As a new business owner, you are passionate about staying on top of the various tech trends. You fully understand that having the latest hardware and software can help your new company to be as efficient as possible, and will help position you for success. With that in mind, check out the following four tech trends that you will want to keep an eye on in 2018:
4G LTE laptops
If you are running your start-up out of a home office, or if you plan on working remotely at least part of the time, you won’t have to worry about sometimes slow and unreliable home broadband connections or finding a signal. Thanks to the release of the 4G LTE laptop, broadband can be replaced entirely with more powerful wireless connections.
The 4G LTE laptops are always connected and inspire impressive increases in productivity. Laptops that feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile PC Platform and the Snapdragon X16 LTC modem allow you to work from virtually anywhere. The HP Envy x2 is an example of a 4G LTE laptop that has a 22-hour battery life, Windows 10 and the lighting fast 4G connectivity.
Faster-than-ever wireless charging
At the recent CES 2018 electronics show, a number of companies displayed new wireless charging products that will take this technology to the next level. The iON Wireless Charging Pad features Qi wireless fast charging technology, heat reduction features and an extra USB-A power port to charge an extra device; the pad also comes in a number of finishes that will complement the décor of your new company.
iON also debuted the Fast Charging Stand, which features a 65-degree tilt so that you can still view and use your smartphone while it is charging up. The iON Home Wireless Power Station can easily be used in a business setting as well; the device charges up to 40 percent faster than standard Qi wireless charging and it can charge up to six devices and two small appliances.
A business version of voice assistants
As Business News Daily notes, popular voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Google Assistant could be integrated into third-party technology. For example, HP, Asus, and Acer will offer laptops that come with Alexa voice controls; this technology will introduce the convenience of the voice-activated Echo to your work computer. Imagine asking your laptop to order more supplies for your business or bringing up your schedule for the day without having to touch the keyboard. Thanks to the Intel audio processors, this will soon become reality.
Blockchain and business
Whether you are really into topics like cryptocurrency and the blockchain or they kind of make your eyes cross with confusion, this technology could definitely have an impact on start-ups this year. Cryptocurrencies are becoming more mainstream, and it is possible that they will have more real-world applications in business, including the ability to share, distribute and “tokenize” data. Cryptocurrencies could also be adopted by more companies as a way to handle payments and transactions.
One of the greatest things about emerging technology is that you can pick and choose which trends and devices will best serve you and your start-up. Judging from the amazing products that are already on the market or poised to be released, 2018 definitely appears to be a banner year for technology that can help your start-up to succeed.