Technology

When you are running a business, it’s important that everyone in your company is on the same page. This means having the smoothest and most seamless workflow possible. Nonetheless, whether you have just launched a start-up or are running a large business with a variety of different moving parts, it can be hard to make sure that your business is working to the best of its ability. However, no matter whether you are a CEO, project manager or working as an office manager, you are in the right place as this guide has been created to make sure that your workplace is as seamless as possible. Read on now to learn all about it.

Invest in Project Management Software

To make sure that you have a clear overview on who is working on what and when, it is essential to have the right project management software. Without it, your business could get quickly bogged down in figuring out exactly who should be doing which particular task. Thankfully, there are now a whole variety of different project management suites out there that you can use. For a great business productivity suite, it’s worth checking out the amazing features available at CoAmplifi.

Have Great Internal Chat Software

It’s important to have clear and coherent communication when wanting to ensure a seamless workflow. Email, falling out of favour with the younger generation, is slowly on the wane, while chat services allow for the simplest and most direct communication possible. It’s best not to rely on personal messaging services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, but instead to go for a business chat platform that allows you to create separate chat pockets for your different users. Take a look around to find the right platform that will work for your business.

Use Videoconferencing Software

It’s likely that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of your workers will still be working remotely. This is likely to keep on being a feature of modern life even when the pandemic is over. This means that your business simply has to be properly prepared. One way to do so is by installing the perfect videoconferencing software. This means that no matter whether your workers are in the office or working in another part of the country or the world, they can easily log into a virtual meeting and be able to communicate what they are working on. Make sure to find a service that allows for unlimited meeting times as well as the ability to record meetings for further reference.

Download the Cloud

The time of sending emails back and forth with large files is definitely over. Instead, more and more businesses are now moving towards the cloud. Cloud computing allows for files to be stored in one central location, meaning that people can collaborate in real time on ideas as well as allowing you to see who is currently working on any given project. It also allows for swift backups in case of an emergency.

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Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide users with a voice online, help them connect with people from all corners of the globe, and learn the latest news and trends with ease.

Yet, the networks feature various risks that could impact a user’s safety, financial security, or mental health. Therefore, you must familiarize yourself with the potential dangers and learn how to protect yourself on social media.

Be Aware of Stranger Danger

While most social media users use platforms to connect with loved ones, find fun memes, or watch interesting videos, many unscrupulous people lurk online. For instance, con artists are promising to pay females’ bills and shower them with gifts in return for companionship. However, before you reply to a direct message from a stranger, you must read “Beware Of The Sugar Daddy Scam” to learn about the tricksters and how you can protect yourself from their tactics.

Avoid Prolonged Use

Various studies have found that social media can have a detrimental effect on a person’s mental health. As humans are sociable by nature, the disconnection from the real world can lead to feelings of isolation, which can increase a user’s likelihood of developing anxiety or depression.

Also, it is believed females are more likely to experience a mental health condition when using social media, as they might find it impossible to live up to the standards portrayed by other users online.

Prevent the development of a mental health disorder by avoiding prolonged use of one or more social media platforms. In addition, it is vital to seek medical help when struggling with a mental health issue, as you could benefit from counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, or prescription medication.

Turn Off Social Media Before Bed

Many people scroll through Instagram or watch TikTok videos when lying in bed. However, your smartphone or tablet will emit blue light that can interrupt your sleep cycle. If you follow the same routine every night, you could struggle to fall asleep and then suffer from excessive sleep deprivation. As a result, you can develop various health problems, such as:

• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Mental health conditions

Enjoy a good night’s sleep by avoiding devices that emit blue light at least one hour before bed. Twitter and TikTok can wait until the next day, and you will feel more refreshed and alert when you wake up.

Set Your Profiles to Private

Adults and children can experience cyberbullying. For example, a person may pass judgment on another person’s life, outfit, or parenting style. Also, children can become victims of targeted attacks by other kids, which may impact their mental health, self-esteem, and feelings of security.

Adults can avoid being trolled by turning off comments or avoiding social media altogether. Also, you could set your profile to private, which will ensure only your chosen friends and family members can view your posts. If you are a parent, you must monitor your child’s technology usage and introduce time restrictions to prevent them from spending many hours online.

