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Best overall crypto-friendly bank: Mercury Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust ®️; Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Best bank for institutional investors seeking a cryptocurrency custodian: U.S. Bank Member FDIC. Best traditional bank with a blockchain platform: Chase Member FDIC. Best for international-based firms with frequent transfers: Revolut Provider is a fintech platform, not a bank. It provides FDIC insurance and deposit services through a partnership with Community Federal Savings Bank (CFSB) and Sutton Bank. Best for UK-based companies: Monzo Member Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Best for startups and venture capital investors: Silicon Valley Bank Member FDIC. As demand for digital assets rises, many financial institutions offer services like crypto custodianship or enable crypto purchases through bank accounts. However, they remain cautious about the risks of trading high-risk and volatile assets and will likely continue restricting crypto transactions to authorized, regulated exchanges for greater security and compliance. Here is a list of our six best crypto-friendly business banks. Best crypto-friendly banks quick comparison The table below reflects the top factors we evaluated for the five best crypto-friendly business banks. Mercury: Best overall crypto-friendly bank Our rating: 4.34 out of 5 Image: Mercury Catering to crypto startups and web3 companies, Mercury is a fintech with a comprehensive understanding of blockchain-based firms. You can simplify your financial management with its advanced tech features, such as automated accounting, risk-management tools, and customizable user access. Its business banking solution includes a fee-free business checking account with unlimited transactions and no monthly fees. Learn if Mercury suits your company by reading our Mercury Bank review for details on pricing structure and key features. Why I chose it Mercury is my top pick for crypto startups or Web3 companies seeking a seamless banking experience. It is our overall best for crypto-friendly banks since its business checking account simplifies financial management, allowing easy transfers to crypto exchanges, recurring payments, and receipt uploads within the app. While you can’t hold crypto in your Mercury account, you can buy crypto without restrictions. Sending wire transfers to major exchanges like Gemini and Coinbase is also straightforward, with your business name appearing as the sender. This makes your crypto transactions process smooth and efficient. Monthly fee Mercury Business Checking: $0. Mercury Plus: $35. Mercury Pro: $350. Features Unrestricted crypto purchases. No incoming and outgoing wire fees, domestic and international. Physical and virtual debit cards. 1.5% cash back on all credit card spend. QuickBooks and Xero integrations. Vendor payments via wires, ACH, and checks. Advanced accounting automation is available under a subscription plan. Mercury investor database, Mercury Raise program, and SAFE SAFE refers to Simple Agreements for Future Equity. available. Earn yield from Mercury Treasury Mercury Treasury, by Mercury Advisory, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. SEC registration does not mean the SEC has approved of the services of the investment adviser. . Pros and cons Pros Cons Unlimited transactions and no monthly fees for Mercury business checking. No cash deposit support. No restrictions for crypto purchases. Cannot open sole proprietorship and trust accounts. FDIC insurance coverage of up to $5 million Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Deposits in checking and savings accounts are held by our banking services partners, Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust ®; Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through insurance to apply. . Checking and savings accounts are non-interest bearing. U.S. Bank: Best bank for institutional investors seeking a cryptocurrency custodian Our rating: 4.32 out of 5 Image: U.S. Bank U.S. Bank is a traditional bank offering cryptocurrency custody for institutional investors. It has three regular business checking accounts, a nonprofit checking account, and an analyzed checking account. As a full-service bank, it provides merchant and cash management services and a solid selection of lending products and high-yield business money market accounts. Read our U.S. Bank business checking review for more information on fees and features. Why I chose it I included U.S. Bank in our list of the best crypto-friendly banks since it meets the unique custody needs of institutional investors looking for a reliable bank that complies with banking regulations to protect their crypto assets. Clients no longer need to split their portfolios across multiple custodians– U.S. Bank allows you to manage crypto, cash, and traditional securities all in one place. If you have a small business, you can apply for U.S. Bank’s Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees and a 125 fee-free transaction allowance each month. Plus, you can earn up to $900 when you open a new, eligible business checking account online (promo code: Q1AFL25) and complete qualifying activities.  The offer is valid through March 31, 2025. Member FDIC. Monthly fees Silver Business Checking: $0 Gold Business Checking: $20; waivable by having any of these: A U.S. Bank Payment Solutions Merchant account. $10,000 average collected balance. $20,000 combined average collected business deposit balances. $50,000 combined average collected business deposits and outstanding credit balances. Platinum Business Checking: $30; waivable by having any of these: A U.S. Bank Payment Solutions Merchant account. $25,000 average collected balance. $75,000 combined average collected business deposits and outstanding credit balances. Features Cryptocurrency custody services for institutional clients. Multiple business checking and money market account options. QuickBooks and ADP integrations. Zelle, point-of-sale (POS) solutions, and cash management services. Overdraft protection. Check fraud prevention services. Merchant services and remote deposit capture. Lending options include Small Business Administration loans, lines of credit, term loans, and medical practice financing. Pros and cons Pros Cons Welcome bonus of up to $900 Minimal interest is offered for interest-bearing checking products Online account opening. Steep balances are required to waive monthly fees for high-tier accounts No monthly fee for basic tier checking Low free cash deposit limit for basic

