The Biggest Technology Trends in 2020 To Get Ready For

We are amid the 4th Industrial Revolution, and technology is evolving faster than ever before. Companies and individuals who do not keep up with some of the major trends in technology run the risk of being left behind. Understanding key trends will allow people and businesses to prepare for and take advantage of opportunities. As a future-oriented business and technology, it is my job to look ahead and identify the most important trends. In this article, I share with you the seven most imminent trends that everyone should be ready for in 2020.

AI-as-a-service

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most transformative technological developments of our time. Most companies have begun to explore how they can use AI to improve their customer experience and streamline their business operations. This will continue in 2020 and, as people become increasingly used to working alongside AIs, the design and deployment of our AI-based systems will remain an expensive proposition for most businesses.

Currently, these platforms, provided by the likes of Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, tend to be somewhat broad in scope, with (often expensive) custom-engineering required to apply them to the specific tasks an organization may require. During 2020, we will see wider adoption and a growing pool of providers that are likely to start offering more tailored applications and services for specific or specialized tasks. This will mean no company will have any excuses left not to use AI.


Apple releasing trio of 5G iPhones in 2020

The target of the iPhone maker is to ship at least 80 million of the new 5G iPhone models in a bid to overtake embattled Chinese tech giant Huawei, CNET reports.

CALIFORNIA: Apple is rumored to be preparing its first 5 G iPhone for next year, and according to the latest Nikkei report, a modem for the upcoming model will be designed by Qualcomm. Apple is likely to launch three iPhone 5G-enabled models in 2020. The aim of the iPhone manufacturer is to ship at least 80 million new 5 G iPhone models in a bid to overwhelm Chinese tech giant Huawei, CNET reports.

The purported 5 G iPhone models are said to use the Qualcomm X55 modem chips. It was speculated earlier that Apple would have its own modem chips for its iPhone lineup in 2021.


Cybersecurity Awareness: Secure IT, Own IT, Protect IT

For all companies, cybersecurity should be a problem— big and small. In our increasingly linked globe, cybersecurity should also be a problem for customers, government agencies, and basically anyone who depends on the Internet. To quote two high-profile instances of mass cybercrime, in 2016 some 3 billion Yahoo accounts were hacked, and in 2017 412 million Friendfinder accounts were damaged, according to Varonis, a cybersecurity study firm.

A malware attack's average price was US$ 2.4 million, while the price in lost moment averaged 50 days, the company discovered. Even more worrisome, the average price of worldwide cybercrime risen by 27 percent in 2017, with ransomware expenses that year exceeding $5 billion— fifteen times the cost of ransomware just two years earlier. The issue is that the threats are still ignored by far too many individuals. "Yes, we certainly should always think about cybersecurity," said Elad Shapria, head of studies at the Panorays cybersecurity company.

Building Awareness

Luckily, attempts are being made to concentrate on the threat in the hope that knowing really is half the fight. In October, which is the National Cyber Security Awareness Month, or NCSAM, a focus will shine on many of those initiatives. The Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division and the Nonprofit National Cyber Security Alliance joined in designating the month as a means of raising awareness of the significance of cybersecurity.

As part of a wide attempt to educate Americans and assist them to remain safe and secure online, NCSAM first introduced in 2004. Initial attempts claimed easy stuff that could be done by individuals, such as maintaining antivirus programs up to date. The objective was to remind customers in October to do cybersecurity updates— comparable to remembering changing batteries in a smoke detector when they put their clocks back in the fall or spring forward. "It grew out of NCSA's previous awareness attempts working in partnership with sector and government," said NCSA Executive Director Kelvin Coleman.

The attempts have extended in more latest years, and since 2009 the month has included the general theme, "Our Shared Responsibility," reflecting how everyone— from big businesses to individual computer users— plays a part in securing digital assets. "We want individuals to know the shared accountability of cybersecurity because what we do online can impact others," Coleman informed TechNewsWorld. "When that worker opens a poor connection to their office email, it could have broader corporate repercussions and put everyone at danger," he added. "We discovered that this continuing outreach to different target audiences works really well," Coleman said. "In addition to exchanging data with the press, we disseminate products and resources through our partners representing industry, government, tiny and medium-sized enterprises, and academia, thus spreading our message across multiple channels and reaching a broad group."

