News

News

• January 23, 2018 23 Jan'18

  Salesforce Trailhead gets social boost for admins, developers

  Salesforce might not own LinkedIn, but it's creating a similar online social network of certified professionals via Trailhead, complete with vanity URLs and more detailed profiles.

• January 22, 2018 22 Jan'18

  Midmarket enterprises push UCaaS platform adoption

  Cloud communications is growing in popularity among midmarket enterprises. UCaaS providers and enterprises must work together for successful adoption and deployment.

• January 22, 2018 22 Jan'18

  Avaya UC headed for SMB product bundles

  Avaya plans to grow its customer base with SMB-friendly technology. The bundles will include Avaya UC and other features from the company's enterprise portfolio.

• January 22, 2018 22 Jan'18

  How to quantify VDI user experience

  IT can take steps to quantify the virtual desktop user experience by recording data on factors such as latency and image quality, as well as conducting user surveys.

• January 18, 2018 18 Jan'18

  Salesforce databases remain Oracle, for now

  Oracle and Salesforce executives deny reports of Salesforce moving on from Oracle infrastructure.

• January 16, 2018 16 Jan'18

  Compare the main mobile app development languages

  Developing an app is all about visualizing what the users need and what they'll see in the UI. Get visual with this infographic about the top mobile app dev languages before you build.

• January 16, 2018 16 Jan'18

  SAP defends S/4HANA HCM upgrade amid questions

  SAP, which has some 14,000 on-premises HCM customers, is extending on-premises support five years to 2030. But HCM users will have to migrate to its HANA in-memory platform for support.

• January 15, 2018 15 Jan'18

  News briefs: Mobile recruiting interfaces still painful

  The pace of HR's mobile app implementation is very slow. Upgrading HR's tech is not the biggest priority in the business. An alternative may be a recruiting site with ATS features.

• January 15, 2018 15 Jan'18

  Oracle chosen as provider of shared ERP system for colleges

  Private, nonprofit colleges are discovering they can reduce back-office IT costs by working together. Novel approaches are emerging to reduce the financial drain of ERP systems.

• January 12, 2018 12 Jan'18

  Intelligent information management in M-Files the next wave for ECM

  Intelligent information management in M-Files allows users to search for content in multiple repositories while also being able to automatically assign metadata to content in 2018 upgrade.

• January 11, 2018 11 Jan'18

  Businesses slow to embrace products like Samsung Flip board

  Samsung hopes to heat up the tepid digital whiteboard market, but the new Samsung Flip board will face tough competition from small vendors, as well as Cisco, Google and Microsoft.

• January 11, 2018 11 Jan'18

  Citrix enables Nvidia vGPU live migration

  Virtual desktop users are averse to downtime. A new capability from Citrix and Nvidia allows for live migration of vGPUs so VDI shops can keep graphics processing up and running.

• January 05, 2018 05 Jan'18

  KB4056892 Fixes Critical Win10 Security Bugs

  Because KB4056892 fixes critical Win10 security bugs, admins and deployment teams should get this one out to all Win10 PCs ASAP.

• January 05, 2018 05 Jan'18

  Unified communications vendors continue consolidation carousel

  Several unified communications vendors rang in the new year with mergers and acquisitions, as Star2Star merges with Blueface and Polycom picks up Obihai Technology.

• December 22, 2017 22 Dec'17

  UC trends revealed in top news stories of 2017

  Take a look at the top UC news stories that affected the industry in 2017 -- from the growth in the team collaboration market to vendor mergers and acquisitions.

• December 14, 2017 14 Dec'17

  Free phone service could boost Dialpad's UCaaS status

  UCaaS provider Dialpad is offering a free cloud telephony service that integrates with G Suite, while a new partner program offers Workplace by Facebook support.

• December 07, 2017 07 Dec'17

  Salesforce small-business CRM customers can tap into AI, too

  Salesforce small-business faces heavy competition from more nimble, agile, less expensive boutique CRM vendors. Yet, the largest CRM platform woos SMBs like it does bigger fish with features for AI.

• December 06, 2017 06 Dec'17

  Einstein AI drills deeper into Salesforce clouds

  Einstein AI tools show great promise and are expanding deeper into the Salesforce clouds. Many smaller companies still need some convincing, but have high hopes for the future.

• December 05, 2017 05 Dec'17

  National Grid sues Wipro over alleged botched SAP implementation

  An SAP deployment at National Grid allegedly was botched, leading to missing paychecks and unpaid invoices. The utility is suing a contractor, Wipro, which called the allegations baseless.

