Business

Do you have a startup that never made it off the ground? What happened? Did you not have all the technical components that you needed? Was your scope too broad? Were your sales and marketing strategies too weak? Did a key individual become distracted by issues in his or her personal life? Did you si...

Vonage, one of the early leaders among independent providers of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, is reportedly working out the final bugs in a WiFi-compatible service that could launch at any time. A Vonage spokesman did not return calls seeking comment, but several published reports say...

In what could be a huge boost for some e-commerce players, the U.S. Supreme Court today struck down state laws barring consumers from buying wine and having the seller ship it across state borders. The 5-4 decision, handed down early today, dealt directly with state laws in Michigan and New York but...

Google has purchased upstart social networking site Dodgeball.com, a move that could bring together its own social networking efforts, its bid to gain more control over communications tools -- including in the mobile world -- and its ambitions to be more of a Web portal than a search firm, all at on...

There's no doubt about it, Microsoft is a behemoth. It has permeated the computer industry and has an enormous amount of clout. So, what's to rain on Microsoft's parade? Actually, a threat is emerging that can do considerable damage to this powerful software company. The threat is free software. Thi...

Eyeing enhancements to its instant messaging (IM) platform as it vies for users with AOL and Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN unit has purchased a firm that provides alerts through IM. Microsoft did not disclose the purchase price for MessageCast, a privately held firm whose broadcast messaging system works w...

Microsoft announced today that Philips Electronics has agreed to use its software for playing digital audio and video on its semiconductors and consumer electronics products. Analysts called the deal a significant win for Microsoft. Under the terms of the non-exclusive deal, Philips said it will sup...

On April 27, President George Bush signed a copyright bill that aims to legalize technology that allows users to automatically skip over or mute objectionable content in movie DVDs. Contained in DVD players and other devices, the filtering technology allows parents to prevent their children from see...

Bidding to boost its standing among security companies by acquiring one of the fastest growing forms of computer menace, Trend Micro said today it would buy a privately held anti-spyware firm in a deal worth about US$15 million. Trend Micro, which is based in Tokyo, Japan, said it would buy InterMu...

Coming off its best year ever in terms of sales growth, the mobile handset industry is set to see slowing rates of expansion going forward as established markets become saturated with cell phone users, according to a new report. Research firm IDC said mobile phone shipments grew 34 percent in 2004 t...

Are you considering outsourcing a customer support or software development project? Here are some practical tips, oriented towards South Asian facilities but relevant to North American outsourcing providers. It starts with planning, then moves to address payment and invoicing issues, and then lists ...

The trend for industries to consolidate through major mergers and acquisitions has made its way back to the e-commerce space, with No. 2 online brokerage E*Trade Financial reportedly posed to make a surprise US$5.5 billion bid to buy smaller rival Ameritrade. Neither company has formally acknowledge...

In what some see as a hint of more fallout to come from the first major enforcement action against spyware being planted through otherwise legitimate Web sites, Ask Jeeves has found it necessary to respond to accusations that its various sites enable downloading of unwanted programs. Meanwhile, the ...

Semiconductors sales grew by more than 13 percent in the first quarter, outpacing forecasts thanks to demand for chips installed in smartphones and other portable devices, a trade group said today. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said sales for the first three months were US$55.3 billio...

New information technology outsourcing opportunities are largely going to India, thanks to India's long-standing advantages. Despite negative press coverage that India has received for problems at a few outsourcing facilities, India is set to maintain its lead as the high-tech outsourcing destinatio...