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Survey shows trend toward online storage |
| There's new evidence that businesses are trending toward enlisting online services help to manage the overwhelming data storage/access crunch that's becoming more and more apparent in IT shops... (Full Article) |
Peggy Packer joins EMBARQ
in business markets |
| EMBARQ recently introduced Peggy Packer, small business sales consultant, to the Western Washington area. Packer will be providing telecommunications’ solutions to small businesses throughout EMBARQ service areas in both Oregon and Washington... (Full Article) |
Microsoft patches 20 security vulnerabilities
Software giant matches its all-time high for monthly security fixes
From eWeek |
| Microsoft delivered its monthly batch of security updates on Feb. 13, delivering fixes for 20 individual problems in its products — six of which were dubbed as critical — including 11 issues in Windows, Office, IE and even its own anti-virus tools... (Full Article) |
Wenatchee seeks firm
to create new Web site |
| The City of Wenatchee has released a Request For Proposals (RFP) to technology companies in the Northwest to design, program, create content and populate a new Web site for the City... (Full Article) |
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Paladin set to bring $14.2M into Kitsap |
| Paladin Data Systems is readying to sign a contract with Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC, formalizing a five-year agreement that could earn Paladin up to $14.2 million, if all options are exercised. The agreement, originally announced by the two companies in December, is for continuing modifications, upgrades, and support on the Aviation Maintenance Training Continuum System (AMTCS) Software Modules (ASM) that Paladin has worked on since 1999 for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), headquartered in Patuxent River, Md... (Full Article) |
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Combating computer-related eye issues |
| Computers have become an integral part of daily life. They’re used at work, when shopping, at school, and often for recreational purposes. While computer usage certainly has its advantages, prolonged or constant use of computers can lead to certain problems, most notably eye strain and fatigue... (Full Article) |
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Does email really increase productivity? |
| We all know that E-mail can save time. However, experts are quick to point out that E-mail may actually decrease employee’s productivity... (Full Article) |
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Washington Tech Summit set for April 12 |
| Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and more than 30 speakers will headline the 2007 Washington State Technology Summit, the premier industry innovation conference for our state’s technology leaders, entrepreneurs and investors... (Full Article) |
Forward Washington Foundation
welcomes new board members |
| The Forward Washington Foundation has welcomed Sen. Tim Sheldon and Jim Horn as new members of its Board of Directors. “We are proud to have individuals with such depth of experience in both the private and public sectors as members of our board.” said Foundation President Dino Rossi... (Full Article) |
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Autonomix makes splash with SPLA |
| The information technology firm Autonomix, Inc., based on Bainbridge Island, announced it has joined Microsoft’s Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) program. The Microsoft SPLA program enables service providers like Autonomix to license Microsoft products to their customers on a monthly basis.
“Sometimes the up-front investment in information technology systems is cost-prohibitive to smaller businesses,” said Erika Colson, Autonomix president. “The SPLA model offers growing companies a way to provide their employees with the up-to-date technology tools they need, and to pay as they go.”
Autonomix can be reached at www.autonomix.com or (800) 655-7494.
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EMBARQ donates high-speed internet
to NK Fishline Food Bank |
| In honor of having one million high-speed internet (HS) subscribers, EMBARQ is donating one year of HSI service to the North Kitsap Fishline in Poulsbo. The North Kitsap Fishline is a community based food bank and thrift store that provides services to people within the boundaries of North Kitsap School District.
“EMBARQ is a great organization. This donation will enable us to be more productive and save money,” Said Margie Addington, North Kitsap Fishline’s executive director.
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Randall joins Power Trip Energy staff |
| Jeff Randall has joined Power Trip Energy Corp. to do sales, marketing and policy work. He will be working directly with potential residential and commercial customers and will also seek to expand the use of solar power by public agencies, schools, and Indian tribes.
Based in Port Townsend, Power Trip Energy Corp. is a licensed and bonded electrical contracting company specializing in solar photovoltaic grid-tied power systems and serving the north Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas. Reach Randall at (360) 643-3080, (360) 301-9019, or jeffr@powertripenergy.com.
