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How Unlikely Technology Is Assisting Business Marketing

Technology Is Assisting Business

Although business is about making connections and learning from others to push your own company’s growth, it is also a competition. There is a constant race between rivals in the business world to innovate, develop and gain as many customers as possible to push bottom line profit.

Over the last decade or so, technology has been a big influencing factor that has taken over traditional marketing. Today, over 50% of companies solely use digital media to drive their marketing strategies, ensuring that they are staying ahead of the pack and putting them in the best position to finish first.

Not all of those technologies are standard, however. Below is a rundown of five of the most unlikely that are making waves around the business world at the moment:

The Zuckerberg Effect

Starting with social media, it was probably hard to predict during Facebook’s inception back in 2006 that social media was going to become such a useful tool in the world of digital marketing. Created to form a digital, social hub, it is now a hotspot for businesses to advertise, interact and engage with customers on a far more personal level. In terms of a marketing strategy, it is the most effective tool to break down the wall between the customer and the company and allow transparency to build sales and profit.

The Robots Are Taking Over

Alright, when we say robots, we’re not talking about little silver men going out into the streets with fliers in their hands (although this is a marketing tactic which should potentially be looked into). Instead, the AI-based chatbots that pop up on various websites are an impressive and widely efficient marketing tool. Not only can they assist customers with finding what they need, but chatbots are able to store and translate data that is gathered through searches and clicks on the website itself. This can then be used to give a more personalised experience to the customer, as well as tell your business exactly what new and existing customers are looking for.

The Ongoing Efficiency Of Emails

From the future of robots to the more old-fashioned way of doing things, email is still one of the most effective marketing tools for businesses. This is especially true when it comes to B2B, as emails can be catered and personalised to engage existing clientele and give them some transparency. Amongst all of the B2B marketing channels, email is still one of the most effective, secure and reliable when it comes to results.

The Future Of The Metaverse

You may have heard of the metaverse. It’s a little thing involving AI and VR technology that is due to take over our world in around ten years or so. It’s also an innovative and highly effective marketing strategy that can engage people on a completely different level. VR, for instance, can allow customers to get hands-on with your services or product from anywhere in the world.

Building Upon The Blockchain

Staying on the subject of the metaverse, blockchain technology itself is a highly effective method of putting your company out there and acquiring new audiences. One of the reasons it is growing more popular is because it allows a more secure and efficient relationship between a company and its consumers. You can design more targeted advertisements in a decentralised network, with the ability to cut out the middleman and go straight to the source.

New Features Of Google Assistant: Voice Dictation And Proactive Intelligence With The New Update

Google Assistant new feature

On the occasion of the official launch of Pixel 7, Google also announced some important news coming for Google Assistant — the voice assistant present on Android smartphones and home automation devices. 

The main functions of Google Assistant to be updated and improved are related to sending text messages, starting phone calls and the “At a Glance” widget: let’s find out in detail!

Send messages faster with voice dictation

With Google Assistant, voice dictation can easily allow you to write, edit and send messages, at least 2.5 times faster than typing with the keyboard. 

Furthermore, when we dictate to the Assistant what to write, the system can suggest in a relevant way with the emojis. For example, by saying “emoji LOL“, the voice assistant will know that the emoji to insert is the following: 😂.

Improved calling and messaging

This is an interesting novelty, especially for Google Assistant on Android smartphones — Direct My Call, with the help of AI powered technology within the Google Assistant, Duplex, will now show the options for the ongoing call in a much faster way, helping us to navigate the pre-recorded call menus in a much easier.

Also, the transcription of voice messages will allow all users to read audio messages in the Google Messages app, which is very beneficial as it is more comfortable to glance at the phone rather than bring it to your ear to listen.

However, on the Google Pixel 7, it is possible to give orders to the Assistant without necessarily saying the command “Hey, Google “. For example, you can say “Silence!” to automatically silence an incoming phone call.

Proactive intelligence right on the screen

As mentioned above, there are also new features for the “At a Glance” widget, which will proactively show the information we need with this new update. For example, if we are about to take a plane, “At a Glance” will show us the information about our flight and the weather we will find on our arrival.

With every update, Google Assistant is becoming smarter and smarter.

