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Imagine giving your team the ability to see all the information your company has on any lead or customer while also making it possible to contact them via any channel your company uses — all from a single platform. That’s what an omnichannel contact center does. It ties together everything a team of agents might use — from social media, text apps, and chatbots to phone calls, VoIP phone services, and CRM systems. Unlike multichannel contact centers, which keep information siloed from channel to channel, omnichannel contact centers centralize communication for higher efficiency and more impactful customer relationships. 1 RingCentral RingEx 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 Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute 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 Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more 3 CloudTalk 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, Call Management/Monitoring, Contact Center, and more What should an omnichannel contact center include? Core omnichannel contact center features At the heart of every omnichannel contact center is the ability to manage multiple communication channels in one place. In addition to support for every channel you care about, key features must include real-time customer interaction management, seamless channel switching, and integrated reporting across all touchpoints. A centralized customer database (built-in or integrated with your CRM) that tracks interactions and provides context for agents is also crucial, enabling more personalized service. One interesting development of the last few years is that many of the leading business phone service providers have begun integrating digital channels and offering the core omnichannel contact center features to their customers. Advanced contact center features Advanced features go beyond the basics, providing deeper insights and automation to enhance performance. These include AI-driven tools like sentiment analysis, conversational IVR, chatbots, Interactive Virtual Assistants,  and predictive analytics that help agents prioritize and address customer needs more effectively. Additionally, tools for contact center workforce optimization, such as dynamic routing and advanced analytics dashboards, can streamline operations and improve decision-making. These features provide businesses with greater control, flexibility, and the ability to scale efficiently. SEE: Benefits of conversational IVR and the differences between IVR vs IVA.  Deploying an omnichannel contact center Omnichannel contact centers can be deployed in several ways, each offering different advantages depending on business needs, resources, and scale. Here are the common options: On-premises: The contact center software and infrastructure are installed and managed on-site, typically within the company’s own data center. Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS): A cloud-based solution where the provider hosts and manages the contact center software and infrastructure. Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS): Provides APIs that enable businesses to build customized omnichannel communication solutions by integrating messaging, voice, video, and other services into existing systems. Hybrid deployment: Combines both on-premises and cloud-based solutions, allowing businesses to maintain some functions in-house while leveraging cloud capabilities for scalability and remote access. Managed services: Outsourcing the management of the entire contact center infrastructure to a third-party provider, typically cloud-based, with services tailored to business requirements. Each deployment method has its own strengths, and the choice depends on factors like budget, scale, security, and the need for flexibility. For example, hosted CCaaS provides a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solution with minimal upfront investment, making it ideal for companies seeking ease of deployment and management. CPaaS omnichannel contact centers, on the other hand, offer greater flexibility and customization by allowing businesses to build tailored communication solutions through APIs, giving them more control over their customer engagement strategies. SEE: Learn why most businesses should opt for CCaaS.  How to select the best omnichannel contact center Take inventory of all hardware and channels While most omnichannel contact centers work with a wide range of hardware and communications channels, you should go into your search knowing exactly what you need to successfully migrate a contact center to the new omnichannel platform. Make a list of all the channels you want to connect to it along with all of the functions you need it to be able to handle — otherwise, you may be in for some surprises down the line. For instance, imagine finding out at the eleventh hour that your sales team needs a Whatsapp integration but your omnichannel contact center can’t handle it — or that your IT team has a problematic firewall issue to sort through. To prevent these kinds of hiccups, it’s a good idea to draft an initial list by yourself and circulate it around to your team to notify everyone that you’re looking for a new omnichannel contact center. Ask people to document all the ways their department would use it and find out what the entire team requires before you get too deep in the mud of a system that isn’t right for you. Test the CRM integration Seamless CRM integration is the backbone of any omnichannel contact center — your customer relationship management software is typically the single-source of truth for customer data — without it, you basically have a very fancy multichannel contact center that’s missing key functionality. Every omnichannel contact center vendor advertises pre-built integrations with a range of popular CRMs. This is a good sign, and you should absolutely work with vendors that have experience with the platform you use. But it’s not a sure thing, and you certainly shouldn’t take this to mean that the pre-built contact center CRM integration is going to work “off the shelf.” You have to see it for yourself and go through specific workflows. Make sure that the omnichannel contact center reads the data in your CRM the same way you enter it, as there might be issues with APIs or protocols that can lead to data being lost or

