Microsoft Touts Surface Book i7 as Ultimate Laptop -- with Ultimate Price Tag

Coined the ultimate laptop by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), the new Surface Book i7 packs a punch, in terms of performance and the bruising your wallet will take.

The announcement of the new i7 comes just as Microsoft released Surface Studio, another bruiser that is squarely aimed at taking on Apple’s stronghold among creative users. And for the first time, Apple really may have something to worry about.

Microsoft Touts Surface Book i7 as Ultimate Laptop -- with Ultimate Price Tag

It's Time to Invest In Tech for Your Small Business - Now What?

Entrepreneurs have enough on their plate without worrying about the technological needs of their new business. Between complicated and highly technical infrastructure, advanced operating systems and constantly evolving technologies, it can be difficult for the most steadfast of IT pros to keep up.

The majority of today’s enterprises share many of the same IT needs, so there are some generic steps you can follow to ensure your company’s capacity for doing business in the 21st century.

It's Time to Invest In Tech for Your Small Business - Now What?

Tips for Creating a Better Sitemap for Your Company Web Site

A sitemap is, perhaps, the most under-appreciated part of a website. As the internet integrates with our lives, it’s become nothing short of second nature for us to navigate across web pages — until we land on one with a low-quality or illogical sitemap design. A poorly designed sitemap makes it nearly impossible to find any important information and can be enough to send potential customers away.



Tips for Creating a Better Sitemap for Your Company Web Site

Self-Driving Beer Trucks May Have Huge Implications for Businesses -- Even Yours -- Someday (Watch)

You’ve already heard all the hype surrounding self-driving cars — but what about self-driving beer trucks?

That’s right, The  (NYSE:BUD) just teamed up with the Uber-owned company Otto to send a self-driving truck carrying 50,000 cans of beer across the state of Colorado. It’s the first commercial delivery ever made by a self-driving truck. And it could have huge implications for businesses.

Self-Driving Beer Trucks May Have Huge Implications for Businesses -- Even Yours -- Someday (Watch)

Small Business Headlines: Bill.com, QuickBooks Team Up, Pitney Bowes Has Shipping Solution

Managing a small business requires many different tools. You need to be able to make payments, manage finances, arrange shipping and more. This week, Bill.com announced a new partnership with QuickBooks that could make at least one of those tasks easier. And Pitney Bowes also released a new device to address another.

These news items and more are included below in this week’s Small Business Trends news and information roundup.

Small Business Headlines: Bill.com, QuickBooks Team Up, Pitney Bowes Has Shipping Solution

Red Cross Australia blood donor details leaked

The personal details of 550,000 Australian Red Cross blood donors have been leaked in an event that is being described as Australia’s largest ever security breach.

In a statement released today, Blood Service Chief Executive Shelly Park said that “a file containing donor information was placed in an insecure environment by a third party that develops and maintains the Blood Service’s website.”

Red Cross Australia blood donor details leaked

Alas, Vine Finally Withers: Here’s Why

Vine is withering. Though the once popular video looping network probably won’t die for some time yet.

Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) says this week that it’s no longer developing Vine.

Alas, Vine Finally Withers: Here’s Why

On Email’s Birthday, Here’s a Look at How to Keep it Safe

On the anniversary of the first email transmission, we look at how email has evolved over the years, and how to keep it as an essential tool going forward, despite the growing and increasingly sophisticated dangers of e-mail-based malware and other email-borne threats.



Fortinet Blog

9 Easy Ways to Monitor Your Company's Image Online

Like it or not, what people say about your company online matters. It can affect future partnerships and business deals, not to mention your brand.



9 Easy Ways to Monitor Your Company's Image Online

International Internet Day: A great network targeted by cybercriminals

Nearly half a century ago, history was made with the ‘successful’ transmission of data between two computers in California. The letters ‘lo’ were sent – it should have been the world ‘login’, but that’s a moot point – establishing the basis of what we today refer to as the internet.

Originally used by the military and universities to communicate, it wasn’t long before everyone could see the benefits of this network. By the late 1980s, governments, businesses and the general public were increasingly connecting their computers all across the world.

International Internet Day: A great network targeted by cybercriminals

NowDiscover Uses Machine Learning to Curate Video for Your Ecommerce Site

Videos can bring your product to life. They are powerful tools that can help you engage shoppers and drive conversions. The problem: they are still one of the most under-utilized ecommerce strategies.

