News Desk

My Experience Developing A Google Wave Robot

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST

This past weekend I set out explore some of the extension capabilities of Google Wave. One of the weaknesses that have been identified by many is the lack of integration with email. For me, in particular, because Wave is new, many Waves are being orphaned as those playing and testing out Wave don't come back to the conversation for long periods, if at all. My goal was to use email as a means to bring people back to the Wave and keep the collaboration/discussion going in a single environment. Some developers are exploring letting users contribute from email, but in my opinion, that undermines the goal of Wave.

Google Chrome OS Brings New Era in Cloud Computing

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST

More good news for cloud computing! Google last week released its once mysterious Chrome Operating System to open source. Chrome OS, available in 2010 – is a web-based operating system that promises to boot up super-fast on a netbook – way faster than the time it takes to start your basic PC. And Chrome has web applications (competing with Microsoft Windows Azure) that will run on application tabs. Users can access with one click and manage in a series of windows.

Back to the Basics: Don’t Sleep on The Blogging

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST

We talk a lot about social media on Marketing Trenches. And for good reason – Social media seems to be at least one item on the agenda for about 90% of the meetings we have these days. Everyone wants to run 100 miles an hour to do something on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. I wrote [...]

How to Send Diagnostic Info With CloudBerry Backup

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST

In CloudBerry Lab we are striving to make our customer service better. In this competitive market with the abundance of free offerings this is the only way to stay afloat. One of the ways to keep customers happy is to be very responsive when it comes to support request resolution. Should you delay the request and the customer will turn to a competitor. Sometimes it takes a lot of time to understand what the issue is and what caused it. This is very diagnostic log helps dramatically. In the new version of CloudBerry Backup we made it even easier to send us the diagnostic information.

Netbook Apps SDK Betas

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST

Intel has put out its promised beta SDK for Windows (C and C++) and Moblin (C) developers working on future Atom-based netbook apps and ports. It can be downloaded at http://appdeveloper.intel.com. Intel couldn’t help but repeat the forecast that netbook units shipped should top 50 million by the end of the year.

No Shirt, No Shoes, No HTTP Service

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST

But on the web, access to services is implicit in the fact that the business is offering the service. If the HTTP service is accessible, it’s implicitly allowing connections and providing service without any standard criteria for access. This results in access by more than just customers and potential customers. Bots, spiders, and miscreants are afforded the same access to business services as more desirable visitors. This can unfortunately lead to compromise, theft, and corruption of data via myriad injection and attack methods – many of them automated. While gating access to services that comes from offering a service is likely not the best solution (although it is a solution), there has to be a way to at least mitigate the automated abuse of open access to services by miscreants that leverage scripting to attack sites.

Satyam 10 Face Trial on Spiraling Fraud Charges

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:45:00 EST

The second set of charges filed last week against Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services founder Ramaslinga Raju and his cronies doubles the size of the already massive $1.5 billion fraud Raju confessed to in a letter back in January when he found he could no longer maintain the fiction. The number could climb higher than the current $3 billion estimate when still a third charge sheet is filed possibly this week and the true extent of the caper may not be known until the company’s accounts are restated sometime next year.

Gartner Miscounted Acer Shipments: Reuters

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST

Gartner told Reuters that it overestimated how many PCs Acer shipped in the last seven quarters by around 11%. Not a little matter since Acer ousted Dell from the number two spot worldwide during that time. By Reuters’ calculations Gartner miscounted by as many as a million boxes in some of the quarters between 1Q08 and 3Q09.

Gartner Buys AMR

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:15:00 EST

Gartner is buying ~$40 million-a-year AMR Research Inc for close to $64 million in cash. AMD specializes in CRM, ERP and SCM software and should add to gartner’s events’ schedule. The deal should close by the end of the month.

