It’s not just smartphones, either. Television manufacturers have done a remarkable job at reinventing themselves and staying relevant in the world of handheld devices. After all, who wants to watch the latest blockbuster movie on a tiny, five-inch screen? TVs have progressed to the point where the remote is no longer necessary. From the comfort of your sofa, you can simply tell your TV what channel you want it to go to, or which app to launch, and it does it. Samsung and all the other major television manufacturers have incorporated that feature into their latest sets, and it has been widely applauded.

What’s the Downside?

The downside is simply this: In order to understand what those voice commands mean, a computer has to digitally record, then interpret them. You read that correctly. It makes a digital copy of your spoken words. All of them. Understand that all smart TVs work exactly the same way. This exact feature is coming to the fore because Samsung made it a point to mention it specifically in their privacy policy.
How many times have you had a private, personal conversation with someone while watching TV? If you stop and think about it, you’ll probably come to the realization that it happens more often than you first thought. The TV has become such a fixture in our lives that we don’t even think about it, and why should we? For decades, our TV’s were just passive boxes that dutifully displayed the images we wanted. The whole idea of a “smart TV” is still somewhat alien to us, and we’re struggling to adapt with this new concept.
What it means for consumers is that the company that owns the TV is digitizing every word you say while you’re within “earshot” of the set. According to the Samsung privacy policy, all your spoken words are shipped off to a third party, and that party converts them to text. The question then becomes, “what does that third party do with all that data?” That’s an excellent question, and nobody really seems to know.
Of course, as Samsung says, you can avoid all this simply by turning off the voice feature of your “smart TV,” but then you’re in the somewhat-troubling situation of having paid a premium for a smart set, only to immediately dumb it back down. If that was your plan, you could have just saved some money and an extra step by not buying the smart TV in the first place. While this is a “solution,” it’s not really a solution. All of this to say, be careful what you say around your Smart TV. You really don’t know who’s listening, or what they’re doing with your words.

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What Happened?

Back in the late 70s and 80s, RadioShack was poised to be THE name in electronics retail. The only store you would ever need. The problem was, their often over-paid managers had lots of big ideas and they tried them all. Simultaneously and haphazardly.

They tried to be the super-electronics store, but with a small footprint. They tried to be the mammoth PC manufacturer and for a while the TRS-80 even outsold Apple, but they didn’t keep up with the times. The venerable TRS-80 became known as the “Trash 80” within a few years, and its PCs were being outperformed by Dells, IBMs and Apples. They tried to be the cellphone giant, only to sell the business at exactly the wrong time. They tried to be Best Buy and Circuit City combined, but of course, with a small footprint and limited inventory, they wound up being neither.

At every turn their strengths became weaknesses. The vision of their leadership, while bold and exciting, was not executed with any kind of focus, and that’s the real shame. Businesses tend to be at their best when they focus on one thing and apply all their available resources to doing that one thing really well. As RadioShack dabbled in dozens of different things, never really giving any one of them its undivided attention, more focused businesses sprang up around them and began systematically taking market share from them.

It’s clear that you don’t kill a billion-dollar company overnight, but the retailer’s descent accelerated with the commercialization of the internet and the rise of Amazon. Having been relegated to being a niche presence in retail, focusing on cables and the other essential hardware that make computers run, Radio Shack suddenly found even this ground shifting beneath their feet. Why run down to your local Radio Shack and pay 30-40% more for the cable you need when you can just have it delivered to your door? That’s how Radio Shack became a business without a point or purpose.

It was a good store. It could have been a great store. It could have been one of the defining companies of the computer age, and it’s a real pity that it wasn’t. Radio Shack, you will be missed, and to business owners everywhere, take care not to make the same mistakes they made, or you may well be joining them.

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The Benefits Of A Public Cloud
The public cloud model is much more open when compared to private options. Often, your data is stored on servers with that of other companies, even though you can only see your files. These solutions are much more cost-effective for businesses and make it easier for them to share data among their own employees, vendors, and even customers.

The Advantages Of A Private Cloud
This is a more closed cloud system that offers tighter security and more stringent controls. Private clouds are usually only used and able to be seen by the individual companies operating them. They are the perfect solution for storing files that need more security and are the right place to host applications and other business-critical software and data. Private clouds are more expensive, however, when compared to available public cloud storage options.

