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CIF: Data security tops cloud concerns | IT PRO (James Stirling)

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This was the finding of the latest survey from the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF), which showed 62 per cent of its respondents citing the issue. Data privacy also reared its head, being quoted by 55 per cent of respondents as a significant concern.

As more legacy companies move to offer cloud computing as part of their portfolio, they have played down the concerns around security. However, even with industry heavyweights singing its security praises, customers are far from trusting the cloud model.

It is time to focus on giving customers solid answers to their security fears and removing the ‘fear, uncertainty and doubt’ from their minds, according to CIF member Simplexo.

The firm’s chief technology officer (CTO), Simon Bain, said: “I am obviously a believer in using the ‘cloud’ as a way forward for both personal and corporate life.”

“However, there are certain guidelines that I think need to be adhered to before we all start throwing our hard disks away and placing everything in to the hands of others.”

via CIF: Data security tops cloud concerns | IT PRO.

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Demand for tablets hits PC shipments

April 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Worldwide shipments of personal computers declined in the first quarter of 2011, contrary to expectations of modest growth, due to competition from tablets, disruptions in Japan, and increased fuel and commodity prices.

This is the first contraction in the market since the second quarter of 2009. Analysts expect the market to face difficulty through the second quarter, but to improve in the second half of the year.

While the growth of tablet computers is largely to blame for the slowing demand for desktop and portable computers, analysts say the PC industry has not done its part to keep pace with the competition by developing new products.

“We’re seeing economic indicators go up, but we see consumers spending money on other items that were neglected during the recession, like cars and other electronics,” said Jay Chou, a senior analyst with research firm International Data Corporation. “People just aren’t as enamoured with things like net books as they used to be.”

IDC said worldwide shipments declined 3.2 per cent in the first quarter, from 83.2m down to 80.5m, rather than the anticipated 1.5 per cent growth.

Gartner, the research firm, calculated a 1.1 per cent shipment decline in the first quarter, from 85.1m to 84.2m, compared with a forecast of 3 per cent growth.

via FT.com / Technology – Demand for tablets hits PC shipments.

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Over 900 laptops lost at Heathrow each week? | IT PRO

March 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Business travellers in the US and Europe lose a staggering 15,648 laptops per week, according to a new study by Dell.

On behalf of the computer organisation, Ponemon Institute surveyed 3,034 business travellers at 113 major airports located in the US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy.

Ponemon found that the airports with the highest number of lost, missing or stolen laptops included Los Angeles’ LAX, with an estimated weekly loss of 1,200 and London Heathrow, with an estimated weekly loss of 900.

Of those lost laptops, the survey found that 43 per cent were reclaimed in Europe, compared to only 33 per cent in the US.

Ponemon attributed travellers feeling that they were either being rushed, carrying too many things or worrying about flight delays as to reasons why laptops are most commonly lost.

Worryingly, the survey found a high number of travellers who took no steps to protect or secure the information contained on their laptops.

Up to 47 per cent of travellers in France said that the data on their laptops was not backed up, compared to 43 per cent in the UK. Spanish travellers admitted that 71 per cent of them did not take steps to protect the confidential information contained on their laptops, compared to 59 per cent in the UK.

Meanwhile, 50 per cent of trusting US travellers said that they left their laptop computers under the watchful eye of a fellow passenger, compared to 42 per cent of UK travellers who did the same.

via Over 900 laptops lost at Heathrow each week? | IT PRO.

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Dubai to launch mediation centre to cut litigation – The National

January 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Dubai courts are seeking to reduce the amount of litigation they handle with the launch this month of a dispute resolution and mediation centre.

The director general of Dubai Courts, Dr Ahmed bin Hazim al Suwaidi, said the centre – which is scheduled to begin operating this month – is expected to reduce litigations by 20 to 30 per cent this year.

“This new service will provide a faster option to dispute parties, in comparison with litigation, which can take months or years,” he said. “The dispute resolution would be reached within a 30-day period.”

It will “provide a new option for the disputers to settle their issues amicably,” he added. “We have also provided incentives such as a 50 per cent refund of the case registration fees if a resolution is found.”

The parties will discuss their dispute with the mediator until a settlement is reached. A settlement will be notarised and legally binding, Dr bin Hazim said, although the penalties for breaking a settlement have not yet been disclosed.

via Dubai to launch mediation centre to cut litigation – The National.

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Difficulties producing ‘digital evidence’ cause lawyers to lose cases – SC Magazine UK

September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The challenge of processing digital information has caused lawyers to lose a case or to be fined or sanctioned in the last two years.

A survey of 5,000 lawyers across EMEA by Symantec found that they are struggling to manage the vast amounts of electronically stored information that play a vital role as evidence in legal matters across the EMEA region.

