Categories
Industry

Why Businesses Fail in the IT Industry

Today, we are a part of a technology world that is ever-evolving and developing. As a matter of fact, few of us are capable of keeping pace with the rapidity with which technology is advancing. This trend is being driven by the yearly birth of hundreds of new technology-based organizations. Such new businesses are founded on a novel concept that may one day be highly lucrative.

However, many of these businesses fail which might be a consequence of a poorly managed system or a lack of resources. Determining the overarching reasons for tech failure may go a long road ahead toward guaranteeing your systems’ reliability and the output you need. There must be harmony between people, procedures, and technology in order for organizations to have a thriving IT ecosystem.

IT failures are notoriously difficult to investigate and pinpoint the root of. However, it is frequently a problem with one of the problems mentioned below that lead to the failure of the whole system.

Lack of Resources

A shortage of financial resources is the major and most urgent factor that may lead to the failure of a digital business. It takes some time to bring a fresh piece of technology, user interface, or computer software to the marketplace. 

Modern software implementation, payrolls, and other running expenditures have to be covered from an initial cost in order to keep the business viable throughout the product development and testing phases.

Poor Management Ability 

Another important point that leads to the failure of an IT business is poor management ability. Usually, startups and firms do not invest in management software for security and general management which leads to resource depletion, poor functioning systems, security breaches, and weak connectivity between the workforce. 

IT companies may employ user-friendly software with customized processes, application SSO, and access control to solve these issues and Tools4ever delivers these at the finest. Following these standards, the organization may link users to tools with automatic account setup and self-service capability. They may provide their IT staff control and efficiency.

Poor Technology Implementation

Not tailoring a technological solution to the unique needs of a company is one of the most common mistakes made during implementation. The majority of the time, technology is unable to provide the anticipated advantages to businesses because solutions are not implemented effectively. 

An evaluation of your present software, procedures, and technology may help you pinpoint the root causes of the problem and devise a plan for fixing it.

Directionless Practices

The process of launching a new business is never easy, but it is likely to be considerably more difficult if there is no obvious and well-established route to follow. The failure of any company may often be traced back to the absence of sound guidance from experienced consultants and practices. 

Lack of Complex Technology Integration

There is a significant effect on companies from the rapid rate at which technology is not just inventing but also reshaping society and commerce. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, have the potential to further disrupt businesses, despite the fact that cloud services and mobile apps have already become standard fare.

Investment in software that can deploy these technologies and re-engineer your I.T. procedures is necessary to keep your business solutions technically current. The absence of this might be a contributing factor in the failure of many businesses in the IT Industry. 

Lack of Maintenance

Not keeping up with the maintenance of the IT applications and services that keep your company running, you risk poor system performance and, in the worst case, the complete collapse of your infrastructure.

To keep your IT platform running well, you must do routine maintenance on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Therefore, it is crucial to regularly undertake I.T. administration and maintenance tasks including data backup, system upgrades, and handling alarms and crises issued by the system.

Conclusion

Managing a company is a challenging endeavor and learning to recognize typical pitfalls in business might help you take preventative measures. This is a continual test of your abilities. 

We’re aware of the fact, but every day is another chance to not end up in the statistics. Hopefully, this article helps you better understand why businesses have high failure rates in the IT industry and how these can be improved efficiently. 

Categories
Business

Richard Liu, founder and CEO of China’s E-commerce Firm JD.com

JD.com is a leading e-commerce platform in China with over 1 million daily transactions and a market capitalization of over 10 billion U.S. dollars as of 2019 year-end.

Liu has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Peking University in 1986 and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

While there, Liu came up with his key business strategy – use its low prices to build volume and then use its volume to increase its purchasing power with suppliers to reduce its product cost even further.

This strategy has allowed the company to charge significantly lower prices than its major Liu is also known for their philanthropy. In both 2015 and 2017, J.D. Group donated 1 million RMB to the earthquake relief fund in Nepal. It makes Liu one of the most respected business leaders in China.

He started his career at Oracle immediately after graduation, then a couple of years later, he moved on to found Jingdong while studying at the University of Illinois.

His company would later take its name from his online username – J.D., meaning Richard, and D, meaning Ding. JD618 grand promotion to the shares in 2014.

In October 2014, Liu sold his shares worth 70 million U.S. dollars to Alibaba Group and, by 2015, changed its name to J.D., meaning Richard.

