Midsize Insider is a valuable repository of expert content tailored for small-to-midsized business owners and IT decision makers. Expert insights and perspectives in the Midsize Insider are gleaned from actionable business experiences and will assist readers in creating efficiencies, cutting costs and delivering results.
If employees are not being innovative, a business will only remain competitive for a short while. If the same game is played over years, months, or even weeks, the freshness of a business's products begins to stagnate, and practices that ...
The IBM Voices activity stream promises to tap into the wisdom of the crowd by delivering insight not only about ...
Two new smartphones based on the open-source Mozilla Firefox OS platform will hit the shelves next month. The Mozilla phones, Keon and Peak, will join a new number of smartphones running on operating systems that rely heavily on the Web.Mozilla's ...
Last year Microsoft overcame the "volume" hurdle for its Windows Phone Store by achieving the milestone of 150,000 certified and published apps. It is worth applauding Redmond for achieving this milestone in a challenging market where Android and iOS are ...
Apple has a history of minis. After all, iPad, iPod and Mac minis have made it to market. The iPhone mini is rumored to be next. In what would be a big shift for the company, analysts say this newest ...
Recently, as Research in Motion (RIM) has been gearing up for its huge new operating system and device release, the company received another piece of good news: Visa has approved the company's Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile payment program. The ...
The already packed and competitive smartphone market will have two newbies to share shelf space with this year: Mozilla Firefox and Jolla Sailfish. One of the operating systems is expected to debut in Asia in the next three months.Two DebutsAccording ...
Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S series of smartphones have hit a milestone of 100 million sales. More and more Americans are switching to phones that offer data options. According to CNET, the Galaxy S3 version reached 30 million ...
The tablet of the future will be power efficient and have the stars to prove it. Energy Star, a joint effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy, will rate tablets on the Energy ...
The most recent update of the Google Chrome browser adds a bit more speed. The newest update also patches 24 security vulnerabilities that Google engineers and other security specialists had detected in the last version of Chrome.More significant than the ...
US memory product manufacturer Kingston is slated to release a 1 terabyte Flash drive later this quarter, a move sure to intrigue IT professionals at midsize businesses who need local access to Big Data while on the go. The DataTraveler ...
Like other "detachable" Windows 8 tablet/notebook hybrids, the new HP Envy x2 promises the "no-compromise" touch or laptop computing experience envisioned for Microsoft's latest operating system. But despite long battery life and a stylish package, performance compromises remain.The Envy x2 ...
It may seem paradoxical, but one analyst argues that higher PC prices would be good news for Windows 8. Microsoft's latest operating system release has faced a tough debut. Opinions about its touch-screen user interface (UI) run the gamut from ...
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is by name focused on consumers, not on the midsize business market. However, at a time when so many commentators are eager to write the obituary for the PC, the latest Intel PC offerings have ...
The key to competing successfully is to identify product characteristics that existing or potential customers value, and to offer them at a price they are willing to pay. A product design process that finds such features, creates corresponding designs, and ...
Leap Motion, a unique gesture-based controller for peripherals, recently announced a partnership with manufacturer Asus and raised $30 million in Series B funding led by Founders Fund. According to an article in TechCrunch, "... the company is still planning to ...
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has - as the name suggests - traditionally been all about gadgets. This year, however, increasing focus at CES 2013 is going not to the gadgets themselves but to the apps and services that ...
A year ago, many observers were calling Ultrabooks--ultrathin laptops - the next big thing in the PC world. Sales, however, fell far short of the hype, as consumers flocked to less expensive tablet devices instead. Now some analysts are calling ...
Toshiba recently announced a light-field smartphone camera, one that may rival the Lytro light-field camera. According to an article in CNET, the Toshiba camera will take photos that can be "refocused" onto other parts of the photo or bring the ...
The Oracle Java platform is showing signs of a strong 2013, after shaking off security struggles it faced last year. On tap are a host of upgrades, ranging from JavaScript support to cloud-oriented features. For the IT community at midsize ...
Google Chrome is an operating system (OS). So is Google-developed Android. This raises the question of why Google is developing two operating systems. This, in turn, raises another question: What are the implications for the IT community at midsize firms?Google ...
Fresh off the heels of a mobile operating system project called MeeGo, Samsung is diving head first into the mobile market with the open-source Tizen. Major players in the mobile business include Apple, with their closed-source iOS, and Microsoft, with ...
Online figures for Windows 8 usage in 2012 show that it is lagging far behind Windows 7. At the outset it lagged even behind Vista. But the same data also hint that the latest version of Microsoft Windows might be ...
With employees eager to bring their own smartphones and tablets to work, the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) movement is as strong as ever. Unfortunately, employee-owned devices can expose a corporation to subpar security and privacy. This problem is made worse by carelessly ...
Is it too early for the tech world to start breathlessly speculating about the next iPhone? Apparently not, if developer logs are any indication. A tantalizing bit of code that turned up in one--"iPhone 6,1"--suggests that Apple is already at ...
Sometime in the coming weeks or months, Google Glass, the company's virtual-reality eyeglasses, could be headed for a developer near you. For the IT community at midsize firms the implications are uncertain - but they could be sweeping.The significance of ...
At one time, the idea of a product development life cycle, let alone product lifecycle management (PLM) was unknown. Product innovation was too rare and haphazard to evoke an organized process.Needless to say this has changed. Product innovations are the ...
Cobalt Iron, a new entry in the data protection market, seeks to give customers the flexibility to mix and match ...
There is no denying that the Apple iPad has reinvented the corporate industry. A delicate balance of productive applications, an attractive user interface, long battery life, and a high resolution screen have led to its strong business success. Even more ...
No part of a product's life cycle is more critical than its launch into the marketplace. Enormous amounts of work and hope has gone into a product before it is ever ready for launch. But the product launch process will ...
