They then receive a personalized Web page with news and other information, can look at a Web-based map for directions, and can even order goods online while waiting for their gas to pump.

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However, you can apply online instead of waiting for a bank representative to contact you.

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Customers can, for example, place their order online and have it waiting for them when they arrive.

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Some small companies find online hobnobbing more effective than waiting for folks to find their Web sites.

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If I want the skinny on the details of a tech conference keynote, for instance, I can skim online resources live or just minutes after the fact instead of waiting for the next day's (or a late edition's) tech column.

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Upstream speeds are frequently the bottlenecks for cloud storage: an entire company might be held back waiting for that last presentation video to go online before the big meeting.

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Untold others are still downloading for free, waiting to see how the legal issues over online music sharing play out.

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