ON LOCATION

SAPSeason One: Sponsored by SAP and featuring SMB company Torelli Bicycle Co.
Join us here every week as we post new updates - blogs, videos, interviews, feature stories and more.

What is On Location?


Author PhotoOn Location Blog  
Steve Kovsky

iPad 3 Reports Suggest 8MP Camera

Feb 22, 2012

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Spy shots of the Apple iPad 3 are hitting the Web fast and furious. The latest batch show off the camera, rear casing, and display panel.

What Makes A Top Storage Startup?

Feb 21, 2012

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IT professionals need to keep an eye on the recent boom in innovative, new storage firms. Here's why.

Nokia And Windows Phone: No Fallback Plan

Feb 09, 2012

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Nokia is all-in with Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, says one exec. If Plan A fails, there is no Plan B.

RIM Targets September For BlackBerry 10 Launch

Jan 17, 2012

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Research in Motion 2012 product plans point to a September launch for its BlackBerry 10 platform and two more tablets, says a leaked roadmap.

RIM Might License BlackBerry Platform: Crazy Or Genius?

Jan 05, 2012

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Research In Motion is talking to Samsung and HTC about licensing its Blackberry 10 smartphone platform, says analyst. All kinds of crazy, or crazy like a fox?

Open Source And Other Tech Solutions For Small Businesses

Jan 05, 2012

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SMBs must stay agile and creative to take advantage of the latest technologies and avoid IT failures.

RIM's Stock Tanks After Poor Quarterly Numbers

Dec 16, 2011

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Research In Motion's stock was down as much as 10% Friday after the company reported dismal numbers for its most recent quarter.

5 Things RIM Must Do In 2012

Dec 15, 2011

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Research In Motion has a tough year ahead of it. Here is what the company needs to do to turn itself around.

Android Security: Threat Level None?

Nov 19, 2011

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Security firms are fanning the flames of fear about mobile malware and viruses, while others accuse such firms of being scammers. Who's right, and who's wrong.

Domain Name Land Grab Poses Risks For SMBs

Oct 31, 2011

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Small and midsize businesses may lose out as ICANN begins to create new top-level Web domains. But you can take steps to protect yourself and your brand.

More Blogs>>

FEATURED WEBCAST

InformationWeek SMB On Location Makeover: Torelli Races for the Finish Line with New ERP System

Original Air Date: October 27, 2010

Learn how a sweeping technology makeover is helping Torelli rev up its revenue, reduce costs and streamline operations across the board. Find out how small businesses are applying proven ERP best practices to beat the odds and achieve success, despite today's tough economic environment.

Feature Stories  

Torelli's Triumph: Getting 'Hands On' with Customers Means Going 'Hands Off' with Inventory

Dec 06, 2010

The success of a small business often comes down to trust: Can your customers really trust you to deliver? No one knows that better than CEO Todd Linscott of Torelli Bicycle Co., the subject of this season's InformationWeek SMB On Location Technology Makeover Series.

Can SMBs Really Afford ERP?

Dec 04, 2010

It's a question folks like Jeff Stiles get pretty often. Stiles is senior vice president of small and midsize enterprise marketing for SAP AG, so he comes across a lot of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) that feel they have outgrown their current, single-purpose bookkeeping application, or are tired of reading canned reports and trying to reconstruct some semblance of their day-to-day transactions and run rates using static spreadsheets. The burning question is: "Can we really afford an ERP system?"

Torelli's Big Takeaway: Get Help!

Dec 01, 2010

If you've been following this season's saga of a very special small to midsize business (SMB) getting its big break into the realm of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, you've probably already picked up on a recurring theme - one that continues to emerge in this collection of associated blogs, videos and "how to" articles. The lesson is: When it comes time to implement a new ERP solution for your SMB operations, seek professional help.

Like Having Steve Jobs Show You How to Use Your iPhone

Nov 28, 2010

In a recent InformationWeek SMB On Location webcast, the grateful employees of Torelli Bicycle Co. discussed details of their successful enterprise resource planning system deployment. The feat was accomplished through the help of ERP solution provider SAP and Navigator Business Solutions, a premier SAP integration partner that specializes in serving the small and midsize business (SMB) community.

Tips for Installing 'Big Business' Applications on an SMB Scale

Nov 26, 2010

In this series, we've been following the exploits of a particular company in the small to midsize business (SMB) category as it implemented the type of enterprise resource planning solution typically associated with Fortune 1000 firms. In fact, with its four full-time employees, Torelli Bicycle Company in North Hollywood, Calif., may be among the smallest companies to ever install an integrated ERP system from a leading software provider such as SAP.

Surviving 'Mack Truck Syndrome,' Part II

Nov 23, 2010

In our last installment of the InformationWeek SMB On Location blog, we talked with Torelli Bicycle's Product Design Manager Christian Feldhake about the benefits of his company's new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

Torelli's ERP Platform: Protection from 'Mack Truck Syndrome'

Nov 22, 2010

What's the best part of having a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system running your small business? For Torelli Bicycle Company's Product Design Manager Christian Feldhake, it's all about taking the guesswork out of operating the business.

Torelli's 'Uncloudy' Cloud Moment

Nov 19, 2010

There is an old folk song that talks about the promise of "an uncloudy day," a time and place where everything is clear, serene and peaceful. Sounds pretty tempting - especially if you operate a typical small to midsize business (SMB), where clarity and serenity are seldom the order of the day.

ERP Perspective: What Is and Isn't Unique about Torelli Bicycle Co.

Nov 15, 2010

In our previous installment, we revealed that SAP chose Torelli Bicycle Co. to be the recipient of a brand spanking new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution because Torelli is, in fact, pretty typical. It's a little counterintuitive, I know. But when it was explained by Mike Coleman, SAP America Vice President for North American Distribution, Direct Marketing Resellers (DMR) & E-Store, it begins to make sense.

Torelli Takes the Path Less Travelled

Nov 10, 2010

"The Torelli Bicycle Company is the perfect company for us to do this implementation with," said Mike Coleman, SAP America's Vice President for North American Distribution, Direct Marketing Resellers (DMR) & E-Store, after visiting Torelli's rustic headquarters in North Hollywood, Calif. "I think it's a prime candidate for [an SAP] makeover. "

IMAGE GALLERY

Slideshow: InformationWeek SMB Makeover Goes 'On Location'

Slideshow: InformationWeek SMB Makeover Goes "On Location"

Low tech and high tech collide at Torelli Bicycle Co. in Los Angeles as the old-school bike maker gets a major technology makeover from business software specialist SAP.

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Growing companies face constant pressure to do more with less and to improve IT capabilities to keep pace with competitors. With every dollar crucial, IT and business decision makers can't afford any of these missteps.

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Global CIO: SAP's Sweeping Turnaround: Exclusive Co-CEO Interview

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Vowing to create "people-centric software," SAP's retooling for greatly accelerated development, deployments, and time to value, says Jim Hagemann Snabe.