Why are some HDMI Cables so expensive?

Apple-iPhone-3GS–a-conversion-story

Apple iPhone 3GS – A conversion story.

I have been a faithful Blackberry user for 6 years, since 2003. My first Blackberry was the 7200 series. It was a great solid phone that had email. That was what I had been searching for. No longer constantly turning on the computer and logging on just to see if I had missed an email. This was the end of my using a Palm for calendar and contacts. I had been a Palm user since 1997. I have enjoyed all the Blackberry devices and have converted many to the Blackberry. My most recent Blackberry was the Curve. It was a good device for contacts, email, calendar, and phone. It also had the QWERTY keyboard, which I really like.

Fast forward to 2009. What I have been wanting and needing more and more is the ability to get on the Internet from the phone, rather than turning on the computer and looking up an address, or checking facebook, or checking the weather. Waiting to start a computer or finding a place to connect is not always convenient, especially when you simply want to do something quick like check the weather forecast for tomorrow. T-Mobile has been dragging their feet to get a 3G network in Salt Lake City, and therefore the Blackberry just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

A couple months ago, I actually started looking at other phones. I asked everyone I saw with an iPhone how they liked it. If they were a former Blackberry user, asked if they missed the Blackberry. I was surprised at how much they liked their phones. I couldn’t find anyone who would go back. Could it be, after years of avoiding iTunes, iPods, and Apple all together, that I might succumb to buying an iPhone? I think it was inevitable. I checked out every available phone on the market, including the Google phone G1 and even looked at the new Palm Pre, which was to debut soon. But the new iPhone 3GS had more bang for buck than anything out there. But the dang cancellation fee at T-Mobile would be $200! Thus my iPhone 16GB 3GS phone would cost $400 total; $200 for the phone and $200 to cancel the T-Mobile contract. Those who know me would think that I’m way too cheap to do such a thing. But there I was in line at the AT&T store waiting for my new iPhone, surrounded by other geeks who had to get the new iPhone on the day it came out. I paid the money, and have not looked back.

Has there been a learning curve? Well, the only learning curve has been the keyboard (refer back to my love for the QWERTY keyboard). It is a “soft” keyboard, meaning there are no real keys, just on the screen. It has taken some getting used to, especially since I have big fingers. But, I’m adjusting very well, and have no regrets. The iPhone really is not a phone. It is a computer that happens to be very small and make phone calls. Everything else is very web-friendly, and almost elegant, with great speeds. I’m a convert, and am worried that many faithful Blackberry users will follow suit.

Until Next Time
The Cable Guy

starting-a-business-advice-how-to

As a small business owner, I often have people ask me for advice on starting their own business. They are excited to purchase a web domain, get a website up, get a logo designed, print business cards and letter head, and lease an office, but they haven’t actually thought through the process of how this business will come together and what it will take to make a living.

There are a few things that I offer as advice to those thinking about the glory of being self-employed full-time.

How long can you survive without a paycheck? If married, is your spouse supportive of long hours with no pay? I have started two businesses as my full-time venture, and both required 6-12 months with no incoming salary. In other words, it took me almost a year to get to the point where I could afford myself as an employee. Both times I talked this through with my wife before going out on my own. There are so many costs to starting a business, from computers, to furniture, from warehouse equipment to the actual product to stock. Usually that alone will scare most of the starry eyed self-employed hopefuls away.

What is the demand for what you want to do or sell? If you want to start a carpet store, you need to answer this question. “Why will people buy from you instead of your competitors?” You need to know the competitive landscape. Are there already 10 other carpet stores in town? Will you be able to offer anything unique? Price, service, product, quality, or location? Is your product in demand?

Lastly, what makes you qualified for this business? Do you have any particular skill or knowledge that will help you to be successful? Are you going to sell direct in a retail store, through dealers and distributors, or online? If you like being a carpenter or a salesman, you may not enjoy actually running a business, because you will end up spending most of your time “running the business” rather than actually being a carpenter or getting out and selling. Ultimately, are you starting a business just for fun or do you think you will really enjoy running a business?

I think that all of these questions can be answered in some sort of business plan. It is very important before walking in and quitting your day job, to have answers to some of these basic questions nailed down. As part of this business plan you need to know: 1. Start up costs. 2. Money resources for those first 6-12 months during the time when you may not be able to pay yourself. 3. What the product or service is that you will sell. 4. Who are your competitors? 5. What are your competitive advantages? 6. What do you offer that your competitors do not? 7. How will you advertise and market your product? 8. Who will be your suppliers? 9. Who will be your customers? 10. How much will you need to sell per month in order for you to make a comfortable living?

These are lessons that I have learned from owning two businesses. The first one I started in 2001 with a colleague at work. We both had sales skills and had been in the industry for a number of years, so we knew that end of the business. But my business partner, who was a 50% owner, really only enjoyed sales, and ultimately did not enjoy owning and running the business. After 3 years, he decided that he wanted out. We ended up selling the business. I knew that I would eventually start another business because that is what I enjoyed. We are still friends. He is VP of sales for a company and I’m self-employed again. We’re both happier now doing what we love.

Professional Cable (www.professionalcable.com) has now been in business for over two years, and I love it. We manufacture and supply computer, network, fiber optic, and home theater cables to a number of markets and industries across the USA. Before opening my doors in 2007, I already had talked with many of my potential customers. I had already talked with my main suppliers and made them aware that I was going to start another business. I had a business plan, not for other people, not for investors, but just for myself so I could think through everything. I knew that I could be successful. But, even with so much in place, it still took 6 months before I could start paying myself a paycheck. Luckily I have a supportive wife.

