Communication and Connectivity

First off, let’s talk about how technology connects us. In this area, there are both positives and negatives. Whether you get benefits or drawbacks of technology depends on how you use it. So, without further ado, let’s delve into each.

Positive Impact of Technology:

Technology has brought enormous benefits for communication and connectivity. Geographical boundaries are no longer the hurdle they once were. You can now send messages, pictures, or videos to anyone, no matter their physical location. Technology has removed the geographical barrier entirely.

Apart from that, technology has enabled us to make professional connections online. People can now work together and collaborate on projects through the Internet. People on different continents can publish a research paper together.

For example, you can use plugins such as WooCommerce Call for Price plugin to facilitate remote interactions. So, you are leveraging technology to foster human connections.

Negative Impact of Technology:

Besides the positive impacts, we must also consider the adverse effects of technology on society and relationships. There are many concerns about the quality of the relationships formed. Online communication means that there is an increase in misunderstandings. This is because it becomes complicated to know if the other person is trying to be sarcastic or serious. This is easier to recognize in face-to-face communication, which has declined significantly.

Increased online communication leads people to abandon physical connections and embrace online relationships. This is one of the significant downsides of technology in today’s world.

Mental Health and Well-being

Technology also has profound impacts on our mental health and well-being.

Positive Impact of Technology:

Technology has had a lot of positive effects on mental health. You can now contact a psychologist online if you’re unable to meet them in person for any reason. Apart from that, you can also access online resources on mental health, join support groups online, and find little tips and tricks to manage your mental health better, along with self-help tools.

Negative Impact of Technology:

Too much usage of technology has led to increased anxiety, stress, and depression. The pressure to contribute regularly online and the constant stream of social media notifications contributes to feelings of inadequacy. Additionally, the information bombardment online makes people feel overwhelmed.

Being online too much can also lead to loneliness and social isolation, which then contributes to depression. Technology has improved Mental health and well-being, but it also has drawbacks.

The Rise of Online Dating

Positive Impact of Technology:

Technology has enhanced the dating landscape, making it easier to form potential romantic connections and start relationships. Many online dating apps make it even easier for people to find someone with whom their interests match.

Several people meet online and then start dating. This number is projected to increase by a significant amount in the future. This makes it more likely that people will start their relationships by meeting online rather than offline.

Negative Impact of Technology:

There are many potential issues with online dating. People misrepresent themselves online to fool others. Catfishing, the act of making an online persona intending to deceive another, is also a big concern. It’s often done for monetary gain and is a typical romance scam.

The many matches available on online dating apps may lead to a swiping culture. It also forms a disposable mentality when dating.

Maintaining healthy boundaries online and trusting someone can be difficult. In this way, technology has impacted human society and relationships.

Online Communities

Technology has also developed online communities. Again, there are both positives and negatives of this.

Positive Impact of Technology:

The formation of online communities is another change technology has brought to society and relationships. Online communities help you meet others with similar interests. It expands your social network and enables you to form connections with people from diverse locations and backgrounds.

Online communities also foster a sense of acceptance and belonging for people who may feel isolated. It gives them a safe space.

Negative Impact of Technology:

Online communities can also hurt people. The communities may reinforce previous beliefs and filter out any opposing opinions, making echo chambers which stops exposure to other viewpoints.

Cyberbullying, online harassment, and hate speech can become a massive problem in online communities. These issues can have profound negative impacts on people, families, and societies.

Integration of Technology in Our Lives

Next, let’s discuss the positives and negatives of integrating technology into our lives.

Positive Impact of Technology:

Technology has become so integrated into our lives that we cannot imagine our lives without it. Everything is so connected with technology that our lives would become exponentially harder without technology. Medical tech such as telemedicine, AI-powered tools, and wearable health devices have enhanced access to healthcare for us. Personalized treatment plans and early detection of diseases through various scans have prolonged our lives, too.

Even the coffee you drink every day is made using technology. We use kitchen gadgets in cooking and baking. Technology has thus allowed us to save time and has improved efficiency and productivity.

