Hi there,

We’ve been considering a world without Google this week. It’s an interesting concept. For many of us, the company is a key form of external data storage, not to mention communication and access to information, entertainment…

Google’s ubiquitous nature was something many became oh so aware of when hackers left millions around the world unable to access Google services, including Meet, Hangouts, Maps, Docs, Drive, Calendar and YouTube, last December.

But it’s not the threat of hackers we’re thinking about. Instead it’s the growing spat between Google (and other big tech companies) and Australian competition watchdog, the ACCC. Google is threatening to take its toys and go home, on the back of proposals to force Google, and others, to pay local media companies for linking to their content. (Google is now reportedly planning to launch its own Australian News Showcase site, first touted last June, ‘within weeks’)

So what would life without Google look like? And would they really walk away from AU$4.8 billion in revenue?

In other news

A $15m boost for SMBs’ digital skills
Manufacturing a data revolution
Sitecore’s mahoosive funding boot
Gartner, IDC, SAP Concur on IT spend – who, where, and why?
Google pops Loon

And, with this year already seeming to be zooming by (is it really February in a few days?), we take a look at how you can streamline your financial year-end close to provide greater productivity and accuracy for data insights, and less stress – because you know financial year-end is going to be on us in the blink of an eye.

Enjoy the read,

Heather Wright
Editor
editor@istart.co.nz

SOCIAL MEDIA

Imagine life without Google

What’s the real risk of Google pulling out of Australia?…

Things are heating up in the push-back against the dominance of Google and its partner in its global tech-dominance, Facebook.

“It’s about breaking [Google’s] bank account. That’s what this is about.”

[Read more]

DIGITAL TRAINING

Kiwi SMBs get digital boost

Understanding + education + the right tech tools = digital boost…

Public and private sector have come together to help give Kiwi SMBs a digital boost through a new $15 million MBIE programme which is aiming to push 50,000 businesses through digital training.

“When you get the end user, the subject matter experts and the government lined up you can start to create really good change.”

[Read more]

MANUFACTURING

We’re on the verge of a manufacturing data revolution

But many manufacturers are still struggling to capture smart-factory value…

Public and private sector have come together to help give Kiwi SMBs a digital boost through a new $15 million MBIE programme aiming to push 50,000 businesses through training.

“Many companies have become disillusioned because they lack the technological backbone required.”

[Read more]

READERSHIP SURVEY

FUNDING

Sitecore’s US$1.2 billion martech windfall

Large-scale growth plan to capitalise on Covid changes…

Sitecore – and digital experience systems – have received a big tick of approval, gaining what Sitecore claims is the largest ever capital investment in martech: US$1.2 billion in private investment.

“An investment of this magnitude in our industry is unprecedented.”

[Read more]

TECH SPEND

‘Crisis’ mode sparks increased IT spend

Stressed and in crisis mode, companies look to IT and side hustles…

Local businesses are gearing up for increased IT spend this year, as they try to reshape and secure their businesses – which for many SMBs are in ‘crisis’ or ‘survival’ mode.

“The biggest change this year will be how IT is financed, not necessarily how much IT is financed.”

[Read more]

ERP BUYER'S GUIDE

WIRELESS INTERNET

Google’s Loon internet balloon deflates

But race for remote connectivity continues…

Google parent Alphabet’s has stuck a pin in its Loon initiative to take internet services to ‘the last billion’, conceding that the nine-year old project isn’t commercially viable.

The road to commercial viability has proven much longer and riskier than hoped.

[Read more]

FINANCIALS

Whitepaper: Streamline your financial year-end close

Manual processes can lead to error-prone data analysis…

If you’ve ever been in the midst of the festive celebrations and are suddenly hit with dread of an upcoming, cumbersome, financial year-end close, you’re not alone.

This adds up to greater productivity, less stress and more accurate data to drive strategic insights and identify efficiencies.

[Read more]

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