customer engagement Archives

Tech Optimizer

May 27, 2025

Microsoft Defender vs Bitdefender: Compare Antivirus Software

eSecurity Planet maintains editorial independence in content and product recommendations, ensuring financial gain from partner links does not influence information integrity. Microsoft Defender and Bitdefender are prominent small business security providers. Microsoft Defender is ideal for larger SMBs, starting at .00 per user per month, while Bitdefender is suited for startups with over 10 employees, starting at .33 per user per month. Microsoft Defender Overview: - Overall Rating: 3.7/5 - Pricing: 4.4/5 - Features: 3.4/5 - Ease of Use and Administration: 3.8/5 - Customer Support: 3.7/5 - Features include next-gen antivirus, vulnerability management, and EDR. Bitdefender Overview: - Overall Rating: 3.4/5 - Pricing: 3.8/5 - Features: 3/5 - Ease of Use and Administration: 3.4/5 - Customer Support: 4/5 - Features include identity protection, a VPN, and a password manager. Pricing Comparison: - Microsoft Defender: Free Trial: 90 days; Least Expensive Plan: .00/user/month; Mid-Range Plan: .50/user/month; Most Expensive Plan: .00/user/month. - Bitdefender: 30-day money-back guarantee; Least Expensive Plan: .33/user/month; Mid-Range Plan: Not specified; Most Expensive Plan: Not specified. Feature Comparison: - Microsoft Defender offers robust endpoint protection but lacks clarity on web browsing protection and ad-blocking. - Bitdefender offers identity exposure protection, a VPN, and a password manager but also lacks web browsing and ad-blocking features. Ease of Use and Administration: - Microsoft Defender supports macOS, Windows, and Linux Server; Bitdefender supports macOS and Windows but lacks Linux support. Customer Support Comparison: - Microsoft provides phone and live chat support; Bitdefender offers email and chat support, with limited phone support for small business users. Alternative Solutions include Norton, McAfee, and Trend Micro, each offering different features and pricing structures. Evaluation Methodology focused on pricing, features, ease of use, and customer support, with Microsoft winning in pricing, features, and ease of use, while Bitdefender excelled in customer support.

AppWizard

May 1, 2025

TikTok Will Now Enable You to Drive Leads to Other Messaging Apps

TikTok has enhanced its Promote ads feature by allowing brands to target direct messages (DMs) through third-party messaging applications, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, LINE, and Zalo. Advertisers can now drive message traffic to these external platforms instead of only encouraging interactions within the TikTok app. This change is particularly useful for lead generation campaigns targeting users with compatible messaging apps installed. The supported messaging platforms currently are LINE, Zalo, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. This update aims to improve customer engagement and simplify management of interactions across different messaging channels.

Winsage

April 23, 2025

When Microsoft made the Windows as a Service pivot

Former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer discussed the company's shift from paid upgrades to a Windows as a Service model, highlighting the challenges faced after the success of Windows 7 and the disappointing reception of Windows 8. He noted that Microsoft made Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, which allowed the company to gather valuable telemetry data while introducing users to subscription services. However, the telemetry raised privacy concerns among users, as it included advertising and upsell mechanisms. Plummer expressed a desire for a version of Windows Pro without telemetry and advertising, indicating he would pay for such a product. He also mentioned that the transition to a service model helped address piracy by offering free upgrades to users with non-genuine copies of Windows.

AppWizard

April 21, 2025

Revolutionary AI App Transforms Pest Control: Smart Solution Heads to Google Play

Jeffs' Brands' subsidiary, Fort Products, has submitted the Android version of its AI-powered pest control mobile application for review on Google Play, marking a step towards commercial rollout after successful development and internal testing. The app helps users identify pests and recommends treatments based on species, infestation severity, and preferences, while also suggesting Fort's proprietary pest control products. CEO Victor Hakmon highlighted the app's goal to empower users in addressing pest issues. The initiative aims to enhance Jeffs' Brands' direct-to-consumer offerings and establish new digital channels. The app is expected to be available for download after Google approval. Positive aspects include enhanced technological capabilities and potential for increased customer engagement and product sales, while challenges include the pending approval and lack of metrics on revenue or user adoption.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

