Pixel Pulse

Most Expensive Tech Startup Failures

JK — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:16:47 +0000

Tech start-up failures have become a widespread increasing dilemma that is plaguing several people, whether it is investors who are browsing for their next tech start-up to be enticed with or a visionary who is planning out their road maps. This particular situation is completely frustrating and utterly depressing, especially if you’ve invested so much of your resources into it. What makes the traumatic experience worst is that tech start-up failures are a lot expensive. Fortunately, one can prevent his/her investments from being wasted by identifying the common reasons or causes of these expensive tech start-up failures.

First, lack of market focus. Not having a solidly defined market division is one of the most highly talked about problems that cause tech start-up failure? Oftentimes, tech start-ups will not concentrate on any targeted audience or consumer market due to fear of limiting their source of revenue and cash flows. However, one should realize that there is a purpose why advertisers compensate more for targeted advertising courses. This is due to the fact that targeted clients and advertising generates better returns on investment for their clients. One lesson that should be derived from this reason is to concentrate on your respective market niche.

Second, incomplete products. This is another big problem and one of the common causes of failure for tech start-ups. Though it is indeed difficult to obtain a complete product that is ready for commercialization and marketing, there is still a big line between knowing the product is not fit for marketing and not knowing if a product is not yet ready to be commercialized yet you think it is. A lesson that can be taken from this particular cause is to commit to quality prior throwing your product to consumers in the open market. Moreover, do not presume that each and every client is familiarized with the tech start-up life cycle.

Third, too concentrated on product functionality and not their targeted clients, most tech start-ups easily mistake of thinking that quantity is better. In some instances, yes, convenience and bundled services can be a great valued proposition. However, this is only possible if you can simplify it. Tech start-ups and engineers oftentimes forget the fact that they know how something works because their mind is trained for these technical aspects, however, the majority of clients and enterprises aren’t. One should make it a point to invest in a good UI and client experience.

Building Your Own Website

JK — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:36:12 +0000

Making your own website can be an exciting and rewarding experience. There are three main steps in order to finalize a site suited to your needs. The first step is to get your own domain name. This is the name of your site. After registering your domain name you will need to find a hosting service to use. Once you decide which hosting service is the right fit for you it is time to start actually building your website.

When deciding the domain name for your website keep in mind that this is often times the first impression that people have of the site. In order to obtain the best results try to pick a name that is short, simple, and to the point. Make sure that the name is something closely related to the information that is going to be on your website. When you have decided on what name your website should have you should register it with a domain name web hosting site. There are an abundance of these available so finding one to fit your needs should come easy.

After registering your domain name, or website name, you now need to find a hosting service to use. A hosting service provides the actual space on the internet to build your website. There are plenty of free host sites that you can use, but if you want to have full control over the contents and features of you website you will probably have to pay either an upfront fee or a monthly fee. Either option will provide you with your own website and the choice of which option is best for you is a personal choice.

Deciding on a domain name and finding a host site should not take that much of your time. The time consuming part of making a website is the actual building of the site. Some host sites will allow you to start with a template that you can adjust to fit your needs. This is a good idea if you are not trying to spend a lot of money and have limited computer skills. Another option, if you want a more customized website, is to hire a professional to build the site for you.

Building your own website can be done in three easy steps. Whether you want a simple blog or a professional in-depth site is up to you.

Advances in Voip

JK — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:56:41 +0000

VOIP stands for voice over internet protocol. It is a technology that uses the internet to make cheaper telephone calls than a landline. Long distance and international calls are huge benefits for this type of service. Also, it can be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection. In some cases it is free. Also, VOIP is very easy to install. More advances have come to the VOIP industry. This has helped to progress it and make it even more attractive for potential customers.

The internet has grown rapidly. It is now on many cell phones and in almost every work environment. This has led to an expansion of VOIP use . Many users will use these type of services on their cell phone to make free or cheaper calls that save them from using expensive cell phone plan minutes. Another benefit of VOIP applications for consumers is the ability to use your own ringtones. Businesses will cut expenses by using VOIP systems instead of land lines. This also allows them to record calls and monitor phone usage by their employees more easily. They can also change phone settings by using computers in their location without having to spend precious time contacting a phone carrier.

A new advance has been a large movement towards high definition voice. This will allow a greater clarity to be present during conversations. Also, VOIP services have begun to be integrated with other applications. This allows users to give voice commands to call certain numbers without touching the phone. More large businesses have been entering the VOIP market and have been offering lower prices to users than every before. Free conference calling has also been made available through advances in this industry. Codecs technology has coded and decoded media over networks and led to clearer voice quality during VOIP phone calls. Many VOIP companies have begun to use this codec technology in order to gain more customers.

Coolest Tech Startups Today

JK — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:44:41 +0000

This is an exciting time in human history. There seems to be more innovation today than ever before. New technologies are being introduced almost daily which dramtically change the way people live. Some of these technologies are completely new while others improve on pre-existing concepts. The following are some of the coolest tech start-ups today.

SoftwareMob

Software of all types is gaining in popularity. There are already millions of them on the market. For a consumer trying to decide which one to purchase can make your head swim. SoftwareMob is a tech start-up which tries to solve this problem. Thier solution? An online community of users who exchange information on software, rate and review them and share their personal experiences about using the products. The company then develops them. Founded in 2009, SoftwareMob collects and displays software information and helps consumers find answers through communication with their peers. SoftwareMob is working to create a dynamic, unbiased tool to simplify the software buying process.

AppDirect

AppDirect, founded in 2009, is working to help businesses better navigate the computer software market. This San Francisco-based company simplifies the app subscription process by providing users with one location where they can subscribe to and pay for all their applications. Its Business Application Network aims to radically change the way web-based software is found, bought and used by businesses.