Producing quality videos for your ecommerce site can be expensive and time consuming. Many ecommerce businesses have therefore settled for graphics and photos as an alternative.

NowDiscover Uses Machine Learning to Curate Video for Your Ecommerce Site

Join Our Twitter Chat on How to Get the Best Employees on a Budget #salarywins #ad

Growing your team can be critical to your small business’s success. And it’s not always as easy as just putting out a job listing and hoping the right talent comes to you. You have to be proactive when it comes to creating a hiring strategy that works for your business.



Join Our Twitter Chat on How to Get the Best Employees on a Budget #salarywins #ad

Nude celebrity photo hacker sentenced to 18 months in prison

Whether you chose to call it “Celebgate” or refer to it by the rather crude moniker of “The Fappening”, there’s no doubt that the leaking on the internet of private nude photographs of dozens of Hollywood stars was one of the biggest stories of 2014.

At least 50 celebrity Apple iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail inboxes were broken into by 36-year old Ryan Collins, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, whose victims included Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, Avril Lavigne, Kate Hudson, and Rihanna.

Nude celebrity photo hacker sentenced to 18 months in prison

Top 13 U.S. Microlenders for Small Businesses Right Now

What is a microloan, and is one right for your small business?



Top 13 U.S. Microlenders for Small Businesses Right Now

Joomla – From No One to the Highest Privilege

Joomla, a popular free and open-source content management system, just released version 3.6.4 that fixed two critical vulnerabilities:

• [CVE-2016-8870] - Core - Account Creation: attackers can exploit this vulnerability to create any account in a Joomla system regardless of whether its registration has been disabled.
• [CVE-2016-8869] - Core - Elevated Privileges:  with the vulnerability above, an attacker not only can register an account in a vulnerable system, but also register with the highest privilege – Administrator.

We took a deeper dive to see how these exploits tick and would like to congratulate Davide Tampellini on his first CVE discovery.

Fortinet Blog

Instagram, FedEx, Twitter Among Most Trusted by Small Businesses, Alignable Says

What brands do you trust the most to provide you with key services and products to grow your business?

Helping you in this quest, Alignable, an online networking site for small and local business owners, regularly offers a list of the best websites for small business growth.

Instagram, FedEx, Twitter Among Most Trusted by Small Businesses, Alignable Says

Mellanox Achieves Record Quarterly Revenue in the Third Quarter 2016 (NASDAQ:MLNX)

Mellanox Achieves Record Quarterly Revenue in the Third Quarter 2016 (NASDAQ:MLNX)

Microsoft and Fortinet Extend Partnership to Secure Mission-Critical Workloads in Azure Government Cloud

Fortinet and Microsoft today announced an extension of their partnership to protect the cloud environments of their joint government customers. The US Federal Government sets the world’s highest security standards for data protection. Other public institutions, like state and local governments, police, and fire departments, follow these standards as well to protect the citizenry they serve



Fortinet Blog

Microsoft Targets Apple Customers With New Computer (Watch)

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is going after Apple’s customers with its new desktop computer. The Surface Studio is the first desktop computer from Microsoft. And it has a lot of new and interesting features.



Microsoft Targets Apple Customers With New Computer (Watch)

Driverless Cars: A New Way of Life Brings a New Cybersecurity Challenge

Cars are an essential part of our everyday life, and are crucial for transporting millions of commuters through towns and cities, and even from one country to another, on a daily basis. With “smart” vehicles increasingly playing a major role in our day-to-day lives, it’s no surprise that semi- and fully autonomous transportation, and the potential for driverless cars have become hot topics. According to Gartner, driverless vehicles will represent approximately 25 percent of the passenger vehicle population in use in mature markets by 2030.



Fortinet Blog

68 Percent of Millennial Small Business Owners Rely on Social Media for Brand Promotion

Here’s a non-shocker: Millennial business owners depend on social media for brand promotion more than any other medium.

Shocked, right? OK, probably not. But just how much Millennial business owners are using this relatively new media — or how much they don’t use traditional media — may come as a surprise.

