Pedro Pereira

AMD has an image problem and the company knows it. It is a distant second to processor market-share leader Intel Corp., and as such, it is often perceived as the one with the less-desirable product. Pretty much all end users historically have gotten from AMD by way of marketing is the sense from print and […]

It appears that Oracle has finally discovered small and midsize businesses. While just about every other company in the IT universe has been tripping over itself to capitalize on that lucrative market, the Redwood Shores, Calif., database giant has kept busy buying enterprise software companies. But Oracle Corp. recently signaled some interest in the upper […]

Technology and crime are uneasy partners. As hackers, crackers and sundry cyber-attackers prove almost daily, turning technology into a tool of crime is a simple proposition. “Technology breeds crime. It always has, it always will,” said Frank Abagnale, the con-artist-turned-FBI-associate whose exploits were depicted in the Hollywood blockbuster “Catch Me If You Can.” Abagnale spoke […]

Its a story as old as the IT channel itself: a reseller contacts a vendor for product information to prepare a customer bid; next thing you know, a vendor sales representative tries to steal the customer with a lower price. Such incidents could be the result of an unstated policy within the sales staff that […]

Sales of IBM PCs under new owner Lenovo have proven so successful that the company is having trouble filling orders for some models, according to a Lenovo executive. For Lenovo Group Ltd. channel partners trying to fill customer orders, the product constraints are a hassle. Some partners worry their end-user customers will switch to other […]

While the IT spending outlook for the rest of this year remains strong, concerns are growing about prospects for next year. Forrester Research reported early last month that CIO confidence has dipped to the lowest level since the first quarter of last year, which the research company warns could translate into IT spending cuts. For […]

A year ago, the typical VAR would require a fair amount of explanation and persuasion when being pitched on the merits of managed services. Not anymore, said Peter Sandiford, CEO of LPI Level Platforms Inc., an Ottawa-based provider of managed-services software for VARs and system integrators. “Everybody gets it,” Sandiford said. “When we entered the […]

When it comes to security, danger lurks everywhere. threats come in the form of garden-variety viruses, worms and spam, as well as more sophisticated forms of intrusion such as spyware and hacking. But thats not all. IT security these days also requires formulating strict data access policies to comply with federal regulations to protect sensitive […]

Lets say youre out shopping for a new car. Youve got your eye on a speedy roadster, or maybe youre thirsting for the brute volume of an SUV. You visit the dealer, take a test drive, fill out some papers, and decide to wait a week or two before making a decision. The next day, […]

Wherever in the world distributor Ingram Micro Inc. does business, so can processor maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The companies just entered a rare global partnership under which Santa Ana, Calif.-based Ingram Micro has authorization to sell AMD processors across its global distribution infrastructure. Typically, distributor/vendor contracts cover only specific regions. For Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD, […]

VARs and small integrators are always on the lookout for steady sources of revenue as product margins shrink and competition from online retailers and direct-selling vendors intensifies. For many, the opportunity for a recurring revenue stream comes in the form of managed services. That is why many VARs and small integrators are shifting at least […]

Satellite radio use has increased to an estimated 5 million subscribers, and some say that number will top 8 million by years end. If that happens, adoption of the service will surpass the speed with which cell phones took off. Consider this for a moment: Users are rushing to pay for a service—radio—that has been […]