Samsung will host an $800,000 contest for developers that build apps for the Galaxy S4 using the company’s peer-to-peer software interface.

The contest will have 10 winners, awarding $200,000 to one first-place winner, $100,000 each to three second-place winners, and $50,000 each to six developers that come in third. Winning apps will also be candidates for investments from Samsung’s venture arm and be promoted through the company’s online properties and press events.

The company said apps in the contest will be judged on categories such as uniqueness, commercial potential, and design. Apps must be entered for consideration from June 20 to Aug. 31, and the judging will run through November.

The South Korean company said Monday entrants in its “Smart App Challenge 2013″ must make use of the Samsung Chord SDK (software development kit). Chord is a software interface for creating wireless connections directly between Samsung smartphones, without the use of an online server or mobile phone network.

Samsung is marketing its peer-to-peer technology to end users as “Group Play,” a service for multiplayer games or sharing music and photos among users of its smartphone and tablets. The company is the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer but relies on Google’s Android ecosystem for the bulk of its online offerings and apps, most of which also run on rival phones.

In addition to the use of Chord, entries must be sold on the “Samsung Apps” marketplace and use Samsung’s application programming interfaces (APIs) for in-app purchases and displaying advertisements.

This will be the second year for the contest. Last year’s competition, for the larger Galaxy Note and Tab devices, was won by the “Gun & Blood” app, a shoot-em-up marketed by developer Feelingtouch with the description “Listen up man, it is time to kill all terrorists.”

Chord is a Java-based API that attempts to make it easier for developers to implement the various aspects of peer-to-peer applications, including discovering nearby devices, messaging and file transfer.

To learn more about the entry requirement go to http://developer.samsung.com/ssac2013

Source: IDG news service

Microsoft will end its support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014, leaving millions of users vulnerable to harmful viruses and other malicious software. Consumer’s will no longer receive security updates and their personal information can be easily stolen.

The statement released by Windows said, “The expiration of support for Windows XP is deemed necessary due to the dramatic evolution of technology. Business and personal technology has dramatically changed over the last decade.”

Microsoft director Stella Chernyak wrote in her post, “Now you may be asking yourself – should I wait to upgrade until the next versions of Windows and Office are available? We don’t recommend waiting.” She added, “ Not only is it important for companies to complete deployment before support runs out, but they should also be aware that by upgrading to Windows 7 and Office 2010 today they can gain substantial results today while laying the foundation for future versions of these products.”

What are the potential threats for running Windows XP SP3 and Office 2003 after the end date?

According to Microsoft, there are several problems that may arise if you decide to be affiliated with with XP even after Microsoft support ends.

• Security & Compliance Risks: Unauthorized modification and glitches in your computer system, may result in an officially recognized control failure by an internal or external audit body, leading to suspension of certifications, and/or public notification of the organization’s inability to maintain its systems and customer information. In other words, Microsoft will no longer be identifying and fixing unapproved invasion on Windows XP.
• Lack of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) & Hardware Manufacturers support: A recent industry report from Gartner Research suggests “many independent software vendors (ISVs) are unlikely to support new versions of applications on Windows XP in 2011; in 2012, it will become common.” And it may stifle access to hardware innovation: Gartner Research further notes that in 2012, most PC hardware manufacturers will stop supporting Windows XP on the majority of their new PC models.

What you should do

There are many options available considering moving to a modern PC with the latest productivity and collaboration tools. Businesses should locate a Microsoft Certified Partner to understand the best options to meet their business needs. You have an option of clean install Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8 Pro with the help of a Microsoft Certified Partner.

Blueprint IT Solutions is ready to help

Blueprint IT solutions is a Microsoft Certified Partner that can help you acquire Microsoft Windows 7 Professional you need for home office or business. We are fully equipped with the latest technologies and experienced technicians to put an end to your business threats. Stop by Blueprint IT Solutions before it’s too late and complete the deployment that your business needs.

Majority of businesses in America have surveillance cameras, and only one-fourth of Americans think their privacy has been violated.

According to recent national survey by the Rasmussen Reports, only 23% Americans feel like surveillance cameras have violated their privacy.

The survey by Rasmussen Report that involved 1,000 adults on April 22-23, 2013 revealed.

