relating to how much power they consume.  This information is usually listed along with the term “watts”.  When you plug multiple lights or electrical decorations into an extension cord, it is necessary to add the total number of watts (also known as “current draw”) to determine what size of extension cord is called for.

If this simple arithmetic is a little daunting, there is an easier way to figure out if there is a problem.

Plug everything in, turn all the decorations on, and hold the extension cord in your hand for three or four minutes.  If the cord becomes warm to the touch, then it is overloaded.  Remove one or more of the items plugged into it and try again.

If you can’t reduce the current draw, then you need to increase the size (known as the “gauge” of the cable).  This can be a little confusing, as the smaller the gauge number, the higher the current carrying capacity of the extension cord.  That is, a 14 gauge cord has a lower current carrying capacity than a 12 gauge cord.

Finally, even if you don’t have an overloaded extension cord, running it under a rug or behind a wall can still create a fire hazard if air can’t circulate and remove any heat build up.  It should be left out in the open.

Take a minute to plan before you begin holiday decorating.  I don’t want to be reading about you in Google Alerts.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  We’ve got lots of products that make holiday decorating easier.

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