March 23, 2009
Are we headed into an era of “dumb tech?”
CrunchGear
John Biggs writes about the consumer electronics (CE) industry.
“So where does that leave the CE industry? Well, it’s now a race to the bottom. Video cameras that once cost $500 will now cost about $200. Digital cameras, real ones, are approaching the $100 mark. TVs will soon drop below the $500 mark for lower-end models. And, more importantly, devices like the Peek and the Flip point to a consumer focused on the creation of web content. The concept of dumb tech isn’t a negative thing. It is the understanding that instead of power, people want ease-of-use.”
Managed Services: The Cure for IT Pain
MSPmentor
Maurice Saluan writes about the managed service provider market place and how to best succeed.
“Eliminating server downtime, security risks and underperforming hardware is the most effective way to get your foot in the door when pitching managed services. When pitching managed services, MSPs should do a lot of listening to zero in on the client’s problems. Whatever the client tells you are the pain points, take notice. Then follow that up with an IT health check. Do a thorough analysis of the IT assets and infrastructure to pinpoint exactly what is causing the problems.”
Is it a bad idea for IBM to buy Sun
ZD Net
Stephen Shankland writes if IBM were to buy Sun Microsystems, why that could be a good idea.
“On paper, the deal could make some sense: adding Sun’s server market share would give IBM more clout in its competition with Hewlett-Packard, IBM would get some software and intellectual property assets, and that price would be a nice premium for Sun shareholders disappointed with the company’s sliding stock price. But given how directly Sun and IBM product lines overlap, there are no shortage of serious difficulties, too.”