Nikki Moore

Looking forward to hosting a tech dining event tonight at BAFTA with the CEO of EE.

Tune in this morning to Channel 5 The Saturday Show for my hoverboards review. It’s live, it’s a demo, it could get messy!

Looking forward to chatting about the importance of diversity at the Spring technology event.

I will be in the key note theatre for the next two days, hosting all the speakers. Come and say hi!

Over at Vinopolis today hosting a tech conference for Vinopolis, got some great speakers lined up from WIRED.

Today is all about the Microsoft Lumia 640. Radio interviews to follow!

Flexible working, work life balance, working on the go, these are all phrases we have heard a thousand times so how come we never really fully embrace it; particularly given the advances in modern technology that allow us to do this.

Some recent research from Microsoft Lumia shows that nearly half of workers (46%) in the UK are still spending a full working day, five days a week at their office desk which honestly shocks me.  Furthermore a staggering 58% of people admit that they don’t know how to use their smart phone to its full potential, which again is a shame, as it really can change the way you work. If you work smart, you can ultimately have more leisure time with your friends and family.

I can personally vouch for the days before advanced technology, as someone that is forever keeping up with my personal and work life, taking on interviews, writing for my blog and organising my family, it used to be hard work – but with smart phones continually advancing I don’t understand why people still feel the need to be desk bound. Is it just a bad habit? The survey showed that over a quarter of people are offered flexible working – but whose responsibility is it to teach us how to do it best and be more efficient at ‘working on the go’?

Business’ offer up smart phones for their employees in order to work smarter and even start ups can get their hands on affordable smart phones that offer excellent specs enabling them to work on the go, like the Microsoft Lumia 640. Not only does it have Office365 (including the likes of Word, Excel etc) enabling people to do more than just email, but the likes of Skype can ensure you’re connecting with your colleagues on the move too.

For me my smartphone really is a lifeline in my work and my home life and as a mum, entrepreneur and technology expert, so I’m offering up some advice – life hacks if you will – to those keen to adapt their working styles fit for this decade!

• If I’m off to a meeting or away travelling, I always catch up on my emails on the go, in the cab, post a  blog, or even edit my latest commission using Word available on my smartphone, it means when I get where I’m going, I’m ahead of the game work wise.
• I don’t (try not to) multitask anymore. I devote my attention to one task at a time, otherwise I find I have ten tasks on the go that never get finished
• I’m forever saving work on my USB stick if I’m out and about at meetings, which sometimes can be a real pain. With the likes of internet storage such as OneDrive and the Cloud, I simply save all my docs there, so I have them at my fingertips wherever I am
• I’m always on the look out for the best affordable devices on the market – people often think the most expensive smartphones are the ones that offer the best specs, but sometimes you’re just paying more for the design, not the essentials that will keep you productive.
• New (more affordable) smartphones to the market will often give great offers that you wouldn’t get with more high end versions, like free Office365 for a year and 1TB of free storage – extremely useful!
• I take breaks. Technology helps me be more efficient and productive, so I don’t have to actually be on it all the time. Taking time out helps inspire you and begin again with fresh eyes.
• I use Skype as a virtual meeting – so I can be anywhere, still making that valuable face to face contact that you sometimes can’t do over a voice only call.
• Finally, I have my phone set up to quiet hours, so when I get home to my kids, only the urgent calls and emails come through, so I can really enjoy quality time with my little ones.

If you really do start to work smart, you will definitely have more free time to spend with friends and family rather than being tied to your desk which can only be a good thing.

Kitchens of the Future – Home is where the tech is

The kitchen isn’t just the room where we prepare our meals anymore, it’s the centre of our home where we cook, eat and entertain. With the evolution of home automation and the advances in technology we are now more connected than ever. ‘Smart homes’ and ‘connected kitchens’ enable you to enjoy a digital lifestyle to the full, creating a more connected life. From switching your oven on at work to ‘putting a wash on’ when you’re out shopping, controlling your kitchen appliances remotely from your smartphone or tablet has never been easier. We are now seeing big name manufacturers get on board with smart appliances and apps with the likes of Samsung, Whirlpool and Electrolux leading the way.

Check out my full feature here