|
The InformationWeek March 2007 Archive « February 2007 | Main | April 2007 » |
|
|
Copyright: Fair Use Is Your Friend
Nine out of 10 people would probably tell you copyright is all about big companies maximizing their revenue from the content they own at the expense of the consumer. (The 10th person would tell you copyright is a cornerstone of our American way of life, but he'd turn out to be lawyer for the RIAA, the Recording Industry Association of America). In fact, copyright is as much about your right to make fair use of copyrighted content as it is about the "intellectual property" of corporations. For 11 minutes of quiet, reassuring good sense on the subject I recommend a podcast interview with Anthony Falzone, executive director of the Fair Use Project at Stanford University.
Continue reading "Copyright: Fair Use Is Your Friend..."
Dell Linux Still Won't Kill Windows
Bruise it slightly, perhaps. But seriously, would you or your company buy a Linux PC from Dell this year? How much would you pay for support?
Continue reading "Dell Linux Still Won't Kill Windows..."
When The 2 Billionth Customer Record Is Stolen, Insiders Will Be The Most Guilty
While I was researching my next story on the danger that employees, contractors, and business partners (i.e., insiders) can place on the security of corporate data, a friend of mine sent me an interesting study that noted, among several other fascinating data points, that last year personal records were compromised at a rate of 5.8 million per month. At this rate, by the end of the year more than 2 billion records will have been lost or stolen since 1980, the study says, and the majority of those breaches will have been the result of mismanagement, which includes insider attacks. I wish I could say that was the most surprising security news I heard this week.
Continue reading "When The 2 Billionth Customer Record Is Stolen, Insiders Will Be The Most Guilty..."
Is The Mac More Secure Than Windows? Does It Matter?
Is the Mac more secure than Windows, in some absolute measurement of security? And does it really matter? Senior writer Sharon Gaudin talked to a few security experts and reported the consensus that, despite a recent increase in reported security flaws, the Mac is still more secure than Windows. But it's doubtful that'll change anybody's buying decisions -- Windows users know that their software has security problems, and yet they use it anyway.
Continue reading "Is The Mac More Secure Than Windows? Does It Matter?..."
Beating A Very Dead Horse
More data to support my side of the debate about the relevance of CIOs (Optimize's own research and my conversations with CIOs themselves indicates CIOs are gaining in influence and relevance, not risking losing it). This comes from a recently release study from KPMG and Harvey Nash, as quoted at PhysOrg.com...
Continue reading "Beating A Very Dead Horse..."
AT&T, Verizon Banking On Firethorn
Software provider Firethorn is providing the engine behind AT&T/Cingular's and Verizon Wireless's recently announced mobile banking programs. Will consumers really use their cell phones to do their banking?
Continue reading "AT&T, Verizon Banking On Firethorn..."
MVNO Helio Steals Thunder From Everyone Else At CTIA
How did an MVNO start-up with only 100,000 subscribers pass up the big boys such as Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile at CTIA Wireless? By announcing the only truly innovative product at show, the Helio Ocean. The unofficial "Best of CTIA 2007 Award" definitely goes to Helio.
Continue reading "MVNO Helio Steals Thunder From Everyone Else At CTIA..."
CTIA 2007 = Biggest Letdown In Years
Every person I spoke with at CTIA Wireless this week in Orlando, Fla., was disappointed with the show. The reasons varied from person to person, but the overall lack of enthusiasm was felt across the board. Foot traffic seemed slow on the show floor all three days, and there was simply no industry-changing announcements made. Is the pace of innovation slowing?
Continue reading "CTIA 2007 = Biggest Letdown In Years..."
Ubi, I Be, We Be Screaming For Samsung's UbiCell Femtocell
Mobile network operators will soon have one more weapon in the their arsenal to blanket every last square inch of the US with network coverage. First was the general macro network environment. Then, as people realized that the macro network doesn't always penetrate large buildings or reach high into the sky and fill office towers with signal, the picocell evolved. Now, for those who have weak coverage at remote office or home locations, the femtocell is beginning to see some early light in the market. Samsung was showing off its UbiCell femtocell product at CTIA. Here's why it's cool...and why it's not.
Continue reading "Ubi, I Be, We Be Screaming For Samsung's UbiCell Femtocell..."
The TJX Haul: Largest Ever AND The Perfect Crime?
The California Secretary of State web site gets to keep it's title as number one in the race to be the longest running data breach. It left three years of files exposing personal data up online, practically for the taking. But the TJX Companies take the cake when it comes to known harm. The company has the dubious distinction of having the largest ever number of stolen credit and debit cards - 45.7 million - which hackers stole over a period of roughly two years from computer systems at its U.S. and U.K. headquarters.
Continue reading "The TJX Haul: Largest Ever AND The Perfect Crime?..."
Could The iPhone Destroy Apple's Reputation?
MarketWatch columnist John Dvorak argues that Apple should just make the iPhone a reference design and move on. Why, you may ask, would Apple want to walk away from the hottest mobile device in years? Because it isn't equipped to handle the demands of the nonstop mobile phone market, that's why.
Continue reading "Could The iPhone Destroy Apple's Reputation?..."
Microsoft Describes How Virtual Earth Was Built
You want to know what the definition of "cool" is? It's sitting in the front row of a hotel meeting hall, watching a demo of Microsoft Virtual Earth on the 12-foot display in the front of the room, as the camera plunges from the sky to swoop and soar around detailed digital models of the Staples Center in Los Angeles and the streets of Philadelphia. Even cooler: Listening to John Curlander, general manager of Microsoft Virtual Earth, explain how it was built.
Continue reading "Microsoft Describes How Virtual Earth Was Built..."
If Only Second Life Were Entertaining
I am baffled by the popularity of Second Life, particularly the media's fascination with it. Lord knows I've written my share of stories about it. I'm starting to wonder why.
Continue reading "If Only Second Life Were Entertaining..."
CIO: Starts with 'Innovation'
Just got off the phone with the CIO of an East Coast-based $750 million retailer who called to follow up on a recent conversation (the other part of the conversation was off the record, so I need to protect his identity here). We got to talking about my first blog posting about the debate over the relevance of the CIO. My take: it's actually on the increase. "I couldn't agree more," he said. "Yes, [as a CIO] I need to focus on cutting costs, but we [CIOs] haven't lost one step on innovation or relevance." I asked him how he got to be a CIO. Turns out he started out at the same company as the pioneer behind their e-commerce initiative, building one of the first e-commerce extranets for retailers. After working on that for several years and perfecting the format, he said he "needed a challenge" and that his experience as an innovator won him the job as CIO, where he's been for several years. "You can't do this job and not be an innovator," he said. By the way, stay tuned to this space, as the company is in the midst of an interesting overhaul of its site that involves an approach I can't say I've heard being used elsewhere. I'm currently bound to secrecy, we'll see if I can get my friend to open up a bit about some details.
Yahoo And Microsoft Fight For Mobile Search While Google Pushes For The Entire Third Screen
I have finally settled back into New York after a jam-packed visit to this year's CTIA Wireless in Orlando, Fla. One of the big stories in the wider media that, surprisingly, didn't generate much insider buzz at CTIA was the on-going war to capture the emerging mobile search market.
Continue reading "Yahoo And Microsoft Fight For Mobile Search While Google Pushes For The Entire Third Screen..."
My Last Interview With Jim Gray
A few weeks before Microsoft researcher Jim Gray set sail on his ill-fated voyage from San Francisco Bay, we had an e-mail exchange. As a journalist who's covered Microsoft since the mid '90s, I got to know Microsoft's database genius as someone who was invariably helpful, and I contacted Jim for a story I was researching on Hewlett-Packard's move into the data warehousing market. As always, he knew the answers to my questions and offered more than I had asked him for. He also made an observation that, in light of his disappearance, now seems eerily prophetic.
Continue reading "My Last Interview With Jim Gray..."
$1 Million Or Bust
Chris Massey is on a cockamamie quest to make $1 million this year.
Continue reading "$1 Million Or Bust..."
Gambling With The Internet
When Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which forced online gambling companies to adhere to federal and state gambling laws, it wouldn't have been out of the ordinary to assume that the reason for the crackdown was the attempt to protect compulsive gamblers from descending into a morass of debt via their home computers. But, like many other "sin" regulations, the real story is a lot more complex -- and money has more to do with it than morals.
Continue reading "Gambling With The Internet..."
Making Sound Waves At CTIA
If there was any sort of theme at CTIA this year, it was that music is in. Many of the phones announced at the show are aimed at the mid-tier music lover, rather than the high-end business user. I guess the wireless industry thinks we're not getting enough of our groove on.
Continue reading "Making Sound Waves At CTIA..."
Former Presidents Dazzle CTIA Crowd
Eighty-three years old and looking remarkably hale -- a lifetime of golf, tennis, and fishing in Kennebunkport will do that for you, I guess -- George H.W. Bush wowed the crowd at CTIA Wireless 2007 with a combination of jokes about his unlikely partnership with former president Bill Clinton, anecdotes about his time in office, and stories of how wireless communications technology played roles in the momentous events that occurred during his time in office, including the aftermath of the end of the Cold War and Gulf War I.
Continue reading "Former Presidents Dazzle CTIA Crowd..."
Is SAP Imploding?
Shai Agassi brought something fresh to SAP. Young and dashing, he could engage an audience of customers from a stage with the savvy of a marketing exec, yet he was foremost a very smart technologist.
Continue reading "Is SAP Imploding?..."
Elvis Has Entered The Building
When I arrived at the Orange County Convention Center at 8:30 this morning, a queue stretched about two miles from the entrance to Hall D, scene of the keynotes for CTIA Wireless 2007, snaking through the endless corridors of the immense building. The show-goers were lined up to see Elvis, a.k.a. former President Bill Clinton, who's addressing the convention this morning.
Oh, former President George H.W. Bush is on the agenda this morning, too, but there's no question who the real rock star is.
Continue reading "Elvis Has Entered The Building..."
Microsoft Research Provides Sneak Preview Of 'Boku' Programming Environment For Kids
A Microsoft researcher on Wednesday demonstrated Boku, an educational game designed to help children as young as five years old exercise their brains by doing programming. Boku is a cute little cartoon robot head with big, soulful eyes who hovers over a cartoon grassy field.
