News

A tradeshow is a tradeshow is a tradeshow. But developer conferences can tell you a lot more, providing key indicators for the future. At DreamForce 2012, Salesforce.com.com is showing roughly 90,000 attendees what its high-profile customers are abl

Disaster Proof All of Your Data with New ioSafe N2 NAS

The new ioSafe N2 is a fire- and water-proof network connected, multi-drive Network-Attached Storage (NAS) appliance that's designed to protect your data from almost any disaster.

By Paul Mah

Sep 19, 2012 3 mins

Computers and Peripherals Laptops Networking

iPhone 5 Price Madness: $207 to Build; $649 from Apple; $900 or More on eBay

The iPhone is selling faster than any gadget in history, and when demand is so high, the price customers are willing to pay jumps accordingly. Even so, the lengths consumers are willing to go to, and the prices they'll pay, to get an iPhone 5 ar

By Al Sacco

Sep 19, 2012 2 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

Cloud Will Save U.S. Government Billions, But Security Concerns Persist

New study finds that government agencies can net substantial savings by moving mission-critical applications to the cloud, but security remains a top concern.

By Kenneth Corbin

Sep 19, 2012 3 mins

Data and Information Security Government Government IT

5 Enterprise Alternatives to Dropbox

The recent Dropbox data breach has many IT executives telling employees not to use it. These five products offer the administrative and security features that may restore their faith in cloud data storage.

By John Brandon

Sep 19, 2012 5 mins

Data Breach Data Warehousing Virtualization

‘Shamoon’ Virus That Devastated Saudi Oil Co. Likely to Have Done More Damage

Last month, Saudi Aramco was hit with a massive cyber attack. The "Shamoon" virus that infected Aramco has probably done a lot more damage than what's been publicly reported, according to CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman. Here&#

By Constantine von Hoffman

Sep 18, 2012 4 mins

Cybercrime Intrusion Detection Software Malware

Motorola RAZR i is ‘First Smartphone to Hit 2.0 GHz’ Processor Speed

Motorola's upcoming RAZR i smartphone is the company's first handset with an Intel processor, and the single-core Intel Atom chip can reportedly reach processing speeds of up to 2.0 GHz.

By Al Sacco

Sep 18, 2012 2 mins

Computers and Peripherals Small and Medium Business Smartphones

How to Add a Cover Photo to Twitter

Twitter announced several new features today, including new mobile versions and an updated profile page that features a u0018header photo.u0019 Here's how you can upload one.

By Kristin Burnham

Sep 18, 2012 2 mins

Facebook Social Networking Apps Twitter

8 Hiring Tips for Identifying Superstar Developers

Hiring a developer can be a make or break decision for your business–hiring the wrong one can ruin your project or end up costing you later. What can you do to cut through all the noise and spot the standouts from the stand-ins? Learn how to uncover

By Rich Hein

Sep 18, 2012 15 mins

CIO CTO IT Jobs

Free Mobile Apps Put Your BYOD Strategies at Risk

When it comes to the BYOD trend, CIOs worry over their lack of control of mobile apps. However, it's not only about rogue mobile apps packing malware that trouble them. IT leaders are also concerned by the risks posed by malware-free mobile apps

By Jeff Vance

Sep 18, 2012 8 mins

Carriers Small and Medium Business Smartphones

8 Great Portable Speakers for Your Next Road Trip

Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, one of these eight portable speakers will be a great companion on your next road trip.

