Coleman Technologies Blog

Extension Restrictions
One of Chrome’s largest advantages over its competition has to be its library of add-on extensions. Unfortunately, any kind of functionality with these additional “programs” can lead to security concerns. Google has had to slow down the production of extensions to create new requirements for developers to adhere to. One example is how cryptocurrency continues to be a major talking point, prompting extensions to include cryptocurrency mining and cryptojacking in their features. Google is shutting down these supplemental programs, as well as generally holding developers to higher standards than they previously were. It now demands that developer accounts be protected by two-factor authentication, as well as paying closer attention to apps that require lots of permissions or host their code remotely.

Security Measures
Chrome 70 is also packing in all kinds of new security features to keep phishing attacks away from end users. In particular, Chrome is trying to push education of its native password management tools, as well as warn users when the links they are about to access aren’t secure. In essence, this simply states that websites need to be secured if they want visitors, reinforcing the fact that websites need to prioritize security these days.

Login Concerns
While some changes have been accepted with open arms, others… not so much. While Chrome has allowed users to use the browser without logging into the browser, some have noticed that Chrome appears to log a user in, even if they are only using one service out of the many provided. This is primarily an issue because Google could potentially share the user’s data (think browsing history), which is not something that users traditionally take lightly. In the time since then, Google has announced that Chrome isn’t necessarily logging users into Chrome--it’s more of an in-between measure to show a user which of their accounts is currently logged in.

As with any new solution, there will be roadblocks and concerns that users might be faced with during the experimentation phase. What kind of experiences have you had with Chrome 70 so far? Let us know in the comments.

With things like cryptocurrencies and NFTs flooding the public awareness, the term “blockchain” has been brought up more than a few times. However, this association hardly covers what the blockchain is or what it is capable of.

Let’s briefly review what the blockchain really is, and what the technology can do.

The Blockchain is Nothing More Than a Distributed, Immutable Ledger

So, what does this mean?

In other words, the blockchain is a means of recording information in such a way that it is effectively impossible to manipulate, as this record is replicated across the network of devices that create the blockchain. Every transaction made (a block) is recorded in this network (the chain), which means that any attempt to edit information results in a new block being created.

The only way that this information can be changed is if every single block in the chain is simultaneously altered—requiring anyone trying to change that record to infiltrate each and every device in the chain simultaneously, which potentially means hacking dozens or even hundreds of endpoints all at the same time.

This Gives the Blockchain Assorted Advantages

For example…

The Blockchain is Very Secure

The distributed nature of the blockchain, and the fact that it relies on digital signatures, makes the prospect of fraud nearly impossible due to the scale of the network and the need for the digital signatures in order to change data as well.

The Blockchain Enables Automation

Transactions can be set up to be completed when different triggers are fulfilled, allowing you to focus on other matters with the confidence that the blockchain will attend to what you have previously instructed it to do.

The Blockchain Saves Time

Finally, while many traditional transactions need to go through numerous, time-consuming steps, the blockchain can reduce the time you need to spend on these processes from days to mere minutes.

How Can Your Business Put Blockchain to Use?

There are actually quite a few ways that the blockchain can be used by businesses of all sizes, from supply chain management, smart contracts, and others. Reach out to us to learn more about how you can use various technologies with our help to benefit your business. Give us a call at (604) 513-9428.

You might remember the buzz when Josh Allen, a digital artist, won first place at the 2022 Colorado State Fair for his digital artwork called "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial." The catch? He created the image using AI. Now, he’s in a fight with the Copyright Office to prove that his work deserves copyright protection.

Copyright Office Denies Copyright 

In 2023, Allen tried to get a copyright for his winning piece, but the Copyright Office said no—twice. They argued that Allen didn’t have enough control over the final image because he used an AI tool to create it. The Office explained that since Allen didn’t directly control how the AI responded to his instructions (or “prompts”), the image wasn’t fully his creation.

Allen Fights Back

Allen is challenging the decision, saying the Copyright Office was influenced by all the media attention his work got. He argues that the Office shouldn’t judge whether art is made by AI or by humans because it’s not always easy to tell. Allen thinks this sets a bad example for how AI-generated art is treated, especially as technology gets better.

He’s now going to court to explain that, while the AI helped create the image, he spent over 100 hours carefully crafting over 600 prompts to guide the AI in making the exact image he had in his head—women in Victorian dresses with space helmets, performing opera on stage. Allen believes that his time, effort, and direction make him the true creator of the artwork.

The Copyright Office’s Take

The Copyright Office agrees that Allen’s prompts are original and can be protected. However, they say the final image generated by the AI cannot be copyrighted because Allen didn’t create it entirely by hand. They also mentioned that if Allen had made more edits to the image, like adding a filter, he could’ve registered his copyright without any issues.

What’s Next?

It’s unclear how this case will end, but it highlights how tricky it can be to figure out who owns AI-generated content. Allen’s battle with the Copyright Office has been going on for a while, and it may take even longer to get a final decision.

So, what do you think? Should artists be able to copyright works made with AI, or does the fact that a machine did most of the work change things?

Innovation Technology

Information technology systems are the foundation of the many processes that a lot of businesses rely on. These systems enable you to store data efficiently, putting it to use and interfacing with it collaboratively - but as these systems are so crucial, they must also be properly monitored and maintained.

After all, without its technology, a business that relies on said technology isn’t going to be able to accomplish much.

