Market Impact
Baan's protracted financial saga, negative publicity, personnel departures and channel shakeout, as well as the uncertain direction of acquired company, have begun to take its toll on customers' loyalty and patience. There has long been an open season on disconcerted customers of beleaguered ERP vendors like Baan and SSA. SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, Symix, MAPICS, QAD, as well as ROI Systems in this specific example, are only a few of the vendors, which have, with different level of candidness, developed strategies of preying on dissatisfied and apprehensive organizations where those doomed systems have been implemented.
Invensys should, without any delay, address customers' concerns by unequivocally stating its more detailed product strategy and the timeframe for its delivery. Also, it is very important that the company explain why it believes impending restructuring will not jeopardize future product development and/or service & support. The fact remains that Baan still has a competitive product line. The irony of life is that its core product has never been more mature and stable. However, product functionality and technology are only a small part of the selection process, with ever diminishing significance. Invensys may allay some of the viability questions, however, Baan's channels, both direct and indirect, to buy and sell its products were all but decimated during the last two years. Failure to rebuild these channels will have far-reaching consequences.
User Recommendations
While we cannot advise Baan's customers to remain cool, calm and collected, we do not recommend jumping ship in a knee-jerk reaction. Due diligence and development of case scenarios for either a system change or remaining with the status quo states goes without saying. An unsuccessfully implemented system and unhappy and/or demoralized users would be one of the additional crucial arguments for the case of switching to another system. On the other hand, in the case of a successful implementation, smooth business processes flow and users being fond of a system, one would have to reckon with the tremendous issues of managing change and user resistance.
Unless there is a crying need for and apparent, preferably quantifiable benefits from abandoning the Baan product currently in use, you may be better off by hanging on for awhile. Nevertheless, be on high alert and develop medium- to long-term alternative plans for moving to a new technology. Ensure that you have the prerogative to change the source code and a team of skilled resources available. 'Self-sufficiency' should be the name of the game. Approaching Invensys and asking for assurances and firm commitment to future service & support goes without saying. Until the acquisition is consummated and a new product strategy becomes clear, we do not advise potential users to evaluate this product. We suggest evaluating the features, price, and corporate viability of other vendors instead, before making a selection.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Conducting polymers
The linear-backbone "polymer blacks" (polyacetylene, polypyrrole, and polyaniline) and their copolymers are the main class of conductive polymers. Historically, these are known as Melanins. In 1963 Australians DE Weiss and coworkers reported iodine-doped oxidized polypyrrole blacks with resistivities as low as 1 ohm/cm. Subsequent papers reported resistances as low as 0.03 Ohm/cm. With the notable exception of Charge transfer complexes (some of which are even superconductors), organic molecules had previously been considered insulators or at best weakly conducting semiconductors.
Over a decade later in 1977, Shirakawa, Heeger, and MacDiarmid reported equivalent high conductivity in rather similarly oxidized and iodine-doped polyacetylene. They later received the 2000 Nobel prize in chemistry for " The discovery and development of conductive polymers ".
Over a decade later in 1977, Shirakawa, Heeger, and MacDiarmid reported equivalent high conductivity in rather similarly oxidized and iodine-doped polyacetylene. They later received the 2000 Nobel prize in chemistry for " The discovery and development of conductive polymers ".
Band structure
atoms - crystal - vacuum
In a single H-atom an electron resides in well known orbits. Note that the orbits are called s,p,d in order of increasing circular current.
Putting two atoms together leads to delocalized orbits across two atoms, a so called covalent bond. Due to Paulis principle in every state there is max one electron.
This can be continued with more atoms.
Using 6 carbon atoms one can create molecular orbits which allow for circular current. Filling the states following Pauli's principle leads to zero net current. Current due to uneven filling needs an energy investment.
Proceeding in a regular fashion and create a crystal, which may after creation be cut into a tape and fused together at the ends allow for circular currents.
For this regular solid the band structure can be calculated or measured.
Integrating over the k axis gives the bands of a semiconductor showing a full valence band and an empty conduction band. Generally stopping at the vacuum level is dumb, because some people want to calculate: photoemission, inverse photoemission, Semiconductor_detector#particle_detectors
After the band structure is determined states can be combined to generate wave packets. As this is analogous to wave packages in free space, the results are similar.
An alternative description, which does not really appreciate the strong Coulomb interaction, shoots free electrons into the crystal and looks at the scattering.
A third alternative description uses strongly localized unpaired electrons in chemical bonds, which looks almost like a Mott insulator.
In a single H-atom an electron resides in well known orbits. Note that the orbits are called s,p,d in order of increasing circular current.
Putting two atoms together leads to delocalized orbits across two atoms, a so called covalent bond. Due to Paulis principle in every state there is max one electron.
This can be continued with more atoms.
Using 6 carbon atoms one can create molecular orbits which allow for circular current. Filling the states following Pauli's principle leads to zero net current. Current due to uneven filling needs an energy investment.
Proceeding in a regular fashion and create a crystal, which may after creation be cut into a tape and fused together at the ends allow for circular currents.
For this regular solid the band structure can be calculated or measured.
Integrating over the k axis gives the bands of a semiconductor showing a full valence band and an empty conduction band. Generally stopping at the vacuum level is dumb, because some people want to calculate: photoemission, inverse photoemission, Semiconductor_detector#particle_detectors
After the band structure is determined states can be combined to generate wave packets. As this is analogous to wave packages in free space, the results are similar.
An alternative description, which does not really appreciate the strong Coulomb interaction, shoots free electrons into the crystal and looks at the scattering.
A third alternative description uses strongly localized unpaired electrons in chemical bonds, which looks almost like a Mott insulator.
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a solid material that has electrical conductivity in between that of a conductor and that of an insulator; it can vary over that wide range either permanently or dynamically.Semiconductors are tremendously important in technology. Semiconductor devices, electronic components made of semiconductor materials, are essential in modern electrical devices. Examples range from computers to cellular phones to digital audio players. Silicon is used to create most semiconductors commercially, but dozens of other materials are used as well.
Semiconductors are very similar to insulators. The two categories of solids differ primarily in that insulators have larger band gaps — energies that electrons must acquire to be free to move from atom to atom. In semiconductors at room temperature, just as in insulators, very few electrons gain enough thermal energy to leap the band gap from the valence band to the conduction band, which is necessary for electrons to be available for electric current conduction. For this reason, pure semiconductors and insulators in the absence of applied electric fields, have roughly similar resistance. The smaller bandgaps of semiconductors, however, allow for other means besides temperature to control their electrical properties.
Semiconductors' intrinsic electrical properties are often permanently modified by introducing impurities by a process known as doping. Usually, it is sufficient to approximate that each impurity atom adds one electron or one "hole" (a concept to be discussed later) that may flow freely. Upon the addition of a sufficiently large proportion of impurity dopants, semiconductors will conduct electricity nearly as well as metals. Depending on the kind of impurity, a doped region of semiconductor can have more electrons or holes, and is named N-type or P-type semiconductor material, respectively. Junctions between regions of N- and P-type semiconductors create electric fields, which cause electrons and holes to be available to move away from them, and this effect is critical to semiconductor device operation. Also, a density difference in the amount of impurities produces a small electric field in the region which is used to accelerate non-equilibrium electrons or holes.
In addition to permanent modification through doping, the resistance of semiconductors is normally modified dynamically by applying electric fields. The ability to control resistance/conductivity in regions of semiconductor material dynamically through the application of electric fields is the feature that makes semiconductors useful. It has led to the development of a broad range of semiconductor devices, like transistors and diodes. Semiconductor devices that have dynamically controllable conductivity, such as transistors, are the building blocks of integrated circuits devices like the microprocessor. These "active" semiconductor devices (transistors) are combined with passive components implemented from semiconductor material such as capacitors and resistors, to produce complete electronic circuits.
In most semiconductors, when electrons lose enough energy to fall from the conduction band to the valence band (the energy levels above and below the band gap), they often emit light. This photoemission process underlies the light-emitting diode (LED) and the semiconductor laser, both of which are very important commercially. Conversely, semiconductor absorption of light in photodetectors excites electrons to move from the valence band to the higher energy conduction band, thus facilitating detection of light and vary with its intensity. This is useful for fiber optic communications, and providing the basis for energy from solar cells.
Semiconductors may be elemental materials such as silicon and germanium, or compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide, or alloys such as silicon germanium or aluminium gallium arsenide.
Semiconductors are very similar to insulators. The two categories of solids differ primarily in that insulators have larger band gaps — energies that electrons must acquire to be free to move from atom to atom. In semiconductors at room temperature, just as in insulators, very few electrons gain enough thermal energy to leap the band gap from the valence band to the conduction band, which is necessary for electrons to be available for electric current conduction. For this reason, pure semiconductors and insulators in the absence of applied electric fields, have roughly similar resistance. The smaller bandgaps of semiconductors, however, allow for other means besides temperature to control their electrical properties.
Semiconductors' intrinsic electrical properties are often permanently modified by introducing impurities by a process known as doping. Usually, it is sufficient to approximate that each impurity atom adds one electron or one "hole" (a concept to be discussed later) that may flow freely. Upon the addition of a sufficiently large proportion of impurity dopants, semiconductors will conduct electricity nearly as well as metals. Depending on the kind of impurity, a doped region of semiconductor can have more electrons or holes, and is named N-type or P-type semiconductor material, respectively. Junctions between regions of N- and P-type semiconductors create electric fields, which cause electrons and holes to be available to move away from them, and this effect is critical to semiconductor device operation. Also, a density difference in the amount of impurities produces a small electric field in the region which is used to accelerate non-equilibrium electrons or holes.
In addition to permanent modification through doping, the resistance of semiconductors is normally modified dynamically by applying electric fields. The ability to control resistance/conductivity in regions of semiconductor material dynamically through the application of electric fields is the feature that makes semiconductors useful. It has led to the development of a broad range of semiconductor devices, like transistors and diodes. Semiconductor devices that have dynamically controllable conductivity, such as transistors, are the building blocks of integrated circuits devices like the microprocessor. These "active" semiconductor devices (transistors) are combined with passive components implemented from semiconductor material such as capacitors and resistors, to produce complete electronic circuits.
In most semiconductors, when electrons lose enough energy to fall from the conduction band to the valence band (the energy levels above and below the band gap), they often emit light. This photoemission process underlies the light-emitting diode (LED) and the semiconductor laser, both of which are very important commercially. Conversely, semiconductor absorption of light in photodetectors excites electrons to move from the valence band to the higher energy conduction band, thus facilitating detection of light and vary with its intensity. This is useful for fiber optic communications, and providing the basis for energy from solar cells.
Semiconductors may be elemental materials such as silicon and germanium, or compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide, or alloys such as silicon germanium or aluminium gallium arsenide.
Charge transfer complexes
The first highly-conductive organic compounds were the Charge transfer complexes. In 1954, researchers at Bell Labs and elsewhere reported Charge transfer complexes with resistivities as low as 8 ohms-cm . In the early 1970's, salts of tetrathiafulvalene were shown to exhibit almost metallic conductivity, while superconductivity was demonstrated in 1980. Broad research on charge transfer salts continues today.
Charge Transfer (CT) bands in transition metal complexes result from movement of electrons between molecular orbitals (MO) that are predominantly metal in character and those that are predominantly ligand in character. If the electron moves from the MO with ligand like character to the metal like one, the complexes is called Ligand to Metal Charge Transfer (LMCT) complex. If the electron moves from the MO with metal like character to the ligand like one, the complexes is called Metal to Ligand Charge Transfer (MLCT) complex. Thus a MLCT results in oxidation of the metal center whereas a LMCT results in the reduction of the metal center. Resonance Raman Spectroscopy is a powerful technique to assign and characterize charge transfer bands.
Charge Transfer (CT) bands in transition metal complexes result from movement of electrons between molecular orbitals (MO) that are predominantly metal in character and those that are predominantly ligand in character. If the electron moves from the MO with ligand like character to the metal like one, the complexes is called Ligand to Metal Charge Transfer (LMCT) complex. If the electron moves from the MO with metal like character to the ligand like one, the complexes is called Metal to Ligand Charge Transfer (MLCT) complex. Thus a MLCT results in oxidation of the metal center whereas a LMCT results in the reduction of the metal center. Resonance Raman Spectroscopy is a powerful technique to assign and characterize charge transfer bands.
Field-effect transistor
The field-effect transistor (FET) is a type of transistor that relies on an electric field to control the shape and hence the conductivity of a 'channel' in a semiconductor material. The concept of the field effect transistor predates the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), though it was not physically implemented until after BJTs, due to the limitations of semiconductor materials and relative ease of manufacturing BJTs compared to FETs at the time.
Terminals
All FETs except J-FETs have four terminals, which are known as the gate, drain, source and body/base/bulk/substrate. Compare these to the terms used for BJTs: base, collector and emitter. BJTs and J-FETs have no body terminal.
The names of the terminals refer to their functions. The gate terminal may be thought of as controlling the opening and closing of a physical gate. This gate permits electrons to flow through or blocks their passage by creating or eliminating a channel between the source and drain. Electrons flow from the source terminal towards the drain terminal if influenced by an applied voltage. The body simply refers to the bulk of the semiconductor in which the gate, source and drain lie. Usually the body terminal is connected to the highest or lowest voltage within the circuit, depending on type. The body terminal and the source terminal are sometimes connected together since the source is also sometimes connected to the highest or lowest voltage within the circuit, however there are several uses of FETs which do not have such a configuration, such as transmission gates and cascode circuits.
Terminals
All FETs except J-FETs have four terminals, which are known as the gate, drain, source and body/base/bulk/substrate. Compare these to the terms used for BJTs: base, collector and emitter. BJTs and J-FETs have no body terminal.
The names of the terminals refer to their functions. The gate terminal may be thought of as controlling the opening and closing of a physical gate. This gate permits electrons to flow through or blocks their passage by creating or eliminating a channel between the source and drain. Electrons flow from the source terminal towards the drain terminal if influenced by an applied voltage. The body simply refers to the bulk of the semiconductor in which the gate, source and drain lie. Usually the body terminal is connected to the highest or lowest voltage within the circuit, depending on type. The body terminal and the source terminal are sometimes connected together since the source is also sometimes connected to the highest or lowest voltage within the circuit, however there are several uses of FETs which do not have such a configuration, such as transmission gates and cascode circuits.
