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What is Business Research & Development (R&D)?

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An In-Depth View at Business Research & Development and it’s advantages

Business Research and Development departments are common in many larger companies, especially those working with newer products or technologies subject to important shifts. While research and development work can be instrumental in creating new products or adding features to old products, the work that the department does is more complex than simple innovation.

Business Research and development (R&D) refers to the investigative activities a business conducts to improve existing products and procedures or to lead to the development of new products and procedures.

Consumer goods companies across all sectors and industries utilise R&D to improve on product lines, and corporations experience growth through these improvements and through the development of new goods and services. In general, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and software/technology companies tend to spend the most on R&D.

 

BREAKING DOWN ‘Research And Development – R&D’

The term “research and development” is widely linked to the concept of corporate or governmental innovation. Known as research and technical/technological development (RTD) in Europe, activities that are classified as R&D differ from one company to the next, but standard primary models have been identified.

 

Basic Research and Development Organizational Setups

There are two basic R&D structures that have emerged in companies throughout the commerce spectrum. One R&D model is a department that is staffed primarily by engineers who develop new products, a task that typically involves extensive research. The other model involves a department composed of industrial scientists or researchers, all tasked with applied research in technical, scientific or industrial fields, which is aimed at the facilitation of the development of future products or the improvement of current products and/or operating procedures.

R&D is different from most activities performed by a corporation in the process of operation. The research and/or development is typically not performed with the expectation or goal of immediate profit. Instead, it is focused on long-term profitability for a company. Companies that employ entire departments devoted to R&D commit substantial capital to the effort. They must estimate the risk-adjusted return on their R&D expenditures, which inevitably involve risk of capital, as no immediate payoff is experienced and the general return on investment (ROI) is somewhat uncertain. The level of capital risk increases as more is spent on R&D.

 

Basic vs. Applied Research

Basic research is systematic study aiming at fuller, more complete knowledge and understanding of the fundamental aspects of a concept or a phenomenon. Basic research is generally the first step in research and development, performed to give a comprehensive understanding of information without directed applications toward products, policies or operational processes.

Applied research is the systematic study and gleaning of knowledge and understanding to apply to determining and developing products, policies or operational processes. While basic research is time-consuming, applied research is painstaking and more costly due to its detailed and complex nature.

 

What are the advantages of Business Research & Development?

Leaps in Market Participation

Market participation refers to the ability to attract new customers and win customer interest. At its core, research and development is about innovation, about offering consumers something they have never seen before. When R&D can pull off such a product offering, the interest that consumers have can cause a sharp leap in market participation and sales. It may even create an entirely new market for the company.

Cost Management Benefits

Research and development does not produce value directly in relation to how much funding the department receives. It is unique in this property; the success of R&D depends more on the practices, talents and innovations of the people working there than on how much money the department receives. This means that a company can actually spend less money on research and development than many competitors but work to secure talented employees and proper goal orientation and still produce good results.

Marketing Abilities

Research and development strategies allow companies to create strong marketing campaigns and advertising strategies. The two work together very well. The research and development department works to make new product designs or add features, and the marketing department interprets these changes in the most exciting light possible in order to attract customers, creating synergies between the two branches.

Trend Matching

Many times a market is already embracing a trend, and the research and development department can be used to make the business active in that trend and increase sales. For example, in markets rapidly embracing green products, a company can use research and development to make products out of natural ingredients, recycled materials or biodegradable substances, allowing for the release of an eco-friendly version of the product that increases sales. When R&D can catch up with trends, the business is seen as adaptable and profitable.

 

If you found this article interesting, why not check out our latest Business Development Executive Role? It may be the perfect opportunity for you to take the next leap in your Business Development Career! You can view it by clicking on this link!

– Tyler Lacoma

– Investopedia

21-Fixes for common iOS 10 Problems

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The Apple iOS 10 update was released recently, but that just means a number of problems have been emerging in iOS 10 Devices

You’re not alone if you’re experiencing iOS 10 problems, as the iPhone and iPad update has run into a number of issues, and if you’ve encountered any, don’t panic as there are many ways to fix them.

There are both intentional changes by Apple that need to be remedied for some users, and unintentional glitches due to bad code that can be alleviated. It just takes some iOS 10 troubleshooting.

From poor battery life, to spotty Bluetooth connectivity, to iPhones and iPads bricking when trying to update, here’s an all-encompassing guide to solving your iOS 10 problems.

