Month: May 2010

Stereo Wakeski Co. has taken the big-air stunts and style of wakeboarding behind powerboats to new heights with the introduction of twin tip, rockered skis made for jumping and spinning off of wakes and water-based terrain park features. The design features an exclusive three-stage rocker profile with upward curving front and back tips for agility and a stable platform underfoot.

The wakeski concept was the brainchild of Jens-Martin Johnsrud, 26, a former member of the Norwegian national water ski team, who moved to the mountains to go to university and became a fan of twin tip snow skis that allowed him to perform the same tricks as snowboarders but on a bigger scale. Jens-Martin created his first wakeski prototype in 2006 and was a finalist on a national entrepreneurial reality show in Norway called The Creator that helped launched the new sport.

The 2010 Stereo collection, now available in the U.S., features two models: the Standard (Suggested Retail: $399), an easy to maneuver freestyle ski designed for pulling off stylish and technical moves; and the Standard Park Edition ($449), made with super durable materials for grinding and spinning off of terrain park surfaces. Both ski models are designed with 3-stage rocker for stability and pop, fiberglass cables within the edges to resist wear from hard impacts and retain flex, and a double-wrapped Monocoque fiberglass construction for durability. The Standard features an all-new Nexus base that minimizes weight. The Park Edition comes with an advanced UMHW base made of extremely tough polyethylene material that offers low friction and high wear resistance.

Unlike decades-old trick water skis that had the ski-ability of lunch trays, wakeskis are super stable and fun for beginners to expert riders whether riding forwards or backwards. Due to the longer platform and the use of rocker technology, wakeskiers can pop harder, jump higher, and maintain control.

Microsoft has introduced an innovative way of learning various technologies, such as Windows Server 2003, Microsoft SQL Server, and the .NET framework. Microsoft has coined their new distance computer training program as “Microsoft Official Distance Learning” (MODL).

This computer training product is a more convenient, and possibly even more productive, alternative to traditional classroom-based programs. These conventional courses usually require students to take a five-day leave from work. MODL computer training, on the other hand, are taken over five-week duration. Additionally, MODL classes are scheduled in such a way that students are given enough time to review and practice the knowledge gained through the course. 

A typical MODL session

A virtual classroom session, homework, scenario exercises, and a feedback assignment comprise a typical MODL session. The classroom session generally lasts for two hours, while homework and exercises are one. Only ten minutes are allotted for the feedback assignment. These are usually just suggested time frames, as MODL computer training puts an emphasis on self-paced learning.

A new way to learn

MODL is a highly innovative way to learn. Despite its being long distance learning, MODL provides students with opportunities to interact with each other. Students are often tasked to solve problems as a group, which certainly promotes interaction. In addition, MODL computer training has the added benefit of anonymity, which is helpful in encouraging students to answer questions without the fear of possibly being embarrassed if they answer incorrectly.

Perhaps the most unique aspect to MODL computer training is the courses’ use of real-world scenarios. The scenarios provide students with opportunities to live a “day in the life” of particular IT job roles. During these scenario exercises, students’ desktops are transformed into virtual office setting.

In a scenario where students are shown a day in the life of a help-desk technician, their virtual office might include a PC with email access, a phone, and a pager. Students would then carry out tasks that a real help-desk technician might perform. They might be tasked to take calls and read email and then find solutions to their simulated customers’ technical problems. The ultimate goal of these scenario exercises is to give students a true-to-life environment where they can apply the knowledge acquired through the MODL computer training sessions.

Microsoft’s customer readiness promise

The entire MODL computer training program is in line with Microsoft’s customer readiness promise, which is the company’s commitment to provide technology only when its partners and customers are properly trained to use it.

Using MODL, Microsoft was able to give 1 million customers training on the 2007 Microsoft Office System, Windows Vista, and Microsoft Exchange 2007. The company managed to achieve this within just six months of launching the products.  

MODL computer training was designed to streamline the customer learning experience, especially because customer readiness is critical in the technology industry. MODL courses are intended to increase customer productivity and thus see an immediate return on their investment in Microsoft software. MODL has been successful in achieving its objectives and thus offers customers with a rich, flexible computer training experience.

