The Easter season is a symbol of spring, new beginnings, and rebirth. For many families rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, job and home loss, or other difficult circumstances, starting over is a long, challenging process. But thanks to Tina Hogue, you have the opportunity to put a spring in the step of kids, teens, and parents living in local shelters through the Easter Baskets for Berks program.

For 10 years, Tina has organized Easter basket donations to needy families across Berks County. Those who want to help fill a small Easter basket with toys, candy, books, gift cards, and other useful and fun items. The filled baskets are distributed at local Easter Egg hunts and shelters to children in need.

This is a simple and rewarding project—something you can do with your own child, classroom, club, church congregation, or friends at the office. Tina will provide the Easter basket along with complete instructions. What do you do? You will be assigned a specific age group and boy or girl; just fill it with age appropriate gifts such as small toys, candy, school supplies or books and wrap it in cellophane or a cello bag, and return it to Tina. Easter Basket for Berks will coordinate delivery to organizations such as Berks Women in Crisis, the Childcare Department of Opportunity House, Mary’s Shelter, The Children’s Home of Reading, and New Creations Community Church.

Please consider preparing a basket. I encourage you to discuss this with your co-workers, employer, church, social organization, friends, and relatives or share this letter with anyone who may be interested in supporting this worthy cause.

Feel free to contact Tina for more information or to reserve a basket or baskets. She can be reached at 610-670-8060, via e-mail at CallTina2Travel@gmail.com, or you can send her a message on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EBforB). Baskets may be picked up at Tina’s home in Sinking Spring or at Cruise One & Tours Unlimited in Exeter. Delivery can be arranged for orders of 50 or more baskets. Baskets should be returned no later than March 28.

Windows 8 has been getting some coverage in the tech press lately. Microsoft recently held its Build Conference and released the Windows 8 Developer Preview. According to Paul Thurrott and Mary Jane Foley on the Windows Weekly podcast, Windows 8 is expected to be released in mid-2012.

Many of my clients are just now replacing their Windows XP systems with systems running Windows 7, and now Windows 8 is coming already!?! Don’t worry: Here’s what I think Windows 8 will mean for your business.

Microsoft has reportedly made some pretty significant changes in Windows 8, but is also maintaining backwards compatibility. You will start to see apps that can’t run on previous versions of Windows, but in the business world these shifts are slow and long in coming. For now I’d say don’t worry about it and don’t let it keep you from upgrading systems that have reached end of service. If you need to replace a system now, definitely feel comfortable upgrading to Windows 7 Professional. In another 3 years that will likely change, but there’s too much uncertainty that far out to predict. It’s far enough out that you shouldn’t let it stress you now.

If you have questions about upgrading or migrating data to new systems, please call. We can certainly help.

As systems and market demands continue to require better productivity and efficiency, it only follows that the software that businesses use also needs to upgrade sooner or later. Such is the case with Windows XP, which Microsoft will stop issuing support for in 2014.

Part of using any sort of software is the inevitable need to upgrade. Most if not all software needs to either be replaced and upgraded as the demands of the market entail more efficient processing of the various data and information a business handles.

Such is the case with Windows XP. While many continue to use this proven straightforward operating system, Microsoft has decided to stop support by the year 2014. Microsoft further recommends upgrading to its latest OS, Windows 7, in order for users to continue to receive OS support.

While there are some lines of business applications that have not been upgraded to work with Windows 7, most have — and there are alternative approaches. Also, your business needs the security and protection that only a current, up-to-date operating system can provide.

We understand that changing your OS will entail some expense, including new licenses, hardware, and some training. Fortunately, these things are designed to help you operate more efficiently and increase your productivity in the long run. But such change will take time, and if you are interested in starting to plan for an upgrade now, we’ll be happy to sit down with you and develop an upgrade process that meets your specific needs.

A recent attack by cyber-criminals has highlighted the need for many SMBs to re-evaluate the security protocols between themselves and their bank. Hackers exploit weaknesses in such systems, and when successful, can siphon tens of thousands of dollars from your accounts.

In a recent attack, cyber-thieves managed to get away with $63,000 after they exploited vulnerabilities in the online payroll system of a small business with its bank.

First, the crooks managed to infiltrate the company’s system through a piece of malware called the Zeus Trojan. This gave them access to the company’s data, including the password and username used in transacting with the company’s bank. The thieves then created several new ghost employees and created payroll accounts for them, which they sent to the bank and authenticated using the company controller’s username and password. And to cover their tracks, the hackers erased the confirmation emails regarding the transaction.

This incident highlights the need for better security systems in both the business and their bank – as security experts cite online banking transactions as one of the favorite targets of cyber-criminals. Cyber-attacks such as this one exploit weaknesses in many existing systems that rely on very simple and automated authentication procedures to confirm transactions.