Continue reading "Microsoft Research Provides Sneak Preview Of 'Boku' Programming Environment For Kids..."
Jeff Hawkins, Who Invented PalmPilot, Says He's Figured Out How The Brain Works
You can't complain that Jeff Hawkins is falsely modest. Hawkins, whose last triumph was inventing the PalmPilot, claims to have solved the greatest problem in 60 years of computer science. He says he's figured out how the human brain works, and has built a model in software, with practical applications imminent. Not only that, he says he's released a lot of the code in open source.
Continue reading "Jeff Hawkins, Who Invented PalmPilot, Says He's Figured Out How The Brain Works..."
Motorola Makes The Smartphone Rugged With The MC35
Motorola this week launched its first ruggedized smartphone, the MC35. Wait, don't run! This ruggedsized smartphone is actually not ugly. In fact, as far as ruggedized devices go, it's stylin'.
Continue reading "Motorola Makes The Smartphone Rugged With The MC35..."
Viacom Bets On Wireless At CTIA
Viacom CEO Phillipe Dauman said his company is serious about wireless during his keynote address today at CTIA Wireless. Dauman opened his address with an amusing video intro by Jon Stewart and a camera trick designed to make the audience see how small Dauman would appear on a mobile phone screen.
Continue reading "Viacom Bets On Wireless At CTIA..."
Welcome to the CIO Nation!
Welcome to CIO Nation, the motherland for the leaders of the free world (of technology). This is a blog of the CIOs, by the CIOs, and for the CIOs, and in it, dear citizens, you?ll get nothing but inside info on what your colleagues and peers are doing to address the challenges and opportunities affecting your role...
Continue reading "Welcome to the CIO Nation!..."
IBM's Server Piñata: Where's My Stick?
IBM's marketing campaigns have come a long way since the '80s. Anyone here get a teary-eyed nostalgic feeling thinking about the old Charlie Chaplin series? No? Me neither.
Continue reading "IBM's Server Piñata: Where's My Stick?..."
Zen And The Art Of Kyocera Maintenance
Yesterday evening at CTIA Wireless, Kyocera invited a select group of tech journalists to a small cocktail reception with the express purpose of showing off its new direction. Based on the short presentations from its marketing and design heads, its evident that Kyocera wants to reinvent itself and start standing toe to toe with the bigger, more well-known handset makers. Kyocera's new slogan, Tomorrow is Rising, leads its push to be associated with its Japanese roots. Heck, they even served us sushi and sake.
Continue reading "Zen And The Art Of Kyocera Maintenance..."
LG Shows Off Phones With Google At CTIA, But No Google Phone
The world's fifth largest handset maker, LG, today at CTIA announced their plan to pre-install Google applications on future LG handsets released in North America and other markets.
Continue reading "LG Shows Off Phones With Google At CTIA, But No Google Phone..."
Network Games That Change Their Users Lives, And The World, For The Better
Game designer Jane McGonigal has a vision for a new generation of network games that will pull players away from their lonely consoles, and get them out in the world, interacting with each other and changing their own lives, and society, for the better.
Continue reading "Network Games That Change Their Users Lives, And The World, For The Better..."
CTIA Party Roundup: Can Motorola Make Mobile Business Work? Oh, And The iPhone Too.
It's been a busy CTIA show so far. While there has been lots of activity, I haven't seen much in terms of real breaking news or highlights. So far, the appearance of the iPhone -- only the device's second public showing since January -- has been this CTIA's biggest news item.
But If you want the real news at CTIA, you have to get off the show floor, walk out of the press room, and head over to some parties. And since I am a professional, that's exactly what I did. Let's take a look at this year's CTIA events and all the real industry news.
Continue reading "CTIA Party Roundup: Can Motorola Make Mobile Business Work? Oh, And The iPhone Too...."
Photos Of The $100 One Laptop Per Child Laptop
I was able to get my hands on the One Laptop Per Child $100 laptop at the O'Reilly ETech conference today. I took pictures, and they came out great -- take a look for yourself below the fold. The OLPC looks like a toy, with its hard plastic enclosure, soft plastic keyboard, bright colors, and handle. But it's a fully functional computer, designed for children in the emerging world.
Continue reading "Photos Of The $100 One Laptop Per Child Laptop..."
HTC Hits the US Market with Several New Smart Devices
The incredible lack of smartphones at this year's CTIA is beyond disappointing. However, there were a few Windows-powered devices announced for the US market from HTC , which seems to be holding the lone banner of enterprise mobility at CTIA Wireless 2007.
Continue reading "HTC Hits the US Market with Several New Smart Devices..."
Nokia 'Excited' About US Market
Nokia has been hard at work behind the scenes to realign its business strategy in the US market to gain some traction with US carriers and consumers. After speaking to a Nokia rep today at CTIA Wireless, it's evident that they do indeed want to succeed here.
Continue reading "Nokia 'Excited' About US Market..."
RFID Won't Be Texas Tea For Everyone
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the sprawling hotel that's hosting the RFID World conference and the quarter-sized spider camped outside my room's window. Also big are the dreams of a lot of little software and hardware vendors who've come here to Dallas to hawk their wares. My guess is that within a few years, many of these vendors will join with others or, sadly, cease to exist.
Continue reading "RFID Won't Be Texas Tea For Everyone..."
AT&T COO Shows Off The iPhone At CTIA
Just in case you thought the iPhone wasn't hanging out at CTIA, think again. During today's keynote addresses, the iPhone made a rare public appearance. Like a silver screen diva from Hollywood's golden age, the iPhone is a source of public hysteria wherever it goes.
Continue reading "AT&T COO Shows Off The iPhone At CTIA..."
How Do You Tell If A Flash Drive Is ReadyBoost-Ready?
Although my article on ReadyBoost doesn't dwell on it, the Windows Vista feature that creates a code-page cache on a flash drive or flash memory card does put potential users of the feature in a bind, and reader Rich Farkas called me on it almost as soon as the article appeared. How, he wants to know, are potential Vista users supposed to know whether their PC will benefit from ReadyBoost? And once they figure that out, how are they supposed to know if ReadyBoost will work with their flash drive?
Continue reading "How Do You Tell If A Flash Drive Is ReadyBoost-Ready?..."
Google's Arms-Length Embrace Of Windows Vista
So much is said about the rivalry between Microsoft and Google that it's easy to forget they share a common interest. Windows Vista and Google's Web-based applications will coexist on millions of computers as more people make the move to Microsoft's new operating system. That software combo had incendiary potential, but so far no alarms are sounding.
Continue reading "Google's Arms-Length Embrace Of Windows Vista..."
Beyond Bangalore: India's Next Outsourcing Hot Spots
A leading Indian economist cautions that outsourcing-fueled inflation in tech hubs like Bangalore could cause social disruptions in the country. It's also not good news for companies looking to boost profits through offshoring. So here's a look at what some lesser-known Indian cities have to offer.
Continue reading "Beyond Bangalore: India's Next Outsourcing Hot Spots..."
Palm Gives Enterprise Users Some Good News
Today at CTIA Wireless, Palm announced that it is providing an update for Windows Mobile users of the Treo 750. The update includes Windows Mobile 6 and a software key to upgrade the radio to HSDPA speeds.
Continue reading "Palm Gives Enterprise Users Some Good News..."
Stale Doughnuts On The CTIA Stage
Coming to you live from the Tuesday morning keynote session at CTIA Wireless 2007 in Orlando. This is my fourth CTIA, best I can recall, and each year the stage props get bigger, the music gets more pounding, and the crowds get larger. At last fall's CTIA, in Los Angeles, we were joined by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. This year's edition will have a political cast as well: those strange bedfellows (and former U.S. presidents) George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton will show up on Thursday morning.
Continue reading "Stale Doughnuts On The CTIA Stage..."
No News Is Bad News
The CTIA Wireless show had its unofficial kick-off last night at the Mobile Focus event at Orlando's Peabody Hotel. There was a surprising lack of news from the mini-show floor, and there wasn't even any good industry gossip. What gives?
Continue reading "No News Is Bad News..."
Death Threats Force Designer To Cancel ETech Conference Appearance
Designer Kathy Sierra abruptly cancelled her appearance at the O'Reilly ETech conference here in San Diego this week, after receiving graphic and sexual death threats that made her afraid to leave her house, she wrote on her blog today.
Continue reading "Death Threats Force Designer To Cancel ETech Conference Appearance..."
When You Wish Upon a SmartPhone
Welcome to central Florida, a region of completely artificial consumer attractions charging way-outrageous prices to customers satisfying needs and desires they didn't know they had.
Oh, yeah, and then there's Disney World.
Continue reading "When You Wish Upon a SmartPhone..."
Gates, Jobs Go Head-To-Head In "I'm A Mac" Commercial Parody
This humorous video pits Microsoft's Bill Gates and Apple's Steve Jobs against each other in a parody of the "I'm a Mac / I'm a PC" TV commercial. Cute. Watch it below the fold. Contains some mild foul language.
Continue reading "Gates, Jobs Go Head-To-Head In "I'm A Mac" Commercial Parody..."
Faster Chipsets? It's About Time
Lord knows, getting any kind of breakthrough innovation in the computer hardware sector is like working at Dunkin' Donuts ... so many variations using pretty much the same materials again and again.
Continue reading "Faster Chipsets? It's About Time..."
The Ascent Into Hell, Postponed
Most U.S. air travelers -- almost 70% of them, according to a 2005 poll by USA Today -- breathed a collective sigh of relief late last week when the Federal Communications Commission decided to extend its current ban on cell phone use on planes indefinitely.
Continue reading "The Ascent Into Hell, Postponed..."
Packing For CTIA: What I Expect To See In Orlando
Right now I am heading out the door to CTIA Wireless 2007 in sunny Orlando, Florida (also known as Disneytown, USA and Las Vegas East). As I was packing my belongings, I decided to jot down a list of the wireless news and trends I expect to see down in Orlando.
Continue reading "Packing For CTIA: What I Expect To See In Orlando..."
Tiny Apps For Linux On Slow Hardware
Linux has a well-deserved reputation for running well on less-powerful hardware than it takes to run Windows, and articles like How To Revive An Old PC With Linux offer lots of good advice. It's a great, no-cost way to get started with Linux. And here's what you'll need next: a great list of tiny, ultra-light-weight applications that will give you maximum computing for minimum footprint on your old PC.
