Stories by China Martens

Insurance provider urges SOA flexibility

As more companies apply a service-oriented architecture approach to their IT systems, one user that became serious about its SOA deployment last year suggests its peers keep open minds about the new concept's possibilities.

Microsoft widens partner access to next CRM release

Microsoft is previewing the next major version of its Dynamics CRM (customer relationship management) software, code-named "Titan," with a growing number of its partners in the run-up to the mid-2007 product release.

Sun releases new blade, subscription service

Hoping to make inroads in the high-growth blade segment of the server market, Sun Microsystems has released a new blade along with a U.S. subscription service offering customers several automatic refreshes of the server hardware.

BI vendor MicroStrategy eyes growth for 2007

When listing its resolutions for 2007, MicroStrategy plans to enhance the visualization and performance capabilities of its business intelligence (BI) software as well as grow its headcount and geographical presence.

One Laptop Per Child readies 'Sugar' interface

One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) has taken another step forward in its mission to make low-cost notebooks available to children in developing nations, unveiling a UI (user interface) purpose-built for the machines.

Alliance Data to buy another DoubleClick division

Transaction services provider Alliance Data Systems is to buy DoubleClick's Abacus data management and analytical division for around US$435 million in cash. It will be the second time within a year that Alliance Data has purchased technology from the privately-held online advertising firm.

Oracle sees an on-demand world

When it comes to Oracle's on-demand software business, the normally outspoken vendor has tended to be somewhat reticent about how it defines both the scope and focus of its operation. Recently, however, the company has begun to talk more openly about software-as-a-service (SaaS), an approach that it sees as applicable to all Oracle offerings.

Ingres goes with Infor as first ERP partner

Open-source database vendor Ingres Wednesday named Infor Global Solutions as its first ERP (enterprise resource planning) partner since Ingres spun off from CA over a year ago.

Airline goes on-demand to push collaboration

The North American sales arm of Singapore Airlines is halfway through a project to use on-demand software from Salesforce.com to improve collaboration between its home-based corporate travel staff.

Salesforce.com gets closer to 'iTunes' vision

Salesforce.com plans to widen the capabilities of its AppExchange Web site in 2007 to more closely resembles the online presence already established by companies such as Apple Computer and eBay.

Sun goes multilingual with Java SE 6

Over two years in the making, Sun is releasing the latest version of its Java Platform Standard Edition (Java SE) software, placing particular emphasis on the application development platform's support for other scripting languages.

OSDL refocuses efforts, loses CEO

Open Source Development Labs, the nonprofit Linux development consortium, has cut its staff and will focus on a narrower range of activities.

[]