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The Hack Newsletter - Edition 26 | Think Cloud

Welcome to the Hack Newsletter! This month's newsletter is packed with tips and tricks that will help you succeed through digital technology.

💥📣Edition 26 of The Hack - Gain A Go Givers Mindset

Content Quick Links:

Make Every Second Count

Smartphones are now the preferred device for mobile work

How To Stay Hopeful In A Hopeless World - Citizens With Jon Alexander

New to Google workspace / New to Microsoft 356

Tech facts / Inspirational quote of the month

Tech Update

Helping The Community

Fun Tech Quiz

What do your people think?

Gadget of the month

Q&A

Welcome to our monthly newsletter,

Make Every Second Count

Time is a priceless gift that unites us all, a steadfast companion that accompanies us on our life's journey. Each moment that slips by is one we can never reclaim. It is crucial, therefore, that we treasure each moment and maximise the time we have.

Jean Luc Picard once said,

"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.”

This powerful quote resonates deeply, especially for busy entrepreneurs and leaders who frequently find themselves absorbed in the daily demands of running a thriving business.

As change-makers, we persistently pursue growth, success, and progress. It's essential, however, to recognise that the journey is just as significant as the destination. Each step, decision, and cherished moment contributes to the tapestry of our lives, shaping and defining us.

How can we maximise the time we have? The answer is simple: embrace every moment to the fullest. This means being present, concentrating on what truly matters, and making every second count by asking the following:

“Is this a good use of time?”

And if not how can you, drop it, delegate, or automate it!

For busy leaders, it's all too easy to become entangled in the whirlwind of daily life. By reflecting on Jean Luc Picard's insightful words, we can remind ourselves of the significance of living in the moment and savouring every second.

It's all too easy to be consumed by the stress of managing a business, but stepping back and contemplating the bigger picture is vital. Ultimately, what truly matters is how we have lived and the legacy we leave behind.

Those ten minutes here and thirty minutes there may seem insignificant, but they can swiftly accumulate into a full hour per day. Imagine the possibilities with an extra 365 hours per year! Instead of squandering time on trivial tasks, invest it in pursuing your passions, spending quality time with loved ones, or cultivating your personal and professional growth.

Don't let time slip through your fingers! Automate mundane tasks and reclaim your day.

Our newly established in-house Software Development Division, led by Nathan McDonald, is here to assist you. Learn more about Nathan in our "New to the Team"

Smartphones are now the preferred device for mobile work

Smartphones have taken over laptops as most people prefer portable work tools.

They enjoy the flexibility and, perhaps obviously, they’re easier to carry around than a laptop or a tablet. Mobile connectivity and reliable broadband have become two of the most significant IT considerations.

In turn, that creates a different set of security risks.

If a number of your people need a phone to do their job, here’s a considerable thought: Would they be better off using a work-issued phone instead?

If an employee has contact with customers, would you want to own their phone number in case they leave the company? And there are security considerations that might be best handled on company-issued phones. That includes rolling out security updates, managing secure mobile gateways, and administering passwords.

You should ensure data on the device is encrypted to protect data from cyber criminals and ensure your information is safe should the phone be lost or stolen. Can the phone be remotely wiped?

The software installed on the phone should be policed too. You may need a policy that limits or blocks the use of third-party software. This can also help establish a boundary between work and personal tasks.

As with most tech, this isn’t a case of setting it and forgetting it. You must ensure updates are run on time and remotely audit company-issued devices to ensure they’re secure and protected.

Can we help with this? Your technology headaches are exciting for us!

Call Us Today

THE HACK PODCAST

How To Stay Hopeful In A Hopeless World - Citizens With Jon Alexander

In this edition of the Hack Podcast, Jon Alexander speaks with Leon, Dean and Paul about his journey in the marketing and advertising industry, where he sold some of the world's biggest brands. Eventually, he realised he was trapped in a narrative that didn't align with his beliefs - the Consumer Story.

In his book Citizens, written alongside New York Times bestselling author Ariane Conrad, Jon outlines how to redefine our roles as citizens and create a better world for ourselves by shaping our communities, organisations, and nations through collaboration, care, and creativity to benefit everyone.

Read the full Blog Here!

