Browser showdown: which one is right for you?
Back when Internet Explorer was competing against Netscape, users had far fewer things to consider. Nowadays, some users do nearly all their work inside of a web browser, and they have far more options about which program to use. If you’ve ever questioned whether there might be a better way to browse the web, we’ve got your answers right here. Google Chrome By just about any metric, Google Chrome has been the browser of choice for most internet users over the last couple years. It’s easy to use and its graphics interface has a low profile. However, if you want to customize Chrome with extensions and apps, there are more than enough options. The bottom line is: this is the best browser for users who spend a lot of time in G-Suite documents, or want the security benefits of frequent patches and updates. Apple Safari We might as well start off with the one, glaring drawback of Safari: It’s available only to Apple users. However, if you are working on a macOS or iOS device, Safari has a lot going for it. Ad blocking is built right into the browser, as well as RSS support for aggregating lots of information in one place. And because tabs can be automatically synced across all your Apple devices, we highly recommend Safari for anyone in a Mac environment. Microsoft Edge Note that Edge is a different browser than Internet Explorer. The latter still exists, but we’ve decided to skip it for various reasons. Although Edge works only on Windows 10 systems, it has two things going for it. First, Microsoft has announced a feature that will incorporate virtualization into Edge to quarantine downloads for testing before they’re opened on your computer. Second, the Windows 10 browser comes with some fantastic Office 365 integrations. We highly recommend Edge for users working in a business enterprise environment. Opera We’ve saved the most controversial for last. The Opera browser isn’t one of the most popular browsers available, but it does deserve consideration. Although it requires more customization and under-the-hood-work than its competitors, its privacy settings are unmatched. With a built-in virtual private network feature and some of the most robust ad blocking on the market, Opera is a great way to take a break from cookies and targeted advertisements. Choosing a web browser may seem like such an inconsequential thing, but just think about the rate of cloud adoption. If you plan on utilizing more software-as-a-service solutions in the coming years, one tiny feature in a browser could make all the difference. Contact us today about planning your cloud deployment over the coming years. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
G Suite launches new features
Tech giant Google has always listened to customer feedback to make continuous improvements to its powerful suite of applications. And in the most recent case, Google Cloud’s G Suite has introduced five new updates. What do they include and are they worth getting excited about? Basic Mobile Management G Suite’s Basic Mobile Management offers an agentless way to manage iOS devices by allowing admins to mandate basic security on those devices without requiring users to install mobile device management profiles. Admins no longer need to set up an Apple Push Certificate and renew it regularly. What’s more, admins can now enforce a screen lock, wipe corporate accounts, and view, search and manage their device inventory easily. Should your organization require additional restrictions, mobile audit or application management on iOS devices, you can ensure those settings are adequately achieved using the Advanced Mobile Management option. Explore Available in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Explore gives you insights, design tools and research recommendations that allow you to easily cite findings by inserting citations as footnotes with the click of a button. You can choose between MLA, APA, and Chicago style formats, too. Iterative calculation Iterative calculation is the latest feature in Google Sheets (File >Spreadsheet settings > Calculation > Iterative calculation). This feature allows you to set the maximum number of times a calculation with a circular reference can take place. You can specify a convergence threshold which will stop the calculations when results from successive calculations differ by less than that threshold value, even if the maximum number of calculations has yet to be reached. It sure sounds like a mouthful, but for anyone working with spreadsheets, this is a much needed development. Sheets Android UI Ever feel annoyed by the language and menu search of Google Sheets in your Android device? Endure no more, as the app UI has been updated with right-to-left language settings to read and navigate. Searching the menus in Sheets on the web like in Docs and Slides can now be done, too. Gmail messages Bounced messages and message headers are now easier to read and understand. When your mail has problems being delivered, the bounce message now features a more user-friendly text as well as translations into your language (if the language has been set on the account). The original message will still be available below the bounce message. Message headers, on the other hand, will be shown in a table with an easy-to-read format. Message Id, SPF and DKIM status will be right in plain view. Links to download the actual original message and the ability to copy to clipboard are now available, too. The original message header can be found below the table. Stay tuned for more updates from Google and other cloud solutions that will help enhance productivity for your small business. If you have any questions about G Suite or would like to know about other cloud solutions that can help transform the way you work, just give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
