2015 has been another massive year in tech, with NFC technology taking over and changing the way we pay for goods, exchange information and even make a conference call.
Here’s a run down of what other top tech stories caught our attention during the last 12 months…
January – Are mobile phone companies ripping us off?
At the turn of the year we took a look at how mobile phone users could be throwing away billions of pounds each year by paying for calls, texts and mobile data they don’t use, or in extra charges because their mobile tariff doesn’t fit their needs.
February – Are you always turned on?
‘Tech stress’ is a growing problem that can manifest itself in a number of ways, from an inability to switch off from work to compulsively checking your social media accounts. If any of this sounds like you, here are some tips to help you switch off…
March – What is NFC?
As spring sprung, we took a look at the growing popularity of near field communication (NFC) technology, which enables us to make contactless payments and ‘
April – Google goes mobile with Project Fi
Google announced plans to change the way we use and get charged for data when using wireless devices by unveiling Project Fi – a new service that switches between mobile data and Wi-Fi to make data use more efficient and cost effective.
May – How to get a free ConferenceCall.co.uk NFC Wallet Card
In May we became the first conference call provider to offer a handy wallet card complete with NFC technology that meant users could simply tap the Wallet Card with their smartphone to automatically dial into their conference call.
June – Apple Pay to hit the UK
By June, talk of NFC technology was everywhere as Apple announced it was to introduce its Apple Pay service to the UK, meaning users would be able to make payments by waving their iPhone or Apple Watch at contactless payment terminals.
July – What is net neutrality? And will it benefit business users?
As summer hit, news broke that ‘net neutrality’ laws have been scheduled to take effect from 2017, meaning telecom operators will have to treat most internet traffic equally and end data roaming charges.
August – Ashley Madison and the top 5 cyber-attacks of 2015
2015 has been the year of the cyber-attack, as hackers have targeted all kinds of companies, from online dating sites to health insurers to online gaming communities. The Ashely Madison hack was arguably the most notorious, but there were far more besides that one.
September – How to deal with technology addiction
As we reported earlier in the year, tech addiction is a very real and growing problem with many sufferers waking up each morning feeling like they could do with more time in bed, or hitting the wall mid-afternoon as they can’t switch off from work in the evening and feel compelled to check their devices at all hours.
October – 30 years of Microsoft Windows
2015 marked 30 years since the launch of the first Microsoft Windows which revolutionised the PC market – and a lot changed during the intervening years, not least in the tech landscape.
November – Blackberry is back!
Last month saw Blackberry make its long-awaited, and possibly last-ditch, attempt to get back into the mobile market with its Priv smartphone becoming the first Blackberry to use an Android operating system. Will it be a game changer for the ailing giant of business tech?
December – How to disappear completely
Most of us are all too willing to share details of all areas of our lives with online communities, and even away from the trappings of social media, every online purchase adds to our digital footprint. So we took a look at how you can disappear from the online world completely, should you ever want to.
What’s been your biggest tech story of 2015? Let us know in the comments section or via Facebook or Twitter.
