Selling Geek: Tech Reviews for Sales Pros

We’re back! And we heard you…

Timothy Sullivan — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:11:53 +0000

You may have noticed that we here at Selling Geek have taken a short hiatus away from our blog and podcast. Thanks to those of you who sent a “Hey, are you OK?” e-mail - we appreciate that you care! We’ve been delighted with the rapid increase in readers and listeners to Selling Geek since we [...]

Google to provide RSS feeds for web search results; automatic account research potential thrills sales pros

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:55:17 +0000

The tech blog Search Engine Land reports that Google intends to provide distribution of web search results via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds as part of its Google Alerts service, thus allowing continuous and automatic distribution of new online mentions of companies, people or key phrases on websites, blogs or other Internet resources. Currently, Google Alerts [...]

Microsoft extends XP downgrade deadline to July 31, 2009; salespeople can now easily avoid ever using Vista

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:56:18 +0000

Microsoft announced that users of its Vista operating system will be able to exercise their right to downgrade to the older, but far more popular, Windows XP, until July 31, 2009 - a six-month extension over a previous deadline. The reason, according to Microsoft, is to “ensure a smooth transition” for users, ostensibly to Vista. In [...]

RIM officially announces BlackBerry Storm; still vague about when in November salespeople can buy it

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:30:30 +0000

After months of rumors and leaked glimpses, Research In Motion (RIM) officially announced that their new BlackBerry® Storm™ mobile communication device, their first offering without a physical keyboard, will be available exclusively to Verizon Wireless customers in the U.S. and to Vodafone customers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand sometime in November. RIM’s press release [...]

Selling Geek podcast #14 - Dell Inspiron Mini 9

Timothy Sullivan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:13:07 +0000

The tech blog Engadget recently pronounced: “The age of the netbook has indeed, arrived.” According to an Amazon.com list of the best-selling computers, nine of the top ten systems sold in September 2008 were ultra-portable devices. Popular netbooks like the ASUS EeePC 900, HP 2133 Mini-Note PC, Acer Aspire One, MSI Wind and Lenovo IdeaPad [...]

BlackBerry Storm virtual keyboard and screen shots revealed; still no firm release date set; sales geeks squirm with frustration

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:53:51 +0000

The niche blog Storm Reviews published clear pictures of the interface for the soon-to-be-released BlackBerry Storm, RIM’s first device with no physical keyboard. In general, the interface looks very clean, crisp, and easy to decipher. The virtual keyboard, which reportedly uses haptic feedback to provide a discernable click when pressing an on-screen key, simulating a [...]

Dell releases M109S pocket projector; sales presenters cheer

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:43:01 +0000

Although its existence was leaked during the summer, Dell’s new pocket projector, formally dubbed with the instantly forgettable moniker of “M109S“, has been officially released to generally availability. Weighing only four-fifths of a pound, the ultra-compact 3.6 x 1.5 x 4.1 inches (small enough to fit in the palm of your hand) projector can fit [...]

Google’s Android mobile operating system arrives; how does this affect sales professionals and why should they care?

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:20:11 +0000

T-Mobile announced their plans to market the first smartphone based on Google’s open source mobile operating system, Android. The new phone, built by HTC and called the G1, will be generally available by October 22nd in the US (and in the U.K. in November, and the rest of Europe in early 2009), and will cost [...]

T-Mobile introduces the first Android-based phone; salespeople begin seizing up from smartphone coolness overload

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:11:11 +0000

T-Mobile USA formally announced the first phone using Google’s open-source mobile operating system, Android, on September 23rd. The phone, manufactured by HTC, will be called the G1 in the U.S. market. It will be priced at US$179, with a 2-year T-Mobile contract. The G1 is slightly heavier than its primary competitor, the Apple iPhone 3G, and [...]

GM unveils Chevy Volt; traveling salespeople calculate savings

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:09:19 +0000

GM introduced the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, its first commercially available electric car, with a home outlet rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Drivers can run on the Volt’s electric motor on an initial overnight charge for short trips up to 40 miles, after which the on-board gasoline generator provides sustained current to the battery, allowing a drive range [...]

