Through our GreenBack™ Community Outreach Program, The Launch Pad Repurposes Used Computer Equipment to Local Nonprofits.  Join in Today!

Computer Mentors Group, Inc. is a non-profit service organization comprised of computer professionals and others interested in the future job opportunities of disadvantaged youths. Our objective is to provide free, high quality computer literacy training and technology access to underprivileged families all across America.
Computer Mentors Group recently requested:

1. Pentium 4 computers
2. 17″ CRT monitors
3. Any size flat screen monitors
4. Mice
5. Keyboards
6. Power cables
7. Printers
8. Scanners
9. Speakers

Our Easy-to-Green GreenBack program looks for gently used computers, printers and other electronics equipment to be recycled back into the community and made available to local nonprofit organizations.  If you are a nonprofit organization, you can Submit your Wish List through the Easy-to-GreenIT program form. Businesses can contact us directly or use the GreenBack Donation Form to offer donations for pickup.  You can opt to designate your equipment to be recycled to the local nonprofit of choice or the next in need on our list.   For more information, contact Megan Meisner, Easy-to-Green Program Services Director:  mmeisner@launchpadonline.com or 813-920-0788 x210.

Microsoft Office announces the “ Microsoft Office 2010 Technology Guarantee.” Purchase a copy of Office 2007 and take advantage of the Technology Guarantee for a free upgrade to Office 2010.  Here’s  how it works:

1. Purchase Office 2007:  Purchase a qualifying Office 2007 product between March 5, 2010 and September 30, 2010.  Qualifying products are available through our online store or by contacting our sales team at 888-920-3450 x202.

2. Activate Office 2007:
Qualifying Office 2007 products must be installed and activated before September 30, 2010.

3. Download Office 2010:
Once Office 2010 is available, users will receive an email reminder to return to the site to request the Office 2010 upgrade. All requests must be made no later than October 31, 2010. When requesting the free upgrade to Microsoft Office 2010 - Microsoft will validate whether the purchase date and key activation date fall within eligibility dates, and determine the qualifying product and language. Click here to review the eligibility requirements and for more information. You will then be able to log and creates a Windows Live ID (WLID), downloads the bits and receives their 2010 Product ID online (and via email).

Microsoft Office 2010 will be available at The Launch Pad online store mid-June! Visit www.office.com/techg for more information and to sign up for an email reminder when Office 2010 is available for download.

Nothing is more frustrating than when you need to get some work done while traveling or in-between meetings and you can’t because your mouse will not work correctly on the particular surface available. Those days could be over with the Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX. This mouse is designed to work on virtually any surface – glass, your leather briefcase, literally anywhere!

The Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX is part of the Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking series. According to the Logitech website, “Darkfield uses the smallest possible details to create a micro-road map of the surface—so you get better precision on more surfaces.”

For $76.00, this wireless mouse comes with a USB wireless receiver and takes two AA batteries, also it comes standard with a 3 year manufactures warranty. Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX is compatible with most operating systems including; Microsoft Windows 7, Apple MacOP X 10.4 or later and Microsoft Windows Vista or XP.

The Digital Trends product review concludes, “Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX lives up to its name simply by working on surfaces where others fail.” Since so much of today’s business is conducted outside the office, this technology is a necessity in the mobile workforce tool kit.

For more information or to order The Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX , visit our online store or contact sales at (813) 920-0788 x202.  

The Launch Pad’s Technology Team has been serving the needs of nonprofit and community service organizations since 1992.   To assist nonprofit organizations in learning about technology grants and funding opportunities, The Launch Pad offers a Quarterly Technology Grant Review.  The Review is a summary of local, state, and national foundations and grants programs with mandates to provide technology or operations funding to nonprofit organizations.  We are pleased to announce the release of our updated Quarterly Technology Grants Review for 2010.

To receive a copy of our latest QuarterlyTechnology Grant Review, download our Nonprofit Technology Savings Kit. The kit also includes our latest RevITup™ Easy-to-GreenIT™ Webinar featuring our GreenBack™ Program for nonprofits and a bonus white paper, “The Top 10 Tech Hit List  for 2010 - Technology Mistakes Small Businesses Make & How to Avoid Them.”

Want to learn more?  Sign up to receive our Freen Nonprofit Technology Assessment.  Our RevITup™ Business Care Nonprofit Series offers a broad range of discounted, fixed-fee technology services designed to help nonprofit organizations meet their technology needs within their budget.

For more information about RevITup Business Care Nonprofit Managed It Service Series, contact Megan Meisner, mmeisner@launchpadonline.com or (813)920-0788 x210.

Have you ever had a great product idea and knew it was the next million dollar invention? If so, Quirky.com is for you! Quirky is a social product development company that has focused on mastering the process of bringing virtually any product idea to life. Working through a global community, the site follows 6 steps to take your concept to reality. Even if you don’t have your own “next great thing” you can put your two cents in and influence someone else’s.

Step 1: The brilliant idea (of course): Submit your idea for only $99

Step 2: Judgment day: The Quirky community and design team evaluates all ideas submitted during the week and chooses a weekly winner!

Step 3: Brainstorming: This is the stage where the bulk of product development happens. Thousands of people, including – industrial designers, engineers, graphic artists and “average Joes” give their two- cents on everything from design to tag lines and functionality to logos.

Step 4: Drafting: Quirky’s industrial designers and mechanical engineers take over by creating a 2D sketch, then translate that into a 3D rendering and finally creating a shelf-ready photorealistic image of your product. Continue Reading >>