Mozy had a great time in Las Vegas at EMC World 2013. We’re grateful to everyone who stopped by the booth to say hi, pick up some swag and talk cloud backup with us.
We also gave away hundreds of our famous “Back the F:\ Up” t-shirts, and had a lot of fun with our “Don’t Gamble With Your Data” social media contest as well.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights (via Twitter):
We’re already looking forward to EMC World 2014 – we’ll see you there!
Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week features a bike with car-like lights, a juror jailed for texting in court, and a mind-reading tablet. All that and more in this edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.
The Tablet You Move with Your Mind
Samsung is planning some Jedi mind tricks with some of it’s new touchless tablet technology. According to Zachary Lutz of Engadget, the company is working with researchers at the University of Texas on brainwave technology. By using EEG caps, they can harnesses the power of the mind to control tablets and smartphones. Right now the technology is aimed to help people with disabilities, but the article suggests Samsung may eventually make it more mainstream.
Texting During Trial Lands Juror in Jail
In a story fit for both the police blotter and technology news, a 26-year-old juror in Oregon, was sent to jail by a judge after texting in the middle of an ongoing trial. Mike Flacy of Digital Trends reports that the judge had previously warned the jury that all electronic devices were forbidden during the trial. When the judge noticed Kohler’s bright screen during the viewing of a surveillance video related to the case, he sent the man to jail on contempt of court charges.
Voice-Activated Vacuum Does Your Cleaning on Command
The new Roboking by LG is a vacuum that takes voice commands and can tell which direction they are coming from. So, simply stand by a pile of dirt and demand the vacuum come over and clean it, says Amanda Kooser of CNET. This robo-vac also has a feature where it will pause when you clap twice. Going for about $735, the Roboking can last for 100 minutes before needing a charge.
Bike Wheels with Build-In LED Lights Designed for Rider Safety
Revolights City v2.0 bike wheels are sparking some interest among cycling enthusiasts. The wheels, which have built-in LED lights, have taillights and brake lights (just like a car) so riders can be seen at night. According to Mashable, the product has been created by the group Revolights, which in 2011 launched its original LED tires on Kickstarter with much success. However, the biggest complaint about the initial product was that the lights were difficult to put on the tires. So to combat that issue, the company has come back with version 2.0, which are tires with the lights already built in.
Viewers to Determine which Amazon Original Shows will Stick Around
Amazon isn’t just selling DVDs of television shows these days; they’re now airing pilots of 14 original shows on their website, and they’re allowing their customers to choose which ones will stick around. According to the Los Angeles Times, Amazon will post all 14 pilots online and ask viewers for their feedback. Based on the critiques, the company will decide which of the shows are developed into a full series. Among the shows featured are “Zombieland” (based on the movie), a musical office comedy set in Manhattan, and an action comedy about four senators living together in Washington D.C.
The Mozy team is excited to head to Las Vegas for EMC World 2013, May 6-9 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. You can find us in booth #735 (right next to the EMC BRS booth). We’re looking forward to catching up with old friends and spreading the good word about Mozy. Stop by the booth for a free massage, and make sure to pick up one of the coveted “Back the F:/ Up” t-shirts.
Mozy will also be featured in two EMC World sessions:
We’ll also have a Partner Buzz session on May 7th at 11:30 am featuring a 20 minute Mozy presentation.
You shouldn’t ever gamble with your business data by using a backup provider you can’t trust. However, Mozy is offering EMC World attendees a chance to win big by “gambling” for prizes in a giant poker game at our booth. Stop by booth #735 to pick up your cards. Get more information (including a rundown of the over $2,000 in prizes we’re giving away) and mention this blog post when you stop by the booth for an extra card.
You can still register for EMC World. Find out more about EMC World 2013.
