West Chester Connect - Free Training

West Chester Connect is our new free Citizen Engagement Smartphone App which allows citizens to report public safety, environmental and quality of life issues directly from their smartphones.

 

The Borough is offering free "West Chester Connect" training to anyone from the community who would like to learn more about our new service. The free training is being offered on August 28, 2013 at 6:30 PM in the municipal building located at 401 East gay Street, west Chester PA 19380.

 

If you would like to sign up or if you have any questions about the training please contact the Chief Information Officer, William Mann here.

 

West Chester Connect

Through the new exciting service, "West Chester Connect" any citizen who downloads the free "West Chester Connect" app will be able to quickly and easily report environmental, quality of life and public safety concerns directly to the appropriate government staff.

 

The work orders can include photographs and exact GPS information which will help the staff make decisions quicker and more efficiently then every before.

 

"West Chester Connect" is available in the Android, Apple, Blackberry and Windows smartphone stores.   

 

You can read more here.



 

Office 365 Subscriptions Hit a Million

We all know that Microsoft has been having some problems with its latest OS, Windows 8.  However, things are not all bad for Microsoft, as its latest product, the subscription version of Microsoft Office (Office 365) has reached one million subscribers. It only took Microsoft about 3 months to reach this milestone.

Most people probably think of Microsoft Office being that expensive software you only really only see in schools or in the office.  You probably have never used Microsoft Access, or OneNote both of which are amazing applications on their own.

The price of their online subscription is considerably cheaper than the boxed counterpart.  For example a boxed version is going to cost you $400, and can only be used on just a single computer.  On the other hand a subscription can be used on up to 5 computers and costs about $99.99 per year or $9.99 monthly.  So for multiple computer households, which is now commonplace, going with a monthly subscription is a no brainer.  What is more, you get access to all their upgrades for free. I really wish I had this when my children were young and in school. Oh well.

Microsoft is not the only company that is moving to subscription based models. Adobe also recently announced its change.  For many the cost of expensive software can be prohibitive, but when affordable monthly options are presented, the user base increases.  Another benefit to the software companies is that subscription services help to cut down on piracy!

You can subscription to MS Office here.

Office 2010 - Service Pack 2 Released

Microsoft is moving towards a subscription based service with their new Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Office 2013 product line. However there are more Office 2010 users out there then 2013 and it's bound to be that way for quite a while. Microsoft is obviously aware of this and recently released a new service pack for Office 2010.

It is important to upgrade to new service packs because security improvements and application enhancements are addressed with these important updates.

In the case of Microsoft Office 2010 both the 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) editions of Service Pack 2 are available for download. Currently SP2 can be downloaded from Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update as a manual download only. But after 90 days, it'll be also available as an automatic update through Windows Update.

Service Pack 2 improves the compatibility of Microsoft Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 programs with Windows 8, Internet Explorer 10, Office 2013 and SharePoint 2013 programs. It also improves security, stability and performance of Office 2010 products.

SP2 contains many unreleased fixes along with all Office Updates that have been released since Service Pack 1 release.

Following are a few important fixes offered by Office 2010 SP2 which are worth to mention:

• Fixes the issue regarding the message size of certain long email messages in Outlook
• Fixes an issue that occurs when you perform a spell check before you send an email message in Outlook
• Fixes issues regarding bookmarks, fields, track changes, templates, tables, object wrapping, autocorrect options and email addresses in Word
• Fixes an issue in which Mozilla Firefox crashes when you try to view a presentation in PowerPoint Web App on a Mac computer
• Improves the quality of videos in a presentation after the videos are optimized or compressed by PowerPoint
• Fixes issues that occur when you co-author a presentation with other users at the same time in PowerPoint
• Fixes general reliability issues that occur when you post a blog entry on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 and Microsoft Office 365 blogs
• Fixes issues in which the performance of Excel decreases and Excel file sizes become larger
• Fixes an issue in which data validation lists that contain comma signs (,) are broken in an .xlsx or .xlsb file
• Fixes an issue in which an .xlsx file created in Microsoft Office 2013 that contains an App bound to a table is corrupted on save
• Fixes an issue in which all Agave formulas in the workbook sheet are removed from the file

