Innovations Software Technology

There was a time, not so very long ago, when IT directors and chief information officers dismissed the Internet as something of a passing fad. Somehow though, things took off pretty well with the whole web thing didn't they? Mobile telephony has also grown to a level of dominance that we could never have predicted when it first started appearing around 30 years ago. Then came the tablet... just another fad right? Well, the first few were, but then "Magic Steve" produced the tablet we all love and cherish didn't he? (OK yes - I know Android is doing well in this space too, you don't need to write in)... so what's coming next? What Is Our Next Killer Paradigm? Many believe that "sound" will be the next killer element of "social computing" in terms of information share. After all, we share text in various forms, images and video and all the time. Shouldn't this mean tha... (more)

Cloud Computing in Higher Education

The irony about cloud computing in the higher education environment is that most schools have already been using it to some extent but may not even realize it. Gmail is one example. Yahoo Mail is another. The fact is web-based applications, which many schools rely on for daily communication, don't always register with most people as being part of the cloud computing trend. But they are, given that they essentially fit the layman's rudimentary explanation of the cloud: where storage and computing capacity exist (provided by a vendor) so all that is needed on a PC, laptop, tablet ... (more)

IBM Slurps Up Tealeaf

IBM is going to buy Tealeaf Technology for its tealeaf-reading software, which lets marketing types analyze online buying data, spot trends in real-time and see if promotions work or not. They call the stuff Customer Experience Management (CEM) software. It'll replay all the details of a customer's visit to a web site to find site errors or issues and understand the impact that transaction failures have on business processes. It works across online and mobile devices. Terms were not disclosed. IBM, which is supposed to have spent $14 billion over the last five years buying up a... (more)

Do the Foggy Mists of Management Consultancy Obscure IT Transformation?

Somewhere in between the foggy mists of management consultancy jargon and the babbling verbiage of business analytics specialists there may, quite possibly, lay an untouched land where real business change discussions take place. The problem with business change and IT innovation is that it too often succumbs to the hijacked efforts of non-technical management figures who fail to understand the real issues at the coalface of application transformation, IT performance management and data optimization. What factors make business change through technology possible? What does it ta... (more)

First of Ivy Bridge Bows

Monday morning in San Francisco Intel wheeled out Ivy Bridge, its first cutting-edge 22nm 3-D tri-gate transistor widgets, which are also its third-generation Core processors. They were originally supposed to ship in volume the end of last year and again a few weeks ago. These first quad-core Core i5 and i7 chips are meant for desktops and conventional laptops targeting gaming, video editing and content. In a couple of months Intel will have dual-cores for Ultrabooks that compete with Apple's ultra-thin, power-efficient MacBook Air. Server chips are also on the way. Intel says... (more)