Whether they’re hawking donuts, tacos, Mexican food or fish, food trucks have started to become commonplace in many cities in the United States. Coinciding with the increase in the number of food trucks is the ubiquity of social media. Given that food trucks often move to multiple locations during the day, outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Instagram are the perfect tools to help hungry customers find the meal they’re looking for. These apps also lend themselves to telling the stories of these trucks, with great pictures of food on the grill, check-ins from trucks that have just parked and are open for business, and posts with the schedule for the upcoming week. Without these tools, it’d be much more difficult for food trucks to connect with their audience, especially because they’re often open for business in different locations each week.
Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week features 47-inch touch-screen navigation systems coming to New York, tweeting churchgoers, and a smart watch battle. All that and more in this edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.
Huge Navigation Touch Screens Coming to NYC Subway
New York City officials are trying to make it a lot easier for people to reach their destinations without getting lost. According to CNET, the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority is collaborating with the Control Group, a technology and design agency, to provide 47-inch touch-screen kiosks with detailed maps of the city to be used in the subway system. The kiosks will feature interactive maps, alerts, and service announcements, according to the article, and up to 90 of them will be installed this year.
Would You Skype Your Wedding? 49 Percent of Brides Say They Would
Gone are the days of having a wedding with a single photographer. Technology is taking over in the wedding world, says Sherri L. Smith for Mashable. The article discusses how recent studies have shown that brides are very willing to use an abundance of technology when they say “I do.” While 49 percent said they wouldn’t mind having their ceremony being shown on Skype, 59 percent used Facebook to find or share wedding ideas, 68 percent took and shared photos of dress fittings and other preparation, and 59 percent update Facebook with their new name within one day of the wedding. As for Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, photos and video from those seem to be a little harder to come by.
Reverend Encourages Churchgoers to Tweet During Sermon
In the past most churches would frown at the use of cell phones during services. But Rev. Patrick Mead, senior pastor at Eastside Church of Christ in Colorado Springs is embracing the use of social media and technology. The reverend encourages his parishioners to Tweet or send Facebook messages out during his sermons, writes Stephanie Earls. And Eastside Church of Christ isn’t the only one using, or encouraging the use of social media among its congregation. More and more church leaders are turning to social media to spread the word of God, share information and to woo new members.
Will the Smart Watch be the New Tech Craze? Apple and Samsung Think So
It’s official: the smart watch is the next big thing: at least in the eyes of tech giants. Apple and Samsung. Reports surfaced earlier this month that Apple was working on a new iWatch, but details were scarce. Since then, Samsung has also announced plans to develop its own version of a smartwatch, according to Doug Gross of CNN. Of course Samsung isn’t releasing any details either, so no one knows the features, cost, or even look of the new devices. The smart watch may be the latest product in the “wearable technology” trend that has most recently included Google Glass.
World Backup Day is March 31, 2013. Now is a great time to audit your current backup solution, make sure you know your backups are working and test restoring your files, This World Backup Day guide walks you through testing your own Mozy setup, and what to do if you’re not currently backing up.
Make sure to make it through to the end for 2 chances to win awesome prizes!
Now is a great time to make sure that you know how to restore your files. Run through a test restore with these instructions.
Running into any problems or have some questions? Our support team is standing by – they’re here to help!
What should you look for in a cloud backup provider? We’ve put together a helpful guide with some good questions to consider in your search.
With over 3 million users, Mozy is a great choice for protecting your data. You can get started with a free 2GB account. Need more space? No problem – use the promo code “WorldBackupDay” for 15% off all new 1- and 2- year MozyHome and MozyPro accounts. Sign up for Mozy.
Backup is important for businesses as well. Over 90,000 businesses trust MozyPro with their important information. Find out how MozyPro can turn your backups into a competitive advantage for your company.
Know someone who doesn’t backup or needs some help getting started? Click here to tweet out the 15% discount code and help them get started with protecting their files.
Everyone who tweets will be entered to win one of three ZAGGSparq Portable Battery chargers (capable of charging a smart phone/device up to four times on a single charge) because you could always use some “backup” power, right? One entry per Twitter account, please.
Has Mozy saved your bacon recently? Let us know how in the comments – you could win a Sonos Playbar TV Soundbar and Wireless Speaker ($699 value). One entry will be chosen by our team.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament begins today. Over the next three weeks, millions of people will watch as carefully selected brackets are turned into meaningless scratch paper by amazing upsets and tournament drama.
