Featured Report: OMG, It's the SMS Text Message's 20th Birthday!

CIO Magazine
Dec,03,2012
by: Al Sacco
Today is the twentieth anniversary of the first SMS text message, sent in 1992. Text messaging has since revolutionized the way human beings communicate while simultaneously dumbing down written communication and butchering the English language. Yay SMS. Today is the 20th anniversary of the first SMS (short message service) text message, which was sent on December 3rd, 1992, from Neil Papworth, an SMS engineer in London, to Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis, to wish him a Merry Christmas, according to WSJ.com. (Seems a bit early for a Christmas wish, no? "You just received the world's first text message, $%@#$%^&!@%*!!!!" would have been more appropriate, I think.)
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This Week's Wireless News

Fierce Wireless
MetroPCS expands joyn messaging service to more smartphones
Dec,04,2012
by: Phil Goldstein
MetroPCS (NYSE:PCS) is bringing Rich Communication Services under the GSMA's joyn brand to more of its LTE smartphones. The joyn service is part of an effort by carriers worldwide to counter the rise of over-the-top communications services like WhatsApp, Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iMessage and Facebook's (NASDAQ:FB) Messenger. The flat-rate carrier said its joyn service is now available for download on the Samsung Electronics Galaxy S III and Galaxy S Lightray, as well as the LG Motion and LG Connect, ZTE Anthem and Coolpad Quattro phones. Previously, Metro's joyn service was limited to the Samsung Galaxy Attain. To access the service, users with the phones must download the joyn application from Google's Play Android storefront, but by mid-2013 MetroPCS plans to sell phones with joyn built in.
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Wireless Week
Facebook Updates Messenger for Android
Dec,04,2012
by: Ben Munson
SMS took another hit today, as Android users will now be able to sign up for Facebook Messenger with only a name and phone number. The update to the OTT service opens up direct messenging, photo sharing and more to users still holding out on diving into social networking, while also essentially performing the function of a text without the texting rates.
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RCR Wireless
Malicious mobile apps among Websense’s 7 cybersecurity predictions
Dec,04, 2012
by: Roberta Prescott
Malicious mobile apps, government-sponsored attacks and sandbox avoidance are among seven major cybersecurity threats predicted by Websense Security Labs for 2013. The company recently released its 2013 threat landscape and noted that cybercriminals gained confidence and momentum in 2012. According to Websense Security Labs vice president, Charles Renert, the past year illustrated how quickly the threat landscape continues to evolve with attacks and exploits redefining the concept of crime, business espionage and warfare. He noted that the risk to organizations continues to be amplified by the human curiosity; however, cyber threats are now expanding across diverse mobile platforms, involving content management systems and an ever-increasing population of online users.
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Small Business Healthcare Consortium

Hello Small Business Owners,
I am writing to you because our changing health care system will have a profound effect on all of us. Now that the election is over and the Supreme Court has ruled, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is not going away. It will not be repealed and it is up to us to make sure it will work for small businesses and individuals as it was intended to do. That’s why I joined the Campaign for Better Health Care’s newly created Small Business Health Care Consortium (SBHCC).

This consortium views the needs of small businesses and their employees as a top priority. And, as a member of the Steering Committee of the SBHCC, I am personally inviting you and asking you to invite your network of small businesses to participate in a one hour, educational free webinar about the Affordable Care Act on January 15th at 11:00am CST or January 16th at 3:30pm CST. Discussions around health reform have been confusing and, sometimes, even misleading. It is the goal of this free webinar to provide factual information about the changes that are already happening and those coming in the near future. It will discuss the benefits and opportunities of the ACA and what Illinois small businesses need to do to make sure this law will benefit them.

Follow this link to register for:
January 15th: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=ecg0qj9s21aq

January 16th: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=m2wt2unotbju

Many key components of the ACA are national in nature. For instance, small businesses currently providing health insurance to their employees could be eligible for a 35% tax credit. And, while employers with fewer than 50 full time employees are not required to provide health insurance, their employees can take advantage of the ACA’s benefits. Other components will be implemented at the State level and these decisions will either enhance small businesses or provide another hurdle. One important component is that all states must implement a health insurance exchange (marketplace). These exchanges will include a rate review process with defined, easy to understand plans to consider and review side-by-side. As small business owners we share many of the same, serious business challenges. It is my hope that you and your small business peers do want to learn more about the ACA. Let’s take this opportunity to act collectively to get control of health insurance costs and improve access to coverage.

The opportunity to create positive change is now. It is about fairness and choices for small businesses. Please register:
January 15th, 11am CST:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=ecg0qj9s21aq
January 16th, 3:30pm CST:
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=m2wt2unotbju

And, do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or ideas. Reach me at 312-286-8416 email wireheadtec@gmail.com or Wirehead Technology Healthcare IT Serives at www.wireheadtec.com/Home.html Find a listing of our SBHCC Steering Committee members at: www.cbhconline.org/smallbusiness .

Sincerely,
Howard Lee CIO
Wirehead Technology

If you need answers to your Healthcare IT needs now visit our Healthcare Managed Services page at Wirehead Technology