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Sep 15
Recruiters still not leveraging Facebook for social...

Bullhorn (www.bullhorn.com), which specializes in customer relationship management (CRM) software for the staffing and recruiting industries, has released its annual Social Recruiting Activity Report, based on the real usage data of 260,000 recruiters around the world leveraging the Bullhorn Reach social recruiting product.

While 97% of U.S. recruiters used LinkedIn for social recruiting in 2014, compared to 21% using Twitter and 19% using Facebook, Facebook was the only social network that saw any increase in share. The percentage of U.S. recruiters using Twitter declined rather substantially from 26% in 2013. And 71% of U.S. recruiters chose to use only LinkedIn for sourcing candidates and posting jobs, indicating that those who use the network are more reliant on it than ever before.

Other key findings in the Bullhorn report include:

° Social recruiters in North America are becoming less social:...

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Sep 12
13% of U.S. broadband households plan to buy connected...

Parks Associates (http://www.parksassociates.com) says that, although a substantial number of consumers are starting to use digital tools to manage their health, they use them infrequently.

Twenty-eight percent of U.S. broadband households used digital communication tools—email, online portal, mobile phone and apps, and webcam—to communicate with their care providers in the past 12 months, but their average usage is only three times per year, says the research group.

"Thirteen percent of U.S. broadband households plan to purchase a connected health device in the next 12 months, but these people are largely self-motivated," says Harry Wang, director, Mobile Product and Health Research, Parks Associates. "Nearly 50% of current and future owners of digital wellness devices like pedometers and fitness trackers made or are planning the purchase because they want to live healthier. These...

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Sep 11
Natural language processing market to see 21.1% CAGR...

ReportsnReports (www.reportsnreports.com). This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.1% from 2013 to 2018, according to the research group.

In the current scenario, web and e-commerce, healthcare, IT and telecommunication vertical continues to grow and are the largest contributor for NLP) software market. In terms of regional growth, North America is expected to be the biggest market in terms of revenue contribution. European and APAC region is expected to experience increased market traction, due to increasing adoption across various verticals and investment support in research projects from the regional government.

ReportsnReports says the major forces driving natural language processing market (NLP) are the growing demand for enhanced customer experience, increase in adoption of smartphone, leveraging big data and growth in machine to machine (M2M) technologies. What's...

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Sep 10
Fiber optics market worth $3 billion by 2019

The MarketsandMarkets (www.marketsandmarkets.com) research group says the fiber optics market will be worth US$3 billion by 2019.

Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe dominated the fiber optics market in 2013 and accounted for over 90% of the market size in terms of value. The Asia-Pacific fiber optic market is currently at a growing stage. Government directives intended to increase and encourage national broadband applications which are among the main drivers of the market.

Country-wise, China is the top most consumer of fiber optics product, globally and is also the largest market for fiber optics products growing at a CAGR [compund annual growth rate] higher than the global average till 2019.

The U.S is the largest fiber optics consumer in the world. Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth rate by 2019. The market in Asia-Pacific region is experiencing...

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Sep 10
Mobile cloud market to be worth $46.90 billion by 2019

New data from MarketsandMarkets (www.marketsandmarkets.com) says the mobile cloud market will be worth US$46.90 billion by 2019. With the rise in demanding times, cloud computing has evolved to give space for the upsurge in the mobile cloud era which provides continual access to the cloud-based applications and services merely through one's mobile device such as smartphones and tablets, says the research group.

The mobile cloud market has significantly amalgamated the comprehensive offerings from the cloud vendors, telecom network operators, and application developers and merchants to substantially benefit its users comprising enterprises and consumers. The escalating demands from the users and the ease in provision of competent mobile cloud-based apps are in turn driving the growth in the mobile cloud market, says MarketsandMarkets.

Major vendors of the global market are Amazon Web...

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Sep 09
Revenues from tablet games to triple

New data from Juniper Research (www.juniperresearch.com) says that by 2019 worldwide revenues from tablet games will reach US$13.3 billion – a threefold rise on the 2014 figure of $3.6 billion.

The research group says that growth will be fueled by a number of key factors including improved storage capacity of devices, better graphical capabilities, increasing mobile broadband penetration and consumers’ preference for convenience and ubiquity. Juniper says that the next year could be critical for smaller, independent games developers.

The research group says that, in marketplaces now containing over one million apps, greater funding would be required to optimize the opportunity to achieve consumer awareness, and suggested that crowdfunding would represent an increasingly popular option. Juniper also says that there will be strong growth in monetizaation of smartphone games across emerging...

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Sep 08
Nearly 50% of California broadband households use...

New digital health research from Parks Associates shows nearly 50% of California broadband households have used at least one online service offered by their doctors, compared to 42% nationally.

