Collaboration news and analysis

10 Microsoft research projects

John Brandon — 2008-12-01T00:00:00Z

A sneak peek at 10 technologies developed in Microsoft's R&D labs

IBM product aims to reduce IT risk, developer frustration

2008-11-26T00:00:00Z

IBM on Tuesday announced a new suite of software quality tools, the Rational Quality Management Portfolio. The company promises the new tools will improve the software development process and, in particular, ease collaboration between business leaders and IT professionals.

IBM working on Web-based collaboration platform

Tim Greene — 2008-11-24T00:00:00Z

IBM is working on a platform for collaborative mashups that needs little more than a browser and a server to create a shared environment that includes audio and videoconferencing.

How build a successful Unified Communications and Collaboration plan

Steve Taylor,Larry Hettick — 2008-11-24T00:00:00Z

Verizon Business recently published some suggestions about how build a successful Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) plan, focused on what enterprises need to consider when making the move to unified communications. The tips follow the company's launch of UC&C in September this year. Verizon Business has both premises-based and hosted solutions, along with professional services that support UC&C with planning, consulting, deployment, and ongoing management.

Magic Johnson discusses video phones, Celtics-Lakers rivalry and today's NBA

Jon Brodkin — 2008-11-17T00:00:00Z

Magic Johnson's businesses rely on Cisco TelePresence videoconferencing to communicate, cut costs on plane travel.

Lotus chief defines imminent battle plan

John Fontana — 2008-11-17T00:00:00Z

Integration of traditional on-premises Notes-based collaboration, new unified communications tools, Symphony productivity applications, content management, Web-based services and the potential to mash it all together with new-fangled development tools and social networking innovations pouring out of IBM's research labs are just a few of the challenges facing IBM's Lotus Software division chief, Bob Picciano.

Operator sets teleconferencing record as companies stay home

2008-11-14T00:00:00Z

Interest in teleconferencing is growing rapidly as the financial crisis prompts companies to cut travel budgets. Use of TeliaSonera's Swedish teleconferencing service was growing at an average of around 12 percent year on year until September, when growth jumped to 30 percent year on year as the severity of the financial crisis became more apparent, according to TeliaSonera.

IBM exec says bad economy could be good for unified communications

Tim Greene — 2008-11-12T00:00:00Z

The economy is driving business changes that unified communications can help address -- which means that end users might finally start using the collaboration tools that have been deployed in corporate networks for years, an IBM executive told VoiceCon San Francisco 2008 attendees Wednesday.

How to Make UC and Collaboration Work for You

2008-11-12T00:00:00Z

Like many technology buzzwords, unified communications (UC) has had many meanings in its short life. It's now an umbrella term that covers an array of technologies—including instant messaging (IM), web conferencing, IP telephony, expertise identification, e-mail, unified messaging, mobile devices, etc.—that can be delivered behind the firewall or through the computing cloud.

New Web app allows free conference calls

2008-11-11T00:00:00Z

U.S. and Canadian companies looking to cut costs amid the bleak economic conditions might find some relief through a new Web application announced Tuesday that provides free conference calls for up to six people at a time.