The Power Up: How Computers Drive Small Business Success

stairway to success

In today’s digital age, computers are no longer a luxury for small businesses – they’re a necessity. From streamlining operations to expanding reach, these versatile tools offer a multitude of benefits that can propel a small business towards success.

Productivity

One of the most significant advantages is the boost in productivity. Computers automate repetitive tasks like data entry and inventory management, freeing up valuable time for employees to focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, software programs streamline communication and collaboration, allowing teams to work together seamlessly, regardless of location.

Financial Management

Financial management is another area transformed by computers. Accounting software simplifies bookkeeping and payroll, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Furthermore, businesses can leverage online banking and financial planning tools to gain better control over their cash flow and make informed investment decisions.

Marketing

Marketing is no longer limited by geographic boundaries thanks to computers. Small businesses can create professional websites and utilize social media platforms to reach a wider audience and establish a strong online presence. Cost-effective email marketing campaigns can nurture leads and build customer loyalty.

Data-driven decision-making

Computers also empower data-driven decision-making. With access to real-time analytics, businesses can track sales trends, customer behaviour, and market performance. This valuable information allows them to identify areas for improvement, optimize marketing strategies, and make data-backed choices for future growth.

Affordable

The cost of computer technology has become increasingly affordable, making it accessible to even the smallest businesses. Additionally, with a variety of cloud-based solutions available, small businesses can avoid the upfront investment in expensive hardware and software.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, computers are essential tools for small businesses to thrive in the competitive marketplace. By leveraging their power to increase productivity, improve communication, manage finances effectively, and make data-driven decisions, small businesses can establish a strong foundation for success and achieve their full potential. Get in touch and we can chat about your needs and the way ahead.

2024: Unveiling Tech’s Next Horizon

technology over the horizon
What’s over the horizon?

As we step into 2024, the tech landscape buzzes with excitement and anticipation. Beyond the usual suspects, groundbreaking advancements simmer beneath the surface, promising to reshape our world. Let’s peek at some of the key developments on the horizon:

1. Generative AI Takes Centre Stage: Imagine AI not just mimicking, but creating the next Picasso or composing a Beethoven-esque symphony. Generative AI, harnessing the power of deep learning, will unleash its creative potential. From personalized design solutions to hyper-realistic virtual experiences, expect this technology to blur the lines between art and code.

2. Quantum Computing Leaps Forward: While still in its nascent stages, 2024 could see significant progress in quantum computing. These powerful machines, capable of tackling previously insurmountable problems, will accelerate advancements in drug discovery, materials science, and financial modelling. Prepare for a world where the impossible becomes achievable with the aid of qubits.

3. The Metaverse Expands its Reach: The immersive digital world known as the metaverse will push the boundaries of reality. Expect advanced AR/VR experiences, seamless integration with everyday life, and even the emergence of virtual economies. As the lines between physical and digital blur, prepare for your avatar to become an extension of your identity.

4. Smart Devices Get Smarter: Our beloved devices are about to get a serious IQ boost. Expect smarter homes that anticipate our needs, self-driving cars that navigate complex scenarios, and wearables that monitor our health with unprecedented accuracy. The Internet of Things will not just connect devices, it will weave them into the fabric of our lives.

5. Sustainability Goes High-Tech: Climate change remains a pressing concern, and technology will play a crucial role in addressing it. Advances in renewable energy, energy storage, and green manufacturing will take centre stage. Expect smarter grids, efficient solar panels, and sustainable materials made from waste. Technology will become a weapon in our fight for a greener planet.

Of this course, this is only a glance

Of course, these are just a glimpse of the tech magic brewing in 2024. From ethical considerations surrounding AI to the potential implications of the metaverse, there will be challenges to navigate. But one thing is certain: the year ahead promises to be a thrilling ride, one where technology redefines what it means to be human, connect with the world and shape our future.

And that’s just the beginning. Buckle up, 2024 is going to be a wild ride! So get in touch here an check your tech will keep up. Click here.

Upgraded Old Computers vs. New Computers: Striking the Balance between Nostalgia and Performance

refurbished equipment

As technology rapidly advances, the dilemma between sticking to a beloved old computer or investing in a brand-new one becomes a recurring conundrum for many users. Both options have their merits, catering to different needs and preferences. Let’s explore the pros and cons of upgrading an old computer versus purchasing a new one.