In 2017, J.D. was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange for the first time. Liu is thought to be China’s second-richest person, behind Jack Ma of Alibaba.

It has its headquarters in Beijing and Shanghai. JD holds an outsider’s advantage over Alibaba because it is not as well known in China and, as such, is sometimes referred to as ‘the ghost of Alibaba.’

Liu says his company’s goal is to create a culture of creativity, innovation, and individuality with the help of employee suggestions.

Richard Liu often encourages his employees to embrace their individuality by wearing unusual hats at work, for instance, this blue beret or this red fedora.

Richard Liu’s father was the founder of the real estate company Xinhua Holdings, responsible for constructing China’s first modern skyscraper, the Beijing World Trade Center.

His father died when Liu was 15.

JD.com is Richard Liu’s brainchild, and he remains its leader to this day.

When Liu graduated from the University of Illinois, he returned to China, where he started up his first company Jingdong, which means ‘customer site’ in Chinese.

JD.com began its first offline consumer sales in a joint venture with Suning the same year.

Liu’s JD has also been a prolific investor in companies such as Uber and Airbnb.

JD has invested a total of $200 million in Airbnb since 2016 and sits on Airbnb’s board of directors.

Liu has said that due to Alibaba’s superior reputation, J.D. is better placed to take market share in China and expand internationally at a more excellent pace than Alibaba and other competitors such as Tencent.

JD is also on Alibaba’s Ant Financials board.

Liu has been the recipient of several awards and accolades: In 2015, Richard Liu launched JD into the U.S. market with a partnership with Walmart, Amazon, and Sam’s Club, which supported its online commerce platform in the United States and Canada, beginning to compete more directly with Amazon.

Categories
Instagram Social Media

Get the Best Cat Hashtags for Social Media Here and Find the Cat Images You Want

Cat fans listen up!  You’ve been searching Instagram all wrong and we’re going to tell you how to change it up.  Whether you love to search for cat images on social media or you have the cutest cat (and you want the world to see them), then using the right cat hashtags is the key to social media success.

Growing your cat’s career as an Instagrammer relies on great looking images, the right type of words to accompany that image and of course, your Instagram hashtag use.  People who search for cat images usually use a cat hashtag in the Instagram search bar or they click on other posts’ hashtags to see what images come up.  So if you’re not using a cat hashtag (or you’re not using the right cat hashtags) you won’t get the results you want, and your cat’s Influencing career might stall.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help.  We will give you the best cat hashtags to use to search for cat images and also to help get your cat pictures noticed on Instagram.  Whether you’re a social media lover who wants to leverage your pet business or cat food business (see this interesting piece to help with social media strategies for black-owned businesses.).

How Many Hashtags Can You Use?

While on the topic of growing a cat-related business, on Instagram there’s a limit of how many cat hashtags you can use per post and that’s 30 maximum.  However, before you rush out and try and find thirty different hashtags to use on your cat post, do bear in mind that posts with so many cat hashtags can look cluttered.  We’d recommend sticking with around ten cat hashtags and add one of your own so that if your cat becomes an Insta star, then he or she will already have a unique cat hashtag to accompany their post.  Don’t forget to add tags, emojis, stickers and beautifully crafted text to your cat post.  You can also use a piece like this to tell you how to highlight your post to really dress up your cat post.  For inspirational account name ideas, click here.

List of Brilliant Cat Hashtags

Use Up to 30 Hashtags

Without further ado, here’s our top cat hashtags’ list to help you to find the cat images you want and to use to get your cat’s photographs noticed:

  • #cat.  This is the most commonly-used cat hashtag of all (and no surprises there really!). It’s all about the cat so use this obvious cat hashtag whenever you search in the search bar and whenever you post a picture of your feline four-legged fluffiness.
  • #kitten.  Another obvious one but less obvious than cat – still, it’s a widely used cat hashtag and one that you shouldn’t ignore, especially if your cat isn’t fully grown yet.  Plus, who can resist a divine kitten pic?
  • #catlovers. If you love a cat pic, then you’re a cat lover and this is a very popular cat hashtag that cat fans use to search for pictures of felines.  Add it to your posts to further push user engagement and to find the images you long to see.
  • #catsofInstagram.  This hashtag was designed by cat lovers on Instagram for cat lovers on Instagram!  It’s a highly popular cat hashtag that should accompany every cat post you put on the platform.
  • #catsagram.  Just like the hashtag we’ve mentioned above (but abbreviated), this is another big cat hashtag that people like to use when looking for pictures of cats or when posting pictures of their pets.
  • #kitty.  A less popular cat hashtag than the ones we’ve already mentioned but still, an important cat hashtag in its own right.  Use this cat hashtag on your cat posts to see what results you get and check it out by typing it in the search bar to see how many millions of cat pictures it returns.
  • #instacat.  Another Insta-only cat hashtag that’s a must-use on the platform.  It’s as popular as #catsofInstagram and #catsagram.
  • #gingercat #blackcat #whitecat or any color cat you want!  If you want specifics, then this is a good type of hashtag to use and narrows down your results.

