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From Telecommute Connecticut:

“A cost-benefit analysis is often a primary driver of the telecommuting process, because the company wants to achieve cost savings over costs associated with the traditional workplace setting. Most often, cost savings are attributable to increased productivity, decreased staffing needs and reduced office space requirements.”

To gather data on the costs and benefits with allow your employees to telecommute, click on this link to answer questions that may help you.

If you are interested in setting up telecommuting opportunities for your business, please contact your Now IT Works account manager today.

In a word, the answer to this question is yes and here is why:

1 – When someone loses their phone, or it gets stolen – person(s) unknown would have immediate access to all of your information. Calendar, contacts, email, remote access to your PC (if enabled), spouses information, child/ren school contacts, etc.

2 – It’s not the law yet – but just wait. Connecticut privacy law imposes up to $500,000 in Civil Penaltiies for Misuse of Personal Information (http://www.mofo.com/news/updates/bulletins/14042.html)

3 – SmartPhones are just as susceptible to viruses and bad applications (Droid more so than Apple). Here at Now IT Works, we are launching a mobile security product soon simply to handle this (not specifically a PIN related issue, but mobile security in general)

Finally, PSA aside – all the cool kids are doing it. Of course I’m kidding, but honestly, every person I’ve seen with an iPhone or Droid has a lock on it. Whether they are trying to keep parents, boy/girl-friends or spouses out – everyone does it for the same reason – to keep prying people from accessing the information.

Do you have questions or concerns about the security of your business’s mobile devices? Contact your Now IT Works account rep to discuss.

• Netflix can’t make up its mind; drops Qwikster spin-off company (Wired)

• iPhone 4S pre-orders top 1 million sales on first day (MSNBC)

• The FCC wants all cell phones to have GPS by 2018 (Geekologie)

• Bjork’s is releasing the first ever app-album, on sale Tuesday through the Apple App Store (CNN Tech)

(image source: Gawker)

• Ability to separate guest wireless networks.  If a client/vendor/guest comes into your office with the DLink, you would have to give them the secret keys to your network to access the Internet and they would be connected to your internal network.  The Fortinet will allow you to create separate networks with separate keys.

• 3 year hardware warranty.  As opposed to a 1-year limited warranty with the DLink.

• Support.  Should something go wrong with the DLink, we can get support, but on a limited basis.  The Fortinet has a 3-year, 8×5 telephone support agreement.

• Security.  DLInk has some basic security features, but the Fortinet allows us to protect against spam and malware protection.

• Monitoring. DLink doesn’t give me the ability to see anything that is going on inside your network or address Internet connection issues – the Fortinet gives us this visibility.

This is a recurring theme – technology is not always the problem that causes us frustration, sometimes we do it to ourselves.

Ask yourself this question:  How many different systems have the same password?

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Hacking attacks against companies are growing bigger and bolder—witness a string of high-profile breaches this year at Sony Corp., Citigroup Inc. and others. But gone are the days when hackers would simply find holes in corporate networks to steal valuable data. Large companies have grown wise to the threat of hacking, and have spent the past 30 years hardening the perimeters of their networks with upgraded technology.

These days, criminals aren’t just hacking networks. They’re hacking us, the employees.

“The security gap is end users,” says Kevin Mandia, chief executive of security firm Mandiant Corp. The majority of corporate security breaches his firm is currently investigating involve hackers who gained access to company networks by exploiting well-intentioned employees.

Click here to read the rest of the article – What’s a Company’s Biggest Security Risk? You. by Geoffrey A. Fowler

Over the summer, Netflix customers were informed via email that prices would be raised and the streaming services would be separated from the by-mail DVD service. This caused an uproar on the Netflix blog and also caused stock to drop for the third quarter.

Netflix has done it again, announcing that their DVD service would now be named Qwikster, complete with separate billing charges and separate queues. Somehow they think that the same red envelope will be enough to calm people down but that’s unlikely.

Even though the service is still very reasonable and a lot cheaper than cable, here are 5 Alternatives to Netflix/Qwikster that you and your family might be interested in. While Blockbuster isn’t the powerhouse it used to be, I have a feeling RedBox is seeing quite an increase in business these days…

Windows Vista products will reach their End of Life (EOL) on October 22, 2011. After this date, Now IT Works will no longer distribute systems with Vista.  If you require Vista after 10/21/2011, please contact your Now IT Works account manager to discuss your options.

To view the Microsoft Windows Life-cycle Fact Sheet, click here.

If your computer gets the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, does the frowny face make you feel any better about it? Introducing the new Windows 8 Blue Screen error – now you know it’s really bad.

(Source: Geekologie)