Friday, December 21, 2007
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
First, I would like to wish all our customers, partners and shareholders a very Merry Christmas! Be safe this holiday season and enjoy the time with your friends and families.
I was thinking of doing a year-end review, but I think it would be better to wait until after the first of the year. Instead, I wanted to talk about just a few updates that had to do with some of the more prominent projects.
AT&T
As everyone probably knows, the GSM Cyber Tracker is 100% certified on the AT&T network. Currently we are working to get the Cyber Tracker added to the AT&T website. No more certifications are needed for this, just more paperwork. I expect that we should see the Cyber Tracker on their website in January. The next step that needs to be done is AT&T rep training. What that means is that we will train the business to business reps on the features and functions of the Cyber Tracker. Since it is the end of the year, we will begin our training in January with the help of our Senior Channel Account Manager.
Garmin
Things are moving forward with Garmin. Since my last post I have received lots of positive feedback from customers and Garmin on how excited they will be to see the finished product. It looks like once the integration is done that Garmin will certify and make us an authorized Garmin partner which will provide us a place on the Garmin website. All very exciting news since the project is not going to take very long to complete.
Taxi Meter
Our Taxi Meter project is still ongoing. The customer is currently doing testing with a Cyber Tracker and our new external Push To Talk microphone. In fact, we sent out an additional unit on Tuesday. The Cyber Tracker has been successfully "talking" with one of the taxi meters that they sent over for integration. Software is the only thing that remains.
External Push To Talk
We have had tremendous feedback and success on the external Push To Talk microphone. We have had existing customers request this feature to be retrofitted as well as new customers request it. Putting this together could not have been done without Tadd Ayers. He has played a major role in the development, support and production of this new feature.
We have a busy start to the New Year. There are lots of projects that need to be wrapped up and sales that need to be closed. In an effort to keep our customers and shareholders updated and informed, we will be continuing our blog. In addition to the Blog we hope to be adding a Newsletter and maybe even Podcast or two. Newsletters will be a great way to share new product information with new and existing customers. The podcasts will be a great replacement for our past teleconferences. We will be able to get much more information into them and they will be much less expensive than the traditional teleconferences.
Happy Holidays!!
-Ian
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Garmin and the Cyber Tracker
I could not wait to start working on this project! A few months ago I sat down with a major bus manufacturer and they wanted the Cyber Tracker and turn-by-turn directions. At that point in time we did not have a system in place that could handle it. Today is another story!
The integration of the Cyber Tracker and a Garmin Navigation unit will be the perfect marriage of technology. Lets look at an example to show just how powerful this combo could be. Imagine a courier business that has employees make pick-ups and drop-offs all day. The Cyber Tracker installed in the vehicle will provide the company with asset management and all the other features of the Cyber Tracker. Now add the fact that the courier company needs to notify a driver that a pick-up is needed. The dispatcher for the courier company can look on his mapping software located on his computer in the office to see what vehicle is closest to the pick-up. He then sends a work order to that employee. The Cyber Tracker then uses the Garmin screen to notify the driver that a pick-up is needed and can give the driver turn-by-turn directions to the destination He can respond to the dispatcher using the Garmin screen with out picking up a telephone.
This same scenario works great with public safety and anyone who has a fleet of vehicles. An important benefit to me is that it can greatly increase fuel economy to the vehicles just by making routes more efficient. A problem that our sales force runs into everyday is re-educating the employees on how GPS can actually help them and this will now allow employees of a business to interact with the device and not just be tracked.
I will post pictures of the entire project as soon as they become available.
-Ian
Friday, December 7, 2007
We Moved!!
