News

Microsoft Kills Windows 7 Family Pack, Shoots Self in Foot

Microsoft has pulled, I mean sold out of, the Windows 7 Family Packs in a stingy maneuver that is sure to backfire.

Dec 8, 2009

Is Offshoring Really a Money Saver?

A report that looks at numbers from the Contact Center Satisfaction Index says the real cost of offshoring is no savings.

By Beth Bacheldor

Dec 8, 2009

IT Leadership

Outsourcing Prices Likely to Drop in 2010, But at What Cost?

IT outsourcing industry watchers expect prices for IT services will continue to drop in 2010, but the lower prices may not be such a blessing for customers.

By Stephanie Overby

Dec 8, 2009

Data Center Outsourcing

Six Strategies for Managing Telecommuters

With the right skills and tools, virtual teams can be as effective as any traditional co-located teams, and in some cases, can be even more productive and efficient.

By Carl Eidson, Ph.D., Vice President, Wilson Learning

Dec 8, 2009

IT Leadership Remote Work

Deploying Windows 7 and Exchange 2010: Microsoft Is at Your Service

Microsoft pushes its consulting and business support division for companies considering upgrades to Windows 7 and Exchange.

By Shane O'Neill

Dec 7, 2009

Data Center

8 More PowerPoint Train Wrecks

We thought we had seen presentation disaster at its worst with the last set of PowerPoint slides. We were wrong. These train wrecks, captured in all their not-so-fiery infamy, show what truly terrible PPT slides can do to burn innocent audiences ever

By Thomas Wailgum

Dec 7, 2009

Enterprise Applications

How to Improve Your IT Planning in 2010

For long-term IT effectiveness, leaner planning processes will help CIOs spend more time leading, and less time planning, says CIO.com's Chris Curran. Consider this practical advice for tweaking your planning process.

By Chris Curran

Dec 7, 2009

Data Center IT Leadership

Four Dirty Little Secrets of CRM Requirements Lists

For many enterprise systems, requirements lists from various companies look pretty consistent. Not so with CRM systems. What do you have to do differently to evaluate, prioritize, and satisfy CRM requirements? Consider these four tips.

By David Taber

Dec 7, 2009

CRM Systems Data Center

Five Moves I Wish Apple Would Make in 2010

Will Apple deliver its much-rumored tablet next year? Can IT staffs expect some help managing iPhones? Some of the things we hope to see next year just might come to pass, while others are wishful thinking.

By Tom Kaneshige

Dec 7, 2009

Outsourcing Social Networking Apps iPhone

BlackBerry App World Now Offering Themes (Free and Commercial)

BlackBerry-maker RIM's mobile software store BlackBerry App World today started offering "themes," or software skins that help users customize and optimize their smartphones. The themes, which include Disney- and Harley-Davidson-brande

By Al Sacco

Dec 7, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Developer Small and Medium Business

Decision Making is Essential to Good Project Management

Once project managers make a decision they must communicate that decision.

By Jim Vaughan

Dec 7, 2009

IT Leadership

What Bing Can Learn from Google: Don’t Piss Off Publishers

The recent rift between Rupert Murdoch and Google gives Microsoft an opportunity to earn the trust of Google-weary publishers.

By Shane O'Neill

Dec 4, 2009 4 mins

Data Center

20 Mobile Trends and Future Technologies

Spokespeople from Info-Tech Research Group Ltd., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Sony Corp. and Research in Motion Ltd. provided food for thought on upcoming uses for mobile devices at a Technology Town Hall meeting in Toronto Tuesday.

By Jennifer Kavur

Dec 4, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Laptops Small and Medium Business

2010’s New Software Star: ‘Socialytic’ Business Apps

'Socialytic' sounds buzzworthy, for sure. But in 2010, IDC says the combination of business, social and collaborative apps will transform the enterprise software market and alter ERP and BI vendors' products.

By Thomas Wailgum

Dec 4, 2009

ERP Systems Enterprise Applications Outsourcing

Tech Vendors Behaving Badly: Support Just Gets Worse

There's been a lot of well-deserved rage directed at Wall Street this year; maybe Silicon Valley should get a dose of the same. The technology industry does too little to help or support buyers once they've opened their wallets.

By Bill Snyder

Dec 4, 2009

Operating Systems

How to Keep Your Data Center Happy for the Holidays

Shoppers are mobbing online stores, boosting traffic numbers and making it even more important that e-commerce firms handle the demand well. Data center gurus better make a list of holiday traffic lessons and check it twice.

