Local IT Services in Seattle: Meeting Unique Business Needs
fastest internet options for new homes
Tailored IT Solutions for Seattles Diverse Industries
Hey there! IT services in sydney . So, you know how Seattles got this awesome mix of industries? From tech giants to quirky local boutiques, its a city that thrives on diversity. Now, when it comes to IT services, one size definitely doesnt fit all! You see, every business in Seattle has its own unique set of needs and challenges.
Tailored IT Solutions for Seattles Diverse Industries steps in to solve this problem. They dont just throw a generic software package at you and hope for the best. Instead, they listen to what your business needs are, whether its improving your customer service, streamlining your supply chain, or just making sure your website is as snazzy as your logo.
Take, for example, a small bakery that wants to expand online but doesnt want to deal with the tech headaches. Tailored IT Solutions can help them set up an e-commerce platform thats easy to use and integrates seamlessly with their existing systems. Or consider a tech startup thats growing fast but cant keep up with the demands of their infrastructure. These guys can help them scale their operations without breaking the bank.
The thing is, not every IT service provider gets this. They might offer you a cookie-cutter solution that looks good on paper but doesnt actually solve your problems. Thats why having a team that understands the ins and outs of Seattles unique business landscape is so important.
But what if your business is already doing pretty well? Do you still need Tailored IT Solutions? Absolutely! They can help you stay ahead of the curve by implementing the latest technologies and trends. Plus, they can provide ongoing support and maintenance so you dont have to worry about your IT infrastructure failing you when you need it most.
So, if youre in Seattle and looking for IT services that actually work for your business, instead of against it, give Tailored IT Solutions a shot. They might not be the cheapest option out there, but theyre definitely the best bet for meeting your unique needs!
The Role of Cybersecurity in Local Business Operations
In today's digital age, the importance of cybersecurity for local business operations in Seattle can't be stressed enough! Many small businesses (and even larger ones) often underestimate the risks they face online. It's not just about having a nice website or a social media presence; protecting sensitive data should be a top priority.
Local IT services play a crucial role in this regard. They help businesses identify vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches or cyberattacks.
Local IT Services in Seattle: Meeting Unique Business Needs - internet plans with easy setup
fibre internet for gated communities
network design and deployment services
G.Fast broadband plans for high-rise buildings
Its not that business owners don't care about security, but sometimes they get overwhelmed with the day-to-day operations and forget to prioritize this aspect. Thats where local IT experts step in, offering tailored solutions that fit the unique needs of Seattle's diverse market.
Moreover, having a solid cybersecurity plan in place can actually boost customer trust. If clients know that a business takes their data seriously, they're more likely to engage with that business. It's a win-win situation! However, many companies still neglect to invest in proper security measures, thinking it's an unnecessary expense. But in reality, the cost of a data breach can be far greater than the investment in preventative measures.
In conclusion, the role of cybersecurity in local business operations is vital for success in Seattle's competitive landscape. Local IT services provide essential support, ensuring that businesses can focus on growth without the constant worry of cyber threats. So, don't wait until it's too late-prioritizing cybersecurity is definitely a smart move!
Cloud Services: Enhancing Flexibility and Scalability
Okay, so lets talk local IT in Seattle, yeah? Specifically, how cloud services aint just some buzzword; theyre actually kinda crucial for meeting the unique needs of businesses round here!
Seattles a different beast, innit? We got startups exploding left and right, established giants like Amazon (duh!), and tons of smaller businesses just trying to keep up. What works for a mom-and-pop shop definitely doesnt cut it for a company scaling up, and thats where cloud services swoop in like a digital superhero (sort of).
Think about it. A local bakery might need a simple website and maybe some email hosting, right? Easy peasy. But a growing tech company? Theyre talking servers, databases, collaboration tools, secure storage… the whole shebang! Trying to manage all that on-premise--servers sitting in a dusty closet, that is--is a nightmare, not to mention super expensive.
Cloud services, though, offer flexibility and scalability like you wouldnt believe! Need more storage? Boom, buy some more. Experiencing a sudden surge in website traffic? The cloud can handle it without crashing! Its like having an IT department that grows (and shrinks) with your demands.
And hey, its not just about cost. Its about agility! With cloud services, businesses can experiment with new technologies, launch new products, and adapt to market changes much faster. They aint chained to their old infrastructure. They can be nimble, innovate, and really compete.