Increasing Awareness

NCSAM's overarching message for 2019 is "Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT." This year's objective is to concentrate on important fields of citizen privacy, consumer devices, and the safety of e-commerce. "It's essential to call times like the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month to remember what we're facing and how we can be vigilant," said Shapria of Panorays. "One major issue is that we continue to see catastrophic information breaches by third parties," he observed. These attacks can often happen when hackers target suppliers with the objective of accessing information from big businesses with which the suppliers are related or otherwise working. "We saw this occur with Wipro, Evite, and AMCA this year— and such cyber incidents can lead to a loss of consumer confidence and allegiance, expensive regulatory penalties for businesses, and even bankruptcy," advised Shapria.

What should not be part of the solution is the assumption that the threat is understood by staff at any stage. All too often, this can lead to lax behaviors of safety. "What is evident is generally subjective. Businesses need to acknowledge that staff knowledge and training on cybersecurity threats is an important component of how they can mitigate the inadvertent or intentional violation of employees," said Justin Fox, DevOps engineering director at NuData Security, a Mastercard corporation.

"Employees need to be educated on what safety warnings they should care about are lawful warnings, as opposed to advertisements that look like a warning," he informed TechNewsWorld. "Employees need to know how their security protocols have been enforced and[ trained] in some of the most popular emails they can obtain from safety software," added Fox. "Then they will probably know how to properly react to threats."

Shared Data, Shared Responsibility

Data sharing on a daily basis has complex cybersecurity issues. Besides worrying about protecting their own information, everybody now has to trust every business, seller, customer, employer, and worker to safeguard their information as well. "Businesses need to be conscious that when hiring and sharing information with suppliers, the risk of being infringed by those suppliers is significantly increased," suggested Shapria from Panorays.

Companies need to carefully evaluate and track the cyber posture of their suppliers with the same diligence they are monitoring their own pcs, networks and systems. Simply put, the severity of the continuing threat must be recognized by everyone. "Consumers need to be conscious so that they can comprehend with their information what businesses are doing and request greater controls," Shapria said. "C-level execs need to be conscious as safety impacts the price of doing company directly, while staff needs to be conscious so that they do not expose their businesses to cyber danger," he added. "Developers need to be conscious to be able to program safe alternatives, and network administrators need to be conscious to be able to protect their businesses and client information."

Failure to Act

The cost of failing to heed warnings can be huge— not just in bucks, but in wasted time, lost productivity, and even the social stigma that may accompany hacks. Cities like Baltimore and Atlanta, businesses like Target and Yahoo, and even government agencies like the Personnel Management Office had to react to major cyber attacks. The danger is becoming so bad that the Internet, which has become the glue that holds the connected world together, may fail to the extent that it can not be trusted.

"Who will want to use[ the Internet] if all of your documents are open fodder and can be accessed so readily by hackers?" Daniel M. Gerstein, Ph.D., senior policy scientist at RAND Corporation, commented. "If we can not get our act together and solve this problem properly, the present Internet could eventually become little more than a straightforward data-sharing platform," he said to TechNewsWorld. The Internet may not go away, but if the information is not safe, there may be a future when relying solely on streaming Netflix and watching Wikipedia facts. That situation may seem extreme, but from a breaking point, the Web could be just one significant violation. "We need to be serious about safety and there are methods to safeguard it, but right now, on the data superhighway, the ordinary customer could basically become roadkill," Gerstein advised. There is hope that constant attempts to raise awareness will be worthwhile.

"We discovered that this continuing outreach to different target audiences works really well," Coleman said of NCSA. "In addition to exchanging data with the press, we disseminate products and resources through our partners representing the sector, government, SMBs, and academia, thus spreading our message across different channels and reaching a broad group."


Backup and restore strategy in four steps

When most businesses still had their own data centers, their information should normally be backed up by themselves. Many businesses now believe that this will be arranged for them by their SaaS supplier. Unfortunately, with all the related hazards, this is not always the case. Read here how in four steps you can develop your own cloud backup strategy.