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First there was iPod, and now there’s iPhone |
| The next phase of Apple’s plan to reinvent itself as a consumer electronics company — the iPhone — was unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, at the recent annual Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco. The news received a warm reception from Wall Street and consumers alike. The touch-screen-controlled device plays music, surfs the Internet and delivers voice mail and e-mail differently than any other cell phone... (Full Article) |
eAcceleration defines Top 10
computer infections for 2006 |
| Recently Poulsbo-based eAcceleration announced the top 10 computer infections for 2006 that required custom-cleaners to be written for customers... (Full Article) |
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Black Hat Briefings, Def Con set for 2007 |
| The dates for the largest legitimate and underground computer security and hacker events in the world, the Black Hat Briefings and Def Con, have announced for 2007... (Full Article) |
Singapore:
An inspiring vision — and a warning...
By Charles Keating, President
Keating Consulting Service |
| Singapore is a first world nation, an island of prosperity in a sea surrounded by larger emerging nations. A visitor from the Puget Sound region would recognize many sights, from the diversity of people, frequent seasonal rains, even the numerous Starbucks. English is the language of business and spoken everywhere... (Full Article) |
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Congress passes U.S. SAFE WEB Act |
| On Dec. 9, Congress passed S.1608, the "U.S. SAFE WEB Act of 2006. The act amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to bolster the FTC's efforts to protect consumers, specifically to combat spam, spyware, and Internet fraud and deception.
Provisions of the legislation authorize the FTC to share information with criminal authorities, which will improve information sharing with foreign agencies that treat consumer fraud and deception as a criminal law enforcement issue. The legislation also permits the FTC to work with the Department of Justice to increase the resources relating to FTC-related foreign litigation, such as freezing foreign assets and enforcing U.S. court judgments abroad.
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Google launches private-label
apps start pages
By John Pallatto |
| Google Apps for Your Domain is getting an update that allows organizations to create customized start pages that combine their own corporate branding and specialized content with the Google search, e-mail, calendars and instant messaging... (Full Article) |
Microsoft, local schools partner
to improve math scores |
| Microsoft recently announced the launch of the Microsoft Math Partnership, an initiative to improve math education in Washington State. At the recent Prosperity Partnership Fall Luncheon, Brad Smith, senior vice president and general counsel, told guests that the company’s goal is to partner with educators and other Washington state businesses to improve math education... (Full Article) |
Vista’s here – but when will it matter?
By Charles Keating |
| Vista, Microsoft’s newest family of desktop Operating System, is now shipping to corporate customers. As it goes into full retail release Jan 30, Vista will share the market with Macs, Linux and its biggest competitor, XP itself... (Full Article) |
WSTPA roundtable checks up
on economic progress
By Rodika Tollefson |
| A small group of local leaders from various tech industries gave their view in October on the pulse of the local economic and technological progress. A roundtable organized by the West Sound Technology Professionals Association with the topic of “Tangible Strides” included... (Full Article) |
Microsoft sues “Unknown Hacker”
over digital content |
| Microsoft Corp. has sued an anonymous computer hacker whose free program allows users to copy digital movies and songs by bypassing a software protection built into the company’s Media player... (Full Article) |
CenturyTel to build wireless
broadband network in Pierce County |
| CenturyTel was selected by the Rainier Communication Commission to build a Pierce County-wide wireless broadband network. The network would be used by the members of the commission — which include Pierce County and about a dozen cities — for a backup public safety network... (Full Article) |
Super WebGroup completes
three sites using SuperWebCMS |
| Super WebGroup (SWG) recently redesigned and developed websites for Pope Resources, headquartered in Poulsbo; Gig Harbor Guide, in Gig Harbor, and also rebuilt Teragren’s website.
All three sites were developed using Super Web Group’s SuperWebCMS, which allows clients to completely maintain their sites in-house from content and search engine optimization to creating and updating dropdown navigational menus.
Super WebGroup can be reached at (206) 842-2983.
