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Month: October 2006
Rise in chip shipments lifts AMD profit
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Vista Ready
As Microsoft’s new operating system, Vista, grows closer to shipping we are changing the configuration of our PC’s. We are now building PC’s which Microsoft terms “Vista Ready”. This simply means that if you buy a Vista Ready PC you can be assured that PC will have the horsepower to run Vista- whenever it finally ships. Keep in mind, however, if you want to upgrade to Vista later you will still need to buy Vista. Microsoft is not giving away free upgrades from XP to Vista.
Welcome to TheForceField.net!
After weeks of planning theforcefield.net is now online! What began as an idea for a simple blog for a podcast became something more – much more. This is the beta of what will become the official web site for The Force Field, a podcast originally created and produced for the Service Providers of OnForce, a web based IT service company that bills itself as a marketplace for service professionals and buyers.
The show covers the “news, views, reviews and interviews for and about the IT industry and the OnForce community”. The web site was launched to showcase The Force Field and add value to the show. However, the topic of each episode can only be summarized in a 30 minute podcast. The purpose of theforcefield.net is to cover each topic in greater detail and offer viable concepts, ideas and solutions to make the podcast much more dynamic and enjoyable.
If you are one of over ten thousand Service Providers who are members of OnForce this is your home away from home, a portal to news and information of all things related to running a small IT service company.
If you are not a member of OnForce and are either an IT professional who is an independent contractor or you want start your own business in the IT service industry, this is for you. If you are a vendor attempting to reach IT companies to market, sell and maintain your products and services with affiiate, associate or partner programs either directly or indirectly through the channel, you’ve come to the right place. Feel free to look around, listen to The Force Field, and join in.
Membership to theforcefield.net is not required, but it has advantages. As a member you can submit ideas for upcoming shows and participate in the call-in segments. You can enter contests and giveways, get inside information on vendor programs and shows, subscribe to other IT related podcasts and network with other professionals in your field. Where the The Force Field ends, theforcefield.net begins.
Dare to enter The Force Field. Once inside you will experience more than a podcast. You will experience the world of the IT professional.
Welcome to The Force Field!
Rick Savoia
Privacy Policy
This is the website of THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media.
Our postal address is:
10235 Creek Dale Lane
Charlotte, NC 28277
We can be reached via e-mail at webmaster@theforcefield.net
or you can reach us by telephone at (407) 278-5698.
For each visitor to our Web page, our Web server automatically recognizes only the visitor’s domain name, but not the e-mail address (where possible).
We collect the domain name and e-mail address (where possible) of visitors to our Web page, the e-mail addresses of those who post messages to our bulletin board, the e-mail addresses of those who communicate with us via e-mail, aggregate information on what pages consumers access or visit, user-specific information on what pages visitors and members access or visit, information volunteered by the consumer, such as survey information and/or site registrations.
The information we collect is used for internal review and is then discarded, used to improve the content of our Web page.
With respect to cookies: We use cookies to record session information, such as items that consumers add to their shopping cart, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, record past activity at a site in order to provide better service when visitors return to our site .
If you do not want to receive e-mail from us in the future, please let us know by sending us e-mail at the above address.
We do not share your e-mail address with other companies or organizations. From time to time one will be provided for you to opt in for this purpose and there is no obligation for you to do so.
From time to time, we will provide the opportunity to opt in to a list available to other reputable organizations whose products or services we think you might find interesting. If you do not want us to share your e-mail address with other companies or organizations, there is no obligation to provide such additional information.
If you supply us with your postal address on-line you may receive periodic mailings from us with information on new products and services or upcoming events. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please let us know by writing to us at the above address.
You may receive mailings from other reputable companies. You can, however, have your name put on our do-not-share list by writing to us at the above address.
Please provide us with your exact name and e-mail address. We do not share your name or address with other organizations
Please provide us with your name and phone number. We do not share your account information with other organizations
From time to time, we may use your information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at some time in the future we will contact you before we use your data for these new purposes to notify you of the policy change and to provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses, we will post the policy changes to our Web site to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our Web site periodically.
