If you are in the market for a new credit card, or if you want to know how your current card compares, check out Lowcards.com. It’s a great online resource to compare your current rate and rewards with other cards. It’s also a good resource for comparing offers you receive in the mail. It ranks and reviews credit cards and explains the fees and terms found in the fine print. For comprehensive info on credit cards, be sure to check out the Sound Money Tips Guide to Credit Cards. In the meantime, here are a few more reasons to pop by Lowcards.com:
The site has thoroughly researched over 200 credit card offers and the best credit card rates to give visitors to the site the top credit card deals in the nation, with the lowest interest rates.
More:http://www.lowcards.com/
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
New Shopping Search Engine(TheFind.com)
TheFind.com is a new shopping search engine that says it is dedicated to delivering the “most satisfying online search experience” for the time-crunched, savvy shopper.
TheFind.com provides lists of products with explanations and images ranked by leading products, brands, stores and styles on the first results page. Site marketing text promises that the engine crawls a half-million online stores to find more than 150 million products. It says the search is unbiased and “can never be bought or sold.”
More:http://www.thefind.com/main/
TheFind.com provides lists of products with explanations and images ranked by leading products, brands, stores and styles on the first results page. Site marketing text promises that the engine crawls a half-million online stores to find more than 150 million products. It says the search is unbiased and “can never be bought or sold.”
More:http://www.thefind.com/main/
Controll Your Greed (All About Stocks)
This site is devoted to investing in undervalued stocks. The focus is global and typical investments can include net working capital discounts (also known as "net nets"), book value discounts, low P/E ratios, special situations and fallen angels. The name refers to one of Warren Buffett's qualities for investment success: "You must be animated by controlled greed and fascinated by the investment process."
More:http://controlledgreed.com/
More:http://controlledgreed.com/
Google's Co-Op Custom Search
Google’s Co-Op Custom Search Engine is different. I did some random testing, plugging in phrases specific to recent posts at Tech Without Wires (within the past week). The Google Custom Search Engine brought up every single page.
Google Co-Op Custom Search Engine not only searches your site, but it also will search sites that you link to or are reading.
More:http://www.google.com/coop/cse/overview?hl=en
Google Co-Op Custom Search Engine not only searches your site, but it also will search sites that you link to or are reading.
More:http://www.google.com/coop/cse/overview?hl=en
What's Next Big Hit?
The Hit Forge is a group of entrepreneurial engineers building mass-market web properties. We are owners of our companies, share common tools and code, and have enough money to fund dozens of attempts to find the next big hit. We don't get locked into failed projects, we replace pointy-haired MBAs with modern web marketing, and we share stock so that if one of us wins, everybody wins.
We want to work with the best engineering founders, regardless of where they live or what circumstances they might have been born into. We are a strict, milestone-driven meritocracy, and accept applicants from almost anywhere in the world.
If you have a history of shipping great code and want to build a web startup, but don't have money or teammates, please apply. You don't already need to have "the idea" - we'll find it together.
More:http://www.hitforge.com/
We want to work with the best engineering founders, regardless of where they live or what circumstances they might have been born into. We are a strict, milestone-driven meritocracy, and accept applicants from almost anywhere in the world.
If you have a history of shipping great code and want to build a web startup, but don't have money or teammates, please apply. You don't already need to have "the idea" - we'll find it together.
More:http://www.hitforge.com/
20 Smart Start Ups Ideas
Asking venture capitalists for great startup ideas is a little like asking Curt Schilling what pitch he's going to throw next. When we posed the question to dozens of VCs and investors around the country, more than a few indignantly shot back, "Are you out of your mind?"
But after some friendly prodding from our reporters, a surprising number of them couldn't help but start jawing about companies they would love to build - if only the right people could be found to perfect the technologies or the business plans and make them seem possible.
The result is this list of 20 tantalizing business ideas, ranging from a host of new websites and applications to next-generation power sources and a luxury housing development. This isn't small-time thinking, either: These investors -which include some of Silicon Valley's most successful VCs as well as serial entrepreneurs like Steve Case and Howard Schultz are backing their ideas with a collective $100 million in funding to the entrepreneurs who can get them off the ground.
We don't guarantee you'll land a multimillion-dollar payday or even get your foot in the door. But with the ideas now in your hands, consider yourself halfway there.
The Ultimate iDrive
The Investors: Jonathan Fram, managing partner, and Howard Schultz, co-founder, Maveron
What they've backed: Cranium, Eos Airlines, GameLogic
What they want now: A driver's tech fantasy fully realized: an in-dash computer with a keyboard built into the steering wheel and a full-screen heads-up display projected on the windshield.
It's not fantasy at all, actually. The technology behind the system that Fram and Starbucks (Charts) founder Schultz envision - laser or cathode-ray tubes that convert pixels into projected light - was invented for jet fighters more than 30 years ago, allowing pilots to read cockpit data without taking their eyes off the sky. Commercial pilots now rely on it, and automakers have experimented with in-car displays that flash data like speed and RPM in a corner of the windshield.
Fram, a former IBM (Charts) computer design engineer, wants to invest in a startup that can take the concept to the next level, since carmakers, he says, have been too slow and risk-averse to push technology that has obvious safety implications.
A key advantage of projected displays is that they don't distract drivers' attention nearly as much as cell phones or dashboard controls. They create the illusion that they're floating 15 feet in front of the vehicle - and a GM (Charts) study has shown that eyes can refocus much faster when they're switching between the road and a projected display than when they're toggling back and forth between the road and the dashboard.
"This way," Fram says, "you can stare straight ahead with hands on the wheel to drive and check e-mail at the same time. That's vastly safer than drivers looking down and taking one or both hands off the wheel to play with their BlackBerry." Adding voice-to-text features, he adds, would also help ensure safety. It's up to a startup team, of course, to make that a convincing case.
What they'll invest: $5 million for a deeply qualified 20-person team to deliver a prototype and a plan for pitching a commercial version to automakers within three years
Send your pitch to: jfram@maveron.com. -- S.H.
A Flyweight Database
The Investor: Tim Draper, founder and managing director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
What he's backed: Hotmail, Overture, Skype
What he wants now: A new database company. Don't yawn. Draper loves startups that can upend corporate giants with simple products and cheap technology.
Oracle (Charts), IBM, and Microsoft (Charts) have had a stranglehold on the $13.8 billion database business for more than a decade, and while newer players like MySQL are making a dent, Draper thinks there's an opening for a startup that can deliver most of the benefits of standard Big Blue products without millions of lines of code or an army of consultants and IT managers. "I'm not sure yet what this company would look like," Draper says, "but it would not have the technology baggage of the entrenched monopolists. If it can penetrate the market cleverly like we did with Hotmail and Skype, it might not take that much funding."
What he'll invest: $3 million for a working application
Send your pitch to: karen@dfj.com -- M.V.C.
The New Power Play
The Investor: Elon Musk, co-founder, PayPal
What he's backed: SpaceX, Tesla Motors
What he wants now: As Musk's two most recent investments - in a space rocket and an all-electric sports car - suggest, the 35-year-old entrepreneur likes to think big. So he's intrigued by the promise of a next-generation battery called an ultracapacitor, capable of powering everything from cars to tractors. Unlike chemical batteries, ultracapacitors store energy as an electrical field between a pair of conducting plates. Theoretically, they can be charged in less than a second rather than hours, be recharged repeatedly without sacrificing performance, and far outlast anything now on the market.
"I am convinced that the long-term solution to our energy needs lies with capacitors," Musk says. "You can't beat them for power, and they kick ass on any chemical battery."
Musk would know: He was doing Ph.D. work at Stanford on high-energy capacitors before he helped get PayPal off the ground. At least one startup, EEStor in Texas, and a larger company, Maxwell Technologies in California, are working on ultracapacitors. Yet Musk believes a university-based research group has an equal shot at a commercial breakthrough, since universities are where the most promising research is bubbling up. "The challenge is one of materials science, not money," Musk says.
The team to pull this off, he says, would need expertise in materials science, applied physics, and manufacturing. Musk wants to see a prototype that can power something small, like a boom box. "Make one and show me that it works," Musk says. "Then tell me what's wrong with it and how it can be fixed."
What he'll invest: $4 million over two years for a working prototype
Send your pitch to: mbb@spacex.com. -- M.V.C.
A Better Energizer
The Investors: Samir Kaul and Vinod Khosla, partners, Khosla Ventures
What they've backed: BCI, Codon Devices, iSkoot
What they want now: Khosla, a legendary Silicon Valley VC whose winners have included Juniper Networks and Redback Networks, and Kaul are looking for an engineering team to build a lithium-ion battery with five times the life of anything found in cell phones, PDAs, or cameras. Matsushita and Sanyo are pushing the limits on lithium-ion cells, as are a couple of promising startups. But as with ultracapacitors, Khosla and Kaul think the right inventor will come from an academic lab. "We see research that proves it's attainable," Kaul says. "This is not a flying car. If it was, I'd ask for 20 times."
What they'll invest: $2 million for a 10- to 15-person team to show proof of concept
Send your pitch to: cj@khoslaventures.com. -- S.H.
More:http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/09/01/8384349/index.htm?postversion=2006102617
But after some friendly prodding from our reporters, a surprising number of them couldn't help but start jawing about companies they would love to build - if only the right people could be found to perfect the technologies or the business plans and make them seem possible.
The result is this list of 20 tantalizing business ideas, ranging from a host of new websites and applications to next-generation power sources and a luxury housing development. This isn't small-time thinking, either: These investors -which include some of Silicon Valley's most successful VCs as well as serial entrepreneurs like Steve Case and Howard Schultz are backing their ideas with a collective $100 million in funding to the entrepreneurs who can get them off the ground.
We don't guarantee you'll land a multimillion-dollar payday or even get your foot in the door. But with the ideas now in your hands, consider yourself halfway there.
The Ultimate iDrive
The Investors: Jonathan Fram, managing partner, and Howard Schultz, co-founder, Maveron
What they've backed: Cranium, Eos Airlines, GameLogic
What they want now: A driver's tech fantasy fully realized: an in-dash computer with a keyboard built into the steering wheel and a full-screen heads-up display projected on the windshield.
It's not fantasy at all, actually. The technology behind the system that Fram and Starbucks (Charts) founder Schultz envision - laser or cathode-ray tubes that convert pixels into projected light - was invented for jet fighters more than 30 years ago, allowing pilots to read cockpit data without taking their eyes off the sky. Commercial pilots now rely on it, and automakers have experimented with in-car displays that flash data like speed and RPM in a corner of the windshield.
