News

13 Tips for Writing an Effective Cover Letter

Creating an effective IT cover letter can mean the difference between getting the job or your resume getting trashed. These tips from IT career coaches and insiders will make your cover letter stand out.

By Rich Hein

Apr 8, 2013 9 mins

CIO IT Jobs IT Skills

Facebook Home Pilfers Windows Phone’s ‘People First’ UI

But Facebook Home, combined with the mighty Android, may do with a people-centric user interface what Windows Phone has not: get people to use it.

By Shane O'Neill

Apr 5, 2013 2 mins

Facebook Small and Medium Business Smartphones

Apple’s ‘Spaceship’ Campus Evokes Jobs-Era Perfectionism

Some facts have emerged about Apple's planned "spaceship" campus. Delayed and over-budget but painstakingly detailed, it's already part of Apple history, and makes CIO.com's Tom Kaneshige nostalgic for Steve Jobs' maniac

By Tom Kaneshige

Apr 5, 2013 3 mins

Financial Services Industry IT Leadership Innovation

Best Buy Cuts Apple’s Third-Gen iPad Prices by $200

Prices on older, but still excellent, iPads are way down, and so are prices for Windows PCs. Why wait for Black Friday?

By Bill Snyder

Apr 5, 2013 3 mins

Laptops Tablets iPad

SkyDrive iOS App Finally Gets an Update from Microsoft

After a nine-month standstill, Apple finally greenlit the release of Microsoft's SkyDrive 3.0 iOS update, which adds some valuable photo-uploading features and support for both iPhone 5 and iPad mini displays.

By James A. Martin

Apr 5, 2013 2 mins

iPad iPhone

Mid-Tier BlackBerry 10 Device Shows Its QWERTY on Camera

An early image of what appears to be either BlackBerry's middle-tier or low-end full QWERTY BlackBerry 10 device hit the Internet this morning.

By Al Sacco

Apr 5, 2013 2 mins

Mobile Small and Medium Business Smartphones

3 Ways to Overcome IT Outsourcing People Problems

Do your IT outsourcing services deals fail to deliver more than the basics? IT outsourcing customers need to focus on developing and training their outsourcing management staff so that their IT services deals are better than just 'good enough.&#

By Stephanie Overby

Apr 5, 2013 6 mins

CIO IT Skills IT Strategy

7 practices of successful tech company CEOs

There's no CEO 101 course that outlines the best way to run a tech company. But the legacies of Jobs, Watson, Gerstner and Gates–combined with the current work of Whitman and Rometty–offer seven lessons for the corporate leaders of tomorrow.

By Rob Enderle

Apr 5, 2013 8 mins

IT Strategy Innovation Mentoring

‘Facebook Home’ Invades Android (and Your Sanity)

Facebook's newest mobile innovation aims to make the social network your destination for all your communication. But as more people experience Facebook fatigue, is it poised for success or failure?

By Kristin Burnham

Apr 4, 2013 3 mins

Facebook Social Networking Apps

Why the New iPhone Will Be the Most Awesomest Product Ever

Why waste precious time reading lengthy analysis stories on why the new iPhone can't fail? CIO.com's Al Sacco explains why in five easy-to-digest sentences.

By Al Sacco

Apr 4, 2013 2 mins

Apple Small and Medium Business iPhone

What to Expect From Facebook’s Android Phone

Facebook is set to announce today a midrange mobile phone called Facebook First, powered by the Android operating system and manufactured by HTC. Here's a look at some of the reported details, plus a peek at leaked images.

By Kristin Burnham

Apr 4, 2013 2 mins

Facebook Small and Medium Business Smartphones

How Big Data Can Quickly Become Big Garbage

The bigger the data the bigger the chance of mistakes or inaccuracies. In that vein, a large database used by retailers to screen people accused of stealing from employers is identifying innocent people and could result in major lawsuits, according t

By Constantine von Hoffman

Apr 4, 2013 2 mins

Big Data

BlackBerry Kills Off Awkward and Annoying BBM Music Service

The day the misguided BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) Music service was announced in the summer of 2011, CIO.com's Al Sacco predicted its demise. Today, BlackBerry announced it is discontinuing the BBM Music service in June.