Upgrading an old computer often appeals to the sentimental user, someone who has grown attached to their trusted machine over the years. Nostalgia plays a significant role here, as they cherish the memories associated with their loyal companion. Additionally, upgrading specific components, such as adding more RAM, replacing the hard drive with an SSD, or upgrading the graphics card, can breathe new life into the system. This approach is often more budget-friendly than buying a brand-new computer, allowing users to extend the lifespan of their machine without a hefty upfront cost.

However, there are limitations to upgrading old computers. Technological progress moves at a rapid pace, and older systems might not be compatible with the latest hardware and software. Upgrading certain components might not yield substantial performance improvements due to hardware bottlenecks or outdated architecture. Eventually, the old computer may reach a point where further upgrades are no longer feasible or cost-effective, leaving the user with a compromised computing experience.

On the other hand, investing in a new computer guarantees cutting-edge technology and performance. Modern computers come equipped with the latest processors, graphics cards, and other components, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience. Moreover, new computers often offer enhanced energy efficiency, reducing the environmental impact compared to older, power-hungry machines.

However, new computers can be considerably more expensive than upgrades. For some users, the cost of purchasing a brand-new system might not fit their budget. Additionally, buying a new computer means parting ways with the familiar, personalized setup of their old machine, which can be a difficult adjustment for long-time users.

Ultimately, the decision between upgrading an old computer and buying a new one depends on individual needs and circumstances. If nostalgia, budget constraints, and modest computing requirements are paramount, upgrading an old computer can be a viable option. However, for those seeking cutting-edge performance, compatibility with the latest software, and have the financial means, a new computer is the way to go.

At I.T. Turning Point we have a source of quality refurbished computers, with a guarantee. reducing the carbon footprint of buying a brand-new computer. Get in touch and we can chat about things and your specific needs. Click here

Regardless of the choice, responsible e-waste management should always be a consideration. Donating or recycling old computers ensures they don’t end up in landfills, contributing to environmental sustainability. Whichever path users take, finding the right balance between nostalgia and performance will lead to a computing experience that meets their unique preferences and needs.

Technology is developing at an unprecedented pace

techdevelopemnts

Technology is developing at an unprecedented pace. New innovations are being introduced all the time, and it can be difficult to keep up. This can make it challenging to plan for how technology will be used in the future.

However, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that you are prepared for the future of technology.

First, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. Read articles, attend conferences, and talk to experts in the field. This will help you to understand the potential impact of new technologies and how they could be used in your organization.

Second, you need to develop a clear vision for how you want to use technology. What are your goals? What are your challenges? How can technology help you to achieve your goals and overcome your challenges? Once you have a clear vision, you can start to develop a plan for how to implement it.

Finally, you need to be flexible. The pace of technological change is constantly accelerating. What works today may not work tomorrow. This means that you need to be willing to adapt your plans as needed.

By following these tips, you can ensure that you are prepared for the future of technology. By staying up-to-date, developing a clear vision, and being flexible, you can use technology to your advantage and achieve your goals.

Here are some additional tips for planning to use technology:

Identify your needs. What do you hope to achieve by using technology? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can start to look for solutions that will help you reach your goals.

Consider your resources. How much money do you have to spend on technology? What kind of expertise do you have in-house? These factors will help you to narrow down your options and choose the right solutions for your needs.

Do your research. Read reviews, compare products, and talk to other users before making a decision. This will help you to make sure that you are getting the best possible value for your money.

Get training. Once you have chosen your technology, make sure that you and your employees are trained on how to use it effectively. This will help to ensure that you get the most out of your investment.

By following these tips, you can make sure that you are planning for the future of technology in a way that is both effective and efficient.

Check us out at https://www.itturningpoint.com

The AI Revolution, Pros and Cons. Article 1

working smarter
Time for change

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm and is revolutionizing the way we live, work, and interact with each other. AI is a technology that enables machines to learn and perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and natural language processing. The AI revolution is happening right now, and it has both pros and cons.

On the positive side, AI is bringing about significant improvements in various industries, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and manufacturing. AI-powered robots and machines are taking over tedious, repetitive, and dangerous tasks, allowing humans to focus on more creative and productive work. AI-powered medical devices are helping doctors and healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat diseases more accurately and efficiently. AI-powered vehicles are making transportation safer and more sustainable.

AI is also helping businesses to improve their operations, increase their efficiency, and reduce costs. AI-powered systems can analyse vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide insights that help businesses to make informed decisions. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are enhancing customer service, providing 24/7 support to customers, and improving customer satisfaction.

