Embracing Technology

Google, Bing, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo, Linkedin, YouTube, Plaxo and hundreds of other seemingly strange assemblage of letters are all words that have recently become part of our daily vocabulary. Each one of these new words represents new technology. Chances are, many of you are familiar with some, or perhaps all, of these technological systems. Many of you have embraced this new technology and are using it every day.
Another new technology that works very well in many Dealership’s today is, automated, New and Used Vehicle Inventory Management. There are several companies out there doing this including mine. It has long been known that inventory management can make or break a company. In fact, part of Chrysler’s problems over the past couple of years was largely due new vehicle inventory mismanagement. One of the secrets of success of the world’s largest retailer-Wal Mart, is precise inventory management. Each store location knows, without any doubt, the speed of the turn of over 15,000 individual items. They know how many they have on the shelf, how many they have in the pipeline, if the rate of turn is increasing or decreasing, their return on investment, how price effects shelf movement and many more key indicators that relate to increasing sales with a more effective inventory. If it works well, they get more, if it doesn’t, they cut back. They do pay attention to regional trends but I can assure you that different stores, in different locations, in the same market area, have vastly different inventories. A good example is North side Chicago vs. South side Chicago. Same Regional Market, completely different demographics, completely different inventories.
Any Vehicle Inventory Management system or process you choose must focus on your store, your location, your traffic, your activities and your demographics first. Market area information is important but your inventory needs to match your stores specific needs. The vehicle inventories that you have investments in are no different than any other type of investment portfolio. Some investments clearly perform better than others. It is only natural that when a specific portion of your portfolio is producing a significant return, you would want to do more of it. Conversely, when other portions of your investment portfolio are underperforming, you would want to do less of it. The secret to maximizing this profit center is to know exactly what each individual investment has done for you in the past, what it is doing for you now and how the investment needs to be structured to grow your sales in the future.
Here are a few of the types of information available for your Dealership with today’s technology and a few clicks of your mouse.
• The top ten new vehicles you are furthest away from the target supply on the long side (by model #)
• The top ten new vehicles you are furthest away from the target supply on the short side (by model #)
• The top ten used vehicles you are furthest away from the target supply on the long side
• The top ten used vehicles you are furthest away from the target supply on the short side
• The vehicles (both new and used) that retailed 2 or more times in less than 15 days that you are out of
• Your return on investment by year, make, model, category, target inventory and actual stock
• Specific statistics by appraiser including % acquired, retail and wholes gross average and much more
• The top 50 new units in inventory that are likely to cost you the most interest to the ultimate day of sale by model number and color
• The retail speed (in days to sale) of new vehicles by specific model number, color and equipment
• Specific activities like web hits, demo drives, pricing rank in your market area
• Where to find the vehicles you need and want
• A Stocking Guide for both New and Used vehicles
You must first come to the realization that your store cannot be all things to all people. Many factors are in play in determining why your customers are coming to your lot and what they are looking for. These factors include Demographics, New Vehicle Franchises represented, reputation, lot size, location, advertising budget, sales people, inventory choices and many more. Some vehicle categories, model years and specific models, simply cause you wholesale pain. When you determine what these specific categories and vehicles are, you can simply “stop doing that”.
For the used Vehicle department, I advocate the implementation of a system that will separate your sales, gross and inventory first by categories of vehicles (Small cars, Mid size cars, Sporty cars, Full size cars, Small Pickup, Full size pickup, Small Sport utility, Large sport utility, Mini-van and Regular van.) and then by the …

