Tag: #Web

Why Real-Time Tracking Capabilities Will Define the Best Web Analytics in 2026

Not too long ago, marketers had to manually go through yesterday’s bulk of data to craft their reports. Reading the audience correctly is an art, and, less than a decade ago, these professionals had to do so with little to no digital support. Today, nearly everything happens in real time, especially analytics, which is why it’s time to look for the best web analytics in 2026. 

Historical information hasn’t lost its importance, but the competitive edge for marketers and companies now lies in the present moment. Here’s how realtime web analytics is set to transform the data analytics services landscape in 2026. 

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The digital world is like clouds in the sky; it’s different every time one looks up. Viral content comes out of the blue, and topics become trendy as quickly as they get forgotten. So, reading the audience in real time using the right web analytics tool has become indispensable. 

Not only is it necessary to adapt to emerging trends, but also to user behavior. Here, choosing the best web analytics for websites in 2026 saves the day once again, providing actionable insights to personalize the user experience on the go. Unsurprisingly, the global web analytics market is skyrocketing, with specialists forecasting a CAGR of up to 19% between 2025 and 2032.

Moreover, it allows companies to identify anomalies as they occur, preventing further damage and maintaining the level of user experience. There are also other advantages, such as fraud detection, improved productivity, and more efficient decision-making. Indeed, modern web analytics software can do much more than tracking clicks and traffic. 

Privacy Matters



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Since the main tasks of most web analytics tools are to save and analyze user information, they have raised legitimate privacy concerns. In many cases, such tools collect users’ data without their consent. However, that’s not the only (or even less so, the best) way of doing business in this field. 

The best tools have a privacy-first approach, collecting much less data than traditional ones. While this approach results in a smaller data volume, that information is by no means less valuable. Marketers can still get actionable insights from this information by using platforms which provide privacy-by-design data collection. Such platforms anonymize and encrypt their data for enhanced protection, without necessarily compromising the depth of analysis.Moreover, they only do so with user consent. It’s not only a matter of doing ethical business. As new privacy laws emerge in major jurisdictions like the European Union, the USA, China, and Brazil, protecting users’ anonymity has become a matter of compliance. It means that tools that somehow breach such standards will likely miss out on tremendous marketing opportunities. 

At the Speed of Now

In 2026, the superiority of web analytics tools will be measured mostly by uncompromised integrity and instantaneous insights. The winners will likely be those capable of doing more with less data. After all, interpreting live trends has become indispensable for online marketing. In other words, the future belongs to those who analyse with speed and conscience. 

 

Esri launches interactive map of festive events in Ireland

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has announced the launch of a digital map of fun-filled events happening around Ireland this festive season.

The interactive, easy-to-use StoryMap will help yuletide revellers to navigate what’s on across the island of Ireland this Christmas. From markets and festivals to light shows and ice-skating, there is something to suit all ages and interests.

The festive map includes a Web App enabling the public to search for events by county and location, to make planning your festive adventures even easier.

Esri Ireland specialises in the application of geographic information systems, helping customers record where things happen and analyse why, with the aim of providing insight and helping them to make better decisions.

As Esri’s official point of presence in Ireland and Northern Ireland it has, since 2002, partnered with both the public and private sector to help them understand the impact of geography on their business.

Recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland, Esri Ireland is part of the Esri Global Network, a billion-dollar privately held software company with nearly 10,000 employees worldwide. www.esri-ireland.ie

Maptive vs ArcGIS: Which is the Most Powerful Mapping Software?

Business mapping software has become essential for organizations that need to visualize data and make location-based decisions. After examining market data and user experiences from 2024 and 2025, Maptive emerges as the winner for businesses seeking powerful mapping solutions. The platform combines enterprise-grade capabilities with immediate accessibility, solving problems that have long plagued the mapping software industry.

The Price Structure Reveals Two Different Philosophies

Maptive charges $1,250 per user annually for its Individual plan and $2,500 per year for its Team plan. These prices remain consistent regardless of which features customers need. Organizations know exactly what they’ll pay from day one, and budgeting becomes straightforward. ArcGIS operates differently, with nine pricing editions ranging from $100 to $3,800. This modular approach often leads to unexpected costs when teams discover they need additional modules and extensions to accomplish basic tasks that come standard with Maptive.

The financial implications extend beyond initial purchases. Companies using ArcGIS frequently report that what initially appeared affordable quickly escalates as they require more functionality. Each additional module represents another line item in the budget, another approval process, and another potential delay in getting teams the tools they need.