Members and Visitors may prevent their information from being used for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected by calling us at the number provided above, e-mailing us at the above address, writing us at the above address.
Upon request we provide site visitors with access to a description of information that we maintain about them. Visitors can access this information by writing to us at the above address.
Upon request we offer visitors the ability to have inaccuracies corrected in contact information, financial information, transaction information. Visitors can have this information corrected by sending us e-mail or writing to us at the above address.
With respect to security: We always use industry-standard encryption technologies when transferring and receiving data exchanged with our site.
If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us at the above addresses or phone number.
Terms of Use
This is the website of THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media. By using theforcefield.net website (“this site”), You (“User”) agreed to the following terms of use:
Disclaimer Regarding Information. THE INFORMATION FROM OR THROUGH THIS SITE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS,” “AS AVAILABLE,” AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE DISCLAIMED (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE DISCLAIMER OF ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE). THE INFORMATION MAY CONTAIN ERRORS, PROBLEMS OR OTHER LIMITATIONS. THEFORCEFIELD.NET AND SAVOIA MEDIA’S SOLE AND ENTIRE MAXIMUM LIABILITY FOR ANY INACCURATE INFORMATION, FOR ANY REASON, AND USER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID BY THE CUSTOMER FOR THE INFORMATION RECEIVED (IF ANY). THEFORCEFIELD.NET and SAVOIA MEDIA are NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF PROFITS, LITIGATION, OR THE LIKE). WHETHER BASED ON BREACH OF CONTRACT, BREACH OF WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. THE LIMITATIONS OF DAMAGES ET FORTH ABOVE ARE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF THE BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN THEFORCEFIELD.NET, SAVOIA MEDIA AND YOU. THEFORCEFIELD.NET AND SAVOIA MEDIA WOULD NOT PROVIDE THIS SITE AND INFORMATION WITHOUT SUCH LIMITATIONS. NO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES WHATSOEVER ARE MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY, RELIABILITY, CURRENTNESS, COMPLETENESS, SUITABILITY OR APPLICABILITY OF THE INFORMATION TO A PARTICULAR SITUATION.
All responsibility and liability for any damages caused by viruses contained within the electronic files of this site are disclaimed.
Disclaimer Regarding Hyperlinks. This site contains links to other Internet sites. Such links are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information in such site has been endorsed or approved by THEFORCEFIELD.NET and /or Savoia Media.
Use of Information. THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media reserve the right, and the User authorizes THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media, to the use and assignment of all information regarding the User’s use of this site and all information provided by the User, subject to applicable law.
Editing, Deleting, and Modification. THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media reserve the right in its sole discretion to edit or delete any information or content appearing on this site, and to remove any goods and/or services for sale. Upon notice published over the service, THEFORCEFIELD.NET and/or Savoia Media may modify the Terms of Use, and may discontinue or revise any or all aspects of this site in its sole discretion and without prior notice. Modification of the Terms of Use will be deemed effective upon publication on this site with respect to transactions occurring after said date.
Copyright. The content, organization, gathering, compilation, magnetic translation, digital conversion and other matters related to THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media website are protected under applicable copyrights, trademarks, and other proprietary (including but not limited to intellectual property) rights, and the copying, redistribution, use or publication by the User of any such content or any part of this site is strictly prohibited without permission. Content provided by visitors, members and user remain the copyright of their original creators.
Indemnification. User agrees to indemnify, defend and hold THEFORCEFIELD.NET and Savoia Media and its affiliates, licensors and suppliers harmless from any liability, loss, claim and expense, including reasonable attorney’s fees, related to the User’s violation of the Terms of Use.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or remarks regarding this website, you can send us a letter. Mail it to: 10235 Creek Dale Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277. We can also be reached via e-mail at webmaster@theforcefield.net, or by telephone at (321) 244-0705.
