Opinion

The Amazon Outage in Perspective: Failure Is Inevitable, So Manage Risk

The most recent Amazon Web Services outage left customers (and rival cloud providers) blaming Amazon. Instead, CIO.com columnist Bernard Golden says, everyone needs to accept that cloud computing is not immune to failure. Fortunately, a key advantage

New Pandora iOS App Proves It’s a Service Worth Saving

Rumors of a new streaming-music service from Apple ramped up last week, and such a service could deal a significant blow to popular music-service Pandora. CIO.com blogger James A. Martin explains why he loves Pandora and details some cool new feature

How to Spot Fake Disaster Photos (and Other Lessons from Hurricane Sandy)

CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman shares lessons he learned from Hurricane Sandy, including tips on how to spot a fake disaster picture; why media outlets shouldn’t report on information posted to random message boards; and why intentionally pa

StarTech Hard Drive Enclosure Password Protects Encrypted Data

The StarTech Encrypted Hard Drive Enclosure offers top-notch performance and secure data encryption, and it has a touch pad for typing passwords to protect sensitive data.

Is Apple Getting Soft?

Apple ousts Steve Jobs protégé Scott Forstall. Will Apple’s risk-taking and innovation go with him?

Windows 8, Microsoft Surface, iPad Mini Reshuffle Tablet Deck

After a whirlwind of a week that announced new iPads and Windows 8, the tablet market is now a different beast with more choices for consumers and businesses. CIO.com’s Shane O’Neill went on NECN to discuss the evolving tablet space (video).

4 Mobile Apps to Help Track Hurricane Sandy and Stay Safe

As the massive storm Sandy bears down on the American east coast, CIO.com blogger James A. Martin spotlights a few hurricane-tracking and emergency/safety apps for iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices.

Microsoft’s Surface RT Is Worth a Look

It’s not the iPad, but Microsoft’s new tablet will actually help you get work done with great design, a real keyboard that doubles as a screen cover, and a free copy of Office Home and Student 2013 RT.

Jabra Extreme2 Bluetooth Headset is Sleek, Comfortable and Affordable

The Jabra Extreme2 Bluetooth headset is a comfortable, advanced earpiece that is available for the reasonable price of $80.

Google Nexus 4 Gets Official; Nexus 7 32GB $249 on Walmart.com; ‘Nexus 10’ Images, Video (UPDATED)

Google cancelled its scheduled New York press event due to Hurricane Sandy, but it still announced the new Nexus 4 phone. More details on its 32GB Nexus 7 and the new Nexus 10 tablet also leaked ahead of their official unveilings.

ColorWare’s Custom-Color iPhone 5 Costs a Cool $1700

Want a custom-color iPhone 5? Got $1700? ColorWare will be glad to help you out.

Circa iOS App is the Future of Reading News

A new app for iPhone and iPod touch does a fantastic job of curating and delivering the latest news headlines in an easily digestible format, according to CIO.com blogger James A. Martin.

Logitech Harmony Touch is the Ultimate Universal Remote Control

The Logitech Harmony Touch lets you say goodbye to the multiple remote controls you use to power up your home entertainment system. Unfortunately, it’s not cheap.

If You Worked at Facebook, Would You Cash In on Monday?

Silicon Valley will welcome a new batch of millionaires on Monday when Facebook’s stock is eligible for sale. Will employees sell or look to get even richer by waiting for the social network’s stock to recover?

The Real-Life Bad, Bad Leroy Brown (and More Cybersecurity News)

This week’s IT security news roundup has stories on a real-life bad, bad Leroy Brown; a Barnes & Noble data breach; Facebook’s refusal to remove a page with the license-plate numbers of unmarked police vehicles; and more.

Irony Alert: Nigeria Increasingly Targeted by Cyber Criminals

Nigeria, a nation that is home to an endless supply of bankers, princes and businessmen who all need your help accessing their funds, is now a major target for cyber criminals, according to Symantec.

Jabra Solemate is a Rugged Portable Speaker That Packs an Audio Punch

Jabra’s Solemate portable Bluetooth speaker not only sounds good, but its rugged exterior makes it perfect for use outdoors at the beach or while camping.

Windows 8 Launch: Live Blog

Google ‘Nexus 4’ Smartphone by LG: More Purported Images, Details

A U.K. electronics retailer listed Google’s new “Nexus 4” smartphone for sale online, along with Nexus 4 details and technical specifications. But Google isn’t expected to officially announce the device until next week.

Offline-Online Convergence Is Shaking Up the Retail Sector

CIOs are at the center of the ‘omnichannel retail’ revolution, where the customer expects the same great shopping experience whether the venue is a store, website, smartphone or tablet, says CIO Editor in Chief Maryfran Johnson.

CIOs Must Face the Talent Challenge

The IT talent wars are intensifying. IDG Enterprise CEO Michael Friedenberg identifes several approaches that CIOs are using to attract and nurture top talent.

Windows RT Is More Important Than You Think

Despite poor branding and confusion about the difference between Windows 8 and Windows RT, the tablet-only RT might be exactly what Microsoft needs to stay alive against Apple and Google in the post-PC era.

Colorspace UDMA2 Storage Device is an Invaluable Tool for Photographers

The Colorspace UDMA2 is a battery-powered storage gadget that lets you quickly and easily backup files stored on memory cards.

Verizon Report on Data Breaches is a Depressing Page Turner

It’s becoming easier and easier for the Bad Guys to access organizations’ sensitive data because many companies fail to use simple safeguards, according to a report from Verizon Business. Most data breaches also take weeks or longer to discover, the

iPad Mini Apps: What to Expect

Apple’s hardware is always great looking and a pleasure to use, but it’s really the software that makes iPad special. CIO.com blogger James A. Martin says fans of e-books and games will be particularly delighted with Apple’s new, smaller iP

Windows 8 Is Launching? Time to Go Buy a Windows 7 PC

Windows 8 PCs will flood the market early next week, but you’ll save money and avoid a lot of aggravation by buying a Windows 7 PC now.

Does Facebook’s Survey Mean It Really Does Care About You?

A notification on users’ Facebook pages asks them to take a survey about the social network’s user experience. Does this mean Facebook is finally focusing on what users want?

As Mobile Grows, So Does Cloud Computing

As PC sales decline and smartphone and tablet sales climb, the world of computing is poised for a dramatic shift. While mobile users do, in fact, ‘compute’ with their devices, application data and functionality actually reside in the cloud. To accomm

3 Things You Need to Know About Windows 8, Windows RT and Microsoft-Tablet Apps

Confused about Windows 8? You’re not alone. Here’s a quick guide on what to expect from Microsoft’s new operating systems, as well as which OS is best suited for you.

Obama and Romney are Neck and Neck…in the Malware Race

Thanks to a new malicious email claiming to be from CNN, Mitt Romney and President Obama are now equally popular targets for hackers looking to distribute malware to unsuspecting victims.