My Small Business Consultants

Another great “Getting Stated” article from Microsoft.  Full article with links: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/ec3fff68-e53c-4168-ae74-8557325e57e21033.mspx

Windows Movie Maker is a feature of Windows Vista that enables you to create home movies and slide shows on your computer, complete with professional-looking titles, transitions, effects, music, and even narration. And when you’re ready, you can use Windows Movie Maker to publish your movie and share it with your friends and family.

If you’re new to digital video editing or just new to Windows Movie Maker, keep reading for an introduction to the different tools you’ll use in Windows Movie Maker and for links to help you learn more.

Keep reading here: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/ec3fff68-e53c-4168-ae74-8557325e57e21033.mspx

Repost from HP’s Technology at Work newsletter.  Subscribe here: http://www.hp.com/united-states/subscribe/gateway/

Thanks to loyal HP customers, HP is celebrating 25 years of continuous innovation and reliable, professional quality printing. The typical office has evolved a lot since 1984, and so has the HP product line. The chart below reveals the productivity, budget and environmental benefits that customers recognize today.

1984: The original HP LaserJet 2009: A comparable HP Black & White LaserJet 2009: A comparable HP Color LaserJet Original HP LaserJet HP LaserJet P2055dn HP Color LaserJet CP2025dn

Innovation Milestones:

1987: HP establishes its own hardware recycling program.

1988: Duplex printing is introduced on the HP LaserJet IID.

1991: HP initiates a recycling program for its HP LaserJet print cartridges.

1991: HP invents the network printer category with the LJ IIISi.

1992: HP launches a Design for Environment (DfE) program addressing environmental performance at the design stage of product development. DfE’s three priorities are: energy efficiency, design for recyclability; and materials innovation.

1994: HP introduces the HP OfficeJet personal printer-fax-copier, a space-saving product designed specifically for professional home-office users.

1994: The company introduces the HP Color LaserJet printer. With an average cost per page of less than 10 cents, it offers businesses a cost-effective alternative to print shops.

1996: HP introduces the HP LaserJet 5Si printer. The “mopier,” short for “multiple-original printing,” belongs to a new category of network printer that eliminates the need for photocopying multiple sets of a document. This early all-in-one printer product was developed to eliminate the department copy machine.

1997: HP’s recycling program expands to include HP inkjet print cartridges in addition to LaserJet cartridges.

1997: HP Web JetAdmin introduced.

1999: HP recycles its 30 millionth LaserJet print cartridge.

2007: HP acquires Tabblo Inc., making printing from the web easier and more convenient, and to reduce paper use.

2007: In July, HP achieves its goal of recycling one billion pounds of electronics. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inception of HP recycling programs, which now operate in more than 40 countries, regions and territories.

Repost from HP’s Technology at Work newsletter.  Subscribe here: http://www.hp.com/united-states/subscribe/gateway/

What does it mean to have an ENERGY STAR® rated business desktop?
Did you know that PCs make up for 40% of a company’s average utility bill? Since PCs consume so much power, the EPA has set up guidelines that are updated from time to time in order to drive innovation around improving energy efficiency. The EPA’s requirements for business PCs center around three distinct operating modes: standby, active and sleep modes. When a PC is configured to meet these requirements, it translates to higher energy savings through lower power consumption which means you pay less on your energy bill.
 
Why is the EPA changing the ENERGY STAR specification again? 
The Environmental Protection Agency continually assesses the ENERGY STAR guidelines and tries to drive greater power efficiencies as hardware becomes more efficient. Their goal is to have no more than 25% of PC desktop shipments qualify for ENERGY STAR. The current ENERGY STAR 4.0 specification was released in July 2007. In their continued focus, they are preparing to introduce a new version 5.0, which takes effect on July 1, 2009.

You can always refer to these government specifications to find the latest information.

July 1, 2009, the new specification takes effect
Come July, 1 2009, all business desktops will have to meet ENERGY STAR 5.0 specifications in order to receive the ENERGY STAR logo. What is important to keep in mind is that there is no grandfathering. This means that as of the July 1st date, there is no ENERGY STAR 4.0 and any new systems with the ENERGY STAR logo need to meet the 5.0 requirements.

