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Why you’ll never buy a 3D printer

3Dprinter_image

 

Mattel’s ThingMaker 3D Printer and ThingMaker Design App is expected to ship later this year. Could a $300 3D printer capable of making hundreds of parts that can be assembled into toys finally place the technology next to the inkjet printer in the home?

The consumer 3D printer market, which has even tried to connect itself to video gaming, still seeks ‘killer app’3Dprinter_giff

While 3D printer sales will experience healthy growth over the next four years, consumer machines remain a technology in search of a purpose, according to researcher IDC.

3D printers, materials and services in the U.S. grew by almost 20% in 2015 compared to the year before, representing $2.5 billion market. And 3D printer shipments are expected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 16% through 2020, according to IDC’s U.S. 3D Printer Forecast, 2016-2020.

Revenue from 3D printing hardware alone is expected to grow from $815 million last year to $1.96 billion in 2020.

The largest technology segment within the 3D printing market is fused filament fabrication or fused deposition modeling (FDM/FFF). Last year, FFF or FDM printers made up 76% of the 3D printers shipped in the U.S.

While the majority of those printers are at the low end of the market, the consumer segment “has clearly not materialized as many had predicted,” IDC said. That’s pushing many 3D printer makers to shift toward producing higher-end machines aimed at the education and professional prototyping markets.
Shipments in the very low-end, where 3D printers sell for below $1,000, are still projected to grow more than 12% annually through 2020. But the market remains relatively small.

Where’s the killer app?

“I know it is a bit of a cliché, but I believe the ‘killer app’ that would drive 3D printing in the consumer space has not materialized yet,” said Tim Greene, research director for IDC’s Hardcopy Solutions. “Already the 3D printer mix in the U.S. has changed over the last 12 to 24 months. While there are still a lot of shipments into the DIY/consumer market, tremendous growth remains in the segments with a more professional and manufacturing orientation.

Simply put, 3D printers have yet to find their spot next to the inkjet printer in the home.

The sub-$1,000 3D printer category is the slowest-growing segment based on the reduced demand for consumer-type 3D printers in the U.S. market, IDC found. Many of the suppliers of lower-priced machines have added features and capabilities to their printers to move up into higher-priced hardware.

Printers in the sub-$1,000 price category are expected to go from just over 49,900 shipments in 2015 to over 90,750 printers in 2020. That’s a five-year annual growth rate of 12.7%.

In its report, IDC said it “has never been a big believer” in the consumer 3D printing market.

“This is being borne out somewhat with many of the suppliers in that segment recognizing that the consumer segment has materialized differently than expected. While some suppliers continue to sell very low-end 3D printers at prices below $300, many have recognized that consumer users will not run enough material, or won’t buy the materials from their printer manufacturer, to make up for selling printers at such low prices,” the report said.

In the hunt for the “killer application,” many 3D printer manufacturers have attempted to link the machines with video games, enabling players to print characters and scene-setting models.

“Which certainly eventually could happen, but we don’t see it in the near term,” Greene said. “So, while I’d never say never, I think the lack of the real ‘gotta have it’ application for consumer 3D printing limits the potential for the consumer side for now.”

Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting firm, said the consumer 3D printer market is hampered more by a reason to exist and less by a lack of affordable technology.

“You could give away a free 3D printer to average consumers, but I doubt it would motivate them to use it. They’d give it a try, but then it’d collect dust. It’s just too difficult for them,” Wohlers said. “Heck, they don’t even want to print pictures at home because they don’t want to mess with it. A 3D printer is an order of magnitude more involved.”

Mattel to the rescue

“I would argue that a consumer 3D printer does not yet exist,” Wohlers continued. “This could change when Mattel introduces its new ThingMaker later this year.”

In February, Mattel announced it had reinvented its iconic ThingMaker at-home toy-making device, this time as a 3D printer that will cost $300.

Mattel unveiled its plug-and-play 3D printer at the New York Toy Fair, and it is already taking pre-orders for the machine, which will be available Oct. 15. (See Amazon.com pricing).

After downloading the ThingMaker Design App, which is based on software from Autodesk, families can browse through toy templates or build their own creations from hundreds of parts also offered in loadable files. Designs get uploaded from the files to the ThingMaker 3D Printer, which prints parts in batches for assembly via ball-and-socket joints.

screen-shot-3Dprinter

The ThingMaker Design App allows you to download files to iOS or Android devices and then upload them to the 3D printer to create toys.

