In a day and age of constantly evolving internet technology, it’s our job to keep an ear to the ground at all times, because you just never know when something new might be making noise on the web. One area in particular where you hear constant clamoring is with SEO and Social Media methods, and today we’re looking at 5 of the most important trends impacting businesses.

Traditional mobile calling plans may not be heading the way of the dodo bird quite yet, but there is a viable threat to their existence. The challenge comes from VoIP, and while it’s only in its nascent stages, it is foreshadowing a dark future for Telecoms’ costly monthly plans, sometimes spotty call quality, confusing invoices, and questionable customer service.

Here on earth, clouds are relatively simple phenomena: visible masses of water vapor making their way across the sky. But in the world of IT, “the cloud” is a bit more complex, referring to technology that allows businesses to take a more hands-off approach to managing their IT resources.

Picture yourself receiving a phone call from kidnappers saying that they have snatched your only child while demanding a ridiculous amount of money for their safety. Now imagine a similar scenario, but this attack is geared towards Microsoft Office 365 users, complete with a ransom note and an audio message informing victims that their files have already been encrypted.

If the name wasn’t clear enough, ‘bloatware’ is unnecessary manufacturer software that comes preloaded on new hardware. Just about no one likes it, and now Microsoft is giving us a tool to trim the fat. It may seem like small potatoes to anyone who hasn’t spent an afternoon removing apps one by one, but for the rest of us it’s a welcome blessing.