Continue reading "Tiny Apps For Linux On Slow Hardware..."
The Web Just Wants To Be Rude
The response to a recent blog post of mine has set me wondering just why it is that the first impulse of people who don't like what you write on the Web is to sling personal invective, mostly in the form of semi-literate screeds littered with curse words. The apparent answer: The anonymity provided by the Internet experience encourages a kind of online version of road rage.
Continue reading "The Web Just Wants To Be Rude..."
'Garbage Social Networks' -- Does That Mean Twitter?
The subject line in my email caught my eye immediately: "Thursday -- Garbage Social Networks, E-Flex, and More!" I've been playing with Twitter, and I thought, "Yes! I know just what that means!" It turns out I was wrong: the writer really meant social networks for people interested in reducing the volume of their trash. But I think my version is more interesting, because it explains the incredibly rapid devaluation of social networking as a concept. We really have sunk to the level of garbage social networks.
Continue reading "'Garbage Social Networks' -- Does That Mean Twitter?..."
The Daily Show Looks At The Viacom Lawsuit Against Google's YouTube
"The Google guys will be like, yo, check it out, we just put another gold-plated rock-climbing wall in our office. We're CRAZY rich!" Watch the video below the fold.
Continue reading "The Daily Show Looks At The Viacom Lawsuit Against Google's YouTube..."
Could This Be The 'Longest-Running Internet Breach Ever'?
That old saw, "We're from the government, and we're here to help you," could stand some updating in this digital life. How about this one: "We're from the government, and we're here to give your identity away -- no questions asked."
Continue reading "Could This Be The 'Longest-Running Internet Breach Ever'?..."
Is Motorola Up For Sale?
While everyone was following the Palm rumors this week, a few bloggers claimed that Motorola might be up for sale, too.
Continue reading "Is Motorola Up For Sale?..."
Furnishing The InformationWeek Office In Second Life
I spent some time yesterday furnishing InformationWeek's office -- or, should I say, bureau -- in Second Life. Read on for a photo of our little office, and some discussion of how it came to pass.
Continue reading "Furnishing The InformationWeek Office In Second Life..."
Outrageous Royalty Ruling To Be Reviewed
While the Bush administration may not be capable of saying "Oops, we screwed up," it seems that another part of the federal government -- the U.S. Copyright Review Board -- might have had a change of heart. After facing a storm of outrage, the board this week agreed to review its decision to impose staggering new royalty payments on Internet radio broadcasts -- fees that would swiftly put most Web broadcasters out of business and bring an end to the brief flourishing of Internet radio.
Continue reading "Outrageous Royalty Ruling To Be Reviewed..."
Jott Helps Keep Track Of To-Dos When You Can't Write 'Em Down
I'm so excited I could just plotz -- I actually had a chance to field-test Jott yesterday and it worked like a champ. Jott is a new service that lets you phone in and record a 15-second sound bite, which it transcribes using speech recognition and then e-mails the text back to you. I used it to record an idea while I was driving to the dentist, and by gosh I had that e-mail waiting for me when I got back to my desk.
Continue reading "Jott Helps Keep Track Of To-Dos When You Can't Write 'Em Down..."
Nokia Gives U.S. Consumers Short End of the Stick. Again.
Yesterday Nokia finally released its fully featured flagship phone, the N95. It may not have a touch screen and slick Apple GUI, but the N95 is as close to an iPhone killer as you're going to get. Its drool-worthy spec list checks off every major functionality a so-called "multimedia computer" should have, including the Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition operating system, a 5-megapixel camera, and integrated GPS. The phone, however, is only available in certain Asian, European, and Middle Eastern markets.
Continue reading "Nokia Gives U.S. Consumers Short End of the Stick. Again...."
Verizon Soft-Launches Its Second V Cast TV Handset
Remember the hullabaloo that was made over Verizon Wireless' V Cast Mobile TV service a few weeks ago? The second-largest U.S. carrier began offering its mobile TV service in select markets on one handset beginning March 1. Today, it made the second mobile TV-capable handset available, the LG vx9400, for $200. Too bad Verizon didn't make the service available in any other markets.
Continue reading "Verizon Soft-Launches Its Second V Cast TV Handset..."
Still No Deal For Palm
The much-ballyhooed deal to acquire smartphone maker Palm has yet to materialize. Meanwhile, Palm's shares took a hit while the market remains antsy for some M&A action.
Continue reading "Still No Deal For Palm..."
How Should We Tax Property In Virtual Worlds?
My colleague Tom Claburn has a clever and informative article on how virtual property should be taxed in online games and worlds like World of Warcraft and Second Life. Indiana law professor Leandra Lederman says virtual property should be taxed like fish -- when it's sold, not before.
Continue reading "How Should We Tax Property In Virtual Worlds?..."
New Certificates And Neo-Nomads
The technological revolution -- and let's face it, this is truly a societal revolution -- is attracting a wide range of reactions from various groups that are part of the movement. On the one hand, two industry organizations are trying to impose order on the chaos involved in getting support for home technology. On the other, an increasing number of tech workers are enthusiastically embracing a rootless, home-is-where-your-hard-drive-is lifestyle.
Continue reading "New Certificates And Neo-Nomads..."
Despite Some Bumpy News Recently, Will the Wireless Industry Shine Next Week?
It's been a rough couple of weeks, folks. Lawsuits, profit losses, rumors that didn't pan out, investigations, you name it, we've read about it. With the U.S. wireless industry's largest confab--CTIA Wireless--to be held in the Sunshine state next week, let's hope those Florida rays and McDisneyTown put the industry in a more celebratory mood.
Continue reading "Despite Some Bumpy News Recently, Will the Wireless Industry Shine Next Week?..."
Microsoft Attempts To Explain Its Windows Mobile Naming Conventions
When Microsoft launched Windows Mobile 6 back in February, it also renamed the different versions of the software. Now, rather than actually describing what specific device they're for, the names are vague and confusing: Standard, Professional, and Classic. Find out why.
Continue reading "Microsoft Attempts To Explain Its Windows Mobile Naming Conventions..."
Motorola's Mobile Phone Business Is Back In The Red
Motorola this week said that its mobile phone business is not doing well and that it will likely continue to post losses for much of 2007. Just a couple of years ago Motorola was the darling of the mobile market. The Razr was the hottest cell phone on the block and CEO Ed Zander could do wrong. What happened?
Continue reading "Motorola's Mobile Phone Business Is Back In The Red..."
For Sale In Second Life: Amsterdam
Amsterdam is for sale on eBay.. It's one of the most popular areas in Second Life. More than that: It is, to Second Life, what Times Square is to New York, or Fisherman's Wharf is to San Francisco. It's one of the first places where newbies go, to look around and check out the scene.
Continue reading "For Sale In Second Life: Amsterdam..."
How To Dress For Success At Google
Google employee Jason Warner offers some fashion advice on how to dress for success in Google's offices. Apparently, it starts out with the right shoes.
Continue reading "How To Dress For Success At Google..."
I'm Going To ETech Next Week -- How About You?
I do not want to go to the O'Reilly ETech conference next week, because that involves leaving my comfortable desk chair. But those scoundrels at O'Reilly have thwarted me by putting on a conference with a mix of practical business advice and weird philosophical hocus-pocus that I find irresistible. I've been checking out the conference schedule and here's the programming that jumps out at me as most compelling.
Continue reading "I'm Going To ETech Next Week -- How About You?..."
IBM Launches Labyrinth, Library For Developers In Second Life
IBM launched Codestation, an area in Second Life for developers, providing training, information, as well as a code library and labyrinth where developers can learn by building robots and racing them against each other. Check out the images.
Continue reading "IBM Launches Labyrinth, Library For Developers In Second Life..."
Will That Be Cash, Credit, Or SMS?
Bankers, mobile network operators, and retailers have all come together to offer a text message-based payment program to the citizens of Belgium. Unlike near-field communication, which requires a handset equipped with an NFC short-range radio, this program will let every cell phone user complete retail transactions from their phones.
Continue reading "Will That Be Cash, Credit, Or SMS?..."
Google Denies Google Phone And Stresses Mobile Software
So is Google actually building a mobile phone or not? This burning question is keeping mobile bloggers everywhere busy. And just when it looked like Google had confirmed the long-awaited Google Phone, another company executive this week came out and denied the rumors.
Continue reading "Google Denies Google Phone And Stresses Mobile Software..."
Programmers Left Their Heart In...Houston?
California may be the tech industry's center of gravity, but a new analysis suggests there's a far better state for those making their living as programmers: Texas.
Continue reading "Programmers Left Their Heart In...Houston?..."
Take 5: How To Better Manage Mobility In Your Organization
Welcome to Take 5, a new feature on Over The Air. In each edition of Take 5, we will sit down with a key industry insider -- a CIO or IT manager, consultant, vendor, or analyst -- and ask them five (or more) key questions about business mobility. In today's edition, I sat down with David Wise, co-founder and managing partner for mindWireless, a mobility consultancy that helps businesses figure out how to better use wireless technologies. Our theme for this edition: How can IT managers create a comprehensive plan for mobility?
Continue reading "Take 5: How To Better Manage Mobility In Your Organization..."
RIP Wallnote, Not The Only Victim Of Vista
Adobe's decision not to upgrade the current versions of its applications for Vista makes it the most visible software maker to struggle with the incompatibilities created by Microsoft's new operating system. But it's hardly the only one. The one I'll miss the most: Wallnote, a nice little Web-based note-taking app that’s dying along with Active Desktop.
Continue reading "RIP Wallnote, Not The Only Victim Of Vista..."
GPL Redraws The Rules Of Software Competition
Work on GPL Version 3 continues, but the debate between Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds over new features is less important than the rewriting of the rules that GPL has imposed on the landscape.
Continue reading "GPL Redraws The Rules Of Software Competition..."
Outsourcing's Next "Victims": Deaf People
Somebody has to write those subtitles that allow the hearing impaired to watch movies. Increasingly, that work is being outsourced to India--with some unintentionally hilarious consequences.
Continue reading "Outsourcing's Next "Victims": Deaf People..."
Simple Web Services Solve Simple Problems
We've recently seen a few interesting Internet services focused on doing one thing -- one very small thing -- and striving to do it very, very well. These include the Twitter blogging service, Jott for recording 15-second voice messages and transcribing them using speech recognition, and Remember The Milk and Imified for to-do list management.