Selling Geek podcast #13 - Best web browsers for sales pros

Timothy Sullivan — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:10:52 +0000

In this episode of the Selling Geek podcast, we review the top five most popular web browsers, and evaluate them in terms of their utility to sales professionals. We also provide specific web browser recommendations to salespeople using Macs, Linux-based systems, or Windows-based computers. Links to resources mentioned in this show: List of available web browser applications Flock SeaMonkey Microsoft [...]

The pico projectors are here! The pico projectors are here! Professional sales presenters dance with glee

Timothy Sullivan — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:00:11 +0000

While ultra-tiny pico projectors have been released in other parts of the world, like the Aiptek V10 in Australia, we’ve not yet seen any of these super-portable display devices released in the U.S. - until now! 3M’s German division announced that the MPro110 pocket projector will be available worldwide on September 30th. Priced at US$359, the [...]

Apple and Microsoft announce new media players; most salespeople yawn - but they might be missing a great opportunity

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:46:16 +0000

Apple and Microsoft both tried to out-announce each other this week, and most of what they revealed was of little value to sales professionals looking to boost their productivity. The two tech giants did, however, show some cool new devices that could offer more than just a little recreation to savvy salespeople. Apple wants to rock [...]

Airlines install new technology to increase customer productivity; traveling salespeople like it

Timothy Sullivan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:51:40 +0000

U.S. airlines have recently installed technology upgrades to improve their customer experience, and others are hurrying to catch up. First, Delta has streamlined its automated check-in software, by eliminating redundant screens and repetitive verification questions, which will save each customer who uses the system several minutes. The new screens are also more aesthetically pleasing, and are [...]

Looks like mid-November before Verizon releases the BlackBerry Storm; AT&T to launch BlackBerry Bold on October 2nd

Timothy Sullivan — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:22:22 +0000

According to a source found by the BoyGeniusReport, the Verizon Wireless version of the cutting-edge BlackBerry Storm, RIM’s first device without a physical keyboard, won’t be generally available until “mid-November” in the U.S. Previously, the reported launch target date was mid-October, but testing and bug fixes are taking longer than expected, according to the source. Meanwhile, [...]

Dell (finally) releases Inspiron Mini 9 netbook; traveling salespeople anticipate immediate reduction in severe back pain

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:07:00 +0000

After months of eager anticipation, Dell Computer finally introduced its first true netbook computer, the Inspiron Mini 9. Joining a large number of able competitors in the rapidly growing ultraportable market, Dell clearly intends to seize a significant share of new buyers by pricing the Mini 9 at US$349 for a model with 4 gigabytes [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? Part 6: conclusions and recommendations

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:59:58 +0000

Last in a six-part series In Part One of this series, we defined what an operating system (OS) is, and speculated that changes in the most significant OS platforms could affect the way that salespeople do their jobs over the next few years. In this part, we summarize our findings and provide sales professionals with some [...]

Just what salespeople really need: yet another web browser; Google releases try-out version of Chrome for Windows XP and Vista

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:54:59 +0000

Google made a pre-release version of its newopen source Internet web browser, Chrome, publicly available for Windows XP and Vista users. Curious web surfers can try out the new browser by downloading it here. Designed for reliability and speed, Chrome poses a potential threat to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which currently enjoys about a 75% [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? Part 5: “The Cloud”

Timothy Sullivan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:37:57 +0000

Fifth in a six-part series In Part One of this series, we defined what an operating system (OS) is, and speculated that changes in the most significant OS platforms could affect the way that salespeople do their jobs over the next few years. In this part, we speculate about what could be emerging as a new [...]

