TecMarc Technology Services

Input/Output: Effective Website

2011-07-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin

An effective website can literally make or break your business. Design and color choice go a long way. According to Forbes magazine, an effective website can even make people forget wrong doings (Source: http://www.forbes.com/2011/05/12/companies-with-most-effective-best-websites.html). Their research suggests BP changing their website and logo helped them regain consumer confidence. This kind of data suggests it is worth the cost and effort to have a well put together website. Today I will highlight some of the characteristics of the best websites and why they appeal to consumers.

Color Choice:

The best website on the internet have several things in common regarding color choice. Commonalties include using a light color that will primarily dominate your website. Black also works, but most choose white. Facebook, Intel, Microsoft, Apple- all use white as the dominate color on their websites. Blues and greys are also effective when applied properly.

Layout and navigation:

When someone visits your website, can they easily find your latest news, contact page, career page, and “about us” page? Everyone is coming for a different reason, making sure they can find what they need easily will really push your website to the top. People have a more positive reaction about websites they can easily navigate.

The small details:

HTML will only take you so far. There are many great websites that are built on HTML, but it is hard to keep up with HTML5, Flash, and Java based websites. Using these programming languages can make your page look smoother, and allow you to have different pages on your website load in highly stylized ways. Facebook’s “Theater Mode” is built on HTML5.

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Don’t overload your page with big fancy words or long, drawn out explanations. Just give the most direct information, and use links for more information. This allows people to choose how much information they receive.

Properly using this information on your website can help put your company on the map, and also help appeal to what people want to see.

Discuss what changes you want to make on your website in the comments below, or discuss what you have implemented on your website to make it more effective.

Input/Output: Rules for the Digital Age

2011-07-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin

There have always been rules regarding business and personal use of technology. These rules generally agree you should keep them separate. But with all these new technologies and services, it can be hard to know what is acceptable, and what isn’t. Is it ok to add your co-workers on Facebook as friends? What about on Twitter or Google+? Is it acceptable to hand out your personal email or cell number? Today we will discuss what is generally accepted, and a few good choices you can make.

Ever since Facebook went public, it has been an unstoppable force. Everyone and their mother have a Facebook profile, even my own mother. Chances are high that most, if not all, of your co-workers are on Facebook. It’s inevitable; you are going to get a friend request from a co-worker at some point. How should you respond to this? It is usually a good Idea to deny these requests, simply for the fact of keeping your personal life separate. You can of course accept these friend requests, but do so at your own risk. When you add co-workers on Facebook, they can see and participate in conversations with your friends and family. You may not want this sort of interaction. This rule applies to most social network sites, including MySpace and Twitter. The only unknown here is Google+; it’s so new it is hard to tell. It is probably safe to apply the same rule for the time being.

If you have a work email, is it safe to hand out your personal email to your co-workers? This is probably less dangerous than adding them on Facebook, but it still may not be the best idea. Your inbox may get flooded by junk that your co-worker likes to forward. Nobody likes the guy who forwards 80 emails a day, and everyone has a friend or co-worker who does it. You can avoid the junk by keeping your email private.

Here is the big one: your personal cell phone or home phone. If you have a work cell phone, then your boss probably expects you to have it on you most of the time. Your co-workers can reach you this way. If you don’t have a work cell number, it can be hard to avoid handing out a personal number. There is an alternate though: Google Voice. Google will give you a free phone number to attach to your personal phone. You can hand out the Google voice number and it will ring to any phone you choose. This makes life much easier. Google Voice: https://www.google.com/voice

You don’t have to shut your co-workers out of your personal life, but you can definitely control the amount of room they have in it. Use the comments below to discuss ways you can keep work and personal life separate and safe in the technology age.

We’ve added a new class! - Photo Editing Basics

2011-07-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

Photo Editing Basics

The Photo Editing Basics course is for students who want a basic understanding of picture editing and an overview of using Photoshop. This class will cover the following.

Understanding digital images and making changes to size, resolution, and color.
How to navigate the Photoshop interface and an introduction to the Toolbox, palettes, option bar, presets, and shortcut keys.
How to make selections and use selections to edit an image, using the Crop tool and Extract command.
How to retouch images using multiple tools and changing the settings for hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast.
How to create, use, manage, hide, and show layers.
Using the Brush and Type tool
How to use masks and channels when editing an image.