“For 15-plus years, I’ve believed that children could become a large market because they are creative, like to make objects, and entertain themselves,” Wohlers said. “New software tools for creating 3D content, coupled with products for children, such as the ThingMaker, could change the landscape some.”

Meanwhile, Wohlers said, most consumers will purchase 3D-printed parts and products online and at shops and stores — products designed by professionals on industrial-grade machines.

In addition to a lack of use cases, the consumer 3D printer has become a low-margin product, as Chinese equipment and filament manufacturers have combined with multiple distribution channels (including Amazon.com) to create a segment where it is really hard to achieve profit margins, Greene said.

“In turn, this has made companies like 3D Systems and Ultimaker re-think some of their product and areas of focus,” Greene said. “Furthermore, there is a growing number of online 3D printing services like Sculpteo [and] Shapeways…that make it so fast and easy for consumers to get their stuff 3D printed that it seems like consumers don’t need their own 3D printer.”

In May, Ultimaker and Ultimaker added the Ultimaker 2+, which sports a price tag  more than twice the original $999 Ultimaker.

“And in a hallway conversation at a recent trade show, one of their guys told me they are ‘less interested’ in slugging it out with the other vendors in the sub-$1,000 price category,” Greene said.

3D Systems shifts gears
3D Systems is also less interested in the consumer 3D printer market, which it entered into in 2011.

At the end of 2015, 3D Systems announced the end of its $999 Cube consumer 3D printer line and said it would also shutter its Cubify.com consumer printing platform by January 31.

“We still have the Cube Pro printer — that’s sub-$5,000, but that’s kind of our entry level now on the desk tops for applications like education and desktop engineering,” said Timothy Miller, 3D Systems’ director of corporate communications.

“We’re focusing on manufacturing and the professional customer because that’s where we see near-term opportunities,” Miller added.

3D Systems was among the first 3D printer manufacturers when it was founded in 1984; its CTO, Chuck Hull, was one of the inventors of the 3D printing technology and created the widely-adopted STL (stereolighography) file format used by machines today.

Over the past two years, however, 3D Systems’ stock has dropped precipitously from a high of about $97 per share in 2014 to a low of $6.29 in May. Today, it’s trading for around $12.

And, in April, 3D Systems replaced its interim CEO with Vyomesh Joshi, the former vice president of imaging and printing at HP who is credited with doubling profits there.

Miller said while the company is will soon announce a new long-term strategy, it has already shifted toward producing more professional machines aimed at up-and-coming markets, including 3D printers for production.

Wohlers said 3D Systems’ financial issues have less to do with the industry’s downward trajectory and more to do with the company’s lack of focus and increased competition.

In 2011, for example, 31 companies worldwide produced and sold industrial 3D printers — those priced at more than $5,000. Five years later, that doubled to 62 companies, according to theWohlers Report 2016.

As with the beginning of the 3D printing industry, the highest growth markets for the technology continues to be automotive, healthcare and aerospace. However, along with rapid prototyping, 3D printing production parts is beginning to take shape.

Where the market is headed

According to IDC’s report, the fastest-growing segment in the 3D printing industry is in the $25,000 to $100,000 price category — printers that use a mix of technologies for both plastic and metal printing for use in markets including dental, medical, automotive and aerospace.

Last year, for example, HP announced it would enter the 3D printed parts manufacturing space with a machine aimed directly at production, not the consumer market. HP’s machine, a ink-jet like “materials jetting” system, is part of a market expected to grow faster than any other, according to IDC.

“As applications become more advanced and complicated, people don’t just want a prototyping printer, but a solution they can build into their workflow,” Miller said.

For example, Align Technology 3D prints 175,000 Invisalign dental braces every day.

Earlier this month, 3D printing service provider Sculpteo released its annual State of 3D Printing report, which collects survey responses from the general public from late January to late March 2016.

This year, Sculpteo received more than 1,000 respondents.

The survey found that the primary uses for 3D printing remain prototyping (50%) and proof of concept (30%), with manufacturing production coming in third (20%). Companies responding to the survey revealed that 93% of organizations believe 3D printing gives them a competitive advantage, and the top priority for professionals using 3D printers is faster product development.

“People and companies that are adopting 3D printers are routinely realizing the tremendous time and cost savings in their product creation and development cycles,” Greene said. “As printer speeds increase and the range of materials expands, a growing number of products and parts, and therefore markets, will be impacted by 3D printing/additive manufacturing.”