Selling Geek podcast #12 - GPS for sales pros

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:48:30 +0000

In this episode of the Selling Geek podcast, we interview Tim Flight, the moderator of the popular website for information about GPS devices: GPS Review. Click here for a complete transcription of this interview. What is GPS? How does it work? What GPS systems have the best maps? How does GPS benefit sales professionals? Advantages and disadvantages of portable, in-dash [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? Part 4: Linux

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:22:06 +0000

Fourth in a six-part series In Part One of this series, we defined what an operating system (OS) is, and speculated that changes in the most significant OS platforms could affect the way that salespeople do their jobs over the next few years. In this part, we focus on the most commonly-used open source alternative OS. Linux Originally [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? Part 3: Mac OS X

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:09:37 +0000

Third in a six-part series In Part One of this series, we defined what an operating system (OS) is, and speculated that changes in the most significant OS platforms could affect the way that salespeople do their jobs over the next few years. In this part, we focus on perhaps the most visible alternative to Microsoft [...]

New wireless portable speakers from your laptop’s USB connector; a cool idea for salespeople with sound in their presentations

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:15:13 +0000

The tech blog Engadget issued a report about TrekStor’s new Wireless Soundbox, which connects decent quality speakers to your computer using a USB-connected wireless transmitter. “OK, that’s cool”, you may be asking yourself, “but other than for entertainment value, why would salespeople care?” Ever have to give a demonstration or presentation on your laptop computer that includes [...]

LinkedIn enhances group features; sales professionals should like new social networking capabilities

Timothy Sullivan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:25:10 +0000

LinkedIn, the popular business networking website, released new improvements to its Groups feature, making this function easier to use and more helpful to sales professionals looking to forge connections with customers and potential prospects. In addition to fixing some previously annoying application errors, the latest Groups update now provides a centralized hub page for every group, [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? Part 2: Windows

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:53:51 +0000

Second in a six-part series In part one of this series, we defined what an operating system (OS) is, and speculated that changes in the most significant OS platforms could affect the way that salespeople do their jobs over the next few years. In this part, we focus on the most dominant OS in use worldwide [...]

Touchscreen-operated BlackBerry 9530 Storm coming to Verizon

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:51:56 +0000

The tech blog Engadget showed the packaging for the new touchscreen-operated BlackBerry 9530 - RIM’s first device with no physical keyboard. Now called the Storm in the U.S. market, the phone will be released on Verizon Wireless later this year. The 9530 will operate globally with a removable SIM card. It will also include an [...]

What will salespeople use for their next computer operating system? (And why the heck should they care?)

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:02:41 +0000

First of a six-part series In order to be competitive today, virtually all sales professionals must use computers. They need rapid access to information about their industry, customers, prospects, competitors, and their own organizations’ products and services, and the computer is the ideal device for finding, storing and retrieving this information. Most people think of computers in [...]

FYI: Selling Geek changing policies for blog posts and comments

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:43:44 +0000

Many thanks to everyone for reading the SellingGeek.com blog, and for listening to our podcast! Since launching officially in May, our numbers have grown quickly, and we’re gratified and humbled by your response. We’re now more motivated than ever to make Selling Geek a useful and entertaining resource for you, the sales professional looking for [...]

FAA computer failure causes massive airline flight delays across entire U.S.; salespeople celebrate their tax dollars at work

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:03:32 +0000

On August 26, a failure in network communication to an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) computer center, located south of Atlanta, delayed hundreds of flights nationwide, as U.S. airlines waited for approval of their flight plans. Dozens of major airports were affected by the failure, especially in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and mid-Atlantic cities. The FAA had to [...]

Faster, more private Internet browsers coming before end of 2008; sales pros prepare for anonymous, accelerated web surfing

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:03:07 +0000

The two leading web browser applications, Mozilla’s Firefox and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, independently announced plans to improve their products before the end of 2008. Mozilla reported that they will introduce a significant performance enhancement to Firefox, which will be part of the anticipated 3.1 upgrade to be released before the end of the year. This new [...]

Selling Geek podcast #11 - The Death of Voicemail

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:57:02 +0000

In this special extended edition of the Selling Geek podcast, we comment on recent technology news of interest to sales professionals, and we speculate about the possible future end of the scourge of salespeople everywhere: voice mail. Please give us your comments and feedback on our U.S. toll-free message line: 877-345-7763, or from anywhere in the [...]

