TecTrends

######## Article Energy firms in Germany are trying to reduce emissions from coal burning plants by storing carbon dioxide underground. The Swedish energy giant, Vattenfall AB, plans to store the gas inside saline aquifers below fields in eastern Germany, with

######## Article Google is creating custom ad campaigns for big ad spenders like Ford Motor Co. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Besides, Google has helped Quaker Oats--a PepsiCo unit--and J.C. Penny Co. to launch their ad campaigns on

######## Article Deal making and risk taking are returning to the tech industry, a sign that firms believe the worst of the Great Recession is behind them. In a three-week period, Jon A. Woodruff, head of technology mergers and

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Upgrading Windows has always been a rather fraught process, whether you are migrating to a new machine or installing a new version of Windows on your current machine. Unlike Apple#;s Migration Assistant

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Technology that was initially developed to provide accessibility for the disabled is being #;mainstreamed#; to provide a variety of popular consumer features. Apple#;s latest iPhone, for example, has a voice

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### A rising number of exchange-traded fund investors (ETF investors) are seeking online resources that advise about ETFs. At present, ETFs account for only # percent of dollars invested in traditional mutual

######## Article While the fight over health care still dominates U.S. politics, another contentious issue is coming back to the fore: carbon curbs as a tool for combating global warming. While this debate features some familiar partisan splits, it

######## Article Power utility companies have a tough time predicting the availability of power from their wind- and sunlight-based energy sources, given the unpredictability of these natural sources of energy. Therefore, to provide continuous power, wind or solar energy

######## Article ###### ###### ###### In ####, Netflix was on the verge of introducing a device for streaming movies to TV sets when CEO Reed Hastings had second thoughts. He canceled the launch, and ended up spinning off the device

######## Article It was not long ago that only birds twittered, and no one had ever heard of Facebook. Companies like Facebook and Twitter have come out of nowhere to rule the popular culture by harnessing the power of viral

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### When it comes to great brand rivalries, the only one where we can always be sure where MacLife will come down is Mac versus PC. Their reviewer finds a much closer call in comparing

######## Article ###### Libraries, says the author, are not doing enough to build links that pull their collections together, or to make the interconnections visible to search engine crawlers. The key component of a well designed web is stable, readable

######## Article A bad romantic breakup has led to a court ruling that may leave websites much more exposed to legal action due to third party postings on their sites. The case, in Barnes v Yahoo!, arose when a vengeful

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Of the nine free security software programs tested by AV-Test.org, Avira#;s AntiVir Personal clinched the top spot. Excellent malware detection, scan speed, and disinfection capabilities

######## Article Government websites can be one of the most useful sources for a wide variety of information, but users may be uneasy about the government snooping on their Internet usage. If you look up the FAQ on explosives at

######## Article ###### ###### Windows # from Microsoft is a mix of good features, some drawbacks, and areas where judgments of its certain features are reserved. Windows # OS is sprightly enough to run and perform well on all existing

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Twitter is taking over the world of online buzz. The author has a folder in Google Reader, labeled #;Buzz,#; that stores the feeds he uses to keep up with news

######## Article ###### ###### When the author bought a rural house it was ####, and broadband was not yet a consideration. Once it became an issue he was stuck, first with dialup and then with a clunky wireless modem that

######## Article ###### The International Report looks at several developments in Europe and a promising one in Africa. In August the European Commission (EC) put out a report looking back at the last five years of EU communications policy and

######## Article ###### The pace of technological innovation is now so high that a library conference can have as its theme what library technology will be like a year from now. A year ago the talk was all about #;Web

######## Article ###### ###### Skilled amateur photographers now have an opportunity to make some money from their shots by selling them to so-called microstock photography websites. Professional photographers have long sold their work to stock photo agencies, which in

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Users could dispense with existing TV broadcasts and go for Internet TV to save money. However, users need to make some investments to get an experience similar to that offered by cable or satellite TV

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Social networking in forms such as in-person conferences and print media has been long established in the library world. Online social networking will not and should not replace these forms of connection building, but

######## Article ###### Via a simple though not necessarily easy process, home-brew biodiesel will allow you to turn used fry-oil waste into high-quality diesel fuel. This author was tired of paying for ## gallons of regular diesel

######## Article The term #;Web #.##; for a host of interactive and user-drive technologies came into wide use around ####, and was quickly adopted in the public library world. By #### the ALA published a report on Web

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### News coverage of the launch of Bing, Microsoft#;s search engine competitor to Google, is playing out as a movie that we have seen before. Whenever a new search engine comes out, the story

