The future of work

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

The next big thing in PCs: Extra-secure laptops and desktops

Hardware priorities for laptops and PCs are changing again.

The events of the past year have propelled sales of laptops, delivering growth that hasn't been seen for quite some time. And that growth will continue through next year, if not at the unusual pace seen in 2020, according to analysts.

The four key trends that analysts at Canalys reckon will drive PC market growth in 2021 and beyond include remote working, digital learning, device as a service and the more vague category of "emerging use cases", according to Rushabh Doshi, a research director at Canalys.

"As vaccines start to roll out and we enter a post-COVID world, behavioural changes among both businesses and consumers will place greater emphasis on PC use, leading to a host of new opportunities not just in hardware, but also in software and services," Doshi said.

Next year, security and connectivity will remain critical as organizations in the private and public sectors formalize remote- and flexible-working policies. Security is, for example, what Microsoft and Intel are betting on with Microsoft's forthcoming Pluton processor for storing passwords.

"PCs with stronger security standards will be integral to future solutions and will be expected from vendors and channel partners, especially in industries such as financial services and the public sector," said Doshi.


... ever since copiers were exposed as a information security risk when a copier was removed from a Police Dept back in 2010 and all of the police records could be viewed, all copier vendors have made great strides in improving information security.

Digital Photocopiers Loaded With Secrets - CBS News

Expect all copier vendors to up their product offerings again in 2021. Xerox offers McAfee built into their copiers. Toshiba and others offer XM SendSecure as a copier app. Customers performing scan to email may have to check their cell phones for text message security codes because Two Factor Authentication will be mandatory for both Microsoft 365 and Gmail.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: The future of work

The next big thing in PCs: Extra-secure laptops and desktops

Customers performing scan to email may have to check their cell phones for text message security codes because Two Factor Authentication will be mandatory for both Microsoft 365 and Gmail.

I thought in an earlier post the date this was gonna be implemented and I believe that date has passed? I could be wrong.

[slimslob]

Re: The future of work

I thought in an earlier post the date this was gonna be implemented and I believe that date has passed? I could be wrong.

Initially I had heard late January 2021 for the elimination of 'Less secure App.' The last I have heard it now is mid February.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: The future of work

Initially I had heard late January 2021 for the elimination of 'Less secure App.' The last I have heard it now is mid February.

I'm curious to see how this is gonna affect scan to folder. I read something about Gmail allowing a user to opt out of 2FA for a computer after the initial setup.

[D_L_P]

Re: The future of work

The next big thing in PCs: Extra-secure laptops and desktops

Hardware priorities for laptops and PCs are changing again.

The events of the past year have propelled sales of laptops, delivering growth that hasn't been seen for quite some time. And that growth will continue through next year, if not at the unusual pace seen in 2020, according to analysts.

The four key trends that analysts at Canalys reckon will drive PC market growth in 2021 and beyond include remote working, digital learning, device as a service and the more vague category of "emerging use cases", according to Rushabh Doshi, a research director at Canalys.

"As vaccines start to roll out and we enter a post-COVID world, behavioural changes among both businesses and consumers will place greater emphasis on PC use, leading to a host of new opportunities not just in hardware, but also in software and services," Doshi said.

Next year, security and connectivity will remain critical as organizations in the private and public sectors formalize remote- and flexible-working policies. Security is, for example, what Microsoft and Intel are betting on with Microsoft's forthcoming Pluton processor for storing passwords.

"PCs with stronger security standards will be integral to future solutions and will be expected from vendors and channel partners, especially in industries such as financial services and the public sector," said Doshi.


... ever since copiers were exposed as a information security risk when a copier was removed from a Police Dept back in 2010 and all of the police records could be viewed, all copier vendors have made great strides in improving information security.

Digital Photocopiers Loaded With Secrets - CBS News

Expect all copier vendors to up their product offerings again in 2021. Xerox offers McAfee built into their copiers. Toshiba and others offer XM SendSecure as a copier app. Customers performing scan to email may have to check their cell phones for text message security codes because Two Factor Authentication will be mandatory for both Microsoft 365 and Gmail.

