Category Archives: Helpful Articles

Have you been thinking about hiring an IT professional for your business? If the answer is yes, then why haven’t you done it yet? You should really have already started this process, or already have someone on board. A lot of companies think that not hiring an IT professional is a way for them to save money, but really all you are doing is compromising your business. In this article, we’re going to look at three of the benefits of hiring professional IT personnel for your business, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

Expert Knowledge

The first benefit that you get when you hire an IT professional is that you gain their expert knowledge. This means that if there is an issue, or if you need advice about anything to do with the tech side of life, they are your go-to person. It’s always handy to have someone who knows what they are doing, and can offer you advice that comes from knowledge rather than guesses or estimations. For example, if you need a little more information about data migration for you to be able to fully understand it, you can talk to your IT team about that.

You will find their knowledge invaluable, especially with tech becoming more essential to business by the day.

Keep Your Technology In Good Condition

Another benefit of hiring an IT professional for your business is that they will help to keep your technology in good condition. If it needs an update, they will make sure that it gets an update. If it needs clearing out because the hidden files are full of things you don’t need, or the recycling bin is full and it’s starting to slow your devices down, they will take care of this too. Anything that has to do with the maintenance of devices or any kind of tech, and they will be able to help.

Minimal Downtime

The final, and arguably the most important benefit is that you will be able to minimise downtime if there is an issue. What we mean by this is that if one of your systems goes down and this stops the whole business from working, then someone will be on this the second that it happens. If you don’t have an IT professional, then you have to call in someone from the outside world. The more downtime your business has, the more profits that you stand to lose, and this is simply not something that you can afford.

Hopefully, you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the benefits of hiring an IT professional for your business. We highly recommend that you do this if you run a small business, because if you don’t and something goes wrong, you could be waiting hours, or even days for someone to be available to help you. Don’t let your business have this much downtime as you stand to lose a lot. Good luck, and make sure you get someone on your team ASAP.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Tech Tips, Technology, Useful Articles

Top Tips for Travelling with Tech

May 17, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

No matter where you go you will always see other people using all modes of technology. You’ll even be using it yourself to board your plane, book your accommodation, even pay your bills while you’re away with stored credit card details. You are likely going to bring your phone with you, your tablet, and the chances are high that you’re going to bring a high-tech camera wherever you go. While it’s a nice idea that you can go on holiday and leave your technology at home, it’s not always practical.

The thing is, if you are travelling with technology, you need to make sure that you can keep it safe. It’s always useful to have technology on hand if you’re in a new place. Using a mapbox matrix API to be able to plan your day-to-day route when you’re travelling around a new place is helpful, but if your phone gets stolen what are you supposed to do? Electronic devices can be very useful, but you have to charge them and keep them with you at all times so that you can travel safely. Here are some of the things that you need to know about travelling with technology.

You’re going to need mobile phone signals and Internet access. There is no use in carrying your technology with you if you can’t connect to anything. If you’re using digital cameras to video your holiday, you want to be able to plug it into your laptop and send your videos or blogs over the airwaves. There’s no point in bringing electronic devices if you can’t connect to the Internet, so prepare for using your mobile phone abroad, your tablet and your laptop on your trip and research connectivity before you go.
Check your Internet security. If you’re bringing your technology into foreign places that have a Wi-Fi connection, you’re putting yourself at risk. You should never use a public Wi-Fi if you want to keep the information on your phone, your tablet, your laptop and even your camera safe. Public Wi-Fi does not protect you from being hacked, and anybody nearby with the appropriate equipment can log into any of your devices and steal your information. The best thing you can do here is to set up a trip-only email address to use while you travel, and arm yourself with a VPN.
Plan ahead for airport security. No matter what technology you are travelling with, you will have to take it out of your bag and scan it through security so that the airline can see what’s going on before you get on the plane. Security screeners have to examine your computer to make sure that there’s nothing on it that’s dangerous. Take everything out of the cases and make sure that you can grab them swiftly from your bags and leave them out onto the security belt.
Don’t forget to insure it. Insurance is important if you’re bringing technology with you on holiday. If it gets stolen or lost, you want to be able to claim on said insurance. Standard travel insurance and device cover should help.

Business, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides

How Technology Can Be a Useful Tool For Your Business Needs

May 17, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

In order for your business to run efficiently and help you get through your mountain of tasks, you are likely to have technological aspects that help you manage your tasks. This reliance on technology now can be more useful than you think when you run a business, so it is definitely worth ensuring that you have the latest technological trends to help you improve your business efficiency. Here is how technology can be really useful when you run your own business.

