Archive for February, 2012

Whitney Houston Remembered

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Whitney Houston, 1963–2012

Her Powerful, Timeless Voice Influenced Generations of Singers

Whitney Houston was born on August 9th, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey. She died just 48 years later. Infamous in recent years for her struggles with drug addiction and her famously volatile marriage to Bobby Brown, Houston will ultimately be remembered not for her troubled personal life, but for her powerful, timeless voice and her triumphs as a music sensation.

Houston grew up around music, soaking in the sounds of gospel choirs and well-known singers before she could even talk. Her Mother, Cissy, sang gospel and was a backup singer for some of the biggest acts in the business, including Dusty Springfield, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett. Singing talent was in Houston’s blood (and in that of her cousins, Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick), and her godmother was none other than Aretha Franklin. By the time she reached high school, Whitney Houston was already on the path to stardom, singing backup for Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls. Meanwhile, she had begun a successful modeling career, appearing in the pages of popular magazines like Glamour and Seventeen.

In 1985, Houston’s first album was launched and became a huge hit, propelling the singer into fame seemingly overnight, though the project had been in the works for nearly two years when it was released. Simply titled “Whitney Houston,” the album became the first by a new female artist ever to yield three number-one singles, the most memorable of which being “The Greatest Love of All.” The black-and-white photo above, which was scanned to digital by the Associated Press, shows Houston belting out a powerful melody during a benefit concert at Boston Garden on May 10th, 1986.

Houston’s huge voice and unique style put her at the center of pop culture, and under this spotlight she became a strong influence on generations of singers to follow, from Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys to Christina Aguilera, Queen Latifah, and Jennifer Hudson.

In 1992, Whitney Houston took Hollywood by storm when she starred with Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard.” The film yielded the hit song “I Will Always Love You,” a soft melodic love song by Dolly Parton reinterpreted by Houston as a power ballad. The single became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history, and the soundtrack won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Over the following years of her career, Houston amassed 22 American Music Awards and six Grammys, making her one of the most decorated female singers of all time.

My pictures came back in great shape and the digital pictures are wonderful!

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

We love our customers. That’s why we follow up with everyone after their order is complete to assure we’re doing our job right. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we receive rave reports. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories. Please find a sampling of the testimonials below that we’ve received recently.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. As always, we’re always here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808 if you have any questions or just want to chat!

“Scan Digital is like a can of WD40–everybody needs a can!” – Cheryl (Elgin, IL)

“The overall caliber of helpfulness and cordiality was very nice. I was happy with the resulting scans and would definitely recommend and use again.” – Colleen (Cottage Grove, OR)

“I was so pleasantly surprised that the DVD made by ScanDigital was so good! I also commend your company on the excellent customer service—from placing my order to keeping me updated on the progress all the way to the end!” – Dyanne (Nicholasvile, KY)

“Your service was easy to use and the people are helpful and patient.” – Gabriela (Oakland, CA)

“I feel that I got very good service at Scan Digital! The best part was being able to track the progress of my order online; I could see each step that was being taken as my slides were digitized!” – Susan (Portland, ME)

“This was my first experience with ScanDigital and I was so impressed! I was a little nervous about mailing away the ONLY copy I have of my wedding video, but the excellent communication that came from your company along the way put my mind at ease! The communication from beginning to end was stellar!” – Angie (Mason, OH)

“The process was easy and straight forward. There was communication [throughout] the process about how the order was proceeding and I appreciated that. It was good to know when my order had arrived and that it had started processing and also when the order was complete and being shipped.” – Tricia (Alberta, Canada)

“My pictures came back in great shape and the digital pictures are wonderful!” – Carol (Ephrata, PA)

“I most definitely will recommend your services. Very professional, website is well laid out and easy to use, excellent pricing, exceptional customer service, and service delivery timelines are very good!” – Linda (British Columbia, Canada)

The service and quality I received was excellent. I [also] used the online help a couple of times and they were always quick, efficient and friendly with their responses!”

Friday, February 24th, 2012

To assure we’re doing our job right, we follow up with every customer after their order is complete. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we receive rave reports. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories. Please find a sampling of the testimonials below that we’ve recently received.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808 if you have any questions or just want to chat!

“I was impressed with the results that I received back, how speedy everything was, and the customer service was great!” – Tara (Sun City, AZ)

“I was hesitant to send tapes away that had once-in-a-lifetime footage on them, but your services have alleviated that concern!” – Pam, SC

“I really appreciate that your company provides professional products. I don’t want to pay a significant amount of money for a service that I could do myself with a scanner from Best Buy and a week off of work. There are too many places that offer shoddy service and I’m glad that ScanDigital doesn’t!” – Mark, MI

“Your service was fabulous! I have used competitive services in the past and think you offer higher-quality service. The things that make you stand out [are] the online timeline that shows you exactly where your project is in the process…turnaround time…[and] presentation of the DVDs!” – Anne, AZ

