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Boosting Office 365 with AI Capabilities

In the past month, Microsoft has beefed up Office 365 with AI-driven capabilities designed to help businesses make the most of their data, company content, collaborative projects and more. Read on to learn about the new smart features you can expect in the Office 365 update.

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10 Jan, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Office, Office 365, Productivity category
Boosting Office 365 with AI Capabilities

In the past month, Microsoft has beefed up Office 365 with AI-driven capabilities designed to help businesses make the most of their data, company content, collaborative projects and more. Read on to learn about the new smart features you can expect in the Office 365 update.

Automatically Uncover Trends in Excel Data

Finding useful information lurking in massive tables of jumbled numbers and data can be quite a headache. Not with Insights Preview! This feature uses machine learning to analyze Excel data, highlight patterns, and create visualizations to make information easier to locate and digest.

Search Text Within Images

Thanks to Office 365's Intelligent Search feature, any printed words in images uploaded to SharePoint and OneDrive are now automatically detected, extracted, and made searchable. This makes it possible to find screenshots, receipts, and business cards based on the text they contain.

Understand Company Jargon with Acronyms

Microsoft Word’s new Acronyms feature will help users understand workplace-specific acronyms. This feature uses machine learning to analyze your employees' vernacular and automatically create a useful glossary of terms.

Improve collaboration with the Whiteboard Preview App

This real-time digital canvas makes interactions between team members easier, whether they’re working on a conference room screen or across different devices and locations. The app is equipped with freehand drawing tools, geometry recognition, data illustration tools, and more to improve both business and creative projects.

As Microsoft gears itself toward making AI accessible to every user and organization, we are excited to see more smart features rolling out in Office 365 products in the near future.

But how can these upgrades transform your business? Can it save time and cut costs? There’s no better way to understand these updates than to chat with our team of IT professionals. Give us a call to learn more or to set up the new Office 365 in your workplace today!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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The risks of auto-complete passwords

If you’re disturbed by advertisements and “helpful” suggestions that are based on your internet browsing habits, recent research has found yet another source of online tracking. It’s a sneaky tactic that also comes with serious security concerns.

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09 Jan, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Security category
The risks of auto-complete passwords

If you’re disturbed by advertisements and “helpful” suggestions that are based on your internet browsing habits, recent research has found yet another source of online tracking. It’s a sneaky tactic that also comes with serious security concerns. Let’s take a look at what you can do to stop it from targeting you.

Why auto-fill passwords are so dangerous

In 2015, the average internet user had 90 online accounts, a number that has undoubtedly grown since then. This has forced users to create dozens of passwords, sometimes because they want to practice healthy security habits and other times because the platforms they’re using have different password requirements.

Web browsers and password manager applications addressed this account overload by allowing usernames and passwords to be automatically entered into a web form, eliminating the need for users to hunt down the right credentials before logging in.

The process of tricking a browser or password manager into giving up this saved information is incredibly simple. All it takes is an invisible form placed on a compromised webpage to collect users’ login information without them knowing.

Using auto-fill to track users

Stealing passwords with this strategy has been a tug-of-war between hackers and security professionals for over a decade. However, it has recently come to light that digital marketers are also using this tactic to track users.

Two groups, AdThink and OnAudience, have been placing these invisible login forms on websites as a way to track which sites users visit. These marketers made no attempts to steal passwords, but security professionals said it wouldn’t have been hard to accomplish. AdThink and OnAudience simply tracked people based on the usernames in hidden auto-fill forms and sold that information to advertisers.

One simple security tip for today

Turn off auto-fill in your web browser. It’s quick, easy, and will go to great lengths to improve your account security.

  • If you use Chrome - Open the Settings window, click Advanced, and select the appropriate settings under Manage Passwords
  • If you use Firefox - Open the Options window, click Privacy, and under the History heading select “Firefox will: Use custom settings for history.” In the new window, disable “Remember search and form history.”
  • If you use Safari - Open the Preferences window, select the Auto-fill tab, and turn off all the features related to usernames and passwords.

This is just one small thing you can do to keep your accounts and the information they contain safe. For managed, 24x7 cybersecurity assistance that goes far beyond protecting your privacy, call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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2018: The year of social media

Big-name social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are more interactive and responsive than ever. However, these platforms now have a plan to move another step forward in 2018. Here are the top 5 trends you should watch out for this year.

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08 Jan, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Facebook, Social Media category
2018: The year of social media

Big-name social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are more interactive and responsive than ever. However, these platforms now have a plan to move another step forward in 2018. Here are the top 5 trends you should watch out for this year.

