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Workers and employers alike are always searching for new and better ways to work and collaborate faster and more efficiently.

The success of video conferencing service Zoom after its blockbuster 2019 IPO has only underscored this trend, even as workplace chat app Slack continues to see growth even under the spectre of direct competition from Microsoft itself.

Against this backdrop, investors are only too willing to invest millions in promising young productivity software startups, particularly those working in the cloud computing and automation markets, where it seems that there's still a lot of potential to be explored.

"We're in the early innings of productivity software. That's why they're growing faster than ever," Jason Lemkin, an active startup investor and the founder of SaaStr, a company that helps founders build cloud software businesses, told Business Insider.

Those companies are benefiting from a larger trend, where the rise of the cloud means that workers, rather than the IT department, can pick and choose which tools to use. It means that upstarts can compete with major vendors by offering specific, useful tools that are better than the legacy options after all, that's how Zoom and Slack established themselves in the first place.

"De-bundling and this sort of best of breed approach is what's happenedwe've all been sort of spoiled by the amazing software experience we get on our iPhone and all the apps that we use in our personal life and we expect that now in enterprise," Rama Sekhar, a partner at Norwest Venture Partners, told Business Insider.

Workers are also increasingly looking to automate routine tasks and processes to free up their time to work on the more creative parts of their jobs.

All this means there's many different ways to tackle productivity by creating new tools to get work done, by measuring how useful those tools are, and by making sure all those tools can connect so you can automate away repetitive tasks.

Business Insider spoke to investors and industry leaders to compile the following list of the top productivity startups to watch in 2020 (valuations are taken from PitchBook unless otherwise noted):

More here:
13 productivity software startups to watch in 2020, according to VCs - Business Insider Nordic

LibreOffice 6.4 includes QR code generation

The LibreOffice team is testing the first release candidate of version 6.4, which is set for release at the end of January.

What's new in version 6.4? There are numerous fresh features; most are small, but they do include the ability to insert QR codes into any document. The Generate QR Code feature lets you enter a hyperlink (or any text) and generate a QR code with four options for complexity. A low complexity is better for long URLs while high has better error correction if there are errors in reading.

Another neat feature is called full sheet previews. This is for spreadsheets, and lets you specify that you want an entire sheet on one page in PDF export. In effect this is a "shrink to fit" option that is handy if you are frustrated to find that your spreadsheet has been broken into separate pages, ruining its appearance. If your sheet is hundreds of rows long though, it will be rendered unreadable, so use with caution.

When you select all the rows in a table in a word processor document, and then choose Cut, should it cut all the text but leave the table? Or cut the table? LibreOffice used to do the former, but now does the latter. In Word it would do the former, unless you specifically "select table". The new LibreOffice behaviour is probably what the user expects, but it is a tricky issue, particularly since if you select online one row and choose Cut, it only cuts the text, not the row. Table-editing controls have also been added to the Writer sidebar.

There are improvements in compatibility with Microsoft Office formats. Endnotes can now be shown on the last page of text as opposed to on a separate page, and SmartArt is more likely to import and export correctly, as are gradient backgrounds in PowerPoint.

The history of LibreOffice goes back to 2010, after Oracle completed its acquisition of Sun Microsystems. This included OpenOffice, an open source Office suite originally known as Star Office. Sun had picked up the Star Division, the company behind Star Office, in 1999, and published the suite as open source in an effort to reduce the dominance of Microsoft Office.

In September 2010 a group of OpenOffice contributors who were unhappy about Oracle's tight control of the project announced The Document Foundation along with a fork of OpenOffice 3.3, which they called LibreOffice. Oracle was asked to transfer OpenOffice to the new group but refused. A few months later more former OpenOffice contributors declared their support for the new fork.

The following year, Oracle decided that OpenOffice had no commercial future and in June 2011 transferred the project to the Apache Foundation, where it continues, with a claimed 1.6 million downloads of version 4.1.7, released in September. LibreOffice had the momentum though, and has been developed more rapidly.

2020 is therefore the 10th anniversary for LibreOffice and it is planning "a year long celebration."

Has LibreOffice succeeded? The software is popular and highly valued by users, and unlike Microsoft Office works well on Linux. It is free software and also lets you adopt the OpenDocument Format (ODF) in place of Microsoft Office formats. LibreOffice still has a place for organisations (not least the EU) concerned about retaining or recovering "digital sovereignty."