Now, Im not saying its all sunshine and rainbows. There are concerns, obviously. Security is a big one, and figuring out which cloud services are the right fit can be tricky. But for Seattle businesses looking to thrive in a competitive landscape, embracing the cloud is often a game-changer. Cloud services are like a superpower and its something that can take your company to the next level! Whoa!
Building Stronger Client Relationships through Local Support
Building stronger client relationships through local support for local IT services in Seattle means going above and beyond to meet the unique business needs of our community. Its not just about fixing computers and setting up networks, its about really understanding the challenges and opportunities that our clients face every day.
For instance, take a small bakery thats trying to streamline its customer orders and reduce wait times. They need a solution thats tailored to their specific operations, not some generic software that might work for a tech firm but wont fit their niche market. Thats where our local expertise comes in handy! We can sit down with them, listen to their concerns, and craft a plan that not only improves their efficiency but also enhances their customer experience.
Now, you might think that all IT services are basically the same, right? Wrong! Every business, no matter how small or large, has unique requirements. A local IT service provider like us can spot these nuances and address them directly. We can provide personalized training sessions, troubleshoot issues on the spot, and even offer ongoing support to ensure everything runs smoothly.
But its not about just providing IT services; its about building a relationship built on trust and reliability.
Local IT Services in Seattle: Meeting Unique Business Needs - dedicated fibre connections for enterprises
providers offering free modem with internet plans in Gold Coast
secure home internet providers in Hobart
secure home internet providers
Were not just your tech guys, were your partners in growth.
Local IT Services in Seattle: Meeting Unique Business Needs - internet plans with easy setup
fastest internet options for new homes
dedicated fibre connections for enterprises
internet plans with easy setup
When something goes wrong, were the ones who pick up the pieces. When you need to scale up, were the ones who help you adapt and evolve.
So, why go for a big, faceless corporation when you can have a team that truly cares about your success? Our local support means were always just a call away, ready to help whenever you need us. Thats the kind of relationship that can truly make a difference in your business.
Five ESPRIT programmes (ESPRIT 0 to ESPRIT 4) ran consecutively from 1983 to 1998. ESPRIT 4 was succeeded by the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme in 1999.
BBC Domesday Project, a partnership between Acorn Computers Ltd, Philips, Logica and the BBC with some funding from the European Commission's ESPRIT programme, to mark the 900th anniversary of the original Domesday Book, an 11th-century census of England. It is frequently cited as an example of digital obsolescence on account of the physical medium used for data storage.
CGAL, the Computational Geometry Algorithms Library (CGAL) is a software library that aims to provide easy access to efficient and reliable algorithms in computational geometry. While primarily written in C++, Python bindings are also available. The original funding for the project came from the ESPRIT project.
Eurocoop & Eurocode: ESPRIT III projects to develop systems for supporting distributed collaborative working.
Open Document Architecture, a free and open international standard document file format maintained by the ITU-T to replace all proprietary document file formats. In 1985 ESPRIT financed a pilot implementation of the ODA concept, involving, among others, Bull corporation, Olivetti, ICL and Siemens AG.
Paradise: A sub-project of the ESPRIT I project, COSINE[1] which established a pan-European computer-based network infrastructure that enabled research workers to communicate with each other using OSI. Paradise implemented a distributed X.500 directory across the academic community.
Password: Part of the ESPRIT III VALUE project,[2] developed secure applications based on the X.509 standard for use in the academic community.
ProCoS I Project (1989–1991), ProCoS II Project (1992–1995), and ProCoS-WG Working Group (1994–1997) on Provably Correct Systems, under ESPRIT II.[3]
REDO Project (1989–1992) on software maintenance, under ESPRIT II.[4]
RAISE, Rigorous Approach to Industrial Software Engineering, was developed as part of the European ESPRIT II LaCoS project in the 1990s, led by Dines Bjørner.
REMORA methodology is an event-driven approach for designing information systems, developed by Colette Rolland. This methodology integrates behavioral and temporal aspects with concepts for modelling the structural aspects of an information system. In the ESPRIT I project TODOS, which has led to the development of an integrated environment for the design of office information systems (OISs),
SAMPA: The Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet (SAMPA) is a computer-readable phonetic script originally developed in the late 1980s.
