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Cloud Computing: Cost, Efficiency and Security

Cost and efficiency still trump security, and that is unlikely to change. No CIO will last long if they reject efficiency savings from cloud services, just because security cannot be guaranteed. The cloud and cloud computing is expanding and is here to stay

Boston Marathon Bombings: When Profiling Becomes a Real Menace

The meteoric rise of new Internet media has created a dangerous rise of send-before-you-think journalism, especially in do-it-yourself media. That puts a greater burden on news consumers to be skeptical about how and what they are being served

Pinterest Could Soon be Second Most Used Social Network

While Facebook won't be usurped any time soon from its top spot, the competition for second place is heating up as Pinterest is gaining ground on Twitter

Google Offers Virtual Hike Through the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon's remote location in the southwestern state of Arizona, make it hard for many to make the trip. Now, thanks to Google Maps, anyone with an internet connection can take a virtual hike through the rugged terrain

Stripping Down to 140 Characters

Nowhere should we be more attuned to social media than in international relations. Diplomacy has always been Darwinian: we have to evolve or die, just as diplomats did when sea routes opened up or the telephone was invented

Revolution through iDemocracy

A look at two books that celebrate the internet for its ability to undermine old tyrannies and increase the potential for democratic participation

Arming The Information Highway Patrol

The internet has been an unprecedented engine for global development on every level. But there is a darker side to it, and the Government believes it is time to shine a strong light on those shadows

What Tyrants Fear Most: Social Media

Most of the world's dictators share a common fear, and it's not of the United States, NATO, the United Nations or any outside entity. No, the force that most threatens them is social media

False Tweets, Future Jailbirds?

Today's winner of the bonehead tweeting prize in my view goes to a 29-year-old hedge fund analyst Shashank Tripathi of New York, also known by the bold and audacious Twitter handle ComfortablySmug

Russia's Internet Censorship: Not as Bad As It Looks

Although the technical implementation of the blocking has been subject to informed criticism by industry bodies, the powers granted over Russian website content are in fact nothing new

Web Companies Need to Step Up on Protecting Kids Privacy

Everybody can agree that the privacy of children needs to be protected when they use the Internet. The question is, whose responsibility is it?

Germany's IT Watchdog Warns Users Against Internet Explorer

The German government agency controlling IT-safety is warning internet users against using Microsoft's Internet Explorer because of a potential security flaw

eBay Unveils New Design, Launches Same Day Delivery Service

eBay has revealed a new look inspired by the increasing use of mobile devices for retail purchases and has introduced a same day delivery service

Rogue Employee Hacked MLB Team Facebook Pages

Popular social media site Facebook alleged that a rogue employee of Major League Baseball was behind the hacking of pages of several teams and the posting of offensive and hilarious comments

The Social Media Olympcs

Since Beijing, Twitter has grown from approximately just over six million users to 175 million active accounts, and the London Games are becoming touted as the first 'social media Games'

Pennsylvania Hospitals Finding Patients on Google and Facebook

The results of the $20,000 advertising campaign on the websites exceeded administrators' expectations

Google Purges Outdated and Redundant Services

Google is pulling the plug on less used, outdated and redundant services Google Video, iGoogle, Google Mini, the Symbian Search App and Google Talk Chatback

Ready for HTML5

We recently spoke with Mike Richmond, a technologist who focuses on HTML5, about what to keep in mind when working with the language

RapidShare: Megaupload File-Sharing Pirates Are Unwelcome

The popular file-sharing service says it's gone on the straight and narrow

Turkey: Twitter Cuts Two Ways

Social media has been a boon for democratization forces around the world. But a recent tragedy in Turkey helps highlights the fact that social media also has a potentially dark side for democratization efforts

Verizon's High-Speed Internet Collusion

Verizon wants to ink cartel-like deals with a cabal of cable companies -- its former competitors -- to resell each other's products

Is There an Internet Off Switch?

What would happen if we suddenly lost access to the internet? What if the online services we have come to rely upon were unavailable? And is this too far-fetched or a real possibility?