Quantum realm
Quantum realm is a term of art in physics referring to scales where quantum mechanical effects become important . Typically, this means distances of 100 nanometers (nm) or less. Not coincidentally, this is the same scale as Nanotechnology.
While originating on the nanometer scale, such effects can operate on a macro level. The classic example is Electron tunneling. Most fundamental processes in Molecular electronics, Organic electronics, and Organic semiconductors also originate in the quantum realm.
The quantum realm can also sometimes paradoxically involve actions at long distances. E.g., "The quantum realm involves curious correlations between distant events. A well-known example is David Bohm's (1951) version of the famous thought experiment that Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen proposed in 1935 (henceforth, the EPR/B experiment). Pairs of particles are emitted from a source in the so-called spin singlet state and rush in opposite directions . When the particles are widely separated from each other, they each encounter a measuring apparatus that can be set to measure their spin components along various directions. Although the measurement events are distant from each other, so that no slower-than-light or light signal can travel between them, the measurement outcomes are curiously correlated
While originating on the nanometer scale, such effects can operate on a macro level. The classic example is Electron tunneling. Most fundamental processes in Molecular electronics, Organic electronics, and Organic semiconductors also originate in the quantum realm.
The quantum realm can also sometimes paradoxically involve actions at long distances. E.g., "The quantum realm involves curious correlations between distant events. A well-known example is David Bohm's (1951) version of the famous thought experiment that Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen proposed in 1935 (henceforth, the EPR/B experiment). Pairs of particles are emitted from a source in the so-called spin singlet state and rush in opposite directions . When the particles are widely separated from each other, they each encounter a measuring apparatus that can be set to measure their spin components along various directions. Although the measurement events are distant from each other, so that no slower-than-light or light signal can travel between them, the measurement outcomes are curiously correlated
Organic electronic devices
A 1972 paper in the journal Science proposed a model for electronic conduction in the melanins. Historically, melanin is another name for the various oxidized polyacetylene, polyaniline, and Polypyrrole "blacks" and their mixed copolymers, all commonly-used in present day organic electronic devices. E.g., some fungal melanins are pure polyacetylene. This model drew upon the theories of Neville Mott and others on conduction in disordered materials. Subsequently, in 1974, the same workers at the Physics Department of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported an organic electronic device, a voltage-controlled switch
Their material also incidentally demonstrated "negative differential resistance", now a hall-mark of such materials. A contemporary news article in the journal Nature noted this materials "strikingly high conductivity'. These researchers further patented batteries, etc. using organic semiconductive materials. Their original "gadget" is now in the Smithsonian's collection of early electronic devices.
This work, like that the decade-earlier report of high-conductivity in a polypyrrole, was "too early" and went unrecognized outside of pigment cell research until recently. At the time, few except cancer research institutes were interested in the electronic properties of such polymers, which are applicable to the treatment of melanoma.
Their material also incidentally demonstrated "negative differential resistance", now a hall-mark of such materials. A contemporary news article in the journal Nature noted this materials "strikingly high conductivity'. These researchers further patented batteries, etc. using organic semiconductive materials. Their original "gadget" is now in the Smithsonian's collection of early electronic devices.
This work, like that the decade-earlier report of high-conductivity in a polypyrrole, was "too early" and went unrecognized outside of pigment cell research until recently. At the time, few except cancer research institutes were interested in the electronic properties of such polymers, which are applicable to the treatment of melanoma.
Organic electronics
Organic electronics, or plastic electronics, is a branch of electronics that deals with conductive polymers, plastics, or small molecules. It is called 'organic' electronics because the polymers and small molecules are carbon-based, like the molecules of living things. This is as opposed to traditional electronics which relies on inorganic conductors such as copper or silicon.
In addition to organic Charge transfer complexes, technically, electrically conductive polymers are mainly derivatives of polyacetylene black (the "simplest melanin"). Examples include PA (more specificially iodine-doped trans-polyacetylene); polyaniline: PANI, when doped with a protonic acid; and poly(dioctyl-bithiophene): PDOT.
For a history of the field, see "An Overview of the First Half-Century of Molecular Electronics" by Noel S. Hush, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1006: 1–20 (2003).
The men principally credited for the discovery and development of highly-conductive organic polymers (at least of the rigid-backbone "polyacetylene" class) are Alan J. Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid, and Hideki Shirakawa, who were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for the 1977 discovery and development of oxidized, iodine-doped polyacetylene.
Interestingly, this prize passed over the much earlier discovery of highly-conductive organic Charge transfer complexes, some of which are even superconductive. Similarly, the first demonstration of high-conductivity in the linear backbone polymers was a series of papers by Weiss et al in 1963. These workers reported a conductivity of 1 S/cm in a similarly iodine-"doped" and oxidized polypyrrole black.
Conduction mechanisms in such materials involve resonance stabilization and delocalization of pi electrons along entire polymer backbones, as well as mobility gaps, tunneling, and phonon-assisted hopping.
Melanin voltage-controlled switch, an "active" organic polymer electronic device from 1974. Now in the Smithsonian.
Conductive polymers are lighter, more flexible, and less expensive than inorganic conductors. This makes them a desirable alternative in many applications. It also creates the possibility of new applications that would be impossible using copper or silicon.
New applications include smart windows and electronic paper. Conductive polymers are expected to play an important role in the emerging science of molecular computers.
In general organic conductive polymers have a higher resistance and therefore conduct electricity poorly and inefficiently, as compared to inorganic conductors. Researchers currently are exploring ways of "doping" organic semiconductors, like melanin, with relatively small amounts of conductive metals to boost conductivity. However, for many applications, inorganic conductors will remain the only viable option.
In addition to organic Charge transfer complexes, technically, electrically conductive polymers are mainly derivatives of polyacetylene black (the "simplest melanin"). Examples include PA (more specificially iodine-doped trans-polyacetylene); polyaniline: PANI, when doped with a protonic acid; and poly(dioctyl-bithiophene): PDOT.
For a history of the field, see "An Overview of the First Half-Century of Molecular Electronics" by Noel S. Hush, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1006: 1–20 (2003).
The men principally credited for the discovery and development of highly-conductive organic polymers (at least of the rigid-backbone "polyacetylene" class) are Alan J. Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid, and Hideki Shirakawa, who were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for the 1977 discovery and development of oxidized, iodine-doped polyacetylene.
Interestingly, this prize passed over the much earlier discovery of highly-conductive organic Charge transfer complexes, some of which are even superconductive. Similarly, the first demonstration of high-conductivity in the linear backbone polymers was a series of papers by Weiss et al in 1963. These workers reported a conductivity of 1 S/cm in a similarly iodine-"doped" and oxidized polypyrrole black.
Conduction mechanisms in such materials involve resonance stabilization and delocalization of pi electrons along entire polymer backbones, as well as mobility gaps, tunneling, and phonon-assisted hopping.
Melanin voltage-controlled switch, an "active" organic polymer electronic device from 1974. Now in the Smithsonian.
Conductive polymers are lighter, more flexible, and less expensive than inorganic conductors. This makes them a desirable alternative in many applications. It also creates the possibility of new applications that would be impossible using copper or silicon.
New applications include smart windows and electronic paper. Conductive polymers are expected to play an important role in the emerging science of molecular computers.
In general organic conductive polymers have a higher resistance and therefore conduct electricity poorly and inefficiently, as compared to inorganic conductors. Researchers currently are exploring ways of "doping" organic semiconductors, like melanin, with relatively small amounts of conductive metals to boost conductivity. However, for many applications, inorganic conductors will remain the only viable option.
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current to direct current, a process known as rectification. Rectifiers are used as components of power supplies and as detectors of radio signals. Rectifiers may be made of solid state diodes, vacuum tube diodes, mercury arc valves, and other components.
A circuit which performs the opposite function (converting DC to AC) is known as an inverter.
When only one diode is used to rectify AC (by blocking the negative or positive portion of the waveform), the difference between the term diode and the term rectifier is merely one of usage, i.e., the term rectifier describes a diode that is being used to convert AC to DC. Almost all rectifiers comprise a number of diodes in a specific arrangement for more efficiently converting AC to DC than is possible with only one diode. Before the development of silicon semiconductor rectifiers, vacuum tube diodes and copper(I) oxide or selenium rectifier stacks were used.
Early radio receivers, called crystal radios, used a "cat's whisker" of fine wire pressing on a crystal of galena (lead sulfide) to serve as a point-contact rectifier or "crystal detector". In gas heating systems flame rectification can be used to detect a flame. Two metal electrodes in the outer layer of the flame provide a current path and rectification of an applied alternating voltage, but only while the flame is pr
A circuit which performs the opposite function (converting DC to AC) is known as an inverter.
When only one diode is used to rectify AC (by blocking the negative or positive portion of the waveform), the difference between the term diode and the term rectifier is merely one of usage, i.e., the term rectifier describes a diode that is being used to convert AC to DC. Almost all rectifiers comprise a number of diodes in a specific arrangement for more efficiently converting AC to DC than is possible with only one diode. Before the development of silicon semiconductor rectifiers, vacuum tube diodes and copper(I) oxide or selenium rectifier stacks were used.
Early radio receivers, called crystal radios, used a "cat's whisker" of fine wire pressing on a crystal of galena (lead sulfide) to serve as a point-contact rectifier or "crystal detector". In gas heating systems flame rectification can be used to detect a flame. Two metal electrodes in the outer layer of the flame provide a current path and rectification of an applied alternating voltage, but only while the flame is pr
Stereoelectronics
Stereoelectronics is the study of the interplay between the electronic structure and geometry of a molecule. For example, in the case of reactant molecules with chiral isomers the electron distribution can determine the stereochemistry of the reactions of the different diastereomers
History, origins, and generations
In April 1949, the German engineer Werner Jacobi (Siemens AG) filed the earliest patent for an integrated-circuit-like semiconductor amplifying device showing five transistors on a common substrate arranged in a 3-stage amplifier arrangement. Jacobi discloses small and cheap hearing aids as typical industrial applications of his patent. A commercial use of his patent has not been reported.
The integrated circuit was later also conceived by a radar scientist, Geoffrey W.A. Dummer (1909-2002), working for the Royal Radar Establishment of the British Ministry of Defence, and published in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 1952. Dummer unsuccessfully attempted to build such a circuit in 1956.
A precursor idea to the IC was to create small ceramic squares (wafers), each one containing a single miniaturized component. Components could then be integrated and wired into a bidimensional or tridimensional compact grid. This idea, which looked very promising in 1957, was proposed to the US Army by Jack Kilby, and led to the short-lived Micromodule Program (similar to 1951's Project Tinkertoy). However, as the project was gaining momentum, Kilby came up with a new, revolutionary design: the IC.
The first integrated circuits were manufactured independently by two scientists: Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments filed a patent for a "Solid Circuit" made of germanium on February 6, 1959. Kilby received several US patents. Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor was awarded a patent for a more complex "unitary circuit" made of Silicon on April 25, 1961. ( the Chip that Jack built for more information.)
Noyce credited Kurt Lehovec of Sprague Electric for the principle of p-n junction isolation caused by the action of a biased p-n junction (the diode) as a key concept behind the IC.
The integrated circuit was later also conceived by a radar scientist, Geoffrey W.A. Dummer (1909-2002), working for the Royal Radar Establishment of the British Ministry of Defence, and published in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 1952. Dummer unsuccessfully attempted to build such a circuit in 1956.
A precursor idea to the IC was to create small ceramic squares (wafers), each one containing a single miniaturized component. Components could then be integrated and wired into a bidimensional or tridimensional compact grid. This idea, which looked very promising in 1957, was proposed to the US Army by Jack Kilby, and led to the short-lived Micromodule Program (similar to 1951's Project Tinkertoy). However, as the project was gaining momentum, Kilby came up with a new, revolutionary design: the IC.
The first integrated circuits were manufactured independently by two scientists: Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments filed a patent for a "Solid Circuit" made of germanium on February 6, 1959. Kilby received several US patents. Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor was awarded a patent for a more complex "unitary circuit" made of Silicon on April 25, 1961. ( the Chip that Jack built for more information.)
Noyce credited Kurt Lehovec of Sprague Electric for the principle of p-n junction isolation caused by the action of a biased p-n junction (the diode) as a key concept behind the IC.
Integrated circuit
In electronics, an integrated circuit (also known as IC, microcircuit, microchip, silicon chip, or chip) is a miniaturized electronic circuit (consisting mainly of semiconductor devices, as well as passive components) that has been manufactured in the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material.
A hybrid integrated circuit is a miniaturized electronic circuit constructed of individual semiconductor devices, as well as passive components, bonded to a substrate or circuit board
Integrated circuits were made possible by experimental discoveries which showed that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes, and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability, and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized ICs in place of designs using discrete transistors.
There are two main advantages of ICs over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit by photolithography and not constructed one transistor at a time. Performance is high since the components switch quickly and consume little power, because the components are small and close together. As of 2006, chip areas range from a few square mm to around 350 mm², with up to 1 million transistors per mm².
A hybrid integrated circuit is a miniaturized electronic circuit constructed of individual semiconductor devices, as well as passive components, bonded to a substrate or circuit board
Integrated circuits were made possible by experimental discoveries which showed that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes, and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability, and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized ICs in place of designs using discrete transistors.
There are two main advantages of ICs over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit by photolithography and not constructed one transistor at a time. Performance is high since the components switch quickly and consume little power, because the components are small and close together. As of 2006, chip areas range from a few square mm to around 350 mm², with up to 1 million transistors per mm².
Integrated circuit
In electronics, an integrated circuit (also known as IC, microcircuit, microchip, silicon chip, or chip) is a miniaturized electronic circuit (consisting mainly of semiconductor devices, as well as passive components) that has been manufactured in the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material.
A hybrid integrated circuit is a miniaturized electronic circuit constructed of individual semiconductor devices, as well as passive components, bonded to a substrate or circuit board
Integrated circuits were made possible by experimental discoveries which showed that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes, and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability, and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized ICs in place of designs using discrete transistors.
