R.A.C.I. Times - A Newsletter for Rolando & Associates Consulting, Inc.

Peace of mind starting at only $999.99. Get yours today!

2010-07-21T09:57:00.002-04:00

Installed a custom Remotely Accessible Audio & Video Surveillance System for a local pest control company specifically to keep an eye & ear on the office while the owner is away on vacation.

At Last - The Full Story Of How Facebook Was Founded

2010-07-13T12:07:00.002-04:00

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3

Cybercrime - "You're either a part of the solution or part of the problem".

2009-11-17T09:56:00.002-05:00

For the first time since starting my business back in 2002 a person has actively engaged me in cybercrime activity. Fortunately, I am pretty good at figuring people out and living by one of the many mottos stuck in my head (“Where there’s smoke there’s fire”) I immediately figured out something is rotten in Denmark. Not even sure what that means.

In keeping with the title of this story, I decided to call the organization this nimwit claims to represent. I checked on the validity of his existence in their organization, no such guy, and no such position. I forwarded the complaint to their cyber crime department and followed up with another in depth complaint to the Internet Crime Complaint Center an FBI - NW3C partnership (http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx) whatever all that means.

I am not sure that anything can or will be done, but it only took a few minutes with the exception of this article and I can go to sleep at night knowing I did what I could. The point is maybe they can catch these people if we just take a minute to help out.

Please help if you have any evidence of this stuff happening so your grandma doesn’t get ripped off by one of these non working scumbags.

Editorial written by Rolando J. Pozo

RACI TV "I Hate Technology"

2009-11-10T11:53:00.001-05:00

Smashing Your Computer Has never Been So Easy!!!

Ok, we Sell, Service & Lease Business Class Copiers; Now Stop Asking!!!

2009-11-10T11:10:00.004-05:00

Sometimes no matter how hard to try to avoid growing, your customers just won't get off your back. This is one of those times. Although we have strongly fought getting into the Copier business, our clients won't take no for an answer. You know who you are :(

With all that said we are thrilled to join forces with long time Copier Sales, Service & Leasing Expert Mike Garrido as the Exclusive Partner for (R.A.C.I.) Mike has spent almost 2 decades in this business as the Owner of ARRIVA Business Machines, Inc. He is a great asset for our clients, many of whom have begged us over the years for a good recommendation for these products and services. We couldn't be happier.

People often ask me why I would pay so much for my Cell Phone Service. Ask T-Mobile Customers.

2009-11-04T09:46:00.003-05:00

How is it in 2009 when almost everyone on the planet has stopped using their computer by 50% because their mobile phone picked up the slack allowing unprecedented freedom, that a cellular carrier can completely go down leaving their customers hanging?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against T-Mobile, I don't care for the iPhone or AT&T either. Yeah it's cool, probably the coolest thing ever invented, but if it's a phone and I can't understand you or anyone that has one every single time they call me, no matter what part of the major city they are calling from, what's the point?

If it's not a phone or doesn't make any claims to be a phone, then fine, but if it is, is it really too much to ask that it make clear phone calls most of the time?

I don't think so.

I even hate phones on my own network. My parents both have a Blackberry Storm on the Verizon Wireless Network (My Network). That phone is a piece of crap also. I can't hear or understand either one of them ever. If they were on an underwater expedition, then fine, but they both hate the water and I hate their phones.

Which begs the question. What phone do I have? A simple but extremely functional Blackberry Curve 8330 2nd generation. Never ever under any circumstances buy the 1st generation of anything, unless of course you look forward to purposely driving yourself completely insane.

Editorial written by Rolando J. Pozo

RACI TV "I Hate Technology"

2009-11-02T16:19:00.006-05:00

Don't ever slap your computer; it just might slap you back!!!

SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS

2008-12-01T08:00:00.006-05:00

Direct Buy:

Every now in then you land a huge account with a big name company by working really hard, building a great reputation, sending marketing materials, going to networking events, shaking hands, going to luncheons, and on and on and on and on.

As fun as all that sounds, I really, really, really like the way we picked up this account. A friend referred us. No seriously, it happened just like that. Anyways we are thrilled to be handling the Tampa branch network and look forward to many years of service with Direct Buy of Tampa.

Thanks sincerely to Perry for making this account possible.

Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.:

We have been very fortunate to have Caldeco as a client for over six years now and we look forward to another 60. Well the time has come around where their web site was in need of a major update. After all we created it almost six years ago which is like a century in the web world.

Well as you can see the site is amazing. All thanks to the tireless efforts of Ray our web guy and Rick the owner of Caldeco for allowing us the freedom to build him a sleek, visually appealing site that's easy for customers to use and incorporates all the functionality Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. was looking for.

