Suren Ramasubbu

We are happy to share that StartUpBeat.com featured an inspiring interview with Suren Ramasubbu, titled: Startup Narratives: Suren Ramasubbu, founder and CEO of Mobicip.com.  You can read the full interview here: http://startupbeat.com/sub/2011/08/startup_narratives_suren_ramasubbu_id2452.html and you can also find it on the Mobicip press page.

Our favorite Q and A from the interview was the following:
SUB: What prompted you to start Mobicip in the first place?
Ramasubbu: I still remember that moment vividly. I was watching some kids walk across the street at a traffic light. These middle schoolers were carrying huge backpacks. It was 2005. I felt the backpacks were an anachronism, a throwback to an older era in education and how children learn. I remember feeling strongly that this was going to change. And I wanted to be a part of that change in education, if and when it happens. It was a gut feeling, an intuition, and it was validated at the Mobile 2011 Conference. There is significant change happening today in K-12 education, and it has been labeled “mobile learning”.

From StartUp Beat: "Editor’s Note: This is a new Q&A series from StartUp Beat that features entrepreneurs who have successfully guided their startups (or multiple startups) to maturity. It is meant to complement StartUp Beat’s coverage of early-stage startups and an effort to provide further insight into the experiences of tech entrepreneurs."

About Mobicip’s Web Filtering and Dynamic Parental Control Software
Mobicip is the most popular content filtering solution available on the App Store. The best-selling Mobicip Safe Browser app has been consistently rated among top paid apps, downloaded and used by tens of thousands of parents and several K-12 schools and school districts in the US, and was recently recognized by the 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards as a Top Mobile App. Mobicip's dynamic content filtering includes a new YouTube filter, Windows 7 Content Filter, and Linux Filter for parents and educators to ensure their children’s Internet safety while they are on the web. In addition to enabling online learning by supporting iOS-based devices, Mobicip partners with schools like Comal ISD to create custom app solutions that further enable online learning.  Learn more at www.mobicip.com

Mobicip application was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times article by Abby Sewell: "Smart phones, tablets can give kids access to unsavory content".  We are happy to feature a small part of the article on our blog, however we strongly encourage you to read the complete article at LATimes.com.

"So a growing number of applications — including Safe Eyes Mobile from InternetSafety.com, owned by McAfee Inc., and Safe Browser from Mobicip — are offering "kid-safe" filtered Internet browsers that can be set as an alternative to Safari on Apple devices.

Mobicip, based in Thousand Oaks, initially developed its application for use by schools to allow them to comply with the federal Children's Internet Protection Act, company founder Suren Ramasubbu said.

It found a market among parents as well, although Ramasubbu said tens of thousands of consumers have bought the app, compared with the millions who have bought Apple's mobile devices.

DiFalco, 42, a freelance writer in Vancouver, Wash., installed the Mobicip browser on her phone after testing it for the Parents' Choice Foundation, a nonprofit that rates children's products.

Before that, she said, she hadn't really thought about the need to filter access to the Internet on her phone."
 

Thousand Oaks, CA - Mobicip.com, the leading Internet safety and parental control service for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, created a custom school district mobile application for Comal Independent School District (Comal ISD) in New Braunfels, TX. The app is now available to download from the iTunes store. This public school district app helps educators share information in a fast and easy way.  By downloading the application you can see the latest school district news, view phone numbers from every school in the district and dial them with the touch of a button, access important parent information such as breakfast and lunch menus and student handbooks, keep up to date with the results of some of the district’s sporting events and stay informed of all the important events through the district calendar.

“We want to keep parents, students and the community informed,” said Sandra Shelton, executive director of technology. “We continuously strive to make things more convenient, and this not only accomplishes that goal but it keeps up with our fast-paced technological world.” Comal ISD is one of the first districts in the country to have its own mobile application.  Comal ISD was able to offer to the app through a partnership with Mobicip.com.

Comal ISD first partnered with Mobicip for the Comal ISD Middle School English Language Learner iPod Project which is a 1:1 learning program using the Apple iPod Touch for its special education English language learners. The project is one of the first of its kind in the country in which ESL middle school students district-wide receive iPod Touch portable media players to use in both the classroom and at home. Comal ISD decided to deploy Mobicip’s Safe Browser app as the window to the Internet on the iPod Touch. The Safe Browser app offers a safe, secure and educational Internet environment for school-age children. “Mobicip fills a critical need for us. Students still have access to the Internet on any Wi-Fi network and teachers and parents can feel confident that they are not accessing inappropriate sites”, says Jennifer Wivagg, technology coordinator at Comal ISD.

Comal Independent School District teacher, Ann Jeanette Patton, shares: “Had we not had a restricted internet service like Mobicip, I wouldn’t have allowed them (the mobile devices) in the room as a tool, because of the monitoring that would have had to have occurred and plus they couldn’t have taken them (iPod's) home. So, I very much (sic) strongly affirm that Mobicip is an integral part of this process."