Every so often, taking a step back and going through the basics is good. It not only helps to ground me as a tech writer, but it helps a lot of people who are just learning the ropes of whatever piece of technology I’m talking about. This time it’s all about the Apache web server, a piece of software that’s been around for decades, happily serving up small and large websites without fail. Apache works seamlessly with MySQL, PHP, and a host of other packages, so you can serve up simple static or incredibly dynamic websites. How do you install and configure the server? Where do you place files? Let’s walk through this, one step at a time. I’ll be demonstrating on Ubuntu Server. But first, a bit more information. SEE: How to Host Multiple Websites on Linux with Apache (TechRepublic Premium) The difference between Apache on Ubuntu and Red Hat-based distributions The reason why I have to specify what Linux distribution I’m using is because Ubuntu- and Red Hat-based variants Apache differently — from installation to configuration. For example, on Red Hat-based distributions, Apache is installed via the httpd package, whereas on Ubuntu-based distributions, the apache2 package will do the trick. Another difference is where and how Apache is configured. In Red Hat-based distributions, much of your Apache configuration will happen in /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf. In Ubuntu-based distributions, the configurations are in /etc/apache2/apache2.conf and /etc/apache2/sites-available/. There are still more differences to be had, but you get the idea. SEE: Apache Maven — Build Automation Tool Review (TechRepublic) How to install Apache on Ubuntu Server There are several ways you can install Apache on Ubuntu. If you simply want the basic server software, you can open a terminal and issue the command: sudo apt-get install apache2 -y However, if you want a full-blown Linux Apache MySQL PHP (LAMP) stack, you’d issue the command: sudo apt-get install lamp-server^ Once you run either of those commands, you’ll have Apache up and running. You’ll also want to make sure to enable Apache to start upon a server reboot (or boot). To do that, issue the command: sudo systemctl enable apache2 You can verify your installation by opening a web browser and pointing it to http://SERVER_IP (where SERVER_IP is the IP address of the server hosting Apache). You should be greeted by the Apache Welcome Page as shown below. The official Apache Welcome Page running on Ubuntu Server. Image: Jack Wallen What is that page Apache is serving up? If you look in /var/www/html, you’ll find the index.html file. Let’s change it. Back at the terminal window, rename that index.html file with the command: sudo mv /var/www/html/index.html /var/www/html/index.html.bak Now, let’s create a new welcome file. Issue the command: sudo nano /var/www/html/index.html In that file, paste the following two lines: How are you doing? Save and close the file. Reload the web page in your browser and you should see the change as shown below. Our new index.html page is being served by Apache. Image: Jack Wallen How to create a site for Apache What we’re going to do now is create a virtual host for Apache to serve up. A virtual host is a fancy name for a website that’s served by Apache. You can have numerous virtual hosts served up on a single Apache server. In fact, you are only limited to the power of your hosting server and the bandwidth of your network. So let’s create a virtual host called test. The first thing we’re going to do is create a directory to house test with the command: sudo mkdir -p /var/www/html/test Next, we’ll give the new directory the proper ownership with the command: sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/html/test Finally, we’ll grant the proper permissions with the command: sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/test Copy our new index.html file into the test directory with the command: sudo cp /var/www/html/index.html /var/www/html/test/ Now we have to create the virtual host configuration so Apache knows where test is. This will be housed in /etc/apache/sites-available. To do that we’ll create the test.conf file with the command: sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/test.conf In that file paste the following: ServerAdmin [email protected] example.comServerAlias www.example.comDocumentRoot /var/www/html/testErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.logCustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined The most important line above begins with DocumentRoot, as that instructs Apache where the files for the virtual host will be found. Save and close that file. At this point, we’ve created the directory to house the files, given it the proper ownership and permissions, and created a configuration for the virtual host. However, Apache is still not aware of the new site. Why? Because the configuration file lives in sites-available. What we have to do is create a link from that configuration into the /etc/apache2/sites-enabled directory. Only those configurations found in sites-enabled are active on the Apache server. On non-Ubuntu servers, you have to use the ln (for link) command to do this. However, on Ubuntu there’s a handy utility that will create that site for you. Said utility is a2ensite. If we run the command: sudo a2ensite test.conf Our test virtual host will then be enabled. After that command succeeds, you then must reload Apache (which will only reload the configuration files, not restart the web server) with the command: sudo systemctl reload apache2 Now, if you point your browser to http://SERVER_IP/test (where SERVER_IP is the IP address of the server) you should see the same “Hello, TechRepublic!” welcome as you did with the basic index.html file, only it’s being served from our newly-created virtual host. You’ve just installed the Apache web server, edited the index.html file, and then created your very own virtual host. You can take this simple how-to and use it as a basis for spinning up all the Apache-served websites you need. This article was originally published in October 2020. It was updated by Antony Peyton in January 2025. source

Dell has announced a lineup of new AI PCs, combining cutting-edge generative AI performance with a sleek, streamlined naming convention. Drawing inspiration from Apple’s playbook, Dell’s new tiers — Dell (basic version), Pro, and Pro Max — simplify choices while showcasing the company’s push for innovation and user-friendly design. In addition to the name changes and new products, Dell solidified its partnership with AMD on Jan. 6 ahead of CES 2025 in Las Vegas. “To make finding the right AI PC easy for customers, we’ve introduced three simple product categories to focus on core customer needs,” Kevin Terwilliger, VP and GM of the Latitude and Docking business within Dell’s client product group, wrote in a press release. 