Category Archives: Technology

Partner opportunity: Small and mid-size companies seeking an edge

By Guest PostJuly 9, 2013Technologydanish consultancy abakion, erp provider, information age, kenneth kryger gram, mbs, microsoft business solutions, microsoft dynamics platform, mid size companies, neil holloway, office 365, partner opportunity, roi for customers, saskia van ham, small, smbs, windows azure

Flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics platform allows for a spectrum of custom solutions across a range of industries.

HOUSTON — July 9, 2013 — In the information-age economy, technology can be a huge competitive advantage — particularly for smaller companies. As small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) gain a foothold in today’s markets, Microsoft continues to invest in ways to help them compete.

“Today, the Microsoft Dynamics platform can provide the flexibility and power to serve a multitude of business needs,” says Neil Holloway, corporate vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) Sales and Operations. “Windows Azure and cloud services are increasingly making it possible for smaller companies to have the same computing muscle as their larger competitors.” (more…)

Microsoft study reveals channel partners selling cloud solutions experience nearly double gross profits and faster growth

By Guest PostJuly 8, 2013Technologycloud, cloud environment, cloud technology, darren bibby, hybrid approach, idc study, infographic, it solutions, Microsoft, money, worldwide partner group, wpc

New study conducted by research firm highlights hybrid cloud profitability opportunities for partners.

HOUSTON — July 8, 2013 — Partners with more than 50 percent of their revenue related to the cloud have been benefiting from higher gross profit, more new customers, increased revenue per employee and faster overall business growth, according to a new IDC study, sponsored by Microsoft Corp., released today at the company’s annual partner conference.

The study underscored the transformation taking place in the business world as more organizations of all sizes move their technology infrastructures to the cloud. In fact, according to the findings, cloud-oriented partners, defined as those that generate more than 50 percent of their revenue from the cloud, grow at double the rate, accrue new customers more than two times faster and generate 30 percent more revenue per employee compared with noncloud-oriented partners. (more…)

Teaching a Computer to Play ‘Concentration’ Advances Security, Understanding of the Human Mind

By Guest PostJuly 8, 2013Technologyact r, arpan chakraborty, automated bots, brent harrison, cognitive modeling, computer science researcher, computer simulation, david roberts, game concentration, how, human mind, memory, modeling, ottawa, play concentration, robert st amant, software system, titus barik, web applications, works

Computer science researchers have programmed a computer to play the game Concentration (also known as Memory). The work could help improve computer security – and improve our understanding of how the human mind works.

The researchers developed a program to get the software system called ACT-R, a computer simulation that attempts to replicate human thought processes, to play Concentration. In the game, multiple matching pairs of cards are placed face down in a random order, and players are asked to flip over two cards, one at a time, to find the matching pairs. If a player flips over two cards that do not match, the cards are placed back face down. The player succeeds by remembering where the matching cards are located. (more…)

Step into an anechoic chamber where sounds go to die

By Guest PostJune 26, 2013Technologyanechoic chamber, editor pamela woon, isolated space, Microsoft, microsoft tick, new film series, on the whiteboard, sounds, Technology, walking on springs, whiteboard

Microsoft’s new film series “On the Whiteboard” explores topics at the intersection of technology and culture, and introduces people, places and things behind the products.

REDMOND, WASH. – June 24, 2013 – In the second episode of Microsoft’s new film series “On the Whiteboard,” Editor Pamela Woon exposes an anechoic chamber of secrets. It’s an isolated space where you can actually hear blood pumping through your veins – because in here, there’s no echo. In this heavily padded room built on top of springs, sounds don’t bounce back, they’re absorbed. (But your body might, since you’re walking on springs.)

Researchers study the sounds of silence here, including testing and analyzing Surface to make sure that click you hear when you snap the kickstand shut is pleasing and robust to the average ear. (more…)

Microsoft updates enterprise social road map, highlights momentum on Yammer acquisition anniversary

By Guest PostJune 25, 2013Technologyapp directory, david sacks, dawn gartin, electronic arts, email, enterprise social network, follow buttons, integration, jared spataro, like, manhattan associates inc, messages, Microsoft, microsoft corp., microsoft dynamics crm, microsoft office 365, microsoft sharepoint, mobile platforms, paid networks, public klout scores, social momentum, yammer acquisition, yammer infographic, yammer partner ecosystem, yammer platform, yammer user activity

Microsoft delivers on its enterprise social vision with accelerating user, customer and engagement growth.

