Stories by Lucas Mearian

Priceline makes technology changes in effort to improve service

Struggling online discounter Priceline.com Inc. yesterday said the technology that runs its name-your-own-price Web site has been beefed up in an attempt to improve online customer service and shorten the amount of time that people buying airline tickets through the site have to wait for connecting flights.

Dell Sets Up SAN Testing Lab

Dell Computer Corp. this week said it's teaming up with storage systems vendor Imation Corp. to set up a performance and interoperability testing lab for use by Dell customers who are installing storage-area networks (SAN) at their companies.

StorageTek CEO vows sales turnaround

Executives at struggling storage systems vendor Storage Technology say it's a leaner, more focused company after six months of internal scrutiny that has included a revamped marketing plan, personnel cuts and the introduction of several products.

Sun Buys Software Firm Highground

Sun Microsystems Inc. this week agreed to buy storage software company Highground Systems Inc. Monday for about US$400 million in stock in what analysts are calling a growing trend by storage providers to gain credibility as storage network managers.

EMC Moves Into the Midrange NAS Market

In what could be dubbed Goliath's incursion into David's territory, EMC Corp. yesterday announced the release of a network-attached storage (NAS) device that analysts said directly challenges the only other major competitor in the midrange part of the NAS market.

Petsmart SAP Project More Difficult Than Expected

An installation of SAP AG's retail software completed last year by Petsmart Inc. created problems that were "far more than we anticipated" and that continue to affect the pet-supply retailer's business performance, according to Petsmart's top executive.

Food-Industry Exchange Taps Kraft Exec

Looking to add technical spice to its operations, business-to-business exchange Foodtrader.com Tuesday announced that former Kraft Foods International CIO Nicholas Maturo is being brought in to work as chief operating officer of the Internet-based marketplace for food and agricultural companies.

[]