 

1. iOS 10 battery life drain

There’s a lot of newness happening with the recent big software update, but that also means users have been experiencing poor iOS 10 battery life.

iOS 10.1 will likely address battery life drain, but until that happens, here’s a quick fix to increase the uptime of iPhones and iPads.

Turn off background app refresh in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. It’ll give you a list of apps, and you don’t really need a lot of these to constantly update in the background. It’s a big battery life killer.

Turn off Fitness Tracking and non-essential apps tucked away in Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness. If you have an Apple Watch, you don’t need fitness tracking on your phone. In addition, Health, Microsoft Health, TripAdvisor and Waze keeping tabs open when they aren’t needed wastes battery life.

Turn Wi-Fi on and off at the right times. When you’re at home or work, make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi instead of cellular. When you’re out, prevent your iPhone from constantly hunting for open Wi-Fi networks when there are none you can join. The swipe-up-from-the-bottom Control Center has a handy toggle for W-Fi.

Keep the brightness slider in check. Display brightness is the #1 battery life killer, so it’s important to make sure you only have your phone display bright only when necessary.

Keep track which apps are draining your battery life the most. Now every app is tuned to the iOS 10 update and could be wasting precious battery. Head to Settings > Battery to see the top power users here, especially Twitter and music-streaming apps.

 

2. iOS 10 bricking phones

While the beta went well, the final launch of iOS 10 has bricked a number of iPhones and iPads. That’s disheartening for Apple fans after a solid three-month beta.

The solution here is a simple one: iTunes has had success in restoring afflicted Apple devices.

With the news of iOS 10 bricking iPhones and iPads around the world, now is a good time to ensure that you’ve back up your devices before updating.

Over-the-air (OTA) updates have made us lazy when it comes to backing up our precious iPhone and iPad data. iCloud backups work, but only if you’re paying Apple enough to back up your entire storage capacity.

 

3. iOS 10 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues

This problem creeps up every year, and it’s likely to be no different with iOS 10. This issue really only requires time and patience.

Here’s what you can do to resolve both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth problems in one sitting: Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. It’s the third option down, and you’ll want to avoid Reset All Settings and Erase All Content and Settings.

By selecting Reset Network Settings you’ll keep your data intact, but your wireless connects will be back to their default settings. That usually solves our issues.

 

4. iOS 10 home button

iOS 10 changes the home button functionality now that ‘Slide to Unlock’ is no more. It actually makes you press in on the Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

If you aren’t a fan of this feature, here’s a quick fix in case you want to go back to the old way of unlocking your phone.

It’s super-buried in iOS 10’s settings. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Home Button (midway down the page) and turn on ‘Rest Finger to Open’.

This will enable you to open your iPhone or iPad with Touch ID, without having to press the home button any more.

 

5. iPhone stops vibrating after updating to iOS 10

Some people have noticed that their iPhones no longer vibrate in iOS 10 when they receive messages. To fix this, first try restarting the iPhone by pressing and holding the sleep button and the Home button for around 10 seconds.

The iPhone will restart and the Apple logo will appear. If this doesn’t work, then you may need to factory reset your iPhone. Before doing this, make sure you back up all your files and settings, as performing a reset will clear all of your data from the device.

 

6. Touch ID stops working in iOS 10

If Touch ID has stopped working, and you can’t configure it after upgrading to iOS 10, then try the following:

Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and enter your passcode. Turn off iTunes & App Store, then reboot your device. Go back to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and turn on iTunes & App Store.

You may need to remove and then rescan your fingerprints. To do this go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and scroll down to the list of fingerprints. Tap on the fingerprint you want to delete, then select ‘Delete’ and restart your device. Once your iPhone or iPad restarts, go back into settings and add your fingerprint. Touch ID should now work.

 

7. Your iPhone loses cellular network and can’t reconnect

If you’ve updated to iOS 10 and your iPhone loses signal, you may find that the phone can’t reconnect to a network afterwards, even when moving into an area where you know you receive signal.

If you restart your iPhone you’ll be reconnected to the network. While this is a temporary solution, it’s not perfect, as if you lose signal again you won’t be able to reconnect until you restart.

You can also turn on Airplane mode, then turn it off again to reconnect. Some mobile networks are also suggesting that you reinstall iOS 10, but this time update it by plugging it into your PC or Mac and using iTunes.

