10 tech stories you may have missed: AI on the watch

December 12, 2018 9:06 AM

Artificial intelligence catches lies on expense reports, small businesses make risky tech decisions, Microsoft forcing Office upgrades, and seven other things that happened in technology this past month and how they’ll impact your clients and your firm.

Artificial intelligence making possible new computer technologies and businesses

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1. AI can now catch lies on your expense report

For companies that don’t have time to check everything on employee expense accounts, now there’s technology to do it for them. An AI accounting startup named AppZen is already helping firms such as Amazon, IBM, Salesforce and Comcast, and claims it has saved clients $40 million in fraudulent expenses since launching 18 months ago. AppZen says the technology frees up auditors to dig deeper into dubious claims and educate employees about travel and expense policies. (Source: Bloomberg)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: I bet if you or your clients have traveling employees, you sometimes wonder if all the expenses they’re charging are either legitimate or within your rules. Maybe you’ve got someone reviewing expense reports or maybe you just don’t have the resources to do that. AI-powered apps like AppZen will be able to automatically provide that oversight, potentially flag problems and save you and your clients money. The big guys are using this now, but soon we’ll have other similar apps available for small companies to leverage.

2. A survey reveals risky technology decision-making among small businesses

Capterra, a leading online resource for business software buyers, released findings from its latest survey of more than 700 small and midsized business leaders that revealed that, although the SMB leaders see tech as a competitive advantage, they also see it as a business challenge, with 47 percent of respondents saying they factor technology trends and advancements into their strategic planning, but 19 percent admitting that choosing the right technology is their No. 1 challenge. (Source: SC Now Morning News)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: The results of this study should validate that other business owners are just as confused about technology as you are. About a third of these SMB leaders told Capterra that they are “solely responsible” for making their companies’ tech purchasing decisions – yet many are challenged to figure out the right kind of technology. My advice? Get help. Hire a consultant. Ask people in your industry. Read this column.

3. Intuit announces winner of the 2018 $100,000 Small Business App Showdown

At QuickBooks Connect 2018, Intuit announced G1VE as the winner of this year’s $100,000 Small Business App Showdown — the contest honoring the best new apps published on the QuickBooks App Store over the last year. G1VE enables QuickBooks businesses to allocate a percentage of their monthly revenue — usually one percent -- to their favorite nonprofits by integrating with QuickBooks Online to calculate each business’ donation amount based on its revenue. (Source: Market Watch)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: I admit I didn’t even know this program from Intuit existed. But it’s a great idea, not only because it showcases great apps that increase with its popular small business products, but also gives big money to start-ups or tech firms that develop innovative ways to use QuickBooks better. If you’re a QuickBooks user then check out some of the other finalists … or maybe develop something next year?

4. Web.com partners to help small businesses at no cost

Web.com — a 20-year-old online website host and marketing consulting company that serves over 3 million customers — announced it is now providing free consultation services for small businesses in over 75 U.S. markets. (Source: Jacksonville Business Journal)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: Want some free marketing help? Just call them and you’ll get a no-cost consultation on improving your online marketing and later a free report on how well that marketing is working. Nothing to lose. Everything to gain.

5. Microsoft now lets you log into Outlook, Skype, Xbox Live without a password

About 800 million Microsoft customers can now use hardware authentication keys — without a password — to log onto their Outlook, Office 365, OneDrive, Skype, and Xbox Live accounts … made possible by a technology called FID02. New versions of MS Windows 10 and the Edge browser support the new technology. (Source: CNET)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: The hardware authentication keys plug into laptop USB ports or, for phones, use Bluetooth or NFC wireless communications to help prove who the user is. Many companies are adopting a hardware approach to authentication and it’s an approach you should be considering this year for both you and your employees.

6. Verizon looks to expand 5G home broadband offering

Verizon’s CFO says it plans to target a broader audience for its new 5G home broadband product following the adoption of global standards for the technology. As a result, the wireless carrier recently launched 5G home broadband in Houston, L.A., Indianapolis, and Sacramento, California, providing high-speed connections without having to lay cable, and it will offer 5G-enabled handsets in the first half of 2019. The company expects to get 30 million households connected in the next few years. (Source: U.S. News & World Report)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: Verizon is expanding 5G commercially and for residential use – both affect your business because you’ve got people (I’m sure) working both from home and in the office. 5G connections will bring faster speeds, shorter data delays and faster data connections for you and your workers. It will enable web-based technologies, like Internet of Things devices, artificial intelligence, robotics and augmented reality tools to work faster and more seamlessly.

7. Microsoft's strategy: Force enterprises to buy every traditional Office upgrade

In a new round of support policy changes, Microsoft can now stop enterprises that use workarounds to cut costs when they license MS Office Suite. The company changed the end-of-support for Office 2016’s right to connect to cloud-based services as it rolled out Office 2019. According to a Microsoft announcement, organizations that want to run the traditional version of Office with Office 365 will need to license every version without skipping, ensuring the company a continuous revenue stream for Office. (Source: Computer World)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: Here’s the bottom line: if you or your people are using an older, on-premise version of Office and you’ve been connecting to cloud-based features like OneDrive or Skype, then you’re probably not going to be able to do this in the very near future unless you upgrade to an Office 365 license. You better talk to Microsoft or your tech firm about your licensing options for 2019.

8. Find out if your old Apple devices qualify for repair

Apple has announced it will launch a Repair Vintage Apple Products Pilot program that could extend a product’s eligibility for repairs from five years to seven years (see the current vintage and obsolete products page on its website). Included now are the iPhone 5 and mid-2012 MacBook Air models, and additional models such as the iPhone 4S and MacBook Pro will be added to the eligible vintage repair list on November 30, followed by MacBook Pro models from 2012 and 2013 on December 30. (Source: CNET)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: If I hear any complaint about Apple products, it’s almost always about cost. Yes, they’re great, but they’re expensive. That’s why this program seems like an excellent idea, particularly for small businesses on a budget. Squeezing a few more years of life out of a MacBook or iPhone may be way more cost-effective than replacing them.

9. Eight noteworthy new features coming to Chromebooks

Google is currently rolling out its Chrome OS 70, which drastically changes the look and feel of the operating system and makes it more touch-friendly than ever. Chrome OS 70 features interface enhancements such as a revamped appearance of the shelf, with the dock of icons at the bottom of the screen; a newly combined and Android-Pie-design-injected Quick Settings and notification panel; and a streamlined tablet home screen to give users a permanent on-screen grid of icons — in effect, an always-open version of the traditional Chrome OS launcher. (Source: Computer World)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: I think this may be the year I try a Chromebook. My phone is a Samsung and my company is a user of Google apps. Sure, I travel and may need offline access to data that a Chromebook may not provide – but maybe it does. But given the cost and the amount of time I’m around high-speed connections, it seems like a more cost-effective device for a small business and its employees. Do you agree?

10. Small businesses reap the benefits of hiring a fractional CIO

Small businesses may want to consider hiring a fractional CIO — an outsourced person to fill the role of chief information officer, working part time or on an as-needed basis. That’s because such an individual can be beneficial when a small business faces a deadline to meet specific IT goals, especially regulatory or other compliance requirements — such as earlier this year when General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance was needed. (Source: Columbus Business First)

Why this is important for your firm and your clients: I include this story because it’s important for small business owners to know that in 2018 it’s not about just having an “IT person” who fixes printers and resolves networking issues. Yes, that role is important too. But given all the changes in technology and the need to make strategic investments for the future, it’s a good idea to embrace this trend and consider using a higher-level, CIO-type consultant to help you make the right technology choices.

Note: Some of these stories also appeared on Forbes.com.