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The jewelry industry maintains its standing as one of the largest profit-making enterprises across the world. In places like the United States and the Republic of Turkey, people purchase these stylish keepsakes on a daily, if not minute by minute basis. Many people purchase jewelry to give to loved one’s on special holidays like Mother’s Day. Some individuals use purchasing these stylish keepsakes to show off their status to others. In some cases people might even purchase jewelry to then sell to others to make some immediate cash. Whatever the reason, purchasing these glittering adornments is something that many people do in North America and across the world.

Some of the most popular pieces of jewelry include gold bracelets, fine watches, drop earrings, stylish luxury watches, necklaces composed of precious metals and gemstones, hoop earrings, stud earrings, and diamond rings. In 2018, jewelry stores in the United States made approximately $39.7 billion in sales. The global market, including North America, was valued at approximately $279 billion. People have a love and desire for these stylish keepsakes and are willing to spend whatever amount of money needed to purchase such items. When becoming a retailer of such stylish adornments at either a pawn shop in Beverly Hills or a mall storefront in the Republic of Turkey, it helps to learn everything you can about jewelry manufacturing. When you know how your wares are produced it helps to increase your knowledge of the items you’re selling to customers. We’ll focus on everything you need to know about manufacturing such items.

3D Design & Assembly

Technology has become extremely helpful in the stylish keepsake market. These machines help you to create a physical piece of jewelry from a sketch concept. A 3D designer will take your uploaded sketch or concept and turn it into a digital render of the bracelet, pair earrings, a necklace, or diamond rings you’re attempting to make. A 3D wax model piece is then created from this render using a 3D printing machine. This process usually takes up to 48 hours.

Once you create the wax mold or model, the piece will go through a casting process. As the wax is melted away, your mold will start to look like the stylish keepsake that you will see in a store. It’s replaced by your metal of choice in molten form. This can include yellow gold, sterling silver, or even platinum. As the metal dries into your desired shape, it goes through the process of “lost wax” casting.

Basic Assembly & Stone Setting

After the process of design and casting takes place, then the last step of basic assembly can take from 3 days to 3 weeks. The process operates in the same way, no matter the jeweler. If you’re looking at getting a custom set of diamond rings made from a Beverly Hills pawn shop that specializes in such things, there’s a chance that this set of stylish keepsakes has undergone this process. Casting will take the jewelry towards its fine metal stage, and at this point, a jeweler can make any aesthetic changes needed.

This might include adding shaping the piece to a preferred shape, which might not be how it is normally shaped. A jeweler will file down the casting skin to get to the metal that is underneath the cast or mold. This helps to get the molded piece to the desired shape or form that has been requested. Once a mount is created, then stones are set into the final piece. These stones can include gemstones, such as diamonds or rubies. A microscope is then used to complete this painstaking process in such stylish keepsakes as necklaces, stud earrings, and even bracelets which are fashioned with ounces of gold from Alamos Gold, Turkey. Alamos Gold mines are known for their social responsibility when it comes to avoiding dangerous materials, like cyanide, and to replacing the number of trees that may have been destroyed during the time it takes to mine many ounces of gold. Another thing to note is that after the mount is completed if the created piece warrants enameling work or even design work, this would take place before any of the stone settings. This will ensure that the setting can go off without a hitch, and not require “double work”.

Polishing & Finishing

Once you’ve set your stones in a necklace, pair of stud earrings, or bracelets then you can move on to the polishing and finishing stage. Here you work to ensure that your metal is polished and cleaned to perfection. You want this final piece to shine to perfection. Afterward, check every part of the final piece for imperfections. You can also use this opportunity to add any engravings or special messages to the finished piece. Some examples of these might include a special message to a loved one, or maybe a line of remembrance for someone who has passed away.

Sometimes this might increase the overall value of the finished keepsake but in the long run, it’s worth it. If no imperfections are found at this point, then you are finished with the jewelry manufacturing process.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category

Optimizing your business is important if you want to ensure that you can run an efficient and modern company that is ready to meet the demands of your industry, all while avoiding wasting extensive amounts of your capital. Technology can help you to get the most out of your business and to maximize its potential, and here are some of the key ways that you can optimize your business using technology.