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Moff Interactive Inc. completes Web site |
| Moff Interactive Inc. recently completed a new e-commerce web site for Langlois Pianos, www.langloispiano.com. The site allows the client to customize the look, feel, and flow of the checkout process. The shopping cart system also allows for expansion by making it simple to add new products to the site.
Reach Moff Interactive Inc. at (360) 394-9601 or at www.moff.com.
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Mobile virus spreads to U.S. |
| The mobile phone virus, the SymbOS.Cabir worm, has spread to the United States. According to one recent report, there was a first sighting in a mobile phone store in Santa Clara, Calif. But, according to a spokesperson from Symantec, it will take several years before attacks become common.
The worm currently affects only Nokia Series 60 phones. It does not damage data but spreads to Bluetooth-enabled devices within close proximity.
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EFF sues Barney the Dinosaur
to defend online free speech |
| The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) asked a federal court to protect the free speech rights of a website publisher who has suffered years of baseless legal threats over his parody of the Barney and Friends television show... (Full Article) |
Splyce Software awards first
non-profit tech grant |
| Splyce Software of Gig Harbor has awarded the first of its new technology grants to Western Washington Center for the Arts (WWCA) in Port Orchard in an effort to support small and up-and-coming non-profit theatre companies... (Full Article) |
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First public use of SunLeashed prototype |
| SunLeashed recently announced that its first product prototype, an energy-saving light box, was used publicly for the first time at the Sept. 20 meeting of eAcceleration Corp. shareholders which took place in Poulsbo... (Full Article) |
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Inslee’s push for more broadband succeeds |
| Recently the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set a timetable to free up wasted portions of the television-broadcast spectrum, known as white spaces, for wireless-broadband users. The decision came less than one year after U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) won an amendment to digital-television legislation that instructs the federal agency to finish proceedings on the rule proposed in May 2004... (Full Article) |
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McKenna sues Movieland.com over spyware |
| Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna has filed Washington’s second lawsuit under the state’s computer spyware act. The suit accuses four California-based corporations of installing software that takes control of a consumer’s computer by launching aggressive and persistent pop-ups that demand payment for a movie download service... (Full Article) |
Crews fighting Tripod Fire
connected via NoaNet |
| Mason County PUD No. 3’s telecommunications department teamed up with the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet). This provided cell phone and data communications links for firefighters and managers working to control the Tripod Complex fires in North-Central Washington... (Full Article) |
StopSign support Web site
debuted by eAcceleration |
| Poulsbo’s eAcceleration Corp. makers of the popular StopSign Internet security software, recently announced the launch of new Web site, www.Home.StopSign.com, to to support the product... (Full Article) |
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Senate Republicans add legislative vodcasts |
| In 2005, the Senate Republican Caucus (SRC) gave Washington citizens access to legislative commentary, bill proposals and legislative solutions to their daily challenges in lawmakers’ own words via legislative podcasts. Now the caucus has added video podcasts, or vodcasts, to its Web site, www.src.wa.gov.
Senate Republicans were the first caucus in Olympia to offer podcasting. To date, there have been more than 3,000 visits to the SRC’s podcast page, where citizens will now be able to find the new vodcasts www.src.wa.gov/podcast. The caucus expects to offer additional vodcasts as the 2007 session approaches and unfolds.
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Innocent target of file-sharing
lawsuit deserves attorney’s fees
EFF says RIAA should pay victim’s legal costs in baseless suit |
| The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), along with the American Association of Law Libraries, the ACLU, and Public Citizen, have filed a brief with an Oklahoma district court strongly urging a judge to award the innocent target of a file-sharing lawsuit the cost of her attorney’s fees in battling the baseless allegations of the Recording Industry Association of America... (Full Article) |
ASK THE AG
Vishing – ID thieves using the phone
to scam victims |
| Consumer: I’ve seen reports about a new scam called “vishing.” What does that mean and how can I protect myself... (Full Article) |
What’s in a website?