The research group's results are based on a 2Q 2014 nationwide survey of more than 5,000 U.S. broadband households, in advance of the firm’s inaugural Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers (www.connectedhealthsummit.com), taking place Sept. 4-5 at the Omni Hotel in San Diego.

"California is a leader in many technology markets, and digital health is no exception," says Harry Wang, director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates. "California consumers show higher levels of engagement, and this finding, coupled with the innovative offerings from multiple California-based companies, makes this state an important location for this expanding market. We chose to host the...

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Sep 05
Mobile Internet will continue to drive mobile revenues

In the first quarter (1Q) of 2014, the worldwide mobile service revenue increased 0.58% year-on-year (YoY) to US$264 billion according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com), and the aggregate service revenue for 2014 will grow 2.9% YoY to US$1.01 trillion, mainly driven by the robust growth of the mobile Internet market.

Proliferating mobile data subscriptions and enhanced network capacity will drive global mobile Internet service revenue to US$456.7 billion by 2019—44.7% of total mobile service revenue, says the research group. Despite global service revenue growth, the Western European market is declining: 1Q 2014 service revenue declined 5.2% YoY.

"Facing continued price pressure driven by the competitive mobile market, mobile carriers have had to take on higher subscriber retention and acquisition costs to support their market positions. This has affected profitability," says Marina Lu, research...

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Sep 04
30% of U.S. broadband households own and use at least...

New data from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) says that nearly 30% of U.S. broadband households own and use at least one connected health device.

"Demographic trends and limited availability of long-term care services are driving many people around the world to examine independent living at home technologies," says Harry Wang, director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates. "In the U.S. and Canada in particular, the private sector is the driving force for this market, and new technologies  make independent living both financially viable and technologically feasible.

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Sep 03
Internet of Things driving wireless connected devices...

According to an updated market forecast from ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com), the installed base of active wireless connected devices will exceed 16 billion in 2014, about 20% more than in 2013. The number of devices will more than double from the current level, with 40.9 billion forecasted for 2020.

"The driving force behind the surge in connections is that usual buzzword suspect, the Internet of Things (IoT)," says ABI Research principal analyst Aapo Markkanen. "If we look at this year’s installed base, smartphones, PCs, and other ‘hub’ devices represent still 44% of the active total, but by end-2020 their share is set to drop to 32%. In other words, 75% of the growth between today and the end of the decade will come from non-hub devices: sensor nodes and accessories."

From every technology supplier’s strategic point of view, the critical question is how this plethora of IoT devices will...

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Sep 02
The Northern Spy: iSchool (or the pitter patter of...

By Rick Sutcliffe

September is supposed to be back to school, but here in British Columbia of the frozen north, the public school teachers union and the Provincial government are so far away from each other in their contract positions that the mediator they consulted walked away from the dispute because his involvement had no prospect of success.

It doesn't help that after a previous government gave the union a sweetheart deal on class size and conditions the current one first tore the contract up then lost a lawsuit over the matter. An appeal seems unlikely to succeed, so expect the government to legislate the union back to work by mid October or so. Meanwhile, no prospect of back-to-school technology sales here, especially to the families of teachers in the public K-12 system.

The union executive needs to restrain its desire to control the classroom and moderate its salary demands, while the government needs to recognize that class...

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Sep 02
25% of U.S. broadband households with smart home...

New data from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) finds that roughly 25% of U.S. broadband households with smart home devices experience problems monthly. As a result, interest in tech support services among smart home device owners is strong-57% of consumers with an IP security camera and 58% of consumers with a smart electronic door lock or thermostat would value tech support services for these solutions.

"Smart home packages currently hold broad appeal among U.S. consumers, and last week, Parks Associates announced nearly 4% of U.S. households will have a smart home controller by the end of 2014, with an estimated increase to nearly 6% by 2015," says Patrice Samuels, research analyst, Parks Associates. "Support providers must be equipped to handle the growing demand for on-boarding and ongoing enablement services to ensure that consumers have optimal experiences with their smart home...

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Aug 29
Connected management mega-trend drives the global...

According to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight (www.berginsight.com), the global number of mobile network connections used for wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communication will increase by 21% in 2014 to reach 213.9 million at the year-end.

East Asia, Western Europe and North America are the main regional markets, accounting for around 75% of the installed base. In the next five years, the global number of wireless M2M connections is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.9% to reach 599.7 million in 2019. The mega-trend driving technology adoption in Europe and North America is what Berg Insight calls the concept of connected management.

"The IT-revolution has created new opportunities to collect and analyse data for the purpose of managing objects and behaviours," says Tobias Ryberg, senior analyst, Berg Insight. "Connected management is based...

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Aug 28
64% of all smart devices are part of a security or...

New data from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) says that nearly 4% of U.S. households will have a smart home controller by the end of 2014, with an estimated increase to nearly 6% by 2015.