You can download Service Pack 2 for Office 2010 and other products using following links:
Download Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 2 (SP2) 32-bit Edition (638 MB)
Download Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 2 (SP2) 64-bit Edition (730 MB)

The Amazing History of Windows

I don't know and it's probably just me but I have NEVER bought into all the Apple hype. Don't get me wrong. Because I love me some music I have always been a fan of the iPod, and I admit that I use a iPad from time to time. However beyond that Apple devices have really never truly helped me get real work done. At my age of let's just say the late 40's Microsoft has been there all the way. From the mid 80's with MS-DOS and then Windows, Microsoft was often beat up and complained about, but it was always the OS (operating system) that was being used at home and the office. Software developers from the start wrote their solutions on top of Microsoft's language and many made boat loads of money along the way. Sure it has always been easy to complain along the way as blue screens of death often seemed to haunt us. However if there was no Microsoft Windows for the past 28 years (yes 28) would we really have been as productive as we were?

To give you an idea of what I am talking about, and in the defense of Microsoft's Windows check out this short history.

 

 

What I am basically saying here it that Windows has been around for 28 years and during that time has continued to dominate in both the home and professional market. Apple took off in about 2002 with first it's iPod, then it's iPhone and finally the iPad. All of these are amazing devices that is for sure, but even all of these combined pale in comparison with Microsoft's Windows operating system in respect to helping us get work done. 

Staff Tech Training - Session #10

Today was the 10th technology training session provided for our staff at the Borough of West Chester. Here is the presentation for those who missed it and wished they could have been there. We covered many cool topics including mobile device security, SIM card Troubles, Facebook, Spyware 101, CitySourced and much, much more.

West Chester Tech Blog - Training Class - Session 10 from William Mann

SIM Card Security Flaw Discovered

It took a long time but the humble SIM card that sits within your phone, along with at least seven billion others, has finally been hacked. Of the seven billion modern SIM cards in circulation, it is suspected that hundreds of millions (yes, hundreds of millions) are susceptible. What does this mean? The hacks allow a would-be attacker to infect your SIM with a virus that sends premium text messages, or records your phone calls — and, in some cases, access the secure, sandboxed details stored on your SIM by mobile payment apps, giving a hacker access to your bank and credit card details.

SIM cards are not merely a piece of laminated memory that stores the data that your phone needs to connect to a cellular network. In actuality, the SIM card in your phone is actually a small computer, with memory, a processor, and even an operating system. As you can see in the diagram below, there is a chip beneath those gold contacts, and on that chip there is a processor, ROM (firmware that stores the OS and SIM apps), EEPROM (which stores your phone book, settings, patches), and RAM (for use by the SIM’s OS and apps). In the photo below of a disassembled SIM card, you can clearly see that this is quite a complex computer chip.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, like any computer chip that runs an operating system and apps, a SIM card can be hacked. In this case, modern SIM cards run a very simple OS that loads up Java Card — a version of the Java virtual machine for smart cards (of which SIMs are a variety of). Java Card essentially runs small Java applets, and each applet is encapsulated and firewalled (sandboxed) by the Java VM, preventing sensitive data from leaking to other apps. Your phone interacts with these apps via the SIM Application Toolkit (STK) to display information on your screen, and to interact with the outside world. To load apps onto the SIM or to update them, hidden text messages are sent by the carrier, containing over-the-air (OTA) programming in binary form. These messages are signed with a cryptographic key, so that the SIM knows that these messages have originated from a trusted source.

