Small Business Computing Staff

by Robert J. Wagman The Internet thrives as a conduit for reasonably unfettered commerce. Although the online world has so far eluded most attempts at government interference, one area where government, particularly state government, fiercely regulates and limits Internet transactions is the interstate sale and shipping of wine and liquor. A recent ruling by a […]

by Sarah L. Roberts-Witt At the turn of the last century, companies didn’t agonize over weighty terms like customer relationship management (CRM), that overused and misunderstood buzzword currently plaguing the business world. Instead they focused on the individuals who frequented their shops, restaurants, and offices. They paid careful attention to their customers’ likes, dislikes, and […]

Doug Gantenbein, Angela Garber, David Myron, and Amy Blankstein (with reporting by John F. Moore) Will Fix It Plumbing45 employeesSan Antonio, Tex.6-year-old plumbing and air-conditioner repair company The Fix Is InSix years ago Will Hawkins started Will Fix it Plumbing out of his San Antonio, Texas, basement. Initially, he relied on his friend Stacy Keller […]

by Mike Langberg People Who Need People The shelf life of hype is short. The concept of online exchanges — Web-based marketplaces where big companies can buy their supplies — was all the rage at the beginning of the year and has already gone through major changes. It turns out huge corporations such as auto […]

by David G. Propson The wait is over — the oft-delayed tome from techno-pundit George Gilder is finally here. And, according to the author, the future is on its way fast. Gilder says that dial-up connections and the “World Wide Wait” will soon be thrown on the same scrap heap as party lines and plug-operated […]

by Allen Plummer Every store owner knows how much the holiday season means to the company balance sheet. But on line, it’s the post-holiday months where the ensuing rush to return those misguided gifts can really test a business’ efficiency. “It’s just as important to handle returns as quickly as your sales,” says Stanley Constantine, […]

by Amy H. Blankstein This Fall Microsoft shuffled into the spotlight again, prodded by accusations that businesses were being forced to pay more than once for some of its products. In July, Microsoft began demanding upgrade fees from companies who use a process called re-imaging to install software in larger numbers of PCs. It backed […]

by Deborah Johnson The Web is being reinvented in a big way, and this time it is smaller and wireless. In the past, phone manufacturers pitched business users with expanded contact lists, plans with more minutes, and even some Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)-like features. Now they want to give you the Web, sans wires, on […]

by Charles H. Gajeway Rating 83 Not so long ago, starting an online store involved tremendous effort and expense. Today, retailers have a variety of cost-effective but powerful hosting services available to them. Smith Micro’s WebCatalog Builder promised utter simplicity at such an amazing price that we had to take a look. The package runs […]

by Dave Haskin Rating 89 Research In Motion’s Blackberry 957 is a unique handheld that is ideal for keeping up with essential e-mail while traveling. Noticeably thinner and lighter than Palm or Pocket PC handhelds, this device nonetheless has a built-in wireless modem designed to seamlessly collect e-mail from Microsoft Outlook. Once connected to the […]

by Mel Quagliata Canon BJC-85Rating 85 HP Deskjet 350CBIRating 80 Doing business on the road often entails distributing contracts and other materials. When documents need to be customized, it is convenient to have a mobile printer by your side. The HP DeskJet 350CBi and Canon BJC-85 portables are both inkjet models that support color and […]

by Joey Latimer Laptops are ideal when work must be finished while far from a desk. Often this means working on a train, plane, or taxi. Carrying a laptop that is too big and heavy for a tray table means stowing it in an overhead compartment and losing valuable work time. The Fujitsu LifeBook S […]