blog@SchmartBoard

New SchmartMoney Program is Off and Running!

The New SchmartMoney Program is one week old and initial indications are that a lot of people will ultimately sign up.  In the program, everytime one buys a SchmartBoard from any SchmartBoard distributor or anything off of SchmartBoard.com , they receive 5% back in the form of SchmartMoney.  SchmartMoney can be used to buy anything on schmartboard.com or in increments of $50, converted into real cash, paid via Paypal.

Perhaps it is the economy that has made this program timely.  Some users have already earned enough in the first week to buy a free SchmartBoard.  Additionally, we have participents who reside in: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, United Kingsom in addition the The U.S.  If you buy our products, you should sign up...there is no obligation to do anything, except get free stuff!

SchmartMoney

Today we have launched the new SchmartMoney Program. In short, when you buy a SchmartBoard product from a SchmartBoard distributor or any product or service from SchmartBoard directly, you get SchmartMoney, which can be used to buy products at SchmartBoard's website, or even converted into cash!  Signing up is quick and easy and you are never under any obligation to buy anything new.  Sign up today!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Merry Christmas to our customers from Schmartboard.  If you don't celebrate Christmas officially, I still say Merry Christmas.  I officially celebrate Hannukah......but Christmas is more than a religious holiday, it is the termination of one year, making way for the birth of the next.  It is an opportunity to celebrate the things and people we love without focus on the negativity that some of us see al too easily.  It leads up to an opportunity of renewal, and refocus for the coming new year.  It is also the new chance that by next Christmas, there will be even more to be thankful for.

It has been a tough year for many.  The economy has made it very difficult, people have lost jobs, businesses have gone under.  With the new year approching, it is a reminder that nothing is permanant and we should get ready to work hard and accept any light that the universe is ready to offer us.  Schmartboard had a record year in 2009.  We are thankful for our customers, our hard working employees and whatever luck has been bestowed on us.  We are working hard to bring greater value to you in 2010.  May you all have peace, good health, love and prosperity in 2010.

Twibbon

Is it just me or is it a never ending struggle to keep up with all of the new tools in this crazy social networing age.  The latest to come to my attention is called Twibbon.  It may be old news to some of you, but to me just yet another detail to get a handle on.  It basically allows you to support a company or cause as a "fan" on your Twitter, Facebook or many other social networking profiles.  I of course jumped on the bandwagon and have created a "SchmartBoard Fan" Twibbon.

I hope that if some of you choose to use Twibbon, you will sign up as a SchmartBoard Fan.

SchmartBoard's Black Friday

How many of you are shopping today?  The day after Thanksgiving in the U.S. is the busiest of the year.  Well we have decided to have a sale today...it will last though for two months.

SchmartBoard is better known for its line of prototyping products, and less so, for its prototyping related services. SchmartBoard is planning a significant push to introduce companies to our service offerings through the 1^st quarter of 2010.  To begin the campaign, during the months of December 2009 through January 2010, PCB layout will be offered at 72% off our normal pricing of $108/hr.  That is an unheard of $30/hr. for first time PCB layout customers!

SchmartBoard has become the de facto product for hand soldering surface mount circuits together, which we are very happy about.  We also have a vibrant and competent engineering team who can add significant value to customers of SchmartBoards’ by offering other services to augment their prototyping needs.  SchmartBoard gains most of its service customers from those who use our boards and referrals.  They include everyone from start-ups to large corporate entities.

In addition to PCB layout, SchmartBoard can offer PCB design, PCB fabrication, small and medium volume manufacturing, mechanical engineering and full turn-key services.  We have an office in Fremont, CAand in Taiwanwith all of the benefits of Asiaat our disposal.

Sneak Peak

Can you believe it is already mid November?  Schmartboard is working on a new customer loyalty program for 2010..we think you'll love it.  We are, in fact, creating a new website for it.  Here is a sneak peak at the graphic that will define the program:

New Products

Buy 3 of our new 4” x 4” through hole boards and get 1 for free!  

In July of this year, SchmartBoard asked for the input of it’s users for what they would want to see in a through hole board. We received a number of responses, and thus have taken something that could have been a “me to” product and instead have a unique item that adds much greater value than anything that we could have designed alone.  The users who helped with input will receive a free sample as a thank you.  We will most certainly do this again with other product designs(See article below).

 

The features on this 4” x 4” board are as follows:

· ¾ of the board our signature offset traced rows of holes

· ¼  of the board with untraced holes

· Long enough for any DIP

· Every 10^th row, silk-screened to help with part placement  

· Two columns of power and ground strips  

· Easy ground connection to the mounting holes  

· PCB is scored to break in half if chosen

For the month of November, you can get 1 free, when you buy three.