68 Percent of Millennial Small Business Owners Rely on Social Media for Brand Promotion

Google Held Livestreaming Event to Help 30,000 Businesses Get Online

Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) wants to get 30,000 more businesses online in anticipation of the upcoming holiday shopping season.

So the online tech giant teamed up with the U.S. Small Business Administration to host a livestreaming event Wednesday, Oct. 26 2016. Other events are being planned throughout the U.S. aimed at providing hands-on assistance to businesses.

Google Held Livestreaming Event to Help 30,000 Businesses Get Online

BMC Hosts Private Briefing for Eligible Investors

RSS Content - BMC Software

Facebook allows advertisers to exclude selected ethnicities — RT Viral

A scandal is brewing over the discovery that advertisers on Facebook can “narrow” their audience by race and ethnicity, allowing them to remove their ads from the feeds of selected demographics, including African American, Asian and Hispanic.



Facebook allows advertisers to exclude selected ethnicities — RT Viral

BlackBerry Releases Latest Android Phone Again Stressing Security

Android and security are not synonymous, but BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) has changed all that with the new DTEK60 phone. In fact, the company claims it has delivered one of the best, if not the best, mobile security system on the market.

Just when you thought BlackBerry was dead and gone, the company comes up with a flagship phone that has the specs of the top two brands, but at only $499. With security the undeniable strong suit of BlackBerry, outsourcing the manufacturing of its phones and focusing on the software was a smart move by CEO John Chen.

BlackBerry Releases Latest Android Phone Again Stressing Security

Avnet Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2017 Results

Press Releases | Avnet Newsroom: In this section of the Avnet Newsroom, you'll find our press releases listed in chronological order and archived by year. Organize press releases with the dropdown menu or try the 'search newsroom' feature to search by keyword, date range and more.

Wireless Eight Sided Device Tracks Your Time, Designers Say

A new deceptively simple device currently finishing up a successful crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter seeks to tackle one of the greatest challenges all small business owners and entrepreneurs face. That challenge is how to track the time they spend on projects more effectively. The ZEI is a toy-like connected time-tracking piece of hardware with a design that belies the sophisticated technology within.



Wireless Eight Sided Device Tracks Your Time, Designers Say

Visuals Vital to Captivating Content

The power of visuals within the context of content marketing cannot be overstated. In fact, so important is the presence of visuals with your blog posts, content strategies and marketing campaigns that, moving forward, it would be in everyone’s interest to have visuals dominate marketing strategy.



Visuals Vital to Captivating Content

BMC Software Partners with Poly Miwin to Build China’s First Cloud Platform For Digital Service Management

BMC’s Remedy OnDemand cloud service officially enters the Chinese market, helping domestic businesses accelerate their digital transformation



RSS Content - BMC Software

5 Good Reasons to Stop Using Spreadsheets

For many years, Excel spreadsheets have been a staple in both professional and personal circles for organizing, calculating and presenting data.

They have been a universally functional tool for a variety of applications, such as keeping tabs on company financials and managing inventory.

5 Good Reasons to Stop Using Spreadsheets

Mirai IoT Botnet Description and DDoS Attack Mitigation

Mirai IoT Botnet Description and DDoS Attack Mitigation

The Glider

Fortinet Blog

Bill.com Introduces Digital Payments to QuickBooks

Bill.com announced plans for a partnership with Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU), QuickBooks’ parent company, at the QuickBooks Connect Conference held this week in San Jose, Calif. The partnership will bring digital payments into QuickBooks Online and offer seamless online bill pay.

“By building Bill.com’s trusted bill pay network inside of QuickBooks Online, millions of small business owners can now manage bill pay from start to finish right within QuickBooks ,” said René Lacerte, CEO of Bill.com in a press release announcing the partnership.

Bill.com Introduces Digital Payments to QuickBooks

Brocade Ruckus Cloudpath ES 5.0 Simplifies Security and Policy Management (NASDAQ:BRCD)

NEW RELEASE ENABLES ANY IT ORGANIZATION TO EASILY SECURE ALL NETWORK CONNECTIONS WITH IDENTITY-BASED POLICIES

Brocade Ruckus Cloudpath ES 5.0 Simplifies Security and Policy Management (NASDAQ:BRCD)

Election hacking FAQ: 2016 US presidential election edition

With all the recent headlines about “hacking the vote” and “voting hacked” quite a few people are asking if hackers could change the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election. Unfortunately, it is impossible to provide a responsible answer to that question in just a few words, so for folks interested in the many complex issues that this question raises I’ve compiled a list of objective, non-partisan answers to 10 Frequently Asked Questions on the topic of election hacking.