Prerequisite Comments:

Students should be familiar with using computers and have used a mouse and keyboard. Students should be comfortable in the Windows environment and be able to use Windows to manage information on their computer. Specifically, students should be able to launch and close programs; navigate to information stored on the computer; and manage files and folders.

This class will be offered:

Friday, July 22^nd, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Friday, July 29^th, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

TecMarc Technology Training Institute

737 W. Guadalupe, Suite 120, Mesa

Please Sign Up via Email or Phone to confirm your spot in this or any class.

James.Plotnik@marccenter.com or 480.694.9457

Interested in Other Classes?

Check the Schedule Here for Dates and Times

Training Calendar

*Note: Calendar is subject to change, please check back often for updates

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Summer 2011 TecMarc Nonprofit Technology Forum

2011-07-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

Written by James Plotnik

Last Thursday, July 7^th, we held our third, quarterly Nonprofit Technology Forum at the TecMarc Technical Training Institute and it was a huge success! There was a great mix of individuals from both the nonprofit and for profit sectors, and from all different levels within the organizations including C-level management. Some of the organizations represented were Arizona Community Foundation, Community Services of Arizona, Cox Business, Sprint Business Solutions, Toshiba Business Solutions, Auction and Event Solutions, Mogollon Health Alliance, Greater Phoenix Urban League, Phoenix Business Journal, ProMarc, MME Consulting Services, Leadership Industries, Sechler CPA, Marc Center of Mesa and Grant Thornton. Our goal is to make these events collaborative in nature where we bring people together to share expertise and build connections and having a diverse group like this did just that.

Norm Duve’ from TecMarc Technology Services was the first speaker who discussed Managing Technology Change in Your Organization. He brought up the importance of gaining executive and management support as well as getting the right people on the bus to make changes come to fruition. Here is Norm’s list of Must Do’s:

- Always be getting buy-in from upper-management

- Always be selling your initiatives

- Accept that change is inevitable and prepare

- Use ten carrots and then a stick

- Keep looking at your environment

- Get the right people on the bus

- Involve the key people, keep everyone else informed

Our second speaker was Mark Villari from Toshiba Business Solutions who spoke about Managed Print Services – Saving Trees. His presentation was very informational and eye opening. He spoke about the importance of knowing how documents are being produced and on what machines because you could be printing to a more costly machine and not know it. Through managing your printing you can manage your costs. Did you know how much of a negative impact old ink and toner cartridges have on the environment? I sure didn’t! Some parts of the cartridges can take 1,000 years to decompose and inks leak into soil and water supplies. Toshiba actually recycles old ink and toner cartridges. They can even turn them into eLumber that has many applications and can be used in construction, landscape and other projects!

eLumber Edging

eLumber Bench

From all of us at TecMarc, thank you everyone for attending our Summer 2011 Nonprofit Technology Forum and a special thank you to both Norm Duve’ and Mark Villari for speaking! You two did an excellent job!

Stay tuned for more information on our next forum. You won’t want to miss it!

Input/Output: The Green Revolution

2011-07-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin

Behold! The green revolution is upon us! Going green is the popular thing to do these days, but there is more to it than following the popular crowd to being green; going green is good for the environment, and can keep your wallet full of green cash. Using green products in not a fad, it’s a life style. The term “green” comes from the fact that the color green covers a majority of our planet, and from Green Politics which was popularized in the 1970s. The term “green” today refers to products made from more natural sources, that use less energy, or rely on their own source of energy.

Almost every major corporation is greening their company and image. Coke is using bottles made of plant materials for their Dasani line. Frito Lay is currently using compostable bags for their Sun Chips Brand, meaning you can throw your Sun Chips bags in your compost pile and it will be completely gone in 4-6 weeks. Encore Software uses recycled paper and cardboard for all their packaging, and partners with game developers to release games in encore recycled packaging. GE is selling LED light bulbs, which use 1/15 the amount of electricity compared to conventional light bulbs, and have a 15-30 year life span depending on the quality of bulb you purchase. This a very small list of what corporate America is doing to help. Today we will look at technologies that will help your company reduce your operating costs, and help the environment at the same time.