Final Words on Cat Hashtags

So now you have everything you need to find the cat posts you want and to make your cat an inspirational cat Influencer.  Don’t forget to look at what other cat accounts on the Gram use for their hashtags and add around 10 hashtags to your cat posts to maximize your chances of your pet being seen by other cat fans.  Happy hashtagging!

Categories
Internet

How secure is your cloud storage, really?

Do you use the cloud for email, storage and collaboration? Now that so much of our working lives have moved online, the answer is probably a resounding “yes.” Many companies rely on cloud services to run their businesses smoothly and connect with employees and clients wherever they are. They’re a great innovation, but like anything, they do come with some risks.

Here’s the lowdown on cloud storage for business, and how to make sure yours is as secure as possible.

What is the cloud, and is cloud storage secure?

Let’s rewind. The cloud is a type of service or software that stores data on third-party servers, rather than your device. To access that data, all you need is an internet connection and a login. Google Drive and Dropbox are examples of cloud platforms.

While cloud storage security can vary, premium platforms use tools like built-in firewalls and encryption to keep your data safe and private. This means cybercriminals need an “encryption key” to hack into the cloud, which makes their job much, much harder.

3 cloud storage security risks

That being said, cloud storage security isn’t perfect. Many platforms don’t offer secure encryption or authentication, and some can’t distinguish between authorised and unauthorised users.

These are the cybersecurity risks attached to cloud-based applications, and the precautions you can take to protect your data.

Risk: Poor passwords. It’s essential to create complex passwords for your cloud services, and to change them frequently — every 90 days is a good guide. The strongest passwords are long, obscure and hard to guess, and don’t reveal anything about your personal life (such as your pet’s name or the street you live on). Aim to use a mix of letters, numbers and symbols, and avoid using that password for any other accounts.

Solution: Activate two-factor authentication. This requires you to provide two forms of verification before you can successfully log into the cloud. For instance, you might type in your username and password, and then a code is sent to your email address or phone. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to the cloud, and another obstacle for would-be hackers to jump through.

Risk: Cloud misconfiguration. Most cloud leaks can be traced back to misconfiguration. In other words, the humans behind the cloud didn’t put proper controls in place. They could have failed to limit permissions to the cloud to select users or accounts or made the servers accessible via SSH port 22, which means hackers can launch cyberattacks from afar.

Solution: Cloud service providers (CSPs) are in charge of the security of the cloud, including hardware and software. But everything else is up to the users. It’s important to configure your cloud security so hackers can’t bypass your internal policies and access your company’s and clients’ sensitive information. Firstly, double-check you’re using an encrypted cloud storage platform and audit it on a regular basis to make sure you’re monitoring vulnerabilities and addressing them ASAP. Then, to reconfigure your cloud-based server for your small business, restrict access to the employees who need the cloud (or certain files) to do their job. This goes a long way in minimising your company’s risk exposure.

Risk: Not backing up your data. Sophisticated cloud services feature “redundancy,” which means they copy your data onto different data centres in case of a server crash. That way, if your cloud service provider suffers an outage, you’ll be able to access your data from another server.

Solution: You can also practice redundancy on your own. In simple terms, this involves backing up all the data on your cloud to another source. This could be a different cloud platform or even a hard drive.

Tighten your cloud security

Along with putting these tips into practice, you can tighten your cloud security with ESET. The cybersecurity company offers the best secure cloud storage with ESET Cloud Office Security. This software protects your cloud from malware and misconfiguration, and can help flag and address cyber attacks before they happen thanks to its predictive security function. Meanwhile, ESET Protect Complete provides a multi-layered defense against a range of cyber threats. It also safeguards your cloud, offers endpoint protection and sets up two-factor authentication for you.

Got any questions about cloud security? ESET’s Digital Transformation can help you manage your workforce and boost your cybersecurity today.