What are emerging use cases?

I wonder if 2FA email will push the industry back to more scan to folder setups. Maybe some manufacturer will make scan to phones the easiest. Seems customers trend toward easiest.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

What are emerging use cases?

I wonder if 2FA email will push the industry back to more scan to folder setups. Maybe some manufacturer will make scan to phones the easiest. Seems customers trend toward easiest.

Ransomware will be a full on assault in 2021. Global criminal expect revenues to increase from $3T to $6T next year with very little chance of ever being prosecuted.

Many SMB businesses and copier service techs gravitate to scan to email as it is often easier to install than scan to folder.

For criminals, easy for you, usually means easier for them as 93% of all hack attacks originate via email.

Clearly, scan to folder is safer than scan to email but if you leave the Admin passwords to a copier's web browser at User Name: Admin/ Password: 123456 you are not helping the problem.

On 01/01/2020 California made it law that all IOT (Internet of Things) devices including copiers must set away from the manufacturer's default passwords.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

The diet industry is getting fat off the pandemic


The pandemic version of the “Freshman 15” is proving an unexpected boon to many diet companies.

Publicly traded weight-loss companies like Medifast and Oprah Winfrey’s WW International were clobbered when coronavirus lockdowns forced Americans from New York to California to hunker down back in March.

Medifast’s stock on March 17 plummeted 53 percent from the start of the year, while WW’s shares plunged 68 percent.
But the stay-at-home trend is now fueling demand for weight loss services. And the clamoring is only expected to grow as droves of Americans pledge to lose weight in the new year, experts say.

“There is a lot of anecdotal research showing that this will be a banner year for the weight loss business,” said dietician Michele Smallidge.

Many Americans have added an extra five to 10 pounds over the past nine months as people stopped commuting to work and increasingly turned to food and alcohol to manage stress, said Smallidge, who is also program director of the Bachelor of Science Program in Exercise Science at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.

That helped New York-based WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, fatten its subscriber base to 4.7 million in the quarter ended Sept. 26, an increase of 5 percent over last year — despite the company being forced to shutter thousands of indoor spaces where its dieters had gathered for years prior to the pandemic.


WW, which boasts Winfrey as a major investor and pitchwomen, had to beef up its digital business model to survive and it now brings in less revenue because the digital service costs just $21 a month, compared to the $45 fee for the studio program.

While the revenue loss has weighed on WW’s stock, Wall Street analysts are now predicting the company will emerge from the pandemic bigger than ever.

Lane Research analyst Doug Lane is forecasting that WW’s subscribers will grow by 12.6 percent next year instead of the 9 percent growth rate he had estimated before the company’s latest financial results.

And DA Davidson analyst Linda Bolton Weiser has raised her price target for WW three times since June, most recently to $38 on Dec. 9.

“I like the weight loss sector right now, because people have gained more weight and are more sedentary,” Bolton Weiser said.


Baltimore-based Medifast Inc., which sells pre-packaged powders and bars combined with personal coaching advice, has also seen demand skyrocket — fattening its bottom line. “Medifast has been beating Wall Street’s expectations since the pandemic hit,” Lane told The Post.

Sales in the quarter ended Sept. 30 grew a massive 43 percent to $271 million, besting Wall Street’s expectations for revenue of $240.6 million. Earnings per share came in at $2.91 a share, also beating Wall Street’s estimates of $2.49 a share.

The stock is now up 85 percent for the year after closing on Christmas Eve at $196.65 a share.

Trilby Barton started Medifast’s Optavia diet program in August after the pandemic worsened her binge-eating habit, which she says was triggered the year earlier by a miscarriage.

"That nasty habit escalated when I didn’t have any structure to my day,” Barton said of working from home during the pandemic. She’s lost 42 pounds on the program, which sells branded food products including brownies and mac-and-cheese, along with personalized coaching.

The market for diet coaches, who get paid for recruiting new users, including by boasting about their success on social media, is also soaring — doubtlessly boosted by record unemployment.

“We achieved a record number of coaches, more than we’ve ever had in the history of the company,” Medifast’s Chief Executive Dan Chard told The Post of the company’s 31 percent rise to 42,100 coaches. “That is the best indicator of how we will perform in 2021,” he said.