The research group's study, which includes data from a 1Q 2014 survey of 10,000 U.S. broadband households, also reports 64% of all smart devices currently in households operate as part of a security or home controls system. Smart devices include motorized door controls, lighting controls, networked security camera, and programmable thermostats, among other devices.

"The smart home is an emerging market with multiple channels, from service channels to retailers such as Staples and Lowe's," says Tom Kerber, director, Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates. "The majority of smart devices installed today were acquired as part of a security or home controls system deployed by providers...

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Aug 27
Indoor location market worth $3.9 billion by 2019

MarketsandMarkets (www.marketsandmarkets.com) says the indoor location market will be worth US$3.9 billion by 2019. The pressing needs from the end customers for location based services are playing the major role in defining the future of the market, adds the research group.

The advent of hybrid positioning systems, location based analytics and real time tracking and navigation solutions are the products of huge demand for indoor location based products. Companies are putting sincere efforts in building customer specific products. Major players in this market are Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Ericsson, Google, Nokia, Microsoft, Motorola, Qualcomm and Siemens.

MarketsandMarkets has segmented the global Indoor Location Market by type of software solutions: indoor maps and navigation and indoor location-based analytics; by type of positioning systems: network-based positioning, independent...

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Aug 26
Worldwide sales of connected digital fitness trackers...

New data from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) says that the number of connected digital trackers sold worldwide rose from 6.6 million in 2012 to 13.6 million in 2013 and will double again in 2014 to exceed 22 million. Factors driving consumer adoption of these device include the impact of new solutions such as the Fitbit, Google Fit, and Apple's HealthKit.

"Connected trackers will account for 52% of all digital fitness tracker unit sales in 2014 and reach 81% by 2018 (66 million units)," says Harry Wang, director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates. "Smart watches are another wearables category poised for tremendous growth, with sales of almost 18 million units worldwide in 2014 and 121 million in 2018. These connected devices open new avenues for new fitness apps, health solutions, and data analytics. Connected Health Summit features multiple sessions with industry...

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Aug 22
OTT video services see opportunity to differentiate...

4K or Ultra HD is the future, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint to higher resolutions.  And while 1080p TV screens are the norm and mobile screen resolutions continue to climb, plenty of streamed HD content is still distributed in 720p or lower.  Over-the-top (OTT) services such as Netflix, VUDU, and M-GO, which exclusively distribute content over the Internet, are more eager to embrace 1080p and Ultra HD for connected CE devices in order to appear more innovative, according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com).

Meanwhile, traditional distributors, with regards to TV Everywhere content, are more likely to settle for 720p as they consider smartphones and tablets the primary targets; continuing to leverage existing Pay TV services as their "main" distribution channel for TVs – OTT operators likewise favor lower resolutions for mobile devices.

OTT (over-the-top) streamer shipments are forecast to rise...

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Aug 21
ABI Research: high profile data breaches drive $1.7...

Cyber-attacks directed against enterprises have grown both in numbers and sophistication over the past decade to a point where breach and data theft have become inevitable, according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com). In 2013, more than 800 million records were exposed as a result of data breach incidents.

A number of organizations including online auction site eBay, U.S. retailer Target, telecom operator AT&T, and social networking sites Facebook, Gmail, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn have reported massive data breaches in recent months, according to the research group. Hacking remains the leading cause for most attacks followed by malware and physical attacks such as point-of-sale intrusions and card skimming.

A data breach incident can have disastrous consequences on all businesses resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue and potential fines, not to mention the lingering impact on...

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Aug 20
U.S. video entertainment spending to hit $123 billion...

The overall US video entertainment market (subscription Pay-TV, box office, packaged home video, Pay-TV VoD and paid-for online video) continues to grow in low single digits, reaching $120 billion in 2013 — a 2% increase on 2012 — and is on track to peak at $123 billion in 2015, according to the latest industry report from Futuresource Consulting (www.futuresource-consulting.com).

"At $120 billion, this approximates to an average of $1,000 being spent on video entertainment by every US household," says David Sidebottom, senior market analyst, Futuresource Consulting. "This is by far the highest in the world, and significantly higher than any European country."

The US video market commands a unique position on the world stage, driven by an extensive choice of viewing options and a strong culture of new technology adoption: digital video spend in the US is larger than the rest...

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Aug 19
IDC: Worldwide IT market showing tentative signs of...

According to new data from the IDC research group (www.idc.com), recent volatility will gradually give way to a more positive outlook for IT spending in the second half of 2014.

With the U.S. and other mature economies mostly heading in the right direction and a significant commercial PC refresh cycle already underway, improvements in business confidence are set to drive a moderate infrastructure upgrade cycle over the next 12-18 months, while investments in software and services will continue to accelerate, says the research group.

