(This column 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 — Amazon now allows customers to make payments through Venmo.
Amazon recently announced that customers will now be able to use Venmo on its platform to make payments. This past week, the new option was rolled out to select customers and will be made available to all users in the U.S. on both the mobile app and Amazon’s website by Black Friday in November. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
It’s critical to make sure you provide as many payment options to your customers as possible. Even Amazon is now accepting Venmo and continues to flirt with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. My recommendation is to accept PayPal because through it you can also take in various other forms of payment. But additional services like Apple Wallet and Google Pay are also important to accept. Don’t let your customers walk away because their payment method of choice wasn’t available.
2 — There’s a really enticing new reason to switch your business to Google Workspace now.
Google Workspace users will be able to benefit even more from their subscriptions due to significant expansions being made to the platform. Google announced that those who subscribe to the office software suite will now enjoy 1TB of secure cloud storage as compared to the previous 15GB. The update also includes smarter emails with mail merge tags and other personalization options. (Source: Tech Radar)
Why this is important for your business:
This is definitely an intriguing new offer, considering the vast amount of file space your business probably needs. But it’s pretty much bringing Google into line with what it’s biggest competitor Office 365 offers.
3-PayPal is getting more secure passkey logins.
Payments platform PayPal recently announced that passkeys will now be added as an updated, password-less method of securely logging into the platform on Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Passkeys for PayPal rolled out to US customers last week and will be made available to other countries early next year. (Source: The Verge)
Why this is important for your business:
So what is a passkey? According to TechTarget:
Passkeys are a new type of login credential that removes the need for passwords. The authentication requires either biometric authentication — such as a fingerprint or facial recognition — or a PIN or swipe pattern used with Androids for access. The passkey works on a person’s device, so users can’t use passkey functions on another device without a QR code. Users can scan the QR code from their phone and use their Face ID or Touch ID to sign in from another nearby device. Passkeys were created with the Web Authentication API security standard that uses public key cryptography for access. Each key is unique and created with encrypted data for added security — think of a digital version of a keycard.
Say goodbye to passwords, people. Prepare your business for security changes like this one that rely on biometrics and some form of multi-factor authentication.
4 — The FBI is warning that this ransomware group is targeting poorly protected VPN servers.
The FBI is warning users of an increase in ransomware attacks by a group known as Daixin Team which targets VPN servers that are poorly protected. The FBI issued a statement along with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the attacks impacting the public health and healthcare sectors since June and warned providers to immediately implement secure VPN servers. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
My advice is to forward this warning to your tech support team to evaluate the security of your VPN client. Of course, if you’re already having your applications and data hosted by a reputable managed services provider they’re probably all over this one.
5- According to tech review website PC World, the Dell XPS 13 looks great but falls short in performance. Or does it?
The team at tech review website PC World recently reviewed the Dell XPS 13 and gave it a three star rating out of five. According to the review, the laptop’s compact, thin design is matched by the “beautiful and rigid machined aluminum chassis” and is comfortable to use. However, the appearance is overshadowed by the computer’s limited ports, grainy 720p webcam, and overall mediocre performance. (Source: PC World)
Why this is important for your business:
Definitely a lukewarm review. But that’s just one opinion. CNET’s Dan Ackerman, for example, says the laptop is a “slim, sturdy performer for anyone with MacBook envy.” My take is that I’ve owned XPS laptops for years (I currently have two) and will buy another when the one I’m writing this column on eventually dies. I like the product line and have found it to be reliable and well supported.
