Posted by Eric Torres on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 08:10 AM
UPDATE: Photocopier Risk - The Latest in Personal Information Theft
In the June edition of the River Run Tech Flash we featured an important article about photocopier risk. To recap, the hard drive embedded in most copiers and intelligent printers manufactured in the past five years, stores data on the drive before a document is copied or printed. On some models, unless there are security provisions in place, the data is stored unencrypted and remains there until the drive is full and new data overwrites the old.
River Run has received a few phone calls from concerned clients and friends asking what they can do to protect themselves. Here are a couple of things you should do to protect yourself if you are replacing a photocopier embedded with a hard drive:
- Remove the hard drive and have it wiped clean. Keep in mind, the drive has to be formatted properly in order for the photocopier to remain usable. Contact River Run Computers and we will be more than happy to direct you on how to properly have your drive wiped.
- Get it in writing from the company servicing your photocopier that the drive has indeed been wiped clean.
- There are hard drive security kits available for purchase from most photocopier suppliers. The kit includes password protection and encryption of your data as well as allowing easy wiping of the drive itself.
To help our clients combat any issues that may arise from the embedded hard drives, River Run Computers has teamed up with Central Office Systems for assistance with this latest security risk. If you would like more information on the risks or have any additional questions, please contact Eric Torres at River Run Computers (414-228-7474) or feel free to contact Arthur Flater at Central Office Systems (262-784-9698).
Posted by Eric Torres on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 07:15 AM
Who says that Blackberrys should dominate the business market? Aside from being pretty cool and fun to use, iPhones can also lend themselves to the business world. In fact, the App Store is bursting at the seams with useful apps for the suit-wearing, executive iPhone user. But which ones should you go for? Which are a waste of time? Click the link below to discover five of the App Store's most useful iPhone apps for business networking.
iPhone Business Apps
Posted by Eric Torres on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 @ 07:17 AM
Although laptops are certainly convenient, if you need to be online all the time, it can be difficult to locate and use public Wi-Fi if you are always on the go. However, if you have a BlackBerry smartphone, you can use it with your laptop to connect to the Internet. Although you have to be conscious of any provider fees associated with using your BlackBerry to connect to the Internet, it is a nice way to keep yourself constantly connected on the go.
This article will show you how to use your BlackBerry device to connect a Windows notebook or desktop computer to the Web.
BlackBerry as a Modem
Posted by Eric Torres on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 @ 08:20 AM
Last month Google announced the newest product to their arsenal, Google TV. Google plans to introduce a box accompanying the TV which intends to make the TV "smarter" by letting you search for content, allowing you to Google TVbrowse the web, view photo albums and more, as Google's video introduction shows (see link below). Google TV, as Techcrunch writes, "It will work as a new box - you'll just hook up your existing cable or satellite box to it. All the hardware will include a keyboard and a mouse - but it will work with Android phones too. And you can use multiple Android devices to control the same TV - no more fighting over the remote."
Techcrunch continues, "Google TV is built on Android (2.1 right now, but they'll upgrade it later). It runs Google Chrome for the browser. And yes, it has Flash (10.1)." Some partners of Google on this, like Sony, will also release TVs with Google TV built in, Techcrunch reports. Techcrunch suspects Google may be going for "advertising to the 4 billion TV users worldwide."
Partner Logitech, on their details page, adds that their companion box will be coming "later this fall", and that "All you need is a broadband Internet connection and a TV with an HDMI input. To take full advantage of the content search, you'll need a satellite or cable box with an HDMI output as well. And, for now, you'll need to reside in the United States."
Rich, smart, optimized and easy? Search for anything then play it on your TV? That sounds awfully fun!
Google TV - Video Introduction
Official Google TV Blog
Google TV Unveiled - Techcrunch
Posted by Eric Torres on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 @ 08:48 AM
Thanks to one of our thoughtful and favorite RSVP clients, Jeff at Electrotek, a new threat to security was revealed to us. The latest threat is one that you might not be aware of, it is the Photocopierinternal hard drives in the newer models of copy machines. Photocopiers are the newest threat of identity theft because newer models equipped with hard drives record what has been duplicated. At a time when most of us copy tax returns, statements and contracts, confidential information may be easily available to criminals.
