Technology 101

HOW INDVIDUALS USE SOCIAL MEDIA Broadly, individuals use social media either as a means of self promotion, hungry for the narcissistic self-exposure we crave, or  to connect with friends, family and likeminded others for socialization and emotional support.   HOW COMPANIES USE SOCIAL MEDIA Similar to the use of social media by individuals, companies also use social media in one of two ways. They either use it for commercial purposes (to brand, sell and market their business) or for communal purposes (to engage, connect and co-create with their customers). SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE PANDEMIC During the pandemic, social media has become an extremely powerful tool to connect and engage with not only friends and family, but also with people from all around the world. Social media gives us the power to positively impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people all while sitting at home. Here are some of the ways social media has helped us during the pandemic: 1. HELPS BUILD  A SE...

  1. Work Overload Many modern workers spend their days trying to keep up with the hundreds of emails that they are sent each week, all of which require reading and some of which require replies or action. Texts from colleagues in the evenings or on the weekend can mean that people never fully escape work. Organizing the vast amount of digital data acquired in some jobs, such as the minutes of meetings, training videos, photographs, reports, and instructions, can also be a huge headache. 2. Job Insecurity It used to be that you had to be physically present at a workplace to do a job, but now many work tasks are performed remotely via the internet. That means a Third World worker in a low wage economy can undercut you and take your job. Increasingly, humans aren't needed at all for many tasks, as computers gradually replace them. Driving and delivery jobs, for instance, will disappear soon as vehicles become automated. 3. Plagiarism and Copyright Digital media is remarkably easy to ...

Cyberthreats are constantly evolving in order to take advantage of online behavior and trends. The COVID-19 outbreak is no exception. Cybercriminals are attacking the computer networks and systems of individuals, businesses and even global organizations at a time when cyber defenses might be lowered due to the shift of focus to the health crisis. Types of cyberattacks Malicious domains There are a considerable number of registered domains on the Internet that contain the terms: "coronavirus", "corona-virus", "covid19" and "covid-19". While some are legitimate websites, cybercriminals are creating thousands of new sites every day to carry out spam campaigns, phishing or to spread malware. Malware Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the widespread global communications on the coronavirus to mask their activities. Malware, spyware and Trojans have been found embedded in interactive coronavirus maps and websites. Spam emails are also tricking user...

With an increasing number of countries encouraging citizens to stay, learn or work from home, now is the moment to focus on cybersecurity, whether it’s for yourself or your workplace. Keep your information safe Back up all your important files, and store them independently from your system (e.g. in the cloud, on an external drive); Always verify you are on a company’s legitimate website before entering login details or sensitive information. Check your software and systems Ensure you have the latest anti-virus software installed on your computer and mobile devices; Secure email gateways to thwart threats via spam; Strengthen your home network; Secure system administrations vulnerabilities that attackers could abuse; Disable third-party or outdated components that could be used as entry points; Download mobile applications or any other software from trusted platforms only; Perform regular health scans on your computers or mobile devices. Be vigilant Talk to your family −including childr...

  Quarantining.   Even though there are tech employees who describe themselves as introverts, it turns out, the report found, they're not really so introverted. There's been no greater light shone on this than during quarantine and isolation. Isolation has greatly affected employees' and leaders' moods, and water-cooler talk proved essential, even for those who are self-described or perceived as unsociable.  Not home-office compatible . Not everyone has a perfect space to work remotely, and it can be impossible to figure a way to have an effective and organized work area. They're not able to set up an arrangement conducive to full concentration, which can directly affect employee efficiency. No man is an island, at least  when it comes to productivity .  Autonomy doesn't work for everyone, not everyone can efficiently self-organize work.  Productivity fails.  WFH can present an average fall in performance. And it does not boil down to a single fai...

  Allows for an appropriate work/home balance.  Most businesses are conducted in major metropolitan areas, and employees were previously saddled with commutes, exhausting traffic jams, or queues for public transport. WFH, and especially with entire families quarantining together, employees have the opportunity to spend more time with family and home life. Fun Corp's surveys found employees are less stressed than before the pandemic. Unfortunately, world events have not and don't contribute to less stress. Productivity and focus are on the uptick.  Even though there are distractions in the home, the report found overall concentration at work has improved. With the reduction of external irritants, stress is reduced and assignments are completed more efficiently, quickly and with Reduced stress levels due to lack of external irritants allow tasks to be performed faster with fewer errors or inaccuracies. More top talent want to WFH.  "You pull from a larger talent pool,"...

At the beginning of 2020, all we had predicted was a new beginning and new opportunities that came along with the conception of a new decade. Just a few months in, we encountered a massive speed bump that we are recovering from even today, more than a year later- The Corona virus pandemic. At a time of widespread fear and qualm, the greatest tool we have had to make it through has been technology. Let us assess some of the positive aspects and advantages that technology has provided us. OTT Platforms- The term OTT or “over-the-top” is used for the delivery of film and TV content via the internet, for which users don’t need to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite pay-TV service. Without any outdoor entertainment, the lockdown has led to more people inadvertently realising the convenience of OTT, which has already created a shift in the way content is consumed on a day-to-day basis. Game Space- To reduce their boredom, one of the activities on which people spend time during th...

Whether we like it or not, technology is now an inevitable part of our life. In every sphere, we can see applications of technology- in the machinery used in hospitals, in the filing systems used in offices, in something as big as sending rovers to mars or something as small as billing groceries. Even though technology has been a huge part of our everyday life before the inception of the Covid Pandemic, it has now become more prominent than ever. With the imposition of the first lockdown on 25th March 2020, all services and factories were suspended. People stopped going to their jobs, education was put on an indefinite hold and even groceries were fought over. At such a time of uncertainty and qualm, the only thing that helped us move forward with our lives was technology. Remote working helped businesses stay afloat and even helped them experience and implement effective employee engagement and team building strategies outside of the traditional office environment. Even schooling expe...

  IS ONLINE EDUCATION A COMPARABLE SUBSTITUTE TO TRADITIONAL, IN-PERSON EDUCATION? Sir Ken Robinson once said, “Given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed — it needs to be transformed.” We been blindly following the traditional model of dispensing information, when even a toddler can obtain answers from the internet to satiate their curiosity. The traditional school curriculum is so limited, while the repertoire of online education is limitless. There are infinite skills and subjects to teach and learn on the internet. From learning to cook potatoes, to solving complex algebraic equations- there is something for everyone on the net.  Comparing the rigidity of traditional schooling with flexibility of online education, it is truly shocking that it took us and entire pandemic to rake up this debate. Can we even compare the flexibility and customizability of online learning to its counterpart? When we lie in the age of A.R. and V.R....