1 New Relic 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, Compliance Management, and more 2 Wrike 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 24/7 Customer Support, 360 Degree Feedback, Accounting, and more Introducing Dell, Pro, and Pro Max The new tiers break down further into categories. Image: Dell One aspect of Dell’s branding that remains unchanged is how laptop sizes are indicated, with the new lineup including 13, 14, and 16-inch models. However, familiar brand names like XPS and Inspiron have been replaced — or streamlined, depending on perspective — into simplified categories: Dell, Pro, and Pro Max. Dell will include laptops and PCs for student, personal, or entry-level business use. Pro adds more powerful GPUs (from Intel or AMD), and NPUs for generative AI processes. Pro Max is intended for heavy-duty professional use and adds the option of AMD’s Threadripper processor. AI inference and training can run on Pro Max devices. “Gone are the days of ITDMs needing to study sub-brands and compare different feature sets to make the best decision,” said Charlie Walker, a product management lead for commercial client solutions at Dell Technologies, in an email to TechRepublic. Time will tell whether these categories — along with the further divisions into base, Premium, and Plus options — make it easier to tell which laptop is right for particular use cases. The first devices to use the new naming scheme are: The Dell Pro 13/14 Premium Copilot PC. The Dell Pro 13/14/16 Plus. The Dell Pro 14/16. Dell Pro desktops. Dell Pro Max 14/16. Dell 14/16 Plus & Dell 14/16 Plus 2-in-1. Dell Pro Max desktops. The new laptops will be available throughout the winter, with staggered releases depending on the tier: Dell Pro 13, 14 Premium, Dell Pro 14 Plus, and Dell Pro 16 Plus became available on Jan. 6. Dell Plus will come out on Feb. 18. Dell Pro 13 Plus will be released on Feb. 25. Dell Pro Max and Dell Pro 13, 14, and 16 Plus will become available in March or April. Walker said commercial and enterprise customers have been asking for model identifiers that explain product attributes. “Our new AI PCs will have a seven-digit model number that tells you the category, tier, form factor, shipping year, and CPU vendor – putting all the important information in one place – to simplify IT management, support, deployment, inventory and troubleshooting,” he said. Two new 4K displays are coming in 2025 The Dell UltraSharp 32” 4K Hub Monitor is appropriate for professional design work. Image: Dell Dell announced two new displays at CES: Dell UltraSharp 32 and 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitors for professional use, available globally on Feb. 25. Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor for entertainment, including AI-enhanced sound, available globally on May 22. SEE: AMD introduced new Ryzen chips for faster AI, plus a novel Radeon line for gaming and content creation, at CES 2025. AMD and Dell enter commercial partnership Dell became a commercial partner with AMD for the first time. This means corporate Dell PCs — specifically the Dell Pro tier — will use AMD Ryzen AI PRO processors. “We’re incredibly proud to collaborate with Dell on the next generation of commercial PCs powered by the AMD Ryzen AI PRO processors,” said Jack Huynh, SVP and GM of the computing and graphics group at AMD, in a press release. “Ryzen AI PRO CPUs are built to handle today’s workflows and tomorrow’s AI demands, and when combined with the power of a Dell PC, they create the perfect combination for the enterprise.” The partnership potentially comes at the expense of Intel, which has been relegated to Dell’s lower consumer tiers. TechRepublic is covering CES 2025 remotely. source

If you’ve ever called a company and been greeted by a friendly automated voice offering you a menu of options, you’ve encountered an auto attendant. Without a live agent, this automated system directs you to the right department or person by having you select options from a menu. Multi-level auto attendants enhance the caller experience by offering a sophisticated and in-depth menu system, fully customized to a customer’s needs. Unlike standard attendants with a single layer of options, multi-level systems provide a hierarchy of choices, allowing callers to drill down to the exact service or department they need. This results in more precise call routing, decreased wait times, and reduced caller frustration. While the benefits of multi-level auto attendants are clear, the question remains: is it worth upgrading to this advanced system? For some companies, overhauling their current auto attendant may not seem necessary, especially at a higher cost. To make the best decision for your team, we’ll explore the features and advantages of multi-level auto attendants and important considerations to keep in mind if you decide to take the plunge. Note: RingCentral is one of the few top business phone services that includes a multi-level auto attendant with every plan. Check out our RingCentral review to learn more.  1 RingCentral RingEx 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 Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute 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 Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more 3 CloudTalk 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, Call Management/Monitoring, Contact Center, and more Why companies outgrow basic auto attendants Basic auto attendants are often customers’ first point of contact with a business. Their main responsibility is to efficiently route calls to the appropriate line. They greet callers with a pre-recorded message and a simple menu of options, like “For sales, press 1. For customer service, press 2,” ensuring customers are able to direct their call where it needs to go. This is invaluable for both remote and in-house customer service teams. It streamlines call handling, reduces the need for a live receptionist, and ensures a professional first impression to callers. However, as businesses shift and scale in size, the simplicity of basic auto attendants can limit organizations — the lack of flexibility fails to adapt to more complex organizational structures or varied customer needs. For example, a basic auto attendant cannot help a company accommodate multiple languages or enable callers to make payments over the phone. Both of these require the ability to create a phone tree with more than one level of options. For growing companies, this can lead to several specific issues: Inadequate call routing: With only a basic menu, calls may not be directed to the right department, leading to customer frustration and longer call times. Limited personalization: Basic systems don’t offer personalized experiences based on caller history or specific needs, missing an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction. Scalability issues: As a company expands, it might outgrow the capabilities of a basic auto attendant, leading to poor program functionality. Increased hold times: With all calls funneled through a single, simplistic menu, callers might experience longer hold times, which means more dropped calls. Thinking it might be time to ditch the basic auto attendant? Here are some telltale signs that your company would benefit from a multi-level auto attendant upgrade: Increased call volume: If your contact center is receiving more calls than it can efficiently handle, it’s time to consider a multi-level system. These systems allow for greater call routing options and ensure every caller is directed to the right agent. Frequent caller complaints: If customers often express frustration about getting lost in your call menu or not reaching the right department, it’s a clear indicator. High call abandonment rates: An increase in callers hanging up before reaching their desired destination suggests your current system may be too cumbersome. Employee feedback: If your staff report difficulties managing incoming calls or an increase in misrouted calls, your current system might fall short. Upgrading to a multi-level auto attendant can help you fix high call center queuing times by better handling incoming requests and offering callers a wider range of self-service options, which can further take the heat of busy agents. Advantages of a multi-level auto attendant A multi-level auto attendant functions like an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system instead of a single-level phone menu. The key difference between IVR and auto attendants is that an IVR connects to a database and allows callers to accomplish simple actions themselves, such as checking an account balance or paying a bill. SEE: Discover why customers and agents love IVR systems.  