By Paul Mah

Sep 18, 2012 5 mins

Analytics Computers and Peripherals Ultrabook

Online-Shopping Comparison Apps Get New Price Guarantee Feature

You could save money on your next new gadget thanks to price comparison service Decide.com. The service's iOS and Android apps make it easy to snap product barcodes to compare prices, but they're missing some of the website’s featu

By James A. Martin

Sep 17, 2012 3 mins

Tablets iPhone

The Jabra Freeway is a full-featured in-car Bluetooth speakerphone that responds to voice prompts. The $130 gadget not only connects to vehicle sound-systems for music and navigation playback but also offers impressive audio via its built-in three-sp

By Paul Mah

Sep 17, 2012 3 mins

Computers and Peripherals Small and Medium Business Smartphones

Google Drops Support for IE8; Windows XP Users Out in the Cold

If you're still running Windows XP you'll have a real problem accessing Google services and apps with Internet Explorer 8 come November. Upgrade or else.

By Bill Snyder

Sep 17, 2012 3 mins

Browsers Internet Small and Medium Business

How to Manage Data Center Complexity

Complexity in the data center drives increased costs, reduced agility and even downtime. For the past five years, virtualization has been the accepted cure, but it may simply be shifting complexity into other areas of the data center. To get the most

By Thor Olavsrud

Sep 17, 2012 5 mins

Green IT IT Governance Virtualization

CIOs Look Ahead: Millennials, Consumer Tech and the Future

The newest wave of workers, known as Millennials, are demanding technology freedom and a blurring of the work-life line through social media and personal mobile devices. Here's how CIOs can give Millennials what they want without relinquishing c

By Tom Kaneshige

Sep 17, 2012 6 mins

IT Jobs Smartphones Tablets

5 Free Open Source Alternatives to Microsoft Office

Small businesses don't always need Microsoft Office software for word processing, spreadsheets, email, database and publishing tools. We look at five free, open source alternatives to Microsoft Office.

By Vangie Beal

Sep 17, 2012 7 mins

Budgeting Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business

Forget iPhone 5: Awesome Apple Alternatives (Video)

In this video short take, IDG Enterprise's Al Sacco and Keith Shaw talk about three top-of-the-line iPhone 5 alternatives from Motorola, Nokia and Samsung.

By Al Sacco

Sep 14, 2012 1 min

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

New Lenovo Adapter Lets You Connect Displays to PCs With No DVI/VGA Ports

The Lenovo USB 3.0 to DVI/VGA Monitor Adapter lets you connect multiple monitors to any PC with a USB port.

By Paul Mah

Sep 14, 2012 2 mins

Computers and Peripherals Ultrabook

Free Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter for iPhone 5 Buyers? No Way, No How

This morning, rumors—and Apple's website—suggested the company would give one free Lightning to 30-pin adapter to all new iPhone 5 buyers. CIO.com's Al Sacco suggests that will never happen.

By Al Sacco

Sep 14, 2012 2 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

Digital Disruption: What Software Dev & Delivery Competencies Matter?

In this age of digital disruption and a society empowered by software-fueled technology, firms that can cultivate competencies in software development & delivery will establish competitive advantage as they will be better equiped to meet, and exc

By Forrester Research

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

Developer Enterprise Applications IT Leadership

Windows 8 Given Tall Order of Saving the PC

PC sales have stagnated and older PCs aren't being replaced as consumers gobble up tablets and smartphones for work and play. Can Windows 8 possibly turn this sea change around?

By Shane O'Neill

Sep 14, 2012 4 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Smartphones

3 Reasons to Put Your iPhone on an App Diet

Chances are you’re not using the vast majority of apps on your iPhone. CIO.com blogger James A. Martin says it’s time to give those unused apps the boot. Here's why.

By James A. Martin

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

iPhone

Cybersecurity News Roundup: Emma Watson is the New Face of Cyber Evil

This week's cybersecurity news roundup has stories on Microsoft's takedown of the Nitol botnet; a Hacktivist who was arrested for threatening to ruin an FBI agent's life; the Australian Attorney General who wants to punish Twitter &quo

By Constantine von Hoffman

Sep 14, 2012 4 mins

Cybercrime Security

Is Windows 8 the Answer to Consumerization of IT Woes?

