ETD: 867 Telephony; Yahoo Launches Small Business Resource
Center; RFID Whitepaper
E-Tailer's Digest
etd_post at gapent.com
Thu Mar 10 13:49:17 GMT 2005
E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer
Issue #0867 March 10, 2005
George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem at gapent.com
Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com
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CONTENTS
[1] Greetings
[2] Telephony
[3] Yahoo Launches Small Business Resource Center
[4] RFID Whitepaper
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[1] Greetings.
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Hi All:
In 1876 the telephone was invented. To paraphrase that old ad - "It's
come a long way baby." Look where telephony is today, and what it is doing
for our business and personal lives. Where do you think it will all end?
For those of us who may be struggling with business issues, and can't
afford to hire outside help, the new Yahoo Small Business Resource Center
should be of interest to you. The only issue I could see if what
information should you use so as not to overload your offerings.
If you are interested in RFID, we found a whitepaper that may be of
help. It is going to be the next big thing in technology, and is now used
every day by most all of us, especially those who travel on toll
roads. Those high speed toll lanes use RFID.
Tell us about your business which will remain for posterity at
our "Members: Who Are You?" site. This is a courtesy to our members who
contribute to our forum, and not merely a way to advertise for
free. Anything to do with the retail world, i.e., supplier, retailer,
consulting, etc. http://etailersdigest.com/resources/members/index.htm And
we have a form there for you to tell us about you. As I said when I first
proposed this idea, we have "known" each other for a long time, yet we
often don't know anything about each other. So, tell us who you are and
what you do.
Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.
Sincerely
George Matyjewicz, PhD
Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
mailto:georgem at gapent.com
http://www.etailersdigest.com
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[2] Telephony
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On this day in history in 1876 the telephone was invented by Alexander
Graham Bell. On February 14, 1876, he filed a U.S.
patent application for his telephone, and not a moment too soon. Just a few
hours later, another American inventor, Elisha Gray, filed a caveat with
the U.S. Patent Office about his intent to seek a similar patent on a
telephone transmitter and receiver. Bell filed first, so on March 7 he was
awarded U.S. patent 174,465, which granted him ownership over both his
telephone instruments and the concept of a telephone system.
My how we have come a long way since then eh? We went from crank-style
telephones tethered to the wall, to four party lines, to the "luxury" of a
two party line, to private lines and now to wireless phones.
Today we are now advancing on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which is
becoming mainstay with a lot of big companies, including AOL. Even the
telcos are joining in on this new phenomenon.
It does save you money. My son is in Israel, and can call us here in NY
for three cents a minute. And we can call him for free, under the plan we
have (it's a US telephone number). A friend has four offices in the U.S.
and links them all with VoIP. It's like a local call between each
office. If I call his NJ office and he is in their Florida office all he
need do is pick up the line like an extension.
AOL's considerable marketing weight will help raise awareness of the
technology. So far, only about 22% of all US households are familiar with
VoIP services, according to Forrester Research.
Last week, VoIP provider Vonage announced that it has activated more than
500,000 customers since its launch, and is currently adding more than
15,000 subscribers per week. In 2004, Vonage added more than 300,000
customers.
Does anybody want to share their experience (positive or negative) with VoIP?
George
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[3] Yahoo Launches Small Business Resource Center
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In a move to boost its small business services, Yahoo announced the launch
of its online Yahoo Small Business Resource Center
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/ The center offers more than 1,000 articles
on key business issues, including marketing, legal and human resources.
The resource center features tips and in-depth content, along with Yahoo's
suite of online services. Much of the content is created by Yahoo, with
additional articles from Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur.com, AllBusiness.com,
BuyerZone.com and Nolo.
According to recent research, busy small business owners want easy access
to clear, concise information that can help them better manage their business.
A survey by the Yankee Group's Small & Medium Business Strategies division
concluded that two of the major challenges small business owners face
include access to accurate, real-time information to support decision
making and finding information on complying with governmental regulations.
Respondents also said these individuals are hungry for more information
about reducing costs, marketing, taxes and health insurance .
Details at...
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/41236.html
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[4] RFID Whitepaper
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For those who are interested in RFID, here's a FREE whitepaper that may be
of interest...
Abstract: Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of the most
promising and anticipated technologies in recent years. Magazine articles,
television shows, analyst papers and the like are frequently trumpeting the
potential benefits to users of RFID. This white paper will help you to
understand what RFID is, how it works, describe the current standard and
compliance environment and some considerations to make sure that you have a
successful implementation and get the most from your investment. The stakes
for RFID implementations are high - for both expenditures and benefits.
Arming yourself with a good understanding of the technology and important
considerations can ensure that the decisions that you make minimize any
missteps and maximize your experience.
Manufacturers, retailers, logistics providers and government agencies are
making unprecedented use of RFID technology to track, secure and manage
items from the time they are raw materials through the entire life of the
product. Manufacturers can especially benefit from RFID because the
technology can make internal processes more efficient and improve supply
chain responsiveness-for example, early RFID adopters in the consumer goods
industry reduced supply chain costs between 3 and 5 percent and grew
revenue between 2 and 7 percent because of the added visibility RFID
provided, according to a study by AMR Research.
http://whitepapers.frontlinetoday.com/detail/RES/1092246203_958.html?src=email
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