If it is the exquisite cars and shoes that men are obsessed with, it is the expensive designer handbags for the women.

With the latest belief being that it is the handbag that makes a woman, these expensive bags are in vogue and aspired for their grandiose and uniqueness. It is the exclusiveness; the high quality of materials used and the status of these handbags that makes women feel all excited and flushed enough to scamper for one of these bags.

Little did young Louis Vuitton who first came to Paris in 1837 as an apprentice layetier (luggage packer) realize at that point that he would one day be responsible for high luxury fashion and leather goods. The Louis Vuitton Company that was founded in 1854 has from the beginning always catered to the wealthiest clientele.

While most of their designer bags are extremely expensive, the most expensive Louis Vuitton bag that has been released in early 2007 was the “Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork bag.”

As the name suggests, the bag was made from samples of different Louis Vuitton bags. A total of 15 bags were used, which were actually taken from the LV spring/summer and cruise lines. The shoulder strap is made up of a gold chain. Only two dozen of these bags were made and despite the fact that critics have disparaged the design of this tote, and people felt the handbag looked like it may have been chewed up by a lawnmower or it is perfect for a discerning 90s rapper, all the bags have sold out quickly.

This bag is certainly Louis Vuitton’s most expensive as of now, but not the world’s most expensive, as that record is currently held by Hermes Birkin at $64,800.

However, the next Louis Vuitton release is going to change that, and at $150,000, the ‘Urban Satchel” coming out in Spring 2008 is said to be the world’s most expensive handbag.

This one-of-a-kind high-luxury handbag is made of the world’s finest Italian leather and like all other LV products, is hand-crafted with an unbelievable assembly of so-called “urban charms.”

This bag which exhibits a unique taste of fashion, is unbelievably crafted with all sorts of weird stuff like a band aid, shrimp tails, tea bags, gums, cigarette packets and a used water bottle.

Described as Fugly, it is considered by critics to be one of the ugliest bags and is aimed at the rich and famous teenagers. According to sources, the Olsen Twins, Anna Wintour and Victoria Beckham are among the celebrities that are involved in the bidding war to own these bags.

There is another of Louis Vuitton bags worth mentioning, and it is the most expensive golf bag in the world, ‘the Damier Gaente Golf Bag.” This bag is named after the canvas that has been used for making it. It may not go well with the animal activists, but a good bit of cowhide is used for making the base of the bag, in the piping as well as in parts of the removable shoulder strap. The bag has a number of pockets, a zip-up hood, a rolling travel cover as well as an umbrella for use if there is unexpected rain. The price is a huge $8,400, which seems almost affordable in comparison to their other two expensive bags from LV. This bag is expected to be a huge hit with all those classy golfers wearing expensive golf wear and using expensive golf clubs, and most of all, by those people that look to impress others with everything they do.

In spite of being called the Frankenstein’s monster and every other name possible by critics, there are many celebrities who would give an arm to own these designer bags that cost the amount of a college education for the commoner. These bags look good on people who know their value and in the celebrity circles. That is what brand value is all about – wear it only if you can carry it off or else it would look like a fake picked up from the local yard sale.

Previously, consumers did not have as much choice as they do now. With a wide variety of slim phones in beautiful chic colors and trendy designs, consumers are spoilt for choice.

What is it about slim phones that attracts people? The looks obviously! What consumers do not remember when getting a slim phone is the fact that they are paying a whole lot more for fewer features.

It would help to understand what one is getting into before picking one up.

The advantages of owning a slim phone are:

Look: Slim phones in their svelte figures look better than all the bulky phones and are considered more as a fashion accessory.

Portability: Slim phones being slim, are obviously easy to carry around when compared to the bulky phones. They can be carried by fitting easily in the pocket of their jeans or even in a wallet. A slim phone will not bend the user’s neck under its weight, even when hung around the neck.

