Register: http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/event/21671

PBN PRESENTS TECHNOLOGY FOR BUSINESS, A BREAKFAST SEMINAR

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2010, AT THE SHERATON WAIKIKI, LANAI BALLROOM

Registration & continental breakfast – 7:00 a.m.

Program – 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.

Seminar topics include introductions to the following:

• Social media for business
• Cloud computing
• Internet security
• Programming
• IT outsourcing
• Internet connectivity
• Web site design/development
• APPS
• Servers/Networks
• Software
• SEM
• Optimization…and much more!

KEY TAKE-AWAYS INCLUDE:

• Cost cutting tips to get more out of your technology
• Gaining market share
• Increasing productivity
• Promoting your business through social media

Register by completing the form here and submitting or email dtavares@bizjournals.com.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS FRIDAY, MAY 7.

Call 955-8074 with any questions.

Read more: Pacific Business News (Honolulu): PBN Technology for Business

To mitigate the cost of ownership, there are some free goodies out there you may want to consider installing while your computer is still fresh out-of-the-box.  And though ‘free’ in the computing world doesn’t necessarily equate to ‘good’, all of the software listed below has been thoroughly geek-tested and is wholly SuperGeeks-approved:

Enjoy your new computer.  Take good care of it.  Let me know if I can help with anything.

James Kerr is Chief Geek at SuperGeeks.  You can reach him at (808) 531-GEEK and on Twitter: SuperGeeks

After seven years in Japan and another 12 here in Hawaii starting various businesses, I have learned to love the rapid and ever-changing landscape of the tech industry. At the same time, as a business person, I have developed a deeper appreciation for what works – regardless of how boring the winning solution may be.

Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned:

Early adopters pay the price. We first started making digital cameras at Sony 20 years ago. The first few generations were built by hand and we produced only 15 cameras per month. We lovingly referred to the new cameras as ‘bleeding edge’ technology. As a manufacturer, the cameras were very expensive to make. For the consumer, digital cameras were very expensive to own and operate, too. Bottom line: Early adopters of technology pay more for their toys than the rest of us. And thank goodness! Someone’s got to pay for all that R&D.

Late adopters pay, too. Does your dad still own a pair of corduroys? Well, it may be painful to watch him wear those around town. But it’s very expensive if he maintains the equivalent in technology at home or at the office. I’m a strong advocate for using something until it dies. I love the new netbooks and I would take a new 3GS iPhone any day, but the stuff I have now works well so I will just keep things as-is until my Fujitsu LifeBook and older iPhone call it quits. However, when the cost of ownership of the older solutions exceeds the cost of ownership of the newer solutions, I would be silly to hang onto the old like a dog with a newspaper in its mouth. Lesson: Legacy hardware and software will kill your bottom line.

Avoid proprietary solutions. Proprietary solutions are custom solutions. They are typically designed specifically for a particular client or a specific industry. Try to avoid those. All proprietary solutions are expensive. They also seldom end well. After 2 to 3 years of using a custom solution, for example, your company will essentially become ‘married’ to the provider. And when the provider decides to raise pricing and skimp on the customer service, you will be wishing you went with someone else. As much as possible, use off-the-shelf solutions which can be easily supported by anyone.

Don’t neglect proper care and feeding. Tech is complex. Unlike nature, technology doesn’t yet have self-correcting and rejuvenate abilities. This means we have to take care of our systems like we take care of our children. Hardware and software need regular and ongoing maintenance – just like everything else. Be sure to steward the health and wellness of your equipment, or you will pay a bigger price for it later.

In the end, it’s gotta work. If you think about it, there’s probably no other device in our home or office which is more difficult to understand and use than the computer. The toaster is easy. The fridge is easy. Even the air conditioner is easy. But the computer is a headache. Whichever solution you choose, try to make it transparent to the user. For example, the break in my car works well. I use when I need it; it gets the job done well. I don’t need to think too much about it. That’s the way computers should be. Useful.

I really like this quote from Einstein: Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. That’s the approach we should take towards technology. Focus on the benefits of the solution. Choose the one that works best. You will be happier in the long run.

James Kerr is Chief Geek at SuperGeeks. He can be reached at (808) 531-GEEK and you can follow him on Twitter: SuperGeeks

The netbooks are neat devices, provided you’re ready to give up computing horsepower, keyboard size, and screen size.

It is true emailing attachments is so old school.  With online solutions like Google Docs, webmail and Netsuite,  who really needs a standalone machine.  Give me high speed internet access and I’m ready for the world.

Bottom line:  If size does matter (if you don’t want to tote around a normal sized laptop), then take a look at the netbooks.  I’ll take one if you wanted to give me one.  But to really solve my road warriors needs,  all I need is my iPhone and a fold out, full-sized keyboard.  Anyone got one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook

http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20081105/netbooks-come-into-their-own/

Here’s why:

• Most major computer manufacturers already offer 1 year of parts and labor.  If your computer fails, it’s most likely to fail within the 1st year.
• The average cost of fixing a computer is about the same cost as the extended warranty.
• Many extended warranties won’t cover the kinds of disasters you will likely experience: drops, spills, and electrical shortages.

If you feel you must buy an extended warranty

For consumers who want peace of mind and don’t mind paying for an extended warranty they’ll probably never need, or for those whose chosen brand is repair prone, we offer this advice (source: ConsumerReports.org):

First check your credit card.
Before you say yes to an extended warranty on any product, see whether your credit card provides similar coverage. Such plans, most often found on gold and platinum cards, typically lengthen the original manufacturer’s warranty by as much as one year.

Shop around.
Extended warranties vary in length and terms. Don’t pay more than 20 percent of the purchase price of the product for one. Always try to negotiate a better price.

See what the retailer offers.
Some retailers might extend a warranty as well. Costco, for example, extends the manufacturer’s warranty on televisions and computers to 2 years from the date of purchase, at no cost to you.

Beware of hidden “gotchas.”
For heavy items such as large TVs or major appliances, ask whether the extended warranty includes in-home repair or pickup. For TVs, who reinstalls it and reconnects it to your audio-video setup? And if the product will be repaired, is there a lemon clause such that after a few repairs the product is replaced?

Keep in mind that an extended warranty usually begins the day you purchase a product, so it overlaps with the standard warranty for a year (assuming that’s the term of the standard coverage). So a three-year policy gives you only two years of additional coverage.

For more info:

http://www.consumerreports.org

http://www.apple.com/support/products/

http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/esp/Notebook/1/storefronts/U4821A

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/extended_warranty.html

http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/11/10/would-you-buy-circuit-city- extended-warranty