Fram, a former IBM (Charts) computer design engineer, wants to invest in a startup that can take the concept to the next level, since carmakers, he says, have been too slow and risk-averse to push technology that has obvious safety implications.
A key advantage of projected displays is that they don't distract drivers' attention nearly as much as cell phones or dashboard controls. They create the illusion that they're floating 15 feet in front of the vehicle - and a GM (Charts) study has shown that eyes can refocus much faster when they're switching between the road and a projected display than when they're toggling back and forth between the road and the dashboard.
"This way," Fram says, "you can stare straight ahead with hands on the wheel to drive and check e-mail at the same time. That's vastly safer than drivers looking down and taking one or both hands off the wheel to play with their BlackBerry." Adding voice-to-text features, he adds, would also help ensure safety. It's up to a startup team, of course, to make that a convincing case.
What they'll invest: $5 million for a deeply qualified 20-person team to deliver a prototype and a plan for pitching a commercial version to automakers within three years
Send your pitch to: jfram@maveron.com. -- S.H.
A Flyweight Database
The Investor: Tim Draper, founder and managing director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
What he's backed: Hotmail, Overture, Skype
What he wants now: A new database company. Don't yawn. Draper loves startups that can upend corporate giants with simple products and cheap technology.
Oracle (Charts), IBM, and Microsoft (Charts) have had a stranglehold on the $13.8 billion database business for more than a decade, and while newer players like MySQL are making a dent, Draper thinks there's an opening for a startup that can deliver most of the benefits of standard Big Blue products without millions of lines of code or an army of consultants and IT managers. "I'm not sure yet what this company would look like," Draper says, "but it would not have the technology baggage of the entrenched monopolists. If it can penetrate the market cleverly like we did with Hotmail and Skype, it might not take that much funding."
What he'll invest: $3 million for a working application
Send your pitch to: karen@dfj.com -- M.V.C.
The New Power Play
The Investor: Elon Musk, co-founder, PayPal
What he's backed: SpaceX, Tesla Motors
What he wants now: As Musk's two most recent investments - in a space rocket and an all-electric sports car - suggest, the 35-year-old entrepreneur likes to think big. So he's intrigued by the promise of a next-generation battery called an ultracapacitor, capable of powering everything from cars to tractors. Unlike chemical batteries, ultracapacitors store energy as an electrical field between a pair of conducting plates. Theoretically, they can be charged in less than a second rather than hours, be recharged repeatedly without sacrificing performance, and far outlast anything now on the market.
"I am convinced that the long-term solution to our energy needs lies with capacitors," Musk says. "You can't beat them for power, and they kick ass on any chemical battery."
Musk would know: He was doing Ph.D. work at Stanford on high-energy capacitors before he helped get PayPal off the ground. At least one startup, EEStor in Texas, and a larger company, Maxwell Technologies in California, are working on ultracapacitors. Yet Musk believes a university-based research group has an equal shot at a commercial breakthrough, since universities are where the most promising research is bubbling up. "The challenge is one of materials science, not money," Musk says.
The team to pull this off, he says, would need expertise in materials science, applied physics, and manufacturing. Musk wants to see a prototype that can power something small, like a boom box. "Make one and show me that it works," Musk says. "Then tell me what's wrong with it and how it can be fixed."
What he'll invest: $4 million over two years for a working prototype
Send your pitch to: mbb@spacex.com. -- M.V.C.
A Better Energizer
The Investors: Samir Kaul and Vinod Khosla, partners, Khosla Ventures
What they've backed: BCI, Codon Devices, iSkoot
What they want now: Khosla, a legendary Silicon Valley VC whose winners have included Juniper Networks and Redback Networks, and Kaul are looking for an engineering team to build a lithium-ion battery with five times the life of anything found in cell phones, PDAs, or cameras. Matsushita and Sanyo are pushing the limits on lithium-ion cells, as are a couple of promising startups. But as with ultracapacitors, Khosla and Kaul think the right inventor will come from an academic lab. "We see research that proves it's attainable," Kaul says. "This is not a flying car. If it was, I'd ask for 20 times."
What they'll invest: $2 million for a 10- to 15-person team to show proof of concept
Send your pitch to: cj@khoslaventures.com. -- S.H.
More:http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/09/01/8384349/index.htm?postversion=2006102617
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
ChipIn,Collecting Money For You
ChipIn is a Web-based service that simplifies the process of collecting money from groups of people. We make this process quick, easy, and secure, and we provide organizers with numerous ways to get the word out about their ChipIn event.
More:http://www.chipin.com/overview
More:http://www.chipin.com/overview
Better Business Bureaus(Free Reports For Millions Of Business)
The 129 Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) serving communities across the United States and Canada helped consumers and businesses with more than 105 million instances of service in 2006 - a record-breaking number for the BBB System, and the first time the System has topped the 100 million mark for instances of service in its 95-year history. The BBB System has increased its annual instances of service by more than 150 percent in the past five years, from 41.5 million in 2002. The 2006 figures are a 17 percent increase over the 90 million instances of service provided in 2005, and mark the fifth straight year of double-digit percentage increases.
With so many choices for consumers across North America, the issue of trust in the marketplace is as important today as ever. For nearly a century, BBBs have set and upheld high standards for fair and honest business behavior," said Cole. "Consumers and businesses have come to rely on our millions of easy-to-access reports to find organizations they can trust here and in Canada."
Reliability reports on millions of businesses are available free-of-charge at www.bbb.org, and consumers can find more information about online businesses at www.bbbonline.org. Also, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org) delivers charity review reports, which were viewed two million times in 2006.
Nore:http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=755
With so many choices for consumers across North America, the issue of trust in the marketplace is as important today as ever. For nearly a century, BBBs have set and upheld high standards for fair and honest business behavior," said Cole. "Consumers and businesses have come to rely on our millions of easy-to-access reports to find organizations they can trust here and in Canada."
Reliability reports on millions of businesses are available free-of-charge at www.bbb.org, and consumers can find more information about online businesses at www.bbbonline.org. Also, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org) delivers charity review reports, which were viewed two million times in 2006.
Nore:http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=755
How To Select CEOs For Your Company
Q: We hired a CEO for a previous company we started, and after about five months noticed that this individual was a micromanager who wanted to control everything. We will be hiring a CEO for another startup company and would like to know how to choose the right CEO for the type of culture we are developing. Are there pre-employment tests or specific questions to ask and behaviors to look for? How do you know if a CEO candidate can manage without controlling?
A: I can understand your concern for hiring the right or best CEO. All the successes and failures in any company flow up and down the hierarchy, but, ultimately, the CEO is the person in charge who needs to assume responsibility for the outcomes.
There is certainly no "one best" CEO or boss. This individual is a combination of personal and professional traits, behaviors, characteristics, knowledge, skills and abilities. Management researchers have not yet decided which of these factors coupled with which management or leadership theories are most effective. However, most people would agree that success definitely depends on the best matching of those factors with the environment or culture of your company. The successful CEO of IBM, for example, might not be successful at a chain of statewide supermarkets or high-tech fix-it shops. Failure or success comes not only from within the individual, but also from the individual who works within the existing culture or desired culture that the CEO attempts to develop.
You already seem to have an idea about the importance of a prospective CEO fitting into your culture. Let me offer a few more thoughts and questions to trigger your deepening view of the aspects that define a culture and the necessary factors a CEO candidate must possess in order to work well within a culture.
First, a culture is generally defined as the sum total of a group or organization's actions, structures, policies, beliefs, legends, ceremonies, history and values. The CEO and the people he or she trusts and/or delegates to are responsible for creating or furthering the ongoing aspects of that culture.
If you want to improve the chances that you will hire the best candidate for your culture, you will need to take a hard assessment of your internal and external corporate environment, no matter how large or small your organization may be. For instance, with whom will the CEO communicate: other CEOs? Community leaders? The press? What is the CEO's vision for your company? How well does it mesh with your view? Just where does the CEO want to take your company, or is that candidate happy with the status quo? What goals does this person have for moving from today's world into tomorrow's world? How will that be achieved? At what cost and to whom? With how much change? Using which process of change?
What values does the CEO candidate espouse? How does this person feel about these issues: honesty, integrity and ethics? Outcome issues such as productivity, revenue and quality? Values such as individual vs. teamwork? Highly structured vs. less-structured leadership styles? Autocratic vs. democratic processes? People-oriented vs. productivity-oriented? Trust vs. distrust? Creativity and innovation vs. current focus? Risk-taking vs. playing it safe?
These are, of course, just some of the descriptors that can define a successful CEO. The most fundamental step is for you and your colleagues to answer these questions. Then, review resumes and interview candidates to determine just how close they come to reflecting the picture of the ideal candidate for your specific company. In the process of making that decision, ask specific questions of the candidate and insist on specific, measurable responses that include key examples of what the candidate did and did not do in various situations.
By
David G. Javitch, Ph.D.
A: I can understand your concern for hiring the right or best CEO. All the successes and failures in any company flow up and down the hierarchy, but, ultimately, the CEO is the person in charge who needs to assume responsibility for the outcomes.
There is certainly no "one best" CEO or boss. This individual is a combination of personal and professional traits, behaviors, characteristics, knowledge, skills and abilities. Management researchers have not yet decided which of these factors coupled with which management or leadership theories are most effective. However, most people would agree that success definitely depends on the best matching of those factors with the environment or culture of your company. The successful CEO of IBM, for example, might not be successful at a chain of statewide supermarkets or high-tech fix-it shops. Failure or success comes not only from within the individual, but also from the individual who works within the existing culture or desired culture that the CEO attempts to develop.
You already seem to have an idea about the importance of a prospective CEO fitting into your culture. Let me offer a few more thoughts and questions to trigger your deepening view of the aspects that define a culture and the necessary factors a CEO candidate must possess in order to work well within a culture.
First, a culture is generally defined as the sum total of a group or organization's actions, structures, policies, beliefs, legends, ceremonies, history and values. The CEO and the people he or she trusts and/or delegates to are responsible for creating or furthering the ongoing aspects of that culture.