Continue reading "Simple Web Services Solve Simple Problems..."
Video: Grand Central Phone Service Explained
I've been enthusiastically recommending the Grand Central phone service to anyone who listens. It provides you with a single number that you can give out to people, and when they call it rings your cell phone, office phone, home phone, and other phones -- whatever numbers you want it to ring. Grand Central has some other features as well, as David Pogue explains in this humorous video.
Yahoo Takes Mobile Search Wars One Step Further
Yahoo expanded the number of handsets that can use its oneSearch service to more than 85% of mobile phones in the United States. The search function is available on Yahoo's mobile web page or through its Yahoo! Go platform. Is it better than Google's mobile search?
Continue reading "Yahoo Takes Mobile Search Wars One Step Further..."
Nokia Continues To Lead Worldwide Smartphone Market
Even though Nokia maintained its overall lead with 56.4% of the worldwide market for smartphones, ABI Research is predicting that the Symbian-based share of smartphones will decline in coming years.
Continue reading "Nokia Continues To Lead Worldwide Smartphone Market..."
Nokia And Motorola May Fight It Out For Palm
According to the Dan Jones over at Unstrung, Nokia and Motorola could be ready to rumble over smartphone maker Palm.
Continue reading "Nokia And Motorola May Fight It Out For Palm..."
Streaming Mobile Video At Mobile Monday
Mobile video was the hot topic at last night's Mobile Monday in New York. Those of you who know me know that I am something of a cynic when it comes to this subject. This is not to say that I don't think that mobile video has a future, but I do think several developments are needed to make it work, including better battery life and enhanced screen sizes. Maybe the iPhone will change all of this, but we have to wait to see. Now on to the mobile video demos.
Continue reading "Streaming Mobile Video At Mobile Monday..."
Kittens Say Macs Are Superior
This video of a kitten playing with a MacBook has been making the rounds of the blogs. Of course, real men don't watch kitten videos, so of course I didn't watch it. And I especially didn't say "Awwwww."
Continue reading "Kittens Say Macs Are Superior..."
Work More Comfortably By Magnifying Your Display
Last week I confessed that I have become an obnoxious Mac evangelist. A friend who is a Windows user was complaining that he'd misplaced his reading glasses and had to crank up the zoom in Microsoft Word so he could get work done. I commented that the Mac has this really great magnifier built in; it's become one of my favorite Mac features. He told me to go away. But the thing is, the Mac zoom really is a great feature. Let me tell you about it, and hopefully you won't tell me to go away.
Continue reading "Work More Comfortably By Magnifying Your Display..."
Maybe $500 Isn't Too Much For A Phone, After All
If you've ever broken your phone at a time when you're not eligible for the subsidized price, you quickly realize that phones cost a lot more than the zero to $100.00 that most people spend on them. An NTT DoCoMo board member recently recommended that his company follow South Korea's recent move away from subsidies, meaning customers will have to pay more for their phones up front. Are Americans prepared to pay hundreds of dollars for devices they expect to receive for free?
Continue reading "Maybe $500 Isn't Too Much For A Phone, After All..."
Et Tu, Scoble?
On the heels of further bad news about Vista--the latest being that Adobe now says it has no plans to issue updates to the current versions of its products to ensure Windows Vista compatibility--comes a backstabbing by Microsoft's former pet poodle, Robert Scoble.
Continue reading "Et Tu, Scoble?..."
5 Ways To Protect Your Smartphone
So, Slick, you went out and invested in some flashy smartphone so you can do productive things like check hoops scores; read the latest Britney, Lindsay, and Paris gossip; and, oh yeah, receive work e-mails, too. That's great. You rock. Now, what are you going to do to keep your new purchase safe from the dangerous world out there? Here are a handful of ideas to prevent your smartphone from becoming a casualty of the business environment.
Continue reading "5 Ways To Protect Your Smartphone..."
Jott Provides Voice Reminders
Jott is a new service that lets you make a note to yourself even when you don't have hands free to write something down. You phone Jott on your cell phone, record a message up to 15 seconds, and Jott will run the message through a voice-to-text application and e-mail you the results.
Continue reading "Jott Provides Voice Reminders..."
Spy Agency Posts Windows, OS X Security Guides
Who should know more about security than the National Security Agency? (Hey, it's their middle name!) No one, presumably. Which is why you might want to check out a series of security configuration guides the NSA has posted for Windows XP, 2000, Mac OS X, and Sun Solaris.
Continue reading "Spy Agency Posts Windows, OS X Security Guides..."
A Fix For Microsoft's Patent FUD?
My rant on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's latest FUD attack on Google is only a sideshow to the main event, which is Ballmer's unremitting logorrhea about Linux. The Linux community is fighting back with efforts like Bryan Peters' Show Us the Code Web site, but it's going to take more than that to get Microsoft to put its intellectual property where its mouth is. And while Ballmer is wildly misusing patents in his attack, an interesting proposal for a change in granting patents could be what shuts him up.
Continue reading "A Fix For Microsoft's Patent FUD?..."
Nokia Files Complaints Against Qualcomm In Europe
The long-standing legal feud between Nokia and wireless chip maker Qualcomm expanded today as Nokia filed claims against Qualcomm's patents in Germany and the Netherlands. If this suit is successful, Qualcomm could be prohibited from enforcing some patents used in Nokia's mobile phones.
Continue reading "Nokia Files Complaints Against Qualcomm In Europe..."
Which Google Phone Did Google Confirm This Week?
Google's chief executive in Spain and Portugal, Isabel Aguilera, this week confirmed that the Google Phone is for real. But she downplayed the much-anticipated device, saying it was just one of 18 R&D initiatives Google is currently funding. But which device is it?
Continue reading "Which Google Phone Did Google Confirm This Week?..."
What Happened To CeBit?
You probably haven't noticed, but CeBit is going on right now in Germany. Several years ago, CeBit was the definitive show for wireless. Today that is no longer the case. The wireless industry has shifted from CeBit to CES, 3GSM and CTIA, leaving CeBit as a kind of wireless has been. Why did this happen?
Continue reading "What Happened To CeBit?..."
Windows Vista Diary: Free Sidebar Gadgets From Google
Want to beef up Vista's relatively thin complement of Sidebar Gadgets, those little applets that reside on your desktop and let you do things like track the temperature or play video poker? Now there's a free way to do so, thanks to Google.
Continue reading "Windows Vista Diary: Free Sidebar Gadgets From Google..."
Nokia Evangelizes S60 At A Blogger Party In NYC
Nokia last night kicked off a road show of sorts for its S60 smartphone platform here in New York City. The company threw a party for a select group of bloggers and S60 enthusiasts complete with free food, drinks, and a chance to win an unlocked N95 smartphone. How could I resist?
Continue reading "Nokia Evangelizes S60 At A Blogger Party In NYC..."
Wireless Data Subscriber Receives Bill For $1,059
An unidentified SK Telecom subscriber opened his bill one month to discover $1,059 (10 million won) worth of overage charges on his wireless data service. Apparently he thought "unlimited" actually meant "unlimited" and proceeded to munch his way through 4 Gbytes of data (equivalent to 20,000 news pages) in a single month. His plan actually had a monthly cap of 1 Gbyte. In response SK Telecom is going to prepare an alarm system for users who near their data limits.
Continue reading "Wireless Data Subscriber Receives Bill For $1,059..."
Ballmer On Google: Same FUD, Different Day
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer yesterday bad-mouthed Google for being successful at only one business (even though it's a business Microsoft has been trying unsuccessfully to break into). But the target doesn't matter. It could have been Linux. Or Apple. I'm just worn out by the repetition. Ballmer's trash-talking is a tired routine. He needs to get a new act.
Continue reading "Ballmer On Google: Same FUD, Different Day..."
Former Cingular Customers In California Win $160 Each
Well, OK, only a handful of about 115,000 former subscribers. The $160 will be disbursed to disgruntled ex-Cingular customers who filed a massive lawsuit against the company. Cingular settled with the California Public Utilities Commission for $18.5 million yesterday and will pay out the reimbursements within 60 days.
Continue reading "Former Cingular Customers In California Win $160 Each..."
In Search Of GPL Version 3: The Long Road To Nowhere
A month ago, I started down a path that I hoped would lead me to a great prize: an explanation from the authors of how the General Public License Version 3.0 was shaping up. Little did I know that this journey would contain more curves than San Francisco's Lombard Street.
Continue reading "In Search Of GPL Version 3: The Long Road To Nowhere..."
If Viacom Wins Its Case Against Google
Viacom's lawsuit against Google for copyright infringement probably will be withdrawn when Google blinks and offers Viacom a major portion of the ad dollars it brings in hosting Viacom content.
But on the off chance that the case makes it to trial and Viacom wins, Google should argue that any damages get reduced by the value of the traffic Google has sent Viacom's way, not to mention the brand awareness Google has helped foster for Viacom by presenting Viacom programming that users have uploaded to YouTube.
Continue reading "If Viacom Wins Its Case Against Google..."
It's Not The U.S. Patent And Propaganda Office, Is It?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has done a really terrible job the last few years. But just when you think it's surely hit bottom, it sinks even lower. This week Patent Office Director Jon Dudas released a study that says peer-to-peer file-sharing services may be setting up children for copyright infringement lawsuits and compromising national security. What's that got to do with patents, you ask? My point exactly.
Continue reading "It's Not The U.S. Patent And Propaganda Office, Is It?..."
Data Safety -- The Old Fashioned Way
We can all breathe easier. WellPoint, the country's largest managed care firm, has found its missing disk -- the unencrypted one that contains the personal information (including Social Security numbers and medical records) of 75,000 people. It had been lost in transit by UPS. But they found it. Don't you feel better?
Continue reading "Data Safety -- The Old Fashioned Way..."
It's Time For The J.D. Power Wireless Carrier Shuffle
J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2007 Wireless Call Quality Performance Study and the carriers are getting ready to either hype the findings or spin them away, depending on how they fared. On to the rankings.
Continue reading "It's Time For The J.D. Power Wireless Carrier Shuffle..."