Power of the iMob

Protesting used to mean turning up on cold, rainy days with a badly-made placard and hoping others would be there too

The Pirate Bay to Fly 'Server Drones' to Avoid Law Enforcement

One of the world's largest BitTorrent sites is going to put servers on GPS-controlled aircraft drones in order to evade authorities who are looking to shut the site down

5 New Ways to Feed Your Online Addiction

From apps to sites to cloud tools, our blogger shares the five things that feed her online addiction.

3 Ways to Use Foursquare to Connect With Your College

This geo-location service can be an effective tool for uniting students with their schools

United States Reacts to Indian Government's Efforts to Censure Online Content

The United States issued a cautious reaction to the recent requests by India to social networking sites to take down potentially offensive content

4 Twitter Tips for Business Success

Ready to revamp (or launch) your Twitter business strategy? Veteran tweeter Alexis Wolfer shares her tips

Twitter: How to Tweet to Get Results

A little Internet fame never hurt anyone. Here's how to tweet to get results, whether it's more visibility for your work, site or message

How to Boost Your Reputation and Build an Audience Online

Social media offers the most powerful way to connect with others, allowing you to network with thousands of people (literally!) from the comfort of your own home. Through harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, social media can transform your business, product, service and passion to the next level

Energy Savings in the Cloud

Cloud computing adopters may find an unanticipated edge when moving to this IT model: the ability to trim energy consumption

Are Your Employees Addicted to Social Media?

Get your employees to limit their social media habit, and you'll see a boost in productivity. Expert Eric D. Darr shows you how

Facebook Business Strategies That Work

Use Facebook right, and you'll boost your business image -- and your profits. Here's how

How to Use Google+

Move over, Facebook: Google+ offers a streamlined, real-world platform that minimizes mundane overshares

Google Chrome: 3 Rare Features You'll Love

Chrome offers thousands of extensions that allow users to custom-build their browser for better searching, storing and privacy settings. Here are three reasons why I love Google Chrome

Russia: The No. 1 Base of Global Internet Attacks

Russia currently holds the dubious distinction of being the world's top source of Internet attack traffic. Russian-based IP accounts drive 10 percent of attacks, most of which target port 445.

Why Wireless Needs a Network of Networks

With network virtualization, wireless devices could connect to dozens of networks. It's a paradigm shift in wireless architecture -- and one that can't come soon enough

Wikipedia Gradually Accepted in College Classrooms

Wikipedia is gaining some traction in college classrooms. Many professors encourage their pupils to use the site as a catalyst for their research, claiming the footnotes can serve as valuable primary sources that can be cited in their own work, or at least might provide a stepping stone to such a source

How Facebook and Your Free Time Can Get You Fired

Congratulations! You're famous. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other websites have catapulted all of us into the limelight of our own social networking universe. But this 'fame' comes at a high price. While you don't have to worry about paparazzi, you do have to worry what photos your friends snapped of you at happy hour last night

The Internet Grows Up

The Internet has grown up. Think about it: all the qualities we care most about offline -- connection, engagement, community, authenticity, empathy -- are being increasingly reflected in our experience online. And the companies that succeed in the coming years will be those that most take advantage of the fact that there is increasingly little distinction between 'virtual reality' and, well, reality

Colleges Bring Campuses to Facebook

Times have changed in college admissions. Gone are the days when a prospective student could be targeted with a single pamphlet in the mail. High schoolers can now learn a wealth of information about a university just by logging onto Facebook. Not to be outdone, college admissions offices have embraced Facebook to connect with, recruit, and research potential students

Technology Powers Revolutions and Saves Lives

The cellphone is only a few ounces in weight and a few inches in dimensions. It is about a thousandth the size of, and a millionth the price of, the most powerful computer at MIT 40 years ago. Yet that small phone is a thousand times more powerful in both its technology and its potential for change. Even the computer geniuses are stunned by what they've achieved

Fame And a Bully's Revenge

Angry at your neighbor's brazen takeover of the shared sidewalk? Insulted by your obnoxious boss? Cowed by that pushy co-worker who takes all the credit for your hard work? Don't stress. Technology will facilitate your revenge. Fame awaits you if you video your revolt and post it on YouTube

What Is Cloud Computing?

