Sprint and Nextel Communications Inc. have announced details surrounding the brand strategy and logo to be used upon completion of the companies’ merger, expected in the third quarter of 2005, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. The new go-to-market brand name of the combined Sprint Nextel will be Sprint, with the Nextel name continuing as a key product brand.
The two companies announced their agreement to merge on Dec. 15, 2004.
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ScanSource, Inc., was recently named the Top Performer in Computer Reseller News’ (CRN) 20th Annual Sourcing Study. In this research study of more than 3,000 Solution Providers, CRN investigates the changing trends in how Solution Providers source products, as well as what Solution Providers find important when working with distributors and other sourcing partners, such as logistics, technical support and human factors, including customer service. CRN showcased the top 50 preferred sources overall and their performance.
ScanSource was awarded the Top Performer designation for Overall Performance among all potential product sources and among all specialty distributors. ScanSource also received top honors in Loyalty among specialty distributors. ScanSource received top honors in the following categories.
In addition, ScanSource was named number one in performance among specialty distributors in the following categories:
“We have built our business around being not just a product source for our customers, but a true partner,” said Mike Baur, president and CEO, ScanSource, Inc.
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The InnoVision Technology Awards Program is the Upstate’s premier awards program focused exclusively on celebrating innovation and technological excellence
InnoVision provides high visibility and exposure for your organization amid the Upstate business community. Each finalist will be featured in a 30-second video at the InnoVision Technology Awards Dinner on November 9, 2005. Each finalist will also be featured at a Finalist Reception to be held September 27, 2005 at the Poinsett Club and at a 2006 InnoVision Technology Forum.
To submit a nomination, sign up as a sponsor, or receive more information about the Awards Dinner or Technology Forum Series, visit www.InnoVisionAward.org or send an e-mail to info@InnoVisionAward.org.
Deadline for award entries: July 11, 2005
Awards Dinner: November 9, 2005
Winners in each award category will be announced and featured at the Awards Dinner.
Nextel Communications Inc. and Motorola Inc. have released the Motorola i836, a phone that pretty reasonably claims to be “sleek and stylish.” With a metallic graphite-colored finish and lines inspired by an Italian sports car, Nextel says the “Motorola i836 looks as good as it performs.”
“The i836 offers Nextel customers instant connectivity and reliability in a beautiful, well-designed package,” said Blair Kutrow, Nextel’s vice president of Product Management. “The dynamic features of the i836, including Group Connect, make it a must-have tool for managing both business and personal needs.”
“The Motorola i836 handset represents the latest evolution of design in Motorola’s iDEN product portfolio,” said Rey More’, senior vice president and general manager, Motorola’s iDEN® Devices. “Its elegant graphite color and stylish design appeal to those who desire the latest in innovative technology and distinctive style.”
The Motorola i836 uses JavaT technology, allowing users to download and run applications to meet their business and personal needs, as well as global positioning satellite (GPS) technology, which lets users access location-based services such as turn-by-turn driving directions i. The phone also offers a variety of personalization options, including user-assignable ring tones, wallpaper designs, and navigation shortcuts.
The i836 measures 3.4″ x 1.9″ x 0.94″ and weighs approximately four ounces. It is currently available through all Nextel distribution channels, including retail stores, at a price of $199.99, with a two-year service agreement, new activation and credit approval.
Finally, a Nextel with curves. We like.
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Todd Young has joined, software development firm, TiBA Solutions LLC., Greenville, SC., as a Project Manager. Young, who recently was a project manager at Bilo Corporation and Sungard Data Systems, earned a BS degree in Geographical Information Systems at Illinois State University, and is also a Certified Project Management Professional.
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The Upstate Carolina PC Users Group meets the third Tuesday of the month, that’s June 21, as they have for many years. The meeting place is new, however, and would-be attendees should now head to the Five Forks Baptist Church at 112 Batesville road. Meetings begin at 7PM or thereabouts and include a potpourri of subjects on interest to PC enthusiasts. (map)(website)
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Michelin is on a mission to convert their IT organization into a professional services unit. With a myriad of interlacing systems, employees spread across the globe, and critical centers of expertise seeded on different continents, the job of standardizing, globalizing, and coordinating these IT efforts can create a major headache. To explain the goals and road to transformation of Michelin’s IT efforts Richard Alexander, VP of Information Systems and CIO, Michelin North America will present at the GSA Technology Council’s August Meeting.
Topic: Are we there yet?
Featured: Richard Alexander, Michelin
Date: Wednesday, Aug 10, 2005
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Crowne Plaza (Map:
I-385 at Roper Mtn.)
11:30 – 11:55 Registration, Networking, Lunch
11:55 – 12:10 Announcements
12:10 – 12:50 Presentation
12:50 – 1:00 Door Prizes, Adjourn
This meeting features easy access from I-385, plenty of free parking, ample
networking opportunities, a great presentation, and door prizes. Plan to attend.
Lunch is $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Online Registration is now closed. Please register at the meeting.
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Baker Consulting, LLC, has announced that it has acquired the right to market SageCRM.com. This move expands the company’s offering of customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for small and mid-size businesses. SageCRM.com is a comprehensive on-demand service for clients seeking a low-cost, low-risk solution. Unlike other CRM applications, SageCRM.com is hosted online, eliminating the need for more costly investments in hardware and IT expertise. In addition, it is the one of the only hosted CRM solutions that the user can bring in-house if he wishes to purchase it at a later date. “Our ability to offer an online CRM solution allows us to service an important segment of today’s businesses,” said Danny Baker, Principal of Baker Consulting.