SCOPES: The Systematic Concurrent design of Products, Equipments and Control Systems project was a 3-year project launched in July, 1992, with the aim of specifying integrated computer-aided (CAD) tools for design and control of flexible assembly lines.
SIP (Advanced Algorithms and Architectures for Speech and Image Processing), a partnership between Thomson-CSF, AEG, CSELT and ENSPS (ESPRIT P26), to develop the algorithmic and architectural techniques required for recognizing and understanding spoken or visual signals and to demonstrate these techniques in suitable applications.[5]
StatLog: "ESPRIT project 5170. Comparative testing and evaluation of statistical and logical learning algorithms on large-scale applications to classification, prediction and control"[6]
SUNDIAL (Speech UNderstanding DIALgue)[7] started in September 1988 with Logica Ltd. as prime contractor, together with Erlangen University, CSELT, Daimler-Benz, Capgemini, Politecnico di Torino. Followed the Esprit P.26 to implement and evaluate dialogue systems to be used in telephone industry.[8] The final results were 4 prototypes in 4 languages, involving speech and understanding technologies, and some criteria for evaluation were also reported.[9]
ISO 14649 (1999 onward): A standard for STEP-NC for CNC control developed by ESPRIT and Intelligent Manufacturing System.[10]
Transputers: "ESPRIT Project P1085" to develop a high performance multi-processor computer and a package of software applications to demonstrate its performance.[11]
Web for Schools, an ESPRIT IV project that introduced the World Wide Web in secondary schools in Europe. Teachers created more than 70 international collaborative educational projects that resulted in an exponential growth of teacher communities and educational activities using the World Wide Web
^Pirani, Giancarlo, ed. (1990). Advanced algorithms and architectures for speech understanding. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. ISBN9783540534020.
^"Machine Learning, Neural and Statistical Classification", Editors: D. Michie, D.J. Spiegelhalter, C.C. Taylor February 17, 1994 page 4, footnote 2, retrieved 12/12/2015 "The above book (originally published in 1994 by Ellis Horwood) is now out of print. The copyright now resides with the editors who have decided to make the material freely available on the web." http://www1.maths.leeds.ac.uk/~charles/statlog/
The Internet (or net) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that utilizes the Web procedure suite (TCP/IP) to interact in between networks and tools. It is a network of networks that contains private, public, academic, organization, and federal government networks of neighborhood to worldwide extent, linked by a wide variety of electronic, cordless, and optical networking innovations. The Net carries a substantial variety of info resources and solutions, such as the woven hypertext papers and applications of the World Wide Web (WWW), e-mail, web telephone, and documents sharing. The beginnings of the Web go back to research study that enabled the time-sharing of computer system resources, the growth of packet changing in the 1960s and the design of computer networks for information communication. The set of guidelines (communication procedures) to enable internetworking on the web arose from research and development commissioned in the 1970s by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Company (DARPA) of the United States Division of Protection in cooperation with universities and researchers throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom and France. The ARPANET originally acted as a backbone for the interconnection of regional academic and army networks in the United States to allow resource sharing. The financing of the National Science Foundation Network as a new backbone in the 1980s, along with personal funding for various other commercial expansions, encouraged globally engagement in the development of brand-new networking modern technologies and the merging of several networks using DARPA's Web procedure suite. The connecting of industrial networks and ventures by the early 1990s, as well as the introduction of the Net, marked the start of the change to the modern-day Web, and produced sustained exponential growth as generations of institutional, personal, and mobile computer systems were attached to the internetwork. Although the Net was commonly utilized by academia in the 1980s, the succeeding commercialization of the Net in the 1990s and beyond incorporated its solutions and innovations right into basically every aspect of modern life. The majority of standard communication media, including telephone, radio, tv, paper mail, and newspapers, are improved, redefined, or perhaps bypassed by the Internet, giving birth to new solutions such as email, Web telephone, Net radio, Web television, on the internet songs, digital newspapers, and audio and video streaming sites. Papers, books, and other print publishing have actually adapted to web site technology or have been reshaped into blogging, internet feeds, and on-line news collectors. The Web has allowed and sped up brand-new forms of individual communication with immediate messaging, Internet forums, and social networking services. On the internet purchasing has grown exponentially for significant retailers, small companies, and entrepreneurs, as it makes it possible for firms to prolong their "physical" existence to offer a bigger market and even market products and services entirely online. Business-to-business and monetary services on the Internet affect supply chains across whole industries. The Web has no solitary centralized administration in either technical implementation or policies for accessibility and usage; each component network sets its very own policies.The overarching interpretations of the two major name rooms online, the Internet Method address (IP address) area and the Domain System (DNS), are routed by a maintainer company, the Web Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The technological support and standardization of the core methods is a task of the Web Design Task Force (IETF), a non-profit company of freely affiliated worldwide individuals that anyone might associate with by adding technical competence. In November 2006, the Internet was consisted of on USA Today's list of the New Seven Marvels.