Boston Dynamics And Other Robotics Companies Pledge Not To Weaponize Their Robots

Boston Dynamics Pledge Not To Weaponize Their Robots

Several robotics companies have signed a memorandum in which they pledge not to support using their developments as weapons. They encourage everyone else to follow their example.

At first, robots, like drones, were developed for purely peaceful purposes and rescue operations, but as time has shown, it is quite easy to turn them into combat.

Manufacturers believe installing weapons on autonomous or remotely controlled robots will only create new risks and ethical problems for people. The signatories pledged not to add weapons technology to their models and not to support others. They also plan to analyze their existing customer bases. This will make it possible to avoid the ones who plan to use robots as weapon carriers.

In addition to Boston Dynamics, five other firms signed the pledge — Agility Robotics, ANYbotics, Clearpath Robotics, Open Robotics, and Unitree Robotics.

Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Plater said, “We are concerned about recent attempts to arm commercial robots… For this technology to be widely accepted in society, people need to know that it can be trusted. And that means we need a policy that prohibits the abuse of it.”

In their letter, the organizations also state that they would work to prevent their customers from subsequently weaponizing any systems sold to them. Given the lengthy and famous history of weaponry like the Toyota Technical, ex-Hilux trucks transformed into improvised assault vehicles employed in the 1980s war.

Such good intentions can only be approved, but many legitimate questions arise. For example, how is it possible to control the use of a civil robot already acquired and transferred to third parties? Who will be doing this?

History shows that many peace declarations and memorandums have remained just letters on a piece of paper.

How to Deal with a Virtual Data Room for a Newbie

Virtual Data Room for Newbies

Virtual data room presents an online database in which the actinide company keeps and shares confidential information, often used during monetary transactions. This procedure is also distinguished by the type of the digital repository and also by the saving system of the documents. The trendy pace of business organizations asks for changes.

Lingering dependence on the computer, i.e. specialized software for the smooth running of a business, has become a recent phenomenon. At this time more and more companies turn over to the virtual data rooms in the office without paperwork, all of the prematurely documented operating methods are at this time moved into the virtual environment.

Security becomes especially important. But how do you protect your data in such an environment? Working with paperwork all the time is very tiring. It is frustrating to have to make two revisions before a meeting. In addition, a printer can break down or run out of ink. The paperwork requires constant monitoring of all related equipment. You need money and time to maintain it. For an electronic data room, you do not need storage space other than virtual storage or extra services to protect sensitive information.

Your business will also be much easier to organize in two clicks when all the data and reporting in the form of an audit trail are fully organized. For example, employees can sometimes make incorrect adjustments by accident, but any nuances will now be easier to identify, thanks to transparency. Also, the administrator will have access not only to the history of changes but also to the actual changes and even see exactly who made the changes.

How Data Room Makes Newbies Work Easier

Most providers work systematically to improve the best data rooms space for their client’s business experiences. Already working on the platform, newbies can display all new suggestions for implementing certain qualities. Here are the main popular ones:

  • full transparency and accountability;
  • control of different access levels for employees;
  • revocable access and the ability to view time-based information;
  • automatic file conversion;
  • storing documents in a variety of formats;
  • virus checks;
  • two-factor authentication;
  • special encryption keys;
  • fast working speed;
  • watermarks to prevent data theft attempts;
  • multilingual support and much more.

These are by no means an exhaustive list of features, but they greatly benefit from a traditional business with many folders and papers stored in the same or different locations. It is also very convenient to make corrections before an important meeting in 15 minutes when normally you would have to retype an entire document.

Company audits or mergers and acquisitions are made much easier with this software, estate activities are supported by real estate data room. Data is more convenient to store, the client can choose the right rate depending on the space needed for all the information. You can also hide important documents from other employees or grant access at the right level to other employees. And that means you can authorize the downloading and modification of a document or just view it for review.

How to Choose the Right Data Room

When choosing data room software services the first and most important rule is to pay attention to the reputation of the company. If you constantly encounter negative feedback, you need to turn to another provider.

