Articles by Erika

Genesys has always been a distinct entity within the Alcatel-Lucent line of divisions, products and services. On Jan. 1, though, it was folded into a larger group called the "Applications Software Group." Genesys' mission of offering contact center products and services geared toward enterprises and telecommunication firms will still be part of Alcatel-Lucent's mix. Indeed, Genesys will continue to largely operate it as it did before.

Ever since an alert blogger spotted a Microsoft ad last year apparently seeking someone to assist in the rollout of a mobile app store, there has been an assumption that the software giant would soon be inviting third-party developers to build on the Windows Mobile platform That expectation gained more gravitas with a report in The Wall Street Jour...

For the last few years, Amdocs has been introducing modules, or "packs," to customers. These are packaged applications that are equipped with features that address a specific task or functional area and are designed for fast implementation. This strategy was on display last week when Amdocs rolled out its E-Billing Start Pack. Targeting service pr...

Among the new tools and features SugarCRM introduced at its global developer conference this weekare a new Web services framework and mobile customizations. The open source customer relationship management company also reiterated its support for the cloud, with the rollout of several additional connectors SugarCRM is gearing up for a new level of...

The home-agent contact center model has undergone a metamorphosis in the last few years. A few short years ago, it was the refuge of small companies that couldn't afford to outsource operations to typical brick-and-mortar contact centers, said Alpine CEO Christopher Carrington However, larger companies are increasingly drawn to the model's lower co...

Until now, it seemed the only thing Google didn't know about you was where you were. Now that its mission to capture and categorize all information online is well in hand, Google has taken steps to add that missing piece with the introduction of Latitude. Built into Google Maps for Mobile and iGoogle, this location-sharing feature tracks users' comings and goings.

VMware is introducing an open source version of its View product -- specifically, an open source client for virtual desktop infrastructure aimed at the data center. ...

The latest installment of Net Applications' monthly survey of Web browser use chronicles an accelerating trend away from Internet Explorer in favor of "alternative" browsers such as Safari and Firefox All three browsers reached new milestones: IE accounted for 67.6 percent of browser users in January 2009, its lowest percentage of market share si...

Poorly secured corporate Web sites are becoming a top cybersecurity threat as companies are increasingly putting their own clients at risk, according to the latest IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report, released on Monday This growing online threat to consumers is the result of two trends:...

Chris Formant, president of Avaya Global Services, has been on the job since March 2008. It is no small irony that one year ago he was tasked with the assignment of strengthening the services group's financial and operating performance -- a significant undertaking, given that the services division touches upon more than half of Avaya's revenue and workforce.

As the recession deepens and spreads across the globe, people have been asking themselves variations of the same questions: Can my company survive the recession? Can my industry? My home town? Global outsourcers are no different. It might seem that this industry would have a degree of immunity from recessionary forces: After all, companies use outs...

As the recession deepens and spreads across the globe, people have been asking themselves variations of the same questions: Can my company survive the recession? Can my industry? My home town? Global outsourcers are no different. It might seem that this industry would have a degree of immunity from recessionary forces: After all, companies use outs...

As the recession deepens and spreads across the globe, people have been asking themselves variations of the same questions: Can my company survive the recession? Can my industry? My home town? Global outsourcers are no different. It might seem that this industry would have a degree of immunity from recessionary forces: After all, companies use outs...

Google has been outspoken on the subject of Net neutrality: It does not want to see Internet service providers limit accessibility based on pricing or other criteria. Now, it is offering consumers the tools to observe firsthand how encumbered their Internet access can be if an ISP prioritizes content. These tools, which are available immediately, ...

The micro-blog site Twitter has inked an agreement with one or more venture capital firms that values it at an eye-popping US$250 million, according to a report published by TechCrunch. Institutional Venture Partners is named as one of the companies to have signed a term sheet, but no other details are mentioned. Twitter declined to comment to E-...

This year, companies seeking to invest further -- or for the first time -- in a CRM software system will find not only a wide array of vendors, but also a large selection of computing platforms to support the application. These can range from Software as a Service offerings typified by the standard-bearer Salesforce.com to newer cloud platforms such as Google Apps...

Microsoft startled Wall Street -- as well as the tech community -- with earnings that point to at least two quarters of declining profit and revenue, as well as plans to slash its workforce by 5,000 The rapidly declining economy, of course, is at the root of Microsoft's financial situation, which even Redmond admits it cannot yet fully comprehend.

At 12:01 p.m. EST on Tuesday, the White House Web site underwent a transformation. The old look was out, and a brand new one, designed by the Obama administration, was in. The changeover took place without fanfare or formality. Indeed, the new site was up even before Supreme Court Justice John Roberts had administered the oath of office to Barack Obama, who had quietly undergone his own Constitutionally mandated transformation, becoming president at precisely the same moment.

Cisco, the dominant maker of routers and switches, appears to have designs on the blade server market. It has begun working on its own virtualized technology code-named "California Server," according to The New York Times. It is said to run on Intel processors and Cisco's own Nexus switch.

For anybody who is trying to spend a little less money, a visit to Freecycle may be just the ticket. The concept is a simple one: You sign up for a group based on your ZIP code. Then, if you have something, anything really, you don't want -- a desk, a flowerpot, a printer, even a used Halloween mask -- you post it to the board. The board then e-mails everyone in the group that your item is available.