Negative Impact of Technology:

The constant pressure of maintaining an online persona has led to digital addiction in many people, including teenagers and young adults.

Besides daily life, technology also harms education after it moves online. It not only increases their internet addiction, but it also reduces their focus and attention spans. So, this overreliance on technology has also increased our critical thinking skills. It has led to superficial thinking and learning.

Online education has also increased the potential for cyberbullying and harassment.

Work-Life Balance

Next, let’s talk about how technology has significantly affected work-life balance.

Positive Impacts of Technology:

Technology has improved work-life balance by enabling remote work. Remote work usually offers flexible schedules compared to regular work, as time is not wasted while commuting.

It has also automated and streamlined many repetitive tasks, allowing workers to focus on more critical work areas. This contributes to a better work-life balance.

Apart from that, technology has also improved access to information and offers online learning sources. This way, you can upskill and expand your knowledge without needing traditional classroom settings.

Negative Impacts of Technology:

While technology does offer greater efficiency, flexibility and connectivity, it also poses some challenges to work-life balance.

One of the significant challenges is the 24/7 work culture and constant connectivity. So, work has more opportunity to intrude in our times.

Another aspect of technology is the increased workload and longer working hours. In these ways, work ends up taking up more of our time as compared to before.

Conclusion

Now that we have discussed the human side of technology let’s talk about some quick tips to utilize technology positively. Make sure you define clear goals and set proper boundaries. Set time limits and create tech-free zones. Also, engage in face-to-face interactions to keep your relationships healthy. Also, be mindful that online personas do not negatively impact your mental well-being. If you feel overwhelmed, seek professional help.

The post The Human Side of Technology: How It’s Changing Society and Relationships appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Safe Browsing is the first feature Traced is including in Trustd Plus, and it’s available to both iOS and Android users. Safe Browsing is the same enterprise-grade available to customers of their business threat solution – Trustd MTD, and Traced is offering it to consumers to upgrade their on-device security for a low monthly subscription.

The introduction of premium features via Trustd Plus is a first for Traced, which has been acclaimed with an average 4.5 star rating across over 8000 reviews globally on Google Play. Users appreciate Traced’s privacy-first ethos and threat detection capabilities.

What is Safe Browsing and how does it protect against phishing?
Mobile phishing attacks are on the rise (in fact, they increased 700% in the first half of last year (Source: Proofpoint data). There’s smishing, vishing, phishing over social media and email, and there’s also phishing content on the web that lures a target to download a malicious app or enter their private details into a form.

The free Trustd app protects consumers against phishing by scanning phishing links in text messages, email apps, productivity and messaging apps like Slack, WhatsApp, Skype and social media – blocking the link from opening.

Safe Browsing in Trustd Plus provides a deeper layer of phishing protection. It detects and blocks fake and malicious websites while users browse the web from any app. Safe Browsing would detect malicious websites such as those used in the Dracarys and Malibot malware campaigns, preventing users from accessing the sites before they could download the infected app. In phishing attacks that present forms that send sensitive data back to the attackers, Safe Browsing would block those webpages from opening before a victim can enter any personal information.

To experience peace of mind when browsing the web, users can subscribe to Trustd Plus through the Trustd app. Download from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).

About Traced
The Traced (https://traced.app) team of security and privacy evangelists has won several cybersecurity awards and works with Microsoft’s MISA program, the Coalition Against Stalkerware, and the NCSC for Startups. Combining the threat intelligence from 250k+ protected mobile devices with that of other industry vendors, Traced’s ever-evolving AI technology stays one step ahead of the cyber criminals, protecting individuals and businesses from data loss from mobile phishing attacks, compromised WiFi networks, unpatched devices, malware and leaky apps.

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Apple’s eighth-generation model has sold the most units out of all other smartphones

The iPhone 6 (including the iPhone 6 Plus) is the best-selling smartphone of all time, selling 224 million units since it was released in 2014. The iPhone 6 is not the longest-running smartphone and nor does it offer the latest features – its popularity can be put down to overwhelmingly positive reviews and a redesign on the previous iPhone which balanced form and functionality.