This has been a driving force behind innovations to technology - boosting reliability, introducing transformative tools, and advancing both business and society at large. However, since this isn’t particularly easy to put into practice, various industry thought leaders have been actively attempting to transform a variety of considerations, including:

• Applications
• Infrastructure architectures
• Service delivery
• DevOps
• Production operations
• Security
• Compliance

This has effectively been accomplished by developing solutions to meet assessed needs. As a result, new solutions are being thought up to help expand IT from its role in support to actively promoting key business tasks.

Leveraging Cognitive Computing Investments

Cognitive computing is the processing of business data through a combination of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other powerful computing resources. With these systems, patterns can be recognized, data mined, and language processed far more efficiently than without. With more information, businesses that leverage cognitive computing can see considerable benefits:

• Enhanced business agility via quicker decision making
• Consistent process scaling to meet operational and budgetary demands
• Improved business performance and efficiency

Using these technologies also allows you to support various other aspects of your operations, both internally (filling out your operational structure) and externally (automating customer retention efforts). By making a business more “intelligent,” these investments can provide a competitive advantage, as well as more diverse means of generating revenues.

Smarter Security

A data breach can be catastrophic for a business - and attacks happen far too often today to be ignored. Quite a few tools have been developed to help block out these threats, as well as improve internal data security initiatives.

Of these tools, many leverage AI and machine learning to adapt a cybersecurity policy to better match the threats a business contends with. However, these systems aren’t impervious to threats, which means that business owners need to identify their potential risks, including:

• Remote access - With the rise in remote workers and other mobility enhancements that allow data and applications to be accessed from outside the network, the connections that enable this access need to be secured.
• IoT - The Internet of Things has seen an explosive growth in popularity, but with the unfortunate side effect of bringing insecure endpoints into your business. You need to have a strategy to minimize the risks they present.
• Regulatory requirements - Some businesses and industries have additional rules that they must abide by passed down by the government. You must ensure you are meeting any conditions that apply to you.
• Hackers and cybercriminals - While businesses now have access to better tools, so do hackers. This requires you to remain vigilant in your network security.

It is also important to mention that this list is far from comprehensive - there are many more threats out there to resist, avoid, and otherwise defend against. Today’s tools are the most effective way to accomplish this.

To learn more about how you can adopt technology that helps your business succeed, reach out to the IT professionals at Coleman Technologies.

Regularly, when a business is searching for ways to move their operations forward, there is a little hand wringing on how to do so. Every decision your business has to make comes with a price tag, and the more that you can do without spending a lot of money, the more value you are going to see. For this week’s blog, we thought we’d take a look at some actions you can take with your technology to ensure that your business is going in the right direction.

Procurement and Deployment

When you are looking to upgrade your business’ technology, cost is likely the most important variable. This leads to a tendency to prioritize smaller investments that don’t necessarily cost your business a lot of money. Unfortunately, any value-creating piece of hardware or software is going to take a substantial investment for your business. Fortunately, there are options out there that give decision makers options on how these investments are made. 

Traditionally, if your business needed a new server, your company would price out how much they would have to pay to buy the hardware, migrate all the data and applications from the old hardware to the new hardware, and whatever associated costs that come with the setup and management of a new server. If the server was brought in to add more computing to your existing infrastructure, the setup and integration of the new server would come with its own associated costs. 

Today, you can add to your business’ computing infrastructure faster and with powerful technology through the integration of cloud computing. The costs associated with cloud infrastructure are comparable to the ones that you would pay over time with a hardware lease, but with it you get integrated management and maintenance of that infrastructure. Since the only real drawback is that you need an Internet connection to access those cloud-based resources it is an excellent option for companies looking to quickly add powerful new IT solutions to their current infrastructure. 

Managing Security

One of the most difficult parts of managing a robust computing infrastructure is keeping it secure. In fact, a lot of the axillary costs associated with maintaining large IT systems are tied up in security. Of course, you can decide what level of security investment is right for your situation, but you have to take into account that the less you invest in keeping your business’ IT secure, the more likely you will deal with security breaches; a potentially devastating thing for your business.  

At Coleman Technologies, we provide comprehensive network and infrastructure security solutions designed to keep the near neverending myriad of threats off of your business’ IT. We also can help you create policies and procedures that work to keep your staff trained and in-the-know about all types of potential security problems. Our technicians work with British Columbia businesses every day, and in the course of doing business see a lot of situations that provide us with real world experience in dealing with potential threats. Not only can we outfit your business with the technology you need to help mitigate ongoing threats, we also have the ability to customize a security plan specifically for your business needs, even when it includes comprehensive training.

Innovation

If you talk to any technology professional that works with businesses, they will tell you that if you can manage to integrate automated tools, you will be improving your business’ efficiency. One of the most important considerations any business owner or decision maker has to make in today’s business environment is how to streamline operations and get their revenue-generating staff to do just that. A lot of businesses have their best people working in support roles over 25 percent of the time, no doubt cutting down on the organization’s effectiveness. 

In using innovative software platforms to help your business cut out huge wastes of time and prioritize productivity, you get more out of your business. Today, you can get all types of powerful applications for human resources, security, business operations, marketing, sales, collaboration, communications, operational support, and more. Aside from improved access, there are other benefits that utilize state-of-the-art tools like artificial intelligence that can automate more processes, further improving efficiency.

Regardless of how you want to approach it, getting more from your technology is important if you want to increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction and retention, and other variables important to building a more productive and efficient business. If you would like to have a conversation about how to use technology to help you build a better business give us a call at (604) 513-9428 today.

