Perhaps you've seen that a number of major vendors announced plans to introduce a tablet PC of some sort at CES. No, the 2011 CES. Yes, you are correct that those same vendors announced tablet plans at last year's CES and nothing ever materialised, but this year they're serious. Many of the specs and capabilities are superior to what the Apple iPad has to offer, unfortunately they all seem to fail at the only spec that matter: price.
Have you ever been running late to an important business meeting or client presentation only to find yourself stuck in a two-mile traffic jam due to an accident on the highway, or having to reroute around a flooded road? Of course you have. Checking traffic conditions ahead of time can be helpful, but it's even better if you can get real-time updates from those in the best position to know the current conditions--other drivers.
When users had unlimited data there was no reason to be concerned with how or where that data was being consumed. Since AT&T dropped unlimited data in favor of tiered data caps, though, users have struggled to understand data usage, and now AT&T is faced with a law suit accusing it of systematically overcharging customers.
A couple IT industry surveys indicate that the business is booming for the tech industry. Opportunities are up for both full-time tech positions and for freelance IT jobs, but some of the news may make IT workers want to abandon the "security" of a salaried position and go solo.
Google very publicly called out Microsoft's Bing search engine -- claiming that it copies its search results from Google. The initial charge has been followed by a back and forth exchange of insults and accusations, but one thing that is sort of lost in the melodrama is that Google apparently considers Bing to be a serious threat.
In January, Microsoft only released two security bulletins, but even at the time it was common knowledge that a number of known vulnerabilities were not yet addressed. In February, Microsoft is apparently catching up on patches for outstanding zero-day threats and then some--with a total of 12 new security bulletins.
Intel <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/218247/intel_finds_design_flaw_in_sandy_bridge_chipset.html">discovered a fatal flaw</a> in the "Cougar Point" chipset--interrupting and delaying the launch of the new "Sandy Bridge" processor line. Because of Intel's dominant role in the PC processor market, and the reliance of the PC industry on Intel chips, that glitch has a ripple effect that spreads across the entire industry, creating a unique opportunity for tablet PCs.
The IT mantra for the past few years has been all about the cloud, and the myriad benefits of cloud-based servers and storage. While there are some advantages, there are also some serious drawbacks that you should consider carefully before entrusting your valuable and sensitive data to the cloud.
There have been a number of attacks recently against high-profile social networking accounts -- French President Sarkozy, teen pop star Selena Gomez, and even social network wunderkind and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have all fallen prey. Web surfing and social networking are here to stay, so the trick is figuring out how to protect your computer and your personal information while you're online.
Since Apple introduced the world to the iPad, the tablet rivalry has been heated between iOS and Android. The problem, though -- for Android at least -- is that the rivalry was filled with idle speculation and vaporware compared to the blockbuster real-world sales for the iPad. With the impending launch of Android 3.0, a.k.a. "Honeycomb" -- designed specifically for tablets -- perhaps Android's tablet fortunes will change.
Google is aggressively expanding its mobile app development efforts. According to a Wall Street Journal report, one of the first orders of business following the shakeup in executive leadership is to seek out app development talent. Google recognizes the value of mobile platforms and is working to stay one step ahead to claim its piece of the mobile market pie.
Facebook straddles a precarious line when it comes to information security and data privacy. As a social networking site, its very existence is based on the premise of freely sharing information -- status updates, photos, likes, location check-ins -- with others. However, that sharing has to be tempered as well to ensure personal privacy is not violated. This week, Facebook simultaneously introduced a new ad model that could infringe on user privacy, while also improving security for the site itself.
When 2010 began, the iPad was nothing but a collection of rumors and speculation.
It may seem like 2010 was the year of the tablet, but the reality is that 2010 was really just the year of the iPad with 15 million units sold and no real competitors for the Apple tablet. However, 2011 will be very different with a diverse variety of tablet options emerging--including some particularly relevant entries from major players.
Until recently, "cyber war" has been reserved for science fiction thrillers -- like something you might expect from William Gibson. In the past few years, though, the concept has been gaining more mainstream acceptance as a real possibility, but a recent report shoots that theory down, claiming "It is unlikely that there will ever be a true cyber war."