As experts in technology, MAGFAST investigated the most popular phones throughout time and how the technology has developed, from the very first mobile phone released in the 1980s to the latest advancements in 5G. One portion of our study involved finding which cell phone models have sold the most units ever. Whilst it was the basic Nokia 1100 and Nokia 1110 that came first and second in the rankings, the iPhone 6 was the best-selling smartphone.

The iPhone 6 proved popular right at its launch. It received 4 million pre-orders within the first 24 hours of availability, which exceeded the number of units Apple had. Once it launched, it sold 10 million units just in the first three days of sale.

The iPhone 6 promised several improvements on the previous iPhone 5 and its variants. The iPhone 6 had a longer battery life, larger screen size and a higher resolution camera. However, even with its success, the model was not without its criticisms. It was the iPhone 6 that was subject to the infamous ‘bendgate’, where users reported the phone was susceptible to bending under pressure, such as being carried in a pocket. Apple maintained that this issue was “extremely rare” and replaced any unintentionally bent phone.

The next best-selling smartphone is the iPhone 6s (including the iPhone 6S Plus). These were the successor models, released a year after the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The 6S and 6S plus have sold 174 million units worldwide. They had a similar design to the preceding models but offered more durable hardware, a higher resolution camera, and updated software. Apple continues to dominate the smartphone market, with the next best-selling smartphone being the iPhone 5S. Released in 2013, this model sold 164 million units.

MAGFAST is the future of charging and connectivity. Our revolutionary family of premium chargers and charging accessories utilize the latest technology to ensure everyone can stay connected at home and on the road. MAGFAST is truly versatile and can be used with old, new and future devices. With such a range of cell phones now available, we looked into the history of mobile communication technology to find the most popular phones through time.

For more information, please contact russell@chillibyte.co.uk

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We’ve picked our top five favourites and have reviewed them in the post to try to make your decision a little bit easier.

Microsoft Band 2 – £199.00

We begin our review with the most expensive tracker on our list. Even though this gadget comes in at almost £200, it does seem to have it all. The Microsoft Band 2 is an activity tracker, a smartwatch, a sleep and GPS tracker and a heart rate monitor.

The band itself is built to last, and is secure on your wrist. It has a slightly curved display, giving you a bright and easily accessible touch screen. The battery boasts a full 48 hours of use in between charges, and syncs with your smart phone easily via Bluetooth.

Overall this tracker definitely gives you value for money, and the sensors and features available are some of the best for a product of this price.

Fitbit Charge HR – £119.00

As the other Fitbit’s available, the Charge HR measures motion patterns to calculate your steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and even how many minutes a day you’ve been active. Unlike the Fitbit Charge, the HR comes with a new heart rate monitor, which increases the accuracy of your workout performance.

The wristband is very comfortable, coming in both a large and small size, and is made of a rubber material, protecting the tracker from slipping off your wrist or becoming ruined by sweat. The battery lasts around three days in between each charge, but this will obviously vary depending on intensity of use.

On the whole, the Fitbit Charge HR is definitely a great choice for both new and intermediate fitness lovers. The tracker offers its user real-time stats straight to your wrist, and the heart rate tracker is a great addition.

Jawbone UP2 – £89.00

Jawbone is frequently regarded as the brand of all fitness trackers. It’s already released numerous gadgets, and the Jawbone UP2 is one of the newest editions.

Jawbone rejects the on device display design, instead choosing to display your data on your smart phone app and LEDs for its basic functions. The UP2 includes a sleep monitor, food tracker and an activity tracker – measuring steps and calorie burn. All of this information is displayed via the smart phone app.

Unlike its display prominent competition, the battery life on the UP2 is superior, offering seven or eight days in between charges. The band itself is comfortable and looks like an accessory, rather than a fitness tracker. The only drawback, according to some tracker enthusiasts, is its lack of GPS.