A multi-level auto attendant offers the following advantages over a basic system: Efficient navigation: Callers can quickly navigate through menus carefully designed with IVR scripts and get directed to the appropriate department or agent in record times. Tailored call flows: Multi-level solutions allow for deep customization, enabling businesses to craft call flows that reflect their structure and customer interaction needs, adding a personal touch. Streamlined operations: Multi-level auto attendants automate call routing, cutting down on transfers and wait times, which boosts contact center efficiency and speeds up issue resolution. Professional image: Incorporating a multi-level system into your organization enhances your business’s image and makes customers feel comfortable interacting with your team. Scalable growth: With the scalable nature of VoIP services, integrating multi-level auto attendant features allows for easy expansion of services or locations, keeping pace with business growth. The most salient benefit of transitioning to a multi-level auto attendant system is enhancing the overall customer experience by improving call flows. This technology makes the first point of contact with your company more efficient,

OpenAI has announced that its primary focus for the coming year will be on developing “superintelligence,” according to a blog post from Sam Altman. This has been described as AI with greater-than-human capabilities. While OpenAI’s current suite of products has a vast array of capabilities, Altman said that superintelligence will enable users to perform “anything else.” He highlights accelerating scientific discovery as the primary example, which, he believes, will lead to the betterment of society. “This sounds like science fiction right now, and somewhat crazy to even talk about it. That’s alright—we’ve been there before and we’re OK with being there again,” he wrote. The change of direction has been spurred by Altman’s confidence in his company now knowing “how to build AGI as we have traditionally understood it.” AGI, or artificial general intelligence, is typically defined as a system that matches human capabilities, whereas superintelligence exceeds them. SEE: OpenAI’s Sora: Everything You Need to Know Altman has eyed superintelligence for years — but concerns exist OpenAI has been referring to superintelligence for several years when discussing the risks of AI systems and aligning them with human values. In July 2023, OpenAI announced it was hiring researchers to work on containing superintelligent AI. The team would reportedly devote 20% of OpenAI’s total computing power to training what they call a human-level automated alignment researcher to keep future AI products in line. Concerns around superintelligent AI stem from how such a system could prove impossible to control and may not share human values. “We need scientific and technical breakthroughs to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us,” wrote OpenAI Head of Alignment Jan Leike and co-founder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever in a blog post at the time. SEE: OpenAI and Anthropic Sign Deals With U.S. AI Safety Institute But, four months after creating the team, another company post revealed they “still (did) not know how to reliably steer and control superhuman AI systems” and didn’t have a way of “preventing (a superintelligent AI) from going rogue.” In May, OpenAI’s superintelligence safety team was disbanded and several senior personnel left due to the concern that “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products,” including Jan Leike and the team’s co-lead Ilya Sutskever. The team’s work was absorbed by OpenAI’s other research efforts, according to Wired. Despite this, Altman highlighted the importance of safety to OpenAI in his blog post. “We continue to believe that the best way to make an AI system safe is by iteratively and gradually releasing it into the world, giving society time to adapt and co-evolve with the technology, learning from experience, and continuing to make the technology safer,” he wrote. “We believe in the importance of being world leaders on safety and alignment research, and in guiding that research with feedback from real world applications.” More must-read AI coverage The path to superintelligence may still be years away There is disagreement about how long it will be until superintelligence is achieved. The November 2023 blog post said it could develop within a decade. But nearly a year later, Altman said it could be “a few thousand days away.” However, Brent Smolinski, IBM VP and global head of Technology and Data Strategy, said this was “totally exaggerated,” in a company post from September 2024. “I don’t think we’re even in the right zip code for getting to superintelligence,” he said. AI still requires much more data than humans to learn a new capability, is limited in the scope of capabilities, and does not possess consciousness or self-awareness, which Smolinski views as a key indicator of superintelligence. He also claims that quantum computing could be the only way we might unlock AI that surpasses human intelligence. At the start of the decade, IBM predicted that quantum would begin to solve real business problems before 2030. SEE: Breakthrough in Quantum Cloud Computing Ensures its Security and Privacy Altman predicts AI agents will join the workforce in 2025 AI agents are semi-autonomous generative AI that can chain together or interact with applications to carry out instructions or make decisions in an unstructured environment. For example, Salesforce uses AI agents to call sales leads. TechRepublic predicted at the end of the year that the use of AI agents will surge in 2025. Altman echoes this in his blog post, saying “we may see the first AI agents ‘join the workforce’ and materially change the output of companies.” SEE: IBM: Enterprise IT Facing Imminent AI Agent Revolution According to a research paper by Gartner, the first industry agents to dominate will be software development. “Existing AI coding assistants gain maturity, and AI agents provide the next set of incremental benefits,” the authors wrote. By 2028, 33% of enterprise software applications will include agentic AI, up from less than 1% in 2024, according to the Gartner paper. A fifth of online store interactions and at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be conducted by agents by that year. “We are beginning to turn our aim beyond that, to superintelligence in the true sense of the word,” Altman wrote. “We’re pretty confident that in the next few years, everyone will see what we see, and that the need to act with great care, while still maximizing broad benefit and empowerment, is so important.” source