There are also some minuses that a consumer needs to look into:

Battery: This is something that takes away the charm of the slim phone. They do not have the capacity to live up to the expectations set by their larger and heavier cousins that use batteries with a higher capacity. Slim phones usually have a 600 to 800mAh Li-ion battery; although, there are certain exceptions like Nokia E51 that comes with a 1080mAh Li-ion battery, which can last for up to two days.

Keypad: The keypad in most slim phones is not convenient to use, because of the small or flat keys that are integrated within the phone body. The small keys make it very difficult to type messages or even to dial numbers.

Camera: The quality in most slim phones is said to be not so great; although some of them come with a 3MP camera.

Sound: Slim phones are usually fitted with single speakers, which give out low volume.

Once a decision is made to go in for a slim phone, after understanding what it entails, the next step is to check out the best phones in the market. Towards this end, the following slim phones all have a thickness of less than 13mm. After all it is a slim phone we are after!

Let us take a look at some of the better slim phones available in the market today:

• HTC Touch Diamond - 11.5mm thick, 900 mAh battery that lasts one day
• LG KF510 - 10.9mm, 800mAh battery
• LG KS20 - 12.8mm, 1050mAh battery
• Motofone F3 - 9mm thick, battery lasts for two days
• Motorola RAZR 2 - 770mAh battery
• Motorola Q9H - 11.8mm, 1170mAh battery lasting two days
• Nokia E51 - 1050mAh battery
• Nokia 5310 - 9.9mm, 860mAh battery
• Nokia 6500 Classic - 9.5mm, 830mAh battery
• Samsung F490 - 11.8mm, 880mAh battery
• Samsung J150 - 800mAh battery
• Samsung U900 Soul - 12.9mm, 880 mAh battery
• Se W8901 - 9.9mm, excellent battery that gives 8 hours of talk time
• Se T6501 - 12.5mm, one day battery life

With so much choice available for consumers, it depends on the style and features each one looks for in their device, to complement their professional and personal lives. Whether it is the bling factor, the color or the trendy style, there is room for everyone in the slim phone market.

One thing a slim phone promises is to provide style and elegance, with its svelte body and beautiful contours.

Some online retailers who realize this problem, started offering real-time chats with sales agents, but even these have not done much to help. The reason being, most visitors who are frustrated do not bother to click on chat-invitations. These chats also prove to be expensive to the retailer, because only a small percentage of visitors out of the hundreds that visit, are serious shoppers.

Smart retailers are beginning to understand the psyche of a shopper and have begun noticing their movements on the sly, targeting those visitors that are confused and are most likely to leave the website without buying. The retailers keep a check on people that keep jumping frequently between web pages that offer similar products, those that scroll up and down the page many times, those who linger or even people that re-read the description of the product that has already been placed in their shopping cart. These repetitive movements identify shoppers that are confused and are unable to decide on which product to buy. This is when the retailers intervene through chat and try to help them decide.

This is done with the help of a new service called the “confusion index” for online retailers, which is going to be out soon. This service will be more effective as more factors about a visitor are analyzed. The confusion index ranks the confusion of a visitor on a scale of 1 to 100 from mild confusion to utter confusion, based on their activities. The confusion ranking increases when a shopper fills a form slowly. Taking the example of a shopper planning on buying a laptop, the confusion ranking rises higher and faster, if the shopper hesitates before typing an answer to certain questions, such as the requirement of RAM and bus speed etc. This confusion index can reach much higher if the shopper is from Wyoming or Montana, the two U.S. states that are least computer-savvy.

Various circumstances are believed to provide clues even before a customer starts navigation. Shoppers from Silicon Valley are obviously well-versed in contemporary interior design. They start off with a low confusion ranking when they land on websites that offer furniture. America’s Midwest shoppers are less confused when shopping for jewelry or watches, when compared to those from the coastal States.

People’s confusion levels are said to rise during Christmas and other occasions of gift buying, such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s and Father’s day. During these seasons, shoppers who venture into unknown categories of gifts are often confused, which takes up the confusion ranking to high levels.