 

8. iOS 10 cellular network problems

Some iPhone owners are experiencing problems connecting to their mobile network after updating to iOS 10, with their devices either not finding a network, or having greatly reduced reception.

Many people suffering from this are on T-Mobile and the network is aware of the problem and is working on an update that they will push out to customers in the next few days.

If you don’t wish to wait that long, it may be worth trying the solution above, where you downgrade to a previous version of iOS, and then update to iOS 10 via iTunes.

 

9. iOS 10 uses lots of mobile data

If you’ve noticed that your mobile data allowance is quickly being used up after upgrading to iOS 10, then the Wi-Fi Assist feature may be the culprit.

Wi-Fi Assist was introduced in iOS 9, and it enables your iPhone or cellular iPad to tell when your Wi-Fi connection is poor. If it is, then the device will automatically switch to your mobile data. While this means you can happily browse and download without experiencing any slow down or loss of connection, it can also mean that you’re using up your monthly mobile data allowance without knowing it, and it seems like the feature is turned on by default with iOS 10.

To turn it off, go to Settings > Mobile and scroll to the bottom of the menu. There will be a switch next to ‘Wi-Fi Assist’, so make sure this is turned to ‘Off’.

 

10. No iMessage notifications in iOS 10

If you’ve updated to iOS 10 and notice that you’re no longer getting notifications when you receive an iMessage, check your notification settings by going to Settings > Notifications > Messages.

Make sure all the toggles next to each option are switched on, and that the selected alert style is ‘Banner’.

 

11. iMessage effects aren’t working in iOS 10

A new feature in iOS 10 is iMessage effects, which are full screen animations designed to make your iMessage chats more entertaining. These effects include fireworks, lasers, shooting starts and an invisible ink feature.

However, some iOS 10 users are reporting that they cannot see iMessage effects. If you can’t see iMessage effects in iOS 10, the most likely cause of this is that you have the ‘Reduce Motion’ option turned on. While this option is useful for saving the battery life of your iPhone or iPad, or for minimising the effects of motion sickness when using your device when moving, it also prevents iMessage effects from appearing.

To turn it off, open Settings and go to General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion and turn the Reduce Motion setting to ‘Off’.

 

12. Cannot delete apps in iOS 10

If you can’t delete apps from your iPhone or iPad after upgrading to iOS 10 then you’re not alone. Users are reporting that when trying to delete an app they just see a message saying “Waiting”, and the usual X icon to delete the app doesn’t appear.

To fix this problem first perform a hard reset of your iOS 10 device. Do this by pressing and holding the power button and the Home button at the same time for ten seconds until the Apple logo appears.

If that doesn’t help, check to make sure you’re not installing any apps in the background while you try to delete other apps. To do this open the App Store then tap on Updates > Purchased.

See if any of the apps have “Installing” next to them. If they are, put your device into Airplane mode, then tap on the apps to stop them. Next, turn off Airplane mode and download the apps one by one.

You may also need to try resetting all your settings. Open up the Settings app and select ‘General’. Scroll down and select ‘Reset’ then ‘Reset All Settings’.

 

13. Third party keyboard doesn’t work in iOS 10

Many iOS 10 users are noticing that when using a third party keyboard, such as Swype or Bitmoji, the keyboard becomes unresponsive and crashes.

Most of the developers behind these keyboards know this is an issue and have released updates that have fixed compatibility with iOS 10, so the first thing you should do is check the App Store to see if there is an update waiting for your keyboard.

If there isn’t you will have to disable the keyboard by going to Settings > General > Keyboards and tap on ‘Edit’. Next, tap on the minus button, or swipe left, on the keyboard you want to remove.

 

14. Purchased ringtones have vanished in iOS 10

If you’ve bought and downloaded custom ringtones, you may not be able to find them if you’ve updated to iOS 10.

This is a problem that has happened in previous updates, and thankfully there’s an easy way to get them back without having to purchase the ringtones all over again.

Simply plug your iPhone or iPad into your PC or Mac and launch iTunes. Click on your device in the top menu, and under where it says ‘On My Device’ click ‘Tones’.

Now make sure the check box next to ‘Sync Tones’ is selected. and you’ll be asked if you agree to removing and replacing your ringtones. Agree, and the sync process will start.

 

15. Alarms are not working in iOS 10

There’s nothing worse than an important alarm not going off, and sadly that’s what some iOS 10 users are currently experiencing. If you’ve found that your alarms are either not going off at all, or they go off at the wrong time, then there’s a straightforward solution.