Travel Tools That Let You Leave The Laptop Behind
The South by Southwest conference gave me an opportunity to try out travel tools I've been reading and writing about for a couple of years. I found I could easily leave the laptop computer in the hotel room while continuing to write articles and blog posts from the conference. What a big relief for my back and shoulders!
Continue reading "Travel Tools That Let You Leave The Laptop Behind..."
Mobile Linux To Support VoIP
a la Mobile has developed a new version of its mobile Linux stack that will make voice over IP (VoIP) calling a possibility for dual-mode Wi-Fi / GSM converged handsets.
Continue reading "Mobile Linux To Support VoIP..."
Verizon Enables TiVo Addicts to Schedule Recordings from Afar
For $1.99 per month, Verizon Wireless customers who also subscribe to TiVo digital video recorder (DVR) services will be able to use their Get It Now-enabled mobile phones to access the TiVo user interface remotely and record their favorite shows. Now they needn't miss a minute of American Idol.
Continue reading "Verizon Enables TiVo Addicts to Schedule Recordings from Afar..."
Viacom Vs. Google... Smells Like Shawn Fanning
Here we go again. The content kings beating up on the messenger. This time, however, I blame the lawyers.
Continue reading "Viacom Vs. Google... Smells Like Shawn Fanning..."
Viacom Vs. Media Fans: No One Wins
You know, now that it's out of the theaters, I imagine I'll probably rent the film Letters from Iwo Jima at some point. I've heard it's a great picture. However, if I didn't feel like renting it from Netflix or some similar service, and didn't care about copyright and ethics, I could always go to the Internet and download a copy. You say that Viacom is suing Google for copyright infringement on YouTube, and so I won't be able to find it? I'm sorry, did I say anything about the Web?
Continue reading "Viacom Vs. Media Fans: No One Wins..."
Want to Lower Your Enterprise Telecom Bill? FMC Might Offer Some Relief...Eventually
The promise of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) is real. Analysts suggest dual-mode telephony could save businesses up to 30% on their annual telecom bills. Too bad the U.S. carriers aren't on board with the idea yet.
Continue reading "Want to Lower Your Enterprise Telecom Bill? FMC Might Offer Some Relief...Eventually..."
The Open-Sourcing Of College Education
College education has gone open source: A number of top universities are placing their course materials online, free. No course credit is granted, but self learners can have access to all the same materials as those shelling out tens of thousands of dollars annually. That's great news for IT pros who are either unemployed or looking to acquire new skills and knowledge.
Continue reading "The Open-Sourcing Of College Education..."
View To A Buy: Microsoft Eyes Tellme Software
Acquisitions and mergers have become pretty much standard operating procedure in our industry. Just yesterday, for example, there were reports that Microsoft is in talks to acquire voice recognition software provider Tellme. Insiders say the matchup would be a good one because Microsoft sees voice-based interaction as one of the Web's next big frontiers. Today, we see that
Microsoft has confirmed the deal and expects to complete the purchase in the second quarter.
Continue reading "View To A Buy: Microsoft Eyes Tellme Software..."
Waiting for N-uffman: 802.11n One Step Closer to Reality
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) said that the industry has accepted draft 2.0 of the 802.11n spec, and is hopeful that the faster wireless LAN standard will be ratified as soon as September. It's about time!
Continue reading "Waiting for N-uffman: 802.11n One Step Closer to Reality..."
Wal-Mart Joins Uncle Sam On 'Green' Bandwagon
Still think this "Green Computing" is a lot of tree hugger blather you can safely ignore? This week, Wal-Mart joins the U.S. government in embracing standards for what a makes an earth-friendly computer. This drumbeat's going to keep getting louder.
Continue reading "Wal-Mart Joins Uncle Sam On 'Green' Bandwagon..."
I Have Become One Of Those Obnoxious Mac Evangelists
To my shame the other day, a friend called me on the fact that I've become one of those obnoxious people who turns every conversation about computers into a Mac-pimping session. Here's an actual instant message exchange:
Continue reading "I Have Become One Of Those Obnoxious Mac Evangelists..."
Is Social Networking Destined To Go Bust?
Michael Hirschorn takes an in-depth look at online social networking and predicts that sites like MySpace will soon go bust.
Continue reading "Is Social Networking Destined To Go Bust?..."
Why Can't GM Figure Out How To Monetize PDAs At An Auto Plant?
General Motors is using wireless technology including PDAs to increase efficiencies at its Lansing, Mich., Delta Township auto plant. So why hasn't GM figured out to monetize these mobile devices?
Continue reading "Why Can't GM Figure Out How To Monetize PDAs At An Auto Plant?..."
Sprint Nextel, Nokia To Launch Mobile WiMax In Texas
Nokia today said that it won Sprint Nextel's business to deploy a mobile WiMax network for the Texas markets of Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Sprint Nextel will launch WiMax services in the Lone Star state in the first half of 2008. Sprint Nextel plans to deploy a WiMax network covering 100 million people in the United States by the end of next year.
Continue reading "Sprint Nextel, Nokia To Launch Mobile WiMax In Texas..."
Bloggers Worry Google Might Reverse Its Position On Net Neutrality
Drew Clark over at GigaOM asks a great question: Does Google plan to change its position on net neutrality? It seems that while Google has been the foremost business booster for net neutrality in public, the online company has been cutting deals with the carriers to be their preferred provider.
Continue reading "Bloggers Worry Google Might Reverse Its Position On Net Neutrality..."
New GPL License Is Coming; Linus Torvalds Wishes It Weren't
I was surprised in an e-mail exchange with Linus Torvalds at the depth of his criticism of the next version of the General Public License. I thought his differences with the Free Software Foundation would just fade away. Now I believe that it's not a simple issue to resolve.
Continue reading "New GPL License Is Coming; Linus Torvalds Wishes It Weren't..."
Rumors Grow That Google Is Building A Mobile Phone
Last week my colleague Eric Zeman blogged about growing rumors that Google is building a mobile phone. I blogged about the potential for a Google Phone twice in January and last month. This week, more rumors broke about the Google Phone. I guess they must be up to something.
Continue reading "Rumors Grow That Google Is Building A Mobile Phone..."
What Bill Gates Didn't Say: H-1B Limits Will Lead To More Outsourcing
Bill Gates last week asked Washington to up the supply of H-1B visas available to U.S. companies. He failed to mention that Microsoft and other American tech companies will ship hundreds of thousands of more jobs overseas if the visa cap isn't raised.
Continue reading "What Bill Gates Didn't Say: H-1B Limits Will Lead To More Outsourcing..."
RFID Helps Diabetes Patients
RFID is taking off in the health care sector. One RFID chip vendor, VeriChip, is showing off a new system that allows hospitals and health workers to track patient information for diabetes patients on wireless RFID chips.
Continue reading "RFID Helps Diabetes Patients..."
Here's a Flash: Solid-State Storage Is Overtaking Rotating Memory
Intel has announced its first solid-state drive, a storage device that uses NAND flash memory instead of those oh-so-old-fashioned (and oh-so-fragile) spinning platters in traditional hard-disk drives. It's an idea with a lot of advantages (although price isn't yet one of them). But we'll all be considering flash-based replacements for our laptop hard drives. It's just a question of whether it's next year or the year after.
Continue reading "Here's a Flash: Solid-State Storage Is Overtaking Rotating Memory..."
Bono's A Fake, But The Green Is Real
Maybe it's the change to DST, maybe it's the fake Bono sightings in Boston, maybe it's the approaching St. Patrick's Day festivities, but something green is afoot.
Continue reading "Bono's A Fake, But The Green Is Real..."
Sprint Encourages Big Brother To Do His Thing in Kansas City
Sprint Nextel and the Kansas City, Kan., public school district are thinking of the children. The two organizations worked together to install GPS-enabled mobile phones in the school district's fleet of school buses, which can now be monitored in real-time via computer. Cool or creepy?
Continue reading "Sprint Encourages Big Brother To Do His Thing in Kansas City..."
Can Apple Really Sell 10 Million iPhones?
Analysts are doubtful. They cite the high price point as one major barrier. And even though the worldwide market for smartphones swelled by 42% to 80.5 million devices in 2006 (which is just a drop in the overall cell phone bucket), for Apple to jump in and score such a large percentage in the first year seems unlikely.
Continue reading "Can Apple Really Sell 10 Million iPhones?..."
Twitter Is Hot At South By Southwest
Twitter, a simplified blogging service founded by Blogger co-founder Evan Williams, is hot at South by Southwest. Twitter is a service that lets people post one or two short sentences, using phone texting, the Web, e-mail, or chat, and read updates from others through the same channels. You can subscribe to networks of friends or like-minded people; there's a Twitter group set up for South by Southwest. John Edwards, a Democratic presidential candidate, seems to have a Twitter account.
Continue reading "Twitter Is Hot At South By Southwest..."
Join Us In Second Life Tuesday For A South By Southwest Kaffeeklatsch
Join InformationWeek and Dr. Dobb's Journal Tuesday morning for a kaffeeklatsch to discuss the South by Southwest conference, going on this week in Austin, Texas. SXSW is one of the leading conferences for Web 2.0 and it's where I am right now. DDJ's John Jainschigg (a/k/a John Zhaoying in Second Life) has arranged a special treat for Tuesday's discussion; if you miss it, you'll want to cut out your own brain.
Continue reading "Join Us In Second Life Tuesday For A South By Southwest Kaffeeklatsch..."
How Will You Spend Your Patch Tuesday?
For the first time since September 2005, 30 days will come and go without what has become a monthly ritual across the IT landscape. Patch Tuesday's reliable stream of bulletins and patches has been silenced for the time being. Is this the equivalent of a snow day for IT security pros? Or are they too burnt out from dealing with Daylight Savings Time issues to even notice?
Continue reading "How Will You Spend Your Patch Tuesday?..."
Mobile Web Use Higher In The U.S. Than Europe
Despite all the news and analysis claiming that mobile Web use is higher in Europe and Asia, a new survey finds that's not the case. In fact, the survey claims that use of the mobile Web in the United States is higher.
Continue reading "Mobile Web Use Higher In The U.S. Than Europe..."