.
About Information technology
Information technology (IT) is a set of associated areas within information and interactions innovation (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software program, programs languages, information and information processing, and storage. Information technology is an application of computer science and computer system design. The term is commonly made use of as a basic synonym for computers and local area network, but it likewise encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. A number of service or products within an economic climate are related to information technology, including computer hardware, software, electronic devices, semiconductors, net, telecom equipment, and ecommerce. An infotech system (IT system) is usually an information system, an interactions system, or, a lot more especially talking, a computer system —-- including all equipment, software, and outer tools —-- run by a restricted group of IT users, and an IT project normally describes the appointing and implementation of an IT system. IT systems play an important role in facilitating reliable information administration, enhancing interaction networks, and supporting business processes throughout different industries. Successful IT jobs require meticulous preparation and ongoing maintenance to ensure optimal performance and positioning with business purposes. Although humans have been keeping, fetching, manipulating, evaluating and communicating information because the earliest writing systems were developed, the term information technology in its modern-day feeling initially appeared in a 1958 post published in the Harvard Organization Review; authors Harold J. Leavitt and Thomas L. Whisler commented that "the new technology does not yet have a solitary established name. We shall call it information technology (IT)." Their definition consists of three categories: strategies for processing, the application of statistical and mathematical methods to decision-making, and the simulation of higher-order thinking through computer system programs.
ICT is also used to refer to the convergence of audiovisuals and telephone networks with computer networks through a single cabling or link system. There are large economic incentives to merge the telephone networks with the computer network system using a single unified system of cabling, signal distribution, and management. ICT is an umbrella term that includes any communication device, encompassing radio, television, cell phones, computer and network hardware, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and appliances with them such as video conferencing and distance learning. ICT also includes analog technology, such as paper communication, and any mode that transmits communication.[2]
ICT is a broad subject and the concepts are evolving.[3] It covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, process, transmit, or receive information electronically in a digital form (e.g., personal computers including smartphones, digital television, email, or robots). Skills Framework for the Information Age is one of many models for describing and managing competencies for ICT professionals in the 21st century.[4]
The phrase "information and communication technologies" has been used by academic researchers since the 1980s.[5] The abbreviation "ICT" became popular after it was used in a report to the UK government by Dennis Stevenson in 1997,[6] and then in the revised National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2000. However, in 2012, the Royal Society recommended that the use of the term "ICT" should be discontinued in British schools "as it has attracted too many negative connotations".[7] From 2014, the National Curriculum has used the word computing, which reflects the addition of computer programming into the curriculum.[8]
The money spent on IT worldwide has been estimated as US$3.8 trillion[10] in 2017 and has been growing at less than 5% per year since 2009. The estimated 2018 growth of the entire ICT is 5%. The biggest growth of 16% is expected in the area of new technologies (IoT, Robotics, AR/VR, and AI).[11]
The 2014 IT budget of the US federal government was nearly $82 billion.[12] IT costs, as a percentage of corporate revenue, have grown 50% since 2002, putting a strain on IT budgets. When looking at current companies' IT budgets, 75% are recurrent costs, used to "keep the lights on" in the IT department, and 25% are the cost of new initiatives for technology development.[13]
The average IT budget has the following breakdown:[13]
34% personnel costs (internal), 31% after correction
16% software costs (external/purchasing category), 29% after correction
33% hardware costs (external/purchasing category), 26% after correction
17% costs of external service providers (external/services), 14% after correction
The estimated amount of money spent in 2022 is just over US$6 trillion.[14]