By Al Sacco

Apr 4, 2013 2 mins

Data Center Small and Medium Business Smartphones

How Entrepreneurial IT Leaders Can Impact Revenue

Entrpreneurial IT leaders can offer unique insight, capability, experience and corporate leadership to the business. They are innovation-oriented and in an economy with uncertainty, they can find new methods for starting and sustaining revenue growth

By David R Soley

Apr 4, 2013 4 mins

CIO IT Strategy Innovation

5 Misconceptions of Cloud Software and Virtual Licensing

Are you leaving money on the table by not optimizing your virtual or cloud environment to cut software licensing costs? Don't fall prey to these five common software licensing misconceptions.

By Thor Olavsrud

Apr 4, 2013 5 mins

Budgeting Cloud Management Hybrid Cloud

How to Use BPM to Improve Customer Experience

A Gartner analyst speaking at the firm's business process management summit explains how BPM technologies can be used to bring more success to your enterprise by improving customer experience.

By Kenneth Corbin

Apr 4, 2013 5 mins

BPM Systems IT Governance IT Strategy

25 Practical Windows 8 Tablet Apps for Business Users

Work smarter–not harder–with these no-nonsense Microsoft Windows 8 tablet apps for business.

By Vangie Beal

Apr 4, 2013 9 mins

Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business Tablet PCs

Google Brings Free Quickoffice Apps to iPhone, Android

Google is raising the stakes in its battle against Microsoft and Apple by offering free document-editing software for iOS and Android, along with paid versions of the apps.

By James A. Martin

Apr 3, 2013 3 mins

Microsoft Office Mobile Apps Office Suites

Firefox 20 Makes it Easier to Stay Private on the Web

Mozilla has simplified the process of keeping your browsing habits private. The new version of Firefox also includes a greatly improved download manager.

By Bill Snyder

Apr 3, 2013 2 mins

Browsers Internet Privacy

Windows 8 Devices on Sale at Microsoft Store Site

Take advantage of Microsoft's post-PC era panic at the Microsoft Store Web site. Windows 8 tablets and convertible devices are seeing price cuts as high as $350.

By Shane O'Neill

Apr 3, 2013 2 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Tablets

What’s Behind Apple’s Mea Culpa in China?

Apple CEO Tim Cook's overboard apology to China about the company's alleged disregard of customer service highlights an East-West cultural clash about how to do business.

By Tom Kaneshige

Apr 3, 2013 5 mins

Government Intellectual Property iPhone

10 Things BlackBerry Z10 Does That iPhone Can’t

The BlackBerry Z10 is one of the hottest new smartphones on the market. But does it stack up to THE hottest modern smartphone? CIO.com's Al Sacco highlights 10 things the BlackBerry Z10 can do that Apple's iPhone cannot.

By Al Sacco

Apr 3, 2013 10 mins

Apple Small and Medium Business iPhone

Smartphone Users Tap Facebook Obsessively

A new report shows just how much smartphone users love Facebook, checking it as much as 14 times a day. In advance of Thursday's Facebook phone announcement, this could be good news for the social network.

By Kristin Burnham

Apr 3, 2013 2 mins

Facebook Smartphones iPhone

IT Resume Makeover: How to Add Focus to Your Tech Resume

In our most recent resume makeover, IT career expert Jennifer Hay demonstrates how to organize and condense years of accomplishments and skills into an easy-to-read document that tells your story.

By Rich Hein

Apr 3, 2013 7 mins

CIO IT Jobs IT Skills

Why CRM Security Is Always a ‘Role’-Your-Own Project

With most enterprise applications, the security model can be simply user/group/world. It can't be all that complicated with CRM, right? Think again.

