In the not too distant future, you are likely to live in a world underpinned by blockchain—the technology behind the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. The technology has instigated a new generation of young companies looking to invent applications, and we are already beginning to see the results. Imagine being able to vote in the upcoming Brexit referendum on your phone, or make an offer, complete an exchange on a new flat in an afternoon? As unpractical as this sounds, it is where we are headed.
Do you find it easier to learn new things by watching? Then you may want to watch this - if you have an iPhone that is. This video by Tech Insider shows you 5 hidden iPhone features that only power users know about. From head movement screen control to LED flashing notifications, they are all cool, even if a bit geeky.
Like you, we have been frustrated with telecoms providers before. Whether it is a mobile phone provider that bounces you from one call centre rep to another, a business phone company that sends a proposal with 20+ spelling mistakes, or a high speed broadband supplier who is anything but high-speed, chances are you have had an appalling experience somewhere down the line. BT and Vodafone, despite their claims and excellent advertising, would appear to be two of the worst. In fact, a Vodafone customer recently had such a horrific experience that she wrote a play about it! Read the play here. The irony is, they are two go-to brands for most people looking for a mobile or business phone system.
It is every company’s worst nightmare: unhappy customers who tell everyone how poor their experience with you was. Not only do you lose their business, but you lose the potential business of the people they have spoken to. It is the butterfly effect in the worst possible way.
You come home after a long day of work. Hungry, thinking about leftover pizza, you say: Turn on oven to 180. Feeling slightly chilly, you say: Turn heat up to to 22. Then you ask, What TV shows are on now that I would like... only to hear a familiar voice tell you Top Gear is starting in 10 minutes. As you enter each room, the lights automatically come on to your desired night-time level and you throw yourself on to the inviting sofa.
Phone systems have come a long way since the days of simply ringing BT to ‘install a phone line’. In fact, hosted business VoIP phone systems are now an integral part of overall modern office technology, offering click-to-dial, CRM system integration, mobile–twinning and more. Here we dispel some common assumptions about VoIP phone systems for those still leaning towards a basic BT business line.
It is a controversial topic, and one that has for all intents and purposes, been swept under the carpet:
We have had a few ideas lately about where technology is heading, spurred on not only by our own experiences with clients, but also from what we are seeing from other technology providers.
From bendy TVs that you hang like a picture, to virtual-reality headsets that can transport you far away, to the glass tables that we will soon be conducting meetings on – the technology on the brink of becoming ‘mainstream’ is the stuff of movies, dreams and elite government sects. Some years, it feels like technological progress is happening, but slowly—the internet is still the internet, apps are still the latest rage and phones are rather unremarkably able to take better pictures. But THIS year, it feels like technological progress is about to deliver an explosion of products, interfaces, and sheer genius integrations that will absolutely blow your mind.
There is something about early January that calls for doing—getting organised and setting yourself up for success in the year to come. It isn’t a resolution, or a vision-board or anything like that, it is just the tidying up and actioning of things that you have been meaning to do, that you know will help you in the months that follow.