Categories
Technology

The Cloud Is Essential To Our Modern Lifestyles; Here’s How To Use It Safely

The cloud is an incredibly useful tool for both work and entertainment. Without the cloud, there would be no Netflix, Spotify, Dropbox, or Microsoft 365. We wouldn’t have collaborated through the pandemic, and we would have been relying on advertising-filled and increasingly low-quality free-to-air television to keep us sane.

As useful as it is, however, the cloud does have one big issue: security. By its very nature cloud services store data on the Internet, and the more we store online, the more we risk losing. To give you an idea of the extent of the threat, just one cloud service, a popular creative provider, Canva, had a breach that exposed 137 million accounts in 2019. More recently, in December 2020, IoT vendor, Ubiquiti Networks, experienced a breach that affected as many as 85 million accounts. The problem here, too, was that IoT devices rely on the cloud to run.

These companies invest heavily in security, and yet they were still breached. Which raises the question: is it possible to safely use cloud computing?

The good news is that there are some basic, common-sense things that we can all do to protect ourselves as they use cloud services, which have become so essential to our modern lifestyles.

1)   Use a reputable ISP.

Finding the right ISP is essential to using cloud services safely. In Australia, there is the concept of “clean pipes,” where a lot of the fight to protect users and cloud-stored data can be done at the ISP level.  A good, reputable ISP will also be able to offer good information and resources around cybersecurity to users. As an additional benefit, the more reliable the ISP, the more reliable the speeds used to access cloud services will be, above and beyond the security concerns, making it safer to rely on cloud services for essential work.

The more that you rely on the cloud to work and play, the more expensive downtime becomes. Losing access to a video streaming service can be irritating. Losing access to your critical work documents with a deadline looming can be catastrophic. As work is placed on the cloud, the convenience of it becomes too much to ignore, but the more you’re going to need a reliable ISP that can resolve technical issues quickly should something go wrong.

2)   Make use of best practices tools and techniques

We’ve all heard these ones before: make sure that every password is strong and unique to the other passwords you use, and set up two-factor authentication wherever possible. These don’t guarantee security (for example, if a cybercriminal knows your phone number, they could potentially get the number transferred to their device and then use that to break past your two-factor authentication), but as you can see from that example above, the process becomes a lot more elaborate and challenging. Having a good password manager that will create and manage passwords so you don’t have to, is a good investment, too. In many cases, cloud services are insecure because people make mistakes online (“password” and “123456” are STILL the most common passwords, against all best practice advice), so being just a little more circumspect with your online behavior can be significant in protecting you online.

3)   Sign out when you’re not using a service

It can be a pain to log in every time that you want to use a service, but you should still sign out at the end of every session, even if there is the option to stay logged in. Why? Because technology can go missing. Perhaps you leave a laptop in a taxi by accident, or perhaps your house gets broken into. If the only thing that a criminal needs to do to get access to your accounts is figure out your desktop password, you could be in for a lot of trouble. Many devices (mobile phones in particular) have the ability to remote wipe. This often needs to be turned on and connected to an account before the device has been lost, however, so make sure it’s one of the things you do in setup.

4)   Regularly refresh your connected accounts

It can be so convenient to log into cloud services using Google, Facebook or Twitter accounts. They can cut time out of setting up a new account and can sidestep the need to set up a separate login. However, these links can also be highly insecure, and if a hacker gets access to an account, it can quickly result in you losing multiple accounts in one go. Make a habit of reviewing those connected accounts frequently and, where they’re not longer needed, disconnecting them so as to not compromise your entire network of cloud services.

Being safe with cloud services does require vigilance, but it is entirely possible to achieve. Making best practice use of passwords, protecting your devices, and making sure that you’re using the right ISP will all result in a smooth, reliable, and secure cloud experience, whether that’s for work or play.

Categories
Apps and Software Technology

These 9 Reasons Ensure You to Hire .NET Developers at Chudovo

Finding a software development team is challenging and takes time. At the same time, your company needs to finish the software immediately. Hiring a software development team is one of the best solutions your company can do.

Nowadays, finding certified software developers is much easier. Chudovo is one of the trusted services that facilitate companies with skillful developers. Before that, learn why you should hire software developers from this company below.

This Service Has Developers from A Variety of Backgrounds

This company has a team that consists of certified software developers from a variety of backgrounds. Most of them also have experience in this field for a few years by handling any company level from startups to big enterprises. Their skills, knowledge, and experience support them to achieve the best software products based on their clients’ needs. Indeed, they are also ready to develop software or apps from any industry.

