U.S. operators prepare to launch Isis digital wallet pilot
Isis will pilot its mobile commerce program based on Near-Field Communications technology in Salt Lake City in early to mid-2012, the joint venture said Monday.
Isis was formed in November last year and is a joint-venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, with the goal of using NFC technology to turn mobile phones into digital wallets.
The Isis system will allow users to pay for goods, redeem coupons and use store merchant loyalty cards, all with the tap of their phone. In Salt Lake City, consumers will be able to use "Isis-enabled mobile phones to make point-of-sale purchases at retailers across the Salt Lake City area and on public transportation," according to a statement. Read more...
Android leads smartphone market but not the overall mobile race
In a mere three months, Google Android shot from second to first place among smartphone platforms, with subscriber market share jumping from 26 percent in November 2010 to 33 percent in February. RIM managed to cling to second place with a 28.9 percent market share, despite a 4.6 percent drop in subscription share, while Apple iOS languished in third place at 25 percent, seeing a 0.2 percent bump.
Does that mean Google is the pony to bet on in the ongoing mobile race? Don't double-down yet. Read more...
Hacktivists – Who are they and how do we defend against them?
Almost anyone who ever h
as used a computer -or seen the movie “The Net”- knows what a hacker is, and what it is they generally do. Most people, however, are unaware that not all hackers are malicious digi-ninjas stalking the shadows of cyberspace, ready to infiltrate and steal individuals’ personal information. There exist a great many people who use their prodigious computer skills for what they see as cyber civil-disobedience and righteous sociopolitical reform. These people are known as “Hacktivists.”
Hacktivism -a lovely little portmanteau of hacker and activism- is defined as the practice of promoting a political or social agenda by hacking, especially by defacing or disabling websites. Read more...
5 signs your IT career is stuck in a rut
In December 2007, a 49-year-old senior database administrator at a Chicago investment firm decided he couldn't take it anymore. Excessive hours and oppressive management had taken their toll; he was also worn down by the fear and uncertainty of a financial crisis that threatened even the most revered institutions. His career was officially in a rut.
"I decided I had to get out of the investment community because they were killing me," he says. Was his work performance, the financial crisis or simply bad management to blame? With his 50th birthday just around the corner, he recalls, "I said to myself, 'I'm only going to do this [job hunting] one more time.' " He had to find the right fit.
Today, many IT professionals are searching for the same answers. Should you stay in your current position? Ask for a raise? Move to a new city? In tough economic times, it's hard to tell whether your industry, your company or your own performance is to blame for your career woes. Here are five signs that will help you tell the difference. Read more...