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Truckers Using MyFax To Manage Contracts On The Road

This is a lot of equipment to carry, but the time saved is incredibly valuable to a truck driver. I’ve seen other implementations of Internet Fax in truck stops for the same purpose, but this also gives them a record of the fax on their PC. I would like to see computer usage levels among truck drivers, but this is another nice example of MyFax targeting with case studies.

When the key to business success is on-time delivery, anything that slows the driver down is cause for concern. Time is constantly of the essence, but there are certain details – such as the signing of contracts and various background documents – that can’t be ignored. Carriers and their customers rely on faxing to exchange the necessary paperwork, often a time-consuming process. A truck driver, for instance, might have to wait in line for a fax machine at a truck stop only to wait to process each sheet of paper that needs to be sent or received. Unless they use the MyFax Internet fax solution – the choice Peggy McClelland, owner of Macstran, relies on. MyFax Internet fax service breaks through the time barrier by enabling its customers to transmit their documents via the Internet, making it possible for a transaction to be completed on the go. Macstran is an independent female-owned corporation that hauls produce and seafood between Florida and California. Ms. McClelland, who is based in Nevada, knew she could pick up the speed of her cross-country business by finding a faster faxing option and turned to MyFax. “The difference was immediate,” McClelland says. “I was able to connect to MyFax right away and the fax went through without a hitch. I even received a confirmation that it had been delivered in my e-mail account. The contract was completed within minutes, and we didn’t even have to slow down much less stop.” As faxed contracts come in, Peggy prints them out using the combination printer/scanner she keeps in the cab of the truck she is driving. After reviewing the documents, she signs them and scans them back into her computer. From there they can be faxed back to the client using MyFax. The process is not only quicker but less expensive. McClelland says faxing at a typical truck stop costs $3 per page. Her MyFax account allows her to send 100 and receive 200 pages a month for just $10. Easy document management is another benefit of MyFax. Documents are stored by MyFax for one year – the largest capacity in the industry – and be recalled by simply typing a keyword while on the MyFax Internet service webpage, another time-saver. “MyFax has been a tremendous asset to our business,” Peggy says. “While the cost savings has been nice, it’s really the time savings that has made the difference for us. Being able to save a half hour or more per trip while running the business has been an absolute dream.” Joseph Nour, CEO of Protus IP, the provider of MyFax Internet fax service adds, “In today’s society, everything is mobile and time is always an issue. Whether it’s in a truck going across country or from behind a desk, MyFax offers a solution that no fax machine can match.”

Source: CNW Telbec

Posted 20 June 2007 † admin § case study § fax market § internet fax ‡ Comments (0)

Zap Mail – Before There Was A Fax machine! Part 1

This is absolutely fascinating. I am amazed at what they put into this. Of course him trying to create a large document delivery system and include hardware in the package was not an easy concept. Of course he was trying to replace a fax machine, but he was really just making a better quality fax machine using a laser printer. What is really amazing is how much they documented everything about it, because I guess they thought it would be revolutionary. The best part is in Part 2 where the ad agency is trying to pitch the concept they came up with for advertising it after FedEx already had a reputation problem for the product. Denial is a powerful thing and they were all in denial about how to advertise it. This is classic founder’s concept fails miserably story. Ahead of his time or just too foolish to see it was only a matter of time before fax machine quality improved. In addition thinking that FedEx should go into the office device market was also foolhardy.

Long ago – Fed Ex tried to launch something called Zap Mail. A way to magically send documents from one place to another instantly. It Failed! They had could not convince people that such a thing was needed or that it was possible! See the story of it.

Source: YouTube – Zap Mail – Before There Was A Fax machine! Part 1

Posted 19 June 2007 † admin § fax history § fax market § notorious faxes ‡ Comments (0)

Space Fax

Posted 19 June 2007 † admin § Uncategorized ‡ Comments (0)

J2 Global Is Hiring a Sr. Patents Manager

J2 seems to be expanding their patent reach or at least they think they can. My expectation is that the patent courts might make this a short term gig, so anyone applying really should consider the volatility of patent litigation and the fact that a number of their patents could very easily be thrown out and that there are a large number of folks in the industry that have details on priorart that J2 can not beat all the way back to MCI in the 80s. Sadly some of the folks in the industry that have not spoken out that have proof may never, but there is enough data out there to beat them from what I hear and what I understand.  My expectation is that eventually someone is going to challenge them and dig up the right data. What I don’t understand is why the folks that received MCI assets haven’t already shut them down and sued all the players into oblivion.

The patent organization within j2 Global oversees all patent and patent licensing matters for the company. The group is responsible for the licensing of j2 Global�s patents to third parties, as well as analyzing external patents for acquisition and evaluating inventions for potential patent applications. j2 Global�s patent portfolio reflects valuable and diverse set of technologies employed in numerous industries.
This position reports directly to j2 Global�s VP and General Counsel.

