Cybersecurity is important when it comes to printers, and Konica Minolta knows this. Printers have been targets for hackers, because they can get access to an entire network by exposing a weakness. Konica Minolta has worked hard to make sure their printers have achieved a high-level of protection. Recently, NTT Data and NTT Ltd. completed testing on the bizhub i-Series and found that the entire i-Series line exceeds the standards of cybersecurity compliance. NTT DATA and NTT Ltd. found no vulnerabilities when testing the printers.

While Konica Minolta complies with different compliance measures, such as HIPAA, they wanted to make sure that they went above just the standards. Konica Minolta let NTT DATA and NTT Ltd. perform penetration tests on their i-Series printers. Penetration tests are a version of hacking where a simulated cyber attack is performed to see how well the cybersecurity works. NTT DATA tested the printers and the source code to see how well they would perform and found that they were well above the standards. NTT DATA spent almost 80 hours trying to hack the devices and could not find any major security flaws.

Konica Minolta continues to pride itself to not only meeting the standards, but exceeding them. This is important for businesses because protecting the information of customers should be a priority and Konica Minolta helps reduce the chances of hackers taking information.

Konica Minolta recently released the new i series, 7 new products which are all color. 6 of these new products will replace existing ones, while 1 product is a new model. There are 3 new shared multifunction printers (MFP), 2 new desktop multifunction printers, and 2 new desktop single function printers (SFP). Additionally, Konica Minolta has 1 more product being released in the near future.

The 3 new shared MFPs are the c360i, the c300i, and the
c260i. All of the shared MFP offer multiple finishing options, which include
various stapling, hole punching, and folding options. Additionally, these 3
shared MFPs include 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB Solid State Drive, and 10.1″ touchscreen
display panel. The c360i prints at 36 pages per minute (PPM), and scanning at 100
ppm in simplex (single sided) and 200 ppm in duplex (double sided). The c300i
prints at 30 ppm, and scans at 100 ppm in simplex and 200 ppm in duplex. The
c260i prints at 25 ppm, and scans at 100 ppm in simplex and 200 ppm in duplex.
All of these printers are improved by features and upgrades that make user
experience better. They include a new user interface, mobile connectivity, and improved
security features.

The 2 new desktop MFPs are the c4050i and the c3350i. Both of these printers come with 5GB of RAM, a 256GB Solid State Drive, and a 10.1″ touchscreen display panel. The c4050i has printing at 42 ppm, and scanning of 100 ppm in simplex and 200 ppm in duplex. The 2 new desktop SFPs are the c4000i and the c3300i. Both come with 4GB of RAM, and a 7” display panel. The c4000i prints at 42 ppm and the c3300i prints at 35 ppm. All of these printers come with a copier warm up time of 13 seconds for black and white, and 15 seconds for color.

The last product that will be released in the near future is the c3320i, which is an all-in-one (AIO) that will print at 35 ppm.

Konica Minolta has launched the AccurioWide 160 and 200 Hybrid UV Wide Format Printer. Both printers are designed for commercial and franchise printing, with their hybrid technology platform.  These printers both use UV (ultraviolet) ink technology, which saves on ink by using more color pigment per drop. The printer has a print resolution up to 1440×720 dpi (dots per inch), which results in beautiful print quality. These printers also use a mix between LED curing lamps and air cooled UV light that speeds up drying times. The AccurioWide 200 is the higher-end version of the two. It has a larger print width and faster print speeds compared to the AccurioWide 160.

The AccurioPro WideDirector is the software that will help run the AccurioWide printers. The software is all in one, which means it allows the user to use automated job layout, manage colors, and much more within the software. This software will also work with the Konica Minolta FD-9 spectrophotometer, along with support coming for the Konica Minolta FD-5 and FD-7 hand held spectrophotometer.

AccurioWide 160

The AccurioWide 160 was on display at Print 18 from September 30 – October 2 in Chicago, Illinois and the AccurioWide 200 was on display and demonstrated for the first time at Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 18 – October20.

AccurioWide 200

It happens all too often that small businesses, large corporations, and even government offices overlook gaps in security measures or even ignore them entirely.

A recent audit of Nevada’s Department of Administration’s Human Resource Management division revealed that the state office had personal records and information such as the Social Security numbers of over 145,000 current and former employees stored on unencrypted databases. Former employee computer user accounts had not been disabled, computer operating system security updates had not been performed, and copy machine hard drives were not routinely erased, leaving this information to be relatively open to outside threats. Much of this stems from poor communication between the state office and their IT provider, Enterprise Information Technology Services, who claimed they were unaware of the need for security measures to be enforced as well as a data encryption and erasure routine to be followed. This goes to show how crucial it is to effectively consider and communicate the needs of your business when putting its well-being in the hands of someone else.

