News

IT Winners and Losers: Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Facebook Up; Bill Gates and Apple (Stock) Down

Winners this week included a Web 2.0 Wal-Mart, a SaaSy Microsoft and a grown-up Facebook. Losers? Apple shareholders, Credit Suisse IT and computer science graduation rates.

Mobile Broadband Usage Up 154 Percent in 2007

The majority of mobile broadband users today access the Internet via PCs with "aircards", comScore says.

The Secret to Successful Project Teams

It doesn't take a project management guru to manage complex projects. Instead, give responsibility to the people who know best how to do the work.

How To Succeed At Succession Planning

What you need to know to build a pipeline of future leaders

Cloud Computing: Tales from the Front

Goodbye big data centers, hello applications running in the cloud? Behind the hype around cloud computing, CIOs are figuring out when and how to use cloud options wisely.n

Study: BlackBerrys Dominate Enterprise, But iPhone Users Happiest

A new survey finds that RIM and its BlackBerry still lead the business smartphone space, but Apple iPhone users are most satisfied.

Database Developers Users’ Choice: Oracle

In a satisfaction survey comparing features from Oracle, IBM DB2, Informix Dynamic Server, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Sybase Adaptive Server, 1,400 developers were most satisfied by Oracle.

Putting Together a Useful Project Plan for ITIL Configuration Management

The core of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is configuration management. This book chapter explains how to manage the project for achieving those goals.

Tech Winners and Losers of the Week

Winners this week included the mobile phone and the mainframe. And there were plenty of losers: Microsoft, Sprint, Google's stockholders and lots of retailers.

Little Printers, Big Expense: How to Control Imaging Costs

Most companies waste one percent to three percent nof revenue on nimaging. Here's how to change that, while you improve business process and cut energy nconsumption.n

Trendlines: New, Hot, Unexpected

In this issue: Questions raised by after an Internet cable breaks in the Mediterranean; How Google Apps bypass IT; India's outsourcers take aim at infrastructure management; How well does your IT shop welcomes new hires?; A growing number of C s

Hot Jobs: Applications Architect

Demand for Web 2.0 apps makes this a sought after hire

Microsoft’s Promise for Interoperability Provokes Doubt and Hope

Microsoft's announcement to open protocols and APIs for greater interoperability may forecast a better software ecosystem. But only if the software giant follows through.

How to Stay Focused on the Business Results of IT

Humana CIO Bruce Goodman learned how to reap financial results from IT by understanding in detail the ways his company makes money.

UPDATED — BlackBerry-Maker RIM, Motorola Exchange Patent Lawsuits

Handset heavies Research In Motion (RIM) and Motorola have both filed patent infringement suits against each other regarding wireless technologies used in their wares.

How to Tell Your Boss That There’s No Free Lunch

You've been asked to do a project that's not in your IT budget. Time to muster your diplomatic skills and help your boss or business colleagues decide which other projects they're willing to delay or give up instead. n

Seven Tips for Pursuing a New Career Outside IT

Life in IT can be thankless, but you don't have to suffer. A 25-year IT veteran turned professional coach offers advice on how she and many other technical professionals found fulfillment and fortune outside IT.

Demand for Executives Is Slowing

As the economy cools, so too does growth in the number of open positions for executives, according to the results of a new survey from ExecuNet. Consequently, executives seeking new positions will need to change their job search tactics.

How Well Does Your IT Shop Welcome New Hires? Ask Them

CIO of Direct Energy shares insights on how to get feedback from new staffers…directly.

Trendlines: From CIO Magazine

New, hot and unexpected technology stories compiled by the writers and editors of CIO magazine.

How to Get the Most From Unified Communications

Make no mistake: It's a big project to choose and roll out one system for voice, IM and video conferencing. Still, more CIOs are now using unified communications systems, to keep colleagues and customers in constant touch.

Apple Tops Motorola, Microsoft in Global Smartphone Sales; Nokia, RIM Still Market Leaders

The iPhone has been on the market for less than a year, but the chic gadget has already made Apple the world's third largest vendor of smart mobile devices, according to a recent report. Nokia and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) remai

Trendlines: New, Hot, Unexpected

In this issue: The impact a possible recession would have on VC funding; The battle between social networking sites; Security risks associated with remote workers; IT leaders continue to court Wall Street; and By The Numbers: New rules and benchmarks

Five Questions to Ask Security Appliance Vendors

Before you buy a consolidated appliance or a number of point solutions, consider these questions to help you get back to basics, consolidate your security infrastructure and strengthen enterprise security.

Human Error Tops the List of Security Threats

Majority of companies list "human error" as root cause of security failures, well ahead of operations and technology, new Deloitte survey says.