Best overall bank for business savings accounts: Live Oak Bank Member FDIC Best business savings for full banking services and branch access: Capital One Member FDIC Best online savings with high-yield and FDIC insurance: Axos Bank Member FDIC Best automated business savings account: Relay Provider is a fintech platform, not a bank. It provides FDIC insurance and deposit services through a partnership with Thread Bank. Best digital bank for tiered APY business savings: Prime Alliance Member FDIC Best high-yield savings and financing options: TAB Bank Member FDIC Best business savings with ATM surcharge rebates: First Internet Bank Member FDIC Business savings accounts can offer high interest rates to help grow your company’s funds while providing a safety net for unexpected expenses. The best business savings accounts should feature competitive interest rates, low fees, easy access to financial products, and robust online and mobile banking options. Here is a list of our seven best business savings accounts. Best business savings accounts quick comparison The table below displays the key factors we assessed for the seven best business savings accounts. Live Oak Bank: Best overall business savings account Our rating: 4.05 out of 5 Image: Live Oak Bank Live Oak Bank is a reliable online-only bank with a competitive APY of 3.80%. It only requires a minimum deposit of 1 cent to start earning interest. With no mandatory opening deposit or monthly fees, it presents an excellent option for businesses seeking a high yield on their excess funds. Additionally, Live Oak Bank provides up to $10 million in FDIC insurance coverage through an insured cash sweep account. Why I chose it Live Oak Bank’s Business Savings account is my best overall high-yield savings account. It’s an excellent option for small businesses because, unlike many other providers offering tiered rates, it doesn’t require a minimum balance to earn interest. Additionally, Live Oak Bank provides business CDs with attractive fixed returns: up to 4.30% for a 1-year term, 4.20% for a 9-month term, and 4.10% for a 6-month term. The bank also offers business checking accounts, Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, and commercial loans. Monthly fees Live Oak Bank Business Savings: $0. Features 3.80% APY. 1 cent balance to start earning interest. High-yield CDs. Integrates with QuickBooks. Up to $10 million in FDIC coverage through Insured Cash Sweep (ICS). Three business checking options. SBA loans and commercial lending. Personalized customer service from a North Carolina-based team. Pros and cons Pros Cons No monthly fees for savings. Cash deposit is not allowed. No minimum balance is required. $19 fee for sending wire transfers. High interest for savings and short-term CDs. No debit card is issued for savings accounts. Capital One: Best business savings for full banking services and branch access Our rating: 4.03 out of 5 Image: Capital One Capital One is one of the largest traditional banks in the U.S. and provides both digital and in-person banking services. It offers a Business Advantage Savings account with a promotional interest rate of up to 4.0% for the first three months for new savings account holders. After the promotional period ends, the account will earn a variable interest rate that is subject to change. There is no minimum balance required to earn interest, but the promotional APY will depend on your account balance If your balance is $10,000 to $10 million, you will receive a 4.0% promo APY rate, while balances under that will receive a 0.25% APY rate. . Why I chose it Capital One is featured on our list of the best business savings accounts because it provides access to full banking services and physical branches. Its generous monthly cash deposit limit of $10,000 is particularly beneficial for cash-reliant businesses. Additionally, you receive a free debit card that can be used at over 2,000 Capital One ATMs. There are also multiple options for opening a savings account. The account has a monthly fee of $3, which can be easily waived, and is compatible with several popular business software programs, including QuickBooks, Xero, Expensify, and Stripe. You can also link your savings account to your checking account for free overdraft protection. In addition to savings accounts, Capital One offers a comprehensive range of business products, including CDs, checking accounts, credit cards, lending options, and merchant services. Monthly fees Capital One Business Advantage Savings: $3; waived by meeting a $300 average monthly balance. Features Promotional interest rate (up to 4.0%), guaranteed for three months based on balances If your balance is $10,000 to $10 million, you will receive a 4.0% promo APY rate, while balances under that will receive a 0.25% APY rate. . Six free monthly withdrawals. Free debit card. $10,000 monthly cash deposits. Overdraft protection. Certificates of deposit (CDs) available. Open an account online, via a representative or local branch. Over 700 branches and 2,000 ATMs. Pros and cons Pros Cons Guaranteed promo rate of up to 4.0% APY (first three months). Limited branches. Highly-rated mobile app. A variable rate is given after the promo period. Over 70,000 fee-free ATMs, including MoneyPass and Allpoint ATMs. Axos Bank: Best online savings with high-yield and FDIC insurance Our rating: 4.02 out of 5 Image: Axos Bank Axos Bank offers two savings options for businesses: Business Savings and Business Premium Savings. I recommend the Business Premium Savings account because it does not have a monthly fee or require a minimum balance or initial deposit. With this account, you get 20 free transactions monthly. Additionally, Axos provides various other business banking products, including checking accounts, CDs, lending options, merchant services, and payroll services. Why I chose it Axos Bank’s Business Premium Savings is one of my top picks for the best high-yield business savings accounts, offering an APY rate of 4.01%. If your business funds exceed $250,000, I recommend using Axos Bank’s Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) through IntraFi® Network DepositsSM to access up to $250 million in FDIC protection. Read our article on FDIC insurance for business accounts to learn how it works. Monthly fees Axos Business

Microsoft has announced that the final day it will offer security support for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on Windows 10 will be Oct. 14, 2025. Businesses that rely on Microsoft 365 apps and use the outdated operating system must upgrade to Windows 11. “After that date, if you’re running Microsoft 365 on a Windows 10 device, the applications will continue to function as before,” Microsoft said in the announcement. “However, we strongly recommend upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid performance and reliability issues over time.” This applies to the subscription version of Office, Microsoft 365, and non-subscription versions of Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016. Microsoft says that when a user upgrades to Windows 11, all Microsoft 365 features and security updates will resume as before and they can run an Office update to ensure they have the latest version. SEE: What’s Inside Microsoft’s Major Windows 11 Update? This October cutoff will also mark the end of Windows 10 support, joining Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 in the operating system graveyard. However, Windows 10 is still the most used Microsoft OS, with 62.7% of the market share as of Dec. 2024. Windows 11 has just 34.12% of the market share. What’s hot at TechRepublic Microsoft calls 2025 ‘the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh’ Microsoft has dubbed 2025 “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Executive VP, said in a blog post: “We believe that one of the most important pieces of technology people