Now, German security researcher Karsten Nohl has discovered a way of finding out that all-important cryptographic key. By sending his own OTA (over the air) SMS's that aren’t signed with the correct key, he discovered that some phones pop up an error message that contains a cryptographic signature. Then, using rainbow tables (a list of plaintext keys/passwords and their encrypted equivalent), Nohl found he could discover the SIM card’s cryptographic key in about one minute. Once he had this key, he could send apps and viruses to the SIM card that can send premium text messages (racking up huge bills), re-route or record calls, collect location data — you name it, with access to the SIM, you can do just about anything.

And if that was not enough Nohl also found a separate bug in Java Card, essentially an out-of-bounds error (asking for the sixth item in a list when the list only contains five items), that can give an app/virus full root access to your SIM card — effectively breaking out of the sandboxing provided by the Java Card VM. With root access, these malicious apps could then obtain any data stored on your SIM, including your address book, or sensitive banking details stored by mobile payment apps.

According to Nohl, he estimates that out of 100 mobile phones, he could gain root access to the SIM card on 13 of them. SIM cards that use newer, stronger encryption (Triple DES), don’t appear to be susceptible to these attack vectors. Verizon and AT&T say they are not vulnerable to the vulnerabilities exposed by Nohl. In essence, mitigation of this attack comes down to the encryption standard used by your SIM card — so if you use a SIM that’s more than a few years old, you should probably get a new one. Most carriers will provide a new SIM if you ask and I would bet especially if you mentioned your knowledge of this new problem.

Spyware 101

This week I had to "clean up" another work mate's personal PC because of spyware (and a troublesome Trojan horse). This threat obviously is not taken seriously by many computer users and I am not sure why. This got me thinking that a little education was in order. I have covered this before, but I decided to take a little time to talk "Spyware 101".

Basically, What is Spyware?
Spyware is software that's installed without your consent, whether it be a traditional computer, an application in your web-browser, or a mobile application residing on your device. In short, spyware communicates personal, confidential information about you to an attacker. The information might be reports about your online browsing habits or purchases, but it can also be modified to record things like keystrokes on the keyboard, credit card information, passwords, or login credentials.

This software normally gets onto a computer by attaching itself to some other program that the user intentionally downloads and installs. Sometimes this is done completely discreetly, but other times the desired software will include information in the license agreement actually describing the spyware — without using the term "spyware" — and forcing the user to agree to install it in order to install the desired program. Alternatively, spyware can get into a computer through all the avenues that other malware takes, such as when the user visits a compromised website or opens a malicious attachment in an email.

What is the Harm Anyway?
Spyware can cause you two main problems. First, and perhaps most importantly, it can steal personal information that can be used for identity theft. If the malicious software has access to every piece of information on your computer, including browsing history, email accounts, saved passwords used for online banking and shopping in addition to social networks, it can harvest more than enough information to create a profile imitating your identity. In addition, if you've visited online banking sites, spyware can siphon your bank account information or credit card accounts and sell it to third-parties or use them directly.

The second, and more common, problem is the damage spyware can do to your computer. This is where I usually get the phone call. Spyware can take up an enormous amount of your computer's resources, making it run slowly, lag in between applications or while online, frequent system crashes or freezes and even overheat your computer causing permanent damage. It can also manipulate search engine results and deliver unwanted websites in your browser, which can lead to potentially harmful websites or fraudulent ones. It can also cause your home page to change and can even alter some of your computer's settings.

Controlling Spyware
The best way to control spyware is by preventing it from getting on your computer in the first place. However not downloading programs and never clicking on email attachments isn't always an option. Sometimes, even a trusted website can become compromised and infect your computer — even if you've done nothing wrong.

Many people are turning to internet security solutions with reliable antivirus detection capabilities and proactive protection. If your computer is already infected, many security providers offer spyware removal utilities to assist in identifying and removing spyware. There are a number of free antivirus solutions available, such as Microsoft's Security Essentials which promises unlimited protection at no cost. There are also excellent paid options as well to protect your PC, and yourself which I have covered many times in the past.