That said, Microsoft Office remains the business standard and today's battle is more between Office 365 and Google's G Suite, than between Microsoft Office and LibreOffice. Most Office 365 subscriptions bundle Microsoft's desktop software with email and other online services, making it hard for LibreOffice to break in.

LibreOffice then has not changed the software world, but it has perhaps made it a better place.

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LibreOffice 6.4 nearly done as open-source office software project prepares for 10th anniversary - The Register

A huge amount of the worlds audio has been digitized, but many veterans of the Analog Age still have out-of-print albums, lectures and other content locked on vinyl records, cassettes and CDs. Converting the audio to digital formats for personal use is much simpler than it used to be, though, thanks in part to gadgets that connect to a computers USB port.

In addition to making files that play on your smartphone or media server, digitizing your analog audio creates an electronic archive you can store online for safekeeping. The steps for converting your old recordings vary on the formats and equipment you have, but heres a general outline of the process and the equipment you may need.

No matter what type of analog media youre converting, you need software to digitize it. Capturing the audio to a computer has been a common approach for decades, and free programs to do the job include Apples GarageBand for Mac and the open-source Audacity (for Windows, Mac and Linux), which has its own guide for converting records and tapes. Commercial software is also available, like Roxios $50 Easy LP to MP3 or the $40 Golden Records from NCH Software.

Choose a digital format for recording. Uncompressed or lossless formats like WAV, FLAC and AIFF preserve more of the original audio for higher-quality sound, but compressed formats like MP3 create smaller files.

Follow the softwares instructions for importing audio. After you capture the whole album, you can use the program to slice up the recording into individual tracks, label the songs, and clean up hiss, pops and other noise.

If your stereo equipment is long gone but you held on to your old records for sentimental reasons, using a compact USB-based conversion turntable that connects directly to the computer is one approach. You may not have ultimate control over the recording quality, but its usually the easiest process to convert the vinyl yourself.

For the less technically inclined, ION Audio makes several conversion turntables, including the $110 Premier LP, which connects to the computer with a USB cable and includes its own conversion software. Audio Technica, Crosley and Sony also make USB turntables.

If you still have a turntable with a headphone jack or a port labeled line (or a stereo receiver with a phono input for the record player), a device called a USB phono preamplifier links your hardware together with audio and USB cables to pump the sound into the computer for recording. ART Pro Audio USB Phono Plus ($100) and Reloop iPhono 2 USB Recording Interface (about $100 in the United States) are two options.

For USB-based recording using older turntable systems without the headphone jack or line output, youll most likely need to include a separate phono preamplifier box to boost the audio signal as well. The $50 Rolls VP29 and the $66 ART Pro Audio DJPRE II are two models to consider.

No tape deck? Tape players with USB connections for the computer or flash drives can be found online starting at around $20. These devices can be quite efficient for digitizing old lectures, family history and other recordings.

If you still have a tape deck, check its jacks. A cable with a 3.5-millimeter plug on both ends or an RCA-to-3.5mm cable are common for connecting to a computers line-in port (if it has one), or you may be able to use a USB interface box like those used for digitizing vinyl.

Still have CDs you want to transfer but no CD player or computer disc drive? External USB-based CD players sell for as little as $20 online. Once you connect one, spin up those discs and import the tracks with Apples Music app for Mac, Microsofts Windows Media Player or another free CD-ripper app.

The do-it-yourself approach is not for everyone, but audio conversion services will happily digitize your old analog media for you for a price. This can range from $15 to $35 for each record or tape converted, but some companies include restoration and sound-cleanup services as well. Memories Renewed, Ever Present and DiJiFi area among the many conversion companies to check out.

While not a surefire solution for a fully digitized library, some unreleased and obscure recordings turn up online eventually, as did tracks from Jeff Buckley and Prince this year.

Continued here:
Get Those Records, Tapes and CDs Onto Your Smartphone - The New York Times

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire OverDrive, Inc. (OverDrive or the Company), the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools, from Rakuten USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten, Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Serving a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in more than 75 countries, OverDrive delivers the industrys largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to millions of readers around the world. With its proprietary platform, the Company securely allows these institutions to acquire and manage premium and differentiated digital content from a strong publisher network OverDrive has built over more than 25 years.