will look to refresh in 2025 isn’t the refrigerator, the television, or their mobile phone. It will be their Windows 10 PC, and they will move forward with Windows 11.” The post is seemingly attempting to solicit users to upgrade by associating Windows 11 with its Copilot+ PCs and other AI innovations. Microsoft has also tried pestering users into submission, by displaying full-screen pop-ups suggesting users upgrade their device and transfer their files. SEE: Microsoft Copilot Cheat Sheet: Price, Versions & Benefits Windows 11 has proven a controversial upgrade due to the “non-negotiable” requirement that devices looking to do so must have the Trusted Platform Module 2.0, which was announced in 2021. Microsoft claims that TPM 2.0 “raise(s) the security baseline” by enabling features like BitLocker, Windows Hello, and Virtualisation-Based Security, which are necessary for protection against modern threats such as ransomware. PCs manufactured after mid-2016 typically support TPM 2.0, though it may need enabling in BIOS, but only CPUs released from 2018 onwards will support Windows 11. Older PCs without TPM 2.0 cannot run the OS officially; users must upgrade hardware or, at their own risk, bypass requirements using one of the many workarounds discovered by the Windows community. Microsoft offering extended security updates For those who are set on continuing to use Office apps on Windows 10, there is one more way to do this securely. Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates to consumers for the first time, meaning that for $30, anyone can receive one extra year of “Critical and Important security updates”. Enrollment for this will be opened “closer to the end of support in 2025.” Businesses will be able to pay for up to three years of ESU. It will cost $61 for the first year but the price will double for each consecutive year. Enrollment for this is open now and the first update will deploy in November. Those who purchased Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Branch or Long Term Servicing Channel will also continue to receive security updates after Oct. 14. source

PowerShell was developed more than 10 years ago by Microsoft to expand the power of its command line interface by coupling it with a management framework used to manage local and remote Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. By using the Component Object Model, Windows Management Instrumentation, and Common Information Model interface standards, PowerShell allows for managed elements of computing objects to be administered independently. SEE: PowerShell: A cheat sheet (free PDF) (TechRepublic) 1 Zoho Analytics Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Ad Hoc Analysis, API, Collaboration Tools, and more Executive summary What is PowerShell? Microsoft’s PowerShell is a management framework that combines a command-line shell and scripting language that is built upon the .NET framework for native Windows support or the .NET Core framework (which is open source), providing cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Why does PowerShell matter? PowerShell can automate management tasks and function as a dedicated scripting language for both Microsoft- and non-Microsoft-based software. PowerShell includes commands called “cmdlets” that add functionality to the core foundation while providing a means to upgrade/update cmdlets. Who does PowerShell affect? It can impact companies relying on Microsoft, Apple, and Linux services to empower their business functions and the IT professionals responsible for managing this infrastructure. When is PowerShell available? PowerShell 7.4.6 is open source and the most recent version available, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. On Windows systems only, both versions may exist side by side without conflict. How can I get PowerShell? PowerShell 5.1 (.NET) is a natively installed application that is part of all Windows client and server OSes; by default, the application can be updated directly from Microsoft’s downloads website or through Microsoft Updates. You can get the latest version, PowerShell 7.4.6, by visiting Microsoft’s GitHub website for PowerShell and downloading the version that supports your operating system; this version of PowerShell may also be downloaded and updated via the native CLI of the operating system. SEE: Top 5 programming languages for security admins to learn (free PDF) (TechRepublic) What is PowerShell? Released as PowerShell 1.0 on Nov. 14, 2006, Microsoft developed PowerShell to address the shortcomings of its DOS-based CLI, particularly when managing objects using complex scripting languages. By creating a new shell from the ground up, Microsoft effectively developed an extensible environment that would be powerful and flexible–it’s capable of automating management tasks and functioning as a dedicated scripting language for Microsoft-based software. Through various revisions, PowerShell has added modules to extend functionality to new objects and new cmdlets for managing more resources, including Active Directory and Exchange Server. On Aug. 18, 2016, Microsoft announced that PowerShell was going open source and provided its source code to the public, adding support to Unix-based OSes, including Linux distros and OS X. SEE: All of TechRepublic’s cheat sheets and smart person’s guides (TechRepublic) PowerShell 7 is the newest version of PowerShell and serves as a replacement console for both the previous versions of PowerShell Core 6.x and the Windows-only PowerShell 5.1. The latter serves as the last supported version of the Windows-only version of PowerShell, with the development team aiming to condense all previous versions of PowerShell into one beginning with 7.0. This move brings PowerShell 7 into compatibility with previously unsupported cmdlets, further bringing it closer to parity for all supported operating system versions. PowerShell commands PowerShell includes several cmdlets with which to manage any number of system attributes, resources, and objects–far beyond the scope of this guide. The following are some of the most notable features, modules, and cmdlets. Active Directory (module): This module is used by PowerShell to extend management capabilities to Active Directory objects, including computers, users, and groups and attributes stored within accounts. Exchange Server (module): This module is used by PowerShell to enable full administration of Exchange Servers. Included within the module are additional cmdlets that fully support all aspects of your Exchange email server. Get-Help (cmdlet): This built-in cmdlet within PowerShell core provides helpful information, including syntax use and examples of commands and what they accomplish. Get-Command (cmdlet): When executed, this built-in cmdlet within PowerShell core provides a list of commands that are available. It’s useful in identifying which commands are available for each module. Set-Variable (cmdlet): This built-in cmdlet within PowerShell allows the user to create variables used to store data, such as file paths, multiple objects, or snippets of code you wish to reuse. Invoke-Command (cmdlet): This built-in cmdlet within PowerShell calls upon another cmdlet, usually run from a local computer, to execute