First let’s look at technologies that will help lower your operating cost. LEDs have been around since the 1970s, and each LED cost around $10,000 at the time. Now you can pick up an LED flashlight with 3 LEDs for around 10 dollars. LEDs are great due to the fact they use a very small amount of electricity, and are much bright than typical bulbs. The average CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light bulb) costs around 5 USD, and has a life expectancy of 3-5 years. A top of the line LED light bulb cost $20 and lasts 30 years. The cost to lifetime difference is only .22 cents per bulb a year, but the electrical savings is where it counts. In Arizona, it costs approximately $3.83 a month to run a CFL bulb, so four CFL bulbs will cost you $15.32 a month on average. LED bulbs cost approximately $ 1.14 a month to run in Arizona, four LED bulbs will cost you $4.56 a month. In a 30 year period, a CLF bulb will cost you $1,378.80 and 5 bulb replacements after the initial purchase. An LED bulb will cost you $410.40 and no bulb replacements after the initial purchase. If you multiply that by the number of bulbs your company has, the numbers get big.

Every business has computers. And if you want work completed efficiently, chances are your company has a lot of them. Computers draw approximately $40 to $60 dollars every month, that’s up to $700 dollars a year. That number is calculated just for the desktop and does not include the monitor, speaker, printers, and any other devices connected to your computer. Moneual started manufacturing a power supply this year that saves 35% of energy on desktops. This new power supply also allows you to plug a 6 port power strip right into the computer power supply. This way you can run all your computer components off one unit. This is called a switched power supply. Moneual did a study, the results showed that most computers still draw .20 watts while powered down. Their switched power supply only draws .1 watts while powered down. That small amount adds quickly, even on a 15 computer network. These changes can reduce your energy costs, in most cases more than $10,000 a year.

Now let’s look at ways you can not only reduce cost, but reclaim some profit back as well. This is called “Zero Net Energy” or “ZNE” for short. ZNE is a term used when referring to a home or facility that uses alternate energy sources, and doesn’t require an outside power company for energy. ZNE facilities also may produce enough energy to sell back to the power company. ZNE homes are not affected by rolling black outs and loss of power on grids. This is not only efficient, it’s profitable and convenient. How is this achieved? Through technologies like Solar Panels and Wind Energy, your business can reduce cost, and possibly reclaim profit by investing in ZNE. Solar technology has been around since 1876, and has been much improved in the last 125 years. Wind Mills were invented somewhere around 500 A.D., and were used to pump water, process grain, and performed various farming tasks. Today both of these technologies are used to produce cleaner electricity. Most facilities incorporate both technologies to gain the ZNE advantage.

These Technologies are only getting better, and you can expect to see them everywhere in the coming years. The advantages already make it worth the capital involved. Your company can also claim a tax deduction for greening your workplace, in addition to saving on operating cost and it makes for good public relations.

Discuss the ways your company saves energy, and the technologies you want to use in the comments below.

Summer 2011 TecMarc Nonprofit Technology Forum

2011-06-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

Written by James Plotnik, Account Executive, TecMarc Technology Services

It is getting hot, hot, HOT in Phoenix! In fact, as I type this post, Weather Bug says it is currently 118 degrees Fahrenheit outside and there is an excessive heat warning. Be sure you’re all staying hydrated!

The heat is a perfect excuse to get together with some fellow professionals (both nonprofit and profit) in a nice air conditioned space to network and share knowledge about technology. Join us on July 7^th from 10am – 1pm at our Summer 2011 TecMarc Nonprofit Technology Forum. We will enjoy networking opportunities, lunch and there will be a drawing for fun prizes!

Topics & Speakers:

Managing Technology Change In Your Organization

Norm Duve', TecMarc Technology Services

Managed Print Services - Saving Trees

Mark Villari, Toshiba Business Solutions

Send an email with your RSVP at tecmarcforum@marccenter.com and we will see you there!

Don’t forget to hydrate! And watch your kids around water!

Input/Output: “Will it hurt, Dave?”

2011-06-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin, TecMarc Technology Services

Ever since movies and TV shows like Star Trek and Star Wars came around, people have been obsessed with the technology Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas invented. Almost everything Gene Roddenberry imagined has come to fruition, including flip cell phones, flat screen TVs, and Tablet computers. It wouldn’t be and episode of the Next Generation if you didn’t hear, “Computer, run a level 1 diagnostic on the warp drive”, followed by a familiar beep. This technology is making its way into our homes right now, and its only matter of time before it comes to the work place.

Gene Roddenberry imagined a computer that you could simply speak to, and it would respond. He also imagined a “holo deck”, where a person could create places they might never get to visit in real life. We are now seeing in real life the natural progression of these 2 technologies. This kind of tech will change how computers and servers work, and how we conduct business, and while they are not a complete reality yet, we are close to seeing them come to fruition. It might surprise you where this technology is coming from. The 3 major companies currently developing this tech are Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. The only thing these 3 have in common is that they are the major players in the video game industry.

