Wednesday - November 19, 2008
Jeff Stiefler, Chairman of TouchCommerce, is a former president of American Express and CEO of IDS Financial Services. He also was the CEO of banking outsourcer Digital Insight, now part of Intuit. Stiefler spoke recently with ECT News Network interviewer Blake Glenn about technology and the economy. The financial crisis sweeping the U.S. economy will cut a wide swath of destruction that will include the fast-growing technology sector. He predicts a tightening of capital markets, including both venture capital and debt financing.
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Wednesday - November 19, 2008
It was just a matter of time before businesses started to respond to the financial meltdown with some creativity, and as usual, the biggest advantages will go to the early movers. I have been noodling on several convergent ideas recently, and they seem to be taking shape in the marketplace, but in some quarters where you might not expect innovation or creativity. Exhibit one is the return of layaway in retail.
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Wednesday - November 19, 2008
Digital video recording pioneer TiVo and microchip-equipment maker KLA-Tencor on Tuesday became the latest in a growing list Silicon Valley companies to shed jobs. KLA-Tencor said it would cut its workforce by 15 percent, or around 900 jobs, as it moves to weather the economic downturn. TiVo said in a regulatory filing that it will cut an unspecified number of positions in a move to reduce expenses.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Just weeks after being linked to a scandal over tainted milk that killed four infants and sickened thousands in China, Chinese search engine giant Baidu has been hit with more bad news. Shares of Baidu plummeted after China's state-run television network reported that the company had sold links to unlicensed medical sites with uncorroborated claims about their products.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Yahoo CEO and cofounder Jerry Yang is stepping down as leader of the beleaguered Internet portal after a tumultuous 18-month tenure. Yang will resume his previous role as "chief Yahoo" and maintain his seat on the company's board. He will also participate in the process of finding a new CEO.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
RightNow Technologies has gone deep with contact center functionality in November 08, the latest quarterly update of its flagship Software as a Service CRM application. The new version builds on RightNow's strong self-service platform with the addition of agent-scripting technology, a desktop add-in framework, and guided assistance.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Online shoppers looking to save a few bucks have plenty of options this holiday season. Those looking to save on shipping costs in particular might find themselves at FreeShipping.org, a new Web site that lists free shipping deals for hundreds of retailers. "We noticed how many retailers were offering free shipping, and that shoppers were wanting it," said Luke Knowles, cofounder of the company.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Hewlett-Packard surprised Wall Street on Tuesday by saying its earnings will be slightly above analysts' expectations, going against the grain as other technology bellwethers have slashed forecasts and posted weak results in the sagging economy. Its shares climbed more than 12 percent in morning trading.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Samsung Electronics was hit with two separate sets of lawsuits as Eastman Kodak and Spansion both accused it of infringing on their patented technology. Spansion accused Samsung of infringing its technology for flash memory, which allows a device to retain data even when its power is turned off.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Folks in IT tend to ask a lot of questions. We're a curious breed by nature. In fact, we have to be. Change comes about so quickly in our industry, technology moves so fast, and our businesses adapt so fluidly that we have to ask questions just to keep up. Some might even say that a healthy curiosity is the hallmark of a successful IT professional -- and I wouldn't disagree.
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Tuesday - November 18, 2008
Observers who follow Apple are worried that Apple's customers will dry up in an economic downturn. On the the other hand, Apple, once again, has a unique opportunity to use its cash to develop products and services that will take control of the market while other companies cut back their R&D and essentially sleepwalk through the downturn.
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