The state of web services in 2017
It’s a new year, and it’s time to start thinking about what information technology will look like in 2017. That could mean anything from forecasting the costs of adopting new technology to upgrading your products to better integrate with new trends. Whatever it may be, we’re putting down our predictions for how to get the most out of 2017’s web services, right here. #1 On-premises servers will survive another year Cloud adoption will most likely continue its stellar rise, but that doesn’t mean it will be hard to find affordable service for your in-house server or data center. Based on a recent survey of companies that utilize cloud services, nearly half will continue operating some sort of on-site data management in response to perceptions of security or compliance concerns. We may not believe those worries are well-founded, but that does mean hybrid clouds will continue to be a popular option. #2 Fewer headlines about machine learning, but more services Because machine learning requires so much data and processing power to solve everyday problems, an increase in cloud services and vendors in 2017 will also mean an increase in machine learning. But “AI” is so 2016, and consumers will soon tire of it. If you’re selling a service that utilizes this technology, you might want to rebrand it. And if you’re looking to use it internally, definitely don’t pay 2016 prices. #3 Voice commands will get better With the proliferation of cloud computing and high-speed internet connections, analyzing voice commands is much easier than when it took place in localized environments after hours of training software to recognize your speech patterns. Although better voice command technology may not mean much for running a business, big vendors like Amazon releasing development kits and application program interfaces does mean you have the opportunity to make your products and services more accessible via popular consumer technology such as Alexa. #4 The Internet of Things (IoT) hasn’t peaked yet Marketing experts are just as certain that consumers are feeling oversaturated with references to machine learning as they are that IoT hasn’t yet reached its full buzzword potential. If prices of connected devices come down, and their functionality improves, you can bet “IoT” will be one of the most profitable keywords of the year. If this technology doesn’t integrate with your products or services, there’s significant potential for its rise to stardom to make in-house business automation a whole lot better. #5 Containers won’t just be a fad As a subset of virtualized computing, containers unshackle applications from the constraints of single operating system compatibility. And with several vendors jumping into the market in late 2016 (such as Amazon Web Services), it’s a trend that we’re fairly confident will grow next year. The market for web services may seem too fickle to gamble on, but as a small business owner, you don’t have much of a choice. Technology is essential to reaching new customers, operating efficiently, and remaining competitive with your business rivals. If you’re ready to start the new year with a new outlook on these technologies, call us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
HTML5 trumps Flash in Google Chrome
Google Chrome is following through with a game plan it announced in February of last year. In an effort to punish slow-loading or lagging sites that use Flash, a web component known to take up resources and memory, Google’s browser will make a newer, faster player the default. Read on to find out how Google plans to transition from Flash-based web browsing to the more streamlined HTML5 experience. The current state of HTML5 HTML5 first hit the market in 2008 as a modification to its 4.0 version, adding a few changes and fixing bugs (as happens with most newer versions of programs). But it also promised to change the way developers design webpages and influence how browsers search for and view online information. Most websites currently utilize a Flash-based display protocol, which is often slow and uses significantly more resources than HTML5 to accomplish the same tasks. By changing to an HTML5 default and requesting permission to use Flash, users have the advantage of faster load times and a more efficient browsing experience. The Use of Adobe Flash One benefit of using Flash for developers is purely aesthetic: Flash makes the website look good because the designs, colors and motion on the page are generally more eye pleasing. Unfortunately, the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages. Using Flash on a commercial website means slower performance, confusing navigation schemes, incompatibility with web analytics software, and limited visibility in some formats. Google’s Plan to Phase Out Flash Google Chrome users should begin to notice a change in how they browse websites starting this month, December 2016. Only 1% of Chrome users (and a handful of users using the beta browser) will be asked whether they wish to run Flash as they go about their Christmas shopping. In January 2017, Google’s proprietary browser will begin asking users whether they wish to use Flash whenever they visit a new website. In February 2017, with the release of the newest iteration of the Chrome browser, users will be asked before Flash components run on a page. Finally, by October 2017 all sites will load using HTML5 by default and require users to physically enable the Adobe Flash to experience anything delivered in that medium. Developers at Chrome hope that by stretching out the introduction of HTML5 default settings, web designers will have time to adjust their strategies away from Flash and toward a more user-friendly design strategy. Moving away from a Flash-based web experience will have gigantic implications for anyone who manages a website. Regardless of whether you built your site or outsourced its creation, it’s most likely going to need some serious restructuring in the coming years. Get in touch with us to get a head start on this project — the sooner the better. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