Speed to Productivity Separates Leaders from Laggards

Most teams using Maptive start creating maps within 30 minutes. Users build functional dashboards on their first day because the software runs entirely in browsers without requiring installation. This contrasts sharply with ArcGIS, where new users typically need several weeks to become proficient, particularly when working with advanced analytics, scripts, or plugins.

The productivity gap widens when considering organizational impact. While Maptive users generate insights and make data-driven decisions within hours of account activation, ArcGIS users continue studying training materials and wrestling with complex installations weeks later. Sales teams lose opportunities, logistics managers delay route optimizations, and executives wait for reports that could have been generated immediately with more accessible software.

Performance Benchmarks Show Measurable Advantages

Maptive allows unlimited data uploads without lag, handling over 20,000 data points per map in real-time. This performance measures three to five times faster than ArcGIS and Mapline when loading complex layers or large CSV files. Sales teams update territory maps during client calls, logistics managers adjust delivery routes as conditions change, and executives explore data without system delays.

ArcGIS occasionally slows down or crashes with large datasets, especially on non-enterprise hardware. Users report that ArcGIS needs considerable memory and storage space to function properly. Organizations without modern computers encounter uncomfortable performance issues that interrupt workflow and delay decision-making. These technical limitations force companies to invest in hardware upgrades or accept reduced productivity.

Feature Accessibility Changes How Organizations Work

Maptive users generate heat maps with one click on all subscription plans. ArcGIS requires setup and often needs scripting for heat map creation. Territory management shows similar disparities. Maptive provides both automatic and manual territory creation tools as standard features. ArcGIS requires manual setup or additional plugins for territory management, adding complexity and cost to what should be straightforward tasks.

The 2024 launch of Maptive IQ added enhanced drive-time polygons that calculate more accurate travel times. The platform includes demographic insight tools supporting predictive business analytics and territory scoring. CRM integrations rolled out in Q3 2025 connect seamlessly with Salesforce, Hubspot, and other business systems. Territory management improvements allow real-time updates, drag-and-drop resizing, merged data analytics, and color-coding by performance.

Real Users Describe Transformative Results

One Maptive user reported taking thousands of cells of data and compiling them into maps showing electric vehicle distributions by zip code and Tesla Supercharging Stations. Heat maps created density visualizations that made the research project more manageable to read from an outsider’s perspective. The data presentation enabled everyone to understand complex patterns without specialized training.

Another customer emphasized accessibility: “Maptive doesn’t require coding knowledge or any dev work.” This democratization of mapping capabilities enables entire organizations to leverage location intelligence without specialized training. Marketing teams analyze customer demographics, sales representatives optimize territories, and executives visualize market opportunities using the same intuitive interface.

Support Quality Determines Long-Term Success

Maptive takes customer support seriously and maintains high levels of customer satisfaction across the industry. The company offers live phone, email, and chat support to paying and free users alike. Multiple reviews highlight experiences where support staff exceeded expectations. One customer described how a representative reopened a closed chat session to provide additional workarounds that solved their specific challenge.

This white-glove service standard applies across all pricing tiers. Small businesses receive the same exceptional support as enterprise clients. The support team understands that mapping problems often require immediate solutions, and they respond accordingly. This contrasts with many enterprise software providers that segment support quality based on account value.

Financial Growth Validates Market Position

Maptive’s revenue reached $2.6M in 2024, up from $597.9K in 2023. The company previously reported $287.8K in 2022 and $239.8K in 2021. Since launching in 2010, Maptive has shown consistent revenue growth without external funding. This organic expansion demonstrates genuine market demand rather than artificial inflation through venture capital.

The growth trajectory aligns with market trends. Cloud solutions account for 72.60% of 2024 revenue and grow at 19.10% CAGR. Organizations favor platforms that deploy quickly and update automatically. Maptive’s browser-based architecture matches these preferences perfectly, while ArcGIS continues relying heavily on desktop installations requiring IT resources.

Common ArcGIS Frustrations Drive Users to Alternatives

ESRI ArcGIS’s downside lies in its steep learning curve, which demands large time investments. The cost poses additional problems, especially compared to lower-cost alternatives solving common mapping problems with web-based maps. Smaller organizations find ArcGIS prohibitively expensive, particularly individuals, small businesses, and organizations with limited budgets.

Users report that ArcGIS pricing lacks transparency. They dislike separate fees for each tool and extension. The software’s technical requirements create additional barriers. Organizations must maintain modern computers with substantial memory and storage to avoid performance problems. These combined frustrations push businesses toward more accessible alternatives.

Enterprise Adoption Confirms Professional Readiness

Fortune 500 companies use Maptive daily for sales planning, territory setup, asset management, healthcare data display, and other data-heavy tasks. These sophisticated organizations choose Maptive over more complex alternatives because it handles enterprise-scale problems while maintaining ease of use.