TotalAV and Surfshark both offer affordable pricing plans that combine VPN tools with antivirus software, leading many potential buyers to weigh the pros and cons of TotalAV VPN and Surfshark. To help you choose the best VPN for your business or personal use, I’ve reviewed both Surfshark and TotalAV VPN and compared them below. TotalAV VPN: Best for a simple VPN bundled with antivirus protection and a password manager. Surfshark: Best for a highly-rated VPN that offers fast speeds and an explicit no-logs policy. 1 Semperis Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Large, Enterprise Features Advanced Attacks Detection, Advanced Automation, Anywhere Recovery, and more 2 ESET PROTECT Advanced 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 Advanced Threat Defense, Full Disk Encryption , Modern Endpoint Protection, and more 3 NordLayer 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 TotalAV VPN vs Surfshark: Comparison table TotalAV VPN Surfshark # of servers 50 100 # of countries 36 3,200+ # of devices (VPN only) 6-8 depending on plan Unlimited VPN on all plans No Yes Antivirus on all plans Yes No Split tunneling No Yes Dedicated IP address No Yes Starting price for one-year plan with both VPN and antivirus $3.25 per month ($39 per year) $2.99 per month ($35.88 per year) TotalAV VPN vs Surfshark: Pricing Both TotalAV and Surfshark offer three tiers of pricing plans, but there are some key differences between them. Most importantly, TotalAV only offers a VPN on its two most expensive plans, while antivirus protection is available on all three. Surfshark’s plans offer the inverse: antivirus protection is only available on its two most expensive plans, while the VPN is available on all three. SEE: Everything You Need to Know about the Malvertising Cybersecurity Threat (TechRepublic Premium) TotalAV VPN pricing TotalAV offers three yearly subscription plans. The first tier, TotalAV VPN, doesn’t include a VPN, only antivirus protection, so it’s not a good comparison to Surfshark. The two more expensive tiers do include a VPN in addition to other features. Monthly, quarterly, and biannual subscriptions are also available, but you must contact TotalAV for pricing information. The pricing for each yearly subscription is as follows: TotalAV Antivirus Pro: $29 for the first year and up to 4 devices. TotalAV Internet Security: $39 for the first year and up to 6 devices. TotalAV Total Security: $49 for the first year and up to 8 devices. TotalAV does offer a free trial through the Google Play Store, meaning that only Android users can take advantage of it. This means iPhone users won’t get the benefit of a free trial. To sign up for the trial, you must first download the app to your device through the Google Play Store. After making an account, you must select a premium paid plan, and then choose the option for the seven-day free trial. TotalAV also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for the annual subscription and a 14-day money-back guarantee for the monthly, quarterly, or biannual subscriptions. However, some users report difficulty with getting a refund if they change their minds. See the section “Surfshark vs TotalAV VPN on Reddit” below for first-hand user accounts. For more general information about VPN pricing, see our article that explains how much a VPN costs on average. Surfshark pricing Surfshark offers three levels of plans for individuals. Surfshark Starter includes the VPN plus ad and cookie pop-up blockers but not antivirus protection, so it’s not an exact comparison to TotalAV. Surfshark One adds real-time breach alerts and antivirus protection, while Surfshark One+ includes data removal. The pricing for each individual subscription is as follows: 24 months: Surfshark Starter: $1.99 per month + 4 extra months. Surfshark One: $2.49 per month + 4 extra months. Surfshark One+: $3.99 per month + 4 extra months. 12 months: Surfshark Starter: $2.99 per month + 4 extra months. Surfshark One: $3.39 per month + 4 extra months. Surfshark One+: $5.99 per month + 4 extra months. Month-to-month: Surfshark Starter: $15.45 per month. Surfshark One: $17.95 per month. Surfshark One+: $20.65 per month. Surfshark offers both a seven-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, but some strings are attached to both of them. The seven-day free trial can be accessed via both the App Store and the Google Play Store, and follows steps similar to the free trial sign-up for TotalAV. Surfshark also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, the terms of service state that subscriptions made via iTunes/App Store/Amazon, with a prepaid card/gift card, or an anonymous Dedicated IP option are not eligible for the 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information, check out the full Surfshark review and the guide that explains how to use Surfshark. More cloud security coverage Surfshark vs TotalAV VPN: Feature comparison VPN Winner: Surfshark Surfshark is widely regarded as one of the better VPNs on the market today, supporting unlimited simultaneous devices while providing affordable pricing plans. It also offers more than 3,200 servers across 100 countries, making it possible to quickly connect to servers around the world. It has a strict no-logs policy and offers multiple security protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 VPN. During my testing, I found using Surfshark’s VPN to be easy and fast, on par with NordVPN and other top VPNs that I’ve tested. The Surfshark VPN interface is relatively simple to navigate. Image: Surfshark Meanwhile, TotalAV’s VPN is a bit of an afterthought compared to its antivirus software, and it shows. TotalAV only has servers in 30 countries, so only a third of the locations that Surfshark covers. Furthermore, TotalAV only has 50 servers total compared to Surfshark’s 3,200 servers, which is a huge difference. This smaller server network can lead to longer load times, which is a