However, the AI revolution also has its downsides. One of the most significant concerns is job displacement. As machines become more intelligent, they are taking over jobs traditionally performed by humans, leading to job losses and unemployment. This could have a severe impact on society, particularly for low-skilled workers who may find it challenging to find new employment.

Another significant concern is the potential misuse of AI. As AI becomes more advanced, it could be used to create autonomous weapons, surveillance systems, and other technologies that could threaten human rights and freedoms. There is also the risk of AI being used to perpetrate cyber-attacks or manipulate public opinion, which could have disastrous consequences.

In Conclusion

The AI revolution is happening right now, and it has both pros and cons. While AI has the potential to bring about significant improvements in various industries, it also poses significant challenges and risks. As we continue to develop and deploy AI technologies, it is essential to be mindful of the potential risks and take steps to mitigate them. Ultimately, the key to harnessing the power of AI lies in responsible development, deployment, and regulation.

Using Technology into the future

technology into the future
One world loads of technology

The use of technology has dramatically changed the way we live, work, and communicate over the past few decades, and this trend is expected to continue into the future. The advancement of technology has brought us the internet, smartphones, and artificial intelligence, which have revolutionized the way we interact with the world and with each other.

In the future, technology will continue to play a significant role in shaping the way we live our lives. The Internet of Things (IoT) will become even more prevalent, connecting everyday devices and allowing them to communicate with each other, leading to increased automation and efficiency. Augmented and virtual reality will become increasingly mainstream, changing the way we experience the world and interact with others.

Artificial intelligence will continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, transforming industries such as healthcare, finance, and transportation. AI will be used to diagnose and treat illnesses, automate tedious tasks, and make complex decisions. Automation will also lead to job displacement, which will need to be addressed to ensure that people can adapt to the changing economy.

Blockchain technology will also become more widespread, providing increased security and transparency for transactions and enabling the creation of decentralized systems. 5G networks will become more widespread, providing faster and more reliable internet access, which will be crucial for the development of new technologies such as autonomous vehicles and smart cities.

In Conclusion

The use of technology will continue to evolve and transform the way we live and interact with each other in the future. It will bring new opportunities and challenges, and it is essential that we stay ahead of the curve by adapting to the changes and ensuring that technology is used for the betterment of society. The future is unpredictable, but one thing is certain – technology will play a significant role in shaping it.

Get in touch now and have a chat about how we can help keep you ahead of the game. Click here

Pixel Devices Update

An update on Pixel usage

Thought we would pop on and give an update on the pixel devices now we have been using them and they have had a number of updates.

Google Pixel 7 Pro Phone

As mentioned in our first post we have been using the phone for business and leisure.

What are we finding?

Well, it does the job and has only had a few glitches that have caused concern. The screen has on occasion went faded out and then come back again after pressing a few buttons. It also hasn’t responded quickly to some light changes in the room I have been in. A slight lag as they say.

The battery is OK and it seems to cope with all the apps I use and the constant usage for business and then leisure. (And I assure you that’s a lot.)

The screen is large and very clear once you step it up to the higher display setting. Very sharp and clear. The camera is doing what it says as well and you can zoom in a great distance and still get clear pictures, due to the AI taking over. Also, Macro is good and I find myself using portrait mode when taking closer photos and it blurs the background. I have only played with the magic eraser a few times and it works. Sometimes it guesses and gets the filing background slightly askew.

Processors are fast and the security levels are much improved. I now have access to Google VPN when out and about as well. So, all in all, tick, tick, tick.

The leather case I ordered from Google as well and I am slightly disappointed with it. It is becoming dirty very fast and scuffing at comers and edges are becoming visible. I may have to replace this.

Onto the Pixel Watch

Well, as mentioned in the initial post, the battery life here is the problem and I still charge it around three times per day. I have had some updates and I thought this might cure things. But alas no.

It has also had some glitches with the use of NFC for payments and sometimes just doesn’t perform.

I also had problems adding my company card to the watch for payment and have had to contact my bank on each occasion. It crashed on me after an update and I had to research getting it running again as it had frozen on restarting screen. Got there eventually. It just seems a bit buggy. I have had Wear watches for a good few years now. Staring with a Motorola one and then a Huawei W1 and then the Fossil Gen 5. So, no stranger to them. This one just needs something that would make it more stable.