By David Taber

Apr 3, 2013 6 mins

CRM Systems Collaboration Software Small and Medium Business

How to Overcome SharePoint Performance Headaches

Microsoft SharePoint is increasingly becoming a victim of its own success: As more departments start to use it, bottlenecks occur and performance suffers. To combat this, some companies are rolling out third-party storage systems that move large data

By John Moore

Apr 3, 2013 7 mins

Backup and Recovery Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business

Attention Introverts!

Shyness and quiet reflection may be a leader’s greatest strength

By Martha Heller

Apr 2, 2013 2 mins

CIO IT Jobs IT Strategy

Why Crazy Trumps Logic on the Internet

The earth is flat. Vaccines cause autism. 9/11 was a government conspiracy. These are just a few of the many ideas that continue to find adherents online despite overwhelming proof that they're not based on fact. CIO.com blogger Constantine von

By Constantine von Hoffman

Apr 2, 2013 3 mins

Government

OneReceipt iOS App Promises to Scan Receipts, Fails Miserably

CIO.com blogger James A. Martin gives a thumbs up to the free OneReceipt Web-based service that imports receipts from Gmail and helps organize them. But the iOS app fails in its attempt to digitize paper receipts.

By James A. Martin

Apr 2, 2013 2 mins

iOS iPhone

Google Puts ‘You’ In Charge of Data Privacy

Google's getting a brand new director of privacy. The fact that Google even has a privacy director suggests it's paying close attention to the privacy implications of products that employ sensitive user data. But that doesn't mean Goog

By Al Sacco

Apr 2, 2013 3 mins

Android Privacy Smartphones

The 12 best laptop bags for mobile professionals

We're all carrying too much stuff. These bags will keep your laptop, tablet and smartphone in easy reach. Plus, they look cool.

By James A. Martin

Apr 2, 2013 7 mins

MacBook Small and Medium Business Ultrabook

Using social media to market your business or collaborate internally means more than having a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook. To teach college students that lesson, Syracuse University adopted HootSuite University's certific

By Kristin Burnham

Apr 2, 2013 6 mins

Certifications Collaboration Software Small and Medium Business

IT Career Tips to Avoid the Job Hopper Label

Is being considered a job hopper the kiss of death for job seekers or is it the new norm? It all depends on the underlying reasons and how it's presented.

By Rich Hein

Apr 2, 2013 8 mins

CIO IT Jobs IT Strategy

Lenovo’s X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook: Light, Slick and Expensive

If you like Windows 8 and have lots of room in your budget, you'll love the Lenovo Carbon. But most consumers will find the price and the limitations and complexity of Microsoft's new operating system a turn off.

By Bill Snyder

Apr 1, 2013 4 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Windows

Library Competes Thanks to Agile Development Outsourcing

One of the nation's largest circulating libraries, the King County Library System, turns to agile development outsourcing to take on commercial rivals such as Apple and Amazon.

By Stephanie Overby

Apr 1, 2013 4 mins

Agile Development Developer Outsourcing

Health Information Exchange Critical But Suffers From Complications

Efforts to expedite the adoption of health information exchange in the United States face a bevy of technology, management and financial questions. There are no easy answers, since HIE organizations are as different as the regions, the populations an

By Brian Eastwood

Apr 1, 2013 11 mins

Data Management Healthcare Industry Regulation

CIOs Must Move From ‘Mobile First’ to ‘Mobile Only’

Mobile is top-of-mind for most CIOs today. However, while many IT leaders are focused on enabling existing business processes and operations in a mobile framework, CIOs with an eye to the future are thinking about how mobile can transform the busines

By Thor Olavsrud

Apr 1, 2013 11 mins

CIO Mobile Device Management Small and Medium Business

‘CoPilot Live’ GPS App for iOS, Android is Worth a Test Drive

CoPilot Live HD Premium USA, a GPS-based maps app for iOS and Android, has a number of unique features, including routes for RVs and motorcycles. But its map data steered CIO.com blogger James A. Martin wrong on a few occasions.

