Stories by: Bert Latamore

Software-as-a-service may have come into the enterprise through "the bathroom window," but it's definitely becoming part of the mainstream, says SAAS expert Mike West, vice president at Saugatuck Technology Inc., a boutique management consulting and subscription research company focused on disruptive technologies.

In the pressure-cooker global economy, U.S. regional insurance companies face particularly heavy pressure. Operating in the shadow of giants like The Prudential, Aetna and Allstate, they survive by the rule "grow or die" in constant fear of a shakeout that could see them gobbled up by their larger competitors. And because most sell through independent agents, who represent multiple competing insurers, they are in direct competition for every sale.

The phrase "smart home" usually summons an image of lighting that goes on and off at a voice command, a stereo that automatically plays the music its owners like best, and vacuum cleaners that keep the house shiny and bright without somebody operating them. At Carleton University in Ottawa, however, a multidisciplinary team is working on an entirely different approach to smart houses. The object of this project, funded by the Ontario Research Network for electronic Commerce (e-Health), is to allow the elderly to remain in their homes rather than having to go to nursing homes, while intercepting incipient health issues before they become emergencies that require hospital stays.

The phrase "smart home" usually summons an image of lighting that goes on and off at a voice command, a stereo that automatically plays the music its owners like best, and vacuum cleaners that automatically keep the house shiny and bright.

In the increasingly federated, network-based IT environment, perimeter security is important but not sufficient by itself to protect company secrets, according to president and principal analyst of Security Incite and former Meta Group security analyst, Mike Rothman.