KB Technologies Managed IT Blog

For a considerably long time—over 40 years—Apple has staked the claim that their devices are pretty much hack-proof, that most hackers wouldn’t even try breaking into their security measures. Law enforcement was so repeatedly rebuffed by the company as they sought workarounds to get into their devices, that these law enforcement agencies figured it out for themselves.

In doing so, they uncovered a few things that even the most ardent Apple fans may be surprised to hear.

Blockchain has been one of the technologies that are most cited on those “emerging technologies” lists at the beginning of each year for the past several, yet there is no mainstream indication that the technology is being integrated into tools that can benefit businesses and individuals. Today, we thought we would take a look at some of the ways blockchain technology was going to be used to improve digital systems and what is taking so long for these tools to be developed and initiated. 

Paper documentation has long been a fixture in the office as a means of helping to organize information and other resources. Of course, asbestos was a fixture in building construction for quite some time as well, so it should be clear that the established way of doing things is never guaranteed to be the best. Considering this, let’s go over what a modern Document Management System is and what options a small to medium-sized business has to choose from.

With so many users worldwide embracing Windows as their chosen operating system for all kinds of purposes, there are many different settings that can be customized to best fit the different needs of a workplace as compared to a gamer’s or a family’s setup. Microsoft understands this, and so is testing out a new feature to help a user quickly personalize a device to its predominant use.

Businesses have always needed to use their available resources efficiently, but it has perhaps never been as important for them to squeeze as much value out of what they have. To further this end, let’s go over a few ways that you can more intelligently reduce your IT budget in the short-term.

We’re all familiar with what the power button looks like, and what it’s supposed to do. What fewer people are familiar with is what the image on the button really means, and the different things that the power button can be used for.

Even the most seasoned technology professional—the most gung-ho person about the technology—probably thinks that there’s too much IT-related jargon and buzzwords now floating around. There is a good reason for this: analogies and euphemisms are effective ways to communicate concepts and ideas that would otherwise require technical experience.

However, there is such a thing as too much.

Technology is a big part of the front end of almost every business. This is doubly true today as most businesses have built—and actively support—a robust web presence. Technology, however, is also used to power a business on the back end. Today, we’ll discuss a couple ways that today’s businesses are benefiting from automation behind the scenes, as well.

Google Workspace is one of the most utilized productivity suites in business. Within the useful suite of productivity apps is Google Docs, Google’s word processor. Today, we thought we would take you through Google Docs to show you some of the features you can expect. 

The fifth generation of wireless communications—5G—has been hotly anticipated, already appearing in advertisements for cellular connectivity and set to expand the potential of automated processes. One particularly pertinent application is to the smart devices and services that make up the Internet of Things. Let’s consider where 5G currently stands, and how its capabilities could impact the IoT.

For the small business, cutting costs or otherwise increasing the value that their technology can provide is an important consideration. To accomplish this, many businesses are now turning to AI-enhanced automation. Let’s see how they are doing so, and how it helps to make their operations more productive.

There are theoretically countless ways that artificial intelligence can have practical applications. One that you may not have initially considered: as a content filter for Internet comments. With trolling, spamming, and other misuse of these platforms getting far out of hand, let’s consider how some platforms are using AI to fight back.

So, you’ve decided to seek out external assistance with your critical business technology and its upkeep, and now you’re wondering how to tell which of your support options is going to give you the best value for your investment. While we may be biased, we still feel justified in our belief that—when compared side-by-side—a managed service provider will always be the better choice.

It wasn’t too long ago that the idea of paying over $1,000 for a new phone was laughable, but now it is the standard for many. Of course, not everyone is willing or able to drop that much cash, so some manufacturers also offer smartphones that are a little friendlier on the budget for the many people who are due to replace their devices.

For part two of our yearly look at smartphone technology, we thought we would take a look at some new form factors that have hit the market over the past few years. Devices that fold and swivel highlight new entries into the premium smartphone market. Let’s take a look at four of them now and don’t forget to check back next week when we finish our look at 2020’s best budget smartphones. 

For millions of people their phone is their most important device. In fact, many people do their computing exclusively on their smartphones. Today, the best devices give people the option to do anything they need to do from the palm of their hand. Let’s take a look at some of the best smartphones available to consumers today.

Nintendo has announced to owners of their Switch consoles that, if their devices aren’t charged up at least every six months, battery life could be impacted. Now, bear with us: while we realize that this may not seem to be all that pertinent to businesses, it brings up an important practice for businesses to follow: regularly charging even the devices that are used less often.

With a market share of 87 percent in 2019, Android is obviously a popular operating system and has been for some time. With the years that have passed since it debuted in 2008, it has changed shape quite considerably, with many features and capabilities introduced and phased out. Let’s go over the changes that each version brought with it, to see how Android got to the place it is now.

“Knowledge is power.” This theme has been demonstrated countless times throughout history, from the huge conflicts that spanned the globe, to the meteoric rises that many businesses have seen, down to the conversations held at the dinner table. Knowledge simply makes things go better for you, which is why it is so helpful for businesses to have a knowledge base at their disposal. Today, your IT can give you even more opportunities to use information to your advantage.

The purpose of technology is, in a nutshell, to improve a task to make it less difficult and/or more efficient to complete. This has lately been demonstrated in the information technology that powers the financial services industries. Finance, insurance, and banking have all seen their processes benefitted by “FinTech.” Let’s examine FinTech to gain a better appreciation for it and its capabilities.