I’m going to start with a fundamental question, the answer to which provides some necessary context for the rest of the questions.

Election hacking FAQ: 2016 US presidential election edition

Mellanox Begins Shipments of ConnectX-5 Adapter to Leading Server and Storage OEMs and Key End-Users (NASDAQ:MLNX)

ConnectX-5 Delivers Breakthrough InfiniBand and Ethernet Performance, Enabling Highest Application Performance and Data Centers to Achieve a Competitive Advantage



Mellanox Begins Shipments of ConnectX-5 Adapter to Leading Server and Storage OEMs and Key End-Users (NASDAQ:MLNX)

Webcam security: Understanding this modern day threat

On June 21st, 2016, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, posted a message on the social network, celebrating an Instagram landmark. The photo and video-sharing platform, which is owned by Mr. Zuckerberg’s company, is now enjoyed by more than 500 million active monthly users.

He said: “This is a tribute to Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger’s vision, and to people everywhere who have opened a window into their world – from big events to everyday moments. Thanks for making Instagram such a beautiful place.”

Webcam security: Understanding this modern day threat

Solutions - 12A Ultrathin µModule Regulator Configurable as Quad, Triple, Dual or Single Output Can Be Placed on Backside of PCB

MILPITAS, CA – October 27, 2016 – Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTM4643 quad output step-down µModule^® (power module) regulator, configurable as a single output (12A), dual (6A & 6A or 9A & 3A), or quad (3A each) regulator in a 9mm x 15mm x 1.82mm ultrathin LGA package. This flexibility enables system designers to rely on one simple and compact µModule regulator for a variety of voltage and load current requirements in FPGA, GPU, ASIC and processor-based applications. The 1.82mm height ultrathin package allows the LTM4643 to be mounted on the backside of the PCB, freeing space on the topside for components such as memory and connectors. The LTM4643 is suitable for systems with height restrictions, such as backside PCB assembly in PCIe applications and where the regulator must fit under a common heat sink or cold plate to cool high power FPGAs, GPUs, ASICs and processors in applications such as embedded computing, data storage, medical imaging and industrial systems.



Solutions - 12A Ultrathin µModule Regulator Configurable as Quad, Triple, Dual or Single Output Can Be Placed on Backside of PCB

Solutions - Linear Technology Announces QML Class V Standard Microcircuit Drawings for Popular Radiation Hardened Components

MILPITAS, CA – October 26, 2016 – Linear Technology Corporation today announced Qualified Manufacturer List (QML) Class V Standard Microcircuit Drawings (SMD) for some of the most widely used Radiation Hardened (RH) components. Part types now available to QML Class V are RH1013 and RH1014 op amps; RH1498 and RH1499 precision rail-to-rail op amps; and RH1009 and RH1021-10 voltage references.



Solutions - Linear Technology Announces QML Class V Standard Microcircuit Drawings for Popular Radiation Hardened Components

Colu Creating Local, Digital Currencies

Colu is the digital equivalent of physical cash that lets you exchange with your peers and merchants directly. It gives you real-time economic data, scales to address any size and evolves to adapt to future digital ecosystems without having to worry about transaction fees. Colu does this by using blockchain technology. This is the same technology used by Bitcoin.



Colu Creating Local, Digital Currencies

The Hive Mind: When IoT devices go rogue

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been referred to by so many different names in the past year. The Internet of Terror, the Internet of Trash and a few other catchy monikers to account for the large amount of vulnerabilities present in new devices that are increasingly present in many homes.

Things like smart thermostats, internet camera devices, internet enabled refrigerators and smart washing machines fall into the IoT category. These devices, while presenting a multitude of functionality for controlling various mundane aspects of everyday life, such as locking your front door and turning off appliances in your home, also offer criminals a new attack platform: your appliances.

The Hive Mind: When IoT devices go rogue

More Benefits to Using Cloud Services for Your Small Business

In my last company, I ran a mail-order technical software company which needed a processing system to accommodate our growth. At the time, the upfront investment was $100,000 in hardware, a dedicated IT person, and a six-month migration process. Unfortunately, after spending this time and money, there was no guarantee that it would work for the company.

