Is Blockchain the Latest Revolution in Technology?

The blockchain is more like a digital ledger to store financial transactions just like a book that contains what comes in and what goes out. Unlike traditional ledger, the digital one is a lot more vast and secure with no intermediaries involved.

In Blockchain, each block contains, but not limited to, a cryptographic hash of the previous block along with the transaction data. It can be used by two parties to record transactions in a secure and permanent way. It is managed by a peer-to-peer network and allows the safe transit of digital information.

Why is Blockchain the latest revolution in technology?

Blockchain technology was originally designed to deal with Bitcoin but now it has become the talk of the town, a revolution. During its earlier stage, the technology confronted heavy criticism and rejection but after a thoughtful revision, it came out to be more productive, more useful, and more secure. It has now become a practical way to store data in a digital form that is reconciled from time to time.

Let's take a look at some of the benefits:

Authenticity - The information is stored in blocks that are further stored on Blockchain that cannot be controlled by a single person or identity. It simply means that there are no or very fewer chances of failure and the technology can serve as a reliable space for a business transaction.

Transparency - The tech-savvy people claim that the Blockchain technology is totally transparent. As the blocks are recorded and added to it in chronological order, the participants are able to keep track of the transactions with a lot of ease and without recordkeeping.

Quality - In case of any irregularity, a Blockchain system makes it easier for concerned partied to investigate any issue as the system can lead them all the way to its point of origin. The quality assurance makes it an ideal technology for sectors where tracking the origination and other crucial details are necessary.

No Tampering - As the transactions and records are verified every single time they are passed on from one block to the next, there are less or no chances of error. The accuracy of the process protects the data from tampering, making the technology more user-friendly and efficient.

Agile - In the era when the time is money, Blockchain can play an imperative role by allowing faster dealings. As the system does not require a lengthy process of verification and clearance, it can be used by different industries for closing the deals fast.

Cost Saving - Last but of course not the least, Blockchain is a cost-effective technology because it does not involve any third-party. It makes the system an ideal one for both startups and established organizations.

Well! The time has come to understand the technology and its benefits before applying it to any business...

By Avneet Kaur Sidhu

The Benefits Of Artificial Intelligence In The Workplace

Artificial Intelligence is quite a trending topic in modern technology with many businesses adopting its use in their daily operations while others are skeptical about its relevance in the workplace. Let me show you the various benefits of AI to the workplace and how it can make your business grow as well as save time and money.

Simplification Of The Recruitment Process....

Human Resource Departments are faced with the task of hiring staff which is quite daunting, frustrating and equally expensive, with personnel having to shift through a large number jobs applications for a relatively few vacancies, but this scenario is gradually becoming a thing of the past with the use of machine intelligence i.e. Artificial intelligence.

AI reduces the stress related to the hiring process through the use of the following ways:

Interesting job descriptions are written by recruiters through the use software known as Textio. This augmented writing platform compiles various job postings and puts forward to consideration suitable content to encourage the submission of more applications from job seekers.

Candidates for various job vacancies can schedule their interviews, allowing them to choose a time must suitable for them and also provides a chance to reschedule. All these are possible through the use of the Montage software.

AI powered software such as Stella match suitable candidates to jobs through the tracking of experiences, credentials and qualities sought for by employers.

Removal Of Repetitive Tasks In Daily Business Operations....

Scheduling, rescheduling and cancelling meetings are quite stressful to administrative staff but the use of tools such as X.ai helps by performing these tasks diligently.

Recording, transcribing and sharing notes during meetings are also tasks which can be handled by artificial intelligence.

Improvement In Handling Issues Related To Sales, Marketing and Customer Service....

Chatbots are forms of artificial intelligence that can help with support outside the company.They gain experience from real sales and customer reps and use this to assist customers in purchasing goods and services. Questions regarding marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) can also be handled by GrowthBot through the mining of data, both of the public and the company.

The Identification Of Security Risks And Protection Of Data....

