Business Industry

Mon
02
Mar
Dennis Faas's picture

Facebook Nearly Added Twitter To Friends List

It seems the world's most popular social networking site was just moments away from acquiring another -- and few of us ever knew about it. A Facebook executive has revealed that a planned takeover of Twitter only fell apart because of a disagreement ... over stock valuations. Despite the rather miserable economy, Facebook is still looking to buy out other firms and says it could make a billion dollars a year from advertising. Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist who put up some of the money behind Facebook, discussed the deal in a Business Week interview. (Thiel was discussing the business aspects ... (view more)

Fri
27
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

Nokia Eyeing Notebook Market

Nokia, the world's top mobile phone maker, is reportedly contemplating entering the laptop business. In a recent interview with Finnish national broadcaster YLE, Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said they were actively looking at producing ... notebook computers in the future. Rumors about Nokia entering the PC industry have been circulating since last year, but Kallasvuo's comment was the first official admittance of such plans. Mobile Phones and PCs Converging During the interview, Kallasvuo said "we don't have to look even for five years from now to see what we know as a mobile phone and ... (view more)

Fri
06
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

Cognitive Research Links Colors to Productivity

How do you feel about color? Does black depress you? Does yellow lift your spirits? Does red make your brain scream, 'alert!'? According to a recent study, color might actually have a significant impact on the way we feel and the way we work -- and ... the findings might even help companies improve productivity as the economy continues to struggle . In a fascinating study unveiled by University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers this week, certain colors were found to have drastically different effects on cognitive skills and even creativity. According to the group's findings, participants ... (view more)

Thu
05
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

Cisco Profits Sink 27% Over Last Quarter

Yet another major tech company has announced severely depressed quarterly profits . Cisco Systems, the network and communications giant that employs 66,000 people, recently revealed that it saw profits fall 27 per cent as the global economy ... continues its slide. According to Cisco, for the three months prior to January 24 the company saw profits dip from $2.1 billion in 2008 to just $1.5 billion this year. As one might expect, quarterly sales were also down, dipping 7.5 per cent from the same period last year. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) Company shares are down, too. Cisco earnings per share floated ... (view more)

Wed
04
Feb
Dennis Faas's picture

IBM to build World's Fastest Computer by 2012

It seems as if IBM will retain its reputation as manufacturers of the most efficient supercomputers in the world. The multinational corporation revealed plans for an entirely new supercomputer concept that would shatter current speed-to-task ... records. If all goes according to plan, 2012 would be the year in which the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California boots up an IBM BlueGene machine capable of reaching 20 petaflops of performance. What can 20 petaflops of performance do? The system itself (called the Sequoia) will be able to handle a quadrillion mathematical ... (view more)

Mon
26
Jan
Dennis Faas's picture

90% Dip in Profits Prompt Intel and MS Job Cuts

The tech industry is beginning to feel the heat from a financial meltdown that has been burning the rest of the world for months. Microsoft recently announced that it would lay off up to 5,000 employees -- 5 percent of its work force -- over the ... next 18 months, starting with 1,400 jobs immediately. Chipmaker Intel is also reportedly laying off between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs while closing five plants in the U.S. and Asia in response to falling computer sales. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) The announcement came a week after reporting a 90% dip in profits for the last three months of 2008. Facilities to be ... (view more)

Tue
30
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

Laptops Outsell Desktops For The First Time

According to market researcher iSuppli, for the first time ever PC makers shipped more portable PCs than desktops. Portable PC shipments rose almost 40 percent in the third quarter of 2008 to 38.6 million compared to a 1.3 percent drop to 38.5 ... million shipments in desktop PCs. Overall, PC sales were up 15.4 percent globally with 79 million PCs shipped. Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell benefited from notebook sales as prices on portable PCs declined by targeting sales overseas while U.S. shoppers curbed spending amid the current recession. HP maintained its lead with 18.8 percent of the market ... (view more)

Fri
12
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

Windows XP Causing Jump In Used PC Sales

Some used PCs are reportedly being purchased not for hardware but because people want to get their hands on a copy of Windows XP instead of newer operating system Vista. A recent Gartner study found that about 197 million PCs were discarded because ... Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system created a demand for PCs with greater hardware capabilities. Of those 197 million PCs that were discarded, 44% were put up for sale. David Daoud, research manager at IDC, said that many consumers and businesses prefer used PCs with Windows XP because they still have older copies of software programs that ... (view more)

Fri
12
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

HP Ready to Introduce Longer Lasting Battery for Notebooks

Tired of your laptop battery dying out, or worried that it might actually pose a fire threat? Notebook batteries are notoriously fickle pieces of machinery, and their unpredictable nature can threaten one's work and even his or her health. ... Boston-Power Inc, makers of "green battery power" plan to redefine how laptop owners feel about the batteries powering their computers. Dedicated to producing safe and long-lasting lithium ion batteries, Boston-Power has announced that it intends to release a new battery boasting ultra-endurance -- performance that appears brand-spanking-new even three ... (view more)

Wed
10
Dec
Dennis Faas's picture

Sony Announces Heavy Cutbacks

Facing an economic crisis that is hitting Japanese electronics companies harder than their American competitors, Sony has announced that it will lay off about 8,000 workers in the coming weeks. Sony, the Japanese tech giant responsible for the ... PlayStation 3, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players, and just about any other type of handy home device you can think of, currently employs about 160,000 full-time workers. However, due to continued economic worries the company plans to lay off a combination of full-time, contract, and temporary employees, totalling about 8,000 cuts. Sony also plans to tighten ... (view more)

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