Alexa, Get Me A Latte...And Other Small Business Tech News This Week

Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 – Credit card theft keeps going up and up.
Didn’t the new chip cards put an end to this? Apparently not. A report from Javelin Strategy & Research has found that stolen card data rose 40 percent last year. The reason? Criminals are moving to ecommerce. “Right now the environment is more challenging than it’s ever been,” Al Pascual, research director and head of fraud and security at Javelin, told Bloomberg. “And things will get worse before they get better.” (Source: Bloomberg)
Why this is important for your business:
If you’re selling online, be aware of the tools used by criminals and work with a good IT security firm to make sure your customers’ transactions are as protected as much as they can be. Credit card firms will usually assume the liability, but a site with weak security will drive away customers. If that doesn’t work, call Batman.
2 – Cisco has launched a new gadget that will transform workplaces into digital buildings. 
Called “The Cisco Catalyst Digital Buildings Series Switch,” the product will allow digital buildings to manage lighting, air conditioning, badge identification and other components through a secure and quiet system. (Source: VentureBeat)