Retailers can use the confusion index to identify all these people as they are considered to be potential money-making opportunities and offer chat assistance. Experts believe that if this chat-assisted shopping reality really takes off, then the problem would be to find chat agents. Since the attrition rate at call centers is very high and it may be extremely tough to find people to do this job, automated chats are being looked at as an alternative.

Retailers have had some success using software that answers questions based on keywords. The main virtue of an automated chat is that it is inexpensive.

However, there are many online merchants who are not convinced that these automated chats can do the job. They feel that during the checkout process, people who are confused are often nervous, especially when buying products that are expensive. Here psychology-savvy human chat agents alone can sense the nervousness and convince the buyer and make it profitable for the company. Humans can provide the required reassurance to enable a nervous finger to press “submit.”

People say that although, the confusion index is a good idea, the more experienced web surfers may not appreciate being monitored for confusion, but a high confusion score can certainly be a god-send to the muddle minded.

The 3G iPhone redefines mobile phones with all the features it comes with. It is a combination of three products in one – an iPod with a widescreen, a revolutionary phone with a boat load of features and an internet device that consists of a great web browser in the same class as the desktop browser with HTML email.

The original iPhone was an expensive toy and in spite of the talk it created and several people queuing up to get it, it still did not have as huge an audience as expected initially, and picked up enough steam only with the passage of time and dropping of prices.

Apple changed all that with this second generation iPhone, which is all set to be released worldwide on July 11. Apple 3G iPhone is not going to have a fixed one-rate for all, and comes with new sales policies.

The new 3G iPhone comes with a cost of just $199 for the 8GB model, which available in black; and $299 for the 16GB model, available in both black and white.

Previously, Apple wanted to release it at the year-end; however, this date has now been brought forward by several months. It is also going to be available internationally in 70 countries.

Taking off the wraps, the 3G iPhone with its thin edges is said to be a winner in the looks department.

The functionality includes, GPS mapping, the ability to run 3rd party applications and working with enterprises like Microsoft Exchange.

The 3G wireless technology gives the iPhone fast internet and email access. It loads pages much faster than any others in the market today. 3G networks allow data and voice usage simultaneously and with the iPhone, users can surf the web and talk on the phone at the same time.

The email on iPhone works just as it would on a computer. It supports Microsoft Excel, Word, PDF, PowerPoint, JPEG and iWork. It is possible to view attachments just as they can be viewed on a computer. There is a facility for zooming in on any part of the information by just tapping with a finger. Users can also benefit from the push email with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

With the earlier models, the main problem with Apple was that, it did not allow third party programs to be run in the background. This is the reason, if there was an instant-messaging application installed; the user was able to receive updates for a new IM sent, only if the IM app was open. With the 3G iPhone, Apple found a solution to the problem by ensuring that users get notifications, even if the application is not running. This feature is going to take a couple of months to start working; however, this is a great plus for the iPhone.

Downloading applications to the iPhone has never been easier. All it needs is tapping on the App Store icon, browsing the different categories and downloading the applications purchased wirelessly. There are also several free applications. Once an application is downloaded, the App Store sends a notification whenever there is an update. Users also have the option to shop using the App Store on the computer and then sync the applications to the iPhone with the help of iTunes.

For people, who are waiting to buy the iPhone through mail order, there is a surprise. Word has it that this may not be possible and even activation can only be done in-store. This is being done so that customers can complete the purchase and activation at the same time and any issues they face can be addressed immediately and in person.

With so many sweet features, the iPhone is being claimed as the best phone for business use as well as for personal use. Apple has made sure that it is within reach even for the more budget-conscious user. You no longer need to have deep pockets to get the classy iPhone. What are you waiting for?

A wedding dress is the highlight of the special day and will be forever remembered, captured in the photographs and video as well as etched in the memory.