AWS lowers storage prices, adds new options
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced changes in its cloud and cold storage options. These modifications make it more affordable for consumers to transfer large amounts of data to the cloud, particularly if they’re putting them into Amazon’s Glacier storage. New retrieval options also make storage of infrequently accessed data more appealing. Read on to find out whether these changes affect your current plan, or whether you’re ready to make the move to AWS cloud storage. Amazon has been offering cloud storage to the public since 2006. Ten years later, the company has made nearly 30 price drops for the technology service. AWS is now offering yet another decrease in its S3 cloud access, Glacier and CloudWatch Custom Metrics. S3 Cloud Services Price changes for S3 have already been implemented, resulting in a restructured price scale that lowers your cost by up to 30 percent. Previously, AWS separated S3 storage into six different tiers. Now, the structure will be simplified to three options (0-50TB, 50-500TB, and 500+TB), with the biggest cost reduction going to businesses in the upper tier. Glacier archival storage/Data Retrieval Amazon’s Glacier “cold” storage is for files you don’t anticipate using often. The price drop for this service is a whopping 43 percent, and now it costs only $0.004/GB/month. If you need to remove data from Glacier, you will be charged based on how soon you need it, with time-lines ranging anywhere from five minutes to twelve hours. CloudWatch Custom Metrics Finally, AWS is adding customized metrics for database administrators and those “behind the scenes” to allow for monitoring of computer usage and optimization of resources. The fees associated with this service have gone down as well, from $0.50 per month to $0.30 per month for the first 10,000 custom metrics. What these Changes Mean for Your Business The total cost difference between the old AWS cloud services price structure and the new cloud services are small in relation to the money that typically travels through the small business. The benefit is in the increased amount of storage you can afford to use, and the addition of quicker retrieval methods for removing data from the Glacier service. Any time you’re discussing terabytes of data, you know the conversation is going to be intimidating. What may sound like a bunch of techno mumbo jumbo to you is just another day at the office for us. Contact us today for more information on what an AWS database can give you and how much you can expect to pay. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
AI augments e-commerce businesses
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a buzzword that inspires business owners yet also instills in them a sense of dread. More accurately described as “machine learning,” this exciting innovation is swiftly becoming an integral part of doing business. In fact, industry experts are predicting that by 2020, 85 percent of the interactions between corporate customer service departments and customers will involve AI. If you’re an e-commerce business owner, you’re in a prime spot to get ahead of the curve early. Predicting what your customers want There are numerous ways for AI to be used in e-commerce to the benefit of both businesses and the consumer. Machine learning algorithms can, for example, identify customer habits and their interests based on search histories (both inside and outside of a specific business’s site). With the proper configuration, this service can analyze shopping behaviors to customize and tailor the online shopping experience to that specific user. Product recommendations, pairings, and promotions can target individuals, improving the customer experience, and in turn, your bottom line. “I’m looking for something a little more…” Machine learning is also great for cataloging products. In the past, businesses would send out dense and cumbersome product catalogs that made it difficult for customers to find what they were looking for. In the near future, customers will be able to upload photographs of an article of clothing that’s similar to what they want to purchase or pair with another. Through AI, a website will be able to analyze the photographs and create a catalog of suggestions based on data from the image for a true machine-learning solution. Customers can still talk to a “representative” With advances in “plain language” systems, more and more users will rely on e-commerce over face-to-face sales interactions. Machine learning is getting better at interpreting conversations, and answering with natural-sounding responses. If the choice is either searching “Blue summer dress,” or “I’m looking for something relaxed and in a warm blue color,” which do you think would make customers’ shopping experience better? By replicating the in-person shopping experience over the internet, businesses can shift away from brick and mortar overheads to an e-commerce-centered structure. Significant savings can be realized in the areas of capital expenditures and human resources, all while reducing the opportunity for costly human error as well. Given all of these factors, you can see how AI could improve your e-commerce business’s potential. Believe it or not, if you’re ready to begin integrating more “machine learning” into your business model, we already have the means to make that happen. Contact us as soon as you’re ready to transform your e-commerce business into a money-making powerhouse! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Opera 41 for high browsing speed
