XFER Blog

It’s the time of year when we reflect on scary things. For an IT company, it doesn’t get much scarier than an organization’s network getting slammed with a malicious computer virus. There are a variety of really bad viruses out there, each one with its own unique ability to cause some scary results. The way we see it, each computer virus is kind of like a classic monster.

When you store your data in the cloud, you assume it will be safe and that nothing bad will happen to it. But what if the real clouds hovering above your virtual cloud are literally full of lightning? Google experienced this last month when one of its data centers in Belgium fell to the wrath of Zeus.

With the United States’ Presidential election ramping up, it’s hard to go anywhere without seeing Hillary Clinton’s face. The former U.S. secretary of state and first lady, Clinton is making her second attempt at the Presidency. She has gained some negative attention recently in regards to emails she had sent from a personal email address when she was the United States’ top diplomat and it’s opened up some questions about data security at the highest reaches of government.

Human ingenuity never ceases to amaze us. This whole information technology revolution has pushed access to information to levels that any person that lived before the advent of the computer could never have imagined. What’s more, the establishment of the Internet of Things has made it so humans even have remote access to the goods they own. So when we first saw the technological marvel that KFC had in store for the Canadian chicken consumers, we weren’t so shocked as excited that we’ve reached the next step in humanity’s trek into the future.

Who remembers seeing Jurassic Park in theaters in 1993? By now, the dinosaur flick is ancient history, but with Jurassic World hitting theaters today, you might have huge lizards on the brain. What does this have to do with technology? Well, researchers in Kenya are using 3D scanning and printing to preserve fossils, so the real ones can be safely removed from hazardous weather conditions in the Turkana Basin.

There’s no doubt that smartphones are one of the greatest achievements in modern technology. Compared to computers from several years ago, the average smartphone is vastly more powerful. Coupled with mobility, the smartphone is a productivity machine that helps you get more done in your day. Despite these advantages, you might be a little too attached to your device.

The road down entrepreneurialism is a long and twisted path, full of pitfalls that can lead you astray. However, there’s one companion who will never forsake you, and that’s your morning cup of coffee. While you might feel like you can’t get anything done without your morning caffeine fix, it can be holding you back from achieving your maximum productivity.

It’s been a full 38 years since we were introduced to the Skywalker family in the first Star Wars film, “A New Hope.” The science fiction franchise has become such a cultural phenomenon that it even has its own holiday, celebrated galaxy-wide every May 4th (May the 4th be with you).

The Internet is full of challenges. YouTube has a multitude of annoying 10 hour-long videos of irritating noises and sounds alone. But, this CollegeHumor video might just top them all. It challenges its viewers to finish a three-minute video, and to make it worse, the video is boring.

If you use the Internet, you’re aware of how heavy a presence cats possess. You can hardly navigate the web without seeing a hilarious cat meme, or four. Rather than admit that the human race is obsessed with these furry companions, what if the hairballs are using the Internet themselves and instigating a complete technology takeover? This just might be the case, according to new research.

An updated technology-based version of the classic Christmas story “The Gift of the Magi.” Originally published in The New York Sunday World in 1905. Written by O. Henry.

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That’s what the balance read on Maggie’s online bank statement. It’s never been that low before. Usually she and her husband Dillon have a comfortable amount that they can pull from, but this year has been especially hard for the young couple, thanks to their new business endeavor.

The couple took out a big loan and started a new hair salon nine months ago. They knew the risks of starting a business in this economy, but the risks seemed small compared to the excitement of following their dreams.

Cryptocurrency is a concept that goes from somewhat useful (Bitcoin) to just plain weird (Dogecoin), and now it goes a step further with the anonymous new cryptocurrency called Darkcoin. It acts similarly to Bitcoin, but its primary selling point is that Darkcoin is completely anonymous and difficult to trace.

As a business leader, you know that you should read more about the latest industry trends and helpful management concepts. How's that going for you? For many business owners, finding time just to run their business is difficult enough, making book reading a luxury. We've found that you can do both by learning how to speed read.

Children across the world are heading back to school, and their parents breathe a sigh of relief. Instead of playing video games, children can now expand their minds in institutions designed for learning. But, what if a popular video game could teach children how valuable programming is as a real-world skill?

In Europe, there's a lot of discussion about whether or not citizens have the right to be forgotten, or rather, be forgotten by search engines. According to a May 2014 ruling, search engines must consider requests from the public for removal of content. Not just any content, though; according to ZDNet, the content must be "inadequate, irrelevant, or no longer relevant." As you might guess, this concept is extremely controversial.

You're on vacation with your family and your smartphone notifies you about a work email entitled "URGENT!" What do you do? Checking the message could mean hours spent putting out a fire at the office. Ignoring it will give you more time with your family, but you'll be distracted and stressed the whole time thinking about the worst-case scenario.

Got a great business idea but lack the capital to make it happen? Many startups are looking to the Internet to find the funds they need to get their project off the ground. Known as crowdfunding, this tool presents entrepreneurs a chance to find supporters in unlikely places, and even find wild potato-salad-like success!