Computer Support Blog

Environmentalism is becoming chic again and the technology sector is adapting remarkably quickly to the trend.  In fact, with technology improving and making access to educational tools easier, computer and electronics manufacturers must adapt to environmentalist policies or be left behind.  Apple is, unsurprisingly, the computer company leading the charge toward more transparent environmental policy.  While most of Apple’s manufacturing is done in China, a country with little regard to reducing the carbon footprint of companies there, independent auditors have found that even the Chinese facilities are better complying with Apple’s requests to reduce carbon emissions. Read more »

Sometimes, it takes time for people to realize just how cool an idea or device actually is.  When Dr. Michael Schuette developed the Neural Impulse Actuator for OCZ Technologies, he thought he was taking the first step toward thought-activated and thought-controlled computers.  Schuette was introducing consumers to the first logical step toward a new way of controlling computers, but the commercial release of the OCZ NIA focused on gaming.  Unfortunately for Schuette, OCZ and those who wanted to see radical technological improvement, OCZ Technologies released the NIA right when the video game market took an especially drastic hit due to the worldwide economic downturn.  Recently, though, consumers are discovering and rediscovering the incredibly cool OCZ NIA. Read more »

The rise of the Internet social network has happened with such a speed that it is often difficult to say what the real enduring impact of the Internet social network has been and will be.  To understand what Twitter is trying to convey, as far as what the service might mean to communications and history, a very specific analytic tool had to be built.  That tool was TagWalk and the inventor of TagWalk is Tim Hastings! Read more »

With identity theft remaining one of the enduring problems with modern communications, it is unsurprising how many products and services there are that offer to protect your data.  When it comes to data storage, there are several products that encrypt your files to protect them, like the industry-leading Ironkey Flash Drive that makes transporting your data incredibly risk-free.  It is hard to find an analogous product when it comes to communications technology, though.  That is about to change, thanks to Silent Circle. Read more »

Most computer peripherals have remained largely unchanged over the last ten years.  Ergonomic keyboards, for example, remain the most significant change in keyboards that has even partially stuck with consumers.  The computer mouse, since the optical mouse became the standard for the device, has not made any significant changes that consumers have adopted . . . until now.  With the millionth 3-D mouse shipped from 3Dconnexion, the 3-D mouse appears to be a radical redesign that consumers are actually interested in.  The latest model is the SpaceMouse Pro. Read more »

When your company is a multinational operation with many different divisions, the human resources department faces several challenges not faced by smaller businesses.  In the tech sector, many companies have corporate structures that are specialized to each continent or part of the world.  While having mirrored operations throughout the world may allow the company to specialize to capitalize on the abilities of the facilities in each area, it can create a real human resources nightmare.  To keep a company like that growing, you need a human resources specialist who can hire the executives needed to manage all of the disparate operations of the corporation.  For Imation, that person is Patricia Hamm. Read more »

Everyone wants to live in a safe world.  That is natural and it is a healthy instinct.  However, there is a pretty broad line that separates healthy concern for one’s wellbeing and outright paranoia.  Unfortunately, the latest Securities and Exchange Commission documents and Hay Group analysis indicate that the tech sector may be plagued by paranoia.  Many large Internet and IT companies are spending exorbitant amounts of money on personal security for executives which, arguably, they do not need. Read more »

There are, essentially, two ways to sell new technologies in a new market.  The first is to create a device that is entirely indispensible.  Creating a product that consumers feel they absolutely need is a great way to sell millions of units of a product.  The other way to sell new technologies in an emerging market is to reduce prices to move inventory.  It is that approach that Research In Motion is taking in India. Read more »

There are some work environments with which employees truly fall in love.  Those places where you might work where you find a sense of fulfillment and potential for advancement may be the best workplace of your life.  Sometimes, though, they might not be absolutely right for all you need at a certain point in your life.  When that happens, you may well move on.  The best workplaces, however, are the ones that will have you back when your circumstances, or those of the company you love, change once again.  Cadence Design Systems was an environment Susan L. Bostrom loved and one that eagerly took her back in 2011! Read more »

The marketing and statistics company Barclay’s has released its new CIO survey results, which explore how businesses are investing in technology.  Unsurprisingly, one of the emerging technologies that businesses are investing in more and more are tablet computers.  As the dominant manufacturer in the tablet computer market with its iPad, Apple Computers is witnessing a potential windfall from businesses buying iPads.  However, businesses investing heavily in iPads have the potential to be bad news for both Apple and businesses that invest in them.  Some of the looming issues for Apple include: Read more »