More and more businesses are turning to cloud-based office software like Office 365. This implies that if the service fails, the supplier, in this case, Microsoft, will be liable for both accessibility and disaster recovery. The data on the platform, however, is the property of the companies themselves, so it is their responsibility to protect it. However, information may still be lost or unavailable, e.g. because of:

  • Unintentional removal
  • Cyber attacks and ransomware
  • File corruption
  • Intentional removal

This means: the need for excellent safety of data is higher than ever before. Cloud users need to take action and create an efficient backup policy all the more. For this purpose, the following measures are essential, as an instance, we take Office 365 for the sake of comfort.

Determine the policy and requirement

Every company's backup demands are distinct. For instance, certain legislation and other laws need to be complied with in some industries. Therefore, to begin with, an organization must establish its own service level contract (lettuce) and define the data backup criteria. I suggest that you take the following into account:

  1. Recovery point objective: How often does an organization's information need to be backed up so that the quantity of information lost in case of a power failure is no higher than acceptable for company activities?
  2. Recovery time objective: How long can information be retrieved after a catastrophe or malfunction, and what is acceptable?
  3. Recovery granularity objective: How long can information be retrieved after a catastrophe or malfunction, and what is acceptable?
  4. Content: What types of content and which platforms do you want to back up?
  5. Retention Period: How soon do you want your information to be backed up? And does this vary by place of the storage, such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint versus Exchange?

Determine how this applies to Office 365

Then see how Office 365 can apply your backup policy. For this purpose, Office 365 provides the following alternatives according to the above criteria:

  • Thirty days, at the End, User Recycle Bin, thirty days in the Second-Stage Recycle Bin, and three more days using PowerShell.
  • Removal after the employee/user has left the company.
  • It is important to note that Project Online is part and fully backed up of the content database. There is no separate option to recover a single object for that reason.

Third-Party Solutions

If the built-in backup feature in Office 365 does not fulfill the policies of your organization, Gartner and Forrester recommend that third-party alternatives be considered and implemented. Keep in mind that while Office 365 backups are advertised by many providers, they often only give export alternatives from Exchange Online to a.pst file. Office 365 is more than just an Exchange, besides causing data protection problems. The following places can also store numerous significant information:

  • SharePoint
  • OneDrive for Business
  • Office 365 Groups
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Project Online
  • Dynamics 365

You should also consider the following problems when comparing distinct providers with backup services.

  • Use of your own private encryption keys,  so that you always manage your backup data yourself and not the supplier.
  • Use of different storage providers. It is an alternative to placing backups with distinct storage suppliers, and perhaps even in your own data center if you want to further restrict the hazards. Pay attention to all the advantages and disadvantages offered by distinct storage suppliers such as bandwidth or additional information transfer expenses.
  • It is also essential to manage the release of SaaS alternatives from third parties. Cloud suppliers tend to introduce fresh product updates rapidly, which sometimes disrupt the cloud environments of a customer. Therefore, good and regular management of the release from a third party SaaS supplier is essential.

Finally, ensure cloud suppliers have ISO safety certification for the systems they are using (MSFT, AWS, Google) and for their own infrastructure. ISO 27001 provides a solid foundation.

Monitoring and Verification

It is essential that it continues to be controlled through (1) backup dashboards and logs and (2) periodic retrieval tests after all information is stored in an organization's backup. This allows you to determine whether current processes are working properly and whether protected goods can still be efficiently restored. I propose the following: regularity:

You should be able to create a fresh or better backup approach for Office 365 with these four steps. Intuitive third-party solutions can assist you quickly expand the normal backup features of Microsoft if you have to fulfill rigorous (legal) demands. In any event, I hope these measures will assist you in your manner to better-protecting Office 365 business information and avoiding unwanted data loss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


How 5G Will Save Your Life

The difference between life and death could be faster networks. It's not that hyperbole. Nor is it a teenager's statement that refreshes their social media pages desperately, hoping to obtain more "likes" on their posts. Faster connectivity might have revolutionized sectors that we may not even have considered linked. In the past, tech shortages avoided innovation. But now everything is changing ... because of 5G. Qwake, a start-up based in San Francisco, has developed C-Thru. C-Thru was originally intended to assist CEO Sam Cossman to navigate his expeditions through volcanic craters filled with smoke. Now, it helps first responders to save lives and keep themselves secure.

