New Rimage Everest 600 & Everest 400 Ribbons

Rimage will begin shipping a new version of Everest 600 CMY ribbon and Everest 400 CMY ribbon in mid-April 2012. The new CMY ribbons will provide more accurate color matching and better ribbon adhesion to your thermal CD-r, DVD-r and recordable Blu-ray discs. Current Rimage systems at have the Everest 400 printer: Rimage 5400n & 3400

Rimage systems that may have the Everest 600 printer: Rimage 7100n, 6100n & 8100n as well as Auto-Everest systems featuring the E600 printer. Customers receiving the new Rimage CMY ribbons will be required to install a new service pack.

Techware is here to help, so call us with any questions that you
may have 1-800-295-0083.

Search Engine Optimization Tip – Relevant URL

Creating Better URL’s

Want to get found on Google by more potential customers or prospects? Here are a few tips.

1. Come up with a domain name that includes your most important keyword or keyword phrase. Keep it short. Use no more than 1 hyphen.

  • Example: You own a bike repair business in St. Paul, Minnesota – a great url/domain for you would be stpaulbikerepair.com or bicycle-repairs.com.

2. Get  a dot com address – they search much better than .net, .biz, .org, .tv, .info, etc.

3. Individual page url’s on your site should also be unique and feature a relevant keyword.

  • Example: with for the bike business –  stpaulbikerepair.com/we-repair-schwinn-bikes or stpaulbikerepair.com/schwinn-scooters-on-sale

4. Incorporate your city or state in the domain in order to capture Google, Yahoo and Bing local search results – stpaulbikerepair.com

Need help with your website, design, functionality, shopping cart, SEO, or Social Media presence? Call or email Drew  – 952.944.0083 or drew at techwaredist.com

 

Sony Will Develop LTO-6 Tape Media – 8 Terabytes

Sony’s Storage Media Division has signed the LTO-6 licensing agreement with Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Quantum. This agreement now allows Sony to start development of its LTO-6 Ultrium tape media. The estimated storage capacity will be 8TB per tape using compression.

The 6th generation (LTO-6) tape technology is designed to support the ever-increasing capacity requirements of today’s data rich storage environments.  Each cartridge will be able to store up to an estimated native 3.2TB (8TB 2.5:1 compressed) of data in one cartridge.  This new generation of the LTO Ultrium format will also deliver a data transfer rate of up to 210MB/s native (525MB/s compressed).

Specific features of Sony’s LTO-6 Ultrium tape cartridge media: 

  •  Increased storage capacity, achieved with a newly developed magnetic particle and advances in manufacturing technology, which allow for higher recording density.
  • LTFS partitioning feature as previously introduced on LTO-5 tapes.

Sony’s development of the LTO-6 format demonstrates its continued commitment to support an impressive range of storage media products that also includes formats such as AIT, AIT-Turbo, 5.25-inch Magneto Optical (MO Disk), DAT 160/320 and others.

Techware will continue to offer tape drive repair and tape library repair services for all of the most popular data tape drive formats – LTO, DLT, SDLT, AIT, 8mm, 4mm, etc.

CD and DVD disc maker CMC Magnetics expects 10% growth in 3rd Quarter revenues

Optical disc (CD, DVD, Blu-ray) maker CMC Magnetics expects its third-quarter revenues to grow 10%.  CMC also expects to turn a profit as second-tier disc makers are gradually phasing out of the optical disc market. First-tier manufacturers like Ritek and CMC have reduced their disc capacity by 30-40%, allowing the supply of optical discs to decrease which has helped to boost optical disc prices.

Optical disc prices have risen by as much as 40% since February of 2011. (Source: DigiTimes)

Our take on the CD-r and DVD-r market is that these increase prices are here to stay for at least the next 2 to 3 quarters as oil prices remain higher, and poly carbonate supplies remain tight. We are seeing these increase prices being passed on to users of CD-r and DVD-r media, as well as customers of disc duplication and printing services.

