Why The Comcast-Disney Combo Makes Sense

by Josh Bernoff, Chris Charron, February 11, 2004

Comcast launched a $66 billion takeover bid for Disney today. Without favoring Disney content, Comcast could use this move to jump-start VOD and shape the future of on-demand media.

Juniper Cracks Enterprise Security With NetScreen

by Laura Koetzle, Simon Yates, Robert Whiteley, February 10, 2004

Juniper agreed to buy NetScreen in an all-stock deal. With NetScreen, Juniper vaults into the security market, acquires NetScreen's enterprise-focused channel, and squares off credibly with Cisco for combined networking and security deals.

Bank Megamergers Will Backfire With Consumers

by Ron Shevlin, Bill Doyle, Jeremy Sweeney, February 9, 2004

The merger of J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank One will produce a retail powerhouse. But the combined entity faces stiff challenges, including stronger competitors in the Northeast and low customer interest in a one-stop-shop for all financial products.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Scorecard Summary: Interwoven's TeamSite 6.0

by Nicholas Wilkoff, Sharyn Leaver, Tamara Mendelsohn, February 9, 2004

Interwoven has added a wide range of ECM features to its product line. But buyers looking for a complete ECM platform will find that Interwoven is still in the early stages of integrating its technology suite. This makes Interwoven a good fit for firms . . .

Contextual Ads Make Intent Marketing A Reality

by Charlene Li, Jim Nail, February 9, 2004

Marketers should use contextual ads and pay-per-click models to target online user intent on media sites. These ads will attract more brand marketing dollars, with media companies benefitting the most - not providers like Google or Overture.

Retail's Technology Year Starts With A Bang

by Kate Delhagen, Joshua Walker, Esther H. Yuen, February 9, 2004

Retailers and vendors at the NRF Annual Convention & Expo buzzed about RFID, IT outsourcing, online training, advanced store and merchandising technologies, and multichannel retail.

What's Near Field Communication Technology?

by Charles Homs, David Metcalfe, Michelle de Lussanet, February 9, 2004

Mobile products that incorporate near field communication (NFC) technology will slowly penetrate the market this year. Consumers will use NFC to access public transport and make mobile payments. Expect slow take-up, not rapid adoption.

EDS Buys A Vision With Feld Group

by Neil Bradford, Julie Giera, Adam Brown, February 6, 2004

As part of its recovery plan, EDS has a new team of key executives, mostly brought in through the acquisition of the Feld Group, a boutique CIO consultancy. The company's new viewpoint and strategy work conceptually: The main question is whether Feld's . . .

Banks' Online Channel Technology Priorities For 2004

by Catherine Graeber, Ron Shevlin, Jeremy Sweeney, February 6, 2004

As online banking execs finalize their 2004 technology investment decisions, Forrester believes that the technologies that will grow the economic value of the channel should be given high priority. We've outlined some must-have technologies for 2004.

My View: Googlescape

by George F. Colony, February 6, 2004

The Google IPO may usher in Bubble II.

Online Banking Predictions 2003: How Did We Do?

by Catherine Graeber, Ron Shevlin, Jeremy Sweeney, February 6, 2004

Last January, Forrester made five predictions about online banking for 2003. We were right on four of them - and one proved too early to call a definitive right or wrong.

JAL Leads, BA Lags Japanese Airline Site Usability

by Ron Rogowski, Bruce D. Temkin, Henry H. Harteveldt, Michelle Amato, February 4, 2004

Forrester evaluated the Japanese-language sites for eight of the world's largest airlines. The sites only achieved a subpar average score of -0.3, with JAL receiving highest score. The non-Japanese airlines' sites suffer from an inconsistent Japanese . . .

Analysis Of Wal-Mart CEO's NRF Remarks

by Kate Delhagen, Christine Spivey Overby, Esther H. Yuen, February 4, 2004

Wal-Mart President and CEO H. Lee Scott, Jr. presented the opening day keynote at the NRF Annual Convention & Expo. Here's our analysis of his comments.