Top 10 tips for internet dating

Whether you are new to the online dating scene or a regular to this exciting world of online dating, it is always better to ensure that your experience is enjoyable, fun and most of all, safe. No matter who you are, it is best to keep a few basic tips in mind when looking for romance on the internet.

1. Choose the dating agency with caution. Make sure it is rated as one of the top dating websites and has a good reputation. Also, make sure it has a strict privacy policy in place and will keep your information secure.

2. While adding your information to the internet dating profile, be honest about the information you put in. This will increase the chances of attracting like-minded responses. Make sure however, that you leave out personal contact information which can be misused by others going through your profile.

3. Add a few pictures of yourself to your internet dating profile. Let potential partners see you. It is said that doing so will increase your chances of getting a response by at least 50%. However, try not to be too explicit as it can give you the wrong kind of attention.

4. Check a person’s profile thoroughly before adding him/her to your friend’s list, on internet dating websites. Make sure the person meets your specific criteria and is not a hoax. If a person is sounding too good to be true, it is likely that so is the case.

5. Take your time and get to know a person you like, before divulging personal information about yourself to anyone. This will give you time to access the person and find out if he or she truly is the one for you.

6. Don’t agree to meet up with the person till you are completely comfortable and 100% satisfied with your background check on the person. Always trust your instincts or gut feeling about people when exploring the world of internet dating.

7. Not everyone on the internet dating website is a good person. If someone on the dating site is abusive, or is asking for cash incentive in order to meet you, report him or her immediately. You might save many others a lot of trouble.

8. If at all you decide to meet up with your dream date, make sure you let someone know where and when you are meeting your date and when you will be back. Always carry a cellular phone with you to the destination and arrange for your own means of transport during the initial dates. Don’t accept rides home, from strangers.

9. Be cautious about internet dating, but don’t let it dampen your spirits. Be open-minded when you meet your online date and most importantly, enjoy yourself. You never know, who might sweep you off your feet! If not, you might have just made a movie-buddy for the weekends you don’t have a date!

10. Internet dating is not a sure shot to finding your soul mate. So get out of home and join a gym or the book club. Don’t write off people just because they are not your ideal partners. They might turn out to become good friends or might just be ideal reference dates for your other single friends.

In the time of economy slow down you should probably try to tighten the belt and cut luxury ERP support plans.  In this small publication we are highlighting the option of supporting Great Plains Dynamics GP remotely from our Dynamics GP call center and GP Dexterity Software Development Factory.  Psychologically, you probably want to see your Great Plains Consultant or Programmer sitting in your office, to shake hands in initial often evaluation meeting, however think about associated expenses: Great Plains Development travel time and mileage, minimum number of hours per visit, plus if you are in downtown Los Angeles, New York or Chicago – local rates have really sky rocketed.  Let’s look at the alternatives:

                                            

1.       Great Plains Support via Web Sessions.  Web Session allows GP users and supporting technician to share the same computer, including keyboard and mouse control, plus you are in real time phone conference.  Often, if you are using advanced teleconferencing or such technologies as skype – you can see the phase of the consultant, if she or he uses web internet camera

2.       No travel time and potentially instant support.  If you had traditional onsite visiting Great Plains support from local Dynamics GP VAR or Technology Partner, you probably already understand the time lag between your initial request for support and the day when consultant shows up in your office.  In may take from several days to couple of weeks.  With remote support this time lag, typically related to travel time waste for consulting workforce, doesn’t exist or minimized

3.       Broader Expertise.  Centralized Dynamics GP technical support center carries more consultant with often deep specialization, opposite to local Dynamics GP reseller, who has to serve very diversified community of Great Plains customers with just a few field consultants.  Small and even midsize Great Plains Resellers often cannot afford Dynamics GP programming and technical consulting departments, while nationwide Dynamics GP Partner typically carries Great Plains Software Development Factory

