Category Archives: Technology

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months

By Guest PostAugust 23, 2013TechnologyBill Gates, board of directors, chief executive officer, chuck noski, microsoft ceo, retire, steve ballmer, steve luczo

Board of directors initiates succession process; Ballmer remains CEO until successor is named.

REDMOND, Wash. — Aug. 23, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer has decided to retire as CEO within the next 12 months, upon the completion of a process to choose his successor. In the meantime, Ballmer will continue as CEO and will lead Microsoft through the next steps of its transformation to a devices and services company that empowers people for the activities they value most.

“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time,” Ballmer said. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.” (more…)

Facebook use predicts declines in happiness, new study finds

By Guest PostAugust 22, 2013Culture, Technologybelgium, decline, dynamic processes, emre demiralp, ethan kross, facebook accounts, facebook use, facebook user demographic, free networking website, happiness, jiyoung park, life satisfaction levels, philippe verduyn, predict, research foundation flanders, social research, university of leuven, university of michigan

ANN ARBOR — Facebook helps people feel connected, but it doesn’t necessarily make them happier, a new study shows.   Facebook use actually predicts declines in a user’s well-being, according to a University of Michigan study that is the first known published research examining Facebook influence on happiness and satisfaction.

The study about the use of Facebook, a free networking website, appears online in PLOS ONE.

“On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection,” said U-M social psychologist Ethan Kross, lead author of the article and a faculty associate at the U-M Institute for Social Research. “But rather than enhance well-being, we found that Facebook use predicts the opposite result—it undermines it.” (more…)

MU Researchers Develop App that Could Save Cattle Lives, Farmers’ Wallets

By Guest PostAugust 19, 2013Science, Technologyandroid market, app, apple app store, database, don spiers, gps location, heat stress, humidity data, life threatening condition, save cattle lives, stress impact, temperature, temperature humidity index, thermalaid, thermalnet, thi, type, university of missouri

App also allows users to communicate with MU animal science experts

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Each year, overheated cattle cost farmers more than $1.2 billion. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have created a smartphone application that can detect when a cow is at risk for heat stress. The app also can offer the best methods for intervention.

“Cows are like the rest of us,” said Don Spiers, professor of animal sciences at MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, who led the team that developed the app. “They slow down in hot and humid weather. When stressed by too much heat, they stop eating, and thus, fail to grain weight or produce milk.” (more…)

IBM Narrows Big Data Skills Gap By Partnering With More Than 1,000 Global Universities

By Guest PostAugust 14, 2013Technologyalexander rasin, analytics, astron, big data, big data curricula, big data skills, business intelligence, curriculum materials, george washington university, global academic programs, global universities, ibm, ibm big data, janet smart, jeff pittges, rfid networks, richard rodts, software

From Washington D.C. to the Philippines, IBM Creates Big Data and Analytics Curriculum for Universities Across the Globe; Announces Winners of 2013 Big Data and Analytics Faculty Awards

ARMONK, N.Y. – 14 Aug 2013: IBM today announced that it has added nine new academic collaborations to its more than 1,000 partnerships with universities across the globe, focusing on Big Data and analytics — all of which are designed to prepare students for the 4.4 million jobs that will be created worldwide to support Big Data by 2015. The company also announced more than $100,000 in awards for Big Data curricula.

As part of IBM’s Academic Initiative, the company is launching new curricula focusing on Big Data and analytics with Georgetown University, George Washington University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Missouri, as well as a new addition to IBM’s partnership with Northwestern University. Internationally, IBM is partnering with Dublin City University, Mother Teresa Women’s University in India, the National University of Singapore, and the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education to offer data-driven degree programs, coursework and specialization tracks. (more…)

Microsoft introduces the 4Afrika Scholarship program

By Guest PostAugust 12, 2013Education, Technology4afrika scholarship program, africa, african students, botswana, clinton global initiative, english, international youth day, Microsoft, microsoft 4afrika, microsoft innovation centers, new york university, patrick onwumere, people, Tanzania, tunisia, uganda, united nations, university, young african minds

Part of the 4Afrika Initiative, the program will offer mentorship, training, university-level education and employment opportunities to aspiring African youth.

LAGOS, Nigeria — Aug. 12, 2013 — In recognition of International Youth Day, Microsoft Corp. Monday introduced the 4Afrika Scholarship program, as part of its 4Afrika Initiative, through which it will provide mentorship, leadership and technical training, certification, university-level education, and employment opportunities for promising African students. Mentorship will be provided by Microsoft employees from around the world, and employment opportunities will include internships and both part-time and full-time jobs within Microsoft, as well as with the company’s more than 10,000 partners across Africa.

Through the company’s 4Afrika Initiative and YouthSpark program, Microsoft has committed to helping millions of Africans get critical skills for entrepreneurship and employability. The 4Afrika Scholarship program is one way the company intends to meet that goal, by helping ensure that promising youth have access to the education, resources and skills they need to succeed, regardless of their financial situations. To help redress gender disparity in higher education in Africa, the company is actively encouraging young women to apply. (more…)

Made in IBM Labs: IBM Drives the Future of Renewable Energy with New Wind and Solar Forecasting System

By Guest PostAugust 12, 2013Environment, Technologyacore, analytics, brad gammons, China, clean energy, coal, conventional sources, deep thunder, demonstration project, denmark, dennis mcginn, fossil fuels, future, hyref, labs, made in ibm, natural gas, power grid, prediction, reduce carbon emissions, renewable energy, renewable energy resources, renewable resources, sg jbepc, solar energy, solar forecasting system, vestas wind systems, wind, wind power turbines, zhangbei

Advanced solution combines big data analytics and weather modeling technology to predict output of individual wind turbines

ARMONK, N.Y., – 12 Aug 2013: IBM today announced an advanced power and weather modeling technology that will help utilities increase the reliability of renewable energy resources. The solution combines weather prediction and analytics to accurately forecast the availability of wind power and solar energy. This will enable utilities to integrate more renewable energy into the power grid, helping to reduce carbon emissions while significantly improving clean energy output for consumers and businesses. (more…)

New IBM Flex Systems Allow Clients to Build Larger Clouds in Smaller Data Centers

By Guest PostAugust 6, 2013Technologybuild larger clouds, cloud environments, computational algorithms, double dense, ibm flex systems, libra internet bank, romania, sdn, smaller data centers, x222 system, x86 technology

Mobile Flex System Manager helps clients to monitor and control their systems from any location using smartphones or tablets

ARMONK, N.Y. – 06 Aug 2013: IBM today unveiled a number of major additions to its Flex System portfolio. The offerings combine the latest server technology with new virtualization, networking and management tools, allowing clients to consolidate their existing IT infrastructures and reduce operating costs. This will help clients use smaller data center environments to quickly deploy, manage and secure increasingly larger clouds.

Today’s announcement comes at a critical time, as organizations look to consolidate their existing data centers and shift greater workloads to the cloud. In fact, one study has determined that by 2014, businesses will have migrated more than 62 percent of their existing database workloads to the cloud. [1] (more…)