Moov Now – £59.99

At a cool £59.99, the Moov now is definitely an affordable option. The main opinion about this tracker is that it looks ugly. While this is true, the design makes the gadget very comfortable to wear and after all, isn’t that more important than looks?

The tracker pairs with an iPhone or Android phone via Bluetooth and the app is very well designed. While the Moov doesn’t track your steps, it does track your active minutes, giving you a daily goal of 30 minutes to meet.

The Moov also tracks your sleep, and more importantly, acts as a personal fitness coach. The app provides you with a “get toned in under 10 minutes” workout, with different moves to keep your workouts mixed up.

Misfit Flash Activity Tracker – £49.95

The Misfit Flash is another activity tracker than shuns the digital display in favour for LEDs. These lights can be used to track your progress as well as the time, which is a great little feature. Another great feature of this gadget is that it’s fully waterproof, even if you’re diving up to 96 feet down, a feature that the other trackers on this list can’t offer.

The Flash can track your steps, miles travelled and sleep. It works best when tracking walking, jogging and running, but it does have the capability to track swimming, cycling and football.

Overall, as the cheapest tracker on our list, the Flash has a decent set of features, and a simple app to report on your activity. This is a great first tracker for the beginner.

So that’s our list of the UK’s best fitness trackers. Hopefully you can make a more informed decision about which gadget is best for you.

The post Five of the Best Fitness Trackers appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

Everything Is Branded with The Same Image

One of the most beneficial factors of a VDI is that all desktops have the same consistent image throughout the whole system. All your applications and files will be the same, updating and consistently being backed up. This will help reduce costs such as administration and support.

Financial Benefit

Some people may believe that working with individual desktops can save you money, however virtual desktops can help your business strip back extra costs on new hardware. With everything being stored on a server, there is no need for the investment into new hardware devices, potentially leaving businesses investing too heavily, or not enough.

It also also staff to work with flexibility and off of their own devices, rather than company based ones in which they’ll have to become comfortable with. This shows how machines can be replaced in minutes rather than hours.

No Need To Cater To Individual Desktops

There is nothing more frustrating than having to pinpoint individual errors on individual machines. Virtual desktops will help you highlight the overall problem, making it easier to troubleshoot any problems.

Only having to work out on one machine can help save time and money. Virtual desktops can also benefit businesses in terms of overall memory allocation, allowing flexibility for administrators to adjust files, or data on the main servers.

Security

In the age of hackers it can be worrying to think that all information and files are stored on a main server. However, with virtual desktops there is an extra layer of protection, with 24-hour protection. Servers are consistently monitored in order to check if there are any problems and also making them easier to resolve. Virtual desktops offer a huge sense of security.

Post written by Roman Winter: An aspiring freelance writer with a passion for technology, sports and fashion.

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Here are some of the ways that technology is changing the future of car interiors:

Augmented Reality Software

This technology has seen a huge rise in popularity recently, with the Oculous Rift headset ready for release this year – augmented reality is gearing to be the next big thing. This article featured on Motorburn mentions Jaguar Landrover’s ideas for a ‘360 Ritual Urban Windscreen’ which would use Augmented Reality software and big data to project potential hazards and navigation systems onto the window as you drive, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road.

Flexible Displays

Flexible displays could help to improve car safety (Image source: FlexEnable)

Safety is one of the most important issues when it comes to cars. Thankfully, the possible introduction of flexible displays into vehicles may help to eradicate that notorious blind spot whilst driving. Car displays need not be limited to the dashboard and the centre console as one company has demonstrated. Leading flexible electronics provider FlexEnable has partnered with Flex to design a flexible organic liquid crystal display (OLCD) that can be fitted into the A-pillar of a car. Combine this with a camera on the wing mirror of the vehicle and the driver will have a much greater view of their blind spots when behind the wheel.

Touchscreens

The Audi e-tron Quattro concept (Image source: AUDI AG via Flickr Creative Commons)

Car interiors are set to follow in the footsteps of our phones, as touchscreens are soon to become a permanent feature. At CES 2016, Audi showcased a mock-up of their Audi e-tron Quattro interior, which featured a dual-touchscreen control panel in the centre console. This article in GizMag explains how the car’s virtual dashboard is made of an ‘infotainment’ widescreen on top and a handwriting and setting control panel below – no need for buttons or switches!