If you want to improve the chances that you will hire the best candidate for your culture, you will need to take a hard assessment of your internal and external corporate environment, no matter how large or small your organization may be. For instance, with whom will the CEO communicate: other CEOs? Community leaders? The press? What is the CEO's vision for your company? How well does it mesh with your view? Just where does the CEO want to take your company, or is that candidate happy with the status quo? What goals does this person have for moving from today's world into tomorrow's world? How will that be achieved? At what cost and to whom? With how much change? Using which process of change?
What values does the CEO candidate espouse? How does this person feel about these issues: honesty, integrity and ethics? Outcome issues such as productivity, revenue and quality? Values such as individual vs. teamwork? Highly structured vs. less-structured leadership styles? Autocratic vs. democratic processes? People-oriented vs. productivity-oriented? Trust vs. distrust? Creativity and innovation vs. current focus? Risk-taking vs. playing it safe?
These are, of course, just some of the descriptors that can define a successful CEO. The most fundamental step is for you and your colleagues to answer these questions. Then, review resumes and interview candidates to determine just how close they come to reflecting the picture of the ideal candidate for your specific company. In the process of making that decision, ask specific questions of the candidate and insist on specific, measurable responses that include key examples of what the candidate did and did not do in various situations.
By
David G. Javitch, Ph.D.
Biggest Online Video Game (.wiichat.com)
Wii seems to be bringing a lot of joy to people everywhere (that and pain for those who still can't find a unit on sale…), although the machine has also accompanied some rather wider reaching consequences that stretch across at least part of videogaming's culture.
So here's a look at what Wii's growing success has brought to the industry – for better AND for worse.
1. Standardised And Efficient Motion Controls
This isn't quite universal yet, as Microsoft is doing a good job of feigning apathy at the moment (what's the bet we see an Xbox tilt controller in the next 2 years though?), but there's no doubt Wii has brought with it a glimpse of what videogame control will be like for the next generation and beyond. Sony came a little late to the party with its rather half-hearted SIXAXIS pad on PlayStation3, but it's a clear sign of things to come. Console manufactures run on a very strong principle of competition mimicry, and if one company is seen to have made a success of a new way to play games, every single other company out there will try and follow with tweaks and changes. I'm willing to go as far to say that both Sony and Microsoft are already looking on how to improve on the Wii remote's capabilities, although it's an obvious assumption that Nintendo is already working on the case too and has the advantage of an audience who already think the big N is the originator of the concept.
It's also a proven way to introduce new people to videogames, so an invaluable method of audience expansion. Again, something that cannot be ignored by any developer or publisher. Wii has given the game a new angle; now we'll be watching exactly how everyone else plays it.
2. A Head-Bangingly Frustrating Resistance To Online Gaming
It's almost painful that Nintendo is so damned stubborn about this, but after promises and declarations it still seems unwilling to welcome online gaming with open arms. There's a fair few titles around the corner that will be playable via the interweb, but even this is slightly soured by the inane friend code system that looks like forcing us into a new code for each game. No no no. This is not a friendly and intuitive format and as a result some companies (mostly third-parties) are shying away from putting online functions in their games, on top of Nintendo's apparent apathy towards the concept. While Sony and Microsoft are making great inroads, Nintendo has stalled things somewhat in a universal sense. Which is irritating, as it's made some good decisions in making online play free, implementing a fantastic browser and offering other goodies, such as the weather and news channels. The lack of force in the most important section, the gaming itself, means competitors can get away with more lethargy, simply though the fact Nintendo's efforts are so comparatively half-arsed.
More:http://www.wiichat.com/
So here's a look at what Wii's growing success has brought to the industry – for better AND for worse.
1. Standardised And Efficient Motion Controls
This isn't quite universal yet, as Microsoft is doing a good job of feigning apathy at the moment (what's the bet we see an Xbox tilt controller in the next 2 years though?), but there's no doubt Wii has brought with it a glimpse of what videogame control will be like for the next generation and beyond. Sony came a little late to the party with its rather half-hearted SIXAXIS pad on PlayStation3, but it's a clear sign of things to come. Console manufactures run on a very strong principle of competition mimicry, and if one company is seen to have made a success of a new way to play games, every single other company out there will try and follow with tweaks and changes. I'm willing to go as far to say that both Sony and Microsoft are already looking on how to improve on the Wii remote's capabilities, although it's an obvious assumption that Nintendo is already working on the case too and has the advantage of an audience who already think the big N is the originator of the concept.
It's also a proven way to introduce new people to videogames, so an invaluable method of audience expansion. Again, something that cannot be ignored by any developer or publisher. Wii has given the game a new angle; now we'll be watching exactly how everyone else plays it.
2. A Head-Bangingly Frustrating Resistance To Online Gaming
It's almost painful that Nintendo is so damned stubborn about this, but after promises and declarations it still seems unwilling to welcome online gaming with open arms. There's a fair few titles around the corner that will be playable via the interweb, but even this is slightly soured by the inane friend code system that looks like forcing us into a new code for each game. No no no. This is not a friendly and intuitive format and as a result some companies (mostly third-parties) are shying away from putting online functions in their games, on top of Nintendo's apparent apathy towards the concept. While Sony and Microsoft are making great inroads, Nintendo has stalled things somewhat in a universal sense. Which is irritating, as it's made some good decisions in making online play free, implementing a fantastic browser and offering other goodies, such as the weather and news channels. The lack of force in the most important section, the gaming itself, means competitors can get away with more lethargy, simply though the fact Nintendo's efforts are so comparatively half-arsed.
More:http://www.wiichat.com/
Who After Warren Buffet?
Last month, Warren Buffett posted the mother of all help-wanted ads: a request for candidates to replace him as chief investment officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Now, the résumés are flooding in -- and the process is turning out to be every bit as unconventional as the billionaire investor himself. Among the 600 or so applicants so far: a Talmudic scholar who picks stocks from home, a Canadian economist with an intense yoga practice and even a four-year-old.
"We're going to run this like 'American Idol' in the end," the 76-year-old Mr. Buffett quipped in an interview in his modest office, neatly decorated with baseball paraphernalia and photos of old friends. On a recent Sunday, he went in after lunch to read annual reports and open mail, some of which is destined for a small box on his desk labeled "TOO HARD."
For all Mr. Buffett's whimsy, it's an important quest, both for his company, which has a market value of about $168 billion, and for his legions of fans. For decades, Mr. Buffett's financial decisions have been the subject of conjecture, scrutiny and imitation. So, even though Mr. Buffett says he is in "excellent health" and has no plans to retire soon, the naming of a CIO successor signals for many the end of an era and a step into uncharted territory.
It won't be easy to fill Mr. Buffett's size 10-1/2 shoes. Thanks largely to his legendary stock picking, the "Oracle of Omaha" is now the world's second-richest man, topped only by Microsoft Corp.'s Bill Gates. An investor who bought $1,000 of Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock in 1965, after Mr. Buffett took control, would be worth more than $7 million today.
It takes "a peculiar temperament" to be an investor who consistently seeks opportunities away from the crowd, says Charlie Munger, Berkshire's 83-year-old vice chairman. Mr. Buffett says Mr. Munger, whom he has known for more than four decades, would be the "ideal person" for the job -- if he were just 30 years younger.
More:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117769304545985007-7JW4Astl1z1hX_oDGufoOnWzoRE_20070507.html?mod=blogs
Now, the résumés are flooding in -- and the process is turning out to be every bit as unconventional as the billionaire investor himself. Among the 600 or so applicants so far: a Talmudic scholar who picks stocks from home, a Canadian economist with an intense yoga practice and even a four-year-old.
"We're going to run this like 'American Idol' in the end," the 76-year-old Mr. Buffett quipped in an interview in his modest office, neatly decorated with baseball paraphernalia and photos of old friends. On a recent Sunday, he went in after lunch to read annual reports and open mail, some of which is destined for a small box on his desk labeled "TOO HARD."
For all Mr. Buffett's whimsy, it's an important quest, both for his company, which has a market value of about $168 billion, and for his legions of fans. For decades, Mr. Buffett's financial decisions have been the subject of conjecture, scrutiny and imitation. So, even though Mr. Buffett says he is in "excellent health" and has no plans to retire soon, the naming of a CIO successor signals for many the end of an era and a step into uncharted territory.
It won't be easy to fill Mr. Buffett's size 10-1/2 shoes. Thanks largely to his legendary stock picking, the "Oracle of Omaha" is now the world's second-richest man, topped only by Microsoft Corp.'s Bill Gates. An investor who bought $1,000 of Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock in 1965, after Mr. Buffett took control, would be worth more than $7 million today.
It takes "a peculiar temperament" to be an investor who consistently seeks opportunities away from the crowd, says Charlie Munger, Berkshire's 83-year-old vice chairman. Mr. Buffett says Mr. Munger, whom he has known for more than four decades, would be the "ideal person" for the job -- if he were just 30 years younger.
More:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117769304545985007-7JW4Astl1z1hX_oDGufoOnWzoRE_20070507.html?mod=blogs
KidFresh
Working moms and dads who want to provide their children with nutritious organic fare, but don't have the time , will love the Kidfresh concept. A children’s food store, designed by a team that includes an award-winning chef and dietician as well as a pediatric nutritionist, New York-based Kidfresh offers prepared “Grab + Go” meals or “Mix + Match” selections that cater to four different age groups, ranging from baby to age 10. Food boxes are colour-coded according to age, and contain breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, priced from USD 4.95 - USD 7.25 per meal.
The store, located at 1628 2nd Avenue in New York, is extremely child-friendly, aiming to involve kids in the food buying process. Children can enter through a special doorway, and gather their groceries in pint-sized carts. Kidfresh also offers cooking classes and other events to encourage children to get into the “Kidchen” and take an interest in healthy eating. An in-store counter serves ice-cream, fruit kebabs and Parents can also shop online for Kidfresh meals or groceries. With rising concerns about childhood obesity, health- and weight-conscious parents are likely to be a profitable market to tap into. Our recent items on pre-packed healthy lunches and fresh and frozen gourmet baby food are further evidence of this trend.
Website: www.kidfresh.com
The store, located at 1628 2nd Avenue in New York, is extremely child-friendly, aiming to involve kids in the food buying process. Children can enter through a special doorway, and gather their groceries in pint-sized carts. Kidfresh also offers cooking classes and other events to encourage children to get into the “Kidchen” and take an interest in healthy eating. An in-store counter serves ice-cream, fruit kebabs and Parents can also shop online for Kidfresh meals or groceries. With rising concerns about childhood obesity, health- and weight-conscious parents are likely to be a profitable market to tap into. Our recent items on pre-packed healthy lunches and fresh and frozen gourmet baby food are further evidence of this trend.