Secure and Trusted

Due to the skill and experience, the IT development team tries to create a secure software product. The products are not only safe to use but also effective to help companies to grow. They also support the software products with the latest security system and encryption to ensure that no one can use them except their clients.

Easy to Use

Only because the team is certified developers doesn’t mean that they always create sophisticated software. The team works based on the standard project development stages. It means that they will research and create planning on the software development they are about to do.
Research means to know the company that will use the software. As a result, the software products will be easy to use for the clients. Clients can also test the software before deploying and using it on the company.

Set the Software Products Based on the Preferred Language

Some clients may not use English. They may be uncomfortable with software that uses English. The solution is creating a software product based on their preferred language. Clients can request the language of the software they want to create.

The development team from Chudovo can handle it. They even can create software and applications in multiple languages to accommodate companies with diverse employees. The idea is to ensure that all employees understand the details and how to use the software. As a result, the software will significantly improve their productivity.

Easy to Optimize

You would better be upgrading the technology regularly to follow the trend and improve the performance of the company. You don’t need to get confused about looking for another certified software development team. The team from Chudovo will handle it.

You only have to request an improvement, and you will get it. Thanks to the open-source framework this company uses. This system makes the software, apps, and other projects easy to optimize anytime clients want.

Easy to Deploy

Imagine how long it takes to deploy a new software product or app when doing it without help from the experts. The process even can disrupt the working activity of the company. Chudovo tries to solve this problem by offering software products and apps that are easy to deploy.

The team will do the standard by applying any feature, such as private components, trusted code, safe applications, and many more. This service tries to ensure that the deployment process will not disrupt the activity in the company.

Legal

Best of all, Chudovo uses legal systems to ensure that the software, apps, website, and other products are safe to use. There will be no one claim on the products since the developers create them based on the legal terms and conditions.

Compatible with Other Systems

Indeed, you don’t have to replace all the systems in your company only because you want to upgrade them. The software developers from Chudovo create software products that are compatible with other systems. As a result, you can use the software with Linux, Mac, Windows, and others.

The more compatible the software, the more flexible to use to help the company. It is the reason why the team is always analyzing what their clients need before developing a software product.

A Group of Skillful Developers

Chudovo can handle a lot of software projects because they have 32 skillful software developers with over 700.000 hours of experience. Nowadays, the team has handled over 112 projects, and a way to go. Based on the experience hours, the developers have done so many things in creating software, websites, desktop applications, mobile applications, and others.
Now, you have enough reason why you should hire .NET developers to develop new software products in your company. The most important thing is that your company can run the software immediately and spend less money to finish the project.

Categories
Apps and Software Technology

6 Basic Things a Startup Should Consider to Get the Best .Net Software Developers

We can’t doubt that technology can improve a business significantly. It is the reason why most big companies invest in technology. They will use or create the latest software not only to support business activities but also to attract more customers.

Startups or small businesses can also apply this trick to gain more customers. If you can’t pay a developer yet, you can hire them. Chudovo facilitates you to meet the best software developers to hire. Here are the tips to hire the right software developers.

Experience

You should understand your project before finding people who will be involved in the project. It determines what kind of team you want to find. The more sophisticated the project, the more experienced the software developers you need.

Try to learn their educational backgrounds, skills, experiences, portfolio, and other relevant things. Ensure that their specifications match with the software project your company is about to do. Hiring the right software developers makes the development, marketing, and maintenance much easier because they understand what to do.

Ensure They are Understand What Do You Want and the Goal of the Project

Try to explain what you want and the goal of the project. If it is necessary, ask for their overview of your goals and software project. It is a perfect time to analyze whether the developer is credible enough for the project or not.

Remember! You are about to work with them for a few months. Ensure that you can communicate with your software developers well. Effective communication can also boost the software development process.

Hire Software Developers That Ever Handle A Startup

Handling software is a complicated matter even for a startup business. The process is much easier and more efficient if hiring software developers who have experience in handling a startup. The type of business to handle can be different, but at least they know an overview of what they should do to develop software for your small business.

Hire Software Developers Who Show Their Working Plan

Another benefit to explaining your software project is to trigger the software developers to create a working plan. It is also a way to understand whether they understand all the things to do to accomplish the project. A working plan is guidance for the software development team to finish the project on time.

