Vodafone's latest announcement to shut down its third generation of connective/network technology could potentially significantly impact individuals still using older and basic phone models, which may result in them being left behind in the digital age - a concern now coined as "digital poverty."
Vodafone is set to become the first major telecommunications company to shut down its 3G network, with pilot testing of the switch-off planned for Basingstoke and Plymouth in June. The telecom giant plans to phase it out throughout the rest of 2023, starting with Hull, Oxford, and Greater Manchester before eventually rolling out across South England.
Once these places successfully transitioned away from this network version, Vodafone has explained, "the rest of the UK will follow later in the year."
According to Vodafone UK's Head Network Officer, Andrea Dona, the usage of 3G technology has significantly decreased over the years. In 2016, more than 30% of customers used 3G, but now only 6% continue to use it. Vodafone's decision to phase out 3G is expected to set a precedent for other providers to follow suit and focus solely on the benefits of 4G and 5G networks.
Meta is finally allowing profiles to share more than one link within in there Instagram profiles meaning this could start the end of link-in-bios.
Around 13 months ago, Linktree, the company allowing many creators to post multiple links in one place, recently received increased funding. Financial backers included Index Ventures and Coatue Management, investing $110, equivalent to nearly £89 million. This put Linktree enviable by being valued at $1.3 billion or £1.04 billion.
Just over a year on, things look incredibly different. Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerburg's official account announced that Instagram users can now add up to 5 links to their bio on the app. He comments that it is "probably the most requested feature we've had."
Many users and creators have reacted with joy as it is now more accessible to integrate outside links onto the platform within their profiles. Until now, they have had to use Linktree or one of its competitors, which puts all the links on an external webpage on their profile. It means now you no longer have to prioritise what link displays on your profile. You can now have all 5.
By now, you would have heard of or even used OpenAi's ChatGPT or an application driven by AI's power (artificial intelligence) chatbot that creates well-written text passages in any language. It has been classed as the AI tipping point as students utilise it to write essays, marketing departments use it to write campaigns, and it can even be used in software development. The possibilities are endless, which can cause implications.
One alarming implication of cyber threats is the increasing occurrence of phishing scams. These notorious schemes often pose as trustworthy sources, promising a sense of urgency that encourages victims to act quickly without scrutinising the authenticity of the source. (You can find out more information on this topic by clicking here)
Phishing emails are the most prominent mechanism that catches people out, as last year alone in England and Wales 50% of adults reported receiving a scam email, and businesses identified them to be the most common form of a cyber threat. So why will ChatGpt and other tools have implications in tackling phishing?
2023 is the year to take your applications and infrastructure into the cloud! Although it's a significant leap, trust us when we say nothing is intimidating or overwhelming about this move - quite the opposite. Moving to cloud computing gives you access to several advantages that will make your business processes smoother and more efficient.
One of the major benefits is scalability. Even during a challenging economic climate, the cloud can help you scale more effectively than ever.
Cloud scalability (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, VDI) can quickly and efficiently adjust system resources according to business or user needs. It allows for smooth transitions that enable businesses to stay agile in a dynamic digital world.
As a business grows, changes location, or adds new branches, it will adapt to meet the demand.
Automating processes, tasks and admin duties with modern technology can free up precious time for you and your staff - allowing more focus on growing the business.
With Cloud Pc Solutions, you can automate and streamline many processes. This could include organisational security, data backups and daily tasks individually and through team collaboration. This means that the more complex tasks can be done with more attention and at a quicker rate.
Less time attending to mundane tasks, admin work and managing tools means more time can be dedicated to what matters more to your business. This again proves how cloud scalability can really benefit a business that is looking to grow.
The AI ChatGPT has created a buzz in the tech industry, surpassing companies like Tik Tok and Google with their remarkable popularity. To add to its impressive repertoire, the analysts at Swiss bank UBS have now dubbed it the fastest-growing consumer app in history.
According to UBS analysis, ChatGPT garnered a staggering 100 million active users in just two months since its launch in late November. Astonishingly, it accumulated a million users within a week of its release.
ChatGPT itself, however, discards itself as an app but instead refers to itself as a machine-learning model. This is evident in the creators. OpenAi uses this term as the software generates human-like text based on input provided to it. ChatGPT has been recognised as one of the largest and most advanced language models to date, but it's not an app and hasn't been measured in terms of user growth.