Website: www.kidfresh.com
Monday, April 30, 2007
InventNow
A new website and media campaign are encouraging children to use their imagination to come up with technological innovations of the future.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is working with the Advertising Council and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in launching the new initiative InventNow.
More:http://inventnow.org/
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is working with the Advertising Council and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in launching the new initiative InventNow.
More:http://inventnow.org/
104 Money Making Tool
You will need internet marketing tools for your online business to make money online and buying everthing you need can cost you a lot. A new website names viralmarketinggiveaway2.com has just launched and the site let you download 104 internet marketing tools absolutely free.
The free tools include e-marketing e-books, software packages and guides which will help you succeed in your internet business. Besides that the site also claim that they can help you builde a opt-in list.
Here's the link to sign up
http://www.viralmarketinggiveaway2.com
The free tools include e-marketing e-books, software packages and guides which will help you succeed in your internet business. Besides that the site also claim that they can help you builde a opt-in list.
Here's the link to sign up
http://www.viralmarketinggiveaway2.com
If Your Mobile Phone Work Like Your Wallet
The idea of using a phone as some sort of wallet has been around for a while now and we've seen phones being used in Japan as payment systems too. Today, Reuters reports that Nokia together with mobile carriers have created a global initiative to turn all our mobile phones into wallets:
Consumers will be able to use a phone as a wallet or as an access card simply by waving it over a wireless reader -- and in some cases punching a PIN number into the phone -- similar to how travelers in Tokyo and London access public transport.
...The world's biggest payment card company, MasterCard, is also involved in the initiative, which is cheaper and much faster than other wireless payment experiments, like those using SMS text messages. Trials with the new standard are set to start in October.
Phones in the scheme with use a contactless chip called Near Field Communication (NFC) which the companies involved hope will become a global standard for electronic wallets in mobile phones.
More:http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyid=2007-04-25T101043Z_01_L25599726_RTRUKOC_0_US-MOBILE-WALLET.xml
Consumers will be able to use a phone as a wallet or as an access card simply by waving it over a wireless reader -- and in some cases punching a PIN number into the phone -- similar to how travelers in Tokyo and London access public transport.
...The world's biggest payment card company, MasterCard, is also involved in the initiative, which is cheaper and much faster than other wireless payment experiments, like those using SMS text messages. Trials with the new standard are set to start in October.
Phones in the scheme with use a contactless chip called Near Field Communication (NFC) which the companies involved hope will become a global standard for electronic wallets in mobile phones.
More:http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyid=2007-04-25T101043Z_01_L25599726_RTRUKOC_0_US-MOBILE-WALLET.xml
The Buddha Machine
UK online music shop Boomkat has an interesting interview with the creators of The Buddha Machine. The device, which has developed a cult following, is described as follows:
Reduced to it's core components, the Buddha Machine is little more than an AM radio - permanently tuned to a distant loop-emitting signal that encourages the listener to project their own interpretations on a series of diffused ambient compositions.
Here's an interesting excerpt from the full interview.
Q: Where did the idea for the Buddha Machine come from?
A: We took the inspiration from a similar device used in Buddhist temples. The device is used to play constant chants to the Buddha and some say it was developed because of the shortage of monks in modern times. I picked up my first one more than 10 years ago and it was a permanent fixture in my bathroom. For years, Zhang and I mused about how cool it would be to make an FM3 release "inside that little box" and then in 2004 we got serious and really did it.
Q: How does it make you feel when you hear that people like Brian Eno and Alan Bishop are bulk buying them?
A: Funnily enough, Eno was my very first paying customer! He bought six based on a prototype I showed him at dinner in Beijing last year. Our second customer was Thomas Felhmann from the Orb. He took about a dozen. And then shortly after that Alan Bishop ordered 24, based on a photo and an email description I gave him! Monolake and the crew at the Ableton software office bought something like 30... So from the very beginning we had great support from some quality musicians and naturally, as two guys sitting way out in Beijing, it's mind-boggling.
More:http://www.boomkat.com/article.cfm?id=3 and athttp://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/fm3.html
Reduced to it's core components, the Buddha Machine is little more than an AM radio - permanently tuned to a distant loop-emitting signal that encourages the listener to project their own interpretations on a series of diffused ambient compositions.
Here's an interesting excerpt from the full interview.
Q: Where did the idea for the Buddha Machine come from?
A: We took the inspiration from a similar device used in Buddhist temples. The device is used to play constant chants to the Buddha and some say it was developed because of the shortage of monks in modern times. I picked up my first one more than 10 years ago and it was a permanent fixture in my bathroom. For years, Zhang and I mused about how cool it would be to make an FM3 release "inside that little box" and then in 2004 we got serious and really did it.
Q: How does it make you feel when you hear that people like Brian Eno and Alan Bishop are bulk buying them?
A: Funnily enough, Eno was my very first paying customer! He bought six based on a prototype I showed him at dinner in Beijing last year. Our second customer was Thomas Felhmann from the Orb. He took about a dozen. And then shortly after that Alan Bishop ordered 24, based on a photo and an email description I gave him! Monolake and the crew at the Ableton software office bought something like 30... So from the very beginning we had great support from some quality musicians and naturally, as two guys sitting way out in Beijing, it's mind-boggling.
More:http://www.boomkat.com/article.cfm?id=3 and athttp://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/fm3.html
GIO Pillow
The Glo Pillow seeks to remedy such occurrences through a more gentle approach. A combination of memory foam and a series of LED-integrated fabric layers, slumber is theoretically broken by a gentle “glowing” that simulates a sunrise, as opposed to traditional shock-inducing bleating) allowing for a more peaceful start to your day. An RSA Design Directions Award winner in ‘06, the induction-charged pillow is controlled by a panel of six “soft buttons” on the side; the wireless transmitter allows free movement for those who are prone to tossing and turning. Not that you’ll be doing a whole lot of that after you discover what a “good night’s sleep” actually entails.
More:http://geeksugar.com/228623
More:http://geeksugar.com/228623
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Making Money With Medical Id Jewellary
Everything changed for Julia van Hees-Aidner the day Zoe Potkin was diagnosed with epilepsy.
In 2003, van Hees-Aidner was working in PR for several high-end jewelry companies when she received a call from her friend, Ralph Potkin, who was concerned about his daughter's refusal to wear the medical ID tag notifying doctors that she was epileptic. Van Hees-Aidner scoured lists of jewelers, searching for someone who could make a fashionable ID tag to fit Zoe's lifestyle. But she found no one.
Van Hees-Aidner, 49, was also reluctant to wear a medical ID tag alerting doctors of her drug allergies and lupus condition, so she decided to create a tag that wouldn't embarrass wearers. She partnered with vintage jewelry expert James Martin, 45, to create Jewels et Jim, a line of high-end, fashionable medical ID tags.
More:http://www.jewelsetjim.com/
In 2003, van Hees-Aidner was working in PR for several high-end jewelry companies when she received a call from her friend, Ralph Potkin, who was concerned about his daughter's refusal to wear the medical ID tag notifying doctors that she was epileptic. Van Hees-Aidner scoured lists of jewelers, searching for someone who could make a fashionable ID tag to fit Zoe's lifestyle. But she found no one.
Van Hees-Aidner, 49, was also reluctant to wear a medical ID tag alerting doctors of her drug allergies and lupus condition, so she decided to create a tag that wouldn't embarrass wearers. She partnered with vintage jewelry expert James Martin, 45, to create Jewels et Jim, a line of high-end, fashionable medical ID tags.
More:http://www.jewelsetjim.com/
Flexpetz.com
Flexpetz recently launched in Los Angeles and San Diego, and offers consumers the option of having a dog for just a few hours or days a week. Which is a good solution for people who'd love to have a dog, but are too busy, travel frequently, or live in buildings that don't allow dog ownership. The dogs come from breed rescue shelters, who take in specific breeds and help pick animals that are well-suited to a live as Flexpetz. When they're not spending time with members, the dogs live in a cage-free facility that provides a safe and steady base. The company's founder, Marlena Cervantes, views Flexpetz like an extended family: "When our dogs spend time with their extended family members, they are lavished with love and undivided attention. We feel our this concept allows our dogs more love and attention than single ownership can often provide."
More:http://www.flexpetz.com/
More:http://www.flexpetz.com/
Managing Your Blog Comments
If you were wondering how to manage blog comments of yours or the comments on interesting posts at blogs you rarely read, you might forget to check back and see if anyone responded. Sometimes an interesting conversation is difficult to track when it happens so asynchronously. A new tool, CoComment, aims to change that. Sign up and keep track of comments and conversations from over 150,000 web sites. This is one of those Web 2.0 tools that I think could actually be useful.
More;http://www.cocomment.com/
More;http://www.cocomment.com/
Mobile With Motion Sensors
A new mobile phone in Japan from wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo has motion sensors. You can even use the phone to play games through movements, just like the Nintendo Wii game console.
The D904i from Japan's largest carrier, DoCoMo, comes with a motion sensor that detects shaking and tilting. For game play users "can move the handset like a tennis racket or fishing pole in easy-to-play games, similar to those on Nintendo Co's popular Wii."
And the new DoCoMo phone isn't alone:
Meanwhile, two new phones from Sharp and Matsushita Electric Industrial use their built-in cameras to detect motion. Users can control a hip-hop dancer by wagging a finger in front of the camera, for example, or throw punches in the air for a boxing match.
The new motion-equipped phones are scheduled to ship in Japan in May. No word yet when motion-equipped phones will hit the U.S.
More:http://infotech.indiatimes.com/Tech_News/News/New_mobile_phones_detect_motion_/articleshow/1964810.cms
The D904i from Japan's largest carrier, DoCoMo, comes with a motion sensor that detects shaking and tilting. For game play users "can move the handset like a tennis racket or fishing pole in easy-to-play games, similar to those on Nintendo Co's popular Wii."
And the new DoCoMo phone isn't alone:
Meanwhile, two new phones from Sharp and Matsushita Electric Industrial use their built-in cameras to detect motion. Users can control a hip-hop dancer by wagging a finger in front of the camera, for example, or throw punches in the air for a boxing match.