There are so many different kinds of bridal dresses in the market as there are brides. Most girls tend to get bogged down by the whole thing and eventually end up wearing a dress they are not completely satisfied with.

Everything can be just as dreamed with a little planning. The first thing is to have an idea of what it is that one is looking for in a wedding dress; whether it is going to be a full length dress or a simple looking teal pantsuit. What sort of a wedding is it going to be? If it is going to be a traditional wedding, then a mental note of the type of traditional dress must to be made. The idea is not to get confused with the maze of wedding gowns in the shops. More than anything else, the budget has to be decided too.

Ordering a gown at least six months in advance is the best way to go about it, which means, shopping for the wedding dress should begin a few months before that. For people that do not have that much time, they just have to go ahead and get a dress they like, within their budget.

The idea is not only to look great but feel comfortable too, which is very crucial. The mistake most often made is that brides try to fit into a gown just because it looks great. But get realistic; it is your wedding day! The bride should feel good and comfortable, otherwise it becomes difficult posing for all the pictures, laughing, dancing and generally enjoying the moment, when there is something hurting the ribs, the nagging fear of some knot giving way or the fear of tripping and falling.

Weddings nowadays come in all shapes and sizes and a wedding dress must be one that fits into the surroundings. For example, if it is going to be a beach wedding, then a shorter dress would be more appropriate. Other choices, such as dresses with removable straps or sleeves could also be looked at.

No single wedding dress looks good on all brides. Each person has a different body structure and it is important for brides to know what sort of styles go well with their body and make them look good, and decide on one along those lines.

A good tailor, based on the budget, should be booked much in advance along with the fitting schedules and time for adjustments. If there is money to throw around, opt for designers, who will ask for several fittings to ensure the wedding dress is a perfect fit.

Do not be under the false notion that an expensive wedding dress is the best. People on a low budget do not have to splurge and can get a beautiful gown within their budget. There are several bridesmaids’ dresses in both white and off-white that are usually much cheaper and pass off perfectly as a bride’s wedding gown.

EBay, sample sales and thrift stores have thousands of dresses that one can select from and these are priced reasonably too. Alternatively, collecting pictures of exotic wedding dresses from magazines and showing them to the tailor also helps is a good bet. Clearance sales are other good places to hunt for bargains on wedding dresses, as the designers clear their old dresses for unbelievably low prices before getting the latest designs. For people living in a metropolitan area or close to one, the shopping experience can be great as designer clothing is sold for extremely low prices.

It helps to include the family and close friends in the search for a wedding dress and it is also possible that one of the cousins or friends would still have their wedding gown and they may even offer it.

Enjoy your wedding dress shopping and wear whatever makes you feel like a princess and you are comfortable in. This happens once in a lifetime, take full advantage of it and pamper yourself.

Asian Art is known to depict light and darkness as two sides of the same coin and as belonging to each other, and thus illuminate new ways of looking at this beautiful world. The arts of Asia are as diverse as the continent itself and encompass a whole universe of astounding variety and art lovers find themselves not knowing what is going to appear on the market next. Asian art consists of so many regional styles and periods that it literally collapses under its own weight.

Paintings have long been one of the most admired forms of art. From the magnificent cave paintings from thousands of years ago to the misty landscapes painted by the later artists, Asian art has long sought to express both harmony with nature and inner peace.

The interest in Asian art is said to be at its peak now. Some art lovers are of the opinion that the increased art poaching on the international scene seems to have inspired an urgency that says “buy while you can.” In the West, where the mention of Picasso could fetch millions of dollars, great pieces of Asian art were literally a steal; however, now they are lining up as competition too.

The international Asian Art Fair in Manhattan is a big hit with the Americans and Europeans. Founded in the year 1996, this fair brings together the world’s leading dealers in Indian, Himalayan, Tibetan, Near Eastern, South East Asian and Far Eastern spectacular works of art, and the pieces range from the earliest to the contemporary.

