Bobby Hellard
Bobby Hellard has been a staff writer for IT Pro, Cloud Pro and Channel Pro since 2018.
In his time at IT Pro, Bobby has covered stories for all the major technology companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, and regularly attends industry leading events such as AWS Re:Invent and Google Cloud Next.
Bobby mainly covers startups, IoT, edge, and business cloud services, but you will also recognise him as the face of many of our video reviews of laptops and smartphones.
He has been a journalist for ten years, originally covering sports, before moving into business technology with IT Pro. He has bylines in The Independent, Vice and The Business Briefing.
Contact him at bobby.hellard@futurenet.com or find him on Twitter: @bobbyhellard
Surging inflation is driving people to cryptocurrencies
cryptocurrencies
Surging inflation is driving people to cryptocurrencies
Binance claims the future is bright for digital tokens as a UN trade body warns cryptocurrencies may enable tax evasion
11 Aug 2022
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 hands-on review: A productivity powerhouse
Mobile Phones
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 hands-on review: A productivity powerhouse
Minor changes year-on-year but the Fold 4 is the closest a handset can get to PC-like performance
10 Aug 2022
Microsoft marks OneDrive's 15th anniversary with a design overhaul
Microsoft Office
Microsoft marks OneDrive's 15th anniversary with a design overhaul
New UI and productivity features coming soon as Microsoft pivots OneDrive as a central hub for hybrid workers
10 Aug 2022
Intel launches Arc Pro GPUs for creative apps
Hardware
Intel launches Arc Pro GPUs for creative apps
The Pro series includes two new GPUs intended for desktops, while the A30 is aimed at laptops
9 Aug 2022
Electrical explosion reported at Google's Iowa data centre
data centres
Electrical explosion reported at Google's Iowa data centre
Three people working on a substation near the facility were critically injured, according to reports
9 Aug 2022
APAC region to lose 63 million jobs to automation by 2040
automation
APAC region to lose 63 million jobs to automation by 2040
Five largest countries in the area more at risk of robots replacing workers compared to Europe and US, according to Forrester
8 Aug 2022
Softbank's Vision Fund reports $22bn loss as economic crisis hits tech industry
business management
Softbank's Vision Fund reports $22bn loss as economic crisis hits tech industry
Serial investor group contributes to Softbank's overall losses of 2.93 trillion Japanese yen
8 Aug 2022
Google’s Duo-Meet integration is a confusing way to ‘streamline’ a collaboration service
video conferencing
Google’s Duo-Meet integration is a confusing way to ‘streamline’ a collaboration service
Business software providers are scrambling to outdo each other and offer everything to everyone, all at once
4 Aug 2022
Microsoft releases 5MB Outlook Lite app for Android
Microsoft Office
Microsoft releases 5MB Outlook Lite app for Android
The streamlined version of mobile Outlook also works well on both 2G and 3G networks
3 Aug 2022
Norton and Avast merger 'provisionally' approved by UK regulator
mergers and acquisitions
Norton and Avast merger 'provisionally' approved by UK regulator
Competition and Markets Authority investigation suggests new software giant would still face "significant" competition
3 Aug 2022
Oracle looks to save $1bn with workforce cuts
Careers & training
Oracle looks to save $1bn with workforce cuts
Sales and advertising division jobs already being eliminated, according to reports
2 Aug 2022
Google calls on staff to boost productivity with "simplicity sprints"
agile development
Google calls on staff to boost productivity with "simplicity sprints"
Tech giant to open the floor to employees for suggestions to improve product development
1 Aug 2022
Google shut down data centre due to multiple cooling failures
data centres
Google shut down data centre due to multiple cooling failures
The facility that hosts Google Cloud in parts of Europe shut down due to record London temperatures
1 Aug 2022
Intel kills off Optane Memory business with $559m loss
solid state storage (SSD)
Intel kills off Optane Memory business with $559m loss
Optane is now one of six divisions the company has ended under Gelsinger's leadership
29 Jul 2022
Jack Ma cedes power of his company to avoid government pressure
business management
Jack Ma cedes power of his company to avoid government pressure
Chinese tech mogul could delay Ant Group's IPO even further if he sells controlling stake in firm
29 Jul 2022
NCSC launches startup incubator to protect against national cyber threats
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
NCSC launches startup incubator to protect against national cyber threats
The program is focused on the protection of highly available operational technology where there is a high risk of digital sabotage
28 Jul 2022
Google rolls out minor UI and search refresh for major productivity boost
collaboration
Google rolls out minor UI and search refresh for major productivity boost
New look Gmail tidies up Chat, Spaces and Meet apps as pop-out sidebar icons
28 Jul 2022
Kaseya to build R&D centre in Dundalk and create 250 jobs over next three years
Careers & training
Kaseya to build R&D centre in Dundalk and create 250 jobs over next three years
Software provider aims to further invest in Ireland and capitalise on the university talent within the region
26 Jul 2022
Android adds drag and drop features to tablet OS
Google Android
Android adds drag and drop features to tablet OS
Share text, images and links across Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more in split screen mode
26 Jul 2022
1.2m businesses now eligible for UK gov's software discounts
SMB
1.2m businesses now eligible for UK gov's software discounts
Help to Grow: Digital scheme offers up to £5,000 off selected CRM and e-commerce software
25 Jul 2022
How to add a printer to macOS
operating systems
How to add a printer to macOS
Everything you need to know about connecting a printer to an Apple computer via cable, Wi-Fi or IP address
22 Jul 2022
Printer ink vs toner: What's the difference?