Invest in a Consultant

If your business is struggling with the many different challenges that the modern world presents to it, then you should consider hiring a consultant who will enable you to make changes that can enable your business to become more successful and productive. At Shipware, their shipping consulting service can allow you to utilize the latest technology that is available, including advanced data modeling and insights, to understand how your company is operating in terms of shipping and ensuring that you can get the contracts that work in your favor and negotiate the rates that you are looking for.

Hire an IT Team

You can also optimize your business using technology by investing in an IT team that can work round the clock to make sure that your business can overcome the barriers and issues that the modern tech-centric world presents. Having your own IT team at your beck and call can allow you to develop an excellent website, ensure that your technology remains efficient at all times, and can ensure that you are using the latest models and technology to allow your company to thrive.

Automate Your Processes

For your business to be fully optimized and efficient, you should consider automating the majority of your processes, especially those that you do not need humans to oversee. This can help to speed up your operations, minimize human error, and ensure that your human resources can be more effectively put to use. Some of the best processes that you can automate with artificial intelligence and robotics include those surrounding customer service, administration, manufacturing, and marketing. These tasks can be as simple as scheduling your marketing content on blogs, to more complex procedures within manufacturing companies.

Use Personalized Solutions

The best way for you to optimize your business with technology, though, is to use personalized solutions and software applications every step of the way. Rather than simply draining your business bank account on software that may be of no advantage to your business, investing in personalized and custom solutions will ensure that the applications that you are using have been developed with your business in mind. This can ensure that they can make more of an impact on your company, and can be upscaled to suit your business’s new needs as it begins to grow. However, when you decide to invest in personalized solutions, you will need to find a reliable company to make this software for your business otherwise this could affect the efficiency and success of your company in the long run.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category

Back in 2017 we saw what was widely considered to be the first bull run in the history of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin and Ethereum very much lead the charge with regards to this, and a lot of smart investors like financial expert Robert Testagrossa certainly saw the fruits of it. Unfortunately however there were many late to the game who saw coins such as Bitcoin plummet from $20,000 down to around $3,000. The bear run that followed in 2017 was pretty savage and many lost a great deal of money from their investments.

Currently cryptocurrency is very much inside a bull run, but even if there is a bear run to follow, it will not be anywhere near as savage as what happened back in 2017, and here is why.

Massive Investments

The main criticism of those coins which had big market cap back in 2017 was that the whales controlled the price. Whales are investors or groups of investors who have huge holdings of crypto, who can alter the price with a quick sale or dump, or indeed big buys which lead to a pump. Regarding those coins with big market caps now, the whales have very much been diluted and that means that they can affect the price less.

Acceptance in the Community

The bear run back in 2017 served as a reminder to many of the volatility of crypt, and those traditional thinkers were almost proved right about their opinions on crypto. During this bull run however we are seeing some of the world’s biggest companies get on board. Tesla has bought up huge figures of crypto, MasterCard and PayPal now allow for crypto purchases and even the likes of Bear Sterns are getting involved. The oldest bank in New York, BNY Mellon, is even allowing its clients to hold crypto with them. This shows the acceptance of crypto and why the crash won’t get close to what we saw in 2017.

Palpable

One of the biggest criticisms of cryptocurrency through the years was that it had no real value because you couldn’t buy anything with it. This of course was a valid concern which many had. These days however this just isn’t the same and there is much that you can purchase with the likes of Bitcoin. In Miami there is a trial where you can pay taxes and earn salary in Bitcoin, Tesla allow you to buy a vehicle with the cryptocurrency and there are even towns in Japan which are operating using the currency. Tis will continue to grow and making the coin a palpable asset is exactly why we won’t see a monster plunge in price.

Higher Security

What many people didn’t know about that tough bull run in 2017 was that it was mainly caused because of a massive hack which saw huge volumes of crypto stolen from wallets. These days however there is much tighter security which can prevent this from happening. This isn’t to say that a hack is impossible, but it is far less likely than ever before.