Stoned, For All Eternity

A great deal has been written about and made much of in alternative archaeology books about how and why our technologically primitive ancestors were able to carve out, transport and erect massive multi-ton stone blocks into megalithic monuments of well, monumental size. The implication is that since there is no doubting the existence of these structures, our ancestors must of in fact possessed an advanced technology or had assistance from those who did (i.e. – ‘ancient astronauts’). That runs contrary to the standard model of scholarly archaeology. But the questions remain.
Perhaps I’d better say what I mean by massive multi-ton stone blocks. I mean stones that are at least several tons in weight, up to the largest known carved (but still in-situ and unused) stone block weighing in at roughly 1250 tons. That’s not the record however for there is, apparently, a stele base in China that weighs in at 16,250 tons. I mean these are stones that aren’t trivial to toss around, even today. And while not all major continents and countries have megalithic stone monuments, like North America (USA & Canada) or Australia (including New Zealand) that still leaves a lot of places, and well known places, that do.
How and why these megaliths were constructed is no trivial matter. For our ancestors to go to such lengths and expend such efforts, well these stone monuments were obviously very important to them, and it’s important to us to figure out how and why they did it. Using large stone blocks instead of wood or even small stone blocks or bricks must have served a purpose despite the greater hardships involved. So, why did our ancient ancestors need large stones; and how did they handle them?
As to the why, presumably, for starters, if you decide to use stone, then it’s important enough a material serving a purpose(s) that necessitates lasting for all practical purposes an ‘eternity’. If you build something to last, at least back then, you use stone, the larger the better. But for what purpose did the ancients need such megalithic giants?
Issues Arising: Purpose
These ancient societies or cultures spent an awful lot of resources to build things that were relatively peripheral to their basic needs. The Easter Islanders could survive without those Moai statues; ancient Egypt would still have been a ‘superpower’ even without those pyramids, the Giza Sphinx, massive statues of some New Kingdom pharaohs (like Ramesses II – often called Ramesses the Great), stele and obelisks. The Parthenon in Athens was just a shrine to one of the Greek deities (Athena), and similar observations could be extended to the thousands of other monumental megalithic temples and monuments around the world which were mainly ceremonial in function.
It’s difficult to figure out how Stonehenge contributed to the basic survival needs of the local population – you don’t need to construct something of that magnitude just to tell you what season it is! If you need to mark, say the Summer Solstice, all you need have is a traditionally and permanently well marked and easily identified Point A, where you can observe some fixed structure like a rock on the Horizon, that’s Point B, and when the Sun arises directly over Point B, that’s the longest day of the year. There’s no need to engage in any sort of backbreaking toil or construction whatever.
If a society can afford to spend time and effort and money on secondary projects, say like in modern society various public art works compared to primary projects like roads (transport), schools (education) and hospitals (health care), then you have to conclude that that society was well off given that they could divert basic resources from primary projects to undertake projects of a secondary nature. Either that, or that which looks to us as relatively trivial or unimportant like Stonehenge or Carnac (Brittany, France) or those Easter Island statues or the Sphinx actually held a primary function incomprehensible to us but which rivalled in importance housing and insuring adequate food supplies and similar things vital to their day-to-day survival.
Issues Arising: Logistics
There’s also the logistics problem. You need a large workforce that had to be fed and clothed and housed and cared for, especially fed. There wasn’t exactly a nearby supermarket where endless supplies could be purchased. Further, while employed on these quarrying, transporting and construction projects the workers couldn’t be gainfully employed elsewhere to provide basics like hunting and gathering for food or even tending to domesticated livestock and agricultural crops. The workers couldn’t have been used for serving in the army, or any other useful and necessary task. All of this carving, transporting and construction were not just busy work designed to keep the rabble off the streets and out of trouble, and slave labour wasn’t …

How Gaming Has Changed Since the Old Days

How Gaming Has Changed Since the Old Days

Now I love to play video games and remember the old days when I was a kid and had my spectrum computer, back then it really was the in game system to have and one football game I loved to bits was called Match Day. Games really were hard back then with no cheats it was impossible to complete a game.

But today we have the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 and along with the games system there are forums which hold the keys to you completing games and all of this help is here thanks to the internet.

Followers from around the world are on these forums and it really is a great way to meeting game freaks like myself. Now one of the games of the year for me is fifa 10 which has just got better with the improvement in skills that have been added and the playing modes such as player mode and manager mode is just fantastic and takes the game to a whole new level.

Player mode lets you design your own footballer and during a season your goal is to try and make him as successful as possible. Now I have played this game for years and the forums have really help me in finding out the best ways to score goals and I have learnt the best way to build up my players statistics.

