Scott Andrew Alpaugh Technology and Selling

  I actually loved Google Stadia but what brought about it's demise? Google Stadia was a cloud gaming service that promised to revolutionize the gaming industry by allowing players to stream games on any device without the need for expensive hardware. However, after a disappointing launch and a series of setbacks, Google announced in February 2022 that it would shut down its internal game development studios and focus on providing its technology to other publishers and developers. What went wrong for Stadia and why did it fail to live up to its potential? One of the main reasons for Stadia's downfall was its lack of exclusive games and content. While Stadia offered some popular titles like Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Cyberpunk 2077, most of them were also available on other platforms, and often at lower prices or with better performance. Stadia also failed to deliver on its promise of creating original games that would showcase its unique features

  If you run a retail business, you know how important it is to have a reliable and efficient point-of-sale (POS) system. A POS system is the software and hardware that allows you to process transactions, manage inventory, track sales, and more. But with so many options available in the market, how do you choose the best one for your needs and budget? In this blog post, I will compare some of the most popular online POS systems and their cost tiers. Online POS systems are cloud-based solutions that run on any device with an internet connection, such as tablets, smartphones, or laptops. They offer many benefits over traditional POS systems, such as:  Lower upfront costs: You don't need to buy expensive hardware or software licenses. You only pay a monthly or annual subscription fee based on your usage and features.  Scalability: You can easily add or remove devices, users, or locations as your business grows or changes. You can also access your data from anywhere and anytime.  Secur

  If you're a business owner, you know how important it is to protect your intellectual property (IP). IP is anything that you create or invent that gives your business a competitive edge, such as your logo, slogan, product design, software code, or trade secret. IP is valuable and can be stolen or copied by others who want to profit from your hard work. That's why you need to take steps to safeguard your IP and prevent infringement. One of the best ways to protect your IP is to register it with the appropriate authorities. Depending on the type of IP you have, you may need to apply for a trademark, patent, or copyright. These registrations give you legal rights to your IP and allow you to sue anyone who uses it without your permission. You should also use symbols like ™, ®, or © to indicate that your IP is registered and that you own it. Another way to protect your IP is to use contracts and agreements with your employees, partners, suppliers, and customers. These documents sh

  If you run a small business or work remotely, you might be looking for ways to communicate effectively with your team and clients without spending a lot of money. Fortunately, there are many free communication tools that you can use to stay in touch, collaborate, and share information. Here are some of the most popular ones and how to use them:  Slack: Slack is a platform that allows you to create channels for different topics, projects, or teams. You can send messages, files, images, videos, and more to your colleagues and clients. You can also integrate Slack with other apps and services, such as Google Drive, Zoom, Trello, and more. Slack is free for up to 10,000 messages and 10 integrations. To use Slack, you need to sign up with your email address and create a workspace. Then you can invite your team members and start chatting.  Zoom: Zoom is a video conferencing tool that lets you host online meetings, webinars, and events. You can also share your screen, chat, record sessions,

  We have talked about various ways to utilize IT to grow your business and will continue to do so, but there are also simple steps to take.  Let's back up a moment and review the basic things you can do to use the two largest and most popular search engines to grow your business. I'm referring to Google and Bing which are two of the most popular in the world. They can help you grow your business by increasing your online visibility, driving more traffic to your website, and generating more leads and sales. Here are some steps to use Google or Bing effectively for your business: Create a Google My Business or Bing Places account and verify your business information. This will help you appear in local search results and maps and allow customers to leave reviews and ratings.It is also a good idea to just go ahead and ask your satisfied customer to drop by and leave you a review. Optimize your website for search engines by using relevant keywords, titles, descriptions, and images.

As a software engineer, I'm always fascinated by the latest developments and innovations in technology. I believe that technology can be a powerful tool for solving problems, creating opportunities, and improving lives. Technology can also help small businesses grow and thrive in today's competitive and dynamic market. One of the ways that technology has changed the scope of reach for small businesses is by enabling them to connect with customers across different platforms and channels. Nowadays, customers expect to find information about products and services online, whether it's through websites, social media, blogs, podcasts, videos, or other forms of digital content. Small businesses can use these platforms to showcase their brand identity, communicate their value proposition, engage with their audience, and build trust and loyalty. Another way that technology has changed the scope of reach for small businesses is by allowing them to access new markets and expand their

  Optimize your website for local search: Make sure your website includes your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) in the header or footer of every page. This information should also be included in the “Contact Us” page. Claim your Google My Business listing: This will help your business show up in Google Maps and local search results. Be sure to verify your listing and add as much information as possible, including photos, hours of operation, and reviews. Build local citations: Citations are online mentions of your business NAP. The more high-quality citations you have, the more likely your business is to show up in local search results. Some popular citation sources include Yelp, YellowPages, and Angie’s List. Get reviews: Positive reviews help to boost your search rankings and build trust with potential customers. Encourage satisfied customers to leave a review on your Google My Business listing, Yelp, and other review sites. Optimize for local keywords: Research the keyw