Financial institutions such as banks apply AI based technology to point out security risks and protect data. Examples of software which make the use of Ai in such cases include Darktrace, Exabeam and SparkCognition.

Increased Productivity....

With AI handling most of the mundane and repetitive tasks at the workplace, workers are free to channel their efforts to more important tasks thus increasing productivity.

Productivity could also be boosted and monitored by machine intelligence by helping them discover areas that have high labour costs and other obstacles to increased efficiency.

Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Humans In The Workplace?

With the above examples, some individuals might be tempted to think about losing their jobs to AI powered tools since most tasks in the workplace are getting automated gradually, but their fears are unfounded as human input is indispensable despite the presence of artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence basically handles tasks which could affect productivity and allows workers to be action-oriented and gives them the chance to be more creative.

By Abiodun Adewusi

Afterlife Bots - A Dead Man's Petition

No, neither am I a Ted-famous Tech geek spiritual guru nor am I in contact with the afterlife. I am just fascinated by the buzzwords "Machine Learning" and "AI" and a little overwhelmed by the number of articles mentioning those words on my news feed.

I remember reading a line in a news article that "Bots are getting better at imitating humans". Why not hire one and decrease workload by 50%. Well, I suppose we are working towards it.

Google recently announced that their AI-enabled assistant (with 6 voices) can book a hair-cut appointment seamlessly (Well I want a shave as well, and I want it to go and do grocery shopping handpicking the freshest tomatoes from the lot).

Jokes apart: kudos to the team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and others who are working day and night to make this happen.

Coming back to my original story.

Let's start with Human life (and relationships) - Data Gathering

"Quite a digital world". We are capturing and storing our personal life events as much as we can digitally (Thanks to social media, external hard disks, and pen-drives). Why not store our entire life in a 1000 Petabyte storage device. Capture every second - actions, events, habits, decisions, etc.

Imagine if we can see and experience our parents' childhood or see "What all Mahatma Gandhi did in his entire life". Interesting right?

We all know how quickly robotics, machine learning, and AI are evolving.

What if we combine robotics, machine learning, and human life data? Can we create a human replica bot which would respond similarly, make decisions similarly, have similar habits basis the 1000 Petabyte data fed. All in all, can that bot be my replacement after my death?. Can it be my AFTER-LIFE BOT?

Literally, nothing can replace a dead human being. I was not fortunate to see my grandfather or meet him. But will my great grand/grandkids know about me? The answer is I do not know. We all are striving hard to leave a legacy behind us. Why not use robots and machine intelligence to duplicate ourselves. We do have ample amount of data to feed ~79 years (average age of human being) or ~2 Billion moments. Don't you want your great grandkids to remember you after you are gone?

With a simple Google search, I got a news article mentioning "Mind Clone" - the idea of uploading the memories, thoughts, and feelings of a person into a computer. It mentions that the companies such as eterni.me, Gordon Bell's MyLifeBits, and Terasem's Lifenaut are all pursuing Mind Clone to help a person's personality, work and relationships survive after death.

I certainly hope this idea to grow exponentially and who knows "Milind2122" might be replying to the comments below after 200 years.

Disclaimer: Please consider the content and ideas as figments of the imagination of a sleepless middle-age guy striving hard to keep his brain functioning.

By Milind Kinker

8 Smart Home Gadgets That Can Make Your Life Easier

Over the years technology has really grown and if asked almost all of us will answer that we love how much it has made our lives easier and more convenient. How? There are new home gadgets that are being invented from time-to-time and with these gadgets, one can easily accomplish various tasks within a short period of time. These gadgets can be used as appliances or with appliances, or for home and office services. Without further ado, here are some of the best home gadgets to check out and consider buying for use at home.

1. FoldiMate

One area that people hate when it comes to laundry and, I am sure a lot of people would agree with me, is the folding part. It is energy consuming and it takes a lot of time to fold your clothes and organize them in your closet. You no longer have to worry about that anymore as this magnificent gadget will do all the hard work for you. The device works like a robot and it folds your clothes and organizes them. One thing to note though is that the FoldiMate gadget does not fold some clothes like underwear, socks or even some large items like linens and bed sheets. However, this device can comfortably fold other items like - shirts, T-shirts, and trousers, among others, with ease and quite quickly too.