Hardware
Printer ink vs toner: What's the difference?
From price per page to the finish, we weigh up the pros and cons when it comes to printer ink vs toner
22 Jul 2022
Zoom adds end-to-end encryption to Zoom Phone and Breakout Rooms
encryption
Zoom adds end-to-end encryption to Zoom Phone and Breakout Rooms
Users will need to be on the same Zoom account for E2EE for Zoom Calls to work
22 Jul 2022
UK gov opens £12m innovation fund to tackle cost of living crisis, regional inequality
Policy & legislation
UK gov opens £12m innovation fund to tackle cost of living crisis, regional inequality
Funding will enable regulators and local authorities to test and experiment with "bold and ambitious" approaches to the pressing issues of the day
21 Jul 2022
Slack Connect vs Microsoft Teams Connect: Better than email?
collaboration
Slack Connect vs Microsoft Teams Connect: Better than email?
Slack Connect and its rival Microsoft Teams Connect both want to take internal business communications beyond the office
20 Jul 2022
Microsoft launches Digital Contact Center Platform
customer relationship management (CRM)
Microsoft launches Digital Contact Center Platform
The tech giant's new service will pull together features from Dynamics, Teams and Nuance AI for customer service automation
20 Jul 2022
What is machine learning?
Business strategy
What is machine learning?
No longer confined to the world of science fiction, machine learning represents a new frontier in technology
19 Jul 2022
Slack to increase subscription prices for the first time
software as a service (SaaS)
Slack to increase subscription prices for the first time
Users of Slack Pro can keep their current subscription for an additional year if they renew before 1 September 2022
19 Jul 2022
Botched IT upgrade inadvertently cuts pay for Next employees
outsourcing
Botched IT upgrade inadvertently cuts pay for Next employees
Salary issues have dogged the retailer since February after it outsourced payroll to Oracle
18 Jul 2022
Morgan Stanley fined $200m for "unapproved" WhatsApp use
business communications
Morgan Stanley fined $200m for "unapproved" WhatsApp use
US gov report criticises bank for conducting business via personal channels of communications
15 Jul 2022
Chrome OS Flex turns old PCs and Macs into Chromebooks
operating systems
Chrome OS Flex turns old PCs and Macs into Chromebooks
The OS is aimed at businesses that want a universal operating system without having to splash out on new hardware
15 Jul 2022
Google Cloud launches first Arm-based virtual machines
virtual machines
Google Cloud launches first Arm-based virtual machines
The new addition to the cloud giant's Tau portfolio will offer greater price-to-performance than previous processor options
14 Jul 2022
Microsoft testing fresh UI for the Windows 11 taskbar
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft testing fresh UI for the Windows 11 taskbar
A minor U-turn sees the developer experimenting with new search icons on the taskbar, alongside widget notification badges, and a Camera app
14 Jul 2022
Emojis in the workplace can bring colleagues together
collaboration
Emojis in the workplace can bring colleagues together
Two-thirds of hybrid workers use emojis to feel closer to their colleagues, and this can even lead to a unique workplace language evolving over time
13 Jul 2022
Red Hat appoints Matt Hicks as CEO
business management
Red Hat appoints Matt Hicks as CEO
Paul Cormier will move to chairman as the open-source giant continues its hybrid cloud push
13 Jul 2022