Kickstartnews Revue - Podcast #32 - Show Notes for December 18, 2005

Here's the lineup for show #32:

• Letters to the Editor: We've got four reader and listener e-mails this week - adding JPGs to Your Bumper Sticker Maker, using Typing Pal Junior in elementary school education programs, securely erasing Mac files with Allume's Spring Cleaning, and accessing dead hard drives with SpinRite 6;
• Kickstartnews Confab: Should home-office, SOHO and small business owners be making New Year's resolutions? Is this silly? Or is it an opportunity to take stock and correct some mistakes?
• Interview: Dave Haupert of DDH Software, the makers of HanDBase, joins us for a terrific interview. HanDBase is a tremendously versatile database program and something most Smartphone and PDA users should consider. Maybe it should be part of your first New Year's business resolution?

Here are the rest of the Show Notes . . .

Kickstartnews Revue - Podcast #31 - Show Notes for December 11, 2005

Here's the lineup for show #31:

• Letters to the Editor: We've got four reader and listener e-mails this week - compatibility problems with an ATI X850XT video card, somebody looking for the Membership Plus database and calendar management software, using the HP 1320N LaserJet printer on a network, and problems capturing video through the Belkin USB 2.0 Hi-Speed DVD Creator;
• BOAT - Business Online & Technology: entrepreneur Judi Tyabji-Wilson and I pose the question: Is your online business ready for the holidays? Well it's a bit late to be thinking about this right now my friends, but there are still a few things you can do;
• Kickstartnews 2005 Top Ten Software & Hardware Awards: The best of 2005! Kickstartnews Managing Editor Howard Carson and BOAT co-host Judi Tyabji Wilson present their choices for this year's best for home-office and small business.

Here are the rest of the Show Notes . . .

Kickstartnews Revue - Podcast #30 - Show Notes for December 4, 2005

Here's the lineup for show #30:

• Letters to the Editor: We've got six reader and listener e-mails this week - system stability problems when using Norton GoBack 4, problems with older motherboards trying to run heavy-duty flight sims, storage card compatibility issues with the Belkin Media Reader for iPod, monthly loads and duty cycles for network laser printers, running a Lexmark E332 laser printer 24/7, and somebody who lost an original program CD for the FullShot screen capture utility;
• Kickstartnews Confab: Who's working through the holidays in your office? Hopefully not you!
• Big City Byte: Outsourcing the development of the software we use on a daily basis may be a cost saving move for some software companies, but where's the benefit for consumers?

Here are the rest of the Show Notes . . .

Outsourcing — The Dark Side

When a company reduces costs, it's logical to expect that it will be better able to compete in a marketplace and against companies offering similar products. When a company successfully reduces costs and maintains quality, the net gain in profits after the costs of efficiencies and even layoffs have been accounted for, usually accrues to the company owners and sometimes the shareholders if the company is publicly traded. For a 5% reduction in costs, consumers can't expect to see much at the cashier. Maybe a small rebate incentive? For a 10% reduction in manufacturing or development or infrastructure costs, you can also expect fatter executive salaries and a bump in the stock price. But faithful consumers, loyal to a particular product, are still unlikely to see any reductions in retail prices of the company's products. More . . .