Sales teams particularly value Maptive’s built-in route optimization, ability to add and share customer insights and leads, and robust filtration tools. The “average sale” filter enables teams to target high-value leads efficiently. These capabilities directly impact revenue generation, making them essential for competitive businesses.

Integration Capabilities Extend Platform Value

Maptive supports CSV, Excel, and Google Sheets formats, ensuring organizations leverage existing data without complex migrations. The platform handles up to 100,000 locations per map, allowing businesses to scale without switching platforms. This capacity eliminates disruption and retraining costs associated with platform migrations.

Real estate agents map properties, visualize market data, and analyze neighborhood demographics. Healthcare providers analyze patient data, visualize healthcare resources, and track healthcare trends across territories. Sales and marketing teams identify potential target markets, analyze customer demographics, and optimize sales territories. This versatility means organizations deploy Maptive across multiple departments without specialized training for each use case.

Technology Architecture Matters for Future Success

Maptive operates as cloud-based and web-based software. Users access the platform from any device including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. No downloads complicate deployment. Teams always have the latest features without managing software updates or compatibility issues.

This architecture ensures consistent experiences across devices and locations. Remote teams collaborate on the same maps simultaneously. Field representatives update data from client sites. Executives review dashboards from any location. ArcGIS’s desktop-centric approach creates friction for business users who need quick answers rather than cartographic perfection.

Customer Success Stories Provide Concrete Evidence

One user evaluated several tools before selecting Maptive and confirmed making the right choice. Their clients appreciate visualizing data when constructing sales territories. They find the product user-friendly and robust. Another customer reported that Maptive made organizing company territories easy. The program removed guesswork, making time more effective and efficient.

These testimonials represent patterns across industries. Users consistently praise Maptive’s ability to transform raw data into actionable insights quickly. They value the platform’s intuitive interface that requires minimal training. Most importantly, they report measurable business improvements after implementing Maptive.

The Verdict Based on Evidence

The data from 2024 and 2025 demonstrates that Maptive delivers superior value for organizations needing strong mapping tools without lengthy onboarding. The platform combines a low barrier to entry with a full feature set and white-glove service at all price levels. This combination creates compelling advantages that ArcGIS cannot match for most business users.

Maptive has revolutionized how businesses leverage location intelligence through transparent pricing, immediate productivity, superior performance, comprehensive features, and exceptional support. Fortune 500 adoption and enthusiastic user testimonials confirm what performance metrics show. For businesses that need results rather than complexity, Maptive represents the evolution of mapping software in 2025 and beyond.

NBA AND AWS ANNOUNCE NEW MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a multi-year partnership to power the league’s next generation of innovation as AWS will become the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League and NBA Take-Two Media.

As part of the partnership, the NBA and AWS will launch NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, a new basketball intelligence platform that will turn billions of data points into compelling insights and interactive experiences, reimagining how fans engage with the game of basketball worldwide.

Built on AWS’s industry-leading AI infrastructure, the platform will introduce a suite of features that enhance live broadcasts and elevate fan experiences across the NBA App, NBA.com, and the league’s social channels.

“Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years to come,” said NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Media Operations and Technology Ken DeGennaro. “AWS has a proven track record of delivering unique statistical insights and offering transformative experiences that will resonate with NBA fans around the world.”

“At AWS, we’re excited by the NBA’s vision to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports,” said Francessca Vasquez, Vice President of Professional Services & Agentic AI at AWS. “This partnership will showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball – from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love. Together, we’re delivering technology that not only enhances live broadcasts and digital platforms, but also transforms how players, coaches, and fans understand basketball.”

AI-Powered Advanced Stats

The NBA will leverage AWS’s AI capabilities to provide fans with live stats and comprehensive analytics during games. This new advanced statistics platform processes the NBA’s player tracking data, which analyzes the movements of 29 data points per player using machine learning and AI to contextualize in-game developments and generate real-time insights. Fans can deepen their understanding of the game by accessing new statistics via the NBA App, NBA.com and during live NBA games, including during NBA on Prime broadcasts.

Throughout the 2025-26 season, the NBA and AWS will introduce new AI-powered stats that capture aspects of basketball performance that have not been measured previously, starting with:

 

  • Defensive Box Score: Reimagining Basketball’s Fundamental Metric
    Defensive Box Score quantifies individual defensive contributions that traditional statistics cannot measure. AI algorithms detect which defender is responsible for each offensive player in real-time. Once the primary defender is determined, the traditional box score can now be enhanced by identifying the defender at the time each stat was recorded. Additional new metrics like ball pressure, double teams and defensive switches can now be viewed and tallied as well.
  • Shot Difficulty: The Science of Shooting

Shot Difficulty transcends traditional make-or-miss statistics to evaluate every aspect of each shot attempt. The difficulty of attempted shots will be quantified with new stats such as Expected Field Goal % which takes into account various factors such as the shooter’s orientation and setup, defensive contest details related to pressure, interference, and each player’s positioning on the court. This new statistic gives fans a deeper appreciation for the skill and strategy behind every scoring attempt.

