Today’s Most Important Technology Trends

We are amidst the 4th Industrial revolution and technology is rapidly growing. A life without phones, computers, basic kitchen utensils, a vehicle? It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?

From the earliest use of simple resources like paper money, to today’s cutting-edge technological advancements like blockchain or cryptocurrencies, the fast expansion is distinct, and we all are in for the ride. 

So, let’s dive into the most imminent trends.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence is probably the most imperative and leading trend in technology today. It has created a lot of buzz because of its effects on how we live, work, and play. It is truly breathtaking how we have managed to create machines and systems that can think for themselves.

AI is one of the most transformative technological evolutions of our times. The Apple iPhone’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa are perfect examples of how it is already being used by most of us out here. The onset of smart homes, smart cities, and the Internet is imminent, which means that AI will be integrated more and more into our everyday lives. And it is very likely that we will see wider adoption and a growing pool of providers that are likely to start offering more tailored applications and services for specialized tasks. 

What does this mean for your company? It’s time to take a step in the right direction! It is so exciting to see science fiction being made into reality, and it’s happening right before our very eyes.

Online Streaming

When’s the last time you saw a movie in theaters? How about the last time you watched a movie or show on Netflix? If you’re like most consumers, you’ve done the latter thing more often. 

Netflix has stimulated the trend of online streaming that has taken a big toll on how we entertain ourselves. We don’t have to rent VHS tapes, DVDs or watch whatever is on live TV anymore. Most people’s preferred entertainment platforms are Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other online streaming services. This means traditional TV could soon become obsolete if the popularity of online streaming continues. 

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality has set a completely different and exciting course for technological uprising which is setting a bar for entertainment and learning at the next level. Although VR has primarily been used for gaming thus far, it has also been used for training, as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used to train U.S. Navy, Army, and Coast Guard ship captains.

You can see its presence in the entertainment industry and it’s gradually hopping on the bandwagon of other platforms. It is also a great way to train and educate, especially when it comes to hands on training; VR is a great way to try a new exciting activity without the risks that come with it. 

Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual Reality (VR) immerses the user in an environment, while on the other hand, Augmented Reality (AR) enhances their environment. AR is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information.

Pokemon Go for example, is one of the greatest productions within the AR world. Both VR and AR have enormous potential in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even rehabilitation post-injury. It is very likely that in the future, interaction between environments and reality will be greatly defined by technologies based out of AR and VR technologies.

On-demand Apps

Uber. Skip the dishes. UberEats. DoorDash. I could go on and on with examples of on-demand apps that we tend to use on a daily basis. One tap on your smartphone and you can find food on your doorstep in 15 mins.

Isn’t that so cool? Today, people are getting more and more used to having everything on-demand. And this is a rapidly growing trend, which will shape our day-to-day lives in a very dramatic way. 

Custom Software Development

You are living in a world full of products and services, and you can easily find yourself lost in all these technological advancements. But don’t worry, we’re here to provide you with the best advice for your business. Custom software development is your solution, since not only can it give you an edge over your competitors, but also increase revenue and be cost-effective.

These technology trends are the future. If companies don’t evolve according to these trends, there is a very strong possibility they might end up like Blockbuster. If you don’t know what I am talking about, Blockbuster LLC was a provider of home movie and video game rental services. But it went bankrupt because they didn’t advance and compete with new technology.

If you don’t want to be the next Blockbuster, contact our experts today. And we will be happy to help your company grow with the latest technologies.

Seven Big Data Challenges and Ways To Solve Them

Before going big data, every leader or decision-maker needs to be aware of what they are dealing with. And in the process of making these decisions, you will face certain challenges.

Now, if the company hasn’t done full fledged analysis and strategized accordingly, these challenges can be harder to overcome. Here, I am going to cover 7 major big data challenges that people face and provide you with solutions for each one of them. 

Challenge #1: Insufficient understanding and acceptance of big data 

A lot of companies tend to waste not only their precious time, but also their resources on things they don’t even know how to use.

And I strongly believe that without a decent understanding of big data’s value and resistance to change in existing processes, the company’s progress will be hindered.

Solution:

Big data is a major transformation for a company. And it is extremely important for it to be accepted by top-level executives first and then towards the lowest end of the scale. Thus, IT departments need to organize numerous training sessions and workshops in order to establish a better understanding and acceptance at all levels.

In addition to that, the application and use of big data solutions needs to be supervised and composed. 

Challenge #2: Confusing variety of big data technologies

Now, there is an abundance of big data technologies available to you which can create a lot of confusion. It is very easy to find yourself lost in this plentiful amount of technologies available on the market. And it's worse when you’re unsure of what you need when searching for the next technological opportunity.

Solution:

If you are someone who has no clue on where to begin when it comes to big data, then professional guidance will prove to be very helpful. There are many resources out there; you could consult an expert or turn to a vendor for big data consulting. In both scenarios, you will be successful in finding the right strategy and technology stack that will align with it. 