There are two main advantages of ICs over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit by photolithography and not constructed one transistor at a time. Performance is high since the components switch quickly and consume little power, because the components are small and close together. As of 2006, chip areas range from a few square mm to around 350 mm², with up to 1 million transistors per mm².
A hybrid integrated circuit is a miniaturized electronic circuit constructed of individual semiconductor devices, as well as passive components, bonded to a substrate or circuit board
Integrated circuits were made possible by experimental discoveries which showed that semiconductor devices could perform the functions of vacuum tubes, and by mid-20th-century technology advancements in semiconductor device fabrication. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip was an enormous improvement over the manual assembly of circuits using discrete electronic components. The integrated circuit's mass production capability, reliability, and building-block approach to circuit design ensured the rapid adoption of standardized ICs in place of designs using discrete transistors.
There are two main advantages of ICs over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit by photolithography and not constructed one transistor at a time. Performance is high since the components switch quickly and consume little power, because the components are small and close together. As of 2006, chip areas range from a few square mm to around 350 mm², with up to 1 million transistors per mm².
Home > Nation > Top Stories Napocor, Meralco take ‘war’ to newspaper ads
MANILA, Philippines - The "blame game" between Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the National Power Corp. (Napocor) on high power rates shifted Tuesday from the Senate to national newspapers.Full-page ads appeared in major newspapers - some blaming Napocor, others blaming Meralco for high electricity rates. Noticeably, "pro-Meralco" groups placed more full-page ads in some newspapers."Hoy Gising (Hey wake up)!" was the theme of the latest "pro-Meralco" ads, which said systems loss allowances are "normal, usual and standard."One of the pro-Meralco ads noted that Meralco under the Lopez Group had brought down systems losses to 9.65 percent in 2007. "Meralco has reduced system loss to its lowest level in 27 years," it said.This was a far cry from the 21 percent systems losses incurred by Meralco when it was being run by "Marcos cronies" during Martial Law, the ad stated.It said that when the Lopez Group took over Meralco in 1987, the systems losses went down to 17 percent in 1988 at to 15 percent in 1989. On the other hand, the ad stated that a law in 1994 limited maximum deductible systems loss to 9.5 percent in urban areas and 14 percent for rural areas.Another pro-Meralco ad which appeared in another newspaper claimed that Meralco fees actually went down in the last five years.Yet another ad questioned Napocor for its P9 per kilowatthour generation cost at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). "May bukol ba ang presyo ng Napocor electricity (Is there a profit to be made from Napocor electricity)?" it asked. On the other hand, pro-Napocor ads placed by the "National Labor Union" also appeared in newspapers citing discrepancies between Meralco's ads and figures on its website.It also questioned Meralco's "sweetheart deals" with power generating firms owned by the Lopez Group."Mas binibigyan ng prayoridad ng Meralco ang Sta. Rita at San Lorenzo. Mas inuna ang mga sweetheart deals ng Meralco sa kanyang affiliate companies (Meralco is prioritizing Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo. It puts sweetheart deals first because of its affiliate companies)," it said.The ad said Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo are owned by First Gen Corp., which in turn is controlled (66.23 percent) by First Philippines Holding Corp. First Philippine Holdings Corp. also controls Meralco with a 33.4 percent stake.First Philippine Holdings Corp., is in turn is controlled by Benpres Holdings Corp. (43.2 percent) - whose 55.4 percent stake is owned by the Lopez family."The issues being raised go beyond power rates. The Napocor is in a better position to explain its power rate structure," it said. It also said shareholders of Meralco outside of the Lopezes want to keep Meralco profitable to get a good return from their investments, "but these same shareholders want to be assured that Meralco's profit are earned with honor.""Shareholders not within the ambit of the Lopezes' power want to stop Meralco management's double talk. Only by being transparent can all of us, stakehoholders and consumers, be assured that we are being charged fair and equitable power rates... Protect the public, lower electriccost," it added. -
Monday, April 12, 2010
Electronic Timesheets
Hourdoc utilizes Electronic Timesheets to track a variety of Time and Attendance needs.
Electronic Timesheets can be used for time collection data for single or multiple jobs and integrate the data to a payroll software program.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage FMLA. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing FMLA approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee FMLA usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between FMLA usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Vacation Day Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Vacation Day Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Vacation Day Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Vacation Day Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Sick Day Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Sick Day Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Sick Day Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Sick Day Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Paid Time Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Paid Time Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Paid Time Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Paid Time Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Floating Holiday Time Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in Floating Holiday Time Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor Floating Holiday Time Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Floating Holiday Time Off usage and payroll reporting.
Electronic Timesheets can be used for time collection data for single or multiple jobs and integrate the data to a payroll software program.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage FMLA. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing FMLA approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee FMLA usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between FMLA usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Vacation Day Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Vacation Day Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Vacation Day Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Vacation Day Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Sick Day Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Sick Day Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Sick Day Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Sick Day Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Paid Time Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in managing Paid Time Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor employee Paid Time Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Paid Time Off usage and payroll reporting.
The ElectronicTimesheets are a quick and easy way to manage Floating Holiday Time Off Requests. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the requesting process. Electronic Timesheets allow management of the approval process. Electronic Timesheets assist in Floating Holiday Time Off approvals. Electronic Timesheets provides a reporting tool to monitor Floating Holiday Time Off usage. Electronic Timesheets facilitate the integration between Floating Holiday Time Off usage and payroll reporting.
Electronic Transaction Law of Oman: a Review
In a move towards creating a suitable environment for secure electronic transactions, the Sultanate of Oman has issued the e-Transactions Law formalised by the Royal Decree 69/2008.
This is the first law for legalising electronic transactions in Oman which can be defined as any contract, agreement or communication in this regard to be fully or partially implemented by electronic means as electronic messages.
The formulation of this law begins a new era for Oman, where a truly e-enabled society evolves in the realisation of the digital society of Sultanate. It is a major milestone in the implementation of the national IT strategy by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) of Oman.
The e-transactions law consists of nine sections and combines 54 articles, developed and refined over a period of three years. ITA along with a few other government entities and a private law firm have compiled this law based on studies about the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Trans-border Flows of Personal Data, and e-laws of several countries like the USA, Europe, France, Ireland, Malaysia and Tunisia.
The e-transactions law of Oman legalises the use of digital signatures in electronic commerce and communications through letters, emails, etc. Organisations wishing to introduce digital signatures for their use must be approved by the Information Technology Authority through a formal process.
Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of Information Technology Authority (ITA) has pointed out that one of the main purpose of this law is to facilitate electronic transactions which are vital to e-government and e-commerce applications in Oman. In order to support such transactions, any contract, agreement or communication carried by electronic means as electronic messages is considered legally valid through this law. It regulates the transfer of electronic data and messages through various electronic channels such as the Internet and control changes made to data.
For creating the regulatory environment, the law has strict penalties for anyone misusing electronic systems, the applications and the data resident in them by punishing criminal acts using electronic systems and data like hacking into computer systems, unauthorised capture or tampering of data, etc.
ITA is saying that through this law it aims to consolidate public trust in the safe use of e-transaction, messages and records while assuring adequate protection for privacy of data of individuals involved in such e-transactions.
Promotion of this law sets up unified rules, regulations, and standards of authenticating electronic messages and records. By building trust and security, it will reinforce the development of the e-transaction at the national, Gulf, and Arabic domain by using the
e-signature and e-transactions. The use of electronic signatures in electronic commerce set forth a common legal framework for electronic authentication over the Internet or other electronic media. It also will play a pivotal role in forming contracts, carrying out business; assisting people work together co-operatively and underpin many forms of electronic collaboration.
As a comprehensive law it gives credibility to electronic information sharing, while taking the issue of information and communication security to higher levels of authentication, integrity and privacy.
The law provides for encryption as a means to protect e-transactions in order to ensure confidentiality of information or data of the message, to verify the originator, and to prevent others from getting information or data messages so as not to reach the addressee or to corrupt them.
Government entities can now use electronic records and digital signatures in tendering systems; license request processing and taxation systems can also accept fees or any payments electronically.
Protection for adequate privacy in matters related to personal data held in computer systems and processes for enabling electronic transactions is assured by the new e-transactions law of Oman. The law rests the responsibility of protecting electronic systems and data on the entities that manage these electronic systems and the authorised entity that issues valid digital signatures.
The necessary regulations and decisions for the law, which will come into effect three months after its publication in the Government Gazette, would be issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
This is the first law for legalising electronic transactions in Oman which can be defined as any contract, agreement or communication in this regard to be fully or partially implemented by electronic means as electronic messages.
The formulation of this law begins a new era for Oman, where a truly e-enabled society evolves in the realisation of the digital society of Sultanate. It is a major milestone in the implementation of the national IT strategy by the Information Technology Authority (ITA) of Oman.
The e-transactions law consists of nine sections and combines 54 articles, developed and refined over a period of three years. ITA along with a few other government entities and a private law firm have compiled this law based on studies about the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Trans-border Flows of Personal Data, and e-laws of several countries like the USA, Europe, France, Ireland, Malaysia and Tunisia.
The e-transactions law of Oman legalises the use of digital signatures in electronic commerce and communications through letters, emails, etc. Organisations wishing to introduce digital signatures for their use must be approved by the Information Technology Authority through a formal process.
Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of Information Technology Authority (ITA) has pointed out that one of the main purpose of this law is to facilitate electronic transactions which are vital to e-government and e-commerce applications in Oman. In order to support such transactions, any contract, agreement or communication carried by electronic means as electronic messages is considered legally valid through this law. It regulates the transfer of electronic data and messages through various electronic channels such as the Internet and control changes made to data.
For creating the regulatory environment, the law has strict penalties for anyone misusing electronic systems, the applications and the data resident in them by punishing criminal acts using electronic systems and data like hacking into computer systems, unauthorised capture or tampering of data, etc.
ITA is saying that through this law it aims to consolidate public trust in the safe use of e-transaction, messages and records while assuring adequate protection for privacy of data of individuals involved in such e-transactions.
Promotion of this law sets up unified rules, regulations, and standards of authenticating electronic messages and records. By building trust and security, it will reinforce the development of the e-transaction at the national, Gulf, and Arabic domain by using the
e-signature and e-transactions. The use of electronic signatures in electronic commerce set forth a common legal framework for electronic authentication over the Internet or other electronic media. It also will play a pivotal role in forming contracts, carrying out business; assisting people work together co-operatively and underpin many forms of electronic collaboration.
As a comprehensive law it gives credibility to electronic information sharing, while taking the issue of information and communication security to higher levels of authentication, integrity and privacy.
The law provides for encryption as a means to protect e-transactions in order to ensure confidentiality of information or data of the message, to verify the originator, and to prevent others from getting information or data messages so as not to reach the addressee or to corrupt them.
Government entities can now use electronic records and digital signatures in tendering systems; license request processing and taxation systems can also accept fees or any payments electronically.
Protection for adequate privacy in matters related to personal data held in computer systems and processes for enabling electronic transactions is assured by the new e-transactions law of Oman. The law rests the responsibility of protecting electronic systems and data on the entities that manage these electronic systems and the authorised entity that issues valid digital signatures.
The necessary regulations and decisions for the law, which will come into effect three months after its publication in the Government Gazette, would be issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
Electronics Degrees Get Careers Moving
If you’re interested in the “flow” of charge through materials and devices including semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures and vacuum tubes, an electronics degree
may be just the education you’re looking for. The design and construction of electronic circuits to solve challenges in the fields of computer, and electronic engineering is an essential skill in today’s business world, and a highly sought after career for today and for the future.
Students and returning professionals looking for electronics certification may discover several similarities:
* An interest in the study of semiconductor devices and surrounding technology.
* A desire to control and process data.
* A keen interest in the conversion to/from, and the distribution of electric power.
* The goal of learning, understanding and working with electronic systems including inputs, signal processors, and outputs.
* A desire to work in a field that includes analog and/or digital circuits, highly integrated devices, and mixed-signal circuits.
* A passion for one or more of the following: heat dissipation and thermal management, electronics theory and testing equipment, computer aided design (CAD), and electronic construction methods.
Once you determine that you want to pursue electronics training, you may want to consider what branch or branches of electronics you want to apply your electronics certification to including any of the following:
* Digital electronics
* Analogue electronics
* Microelectronics
* Fuzzy electronics
* Circuit design
* Integrated circuits
* Optoelectronics
* Semiconductors and/or semiconductor devices
When you know which branch or branches of electronics you want to apply your electronics degree to, you may want to choose the appropriate technical institute for your electronics training and/or electronics certification studies.
ITT Technical Institute not only has an in-depth electronics training curriculum that combines classroom study with real-world applications, the institute also offers an online electronics training options, which make it easy for you to balance your electronics degree studies with your work and personal life.
Whether you choose to get your entire electronics training in the classroom or to supplement your education through online electronics training that suit your lifestyle, you’ll be on your way to getting your career moving. Maybe you want to shape the entire world through a breakthrough approach to electronic business communication, or perhaps you want to enhance current electronics technology? Whatever your desire, you’ll find the education you need to accomplish your goals at ITT Tech.
Electronics Degrees Get Careers Moving
If you’re interested in the “flow” of charge through materials and devices including semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures and vacuum tubes, an electronics degree
may be just the education you’re looking for. The design and construction of electronic circuits to solve challenges in the fields of computer, and electronic engineering is an essential skill in today’s business world, and a highly sought after career for today and for the future.
Students and returning professionals looking for electronics certification may discover several similarities:
* An interest in the study of semiconductor devices and surrounding technology.
* A desire to control and process data.
* A keen interest in the conversion to/from, and the distribution of electric power.
* The goal of learning, understanding and working with electronic systems including inputs, signal processors, and outputs.
* A desire to work in a field that includes analog and/or digital circuits, highly integrated devices, and mixed-signal circuits.
* A passion for one or more of the following: heat dissipation and thermal management, electronics theory and testing equipment, computer aided design (CAD), and electronic construction methods.