the invoked command on remote computers. Pipeline ( | ): One of the features of PowerShell is the ability to chain commands together by means of the pipe character. Piping commands causes PowerShell to run the first part of the command and then output the results for use by the second command and so on until the entire sequence is run. It is useful when performing a multiple-step task, such as creating a username, adding the username to a security group, and resetting the default password. Function ( { } ): Similar to the pipeline feature in that cmdlets may be linked together, functions allow for greater control over the scripting process. By wrapping cmdlets in braces, a function is created that serves to run the sequence one or more times. Out-File (cmdlet): This built-in cmdlet within PowerShell allows a command’s output to be exported to a file. Typically used with the pipe feature, a user can get a list of user accounts that are disabled in Active Directory, for example, and export that list to a text file for future use. Import-Module (cmdlet): This built-in cmdlet within PowerShell imports one or more modules into PowerShell to further its feature set, cmdlets, and functionality. Third-party Modules: Software developers can program code to group multiple cmdlets as Third-party modules that are imported into PowerShell to extend functionality and support for specific applications. Notable third-party modules exist from

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems assist companies with customer interactions while also managing customer data, and streamlining business processes. When properly utilized, a CRM tool allows sales teams to interact with and convert prospective leads into paying customers while maintaining strong relationships with existing clientele. Routine daily tasks like data entry, lead assignments, and email follow-ups are essential for customer conversion and retention, but they are often viewed as being redundant and time-consuming for sales reps. CRM automation can reduce the workload of sales professionals and free up their time to be used in other important areas like lead generation, lead nurturing, and personalized phone calls to clients. 1 monday CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more 2 Pipedrive CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more 3 Creatio CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Dashboard, Document Management / Sharing, Email / Marketing Automation, and more What is CRM automation? CRM automation leverages technology to streamline and automate repetitive tasks and processes within CRM systems. Eliminating the need for manual handling of customer data entry, lead tracking, and follow-ups allows businesses to design workflows that execute these tasks automatically. Common automated functions include: Sending lead-nurturing emails. Scheduling follow-ups. Reminding teams of critical deadlines. Routing leads to appropriate sales representatives. These automations are based on predefined rules and conditions in order to maintain consistency in customer interactions, reduce human error, and enable employees to focus more on strategic, high-value activities. Additionally, CRM automation enhances customer experiences by enabling personalized interactions at scale. Automated customer segmentation can be based on behavior or demographics, so that businesses can tailor their communications to the unique needs of each group. Advanced CRM systems, powered by data analytics and AI-driven insights, can predict customer needs, identify potential issues, and recommend the next best actions for sales and support teams. This level of personalization and insight-driven engagement strengthens customer relationships, increases satisfaction, and ultimately drives revenue growth. What are some benefits of automating CRM? CRM automation comes with a host of benefits that can add significant value to your business. For example, automation can seamlessly capture engagement activities, like email and event details, and store them in a centralized hub for easy access by team leaders and team members alike. AI features can also significantly enhance sales processes by identifying high-potential leads and recommending follow-up actions based on previously successful interactions with similar customers. It can even flag at-risk leads and suggest optimal strategies to close deals more efficiently. Automation further supports accurate product and pricing data, which promotes more informed decision-making. This allows teams to respond swiftly to market changes with updated products, bundles, and promotions, improving overall responsiveness. Best CRM Software How to implement CRM automation Start by identifying repetitive tasks, like data entry, follow-ups, and lead assignments. Find areas where automation can help improve efficiency. This would include tasks such as sending welcome emails or updating records after calls. Choose a CRM with strong automation features. Set goals for what you want your automation to achieve. Design workflows with defined triggers and actions in mind. Thoroughly test each workflow and make adjustments based on team feedback. Connect your CRM with other existing tools for seamless data updates. Train your team on these new processes and continue to gather feedback. Regularly track performance to refine workflows and adapt to emerging business needs. CRM automation best practices Best practices for CRM automation start with setting clear goals and targeting high-impact, repetitive tasks. Design workflows that prioritize customer experiences, adding value at each step and maintaining personalized interactions. Use segmentation and data-driven insights to deliver tailored content and targeted offers to boost engagement and enhance customer satisfaction. Continuously test and optimize workflows based on performance metrics and team insights as well. And integrate your CRM with other essential tools for consistent, accurate data across platforms. Finally, keep your team trained on automated processes to use automation more efficiently and recognize when manual input is needed to improve the overall customer experience. CRM automation tools Top CRM automation tools include HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho CRM. Other notable tools for specific use cases include Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, and Freshsales. HubSpot HubSpot excels in email marketing and lead nurturing, which are ideal features for small and midsize businesses. Salesforce Salesforce offers advanced customization options supporting complex workflows for small and large enterprises. Zoho CRM Zoho CRM enables multi-channel automation across email, SMS, and social media for comprehensive customer engagement. Pipedrive Pipedrive focuses on sales automation, streamlining follow-ups, and pipeline management for teams with a large volume of leads. ActiveCampaign ActiveCampaign combines CRM with marketing automation, making it ideal for small businesses seeking integrated customer journey tools. Freshsales Freshsales offers lead scoring, workflows, and AI insights, which are perfect for automation-focused customer data management. FAQ What are the benefits of automated CRM? CRM automation streamlines repetitive tasks, improving efficiency and reducing errors. It enables personalized customer interactions at scale, enhances data accuracy, and boosts productivity. Automated insights allow for better decision-making, while seamless workflows improve customer satisfaction and drive sales growth. What is CRM workflow automation? CRM workflow automation uses rules and triggers to streamline repetitive tasks, such as lead follow-ups, data entry, and email responses. It ensures consistent, timely actions across customer journeys, improving team productivity, and enhancing customer experience by automating key steps in sales and support processes. Why do we need an automated CRM application? An automated CRM boosts efficiency by handling repetitive tasks, ensures timely, personalized interactions, and maintains accurate data. It frees up teams to focus on strategic work, enhances customer satisfaction, and drives revenue growth through consistent sales processes. source