Voice and Gesture Recognition

In this article from Intel, they explain the different ways companies are bringing gesture, voice and face recognition into car technology. Visa is currently trialling an in-vehicle voice recognition system that allows the driver to pay for things such as parking and petrol using only their own voice. PSA Peugeot Citroën have also been conducting research into using gesture recognition in cars – motion sensors will detect a driver’s movements, allowing them to communicate with the control system using gestures alone.

With all these innovative and exciting technological changes in the pipeline, the way we drive our cars is soon set to change forever.

The post The Technology Transforming the Future Of Car Interiors appeared first on Mozbot.co.uk.

After 25 years in tech, I’ve seen how software has evolved, driving massive efficiencies in global economies and launching some of the largest and most valuable companies in history.

While software still has a way to go, it has managed to completely change the way we work. And for small businesses in particular, this tech explosion is being used to their advantage.

Isolation to collaboration

In its early form, software was something you installed on your clunky PC, which made you, as an individual, more productive. The 80s was all about spreadsheets and word processing documents where people worked in isolation and computers were not connected – to a network or otherwise.

Teams then started using technology to work together. Hardware became more affordable in the 90s and computers could be networked together, enabling printing and files sharing to take place between users. As teams collaborated on email and instant messenger services, the software industry pivoted to become more about improving team efficiency.

Companies then realised they could use tech to be more productive and tech firms soon embarked on changing the way companies operate. Companies like Salesforce came onto the scene with massive CRM and ERP platforms that streamlined entire operations – a productivity boon.

Disruption and ‘super-convergence’

Apps arrived in the new millennium, driving software Consumerisation. Driven by cloud technology, big data and mobile saturation, companies begin creating software that connects people and cuts out intermediaries, completely changing traditional services.

In this new era of software, emerging generations of integrated software platforms are capable of supporting different economic and service models at scale – disrupting and transforming entire industries.

The explosion of web and mobile software in 2015, together with dramatic progress in the deployment of web services, brings us to a kind of super-convergence where it is now feasible to either replicate, dis-intermediate or just plain transform entire industries through software.

You don’t have to look far to see examples of this, with Uber, Spotify or Airbnb dominating their markets. Yet, for these businesses to thrive, the conditions have to be right – there needed to be a combination of the Internet, cloud technology and high levels of smartphone adoption.

So what does this mean for small businesses?

Customers and business insight at your fingertips

Ecommerce is no longer a luxury and size doesn’t matter – for the vast majority it’s a vital part of any successful business strategy. And for small businesses in particular, the widespread adoption of mobile devices has created an enormous shift.

You can find and engage with new customers with an online presence and access your business applications anywhere and anytime using the cloud, making your business lithe, flexible and putting you one step ahead.

Cashflow transparency

The bottom line of any business’s health is the health of the bottom line: research we conducted last year that looked into the success and failure of small businesses found that a whopping 65% blamed financial issues.

Technological innovation in business means that today business owners can have instant transparency of their finances, using technology that makes the numbers simple to understand.

When looking at the transformation of the wider industry, fascinating things are taking place in financial tech. Institutions are striving to keep up with innovative competitors as the financial web continues to develop, while tech-savvy banks and non-bank companies like Paypal, Stripe, Square, Moula and Kabbage eat into traditional banking markets.

Real-time financial data is critical for modern business success, and as small businesses are more agile and quicker to adapt, they have the power to shape the future of modern business as the financial technology sector continues to transform.

An unavoidable impact

The influence of software is no longer constrained to individuals, teams or companies. No industry is immune from the effects of digital transformation and we’re likely to see a prolonged adjustment period of a decade or two where various industries are either upturned or significantly re-wired.

It’s not all going to be smooth sailing for the industry disruptors either as Uber’s difficulty in France last year proved – some industries are stitched so tightly into the fabric of society that they won’t give up without a fight.