Spyware, and its associated malicious programs like malware and viruses, will always be a danger as long as you use an Internet connected device. As a result everyone who uses computing devices from PCs to tablets and even smartphones needs to take a little time and become aware of the real dangers of spyware.

Summertime Security

Summer Tip #6

Well I just returned from my annual trip to the shore and boy was it hot. Other then the time my MyFi took a dip in the pool with me I know I was summertime safe. Here are more tips for those of your about to embark on a summer vacation.

Don't Tell People When Your House is EmptyYes, I know. Everyone does it, including me. Just before people leave, they check in from the airport, post about how they are on their way to "four days on the beach!" or a similar message. Avoid doing this unless you are very confident that only your friends read your posts.... and that your home is secure.

If you must post updates of all the fun you are having every day on Facebook, then please, make sure you are using the privacy controls. Make sure only your real friends and trusted contacts can see your posts. We will be discussing this specifically during our next technology training class!

Be Alert for Rogue WirelessDon't just hop on and off free public wireless networks without thinking. You may think the wireless network belongs to the hotel or the airport but it may easily be a rogue network. If you need to get online while you are out and about, invest in a 3G dongle for mobile broadband, or use your smartphone's tethering capabilities. This is what I had, that took a swim with me!

3G and 4G is not perfect, but it's much more secure than wireless.

Backup Your DeviceIf you are taking a laptop or mobile device on your vacation, back it up first. You don't want to lose all your contacts, photos, and files just because you accidentally lost it or left it on the plane. It's also a good idea to have your photos automatically uploaded to the cloud through services such as iCloud & Skydrive.

Don't Let Your Device Out of SightTry to keep your device with you. If you have your laptop with you, consider using the room safe instead of leaving it on the desk while you are out. You don't want to take the chance of it being stolen or have someone use it without your knowledge. Also make sure to at least lock the screen and have a strong password if your computer/mobile device is not going to be in the hotel safe.

Install Device Protection
For smartphones and tablets, install anti-theft and mobile device management before you leave for your trip. Find My iPhone and its Android counterparts help you find the device if you lose it. And if you don't think you will get it back, then you can send the command to remotely wipe the data.
You can also install similar software on laptops.

Update EverythingUpdate your software, operating system, and security tools before you leave. You don't want to be hit with a malware attack while you are on the road.

Keeping Your Charge On vacation

Summer Tip # 5

One of the things you have to be very careful of when you use your iPad is the battery. Unlike mobile phones and laptops that have detachable power units that can be replaced quite easily, the battery of your tablet is built in. This means that when something happens to it, the technicians at Apple have to open it up and then replace the battery. Your device’s insides get exposed and may get further damage because it’s been opened.

Even if your battery giving out is inevitable, you can delay it from happening. Here are some tricks for you to save your battery juice and prolong its life:

1.Download a battery management app

Apps like Battery Doctor monitor your charging process and give you tips on how to charge your battery in the best way. These apps should be run when you’re charging your battery so it can protect your iPad from wrong charging habits. Some really great apps let you see how long your battery lasts with services like 3G, Wifi, reading, music and video running. You don’t have to get a paid app since the free ones usually do the trick. Just get one and make sure to follow its instructions.

2.Take your iPad out of the case when you’re charging

Since you’re charging the iPad heats up, and this heat can slowly damage the components inside the device over time. If you leave it in the case, more heat builds up. Taking it out of the case while you’re charging lessens the heat and can help the components inside last longer. If you don’t have a case for your device, make sure you set it down on a cool, flat surface when you charge and you don’t leave it on the bed where cloth can trap the heat in it anyway.

3.Close resource-heavy apps when you aren’t using them

Essentially, saving energy means closing the apps that you don’t use. Allowing notifications also means that some apps are always on standby mode and receive data regularly. Determine which apps are essential and should always be on, such as VoIP phone services with RingCentral and your email client with Google or Yahoo. But for apps that aren’t needed all the time such as games and writing or reading apps, make sure you close them. Double-press the Home button and a bar appears at the bottom where all the running apps are displayed. Press and hold then close the app icon by tapping on the red badge. Do this regularly so only the essential apps are open. Disable notifications through the Settings app as well.