KKR is delighted to be investing in OverDrive, a premier digital content platform that serves libraries and library patrons around the world, said Richard Sarnoff, Member at KKR. OverDrive provides digital tools and services to libraries and schools so that they can lend the widest variety of digital books, audiobooks, and other materials, while at the same time respecting and compensating authors and publishers through the widest range of access models. It is a privilege to work with an industry leading team, including founder and CEO Steve Potash, on growing this special franchise in the decade to come.

At a time of accelerating digital adoption throughout libraries and schools, OverDrive offers its growing user base a best-in-class technology platform and reading experience something were excited to be a part of, said Ted Oberwager, Managing Director at KKR. We look forward to working with the Company to further grow its portfolio and network, and continue to build on its status as a recognized leader in the digital content space.

OverDrive is very excited to work with the world-class KKR team due to their track record of accelerating digital media and technology businesses in global markets, said Steve Potash, founder and CEO of OverDrive. This provides access to an extraordinary network of capabilities to empower our institutional partners for the benefit of the communities and readers they serve.

KKR has a long history of successfully investing in market-leading businesses in the digital media and content sectors. KKRs recent and related investments include Epic Games, AppLovin, RBmedia, Pandora, WebMD, UFC, Leonine, BMG Rights Management, Next Issue Media, and Nielsen, among others.

KKR is making the investment in OverDrive from its KKR Americas XII Fund.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and LionTree Advisors served as financial advisors to KKR and Simpson Thacher and Bartlett served as legal advisor to KKR.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at http://www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading digital reading platform for libraries and schools worldwide. Named one of PCMags Best Free Software of 2019 and one of TIME's Best Apps of 2018, the award-winning Libby is the "one-tap reading app" for libraries. Sora, the student reading app, was honored as one of TIMEs Best Inventions of 2019. We are dedicated to a world enlightened by reading by delivering the industrys largest catalog of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines and other digital media to a growing network of 43,000 libraries and schools in 76 countries. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA. http://www.overdrive.com

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KKR to Acquire Leading Digital Reading Platform OverDrive - Business Wire

The global IT asset management software market size will grow by USD 353.78 million during the period 2020-2024, according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191218005562/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled global IT asset management software market 2020-2024. (Graphic: Business Wire)

IT asset management and tracking systems are designed to reduce the labor required for the management of computer software and hardware. It also offers cost reduction through improved purchasing and better control of the overall life cycle of IT assets. Furthermore, IT asset management systems minimize the risks associated with regulatory compliance, software licensing, and security vulnerabilities. Thus, the rising adoption of asset management software and the growing importance of asset tracking is expected to drive the global IT asset management software market during the forecast period.

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40712

As per Technavio, the growing adoption of cloud-based asset management software services will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will affect market growth over 2020-2024.

Global IT Asset Management Software Market: Growing Adoption of Cloud-Based Asset Management Software Services

Organizations across industries, including BFSI, telecom, healthcare, and other sectors are focusing on reducing their overall CAPEX by deploying cloud computing solutions. SMEs are leveraging cloud-based solutions for increasing their scalability of hardware and resources offered by cloud solution providers. This has further created a demand for cloud-based asset management software. This software allows the companies to analyze the data on assets and inventory in real-time with a centralized view. Also, this software offers a variety of benefits to organizations such as more accurate tracking, efficient operations, financial accountability, and easy reporting. As a result, with the rise in the adoption of cloud-based services, vendors in the market are offering asset management SaaS.

"Expanding IT infrastructure, increasing need to comply with asset management standards, proliferating BYOD policy, and surging evolution of the IoT will boost the IT asset management software market growth during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Global IT Asset Management Software Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market report segments the global IT asset management software market by deployment (cloud-based and on-premise) and geography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America)

North America led the IT asset management software market share in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America, respectively due to the presence of large IT companies and growing technological advances in the US and Canada. Also, the rising adoption of cloud computing services is another critical reason for the growing demand for IT asset management software market in the region.

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Technavios sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation

Customer Landscape

Geographical Segmentation

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191218005562/en/

Contacts

Technavio ResearchJesse MaidaMedia & Marketing ExecutiveUS: +1 844 364 1100UK: +44 203 893 3200Email: media@technavio.com Website: https://www.technavio.com/

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Global IT Asset Management Software Market 2020-2024 | Growing Adoption of Cloud-Based Asset Management Software Services to Boost Growth | Technavio...