Listen on Anchor

NEW TO MICROSOFT 365

Targeted in-meeting notifications... and a major rebuild

Teams keep the new features coming. Next, it’s the ability to send

messages to specific people while on a call. They can respond and react privately, too. You can also expect many new features as they’re rebuilding the app from the ground up for extra speed and reduced battery drain. Will this be helpful for your business or just another distraction?

NEW TO GOOGLE WORKSPACE

Instant Self Check in Green Room–Web

Users in Google Meet using the green room can instantly check what peripherals are available and connected. If there’s a problem, they can see it before they join and easily switch to other peripherals.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“It’s easy to come up with new ideas; the hard part is letting go of what worked for you two years ago but will soon be out of date.”

Roger von Oech, Author

TECH FACTS

1. 48% of malicious email attachments use Microsoft Office file extensions disguised as an invoice or receipt

2. 43% of employees don’t know that clicking a suspicious link or opening an unknown attachment could lead to a malware infection

3. 1 in 3 employees don’t believe there is a security risk in failing to password-protect their devices

Tech Update

Have you done some software research and now see lots of ads?

STOP! Think twice before you click. Criminals have started to distribute fake adverts for popular apps in order to spread malware – and it’s fooling a lot of people.

The ads look like a link to a legitimate download for typical messaging applications, desktop tools and more. But once you click ‘download’, a malware file with the .exe extension is installed.

The malware is an info stealer and bypasses antivirus software thanks to a clever hack that makes the file size appear larger than it is. Of course, there are plenty of legitimate software advertisements. But you should be extra cautious before you start any download. Always check with your IT expert if you’re not sure.

HELPING THE COMMUNITY

In Q1 2023, we did an incentive where for every ticket feedback survey we had a response from; we donated

£1 to our chosen charity for the quarter, which was the British heart foundation.

The total number of feedbacks was 311, which raised £311!

Well Done to all of The Think Cloud Team!

Book A Meeting To Learn More Today

FUN TECH QUIZ

Fun Tech Quiz? - Who’ll be March’s tech trivia champ?

Where was the World Wide Web invented?

In what year did the first virtual event take place?

In 2004, which search engine did Google overtake in popularity?

What was the first item sold on eBay in 1995?

What’s the name of the oldest programming language still in use?

Answers at bottom of page.

What's all the fussabout ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence, allowing you to talk to it in a very human way. It’s been making the news worldwide for some remarkable possibilities it seems to be creating. But what exactly is it, and why is it causing such waves? Chat GPT is trained on actual human language. It can answer questions and even compose documents, like emails, essays and computer code. The exciting thing is that it allows you to have a natural-feeling conversation with it to generate different responses – perhaps adding more detail or asking it to use less technical language. It was created by the research company OpenAI and funded and managed by some of the most influential names in tech. And while it’s still in its research and feedback-collection phase, it’s currently free to use (with limitations).

It’s different to a search engine because it’s designed with conversation in mind. While it can answer questions, it doesn’t search the internet for information. Everything is learned from training data (it does not know 2021). So, while many people have started using ChatGPT to write essays and articles, the facts may not be accurate. The tech media website CNET recently had to issue multiple major corrections after it created 78 articles using the chatbot. Because it’s trained on vast amounts of a text published online by humans, it’s had trouble telling fact from fiction. It has also been found to reproduce some unwanted biases – for instance, against women and people of colour. It’s not changing the world just yet. But it’s already clear that there is enormous potential for individuals and businesses. Have you tried ChatGPT yet? What are your feelings about using AI in your business? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

PS A human wrote this article.

BUSINESS GADGET OF THE MONTH

Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard

Wrist strain is a common problem for regular keyboard users. Ergonomic keyboards are nothing new, but this latest offer from Microsoft moves things forward by adding more programmable ‘favourites’, a dedicated emoji button and many customisation options to boost your productivity.

And it doesn’t break the bank at around £45.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

QUESTION

What’s the best way to ensure my people follow security best practices?

ANSWER

If you have good security in place and regularly train your people – but find you’re still seeing human-error security issues – consider creating a strict policy that sets out the rules they need to follow…and the consequences of not doing so.

QUESTION

How can I tell if all my applications are up to date?

ANSWER

It can be a big task to ensure everything is up to date and patched as required. An IT health check will show you everything you need to do. We can help with that. Just get in touch.

QUESTION

I have an in-house IT tech but need extra help. Should I outsource it all?

ANSWER

It doesn’t have to be an either/or solution. An external IT specialist can work seamlessly with an in-house team with excellent results.