Once you determine that you want to pursue electronics training, you may want to consider what branch or branches of electronics you want to apply your electronics certification to including any of the following:
* Digital electronics
* Analogue electronics
* Microelectronics
* Fuzzy electronics
* Circuit design
* Integrated circuits
* Optoelectronics
* Semiconductors and/or semiconductor devices
When you know which branch or branches of electronics you want to apply your electronics degree to, you may want to choose the appropriate technical institute for your electronics training and/or electronics certification studies.
ITT Technical Institute not only has an in-depth electronics training curriculum that combines classroom study with real-world applications, the institute also offers an online electronics training options, which make it easy for you to balance your electronics degree studies with your work and personal life.
Whether you choose to get your entire electronics training in the classroom or to supplement your education through online electronics training that suit your lifestyle, you’ll be on your way to getting your career moving. Maybe you want to shape the entire world through a breakthrough approach to electronic business communication, or perhaps you want to enhance current electronics technology? Whatever your desire, you’ll find the education you need to accomplish your goals at ITT Tech.
The Names Say it All: Best Buy and Newegg for Electronics
When you think electronics, you may automatically think of Best Buy. But you should check out NewEgg - the new kid in town when it comes to getting a vast array of electronic equipment at a competitive price.
Best Buy is a super store that specializes in all things electronic and has pretty much run unfettered when it comes to competition. NewEgg is an up and coming electronics store that operates online and off line and is determined to give Best Buy a run for its money.
Racking up the Discounts
Many people today are buying electronics, DVDs, music and even televisions online, where they can get the best deals for their money. Most of the large retailers, such as Best Buy, have online stores as well. These online stores offer discounts for those who deem to make their purchases over the internet. You can find coupons for Best Buy and New Egg electronics by looking online. Often, if you make a purchase from one of these stores, you will receive discounts by way of coupons in your email. Check your email, including your spam folder, when it comes to getting discounts on electronics.
Spoilt for Choice at Best Buy
Best Buy offers a wide selection of electronic equipment and the off line stores have just about anything that plugs into a wall. These include electronic items such as computers, cell phones, cameras and camcorders as well as television sets and even home appliances. No matter what you want that is electronic, you can get it at Best Buy, either online or off line, usually at a competitive price.
Delightful Discounts at Newegg
Newegg is a relatively new store that offers electronics for less. Anyone who is purchasing electronics should take a look at the prices in this electronics store. You can often find the same electronic equipment that you would buy at Best Buy for less when you visit Newegg. However, you will not find the same vast amount of selection at NewEgg as you will when you visit Best Buy.
When it comes to payment methods, Best Buy has their own store credit card that can be used to make purchases in their store, both online and off line. NewEgg does not have a store credit card, but does accept credit card payments. As many people pay with Visa or Mastercard for their purchases, that are either debit or credit cards, you have credit card convenience when it comes to payments for both stores.
Cashing in on Coupons
If you want to save money on electronic equipment, one of the best way s to do so is to seek out coupons. The internet gives you many options when it comes to finding coupon codes that can be used for stores, especially when it comes to buying electronics. As of now, you have a better chance of getting coupons for NewEgg electronics than you do for Best Buy, especially if you are a steady customer of this electronics store.
Both Best Buy and NewEgg have something to offer customers when it comes to electronics. They not only feature state of the art electronics of all kinds, but they also offer them at a competitive price. To save even more money at these electronics stores, look for online coupons.
The Names Say it All: Best Buy and Newegg for Electronics
When you think electronics, you may automatically think of Best Buy. But you should check out NewEgg - the new kid in town when it comes to getting a vast array of electronic equipment at a competitive price.
Best Buy is a super store that specializes in all things electronic and has pretty much run unfettered when it comes to competition. NewEgg is an up and coming electronics store
that operates online and off line and is determined to give Best Buy a run for its money.
Racking up the Discounts
Many people today are buying electronics, DVDs, music and even televisions online, where they can get the best deals for their money. Most of the large retailers, such as Best Buy, have online stores as well. These online stores offer discounts for those who deem to make their purchases over the internet. You can find coupons for Best Buy and New Egg electronics by looking online. Often, if you make a purchase from one of these stores, you will receive discounts by way of coupons in your email. Check your email, including your spam folder, when it comes to getting discounts on electronics.
Spoilt for Choice at Best Buy
Best Buy offers a wide selection of electronic equipment and the off line stores have just about anything that plugs into a wall. These include electronic items such as computers, cell phones, cameras and camcorders as well as television sets and even home appliances. No matter what you want that is electronic, you can get it at Best Buy, either online or off line, usually at a competitive price.
Delightful Discounts at Newegg
Newegg is a relatively new store that offers electronics for less. Anyone who is purchasing electronics should take a look at the prices in this electronics store. You can often find the same electronic equipment that you would buy at Best Buy for less when you visit Newegg. However, you will not find the same vast amount of selection at NewEgg as you will when you visit Best Buy.
When it comes to payment methods, Best Buy has their own store credit card that can be used to make purchases in their store, both online and off line. NewEgg does not have a store credit card, but does accept credit card payments. As many people pay with Visa or Mastercard for their purchases, that are either debit or credit cards, you have credit card convenience when it comes to payments for both stores.
Cashing in on Coupons
If you want to save money on electronic equipment, one of the best way s to do so is to seek out coupons. The internet gives you many options when it comes to finding coupon codes that can be used for stores, especially when it comes to buying electronics. As of now, you have a better chance of getting coupons for NewEgg electronics than you do for Best Buy, especially if you are a steady customer of this electronics store.
Both Best Buy and NewEgg have something to offer customers when it comes to electronics. They not only feature state of the art electronics of all kinds, but they also offer them at a competitive price. To save even more money at these electronics stores, look for online coupons.
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the electronic exchange of business information—purchase orders, invoices, bills of lading, inventory data and various types of confirmations—between organizations or trading partners in standardized formats. EDI also is used within individual organizations to transfer data between different divisions or departments, including finance, purchasing and shipping. When the focus of EDI centers on payments, especially between banks and companies, the term financial EDI (FEDI) is sometimes used. Along with digital currency, electronic catalogs, intranets and extranets, EDI is a major cornerstone of e-commerce overall.
Two characteristics set EDI apart from other ways of exchanging information. First, EDI only involves business-to-business transactions; individual consumers do not directly use EDI to purchase goods or services. Secondly, EDI involves transactions between computers or databases, not individuals. Therefore, individuals sending e-mail messages or sharing files over a network does not constitute EDI.
While the concept of e-commerce did not receive widespread attention until the 1990s, large companies have been using EDI since the 1960s. The railroad industry was among the first to adopt EDI, followed by other players in the transportation industry. By the early 1980s, EDI was being used by companies in many different industry sectors. In the beginning, companies using EDI transferred information to one another on magnetic tape via mail or courier, which had many drawbacks including long lead times and the potential for a tape to be damaged in transit. During the 1980s, telecommunications emerged as the preferred vehicle for transferring information via EDI.
By the new millennium, EDI was used widely in many industries including manufacturing, finance, and retail. Some large retailers, among them Sears and Target, required suppliers to use EDI in order to engage in business transactions with them. Additionally, the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (FASA) required all agencies within the United States government to use EDI.
Communication Methods.
After identifying trading partners, entering into TPAs with them and purchasing the necessary hardware and software, a means of communication must be chosen. EDI can occur point-to-point, where organizations communicate directly with one another over a private network; via the Internet (also known as open EDI); and most commonly, via value-added networks (VANs) provided by third-party value-added-network services.
VANs are networks dedicated exclusively to EDI. Not only do they function like telephone lines by allowing for the transfer of information, they also contain storage areas, similar to e-mail boxes, where data sent from one party can be held until it is scheduled to be delivered to the receiver. VANs are able to provide translation services to small organizations that find it too cost prohibitive to do in-house with their own software. Companies may need to join more than one VAN because their partners belong to more than one. However, by the early 2000s most VANS were able to communicate with one another.
In addition to translation, VANs offer a wide variety of other services including data backup, report generation, technical support, training, and the issuance of warnings if data is not properly transmitted between parties. Depending on need, all of the services offered by a VAN may not be required by a particular company. VANs vary in the way they charge companies. Some charge high implementation or setup fees followed by low monthly usage fees, or vice versa. Charges often are made based on the number of documents or characters involved in a given transmission. For example, one EDI provider charged its clients a monthly mailbox fee of $17.50, followed by a charge of 30 cents per 1,024 characters (per kilo character or k/char) transmitted. Additionally, charges can vary depending on participants' phone companies and the time of day when transactions are made. It can be less expensive for companies to make transactions during off-peak or evening hours.
In the early 2000s, although many companies still relied on VANs, the Internet was playing a larger role in EDI. It is possible for companies to translate EDI files and send them to another company's computer system over the Internet, via e-mail or file transfer protocol (FTP). Because it is an open network and access is not terribly expensive, using the Internet for EDI can be more cost effective for companies with limited means. It has the potential to provide them with access to large companies who continue to rely on large, traditional EDI systems. The low cost associated with open EDI also means that more companies are likely to participate. This is important because the level of value for participants often increases along with their number. However, this also presents a dilemma for large companies who have invested a considerable sum in traditional EDI systems. Furthermore, Internet service providers (ISPs) usually do not offer the kinds of EDI-specific services provided by VANs.
While the automotive and retail industries have experimented with open EDI for some time, the efforts didn't result in widespread adoption by small suppliers, usually due to cumbersome requirements like the installation of on-site software. Incorporating EDI into e-marketplaces was an approach that held more potential. In March 2000, an e-marketplace called the WorldWide Retail Exchange (WWRE) was established. It allowed suppliers and retails in various industry sectors—including retail, general merchandise, food and drugstores—to conduct transactions over the World Wide Web. After one year of operation, the WWRE had 53 retailer members with combined annual turnover of $722 billion. Leading retailers, among them Kmart, Rite Aid, Best Buy, and Target, planned to offer a Web-to-EDI translation service on WWRE so it would be easier for smaller suppliers to do business with them. In this arrangement, the retailers send purchase orders to a data center where they are translated to a language that can be read with a Web browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Suppliers are then notified about the PO and allowed to respond. This is a break from true EDI, since orders are handled manually by suppliers.
In addition to the Internet, intranets (private internets) and extranets (links between intranets and the Internet) also showed potential for EDI. According to The International Handbook of Electronic Commerce, "The Extranet makes it possible to connect several organizations behind virtual firewalls. For example, suppliers, distributors, contractors, customers, and trusted others outside the organization can benefit from establishing an Extranet. The Internet is used to provide access to the public; the Intranet serves the internal business; Extranets provide a critical link between these two extremes. Extranets are where the majority of business activity occurs. They enable commerce through the Web at a very low cost and allow companies to maintain one-to-one relationships with their customers, members staff and others."
Communication Standards.
As previously mentioned, when companies use EDI to exchange information, translation software is an important part of the process. During EDI, information is usually translated to and from one of several different standard languages, including ANSI X12 and EDIFACT. These languages are more flexible than custom standards developed by individual companies for their specific use.
Because of its reliability and flexibility, ANSI X12 was the most widely used North American standard in the early 2000s. Also called ASC X12, ANSI X12 was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which administrates and coordinates voluntary industry standardization within the United States. In addition to its prevelance in North America, this standard also was used in Australia and New Zealand.
Created in 1987 with the cooperation of the United Nations, Electronic Data Interchange For Administration Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) standards combine the best aspects of ANSI X12 and a standard known as United Nations Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange (UNTDI). Because it is so universal, EDIFACT is suited for use in international EDI. Although EDIFACT was becoming increasingly popular in the early 2000s, it lacked the comprehensiveness of ANSI X12.
In addition to ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, other EDI standards also exist, including Global EDI Guidelines for Retail (GEDI), used within North America for international trade; the grocery industry's Uniform Communication Standard (UCS); Voluntary Inter-Industry Commerce Standards (VISC), used by retailers of general merchandise; Warehouse Information Network Standard (WINS), used by public ware-houses; TRADACOMS, created by the Article Numbering Association and used by retailers in the United Kingdom; and NACHA, developed by the National Automated Clearing House Association and used for transactions in the banking industry. For companies using open EDI, a language called extensible markup language (XML), similar in some respects to hypertext markup language (HTML), allows users to share information in a universal, standard fashion without making the kinds of special arrangements EDI often requires and regardless of the software program in which it was originally created.
How Edi Works
During EDI, information is sent from one participant's computer system and translated to a standard format with special translation software. It is then transmitted to another participant, translated back from the standard format into a format used by the receiver and entered into the receiver's computer system. Thus, EDI allows participants to transfer information between their respective computer systems, even if the systems utilize different, incompatible platforms.
Before using EDI, companies usually enter into specific agreements with their trading partners (called trading partner agreements or TPAs). These contracts often spell out the kinds of information they will exchange and how they will exchange it. Because entering into and terminating TPAs is expensive and time consuming, traditional EDI isn't always ideal for companies who change suppliers often, or for companies who frequently enter into temporary relationships with suppliers or other companies.
Why EDI?
· EDI comes into its own when repetitive manual tasks are required to support a business relationship; Electronic data interchange simply eradicates them by automating the process and removing the paperwork element.
· It increases accuracy by eliminating the re-keying of data and the quality of data is enhanced by agreeing product codes, prices and location codes in advance.
· Electronic data interchange also helps cement customer/supplier partnerships by reducing the supply chain costs associated with manual processing.
· EDI enabled suppliers are cheaper and easier to deal with.
Advantages of EDI
Companies use EDI to exchange information for a variety of different reasons, mainly increased efficiency and cost savings. For example, EDI allows business transactions to occur in less time and with fewer errors than do traditional, paper-based means. It reduces the amount of inventory companies must invest in by closely tying manufacturing to actual demand, allowing for just-in-time delivery. By doing away with paper forms, EDI also reduces postage costs and the expenses and space considerations involved in paper-based record storage. Some companies have seen dramatic improvements in their business processes, such as the shortening of delivery times from days to hours. However, other EDI users have continued to experience snags. In Planet IT, Procter & Gamble, a leading packaged goods manufacturer, reported that it found errors in more than 30 percent of its electronic orders, although these were mainly due to human mistakes.