Fifteen years later, cloud based tools have changed everything and companies have come full circle by utilizing the computing power of data in the cloud. Cloud-based tools allow small business owners to match monthly expenses to incoming revenue. This is critical since many businesses get in early trouble when their upfront capital investments and fixed expenses are too high for their current level of sales. These big investments become disastrous for a small company and take capital that needs to go toward their growth.

More Benefits to Using Cloud Services for Your Small Business

Scaling the Cloud: OpenStack and Security

Fortinet Blog

10 Top Internet Marketers Who Will Help You Keep Your Competitive Edge

One of the best ways to stay highly competitive in the online marketing field is to learn from thought-leaders who get results. Those who’ve earned praise from renown clients and respect from their industry are always worth listening to.

Whether you’re just venturing out into the marketing field or you’ve been doing it for over a decade, the following leaders are sure to spark some inspiration! In this list, I’ve included a brief background on each marketer, where to find them online, recommended reading and a notable quote.

10 Top Internet Marketers Who Will Help You Keep Your Competitive Edge

TrickBot Banker Insights

A new banking trojan, TrickBot, has seemingly risen from the ashes left behind by the November 2015 takedown of Dyreza/Dyre infrastructure and the arrests of threat actors identified by Russian authorities. Dyreza was used to target customers of over 1000 U.S. and U.K. banks and other companies during the peak of operations. Researchers at Threat Geek and MalwareBytes have already extensively covered general TrickBot functionality.



TrickBot Banker Insights

Hack.lu 2016 Wrap-Up

This year I again attended Hack.Lu 2016. Whether it’s free workshops, CTF, or lightning or regular talks, there are many ways to learn new stuff. Not to mention the kind and informal atmosphere of the conference. Let me give you an example that perfectly illustrates the atmosphere: during lunch I started talking Bluetooth Low Energy with a fellow researcher (@virtualabs), and...we ended up tearing down his connected toothbrush!



Fortinet Blog

Does Facebook Have a Double Standard When It Comes to Small Business Advertisers?

Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) as been accused of double standards when it comes to advertising after it repeatedly refused one small business’ attempts to launch an online ad campaign because the company sold Airsoft guns.



Does Facebook Have a Double Standard When It Comes to Small Business Advertisers?

NetSuite appoints Sam Levy as Vice President of Sales Americas

SAN MATEO, Calif.—October 25, 2016—NetSuite Inc. (NYSE: N), the industry’s leading provider of cloud financials / ERP and omnichannel commerce software suites, today announced it has appointed Sam Levy, as Vice President of Sales Americas. In this role, Levy will be overseeing NetSuite’s sales efforts in North and South America. Levy most recently served as Vice President of Sales at NetSuite and he was responsible for sales for product companies across manufacturing and wholesale distribution.



NetSuite appoints Sam Levy as Vice President of Sales Americas

I Have a Customer Who Wants the Cloud, How Do I Write My First Proposal?

As IT companies embrace the business opportunity the cloud presents and transition to become cloud-ready service providers, one of the first questions that may arise is how to draft a proposal that reflects the change in orientation, from traditional project-based to managed services.

For the answer, Small Business Trends turned to Chaitra Vedullapalli, cloud architect and CMO of Meylah, a cloud and software-as-a-service strategic advisory and consulting practice.

I Have a Customer Who Wants the Cloud, How Do I Write My First Proposal?

Lifting the lid on Sednit: A closer look at the software it uses

Security experts at ESET have released the final two parts of their new research into the operations of the notorious Sednit hacking group which – as previously discussed – has targeted over 1000 high-profile individuals with phishing attacks and zero-day exploits.

The Sednit gang, also known as APT28, Fancy Bear, Pawn Storm and Sofacy, are highly experienced, and have been engaged in criminal activity since at least 2004. They have developed sophisticated attacks that bypass the typical network security at compromised organizations.

Lifting the lid on Sednit: A closer look at the software it uses

Social Media Advertising vs. Traditional PPC

Advertising on the internet is a wonderful way to reach an audience that you would not have otherwise. Paid search and social media ads have come along way over the years and are now great tools to have in your overall search marketing efforts. While some people think of them as opposites or competitors, this isn’t true. They are separate entities that do different things and should be treated as such. So, which one is better and which one should you use? Find out.