Business productivity will suffer (to the tune of either $4 billion or $192 million nationwide, depending on who you believe) and millions of cubicle dwellers and desk jockeys will spend their time watching, instead of working.
While your bracket might be worthless after the first weekend, and your 14th seeded alma mater might not make it past game one, Mozy is giving you a chance to still be a winner during this tournament.
Every weekday during the NCAA tournament (beginning Thursday, March 21, running through Monday, April 8), we’ll tweet out an NCAA tournament trivia question with the hashtag #MozyMadness. If you know the answer, reply and include the #MozyMadness hashtag. Follow @Mozy on Twitter to make sure you see the questions.
You can also find the questions updated on this blog post. You can also enter by commenting on this post with your answer.
Each tweet/comment with the correct answer will be entered into a drawing to win a Mozy Madness prize, complete with an office basketball hoop and matching ball, a commemorative faux leather Mozy basketball, and two headbands for your epic games of cubicle 1-on-1:
Each basketball hoop winner will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a pair of custom Nike Zoom KD V iD basketball shoes (in Mozy colors, of course), along with a 94Fifty Bluetooth basketball and a free year of MozyHome.
We’ll be posting the questions here on the blog as well, so if you’re not on Twitter, bookmark this post and come back daily for a chance to leave a comment and win. Everyone who answers correctly (whether on Twitter or by commenting on this post) will be considered eligible to win. We’ll update each question with an answer and winner after one has been chosen. Best of luck, this could be your one shining moment!
Contest rules and info: No purchase necessary. Limited to US residents only. Nike is not a sponsor of this promotion and does not endorse it. Shoe sizes available in men’s 7-18, women’s 5.5-15.5, and kids 4Y-6Y. Shoe design may be different from appearance in picture. 94Fifty Basketball is a Kickstarter project. If it is not fully funded and/or the product is not available, Mozy reserves the right to offer a different prize of similar value. Mozy reserves the right to alter, change, or discontinue this promotion and its associated prizes at any time. Participation in this promotion signifies understanding of and agreement with the above rules and guidelines. Mozy employees and contractors and their families are not eligible for this promotion. Previous winners are not eligible to win again.
1 (Thursday, March 21): What are the odds of filling out a perfect bracket?
Answer: 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 (9.2 quintillion). Winner: @Steel_By_Design
2 (Friday, March 22): How many teams were in the inaugural NCAA tournament in 1939?
Answer: 8 teams Winner: @EricBfromCLE
3 (Monday, March 25): Number 1 seeds have won how many of the last 14 NCAA tournament championships?
Answer: 10 teams Winner: @GeekDad248
4 (Tuesday, March 26): What university hosted the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament?
Answer: Northwestern University Winner: @curtislu
5 (Wednesday, March 27): Who is the only coach to have won an NCAA and NBA championship?
Answer: Larry Brown Winner: @KrisJano99
6 (Thursday, March 28): Who holds the record for most points scored in a single tournament game (61)?
Answer: Austin Carr, 1970 Winner: @StaceyLClark23
7 (Friday, March 29): Which team won both the NIT tournament and the NCAA tournament in the same year?
Answer: The City College of New York Winner: @JohnSpielmann
8 (Monday, April 1): What team has the longest streak of consecutive NCAA appearances?
Answer: North Carolina, 27 (1971 – 2001) Winner: @jteek2000
9 (Tuesday, April 2): What four teams have at least 40 appearances in the NCAA tournament?
Answer: North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, Kentucky Winner: @sperls13
10 (Wednesday, April 3): Which coach has the most NCAA tournament wins?
Answer: Mike Krzyzewski, 79 wins Winner: @leah_bh
11 (Thursday, April 4): How many different coaches have won national championships with the University of Kentucky?
Answer: 5 (Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, John Calipari) Winner: @ukfan4life66
12 (Friday, April 5): What school has the most appearances in NCAA national championship title game?