• November 30, 2017 30 Nov'17

  Third-party E911 services expand call management tools

  In UC news, organizations are deploying third-party E911 services for additional call management capabilities, while Genesys announces a chatbot integration with Amazon.

• November 29, 2017 29 Nov'17

  Eight must-have call center systems for customer service

  It can be challenging to pick a call center technology, implement it and optimize it for the best results. Here are the top eight call center tools to deliver the best customer experience.

• November 15, 2017 15 Nov'17

  Top five Windows 10 migration fears

  A Windows 10 migration can set IT pros shaking in their boots, especially because the transition often comes with hang-ups around compatibility, hardware updates and more.

• November 10, 2017 10 Nov'17

  Pipeline podcast: Salesforce SMB customers to benefit from Google deal

  Salesforce executives at Dreamforce discuss the impact of the new partnership with Google on Salesforce SMB customers, who'll be able to tap into Google Analytics and more.

• November 07, 2017 07 Nov'17

  Experts: Time is nigh for a Salesforce Lightning migration

  'Everything forward will be Lightning,' was advice from one analyst at Dreamforce 2017. CommScope's experience proves a move to Salesforce Lightning may be easier than you think.

• November 06, 2017 06 Nov'17

  New Citrix ShareFile features automate workflows

  Organizations that perform repetitious business tasks can benefit from Citrix ShareFile's workflow feature, which has seen numerous updates recently.

• November 06, 2017 06 Nov'17

  At Dreamforce, Salesforce applications take center stage

  Quip is expected to become the new Salesforce collaboration standard in Dreamforce unveiling; AppExchange and Einstein announcements reveal push into new markets.

• October 25, 2017 25 Oct'17

  Apple DEP faces new device provisioning competition

  The Apple Device Enrollment Program is well-established, and now, Microsoft and Google have their own zero-touch device provisioning services for Android and Windows.

• October 19, 2017 19 Oct'17

  Experts: Website redesign must enhance digital customer experience

  Gone are the days of a quick website launch. According to speakers at the Acquia Engage conference, redesigning a website is now a companywide digital customer experience project.

• October 13, 2017 13 Oct'17

  Arkadin unveils Cisco integrations for cloud telephony

  In UC news, Arkadin announces integrations with Cisco Spark and WebEx that support cloud-based telephony, while Box unveils machine learning tools to digitize and automate workflows.

• October 06, 2017 06 Oct'17

  AI among new Dynamics 365 features, Microsoft Teams top news from Ignite

  Discussing the top news stories coming out of the newly combined Microsoft Ignite and Envision conferences on the latest Pipeline podcast episode.

• October 02, 2017 02 Oct'17

  Dynamics 365 CRM can help drive the digital transformation process

  At Ignite, Microsoft predicts the future -- and it's one that centers on Dynamics 365, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

• September 27, 2017 27 Sep'17

  New Dynamics 365 features take center stage during Ignite keynote

  Dynamics 365 and the future direction of Microsoft products were given center stage during the Ignite keynote delivered by Satya Nadella.

• September 26, 2017 26 Sep'17

  Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM takes center stage at Ignite 2017

  Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella kicks off Microsoft Ignite with talk of future products, use cases for AI and continued bundling of Microsoft products.

• September 13, 2017 13 Sep'17

  How enterprises can take advantage of social media mapping

  If your company wants to tap into the emotion and sentiment customers display on social media, social media mapping may be the answer. Learn about one company's approach.

• September 07, 2017 07 Sep'17

  Atlassian Stride UCaaS product marks the end of HipChat

  Atlassian Stride, a new UCaaS product, is expected to eventually replace the Atlassian HipChat team messaging application. The new product is expected to compete with Cisco, Microsoft and Slack.

• September 06, 2017 06 Sep'17

  On tap for Microsoft Ignite conference: Adobe, Dynamics 365, LinkedIn

  New Adobe integrations and further integrations of existing products are possible announcements from Microsoft Ignite 2017.

• August 31, 2017 31 Aug'17

  Streaming video platforms see surge in healthcare market

  Analysts discuss streaming video's important role in healthcare organizations, the positive effect of AI capabilities on customer service, and how to evaluate mobile devices.

• August 22, 2017 22 Aug'17

  Cisco Spark app gets features for regulated organizations

  The Cisco Spark app now includes better content protection and control. Enterprises also have the option of having an on-premises version of the Spark encryption key server.

• August 17, 2017 17 Aug'17

  Microsoft Exchange Online UM drops third-party PBX support

  Some Microsoft customers must quickly re-evaluate their UC strategy after the vendor announced its intent to end third-party PBX support for Exchange Online Unified Messaging in 2018.

