blog@SchmartBoard

It's A Small World Afterall

It is kind of fun to watch how fast the internet spreads information.  At the beginning of the month we announced that we were looking for people to beta-test our future social networking site for electronics enthusiasts, Solder By Numbers.

We have since received a lot of interest.(We'd still like more!).  Countries that have been represented by prospective Beta Testers include;  The US, Canada, France, Israel, New Zealand, Morocco, South Africa, Greece, The Netherlands, UK, India, Brazil, Phillipines, Portugal, Romania, Nicaragua, Argentina, Egypt, Japan, Poland, Australia, Italy, and Turkey. 

It is kind of amazing when you think about a small fish like us, getting the word out among the world.  Are your from a country not represented, Lichtenstein perhaps?   Sign up today and join your fellow Earthinlings.

Maker Faire

I had an interesting weekend.  I was at the Maker Faire in San Mateo CA all weekend.   I was at the booth of Nuts and Volts and Servo Magazines as we co promoted our plans to turn some of the circuits that are published in their magazines into Solder by Numbers.  More to be announced on this soon.

I met a lot of people..some pretty normal, some wild, dressed in all manners of head turning garb.  I imagine that this is what a Star Trek convention may be like.  I'm not criticizing....it's just very new to me!  In addition I was able to meet R2D2, and the robot from Lost in Space.  It is a very interesting show, and for those in the Bay Area or Austin, TX(the other market that has the faire), I recommend attending.

I also got to speak with some companies who I've been watching that are doing some very neat stuff.  Instructables, SparkFun, SolarRobotics were among the attendees who I think have been innovative in their businesses.  SchmartBoard will be among these companies with a booth starting next year most likely...But as an FYI, I do not plan to attend in a Chewbacca costume.

We need beta testers!!

We are looking for BetaTesters for a new social network.  The social network will be for professionals and enthusiasts in the electronics area.  While we can't divulge much about it today, there are a lot of truly unique features that will be introduce.  If interested, please sign up at www.solderbynumbers.com.  Also, please pass this on to anyone who you think may have interest in this. 

Are you my friend?

Are you social networking?   I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Biznik, Plaxo, Meetup, and I'm sure many others that I have forgotten about.   it is hard to keep track!  SchmartBoard is working on some of these features for a future website.  I have been playing around on many of these sites to learn as much as I can about the features, technologies, and some of the strange things people are willing to do or tell...just a few million of their closest friends.   This current revolution may soon dwarf the web 1.0 phenonmenon that we have very recently lived through.  With this in mind, I'd like to invite you all to become a fan of our humble SchmartBoard fan page on Facebook.   In addition, if you are on LinkedIn and if you feel so inclined, link up with me as a client of SchmartBoard. 

Social networking is kind of a paradox when you think about it.  It creates a lot more noise in our already crazy tethered internet experience...but at the same time, it allows us to know people that we could not otherwise. 

However,  you Twitter people, I may never understand though!

You Know Your Not Schmart if.....

  This month's Professor Schmart cartoon was inspired by my many evenings and the San Jose Improv.  I love stand up comedy.   The last comedian I saw there was SNL alumn, Norm McDonald.  He was great.  I saw Charlie Murphy on New Years Eve and many others over the past few years.

Here is Professor Schmart telling us "when your aren't Schmart" in this months wallpaper. 

We invite pithy ideas from our users for future cartoons.   If we use them, we'll give you a great gift for your help. 

Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

How many of you have started a company?  How many on a shoe string?   You can be selling the "Fountain of Youth" and have limited success or fail altogether if you do not have the right branding or marketing.  Unfortunately, branding and marketing take, time and money.  The less money you have to speond on it, the more time it generally takes to get your message of eternal youth above all the other noise.  SchmartBoard fought long and hard to find good quality distributors.  It was a war, because we did not have full page color ads in the electronics publications.

Lately, we have been solicited from distributors who want to carry our product.   Have we passed the tipping point?  I'm not sure, but it is a better feeling to pass on a potential distributor than it is to be passed over as a manufacturer.  We still will sign new distributors when we feel they can add value to an underserved  geographic market or demographic user.   

Arctan is a new online reseller of SchmartBoards.  We like them because they have only a few items for sale.  This may not always be the case for them...but now it is certainly easy tofind SchmartBoard on their website.  They are based in BC Canada, and stock our full line of products.   If you are one of out neighbors to the north, check them out.   They also have a line of digital microscopes that look kind of cool as well.

Maker Faire

For those of you in the Bay Area, SchmartBoard will be at the Maker Faire next month.  Look for us at the booth of Nuts and Volts/Servo Magazines.  We plan to make a major announcement there in collaboration with these great electronics/robotics magazines.

Maker Faire is the premier event for grassroots American innovation. The event started in San Mateo, California in 2006 and expanded to Austin, Texas in 2007. Held annually in each of these locations, the event may expand elsewhere in the future. Maker Faire is supported by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine and O'Reilly Media the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators.

Elvis Seen in Fremont CA

This month's Professor Schmart cartoon features an Elvis sighting in Fremont CA.  We archive these cartoons as wallpaper for your use.

In addition we invite people to give us ideas for future cartoons.  If we use your idea, your receive a SchmartBoard prize. Why should we have all the fun?

Happy St. Patricks Day

It's St. Patricks Day today.  When i was younger...and when i lived in Chicago, this was a bid deal.  The city was one big party.  The river is dyed green, the street lines painted green, the big parade, and the full pubs and bars made this evident. 

Today, after work, I have no big plans.  I'm wearing a green polo shirt, but honestly it is by coincidence.  I'll eat some frozen dinner tonight, and I'm pretty confident it will not be corned beef and cabbage.

For those of you who are going out tonight though, as a public service announcement, we would like to offer the following advice.  NEVER solder under the influence.  Always have a designated solderer if you plan to drink.   Happy St. Patty's Day from SchmartBoard.

Are You There?

SchmartBoard has a World Map that shows photos of circuits made by SchmartBoard users and where they are located.  We have been delinquint in filling in the map over the past few months.    We will start to fill it in with new photos shortly.  We also are looking for more photos.......do you want to be on the map?  We need to get a number of countries represented.  I know we have users in Australia, Israel, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, Hungary, United Kingdom, and France.   As JFK said..."Ask not what your country can do for you..ask what you can do for your country"......like post your SchmartBoard circuit?