Staying optimistic can be challenging, not just in business but in life. Here’s a few ways to give your business a little more confidence in your ability to support your business.

Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity

Technology can significantly enhance efficiency and productivity, fostering optimism among business owners. Advanced software and automation tools streamline operations, reduce manual errors, and speed up processes. Project management tools help teams collaborate seamlessly and meet deadlines. Cloud computing provides easy access to data from anywhere, ensuring uninterrupted work. These improvements boost worker productivity and improve time management, giving business owners confidence in their company’s smooth operation and consistent growth.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Technology also boosts optimism through data-driven decision-making. With big data analytics, businesses can gather and analyze vast amounts of information to understand customer behavior, market trends, and operational performance. Analytic tools enable owners to track key performance indicators and make informed decisions based on real-time data, reducing risks and improving future trend predictions. This data-driven approach instills a sense of control and confidence in the business’ direction.

Enhanced Customer Engagement

Another critical area where technology contributes to optimism is customer engagement. Social media platforms, email marketing, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems allow businesses to interact with customers more personally and effectively. CRM tools help manage customer interactions, track sales, and provide personalized service, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention rates. Effective customer engagement helps business owners remain optimistic about their business prospects by ensuring they can consistently reach and satisfy their customers.

Innovation and Competitive Advantage

Embracing technology enables businesses to innovate and maintain a competitive edge. Advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) open new avenues for product development and service delivery. AI can create smarter products, automate customer service, and optimize supply chains. Blockchain enhances security and transparency in transactions, while IoT improves inventory management and operational efficiency. By using these technologies, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors, create unique value propositions, and capture new market opportunities. This potential for innovation and growth fuels optimism among business owners, presenting endless possibilities for their business' future.

To learn more about how we can help you handle your business technology give us a call today at (604) 513-9428.

The workplace has undergone a dramatic shift over the past several years in favor of remote work, due in no small part to worldwide circumstances. In fact, many workers who would prefer to work in-office found themselves unable to, pushing the button on the topic of remote work even more. While there are some outspoken companies that want to see the return of in-office work, experts in the industry seem to be of the opposite opinion.

The numbers suggest that a hybrid workplace environment is the growing norm, and companies are adopting policies and procedures to put these accommodations in place.

Really, Not That Many Companies Are Pushing for In-Office Work

The news might report that various companies like Goldman Sachs or Tesla have labeled these efforts as a way to force out “uncommitted” employees; after all, if they can’t come work in-house, they shouldn’t be working here at all, right?

This isn’t really the case; it’s quite rare to see this happen.

In fact, the exact opposite is happening. More companies than ever are willing to accept a hybrid workspace. According to data cited by Prithwiraj Choudhury, one of the associate professors at Harvard Business School, approximately 30% of United States workdays are completed remotely and office occupancy has hovered at around 50%. The numbers don’t exactly represent mandating a return to in-office work.

Hybrid Efforts Can Be Designed for Specific Organizational Needs

You don’t have to stretch too far to see the benefits of a hybrid approach for business, particularly for its employees. The flexibility is helpful and can be a great boon for recruitment purposes. Granted, this is assuming that you can find a way to make hybrid work for your workflows. Your departments might need different things, and you might have to work with your staff to create in-house schedules for various purposes.

Ultimately, however, the flexibility offered to employees through hybrid work arrangements is such a value to them that they could truly thrive in these types of environments when given the chance to do so. Flexibility is sure to be one of the biggest requirements on the radars of highly qualified candidates in the near future.

Work with Us to Improve Your Hybrid Workplace Technology

If your business is ready to consider hybrid technology a priority, we’re ready to help! To learn more, call us today at (604) 513-9428.

5G

The first technology that anyone who's anyone in the technology industry has their eyes on is 5G. If you were to think of a technology that would transform business, 5G might not be on the top of your list, but, rest assured, it will completely alter society, so businesses will be affected. What is 5G? It’s the long-awaited fifth generation of wireless connectivity that is promising ubiquitous gigabit speeds for everyone. While most of the hubbub surrounding 5G has been about sating people’s need for download speeds and autonomous vehicles, the technology will bring big changes for businesses. 

As far as the business goes, 5G will reduce latency to the point where all of the smart devices that have been introduced over the past half-decade can effectively communicate. This presents more dynamic options to use smart technology for business purposes in and out of the office. Since data transmission will see less latency and higher speeds, data and services should be seamless.

At CES, plenty was made of 5G as a mobile-centric technology, but a lot of the technology that was on display at CES shifted past the smartphone and onto devices that are aimed at improving business. Cutting edge computers, apps, networking equipment, and things (a whole lot of things) aimed at impressing CIOs and decision makers with advanced functionality and speed, were on display throughout the event. From supply chain management to transportation to (of course) mobility, the innovators at CES touched on a large cross-section of improvements 5G is going to make for businesses and at home. 

Cloud Analytics, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence

Businesses have been pretty aggressive over the past couple of years implementing tools that claim to have some type of machine learning or artificial intelligence to improve many aspects of their business. The technology has been used liberally to improve customer service, optimize operations and logistics, even to predict customer behavior. Even in its relative infancy, the applications for these technologies seem to be vast.

At CES, visitors got a look at all types of new ways that businesses are going about using these technologies. One of the most impressive uses of these technologies is in new logistics tools. Between the use of autonomous vehicles that speed up businesses and lead to fewer shipping costs, and computer vision that provides transparency in the acquisition and viability of resources, AI is at the center of business-specific applications that will make it to market in 2020. 