Web 2.0 To Web 3-D @ South By Southwest
Participants at the "Web 2.0 to Web 3-D" panel at South by Southwest on Monday talked quite a lot about how Web 2.0 is participatory, but virtual worlds like World of Warcraft or Second Life are immersive. That sounds like a lot of marketing baloney unless you've actually been active in a virtual world. Sure, it's engaging to be involved in a Web 2.0 site like Twitter or Digg. But, when you're active on a virtual world, your attention is fully consumed in the experience, and the real world just falls away.
Continue reading "Web 2.0 To Web 3-D @ South By Southwest..."
Carnival Of Mobilists 64: The Carnival Takes On Mobile Web 2.0
Rudy De Waele over at m-trends.org has the latest edition of the Carnival of Mobilists. For those of you not in the know, the Carnival is a loose confederation of mobile bloggers that puts together a snapshot of the mobile and wireless blogosphere on a periodic basis. It's a great way to see the trends in the mobile space. This week's edition covers the Mobile Web 2.0, mobile browsers, mobile user experience, mobile search, mobile video, and the passing of French philosopher Jean Baudrillard. Check it out.
Aargh! Microsoft to Pirates: Bring 'Em On
"If they're going to pirate somebody, we want it to be us." Who would have thought that would have come out of a Microsoft exec's mouth last week? No, Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft Business Division, hasn't suddenly sided with free software activist Richard Stallman. He's just a shrewd businessman who tellingly finished that statement with "rather than somebody else."
Continue reading "Aargh! Microsoft to Pirates: Bring 'Em On..."
Daylight-Saving Time: My Cable Box And Computer Worked Better Than I Did
News is trickling in that the three-week-early shift to daylight-saving time was not the disaster many feared. Perhaps it was all the advance mass almost-hysteria about the havoc it was going to cause that made everyone--from us ordinary PC and cell phone owners to senior IT managers--prepare sufficiently, but the transition seems to have gone smoothly.
Continue reading "Daylight-Saving Time: My Cable Box And Computer Worked Better Than I Did..."
Why CIOs Can't Help But Care About The Environment
Trendy as the idea of "Green Computing" is these days, most CIOs aren't under any real pressure to make their operations more earth-friendly. However, the pressure to cut costs means they have little choice but to act more green.
Continue reading "Why CIOs Can't Help But Care About The Environment..."
AT&T Borrows Ideas From Apple And Opens Its First "AT&T Experience Center"
The remodeled Cingular store opening in Houston boasts some ideas that are eerily reminiscent of Apple's retail stores. It has seven different stations spread throughout its 5,000 square feet that focus on specific product suites that AT&T offers, including entertainment, gaming, music, messaging and more.
Continue reading "AT&T Borrows Ideas From Apple And Opens Its First "AT&T Experience Center"..."
Do Business Users Care What Color Their Phones Are?
I'll ask the same thing I asked when RIM offered up a White BlackBerry Pearl: Is this necessary? Don't get me wrong, I am all for choice. The more options we have to select from, the better. Even though the Pearl is the fashionable BlackBerry, I have to wonder what IT department is really going to purchase 100 red ones for its employees.
Continue reading "Do Business Users Care What Color Their Phones Are?..."
Remembering Comedian Richard Jeni, Entertained At InformationWeek Conference
I was personally a bit saddened to learn of the apparent suicide of comedian Richard Jeni; he was the entertainment at the Fall 2005 InformationWeek Conference. He's probably most famous as co-star of the 1994 movie The Mask, with Jim Carrey. I thought his stand-up act at the conference was hilarious, dealing with the indignities of career disappointments and middle age.
Macs Dominate South By Southwest
I expected to see a lot of Macs at South by Southwest, but I didn't realize they'd be this dominant. You have to look hard to find anybody using Windows.
Continue reading "Macs Dominate South By Southwest..."
A Band About Nothing: Remembering Boston's Brad Delp
The moldy oldie (aka "Classic Rock") stations people my age listen to had their collective needles stuck this weekend on the monster album of 1976, in memory of the untimely passing of Brad Delp, 55, lead singer of the band "Boston."
Continue reading "A Band About Nothing: Remembering Boston's Brad Delp..."
Open Source: Tell Me Why I Care
My first panel for South by Southwest was titled, "Open Source: Tell Me Why I Care." Four advocates discussed the reasons for using open source. Pleasantly, there was almost no Microsoft-bashing, and only a little discussion of using open source because it's socially the right thing to do. "One of the myths that keeps people away from open source is that it smells a little bit like patchouli," said one audience participant. Instead, the panel offered hard-headed, practical reasons why using open source makes sense. The arguments will be pretty familiar to open source advocates, but they'll be compelling to anyone who's sitting on the fence, currently committed to proprietary software and worried about the risks of using open source.
Continue reading "Open Source: Tell Me Why I Care..."
Ready To Go At South By Southwest
I'm here in Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest conference, four days of Web 2.0. I think I like Austin. Getting off the plane, a woman pulled me aside from the crowd and asked me what flight I'd been on. I said where we'd originated, and she said we weren't the flight she was waiting for. "But," she added, "I'm glad y'all landed safely." That's the kind of friendliness you expect in Texas. In San Diego, where I live, she would have said, "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude" and in New York, where I'm from, she would have hit me over my head and taken my wallet.
Best Apps In The Mac Ecosystem
If you're reading this, chances are it's because you use a Macintosh at home or work and, almost by default, that means you love the Apple platform. Or perhaps you've had it up to here with your PC, the Vista transition or the flaky things that PCs do, and now you want to make a clean break.
Continue reading "Best Apps In The Mac Ecosystem..."
Help For Those Who Abuse Mobile Phones
Do you wonder if you might have a problem with spending too much time on your mobile phone? Then you need to check out Mobile Phone Abusers Anonymous (MPAA). What is the MPAA?
Continue reading "Help For Those Who Abuse Mobile Phones..."
Smartphone Sales Continue To Soar
Smartphone sales continue to soar. InPhonic said its online store, Wirefly, reported a 70 percent increase in smartphone sales between the third quarter of 2006 and the first quarter of 2007. Which smartphones are users flocking to?
Continue reading "Smartphone Sales Continue To Soar..."
Palm Hires iPod Designer To Help The Treo Fight The iPhone
Palm this week hired Paul Mercer, a top Silicon Valley designer who helped in the creation of the iPod user interface. Mercer started working at Palm three weeks ago on a line of new products, but the company won't say anything more about what he is working on. Mercer brought two other designers to Palm from his design firm, Inventor. Hum... I wonder what Paul Mercer is working on?
Continue reading "Palm Hires iPod Designer To Help The Treo Fight The iPhone..."
Watch Out Java, Here Comes Flash Lite
Java's reign as the leader on handsets and other mobile devices may get a serious run for its money this year if more carriers start adopting Adobe's Flash Lite.
Continue reading "Watch Out Java, Here Comes Flash Lite..."
A Couple More Easy Web Collaboration Tools
Predictably, after we ran our feature on "Nine Easy Web-Based Collaboration Tools,", we got e-mails from vendors saying, "We have an easy Web-based collaboration tool too!" Predictably, most of those e-mails had the subject line, "The 10th easy Web-based collaboration tool!" Sorry, guys, you can't all be Number 10.
Continue reading "A Couple More Easy Web Collaboration Tools..."
Last We Checked, The Average IT Manager Made $99,000 …
And the average IT staffer $73,000 in salary and bonus. Those are just the start of the findings from last year's InformationWeek Salary Survey, in which 10,000 of you participated. Please take this year's survey, at informationweek.com/salary. (Links to a salary tool and last year's articles after the jump.)
Continue reading "Last We Checked, The Average IT Manager Made $99,000 …..."
Video: A Network Called Internet
Have you heard about this new thing called "Internet"? This 1993 news report explains it for Canadians. One 1993 Internet user explained how there's not a lot of hostility, cussing, and swearing on this network called Internet. Yeah, that didn't work out, did it?
Continue reading "Video: A Network Called Internet..."
Beating Down The Doors To The Customer Service Hall Of Shame
Mitch Wagner and Cory Doctorow in recent days have shared horror stories about PC and PC retailer customer service. Their troubles sounded familiar.
Continue reading "Beating Down The Doors To The Customer Service Hall Of Shame..."
Young And Naked On The Internet
New York magazine has an outstanding feature on teenagers and 20-somethings living lives on the Internet. This is a generation that takes it as normal to document its innermost thoughts, mood swings, romantic relationships, and even sex lives on the Internet. Privacy? They've heard of it -- it's something their parents talk about.
Continue reading "Young And Naked On The Internet..."
Quick Look: Google Desktop 5 Beta
Whenever Google comes out with a new update, people pay attention. So when the company announced Google Desktop 5 Beta, the latest iteration of its desktop search utility, I thought I'd give it a whirl.
Continue reading "Quick Look: Google Desktop 5 Beta..."
Did Clearwire Really Deserve To Go Public?
Serial telecom entrepreneur Craig McCaw today helped take his latest venture, wireless broadband service provider Clearwire, public. Clearwire raised $600 million in the initial public offering, selling 24 million shares at $25 a share going into the start of public trading only to close down 1.5 percent at $24.62 a share. Should Clearwire have gone public?
Continue reading "Did Clearwire Really Deserve To Go Public?..."
Nokia To Challenge Google and Yahoo With Mobile Ad Services
Nokia plans to launch two new mobile advertising services. What? Nokia is going to offer advertising? Does that mean Nokia is now a rival to Google? Yes, Virginia, it seems everybody is now in competition with Google.
Continue reading "Nokia To Challenge Google and Yahoo With Mobile Ad Services..."
Meet Me At South By Southwest
I'm getting ready to head out on Saturday to the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas. SXSW is one of the two leading Web 2.0 conferences (humility prevents me from naming the other one). I'll be blogging the heck out of the conference; you can keep up on the SXSW category page here on the InformationWeek Blog.
Continue reading "Meet Me At South By Southwest..."
Want To Be A Video Star? Learn To Edit
The skill (or, at least, the creativity) reflected by many of the videos appearing on video services like YouTube and Yahoo Video astounds me. Although it really shouldn't; this world is full of talented people, and given an outlet, they will find a way to use it. Throw a random phrase into a search field -- say, "NYC" -- and you'll come up with a report on building bike lanes or a music video of drummer David Van Tieghem tapping rhythms along the streets of Manhattan. Good stuff.
Continue reading "Want To Be A Video Star? Learn To Edit..."