A social CRM solution helps a business to more effectively deploy its marketing and sales strategies across multiple social channels. While social media CRM software can streamline social efforts for a better brand experience, the additional cost may not be worth it, especially if a clear social strategy isn’t already in place. However, for businesses ready to grow their social CRM efforts, top tools like HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Bitrix24 are a good place to start. 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 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 social CRM? Social CRM is customer relationship management software that offers advanced social selling functionality through social media marketing and integrations. This is especially key for businesses looking to capture more leads through social channels and improve their brand awareness. Like many SaaS tools, a social CRM solution is designed to force multiply your efforts by applying digital conveniences, such as: Automation: Automating simple, repetitive tasks. Bulk processing: Facilitating batch processing of tasks that are performed in bulk. Streamlined access: Consolidating interfaces and controls, bringing all of the necessary functions into a single dashboard. Data transparency: Aggregating information into a single record and improving data integrity. Top social CRM tools Obviously, each provider will have different approaches and intended use cases. However, most will generally be built to provide certain core features and functions. Single source of truth While a standard CRM solution will do a good job of tracking contact details for leads as they travel down the sales funnel, convert into customer accounts, and switch to retention mode, that’s pretty much where it ends. With a social CRM, it’s possible to connect lead and customer profiles to their social profiles. That way, sales reps can more easily track their interactions with the company’s brand. This allows customers to start the discussion where they like, and sales reps can migrate it to another platform if they see fit. Consistency in brand experience Social CRM software makes it easier to deliver the same experience across your whole digital footprint. Brand identity and brand experience are important, and it’s easier to achieve positive interactions when they are consistent from one domain to another. Just as customers and leads don’t want to repeat themselves just because they switched from one social channel to another, they also don’t want to feel like there are major shifts in how interactions are handled. If they can get a response in minutes on one platform, they expect it to be just as quick on others. This experience is more difficult to provide when manually monitoring and responding to discussions on social media. It’s much easier when everything can be done from a single suite of tools. Integrated controls A social CRM solution can function as a “master key” of sorts, allowing sales and marketing reps to create and schedule posts for multiple channels, monitor incoming messages and tags, track performance and metrics, and more. This saves significant time and overhead by putting all the necessary interfaces and controls in one place. It reduces the hassle of logging into and accessing multiple social accounts, sharing passwords, and posting on multiple platforms or profiles. Automated reconnaissance Social CRM solutions can reduce the grind of managing social media accounts and engagement. You can set up alerts that monitor for mentions and tags and then notify you when something pops up. You can perform more advanced searches the same way. You can more effectively research and observe what works and create engagement amongst your target audience. You can also track trends in more or less real-time, leading to better response times when a new opportunity presents itself. Enhanced awareness Social CRM tools help alleviate the amount of effort required to keep up with rapidly-evolving conversations. By automating the monitoring and searching and putting all of the notifications in the same place, these solutions can cut down on the effort required to keep a finger on the pulse of whatever you need to do. Faster response times mean you’ll be more effective at putting out fires or fanning the flames. Analytics insights The right social CRM tool can report on the numbers, providing insight into social media performance to help you plan for more effective strategies and identify problem areas. The key here is that you can collect analytics data from across disparate platforms — data that’s normally siloed and difficult to extract, transform, and load into a cohesive database — to say nothing of turning into a report that makes any sense. Benefits of social CRM Setting aside any solution-specific details, most pros and cons for social CRM are the same whether you’re talking about strategy or software. So, let’s take a look at whether the benefits of social CRM would outweigh the challenges. Streamlined social efforts Consolidated controls mean fewer dashboards to juggle, less to manage, and easier implementation of efforts across social channels. Improved brand experience and customer service Businesses of any size, including startups, can deliver better brand experience and customer service through increased consistency, improved response time, and minimized wasted and redundant efforts. Increased trust and brand loyalty By exposing yourself to the risk of public discourse in third-party spaces, you demonstrate a willingness to deliver on promises—even when inconvenient or costly. Social CRM: Benefits and drawbacks comparison Benefits of social CRM Challenges of social CRM Streamlined social efforts. Improved brand experience. Faster customer service. Increased trust and brand loyalty. Social platforms are “shared” spaces. Risks of “court of public opinion.” Social

While it’s possible to send a fax using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), it’s not a good idea. VoIP fax is not reliable, at all, and there is no IT person in the world who would recommend that you send a fax with VoIP. Faxing is built on analog technology that isn’t compatible with digital VoIP phone systems that make calls over the internet. I’ll explain exactly why that is and share specific problems you may run into when attempting to send VoIP faxes. If you need to send a fax without a fax machine or landline, there are simple online fax services that work far better than trying to use VoIP to send a fax. Okay — that’s the quick rundown of key information. Let’s dig into the details. 