To download the Comal ISD app, simply go to the iTunes store through your iOS device or computer and search “Comal” or click here.

About Mobicip’s Web Filtering and Dynamic Parental Control Software
Mobicip is the most popular Internet filtering solution available on the App Store. The best-selling Mobicip Safe Browser app has been consistently rated among top paid apps, downloaded and used by tens of thousands of parents and several K-12 schools and school districts in the US, and was recently recognized by the 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards as a Top Mobile App. In addition to enabling online learning by supporting iOS-based devices, Mobicip partners with schools like Comal ISD to create custom app solutions that further enable online learning.  Learn more at www.Mobicip.com.
 

Suren Ramasubbu, Mobicip Founder and CEO, was recently quoted in a TexasSchoolBusiness.com article by Jennifer LeClaire titled, "Smart Use of Smart Technology."  LeClaire writes how schools use mobile learning devices to enhance classroom curriculum and homework completion rates and how such advancements are boosting student engagement and access to learning resources.  We encourage you to read the complete article on TexasSchoolBusiness.com because LeClaire offers interesting information about education via mobile learning devices.

"Making mobile devices safe
Sometimes enforcing acceptable use policies requires more than a precisely written document. Some school districts are backing up written policies with software filters to encourage hesitant school boards to sanction mobile learning devices in the classroom.

Many parents are not tech-savvy,' says Suren Ramasubbu, founder and CEO of Mobicip.com, a Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based Internet filtering and parental control software developer that serves school districts. 'Open Internet access is a big concern for parents and the school. So, a common part of schools' acceptable use policies addresses access to the Internet, both in school and when the devices are sent home. Internet-filtering software helps enforce the guidelines that the schools define in their acceptable use policies.'

Jim Ned CISD in Tuscola partnered with Mobicip when it decided to send iPod Touch devices home with every high school student in the district. By deploying the devices with Internet safety and parental control software already installed, the district could allow students to explore and experience the Internet with safe, school-generated and -approved content. Mobicip's service ensures Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) compliance, supports the school's acceptable use policy and makes the program eligible for eRate funding."

We are happy to feature a section of the article on our blog however we encourage you to read the complete article on TexasSchoolBusiness.com: http://www.texasschoolbusiness.com/www/docs/120.2911/texas-school-business-cover-story
 

Thousand Oaks, CA - Mobicip.com, the leading Internet safety and parental control service for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, has created an automatic solution for a common concern parents and educators have – the issue of kids being online too long.  Mobicip.com's premium users can now setup time limits for Internet access by following the link below http://www.mobicip.com/portal/settings/time_limits.  To ensure that the feature was parent and educator approved, Mobicip offered the beta version of the solution to a parent and educator test group.  The focus group feedback was used to make sure the feature was functional and helpful.  The feature is now live for all Mobicip.com premium users.

The solution came from listening to needs from common parent posts in the Mobicip Online Safety Forum: “Is it possible to disable Internet access after a specified time of day?  For example, 11 pm on weeknights.“  The Mobicip team identified a critical need and responded immediately; working on this tool to help parents and educators setup Internet access time limits for their kid’s mobile devices.

Mobicip.com’s intelligent real-time content filtering technology allows parents to rest assured that their mobile kids are using the Internet sans the sites that parents don’t want them to be on.  Mobicip's co-founder and CEO (a father of two), Suren Ramasubbu, Founder and CEO of Mobicip, is committed to Internet filtering with a purpose to enable mobile learning anytime anywhere.

“The web is not going away. Devices like laptops and the iPod Touch and iPad are always on and can be used from anywhere, even in the child's bedroom. There used to be a time when placing the computer in the family room was the best approach, but it is increasingly losing relevance now in the age of these mobile Internet devices”, says Ramasubbu. “Parents and educators cannot fight the technology and learning revolution the younger generations are growing up in, but they can take proactive steps to manage their children’s online use.

“In this paradigm, it is important that parents retain the ability to enforce the rules of household by limiting Internet access after a certain time in the evening. This feature was highly sought after by Mobicip's users, and we are happy to make it available for parents as yet another tool to keep the family safe online.”

Visit the Mobicip blog to learn How To Setup Internet Access Time Limits Using Mobicip.

The Safe Browser app is available on the iPhone App Store, and the service is available at www.Mobicip.com. Mobicip’s service for Windows 7 is available for free trial. At this time, users who want to try Mobicip on Windows 7 can express your interest via email or through the contact form. The full press release is available at www.Mobicip.com/Press.

