How a “Billion Dollar Bully” May Finally Pay for its Dirty Tactics

Starting, maintaining, and growing a business is no easy task. It is even more difficult when you face a bully which happens to be a much larger, better-known business threatening you to use their service or face destruction for refusing them. Nonetheless, this has been the case for many businesses, from very large corporations to tiny businesses struggling to make rent month to month to every type of business in between. This is because of an online company utilizing a rating system of individual user reviews to leverage businesses, ultimately, to believe they require its services or they will suffer. The company responsible for this behavior and for the subsequent difficulties of many businesses as a result? Yelp, a name with which anyone who has searched for a business on the Internet or knows anything about online reviewing is familiar. Many have found its services helpful since its founding in 2004, and it does seem like a good thing. When a business model like Yelp’s becomes abusive and resorts to bullying to make money from businesses who need to have a positive presence online, though, things can go very bad quickly. This is, in fact, exactly what has happened in the fifteen years Yelp has been operating online. Read more »

SYRACUSE, NY

October 15, 2018

Samsung beats everyone, including Apple, in reliability this holiday season. It is the best choice for anyone’s computer needs, delivering more tech for less money. Read more »

The tech sector and the business world continue lack gender equality at the highest levels of the corporate ladder.  Many of the biggest tech sector companies – and some of the largest, most profitable, companies in the world – have upper management and/or Boards of Directors that have no women.  While change is coming slowly to the tech sector, some companies are moving at a more progressive pace.  A few companies, like Xerox, are able to proudly tout the fact that their Board of Directors and upper management are more diverse than others.  Ursula M. Burns makes that case easily for Xerox. Read more »

As businesses grow and more people discover that the Internet is not as daunting a tool as they might initially suspect, you might be inclined to build or maintain your own servers for your business.  While the initial set-up of your own server farm may be out of your league if you are not especially computer savvy, monitoring and maintaining your servers has become easier in recent years.  One element that may make it easier to maintain your servers in-house, without the need to hire a specialist, is server-monitoring technology.  Tripp Lite makes several pieces of server-related technology and the Minicom SmartRack 116 16-Port KVM may make monitoring your servers very easy. Read more »

Networking within a big business is becoming a pretty huge business in its own right.  The companies that are aiding big businesses with their internal communications have found a niche that they are very effectively filling.  The business networking companies continue to grow, despite the rapidly changing corporate and economic landscapes worldwide.  One of the most dynamic networking companies is Yammer.  Yammer continues to grow, in part, because of Dee Anna McPherson. Read more »

Given how very many companies now make docking stations for Apple mobile computing devices, it is fascinating to see how they try to differentiate their products from one another.  There is some irony in the fact that some of the most prominent brands to not capitalize on the most impressive aspect of their docking station.  Take, for example, the JBL OnTime Micro.  JBL’s main advertising campaign for the docking station focuses on the fact that is has an alarm clock built into it!  The JBL OnTime Micro is so much more than a glorified alarm clock, though. Read more »

No matter how the tech sector skyrockets and falls based on consumer electronics and computer sales, the medical technology field is one that is constantly innovating and growing.  While one might be able to live without the latest iPhone or tablet computer offering, medical professionals need the latest scanning and imaging devices and computer-driven gadgets in order to save the lives of their patients.  Medical technology is essential to longevity and living a good life.  Few people know that as Dale Johnson does! Read more »

In recent years, there have been some amazing advances in headphone technology that justify the price tags on some of the most impressive sets of headphones.  With price tags in the hundreds of dollars, many of the best headphones are now engineered for comfort, sound clarity and their ability to interface with multiple electronic devices.  One of the most impressive and versatile premium headphone sets is the Sennheiser PXC 450 NoiseGard Active Noise-Canceling Headphones. Read more »

Recent advances in technology make spending time underwater safer and more enjoyable.  From digital cameras designed to photograph underwater to more impressive technologies that locate undersea life, those who want to get the most out of the sea are at a great place to do that right now.  In addition to products designed to increase the amount of fun you have while swimming, snorkeling, or diving, companies like Suunto have rolled out wonderful product lines that enhance your subaquatic safety.  One of the most intriguing devices from Suunto is the Cobra3. Read more »

In the tech sector, companies grow and adapt to the challenges of the marketplace, or the company fails.  Few major tech companies have had as rocky a road to success as Acer.  While Acer manufactured personal computers that were very popular in China and Taiwan, it took quite a bit of time before Acer managed to successfully gain a significant market share of the U.S. and European pc market.  To become competitive on a global scale, Acer had to reorganize and change the way it did business.  In addition to designing computers that were subcontracted out for manufacture, Acer shuffled much of its management team.  As part of the many changes at the company, J.T. Wang gained prominence and a better position at Acer. Read more »