A slew of start-ups have decided to bring new technology to an old friend, email. The basics behind email services have not changed in 40 years, and a few companies have decided it is time for a change. Email seems ...
One of the criticisms consistently leveled at Android has been the relative dearth of apps for the platform available in the Google Play store when compared with those available for the iOS in Apple's App Store. Judging from the amount ...
South Korean electronics giant Samsung has announced that it's reached a "milestone" in the development of 14-nanometer (nm) process technology for semiconductor manufacturing and has signed agreements with for 14nm physical IP and libraries. The announcement was made on the ...
Reports have indicated that a new iPad may potentially be released in March 2013. The new device will feature a 9.7 inch display screen, be similar to recently the iPad Mini, aand be thinner and lighter than current iPads, according ...
The WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) standard, while still in relative infancy, is promising to create a sea change in communications in the near future, moving Web-based video and audio communication from proprietary third-party software to the desktop and mobile browser. ...
The latest iPad rumor hints at the possibility of a thinner and lighter version of Apple's popular tablet computer hitting the marketplace this March 2013. News about this lighter iPad was reported on Christmas Eve at CNET. A smaller iPad ...
Typically handled by IT departments, workflow construction and maintenance is slowly becoming consumerized for companies that strive for a simpler workflow design. Leading the charge is KiSSFLOW, a workflow product with Google Apps integration, which recently announced a new Business ...
There is no arguing that Apple and Google have dominated the growing tablet market space, a $63.2 billion industry that Microsoft desperately hopes to break into. After releasing their touch-optimized Windows 8 operating system, Microsoft is well on its way ...
It's no surprise that Research In Motion's future is heavily dependent on the upcoming release of the BB10 smartphone line. Recognizing that the company's main appeal is with the corporate community, RIM is focusing its efforts on mobile application management ...
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has added a new feature to its Elastic Block Storage (EBS) service. Aptly named the Snapshot Copy, this feature will help capture data, deploy apps, log files, and move storage volumes between multiple locations.Accomplishing the same ...
While Microsoft deliberately excluded a Start menu from Windows 8, the company Pokki offers its own menu option for the OS that midsize businesses can download. Pokki's product has several downloads to date, and the offering has the potential to ...
Microsoft is closing in on the release of the fourth version of Windows Intune, its fledging cloud-based PC management solution for small and midsize firms. The upcoming version of Intune will offer management and support not just for Windows 8 ...
The tech world's discussion about Redmond's Surface tablet device could be due for a reboot as Microsoft Surface Pro edges toward its debut. Unlike its RT-based cousin, Surface Pro will run a full-featured version of Windows 8. For the IT ...
Behind closed doors, its inventors call their new mobile invention the "X Phone." Could it be the next big thing in smartphone technology? Could this product truly rival what's on the market today?Fantastic FeaturesAccording to a recent report, Google is ...
Looking to up the ante in their perpetual competition with Microsoft, Google Apps now offers streamlined compatibility with Microsoft Office files through the integration of Google's Quickoffice tool into their office app suite. The new, easier to use Quickoffice technology ...
Product lifecycle management software is the catalyst through which all other systems come together. It provides the tools for managing individual applications like CAD, computer-aided engineering (CAE), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and product design management (PDM), as well as ERP and ...
After garnering praise as a worthy tool for creating and editing Office documents on the iPad, the CloudOn Microsoft Office app now supports the iPhone and iPod Touch, extending its range to the other two major iOS devices. News of ...
Amazon has announced that it is now offering support for Windows Server 2012. Enterprise customers using Windows can now use the upgraded roadmap of Microsoft's cloud OS while still on Amazon Web Services (AWS).Amazon is not the first vendor to ...
One thing that practically everyone will agree on is that Microsoft has gotten the tech world's attention. Dramatically changing the user interface (UI) for Microsoft Windows 8 has ensured that people are talking about it. Indeed, probably more people are ...
Google is getting close to topping a billion dollars invested in renewable energy projects. Google's latest move is a $75 million equity investment in a 50-megawatt wind farm in Iowa, and the company is already in a position to sell ...
Within the next five years, a notable IBM innovation could be heading for midsize firms, their IT departments, and their customers: Computers that respond to sight, smell, taste, and other sensory information.This idea has been around in science fiction for ...
There's been chatter lately about Microsoft not releasing updates for Windows Phone 7.5, especially since the widespread introduction of Windows Phone 8. Microsoft has finally broken its silence about updates to the Windows Phone (WP) 7.5 by announcing the release ...
Bing Desktop has a makeover for users with Windows XP and higher. The newest version has browsing features that can increase speed of online activities for midsize businesses.Updates for the search engine are aesthetic as well as functional. For Version ...
Everyone wants to innovate. But successful innovation is not just about coming up with something new: A great innovation also has to fit the world around it. And while many a successful company has been built around a single great ...
WordPress 3.5, the latest version of the popular blogging and web publishing platform, was released late on Tuesday. News about the new edition of WordPress appeared on TechCrunch. The enhancements in this version of WordPress provide value to senior IT ...
Recently only available through its self-branded stores, the Microsoft Surface tablet computer is scheduled to hit retail outlets in time for the holiday season. According to an article in CNET, Redmond officials confirmed the Surface's appearance at stores over the ...
IT professionals with iPhones have reason to be very happy as Google Maps has returned to the iOS platform. The news about the new map app appeared at the New York Daily News.Although Google's map app is compatible with the ...
The start-up company, Power Fingerprinting, is able to detect computer malware by discovering small changes in system biometrics. That is, system threats will show up as changes in power consumption by the computer's processor. According to an article in the ...
Tablets are projected to outsell laptops in the fourth quarter and, at that rate, they will soon be the dominant computing device. Midsize businesses have the flexibility to respond to this development and turn it into a competitive advantage against ...
Semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom this week announced the tech industry's first ever chip that integrates NFC (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and FM Radio. According to ITWorld, the company believes the new Broadcom chip will allow for a wide variety of ...
Microsoft deployed a Windows Phone 8 update on Tuesday; it was the company's first over-the-air fix for their fledgling smartphone operating system. The enhancement focuses on some pesky reboot issues reported by customers over the past few months.Additionally, the install ...
Research in Motion (RIM) has undergone a series of changes since its decision to bring its RIM BlackBerry 10 smartphone to a market dominated by Apple iOS and Android devices. The most promising of these changes is RIM's approach to ...
The Microsoft Surface tablet device remains the most popular device for Windows 8, though its lead has fallen since last month. It is still very early going for both Surface and Windows 8, but industry observers are watching closely.A lot ...
Windows 8 and Windows RT are set to receive critical bug patches on "Patch Tuesday." The patches are also aimed at other existing versions of Windows, including XP, Vista, and Windows 7, as well as Server 2003 and 2008. This ...
Should releasing a "Windows Classic" be on minds of the Microsoft team, as suggested by one tech blogger? The sales results of the Windows 8 operating system, while not officially released by Microsoft, are reportedly reflecting a lack of interest ...
Shipping for the new 27-inch iMac will begin in January 2013, according to Apple. The all-in-one PC offers IT professionals at midsize businesses faster processing times than the previous model as well as other workplace benefits.While orders for the 27-inch ...
Technology giant IBM has advanced the field of silicon photonics by placing optical data links into 90-nanometer (nm) chips, allowing data transfer rates of 25 gigabits per second. Though not the first company to build these optical chips, the commercial ...
The Samsung Galaxy S3 phone will be getting a variety of new features as part of its Premium Suite upgrade. Outwardly most of these are consumer-oriented. They include a simplified "Easy Mode" and several camera-related improvements.But in the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) ...
Photonics - the use of light rather than electrical signals to transmit data - has taken another step toward the mainstream. IBM has introduced chips using optical data links to achieve up to 25 gigabits per second.For the IT community ...
Hardware manufacturing giant Cisco Systems, a leader in producing routers and switches used in IT departments all over the world, is seeking to diversify its revenue streams and prepare for in an increasingly mobile and cloud-focused environment by expanding its ...
Seemingly pulled from a science fiction movie, researchers have used a 3-D printer to construct a biobot created from a rat heart and hydrogel. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the result was an inchworm-like entity that ...
Mobile-device versions of video games push the limits of user interaction with touchscreen devices. For IT, this technology has implications that go far beyond fun and games. Enterprise-strength business applications, from virtualization management to business analytics, call for much more ...
Google Now, the Android alert and notification service, is coming to a Chrome browser near you. Google has confirmed that it has added a "skeleton" for the service to Chrome, though it stopped short of formally committing to the integration.For ...
With the upcoming release of BlackBerry 10, RIM is taking some significant steps to ensure that the launch is going to go as smoothly as possible. The move may not do much to change the mind of anyone who has ...
Android 4.1, otherwise known as Jelly Bean, is now available for Samsung Galaxy S3 users on the AT&T carrier network. This marks another benchmark in the gradual but steady rollout of the latest version of Android - and a marketing ...
Some companies that allow BYOD might have felt a little spark of excitement this week when T-Mobile announced it will soon carry Apple products. With more and more networks partnering with Apple, there is a greater chance that more and ...
Bring your own device (BYOD) is in the spotlight thanks to new research on mobile devices from CCS Insight. The firm predicts a healthy, growing mobile device market in 2013 and beyond. According to an article in Silicon Republic, the ...
Google's public Android app store, Google Play, has a name that clearly targets consumers. But the store is no longer just about fun and games. Google is now allowing companies to establish a private store where employees can download enterprise ...
Analyst firm IHS iSuppli has downgraded the chip market from "stagnant" to "in a slump." According to InfoWorld, the projected sales for chips worldwide is expected to drop 2.3 percent in 2012.Though the dip may not seem significant, it is ...
Before the launch of Windows 8 at the end of October it was clear that there were no compelling reasons for businesses to upgrade to the new operating system in the short term. Although Microsoft offered low-cost upgrades, even for ...
The advent of Cyber Week has put the pressure on e-commerce sites which have seen an uptick in demand for the latest technology at a discount price. But those customers eager to nab Google Nexus 4 from the Google Play ...
Indoor mapping technology is getting a workout, with a number of companies launching apps designed to help users navigate indoor spaces. A recent article in USA Today discusses an app for Atlanta's Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Smartphone users download ...
Gamification, or the process of using game mechanics or design to increase loyalty or production in employees and customers, has been slowly gaining recognition as a powerful way to influence people and drive value for a business. Now, a new ...
Microsoft has announced the official pricing of its Microsoft Surface Pro tablet device, which unlike its Surface RT cousin, runs a full version of Windows 8. And starting at $899, the price is not cheap, but it is less than ...
Netbook computers remain a valid option for the budget-conscious IT executive looking to provide a minimum of computing function for the price. Google's Chrome OS garnered a measure of respect as a low-footprint operating system capable of web browsing and ...
The Windows 8 debut - the thrills, chills, and spills - has been dominating the tech news. But Canonical, which released Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" just a week earlier, is not standing still. Instead, Canonical is pushing back, brashly taking ...
The Windows 8 UI (user interface) has taken a beating from some analysts, who criticize it for imposing a steep learning curve even on experienced Windows users. But other industry observers have stepped up to argue that this is the ...
The online newsgroup for OpenJDK, the official open source Java implementation, has been airing discussion of a Java version for Android. Such an option would allow Java developers to work directly within the most widespread mobile operating system.Android's native operating ...
Many midsize businesses have a marketing person who is responsible for finding a creative and effective strategy for new product launch. However, more and more midsize companies are getting their IT professionals involved in new product launches. There are many ...