Although there will of course be bumps in the road, the last 25 years of tech have been a necessary preamble to the real software revolution. Redefining entire sectors is what’s happening now, and with Artificial Intelligence and robotics turning machines into humans, where we go from here is going to get even more interesting, for businesses of all sizes.

Gary Turner is UK managing director at Xero.

Are you an accountant or bookkeeper and keen to help your clients use technology to drive innovation? Sign up to attend Xerocon London 2016, Xero’s annual conference in London on the 9 -10 February to be inspired by an impressive lineup of speakers at a landmark cloud accounting event.

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When three former google engineers put their heads together, you know the product is going to be something super extraordinary. Remix Mini is just this – a fist-size piece of kit that will transform your PC screen into the simplicity of a tablet.

This snazzy gadget is packed with high- end specifications and the familiar user interface found on most tablets, taking away the complications of browsing on your pc.

The user friendliness of Remix trumps that of any computer- and after a using your computer screen like you would a tablet, you’ll never look back.

This project will be funded on Sat, Aug 29 – Back it here

2. Lumos – A next generation bicycle helmet

Finally, an invention that your Mother will approve of – a bicycle helmet that may just save your life!
Integrating brake and turn signal lights, Lumos effectively transforms your head into a system of alerting vehicles when you are breaking, and in which direction you are turning. It does this through a wireless remote you activate, which then triggers the turn or break signals to begin flashing on the helmet.

Also, an integrated accelerometer is included with the helmet, and senses when you begin to slow down, turning on bright red rear lights to signal to any cars behind that you’re braking.

Rather conveniently, Lumos is fitted with a rechargeable battery, and is charged by a micro USB cable – just a 10 minute charge will power the gadget for a week!

Combining technology and safety, this popular gadget is a worthwhile investment I predict to see many of them on the roads in the coming years.

This project will be funded on Thu, Aug 13 2015 – Back it here.

3. Solar Paper, the world’s thinnest and lightest solar charger

For the hardcore smartphone addicts out there, this nifty solar panel charger may just be the answer to your prayers, promising a full charge in just 2 and a half hours in sunny weather.

Easily transportable, the thin lightweight structure is just larger than a £20 note and can be tucked away in a book or side pocket of a rucksack, to be used in emergencies to juice up your tablet, camera or phone – basically anything that is charged with a USB cable is compatible!

For gadgets that may need more power, that’s not a problem either – just click more magnetic panels into place, enabling more power to be captured and transferred to your device.

No similar sized solar charger on the market can generate as much potential wattage as Solar Paper – so best to invest now before the project ends.

This project will be funded on Thu, Aug 20 2015 – Back it here

4. ZNAPS- the magnetic adapter for your mobile devices

A common pet hate of most smartphone users has to be the realisation, a few short months after shelling out hundreds of pounds on a top-of-the-range phone, that the charger is on its way out, and the battle to connect phone to charger is near impossible.

Now however, the good folks at znaps have put their heads together and come up with a cheap and easy solution to this problem, in the form of a £6 adapter little more than the size of a fingernail.

Attach the adapter to the end of your charger, and insert the connector into the port in your phone, snap the two together and voila! A seamless charge or data sync without the fear of snapping off the end of the charger and it being lost in your phone forever.

This project will be funded on Fri, Aug 14 2015 – Back it here.

5. DrinkMate – The miniature iPhone breathalyzer

When you think of cutting edge technology, it’s unlikely that you’ll think of a tiny black contraption that can easily fit in your pocket. But that’s exactly what DrinkMate is – and it could help to save thousands of lives and make roads much safer places.

After being in development for 2 years, the finished product is less than 5cm long and plugs into the charging port of iphones, giving a detailed reading of your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) on the screen. There isn’t even any need to touch the gadget with your mouth – simply blowing on the sensor.

Gone are the days of convincing yourself that you can have one more drink before the drive home- your handy DrinkMate will tell you if you’ve had one too many!

This project will be funded on Thu, Aug 13 2015 – Back it here.

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