1 RingCentral RingEx 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 Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute 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 Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more 3 CloudTalk 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, Call Management/Monitoring, Contact Center, and more Why VoIP fax struggles When you make a VoIP phone call, the sound of your voice is broken down and converted into smaller digital packets that travel over the internet. Each packet contains information that identifies it within the full series of signals. Even if it arrives out of order, each piece can be reassembled into its complete original message on the other end. Fax machines are made to send and receive the analog tones of the public switched telephone network rather than the digital packets associated with VoIP. Unlike voice calls, fax data is highly timing-sensitive and doesn’t tolerate packet loss, jitter, or delays. Essentially, the two technologies rely on different languages — you can’t just hook an analog device (fax machine) to a digital network (the internet) and expect them to communicate flawlessly. Connecting an analog fax machine to a digital network requires specialized solutions, such as a fax-specific protocol like T.38. However, this depends on both the VoIP provider and the receiving device supporting the protocol to ensure compatibility. SEE: Learn more about the differences between landline and VoIP communication. What are the issues with VoIP fax? VoIP technology was designed to digitize and transmit voice signals, not fax tones. Fax machines rely on analog tones that VoIP networks struggle to handle reliably. This creates several challenges when sending faxes over VoIP. 1. Packet loss and jitter When a fax machine’s tones are digitized and transmitted over a VoIP network, the data is broken into packets. These packets can experience delays, arrive out of order, or be lost entirely during transmission. Such issues, known as jitter and packet loss, make it difficult for the receiving fax machine to reassemble the data correctly. SEE: Discover how to fix network jitter for good. 2. Bandwidth limitations Fax transmissions require more bandwidth than voice calls due to the amount of data involved. During periods of heavy network use, insufficient bandwidth can lead to failed transmissions. SEE: Learn how to optimize your network for VoIP, fax, and other business communications. 3. Protocol interoperability Fax machines must use the same protocol — typically T.30 or T.38 — to communicate effectively. If the sending and receiving devices are not aligned, errors occur, and the transmission can fail. The newer G.711 codec addresses some compatibility issues but still relies on both machines supporting it. SEE: Learn more about using the right VoIP codecs. 4. Network firewalls Firewalls and NAT (Network Address Translation) filtering can block or disrupt VoIP fax transmissions by stripping necessary data from the packets. Disabling features like SIP ALG can help but may expose your network to security risks. SEE: Check out the different types of Network Address Translation and when to use each one. VoIP fax alternatives Use an online fax service When you send a fax using an online service, the platform processes it through their backend infrastructure, converting it into a format suitable for the recipient’s device — whether it’s an email, a web portal, or a physical fax machine. This ensures the reliability and compatibility of a traditional fax while eliminating the need for additional hardware on your end. The best online fax services have interfaces that are highly user-friendly, accessible via web browsers or mobile apps. While internet access is required to initiate the fax, recipients using traditional fax machines do not need internet access. If you only need to send an occasional fax, free or pay-per-use online fax services might suit your needs. If you need to fax a check or another sensitive document, just remember that fax is only as secure as its network. Using reputable providers is always a good idea. For businesses, subscription plans offer enhanced features, such as secure document storage, integrations with productivity tools, and support for higher volumes. Use a fax ATA A fax ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter) is a device that connects the fax machine to a modem or router, converting analog signals into digital data for transmission over a VoIP network. This is a practical solution for those who want to move communication to digital channels while continuing to use existing equipment. The key to success with this setup is choosing a VoIP provider that explicitly supports fax services as not all do. With the right provider, a fax ATA can deliver reliable performance without requiring a transition to online fax services. For businesses that already have functioning fax machines and prefer to avoid additional expenses or workflow changes, a fax ATA is an effective and straightforward option. SEE: Check out our RingCentral review to learn more about our favorite fax-enabled VoIP service.  Maintain separate

Thinking about switching to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) so you can make calls over the internet instead of landlines? With a VoIP gateway you won’t have to replace your existing phones, fax machines, or other equipment. This saves money on new hardware and avoids the hassle of retraining employees who are comfortable with the current phone setup. Any modern business phone service is going to have a range of gateways available to help companies make the transition to the cloud. A VoIP gateway acts as a bridge, allowing older analog devices — or even an entire office of them — to connect seamlessly to cloud-based communication systems. By converting traditional analog signals into digital packets, a VoIP gateway enables your legacy devices to work with the internet-based systems powering today’s communications. In this guide, we’ll explore how VoIP gateways work, the different types available, and practical tips for ensuring optimal performance and security. Whether you’re transitioning one device or an entire office, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make the process smooth and effective. 1 RingCentral RingEx 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 Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute 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 Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more 3 CloudTalk 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, Call Management/Monitoring, Contact Center, and more Does every analog phone work with VoIP gateways? I wanted to speak to this quickly before we get into the weeds about VoIP gateways, because there is a little more nuance than I could fit into the headline. Now, I’ve never personally encountered an analog phone that didn’t work with a VoIP gateway — but I know that they exist. Typically, these non-compatible phones are specialty models that require specific voltage levels or use fancy signaling that’s not supported by the VoIP gateway. You may also run into proprietary digital phones designed for specific PBX systems that don’t work without special hardware or adapters. To avoid problems, confirm that your VoIP gateway supports the specific devices you plan to use. I would double check if you have any older or specialized equipment, like DECT devices, for example. In general, though, most analog phones equipment should work just fine with a VoIP gateway. After all, the technology is really not that complicated. A VoIP gateway converts signal