Manhattan-based dieting app Noom is also seeing demand for coaching positions skyrocket — putting it on track to double its 2020 revenue to $400 million over last year.

“We don’t know if people are signing up for Noom because of Covid, but we’ve added more than 900 coaches over the past three months alone,” Noom co-founder and chief executive, Saeju Jeong told The Post. The new hires represent more than a third of Noom’s 3,000 coaches.

[Phil B.]

Re: The future of work

The diet industry is getting fat off the pandemic


The is proving an unexpected boon to many diet companies.



But the stay-at-home trend is now fueling demand for weight loss services. And the clamoring is only expected to grow as droves of Americans pledge to lose weight in the new year, experts say.


Many Americans have added an extra five to 10 pounds over the past nine months as people stopped commuting to work and increasingly turned to food and alcohol to manage stress, said Smallidge, who is also program director of the Bachelor of Science Program in Exercise Science at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.


WW, which boasts Winfrey as a major investor and pitchwomen, had to beef up its digital business model to survive and it now brings in less revenue because the digital service costs just $21 a month, compared to the $45 fee for the studio program.



And DA Davidson analyst Linda Bolton Weiser has raised her price target for WW three times since June, most recently to $38 on Dec. 9.




The stock is now up 85 percent for the year after closing on Christmas Eve at $196.65 a share.

Or people could just learn proper diets and an exercise program.
But NO.... They want someone else to figure that out for them.
Lazy is as lazy does.
I have lost 5lbs during this time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[srvctec]

Re: The future of work

Or people could just learn proper diets and an exercise program.
But NO.... They want someone else to figure that out for them.
Lazy is as lazy does.
I have lost 5lbs during this time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Yep. I've maintained the same weight for years (give or take 2 or 3 pounds) by just weighing myself every single day and logging it in an app on my phone. If I'm up a pound or 2, I eat smaller helpings of everything that day and maybe not have that dessert I wanted. It's not rocket science. I have found that the more stressed I get, I actually lose weight, so keeping an eye on my weight daily helps in that matter as well.

Less in means less weight put on and vice versa. I get an annual physical (for a couple decades now) and my Dr. always says to just keep doing what I'm doing.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: The future of work

Yep. I've maintained the same weight for years (give or take 2 or 3 pounds) by just weighing myself every single day and logging it in an app on my phone. If I'm up a pound or 2, I eat smaller helpings of everything that day and maybe not have that dessert I wanted. It's not rocket science. I have found that the more stressed I get, I actually lose weight, so keeping an eye on my weight daily helps in that matter as well.

Less in means less weight put on and vice versa. I get an annual physical (for a couple decades now) and my Dr. always says to just keep doing what I'm doing.

The best advice that I've ever been given is this: "You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet." Words to live by.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

Recognizing the forced changes in the workplace caused by the COVId-19 pandemic and the likely permanent reduction on print volumes. Toshiba Tec Corporation is changing its business model to embrace the future.

Notification of organization name change

December 28, 2020
Toshiba Tec Corporation

Toshiba Tec Corporation will change the organizational name of the "Printing Solutions Business Group" to that of "Workplace Solutions Business Group" on January 1, 2021.

Background of the name change

Workplace Solutions Business Group	Printing Solutions Business Group	January 1, 2021

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

The rise of the fake commute, and why it's good for your mental health


If the blur between work and home is still a struggle, mimicking your route from the Before Times may be the solution you need.

For many people, commuting to work can be the worst part of their day: There is the chance of sitting in standstill traffic. Or, railway problems might leave you disembarking and on an unexpected journey.

For others, however, commuting may have been a ritual that was critical for their mental health and work-life balance. Enter the rise of the "fake commute," wherein people replace that daily transition with walks, runs, bike rides and more.

"Routines and rituals are very beneficial to us, because they're things that we understand and know what to expect from them," said Lynn Bufka, the senior director of practice transformation and quality at the American Psychological Association.

"The routine sets up for us, without having to think about what we're going to do next, 'Here is how my day is going to flow,'" she said. "It helps us ease from point A to point B."

