E-Commerce Times : Archives

OPINION
The Digital Desires That Bank on Bitcoins

Thursday - May 16, 2013

What's a Bitcoin? A Bitcoin is a form of digital currency whose creator called it "a peer-to-peer, electronic cash system." It is presently used where the parties to a transaction do not want to leave a digital trail, like credit card transactions, or any other trail for that matter. For this reason, the Bitcoin is presently mostly used for gambling, drug transactions, or speculation. On Wikipedia, one can find a detailed analysis of the creation of the Bitcoin and some historical timelines. [More...]

ANALYSIS
Connecting With Key Influencers in the Industry Analyst Community

Thursday - May 16, 2013

If presenting to the technology industry analyst community is so important, why do most companies do such a poor job? I have participated in more analyst briefings over the last 25 years than I can remember. Companies all want the same positive result, but they all go about it very differently. Only a very few are well done and get good results. So what is the path to success? [More...]

Microsoft May Pull the Plug on Xbox Points

Wednesday - May 15, 2013

Microsoft may cash in its Points virtual payment system. The company reportedly will discontinue Points in favor of a cash-based system that will accept credit and debit purchases, as well as gift cards purchased at retail outlets. Microsoft Points are the virtual currency for Xbox Live. Players purchase points, which can then be used to buy games and content. [More...]

VMware, Verizon Split Mobile Personalities

Wednesday - May 15, 2013

VMware and Verizon on Wednesday jointly announced the availability of VMware Horizon Mobile, a dual persona solution designed to segregate corporate and personal information, on the LG Intuition and Motorola Razr M smartphones used by Verizon Enterprise customers. The dual persona system establishes a separate workspace for corporate data, while personal information remains separate and secure. [More...]

Google Vows 'Radio Without Rules' With Streaming Music Service

Wednesday - May 15, 2013

Google on Wednesday unveiled Google Play Music All Access, a $9.99 per month subscription streaming music service that allows users to discover and curate music on the company's platform. The company announced All Access during the keynote of this year's I/O Developer's Conference, its annual gathering where it often publicly launches new hardware, software and product applications. [More...]

Square Stand Lets Small Retailers Put Their iPads to Work

Wednesday - May 15, 2013

Square announced Tuesday it would reach out to retail outlets with its new Square Stand, an iPad dock that can handle business transactions and customer analytics. The mobile payments processing startup said small and medium-sized businesses would be able to collect customer loyalty information when they ring up sales. Square Stand replaces the cash register. [More...]

Zact Connects Consumers to Customizable Wireless Plans

Tuesday - May 14, 2013

Zact, a startup that offers customized wireless plans, launched this week as the latest service provider to promise mobile customers more control over their monthly bills. The no-contract company allows users to pick and choose from data, talk and text limits per month, all from an app on their phone. A plan that Zact calls the "Sweet Spot" charges $27.09 per month for 500 minutes of talk. [More...]

GOVERNMENT IT REPORT
Budget Roadblocks Stymie Federal IT Managers

Tuesday - May 14, 2013

Government information technology managers will no doubt spend every nickel of the Obama administration's 2014 proposed IT budget of $81 billion. They will also likely be dissatisfied with the business environment that affects IT acquisition and deployment. For starters, the proposed 2014 budget for IT, which actually shows a small gain versus anticipated 2013 spending, is not a sure thing. [More...]

Amazon Mints Coins and Makes Deposits in All Kindle Fires

Monday - May 13, 2013

Amazon Kindle owners have a new way to pay for games, apps and in-app purchases -- Amazon Coins. Amazon released its virtual currency Monday, and to kick off the new feature the company deposited 500 free Coins into the accounts of every Kindle Fire owner. Since each Coin equals a penny, the gift amounts to $5 for each user. [More...]

Mobile App Privacy Bill Likely to Languish

Monday - May 13, 2013

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., last week introduced into the House of Representatives a new bill that could considerably change mobile application development. The bipartisan Application Privacy, Protection and Security Act would require application developers to gain explicit consent from consumers before collecting their data. [More...]

ESPN May Give Its Wireless Users an Assist

Monday - May 13, 2013

ESPN is reportedly in talks with at least one wireless carrier to help subsidize data usage for customers who stream sports video content on their smartphones and tablets. News of the possible deal comes as more mobile device users are turning to their smartphones for data-intensive activities like playing games and watching videos. [More...]

Aereo's Audacious Ambitions

Monday - May 13, 2013

Aereo -- the lawsuit-embattled company that provides Internet-streamed, live, and recorded over-the-air broadcast television content -- may have started a trend. None other than Time Warner may be considering the redistribution of public broadcast content over the Internet too. What it comes down to is that a bunch of micro-antennas in a Brooklyn warehouse may change everything. [More...]

Icahn Leads New Pitch to Win Dell Shareholders

Saturday - May 11, 2013

Two of Dell's largest stockholders, Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management, have teamed up to propose an alternative to Michael Dell's plans to take his computer company private. The new deal on the table, issued in a letter to board members, involves a leveraged recapitalization that will pay investors and keep them on as shareholders in a public company. [More...]

B&N Investors Salivate Over Microsoft Nook Deal

Friday - May 10, 2013

Barnes & Noble investors reacted with pure unadulterated joy to the possibility that Microsoft is considering entering the e-book market and will acquire the company's Nook unit for a whopping $1 billion. Shares rose by a dizzying 24 percent on Thursday, when the rumor surfaced. By the close of Friday trading, shares were up another 5.6 percent, at $23.31. [More...]

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