Although many companies don't view EDI as a strategic weapon, it certainly can be used as one. Having the capability to engage in EDI is a marketing tool, because it makes suppliers attractive to retailers and other companies who buy goods and services. In a situation where several suppliers offer similar products, being EDI-enabled can be an important differential. EDI also can be used to form alliances between companies that provide advantages over competitors in several ways, including the ability to offer the lowest market prices and the best customer service. Such alliances also can lead to newer or more innovative services.
Five key benefits of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
The benefit of electronic trading is well documented. Here are the top five reasons why businesses adopt EDI.
Benefit One: Remove document re-keying
By removing the manual keying of key business documents such as Orders, Invoices, Acknowledgments and Despatch Notes your company can benefit significantly by::
· Reduced labour costs
· Elimination of human keying errors
· Faster document processing
· Instant document retrieval
· Remove reliance on the postal service
Benefit Two: Eliminate Paper
Paper-based trading relationships have some inherent disadvantages when compared with their electronic trading equivalents:
· Stationery and printer consumable costs
· Document storage costs
· Lost documents
· Postage costs
Benefit Three: Reduce lead times and stockholding
· Electronic trading documents can be delivered far more quickly than their paper counterparts, thus the turnaround time from order to delivery can be reduced.
· By using EDI for forecasting and planning, companies are able to get forward warning of likely orders and to plan their production and stock levels accordingly.
· Companies receiving advanced shipping notes or acknowledgments know in advance what is actually going to be delivered, and are made aware of shortages so alternate supplies can be sourced.
· Integrating electronic documents means they can be processed much faster, again reducing lead times and speeding up payments.
Benefit Four: Increase quality of the trading relationship
· Electronic trading documents when printed are much easier to read than copies faxed or generated on multi-part stationery by impact printers.
· Accurate documents help ensure accurate supplies.
· Batches of electronic documents are usually sequentially numbered, therefore missing documents can easily be identified, not causing companies to wade through piles of paper.
Benefit Five: Competitive Edge
Because electronic data interchange (EDI) makes you attractive to deal with from your customers' point of view, and you are in their eyes cheaper and more efficient to deal with than a competitor trading on paper, your costs will be lower because you will require less manpower to process orders, deliveries or payments.
It is no accident that the leading UK retailers all rely on EDI for placing orders and receiving invoices - they know the benefits they get and the costs that can be saved.
The drawbacks of EDI
Significant costs are associated with implementing and operating EDI systems. This is because solutions available in the market must be adjusted to a company’s own needs and employees must be trained. In addition, a pilot phase or an initial parallel operation is frequently necessary. The result is that small and mid-sized companies in particular avoid EDI and rely on traditional forms of data transmission instead.
Furthermore, processes in a company must undergo significant changes before EDI can be applied. For instance, a company may normally receive its goods before an invoice is sent in the mail. But if EDI were used, the invoice would arrive before the goods were delivered. Accordingly, processes must be adjusted in such a way that invoices can be processed by the company before the goods have arrived.
Security Issues
The paper checks and balances that exist within the clerical world are not possible with EDI. While rare, the possibility that data will be intercepted and stolen or altered in transit does exist. Messages also may be deliberately or mistakenly duplicated. This can result in overcharges, wasted resources, and damaged relations between trading partners. For these and other reasons, companies take measures to ensure accuracy and security, including security policies that limit the authority to engage in transactions to certain individuals; means of verifying that messages sent were received intact (electronic "seals"); the use of proper encryption methods; digital signatures or bio-metrics (the use of human attributes like fingerprints or voice) to verify the identity of senders and receivers; audits that verify the accuracy of electronic records; efforts to ensure that translation software has been written correctly and not altered; and so on.
Past, Present and Future of EDI
· EDI began in earnest over 20 years ago and is now used by over 20,000 UK companies.
· It is most commonly used by the UK retail sector, typically in Grocery, Catering, Building & DIY, Publishing, Stationery and Department Store sectors.
· EDI can also be found supporting business supply chains in a vast spectrum of other industries ranging from Electronics to Motor Manufacturers, and Pharmaceutical Supply to the Inland Revenue. There are no barriers to the use of electronic data interchange in any industry.
· The expansion has been driven by major clients insisting that suppliers adopt electronic data interchange (EDI) to reduce overhead costs, thereby helping to enhance the on-going competitiveness of their business.
· Widely used across Europe, North America and the rest of the world, EDI is actively encouraged by European Governments using United Nation's EDI standards to facilitate cross border trading.
EDI is expected to grow with business-to-business e-commerce overall, a sector that was growing quickly in the early 2000s. In 2000 alone, business-to-business sales were estimated to be $3.3 trillion, with forecasts predicting an increase to $5.2 trillion by 2004, according to Corporate EFT Report. The Gartner Group forecast sales in this sector to be even higher, reaching $7.29 trillion by 2004. The use of EDI also is expected to grow along with international trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
According to Corporate EFT Report, in the early 2000s the lines between EDI and other Internet channels—including hybrid EDI/Internet electronic trading networks, Internet e-marketplaces, extranets, Internet company-to-company links, and private emarkets—were beginning to blur, and companies were relying on a variety of channels to conduct business with suppliers, depending on the nature of their business goals.
In a Planet IT article, David Yockelson provided a similar snapshot of EDI in the early 2000s, as well as a glimpse at the road ahead: "VANs haven't gone away, but the demands of businesses and their trading partners have changed dramatically. Internet-based transport, broader and more robust sets of information and real-time connectivity are just a few of the items that have been appended to the connectivity wish lists of most companies. Moreover, the basic language of data movement has suddenly become XML, despite the presence of decades-old EDI standards. VANs aren't dead. EDI isn't going away any time soon. And XML, while incredibly exciting as an application and data-neutralizing standard, is in its infancy."
Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the electronic exchange of business information—purchase orders, invoices, bills of lading, inventory data and various types of confirmations—between organizations or trading partners in standardized formats. EDI also is used within individual organizations to transfer data between different divisions or departments, including finance, purchasing and shipping. When the focus of EDI centers on payments, especially between banks and companies, the term financial EDI (FEDI) is sometimes used. Along with digital currency, electronic catalogs, intranets and extranets, EDI is a major cornerstone of e-commerce overall.
Two characteristics set EDI apart from other ways of exchanging information. First, EDI only involves business-to-business transactions; individual consumers do not directly use EDI to purchase goods or services. Secondly, EDI involves transactions between computers or databases, not individuals. Therefore, individuals sending e-mail messages or sharing files over a network does not constitute EDI.
While the concept of e-commerce did not receive widespread attention until the 1990s, large companies have been using EDI since the 1960s. The railroad industry was among the first to adopt EDI, followed by other players in the transportation industry. By the early 1980s, EDI was being used by companies in many different industry sectors. In the beginning, companies using EDI transferred information to one another on magnetic tape via mail or courier, which had many drawbacks including long lead times and the potential for a tape to be damaged in transit. During the 1980s, telecommunications emerged as the preferred vehicle for transferring information via EDI.
By the new millennium, EDI was used widely in many industries including manufacturing, finance, and retail. Some large retailers, among them Sears and Target, required suppliers to use EDI in order to engage in business transactions with them. Additionally, the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (FASA) required all agencies within the United States government to use EDI.
Communication Methods.
After identifying trading partners, entering into TPAs with them and purchasing the necessary hardware and software, a means of communication must be chosen. EDI can occur point-to-point, where organizations communicate directly with one another over a private network; via the Internet (also known as open EDI); and most commonly, via value-added networks (VANs) provided by third-party value-added-network services.
VANs are networks dedicated exclusively to EDI. Not only do they function like telephone lines by allowing for the transfer of information, they also contain storage areas, similar to e-mail boxes, where data sent from one party can be held until it is scheduled to be delivered to the receiver. VANs are able to provide translation services to small organizations that find it too cost prohibitive to do in-house with their own software. Companies may need to join more than one VAN because their partners belong to more than one. However, by the early 2000s most VANS were able to communicate with one another.
In addition to translation, VANs offer a wide variety of other services including data backup, report generation, technical support, training, and the issuance of warnings if data is not properly transmitted between parties. Depending on need, all of the services offered by a VAN may not be required by a particular company. VANs vary in the way they charge companies. Some charge high implementation or setup fees followed by low monthly usage fees, or vice versa. Charges often are made based on the number of documents or characters involved in a given transmission. For example, one EDI provider charged its clients a monthly mailbox fee of $17.50, followed by a charge of 30 cents per 1,024 characters (per kilo character or k/char) transmitted. Additionally, charges can vary depending on participants' phone companies and the time of day when transactions are made. It can be less expensive for companies to make transactions during off-peak or evening hours.
In the early 2000s, although many companies still relied on VANs, the Internet was playing a larger role in EDI. It is possible for companies to translate EDI files and send them to another company's computer system over the Internet, via e-mail or file transfer protocol (FTP). Because it is an open network and access is not terribly expensive, using the Internet for EDI can be more cost effective for companies with limited means. It has the potential to provide them with access to large companies who continue to rely on large, traditional EDI systems. The low cost associated with open EDI also means that more companies are likely to participate. This is important because the level of value for participants often increases along with their number. However, this also presents a dilemma for large companies who have invested a considerable sum in traditional EDI systems. Furthermore, Internet service providers (ISPs) usually do not offer the kinds of EDI-specific services provided by VANs.
While the automotive and retail industries have experimented with open EDI for some time, the efforts didn't result in widespread adoption by small suppliers, usually due to cumbersome requirements like the installation of on-site software. Incorporating EDI into e-marketplaces was an approach that held more potential. In March 2000, an e-marketplace called the WorldWide Retail Exchange (WWRE) was established. It allowed suppliers and retails in various industry sectors—including retail, general merchandise, food and drugstores—to conduct transactions over the World Wide Web. After one year of operation, the WWRE had 53 retailer members with combined annual turnover of $722 billion. Leading retailers, among them Kmart, Rite Aid, Best Buy, and Target, planned to offer a Web-to-EDI translation service on WWRE so it would be easier for smaller suppliers to do business with them. In this arrangement, the retailers send purchase orders to a data center where they are translated to a language that can be read with a Web browser like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Suppliers are then notified about the PO and allowed to respond. This is a break from true EDI, since orders are handled manually by suppliers.
In addition to the Internet, intranets (private internets) and extranets (links between intranets and the Internet) also showed potential for EDI. According to The International Handbook of Electronic Commerce, "The Extranet makes it possible to connect several organizations behind virtual firewalls. For example, suppliers, distributors, contractors, customers, and trusted others outside the organization can benefit from establishing an Extranet. The Internet is used to provide access to the public; the Intranet serves the internal business; Extranets provide a critical link between these two extremes. Extranets are where the majority of business activity occurs. They enable commerce through the Web at a very low cost and allow companies to maintain one-to-one relationships with their customers, members staff and others."
Communication Standards.
As previously mentioned, when companies use EDI to exchange information, translation software is an important part of the process. During EDI, information is usually translated to and from one of several different standard languages, including ANSI X12 and EDIFACT. These languages are more flexible than custom standards developed by individual companies for their specific use.
Because of its reliability and flexibility, ANSI X12 was the most widely used North American standard in the early 2000s. Also called ASC X12, ANSI X12 was developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which administrates and coordinates voluntary industry standardization within the United States. In addition to its prevelance in North America, this standard also was used in Australia and New Zealand.
Created in 1987 with the cooperation of the United Nations, Electronic Data Interchange For Administration Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) standards combine the best aspects of ANSI X12 and a standard known as United Nations Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange (UNTDI). Because it is so universal, EDIFACT is suited for use in international EDI. Although EDIFACT was becoming increasingly popular in the early 2000s, it lacked the comprehensiveness of ANSI X12.
In addition to ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, other EDI standards also exist, including Global EDI Guidelines for Retail (GEDI), used within North America for international trade; the grocery industry's Uniform Communication Standard (UCS); Voluntary Inter-Industry Commerce Standards (VISC), used by retailers of general merchandise; Warehouse Information Network Standard (WINS), used by public ware-houses; TRADACOMS, created by the Article Numbering Association and used by retailers in the United Kingdom; and NACHA, developed by the National Automated Clearing House Association and used for transactions in the banking industry. For companies using open EDI, a language called extensible markup language (XML), similar in some respects to hypertext markup language (HTML), allows users to share information in a universal, standard fashion without making the kinds of special arrangements EDI often requires and regardless of the software program in which it was originally created.
How Edi Works
During EDI, information is sent from one participant's computer system and translated to a standard format with special translation software. It is then transmitted to another participant, translated back from the standard format into a format used by the receiver and entered into the receiver's computer system. Thus, EDI allows participants to transfer information between their respective computer systems, even if the systems utilize different, incompatible platforms.
Before using EDI, companies usually enter into specific agreements with their trading partners (called trading partner agreements or TPAs). These contracts often spell out the kinds of information they will exchange and how they will exchange it. Because entering into and terminating TPAs is expensive and time consuming, traditional EDI isn't always ideal for companies who change suppliers often, or for companies who frequently enter into temporary relationships with suppliers or other companies.
Why EDI?
· EDI comes into its own when repetitive manual tasks are required to support a business relationship; Electronic data interchange simply eradicates them by automating the process and removing the paperwork element.
· It increases accuracy by eliminating the re-keying of data and the quality of data is enhanced by agreeing product codes, prices and location codes in advance.
· Electronic data interchange also helps cement customer/supplier partnerships by reducing the supply chain costs associated with manual processing.
· EDI enabled suppliers are cheaper and easier to deal with.
Advantages of EDI
Companies use EDI to exchange information for a variety of different reasons, mainly increased efficiency and cost savings. For example, EDI allows business transactions to occur in less time and with fewer errors than do traditional, paper-based means. It reduces the amount of inventory companies must invest in by closely tying manufacturing to actual demand, allowing for just-in-time delivery. By doing away with paper forms, EDI also reduces postage costs and the expenses and space considerations involved in paper-based record storage. Some companies have seen dramatic improvements in their business processes, such as the shortening of delivery times from days to hours. However, other EDI users have continued to experience snags. In Planet IT, Procter & Gamble, a leading packaged goods manufacturer, reported that it found errors in more than 30 percent of its electronic orders, although these were mainly due to human mistakes.