• 70% favor use of surveillance cameras in public places.
• 23% think surveillance cameras have violated their privacy.
• 28% feel legal system puts public safety ahead of individual rights.
• 24% adults think the U.S. legal system worries too much about public safety.
• 29% adults think the U.S. legal system has maintained a balance between rights and safety, while 20% are not sure.

Rasmussen Reports is a media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion information. To view the entire survey question, click here.

Cybercrime’s easiest prey: Small businesses

Small businesses are the ‘most victimized’

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Cybercriminals have picked their easiest prey: Small businesses.

A data breach investigations report from Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500), released Tuesday, showed that small businesses continue to be the most victimized of all companies.

Of the 621 confirmed data breach incidents Verizon recorded in 2012, close to half occurred at companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, including 193 incidents at entities with fewer than 100 workers.

A separate report from cybersecurity firm Symantec (SYMC, Fortune 500) confirmed that trend. It found cyberattacks on small businesses with fewer than 250 employees represented 31% of all attacks in 2012, up from 18% in the prior year.

It’s a pattern that Kevin Thompson, senior analyst with Verizon’s RISK team, says he has noticed for the past six years.

Larger corporations have upped the ante against cybercrime recently, investing heavily in sophisticated security strategies. That’s forced cybercriminals to look for other ways in.

“A typical small business doesn’t have a 50-person IT department and every computer protected,” said Andrew Singer, director of Symantec’s small business group. “They don’t have the money for it.”

Related Story: Shodan: The scariest search engine on the Internet

Increasingly, cybercriminals are using smaller businesses as a stepping stone. Smaller suppliers or partners of large companies often “offer the path of least resistance” into a major corporation’s network, noted Singer.

Another tactic some more patient cybercriminals are using is targeting small companies in growth industries, such as health care or manufacturing. The bad guys hope that their targets could be acquired by a larger corporation in a year or two. Meanwhile, they lie in wait — if and when the company merges or is acquired, they gain access to breach the system of the larger parent company.

Despite the statistics, too many small businesses think they’re invulnerable. Some believe their small business would be a boring target for hackers.

That’s a mistake, said Vikram Thakur, Symantec’s principal security response manager. Small businesses can’t afford to remain complacent or ignorant about the risk of being a cyberattack target.

“Small businesses retain very valuable information for hackers, like customers’ credit card numbers, intellectual property, and money in the bank,” he said. “Small companies are lucrative victims, too. That’s making the target on their back even bigger.”

The most common tactics cyberattackers use against small businesses include “ransomware” scams that lock computers and demand a ransom fee. Attackers also use malicious software designed to steal information from employees’ mobile devices and malware that uses a small businesses’ website as bait to gain access to a larger company’s database.

As cyberattacks proliferate against them, Verizon’s Thompson said the most important lessons for small businesses are the most basic: Use good passwords, update your antivirus software and don’t expose your essential business services to the Internet. 

First Published: April 22, 2013: 9:24 PM ET

You think you’ve heard it all until… you work as a customer service representative at Apple? For those who think that the top-notch tech company attracts only the brainiest clientele, think again. The questions they’ve received from these customers proves that they, too, have heard it all.

(And yes, these are real questions posed by real customers, either over the phone or in-person at an Apple store.)

1.   After receiving an Apple product as a gift, a woman called and asked: “What is it?” She described the device as “flat.”

2.  A young girl called because her iPhone wasn’t working. She said she got “something sticky all over it,” and wondered, if she brought it in, would we get it off?

3.  A caller asked: “What’s up with the stock price?” (Yes, he called a retail store for investment advice.)

4.  A man called to complain about Siri. He said that “Siri did not sound like the commercial; sounds more like a robot.” That so?

5.  A woman called in a panic after dropping her iPhone down a porta potty and asked what she should do. One can only hope she wasn’t calling from the same phone.

6.  A customer asked how his iPhone could have moisture damage just by being left in the refrigerator.

7.  A gentleman asked if our computers came with Windows. (Microsoft Windows, that is.)

8.  A caller was upset that Apple had replaced the iPad3 with an updated version. He insisted Apple should “swap out” his old iPad for the new one given that he had just bought it seven or eight months ago—you know, the same way you’d swap out your 2012 Ford Explorer for the 2013 model.

