Alberta Business Marketing

Tags: android, iPad, tablets, Tech Essentials, technology
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photo © 2007 Alexandre Dulaunoy | more info (via: Wylio)
This post is 100% unsubsidized, personal referral because
http://www.toktumi.com/ and Line2 for iPhone or iPod or even iPad make for a great portable office.

I’m using this service on my iPod and computer – Line2 turns even an iPod into a phone for 10 bucks a month or less. With a phone number and everything. Try it free for 30 days.
I tried it free for one day, and then subscribed.

Includes North American calls (incoming and outgoing) Free.
When I travel, you guessed it. I can make calls from anywhere in the world to North America.
for FREE on wifi, and Folks can call me back on my number as if they were calling my North American number.

I have a phone number but I don’t have a phone.

Yes, my iPod. Also works on an iPhone. It runs as an app in the background.  You don’t need to keep it open.  You can do anything you want, and the call announces itself.
It rings my iPod or my computer. My choice. Hilarious.

It uses wifi. Also works on computer with wifi or ethernet.
Got an iPad – turn the sucker into a phone. Why not? It can have its own phone number.

Transfers calls anywhere…. Yes, transfers calls. “Oh, sorry, you should speak with Martha” , click a button and forward the call. wicked good stuff.
Conference calls – up to 20 Free. Yes, included in the service. Just dial each person one after another and you’ve got a conference going, even on your iPod Touch.  Yes it does. Try it, if you don’t believe me.

You can even change your phone number to work with Toktumi or Line2.

First thing in the new year, I’m going to do what I can to get Bell Canada out of our office and get a few lines like this where we manage our calls on our computers. Each computer can have a headset and its own number. Transfering calls instead of picking up an extension. The only question, what will we do with the thousands of dollars we save each year?

My phone number sits at my computer and travels with me when I go away – on my iPhone or iPod.
It’s blowing my mind how we will save money with this revolutionary service.
Give it a try and tell us how you like it.

Unfortunately, this service is still only available in North America.  Sorry chums.

Tags: iPad, iphone, ipod, phones
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One of things I miss about not being at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner conference besides not being able to see all my buddies from Microsoft and through the partner channel is all the great announcements that come from this annual pilgrimage from Microsoft Partners.

I tuned into Steve Ballmer’s keynote address on Digital WPC this morning just in time to hear the announcement of Windows 7 Slate amongst all the talk of the cloud (FY2011 is going to rock).  Microsoft is getting into the iPad type game with full force.  I kinda thought they would and no better place to announce it.  WPC I heard has over 14,000 delegates in attendance this year.

If you don’t think the cloud is for real…watch the keynote address from Steve Ballmer.

This will be my only year off from WPC.  I look forward to WPC2011 in Los Angeles.

My good friend and fellow blogger Karim from Techvibes summed up the announcement on his blog.

This year one of the most important things that we will do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7-based slates.

They’ll come with keyboards, they’ll come without keyboards, they’ll be dockable, there’ll be many form factors, many price points, many sizes.  But they will all run Windows 7. They will run Windows 7 applications. They will run Office.

They’ll (the tablets or slates as Ballmer calls them) come from the people you would expect — from Asus, from Dell, from Samsung, from Toshiba, from Sony.

I can’t wait to see one and compare it to my iPad.  I do love my iPad but it has limitations when it comes to working on documents.  If the Slate will run Office, I may just switch.  After all, Office is the make or break application for me.

What do you think?  Leave a comment.

Tags: Blogger, Computing, iPad, microsoft, Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Partners, Technology/Internet, World Wide Web
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I find myself these days with three Apple products at the ready at all times and with our team at Ulistic growing, collaborating and sharing of information amongst our team members is crucial to our success.  Our MacBooks, iPhones and IPADs travel with us everywhere we go and this allows for keeping in touch with our clients when they need us.   Having instant access to our client data is crucial to our success but having this luxury within our budget is especially critical.

The Internet Cloud allows Ulistic to operate in a manner that meets all of our needs for access, security and affordability.

Enter another robust, secure and free/nearly free solution for business

I stumbled upon a great “free” application over the weekend and what is even more impressive is how seamless it works with all of our computers and mobile devices.  For me personally, one of my biggest challenges throughout my business career has been taking accurate notes of things that happen or are said in a meeting.  I just wasn’t one of those guys who took notes on everything that was said in a meeting.  But I think I just found a solution that can cure me of this challenge.  Sure I tried Microsoft OneNote but it didn’t have a solution (when I was using it) that worked when I didn’t have my laptop.  With this new application I learned about over the weekend I may have just finally found a cure for my challenges with keeping track of what happens in our meetings.