• August 10, 2017 10 Aug'17

  Humanitarian company uses Dynamics 365 for Talent for quicker deployment

  Chemonics upgraded its technological process from telex-era capabilities to cloud-based software for its worldwide projects.

• August 04, 2017 04 Aug'17

  AVST, Collab9 partner on UC platform for governments

  In UC news, AVST and Collab9 announce a partnership for FedRAMP-authorized cloud services, while two surveys find corporate email isn't going away anytime soon.

• August 02, 2017 02 Aug'17

  Level 3 offers Amazon Chime cloud collaboration tool as a service

  Level 3 has launched Amazon's Chime cloud collaboration tool as a managed service. The move could help Amazon compete with Microsoft and Cisco in the team collaboration market.

• July 21, 2017 21 Jul'17

  Infrastructure, endpoints to drive UC tech budget boom in 2018

  UC budgets are expected to rise in 2018 as organizations look to update aging voice infrastructure, promote user adoption and extend UC into contact centers.

• June 22, 2017 22 Jun'17

  Zoom Connector takes video conferencing service to Cisco hardware

  Zoom is offering its cloud-based video conferencing service on Cisco hardware through its integration app, Zoom Connector. Zoom's service competes with Cisco WebEx.

• June 08, 2017 08 Jun'17

  AI, IoT and Trailhead were main themes at Salesforce World Tour Boston

  In the second taping of The Pipeline podcast, we discuss the customer stories mentioned at the Boston event, the tight security and Salesforce's push of Trailhead.

• June 07, 2017 07 Jun'17

  Customer data mining rules changing in Trump's corporations-first era

  As Trump negates regulations against mining of customer data, consumers are mixed when it comes to trusting AI to act on those insights, Pegasystems research shows.

• June 06, 2017 06 Jun'17

  The major themes from SiriusDecisions Summit 2017

  Winning martech strategies highlighted the recent three-day conference, as well as SiriusDecisions keynotes and product showcases.

• June 02, 2017 02 Jun'17

  Microsoft makes Skype messaging more competitive

  The latest Microsoft Skype messaging features bring needed improvements to the consumer app. But analysts say Skype for Business is unlikely to get the same attention this year.

• May 26, 2017 26 May'17

  Artificial intelligence data privacy issues on the rise

  End users are in the crosshairs of business data privacy issues, especially when it comes to information gleaned from artificial intelligence technologies.

• May 26, 2017 26 May'17

  Genband-Sonus merger spotlights real-time communication tools

  In UC news this week, Genband and Sonus are set to merge; Polycom and Zoom combine forces; and Genesys updates its contact-center platform with artificial intelligence tools.

• May 25, 2017 25 May'17

  The Best of Citrix Synergy 2017 Awards winners

  Find out who won at the Best of Citrix Synergy 2017 Awards in categories such as New Technology and Desktop and Application Delivery, as well as who took home the Best of Show award.

• May 12, 2017 12 May'17

  Cisco to build MindMeld artificial intelligence services in Spark

  Cisco plans to build MindMeld artificial intelligence services into Spark. The AI maker also develops natural language interfaces for software and devices.

• May 10, 2017 10 May'17

  Salesforce AppExchange releases vendor-facing upgrades

  The improvements to the Salesforce AppExchange benefit companies and ISVs building on AppExchange, with lower pricing and more tools.

• May 08, 2017 08 May'17

  Jive acquired in enterprise collaboration software merger

  In UC news, Jive is in the midst of being acquired by a private equity firm and is expected to merge with CRM provider Aurea. Plus, UC cloud service provider Fuze gets more money.

• April 18, 2017 18 Apr'17

  UCC market evolution driven by digital transformation

  In UC news, a report finds digital transformation initiatives are driving the UCC market, while CoreDial and VeloCloud partner to bring SD-WAN features to cloud UC services.

• April 10, 2017 10 Apr'17

  Microsoft, Google vie to be masters of the universal OS

  Developers and IT admins have to manage and build apps for a multitude of different operating systems and device types. Windows 10 and Google's universal OS could change that.

• April 04, 2017 04 Apr'17

  IT pros share API deployment challenges, offer insights

  Communications APIs promise quick and easy deployments, but this new technology has its challenges. Three IT professionals share their API deployment experiences.

• March 29, 2017 29 Mar'17

  ShoreTel launches team collaboration tool for remote workers

  A new ShoreTel team collaboration tool supports persistent, virtual chat workspaces for remote and mobile employees, jumping into that market offering flexible ad hoc workspaces.

• March 29, 2017 29 Mar'17

  Unified communications users weigh vendor consolidation

  Unified communications users shared their successes and setbacks, with vendor consolidation as a key theme in a panel discussion at Enterprise Connect 2017.