REDMOND, Wash. — June 25, 2013 — Today marks one year since Microsoft Corp. announced its acquisition of Yammer, the leading provider of enterprise social networks. Since the acquisition, Microsoft’s enterprise social momentum has accelerated in all areas, including new users, paid customers, user engagement, innovation, and the ecosystem of partners selling and connecting to the Yammer platform.

Twelve-month growth highlights include the following:

Registered users have grown by more than 55 percent to nearly 8 million.
Paid networks increased more than 200 percent year over year.
Yammer user activity (i.e., messages, groups and files) has approximately doubled year over year. (more…)

Using IBM’s Crowdsourced Supercomputer, Harvard Rates Solar Energy Potential of 2.3 Million New Compounds

By Guest PostJune 24, 2013Technologyaids, alan aspuru guzik, america, basic materials data, Berkeley, boinc, bright idea, cancer, carbon compounds, cepdb database, clean energy project, crowdsourced supercomputer, cyrus wadia, diseases, harvard, harvard rates, ibm, linux computer, mac, malaria, mgi, new york university, organic, organic semiconductors, plastic bags, rare earth elements, solar cells, solar energy materials, solar energy potential, sunlight into electricity, university of california, viktors berstis, White House, windows, world community grid

White House Applauds Citizen Science, Big Data Initiative

CAMBRIDGE, MA – 24 Jun 2013: The search for more versatile and less expensive materials for solar energy received a boost today as Harvard launched a free database that catalogues the suitability of 2.3 million organic, carbon compounds for converting sunlight into electricity.

Harvard’s Clean Energy project — which screened the molecules using World Community Grid, an IBM-managed virtual supercomputer that harnesses the surplus computer power donated by volunteers — is believed to be the most extensive investigation of quantum chemicals ever performed. (more…)

Distracted Walking: Injuries Soar for Pedestrians on Phones

By Guest PostJune 24, 2013Health, Technologycell phone, cpsc, database, deaths, derek troyer, distracted driving injuries, distracted pedestrians, distracted walking, ed maceyko, emergency rooms, infographic, injuries, jack nasar, ohio state, pedestrians, phones, traffic accidents

Cell Phone Use Not Just Dangerous for Drivers, Study Finds

COLUMBUS, Ohio – More than 1,500 pedestrians were estimated to be treated in emergency rooms in 2010 for injuries related to using a cell phone while walking, according to a new nationwide study.

The number of such injuries has more than doubled since 2005, even though the total number of pedestrian injuries dropped during that time. And researchers believe that the actual number of injured pedestrians is actually much higher than these results suggest. (more…)

UMass Amherst Survey Shows Widespread Public Opposition to ‘Killer Robots,’ Support for New Ban Campaign

By Guest PostJune 22, 2013Technologyamericans, amherst, autonomous weaponry, bipartisan, charli carpenter, duck of minerva, forms of weapons, fully autonomous weapons, human rights, human rights watch, international affairs blog, killer robots, lethal military, machines, military family members, military technology, new ban campaign, pre emptive ban, protect the troops, public opposition, stop killer robots, university of massachusetts, yougov america

Active and former military among those most opposed to autonomous weaponry

AMHERST, Mass. – The results of a new survey by the University of Massachusetts Amherst show that a majority of Americans across the political spectrum oppose the outsourcing of lethal military and defense targeting decisions to machines. The opposition to autonomous weaponry is bipartisan, with the strongest opposition on the far left and far right, and among active and former members of the military.

A random sample of 1,000 Americans was asked how they felt about military technology that could take humans out of the loop altogether, dubbed “killer robots” by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations launched in April that is working to ban-fully autonomous weapons. The survey was posted today at the website Duck of Minerva, an international affairs blog. (more…)