A Look Ahead at 8 Amazing Tech Trends for 2020

Covering the Latest Tech Trends in Software, Updates, VOIP Services, and More

 

2019 got off to a rough start with numerous initially designed applications and intended for strictly nothing but business. There was a slew of bugs that needed smashing, and it wasn’t just with computers. When it comes to all of the things that Windows 10 home users had to go through, businesses also got the short end of the stick if they ran Win10 (we’ll talk about that later).

 

Tech trends have been getting better for businesses, though, as VOIP services are no longer a rare thing of the past. Everyone’s using them – whether it’s with software apps like Skype, Talkatone (a Wi-Fi phone app for mobile devices), or even business office phones that are switching to the more tech-savvy solutions when it comes to communication.

 

Office Software and Updates for Next Year

 

Microsoft Office is one of the most popular platforms that just about any business has. Over the years, there have been numerous versions, leaked versions, and more widely used today. While some companies still have outdated Office apps, it’s not uncommon to see many companies switching to Office365. Most of them still use Microsoft Office 2016 for their business endeavors – with PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook being the primary applications used.

 

In the past, though, Office 2016 could be connected seamlessly with Office 365 services and synchronize, but 2019 will be the last year for that, forcing people to use it standalone (off the grid) or upgrade their office programs.

 

QuickBooks is essential. However, if you get the QuickBooks Desktop, you can expect to pay a hefty fee. The positive thing about spending the $300 bucks for the Desktop Pro version is that up to three different users can use the software for your accounting needs.

 

The downside? You only have a fraction of what you would spend on QuickBooks online. Not only that, but they’re continually offering discounts since they’ve switched to cloud-based solutions, which can help you track income, expenses, taxes, deductions and even help you organize your receipts. If you’re a small business owner, you can even manage payroll with your 1099 contractors with excellent support as well.

 

Mac or PC for Work?

Mac computers have been used for years in the artistic industry and are still, to this day, one of the leading choices for artists and graphic designers. Some people say that the quality compared to a PC is better. What those people don’t realize is that a Mac is specifically designed with a decent graphics card and that it is built on the Unix (very similar to the open-source development platform for PC’s known as Linux – but not to be confused with it since they’re not backward compatible).

 

Not only that, but Mac has been primarily used in the multimedia industry and for a good reason), but it is still the best, and depending on your business needs, you’ll want to have one available at least.

 

For literally everything else, there’s Windows. Following Windows’ tech trends can be a negative thing to some people. However, it still trumps over anything else when it comes to how available the features are for things like programming flexibility, the ability to do a lot of the same editing, and not only that but Windows PCs are the standard for offices these days.

 

Sure, it’s great that you can do a lot with a Mac and that everything comes pre-packaged for you and is “easy to use” for most people, but you have no abilities for complete customization like you do with a Windows PC. Not only that, but you can’t even run any versions of Linux on a Mac without using virtualization software if you so desired.

 

Voice Over IP Isn’t Just for Home Users.

 

The majority of businesses are going online, from cloud backup services all the way down to VoIP phones. In the past, you only had a few options for true VoIP calls. Eventually, high-speed internet providers jumped on board, offering VoIP services with their cable, DSL, and fiber-optic internet services. This caused huge problems, and people complained about the downtime they had with their phones because of it.

 

Since then, voice calling over the internet has evolved tenfold. Even cell phone companies and apps can provide voice-over Wi-Fi connections. They also offer satellite connections (as long as you have a data plan) for backup VoIP.

 

VoIP has become one of the mainstreams in the office world when it comes to having uninterrupted calls, offering more flexibility and professionalism than ever before. You had to give your personal or “home office” numbers to receive calls in the past. Now people are starting to use VoIP more effectively than before for the extra security it can bring you. There are even office phones that have excellent interfaces optimized for VoIP service.

 

Windows Updates Breaks More than Records

 

Over the years, many businesses realized that they have their hands full of everything. They then choose Windows PCs, Wi-Fi connections, and VOIP services for just about everything while utilizing the latest software. Unfortunately, Microsoft had a rough year when it came to upgrading its Windows 10 platform. This caused many people to continue using Windows 7, from businesses down to gamers. Microsoft is pulling the plug on all support of this version of Windows in early 2020. All while Microsoft is still getting the kinks out of windows 10. Windows 8 and 8.1 aren’t expected to stop being supported until 2023.

 

So, there is some hope for those who are wanting to continue using older versions of Windows. However, if you do use Windows 8, their mainstream support ended in January of 2019.

 

For a broader list of tech trends or to inquire about IT/VoIP services, please send us a message.