Microsoft can certainly claim to be innovative. Windows 8 is a major break from all previous versions of Windows. But some critics are saying that the Windows 8 UI (user interface) is a confusing muddle. More is at stake here ...
Businesses typically don't want to fall behind in their use of technology, but they also don't want to be so far ahead that they are the guinea pigs for new developments. With the launch of Windows 8, IT departments at ...
A new report claims that Google is in the final testing stages for its Google Maps application for iOS 6 devices, although an exact release date for the program remains unclear. If the app is approved by Apple, it should ...
AT&T announces it will offer Microsoft Office 365 to midsize business clients. Delivery of the cloud-based service by the US multinational carrier has potential to alter IT infrastructure and network services of businesses that sign on. There are positive and ...
IBM announced will provide $4 billion in financing through its business partners to help clients acquire advanced technologies like cloud ...
Windows RT users will naturally be able to Bing it, if they want to use Microsoft's own search engine to look for information. But that won't be their only choice. Google has released its own RT search app. Which is ...
According to a well-informed source, the Microsoft Surface tablet device is generating only "modest" sales. The source? Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. And his language seemed decidedly modest for a CEO talking about a major venture. For the IT community this ...
As software becomes more and more integral to all aspects of business management, there is a growing need for solutions that can effectively manage the sprawl of complex code. IBM just announced a new set of software products designed to ...
Small and midsize businesses should turn to mobile marketing for a competitive advantage. That's according to a new study which found small and midsize businesses can attract more local clients through mobile technologies.Mobile RevolutionThe study was conducted earlier this year ...
Now that Google's Nexus 10 tablet is in the marketplace, the next big question is whether it can get the app support it needs to build broad popularity. And there is reason to think it will. Sales of Android tablets ...
If you are looking for a Windows RT tablet, your choices may all but narrow down to Redmond's own Microsoft Surface. Yes, the company is moving big into its own hardware. But no conspiracy theories are needed to explain the ...
Intel is developing a 48-core chip that may make it possible to give a cellphone or a tablet as much computing power as a very high-end computer. Researchers believe that the technology is 5 to 10 years away from market, ...
The next time you go into Staples, you might feel like you are in high school again when you see lockers lined up against the wall. Those lockers belong to Amazon and are a part of their latest customer delivery ...
Not so long ago, the tablet market wasn't just dominated by Apple's iPad--it was the iPad. But now Android tablets are muscling their way into the marketplace, while Apple saw a bit of a summer slowdown.And a more competitive market ...
Will Apple allow a Google Maps app for the iPhone and iPad to make its way into the Apple App Store? Recently there were dueling answers to that question. And which answer is right matters to more than just iPhone ...
The cloud is on the move, at least at Microsoft. The company announced that its Windows Azure cloud-based operating system will be extended to support Windows Phone 8. Taking what feels like a page from Google's book, Redmond seems to ...
Silicon has been the basic material used in fabricating computer chips for decades. Indeed, "silicon chip" is all but synonymous with the core element of microprocessors. But our ability to pack more and more power onto one silicon chip will ...
A new survey shows that 52 percent of adults in the U.S. have never heard of Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system. Does this simply mean that fewer people follow tech news than those of us in the tech world ...
Google has announced three new devices, all of which will run an updated version of Android, 4.2 Jelly Bean. The first of these is the Nexus 4, a smartphone created in conjunction with LG, which includes a 4.7 inch 320 ...
The Nexus 10, Google's (and Samsung's) most direct answer to the iPad, has gotten an unofficial unveiling, courtesy of the BriefMobile website. Whether Google and Samsung regard this as a courtesy is uncertain, though in this age of "authorized leaks" ...
As tablets enter the business space, companies have to evaluate how to approach this new tool. Tablets hold the promise of increased employee productivity and job satisfaction while reducing costs. Apple's iPad Mini is the newest Apple entry into this ...
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may not be taking the "soft" out of the company's name. But he is putting a new emphasis on hardware, signaling that more Microsoft hardware gadgets are on the way. There is already talk of a ...
Chip-maker Intel has been making the news rounds lately, in part for its recent sales losses as tablets start to gain ground and in part for the role of its Atom processor under the hood of new Windows 8 devices. ...
Microsoft is sounding the fanfare for the release of Windows 8. But midsize firms and the enterprise world as a whole may be slow to answer the call. That is the sober assessment from research outfit Gartner.To be sure, this ...
The Google Calendar app for Android has made its debut. And an early review finds it to be a good basic calendar tool, but with some decided limitations. This may tell us a lot about the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend in ...
Once upon a time - not so long ago - people had "computers" they used to go online. Now they have a variety of devices, used for different needs in different circumstances. In response, Google marketing and content strategy is ...
A mobile device and operating system war could be on the point of breaking out. And this time, Google and Android are strictly on the sidelines. Even as anticipation builds for the presumed impending launch of the iPad Mini, demand ...
Leaks abound when it comes to new mobile devices, and the latest leak suggests that a new Nexus tablet is in the cards from Google. The existing tablet is available in 8GB and 16GB varieties at $199 and $249 respectively. ...
Redmond has announced pricing for the Microsoft Surface hybrid tablet. And it has begun taking preorders ahead of an October 26 launch date. This initial pitch is aimed at consumers. But it has a couple of major implications for the ...
Intel is the dominant player in the computer processor market. However, for many years, Advance Micro Devices, commonly called AMD, has successfully carved a small niche for itself in the computer processor market by providing processors at lower prices than ...
Innovations like cloud computing have made it easier than ever for small- and medium-sized businesses to offer advanced, IT-enabled services and support to their customers. But just because they can, does it mean they should? It’s become a given that ...
Microsoft's new touch-oriented Windows 8 operating system may be getting all the buzz. But Dell says that it will push back against touch mania by continuing to offer Windows 7. Redmond presumably won't be happy. But gamers--and midsize businesses--will be ...
