The recent floods in Queensland and Victoria demonstrates to us just how insignificant we are in comparison to mother nature.  On behalf of myself and the I Know IT team we extend our most sincere condolences to those who have been affected by the floods and, particularly those families who have lost loved ones in this dreadful disaster.  Nothing is more precious than human life.

The floods undoubtedly have reminded many of us that protecting our families is so important and that it’s people first.  For those who are safe and are now returning to their business premises will be hoping that their disaster recovery strategies have worked [...]

Our beloved “coathanger” – the Sydney Harbour Bridge was and still is one of the most significant investments ever made in Australia’s infrastructure.  The long awaited and much debated bridge finally opened in 1932 linking the CBD to the North Shore connecting Sydneysiders together.

Since then, the bridge has attracted tourists from all over the world, is used by corporations to generate new business in Australia and continues to bring opportunities to our shores (think: Oprah’s big O which I’ll cover further down in this article).

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Google rePlaces Search Last week Google made a significant change to the way they index websites – so much so that few, if any small businesses won’t be affected by the change.

The introduction of Google Places means Google ‘guesses’ when somebody is searching for a local business and serves up those businesses in their search results. For many who have invested in their search engine optimization strategies (SEM or SEO) this will mean a rethink as millions of businesses scramble around to set up their localisation within Google. For example, in the past a search for Accountants may have served up those websites who had relevant content and those who had invested in Google Ads and search engine marketing – but not necessarily from your local area. With Google Places, the engine will likely guess that you’re looking for a local business and serve up those in closest proximity to your search location (yes, Google can tell which suburb your search originated from).

You can read more on Google’s blog here about the why

Google Cars If that wasn’t enough to keep the world on its toes, did you hear that Google has been secretly driving cars around Los Angeles well.. Without drivers? [...]

In 2001 Australian insurance company HIH folded leaving thousands of customers stranded and wondering what had happened to millions of dollars paid into insurance funds over the years. Families were left without insurance and although customers survived and moved on and took up new insurance, it shattered the perception that insurance companies were solid foundations that people could trust.

Perhaps this is why when I hear some managed IT service providers refer to their IT agreements as IT insurance, I cringe a little.. After all, insurance is a product designed to help you (the customer) after a disaster – insurance is the insurer betting against forces of nature and the likelihood you’ll encounter a crime against you or your property at some stage. Insurers for the most part, doesn’t offer any prevention strategies. [...]