News

Decline in IT Outsourcing Market Challenges Service Providers

With the overall IT services market on the decline, providers may look to emerging markets and emerging technology offerings for growth.

By Stephanie Overby

Jan 24, 2013 4 mins

IT Leadership IT Strategy Outsourcing

Obama’s Executive Order on Cybersecurity Fighting Words to GOP

A prominent GOP lawmaker–opposed to any measure that would expand government oversight over digital infrastructure owned and operated by the private sector–urges President Obama to not issue an executive order mandating new cybersecurity provisions

By Kenneth Corbin

Jan 24, 2013 4 mins

Cybercrime Government Regulation

Mobile, Analytics Help Sports Industry Score More Sales

Organizations such as the Green Bay Packers football team and the owner of the Daytona 500 race track are using IT to produce happier fans and more revenue.

By Lauren Brousell, Kim S. Nash

Jan 24, 2013 3 mins

CRM Systems Marketing Small and Medium Business

Big Data Brings Big Privacy Concerns

Wary of privacy implications of massive data collection systems, the Senate Commerce Committee plans to continue a probe of the industry, coinciding with a separate inquiry underway at the Federal Trade Commission.

By Kenneth Corbin

Jan 24, 2013 4 mins

Government Government IT Regulation

Most CIOs Planning to Boost IT Investments for 2013

A majority (albeit by the slightest of margins) of IT leaders say they plan to increase their IT budgets in the coming year, according to a recent survey of 188 top IT executives.

By CIO.com staff

Jan 24, 2013 1 min

Budgeting CIO IT Strategy

Interactive Software, Usability Top Innovations at Oredev

Innovation can come from anywhere. Contributor Matthew Heusser learned this in a recent trip to a developer conference in Sweden, where a game of Asteroids you play with your eyes and lessons from Hollywood on user experience caught his attention.

By Matt Heusser

Jan 24, 2013 8 mins

Collaboration Software Developer Small and Medium Business

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are breeding grounds for phishing, clickjacking and social engineering attacks. Here are nine tips for spotting a scam, plus advice for what to do if you fall victim.

By Kristin Burnham

Jan 24, 2013 5 mins

Privacy Security Social Networking Apps

Microsoft Surface Pro Coming Soon But Not Without a Cover Charge

The Microsoft Surface Windows 8 Pro tablet will finally arrive on Feb. 9, but CIO.com's Shane O'Neill is disappointed that the highly advertised Touch and Type Covers are still not included in the bill.

By Shane O'Neill

Jan 23, 2013 3 mins

Computers and Peripherals Small and Medium Business Windows

UberConference iOS, Android Apps Make Conference Calls Less Painful

Love 'em or hate 'em, conference calls are a must for many of us. UberConference's free mobile apps for iOS and Android make such calls easy to initiate, but the apps aren't perfect and they could confuse your conference participa

By James A. Martin

Jan 23, 2013 2 mins

iPhone

Cyber War is Upon Us–But Only One Side is Attacking

Is a cyberwar really a war if only one side is fighting? The United States hit Iran's nuclear program with Stuxnet and followed up with Flame, the James Bond of spyware. But Iran's response is the equivalent of a few shots from a Nerf gun,

By Constantine von Hoffman

Jan 23, 2013 4 mins

Security

13 Healthcare IT Trends and Predictions for 2013

From meaningful use of EHR software to moving HIPAA to the new millennium to big data, it's going to be another busy year for healthcare information technology. Count on these 13 things happening in 2013.

By Brian Eastwood

Jan 23, 2013 9 mins

Data Breach HIPAA Regulation

How a Big Financial Services Firm Faced BYOD iPads

With BYOD iPad security under control, financial services firm Blackstone looks toward tough challenges ahead, including the possibility of company-owned iPads and opening up its BYOD program to Android and Windows 8 devices.

By Tom Kaneshige

Jan 23, 2013 8 mins

Financial Services Industry Mobile Security Tablet PCs

IT Decision-Makers Say Embrace BYOD or Be Left Behind

In a global survey of technology leaders, Dell Quest Software reports that companies that adopt a user-centric approach to BYOD tend to reap the most benefits and suffer the fewest setbacks and challenges.

