Opinion

Apple’s ‘Replacement’ Maps App for the iPhone a Bad Call

Apple’s native maps app for iOS 6 is about as reliable as an NFL replacement ref. Bring back Google Maps to the iPhone!

Google’s Driverless Cars: Stupid Idea of the Year

How would you like to be a crash test dummy? A road full of cars piloted by fallible computers is like a terrifying scene from a Terminator movie. But it’s what Google is envisioning with its driverless cars.

Corporate Cell Phones: Perk or Penalty?

8 Tips to Increase IT Worker Retention

Hiring the best IT professionals on your team is only part of your job as an IT manager. Keeping your star employees can prove to be an even more difficult task.

WriteThat.Name Automatically Updates Your Smartphone’s Address Book

If you’re anything like CIO.com blogger James A. Martin, you’re not exactly diligent about updating your digital contacts. Thankfully, the WriteThat.Name Web service will do the job for you–with one small caveat.

How Would You Build Your Perfect Office Space?

If the office printer is your worst enemy or you hate working 9 to 5, you’re not alone. LinkedIn’s latest survey sheds light on office items and trends headed toward extinction. If you could create the perfect office environment, what would you inclu

Recharge Your Smartphone, Tablet on the Go With These 3 Battery Packs

CIO.com gadget-blogger Paul Mah highlights three external battery packs that can be used to power up smartphones and tablets when you don’t have access to a power outlet.

Windows 8: A Bridge to the Future or New Coke?

Critics applaud Microsoft making Windows 8 uniform across devices, but also accuse the company of cutting of its toes to fit the shoe.

3 Ways to Invest in Emerging Technology in the Age of Digital Disruption

In today’s world, digital disruption can strike in the blink of an eye, which has IT executives rethinking competitive strategies. In order to compete with digital disruptors businesses must take a new investment approach to emerging technology.

Air Force Chief, Ex-FBI Agent: Cybersecurity Policy Can’t Wait

Both the U.S. Air Force chief and a former FBI agent think that now is the time for a U.S. executive order on cybersecurity. Here’s why.

RIM to Launch First BlackBerry 10 Smartphone on January 21, 2013?

RIM could launch its first BlackBerry 10 all-touch smartphone on January 21, 2013, based on some remarks made today and in the past by RIM’s developer chief and CEO.

Cell Phone Insurance: Don’t Buy into It

Buying insurance for that new iPhone 5 may seem like a good investment. But all-too-many policies have huge loopholes, big deductibles and high premiums.

Washable Logitech K310 Keyboard is Perfect for Working in Messy Environments

Spilled coffee and sandwich crumbs are no match for Logitech’s Washable Keyboard K310, which is designed to be sprayed down for a quick clean.

How to Track Cost Allocation for Cloud Apps

Cloud computing changes cost allocation over the lifetime of an application. We look at the benefits and shortcomings of the different approaches. In addition, we outline right approach for IT organizations to take in order to realize the benefits of

Totally Ridiculous and Unnecessary Apps Hall of Fame: Blacksocks App Sorts…Black Socks

CIO.com blogger James A. Martin kicks off a new series meant to spotlight ridiculous mobile apps with a look at Blacksocks, an app that helps you sort identical black socks using an iPhone app. Seriously.

iOS 6 Breaks My iPad

Good thing my iPad isn’t a BYOD tool. Or is it?

Google Updates Android Maps App After Apple Boots it from iPhone

Google’s Maps app for Android smartphones just received an update with a particularly nice new feature. Too bad the directions still feel like they’re in beta.

Cybersecurity News Roundup: Sophos IDs Its Own Antivirus Software as Malware

This week’s IT security news roundup has stories on Sophos’s anti-virus software identifying itself as malicious code; a Microsoft 0-day fix; Iranian cyberwar; an Android NFC hack that let commuters ride to work for free; cybercriminals targetin

Dirty Secrets of the Most Popular Ultrabooks

If the Macbook Air is the gold standard of the thin and light laptop, how do four popular Window’s Ultrabooks stack up? Here’s the scoop from people who bought them.

5 Top-of-the-Line iPhone 5 Cases

CIO.com gadget-blogger Paul Mah shares his recommendations for five great iPhone 5 cases that can help protect your new Apple smartphone.

Sourcing IT Best Practices in the Wake of Digital Disruption

Digital disruption will cause a transition and upheaval of products in nearly every industry. Sourcing and vendor management professionals will be driven to become more involved with third-party product development services providers. It is important

Windows Phone Scuffle: Microsoft Starts Fight Between HTC and Nokia

To bring as many Windows Phones to market for a holiday showdown with the iPhone and Android, Microsoft has pit mobile partners HTC and Nokia against each other. But Microsoft has to increase Windows Phone phone volume or it won’t survive, partner lo

Hackers Attack BoA and Chase Banking Sites, Press Overreacts (As Usual)

Hackers appear to have targeted both Bank or America and JPMorganChase with DDoS attacks, but despite what some media outlets want you to think, the attacks really aren’t something to worry about, according to CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman.

Amazon’s Online Sales Tax Holiday Is Ending and That’s a Good Thing

Amazon started collecting sales tax in California on Saturday, and other states will soon follow. While nobody likes to pay more for online items, it will help the greater good.

3 Things to Love about iOS 6—and 2 to Hate

After spending some time with Apple’s new iOS 6 iPhone software, CIO.com blogger James A. Martin found a few things to love—Bluetooth is free at last!—and a couple of things he wishes he hadn’t found at all.

Disaster Proof All of Your Data with New ioSafe N2 NAS

The new ioSafe N2 is a fire- and water-proof network connected, multi-drive Network-Attached Storage (NAS) appliance that’s designed to protect your data from almost any disaster.

iPhone 5 Price Madness: $207 to Build; $649 from Apple; $900 or More on eBay

The iPhone is selling faster than any gadget in history, and when demand is so high, the price customers are willing to pay jumps accordingly. Even so, the lengths consumers are willing to go to, and the prices they’ll pay, to get an iPhone 5 are ast

‘Shamoon’ Virus That Devastated Saudi Oil Co. Likely to Have Done More Damage

Last month, Saudi Aramco was hit with a massive cyber attack. The “Shamoon” virus that infected Aramco has probably done a lot more damage than what’s been publicly reported, according to CIO.com blogger Constantine von Hoffman. Here’s why.

Motorola RAZR i is ‘First Smartphone to Hit 2.0 GHz’ Processor Speed

Motorola’s upcoming RAZR i smartphone is the company’s first handset with an Intel processor, and the single-core Intel Atom chip can reportedly reach processing speeds of up to 2.0 GHz.

Online-Shopping Comparison Apps Get New Price Guarantee Feature

You could save money on your next new gadget thanks to price comparison service Decide.com. The service’s iOS and Android apps make it easy to snap product barcodes to compare prices, but they’re missing some of the website’s features.