Overview of position:

This position provides an excellent opportunity for a registered patent agent, patent attorney or technologist intimately knowledgeable and experienced with patent claim construction, patent infringement analysis and patent litigation to broaden their skill set and responsibilities into the arena of patent licensing. The primary responsibilities of the position include:

  • Assessment of patents available for acquisition.
  • Point person for internal program for evaluation of internally developed technology for patentability and/or infringement.
  • Lead patent licensing programs.
  • Oversight of the company�s patent portfolio.
  • Liaison with outside patent prosecution attorneys, technical experts, and licensing experts.

Job Duties:

1. Portfolio Development:

  • Lead patent-related technology reviews, working with relevant subject matter experts in Product Development, Engineering and Network Operations groups to understand, evaluate and value potential patent applications, patents available for purchase and assessments of infringement of third party patents.
  • Lead negotiation of patent purchases, with assistance from VP and General Counsel.

2. Patent Licensing Lead:

  • Oversee patent licensing programs, including selection of potential licensees and assistance with negotiations, with support from VP and General Counsel.
  • Provide technical support in advising j2 Global�s patent attorneys and licensing professionals, and respond to technical questions of potential licensees regarding the patents and products.

3. Oversight of Patent Portfolio and Related Technology Spaces:

  • Maintain intimate knowledge of j2 Global�s patent portfolio and of patenting activities in areas relevant to unified messaging and communications.
  • Develop and maintain a deep understanding of technologies relevant to j2 Global, including competitor patents in relevant technology areas.

Job Requirements and Experience:  Preferred candidate will be a patent agent or member of the patent bar and have a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science/Physics, though Bachelor’s degree is acceptable in combination with at least 2 years of hands on experience dealing with cutting edge technology.

Candidate must:

  • Have strong technical skills and a proven ability to read, understand and evaluate patent claims at a high level.
  • Have specific knowledge or work experience in the field of computers, telecommunications, and/or packet networks and protocols and an ability to quickly understand work in the field of unified messaging and communications space.
  • Thrive in a patent licensing/acquisition environment that can often be adversarial.
  • Have excellent verbal and written communication skills with license and patent acquisition targets and with outside patent attorneys, subject matter experts and licensing consultants.
  • Understand negotiation techniques and patent license agreement structure and terms and be able to evaluate patents for applicable markets, the size of those markets and the ultimate value of patents and patent licenses.
  • Be proactive in terms of achieving goals and objectives and in terms of routinely communicating questions and information to VP and General Counsel in order to coordinate efforts.
  • Have a high level of energy and demonstrate enthusiasm and interest in their work.

Source: US-CA-Los Angeles-Sr. Patents Manager

Posted 18 June 2007 † admin § efax § email § internet fax § j2 § patents ‡ Comments (0)

EchoSign esignatures and contract management Selected to Present by Dow Jones

  We put a lot into signatures.  We put flare, simplicity (X), grace, and in the end the stock of our identity into our signatures. Some of us pretend not to care, but we still treat the physical signature as an important stamp of approval or agreement. It is symbolic at special times like signing the paperwork on a new home or the birth certificate of your child. Replacing that with something digital is a daunting concept.

That’s not to say that digital signatures have not made progress in the last decade of existence. We are willing to rapidly click <I Agree> on a web page, so there while I believe we will get there, I am not sure if right now is the time. EchosSign provides esignature, fax, and contract management services, but in the end they are about replacing signatures and they have a big hill to climb, because when you replace signatures, then you are asking to be able to digitally prove your identity and to store it somewhere. You are asking them to believe that the person on the other end also agrees with the concept and that all courts will to or if other issues then come into play.

There are other aspects of fax of course that will as yet be necessary like document transfers, receipts for expense reports, etc. etc.

The two paragraphs below say not much of anything beyond the fact that EchoSign has been asked to speak at a enterprise conference. That said, this is a technology to watch. Someone will replace fax/signatures, but the question is whether this is the tipping point. Its all about winning the mind of the user and this while simpler and safer “feeling” than email is not seamless.  Why do we have to replace a multi-step process with a multi-step process. One is less physical than the other, but in the end, the mission of this application is to replace the sign-fax-sign-fax process for legal agreements (contracts) and that is tough to replace.  It is more about identity and the physical act of signing. You can’t just replace the physical act of ink from pen to paper.

What I do like about the company is the good job they are doing establishing their presence with the right amount of publicity and in the right places so far. It is a simple concept, but has significant potential for success if they can maneuver it properly. It is a delicate dance. 

If they aren’t doing every legal conference and partnering with every possible legal technology provider then they are missing it.

EchoSign has been selected to present at Dow Jones’ Enterprise Innovations conference in Redwood City, CA on July 18th. 

“The quest to be more efficient is always on the mind of corporations. Finding a better way to manage employees, data or products can make the difference in hitting financial goals and quarterly targets. As a result, the need for better technologies to improve enterprise applications, networks, storage and the datacenter is a constant. To give corporations as well as investors a view of the advancements being made in these areas as well as a look at where further improvements will come from, Dow Jones is bringing together the leading start-ups, venture capitalists and corporations for Enterprise Innovations.”

More to come I am sure. We’ll keep an eye on em.

Source: EchoBlog – E-Signatures, esignatures, fax, contract management: EchoSign Selected to Present by Dow Jones

Posted 16 June 2007 † admin § fax history § fax market § intellectual property § internet fax § strategy ‡ Comments (3)