Website Serves Up ’08 Campaign Coverage Optimized For Mobile Phones

Political junkies can get their fix using a new website from go2 Media that's optimized for mobile phones. Site serves up news, analysis and commentary on Clinton and Obama, Romney and McCain, and more from the 2008 presidential campaign trail.

The Programmer’s Prenup

Are wedding bells in your future? If you or your betrothed happens to be a programmer, it pays to know that special marriage conditions apply. Our handy programmer's prenup helps spell out the details.

Addition of Yahoo Could Help Microsoft Improve Web-Based Software Offerings

While the news about Microsoft's bid for Yahoo centers around advertising, the potential to make enterprise, Web-based software could be a secondary benefit for both companies.

Scan Your Way to the Next Party: University Tests Mobile 2D Barcode System

Case Western does first large-scale U.S. test of mobile "2D codes," which can be scanned by cell phone users to collect everything from shuttle bus status updates to social event details.

Outlook Bright for Macs, Mobile and Open Source, Gartner Predicts

Gartner's crystal ball for next three years: Apple gains 50 percent market share, Green IT flowers and consumer tools gain even more influence.

Pizza, Pigskin, Beer and IT

From Super Bowl ad nostalgia to Bill Belichick's management style, CIO gives you an IT-centric pre-game roundup.

Third Internet Cable Breaks; IT Groups on Alert

Cable breaks today off the coast of Dubai, following two incidents affecting India earlier this week, and IT groups hold their breath. So far, offshore providers have weathered the crisis, even keeping up with real-time services such as call centers

Managing Change: Three Phases of an IT Organization Transformation

The CIO of London-based home improvement retailer Kingfisher had to optimize operations and give business leaders a strong voice in governance before he could innovate with technology.

Electronics Recycling Gets Vendor Push

Mandate would create a level playing field for manufacturers, reduce production costs.

Microsoft Under Antitrust Scrutiny Until 2009

As some states press for continued vigilance, court rules that Microsoft will remain under U.S. government watch for two more years.

Increased Investment, More Implementations Expected for Enterprise Web 2.0 Technologies

Forrester says big organizations will adopt user-friendly tools like RSS, social networking, blogs and wikis to encourage internal collaboration.

Teach for America Adopts Social Networking for Members

Teach for America chose Lotus Connections, IBM's social software suite that includes a profiling function for enterprise social networks.

Citing Botched ERP System, Fire Truck Maker Says IBM Contributed to Bankruptcy

In its Chapter 11 filing, American LaFrance claims a "problem-riddled" ERP transition led to its debt of more than $100 million.

iMantri Matches Experts with Individuals Seeking Mentoring

This new social networking website takes advantage of AJAX, Flash, Flex and other Web 2.0 technologies and aims to become the Facebook of mentoring.

Software Licensing and Pricing Is Still Too Complex and Costly

A Forrester Research survey of IT professionals finds that enterprise vendors have yet to solve pricing and complexity "pain points."

CIO’s 50 Most Popular Articles

From Wal-Mart's technology failure to networking tips for shy people to reasons to use the Mac to speculating what would happen if Yoda ran IBM, these are the most popular articles from October through December 2007.

U.S. Businesses Pay as Much as $693 in International Cellular Roaming Fees Per Traveler, Per Trip

Each time employees of U.S. companies travel overseas for work, they're racking up international mobile phone roaming charges as high as 12 times the average monthly wireless bill, according a recent study.

Apple Security Risks Growing

As Apple user camp swells, hackers are increasingly targeting malware at Macs, says a new report from security vendor Sophos.

What an Agile Process Looks Like

Development teams that want to adopt agile methods need to know what a typical roadmap looks like. This book chapter from the new Becoming Agile shows you how to view Agile concepts from a phase perspective.

Coaches Do Not Play the Game

Why you need to understand what executive coaches do before engaging with one.

Why Does Everyone Hate The IS Department?

When You Want to Sleep on the Job: Pzizz Power Nap Software

If you can sell your co-workers on the value of the power nap, this unusual software aims to help you drift off to slumber quickly.

More Numbers on Vista Adoption

Is Windows Vista finally gaining traction? A CDW survey found 48 percent of enterprises are evaluating or testing Vista.

Social Network Horse Race: MySpace Retains Steady Traffic from Loyal Users, But Facebook Keeps Gaining

MySpace sees negative year-over-year growth rate.

IT Leaders Take Too Many Cues From Wall Street, Study Says

CIOs need to worry less about Wall Street observers and worry more about end users who want IT to pull the plug on outdated systems and applications, new Accenture research says.