######## Article ###### Natural language search comes to financial services thanks to MyRoar, a tool designed to allow financial specialists to search their databases with direct questions rather than mere keywords. Founder and CEO Kate McDonough, was a bond analyst

######## Article ###### ###### Steve Perlman, head of OnLive, has never made a high-profile splash in Silicon Valley in spite of a career that has put him near the center of developments such as QuickTime and WebTV. But now

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### When pop star Michael Jackson died, so many people went onto Google and entered his name that Google mistook the surge for a malware attack and briefly blocked anyone searching for #;Michael Jackson.#; What

######## Article ###### Websites of the White House and the Federal Trade Commission were among the many U.S. government websites that were attacked by a botnet recently. Backed by over ###,### virus-infected computers, the botnet attempted to

######## Article ###### ###### ###### This year#;s hot items include e-readers, and the new Kindle DX has a good many positive features. It has a larger screen, provides support for PDF files, handy for professionals who want to

######## Article Panelists at the recently held UC Berkeley Media Technology Summit discussed the future of the news publishing industry. The summit was sponsored by the Graduate School of Journalism and was held at Google#;s headquarters in Mountain View

######## Article ###### Virtualization can be used to solve technical problems of growing enterprises whose computing needs change rapidly. Even startups with limited cash and IT infrastructure can benefit from adopting virtualization. Virtualization could improve load balancing, software testing, and

######## Article ###### The rather cheesy late-night TV ads from magicJack may not be great confidence builders, but the lure of nearly free domestic long distance phone calls is strong, and magicJack turns out to have excellent functionality. It

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Google#;s Wave remains in beta, but a large beta, with an additional ###,### people being invited to participate in the test pool. The author is a bit jealous of them. According to Wave

######## Article ###### Recently, San Francisco city dispatched the first letter through Zumbox, a secure email service. The Zumbox secure mail service enables senders to contact recipients online by using their street address, which email does not do. If the

######## Article ###### In a marketplace crowded with gadgets, consumer electronics firms have to struggle to get noticed. Minor improvements to existing products don#;t draw attention; it takes something new and dramatic to create excitement. Panasonic, which ranks ##th

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### In their three-year competition for music lovers#; ears, Microsoft#;s Zune has been left in the dust by the Apple iPod. The Zune is attractively designed and favorably priced, and has a fairly

######## Article Yahoo! has recently announced a $### million campaign, which would portray the company as an online spot where personally relevant content would be available for users. The company also plans to project it as a place where advertisers

######## Article Dell#;s plan to acquire information technology services provider Perot Systems Corp. for $#.# billion is its attempt to catch up with its major rivals. The acquisition deal--the biggest ever deal ever struck by Dell--is

######## Article Cisco Systems has acquired Tidal Software, a company that provides server scheduling and monitoring programs, and Pure Digital, a flip camcorder maker. These acquisitions have spurred activities in the technology merger and acquisition (M&A) business. Cisco, rather

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### Google is using the profits earned in its classified web ads business to develop remarkable new services like the Google Voice. Google Voice, just like Google Earth and Gmail, offers useful features at no

######## Article ###### ###### ###### When Oracle CEO Larry Ellison introduced the latest version of the firm#;s high end Exadata database and storage appliance, it had a conspicuous label reading #;Oracle-Sun.#; The joint effort shows that Oracle and

######## Article Earl Lewis, CE of Flir Systems, is enthusiastic about future opportunities for mass-marketing infrared (IR) cameras. Flir Systems is a leader in the infrared camera market. Lewis is positive that the price of infrared cameras will greatly

######## Article Enterprises are adopting mobile devices, making it possible for salespeople and other mobile workers to have a wealth of information at their fingertips. But mobile information technology is not yet realizing its full potential to deliver not just

######## Article ###### ###### Google may have stolen a march on Microsoft by announcing its intention to develop versions of Google Apps specially tailored to the needs of the federal government, just as Microsoft is rolling out the beta version

######## Article Firms are treating social media much as they once treated the Internet. They see a social media presence as something they might want to have, or perhaps they believe they should have one, but they have not yet

######## Article Leading package delivery company FedEx is optimistic about its future. Though its profit dipped ## percent in the first quarter of ####, FedEx says it sees signs of the economy beginning to stabilize. According to the Commerce Department

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Apple has launched iTunes #, the ninth version of iTunes for organizing, playing, and buying music and videos--not only on iPods or iPhones, but also on computers. The new iTunes software

######## Article The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has a team of software privacy investigators who follow confidential leads provided by IT employees or IT managers. These confidential leads related to software piracy in organizations are reported to the BSA through

######## Article Walt Disney#;s acquisition of Marvel Entertainment for $# billion would pressurize Time Warner and other media firms to look for similar options. Media giant Time Warner holds cash assets worth about $# million. With its current focus

