Networking & Communications News

RFID started like a tsunami and ended as a dripping faucet. TechNewsWorld says the cost of tags, reader accuracy problems, privacy, and questions of ROI are jamming the message of advocates. Inventory control benefits and pharmaceutical industry federal mandates may keep the technology alive, but just barely.

By delivering more network-intensive features, the iPhone fuels bandwidth demand and raises the bar on wireless connectivity expectations. According to TidBITS, to match this mobile revolution, AT&T will bolster its High Speed Packet Access network and expand coverage with femtocells, fiber-optic upgrades, and expanded Wi-Fi zones.

Drive-by attacks, using PDF and Adobe Flash exploits, have been targeting Internet Explorer users and compromising Web sites. The new malware, called Gumblar, steals FTP credentials, installs backdoors, and redirects Google search results to malicious pages. eWeek says Gumblar's morphing features allow it to spread at an alarming rate.

It's hard to appreciate the value of IT security until it fails. With the pressure on to cut expenses, companies must prioritize the risks and weigh the cost benefits of dealing with the threats. Forbes looks at ways to pick your battles and evaluates the pros and cons of outsourcing.

This Podcast says the confluence of technological, social, and economic factors have brought videoconferencing into its own. But not without challenges. Computerworld says companies must prepare for higher bandwidth demands, ensure service quality, and manage/monitor video traffic. There's more to the medium than plugging it in.

Should you consider cloud computing? Will it meet your company's needs? What's the best approach? Amid the clamor of both advocates and detractors, it's hard to get a balanced picture of the pros and cons. PC World helps you answer these questions by explaining the technology, risks, opportunities, options, and strategies.

Providers of batteries and energy harvesting products are in a charged discussion of which technology best serves the energy requirements of wireless devices. This Product Design & Development article examines the qualities that lithium batteries bring to the table. It reviews the issues involved in choosing an energy source.

The next big leap for cell phones might not be more miniaturization or larger touch screens, but rather the ability to charge the phone wirelessly. Power Management DesignLine says if current development efforts are successful, they could resolve cost and space issues by eliminating traditional power supplies altogether.

It isn't what you know, but who you know. Your most effective tool in a job search is your network — the colleagues, clients, and supervisors that can attest to your skills and experience. If you've let your network evaporate, now is the time to rebuild. Careerbuilder.com recommends making a list of everyone you've known, using Google to find their contact information, and renewing old contacts using alumni and trade associations and social network Web sites.

Move beyond rhetoric, and discussions of alternative energy usually don't approach the reality of the situation confronting the U.S. This CNN commentary injects an element of reality by sketching the scale of the task before us. It compares electric and hydrogen vehicle options and examines what it would take, using solar, wind, and nuclear power to support the nation's needs. This video challenges the top 10 things that you can do to change your energy consumption.

Is Business School the Place to Teach Ethics?

Ethical awareness and moral will education begins early in life. If the necessary foundation hasn't been laid before post secondary education, can we expect to develop it in business school?