Net Neutrality Is Too Important To Leave To The Government
Techdirt takes a look at network neutrality and blasts the telecom lobby group Hands Off the Internet and its pernicious lie that big content providers like Google are freeloaders that don't pay for their bandwidth. That is simply not true: Any popular Web site pays colossal bandwidth charges to its Internet service provider. What the anti-net neutrality telcos want is the right to charge content providers like Google twice for the same service. Which is a good racket if you can get into it.
Continue reading "Net Neutrality Is Too Important To Leave To The Government..."
Colbert Interviews Editor Of Make Magazine, Murders Defenseless Robot Mouse
Stephen Colbert seems to be having a great time interviewing Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of Make, a magazine designed to help people get hands-on with technology. Make helps users build projects like video cameras mounted on kites and model rockets, home-made credit-card readers, and do-it-yourself biodiesel fuel. Here, Frauenfelder and Colbert play with a tiny robot made out of a computer mouse -- Colbert is chagrined when he breaks it -- and a homemade gun that shoots marshmallows when you blow into it. Watch the video after the link.
Continue reading "Colbert Interviews Editor Of Make Magazine, Murders Defenseless Robot Mouse..."
Windows Diary: Spring Ahead, Fall Back, System Crash?
Like a Nostradamus prophecy, my 1999 prediction about Y2K proved correct after that nonevent came to pass (I predicted it was going to be much ado about nothing.) This Sunday, March 11, though, I'm concerned about glitches surrounding this year's early arrival of daylight-saving time, resulting from admins who haven't been proactive enough in making sure their systems have been properly updated.
Continue reading "Windows Diary: Spring Ahead, Fall Back, System Crash?..."
An Unbelievable Secret
Psssst: A self-help bestseller is blowing sunshine up our skirts.
Continue reading "An Unbelievable Secret..."
Is Google Going To Break Into The Mobile Phone Hardware Business?
Dan Jones over at Unstrung is reporting that Google has 100 people working on a new mobile phone. The effort, spearheaded by ex-Danger founder Andy Rubin, would be Google's first foray into the mobile hardware space.
Continue reading "Is Google Going To Break Into The Mobile Phone Hardware Business?..."
Thanks to Cingular, Society Has Finally Reached Its Pinnacle
The wireless unit of AT&T announced today that it will soon be offering World Wrestling Entertainment content, including (WWE) videos, wallpapers, ringtones, graphics and more, to its subscribers. I think we can all breathe a little easier knowing that mankind has hit its zenith. What more could we want out of life but to view wrestling matches on our mobile phones? It's all downhill from here.
Continue reading "Thanks to Cingular, Society Has Finally Reached Its Pinnacle..."
Get Ripped Without The Drudgery -- It Actually Works
No, this isn't about pecs and abs. You're a geek. Even if you had pecs and abs, chicks wouldn't take a second look at you. But if you had Riptopia, chicks might take a second look at your music collection.
Continue reading "Get Ripped Without The Drudgery -- It Actually Works..."
VoiceCon Report: Maybe This Really Is The Year For IP Telephony
After over a year and half of covering wireless and mobile, I'm back to networking and voice over IP. Here I am at the VoiceCon conference in warm and sunny Orlando, Florida, and I can't think of a better way of getting a quick tutorial on everything that's been happening in the industry. It's a bit overwhelming, considering it's the biggest VoiceCon ever, but it sure beats being back in below-zero weather that New York City is experiencing.
Continue reading "VoiceCon Report: Maybe This Really Is The Year For IP Telephony..."
A Formula For Fixing Consumer Customer Service
I think Cory Doctorow didn't remember, until I reminded him, that he and I share a personal connection over the subject of his most recent column. Five years ago, I bought a Compaq Presario laptop that turned out to be a lemon, and Compaq refused to fix its mistake in a timely fashion. I made a huge, public stink about it, called a few of my influential industry friends (including Cory) and eventually -- surprise, surprise! -- Compaq threw itself into reverse, and got me a new, functional laptop within days.
Continue reading "A Formula For Fixing Consumer Customer Service..."
France, China, And Turkey Handcuff The Internet
France, China, and Turkey have been in the news this week with wrongheaded attempts to handcuff the Internet. All three countries are trying to use regulation to control what they see as Internet-fueled damage to society. Sadly, all three countries are likely to find that the regulations are at best ineffective, and, at worst harmful.
Continue reading "France, China, And Turkey Handcuff The Internet..."
Gates Takes Immigration Case To Washington
Do you believe Bill Gates' message that the United States has a tech-talent shortage -- near term and long term? The answer should shape your reaction to three main issues Microsoft's chairman discussed during congressional testimony this week: H-1B visiting worker visas, tech education, and immigration.
Continue reading "Gates Takes Immigration Case To Washington..."
How Do Businesses Move Beyond Mobile E-Mail?
Earlier today I moderated a panel at Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Enterprise 2007 entitled "Corporate Application Integration." The goal of the panel was to give users advice on how to move beyond mobile e-mail. Guess what? Enterprises are eager to mobilize but they don't want the process to be complicated. How can a CIO manage the chaos of mobility?
Continue reading "How Do Businesses Move Beyond Mobile E-Mail?..."
Yahoo Releases Microsoft Mobile Version Of Its Go Platform
It couldn't have a more unwieldy name: Yahoo Go for Mobile 2.0 for Windows Mobile. Whatever it's called, the mobile search platform rife with widgets and quick access to local information is now available to users of select Windows Mobile devices.
Continue reading "Yahoo Releases Microsoft Mobile Version Of Its Go Platform..."
Nokia Gives More Power To The Users
You know how Microsoft and Apple occasionally offer updates or patches to their operating systems and other software? Well, phone manufacturers post updates to their phones' operating systems, too. We don't typically hear about it because the network operators control if and when operating platforms are updated. Nokia is looking to change that.
Continue reading "Nokia Gives More Power To The Users..."
Remembering--And Banishing--The Bad Old Days
Everyone in the tech industry remembers the spring of 2000. Yep, that year.
Flowers might have been blooming, snow melting, trees beginning to turn green, but most of us simply didn't notice. In my neighborhood, that time was mostly memorable for the number of moving vans that pulled up to houses of formerly prosperous engineers and software developers, and which carried their belongings off to Tempe, Portland, Nashville, and other parts unknown. (Of course, other well-heeled professionals promptly moved in, and housing prices continued to soar -- go figure -- but this is Silicon Valley and it tends to operate in mysterious ways.)
Continue reading "Remembering--And Banishing--The Bad Old Days..."
Users Look For Mobility Best Practices At Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless 2007
Today I am blogging from Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Enterprise 2007 in sunny Indian Wells, California (just outside Palm Springs). We've got carriers, vendors and, most important, end-users all gathered here to talk mobility at the Grand Hyatt Champions Resort. The big theme of my discussions so far has been the lack of best practices for mobilizing applications beyond e-mail.
Continue reading "Users Look For Mobility Best Practices At Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless 2007..."
Serious Games Can Learn From Grand Theft Auto
Apparently there are redeeming social qualities in purely entertaining games such as Grand Theft Auto, Bully and the Sims, or so says Georgia Institute of Technology professor Ian Bogost... and the government should take note.
Continue reading "Serious Games Can Learn From Grand Theft Auto..."
Windows Vista Diary: New Mac Ad Pokes Fun At Vista Security
I had forgotten how annoying Vista's User Account Controls (UACs) are, until I was reminded by the latest installment in Apple's series of uber-cool Get A Mac television ads.
Continue reading "Windows Vista Diary: New Mac Ad Pokes Fun At Vista Security..."
Want To Feel Smart? Listen To TED
Yesterday's New York Times reminded me that TED 2007 starts today. I first discovered this annual wallow in intelligence, a conference that brings together leaders in the fields of technology, entertainment, and design, last year. Maybe if I pay close attention to this year's program I'll be smart enough to attend TED in person in 2009 (next year is already sold out).
Continue reading "Want To Feel Smart? Listen To TED..."
Get Productive By Using The Mac Keyboard
Until a couple of years ago, I thought that the Mac was for dummies who were not smart enough to use a keyboard, and who, therefore, needed to use a mouse for everything. That may have been true back in the 20th Century, but the current Mac OS X, perhaps because if its Unix heritage, has keyboard shortcuts for just about everything. And if that's not good enough for you, just download and install the free Quicksilver utility, which lets you almost avoid the mouse entirely.
Continue reading "Get Productive By Using The Mac Keyboard..."
General Internet Use Up, But What About Mobile Internet Usage?
Thomas Claburn reported on a study that says Internet use in January 2007 was 10% higher than January 2006. Most of the growth came from emerging market regions such as China and India, but the study didn't say anything about what percentage of new Internet users are experiencing the Web only through mobile phones.
Continue reading "General Internet Use Up, But What About Mobile Internet Usage?..."
Is Second Life Bad For You?
This morning's Second Life kaffeeklatsch was stimulating and entertaining, as always. The topic for today was "Is Second Life Bad for You?" We ended up talking about people for whom Second Life is a benefit because they're housebound due to physical disability, including one woman whose cancer was quite severe, for whom Second Life had become her first life.
Continue reading "Is Second Life Bad For You?..."
Market For Mobile Technology To Top $89 Billion By 2011
If you thought mobility was a passing phase, think again. A new research report noted that the market for mobile technology was $55.6 billion in 2005, $63.5 billion in 2006, and is enjoying a compound annual growth rate of 7%. At that rate, the mobile market will broach $88.9 billion in just 4 years. Care for a piece of mobile pie?
Continue reading "Market For Mobile Technology To Top $89 Billion By 2011..."
Walter Reed Disgrace Shows Outsourcing's Dark Side
The abysmal conditions at the Army's Walter Reed hospital reflect an appalling lack of respect for men and women who suffered grievous injuries fighting for this country. They also show what can happen when an outsourcing project goes awry.
Continue reading "Walter Reed Disgrace Shows Outsourcing's Dark Side..."
Cisco Adds Mobility To Unified Communications
Cisco Systems said yesterday that the latest upgrade to its Unified Communications software will allow users to access features via cell phones. It's about time Cisco added mobility to its IP telephony offerings.
Continue reading "Cisco Adds Mobility To Unified Communications..."
Sprint Enterprise Mobility: RIP?
Daniel Taylor at the Mobile Enterprise Blog asks a great question: What happened to Sprint Enterprise Mobility?