The internet’s impact on people’s lives keeps growing by the day. People use the web for different reasons and access it any time, and the availability of smart gadgets makes it possible for the people to enjoy the internet from any location. However, the resourcefulness of the internet can be hindered by having a slow web browser. Fortunately, a modern and highly efficient browser like Opera 41 guarantees you fast connectivity to the internet. The newest browser in the market, Opera 41 promises to take your browsing experience to new levels. It has the following features that guarantee a pleasant experience online: Multiple tabs Opera 41 has a wonderful start-up sequence. Upon launching the browser, it automatically opens the tab you were using the last time you were online. Pinned tabs will then open along with any others depending on priority. This process is performed at a very high speed no matter how many tabs you have opened. It has been tested and found that the time taken to open tabs using Opera 41 has improved by 86 percent when compared to other browsers with similar features. Longer battery life Older versions of the Opera had features that enhanced the life of the battery. The new Opera 41 does it again with features built to be less demanding on the hardware, ensuring your device doesn’t need charging any time soon. The same function is used when on chat using WebRTC. If your device is on battery-saving mode, Opera will use video codec. This arrangement ensures the resources on your system are used efficiently, thus extending battery life. Additional benefits: The pixel count increases the usage of your CPU on the screen. Opera 41 reduces the pixel count on your screen, thereby saving the usage of your CPU when the battery-saving mode is connected. The pop-out video has been in use since its introduction in May. This feature is available in Opera 41 and allows you to access content sites such as YouTube and view them in a different window. Because Opera 41’s browser pop-out video feature also reduces the use of CPU resources by up to 30 percent, your CPU will also last longer and run more efficiently. Despite being relatively new, Opera 41 has features that make browsing more enjoyable. The achievements made so far show that it has the potential to change how people access the internet. For more information about how Opera 41 can positively impact your online experience, please contact us. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
How Apple plans to improve cloud services
Apple is planning to improve its cloud services by bringing together its various teams who work on projects like iCloud, Siri, Apple Maps, Apple Pay, Apple Music and Apple News into one campus. The involved personnel are expected to relocate to the current company’s Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, California, rather than to the second location that is under construction. Read on to learn more about Apple’s new service improvement plans. The rundown The teams working on Apple’s services are currently spread out across various rented spaces in California. The company intends to strengthen its grip on these services by bringing its entire staff together onto one campus, in hopes of releasing more state-of-the-art products and ultimately creating a revenue stream that could surpass the Mac and the iPhone. The merged teams will be moved to the Infinite Loop campus as space is freed up by other employees who will leave for the new premises currently under construction. The initial approximation was that the Infinite Loop campus would house 13,000 personnel under Apple, but recently that number has risen, prompting changes. Apple’s biggest concern has always been hardware technology. However, the company’s effort to merge its various devices together has done a great deal to extend the reach of its services. For these reasons, proper attention is needed on Apple’s Siri, Maps, Pay, News, Music, iTunes and iCloud services, which can be utilized by users across iOS, MacOS and WatchOS. To improve the reliability of its cloud services, Apple intends to develop a cloud infrastructure that will reportedly give the company more control over its backed services. Hopefully, this will speed up its service load times. Siri, News, and the iTunes sections are already on Apple’s new backing store, awaiting other services to merge in a few years’ time. According to VentureBeat, Apple’s plans to develop its own cloud infrastructure and reduce its reliance on Microsoft and Amazon surfaced earlier this year. Apple Inc. hasn’t been happy with the fact that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has not been able to quickly load photos and videos onto users’ iOS devices. To deal with the problem, Apple has purchased land in Hong Kong and China to build its own data centers. Nearly all of Apple’s iTunes is currently outsourced to other cloud vendors, especially Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google public cloud. Apple’s executives believe that Apple building an infrastructure to cover its own cloud computing and storage needs will pay for itself within a few short years. Apple’s new infrastructure and the introduction of Pie is meant to improve the customer’s experience with its products and services over time. As soon as Apple settles down and Pie is online, it could be even more efficient and reliable than its rivals, Google and Amazon. For more information on the latest Apple iCloud plans and improvements, contact us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Customizing search results for your brand