Nintendo announced its Wii console in early 2006. Their major selling point was motion controlled gameplay. The days of traditional joysticks are gone for Nintendo. This platform allows users to swing a baseball bat, use their hands to box, and drive a race car with a wheel, and all from the comfort of their home. It is considered a revolution in exercise while gaming, but it was also a step towards hands free and voice activated. This new technology prompted Nintendo’s competitors to invent their own joystick free devices. Sony responded with PlayStation Move, an addition to their PlayStation 3 system. The Move is very much similar to the Wii controls. The Move allows users to swing a bat, throw a Frisbee, or play the drums all on one platform. While the device has a better response time than the Wii controllers, Move is only a slight improvement.

Microsoft had a larger plan for motion controls. Microsoft wanted to take the controller out of users hands completely. Microsoft unveiled the Kinect in 2009, and released it in 2010. This device allows the user to completely control their Xbox with simple voice commands and hand gestures. This is where Star Trek becomes reality. In the last 8 months since its release, Kinect functionality has more than tripled. Programmers wrote drivers for Kinect that work on Windows and Linux, and with that have slowly been unlocking its secrets. Microsoft decided to release its Kinect SDK (Software Development Kit) for free last week to Windows 7 users. Now that people are free to explore the Kinect, it’s only a matter of time before voice activated computers become a reality. The Kinect camera tracking is a step towards the “holo deck”. The cameras can track up to four people at once, and can change perspective of what’s on the screen to match the head movements of the user. Some users have made software for the Kinect to track facial movements for animation- a process usually costing thousands of dollars (source: http://kinecthacks.net/realtime-performance-based-facial-animation). This is the root of the technology to come.

This tech has the potential to make our lives and our work easier. Would it not be nice if your network administer could simply say, “Computer, which server is down”? At your next board meeting, you could say, “Computer, please record all communications from this meeting and email me the minutes”. Technologies like connect are going to become very popular and become very advanced over the next 5 years. While I’m certain holographic room technology is more than 10 years out, the ground work has already been laid. Hand free computing is not a new idea; however this is the first time it’s a reality. With Microsoft releasing the SDK for free, and the amount of creativity that people have already shown without it, the limits are endless. You can expect to see platforms largely available in 4-6 years, and businesses will be the perfect model to test and improve the systems.

Use the area below to discuss how you think hands free computing will benefit you company.

Hacking: an Epidemic for the Gaming Industry

2011-06-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

By Christopher Jones, TecMarc Technology Services

It had only been a couple of days that I had purchased the latest Mortal Kombat game. I had gotten one chance to test out its online playability and found myself greatly enjoying it. Later in the evening, having completed everything necessary for the day, I decided to make another attempt at playing online, testing my skill against different people from around the world (although, sadly not in Australia, as the game had been banned there). Unfortunately, when I attempted to login to my Playstation Network account, the screen displayed the error, “An error has occurred. You have been signed out of Playstation Network (80710A06).” This indicated that either something was wrong with my wireless connection with the Playstation 3 (the less likely case), or that the network was down.

Turns out it was not just down; someone had hacked the network. One would have thought with a company as large as Sony was and the reputation they had for supporting quality products, they would have had a larger security. When the truth appeared, Sony immediately faced a class action lawsuit against them for allowing 77 million accounts to leak their personal information, including credit card information (http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/229402362). It was also revealed that Sony had not installed a firewall to protect this network, not only making it fully susceptible to anyone to infiltrate but also going against the government policy to use outdated security to hold personal information. In order to gain further trust, Sony had three different teams step in to aid in upgrading their security, all the while working with the FBI and Homeland Security in order to find those responsible for the hack (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6312333/sony-knew-psn-had-no-firewall-installed-expert). Eventually, Sony came back online and as an apology to their customers, offered those affected free games and three months’ worth of premium membership.

