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Back in March, I wrote about how travel agents helped clients get home as walls of travel restrictions went up, and as airlines cut flights.

That story led a number of travel advisors to contact me, sharing their tales. With pictures of stranded travelers sleeping in airports still fresh in my mind, and thousands of others unable to get ahold of their airlines, I thought now would be a good time to remind you why it pays to use a travel advisor. From Classic Travel Connection in Birmingham, Alabama, Christen Perry recalled, “On March 11, during the middle of the President's speech to our nation regarding travel to and from Europe my team began making immediate contact with our clients who were still traveling in Europe.”

Closer to home, as millions of folks who booked direct were getting busy signals, Alexis Sherry of As Travel Pro was swinging into action. A family she had in the Dominican Republic were notified by their hotel that the airport was shutting down. Since they had used a travel advisor, as in real person, not an online screen bot, they had no problem getting through. After finding no flights available, Sherry contacted a private jet company, which arrived to pick the family up just seven hours after the hotel notified them of the shutdown. She also obtained a credit for the remainder of their interrupted stay.

The growth of such markets and the development of applications will require the hardware necessary for connectivity.

a number of roadblocks currently limit widespread adoption and are worth mentioning.

Whenever a new system or product is released, it becomes a new target for cyber attacks.

manufacturers are putting their R&D and marketing budgets behind home-monitoring and security gadgets–they will have 22.6% of the smart-home market share by 2023, estimates research firm IDC, with smart speakers and lighting equipment not far behind, at 15.4% and 11.8% respectively

cybersecurity will become all the more vital. Any kind of massive breach that turns off consumers, says Daniel Cooley, chief strategy officer at electronics-component manufacturer Silicon Labs, could be catastrophic for the industry. “I call it a mass-extinction event for the Internet of Things,” he says.

Smart vacuum cleaners like iRobot’s Roomba are already picking up after us, while products like the Aibo, a robotic dog for children, show how they might help keep us company like a pet. As for the future? Robotic-furniture company Ori Living is working with Ikea on pieces that change based on your needs, getting the bed out of the way when you need a desk, or hiding your closet when it’s dinnertime.

But there are also many lesser-known tech devices out there designed to reverse the negative effects of human activity on the environment.

The newest wave of green technologies is aimed at the average, environmentally conscious person, and features products and services that will give consumers greater control over the carbon footprints of these tech devices.

Maximizing the energy efficiency of your home with smart technologies  is a worthwhile endeavor, but even with data about your energy use in hand, becoming more efficient might be easier said than done,

Computer network security should be a concern for all

A computer network can simplify one's technical capabilities if they own multiple computers and the various technical equipment used to enhance computer functioning. When computers talk to each other through a network, tasks can be more efficient and people can save time and money, streamlining systems. Computer networks are great for home or small businesses, and can also be wide area networks (WAN) reaching across the world to bring shared technology to large corporations or global industries. Another important facet is computer network security which operators should be aware of when looking at networking through a WAN.

Computer networks are great for home or small businesses, and can also be wide area networks (WAN) reaching across the world to bring shared technology to large corporations or global industries. Another important facet is

A new luxury hotel which has just opened up in Johannesburg has set the tone for the hospitality industry and implemented extensive measures to make use of solar panel power in their hotel.

The hotel in the spotlight is the DaVinci Hotel which is opening up in the upmarket area of Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg. The Legacy Hotel Group, which owns the luxury hotel worked in partnership with Kayema Energy and numerous international Solar power experts in order to design the substantially large and complicated solar powered water heating system.

The solar power system is not the only green initiative which has been implemented by the hotel.

“Many companies have made it a philosophy not to be the leader on the tech side. They’d rather see someone else try something, succeed or fail at it, and then learn from that. The thought process is, it’s fine to be the early bird, but you don’t want to be the worm.”

As a result, large hotel chains tend to conduct a major overhaul just once every seven years, Meliker said.

“If you’re the prototype and it works, over time issues will come along with it,”

1. The iPad Revolution This device in my opinion is going to redefine how guests are going to use technology in hotels in the future particularly in the guestroom. Consider these points

Many hotels Wi-Fi systems are suffering from a lack of available bandwidth and as result are getting overloaded as guests wish to download their own content.

guests want the same technology experience they have at home or office and if they have a bad experience may not return to hotel

Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers?

Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off with Increased Group Revenue Tuesday, July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vining Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers? Virtual concierge service on guest room TVs At Hyatt Hotels with in-room HD TVs by Roomlinx Inc., guests are able make service requests, check email/weather, use the Business Center, print documents, and receive customized messages from meeting planners. Service requests like housekeeping and in-room dining are instantly sent through the system, improving the venue’s departmental efficiency. All of these virtual functions are hoped to appeal to new markets and drive group business. More efficient billing In the article, “Insert IACC blog post title URL” we learn that in 2012, meeting and group planners are prioritizing finance as very important during in their planning process (which made the top 10 list for the first time). Hotels making large investments in revenue management systems are taking advantage of new features that automate and process data to improve efficiency and increase revenue for properties. Virtual business centers Socialization through technology and food and beverage outlets is increasing revenue for TRYP by Wyndham in the NYC Times Square South property. Google TVs and access to Google Chrome laptops near the Gastro Bar in the hotel’s lobby offers guests an opportunity to enjoy a dining experience with the comfort of complimentary technology use. On-staff IT team When planners were surveyed, reliability was listed as a top concern of IT services in the white paper “What Do Planners and Trainers Really Want in Their Meeting Service?” All IACC-certified conference centers are required to have an on-site IT team to ensure technology functions properly. Now, the need for a knowledgeable IT team that really understands technology and can cater to individuals and group business is spreading to other hotel markets.   These impressive technology tools improve the guest experience and lead to a quick return on investment, especially in F&B. As we move beyond the discussion of required hotel Wi-Fi services, there will be a focus on technology amenities that provide the same comforts of home or the office. To increase group business, hoteliers are comfortable with this investment knowing there’s a return on investment with generated buzz/venue marketing and satisfied guests. Want to learn about other ways hotels are using technology to build relationships? Check out Enhancing Your Social Networking Site with a Social Concierge! to maximize social media and connect with guests, attendees and planners!

"There's a growth problem for a lot of restaurants in the U.S. Many fast-casual dining-type restaurants are mall-based or attached to retail spaces and consumers are just not going there as much," said Tom Champion, a Cowen analyst who follows Grubhub. Grubhub stock has shot up 141% from a year ago.

a millennial generation shift.

They typically share 20% to 30% of a bill with third-party delivery services. That matters in an industry with 10% to 15% operating margins and high fixed costs, including rent and staffing.

Home News Center Blog Login Create Account United States United Kingdom France China Front Page Arts Business Education Environment Government Industry Lifestyle Sports Tech OtherAutomotiveComputerEventsHealthHome and Family Legal / LawMediaMiscellaneousOpinion / EditorialPodcasting ScienceSociety Friday, March 22, 2013 RSS E-mail Newsletters Put PRWeb on your site NoWait Helps Restaurants Master the Wait in Augusta Mobile waitlist technology to replace outdated restaurant pagers and grease-pen wait list systems to manage massive crowds; NoWait to donate to Augusta Warrior Project

The company, NoWait, is working with Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver to equip the city’s restaurants with an army of iPads outfitted with NoWait’s seating management technology.

Because NoWait’s system is phone-based, customers can move freely between local establishments while they wait. That is revenue we wouldn’t normally receive...revenue that means jobs.”

his coupled with the crowded and lucrative nature of the industry has meant that hotel operators and owners have woken up to the need to invest in state-of-the-art technology as a way to differentiate them and remain competitive.

In a recent survey sent to over 2000 individuals it was found that over 50% of respondents were spending the majority of their IT budgets on in-room entertainment as a way to stay on top of their competitors.

Any time you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, almost every single piece of data you transmit can be picked up by anyone within range of the same network.