The new motion-equipped phones are scheduled to ship in Japan in May. No word yet when motion-equipped phones will hit the U.S.
More:http://infotech.indiatimes.com/Tech_News/News/New_mobile_phones_detect_motion_/articleshow/1964810.cms
Five Best Free Websites Tool and Services
Google Analytics
Google Analytics has rapidly become the industry leader in site analytics - giving paid options such as WebTrends a run for their money. Simply copy and paste a small piece of code onto your web pages and Google offers advanced tracking and traffic statistics for free. To learn more about using Google Analytics, Ian Lurie of Conversation Marketing has developed a series of tutorial videos on the subject.
MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog
For Blogs I have not found a more effective way to drive traffic to a new site than through these two services. By combining social networking with helpful blogging tools, both MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog are making a huge impact on giving new blogs a kick-start to success.
HitTail and 103Bees
HitTail and 103Bees are similar in nature - they offer site owners a way to understand and analyze their search engine traffic in an easy-to-use interface. Both of them also indicate whether your site was found on the front page of search results, or in the “long tail” of search results (many pages down). This knowledge can then be used to develop content in specialized keyword niches to push your site up in search engine results.
The 37Signals Suite
Although technically not a suite of tools for websites, the 37Signals programs are critically acclaimed as they offer tracking of project management, contact management, group communications and information organization. Any tool that so elegantly increases productivity and makes life easier is well worth mentioning on this list.
Overture Keyword Selector Tool
For more advanced search engine optimization, it helps to do a little research on what exactly internet surfers are looking for. The Overture Keyword Selector Tool offers insights into the exact number of searches that Yahoo receives for search terms and their related phrases. By understanding what phrases are most common, you can use this knowledge to incorporate the highest volume keywords into your site.
Google Analytics has rapidly become the industry leader in site analytics - giving paid options such as WebTrends a run for their money. Simply copy and paste a small piece of code onto your web pages and Google offers advanced tracking and traffic statistics for free. To learn more about using Google Analytics, Ian Lurie of Conversation Marketing has developed a series of tutorial videos on the subject.
MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog
For Blogs I have not found a more effective way to drive traffic to a new site than through these two services. By combining social networking with helpful blogging tools, both MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog are making a huge impact on giving new blogs a kick-start to success.
HitTail and 103Bees
HitTail and 103Bees are similar in nature - they offer site owners a way to understand and analyze their search engine traffic in an easy-to-use interface. Both of them also indicate whether your site was found on the front page of search results, or in the “long tail” of search results (many pages down). This knowledge can then be used to develop content in specialized keyword niches to push your site up in search engine results.
The 37Signals Suite
Although technically not a suite of tools for websites, the 37Signals programs are critically acclaimed as they offer tracking of project management, contact management, group communications and information organization. Any tool that so elegantly increases productivity and makes life easier is well worth mentioning on this list.
Overture Keyword Selector Tool
For more advanced search engine optimization, it helps to do a little research on what exactly internet surfers are looking for. The Overture Keyword Selector Tool offers insights into the exact number of searches that Yahoo receives for search terms and their related phrases. By understanding what phrases are most common, you can use this knowledge to incorporate the highest volume keywords into your site.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
What Is Meshly?
Meshly is not really like Twitter; it is not really like del.icio.us; and it is not really like digg. But comparisons to all three are fair when trying to figure out just what exactly Meshly actually is. Like Twitter, Meshly is an instant blogging application, like del.icio.us it is about saving links, and it has a voting component that closely resembles digg.
The best way to describe Meshly is as an instant messenger based bookmarking tool. Using either MSN, AIM, or GTalk instant messengers, users post, tag, and describe links to Meshly. The entire sign up process is done via instant messenger, and is pretty painless. Once links are posted to the site, people vote on them digg-style so the best each day, week, and month are highlighted. Users can comment on the links via the site, or browse by tag like on del.
More:http://www.meshly.com/
The best way to describe Meshly is as an instant messenger based bookmarking tool. Using either MSN, AIM, or GTalk instant messengers, users post, tag, and describe links to Meshly. The entire sign up process is done via instant messenger, and is pretty painless. Once links are posted to the site, people vote on them digg-style so the best each day, week, and month are highlighted. Users can comment on the links via the site, or browse by tag like on del.
More:http://www.meshly.com/
WorkHack Redefine Simple Task Mangment
WorkHack, a task list web app that takes simple to a whole new level. There are very nearly no features to WorkHack. There is no sign up, no tagging, no due dates, no multi-user support. Just to-do lists, organized into three priority categories (High, Medium, and Low) and sorted by color or size.
Getting started with WorkHack is easy: just plug in the captcha text on the main page and go. Tasks are added by entering them into the large textbox on your to-do list page, and assigning a priority level. Tasks are marked by color (red for High, orange for Medium, and green for Low) or, if you turn on the option, by size (the bigger the task, the more urgent). When you are finished with a task, click "Done" and it disappears from view (though you can turn on an option to make WorkHack display completed tasks, and re-add them with a single click).
More:http://workhack.com/
Getting started with WorkHack is easy: just plug in the captcha text on the main page and go. Tasks are added by entering them into the large textbox on your to-do list page, and assigning a priority level. Tasks are marked by color (red for High, orange for Medium, and green for Low) or, if you turn on the option, by size (the bigger the task, the more urgent). When you are finished with a task, click "Done" and it disappears from view (though you can turn on an option to make WorkHack display completed tasks, and re-add them with a single click).
More:http://workhack.com/
Wakoopa For Your Deskstop Application.
Last.fm does for music what Dutch startup Wakoopa wants to do for your desktop applications. Like Last.fm, Wakoopa uses a downloaded tracker, except if follows how often you use applications instead of listen to music. Similarly, Wakoopa has also built a Rails-powered social website around the data, letting users share their preferences with friends, write reviews of their favorite application, and download new ones. Wakoopa is backed by a fund of the three biggest media companies in the Netherlands (Ilse, IDG, Telegraaf) and launches May 2nd.
Wakoopa’s tracker logs what applications you use and for how long, updating your personal profile every 15 minutes. On the website, the aggregate data lists the most recently used applications and most used applications of all time. Each application has a profile that lists the people and groups who use it, reviews, and tags. For free applications, it also includes a download link for various versions, potentially creating a more social SourceForge. For the private beta, Firefox is the top used application, used by 23 people logging over 117 hours. MSN messenger is an odd second place, logging a total of 14 hours.
Wakoopa’s tracker logs what applications you use and for how long, updating your personal profile every 15 minutes. On the website, the aggregate data lists the most recently used applications and most used applications of all time. Each application has a profile that lists the people and groups who use it, reviews, and tags. For free applications, it also includes a download link for various versions, potentially creating a more social SourceForge. For the private beta, Firefox is the top used application, used by 23 people logging over 117 hours. MSN messenger is an odd second place, logging a total of 14 hours.
CallTheFuture
CallTheFuture calls the specified number with the given return name.
Its Useful For:
Giving yourself a business reminder
Setting notification for appointment
Have an emergency reason to leave a meeting.
More: http://www.callthefuture.org/
Its Useful For:
Giving yourself a business reminder
Setting notification for appointment
Have an emergency reason to leave a meeting.
More: http://www.callthefuture.org/
Google Patent Search
As part of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful, we’re constantly working to expand the diversity of content we make available to our users. With Google Patent Search, you can now search the full text of the U.S. patent corpus and find patents that interest you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where does this patent data come from?
A. All patents available through Google Patent Search come from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Patents issued in the United States are public domain government information, and images of the entire database of U.S. patents are readily available online via the USPTO website.
Q. What types of patents are available?
A. Google Patent Search covers the entire collection of patents made available by the USPTO—from patents issued in the 1790s through those issued in the middle of 2006. We don’t currently include patent applications, international patents, or U.S. patents issued over the last few months, but we look forward to expanding our coverage in the future.
Q. How many U.S. patents are there?
A. To date, the USPTO has issued approximately 7 million patents.
Q. How does it work?
A. Using the same technology that powers Google Book Search, Google has converted the entire image database of U.S. patents into a format that’s easy to search. You can search the full text of U.S. patents from the Google Patent Search homepage, or visit the Advanced Patent Search page to search by criteria like patent number, inventor, and filing date.
Q. How do you rank patents in the search results?
A. As with Google Web Search, we rank patent results according to their relevance to a given search query. We use a number of signals to evaluate how relevant each patent is to a user's query, and we determine our results algorithmically.
Q. Is Google hosting the patent pages?
A. Yes. We’re providing an easy way to find and read these patents.
More:http://www.google.com/googlepatents/about.html
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where does this patent data come from?
A. All patents available through Google Patent Search come from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Patents issued in the United States are public domain government information, and images of the entire database of U.S. patents are readily available online via the USPTO website.
Q. What types of patents are available?
A. Google Patent Search covers the entire collection of patents made available by the USPTO—from patents issued in the 1790s through those issued in the middle of 2006. We don’t currently include patent applications, international patents, or U.S. patents issued over the last few months, but we look forward to expanding our coverage in the future.
Q. How many U.S. patents are there?
A. To date, the USPTO has issued approximately 7 million patents.
Q. How does it work?
A. Using the same technology that powers Google Book Search, Google has converted the entire image database of U.S. patents into a format that’s easy to search. You can search the full text of U.S. patents from the Google Patent Search homepage, or visit the Advanced Patent Search page to search by criteria like patent number, inventor, and filing date.
Q. How do you rank patents in the search results?
A. As with Google Web Search, we rank patent results according to their relevance to a given search query. We use a number of signals to evaluate how relevant each patent is to a user's query, and we determine our results algorithmically.
Q. Is Google hosting the patent pages?
A. Yes. We’re providing an easy way to find and read these patents.
More:http://www.google.com/googlepatents/about.html
Friday, April 27, 2007
Small Sites Now Targeting Mobile Web
Mr. Tromp signed up for a mobile Web address with the newly available suffix "dot-mobi" and used a self-starter kit from a company called Roundpoint Ltd. to build www.kilburnie.mobi, the mobile site for his Inn at Craig Farm. He says he's gotten a surprisingly good response, with 30 to 40 new calls per month from interested travelers who heard of his inn by accessing the cellphone site.
"For people to find me, I have to make myself available any way I can," says Mr. Tromp, a Dutch native who was general manager of the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center before moving south for a career in hospitality.
