By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Point Collision Center - Austin, Texas
www.pointcollisioncenter.com
This site's modest use of flash animation throughout gives it an appealing look. The navigation menu, graphics and color scheme provide added professionalism to the site. The site also includes an online appointment scheduler, virtual tour, and extensive warranty information.
Web Wise
Is Wi-Fi Right for Your Shop?
Get out your "geekspeak" dictionaries, we have a new word to add! "Wi-Fi." Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity" and refers to products that follow the 802.11 set of standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEI). In layman's terms, Wi-Fi and other components associated with 802.11 standards operate on the same frequency band as a microwave oven or cordless telephone.
In most cases, Wi-Fi is used to link data networks together without the need for wires. If you've purchased a computer or laptop in the past few months, you may have noticed that Wi-Fi chipsets are becoming standard equipment. That's because many public places are implementing wireless local area networks (WLANs), communications networks that use radio frequency technology to transmit network messages through the air within a single location. In other words, Internet data is being transmitted through the air and can be intercepted by computers and PDAs that have Wi-Fi technology installed.
Many airports, hotels and over 1,000 Starbucks have initiated WLANs. They have created what techno-junkies refer to as "hotspots." A hotspot is a wireless access point where users can get onto the Internet. Hotspots are growing exponentially throughout the world. You can find a hotspot in your area by visiting the Wi-Fi Zone at www.wifizone.org.
WLANs are becoming an increasingly popular way to link multiple computers to a high-speed Internet connection in the home as well. Using the same theory, all of your shop's computers can be connected using this technology. Equipment to implement Wi-Fi technology in your shop is fairly inexpensive, costing anywhere between $60 and $300, plus the cost of a broadband connection. You can purchase a wireless router at any computer store. You must install this router on a main computer. Consider this your hotspot. Your broadband connection is connected directly to this router. As long as your other computers have a Wi-Fi chipset, you'll be set. If not, the process may become a little more expensive, but well worth the cost. All of your computers can be connected without being tethered by wires.
Net Numbers
By 2006, the Wi-Fi market will reach $1.58 billion, up from $35 million in 2001.
Source: International Data Corp.
ASA Web Ways
NACE Online Daily News
AutoInc. will be reporting from the floor of this year's International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) in Orlando, Fla. The eighth annual NACE Online Daily News will provide the best insight into the show's events. AutoInc. reporters will be located around the Orange County Convention Center, providing highlights of the show, including Bill O'Reilly's keynote address, educational courses, nightly events, and town hall meetings. Coverage begins Thursday, Dec. 4, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 7. The NACE Online Daily can be accessed at www.autoinc.org/NACE03.
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Net Worth is written by Colby Horton, ASA's electronic communications manager. He can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 234, or by e-mail at colbyh@asashop.org.
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