I would jump for joy but my back is killing me from moving. Moving into our new "home" is probably one of the best things we have done. In our old space not only was it inconvenient and expensive it just didn't fit our needs. Our new space is MUCH less expensive and provides us with office space and warehouse space that we have never had before. As you all know we began to manufacture different components to the Cyber Tracker earlier this year, having the ability to utilize warehouse space for this is invaluable. We are also able to fill orders much quicker, when a Cyber Tracker is sold it is activated, then tested. In our old space we had to go down stairs and out side in order to do testing. Now we just have to roll up the door. This just fits our needs. Anyone is more than welcome to stop by, we have already had one shareholder drop in. Below are a few pictures of the new setup. (sorry about the mess)
On another note I am currently working with AT&T to get the Cyber Tracker on the website, with a company as big as they are everything seems to just take time. I am hopping to have that closed out by the first of the year but it is something that is somewhat out of my hands. I have had a couple questions on the website and getting it updated, I am working on that as well. The company the built the hissusa.com website was sold to another company, we are working to get the updates implemented ASAP. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
-Ian
On another note I am currently working with AT&T to get the Cyber Tracker on the website, with a company as big as they are everything seems to just take time. I am hopping to have that closed out by the first of the year but it is something that is somewhat out of my hands. I have had a couple questions on the website and getting it updated, I am working on that as well. The company the built the hissusa.com website was sold to another company, we are working to get the updates implemented ASAP. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
-Ian
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Happy Turkey Day!!
Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays. I love that it is a day that revolves around family and FOOD! Everyone who ventures out on the highways this year be sure to drive safely!
The new CT product line is something that is much needed. The Cyber Tracker is a extremely powerful tool that can be utilized in hundreds of different applications, however there are people and companies that need a "dumbed" down version of the Cyber Tracker. Having different products that provide different functions will greatly effect how we are able to sell. Some people have asked if we will have to go through the certification process again with the new devices. The good news is that they are already done! We will be able to start selling right away! I have to stress that the two new products are not in anyway a replacement for the original Cyber Tracker, they are simply a way to increase sales and our customer base.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A Good Day!
Finally.... The AT&T certification is done! We now have both the device certification and the solution certification.
Why is that important?
As I said in the last AT&T blog, having a certification from AT&T gives us credibility to the carrier and customer but more importantly gives us access to the sales channels. We could have gone right to production with the Cyber Tracker but we would have had to do it with out any support from AT&T. What is next? With the 2 major stumbling blocks behind us we can now start the manufacturing process and get the first units in the hands of sales agents and representatives. With more than 220 countries and 900 carrier organizations that are running GSM, the possibilities are truly limitless.
As a result of the certification, we were able to meet with an organization in Washington DC yesterday for a large opportunity that would use the GSM Cyber Tracker. As more information becomes available on the multitude of opportunities, I will be suere to pass it along.
I also want to give a special thanks to everyone at AT&T who got this pushed through before the holidays!
-Ian
Why is that important?
As I said in the last AT&T blog, having a certification from AT&T gives us credibility to the carrier and customer but more importantly gives us access to the sales channels. We could have gone right to production with the Cyber Tracker but we would have had to do it with out any support from AT&T. What is next? With the 2 major stumbling blocks behind us we can now start the manufacturing process and get the first units in the hands of sales agents and representatives. With more than 220 countries and 900 carrier organizations that are running GSM, the possibilities are truly limitless.
As a result of the certification, we were able to meet with an organization in Washington DC yesterday for a large opportunity that would use the GSM Cyber Tracker. As more information becomes available on the multitude of opportunities, I will be suere to pass it along.
I also want to give a special thanks to everyone at AT&T who got this pushed through before the holidays!
-Ian
Friday, November 2, 2007
Image
It has been an extremely busy week here at HISS. I have been involved in some great meetings and have been busy with some new additions to marketing. We have almost finished the new marketing material for the Cyber Tracker. It is certainly was a much needed change from the old slicks. I think everyone will agree that the new look is definitely a improvement over the old ones. What we like about the new slicks, besides the new look and feel, is that it is much more of a consumer friendly design. We also decided to put our most requested Cyber Tracker accessories on the back in order to give our customers a better idea of what can be added to increase their value. In an effort to go “green”, all the new promotional material is set-up specifically to be emailed or downloaded from our website. I will be sure to post the final version one it is ready to go out.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Big Orders
We have all been through a lot over the last year and I feel that this is a new start for the company. We have more positive things happening right now than we have ever had before. From the last press release, it is apparent that Bravo has become an incredible partner over the last year and has really shown their strength in the Middle East over the last few months. I believe that since Bravo has now been awarded the second largest project for GPS tracking in Saudi Arabia that we will begin to see even more orders from the middle east.