2. Sony VPLVW365ES Native 4K Home Theater Projector

If you want to transform your TV viewing so that you can get the best and brightest viewing then this is the right gadget for you. The projector gives a full 4K resolution thus guaranteeing you the best display and it also consists of various viewing modes including the cinema mode. The contrast rationing of the projector is high and it comes in different sizes. The device's lamp life lasts for a long time and it is compatible with HDMI 2.

3. Teco Laundry Drying Hanger

If your home does not have a hanging line, or does not have any large space to install one then you don't need to worry as the Teco laundry drying hanger is the right choice for you. The hangers work magic in eliminating water from your clothes and the fact that it hangs a bunch of clothes at once makes it convenient and easy to use. Note that this gadget is made to use with a particular weight of clothes and therefore, you need to make sure that you hang the right amount of clothes for better drying. Also, it may take a longer time to dry heavier clothes

4. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer

This is the best hair drier on the market today since it can be used for any kind of hair. It is designed with an air measuring temperature gauge which is essential for reducing the amount of heat used on your hair to prevent extreme temperatures that harm the hair. This ensures that you dry your hair without damaging its natural oils. The other magnificent feature that makes this kind of drier stand out is its fast functioning ability. We all want a gadget that will make our lives easy and help us accomplish our tasks with ease. And this hair dryer is designed in a way that makes your work fast and easy. It has four heat settings which you have to select depending on the texture of your hair and the kind of service you want to accomplish. The hair drier has a long cord which allows you to reach out to a distant corner of the house with ease.

5. IKEA Heat Harvest

This is a unique invention that is made to be used in the form of furniture. Basically, it involves the use of heat harvested from the gadgets placed on a tabletop and then using the heat to empower other gadgets. Meaning, if you are using a laptop on top of a desk, the heat emitted by the laptop can be used for charging the phone. One thing to keep in mind though is that these heating furniture are not made using normal materials since they require the use of a material that is a good conductor of heat and at the same time a good resistant to heat to allow the thermostatic process to take place.

6. Sony AROMASTIC

We all need something that can awaken our senses when we feel down or we cannot concentrate. And Sony Aromastic is the right gadget to use. It designed in a small size so that you can easily slip it into your bag or a pocket. How does it work? This technology allows you to carry your favorite scent with you wherever you are going. The Aromastic is made for personal use since it does not diffuse in an area that is beyond your surroundings. Therefore, whether you are on a bus, or in a meeting, you can quickly grab your scent and smell it for sense arousal.

7. Amir 3-in-1 Camera Lens Kit

If you are prone to taking random pictures on the streets then this is the right smart device to buy. It works magically by taking pictures just like a real camera plus the best part is that it is compatible with a Smartphone for better capturing of images. The lens kit is packed with two different lenses which allow you to take small or even larger pictures. All you need to do is clip it on your smart device and you will be good to go.

8. Motion Detector

This is a great gadget for the safety of your home. It is designed in a way that it can easily detect and identify a trespasser who enters your house or apartment. It immediately notifies you when it detects there is someone unfamiliar in your house or compound.

Conclusion

Make your life easy and more comfortable by using the above home gadgets. They are easy to use plus can be used in various areas of your work or home.

By Bob Tom

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3 Things You May Not Know About Managed Cloud Services

Keeping up with the technical side of business these days is a challenge that many company owners are ill-prepared for. Marketing can be a tricky endeavour if you are not up to date on the most recent technological advances in reaching audiences and customers of all kinds. With the development of the Internet at one's fingertips, there are open opportunities for companies to advertise and promote their services. Unfortunately, many companies fall short because they do not have the ability or strategy to make sure their efforts pay off, and wind up collapsing under the pressure of the competitive market. Furthermore, security breaches can be costly and difficult to repair without the proper manpower, knowledge, and skill. It is important that business owners become more familiar with the services out there that have recently been developed to address these typical issues that companies face worldwide. One of the most helpful developments is the initiation of managed cloud services. Cloud services have become a standard for many businesses to store and access their data and company information at any given moment, from any given location.