By Becky Newton
KEDC Administration, Research and Data Specialist |
| If it’s the KEDC website, a lot!. The purpose of a website for most businesses is to sell products and services. The product sold at www.kitsapedc.org is a place — the county and the cities, our community, our services, our region and the state... (Full Article) |
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WSTPA Roundtable 2006 set for Oct. 12 |
| The West Sound Technology Professionals Association’s (WSTPA) major annual event, Roundtable 2006, is set for Oct. 12 in the Kitsap Conference Center at the Bremerton Harborside... (Full Article) |
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Did AOL leak data about your friends or family? |
| You can help make sure that AOL prevents another damaging data leak from happening ever again.
If you’re an AOL member, use the Electronic Freedom Foundation’s Action Center to call the company and find out whether you were one of the AOL customers whose search data was leaked. Find it online at action.eff.org/aolsearch.
Regardless, send a link to the Action Center to friends and family who use AOL. You can find a sample tell-a-friend letter and buttons for your blog or website at www.eff.org/Privacy/AOL/spreadtheword.php.
For more on AOL’s data leak, visit www.eff.org/Privacy/AOL.
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Moff Interactive announces completion
of two web sites |
| Kingston’s Moff Interactive Inc. announced the recent completion of a new web site for an adoption facilitator service, Baby From Heaven (www.babyfromheaven.com). The site features functional elements, such as scrolling photos on the homepage, and features a database with a “Choose a Family” section, which randomly displays waiting adoptive families.
Also completed was the website redesign for Performance Sign Products in Kingston, which wanted the ability to update photos and text in house.
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McKenna announces Oregon man
to pay under Washington Spyware Law |
| Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna announced that an Oregon man is the first defendant penalized under Washington’s new computer spyware act. Zhijian Chen, of Portland, Ore., will pay nearly $84,000 in fines and consumer restitution for marketing bogus anti-spyware software through deceptive means... (Full Article) |
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Voice Mail: A marketing tool many overlook |
| You could be missing a new way to use old technology to promote your business. Think about the messages that prospects and customers hear when they call you or your colleagues. Are you out of the office or away from your desk? Instead of a standard message, try using voice mail to tell callers about your product or to get buzz going... (Full Article) |
Judge refuses to dismiss EFF's
AT&T spying case
Ruling comes as senators consider changes to surveillance law |
| A federal judge has refused to dismiss the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) case against AT&T for collaborating with the NSA in illegal spying on millions of ordinary Americans, setting the stage for a congressional showdown over proposed dramatic changes in federal surveillance law... (Full Article) |
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Very Basic Tech Help |
| Let’s face it, computers can transform us all from reasonable businesspeople to screaming maniacs when they go on the blink. Here’s a list of where to go on the net when your business software starts going south... (Full Article) |
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Boxlight announces release of Broadview |
| Poulsbo-based Boxlight announced recently the coming release of the Broadview – a lightweight video projector with a native WXGA resolution. It is expected to ship in late summer with a suggested retail price of $1,999.
Units are available for pre-order beginning in Aug. through its website www.boxlight.com, or by calling (800) 762-5757.
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Northwest Computers to open on-line store |
| Northwest Computers is adding an online store that can be found at www.northwestcpu.com and is celebrating the opening of its new location through August 15, by including sale prices on many in-store items and culminate with the give-a-way of a 19-inch LCD monitor.
For more information on either company, contact Richard Thomas at (360) 478-0849, owner@northwestcpu.com, or visit the store at 339 N. Callow Avenue in Bremerton.