This has not been the end of this problem. In the early days of the past month, several companies have faced similar hacking attacks, including Codemasters, Nintendo, Bethesda, Epic Games, Bioware, and Sega, all of whom suffered from the hacker group known as LulzSec (http://www.betanews.com/article/Sega-the-latest-victim-in-video-game-hacking-epidemic/1308579793). The main goal and ideology behind this group is not for gaining profit from these attacks, but rather for the thrill of accomplishing the task; there is an almost sociopathic sense of knowing that what they are doing is wrong but not caring, only to gain a thrill at the expense of larger companies and their users. Within their stated manifesto also revealed the notion that they wanted to point out the flaws in as many systems as possible, perhaps hoping that these attacks will give the organizations a stronger notion of what to fix and also for users to remain on guard in changing their information elsewhere so that they could remain guarded against more malevolent hackers who could actually steal their identities. Such notions could easily be channeled into what companies refer to as “ethical hacking,” in which IT teams look for specific holes within the network they could exploit and report them their given architect; LulzSec, however, is doing this entirely unauthorized, causing the FBI to take further response on the counts of fraud and computer misuse under the Criminal Law Act and Computer Misuse Act (http://www.webcitation.org/5zdVEI7rE). With as widespread as this group remains, it would be difficult to find each individual member.

Other companies are remaining on guard for any further attacks.

When will this end? For the past two months, it goes without saying that this has been a major upset to the gaming community. While it has been a public nuisance, it goes beg the question of how safe these various systems really are. Can these companies optimize their system to fit these growing threats? They must, or their reputation and trust of their users will falter greatly.

Input/Output: Prepare to Make the Jump to Lightspeed

2011-06-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin, TecMarc Technology Services

Since The invention of the microchip (Source: http://www.pbs.org/transistor/background1/events/micropinv.html), It’s been established that technology will only continue to improve. Gordon Moore, a co-founder at Intel, published a paper in 1966 stating that computer processors would become twice as small, and twice as fast every 2 years. This theory is known as “Moore’s Law”, and it has been accurate. The only variation in this “law” is that processors now double in power every 18 months.

Now, in 2011, we are on the cusp of the next generation of microprocessors. Later this year AMD and Intel will release the newest processors to the public. These processors are state of the art, but designed to be compatible with current generation computers. This is the first time that a new processor won’t require a new board. This means consumers and businesses can upgrade at a fraction of the cost. The real question is, will AMD and Intel make it worth the cost to your business? Today we will look at these new processors, and give you some information that can help you decide if it is cost effective for your business to upgrade.

Intel

Intel was co-founded by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce in 1966. Intel is one of two leading designers and manufactures in processor technology, and is considered the leader in these technologies. Intel is opening a new state of the art production plant in Arizona next year. Arizona will be home base for the generation of processors following the Ivy Bridge series.

	Current	Next Gen
Code Name	Sandy Bridge	Ivy Bridge
Family	I3, I5,I7	I3, I5,I7
# of cores	2, 4, 6	2, 4, 6
Top Speed	3.3ghz (per core)	3.4ghz (per core)

AMD

Advanced Micro Devices was founded in 1969. AMD had been overlooked as a real competitor to Intel until they produced the first 64-bit processor in 2003. Since then AMD has been playing catch up to Intel on processor technology. They hope their new Bulldozer series will be enough to take the number one spot from Intel.

	Current	Next Gen
Code Name	Pheonom	Bulldozer
Family	X3, X4, X6	X3, X4, X6, X8
# of cores	3, 4, 6 (8, server only)	3, 4, 6, 8, (12, server only)
Top Speed	3.4ghz (per core)	3.6ghz (per core)

The Charts above are only a small bit of information on the new processors from these technology giants. The big question is still price. AMD stated last week that the most powerful processor, an 8-core at 3.6ghz per core, will only cost around $320. This is the same price as a current generation Intel 6-core at 3.3ghz per core. Intel’s most powerful 6-core is still upwards of $800 and is super-clocked at 3.4ghz per core. AMD is looking to cut down on consumer cost by more than half, and still have a more powerful product.

The next factor is bit-rate. Most business computers are 32-bit based. Its only with Windows 7 that most computers are going to 64-bit. The 64-bit just means more powerful computers and more RAM, up to 64 gigabytes to be exact. AMD is claiming Bulldozer is 32, 64, and 128 bit ready. This means servers and desktops can use up to 128gigabytes of RAM. Servers will most likely be able to utilize up to 256 gigabytes of RAM. That kind of RAM will really benefit your enterprise SQL, and maybe reduce the number of servers your company needs to operate. Intel has not made any comment on bit-rate of the Ivy Bridge series, but all the specs indicate it must be 128-bit.