The Best Media And Portal Site Experiences

by Charlene Li, Chris Charron, Charles Q. Strohm, Sheila Baxter, February 4, 2004

When it comes to usability, Yahoo! leads MSN and blows away AOL. Among highly rated content sites, FOX News ranks highest. Demographics impact satisfaction with media site experiences.

HP Buys Automation: Consera And Novadigm

by Frank E. Gillett, Galen Schreck, Richard Fichera, Natalie Lambert, February 4, 2004

Hewlett-Packard is buying two companies to add heterogeneous server automation capabilities to its Adaptive Enterprise strategy. Novadigm brings automated server configuration management and Consera adds data center planning and modeling capabilities.

Airlines: Fix Your MRO Supply Chains To Save Big

by Navi Radjou, Henry H. Harteveldt, Colin Teubner, February 4, 2004

Battered airlines should emulate US Airways - which saved $100 million - in fixing their broken MRO supply chains. As tech vendors ramp up capabilities to serve defense contractors, they should reapply that learning to service airlines' maintenance needs.

European Push-To-Talk Needs a Context

by Michelle de Lussanet, Bernt Ostergaard, Charles S. Golvin, February 4, 2004

European operators will try to replicate American operator Nextel's success with instant communication service push-to-talk. It won't happen. No operator has Nextel's focus, and the service's long connection time will only frustrate users.

Southern Europe Slowly Catches Up Online

by Reineke Reitsma, Dr. Therese Torris, Joost van Kruijsdijk, February 4, 2004

Italy, France, and Spain have gained more than 10 million new Net users in the past two years. Young Southern Europeans already weave the Net into their daily life, but seniors are still holding out.

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Are Network Processors Going Mainstream? Almost.

by Robert Whiteley, Maribel D. Lopez, February 4, 2004

Network processors are finally gaining traction, with low-end wireless as an initial foothold. But more standardization and design wins for high-end equipment are needed before NPUs are truly pervasive. In 2004, expect vendors - led by Intel - to bring . . .

The Secret Formula For Fixing Project Failure

by George Lawrie, David Metcalfe, February 3, 2004

Projects fail because organizations rely on execs juggling point solutions to deliver both client satisfaction and acceptable margins. Enterprisewide services automation apps empower ordinary managers to satisfy multiple objectives simultaneously.

Storage Management Software

by Imogen Harris, Erica Driver, Galen Schreck, J. Carl Allen, February 2, 2004

In 2003, EMC acquired Legato Software and Documentum to drive its storage management technology toward an information life-cycle management solution. Tier one and two vendors are quickly completing their offerings through acquisition to compete. VCs will . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Trilogy's X Internet Play: Smart Move

by John P. Dalton, Bruce D. Temkin, Liz Herbert, February 2, 2004

What trends will impact site design in 2004? With a Flash interface offering, intense vertical focus, and an aggressive in-house design team, Trilogy's go-to-market strategy offers a glimpse of things to come.

Who Wants Telematics? Jeep, Honda, And Nissan Owners

by Mark Dixon Bünger, Charles P. Wilson, Joshua Walker, February 2, 2004

Mainstream vehicles are finally getting telematics. But what features do drivers want? Jeep and Saturn owners are the most interested in safety, while Honda and Nissan owners will embrace onboard entertainment.

Six Technologies Underpin Healthcare Interstructure

by Eric G. Brown, Bradford J. Holmes, Jan Sundgren, January 30, 2004

Who will close the gaps in the sprawling and disconnected healthcare industry? Vendors are stepping into the breach with networks of connectivity, security, and integration built on six key technologies.

Fast Followers Favor Techie IT Security Chiefs

by Laura Koetzle, Galen Schreck, Natalie Lambert, January 30, 2004

A quarter of firms' IT security chiefs have risen to become C-level executives. However, these C-level security czars are primarily technologists. Thus, they'll need outside help to assemble IT security risk mitigation strategies that go beyond technology.