• March 28, 2017 28 Mar'17

  Cisco using Spark hybrid hardware to nudge customers to the cloud

  Cisco unveiled at Enterprise Connect Spark hybrid video conferencing to help companies move to the cloud. The new Room Kits run off Spark or on-premises gear.

• March 28, 2017 28 Mar'17

  Avaya bankruptcy leaves customers in backup planning mode

  Avaya UC customers are in limbo with the vendor in bankruptcy. Consultants at Enterprise Connect offer Avaya bankruptcy contingency plan steps to prepare for the worst.

• March 28, 2017 28 Mar'17

  Unified communications vendors outlooks on cloud differ

  While hybrid deployments are the reality now, some unified communications vendors might disagree on the future of cloud communications and on-premises systems.

• March 28, 2017 28 Mar'17

  Microsoft adds enterprise features to Skype for Business telephony

  Microsoft has added call management features to Skype for Business telephony. The company introduced the improved version of the cloud-based software at Enterprise Connect.

• March 27, 2017 27 Mar'17

  8x8 launches contact center service for teams, small businesses

  8x8 has launched ContactNow, a contact center service for small businesses and teams that offers contact center capabilities with a pay-as-you-go cost model.

• March 27, 2017 27 Mar'17

  RingCentral updates focus on team messaging, integrations, AI

  Ahead of Enterprise Connect 2017, RingCentral unveils a slew of updates targeting collaborative communications, including a new user interface and chatbot technology.

• March 24, 2017 24 Mar'17

  Latest collaboration products on display at Enterprise Connect 2017

  Vendors will exhibit their latest UC products at Enterprise Connect 2017, from collaboration tools for huddle rooms to apps that support enterprise mobility.

• March 23, 2017 23 Mar'17

  AI advances can slow a Salesforce cloud migration

  Showing incremental improvement and investing over time are keys to successful cloud implementations, especially in government.

• March 21, 2017 21 Mar'17

  Team collaboration apps headline Enterprise Connect 2017

  Slack, Cisco Spark, Microsoft Teams and other team collaboration apps are tweaking traditional UC systems. Plus, Amazon and Google enter the fray as potential players.

• March 21, 2017 21 Mar'17

  Samsung Knox gives IT control over Android OS updates

  Knox's E-FOTA feature lets IT test Android OS updates before users install them on their Samsung devices, preventing apps from breaking.

• March 21, 2017 21 Mar'17

  Enterprise Connect 2017 conference coverage

  The unified communications industry is undergoing changes. Track these latest trends in our comprehensive coverage of Enterprise Connect 2017.

• March 15, 2017 15 Mar'17

  Google Hangouts apps for business carry uncertainties

  The latest Google Hangouts apps are a competitive team collaboration offering from a vendor with a spotty track record in enterprise technology.

• March 10, 2017 10 Mar'17

  Cloud UC and video conferencing adoption see uptick

  Cloud-based unified communications and video conferencing adoption are seeing gradual increases, according to a new survey. Plus, Cisco and Microsoft still reign supreme.

• March 09, 2017 09 Mar'17

  Six tips for simple, effective SMB cloud CRM implementations

  Thrush Aircraft flew through a cloud-based CRM implementation by engaging employees all along the way. Here are tips based on its success.

• February 24, 2017 24 Feb'17

  ShoreTel offers Google Chrome integration with G Suite

  In UC news, ShoreTel integrates its Connect platform with Google G Suite, while RingCentral Glip achieves HIPAA compliance for secure team chat in healthcare.

• February 02, 2017 02 Feb'17

  Slack Enterprise Grid needs more than tech to beat Microsoft Teams

  The new Slack Enterprise Grid has the technology basics for business. But winning large enterprise deals will require a better strategy against Microsoft.

• January 27, 2017 27 Jan'17

  Cloud migration challenges continue to vex enterprises

  Analysts discuss how providers can support cloud migrations, how workflow automation aids digital transformation, and Zoom's position in the cloud video market.

• January 26, 2017 26 Jan'17

  Software creation is not for every startup

  While it may be beneficial in the long run, creating AI software requires patience, investment and the right cast of employees. For one company, the investment paid off.

• January 19, 2017 19 Jan'17

  A hybrid deployment gives organizations UC flexibility

  Two factors are driving the hybrid deployment of unified communications: infrastructure needs and business value. But enterprises need to navigate certain deployment turbulence.

• January 18, 2017 18 Jan'17

  Quip acquisition of Unity&Variety beefs up subsidiary

  Salesforce hopes to add visual and creative elements to its document tool, while Commerce Cloud's integration with Facebook Ads hopes to make buying easy.