Hybrid Solutions Provide Balance
When business owners are searching for more cost-effective solutions for their storage needs, they are often looking for solutions that give them easy access to their data and give them the security and flexibility they need at a price they consider affordable. For many companies, the solution to storage needs lies in a hybrid approach using both private and public clouds for storage. Some companies may even choose to host some files locally on their own servers and move the rest to a public cloud environment.

However business professionals choose to break it apart, a hybrid solution is often the best option for businesses looking to expand the storage options while keeping costs under control. For mission-critical applications and sensitive data, a smaller private cloud can be used, and for other aspects of the business, a public cloud is almost always the best and most cost-effective solution. Ideally, these environments will work across the business as one homogeneous and seamless storage solution, making it easy for everyone in the company to understand and use them.

Cloud storage solutions have become one of the key ways in which companies can reduce costs while increasing their storage capabilities and ability to share files and work from virtually any location. Hybrid solutions are often the best fit for companies as a combination of the cloud options will give them the security they need while offering added work flexibility at a reduced cost.

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What is the “Misfortune Cookie” Flaw?
The vulnerability can be found in the embedded web server software, RomPager from AllegroSoft. A hacker can attack the web server and exploit this bug allowing it to take control of the router. They can then use this control to steal data from both wired and wireless devices that are connected to the router.

Why is it so Prevalent?
A patch for this security flaw has been available since 2005, but about 98% of the routers using RomPager are still running without the patch that plugs this hole. The fact is many people never bother to update the firmware on their routers, and many users simply do not have the technical knowledge necessary to do it. Even if router manufacturers made sure that this flaw has been patched on their end, it is still often up to the users. Many experts believe that this flaw will continue to be seen for years to come because of this simple fact.

Not Just for Routers
Infected routers are not a new method of attack for hackers. Earlier this year, hackers used routers, home theater systems and even a smart refrigerator to send out hundreds of thousands of spam email messages across the Internet.

What Can You Do?
When you consider security, you must think in broader terms than just your computer. You need to consider your entire network. This is especially true if the router is used by a small business. In addition to always running good antivirus software, you have to take the time to patch your router with the latest software from the manufacturer. This is the best defense against these types of security flaws. The router manufacturers should have detailed instructions available on how to patch your router. Many are prepared to offer assistance to your business if needed.

Lack of Awareness
Business owners and CEO’s alike are largely unaware of the threats against their companies’ networks each and every day. This lack of awareness can lead to dangerous results as business owners fail to allocate the proper resources to secure their networks. These resources must be used on security measures to ensure that both internal company data and the personal data of customers remains safe from the prying eyes of hackers looking to steal this information and use it for their own nefarious purposes.

Many business owners are unaware that their systems are under attack on a regular basis. Hackers are constantly seeking new victims and will never stop. To ensure your business remains secure from the threats of hackers, you have to remain vigilant and make security a top priority for your business. If you don’t, your business could become the next victim of the hackers and you could find your valuable data could be stolen right out from under you.

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How To Read The Data
While a lot of the data they receive about their customers comes in formats easy for computers to read, much of it comes in a different form. These types of data could be hand written notes that were jotted down as part of a survey, or even correspondence they received from a customer. The problem with this data is computers have difficulty reading it and then translating it into meaningful information for a company to act upon.

Giving The Data Context
Even if a company gains the ability to read data from large reports or survey questions, it will still have to find a way to automatically distinguish what is said in those reports. For example, take the word “bug” that might be found in a report. Most computers could pick this word out of the report, but they will have a hard time distinguishing between a computer bug, a creepy crawly bug or even a VW bug. Because of this limitation, the results from a simple search could give data that is skewed and inaccurate, making it virtually useless.

Big data can be a great tool for companies, but if they fail to put it in the proper context, it will not give them any meaningful insights into their businesses or their customers. Reading and translating the data accurately is the only way to ensure results that can actually be used by a business to enhance its products and improve their customers’ shopping experiences.

Privacy Concerns
There is a huge fear that big data could mean the end of privacy as we know it. While it is true that more and more of your information is being collected, many companies are trying to collect this data in a manner that not only gives them the meaningful insights they need, but also protects your privacy. Software utilized to read this type of data is being designed and optimized to strip out certain types of data in an attempt to limit the privacy risks of customers.

The push of big data has become a trend that almost all companies, small and large, are taking advantage of every day. With the increasing ability of technology to collect massive amounts of data about customers comes a need to create new systems that are smart enough to read and sort through it all and then present it in an organized fashion that can be used to improve products and customer experience. This presentation represents the biggest challenge faced by companies looking to exploit big data, and it must be solved if they ever hope to benefit from the information it can provide.