The final factor we will look at is application. Windows and Linux server software is ready for 128-bit processers. These speeds will reduce the number of required servers, and will increase the number of applications you can have on a single server. Windows 7 is only a 64-bit OS, and Microsoft has implied that Windows 8 will be 128-bit. Most desktop Linux distributions are already 128-bit ready. Since most major businesses rely on Windows as their platform, this will allow business to max out the potential of their current desktops, and be ready for Windows 8 if that upgrade is required.

Intel and AMD hardly disappoint, and this being the first major new series from both manufactures since 2008, it’s hard to imagine this won’t benefit businesses and average consumers alike. Many businesses are using their current hardware for Windows 7 as opposed to buying all new hardware. These new series will allow your business to use current hardware in most cases, meaning you can upgrade without buying all new computers. This will allow you to remain cutting edge without breaking the bank.

Discuss how these new processors will benefit your business desktops and servers below.

Input/Output: Making the Call

2011-06-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin, TecMarc Technology Services

Smart Phones are the standard these days for business. Smart phones allow employers to stay in constant contact with their employees via the traditional methods (calling or texting). As well as email, mobile calendars, video conferencing, and instant file transfers. Currently, RIM’s BlackBerry is the top business phone. BlackBerry is tested, safe, reliable, and very functional. Now RIM has some competition from Google’s Android and Apple’s IPhone. Both Apple and Google are relatively new players in the phone market, but both have years of technology experience, giving them an edge. General consumers seem to prefer IPhone and Android-based phones over the BlackBerry, and it is forcing the business world to take a deeper look at them. Today we will compare these 3 devices and help you choose which is best for your business.

BlackBerry

By RIM (Research In Motion)

BlackBerry first came to market in 1998, and had a slow rise to the top. RIM has spent the last 13 years researching the needs of its clients, and has been rewarded for its efforts as BlackBerry remains the number one business smartphone.

• BlackBerry can be controlled by your company, limiting employees ability to change phone settings and services.

• Phone supports email through Web Exchange, and through BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server), giving your Company choices when setting up email.

• BlackBerry can be used to store data, meaning if you install a MicroSD card your employee will have a smart phone and a flash drive in one.

IPhone

By Apple

Apple has been making computers since 1976, and almost contracted Microsoft for its OS (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uau0aIbrzkQ). Apple has a history of trying new technologies, and it has paid off for the last 10 years. Apple’s IPod changed the music industry, and now Apple wants to change the cell phone market.

• IPhone supports video conferencing, so you can have a meeting anywhere, anytime.

• Supports connection to Exchange web access, giving your employees constant to their email.

• Support for GeoTagging, allowing you to find your employees location within 3 meters.

Droid Pro

By Google

Google.com was a school project started at Stanford University by 2 grad students. Today Google.com is the most used search engine providing everything from web searches, restaurant reviews, and maps. In 2008 Google revealed there servers process 20 petabytes a day (20,000 terabytes, or 2,000,000 gigabytes) (Source: http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/2008/01/google-mapreduce-stats.html)

• Uses rooting (password protected OS and settings) for extra security, preventing anyone from viewing private information. Security also includes a remote wipe, so you can wipe all data remotely in the event of loss or theft.

• Has the ability to view multiple exchange calendars, so your employees can setup meetings from anywhere.

• Droid Pro can connect to your company’s domain for enterprise security.

Smart phones are only getting smarter; the question is which will make your business better. The smartest phone is the one that caters to the needs of today’s fast paced business environment. Android maybe outselling its competition (source: http://www.themobileindian.com/news/1379_Android-outsells-other-devices-in-USA:-Nielsen) in the U.S., however I don’t see the big corporations going away from RIM until Google and Apple can prove their products are ready for the everyday business person. BlackBerry had a hard fight to the top of the hill, and the competitors will need to turn some heads in order to have a fighting chance.

Feel free to discuss the affects these phones will have, or do have on your company in the comments below.

AIDS/LifeCycle: TecMarc's James Plotnik is Riding 545 Miles

2011-05-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Written by James Plotnik, Account Executive, TecMarc Technology Services

Wow! This Friday is when I fly to San Francisco to embark on the AIDS/LifeCycle journey… I can’t believe how fast this snuck up on me. I’m excited, nervous and anxious all at the same time. All of the support I have received has truly inspired me to succeed in completing this adventure.

I have raised $3,515 to date and am only $1,485 away from my goal of $5,000. Thank you to all of you who donated to this great cause! To be honest, I hate asking for money, but this is something I am passionate about and a cause I believe in. The fact that so many of you have shown that you care as well is very humbling for me and I am forever grateful.

