Are Extended Warranties Worth The Money?

     Seems like you can’t purchase any electronic device without being offered an extended warranty – but is it a good investment? According to a recent poll of over 2,000 readers of PC World magazine, 63% said they always go for the extended warranty plan; and of those who had it, 80% were satisfied with the service. Does that mean they are a good investment?

     In our opinion, extended warranties are not necessary since most bugs will reveal themselves within the first 90 days of purchasing a technical gadget, which is well within the normal warranty of the product. But if you feel better in buying an extended warranty, here are 5 tips to follow:

1. Read the terms before you buy. You don’t have to read the warranty in the check out line – take it home. You can usually buy it later.

2. Beware of shipping charges. If the products needs to be sent in for service, you could get stuck with the tab.

3. Look for accidental damage coverage. Most policies do not cover products that are damaged from falls or spilled coffee. If that option is available, you might have to pay more for it (a good idea, particularly for mobile devices that get abused).

4. Look for extras. Many extended warranties cover replaceable items, such as bulbs in projectors which are expensive and can wear out.

5. Check for the product’s reliability online first. If you are buying a quality product, an extended warranty might not be necessary. Obviously doing a little research and spending a bit more on a better built product will save you a lot of time and aggravation in the long run anyway. You can find some good information in PC World’s annual Reliability and Service survey and Consumer Reports’ reliability ratings.

     Of course, you can always call us for our opinion since we have to fix the PCs, servers, and other gadgets for multiple clients!

Good News For Early Adopters

     It’s good news for business travelers and vacationers alike.

     The Transportation Security Administration says the iPad won’t have to be removed from carry-on baggage at security checkpoints. It’s just half an inch thick and has no parts that can block images when the machines go through the screening machine.

     Electronics that are smaller than the standard laptop, such as the Kindle, Sony Reader, and small notebook computers, can also stay in the bag.

     But it’s not an actual rule. Screeners still have the discretion to ask that the devices b removed in order to further inspect them or the cases they are in.

     The TSA recommends checkpoint-friendly bags that have a separate laptop flap that can unfold flat on the machine belt.

Shocking New CBS News Report Reveals Why Your Office Copy Machine Is Actually A Security Time Bomb

     This just in: According to a recent CBS news report, copy and multi-function machines in offices contain a huge, unknown security risk that all businesses must address immediately or face the legal, financial and PR repercussions of a security breach.

A Surprising Fact About Your Office Copier

     Nearly every printer, copier and multifunction machine manufactured after 2002 contains a hard drive that stores the images of every document you’ve ever copied, faxed, or scanned. These document images stay on that machine’s hard drive forever and can quickly and easily be reproduced with a little know-how. Surprisingly, this little fact has not received any press – until now.

A CBS Undercover Investigation

     In April of this year, a reporter went undercover to a New Jersey copier warehouse that had over 6,000 used copy machines in stock for resale. This investigation reveals a shocking fact – it’s incredibly easy for a person to retrieve and reproduce every single document ever scanned, copied, or faxed through the machines available for resale.

     As part of the investigation, the CBS reporter pulled 4 random machines that were available for sale and purchased them for approximately $300 each. These machines were immediately loaded onto a truck and delivered within 2 hours to this reporter’s office. Using a free application available online, he was able to access the hard drive of each machine and reproduce the documents within 30 minutes. What he uncovered was unbelievable.

Disturbing Facts Revealed By The Investigation

     They discovered that one of the machines was formerly owned by the City of Buffalo, New York, Sex Crimes Division. In no time at all they were able to access over 249,000 documents that passed through that machine, including lists of sex offenders and crime data. Another machine from the Buffalo PD Narcotics Division contained a list of drug raid targets. The third machine was from a construction company. It contained blueprints of buildings, over $40,000 in check copies, as well as pages of paystubs, names, and the social security numbers of employees.

     But the fourth machine was the most disturbing. It was previously owned by a New York health insurance firm and contained over 300 pages of detailed medical records including drug prescriptions, blood tests, and even a cancer diagnosis – all which blatantly violate the new HIPAA laws.

Know What Your Responsibility Is

    Before you trade in, resell or dispose of any office copier, scanner or multifunction machine you MUST make sure the hard drive is wiped clean of all information as you would any computer in your office. Failure to do so could result in damaging security breaches and identity theft for your company, staff, and customers. This goes DOUBLE if you use your office machines to scan, fax, or copy social security numbers, credit cards, or medical records of any kind.

     As always, we are here to assist you with all things digital. If you are getting ready to dispose of or trade in a copier, scanner, fax, or multi-function machine, give us a call. We can make sure your data is forever erased and inaccessible to criminals looking for an easy hit.

Just “Snagit” from TechSmith

     This month’s pick is not really a gadget. It’s a cool, inexpensive software program you’ll easily get addicted to. Snagit is easy to use screen capture software that allows you to copy, edit, share and organize images captured off of your computer screen. The more you use Snagit, the more ways you’ll find to use it.

     For example, if you are working with a designer or programmer to develop a web application or website, Snagit will allow you to capture a screen shot of the web page and add comments, cut and paste sections, add instructions, edit the design, and much more, making your communication much more precise and clear.

     Creating a user guide or instruction manual? You’ll love Snagit because you can capture segments of a computer screen and add comments and instructions right over the area (or document) you are explaining, making even the most complicated processes and software easy to follow.

     Best of all, you can store these images in various image files (jpeg, png, gif, etc.) and cut and paste them into an e-mail, Word document, website, etc. Snagit costs $49.95 for a single user license and can be purchased at http://www.techsmith.com. If you want to try before you buy, you can download a 30-day free trial at the above website as well.