Saving Money Buying Tech Hardware... Start Today!
The old rules of Technology hardware purchasing are now outdated. Following them costs you money. The new rules are defined by a matured market and will save your budget.
Technology purchases need to be matched, software & hardware, like gears in a machine, with the needs of each unique set of needs that individual businesses have. Many times, the wrong hardware is purchased and will never do what it was intended to do. Other times, the software package is not a match for the hardware. Either way, the end user will suffer from lost time, inefficiencies and poor a experience.
Defining The Old Rules...
Defining The Old Rules...
As most anyone can see with even average intelligence, Technology prices are crashing. There are several reasons that drive this phenomenon; a maturing industry that has moved into mass marketing rather than specialized niches it once catered to and its enormous economies of scale.
Let's face it, with IBM selling off their computer divisions to Lenovo in China (they made IBM's computers for years), HP manufacturing everywhere else but in the States, it's a global manufacturing market now. Prices on hardware keep falling as they become "appliances" like toasters. Unfortunately, quality goes down as well as the price. So what is a Small or Medium Sized Business (SMB) supposed to do?
Let's face it, with IBM selling off their computer divisions to Lenovo in China (they made IBM's computers for years), HP manufacturing everywhere else but in the States, it's a global manufacturing market now. Prices on hardware keep falling as they become "appliances" like toasters. Unfortunately, quality goes down as well as the price. So what is a Small or Medium Sized Business (SMB) supposed to do?
In the old model, businesses (and individuals) bought the latest, greatest technology that offered "must have" goodies, that some staff member thought they needed. In most cases, the staff member merely put the order in over the phone for whatever they were sold.
The salesman couldn't care less if it was a match with their real needs (they never even asked) because they got paid a spiff on the volume of units sold, not on applicability...sad but true.
The staff member didn't understand the salesman's mumbo jumbo, but it got the item off their to do list and they weren't spending their money anyway... Sounding vaguely familiar?
Let's examine the rules of the game:
The staff member didn't understand the salesman's mumbo jumbo, but it got the item off their to do list and they weren't spending their money anyway... Sounding vaguely familiar?
Let's examine the rules of the game:
Four Immutable Laws Of Computer Technology- Know Them & Save $$$
First Law: Computer Speeds Double Every 2 Years
This is NOT a myth or a guess, it is theory! The founders of Intel proffered this hypothesis 20 years ago. History has proven this to be a theory over and over since the beginning of the industry. Knowing this, face the fact that you will never "get ahead of the technology curve". Buying the latest, greatest computer technology on the market today is expensive and outdated in two years anyway.
Second Law: Computers Lose Half Their Value EVERY Year
You cannot get around this due to the first theory. You begin losing value the day you buy! Believe it or not, nobody can overcome this Law of Technology!
First Law: Computer Speeds Double Every 2 Years
This is NOT a myth or a guess, it is theory! The founders of Intel proffered this hypothesis 20 years ago. History has proven this to be a theory over and over since the beginning of the industry. Knowing this, face the fact that you will never "get ahead of the technology curve". Buying the latest, greatest computer technology on the market today is expensive and outdated in two years anyway.
Second Law: Computers Lose Half Their Value EVERY Year
You cannot get around this due to the first theory. You begin losing value the day you buy! Believe it or not, nobody can overcome this Law of Technology!
Fourth Law: Retail Computers Usually Have Stripped Down Operating Systems & Software
The difference in XP Home Edition & Professional are huge, especially for business. XP Home has been stripped of many of the Networking & Security features and is meant for Home use with one computer. The Professional edition has the Networking & Security features expected in a business network environment. Mixing them at Home is not a problem for most people. Mix them at the Office, and disaster can ensue. Business is no place for for XP Home or Vista Home Editions.
Additionally, MS Office Professional vs. Works is night & day. Works is actually a very stripped down version of Office. It's made to be cheap for computer makers to buy and bundle on cheap retail grade machines. Works is lacking in features and business file format capabilities. It costs business tons of money that mistakenly settle on it in their businesses. Eventually, all the files will end up having to be converted to Office (or OpenOffice), costing time and money in the long run.
The difference in XP Home Edition & Professional are huge, especially for business. XP Home has been stripped of many of the Networking & Security features and is meant for Home use with one computer. The Professional edition has the Networking & Security features expected in a business network environment. Mixing them at Home is not a problem for most people. Mix them at the Office, and disaster can ensue. Business is no place for for XP Home or Vista Home Editions.
Additionally, MS Office Professional vs. Works is night & day. Works is actually a very stripped down version of Office. It's made to be cheap for computer makers to buy and bundle on cheap retail grade machines. Works is lacking in features and business file format capabilities. It costs business tons of money that mistakenly settle on it in their businesses. Eventually, all the files will end up having to be converted to Office (or OpenOffice), costing time and money in the long run.
Retail Grade computers typically come with a 1 year warranty and are cheaper to buy. They have 60 day trial ware for many office applications and antivirus programs. They are loaded with tons of messaging software like AOL, Messenger, etc... because the manufactures get paid to put it on them, thus reducing the retail price. Dangerous stuff on an office computer. Employees waste time and worse, create giant Security holes in your Network for viruses and similar malware to get in through. You'll end up deleting (or junking it), after you pay to have someone remove the malware!
Third Law: There Are Retail Grade and Corporate Grade Computers; The Difference Is HUGE
Retail Grade computers are usually made with a cheaper grade of components and fail at higher rates than corporate computers (that's why they only give a 1 year warranty). Retail grades are available from Walmart, Office Depot, Staples, Best Buy, etc... Even Dell, HP and Gateway offer them on the web. Knowing what you're buying is not as easy as one thinks; some get disguised!
Corporate Grade computers typically come with 3 year warranties and are made with higher grades of internal components. They are more extensively tested and they fail much less often. They cost more money than retail grade computers, but are remarkably more reliable. It is worth noting that companies like Whirlpool, Ford, GM and the like, are never even offered Retail Grades. The manufacturers don't want lawsuits by big firms if the computers fail before their leases are up.
Corporate Grade computers typically come with 3 year warranties and are made with higher grades of internal components. They are more extensively tested and they fail much less often. They cost more money than retail grade computers, but are remarkably more reliable. It is worth noting that companies like Whirlpool, Ford, GM and the like, are never even offered Retail Grades. The manufacturers don't want lawsuits by big firms if the computers fail before their leases are up.
OK, we've covered the game, now let's look at how best to play it to your advantage.
Considering the above, we now have to factor in several real world conditions which exist due to market conditions
Considering the above, we now have to factor in several real world conditions which exist due to market conditions
How To Achieve Real Savings & Value...
Tech - Tools™ ©2008 D. Merritt BrainBoxUSA.com All Rights Reserved