Archive

I don't see how you can operate a modern application development shop without a platform. Many vendors, if not most, offer a platform or platform-like environment, and a new approach to development, called "DevOps," has been percolating in the information technology space.

After having countless conversations with iPhone users in the last few days, I've concluded that Apple will sell loads of these new devices -- but not as many as in the past. There are several reasons I'm expecting a downturn in iPhone sales. Among the top reasons are lack of support for 5G, lack of...

Google need not comply with the right to be forgotten outside of the EU, according to a European Court of Justice ruling. A global de-referencing would meet the EU's data protection objectives, the court said, but it found that numerous third states do not recognize the right to de-referencing or ha...

Google has announced tweaks to its privacy policy following earlier reports that its Google Assistant software was eavesdropping on user conversations. Although it does not retain Assistant audio recordings by default, according to Senior Product Manager Nino Tasca, the company has increased privacy...

Fledgling e-commerce company PriceWaiter aims to save customers money, time and energy by negotiating better-than-Amazon deals on top-rated products -- simply, quickly and privately. PriceWaiter's pitch to sellers is that it can help move inventory, maintain more margin, and make MAP moot, resulting...

Gone are the days when businesses just did business. Now, it's almost expected that business values and ethics will play a significant and enduring role in a company's identity. From the products they sell to the way they treat their employees, businesses are finding that they no longer can separate...

Amazon has announced Amazon Music HD, which offers 50 million CD-quality songs -- 16 bits at 44.1 kHz. Customers also can stream millions more songs in Ultra HD -- better than CD quality -- with a bit depth of 24 bits and a sample rate up to 192 kHz.

You've just come home from the gym and discovered that your teenager cleaned out your stash of energy bars. Drat. You decide to order a new supply of bars online. You usually buy Clif Bars, so you type the brand name into Amazon search -- but just as you're about to click the "Buy Now" button, you n...

There were 5,524 store closures in the U.S. alone last year. There is no doubt that the retail industry is moving to e-commerce. For mid-sized retail companies, this trend can be a major opportunity to gain market share in their local areas and continue to grow in an industry dominated by Amazon and...

Holiday shoppers spent more money on online purchases last year than ever before -- a whopping $126 billion from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. That was a 16.5 percent increase from the previous year. If the steady upward trajectory of online holiday spending is any indication, 2019 promises to be another ...

Disruption drives business failure and success. Most people think technology drives disruption, but technology merely enables disruption -- changing customer needs cause it. This is especially obvious in e-commerce. Amazon's rapid growth and increased customer base got retailers worried. Leaders tho...

California Assembly Bill 5, which would require many businesses to hire workers as employees rather than independent contractors, has passed its second reading. After a vote on amendments in a third reading, it likely will go to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has indicated he will sign it. Bill AB 5 ext...

The attorneys general of 48 states, plus those from United States territory Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., have joined in an investigation into whether Google stifled online advertising and search competition. The only holdouts are the attorneys general of Alabama, where Google is building a $600...

X1 is a Comcast-branded pay-TV service that gives users more control over their television experience. The service recently gained new features that cater to businesses. I spoke with Christian Nascimento, vice president of product and premise services at Comcast, about what the announcement means fo...

The path to adding voice controls to any product, service or application is complex. As dominant tech players continue to develop voice-enabled interfaces and assistants, product designers, developers and manufacturers will be forced to rethink the user experience.