IT Support & Services | Imperial Technology Partners
As a sort of follow up to my last blog post about common IT problems and solutions, I thought it might be helpful to have a quick rundown of some basic Internet and computer terms and knowledge.
As an IT company, we often get calls about IT issues that are difficult for both us and the client. And it’s not because it’s a complicated issue – it’s because the client does not know how to properly describe their problem.
With the digitization and automation of today’s business, technology and knowing how to navigate it is becoming a necessary skill. Perhaps an IT company such as ourselves shouldn’t be giving out DIY solutions, but we are committed to making our customers’ lives as easy as possible. And sometimes, it’s not calling your IT team – it’s just restarting your computer.
These technology tips will hopefully help the people out there who aren’t as tech-savvy, or simply don’t have the time to start searching for answers and end up slumped dejectedly at their computer. So here are some go-to ideas when your computer is acting up.
Forbes recently shared an article on how the Internet of Things is keeping us safe and I thought it was a rather one-dimensional article. For those who don’t know, the Internet of Things (IoT) is defined broadly as “the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these things to connect, collect and exchange data” (Wikipedia).
A mouthful of a definition that basically means that the IoT is internet-enabled everyday objects. Typically, any device that has the word “smart” in front of it is included in this. We see this everywhere – smart fridges that can tell you when to restock, smart homes that are fully controlled with your smart phone, smart cars that can navigate and (soon) drive and park for you, and countless other things.
It’s time to finally understand The Cloud.
The term is everywhere nowadays – cloud computing, cloud storage, cloud backups – but most people balk if you ask them what exactly it is.
It’s actually simpler than you think. It’s not some mystical fog that sits on top of your computer that magically has all your pictures, nor is it an excruciatingly complex piece of technology that you need a degree to understand. The cloud, or cloud computing, is just a name for the storing and accessing of data, applications, or systems on the Internet and not on a physical piece of hardware.
As more and more of our personal information is digitized, the importance of cyber security continues to increase. Ransomware, phishing, and other malicious software are becoming more frequent and more dangerous. Forbes reports that American businesses lose approximately half a billion dollars a year to phishing scams, as well as priceless time and resources fixing the damage caused. Ransomware is also a massive issue (and grossly underreported). The malware of choice for hackers with 60% of malware payloads, businesses are often quiet about ransomware attacks in order to protect their company’s reputation.
In today’s ever advancing society, social media has taken the world by storm, completely upturning how both individuals and businesses interact with each other and how they present themselves. Although the technology for social media has been in the works since the 1970’s with the creation of early forms of message-forum applications and instant messaging, it wasn’t until decades later that social media really began taking off. The launching of platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram in the earlier 2000’s coupled with growing advancements in smartphone technology helped social media become the beast it is today – 2.46 billion users strong and steadily climbing, bringing in an estimated 41 billion dollars annually.
If you’re in the business world, chances are you’ve heard of SaaS, either on a highly involved level, or at least in passing. For those who are still confused as to exactly what SaaS is, let me explain.
SaaS, or software as a service, is any sort of centrally hosted software that is used by customers on a subscription basis. So any time you’re using a program that you don’t personally own, you are using software as a service. Services like Dropbox and Salesforce have become increasingly popular, on both an individual and commercial level, allowing those who use them to have access to the benefits the software provides without having to shell out a lot of money to own the software or worry about hosting space.
I’ve been thinking about branding recently, and it struck me how it’s something that is so important, yet often overlooked.
On a societal level, we’re obsessed with brands. The right clothing, the right car, even the right brand of cereal to buy, are all things that we, as consumers, are intrinsically aware of. It seems obvious that dressing in Louis Vuitton versus Old Navy sends very different messages, but why? What is it about a certain brand that communicates so clearly what we like, what type of lifestyle we have, even what type of person we are? Of course, an easy answer is price. Goods that are more expensive are bought by those who live more luxurious lifestyles, but it goes beyond that.
We live in a time of data, a time where our new, paperless systems have created another sort of digital clutter. And while digital clutter is a lot more environmentally friendly, it can be equally as chaotic and hard to navigate.
As someone who sometimes has a hard time just keeping my personal computer organized, trying to sort countless documents, pictures, and videos, imagine how much harder it is for businesses who deal with massive digital management processes like diagnostic reports, financial analyses, payroll calculations, sales, and so much more.