  • Gravity: Quantifying the Invisible Impact
    Gravity showcases what coaches and analysts have observed for years – how certain players create advantages for teammates simply by being on the court, even without touching the ball. This new stat measures the level of attention a player receives from the defense, including how closely they’re guarded with or without the ball, to quantify the amount of space they create for their teammates. This revolutionary system processes optical tracking data 60 times per second, using custom neural networks to analyze how defenders react to specific players, while factoring in real-time game context and historical data.

Transforming Basketball Intelligence

NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS will also feature a first-of-its-kind technology called “Play Finder,” which uses AI to analyze and understand player movements across thousands of games.  Utilizing AWS services such as Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker, the feature will enable instant search and retrieval of similar plays, laying the foundation for future generative AI integrations built on player tracking data.  Play Finder will help fans and broadcasters learn common offensive strategies and explore deeper insights by combining play results with advanced analytics.

A real-time alert system within Play Finder will enable commentators to instantly provide historical context and strategic insights, making every live game more engaging, educational, and insightful for viewers.  NBA teams will have direct access to the ML models powering Play Finder to improve their front office and coaching workflows.

Future iterations of Play Finder will allow fans to explore basketball strategy with unprecedented depth on the NBA App.

Global Fan Engagement

The NBA App, NBA.com and NBA League Pass, delivering year-round NBA coverage and programming to fans around the world, will run on AWS. Through this partnership with AWS, the NBA will accelerate basketball’s growth worldwide by offering fans new and unique opportunities to understand team strategy and the concepts that lead to execution on the court. Additionally, the NBA and AWS will deliver in-language content and personalized experiences to fans across platforms.

The NBA’s partnership with AWS broadens its strategic relationship with Amazon. This season marks the start of Prime Video’s landmark 11-year media rights agreement with 67 regular-season NBA matchups streaming on Prime Video globally, and a suite of new interactive features set to debut.  The first night of the NBA on Prime will feature a doubleheader on Friday, Oct. 24 during the first week of the season, with the Celtics visiting the Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Lakers hosting the Timberwolves (10 p.m. ET) in two rematches from the NBA Playoffs 2025.

Custom Application Development Company — How to Choose the Right Partner & Maximize ROI

If your business needs software that fits exact workflows and scales with growth, hiring a reliable custom application development company is critical. Off‑the‑shelf solutions may work for many tasks, but when you require unique integrations, industry compliance, advanced security or AI‑driven features — bespoke software delivered by an experienced team becomes a business advantage.

Why choose custom application development? Custom application development provides a tailored solution that aligns with your specific processes and objectives. Compared to off‑the‑shelf software, a custom solution offers:

  • Full alignment with business workflows and unique user journeys.
  • Seamless integrations with ERP, CRM, payment gateways and third‑party APIs.
  • Better scalability and long‑term total cost of ownership.
  • Stronger security and compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, industry standards).
  • Competitive advantages through unique features and functionality.

Key services offered by a custom application development company:

  • Custom software development (web & mobile)
  • Custom ERP development and integrations
  • Fintech & payment solutions development
  • Healthcare software with compliance (HIPAA, data protection)
  • IoT / IIoT solutions and device connectivity
  • AI / ML integration and data engineering
  • MVP development & rapid prototyping
  • Legacy modernization and platform re‑engineering
  • QA, automated testing and performance optimization
  • DevOps, cloud migration and managed hosting
  • Staff augmentation and dedicated development teams

How to evaluate prospective vendors: 8 practical criteria

  1. Relevant industry experience
    Look for case studies in your industry: fintech software company experience for payment platforms, healthcare app experience for EHR integration, logistics experience for WMS or tracking systems.
  2. Technical stack and expertise
    Ensure the vendor works with technologies you need (backend: Node.js, Java, .NET; frontend: React, Angular, Vue; mobile: Swift, Kotlin, React Native; cloud: AWS, GCP, Azure). Also check experience with microservices, containerization and CI/CD pipelines.
  3. Portfolio and measurable outcomes
    Ask for metrics: conversion lift, process time reduction, cost savings, uptime improvements. Real numbers prove competence.
  4. Development process and communication
    Prefer partners with clear processes: Discovery → Architecture → MVP → Iterative development → QA → Deployment → Support. Regular sprint demos and transparent reporting matter.
  5. Security, compliance and QA
    Confirm the team follows secure coding practices, threat modeling, penetration testing, and compliance measures (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2 when needed).
  6. Pricing models and engagement types
    Assess fixed‑price vs time‑&‑material vs dedicated teams. For uncertain scope, a Discovery + MVP approach reduces risk.
  7. Team composition and culture fit
    Meet the engineers and product owners who will work on your project. Team stability and domain knowledge help reduce ramp‑up time.
  8. Support and SLAs
    Make sure there are clear SLAs, incident response times and maintenance plans.