Consumerization of IT

At an event called the Consumer Electronics Show, it stands to reason that it would be a treasure trove of new and useful technologies (or in the case of CES 2020, technology-fueled “things”) on display. The consumerization of IT has been ongoing for the past several years, and businesses have reaped the rewards of this. 

At CES, the whole event is dedicated to pushing the consumerization of IT. New solutions to problems, new products incorporating innovative technology, and strategic technology rollouts aimed to take advantage of other innovations were all over CES 2020. New computers, including the first look at some 5G-capable ones, are some of the more noteworthy of the event; and, are definitely aimed to catch the attention of CIOs and other business decision makers. 

With so many prototypes being unveiled at CES, it’s hard to maintain that this technology will even make it to market, let alone be available any time soon. If you want to learn more about CES 2020, visit the event’s website at https://www.ces.tech/. For more great technology-centric articles aimed to help your business, return to our blog soon.

Smartphones are everywhere. Nearly everyone has one either in their pocket or in their hand and that fact would make you think that the underlying smartphone market is one that is remarkably strong. This really isn’t the case. Today, we’ll take a brief look at the smartphone market and how a lack of true innovation is one of the reasons the industry has seen large decreases in sales. 

The Smartphone Market is Shrinking

It wasn’t too long ago that the smartphone market was filled with companies looking to gain a significant market share in the industry. Since then some of the largest companies in the world have ceased their smartphone divisions. LG, Microsoft, and Amazon have stopped making smartphones altogether, while once industry leaders like Motorola have been bought and sold numerous times. 

2022, in particular, was not kind to smartphone manufacturers. In fact, the whole market saw an incredible twelve percent decline. You may be thinking, “How can that be, with so many people using smartphones?” The answer comes from the fact that lots of people aren’t buying new phones every 18 months or two years like they have been for the past decade. Much of this has to do with a lack of innovation.

“Innovation”

Smartphone manufacturers dispute that they aren’t at the forefront of innovation. Today’s budget smartphones are as good as flagships were only five short years ago. The problem is that flagships aren’t moving the needle each year with new features and form factors. Consider for a minute that for years the chipsets, the displays, the user interfaces and cameras on new flagship smartphones were greatly improved in some manner each year. For the past few years, however, there are slight improvements, but a major rise in costs. Even real innovations, such as the foldable smartphone market, haven't taken off because of the cost of the devices vs. the practical need for them. 

The point is that when innovation slows, people aren’t going to jump at the chance to buy a new phone for twice as much money than they paid for a device that works well enough and has relatively the same general makeup. This is why only a handful of companies are actually turning a profit in the smartphone space. In their marketing material they speak about innovation, without proving to customers that they are pushing the space forward. 

While the smartphone market is struggling to capture the imagination of its users, it’s still an extremely important part of today’s society and therefore will be invested in. So, while you may not see marked enhancements in display clarity, device speed, or security features, there are still benefits from getting a new phone every couple of years or so.  

If you are looking to use mobile to your business’ advantage, you’ll need help managing all the new endpoints on your network. Our technicians can help you develop a mobile policy, a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, and help your organization make mobile productivity a feature of your business. Give us a call today at (604) 513-9428 to learn more.

New technology is always a bit intriguing. It can also be scary for some. Business owners typically only see the cost, even if it presents solutions to their organizational problems and can err on the side of caution as to not too much strain on their budget. There are a couple of really cutting-edge technologies businesses can use today that can help them confront problems they have. Let’s take a look at them in today’s blog. 

Let the Robots Handle It

Imagine an employee who never sleeps, never takes coffee breaks, and doesn’t start drama in the office Slack channel. That’s AI-powered automation. From chatbots that can handle customer service (without continuously rolling their eyes) to AI-driven analytics that predict your next best move, AI is like having a super-efficient assistant who doesn’t need vacation days. It streamlines operations, saves money, and reduces human error.

Sure, AI won’t steal your lunch from the office fridge, but it can take care of repetitive tasks so your team can focus on the big-picture items of your business.

Blockchain Is Not Just for Bitcoin Bros

If you think blockchain is only useful for cryptocurrency fanatics, think again. Blockchain technology can make business transactions more secure, transparent, and efficient.

Instead of losing sleep over whether your supplier really shipped those products, blockchain creates an unchangeable digital ledger that tracks every step of the process. No more "oops, the system lost your payment" excuses—just verified, tamper-proof records that keep everyone honest. It’s like having a truth serum for your transactions.

The Cloud Is So Last Year

You’ve heard of cloud computing, but have you met its cooler, faster cousin, edge computing? Instead of relying on a distant server farm in who-knows-where, edge computing processes data closer to where it's actually being used.

For businesses, this means faster response times, better security, and reduced reliance on an overloaded Internet connection. If your company depends on real-time data—like productivity analytics, manufacturing systems, or even smart cameras—edge computing is the difference between instant results and a significant delay.

At Coleman Technologies, we work with all types of companies and organizations to get them the technology and support they need to succeed in whatever they set out to do. Give our team of experts a call to discuss your organization’s technology today at (604) 513-9428.

What is “Blockchain” Anyway?

Blockchain is defined as a distributed ledger system that creates a single encrypted and unalterable file whenever any transaction is made to help preserve its continuity. As every device involved in the blockchain helps to store it, the blockchain itself is unprecedentedly transparent. This allows business systems to be both more accountable, and secure.