By Robert Lemos

Dec 4, 2009

Data Center

IT Professionals’ Paradoxical Popularity Problem

Sometimes, for IT professionals, work is just like being in high school all over again. Sigh.

By Meridith Levinson

Dec 3, 2009

Careers

10 Tech Terms That Sound NSFW–But Aren’t

Some tech terms seem to be all about racy innuendo. Here's a look at the top 10 that make us say hmmm.

By Thomas Wailgum

Dec 3, 2009

Enterprise Applications

BlackBerry-Maker RIM Hit With Another Patent Complaint in U.S.

RIM, maker of the popular BlackBerry smartphone, has been served yet another patent-related complaint, and the motion could potentially lead to the barring of sales of certain BlackBerry products and/or services in the United States–though that outc

By Al Sacco

Dec 3, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Data Center Small and Medium Business

iPhone Owners Open Up Their Wallets

Would you pay $3 for GQ magazine's December issue on the iPhone?

By Tom Kaneshige

Dec 2, 2009

Mobile Small and Medium Business

Do You Have A Handle On Game-Changing IT Trends?

Exploring the key trends that are truly game-changing.

By Forrester Research

Dec 2, 2009

IT Leadership

Fraud from organized criminal groups hurts financial institutions the most, the best way to fight a criminal network is to take it down as an organization and analytics software helps institutions do this by providing insight into the big picture, ac

By Jennifer Kavur

Dec 2, 2009

Data Center Enterprise Applications Internet

Falling PC Prices Pit Microsoft Against PC Makers

Plummeting prices of PCs are great news for consumers, but are a disaster for hardware makers. Microsoft isn't cutting them any slack with Windows pricing. Will PC price drops catch up with Microsoft in other ways?

By Shane O'Neill

Dec 2, 2009

Data Center Small and Medium Business Windows

Smartphone Stocking Stuffers: 15 Hot Accessories and Add-Ons

CIO.com's mobile guru Al Sacco scoured the Web for the best and most affordable stocking stuffers sure to bring joy to the hearts of smartphone-lovers this holiday season – iPhone, BlackBerry, Window Mobile, Palm and Android users alike. With ou

By Al Sacco

Dec 2, 2009

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

IT Outsourcing: 9 Legal Mistakes That Can Cost You Big

Outsourcing attorneys share the costliest legal mistakes their outsourcing clients make and suggest ways you can avoid them.

By Stephanie Overby

Dec 2, 2009

Outsourcing

Why Benchmarking Cloud vs. Current IT Costs is So Hard

Cloud providers make their services' costs quite transparent, says CIO.com's Bernard Golden. The trouble is, for most companies, current data center costs remain opaque. Will new tools help?

By Bernard Golden

Dec 2, 2009

Cloud Computing Virtualization

RIM to BlackBerry Admins: Beware New BES Security Flaw

RIM has identified another critical security flaw in its BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) software, and the BlackBerry-maker is suggesting all organizations running BES 4.1.3 or higher update their software immediately or at least disable the probl

By Al Sacco

Dec 2, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Data Center Small and Medium Business

RFID: A New Hope in a New Decade

For all the hype and some pockets of success, RFID's time in the mainstream sun remains five to 10 years off, analysts say. CIO.com's Thomas Wailgum uncovers a few bright spots–and examines what's stopping some businesses from making

By Thomas Wailgum

Dec 1, 2009

Internet of Things RFID Supply Chain Management Software

Five Great iPhone Photography Apps for the Holidays

To get the most from your iPhone 3GS camera, consider these five apps for the amateur shutterbug working overtime during the holidays.

By Tom Kaneshige

Dec 1, 2009

Consumer Electronics iPhone

Safer Online Shopping: Eight Tips

Black Friday sales results show holiday shoppers flocking to the Web this year in unprecedented numbers. To avoid this season's crop of security threats to your browser and computer, check out these eight suggestions from Microsoft.

By Shane O'Neill

Dec 1, 2009

Data Center Enterprise Applications

12 Microblogging Tools to Consider

Looking for business-friendly alternatives to Twitter? Check out these options.

By Kristin Burnham

Dec 1, 2009

Consumer Electronics Enterprise Applications IT Leadership

Twitter Alternatives That Are All Business

Microblogging, or short-form text updates via the Web, has become a hot trend for enterprises that want to help employees share information internally. Here's a look at how three businesses are using Twitter alternatives for microblogging, plus

By Kristin Burnham

Dec 1, 2009 11 mins

Consumer Electronics Enterprise Applications Social Networking Apps

Outsourcing IT Innovation

Balancing your outsourcing efforts is vital to keeping your innovation engine running smoothly and efficiently.