Have questions?

Get answers from Microsofts Cloud Solutions Partner!
Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net/

South Jersey Techies, LL C is a full Managed Web and Technology Services Company providing IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, Network Consulting, Internet Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact for More Information.

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Avoid Phishing Scams with Three Simple Tips

Phishing scams are online messages designed to look like they’re from a trusted source. We may open what we thought was a safe email, attachment or image only to find ourselves exposed to malware or a scammer looking for our personal data. The good news is we can take precautions to protect our important data. Learn to recognize the signs and report phishing to protect devices and data.

 

  1. Recognize Common Signs | Be wary of requests from unknown parties, especially if they ask for money or other sensitive information.

• Urgent or emotionally appealing language
• Requests to send personal or financial information
• Unexpected attachments
• Untrusted shortened URLs
• Email addresses that do not match the supposed sender
• Poor writing/misspellings (less common)

  1. Resist and Report | Report suspicious messages by using the “report spam” feature. If the message is designed to resemble an organization you trust, report the message by alerting the organization using their contact information found on their webpage. You can also forward your email to support@sjtechies.com for one of our Security Team members to review.
  2. Delete | Delete the message. Don’t reply or click on any attachment or link, including any “unsubscribe” link. The unsubscribe button could also carry a link used for phishing. Just delete.

If a message looks suspicious, it’s probably phishing.

 

Have questions?

 

Our team is here to help. Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net.

 

South Jersey Techies, LLC is a full Managed Web and IT Services Company located in Marlton, NJ providing IT Services, Managed IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, IT Consulting, VoIP Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact Us Today.

 

Let’s work together to build a safer digital environment for your business. We can increase your online safety through four simple actions, and whether at home or work, these tips make us more secure when connected. Take time to discuss them with your team so you can all become safer online!

 

  1. Use Strong Passwords | Strong passwords are long, random, and unique and include all four-character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols).
  2. Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication | You need more than a password to protect your online accounts; enabling MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. Enable MFA on all your online accounts that offer it, especially email, social media, and financial accounts.
  3. Recognize & Report Phishing | Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources. Report phishing attempts and delete the message.
  4. Update Software | Ensuring your software is up to date is the best way to make sure you have the latest security patches and updates on your devices. Regularly check for updates if automatic updates are unavailable.

In today’s digital landscape, protecting your business doesn’t have to be complicated. By adopting these simple cybersecurity practices—using strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, staying vigilant against phishing, and keeping software up to date—you can safeguard your business against common threats. Remember, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and small actions today can make a big difference tomorrow. Stay proactive, stay protected!

 

Have questions?

 

Our team is here to help. Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net.

 

South Jersey Techies, LLC is a full Managed Web and IT Services Company located in Marlton, NJ providing IT Services, Managed IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, IT Consulting, VoIP Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact Us Today.

New Website Design – Snow Plow Risk Brokerage

The Website Design team of South Jersey Techies has been constantly working on developing great looking websites using the latest web technologies. The most recent website developed by our team is for Snow Removal Insurance Brokerage in Marlton, New Jersey.

Snow Removal Insurance Brokerage works directly with Retail Agents to help them understand the changes that have been implemented within the snow & ice management industry. Together they create policy with liability coverage suitable to the insured’s needs and future. SRIB is working together to change the insurance world’s perception of a greatly under-appreciated breed of contractor.

Have questions?

Our Web Design team is here to help
Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net

South Jersey Techies, LLC is a full Managed Web and IT Services Company located in Marlton, NJ providing IT Services, Managed IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, IT Consulting, VoIP Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact Us Today.

Wawa introduces free WiFi services

PHILADELPHIA – Wawa began offering free WiFi Tuesday for customers at its 700-plus stores.

Wawa-free-xfinity

 

The service is available through a collaboration between the retailer and Philadelphia-based Comcast, the companies said.

To access the free service, Comcast said, “customers should log on to the ‘xfinitywifi’ SSID in the list of available networks on their devices.”

The service includes public Xfinity WiFi for Wawa customers and private access WiFi for employees and vendors.

Wawa stores operate across the tri-state area, as well as in Maryland, Virginia and Florida. The firm’s WiFi service will be available outside of Comcast’s traditional service areas, the companies said.

Wawa noted it needed “a fast and reliable WiFi solution to enable a consistent in-store experience for its mobile application.” It also said the service allows customers “to take advantage of a free connection without having to rely on their cellular service.”