At issue are the hard drives embedded in most copiers and intelligent printers manufactured in the past five years. Data is stored on the drive before a document is copied or printed; unless security provisions are in place, the data is stored unencrypted and remains there until the drive is full and new data overwrites old.
CBS News recently covered the story and tested out the possible security breach themselves. CBS News Chief Investigative Correspondent, Armen Keteyian, reported that a warehouse in New Jersey with over 6,000 used copy machines, almost every one of them contained a hard drive holding personal information. The results of Keteyian's findings are rather alarming. To view the clip from CBS News on this subject, please click on the video link below.
To read the full report from CBS News or for more information on how to protect the data stored on your copy machine, please see the respected links below. If you are thinking about donating or selling a used copy machine, or have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Eric Torres at 414-228-7474.
Copy Machines, a Security Risk? - Video
Digital Photocopiers Loaded With Secrets - CBS News
How to Protect Your Photocopier Hard Drive
Posted by Eric Torres on Mon, May 10, 2010 @ 08:51 AM
Is your PC acting sluggish? Can you brew a pot of coffee before it starts up in the morning? Does it sometimes have a mind of its own? If you answered yes to any of these questions, doing some simple tasks can keep your PC running smoothly and allow you to enjoy your product for a long time to come.
Maintaining a computer is a lot like maintaining a car, if you don't spend time tweaking, maintaining, and tuning it, it tends to run a little rough. A lot goes on under the hood to keep your PC running smoothly; but as you add, update, and delete software and data files, things can get sluggish. Microsoft's built-in tweaking tools can boost your PC's performance.
Here is a link for 10 ways to tune up your PC this spring.
PC Tune Up
Posted by Eric Torres on Mon, May 10, 2010 @ 07:59 AM
Although Office 2010 has officially been released to manufacturing (RTM), the next generation of Microsoft Office, along with the Office 2010new Office Web Apps, won't be released to the public until later this summer. With the official launch right around the corner, it is currently available in beta so you can give it a try now. After installing the Office 2010 beta, you can save a document in your SkyDrive folder (you'll need a Windows Live ID to get an account - see below) and then view or edit the doc with Office Web Apps.
To find out more about how to install your beta version of Office 2010, and how to utilize the Office Web Apps, click on the link below. Please note, be cautious when installing beta software on your machine. Beta software has a limited life p and is still considered to be in the developmental stage. Microsoft Office Beta will also overwrite any existing copy of Office on your machine. River Run does not suggest installing beta software on your business machines. If you have questions about beta software, please contact your River Run Representative.
Windows Live ID
Office 2010 Beta & Web Apps
Posted by Eric Torres on Fri, Apr 09, 2010 @ 07:01 AM
For those of you who prefer to use a keyboard shortcut rather than the point and click of a mouse, this article is for you. Windows 7 has Windows Key support for more keyboard shortcuts than ever before. We're not saying you'll never need to touch your mouse again, but you can definitely keep your fingers on the keys more, and get your work done faster, with these handy key combos.
For example, have you ever wondered what that Windows key was for? Here's a list of shortcuts for using that key, as well as a few others.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Posted by Eric Torres on Tue, Mar 02, 2010 @ 07:04 AM
Individual stats like Facebook passing the 400 million user mark, Twitter hitting 50 million tweets per day, and YouTube viewers watching 1 billion videos per day are impressive on their own, but what if we looked at Internet-related stats collectively? Jesse Thomas did just that in his video State of the Internet.
The video, created and animated by Thomas with data from multiple sources, highlights some remarkable figures and visually depicts the Internet as we know it today. It's a must-watch video for anyone trying to wrap their minds around just how immersed web technologies have become in our everyday lives.
State of The Internet Video
Posted by Eric Torres on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 @ 07:12 AM
The Apple iPad. What is it? What can it do? How does it work? How do I get one? These are just some of the questions we have received from our readers after Apple announced their next major hardware release. It was hard to miss last week's announcement and we will no doubt be inundated by the marketing machine that brought the iPod & iPhone into what seems like every household in America. To help dispel some of the rumorsand explain the facts about the newest device, here's everything you need to know about the Apple iPad.
