Mix and Match savings are coming to the Supplies Guys! In January, we will be launching a new “Mix and Match” tool that will allow customers to build custom ink / toner bundles. While our present full set bundles will still be available (1 cyan /1 magenta / 1 yellow / 1 black), our new tool will allow you to customize the quantities for each color while still saving big over purchasing the inks or toners individually.
We understand that not everyone prints the same amount of each color, so the option to be able to customize your own bundle will allow customers to only buy what they need, when they need it. As you increase quantities the savings amounts will also increase – the more you buy, the more you save!
The Mix and Match tool will also allow you to choose OEM or Compatible supplies, whichever you prefer. You simply move the slider of your desired color to your desired quantity and watch the savings grow! When you are done, hit the “Add to Cart” button and you new custom bundle will be in your cart, ready for you to checkout!
Here at The Supplies Guys we’re working to make ourselves a little bit greener each day. For example, we started off the new year by adding a recycling bin for scrap paper to our office. But, obviously, there are many other ways we can easily change the way we work to conserve the environment.
So, to jumpstart our efforts (and help you with yours) here’s a list of 19 quick and easy steps we can take to become greener in the office:
Use fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. Fluorescent cost about 75% less to run and last 10 times longer than incandescent.
Print on both sides of the paper. Use unused paper for scrap paper or shred it and reuse as packing material.
Switch to eco-friendly cleaning supplies and products that are biodegradable and non-toxic.
Buy recycled paper products.
Properly recycle all unwanted electronics. Call the town in which your business is located to find out how to do so or check out http://earth911.com/ to find recycling centers near you.
Encourage employees to recycle by providing bins for glass, paper and plastic recyclables.
Turn off all computers, electronics, lights and appliances when not in use.
Install motion sensors in appropriate rooms and bathrooms.
Set up timers on outside lights so they aren’t running all day and night.
Look into energy efficient EXIT signs that will assist in lowering overall electricity costs.
Fix all leaks as soon as you notice them. Letting them go can wastes gallons and gallons of water, costing hundreds of wasted dollars.
Look into purchasing efficient faucets, showerheads, and toilets to reduce the amount of water used up to 50%.
Install air dryers in the bathroom to eliminate wasted paper and constant replacement costs.
Change your HVAC filters regularly. Try to change them even more frequently during peak cold and hot months, depending on your location. Dirty filters cause the equipment to overwork which uses more energy and releases poor quality air.
Program the thermostat in your office to go lower, higher or turned off completely when office hours are not in session.
Replace plastic utensils and paper plates in the office with permanent dishware. This again eliminates repetitive replacement costs. Introduce the idea by purchasing unique coffee mugs for each employee. (I only suggest this if you’re confident of your employees’ cleaning habits and won’t expect to find dirty dishes at their desks!)
Purchase only appliances that are ENERGY STAR efficient. Also, purchase products and electronics made from “green” materials
Call your electricity company about an energy audit. Most companies will come to you to assess the amount of energy being used. They will also provide tips and suggestions on how to reduce usage.
Check out ENERGY STAR for Small Businesses. There is a ton of information about saving energy as well as thousands of participating small businesses that you can connect to share and gain ideas on greening your office.
It’s important for all of us to start doing our part – especially with such simple changes. Let us know in the comments – what is your office doing to contribute to the environment?
Google’s real-time search results have been live on several Google data centers for almost a month now (launched December 7th, 2009) and the feedback from critics has been mixed. SEOmoz thinks Google real-time search will “fade away” in 2010. We are going to take a deeper look into the methodology of Google and it’s new real-time search results page.
So what is Google Real-Time Search?
Google has introduced the concept of populating their search results pages with dynamic streams of real-time content from around the web. Real-time content consists of blog and news postings, images and videos, as well as updates from popular social media platforms. In the world we have known up until now, Google search results pages (SERP) have consisted of sponsored listings (Google AdWords), and natural listings. In 2007 and 2008, Google also began integrating shopping results into their pages for queries of popular products, as displayed below.
However with the integration of real-time search, a query for a popular topic or trend would reveal a totally different search results page. For example a search query for the highly anticipated Google Nexus One cell phone, or tomorrow nights BCS National Championship game displays the following Google real-time search engine results page (RTSERP). As you will see in our short video below (watch in full-screen mode), Google has integrated news results (from popular blogs and media outlets), videos and images, as well as updates streaming live (which can be paused) from social media platforms powered by their recent partnerships with; Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, MySpace, Jaiku, and Identia.ca.
Google has also begun to integrate several other media types into their search results pages, making for a comprehensive search experience for it’s users . Here is a list of the media types you can expect to see in a given Google search results page in 2010.
Live Updates (from sites such as Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed)
Plus a larger emphasis on;
Video & Image results
News results (from Google News & Google Blog Search)
Local results (try it out, run a search for “health food”)
Shopping results (integrated with product images)
Academic & book results
Health results (try it out, run a search for “common cold”)
Brand Logos (try it out by running a search query for “Apple”)
Other popular searches that can be incorporated into iGoogle (For example run a search for “Miami Weather”, “GOOG” or “NFL”)
It is speculated as to what the algorithm consists of for Google’s real-time search. Amit Singhal, who runs Google’s Search Quality Group (ultimately his team is responsible for the Google search algorithm), reported that their new technology enables them “to monitor more than a billion documents and process hundreds of millions of real-time changes each day.”
Questions and Concerns for Google Real-Time Search
Will Google determine relevance of live updates?
If relevance is considered, will Google rely on their new partners for this – and if so is there potential for bias?
Should frequency (i.e. quantity of updates), influence (i.e. number of followers on Twitter), exposure (i.e. quantity of keyword or shared link volume) be the main variables in their algorithm?
What plan has Google implemented to combat attempted SPAMMING of the live updates?
How can Google confirm the accuracy of information contained in live updates?
What affects will this have on my search marketing efforts?
Dying to learn more about Google Real-Time Search?
Watch these two promotional videos released by Google to discover even more about their real-time search integration. Happy searching!
Google promotional video and demonstration of their real-time search.
Google unveils real-time search and other search related technologies during the Google Search Event hosted at the Computer History Museum on December 7th, 2009.
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