Monday, May 01, 2006
RIM sued for patent infringement, again BlackBerry users have another patent lawsuit to worry about. Just weeks after their service was nearly shut down by a lawsuit brought by NTP Inc., the wireless e-mail devices are now being threatened by legal action brought by software provider Visto Corp.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Group snapping whip to tame infrastructure lion It’s a small group tackling a great big computing problem. The Infrastructure Management Institute (IMI) out of Northern Kentucky University is wrestling with the greatest single obstacle to safer and highly reliable computing: The inability to efficiently control and manage the highly distributed technology that drives most businesses. 
Monday, May 01, 2006
Level 3 grabs TelCove in buying spree Level 3 Communications Inc. has expanded its network to cover additional U.S. cities by announcing that it agreed to pay $1.2 billion to acquire TelCove Inc. This is the third acquisition within five weeks by Level 3, of Broomfield, Colorado. And Level 3 is not alone; the entire industry is in the middle of a hot merger and acquisition period. 
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Wardrivers, leeches and hackers...oh my! About 10 years ago, I found myself getting a drive home with a friend and veteran shortwave radio hobbyist whose K car had more hardware than the Batmobile. With a home made directional antenna on the roof and lots of scanners, he was able to eavesdrop on cell phones and other wireless devices. The experience left a definite impression on me regarding how vulnerable wireless communications can be. 
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Why the ’Net is not a utility A few weeks ago I made the point that two of the most common models for describing the Internet have significant flaws that could lead to poor policy decisions. I’ll focus on the issue of the “distribution model” and its effect on ’Net neutrality in an upcoming column.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
NetPro software aims to ease Active Directory Directory management vendor NetPro late last month announced upgrades to its software that move it into the realm of managing and monitoring not only Active Directory but also other critical infrastructure components that rely on the directory. 
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Why ’Net metaphors matter You’ve heard a lot about topics such as net neutrality and universal broadband. Behind the buzzwords, there’s a broader debate raging about how to characterize the Internet.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Alcatel-Lucent merger casts spotlight on Nortel The acquisition of Lucent Technologies Inc. by Alcatel SA may trigger further mergers and acquisitions in the fiercely competitive communications technology sector, say industry insiders. 
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Canada needs net integrity Internet telephony provider Vonage Canada recently stepped up its campaign to have the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) strike down a $10 monthly fee that Calgary-based cable and broadband provider Shaw Communications recommends Vonage users pay.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Test kit makes voice appear visible If you’re not hearing voices, there’s probably nothing wrong with you. More likely it’s your network configuration that’s ailing your aural satisfaction. 
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Making it happen with information security Over the past three years, homeland security has been a major priority for North America and around the world. On a daily basis, people have been tuning in to hear the most recent information on the war on terror and determine the latest national threat level. 
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Cabling and the untethered enterprise Just last year, Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital opened its Informatics Technovision Unit (ITU), bringing together 70 staff who had previously been scattered throughout the hospital. The ITU — composed of technology, clinical, and academic partners — identifies information and communication technology solutions to support and enhance health care delivery. 
Monday, March 06, 2006
Q and A with Bill Drost Bill Drost is the former CIO of the Government of Prince Edward Island. Although his background wasn’t in IT, he took the job on to become the Province’s first CIO – an assignment he says he regarded as a two- to three-year challenge to lay the groundwork for someone else, who would take it to the next level. He spoke recently with Lisa Williams, senior writer with InterGovWorld.com, about how he got his start in the industry – and about the reorganization of the CIO office in Prince Edward Island. Excerpts from their conversation follow.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
City of London to get Wi-Fi coverage London's financial district -- known as The City -- will have saturated Wi-Fi access within six months, city officials announced Monday.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Call for Net neutrality law to check carriers The man often called the father of the Internet told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday that the future of the Internet is at risk if Congress does not pass a law prohibiting broadband providers from discriminating against competing Web applications and computer devices. 
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Carriers can't ignore Wi-Fi Most mobile workers can’t live without their cell phones, but there are times when even the most cell-addicted road warrior is forced to go without. Many remote rural areas still lack solid cell coverage and even in the core of downtown Toronto, thick concrete walls and floors can cause signal strength bars to shrink or fade away altogether. 
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Consumer groups push for net neutrality rules Three consumer groups repeated their calls for a U.S. law to prevent broadband providers from blocking or slowing customer access to some Internet content by saying the public wants government protection.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Dell, Vodafone team up on wireless Dell Inc. said on Tuesday that it will start building laptops that let users access the Internet over Vodafone Group PLC's wireless networks in the U.K., France and Germany.
Monday, January 23, 2006
IBM revamps Sametime enterprise IM platform IBM Corp. unveiled an improved version of its Sametime enterprise IM (instant-message) platform Monday, announcing integration with public IM services from America Online Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc. Lotus Sametime 7.5, slated for mid-2006, will have a new multiprotocol gateway that will allow its users to communicate with those on public IM networks, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, AOL's AIM and ICQ and Apple Computer Inc.'s iChat.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Two top trends worth tracking Now that everyone’s back from holiday and fully recovered from any overindulgences in food and drink over the Christmas season, it’s time to take a serious look at what the next 11 months will bring in terms of hot technologies and trends. 
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Hackers could exploit Windows 'error' Users of Windows laptops with Wi-Fi capabilities may be opening their hard drives up to snoopers, according to a security researcher. A bug in the way Windows manages wireless network connections means that people using their laptops in public places are frequently giving anyone in the area the means to invade their systems, according to Mark Loveless of Nomad Mobile Research Centre (NMRC).
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
WLAN switch turn-on for retail Branch office and retail store wireless technology got a boost from vendors at the National Retail Federation show in New York this week. Aruba Networks Inc. launched a new branch office and retail switch that handles Wide and Local Area Network traffic. 
Monday, January 09, 2006
Hybrid cell phone set to cut costs A new cell phone about to debut could drastically reduce your cell phone bill by splitting calls between cell networks and less-expensive VOIP over WiFi. UTStarcom's new GF200 cell phone, previewed here at CES, combines GSM and VOIP over WiFi. GSM is one of two main types of cell networks used in the U.S., while VOIP is Voice over IP or Internet telephony. The GF200 should become available in the second quarter of this year, although the company hasn't yet said how much the phone might cost.
Monday, January 09, 2006
IT World Canada predicts the way ahead As technology professionals, we move in unpredictable spheres of innovation. But early this year, the editors and staff of IT World Canada gathered around, blew the dust off the old crystal ball and took a murky peek inside. Here are seven meaningful insights into what we believe will matter IT-wise in 2006. 
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Internet patterns in spotlight Internet monitoring company Renesys has announced a suite of services designed to provide ISPs with detailed visibility into Internet behaviour. Renesys Internet Intelligence Services are Web-based offerings that give service providers a view of Internet routes in real time from multiple vantage points around the world.