Hire Software Developers from a Trusted Company

It takes time to hire an independent software developer. You still have to test them to know their skills and experiences. The process is even much more complicated because your business is still a startup with limited human resources.

Make the hiring process faster by looking for software developers from a trusted company. For example, you can find expert software developers from a variety of backgrounds, skills, and experience at Chudovo.
The process is faster and more efficient because the company knows what you are looking for to complete the software project. It is a place where expert developers gather and are ready to handle a variety of software projects.

Indeed, you shorten the hiring process. Expert developers mean that they are certified and have years of experience to develop software products. The faster you get the best software development team, the faster you can use the software to enhance the performance of your startup.

Hire from a Company that Has Developers from a Variety of Backgrounds
A professional company often has developers from a variety of backgrounds. It helps the company to accept a variety of software development projects. Chudovo.Net is one of the examples. This company has a team from a variety of backgrounds.

Nowadays, they are ready to handle enterprise software development, microservice development, web applications development, cloud software development, cross-platform application development, desktop app, and mobile app projects.

It is a great option in case you want to develop multiple platforms to grow your startup business significantly. At least, you don’t need to find developers from other companies because you find the solution in one company.

It is crucial for a startup company that often has a limited budget. The faster you finish the software, the faster you get profit from this development. Then, you can think about improving it to the next level regularly.

So, only because you are running a startup business doesn’t mean that you don’t need to improve the technology. It is even crucial to boost the business immediately. Software and apps help to manage a business well instead of doing everything manually. Chudovo .Net will help your startup company to grow by improving the software, apps, and technology. Better technology will improve the productivity of your company.

Categories
Business Management

Tips for Wellbeing, Work, and Productivity

We’ve all been there; you wake up, set off for work thinking “I’m going to be really productive today!”, sit at your desk…and the motivation to even so much as begin working simply isn’t there. Maybe it’s a big project that will require a lot of time and focus, or maybe it’s just reading a document to sign off, whatever the task, it happens to all of us.

Whether it’s just a one-off day here and there, or a little more regular throughout the week, there are a lot of different factors that can contribute towards demotivation and lack of productivity, but one of the most important factors that can be managed is…

Health and Wellbeing

When you’re not feeling great, physically or emotionally, work can seem daunting, and task lists can seemingly stretch out for miles ahead of you. Getting the motivation to start making a dent in your daily tasks becomes much more difficult, whether you are struggling through a cold, feeling a little blue, battling a headache, or stressed.

Take a Break

Keeping on top of your health and wellbeing is important, particularly in office or desk-based work. If you are working at the office, make sure to take regular breaks; stretch, walk around, get some fresh air, and give your eyes a break from the screen. Little things like this can give you a moment or two to refresh and reset, and help to avoid the build-up of stress, eye strain, and fatigue.

Screentime

But what about working from home? Over the past couple of years, working from home has changed from an occasional nicety, to recommended, all the way up to mandatory. We all know that, while it’s much easier to work from home (no commute traffic to worry about, no managers hovering over your shoulder, the kettle is much closer etc), it’s also easier to fall into a laxer method of working. There’s a lot of distractions that can take your focus away from your work, and while this is good every now and again (as mentioned above), it’s important not to get too carried away. Try to limit your screentime while working; for example, changing out television for music to help keep focused on your workload.

…And Relax

Once you have finished work for the day, it is important to make time to relax and unwind, whether it’s through sports, exercise, hobbies etc. Spending your afternoons thinking and worrying about the next day’s work is going to make all of your free time seem like work, and everyone needs a break sometimes! Exercising, eating regular healthy meals and getting a good night’s sleep makes a huge difference with workload-related stress. With a busy lifestyle, it can be difficult to eat at the right times, or even get enough sleep on occasion, however taking steps forward to implement a healthier lifestyle is definitely a good direction to move in to improve productivity and mental focus while at work.

The Right Tools for the Job

Productivity and efficiency can only go as far as the tools you have available will allow; a carpenter can only do so much without a saw! The right tools, and with the right training, can make all the difference between hitting and missing a deadline.

Hardware and Software

While this might not come up very often, it is still a hugely important part in keeping workflow moving. Having the correct hardware and equipment for the task at hand will allow you to work much more streamlined and effectively. For example, running email reports, database editing and balance sheets on a mobile phone might be possible, however it is much faster, easier, and a lot more convenient to perform these tasks from a laptop or desktop computer. Graphic editing and design? Try a tablet and digital editing software. Accounting and payroll? Software such as Sage is hugely quicker, and much more streamlined than pen and paper. Get in touch with your manager or your tech team if you feel you haven’t got the tools to maximise your productivity.