Why do you need a virtual room? By creating it, you will get:

  1. The ability to conduct meetings and conferences on the fly: don’t waste time on organizing conferences, just create a virtual room once and use it when you need it.
  2. 24/7 access to your virtual room: your partners and clients will be able to connect to your virtual room no matter what time of day or place they are in.
  3. Save time and money on equipping a real meeting room in the office.

If you are new to the business, consider using a trial or demo, if available.

Simple Steps for Working with Data Room

Once you have decided on virtual data room providers and selected a suitable tariff for you, you can clarify the details of your interest.

  • First, make sure that it is value for money and you know what you are going to pay for.
  • Then go ahead and install the software. All this will take you no more than a quarter of an hour.
  • You will get access, a generated password and a confirmation code. It is important to keep all login information in a safe place to minimize the risk of data loss.
  • Next, you should log in, possibly synchronize all your devices and start adding your workgroup.

Within the online data room software system, you can store all employee data in a separate folder. It is also better to separate folders when adding files to them. This will make it easier for you to manage their access levels in the future. If you have any problems you can always contact the support team for help.

Conclusion

Data room services are used by companies for the sake of secure content, as well as fought over critical as well as confidential corporate data so that they are generally used at the right time of operations. The information in the data room became mostly informal documentation that is important for the brand or the user data room owner.

Qualcomm, Broadcom, Intel and MediaTek Are Working On 6nm Wi-Fi 7 SoCs

Working On 6nm Wi-Fi 7 SoCs

Wi-Fi 7 is already looming on the horizon. MediaTek promised to release solutions based on Wi-Fi 7 at the beginning of 2023, and the first smartphones supporting this standard may appear as early as 2024.

Meanwhile, leading wireless solution makers such as Qualcomm, Broadcom and Intel are accelerating the development of chips for devices that support the new technology. Many new chips will be based on TSMC’s 6nm process.

MediaTek and Wi-Fi 7

At the beginning of the year, MediaTek, involved in developing Wi-Fi 7 from the beginning, demonstrated the new standard and its capabilities for the first time. Their goal was also to show the possibilities of the future for the Filogic family with Wi-Fi 7 support.

MediaTek promised to release the first Wi-Fi 7 at the beginning of 2023. Most likely, it will be based on Filogic 880 and Filogic 380 — two modems that support Wi-Fi 7. 

Filogic 880 is intended for usage in routers and is manufactured using a 6nm process. It has a maximum speed of 36 Gbps and can deliver four simultaneous data streams (MIMO 4×4) — up to 10 Gbps in one channel. OFDMA RU, MU-MIMO, and MBSSID technologies are supported, as well as a specialised host processor with four ARM Cortex-A73 cores and an NPU neural unit, according to the developer (responsible for AI-based computing).

Filogic 380 is also made using 6nm process technology and can provide Wi-Fi 7 connectivity for smartphones, tablets, TVs, laptops and other devices. The maximum data transfer rate is 6.5 Gb/s (MIMO 2×2, up to 5 Gb/s in one channel). According to the developer, the Bluetooth 5.3 standard with LE Audio technology will also be supported.

Qualcomm, Intel, and Broadcom are all working on 6nm Wi-Fi 7 SoCs

Following in the footsteps of MediaTek, major wireless solution providers such as Qualcomm, Broadcom, and Intel are speeding up chip development for Wi-Fi 7 devices.

Many of these chips will be built using the TSMC 6nm technology. According to experts, the processors in Wi-Fi 7 devices must be changed from the present 16/12nm technology to a more sophisticated 6nm process to minimise power consumption and heat generation.

In a joint presentation on a Dell laptop running a Broadcom access point with Wi-Fi 7 chips, Intel and Broadcom demonstrated Wi-Fi 7 data transmission speeds of over 5Gbps. Qualcomm also recently introduced its line of Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro Series adapters.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 is a new Wi-Fi standard, also known as IEEE 802.11be. Wi-Fi 7 will offer major enhancements over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E — the new standard is promised to be faster, enable more connections, and be more adaptable to give a dependable low-latency performance.

Three bands will be used in the new standard (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz). Wi-Fi 7 is expected to reach 46Gbps, which is 3-4 times faster than Wi-Fi 6 and 13 times faster than Wi-Fi 5. Wi-Fi is also expected to 7 will support 320 MHz channels, 16 MU-MIMO spatial streams, and 4096-QAM, Multi-RU and Multi-Link technologies.

