As a self employed individual, I’m always on the look out for solutions that can help save time and money.  Since my work requires a lot of travelling, a Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone will allow me to make and receive calls without worrying about high long distance bills.  By using a service such as Vonage, this added mobility allows me to stay in contact with customers and suppliers, while I visit China or Hong Kong. 

If your a prospective customer looking to purchase a VOIP adapter from a retailer, the activation fee can be waived.  Click here to find out.

A great place to find information about VOIP is Vonge-Forum.com.  An indpendent support site for the Vonage service, community members assist each other with helpful clues or money saving advice.

If your looking to sign up with a VONAGE service, perhaps you should visit Vonge-Forum.com to learn more.  Afterall, a penny saved is a penny earned.

This post is sponsored by: http://www.vonage-forum.com/

I remember when cell phones used to cost a fortune to maintain.  During the 80’s and early 90’s, this industry was mainly utilized by businesses or individuals who can afford such a luxury.  In fact, my very first cell phone deal was $80 per month!  It didn’t even include any value added services commonly found with modern day plans.

My first cell phone was the infamous Motorola DynaTAC (Brick Phone).   Up till this day, I still get a fuzzy feeling when I see it being used in movies, pictures, etc.  The unit weighed nearly one kilogram, offered just a half hour of talk time and sold for $4000.  Despite the hefty price, this unit was practically indestructible.  The Motorola Brick Phone became so famous that Cell phone enthusiasts are now modifying old units to include modern day features, such as colored LCD screens, etc.   Maybe one day, Motorola will revive the Original brick phone with new features.

Thanks to competition and economies of scale, mobile phones are now affordable to the mass market.  From high school students to senior citizens, it seems like everyone has a cell phone these days.  I know some people who own multiple cell phones with each model used for a specific occasion!  And with plenty of wireless carriers to choose from, there is always a good deal to be found.

Wirefly is one place where you can find a great deal on accessories phones and plans.  As a leading online retailer for wireless solutions, they stand by their product and services with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  You can great deals from all the major wireless carriers, such as Cingular, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, Alltel, etc.  They also have a large selection of accessories for you to choose.  Plus, their E-commerce store is secured and certified by Trust-e, Scan Alert and VeriSign. 

If your looking for a good deal for any wireless product or service, I would definatley check Wirefly out.  You can visit their store by clicking here.

This post is sponsored by: http://www.wirefly.com

Is this bold marketing or sheer stupidity?

I’ve seen some pretty ugly race cars in the past.  But the 2007 Honda F1 Race car takes the checkered flag as the most unappealing livery ever produced.  The team recently revealed a green and blue “map of the world” to underline Honda’s desire to be viewed as an environmentally friendly car company.

“We hope that in raising awareness and highlighting the issues we will encourage members of the public to come together and help take on the challenge of climate change,” said the team’s chief executive Nick Fry.

From Cancer Stick Promoter…

…to Saviour of the World!

This marketing ploy is equivalent to a Tobacco Company building a Cancer research facility.  What I really find funny is this very same team was sponsored by a tobacco company from 1999 to 2006.  Pretty ironic isn’t it?

Automobile manufacturers and their financial stakeholders are not guys, whose morality lies with environmental concerns.  By boxing up the word “Environment”, this sleazy marketing campaign is simply about dollars and making money.  

It seems that every car manufacturer wants to jump on the environmental bandwagon these days.  From Hybrid cars to Penis Envy gas guzzlers, the automobile is still nowhere close to maximizing the energy they are producing.  Did you know that only 13% of the energy produced by an internal combustion engine is used for propulsion?  Even though fuel efficiency for passenger cars has improved 39% in the past ten years, fuel consumption increased by 19% and rising.

Vehicles contribute to an estimated 60-70 percent of urban air pollution.  And yes, the Honda motor company still produces cars that burn gasoline and pollute the air (hybrid or not).  Carbon dioxide produced by these (Honda) cars are still the leading cause of the greenhouse effect and global warming.

I look forward to the next propaganda campaign set forth by these car companies.  Will they help save the whales from extinction? 

Perhaps one day they will actually build a REAL electric car?  Oh I forgot!  They’ve already pulled that scam.

Last weekend, I viewed a Mix Martial Arts event held in Las Vegas: PRIDE 33 - The Second Coming.  For those of you who don’t know, PRIDE FC is an established MMA organization based in Japan.  Legions of hardcore fans have long argued this organization to be a superior alternative when compared to the financially successful Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  With a roster consisting of Fedor Emelianenko (the world’s best mixed martial artist of all-time?) and other top caliber fighters, PRIDE is looking to place its blood on U.S. soil and to capture some much needed market share.

This long path to recognition may take a very long time for PRIDE to achieve, especially when the UFC brand name is plastered all over free TV and mainstream media outlets.  Plus, marketing to an audience with very short attention spans will make it harder for the company to establish itself as a viable competitor outside of Japan.

The card itself was very exciting and full of upsets.  I definitely got my money’s worth.  In fact, most MMA fans will view this card as a complete success. It will also be known as an event where big name fighters lost.  For the past 6 months PRIDE has been lifting certain fighters to God-like status in comparison to their UFC counterparts.  Unfortunately, their losses have stalled any momentum or future event with UFC fighters.

The current long term outlook for PRIDE in North America is pretty bleak.  I have a hard time seeing how they can effectively challenge the UFC without a real television presence over here.  After all, it’s Network and Cable TV that will help them build fans and future PPV buys.  With the UFC’s continued expansion (The Ultimate Fighter Show, HBO Deal, Signing new fighters, etc) and increased exposure, PRIDE will have a hard time establishing a foothold against their well known competitor.  Plus back in Japan, they’ve already suffered a big financial setback by losing their lone television deal with FUJI TV.

In the end, there will always be Hardcore MMA fans that will support PRIDE over the UFC. Unfortunately, their limited presence will not make PRIDE a financial success outside of Japan.  It’s a race to capture the mainstream audience that will declare any real victor in North America.  And right now, the UFC is a couple laps ahead.

I just hope the Fat lady hasn’t sung for PRIDE FC.