Google's mod_pagespeed 1.0 is now live. The corporation removed the Beta label after two years of refinements and multiple versions. The web page speed technology is already used by many companies and the release news will likely increase its use ...
The Microsoft Surface tablet drew some interesting commentary from an unexpected source: Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt. Surface, according to Schmidt, could have dramatic implications for the mobile marketplace. But only if it works as well as Microsoft is hoping ...
Apple has dominated the tablet market since its introduction of the iPad. While most people are aware of this dominance, rarely is it mentioned that Apple also dominates the tablet processor market with its A5X processor for the iPad. However, ...
Reports have surfaced online with specs of an "Aristo" device which is alleged to be a flagship RIM BlackBerry 10 phone. RIM has lost significant shares in the smartphone market as Google's Android phones and Apple's iPhone are rapidly increasing ...
The Windows 8 launch on October 26, 2012, has been discussed for several months and many people have provided their opinions on the new Microsoft OS. However, the impact of Windows 8 goes far beyond Microsoft. Many PC makers are ...
Microsoft is almost ready to release its much hyped and highly discussed Windows 8 OS. The official release date is set for October 26, 2012, and rumors are circulating that Microsoft is currently correcting several Windows 8 bugs in preparation ...
If recent reports hold up, Windows Phone won't be just an operating system anymore. Just as Microsoft isn't just a software company. Redmond is apparently looking into building its own mobile phone to run its signature mobile operating system. The ...
A study by IHS came up with news that Apple and its fan base will not want to hear. While the iPhone 5 display may be a big step up from earlier models, IHS argues that the Galaxy S3 comes ...
Oracle is beefing up its popular open source MySQL database, along with related products, to handle the new demands of the web. Databases and database operations are one of the most crucial back-end components of the IT world at midsize ...
Microsoft is not the only tech company with a big stake in Windows 8. And it is not the only one taking aim at Apple and the iPad with a new generation of Windows tablets. Intel is also in the ...
The Wintel alliance, made up of the Microsoft Windows operating system running on Intel processors, seems to be fracturing. Microsoft developed the Surface tablet with versions running on Intel and on ARM processors without telling Intel. Now, Intel CEO Paul ...
iPhone users may still love their new "latest and greatest." But the sizzling romance seems to be fading a bit--even apart from the Apple Maps fiasco. The fact is that the latest version of the Apple operating system, iOS 6, ...
Could you imagine running your business today without internet access or mobile phones? For most mid-market companies, it’s unthinkable. How else could you reach tech support while you’re on the road? How else could a valued customer get in touch ...
At its first "Create the Web" event, Adobe has unveiled the Adobe Edge Tools and Services suite, which has been in development for the last two years. Held in San Francisco on September 25, 2012, the Create the Web event ...
In Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken," he takes the road "less traveled by" and concludes that it makes "all the difference." With the release of Windows 8, midsize IT professionals have been placed at a fork in the ...
One of the most talked about aspects of Apple's new mobile operating system, iOS 6, is Apple's own mapping program that has taken the place of Google Maps. The problem with iOS 6 Maps is that the company replaced a ...
Microsoft will release Windows 8 on October 26, 2012. In recent months, the technology giant has received both tremendous criticism and high praise for Windows 8. Therefore, the question left for many people to ponder about Windows 8 is whether ...
Since the introduction of the Apple iPad, the tablet market has produced incredible sales numbers. The popularity of tablets has continued to rise each year with the Apple iPad firmly holding its dominant position as king of the tablet market. ...
Many people in the business world have come to love online map programs as a way to get door-to-door directions and to even see the color of the building they are going to via Google Earth. Now, the same company ...
Cellular plan provider T-mobile does not sell iPhones, but many of its customers still prefer to use their iPhone devices to access the provider's network. As any agile business might do, the cellular plan provider offers SIM cards that fit ...
Kana Software has launched Kana Express, its latest customer service solution with social analytics capabilities. The pay-as-you-go Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution is aimed at small and midsize firms that lack the enterprise-level contact center systems but share the same demands to ...
Lenovo has announced the expansion of its server portfolio with the new ThinkServer line aimed at small and midsize businesses. This should come as welcome news for midsize firms because the new server line is designed to substantially increase computing ...
Even as all the tech media oxygen is being sucked up by Apple's iPhone 5, old rival Microsoft is quietly laying groundwork for next spring's expected launch of Microsoft Office 2013. And for the IT community at midsize firms, the ...
The tech media are delivering a mixed verdict on the newest iPhone. On the one hand, not all that much is really new. How could it be? Apple has shaped our thinking about smartphones, and the technology is relatively mature. ...
The iPhone 5 tsunami has finally hit. After months of breathless anticipation, speculation, and artfully timed leaks, the new iPhone has made its official debut. But a good many tech observers are less than overwhelmed. Some are even saying that ...
The iPhone 5 is out, and the Apple Hype-O-Meter needle is pegged. But even as the iPhone uproar hits its peak, many tech leaders are looking past it. They are anticipating another debut, Windows Phone 8.Excitement and Microsoft Windows are ...
The Apple iPhone 5 is finally out. There has been lots of jockeying for position over the last few weeks, with several major smart phone manufacturers rushing to beat Apple to the punch. Now that the wait is over, has ...
The focus on green computing may have fallen by the wayside over the past few years as more pressing economic concerns exploded onto the scene, but a new supercomputer collaboration by Intel and HP may be powerful enough to combine ...
Industry observers are poring through documents released during the epic Apple-Samsung trial. Apple won big on its claims about iPhone innovations. But the released documents are also shedding new light on how the iPhone was developed.For the IT community at ...
After discontinuing the production of devices based on the unsuccessful first version of webOS, HP has recently announced the beta release of an open source webOS mobile operating system (OS), hoping to put previous criticisms to rest. According to HP, ...