9.  While getting price quotes on new computers, a caller asked: “But does the Internet come on that?”

This article was retrieved off of Forbes.com.

Gone are the days when you thought your phone was safe by merely securing it with a password. According to a report by Jupiter Networks, hackers are increasingly targeting smartphones and other mobile devices with malicious software to gain access to personal information.

Malware (short for malicious software) is created by hackers to disrupt your mobile phone without your knowledge. There are different types of malware that can gather sensitive information, interrupt phone operation, and gain access to your private information like passwords that can lead to identity theft. It has the ability to track your location and make unauthorized charges to your cell phone bill.

Your computer isn’t safe from malware either. When you download apps and files from suspicious links and browse unsafe websites, Malware will be just a click away, waiting on the other side. But that doesn’t mean you can’t save your phones and computers from being attacked. Just like anti-virus software available to protect your computer, there are free mobile security apps: two of which are Lookout Mobile Security and Avast Free Mobile Security.

Lookout Mobile Security

Lookout Mobile Security is a free app (it also has a paid version with extra features) that scans your phone for malware and viruses, provides back up and restoration of contacts and locates your phone when it goes missing. This app is meant for both iOS and Android devices including smartphones and tablets. Its premium version for android includes a privacy report for all apps. It can also lock and wipe all the data from your phone in case it is lost or stolen.

Avast Free Mobile Security

Avast Free Mobile Security app is for you if you have an Android device. It has many of the same features as the Lookout Mobile Security app, except for the backup feature. You can schedule to run a virus scan every day at the same time and it will display a message reporting malware found on your device. If you ever lose your phone, you can send a message to display on your screen that can includes your contact information so whoever found it can reach you. It also has a firewall mode for its users that modifies the phone so hackers can’t access the device.

With the increasing malware attacks, it is highly recommended that you download one of these apps to protect your smartphones or tablets. Otherwise, users should be careful while downloading and use only trusted sources and should avoid sharing information over public Wi-Fi network.

Thanks to a recently updated tax deduction titled “Section 179 Election,” the Federal Government now allows businesses to buy up to $560,000 in machinery, computers, software, office furniture, vehicles, or other tangible goods and thereby reducing their taxable income on your current year’s tax return.

How this works is by the Federal Government raising the deduction limit for Section 179 to $139,000. Because of this raise, businesses can buy a piece of equipment and adjust the Full Purchase Price (up to $139,000) from their gross income. This 50% bonus depreciation has been extended to tax year 2012. For equipment purchases over the Section 179 deduction of $139,000 companies can deduct an additional 50% of the average in addition to their standard depreciation deduction (for new equipment only).

The Section 179 could also save businesses money on their 2012 taxes, if they act quickly. Thanks to the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010, Section 179’s deduction was increased from $200,000 to $560,000. However, to benefit from this deduction, new machinery, computers, software, office furniture, vehicles, or other tangible goods need to be purchased before 2013 begins. Otherwise Section 179 can’t help 2012 profits.

For more information on how Blueprint IT Solutions can help your business save money on this year’s taxes, call us at 701-893-3400. We’ll be happy to give you advice on how Section 179 can help both your business and your bottom line.

Happy Holidays!

In the modern technology age, it seems like there is data floating around everywhere. However, even with the growing popularity of virtualization and cloud computing, there are certain points where data can (and will) disappear – for good.

Myth #1: The Microsoft Windows Recycle Bin saves every deleted file and folder

What the Recycle Bin actually does is take files or folders that are deleted within Windows Explorer and, rather than delete them, puts them into the Recycle Bin. However, large files, files that have been deleted from a command line or remotely, and earlier versions of modified files, aren’t saved in the Recycle Bin for later data recovery.

Myth #2: Updated Microsoft Office applications will always be readable

Microsoft Office applications are frequently updated. However, the new programs often require new data formats, and the documents created with earlier versions of an Office program will be saved in the new format. The Recycle Bin doesn’t save these earlier, overwritten versions of Office documents in its data backup.

Myth #3: Some applications automatically delete files without asking

Many applications will delete earlier versions during updates, and these types of deletions aren’t protected for data recovery in the Recycle Bin.