Open up the Clock app and go to ‘Alarms’, where you usually set your alarms. Click the edit button at the top of the app, then delete all of your alarms. Close the app, then reopen it and add your alarms back in.

If that doesn’t work you’ll need to be a bit more ruthless. Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap on Reset All Settings. This will reset all your settings to default. It means everything you’ve configured will be set back to the way it was before you tinkered, which is annoying, but at least it means you can now reset your alarms and they will work again.

 

16. iPhone screen no longer works

If your device’s screen no longer responds to touch inputs after updating to iOS 10, then unplug your iPhone or iPad and remove any case or screen protector. Clean your screen, then restart your device. If your device’s screen still does not work, you can try adjust you 3D Touch settings.

To do this, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > 3D Touch. You can then adjust the sensitivity. If it still doesn’t work, you may need to contact Apple Support.

 

17. Device gets hot when charging after iOS 10 update

If you’ve noticed that your iPhone or iPad has started to heat up when charging after being updating to iOS 10, don’t panic.

Even though it doesn’t look like it, iOS 10 may still be updating apps in the background immediately after the update, so when it’s being charged it may run hotter than usual.

Give it time, and hopefully your iPhone or iPad will return to normal temperatures when charging.

 

18. Photo albums no longer sync in iOS 10

Some iPhone owners are reporting that when trying to sync photo albums from their Macs to their iPhones running iOS 10, the photos sync to the device, but their respective albums aren’t showing.

So, while the photos are on the iPhone, they can be difficult to find, as they’re no longer sorted in the albums they usually appear in.

One user on the Apple Support forum found that by opening a folder on their Mac called ‘iPhone’ they found lots of subfolders containing photos. Usually this folder and its subfolders get synced. To fix the problem, they added two new subfolders into the iPhone folder and tried to sync – and it worked, with all the albums then appearing as they should in iOS 10.

 

19. Playlists appear empty after updating to iOS 10

A common problem with iOS 10 involves songs in playlists created in iTunes not appearing on the iPhone.

This problem mainly involved Smart Playlists, and although they appear on phones, they now look empty.

To fix this problem plug in your iPhone and open iTunes. Select your device and uncheck all playlists to stop them syncing. Apply the changes, then check the boxes to sync the playlists and they should now appear on your iPhone after the sync process has finished.

 

20. Games run slow in iOS 10

If you find that graphically intensive games are now slow to open, and feel sluggish when played, then close down all of your open apps, then press and hold the power and home buttons for 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

This resets the device, which should sort out any problems. It’s also worth making sure that you have the latest version of the game installed, as app makers may have released an update to make their apps and games work better with iOS 10.

 

21. Emails don’t appear in iOS 10 Mail app

If you’re using iOS 10 and you open up the Mail app, you may be greeted with a blank screen. A number of iOS 10 users are reporting this problem, and they all seem to have one thing in common: having an apostrophe in their email address.

It appears that a bug in iOS 10 is preventing the Mail app from showing these addresses. So, if you do have an email address with an apostrophe in it, you’ll have to wait for a fix from Apple. In the meantime, if you have other email accounts you can make emails to those addresses appear by removing the mail account with the apostrophe from the Mail app. The other email addresses will now appear.

Many email accounts let you forward mail to another email address, so until a fix is released you could set emails that go to your email address with an apostrophe to be forwarded to another address. The process for this varies depending on the email provider, so visit the website of the company that supplies your email address for more information.

More iOS 10 problems and fixes

It’s still the early of Apple’s new operating system availability, and it’s highly likely that there will be more iOS 10 problems discovered.

 

We hope you found this article interesting. If you have an extended interest in mobile phone maintenance, problem diagnostics and repairs, check out our IT Repair Technician role by clicking this link! It might be just right for you!

– Matt Swider

– Matt Hanson

A Guide to getting a job in Data Entry

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Data entry jobs essentially involve processing numerical, text based or imagery data from one format to another.

In an age where data, especially on the internet, drives the activities of businesses and organisations alike, manipulation and transference of data is a key requirement. To give a sense of the importance and significance of data in today’s world, research firm IDC predicted that the “digital universe” online would grow to 2.75 zetabytes in the space of a year. This clearly demonstrates that data is certainly big business.