SAP Backs Off Maintenance Increase

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:15:00 EST

Singed by user reaction to its plans to up the price of its support contracts, SAP Tuesday postponed any move until early next year. Meanwhile, it’s set up a task force charged with talking to enterprise customers to reinforce the perceived value of their support agreements and justify the proposed price increases. SAP wants to raise the price from ~17% of the license fee a year to 22%. Given the economic temper of the times, SAP is expected to get a lot of pushback.

Office 2010 & Web Apps Due in June

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:15:00 EST

Office Web Apps, Microsoft’s answer to Google Apps, are supposed to be out sometime in June along with Office 2010. Microsoft, which confirmed the rumored timing, has yet to price the half-dozen versions of Office 2010. The browser-based Office Web Apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, will be free to consumers via Windows Live. Businesses with volume subscriptions to Office will also get free access to the dumbed-down weblets, which they will be able to host internally if they want to. That alternative is viewed as more secure than going to Google’s servers to use Google Apps. Meanwhile, SQL Server 2008 R2 is due May 6.

Google Gears Ain’t Long for This World

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:15:00 EST

Apparently Google Gears ain’t gonna stick around that long. Google Apps will eventually get their offline access from HTML5, the standard-revision-in-progress, and hence the functionality will be built in rather than added on, according to a piece in the Los Angeles Times. Google told the paper, “We’re continuing to support Gears so that nothing breaks for sites that use it. But we expect developers to use HTML5 for these features moving forward as it’s a standards-based approach that will be available across all browsers.”

Server Sales Stop Slip Sliding Away – Except at Sun

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:15:00 EST

Gartner thinks the server business has stopped sliding into the abyss. Third-quarter sales weren’t as bad as second-quarter sales – well, for most everybody except Sun that is. The numbers give Oracle, Sun’s prospective buyer, another data point it can try to rub the European Commission’s nose in to express its outrage that the acquisition has been held up over MySQL.

CA Wants More Than a Few Good Men

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:15:00 EST

CA is looking for talent in EMEA: associate account managers, directors of solution sales, senior solution strategists, sales account managers, technical sales consultants and alliance account managers. It says it’s launched a large-scale recruitment drive and it’s not often big companies put out press releases saying so. It says it means to capitalize on cloud computing and virtualization.

Acer’s Planning on Having the First Chrome Netbook

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:15:00 EST

Acer’s got its heart set on being first out with an official Chrome netbook sometime in the second half of next year, according to what DigiTimes is saying, which is when the OS is supposed to go gold. It’s reportedly been working with Google on the thing for the last few months. Acer did an Android netbook that reportedly hasn’t sold very well.

Microsoft, HP & Citrix Form Taiwan Cloud Alliance: Report

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Microsoft, HP, Citrix and some local service providers have formed a Taiwan cloud alliance to create customized private clouds for local businesses, according to DigiTimes quoting an official announcement. Apparently there are supposedly simplified solutions called MCloud for SaaS, PaaS and IaaS that integrate Microsoft virtualization and management with HP hardware and support along with Citrix’ virtual desktop.

Windows Server Revenues Pass Unix/Linux for First Time

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST

In Q3 Windows server sales by revenue surpassed Unix/Linux boxes for the first time in history according to Seeking Alpha blogger Dennis Byron. Using IDC numbers he says Linux was 14.4% of the total, a personal best and Unix dragged in at 27%. He concludes that Linux and Windows don’t meet much in the marketplace. Of course all server shipments are down about 20%.

Who, Us?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST

Microsoft is disclaiming responsibility for the so-called “black screens” that some Windows 7 users have been experiencing when they boot up. Apparently the problem has also cropped up on some XP and Vista machines. Microsoft thinks it’s a virus.

Norwest Raises Big Fund

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:12:00 EST

Despite the times, Wells Fargo affiliate Norwest Venture Partners has pulled together a $1.2 billion investment fund, its largest ever. Its last fund, which closed in ’06, was only $650 million. Norwest backed Rackspace Hosting, one of the rare IPOs last year. It’s apparently looking at opportunities in China and India.