Worldwide IT spending is now forecast to increase by 4.5% in 2014 at constant currency, or 4.1% in U.S. dollars. A significant proportion of this growth is still being driven by smartphones – IT spending excluding mobile phones will increase by just 3.1% this year in constant currency (2.8% in U.S. dollars).

Aside from smartphones, the strongest growth will come from software,...

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Aug 18
Data center end user take-up has doubled year-on-year

New research just released by GVA Connect (gatewaydatacentre.co.uk), the data center specialist division of property adviser GVA, showed that the take-up of data center space by end users such as corporate occupiers, government agencies and IT Integrators more than doubled in the first half of 2014 compared to this time last year.
 
"With continued acquisition by data center operators through 2013 and a sharp increase of end user take up in Q1/2014, our research shows the continued growth in take up of both co-location and wholesale data centre space by end users which is rewarding those commitments by operators to expand existing sites as well as developing new sites," says GVA Connect director Charles Carden.
 
Total take up (including operators and end users) in H1/2014 increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2013. Within that, the volume of end user transactions more than doubled from a total of 13MW in H1/2013 to 30MW in H1/2014.

"...

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Aug 15
Mobile media revenue to approach $380 billion by 2018

The Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com) predicts spending on consumer mobile media services consumed via the handset (which excludes tablet spend) including handset browsing, mobile applications, mobile games, mobile music, mobile video, mobile TV, ringtones, wallpapers and alerts will rise from just above US$236 billion in 2013 to approach $380 billion by 2018.

Mobile operators will remain the main beneficiaries with spending on mobile data accounting for over $254 Billion, or 67.3 percent, of total mobile media revenue by 2018. Strong mobile advertising revenue growth will eclipse consumer spend on premium content, rising at just below 20% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over the next five years.

In advanced mobile media regions, like North America and Western Europe, demand for web browsing, games, apps and social media services will continue to drive mobile data...

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Aug 14
Will TV providers get beaten to the punch by Smart TVs...

Smart applications and more interaction with the TV, both with different devices and for better navigation without a cumbersome TV remote, are priorities for consumers’ next TV purchase in the UK and US.

A recent study from the Digital Home Observatory (DHO) at Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com) surveying consumers in the UK and USA, found that functionalities such as being able to mirror a smartphone’s display, or providing a simplified human-machine interface (HMI), for example through voice or gesture control, were highly appealing features. However, such capabilities come at a cost. Rather than snapping up a more expensive smart TV, consumers are now looking to less costly media solutions such as Google Chromecastor and Roku, to provide such features.
 
"As traditional TV continues to be threatened by over-the-top subscription based video-on-demand (OTT SVOD), TV...

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Aug 13
Study: consumers want innovation, customization in...

Mobile phone users are ready for new options in data pricing and on-device solutions that provide them with more ability to control and personalize their mobile service, according to Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com).

The survey reveals 60% of mobile phone owners want to be able to customize their plans, and 50% are interested in the ability to directly purchase more data in real-time from their device. Strategy Analytics surveyed over 500 mobile phone users in each of six mobile markets (China, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the U.S.). Key findings include:

°  60% of mobile phone users are interested in customization of their service plan, with particularly high interest in China (74%) the US (67%) and the UK (58%).

° 50% express interest in a real-time, on-device option to monitor data use and purchase more data.

° In China, interest in plan option for...

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Aug 12
Report: Iliad's T-Mobile bid risks US wireless...

Iliad’s surprise bid for T-Mobile would leave Sprint the least able to compete if wireless prices tumble, according to the "Strategy Analytics Wireless Operator Strategies (WOS)" service report (http://bit.ly/1kqfg6V).

While Strategy Analytics believes the bid will ultimately fail, it represents a wake-up call for all the carriers in the increasingly saturated market. Key findings from the report:

° Iliad’s Free has had a dramatic impact on the French market, driving a 29% decline in service revenue and 19% decline in EBITDA since its launch.

° Iliad’s founder, Xavier Niel, is also an investor in Israel’s Golan Telecom, who’s aggressive mobile launch two years’ ago has had an equally dramatic impact on the market.

° Despite good logic to a bid by an operator keen to play outside the contracting European market, Iliad is unlikely to have an appetite for a bidding war with Softbank.

"...

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Aug 11
Consumers find cloud DVR technology appealing

Over 45% of U.S. pay-TV subscribers find cloud DVR technology very appealing, according to new research from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) notes that consumers show particular interest in unlimited storage space and two-week catch-up services for video.

With the Supreme Court omitting cloud DVR in its 2014 Aereo ruling, pay-TV providers can experiment with these cloud services as strategies to build subscriber loyalty and increase revenues.

"The Aereo case left licensing for cloud DVR rights largely unaffected, allowing pay-TV providers to move forward with cloud DVR development and implementation," says Glenn Hower, research analyst, Parks Associates. "For example, Comcast recently launched in Atlanta its X1 DVR service, which allows, among other capabilities, subscribers to access DVR recordings on their mobile devices. As content owners and providers experiment with cloud...