Although many companies don't view EDI as a strategic weapon, it certainly can be used as one. Having the capability to engage in EDI is a marketing tool, because it makes suppliers attractive to retailers and other companies who buy goods and services. In a situation where several suppliers offer similar products, being EDI-enabled can be an important differential. EDI also can be used to form alliances between companies that provide advantages over competitors in several ways, including the ability to offer the lowest market prices and the best customer service. Such alliances also can lead to newer or more innovative services.
Five key benefits of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
The benefit of electronic trading is well documented. Here are the top five reasons why businesses adopt EDI.
Benefit One: Remove document re-keying
By removing the manual keying of key business documents such as Orders, Invoices, Acknowledgments and Despatch Notes your company can benefit significantly by::
· Reduced labour costs
· Elimination of human keying errors
· Faster document processing
· Instant document retrieval
· Remove reliance on the postal service
Benefit Two: Eliminate Paper
Paper-based trading relationships have some inherent disadvantages when compared with their electronic trading equivalents:
· Stationery and printer consumable costs
· Document storage costs
· Lost documents
· Postage costs
Benefit Three: Reduce lead times and stockholding
· Electronic trading documents can be delivered far more quickly than their paper counterparts, thus the turnaround time from order to delivery can be reduced.
· By using EDI for forecasting and planning, companies are able to get forward warning of likely orders and to plan their production and stock levels accordingly.
· Companies receiving advanced shipping notes or acknowledgments know in advance what is actually going to be delivered, and are made aware of shortages so alternate supplies can be sourced.
· Integrating electronic documents means they can be processed much faster, again reducing lead times and speeding up payments.
Benefit Four: Increase quality of the trading relationship
· Electronic trading documents when printed are much easier to read than copies faxed or generated on multi-part stationery by impact printers.
· Accurate documents help ensure accurate supplies.
· Batches of electronic documents are usually sequentially numbered, therefore missing documents can easily be identified, not causing companies to wade through piles of paper.
Benefit Five: Competitive Edge
Because electronic data interchange (EDI) makes you attractive to deal with from your customers' point of view, and you are in their eyes cheaper and more efficient to deal with than a competitor trading on paper, your costs will be lower because you will require less manpower to process orders, deliveries or payments.
It is no accident that the leading UK retailers all rely on EDI for placing orders and receiving invoices - they know the benefits they get and the costs that can be saved.
The drawbacks of EDI
Significant costs are associated with implementing and operating EDI systems. This is because solutions available in the market must be adjusted to a company’s own needs and employees must be trained. In addition, a pilot phase or an initial parallel operation is frequently necessary. The result is that small and mid-sized companies in particular avoid EDI and rely on traditional forms of data transmission instead.
Furthermore, processes in a company must undergo significant changes before EDI can be applied. For instance, a company may normally receive its goods before an invoice is sent in the mail. But if EDI were used, the invoice would arrive before the goods were delivered. Accordingly, processes must be adjusted in such a way that invoices can be processed by the company before the goods have arrived.
Security Issues
The paper checks and balances that exist within the clerical world are not possible with EDI. While rare, the possibility that data will be intercepted and stolen or altered in transit does exist. Messages also may be deliberately or mistakenly duplicated. This can result in overcharges, wasted resources, and damaged relations between trading partners. For these and other reasons, companies take measures to ensure accuracy and security, including security policies that limit the authority to engage in transactions to certain individuals; means of verifying that messages sent were received intact (electronic "seals"); the use of proper encryption methods; digital signatures or bio-metrics (the use of human attributes like fingerprints or voice) to verify the identity of senders and receivers; audits that verify the accuracy of electronic records; efforts to ensure that translation software has been written correctly and not altered; and so on.
Past, Present and Future of EDI
· EDI began in earnest over 20 years ago and is now used by over 20,000 UK companies.
· It is most commonly used by the UK retail sector, typically in Grocery, Catering, Building & DIY, Publishing, Stationery and Department Store sectors.
· EDI can also be found supporting business supply chains in a vast spectrum of other industries ranging from Electronics to Motor Manufacturers, and Pharmaceutical Supply to the Inland Revenue. There are no barriers to the use of electronic data interchange in any industry.
· The expansion has been driven by major clients insisting that suppliers adopt electronic data interchange (EDI) to reduce overhead costs, thereby helping to enhance the on-going competitiveness of their business.
· Widely used across Europe, North America and the rest of the world, EDI is actively encouraged by European Governments using United Nation's EDI standards to facilitate cross border trading.
EDI is expected to grow with business-to-business e-commerce overall, a sector that was growing quickly in the early 2000s. In 2000 alone, business-to-business sales were estimated to be $3.3 trillion, with forecasts predicting an increase to $5.2 trillion by 2004, according to Corporate EFT Report. The Gartner Group forecast sales in this sector to be even higher, reaching $7.29 trillion by 2004. The use of EDI also is expected to grow along with international trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
According to Corporate EFT Report, in the early 2000s the lines between EDI and other Internet channels—including hybrid EDI/Internet electronic trading networks, Internet e-marketplaces, extranets, Internet company-to-company links, and private emarkets—were beginning to blur, and companies were relying on a variety of channels to conduct business with suppliers, depending on the nature of their business goals.
In a Planet IT article, David Yockelson provided a similar snapshot of EDI in the early 2000s, as well as a glimpse at the road ahead: "VANs haven't gone away, but the demands of businesses and their trading partners have changed dramatically. Internet-based transport, broader and more robust sets of information and real-time connectivity are just a few of the items that have been appended to the connectivity wish lists of most companies. Moreover, the basic language of data movement has suddenly become XML, despite the presence of decades-old EDI standards. VANs aren't dead. EDI isn't going away any time soon. And XML, while incredibly exciting as an application and data-neutralizing standard, is in its infancy."
Tips when deciding which Electronic Typewriter is right for your needs
Electronic Typewriters – Tips When Purchasing One
With the many functions that computers
and computer software now serve, many people don't feel the need for a typewriter. However, electronic typewriters are still widely used in the workplace and serve many functions, particularly in offices. While the computers of today can do almost everything but vacuum your floors, electronic typewriters are still the chosen piece of equipment for printed forms, envelopes, carbon copies, labels as well as many types of checks in financial institutions.
What Type of Typewriter Do You Need?
When looking for a typewriter, you'll find there are manual, portable and electronic typewriters available with some of the most known brands being Royal, Brother, Smith-Corona, IBM to name just a few. Most business places choose electronic typewriters for their basic office needs. Electronic typewriters can be purchased online as well as in most office supply stores. Because of the wide use of computers and word processing programs, electronic typewriters can now be purchased for very affordable prices.
When choosing electronic typewriters, the most important thing is to keep in mind what your needs are going to be as well as the budget you have or want to work within. If you don't have plans for using the electronic typewriter often, you aren't going to need a lot of extra functions but if it will be used regularly, you may need some of the extra features. Some of the things you may need to consider when deciding what type of electronic typewriter you need include the paper width you'll be using, the amount of projects you'll be doing, what type of projects they'll be, if you'll need a lot of different fonts and if you'll need to make corrections on your documents.
Features To Look For in Your Electronic Typewriter
With those factors in mind, you're ready to go shopping for a good electronic typewriter. If you shop online you'll find more electronic typewriters available but won't have the one-to-one contact with a salesperson that can explain each feature of electronic typewriters. "Window shopping" online will be able to give you a good idea of what to expect as far as features per price when you do begin shopping for electronic typewriters. However, here are some of the most common things to look for when you're finally ready to purchase your electronic typewriter.
* Correction Features: Although we like to think we're not going to make mistakes, they do happen so better look at electronic typewriters prepared to make corrections for you.
* Pitch Selection & Font Choices: It's better to have more fonts on your electronic typewriter than you need than less and extra fonts generally come with most electronic typewriters. Usually 10 point and 12 point pitch is common in most electronic typewriters and are the most commonly used.
* Page Width: Occasionally you may be doing wider documents so it's best to be prepared.
* Memory: Many of the newer electronic typewriters have memory feature and this is an excellent feature and worth having, especially if you'll be typing a lot of repetitive documents with minimal changes.
With the many functions that computers
and computer software now serve, many people don't feel the need for a typewriter. However, electronic typewriters are still widely used in the workplace and serve many functions, particularly in offices. While the computers of today can do almost everything but vacuum your floors, electronic typewriters are still the chosen piece of equipment for printed forms, envelopes, carbon copies, labels as well as many types of checks in financial institutions.
What Type of Typewriter Do You Need?
When looking for a typewriter, you'll find there are manual, portable and electronic typewriters available with some of the most known brands being Royal, Brother, Smith-Corona, IBM to name just a few. Most business places choose electronic typewriters for their basic office needs. Electronic typewriters can be purchased online as well as in most office supply stores. Because of the wide use of computers and word processing programs, electronic typewriters can now be purchased for very affordable prices.
When choosing electronic typewriters, the most important thing is to keep in mind what your needs are going to be as well as the budget you have or want to work within. If you don't have plans for using the electronic typewriter often, you aren't going to need a lot of extra functions but if it will be used regularly, you may need some of the extra features. Some of the things you may need to consider when deciding what type of electronic typewriter you need include the paper width you'll be using, the amount of projects you'll be doing, what type of projects they'll be, if you'll need a lot of different fonts and if you'll need to make corrections on your documents.
Features To Look For in Your Electronic Typewriter
With those factors in mind, you're ready to go shopping for a good electronic typewriter. If you shop online you'll find more electronic typewriters available but won't have the one-to-one contact with a salesperson that can explain each feature of electronic typewriters. "Window shopping" online will be able to give you a good idea of what to expect as far as features per price when you do begin shopping for electronic typewriters. However, here are some of the most common things to look for when you're finally ready to purchase your electronic typewriter.
* Correction Features: Although we like to think we're not going to make mistakes, they do happen so better look at electronic typewriters prepared to make corrections for you.
* Pitch Selection & Font Choices: It's better to have more fonts on your electronic typewriter than you need than less and extra fonts generally come with most electronic typewriters. Usually 10 point and 12 point pitch is common in most electronic typewriters and are the most commonly used.
* Page Width: Occasionally you may be doing wider documents so it's best to be prepared.
* Memory: Many of the newer electronic typewriters have memory feature and this is an excellent feature and worth having, especially if you'll be typing a lot of repetitive documents with minimal changes.
Sell My Electronics - The Eco-Friendly Solution To Trashing Them
For those of us who have said ‘I should sell my electronics’ then here I would like to offer some guidance as to how this can now be done online – and for those of us who have said ‘I must throw my old electronics to the trash’ I would ask you to think again and instead ask yourself the following; ‘Can I sell my electronics?’ ‘How can I sell my electronics?’ and ‘Where can I sell my electronics?’ – read on a little and I will answer all of these questions, so at that end of this article you will be armed to be a greener person and help benefit the environment, but also better off financially, because when you tell yourself ‘I will sell my electronics’ there will be a nice cash payment waiting for you.
So the first question to answer is ‘Can I sell my electronics?’ – Yes you can, for sure and in any condition, there are now several sites that are well established and dedicated to particular electronics and gadgets to ensure you receive a top quality service, and a top quality payment – so there should never more be a doubt that ‘I can´t sell my electronics because they are broken’ - this is no longer an issue and you can still receive good cash for used and broken devices.
Next, is ‘How can I sell my electronics? – As I mention there are many sites online that you can sell electronics with, and this is generally more rewarding than an offline sale for various reasons, mainly the cost saving that a website has over a general high street store, so ‘How can I sell my electronics?’ the basic answer is some brief internet research and the solution lies there.
And ‘Where can I sell my electronics?’ Once we have decided to sell online and get Googling you will find many places that offer various qualities to anyone that has the idea to ‘Sell my electronics and be green’ over those that think ‘I can´t sell my electronics, so I have trashed them!’ It is not so much a case of finding where, but what site suits you best, try to locate a site that will give you an accurate online quote and stick to it, provide a dedicated service for the electronic device you wish to sell, whether it be an old cell phone, Smartphone, iPhone or laptop – I say this because when you think to ‘Sell my electronics’ you are first benefiting yourself, but them benefits then go on to the environment and planet, and for this reason alone you deserve a quality service for your outstanding effort to aid the community and future generations.
So Can I sell my electronics? – Yes, How to sell my electronics? – Online, and where to sell my electronics? – check out the following sites and use them as a guide when you think that you wish to ‘Sell my electronics’ and receive a great quote, service and cash – www.cash4laptops.com and www.cashforsmartphones.com, and don´t forget the other dedicated ‘CashFor’ sites also.
Electronic Check Conversion
What Kinds of Electronic Check Conversion Exist?
There are two major types of electronic check conversion - electronic check conversion and electronic check conversion with check guarantee. Before jumping into the key difference though, it's helpful to spend some time explaining electronic check conversion in general.
Electronic Check Conversion Explained Using Credit Cards
The best way to explain electronic check conversion (and even electronic check conversion with check guarantee) is to point to credit cards. Years ago, instead of swiping credit cards into an electronic reader, merchants had to physically place them into a metal contraption, along with a two-piece carbon form. A heavy roller created an imprint of the credit card. After signing the form, one copy stayed with the store and the other went to the purchaser.
But in the last twenty years shoppers and stores forego using extra paper since everything is stored electronically thanks to the electronic reader. With electronic check conversion an amount is entered and the check is scanned, much like credit cards today. When the transaction is complete the check is given back to the customer since everything is stored electronically. As with current credit card transactions, the business no longer needs to have an 'extra paper trail'.
Electronic Check Conversion Benefits
Electronic check conversion electronically records the transaction thanks to the check reader attached to the credit card terminal. Also like credit cards electronic check conversion or electronic check conversion with check guarantee, will decline a check if there is a problem with the account.
This helps reduce fraud. Any check a merchant gets is electronically verified against a database of closed accounts or accounts with risky histories. Although the businesses cannot see specifically what the problem might be, it will red flag any negative marks in the last 90 days and declines the check. This could be anything from a closed account to bouncing checks.
If the check passes the negative database, it is then converted to an electronic debit and the funds are deposited into the merchant's bank account. This happens if the check writer has sufficient funds in his checking account at the time the check is 'written'.