Myth #4: Regular data backup enables fast file recovery

While data backups are always a good idea, the can fall short as a tool for recovering deleted files. This is true for two reasons:

1.) Files that are created, edited, or deleted after the last backup aren’t actually on the backup media, and

2.) For the files that were on the data backup device, restoring the file would involve reading the index of the backup, locating the file on the backup media, and copying it to a target location. This could be carried out quickly, or it could take several hours.

Myth #5: Cloud backup enables fast file recovery

Many of the issues relating to searching for deleted files and recovering from storage over the cloud are the same as those for regular data backup.

Myth #6: Microsoft Backup and Snapshots enable fast file recovery

Microsoft Backups are designed to be run at specific intervals, and can save previous versions of files. However, the data recovery doesn’t address files that were changed after the backup was made.

Snapshots, on the other hand, capture the system state and the changes made at pre-set intervals or when certain events occur. But recovering files from Snapshots may be time-consuming and may involve rebuilding files from multiple, earlier snapshots.

Myth #7: Data recovery software is fast and easy

Rather than undeleting files, these tools actually scan disk drives (sometimes sector by sector) in an attempt to locate files that are written onto the drive – whether a file name is attached to the data in the sectors or not. This can be very time-consuming, however, and success will be limited.

Myth #8: Once a file is deleted, it’s gone for good

When a file is deleted, the data that made up the file still resides on the disk. What is “deleted” is the locations where the data resides, which are now marked free for other files to overwrite data onto. However, the data for these deleted files may still reside on the disk – whether the file has been overwritten or not.

Myth #9: Files deleted from a file share can be recovered from the Recycle Bin

In today’s networks, client files are often stored on file shares on a network file server. Although it may look to the user as if a file is stored on a local drive, this “drive” is actually a virtual drive that is physically located elsewhere. A file that is deleted from such a “local” drive is actually removed from a file share – and is not stored in the Recycle Bin or available for data recovery.

Myth #10: If a file is deleted in a virtual environment, it’s gone for good

There are certain types of computer software that protect data in virtualized environments that the Windows Recycle Bin misses, in the same way that it protects physical servers and workstations.

The only surefire way to make sure all your data is being saved is to either bring it to a computer specialist company like Blueprint IT Solutions, or to enroll in a business continuity solution program, in which you receive automatic data backup services. Call Blueprint today to talk with someone about which option would be best for you, and keep all your data safe — forever.

Every year, technology manufacturers make a point to release their newest tablet fleets in time for the holiday season, and this year is no different. Thus far, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble have produced the biggest tablet contenders.

The tablets we’ll be examining include:

Here’s a breakdown on how each of these tablets compare.

Weight

Of the 10” tablets, the Surface RT is the heaviest (at 680g) while the Nexus 10” is the lightest (only 603g). The 7” tablets weigh in a little lighter, starting with the iPad mini (308g) and increasing up to 394g, which is the weight of the Kindle Fire HD.

Processor

If you need a quick-loading tablet, your best bet for 10” devices is the Nexus 10 (whose processor is 1.7GHz). The Surface RT is much slower, moving at 1.4GHz. For 7” tablets, the Nexus 7 and Nook HD both operate at 1.3GHz, while the iPad mini is the slowest of the fleet, moving at 1GHz.

RAM

Need a lot of memory while you haul your tablet around? Both the Surface RT and the Nexus 10 have 2GB of RAM, while the iPad, Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, and Nook HD all have 1GB. The iPad mini has only half of the amount of memory as the other devices, with only 512MB of RAM.

Storage

For those who have a lot of data to keep in their tablets, either the iPad, Surface RT, or iPad mini will be your best bet, as each of them can hold up to 64GB. All of the other tablets can hold up to 32GB, other than the Nook HD, which maxes out at 16GB.

Wireless

Luckily, in this season all of the tablets can access Wi-Fi. However, the iPad and iPad mini add to that by also offering LTE connections, and the Nexus 7 offers the option of utilizing HSPA+.