Quipu Applications

Quipu Applications have created a number of software applications designed with business in mind. Their incuQubator software allows businesses to monitor, manage and share information about business plans, operations and other business metrics using cloud-based business collaboration and instrumentation tools. Their BusinessModel and other software applications assist entreprenuers, economic development agencies, commercial incubators, VCs, investment professionals and SMBs automate investment analysis and other performance measurements.

Sassor

The Energy Literacy Platform created by Japanese tech start-up Sassor is a device designed to show consumers the amount of electricty each appliance in their home is consuming. The simple plug in device monitors your appliances’ power usage and forwards the information to your iPhone or your computer. The product is called ELP Lite and with the world wide economic downturn dragging into its fifth year could not have come at a better time. The ELP Lite is placed between the appliance and the power source and real-time energy consumption information is relayed to the homeowner. The ELP Lite is just the first of Sassor’s market ready products.

How Tech Startups Get Funding

JK — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:41:46 +0000

Tech start ups were the rage in 2001 and 2001. The dot com bubble, as it was called, brought an end to the haphazard creation and the initial public offerings of many of these websites. The dot com bubble is past and there are not as many self-made millionaires running around as their used to be. Despite the lack of success of many of these sites, some sites did manage to succeed. The most successful of the start ups was Amazon.com. Ebay.com was started at about the same time and it is still in existence. Each of these companies needed the funds to start its own business.

Tech start ups can start small, but a company that wants to make it big needs an advertising budget, servers capable of handling the traffic that the site gets, and the site owner needs to plan for upgrades that he will need as a site grows. The wise business owner makes these plans before he decides to start his business. The funds for tech start ups come from the same sources that the funds for other business start ups come from. The entrepreneur who has a plan will look for business loans, venture capitalists, and other people who can provide the funds the business needs to start.

Entrepreneurs who go through a venture capitalist or an angel capitalist need to repay the investment that the venture and angel capitalists make. If the business succeeds, the entrepreneurs should not have problems paying the person back. The venture capitalists know they are taking a risk, but they are often businessman with experience. The entrepreneurs may or may not be able to consult the venture capitalists for advice. The terms of the contract with the investors will determine what a person can do.

The founder of a tech start up may want to avoid offering an initial public offering until the company is profitable, but the sale of stock is one way that a company can get the funds it needs.

Building a Customized Computer – A How To Outline

JK — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 21:35:50 +0000

Many people who enjoy desktop computers have considered building a system to their own specifications. The thing that stops most people is a lack of experience at working on things electronic.

Anyone can do it with a little help, information and advice. This article is an introductory guide to help you decide if you are ready to take the plunge. The main tasks you need to accomplish are as follows.

Choosing a motherboard
Deciding on, and purchasing computer component parts
Installing the RAM and Microprocessor
Actual Build up of the case with all parts ready to go
Installing the hard drive(s)
System start up and Troubleshooting
Software Setup

Why should you try to set up your own computer system? What are the benefits?

Creating a custom system that matches your needs is satisfying
Upgrading is easier since you built the system
You will be able to save money or get a better system than bought by retail
Your knowledge of computer systems will have grown exponentially

The first step is giving serious thought to what type and capacity a machine you need. At this point you can save money by not over specifying the machine. Is this computer to be inexpensive for your children? Is this for use in the living room for Internet surfing and watching or listening to types of media content? Is this to be a power machine for gaming or business use?

To get started let us assume this is your power machine complete with ability to do QA testing for software. In this case, you need a dual core CPUs (Central Processing Units) that are either Intel or AMD brand. You also need a minimum of 4GB of high speed RAM (random access memory). Since you plan to do video editing you need four SATA hard drives or two SATA type and one or two SSDD (solid-state disk drive). You need peripheral connections via USB2 or fire wire on the front and back of your case.

All of those things need to fit into a case that has enough space to hold everything and still leave room for proper airflow from fans for cooling. You can now see how important it is to be sure about what type of machine you really need, really want or can really afford before you start build up. Now it is your decision, are you ready to build your customized powerful desktop computer?

Traits Of The Most Successful Tech Startups

JK — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:29:42 +0000

While new technology is always exciting, the most successful tech startups have the potential to make the initial investors very wealthy people. This hope may be the underlying catalyst, but going down in history as the creator of some technological miracle is also rewarding. Certain preliminary studies have to take place and an analysis made, with a workable plan created, that answers several key questions. Without doing so, the odds are slim that the business venture will succeed.

The evolution of new technology shows that the first and most important part of any plan is to establish intellectual property rights and protection. In many cases, it is the idea for the new technology that creates the whole worth of a developing company. Industry analysts estimate that 75 percent of American public company’s value derives from their intellectual property.

Written plans cover the expected potential for development of the idea or concept, and the expected evolution and marketability. Strategy brainstorming helps to obtain initial cash flow to develop a prototype or working blueprint that will interest potential investors. Historically, most successful tech startups have needed little cash on hand in order to get started, as their overhead is low. Those that do succeed have tremendous potential for high returns to the investors, who typically expect those returns to begin within a three to five year window. However, these venture capital investors do assume high risk of losing their money.

Most successful tech startups realize that in order to continue growth, highly skilled team members who specialize in other areas are critical. Technology entrepreneurs need marketing people who create business and pricing campaigns to propel their product into the minds and pocketbooks of consumers. Competition eventually comes into play, and sometimes it is not the superior concept that wins out, but the best marketing strategies.

Some tech startups decide to sell the rights to their product if another established company comes up with a high enough offer. Other times the new company will continue to develop it themselves, which usually expands to variations and offshoots of the original product. The cycle continues as some of these offshoots sell as new tech startups. While new technology is state-of-the-art, so is the evolution of ways to stay ahead of the competition.