Electronic check conversion, however, doesn't automatically cover a check in the event that something is wrong with the account in the here and now. So that's where electronic check conversion with check guarantee comes into play.
Electronic Check Conversion with Check Guarantee
Electronic check conversion with check guarantee offers more protection to merchants. Businesses that have electronic check conversion with check guarantee don't have to worry because they still will get paid. Many companies offer both forms - electronic check conversion and electronic check conversion with check guarantee. However, they usually recommend electronic check conversion with check guarantee because this service offers more protection to merchants.
As with electronic check conversion, the check is approved at the time of the transaction. But more importantly, the store is guaranteed funding within 48 hours, even if the check is returned for non-sufficient funds. The same cannot be said for basic electronic check conversion.
Is Electronic Check Conversion With Check Guarantee Right For You?
Every business can benefit from electronic check conversion with check guarantee. The cost of electronic check conversion with guarantee is very similar to the cost of accepting credit cards. However, the discount rate for this feature usually costs less then the discount rate for credit card acceptance.
For a company to decide if electronic check conversion with check guarantee is right for them, they should consider how often they accept checks that become NSF, or become bad for other reasons, such as closed accounts, etc. Not only will electronic check conversion with check guarantee save businesses financial loss because of bad transactions, it also provides them peace of mind that they will receive payment for products or services sold.
There are two major types of electronic check conversion - electronic check conversion and electronic check conversion with check guarantee. Before jumping into the key difference though, it's helpful to spend some time explaining electronic check conversion in general.
Electronic Check Conversion Explained Using Credit Cards
The best way to explain electronic check conversion (and even electronic check conversion with check guarantee) is to point to credit cards. Years ago, instead of swiping credit cards into an electronic reader, merchants had to physically place them into a metal contraption, along with a two-piece carbon form. A heavy roller created an imprint of the credit card. After signing the form, one copy stayed with the store and the other went to the purchaser.
But in the last twenty years shoppers and stores forego using extra paper since everything is stored electronically thanks to the electronic reader. With electronic check conversion an amount is entered and the check is scanned, much like credit cards today. When the transaction is complete the check is given back to the customer since everything is stored electronically. As with current credit card transactions, the business no longer needs to have an 'extra paper trail'.
Electronic Check Conversion Benefits
Electronic check conversion electronically records the transaction thanks to the check reader attached to the credit card terminal. Also like credit cards electronic check conversion or electronic check conversion with check guarantee, will decline a check if there is a problem with the account.
This helps reduce fraud. Any check a merchant gets is electronically verified against a database of closed accounts or accounts with risky histories. Although the businesses cannot see specifically what the problem might be, it will red flag any negative marks in the last 90 days and declines the check. This could be anything from a closed account to bouncing checks.
If the check passes the negative database, it is then converted to an electronic debit and the funds are deposited into the merchant's bank account. This happens if the check writer has sufficient funds in his checking account at the time the check is 'written'.
Electronic check conversion, however, doesn't automatically cover a check in the event that something is wrong with the account in the here and now. So that's where electronic check conversion with check guarantee comes into play.
Electronic Check Conversion with Check Guarantee
Electronic check conversion with check guarantee offers more protection to merchants. Businesses that have electronic check conversion with check guarantee don't have to worry because they still will get paid. Many companies offer both forms - electronic check conversion and electronic check conversion with check guarantee. However, they usually recommend electronic check conversion with check guarantee because this service offers more protection to merchants.
As with electronic check conversion, the check is approved at the time of the transaction. But more importantly, the store is guaranteed funding within 48 hours, even if the check is returned for non-sufficient funds. The same cannot be said for basic electronic check conversion.
Is Electronic Check Conversion With Check Guarantee Right For You?
Every business can benefit from electronic check conversion with check guarantee. The cost of electronic check conversion with guarantee is very similar to the cost of accepting credit cards. However, the discount rate for this feature usually costs less then the discount rate for credit card acceptance.
For a company to decide if electronic check conversion with check guarantee is right for them, they should consider how often they accept checks that become NSF, or become bad for other reasons, such as closed accounts, etc. Not only will electronic check conversion with check guarantee save businesses financial loss because of bad transactions, it also provides them peace of mind that they will receive payment for products or services sold.
Unique Electronic Timesheet
Proving that the only constant to change is change itself, the modern workforce has replaced the venerable timeclock with the electronic timesheet. Now not only can employees easily clock invia an electronic timesheet, but companies can use the electronic timesheet for other human resource needs rather than just tracking time and processing electronic timesheet payroll. Managers use electronic timesheets to better fill their unique electronic timesheet workplace needs, checking on past electronic timesheets to ensure all shifts are covered, ensuring employees are being used to the organization’s optimal benefit with this electronic timesheet.
The electronic timesheet has become critical in forecasting human resource needs. Having access to an electronic timesheet from any computer, ensures the ease-of-use for the manager, because these newelectronic timesheets can now access crucial employee data from home when making critical employee electronic timesheet staffing issues.
There are many electronic timesheets available on the market today. Every electronic timesheet will track an employee’s electronic timesheet“punches”, but the electronic timesheet programs that stand out above the others also have features such as electronic timesheet scheduling options and an electronic timesheet reporting option. The bestelectronic timesheets are electronic timesheets that interface seamlessly with major electronic timesheet accounting programs, electronic timesheet payroll providers and professional employee organizations, or “PEOs.”
Electronic timesheets should also be easy for both employees and managers to use in the workplace.
The greatest advantage about electronic timesheets is the electronic timesheet allows managers deal with potential electronic timesheet overtime and scheduling conflict issues. When a company implements tools such as electronic timesheets, it finds that it electronic timesheet productivity soar due to the electronic timesheet, but its employees make less human-prone electronic timesheet errors when it comes to electronic timesheet processing data for the payroll cycle on an electronic timesheet.
Finally, since we all know that “time is money,” the advantages of usingan electronic timesheet in the HR industry helps every company improve electronic timesheet accuracy, better utilize their staff with electronic timesheets, andcut the time it takesan electronic timesheet to track, collect and process payroll. In the end, the technology ofa modern electronic timesheetallows every company to save time, which in the very end, is money itself.
The electronic timesheet has become critical in forecasting human resource needs. Having access to an electronic timesheet from any computer, ensures the ease-of-use for the manager, because these newelectronic timesheets can now access crucial employee data from home when making critical employee electronic timesheet staffing issues.
There are many electronic timesheets available on the market today. Every electronic timesheet will track an employee’s electronic timesheet“punches”, but the electronic timesheet programs that stand out above the others also have features such as electronic timesheet scheduling options and an electronic timesheet reporting option. The bestelectronic timesheets are electronic timesheets that interface seamlessly with major electronic timesheet accounting programs, electronic timesheet payroll providers and professional employee organizations, or “PEOs.”
Electronic timesheets should also be easy for both employees and managers to use in the workplace.
The greatest advantage about electronic timesheets is the electronic timesheet allows managers deal with potential electronic timesheet overtime and scheduling conflict issues. When a company implements tools such as electronic timesheets, it finds that it electronic timesheet productivity soar due to the electronic timesheet, but its employees make less human-prone electronic timesheet errors when it comes to electronic timesheet processing data for the payroll cycle on an electronic timesheet.
Finally, since we all know that “time is money,” the advantages of usingan electronic timesheet in the HR industry helps every company improve electronic timesheet accuracy, better utilize their staff with electronic timesheets, andcut the time it takesan electronic timesheet to track, collect and process payroll. In the end, the technology ofa modern electronic timesheetallows every company to save time, which in the very end, is money itself.
The Most Effective Advertising Medium... Electronic Message Centers
A decade ago most of us sat in awe when viewing a huge full color full motion video screen at a professional sports stadium, or at a concert by one of many famous international musical groups. That cutting edge technology is available today at a fraction of the cost of products manufactured ten years ago, and the visual experience is far superior! If your company has an annual advertising budget of $50,000 or more, the question is no longer "can we afford an electronic message center", it has become "can we afford NOT to invest in an EMC?".
Consider the following facts from the Small Business Administration:
1) According to the Small Business Administration, sales increase between 15 and 150% when and electronic message center is installed.
2) Electronic message centers allow an unlimited number of message changes and variable controls, all easily completed with a computer. The result is lower labor cost and elimination of the physical liabilities often associated with copy changes on traditional reader boards.
3) Electronic Message centers communicate variable messages as people pass by, allowing greater flexibility in communicating to the public.
4) With their automated dimming and focusing systems, electronic message centers can respond to the visibility needs of the public, increasing safety and conspicuity day and night.
5) The flexibility offered by electronic message centers means your business can advertise specials while also displaying public service information or other items of public interest.
6) Electronic message centers can quickly "brand" your business site in the local community.
7) Electronic message centers are an investment in your business and provide the best and most cost-effective forms of paid advertising. The only form of advertising that may be more powerful is word of mouth (although it can be neither purchased nor controlled).
8) The effectiveness of an electronic message center is not limited by space or surface area constraints as with a reader-board.
9) Electronic message centers act as your "salesman on the street," attracting new customers to your business location.
10) Electronic message centers allow you to market your products and services to your immediate trade area and prevent wasteful advertising expenses.
11) The business owner can change the message as needed to provide information to specific retail customers, and can be used for political, social or community events.
12) Software is available that enables a business owner to display sophisticated logos or images on the EMC precisely as planned.
An Answer to the Challenge of Changing Demographics
The public - your existing and potential customers - is on the move, both literally and figuratively, and sometimes catching their attention is like hitting a moving target. Consider that approximately 18.6% of Americans move every year. Whether they move a short or long distance, they usually change their basic trade area. Add to that the fact that 15-35% of the traffic on a given street is "just passing through" (vacation travelers and such), and you can see the great potential for single stops by those unfamiliar with the area. An electronic or variable message center offers a unique way to capture the attention of these passers-by. An EMC allows you to communicate more effectively with the typical person passing by at a particular time day by changing the message and graphic of your sign to match the profile on the street. The local airport in Monmouth, NJ offers a clever example of this flexibility. The airport used its display to advertise price specials at peak hours to those traveling by on the freeway on the way to and from work. During shopping hours or after-school traffic, the airport changed its display to offer community service messages. This kind of flexibility increases the readership of a message unit, as it can correspond to the traffic profile by the day of the week, the time of day, or the season. With the right software, virtually any message can be created and displayed. The demand by businesses for these electronic or variable message centers is increasing because these signs improve the economic viability of difficult commercial sites with limited space. Municipalities that wish to prevent urban sprawl or deterioration of urban land are passing enabling acts that require optimization of urban space, and thus are more willing to look at EMCs as a signage option for businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions about EMCs
We have a sign; why does my business need a message center?
Consider for a moment the speed at which traffic passes by the average business. A motorist has only a few seconds to see and comprehend any given sign. For example, on a street with traffic passing at 45 miles per hour, a car that is 500 feet in front of a given sign will have only 7.6 seconds to read the sign before it passes, under normal driving conditions. A business' sign must be conspicuous if it is to catch the attention of passing motorists within the limited amount of time available. Motorists often spot electronic message centers quickly because the copy changes, the letters are illuminated, and the signs have traditionally been used as public service devices. Additionally, electronic message centers may have greater visibility from further distances, especially in poor lighting conditions , giving the motorist additional time to read the message displayed while safely maneuvering his or her vehicle. Message Centers act as a consolidating type of advertising. In other words, they offer businesses a way of posting a variety of information in one place rather than relying on numerous signs and banners displayed in windows, for example. This can be a real advantage for a business located in a district with strict rules about temporary signs. Most importantly, the electronic message center almost always increases a business' share of revenue . This is a result of the "branding" of the site through the use of specific logos, reinforcement of other advertising messages, allowing for public service notices, generating exact impulse stops, and helping to change customers' buying habits once they have stopped.
Is an electronic message center a cost-effective advertising medium?
Yes. Businesses often select their advertising medium, and messages, based upon the cost per thousand exposures of their message to the public. ON this basis, no other form of advertising comes close to matching the efficiency and cost-effectiveness, dollar for dollar, of an electronic message display. Compare the figures below:
· Newspaper advertising - the cost on average is about $7.39 for 1000 exposures within a 10- mile radius of the business location.
· Television advertising - The cost on average is approximately $6.26 per 1000 exposures.
· Radio advertising - The cost is about $5.47 per 1000 exposures.
· New LED electronic message center display - The cost is less than $0.15 per 1000 exposures. How? Assume, for example, that you spend $30,000.00 on this type of system, and that its useful life is about ten years. The amortized daily cost of the message center would equal about $2.74. Add to this the daily cost of electricity for this new LED unit (approximately $0.20), thus giving your business a daily message center expense total of $8.82. With a daily traffic count of 20,000 vehicles passing your business, you would have a cost of less than $0.45 per thousand exposures (counting drivers only)!
Best of all, with an electronic message center, a business does not have to worry about missing its target audience, becoming "yesterday's news," or facing expensive production costs for changing its message , as happens frequently with the other forms of advertising mentioned.
With an electronic variable message display:
· The business owns the form of advertising
· The advertising works for the business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
· The sign acts as the "salesman on the street" attracting customers into the business
· The advertising speaks directly to the potential customers as they drive past the business location, and the EMC makes the business a landmark in its community. Finally, many message center manufacturers provide leasing programs, which include service and maintenance, thereby providing another option for covering the cost of usage.
Please contact the Small Business Administration for more information.
Before you decide that these incredible devices are beyond your scope of understanding or ability to operate, consider the fact that, with a rudimentary understanding of personal computers, within a couple of hours of "hands on" experience you will have a firm grasp of what it takes to run your new electronic message center. If you have the ability to use Microsoft software, electronic message centers will provide little challenge.
A common misunderstanding is that there must be constant communication between your computer and the electronic message center. In reality, this communication is only necessary when the user changes the message schedule, and it takes about 5 seconds for the transmission.
Electronic message centers range from small simple "time and temperature" displays to full color boards with the ability to show movie clips. You may choose between Mono(single color/text only), Gray Scale(single color with varying number of shades that allows basic graphic display), and Full Color, which offers beautiful realistic renderings of just about anything you can visualize!