As the final days of my fundraising go by, I will make just a couple more pushes to try and raise my entire goal of $5,000. Every dollar I raise will help save lives. Please visit my official donation page to make another tax deductible donation by clicking here or forward this email to anyone who may wish to contribute as well. Those in need and I will be ever so grateful.

Follow me along the ride! I will be updating Twitter (@jamesplotnik) and Facebook with my experiences so you can track where I am and what is happening. Participants will not have access to electricity, but thanks to Better Energy Systems Inc. I can keep my phone charged. They gave me a Solio Classic solar charger for free! In exchange, I will share my experience using their solar charger on the ride through Twitter and at the conclusion of the ride I will review the product on my blog. Check them out at www.solio.com! They’re a great company.

Thank you again and have a wonderful day! Live and thrive!

Input/Output: The Tablet Revolution

2011-05-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Written by Josh Martin, TecMarc Technology Services

I think we have all seen the new tablets on TV commercials, and now your employees are requesting them. Ipad, Xoom, EEE Slate, the list goes on. All of them have touch screens, office suites, custom features and apps. Can these cool new portable workstations help your business, or hurt it? Let’s look at the pros and cons of these tech toys.

First a little history; tablets are not a new concept. Gene Roddenberry first imagined tablets when he wrote Star Trek: the Next Generation in the late 1980s. Commander Geordi LaForge and other members of the Enterprise crew are commonly seen walking around with touch screen devices that assist them with their day to day tasks. In the early 1990s, Intel made a black and white tablet called the Intel Pad, or “IPad” for short. It wasn’t until Apple’s Ipad that the idea caught on with the market.

So now the Tablet Revolution is in full swing, and big businesses are looking into buying them. Today we will look at 3 and how they compare for your businesses functionality.

Apple’s Ipad

Apple’s Ipad came to market in April of 2010. Since then the system has gone through many software versions, and the release of Apple’s Ipad 2.

Pros:

• Apple has had 14 months to work out the bugs.

• Ipad can sync with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

• You can get Ipads on contract with Verizon and other wireless carriers, and have mobile internet built in.

Cons:

•The Microsoft exchange connector is web based. Not all businesses have the Microsoft Exchange Web Access available.

•Apple’s App Store has more games than useful business applications. The link below is a graph and pie chart breaking down the different app catagories:

http://www.buzzingup.com/2010/12/apple-app-store-statistics-for-2010-infographic/

•High cost, the Ipad 2 starts at $499.00. That model ships without mobile internet.

Motorola Xoom

Xoom just recently hit the market this year, first premiering exclusively to Verizon.

Pros:

•All units come with ability for mobile internet.

•Xoom can sync with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

•Xoom can be “rooted” (root is the android term for locking out admin functions with a password) so only administrators can install apps.

Cons:

• Limited Microsoft Exchange connector. Just like the Ipad, Xoom has a web based Exchange connection.

•High Cost, Xoom costs $899.00

•Marketing seems to be geared towards media apps, not business.

Asus EEE Slate

Asus is a veteran in computer hardware, winning best motherboard for the last 3 years. Asus teamed up with Microsoft to develop this Windows 7 based tablet.

Pros:

• Windows based tablets make it easier for employees to adjust to. Windows based workstations and Windows based tablets create uniformity.

• Microsoft office suite on the tablet, including Outlook with an exchange connector.

• Can pair to a Windows 7 desktop, so all the files your employees create on their desktop will sync with their EEE Slate.

Cons:

• No built in solution for mobile internet.

• Will only sync to Windows PCs.

• High Cost, EEE Slates start out at $899.00.

So now that we have looked at the top 3 contenders, let’s look at how Tablets can help or hinder your business model. The first thing we should look at is the “App store”. Android and Apple both have an app store. Statics show that Android has more than double the apps of Apple, and more than double the number of productivity apps (http://phandroid.com/2008/10/23/android-market-most-downloaded-apps-stats/). Xoom relies on the Android App Store, and IPad relies on the Apple App Store. The EEE Slate is Windows 7-based, and runs computer programs vs apps. The productivity apps from both stores include office suites, .pdf readers, and a slew of appointment and meeting organizers. The Slate uses the same programs that most businesses use, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, and Microsoft Communicator. The app stores have decent productivity solutions, however having Microsoft office on a Tablet is the obvious winner. Having a tablet without a compatible office suite defeats the purpose.