From ENERGY STAR 4.0 to ENERGY STAR 5.0
While there are many changes in what will actually determine if a business desktop meets ENERGY STAR 5.0, below are the high level differences between ENERGY STAR 4.0 and ENERGY STAR 5.0:

HP Business Desktop PCs  that qualify for ENERGY STAR 5.0
ENERGY STAR 5.0 is now available on select 5000 and 7000 series business desktops. You can get a head start on compliance, and savings. Find out more about HP Business Desktop PCs that are ENERGY STAR 5.0 qualified:

• HP dc5800 and dc5850 Business Desktop PC
• HP rp5700 Long Lifecycle PC
• HP dc7900 Business Desktop

Potential savings from energy efficient solutions
To see potential dollar savings from energy efficient products, please refer to the Energy Calculator.  This will provide a great conversation tool for your organization to see what kind of savings can be gained from energy efficient hardware and software solutions. 

Additional benefits attained by purchasing an ENERGY STAR 5.0 qualified business desktop
The lower idle specification plus the 85% efficient power supply together provide big benefits to your business beyond simple compliance:

• Increased power supply reliability due to greater efficiency
• Decreased system maintenance due to increased reliability
• Lower total cost of ownership due to reduced maintenance and longer equipment life
• Improved worker environment with less noise from the PC
• Potential reduction in cooling bill due to less heat being generated by PCs

Reducing energy consumption translates to bottom line savings for your organization. Get ready now for the upcoming changes by requiring ENERGY STAR version 5.0 and make the transition easy for you and start saving today.

Another nice article from Microsoft. You will find it here with photos: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/morefun/outdoorpics.mspx

Repost from HP’s Technology at Work newsletter.  Subscribe here: http://www.hp.com/united-states/subscribe/gateway/

When the going gets tough, the tough have a smart game plan. And with over 2 million jobs lost in 2008, the situation is definitely getting tough. Fortunately, the US has relieved our 26 million small businesses—those which gross $15 million or less in profits annually[1]–in more ways than one with its 2009 Recovery Plan.  

The new plan not only gives small businesses tax breaks and credits, it also plans to give your customers more money by providing them jobs. In the meantime, though, one of the best ways you can take advantage of the plan is by carefully investing in the future with updated technology and energy efficient solutions. 

Even for larger businesses that don’t directly benefit from the recovery plan, making these types of changes while business is slower can prepare you for when the economy picks up. 

The government’s plan
This plan provides you with a myriad of opportunities to help your business. The new plan:

• Increases Section 179 expense deduction to $250,000 from $128,000 enabling SMBs to write off more machinery, supplies and equipment.
• Offers 50% bonus depreciation, allowing businesses to immediately write off half of a capital expense.
• Lets businesses use existing losses to offset taxes paid on profits in the previous five years, a practice known as net operating loss carry-back.
• Supports borrowing and lending by helping to unlock credit markets, eliminating fees for lenders and borrowers and offering relief for current debt.

You can review the entire bill here, and make the most of these extra funds. Plus, learn more about the federal business opportunities, and local opportunities from the recovery plan.

Your plan: build your business
One of the most advantageous uses for your forthcoming government relief is investing in equipment, specifically technology and energy efficient fixtures that bring your business up-to-date and save money in the end. And HP can help.  

Spending to save
Of course, it seems strange make critical purchases during uncertain times, but investing wisely in IT can save you money long-term. According to Microsoft’s latest SMB Insight Report,[2] an estimated 55% of SMBs will maintain or increase IT spending year over year with carefully placed investments[2] that reduce operating costs, improve productivity and retain customers. 

• Server virtualization: 50% of SMB specialists identified server virtualization as the technology most likely to reduce operating costs.[2] HP server virtualization solutions allow you to achieve improved productivity and uptime.
• Software as a Service (Saas): SaaS helps reduce software licensing costs. Instead of purchasing full licenses, software is used short-term as needed. Eduardo Rosini of Microsoft says, “When you look at the whole ecosystem with SaaS approach there’s less upfront cost, less incremental cost.”
• Business intelligence: Help improve customer experience and loyalty with HP business intelligence solutions. Nearly 40% of SMB specialists expect an increased interest in this beneficial investment.[2]
• Remote workers: Decrease overhead and, in many cases, increase productivity by building an infrastructure that enables remote workers. Introducing remote worker capability also facilitates mobility which is efficiently achieved with innovative HP EliteBooks.