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However, despite the shift in trends, email combined with a traditional web presence still has a place in business and, if leveraged correctly, can still be a very powerful tool for your business.

The Benefits of Email
No matter what the latest social craze is or how “sexy” a business wants to appear to their potential markets, the benefits of email are still tangible and cannot be denied. Everyone today has at least one email address, and everyone knows how to read and send email. This creates a large market potential for companies looking to expand. Email is also brand-able. Every address is unique, and your company’s public email address can be yet another way for people to instantly recognize who you are and what you do. Email marketing has risen to become one of the most powerful sources of income for many companies and currently shows no signs of slowing down, making it a resource you shouldn’t ignore.

There Are Drawbacks
Despite all these benefits, there are some drawbacks to using email for your business. Spam has become a huge problem worldwide with companies investing millions to try and sift through the hundreds upon thousands of emails that come in. Users are increasingly having to be careful about what email to open and what to ignore as emails can contain harmful content such as viruses and malware. For companies looking to craft great, compelling emails, they must learn how to create HTML email that looks good across a wide range of browsers if they hope to be effective.

Email Is Not Dead Yet
Even with Facebook and other social media outlets creating new messaging formats that are quickly picking up steam, email is still a big part of the world. So much so that even Facebook and Google+ understand this as they try to incorporate email as part of their own messaging systems. Email has also become a great way to send out information such as newsletters that customers want to read but don’t want or need to respond to in any way. While it’s true that email use has declined over the years, it is still something that is, at the very least, checked on a regular basis by all users online.

Today, email is still a vital part of every business and is both a tool for communication and a tool for marketing to customers. It is important to remember, however, that the conversation with our customers doesn’t end when you click the send button. You must seek out these consumers where they hang out online and use the combined power of social media and email to create a healthy and thriving customer base.

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Mobile
IT leaders and department heads still struggle over how to properly integrate mobile systems such as smartphones and tablets into their businesses. IT departments want to be sure the mobile technology they choose offers their users meaningful connectivity and functionality while also giving administrators the control they need over the devices to maintain some semblance of order in the company’s technology infrastructure. Many leaders struggle with various policies such as bring-your-own-device or bring-your-own-app policies, as these guidelines often move the technology outside of the watchful eyes of IT and make it much more difficult to control.

The Cloud
Currently there is a big shift to the cloud by both individuals and businesses. While the cloud offers many great features and can often be used at a fraction of the cost of local storage, there are still many concerns for IT leaders when shifting to the cloud. Speed, reliability and security are all top priorities among IT heads everywhere, along with exactly what type of cloud should they implement and how much of the business can they safely migrate while still maintaining a reliable network.

Security
Data breaches are happening on such a regular basis now that many of us don’t even notice the latest one when it makes the news. However, security remains a big concern for IT heads everywhere. No company wants to become the next victim of a big data breach so IT leaders continue to invest both time and money resources to try and shore up the defenses of the networks they are charged with protecting. Unfortunately, these resources are often limited making it difficult for IT to create the web of security they are hoping for to ensure that company data remain safe.

These new technologies and threats have created an interesting environment for IT leaders. Companies are increasingly shifting their IT offsite to other companies and have become increasingly reliant on cloud and mobile based systems. In order to properly implement these systems and ensure they work for and not against the company, IT leaders need resources and people with the skills to handle these new technologies. Many IT heads have said that they don’t have the resources they need, making it difficult for them to serve their company properly and provide users with the IT technologies they expect.

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Overflowing Your Inbox with Too Much Information
Many people like to stay on top of everything, but subscribing to too many newsletters or email notifications will quickly fill your inbox with information you don’t need, forcing you to sort through it on a regular basis so your box doesn’t overflow. Subscribe to those newsletters and notifications you know are mission critical and consider creating rules to sort them automatically to keep your inbox from bursting with too much information. Letting messages run wild makes it difficult for you to find real emails that need your attention.

Using Email for Everything
So much happens through email today, but you must ask yourself if it is really necessary. In some cases the answer is yes, as the paper trail is good to have. However, in other instances you could accomplish the same thing in a fraction of the time simply by using chat applications or even picking up the phone and calling the person you are about to email.

Writing Long Emails
Writing long email takes valuable time away from other more important tasks. Brevity and clarity are as important as good grammar when composing a message. Remember, most people don’t want to spend huge amounts of time reading your long emails. Consider keeping your emails short and to the point so you can get on with other more important work.