Is Monitoring Virtual, Physical and Cloud Assets Easy?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:45:00 EST

up.time makes it easy, right out-of-the-box: Deep Virtual Server Monitoring: CPU ready, Memory Balloon, Memory Zero, and many more granular Metrics; monitor Physical, Virtual, and Cloud: Services, applications, servers and more. Onsite/remote datacenters, hybrid environments, outsourced infrastructure; real World Cost Savings: Per-Physical-Server Licensing. Reduce costs up to 90%.

Marketing Content Should Educate Both of You

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:17:00 EST

There's a lot of talk about how we need to focus on our buyers' issues and provide them educational insights to help them learn what they need to know to make buying decisions. Heck, I say it in my book...in several places, I think. I've said it on this blog, and I'll continue to say it. But perhaps, what I...

New SOA Modeling Book

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:45:00 EST

Michael Bell, founder of Methodologies Corporation, the leading service-oriented modeling company, announced the completion of a new modeling book titled "SOA Modeling Patterns for Service-Oriented Discovery and Analysis". The book will be available for orders in book stores and on Internet book sellers' Web sites on January 7, 2010. Michael Bell is an industry recognized expert on advanced and innovative software modeling implementation, methodologies, and strategies. This book is Mr. Bell's third book on service-oriented architecture modeling, which is devised to guide business and IT practitioners to foster business agility and promote software elasticity.

Security Report Predicts Cloud Computing Attacks in 2010

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST

M86 Security, a leading global provider of Web and messaging security products, released Predictions 2010, a report on its expectations for Web and messaging-based threats for the coming year. The report is based on M86 Security Lab’s extensive research into the current trends in threats over the past year and its views on the major vulnerabilities facing organizations. The report highlights the increasing sophistication of traditional threats such as botnets, scareware, compromised legitimate Web sites and blended threats. However, it also projects what the company sees are new threat vectors coming from open API’s in Web 2.0 applications, the increased use of shortened URLs and the advent of non-Latin based domain names.

JetBrains TeamCity 5.0 on EC2 Cloud Computing Platform

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST

JetBrains, creators of intelligent, productivity-enhancing development tools, announced the public availability of TeamCity 5.0, the company's distributed build management and continuous integration tool. TeamCity offers easy setup and delivers out-of-the-box continuous unit testing, sophisticated code quality analysis, and early reporting on build problems. It has a gentle learning curve, so you can quickly improve your release management practices by gradually adopting its advanced features and capabilities.

Understanding Global Carrier Ethernet with Mark Fishburn at CENX

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST

I first met Mark Fishburn at the Convergence Technology Council (CTC) in Calabasas, California. Mark was a director in the organization, and had very strong ideas about networking and Ethernet. Going beyond the standard role we all play at professional networking venues, he distinguished himself from the group by presenting a passion for teaching others, and presenting his ideas in language nearly anybody could easily understand. Mark was always easy to find at CTC meetings, as he was the center of the largest groups of people who wanted to hear what he had to say.

Extending SOA to Cloud Computing

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

WSO2, the open source SOA company, today announced the launch of the WSO2 Cloud Platform. Available today, the new WSO2 Cloud Platform features a family of WSO2 Cloud Virtual Machines; WSO2 Cloud Connectors for enabling fast, secure cloud services; and the multi-tenant WSO2 Governance-as-a-Service. All WSO2 Cloud Platform services are based on open software standards, and they support all applicable interoperable protocols, as well as relevant open data standards. Additionally, they allow users to take complete control of their data, ensuring that enterprises can protect and preserve their information.

Migrating from UNIX/RISC to Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST

Red Hat Enterprise Linux running on Intel® processor-based servers helps your customers reduce TCO, while providing a better foundation for growth. This white paper provides a guide to planning and conducting a strategic and successful transition.

Open Systems Provide Way to Exit Money Pit

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST

Now is the time to examine the TCO migrating from Unix to the more cost-effective open systems platforms. This white paper explores the costs associated with legacy data centers and the benefits of migrating to an open systems architecture.