New Optical Disc Archival Format Unveiled By Sony

Photo courtesy of Sony Corporation

 

Ahead of IBC Sony shows a new optical disc archiving system that appears reminiscient of the ten disc changers found mostly in automotive applications. The new archive format is aimed at broadcasters and the immense amount of data that they are forced to manage in today’s HD environment.

Sony’s Disk Archive Storage System offers a lower total cost of ownership through the use of long-life media, and includes inter-generational compatibility based on the same optical disc technology used in DVDs and Blu-rays. The archive solution puts 12 media discs in a firm cartridge enabling data to be handled on a per-file basis, by making the operating device recognise the system as a “single large volume storage unit” rather than by each individual disc. The cartridges are available in both a write-once format and a rewriteable format, with various capacity options from 300GB capacity up to 1.5TB available according to the customer’s requirements.

Whenever a heavyweight like Sony shows off new technology it’s best to at least keep a keen eye on it. At Techware Dist we constantly monitor the optical archival marketplace to bring the best solutions to our customers.

To find out more about this exciting new product or read the entire press release please visit Sony Corporation’s website. To learn more about the solutions that might benefit your business please visit our website at www.Techwaredist.com

 

Edina fans ask, ‘Who was that masked man?’

BY JOHN SHERMAN – SUN NEWSPAPERS – Published: Friday, August 19, 2011

Remember the Lone Ranger comics and TV show from years past? The daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains dispatched old-west bad guys with his fast fists, and, if necessary, his quick pistol. There was always a moral to the story, too.

In the Edina Monday Night Rec Softball League playoffs last week, a new masked man emerged as a hero for the Techware Turbos.

Read more

Akayna Studios launches new online store – UDOdisks.com

After weeks of image gathering and search engine optimization surrounding the new store UDOdisks.com, the new store was finally launched this summer. In using BigCommerce we have found a great foundation for a new e-commerce solution that is robust enough to handle any amount of products while giving nearly complete access to all aspects of the website and product display.

As a one stop shop for Sony MO Media and as well as other Magneto Optical Disks, UDOdisks.com provided our marketing and design team with a tool that has allowed steady growth both in sales and user traffic. BigCommerce can be a wise choice for any company wanting to launch an online store.

UDO Disk logo

E-commerce tip: Building an online store does not mean you will attract customers. There are many other marketing tools and processes required to be successful selling online. Google Adwords, article writing, blogging, traditional marketing efforts and social media are just a few things to be considered when launching any web-based project.

It is important to hire a professional web designer and developer to build your online marketing program.

Professional web developers can make all the difference. It’s fine to support your family and friends that are aspiring web designers, but not at the expense of your business’s web site.

I have run into it too many times. Companies that say their sister built my site, my secretary built it or my cousin’s, nephew’s, good friend in high school. In the end I am all for helping young developers hone their skills, but it should never be at the expense of what your business can accomplish with a strong web marketing program designed and implemented by a professional web developer.

Everyone knows Google is the number one search engine and for good reason. Google has perfected and offers comprehensive search capability that evolves, changes and grows with users habits and keyword searching trends. Google analytics can give any company keen insight into how people are coming to your site, where they are going and how long they are viewing your content. There are sophisticated ways in which to assign specific value to conversions based on what people do when they visit your site. A companies’ focus with their web site should be to receive a return on what they have invested in its development.

Some developers are simply designers that can build magnificent looking sites that use Flash animation, sound and video with awesome graphic design and wonderful backgrounds. This is great and if used properly and can be very effective in gaining the attention of potential customers. However, if used simply to be cool and flashy it can actually hurt the ability for potential customers to find and use your site to buy or contact you about what you have to offer. The whole purpose of a business web site is to generate business and inspire trust and brand recognition.