Social Media Advertising vs. Traditional PPC

Sprint Reports Year-over-Year Growth in Net Operating Revenues for the First Time in over Two Years and a Year-over-Year Increase of More Than Five Times in Postpaid Phone Net Additions | Sprint Newsroom

Sprint Reports Year-over-Year Growth in Net Operating Revenues for the First Time in over Two Years and a Year-over-Year Increase of More Than Five Times in Postpaid Phone Net Additions | Sprint Newsroom

Check Out Sprint's New Advertising - A Tongue in Cheek Look at Verizon | Sprint Newsroom

In a series of new ads from Sprint, which will first launch on TV and later in digital, Sprint takes a tongue in cheek look at a visibly distraught farce of a team of Verizon head honchos as they come face to face with the reality of why consumers are switching to Sprint:  

• 50% off --Sprint will save customers 50% off the price of most Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile standard rate plans1;
• Unlimited Freedom – Customers can get one line of unlimited talk, text and data for $60 – Verizon doesn’t even offer unlimited2;
• Network -- It’s 2016, and all networks perform well…in fact, Sprint’s network reliabilityperforms within 1% of Verizon3!

These bold strides are making the executives in Verizon headquarters noticeably uncomfortable, in the ads.



Check Out Sprint's New Advertising - A Tongue in Cheek Look at Verizon | Sprint Newsroom

SendPro 300 All In One Smart Sending Device Addresses Shipping Woes for Small Business

The SendPro 300 Smart Sending Device from Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) is an all-in-one shipping system designed specifically for small businesses. It brings together the hardware, software and service to simplify this essential business function using the latest technology.

Small business owners know there is no one shipping company that delivers on everything. Logistics and capability have made it almost impossible. Pitney Bowes claims to have overcome this challenge by bringing together the biggest companies in the segment as part of its SendPro 300 platform.

SendPro 300 All In One Smart Sending Device Addresses Shipping Woes for Small Business

From IBM:

SBI SECURITIES Works with IBM to Test Blockchain Technology for Bond Trading Platform

Uses Hyperledger Fabric to evaluate cycle of bond trading, more efficient and automated operations, and cost reduction of infrastructures

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TOKYO - 21 Oct 2016: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced SBI SECURITIES is testing the potential of blockchain technology for a new type of bond trading system. Working in collaboration with IBM, SBI SECURITIES intends to make blockchain technology for securities operations commercially available in the future.

SBI SECURITIES intends to verify the potential of applying blockchain technology to bond trading operations, scrutinize barriers or complexity in using the technology for its operations, and prepare to apply the technology to actual operations. Using the Hyperledger Fabric, SBI SECURITIES will test the:

• entire product cycle of registering a bond until its reimbursement;
• improved efficiency and automation of operations by sharing databases;
• possibility of reduced infrastructure costs by sharing among the parties involved;
• possibility of substituting the existing operational processes;
• evaluation of blockchain technology for securities operations and systems.

“This test aims to scrutinize barriers or complexity for practical use, develop a plan for deployment, and accumulate knowledge through applying blockchain technology to our products,” said Hiroyuki Ogawa, Executive Officer, SBI SECURITIES. “Adopting the Hyperledger Fabric, an open technology platform, and working together with IBM Japan, the leader in this area, we expect that this verification test will speed the rate of adoption of blockchain technology in the financial trading area.”

A recent IBM study “Blockchain Rewires Financial Markets: Trailblazers Take the Lead1,” found that Trailblazers, or early adopters, identified equity and debt issuance as one of four areas that should benefit most from the process improvements introduced by blockchain technology. Asked where blockchains would best open up new transformational business models, Trailblazers named: equity and debt issuance (86 percent), clearing and settlements (82 percent), and wholesale payments (82 percent). A concentration of pilots in these areas is one indication that the financial markets industry may have been attracted first to those activities that may deliver significant business value whilst not subject to great regulatory complexity.