WHAT IS IT?
Quite simply it works like a hybrid between an iPhone and a full laptop. Using the touch screen, you can browse the internet, use apps, listen to music, watch movies and play games. It won't be able to make calls, but given the size, that's probably for the best. Featuring the same software found on the iPhone, the iPad is basically an over-sized iPod touch, and can run applications available on the iTunes store.
WHAT CAN IT DO?
Practically anything you can do with an iPod touch, you can do with the iPad. And yes, you can type through a touchscreen QWERTY keyboard. The pre-installed apps, such as the calendar, maps, and the media players have been redesigned to take advantage of the bigger screen. Unlike the iPod touch however, WiFi+3G iPads will be able to go online through AT&T's network, allowing internet access even when away from a hotspot. During the announcement, Apple also showed off electronic book
buying and reading software, placing the iPad in direct competition with eReaders like Amazon's Kindle.
HOW BIG IS IT?
Height - 9.56 inches
Width - 7.47 inches
Depth - 0.5 inch
Weight - 1.6 pounds
Screen Size - 9.7 inches diagonal (1024x768 resolution)
HOW LONG IS THE BATTERY LIFE?
According to Apple, 10 hours of active use on a single charge, or 30 days in standby mode.
WHEN WILL IT BE AVAILABLE AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Six different models were announced. Three WiFi capable models are set for release at the end of March 2010, while three WiFi + 3G models will debut at the end of April. Both types will come in 16GB ($499 for the
WiFi model, $629 for its WiFi + 3G counterpart), 32GB ($599/$729), and 64GB ($699/$829) variants. 3G access will be provided by AT&T, through two prepaid plans of $14.99 for 250MB and $29.99 for unlimited.
HOW WILL 3G CONNECTIVITY WORK?
Certain models of the iPad will have 3G built in, allowing you to access the web without WiFi. To access 3G, though, you'll have to pay a monthly service fee of $14.99 for up to 250MB of data or $29.99 for unlimited data. The iPad is unlocked, so different carriers will be viable.
WHAT APPLICATIONS WILL RUN ON IT?
Every application currently available on the App Store will work on the iPad. Those apps designed for use on the iPhone will only take up a small portion of the screen, or they can be blown up to full size with some visual degradation. There will also be iPad-exclusive apps which are designed to take advantage of the larger screen and will will just as crisp as they would on a normal computer.
WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DEVICE?
No Multitasking
The iPad follows the iPhone's application model, preventing it from running multiple applications at the same time. For example, you will not be able to listen to Pandora while browsing the web or writing a document. Let's be honest though, the chances of you using this device to create documents are slim to none.
Does Not Support Flash
The iPad boasts having the best Web browsing experience of any device. Yet it does not support Flash which powers video, interactive charts, games, and more on many Web sites. Why would Apple not support Flash? Turns out, Flash is the single leading source of application crashes on Mac OS X. It's a component
Apple can't fix because they don't own it. It belongs to Adobe. "Apple controls the entire source code to the iPhone OS. If there's a bug, they can fix it. If something is slow, they can optimize or re-write it."
Not the case with Flash.
No USB Ports
The iPad only supports USB connections through a connection kit. Why not simply allow any device to plug into the iPad through several ports? Anyone who has had to manage disc drivers, device software installs, and upgrades for peripherals knows the pain they can cause. To add insult to injury, they make your computing life look like a rat's nest of wires. If you want to plug anything into this, such as a digital camera, you need an adapter.
No Cameras
There is no on board camera on the device. This news is shocking, considering even the iPod Nano comes with a built in camcorder.
No HDMI Port
Lacking an HDMI Output, this devices prevents you from watching those nice HD videos you downloaded from iTunes on your TV.
Doesn't Support T-Mobile 3G
Sure, it's "unlocked." But it won't work on T-Mobile, and it uses microSIMs that not many carriers use.
For more information on Apple's iPad, here is the official Apple iPad site as well as two in-depth articles further explaining the features of benefits of the newest device, full of pictures and videos.
Official Apple iPad Site
iPad Questions Answered
Pictures & Video