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RIAA files suit against XM Radio |
| The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has filed a lawsuit in New York Federal Court against XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., alleging its Inno device, which can store music, infringes on copyrights and transforms a passive radio experience into the equivalent of a digital download service similar to Apple’s iTunes... (Full Article) |
McKenna, AGs urge Congress and ISPs
to aid online predator fight |
| Attorney General Rob McKenna has joined 48 other attorneys general nationwide in urging Congress to work with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adopt a meaningful data retention standard to protect data critical to online child pornography and sex crime investigations... (Full Article) |
Kitsap County ranks high in Technology
Center’s 2006 Innovation Index |
| The Bremerton MSA (Kitsap County) received a number of impressive rankings in the 2006 Innovation Index published by the Washington Technology Center (WTC). The area ranked 2nd in Washington State for the highest increase in competitiveness and 2nd and 3rd in the Puget Sound region for innovation-related rankings... (Full Article) |
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Microsoft working on ending “Phone Tag” |
| For a long time now, Microsoft has been touting the end of phone tag. Shortly, the company may finally take a step in that direction... (Full Article) |
WSTPA donates wireless system
to nonprofit cooperative |
| West Sound Technology Association (WSTPA) has donated Orinoco point-to-point microwave dishes and the associated hardware and software to CIRGO, a new wireless cooperative headquartered in Olympia... (Full Article) |
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Apple fined $100K by state for license violation |
| Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler levied a $100,000 fine against Apple Computer, Inc. for selling service contracts from 2000 to 2004 without registering as a service contract provider.
Under a 1999 Washington law, all companies selling service contracts that promise to repair, replace, and maintain appliances, computers, electronic equipment, and other consumer products must register with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Apple failed to register for four years after the law took effect. In that time, the company sold 43,080 service contracts. To date, no complaints have been filed against Apple. The company is now registered.
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Moff Interactive completes two web sites |
Moff Interactive Inc. recently announced the completion of two new web sites for the North Sound Business Networking group (NSBN) and for Bainbridge Chorale.
Visit the NSBN website at www.northsoundbusinessnetwork.com and the Bainbridge Chorale web site at www.Bainbridgechorale.org.
For more information call (360) 394-9601 or visit www.moff.com. |
AOL cranks up its
pay-to-send Email shakedown
“Certified Mail” little more than a “Pay to Spam” scheme |
| AOL has quietly flipped the switch on its “certified mail” service, delivering pay-to-send email to some of its millions of customers... (Full Article) |
Who’s spoofing you?
By Maura Hallam Sweley |
| It’s happened to all of us. You’ll receive an angry email message from someone you never heard of before, accusing you of spamming them. Or you’ll open your email inbox to a flood of bounced email messages you don’t remember sending in the first place... (Full Article) |
B.I.’s Audion Labs debuts
Podcast publication features |
| Bainbridge Island software manufacturer Audion Laboratories has released VoxPro 4.1, adding a publication wizard to VoxPro’s audio recording/editing software that generates RSS files, compresses audio in MP3 format and uploads audio files directly to the web... (Full Article) |
Boxlight launches wide-screen
portable projector |
| Boxlight Corporation announced recently the release of the Broadview – a lightweight video projector with a native WXGA resolution. One of the first projectors on the market to offer widescreen capabilities and it displays any document or image with clarity and detail.
The Broadview is expected to begin shipping in June. Units are available for pre-order at www.boxlight.com, or by calling (800) 762-5757.
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MTV unveils music download service |
| MTV has debuted a beta version of an all-you-can download subscription service called Urge, that is similar to Napster, Rhapsody, and others. Urge’s main selling point is its integration with Windows Media Player 11, which launched into public beta the same day Urge debuted. It uses WMP 11’s navigation, cribs some UI cues, and lets WMP 11 users purchase and download music without even opening a new window. The relationship very much resembles iTunes Music Store’s integration with iTunes 6, minus the large collection of video downloads and podcasts that iTunes offers.
Urge’s price is comparable to the other subscription services, at $9.95 a month for unlimited downloading privileges, while $14.95 a month buys a To Go subscription for loading music onto portable devices.