The world's technological capacity to store information grew from 2.6 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 1986 to 15.8 in 1993, over 54.5 in 2000, and to 295 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2007, and some 5 zettabytes in 2014.[15][16] This is the informational equivalent to 1.25 stacks of CD-ROM from the earth to the moon in 2007, and the equivalent of 4,500 stacks of printed books from the earth to the sun in 2014. The world's technological capacity to receive information through one-way broadcast networks was 432 exabytes of (optimally compressed) information in 1986, 715 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 1993, 1.2 (optimally compressed) zettabytes in 2000, and 1.9 zettabytes in 2007.[15] The world's effective capacity to exchange information through two-way telecommunication networks was 281 petabytes of (optimally compressed) information in 1986, 471 petabytes in 1993, 2.2 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2000, 65 (optimally compressed) exabytes in 2007,[15] and some 100 exabytes in 2014.[17] The world's technological capacity to compute information with humanly guided general-purpose computers grew from 3.0 × 10^8 MIPS in 1986, to 6.4 x 10^12 MIPS in 2007.[15]
The ICT Development Index ranks and compares the level of ICT use and access across the various countries around the world.[19] In 2014 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) released the latest rankings of the IDI, with Denmark attaining the top spot, followed by South Korea. The top 30 countries in the rankings include most high-income countries where the quality of life is higher than average, which includes countries from Europe and other regions such as "Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Japan, Macao (China), New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States; almost all countries surveyed improved their IDI ranking this year."[20]
On 21 December 2001, the United Nations General Assembly approved Resolution 56/183, endorsing the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing today's information society.[21] According to this resolution, the General Assembly related the Summit to the United Nations Millennium Declaration's goal of implementing ICT to achieve Millennium Development Goals. It also emphasized a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve these goals, using all stakeholders including civil society and the private sector, in addition to governments.
To help anchor and expand ICT to every habitable part of the world, "2015 is the deadline for achievements of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which global leaders agreed upon in the year 2000."[22]
Today's society shows the ever-growing computer-centric lifestyle, which includes the rapid influx of computers in the modern classroom.
There is evidence that, to be effective in education, ICT must be fully integrated into the pedagogy. Specifically, when teaching literacy and math, using ICT in combination with Writing to Learn[23][24] produces better results than traditional methods alone or ICT alone.[25] The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), a division of the United Nations, has made integrating ICT into education as part of its efforts to ensure equity and access to education. The following, which was taken directly from a UNESCO publication on educational ICT, explains the organization's position on the initiative.
Information and Communication Technology can contribute to universal access to education, equity in education, the delivery of quality learning and teaching, teachers' professional development and more efficient education management, governance, and administration. UNESCO takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to promote ICT in education. Access, inclusion, and quality are among the main challenges they can address. The Organization's Intersectoral Platform for ICT in education focuses on these issues through the joint work of three of its sectors: Communication & Information, Education and Science.[26]
OLPC Laptops at school in Rwanda
Despite the power of computers to enhance and reform teaching and learning practices, improper implementation is a widespread issue beyond the reach of increased funding and technological advances with little evidence that teachers and tutors are properly integrating ICT into everyday learning.[27] Intrinsic barriers such as a belief in more traditional teaching practices and individual attitudes towards computers in education as well as the teachers own comfort with computers and their ability to use them all as result in varying effectiveness in the integration of ICT in the classroom.[28]
School environments play an important role in facilitating language learning. However, language and literacy barriers are obstacles preventing refugees from accessing and attending school, especially outside camp settings.[29]
Mobile-assisted language learning apps are key tools for language learning. Mobile solutions can provide support for refugees' language and literacy challenges in three main areas: literacy development, foreign language learning and translations. Mobile technology is relevant because communicative practice is a key asset for refugees and immigrants as they immerse themselves in a new language and a new society. Well-designed mobile language learning activities connect refugees with mainstream cultures, helping them learn in authentic contexts.[29]
Representatives meet for a policy forum on M-Learning at UNESCO's Mobile Learning Week in March 2017.