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The following is a letter from Charles Osborne, Technical Director of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in nearby Rosman, SC. PARI is a non-profit research group dedicated to making astronomy available to educators and researchers. Several times a year they invite volunteers to help them with a variety of their ongoing projects. It’s an amazing facility, and donations of your time helps them with their mission and gives you an opportunity to tour the site and understand more about what they are trying to accomplish.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s the Rosman Research Station was a NASA space flight facility. From 1981 to 1995 the facility was used by the Department of Defense for intelligence gathering. In 1999 the site was transferred to its current owners for development as an astronomical research and education facility. (website)
From Charles Osbourne:
Its been a while since our last volunteer weekend in April. Several of you helped with our NASA Space Day Open House in May and the Homeschool Day. Lots of visitors, about 80 for Homeschool Day students, and then 300+ at the Space Day Open House. Couldn’t have done it without you. Tom and Lynn Crowley, Steve Davis, and Don Brooks got their picture on cover of the local newspaper showing people the Sun thru solar telescopes in front of our main building at PARI. Lots of good comments.
Our volunteer weekend efforts in April were centered on some new single mode fiber runs in the tunnel. It takes an army to untangle and install a 1200ft fiber cable. So the volunteer weekend was another example of a task which would have taken the whole staff of PARI without you. That work put us in a position to make a fusion splice at mid tunnel joining the two 1200 ft runs into a seamless twelve fibers from the feedbox of the west 26m antenna to the control room a half mile away. Volunteers Joey Ponder and Daniel Chapman as a matter of fact did the fiber optic fusion splicing as well.
For the June 10th volunteer weekend we are approaching one of our main student group visits this summer, the Duke Talent Identifcation Program. It is a group of high school students who take an intensive two week astronomy workshop here on site at PARI. Getting everything ready for them network and PC wise will likely be our focus. And their professor Alan Gleue will be here getting familiar with the site. We can help with that as well.
Other tasks will be: some general organizing, test equipment repair, network cabling, fiber optic work, and other tasks dependant on who is available volunteer wise.
With a number of new volunteers on the list, I’ll mention the basics again as to the volunteer weekends. Lamar and I are on site by 9am. Mostly locals are arriving that early. People trickle in all morning since some are coming from Raleigh, Atlanta, or Charlotte. Lunch is up to the individual. Fast food is a long way away. So bring sandwiches. We have a small kitchen area, but it is mostly set aside for the summer students for the next two volunteer weekends. So repect their kitchen items and refrigerator space. Use the small refrig in the old kitchen area.
We keep going most of the day. Any who want to stay around for star gazing after sunset are welcome to eat supper here as well. I’ll get out my 10″ Meade telescope (weather permitting) for a couple of hours. If you are into astronomy and have a telescope. Bring it along and feel free to setup on the helipad or in the building 28 parking lot as I do.
Those coming from a long distance may want to stay overnight. We have a few rooms for volunteers. Bring a sleeping bag if you have one, though we do have some linen for the beds if you don’t. Its a bit dorm like, and mostly self serve. But a big step above camping out.
As always let me know if you are coming so we can plan our tasks accordingly.
Thanks for your support of PARI,
Charles S. Osborne
Technical DirectorPisgah Astronomical Research Institute
1 PARI Drive, HC 73, Box 638
Rosman, NC 28772-9614
http://www.pari.edu
828-862-5813 direct
828-862-5554 main
828-862-5877 FAX
cosborne@pari.edu
[Ed. note] We’ve had great fun volunteering for PARI in the past, and hope that you’ll consider adding it to your plans for this weekend.
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FastTrac is a practical, hands-on business development program designed to help entrepreneurs hone the skills needed to create, manage and grow a successful business. FastTrac participants don’t just learn about business, they live it. They work on their own business ideas or ventures throughout the course – moving their ventures to reality or new levels of growth.
And now — FastTrac is coming to Greenville.
Whether you have a tech business or are thinking of starting one, the FastTrac program is an excellent way to get yourself ready to succeed.
Learn more about FastTrac and the FREE (and nominal fee) programs of the Small Business Development Center in Greenville. Kim Williams of the SBDC will present FastTrac and the other programs of the SBDC at the June GSATC meeting. Plan to come (and grow!)
Kim Williams is the Greenville Area Manager of the Clemson University Small Business Development Center where she works with clients through their entire business life cycle, start up through expansion to exit strategy. She provides technical expertise in business plan preparation and analysis, marketing, operations, strategic planning, financial analysis, and loan packaging. More about Kim Williams
Topic: Put Your Tech Business on The Fast Track
Featured: Kim Williams, Small Business Development Center
Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2005
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Crowne Plaza (Map:
I-385 at Roper Mtn.)
11:30 – 11:55 Registration, Networking, Lunch
11:55 – 12:10 Announcements
12:10 – 12:50 Presentation
12:50 – 1:00 Door Prizes, Adjourn
This meeting features easy access from I-385, plenty of free parking, ample
networking opportunities, a great presentation, and door prizes. Plan to attend.
Lunch is $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Advance registration is now closed. Please come see us at the meeting.
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