(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Apple’s Silicon Macs promise screaming performance.
Recently released data indicates that Apple’s new Apple Silicon Mac will greatly meet up to and surpass Windows machines and older models when it comes to efficiency and performance. Developers have started to test the speed of the new macs and—according to those tests, —the machines are already running as quickly and efficiently as select Windows tools. The Silicon Macs—which are currently only in development— performed promisingly in field tests, showcasing a single-core score at approximately 811 points and 2871 multi-core points, surpassing Microsoft’s Surface Pro X scores of 726 and 2831. (Source: Computer World)
Why this is important for your business:
As mentioned above, the devices are still in development. According to Jonny Evans of Computerworld, “mass production is expected to begin in 2022-23. In other words, while Apple is widely expected to deliver vast performance and power efficiency gains in the next generation of processors in its iPhones this year, by the time 5G deployment really takes off (in two to three years) it will have access to an even more high-performance chip architecture.” Given the potential productivity benefits there may be reason to hold off on major Apple purchases until these devices make it to market.
2 — NASA is funding small-business ideas ranging from AI medicine to plumbing for the moon.
NASA has announced that it will be funding over 400 concepts from small businesses with a focus on developing technology that will span from plumbing for the moon, all the way to AI medical assistants that can help give a second set of eyes while crews are visiting Mars. Approximately $51 million in contracts will be given to 312 businesses throughout 44 states, as well as Washington D.C.. A single contract will be in the amount of up to $125,000 and will last between six to 13 months. (Source: GeekWire)
Why this is important for your business:
It takes a while to get government certification, but if you’re willing to put in the effort there are many opportunities for grants and contracts. NASA in particular has programs like this one specially aimed towards small businesses.
3 —Microsoft will be adding a new learning app to Teams.
Microsoft is in the process of developing a learning application that will be integrated into Microsoft Teams, bringing educational content from various sources into one, singular location. The app will work similarly to how a customer relationship management (CRM) system works for a company to help keep track of customer engagement, but will provide and keep track of the learning systems being used. Microsoft is looking to utilize Teams as a platform to help provide integration among skills, work, and learning. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
Another reason to step up your investment in Teams. Microsoft will continue to expand this platform over the coming years. But will it replace your CRM system? Here are my thoughts.
4 — TikTok has launched TikTok for Business for marketers and is taking on Snapchat with new AR ads.
TikTok has announced that they are extending their technology to advertisers. The social media platform shared that they will be formally rolling out a new branch that will be known as “TikTok For Business” and will exist as a hub for both existing and future marketing tools and resources for companies and brands. The initial rollout of the platform will include TopView— which is TikTok’s existing marque solution that shows up when a user first opens TikTok— as well as several additional products to assist with advertising. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:Some reports say that TikTok has close to a billion active users worldwide and with a much younger (teens, adolescents) demographic. If this market is one you’re after for your products or services then considering their new business tools may make sense for you.
5— Ransomware is about to get worse.
A security issue that used to mostly impact customers and consumers, Ransomware is quickly evolving and developing into a serious cybersecurity threat to businesses as well. Becoming the most detrimental issue of our time, hackers are now targeting big companies with the goal to extract millions in return. Targets within these large organizations have become much more sophisticated as well, with attacks moving beyond PCs and targeting business assets such as file servers, databases, cloud storage, etc. With minimal law enforcement resources trained in crime dealing with technology, many companies are choosing to skip the hassle and simply pay the ransom. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
I like to regularly include these reminders about the devastating impact of ransomware. But you can minimize your chances of becoming a victim. Get anti-virus software, backup your data, invest in training and most importantly keep your operating systems up to date. Doing these things will encourage potential hackers to avoid you for an easier target.