ICT has been employed as an educational enhancement in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1960s. Beginning with television and radio, it extended the reach of education from the classroom to the living room, and to geographical areas that had been beyond the reach of the traditional classroom. As the technology evolved and became more widely used, efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa were also expanded. In the 1990s a massive effort to push computer hardware and software into schools was undertaken, with the goal of familiarizing both students and teachers with computers in the classroom. Since then, multiple projects have endeavoured to continue the expansion of ICT's reach in the region, including the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which by 2015 had distributed over 2.4 million laptops to nearly two million students and teachers.[30]
The inclusion of ICT in the classroom, often referred to as M-Learning, has expanded the reach of educators and improved their ability to track student progress in Sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the mobile phone has been most important in this effort. Mobile phone use is widespread, and mobile networks cover a wider area than internet networks in the region. The devices are familiar to student, teacher, and parent, and allow increased communication and access to educational materials. In addition to benefits for students, M-learning also offers the opportunity for better teacher training, which leads to a more consistent curriculum across the educational service area. In 2011, UNESCO started a yearly symposium called Mobile Learning Week with the purpose of gathering stakeholders to discuss the M-learning initiative.[30]
Implementation is not without its challenges. While mobile phone and internet use are increasing much more rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa than in other developing countries, the progress is still slow compared to the rest of the developed world, with smartphone penetration only expected to reach 20% by 2017.[30] Additionally, there are gender, social, and geo-political barriers to educational access, and the severity of these barriers vary greatly by country. Overall, 29.6 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa were not in school in the year 2012, owing not just to the geographical divide, but also to political instability, the importance of social origins, social structure, and gender inequality. Once in school, students also face barriers to quality education, such as teacher competency, training and preparedness, access to educational materials, and lack of information management.[30]
In modern society, ICT is ever-present, with over three billion people having access to the Internet.[31] With approximately 8 out of 10 Internet users owning a smartphone, information and data are increasing by leaps and bounds.[32] This rapid growth, especially in developing countries, has led ICT to become a keystone of everyday life, in which life without some facet of technology renders most of clerical, work and routine tasks dysfunctional.
The most recent authoritative data, released in 2014, shows "that Internet use continues to grow steadily, at 6.6% globally in 2014 (3.3% in developed countries, 8.7% in the developing world); the number of Internet users in developing countries has doubled in five years (2009–2014), with two-thirds of all people online now living in the developing world."[20]
However, hurdles are still large. "Of the 4.3 billion people not yet using the Internet, 90% live in developing countries. In the world's 42 Least Connected Countries (LCCs), which are home to 2.5 billion people, access to ICTs remains largely out of reach, particularly for these countries' large rural populations."[33] ICT has yet to penetrate the remote areas of some countries, with many developing countries dearth of any type of Internet. This also includes the availability of telephone lines, particularly the availability of cellular coverage, and other forms of electronic transmission of data. The latest "Measuring the Information Society Report" cautiously stated that the increase in the aforementioned cellular data coverage is ostensible, as "many users have multiple subscriptions, with global growth figures sometimes translating into little real improvement in the level of connectivity of those at the very bottom of the pyramid; an estimated 450 million people worldwide live in places which are still out of reach of mobile cellular service."[31]
Favourably, the gap between the access to the Internet and mobile coverage has decreased substantially in the last fifteen years, in which "2015 was the deadline for achievements of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which global leaders agreed upon in the year 2000, and the new data show ICT progress and highlight remaining gaps."[22] ICT continues to take on a new form, with nanotechnology set to usher in a new wave of ICT electronics and gadgets. ICT newest editions into the modern electronic world include smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch, smart wristbands such as the Nike+ FuelBand, and smart TVs such as Google TV. With desktops soon becoming part of a bygone era, and laptops becoming the preferred method of computing, ICT continues to insinuate and alter itself in the ever-changing globe.