Here are some other things you may not know about managed cloud services.

It's not just about storage & accessibility

Firstly, cloud services do not just manage the storage and accessibility of company information. They also offer other services such as supplying companies with software via the web that are tailored to that specific company's needs. There are neat and clean payment options that come with cloud services; sometimes it is based on a flat rate, other times it is based on the software and services that you utilize most. You should be sure to look into whatever you will use the most and how the company charges for the services. Furthermore, business owners don't have to worry about updating their software regularly or staying on top of business security; cloud services routinely update and build your security by backing up your information on a regular basis, without need for your prompt or involvement.

Company data is omnipresent

A second thing you may not know about managed cloud is that company employees are able to collaborate and consult from any location. You can link the company data to any employee's technical devices and it routinely syncs the information on its own so you don't have to worry about saving documents, it simply does it for you with each revision or modification. Sharing theses capabilities in real-time is one of the most incredible developments in technology in recent years, and businesses are taking advantage of the perks. For instance, employees across the country do not need to be flown in for business meetings, going over spread sheets, or making changes to business plans-they can simply all modify and view the same document at the same time.

It saves business money

Thirdly, and lastly, cloud services help businesses become and stay Cloud Computing financially efficient. This can be particularly useful for smaller businesses that cannot afford to pay for many employees. Managing the IT side of businesses is complex and difficult to navigate for individuals who are not well versed in technological jargon and software applications, which is precisely why it requires skill and knowledge to successfully run this side of companies. Cloud services eliminate the need to hire an IT staff to manage software updates and security, or even analyze company data to ensure efficiency. Cloud services are excellent for people who need technology to be simplified for them. In the end, it saves businesses ample amounts of money in staff alone.

Final words

Cloud services are the wave of the future. Without it, hard copies of files are still being used worldwide. Not only do cloud services eliminate a huge amount of paperwork, helping the environment and saving our wrists from turmoil, but also they eliminate a lot of guesswork that could potentially be devastating to a business. Staying current with marketing is critical to businesses nowadays, especially if they wish to expand in the future. Cloud services are helpful for business fluency, expansion, and cost-effectiveness; it takes businesses from average to competitive with the click of a mouse.

By Rahul Asthana

This Is How Augmented Reality Will Reshape Our Future

Augmented Reality uses the existing environment and overlays additional information on top of that.

If you are still unclear about what AR is, then all you have to do is go back and remember the time Pok�mon Go took over the internet by storm. The game revolves around players catching digital monsters. Similarly, apps such as Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram offer users with filters which overlay animated images onto users' faces.

You will now be wondering how this technology can reshape or transform our future. Augmented Reality could bring about a lot of changes and development to various industries. Let's find out what they are.

Real Estate

We all dream of living in the perfectly designed house that boasts of our style and statement. With the augmented reality, that dream might just come true. AR uses interactive computer-generated images, which allows the buyers to envision the finished property while it is still under construction. The benefit of this technology in the real estate industry is that it can transform all 2D models such as blueprints and photos into 3D models for buyers to easily interact with.

Builders and real estate agents will find it convenient to display the properties with such an immersive experience. And not just that, interested buyers can also modify the colour, furniture, room sizes and more based on what they would want the completed design to look like. Envisioning your completed property with AR even before it is built is an advantageous marketing tool for selling a property.

Shopping

Online shopping is slowly taking over the traditional way of shopping. However, it is uncertainty that stops buyers from buying things online. AR making its way in the shopping industry could most definitely move potential buyers towards online shopping. With the growth of augmented reality at the store, customers can view products in a highly realistic manner in their preferred environment.

