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Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

The Importance Of Technology News

The importance of technology cannot be underestimated; the technological industries are probably the fastest moving in the world following news stories is vital because technology can cover all manner of industries and hence news stories vary greatly in subject matter.


In today’s high tech world it is unsurprising that so many areas of commerce and life depend upon technology and subsequently, any news in these fields is of vital importance to even the lay reader. Technology news is so important that many news websites have created dedicated pages purely to report on technological developments.


Naturally industries such as computing and video gaming are heavily interested in the developments reported as part of technology news stories. In computing new processor chips as well as other developments are always followed closely to assess the power of future computers. The same can be said for the video games industry that constantly uses technology news stories to keep an eye on what competitors are doing.


Not only can news in this industry contain technological developments but sales figures and levels of worldwide sales of consoles or games. Another essential element of news in the gaming industry is to see which games are being banned and heavily policed by regulators as this can help developers gain a good idea of where the boundaries lay in game development.


There are industries that rely on the technology news pages that may surprise some people; the medical industry relies heavily on technical developments to advance forms of diagnosis and treatment. A recent story on students using consoles to increase their dexterity before surgery was a news article that provided a unique insight into the medical world.


Surprisingly sports are becoming increasingly reliant upon technology to increase their efficiency and skill levels; in cricket it is believed that some players where GPS systems that reveal the amount of running a specific player does during a match and hence alter his training scheme accordingly.


The importance of technology in communications is probably where news is most important. As one of the fastest developing industries in the world, communications has the potential to change our lives unimaginably. Already the mobile phone has revolutionised the way we live and communicate and hence many want to be well informed when a new technology arrives. Next generation phones with full mobile internet as well as GPS navigation systems are at the forefront of the mobile phone industry meaning enthusiasts as well as industry commentators are glued to news stories as they role off the presses.


Other developments reported in the technology news pages include information on the interfaces we use to interact with our various pieces of technology. Recent stories have included reports of headsets that allow users to control game characters through emotions and facial expressions as well as the ability to move items cognitively in a virtual world. Outside of the gaming sphere the rumours of a ’3D internet’ are rife as increasing progress is made in the way we interact with technology.


Developments include ways in which technology may change our home lives. With news stories reporting of fridges that can automatically order food as it runs out, self cleaning ovens and vacuum cleaners that will clean the house without the lifting of the finger. If you believe all the news stories have to say, in the future we will be living in a world without manual labour.


Everyone should have a passing interest in technological developments as eventually they may change everyone’s lives for the better. Granted some of the technology news stories can be too detailed for the lay reader to enjoy but if the stories are written from a general interest perspective, all should be entertained and educated about technology that may one day change the world.

Technological expert Thomas Pretty stresses the importance of technology news in becoming knowledgeable of technological developments.

 
Friday, October 15th, 2010

Is a Technology Franchise Right for Me?

If you have any experience in the computing and telecommunications industries, a technology franchise could be the perfect fit. There’s no denying that technology is a booming industry. Over 75% of American households own and use a computer. Cell phone usage has been steadily climbing since the late 70s, and today it’s estimated that over a billion people own and use cell phones worldwide. These are just two areas in which your knowledge of technology can help you own and operate a successful technology franchise.


One of the best reasons for starting a technology franchise is the demand for these types of services in the marketplace. Technology changes so fast that there is always a large percentage of the population who needs help with technology-related issues. Whether it’s installing a program on their computer, managing their cell phone or creating a website for their business, your role as a technology business owner can help bridge the gap between their needs and their knowledge.


Mobile computer repair is one of the largest sectors in the world of technology franchises. Computers are so integral to daily life that people can no longer wait a few days or weeks to get their computer back from a repair shop. They’re looking for the convenience of having someone come to their home and repair their computer in a matter of hours. There is a huge demand for quick and reliable service and owning a Computer Medics franchise allows you to meet that demand.


Computer Medics has a proven business model that will give you a leg up in the world of computer repair. The parent company will provide you with training, support and tools that you need to have success with your technology franchise. As you work, you build long-term relationships with your clients based on your trust and professionalism. For someone with experience in IT or strong interest in computers, this could be the perfect technology franchise.


Businesses also have a need for technology support just like independent consumers. Concerto Networks is a technology franchise that taps into this growing need. As a Concerto Networks business owner you’ll be able to help small to medium-sized businesses manage the technology that helps them make money on a daily basis. From computers and the internet, to phones and PDAs, Concerto Networks technicians help businesses run efficiently.


Another option in the technology franchise industry is cartridge refilling. Considering the price of new ink cartridges for printers, it’s easy to understand why this is a booming business. Cartridge Depot is a technology franchise that aims at changing the way people buy ink and toner. With this business, you sell remanufactured cartridges that offer the same quality as new cartridges for just a percentage of the price. Not only does this technology business allow you to help others, but as you recycle cartridges for your customers you will be helping the environment as well.

