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December, 2005 |
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SEASONS GREETINGS FROM SILICON EAST |
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The end of 2005 is fast-approaching and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of our clients and friends very Happy Holidays. 2005 was a year of continued growth and success for us at Silicon East and we recognize that it is only with your support and confidence that we succeed. We look forward to an even greater year in 2006.
I’d like to take a few minutes of your time to provide you with some information that I hope you will find of interest.
Microsoft Windows Vista
We’re looking forward to Microsoft’s next version of Windows, named Vista, to be released during the second half of 2006. This is going to be a huge event for Microsoft, some say bigger than the launch of Windows 95 (which had thousands of customers camped out in front of local stores waiting for their copy at one minute past midnight). As part of the lead-up to this launch, Microsoft has embarked upon an extensive test program, which could end up with as many as a half-million beta testers. More importantly, Microsoft has selected a very small number of business customers to test, provide feedback, and share in the publicity at launch time. In the small and medium business space, just forty companies were selected in North America to participate. Ten percent of those selected are our clients! Of course, you’ll be hearing much more about this as 2006 progresses, but for now I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate our four participants: Kultur International Films, Ltd; Leonard V Martelli, AIA, P.A.; Model Service Agency; and New Day Underwriting Managers.
The Consumer Electronics Show
Next week I head off to Las Vegas for the annual endurance marathon more commonly called CES. This is the place where everything new in electronics is introduced and displayed. There will be literally thousands of new products to see, and I’ll try to walk the entire 23 miles it takes to visit every booth. The press leading up to the show suggests that new cellphone introductions will dominate this year and I’ll be looking for any and all new Windows Mobile phones, as many of our clients have requested. I’ll also be reporting to you on the continuing convergence of computers and entertainment, which I’m sure will be another major theme this year. And if you see a guy on TV live from CES that looks like me – it probably is, as I’ve already been solicited for an interview.
Silicon East – The Book
Very exciting news to report, I was selected as one of the top 15 small business consultants in the world to be featured in a just-released book Making It Big In Small Business 2006. I’d like to quote the promo material for the book, which sold over 1,000 copies in just the first week (and it won’t even be listed on Amazon until after January 1). Here’s what they had to say: “Imagine attending a dinner party with the top 15 SMB consultants\resellers, learning all about their awarding winning business model recipes and engaging in invaluable “table talk.” That’s what this book is about!
I’ll have a few copies to pass around by next week, and you’d like you can order your own from Microsoft B-Central: http://gallery.bcentral.com/GID4648245P4726170-Books/Making-It-Big-In-Small-Business-2006.aspx
Space Heater Headaches
As the weather turns cold, many of us turn on those small under desk electric space heaters to keep warm. There are three things to keep in mind here – first, don’t put a space heater near or blowing towards your computer, it will overheat. Second, never plug a space heater into a surge protector – you can cause serious damage. Finally, keep all combustible materials far away from any electric heater!
In closing, I want to personally wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year, Marc
Copyright 2005 Silicon East Inc. |