Don't share files on your computer

Create your own secure connection with a VPN

Network inside your organization is as important as outside. Things not end there; when some guests reach your hotel you will need a network to keep track of reservation, inventory, services, and maintenance. Free Wi-Fi accessibility, guests’ connection with front desk and monitoring for safety; these things have now become the signature of modern hospitality. LAN connection for easy and safe data transfer and all other things are needed in networking for smooth running of your hotel.

nization is as important as outside. Things not end there; when some guests reach your hotel you will need a network to keep track of reservation, inventory, services, and maintenance. Free Wi-Fi accessibility, guests’ connection with front desk and monitoring for safety; these things have now become the signature of modern hospitality. LAN connection for easy and safe data transfer and all other things are needed in networking for smooth running of your hotel. In hotels, computer networking play a vital role, communication between workers and staff creates a stable environment. Communication between front desk and manger office is important as in case of any unusual event. And the link of rooms with the service providers’ staff creates a healthy effect on guest’s mind when services are provided to them in no measure of time. Fire alarm or emergency alarm in case of any accident ensures the guest’s safety and also increase the rating of your hotel. The interlinked electronic systems in rooms which control all the electronic devices in room are too much helpful. The Wi-Fi accessibility now becomes an essential thing in hotels. So networking makes it possible to provide that service efficiently. Some five star hotels provide alarm bells on the table in the dining restaurants. These bell ring in the kitchen and makes it possible for the staff to attend each incoming guests at that time and avoid complaints. Here we present a complete solution to all your network problems; Network Solutions Why Network Solutions? Network Solutions is an organization with an extensive geographic stretch providing IT guides. They have worked with almost every kind of business organization and have an extensive vision of their work. They have genius IT specialists who not only show their professional aptitude during their work but also show personal interest in your business that content you mentally. They have an experience of almost all fields as they have worked with almost every genre of business you can think off from health care to education or flaunting fashion to secret secure banking systems. They know perfectly how to prove themselves as the best option available. They work with you, understand you, give respect to your needs and know how to use resources efficiently and bring up with something that does wonders your business. Some of their core networking values are: Envisage They do a lot of research work and observation, and try to sum up things. First they give a close view to your business in order to know your need of networking. They predict the average traffic you are going to have on your network. So that they can provide you with the best and never disturbing network facilities. In Hospitality industry the network traffic depends on your choice, how much you want to give ease to your business or your guests, connecting every room with the front desk or you just want to establish a connection between you workers and manager. Identification  They observe your style and know your needs. And now is the time to identify your problems and your pains. In hotels the problems you face in network in unresponsive and slow communication which creates irritation both among your guests and workers. So to save you from pain Network Solutions is there. Monitoring They monitors the WAN accessibility and the performance of the established network. Measure Fair usage policy and to monitor the traffic of net is another important thing in networking. Network Solutions has made it possible for you. Analyze Analyze the general or common pattern traffic utilization patterns and try to make it more seamless. Automation The network change and configuration are under Automation. Troubleshoot Any kind of trouble in network afterwards, network solution is there to fix it.  To ensure the quality of their  service. (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply. Comment

designed to take the confusion out of home networking

designed to take the confusion out of home networking.

A leading cyber security firm says criminals and a group affiliated with China are capitalizing on growing fears over the coronavirus, leading to a spike in malicious online activity.

"They've been sending people emails to prey on people's fears and open attachments

China-based adversary known as PIRATE PANDA uses major news events as a lure to implant malware that allows remote access to a victim's computer network

The trend in luxury hotels across the globe is a simple touchscreenwith an easy-to-use graphic user interface that can control all your room’s amenities, such as lighting, air conditioning, TV, movies,and music. These systems also have the capability to handle communication with the front desk, housekeeping, concierge, and checkout.

Guests are greeted with a personalized welcome screen and a video from Krige explaining ICE, the Interactive Customer Experience.Once acquainted,you can control the room temperature or set lights at various levels from 100 percent to completely off. You can send messages to the front desk, request toothpaste from housekeeping, or ask the concierge for a restaurant reservation. Guests can arrange transportation or learn about the hotel, which just underwent a $450 million renovation. You can even check airlines and print boarding passes. A mobile ICE app in the works will be downloadable from the Plaza’s website, allowing you to do all these things before you even arrive.

“Hotels are using more technology to enable a higher level of service,”