Email short messages, reminders, phone numbers and other important stuff to any mobile phone that supports text (SMS) messaging. Check with your mobile carrier regarding the charges for text messaging under your plan, of course!

Create a new email message.

In the "To" text box, enter the cell phone number using the following syntax:
10-digit-number@carrierdomain.com

Here is a list of some major carrier domains:

Create a message of 160 characters or less. You can also attach a .jpg file, if the cell phone you are sending to supports images.

Send the email.

A bit late on this story but that’s mainly because the facts are just not there as to how many people have in fact been laid off. Reports vary however it appears the number is as high as 200 which is on top of the 300 in March. In our earlier post we reminded everyone of the at least $320 million state and local governments gave Dell to come to North Carolina at a time when Dell’s margins were getting thinner and thinner. Since that time Dell has remained silent on their employment numbers and is seeking to sell it’s Triad plant.

Of course our Government Officials who so quickly gave away those millions have been about as silent as Dell. Mayor Joines finally stepped up as pressure on the city council has increased and apparently asked Plant Manager Mehran Ravanpay come before the city’s Finance Committee next month. That meeting should be set for Monday, May 11th Committee Room #239, City Hall and this meeting is open to the public. It shall be interesting to see if Mehran shows up in the first place but I’m not holding my breath any real information will be delivered. I think Mayor Joines may be living in fantasy land a bit if he truly believes the City and Dell are in any type of partnership, this is BUSINESS, plan and simple.

"I think we're going to remind him that we're in a partnership here, with the city and county being part of this, and even though we're well protected from an agreement standpoint, the public has a right to know about what's going on there," Mayor Allen Joines said yesterday. (Journalnow.com, April 4, 2009)

Financially Dell has been selling notes on long term debt offerings. They recently announced another round of $500 million to add to the $1.5 billion it has already sold. Although it’s stock price has rebounded, along with the market in general, from it’s low of under $8 a share in February to a closing on Friday of just over $11 Dell like all PC makers are feeling the hurt as consumers are just not buying. Between “the downturn”, Vista’s lackluster appeal and Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 7 PC sales have been dropping and continue to stay well below yearly averages. The one bright spot the so called Netbook of which Dell has multiple models sells for as low as $300 so one can guess at how many Netbooks Dell would have to sell to payback that debt.

By the way if you have any information on Dell’s employment numbers please do write us back. We have heard numbers below 500 but our math puts it more likely around 800.

SHAREPOINT DESIGNER 2007 IS NOW FREE! Be sure to watch the video in the "Related Resources" below to learn more about details and future direction. Office SharePoint Designer 2007 provides the powerful tools you need to deliver compelling and attractive SharePoint sites and quickly build workflow-enabled applications and reporting tools on the SharePoint platform, all in an IT-managed environment.

SharePoint Designer 2007

Microsoft has been getting closer and closer to Onforce an Internet based IT outsourcing company over the past 6 months. Recently during a webcast a Microsoft spokesman with the Small Business Solutions Group had this to say:

“Large volume product resellers with great market reach and sales and marketing engines form a very important partner segment for us at Microsoft. For example, research shows that 65% of small businesses buy some of their IT infrastructure through the retail channel. Major retailers have a very strong brand presence and can touch these customers nationwide through stores, online, and also with outbound sales reps and call centers and they have a wide variety of promotional vehicles. These volume product resellers that we work with are great at transacting sales but we also need to make sure that this great sales engine can deliver the services customers need along with the knowledge and understanding that translates into a complete solution. High customer satisfaction and relationships where we all benefit and that’s where you fit in. We’re out actively promoting our small business specialist community as services partners and working through OnForce as a way volume product resellers that focus on selling can expand their businesses through services and the value that you can bring. Our work with OnForce is about helping complimentary partners work together for mutual benefit. Whether it’s package services like server deployment or wireless network installs or custom solutions that start with an onsite business and technology assessment, we see huge growth in the services business and a great business opportunity for all of us, all of which better serves the customer. “

Fred Purcell, Microsoft’s Small Business Solutions Group

Now what I read into this is Microsoft is looking to get a piece of the service pie by working with the OEMs and Retail Outlets (Best Buy) to not just sell the hardware with whatever Microsoft software is installed but to get in on the installations, servicing and further product sells, a realm typically served by the small Tech Shops the customer usually uses. I focus on this one statement made by Mr. Purcell, “we also need to make sure that this great sales engine can deliver the services customers need along with the knowledge and understanding that translates into a complete solution” which I think says it all. Best Buy can sell that notebook but they don’t get in the customer’s business door to do the service and in the end that means Best Buy can’t sell more Microsoft products.

What’s your take?