Many companies are struggling with BYOD. There are security and standardization issues. Additional help needed by employees can overwhelm corporate help desks. Personal apps on devices used for business represent security, support, and control problems. Some companies allow employee devices ...
A funny thing has happened on the way to the PC's funeral. The (presumed) deceased is climbing out of its casket, saying "I'm not dead yet!" Far from it. Instead of fading away, the personal computer is taking on new ...
Global brands in the enterprise computing market continue to look at open-source solutions to inspire higher rates of innovation. Even companies that typically have not been considered as open-source friendly, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, and VMware, have now started contributing ...
The IBM Watson technology has long been at the head of the class when it came to artificial intelligence. But the supercomputing horsepower needed to support Watson put it out of reach of mobile users. Now, however, this may be ...
If you want to buy the Kindle Fire online, you are out of luck - at least for now. Amazon says that its popular small tablet is out of stock. But, probably by no coincidence, a new model may debut ...
By offering the forthcoming iPad Mini at a low price, say analysts, Apple may "reset" the market for smaller tablet devices. As with all things Apple, the aroma of breathless hype can be overpowering.But for midsize firms, the growing focus ...
Microsoft is preparing for one of its most important series of product launches in recent memory. In October 2012, Microsoft will release its Windows 8 OS, which will be followed later by the release of its Surface line of tablets ...
iPhone fanatics aren't the only ones eagerly following the Apple iPhone 5 release rumors. Apple's adversaries have been just as keen to hear the tech giant set an announcement date for the iPhone 5 release. If the rumors are true, ...
It was easy to sign up for Google+ but, once they joined, many members found there was little activity in their Google circles. The best feature was the Google Hangout where you could video conference simultaneously with a bunch of ...
IBM has been busy in the last few years getting on board with cloud computing, upgrading its mainframe technology, and of course, winning on television game shows. The triumph of Big Blue's Watson supercomputer over human opponents on television quiz ...
When the iPhone 5's release date was finally announced earlier this month, discussions of what features--old and new--it would have once in consumers' hands began to heat up. Among the most publicized of supposedly new features was near field communication ...
Does it still amaze you how well the ads on your Yahoo, Facebook and other web pages reflect which products and services you’ve recently searched for online? Small, mid-market and large businesses looking for even smarter ways to connect with ...
Samsung may be the immediate loser from Apple's big legal victory. But many observers have argued that the real target all along has been the Android operating system and, therefore, Google. Android may not be central to the search giant's ...
Dropbox has announced the addition of a new two-step authentication process for its popular cloud storage and file sharing facilities, in the wake of security breaches revealed last month.The new feature is in a beta phase and offers an optional ...
The BYOD movement has largely been propelled by the vast number of applications available for the smartphone market. IT has recognized these applications as a way to simplify tasks, save time, and increase employee productivity. An app that meets all ...
Microsoft is looking to the cloud as its next area to conquer in the computer industry. They've revamped the SkyDrive cloud service in preparation for the upcoming release of several major Microsoft products.According to ComputerWorld, Microsoft has made major enhancements ...
Apple aficionados are eagerly awaiting the launch of the iPhone 5, and the tech press is getting in on the act with regular roundups of the latest rumors. The latest information sets the likely announcement date at September 12, with ...
As the ongoing series of Apple vs Samsung court battles continue across the globe, this week a federal jury in California put forward a recommendation that Apple get an award of about $1 billion from Samsung after the jury concluded ...
The latest on the new iPhone 5 has been released. The new iPhone information comes less than a year after the iPhone 4 was released during Christmas 2011. Apple has listened to consumers, and the company has reverted back to ...
I was reading the MidSize Insider and came across an interesting commentary published by Sharon Hurley Hall, Is it Time to Swap Your Dell PC for a Tablet?, and thought I'd like to respond. The good Ms. Hall reviewed Dell's ...
For most businesses, the transition to the Windows 8 operating system will be a difficult task. The upgrade will not happen overnight, requiring significant planning, relentless testing, employee re-education, and finance management. In an effort to convince IT professionals that ...
Adobe's open web publishing tool, created for those with little to no web coding experience, has been updated with new contact forms, an alignment tool, better CSS, and improved widgets. The Adobe Muse update will also enable Japanese locality features ...
Mobile payment systems are undeniably in the future of smartphone technology. However, few technology companies have capitalized on this currently untapped market with the exception of the Android-based Google Wallet. Anxious to attract smartphone-wielding customers, more than a dozen retailers ...
Research In Motion (RIM) has undeniably entered a downward spiral; highlighted by a $500 million first quarter loss and a 70-percent dip in share prices over the past 12 months. Trading hands at below $8 a share, this figure is ...
Smartphones and tablets are fundamentally two different devices. However, with smartphones doubling as a web surfing tool and an all-inclusive entertainment package, this distinction has begun to blur. Not surprisingly, smartphones and tablets have been historically sold in the same ...
New startup SimpliVity has unveiled its first product offering, the OmniCube, an all-in-one "data center in a box." The OmniCube, which debuted Aug. 20, can act as primary storage, backup storage, a VMWare server as well a deduplication appliance.While the ...
Once only considered a dream, a small start-up company in San Francisco, California, might soon be providing computer users with hands-free computer control.According to PCWorld, the Leap Motion hands-free control device called the Leap, which was recently introduced by Leap ...
Apple's Retina display is certainly eye-catching. Indeed, argues one tech columnist, it is so eye-catching that it makes other current screens look downright ugly. This may be pleasing news for iPad owners. It is certainly good news for Apple, giving ...
Microsoft Corp. has been in the news for a variety of upcoming product launches in 2012 including Windows 8 and its new Surface line of tablets. However, almost going under the radar are Microsoft's plans for its new Office version, ...