A sincere thanks to Rick and Patti for years of business.

Rodriguez & Menendez Cigar Factory & Store:

Finally an opportunity to build a Cigar web site from scratch! I don't really smoke cigars, but am a big fan of the look and culture. Usually when you rebuild a web site you have to keep using some ugly logo or color scheme that a friend of the family who builds web sites on the weekend for extra cash came up with 10 years ago. Not the case with Tampa Cigars / Ybor City Cigars.

We were given free reign to take this site to places only once dreamed about. We also stepped up their online merchandise ordering / processing system to make it easier for customers and the owners as well.

Thanks a million to Rene and Sally for giving us a shot.

West Tampa Chamber of Commerce:
Several months ago we, along with input from the West Tampa Marketing Committee had the opportunity to revamp the West Tampa Chamber of Commerce website for the third consecutive time in 6 years. The first 2 renditions of the site were done at no cost to the chamber or its members as a way to help get the Chamber and the entire West Tampa area more, better & easily accessible publicity than it has been able to garner on its own.

The latest version of the site is almost entirely database driven and required much more back end and technical support than the first 2, so we employed the skills of some very talented programmers to get the site to function in the same manner the big chamber sites around the country.

Thanks to the Chamber and its Board members for allowing us the opportunity to build http://www.westtampachamber.com/.

Doyle & McGrath Real Estate LLC:
Along with the many wonderful benefits we've gained by acquiring Ray (see above) to our team, we have inherited his best clients; one of which is Tampa Bay Property Company. We are fortunate to continue our relationships from both companies and serve our clients better than ever.

Tampa Bay Property needed a little face lift to their web site as well as some networking issues resolved in their office. We jumped right in and did everything we could to make them happy. It must have worked. They keep asking for more work to be done. That's what we're here for.

Thanks Sincerely to John, Maggie and Erin.

GETTING TO KNOW US

2008-12-01T08:00:00.005-05:00

Introducing Ray Berry

Ray comes to us with more Computer / IT experience than Al Gore. Although Ray did not invent the Internet he has been surfing it longer than moses. Ray has owned and operated his own successful IT firm (Designs Interactive) for years servicing clients from all types of industries enabling them to do things they once only dreamed about.

His expertise in web design, software programming, computer networking and merchant services make him an invaluable asset to our organization. The only regret is that we couldn't get him for half price, but you get what you pay for so we're all pretty happy.

If you are a client of ours working on a really cool project that no one understands, chances are you'll be working with Ray. Tell him how great he is at his job, he loves that.

Another Dream Finally Realized

As some of you may know and for those of you who do not, Rolando has been extremely passionate about entertaining people and music his entire life. He finally got the chance to combine his 2 favorite pastimes (Singing & Making People Laugh) on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 as he unleashed Cover It Up (The Best Cover Band on the Planet) to a sold out crowd of 15 at a quaint little bar called the Quick Red Fox.

For those of you that haven't met Rolando, he's the extremely good looking stud on the mic.

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

2008-12-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

FIRE YOUR IT DEPARTMENT - only if you want better service for a 1/5th of the cost.

How self serving of an article to come out of writing retirement with. After all I am a businessman and probably better than your IT Guy anyway which is why I've had my own successful IT business for years. But enough about me, we're here to talk about you and your bottom line even though I thoroughly enjoy talking about me.

How can I get better service for a 1/5th of the cost? It's real simple actually, just hire someone who has a vested interest in getting the job done as fast as possible to your 100% satisfaction. Job not done, job not paid for. Job not perfect, job not paid for. All the power is in your hands as it should be. Not likely you'll find that in an employee.

The faster an employee gets a job done, the faster you hand them their next deadline for the same pay, nothing changes. Don't get me wrong I don't have anything against employees, in fact, your employees will break more things on your network than you ever will which is great for me, but almost every business model needs them, yet there are some areas of your business that don't need them at all and why pay for a service you should hardly ever use.

The reason you should hardly ever need your IT guy is that everything should be set up and working properly to begin with. If it's not then your IT guy is doing something wrong or just too busy playing World of War craft across the T1 line you also probably have no use for.

I wish I was making this stuff up, but I'm just not.

Editorial written by Rolando J. Pozo

Please provide feedback on this article or anything related to Rolando & Associates Consulting, Inc. @ info@rolandoworld.net.

COOL STUFF

2008-12-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

HP Touchsmart PC

Get the entire family's fingerprints all over your computer screen on purpose.