The strap design, for getting on and off is good and I have ordered some extra straps and can change them easily. The battery and the bugginess are the main issues. Will see how things go.

All these devices were purchased from the Google Store. https://store.google.com/gb/?hl=en-GB

Watch this space and we may be back soon, let us know what your thoughts are if you have dived into the Pixel train

CES 2022: Ameca the robot

Ameca the human robot

Having watched a lot of the reports from the CES 2022 this year I am constantly drawn back to the Ameca the robot to help humans communicate with AI. (My Sci-Fi routes coming into play)

The development engineer is interviewed and actually talks about how we have been using keyboards to interact for so long and they are a dated device. If we have to interact with AI in the future we will want a more human contact method. The AI here is impressive and she, (Ameca), can react to people’s facial expressions and know if they are happy or sad, etc.

She is the best I have seen over the last few years and uses her hands etc to gesture as she talks. She can identify who spoke and look right at them. I am just glad they didn’t call her HAL.

Here is the video called A conversation with Ameca from Interesting engineering, what do you think?

What scares you about using the cloud?

The nature of computing over the last few years has gone one way and one way only and that is to drive users on the cloud. The software is now offered as a service and machines locally are less powerful with less storage, as your storage is not local anymore and is on the cloud remotely.

Most people are going with the flow and some others are still thinking the old way and have loads of data stored locally. The machines then become infected and data is lost or compromised.

Some companies have to store data locally due to legal requirements or just their processes in-house require it. However, the way the world is going is to store remotely, which allows so many good benefits.

What are the Benefits?

Let us start by looking at some of the benefits of cloud and remote storage: –

  1. The use and accessibility of files and work become easier. Users can drag and drop files etc. to cloud storage drives ion their machines. You don’t have to be technical. The stored data can then be accessed from anywhere in the world.
  2. How about disaster recovery? A backup plan for data has been something us I.T. guys have shouted about for years. Cloud storage drives create an automatic backup of all data stored, taking away the need for you to do it and the costs involved.
  3. Security is always the main argument against using the cloud. However, the best thing about cloud-stored data is that the server data is distributed across redundant servers and the data that is stored in the cloud is safeguarded against any type of hardware failure. Cloud servers also provide automated backups and snapshots in order to make sure that your data is safe.
  4. There are cost savings in using cloud-based data storage as well. No expensive on-site storage solutions that have running costs as well. All this is saved and the cost of cloud storage against it usually means a cost saving. This depends on your company and setup of course.
  5. Data sharing is another great benefit of cloud storage. Files can be shared in-house with colleagues or with clients externally.
  6. Automation of backups etc. is also a massive benefit. Once set up a daily routine isn’t needed locally and this frees up people for other tasks.
  7. Online cloud storage is also a great way to allow staff and clients to collaborate on documents and projects. From anywhere in the world.
  8. File integrity is also another great plus. When working on a cloud-based file you simply save and close. This means we don’t have various copies on various machines. Then trying to sync most recent of them.
  9. The amount of convenience and peace of mind offered by cloud storage system is amazing! Even if you store data on transportable devices like external hard drives or flash drives, some kind of manual intervention and physical handling is required. The data that is stored in a cloud is backed up online and it can be accessed from anywhere. Information is automatically saved as it streams in. There is no need for you to save, label or track information. The convenience of online cloud storage enables you to completely concentrate on your work without getting stressed about data loss.

Conclusion

Online storage and backup are beneficial for all types of businesses. It is a platform that does not require any huge investment and can be actively used in connecting staff and clients. Collaborating and using data smartly. Not to mention less supervision and online activities. Secure in the knowledge that it is all backed up for you and can be accessed from anywhere.

It’s a Hard drive now a days.

computer harddriveI am asked by a lot of people about the new SSD drives as they call them, (In fact, this type of storage has been around for a while, granted it is developing and getting smarter and better all the time.), However, I digress. They ask me if the guarantee on this type of storage is as good as the older platter hard drives that stored their data to a physical disk using magnetism.

Well, there are many factors that affect both types of storage and cause them to fail or basically run out of life.

I stumbled across an article by CNet and they explain the way both drives work and how the SSD drive is much more complicated but in essence with last much longer. They are some actions you can do to help this but don’t panic you really don’t need to do them.

Check out the article here. (All credits here to Cnet.)

SSD or Platter Hard Drives

Let me know your thoughts on storage and your preferred drive type.