Continue reading "Sprint Enterprise Mobility: RIP?..."
The Faulty UFD: Sometimes A New Problem Requires An Old Solution
"UFD" is the official TLA for the ubiquitous "USB flash drive" or thumb drive. I didn't know that until I looked it up. But I do know how to fix one when it dies, because my hair is grayer than yours. I remember how to use the DOS FORMAT command.
Continue reading "The Faulty UFD: Sometimes A New Problem Requires An Old Solution..."
Journal Report Confirms Rumors That Palm Is Up For Sale
Last week rumors broke that Palm is looking for a buyer. Today in the Wall Street Journal those rumors were confirmed by a report.
Continue reading "Journal Report Confirms Rumors That Palm Is Up For Sale..."
Many Mobile Gamers Are Young Professional Women
It looks like all those smartphone users out there are doing more than just sending e-mail. According to a new study by researcher Telephia, young professionals make up 40% of mobile phone game players. That means many of you know about Jamdat Bowling 2.
Continue reading "Many Mobile Gamers Are Young Professional Women..."
Exposing Second Life's Data Centers
Today InformationWeek undresses Second Life and leaves it naked and trembling. We lift up its skirts and peer at its naughty bits. We open up its dresser drawers and paw through its unmentionables. In other words, we go inside the data centers and describe some of the server and software technology that keeps the virtual world running.
Continue reading "Exposing Second Life's Data Centers..."
Is Best Buy Playing Web Games?
Not long ago, I bought an inexpensive DVD recorder at Best Buy. Being a careful consumer, I first checked the price of the unit I wanted on Best Buy's Web site -- but neglected to print out the page with the price on it. When I got to the store, I found that the unit I wanted cost about $10 more than I remembered. I was in a hurry, the line was long, and the clerk at the register was hassled -- so I let the matter drop. Now I'm sorry I did, because I might have been treated to a view of Best Buy's secret intranet.
Continue reading "Is Best Buy Playing Web Games?..."
WebEx Lets You Access Your PC Through Your Mobile Phone
Everyone probably knows how frustrating it is to be stuck out of the office without access to a vital file that's sitting on your home or work PC. It's even more frustrating when you're on the go and there's no way to dial into your company's VPN. Looking to keep you from pulling your hair out, a new partnership between WebEx and SoonR will allow you to use your mobile phone's browser to get into your PC remotely. Some of the nifty features include transferring files, printing and searching your desktop.
Continue reading "WebEx Lets You Access Your PC Through Your Mobile Phone..."
RIM To Restate Earnings
The BlackBerry email device maker said it will restate $250 million in earnings, lowering profits, after an internal investigation found irregular practices of backdating stock option grants. Co-chief executive Jim Balsille will step down from the Chairman spot. File under "Oops!"
Continue reading "RIM To Restate Earnings..."
Cisco In Social Networking? It (Sorta) Makes Sense
Cisco Systems, the world's largest network equipment company, appears to be getting a bit into social networking by today bolstering last month's purchase of Five Across with some of the pieces of Utah Street Networks. Strange? Perhaps, but not necessarily frivolous.
Continue reading "Cisco In Social Networking? It (Sorta) Makes Sense..."
Windows Vista Diary: Caught In A Vicious Update Cycle
When we last left our hero, he was grappling with an annoying Vista activation problem (eventually solved by a Microsoft patch). This week, he's caught in Windows Update hell, and he's apparently not alone.
Continue reading "Windows Vista Diary: Caught In A Vicious Update Cycle..."
Should Sony Ericsson Make UIQ Open Source?
Sony Ericsson last month at 3GSM in Barcelona said it was looking for partners for its UIQ platform, which it acquired several months earlier. The move was designed to help Sony Ericsson grow UIQ beyond just the confines of its own handset ecosystem and to challenge Nokia's S60 platform. Sony Ericsson is obviously trying to make sure that S60 doesn't dominate the smartphone marketplace. But is Sony Ericsson's current strategy the best way to achieve this end?
Continue reading "Should Sony Ericsson Make UIQ Open Source?..."
Nokia Looks To Turn Smartphones Into Mobile Media Platforms
Nokia this week said that it is changing its N-Gage mobile gaming platform from being just a device-centered gaming experience to include other Nokia handsets and devices, including Nokia S60 devices. Most S60 devices are smartphones of one stripe or another -- some are more consumer oriented in nature while others are clearly more targeted at professionals. The announcement marks a transition for the N-Gage away from being just a mobile game device system to being a multi-device mobile game portal. But, more interestingly, it means Nokia is going to push games (and probably other types of consumer content) at its smartphone users, including professionals.
Continue reading "Nokia Looks To Turn Smartphones Into Mobile Media Platforms..."
Come Get Your Game On
Not that I'm into shameless self-promotion, but man, oh, man... if you miss this year's GDC, please dump your case of Rockstar, toss out your PowerBars, and turn in your geek badge at the door.
Continue reading "Come Get Your Game On..."
Got Time?
That whole time-change thing that has everyone rolling their eyes -- you know, early daylight-saving time? OK, it's not Y2K. (What could be?) And as I noted in a recent column (which goes into this issue in greater detail), no one is talking disasters of biblical proportions. But there is a little more to this than the momentary irritation of missed appointments and calendars being off an hour.
Continue reading "Got Time?..."
True Field Mobility: The Wait is Over
The promise of a dream undeterred, yet constantly deferred, is finally being realized. Wow, that sure sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? But, for all the CIOs concerned with business-to-business mobile business applications -- never mind the numerous employees of itty-bitty mobile software companies that struggled for years -- true enterprise mobility as a reality is truly dramatic! The mobile marketplace has been waiting on baited breath for outside-the-four-walls mobile business applications to become the norm.
Continue reading "True Field Mobility: The Wait is Over..."
Verizon Wireless And Cingular Hope You Get The Message With New Rates
The nation's two largest mobile network operators upped the competitive ante and go toe-to-toe with revamped SMS/MMS bundling options this week. Both carriers are offering new rates and message allotments.
Continue reading "Verizon Wireless And Cingular Hope You Get The Message With New Rates..."
Just How Far Does BlackBerry Addiction Go?
A Forbes magazine editor attempted to give up his BlackBerry for one week. He didn't last 48 hours. A spate of articles have called the wireless email device as addictive as hard drugs, going so far as to blame it for wrecked marriages and worse. When I switched jobs last summer I was without a BlackBerry for a month. I can tell you it was a tough 30 days.
Continue reading "Just How Far Does BlackBerry Addiction Go?..."
Does The Mobile Browser Have A Future?
Many wireless industry insiders question the future of the mobile Web browser. While mobile browsers have been around since the first iteration of WAP in the late 1990s, there still aren't that many people surfing the Web on their cell phones. Personally, I don't think cell phones are the best medium for browsing. And for applications, I think the future of the mobile Web lies in clients, not browsers.
Continue reading "Does The Mobile Browser Have A Future?..."
Microsoft Declines Ad-Supported Enterprise Software
Microsoft's slowly getting into the ad-supported software game for consumers and small businesses with its Live services. That might be a necessary strategy in the Google era, but chief software architect Ray Ozzie says software for big business is a whole different ballgame.
Continue reading "Microsoft Declines Ad-Supported Enterprise Software..."
Will Dell Make Smartphones?
Apparently it is smartphone rumor week. Earlier today we brought you news that Nokia may buy Palm. Now rumors are flying that Dell may enter the smartphone market.
Continue reading "Will Dell Make Smartphones?..."
Will Mobile TV, Such as Verizon Wireless's New V CAST Mobile TV Service, Succeed?
The results of a European study released last month at 3GSM showed that many mobile TV subscribers switched off the service. Users complained of the high cost and spotty quality. Granted, the technology over there is different. Many providers use the DVB-H standard versus the MediaFLO network used by Verizon Wireless here in the US. But dollars are dollars. Verizon's $15-per-month charge may prove too steep for many.
Continue reading "Will Mobile TV, Such as Verizon Wireless's New V CAST Mobile TV Service, Succeed?..."
Apparently, It Isn't About the Network for Sprint and T-Mobile
According to quarterly results posted from Sprint, it is losing its valuable postpay customers even though it has a high-speed 3G EV-DO Rev. A (i.e., fast) wireless network up and running across wide swaths of the US. During the same quarter, T-Mobile, which currently operates a GPRS/EDGE 2G/2.5G (i.e., not so fast) network in the US passed the 25-million-customer mark by adding 901,000 postpay customers and seems to be on a growth rampage. Um, what gives here?
Continue reading "Apparently, It Isn't About the Network for Sprint and T-Mobile..."
Are You A Do-It-Yourselfer?
I've always admired people who could create complicated electronic products out of second-hand parts. For example, my brother thinks there's nothing quite as much fun as picking up some abandoned computer parts at the local electronics junk store and turning them into a system that works as well -- or better -- than your typical top-of-the-line server. That's why an otherwise run-of-the-mill news item about a guy who used a $10 wok as a substitute for a $20,000 commercial satellite dish made me smile.
Continue reading "Are You A Do-It-Yourselfer?..."
Will Nokia Buy Palm In A Play For The U.S. Enterprise Market?
Dan Jones over at Unstrung is reporting that Nokia may make a play to acquire smartphone maker Palm Inc. If Nokia can acquire Palm, the company would finally gain some real share in the U.S. mobile enterprise market. Is this deal for real?
Continue reading "Will Nokia Buy Palm In A Play For The U.S. Enterprise Market?..."
Time's A-Wastin'
Are you ready for daylight-saving time? Unless you're living in a cave, you know that the new, improved schedule for daylight-saving time begins on March 11. So, you and your business will spring ahead two weeks earlier than last year, which will result in an extra hour of light at the end of the day. Maybe we'll save some energy in the process.
Continue reading "Time's A-Wastin'..."
Join The Windows Vista Roundtable
Have you heard enough about Windows Vista yet? Unless you still use an Underwood typewriter to produce your daily reports, you've no doubt been bombarded with analysts, journalists, bloggers, and other pundits who have offered their opinion and advice about Microsoft's new operating system. But what about the people out there in the trenches -- the ones who will actually have to install, implement, and support Vista?
Continue reading "Join The Windows Vista Roundtable..."
« February 2007 | Main | April 2007 »