Accountability

Let’s return for a moment to how the blockchain works—each time a transaction of any kind is made, be it adding new data or revising some that already existed, a new “node” (think of it as another link in the chain) is created to document the transaction and encrypt it. As a result, you wind up with a running record of reliable data. As you might imagine, this offers itself quite well to many industries.

Banking and Financial Services

With the importance of the record-keeping that these organizations maintain being so apparent, it only makes sense that blockchain is used to automatically keep track of where funds are being moved.

Real Estate

Real estate processes are notoriously intricate and confusing. Blockchain provides an option that could make the entire experience of buying and selling real estate much more transparent.

Wills and Inheritances

Tragically, wills and inheritances can be very hotly contested, and their veracity may be called into question. The transparent and immutable logs of the blockchain could eventually lead to many fights being averted in the future.

Voting

Elections now face more scrutiny than ever before, as votes are counted, recounted, contested, and recounted again. Using the blockchain could help to eliminate most challenges and issues that call the integrity of an election into question.

Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Managing all the moving pieces of a supply chain could be made much simpler by integrating blockchain technology. Goods and resources could be easily tracked and directed where they need to go, with confirmation when they arrive at their destination.

Security

Communications have gone digital, with unprecedented numbers sent and received each day. As more people than ever rely on these communications for a variety of reasons, data sharing needs to be more reliably secure. The blockchain is well suited for this task, as each transfer of data remains fully transparent, while the data contained in the nodes remains undisclosed. This technology can even be safely used to hold parties to their shared agreements by facilitating proper compensation once certain requirements are met. These capabilities will likely lead to advancements in:

Education

Consider how many files any educational institution needs to maintain and verify, and the amount of personal information shared in these records. Blockchain makes it so that these paper files are no longer necessary, while also making it easier to verify registration, management, and financial aid-related data.

Healthcare

Any patient who needs to see multiple physicians knows the frustration of working with providers who operate in different healthcare networks. However, healthcare has a good track record with embracing innovative technology solutions. Introducing blockchain could ultimately lead to self-managed healthcare records.

Stock Trading

There are many ways that stock exchange processes could be made better with the assistance of blockchain technologies. Two clear improvements: convenience, and of course security.

Public Records

Many states are still overly reliant on paper documents, which are very easy to alter and otherwise manipulate (never mind steal). Shifting to digital documents that are supported by blockchain could do a lot to reduce fraud, ensure accountability, and generally improve security.

The Internet of Things

IoT devices are overwhelmingly insecure, but if they were decentralized through the blockchain, some of this insecurity could be resolved.

To learn more about blockchain technology, feel free to call Coleman Technologies to discuss it, as well as the options you currently have to leverage for your business. Reach out at (604) 513-9428 today!

Let’s review some recommended technologies for you to embrace as you reopen your business.

Updated Hardware and Software Solutions

First things first—while businesses resume their operations, the chaos that will predictably ensue is the perfect time for cybercriminals to take their shot. Therefore, you need to make it a priority that all your hardware and software solutions are fully updated or upgraded as improvements are made available. In doing so, you make sure that the tools your team will use are as secure as they can be against the latest threats.

As a bonus, updated solutions commonly come with other improvements and features that add to your potential productivity. This means that your team will be in the position to accomplish as much as they can in the shortest available time without being distracted by security concerns.

Cloud-based Technology

Cloud-based tools have created the opportunity for businesses of all kinds to successfully adopt specialized solutions for their needs. Telework is also made simpler using cloud-based technology solutions, as your solutions are made accessible from wherever your team happens to be working due to its inherent mobility and operational efficiency that your functionality will require.

Monitoring and Maintenance Services

As your team returns to the workplace, there is likely to be a lot of work necessary before your operations are back to 100 percent. One thing is certain: you won’t be able to afford any downtime that could possibly be avoided. 

For this to be the reality inside your office, you will need to ensure your uptime… something that a relationship with a trusted IT professional can do. Using remote monitoring tools to proactively catch burgeoning issues and fix them before they impact your business, a provider like Coleman Technologies can potentially identify and mitigate problems without you ever realizing that you had an issue at all.

Telework and Communication Capabilities

With the ongoing risk that businesses may once again need to close their doors, it only makes sense to have the communication and collaboration tools that would enable true business continuity. The right technology can make the shift to remote work almost seamless, especially if the cloud and its many capabilities are leveraged appropriately. With many capabilities now offered as-a-Service, Voice-over-Internet-Protocol coming to the forefront of communications, and so many other business resources now taking advantage of cloud delivery, your team should be just as capable at home as they are in the office.

A word of warning needs to be shared, however, as remote work can potentially give your team the opportunity to expose your data. If you elect to use the cloud, this makes the next section even more important.

Security and Authentication Measures

For your data to remain protected throughout remote work, you need to have the right solutions and procedures in place for your team to use and follow. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) will enable your team to safely access your business’ data while they are working remotely, and the proper protections on their endpoints will help to minimize their risks.

As far as their access controls are concerned, each team member needs to follow authentication practices that meet a high standard. Their passwords need to meet vigorous security benchmarks, used in conjunction with protections like multi-factor authentication, or MFA. 

Your office also needs to be made impervious to as much downtime as possible to permit your team the most productivity as they work.

For assistance in making any of these preparations, or with any IT challenges you are facing, reach out to Coleman Technologies! Help is only a call to (604) 513-9428 away.

Modern VR Systems

After nearly 30 years of development, VR has been adopted by a miniscule number of companies. It has, for the most part, made the biggest difference in the entertainment industry, where Samsung and Google have a lot of influence. Sony has also established itself as a major player in the VR gaming industry with its Playstation 4. In terms of business, however, these options aren’t necessarily feasible of beneficial.