Another great option is also the online game play which in my opinion is much more better than playing against the computer because of the real life interaction you can get with the other player online and with the Xbox 360 you can wear your headset and talk to you opponent which really enhances the game play. Game consoles and the internet have really paved the ways since the old days and gaming will never be the same again.…

Data Recovery Services – Protect Yourself From Data Loss

There is a lot to learn when people first started using a computer whether it’s for business or pleasure and when they hear terms like data recovery services and remote backup they may wonder why they would ever need to look into a services like these in the first place. The answer is a lot simpler than you might think and many of these computer users will also think that data back up is not necessary or they may think that flash drives and external hard drives are all the data recovery backup they really need, unfortunately life is not so simple and nothing could be further from the truth.
Whether you’re in business or just use your computer for entertainment you can agree on the fact that one of the most important elements of any PC or laptop are the files that you have saved. These files contain information that may have been collected over many years much of which (digital photography for example) could be totally irreplaceable, or they could even be the sum of months of work (imagine losing a manuscript for a book or important research for a professional white paper), so the safety of your files should never be underestimated.
Reasons For Data Loss
There are several different ways that you can lose this important information one of course is a hard drive crash or drive degradation.
Through no fault of your own your hard drive can give out on you without notice and you need to be sure that you can find a place immediately that specializes in some kind of hard drive recovery so that everything you’ve done isn’t lost. Anything from electrostatic shock to a power surge can cause your hard drive to fail but if it is more than a few years old it will be more susceptible to drive degradation in which case you may not be able to access all your files.
Viruses and Trojans can also lead to data loss, so you need to be sure that you can get your files back especially after an attack by malware or some kind of virus and of course even good old mother nature can have her hand in taking your mission critical data away from you. Natural disasters like floods and hurricanes are just another good reason to have files that are backed up in a separate location.
Of course the other reason why you might need one of these services is human error. Pushing one wrong button can often result in deleted files that you need, but fortunately many of the best data recovery services that you can find on the web will be able to get these files back for you up to a certain point in time provided you have not written other data back to the drive.
Back Up Your Data
Data loss can occur at any time so it is essential you have a back up facility in place and not just the proverbial external disk or flash drive as these whilst better than nothing are also prone to faults and errors too. By far the safest method is to store your files in a remote location that is in itself backed up too. This method of back up is known as remote data back up or online back up, and these services whilst once more expensive are now very affordable indeed and well worth looking into.
If you are however unfortunate enough to lose your data and not have a back up it’s important to look for data recovery services that have a great reputation so that you can rest assured you’re getting the best for your money.
Of course you want to find one of these services that comes at a reasonable cost, but don’t fall into the trap of going for the cheapest quote as your data can be very valuable and as the saying goes you often get exactly what you pay for. Try to find out about their customer service and you’ll want to take a look at the website to make sure that it has the kind of contact information you can use if you have any questions.…

Buy PlayStation 3 Games Online

Buy PlayStation 3 Games Online

Whether you are a proud PlayStation 3 owner or you know a friend that has one, looking for new games is a constant matter. I mean, what’s the use of having a console if you don’t have the games?

You can easily get bored of the video games that you already have, especially if you have beaten the game and you know all the tricks. Some people think it is difficult and expensive to get new PlayStation 3 video games but that is not true.

Even if you are on a tight budget, there are video games with great discounts if you know where to look for them.

The Gaming Store

The video gaming stores are actually the best places to look for PlayStation 3 video games. It is the best place to look for cool discounts too. The stores also have the newest games and no matter what game you try to find, they can have it or get it for you.

They also have games for different gaming consoles types. In this way, you have plenty of options to choose from. You should know that, most of the times, the stores have games for the top three video gaming consoles.

This means you will easily find games for X Box 360, Nintendo Wii and of course, for PlayStation 3. There are also some great games for the predecessors of these consoles.

There is another great thing about going to a store like that. You can also buy some used PlayStation 3 video games.

Even if they are used, the games are in perfect working conditions and the price is great. If something doesn’t work, you can always return the game to the store.