The market is volatile of course, but when the bull run comes, it is worth ensuring that you don’t panic.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category

Online security isn’t as easy as installing and running the most secure VPN available, as much as we’d like it to be that way. It definitely puts you at an advantage, but there are areas VPNs simply don’t cover in terms of security – mostly because that’s not what they’re built for.

If you’re looking for the most secure VPN options at the moment, discover ProPrivacy’s recommendations here. Read on to find out how to cover your bases and enhance the security offered by your VPN.

What Are VPNs Vulnerable Against?

Security-wise, VPNs are built for two things:

• Masking your IP address – which can be used to find out your approximate location, right down to the ZIP code. Hiding your location with a VPN also lets you get past irritating geo-blocks, so that’s a big plus.
• Encrypting your online data – essentially, hiding it from the prying eyes of greedy ISPs, government surveillance, and cyber attackers.

You have the odd provider here and there that offers built-in tracking and malware protection, as well. Despite being a helpful addition, they’re no substitute for decent anti-malware and a tracking script blocker like Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin.

That being said, VPNs can’t protect you from everything we’re about to discuss. For one, they’d be overstepping their boundaries. No one app should gain this much access to the inner workings of your device.

Second of all, let’s consider a situation where this doesn’t pose such a security risk. It would still be difficult to create a catch-all app like that and not have it be an absolute mess. “Jack of all trades, master of none,” as they say. Let’s see what threatens your VPN security and what you can do about it.

1. Cookies

Despite the outright annoying cookie policy pop-ups you get on every website, cookies can actually be useful. For example, a cookie file on your device can keep you logged in to a website so you don’t have to insert your details every session.

However, cookies can also be used to create specialized profiles about you that are used for targeted advertising. If this sounds bad, wait till you hear that cookie data can help the NSA find targets for hacking.

VPNs can’t access your cookies (at least, not any trustworthy provider), so they can’t keep you safe from them. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to clear cookies. True, you’ll lose some convenience of modern browsing – but overall it’s a small sacrifice for security.

2. Web Beacons

We won’t get into the technical details, but you can consider web beacons to be cookies’ insidious little brother. They are invisible, don’t require consent to be used, and they can basically gain just as much data about you as a cookie would.

Want an idea about how bad they are? Here’s an example using the most known JavaScript-based web beacon at the moment, Facebook Pixel. Belgian courts have deemed Facebook Pixel illegal, because it can track non-users.

You can prevent tracking through web beacons by using one of the two all-purpose blockers we mentioned before. uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger, specifically.

3. Browser Fingerprinting

Another one you can add to the long list of ad tracking methods. Mozilla have a great piece about browser fingerprinting right here if you’re interested in the technical side. The gist of it is that your browser sends a few bits of information to every website you access. This allows them to serve you an optimized version of their website (e.g. mobile versions if you’re on a phone).

However, those bits of info can be used to track your behavior, as well. It may not be useful to identify you by name or anything similar, but it’s still something to keep in mind. For the most part, you can’t prevent browser fingerprinting. Your best shot is using Tor over VPN; and even then you’re just mitigating, rather than completely solving the problem.

One thing that should interest you is that websites can detect VPN usage through your system’s time settings. When you connect to a different region with a VPN, your browser basically tells websites: “Hey, I’m from this specific region, please look the other way.”

However, your browser fingerprint contains your local system time. If the two time zones aren’t in sync, websites can tell something’s fishy. Even if you don’t plan on using Tor, you can at least change your system’s time to reflect your VPN server location.

4. Smartphone Location Data

Speaking of location, your smartphone can be your greatest enemy when it comes to online privacy. Using the most secure VPN to hide your location and encrypt your data? The myriad apps on your phone don’t care, and can still transmit this info if you don’t take app permissions seriously.

The New York Times has done a great investigative piece on the subject, and a guide to prevent location data sharing to go along with it. Check them out, use one of ProPrivacy’s top VPN picks, and you’re as close to bulletproof security as can be – short of going off the grid entirely.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category

Technology often seems like it’s aimed firmly at the young, with older people feeling left out and left behind by new advancements. However, there are actually lots of devices and services being developed—especially for the elderly—in order to help them stay healthy and independent for as long as possible. Here are just some of the ways in which technology can help senior citizens, whether it’s in their own home or at an assisted living facility.