Common project types and typical timelines

  • MVP for startups: 6–12 weeks (basic features, core UX & API integrations)
  • Medium enterprise app: 3–6 months (multi‑module system, integrations)
  • Large enterprise solution / ERP: 6–18 months (architecture, compliance, migration)

Estimating cost: realistic ranges

  • Small web app / MVP: 10k–10k–50k
  • Mid‑sized business application: 50k–50k–200k
  • Enterprise / custom ERP with integrations: $200k+

(Actual costs depend on feature complexity, integrations, compliance needs and geographic makeup of the team.)

How to structure a low‑risk engagement\

  1. Start with Discovery & Technical Audit — clarify scope and constraints.
  2. Build an MVP — test assumptions, show value and collect user feedback.
  3. Move to phased delivery — deliver in increments with measurable KPIs.
  4. Scale via dedicated teams — staff augmentation or a long‑term managed team.
  • Custom software development (web & mobile)
  • Custom ERP development and integrations
  • Fintech & payment solutions development
  • Healthcare software with compliance (HIPAA, data protection)
  • IoT / IIoT solutions and device connectivity
  • AI / ML integration and data engineering
  • MVP development & rapid prototyping
  • Legacy modernization and platform re‑engineering
  • QA, automated testing and performance optimization
  • DevOps, cloud migration and managed hosting
  • Staff augmentation and dedicated development teams

When to consider staff augmentation or a dedicated team Staff augmentation makes sense when:

  • You already have product management and need extra engineers.
  • You need to scale fast for short‑term sprints or specialized skills (ML, IoT).
  • You want lower overhead and flexible headcount vs hiring full employees.

Dedicated teams are better for:

  • Long‑term product ownership and evolution.
  • Projects requiring continuity and deep product knowledge.

Local vs offshore vendors — how to choose

  • Local vendors offer easier overlap hours, face‑to‑face meetings and often better domain knowledge for local markets (e.g., London, Dubai).
  • Offshore vendors can provide cost efficiency and access to a vide pool of tools 

AWS debuts 2 AI certifications to give you an edge in pursuing in-demand cloud jobs

Amazon Web Services (AWS) today announced the launch of two AWS Certifications focused on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and generative AI, as well as a collection of free and low-cost training to help people prepare for certification exams. With industry-recognized credentials, professionals looking to build careers in AI can be better positioned to compete for in-demand jobs in the booming cloud technology space.

AWS Certified AI Practitioner is a foundational-level certification. It is designed for people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences to showcase their understanding of AI and generative AI concepts, their ability to recognize opportunities that benefit from AI, and their knowledge on using AI tools responsibly.

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate is designed for individuals with at least one year of experience building, deploying, and maintaining AI and ML solutions on AWS. It is beneficial for people who want to demonstrate their ability to make AI models available for real-time usage.

AI will transform the way people work across multiple roles. According to a study commissioned by AWS, organizations are willing to pay a premium for professionals with AI skills. This includes salaries that are up to 47% higher for IT workers, 43% higher for those in sales and marketing, and 42% higher for those in finance, among other fields.

Whether you’re a student beginning to explore a career in AI, a professional in a business role with a solid grasp of AI concepts, or an ML specialist operationalizing AI models, AWS’s new certifications can help you prove that you’re well positioned to innovate in your field.

AWS Certified AI Practitioner: Showcase your understanding of AI/ML concepts and AI technologies
Organizations recognize that taking advantage of AI and generative AI will require a broader skill set beyond programming. This includes professionals in marketing, sales, project and product management, HR, finance, accounting, and beyond. By earning this certification, non-IT professionals can feel greater confidence when identifying opportunities that are well-suited to AI, or when collaborating with technical teams. IT professionals with limited exposure to AI/ML and generative AI can make informed decisions while leveraging their core skills when building or managing AI solutions.

According to an AWS Partner: “We are seeing a lack of expertise to help deploy, maintain, monitor models. An AWS certification that covers these skills would carry value to me as a hiring manager, and I would make this a requirement for my team.”

AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate: Demonstrate your skills with scaling, deploying, and maintaining AI models
Scaling AI models for real-time usage allows businesses to serve more users or achieve accurate results. This requires proficiency in ML engineering that covers aspects like optimizing model performance, managing computational resources efficiently, updating model versions seamlessly, and securing an AI solution. This certification validates an individual’s skills in developing, deploying, maintaining, and monitoring AI, ML, and generative AI solutions. These are essential skills to influence business objectives like serving millions of users daily, reducing costs of building AI models, faster response time, and rapid model training.

On August 13, you can register for the beta exams of AWS Certified AI Practitioner and AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate.

Free and low-cost training programs to prepare for certifications

In line with Amazon’s “AI Ready” initiative to provide free AI skills training to 2 million people globally by 2025, you can get started learning and preparing to earn an AWS Certification now with new digital training available on AWS Skill Builder, our digital learning center.

For training resources for AWS Certified AI Practitioner, you can take advantage of eight free courses, including Fundamentals of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Exploring Artificial Intelligence Use Cases and Application, and Essentials of Prompt Engineering. You will learn about real-world use cases for AI, ML, and generative AI; how to select a foundation model (FM); concepts and techniques involved in crafting effective prompts; and more.

Meanwhile, for training resources for AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer – Associate, register for an AWS Skill Builder subscription to check out three new courses wherein you can learn about concepts including data transformation and techniques, feature engineering, and strategies for bias mitigation and data security. More courses will become available throughout the summer.

 Click here for more information on the new certifications, and to enroll in an exam prep plan. Together with the AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate and AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty certifications, AWS now offers multiple options for individuals to showcase some of today’s most in-demand skills.

AWS offers more than 100 AI, ML, and generative AI courses and learning resources on AWS Skill Builder and AWS Educate to help you prepare for the future of work.

GAME Spreads the Cheer this Christmas, Offering Festive Fun and Prizes with Free Web Browser Game Christmas Quest!

GAME the UK’s largest entertainment retailer, announced today a slice of festive fun for all gamers, with Christmas Quest, a free to play web game that’s guaranteed to spread Holiday cheer, and bag some lucky gamers a Santa’s sack full of GAME Reward points!

From December 1st, through to December 24th, gamers can head to christmasquest.co.uk, where they will need to practise a little Elf care as they work to help Santa’s helper navigate an isometric world full of enchantment, snow, and an overload of festive cheer!
Reindeers, polar bears, and beavers (Christmas beavers mind) will stand before you, as you work against the clock to collect as many gifts as you can, avoiding the holes in the ice and the penguins (Christmas penguins mind), racking up those points in the hope of making your way onto the daily leader board. Secure 500 points or more to be submitted to the leader board, or even set up your own leader board to challenge your friends and family! Each day, the leader board will refresh, Santa checks who’s naughty or nice, and the top ten winners will each be awarded with £10 in GAME Reward points! It’s the gift that keeps on giving, as you battle to see how many times you can make it into the top ten.
If you’re not already a GAME Reward customer, then it’s easy to sign up for free at: https://www.game.co.uk/reward/ so, don’t wait for Santa to dole out the gifts, get yourself in the Christmas spirit and start playing from December 1st!
Commenting on Christmas Quest, Nick Arran, Managing Director for GAME said, “Not content with offering some of the best gaming, toy and collectible exclusives this Holiday season, we’re beside oursElves with joy by offering a fun, festive, freebie and one which can earn gamers an early present in the run up to the big day! Christmas Quest is designed to put a smile on your face and maybe even GAME Reward points in your account, so we look forward to seeing some serious high scores in the month ahead,”
Play Christmas Quest for free at: www.christmasquest.co.uk

Dropbox Announces Web Redesign, Dropbox Studio & New Workflow Plans

Dropbox has announced a redesigned web experience, an all-in-one video tool Dropbox Studio, and three new workflow plans, along with the first investment partners of Dropbox Ventures.

A redesigned web experience to support all types of content and workflows

Dropbox is introducing a redesigned web experience to support the way its customers are working today and ensure the experience is easier than ever for customers to get work done — without ever leaving Dropbox.
The new redesign offers a cleaner experience for customers to organize their content, collaborate with team members, and seamlessly complete their most critical tasks with features like:
  • An updated left navigation streamlines the features customers need and includes an expandable folder tree to help them go directly to the content they need
  • A new action bar sits across the browser page to let customers quickly record their screen, edit PDFs, upload files, create folders, get signatures, or send and track documents
  • Redesigned file previews offer dynamic content previews, making it easier to edit images, videos, and PDFs
The new experience is available to select customers starting today and will roll out to existing customers in the coming weeks and months. To learn more, visit http://www.dropbox.com/product-updates.