  1. The boom of Augmented Reality
    The launch of the new iPhones -- both 8 and X -- last September brought with it an under-the-radar change to the devices. The incorporation of a new chip provides iPhone users with extraordinary augmented reality (AR) experiences. While most conversations about AR focus on the mobile gaming experience, social media platforms will likely find a way to integrate the new technology as well.
  2. Influencer marketing
    Influencer marketing has proven to be the best way forward for companies to connect with younger audiences. Titanic companies such as The North Face, HubSpot and Rolex are great examples of companies which have profited heavily from social media-based influencer marketing. By contrast, companies that opted for traditional strategies struggled to connect to social media users, indicating that influencer marketing is here to stay and blossom in 2018.
  3. All eyes on Gen Z
    The oldest Gen Z-er is 22 years old and is only just heading into the labor market, meaning they’re going to start spending more money for sometime to come. Brands recognize this, and are aiming to shift their social media strategies to appease the newest customers on the market. Investment in platforms like Snapchat and Instagram is expected to grow exponentially this year.
  4. The growing importance of messaging platforms
    A recent study pointed out that over 2.5 billion people use messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Kik to connect with companies. Rather than simply publishing marketing content to profiles and feeds, companies should focus on making it easier for customers to start one-on-one conversations. Therefore, it is more than likely that artificial intelligence, voice assistants and chatbots will all be integrated into messaging platforms for a more personalized user experience.
  5. Digital hangouts go mainstream
    In 2017, video content -- including live broadcasts and chats platforms -- was more prominent than ever, and live videos were definitely a successful part of it. This means digitally hanging out with friends and colleagues will become a social norm, as evidenced by the video hangout platform known as Houseparty, which boasts of over one million daily users.

With Gen Z-ers becoming a larger part of the buying marketing, companies will utilize social media platforms to their fullest by incorporating a wide variety of targeted methods to capture their attention. These methods involve technologies that were unimaginable only a few years ago, such as virtual reality and augmented reality. Moreover, investments in optimizing messaging platforms and influencer marketing also signals the start of a newer, more interconnected era between businesses and customers.

Social media marketing is the future. Get in touch with our experts for advice on how you can make 2018 your year. Call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Top Apple predictions in 2018

From new Apple Watches and Apple TVs to Mac and iPhone upgrades, Apple released a slew of products in 2017. But what’s in store for Apple fans in 2018? We’ll likely see iterative updates to existing product lines, but there's a good chance we'll get some totally unexpected announcements.

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05 Jan, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in iPhone category
Top Apple predictions in 2018

From new Apple Watches and Apple TVs to Mac and iPhone upgrades, Apple released a slew of products in 2017. But what’s in store for Apple fans in 2018? We’ll likely see iterative updates to existing product lines, but there's a good chance we'll get some totally unexpected announcements. Read on to find out the top Apple predictions for the year.

Three new iPhones
Just like every year, Apple will likely launch new iPhone models in September. Reports suggest there will be three iPhone models in 2018, and since Apple disrupted naming conventions by introducing iPhone X, it’s anyone’s guess what these models will be called.

However, experts predict the new iPhones will look like the current X model, but in sizes that match the 8, 8 Plus, and a supersized X model. They’ll all be equipped with faster hardware and a TrueDepth camera system that allows users to protect their phones with facial recognition.

HomePod
One device that’s certain to be released early in the year is the HomePod, a smart speaker in the same vein as Google Home and Amazon Echo. The Siri-powered speaker will likely feature automatic tuning, a fast A8 processor, and a six-microphone array to easily pick up commands. Other than playing music, HomePods will answer general questions and communicate with nearby smart devices.

Considering that Amazon and Google currently dominate the smart speaker market, Apple has its work cut out.

AirPods and wireless charging
There’s also talk of updated versions of AirPods, Apple’s wireless headphones. Rumors are far from substantiated, but experts are saying that the headphones may receive a design change and a case that can charge them wirelessly.

Speaking of wireless charging, more Apple devices will likely rely on this technology in the future. In September 2017, Apple unveiled a wireless charging pad that can charge multiple iPhones and Apple Watches. This year, we might get to see larger devices like iPads taking advantage of this technology.

Wearables in healthcare
Those in healthcare predict Apple Watches will become a key piece of technology for the industry. More health-monitoring addons for Apple Watches like EKG readers are now FDA-approved, so we may see more doctors using them to give accurate diagnoses and treatments.

Augmented reality devices
Over the past few months, Apple has also expressed an interest in researching augmented reality (AR) technologies. In fact, leaks from manufacturing facilities indicate that Apple is working on smart glasses that overlay digital information on the physical world. Although it’s still unclear what they will be using it for or if Apple will follow through with their plans, there are plenty of business possibilities with AR.

For instance, it can be used to display line-of-sight prices and details about a product without having to check the price tag or ask a salesperson.

All in all, Apple users have much to be excited about, and if you want to be the first to find out when or if these products will be released in 2018, call us today. Our experts are always tuned into the latest Apple developments to give you an edge over the competition.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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