The scope of available data entry jobs is broad. Organisations – from private companies to universities and the health service – have multiple reasons for employing people to enter data and the nature of the tasks vary considerably. Fundamentally, organisations outsource data entry to cut their costs, or to add pace to their operations – to get tasks done quicker as they don’t have their own resources internally.

One example of data work would be Customs Data Importing and manually typing specific details and instructions on shipping orders. Alternatively, taking information from web pages – such as the contact and address details of businesses – and typing that information into a database is another example. Transcribing work can also be viewed more broadly as data entry – where verbal or video recordings (data) are transcribed into written words. Proofreading and editing of text can also fall within a broader definition of data entry. However, these are just a few examples of many online data entry jobs and as such means that the work can be highly varied, which keeps the job interesting and appealing.

 

The popularity of data entry jobs

By their nature, data entry jobs are often temporary assignments or one-off projects so you can apply for posts whenever it’s convenient. Data entry jobs can also pay well given their flexibility and the lack of set-up costs to enable you to perform the work. Given that a lot of data entry work can be done online you don’t necessarily need to apply for posts in areas that are geographically close to you – or even in the same country. Plus you can literally work from your bed or kitchen table if you choose!

Therefore in these times of economic uncertainty, and where most people’s incomes and benefits are reducing in real terms, the popularity of data entry jobs is as high now as it has ever been.

 

What will you actually be doing?

First and foremost, you will be sitting working at your computer and there will fundamentally be two key parts to your work – finding jobs and completing them. The former will require significant effort and should not be underestimated or ignored. Given the popularity of this form of work as described above, competition from all over the globe can be intense for the best jobs so finding work should be tackled as professionally as completion.

Completing work essentially involves typing – or keystrokes – working on a conventional computer keyboard and inputting information.

 

Who would data entry jobs suit?

Data entry jobs are ideal for a whole host of different people with different circumstances. A non-exhaustive list is detailed below:

  • Stay-at-home mothers who can fit short periods of data entry around their child’s routine as well as working in the evenings or weekends.
  • Students who can fit data entry work around their studies and can use data entry jobs to fill long periods of holiday.
  • Part-time workers who are looking to supplement the earnings of their primary job.
  • Long shift workers whose primary jobs result in large blocks of free time.
  • Anybody who is currently unemployed.
  • Anybody looking for an injection of money to fund a holiday, Christmas or an extra-ordinary purchase.
  • Anybody considering starting a business from home.
  • Anybody looking to gain administrative experience or practise with a view to building an administrative career.

 

Data entry job benefits

There are a lot of benefits synonymous with doing data entry work online. Firstly, it is home-based; so you can work in an environment where you are relaxed and comfortable and there are no costs associated with travelling to and from work. It can also be done in your own time, as there are usually no set working hours and work can fit around your daily or weekly routines. There are no barriers to completing work in the evenings or at weekends.

Being a freelance data entry clerk / technician is one of the few online businesses that needs no investment given that most people already have a computer with the standard Microsoft packages (or equivalents) and an internet connection.
Doing a data entry job not only earns you money in the short-term but also evidences the use of certain skills that are transferrable into other jobs. In other words, doing a data entry job can allow you to build a bank of experience where your circumstances may not enable you to do so in other ways.

 

What qualifications are needed?

There is no exact set of qualifications or requirements that you need to enter this career path and most entry level positions require no experience. This makes them perfect for people looking to earn money quickly online without much preparation or training.

Having said that, the more skills you have the better you will likely be paid and the more easily you will attract the best employers / organisations in need. Knowing certain Microsoft spreadsheet formulae and word processing shortcuts will certainly make you more efficient which means that the faster you can work, the more money you will earn and the more lucrative the work will be. Therefore becoming familiar with the more in-depth functions of the Microsoft Office suite of packages has a lot of value.

There are a number of other personal competencies that are important enablers to being successful in data entry jobs:

  • patience – data entry can get monotonous at times; you need to be able to focus on long-term goals and get through the short-term distractions
  • attention to detail is paramount to your success as it lies at the heart of completing a quality job for the client
  • ability to work to deadlines – clients will expect you to meet the deadlines they set out and that you commit to up front
  • good communication skills and a high level of literacy – again, these will result in higher quality work for the client
  • depending on the nature of the work, a high level of analytical skill may be required.