4.Manage your brightness and volume

One of the battery-draining practices is full brightness all the time on your device. If your iPad has Retina Display, you usually don’t need the full setting since the screen is so sharp, especially if you use a clear screen protector. You can make your device last longer if you put the setting to the medium range.

Reviewing Your PC Security

It seems dozens of times a year a friend or co-worker asks me to "fix" their PC. This is because generally users of personal computers do not care about how secure their home computers (and laptops) actually are. I believe that this is because the majority of home computer users are unaware of how vulnerable they are to hackers, or how their personal information can be misused. It is, widely and mistakenly, believed that if a mere antivirus is installed, computers are secure. People assume their Antivirus can protect them against all forms of malware, be it a virus, worm, or a Trojan horse. This, however, is far from the reality. Antivirus programs cannot be relied on solely to protect your data and information from hackers.

Here is the Basic Question. Why is it so important to keep your PC secure?

An ordinary person may have no reason to believe why his computer and data may be hacked into, and no knowledge whatsoever of how his personal information might be misused. An unsecured computer over the internet is immensely risky. Your personal information can be altered and abused if your PC security is compromised. Your personal details, such as your Social Security number, credit card numbers, bank and utility account numbers can all be used to access your savings or to open new bank accounts under your name which, consequently may be used for serious crimes such as money laundering or fraud, or simply for stealing your money.

There are some very basic & long standing things you can do. What are they?

There are a number of ways to make sure your PC, and as a result your personal information, is protected properly. First and foremost, reliable anti-virus software must be installed and regularly updated. These are compared to “flu shots,” because they only protect you to a certain extent. Then, you must refrain from opening emails or attachments from people or sources you do not know personally. Take care while opening attachments even from people you know if it is unexpected.

If you want to take same extra steps to protect your PC, Try This.

You must use firewalls to ensure that the ports you are not using are closed off and cannot be used unless you need them. The security updates and ‘patches’ on your operating system and all other software must be kept up to date. All your passwords should be strong, at least eight characters long, and preferably an amalgam of upper and lower case letters and numbers. Keep your PC disconnected from the internet when you are not using it, and keep from sharing access to your computer with people you do not know- sharing files on online servers is very risky. To be even safer, make regular backups of all your data on disks or CDs.

Windows Under The Dome

Ok maybe it's not just me who has high hopes for Microsoft's Windows Phone. I suggest this because of the new  mini-series,  “Under the Dome”. This new series from CBS follows a group of people suddenly cut off from the rest of the world after an indestructible invisible dome suddenly surrounds their town began airing this summer.

The show is classified as sci-fi/horror and watching part 3 this week I had to do a double take several times as Windows phones and Windows tablets were on display and being used by many of the characters.

Hey, that's a Windows Nokia Lumia 920 being charged!

In this week's episode (part 3), Microsoft clearly got under the dome as a few products suddenly showed up in the town, mostly in the youth’s hands. We saw two Nokia Lumia 920s (one white, one red) and even a few Microsoft Surfaces being used by the teens in the scene where they all use a generator to re-charge their devices. The best is probably seeing the Surface being swiped back and forth on the Start screen, which is just kind of fun.

A Microsoft Surface Table appears Under the Dome.

Does this kind of hidden placement really help? Well it can't hurt that's for sure. Microsoft has been working very hard this past year in an attempt to gather some buzz and the "cool" factor.  I believe there is a good chance that this sort of product placement will indeed help increase Microsoft's product share, which has been improving regularly, if not slowly recently.

I am not sure how I actually feel about this new series after 3 episodes but at least the residents are using something other than Android & Apple.

Android Users Beware

It is stories like this that make me glad I am a Windows Phone user.

