eBiz News: 12.13.2011

Eaton launches PowerEdge app Eaton has launched a free mobile application for the iPhone and iPad. The PowerEdge app offers instant access to Eaton’s catalogs, training materials and videos. The company says the new app allows customers to search for a specific product and then easily locate it. According to an Eaton news release, the PowerEdge app also includes the following features:

• The entire electrical product catalog – 14 volumes that feature product selection details and technical specifications for thousands of electrical products.
• Ability to easily search within a catalog to find specific features or catalog numbers
• A robust video library with business overviews, training and expert interviews
• Locator function searches within a radius and product category to map the nearest Eaton channel partners
• MyFiles functionality to create a personal library for quick access and content categorization

The PowerEdge app is available for download at Apple’s app store.

Infor to move company headquarters: Business application software company Infor, is relocating its headquarters. The company will move to an area of New York City known as “Silicon Alley,” in the summer of 2012. Infor says the new headquarters will feature an “Innovation Center,” a space for all of the company’s new software engineers and designers. They are expecting to use the new location to lure new employees and hope Infor’s future software engineering team will be one of the largest in in New York City. Infor will continue to use the current headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga. as the company’s main shared services center.

IDEA podcasts now online: The September issue of tED magazine featured the story “Catapulting the curve,” a discussion with current and past IDEA chairs, Larry Stern and Del Nickel on how leaders can implement automation and technology to stay ahead of the competition. On its website, IDEA has now posted two of four podcasts of the interview with Stern and Nickel that was used in writing the article. The podcasts include more of what Stern and Nickel had to say about technology challenges and an update on the IDW that responds to critics.

Electri-Flex launches company Facebook page: Flexible conduit manufacturer Electri-Flex Company recently created a Facebook page. The page includes photos covering the company’s history—some of them dating back to 1955. Electri-Flex has also posted news releases and information on upcoming tradeshows and events on its Facebook page. They’re also working on a catalog page where users could view products and a tool that would locate an Electri-Flex agent by state.

Electrical E-News

BIM: “Get On Board or Get Left Behind” is the message of a recent post from ELECTRI International, the electrical industry research foundation set up by and headquartered at NECA. The group is setting up a six-module BIM training course tailored to electrical contractors.

ILSCO created a how to install an insulation-piercing connector and posted it on YouTube.

Information portal for home owners: Citywide Electrical LLC set up an information portal for home owners to find information on electrical safety, home improvements and more, according to a news release.

PV wire sizing program: MikeHolt.com recently sent out an e-mail newsletter to more than 18,000 subscribers on a free program “written to assist with wire sizing for the PV source circuits and PV output circuit according to [NEC] Article 690.”

Picks To Click

Construction hazard videos: A dozen educational videos from OSHA that are “easy to understand, short segments, geared to employees and workers” are now available online.

DOE training tool wins award: Chief Learning Office magazine gave a first-place award to the Department of Energy’s National Training and Educational Resource (NTER). According to a news release, the NTER program was named “winner for innovation in applying emerging technologies to create engaging, user-friendly content.”

The green app lab was launched with eight apps by the U.S. Green Building Council as part of its LEED Automation program.