C-Thru is an augmented reality headset, according to a new Cnet story. Built-in thermal imaging and a 5G connection will help firefighters see-through black smoke to locate victims more easily. “The way we used to look for people was almost as if you were blind,” said Harold Schapelhouman, fire chief of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. “Firefighter after firefighter, from older … to some of the newer [and] youngest, all looked through that system and went ‘wow’ … This is it, this is what we’ve been looking for.”

It's a life-saving application made possible with next-generation wireless technology. The key is that 5 G networks are sublimely fast. When fully deployed, they should be a 100x to 200x improvement over existing 4 G networks. According to Digital Trends, the difference would be like streaming a single 4 K movie and streaming 400 8 K movies, at the same time. And that's great. Amazing, actually, when you consider what can be done with that speed. But that's not the only thing 5 G has going for it. The real game-changer is low latency or lag.

The time for human reaction is 200-300 milliseconds. So the current 4 G "ultra-broadband" is a big improvement at 100-200 milliseconds. But 5 G is going to reduce latency to a millisecond. This means that developers of the software can simulate live code interactions. Here's how 5 G stands for improving real life, in real-time...

  • Cars will be able to self-navigate. also, they`ll be able to communicate with traffic lights and other vehicles.
  • It could even mean the end of traffic.
  • Technicians will able to remotely operate heavy machinery in locations unsafe for humans
  • It could bring an end to industrial accidents.

So why don't we see more of these great innovative products if we have 5 G already? That's because some technical limitations still exist. But they're temporary as well. 5 G operates at mixed frequencies using the millimeter-wave technology. Unfortunately, the range of these signals is limited to 300 meters. The weather can also disrupt connectivity and cause havoc, even something as small as leaves blowing in the wind or rain. Signals are often unable to pass through walls. Network providers would need to install multiple new transmitters every 200 meters in every direction to build a 5 G wireless network capable of reaching everywhere. While the possibilities offered by 5 G are exciting, in development it is still a new technology. And many companies are committed, sooner rather than later, to bring it to life.

Accenture, a global consulting firm, estimated that telco companies could spend $275 billion by 2025 to snuff up their networks in 2018. The capacity of 5 G networks, on the other side, is enormous. A 4 G network could serve 1 million phones per 500 square kilometers comfortably. But the same number of devices over 1 square kilometer could be served by a 5 G system. This makes 5 G ideal for dense urban centers, industrial settings, universities and campuses in hospitals. Start-ups like Qwake are banking on that ability... This firm in San Francisco is working to perfect C-Thruwith the Verizon (VZ) First Responder Lab. To work magic, the present model utilizes a small laptop plus heat sensors. Thick smoke and gasses obscured objects become silhouettes that first responders can see. Future variants of the helmet will add location monitoring as well as an AI to assist filter the most vital information through sights and sounds. Then the first responder becomes a human walking sensor.

 


Apple could add sleep tracking to the next Apple Watch

For its range of wearables from Apple Watch, Apple is reportedly working on sleep monitoring. 9to5Mac claims that the function could be presented as soon as next week and is called "Time in Bed Tracking." Codenamed internally Burrito, Apple Watch is said to monitor the quality of sleep, motion, heart rate and noise. Like most Apple Watch data, sleep tracking will be available in the Health app and a new Sleep app for the watch.

Naturally, enough battery life will be required for Apple Watch sleep monitoring and for the device to be worn at night. While holders of Apple Watch typically charge their wearables overnight, 9to5Mac claims they will receive a notification to charge their watch in front of the bed. Apple is also said to alter the way alarms operate with the Apple Watch, so if you wake up early and begin using your Apple Watch, your standard daily alarm will be silenced.

Apple Watch has been accessible for sleep monitoring through a multitude of third-party applications, but Apple has never supplied its own sleep monitoring function. Whether sleep monitoring will be accessible on all Apple Watch designs or restricted to prospective fresh devices we'll probably hear more about on September 10th is not evident. Apple is anticipated to disclose minor hardware changes for next week's Apple Watch, with fresh ceramic and titanium finishes and the latest OS 6 software from the company.