Next-generation, touch-enabled PC with 25.5" diagonal wide screen brings your digital life to your fingertips

Clutter Busting slim, stylish, all-in-one design with integrated web cam and mic

Music, photo/video editing, checking e-mail and weather, --all with one touch

Record and watch TV using in-package TV tuner and remote control and experience HD entertainment with built-in slot-load Blu-Ray player

For more info Click Here.

Google / T-Mobile G1 Phone

Everything about Google rocks but i would never buy the first of anything.

The T-Mobile G1 features a full QWERTY keyboard, 3G support, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Blue tooth. The Google Android operating system offers good integration with Google applications as well as access to the Amazon MP3 Store and YouTube. As more applications become available, the G1 will also become a more powerful smart phone for all types of users.

For more info Click Here.

VZ Navigator

Never ever, ever, ever get lost again unless of course you have no signal, you're battery dies, you miss you're exit before it's given or someone calls you.

With spoken turn-by-turn directions, you can locate more than 14 million local businesses and attractions in the United States, including hotels, golf courses, shopping centers, restaurants, hospitals, ATMs and more. VZ Navigator uses Location Based Services (LBS) to tell you where you are, what's nearby, and to give you directions - quickly and easily.

Place Messaging - Allows you to share a location with another Verizon Wireless subscriber. Meeting friends for dinner? Search for the restaurant and then send the destination to your friends. With the latest version of VZ Navigator, they can get directions right on their phone.

For more info Click Here.

ASUS Netbook

Easy to learn, Easy to work, Easy to play. What about easy to carry or sit on or lose?

ASUS today announced that it will be adding 3.75G connectivity* to its hugely-popular series of Eee PC™ netbooks, enabling convenient and high-speed access to the Internet anytime, anywhere. The inclusion of 3.75G is a perfect addition to the Eee PC’s™ existing set of travel-friendly features such as its high portability, shockproof data storage and all-day battery life—strengthening its reputation as the ultimate solution for computing on the go.

With 3.75G, the Eee PC™ will be able to deliver on its promise of border less one-day computing better than ever before. No longer bound to Internet hot spots, 3.75G-equipped Eee PC™ users will be able to enjoy low latency mobile broadband Internet access at high down link and up link speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps and 2 Mbps** respectively, regardless of where they are—ensuring a seamless connected experience on the go. The Eee PC’s™ 7.5-hour battery life*** provides more than ample power to keep it up and running during extended outdoor excursions.

Frequent travelers will particularly welcome the timely addition of 3.75G support, which comes as service providers around the globe are ramping up their adoption of 3.75G High-Speed Up link Packet Access (HSUPA). This means that they will be assured of a reliable, high-speed mode of Internet access in many destinations around the world.

3.75G will make its first appearance in Eee PC™ 901 netbooks released to market from October 2008 onward.

For more info Click Here.

TECH TIPS & TRICKS

2008-12-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone I Know Keeps Telling Me How Awesome Mac Is And I Should Throw Away My PC. Is That True?

Well it’s probably about as good of an idea as buying Vista for your PC. If that statement doesn’t ring true for you yet, just think about it like this. Picture your hot tub, it’s probably the coolest thing you own at home and you get tons of enjoyment out of it. Now picture your hot tub in your cubicle at work. Not really useful and it will probably get you fired for more reasons than are obvious at this reading.

When it comes to a Mac, as long as you stay at home and don’t want to interact with any other PC, printer, application, shared drives or your corporate network in any way shape or form then you’re probably fine.

I know, I know but I can put windows on my Mac. My point exactly.

How Do I Keep From Clicking On A Virus?

Basically the best advice we can give you is to shut your computer down, unplug it and leave it that way. If however you feel that you simply must use your computer and you can’t help yourself then pay attention. Pay attention to what? Pay attention to the screen in front of you. The easiest and most common way to get a virus is laziness. Most of us are pretty sure of who we know and who we don’t know. We also have a sixth sense about right and wrong.

If you feel you’re clicking your way through the Internet depths of hell, you should probably turn back before it’s too late. It’s also a good idea to listen to the horror stories your friends tell you about how their kid went on YouTube / Myspace / Facebook / Limewire or some other site and trashed their computer so bad it cost more than the computer to get fixed.

As long as you stay on well known business or information sites as well as keeping your windows and surfing software up to date its possible to dodge the bullet. If not, just call us, we’ll be happy to fix it.

I'm Thinking About Switching To Vista? Will I Really Have All The Problems I Hear About?

Yes! Hopefully you're actually reading this newsletter and will instantly recognize the following advice from the MAC article above, if not go back and read it. When it comes to a Vista, as long as you stay at home and don't want to interact with any other PC, printer, application, shared drives or your corporate network in any way shape or form then you're probably fine.

I know, I know but I can use Vista just fine at home. My point exactly.