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Aug 08
Smart cities to rise fourfold from 2013 to 2025

The number of smart cities worldwide will quadruple within a 12-year period that started last year, proliferating as local governments work with the private sector to cope with a multitude of challenges confronting urban centers, according to a new report from IHS Technology (http://www.ihs.com). 

There will be at least 88 smart cities all over the world by 2025, up from 21 in 2013, based on the IHS definition of a smart city, according to the research group. While the combined Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) region represented the largest number of smart cities last year, Asia-Pacific will take over the lead in 2025. In all, Asia-Pacific will account for 32 smart cities of the total in nine years’ time, Europe will have 31, and the Americas will contribute 25.

"Smart cities encompass a broad range of different aspects, but IHS has narrowed the definition of the term to describe cities that have deployed—or...

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Aug 07
Graphic Node launches new Set for iWork Plus

Graphic Node (http://www.graphicnode.com) has introduced Set for iWork Plus 1.0, a new collection of iWork templates designed to help OS X users make the best of Apple's iWork productivity applications.

The new pack for Apple's Pages, Keynote, and Numbers contains over 3,000 templates and images, including Graphic Node's first set of 50 scrapbook templates. All templates are editable and available in the US and international paper sizes. The designs range from traditional and formal to friendly and unconventional.

Set for iWork Plus requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later, Pages '09 or later, Keynote  '09 or later, and Numbers '09 or later. For a limited time, it's available for US$39.99 at the Mac App Store in the Productivity category.

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Aug 07
GPS tracking devices to break $3.5 billion in 2019

Health, commercial/enterprise, wearables, and iBeacons will help to revive the GPS tracking device market, with ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) forecasting the market to reach over $3.5 billion in 2019.

The GPS personal tracking market has always had huge potential yet it has faced huge barriers around awareness and RoI (return on investment), expensive devices, cellular subscriptions, indoor location and severe regionalization and fragmentation, according to the research group. As a result the market has never been able to scale sufficiently to lower costs and create the revenue to support much needed marketing/advertising campaigns.

"The potential of this market continues to draw investment and interest. Over the last 12 months, there has been a host of companies entering this space," ABI Research Senior Analyst Patrick Connolly says. "As well as a steady stream of start-ups like estimate and...

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Aug 06
Survey: NSA, retail breaches influenced corporate...

Sixty eight percent of businesses stated that the NSA breach by Edward Snowden and the number of retail/point of sale (PoS) system breaches in the past year were the most impactful in terms of changing security strategies to protect against the latest threats, according to a global survey by the CyberArk (www.cyberark.com) security company.

The majority of organizations surveyed believe that attacks reaching the privileged account takeover stage are the most difficult to detect, respond to and remediate. While the NSA breach is widely regarded as the prototypical insider-based attack, and the retail/PoS breaches are regarded similarly for outside attacks, the critical link between both attacks was the compromise and exploitation of privileged credentials.

When asked which cyber-attacks or data breaches in the past year had the biggest impact on their business’ security strategy:

° 37% of...

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Aug 05
IDC: Network virtualization to revolutionize...

According to new research from IDC (www.idc.com), network virtualization is set to revolutionize the telecom industry as it transforms the culture and operational infrastructure, as well as the fabric of legacy proprietary infrastructures that have, until now, dominated the space.

As technologies and business dynamics continue to evolve, network virtualization strategies are reshaping the telecommunications ecosystem, says the research group. The shift to the third platform — built on cloud, mobile, social, and big data and analytics technologies — is driving communication service providers (CSPs) and their suppliers to accelerate their efficiencies and agility IT industry approaches and technologies such as virtualization, balanced with telecom industry business considerations are coming to the forefront of telecom industry dynamics.
Communication service providers and their suppliers are embracing the promise and...

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Aug 04
Consumers will research online, but buy in-store

The back-to-school (BTS) shopping season in the U.S. is already in full swing, with over one-third (37%) of consumers having begun their shopping – up from the 29% who started at this time last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Roughly 90% of households indicated a selection of brick-and-mortar retail as a shopping venue for the BTS season.

Consumers will shop in a variety of places for their BTS items this year. While discounters are still expected to be the winners, the number of households selecting this shopping venue dropped from 90% last year to 80% this year. For all 2014 BTS shopping venues, discounters represented a 23.7% share of where consumers will shop, according to ICSC.

Many retailers found in regional malls and open-air centers, such as office supply stores, traditional department stores, electronic stores, and apparel specialty stores, should see increased activity during the BTS season. The biggest mover was...

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Aug 01
ABI Research: mobile network security will be '...

