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Apple are always at the forefront when it comes to pushing new and challenging technologies, on 16th of October they […]

Following a recent report entitled the Carbon Disclosure Project, which looked into the environmental impact of global business, cloud-based software packages are looking like quite an attractive option right now.

The report concluded that such technology could save as much as 85.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions per year, within a decade, as well as saving business up to $12.3bn (£7.55bn).

This isn’t a day at the beach, oh no. This is a software bug that has been sweeping the nation, but is it as dangerous as Heartbleed? In short, yes it’s extremely dangerous for those in the know. Shellshock otherwise known as Bashdoor, is part of a group of security bugs in Unix shell Bash. Bash is basically free software that is used on millions operating systems such as Linux and Mac OS X, but can also be found ported to Microsoft Windows and Android devices.

Smart technology is a new age, an age where you can control everything around you from one single place. Smart technology allows us to automate our lives, including our homes. This infographic by Big Brother All Security looks at how smart technology has evolved and how it has made all of our lives easier with time saving devices. Did you know that industry experts are predicting 11% of all homes will be “smart” by the end of 2014?

With the usual caveats, about prediction being an inexact science, and “the value of shares can go down, as well as up”…

To Date:

 Almost two-thirds of 720 companies surveyed by Gartner last year said they were funding Big Data gathering and analysis projects, or planned to, by the end of 2013.

 A.T. Kearney forecasts global spending on Big Data hardware, software and services will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 30% through 2018, reaching a total market of $114bn. The average business is expected to spend $8m on related initiatives this year.

 The high level of interest and hype surrounding analytics, Big Data and business intelligence (BI) has led to a proliferation of market projections and forecasts.

Advanced and Predictive Analytics (APA)

Simplified APA tools (less flexible than standalone statistical models, yet with more intuitive graphical user interfaces and easier-to-use features) are fuelling adoption.

For some decades now companies have been gathering large amounts of data. Over the last few years more light has been shed on how the information obtained from customers is being used. While we all know that knowledge equates to power, it takes accurate interpretation of the information gathered to transform it into a powerful tool for businesses. The use of big data analytics comes in handy once you know what to look for within the information collated.

For it to be considered big data, it needs to be not only large in its volume of results, but also varied in its format. An IBM report highlighted to businesses just how effective interpretation of the hundreds of thousands of tweets sent in a single minute are. This could reveal how customers are viewing any given business products. The information also highlighted how that information could be used to better understand consumers, ultimately increasing revenue.

The four main areas where big data analytics is of benefit:

• Develop and promote an existing product or service being offered
• Improve internal processing
• Develop a new product or service to offer
• Transform the current business model 

In an information heavy age where access to the internet is expected immediately, it’s important to keep your employees connected. Through data sharing via Wi-Fi and mobile technologies such as 3g and 4g, it’s now possible to remain in constant contact with your staff. Thanks to wireless networks it’s no longer so important for your employees to be in the building, especially if you allow BYOD or remote working.

Mobile Computing

Effectively a mobile computer is a one that’s not limited to one location. Instead of being chained to a desk, the mobile computer can be taken anywhere and internet access is available wherever there is signal.

In recent years the variety of mobile devices on offer has drastically increased. This has led to a trend for ubiquitous computing. Computers are now all around us, allowing and enabling access to the online world at anytime, any place, and anywhere.

Future of Computing

Mobile computing is the future of technology as it allows constant contact with the Internet and data that needs sharing. The mobile world ensures that we’re all connected at the touch of a button and in business terms, it’s incredibly important to stay abreast of this revolution.

With the support cut-off deadline looming, we look at the case for upgrading from XP to a later version of Windows.

Windows XP has been a well used, and in many cases, well-loved operating system. However with the recent news that Microsoft is withdrawing support on April the 8th it seems like another nail in the coffin for a system that’s nearly a decade old. That’s a long time when you consider the rapid speed that technology evolves at. Window XP is a near-relic and it’s probably about time you updated your computer software.

Many users will likely feel that an upgrade is unnecessary, as they are still content using Windows XP. However with technology upgrading and support for XP falling away it is likely that loyalty to the OS will not benefit users in the future.

You don’t even have to upgrade to the often-problematic Windows 8. You only need to upgrade as far as Windows 7. So for those users who do not want to relinquish Windows XP here are the reasons why you should.

You may have held out and still not upgraded from your Windows XP OS and if that’s the case, time is running out, as Microsoft is pulling support for the OS on April 08 2014. Microsoft has released several patches to fix many of the common Windows 8/8.1 bugs and the tech company has also given Windows 8 users a free upgrade. This is limited though and if you are still using an earlier version of the OS, then the steps to upgrade are slightly more difficult.

Let’s have a look at the options and really get to grips with how to upgrade from the XP era to Windows 8.1.

Some of the general benefits to upgrading to Windows 8.1 are:

• Access to the Windows Store
• Tiled start screen
• Microsoft account

The newest OS also offers enhancements in personalisation, search, Store apps, and cloud connectivity. This is on top of the usual tools and programs that you would expect Windows to contain.