By Thor Olavsrud

Jan 23, 2013 5 mins

Mobile Device Management Mobile Security Small and Medium Business

Tape Storage Finds New Life in the Enterprise and Beyond

Tape is not dead–far from it. In fact, many enterprises depend on it for cost-effective long-term storage. Tape is also finding new applications in the virtualized and increasingly video-centric world of IT. As enterprises deal with bigger sets of d

By Stephen Lawson

Jan 23, 2013 8 mins

Backup and Recovery Data Center Virtualization

RIM Releases BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, Offers Free Trial

RIM this week released the first version of its BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) management product, which offers a single console to manage older BlackBerry smartphones, new BlackBerry 10 devices, PlayBook tablets and both iOS and Android devices

By Al Sacco

Jan 23, 2013 4 mins

Mobile Security Small and Medium Business Smartphones

How to Avoid Online Reputation Management Nightmares

Don't let a few bad reviews or one negative article ruin your reputation with online customers. These three case studies feature companies that faced online reputation challenges, with a look at the results they achieved and the lessons they lea

By James A. Martin

Jan 23, 2013 8 mins

Internet Marketing ROI and Metrics

How Safe is it to Complain About Your Boss on Facebook or Twitter?

You can still get fired for sounding off about work on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. But if you're trying to improve working conditions, and not just venting, regulators may protect you.

By Bill Snyder

Jan 22, 2013 3 mins

Facebook Social Networking Apps Twitter

3 Ways to Make Free Wi-Fi Phone Calls on iOS, Android

Facebook's updated Messenger app for iPhone now lets you place free phone calls over Wi-Fi, but you can only call your Facebook friends. Thankfully, there are other options for free Wi-Fi calling, the best of which is Talkatone, according to CIO

By James A. Martin

Jan 22, 2013 3 mins

Android iPhone

Movers & Shakers 2.0

CIO.com blogger Martha Heller asks: What are the three top competencies for your organization's senior team?

By Martha Heller

Jan 22, 2013 2 mins

CIO Careers IT Leadership

Net Neutrality Bill Looms If Court Voids FCC Order

The leader of Internet caucus vows to renew fight to authorize enforcement of open Internet rules if court rules against FCC. In Senate, bipartisan group plans to reintroduce legislation to ease immigration restrictions for highly skilled foreign wor

By Kenneth Corbin

Jan 22, 2013 5 mins

Government H-1B Visas Regulation

8 Tips for How to Fire an Employee

If you are in IT management long enough eventually you will have to fire someone. Knowing how to do it the right way can make it less impactful and emotional for all involved. n

By Rich Hein

Jan 22, 2013 7 mins

CIO IT Skills IT Strategy

How to Recover Data on HDD, SSD and Flash-Based Memory

Ever encounter a failed storage drive or delete an important file by mistake? Here's what you need to do. Step 1: Figure out if you can do it yourself or need to call in the professionals.

By Paul Mah

Jan 22, 2013 2 mins

Backup and Recovery Data and Information Security Disaster Recovery

5 Tech Skills in Lowest Demand in 2013

While the overall job market may still be difficult, it's generally better for those with technology skills. Even so, recruiters and hiring managers say some skillsets are a lower priority than others for their clients and companies. Here are th

By Thor Olavsrud

Jan 21, 2013 3 mins

Careers IT Skills

7 CES Announcements IT Pros Need to Know About

Despite its name, the annual Consumer Electronics Show isn't wholly consumer tech. These seven announcements–covering data analytics, collaboration, RAM and more–may impact the systems and devices your employees use in 2013.

By John Brandon

Jan 21, 2013 4 mins

Big Data Laptops Small and Medium Business

Windows 8 Got You Down? Buy a Windows 7 Ultrabook

Don't let Microsoft force you to use its two-headed monster Windows 8. There's no shame in buying a Windows 7 ultrabook if it fulfills your needs and is easier on the wallet.