Wi-Fi 7 will be widely used in the field of entertainment. With that, it will be possible to play heavy graphic online games easily, use AR/VR devices and stream 4K/8K videos without any buffering and delays in smart home control (response for all smart devices will be significantly faster at home, there will be no more delays in voice control), and, of course, in the business sector, where delays and network congestion can lead to several problems.

True, upgrading routers and access points, not to mention smartphones, laptops, and other devices, will be required to take use of the new technology. It is still difficult to say when all these devices will appear on the market, but the possibilities they can open up for us are intriguing.

Pixel Tablet: Google Delays Its New Tablet To 2023

Google Pixel Tablet

Google announced the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro at its Pixel hardware presentation. Google unveiled the Pixel Watch and the Pixel Tablet along with these phones.

Google Pixel Tablet will have a docking station with a built-in speaker that will turn the tablet into a smart display and media station. 

However, the Pixel Tablet is not yet on the market — Google still only roughly gives the release date as 2023. Already at the Google I/O 2022, the company said that after years it wanted to release a tablet again — this time under the Pixel brand.

It will be equipped with the Tensor G2 chip, the same as the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and can be used as a command center to control the smart home. Those of Mountain View has shown how it can be paired with a new dock with the integrated speaker — this basically means that the Pixel Tablet can be turned into a sort of Nest Hub.

When connected to the dock, to which it attaches magnetically, the Pixel Tablet becomes a digital photo frame and a shortcut to the Google Assistant. It also promises to deliver more than decent audio quality through the dock’s built-in speaker if you want to listen to music while it’s connected.

Google Pixel Tablet with dock

While when disconnecting, it returns to its conventional tablet functions, where, apparently, its strength will be in the consumption of multimedia content.

An interesting point about the Pixel Tablet is that the dock also works as a charger. Therefore, if you want to undock it to watch videos on YouTube or series and movies on a streaming service, the battery will never be a problem.

Google has not yet announced how much the Pixel Tablet and the docking station will cost. It is conceivable that more details about the tablet will be announced in the coming months.

Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro: Google Has Unveiled Its Two New Smartphones

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

The new Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have finally been unveiled by Google along with Pixel Watch. Aesthetically we had already seen them, they resemble those of last year, but they are better finished, they are more elegant, and above all, they are more powerful.

Like last year, the main differences between the models are screen size, camera equipment and battery size. The basic hardware, however, is identical.

The Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a maximum frame rate of 90 Hz. The Pro model comes with a 6.7-inch OLED display with 3120 x 1440 pixels and a frame rate of up to 120 Hz.

Both screens should have a maximum brightness of 1,000 cd/m². The Pixel 7 achieves a peak brightness of 1,400 cd/m² in HDR mode, and according to Google, it is 1,500 cd/m² for the Pixel 7 Pro. The front cameras are housed in a hole in the display on both models and have 10.8 megapixels — slightly less than the Pixel 6 models. The field of view is slightly higher at 92.8 degrees.

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro camera

The camera modules known from their respective predecessors are installed on the back of the two smartphones. Both models have a main camera with 50 megapixels, a pixel size of 1.2 µm and an initial aperture of f/1.85. There is also a super wide-angle camera with 12 megapixels, a pixel size of 1.25 µm and an initial aperture of f/2.2.

Like the Pixel 6 Pro, the Pixel 7 Pro also has a telephoto camera with 48 megapixels and five times the optical magnification. The initial aperture is f/3.5, and the pixels are 0.7 µm in size. 

Thanks to software optimization, however, the two new Pixel models have a larger digital zoom range — the Pixel 7 can zoom up to 8x magnification, and the Pixel 7 Pro achieves 30x magnification.

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro full view

In addition, the Pixel 7 Pro should allow macro shots from a shorter distance. The night mode has been improved so that the recordings take less time. A new sharpen function automatically sharpens shaky images — even in shots that were not taken with the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro. Videos can be recorded in a maximum of 4K with up to 60 fps and in 10-bit HDR.