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Sony Corp.#;s recent deal with Google to pre-install the Chrome browser on its Vaio PCs will boost Google#;s browser business. This move comes a year after Google had launched its

######## Article ###### ###### The U.S. government has recently announced a combined military/civilian agency purchase of satellite communications services for commercial applications. Kevin Gallo, program manager at the U.S. General Services Administration, expects the demand for commercial

######## Article HP and printing specialist RR Donnelley announced last week that they have teamed up to develop new digital printing techniques for inkjet digital presses. Such presses are faster than other types of digital presses, produce quality print results

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### IBM has recently announced a road map along with upgrades for its Lotus Symphony suite, projecting it as an alternative to Microsoft Office#;s productivity tools

######## Article Improved mobile network speeds will enhance mobile data speeds, and in turn, greatly impact the use of mobile telehealth devices that enable doctors to remotely monitor the conditions of their patients. According to a study recently released by

######## Article ###### Heavy use of smartphones often pose problems for carriers like AT&T. For example, the iPhone was popular with web-addicted attendees at the SouthWest film, music, and interactive festival held in Texas in early ####. The

######## Article Search marketing optimization grows enormously in complexity when it must meet the needs of a large enterprise such as Cisco Systems, with ##,### employees and a product range calling for scores or even hundreds of potential landing

######## Article Gordon Bell, at age ## a giant of computer science, wears a digital camera around his neck that records whenever he enters another room. He also records his phone conversations, and scans any scrap of paper worth saving

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### Business to business (b-to-b) marketers are starting to explore iPhone apps as a marketing tool. As with other Internet developments such as blogs and podcasts, the first wave of iPhone apps was

######## Article ###### The Beatles: Rock Band, a music video game developed by Harmonix in collaboration with Apple Corps, the music company of the Beatles, was recently unveiled to the public. The game would be distributed by MTV. In the

######## Article The recent bid by food giant Kraft for chocolate firm Cadbury may mark the start of a revival in acquisitions and merger activity, which had fallen through the floor since last year#;s financial crisis and the ensuing

######## Article ###### ###### ###### The Twitter website could well serve as a goldmine of tech ideas for product enhancement to companies. Using Twitter for crowdsourcing results in immediate enhancements of products such as cameras, cellphones, home theatres, and music

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### The emergence of more Android-based smartphones could change the current priorities of application developers such as Yahoo!, who prefer developing applications for top smartphones like the BlackBerry and the iPhone. According

######## Article The Berrien Regional Education Services Agency (RESA) connects about ##,### students spread across ## districts in the U.S. through its network of videoconferencing systems. These video conferencing systems are part of instructional technology package provided by

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### Postbox #.# is a new program that helps users to easily organize their email inbox. Most of the email applications available on the Web lack smart or time-saving features. Users seeking options

######## Article Google has offered at least two important concessions to those who have criticized the legal settlement of its book-scanning case. This move would enable Google to garner support for its settlement at a time when major opponents

######## Article ###### ###### Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. plans to introduce an all-electric car in the next few years in the U.S. Honda#;s initiative comes at a time when fuel efficiency concerns have triggered market interest

######## Article ###### A group of Microsoft rivals--that includes Sony, IBM, and Red Hat--is finalizing a settlement to acquire patents sold by Microsoft to Allied Security Trust (AST). The group is called the Open Invention Network (OIN), and

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Music Intelligence Solutions Inc. has started a web service called uPlaya.com, which allows artists to upload songs for analyzing them for hit potential. Music Intelligence Solutions uses a computer program called Hit Song Science

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Turning gadgets like smartphones and MP# players to remotes is an intriguing promise. Innovative devices like the iPod Touch and the iPhone can be programmed to perform new functions

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Companies planning for Windows server upgrades or deploying Windows # could find Windows Server #### R# to be a worthwhile option to consider. Windows Server #### R# takes Hyper-V closer to

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Microsoft made Windows # RTM available for download through MSDN in Sept ####. Windows # OS, built on a ##-bit architecture, would allow users to use their computer#;s entire #GB

######## Article ###### GPS, Bluetooth, RFID, and other technologies are being used to connect objects to help businesses in spotting problems and decision-making. Devices are being connected through wireless networks in the evolving #;Internet of Things,#; with wireless technologies

######## Article Telecom networking for big corporations is one of the few bright spots in recession-hit technology spending, as exemplified by Verizon#;s pitch in Tokyo to try to attract business by getting all telecom-network eggs in their