One of the most exciting parts of owning an electronic message center is the ability to target your advertisements specifically to the potential customer passing in front of your location, by time, date, Holiday, or any other variable you choose... and if you use your imagination, and devise very tempting ads, that customer will come in your door immediately while your ad is still on his mind. Instant gratification!
One of the most frustrating advertising issues is coordinating ad dates with delivery of product. As a business owner, how many times have you spent thousands of dollars to run advertising on a new and exciting product, only to have the supplier "drop the ball", and not deliver the goods on time? It's happened to all of us... With your new electronic message center, until you push the "send" button your message doesn't change.
How about the other side of the coin... A vendor calls and has acquired one of your best selling items at a tremendous savings and wants to get them out of his inventory very quickly. It's a cash deal, so you want to turn your investment within a short period of time. Your ability to rapidly set up and get ads running on "standard" media is very limited, and could add weeks to the amount of time needed to sell the product. With your new electronic message center, you can target tens of thousands of passersby per day immediately! This provides a real advantage for you, when your competitors don't own an electronic message center.
Time and temperature and public service messages will draw viewers to your electronic message center. Adding "non-sales" oriented public service messages to your schedule will cause those who use your street as a regular route to become accustomed to turning to look at your sign to get the latest updates, which is exactly what you are trying to accomplish.
Bottom line? You can own an electronic message center for less than the yearly cost of a full page Yellow Pages ad. The cost of a yearlong full coverage television or radio advertising campaign could dwarf the investment made in an electronic message center that will last for years, requires very little maintenance, and runs on standard 110 volt AC current.
The question is no longer "can we afford an electronic message center"... It's "can we afford NOT to invest in an EMC!"
Consider the following facts from the Small Business Administration:
1) According to the Small Business Administration, sales increase between 15 and 150% when and electronic message center is installed.
2) Electronic message centers allow an unlimited number of message changes and variable controls, all easily completed with a computer. The result is lower labor cost and elimination of the physical liabilities often associated with copy changes on traditional reader boards.
3) Electronic Message centers communicate variable messages as people pass by, allowing greater flexibility in communicating to the public.
4) With their automated dimming and focusing systems, electronic message centers can respond to the visibility needs of the public, increasing safety and conspicuity day and night.
5) The flexibility offered by electronic message centers means your business can advertise specials while also displaying public service information or other items of public interest.
6) Electronic message centers can quickly "brand" your business site in the local community.
7) Electronic message centers are an investment in your business and provide the best and most cost-effective forms of paid advertising. The only form of advertising that may be more powerful is word of mouth (although it can be neither purchased nor controlled).
8) The effectiveness of an electronic message center is not limited by space or surface area constraints as with a reader-board.
9) Electronic message centers act as your "salesman on the street," attracting new customers to your business location.
10) Electronic message centers allow you to market your products and services to your immediate trade area and prevent wasteful advertising expenses.
11) The business owner can change the message as needed to provide information to specific retail customers, and can be used for political, social or community events.
12) Software is available that enables a business owner to display sophisticated logos or images on the EMC precisely as planned.
An Answer to the Challenge of Changing Demographics
The public - your existing and potential customers - is on the move, both literally and figuratively, and sometimes catching their attention is like hitting a moving target. Consider that approximately 18.6% of Americans move every year. Whether they move a short or long distance, they usually change their basic trade area. Add to that the fact that 15-35% of the traffic on a given street is "just passing through" (vacation travelers and such), and you can see the great potential for single stops by those unfamiliar with the area. An electronic or variable message center offers a unique way to capture the attention of these passers-by. An EMC allows you to communicate more effectively with the typical person passing by at a particular time day by changing the message and graphic of your sign to match the profile on the street. The local airport in Monmouth, NJ offers a clever example of this flexibility. The airport used its display to advertise price specials at peak hours to those traveling by on the freeway on the way to and from work. During shopping hours or after-school traffic, the airport changed its display to offer community service messages. This kind of flexibility increases the readership of a message unit, as it can correspond to the traffic profile by the day of the week, the time of day, or the season. With the right software, virtually any message can be created and displayed. The demand by businesses for these electronic or variable message centers is increasing because these signs improve the economic viability of difficult commercial sites with limited space. Municipalities that wish to prevent urban sprawl or deterioration of urban land are passing enabling acts that require optimization of urban space, and thus are more willing to look at EMCs as a signage option for businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions about EMCs
We have a sign; why does my business need a message center?
Consider for a moment the speed at which traffic passes by the average business. A motorist has only a few seconds to see and comprehend any given sign. For example, on a street with traffic passing at 45 miles per hour, a car that is 500 feet in front of a given sign will have only 7.6 seconds to read the sign before it passes, under normal driving conditions. A business' sign must be conspicuous if it is to catch the attention of passing motorists within the limited amount of time available. Motorists often spot electronic message centers quickly because the copy changes, the letters are illuminated, and the signs have traditionally been used as public service devices. Additionally, electronic message centers may have greater visibility from further distances, especially in poor lighting conditions , giving the motorist additional time to read the message displayed while safely maneuvering his or her vehicle. Message Centers act as a consolidating type of advertising. In other words, they offer businesses a way of posting a variety of information in one place rather than relying on numerous signs and banners displayed in windows, for example. This can be a real advantage for a business located in a district with strict rules about temporary signs. Most importantly, the electronic message center almost always increases a business' share of revenue . This is a result of the "branding" of the site through the use of specific logos, reinforcement of other advertising messages, allowing for public service notices, generating exact impulse stops, and helping to change customers' buying habits once they have stopped.
Is an electronic message center a cost-effective advertising medium?
Yes. Businesses often select their advertising medium, and messages, based upon the cost per thousand exposures of their message to the public. ON this basis, no other form of advertising comes close to matching the efficiency and cost-effectiveness, dollar for dollar, of an electronic message display. Compare the figures below:
· Newspaper advertising - the cost on average is about $7.39 for 1000 exposures within a 10- mile radius of the business location.
· Television advertising - The cost on average is approximately $6.26 per 1000 exposures.
· Radio advertising - The cost is about $5.47 per 1000 exposures.
· New LED electronic message center display - The cost is less than $0.15 per 1000 exposures. How? Assume, for example, that you spend $30,000.00 on this type of system, and that its useful life is about ten years. The amortized daily cost of the message center would equal about $2.74. Add to this the daily cost of electricity for this new LED unit (approximately $0.20), thus giving your business a daily message center expense total of $8.82. With a daily traffic count of 20,000 vehicles passing your business, you would have a cost of less than $0.45 per thousand exposures (counting drivers only)!
Best of all, with an electronic message center, a business does not have to worry about missing its target audience, becoming "yesterday's news," or facing expensive production costs for changing its message , as happens frequently with the other forms of advertising mentioned.
With an electronic variable message display:
· The business owns the form of advertising
· The advertising works for the business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
· The sign acts as the "salesman on the street" attracting customers into the business
· The advertising speaks directly to the potential customers as they drive past the business location, and the EMC makes the business a landmark in its community. Finally, many message center manufacturers provide leasing programs, which include service and maintenance, thereby providing another option for covering the cost of usage.
Please contact the Small Business Administration for more information.
Before you decide that these incredible devices are beyond your scope of understanding or ability to operate, consider the fact that, with a rudimentary understanding of personal computers, within a couple of hours of "hands on" experience you will have a firm grasp of what it takes to run your new electronic message center. If you have the ability to use Microsoft software, electronic message centers will provide little challenge.
A common misunderstanding is that there must be constant communication between your computer and the electronic message center. In reality, this communication is only necessary when the user changes the message schedule, and it takes about 5 seconds for the transmission.
Electronic message centers range from small simple "time and temperature" displays to full color boards with the ability to show movie clips. You may choose between Mono(single color/text only), Gray Scale(single color with varying number of shades that allows basic graphic display), and Full Color, which offers beautiful realistic renderings of just about anything you can visualize!
One of the most exciting parts of owning an electronic message center is the ability to target your advertisements specifically to the potential customer passing in front of your location, by time, date, Holiday, or any other variable you choose... and if you use your imagination, and devise very tempting ads, that customer will come in your door immediately while your ad is still on his mind. Instant gratification!
One of the most frustrating advertising issues is coordinating ad dates with delivery of product. As a business owner, how many times have you spent thousands of dollars to run advertising on a new and exciting product, only to have the supplier "drop the ball", and not deliver the goods on time? It's happened to all of us... With your new electronic message center, until you push the "send" button your message doesn't change.
How about the other side of the coin... A vendor calls and has acquired one of your best selling items at a tremendous savings and wants to get them out of his inventory very quickly. It's a cash deal, so you want to turn your investment within a short period of time. Your ability to rapidly set up and get ads running on "standard" media is very limited, and could add weeks to the amount of time needed to sell the product. With your new electronic message center, you can target tens of thousands of passersby per day immediately! This provides a real advantage for you, when your competitors don't own an electronic message center.
Time and temperature and public service messages will draw viewers to your electronic message center. Adding "non-sales" oriented public service messages to your schedule will cause those who use your street as a regular route to become accustomed to turning to look at your sign to get the latest updates, which is exactly what you are trying to accomplish.
Bottom line? You can own an electronic message center for less than the yearly cost of a full page Yellow Pages ad. The cost of a yearlong full coverage television or radio advertising campaign could dwarf the investment made in an electronic message center that will last for years, requires very little maintenance, and runs on standard 110 volt AC current.
The question is no longer "can we afford an electronic message center"... It's "can we afford NOT to invest in an EMC!"
Whats the use of an Electronic Typewriter?
Electronic typewriters were developed in the early part of the twentieth century. Both individuals and businesses used electronic typewriters for their writing needs. These electronic typewriters underwent many changes throughout their history, but by the 1980’s, electronic typewriters were overshadowed by the advent of the personal computer and word processors.
Many people still rely on electronic typewriters for their written needs. Writers who might be superstitious often will only type on a certain type of electric typewriter. Many office workers use electronic typewriters to fill out forms that are not digitized. Older electronic typewriters are not as widely available as they once were, but electronic typewriters can still be found. There are also many places that will stock supplies for electronic typewriters and many places that will service electronic typewriters as well.
New lines of electronic typewriters are more sophisticated than the ones developed in the last century. These new electronic typewriters have LCD screens and word processing tools such as spell check. Electronic typewriters are often an economical choice for word processing needs. Many people prefer electronic typewriters to word processing on a computer. For some people, staring at a computer screen is difficult and can cause eyestrain. Electronic typewriters don’t cause eyestrain. Some people find that using a word processor annoying with tools such as automatic spell check popping up and needing to be dealt with. Electronic typewriters don’t have those tools. Many people find the sound of an electronic typewriter soothing. Electronic typewriters can stimulate creativity. People find the current demands of technology too demanding. It is much less complicated to learn the technology employed by an electronic typewriter than it is to use the ever-changing computer word processing technology.
There are a few options when looking to buy a new electronic typewriter. The Nakajima WPT-160 Electronic Portable Typewriter is an example of an economical electronic typewriter that offers many features. This is a lightweight, portable electronic typewriter with the ability to store fifty files in its 16K byte memory. It has a twenty-character display with features such as “search”, “insert”, and “recall” This is an affordably priced electronic typewriter.
Another electronic typewriter option is the Royal PowerWriterMD Electronic Typewriter with display. This electronic typewriter has a 100 -character daisy-printing element and a 17” maximum paper width. This electronic typewriter can store up to 48K and includes a 300-word dictionary. This electronic typewriter has an LCD display with a forty-character display capacity.
Electric typewriters make many small jobs easier. Popping an envelope into an electronic typewriter and typing an address is a quick way to get the job done. Electronic typewriters bring a certain satisfaction to creating a document. There is something special and perhaps a bit nostalgic about rolling a piece of paper into an electronic typewriter and typing until you’ve finished the paper. Then you can gently yank it out. It is often useful
Types of Electronic Whiteboards
Overview of An Electronic Whiteboard
Electronic whiteboards are becoming the new standard in classrooms and meeting rooms, in the 21st century. They take presenting, teaching and learning to new levels of interactivity.
What is an Electronic Whiteboard?
An electronic whiteboard allows material to be presented or displayed from a computer. Images, slides, text and even video can be displayed on an electronic whiteboard. Electronic whiteboard technology then allows for the teacher or presenter to interact with that image. For example, notes can be written on the electronic whiteboard adding information to the image presented. Electronic whiteboard technology can then capture that information and store it. Electronic whiteboards provide many useful applications in both business and classroom settings.
Thermal Electronic Whiteboard
Thermal electronic whiteboards allow the user to write, and print in black and white only. Each thermal electronic whiteboard comes with a printer attached and the images captured on this electronic whiteboard are then printed on thermal paper. This provides ease of use, but presentations on thermal electronic whiteboards often lack flair as they can only be seen in black and white. The PLUS BF-041S Electronic Whiteboard is a good example of a thermal electronic whiteboard. It is a freestanding electronic whiteboard unit with the ability to be mounted and contains a printer.
Color Electronic Whiteboard
Color electronic whiteboards can add pizzazz to presentations by introducing color. These electronic whiteboards can also be called copy boards. Using this technology, images are captured on the electronic whiteboard in color. These images can then be stored and either printed or distributed electronically. The PLUS M11s Electronic Whiteboard is a good choice for a color electronic whiteboard. It can be connected directly to a PC and images can be stored there or printed and distributed. Images stored on the computer from the electronic whiteboard can be further edited.
Portable Electronic Whiteboards
A portable electronic whiteboard is an alternative solution to a standard electronic whiteboard. Using a system such as eBeam, it is possible to turn any whiteboard into an electronic whiteboard. Simply attach the eBeam receiver to the whiteboard and connect the receiver with a USB cable to your computer. This system is quick and easy to set up on any whiteboard and it is easy to transport. The Quarter IdeaShare Q8000 Portable Whiteboard Capture System includes a receiver, mounting systems, electronic pens, dry-erasure markers, software and USB cable. These come with a carry bag for ease in portability. Portable electronic whiteboard systems are an economical alternative to standard electronic whiteboard systems.
Electronic whiteboards are setting the standard in presenting in both business and classroom settings. New schools being built include electronic whiteboards in each
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