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This article introduces cloud technology and its implementation in the hospitality industry. The author highlights the positive impacts of using cloud-based management systems in hotels. One of the benefits is that it cuts IT costs by 50% by using cloud solutions, without needing to spend on expensive hardware and IT personnel for upgrades for example. Another plus is that the data collected from guests through the cloud is being able to provide better guest experiences. If you can understand what the guest desires through the data collected then you can give them a more customized stay. The use of the cloud also allows for each business to customize their features as they desire, to scale it up, scale it down, and add or remove features they use or not. Finally, cloud-based programs are able to better connect and integrate with other programs due to its flexibility. My opinion is that this technological advancement in the hospitality industry has been a breath of fresh air. It has made the labor inherently easier and more reliable, the information it houses seems limitless, and its affordability makes it possible for smaller scale hotels to be able to implement it as well. I think this has been one of the best advances for our industry.

This article contains an interview with the CEO of the payments technology company Affirm, Max Levchin. Affirm, established in 2012, is a payment technology firm that allows for travelers to pay for trips via a monthly payment plan. The company fully pays the travel provider and then is responsible for collecting the funds from the traveler. The payment does not need to be paid in full prior to travel. Levchin says that this product is attractive to companies because airline and hotels don't have to worry about interchange, processing fees and fraud. It benefits consumers because they are able to book early when prices are lower instead of "saving up" to book closer to the date of travel, when the trip is more expensive. They have seen an increase in advance bookings with Affirm for trips over $250. He suggests that this will disrupt traditional travel industry e-commerce and make travel more accessible.

This article speaks on how cloud systems are changing the hospitality system in a BIG way. Listed below, are how it is doing so successfully: Due to Cloud-based applications being offered by a vendor, there is no expensive hardware to install which makes it a reoccurring system for smaller hotels to be able to use such an advanced system. They allow guests to maneuver through their stay stress-free and giving them the convenience of not having to go down to the front desk to ask questions or make any food orders and these cloud systems record their behavior which allows the hotels to give them suggestions on where to go, what spa treatments to get and of course, what food to order. It also allows hotels to integrate software with various vendors unlike the traditional ones being used. With this, hoteliers can now have a customized management suite to meet all of their needs.

This article summarizes the benefits of switching from a traditional software system to a cloud based system. Some of the benefits the article mentions are low costs, better guest experience, and more flexibility. The article highly suggests that in the next few years most hoteliers will be switching to a cloud based software system.

This article gives an in depth look at how cloud computing is enhancing the hospitality industry. It gives a variety of pros to cloud computing and compares cloud computing to traditional or older ways of using servers.

The article basically discusses the differences between investing before and investing now since the internet has been born. Previously, people had to try and gather as much information about the company they were interested in investing in by going to the library and reading as much as possible but now it is easier for investors to search a company up and gain all the information they need and more to invest in that company just by entering keywords. Therefore, the internet has changed the investing game completely and even lowered the amount in fees that brokers pay immensely.

This article goes into being patient when it comes to launching a new or similar product. Many companies try to be a trendsetter but sometimes taking the backseat is much beneficial. Startup and trial and error runs are ultimately decreased. Reviewing the feedback of others on social media outlets can help make sure you don't stumble over the same issues.

This article explains why a wait & see approach is sometimes the best approach for some companies before launching a product in a very competitive market which already has a company providing the same product to consumers. Many companies have waited to see what issues consumers are complaining about when their competitors have launched a product to later launch a better product better than that if the competitors. Such companies are Pandora versus Apple Music, Lyft versus Uber, Apple Cash versus Venmo, QuickPay, and Square Cash.

The article talks about a software called Duetto that is changing the way hotels can access the latest technology for their PMS systems. The software utilizes cloud applications to help hotels make the best decision based on a variety of information.

The company NDB Inc has created a nano diamond battery that will not need to be charged and will live for at minimum the full life of the products it is placed into. The battery is made by taking radioactive graphite nuclear waste, turning it into a diamond, and then allowing the diamond to create energy as it degrades. The energy is created by the interaction with carbon and the decaying diamond. Skepticism from writers in the tech field has included concerns about the power density of the battery. Skeptics believe that the power density will be lower than the current lithium ion batteries being used. However, amidst all the concerns from skeptics, the company NDB Inc still appears to be optimistic and passionate about bringing this product into fruition once the current pandemic eases up.

This article is about a company named eMenue International that offers a revolutionary way of allowing customers to order their food. Instead of the traditional paper menues, guests would be given iPads where they could view pictures and videos of the food that is available to order. This visual element was added in on the premise that people are more enticed by visual elements rather than descriptions of the meal. This technology was adopted by one of NYC's oldest steakhouses agter 100 years, which bodes very well for the business since checks increas by up to 9% after a couple of months. Some of the most valuable aspects of this new method of ordering is the ability for someone to view menue items in the native tongue, widening the range of customers restaurants can receive, increasing profits. Another thing to note is that this menue allows people to click on a tab that caters to their specific dietary needs. In terms of marketing, this could be great since it also offers the ability to showcase the different amenities in the restaurant whther that means meeting space or event packages.

Hospitality tech company invests millions in new eCommerce technology for luxury hotels. Its main goal will be to help hotels maximize property profitability by creating a kind of Shopify for hotels by gathering the hotels products and services into purchasable inventory for guests.

EHL Insights is a Swiss based company that dove into what leaders in the Swiss hospitality industry believe in regard to disruptive innovations for the global industry. The article interviewed a few different leaders and got their take, like Wilhelm Konrad Weber, who believes that technology is affecting the hospitality industry but also poses a threat because hotel leaders are not necessarily ready to adapt/adopt to ever-changing technology. OTAs were mentioned as an example of the industry falling behind as these websites help eliminate loyalty. Weber also mentioned that innovation in the industry is evolutionary rather than disruptive due to the demands and expectations from investors and analysts. One person, Zia Chisti, is a skeptic when it comes to artificial intelligence and works for a company that utilizes AI. He argues that AI is not disruptive as it has existed for awhile and is a slow and steady process. The argument made by Chisti is that guests expect a service with real people rather than machines. Overall, there will be technological advancements but it will be slow and steady. It's just up to hoteliers on how quickly they want to implement it.