Commutes are forced pauses that signal the time to transition from one's work identity to another identity, such as parent, spouse or friend, said Ravi S. Gajendran, an associate professor at Florida International University's College of Business. "Working full time from home during the pandemic makes it difficult to transition between work and home roles," he said via email.

"Many individuals are shifting between being a parent/spouse and an employee multiple times during a day," Gajendran added.

"It's hard to smoothly hop on to a work-related Zoom call right after dealing with a demanding situation with kids at home. Likewise, it's hard to leave behind the stresses and mental worries of work-related Zoom call and instantly switch to being a loving and caring partner or spouse."

Ilona Alcock, another faithful fake commuter, and her husband shifted from train rides and walks to enjoying strolls to "create a split between home and work."

"The fake commutes were an absolute lifeline for myself and my husband," added Alcock, cofounder of business development consultancy Elevate Greater Manchester in England. "They gave me a reason to get out of bed at the same time each morning and set me up for a more productive, active day. Walking outside has a massive positive impact on my mental health."

For several months now, the practice has been a way for Alcock to start her day with fresh air, green spaces and time to learn. "It has a positive impact on my whole day and I often have my best ideas during these walks," she said.
Kanter's fake commutes have been a meditational respite as well. She has found a way to "be in the moment and observe, which I know is another technique for getting through trauma," Kanter said. "It brought down the stress levels and the fear and the negative thinking, and improved (my) concentration."

Nick Shepherd, a business development executive in Stockport, England, has been waking up earlier to "go for a wander and see the world wake up" since October. "I think people (think) that it's nice to just wake up straight from your bed and go straight to your desk to work for the day," he added, "but it makes such a difference having that time before work to yourself."

No commute meant that Louise Sharp was increasingly logging in to her laptop earlier and finishing later. An 8-kilometer (nearly 5-mile) walk helped her process her responsibilities, improve her mood and become motivated and more aware.

"Spending too much time in front of a screen and with no likely return to the office, I knew I had to do something," said Sharp, a whole family practitioner in Warrington, Cheshire, England.

Starting your own fake commute can be as simple as walking, running or biking for around the same time or mileage that your former trip took. Some people drive to their office building, stay in the car, then return home in time to start work. "People who segment do have better work-life balances," said Kristen Shockley, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Georgia.

Whichever substitute you choose, a key is to "make it a habit and prepare the night ahead," Alcock said. Adding a social aspect could make the habit more enjoyable and sustainable. Kanter recruited her husband and declared their commute a "no-COVID discussion zone," she said via email. Alcock has found that the morning chats with her husband help keep their "relationship strong throughout the pandemic."

Since some people's homes are masquerading as offices, just having your laptop in sight can be stressful. Separate yourself from work by also shifting your area, Bufka said, perhaps by putting away your laptop and shelving notebooks.
"Depending on what people really appreciate about the notion of transition and figuring out what kind of time they might need," Bufka added, "plan on that." That transition could be spending time alone or simply changing clothes.

In addition to the benefits for mental health and work-life balance, fake commutes could improve your physical health. Before the pandemic, Kanter learned that her cholesterol was high — but when she had a follow-up appointment with her doctor months later, her cholesterol had normalized.

Walking and other forms of exercise can help to reduce problems with stress, mental health and sleep, research has shown. Physical activity can also boost your immunity and respiratory health, which are critical factors in how a person fares if infected with coronavirus.

"There's some opportunities here to build some new habits or new structures into our day-to-day lives that will serve us well," Bufka said, "whether there's a pandemic or not."

[mrnapolean1]

Re: The future of work

I think Jobs that can be done remotely should stay remote. Keeps traffic congestion down, saves time, saves money, and Ive found out some people are more productive doing stuff like Newscasting, Secretary work, Customer service, and Remote Support from home because your in a relaxed environment.