Workspace

Working at a cluttered desk isn’t the greatest way to start your day, especially if the space isn’t large enough to accommodate your day-to-day workload. Keep an eye on your available space, how comfortable your seating position is, your computer and/or monitor setup, and if there are any issues be sure to raise them with your manager. The sooner the problems are raised, the quicker a solution can be implemented, and being comfortable and having breathing room at your workstation can help to reduce stress and improve focus.

These starting points can give a good foothold to improving personal and office efficiency, and well-tailored implementation can help to boost productivity in times when it is needed most for the business. Stay safe!

Categories
Business Industry

6 Amazing Deals NBN Providers Offer

The internet service providers are operating in a very competitive industry. A single unsatisfied customer may have a ripple effect in giving their competitors an edge over them. For this reason, internet service providers exert an effort to offer the best deals to their subscribers. This article lists down some of the most amazing deals that NBN providers offer.

Congestion Free Plan

One of the most amazing deals that NBN providers offer is a congestion-free plan. This means that you will be able to enjoy the advertised speed of your plan even during peak hours wherein several users are connected to the internet at the same time. For instance, if you are subscribed to an NBN 100 plan, then you should be able to enjoy a typical evening speed of 100Mbps.

Unlimited Data

Another amazing deal that NBN providers offer with their plans is unlimited data. This means that you no longer have to keep track of your bandwidth usage for fear of being charged with excess data usage. Some of the cheapest wireless internet plans even come with unlimited data. Just keep in mind that the provider can still slow your speed down when they observe extreme data usage on your part.

No-Contract Term

If you want the liberty to upgrade or downgrade a plan anytime you deem the need to, then you should go for a plan with a no-contract term. With these plans, you won’t have to settle any disconnection fees should you wish to switch providers. Just keep in mind that the price of these plans may be a bit more compared to plans with a fixed contract. Nevertheless, you will have the flexibility to leave anytime you wish which can be more economical in certain situations.

Discounted Price

Most NBN providers offer plans at a discounted monthly price for the first six months of your subscription. From there, the cost of the plan will revert to its original price. This will prove to be no problem in case you are subscribed to a plan with no contract term. You can just switch providers before the sixth month ends and enjoy another plan with a discounted price.

Free Modem

Some providers offer a free modem which is a pretty good deal particularly if you need to get a new one. However, the trade-off is that you may need to stay with the provider for a certain period. After this time frame, you will already get the modem for free. Nonetheless, you can always pay upfront to get a new modem.

Risk-Free Trial Period

Finally, some of the best NBN providers also offer a risk-free trial period which usually spans a couple of weeks. After this period, you can opt to sign up with them or switch providers without having to pay a single cent in case you are unhappy with the service.

The Bottomline

The deals listed above are only some of the ones that you can enjoy depending on the provider and plan that you go for. Some providers even allow their subscribers to customise their plans to suit their needs and preferences. Rest assured that the key is in ensuring that you look into the different factors that may affect your decision when it comes to choosing the best plan for you.

Categories
Apps and Software Artificial Intelligence Mobile Technology

9 Android Apps with Artificial Intelligence You Can Download for Free

Artificial Intelligence has an important role in devices, including Android apps. Nowadays, top major mobile application developers upgrade their Android apps with AI technology. Check the apps that are using Artificial Intelligence.

Cortana

Cortana is a personal assistant app developed by Microsoft. As a personal assistance app, it helps to manage your schedules through your Android devices, including setting reminders, keeping notes, sending emails, and many more.

This app is even better with the use of Artificial Intelligence. Imagine that the system can set your schedules even if you don’t touch the phone. Cortana also has a sync feature, so you can manage your schedules on your smartphone and PC at the same time. As a result, you still get alerts from your PC even if you are far away from your smartphone.

The AI sends reminders based on time, places, or people. AI even helps Cortana to track teams, interests, and flight info. You will not miss your schedules and appointments because Cortana with AI will manage your digital calendar.

On the other hand, Cortana keeps you relaxed by turning on your favorite music, podcasts, and radio stations. Do you like to play a game via an Android device and get disturbed by chats? You don’t need to feel it anymore because of Cortana.