A direct threat to your business finances is not something to be taken lightly. You not only need to review your current online banking system, but also the current security protocols you have installed, since hackers and cyber-criminals are constantly updating Trojans and other malware to adapt to changing IT protection systems.

We encourage you to have us take a look at the systems you have in place to determine if you are at risk for attacks like these. Please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to draw up custom security solutions that address your specific needs.

References:
Sold a Lemon in Internet Banking
Cybercrooks Drive Away With $63,000 from Car Dealership

With hackers and electronic thieves constantly on the lookout for the latest exploits and security breaches they can take advantage of, it is comforting to know that there are also people behind bold initiatives to make our web experiences much safer.

If you think hackers are the only ones doing their research to release newer and scarier viruses and malware on the web, think again. It is comforting to know that there are also very capable people doing what they can to make the internet a safer place – like Professor Dawn Song, associate professor at the University of California at Berkeley and MacArthur Foundation fellow.

In a nutshell, Professor Song has been looking at different ways to make the internet experience more secure. Her two initiatives – WebBlaze and BitBlaze – are aimed toward developers who want to create better and much more secure programs and applications.

WebBlaze is a compilation of different strategies from Song and other like minds who tackle different problems and solutions in all sorts of platforms, and BitBlaze is an analysis tool for malicious software. While we won’t go into too much detail (it involves very complicated math), the gist is that Song and her colleagues are drawing up some very solid solutions to constantly evolving security issues on the web.

It’s exciting to see developments like these in the security industry. As threats continue to evolve, so does the means through which they are fought. The more we use the internet and the more the online experience becomes integral to the day-to-day operations of businesses big and small, the more important securing your data and information becomes. And because of efforts such as Professor Song’s, we can expect security programs to be much more effective and efficient as time passes.

Know more about BitBlaze and WebBlaze

Learn more about Dawn Song here

If you are looking to assess and beef up your security systems, we’d be happy to sit down with you and take a look at improvements that can make your business and your data much more secure.

With the growth of social networking, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate business connections with personal connections.

November 17, 2010 was declared by Jimmy Kimmel during his television show as “National Unfriend Day”, the opportunity for all Facebook users to declutter their Facebook pages by “unfriending” people in their friends’ lists. He claims that Facebook has been “cheapening” the idea of friendship. To many the idea was hilarious, but others are seriously considering the wisdom of unfriending.

Is Kimmel on to something here? Can unfriending benefit your online business?

Research shows that as social media gets bigger, we’re getting smaller. Brian Wong, a network marketer says it simply: “With the growth of social networking, I am finding it increasingly difficult to separate business connections and personal connections.” He says that having almost 1,000 friends on Facebook has made it difficult for him to see the feeds and updates of his “real” friends and important business partners.

Lately there is a growing trend of de-scaling on the internet. People have started “pruning” their social lives online. For example, the popular Farmville app lost 30 million players this year, and people are beginning to realize that conversations and comments are more important than a huge number of blog hits.

So how can de-scaling and unfriending help your business? The drive to be more intimate can benefit your business by allowing you to form a tighter circle of customers, more successfully establishing you as a preferred channel for consumption.

Luckily, there are tools that can help you descale your social networks:

1. Path – Offers small-scale communities where people feel more comfortable sharing personal information. It controls who can view your information and does not include features that make your content viral.
2. Letter.ly – A subscription-based newsletter for bloggers who feel that public posts decrease the quality of conversations. This newsletter opens discussion only to people who pay, or who are privately invited to read a blog post.
3. GroupMe – A texting app which limits your group text participants to only 14, to ensure that meaningful dialogues take place.

What about the flip side of unfriending and descaling? While you’re considering who to eliminate from your social circles, your contacts are likely doing the same. Here are some tips to help you make their cuts:

1.       Be selective in your communications.
Of course, your product is important – to you. But not every little detail is as important to your audience. Be sure to focus on key features and benefits from your audience’s perspective.

2.       Stay on topic.
Always give relevant communications to your customers, and never rant or badmouth competitors. This is a sure way to lose customers.

3.       Provide value.
In addition to talking about your product or service, find ways to provide value to your circle of friends. Understand topics and pain points important to them, and provide valuable information and advice to help them succeed. You’ll soon come to be considered as a valuable resource to your contacts – one that they want to keep in their online social groups.

One thing is clear: quality is still more important than quantity, especially in the current economic downturn when people are downsizing everything. Start “pruning” your social network – and take steps to avoid being pruned – and you’ll reap the benefits of having a tight circle of loyal friends and customers.

Using shared Wi-Fi networks can be really convenient, but it is not without risks of its own.

