Let?s examine this developing technology and consider a few ways that the same concepts could eventually make their way into modern businesses. Researchers at the University of Chicago are Developing a Health Monitor Housed in an Adhesive Patch Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Sihong Wang?who, incidentally, was named one of MIT?s 35 Innovators Under 35 in 2020 for precisely this work?the team at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering has been generating a chip that uses machine learning to process data collected from various biosensors. By creating this chip using flexible polymers, it effectively becomes a sticker, capable of utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to draw conclusions about the wearer?s health. As Wang puts it, ?With this work we?ve bridged wearable technology with artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a powerful device which can analyze health data right on our own bodies.? Should their work pan out (as it seems to be), this will mean that wearable biosensors will one day be available to assist us in managing our health, helping us to keep track of various health indicators like blood sugar, oxygen levels, and other metabolites. So far, they?ve shown that this technology can accurately track electrocardiogram data, and the potential for these devices is considerable. It is important to recognize, however, that this data is inherently sensitive in nature. This means that it will be important to focus on how this data is to be secured. There?s a Lot Here That Could Play into Business Operations While a flexible diagnostic chip may have limited functionality in the office space, it demonstrates how capable technology can potentially be?largely independent of human interaction in many cases. Instead of a neuromorphic computing chip meant to collect and analyze health data, businesses now have access to tools that can independently track data, kicking off workflows based on certain inputs and automating many processes. In short, while the team at the Pritzker School are focused on proactively monitoring human health, your business has the opportunity to use IT to proactively monitor your technology infrastructure. We?re here to help you embrace this opportunity, ensuring that you do so securely and effectively. Learn more by giving us a call at (603) 889-0800.

In this blog article, we?ll be covering how you can print on both sides of your paper, assuming that your printer has the capabilities to do so. If it doesn?t, well, maybe it?s time for an upgrade! This is something our trusted technology professionals can assist with; just reach out to White Mountain IT Services for more information. Without further ado, let?s print something out double-sided. How to Print Double-Sided in Microsoft Word Printing double-sided in Microsoft Word is one of the easiest things you can do. All you have to do is go to the File tab. From here, select Print. This will open up the Print options (you can also use the Ctrl + P keyboard shortcut to get here). Under Settings, you should see a dropdown menu with various settings related to printing, one of which will default to Print One Sided. This is the key to double-sided printing. Now, you?ll see a couple of different options for Print on Both Sides. There are options for Flip on Long End and Flip on Short End. This basically dictates how you want to print the content on the other side. If you are printing something like a brochure in landscape mode, we recommend flipping on the short end. If you?re printing out a normal document that is viewed in portrait mode, then we recommend sticking with flipping on the long end. There is also the option to manually print on both sides, but if you have time to waste doing that, then you have time to waste calling us and to get hooked up with a better printer. Printing double-sided can be a great way to reduce your office?s paper consumption, but an even better way to do this is by going paperless altogether. If this sounds like an idea you want to pursue further, we?re happy to help; just give us a call at (603) 889-0800! For more great tips and tricks, be sure to subscribe to White Mountain IT Services?s blog.

Today?s Smartphones Device reviews have allowed many individuals to create business models for themselves covering the latest devices on the market, and considering their reach, manufacturers have to cater to them to an extent, even if the average user isn?t going to notice some of the minor year-to-year changes. Most of the improvements are made to the cameras with only slight increases in performance and processing. Aside from the recent surge in folding phones, most devices look fairly similar to each other. All flagship smartphones have a 5 nm processor or better, 356 GB of flash memory, 8 GB of RAM, and a bezel-less display. Despite this, consumers? desires for an upgrade drive manufacturers to improve the device with each iteration, no matter how small, so that people can feel like they are getting their money?s worth out of the new device. What You Should Look For First, let?s take a look at the form factor for your desired device. Most smartphones look the same, save for the innovative new folding smartphones with foldable OLED screens. While they are quite pricey, they offer opportunities for manufacturers and developers to do something differently to stand out. So, what should you look for in a new device? Let?s take a look. Build Quality Your smartphone?s build quality will impact how long the device lasts while also impacting the user experience. Most high-quality smartphones are built using a stainless steel or aluminum frame covered with tempered glass, like Corning?s Gorilla Glass. The higher the quality of the materials, the better the user feels. Display Most of today?s flagship devices have wonderful displays, and since most users will use their devices for media consumption, this is no mistake. You?ll want a larger display if this is important to you, but there are other mid-range devices that have perfectly usable screens, even if they are flagship devices from a couple years ago. Processing Power This is where some smartphones start to outpace their competition. You?ll want a device with a multi-core 5 nm processor. This probably doesn?t mean much to most people, but typically most modern mid-range and flagship-level devices meet or exceed what you would probably need. This impressive processing power means that you essentially have a small computer in your pocket, so you will naturally want to look for the best computing value for your purchase. Camera Most manufacturers will highlight the high number of megapixels in their cameras, but many other factors impact the quality of a camera, including the number of lenses, their focal length, ISO levels, pixel size, and autofocus. Cameras on smartphones are one area that sees substantial improvement over the years. You can usually rely on Apple, Samsung, and Google to have the best cameras across their lines of phones. Battery Your smartphone?s battery will directly affect how reliable it is, so you need to take it into careful consideration. If the device has to be plugged in, you?re not getting much mobility from it. Most phones you should want to use have at least 3,000 mAh batteries. We should note that foldable smartphones will use more power than your traditional smartphones, too. Operating System When you purchase a smartphone, it will typically run either Apple?s iOS or Google?s Android OS. Most phones will use some version of […]

