The six best websites for business IT

With so much IT advice available on the web, it’s hard to know where to look. But whether you want new tech trends, business IT blogs or reviews of business software and hardware, we’ve picked out six of the best sites for you

The IT Donut offers a range of resources to help small firms with their IT needs, from how-to guides, checklists and case studies to video content, blogs and forums. But if you want more specific IT advice there is a wealth of information on the web. So where should you look?

Here are the best business IT sites for…

1. Spotting new tech trends

The Next Web UK
It’s hard to categorise The Next Web, which covers all kinds of technology and business news, as long as it involves new ideas or innovative companies. You never know quite what you’ll find when you visit, making it an ideal place to seek inspiration.

Alternative

Trend Hunter, which encompasses everything from fashion and art to technology and the truly bizarre. If you’d rather focus on exciting new companies, try Under the Radar.

2. Software reviews and advice

PC Advisor
With over 9,000 software reviews to read, this site will keep you busy for quite some time. You can filter the list by company or category, or search to find the package you want.

Alternative

CNET Download.com. This huge site has links to download thousands of pieces of software (much of it free), but also contains user reviews which you can easily browse.

3. Hardware reviews and tips

TechRadar
TechRadar is run by leading publishing company Future Publishing. That means it consistently manages to get its hands on the very latest hardware to review, as soon as it comes out.

Alternative

Tom’s Hardware, which contains exhaustive reviews of all kinds of hardware, or if you want to learn about the latest mobile equipment, visit Pocket-lint.

4. Technical support and help

Quora
If you’re hunting for a solution to a particular problem with your business IT, question-and-answer site Quora is a good place to start. You can search through all existing questions and answers, and post your own queries.

Alternative

Yahoo! Answers and Google. Usually, the quickest way to find a solution to a specific IT problem is to search, not to rely on a specific technical support website. Someone, somewhere has probably run into the same issue and posted the solution online. The best way to find it is to search.

5. Business IT blogs

Smallbiztechnology
Sure, it’s a little US-centric, but Smallbiztechnology is one of the few business IT websites that isn’t aimed at IT professionals. With a good mix of news, reviews and advice, it’s worth checking regularly.

Alternative

The PC Pro blogs. Although they can get technical at times, they’re written by a knowledgeable bunch of journalists and aimed squarely at a UK audience. Oh, and there’s our own IT Donut blog, obviously.

6. Learning about the tech industry

TechCrunch Europe
With coverage that can be sceptical and snarky, TechCrunch cuts through the hype to reveal what’s really going on in the world of business technology. You can also search its huge database to learn more about thousands of tech companies.

Alternative

GigaOM for coverage of tech news worldwide, and The Register’s business channel, for more UK-focused news delivered with a unique sense of humour.

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