By James A. Martin

Mar 29, 2013 3 mins

Android Compliance iPad

Would You Buy a 7-Inch Windows 8 Tablet?

Microsoft may be clearing the way for partners to create Windows 8 tablets with 7- and 8-inch screens. Watch out Kindle Fire, Google Nexus 7 and iPad Mini.

By Shane O'Neill

Mar 29, 2013 3 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Tablets

BlackBerry Finally Gets a Real Version of MLB At Bat…with a Few Caveats

BlackBerry today released a full version of the MLB At Bat '13 baseball app, but it's only available for the brand new BlackBerry Z10 device, and it doesn't offer all of the same features as its iOS and Android counterparts.

By Al Sacco

Mar 29, 2013 3 mins

Enterprise Applications Small and Medium Business Smartphones

Microsoft to Make Leaps in the Mobile Enterprise

Apple, Google, Microsoft and BlackBerry bear down for the great mobile enterprise race in 2013. Here are the results from an exclusive survey on mobile app deployment plans for all mobile platforms. The winners and losers may surprise you.

By Tom Kaneshige

Mar 29, 2013 6 mins

Careers Smartphones Tablets

Federal CIO Calls for Government-Wide ‘IT as a Service’

White House PortfolioStat 2.0 offers updated roadmap for overhaul of federal IT operations, calling for shift to cloud computing, CIO empowerment.

By Kenneth Corbin

Mar 29, 2013 4 mins

CIO Government Government IT

National Security Agency: ‘We Need to See What’s Going on’

Top military cybersecurity official says that Congress must pass legislation to provide for better sharing of information about threats and protecting user privacy while shielding industry players from legal liability.

By Kenneth Corbin

Mar 29, 2013 5 mins

Data Breach Government Security

Crowdsourcing Offers a Tightly Focused Alternative to Outsourcing

Crowdsourcing isn't likely to overtake traditional IT outsourcing in the foreseeable future, but for well-defined, repeatable tasks that can be pulled out of workflows and plugged back in, it's an attractive option for enterprise IT and pro

By Stephanie Overby

Mar 29, 2013 4 mins

CIO IT Governance IT Strategy

Oracle’s Delusional Hardware Marketing Isn’t Fooling Anyone

Despite repeated reprimands from the National Adverting Review Board, Oracle continues to run ads making questionable claims that its Sun hardware outperforms the competition. This isn't surprising–perception often trumps reality in advertising

By Rob Enderle

Mar 29, 2013 6 mins

Enterprise Architecture Financial Services Industry Servers

How to Bounce Back From a Job Disaster

An executive coach provides three tips for recovering from from an adverse, unexpected job change.

By Peter Black

Mar 29, 2013 2 mins

Careers IT Jobs

Samsung Galaxy S3 for $10 Is a Big Deal

With competition between Apple and Samsung at the boiling point, Verizon ups the ante with a great offer for the very capable Galaxy S3. Unless you steal one, you won't find a cheaper smartphone.

By Bill Snyder

Mar 28, 2013 3 mins

Carriers Small and Medium Business iPhone

SEC ‘Money Saving’ Trade-Tracking System Has Very Costly Flaw

The US SEC is content with a trade-tracking system that provides data on stock trades the day after they happen, something no broker would put up with. CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman says a real-time version will soon be available, but it wo

By Constantine von Hoffman

Mar 28, 2013 3 mins

Government Government IT Technology Industry

BlackBerry Earnings, Shipment Numbers Show Forward Progress

Today BlackBerry released its latest fiscal earnings, and the report is largely positive. A return to profitability and promising sales numbers, among other things, indicate the company is slowly regaining relevance.

By Al Sacco

Mar 28, 2013 6 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones Tablets

IT Concerns About Targeted Malware Rising

IT and security professionals are increasingly concerned about targeted malware and data breaches. What's worse is that their confidence in their ability to identify and stop them is waning.

By Thor Olavsrud

Mar 28, 2013 5 mins

Data Breach Intrusion Detection Software Viruses