These days, you're probably seeing a lot of new TV commercials for gadgets and Internet services that mention “the cloud” -- or “cloud computing.” It may sound like the next big thing, but cloud computing has actually been around for a few years. So, what is cloud computing? you may wonder. Keep reading

How to Prevent Identity Theft

You're ready to drive that new minivan off the lot when the salesperson gives you the bad news: You didn't qualify for the loan. He shows you your credit report with numerous unpaid accounts. Until today, you thought you had perfect credit. Sounds scary, but don't pull the plug on your computer just yet. You can reduce the risk of online identity theft by taking these steps

'Do Not Track' Rules Would Put a Stop to the Internet As We Know It

The Federal Trade Commission and others have lauded an upcoming feature in the newest version of Internet Explorer as a simple implementation of Do Not Track. But upon further inspection, this looks less like a viable Do Not Track mechanism and more like a censorship tool

New Programming Languages to Watch

Today, there are at least a dozen up-and-coming languages vying to become the next C++ or Java

Facebook and Twitter Cause Insider Trading Headaches for the SEC

Social media networks have created a new sphere for financial insiders to engage in stealth activities

Investors Increasingly Tap Social Media for Stock Tips

Investors who ignore social media use by publicly traded companies, even as a compliment to other communication methods, may miss an opportunity. But do a few skipped tweets really impact a portfolio?

4 Collaboration Tools to Transform Your Projects

Whether you're gearing up for a new product release at work or planning a fundraiser with three of your best friends, these four tools will make it easier to get all of your projects done

Is Ruby on Rails a Crown Jewel?

Ruby on Rails is a favorite Web-development environment. As it expands to support other platforms, can Ruby become the cross-platform Crown Jewel?

Need a Flight? Just Google It

When Brittany Laughlin needed to fly from Chicago to San Francisco last month, she tried something new. Instead of visiting an online travel agency or an airline website, she headed over to Google Flight Search, the newest and most controversial travel site to launch since Orbitz opened its doors a decade ago

5 Online Tools for Managing Airline Miles

Several websites offer mileage tracking, which could prevent you from letting miles expire or getting so frustrated you give up on mileage programs altogether. Here's a look at five mileage-tracking sites and their features

College Admissions Officials Turn to Facebook to Research Students

When a prospective student applies to college, it is expected that his or her application profile will be judged -- whether it be on grades, standardized test scores, or a combination of factors. A growing trend among college admissions officers, though, involves a different profile check of an applicant: a Facebook profile

iCloud Seeks to Cement Loyalty of Apple Users

iCloud, the first product release of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) since company co-founder Steve Jobs died on Oct. 5, is seen as a service that would cement the loyalty of Apple product users

Twitter Good Barometer of National Emotional State

To find out how the rest of the country, or even the rest of the world, is feeling, check Twitter posts. That, in essence, was the finding of a two-year study by the Cornell University of 500 million tweets from 84 nations

The Role of Google+ in Business

The online search giant took aim at Facebook when it launched Google+, a social network that combines old services (Google Profiles, Google Buzz, etc.) with new. But is Google+ strictly for consumers, or can its applications benefit businesses too?

Google's New Airfare Search System

Google recently unveiled Flight Search, its new airfare search system. It's by no means complete: Consider it a beta-plus version, but you can already see it could become an important competitor

The Latest Buying Gimmick: 'Google Wallet'

'Mobile payment' is finally hitting primetime, and Google Wallet is the first 'digital wallet' entry.

Visit College Campuses From Home

Thanks to the growth of social media and technology, prospective college students can learn a lot without leaving the comforts of their own homes. Here are five online resources that reveal more about what college life is really like

Should You Ban Your Tweens From Facebook?