The designers that don’t pay attention to simple search engine optimization (SEO) basics are not providing your business with the best value for your hard earned advertising dollars. Your web site is on the front lines of how people look for goods and services and judge the value of what you have to offer. Google is your home page and maximizing your web development with that in mind can be the difference between a break even return or a two, three or more times return on your investment in your web site.

By hiring a knowledgable, talented and thorough minneapolis web developer you will see the difference in your traffic, usability and growth for your web presence. Have your cousin’s, nephew’s good friend from high school build a site for your family or local school group not experiment with your companies image and potential revenue generating ability.

Here’s an SEO tip: What does the title of your home page say? Does it say untitled document or have the name of your business? If you are Nike or ESPN a page title with your name is fine, but if your Bob’s Tire and Lube and that’s the title of your page, your page title is the first thing Google sees to index search terms for your web site and Bob’s Tire and Lube will most likely not be the first thing people search to find your business. Think of how you would search for the products you offer and title your home page with those terms.

Homers boost Techwaredist.com Softball Team

by JOHN SHERMAN – SUN NEWSPAPERS
Published: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 2:37 PM CDT

Pete “Sundance” Tourek, of the Techware Distribution Turbos softball team, hit three home runs July 25 to lift his team to a 14-13 victory over Mielke Building and Remodeling in the Edina Monday Doubleheader Rec Softball League.

Techwaredist.com softball team member

Sam Tourek of the Techware Turbos men's slowpitch softball team digs for home in a 14-13 victory over Mielke Building and Remodeling July 25 at VanValkenburg Park. (Photo by John Sherman • Sun Newspapers)

The Techware slugger, whose efforts produced nine RBI, modestly assessed his performance after the game at VanValkenburg Park.

“It was a good night,” he said.

Techware Turbos and Mielke Builders are two perennial contenders in Monday Rec slowpitch, and some good-natured banter between them is part of the game.

“We always enjoy playing Mielke,” said Techwaredist player coach Steve Nelson. “They’re small, but they’re slow.”

“They may have beaten us tonight,” said player/manager David Mielke of the Mielke squad. “But I’m sure they haven’t forgotten the 24-4 whipping we put on them the last time.”

The Turbos have become accustomed to winning a high percentage of their games. Two years ago, they won the Monday Rec playoffs. And last year, they were runners-up.

“The team was formed in 1992,” said Nelson. “At that time, it was basically the 1991 Edina High School baseball team.”

Nelson, Kevin Gabrik and Matt Dahlien are the only original members still with the team.

The Turbos are known for their defense. Some say hitters dominate the Monday league, but if the old saying “defense wins championships” is true, it shows up in the Turbos’ record.

Third baseman Matt Svidron made a couple of impressive defensive plays to help save the win over Mielke.

Mielke was down 14-8 going into the seventh inning and gave the Turbos a scare before the game ended. Scott Bantz hit a three-run homer to cut the Turbos’ lead to 14-11, and then Rob Presthus smashed a two-run homer to make it 14-13 before a flyout ended the game.

In their other game on the 25th, the Turbos defended well all over the field and beat Mayhem 17-7. The Turbos are 15-5 this summer and took third place in regular-season play.

Champps emerged as the regular-season champion, but with the playoffs coming up, the Techwaredist Turbos are optimistic.

“We beat Champps once and lost to them once,” said Nelson. “Anything could happen if we play them again.”

Monday Rec playoffs were underway as this edition went to press. The playoffs will continue Monday, Aug. 8, at VanValkenburg Park.

Have You Heard About the ALS Bike Trek MN?

The ALS Bike Trek Minnesota is a 14, 34, or 52-mile fully supported one-day ride perfect for the entire family! We’re looking for people of all ages to join in this extraordinary event – we need YOU, your friends, your co-workers & neighbors! Don’t want to ride? Volunteer, cheer and attend the BBQ at the finish line! Our goal is to raise ALS awareness and funds to fuel research. All proceeds from this event benefit the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), MDA’s Augie’s Quest and the MDA’s MN Chapter.  Visit www.alsbiketrekmn.com