Tag Archives: technology

Technology is developing at an unprecedented pace

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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

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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.

When should I replace my I.T. Equipment and why?

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IT kit
Is repairing or replacing the thing

As a business, your IT equipment replacement policy should be based on several factors, including cost, usage, and technology advancements. Here are some recommendations to consider when creating your IT equipment replacement policy, this isn’t the full list:

  1. Cost-effective replacement: You should consider the cost of the equipment and determine if it makes more financial sense to repair it or replace it. This can help you make the best use of your budget and minimize expenses. Also, remember old failing, slow equipment can be causing less productivity and hence less income.
  2. Usage: The frequency of use and the importance of the equipment should be considered when determining the replacement schedule. For example, you may want to replace a computer that is used frequently and is critical to your operations more frequently than a computer that is used infrequently.
  3. Technology advancements: new technologies are constantly emerging, and you may want to take advantage of them by replacing your older equipment with newer, more advanced equipment. This can improve your operations and keep your business up-to-date. Windows 11 and Windows 12 is on its way now relying on hardware that may not be in your older kit.
  4. Support and warranty: You should also consider the support and warranty provided by the manufacturer when determining the replacement schedule. If a manufacturer no longer provides support or warranty for a piece of equipment, it may be time to replace it. Staff trying to repair and keep kit going isn’t their job and again reduces productivity.
  5. Environmental impact: Finally, you may also want to consider the environmental impact of your IT equipment. You may choose to replace older equipment with more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly equipment.

It’s important to have a clear and well-defined IT equipment replacement policy in place to ensure that you are making the best use of your resources and maximizing your operations. Financially the spending may not seem frugal, but in the middle and long term, it is better and can save money long term.

Get in touch and we can chat about how we can draft an I.T. renewal policy for you and advise on your current kit with one of our Needs analysis surveys.

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Using Technology into the future

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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

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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

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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 is the key factor about adopting technology?

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A question I am asked a lot is, “What technology should I be using?”

The better question would be why should I use that technology?

So, what is the point of this article.? It is all about what you need and what you do.

The technology of yesterday, is not the technology of tomorrow as it is changing so fast. This matters because of the reason that technology is changing. It is changing because of customer demand a lot of the time and the new technology helps users work smarter and not harder.

So, what are the key factors about adopting new technology?

The ultimate answer is you are the key factor, let me explain further: –

I could easily go into any of my clients and simply say here is the new tech and you need it now. This of course is a broad-brush approach and they may not need half of what I am telling them they need.

So, I never do that, I ask loads and I mean loads of questions. I need to get inside their heads and their business. My forte is that I keep an eye and focus on what is out there and can advise accordingly.

I try and establish the following: –

  1. What do you and your business do just now?
  2. What may you be doing in the shorter term?
  3. Where do you see things in the longer term?

This enables me to focus on exactly you do and how you currently are doing it.

I can then look at solutions that are there just now that may make your tasks smarter and with emerging tech, I can advise on when you should maybe put your toe in the water.

I.T. is an ever-changing horizon and you have your focus and business to run. So why not hand it over to someone who focusses on the tech and get them to advise on what may be beneficial for you.

So, the key factors about adopting technology is you and your team and business. I always start from that point.

I.T. Needs Analysis Packages

What scares you about using the cloud?

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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.

Do you own a NAS and are you looking after it well?

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Synology NAS box

Synology, one manufacturer of NAS box’s

A strange question for the uninitiated. What is a NAS and what sort of food does it eat and how should I be treating it?

My focus recently has been all about storage and the space we are each using to store our data. (Whatever that data maybe). From faster drives to access the data to storage solution on the cloud and in the office. It is one of the most important and common questions I am asked.

One solution doesn’t meet everyone’s needs. But a combination of solutions is usually what people use and sometimes chaotically with no thought on how this will progress and what the strategy is or should be.

So what is a NAS?

Well, it isn’t a small creature that keeps you company and helps with your storage and access to data. Well, that is not completely true it does allow storage and access to data in various ways and will cleverly backup said data in different ways. NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. A system of storage media that is attached to your network at home or work. Over the years this type of storage has become more and more intelligent and can literally be a self-contained computer system that runs all your data and data access. It can be a small unit to a much larger unit. Various companies make them and they are, well what can I say I am biased, brilliant.

I have used one for business for over 8 years now and it has served me well. I can store data on it and it has internal drives that automatically backup to each other creating what is called a mirror of my data. I also can, and have configured it to back up to a cloud drive and have chosen the important data to back up in this way. So I have offsite data as well.

The NAS unit allows me to access it remotely over the Internet, (Through a secure connection), so my own personal cloud drive with access. I can add users and give them a proportion of the space and they can store their data there and we can collaborate on data.

Benefits

This is a lower costs system to having a fully-fledged file server in your office and still allows multiple access by users and storage and remote access. It has a configuration panel that is easy to understand and configure. An admin is appointed and can add users, block users and configure all the aspects of the system. The amount of storage is up to you and your budget. But it can be easy to handle and allow for expansion to a cloud drive or even to add extra space at the NAS unit itself.

Remember the biggest asset to any business is data and the importance of data and how easy it is to access it and collaborate using it is important.

So if you are considering storage and where it all goes?

It’s a Hard drive now a days.

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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.