(This column originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — These are the best cheap Windows laptops for 2022, according to the editorial team at Engadget.
The editorial team at technology news and review website Engadget recently released their picks for the best cheap Windows laptops for this year. Top picks include the Acer Aspire 5 series ($460 at Adorama) for the display, processing, and storage, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 ($485 at Walmart) picked for its portability and long battery life, and the Surface Laptop Go 2 (starting at $600) for its design, light weight, multiple USB ports, and more. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
How long do you keep laptops? My timeline is three years and then I replace, regardless of how things are working. That’s because I know that after three years you’re living on house money. And it’s basically guaranteed that when your device goes bad, it’ll go bad at exactly the wrong time. The above choices from Engadget may be “cheap” but quite a few of them are perfectly capable of handling you or your employees’ workload for that time period.
2 — Startup Ambi Robotics has secured $32 million to deploy its item-sorting robots in warehouses.
Supply chain automation hardware startup Ambi Robotics recently announced that it raised $32 million. The new funding comes shortly after the startup secured another $23 million.. The company’s CEO shared that the new funding will be used to help grow the operations, customer support, and engineering teams as well as deploying and installing tech in an effort to expand the company’s product portfolio. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Automation on the factory floor continues to increase productivity and cut payroll and offerings from companies like Ambi are becoming more affordable for even the smallest of businesses. Ambi’s products, like AmbiSort, is, according to the company, “a full-stack solution, combining robotic picking, item analysis, & quality control with a ‘soft-touch’ end effector that sorts boxes, flats, polybags, & other deformable or rigid items.”
3 — RC Mowers has introduced its autonomous mowing robot that addresses longstanding labor challenges in the landscaping industry.
A leading manufacturer of robotic mowers — RC Mowers — announced this past week that it launched an Autonomous Mowing Robot fleet. The new line will help landscaping contractors cut down on labor requirements and help grow their businesses, all while managing less employees and improving the overall profitability of mowing. (Source: Yahoo Finance)
Why this is important for your business:
While we’re still talking robots, I couldn’t resist including this news because it’s not the production floor that’s benefitting from robotic technology. As the cost of autonomous mowers like the ones made by RC Mowers become more affordable I expect to see countless landscapers and contractors make use of these machines instead of employing workers which they can’t find anyway. Want to see how they work? Check out this video.
4 — Get ready for the next big thing in Macs and the iPad Pro.
Recent reports revealed that Apple plans to introduce new iPads and Macs featuring a version of the company’s new M2 processing chip. (Source: Computer World)
Why this is important for your business:
Mac users get ready. The new processor likely will result in iPads that have greater capabilities than the previous iPad Pros and overall higher performance. The new hardware will include updated versions of both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, which are scheduled to roll out next month. Hmm…maybe you don’t wait three years for that next upgrade?
5 — Square has added niche commerce tools to its terminal for retail and appointments.
Square is releasing two new commerce features on Square Terminal. (Source: Pymnts)
Why this is important for your business:
The company says that the new features will help simplify the process for online merchants to sell their services and products all over the world. The new features — known as Square Appointments and Square for Retail — will enable businesses to process customer purchases nearly anywhere, allowing sellers to navigate customer demand from more locations. “Square for Retail on Square Terminal has helped me streamline and condense everything so I can use all the features I need on one device,” the owner of an Alabama gift shop told Pymnts. “I can use Square Terminal as an extra checkout to ensure I’m offering my customers a great experience anywhere, whether I’m selling at my brick-and-mortar store or at local markets on-the-go.”