Should salespeople buy an Apple iPhone 3G now?

Timothy Sullivan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:47:16 +0000

On July 11 2008, Apple released the latest version of their highly successful iPhone - the new 3G model. Seen as the next step in the evolution of the popular device, the iPhone 3G received enthusiastic early reviews for improved performance and functionality. But just over a month later, the initial glossy sheen on the new [...]

Jott “out of beta” (code for “we’re charging real money now”); salespeople grumble, but open their wallets anyway

Timothy Sullivan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:41:33 +0000

The popular voice-to-text service, Jott, which heretofore was completely free, announced that they are now “out of beta”, and they have introduced a tiered services pricing plan. In other words, most users will now have to pay monthly fees to get Jott’s most desirable features. (See our earlier review of Jott, posted here, for a [...]

T-Mobile to sell first Android phones before end of 2008; mobile sales pros prepare to geek out on open platform coolness

Timothy Sullivan — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:09:49 +0000

The tech blog Engadget reports that T-Mobile will be the first carrier to offer a mobile phone using the open Android operating system. The phone will be built by HTC and go on sale in the U.S. “before Christmas, perhaps as early as October.” The New York Times also reported that the device will include [...]

Verizon tops U.S. mobile service customer satisfaction surveys; sales pros still grumble about less than perfect coverage

Timothy Sullivan — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:39:06 +0000

In separate surveys conducted by PC Magazine (previewed in our interview with PC Mag’s Sascha Segan) and by J.D. Power, customer satisfaction for mobile phone services is highest for Verizon Wireless, topping all others in overall rankings. There’s practically no difference between the top-ranked companies, however, with Verizon coming in with a score of 103, Alltel [...]

Dell reshuffles its laptop lineup, introduces instant OS; salespeople should take note, prepare to upgrade

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:51:21 +0000

Dell is in the midst of re-organizing its array of laptop computer offerings, and on the whole, we think salespeople will like what they see. First, Dell is upgrading its venerable workhorse Latitude line - long a favorite of sales pros - by dropping the old “D” series in favor of seven new “E” models. The [...]

Chrysler to offer in-car wireless access on August 25th; road-bound sales pros tempted to surf and drive simultaneously

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:55:51 +0000

This Week in Consumer Electronics (a.k.a, TWICE) reports that Chrysler will offer integrated cellular/Wi-Fi Internet connection capability in its cars starting August 25th, under the name “Uconnect Web”. The new device will be compatible with all 2009 Chrysler vehicles and some earlier model year automobiles, and will be available either as a new car [...]

TSA to accept checkpoint-friendly bags Aug. 16; US traveling salespeople hold their collective breath and hope it works

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:28:52 +0000

Beginning August 16th, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow travelers going through airport security checkpoints to leave laptop computers in their bags, if they meet newly defined standards. The new “checkpoint friendly” bag standards include these criteria: A designated laptop-only section The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt No metal snaps, zippers or [...]

Selling Geek podcast #10 - CRM expert Rich Bohn

Timothy Sullivan — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:14:16 +0000

In this episode of the Selling Geek podcast, we interview SellMoreNow.com’s expert analyst on customer relationship management (CRM) software, Rich Bohn, about: the state of CRM today what makes CRM succeed - or fail low-cost CRM alternatives the future of CRM Click here for a complete transcription of this interview. Links to resources mentioned in the show: SellMoreNow.com CSO Insights Siebel/Oracle salesforce.com Oprius PipelineDeals Entellium Zoho CRM Infusionsoft SAP CRM Microsoft Dynamics [...]

Tech-laden cars fare best in J.D. Power vehicle dependability survey; sales geeks already knew this, but it’s fun to have objective proof

Timothy Sullivan — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:54:42 +0000

As reported by Technoride, for the 14th year in a row, Lexus placed atop the list of J.D. Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measures problems after three years of ownership. The comprehensive survey found that cars with a high amount of integrated technology were also the most dependable, in general. This is [...]