It will also become easier for marketers to share product catalogues with up-to-date information. Additionally, shopping experiences can be enhanced with AR glasses being available at every retail store or supermarket. These glasses will display all the pricing, design, and product specs to the buyers while shopping. Augmented Reality could definitely change the way people shop.

Travel

The travel industry is another sector that augmented reality could revolutionize. Although virtual reality has a bigger role to play in the travel industry, augmented reality could still be seen as huge change. AR-based applications on smartphones will help tourists and travelers check and find local tourists attractions nearby and translate boards and signs instantly into their native language.

Moreover, exploring and visiting local attractions, theme parks and zoos with augmented reality will help travelers have the most extraordinary trip. The technology will display 3D models of landmarks and take travelers back in time showing them the evolution brought with time. AR for the travel industry is not just about the fun factor, but also adds an educational element for the travelers.

Healthcare

While people are getting used to being transported into the world of 3D that does not really exist with Virtual Reality headsets, AR is already being used in the pharma and healthcare industry, to save lots of lives. However, that is not all. Augmented reality can be of major assistance to healthcare organizations in helping them perfect their existing processes. AR will provide surgeons with an in-depth knowledge of the risks involved with minimally invasive surgeries and help them perform effectively.

Surgeries earlier required different types of monitors which would display the patient's vital statistics through an endoscopic camera. Leaving all these hassles behind, doctors can wear AR smart glasses which will display all the pertinent information while they are performing the surgery and helping them stay focused on the task at hand.

Education

Augmented reality in the educational sector could be a huge game-changer towards how children learn. The technology will provide students with immersive content that will help them understand the concepts. With the help of engaging 3D models, students can grasp complex information in an easier manner providing them with a wider understanding of topics.

In our dynamic day and age, museums and historical sites have incorporated AR features to their exhibits to stay at par with technology. This is a great way for people to explore and gain additional informative knowledge. AR is all about exploration, which eventually leads students towards learning and understanding. This is a win-win for both technology and the educational industry.

Conclusion: 

There is no doubt that Augmented Reality will reshape more than just these five industries. As devices adapt to the new technology, the growth of Augmented Reality is exponentially huge. With so many positive advantages, AR could fundamentally change what it is to be human

By Ruturaj Kohok

Artificial Intelligence Will Change Human Society So Profoundly Humans Will Stop Thinking

Artificial Intelligence will out think, out innovate, and our strategize humans at all levels. One of the biggest challenges in the clash between AI and humans when it comes to innovation and human intellect - consider this; In the future Artificial Intelligence will be running our society and civilization with the most expedient and efficient methods and processes. Humans will be expected to follow these new norms that the AI systems have created simply because they are deemed to be the very best strategies for the most optimum gain.

The number of potential answers for everything, every question that is, will be reduced to one best answer, with exact answers for slight derivations which will also have a single right answer. Humans will be expected to trust AI answers over their own thoughts and reason, thus, humans will eventually stop thinking and reasoning - losing the ability to come up with novel ideas and concepts or new solutions to problems all together. Just as domesticated animals have smaller brains than their wild animal counterparts with the same exact genetic sequence - when it comes to the brain; you use it or lose it.

Just as in tennis, the game is won with the safest and best percentage shots, not necessarily the trick shots - AI will lean towards and be bias towards the percentage shots, as it is a probability based system. Humans may be good at the tricky solutions to problems now and again, but eventually the master of society and civilization's chess board will be artificial intelligence, not inferior human intelligence.

Those humans who are involved in the programming and fine-tuning of AI in the beginning will retain their abilities to solve problems and come up with unique original thoughts by working with AI as a team, combining the best of AI and human thought and insight. But alas, eventually, AI will fine tune itself and humans will not be required to think at all. AI will learn the best that human brains have to offer and already know that information, thus, not requiring further human input.
So is 'ignorance bliss' - hard to say, but we may find out as a species soon enough if this forward progression of technology and innovative human thought continues on the current course. This isn't science fiction - it's what we've already set into motion. Artificial Intelligence isn't good or bad, but one could argue it's mostly good. Think about this.

By Lance Winslow

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net