Growth is Natural for Successful Businesses Businesses invest a lot of capital into their computing infrastructures, including their servers, storage, productivity solutions, and other tools. All of this complex technology must be managed and maintained by your staff, making for a significant time and labor investment, as well. The cloud changed all of this. Businesses seemed to be wary of the cloud at first, as they were fearful that it would put data at risk. These days, however, it?s a moot point. Businesses use the cloud for all kinds of services and features, even some organizations you might not expect. The cloud provides several opportunities for businesses to change the way they operate. Whether it?s virtual servers, workstations, data storage, applications, or more advanced tools like business intelligence or artificial intelligence platforms, the cloud offers no shortage of tools for the modern business. It?s so dynamic and useful that some companies opt to house their entire infrastructure in the cloud, and better yet, it?s done in a secure and reliable way. Cloud Scalability Is the Key Let?s take a step back in time and remember the days when businesses would have to purchase multiple software licenses for each individual workstation on the company network. These licenses would be purchased once a year, and they would be incredibly expensive for short-term resources. The cloud changes things by allowing you to adjust your solutions according to the immediate needs of your business. You can purchase computing solutions from a provider on a month-to-month basis, and all it takes is creating an account to get started. Types of Cloud Scaling Here are some ways that you can expect cloud scaling to look for a modern business: Vertical Scaling: Vertical scaling entails adding resources to your cloud platform, like adding a new user to your productivity suite or email platform. It can even get as complex as increasing the specs of your virtual servers. Horizontal Scaling: This type of scaling involves adding new servers to a cloud computing environment. You might see this type of scaling when organizations implement more advanced or more powerful tools, like a PBX server for VoIP. Diagonal Scaling: This type of scaling is like an all-of-the-above method, manifesting when you have to add new resources to each of your servers due to an increase in use. If you?re waiting for someone to tell you what the best way to approach cloud scaling is, you?ll be waiting a while. It will depend on what type of business you are and what your needs are. The best part is that scaling is flexible in nature, so you can make adjustments as needed. White Mountain IT Services can help you make any necessary changes to your cloud infrastructure. To learn more, contact us at (603) 889-0800.

Why Do So Many IT Projects Fail? According to Boston Consulting Group, even with so much excitement surrounding digital transformation initiatives, nearly three-quarters of businesses fail to reach their goals, sometimes even suffering from dire consequences as a result. This number suggests that digital transformation is not so simple, but if you?ve ever tried to pull off a major IT project, you already knew that, didn?t you? Failed projects can come at a steep cost. Not only are you paying for additional time and solutions spent rectifying the situation, but you are also paying frustrated employees to solve the problem for you, something which puts a damper on morale and your profit margin. A great opportunity can quickly become a time and resource sink. There are four primary reasons why digital transformation projects fail, according to Tsedal Neely of the Harvard Business School and Julia Lamm of PricewaterhouseCoopers. They are the following: A workplace culture that is resistant to change: Employees who simply don?t want to see change happen will exacerbate the challenges with digital transformation. To circumvent this, you need to both educate and incentivize employees to use the new systems in place. One way you can do this is to stop using the old system altogether, forcing employees to adapt to the new change. Leadership that is not fluent in technology: It?s important that whoever is at the helm of the ship knows how to steer it. So too is this the case with digital transformation initiatives. After all, it?s hard to advocate for a new system or infrastructure if you don?t know what it?s all about. We recommend that leaders work with technology professionals to ensure that they understand the ins and outs of what they are trying to accomplish with a new solution. Doing so can make advocating for the new technology much easier. Poor data analysis: Businesses need to make informed decisions, something which often requires data analysis to pull off. You should purposely collect data that can inform the types of decisions you are hoping to make for your company?s technology infrastructure. Lacking customer involvement: One thing businesses should be doing is involving their consumer base in the digital transformation process. This can be described as a dual transformation in which new solutions are designed for consumers while also allowing consumers to become well-versed in the new solutions. Don?t Let Your Projects Fail! As you might suspect, many of these issues outlined above can be rectified if you simply work with a technology professional or managed services provider who can assist with the more technical aspects of the implementation. This is where White Mountain IT Services comes in; we can help your business with each stage of the implementation process, from conception to realization. To learn more about how we can help any of your digital transformation plans become a reality, give us a call at (603) 889-0800 today.