Microsoft is all set to launch the latest Office 2021 along with Windows 11 on Oct 5th

In the 2020’s Microsoft Ignite event, the tech giant had made an announcement that a newer version of Microsoft Office will soon be released for Windows and Mac OS. Recently, the company has given an official release date for the same. On the 5th of October, users can expect the launch of the new MS Office along with the latest Windows 11. MS Office is all set to be released in the perpetual version. This means that the users will no longer pay the fee on a subscription basis; instead, they will be playing at once.

With this type of license, the users will receive continuous updates until they want, and the app will work even after Microsoft stops releasing new patch-up updates for that version. This perpetual app is bound to just one device, and users cannot use it more than once. It is very feasible to go with the perpetual version when compared to the subscription model, and millions of users and companies are also going with this. Moreover, Microsoft is increasing the subscription fee for Office from next year. Some of the expected features in the new Office are Line Focus, Dark Mode, LOOKUP, and dynamic arrays for Excel. Read more blogs

AWS Announces Plans to Open an Infrastructure Region in New Zealand

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has said that it will be opening an infrastructure region in New Zealand in 2024. The new AWS Asia Pacific (Auckland) will have three Availability Zones.

This newly announced region will be owned by a New Zealand-based AWS entity. This new region will enable more developers, startups, and enterprises as well as government, education, and nonprofit organizations to run their applications and serve end users from data centers located in New Zealand.

This new region will create 1,000 new jobs in New Zealand through $5.3 billion investment. Over the next 15 years, this AWS region will have an estimated economic impact of $7.7 billion on New Zealand's GDP.

"Our investments reflect AWS’s deep and long-term commitment to New Zealand. We are excited to build new world-class infrastructure locally, train New Zealanders with in-demand digital skills, and continue to help local organizations deliver applications that accelerate digital transformation and fuel economic growth," said Prasad Kalyanaraman, Vice President of Infrastructure Services, AWS.

AWS has also announced that it has plans to launch 24 more Availability Zones and eight more AWS Regions in Australia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the new AWS Region in New Zealand. Read more news

 

Cybereason, Sysware Partnership to Protect Indonesian Companies from Cyberattacks

A leading operation-centric attack protection company Cybereason has partnered with Sysware to protect Indonesian companies from sophisticated cyberattacks on endpoints and across their networks.

This partnership will also see Sysware offer its customers a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution powered by the Cybereason Defense Platform, which will deliver Endpoint Detection and Response, Next-Generation Antivirus, anti-ransomware and fileless malware protection to enterprise clients through a single unified agent.

"Partnering with Sysware provides Cybereason with the opportunity to deliver world-class cybersecurity capabilities through the Sysware presence in Indonesia," said Derrick Ng, Channel and Alliance Director, APAC, Cybereason.

"Combining Cybereason’s top rated technology and services with Sysware’s vast expertise will accelerate our expansion in the Indonesian market," said Eric Tan, Sales Director, APAC, Cybereason.

Founded in 2007, Sysware is a leading Next Generation IT Distributor.

Through this partnership, Sysware and Cybereason's customers will be able to detect threats faster, monitor activities across both networks with actionable intelligence, and leveraged guided remediation. This means that the collaboration could fend off threats like the SolarWinds supply chain attacks. Read more news

 

 

The magic secret to a successful business – listening to your customer

There are many ways to succeed in business, such as quality products, good marketing, and a steady stream of investors – but the most important factor of all is the customer. Without the customer, there is no business really – no one to purchase your products or market your wares to. Thus, the question becomes: how can you attract new, and retain existing, customers? The answer is simple – listen to what they have to say.

Why listening is important

Studies have shown that as many as 86% of customers will move to a competitor if their current business does not provide good customer service or value their feedback. The loss of existing customers can be a devastating blow to a business, as maintaining a good relationship with existing customers is far less expensive – and of course much easier – than garnering a new set of customers and brand loyalty. And, as Forbes so accurately points out, what drives [customer] retention is listening, and just as important, acting on what you have “heard.” So, it is not merely enough to provide pleasant customer service agents who listen to feedback, if no action is taken to assess and implement this information.

The case of the Haypp Group

Moreover, the success of listening to one’s customers and using their feedback positively can be seen in the case of the Haypp Group. The nicotine company was founded in 2018 and was reported as selling approximately 80,000 cans of nicotine pouches per month in 2019. According to the Haypp Group’s Head of External Affairs, Markus Lindblad, the strategy used to achieve this success was to “[become close] with our customers [so] we understand their needs across different markets and customer segments. Only then can we be on the customers’ side and create proper change.”

Interact with the customer online

It is important to remember that interacting and listening to your customers can take many shapes in this age of digitalization and social media. Customers are able to contact companies directly with complaints through a simple Facebook post, and even tweet out negative experiences and reviews for other users to see. Thus, interacting with your customers on these platforms and showing them that you care about their problems will help to prevent some negative publicity from finding its way onto the internet. Of course, the reverse is also true, as listening to customers and building their loyalty will also make them speak to others about your brand in a positive light – and perhaps even use social media to spread the gospel of your business. Nothing persuades customers to try a business more than rave reviews from family, friends and even strangers on the internet – which is why brand ambassadorship can be a boon to any business – especially if you are targeting a more youthful or millennial crowd who tend to occupy social media channels to a greater degree.

Focus groups for open discussion

Market research is another route in which to gain invaluable customer feedback. Putting together focus groups and allowing customers to discuss your business openly and honestly will allow for natural suggestions and ideas to flow. Topics could range between anything from website usage to product quality and even in-store experience. If customers within the group are experiencing certain issues or challenges, you can be sure that they are not alone. These intimate chats with customers will allow you to remedy aspects of your business that you may not even have known were broken or lacking. Be sure to use experienced focus group moderators who can guide the discussion appropriately and home in on key issues. It is also important to include a large range of your target demographic, so that each segment can be properly heard and accounted for.