4.       Great Plains Customizations and Programming.  Integration with ecommerce websites as well as EDI and Legacy databases integrations could be programmed in eConnect.  Traditional Great Plains user interface modifications are typically coded in Great Plains Dexterity.  Both eConnect and Dexterity modifications require version upgrade code review

5.       Great Plains Reports support.  FRx, ReportWriter, Crystal Reports, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services or SSRS are common reporting tools for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Some people find that it’s most expedient to create a new Facebook profile for selling their real estate. However, if you already have friends and family that are also contacts, you might want to just go with the profile they already have friended. In any case, setting up a Facebook profile to further your real estate business is easy, but requires some thought.

Unfortunately, Facebook is not yet to the point where you can automatically designate specific posts or applications as not-to-be shared. If you have your Wall open to the public or your News Feed, you may want to ensure that everything posted is client-friendly. This may mean censoring both your and your friends’ contributions to your Facebook profile.

Setting the Privacy controls on your Facebook account will help you make this a dual account for both clients and friends. Depending on the nature of your contacts, you may want to designate certain areas as “certain friends only” and similarly restrict who can contact you certain ways.

Deciding whether or not you want to open your entire profile to the world depends on how accessible you want to be. You can always request a client as a friend or give them your Facebook contact info to request you. However, if you want people to be able to access your real estate information on Facebook, it could be a good business move to judiciously open up a few key parts of your profile to the public.

Your basic information is probably something you should keep to a select group of friends. Your clients don’t need preconceived notions about you based on what they can read about your sexual preferences, your religion, or your political views. Unless you are aiming to sell real estate only to persons of a certain religion, noting that you are a passionate follower of the Flying Spaghetti Monster may cause people to pass you by, even if you aren’t actively proselytizing to them.

Your profile pictures are a good one to leave open, but make sure they are professional and simple. Don’t post pictures of your family or your dog or your wood tick farm. Your clients like to be able to see a clear photo of you, so they can recognize you. It’s okay to have a photo or two of your family in a different album (some people like to have a feeling of connection with their realtor) but don’t overdo it.

Applications are a hard one. Consider not adding too many frivolous ones. If you absolutely must have some, place them at the very bottom of your Facebook page, where only the determined ever go. And, whatever you do, don’t use them to contact clients with. Attacking someone with your zombie is generally not a good way to convey a professional impression. Applications can also work for you if you install a few good real estate-related ones, so take some time to check them out.

Your Wall may best be hidden. Many spammers will use the Wall to place ads or phishing scams. Also, if your friends are using your Wall, it doesn’t make for a professional impression if they’re posting things like “U R so hawt! Wanna see U soon, sweetcakez!” Use your own discretion. Remember that clients can always use the Message function to send you private messages into your Inbox.

Keep an eye on your photo albums and keep your personal ones to selected friends lists. The real estate albums you will, of course, wish to keep open to the public. Make sure every photo is properly tagged and given some kind of information. A link to the listing your actual website is good, but including as much information as possible can make a photo a better tool to get people to your website.

The Search function can be modified to show as much or as little information as you want. Since you are using this profile as a business tool, you will probably want people to be able to contact you. Set the Search Visibility to Everyone, create a public search listing and allow people to find information about you and send you messages.

Your News Feed and Mini-Feed you should keep open. Every time you change something on your profile, it will be noted and is a great way to let people know what you’re doing with your real estate without actually annoying them with direct messages. This can be modified to show people certain actions and hide certain actions. Play around with the Facebook Privacy controls to find the best combination. This is where you can hide updates to personal information that clients need not see.

Use the Privacy>Applications section to restrict views of anything else you don’t want people to see. It’s up to you to consider whether they would benefit from knowing which groups you belong to or events you’ve been invited to.

Look at your Facebook profile from a client’s view. Block everything that could leave them with a negative impression, but leave enough that they get a definite idea of your approach to your business. Facebook is an incredibly fast-growing social networking site which is enhanced by its easy-to-use, professional-looking layout. It definitely can be a valuable tool when used to enhance a professional image.