Unfortunately, many of our customers have experienced something odd over the past few years. They send us payment to the same address they always use. A few days later, the envelope comes back deemed “undeliverable.” We’re at a loss to understand exactly what’s happening (we’re being gracious here).

Our solution to the problem is to secure a post office box. One less step, if you will. If you mail checks or other important documents to Keystone, please begin using this mailing address instead. Please note that the zip code must be used in its entirety (and that the first part does end in “77” instead of “75”). We also accept huge lottery checks here:

Keystone Business Solutions, LLC
PO Box 2288
Hendersonville, TN 37077-2288

If you’d prefer to get those frequent-flier miles or American Express points, you can always pay by credit card. Simply follow the instructions contained in the email you receive with your invoice.

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They wanted the new look of their website to reflect the jungle-themed (and quite kid-friendly) atmosphere of their waiting room.  They also wanted some prominent quick-links on the home page to the most-frequently-sought information as well as to their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

We always relish the chance to update and redesign the website of an existing client because it gives us a chance to show them how quickly we learn and adapt to current design trends.

Check out the new look for the site at Just4KidsTeeth.com, which you can access by clicking the screenshot.

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The nonprofit was started by Nashville Predators Associate Coach Brent Peterson, who has Parkinsons.

All of our projects are important to us, but this one was especially near and dear to our hearts, as many of us in the office are fans of the Predators and have followed Mr. Peterson’s career here in Nashville.  They wanted a site that would enable them to get out news and information in a timely manner, as well as serving as a bit of a clearinghouse for information about the foundation.

We invite you to visit PetersonForParkinsons.org, which you can do by clicking the screenshot, and learn more about what you can do to help the fight against Parkinsons Disease.

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Hayes provides services in masonry, stacked stone, custom concrete, decorative rocks, and concrete block work.

They came to us seeking a fresh new online presence that would provide easy access to information that customers might need while also giving them a place to highlight their fine work.

We invite you to visit their new online home at NashvilleCustomConcrete.com, or simply click the screenshot.

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We worked closely with the client to create a warm and inviting online environment that closely mirrored that of the actual church itself, with some special attention paid to highlighting the church’s history, of which they are understandably proud.

Take a tour through the new website for the First Baptist Church in Gallatin, TN at FirstBaptistGallatin.org or by clicking the screenshot.

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Smiley Bail Bonds in Nashville came to us with some pretty clear ideas of what they wanted out of their new website:  eye-pleasing design with an emphasis on the local community and the overall content.

While the subtle legal intricacies of the bail bonding process may be relatively unknown to most of us, the general concept is pretty much common knowledge:  They cover your bail and you get out of jail, with the bondsman now responsible for your attendance in court.

With this new website, there wasn’t much reason to reinvent the wheel or attempt to dazzle with flashy design elements.  The target audience for this website–people who have a friend or loved one that has been arrested–simply needs to get at the information as quickly as possible.  The goal of this web design was to help Smiley Bail Bonds put forth with their website the professional and trustworthy appearance they’ve already earned in their day-to-day operations.

Check out the new Smiley Bail Bonds website over at SmileyBonding.com or by clicking the screenshot above.

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I use Facebook to support my personal and business networks.  Those lines seem to be blurring.  My business ‘friends’ are commenting on updates that are a bit more personal in nature, and my ‘friends’ that I spend time with outside of Facebook, will comment on work related posts.  I’m inclined to blur the lines anyway… I like people and tend to do business with friends or become friends with many of my customers.  Recently I reconnected with a man I attended church with years ago.  After viewing some of our websites that I displayed on Facebook, he called me from his home in Florida and we ended up putting a website together for him.  If it wasn’t for Facebook, I’m not sure if we would have connected otherwise, and I’m confident that he would have found a local resource.

Take a look at just how popular Facebook has become (stats all from Facebook itself):

• More than 350 million active users
• 50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day
• More than 35 million users update their status each day
• More than 55 million status updates posted each day
• More than 2.5 billion photos uploaded to the site each month
• More than 3.5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each week
• More than 3.5 million events created each month
• More than 1.6 million active Pages on Facebook
• More than 700,000 local businesses have active Pages on Facebook
• Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans

With this explosion of Facebook, I see more opportunities to share our lives, our work and our personality with the world.  This has positive and negative implications.

