Google’s Chrome browser is our favourite, and not only because we have a plug-in for it that allows you to click-to-call straight from your browser screen. It is reliable, efficient and works beautifully on PCs as well as Macs.  Plus it has a huge ecosystem of extensions that make it even more powerful. The following are 10 of our favourite Chrome extensions—all of which are free.

When we hear the word “voice” in the news, our ears perk up. And with the prevalence of cyber attacks these days, when we hear the word “voice” and “security”, our ears doubly perk up.  As such, the news that voice biometrics could reduce UK fraud by making it more difficult for criminals to do their groundwork via contact centres had us listening, albeit not surprised. Contact centres are often a security weak spot, with fraudsters able to glean personal information through social engineering techniques.

As technology becomes increasingly tailored for individual industries, many companies are evaluating whether or not to make the leap to something sector-specific. When evaluating business software, there are three types most companies consider:

Imagine waking up and putting an earbud in everyday, as routinely as you put on your watch. Then imagine going throughout the day, attending various meetings across the city, with your little earbud reminding you of what was said last time you were in that particular spot. It is still in concept stages, but we are excited about a new headphone technology that will create a “sound version of Google Maps”, with people able to replay conversations, music and ambient noise from their past.

Technology cannot replace real experiences, but it can provide a window into experiences that we wouldn’t otherwise have glimpsed. Our favourite new technology has nothing to do with office phones or VoIP business phone systems, but rather… earth!  Google Earth relaunched this week, with features that will help us all to explore new parts of our planet in an exciting amount of detail. And needless to say, we have spent hours exploring it and still aren’t bored.

How the internet sends information, data and messages simultaneously to billions of people across the globe is mind boggling to most. And few understand how it actually works—what is underground, over ground, in the seabed; what PoPs are, IXPs, dark fibre, etc.

In what is seen as another blow for the traditional phone line, both Amazon and Google are reportedly investigating adding the ability to send and receive phone calls over their respective smart speakers. The capability would use voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology similar to services like Skype and VTSL’s business phone system.

This  year the largest technology show on earth unveiled some remarkable new gadgets. The CES 2017 (Consumer Electronics Show), which takes place in Las Vegas every January, showcased everything from a bluetooth headset that muffles your voice for privacy to a "smart" whistle that is capable of emailing your contacts. 

It is a New Year, bringing with it new resolutions, and of course—new technology!  But will 2017 be the year where the most interesting budding tech becomes mainstream? No one knows for sure, but we can make some educated predictions on which technology trends will dominate the landscape.

It is a gadget that is useful for almost anyone, and affordable at that. Better yet, it is a gadget that can be used by those who have no interest in technology and technology fanatics alike.