######## Article Most stock analysts and investors focus on the short term, quarter to quarter, but to hedge fund operator Pip Coburn, a former technology analyst, the big plays are the long term ones. Changing technology means that some older

######## Article ###### Many pivotal moments in technology involve the industry attempting to determine to what extent we can supplement, or even replace, the conventional typewriter keyboard, and now that might happen. Apple#;s rumored tablet computer is actually a

######## Article ###### With just one moving part, Leif Hauge developed a revolutionary device that is making desalination less expensive and less energy-hungry worldwide. In ####, Hauge#;s brother had a farm in Norway near the sea and wanted

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Solid state drives (SSDs) based on flash memory will replace current storage subsystems in commercial applications. System designers are trying using flash-based SSDs to speed up flow of data between main memory and other

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### Intel Nehalem processors-based Sun Fire x#### server from Sun Microsystems would be an efficient virtualization host server for datacenter applications. Great compute power, network bandwidth, local storage, and PCIe expansion ability are

######## Article ###### ###### Talal Shamoon, chief executive of Intertrust Technologies in Sunnyvale, California, thinks that its Marlin product can become the standard in keeping content secure in a manner that legitimate consumers will not find offensive. Putting content online

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### VMware#;s vCloud Express consists of virtualization tools that allow cloud vendors to offer self-provisioning, low-end, pay-as-you-go cloud services. These services will align with enterprise VMware

######## Article Google has planned to create a huge online digital library. However, the company is facing several legal hurdles and oppositions from around the world. Several years ago, the search giant started digitizing books in research libraries across the

######## Article Hobbyists and enthusiasts have been playing a vital role in spawning many technology breakthroughs. The field of biology is also witnessing a rise in the number of enthusiasts interested in creating new organisms by manipulating the DNA isolated

######## Article Batteries that absorb oxygen from the atmospheric air could lay the foundation for more economical, long-lasting, and lighter alternatives to current battery designs. Such batteries could act as light and compact sources of power for a variety

######## Article The government of China has set new regulations for streamlining the online music market in the country. As part of the effort, music sites seeking to distribute foreign songs through the Web would have to get approval from

######## Article Three-dimensional (#-D) printers are widely used in additive manufacturing, a method in which solid objects are built layer by layer. Rapid production of solid objects, including complex ones using #-D printers, is increasingly becoming easy

######## Article ###### An innovative offshore prototype Hywind turbine--placed on a tethered platform at around ## kilometers from Karmoy--in Norway could generate more electricity compared to onshore or inshore turbines. The turbine could generate more electricity since the

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### The emergence of cellphones equipped with satellite-positioning functions, cameras, tilt sensors, and fast Internet connectivity options has prompted the growth of augmented reality (AR). The technology has now become more useful and

######## Article The stiffening competition between electric and fuel-powered vehicles is turning out to be yet another episode of disruptive technology--a term coined by Clayton Christensen and Joseph Bower in ####. Disruptive technology is a term for any

######## Article A study done by an international research team shows that the climate in the Arctic region has been warmer during the past decade as compared to any of the earlier ##-year periods during the past #,###

######## Article Google has recently announced that Dr. Seuss#; estate would file a letter to support a pending legal agreement, which would allow the search giant to move forward with its plans to enable online search of millions of books

######## Article ###### ###### Google appears to be on the verge of finalizing tie-ups with major Hollywood studios that will enable it to rent streaming movies on the YouTube website. This step by Google would be the first in

######## Article ###### ###### ###### Online photo sharing websites such as Flickr and iStockphoto.com provide hobbyists the chance to publish the photos they shoot. Digital photo technology allows hobbyists who have a passion for photography to shoot like professions

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### Microsoft may dominate the desktop world, but it is falling steadily behind in the growing race to develop mobile apps, a race spurred on by the spectacular success of the iPhone App Store. The

######## Article ###### Strong developer communities are the lifeblood of a software platform. Windows came to dominate the desktop because, in spite of its hostility to open source, it opened the doors to independent software vendors (ISVs) early on. And

######## Article ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### The rapidly growing smartphone market has application developers facing a welter of operating systems and SDKs, not only for different makes of smartphone but in some cases for the same phone running

######## Article ###### ###### The author is not impressed with Bing. To begin with she finds it odd to see television ads promoting a service that is free. One ad shows adults attempting to answer a child#;s question using

######## Article ###### ###### It is easy to get caught in the Web when you are analyzing Flickr#;s innovative service The Commons, where you can flip from one awe-inspiring photo to another and pretend that you are sitting

######## Article ###### The Contact Capture Quotient (CCQ) is a concept that would empower e-tailers to make every customer visit to their websites count. The CCQ is a measure of a website#;s ability to capture contact data of