Helps You Be More Efficient

If you don’t want to just rely on pen and paper then you can always use an app to help you write down what you need to do on a daily basis which will act as a gentle reminder of what you need to get done and how far away you are from achieving this. This is particularly useful when you have a lot of things to remember and do not want to forget anything important.

Gets Tasks Completely Quickly

As long as you keep your technology up to date, then it will run as smoothly as possible. The best way to do this is to try this so that you know you have the latest software possible for your computer system. This is important so that you protect it from any possible viruses that could harm your software and damage your business files.

Helps Your Organise Your Finances

Keeping on top of financial matters will be important when you run your own business. If you can utilise spreadsheets or apps that help you manage the financial aspect of your business it is going to be a lot easier to know what your budget is and how much money you are making. Using technology can be a great way to manage your business finances.

How Technology Can Be a Useful Tool For Your Business Needs

Enables You To Communicate With Your Team

Whether you are having remote business calls with employees in different locations or want to provide a PowerPoint presentation to everyone in a meeting, technology can help you achieve this. It enables you to effectively communicate with your team and outline your business goals. This can be a great way to relay your message and ensure your team is up to date on what your business targets and goals are.

Easily Processes Your Customer Orders

Having software that enables your business orders to be processed is certainly useful when you run a business. It makes things easier for your customers to be able to place their orders with you but also just as crucially makes it a lot easier for you to keep track of what you need to fulfil.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Technology

How Businesses Can Benefit From The Digital World

May 16, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

The online space is taking the world by storm. Although it is still important to communicate and work without relying on devices, it is quite obvious how beneficial they are becoming in the world of business.

No matter if you are a digital nomad or a business owner, it is important to align yourselves with the online world for business matters. Although some might prefer the traditional means of communication, marketing, and more, there are so many advantages of using the online space to enhance your business.

Here are some ways that your business can benefit from utilizing the digital world.

How Businesses Can Benefit From The Digital World

Help every employee feel involved

With many businesses taking advantage of the work from home situation, it is more important and useful than ever to use the digital space to continue communication regarding business matters.

Many businesses are relying on virtual calls to host meetings now as they are more convenient and time-friendly. However, a great way to use the digital space and help every employee feel involved (no matter their personal needs) is to use communication help, such as translators.

For instance, using sign language translation you can make everyone in your business feel included in meetings. This service can be ideal for virtual business meetings whereby a member of the team requires additional assistance.

Improved customer experience

As well as making every employee feel involved and appreciated, using the digital world will improve your customer’s experience. There are many ways that using the digital space can enhance customer experience:

Social media engagement. With there being millions of social media users, the likelihood of your business having lots of interaction through social media accounts is high. Hence, you can engage with your customers and make your business easier to contact/more personable with the use of social media.
Live chats. Should a customer want to get in touch with your business and acquire a fast response, then they could do so if you install a live chat service on your business website. That way, your customers will not need to wait for a response and, therefore, enjoy their communication experience.

Improves employee output

Although employees can be productive with pen and paper, the use of the digital space can easily speed up business processes. Hence, employees can be more productive and increase their output.

For instance, a marketing expert on the team might use a lot of their time creating and scheduling social media content. If they use the digital space and automation software, they can speed up their output yet reduce their manual labor. Hence, the digital space can take the pressure off and make work-life more streamlined.

The higher your business’s output is, the quicker it can meet its targets and the more sales can be generated. Hence, your business will see greater success.

To conclude, using the digital space will guarantee to offer your business many benefits. From improving employee happiness and productivity to customer satisfaction, it can do wonders for any business.

Broadband, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Useful Articles

4 Benefits You Gain From Having Fast Broadband

February 24, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

If you’ve been on your broadband deal for a long time, you might be wondering what it is exactly that you’re missing out on by not having a new and fast broadband package. There’s plenty to be gained from fast broadband, and it’s becoming the new standard for households that rely on technology often. If you’re not using your TV or the internet in your home, then you’ve little to gain from upgrading your broadband, but for those who are often online – a fast broadband package has every benefit for you to gain.