Christie’s, which is a leading fine arts auction house and art business, has seen an increase in sales of Asian art. With its main salesroom being in London, it has offices throughout the world.

Christie’s is reported to have created a record by selling Asian art worth $310.7 million at the spring sales in Hong Kong this week, confirming the reputation of the region as being one of the most promising in a thriving international market.

This was said to be Christie’s highest ever for an Asian sales series. It is also a 58 percent increase from last year. These auctions featured several record results in different categories of artwork, especially with a strong showing of Chinese and Asian contemporary art. “The results of our Hong Kong spring sales highlight the importance of Asia for Christie’s and the potential that this region offers,” said Edward Dolman, CEO of Christie’s International.

A diptych painting by the top Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi Mask Series 1996 No. 6 was sold for $9.7 million, setting a new high for Asian contemporary artwork.

Prices for Chinese contemporary art are at its peak now and this is attributed to the massive rise in demand in Europe and the United States. Almost no price is too high for art pieces that are of impeccable provenance and exceptional quality.

India, like China also has a rich artistic heritage and has been an inspiration for Asian artists for hundreds of years. From the ethereal Buddhist monastery paintings of the 4th Century A.D. to the world-famous miniatures painted for the Mogul Court, over a period of time, Indian artists have developed their own inimitable style of depicting, nature, society and man. The bejeweled maharajahs and the veiled women of Indian art depict a highly-developed culture which combined a joyous celebration of the sensual.

In April, a London auction house has offered a collection containing the “personal dagger” of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, which is estimated at 500000 pounds sterling. This dagger has delicate inscriptions in gold, including “the dagger of the king of kings.” The dagger images Shah Jahan’s love for rare precious stones and fine workmanship but it also reflects his potential for being the greatest warrior.

The huge demand for Asian art is because the West is more aware now, of its intricacy and beauty, and looks at collecting Asian art because of stories concealed in its silence. It is the education one can get from each piece, to learn about the society and the era it represented. Asia’s art is the key to unlocking the secrets of different cultures that are totally different from those of the West and in this era of non-stop activity, opens the doors to a gentler and more contemplative side of life.

There is a sudden increase in elderly euthanasia foreign tourists visiting Mexican pet shops.

Euthanasia means ending one’s life voluntarily and it is illegal in many countries. This is a controversial subject with many moral dilemmas associated with it. There are euthanasia supporters that say it is a merciful method of death and the opponents say that this is sinful.

Now euthanasia tourists visit Mexican pet shops not to shop for pets, but to get hold of a drug that is used for pets. This drug is used by veterinarians to put dogs and cats to sleep. It may seem sad but it is true that these elderly and not so elderly people are buying this drug for themselves.

Right to die advocates say that tourists from far away countries, such as Australia visit Mexico to buy liquid pentobarbital, which causes a painless death in humans in less than an hour.

Many people from other countries bring photos of the bottled drug to avoid any language problems. They also come with maps drawn by euthanasia activists to be able to locate the streets where the pet shops and the veterinary supply stores are located near the U.S. border. There they can buy a bottle of death that costs anywhere between $35 to $50 for one person and they are not asked any questions.

Many terminally ill people who want to die are too weak to try to die and do not have the means to end their lives themselves, and their loved ones just cannot get themselves to help. Bron Norman, a normal and healthy 65-year-old Australian woman who had flown to Mexico by spending $2800, to get pentobarbital says, “We have a moral right to a peaceful death. I don’t want to die with a total loss of dignity, incontinent, barely able to see and stand up, suffering as my mother did.”

Pentobarbital, also known by the brand name of Nembutal, which is used legally throughout the world to anesthetize and euthanize farm animals and pets, is restricted to the use of veterinarians. But Mexico has lax regulations and it is very easy to get that drug there.

It is being hailed as “the Mexico option” by euthanasia supporters and they say that they are willing to travel as far as Mexico, because pentobarbital is one of the very few drugs that give a reliable and tranquil death by getting the person to sleep before cutting off the breathing.