Own the video process from start to finish with Dropbox Studio

Over the last few years, video has emerged as one of the fastest-growing content types on Dropbox’s platform with over 1.5 billion videos uploaded to Dropbox every year. To address the growing demand, Dropbox introduced new tools like Dropbox Capture and Dropbox Replay to make it easier to record, edit, and get feedback on videos. But customers need more—a single place where they can take videos from start to finish. That’s why the company is introducing Dropbox Studio, a video collaboration tool that lets you seamlessly create, edit, review, approve, and publish high-quality videos.
Dropbox Studio supports the entire video process with:
  • A centralized page for users to conveniently access and kick off video projects
  • Editing capabilities like trimming and splitting content or removing filler words like “um” and “ah” with one click
  • AI-powered features that let customers edit videos by modifying their transcript
  • A feature to easily remove filler words like “um” and “ah” with just one click
  • Time-stamped comments to make it simpler to resolve feedback in one place
  • A way to post videos directly to Facebook or Instagram
Dropbox Studio will be available in the coming weeks to select customers in alpha in English. To learn more and join the waitlist, visit https://experience.dropbox.com/form/studio.

Introducing Dropbox Essentials, Business, and Business Plus

Dropbox is also launching new one-stop-shop subscription plans with all the tools customers need to find and use their content from a single place, so customers can focus on building and growing their business.
  • Dropbox Essentials helps self-employed professionals save time, collaborate seamlessly, and build a business. It works with existing tools, so they can manage content from one place, whether they’re editing PDFs, collecting eSignatures, or tracking analytics on shared documents.
    • Dropbox Essentials plan is €22/month (inc. tax) per user for monthly subscribers; €18/month (inc. tax) per user for annual subscribers
  • Dropbox Business is built for teams and includes everything in the Essentials plan along with branded signature requests, pooled storage among team members, external sharing controls and reporting, and an admin console to manage teams. Soon, teams will also have access to share and track team content features and aggregated visitor analytics.**
    • Dropbox Business plan is €20/month per user for monthly subscribers; €16/month per user for annual subscribers
  • Dropbox Business Plus is for larger teams looking for more storage, easier ways to collaborate remotely, and enhanced security features. In addition to what’s included in the Business plan, Business Plus offers the ability to transfer up to 250GB, one year of version history and recovery, added security and notification features, and more.
    • Dropbox Business Plus is €24/month per user for monthly subscribers; €20/month per user for annual subscribers
  • **The products or features described above may not be released yet. The decision to purchase our services should be made based on features that are currently available.
The Dropbox plans are available to new customers starting today. Customers on existing plans will automatically get the new experience in the coming weeks and months at the same price. To learn more, visit https://www.dropbox.com/overview.

Dropbox Ventures makes investments in Aug X Labs and LlamaIndex

Dropbox is also announcing Aug X Labs and LlamaIndex as the first partners of Dropbox Ventures, a $50 million initiative to invest in startups that are building the next generation of AI-powered apps and tools. With Aug X Labs’ video creation tool and LlamaIndex’s data framework, Dropbox is supporting startups that are shaping the modern work experience through the power of AI.
No matter what tools or content customers work with, Dropbox is powering the modern work experience to help people do their best work. To learn more, visit https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/company/updated-tools-new-plans-and-web-redesign.

Dropbox is also announcing enhancements to its category of AI-powered products, with updates to Dropbox Dash and Dropbox AI. These updates are currently not available in Ireland, but will be coming soon to all users.

Over the last few years, knowledge work has radically transformed, and the pandemic lockdown ushered in a new era of hybrid, distributed, and remote work. While there were clear benefits, like flexibility and more control over when and how to work, this shift also came with challenges as digital environments became more chaotic, and information overload and context switching consumed our time. As a result, knowledge workers struggle to find focus and be productive. Dropbox aims to address these challenges, and design distributed work 2.0.
“Our digital environments were never designed to be our primary work spaces. People are experiencing information overload and disjointed workflows at unprecedented levels, leading to a waste of brain power on ‘work about work.’ AI has the potential to help people thrive by automating routine tasks, increasing productivity, and freeing up mental space so people can get back to doing the work that matters most,” said Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox. “We combined the best of remote and in-person work with our Virtual First model and transformed Dropbox into a lab for distributed work 2.0 to design the tools to power this new era. The updates we’re launching today are just the first step on this journey.”

