IBM
- IBM is simplifying cloud-computing contracts
It’s ironic that cloud computing represents a faster and more innovative approach to doing business, yet lengthy and complex cloud business contracts from most vendors remain an obstacle,” said Neil Abrams, IBM vice president and assistant general counsel, in a statement. “By dramatically simplifying and accelerating how clients contract for cloud services, IBM is making it easier and faster for companies to reap the benefits of cloud.
http://www.eweek.com/cloud/ibm-simplifies-cloud-computing-contracts.html
- IBM increasing global data centers by 25%
The company said on Wednesday it has now struck a partnership with data centre provider Equinix Inc for nine more cloud centres in Australia, France, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands and the US. The company is also opening up three new cloud computer facilities of its own in Germany, Mexico and Japan.
http://www.todayonline.com/tech/ibm-increase-global-data-centres-25
This clarifies it is in the SoftLayer space (as expected)
http://www.sci-tech-today.com/news/IBM-Inks-Cloud-Deal-with-Equinix/story.xhtml?story_id=10200BE2QPOO - US department of Veteran Affairs is tapping into Watson
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is using Watson technology in a pilot to assist physicians in helping accelerate the process of evidence-based medical decision making. The VA joins leading healthcare organizations that are working with IBM Watson to help improve efficiency and quality of care being delivered
Oracle
- Will Oracle be crushed by MongoDB or Hadoop?
Sherlund said that Hadoop and MongoDB technologies are becoming a threat for Oracle. Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) must work on new technologies apart from its on-premise business. He said there is a huge potential in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL); the company will generate $16 billion free cash flows next year and there are a plenty of options left for it.
http://www.techinsider.net/oracle-corporation-orcl-to-be-crushed-by-hadoop-mongodb/1120390.html
- Oracle declares war on SalesForce
“I never heard Ellison this combative,” Cramer said. “There were eight mentions — eight mentions — of Salesforce.com and how Salesforce.com is slowing and they are accelerating. It was a good quarter, I almost feel like they are going back to the old strategy of Toto — turning of the oxygen to the other players in the cloud
http://www.benzinga.com/media/cnbc/14/12/5091609/how-oracle-declared-war-on-salesforce
- Most of the Oracle news this week is around this positive earnings. This is a good summary:
http://www.emarketsdaily.com/oracle-corporation-nyseorcl-releases-highest-level-since-2000-the-year-the-dotcom-bubble-burst-nyseacn-nysenq/1823584/
HP
- HP fails (again) to get court approval for Autonomy settlement with shareholders
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-12-19/hp-s-autonomy-deal-shareholder-settlement-rejected-a-second-time
Other
- America’s worst run companies
McDonalds, Avon, Mattel, and of course IBM make the list
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/12/19/americas-worst-run-companies - Yet another listicle – the worst Tech CEOs of 2014
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/13/the-worst-tech-ceos-of-2014.aspx - Splunk voted best business application by San Fran group:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20141217005156/en/Splunk-Enterprise-Voted-Business-Application-V3-Readers