11 Questions Every CIO Should Ask Their IT Manager

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST

Making the right choices around technology is critical to the success of your business. Finding out becomes a lot easier when you know the right questions to ask. This brief provides tips to get you started and how Red Hat can help.

BridgeHead Software delivers Enterprise Imaging Solution

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:45:00 EST

To address this need, increasing numbers of healthcare organizations are evaluating enterprise imaging (EI) projects to create a central archive enabling universal access and streamlined data management. KLAS, in fact, recently issued a report on the topic, noting that many hospitals initially looked towards their PACS vendors to help fulfill this vision of EI. However, no single PACS vendor crosses all imaging departments, the report notes, causing hospitals to investigate PACS-neutral archives and storage management. This model would allow hospitals to implement best-of-breed PACS systems to meet the divergent clinical viewing requirements of various imaging-intense specialty departments such as interventional radiology and nuclear medicine. At the same time, agnostic archive and storage management functionality would allow healthcare organizations to move imaging data into the domain of the IT department.

IGEL's Linux Universal Desktop Now Supports Touch Screen Monitors

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

IGEL's Linux firmware now supports popular touchscreen monitors, including the LG L1730SF Monitor and the ELO 1915L LCD Desktop Touchmonitor. The convenient and easy-to-operate touchscreens paired with a reliable and secure IGEL Universal Desktop is the perfect combination for work environments, such as hotels, healthcare facilities, retail locations and manufacturing floors. Finally, the new firmware includes integration ofPhilips SpeechMike drivers, allowing users access to the latest high-end dictation technology and services from Philips.

Sourcefire Announces 3D System 4.9 and VMware-Based Virtual Appliances

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST

Sourcefire’s innovative Adaptive IPS automates key intrusion prevention functions, such as IPS tuning, impact assessment, user correlation and network discovery. With the 4.9 release, Sourcefire has raised the bar by offering the industry’s first Policy Layering capability, enabling organizations with multiple detection policies to construct them in “building blocks,” making it easy to create and modify policies by geography, site, department, or even by user. Sourcefire has also added a Custom Analysis Widget to its portal-like dashboard affording even greater flexibility, and it has expanded its application detection capabilities by adding new detectors for Oracle, Firefox, Gnutella, Timbuktu, and more. Along with the 3D System 4.9 release, Sourcefire is now shipping its first VMware-based virtual appliances, including the Sourcefire Virtual 3D Sensor and Sourcefire Virtual Defense Center. Compatible with VMware’s ESX and ESXi platforms, the Virtual 3D Sensor offers IPS protection from 5 to 500Mbps and can be monitored and managed by physical or virtual Defense Center management consoles. These new virtual appliances afford enterprises, managed security service providers (MSSPs), and cloud computing providers with the same Snort-based IPS protection as their physical 3D Sensor counterparts.

Veriplace Enables Cloud Location Service for Facebook

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST

WaveMarket's Veriplace Location Aggregation Platform is a cloud-based platform that enables developers of Facebook, Web, mobile Web, SMS, and voice applications to remotely locate tens of millions of feature phones and smartphones via Veriplace's direct connections into multiple Tier One carrier networks. Veriplace already counts nearly 1,000 developer partners building successful location-aware services on the platform as the Veriplace developer community and Veriplace carrier coverage continue to grow rapidly.

Microsoft WebsiteSpark

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST

Did you know that PHP runs on Windows?? Run Drupal, WordPress, SugarCRM, or other PHP-based apps on Windows today with the free Microsoft Web Platform Installer. Microsoft WebsiteSpark is a specially designed program for PHP Web developers and designers to help you explore running on Windows. This program enables you to get new business leads to grow your business, and receive the software, support and trainingyou may need, at no cost for 3 years. To find out how to start getting new business leads, and leveraging the benefits of WebsiteSpark please enter your information here to download the Program Guide and receive enrollment instructions.

