Business Industry

German automaker Volkswagen has agreed to ease the pressures on some of their employees by not forwarding emails to their BlackBerry handsets outside of work hours. The change toward a better work-and-life balance was negotiated by trade unions, but ... will not affect non-unionized workers or those working in countries other than Germany. Under the agreement, Volkswagen will reconfigure its email servers, which currently make sure all emails go straight to staff on the phones, even if they aren't currently logged in to a work-provided PC. The switch will mean that email messages will be sent out ... (view more)

American retailers in and out of the tech industry are expecting another record-setting Black Friday shopping bonanza this year, despite the stubborn clinging-on of a troublesome economy. Deals involving several retailers, including Wal-Mart and ... Apple, are already arousing considerable attention. The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently estimated that 138 million people will hit stores between Black Friday and the following Sunday, up 4 million from 2009. An NRF survey found that 60 million people are already committed to shopping this weekend, with another 78 million saying they'll wait ... (view more)

The CEO of a major computer vendor and information technology services firm has quit his job. That alone is a big deal, but the way he announced his resignation -- via social networking site Twitter -- has turned a few extra heads. Sun Microsystems' ... CEO Jonathan Schwartz announced his resignation on Twitter yesterday. "Today's my last day at Sun. I'll miss it," he Tweeted at 1:12am Thursday morning, says the New York Times. Schwartz followed that with an exceptionally brief synopsis of the reasoning behind his quitting, announcing, "Financial crisis, Stalled too many customers, CEO no more ... (view more)

One of the first major tech breakthroughs of the new decade will see television channels being offered in 3D. Discovery Communications recently announced a joint venture with Sony and IMAX to provide 3D viewing service to millions of people across ... the United States. The announcement came ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where sources have been buzzing about a 3D feel to the event. While details are still forthcoming, the channel will provide 24-hour content filled with movies, nature programs and other material that will lend itself to 3D viewing. (Source: ... (view more)

The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) group has reportedly revealed the design for a new computer aimed at connecting children in the developing world. The original XO-1 model, previously known as "The $100 Laptop," first went into production in 2007. The ... new design for the XO-3 replaces the proposed XO-2 that was first shown in 2008, but has since been scrapped by OLPC. Rumors suggest that XO-3 is a slim-line touchscreen tablet PC that will be available in 2012 and will cost less than $100. The laptops have been designed for use by school children in remote and harsh environments and ... (view more)

Some cable and telecommunications providers are trying to return to the days of usage-based pricing for Internet connections. AT ... (view more)

Nokia, the world's top mobile phone maker, is poised to release a netbook running a stripped-down version of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system. But, is a netbook a wise decision for Nokia? Nokia's profit margins have dropped over the ... last few quarters and some analysts are worried that entering the PC industry could hurt Nokia's profits even further. Fresh Perspective Offering Continuous Connectivity Nokia views their entry into the PC industry as an opportunity to bring fresh perspective to the PC world. The company, known best for its work in the cellphone universe, has ... (view more)

Opinions vary on whether or not it's a good idea to leave your PC running 24 hours a day. However, a recent report from the Alliance to Save Energy says that the cost of refusing to power down 108 million PCs is costing businesses an estimated $2.8 ... billion a year. Approximately 20 million tons of carbon dioxide -- roughly the equivalent of 4 million cars -- are emitted by those idling, unused PCs. (Source: usatoday.com ) The Alliance to Save Energy report analyzed workplace PC power consumption in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. Wastefulness Affects Bottom Line and The ... (view more)

Netbooks are one of the few bright spots in a weakened economy. Surging sales of these devices have resulted in computer makers like Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Acer, and Asus scurrying to rush out new models. And computer makers aren't alone. Mobile ... phone manufacturers like Samsung and LG Electronics view netbooks as extensions of the smartphone. Nokia has also confirmed that it is considering entering the netbook market with a version of its own. (Source: iht.com ) Snagging Control of the Netbook Market Another competition between computer and mobile phone manufacturers is raging behind the ... (view more)

A leading consumer group has condemned the high cost of phone-in technical support offered by British technology firms. At least 70% of the firms studied charge more than a standard phone call, with Internet service providers rated as the worst ... offenders. "Which? Computing", a magazine produced by the Consumer Association, looked at 45 firms in the country to test the price and response time of their telephone support. It found that 32 firms only offer phone support through numbers which cost more than a standard call, with the firms themselves taking a cut of the revenue. Four ... (view more)