Having a well-constructed CV which outlines your experience, education and any relevant skills can be a helpful tool to have to be able to send to potential employers to enable you to concisely demonstrate your suitability for a job. Keeping a template cover letter that you can personalise easily and quickly will also act as a differentiator when competing with other candidates for data entry jobs.

Free guidance on writing a CV is available from a number of online and offline sources. If you would like excellent assistance in appropriately structuring and organising your CV for a Data Entry role, submit your CV on our website by following this link. After all, it’s extremely important that you ensure all the information on your CV is accurate and your punctuation and spelling are perfect. If they are not, any potential employer will think negatively of you, especially as you’re applying for work where attention to detail is crucial. To that end, use spelling and grammar checks and ask a friend or relative to read through your CV one or two time before you finalise it and send it to prospective employers.

 

A typing test/KPH test

The core of any data entry job is entering data using key strokes of a keyboard. Simplistically, the quicker you can type with a high level of accuracy the better. A generic typing test, or keystrokes-per-hour (KPH) test as it can be known, measures speed and accuracy. A test essentially consists of typing a set passage of text or data while you are being timed. An assessment of data quality and words typed per minute is then given and a KPH score can be calculated.

Fortunately, practice can pay off in this area and it’s easy to recognise and measure improvement. There are many websites that offer free online tests, games and help modules to support you.

There are several basic ‘tips’ that can support your typing / data entry development.

  • Try and memorise where the keys are on a keyboard. This sounds difficult but with practice it gets a lot easier. Placing small, round stickers over a few keys

in the first instance and adding stickers so keys are masked provides motivation / assistance!

  • Understand keyboard shortcuts to completing tasks in the given program you are using. For example, in Microsoft Word, “Ctrl + S” is “save” and can be completed

in less than a second versus picking up the mouse and selecting “save” in the toolbar menu. The “Help” function in most programmes will provide information on shortcuts or indeed use an online search engine to find the best ones. Shortcuts will increase your speed which will increase your earning capacity – it is as simple as that!

  • Use the 10 digit number pad on the right hand side of a conventional keyboard, especially when you are dealing with a lot of numbers rather than words. This will increase your accuracy and speed.
  • Set up your equipment so that you’re comfortable – it will both increase your proficiency and your enjoyment of the work.

 

Are you actively seeking a job within Data Entry? We currently have a vacancy for a role which specialises in Data Importation within the field of Customs Operations. You can view it by following this link! 

– SurveyCompare

How addicted is Britain to Social Media?

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The usage of Social Media is increasing more and more by every year. But to what extent are Brits succumbing to it?

A new survey from BT has revealed just how addicted to social media the UK is, showing that the average Brit spends two hours and 12 minutes on social media every day, usually across three social media accounts.

In fact, BT thinks social media has made us “social needier” – Brits are expecting more and more validation through our social media, and putting a lot of time in to what we post on there… and it’s men who seem needier than women.

Men said they expected 40 likes on a post on average to “feel happy” about it, while for women that figure was 28. That’s much lower, but still pretty high. When we get those likes, the survey says, we feel happy (44%), recognised (29%), and popular (27%).

Then again, given how much time we spend crafting posts in the first place, maybe it’s not totally unreasonable to want something back: we spend an average of nine minutes composing a post (10 minutes for men and eight for women), or eleven minutes to take a picture and share it.

And then, when it’s finally up, men check a post for interaction every minute for a whopping 19 minutes, while women check every minute for 15.

Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman said it was “not surprising” that men show more dependence on social networks than women, since “they often have less well-developed social networks and fewer emotional ties in the real world”… a claim which could probably benefit from a little empirical evidence.

Overall, 68 of survey respondents said that being recognised on social media is “important”, and more than half said they felt envious of people whose posts garnered more likes, shares, and responses.

“Superficial interactions such as ‘liking’ someone’s post are harmless in themselves,” Spelman continued, “but people need to be careful that when they interact with social media they don’t forget real life relationships with friends and family members.”

 

– Kim Stables

Original Source: BT

UK’s Broadband Network Described as ‘Unacceptable’

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The UK’s Business Secretary has called the Country’s business broadband “unacceptable”.

Greg Clark, the business secretary, has said that major broadband upgrades are needed to support the government’s plans for industry. Speaking at the Institute of Directors’ annual conference, he said that the state of UK broadband was “unacceptable” for 2016.

Clark told attendees that he wanted entrepreneurs in the UK to be valued the same way that Olympians and Paralympians are, but that there were significant obstacles preventing British companies for achieving that – including the quality of broadband and mobile.