I talked last week about the Push to Talk external microphone. Its done and off for a demo. I have included some pictures on this blog just so you can see the over all quality. The really nice thing about what we have done with this is that no one in the market is selling a product that has all the features of the Cyber Tracker and has the ability to have an external Microphone and Speaker. The feedback we have gotten has been great. They love the ability to use voice, but when a device is hard mounted it has proven difficult to use without the potato mic. By adding the mic and external speaker, this is a perfect solution to add to the Cyber Trackers "add-on" features.
Friday, October 19, 2007
The Solar Powered Cyber Tracker
I think this is the perfect place to complement the Press Release that was sent out this morning. Over the last few months we have had numerous customers ask for a solar powered option for use on remote sites or trailers that don’t have a constant power source. Since our first beta unit, we have made a few new adjustments to decrease the overall cost and decrease the size of the external battery that is required.
The final phase of the solar powered Cyber Tracker proved to be a major success. We learned a lot during the final phase and with the help of Champion Tire giving us feedback, we were able to improve the way the entire system mounts. I have to say that the performance that we have seen so far exceeds what we have seen from competitors.
-Ian
The final phase of the solar powered Cyber Tracker proved to be a major success. We learned a lot during the final phase and with the help of Champion Tire giving us feedback, we were able to improve the way the entire system mounts. I have to say that the performance that we have seen so far exceeds what we have seen from competitors.
-Ian
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Customer Service
It's Wednesday and it has already been a very productive week! As we gain in customer numbers, we are recognizing the need for a strong customer service program. In any business customer service is a very important issue. To maintain quality customer service we are trying a new software package on demo. Doing this will allow us to have a better understanding of the customers previous problems and what steps where taken to correct them. We want to strive to have excellent customer service and I think this will be an excellent step to ensure the customer has the best experience possible.
Tadd Ayers is working this week to get a demo unit to a customer in New York. This particular customer has requested a Cyber Tracker with an external speaker and microphone for communications. It is a large opportunity for Cyber Trackers being sold, but it also shows how much people utilize the voice capabilities on the Cyber Tracker. Just one more thing that sets the Cyber Tracker aside from everyone else!
-Ian
Tadd Ayers is working this week to get a demo unit to a customer in New York. This particular customer has requested a Cyber Tracker with an external speaker and microphone for communications. It is a large opportunity for Cyber Trackers being sold, but it also shows how much people utilize the voice capabilities on the Cyber Tracker. Just one more thing that sets the Cyber Tracker aside from everyone else!
-Ian
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Taxi Meter Photos
As Promised I am uploading a few images of the Cyber Tracker with the Taxi Meter. Basically what you see is a Cyber Tracker with an external GPS antenna, Taxi Meter and all the wiring to interface it with a vehicle. The only thing that is not shown in the pictures that will be implemented is an external speaker and microphone. I will keep you updated on where we are with this project.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Volume
I wouldn't normally post something like this, but I have gotten a few calls, so I feel that it might be useful information. Apparently, because today is a holiday and banks are closed the volume of stock is a combination of today and Friday the 5th. Below is a quote from Nasdaq.com and hopefully the volume amounts will make more sense after reading it.
"The schedule of trade dates-settlement dates below reflects the observance by the financial community of Columbus Day, Monday, October 8, 2007. On this day, The NASDAQ Stock Market and the securities exchanges will be open for trading. However, it will not be a settlement date because many of the nation's banking institutions will be closed.
Note: Transactions made on Monday, October 8, will be combined with transactions made on the previous business day, October 5, for settlement on October 11. Securities will not be quoted ex-dividend, and settlements, marks to the market, reclamations, and buy-ins and sell-outs, as provided in the Uniform Practice Code, will not be made and/or exercised on October 8."
"The schedule of trade dates-settlement dates below reflects the observance by the financial community of Columbus Day, Monday, October 8, 2007. On this day, The NASDAQ Stock Market and the securities exchanges will be open for trading. However, it will not be a settlement date because many of the nation's banking institutions will be closed.
Note: Transactions made on Monday, October 8, will be combined with transactions made on the previous business day, October 5, for settlement on October 11. Securities will not be quoted ex-dividend, and settlements, marks to the market, reclamations, and buy-ins and sell-outs, as provided in the Uniform Practice Code, will not be made and/or exercised on October 8."
