Dell Computers, is now taking purchasing your computer one
step further. Dell has formed partnerships with Internet service
providers to connect you with the best option in your area. So
far, AT&T, World Net Service, SBC Communications, @Home Networks,
US West, Cisco, and Bell Atlantic have jumped on board the new
service, called Dell ConnectDirect. When you purchase your Dell
Computer, simply tell them your address and zip code. They will
tell you the type and level of Internet Services available at
your location, how much it will cost, build any necessary technology
into your computer and connect you with the Internet Service Provider
they recommend. Call 800/388-8542 for more information.
33
From the May issue of FamilyPC magazine, those persons willing
to become a guinea pig for Internet advertisers may be eligible
for a free Compaq Presario and a free Internet Connection. Participants
will be asked to sign a two-year contract to use the PC for at
least 10 hours per week. The aggregate data collected from the
market research project will be used to help advertisers reach
their customers. For more information, go to Free-pc.com. The
developer of the project claims that he received more than one
million requests for the free computers on his very first day
of business, and he is planning to give out 10,000 computers initially.
33
From the May/June issue of Arizona Business Magazine comes a story
about a cyber stock market game. Fantasy Stock Market is an on-line
strategy game where individuals are given $100,000 cyberbucks
to "trade" stocks listed on the New York and American
Stock Exchanges. The free participation in fantasy investing is
designed to "educate individuals about investing through
competition, with is enhanced by an interactive and fun Web site,
says Traci Aiegman, vice president of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based
Fantasy Stock Market. For more information, look them up at www.FantasyStockMarket.com.
33
From the May/June issue of Century 21 House & Home magazine
comes a new product called the phone "jack of all trades."
"...these two little boxes from RCA will change your life.
By plugging the base unit into an outlet and connecting it to
a nearby phone jack with a phone cord, you can transmit a telephone
signal over your electrical wiring (via FM transmission). Then
the extension unit can be used to convert any electrical outlet
into a jack that's compatible with PCs, laptops, Caller ID units
and Internet access devices. $99.95, with additional extension
units for $59.95. Call 800-338-0376.
33
From the April issue of Logistics magazine, "E-commerce,
the purchase or sale of goods electronically, is just one facet
of the digital dimension of business, said senior business executives
at a recent management retreat ....Other elements include e-communications,
e-manufacturing, e-product development, e-customer links, and
e-recruiting. Electronic commerce provides new avenues to capture
profits and create customer loyalty, the executives said. A digital
infrastructure also strips our operating costs, reduces capital
by reducing inventory levels, captures customer information continuously,
and reduces strategic risk."
33
Oregon's recreational boating agency, the Oregon State Marine
Board, has initiated an automatic e-mail service to distribute
Marine Board news and other information. The new listserve allows
subscribers to get the latest Marine Board news automatically
over their regular e-mail accounts. The free subscription provides
the latest information, meeting announcements and regulatory changes.
To subscribe, send an e-mail to majordomo@sparkie.osl.state.or.us.
In the body of the message, include the word "subscribe,"
and make sure your e-mail address is properly listed in your e-mail
software. Subscribers will receive confirmation that they have
been added to the list. If the electronic method does not work
(editor's note: not a good sign, by the way), you may call the
agency at 503/373-1405 or fax to 503/378-4597.
33
From the Lower Columbia Apple Users Group Newsletter comes a challenge.
If you want to open any folder you have on your Apple/Macintosh
desktop, simply drag it over to your open Netscape window. Voila!
You can use this as a way to open Web pages, Web pictures and
even Simpletext documents that are contained in the folder. The
challenge is this: Does this simple method also work on PCs? Let
us know. In addition, the LCAUG June meeting will be held the
17th at 7:30 pm at the Daily Astorian offices in Astoria. The
speaker will be a computer teacher from Naselle Boy's School discussing
burning your own CDs. For more information, contact John Goodenberger
at 503/325-5974.
33
The Northwest Power Planning Council has formed a Regional Technical
Forum to advise on energy conservation and renewable resources.
Creating the Forum is a response to recommendations from the Comprehensive
Review of the Northwest Energy System, which was convened by the
governors of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington in 1996 to
study the impacts and potential benefits of electricity industry
restructuring on Northwest ratepayers. The Forum will also develop
new approaches to achieving conservation savings, and prepare
an annual report that profiles successful conservation and renewable
energy projects. Members of the Forum will be selected for their
technical expertise. The Forum's budget will be supplied by the
Northwest Power Planning Council in the first year and shared
by the Council and Bonneville Power Administration future years.
For more information, contact NWPPC at 800/222-3355 or www.nwppc.org.
33
The May 3 issue of Infoworld magazine predicts buying trends in
this manner: "...51.6 percent of portable acquisitions at
large corporate sites (defined as having more than 500 users)
in 1999 will replace desktop PCs with portable solutions. Smaller
companies (less than 100 users) are planning a 12 percent replacement
rate.
33
While the article on page 20 describes then technologies to look
for in the near future, I thought I would insert some technologies
that are available today that were not ten years ago. A couple
of them are also on the list of technologies to watch.
1. E-commerce - The sale and purchase of goods and services via
the World Wide Web.
2. Thumbprint ID - Identification of banking patrons via scanning
and retention of thumbprints.
3. Shareholder Input - Proxy voting via the Internet or telephone,
r
4. Cyber Carriers - Computerized tracking of long-haul and other
carriers via global positioning systems and on-board computers.
5. Smart-label technology currently under test by the U.S. Post
office. The
post office hopes to improve tracking and tracing of mail through
the use of this technology.
6. See-through paper stocks - Highly durable translucent synthetic
paper is now available that exhibits smoothness as well as tear-and
water- resistance. When exposed to water, the paper does not curl
or melt, and it cannot be scuffed or ripped. Unlike traditional
paper stocks it can be folded countless times without cracking
and it is suitable for printed envelopes, brochures, banners,
back-lit signage and more.
7. Home-health test kits - Not only can we now test for ovulation
and pregnancy with a "test in a box" but we can test
for cholesterol and blood glucose levels as well as HIV.
Do you have any to add?
33
The May 24 issue of Infoworld magazine contains the following
food for thought. The article is titled, Think before you '.com'
your name. The article cautions trendy company founders from adding
'.com' to the end of the name of their business, stating that
what seems like a catchy name today may become a liability in
later years. A research firm called the Gartner Group "predicts
that more than half of the companies whose names end in .com will
operate under a different name within the next 24 months, and
that 75 percent will change their names within the next 36 months."
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