As technology allows consumers to access the Internet with their cellphones, many big companies have launched mobile versions of their Web sites, including big media brands like MTV and ESPN and news sites like USA Today and The Weather Channel. But such projects can be costly and complex and until recently have been out of reach of small businesses.
Now new low-cost tools and services are making it easier to jump onto the mobile Web.
Internet registrars, who have made a living on small businesses and already offer a variety of tools to help them build basic Web sites, are taking advantage of the new opportunity in mobile.
For example, Harry Boadwee used GoDaddy to set up www.travelosa.mobi, a mobile Web site that provides information for travelers such as flight cancellations, weather and car-rental information. Registering the domain for a year cost him $12 . GoDaddy also provided Mr. Boadwee with site-development tools offered through a partnership with mTLD. Mr. Boadwee developed the site himself using those tools.
"For people to find me, I have to make myself available any way I can," says Mr. Tromp, a Dutch native who was general manager of the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center before moving south for a career in hospitality.
As technology allows consumers to access the Internet with their cellphones, many big companies have launched mobile versions of their Web sites, including big media brands like MTV and ESPN and news sites like USA Today and The Weather Channel. But such projects can be costly and complex and until recently have been out of reach of small businesses.
Now new low-cost tools and services are making it easier to jump onto the mobile Web.
Internet registrars, who have made a living on small businesses and already offer a variety of tools to help them build basic Web sites, are taking advantage of the new opportunity in mobile.
For example, Harry Boadwee used GoDaddy to set up www.travelosa.mobi, a mobile Web site that provides information for travelers such as flight cancellations, weather and car-rental information. Registering the domain for a year cost him $12 . GoDaddy also provided Mr. Boadwee with site-development tools offered through a partnership with mTLD. Mr. Boadwee developed the site himself using those tools.
Behance For Professional Community:Make Ideas happen
Behance is a new site all about developing knowledge, products, and services for the creative professional community. The entire team follows an incredibly well thought out philosophy they called Productive Creativity– and the execution of their site design, presences and overall aesthetic speaks strongly on how well they walk their talk. In addition to the daily content that peers into the lives and creative process of successful creatives, be sure to pop by the ‘Outfitter‘ and grab an Action Pad or two. Behance is about ‘making ideas happen’, after all what’s an idea without some solid follow through?
More:http://behance.com/
More:http://behance.com/
GotVMail
GotVMail's award-winning Virtual Phone System allows your small business to:
u Sound more professional: A single toll-free or local number, main greeting auto attendant, multiple extensions, live call forwarding, music-on-hold, and more.
u Be accessible to callers: Forward calls anywhere to any phone (cell, home, work, office, VoIP).
u Better manage messages: Receive voicemails and faxes via email as mp3 and PDF attachments.
u Save time and money: No equipment to purchase or maintain. No long-term contracts to sign. Setup the GotVMail system online in a few easy steps via myGotVMail.
More:http://www.gotvmail.com/
u Sound more professional: A single toll-free or local number, main greeting auto attendant, multiple extensions, live call forwarding, music-on-hold, and more.
u Be accessible to callers: Forward calls anywhere to any phone (cell, home, work, office, VoIP).
u Better manage messages: Receive voicemails and faxes via email as mp3 and PDF attachments.
u Save time and money: No equipment to purchase or maintain. No long-term contracts to sign. Setup the GotVMail system online in a few easy steps via myGotVMail.
More:http://www.gotvmail.com/
Innovative Investing Tool
The next Microsoft may be just a baby today. Find it, using the Web's most powerful screener. Search 9,000 stocks using hundreds of criteria. Or, choose from dozens of pre-programmed screens that look for everything from potential takeover targets to Warren Buffet-style bargains.
See which sectors the money is flowing into, which carry the least risk and which hold the biggest bargains. View the entire market at a glance, zoom in on one sector or dig deeper into a particular company with our revolutionary heat maps.
A hedge fund manager. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. An expert economist. Plus, stock picks from our screening experts that have consistently stomped the market's returns.
Real-time quotes and tools
Up-to-the-second quotes, charts and tools can mean the difference between seizing an opportunity and watching one go by.
Stock compare
Amazon.com or Overstock.com? Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson? Size them up in a snap with our stock compare tool.
More: https://ecommerce.smartmoney.com/ecommerce/login?promo_code=WSJ0303SU&adv=WSJ.com&advtype=networkJournal_90x35
See which sectors the money is flowing into, which carry the least risk and which hold the biggest bargains. View the entire market at a glance, zoom in on one sector or dig deeper into a particular company with our revolutionary heat maps.
A hedge fund manager. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. An expert economist. Plus, stock picks from our screening experts that have consistently stomped the market's returns.
Real-time quotes and tools
Up-to-the-second quotes, charts and tools can mean the difference between seizing an opportunity and watching one go by.
Stock compare
Amazon.com or Overstock.com? Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson? Size them up in a snap with our stock compare tool.
More: https://ecommerce.smartmoney.com/ecommerce/login?promo_code=WSJ0303SU&adv=WSJ.com&advtype=networkJournal_90x35
How To Start A Consulting Business?
Mr.X:I want to start a consulting business, targeting companies that have $1 million to $6 million in sales. My services will include cash management audits, operational audits, loan application preparations, financial trend analysis, and business loans.What is the minimum amount of capital that I will need? Initially, I will work from home.
How important is a website? How much can I expect to pay for the establishment and the maintenance of the website? What type of office equipment will I need? Should I incorporate, then get a bank account or should I open the bank account first? Are there other services that I should consider? -James Evans, President, Evans Business Advisory Service, Sugar Land, Texas
Dear X: Consulting does not require very much of an investment to get started. For what you are describing, you will probably only need a notebook computer and an Internet connection.
The best way to get started is to keep your regular job while you start to support a few clients. This will allow you to determine if you have a viable business. Once you have confidence that this is a model that you can develop, then focus on the areas that have brought you success so far. That is how you will best define what services you should promote, or lead with, when talking to potential clients
A website may be helpful in spreading the word about your business but it is not what is going to sell your service. In your field, word-of-mouth referrals are key. Yes, you will need to open a bank account, as soon as you anticipate getting your first client. If you anticipate earning profits of more than $20,000, incorporation may be worthwhile. It can help you protect your assets and give you a corporate name that will enhance your firm’s image.
How important is a website? How much can I expect to pay for the establishment and the maintenance of the website? What type of office equipment will I need? Should I incorporate, then get a bank account or should I open the bank account first? Are there other services that I should consider? -James Evans, President, Evans Business Advisory Service, Sugar Land, Texas
Dear X: Consulting does not require very much of an investment to get started. For what you are describing, you will probably only need a notebook computer and an Internet connection.
The best way to get started is to keep your regular job while you start to support a few clients. This will allow you to determine if you have a viable business. Once you have confidence that this is a model that you can develop, then focus on the areas that have brought you success so far. That is how you will best define what services you should promote, or lead with, when talking to potential clients
A website may be helpful in spreading the word about your business but it is not what is going to sell your service. In your field, word-of-mouth referrals are key. Yes, you will need to open a bank account, as soon as you anticipate getting your first client. If you anticipate earning profits of more than $20,000, incorporation may be worthwhile. It can help you protect your assets and give you a corporate name that will enhance your firm’s image.
Open Source Software And Keynote
Open source software doesn’t cost a penny - just go download it. It’s also reasonably safe, given that the source is open to the world and there are a lot of very intelligent people out there constantly improving it, particularly the more popular packages. As a personal finance blogger, this aspect is a very powerful one, but it was only the first step.
Keynote is a flexible, multi-featured tabbed notebook, based on Windows standard RichEdit control. It's always accessible with a single keypress, even if you work in another application. Take a look at the screenshots page.
For More:http://www.opensource.org/
Keynote:
The basic idea in KeyNote is that you can include many separate notes within a single file. This means that you do not need to open several files - for most purposes it is enough to create only one file and hold all your notes inside it. With the addition of the tree-type notes, you now have a three-dimensional notebook: many notes within one file and a multi-level, nested pages within a single note. Optionally, KeyNote can encrypt your data securely using the Blowfish or Idea algorithms. Keynote's interface and behavior are extremely configurable.
For More:http://www.tranglos.com/free/keynote_main.html
Keynote is a flexible, multi-featured tabbed notebook, based on Windows standard RichEdit control. It's always accessible with a single keypress, even if you work in another application. Take a look at the screenshots page.
For More:http://www.opensource.org/
Keynote:
The basic idea in KeyNote is that you can include many separate notes within a single file. This means that you do not need to open several files - for most purposes it is enough to create only one file and hold all your notes inside it. With the addition of the tree-type notes, you now have a three-dimensional notebook: many notes within one file and a multi-level, nested pages within a single note. Optionally, KeyNote can encrypt your data securely using the Blowfish or Idea algorithms. Keynote's interface and behavior are extremely configurable.
For More:http://www.tranglos.com/free/keynote_main.html
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Biggest And Fastest Video Search
Over to 7 millions hour of video.Its video search only.
Here:http://www.blinkx.com/
Here:http://www.blinkx.com/
Top Ten Start Ups Watch Out For
1. www.stumbleupon.com
FOUNDERS: Garrett Camp, Justin LaFrance, Geoff Smith
Launched in 2002 by three 20-somethings in a Calgary, Alberta, apartment, StumbleUpon now has 2 million registered users drawn by its knack for finding websites that match their interests and those of others with similar tastes as they "stumble" around the Net.
2.
www.bebo.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A social network, more than 30 million members strong, that keeps users' pages private but still allows them to share things like video and drawings made on an online whiteboard.
FUNDING: $15 million (Benchmark Capital)
3.
www.meebo.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: Managing multiple instant-messaging services from one site. Meebo's killer app is a widget that places an IM window on your blog or webpage.
FUNDING: $12.5 million (Draper Fisher, Jurvetson, Sequoia Capital)
4.
www.slide.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: Customizable and easily assembled slide shows of photos that can be embedded in a blog or a MySpace page, sent out in an RSS feed, and streamed to a desktop as a screensaver.
FUNDING: Not disclosed (Peter Thiel, Vinod Khosla, others)
5.
www.wikia.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A hosting service for ad-supported community sites that use the same software and collaborative content model that made Wikipedia a Web phenomenon. (See "Building a Wiki World,") Launched in 2004, Wikia communities range from fans of 24 to politics junkies. Wikia is also working on an open-source, user-generated search engine.