It's no surprise that the Microsoft Surface is the most exciting innovation in the tablet scene. Sporting a touch-enabled interface and an accessible keyboard, its integration with Windows 8 puts the device over the top. Despite the apparent positives, Acer ...
Vidyo Inc., one of the world's fastest-growing video conferencing companies has announced a free video interconnectivity service, VidyoWay, designed to support multi-vendor video conferencing for multi-party or point-to-point meetings. This software-based service is interoperable among companies with various disparate video ...
Top executives at Acer have issued a barely veiled threat to Microsoft: "Think twice" before pushing ahead with the Microsoft Surface tablet. But Microsoft is ignoring the warnings from its hardware partners, and for good reason. The threats are empty, ...
It's no secret that Android isn't too popular among enterprises. Across all four quarters in 2011, more than 70 percent of mobile devices in the workplace used iOS, while Android lagged behind at 30 percent, according to AppleInsider.It looks like ...
For each new Windows operating system, the last big step before the software goes to the public is the release to manufacturing. Microsoft recently announced that Windows 8 has reached that milestone, setting the stage for an official release date ...
The computer industry has waited in anticipation for over a year to learn the date of Microsoft's Windows 8 launch. The highly publicized and talked-about Windows 8 comes at a time when Microsoft is attempting to rejuvenate sales for its ...
Kapow Software, a leading vendor in the application integration market is now part of the Google Enterprise Partner program (GEP), extending the reach of Google Search Appliance to enhance the relevance and quality of Google's search results, according to a ...
Until now, tablets didn't run Windows. Since the number of tablets shipped is increasing rapidly, and since some of the work being done on tablets is not being done on desktop computers, some tablets are likely to replace PCs. The ...
In the world of business, company takeovers and acquisitions are a common occurrence. However, Apple Inc., is one of the few tech giants that has focused on its own product developments rather than purchasing the patents and hardware of others. ...
Microsoft will release Windows 8 later this year and even though the official release date has not arrived, many people are already up in arms over the new operating system. People are upset with the entirely new interface, which is ...
First, Apple introduced the iPad, which created the tablet revolution. Recently Google could not resist the temptation to enter the booming tablet market with the introduction of its Nexus 7 tablet brand, and now Microsoft is ready to enter the ...
IT at midsize businesses get ready: Your office area is about to get that much more streamlined. Not only does Microsoft plan to debut Windows 8 in October 2012 as well as the new Microsoft Surface Tablet, but the computer ...
The iPad Mini, much speculated about, may debut in September, just after the anticipated release of the iPhone 5. While Apple remains closemouthed as always, the Mini could reinforce the apparent popularity of smaller tablet devices.This trend, seen in the ...
Waiting days or even weeks for reconstructive surgery can be agonizing for patients dealing with face- or skull-disfiguring injuries or diseases. So any time saved in producing a perfect fit for a bone implant is welcome, both by the patient ...
A new report shows that demand for the upcoming iPhone 5 is reaching new levels, which could make the next release of the popular smartphone one for Apple's already impressive record books. For midsize IT departments who are taking advantage ...
The Apple iPhone has become a marketing sensation. Its popularity continues to grow with the introduction of each new model. Beyond the amazing sales numbers, the advance demand and anticipation for each new model continues to reach new heights. Moreover, ...
Apple is not a name we associate with enterprise computing. And over the years, Apple has been very happy to keep it that way. Nor does offering OS X Mountain Lion for $19.99 at the Apple App Store seem to ...
In the very short term the news was a bit embarrassing for Google: The Nexus 7 was out of stock at the Google Play store. But this also suggests that Apple and the iPad 3 may no longer have the ...
It's going to be an interesting year for Apple, according to a number of Web sources. The company appears on track to release yet another iPhone in the fall, just a year after their popular iPhone 4S. But while the ...
Everyone has been getting excited about Google's budget tablet, the Nexus 7, but could this low-cost 7-inch tablet be a useful tool for midsize businesses?There's no denying that this tablet has a lot to offer. For a start, it ships ...
Online security is a popular topic of discussion for business executives and IT professionals in the business world. Generally, when online security is discussed, the topics relate to website security and password protection.However, one of the most important aspects of ...
Small and midsize businesses are becoming more aware that in order to stay competitive, they need to stay mobile in the increasing BYOD world. Though the Apple iPad is generally still the tablet to beat in many areas, the device ...
The Google SPDY project, the company's bid to reshape the backbone of the World Wide Web, is picking up support from major firms ranging from Akamai to Facebook. But the effort to upgrade something so basic as the Hypertext Transfer ...
Small and mid-sized business owners who want their information technologies to be as future-proof as possible might want to borrow a page or two from government playbooks. While not always recognized for their forward thinking, a few government agencies – ...
After releasing a consumer-targeted antivirus software named Norton Mobile Security for Android, Symantec has shifted its attention to the corporate community. Acknowledging the BYOD movement and the corresponding security issues on mobile devices, the company has unveiled an enterprise-friendly version. ...
Just a few days after Apple reversed a controversial decision to stop participating in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) green product registry, the company decided to give a "gold" rating to its new Retina MacBook Pro devices. The ...
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing reregulation to revise its current policy that allows for flexibility of business line telecommunication pricing, according to a recent PCWorld article. The FCC pricing reforms previously allowed large telecommunication companies flexibility in ...
The Android OS has long had a reputation as a veritable wasteland when it comes to security. The free-for-all Google Play landscape as well as the endless variants on the OS itself have long been cited as reasons why Google's ...
Microsoft is trying to leverage its market-dominating position in PC operating systems to get a foothold in mobile computing. The key is its Windows 8 release, which has the same type of tile-based user interface whether you are using a ...
Microsoft is feeling the heat. Both private and business users who at one time spent most of their computer time in the Windows/Office/Internet Explorer universe are defecting. Microsoft Office still dominates the market for full-featured productivity software, but an increasing ...