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Quick Updates
Just a few quick updates today. The integration work on the Taxi Meters for the Middle East is going quicker than I expected. We have successfully completed the integration of the Cyber Tracker in with one of the Taxi Meters. We are now working with all of our partners in the project to determine a protocol on how the data is to be sent. Really, it comes down to in what order do they want to receive the information. I will post some pictures of the entire setup later this week so you can see how the system is setup.
The Certification for AT&T is still being processed. Adam, who is heading up the device certification with AT&T is doing a great job. It is taking longer than expected, but it is something that is needed and will help sales in the long run.
-Ian
The Certification for AT&T is still being processed. Adam, who is heading up the device certification with AT&T is doing a great job. It is taking longer than expected, but it is something that is needed and will help sales in the long run.
-Ian
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
R&D
Our Research and Development team has begun working with our partner Bravo Public Telecommunication Company in Saudi Arabia, along with several other organizations, on an innovative new application for the Cyber Tracker.
This new innovation will use the new potato microphone and speaker applications of the Cyber Tracker and integrate it with taxicab meters. Once the project is completed our customers will be able to utilize the GPS and communication capabilities of the Cyber Tracker, and combine that with the taxicab meters in order to relay data from the taxicabs. The end goal of the project is to be able to provide one simple solution for asset tracking, dispatching, credit card transactions, as well as other reporting functions including end of day transaction reports.
This is just one example of the multitude applications of the Cyber Tracker. This new technology, once incorporated into the taxicabs, has the potential of producing additional sales in Saudi Arabia and other areas of the world. We are very excited about this new vertical we have created with this project, and look forward to future opportunities to showcase the versatility of our product.
This new innovation will use the new potato microphone and speaker applications of the Cyber Tracker and integrate it with taxicab meters. Once the project is completed our customers will be able to utilize the GPS and communication capabilities of the Cyber Tracker, and combine that with the taxicab meters in order to relay data from the taxicabs. The end goal of the project is to be able to provide one simple solution for asset tracking, dispatching, credit card transactions, as well as other reporting functions including end of day transaction reports.
This is just one example of the multitude applications of the Cyber Tracker. This new technology, once incorporated into the taxicabs, has the potential of producing additional sales in Saudi Arabia and other areas of the world. We are very excited about this new vertical we have created with this project, and look forward to future opportunities to showcase the versatility of our product.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
AT&T- The Question
I have gotten some great responses from the blog today. Thank you to everyone who commented. GoldenAspen brought up a great point, where are we on the AT&T Certification? There are two parts involved with AT&T. The Solutions Certification and the Device Certification. We have completed the Solutions Certification which basically gives us the ability to enter into the AT&T sales force. The Device Certification, which is being done as we speak, gives us the ability to activate Cyber Trackers on their network. Completing this on any network is no easy task, The carrier (in this case AT&T) looks at all of our test results from the FCC and PTCRB and compares that to their network specifications. After all that has been done the carrier does live network tests to ensure that the devices will not interfere with other devices on the network.
Could we sell with out the certification? In short.. Yes. However, with out the AT&T Stamp of approval we loose our ability to say "AT&T approved device" and more importantly we loose the ability to be on the website and loose the AT&T sales force. I hope that answers your questions on where we are.
-Ian
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Very First Post
Welcome to the HISS BLOG! This has been along time coming. I think it is essential to have good communication to the shareholders, clients, partners and potential clients. By utilizing this blog we can provide fast and effective communication as things happen, and it’s FREE.
So what is going to happen here? Our team will post different opportunities that we come across, new ideas and products that are in the making. This obviously is not a formal environment, but is more of a relaxed down to earth way to communicate and learn more about the HISS team and its products. I look forward to hearing your feedback and I hope this will be a great new feature!
-Ian Riley
So what is going to happen here? Our team will post different opportunities that we come across, new ideas and products that are in the making. This obviously is not a formal environment, but is more of a relaxed down to earth way to communicate and learn more about the HISS team and its products. I look forward to hearing your feedback and I hope this will be a great new feature!
-Ian Riley
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