It was recently discovered that Android has had a major security hole since version 1.6, which allowed hackers to modify almost any Play Store app and turn it malicious without tripping the built-in security measures. The good news for Android users is that the that hole has already been plugged and the fix has been sent out to OEMs (Google was made aware of the issue in February, so it has had time to fix it).

Google claims that it has not seen any app from the Play Store (or other app stores for that matter) that have been affected by this vulnerability.

The Play Store itself scans the apps it offers and the Verify App feature (new in 4.2) scans all apps (even if you installed them from elsewhere).

Samsung and some other OEMs are reportedly already shipping devices that contain the fix. Current devices will have to wait for an update, which has an uncertain timeframe as it depends on OEMs and then carriers to push it out.

As with anything else, be cautious of what you download, not only on your PC, but on your mobile devices as well.

Alert (TA13-190A)

United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team

US-CERT’s mission is to improve the nation's cybersecurity posture, coordinate cyber information sharing, and proactively manage cyber risks to the nation while protecting the constitutional rights of Americans. US-CERT's vision is to be a trusted global leader in cybersecurity — collaborative, agile, and responsive in a complex environment.

As a public service the West Chester Technology Blog will forward alerts issued by US-CERT.

Microsoft Updates for Multiple Vulnerabilities

 

Systems Affected

• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft .NET Framework
• Microsoft Silverlight
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Visual Studio
• Microsoft Lync
• Internet Explorer
• Windows Defender

Overview

Select Microsoft software products contain multiple vulnerabilities. Microsoft has released updates to address these vulnerabilities.

Description

The Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for July 2013 describes multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. Microsoft has released updates to address these vulnerabilities.

 

Impact

These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution or elevation of privilege.

Solution

Apply Updates
Microsoft has provided updates for these vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for July 2013, which describes any known issues related to the updates. Administrators are encouraged to note these issues and test for any potentially adverse effects. In addition, administrators should consider using an automated update distribution system such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Home users are encouraged to enable automatic updates.

Staying Tech Safe On Vacation

Summertime 2013 tech Tip #4

My summer series of tech tips continues with help on staying safe, digitally (at least) while on vacation.

The reality is many 21st century families want or need to text, check email and update social media accounts, even when the goal of taking a vacation is to take a break from our everyday lives. I struggle with this as well. Every summer vacation at the shore I try to disconnect - but I usually fail to do so. However, would should all be aware that our online activity while on the road can put us at a higher risk of having our identity stolen.

Identity theft is a serious crime that can have a lasting negative impact. Just one important piece of information, like a Social Security card, a driver’s license or a bank account statement, can provide a criminal what he needs to steal someone’s identity. What’s worse is victims may not realize their identities have been stolen for weeks, months or years after the fact, allowing the crime to perpetuate and destroy their credit. The good news is there are actions you can take to help protect your identity while on vacation — and anywhere else you may be mobile and online.

Mobile Routers or Cellular Hotspots
Consider a portable router to create your own Wi-Fi hotspot for your own or your family’s devices. You’ll need a local SIM data card, which is available at most electronic stores or even airport kiosks. This will help you avoid using public Wi-Fi spots.  All cellular companies sell mobile hotspot devices.

Avoid Contact with Hackers
If you use public Wi-Fi, be very cautious of using unsecured networks. Make sure you are logging into a secured or private network when you use Wi-Fi. If you aren’t sure, don’t visit sites that contain sensitive information, like bank accounts.

Be Careful Being Social
Using social media while you travel can be a great way to share your family’s trip but remember — checking in or posting pictures can alert someone that your home is vacant! Make sure to set your home alarm, hire a house-sitter or maybe the best option is to delay posts until you are back home. If you do really want to share these photos while you are on vacation, make sure to set your privacy settings to “friends” only. This will help limit the number of people who actually see these pictures.

Make Sure It's Legit
Before logging onto a website from your mobile device, make sure the URL is legit. There are plenty of URL spoof sites out there, created in order to steal your information. Unfortunately many mobile browsers do not show the URL, so it is best to bookmark your favorite sites after you type in the address.

