Software

HP Acquires 3Com for $2.7 Billion, Brings Fight to Cisco

Addy Dugdale — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:14:58 -0500

The news that Hewlett Packard has just slapped down $2.7 billion to acquire 3Com looks like a move that will be good for the two firms. Both companies' respective products will dovetail nicely to turn HP into what could easily be described as an IT polymath--pretty damn good at everything.

Huge, Stupid Tech Lawsuit Might Just Be Crazy Enough to Work

Chris Dannen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:09:44 -0500

A defunct navigation company called WebMap Technologies is suing 15 different major companies in what might be the most bloated and fatuous IP lawsuit in recent memory. And it just might pay off.

Hack My Ride: Ford Opens Up Sync Software Development Kit for In-Car Apps

Chris Dannen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:20:28 -0400

Ford is planning to open its Sync in-car computing platform to third party app developers, the automaker tells FastCompany.com.

The idea is still nascent and there is no hard-and-fast timeline for release, says Prasad Venkatesh, who leads Vehicle Design & Infotainment at Ford. Just how drivers would use in-car apps is still being researched as well. (Below, a present-day Sync system in a Ford Mustang.)

Not Just for POTUS: The Defense Department Wants Some Open Source Too

Kit Eaton — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:18:03 -0400

We noted yesterday the way the White House was embracing open source principles with its switch to Drupal for its Web site, and today there's news that a different quarter of government is keen to go open: The Defense Department.

Apple's Tablet Apps Will Live and Die by One Nerdy Thing

Chris Dannen — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:20:19 -0400

For an Apple Tablet to be a hit, it will have to be more than a big-screen iPhone. And the difference between a lithe, touch-based Mac and a giant, lame iPhone comes down to one crucial nerd-factor: memory management.

Who Cares About iPhone App Piracy?

Chris Dannen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:42:55 -0400

In the old software world, torrent sites and other piracy dens were the publisher's nemesis. But these days, few iPhone app developers spend much time thinking about piracy, even though it's very much a reality in markets worldwide.

BlackBerry Manager Finally Comes to Mac

Chris Dannen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:31:44 -0400

After what probably feels like an eternity, BlackBerry users will finally be able to sync their devices with Apple computers come tomorrow morning.

Five Tips for Managing Business Projects

David Foreman — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:13:53 -0400

Managing a business to maintain profitability, increase sales and improve
growth potential becomes an everyday challenge. From all sectors of the
professional world including engineering and computer science to marketing and
sales, having effective business tools will make any project more manageable.
Normally a business faces continual challenges with financial planning tasks,
coordinating and evaluating resources and time management issues. These

Evernote: Your Other Brain, for Windows

Chris Dannen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:47:58 -0400

Evernote is a remember-everything notebook app beloved by obsessive developers, project managers, and generally forgetful creatives everywhere. This week the company launched a revamped Windows version, which will bring it up to speed with the slick version for Mac. If you're a PC goon and you haven't tried Evernote, this is your best excuse.

How to Make the Best Damn Facebook Notifier for Mac

Chris Dannen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:46:45 -0400

Facebook just released their first experimental desktop app. It's a menu-bar add on for Mac OS X called "desktop notifications," but once it's installed, it does more than notify--but not much more. You can update your status, as well as see the arrival of new status updates and messages for your friends.

Can Autodesk Make Green Building Accessible to the Masses?

Ariel Schwartz — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:54:21 -0400

Autodesk, a popular architecture design software brand, is best known for its AutoCAD software.

SOLD!

Ryan Blakely — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:58:55 -0400

Software and IT M&A levels continue to improve and deals are getting done. Evidence to this are 4 transactions which Corum closed in the past 30 days. During Corum's August M&A Update webinar, we were joined by selling CEO's to learn more about their deals.

This webinar is being rebroadcast on August 13th. To learn more and sign up please visit our website.

http://www.corumgroup.com/EventDetails.aspx?id=102

Free Personal Finance Software

Tom Black — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:08:55 -0400

Given the current state of the global economy, now is probably a great time for you to consider organizing your household budget and maybe even your investments with some personal finance management software. Personal finance software reviews covering Quicken, Microsoft Money, moneyStrans, TaxCut and many other personal finance software titles. Includes financial software for your PDA such as Pocket Quicken, SplashMoney, Spb Finance and more.