 

Coming soon: SMT Connector SchmartBoards

SchmartBoard will soon release a family of 5 SchmartBoards that will allow you to hand solder SMT connectors from companies such as Tyco, Samtec, JAE, etc.  They can also be used to solder LCD screens and other applications.  They will come in 1.25, 1.0, 0.8, 0.5 and 0.4mm pitches.  Are we missing anything?  Should the boards have more than the connector area, traced to the corresponding though holes?  As with the new through hole board, if you give us some good ideas that we implement, we’ll send you a free sample when we launch.  We look forward to your feedback. 

New Product

SSchmartBoard Announces New Through HHole Board With A Twist

BBoard designed by SchmartBoard Users

 

SchmartBoard, a company that makes prototyping electronic circuits easier, has released a unique new through hole prototyping board co-designed with the help of SchmartBoard users.

 

“In July of this year, SchmartBoard asked for the input of it’s users for what they would want to see in a through hole board”, said Neal Greenberg, SchmartBoard’s VP of Sales and Marketing.   “We received a number of responses, and thus have taken something that could have been a “me to” product and instead have a unique item that adds much greater value than anything that we could have designed alone.  The users who helped with input will receive a free sample as a thank you.  We will most certainly do this again with other product designs.”

 
 

The features on this 4” x 4” board are as follows:

·     ¾ of the board our signature offset traced rows of holes

·     ¼  of the board with untraced holes

·     Long enough for any DIP

·     Every 10^th row, silk-screened to help with part placement  

·     Two columns of power and ground strips  

·     Easy ground connection to the mounting holes  

·     PCB is scored to break in half if chosen

The suggested retail is $15 per board or $130 for a 10 pack.  More information and a detailed diagram can be found at:  http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products_th&id=279

 

About SchmartBoard (www.schmartboard.com)

SchmartBoard^TM is committed to helping engineers, students and hobbyists develop electronic circuits faster, easier, and less expensively than previously possible.  SchmartBoard’s patented Electronic Circuit Building Blocks makes this possible. SchmartBoard’s “EZ” Technology and Solder By Numbers^TM program makes the soldering of surface mount components and circuit creation accessible to virtually anyone.

SchmartBoard Slideshow

Schmart Board Oct 2009

View more presentations from nealgb.

October Newsletter

October 2009 www.schmartboard.com   SchmartBoard & Solder By Numbers Newsletter October SchmartBoard Special Free Third Hand with every $50 purchase of SchmartBoards!. Have you ever needed another hand? Perhaps have used your mouth or toes to hold something. There has to be a better, more sanitary way. And there is! With every $50 order of Schmartboards in October from the SchmartBoard website or from U.S. or Canadian distributors, we will send you a third hand. Click here for further details. New SchmartBoard Clearance Center Everyone loves a sale. We are now clearing away some discontinued items such as our Variable Power Regulator board and some SchmartBoards that were supposed to be EZ, but did not come out of the factory that way. It is like our "Island of Misfit Toys" for PCBs. (I’m impressed if you understand that reference). PIC Projects We have begun to post some simple, but useful projects for users of our PIC board. Our Stepper Motor project has also been published by Nuts and Volts Magazine. If you'd like to add to our projects for PIC, Parallax or just general electronics contact us with your idea. We will give you full credit and some free boards to build the project. Fun Project We found this very cool project online that uses SchmartBoards. When we sell our boards, especially online, we sometimes wonder what people are building or designing. Is it something common or mundane; is it something that will change the world? or is it something that is just plain cool? If you find or produce a project that uses SchmartBoard and have posted videos or photos, let us know and we’ll post them in a future newsletter. To see more photos, videos and further details of this fantastic work, Click Here! This Month's Winners: This Month's SchmartBoard Contest Winner: This month's winner of a $30 combo pack is Thientu Ho who works for Pathfinder Energy Services. According to Thientu: "SchmartBoards allow easy building of discrete component circuits for prototyping. They save the time and money spent making the PCB for prototyping." This Month's PIC SchmartModule Contest Winner: This month's winner of a new PIC SchmartModule is Paul Selwa who works for Roche Diagnostics in Indianapolis, IN. This Month's Propeller SchmartModule Contest Winner: This month's winner of a new Parallax Propeller SchmartModule is Jeff Rosowski of Las Vegas, NV, He plans to use for a "HID enabled door lock". SchmartBoard, Inc. 48521 Warm Springs Blvd. Fremont, CA 94539 info@schmartboard.com Phone: 510-659-1549 SchmartBoard Strategic Partners Contact: sbn@schmartboard.com Important SchmartLinks for you to bookmark: SchmartBlog Facebook YouTube Yahoo Group Flickr Twitter LinkedIn SchmartBoard, Inc. SolderByNumbers SchmartBoard Distributors SchmartBoard in the Press SchmartBoard Parts Index Pick Your PIC Have You Tried SchmartSolder? Are You New To Electronics? Help Us Design Our Next Product Happy Halloween from SchmartBoard..who reminds you, soldering surface mount is scary without us. BOO!!