Spending Too Much Time in Your Inbox
You don’t need to dive into your email every couple of minutes; spending too much effort in organizing your inbox will waste valuable time that could be devoted to other projects. Balance is key here. Consider checking your email at slightly longer intervals and devote only a few minutes to organization, or you could find your whole day has vanished as you attempt to place every email in a specific location.

Never Archiving or Deleting
While many users want to keep every single email they ever receive, the truth is most of these emails aren’t important and serve only to clutter up an inbox and make it difficult to find other, more important correspondence. Instead of saving everything, delete any email that is not business critical and regularly archive your email for those rare cases where you must access them. This will result in a much cleaner inbox that is easy to search and navigate so you can send off those emails much faster than before.

Email won’t be going away any time soon, and it is still one of the best tools for conducting business. It can overwhelm you, however, and make it difficult to actually conduct business. Following these few easy steps will help you organize your email once and for all.

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What Is Crowdsourcing?
Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining ideas about your business’s products and services from a large group of people – usually your customers. Crowdsourcing often takes place online, using social media and other online communities instead of enlisting the more traditional help sources, namely employees and other vendors.

Why Crowdsource?
As a business, you probably recognize that your customers know as much about your brand or brands as you do. Sometimes they may actually know more than you do about them. Crowdsourcing can help you gain meaningful and true insights from the users of your brands. Your customers can help you improve your existing products and could help you create new products that they want and will buy from you. They can help you generate buzz for new products and give you insights into new campaigns and advertising.

How Businesses Are Using It
Businesses are using crowdsourcing in a variety of ways to help increase product awareness or just simply to improve customer loyalty. Crowdsourcing is a great research tool as well, and when combined with a promotion campaign can also increase awareness of your brand. By leveraging the power of already loyal customers, businesses can educate themselves on their brand and learn where they should take the brand in the future.

Lays, for example, has become a leader in crowdsourcing with many campaigns designed to really connect with their customers. Their latest campaign, “Do Us a Flavor”, allowed their customers to create custom flavored chips and submit them online. The winner will not only get a new flavor of potato chips out of it, but also a $1 million dollar prize.

Starbucks has also engaged its customers with its “create a cup” contest. Their customers are encouraged to decorate cups and submit pictures of them. The winning cup will become a limited-edition printed cup sold in Starbucks everywhere.

Doritos has created a “boldness” campaign that encourages its customers to “live boldly” and prove it by sending in pictures of how they are living bold. They create various missions that their customers must fulfil for various rewards. This simple little campaign fits nicely with their business and allows them to increase brand awareness while learning exactly who is buying their brand.

The above examples demonstrate how powerful crowdsourcing truly can be. With one campaign, companies learn so much about how consumers feel about their products and what they believe the company should be doing, while at the same time generating excitement for their brand and growing their business.

With crowdsourcing, businesses can tap into their already established networks of loyal customers and leverage the power of that group in new and fresh ways.

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Potential Privacy Threat
Edith Ramirez of the FTC has warned consumers and businesses that these devices have the potential to collect vast amounts of what until now has been personal data on someone’s habits, credit card purchases, family, friends and even religious practices. These data could create a more complete personal picture of an individual that might not be pertinent, but could alter a person’s ability to, for example, obtain employment due to a false impression that it might create. Some fear it could even go farther and sour a university or college against a potential candidate seeking education after high school or prospective employers for applicants of all ages.

Positive Potential
The FTC has acknowledged that the Internet of Things and the data it can collect could bring about some positive reforms as well that could improve health and even boost the potential for economic growth for both businesses and individuals. At the same time, companies can use these data to further develop their products to bring consumers the gadgets they want and need, enhancing the quality of life for all involved. However, the FTC believes these benefits shouldn’t come at the expense of an individual’s privacy rights.

Business Responsibility
Businesses will be the entities collecting and sorting through this vast amount of data, and the FTC urges companies to proceed with caution and only collect data that is relevant and necessary. The data that are collected should be handled with great care, and companies should work diligently to not paint a potentially-inaccurate picture. On top of that, companies must be responsible with sharing this information to ensure a person’s rights are not violated, and that they are not harmed in any way as a result of the collection.

The Internet of Things will no doubt be the next big Internet revolution, and in the coming years more and more of our possessions, such as our houses and cars, will become increasingly connected to the Internet. This will allow us more control and customization than we have ever had before. With that connectivity also comes the ability of businesses to collect and learn more about our habits and even tell them much more personal information. It is up to businesses to handle this amount of data responsibility and remember the privacy rights of all concerned.

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