BlackBerry

HSBC considers getting 200,000 iPhones

Paul Mah — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:35:21 -0400

HSBC's Australia and New Zealand chief information officer apparently told ZDNet.com.au this week that, "We are actually reviewing iPhones from a HSBC Group perspective...and when I say that, I mean globally." Adopting the iPhone would mean HSBC would have to ditch the currently deployed BlackBerry smartphones, which could result in an order of up to 200,000 iPhones.

While it is true that the iPhone 3G implemented features that makes it more attractive to the enterprise, these pale in comparison with the features already offered on RIM's BlackBerry platform. Moreover, the iPhone only implements a reduced set of Microsoft's push mail and device management features. This simply does not stack up to any Windows Mobile 6.0 devices on the market.

With no advantage other than aesthetics, I suppose, I can't help but think of it as nothing more than an ill-advised decision.

To read up more about this story:
- check out this BusinessWeek article

Should the president use a computer?

Judi Hasson — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:54:47 -0400

The Wall Street Journal asks whether the president of the United States or even the top executive of a big company should use a computer and get bogged down reading email, deleting spam or closing pop-up windows.

Here's the dilemma: How can someone who never touches a computer truly be in touch with what is happening in the world? On the other hand, does anyone who spends hours in front of a computer have any time to think? Of course, there can be a happy medium. Presidents and company executives have trusted staff who can filter and summarize key information, check the inbox and provide the boss with time to ponder the great issues.

And when the urge arises, presidents could still check their favorite sites and get in touch, but only for limited amounts of time. In the current presidential campaign, Democrat Barack Obama regularly checks his BlackBerry and uses an iPod. He may be one of those who will have to exercise self-restraint. That's not the case for Republican John McCain. He is of another generation, and confesses to computer illiteracy.

For more:
- see this Wall Street Journal article

Web crashes take a big toll

Judi Hasson — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:29:35 -0400

Everyone, from teenagers constantly on IM to the executives hooked on their BlackBerrys have become dependent on the Internet. Virtually, every enterprise relies on the web to communicate, to transit or find information and to do business in this digital age.

So when there is a glitch or a failure, it seems like a disaster. Everything stops. No one can function. In the past few months, technology companies like Yahoo, Amazon.com and Research in Motion--the company behind the BlackBerry--all have suffered embarrassing technical problems. The New York Times suggests the consequences of such inevitable breakdowns will only loom larger with plans by Internet companies to make us even more dependent.

Companies like Google want us to store not just email online, but also spreadsheets, photo albums, sales data and nearly every other piece of personal and professional information. "That data is supposed to be more accessible than information tucked away in the office computer or filing cabinet," the newspaper said. But the story adds that the problem is that this requires web services to be available around the clock; even the Internet's biggest companies sometimes have trouble making that happen.

For more on our Web addictions:
- check out the New York Times article

BlackBerry gets to dance with Google

Judi Hasson — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:26:21 -0400

The BlackBerry now has a number of new Google search enhancements that should make life easier for those out of the office and in quick need of information. Many of the changes copy the functionality of Google's current desktop search. "We have taken desktop elements that have tested well on mobile and further optimized them for the mobile use case," reads a post on the official Google Mobile blog. "Improving mobile search is a continuous process and we hope you find the releases this past month to move the needle on what we care most about: quality, speed and ease of use."

For more on BlackBerry's two-steps with Google:
- see this CIO.com article

For more tech stories from the FierceCIO network:
> New security holes found in Internet Explorer. Article
> Small startup sues Google for $1B. Article
> Brit telecom workers to go on mobile blackout. Article

Laptop searches draw congressional scrutiny

Judi Hasson — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:33:58 -0400

Business and civil rights groups have gone to Congress complaining about a federal policy--upheld by the courts--that permits border patrol agents and customs officials to search the laptops of U.S. citizens when they re-enter the country without obtaining a warrant, or even having probable cause. At a recent hearing of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee, Susan K. Gurley, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, said the seizing of laptops is tantamount to searching someone's office. "In today's wired, networked and borderless world, one's office no longer sits within four walls or a cubicle; rather, one's office consists of a collection of mobile electronic devices such as a laptop, a BlackBerry, PDA, and a cell phone," said Gurley. She warned that the lack of regulations and oversight leaves individuals and their companies with little recourse, and in danger of having sensitive information needlessly accessed.

For more on this controversial policy:
- check out the New York Times article

How to get the CFO to buy into an IT project

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:59:58 -0400

How does a CIO get approval for new technology projects in tight budgetary times? Greg Baker, the CFO of technology provider Logicalis, said the issue is not always money, but the ability of the CIO to communicate and tie the proposal to business needs and future growth.

In broad terms, said Baker and other experts, a CIO must explain how the initiative will improve the security of the company's applications or operations, how it will increase productivity, whether customer service will improve, and what the impact will be on strategic, tactical or operational goals. In short, said the experts, the CFO will not want to know technical details, but whether the IT project will save money, make customers happy and mean more efficiency.

For more in selling IT projects:
- check out this baselinemag.com article

For more tech stories from the FierceCIO network:
> Not all flash drives are created equal. Article
> Prediction: Faster USB drives next year. Article
> Touch screen Blackberry spotted. Article

ALSO NOTED: HP gobbles up EDS; Salaries shrink for software developers;

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

> HP gobbles up EDS. Article
> Salaries shrink for software developers. Article
> .me is here to stay. Article
> How IT workers would spend that $600 rebate. Article
> New fruit from Blackberry. Article
> Outsourcing comes home. Article

And Finally ... Are you a leader or a follower? Article

Faster CPUs on the way

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Researchers at Princeton University have discovered a means to eliminate nano flaws or minuscule defects in computer chips, a breakthrough that could improve chip performance and allow manufacturers to build more powerful and smaller processors. That's good news for CIOs. The industry has made great strides over the years, increasing performance and capacity, and this could be another leap forward, creating more flexibility and opportunities for IT departments. "We are able to achieve a precision and improvement far beyond what was previously thought achievable," said Stephen Chou, Princeton's Joseph C. Elgin professor of engineering.

For more on this development:
- See this CIO Magazine article

For more tech stories from the FierceCIO network:
> Quad-core CPU market heats up
> Windows XP SP3 and Internet Explorer
> BlackBerry 9000 gets reviewed

Text messaging not just for the young

Thu, 01 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

For most CIOs, IT managers and long time computer specialists, text messaging may seem to be part of the hard-to-fathom under-30 culture and little more than a method of trivial cell-to-cell communication. But CIO Magazine says that texting could be one more tool in the IT productivity arsenal--like email and instant messaging. The magazine offers 10 ways that using text messaging technology could be of help, including accessing a Google calendar on the phone to remember and schedule appointments; using phone web services to track packages; and sending messages to your PC.

For details on 10 killer texting tricks:
- See this CIO Magazine article

More tech stories from the FierceCIO network:
> Details on the forthcoming BlackBerry 9000
> AMD unveils enterprise PCs
> Unlike Microsoft, Dell to keep offering Windows XP

Get hip to IT alignment

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

IT alignment will save you money if you know what you are doing. But plenty of CIOs don't have a clue what IT alignment really is. Once they get it, they will understand that they can use this technique to strategically build business value. Here's how to make it work:

Develop a written list of the company's strategic business goals.
Plan to redeploy IT.
Audit a completed project.
Get other C-level executives on board to use IT as a strategic catalyst.

For more on using IT alignment:
- See this CIO Magazine article

For more tech stories from the Fierce CIO network:
> Firewire gets faster but not fast enough. Article
> Layoff watch: Symantec. Article
> In Russia, BlackBerry eats you. Article