Two of the most competitive options in the commercial virtual reality space are the HTC Vive (and Vive Pro) and the Oculus Rift. Oculus is owned by Facebook and has led in VR sales, while the HTC Vive and Vive Pro provides a platform for high-end computing systems that are capable of using VR. These two systems work together to provide high-end VR experiences, even if it’s mostly for gaming.

These VR options give users the ability to bring themselves into a virtual world, thus providing developers with great opportunities to build out software to capitalize on it. The applications built in VR give users the opportunity to explore the earth and space in a way that can immerse them in a simulated reality.

The Immediate Future of VR

The future of VR is leaning more in the direction of reality; unlike great journeys or expeditions to places like the moon or the bottom of the sea, VR will be used to create educational resources and training software.

Some manufacturers have already begun to anticipate this shift, using services like Microsoft’s Mixed Reality (MR) devices with hopes of business integration in 2020 a possibility. While not true virtual reality, this platform integrates virtual elements into reality, providing business professionals with great new options to achieve their goals. It’s safe to say that businesses will find some use for these virtual sandboxes to either improve performance or work out daring new ways to accomplish tasks.

What are your thoughts on VR? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to our blog.

A digital twin could arguably be seen as a somewhat niche technological innovation. Regardless, they are an invaluable resource to quite a few industries that help the businesses that use them optimize their processes. Let’s go over what a digital twin is, and how it helps a few different business types meet their needs.

So, what is a digital twin?

A Digital Twin is a Virtualized Copy of a Physical Asset

That’s the long and the short of it. A digital twin draws on real-life data to help you refine and adjust your processes, whether that digital twin simulates a product, process, or entire environment. By collecting data from its actual counterpart, the digital twin allows you to model your projected results and make the appropriate adjustments to improve them.

To collect, store, and process this kind of data, digital twins rely on a few different technologies:

• The Internet of Things is the foundation that enables digital twins to work. By collecting and processing information, the IoT constantly updates the data you’re receiving, so the digital twin can represent a given technology in real-time.
• The cloud enables a digital twin to store and access the vast amounts of data it relies on to function, as well as provides the computing power needed to mimic complicated systems. 
• Artificial intelligence helps a digital twin crunch all the data it collects, drawing more detailed insights out of it and improving the quality of the conclusions that can be derived.
• Extended reality—an umbrella term for immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality—makes it so that different technologies can be digitally replicated and interacted with as different strategies are implemented.

How Can Digital Twins Be Used?

Different industries all have different ways to take advantage of this technology. For instance:

Aviation

From aircraft design to maintenance, digital twins can prove extremely useful for planes and managing their operations. Boeing, for instance, uses digital twins to test their parts and designs to ensure commercial and military aircraft are as safe as possible.

Agriculture

Digital twins fill various needs in this market sector, largely helping to meet the growing needs of the world’s rising population. From resource optimization to weather modeling to livestock monitoring to supply chain management, digital twins make a litany of the related processes far simpler.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry, similarly to the aviation industry, can get a lot of value out of digital twins. Take the prototyping process. It is much more cost-effective to design and test a prototype digitally to help determine where it can be improved. Pair that with the capabilities a digital twin has in terms of asset tracking, and the benefits span the entire process. 

Medical

Digital twins can offer a full range of benefits to the medical industry. Medical equipment is notoriously expensive to procure and replace, so using a digital twin to help maintain it helps save providers a ton of money over time. Digital twins can also be made of anonymized patient data to help improve diagnostic capabilities and clinical research.

This has been a very, very small sample of what digital twins are capable of helping a business accomplish—not just in terms of how many industries we covered, but also in what the technology can feasibly do for them.

We’re here to help you ensure your technology serves your business in every way it can, too. Give us a call for a consultation so we can determine how we can help you at (604) 513-9428. 

Technology #1 - Blockchain

You’ve probably heard of blockchain before. It is widely known as the technology that makes cryptocurrency possible. Software developers have been working to use the encrypted distributed ledger system to create applications that can help a business secure its processes and create situational transparency. 

Thus far blockchain’s applications are mostly security-related, but the applications for the technology are limitless. Right now, a business can start using blockchain to boost the security of their accounts-receivable process, for contract transparency, and aid the efficiency of their supply chain. 

Technology #2 - Business Process Automation 

Automation has been the name of the game for some time. Today, however, there are more devices than ever to build automated systems with. The smart-technology boom called the Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with advancements in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), is giving businesses more options in which to enhance efficiency. 

Business Process Automation (BPA) incorporates these technologies into business management systems to help a business be able to accomplish more. This boost in productivity can often be pretty obvious on the bottom line. 

Technology #3 - Powerful Collaboration Tools

With technology making collaboration much easier, businesses have begun to promote collaborative efforts. Today, there are several options for the modern business. Businesses are using complete productivity suites like Microsoft Office 365 and Google’s G Suite for collaborative work. They also have begun instituting new communications tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams that couple useful messaging software with dozens of application integrations.

Moreover, businesses are significantly expanding the technology they use to make their BPA strategy more comprehensive. Bringing in interdepartmental collaboration tools that include customer resource management (CRM) is helping businesses operate smarter and more efficiently. 

2020 could be your business’ year to shine. By integrating some of these emerging tools, you could create the efficient operations boost you are seeking. Give us a call at (604) 513-9428 today to learn more about what Coleman Technologies can do for your company.