to packets As long as you know the basics of computer networking, this should all be pretty straightforward. Think of a VoIP gateway as a bridge between different types of networks that allows organizations to integrate legacy telephony equipment with modern VoIP phone services. Analog equipment was designed to send signals over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). The signal sent by these phones and fax machines doesn’t transmit over an IP network like the internet — it just won’t work at all — unless you have a VoIP gateway. A VoIP gateway converts analog voice signals from traditional phone systems into digital data packets that can travel over an IP network. A VoIP gateway takes the voice from a phone, digitizes it, and sends it as packets over the internet or private network to the destination. On the receiving end, it converts the digital data back into an analog signal for the recipient’s phone, enabling seamless communication. This two-way conversion process allows different types of communication systems — old and new — to work together efficiently. VoIP gateway example Consider a hotel that wants to lower costs with a VoIP phone system, but doesn’t want to have to buy new phones for every room. The VoIP gateway allows the hotel’s existing phones to connect to the hotel’s cloud phone system by converting the analog signals into digital data that can be sent over the internet. This setup also opens the door to add useful VoIP features such as easier call routing, better voicemail options, and enhanced customer service, all without the need for a major overhaul of the hotel’s phone infrastructure. Types of VoIP Gateways There are a few different types of VoIP gateways that range from analog telephone adapters (ATAs) that support a single device and solutions designed to work for busy offices with hundreds of devices. Single-port VoIP gateways are compact devices that connect one analog device, such as a fax machine or phone, to a VoIP network. These are ideal for small businesses or home offices with minimal communication needs, supporting a moderate number of concurrent calls, typically 10-30 depending on the device. They offer a cost-effective way to integrate analog equipment into a modern VoIP system without overhauling existing infrastructure. For larger or busier environments, enterprise-grade VoIP gateways are designed to handle high call volumes and complex networks, such as in call centers or large offices. These devices are scalable and support both inbound and outbound communication, with advanced features like centralized control, CRM integration, and omnichannel support for voice, fax, and even video. FXS (Foreign Exchange Station) gateways are used to connect multiple analog devices, such as phones and fax machines, to a VoIP network. They support multiple VoIP and fax codecs to ensure clear communication. and are a good option for businesses with multiple analog devices that need to transition to VoIP without replacing all hardware. Fax-ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter) gateways are a specialized type of gateway designed for businesses that still rely on fax machines. These devices convert analog fax signals into digital data that can be transmitted over a VoIP network. Ideal for industries like healthcare or legal services, where faxing remains a key method of communication. Session Border Controllers (SBCs) are used in conjunction with VoIP gateways to enhance security and ensure quality. SBCs

AMD has unveiled its highly anticipated next-generation GPUs, including the Radeon RX 9070 line for gaming and content creation, on Jan. 6 ahead of CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Powered by the cutting-edge RDNA 4 architecture, the new Radeon lineup promises significant advancements in AI computing, media encoding, and ray tracing capabilities. These GPUs are expected to hit the market in Q1 2025. AMD’s GPUs compete with NVIDIA’s, which are also expected to see a refresh at CES. “As consumers and professionals increasingly recognize the productivity benefits of AI PCs, AMD is further increasing its performance leadership in the market,” Jack Huynh, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s computing and graphics group, said in a press release. “With the next generation of AI-enabled processors, we are proliferating AI to devices everywhere, and bringing the power of a workstation to thin and light laptops.” The Radeon RX 9070 line includes AI accelerators. Image: AMD The Radeon RX 9070 series is built on RDNA 4 architecture The Radeon 9000 series GPUs are built to complement AI workloads. The first two cards in the series, Radeon 9070 XT and Ryzen 9070, will be available in hardware from Acer, Asus, and other manufacturers. Details about the new series remain limited, but the RDNA architecture — built on the 4nm manufacturing process — promises significant advancements. The GPUs are expected to excel in AI computing, offer improved media encoding capabilities, and deliver improved ray tracing for gaming and graphics creation. Not much information is available about the Radeon RX 9070 series yet. However, AMD said over 100 enterprise platform brands will use AMD Pro technology through 2025. The company also announced the Ryzen 9000 HX series, including the beefy Ryzen 9950X3D for gaming and content creation. SEE: Shortly before CES 2025, OpenAI announced its new phase: the quest for “superintelligence.” More must-read AI coverage Ryzen AI Max and others bring AI performance to laptops Overall, Ryzen continues to devote significant attention to AI PC products, including the third-generation AMD Ryzen AI and Ryzen AI 300 Pro series processors announced at CES. These chips compete with Qualcomm’s and Intel’s Copilot+ PC processors. AMD claims that the Ryzen AI 7 350 and Ryzen AI 5 340 perform at 50 TOPS at peak performance. Options range from the 6-core, 12-thread AI Max Pro 380 to the 16-core, 32-thread AI Max/AI Max Pro 395 build. The AI Max and AI Max Pro series offer up to 256 GB/s bandwidth. HP and Asus are on board to sell laptops and mini workstations equipped with these chips. AMD announced the AI Max and AI Max Pro series processors for gaming, scheduled for the first half of 2025. Although mobile gaming may be the primary use case, these heavy-duty graphics engines may find their way into compact workstations for graphic designers, game developers, and other graphics-intensive professional use cases. Ryzen Z2 and Ryzen 200 processors coming soon Other announcements from AMD at CES 2025 included: The Ryzen Z2 Series for handheld PC gaming is available in the first quarter of 2025. The Ryzen 200 Series processors for IT environments and other mainstream commercial uses are available in the second quarter of 2025. “AMD Ryzen CPUs offer the best TCO [total cost of ownership], delivering exceptional performance and efficiency,” said Robert Kochheim, global portfolio manager of digital workplace at Shell in an AMD press kit. source