FUNDING: $4 million (Amazon.com (Charts), Marc Andreessen, Bessemer Venture Partners, others).
6.
www.joost.com
FOUNDERS: Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström
Forget the three-minute video blog. The 30-minute, broadcast-quality Web 2.0 TV show is coming in all its full-screen glory. And if serial disrupters Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström have their way, neither television nor the Internet will be the same. The duo behind peer-to-peer services Kazaa and Skype will officially launch Joost this spring, aiming to merge the best of TV with the best of the Net. (See "Make Way for Must-Stream TV") .
7.
www.blip.tv
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A platform for syndicating serialized online shows such as Starring Amanda Congdon and TreeHugger TV. Blip provides producers with software, ads, and distribution to websites and blogs. A deal is already signed with Web TV service Akimbo, which lets producers send their videos to TV sets.
FUNDING: Not disclosed (Ron Conway, Mark Gerson, Ken Lerer, Peter Thiel).
8.
www.dabble.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A tool for organizing videos into playlists of favorites. Users share them across the network, so, say, food lovers can dabble in one another's video collections.
FUNDING: $750,000 (Hank Barry, Evan Williams, others)
9.
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A service that ranks uploaded videos by popularity and feedback from a community of 17 million monthly visitors--and pays the creators for the success of their work. The auteurs get $100 after 20,000 viewings and $5 for every 1,000 subsequent views. Since September, Metacafe has paid a total of $250,000 to 200 contributors.
FUNDING: $20 million (Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital)
10.
www.revision3.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A production studio for geek-oriented online shows. Started by Digg founder Kevin Rose and its CEO, Jay Adelson, Revision3 sells sponsorships to companies like Go Daddy, Microsoft (Charts), and Sony (Charts) for as much as $10,000 per episode.
FUNDING: $1 million (Adelson, Marc Andreessen, Ron Conway, others) .
FOUNDERS: Garrett Camp, Justin LaFrance, Geoff Smith
Launched in 2002 by three 20-somethings in a Calgary, Alberta, apartment, StumbleUpon now has 2 million registered users drawn by its knack for finding websites that match their interests and those of others with similar tastes as they "stumble" around the Net.
2.
www.bebo.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A social network, more than 30 million members strong, that keeps users' pages private but still allows them to share things like video and drawings made on an online whiteboard.
FUNDING: $15 million (Benchmark Capital)
3.
www.meebo.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: Managing multiple instant-messaging services from one site. Meebo's killer app is a widget that places an IM window on your blog or webpage.
FUNDING: $12.5 million (Draper Fisher, Jurvetson, Sequoia Capital)
4.
www.slide.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: Customizable and easily assembled slide shows of photos that can be embedded in a blog or a MySpace page, sent out in an RSS feed, and streamed to a desktop as a screensaver.
FUNDING: Not disclosed (Peter Thiel, Vinod Khosla, others)
5.
www.wikia.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A hosting service for ad-supported community sites that use the same software and collaborative content model that made Wikipedia a Web phenomenon. (See "Building a Wiki World,") Launched in 2004, Wikia communities range from fans of 24 to politics junkies. Wikia is also working on an open-source, user-generated search engine.
FUNDING: $4 million (Amazon.com (Charts), Marc Andreessen, Bessemer Venture Partners, others).
6.
www.joost.com
FOUNDERS: Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström
Forget the three-minute video blog. The 30-minute, broadcast-quality Web 2.0 TV show is coming in all its full-screen glory. And if serial disrupters Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström have their way, neither television nor the Internet will be the same. The duo behind peer-to-peer services Kazaa and Skype will officially launch Joost this spring, aiming to merge the best of TV with the best of the Net. (See "Make Way for Must-Stream TV") .
7.
www.blip.tv
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A platform for syndicating serialized online shows such as Starring Amanda Congdon and TreeHugger TV. Blip provides producers with software, ads, and distribution to websites and blogs. A deal is already signed with Web TV service Akimbo, which lets producers send their videos to TV sets.
FUNDING: Not disclosed (Ron Conway, Mark Gerson, Ken Lerer, Peter Thiel).
8.
www.dabble.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A tool for organizing videos into playlists of favorites. Users share them across the network, so, say, food lovers can dabble in one another's video collections.
FUNDING: $750,000 (Hank Barry, Evan Williams, others)
9.
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A service that ranks uploaded videos by popularity and feedback from a community of 17 million monthly visitors--and pays the creators for the success of their work. The auteurs get $100 after 20,000 viewings and $5 for every 1,000 subsequent views. Since September, Metacafe has paid a total of $250,000 to 200 contributors.
FUNDING: $20 million (Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital)
10.
www.revision3.com
NEXT NET INNOVATION: A production studio for geek-oriented online shows. Started by Digg founder Kevin Rose and its CEO, Jay Adelson, Revision3 sells sponsorships to companies like Go Daddy, Microsoft (Charts), and Sony (Charts) for as much as $10,000 per episode.
FUNDING: $1 million (Adelson, Marc Andreessen, Ron Conway, others) .
Techdirt
Companies can use the Techdirt Insight Community to get a confidential instant focus group of experts, who can give feedback, test ideas, review products, make strategy suggestions, help with purchasing decisions or any number of other services that require a dedicated group of experts. Also, Techdirt's in-house analyst team regularly engages expert bloggers for their thoughts on how major current events impact Techdirt customers.
The best thing is that you can actually make some decent money at this. The catch is that you have to provide good answers. For example. I logged in yesterday and found a question about wireless technologies that offered $100 to the top three answers. You wouldn't know it from this blog, but I actually know quite a bit about Bluetooth, Ultrawideband, and wireless in general, and $100 was enough to tempt me to write an answer. That's what I like about the model - it's self-selective because it only rewards the best answers so the bloggers have to be confident that they can write a good answer or it's a waste of time.
One of the major problems with all this stuff about edge competencies and the denigration of core strategies as a result of web 2.0 is that it ignores the marginal value of time to the contributor. Most people that are highly successful and worth a lot of money per hour aren't sitting around contributing to Digg and YouTube. They have better things to do. Most successful people already make good money, and if you promise them a few extra dollars for a few minutes of work, it's not worth it. If you make 100K a year, do you want to make $5 for contributing to a project? No. Even if it is something you care about, there are still only so many hours in a day. You can't contribute to everything. Techdirt has a model that encourages participation even for busy people.
Let me try to make it simpler to understand. If you make $50/hr at your regular job, and you already work 50 hours per week, the pain caused by working that 51st hour can't be erased with $15. You are only willing to tie up another hour of your life for something that you believe in very strongly, or something that pays you enough money to compensate for the pain of working that 51st hour. The problem with "the edge" is that successful people are already tapped out, so the edge is filled with a few talented people who are very passionate about your company/cause, and lots of mediocre people who have a lower value on their time. Techdirt has found a way to raise that bar by offering a larger reward for valuable contributors. At the same time, they have offloaded the risk of participation to the answerer, who may or may not get paid.
It's a cool idea, and embraces some of the concepts from the Askspace project that some of you will remember. I think this idea has a good future, and if you blog, I encourage you to sign up and give it a shot.
HERE:http://www.techdirt.com/
https://www.insightcommunity.com/
The best thing is that you can actually make some decent money at this. The catch is that you have to provide good answers. For example. I logged in yesterday and found a question about wireless technologies that offered $100 to the top three answers. You wouldn't know it from this blog, but I actually know quite a bit about Bluetooth, Ultrawideband, and wireless in general, and $100 was enough to tempt me to write an answer. That's what I like about the model - it's self-selective because it only rewards the best answers so the bloggers have to be confident that they can write a good answer or it's a waste of time.
One of the major problems with all this stuff about edge competencies and the denigration of core strategies as a result of web 2.0 is that it ignores the marginal value of time to the contributor. Most people that are highly successful and worth a lot of money per hour aren't sitting around contributing to Digg and YouTube. They have better things to do. Most successful people already make good money, and if you promise them a few extra dollars for a few minutes of work, it's not worth it. If you make 100K a year, do you want to make $5 for contributing to a project? No. Even if it is something you care about, there are still only so many hours in a day. You can't contribute to everything. Techdirt has a model that encourages participation even for busy people.
Let me try to make it simpler to understand. If you make $50/hr at your regular job, and you already work 50 hours per week, the pain caused by working that 51st hour can't be erased with $15. You are only willing to tie up another hour of your life for something that you believe in very strongly, or something that pays you enough money to compensate for the pain of working that 51st hour. The problem with "the edge" is that successful people are already tapped out, so the edge is filled with a few talented people who are very passionate about your company/cause, and lots of mediocre people who have a lower value on their time. Techdirt has found a way to raise that bar by offering a larger reward for valuable contributors. At the same time, they have offloaded the risk of participation to the answerer, who may or may not get paid.
It's a cool idea, and embraces some of the concepts from the Askspace project that some of you will remember. I think this idea has a good future, and if you blog, I encourage you to sign up and give it a shot.
HERE:http://www.techdirt.com/
https://www.insightcommunity.com/
New Useful Magizne For Entreprenure
It provides you all new thing about entreprenureship.Its news based on and for only entreprenure.
http://news.ycombinator.com/news
http://news.ycombinator.com/news
Online Hotel Search
Trivop claims to be the first online hotel video portal. Using Google maps to help users find hotels, the website gives them the next best thing to visiting a hotel in person—a video walkthrough. Each video begins with some street footage near the hotel. The video camera then takes the viewer up to the entrance and into the lobby and other public spaces, and on to a room. Videos are available for each of type of room a hotel offers (standard, deluxe, junior suite, etc), including shots of the bathroom and the view through the window. No running commentary, just some fairly innocuous background music. Additional information includes the five most recent reviews on TripAdvisor, a full street address and a link to the hotel's website.
Travellers (and hotels) will be able to upload videos they've shot. In addition to amateur videographers, Trivop is also seeking freelance filmmakers to shoot professional videos: "Trivop is convinced that hotels must provide a video on their website. We want to open up many business opportunities for you by building the biggest community of filmmakers all around the world for the hospitality industry."
So besides the providing travellers with previews of hotels, Trivop will also tackle the B2B side by creating videos for hotels, or brokering between hotels and freelance filmmakers. With both professional and user-submitted candid videos, the website's visitors will benefit from the same kind of transparency that candid photos on TripAdvisor offer. Sources of revenue include production fees and hosting charges for hotel-directed videos, as well as referral fees. The company will also license its catalogue to online travel agencies. Trivop's main challenge is to build content and traffic quickly, since TripAdvisor (which has 20 million unique visitors each month and is owned by Expedia), started letting users upload videos last month. Watch this space!