By Shane O'Neill

Jan 18, 2013 3 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Tablets

Did Google Kill the Donkey?

The Internet went viral with news that a Google Street View car ran over a helpless animal, but don't ASS-ume that it's true.

By Bill Snyder

Jan 18, 2013 3 mins

Consumer Electronics Internet

Hey Apple and Google, It’s Only Fair to Let Your Employees Get Poached

A no-poaching pact among the biggest Silicon Valley companies exposes an ugly elitism that keeps employees in chains, writes CIO.com's Tom Kaneshige.

By Tom Kaneshige

Jan 18, 2013 2 mins

Careers IT Jobs Legal

Is Apple About to Make Siri Sassier?

Apple is reportedly looking for someone to script new responses for its virtual voice assistant, Siri. CIO.com blogger James A. Martin gave up on Siri months ago, but the potential update inspired him to talk to Siri again to find out if she really d

By James A. Martin

Jan 18, 2013 3 mins

iPhone

US Congress Used BitTorrent to Steal Movies, TV

This week's cybersecurity news roundup has stories on the U.S. Congress illegally downloading movies and TV shows; an employee who worked several jobs at once by outsourcing them all to China, for a fraction of his pay; new Java exploits; and mo

By Constantine von Hoffman

Jan 18, 2013 4 mins

Cybercrime Security

How a Private Cloud Saves Money and the Environment

When Ricoh Europe realized its IT environment was both spiraling out of control and environmentally unfriendly, it turned to a IT services provider for help. Working with Infosys, Ricoh developed a private cloud that helped it consolidate nine data c

By Stephanie Overby

Jan 18, 2013 4 mins

Green IT Innovation Outsourcing

How to Use Your iPhone to Make Free Calls Via Facebook

Facebook Messenger for iPhone now lets you place free VoIP calls to your friends–as long as they, too, have downloaded the app. Here's how the new feature works and how to use it.

By Kristin Burnham

Jan 18, 2013 3 mins

Facebook Small and Medium Business iPhone

Pull the Plug on Java Before It’s Too Late

This week's zero-day exploit is the latest evidence suggesting that client-side Java is past its prime, not to mention dangerously insecure. It's time for consumers and enterprises to pull the plug on Java before Oracle sells it off and lea

By Rob Enderle

Jan 18, 2013 5 mins

Browsers Cybercrime Java

AT&T Lets More People Use Apple FaceTime, But It’s Not Enough

AT&T is still bending the law by not allowing all its customers to use Apple's FaceTime video chat app.

By Bill Snyder

Jan 17, 2013 3 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

As BlackBerry 10 Launch Nears, RIM’s Momentum Builds

During the past week, 15,000 BlackBerry 10 applications were submitted by developers; RIM's NFC security product received a thumbs up from Visa; and the company announced that 1,600 organizations are working with RIM to prepare for the launch of

By Al Sacco

Jan 17, 2013 3 mins

Data Center Small and Medium Business Smartphones

10 Innovative Health Gadgets at CES

Amid the glitz and glamour of the Consumer Electronics Show were 10 gadgets that aim to help people sit up straight, eat slowly and monitor vital signs as they exercise, work and sleep.

By Joseph Kim, M.D.

Jan 17, 2013 7 mins

Healthcare Industry Smartphones iPhone

6 Hidden Costs of Cloud and How to Avoid Them

As organizations flock to the cloudu201494 percent of enterprises are at least discussing cloud or cloud servicesu2014they are encountering a host of hidden costs. These costs can be avoided with a bit of planning.

