Technological innovation drives every business, industry and sector -- mostly positively, but not always. 2016 was no exception -- from the first long-haul driverless cargo delivery to automated retail locations to the stiffening competition among ‘smart assistants’ we’re seeing big technological leaps at a breakneck pace. At the same time, many of the enterprise trends of the last few years are continuing, such as traditional businesses leading big digital transformation and the move to public clouds, with the continued market dominance of Amazon’s $13B AWS business. As 2016 draws to a close, it’s time to once again consider how the IT… [Continue Reading]
Data can be highly valuable, and no company knows that more than Google. It is constantly collecting a massive amount of it -- it is pretty much how the company butters its bread. Data only has value when it can be used, however, meaning it must ultimately tell a story. In other words, collecting it is only the beginning. One of the best ways to digest and present data is with visualizations and dashboards. Not everyone is a data scientist, so how you tell a story matters. Today, Google is making a rather nifty data visualization tool an open source project.… [Continue Reading]
2016 has been the year of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more specifically, the breakout of machine learning and deep learning becoming the big buzz words in technology. While both have gained a lot of attention this year, these techniques have been around for quite some time, but no more so than now, has it felt so promising. Over the past few years, there has been a monumental shift in technology and how it’s being applied to everyday life. From robots to search engines, deep learning and machine learning are being raved about as the tech fueling our new innovations, but… [Continue Reading]
Dropbox is one of my favorite services -- something I am happy to pay for monthly. There are many cloud storage solutions out there, but I chose it for a very specific reason -- cross-platform compatibility. On a daily basis, I use iOS, Fedora, and Windows 10. Heck, I just ordered one of those fancy new MacBook Pro laptops too. Regardless of the operating system I choose, I know Dropbox will work for me. Today, Dropbox comes to another platform and it is rather exciting. The Xbox One gets an app for the storage platform, letting you view photos and… [Continue Reading]
Microsoft likes to compare its Surface range with the MacBook Pro at any given opportunity, even though the two products are very different. November, according to Microsoft, was the best month ever for consumer Surface sales, and the software giant is gleefully claiming that disappointment with the new MacBook Pro is part of the reason behind the surge. But is it? Really? SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Book i7 vs Apple MacBook Pro 2016: Which new laptop should you choose? In a new blog post, Brian Hall, CVP Microsoft Devices Marketing, writes: More people are switching from Macs to Surface than… [Continue Reading]
At first glance, QOwnNotes doesn’t seem like the most interesting of apps. An "open source plain-text file notepad"? Aren’t there enough of those already? Download and try the program, though, and you might be surprised at how much more it can do. The core editor creates rich text notes, with images, hyperlinks, tables and more. Formatting can be managed by pointing and clicking, or entering markdown, then exported as PDF or HTML. You’re able to organize your notes into folders and subfolders and hyperlink from one page to another, perhaps creating a basic wiki-like structure. The more limited to-do list… [Continue Reading]