November 19, 2008
Maybe you also attended the virtual launch event for The Family Von WESS AKA Windows Essential Server Solutions AKA Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 last week.
Interesting though it was, I got a slightly creeped out feeling during the event. Like I was starring in one of those old Twilight Zone episodes as some hellaciously misanthropic character who screams to be left alone, only to find himself cosmically punished by being surrounded with what look like people, but is unable to communicate with any of them.
At least now I know what Second Life must be like, without ever having to actually spend any time in that sandbox of losers.
But one thing caught my eye for sure.
The Windows Mobile pavilion was touting a cool-as-ice promotion for Microsoft Partners to win a free Windows Mobile 6.1 device, with terms that couldn’t be simpler. The device being given away is the amazingly kickass Palm Treo Pro.
There are two ways to win…a giveway and a sell-and-win offer.
Giveaway
Complete 3 free online training seminars, and register to win one of 50 Palm Treo Pro devices being given away in a couple of random drawings. Each seminar completed is a separate entry. Limit on winning is 3 phones per person. Here’s a link to the full terms and conditions.
Here are the training seminars for the giveaway…
Optionally, you can earn extra chances win the giveaway (to a max of 3) by completing Partner Evidence Forms or Customer Evidence Forms. Basically, those require you to either give up your solution idea or infor on your customers. Up to you if you think a chance to win a mobile device is worth that, especially considering all of Microsoft’s recent moves to a direct sales model.
Sell-and-Win Offer
If you’re among the first 1,000 Microsoft Partners to close a sale that includes Exchange Server 2007 to an SMB customer (defined as having 5–249 seats), you can automatically receive a Palm Treo Pro.
Since the Family Von WESS AKA Windows Essential Server Solutions AKA Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008 both include Exchange Server 2007, they fully qualify for this offer. All you have to do is make the sale, validate it, and request your Palm Treo Pro.
Only one entry per Partner organization. Limit on winning is one phone per person. Here’s a link to the full terms and conditions.
Compared to most incentives that roll around, I think this one has a lot going for it. The device is smoking hot and runs the most current release version of Windows Mobile. The sell offer is dead simple, and prolly something you are already doing anyway.
I’d prolly stay away from the Partner and Customer Evidence Forms, but maybe that kind of thing doesn’t bother you as much as it does me.
|| posted by chris under essential business server, freebie, hardware, mobility, tech hand || comments (1) ||
||
September 25, 2008
If you liked the video below with HP’s smokingly badass customized c3000 ROK edition AKA “Shorty,” you’ll love this!
HP, Microsoft, and AMD are sponsoring an official Pimp My Infrastructure contest.
Full details at the link above, but there are 2 prizes, one built around SBS ($16K value) and another built around EBS ($36K value). Winners have their business pimped out with a slew of new HP gear.
HP resellers get props too. The referred resellers of the prize winners each get $5K in HP stuffs.
All this info came from The Man himself, Mr. Greg “Hyper-G” Starks.
He’ll be at a certain IT show in Seattle next week. If you’re planning to attend, be sure and stop by the HP booth to say “Heya” to the Hype Man. Better yet, find a karaoke machine and turn him loose on it.
Whatever you do, be sure to tell him The Funcave sent ya!
|| posted by chris under essential business server, freebie, hardware, migration, thumbs up || comments (0) ||
||
September 25, 2008
Pimp My Infrastructure
Time to bring tha bling playa.
When y’all want the best for your custom server whip, ya gots to get with E to the B to the S
Awwwwwww yea-UH!
Only way this video could been any better? If they had included the hellaciously awesome vocal stylings of Greg “Hyper-G” Starks.
|| posted by chris under hardware, it pro, media || comments (1) ||
||
August 19, 2008
I got a letter this mornin what do you reckon it read?
The totally wicked awesome HP Mini-Note with which I’ve been carrying on a complete hardware love affair suddenly gave up the ghost in the wee hours of the morning yesterday.
Very little warning. 2.5 days with some spontaneous reboots. Which, honestly…isn’t usually the first indicator of hardware death. Although they were Black Screens of Death. I guess Black is the new Blue.
Now, this unit was purchased in May, 2008.
That’s right… I said May. Gotta be some kind of record for premature hardware death.
Found a few other folks seeing this same issue over at the smokingly cool HP 2133 Guide.com forums. Which still doesn’t change the fact that I’m looking at a 2–5 day turnaround on the repair.
Bummer.
Here’s some White Stripes to make us all feel better.
Performing…what else? Son House’s masterpiece ‘Death Letter.’
It said the Mini you love is dead
|| posted by chris under hardware, rx, thumbs down, timekiller || comments (25) ||
||
July 12, 2008
That’s right folks.
Black Warrior Technology has become an official member of the Microsoft Small Business Racing Team.
Which means The Arrowhead of Awesomeness can officially appear on the #00 Toyota Camry driven by Michael McDowell for Michael Waltrip Racing.
Why?
Because there is no type of sport that does more for its sponsors than racing/motorsports. And the motorsport that does more for its sponsors than anyone else?
NASCAR, without question.
Every NASCAR driver receives special media training, and is fully briefed on sponsors. Which totally rocks. Think about other professional sports. How many times have you heard any kind of ball/hockey/soccer/what-have-you player talk about a sponsor before, during, or after the event? Not at all. But NASCAR drivers, owners, and crew members constantly thank their primary sponsors by name whenever the cameras are running.
Why?
Because the teams know that without sponsorship, they have no rides. Without rides, they basically have no team. Which is why having your logo riding around right beside the numbers on a car during a NASCAR race totally rocks.
Not only that, but NASCAR fans are some of the most rabid fans anywhere. They are fiercely loyal to drivers, teams, manufacturers, and sponsors.
Why?
Because everything that goes into the creation of the grand carnival that is NASCAR matters to them. They’re no different in that regard than superfans of any sport anywhere. But the loyalty that fans of other sports have is pretty much limited to teams and players. OK…sure, there are bat, ball, glove and sportswear manufacturers who benefit in other sports. But only because they are directly associated with the activity of that given sport.
NASCAR is different in that they offer nearly any company from nearly any industry the ability to sponsor a team.
Why?
Because NASCAR also knows that sponsors also bring their own fans, typically greenfield type of fans, who have never been to or watched a race before in their life.
And, to be honest…
The attitude of NASCAR appeals to me. NASCAR races are preceded with a prayer, a singing of our national anthem and presentation of our flag, replete with a flyover of some kind of military aircraft normally timed to roughly coincide with the “la-and of the Freeeee!” crescendo.
Not only does the respect for God and country mean something to me, but the fact that NASCAR works hard to be a family-friendly sports matters VERY MUCH to me. It’s important to me that The Arrowhead of Awesomeness won’t be shown next to the Playboy, Penthouse or some other porn empire’s logo. Let alone plastered on the backside of some Vivid Video starlet.
Thanks to Microsoft and its amazingly awesome Small Business Specialist sponsorship program they entered into with MWR, the price point for all this is an astonishingly low price. $4K? That’s chickenfeed for the kind of exposure you are getting.
So the question you should be asking yourself shouldn’t be…
Why?
The question you should ask yourself should be…
Why Not?
And the only question I still have for myself is…
Why Didn’t I Do This Sooner?
|| posted by chris under business, hardware, media, more cowbell, motorsports, thumbs up || comments (10) ||
||