“The service was fast and well done [and] the photos look great. I would and I have recommended ScanDigital. It’s an efficient way to get old photos scanned and ready for digital use!” – Douglas, CA

“The service and quality I received was excellent. I [also] used the online help a couple of times and they were always quick, efficient and friendly with their responses!” – Kim, British Columbia

“I am very picky about scan quality and ScanDigital does a great job!” – Sarah, CA

“Your company did a great job! Communication was outstanding and the product and service were both very high quality!” – Michelle, IN

“Kudos for a wonderful experience! Your company, your staff I talked to when I called, were all very helpful in getting my husband’s work and memories documented for generations to come. Keep giving that excellent service for future customers!” – Darlene (Roanoke, VA)

“Although I sent away my family’s historical photographs with much trepidation, I received them back in perfect condition.” – Allison (Berkeley, CA)

“I am a three-time customer, maybe four. I love your service. No complaints here. You are great! I sing your praises everywhere!” – Teresa (Gulfport, MS)

“I would recommend [ScanDigital]. The service was fast and professional!” – Shelley (Madison, WI)

Your company did a great job! Communication was outstanding and the product and service were both very high quality!

Friday, February 17th, 2012

We follow up with every customer because we care. We truly want to hear about as many customer experiences as possible to assure we’re doing our job right. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we hear from customers overjoyed to have their memories preserved and thankful the process was so easy. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808. Hope to hear from you soon!

“I was impressed with the results that I received back, how speedy everything was, and the customer service was great!” – Tara, AZ

“I was hesitant to send tapes away that had once-in-a-lifetime footage on them, but your services have alleviated that concern!” – Pam, SC

“I really appreciate that your company provides professional products. I don’t want to pay a significant amount of money for a service that I could do myself with a scanner from Best Buy and a week off of work. There are too many places that offer shoddy service and I’m glad that ScanDigital doesn’t!” – Mark, MI

“Your service was fabulous! I have used competitive services in the past and think you offer higher-quality service. The things that make you stand out [are] the online timeline that shows you exactly where your project is in the process…turnaround time…[and] presentation of the DVDs!” – Anne, AZ

“The service was fast and well done [and] the photos look great. I would and I have recommended ScanDigital. It’s an efficient way to get old photos scanned and ready for digital use!” – Douglas, CA

“The service and quality I received was excellent. I [also] used the online help a couple of times and they were always quick, efficient and friendly with their responses!” – Kim, British Columbia

“I am very picky about scan quality and ScanDigital does a great job!” – Sarah, CA

“Your company did a great job! Communication was outstanding and the product and service were both very high quality!” – Michelle, IN

“Kudos for a wonderful experience! Your company, your staff I talked to when I called, were all very helpful in getting my husband’s work and memories documented for generations to come. Keep giving that excellent service for future customers!” – Darlene (Roanoke, VA)

The Return Of The Electric Car

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

The Electric Car: Then And Now

Battery-Powered Cars Aren’t So New, As These Photos Show

Although the recent resurgence of electric and hybrid electric cars has shed new light on the potential benefits that such designs offer over conventional gasoline-powered cars, the electric car is far from a new concept. In fact, electric cars have been around since the very early days of the automotive industry. In the early 20th century, there was a close battle for dominance among several automotive technologies, as steam-powered cars and electric cars had yet to give way to the internal combustion engine. The first picture here, which was scanned to digital for preservation, shows the prolific inventor Thomas Edison (left) standing with an electric car running on an alkaline battery of his design. Edison strongly believed in electric cars, and took up the cause in 1900 to design an entirely new battery chemistry to improve the range of battery-powered vehicles. He believed that trains and trucks could also be improved by switching to electric power. Around the year 1910, Edison abandoned his work on electric car batteries as gas-powered engines became the front-runner for setting the standard in automotive tech.

What’s the earliest hybrid car you can think of? The Toyota Prius was certainly the first to become widely popular. The Honda Insight, first launched in the late 1990s, was the first to be mass-produced and sold to the public. But the concept dates back quite a bit further, to the beginnings of automotive history. In 1900, a 25-year-old engineer named Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that Porsche) invented the first hybrid car, which is pictured in the second photo, scanned to digital by the Museum of Automotive History. The designed utilized electric motors mounted near the front wheels to help propel the car.

Fast forward a century, and the streets are full of hybrid cars. Meanwhile, the all-electric car is making a serious comeback. Mainstream automakers like Nissan and Mitsubishi are selling electric cars in increasing numbers, and boutique automakers like Tesla have made a name for themselves by making only electric cars. Tesla recently announced its newest design, the Model X, which features stylish and functional falcon-wing doors that make ingress and egress easy even in tight spots. In the photo here, Tesla co-founder Elon Musk demonstrates the doors, which have a unique hinge that allows the doors to fold as they rise from the car’s frame. The Model X’s SUV-like design is large enough to replace the family minivan, yet compact enough to maneuver in and out of tight parking spaces. The Model X will have an estimated range of up to 260 miles per charge, depending on battery options, when it is released next year.