Half of those surveyed (51 per cent) admitted to problems identifying and recovering e-discovery in the last three months. However the poor availability of ‘digital evidence’, which can also hinder the legal process and the power of technology to identify and collect relevant information among millions of electronic files has had a positive impact on many cases across EMEA.

Almost all of the lawyers questioned (98 per cent) said that ‘digital evidence’ identified during e-discovery had been vital to the success of legal matters in which they had been involved in the past two years.

via Difficulties producing ‘digital evidence’ cause lawyers to lose cases – SC Magazine UK.

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FT.com / Media – Rivals to Apple’s iPad ready to take the stage

August 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Big-name manufacturers will unveil their answers to the iPad this week as Apple is due to launch a raft of new products.

Samsung and Toshiba are expected to lead a tablet charge at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin on Thursday, hours after a San Francisco media event where an annual update of Apple’s iPod range is expected.

There is speculation Apple could also announce a new version of its AppleTV set-top box and a version of the iPad with a smaller 7-inch screen.

With demand outstripping supply, Apple sold 3.27m iPads when they were introduced in its last quarter.

Analysts do not expect rivals to make inroads on its tablet supremacy until next year at the earliest.

The iPad will account for 74.1 per cent of global tablet shipments in 2010, according to forecasts last week from the iSuppli research firm. It is still predicted to have a 70.4 per cent share in 2011, falling to 61.7 per cent in 2012.

via FT.com / Media – Rivals to Apple’s iPad ready to take the stage.

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Worldwide web goes truly global with Arabic | Gulf News

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
"Arabic Language" in the Arabic Al-B...
Image via Wikipedia

There’s good reason Arabic advertisements are appearing more and more on websites across the globe.

Online, the Arab language is flourishing as the English-language dominated internet slowly gives way to a new multilingual era, promising billions of new e-commerce dollars and a growing sense of electronic cultural self-identity in the Middle East.

“With more users in the MENA region connecting to the internet, businesses of all types and sizes are starting to realise the opportunity to express their brand values through the online marketing space,” said Joanne Kubba, Global Communications and Public Affairs Manager at Google, Middle East and North Africa.

“This is being driven by the growth in users coming online in recent years. Whilst Google does not reveal country specific data, we have seen an increased demand for Google AdWords,” Kubba said.

According to World Internet Statistics, latest recorded figures show that from 2000 to 2009, Arabic language on the web grew 2,297 per cent, easily ahead of Russia's 1,359 per cent.

Of the world’s total 1.8 billion web users, 60.2 million (3.3 per cent) are Arabic speaking.

The mushrooming of Arabic on the internet can be attributed in part to ambitious policies such as those advocated by the United Arab Emirates, which leads the Middle East region with 74.1 per cent internet penetration.

As many as 3.5 million of the 4.8 million residents in the UAE are online.

Since 2000, the UAE has witnessed a 384 per cent increase in internet user growth, during a financial and social renaissance that has propelled the Emirates onto the world stage.

via gulfnews : Worldwide web goes truly global with Arabic.

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Canon enters e-discovery arena through acquisition of Océ for $1.1 billion

November 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Japanese imaging giant Canon Inc is set to takeover Europe's largest printer manufacturer, Océ  for approximately €730 million ($1.1 billion) in an all-cash deal, aiming to create the world's largest printing entity, benefiting from an excellent complementary fit in product lineup, R&D and business lines.

According to the conditional agreement reached yesterday between both the companies, Canon offered to buy all the outstanding shares of Océ at €8.60 a share, which represents a 70-per cent premium over the closing price on 13 November and 137 per cent above the average price over the past one year. The offer values 100 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of Océ at around €730 million.

Holders of Océ's cumulative preference shares Ducatus NV, ASR Nederland NV and ING AM Insurance Companies BV, with approximately 19 per cent of the total share capital, and another large share holder Bestinver Gestion SA owning about 9.5 per cent have agreed to tender their shares to Cannon.

Further to the takeover news, Océ shares skyrocketed 70 per cent to close at €8.62 yesterday on Amsterdam Stock Exchange, while Canon shares were down 1.5 per cent at ¥3,370 in Tokyo.

Venlo, Netherlands-based Océ is one of the world's leading providers of document management and printing solutions by offering office printing and copying systems, high speed digital printers, wide format printing systems for technical documentation and color display graphics as well as related services and supplies. The company has strong presence in Europe and North America and employs about 22,000 people. Its 2008 revenue amounted to $4.3 billion.

via domain-b.com : Canon to acquire Dutch printer maker Océ for $1.1 billion.

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