Lock Down Your Social Networks
If you have a blog or social accounts — such as Facebook and Twitter — use the highest security settings possible to ensure your information, posts and photos aren’t being leaked onto the internet.

Strong Passwords
Use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols and punctuation marks to make your passwords harder to crack.

Secure Your Mobile Devices
Losing your mobile phone, tablet or laptop can be just as bad as losing your wallet. Be sure to protect your mobile devices with strong passwords and encryption. Consider installing wiping software on your mobile device so that you can remove your information remotely if your phone is lost.

Facebook's New Graph Search

The feature allows users to make in depth searches of your friends based on similar interests, details and so on. It has been in limited beta since earlier this year.

This new feature went live yesterday, July 8. It is currently only available for users with their language set to US English.

The tool is designed to help people find friends and other users with similar interests. It is also possible to dive much deeper into the information given on people’s profiles.

From Here You Can Complete Searches in Facebook Like Never Before

For example, it is possible to find people who have worked at two companies and list them.

It has also been referred to as Facebook’s first incursion into online dating. It is possible to type in “Single friends in West Chester”. Doing so will bring up all of your friends in West Chester who are single.

It is also possible to use the search menu to find local restaurants and what your friends are saying about them, and so on.

According to reports, a mobile version of the function will be released later this year for iOS and Android devices.

You can learn more about Facebook's new graph search here.

I, personally am a fan of services like Foursquare and Untappd for features like this, but if you are entrenched in Facebook's world check their new grap search out.

West Chester Connect Launches July 8, 2013

The Borough of West Chester is proud to announce that we are providing a new service which is intended to enhance civic engagement within our community.

“West Chester Connect” is the name of our new service. You can download the free app in your smartphone’s app store by searching for “West Chester Connect”. The app is free of charge. Once downloaded you can easily report “environmental”, “public safety” & “quality of life” issues. You can then follow the process of your work orders through push notifications on your smart phone.

“West Chester Connect” officially launches on July 8, 2013.

You can learn more about “West Chester Connect” by visiting our website at www.west-chester.com.

This service is not intended for emergencies. As always continue to call 911 for emergency situations.

What is West Chester Connect? 

West Chester Connect is simply a way of fostering engagement between citizens and their government. Through the free "West Chester Connect" smartphone app citizens can easily and quickly provide information regarding environmental, public safety and quality of life issues. 

Citizens can then remain engaged with their government as the work orders are processed and completed through push notifications on their smartphones.

What is West Chester Connect NOT For?

First and foremost. West Chester Connect is not for reporting emergency situations.  The reports made through this service are handled as non-emergency situations. 

West Chester Connect is not a place for social commentary. 

You can read the official press release here.

You can learn more by reading our "Citizen Guide". 

Fun in the Sun With Your Smartphone

Summertime 2013 Tech Tip #3

A trip to the shore for some sunshine and water may sound like the perfect getaway and in many ways it can be. However your smartphone probably will not agree. There is little doubt that many of us are addicted to our smartphones so here are some tips for keeping them safe this summer.

Seek some shade. Direct sunlight can cause overheating, so be sure to stash your devices somewhere shady. If you do trigger an “overheated” alert, be sure to turn off the device and move it to a cooler location. Do not place it inside a freezer!

Invest in a quality case. In the summertime, the living is easy – but not for your gadgets. Sticky fingers from ice cream, blowing sand and condensation are just a few of the perils the season brings for your devices. There are a ton of options on the market, including rugged cases to help protect from drops and waterproof options to help keep things safe poolside – or tabletop during meals.

Limit the glare. Sunlight can make your screen hard to read. You can tackle this in a few ways:

Adjust your brightness settings. Navigate to your device’s “Settings” menu, then select the “Display Settings.” You can modify both “Brightness” and “Backlight” options on most devices: the higher the brightness settings, the easier it is to read your screen in sunlight. Some devices also offer an “Auto Brightness” option that automatically adjusts your screen for optimal viewing.

