(This article originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — These are the 18 best tech podcasts according to Mashable.
With the popular tech podcast Reply All being placed on a hiatus after two of its employees were accused of contributing to a discriminatory and racist workplace culture, writers at entertainment and media company Mashable shared their top podcasts listeners can subscribe to. The 18 podcasts range from focusing on women, Silicon Valley news, digital culture, contributions by and experiences of marginalized populations, and more. The full list can be found here. (Source: Mashable)
Why this is important for your business:
Many small business owners ask me where to keep up on the latest technology that they need to know about for their companies. Of course, I always direct them to this column. But I also recommend technology podcasts and a few of them are on this list. Worth bookmarking and listening!
2 —The PC market is showing no signs of slowing down.
Recent research from Gartner has revealed that the shipment of PCs has gone up by 32% in the first quarter of this year. While PC sales sharply declined during the same time in 2020, sales have gone up so much during the first quarter of 2021, making this the quickest YOY (year-over-year) growth since 2000, which is when Gartner started tracking the shipment of PCs. (Souce: Tech Radar)
Why this is important for your business:
It’s not really businesses that’s contributing to the boom. According to the research, the majority of the growth is mainly due to schools and other educational organizations purchasing new devices due to hybrid or virtual learning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But I’m expecting many of my clients to update and buy new laptops and desktops over the next few years so I expect this trend will continue.
3 —What Social media use looks like in 2021.
A new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed information on social media trends so far for this year. According to the survey, Facebook and YouTube remain at the top with 81% of participants using Facebook and 69% using YouTube. The survey also indicated that 40% of participants over 18 used Instagram, while LinkedIn and Pinterest were used by 3-in-10 and 25% of participants using Snapchat. Other than YouTube and Reddit, the survey found that the majority of social media platforms showed minimal usage growth over the last 2 years. (Source: Pew Research)
Why this is important for your business:
Another interesting reveal: about one in five people are active Twitter users. All of this data should be taken into consideration when you’re making your social media marketing and investment plans in 2021. Remember: focus on where the customers are!
4 — Seeq landed $50M to grow its manufacturing analytics software platform.
Seeq— a Seattle-based startup that develops analytics software for industrial manufacturers— recently raised $50 million in funding. Seeq’s software helps manufacturers analyze and collect data by pulling information from instrument systems and sensors to answer equipment-specific questions. Seeq operates with both cloud and in-house data and has existing partnerships with Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. To date, the startup has raised $115 million. (Source: GeekWire)
Why this is important for your business:
Many of my manufacturing clients are facing supply chain issues this year and one of ways to alleviate this issue is better demand planning and warehouse capacity utilization. Applications like Seeq can provide the kind of information that will help do this.
5—Hatch is debuting its SMB checking account product.
Hatch— which provides banking solutions for small businesses— has introduced a business checking account platform for SMBs that will offer customers up to 5% in cash back at businesses such as restaurants, gas stations, and more. (Source: Pymnts)
Why this is important for your business:
The new feature will also provide up to $50 of overdraft coverage and not charge fees for insufficient funds. According to the announcement, Hatch developed the new product in an effort to help the 3.5 million businesses that have launched over the last year throughout the pandemic.