Starting a business is not a venture for the weak of heart, but if you are prepared it can be extremely rewarding. I love to hear of other success stories of entrepreneurs who have gone out on their own. I have now been in the cable industry for 15 years. I’ve been selling computer cables since back before we were all using email and the Internet. I’m somewhat of an expert in the industry. This has been key to my success. But more than anything, my relations with both my suppliers and my customers have made it possible for me to be successful. Once I opened my doors for business, I had many customers start doing business with “me” not the company, because of our relations. It had nothing to do with “Professional Cable”. In business, the old adage is true, “Never burn a bridge”. Someday that person may be your supplier, your customer, or your boss. Your reputation will enable your success or hinder it.

History-of-Professional-Cable-Orem-Utah

Jedidiah De N'importe Quoi was in search for gold as he headed west in 1836. What he found instead was lots of copper. He decided to stop making horse shoes because the competition was so great, and decided that he would make computer cables. He made all types, SCSI, Ethernet, CAT6, USB, FireWire, DVI and HDMI. Now these were crude versions of today's models, but none-the-less, they were better than any other computer cable in the western frontier.He would travel from town to town, selling his cables. Most cowboys would use them to tie up their horses. But he made a living at it. He ended up settling in Orem, Utah, mainly selling his computer cables to the trappers and Indians, who would use them to fish and catch animals.

Jedidiah's grandson, Samuel De N'importe Quoi, took over the business in 1900. He bought some machinery that automated the computer cable production. However, iron was so popular that he tried using iron connectors, which made the cables even less-useless for this time period. He would travel all over the western states selling his computer cables, mainly having success to fishermen who would use the iron cables as anchors for their boats.

Samuel's grandson Richie De N'importe Quoi decided that every home needed a computer cable, for it would not be long, a few short decades, until computers would be in every home. This of course was laughed at as people were busy buying a washing machine and television for their homes. Richie knew the day would come when cables would be in high demand. He had some success selling Ethernet cables to school kids because they could use them as a jump rope. Eventually the business was sold to a railroad which used the cables to tie down freight. Today every home does have a cable, just like Jedidiah, Samuel, and Richie De N'importe Quoi dreamed would happen.

The above history is of course fictional. However, had Professional Cable existed back during these time periods, it would have been extremely successful.

Google-G1-t-mobile-phone-review-good-or-not

For the last decade or so a new fad has caught the minds and hearts of both the rising generation and the more experienced at life. What, may you ask, is this great new phenomenon? It’s the Cellular Phone, More commonly known as the cell phone. People used to live their whole lives tied to a phone that was stationary. With the invention of this great item it allowed people to be contacted anywhere. With the advances that have been made to cell phones people have started using these phones to run, or ruin?, their whole lives. The one in particular that caught my attention was the Google phone, otherwise known as the G1, through T-mobile. Since I started using it I have noticed some great things about it, and a few things that could be better. Here is what I have noticed.



First, the operating system itself is Linux based, referred to as android. While it has frozen once or twice it has not been nearly as troublesome as the mobile version of windows. The down side to this is that you have to find applications that will do the work that you would normally have Microsoft office mobile for. They are mostly available through the Android market, an application that comes with the phone for purchasing and downloading applications. Of these many different applications one of my favorite so far has been shop-savy. It utilizes the phones 3 mega-pixel camera to scan bar codes and search local stores and the Internet for the best prices of an item. Since this is a phone produced by Google it naturally has access to all the Google application that everyone uses including Google maps. Very handy if you’re the kinda person that needs directions and gets lost easily. Another thing I like about the phone is that it has a flip-up screen revealing the full keyboard underneath. Having this makes it much easier for texting. I mentioned before that it comes with a 3 mega-pixel camera, it’s pretty good for a camera-phone. It takes some pretty great pictures too. I’ve started using it as my main camera. It also works as a MP3 player, whoever make sure you have the right adapter for it so you can plug in your head phones, as the speaker, located in the center of the back, isn’t the greatest and could be better. For memory storage the phone relies on micro sd cards, which are becoming more and more common. Getting the music and videos, as well as other media that you would like to read, listen to, or watch, onto the phone does require a mini usb to usb connection cable. It does come with one but the cable its self is fairly short, I would suggest getting a longer one. Whatacable!.com is a great place to get them. The full touch screen is a nice feature to it as well, making it easy to navigate around the phone. If this isn’t your forte’ then the phone has a trackball mouse that works excellent too. For memory storage the phone relies on micro sd cards, which are becoming more and more common. Getting the music and videos, as well as other media that you would like to read, listen to, or watch, onto the phone does require a mini usb to usb connection cable. It does come with one but the cable its self is fairly short, I would suggest getting a longer one. If you lose one or need an extra Mini USB Cable Whatacable.com is a great place to get them. As well you can use a micro sd card adapter to plug the card into a card reader and transfer the dad that way, you would need to have a USB card reader for that though, which you can also get at WhataCable.com J charging the phone does require a mini-usb cable. Now if your like me you have limited usb ports with which to use on your computer. I run out very often trying to connect everything, my solution…a 7-Port USB hub, also available on WhataCable!

This phone may not be for everyone, but it has been my favorite phone that I have had to date. It is one that I would recommend to most anybody, the business professional or the general consumer. It's just a great phone.

(Written by: Guest Editor Z-Cable-Guy)