Creating, organizing, and sharing computation documents is essential in programming and data sciences. Most people turn to one of two popular tools — Google Colab and Jupyter Notebook — to help them manage their files. SEE: Learn how to become a data scientist. Image: Google Colab What is Google Colab? Google Colab is a tool offered by Google Research that allows users to write and execute Python code in their web browsers. Colab is based on Jupyter open source and allows you to create and share hosted computation files in the cloud without downloading or installing anything. Image: Jupyter What is Jupyter Notebook? Jupyter is the original free, open-source, web-based interactive computing platform spun from the IPython Project; Jupyter Notebook is a web application that allows users to create and share computation documents. 1 Quickbase Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Agile Development, Analytics / Reports, API, and more Google Colab vs. Jupyter Notebook: Comparison table Software Google Colab Jupyter Notebook Starting price $9.99 per month Free Free plan Yes Yes Cloud based Yes No File syncing Yes No File sharing Yes No Library install No Yes File view without install Yes Yes Google Colab and Jupyter Notebook: Pricing Google Colab and Jupyter Notebook are both free to use. Jupyter Notebook was released as an open-source tool under the liberal terms of the modified BSD license, making it 100% free to use. Although Google Colab is also free, you may have to pay for advanced features as your computing needs increase. The following are the paid plans offered by Google Colab: Pay As You Go: For this plan, there are no fixed subscription fees; you only pay for what you use. Colab Pro: For $9.99 per month, you get 100 compute units, access to higher memory machines, and the ability to use a terminal with the connected virtual machine. Colab Pro+: For $49.99 monthly, you’ll get 500 compute units, faster GPUs, and background execution capability. Feature comparison: Google Colab vs. Jupyter Notebook Cloud-based Google Colab’s major differentiator from Jupyter Notebook is that it’s cloud-based, and Jupyter isn’t. If you work in Google Collab, you don’t have to worry about downloading and installing anything to your hardware. It also means that you can rest easily knowing that your work will autosave and back up to the cloud without you having to do anything. Google Colab homepage. Google Colab is great if you need to work across multiple devices — such as one computer at home and one at work or a laptop and a tablet — because it syncs seamlessly across devices. In contrast, Jupyter Notebook is run on your local machine, and files are saved to your hard disk. Jupyter offers an autosaving interval that you can change but doesn’t back up to a cloud. Therefore, if your machine is affected, you’re out of luck. Jupyter can’t sync or share your files across devices without a third-party file-sharing service like Dropbox or GitHub. Dashboard layout on Jupyter Notebook. Collaboration We couldn’t talk about Jupyter Notebook versus Google Colab without mentioning collaboration. As the name suggests, Google Colab is built to make it easy to share your notebooks with anyone — even if they’re not a data scientist. Other people can view your notebook without downloading any software — a big advantage if you regularly work with nontechies who need to access the files. Google Colab shareable dashboard for experiments. Conversely, anyone else must install Jupyter Notebook on their device to share their notebooks. This won’t be a hindrance if you solely work with developers, data scientists, and other tech people who will already have Jupyter installed. If you work on a more diverse team, then you might want to consider Google Colab because sharing files is easier. Library install Since Google Colab is cloud-based, the tool comes preinstalled with various libraries. This means that you don’t have to separate precious disk space or time to download the libraries manually. The free version also comes with a certain level of graphic processing units, memory, and run time, which can fluctuate. You can upgrade to one of the paid plans if additional capacity is needed. Google doesn’t disclose limits for any of its Colab plans due to the need for flexibility. With Jupyter Notebook, you’ll need to install each library you’d like to use onto your device using pip or another package manager. You’ll also be limited by your computer’s available RAM, disk space, GPU, and CPU. Having the notebooks stored on your hardware is more secure than in a third-party cloud. Therefore, the manual library installation can be a plus for sensitive data. R Scripts Both Google Colab and Jupyter Notebook allow users to run R scripts, though they are primarily designed for Python. In Google Colab, users can now select to work with R by selecting it within the Runtime menu. For Jupyter Notebook, users must install an R kernel to work with R on their computer. Google Colab pros and cons Pros Straightforward interface that’s easy to navigate. Access GPU and TPU runtimes for free. Import compatible machine learning and data science projects from other sources. Automatic version control similar to Google Docs. Real-time collaboration capability. Integrates with other tools, including GitHub, Jupyter Notebook, BLACKBOX AI, Codeium, CodeSquire, Google Workspace, Neptune.ai, StrongDM, Google Drive and more. Cons The free plan gives you limited resources. Some users reported issues with the speed of loading new databases and data frames that are present offline. Jupyter Notebook pros and cons Pros Modern, intuitive, and interactive user interface. Supports markdown language for documentation. Interactive interface makes it easy for users to share images, code, and text in one place. Supports multiple programming languages, including Python, R, and Julia. Cons Some users reported that the software gets slow or crashes sometimes when working with large datasets or carrying