Search across tools, apps, and content with AI-powered Dropbox Dash

Dropbox Dash is now available to download in open beta and includes enhancements that improve search functionality and help customers get answers. Dash is AI-powered universal search that connects to people’s apps, tools and content in a single search bar to help them find their content. It also features Stacks, smart collections for links that offer a quick way to save, organize, and retrieve URLs, and a start page to access universal search, view Stacks, get shortcuts to recent work, and start meetings, making it easier for customers to navigate the work day.
Now that work spans hundreds of tabs and apps between the desktop and browser, it is painstaking for people to find what they need. Dropbox introduced Dash to solve this problem and help people spend more time on important work.
After iterating on feedback from customers over the past few months, Dash now supports search by keywords—so customers don’t have to remember long titles—and semantic search, which provides more contextually relevant search results. Customers can also ask Dash a question and it will use generative AI to gather and summarize relevant info from connected apps, files, and content to get people answers, fast.
Dash is currently available in English only. To learn more about the product and global availability, visit https://www.dropbox.com/dash.

Dropbox AI offers summaries and answers from content across entire accounts

Dropbox AI initially launched in June with file previews to help customers summarize and get answers on large pieces of content, like long videos and audio files, contracts, and white papers. Now, customers can ask questions and summarize content across their entire Dropbox account. Simply ask a question in the Dropbox search bar, and in seconds, Dropbox AI will sift through content to pull up answers and relevant files, along with a brief summary of each file, so people can find what they need faster.
Additionally, Dropbox AI can use natural language to understand prompts like “show me photos from my photoshoot yesterday.” Customers can also now manage what AI features are enabled in account settings, giving them more control over their use of AI in Dropbox.
Dropbox AI is currently in alpha and is expanding to more customers today, with broader availability coming soon. To learn more, visit https://www.dropbox.com/early-access.

Key Web Scraping Service Use Cases in Business

VMR claims the global web scraping software sector is growing by over 14% annually today. Analysts explain such an active development because data extraction apps deliver plenty of advantages to their users. This is particularly fair for business owners. That’s because web scraping service use allows for saving time and effort. Also, such bots enable you to reduce your corporate expenses. Finally, data collection apps may essentially increase one’s company’s productivity. But now, let’s clarify what kinds of businesses employ the described software the most.

What Types of Industries Do Actively Use Web Scraping Services?

Primarily, sales enterprises should be noted. Such firms employ data extraction applications to achieve the following purposes:

  • searching for new clients;
  • looking for the best suppliers;
  • seeking new items to add to their ranges;
  • tracking ongoing customer preferences.

Additionally, sales companies look for detailed descriptions of innovative products using web scraping bots. This helps decide if a certain new item is attractive to one’s targeted audience.

Web Scraping Service Use in the Insurance Industry

Here, experts note the subsequent use cases for data extraction apps:

  1. Tracking the most significant social, criminal, and healthcare problems in particular areas. This assists in coming up with more relevant offers for clients from certain regions.
  2. Monitoring the financial capabilities of people and the cost of living in specific areas. Such an approach helps assign reasonable prices for insurance services.
  3. Looking for places to launch new company branches. Web scraping software allows for detecting all the competitors in certain regions, the types of policies offered by the rivals, the average price for insurance services, etc. This enables insurers to evaluate their firms’ prospects in particular areas.

Typically, insurance companies are forced to collect information from public registers, open government databases, and so on. Such activities may not be allowed in specific areas. So, it’s better to consult with skilled specialists (e.g., from Nannostomus) before extracting data from the mentioned online platforms.

Tourist Sector Also Uses Info Mining Applications Actively

Travel enterprises usually have to process loads of information to offer their clients exciting yet safe trips at favorable prices. That’s why they employ web scraping software to simplify their work. For example, tourist firms perform the following operations using the mentioned apps:

  1. Searching for hotel pricing and reviews. This allows you to provide your clients with inexpensive yet good living conditions as part of their tourist trips.
  2. Checking the current level of security in particular countries. Using web scraping applications, you may get the latest detailed info on crimes, natural disasters, etc., in certain states from reliable sources.
  3. Seeking information about foreign cultures. Occasionally, one’s safety depends on their knowledge of the traditions of the countries they’re resting in. By employing data collection software, you may quickly view the critical cultural features of specific states and notify your clients about such peculiarities.

Lastly, one can find new exotic tourist destinations by collecting online data.

Companies of What Size Are Better to Use Web Scraping Services?

That doesn’t matter because data extraction apps suit any size firm. For instance, the described applications help startups significantly reduce the probability of being crushed soon. They also assist small companies in developing faster.

Middle-sized firms may better deal with constantly increasing analytical loads by collecting data. Finally, large enterprises can use web scraping bots to improve their international promotional campaigns. You may find more info on this theme in topical blogs (e.g., at nannostomus.com).