Information communication technologies play a role in facilitating accelerated pluralism in new social movements today. The internet according to Bruce Bimber is "accelerating the process of issue group formation and action"[34] and coined the term accelerated pluralism to explain this new phenomena. ICTs are tools for "enabling social movement leaders and empowering dictators"[35] in effect promoting societal change. ICTs can be used to garner grassroots support for a cause due to the internet allowing for political discourse and direct interventions with state policy[36] as well as change the way complaints from the populace are handled by governments. Furthermore, ICTs in a household are associated with women rejecting justifications for intimate partner violence. According to a study published in 2017, this is likely because "access to ICTs exposes women to different ways of life and different notions about women's role in society and the household, especially in culturally conservative regions where traditional gender expectations contrast observed alternatives."[37]
A review found that in general, outcomes of such ICT-use – which were envisioned as early as 1925[38] – are or can be as good as in-person care with health care use staying similar.[39]
Scholar Mark Warschauer defines a "models of access" framework for analyzing ICT accessibility. In the second chapter of his book, Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide, he describes three models of access to ICTs: devices, conduits, and literacy.[40] Devices and conduits are the most common descriptors for access to ICTs, but they are insufficient for meaningful access to ICTs without third model of access, literacy.[40] Combined, these three models roughly incorporate all twelve of the criteria of "Real Access" to ICT use, conceptualized by a non-profit organization called Bridges.org in 2005:[41]
Physical access to technology
Appropriateness of technology
Affordability of technology and technology use
Human capacity and training
Locally relevant content, applications, and services
The most straightforward model of access for ICT in Mark Warschauer's theory is devices.[40] In this model, access is defined most simply as the ownership of a device such as a phone or computer.[40] Warschauer identifies many flaws with this model, including its inability to account for additional costs of ownership such as software, access to telecommunications, knowledge gaps surrounding computer use, and the role of government regulation in some countries.[40] Therefore, Warschauer argues that considering only devices understates the magnitude of digital inequality. For example, the Pew Research Center notes that 96% of Americans own a smartphone,[42] although most scholars in this field would contend that comprehensive access to ICT in the United States is likely much lower than that.
A conduit requires a connection to a supply line, which for ICT could be a telephone line or Internet line. Accessing the supply requires investment in the proper infrastructure from a commercial company or local government and recurring payments from the user once the line is set up. For this reason, conduits usually divide people based on their geographic locations. As a Pew Research Center poll reports, Americans in rural areas are 12% less likely to have broadband access than other Americans, thereby making them less likely to own the devices.[43] Additionally, these costs can be prohibitive to lower-income families accessing ICTs. These difficulties have led to a shift toward mobile technology; fewer people are purchasing broadband connection and are instead relying on their smartphones for Internet access, which can be found for free at public places such as libraries.[44] Indeed, smartphones are on the rise, with 37% of Americans using smartphones as their primary medium for internet access[44] and 96% of Americans owning a smartphone.[42]
In 1981, Sylvia Scribner and Michael Cole studied a tribe in Liberia, the Vai people, who have their own local script. Since about half of those literate in Vai have never had formal schooling, Scribner and Cole were able to test more than 1,000 subjects to measure the mental capabilities of literates over non-literates.[45] This research, which they laid out in their book The Psychology of Literacy,[45] allowed them to study whether the literacy divide exists at the individual level. Warschauer applied their literacy research to ICT literacy as part of his model of ICT access.
Scribner and Cole found no generalizable cognitive benefits from Vai literacy; instead, individual differences on cognitive tasks were due to other factors, like schooling or living environment.[45] The results suggested that there is "no single construct of literacy that divides people into two cognitive camps; [...] rather, there are gradations and types of literacies, with a range of benefits closely related to the specific functions of literacy practices."[40] Furthermore, literacy and social development are intertwined, and the literacy divide does not exist on the individual level.
Warschauer draws on Scribner and Cole's research to argue that ICT literacy functions similarly to literacy acquisition, as they both require resources rather than a narrow cognitive skill. Conclusions about literacy serve as the basis for a theory of the digital divide and ICT access, as detailed below:
There is not just one type of ICT access, but many types. The meaning and value of access varies in particular social contexts. Access exists in gradations rather than in a bipolar opposition. Computer and Internet use brings no automatic benefit outside of its particular functions. ICT use is a social practice, involving access to physical artifacts, content, skills, and social support. And acquisition of ICT access is a matter not only of education but also of power.[40]
Therefore, Warschauer concludes that access to ICT cannot rest on devices or conduits alone; it must also engage physical, digital, human, and social resources.[40] Each of these categories of resources have iterative relations with ICT use. If ICT is used well, it can promote these resources, but if it is used poorly, it can contribute to a cycle of underdevelopment and exclusion.[45]
In the early 21st century a rapid development of ICT services and electronical devices took place, in which the internet servers multiplied by a factor of 1000 to 395 million and its still increasing. This increase can be explained by Moore's law, which states, that the development of ICT increases every year by 16–20%, so it will double in numbers every four to five years.[46] Alongside this development and the high investments in increasing demand for ICT capable products, a high environmental impact came with it. Software and Hardware development as well as production causing already in 2008 the same amount of CO2 emissions as global air travels.[46]
There are two sides of ICT, the positive environmental possibilities and the shadow side. On the positive side, studies proved, that for instance in the OECD countries a reduction of 0.235% energy use is caused by an increase in ICT capital by 1%.[47] On the other side the more digitization is happening, the more energy is consumed, that means for OECD countries 1% increase in internet users causes a raise of 0.026% electricity consumption per capita and for emerging countries the impact is more than 4 times as high.