Purchase an anti-glare cover which will help make your screen more legible in bright light.

Find some shade. Relax under an umbrella or a tree for some temporary relief.

Low-Fi Stereo Fun!  Summer means impromptu gatherings, which just beg for a great music. But if you do not have portable speakers handy, you can try this simple trick to pump up the volume.  Place your music player in a bowl or glass to amplify your device’s speakers. It really works!

Stay tuned for more fun-in-the sun technology tips.

West Chester Connect Launches July 8, 2013

West Chester Connect officially launches next Monday, July 8. You can read the press release here.

You can also check out our "West Chester Connect - Citizen Guide" here.



West Chester Connect - Press Release

 

 



How To Tell If Your PC Has a Virus

Summertime 2013 Tech Tip #1

One of the questions I am asked very often is "how do I know if my computer has a virus"?

Is your computer running very slowly? A common symptom of a virus is much slower than normal computer performance. However, there can be other reasons for slow performance, including a hard disk that needs defragmenting, a computer that needs more memory (RAM), or the existence of spyware or adware. For more information about spyware, see How to tell if your computer is infected with spyware.

Are you getting unexpected messages, or are programs starting automatically? Some viruses can cause damage to Windows or some of your programs. The results of this damage might include messages appearing unexpectedly, programs starting or closing automatically, or Windows shutting down suddenly.

 

Is your modem or hard disk working overtime? An e‑mail virus works by sending many copies of itself by e‑mail. One indicator of this is that the activity light on your broadband or external modem is constantly lit; another is the sound of your computer's hard disk continually working. These are not always symptoms of a computer virus, but when combined with other problems, can indicate a virus infection.

 

To check for viruses, scan your computer with an antivirus program. New viruses appear every day, so keeping your antivirus program updated is important.

What is Spyware?

Summertime 2013 Tech Tip #2

One of the most common problems computer users deal with is Spyware. The threat of Spyware infecting your PC is becoming more real everyday. It is easier then ever for your PC to become a victim of Spyware. What is Spyware anyway?

 

Spyware is a type of software that is installed on your computer to watch and record your activity. Some types of spyware record your keystrokes and information that you type into websites or other programs and then use that information for targeted advertising or identity theft. These programs can be installed on your computer in many ways, but often they are hidden inside of software such as free games, screen savers, or animated cursors.

 

Here are some signs that your computer might be infected with spyware:

• You notice new toolbars, links, or favorites that you didn't intentionally add to your web browser.
• Your home page, mouse pointer, or search program changes unexpectedly.
• You type the address of a specific website into your web browser, but you're taken to a completely unrelated website.
• You see pop-up ads, even if your computer isn't connected to the Internet.
• Your computer suddenly starts running slowly. Not all computer performance problems are caused by spyware, but spyware can cause a noticeable change.

Sometimes, your computer will show no symptoms, even if a spyware program is running. To help protect your privacy and your computer, I recommend that you run Windows Defender or another antispyware program at all times.

 

What if Spyware is on your PC?

 

If you have spyware or other potentially unwanted software on your computer, you should use an antispyware scanner and removal tool to try to remove it. You can also try to remove spyware manually. You might need to use both of these methods more than once to completely remove the spyware or other potentially unwanted software.

 

Spyware can sometimes be hard to remove. If an antispyware program notifies you that it can't remove spyware, follow the instructions provided by the antispyware program. If that doesn't work, try these options:

• Try installing an antivirus or another antispyware program. Many antivirus programs also come with antispyware protection.

Sadly sometimes even the most trained and well informed computer experts cannot remove a well entrenched and hidden piece of spyware. Some spyware can hide itself so well that it can't be removed. If you still see evidence of spyware after trying to remove it with an antispyware program or after trying to uninstall it using Control Panel, you might need to reinstall Windows and your programs.