Energy efficiency, economic efficiency
People often forget that energy efficiency is a way to be kind to the planet and your budget. Using your stimulus plan to invest in HP energy efficient products can help you:

• Make the most of your technology by boosting productivity and your bottom line.
• Differentiate your business among clients and partners by being aware of the changing world and your efforts to improve it.
• Stay current with laws & regulations to save money on penalties and avoid updating technology down the road when it might interrupt a busier time.

In all, the new stimulus plan can be advantageous if you use it wisely to create a plan for technological advancement and financial stability. You’ll be able to not only survive these tough times, but succeed well beyond them. 

[1] Coombes, Andrea. “Stimulating Work.” MarketWatch and Yahoo! Finance. 17 February 2009.
[2] “Microsoft Study Shows SMBs Using Technology to Cut Costs, Grow Business.” Microsoft. 25 March 2009

Here is a great article for those just starting out with Digital Photos.
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/924a1b6f-6202-487c-a59b-f7130ce774a41033.mspx

Photo editing and printing once required a darkroom or a professional photo lab—not to mention advanced training. But in the last decade, digital cameras and computers have revolutionized the field of photography, making it possible for anyone to edit and print photos at home. In this article, you’ll learn how the tools in Windows can help you view, organize, edit, share, and print your digital pictures.

Getting pictures from your camera into your computer

Most digital cameras store pictures on a flash memory card, such as a CompactFlash or Secure Digital (SD) card. When you’ve filled a memory card to capacity with pictures, you’ll need to import the pictures to your computer. Then you can erase the memory card and use it to take a new batch of pictures.

There are two main ways to import pictures:

Continue reading at: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/924a1b6f-6202-487c-a59b-f7130ce774a41033.mspx

Repost from HP’s Technology at Work newsletter.  Subscribe here: http://www.hp.com/united-states/subscribe/gateway/
What would be most harmful to your health: no food; no water; or no e-mail? All over the world, people are beginning to wonder why all roads now lead to our inboxes. In less than 20 years e-mail and its off-shoot, instant messaging (IM), have monopolized business communication. Who picks up the phone anymore, or crosses the room to talk with a co-worker (!?!), unless the building is on fire?

Born in 1990, e-mail undoubtedly offers great advantages. Our inboxes record our important conversations, requests and replies. And it is a cheap, quick and convenient way to connect your business or stay in touch with far-flung friends and family.

Mail in moderation
But our growing over reliance on e-mail is leading may people to believe they have an unhealthy dependence. Check these symptoms to see if you could be an e-mail addict:

• You find it hard to focus on a task for longer than 15 minutes without checking your inbox.
• You get nervous if you can’t access your e-mail for a few hours.
• You feel lonely if you receive no new mail after your lunch break.
• You scan your inbox first thing in the morning and before going to sleep each night.

From the White House to your house
If you now consider yourself an “emailaholic”, you share powerful company. President Obama has recently revealed he is addicted to his handheld e-mail device. From the Oval Office to your office and in thousands between, people are beginning to admit they waste too much time in their inbox.

Why is this bad?
Being obsessed with e-mail actually reduces your productivity if you spend more time waiting for messages than finishing important jobs. Equally, it’s unhealthy if you find yourself getting up in the night to find a WiFi spot, or in your free time it stops you from relaxing with friends and family.

Facing your addiction
Here are four tips on how to tackle your addiction.

1. Set a virtual curfew: Outside work hours you need to reduce the impact of e-mail on yourself and loved ones. You need downtime and they want to enjoy your company without inbox incursions. If you have to, give yourself one hour when you come home from work to check and then turn-off and chill-out. Try not to get online as soon as you wake up and before sleeping. Even consider having one e-mail-free day per week.
2. Talk more, type less: Too often we type mails that raise more questions than they answer. You can actually save yourself time at work by making a quick call to colleagues to avoid unclear e-mail trails.
3. Write and post a letter:  Once your fingers remember how to handle a pen again you might even enjoy this. Receiving a hand-written letter is special. Share that with a friend or a client and remember there’s more to life than the online.
4. Go cold turkey: Take a holiday without your laptop. Don’t look at your accounts. Not once! You’ll be surprised, the world can keep going without you.

Avoid the inbox trap
It might be small, but your inbox can easily become a big time-waster. To lift your productivity and enjoyment away from work try to spend more time thinking outside your inbox.