These days, more and more people are on the go, and many of them bring their work with them. And in this day and age, it’s ideal if you’re working – or playing for that matter – while connected to the internet, which is often through public Wi-Fi hotspots.

While connecting to public and open-access Wi-Fi hotspots is indeed convenient, using open networks also poses risks that endanger your security. The open nature that allows anyone to use the connection also enables unscrupulous people to gain access to your private information. The whole act of stealing information from people who are using public Wi-Fi networks is called ‘sidejacking’.

There are applications such as Firesheep, for example, that provide an easy-to-use platform that others can exploit to spy and harvest personal, sensitive information from you. And since Firesheep is a Mozilla Firefox plug in, virtually anyone can download and use it to sidejack people on the same network.

You can’t be too cautious with your personal and business data these days, so you always need to have the proper laptop configuration and security infrastructure to protect your system, especially when you frequently avail of open and public networks. To know more about this, please feel free to give us a call and we’ll be happy to draw up some security options that meet your specific needs.

December Is Your LAST CHANCE to Save a Bundle of Money on Computer Upgrades, Hardware, and Support

Under the tax code Section 179 Election, the Federal Government has allowed businesses to buy up to $250,000 in new office and computer equipment and expense—or write off—that entire amount on their current year’s tax return. But this special deduction is being reduced down to only $25,000 in 2011 which means this is the LAST YEAR for you to take advantage of this generous tax break.

But Here’s How You Save Even MORE Money on That Network Upgrade, Project, or Expansion:

If you know you need to upgrade or expand your computer network, you have to make that purchase on or before December 31st of this year. And to “sweeten the pot,” I’m extending the following discounts and freebies to any business who hires us to do the job:

1. We will give away 3 FULL MONTHS of our network monitoring service—a $197 value absolutely FREE. Not only will you enjoy faster and more reliable service from your computer network, but you’ll also gain incredible peace of mind knowing that your network and the data it holds are safe from loss, corruption, downtime, viruses, hackers, spyware, and a host of other problems.

2. We’ll allow you to continue our network monitoring and maintenance at a special discounted rate. After the 3 months are up, you can continue to receive regular maintenance, critical updates and security patches, fast remote support, and 24-7 watch over your network and data at a special discounted rate. Of course, you are under no obligation to continue this maintenance, but I’m certain you are going to want to continue after you see how we keep things running.

After all, no one wants to hand over a penny more to the government than is absolutely necessary; we all work way too hard for that! That’s why I’m making this offer to you. As a fellow entrepreneur, I understand that it’s critical to keep every penny of profit that you can. Important: To secure the tax break AND the above bonuses, you MUST get your upgrade done on or before December 31st. We don’t have to do the work by then, but you have to make the purchase so it shows in THIS tax year.

Don’t lose your hard-earned profits! For more info, call 717-490-1179 or email us at support@mobilitechs.com.

Berman Freightliner, a trucking parts and repair company in Leesport, Pennsylvania, offers a full selection of cabs, frames, drive trains, and electrical and mechanical components to its customers in the transportation industry. The company relies heavily on their IT infrastructure – without it, they can’t order parts for customers, they can’t find parts in their warehouse, and they lose money every time they have to pay employees during network downtime. To increase productivity, eliminate downtime, and reduce IT hassles, they have turned to MOBILITECHS to create a custom IT support plan to meet their business goals.

“Every delay is costing us money,” says Pete McCarron, President of Berman Freightliner. After dealing with a variety of outside companies with techs who only knew “geek speak,” McCarron turned to MOBILITECHS.

MOBILITECHS “explains it to me in layman’s terms. When we have a problem you solve it quickly. We don’t have to go to a national organization that transfers us around to 6 or 7 people. You can be here within a short period of time,” McCarron says.

Once the monitoring system is fully implemented, MOBILITECHS will be able to monitor Berman’s network remotely 24/7 and provide key IT functions, including preventative server and workstation management, antivirus and spam protection, website hosting, firewall management, and backup and disaster recovery. Most importantly, they’ll offer peace of mind that Berman’s IT needs are fully covered for a low monthly price.

“People just want to work efficiently,” Sutton says. “What we do is function like a teammate or coworker—someone who knows your IT needs and takes the stress and frustration out of managing your network and data,” says Michael Sutton, President at MOBILITECHS.

It seems that even the most innocuous machines in the workplace can serve as a security threat to companies. According to this report from CBS News, many office copiers save the images they copy on a dedicated hard disk installed inside them. This means that everything from mundane memos to your most sensitive information such as financial statements and contracts are stored – and could potentially extracted.

So the next time you dispose of a copy machine, if you’re not sure what’s stored on it and how to get it off – give us a call to help out.

To see the news report, watch this video.