IT

These days, there's a lot of concern about the economy. Under these circumstances, people begin to worry about the security of their own jobs; the auto industry, for example, feels a bit shaky right now. This is also true of the real estate and ... mortgage industries. But, according to the latest Robert Half Technology survey, IT jobs are staying the secure course. According to the Robert Half Chief Information Officer (CIO) survey of 1,400 companies with more than 100 employees, 82% of CIO's expect to maintain the status quo for the next quarter. Another 13% of those CIO's expect to add IT ... (view more)

Couch Potatoes are becoming YouTube "tubers". Males in the 18 to 24 year old age group are redirecting their time; a 2007 Harris survey discovered that 1 in 3 of the frequent visitors to YouTube claim to be watching less TV as a result of watching ... YouTube and 66% were sacrificing other activities to watch YouTube. Among their sacrifices: 20% were pre-empting their email and social network time, 19% were deferring their work or homework, 15% sacrificed playing video games, and 12% were substituting spending time with friends or family. (Source: lostremote.com ) And we're not just ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced a Word plug-in to make it easier for visually impaired users to use its program. The plug-in will read Word 2003 and 2007 files out loud, and will also convert files from Open XML (the standard format used to save Word 2007 ... files) into DAISY, a format which is easier to use for producing digital audio files. DAISY (Digital Accessible Information Service) is a not-for-profit group based in Zurich, Switzerland. Formed by "talking books libraries," DAISY promotes open standards to make it easier to produce digital files. (Source: Guardian.co.uk ) Reed Shaffner, ... (view more)

The Interpretype has turned one auto repair shop into a haven for deaf customers, helping to triple sales figures compared with the previous period. Ken Gan owns a garage in Rochester, New York. His shop seems to look like any other standard North ... American auto repair station, except for one major difference: the shop has an above-average number of deaf customers. Gan admitted that he had searched for more accommodating equipment for quite some time, but nothing has been available on the market to facilitate face-to-face communication in a situation such as a shop or office. So when all else ... (view more)

Verizon Communications has introduced an unusual plan for its fiber-optic Internet service: one that uploads as fast as it downloads. With the new plan, users can experience download and upload speeds of 20 megabits per second. The plan costs $65 ... per month for those with a current Verizon phone plan, or $70 per month for those without a Verizon phone plan. (Source: usatoday.com ) The downside for Verizon fans is that the company will only launch the new plan in parts of New York and Connecticut. In these areas, Verizon can expect stiff competition from one of the most sophisticated cable ... (view more)

Once upon a time, all those who designed and manufactured sporting equipment gathered around to share a common complaint: the technological movement was becoming a direct threat to their industry! The rationale made sense. These companies, who were ... once selling high volumes of equipment and merchandise, were now set to lose big business because their consumers would rather stay inside and surf the web. That was 1999. Today, the same companies who once regarded the age of technology as a sign of the physical education apocalypse are now doubling and tripling their annual income with the help ... (view more)

When you're constantly on the move, it can be a challenge to get online with your laptop. It isn't always easy to find a good WiFi hotspot (a designated area that allows you connect to the Internet wirelessly when you're away from home). Pretty ... soon, all you'll have to do is look down at your t-shirt to find out if you're in a WiFi area. It sounds like science fiction, but a company called ThinkGeek has made it reality. Is this high tech concept five years down the road? Ten years? Try later this month. Yes, by the end of October, one of these shirts could be hanging in your closet. What's ... (view more)

Microsoft is in the process of finalizing a new online buddy for their popular Office programs. The service allows users to store, share and comment on documents. Ironically, the only thing missing is the ability to create new files. While the ... resource is called Microsoft Office Live Workspace, the website is not exactly "live" at all. Users hoping to get an early start on the program will be required to sign up to become part of an early beta test. A select number of those tested will be allowed to start using the service at some point this year. (Source: usatoday.com ) Office Live Workspace ... (view more)

The freedom to journey the web is largely taken for granted here in North America. Unfortunately, that's hardly the case in Asia, where mere images (or videos) are scrutinized for their most basic and even remote meanings. Two stories on this ... reality are emerging right now, and they're both fascinating glimpses of political environments Americans struggle to comprehend. And, despite that rather comforting disconnect, the United States plays a role in both accounts. The first involves (relatively) popular search engine Yahoo Inc, which is facing a lawsuit by imprisoned Chinese political ... (view more)

Five years ago, if you asked some of the people who resided in the Lenox neighborhood of New Jersey what they feared most, most of them would probably say drug dealing, prostitution solicitation and the occasional gunshot. It's a far step from the ... average person's fears, which might include rush-hour traffic or putting on weight over the holidays. However, the small suburb of Lenox had become so infested with criminal behavior that police were no longer being called to respond to most of the illegal activities taking place in the area. New Jersey police had tried a number of solutions to rid ... (view more)