As far as technology is concerned, 2013 has been a pretty busy year. Barely a week has passed without a major tech story hitting the headlines, demonstrating how technology and the internet have become central to our lives.
Technology is key to business success too, of course, and so we’ve done our best to keep you updated with important stories and developments throughout the year.
Some of these have been pretty cutting-edge, like the launch of Google Glass and the emergence of a fingerprint reader on Apple’s latest iPhone.
But looking back through our visitor statistics, it’s plain to see that many companies are still grappling with more down-to-earth issues. Some of our most popular content this year has been on topics that might be seen as dull-but-necessary, like sorting out your intranet, dealing with computer health and safety and working out if your IT support contract is fair.
In 2014 we’ll keep covering both day-to-day tech issues and emerging trends. But before the year ends, here’s a quick round-up of five key issues from 2013.
Almost a year ago, a report into the state of broadband revealed a dilemma: do we make basic broadband available to everyone, or prioritise providing higher-speed broadband in most areas?
12 months on and there’s still a divide between the broadband haves and have-nots. If you’re in an area where the latest fibre broadband connections are available then you’re probably very happy. And, overall, broadband in the UK compares pretty well with the rest of Europe.
The experts told us that the number of employees using their own devices for work was going to increase, and they were right.
We’ve covered the ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) phenomenon at length, and it’s fair to say that if your company hasn’t yet been affected by it, it’s only a matter of time. Like anything, BYOD has benefits as well as drawbacks, so it’s not a bad idea to learn the basics.
There has been no shortage of high-profile security incidents this year. Back in March the biggest ever distributed denial of service attack highlighted the internet’s vulnerability, causing connection dropouts and slowdowns for many people.
We’ve also discovered that plenty of people still don’t bother with backups, that security breaches can cost you thousands and that even your own staff can be on the take.
As a result, we recently updated and added to our security advice on the site. A good place to start is this expert advice on security software.
In response to the EU cookie law, loads of websites now display messages about the cookies they use to track visitor behaviour and provide certain functions.
So far it’s debatable whether this plague of warnings has done anything other than simply clutter up websites with messages that are rarely read or understood.
However, it’s perhaps a sign of developments to come — for instance, the Do Not Track initiative makes it easier for people to opt out of website tracking, and could make it harder for your business to monitor how people use your website.
Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP, its venerable operating system that has served many businesses well for years. This means from April there will be no more updates to fix security issues, putting your business at risk if you keep on using it.
You need to act soon on this one and think about upgrading to a newer operating system — probably Windows 7 or 8, depending on your circumstances. Here’s some more information — and do speak an IT supplier if you need help.
We’re signing off for Christmas, taking a break while we recharge with some mince pies, The Great Escape on the telly and — almost certainly — the occasional festive photo on Twitter.
But just before we go, don’t miss our favourite story from 2013, about the hackable Japanese toilet and the photocopier that changes your documents. Truly, technology is wonderful.
Have a great end to 2013 — we’ll be back as normal in January.
How has 2012 been for your business? Have you embraced the cloud and seen your business prospects soar as a result? Or are you still debating whether your company can really benefit from tablet computers?
It's been quite a year for our family of Donut websites. Marketing Donut, Start up Donut, IT Donut, Law Donut and Tax Donut have continued to grow in popularity, and we have exciting plans for 2013.
But looking back over the last 12 months, it's clear we've seen some big changes in the world of business IT. And those changes will probably continue into 2013.
Mobile is big, and it's getting bigger. As the number of people using their smart phones and tablets to access the internet grows, companies that sell online must make sure their websites work properly on mobile devices.
The shift to mobile is happening inside organisations too. Increasingly, mobile workers are being equpped with tablets and smart phones, using cloud computing and apps to access company information and work on the move.
There's no sign this trend will reverse - or even slow down - in 2013. If anything, expect the emergence of 4G connections and faster broadband to drive an even greater shift towards mobile working.
But before then, we're taking a few days off to relax, recharge and enjoy the Christmas break. Now is a great time to reflect on the events of the last year and think about what you want to achieve in 2013.
If you're planning to do a little work over the Christmas period, it's a good time to do some routine maintenance and get your IT in first class condition for next year. And if you're heading off this afternoon, don't forget to shut everything down and share contact details in case anything goes wrong with your website over the Christmas break.
Merry Christmas! We'll be back posting regularly in January.
Secret Santa season is in full swing. Up and down the country, in offices, factories, warehouses, shops and other places of work, people are picking names out of hats, rushing down to the shops and trying to buy good secret Santa gifts for each other.
Assuming you don't want to just pop down to the local newsagent and buy a lottery ticket (a gift I once received from a colleague who never revealed their identity), how do you find a good secret Santa gift?
With your budget and time limited, the world of tech offers plenty of good secret Santa gifts. Here are our top five - plus some pricier alternatives, in case you've decided to blow the budget this year.
In cold weather, there's nothing worse than having to take your gloves off to operate the touch screen on your smart phone.
But for £4.50, these smart phone gloves contain metal thread in the fingertips, allowing you to use your phone with your gloves on. It means the end of cold fingers.
Looking to spend more?
As well as being touch screen friendly, these Bluetooth gloves (£49.99) contain a microphone and a speaker that turn your hand into a phone.
It's hard to believe anyone doesn't like LEGO, so if you want a good secret Santa present then how about this key ring torch?
It wins on two counts, because not only is it LEGO, but it's also Darth Vader. And if your gift recipient doesn't like Star Wars then frankly they don't deserve a good present anyway.
Looking to spend more?
Just £19.99 bags you a Darth Vader alarm clock.
If you need a good secret Santa gift for someone who loves to keep things tidy, you could get them a tub of Cyber Clean.
Available for £5.99, this putty is designed to be squeezed into tight spaces - like the gaps between buttons on a mobile phone - where it removes dust, dead skin and other nasty stuff.
Looking to spend more?
Grab a miniature Henry desktop vacuum cleaner for £12.99.
If you're buying for the kind of person who makes a cup of tea, gets distracted and ends up drinking it cold, they need a £5.95 USB cup warmer.
It'll keep their tea warm for hours, and runs off any computer's USB port.
Looking to spend more?
It's got to be this self-stirring mug (£11.99). And they say they've invented everything.
Encourage them to go paper free by giving them a robot-shaped USB stick (£7.99) to store their files on.
Make sure they're not the absent-minded sort though - you don't want them causing a data disaster by leaving it on a train.
Looking to spend more?
Go classy(ish) with a silver plated USB drive - just £49.99.
Have you come across any good secret Santa gifts for gadget lovers? Leave a comment and let us know.