Notetaking Software that just works

Enter Evernote! Evernote is simply one fantastic service!  Evernote offers free and “nearly free” services to a busy guy like me who doesn’t have countless hours in a day to wrestle with technology.  Evernote’s simply interface and synchronization allows our team at Ulistic to have our notes with us whereever we go.  MacBook, iPhone or iPAD they all work like a charm.  Synchronization works virtually without any user interference to all of our devices without any headaches at all.  Need to start taking notes for an idea that pops into your head, no problem, just open Evernote wherever you are a make a quick note.

This includes pictures, movies, typed in notes and audio recordings.  Can you say SLICK!

The free version of Evernote allows for 40 MB of data transfer each month, not bad as a starter. Go Premium with 500 MB of synchronization traffic for only $5 per month or $45 per year – less than the cost of that memory stick you just bought.  When you combine Evernote with other great online services such as Dropbox and Google/Microsoft hosted email, why would you ever need a server or complex information technology solution for your small business?  It just makes technical and economic sense to choose robust, secure and efficient services such as Evernote and the others if are simply sharing files and sending emails.

Evernote also works on the Microsoft Windows platform and Android, Palm Pre and Blackberry mobile phone services.  I am giving Evernote two thumbs up and placement on my home screen of both my iPhone and iPAD.  Great tool for any size of business.

Something else that is cool, Evernote can also track where you were when you worked on a file and bring up that location on a Google map.

Tags: android, Apple Inc., blackberry, Business IT, cellular telephone, Computing, Dropbox, Evernote, free solution, Google Inc., Google/Microsoft, information technology, information technology solution, iPad, iphone, Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft Windows, mobile devices, mobile phone services, notetaking, Notetaking software, onenote, Palm Pre Smartphone, secure and efficient services, Technology/Internet
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This past week I have been working with a fellow Heartland Tech Group member from the Philadelphia, PA area and leader in the Philadelphia Small Business Computer Support market, Jobecca Technology Group.  Michael and I have known each other for a couple of years now and it wasn’t until this past month we decided to work together and what a pleasure it is to have Michael on board as a client with Ulistic.  Today, Ulistic is assisting Michael in taking his web marketing and overall web strategy to a new level.  So far, so good and it is awesome to have this HTG member as a client of our Calgary based Social Media Consulting and Online marketing organization, Ulistic.  Need help 403.775.2205.

See Jobecca’s new Philadelphia Business Computer Support blog today.

I learn from my clients just as much as I hope they learn from my experiences from us working together and with Jobecca, no exception to this rule occurs.  Michael and I share a very close friend Jeremy Epstein from Never Stop Marketing. I have been reading Michael’s blog posts and he reminded me about a focus point our friend Jeremy is talking about on his blog about Dandelin Marketing and the importance of Never Stop Marketing…sorry to the guys at TLC in Calgary…Jeremy coined this phrase long before you guys started using it (see spam emails going around Calgary).

Like Michael and I have mentioned, one of Jeremy’s new or recent discussion points is on Dandelion Marketing.  Are you asking yourself what is Dandelion Marketing? let’s think about this for a second and how dandelions spread in the wild.  Look outside your Calgary home right now, can you see a number of dandelions investing your lawn?  Being the May Long Weekend, it is more than likely that the dandelions are out in full force.  I know my front yard has many of the yellow butter cups showing their face.

In Jeremy’s blog post on Dandelion Marketing, he shares 6 basic concepts on how to share information online with your raving fans and also those who simply like what you have to offer.

• Know the Commander’s Intent
• EVERYONE is in marketing.
• Brand: Feel Over Look.
• Agile Marketing Development
• High Fault Tolerance.
• Rapid Feedback Loops.

Dandelion Marketing is in my opinion is about leverage.  Using the tools available to you, some are actually free and some have a small price tag associated with them to share relevant information with your community and also your raving fans.  Information that is relevant, information they would find interesting and information their follows find interesting and when everything aligns…well look how dandelions spread across the prairie landscape!

Download the Dandelion Marketing eBook from Jeremy Epstein today…some very good reading…I am reading it on my iPad right now!

Tags: 403.775.2205, Biology, Botany, Business Success, Business/Finance, Calgary, Dandelion, heartland tech group, Herbs, Human Interest, iPad, Jeremy Epstein, Jobecca Technology Group, leader, Medicinal plants, Michael, never stop marketing, overall web strategy, Philadelphia, philadelphia computer support, social media consulting, Social Media Consulting and Online, Taraxacum, ulistic, web marketing
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