Besides that, you can also sell or exchange your used games for some other. In this way, you will have a fresh supply of games at your hand with very little money to spare.

And another great thing about these gaming stores is that the people working there can give you their personal review and input on different PlayStation 3 games before you buy them.

The department Stores

Besides the gaming stores, PlayStation 3 games can also be found inside the department stores. The single problem with these stores is that their offer is limited as the selection is rather narrow.

They most probably have all the popular ones but not what you are looking for.

Plus, the people there might not be able to tell you things about the games or help you in any way. Besides that, you can not resell the game or buy used ones.…

Cool Gadgets Online – Innovative Devices

Cool Gadgets Online – Innovative Devices

Today, purchasing a device for the near and dear ones is quite a difficult task for the people. Even, the cool gadgets online come in various sizes and shapes. Many of us used the gizmos only for our entertaining purposes but some of them are considered them as just the requirements. Devices like televisions, laptops, computers and many more have been used by the people in their day to day lives. All these devices are very useful and helpful for us and have also made our life easier.

So many outstanding devices are only meant for the special occasions. Special events devices like birthday presents, Christmas gadgets, presents for loved ones, Valentine gifts, travel gadgets, etc have highly appreciated by the people all over the world. The customers can also find a large number of other trendy and classic gizmos that include office going tools, eco tools and lots more. Such devices can also be used for any of the particular reason. All these widgets are made available for the people of all age groups.

On the other hand, most of the gadgets are specifically created for the small children that include puzzles, quizzes, games, playing toys like racing cars, soft toys and lots more. Numbers of people are getting highly attracted towards these astonishing and wonderful devices. In order to fulfill the personal as well as professional purposes, various marvelous items are designed by numerous companies. Some of them include netbooks; iPod touch, USB modems and many others.

The customers can very easily use all of these powerful ones just to meet all your daily needs and desires. With the help of the internet, you can easily buy cool gadgets online. Many of the websites offer full information to the people within a very short period of time. So, if you want to save your leisure time then just log on to internet via online.…

The Japanese Video Game Console Wars

The Japanese Video Game Console Wars

In truth however, the sales for both consoles are relatively low. There is significant reason for the decline in both console sales. And this is due to a revolution in the way of gaming and individual leisure. Now, console gaming is getting some major competition from the steady growth of internet gaming and of smart mobile phones which are very alluring ways spend time.

Now, leisure time has become less of a communal affair. People are now spending time by them selves. Computer leisure is defined as bite sized and splintered. The days when families used to spend time together in front of the television seem to be coming to an end as the net and mobile phone technology is constantly wrenching people away from each other.

It is an interesting thing, because this image of a family in front of television used to be an image of modern decline in values.

But nevertheless, though company heads themselves might say that this is lamentable, they also race to take advantage of the new fragmentary and individualistic technology. Nintendo DS for example, is getting more personal as you can input your own identity and it even has a camera. The trend is evidenced by the amount of sales that Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable have garnered.

Looking at the software, one could point out that there are no real smash hits for Nintendo. There is no real big star game aside from Wii Sports Resort as well as a new type of Wii controller. However, things are looking good in the future since Nintendo is planning on releasing big name games such as the much awaited installment of Monster Hunter as well as Dragon Quest. However, could it be too late? Could it still stop the buying trend towards Sony?

There is a big chance that there will be no turning back for Nintendo sales as the Sony PSP and PlayStation 3 is fighting really hard. Considering the fact that PSP did not do well at all in Japan but is now slowly and steadily growing into a viable market, it stands to perfect reason that the company might pull of the same campaign for the once low market of PS3.…

Gift Idea – Zippo Hand Warmer

Gift Idea – Zippo Hand Warmer

The Zippo hand warmer appears to be hot in every sense of the word. It is pleasing to the eye and gives off enough heat to warm your hands instantly when the temperature outside starts to be uncomfortable. Compared to other types of hand warmers in the market, the warmer produces more than ten times as much heat. That is plenty of Joules at your disposal. You will surely love the clean lines and sleek design of the stylish hand warmer. Your friends will think that you are cool, too.

