E-consultancy - Software - Internet Marketing News and Blogs

Entrepreneurs, profitability and opportunity cost

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:31:00 UT

Last week, I came across an interesting blog post.

Giacomo Guilizzoni, who was formerly a senior engineering lead at Adobe, recently launched a software company called Balsamiq which is focused on developing plug-ins for existing "Web Office" platforms.

Data backups - a practical overview

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 07:45:00 UT

Chances are that if you've worked with computers long enough, you've had the unfortunate experience of losing all of your data due to some sort of malfunction or failure.

My security 'set-up'

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:45:00 UT

As a consultant, I store a lot of sensitive data about my clients.

From website passwords to confidential business documents, my desktop computers and laptops contain data that could be damaging to my clients if it got in the hands of the wrong people.

Six open source web application testing tools

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:40:00 UT

If you're building a web application and have high hopes that it will be used by lots of people, one of the most important things to do before you launch it is to test how it functions under extreme conditions.

PHP Caching Tools & Techniques

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:54:00 UT

PHP is installed on more than 20m websites, including some of the most popular websites in the world.

It's easy to install, easy to work with and when put in the hands of a competent developer can achieve the performance and scalability that highly-popular websites and demanding web applications require.

Firms failing to send welcome emails

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 14:14:00 UT

Another survey reveals that many companies are failing to follow email best practice, with 60% of firms missing a trick by not sending welcome messages to subscribers.

According to a new study by ReturnPath, 30% of these companies compounded the problem by failing to make contact with customers for more than a month after they signed up.

Amex woes highlight common PDF accessibility problem

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 07:30:00 UT

Recent reported accessibility problems�with American Express' web statements exemplify a common challenge�for financial service websites and those reliant on PDFs.

Ordnance Survey API nears launch

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:45:00 UT

The Ordnance Survey�s long-awaited API has moved a step closer to launch, with the organisation preparing to announce an alpha release later today.

The 'OpenSpace' platform�has been in the pipeline�for at least a couple of years and�will reportedly now�be fully unveiled�sometime in 2008.�

Trust in online shopping improving - study

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:49:00 UT

New research suggests that�trust in�online�retail is improving, though 24% of shoppers still have concerns over the issue.�

According to the�IMRG�s E-Customer Service Index, confidence in�e-commerce security has risen 2% over the past three months to 76%.

Google launches cross-network development tools

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:11:00 UT

Google has thrown down the gauntlet to Facebook with plans to compete with the social network�s hugely popular software development platform.

The devilishly cunning but widely expected move�- coming just a few days after Facebook�s strategic partnership with Microsoft - will see the online ad giant�allowing developers to build apps and syndicate them across different social media sites.

Adsense coming to Facebook?

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:23:00 UT

Google is apparently looking to tap into the Facebook widget �phenomenon� by serving Adsense ads on third-party applications created for the site.

Steve Rubel has linked to an article in AdAge that quotes Google CEO Eric Schmidt as saying:

�How will those developers get paid for those services? We would like to have our ads in those applications.�

Q&A: David Heinemeier Hansson explains Ruby on Rails

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 12:12:00 UT

Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson - named Hacker of the Year in 2005 -�talks about the�web development framework's growing popularity among businesses (including E-consultancy - we have a new Rails-powered site under development) and the problems of managing an open source community.�

Wal-Mart aims to woo Facebook users

Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:42:00 UT

Asda parent Wal-Mart is back in the social networking game after�various high-profile mishaps � this time with a sponsored Facebook group for students.

Reuters reports that the retailing giant is inviting college-goers to design their dorm rooms on�its page, before recommending products that fit in with their decorating style.

Why the Xbox isn't doomed (it really isn't)

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:07:00 UT

James at GigaOm has written a post today in which he�predicts that Microsoft's Xbox is doomed, mainly as a result of the Wii's success and the various 'red ring of death' issues which have affected many of the consoles.

However, we reckon James is being a little hasty in his judgement, and is not seeing the bigger picture.

While the failure rate of Xbox consoles - as much as 33% by some estimates - is hardly a great advert for the Xbox, it hasn't been enough to dent�the console's popularity beyond repair, and Microsoft has built up an enviable position, both in terms of market share and in securing an installed base of millions for�future multmedia plays.

Cash prize for anti-Microsoft XML lobbyists

Mon, 9 Jul 2007 14:09:00 UT

The Foundation for Free Information Infrastructure (FFII), a software rights advocacy group, has offered a EUR 2,500 prize to whoever can devise the best campaign against Microsoft's attempts to seek standardisation for its Office file formats.

The FFII objects to the Redmond, Washington, software giant's attempts to gain International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) approval for its Office OpenXML file format.

Plaxo relaunches 'smart address book'

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:22:00 UT

Plaxo has relaunched its 'smart address book' service, which lets users share data between address and calendar programs from Microsoft, Google, AOL and others.

Plaxo 3.0, in addition to simplifying the synchronisation�process, is now available in in seven languages, including French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish.

Google shifts in to offline web gear

Thu, 31 May 2007 08:42:00 UT

Google is attempting to bridge the divide between online and offline working by releasing new software that syncronises the two.

At its Developer Day in Sydney today, the company announced Google Gears, an open-source technology platform that allows programmers to build websites that continue to function even without connectivity.

Email marketing provider Silverpop acquires Vtrenz

Tue, 8 May 2007 17:40:00 UT

Email service provider Silverpop has acquired Vtrenz, a company which provides automated lead generation services.

Vtrenz analyses customer behaviour and uses this information to determine the most appropriate response, whether it be a phone call or email.

Interview: Jay Bregman, CTO of eCourier

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:32:00 UT

Jay Bregman �is one of the founders of eCourier, a hi-tech start-up�targeting�London's often-inefficient courier industry. It�cuts costs by supporting online orders and tracking,�as well as using software to automatically�match couriers and customers.

We spoke to�Jay about eCourier's benefits for online retailers -�including potentially offering lower-cost�same-day delivery.

Microsoft ploughs $500m into Vista marketing

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:37:00 UT

Microsoft has reportedly earmarked $500m for a massive global advertising campaign to support the launch of its new Vista operating system.

In what will be its "most aggressive launch ever", Advertising Age said the Redmond, Washington, giant is launching a campaign across 20 countries that aims for "6.6bn impressions in its first few months".