When it comes to post-PC computing, Apple's iPad has taken a commanding lead in the enterprise. However, will the security, networking and management features of Microsoft's Windows 8, slated for release next month, help Microsoft tablets t

By Thor Olavsrud

Sep 14, 2012 5 mins

Laptops Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business

Intel’s Vision For a Wireless Future Could Be Bunny Ear PCs

In the closing keynote at its Developer Forum, Intel CTO Justin Rattner wore headgear that moved artificial bunny ears according to his mood. Don't laugh — wireless technology that can connect devices to monitors, charge batteries and authentic

By Rob Enderle

Sep 14, 2012 6 mins

Biometrics Laptops Smartphones

How to Block Annoying Political Posts on Facebook

Tired of the political flame wars that pop up in your Facebook News Feed? Here's a Google Chrome extension that deletes them from sight.

By Kristin Burnham

Sep 14, 2012 2 mins

Consumer Electronics Facebook Social Networking Apps

10 Time Management Tips for IT Professionals

Are you working through lunch every day, late to meetings or missing deadlines? Are your professional responsibilities interfering with your personal life? If you answered, yes, chances are your time management skills need some work. Step up your gam

By Rich Hein

Sep 14, 2012 9 mins

CIO IT Jobs LinkedIn

iPads Lighten Load for Sales Staff At Boston Scientific

A new iPad strategy at Boston Scientific freed its sales staff from lugging around sales brochures. Finding the right cloud strategy, however, has proved more challenging.

By Michael Ybarra

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

Cloud Computing Healthcare Industry

5 Things CIOs Need to Know About CX

CX (or customer experience) has become critically important to doing business. If you're not already checking in with how your customer sees your business, it's time to start.

By Lauren Brousell

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

Carriers Consumer Electronics Retail Industry

Tablets for Flight Attendants on American Airlines

In an effort to get closer to customers and improve sales, American Airlines is launching a new mobile strategy aimed at boosting customer loyalty by giving flight attendants tablets loaded with customer data.

By Kim S. Nash

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

CIO Tablets

Innovation Can Start Far From Home

A Dartmouth faculty member suggests that CIOs can get fresh ideas from emerging economies, but it requires a new way of thinking

By Kim S. Nash

Sep 14, 2012 3 mins

Innovation

Ten Questions to Ask Before Using a Startup

Using a little-known tech firm can produce big benefits, but it requires doing your homework.

By Stephanie Overby

Sep 14, 2012 1 min

Innovation

The Risks and Rewards of Using Startups

CIOs say that partnering with no-name vendors can lead to a big payoff (more innovation) or a total bust. Here's how to manage the relationship.

By Stephanie Overby

Sep 14, 2012 15 mins

Innovation

Why CIOs Should Mentor Startups

If you're not already working with tech startups on projects pertaining to emerging technologies, it's time to get back in the game, says CIO magazine editor in chief Maryfran Johnson.

By Maryfran Johnson

Sep 14, 2012 2 mins

CIO

Time to Pay It Forward for Better Educated IT Workers

CIO's Publisher Emeritus Gary Beach knows American students lag behind other countries in STEM and thinks McKinsey's 'Closing the Talent Gap' report may be on to something. Is it time we incentivize our best students to forgo the

By Gary Beach

Sep 14, 2012 2 mins

IT Jobs

iPhone 5 Upgrades: Beware of the ‘Verizon Tax’

Buying Apple's new iPhone 5 from Verizon means upgrading to an expensive "share everything plan" that could cost you upwards of $700 a year. And because it has a new type of connector, you'll shell out even more cash.

By Bill Snyder

Sep 13, 2012 4 mins

Carriers Small and Medium Business iPhone

Cybersecurity Expert: US Critical Infrastructure Threat is Real – but ‘the Sky Isn’t Falling’

In a Q&A with WurldTech CTO Nate Kube, CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman addresses the current cyber threat to American utilities and what sort of government regulations are needed to help protect U.S. critical infrastructure.