Fairphone updates its ethical smartphone for 2019

Fairphone 3 announced its recent try to achieve a sustainable smartphone three years after its last handset was released. Fairphone 3 tries to achieve this commitment with ease of repair and construction, where possible, out of responsible, conflict-free and recycled materials. Fairphone has made a bet on a globe of retrofittable phones that would decrease CO2 emissions considerably–an objective shared by iFixit and other players within the right-to-repair motion.

Fairphone claims that thanks to its 7 modules, its recent handset is simple to repair. This is a comparable strategy to what Fairphone2, which received a repayability rating of 10/10 from iFixit, for their earlier phone, 2016. The business has struggled in the past, however, to give long-term phone repairs. In 2017, it had to stop supporting the 2013 Fairphone 1 as it was unable to keep manufacturing its replacement components.

Fairphone has attempted to use materials that are as ethical as possible for its third handset. The tin and tungsten used in its construction are conflict-free, the gold is Fairtrade, and the copper and plastics are recycled. Fairphone is also working to improve its sourcing of cobalt, an ingredient in lithium-ion batteries often mined under conditions that violate human rights. Recycling initiatives will reward buyers for recycling their previous phones when they buy the Fairphone 3 in certain countries, and the company is also working to improve health, safety, and pay for the factory workers assembling the phones.

Understandably the specifics of Fairphone 3 are not competitive with other flagships, as Fairphone is focused on creating a telephone which is durable rather than mobile. It has a 5.7-inch Full HD display, a back camera 12 megapixels and a front-facing 8 megapixel. The phone internally builds on a Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 632, featuring RAM 4 GB and internal storage 64 GB. The battery of your 3000 mAh may not be the larger around, but it can be removed and replaced with ease if your capability begins to deteriorate.

You can order Fairphone 3 directly from Fairphone for € 450 beginning today from 3 September onwards. The firm claims that telephones from selected distributors and operators are accessible across Europe.


Are you been forced to upgrade your windows? Read this article for a middle path.

Many individuals operating Win10 version 1803 — Win10's most popular version — are receiving dire notices to update to ' the next Windows version, ' which implies 1903 for Microsoft. Hogwash. Hogwash. Hogwash. You've got choices. Here is what you can do. You can do here.

Microsoft’s in a full-court press to get folks running Win10 version 1803 to upgrade to version 1903. Ostensibly it’s because version 1803 patches will stop after Nov. 12, and the laggards still stuck on the “old” version — first declared suitable for business a scant year ago — need the enlightened, new 1903. Waiting for three or four months just won’t do. The truth is somewhat nuanced. Click the Search box next to the Start button to type About and pick About your PC, if your version of Windows 10 isn't sure.

Vox dei

If, like most Windows 10 users, you’re on version 1803, you may have recently started seeing announcements in Windows Update like this one:

1803 download and install now

Woody Leonhard/IDG

While you’re certainly welcome to click Download and install now, you might want to think for a minute before you make the leap. There’s a reason why Microsoft itself isn’t recommending version 1903 for business deployment just yet. Don’t get bullied into making a decision that’s good for Microsoft but may prove problematic for you.

Update Interrupt

It can be confusing to push to 1903. A nascent 1903 version might already be waiting for some who have clicked on the incorrect buttons. You will see a message from Windows Update that looks the same, if your computer is fitted with an Alien chestburster: Do not worry if you get into the script — which was downloaded from Win10 1903, yet not installed. Just go to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution directory and remove all documents. You'll be back to the devil ye ken and restart Windows.

You have a choice - three of them, actually

You have three simple decisions right now, if you run Win10 version 1803 (assuming, of course, you want to remain in Windows):

Stick with 1803

On Tuesday, Nov 12 (with the exception of a site license and a bundle spending), Microsoft promised to submit its last cumulative update to Win101803. Usually, with the exception of the significant update bug, a fresh patch is not expected until Patch Tuesday, December 10. In a standard course of activities. So you have to go for three or five months before the safety patches dry up depending on how you look at it.

Why do you adhere to 1803? This is stable. It is stable. Win10 standards at least. Many individuals feel that the benefit is worth the pain when weighing up the functionality changes in Win10 1809 and 1903 at 1803. You can wait each month and stabilize the next and next versions of Windows. In any case, for a first approach.