With global spending on IoT research and integration reaching $745 billion in 2019, the IoT is primed to be one of the largest single industries in the world in the future. Individuals, businesses, and governments are looking at the IoT for solutions to their problems. After all, the more information people have, the better decisions can be made. From the outset, it was said that this technology will transform the way we interact with machines and the way they will interact with each other, and only a few short years into a worldwide implementation, that mantra has proven to be true. Let’s look at where the IoT is growing most.

Industry

The huge annual jumps in IoT spending is largely driven by manufacturers, transportation, and utilities. Industrial IoT solutions provide companies and municipalities, alike, the link between their cloud-based software systems and their analysts, salesmen, and decision makers. This relationship is tenuous, however, and is closely monitored as a result. If a huge IoT strategy breaks even once, confidence in the platform is destroyed, leaving it an unreliable solution, regardless of the strengths of the technology. 

Manufacturers and process managers that utilize IoT solutions absolutely need their systems to be as reliable as possible. That means security, which is the number one improvement that the next phase of IoT has to make. For years, IoT was only somewhat trustworthy because of the lack of integrated security many IoT devices were manufactured with. Today, with security an absolute must for the major undertakings it is being used for, security has improved, but only slightly. A dedication to creating IoT devices that have hardware and software systems that are secure and reliable will dictate just the ceiling of IoT effectiveness.

The Smart City

One of the most intriguing places the IoT has been utilized thus far is in the integration of automated utility systems inside what has been termed, “the smart city”. The smart city uses what are known as low power IoT connections. These devices deliver low bandwidth and power saving features that are perfectly suited to asset monitoring. They can be implemented for a variety of uses, including: 

• Sensors built into city roadways to sense things like the subsistence of traffic congestion and wear and tear of roadways.
• Sensors built into bridges to sense degradation and the effect of seismic forces caused by geographical and traffic-based events.
• Sensors built into buildings to measure wind force, foundation subsistence, or seismic activity.
• Sensors in the interior of buildings to control foot-traffic, lighting, heating and air, and other systems humans rely on. 
• Sensors on the street or on entryways that will provide facial recognition and reporting.

Unlike IoT-connected consumer goods, every IoT device deployed in a smart city would have a purpose that is beyond convenience. Every device would be placed to achieve a goal, improve the usability, longevity, and management of infrastructure, boosting resident safety and improving their access to services, cutting costs and limiting energy use, improving communications, and more.

One thing is for sure, the next phase of IoT implementation is going to challenge conventional thinking and deliver solutions that only a short time ago, were only imaginary. At Coleman Technologies we find technology fascinating. For more great technology information about innovative new tech, return to our blog regularly. 

3D Displays
Remember that craze with the 3D movies? Manufacturers have been trying to keep people excited about 3D technology for a long time, but it has met with little long-term success. Content creators simply can’t commit to a 3D capture or post production process. A significant lack of content, combined with consumers needing a silly pair of 3D glasses and the hardware required by the display, people just preferred to stick to what had been working in the past. High-definition displays can make 2D programming look astounding, and with such a small demand for 3D picture, the technology has been abandoned.

There have been talks about resurrecting the technology through what’s called Home3D. MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) has found a way to emulate the 3D experience without the embarrassing glasses, but without content made for 3D, you shouldn’t expect to see too much support for this technology anytime soon.

Smart Glasses
Smart glasses, like Google Glass, used to be a hot commodity, but they fell off everyone’s radar relatively quickly. While they initially were quite anticipated, there are very few smart glasses manufacturers left today. In 2012, Google Glass was being tested by several celebrities, but in today’s technology industry, there are maybe a handful of smart glasses manufacturers at the most. These companies still don’t have a clear idea of who would be the consumers for smart glasses, but they have learned that when it comes to this particular product, less is more.

One of the nails in the coffin for Google Glass was the invasion of privacy. While users might be able to come to terms with Google tracking what you say, buy, and do online, adding a camera to your glasses was simply too much for just about everyone. It was thought for a time that smart glasses could be a viable alternative to a smartphone, but the technologies behind the device simply haven’t been perfected to the point of proper implementation.

Virtual Reality
While virtual reality might be “available” today, people have been talking about it for upwards of 40 years. Other technologies being developed and discussed in the 1980s, like VHS and audio cassettes, have come and gone, but the idea of virtual reality lingers on. This is despite the fact that practical applications of VR are few and far between.

The primary use for virtual reality--gaming--has turned out to be a major failure so far. While there is some value in giving people the ability to share experiences online through VR, it hasn’t been a priority for developers, creating a similar situation to 3D technology. VR as a technology might not be completely dead in the water yet, but there isn’t much excitement out there for the technology--at least not to the point where it can be transformative (at this moment).

What are some of your favorite technologies that haven’t been as successful as you’d have liked them to be? Let us know in the comments.

Blockchain

Perhaps most famously associated with cryptocurrencies, there are various applications in business that blockchain can be of use in. Really, blockchain is of great use in any situation where a record of changes needs to be kept, as the blockchain creates a record of these changes each time a new block is added to the chain - hence the name.

Originally utilized primarily by the financial industries, the utility of the blockchain has expanded to be of considerable use to far more verticals, with no signs of slowing.

AI and Machine Learning

In the past few years, we’ve gone from fearing artificially intelligent machines like HAL 9000 to carrying around a relatively rudimentary version of the sentient computer in our pockets. While our current machines and devices are (thank goodness) far less capable than HAL, they are plenty capable of assisting business processes - largely thanks to machine learning.