Outdoor small cells pose increased security risk as mobile networks densify to meet burgeoning traffic demands. Small Cell shipments will exceed macrocells in 2016, and total shipments will reach nearly 15 million units through 2019, according to ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com).

With residential femtocells stagnating, shifting market dynamics favor larger deployment scenarios in enterprise and urban outdoor femtocells. Top-tier operators planning wide-scale deployments include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Telefonica, SK Telecom, and SoftBank. Regardless of location and size, operators must provide Small Cell networks with at least the same level of security that is expected from the mobile network, according to ABI Research.

"Small Cells are inevitable parts of future mobile networks, but IP-based backhaul and location risks, like being out of operator direct reach and open to public...

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Jul 31
The Internet of Things will keep demand for standalone...

The share of standalone Bluetooth ICs will be about 40% by the end of 2014, down from 42% in 2013, and by the end of 2019 that share will remain at 40%, according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com).

The steady market share of standalone Bluetooth IC market share is being maintained by both traditional device categories which consist of handsets, tablets, and PCs, and new growth categories including wearables, sports and fitness equipment, and smart home nodes.

"End user products such as smartphones and PCs have been shifting away from standalone solutions for some time now, and smartphones have shifted to integrated platforms with Bluetooth as well," says research director, Philip Solis. "On the other hand, there is a growing long tail of devices around the Internet of Things (IoT) that will gravitate towards standalone Bluetooth in many cases. The end result is that standalone Bluetooth ICs...

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Jul 30
IDC: digital production color market on growth path

According to new research from IDC (www.idc.com), the worldwide digital production color market continued its unabated growth of top-line shipment value in 2013.

The industry achieved record shipment values of US$4.4 billion in 2013, fueled by growth in a range of technologies, from mid-production cut sheet to ultra-high volume inkjet systems. The cumulative value of shipments is expected to approach $25 billion over the 2014-2018 forecast period, climbing from US$4.6 billion to $5.4 billion with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%.

"Between 2014 and 2018, IDC expects to see the sum of all production color shipments to surpass 353,000," says Amy Machado, senior research assistant, IDC. "The high end of the market, albeit smaller from a unit perspective, is where the gold rush of pages is occurring with vendors vying for market dominance."

Annual unit shipments doubled from 2008 to 2013, growing from...

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Jul 29
ABI Research: global pay-TV market to generate $280.4...

The worldwide pay-TV market continues to grow in the first quarter of 2014 (Q1 2014). According to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com), the total pay-TV subscriber base is expected to surpass 936.4 million at the end of 2014, generating US$280.4 billion in service revenue.

Although the global cable TV market grew in 2013, the North American cable TV market lost around 4% subscriber base in 2013. High subscription cost and other pay-TV alternatives are blamed for the declining subscriber base; however, cable TV operators experienced slower subscriber loss rate in the past two quarters. In Q1 2014, subscriber net loss of major cable operators in the United States was around 7k compared to over 200k subscriber loss in 4Q 2013.

"Innovative services such as Comcast’s cloud based X1 system which allows customers to store and watch TVshows on different devices has helped to reduce churn," says Jake Saunders...

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Jul 28
IDC: cloud hardware spending breaks $4 billion mark

A new International Data Corporation (IDC) study confirmed that cloud is the major disruption factor in the EMEA [Europe, the Middle East, and Africa] infrastructure hardware market, accounting for a growing portion of hardware spending and exerting influence on hardware architectures and vendors' strategies.

The overall investment in hardware for cloud environments in EMEA is expected to exceed US$4 billion in terms of user value by the end of 2014, with a strong 19% year-over-year growth, says the research group. 15% of the infrastructure spend in EMEA will be related to cloud environments in 2014, versus only 8% in 2011. This will grow to more than 22% by 2018, says IDC (www.idc.com). Further findings from the report include:

° IDC estimates that $3.4 billion was spent on hardware going to cloud environments in EMEA in 2013, up 21% compared with 2012. This led to an increase in the penetration of the overall...

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Jul 25
4G LTE to represent over 1-in-5 active mobile...

A new report from Juniper Research (www.juniperresearch.com) forecasts a rapid uptake of 4G LTE mobile technology in the next five years, with active connections crossing the one billion mark in 2017 and reaching 1.8 billion by 2019. This will represent 22% of the global active mobile SIM connections by this time.

The report from the research group finds that, with the rate of LTE network commitments and roll-outs at an all-time high, network and device vendors have significantly improved their position to offer products and solutions to network operators. The GSA (Global Mobile Suppliers Association) confirmed that 168 manufacturers have announced 1,889 LTE-enabled user devices, including operator and frequency variants, along with 300 commercial network launches.



Juniper found that TD-LTE (Time Division LTE - using unpaired spectrum) will indeed play a major role in global deployment....

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Jul 24
Gartner: the business consumer requires a digital...