By Constantine von Hoffman

Sep 13, 2012 6 mins

Cybercrime Data and Information Security Regulation

BlackBerry 10 Delay Looms Larger After Lukewarm iPhone 5 Launch

RIM's BlackBerry 10 delay is a huge lost opportunity that became even more glaring after this week's ho-hum iPhone 5 launch, according to CIO.com's Al Sacco.

By Al Sacco

Sep 13, 2012 3 mins

Mobile Small and Medium Business Smartphones

8 Ways New iPhone 5 Hardware Will Enhance iOS Apps

iPhone 5 users can look forward to more app-interface elements, less flicking to find apps and "console-quality" gaming on iOS, according to Apple.

By James A. Martin

Sep 13, 2012 4 mins

iPhone

Is Integration-as-a-Service the IT Model of the Future?

Shaun Daly, partner with outsourcing consultancy Sourcing Advisory Services, discusses how the third-party managed sourcing model–which he calls multi-sourcing Integration-as-a-Service–is poised to accelerate as the enterprise IT model of the futur

By Stephanie Overby

Sep 13, 2012 9 mins

IT Strategy Innovation Outsourcing

Online Sellers Unite to Oppose Ecommerce Tax Proposals

Calling sales-tax proposals 'unfair and unwise,' We R Here group seeks to put human face on proposed sales-tax requirements, telling lawmakers that small businesses, jobs are at risk.

By Kenneth Corbin

Sep 13, 2012 4 mins

Government Regulation Retail Industry

4 New Websites for Cool Facebook Cover Photos

Searching for the perfect cover photo to complete or spruce up your Facebook profile? These four new sites offer stock images, original designs and customized photo collages.

By Kristin Burnham

Sep 13, 2012 4 mins

Consumer Electronics Facebook Social Networking Apps

CRM Projects Done Right Mean Business Process Changes

Like most enterprise applications, CRM systems mean tighter business processes. Unlike most enterprise apps, however, CRM users typically aren't ready this for this. Here's a look at what needs to be fixed before you should really start a C

By David Taber

Sep 13, 2012 6 mins

BPM Systems CRM Systems IT Skills

Forget iPhone 5: 10 Top Apple Alternatives

You may have heard: Apple just unveiled a shiny new iPhone, the iPhone 5. But there's so much more to the smartphone world than just iPhones. Here's a list of 10 of the best currently available or coming-soon smartphones to make you forget

By Al Sacco

Sep 12, 2012 6 mins

Consumer Electronics Small and Medium Business Smartphones

ZAGGfolio Case for New iPad Review

The ZAGGfolio is a stylish and well-designed folio case that holds a detachable Bluetooth keyboard in place and serves as a typing stand. The removable keyboard can also be used as a dock for a variety of compatible tablets when it's detached.

By Paul Mah

Sep 12, 2012 2 mins

Computers and Peripherals Small and Medium Business Tablets

iPhone 5 and CIOs: What Apple’s New Phone Brings to the Enterprise

The iPhone 5's increased speed, screen size and durability will all be assets to business users, according to CIOs and tech analysts.

By Tom Kaneshige

Sep 12, 2012 4 mins

Consumer Electronics iPhone

Black Hat, Defcon Security Horror Stories Show Enterprise Vulnerabilities

Java hacks, VPN hacks, firewall hacks and even hotel room key hacks. Nothing is safe anymore, judging from an analysis of presentations at Black Hat and Defcon this summer. The lesson for enterprise CIOs? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

By John Brandon

Sep 12, 2012 5 mins

Firewalls Intrusion Detection Software Phishing

Scam Alerts: Fake Amazon Reviews and ‘Free’ Trials

The Internet is full of fakery. Beware of free trials that become recurring items on your credit card bills and take those great reviews on Amazon and other e-commerce sites with a shaker full of salt.

By Bill Snyder

Sep 11, 2012 4 mins

E-commerce Software Internet Productivity Software