Australian doctor, Philip Nitschke, who has set up a pro-euthanasia group called Exit International, says, “There are few countries in the world where the drug is as readily available as in Mexico.”

Exit International has helped 250 people from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and United States to get pentobarbital in Mexico over the past few years.

People make this trip to Mexico to get insurance cover and usually people in good health get the drug, so that if they become terminally ill, they are well prepared and this will guarantee a peaceful and quicker exit.

Elderly people in rich nations have started a global debate about the legality of euthanasia and the right of terminally ill people to bring upon their own deaths. These people consider this sort of death to be morally unacceptable and treat euthanasia as a type of murder and voluntary euthanasia as a suicide.

As eerie as all this may sound for people who have not heard of this, there are places like Oregon that are making it legal to be practiced by physicians when necessary.

It is certainly difficult to enter into a debate on whether this is correct or wrong, but living is all about hope and for people to be able to do this to themselves should convey a lot about their inability to go on with their lives.

The malls in Bahrain have never witnessed such stampede of youngsters and all because the type of shopping that is done is not one that requires bags.

Immaculately dressed young men wearing designer clothes look openly at groups of young women made up beautifully wearing expensive perfumes, the two sides looking at each other, giving cold shoulder to the taboo against meeting before wedlock.

This is the normal weekend routine. Every weekend sees thousands of young men and women from around the Gulf come down to Bahrain, which is considered to be one of the most relaxed Muslim countries. These youngsters visit Bahrain only to prowl the malls for love.

According to one young boy, “the mall is the meeting place for the girls. Firstly, we watch, they watch. I smile, they smile, then I go to her and give her my number. You have to be careful of their family. If they turn up I get out of there quick.”

Meetings between unknown men and women, is not looked at favorably in the Gulf society and in the neighboring country of Saudi Arabia. Muslim families are generally extremely strict when it comes to their children meeting strangers. There are even special religious police that are always on the lookout to arrest transgressors.

A mall is one of the best places to see Gulf people outdoors, as the women rarely venture out otherwise. Even if their parents come with them, they usually get involved in shopping in these huge malls and youngsters find the freedom they look for.

There are no charges and the entrance to the malls is free and there are no age restrictions. They are kept open late into the night and given their large sizes, there are plenty of opportunities to easily lose family and friends for a chat with a possible love interest.

These youngsters dress up as if they are celebrating Eid, even at other times; since it is customary to dress up well and look good during Eid. The coffee shops are filled with young boys and girls scanning the tables to find someone they may like.

There have been many instances in the past that leads to severe punishments, even death of the young people who braved it by venturing out of the safety zone. Families in the Arab countries take pride in ensuring their children follow the rules and no deviation is appreciated, nor is it forgiven. In some families, punishment is severe even to this day, yet knowing the consequences, these youngsters follow their heart.

Social behavioral experts believe that this could be happening because youngsters have been restricted for too long from doing things they enjoy doing and now time has come for them to do what their heart tells them to and are even prepared to face the worst, for a small piece of life they can call their very own.

Experts say that the attraction between young boys and girls is naturally inherent in every youngster, but it is kept dormant by the imposition of a certain form of behavior that has to be followed. Breaking these rules and giving their feelings a chance is what this is all about.

Alcohol is proving to have many more benefits than we ever thought, it gives us pleasure, it can be used as medicine and it can now be used as aviation and automotive fuel.

A new company has come up with a machine that will help drivers kick the oil habit and make ethanol at home, to help millions of people facing the spiking oil price problem.

When Ethanol made at home is used as fuel, there is no risk of pollution, no hydrocarbons, the car will run much cooler and faster and the miles per tank of fuel is the same as with using the regular fuel. However, in the current economic situation, the crucial factor is that it is extremely economical to make.

A company called E-Fuel Corp, created “MicroFueler,” which they say is the first machine in the world that allows people to make their own ethanol and pump it directly into their cars.