“We have new infrastructure like Crossrail about to open, but we have roads that are bottlenecked, trains overcrowded, and broadband and mobile coverage that is simply unacceptable in 2016,” said Clark.

“I believe it is time for our country to have an upgrade – an upgrade in our infrastructure so that we have smart and modern connections, physical and electronic.”

The government’s multi-million pound Broadband Delivery UK Fund has been driving fibre rollouts across the country, connecting 91% of the population to faster broadband already. It hopes to reach 95% by the end of next year, but that will still inevitably leave some areas without a decent connection.

Clark said that, while different parts of the country have different needs, government policy has treated everywhere as if it was the same.

Clark said: “It seems to me that helping Cornwall make the best of its future is as vital to a comprehensive national success as helping Birmingham – but what is needed in each place is different, and our strategy must reflect that.

“Many of the policies and decisions that form our industrial strategy will not be about particular industries or sectors, but will be cross-cutting.”

Clark likely found a receptive audience to his criticisms – the Institute of Directors has indicated that it wants a 10Gb broadband available to all businesses by 2030. Meanwhile, the government’s incoming Digital Economy Bill includes a universal service obligation of just 10Mb.

If you found this article interesting, make sure you check out our latest job role which involves advising business on the best possible communication solutions. It may be just right for you! View it by following this link!

– Duncan Heaney

‘TeenTech’ comes to Telford

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The children of today have been inspired to become the innovators of tomorrow by a special event, TeenTech, held in Telford right in the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

TeenTech

Around 250 year 8 students from across the borough were at the Enginuity museum on Tuesday 11 October in the Ironbridge Gorge for ‘TeenTech’ Telford.  Joined  by nearly 30 local and national companies who brought their brightest engineers and scientists and cutting edge technology – the children learnt how they could continue the tech revolution.

For the students and their teachers, it was an interactive hands-on event to help them better understand the real and local career opportunities on offer in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For the companies present, it was a chance for them to explain to the students what it takes to be part of their high-tech world and inspire the young people to pursue careers in their companies.

Activities included solving electric circuit problems, exploring space through virtual reality, designing apps and building a battery-powered vehicle to race on a 30ft track.

‘TeenTech’ was created by  television presenter Maggie Philbin. She said: “Today is a springboard for those young people.

“We hope it makes them understand that the world of science and technology is a very, very big place and that they belong in it. But we also want them to carry on exploring some of the exciting ideas that they may have started to have today.”

Maggie explained all the students who attended are now invited to enter the annual ‘TeenTech’ awards. She said: “After a day when they have seen all sorts of things that perhaps they didn’t realise existed or had thought about before, they are then encouraged to develop their own projects to make life better, simpler or easier.”

‘TeenTech’ Telford was the first of its kind in the  West Midlands.

Project managed and sponsored by Telford & Wrekin Council, this was the first time that TeenTech has come to the West Midlands and would not have happened without additional sponsorship from, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Explore University, Faccenda, Business, Watch Guarding, Epson, Midland Alloy, TDS / Cadcoe, Woote, SCE, Wolverhampton University

Councillor Gilly Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Education, Employment & Regeneration said: “It’s fantastic to see young people engaging with business like this, and taking part in it with hands-on activities. There are so many businesses in Telford which use these STEM skills and so many opportunities for our young people.

“It’s really important that young people in Telford and Wrekin get to know what job opportunities there are in our Town and are inspired to achieve their full potential.  There was something for everyone yesterday and the Council look forward to building on the event to enable our schools and colleges and businesses to work even more closely together.

“Thank you to ‘TeenTech’ for coming to Telford and to all those who supported us yesterday – our local businesses, sponsors and volunteers.  . Without them it wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s a testament to the collaboration  between local businesses, schools and colleges and Telford & Wrekin Council.”

Employers and educational organisations who attended were:

The Army, Barclays, CH2M, Epson Telford Ltd., Enginuity Fablab, Febweld, Faccenda, Fujitsu, Harper Adams University, Hoshizaki, JVC Kenwood, Keele University, Lighting Industry Association, Maplin, National Grid, PDSA, QMUL, RAF, RHQ REME, Shropshire 3D Print, Sodexo, Staffordshire University, Technology Supplies, Telford College of Arts and Technology, University of Wolverhampton, VEX Robotics, West Midlands Police.

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