How It?s Used Today It?s likely that you?ve already used wireless charging. The Qi wireless platform became the standard for wireless charging, and it has been used in both Apple and Android devices since its inception. It made the jump from 2.5W to 15W delivery. Wireless charging?s convenience has made it a mainstay in certain sectors. It?s a great solution to include near workstations and nightstands, as well as public places like restaurants. There is no evidence suggesting that it has a widespread negative influence on the battery?s lifespan, meaning that there?s no real reason not to have it; this just means that it will get people using their applications and mobile devices more and more. For example, the Wireless Power Consortium–the developers of Qi charging–has been developing large-form-factor charging pads for the kitchen to provide power to appliances. In the realm of businesses, there is an investigation going on into decreasing constraints on wireless charging power. Will Wireless Charging Be Possible at a Distance? Some manufacturers have developed a means to send power over a short distance, so whether or not this technology is possible is yet to be determined–especially with efficiency being taken into consideration. Once the power source and receiving device are far enough apart, the charge being delivered falls in terms of what would be practical to send to the receiving device. In other words, when it reaches its destination, it retains about ten percent of the power source, meaning that charging is, quite simply, not efficient. Resolving this issue is something that is extremely unsafe, as well. True wireless charging achieves about ten percent efficiency compared to the Qi?s near-field rates of 75 percent efficiency, as well as a wired charge?s 85 percent efficiency. It makes it hard to see how such a long-distance charge could be worth it–at least with today?s technology constraints. What are your thoughts on this wireless technology? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe for more think pieces and informational discussions about modern technology.

Keyboard ShortcutsYouTube is great for both researching and presenting subjects, and with its built-in features, you can get more productivity out of it. Keyboard shortcuts are the best first step to take. You can jump to the beginning of a video by pressing the zero key. You can also use the arrow keys to fast forward or rewind a video as needed. The default is five seconds, but by holding down the Ctrl key, you can increase this to ten second skips. If you?re using YouTube for a presentation, you can pause and resume the video by hitting the spacebar or the K key. You can use the up and down keys to adjust the volume, as well. The M key will mute or unmute the video. Start from a Specific Point in the VideoYou can alter a link to a YouTube video to start at a specific point. The easiest way to do this is to just grab it from the video on YouTube. For example, check out this video about phishing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfnA7UmlZkE Under the Share option, you will see the Start at option. This gives you the ability to select a specific part of the video to start it at. The link will ultimately look something like this for around the one-minute mark. https://youtu.be/jfnA7UmlZkE?t=63 Use Search Filters to Improve ResultsIf you?re not finding the right content you?re looking for, you can use filters to customize your results based on specific criteria, including channels/playlists, specific durations, and other types of media. YouTube is a great resource for many businesses. What are other ways you might use YouTube? Let us know in the comments.

For many small businesses, the difference between the various types of technology management might seem trivial, but the reality is that they can be budget-breaking when mismanaged. Take break-fix IT management; it worked for businesses in the past, but how much did it really help? After all, the entire premise of break-fix IT management relies on the breaking and fixing of technology, when in reality the goal should be to prevent the breaking from happening in the first place. This is why managed IT is such a valuable investment. It actively prevents IT issues from hampering your business? operations, meaning that downtime doesn?t become a problem. In a way, managed IT takes your organization?s capital expenses related to technology and transforms them into operational expenses, saving you lots of time and money that can be spent elsewhere. However, you don?t want to implement just any managed IT provider. You want to work with only one who can answer the following questions in adequate detail. Does this provider help my business become more competitive? Can this provider help my business leverage technology more quickly? How does this managed service provider help my business utilize the cloud? How transparent is this managed service provider? How can your investment in managed IT free up funds that are better spent elsewhere? How quickly can the provider respond to new industry trends and ideas? Not sure how to approach managed IT? White Mountain IT Services might be able to help. Ask us these questions yourself and see what we can offer your business. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

5G itself is largely being used as a selling point or marketing strategy early this year. However, as the year progresses, keep an eye out for the first actual 5G networks, as well as the devices that run on them. It?s worth remembering, however, that 5G is still an emerging technology, so while we might see the first of these new networks, the bulk will be the same networks that you have come to know over the past decade. Fourth Generation4G first hit in December 2009, but it took the United States until June of 2010 for the first 4G LTE network to become accessible. 3G networks were processing somewhere between 200Kbps to 5Mbps/second but compared to 4G?s 100Mbps-to-1Gbps speeds, the former was child?s play. Cloud computing and media streaming became commonplace, and a massive market for mobile applications and devices that utilized them was pushed to the forefront of mobile computing. Fifth GenerationJust like with 4G, 5G will provide a dramatic increase in bandwidth speed, while also reducing latency and providing an entire new layer of application support. It will bring wireless Internet speeds to astounding levels–up to 100Gbps, nearly 1,000 times faster than current 4G speeds. Streaming will work almost seamlessly, and application developers will have more capabilities to work with, pushing innovation forward. A solid 5G connection could enable users to download a full movie in a couple of seconds! This will provide more network stability for more resource-intensive tasks, all while maintaining more reliable speeds to take advantage of advanced digital tools. The most immediate issue for 5G is that it might take a while to reach your area, depending on where your office is located. For example, Minnesota and Chicago will be receiving 5G through Verizon soon, but it might take longer for other locations. As far as devices go, here is a list of some that will be compatible: Samsung Galaxy s10 5G LG v50 ThinQ Huawei Mate X ZTE Axon 10 Pro 5G Unnamed OnePlus 5G Smartphone It?s noteworthy that there is no Apple device or European version. The only phone on the devices listed above that will be available in the United States by the 5G launch window is the Galaxy s10. However, Verizon?s 5G mod for the Moto z3 will be available for $50, and the retail price will remain at $349.99 if it?s not purchased during Verizon?s promotional period. As a consumer, it?s your responsibility to determine how and when to upgrade to a 5G network. Let White Mountain IT Services explain what your options are so you can go in on this technology with as clear a head as possible. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.

Should You Consider Renting Your Modem?Most ISPs will allow you to rent your cable modem, which might include a built-in router to save time and money. In this case, you actually get what you pay for, so don?t expect mind-blowing quality from this device. These might be consumer-based routers that aren?t as high-grade as a business needs to be successful, both in terms of security and functionality. If you?re not interested in this option, or you want more options for your wireless connections, you?ll be choosing a third-party router; and, if you?re already looking at routers, you might as well check out modems. Since most ISPs charge you by the month for your modem, you could save some cash in the long run. It?s also worth noting that some ISPs will make you use their modem due to restrictions placed on them by certain cable companies, which means you?re stuck with them no matter what you do. What Cable Modems Are Compatible with Your ISP?If your cable provider will let you use a third-party modem, most cable modems will work. Of course, you want to check with your ISP first to make sure you purchase a compatible model. Another key issue that could present itself is connection speed. You?ll want to make sure that any modem you purchase will support the speed capabilities of your router. Should You Consider a Modem-Router Combo?A two-in-one modem and router generally isn?t a good idea, primarily because if one fails, the other will fail as well. If they are separate devices, you will only need to replace one when it fails, rather than replacing the entire device. Plus, these all-in-one devices are far from the quality that you should expect from a business-grade solution, especially in security. We recommend investing in secure resources whenever possible, especially a trusted router that?s set up properly. You should never rely on default settings! Does your business need help setting up hardware for your networking infrastructure? White Mountain IT Services can help. To learn more, reach out to us at (603) 889-0800.