4 Benefits You Gain From Having Fast Broadband
**Easier working from home**

In the past few years, we’ve seen more and more people working from home, and it’s becoming quite common practice for many previously office jobs. Of course, there are still those that would prefer to attend the workplace, but working from home has proven more than comfortable for many people. Without fast broadband, working from home can take even more time than it needs to. Being hindered by slow internet speeds is not something you want, and if you spend a lot of time browsing, downloading, and uploading while you’re working – you’re going to feel the effects of a slow internet speed.

Great for the family

Households with more than one person can be quite straining on your internet allowance, and without a fast internet package, you’re not going to be getting the full potential of your broadband. Having too many people on a slow internet speed and bandwidth is going to cause everyone else’s in the house to be slow too. Homes with a lot of phones, computers, consoles, or TVs can be very intensive, and even apps like Netflix can disrupt the internet causing everything to lag and slow down. If you often experience buffering or pauses mid-way through what you’re watching on TV, this is why.

More technology

Homes with slow broadband packages can’t support many pieces of tech that are connected to the internet. Because of this, you might be put off buying newer pieces of technology. The slowness and waiting around that you get from older packages can be tedious, and no one would want more of that for even more money. If you want to see some of the best deals available, you should check out this full fibre 500 broadband package – a broadband deal that won’t ever let you down.

Never miss out

When you’re trying to catch things live, it can be difficult to get a steady stream as a result of slow broadband. For those of you who enjoy watching live sports games, then this is something that you should be concerned about. Having your TV slow down for even a few moments can cause you to miss something crucial, which isn’t necessary to deal with.

Even if your package is old, most providers often update their packages with the prices. That means that you’re not always going to have to pay more for an updated deal. Old deals tend to remain at their price until you change it to a newer one.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Money

The Factors that Impact your Credit Score

January 31, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

There was good news in the UK last year from a financial perspective, as the average credit score on these shores increased by five points despite an uncertain and challenging economic climate.

A credit score provides a numerical expression based on a level analysis of an individual’s credit files, based on past payment history and a variety of alternative factors.

This ultimately determines the creditworthiness of an individual in the eyes of lenders. But what are the top five factors that impact your credit score? Here’s a brief breakdown!

Payment History: Over time, you’ll build a credit history through recurring repayments in the form of rent, mortgage, car repayments, debt or other types of finance. Such payments can have a positive or negative impact on your score over time, with missed or late payments (or defaulted accounts) causing significant issues that may prevent further credit applications.
The Amounts Owed: Next up is the total amount of money owed in unsecured debt, which also reveals your total credit usage across outstanding cards, loans and balances. This is calculated simply by dividing the total revolving credit you’re currently using by the total of all limits, and using more than 30% of your available credit is negative in the eyes of lenders.
Credit History Length: This is a lesser-known factor, and one that refers to how long you’ve held credit accounts. This comprises 15% of your final FICO score, including the age of your oldest account, the age of the newest addition and the average age across the board. In general terms, the longer your credit history, the higher your average credit score.
Your Unique Credit Mix: Those individuals with the very best credit scores tend to boast a diverse range of credit accounts, including a car loan, credit card mortgage and a student loan. Other products can be included, of course, while a meld of secured and unsecured loans may also help to create a viable mix. Lenders definitely consider the various types of accounts held when creating their scoring models, and your overall credit mix accounts for 10% of your FICO score.
Your Access and Use of New Credit: Bad credit can become something of a trap, as while creating a recent history of positive transactions enables you to improve your score over time, it can be hard to open new accounts with a bad score. The good news is that you can use so-called “bad credit” products to help build and enhance your credit score, including specialist cards and loans. Of course, having too many accounts or applications can damage your score, so you’ll need to be selective when choosing viable products.

Air Compressors, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Useful Articles

A guide to buying an air compressor

January 10, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

An air compressor is a vital piece of equipment in several industries and for everyday use. Broadly speaking, they are used for inflating tires, spray painting, pressure washers, controlling water fountains, cooling, paintball, engines, health, agriculture, manufacturing, tools, and in construction. So, if you’re looking to purchase an air compressor, it’s likely that you will need it for a different reason than the next person. Therefore, it is important to do your research, so you buy the correct air compressor for you. Here is our handy guide to help you out.

How do they work?

