Secure Websites Prioritised By Google

In 2011 the search engine giant moved its own Gmail service to a secure HTTPS connection by default.

Three years later and Google has just announced that from now on it will give preferential treatment to other pages that use HTTPS. Google decided to use this as a ranking signal after seeing positive effects during a recent testing phase.

HTTPS encryption makes websites harder to hack by scrambling data between the website servers and the user's device. You'll likely have noticed a little padlock icon that appears on some websites, this signifies a secure connection. The system is already used by many websites, and following this announcement we are certain to see their numbers increase.

Encryption is essential and makes total sense for many applications such as shopping and email, but what impact will this change have on other websites? Some web masters are concerned that this will mean they are forced to spend additional time and money in order to compete.

Jason Hart from SafeNet said "Previously organisations have shied away from encryption due to fears of slowing website response times, but there are now high speed encryption technologies available that mean cost and speed need no longer be an issue. So there really is no excuse for any data to be transmitted or stored in plain text."

"Every company wants to rank favourable on Google, so it's in their best interests to ensure web pages are encrypted."

Putting some minds at rest, Google has stated that (at least for now) HTTPS encryption will not play a crucial role in how websites are ranked. Google's algorithm currently looks at more than 200 signals to rank websites, these are constantly reviewed and revised in the search engine's quest for the perfect ranking system.

"For now it's only a very lightweight signal - affecting fewer than 1% of global queries, and carrying less weight than other signals such as high quality content - while we give web masters time to switch to HTTPS" Google's Zineb Ait Bahajji and Gary Illyes said in a Google blog post.

"But over time, we may decide to strengthen it, because we'd like to encourage all website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep everyone on the web safe."

From a user perspective, more encryption is welcomed, thanks partly to the revelations of Edward Snowden and the growing rate of cyber crime in general.

Sanctioned Mindfulness In The Workplace

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, 
live in the moment, live in the breath.” 

Attaining nirvana and exceeding in the world of business might not seem like they go hand in hand, but that is precisely the message your employer may be pushing.

Over the last twenty years we have seen a huge rise in the popularity of traditional eastern practices in the west. Meditation and yoga are now firmly part of the modern lexicon and inevitably businesses have been quick to capitalise on this burgeoning market. Initially, creating products to cater to adherents, and more recently applying it internally, as a way of boosting productivity amongst employees.

So, what is mindfulness? It is quite simply, the state of being 'mindful'. Being fully aware of the moment, living in the moment, and accepting one's feelings and emotions without judgement or resistance. Now, you may be thinking that sounds like some wishy-washy new age gobbledygook, but there are numerous studies showing the benefits of both meditation and yoga.

Meditation has been shown (even in small amounts) to improve focus, reduce anxiety, improve memory, promote creativity and feelings of compassion. These effects aren't short lived either, persisting long after a meditation session. Yoga has similar advantages, also benefiting the immune system, improving quality of sleep and several other health benefits.

A whole host of companies have attempted to leverage these ancient practices. New Balance, Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Unilver have all encouraged employees to roll out the yoga mats and adopt the lotus position. Increasing numbers of business leaders are proponents of meditation and its numerous benefits, too.

The pertinent question here is, does practising mindfulness benefit your work? I think it's safe to say the answer is 'Yes.' In fact, it's hard to think of any downsides to either meditation or yoga. The science speaks for itself.

That is all well and good, but something seems fundamentally disingenuous, sinister even about being prescribed meditation by your employer. It just doesn't sit right in the corporate setting. Teachings of acceptance and placidity translate to not questioning your position or surroundings, not to ask too many questions, not to think too much about the future, or the past, but to simply get on with your work in an efficient manner.

Maybe I'm being cynical, maybe your employer really does have you best interests at heart, but is it really their place to be offering such advice? Practising meditation and yoga and being more mindful are things all of us could benefit from, but it really needs to be discovered and explored on your own terms, and you need to be open to the idea.

Let us also consider that the root cause of your anxieties and stress is likely your job, and it becomes even more perverse that your employer should be suggesting remedies to these symptoms. Rather than offer spiritual guidance under the guise of self improvement, it is more fitting for employers to address the environmental conditions that contribute to these negative feelings in the first place.

The Race For Ultra Fast Broadband

A revolution is quietly taking place in Austin, Texas. The city is the latest to be selected by Google for the launch of its new high speed internet service. Previously launched in Kansas City and Provo, Utah, it has proven popular amongst those living in areas lucky enough to have been chosen.

After much media digging through planning aplpications, it has been discovered by local media that Google has a further 34 American cities targeted for expansion of the scheme including Atlanta, Nashville, Portland, Phoenix, San Jose and Salt Lake City.

What's all the fuss about? Quite simply, speed. Lots of it. Customers can expect to see 1 gigabit per second, that's around 100 times faster than most conventional broadband services in the UK. A secondary appeal is the chance to escape the effective monopolies that cable companies currently have over broadband connections in much of the US. The service is awful and the speeds leave much to be desired.

The broadband infrastructure of the UK is thankfully quite different, and most would agree better than that of the US. IS it possible a similar thing could happen here though? The answer is apparently 'yes'.

Earlier in the year it was announced by TalkTalk Telecom and BskyB that they were joining forces to plan something similar, connecting 20,000 homes and businesses in Yorkshire with a 1 gigabyte service as early as 2015.

In light of the plans, Ofcom has proposed new rules that would ensure BT promotes competition in Britain's superfast broadband market. Specifically, BT would see regulations placed on its own retail prices as well as its wholesale prices to other operators.

This means good news for consumers who will enjoy a more competitive market, and thus cheaper prices, as well as faster broadband speeds.