Author: Nick Farrell

Council slashes jobs and costs with AI

Posted on February 9, 2024 by - News

Derby City Council has axed two jobs and saved £200,000 using artificial intelligence (AI) to run its services. The council revealed the cuts in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

The council has also reduced its number of contractors by introducing automated phone and web chat services called Darcie and Ali. The council says this is part of a plan to make its processes faster and cheaper.

The council’s boss, Paul Simpson, said the job cuts affected only a tiny part of the council’s 3,000 staff. He said AI was not meant to eliminate workers but to make their work more accessible and strategic.

Simpson said contractors and agency staff were only used for extra work, and AI helped the council save money without losing quality.

Cloud firms team up to boost data security

Posted on February 9, 2024 by - News

Two Yorkshire cloud firms have joined forces to offer their customers better data protection.

virtualDCS, a cloud and disaster recovery specialist, is hosting Vapour’s Veeam backups, after striking a deal with the cloud firm. The partnership will give clients more scale, flexibility, and security for their data management.

Jason Fenwick (right), a former Vapour engineer with over 30 years of IT experience, has moved to virtualDCS as part of the deal. He will make sure the service is smooth and the customers are happy.

Lenovo and Blanco pair in data partership

Posted on February 8, 2024 by - News

Computer maker Lenovo has joined forces with data experts Blancco Technology Group to offer a new security service for businesses.

The service, part of Lenovo’s ThinkShield security package, lets firms permanently remove unwanted data from their networks, devices, and old IT gear.

Lenovo ThinkShield Data Erasure by Blancco helps firms cope with the massive amount of data that puts them at risk of cyberattacks, lawsuits, and hefty costs. It also reduces the hassle of keeping track, wiping, and reporting on all IT assets and storage devices.

Digital dummies lose £4.5 million a week

Posted on February 8, 2024 by - News

Digital adoption solutions outfit WalkMe has released a report revealing how clueless companies waste millions of pounds daily by not using technology properly.

Based on a survey of more than 4,000 bigwigs and workers, the report found that failing to use tech rights costs firms on average £900,000 a week in lost productivity, with staff wasting 44 working days a year.

According to the study, which can be found here, some firms have woken up to the challenge, with 70 per cent of them making digital adoption a key goal and boosting their spending on it by 63 per cent year-on-year.

Amazon’s cloud grip crumbling as Vole storms ahead

Posted on February 7, 2024 by - News

Amazon Web Services, the big bully of the global cloud market, is losing its grip as AWS’ cloud market share fell two points, while Microsoft’s cloud share rose by nearly two points year-on-year in the last quarter of 2023.

IT market researchers Synergy Research Group said businesses splashed out $73.7 billion  on cloud services in the last quarter of 2023, a 20 per cent jump from $61.6 billion in the same quarter of 2022,

Synergy VP John Dinsdale said it was a cracking quarter for the cloud market. As the market grows like mad, Amazon, Vole, and Google still rake in most of the cash.

 Telly companies team up on Europe

Posted on February 7, 2024 by - News

Connected and Free Streaming TV outfit Amagi ADS PLUS has joined forces with ShowHeroes, a big name in the online ad world. This deal is a huge win for Amagi ADS, making them stronger and more prominent in Europe.

ShowHeroes, famous for their clever and catchy ads, has led the way in the EU, creating new chances for brands to get cosy with their viewers. The deal with Amagi ADS PLUS will boost ShowHeroes’ skills, giving advertisers better solutions and more reach across Europe, especially in Germany, Spain, France, and the UK.

Amagi has been ahead of the tech game, ensuring its ads are safe. It has signed up to the Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), which protects user data and follows the rules.

PM’s wife rakes in millions for Infosys with Tory VIP access.

Posted on February 6, 2024 by - News

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is in hot water after Trade Minister Dominic Johnson revealed that he gave special treatment to Sunak’s father-in-law’s Indian IT firm, Infosys.

Infosys is owned by Rishi’s daddy-in-law, Narayan Murty, and his missus, Akshata Murty. She owns a 0.91 per cent stake in the company. She trousered £13 million in dividends from Infosys last year, making Rishi the richest PM ever.

The scandal comes as Rishi tries to polish his image before the next election. But it seems he has some skeletons in his closet or his in-laws’ closet.

According to media reports, trade minister Dominic Johnson had a cosy chat with Infosys bosses in Bengaluru, India, last year. He allegedly told them he would “do what he could” to help them do business in the UK.

The meeting was recorded,, and the transcript shows that Johnson was keen to see more Infosys presence in the UK market and “would be happy to do what he could to facilitate that. ”

He reassured the Indian firm “on the prospects for the UK economy” and reminded them of the support that the UK government “can provide through Department for Business and Trade”.

He added: “We value the relationship with Infosys and will continue to engage at a ministerial level when requested.”

Experts warn of dodgy 6G signals and pricey gadgets

Posted on February 6, 2024 by - News

A new study from Juniper Research reckons there will be 290 million 6G users worldwide by 2030 – just a year after it’s supposed to launch. But avoid getting too excited because there are many problems to sort out before we can enjoy blazing-fast internet on our mobiles.

The main issue is that 6G will use very high-frequency waves, which can carry more data but also get easily blocked by things like buildings, trees, and even rain. Initial 6G signals could be rubbish because operators must invest in new technology.

The study says they need to use RIS (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces), which are smart mirrors that can bend and reflect 6G waves to avoid obstacles. They also need to use AI to monitor and adjust these surfaces in real-time, or they could make things worse.

TD Synnex does deal with CF Corporate Finance

Posted on February 5, 2024 by - News

TD Synnex has partnered with CF Corporate Finance to launch a new finance scheme allowing small businesses and public sector bodies to purchase Microsoft’s shiny Surface gadgets.