Battery

All seven of these tablets can last at least 7.5 hours without a recharge. The Kindle Fire HD lasts up to 11 hours, while the iPad, iPad mini, and nexus 7 can go for 10 hours on a single charge. The Nexus 10 and Nook HD might not last more than 9 hours, however, and the Surface RT isn’t guaranteed to last more than a mere 7.5 hours.

Starting prices

Not but not least, one of the biggest determining factors to keep in mind when purchasing a tablet: pricing. The iPad and Surface RT are the most expensive tablets, starting at $499 each (without a contract), while the Nexus 10 is the most affordable 10” tablet, starting at $399. The 7” devices are much cheaper. The iPad mini starts at $329 while the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD and Nook HD are more budget-friendly, starting at $199.

It would be wrong to say that one of these tablets was better than the others. These seven will be the most worthy of your attention for the holidays, and which one you choose entirely depends on how you plan to use your tablet. Since every user is different, choose according to your lifestyle, and you can’t go wrong.

For the full article comparing these seven tablets, click here.

First it was the FBI-MoneyPak virus, now the new ransom ware on the block is SOPA

It wasn’t long ago that I reported on the FBI-MoneyPak ransom ware virus which was making the rounds on the Internet, tricking unsuspecting users into believing that the FBI had locked their computer after finding such activity as file-sharing and child pornography. Users were instructed to pay a ‘fine’ between $200-$500 USD via MoneyPak or their computer would remain unusable.

 Last week, anti-virus companies such as Symantec and Kaspersky issued a warning that a new ransom ware virus was found in the wild, infecting personal computers in the United States. This new ransom ware uses the same tactics of the FBI-MoneyPak ransom ware, but the warning page used to scare computer owners has been changed, as has the name.

Thus, I’d like to bring up SOPA. The Stop Online Piracy Act.  You may remember this was a proposed US legislation, introduced on October 11th 2011, which failed to reach the floor of the US House of Representatives.  You also may remember the massive online protests against the bill in January of this year. Many websites voluntarily shut themselves down in protest, the tech media voiced its outrage, protesters took to the streets in major cities and the mainstream media covered the opposition in detail. Those of us in the tech industry heaved a huge sigh of relief when the bill was quashed.

However, virus engineers are cashing in on the SOPA name by creating a ransom ware virus, which only affects computers running one of the Windows-Based operating systems (i.e. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, et. al.) while Macintosh OS X users and Linux OS users are not at risk.

When activated, this ransom ware will display an ‘alert’ splash-screen on the user’s computer which claims the user’s computer’s IP address was included on the “SOPA Black List” because the IP address was associated with Downloading or Distributing music or movie files, software, child pornography, or using ‘phishing software’. The alert page warns that unless the user pays a fine of $200 USD within three days, the user’s computer will be wiped clean. Some variants of the virus tell the user to use the MoneyPak funds transfer system, while other variants are telling users to use Western Union.

This is a scam. Giving money to the scammers will not unlock your computer nor remove the alert page. The FBI issued a statement when the ‘FBI-MoneyPak’ virus was making the rounds that the FBI would never use such software on the US public. They also would not tell offenders to use ‘Money-Pak’ funds transfers to pay any fines. Taking a close look at the alert screen reveals that all is not what is seems.

Signs that you might be experiencing this ransom ware include seeing text like:

• “…on Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261) you PC and files are now blocked.”
• “You can remove your IP from black list”
• “..paying a fine of 200 (USA and Canada) / 200EUR (via Western Union to other countries)”
• note: US law does not apply to those living outside of the USA so this is a glaring red light. Also at the time of this writing, 1 Euro is equaled to $1.30 USD)
• “You can send one ciphered file on email”
• “What if I don’t have possibility to purchase…”
• “If you don’t pay the fine within 72 HOURS at the amount of”

These warnings aren’t exactly the wording one would expect from an official of US Government-sanctioned software.

If you or someone you know has been infected with this ransom ware, I highly recommend taking your computer to a qualified technician for repair. Virus engineers design these ransom ware viruses to be difficult to remove. If you have not been infected, it is suggested to make sure your anti-virus software, subscription, and its virus database are up-to-date. It is also recommended to verify via Windows Update that all Windows security patches and critical updates have been installed.

This post was written by Brian Schott, IT Consultant at Blueprint IT Solutions.