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Security flaws at retailers affect thousands
of debit card holders |
| Hundreds of thousands of debit cards may have been affected by fraud, but affected banks, card companies, and retailers are releasing very few details on the incident... (Full Article) |
McKenna, Microsoft announce
landmark spyware lawsuit |
| Attorney General Rob McKenna recently announced the filing of Washington’s first lawsuit under the state’s new computer spyware act... (Full Article) |
Judge restricts DOJ’s
demand for Google records |
| On March 17, a federal district judge in California issued an order limiting the Justice Department’s demand for records from Google. While Google must still turn over a list of 50,000 web addresses, it will not have to reveal any Internet search terms submitted by users... (Full Article) |
Survey finds IT workers more
stressed out than other workers |
| Fear of losing their jobs, work overload and stress in the workplace have information technology (IT) professionals across the country restless. ISR, an international employee research and consulting firm, annually conducts a survey comparing opinions on job stress and employment security issues between U.S.-based IT workers and the overall U.S. workforce... (Full Article) |
Security questions remain in
new Sony BMG security patch
Previous patch for SunnComm MediaMax had separate vulnerability |
| Sony BMG has released a second patch to correct the security vulnerability in its compact discs released with SunnComm MediaMax software Version 5 — a flaw that affects millions of CDs in the U.S. and Canada... (Full Article) |
EFF suing AT&T to stop NSA’s
illegal domestic spying program
EFF looking to communicate directly with AT&T customers |
| The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a class-action lawsuit recently to stop AT&T from continuing to violate the law and the privacy of its customers by collaborating with the National Security Agency (NSA) in its massive program to wiretap and data-mine Americans’ communications... (Full Article) |
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Linux servers in the workplace at WSTPA |
| On April 20, Ron Tidd will present a workshop on Linux servers in the workplace at the West Sound Technology Professionals Association (WSTPA) regular meeting.
The meeting will be held at the Kitsap Regional Library in Poulsbo from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The workshop will also cover a quick overview of the open source Linux OS. The event is free for WSTPA members, and $5 for non-members.
For more information, visit www.wstpa.org.
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Knowles takes on new role at Paladin |
| Paladin Data Systems announced recently that Scott Knowles has been promoted to the position of consulting manager. In that role, Knowles will oversee the management for all of Paladin’s software development and maintenance efforts including the ASM Web application for the Navy, the Outbreak Detection Information Network (ODIN) project for the Army and other important projects for Lockheed Martin.
A Paladin employee since 2004, Knowles first came to the company as a project manager. Prior to coming to work for Paladin, Knowles was a long-time employee of Electronic Data Systems (EDS), serving first as a systems engineer and then as a project manager in the company’s Poulsbo office.
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Toy or tool?
By Jim Kendall |
| Is it a toy or is it a tool? If you are involved in any way in “consumer electronics” the assumption is that at some level the techie device is a toy. While there is a certain amount of validity to that assumption, what were once viewed mostly as cutting edge techie toys are becoming mainstream tools for businesses and individuals... (Full Article) |
Google copying your hard drive –
government smiling in anticipation
EFF advises against using new Google Desktop |
| Google recently announced a new “feature” of its Google Desktop software that greatly increases the risk to consumer privacy. If a consumer chooses to use it, the new “Search across Computers” feature will store copies of the user’s Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets and other text-based documents on Google’s own servers, to enable searching from any one of the user’s computers... (Full Article) |
County moves toward fiber optic network
By Rodika Tollefson |
| A four-phase project that started earlier this year will change Kitsap County’s current T-1 network to fiber optic cable, allowing more bandwidth while providing cost savings... (Full Article) |
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Autonomix unveils Small Office Network |
| Autonomix, of Bainbridge Island, recently unveiled Small Office Network – a new managed network service plan designed especially for small businesses... (Full Article) |
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Tech wages hit five-year high during Q4 2005 |
| Hourly wages for highly skilled technology professionals hit record levels in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to the latest Yoh Index of Technology Wages, the quarterly compensation index used by Fortune 500 companies to determine salary scales since 2001... (Full Article) |
KISS your website
By Jim Kendall |
| KISS is a handy acronym that is a good general admonition for many things in life, particularly things of a technical nature. KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. When it comes to matters technical, it is often the case that the more complicated a thing is, the more difficult the thing is to use or adapt or deploy or maintain. This is a perfect admonition when applied to your web pages... (Full Article) |
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