News

Comcast sells cable via Amazon, but its customer service still sucks

Comcast now sells its services on Amazon.com, and the company plans to spend $600 million to improve its notorious customer service. However, judging by a boatload of terrible reviews on Amazon, it has a lot of work to do.

How to use CRM, marketing automation to improve hiring

Next-generation talent management platforms offer new features that will help companies better source, engage and hire candidates.

The IT skills gap is a reality, but doesn’t have to be

Many businesses face a looming skills gap in IT, but, according to research from Foote Partners, many of the wounds are self-inflicted.

9.7-inch iPad Pro reviews: A small powerhouse that is worth buying

Reviews of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro have started to come in, and the critics are mostly impressed with Apple's latest iPad. It offers the same power as the 12.9-inch model but in a much more portable form.

What Microsoft’s multi-platform strategy means for mobile app developers

The Xamarin acquisition proves Microsoft is more interested in its developer tools than its own struggling phone operating system.

Is outsourcing IT worth the compliance risk?

While the feds have certainly put hurdles in place to prevent abuse, outsourcing IT in a highly regulated industry like banking may very well lead to higher standards and quality outcomes.

‘Torchbearer’ CIOs cozy up with customers amid convergence

CIOs who can transform their businesses and accelerate fiscal growth will help their companies fend off technology disruption and industry convergence.

GE’s Jim Fowler on the CIO role in the digital industrial economy

In this in-depth Q&A, Jim Fowler, GE CIO, discusses the future of digital and IT u2014 and tells it like it is.

Are your IT performance metrics measuring the right things?

CIOs need to make sure IT metrics align with business usersu2019 expectations.

Big data gets runtime specification

The ODPi Runtime Specification and test suite is designed to help organizations write Hadoop-based applications once with the confidence that they will run on a variety of Hadoop distributions.

Snapchat’s oldest feature still its most popular

A new survey of young Snapchat users found that the app's messaging and story-sharing features are still the most popular u2014 and nearly a third of all respondents said the best thing about Snapchat is that their parents don't use it.

Tech giants, government struggle with online speech policies

Officials with Google and State Department are struggling to craft a balanced policy that combats terrorist messages without unduly curbing Internet freedom.

Digital business success requires collaboration

Digital business development involves much more than creating siloed software solutions born from within IT departments. With so many moving pieces, CIOu2019s must weave collaboration into the very fabric and DNA of their digital business planning an

How to make sure your PC doesn’t auto-install Windows 10

These two simple steps banish that pesky Windows 10 update alert in your system tray and ensure your PC never updates to Windows 10 on its own without permission.

How to use Microsoft Power BI for dashboards and more

Power BI brings intuitive data analysis to both the executive level as well as Microsoft Office power users who have a penchant for number crunching, data slicing and dicing, and reporting.

Education key to combating gender discrimination

A recent Elephant in the Valley survey shows that sexism, discrimination and harassment are prevalent in the Silicon Valley. But another survey reveals that awareness and education around gender sensitivity can help reduce bias, discrimination and ha

Top 10 U.S. cities for women in technology

Though Silicon Valley may still struggle for gender equality in tech jobs, other U.S. cities are faring better. Here are 10 locations inching closer to gender equality and equal pay.

Has your IT career stalled? Rev up phone skills and text tactics for surest route to a better job

Stop, think and plan every time you reach for your phone, and stand out before the first handshake.

Goodbye 42mm Apple Watch, hello 38mm!

As much as I liked the 42mm Stainless Steel Apple Watch initially, it ultimately proved to be a bit too big and heavy. So I switched to a 38mm Space Grey Sport model with a woven nylon band, and I couldn't be happier!

How predictive analytics keeps crowds flowing at Georgia Aquarium

Report: Big data is doomed unless basic data management improves

Big-data projects will never meet expectations if the underlying data is inaccurate or missing. Itu2019s time to fix the u201cdysfunctional cycle of data chaos,u201d says a report by TechVision Research.

Personal expression in the digital age: how machines get between us

Most communications are inept, reminding us that this isn't someone we're talking to, it's something.

Why your IT strategy may not help translate business strategy

Strategy translation in software practice is about doing things to ensure strategic potential before investing in technical and business change implementation. Such a critical activity must get its inputs directly from your organizationu2019s overall

Google cloud chief on tackling the enterprise

Google's cloud leader discusses one of the biggest IT challenges related to enterprise cloud deployments and offers advice on how companies can identify the business functions that are best suited for the cloud.

