News

Cisco Aggressively Branches Out Into the Data Center

Best known as a networking vendor, Cisco is taking on IBM and HP with its Unified Computing System

CIOs In Search of IT Simplicity

Today's tangled mess of technology hurts business agility and the bottom line. Some CIOs say it's time for a war on complexity.

CIOs Seeking System Interfaces That Are ‘Apple-Simple’

Employees and consumers expect user interfaces to be so easy to use that they require no training. That isn't easy to do with corporate software, but CIOs expect vendors to help accomplish the goal.

6 Steps to Improve BPM in a Social-Media-Driven World

Mobile and social media have changed how we do business, and your business processes need to catch up with the times. We talked to experts in the field to provide CIOs with where to start.

CIOs Should Learn to Lead the ‘Digital Cowboys’

The co-author of a new book says younger professionals are gadget-savvy and global-minded, so they require a new leadership style

Texas State CIO Bets Big On Controversial Outsourcing Deal

After a multimillion-dollar outsourcing deal with IBM went bust, the state of Texas appointed a new CIO who hopes to turn things around by placing one outsourcer in charge of several others to manage data centers and other public-sector IT

Google Nexus 7 Tablet: Video Hands On and Unboxing

CIO.com's Al Sacco goes hands on with the brand new Google Nexus 7 tablet, which is expected to be officially released in July.

Xmarks App Syncs Browser Bookmarks to Mobile Devices

The $12 Xmarks Premium Service and the associated free mobile apps can help simplify your multiple-browser, multiple-device digital life.

Soundfreaq Sound Stack Dock Packs an Audio Punch

The Soundfreaq Sound Stack audio dock for iOS devices and other smartphones and tablets delivers impressive sound and powerful bass that will satisfy serious audiophiles. But it doesn't come cheap at $400.

In Pictures: The Best of Windows 8 Hardware (So Far)

Microsoft hardware partners — and Microsoft itself — have some serious hardware waiting in the wings for the arrival of Windows 8. Here's a visual tour of upcoming Windows 8 tablets, ultrabooks and tablet/ultrabook hybrids.

Google I/O Live Blog: Insights and Images from Google’s ’12 Developer Conference

CIO.com's Al Sacco is on the scene in San Francisco for Google's 2012 developer conference, and he's live blogging the event. Get expert commentary, insights and photography from a variety of I/O locations in real time and watch live v

IT Economic Outlook Study Reveals IT Spending Tempered by Cautious Optimism

Many CIOs say they plan to increase IT budgets and continue spending on new projects. They also indicate a growing interest in investment in edge technologies such as mobile, social and cloud.

Open Source a $1 Billion Business, But Just Beginning

At the opening keynote at Red Hat Summit 2012, CEO Jim Whitehurst describes open source as entering the mainstream. While it's reach a billion in revenue, the battle for the future is just beginning, he says.

How to Use Groupon to Boost Your Ecommerce Business

Known for its popular daily local business coupon deals, Groupon also offers a number of features for ecommerce business owners. As always, though, it pays to be an informed buyer.

Are You Keeping Ahead of IT Industry Trends?

Social, mobile and other consumer technologies are inspiring venture capitalists to invest and changing the landscape of IT. Are you paying attention?

How CIOs Can Find Time to Think Strategically

From blogs to 'beer lists,' there are tricks for carving out time to think about creating competitive advantage for your business

Why Reports of Retaliatory Corporate Cyber Attacks are Questionable

CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman doesn't believe all the hype about retaliatory corporate cyber attacks. Here's why.

The $15 Scanbox Turns Your Smartphone Into a Scanner

The $15 Scanbox is a "portable scanning box" that holds your smartphone steadily in place and turns it into a portable scanner. The gadget also folds flat for easy storage and transportation.

Nasdaq CEO Blames IT for Bungled Facebook IPO; Is the Trust Gone?

Nasdaq CEO Robert Greifeld says inadequate "business judgment" about the stock exchange's IT capabilities partly caused problems that plagued Facebook's opening day. That can't be good for CIO Anna Ewing and her team.

McAfee Survey Shocker: Teens Lie to Parents About Online Habits!

A new McAfee survey shows that when it comes to their teens' online habits, parents are out to lunch. So what else is new? Still, despite online activity being mostly harmless, parents are being duped by kids on the Web in the simplest of ways a

Facebook Slyly Changes Contact Emails, Angers Users

Facebook is famous for tweaking features and settings unannounced, and this weekend the social networking giant was at it again. Here's what to look for and how to change it.

New CIOs for the Summer

The summer is kicking off with a bang when it comes to new CIO appointments.

Senate Cybersecurity Debate Looms, Will It Happen in July?

With the 2012 legislative calendar running out of pages, there is still a window of opportunity for debate and passage of a comprehensive cybersecurity overhaul bill.

Sequestration Threatens Tech Firms, DoD Contractors and National Security

With half a trillion dollars in defense cuts looming, technology firms and other defense contractors could be in store for major layoffs and facilities closures if sequestration plan takes effect.

Apple Not Likely to Tolerate Orbitz Price Prejudice

Online travel site Orbitz has admitted to pushing pricier hotel rooms at Mac users, a profit-seeking tactic that factors a user's underlying hardware into Web choices. Apple risks a backlash from customers who feel unprotected, says one industry

Olympics Website Leans on Open Source, Akamai for Winning Results

Like the athletes themselves, the official website of the London 2012 Olympics gets only one chance to reach peak performance under intense pressure. To meet that demand, the site has been load tested to handle a million unique visitors per hour. Rea

14 Tips to Help New College Grads Land a (Good) IT Job

IT recruiters and hiring managers share their advice on how recent college graduates can improve their chances of landing a job in IT.