Most tweens and teens don't consider the social network 'stupid.' On the contrary, they are spending massive amounts of time on it -- one study claimed 75 percent of them use Facebook. Here's my advice to you on how to deal with your kids using Facebook

5 Unique Uses of Twitter in the Classroom

Social media has found a prominent place in the college classroom. In fact, nearly 80 percent of faculty members are using social media in some way, according to a recent survey of nearly 2,000 college faculty by the Babson Survey Research Group

YouTube Goes to College

Berkeley is one of nearly 450 universities worldwide -- roughly 390 of which are in the U.S. and Canada -- that have established a channel via YouTube EDU. In total, the schools have uploaded 63,500 hours -- or about seven years -- worth of video content, ranging from class lectures to interactive question-and-answer 'office hours' with professors

WikiLeaks Copycat to Expose Universities' Dirty Laundry

Talk about transparency, eh? For all those students who've picketed, protested and begged for university transparency, it looks like UniLeaks.org is about to blow the lid off of public interest and higher education issues formerly kept on the D-L

The App Guide: 5 Must-have Shopping Apps

Mobile apps have changed shopping forever -- and for the better. With just a few apps on your smart phone, you can save money and time, and get goods in your hands faster. On that note, here are five must-have apps that will make shopping more fun and efficient

Dealing With Virtual Stalking

It's scary enough to be the target of a stalker offline, but it's even more unsettling to be the target of a tech-savvy stalker. Technology gives stalkers new and very effective tools for monitoring someone's physical location and online and offline activities. If you're the target of a virtual stalker, follow these steps to put an end to the harassment before it puts you in physical danger

New Website Streamlines College-Aid Application

During the next few weeks, prospective college students will be hovering over their computers, thumbing through federal tax forms and logging on to the web site for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form is the key to unlocking millions of dollars in loans, scholarships, grants and other tuition-assistance dollars. What families will find is a completely redesigned website

Gift-card Resale Market Thrives Online

If you have a bunch of unused -- or partially used -- gift cards sitting in a drawer somewhere, you're not alone. Some experts estimate that the average family has $300 in unspent plastic cash. But what do you do if you need the cash much more than products? There's now a vibrant gift card resale market online

Avoid Social Media MBAs, Some Students Say

A course or two in social media can be helpful, but students say it's not worth a whole concentration

Is Social Media a Waste of Time?

You can get big payoffs from Facebook and Twitter -- but only if you use it wisely, says our expert blogger. Here's how

Seven Rules of Successful Bloggers

Are you passionate about something? Do you enjoy writing? Are you looking to distinguish yourself? Would you like to spend a few hours a week writing about topics that excite you? If so, starting a blog may be a smart option for you

5 Smart Tactics for LinkedIn Self-Promotion

Smart self-promotion is the key to career advancement, and in our hyper-connected days, LinkedIn is one of the best tools to help you do this. The question isn't whether you should be on LinkedIn, but rather, how to best take advantage of this powerful medium to separate you from the pack. To get the right people to view your profile and to wow them while they're there, consider these tactics

Ubiquitous Computing: Is Ubicomp at a Tipping Point?

Ubiquitous computing is moving out of the lab and into the mainstream. Bo Begole, head of PARC's Ubiquitous Computing Area, explains what it means for enterprises and consumers

What Can the Cloud Do For You?

Chances are part of your head is already in the clouds: Are you on Facebook? Have you tried out Google Docs? Do you watch movies on Netflix? Then, you've used a cloud-based service; you just didn't realize it.

The Mob That New Technology Has Made

One touch of a button. One group e-mail. One Facebook post. And boom! Everyone knows everything. Or everyone is in one place. The ability to rally followers with a single post has shown its dark side, with the recent events in London and other places

Should You Switch to Google+ ?

Just because everyone's going to Google+ (or are they?) doesn't mean you should too. Here's when it's really time to leave your social networks

How Apple's iCloud Changes Business

Apple's new iCloud offers cloud-minded IT pros some clout. But there are factors to consider about cloud storage, says our cloud-storage expert

Use the Cloud to Go Mobile

When it comes to the mobile cloud, small businesses lead the way

LinkedIn Offers New Options for Students

In an effort to aid young professionals in their job searches, LinkedIn -- the social network of more than 100 million members and recognized for connecting professionals -- has added new sections to its profiles that allow students and graduates with limited

Cloud Computing 101: Protect Yourself Online

The cloud's features we love most also leave our families vulnerable, but you can use the cloud without compromising your privacy.