The App Apocalypse: Why Messaging Will Replace Retail Apps in 2025

Standalone retail apps are predicted to become obsolete by 2025 due to advancements in Rich Communication Services (RCS) technology, which will enhance business-consumer interactions. RCS combines SMS simplicity with app interactivity, allowing consumers to engage with brands through enriched messaging experiences without needing to open separate apps. The development and maintenance costs of retail apps are significant, leading brands to reconsider their value as messaging offers similar or superior engagement at lower costs. By 2026, many brands are expected to adopt messaging-first strategies.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

McDonald’s to release special Minecraft meal. What the toys are, when they’ll be available

McDonald's will launch a special meal promotion in conjunction with the release of "A Minecraft Movie" on April 4, 2025. Starting April 1, 2025, customers can order the "Minecraft Movie Meal," which includes a Big Mac, a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with "Nether Flame" sauce, and a collectible item. A themed Happy Meal will also be available for children. The promotional toys include iconic Minecraft elements like a creeper and sheep, as well as reimagined McDonald's characters in a Minecraft style. Customers must order through the McDonald's app to access these limited-time meals.

AppWizard

March 24, 2025

Ciphers Digital Marketing Launches SEO Checklist App on Android and Rolls Out Google Cloud AI Integration for Smart Chatbots and Voice Assistants

Ciphers Digital Marketing has launched an SEO Checklist App for Android devices, aimed at helping business owners, marketers, and developers identify growth opportunities and prioritize SEO best practices. The app includes features such as SEO self-assessment, an instant scoring system, actionable insights, and a user-friendly interface. Additionally, Ciphers Digital is integrating Google Cloud AI to enhance client offerings with smart chatbots, voice assistance, context-aware conversational experiences, and custom-trained models. The company provides a range of services, including SEO, web design, PPC advertising, and content marketing, and aims to foster intelligent and scalable digital growth solutions.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

2024 was Steam’s ‘best year ever’ of users buying newly released games—but I wouldn’t celebrate the end of the forever game era just yet

Valve's "Steam Year In Review" blog post revealed that the peak concurrent user count on Steam has nearly doubled since March 2020, with users engaging with more new titles than ever. In 2024, newly released games generated the highest revenue on Steam, reaching ten times the levels of 2014. Over 500 games surpassed 0,000 in new release sales, with more than 200 achieving over million, marking increases of 27% and 15% compared to 2023. Despite these revenue figures, only 15% of user playtime was dedicated to games released in 2024, up from 9% in 2023 but down from 17% in 2022. Notable successful titles included Palworld, Helldivers 2, Space Marine 2, and Black Myth Wukong, alongside established games like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The closure of several live service games suggests a potential shift in the gaming industry's dynamics.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Cincinnati Reds announce new 2025 theme days, including Harry Potter, anime, Minecraft and more

Many businesses are temporarily restricting website access to users in most European nations due to GDPR compliance. The GDPR, effective since May 2018, mandates strict guidelines on personal data handling, prompting companies to reassess digital strategies. Organizations are investing in technology solutions, such as consent management systems, to balance compliance with user experience. Businesses are encouraged to prioritize transparency and user trust, implement user-friendly consent mechanisms, and leverage data analytics to tailor offerings while remaining compliant.

Tech Optimizer

February 22, 2025

How Mindbody improved query latency and optimized costs using Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL Optimized Reads

Mindbody utilizes a cloud-based platform for the fitness and wellness industry, offering services such as client booking, scheduling, payments, marketing, and analytics. Their email marketing platform is built on an Aurora PostgreSQL cluster, currently at version 13.8, with a size of approximately 17 TB and a workload distribution of 80% reads and 20% writes. Mindbody faced scaling and performance challenges due to architectural limitations and increasing data demands, leading to all workloads being directed to the writer node. The average BufferCacheHitRatio was below 80%, indicating frequent disk access rather than cache hits, contributing to higher query latencies and I/O costs. To address these issues, Mindbody adopted Aurora Optimized Reads, which enhances caching capacity and improves latency and throughput for I/O-intensive workloads. Transitioning required upgrading the database cluster to version 14.9 or higher, and extensive testing was conducted in a proof-of-concept environment. The upgrade process involved a blue/green deployment strategy to minimize production disruption. After implementing Aurora Optimized Reads, Mindbody experienced significant performance improvements, including a 50% reduction in average daily CPU utilization and a 90% reduction in ReadIOPS. The AuroraOptimizedReadsCacheHitRatio indicated that 85% of read requests were served from the optimized cache. Cost analysis revealed a 23% reduction in monthly Aurora costs post-transition, with potential for further savings by downsizing instances.