Episode 4 – Man in the Middle
Today we will talk with two IT service professionals and learn how the over abundance of middlemen in the business have affected profitability for the field service tech who actually do the job.
Intro 1:21
Billboard 2:23
News and Comment segment 6:08
A new web browser has just been launched that promises to allow users to surf the web with complete privacy.
Microsoft has named Toshiba as the manufacturer of its new iPod-like line of products known as Zune.
Stopbadware.org has issued a preliminary report that includes AOL 9.0 on its list as badware.
Commercial Break 1:00
Get Great Web Hosting at GoDaddy.com and save 10%! Listen for the discount code in the show. GoDaddy.com 1:00.
Intro to calls 1:16
There is a trend in the marketplace to outsource IT services to third party vendors. Some of these subcontractors have subcontracted to other companies themselves, who in turn sub it out to someone else. This multi-level format has now evolved to a point that makes it difficult for the technician on the end to actually perform the work and still remain profitable. At what point does the service channel become too multi-tiered to even work? Steve and Dave will weigh in and tell us what they think.
Steve Call 5:42
Dave Call 9:50
Wrap up and Close :51
©2006 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.
http://media.techpodcasts.com/theforcefield/media.libsyn.com/media/theforcefield/The_Force_Field_4.mp3
Episode 3 – The Last Frontier
This week we talk with Dave Hendrickson and learn what it is like to be an IT tech in Alaska.
Intro 1:20
News and Comment segment 4:21
Apple plans to integrate it popular iPod in cars within the next year. SCO stock hit a low this week, so low that some market watchers find the future of the software company in doubt.
Commercial Break 1:00
Get Great Web Hosting at GoDaddy.com and save 10%! Listen for the discount code in the show. GoDaddy.com 1:00
Arctictech Interview 19:51
Intro to Interview. Dave Hendrickson talks about his experiences as an IT tech and OnForce Provider living and working in the great state of Alaska.
Wrap up and Close :51
©2006 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.
http://media.techpodcasts.com/theforcefield/media.libsyn.com/media/theforcefield/The_Force_Field_3.mp3
Episode 2 – The VoIP Connection
This week we talk with Jamie Begin and learn about the opportunities available to Providers who are interested in selling VoIP.
Intro 1:20
Billboard :56
News and Comment segment 6:56
Intel and AMD are getting ready to duke it out again and this time it looks like Intel is going to throw the first punch.
Microsoft announces software giveaway to partners The catch? Install it, evaluate it and fill out a survey.
Hear the sad story of a man in Malaysia who didn't have VoIP.
Commercial Break 1:00
Savoia Computer.
Provider Interview 15:10
Interview with an OnForce Provider, Jamie Begin from Bright Idea VoIP, who entered the VoIP market, how it works for him and what opportunities are available for other Providers who are thinking about getting into an area of technology that could be the next big thing.
Wrap up and Close :52
©2006 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.
Episode 1 – Pilot
This is the premiere episode in which we discuss remote support programs and the difficulties of being a MacGyver when serving customers.
Intro 1:05
News and Comment segment 8:30
Bill Gates III is stepping down as Chief Software Architect at Microsoft. What, if anything, does it really mean?
HP announces it will work with two retailers to resolve patent infringements with its ink and vows to continue weeding out offenses by third party ink suppliers. Are they trying to control quality or the market?
Kevin Gilroy is named CEO and board member of OnForce. Is it a sign of better things to come?
Commercial Break 1:00
Get Great Web Hosting at GoDaddy.com and save 10%! Listen for the discount code in the show. GoDaddy.com 1:00
Provider call-in discussion 9:00
How to call the show using Skype. Randy of Randy's PC Repair discusses remote support programs such as Logmein. Steve of Minuteman Tech discusses the difficulties and risks of acting as MacGyver for Clients and customers, a trap that many Providers fall into.
Wrap up and Close :51
©2006 Savoia Computer. All rights reserved.
http://media.techpodcasts.com/theforcefield/media.libsyn.com/media/theforcefield/The_Force_Field_1.mp3