How to Recover From a Social Media Mistake

Managing a company's social reputation requires media-savvy strategies -- especially in a crisis, says global digital strategist Dallas Lawrence

5 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Mark Zuckerberg

Want to pick up a few career tips from the Facebook billionaire? Our tech-career expert examines the Zuckerberg Effect

Is Your Tween (Illegally) on Facebook?

You have to be at least 13 years old to legally use Facebook. According to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, websites that collect information must receive guardian permission to gather data from children 12 years old and younger. Often, sites like Facebook choose to make the legal age of usage 13 and up. But, as I'm sure you know, rules are made to be broken

New Site Helps You Use Facebook for Your Job Search

Facebook may be the most popular social network, but it can also be the trickiest to leverage for your job search. Until you add this to your toolbox: a new service called In The Door, which not only tells you where your Facebook friends work and have worked, but also shows job openings at those companies

Explosion of Creativity: Power of Online Communities

What defines a community is more than its geographic boundaries; it's the element of people gathering together for a common cause, supporting each other's well-being and interests, and advancing goals that strengthen both the community and its members

5 Cheap Alternatives to Hiring a Personal Trainer

If you can't afford a personal trainer -- or don't want one -- there are a number of exercise and nutrition resources available on the Internet. For some, the convenience and social support of surfing for fitness guidance online can make it just as effective as working with a trainer in person. Here's a guide for how to use (and not to use) today's top online fitness tools

When Your Dream Company is Hiring on Twitter

As more companies warm to the idea of recruiting on Twitter, the world of tweets, at symbols, and hashtags is becoming populated with a new kind of handle: usernames created specifically to lure applicants. And for job seekers, that means opportunity.

How Repressive Regimes Use the Internet to Keep Power

Journalist and social critic Evgeny Morozov says the idea that the Internet can be used by the West to promote democracy in repressive regimes is simplistic. In fact, the Internet can actually empower those repressive governments in ways that overly enthusiastic Western commentators fail to appreciate

WikiLeaks: Diplomacy as Usual

It is still early in a long story, and the impact of the release of the cache of classified governments documents by WikiLeaks is not yet clear. There will be local effects, some serious, but so far repercussions have not fundamentally changed the diplomacy game and there will bemore continuity than change in the long term.

'Do Not Track' Rules Would Help Web Thrive

Our browsing is increasingly being tracked by a host of invisible data catchers that report your online clicks to marketing firms that, in turn, sell an astonishingly complete profile of your cyber behavior. The buyers are usually companies that target Internet advertising to your particular interests. Once you enter cyberspace, your private information becomes a commodity out of your control

Are Federal 'Do Not Track' Rules Needed?

The Interactive Advertising Bureau's Michael Zaneis argued that 'Do Not Track' rules would harm e-commerce; Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz said they would help consumers. Here's your thoughts ...

The Political Power of Social Media

Since the rise of the Internet in the early 1990s, the world's networked population has grown from the low millions to the low billions. Over the same period, social media have become a fact of life for civil society worldwide. The networked population is gaining greater access to information, more opportunities to engage in public speech, and an enhanced ability to undertake collective action

Must-see TV on the Internet

From edgy reality shows such as 'Married on MySpace' to next-generation comedies like 'Fred and Smosh,' the Internet seems to be offering something for everyone except, thankfully, the audience of 'The View.' So if you're not ready to sit through another Kardashian spinoff on the tube, log on and check out these gems on your desktop

Government Takes a Step Toward Cloud Computing

Each year, the U.S. government spends approximately $80 billion on information technology, making it the largest consumer of IT in the world. But because of a drawn-out budgetand approval process, which often takes as long as three years -- an eon in the tech world -- federal agencies lag far behind the private sector when it comes to IT

Cybersecurity and Society: bigsociety.com

WikiLeaks Disclosures Not Earth Shattering

Latest in Career Networking: Network Roulette

Job Hunting With Smart Phones

Bashing Bosses on Social Media

Nobel Winner Right About Risks of e-Books

How to Avoid Charity Scams

How Social Networking Is Changing Politics and Public Service

Are Travelers Overloaded By Social Media?

Is Our Obsession With Internet-Based Media Veering Into Addiction?

Cities With the Fastest Internet Connections

Internet e-Mail Scams Target Job Seekers