Although the use of these appliances range from industrial work to at-home DIY, the most commonly used type of air compressor is a single-stage, piston-type model. The air is compressed into a tank via an electric motor or gasoline engine which drives a piston, confining the air inside the enclosed space. As more air enters the tank, the pressure of the air inside begins to rise and will reach a standstill once a specific level is met with the help of a pressure switch. So, when you release the compressed air for its designated use, the mechanism will once again start working to build the pressure back up. Alternatively, a two-stage, piston-type model will feature two pistons which help compress the air further, which makes them more suitable for large-scale industrial use where high quantities of compressed air is needed.

You now probably understand the gist of how air compressors work, and whether a single or dual system will be suitable for you depending on the scale you will use the compressor. However, there are still a multitude of different models for different industries and specific uses.

What are the different types?

If you are purchasing an air compressor for permanent usage, you are likely to invest in a stationary air compressor, which is large and used to yielding high levels of power so is suitable for regular and prolonged use. However, if you are looking for a versatile model which you can move from workstation to workstation, a portable air compressor may be the right option for you. These come in a variety of designs. This includes a “Wheelbarrow compressor” which consists of two tanks on wheels for easy transportation, a “Twin-stack compressor” which sees two tanks stacked vertically on top of one another to maximise floor space, the “Hot dog” style which consists of a single tank, and finally a “Pancake compressor”, made up of flat storage tanks as opposed to a cylindrical one.

When making a final decision on what air compressor to buy, ensure you do sufficient research, so you don’t regret your purchase. Consider the size needed, the industry it is needed for, and whether the level of air pressure within your compressor is compatible with the tools you want to power if doing so. You may also consider the motor power and whether it is powered by diesel or petrol. Hopefully, this guide has shed some light on how to get the ball rolling with your search for the perfect air compressor – good luck with your search!

Hardware, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Technology

Why You Should Upgrade Your Business Systems

January 7, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

No matter what size your business is, there are always reasons that you should go ahead and assess and upgrade your systems. You might already be aware of the benefits of technology and be utilizing those in your business, but that doesn’t mean that you should wait to upgrade. Technology allows you to compete with the big boys in your industry. It means that you can do more with your time and your money than you might ever have been able to in the past, and yet technology can have a downside.

There is a need for near-constant upgrades when it comes to your business systems. From the computers to the current business phone system you use, you need to stay on top of the upgrades and the technology you’re using. If you don’t know how the upgrades will work for you, then getting the best advice possible is the best step that you can take. You need to know what technology is going to work for your business, where to get the help and how you can make sure that your business is thriving. So, why should you go ahead and upgrade your business systems?

Why You Should Upgrade Your Business Systems

You’ll increase business productivity. We have bigger and better CPUs and faster hard drives, more processors and more of a need to communicate than ever before. The older systems are just not as fast as we need them to be. If you want to be able to keep up, you need to ensure that you have the newest hard drives in place to make it work!
You’ll learn to communicate better. Upgrading your telephone system is an absolute must when it comes to your business systems. You have to be aware of the ways that you communicate with your clients, customers and even your own staff. Your lack of attention to this detail could make the difference between you having the right flexibility or not.
You will be more efficient. We’re in the very fortunate position that we can use the technology that we have right now to do things that we couldn’t do before. Remote access via mobile devices and tablets is still relatively new, and yet they’re making us more efficient. If you rely on dinosaur systems, you’re going to find it much more difficult to remain efficient and keep up with the times.
You’ll improve your security. We’re living in a time where keeping up with the hackers is vital for us to be successful. Our older systems are not as secure as they used to be, with security checks necessary across a range of different soft and hardware options. It’s vital that you have the right information in place and you keep it as protected as possible. Newer technology has the security that you need in the right place, and better security is what your business needs.
The features – oh, the features! In new operating systems, the features are often the reason that people get involved and upgrade. They’re better with security. They’re fancier to work with. They simply do a better job than the older features of older technology.
You need better support. Sometimes, the upgrade in your IT systems comes with a better understanding and level of support from an IT team. IT professionals simply cannot support technology that has become too old and you have to make a point of upgrading to get the support that you need.
Your staff will be happier. You need people who work well, but they can only do as well as the tools that they are given. Employees will be more and more frustrated when you provide outdated software and systems, and it’s never going to be good for your company if you don’t look into how you can make their lives easier.
Your customers will be more engaged. If you ensure that you have upgraded your business systems properly, you’ll find that your customers are finding your business to be easier to access and information easier to digest. You want to make life easier for customers because they can then have a better, more targeted experience of your business. It’ll be what sets you apart from the rest of the world.