Gartner, Inc. (http://www.gartner.com) says that IT leaders have a significant opportunity to contribute to the business by creating a more flexible work environment that accommodates the needs of the business consumer.

Starting with the rise of PCs and the Internet era, users have a greater influence on IT strategy and we are currently witnessing the rise of what Gartner calls the "business consumer" — an employee for whom business activities are one part of a wider lifestyle," says Matthew Cain, research vice president at the research group.

"Individuals do not stop being consumers when they go to work," he adds. "Business consumers often make more consumer-like choices in their workplace computing tools and styles to increase efficiency."

Given the complexity of work environments and the geographic distribution of expertise across organizations, a critical competitive advantage will accrue...

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Jul 23
Cable operators seize the OTT initiative

Cable and over-the-top (OTT) providers are striking an unusual friendship, one that leads to profitability for both sides once some large challenges are hurdled, according to the latest report from Heavy Reading Cable Industry Insider (www.heavyreading.com/cable), a subscription research service from Heavy Reading.

"Cable & OTT: New Opportunities for Convergence" explores the market drivers, opportunities for convergence and the challenges ahead. It includes profiles of 10 cable software suppliers that offer solutions that support cable's TV Everywhere and multi-screen initiatives, which also can lend support for cable-OTT integration.

"As OTT video streaming services and devices began to attract consumers, they appeared like barbarians at the gate, ready to disrupt traditional media and topple the longstanding empires of cable and other television establishments," notes Craig Leddy...

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Jul 22
IK Multimedia releases VocaLive 2 for iOS

IK Multimedia has released version 2 of its VocaLive app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It adds a flexible new multitrack studio with digital audio workstation features.

Now singers, songwriters and musicians can benefit from advanced editing features like timeline audio editing, waveform visualization, touch-and-drag looping and more. VocaLive can be used with the IK Multimedia iRig line of microphones and mic interfaces, VocaLive provides an all-in-one solution - with superb sound quality, recording flexibility and ease-of-use - for the professional singer on the go.

The newest feature in VocaLive 2 is its Studio section. Designed to complement VocaLive's Recorder section, it allows for a full degree of editing and composing flexibility with recorded tracks. Musicians can see and manipulate their audio tracks (up to four on an iPhone and eight on an iPad) as waveforms on a timeline grid, just like on a computer digital audio workstation.

Clips can be...

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Jul 22
Study: channels are irrelevant to consumers

SDL has released the final report of the “Five Truths for Future Marketers” series titled “Channels are Irrelevant,” that features results from SDL’s global survey of more than 1,800 millennials (ages 18-36). The data reveals that today’s consumers no longer care about where they are or what device they are on when interacting with a brand, as 58% of millennials polled said they expect to engage with a company whenever they choose and via whichever channel they elect.

The data highlights the critical need for brands to stop focusing on channels and instead apply what they know about their consumers to elevate the overall experience in the buying journey. Millennials are the "always on" and connected generation, demanding consistent and seamless interaction with brands wherever they are and from any device they choose. According to the data, millennials touch their smartphones 43 times per day, and 30% admit they touch more than four devices over the course of 24 hours....

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Jul 21
Shipments of 300Mbps smartphone modems to exceed 700...

Shipments of second-generation LTE basebands, commonly called Cat4, enabling mobile users to enjoy up to 150 Mbps bandwidth, barely exceeded 42 million in 2013, according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com).

However, key chipset suppliers are stretching their muscles for next-generation basebands that will enable speeds of up to 300 Mbps, namely Cat6 chips. New findings from the research group indicate that cumulative shipments of Cat6 chips targeting smartphones are expected to exceed 700 million by the end of 2019.

"Although a number of chipset suppliers have announced their Cat6 basebands, mobile operators are not yet launching commercial networks that will allow users to enjoy mobile broadband speeds exceeding 150Mbps. An exception to this is SK Telecom which recently launched an LTE-Advanced service, offering speeds up to 225 Mbps," says Malik Saadi, practice director at ABI Research.

...

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Jul 18
CHGT: new 3D printing innovations open up opportunities

As forward-thinking technology company Changing Technologies, Inc. (http://tinyurl.com/mcdmvoe) has examined new ways to commercialize the latest innovations, a recent news report suggests that 3D printing is set to become a game-changer in the multi-billion dollar headphone market.

While figurines, household items and even food are examples of smaller-scale items created by 3D printers for the consumer end user, ABC News reported last week that a New York-based company is now mass producing custom-fit earphones using advanced mobile and 3D-printing technologies. Simply using a phone app and a photo, the earphones are custom-made, have a price-floor under $200 and can be delivered in two days.

NDP Group consumer electronics experts project earphone/headphone sales to exceed $2 billion in 2014. Apple Inc. recently purchased consumer electronics company Beats Electronics producers of Beats by...