For businesses of any size, getting on the first page of Google search results is important to drive traffic to the website. Although most search engine optimizers will focus more on getting organic results, the limitation of this approach is that it only reaches users looking for a particular service and not your specific brand. For those looking for tips on how to advertise services as well as brand identity, we have a few tricks. One of the ways you can improve your branded search visibility is by ensuring your brand name is mentioned multiple times throughout your site. Make sure to link the brand name to the homepage of your website, include the brand name in descriptions of the company, and add meta descriptions to the site. Because Google’s site indexing service is completely automated, just about anyone should be listed in the results. The goal isn’t getting listed, it’s getting listed first. Little things like placing your sitemap in an easy-to-find location, including descriptive titles, and always filling out meta descriptions to increase the chances of your brand links appearing on the search pages. Social media may technically be a different story, but it works hand-in-hand in today’s search engine optimization efforts. These pages are very likely to be listed when customers are making ‘brand’ searches. Make sure you maintain profiles at every “big” social media site, and add as much information as you can concerning your brand identity. Because the ultimate goal is to drive traffic to your site, link to your website in every field that allows it. Lastly, Google business reviews are more important in getting branded search results than most people realize. Claim your business on Google My Business and frequently encourage your top customers to leave positive reviews concerning your brand. The more positive reviews your website has, the higher your site will appear in the rankings. SEO is important for business, but so is creating a brand identity. An intersection of these goals may seem difficult, but not impossible. For more information on SEO, branded search results and anything related to your Google search rankings, get in touch with us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
The best Chrome function you aren’t using
Back in 2013, Google released a tiny HDMI device to widespread praise. No bigger than a run-of-the-mill flash drive, Chromecast allowed you to broadcast certain applications from your desktop or smartphone screen to your TV. Considering how easy it was to set up, and the $35 price tag, we didn’t think it could get any better than that. We’re rarely wrong, but this time around that was a pretty easy pill to swallow. Trust us, you’ll want to see how this works. In its earliest stages, ‘Casting’ allowed users to stream a device’s screen to a TV with a Chromecast wireless adapter plugged into the HDMI port. Soon after, Google released a second, updated model that added the possibility of connecting to audio-only devices via stereo cable and faster internal hardware to improve streaming to both TVs and stereo systems. Regardless of which model you had previous to last month’s update, individual apps needed to include Casting functionality, and even Google’s own Chrome browser required downloading and installing an extension before users could get the most out of the service. As an industry leader in user experience and design, the engineers at Google knew this had to be fixed. Their solution was a no-brainer, and may even be sitting in your browser this very moment. The Cast feature is now built directly into every updated version of the Chrome. Just click the three stacked lines that act as Chrome’s File menu and select Cast halfway down the menu. Click the arrow to the right of ‘Cast to’ and choose desktop, followed by which Chromecast device you would like to broadcast, and voilà — your computer’s desktop will be duplicated on your Chromecast-enabled TV. Assuming you’re currently connected to a trusted wireless network, we invite you to give it a try right here and now. If you’re confused about why we would suggest such a thing when you haven’t had a chance to go out and buy the necessary hardware adapter, that’s because several big-name TV brands are now installing this functionality directly into their televisions. You may have had this feature all along without even knowing it! Once you’ve mastered casting your screens and audio wirelessly, why not check out all the apps Google has highlighted specifically for this Chrome feature? From NFL streaming to slideshow production, the Play Store has everything you’re looking for to step up your casting game. It’s amazing how something so useful and so accessible could go relatively unnoticed for so long. There are tons of wonderful and exciting features lurking around, even in software as ordinary as your internet browser. For IT solutions big and small, there’s only one number you need to know — and it’s right at the bottom of this page. Give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.