About Mobicip’s Web Filtering and Dynamic Parental Control Software
Mobicip is the most popular Internet filtering solution available on the App Store. The best-selling Mobicip Safe Browser app has been consistently rated among top paid apps, downloaded and used by tens of thousands of parents and several K-12 schools and school districts in the US, and was recently recognized by the 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards as a Top Mobile App. In addition to enabling online learning by supporting iOS-based devices, Mobicip plans to launch its service on other Internet-enabled devices like netbooks, laptops and smart phones.  Testimonials, press coverage, and other relevant information can be found at www.mobicip.com.

Suren Ramasubbu (Mobicip CEO and Co-Founder) recently spoke with Lorrie Thomas (Web Marketing Therapy CEO) at the Newbury Park High School Parent Talk Meeting, titled: Safe Tech for Teens – A Parent’s Guide to Online Safety.  Suren and Lorrie shared the importance of Child Internet Safety with NPHS Parents and they also listed tools to help protect kids online.  We decided to share these tools on the Mobicip blog to continue to help keep kids safe online.

Before you start using these tools, please remember to:
1. Embrace technology - Educate yourself.
2. Get Involved – Create online safety rules at home and friend your child.
3. Use Tools  - Create a Green Zone and open it up slowly.

Child Internet Safety Tools
Internet Filters & Monitors
Mobicip
OpenDNS
Norton Online Safety

Safe Email
Zilladog
ZooBuh

Safe IM
IMSafer

Monitor Social Networks
(Friend your child)
Safety Web

Filtered SMS
AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Sprint

Thousand Oaks, CA - Mobicip.com, the leading Internet safety and parental control service for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, is participating in the online 2010 Global Education Conference. Suren Ramasubbu, CEO and co-founder of Mobicip, is leading a panel on “Mobile Learning Using the iPod Touch – In Hindsight” with co-panelists Susan Wells, Phil Hardin, and Jennifer Wivagg on Friday, November 19th, 2010 at 2:00 PM (GMT). The ecosystem of applications, device management, and wireless connectivity is making the deployment of iPod Touches in the classroom popular. The panelists will discuss how their programs evolved from concept to reality and how Mobicip’s content filtering service helped them reach that reality.  They will also cover acceptable use policy, security and deployment management, and anecdotal evidence of the benefits derived by students participating in the program.

The Global Education Conference is a platform for ways in which technology can enable learning anywhere and everywhere.  This year is the first online Global Education Conference and both the content and presenters are worth watching for educators and those involved with educational technology. The conference is a collaborative and worldwide community effort to significantly increase opportunities for globally connecting education activities and initiatives. The entire conference (November 15 - 19, 2010) is online and is free and sessions will be held in multiple time zones focusing on teachers, students, curriculum, policy and leadership and global issues.

Susan Wells, principal at Culbreth Middle School, set the goal to put an iPod Touch in every child's hand at their school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wells mentioned in a recent iEAR.org podcast that the “Mobicip application has helped her reach her goal.” Mobicip’s Internet safety and parental control service allows educators to embrace new technology while ensuring a safe learning and secure learning environment.

Mobicip.com’s intelligent real-time content filtering technology allows parents to rest assured that their mobile kids are using the Internet sans the sites that parents don’t want them to be on.  Mobicip's co-founder and CEO (a father of two), Suren Ramasubbu, Founder and CEO of Mobicip, decided to implement Internet filtering for mobile devices with a view to enable mobile learning anytime anywhere.

"Mobicip.com was launched with a vision to serve the needs of mobile learning in K-12 education. We have been amazed by the rapid adoption of the iPod Touch in schools, and more so by the innovative uses that educators have come up with for the device and applications like Mobicip," says Ramasubbu. "It is a sign of the times to see mobile learning as a session topic at the conference and even more a sign of the times that the conference is online!”

There is no formal registration required for the Global Education Conference, as all the sessions will be open and public, broadcasted live using the Elluminate platform, and available in recorded formats afterward.  All attendees need to do is CLICK HERE to enter the Elluminate session room, open one hour before every session. Please update your calendar for the Mobicip.com panel, Mobile Learning Using the iPod Touch – In Hindsight, on Friday, November 19th, 2010 at 2:00 PM (GMT).

The Safe Browser app is available on the iPhone App Store, and the service is available at www.Mobicip.com. The full press release is available at www.Mobicip.com/Press.

About Mobicip’s Web Filtering and Dynamic Parental Control Software
Mobicip is the most popular Internet filtering solution available on the App Store. The best-selling Mobicip Safe Browser app has been consistently rated among top paid apps, downloaded and used by tens of thousands of parents and several K-12 schools and school districts in the US, and was recently recognized by the 2010 Parents’ Choice Awards as a Top Mobile App. In addition to enabling online learning by supporting iOS-based devices, Mobicip plans to launch its service on other Internet-enabled devices like netbooks, laptops and smart phones.  Testimonials, press coverage, and other relevant information can be found at www.Mobicip.com.