Next, let’s look at communications. The IPad and Xoom have built in solutions to connect to mobile internet through wireless providers like Verizon and AT&T. This is a field advantage, being able to connect to the internet from almost anywhere. The EEE Slate does not currently have any announced plans for adding mobile internet. The Slate is confined to WiFi for the time being. All 3 devices support services like Skype and Aim, and email applications, so talking to your employees while their mobile is no issue, but the lack of mobile internet is holding back the potential of the EEE Slate. IPad and Xoom are equal winners in this category.

The Last category that we will examine today is functionality. For the term functionality, I am referring to the amount of work your employee can functionally complete on a Tablet. The Xoom and IPad have available office suites compatible with Microsoft office; unfortunately these suites are made only for quick edits and adjustments. EEE Slate supports Microsoft office and OpenOffice, making mobile productivity fairly familiar, simple, and streamline. If your employee is trained on Microsoft Office, then the employee can transition right from a workstation to an EEE Slate with ease. EEE Slate wins the functionality category.

While only time will tell how the business world accepts and uses tablets, it is already clear that popularity will force businesses to look into them. At this point it appears the Windows Tablets may have an advantage in the business market, however Apple’s sales number may give them an advantage.

I hope this information assists in deciding if your company is ready for tablets, and which one.

In the comments below discuss your questions, comments and concerns about tablets and tablet technology. Also feel free to discuss the applications you want to see on tablets.

Earth Day 2011: Ways to Green Your Organization

2011-04-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Written by James Plotnik, Account Executive, TecMarc Technology Services

Happy Earth Day Everyone! Today is set aside as a special day to respect and do something to help our planet, however, this is something we should all embrace on a daily basis. It is our duty to respect our environment and keep it in balance so that future generations can enjoy experiencing the many things that we do today.

Every organization has an impact on the environment, regardless of size. The good news is that there are ways you can increase the sustainability of your organization and make it greener. Here are some suggestions:

Hit that power button. Cut down on your energy usage and costs by turning off your technology items at the end of the day, every day, especially the weekends. Even if your computer and monitors enter standby mode, they are consuming some energy. So go ahead, click “shut down” and hit the power buttons on those monitors, scanners, projectors, printers, etc…
Print on recycled paper. As much as we all strive for paperless environments, there are some things that we just have to print. Make sure that you are using recycled paper.
Promote telecommuting. Burning one gallon of gasoline produces 19.4 pounds of carbon dioxide. Some of your employees may burn two gallons of gasoline each day commuting to the office to work. That’s nearly 40 pounds of carbon dioxide! Allow them to work from home even one day a week and you save 160 pounds of carbon dioxide from being pumped into our atmosphere every month.

In Tough Economic Times, Non-Profits Get Creative with Funding

2011-04-20T09:31:00.001-07:00

Written by James Plotnik, Account Executive, TecMarc Technology Services

Tough economic times don’t only affect corporations and consumers, but also non-profits that work so hard to help others and improve our local communities. Marc Center of Mesa takes a creative approach to overcoming this problem by offering internal operations to others as a service; at a profit.

Funding sources for non-profits include the government, corporations and private donors. When these sources struggle in a difficult economy, the affects often filter through to the non-profits that receive funding from them. If non-profits can’t receive the funding they need to operate it puts them at risk of not being able to carry out their mission. These organizations work hard to better our lives and are often dear to many of our hearts.

In order to mitigate the ebbs and flows in funding created by ups and downs in the economy the Marc Center has created for profit organizations to provide income back to the Marc Center. Our goal is to improve our ability to be self-sustaining. One of these for profit business models is TecMarc Technology Services. This business focuses on providing IT and technology solutions to other non-profits at rates that often beat the competition. Being born from a non-profit we understand the pain that non-profits go through in developing and managing their technology. Therefore, our goal is to make it easier for them while generating revenue for the Marc Center. Of course we will offer our technology services to for profit organizations at a competitive rate as well.

Purchasing products and services from a business owned by a non-profit provides a creative way for individuals, businesses and corporations to support their communities and build their social responsibility efforts.

Spring Nonprofit Technology Forum

2011-04-19T09:05:00.001-07:00

Written by James Plotnik, Account Executive, TecMarc Technology Services

Our Spring Nonprofit Technology Forum today was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who attended & our speakers & our helpers!