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Jul 17
In-vehicle ads to impact automotive infotainment market

Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets.com) says in-vehicle advertising will affect the North American auto infotainment market.

There is an influx of connected vehicles in the United States. The success of mobile advertisements delivered through handheld devices is due, in large part, to social media, and the transition to the next largest audience (automotive) is promising, according to Research and Markets. The research group's study found:

° While mobile advertising has seen lucrative growth, Frost & Sullivan expects the industry to continue to grow, making in-vehicle advertising more attractive.

° Streaming services in vehicles do not have the same traction as mobile offerings, so in vehicle ads will almost make up for high-development costs to the service provider.

° Location-based services will be the leading method for ad delivery, but first marketers...

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Jul 16
Cloud app development, management platforms to flourish

The nascent enterprise mobility space will see tremendous growth in new cloud based solutions as enterprises seek to mobilize quickly and easily, according to ABI Research (http://www.abiresearch.com).

No longer focused on mobile device management solutions, companies are seeking mobile application platforms deployed on-premise or in the cloud for the development and management of enterprise applications, the research group adds. The shift towards applications is based on necessity and scalability as enterprises are forced to deal with a growing number of devices and device platforms accessing enterprise content and systems.

"Mobile applications allow for greater flexibility when mobilizing content and employees," says ABI Research Senior Analyst Jason McNicol. "However, the cost in terms of time and resources is fairly expensive to generate a single app for multiple platforms like iOS,...

| Read more »
Jul 15
WiFi double digit growth to continue with next wave of...

Qualcomm-Atheros' recently announced portfolio of 802.11n/ac MU-MIMO "Wave 2" chips represents the next evolution of Wi-Fi to higher data rates and capacity, helping stimulate demand for Wi-Fi routers and Wi-Fi-enabled mobile devices, according to Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytics.com)

The research group predicts that 802.11n/ac with MU-MIMO will help propel the Wi-Fi market to 3 billion systems shipped in 2018, at the same time pushing the market for external RF power amplifiers for Wi-Fi up by more than 50% from 2013 sales, to the benefit of Skyworks, RFMD, TriQuint and other suppliers.

Based on a detailed analysis of Wi-Fi adoption and radio component architectures in 24 types of Wi-Fi systems, the report includes historical shipment estimates and specifications for the latest Wi-Fi radio SoCs and power amplifiers.

"The Wi-Fi SoC suppliers have worked hard...

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Jul 11
Worldwide IT spending on pace to grow 2.1% this year

Worldwide IT spending is on pace to total $3.7 trillion in 2014, a 2.1% increase from last year; however, this grow rate is down from earlier projections of 3.2% growth, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. (http://www.gartner.com). The slower outlook for 2014 is attributed to a reduction in growth expectations for devices, data center systems and to some extent IT services, according to the research group.

"Price pressure based on increased competition, lack of product differentiation and the increased availability of viable alternative solutions has had a dampening effect on the short term IT spending outlook," says Richard Gordon, managing vice president at Gartner. "However, 2015 through 2018 will see a return to ‘normal’ spending growth levels as pricing and purchasing styles reach a new equilibrium. IT is entering its third phase of development, moving from a focus on technology and...

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Jul 08
Wireless LANs to represent 18% of enterprise...

Canalys (www.canalys.com) has announced its forecast for enterprise networking investment, which shows the ongoing shift in budgets from wired to wireless.

The total worldwide end-user value of router, switch and wireless LAN shipments is forecast to grow from US$29.9 billion in 2013 to $33.7 billion in 2018, according to the research group. Wireless LANs will remain the fastest growing segment, accounting for 18% of total value by the end of this period, up from 14%.

"Wireless LAN investment continues to be driven by enterprises moving more of their campus and branch office networking budgets from fixed to wireless to support increasingly mobile-centric user device access at the LAN edge," says Canalys Principal Analyst Matthew Ball.

The transition to 11ac continued to accelerate during the first quarter of 2014, following the start of customer adoption in Q3 2013. Just over 10% of access point...

| Read more »
Jul 07
Consumers want more flexibility when shopping online

Online shoppers want retailers to make it easier to purchase their goods and services, according to comScore (www.comscore.com), a company that "measures the digital world." Consumers also want websites and stores to work better together. For now, they also prefer to evaluate and purchase products from their desktops rather than their mobile devices, and when it comes to shipping and returns “free” is a driving factor to complete the sale.

Earlier this year, comScore asked 5,800 consumers about their online shopping experiences. Respondents said they want more options in searching for items, checking out, enhanced security and alternate delivery locations. While smartphones play a big role in the online experience, user interfaces have some catching up to do to win over consumers.

Online shoppers who use multiple devices said they would prefer to shop on a desktop computer over mobile because larger and...

| Read more »
 

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