Moms With Apps recently published an article, titled: "Promo Codes: What are they and how do they work?" that Mobicip CEO and founder, Suren Ramasubbu, gladly contributed to.  He is credited in the article and we are happy to feature a section of the article on the blog, please read the rest of the article on Moms With Apps.

"This week we explain promo codes and how they are redeemed in the iTunes App Store. After noticing how many of our Facebook fans are interested in promo codes to trial free apps, it seems necessary to explain what they are and why they are helpful. Special thanks to Suren from Mobicip, Madhavi from MazeArt, Jill from SmartyShortz, Jayne from Let’s Bead Friends, and Julie from Snow Globe Maker  for providing content for this post. Readers, please let us know if you have more questions so we can keep the article relevant and useful.

What is a promo code? A promo code is a special code that can be used to download a particular app for free in iTunes. It looks something like this: WJH3KW3A9EFR. Developers receive an allotment of promo codes for every app they launch.  They send these codes to bloggers, reporters, and users who are reviewing or testing their products. Codes expire after four weeks from the time they are requested by the developer, so it is important to use them promptly. Also, each promo code is unique and can be used only once.

Why should I care? Promo codes enable you to download an app for free. Most apps are pretty inexpensive, but as your app library grows, having access to a free download can help expand your selection while getting to know new apps and developers."

Please read the rest of the article on Moms With Apps.

HealthNewsDigest.com recently published an article, titled: "Tips on Child Mobile Internet Safety" that our proud CEO and founder, Suren Ramasubbu, gladly wrote.  To ensure that your mobile kids are safely surfing the mobile web, read the article to learn the 10 tips to keep your child safe online.  We are happy to feature the first three tips on our blog, however please read the rest of the child mobile internet safety tips on HealthNewsDigest.com.

Child mobile Internet safety tip #1: Safari could be a safari of unfiltered content.
As great as Safari is at displaying sites (as long as they don’t use Flash), it has no web filtering parental controls. None. Zip. Zilch. If your kids want to chat on PredatorsRUs.com, Safari will let them. First and foremost, change the iPod’s Safari browser to one that allows web filtering.

Child mobile Internet safety tip #2: Invest in a leading online content filtering service.
Services like Mobicip (http://www.mobicip.com/) have won Parent's Choice awards and are used by school districts across the country to filter dangerous online content. There are a number of child-safe iPod browsers on the market. Read the reviews and choose the best-rated child-safe iPod browser in your youngster’s age range.

Child mobile Internet safety tip #3: Use the iPod’s basic parental controls.
Once you have installed the child-safe iPod browser, disable Safari. But be warned, kids are clever. If kids don’t like using a child-safe iPod browser, they will simply download another browser. Here’s how you stop them.

Please read the rest of the article on HealthNewsDigest.com.

Suren Ramasubbu, mobile Internet safety expert and CEO of Mobicip.com, the leader in Internet filtering and parental controls for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad shared the following about iPad's popularity:

“Apple’s iPad is selling faster than the iPhone and industry experts project that it will have sold 1.5 million units by June. While the iPad is a revolutionary device that will surely transform how kids and teens interact with the Internet and enhance the social and educational benefits of the Web, parents and educators need to be aware of the hazards that young people can encounter online. The potential perils especially affect young children and teens, who start using mobile devices much earlier than their parents, who need to know how to ensure that their kids learn safe and responsible use of all mobile devices.  With Apple’s iPad quickly becoming the fastest selling consumer product, parents of today’s mobile kids need to encourage positive dialogue about Internet safety. This includes taking advantage of mobile Internet safety solutions designed to ensure kids and teens are securely and responsibly using their iPhones – and now iPads -  wherever they go.”

On Friday, April 23rd at 1:45 pm (PST), Suren Ramasubbu and Jennifer Wivagg will be presenting in the Learning Sharing Online Conference on the following topic: Individualized instruction and learning using the iPod Touch, to attend the session go here: http://knowevents.ca/course/view.php?id=11

During their presentation, they will also be reviewing how Mobicip's safe browser app helps parents take responsibility of the iPod Touches and iPhones so their kids can safely use their mobile devices.  They will also briefly review, Mobicip’s dynamic content filtering which allows kids and teens to safely learn, love and use the mobile web - anytime, anywhere. 

There is more information about the presentation below and here: http://knowevents.ca/user/view.php?id=77&course=1

Comal ISD in New Braunfels, TX, has implemented a 1:1 learning program using the Apple iPod Touch for its English language learners. Middle school students who participate in the program are each given an iPod Touch that contains apps, music, documents, presentations and instructional videos that allow the students to learn on their own time outside of school hours. Participants in this session will get an inside view of the program, how the program evolved from concept to reality, cover acceptable use policy, security and deployment management, and anecdotal evidence of the benefits derived by students participating in the program.