Technology franchises come in many other varieties as well. Cell phone retailers, web professionals and child-centered technology all fall under this banner. To learn about more options in the technology franchises field, visit www.franchisegenuis.com.

More Technology Articles

Business & Technology Crack – Does Business Drives Technology or Technology Drives Business?

Information Technology and the move to a computerized infrastructure model are bringing great changes to many industries. Often it is the CIO of the company who escort this fundamental shift in the business revenue stream. Leading others through modernization, revolutionize and transformation means you must be able to make changes yourself.

Forget about asking whether technology drives business or business drives technology. Stop perturbing about whether or not technology is strategic. Silence all the confusions about how advance this technology is to that technology. In technology, there are numerous questions that if you have to ask, you probably already know and don’t like the answer. A more satisfying line of inquiry is how much of your technological horsepower is actually being used to turn the wheels of innovation.

Some people says that Technology drives business modernization, novelty, success & Innovations that opens up new doors of opportunities, improves the company’s performance on the whole, sharpens the company’s market intelligence, and makes new things possible for the clients. Another school of thought is that the Business Drives Technology, as such integration is about assisting business to facilitate their profitability by utilizing technology and other resources available to the enterprise. But realistically speaking, the driving force comes from the CEO and CIO of the company, who both endeavor to leverage technology to its fullest potential.

In a society that has become entirely dependent on computers and immediate communications, technology is becoming the heartbeat in the process of office design as decisions on layout and services. Some aspects of technology, like the computer animation & communication, are highly visible demonstration devices. But more of it is in the largely unseen infrastructure, with the emphasis on sophisticated wiring and smart communication devices to provide for an ever greater flow, and on communications and power facilities to keep operations running through almost any anticipated calamity.

In the modernization of the today’s businesses, Common business drivers include; Mergers and Acquisitions, Internal Reorganizations, Application and System Consolidation, Inconsistent/Duplicated/Fragmented Data, New Business Strategies, Compliance with Government Regulations, Streamlining Business Processes. To achieve the success in the accommodation of these business drivers, the sturdy and smart input would be required from both the parties i.e. the business as well as the technology.

In a company, you could cover every surface in your office with how to manage change. But one aspect of change management that often dodges IT Managers is how to better influence corporate colleagues. If information technology drives business decisions, the IT executives must communicate and be persuasive with other department heads on key project management issues.

Strategic planning for Information Technology is one component of an overall company vision for success. This psychoanalysis facilitates IT professionals to successfully define short and long-term goals and ascertain the resources necessary to apprehend such goals. To ensure success, the strategic plan should be developed in a thorough but rapid manner, consist of a brief, succinct compilation of analyzed data, and provide opportunities by which additional planning and analysis can occur.

Several important benefits occur as the result of a successful strategic IT plan. First, employees are provided with an understanding of how their role fits in with the overall company structure. Also, this planning allows managers to realize additional opportunities for growth and success. Finally, important relationships between technology investment and positive outcomes, such as increased market share, are revealed.

It’s now become the industry dilemma that IT people need to know more about business. They need to understand the disciplines and the lingo of business process management, business performance management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, financial management, human resources management, operations management, etc. Lacking that knowledge, communication with business people and understanding of business requirements will forever be troubled.

On the other hand the Business people should also drive their efforts to know more about information technology. As with all communication and relationship issues, this is not a prejudiced problem. Just as IT people need to become more business-oriented, business people need to be more IT-oriented. They need to understand the roles and relationships among the many different kinds of technology upon which their information systems depend, and they need to understand the dependencies among those technologies. Business people need to have a working knowledge of the technology stack as it affects their capability to get information, perform business analysis, and make informed business decisions.

Beyond the relatively straight-forward needs of business becoming IT-oriented and technologists becoming business-oriented, there lies a new challenge. We must develop common understanding and shared perspective of value, an issue that is both a business concern and a technology consideration. When business and IT have different meaning and outlook for value, conflicts are certain to arise.

Business and IT organizations often have two evidently different perspectives of value. IT expert generally take a data-to-value approach. Where Data produces information, information enhances knowledge, knowledge drives action, action produces outcomes, and favorable outcomes deliver value. Business management typically uses a goals-to-value system. Business drivers and goals determine strategies, strategies drive tactics, which in turn produce results, and positive results produce value.

Effective business/IT relationships are ultimately a question of alignment. New IT skills, new business skills, and new perspectives that sets the stage for business/IT alignment. But it doesn’t assure alignment. To achieve genuine association there are several things that must be done; some by IT, some by the business, and some collectively.

Conflicts between business and IT organizations have existed from the very beginning of automated Information Systems. We have accelerated in so many ways both in business and in technology. However, the problem still pestilences most of the businesses. The Business/IT crack must go away. The cost is high; the value is null; and the barriers that it crafts grow bigger each moment. The problem can be fixed, and the time to fix it is now!

Pervaiz Pyar Ali (MCS / MBA / MCP)

IT Specialist (Tivoli / System X)

IBM – Pakistan

Pervaiz@pk.ibm.com

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