Challenge #3: Paying loads of money

Money, Money and more Money. Big data projects necessitate lots of expenses. Whether it be an on-premises solution or cloud-based big data solution, the first expense is the need to hire new staff (administrators and developers) who will actually make your strategy work.

On top of that, on-premises solutions, even though they have open-source frameworks, require development, setup, configuration and maintenance expenses. When it comes to cloud services, there are other expenses such as, big data solution development, setup and maintenance on needed frameworks. 

However, in both the scenarios, if you are looking to save money, you need to be flexible towards future expansions. 

Solution:

The preservation of your company’s penny will depend on its specific technological needs, strategy in use and business goals. For instance, there are companies that use the cloud for flexibility benefits. Whereas other companies might want on-premises because of extremely strict security requirements.

In addition to that, you can also find hybrid solutions where some parts of data are stored and processed in the cloud and other on-premises. And this strategy in particular can be very cost-effective. Moreover, using data lakes or algorithm optimizations (only and only if done properly) can also save money:

1. Data lakes can help you save money by storing data that is not needed to be analyzed at the moment.

2. Optimized algorithms can reduce computing power consumption by 5 to 100 times.

To sum it all, in order to save money, you need to analyze your needs and choose a corresponding course of action.

Challenge #4: Complexity of managing data quality

Data from diverse sources

Data integration is a major challenge that companies face sooner or later. This is mainly because data used for analysis is derived from various sources. And this data can be in a variety of different formats.

For instance, eCommerce companies need to analyze data from website logs, call-centers, competitors’ websites ‘scans’ and social media.

Unreliable data

Like any other technology, even big data isn’t 100% accurate and no one is hiding it. As a matter of fact, it’s not that critical. But don’t get me wrong, you should definitely control how reliable your data is. Because it can always contain wrong and contradictory information. In addition to that, data can always duplicate itself. Thus, you need to always keep an eye out. 

Solution:

There are a bulk of techniques in the market solely for cleansing data. But first of all, your big data needs to have a proper model and the right strategy. Only then, you can go ahead and do other things, like:

• Correlate data with a single point of truth.

• If data relates to a certain entity, just match and incorporate it.

Challenge #5: Dangerous big data security holes

The most naive move that big data adoption projects make is putting security off till later stages. Time and time again, big data security gets overlooked. The tech evolves, but security is not a factor taken into consideration until the application level. 

Solution:

As the saying goes, precaution is better than cure. It is important to put security first. And this is the precaution against your possible big data security challenges. It is particularly important at the stage of designing your solution’s architecture. 

Challenge #6: Tricky process of converting big data into valuable insights

Has this ever happened to you that you saw an advertisement and you were like, “Damn! It looks so good, I want to buy it.”. Then you go to the store but it’s not available.

Now, you’re disappointed and you decide I am never going to buy anything from here. And as a result of your disappointment, the company lost revenue and a loyal customer.

Solution:

Now, you might be wondering where the problem is. The analysis done by a company's big data tool does not take into consideration the data from social media platforms or competitors’ websites. Whereas, the competitor might be keeping an out in near – real – time.

To solve this problem, the firm needs an ideal system, which, on analysis, brings useful insights and makes sure no meaningful information/data is slipped out. And this system must include external sources. 

Challenge #7: Troubles of upscaling

One of the most serious challenges in the field of big data is associated with its dramatic potential to grow. 

The major problem with upscaling is not the process. Even though your design might be adjusted in a manner that requires no extra effort, it won’t guarantee the same/better performance. There is a chance that it may even decline. 

Solution:

To the greatest extent, precaution for challenges like this is a decent architecture of your big data solution. One of the most important things you need to remember while designing your big data algorithms is future upscaling. 

But apart from that, there is a dire need to figure out maintenance and support of the system in advance, so that any changes can be taken care of in a timely fashion. And on top of that, holding systematic performance audits can help you identify weak spots and address them in a timely manner.

Win or Lose?

It is pretty evident, most of the reviewed challenges can be foreseen and dealt with if your big data solution has a decent, well-organized and thought-through architecture. And this requires companies to commence a methodical approach to it. 

But besides that, companies should:

• Hold workshops for employees to ensure big data adoption.

• Carefully select a technology stack.

• Mind costs and plan for future upscaling.

• Remember that data isn’t 100% accurate, but still manages its quality.

• Dig deep and wide for actionable insights.

• Never neglect big data security.

If your company follows these tips religiously, it has a reasonable chance of defeating the Scary Seven. And for expert advice on various challenges, feel free to contact our experts. Good luck on your journey exploring Big Data!