“As an innovative technology, blockchain has the potential to revolutionize ways businesses work together with their ecosystem of trading partners. The technology establishes accountability and transparency while streamlining business processes,” said Takeshi Fukuda, Director, IBM Research - Tokyo. "IBM is driving an open source, open standards blockchain fabric and community through the Hyperledger Project, and leverages this technology to transform businesses in various industries. We are delighted to work with SBI SECURITIES to create innovative solutions for financial industry. "

IBM Japan will support SBI SECURITIES by providing access to its global resources including IBM Bluemix Garage for Blockchain in Tokyo, IBM Consulting Services and IBM Research expertise in Japan.

IBM is rapidly expanding its blockchain consulting services and capabilities and actively working with clients to understand what it takes to make blockchain ready for business. Through its open source contributions and resources for blockchain software developers, IBM is advancing the science of blockchain, helping to remove complexity, and making it more accessible and open. Financial services, supply chains, IoT, risk management, digital rights management and healthcare are some of the areas that are poised for dramatic change using blockchain networks.

For more information about IBM Blockchain, visit: http://www.ibm.com/blockchain/.

For more information about SBI SECURITIES, visit https://www.sbisec.co.jp/.

1. “Blockchain Rewires Financial Markets: Trailblazers Take the Lead,” IBM Institute of Business Value (IBV), September 2016, a survey of 200 global financial markets institutions,ibm.biz/blockchainfm

IBM News room - 2016-10-20 TPV Turns to IBM Cloud to Help Create, Distribute New Smart TV Services - United States

AMSTERDAM - 20 Oct 2016: IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced that TPV Technology Ltd., the manufacturer of Philips-branded televisions, has adopted IBM Cloud and IoT services to more quickly and easily build new smart features and apps, such as video-on-demand and instant playback, directly into its TVs.



IBM News room - 2016-10-20 TPV Turns to IBM Cloud to Help Create, Distribute New Smart TV Services - United States

From IBM:

IBM Receives Cloud Company of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan

Award highlights IBM’s ability to deliver a complete set of cloud services enabling customers to build out their hybrid cloud environments

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ARMONK, N.Y. - 20 Oct 2016: IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that it has received the 2016 Cloud Company of the Year Award from leading independent technology market research firm Frost & Sullivan. The Award acknowledges IBM’s market leadership in delivering a complete and fully integrated stack of cloud services including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.

Particularly important to CIOs and IT managers, Frost & Sullivan highlights IBM’s ability to support hybrid environments via the company’s extensive portfolio of connectivity tools and capabilities that allow enterprises to easily create, deploy, and manage a flexible range of applications and microservices.

“This award recognizes the extraordinary range and depth of IBM’s cloud services portfolio,” said Don Boulia, VP of Cloud Strategy and Portfolio Management at IBM. “IBM Cloud provides clients with flexibility and choice when embracing hybrid solutions. They can continue driving value from their existing investments, while also gaining access to public, scalable infrastructure and services across our global footprint of data centers, including IBM Watson.”

According to Lynda Stadtmueller, Vice President of Cloud Services, Stratecast|Frost & Sullivan, “IBM’s cloud platform supports the concept of ‘hybrid integration’—that is, a hybrid IT environment in which disparate applications and data are linked via a comprehensive integration platform, allowing the apps to share common management functionality and control.” These capabilities enable customers to leverage Watson and analytics functionality made available through application programming interfaces (APIs) on Bluemix.

Stadtmueller also commented on the economic benefits of IBM Cloud, noting, “IBM Cloud offers a price-performance advantage over competitors due to its infrastructure configurations and service parameters—including a bare metal server option; single-tenant (private) compute and storage options; granular capacity selections for processing, memory, and network for public cloud units; and all-included technical support.”

Competitors in the cloud market do not offer such a broad portfolio of integrated infrastructure, software, and platform solutions, according to Frost & Sullivan.

win the Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year Award a company must demonstrate excellence in growth, innovation, and leadership. This kind of excellence typically translates into superior performance in three key areas: demand generation, brand development, and competitive positioning. These areas serve as the foundation of a company’s future success and prepare it to deliver on the two criteria that define the Company of the Year Award—Visionary Innovation & Performance and Customer Impact.

About IBM Cloud

For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visit www.ibm.com/cloud.

Report: IBM Global Business Services Ranked #1 in Thought Leadership

IBM Institute of Business Value Recognized Five Times for Leading Quality

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ARMONK, N.Y. - 20 Oct 2016: IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that for the fifth time, its consulting organization was named the industry's top producer of thought leadership in a White Space Report by Source Global Research, a leading research and strategy firm for the global management consulting industry.