By Beth Bacheldor

Nov 30, 2009

IT Leadership

Navigation apps ring up some of the highest sales of all the apps in Apple's app store.

By Tom Kaneshige

Nov 30, 2009

Consumer Electronics Social Networking Apps iPhone

IT Management in 2010: Complex, Costly and Still Confounding

Despite the emergence of improved IT management tools over the past decade, CIOs continue to grapple with the same IT challenges they dealt with five and even 10 years ago. Which can make a CEO wonder: "When are we going to get there?"

By Thomas Wailgum

Nov 30, 2009

Enterprise Applications IT Leadership Outsourcing

Networking Do’s and Don’ts: 7 Tips for Job Seekers During the Holidays

The best five weeks of networking for the entire year are going on now. Make sure you're prepared for all of your holiday networking events by following these seven do's and don'ts from master networker and motivational speaker Dave Sh

By Meridith Levinson

Nov 30, 2009

Careers IT Jobs Relationship Building

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) 5.0 SP1 for Exchange, Lotus Domino Now Available

BlackBerry administrators can now download the latest version of RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server, BES 5.0 SP1, for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino deployments. The update includes a number of valuable fixes and improvements, including

By Al Sacco

Nov 30, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Data Center Small and Medium Business

OtterBox Commuter Cases for BlackBerry: Durability Meets Style

BlackBerry users searching for smartphone cases that offer both a high level of protection and unique style will find a friend in OtterBox's Commuter cases–though they're not for everyone. The rigid, rubber-and-plastic cases prove to be qu

By Al Sacco

Nov 30, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Data Center Small and Medium Business

Outsourcing vs. Diplomacy Could Be An Uneasy Balance

President Obama wants to strengthen ties with India. How will he do that and deal with offshoring and H-1B Visas?

By Beth Bacheldor

Nov 25, 2009

IT Leadership

RIM Wants You! (to Make eBay for BlackBerry the Best It Can Be)

BlackBerry-maker RIM today released a beta, or test, version of its brand new, free eBay for BlackBerry app, and the company's looking for feedback from early users to help improve and shape future builds of the software. eBay for BlackBerry cur

By Al Sacco

Nov 25, 2009

Computers and Peripherals Data Center Small and Medium Business

Three Reasons Microsoft Should Be Thankful

Those darn Apple ads just get funnier. Still, as Thanksgiving approaches, the folks at Microsoft have plenty to be thankful for, particularly on the Windows 7 and Bing fronts.

By Shane O'Neill

Nov 24, 2009

Internet Small and Medium Business Windows

Retail Therapy

How retailers are using social networking and mobile devices to reach customers.

By Maryfran Johnson

Nov 24, 2009

Consumer Electronics

Facebook, Mobile Phones and the Future of Shopping

Forget the mall. Retailers are tapping Facebook and mobile phones to get closer to customers wherever they are.

By Kim S. Nash

Nov 24, 2009

Business IT Alignment Small and Medium Business Social Networking Apps

CRM: When Should Customer Service Run the Show?

Most customers think about CRM as a sales and marketing system. But in many industries, the customer actually has more contact with customer service. When should CS be running the CRM show, and what changes when they do?

By David Taber

Nov 24, 2009

CRM Systems Data Center

BlackBerry Media Sync 3.0 Brings Photo-Sync Features to PC; Mac Users Get Cold Shoulder

A new version of RIM's free multimedia-oriented desktop software, BlackBerry Media Sync 3.0, helps CrackBerry addicts sync and manage their iTunes and Windows Media Player music libraries, as well as personal photos collections, between desktop

By Al Sacco

Nov 24, 2009

Apple Small and Medium Business Technology Industry

7 Ways an Outsourcing Advisor Can Save You Money

From ensuring you don't get snookered on prices to helping you transition your IT services to your new vendor, outsourcing advisors can save customers' money on the front- and back-ends of outsourcing deals.

By Stephanie Overby

Nov 24, 2009

Outsourcing

Steve Jobs Snubs Admirer

So much for Apple hero worship.

By Tom Kaneshige

Nov 23, 2009

Enterprise Applications

Cloud Computing’s Messiah: Marc Benioff’s Cult of Personality

Are you a believer in the Cloud Gospel of Salesforce.com's CEO? His followers — and ego — grow larger each day.

By Thomas Wailgum

Nov 23, 2009

Enterprise Applications

Top 10 Non-Tech Gadgets IT Pros Can’t Live Without

IT professionals need a lot more than a computer and a smartphone to get their jobs done. Here are 10 mostly non-tech tools they can't function without.

By Meridith Levinson

Nov 23, 2009

IT Leadership