I recently met with a company that I had connected with online.  We used a chat application to answer questions about their website project, and through that exchange we ‘got to know each other’.  In addition to sharing work related information, she talked to me about her family and showed me pictures from her wedding.  When we got together in person, it was a bit awkward at first.    I felt comfortable online, and yet, it took a little time when we finally met face to face to have that same level of comfort.   This reminded me of a story my friend told me about one of his Facebook contacts.  He said that he approached a woman in a company lunch room and innocently asked how she was adjusting to her new puppy.  He could tell right away that she was creeped out by his question… They were really only ‘friends’ in the digital world.  Some of my friends have gone so far as to set up two Facebook accounts, one for personal, and one for business.

How have your Facebook relationships affected your business?  Do you think the time you spend in your Facebook account has a positive impact on your business?  Can you track any sales or business opportunities directly related to your Facebook activity?

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It seems the television will be experiencing some major modifications in the near future. I just wrote about the next generation of TVs being connected to the Internet, which is exciting enough, but today Discovery, Imax, and Sony announced a plan to create a 3D television channel.

With a predicted start date in 2011, the channel will feature all sorts of shows like sports, entertainment, and nature scenes that Discovery is known for. This isn’t the first talk of a 3D station on TVs. Earlier today, ESPN announced their plan to launch “ESPN 3D” in June 2010. That’s only 6 months away! And they have already committed to at least one year of sporting events. The Discovery/Imax/Sony channel will be a 24-hours-a-day channel whereas the ESPN 3D will only show select sporting events that are predetermined.

These companies believe 3D TVs will be the next HDTVs. Consumers are constantly looking for a closer to real picture in high definition and LCD TVs, so 3D televisions make sense. However, the next obstacle will be 3D glasses. Many people believe that with the CES conference starting Thursday, there will be a large focus on the development of 3D glasses. These can’t just be the paper, red and blue glasses that you are given at the beginning of a 3D movie. No, these are going to be the high-end, brand name 3D glasses.

The television has been changing so rapidly, just don’t let it get to be a Fahrenheit 451 thing…

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Throw out your ancient phone because the rumors were true! Google’s phone- The Nexus One- was revealed earlier today at the Android Press Event (like we predicted). A great review from TechCrunch gives specifics on how the phone works and why it is already living up to its anticipated reputation. Michael Arlington says this phone is “the fastest and most elegant smartphone on the market today.”

The Nexus One will carry a new version of Android that features 3D capabilities as well as Google Voice. Google Voice allows you to compose a text or email and find a contact just by speaking into the phone. This has to be the most unique feature of the Nexus One, setting it apart from all competitors. Another unique feature is the Live Wallpaper, which is just a moving background for your home screen. Separately, Google also gave a preview of a new 3D Google Earth application for the Android platform.

To buy the phone directly from Google and HTC it will cost you $529 and you can insert your own SIM card. If that option is too pricey, you can buy the phone with a two year T-Mobile contract for only $179. The phone will be available through Verizon and Vodafone this spring.

So far, the phone has received great reviews. For a quick overview of its main features, watch this video. If you have the opportunity to try out the Nexus One, let us know what you think!

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If you’re thinking about buying a new TV for the living room, don’t do it yet! Hold off for a little while. The New York Times says that 2010 will be the year that Internet connected TVs will take off.

Even though sales of televisions were higher in 2009 than 2008, profit fell due to cut prices. To make up for lost profit, television makers are aiming to incorporate Internet into the next generation of TVs. Imagine Wi-Fi on your TV! Well that’s what the newer, and even slimmer, televisions will be offering.

Internet connected TVs have not yet been a hit with customers probably because a TV with an Internet connection is currently $300 more than the same TV without the connection. However, if competitive brands start to offer these TVs, prices will be driven downward.

As if this were not enough development to completely change the way anyone watches TV, Skype also wants to have an influence. Since Internet connected TVs have not yet been in high demand, applications are very limited. But Skype wants to open the door to video chat via your TV. All it will take is a television connected to the Internet, a special web-cam, and a microphone to create a live chat from the couch. I wonder if the Jetsons even had that luxury…

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