By Thor Olavsrud

Jan 17, 2013 7 mins

Data and Information Security Encryption Regulation

How Consumerization of IT Led Kaplan to Google Apps

At Kaplan, a genuine enthusiasm for technology comes from the top: Its CIO embraces the consumerization of IT and wants employees to be as excited about technology as he is. That culture led Kaplan to migrate from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps an

By Kristin Burnham

Jan 17, 2013 7 mins

Collaboration Software Innovation Small and Medium Business

How to Improve Your WordPress Site and Increase Sales With OptimizePress

OptimizePress can help small (even one-person) businesses add sites squeeze pages, sales pages and other components to their WordPress sites. This will make it easier to attract customers, capture their information and offer them relevant products or

By Nathan Segal

Jan 17, 2013 11 mins

E-commerce Software Marketing Small and Medium Business

Edit Microsoft Office Docs via iPhone with Free CloudOn App

CloudOn is a free app that puts a virtual-Office suite on your iPad, and the latest version also supports the iPhone. Unfortunately, a few key Office features aren't available in CloudOn.

By James A. Martin

Jan 16, 2013 2 mins

iPhone

Infographic: BYOD’s Meteoric Rise

The BYOD (bring your own device) movement hit a full sprint in 2012 and the following infographic puts BYOD data in colorful perspective. But is a BYOD reality check coming in 2013?

By Tom Kaneshige

Jan 16, 2013 2 mins

Careers Smartphones Tablets

Why You Need to Protect Your Home from Cyber Pearl Harbor (Now!)

All those cool, Internet-ready appliances may have already turned your kitchen into a kill zone and your bathroom into a blood bath. Fortunately, it's not too late to save you and your family, thanks to the PurplexUs Corporations’s new

By Constantine von Hoffman

Jan 16, 2013 3 mins

Security

Ouch, Samsung Turns Its Back on Windows RT

Amid weak sales for the Microsoft Surface RT tablet and consumer confusion about what Windows RT is, Samsung couldn't find enough compelling reasons to release its Windows RT Ativ Tab in the U.S.

By Shane O'Neill

Jan 16, 2013 4 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Tablets

Apple’s ‘Find My iPhone’ Sends Dozens of Angry iUsers to Innocent Man’s Home

Apple's location-based Find My iPhone feature can be a life saver for folks who've lost their iDevices. But it has also proved to be a major problem for one Las Vegas man. Here's why.

By Al Sacco

Jan 16, 2013 2 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

Email Privacy Tops Tech Agenda at Judiciary Committee

Should law-enforcement officials have easier access to your email just because it's stored in the cloud? It does now and Patrick Leahy says he intends to resume efforts to update 1986 electronic privacy law to provide greater legal protections f

By Kenneth Corbin

Jan 16, 2013 5 mins

Enterprise Applications Government Privacy

5 Steps to Enhance Your WordPress Online Business Site

Many online businesses use WordPress to build a website that can function as a sales funnel as well as a blog. Templates and themes such as OptimizePress can add a variety of features, such as a squeeze page and a sales page, which will help you conn

By Nathan Segal

Jan 16, 2013 8 mins

E-commerce Software Retail Industry Small and Medium Business

11 Best Cities to Find an IT Job

Finding the right job in the IT field is always challenging, but there are good opportunities for talented IT professionals–especially if you are willing to move on to greener pastures in other parts of the country.

By Rich Hein

Jan 16, 2013 7 mins

Careers IT Jobs

New Year, New CIOs

2013 has started out with a bang

By Martha Heller

Jan 15, 2013 5 mins

CIO Careers IT Jobs

It’s Time to Banish Java from Your Computer

Instead of worrying about the security threat posed by Java, simply get rid of it. Chances are you won’t miss it. Here are steps you can take to kill Java from your PC.

By Bill Snyder

Jan 15, 2013 4 mins

Browsers Internet Intrusion Detection Software

Find the Best Tablets in 13 Categories

The tablet market is awash with iOS, Android and Windows 8 models that come in different sizes and with different features, specs and prices. How do you decide? We highlight the top picks in 13 categories.

By James A. Martin

Jan 15, 2013 8 mins

Apple Small and Medium Business Ultrabook

Apple’s 15 Boldest Computer Designs, 1976 – 2012

Apple's computer hardware designs through the years have reflected the state of the company. Subliminal messages abound with each product release. Here are some of Apple's most bold, iconic computer designs and what we think they're te

By Tom Kaneshige

Jan 15, 2013 7 mins

Computers and Peripherals Laptops Tablets