I wish I had the Zippo warmer when we went to Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago. Trust me; the cold can really ruin a perfectly great vacation. I remember feeling like a thousand needles were piercing my hands every time I touched the outside of the truck to unload our stuff. For someone like me and many others, who are unaccustomed to the cold, even a pair of gloves is not enough to comfort our hands. However, with the Zippo warmer, anyone including myself would have been a happy, and warm, camper.

The nice thing about the warmer is that it produces heat even without a burning flame; so, you can hold it in your pocket or inside a glove without fear of burning something. Just be sure to use its protective warming bag because the Zippo hand warmer could get really, really hot against your skin.

Judging from its appearance, I feel that the Zippo hand warmer is very convenient to carry around with you. I think anyone will agree that it is thin and light. The Zippo hand warmer weighs in at only 272g. This is the perfect companion to your lighter. With this device, nothing can stand between the outdoors and you.…

Ranking the Top Cloud Computing Companies

Cloud computing companies are on everyone’s minds nowadays. From Wall Street to Main Street, it seems as if everybody is raving about “The Cloud” and the tremendous prospects for growth enjoyed by firms that are experts in this revolutionary technology. Giving their customers the option of fulfilling their business computing requirements with a “pay as you go” service instead of through buying or licensing computer software and storage, these vendors are redefining traditional business models in a manner that makes them both more adaptable, and cost-effective at the same time.
The Top Cloud Computing Companies
Because the market for cloud computing services is extremely competitive and new, it’s not easy for most business owners to differentiate between its large number of players. With demand expected to explode for this industry in the years ahead, the volume of vendors figures to only increase.
So, which companies are considered to be the leaders in this industry you may ask? The ten companies shown below were commonly regarded as the top cloud computing companies as of late 2011.
Amazon Web Services
The cloud computing industry frontrunner in the opinion of most experts, Amazon has consistently outranked the competition both in innovation and customer service over the last couple of years.
Verizon (CloudSwitch and Terremark)
By adding former rivals CloudSwitch and Terremark to its already-massive cloud services infrastructure over the past year, Verizon is in position to threaten Amazon for the number one spot in the industry.
IBM (Smart Cloud)
The introduction at the beginning of 2011 of its new Smart Cloud service is the fruit of IT giant IBM’s renewed efforts to position itself as a player in the tough market for enterprise consumers.
Salesforce
By acquiring Heroku and its strong Platform as a Service expertise, put the remainder of the cloud industry on notice that it wasn’t content to rest on the popularity of its CRM software.
CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation)
The debut of BizCloud, CSC’s cutting-edge service that enables customers to integrate their legacy IT systems with the latest Infrastructure as a Service software packages, reinforces the company’s reputation as the industry’s best in IT integration technology.
Rackspace
Ranking second only to the potent Amazon in cloud-based earnings, Rackspace is poised to remain among the big boys with its recent acquisition of cloud management technology expert Cloudkick.
Google
The undisputed king of the search engines spent the first six months of 2011 adding more attractive features to its Google App Engine service in a bid to earn a greater piece of the enterprise business.
BlueLock (VMware Specialist)
One of the hottest competitors to appear in this year’s cloud services market, BlueLock joined the world’s leaders in VCE by pioneering a breakthrough modification in vCloud resources.
Microsoft Cloud
One of the industry leaders in the market for social networking firms, web-based businesses, and mobile providers, Microsoft routinely receives high grades for its popular Azure cloud service.
Joyent
Truly setting itself apart with its private cloud technology solutions, Joyent partnered with Dell to jointly develop a revolutionary out-of-the-box cloud infrastructure solution for clients.
Which of the Major Cloud Computing Companies Best Fits Your Needs?
Because there is so much specialization involved with regards to services offered, there clearly isn’t one cloud computing provider that can unquestionably be called “the best choice” for all customers’ needs. Instead, each firm tends to specialize in either Cloud Management, Infrastructure as a Service, or Platform as a Service. Determining which cloud computing companies best meet your home or business requirements isn’t hard, but it does help if you have a clear view your particular needs.…