Recently, Microsoft made a significant investment in OpenAI and has begun incorporating GPT into its products. For instance, GPT powers several intelligent recap features in the new Teams Premium Microsoft 365 add-on.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a double-edged sword for cybersecurity professionals. On the one hand, Artificial Intelligence can detect and prevent hacks by detecting malicious behaviour in networks. On the other hand, AI-generated malware poses a new challenge, as it is difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious traffic.
As AI becomes more advanced and powerful, traditional security measures must be refined to keep up with the ever-evolving threat landscape. In addition, organisations must be proactive about researching and implementing new technologies to ensure their systems are safe from attacks.
AI has been highly researched and developed over the decades, making a widespread impact on society. Looking back to its origins, AI began with Alan Turing's Enigma-Cracking machine, revealed in his published paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence". Turing asked the fundamental question of whether machines can think. This formed the basis of early Artificial Intelligence concepts.
John McCarthy coined the term "artificial intelligence" in 1955 while at Dartmouth College, further pathing the way for future development of AI. As technology advanced, AI became more prominent in everyday life - from voice recognition to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa. AI had surpassed human capability in certain areas, most notably when it defeated world champions in Chess.
Most recently, the Open AI release of Chat GPT has sparked a revolution in AI and machine learning. By understanding the history of AI and its applications, we can gain a better insight into its dynamic effects on modern society.
On Friday, March 24th, we had the pleasure of witnessing one of our own, the remarkable Danilo (also known as Thinking Critically DND), go above and beyond to make a real difference in the lives of others. He participated in an unimaginable 12-hour charity stream called "Game On," which aimed to raise funds for Naomi House - an incredible organisation supporting children and young people with life-limiting conditions.
Danilo's commitment and passion for the cause were truly inspiring, as he devoted the entirety of the stream to playing Resident Evil 4 Remastered - a game that holds a special place in his heart and the hearts of his loyal viewers. Starting bright and early at 10 am, the stream quickly gained tremendous momentum, and the donations began pouring in.
Reddit Phishing scam is the most recent data breach in recent weeks, where an employee was unfortunately deceived by a highly sophisticated and well-targeted spear phishing attack.
According to Reddit, the attacker behind the data breach set up a website that mimics the company's intranet gateway to send out highly-targeted phishing emails to unsuspecting Reddit employees. Once these credentials were obtained, two-factor authentication tokens were also stolen for further malicious intent.
Reddit notified its users to explain exactly what happened during the phishing scam but only revealed a few details. However, it did mention that the attacker managed to access "some internal docs, code and some internal business systems.
Cloud PC, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), revolutionises remote and office-bound workflows by providing access to essential programs wherever one works. By eliminating reliance on physical hardware, companies can stay connected regardless of where their employees are. This new working style has become the norm, so utilising this software is a great advantage.
A cloud Pc allows you to access your work desktop anytime, anywhere, worldwide. This includes safely accessing emails, files and Microsoft software applications. The system allows the ultimate flexibility and security, with all applications running centrally within the cloud environment.
Access your cloud pc from any device -no matter the make, whether it is Windows, Mac, or otherwise, you will get the same experience you have with your work computer as you do the device you are running the cloud from.
Remote workers are the new norm for many companies, which has been a huge shift in how most people work compared to before the pandemic.
Across all industries, it is critical to migrate across as research suggests that employees can be up to 20%* more productive whilst working remotely. To ensure success, managers must provide their dispersed workforce with adequate support no matter where they call home.
Otherwise, projects can suffer, morale can fall, and employee motivation can deteriorate. Thankfully, there are several impactful ways companies can aid remote workers. Are you interested in finding out how you can assist your offsite workers in being as productive as possible?
Continue reading to see seven ways you can support remote employees better.
Establishing regular contact with remote employees is key to offering meaningful support and getting positive results. Maintaining an open line of communication gives clarity on tasks ahead and enables accountability so everyone stays motivated in achieving their goals. Employers should take the initiative to keep workers informed without micromanaging; this will build trust for smoother operations throughout the business.
Instead of relying solely on emails and texts, reaching out regularly with a call or video conference is important for extra support. By checking in periodically to ensure your team is doing okay, you can create an open source of understanding that helps keep everyone connected.