Perhaps the most storied business rivalry of the personal computing era is about to expand to a new battlefield. Microsoft is taking its long-running battle against Apple to hardware. It represents a notable shift for the Redmond giant, whose very ...
Google is joining the fast-growing cloud infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) market by launching its latest service, Google Compute Engine at the most recent Google I/O 2012 developer's conference held in San Francisco, California. This conference featured highly technical in-depth sessions focused on ...
Once upon a time late in the last millennium, Microsoft was the evil empire that threatened to rule the world. In the first years of this millennium, however, it often looked more like the Western Roman Empire around AD 475: ...
Going where the inventions are, the US patent office is opening a branch office in the heart of Silicon Valley. The tech industry has been pushing for such a branch, and now it has one. At stake is more than ...
Huddle, an enterprise company that creates cloud collaboration software, launched a new innovative iPad app on June 26. Capabilities of the Huddle iPad app as noted on TechCrunch include forecasting abilities to predict workers' needs and tracking and delivering relevant ...
The recently announced Microsoft Surface tablet offers features that might make it more corporate friendly compared to other tablets on the market. The Surface will come with a keyboard and USB and HDMI ports, in addition to its compatibility with ...
With certain events looking to shake up much of the SMB mobility space over the coming months, Sprint decided that it was the perfect time to revamp their offerings for small and midsize businesses. This revamp highlights the importance of ...
Changes in technology and the marketplace are driving a growing number of midmarket executives to explore more open, transparent ways of doing business. And that’s a good thing for many reasons. In an ever-more competitive market, it’s the companies willing ...
Microsoft announced its latest product updates for enterprise users at the annual TechEd conference held on June 12, 2012, in Orlando, Florida. According to a Microsoft press release, the company's corporate vice president for Windows Web Services, Antoine Leblond, is ...
Microsoft revealed their vision for near-field communication (NFC) support across their hardware platforms including the Windows Phone 8 tablets and PCs. As previously announced by Microsoft, the Windows 8 operating system supports NFC. Microsoft recently demonstrated how the devices and ...
The recent Hadoop Summit held in San Jose has seen a wave of new products from vendors that support Hadoop's open-source platform for data analysis. The conference saw over 2,000 attendees and was sponsored by some of the biggest names ...
AT&T has set its sights on solving the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) conundrum by augmenting its dual-personality software, known as Toggle, to include devices beyond mobile phones. Currently, the software is one of many options that allow employees to use their personal ...
Samsung Electronics introduced the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S III, a Near-Field Communications (NFC) enabled smartphone, and programmable stickers called TecTiles. Touching the smartphone to the sticker causes the phone to act in a programmed way without the need to manually ...
When Google first introduced the Chromium operating system concept in 2009, it was little more than a glorified browser. Samsung and Acer brought out Chromebooks in 2011; these netbook-type laptops ran the Chrome OS version of Chromium that uses hardware ...
While it's not set to ship until later this year, Microsoft is already making a case as to why businesses should invest in a Windows 8 upgrade. Officials made a keynote speech touting the operating system's benefits at TechEd North ...
A midsize restaurant company, The Melt, owned by Jonathan Kaplan, successfully melds grilled cheese sandwiches and mobile payment technology. And it may well be the technology-driven model for future fast-casual dining businesses or possibly for selling other kinds of goods ...
A new report, commissioned by Microsoft and prepared by IDC, shows that support costs are significantly higher for Windows XP when compared against similar costs for Windows 7. The report is the latest in a line of releases from Microsoft ...
Thanks to innovations like ever-faster and more affordable PCs, smart phones and cloud computing, a small or mid-sized business today can enjoy an advanced IT infrastructure unimaginable even five or 10 years ago. One “perk of the future” that has ...
Google scored a solid victory in its court battle with Oracle, but the biggest winner from the Oracle-Google verdict could be technology itself. The trial outcome suggests that patent and copyright claims regarding software have a high hill to climb.For ...
Mid-sized businesses that operate their own data centers, as well as data center operators that provide outsourced services to mid-market companies, tend to focus a lot of attention on PUE, or power usage effectiveness. But there are other ways to ...
Technology makes life easier. And more often we are less aware of what we are giving away for that ease. Beyond the privacy concerns of the big social platforms, businesses are struggling with the confluence of pervasive communications, Big Data, consumerization of IT, privacy ...
Oracle has won a partial victory in its epic Java trial pitting it against Google and Android. But the victory may end up so partial that it will amount to a setback. Judge William Alsup admonished Google, saying that its ...
Wireless networks have always lagged one step behind wired Ethernet in terms of speed. Even smaller businesses often have to transmit large files or large amounts of data across their networks. When wireless is much slower, they run the cables. ...
Go online and do a search for “energy-efficient office” and you’ll get results numbering in the millions … an overwhelming output for the average entrepreneur who’s just looking for simple, straightforward advice on how to make technology at work more ...
Large enterprises have wrestled with massive amounts of data for a long time. As technology migrates out of the IT department and into the boardroom for many businesses, it’s creating complications and confusion in many areas. There is a rush ...
Greening your business computing strategies is not only a smart way to enhance your brand in the eyes of customers: it can save you money in both electricity costs and equipment wear-and-tear. In fact, an overwhelming majority – 71 percent ...
Companies in the midmarket face a complex range of choices when trying to chose a supplier. Companies such as Dell, ...
I have a system for keeping stuff in my house. When not actively in use, most of my stuff ends up piled on the floor in my home office. When that fills up I move it to more permanent storage ...
There’s little doubt the cloud is helping businesses of all sizes — mega, medium or small — do a lot more than they used to. Cloud-based software, platforms and infrastructure are making it possible for organizations to provide more information ...
Smart grids and smart cities are supposed to make our lives easier and more efficient in the future, but what exactly do they promise for small and midsize businesses? Many entrepreneurs are already getting a taste of what smarter business ...