A buyer journey is a sales process from the perspective of the customer. It refers to the buyer’s mindset when identifying their problem, comparing possible solutions, and making a purchasing decision. By understanding the flow through this purchasing process, sellers can engage appropriately and with the important information buyers want and need to make a purchase. 1 Pipedrive CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more 2 Creatio CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Dashboard, Document Management / Sharing, Email / Marketing Automation, and more 3 HubSpot CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large What is the buyer’s journey? The buyer’s journey is the process of a potential customer going from identifying a need to completing a purchase. Distinct buyer journey stages represent the customer’s mindset and decision-making process. An effective way to utilize sales software like a CRM system is to map out this process to create personalized and intentional content and triggers. Buyer journey mapping is a marketing and sales strategy that allows businesses to maintain a unified flow of information for sales reps that instructs them on how to engage with buyers depending on where they are in their journey. What are the 3 stages of the buyer’s journey? Regardless of your industry, both B2B and B2C selling strategies have three main stages in any buyer’s journey. The three stages of the buyer’s journey are awareness, consideration, and decision. These stages follow the buyer realizing their need, comparing potential options, and then choosing a solution. It’s important to have a clear understanding of the mindset of a buyer at each stage. This way, you can push content and nurture the lead appropriately to get them closer to the sale. Stage 1: Awareness The first stage of the customer buying journey is awareness. Awareness refers to when a buyer realizes they have a problem or a need. This is when a buyer begins to think about how this problem or need affects their life and how a solution could fix it. These phases might include basic research into other people’s experiences with this problem and potential solutions. To capture a buyer’s attention at this stage, I suggest avoiding coming off as too salesy. This isn’t the time to pitch your product directly. Instead, create resources and share information about the problem your solution solves. Examples of these resources include: Customer use cases: Highlighting real-world use cases on your website or social media can provide an unbiased look at the benefits and demonstrate the solution in action. Expert seminars: Hosting webinars with industry experts can position your company as a leader in the field and create opportunities for buyers to improve their skills. Knowledge bases: A public-facing knowledge base is a valuable resource that can assist buyers during the research portion of this first stage. Stage 2: Consideration The second stage of the buyer journey is consideration. Buyers in this stage are researching and comparing potential solutions more actively. A buyer is directly comparing your solution to your competitors at this point. They’re online looking at reviews, available pricing information, support packages, and more. At this point, buyers are more committed to remedying their problem. As a seller, I recommend expanding on their interest in your solution by providing newsletters, pricing transparency, and personalized touchpoints. Stage 3: Decision The third and final stage of the buyer journey is consideration. This is when a buyer is ready to make a purchasing decision. Buyers have considered price, real customer reviews, benefits, features, onboarding, and more. They know exactly what they want, and are ready to look ahead to implementation. This is when sellers need to close the deal. I suggest that you provide sales reps with documentation and training so they can practice handling objections and rebuttals. This preparation assures you are engaging the actual decision maker for the purchase and are prepared to answer any last-minute questions confidently. More about CRM Buyer vs customer journey While you might see the terms buyer journey and customer journey together, there is a difference between the two. A buyer journey focuses on the path a customer follows to complete a purchase, with the end goal being the sale. A customer journey can follow that same path but extends beyond the purchase and includes onboarding, support, and even customer retention. A buyer journey is meant to identify and obtain a customer, and a customer journey’s purpose is to retain and support those customers. Some key differences to help identify a buyer vs customer journey: Focus: A buyer journey requires a focus on the customer’s motivations and decision-making, while the customer journey focuses on their experience with the brand itself. Journey length: Since the buyer’s journey ends with a purchase, that timeline is much shorter. The customer journey is longer, including the customer’s lifetime journey with your brand. Buyer’s journey example To help demonstrate the different stages, I’ve compiled a B2B example of a buyer’s journey in the recruitment industry. The buyer is a potential staffing client who is looking for an employment agency to help fill a role. Awareness: The client realizes they need to hire a new employee to lead a big initiative for the company. The client will be the hiring manager and has been given an approved budget for the acquisition. Consideration: The client pitches this open position to various local staffing agencies. The client realizes they want someone immediately, and their timeline is pushed up. So they prioritize efficiency, skillset, and budget when selecting the best candidate. Decision: The client has interviewed four different agencies and is ready to select one. They

There is a frequent, critical gap in AI adoption strategies that must be addressed: the ongoing human consequences of AI adoption. Employees are constantly being flooded with articles, news, and information about AI-driven job displacement, fueling fear, uncertainty, and resistance to AI adoption. These fears are not baseless. The rapid adoption and high cost of AI implementation mean that many IT leaders have had to look critically at their resourcing strategies to make room for AI integration. We see many AI-displaced roles as software developers and hardware engineers. Failure to manage these personnel consequences ethically will foster an atmosphere of distrust and apprehension, hindering the success of AI initiatives. To mitigate the emotional and reputational damage that can be caused by ineffective AI implementation, IT leaders must prioritize transparency and proactive communication regarding long-term placement strategies, upskilling opportunities, retirement plans, and exit packages. 