Improve Application Performance and Scalability with Terracotta Ehcache

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST

In this white paper you will see how to boost performance with Terracotta’s Ehcache caching products, identify how to select which Ehcache product is right for your application, and see in performance comparison based on Spring’s PetClinic application how Terracotta stacks up against the database, a leading in-memory data grid (IMDG), and memcached.In short, see why over 100,000 deployments already rely on Terracotta’s Ehcache line of products for a simple cost-effective approach to boosting performance, scale, and reliability for Java applications. Terracotta Ehcache caching products allow your application to utilize the full power of the Terracotta platform by providing a simple plugin object cache using the industry standard Ehcache interface or Ehcacheʼs plug-in support for the the JSR-107 interface. Terracotta Ehcache products also may be used as a Hibernate second level cache. For your convenience, information from your member profile has been used to fill out this form as far as possible. Please provide any remaining information requested, then click 'Submit'.

First Satellite-Terrestrial Smartphone

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:45:00 EST

The TerreStar GENUS Smartphone is an innovative mobile device that combines 3G terrestrial wireless capability with satellite voice and data services - all in a standard smartphone size and form factor. The TerreStar GENUS provides an enhanced end-user experience by leveraging the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, rich smartphone functionality and premium features, such as a touchscreen, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a QWERTY keyboard, with satellite ubiquity and security. The TerreStar GENUS can be used throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and offshore coastal waters, and is intended to work as a user's everyday cellular smartphone, with satellite access capability as a secondary option, when needed.

eBook: The Art of Social Sales

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST

The Customer Collective has released a new eBook with contributions from some truly insightful sales leaders to help us understand just what "social selling" means in today's marketplace. Although we all know that our buyers have changed, business is moving so swiftly these days that its hard to know just how we need to adapt to keep pace...and keep selling. This eBook shares some great perspectives on what's required...and what's working. As a preview, I decided to pick some of my favorite insights from a few of the featured experts - but this is just a taste. You really should go download the eBook. It's good stuff!

Barcode Scanners on Every Smartphone

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST

This is an interesting develop for smartphones. Sophisticated barcode scanning software built into the digital cameras so a quick photo of a barcode takes you immediately to a mobile website rich in content, coupons, rebates and other product information related to the scanned product. Read below: NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. announced that Sony Ericsson has selected NeoMedia as its strategic 2D barcode partner. Sony Ericsson will begin shipping phones pre-loaded with NeoMedia's NeoReader barcode scanning application globally in the 1st half of 2010. The NeoReader will be pre-installed across all Sony Ericsson platforms. "Sony Ericsson is very happy to work with NeoMedia as our global provider of barcode scanning solutions. We see great potential in the 2D barcode market and support NeoMedia's strategy to promote and drive the open 2D barcode standards. We are looking forward to working with NeoMedia to explore all the potential the technology enables," stated Robert Westin, Business Development Manager, with Sony Ericsson.

So Long, Neelie

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:00:00 EST

Europe’s antitrust chief Neelie Kroes, who has dunned two of America’s largest and most influential companies, both paeans to capitalism, a small fortune during her term in office, is going to be replaced. She was a candidate for reappointment to what is considered a great portfolio but didn’t get the job again. Described as “extraordinary, prickly, focused, like hugging barbed wire,” she came to power five years ago on a thin private-sector resume and has been over-compensating ever since for the fear that she would be seen as weak.

Is IBM XIV Still Relevant?

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:45:00 EST

Given the time, money as well as effort IBM has poured into promoting and generating awareness around XIV, it must be relevant to someone. IBM recently released another round of momentum news, customer testimonials and product enhancements while making a point that there are now over 1,000 XIV systems installed around the world. 1,000 systems installed (regardless of if revenue or trial) in the just under 2 years since IBM bought XIV would be a triumph for most startups. However for a major player with the resources of IBM, I would have expected the number of installed systems to be more in the 5,000 to perhaps 10,000 systems when looking at the progress of Dell (EqualLogic), HP (LeftHand) or others.