Building social connections

Maintaining meaningful social connections is one of the most important factors for older people, as loneliness has been associated with a higher risk of health conditions such as stroke, depression, and dementia. Seniors with untreated hearing loss are less likely to participate in social activities (those who do not wear hearing aids for seniors)Yet, this can be difficult for those who live far from their family, or who have mobility problems that make socializing tricky. This is where technology can be a huge help. From email and instant messaging to video calls and group chats, connecting with others from home has never been easier. The current COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the development of these services, with community groups, places of worship, and other organizations all now increasing their online provision. So if your elderly relative is somewhat technophobic, see if you can teach them the basics and help them to widen their social network.

Improving physical health

Taking care of our physical health only gets more important as we age, and nowadays there are lots of devices, apps, and games we can use to boost our fitness. Even senior living facilities are getting in on the act, with companies such as Sentrics senior living solutions providing services that enable residents to follow along with age-appropriate exercise classes on their TV. Even simple wearable tech such as pedometers to track how many steps your elderly relatives takes in a day can help motivate them to become more active.

Increasing safety

Safety is often one of the biggest concerns people have regarding their elderly relatives, and luckily technology can be a huge help here, too. For example, you can get emergency buttons to be worn around the neck in case of a fall, which your loved one can use to call for help if they can’t get up. Likewise, you can install a stairlift to help them move around the house more easily, put in voice-activated lights to avoid them tripping in the dark, or get memory aids that will remind them to take their medication.

Keeping the mind active

Just as we need to exercise the body to stay healthy, we also need to exercise the mind to keep our cognitive powers strong. Of course, there are plenty of pen-and-paper methods such as crossword puzzles that your relative can use, but technology is a great way to make it more fun. Brain-training games have become hugely popular in recent years as a way to keep the brain active, with many designed specifically for the elderly. Whether it’s on their smartphone or a handheld gaming device, it can be an enjoyable way for your loved one to boost their memory and brainpower.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category

Whether you’re a seasoned console gamer or new to the gaming scene entirely, buying your first gaming PC is a momentous experience. Playing on a PC is a lot different compared to consoles. Games can run a lot smoother. Graphics may look better. PC games often cost less than console games. And on top of all of that, you can choose from a wide range of peripherals. In short, the sky is the limit when you’re gaming with a PC.

Shopping for a console is pretty straightforward. When it comes to buying a gaming PC, however, there are a lot of factors that you have to consider. That said, proper research is the best way to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you want for the price you’re willing to pay. So before you set forth on looking for a gaming PC or desktop for sale (or building one) for the first time, here are the rookie mistakes you should avoid:

1. Underestimating the size of game files

One of the first factors you should consider when choosing a PC is its storage capacity. Keep in mind that a lot of high-specs games today can easily surpass 30GB, and that’s just the base game. Patches, updates, and expansions can balloon that already huge file size. Moreover, high-quality games in the future will likely be even bigger to game sizes today.

Storage shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t plan to play AAA games or are okay with having only one game at a time and then removing it from your computer. However, if you want all of your games downloaded and ready to play at any time, make sure that you buy a computer that has enough gigabytes to fit your needs as well as SATA cables or drive bays for additional storage.

2. Buying a PC with low RAM

The higher RAM is (random access memory), the faster your system can access data to load things in a game. So if you buy a PC with not enough RAM, you can experience all sorts of issues like choppy frame rates, random freezing, and overall poor gaming performance.

When picking out a PC or building one of your own, start with at least 8GB of RAM. If you can go higher, say, 16GB of RAM, that’s a great way to prepare for the future and ensure that you experience maximum game performance for a long time.

3. Focusing on aesthetics

Don’t buy a PC just because it looks cool or flashy. For one, a cool-looking PC may not have the internal components to make for a great gaming experience. Just because it looks high-end doesn’t mean it is. Moreover, the stylish case and fancy lighting add significant bulk to the price tag.

If you have an endless amount of money to spend, by all means, buy a high-end PC with impeccable visuals. But if you want to stay modest with your budget, don’t focus on the aesthetics of the machine. A plain-looking computer is okay as long as it has quality components inside to give you the best gaming experience that your budget allows.