Answer: UCLA, 12 appearances Winner: @DeejDrake
13 (Monday, April 8): How many combined championship game appearances do Louisville and Michigan have?
Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week features Facebook planning a whole new look, cloud and it’s potential impact on Healthcare, and a law that would prevent texting while walking. All that and more in this edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.
Nevada isn’t Tripping: New Law Would Prohibit Texting While Walking
While many states are still fighting to get people to stop texting while driving, Nevada would like to put a new law on the books that would force people to keep their hands free while walking as well. Edwin Kee of Ubergizmo reports that Las Vegas Councilman Harvey Mumford has proposed a law that would prohibit pedestrians from texting while walking on state roads, intersections, and neighborhoods. The reasoning behind the law, according to the article, would be so people don’t bumb into other walkers, walk into manholes, or cross highways without paying attention. If the law is indeed put into place, the first two offenses would result in warnings, while the third offense would cost someone a $250 fine.
How Cloud May Change the Face of Healthcare
Cloud computing is known to improve aspects of many industries, and the latest one being talked about is healthcare and patient care in particular. While cloud has been approached with care thus far in the industry, according to Jake Gardner of Wired, it could eventually be one of the technologies to help lower healthcare spending and associated costs. The Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) is changing the processes that organizations use for Healthcare–look for cloud to take on a more prominent role moving forward.
Startup Rents Out Children’s Books in Netflix-like Service
The new company Sproutkin has taken Netflix’s idea of delivering entertainment right to your doorstep, but they’ve put their own twist on it. The founder, a lawyer with two children, came up with the idea out of necessity because she was reading to her kids every night and getting low on material, according to TechCrunch. Sproutkin is currently available for parents of children ages 3 to 6, and users are allowed to get up to 10 books at a time.
Sophisticated Software for Retail Stores Tracks Customer Movements
As retailers try to track which products in their stores are attracting the most customers, many of them are turning to state-of-the-art technology from San Francisco startup Prism Skylabs. Sumi Das of CNET reports that the software takes security camera footage and uses it to track customer movements and create “heatmaps.” The images show the retailers where the shoppers went throughout the store, and which items they came into contact with. Retailers use the technology to determine product placement and floor layout.
Facebook to Get Major Facelift
Big changes are in store for the popular social media site Facebook, as the company has announced plans for a complete makeover of it’s homepage, according to The New York Times. Users of the site will start seeing much bigger photos, links, photos and advertisements. The company’s co-founder and chief executive is quoted as saying he wants Facebook to be “the best personalized newspaper in the world.” Facebook is hoping the changes encourage users to stay on the site longer and help bring in more advertising dollars. No official launch date has been set, but the end of March has been mentioned as a possibility.
Roll out the red carpet… Mozy is star struck! With both the Grammys and the Oscars taking place during the month of February, we’ve got celebrities on the mind. We’re big fans of the entertainers and artists whose work we celebrate and honor at these two events, and (while we’re on that topic) we still can’t believe that Saving Private Ryan didn’t win Best Picture in 1999.
As their songs and movies pile up, the space needed to store the works of these artists digitally is only increasing. So take a look… which of this year’s Academy Awards nominees would take up the most hard drive space? Which Grammy winner needs the most USB drives to store all of their albums?
Photos: you take them, Mozy backs them up! Here is your chance to show off your photography skills by highlighting some of the pictures you’ve taken this winter. Find your favorite shot and upload it in the comment section below by March 1, 2013. Images must be less than 1 MB in size and will be approved before they are posted, so if you don’t see your comment right away check back later. We’ll select our favorite and the winner will receive a $200 Amazon gift card. Two runner ups will receive $50 gift cards.
Judging will be based on:
The photos must be your own work. By submitting them to our contest, you agree to let Mozy post them on our website. Of course, we’ll give credit where credit is due.
This contest is open to Mozy and non-Mozy customers alike. If you’re not a Mozy customer, you may want to consider our free Mozy account and the accompanying Stash and mobile app.
Best of luck to all and we look forward to seeing your amazing work!