Tensor G2

Google’s Tensor G2 chip is inside the two new Pixel smartphones. Like last year, Google has only revealed little information about the chip. The processor should be more powerful and efficient. Information on the manufacturer and the production process used is not yet known.

Google Tensor G2 in Pixel 7 devices

The new version of the Tensor chip brings some new features to the Pixel 7 models. In this way, received voice messages can be converted into text. In the course of the year, the Crystal Clear Calls function will also follow, thanks to which your own voice should be much easier to understand during calls — thanks to artificial intelligence. A free VPN client integrated into the Android system will also come later.

Also, the Pixel 7 promises to be the most secure Google mobile to date thanks to the combination of the Tensor G2 and the Titan M2 chip, in charge of certain sensitive tasks.

When it comes to biometrics, the new Pixel models can also unlock by face recognition — a feature that is not available on the Pixel 6 devices. The smartphones can also be unlocked using the fingerprint sensor built into the display.

Google Pixel 7 series smartphone

Long-term updates should also ensure security, which for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are again at least 5 years from the start of sales based on the monthly Android security patches. Google promises new Android main versions for at least three years so that both new releases are secured up to Android 16 and two years of monthly security patches beyond that.

The battery of the Pixel 7 has a nominal charge of 4,355 mAh; that of the Pixel 7 Pro comes with 5,000 mAh. Google specifies a typical runtime of 24 hours for both models. 

Charging is via USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 for up to 50 percent within 30 minutes using Google’s 30-watt power adapter with USB-PD 3.0 (PPS). Wireless charging is supported up to 20W on the Pixel 7 and up to 23W on the Pixel 7 Pro when using the 2nd Gen Pixel Stand. For regular Qi chargers, Google specifies up to 12 watts. Both smartphones can share their battery with other devices, for example, to charge headphone cases via the back.

The Pixel 7 comes with 8 GB of RAM and either 128 or 256 GB of storage and costs from $599. The Pixel 7 Pro has 12 GB of RAM and also either 128 or 256 GB of storage. It costs from $899. Unlike Apple, Google has not increased its prices compared to the previous year.

Pixel Watch: Google Has Finally Unveiled Its First Smartwatch

Google Pixel Watch

Google has introduced its first own smartwatch — Pixel Watch — which comes with a pure version of Wear OS 3.5 and, thanks to the integration of Fitbit purchased from Google, is particularly suitable for recording sporting activities.

Pixel Watch comes in a round form factor made of stainless steel, and a wheel and a physical button are responsible for control. The watch has a diameter of 41 mm, is 12.3 mm thick and weighs 36 grams without the strap. 

Google does not specify the size of the display, but it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and features a round AMOLED screen with a pixel density of an average of 320 ppi. Google specifies the maximum brightness as 1000 cd/m². It is noted that it supports the Always-On function.

As for the rest of the technical specifications, the Pixel Watch has more than 2 GB of RAM, up to 32 GB of storage, and a Samsung Exynos 9110 processor.

The battery, meanwhile, is 294 mAh and promises to last all day. It is charged via a magnetic charging cable. The battery can be charged from zero to 50 percent in 30 minutes. 80 percent should be reached in 55 minutes, and the battery should be fully charged after around 80 minutes.

And when it comes to connectivity, it includes Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, WiFi and LTE. It is water resistant to 5 ATM, allowing the Pixel Watch to be used for swimming in shallow water.

In the health section, a clearer integration with Fitbit options will also come into action. It can record up to 40 different sports and heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen levels (SpO2), or the electrocardiogram function will be available. Users get a daily fitness evaluation, and active zone minutes are intended to help them better assess and control the intensity during training. Each Pixel Watch includes six months of Fitbit Premium, which comes with workouts, health and activity reports, and other options.

In 2023 these watches will also receive an update that will allow them to be used to detect falls and call emergency services in those cases.

The Pixel Watch will be available in three finishes — black, gray and gold — and will include a 20-millimeter strap as a default option. However, users will be able to choose from a selection of different materials and colors for customization. Even metal straps for this watch are expected to be released in the winter.

The Pixel Watch will go on sale in two models — with and without cellular connectivity. The version without access to mobile networks will cost $349, while the LTE variant will start at $399.