Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Packing for trips can be frustrating because there’s always the chance that you’ll pack either too much or too little. This is especially true if you have multiple devices that you might be tempted to bring with you. It’s important to remember that you don’t always have to bring each and every device you own every time that you leave the office or go on a trip. We’ll help you make sure that you don’t overpack technology whenever you go on a trip.

It can be easy to dismiss the simple Chromebook as a limited solution, a one-trick pony of technology. However, while this may have once been true of the devices, more recent models are capable of much more than their predecessors. We’ll address a few misconceptions people have about, and against, Chromebooks.

Small business owners need to find creative ways to build a strong, productive operation. The best way to create the kind of productivity required to successfully grow a business is to ensure that everything works in concert. Today, we will look at a four technologies that can go a long way toward helping any small business grow their organizational productivity.

Technology has become so ingrained in society and the workplace that it can be difficult, borderline impossible, to consider a life without it. Hours on end are spent in front of computer screens during the workday, but even after hours in the comfort of your own home, you might notice that you have a hard time putting down your devices.

Science fiction is filled with incredible technology, especially in terms of how the characters communicate. This is especially true in the epic space opera Star Wars. Fortunately for viewers like you and me, some of the communication devices and technologies used a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, may not be so far off.

Have you ever heard of the term “bias?” It has a negative connotation to it, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. A bias can predispose you to a skewed consideration or thought when met with what is known to be a seemingly neutral stimuli. In some cases, they can cause more harm than good, which is why it’s a good thing to take another look at how you approach certain situations. Researchers have discovered several trends about why we hold certain biases, as well as how we can overcome them.

Over time, we’ve seen technology be developed into smaller and smaller sizes. One of the most notable examples of this is the computer. Computers used to be so large that they would take up the whole room, but nowadays, thanks to the developments in technology manufacturing, they take up a fraction of the space that they did not so long ago. What’s even more amazing is that this development has simultaneously increased performance while making technology take up a considerably smaller amount of space.

Virtualization is a topic that a lot of people might hear about frequently, but not necessarily understand. It has a lot of details to keep in mind, but the concepts can be remembered easier by simplifying these details. We’ll take a closer look at some of the finer details of virtualization and what it means for your business’ infrastructure.

It’s important that your business get as much value out of your technology as possible, but this is often easier said than done. There isn’t an easy answer to how you can get the most out of your technology. Even if you implement a brand-new solution, who’s to say that you don’t actually need it or use it? Cutting costs is more important now than it has ever been, and for small businesses hoping to save on IT support, there’s no time like the present to secure your business’s future.

Your signature has a lot of power, particularly in the business world. Because of this, it’s curious to see how so many companies are moving over to the more digital alternative. In order to fully take advantage of digital signatures for your organization, you need comprehensive security measures that can reinforce the authenticity of your signatures.

In 2018 there are certain technologies most businesses have begun to embrace. Cloud computing, high-end network security, collaboration technologies, and some others have begun to be utilized by businesses, large and small, to build a more productive enterprise. Apart from these technologies, there are a few that every business person should know, if only to understand what is possible; and what is on the horizon for their company.

Merry Christmas! We know that for the small business owner, even on Christmas day, business doesn’t completely stop. Sure you can spend time with loved ones and take a couple days off from the grind, but tomorrow is another day. According to one study, people are gifting technology more than ever, so much so that new traditions that include technology, are replacing the once-held notion that technology was a distraction.

If you spend more than ten minutes with anyone from the technology industry, you may notice that they have a rather colorful vocabulary. It’s not too vulgar or anything, but it is chock-full of buzzwords that you may not fully understand. Here are some of the most frequently used words in the IT industry.

With productivity being so important in the modern business, it only makes sense that so much of the technology we have now--and will likely have in the future--is devoted to maximizing the amount of work that can be accomplished by one person in a given time. While not everything we will discuss is always relevant for the typical SMB, if your business continues to grow, more technologies will only become accessible over time. Here are a few technology tips to increase your organization’s productivity.

If we asked you what the most significant trend in today’s professional environment is, what would you say? For those who depend on technology to manage and maintain their operations, the cloud has allowed for some of the biggest and best advantages--so much that it’s perhaps one of the most prominent shifts that the world has ever seen.

It’s fascinating to look back to what people of the past predicted our technology would look like today, and even more so when we see their truly fantastical ideas become a reality. This also allows us to anticipate what will someday be the norm in business technology. Here’s four technologies that we’re looking forward to seeing more of.

Let’s say that you’re in the comfort of your own home working on a major project that needs to be completed before you turn in for the night. However, the moment you take out a tablet or laptop, your toddler runs up to you, curious about what you’re trying to do. This makes it rather difficult to get anything done, especially since most toddlers suffer from what’s known as the “mine” syndrome.

Despite what you might hear in the media, data breaches aren't the only IT-related issues that small businesses have to worry about. There are many other problems that you need to plan for, and they don’t all originate from hackers trying to steal your data. Let’s take a look at some of the common problems you might experience with your office technology.

Teaching children a skill can be a difficult job if they’re not having any fun. Therefore, turning kids on to lucrative careers in technology can be challenging, especially since tasks like coding can seem rather dull compared to say, fighting fires and driving racecars. This is why educational apps and tools have been created to make learning about technology fun!

It’s clear that one of the best ways you can improve your organization’s operations is through investing in new IT solutions, but these expenses change from year-to-year. However, as years go by, the amount that your business invests in IT is sure to shift. Though this year saw a minor decrease in IT spending, Gartner predicts that next year will be another huge opportunity to invest in new technology and IT systems.

Specifically, Gartner predicts a 2.9 percent growth rate in IT expenditures during 2017. ComputerWorld reports this growth as part of a global IT spending of $3.49 trillion. Gartner also predicts that spending on devices will increase by 0.4 percent to an astounding $600 billion. Global software spending growth will exceed 7.2 percent to $357 billion, while IT service spending will increase by 4.8 percent to $943 billion.

This growth is attributed to businesses’ desires to grow and become authoritative figures in their communities and industries--or so says John-David Lovelock from Gartner. He states, “Leading organizations, as well as those that wish to lead, are spending on IT and nurturing their IT investments as the means to grow their business.”

One of the most noteworthy trends in these growing numbers comes from the fact that organizations are increasing their spending while cutting out unnecessary costs. These figures show that businesses want to eliminate unneeded expenses, but also to reinvest the saved revenue into new, more innovative technology solutions. In other words, organizations are attempting to invest their returns to improve operations, and it’s easier to do so than you would initially think.

In fact, this increase in IT spending can mean that businesses are more willing to invest in enterprise-level solutions that create more flexibility and scalability in the workplace, allowing for more growth. The right technology services have an uncanny knack for decreasing capital expenses and freeing up valuable time and resources for more important endeavors. One way that businesses are doing so is by outsourcing services like help desk support and email hosting to third parties in order to free up work hours and reduce their bottom line.