There are a number of ways in which to make your business more customer-centric, and it is important that you employ as many of them as you can, in order to truly listen to what each segment of your customer base has to say.

 

The Beginner's Guide to Buying, Using, and Selling Monero

Monero (XMR) sets itself apart from other cryptocurrencies by capitalizing on privacy and anonymity. While it’s often grouped with ZCash (ZEC) as a privacy currency, XMR’s development closely mirrors that of Bitcoin (BTC). Just like Bitcoin (BTC), XMR was developed by a niche tech group and grew with assistance from the community. The difference is that Monero was also designed to improve upon what people see as weaknesses in Bitcoin’s privacy features.

The currency’s dedication to privacy and security is one of the main reasons why people invest in and use XMR. If this is exactly what you’re looking for in your first foray into the world of crypto, then you’re in luck, as Monero can be quite accessible even for total newbies. To get started, simply create a Monero account (also called a wallet) for storing the currency. You can easily do this by signing up for and XMR wallet. After this, you can start buying, selling, and using XMR.

A Look at Monero’s Privacy Features

Before acquiring XMR, it’s important for newbies to become familiar with the three elements that contribute to Monero’s non-traceable design. Knowing about these features will help you make the most of the currency as you go along your journey.

The first is Ring Signatures, which obfuscates the user’s digital signature by adding 10 more digital signatures to the mix. The technology makes it appear that any one of these 11 individuals could have initiated the transaction. Next is Stealth Addresses, which automatically creates one-time accounts to be used with every exchange. Finally, it’s also possible to hide the amount of each transaction using Ring Confidential Transactions.

Now that you have an idea of how Monero’s privacy features work, you’re ready to start learning how to use it.

Buying Monero

After setting up a Monero wallet, you need to buy some XMR. This can be done by purchasing it using a cryptocurrency you already own, such as BTC or Litecoin (LTC). It’s also an option to use fiat currencies, depending on the funding methods available to your location or the wallet that you’re using.

Once the funds that you want to use to buy Monero have been transferred to your chosen wallet, you’re ready to buy currency. Simply fill out the order form used by your chosen XMR wallet and follow the step-by-step purchasing instructions.

Mining Monero

Another way to earn XMR is by mining, which means using your computer’s CPU or GPU to verify transactions on the Monero blockchain in exchange for some XMR coins. Unlike BTC, which requires users to invest in costly hardware, Monero can be mined using a standard personal computer and operating system. You can choose to solo mine or mine in a pool, and each option has its pros and cons. That being said, most users are advised to solo mine using the Monero software to help make the XMR network more robust.

Selling Monero                 

Perhaps you want to invest in another cryptocurrency and you need to sell XMR to free up some funds, or you no longer find it necessary to invest in a currency that specializes in offering anonymity. No matter the reason, you can easily sell Monero using your wallet. Once you’ve logged into your account, you can choose to exchange XMR for another cryptocurrency or sell it for USD or EUR. To do this, simply fill out the required forms and follow the instructions for selling your XMR.

Take note that depending on the platform you’re using to carry out these transactions, you may need to get through some level of verification before you can start any exchange.

Using Monero

People who have Monero often use the currency in two different ways: buying and trading. The differences between buying and trading are not always clear-cut, but here’s a rundown of what each activity entails.

Buying Using Monero

Once you’ve got some Monero, you can use it for whatever transactions you’d like, as long as the recipient accepts the currency. Perhaps you want to transfer it to another user or pay for goods and services. For example, you may want to take advantage of the currency’s price to commission a work of art. You can transact with an artist and arrange for the payment to be made in Monero, then use your wallet to finalize the transaction. In general, using cryptocurrency in this way is often seen as less risky compared to trading it.

Trading Monero

Trading, on the other hand, means holding on to the currency specifically to speculate on its price action. Many Monero users hold on to a representation of the currency on the belief that the demand for it will increase in the near future. When this happens, they can cash in on their investment and grow their wealth. Traditionally, trading is associated with short-term positions and is seen as riskier, especially when users are buying contracts or using margins to increase their profit.

 

There’s a bit of a learning curve that you need to overcome if it’s your first time dealing with cryptocurrencies like XMR. Once you have a clear idea of how it works and the strategies you need to make the most of your investment, you have a much better chance of maximizing the features and advantages offered by the cryptocurrency of your choice.

 

Singapore's bolttech adds More Investors in Series A

 

Singapore-based insurtech bolttech's Series A has attracted more funding as EDBI and Alma Mundi Insurtech Fund, Spain (“Mundi Ventures”) joined the round. The company has raised $210 million in the extended Series A, which is led by Activant Capital Group.

This additional capital from the extended round will help bolttech enable its partners and customers with enhanced technology and digital capabilities. These investors will also help the company strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia, Europe, and its other existing markets.

Rob Schimek, bolttech’s Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are thrilled to welcome such high calibre strategic investors. They bring an extensive network and deep expertise in their respective markets which will help propel our growth and support our innovation for our partners and customers around the world. Together with their partnership, we look forward to accelerating our international growth and realising our vision to connect more people around the world with ways to protect the things they value.”

Headquartered in Singapore, bolttech helps connect insurers, distributors, and customers. The company makes it easier and more efficient to buy and sell insurance and protection products. The company has a global footprint that serves more than 7.7 million customers in 26 markets across 3 continents.