Via AI, directed by machine learning, your solutions can carry out predetermined processes and make informed decisions based on the input they receive. As a result, your business can take care of some if its tasks automatically, leaving your team free to focus on other responsibilities.

AR and VR

While augmented reality and virtual reality have been largely associated with entertainment purposes, the business world has started to embrace them for numerous purposes, both in terms of their internal processes and their marketing efforts. Furthermore, with today’s youth being exposed to these kinds of interfaces, they will be more familiar with them when they reach working age (and will be able to use them more productively as a result).

Has your business begun to implement any of these technologies in its workflows - even the most basic varieties? Coleman Technologies can help you do more. Reach out to us at (604) 513-9428 to learn more!

When it comes to security, it can be challenging to keep up with shifting best practices. For instance, the use of a virtual private network has long been a staple to secure remote operations, and any decent IT service provider would recommend its use. However, this advice is changing with the growth of zero-trust access protocols.

Let’s compare these two security options to consider why this is.

Defining Virtual Private Networking and Zero-Trust Access

In order to properly compare these two security tools, it is important that we establish what each of them is meant to accomplish.

Virtual Private Networking, or the use of a VPN, creates a protected connection between two network endpoints via encryption. Let’s say you were stuck in an airport during a layover, but you had your work laptop with you. By using the VPN, you could connect back to your business’ infrastructure in order to access the data you need, without your activity being visible to others who may be snooping on the airport’s wireless network.

Zero-Trust Access is a strategy in and of itself that turns the principle of least privilege into an actionable approach, requiring comprehensive verification at each and every step of any business process. Fundamentally, the thesis of zero-trust is that everything and everyone is a threat until they are confirmed not to be—with this confirmation regularly verified throughout the user’s processes.

These two methods take very different approaches to securing your business. With the VPN, the focus is on keeping threats out, without particularly restricting the activities of those who have been authenticated. Zero-trust access, on the other hand, provides access to only what an authenticated user requires to fulfill their responsibilities.

What Does a VPN Do Compared to Zero-Trust Access?

Let’s break down different aspects that you need to keep in mind in terms of what each option provides.

Breach Containment

Should a breach occur, a VPN may help prevent the attacker from accessing more than what the VPN itself was directing toward, whereas a properly-configured zero-trust implementation will limit the breach specifically to the device, service, or application.

Cloud Support

Generally speaking, a VPN is hosted on-premise, although cloud options do exist. Zero-trust is typically hosted in the cloud, meaning that it works well in cloud-hosted applications.

Functionality

This is the crux of our discussion. All a VPN does is create a secure means of accessing different networks. Comparatively, zero-trust access does the same, but also restricts access within these networks based on predetermined policies.

Remote Support

With remote work being more prevalent than it has been in the past, ensuring a means of accessing the workplace securely is a more pressing need. A VPN enables remote workers to do so, while a zero-trust network does the same, but does so on a more granular level.

Security Strength

While the VPN does a great job of protecting data while it is being sent between two separate networks, that protection stops once each network is reached. The zero-trust network provides excellent security at every point, for every resource.

These comparisons make it pretty clear that both offer sincere benefits to a business’ security, and that both should have a welcome place in your business security infrastructure. That being said, it is also understandable why today’s security experts are predicting that zero-trust will ultimately take precedence.

In the meantime, Coleman Technologies is here to help you ensure that your business’ technology and cybersecurity are maintained and ready for you to use it. Learn more about our managed services and how they can benefit you by giving us a call at (604) 513-9428.

In mobile operating systems, each fresh iteration tends to bring forth marginal improvements and refinements to enhance the user experience. Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 17, follows suit in this tradition. Let's take a brief look at some of its noteworthy additions.

Streamlining Verification Code Messages

Basic multi-factor authentication is commonly employed for secure account access, with codes sent via email and text messages. Dealing with a barrage of these codes piling up in your inboxes is a familiar scenario. iOS 17 introduces a feature allowing automatic deletion of these messages once codes are entered through AutoFill. Navigate to Settings, then Passwords > Password Options, and you'll find the option to Clean Up Automatically under Verification Codes. This ensures that codes inserted via AutoFill are promptly removed from the Messages or Mail applications after use.

Elevated AirPod Capabilities

We've all witnessed or experienced the awkward fumbling with AirPods as a conversation kicks off. Thankfully, users with the second-generation AirPods Pro and iOS 17 can enjoy new features, such as Conversation Awareness. This feature enables AirPods to sense when the wearer speaks, reducing media and background noise volume while enhancing voices in front of you. Combined with Adaptive Audio and Personalized Volume, iOS 17 significantly enhances the capabilities of AirPods.

Siri Receives a Boost

"Hey, Siri." Repeat it three times, right? Not anymore. iOS 17 eliminates the need to say "hey" before Siri's wake word. Moreover, users can seamlessly string together a series of queries without repeating "Hey, Siri" or even "Siri" before each one.

Effortless Message Retrieval

If you're like most people, your Messages application likely harbors hundreds, if not thousands, of accumulated messages. Locating a specific message amid this digital haystack was a daunting task—until iOS 17. The updated system introduces a Search function in Messages, allowing users to pinpoint messages based on the sender's contact, the presence of a link, the inclusion of a photo, and more.

This is just a glimpse into the array of offerings in the latest iOS version. While we advocate for regular software updates for security, the added features are a delightful bonus. May your device find renewed utility with these enhancements.