Currently the scientific forecasts are showing an increase up to 30700 TWh in 2030 which is 20 times more than it was in 2010.[47]
To tackle the environmental issues of ICT, the EU commission plans proper monitoring and reporting of the GHG emissions of different ICT platforms, countries and infrastructure in general. Further the establishment of international norms for reporting and compliance are promoted to foster transparency in this sector.[48]
Moreover it is suggested by scientists to make more ICT investments to exploit the potentials of ICT to alleviate CO2 emissions in general, and to implement a more effective coordination of ICT, energy and growth policies.[49] Consequently, applying the principle of the coase theorem makes sense. It recommends to make investments there, where the marginal avoidance costs of emissions are the lowest, therefore in the developing countries with comparatively lower technological standards and policies as high-tech countries. With these measures, ICT can reduce environmental damage from economic growth and energy consumption by facilitating communication and infrastructure.
^Ozdamli, Fezile; Ozdal, Hasan (May 2015). "Life-long Learning Competence Perceptions of the Teachers and Abilities in Using Information-Communication .Technologies". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 182: 718–725. doi:10.1016/j.access=free.
^William Melody et al., Information and Communication Technologies: Social Sciences Research and Training: A Report by the ESRC Programme on Information and Communication Technologies, ISBN0-86226-179-1, 1986. Roger Silverstone et al., "Listening to a long conversation: an ethnographic approach to the study of information and communication technologies in the home", Cultural Studies, 5(2), pages 204–227, 1991.
^Blackwell, C.K., Lauricella, A.R. and Wartella, E., 2014. Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education. Computers & Education, 77, pp.82-90.
^Bimber, Bruce (1998-01-01). "The Internet and Political Transformation: Populism, Community, and Accelerated Pluralism". Polity. 31 (1): 133–160. doi:10.2307/3235370. JSTOR3235370. S2CID145159285.
^Hussain, Muzammil M.; Howard, Philip N. (2013-03-01). "What Best Explains Successful Protest Cascades? ICTs and the Fuzzy Causes of the Arab Spring". International Studies Review. 15 (1): 48–66. doi:10.1111/misr.12020. hdl:2027.42/97489. ISSN1521-9488.
^Cardoso LG, Sorenson SB. Violence against women and household ownership of radios, computers, and phones in 20 countries. American Journal of Public Health. 2017; 107(7):1175–1181.
^ abcdScribner and Cole, Sylvia and Michael (1981). The Psychology of Literacy. ISBN9780674433014.
^ abGerhard, Fettweis; Zimmermann, Ernesto (2008). "ITC Energy Consumption - Trends and Challenges". The 11th International Symposium on Wireless Personal Multimedia Communications (WPMC 2008) – via ResearchGate.
Feridun, Mete; Karagiannis, Stelios (2009). "Growth Effects of Information and Communication Technologies: Empirical Evidence from the Enlarged EU". Transformations in Business and Economics. 8 (2): 86–99.
IT providers enable remote work by setting up secure access to company systems, deploying VPNs, cloud apps, and communication tools. They also ensure devices are protected and provide remote support when employees face technical issues at home.
IT consulting helps you make informed decisions about technology strategies, software implementation, cybersecurity, and infrastructure planning. Consultants assess your current setup, recommend improvements, and guide digital transformation to align IT systems with your business goals.
Yes, IT service providers implement firewalls, antivirus software, regular patching, and network monitoring to defend against cyber threats. They also offer data backups, disaster recovery plans, and user access controls to ensure your business remains protected.