According to the most recent White Space report evaluating the quality and impact of 25 major global consulting firms in the world, IBM remains the leader for the consistent high quality of its thought leadership. The White Space rankings are based on four evaluation criteria - Resilience, Differentiation, Appeal, and Prompting Action. This is the fifth time IBM has led the ranking.

IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) part of the company's consulting unit, IBM Global Business Services, creates innovative thought leadership on behalf of IBM and provides practical insight for business leaders across industries. The White Space report highlighted the IBV’s recent study, “Inspiring Deeper Brand Enthusiasm: Your Cognitive Future in the Consumer Products Industry” as an example of IBM’s effect approach. The study was praised for using data “effectively to underpin points of view” and providing a forward-looking recommendation.

“When creating high quality thought leadership, consultancies are faced with the challenge of working around constraints such as the required evidence, length, tone, and topics to reflect the needs and wants of target readers.” said Rachel Ainsworth, co-founder of Source Global Research and White Space. “IBM tops our list once again for showing that the Institute for Business Value can successfully work within those constraints to produce creative reports that resonate with today’s senior executives.”

IBM-produced thought leadership leads all firms in both appealing readers to continue reading past the introduction and resilience, “building a reader’s trust and confidence in what they have read,” based on its methodology and analysis, as well as, “prompting action" via a clearly outlined courses of action. This recognition of IBM's thought leadership is a result of IBM's ongoing commitment to provide its clients with insight on issues of industry dynamics and business transformation.

 “Businesses are experiencing an unprecedented level of disruption so we want to critically evaluate business trends shaping those changes in the world today and give executives a clear path forward,” says Peter Korsten, Vice President and Global leader thought leadership and eminence, IBM Global Business Services. “Our recent blockchain series is a great example of an emerging technology that is reinventing global trade and how transactions are conducted and recorded. We’ve outlined how this technology can be used and will impact business networks from organizations to ecosystems and economies. By conducting in depth global research, we’re able to more fully understand industry transformation and provide support to improve business performance."

The IBV’s trademark C-Suite studies series, which have followed and analyzed the priorities of global CXOs for more than a decade, are celebrated for the research method’s thoroughness and face-to -face interviews with key business leaders. For example, last year IBM leveraged a worldwide team of business strategists, consultants, data scientists and statisticians to conduct mostly in person interviews with more than 5,200 business leaders from 21 industries in 70 countries. These professionals examined how members of the C-Suite are tackling the threat of competition, technology disruptors and planning for the future of business to garner the insights released in the IBM 2015 C-suite study. Individual reports specific to professional roles, includingCEO, CMO, CHRO, CIO, CFO and COO.

For more information on the Source Global Research’s White Space Quality Report, visithttp://www.sourceglobalresearch.com/portal/whitespace/ (subscription required).

About IBM Global Business Services 
For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/services/gbs.

About IBM Institute for Business Value
For more information, http://www.ibm.com/iibv 

Download the IBM IBV app from iTunes and Android Market

About Source Global Research

Source Global Research (Source) is the leading research and strategy firm for the global management consulting industry. Set up in 2007 and with offices in London and Dubai, Source serves both consulting firms and their clients with expert analysis, research and reporting. Source draw not only on our extensive in-house experience, but also on the breadth of our relationships with both suppliers and buyers. All of our work is underpinned by our core values of intelligence, integrity, efficiency and transparency.

Source was founded by Fiona Czerniawska and Joy Burnford. Fiona is one of the world's leading experts on the consulting industry. She has written numerous books on the industry including: The Intelligent Client and The Economist books, Business Consulting: A Guide to How it Works and How to Make it Work and Buying Professional Services. Joy Burnford was Marketing and Operations Director at the UK Management Consultancies Association between 2003 and 2010, and prior to that worked for PA Consulting Group and has extensive experience of marketing consulting services. For further information, please visit: www.sourceglobalresearch.com.

About White Space

White Space is a subscriber-based web service which provides detailed analysis of the thought leadership of around 30 leading global consulting firms. This analysis is updated regularly, giving up-to-date market intelligence on the state of the thought leadership market.