Bill Stemper, president of Comcast Business, said WiFi has become a vital service for companies looking to improve “the customer experience at their branch locations.”

Have questions?

Get answers from Microsofts Cloud Solutions Partner!
Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net/

South Jersey Techies, LL C is a full Managed Web and Technology Services Company providing IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, Network Consulting, Internet Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact for More Information.

To read this article in its entirety click here.

South Jersey Cyber Crime

The hackers used “ransomware” to lock the hospital out of its own medical records.

Not all kidnappers grab your loved ones.

A growing online threat – ransomware – essentially abducts your computer system, putting data and services off-limits to users and demanding a payment to restore access.

“We are seeing more cases of this – sometimes almost on a daily basis,” said New Jersey State Police Capt. Steve Jones. “And we’re not seeing all of it, because people may be too embarrassed or don’t believe it can be helped.”

Ransomware viruses are a plague. Once infected — installed to your computer by a website you’ve visited, a rogue email attachment or link, or instant message — your computer will lock up. With names like CryptoWall, these types of viruses may create a popup window or Web page warning you that you’ve broken some law and have to pay a fine, anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, according to the FBI.

These scams threaten to encrypt your files forever or destroy them unless a ransom is paid, according to the FBI.

Once paid, your computer is unlocked or a code is sent to unlock the machine, authorities said.

Between April 2014 and June 2015, the FBI received 992 CryptoWall-related complaints with victims reporting a loss of more than $18 million.

The state’s top cybersecurity unit recently launched an online effort to help people guard against ransomware.

“For many organizations, preventing ransomware entirely is nearly impossible,” says the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), which introduced a Ransomware Threat Profile page at its website in February.

But it notes individuals and companies can take measures to prevent infections and to limit their impact.

Although ransomware can lock up laptops and desktop computers, the risk is particularly great for data-dependent organizations like hospitals and accounting firms, said Jones, the State Police spokesman.

So far, at least three hospitals have been hit nationwide – in California, Kentucky and the Washington, D.C., area. South Jersey hospitals are well aware of the menace.

“It’s a big concern. It’s something that has really spiked,” said Tom Handlon, chief information security officer for Kennedy Health, which operates three acute-care hospitals in South Jersey.

Handlon gave no details, but said Kennedy seeks to protect itself through protective measures inside its computer system and by promoting safe conduct by employees.
“We’re monitoring it constantly and updating as we go along,” he said. “We are really educating the staff and our entire organization that we are a target.”

A similar view came from Tom Rubino, spokesman for Cooper University Healthcare System in Camden.

“We have tracked the recent wave of ransomware attacks that have targeted hospitals across the nation,” Rubino said. He said Cooper’s IT security team “is proactively taking measures to prevent ransomware infection of our computer systems.”

“Additionally, as a critical component for preventing all computer viruses, we are increasing our employee education efforts.”

A key precaution is to back up your computer’s contents on a frequent basis, Jones said. “But you’ve got to keep the backup drives disconnected,” he warned. “Otherwise, the ransomware can migrate to the backups.”

The State Police in March 2015 investigated a hacking incident that disabled much of the computer system for the Swedesboro-Woolwich school system. In that case, a hacker demanded more than $125,000 in the form of a digital currency called bitcoins.

The district, which did not pay the ransom, had to wipe clean its email servers and cafeteria lunch-ordering system to rid itself of ransomware. Only a handful of classroom computers were infected.

Hackers exploited a gap in the district’s computer security system and a vendor’s “weak” passport to take over the computer system, Michael Procopio, Educational Information and Resource Center’s director of technology, said at the time. EIRC experts helped the district restore its system.

The district’s hacker was believed to have struck from abroad – a familiar pattern, according to the State Police.

“Many of these messages and attacks are coming through foreign servers,” Jones said. “The countries that house these servers are not often countries that have a real open relationship with law enforcement.”

Tools have been available to help decrypt older versions of ransomware, said Dave Weinstein, New Jersey’s director of cybersecurity.

“At this point, the strain has morphed to the point where there is no releasing your files,” said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office. “The lock these cybercriminals put on your files is foolproof at this point.”

Unless you’ve backed up your computer prior to the infection, Della Fave said, “The only way you would get your files back is to pay.”