4. Disregarding future expandability

Unfortunately, there is no true way to future-proof a PC. Technology advances and games develop at breakneck speed. The only way PC gamers can catch up is to make upgrades time and time again.

With that in mind, keep the future in mind when choosing your first gaming PC. To ensure that you can actually expand your machine, choose a motherboard that is not too old so that it can be compatible with future processors. Moreover, buy a PC with extra ports and bays for additional storage that you may need in the future. Keep in mind that the size of your system’s case also matters–if you buy a small one, you won’t have enough room for future upgrades.

5. Forgetting about the OS

The last thing you want to happen is for your gaming PC to finally arrive and then finding out it comes with no operating system. When you buy a gaming PC or any other computer, check if the operating system is included. If you already have a copy of Windows, this shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, get a PC that already comes with an OS to get out of paying more money to get it separate.

Buying your first gaming PC is an exciting experience. However, don’t let excitement cloud your judgment and push you to make mistakes. When you’re finally ready to pick a PC, avoid these rookie mistakes to ensure you’re getting your money’s worth.

 

 

 

Manufacturing in the healthcare sector is a complex and multi-level process. It involves many moving parts and teams that range from science-forward research operations to hard core fabrication and traditional manufacturing roles. Here are some of the processes that go into healthcare manufacturing.

Research

From ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medication to vitamins and other healthcare supplements, the manufacture and distribution of medical supplies, medication, and other resources is a huge industry.

 

Dr. Ned Hallowell is a great example of where this process begins. As an emotional health professional and adult psychiatrist, Dr. Hallowell, M.D., is well acquainted with the stressors that an ADHD diagnosis can bring into the lives of child or adult patients. Dr. Hallowell is the founder of the Hallowell Center, specializing in mental health and emotional health with offices in Sudbury and New York City. Before that, though, he was a specialist and graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School before ultimately spending more than 20 years teaching back at his alma mater in Harvard’s prestigious medical school.

Dr. Hallowell’s research, and that of countless others like him, lay the groundwork for many of the medical advances in mental health that we enjoy today.

Fabrication

Once research identifies spaces in which the healthcare industry may be able to play a role, medical professionals get to work on creating medical supplies, vitamins and other medications, and many other things that benefit the livelihoods of millions of people. One space in which this process has become clear is in the research and fabrication of vaccines. As Covid-19 continues to spread wildly among the world’s population, medical professionals have raced to create a vaccination protocol that can handle this uniquely deadly and unpredictable viral infection.

One thing that we have seen in the efficiency of a vaccine is the speed at which it can be disbursed throughout a population. As more people receive doses that will inoculate them against the virus, the fewer alterations and strains we will have to contend with. Viruses replicate and mutate as they spread through a population, so a group of people—large or small—remains at risk of exposure and provides the medium for mutation for as long as they can catch and pass on the infection.

Because of this, the creation and testing of vaccines is a top priority in this case and virtually every other space where vaccination must proceed unimpeded. The science here is top quality and the manufacturing services that create customized warehouse packages to handle the unique needs of any given medical fabrication job is the star of the show.

Distribution

The strength of any supply chain is really in its distribution network, though. Reliability, efficiency, and rapid fulfillment is crucial to maintaining the supply of life-saving medication and equipment that hospitals and labs require for care and testing functions and vaccine doses that are intended for the most vulnerable among us.

For this task, many manufacturers rely on case erecting equipment to get the job done. The huge volume of supplies that leave medical manufacturing facilities on a daily basis means that human case sealers are virtually obsolete. Humans are too slow, face distractions, and require frequent breaks to give their hands some time to rest.

An automated case sealer is the solution that manufacturing and distribution centers rely on in order to get orders out on time and without any slippage in the production. Package fabrication and case sealer technology is quick and easy and can help you get your staff on target in other, more human labor-intensive functions. There are a variety of spaces in which automated processes won’t cut it, but with the case erector and case sealer features of a warehouse, automation is king. Medical manufacturing is a science, just as much as the medicine that it creates and ships.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Technology category