To date, Microsoft has shown respect for pushing individuals between 1803 and 1903, but you should expect the pressure to get hotter. Some individuals have reported totally unpredictable upgrades— particularly on computers with metered Internet connections — but the soft impetus that you have to cope with for most individuals right now. Heaven only knows whom Microsoft will throw under the bus as we get closer to November.

 

 


Essential Hardware Products for Starting Your Business as a SME

Whatever the sector in which you operate, as part of your startup plans you will have to invest in high-quality devices and hardware.

A number of hardware kinds can simplify many of your day-to-day business and administrative activities and support you in organizing your company. You can save cash and make the most of your startup budget by knowing what type of instruments and facilities you invest.

Five hardware products are here that you need to start your company.

A Desktop or Laptop Computer

Easier to transfer laptops to multi-user workstations, whether it's custom desktop computers, make sure you work with a reputable business that meets your computer requirements. Weigh your desktop or laptop computer whether you want it. You will need several years of duration of products and hardware that require minimal maintenance or maintenance. Fortunately, on the market, there are plenty of quality computers and excellent laptop choices.

External Hard Drive

Some machines on your network may need an external hard disk to store and assist you organize certain kinds of data. An external hard drive can be a smart investment for startup companies that do not want to store data on the cloud or on hard drives on their pcs.

In the case of an incident such as fire, precious and delicate information can be protected on external hard drives. These can be used for certain data types as backup systems and even invest in a scheme with built-in locks and additional layers of safety in order to avoid robbery.

Network Server Solution

You will have to set up a network server if your company is to support any sort of network for your database, email apps, and other documents. From several server alternatives, you can choose according to the quantity of storage, safety and backup requirements you need. Work with a specialist to make sure you purchase the correct package according to present and future requirements.

Wireless Router

Maintain the wireless connection of your office or workspace to the Internet. High-speed connectivity to all connected pcs and mobile devices can be achieved through a powerful wireless connection. Beware that working wirelessly reduces the need for additional wires running around and into your office if you have a tiny room.

A Quality Printer

Whether you intend to print all your marketing products or simply have to work with fundamental employment, invest in top-quality printers to save you quick printing times and energy. Reduce printing expenses by enabling your staff to operate as an office without paper whenever possible. For agreements, legal papers and other equipment, you will still need a decent printer. There are many features of some printers such as scanning, copying and faxing.

 

Investing in the correct hardware goods for your startup company will assist you to remain organized, increase efficiency and minimize additional expenses related to fundamental duties. Since each company has distinctive requirements, consider discussing suggestions about the kinds of hardware that are great for your company with a computer specialist and information safety experts. Take time to discover quality products and alternatives with your company to avoid spending more cash replacing an obsolete system or paying comprehensive upgrades and maintenance fees for your company.


Macs in the enterprise: 6 stats every IT purchaser needs

These statistics demonstrate Macs are for you if you operate a company and are looking to increase productivity, decrease cost and enhance employee retention.

CIOs spend a lot of time wanting unicorns all over the planet. "Where there was only one solution for technology that could decrease expenses and increase productivity," they cry out in their capitalist air for the large executive bonus gods.

Get a Mac

Times have altered since the extremely popular Get Mac advertisements from Apple encouraged so many Windows to change with iPod users.

I found a solution provider that can generate the following answers from users:

  • 79 percent of users can not do anything else as efficiently.
  • Applications are simpler to use, 89 percent say.
  • In comparison with others, 74% encountered fewer problems in the scheme.
  • There were no problems at all 40 percent.
  • It is more probable that 94 percent of staff join or remain in a business that offers them an option.

Using this platform makes 85 percent of staff more productive.

Everything seems better with a Mac

This is the Appleholic blog, so you can't be amazed to hear these glossy statistics. Nor should you recognize these allegations uncritically, although they appear to have some importance from a global Jamf study conducted with 1,500 Mac users in companies. The information also examined various sectors.

That implies we understand that IT and HR agencies agree more often than applications on other pcs to use Mac apps. It also implies that we understand that 87% of professional engineers feel the same. And over 90% of the study group said that when Macs handles the technology you become more efficient, creative and independent. They also contribute to better cooperation.