Plus youre not out there transmitting COVID, Common Cold, Flu or any other contagious disease around.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

In the Fast Lane Toward a Contactless Supply Chain


In the name of safety, touchless technology is on the rise everywhere we look. Restaurants and retailers are adopting contactless payment methods. The journey through the airport terminal is trending toward touch-free. The touchless sensing market is expected to reach $15.3 billion in 2025, up from $6.8 billion in 2020. Not to be left out, we’re going to see touch-free supply-chain operations evolve this year as well.

As pandemic-induced safety concerns skyrocketed last year, so did the need for contactless solutions at every step of the supply chain, from shipping to shelves. Coming into 2021, experts don’t think this shift toward touchless delivery and workflows will be slowing any time soon. In fact, trends in automation, from artificial intelligence to machine learning to predictive analytics, are enabling contact-free methods in the supply chain to march forward.

The drive toward supply-chain digitization is underway. For many years, there’s been a strong desire among trucking companies and consignees to go paper-free, whether during pickups, deliveries or anywhere else along the supply chain. Transportation leaders want the ability to handle bills of lading and other vital documentation on mobile devices, because digital transactions are more efficient, accurate and environmentally friendly than manual paper-based processes.

Automated data-acquisition processes are a growing trend, including the ability to auto-generate and auto-populate data. In fact, regulations now require that truck drivers use electronic logging devices (ELDs) rather than paper logbooks. Going from paper-based to digital makes it easier for companies to collect important data and manage supply-chain operations using the broad array of cloud-based supply-chain software available in the market today.

Digitization also enables organizations to apply A.I. to massive amounts of aggregated data, giving way to predictive analytics, demand sensing and demand planning, to identify patterns for improvement that might not be noticeable otherwise. A.I. increases efficiency in many ways, including reducing the time it takes for carriers to move empty “deadhead” loads. It improves predictability by enabling carriers to better estimate arrival times based on historical trends.


Further, A.I. can optimize labor resources and reduce the time involved in determining how best to load a truck, which often requires multiple stops and drops before final destination. A.I. and machine learning enable a company to take historical usage data and plan the loading and unloading of a truck, which manually could take six to eight hours, and reduce that time to mere minutes.
Though touchless was on the minds of many transportation leaders prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 has widely accelerated demand because of its sanitation requirements. Heightened safety needs have prompted even industry laggards to make the move from paper-based freight documentation to digital, removing contact risk with paper-based bills of lading, proofs of delivery, freight invoices and auditing. With the forced removal of the paper barrier, there was finally room in the industry to facilitate widespread adoption of digital logistics solutions.

Even smaller companies, which make up the majority of U.S. freight carriers and are often most resistant to change, are ready to transition to digital methods because of their safety benefits.

Today, the transportation market is more poised than ever to invest in A.I. and machine learning. Many shippers, carriers and brokers are moving toward an all-things-digital environment, as they already use transportation management systems (TMS) to automate operations and aggregate important information.


Whether trucking companies have taken the plunge, dipped their toes in the water or are watching innovation from the shore, none should be intimidated by contactless workflows. What might seem ultra-advanced today is often table stakes tomorrow.
Before anyone had heard of COVID-19, the supply-chain management industry was already headed toward digitization, but as the pandemic wears on, the need to go contactless accelerates. The benefits to transportation companies and their shipper customers are many, including increased safety, enhanced accuracy and productivity, and access to crucial data to drive the business. All signs are pointing to a fully digitized supply chain, and we believe that more transportation leaders than ever will follow them this year.

... the copier industry is rapidly going contactless as new apps like Toshiba's eConnect TouchFree gives users full control of their copier's LCD panel from their smartphones.

Toshiba's latest firmware allows a copier technician via the built in Virtual Network connection and TeamViewer to reach all service aspects of a customer's copier from their desk wherever it may be.

Toshiba's eCloud Connect allows technicians to update copier firmware and download, analyze and upload all of a copiers settings remotely.

... a kilometer not driven nor a minute wasted in commute allows copier technicians to rapidly resolve customer issues, increase customer satisfaction and reduce expenses all while providing a safe, contactless experience.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: The future of work

What a 2021 courier delivery vehicle will look like. FedEx UK has already bought 1,000 and is awaiting first deliveries end of 2021.

Inside the Van | Arrival Van Walkthrough | ARRIVAL - YouTube