“Ransomware is working” for cyberthieves, said Ben Johnson, chief security strategist at Carbon Black Inc., a  computer security firm in Waltham, Massachusetts. “People are paying.”

In the last few weeks, cybercriminals have come up with some new twists, he said. For instance, one version encrypts files more quickly after someone opens up a malware-filled Microsoft Word document or some other attachment.

Other versions encrypt the computer at its most basic level so it can’t even power on, or use the computer’s own system administration tools to infect itself, he said.

The best course of action is to make sure you don’t get the virus. “You must be super careful what you click on,” Della Fave said.

Here’s what you should do, according to Johnson and the Ocean County prosecutor’s office:

  • Keep your computer’s security software up to date.
  • Keep your network firewall turned on.
  • Do not open spam email messages or links to suspicious websites.
  • Back up your files, such as documents, photos and music, to a secondary storage device.
  • Be careful when you browse the web. Use ad blockers to help protect yourself.

Have questions?

Get answers from Microsofts Cloud Solutions Partner!
Call us at: 856-745-9990 or visit: https://southjerseytechies.net/

South Jersey Techies, LL C is a full Managed Web and Technology Services Company providing IT Services, Website Design Services, Server Support, Network Consulting, Internet Phones, Cloud Solutions Provider and much more. Contact for More Information.

To read this article in its entirety click here.

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Tips for a Green PC

Takeaway:  Tips for making environmental choices whether buying a new computer or maintaining your current one.

To reduce energy intake you can use a power strip, monitor usage with utilities and unplug components when not in use.  Deciding to go green for current computers or buying a new computer can help with power management to cut down on wasted energy and costs.

Energy Star is a voluntary energy efficiency program that prevents greenhouse gas emissions with strict guidelines.  EPEAT is an assessment tool to help users compare and purchase computer equipment.  Both provide tools to help make an environmental choice.

epeat-logoenergystar-logo

Buying a New Computer Tips:

  • Research:  Find out if it is Energy Star rated, how much energy the computer will use and power management options.
  • Recommendations:  Check out product reviews from previous purchasers and from non-profit organizations that provide accurate feedback (Such as EPEAT and Energy Star)
  • Purify New PC:  Read the Hazardous Material Use Policy on manufacturer’s site.
  • Don’t be Greenwashed:  Research the company to make sure that their “Green Computer” is not a marketing campaign with few benefits towards the environment.
  • Green Guide:  If you would like user ratings and reviews for products, several websites provide these options as well as advice for purchasing new equipment. 

Upgrading Current Machine Tips:

  • General Health Check:  The three major components that play a role in energy are graphics card, microprocessor and monitor.
  • Replace CRT Monitor:  CRT Monitors may contain Lead, Mercury, Barium and more toxins.  Replace your old monitor with a new LCD or LED Monitor to save energy and money. 
  • Upgrading Memory:  Upgrading your RAM will increase the speed of your machine while lowering the power intake, which is a quick, inexpensive fix.
  • Greener Battery:  Similar to CRT Monitors, older laptop batteries contain hazardous chemicals such as lead.  Companies are starting to manufacturer Green Batteries that have a longer life expectancy using earth-friendly features.
  • Greener Power Supply:  The ability to scale the power required for particular actions with your power supply is an efficient way to save energy; while regular power supplies emit a steady rate of power at all times.

 

 

Go Daddy Posts Workaround for 60-Day Lock


I just found out from fellow domain blogger Kevin Murphy of DomainIncite that domain registrar Go Daddy has finally posted a workaround to their 60-day lock. Apparently their doing this is a response to the modified ICANN transfer policies taking effect since June 1, 2012.

One of the most common complaints I’ve encountered about domain registrar Go Daddy is their arbitrary 60-day transfer lock. In case you just came in, Go Daddy can prevent your domain name from being transferred to another domain registrar for 60 days if a certain condition is met.

All domain registrars have a rule wherein you can’t move your domain name to another registrar if it’s within its first 60 days of registration or recent transfer-in from elsewhere. Go Daddy is currently the only one who puts in another 60-day transfer lock on top of those.

Initially, Go Daddy’s 60-day transfer lock kicks in if the registrant or administrative contact’s name or contact details is changed. Go Daddy since evolved their 60-day lock to only if the registrant name is changed for whatever reason.

Before I describe the workaround, it might be important to know what ICANN’s recent policy change is, and how this affected Go Daddy.

