October 2009
COVER STORY
The Future of Manufacturing
A New Zealand company called Ponoko has reinvented the factory for the 21st century.
FEATURES
Case Study: Finding the Right Price for a Hot Product
Luke Skurman's quirky college guides were a big hit. The problem was getting readers to pay. What if he gave the content away?
Who's Next
They are transforming the Web, empowering other start-ups, and turning your conference room into one big whiteboard. A sneak preview of the latest generation of ambitious entrepreneurs
The Future of the Human Body
Ten innovations that will improve quality of life—and bring down health care costs
How I Did It: Wolfgang Puck
The famed chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck of Spago in Hollywood reveals how he built his culinary empire
The Profitability Report: How to Protect Your Margins in a Downturn
Profits aren't as low as you might think. Here's how companies in 12 industries are faring, plus tips for defending your own bottom line
COLUMNS
THE GOODS
The Best Printers for Less Than $1,000
From the HP OfficeJet Pro to the Xerox Phaser, four top printers
The New Windows 7 Operating System
How Windows 7 compares with Vista and XP
How to Track Customers With CRM Tools
How SugarCRM and Zoho, two of the best free CRM software programs, stack up
The Best Ergonomic Keyboards
Three ergonomic keyboards to soothe aching wrists
A Netbook with Juice
The Lenovo S12 uses the same chip as the Apple MacBook and is powerful enough to run Windows 7.
The Best Guided Running Tours
Whether free or for a fee, here are five alternatives to the hotel treadmill
Book Your Next Trip Using Tripware
Make travel plans without going online with the new Tripware add-on for Microsoft Outlook
The Best Earbuds for Air Travel
Four top earbud picks for canceling out airplane noise
The Best Budget-Friendly Blu-ray Devices
How Blu-ray models from Sony, Sharp, and Panasonic stack up
Touchscreen Tunes
The latest Sonos Multi-Room Music System with a touchscreen device is refreshingly sleek
PASSIONS
CEO Passions: Outdoor Cycling
Despite a crippling bike accident, CEO of Savvy Marketing Group and avid cyclist Grace Ueng is back in the saddle
INNOVATION
Innovation: A New Rooftop Wind Turbine
The WindTronics turbine can generate energy at low speeds.
How to Pick a Site for Your Business
Whether you are opening a new store, setting up a small factory, or looking to lease a branch office, these tips will help you find the right location for your business.
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STRATEGY
Letting Employees Battle It Out
College Hunks Hauling Junk uses sales contests to encourage rivalries and boost employee motivation
You're Fired: Getting Rid of Bad Customers
How to deal with difficult customers
The Bootstrapper's Guide to Launching New Products
Discovering the value of lean product development and minimum viable product
Elevator Pitch: Guitar Affair
Guitar Affair is like Netflix for high-end guitar rentals. Now it wants to raise $150,000 from investors
Data Analysis Overload?
How to use Hadoop to analyze big chunks of data
Protecting Yourself From Copycat Competitors
Using trade dress and trademarks to protect your intellectual property
Ask Inc.: Timing a Business Expansion in an Uncertain Economy
In an economic recession, when should you open a new location?
Bobbi Brown on Work-Life Balance at a Start-up
Just because you're busy doesn't mean you can afford to ignore your physical and emotional well-being.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Business of a Fire Station
A look at companies that help outfit Fire Station No. 11 in Dallas
LAUNCH
Investors Pick the Best 2009 Inc. 500 Companies
Venture capital is hard to come by; investors explain what makes a company a good investment.
How Would You Make Over the U.S. Postal Service?
With bankruptcy looming, the U.S. post office needs a major fix. We asked Inc. 500 CEOs how they would approach the problem
Review: Change by Design
Inc. reviews Change by Design by Tim Brown, a book about innovation in service.
Business for Sale: A California Ski Resort
Rick Metcalf is selling his Mount Waterman ski resort for $1.65 million
Blogger Logic: Seth Godin on Change
The Squidoo founder and author blogs about learning how to embrace change.
LEGACY
Obituary: The Genius of John S. Barry
The CEO of WD-40 believed in keeping things simple
VIEWS & OPINIONS
Mail: "It's Optimism That Keeps Us Going"
Readers weigh in on work-life balance