How the needs of mid-sized organizations help drive analytics accessibility

Much of my focus within the business intelligence market has been covering the technologies, offerings and analytics adoption of small and mid-sized organizations.* During the past several years, I have noticed a large market shift benefiting mid-siz

Toyota uses analytics to keep delinquent customers in their cars

Toyota Financial Services' Collection Treatment Optimization (CTO) program helps its collections agents optimize which borrowers to call to help reduce delinquencies and keep customers in their vehicles.

iPhone SE: Is it time to dump your big iPhone?

Appleu2019s new 4-inch iPhone SE has caught the attention of many users of larger iPhones. And it could get more switchers than anybody expects, even Apple itself.

‘Night Shift’ makes iPad mini an ideal bedtime ereader

The new 'Night Shift' feature in Apple's iOS 9.3 aims to reduce the amount of sleep-destroying blue light mobile devices emit, though some critics question its effectiveness.

6 ways Twitter can help your business go beyond PR

Experts in lead generation, marketing and customer service discuss some of the best business uses for Twitter u2013 from finding new employees and customers to helping existing ones.

How to get agile to work at your company

Transitioning from waterfall to agile development can be like shooting the rapids. IT industry experts share advice on how to not get crushed on the rocks.

Leading digital change means moving beyond the mission statement

u2026 and you can start by banishing the word "impossible"

Roboadvisors stand at the vanguard of human-machine collaboration

The Vanguard Group's roboadvisor service blends algorithms and human financial advisors to help people manage their financial assets.

Leaving ah… um… and uh… behind

Just what is it we are trying to say?

Triple Threat to IT Success™

3 key reasons cause IT organizations to fail. Learn about this "Triple Threat to IT Successu2122" and achieve more success.

13 ingredients for IT transformation success

Transformation and change leadership are not new challenges for CIOs. However, todayu2019s CIOs are faced with the digital remaking of the entire business landscape. This baker's dozen recipe will help you cook up an IT transformation success.

How to pick between the Galaxy S7 and GS7 edge (video)

Searching for a path to IoT security

My conversation with an informed skeptic.

iPhone SE reviews: A terrific little phone that is worth buying

Reviewers are impressed with the power, speed and battery life of Appleu2019s new 4-inch iPhone SE. Itu2019s a great alternative for folks that donu2019t like larger iPhones.

The art and science of digital crystal ball predictions

Technology predictability is an art mastered by great innovative leaders. The ability to discover authentic value rests within the predictor.

SDNs come to the branch office, with risks

Looking to save on networking costs, some CIOs are extending SDN capabilities to the WANs that connect remote offices. The challenge is that the fledgling SD-WAN market is unpredictable and driven largely by startups.

CIOs need to avoid a mistaken path to DevOps

Fundamental operational changes required for DevOps.

Why Chef’s approach to DevOps substantiates the ITaaS delivery model

How Adam Jacob, CTO of Chef, articulates a perspective of DevOps that shows that DevOps and the IT as a Service (ITaaS) delivery model are two sides of the same coin: the lean and agile IT organization businesses need to succeed in the digital econom

7 ways small businesses can leverage customer data

Marketing, customer experience and data experts discuss what small and midsized businesses can learn about customers from the data they collect.

Multitasking millennial binge-watchers lead digital media revolution

New research suggests nearly a third of all U.S. consumers 'binge-watch' streaming video at least once a week, and millennials not only stream more video than any other demographic, they also do as many four other things at the same time.

Google goes ‘all-in’ on enterprise cloud

A group of Google executives this week reinforced the company's commitment to the enterprise cloud u2014 one of its fastest growing businesses u2014 and said it has made more than 300 improvements to the Google Cloud Platform during the past yea

How Home Depot is building customer experience from the outside in

The retailer's growth strategy hinges on the success of what CEO Craig Menear calls "One Home Depot." Here's what making good on that strategy looks like from IT's point of view.

Is the hybrid cloud’s biggest challenge a lack of expertise?

Making the business case for embracing cloud services isnu2019t the challenge it once was. What is proving to be more of a hurdle to wider-scale cloud adoption is the lack of expertise, experience and resources to take advantage of whatu2019s now pos

This data will kill you

In your CRM system is data that is, in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, u201cmostly harmless.u201d But hidden in your system are puff adders, violin spiders, and other small creatures that can be deadly.

Even 800-pound gorillas can be disrupted

"As CIOs, our responsibilities and our roles are transforming," says Frito-Lay's Kristen Blum. "We have to step out of our comfort zones every day.u201d

Red Hat just proved you can make billions of dollars with open source

Red Hat becomes the first open source company to earn $2 billion in revenuesrn