As a business grows and changes, the concept of security tends to grow along with it. It is important to take a moment and ask what security means for your business:

“How can I keep personal or sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands?”
“Do we need a full-time security guard?”
“Should employees require key card access to open certain doors, log into computers, or use copy machines?”
“Is my network protected from outside threats?”
“Is my IT provider engaged and aware of my security needs?”

Asking questions like those above is a great start to protecting your company and its client base. Don’t wait for an audit to discover what is happening in your organization, give us a call now to see how PDP can help!

Check out the Review Journal’s article here.

With the Clean Power Plan announced, I thought it might be interesting to see the current state of power generation throughout each part of the country. Check out these interactive charts and maps of the US’s sources of electricity.

Tired of waiting in long lines? Google recently added a feature that shows searchers the peak activity hours for millions of businesses.

This feature could definitely benefit those of us looking to avoid crazy grocery shopping hours or dining times at our favorite restaurants.

Check out this Fortune article to learn everything you need to know about Android’s Stagefright megabug.

A quick end-of-the-week blog post about Tesla’s recently announced plan to take progressive steps in creating efficient sustainability for the homes of tomorrow. Tesla’s Powerwall is intended to play a key role in moving away from the current means of power generation and supply by providing an efficient and simplified way of storing power generated by renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.

From Tesla’s website: “Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home in the evening. It also fortifies your home against power outages by providing a backup electricity supply. Automated, compact and simple to install, Powerwall offers independence from the utility grid and the security of an emergency backup.”

What do you think of Powerwall? 

Are you considering “going solar?”

What are some of the other possible applications for this technology?

Tell us by replying below.

Think back to the last or most memorable time you lost an item or object essential to your daily life. Keys, wallets, a debit card pulled out to make an online purchase, or your favorite pen; these things have a mysterious way of getting lost in the void of time and space. When we finally find that one thing we were looking for, it seems like there is this great epiphany that strikes us: “Well, of course it would be here… It’s the last place I would ever check,” even though deep down we may be a little embarrassed that we know too well why a certain thing is in a certain place.

My most-less-than-proud moment occurred back when I was first getting into the job market. I was super excited for my first job interview ever. I made sure to get some fancy new clothes to look sharp and got a professional haircut rather than doing the usual self-cut. I woke up early, made sure to eat a solid breakfast (a microwave breakfast croissant and a glass of orange juice), and made sure I was “done-up” as much as I felt I could be. I then decided to relax. To prepare myself mentally, I sat down on the couch and watched cartoons for a good 30-40 minutes or so before realizing I was going to be running late if I stayed to watch the rest of my show. I turned off the TV, got up to leave, patted my left pocket, and then my right. My keys were missing.

I ran upstairs to my room to check if I left my keys on my nightstand. Nothing. Then the bathroom. No keys. I rushed downstairs and began thinking, “Maybe I left them by the sink? on the couch maybe?” I looked EVERYWHERE with no luck and I had to leave now if I wanted to make it on time. At this point I had no choice but to get a ride from a neighbor. I practically jumped out of my neighbor’s car, giving a wave and a “Thank you! I’ll walk home!” as I sped for the doors… of a restaurant. My contact only specified an address and suite number which MapQuest failed to tell me was a Panera Bread. I gained my composure, walked into the restaurant, and looked around, hoping to see my contact (whose picture I had seen on his website). He wasn’t there yet. I sat down at an open table and waited.

15 minutes later my contact showed up out of breath, explaining his wife had accidentally taken his car keys that morning and that he did everything in his power to get to the interview as soon as possible (I didn’t have a phone at the time so he had no way of telling me the situation). He was sincerely apologetic, to which I confessed I too was late because my keys were missing. We had a bit of a laugh over it, got down to business with the lunch interview, and things went rather well (even though his offer ended up being less than desirable by the end of the interview). We parted ways and I walked 6 miles home. As soon as I got home, I plopped down on my bed. I was too tired to look for my keys at the moment so I just took a nap to recuperate from the self-induced stress.

When I woke up, I went downstairs, watched TV, sorted through jobs listings online, and carried on with my usual routine until my stomach began to growl around dinner time. I checked the fridge, passing up on leftovers and anything that required more than 5 minutes of my time to prepare, which led to me back to where my morning started: the freezer. I nearly fell flat on my back as I opened the freezer door. I just started laughing, shaking my head, and my face burning up. My sister ran over to see what was going on; she thought I was going crazy or something. I simply pointed at the top rack of the freezer, from which my frosted car keys dangled.

Is there some object or item that is always growing legs and running off when you aren’t looking? Or maybe it already has legs and keeps getting away?Tell us about your funniest or most memorable time of losing something – your phone, a pet, a toothbrush, whatever! Our favorite story will grant its teller a Tile – A device that can tether your most treasured belongings to your smartphone so that you can know their whereabouts and save a little worry and time from your daily life.

Check out Tile’s website for more info on the device and how it works with your phone.