Latest and Greatest Software Development Trends

Technology keeps advancing and growing. The latest technology trends are sure to bring a paradigm shift in the IT industry. There are a lot of new and upcoming technologies, especially in the software section. Software is slowly becoming the backbone of this computer-world.

We compiled a list of latest/top technologies in computer science, specifically software development.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We are starting our list of new technologies with a recognizable name in the modern technology trends of the software industry. For the last five years, technology has been evolving at a fast pace. Machines can now reason intellectually like humans and execute tasks like humans.

Artificial Intelligence has different subsections, including machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks grown exponentially. 

Most businesses now incorporate these techs to provide superior services to their customers. These techs have broad functions that have transmuted industries. However, AI services in the enterprise are still in the early stages.

The chatbot is one of these new trends that has eased human participation in almost everything. AI chatbots have substituted customer service and humanitarian assistance. Therefore, it made it less prone to errors. 

AI chatbots enhance correct customer behaviour analysis and reduce human resource engagement. It will make every task automated with trustworthiness and speed.

AI is fast becoming a dominant force in the technological world of today. AI has influenced many industries, including healthcare, finance, education, transportation with augmented analytics, automated testing, automated code generation, and mechanical solution development.

Blockchain

Blockchain is another new tech in computer science. It became standard with the introduction of digital currencies like Bitcoin. Banking, finance, media, and publishing industries now use Blockchain. It is also intensively used in the finance sector.

It helps to ensure secure logging of transactions in a reorganized ledger, which makes it tactically significant for businesses in all industrial verticals. 

Blockchain’s biggest strength is its ability to store any type of record in a public-facing database and protection from hackers. The data cannot be corrupted easily and attacked, and this has a significant effect on the future of modern software development trends.

Blockchain software developers are in demand because companies are planning to try their hands on blockchain development services. Developers are finding new and exciting ways to implement the software. 

Blockchain will change its direction of development, which was initially heavily focused on financial services. It will be utilized more in supply chain tracking.

IoT (Internet of Things)

The Internet of Things is covering a broad range of devices that are connected to the Internet. IoT applications have spread to many devices, both customer and industrial domains. Smart air conditioners, Bluetooth trackers, home-assistants, and Internet-connected devices are all part of this trend.

More devices are taking advantage of wireless bandwidth and power efficiency due to 5G technology, and this will produce new and thrilling possibilities for the future of IoT. 

The Internet-connected devices need to be energy efficient because they are always on and always communicating. This makes the demand for IoT software developers quite prominent for the foreseeable future. 

Immersive Technologies

This technology includes Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality, which is a combination of AR and VR. These modern technologies in software development have an enormous market, with its market size growing at an increased speed.

VR has defied the assumptions that it does not extend beyond gaming and entertainment. Walmart used VR to coach employees in customer compliance and service in 2019. The US Army uses MR tech for military training purposes. AR is utilized in eCommerce apps to make the shopping experience more captivating and interactive. E-commerce stores with AR allow customers to have a virtual try-on before they make their purchase.

AR and VR are useful in entertainment industry, marketing, education, training, and even rehabilitation after an injury. Both can offer museum-goers with a profound experience, improve marketing, and make amusement park rides even more electrifying.

Progressive Web Applications (PWA)

Website and mobile app drawbacks gave birth to Progressive Web Applications, which happen to have found the perfect centre. They attract many mobile app development companies because they are effortless to develop and maintain. Additionally, these apps can be loaded very fast, even with low internet speed.

Mobile apps fully support the hardware and software functionalities of their native platform, while websites offer the ease of being accessible from any browser. Progressive Web Applications has a combination of the best from both worlds. These apps incorporate new web technologies into a solution that makes it easy to set up pungent multi-platform web-based tools.

PWA has a browser script that runs in the background, independent from the web page, known as the Service Worker.

PWA seems to be a much better alternative to spending time and money on building mobile apps. They provide similar or more benefits and are created swifter. PWAs illustrate progress in reading completion, sessions per user, and overall engagement.

5G Network

In this decade, 5G is one of the most-awaited and latest technological developments. Among the newest software technologies list, it is one of the most practically useful. 

Indubitably, 5G is transforming the day-to-day devices, with smartphones at the top. 5G also allows for lower latency. Greater bandwidth accessibility is a massive benefit of 5G network propagation.

With 5G networks, certain limitations present in 4G will be reduced or removed. Security will experience noteworthy improvement, and AR will also become better. Progression in IoT is dependent on 5G’s upgrade. Smart devices and driverless cars will be contingent on the high speed, processing power, and lower dormancy of 5G for optimal performance.

5G pledges to offer speeds more than 1Gb/s (1000Mbit/s) compared to 4G+, LTE-A, or 4.5G.

What’s Next?

Since technology keeps evolving, there will be a lot more IT trends and hot technologies over time. We discussed the latest in software development trends. Keep in mind that these are not the only new trends in technology.

Want to learn more? Contact us!