Website: www.trivop.com
Travellers (and hotels) will be able to upload videos they've shot. In addition to amateur videographers, Trivop is also seeking freelance filmmakers to shoot professional videos: "Trivop is convinced that hotels must provide a video on their website. We want to open up many business opportunities for you by building the biggest community of filmmakers all around the world for the hospitality industry."
So besides the providing travellers with previews of hotels, Trivop will also tackle the B2B side by creating videos for hotels, or brokering between hotels and freelance filmmakers. With both professional and user-submitted candid videos, the website's visitors will benefit from the same kind of transparency that candid photos on TripAdvisor offer. Sources of revenue include production fees and hosting charges for hotel-directed videos, as well as referral fees. The company will also license its catalogue to online travel agencies. Trivop's main challenge is to build content and traffic quickly, since TripAdvisor (which has 20 million unique visitors each month and is owned by Expedia), started letting users upload videos last month. Watch this space!
Website: www.trivop.com
H3.com
Boost referral hiring, promote jobs and encourage referrals by offering a cash referral reward.
Leverage your social network, invite them to participate in candidate searches and share the reward.
Build your candidate short list, track referral activity; H3.com manages administration of the referral reward.
This sites is based on referal hirings and people or employee who refer particular person if that person get hired then he will get cash award.Unique way for HR managers for hiring.
More:https://www.h3.com/welcome.html
Leverage your social network, invite them to participate in candidate searches and share the reward.
Build your candidate short list, track referral activity; H3.com manages administration of the referral reward.
This sites is based on referal hirings and people or employee who refer particular person if that person get hired then he will get cash award.Unique way for HR managers for hiring.
More:https://www.h3.com/welcome.html
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
WebReservations.com
WebReservations.com is a way for small and medium sized businesses to take rental reservations online (for vacation homes, Recreational Vehicles, spa appointments, and so on). WebReserv.com was founded by Martin Israelsen, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Martin and his colleagues started investigating and eventually found some software packages out there for hotels. But outside of the hospitality industry they discovered there were few options. For instance, there were few good systems to allow consumers to book classes for a scuba diving trainer or to rent scuba equipment.
So, according to Martin, “We took the challenge and created a Web-based reservations system for small and medium-sized businesses. It consists of two parts. There is a reservations engine, which you can embed into your own website to take rental reservations. You also can be listed for free in the business directory at WebReserv.com and be found that way. But both are integrated, avoiding double booking.”
More:http://www.webreserv.com/
Martin and his colleagues started investigating and eventually found some software packages out there for hotels. But outside of the hospitality industry they discovered there were few options. For instance, there were few good systems to allow consumers to book classes for a scuba diving trainer or to rent scuba equipment.
So, according to Martin, “We took the challenge and created a Web-based reservations system for small and medium-sized businesses. It consists of two parts. There is a reservations engine, which you can embed into your own website to take rental reservations. You also can be listed for free in the business directory at WebReserv.com and be found that way. But both are integrated, avoiding double booking.”
More:http://www.webreserv.com/
Fat Free Cart
The Fat Free Cart is a simple low-cost shopping cart solution that integrates with PayPal, GoogleCheckout, ClickBank and 2Checkout. It offers secure digital downloads, in addition to offering standard shopping-cart checkout for physical goods including shipping calculation.
It's an economical and slick way to integrate a checkout into your site. To get started, you simply register, then drop some HTML code into your site where you want the "add to cart" and the "view cart" buttons -- and it works. The whole thing is very smoothly integrated into your site and your customers don't have to leave until they go to check out.
More:http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/shopping-cart.php
It's an economical and slick way to integrate a checkout into your site. To get started, you simply register, then drop some HTML code into your site where you want the "add to cart" and the "view cart" buttons -- and it works. The whole thing is very smoothly integrated into your site and your customers don't have to leave until they go to check out.
More:http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/shopping-cart.php
Hamachi
LogMeIn Hamachi is a zero-configuration virtual private networking (VPN) application.
In other words Hamachi is a program that allows you to arrange multiple computers into their own secure network just as if they were connected by a physical network cable.
Hamachi is fast, secure and simple. Its core version is also free.
Hamachi gives you LAN over the Internet.
Virtually any application that works over local/home networks can also be used over Hamachi networks.
Think - Windows File Sharing, iTunes, Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance or even gaming - all fully encrypted, authenticated and peer-to-peer.
Technology
Hamachi is a zero-configuration virtual private networking application with an open security architecture and NAT-to-NAT traversal capabilities.
Hamachi is the first application to mix seemingly unrelated networking technologies in one powerful package to deliver an unprecedented level of direct peer-to-peer connectivity. More ...
Here:http://www.hamachi.cc/
In other words Hamachi is a program that allows you to arrange multiple computers into their own secure network just as if they were connected by a physical network cable.
Hamachi is fast, secure and simple. Its core version is also free.
Hamachi gives you LAN over the Internet.
Virtually any application that works over local/home networks can also be used over Hamachi networks.
Think - Windows File Sharing, iTunes, Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance or even gaming - all fully encrypted, authenticated and peer-to-peer.
Technology
Hamachi is a zero-configuration virtual private networking application with an open security architecture and NAT-to-NAT traversal capabilities.
Hamachi is the first application to mix seemingly unrelated networking technologies in one powerful package to deliver an unprecedented level of direct peer-to-peer connectivity. More ...
Here:http://www.hamachi.cc/
Online Business Planning Software
PlanHQ is ideal for:
Growing businesses who need a better way of planning to take on the world
Frustrated business people who have an out of date static business plan and know that there is a better way
Startups who want to develop a business plan from scratch, even if they aren't quite sure how to do it
Investors who want regular and accurate reporting on the success of the businesses they invest in.
As you use the system, it evolves organically to provide you richer information and business intelligence for making decisions. If you have the discipline to use this software and challenge yourself to account for all the extraneous details we often overlook, you'll be better equipped for success.
It's a brilliant bit of software. Very well designed, and comprehensive without being overwhelming.
Full Detail:http://www.planhq.com/home/
Growing businesses who need a better way of planning to take on the world
Frustrated business people who have an out of date static business plan and know that there is a better way
Startups who want to develop a business plan from scratch, even if they aren't quite sure how to do it
Investors who want regular and accurate reporting on the success of the businesses they invest in.
As you use the system, it evolves organically to provide you richer information and business intelligence for making decisions. If you have the discipline to use this software and challenge yourself to account for all the extraneous details we often overlook, you'll be better equipped for success.
It's a brilliant bit of software. Very well designed, and comprehensive without being overwhelming.
Full Detail:http://www.planhq.com/home/
Shopbloom
Bloom, a new chain of grocery stores recently unveiled by supermarket giant Food Lion. Bloom has incorporated both innovative technologies and customer-friendly practices to create ‘a different kind of grocery store’. With a swipe of their Bloom Breeze Cards, shoppers can get personal scanners to carry about the store, scanning items and bagging them right in their carts as they shop.
The scanners provide a running tally of how much customers are spending, so they can be mindful of their budgets. Scanners also allow Bloom to send instant messages to customers, alerting them when prescriptions have been filled or their deli orders are ready for pick-up. When they're ready to check out, shoppers simply go to any check-out lane and scan an “end of trip” barcode and the order automatically downloads to a register, so there's no need to unload and reload the cart. Which brings the average checkout time down to 32.7 seconds. (There are random checks to make sure nobody is cheating the system.)
Website: www.shopbloom.com
The scanners provide a running tally of how much customers are spending, so they can be mindful of their budgets. Scanners also allow Bloom to send instant messages to customers, alerting them when prescriptions have been filled or their deli orders are ready for pick-up. When they're ready to check out, shoppers simply go to any check-out lane and scan an “end of trip” barcode and the order automatically downloads to a register, so there's no need to unload and reload the cart. Which brings the average checkout time down to 32.7 seconds. (There are random checks to make sure nobody is cheating the system.)
Website: www.shopbloom.com
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Clickbank Guide
Gabor Olah from http://plrwholesaler.com has prepared 14 part of Clickbank guide to help people understand how Clickbank works. The guide cover most of the aspects of Clickbank, including explanations on Clickbank important policies, what are the features available in both vendors (sellers) and affiliates accounts and what are the products statistic affiliates can use in selecting a right Clickbank's product to promote and make money.
http://viralprofitautomator.com/clickbankguide.html
http://viralprofitautomator.com/clickbankguide.html
Do You Know About 504 Bank?
504 Bank ("The Bank") connects investors with investment opportunities. The service is performance based so companies seeking financing pay 504 Bank a small transaction fee each time an investor downloads and reads their business plan or profile. The benefit of this approach is that a company seeking financing can significantly increase the quantity of targeted high quality investors who assess their business opportunity (only paying for results), while the investor has a more organized and comprehensive resource for identifying investments.
Full Detail:http://www.504bank.com/
Full Detail:http://www.504bank.com/
Worrying For How To Get Fund For New Business?Don't Now
Prosper.com is a peer-to-peer lending site where people put "auctions" for loans with the highest interest rate that they are interested in paying. Then users lend the borrower money in increments as small as $50. While, at first glance, about 75% of the postings are for "bail me out of credit card debt", there are a few small business startup loans, and those seem to have a quick response in being funded.
For Detail:http://www.prosper.com/
For Detail:http://www.prosper.com/
Startupping
Startupping is a one-of-a-kind community resource created for Internet entrepreneurs by Internet entrepreneurs. It is a place to share information, ask questions, and tap into the experience of others who have built and are building web businesses.
Check it:http://www.startupping.com/
Check it:http://www.startupping.com/
MyZaic.Com
After months of hard work and negotiations, two folks from Invenio have just launched MyZaic.com (your source for personalized mosaic posters). They will soon be making some excellent traction within that space and it will be exciting to see how they progress.
The post infrequency has been due to working hard on Atomic and keeping our heads down. We should have some very exciting news regarding Atomic Brokers in the coming days.
Full detail:http://www.myzaic.com/
The post infrequency has been due to working hard on Atomic and keeping our heads down. We should have some very exciting news regarding Atomic Brokers in the coming days.
Full detail:http://www.myzaic.com/
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