• January 06, 2017 06 Jan'17

  AI, messaging top unified communications industry trends

  Unified communications industry analysts explore the trends that will affect organizations in 2017. Artificial intelligence, messaging and infrastructure are key areas to watch.

• January 03, 2017 03 Jan'17

  Three key 2017 technology trends to know

  Predictive analytics, voice-activated devices and artificial intelligence will take shape as significant technology trends in 2017. Some still await further maturity.

• December 16, 2016 16 Dec'16

  Salesforce-AWS partnership expected to benefit customers

  By switching to Amazon Web Services, existing Salesforce customers could gain insight from AWS apps that will easily integrate with Salesforce.

• December 06, 2016 06 Dec'16

  Why has the Microsoft-Salesforce partnership soured?

  While the Microsoft-Salesforce partnership was touted with great fanfare just two years ago, the relationship has since soured.

• November 29, 2016 29 Nov'16

  Insightly adds CRM security to its product

  With smaller security budgets and IT teams than enterprise businesses, small and medium-sized companies are more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Insightly's new security features hope to combat that.

• November 14, 2016 14 Nov'16

  Inside the Salesforce strategy: Acquisitions, AI and Commerce Cloud

  Salesforce Einstein and Commerce Cloud are at the forefront of this year's Salesforce strategy, but the company works to gain momentum around IoT Cloud.

• November 02, 2016 02 Nov'16

  Election Protection helps voters with call center technology

  Election Protection handles upward of 100,000 calls per day as Election Day nears, routing calls from high-call-volume states using Genesys.

• October 27, 2016 27 Oct'16

  Active Directory management gets easier with mobile apps for IT admins

  Software vendors are increasingly offering admin-facing mobile apps, allowing IT to use their mobile devices to remotely manage users. Take ADManager Plus for Active Directory management, for example.

• October 26, 2016 26 Oct'16

  Abacus aims to find missing data in marketing expenses

  By combing CRM data, Abacus looks to provide finance teams with a clearer picture on costs accrued during marketing campaigns and events.

• October 06, 2016 06 Oct'16

  Collaborative tool Quip furthers Salesforce integration

  Pinterest used Quip to enhance collaboration between different departments in order to create new video advertising for its popular social media application.

• October 05, 2016 05 Oct'16

  Predictive lead scoring among new Sales Cloud features

  Einstein offers sales reps insight to smarter lead scores, but users wonder how deep the predictive capabilities of Salesforce's newest feature will go.

• August 18, 2016 18 Aug'16

  Salesforce Inbox adds another layer of integration Calendar

  Salesforce hopes to reduce the need for sales reps to toggle between apps while on the go by combining email and calendar events in one app.

• August 15, 2016 15 Aug'16

  Inside Ted Cruz's presidential campaign management software strategy

  Sen. Ted Cruz didn't clinch the Republican nomination, but not for lack of technology. Campaign management software on Salesforce tracked donations, volunteers and voters.

• August 04, 2016 04 Aug'16

  Quip joins growing stable of Salesforce apps

  With the addition of Quip, Salesforce users can perform word processing tasks without leaving the CRM provider's platform -- which may spell bad news for Microsoft.

• June 30, 2016 30 Jun'16

  Why communication is critical to implementing ERP

  In this podcast, ERP implementation consultant Bill Baumann of Panorama Consulting reveals how companies can use a good communication plan to avoid failure in implementing ERP.

• June 27, 2016 27 Jun'16

  LinkedIn purchase may signal new era of open APIs

  Microsoft's LinkedIn purchase may open up APIs and enable new competitors to take advantage of the treasure trove of social CRM data in LinkedIn.

• June 27, 2016 27 Jun'16

  Microsoft buys LinkedIn database for treasure trove of CRM contacts

  Microsoft bought the LinkedIn database. How will the professional contacts data enhance existing information in Dynamics CRM?

• May 26, 2016 26 May'16

  The Best of Citrix Synergy 2016 Awards winners

  The Best of Citrix Synergy 2016 Awards recognize the best products on display at Citrix's annual user conference.

• May 25, 2016 25 May'16

  Maximize growth through sales collaboration

  OHL, a global supply chain management company, grew sales with successful collaboration between sales teams and marketers.

• May 25, 2016 25 May'16

  Citrix ShareFile adds information rights management

  The new information rights management feature in Citrix ShareFile helps manage and secure data, no matter where it lives.

• May 19, 2016 19 May'16

  Salesforce Government Cloud, app sharing ease agency collaboration

  Salesforce Government Cloud Lightning eases government agencies' security concerns, allows for app sharing and improves communication among agencies and citizens.