1. Alleviate employees’ uncertainty with transparent communication This trust dilemma has directly affected AI strategies, with 39% of respondents in a Gartner survey citing “lack of trust” as one of their top three challenges to AI implementation. IT leaders are no exception to this, as their teams often resist AI adoption and question its perceived value. To overcome these fears and support key business goals, IT leaders should lead with transparent communication; this approach is paramount in navigating the human consequences of AI adoption. The key here is to share these plans openly with employees and explain their value in three ways: better, faster, and cheaper. Ideally, this initial communication about which tasks AI will replace, IT leaders must do during IT town halls, office hours with leadership, or other specific face-to-face meetings. Employees must have opportunities to discuss how these changes will affect their specific roles rather than receiving impersonal updates through email or newsletters. By providing clarity on purpose and matching that with timelines, expectations, and support mechanisms, leaders can alleviate uncertainty and foster employee trust. Transparency also enables individuals to prepare themselves mentally and professionally for upcoming changes. It is critical to notify employees as early as possible, giving them ample time to plan their next transition steps — whether that involves upskilling, reskilling, or retiring. This approach mitigates resistance and facilitates smoother transitions. 2. Address employees’ emotional responses directly Even if communicating transparently builds trust — or at least fosters understanding — it won’t necessarily guarantee employees’ buy-in and participation; in fact, such openness will almost certainly elicit strong emotional responses. IT leaders must be prepared to directly address concerns. Effectively managing emotional responses to AI adoption requires proactive engagement and empathetic leadership. All communication should be bidirectional, allowing employees to share feedback, which should then be relayed to implementation teams. Plans should be refactored as necessary. Leaders should actively listen to employees and demonstrate empathy and understanding by customizing communications to address each employee’s unique concerns. Common fears expressed by IT personnel typically fall into three categories: fear of change, fear of displacement, and fear of the unknown. All three fears can be debilitating for employee productivity, change management, and effective AI deployment. IT leaders must provide clear guidance on how the IT organization — and the business at large — will support employees even in the event of displacement. Addressing these emotional responses involves providing tailored support and resources to help employees cope with change. This may include working with HR to determine how the organization can offer counseling services, facilitate peer support groups, or organize workshops on stress management and resilience. 3. Provide pathways for upskilling, placement, or retirement It’s imperative for IT leaders to prioritize the well-being and professional development of affected employees by offering clear pathways for upskilling, placement, or retirement. IT leaders must not do this work alone — the HR department can help decide how to deal with the impacts of AI adoption. For instance, HR can assist with overcoming budget constraints, adopting existing initiatives, navigating labor law issues, and more. DOWNLOAD: Our AI Quick Glossary from TechRepublic Premium Investing in comprehensive upskilling programs tailored to emerging technologies and roles can also empower employees to adapt to the changing demands of the industry. In fact, talent outcomes from AI-related training include significant percentage increases in engagement capital, discretionary effort, and enterprise contribution from employees. These programs should offer training in AI technologies, prompt engineering, or other areas where employees can leverage or enhance their existing skills. By fostering a continuous learning and development culture, IT leaders can equip employees with tools to succeed in new roles while demonstrating a commitment to their professional growth. For employees uninterested in upskilling or transitioning into new roles, providing pathways for placement within or outside the organization can provide alternative opportunities. For employees who choose against upskilling and are nearing the end of their careers, offering early retirement support and planning services is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition into retirement. Overall, navigating the transition brought about by AI integration in IT operations requires a proactive and compassionate approach to supporting employees through change. Leading with honesty and clarity will reduce AI resistance, improve the emotional well-being of the workforce, and potentially solve some of the long-term talent-sourcing challenges that IT leaders struggle to overcome. Autumn Stanish, Director Analyst with Gartner’s Digital Workplace I&O groupImage: Gartner Autumn Stanish is a Director Analyst with Gartner in the Digital Workplace I&O group. Her research addresses IT sustainability and the role of I&O in corporate ESG initiatives. In addition to sustainability, she also supports IT leaders with employee device trends and procurement strategies, including DEX tools, persona creation, lifecycle planning, and vendor selection. source

Microsoft’s latest batch of security patches includes an expanded blacklist for certain Windows Kernel Vulnerable Drivers and fixes for several elevations of privilege vulnerabilities. The January 2025 Security Update addressed 159 vulnerabilities. Security patches should be applied to keep software up-to-date. However, early versions of patches may be unreliable and should be cautiously approached and deployed in test environments first. 1 Pipedrive CRM Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features 24/7 Customer Support, Analytics / Reports, API, and more 2 CrankWheel Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Analytics / Reports, API, Dashboard, and more Microsoft updates the Vulnerable Driver Blacklist The January 2025 security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 expands the list of vulnerable drivers that could be used in Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver attacks. BYOVD Vulnerabilities in kernel drivers could allow threat actors to sneak malware into the kernel. “The vulnerable driver blocklist is designed to help harden systems against non-Microsoft-developed drivers across the Windows ecosystem,” according to Microsoft’s recommended driver block rules. Vulnerability in Windows Hyper-V NT Kernel Integration VSP issue patched Microsoft released patches for three Windows Hyper-V NT Kernel Integration VSP Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities that have already been exploited: CVE-2025-21333, CVE-2025-21334, and CVE-2025-21335. Successfully exploiting any of them could have granted an attacker SYSTEM privileges. SEE: Employees bypassing security suggestions remains a major concern for businesses. Must-read security coverage A few vulnerabilities score high on the CVSS severity score Other significant CVEs in this update include a remote code execution vulnerability in Object Linking and Embedding, a technology that enables linking in Microsoft Outlook. This vulnerability has a severity rating of 9.8 but has not been exploited in the wild. Similarly, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the NTLMv1 protocol has a rating of 9.8 but has not been publicly exploited. The third risk, with a score of 9.8, patched in January, is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows Reliable Multicast Transport Driver. Citrix components may interfere with installing