New IBM Channel Chief: Partners Lead New Business Growth

IBM is promoting local, skilled solution providers to C-suite customers — and, increasingly, the midmarket — for quicker implementation, lower costs and stronger ROI. That's the mission of Big Blue's channel chief, a 32-year IBM veteran a

Going social: IT’s gauntlet in the global era

Consumerization of IT: The Next E-Commerce?

Eventually the consumerization of IT movement will go the way of e-commerce and just be something everybody has.

Free Flipboard App for Android Doesn’t Support Tablets

The popular magazine-like content aggregator app for iOS, Flipboard, recently made its Android debut. Unfortunately, this terrific app isn’t available for Android tablets, which are better suited for reading than smaller smartphones.

Three More Things I’d Tell Your CIO

For some folks, software and software development remains a commodity. But for many, the need to deliver great software has taken hold of 2013 planning discussions. With July just around the corner, and as you start 2013 planning, focus on what you n

Why Samsung’s NFC TecTiles are a Waste of Money

Samsung's new NFC-enabled "TecTiles" stickers let you automatically change phone settings, launch apps and send messages just by swiping your compatible smartphone across the stickers. But CIO.com's Al Sacco says TecTiles aren&#03

Social Media Sites Lead the Way for Security, Privacy Best Practices

In the wake of a record year for data breaches, the Online Trust Alliance is challenging financial institutions, commerce sites and consumer-facing government sites to implement its slate of security and privacy best practices by November.

What to Expect From Windows 8 and the Release Preview

Last month's Windows 8 Release Preview provided a sneak peek at what Metro apps will look like. The non-Metro desktop remains a mystery, though, so enterprises hoping to at least decide whether to adopt Windows 8 may need to wait until its fina

How to Win at the IT Outsourcing Negotiating Table

If CIOs want to get the most from IT outsourcing deals, they need to treat negotiation as an organizational business process–with training, tools, and processes–rather than an IT purchasing arrangement.

Protect Your iPhone from Prying Eyes with New ZAGG Privacy Screen

Are you surrounded by nosy neighbors? Encompassed by curious cubicle mates? Protect your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S from prying eyes–and dings and scratches–with ZAGG's brand new $25 Privacy screen protector.

Facial Recognition Advances: Why You Should Worry

Your face has become a virtual name tag. Marketers, police, and maybe even stalkers will soon be able to identify you using only off-the-shelf technology.

New Drobo Mini Storage Unit Holds 4 Drives, Supports Thunderbolt and USB 3.0

The brand new Drobo Mini is storage geek's dream. The powerful portable storage array has four drive bays, and it comes with Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports. Unfotunately, it won't come cheap when it's released later this summer.

3 Must-Have Android, iOS Apps for Travelers

Summer is prime travel time and a few good mobile apps can make any journey more enjoyable. Frequent traveler and CIO.com blogger James A. Martin suggests three iOS and Android apps he never leaves home without.

Can Microsoft Avoid Compaq’s Fate?

Here's a bedtime story of how a playground leader with lots of friends (Compaq) got undercut by the new kid on the block (Dell). Is this cautionary fable repeating itself with Microsoft and Apple?

Cybersecurity News Roundup: US, Israel Spark Flame Malware; Trojans Make Invisible Bank Transfers; and More

This week's IT security news roundup has stories on the United States and Israel's role in the creation of the Flame malware; a new Trojan that steals money from bank accounts without detection; Android Malware posing as a security app; Goo

Will Digital Music Suffer If Universal Acquires EMI?

The top executives of Universal Music Group and EMI defend the proposed acquisition at a Senate hearing, saying the music industry has dramatically changed with the rise of digital platforms and their companies joining would have minimal impact on th

LinkedIn Tip: How Businesses Can Target Status Updates

LinkedIn's new 'Targeted Status Updates' lets you deliver relevant content to the right followers. Here's what company administrators need to know.

Two Microsoft Surface Tablets, Two Processors

One Microsoft Surface Tablet will run on Intel processors, the other on Nvidia. One will appeal to end users, the other to IT departments. Which is which isn't as obvious as it seems.

CIOs Need to Evolve or Be Left in the Dust

The centralized IT function of old is under tremendous pressure from trends such as cloud computing, proliferation of consumer-focused mobile devices in the enterprise and Big Data analytics. According to a report by The Economist, as these trends er

Images and Video from Samsung’s NYC Galaxy S III Launch

Get an insider's look at Samsung's Wednesday Galaxy S III launch event in New York City with these images and video taken by CIO.com's Al Sacco.

Desperately Seeking Data Scientists

The role of data scientist is hotter than ever. American Express is looking for a whole team of them and many other companies are, too. Aren't internal staff worth retraining?

Cisco Patches Vulnerabilities in VPN Client, Security Appliances

Networking equipment vendor Cisco Systems released multiple security updates on Wednesday to address vulnerabilities in its AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances, Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series ASA Services Modul

Samsung Galaxy S III: 8 Key Features and Facts

Samsung yesterday launched its latest handheld, the Galaxy S III, in New York City, and CIO.com's Al Sacco was on the scene. Here, he spotlights eight features that set the new smartphone apart, as well as some unique Samsung marketing initiativ