Microsoft Flex will offer flexible payment plans to let customers spread the cost over 12 to 48 months, saving them from splashing out a fortune upfront.

TD Synnex UK services boss Sophia Haywood-Atkinson said: “This is the best time to launch Microsoft Flex, as new smart chips, Windows 11 updates, and more Surface partners are coming soon.”

She added: “We’ve heard from our partners that many SMEs are dying to get Surface but think it’s too pricey. Microsoft Flex will make it more affordable for them to upgrade their tech.”

ALSO makes Datamatic offer it can’t refuse

Posted on February 5, 2024 by - News

ALSO Group has bagged a deal to buy Italian distie Datamatic, hoping to get a pizza the action in the land of pizza and pasta.

The Swiss firm said the Italian tech biz was a “dynamic industry” that would grow by almost 10 per cent every year.

ALSO reckons it can do well in Italy after it acquired VAD Executive Group in 2022 and established itself as ALSO Italia.

ALSO Holding CEO Gustavo Möller-Hergt said: “ALSO Italia has made a fortune in the as-a-service and cloud sector. Buying Datamatic would boost our business in Italy, giving our partners more products to sell and access our awesome cloud marketplace.”

Own Company’s new SaaA data plan

Posted on February 2, 2024 by - News

SaaS data platform Own Company has launched a new plan to help its partners stop their customers from losing vital data and metadata.

Own partners will get the resources, skills, and support with automatic backups and quick, easy recovery.

Own boss Kevin Delane said: “Our new Channel Partner Plan shows our dedication to protect and use SaaS data, and also opens up a huge world of chances for our partners.”

The Channel Partner Plan will give partners access to special perks and rewards, including partner-led services, deal registration, partner pricing and discounts, marketing support, and training and enablement.

Check Point has a new partner plan

Posted on February 2, 2024 by - News

Cyber security firm Check Point has launched its new cunning plan to help its partners sell more and grow faster. With the new plan, the firm wants to show its loyalty to the channel while maximising the chance to work together.

Check Point’s VP of global partner organisation, Francisco Criado, claimed that for more than 30 years, Check Point has led the way in cyber security.

“In light of the current situation and the rising rate of cyber attacks, we are launching a new partner plan to help our partners provide the best cyber security,” he said.

The new plan aligns with Check Point’s platform, which uses AI and the cloud to deliver security. It will let partners sell more of Check Point’s advanced security solutions, covering many threats, such as SASE, email security, cloud security, SD-WAN, and mobile security.

The changes aim to use these top-notch technologies and ensure that partners are ready to meet different cybersecurity challenges.

Qualcomm shares dip as China sales stall

Posted on February 1, 2024 by - News

Chip maker Qualcomm has given a mixed forecast for its second-quarter profits and sales, but investors are worried about its Android sales in China.

The sales outlook shows that Qualcomm’s new chips with clever features to run chatbots, image generators and other smart things on a device instead of in the cloud are popular.

Shares went up and down in after-hours trading and were down 0.8 per cent.

Qualcomm bosses told analysts on a phone call that after making many new chips for Android phones at the end of last year, they expect chip sales in China to stay the same in the current quarter. Analysts said this means Qualcomm is losing out to rivals in China.

Newsbridge scores FC Koln contract  

Posted on February 1, 2024 by - News

Cloudy Newsbridge has scored a contract with German football club FC Köln to help boost its content game.

Newbridge solutions will allow the three-time Bundesliga winners to store and sort its huge digital media collection, make content faster, and share it with partners, players, and fans on social media. Local tech experts Qvest ensured the whole thing went smoothly and worked with FC Köln’s existing media system.

FC Köln media and communication boss Michael Rudolph said: “Newsbridge is perfect for our in-house video production. It helps us organise our archived media, find and share players, and match highlights quickly and easily. The best thing is that we can send our content to anyone on any platform. And because it’s in the cloud, Newsbridge’s Media Hub lets our team work flexibly – whether at the stadium or home.”

FC Köln has signed up for Newsbridge’s Cloud Media Hub, which can hold 6,000 hours of video and three million photos. The Cloud Media Hub, powered by MXT-1 AI, helps FC Köln find the best content for their fans. The media is accessible to search thanks to clever technology recognising faces, objects, logos, words, and letters. With Newsbridge’s Mobile App, players and partners can access and share match and training photos on social media in a flash.

Newsbridge set up an automatic system that records match details like home team, away team, season, location, and stadium when content is uploaded. Plus, the Newbridge Cloud Media Hub is linked with Buffer, JW Player, and Stats Perform, providing advanced data and analytics to improve FC Köln’s media. The result is faster and more efficient media workflows.

Newsbridge CEO Philippe Petitpont said that Newsbridge’s Cloud Media Hub, with its indexing, search engine, and data integrations, helps football clubs find the critical moments in their media in seconds.

“As one of the first users of our MXT-1 AI technology, FC Köln is ahead of the game in providing top-notch experiences to sponsors and fans.”

FC Köln is Newsbridge’s second German Bundesliga customer. Newsbridge works with other sports clients, such as Bayer Leverkusen, the Icelandic Football Association (KSÍ), the French Federation of Football (FFF), the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), and the French Rugby League (LNR).

Westcon-Comstor caught in AWS’s web

Posted on January 31, 2024 by - News

Tech distributor Westcon-Comstor has struck a deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) that it thinks will open new doors for its partners and vendors.

The partnership aims to make the transaction process on AWS Marketplace easier and faster, offering growth chances while boosting the role of the channel in the booming cloud marketplace economy.

The deal, under the Designated Seller of Record (DSOR) scheme with AWS, lets Westcon-Comstor list its vendors’ products on AWS Marketplace privately.

This means sharing quotes better with the company’s network of 12,000 channel partners around the world.