the January security update Users with Citrix components in their computers might not be able to install the January 2025 Windows security update, Microsoft pointed out. Microsoft and Citrix are working on a fix, and Citrix has provided a workaround. Downloads or automatic patches available for other vulnerabilities Microsoft is aware of a few other issues with the latest Windows 11 build. The OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) may not open for users who have installed the October 2024 security update. Microsoft has released a fix. Meanwhile, Arm users can only access the video game Roblox directly — as opposed to through the Microsoft Store on Windows — for now. On Jan. 7, Microsoft released an update to PowerPoint 2016. The organization has fixed a problem in which OLE could automatically load and instantiate in PowerPoint. Users with Microsoft Update will receive the patch automatically, or it can be downloaded manually. Microsoft highlighted one patch from outside its ecosystem in January: CVE-2024-50338, an information disclosure vulnerability in Git for Microsoft Visual Studio, has been patched. The vulnerability can expose secrets or privileged information belonging to Visual Studio users. source

If you regularly travel as part of your job, or frequently find yourself working from locations without Wi-Fi, then it’s essential to choose project management software with a fully-optimized mobile app. To help you find the best project management apps for mobile use, I’ve tested some of the top options and developed an ideal use case for each. Top mobile project management apps comparison In addition to affordable pricing, you want to ensure that your project management mobile app has certain key features. Here are some of the functions to look for when comparing mobile apps for project management. Offline use Multiple project views Team collaboration Forever free plan Pricing monday.com Yes Yes Yes Yes $9 per user per month ClickUp Yes Yes Yes Yes $7 per user per month Asana Yes Yes Yes Yes $10.99 per user per month Trello Yes Yes Yes Yes $5 per user per month Smartsheet Forms only Yes Yes Yes $9 per user per month Notion No Yes Yes Yes $10 per user per month Wrike Yes Yes Yes Yes $10 per user per month ClickUp: Best for creating and updating tasks Mobile app rating: 4.5/5 Image: ClickUp The ClickUp small business project management mobile app makes it easy to create or update new tasks. With the ClickUp app, you can also comment on tasks, assign work to team members, track time, check and clear notifications, edit custom fields, create notes, and view the dashboard. However, you must use the desktop interface for other tasks, such as whiteboards or Gantt view. Why I chose ClickUp I selected ClickUp because its mobile app makes it so easy to create new tasks, update existing ones, and check off completed ones. I also really like the high levels of customization offered by the project manager app. You can create automated workflows, personalize your dashboard, change templates, and edit your project views. View of the ClickUp mobile app. Image: ClickUp Pricing Free Forever: $0; best for personal use. Unlimited: $7 per user per month billed annually, or $10 per user per month billed monthly. Business: $12 per user per month billed annually, or $19 per user per month billed monthly. Enterprise: Quotes are available upon request. Features More than 15 project views. More than 1,000 integrations. Built-in team chat messaging tool. Create documents, wikis, and knowledge bases. Pros and cons Pros Cons Interface is colorful and easy to navigate. Some users report occasional performance issues and lags. Free Forever plan allows unlimited users. Can present a learning curve due to the number of features. 24/7 customer support for all plans. Storage for the free plan is limited to 100MB. Excellent customization options. Must use the desktop app for a number of actions. For more information, read the full ClickUp review. Asana: Best for offline use Mobile app rating: 4/5 Image: Asana Not all mobile project management apps support offline use, but Asana does. Even if you don’t have an internet connection, you can still check your notifications, comment on tasks, change due dates or assignees, complete tasks, and more. Once you reconnect to the internet, the tasks will sync so that the rest of your team can see the changes you made. It even keeps a tally of your offline actions, and the count goes down as the changes sync. Why I chose Asana I chose Asana because of the offline functionality offered by its mobile app. I really appreciate that it will save changes to your device and sync once it reconnects. If your team members have to get work done with unreliable internet or cell service (for example, they frequently travel to conferences), check out Asana’s mobile project managing app. View of the Asana mobile app. Image: Asana Pricing Basic: $0 per user per month for up to 15 people. Premium: $10.99 per user per month billed annually, or $13.49 per user per month billed monthly. Business: $24.99 per user per month billed annually, or $30.49 per user per month billed monthly. Enterprise: Contact the sales team for a custom quote. Features Multiple project views available. Workflow builder helps standardize task execution. Document storage and management. Advanced reporting and analytics. Pros and cons Pros Cons Mobile app available for offline use. No native time tracking. Great task management features. No Gantt chart/timeline view on the free plan. Free plan allows unlimited projects and tasks. Advanced security features only available on the Enterprise plan. Integrates well with third-party tools. Not suitable for projects with complex dependencies. For more information, read the full Asana review. Trello: Best for affordability Mobile app rating: 4/5 Image: Trello With paid plans starting at only $5 per person, Trello is one of the most affordable project management software. For that low starting price, you get access to an interface that makes creating and navigating kanban boards from your phone easy. It also offers excellent offline functionality, such as creating new boards, adding cards, and attaching pictures. Why I chose Trello I chose Trello because of its affordable paid plans, which cost less than many of its competitors. I also enjoyed using the mobile app, which offers an intuitive interface and a very low learning curve, ensuring that beginners will get the hang of it quickly. View of the Trello mobile app. Image: Atlassian Pricing Free: Up to 10 boards per workspace. Standard: $5 per user per month if billed annually, or $6 per user per month if billed monthly. Premium: $10 per user per month if billed annually, or $12.50 per user per month if billed monthly. A free trial is available. Enterprise: $17.50 per user per month when billed annually. Features Intuitive kanban boards. Built-in automation tool called Butler. Choose from card, board, timeline, table, calendar, dashboard, map, and workspace views. Good selection of native integrations. Pros and cons Pros Cons Unlimited file storage on all plans. Free plan limited to 10 boards per workspace. Unlimited users on the forever free plan. Project management features aren’t as robust as some