ICANN mostly made just some language changes in their transfer policy among registrars, but there is one major change relevant to this. Namely:

Upon denying a domain transfer request for any of the following reasons, the Registrar of Record must provide the Registered Name Holder and the potential Gaining Registrar with the reason for denial. The Registrar of Record may deny a domain transfer request only in the following specific instances:

Express objection to the transfer by the authorized Transfer Contact. Objection could take the form of specific request (either by paper or electronic means) by the authorized Transfer Contact to deny a particular transfer request, or a general objection to all transfer requests received by the Registrar, either temporarily or indefinitely. In all cases, the objection must be provided with the express and informed consent of the authorized Transfer Contact on an opt-in basis and upon request by the authorized Transfer Contact, the Registrar must remove the lock or provide a reasonably accessible method for the authorized Transfer Contact to remove the lock within five (5) calendar days.

I bolded the portion starting from “a general objection” to indicate ICANN’s recognizing Go Daddy’s 60-day lock. However, they’re also requiring the registrar to allow the “authorized Transfer Contact” a means to do away with that within five calendar days.

In short, Go Daddy is being allowed to maintain their 60-day thing, yet allow the domain’s registrant or so a way to get around that if ever. The wording can be argued either way, but all this is a means of balancing competing interests.

I bolded the portion starting from “a general objection” to indicate ICANN’s recognizing Go Daddy’s 60-day lock. However, they’re also requiring the domain registrar to allow the “authorized Transfer Contact” a means to do away with that within five calendar days.

In short, Go Daddy is being allowed to maintain their 60-day thing, yet allow the domain’s registrant or so a way to get around that if ever. The wording can be argued either way, but all this is a means of balancing competing interests.

Domain Name Wire also has more from Go Daddy’s director of policy planning James Bladel:

“We understand our 60 day lock has been controversial,” said James Bladel, Director, Policy Planning for Go Daddy. “What is boils down to is, while it’s a very good tool for intercepting and preventing hijacking…we recognize that our efforts to address that problem shouldn’t be a hindrance to legitimate users of domain names that want transfers to be a little more simple.”

Kevin quotes Bladel’s rationale further:

“The bad guys are not going to call and ask us to take a second look at this,” he said. “The bad guys want it to happen under the radar.”

Bladel explains the lock can be lifted after a human review unless they suspect a hijacking is going on. Additionally, the domain name’s WHOIS information is changed to its original state.

I think that second part is going to pose some problems, particularly on ownership changes after a recent sale. Time will tell how this goes, and Go Daddy is surely going to adjust to that if need be.

So step by step, here’s how it goes:

1. If you change your domain name’s registrant name at Go Daddy, it turns on their 60-day transfer lock. They do post notices of this before you make the change, and they do email about it. (unless caught by your spam filter, knock on wood…)

2. You’ll get an email with an email address to contact a team at Go Daddy to appeal the lock.

I’m sure some of you wish it’s a way to call that team directly instead. Would be nice if Go Daddy accomodates that, though I also know they “need” to control that if ever.

I wish they thought of this sooner rather than have to inconvenience a lot of people unnecessarily because of this, though I know some people want this done away instead. Like I said, it’s a matter of balancing competing interests.

In any case, at least there’s now an option to go around their 60-day lock. 

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  • Get a quick overview of your site’s traffic and visitors with a selection of dashboard widgets.
  • Real-time statistics let you see, almost instantly, how changes to your site impact your traffic.
  • Improve your site’s structure and usability by seeing where people click and which links get the most attention with heat mapping.

Organize your data

  • Find the information you need with more than 30 reports in several categories: Visitor, Page, Referrer and Server.
  • Visualize the data the way you want with three different graphing options: Bar, Area and Line. Plus, set custom date ranges to target your results!
  • Share your data with co-workers and clients by exporting to Microsoft Excel® or Adobe® PDF. You can even create a schedule to email customized reports.
  • Get separate reports for each alias and subdomain — simply add them as separate Site Analytics accounts.

And much more

  • Easily collect stats on your WordPress® site with our free Site Analytics plugin.
  • Enable secure (SSL) mode to encrypt your data so it can’t be viewed by others during transmission.
  • Analyze long-term trends and improvements with up to 6 months of Log File data.
  • Use Site Analytics with any website, whether you host with us or a third party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our highly trained, courteous support staff is waiting to take your call. Whatever time it takes to assist you, that’s the time you’ll receive. We’ll resolve any issue to your complete satisfaction.

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