Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for facilitating a poll service. In an embodiment, an apparatus for facilitating a poll service may comprise a processor, and a polling platform module operated by the processor to facilitate a poll creation and distribution to a plurality of poll recipients, based on a selection, by a user at a retail entity, of one or more items from a plurality of items provided by the retail entity, and provide poll results, submitted by some of the plurality of poll recipients in response to the poll distribution, to the retail entity, to facilitate targeting of the poll recipients by the retail entity. The poll recipients are external to the retail entity. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: An interactive network guide acts as a computer-based decision support aid for computer novices to design and build a network, such as for a home or small office environment. The guide presents a sequence of questions to gather input data from a user describing the user's computers and environment. The guide evaluates this input data and presents one or more suitable network topologies, which may include hybrid solutions. The guide then dynamically generates a network diagram, shopping list and setup instructions for the user's selection from the suitable network topologies.