This unit which costs $10000, is portable and looks like a gasoline station pump with a nozzle. They say, this is the best way of avoiding the huge hikes in fuel prices.

The company says that MicroFueler has a sweet tooth, which is very economical to buyers. Sugar is mixed with a type of yeast developed by the company.

It ferments fuel from sugar, and since it uses about 10-14 pounds of sugar to make one gallon of ethanol, if the regular table sugar is used, it is going to be very expensive. However, E-Fuel says that they will help in linking customers to other cheaper supplies, which includes inedible sugar from Mexico, that is just a fraction of the original sugar price, at 2.5 cents per pound, which will come to as little as $1 a gallon (3.8 liters.)

Quinn from E-Fuel also notes that even leftover alcohol can be used as an alternative to sugar, and then the only cost is the electricity.

The main problem with making ethanol until now has been the usage of corn, which has been blamed for being a reason for the spike in global food prices.

E-Fuel is sure that despite the steep upfront costs of the machines, it will succeed in breaking the traditional ethanol system and the machines will pay for themselves.

However, currently it is not legal in the US to run a vehicle using 100% ethanol, but E-Fuel is confident that once their system becomes popular, the regulators will change this law.

Another interesting fact for people who are interested in using ethanol, is that most cars these days are made with fuel injection technology that measures the oxygen content of the fuel and makes it burn efficiently. There are factory ready cars that can run on ethanol.

Many countries also have E85 cars, which are 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. The surprising news that not many people know is that there are more than 2 million cars manufactured every year in the USA, which are all ready to run on E85. The prediction is that within the next few years, 20% of the cars will be fueled by ethanol.

In order to brew ethanol at home, owners of the property where ethanol is to be brewed, must obtain permits from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

E-Fuel is all set to release MicroFueler internationally with production in the UK and China also, in addition to the US. They are also working on various versions that will use other feedstocks too, apart from sugar.

Avaya calls these phones, unified communications for small business. The general manager of Avaya appliances, mobile and small systems division, said that the company surveyed many small businesses with less than 100 employees as well as mid size business with up to 1000 employees to study the needs, before releasing these phones.

They understand that lost productivity costs money to a company. This thinking correlates with the employer wondering what he needs to do when employees report sick.

The survey revealed that most of the small businesses feel the loss of absent employees, in terms of the cost it involves. Avaya came up with a perfect solution in the form of a company phone system, which ties together the office phone, cell phone and the computer-based Softphone.

Avaya phones have all the latest features with VoIP technology and wonderfully user friendly handsets and software. The main advantage of VoIP phones is their ability to connect or link phones to the office system, irrespective of where they are. These home office phones are almost like an extension to the office and only need a little configuration to set them up.

Small business owners can configure their cell phone to ring at the same time as the office phone, which makes it possible to answer the same call either on the office phone or the cell phone.

This also works for Softphones that are on the computer.
Avaya, a big advocate of office-phone-at-home concept, has embedded a VPN client into the IP phone hardware. The phone can be taken home and plugged into the broadband router and the VPN client automatically sets up an encrypted link to the office system, allowing secure call access.
With Avaya taking care of the security aspect too, more and more businesses are showing a keen interest in this company, as security is the first priority for any company, big or small.

Taking into consideration, the main problem of employees being absent from work, either due to traveling on official business or other reasons, these phones come with a feature called “twinning,” which transforms the personal phone into an office extension. The VPN client also connects to a remote phone securely and with ease of operation. If for some reason, the cell phone is not working, then there is still the option of Soft phone.

Avaya, in an attempt to be competitive, has brought the prices of its phone connections down by $100 or even more in some cases. The company says the reason for its tremendous growth, with 4 million users using their phones, is because it provides the best and most secure technology at reasonable rates.

The latest phones from Avaya are compactly packaged and offer easier installation process than ever before, making it more convenient for small businesses to set them up for their employees.