
2021 is nearly over, which means it is time for Digital Agent’s second annual top tech review! Many of the developments we saw in 2021 were better versions of our picks from 2020, such as personal smart devices and remote work solutions. As technology improves, we are seeing better, more efficient, and more reliable solutions to the unique business problems of the 2020s.
While we reflect on the tech that improved our work and personal lives in 2021, we are already thinking ahead to the devices and programs that will become mainstream in 2022. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to cyber defense, these are your Digital Agents’ picks for Top Tech of 2021.
Technology That Made Us More Efficient
One of the biggest ways technology has helped society is by streamlining and automating the many tedious processes of our day-to-day lives. For instance, something as simple as an Excel spreadsheet formula used to be done manually. Here are our Digital Agent’s picks for technology that has simplified our lives this year.

Smart Devices (IoT)
Keyur Patel, VP of Customer Experience
“Connected (smart) devices. Internet of Things (IoT) is everywhere, and these devices are becoming more and more affordable and hence mainstream. It’s not just the light bulbs and thermostats anymore. Our refrigerators, air-filters, door locks, and cars are ‘connected’ to the internet.”

Samsung Pay
Howard Hunter, Owner & CEO
“Samsung Pay – This technology allows you to keep your credit card in your Samsung smart phone. It uses the tap / touchless pay ability that is much easier and more secure than a chip enabled credit card. Soon in GA (I have heard) you will be able to keep your driver’s license on your phone as well, which might pave the way to eliminating the need to carry a wallet in most circumstances.”
Technology That Boosted Business
If there are two words to describe the shift in business technology over the past year, they are “cybersecurity” and “cloud.” More and more businesses are leaning on cloud-based software and infrastructure. This makes remote work a lot easier, but with the surge in cybercrime this year, it also makes good cybersecurity all the more important.

Endpoint Security
Scott Pritchett, VP of Engineering & IT
“Endpoint security has been a life saver. Endpoint security has saved many customers (both time and money) by isolating malware as soon as it hits a machine to prevent further spread and/or infections. We can centrally manage all endpoints and the endpoint agents continuously monitor for malware. Endpoint security has identified several instances of the recent exploit, Log4j, embedded into other software we may have never know about without such a valuable tool.”

Microsoft 365, Azure AD and Intune
Brian Bell, Director of IT Field Services
“I’ve been really impressed with the feature set for Microsoft 365. As people are beginning to work remotely, connectivity tools have been more and more important. In the past, having a tool like Teams has been a nice thing, in today’s world, it is essential. I’m also learning more about Azure AD and Intune and the ways that this can be leveraged to make in-house servers a thing of the past. I’m especially interested in seeing how this will decrease Capital and Operational expenses going forward as servers age out and folks move to a more distributed environment as opposed to the in-office environments of the past.”
Technology That Solves Problems
Granted, most technology is developed to solve a problem. More eco-friendly products solve issues of sustainability, and the sensors in smart cars help solve the issue of automobile accidents. Games, though they may pose their own problems to us in the form of puzzles and challenging quests, solve one of the biggest problems people faced this year: boredom.

Holzkern Watches
Steven Cervantes, IT Support
“As products start to move toward more sustainable and biodegradable design, I’m really enjoying searching for new companies. Holzkern is a luxury watch company that is completely sustainable and looks great! I can only imagine more tech companies moving towards this approach in the near future.”

Puzzle Games
Lori Phillips, VP of Marketing
“I rediscovered my love for puzzle games this past year. Portal and Portal 2 are by far my favorites, but I also finished The Talos Principle which was surprisingly challenging. Next game on my list is Gris!”
Enjoyed Our 2021 Tech Review? Get More Recommendations
Your business can only work as well as the technology it runs on. Our Digital Agents understand that better than most. If you enjoyed our tech review, you can find more suggestions for tech that can boost your business and improve your personal life on our blog. If you are working from home, start with our security recommendations for remote workers.
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