Author Archives: John Brandon

About John Brandon:

John Brandon is a tech contributor at Inc. magazine and an editor for
About 797 days ago Telecom and Wireless

Feds Approve Comcast-NBC Merger

The Justice Department and the FCC have approved the Comcast-NBC merger, which would drop GE ownership to only 49% and forge new ground for a massive cable company owning a popular television network. TechCrunch wonders what this means for the online television service Hulu. The real question: will The Office get renewed? Comcast-NBC Merger: The Hulu Rules [TechCrunch]

About 797 days ago Telecom and Wireless

Verizon to Add iPhone, but Now What?

Verizon officially announced the iPhone on their CDMA network, which means the device will not run as fast on the network but will connect in just about every major market in the US. PC Magazine provides a good report on what the iPhone faces on this older but more widespread network. Verizon Nabs the iPhone (Finally) [PC Magazine]

About 797 days ago Telecom and Wireless

President Obama Wants Internet ID

President Obama wants an Internet ID for everyone on the Net. This card or ID number would be used to prove your identity. But is it just another way the govbernment wants to control Internet usage?  Obama Eyeing Internet ID for Americans [CBS News]

About 797 days ago Telecom and Wireless

Can Verizon Wireless Handle the iPhone?

Verizon announced that they will be carrying the iPhone 4. But some industry insiders are wondering if the network can handle the expected traffic and deliver the speeds that iPhone users crave. Click here to read the article.

About 797 days ago Business Software

Get a Free Trial for Microsoft Office – for Mac

For those who like the test out the latest business software, but own a Mac, your options are somewhat limited. Well, they just got a little better because Microsoft finally has a trial for the Mac version of Office. “If you’re a Mac user and you absolutely cannot stomach the idea of paying for a Microsoft product, you can at least give Office a try for 30 days without spending a dime. Office for Mac has just introduced a trial program.Users can download the free version directly from Microsoft’s website. It’s a 600 MB file and will offer access to the basic Office applications with no limitation for 30 days, just like PC users are able to do.” Macheads can now “try before you buy” Microsoft Office [TG Daily]

About 797 days ago Business Software

ZDNet Offers Free Small Biz Protection Report

ZDNet, which is loosely connected with PC Magazine, is offering a free report on how to protect your small business. You can download the report in the link below. Info about the report: “Protecting electronic information and communications against internal and external threats, data loss, downtime, or disaster is more than just important-it’s the foundation of your customer relationships, and the core of your business. Download this guide to review possible defenses against internal and external threats, with faster, more reliable recovery from disruption and disaster, to safeguard your customers, employees, and your business future.” Small Business Protection Guide [ZDNet]

About 797 days ago Business Software

New E-Mail Service from Amazon a Good Fit for Biz

Amazon has announced a new “Simple E-Mail Service” that is a good fit for small business. The service is intended to simplify the complex nature of business e-mail for transactions (say, when someone buys a product at your site) and for sending press releases or other announcements to customers. The service ties into the other cloud offerings from Amazon so you can do things like send an e-mail directly from a hosted application. And, best yet for small business: you can use it only as you need it. Introducing Amazon Simple Email Service [Amazon]

About 797 days ago Business Software

Reaching More Customers with Apps

The New York Times is reporting that more small businesses, especially those in retail, are reaching customers with social media apps. One example: Buffalo Wild Wings is using an app to reach basketball fans by giving them extra rewards. From the report: “The chain, which has 730 locations around the country, is known for its wing-eating contests and trivia challenges. Beginning this month, it is working with Scvngr, a location-based social media network, to introduce contests and rewards for its customers. Its main target is tech-savvy basketball fans, an important demographic for the chain.” Restaurants Reach Out to Customers With Social Media [NYT]

About 797 days ago Business Software

Sign of the End Times: Microsoft Releases iPhone App

Microsoft has released an iPhone app called OneNote, which links to the desktop version of its note-gathering application. (You probably already own this app if you bought the business version of Outlook.) OneNote is a bridge between Outlook and Word in that you can jot down notes, then e-mail them or start a new document. The irony, though, is that Microsoft has released the app for iPhone even though they recently debuted a brand new smartphone platform called Windows Phone 7. Note: I reviewed several new phones in the latest issue of the magazine. The lesson here: when you know a competing smartphone has a massive installed base, and that installed base tends to actually download and try new apps, you follow the rampage. Oh, and you can get the app on your Win phone, too. Microsoft extends OneNote to iPhone [FierceMobile]

About 797 days ago Business Software

Microsoft Announces Dynamics CRM, Salesforce.com Shrugs

Microsoft has announced their new cloud offering in CRM, called Dynamics CRM. New competition for Salesforce.com is a good thing, and Dynamics presents a consistent interface similar to Outlook. But can they compete in the cloud? PC Magazine has the final word: “Microsoft is not being subtle in its attempts to snatch market share away from Salesforce.com and Oracle. Customers of either those services that switch to Microsoft Dynamics CRM between now and June 30, 2011 qualify for the Cloud CRM for Less offer. Customers will receive up to $200 per user, applicable to services much as migrating data or customizing the solution.” Microsoft Dynamics CRM Poised for Cloud Battle [PC Magazine]