Cortana helps to manage your chats. The best part is that you can chat with friends while playing games without leaving the game screen. Cortana with AI is free to download.

Google Allo

Google Allo is an instant messaging app. This app can do a variety of basic tasks, including doodles, Google assistants, and gestures with stickers. So, what is the role of Artificial Intelligence in this app?

The AI improves the recognition capability into smart recognition. This feature detects your replying message style to reply to an email or message without touching your gadget at all. Google Allo has a variety of features, including creative text, emojis, and stickers, and restore the chat.

The chatting process is more interesting because you can create your sticker emoji. Just like Cortana, Google Allo is also free to download and use.

Hound

Do you need an assistant on your Android? If it is so, Hound is one of the most recommended Android apps with AI technology you can try. Artificial Intelligence improves the app with voice command detection.

Imagine that you can only use your voice to operate the app and get something from your gadget right away. The system works by recognizing the speech and language and turning it into text. Users can use Hound to find information about weather forecasts, the nearest restaurants, booking cabs, calculations, and many more.

The system can also detect your voice accurately. Travelers can also use this app to book a hotel. Music lovers will also get a benefit from this app because it helps to search, discover, and play music. It has a hands-free mode that will help you to call, text, and navigate more comfortably than before.

The best part is that you don’t need to spend your money at all only to download and use this app. Hound is free to download and use on Android devices.    

ELSA

ELSA or English Language Speech Assistant for those who want to learn English. Artificial Intelligence helps to make learning English more fun. Users can improve their pronunciation to speak English fluently.

The AI keeps users track of their progress through a report. ELSA has updated curriculums based on your native language. You can fix your English pronunciation by learning from the over 2000 correctly pronounced English words.

The system gives instant feedback on every sound you make. Besides learning about pronunciation, this app also helps users who want to know more about common English idioms. Using this app is an alternative for learning English at an affordable price because you can download and use the features for free.

Robin

Virtual assistance has become one of the most popular apps nowadays. It helps Android users to text messages, calls, setting a reminder, GPS navigation, and others. The Robin with AI is great virtual assistance that can help to do common activities on your Android device.

This app will do the process accurately by having access to the group, calendars, and many more. Due to its integration with Google and Office 365 and Exchange, users get an update on traffic status, weather, local news, trending stories, and many more.

You will also get weekly usage reports, space usage, peak hours, and others. Managing your meeting schedule is much easier with Robin instead of doing it manually. It is also free to download. You can try this app to make your life a bit better and well-managed than before.

Socratic

Socratic is a good app for students or other users who have difficulty with math questions. The developer develops this app with an AI to keep the result accurate. The developer also combines computer vision technologies to solve math questions faster, along with an instant explanation.

Socratic works by scanning the questions. So, you only have to take a picture of the math questions and upload them to the app. This app is not only helping you to answer the questions instantly but also giving a step-by-step explanation in the form of a video.

You can ask any math questions, including Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, biology, chemistry, physics, history, and literature. Learning math is more fun and affordable because it is free to download AI Android apps.   

Replika

Imagine if you have a chatbot AI companion. It sounds great, isn’t it? You can try and feel the sensation using Replika. As its name suggests, Replika tries to replicate someone who will be your friend. You can talk with this virtual character as you talk with your best friend.

AI technology helps to detect your needs. As a result, the replica can be your best friend, companion, or even mentor. It is also a free AI android app to download. It seems that your life will be a bit better because of this app.  

Databot

Databot works similarly to Replika. It means that you seem to have a robot in your pocket. With Artificial Intelligence, the Databot becomes your virtual assistance. Just like Replika, you can also ask your Databot to talk and ask questions.

The AI improves its capability to solve riddles, tell jokes, and do many entertaining things. The Databot also has several effective features, such as a feature to create attractive multimedia presentations using voice commands, text, and images.

There is also a feature to detect language, voice, and behavior. Just like your personal assistance, your Databot can also alert your schedules and search your contacts. This feature is available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. The app is free to download with some options for in-app purchases.

FaceApp

Facebook also develops an app with AI technology known as FaceApp. It is a photo editing app where users can change their look, hairstyle, and even gender. This app can even do any editing that you can’t do with the manual editing process.

Thanks to the AI technology that makes the editing result look smooth and realistic. Users can find a perfect hairstyle, beard, or mustache. Then, they can use color filters, lens blur, and other tools before saving or sharing the editing result. It looks like one of the fun Android apps with AI technology to use, right?