PecoBOO Software Watches You, Controls Your Computer Screen

Ariel Schwartz — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:31:37 -0400

It's annoying when you're watching a movie and the computer screen blacks out. It's also a pain to try and remember to put the computer in sleep mode every time you check out for a few hours. The solution? Mildly unsettling facial recognition software, of course!

Does Fighting Piracy Fuel Innovation?

Chris Dannen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:34:17 -0400

Just how important is a vigorous defense against intellectual property piracy to fostering innovation and growth? This eternal debate has received some fresh kindling with an influential new report prepared for the International Intellectual Property Alliance that suggests that fighting copyright infringement is central to maintaining the health of business. But according to ArsTechnica, that assessment is based on some dubious math.

Ten Windows Apps That Make Mac Fans Drool

Chris Dannen — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:22:38 -0400

Last week we profiled 10 Mac apps that jealous Windows users could only pine for. Well, Windows has its share of nifty stuff too, so we'd be remiss if we didn't remind Mac users why 90% of planet Earth still runs on Redmond.

XMap 6 by DeLorme

Apple's Latest Figures Prove There's Just One App Store to Rule Them All

Kit Eaton — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:36:36 -0400

Apple just dropped the official statistics on the iTunes App Store's first year in business, and they're astonishing, on all sorts of scales. Turns out over 1.5 billion apps have been downloaded by iPhone users across the world.

Is This a Microsoft Renaissance?

Kit Eaton — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:06:59 -0400

New data suggests Microsoft's Bing search engine is continuing to grow well, weeks after its launch. It's great news for the team at Redmond...but it started us wondering: Are we in the middle of a Microsoft Rennaissance?

Software & IT M&A Update - July 2009

Ryan Blakely — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:38:57 -0400

Here is a link to Corum's latest M&A Flash update. This month we were joined by Microsoft's Marc Brown, Managing Director of Corporate Development.

July Flash Webinar
http://www.corumgroup.com/Software-MA-Webinar-Archive.aspx

Ten Mac Apps That Make Windows Users Drool

Chris Dannen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:08:33 -0400

Used to be that Windows users could admit the Mac was easy to use--they just complained there wasn't any software for the platform. Apple knew their weakness, too, so they endeavored to turn their developer tools into the envy of the industry.

Where Are All the Palm Pre App Downloads?

Kit Eaton — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:06:46 -0400

The Palm Pre has been out for nearly two weeks, and seems to be doing pretty well. But some numbers have surfaced that cast a shadow over the device's success: Pre users just aren't downloading many apps, despite the fact that there seems to be many developers ready to build apps for the phone.

Technology IPOs

Ryan Blakely — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:16:11 -0400

The recent IPO’s from SolarWinds and OpenTable are welcome sights as we in the tech sector continue to look for good news. Will the offering push open the flood gates and ignite the IPO market? Will they do the same for M&A? Only time will tell, but regardless the outcome, I see them as an encouraging signs nonetheless. Especially in what has been a difficult market overall. Tech IPO’s have been few and far between ove

The Virtual Company

Dave Churchville — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:05:52 -0400

About 5 years ago, I started a small software company with the goal of helping distributed software teams to collaborate on complex projects. At the time, this was a relatively new phenomenon, and outsourcing of services was mostly limited to software development projects and the occasional call center.

As I write this, new industries like Virtual Assistance have taken off where "regular" people who were working offices as administrative assistants, office managers, or even as executives are now putting those skills to use online.

Mac OS X Update Imminent

Chris Dannen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:04:09 -0400

Apple has seeded two--maybe three--versions of its latest update to OS X Leopard this week, suggesting that the Mac-maker is getting ready to shove the update out its door as soon as next week.

Developers received a recent build, called 9J47, on Friday--just four days after getting build 9J44. Now rumors are underway that 9J50 is being distributed this week, indicating that the update must be getting close to its planned date of official release.

Microsoft Loses Patent Battle, Earns $388 Million Fine

Kit Eaton — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:08:40 -0400

Does a third of a billion dollars sound like a large amount of money to you? Well, Microsoft is in the completely unenviable position of having to think about a fine that's actually even larger than that after just losing a drawn-out patent battle over security software.