When it comes down to it, upgrading your technology is just good sense. You want to be able to improve on what you already know and do better for everyone else. This is how you thrive in business and how you keep doing well for the future.

Drones, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides

What Not To Do When You’re Flying Your Drone

October 27, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

Drones have been around for some time now so chances are you may have one already. But if not and you’re considering buying a drone for yourself in the near future, it is worth knowing what you shouldn’t do when taking your drone out for a spin. We will list some of these ‘don’ts’ here, although it’s worth noting that they still apply to you if you already have a drone in your possession.

Here’s what not to do when flying your drone!

#1: Don’t spy on your neighbours

Drones have many practical applications, especially when they have a camera affixed to them. However, this doesn’t give you a license to spy on your neighbours. Whether you have reason to or not, you will be impinging on their privacy and if spotted, you could face legal ramifications if the police get involved. There are also safety risks to consider, as you may inadvertently hit your neighbour with your drone if you pilot it incorrectly. Again, there may be legal consequences, so it’s better to fly your drone in private areas.

#2: Don’t fly your drone near airspace

Your drone is unlikely to bring down an aircraft but it’s still illegal to fly it near airspace. As you have probably seen on the news, it can also be an inconvenience, as some flights have been grounded while drone sightings have been investigated. Would you want to be the next news item to be discussed on television? We are guessing not as you would have a lot of people to answer to! As with the previous point, it is important to be responsible. Take note of the legal advice here and stay out of any potential trouble.

#3: Don’t lose sight of your drone

It’s important to keep a close eye on your drone, even if it does have a camera attached, as you need to keep both the drone and nearby people and buildings safe from harm. While it’s possible to get your drone repaired if an accident occurs, perhaps via these DJI drone repair services, life becomes more complicated if you cause damage to property or another person.

#4: Don’t fly your drone in crowded areas

The primary reason for this is as we have discussed already. You could cause injury to another, especially if there is a sudden gust of wind that sends your drone off course. It might also plummet to the ground if the batteries fail. In both circumstances, you could hurt a member of the public. However, there is another reason not to fly your drone in crowded areas, and that is theft. This is is less of an issue if your drone is well above head height but if it does fly down at a lower level, for whatever reason, somebody could get their hands on the drone and take it.

Drones are a lot of fun and there are practical advantages too. However, as we have discussed here, care does need to be taken. So, take heed of our advice and protect your drone, yourself, and the well-being of others.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides

Are House Prices Headed for a Fall?

October 25, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

After reports that house prices had fallen for the first time in years on July 2021, there was much speculation about the future of the housing market. Was this a precursor for a larger slump, and were we headed for a fall in house prices sooner rather than later? Were steadily rising house prices before the drop evidence of an unsustainable market trend? And what does this mean for the market? We will discuss the future of house prices in the UK, by examining past trends and recent data to find out if the market is destined for a bust.

Trends Before the Pandemic

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a series of effects on the housing market (and which we will address shortly) house prices had been growing mercurially. After the 117% increase in average house price in the 2000s, the 2010s saw a comparatively meagre 33% growth – a rate seconded only by the 21% growth of the 1990s in recent history. Recession was the primary cause for both of these slumps, with the 2000s showing a significant bounce-back under New Labour. The 2009 banking crisis and subsequent recession, which coincidentally started as a result of sub-prime mortgages, saw a much slow return in the rate of house price increase – as the effects of quantitative easing rejuvenating the rate of house price growth over time.

The Effect of Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic severely affected the number of house sales taking place in 2020; despite laws allowing ongoing house moves to continue, successive lockdowns resulted in a downturn in sales, which in turn had an effect on the housing market. To stimulate growth again, the government announced a 12-month freeze on stamp duty in June 2020. This made selling more expensive properties a far cheaper process, and with the advent of online property conveyance solicitors, transactions could take place again.

What’s Next?

The house price drop mentioned at the start of this piece was the direct result of stamp duty being reinstated in full, with a majority of sellers aiming to complete their sale ahead of the 30^th June deadline. The drop in house price was a function of the market adjusting for stamp duty, and does not appear to be the harbinger of future slumps. Instead, house price growth is projected to be robust, with August 2021’s growth already back at 10.6%. There is no indication that house prices will suffer in 2022, and in fact it seems more likely that the rate of growth will continue to increase with demand.

Matt Porter, The Gadget Man – AI, Technology News and Reviews