Twitter software applications prone to crashes, tests show

Twitter, the popular social-networking site, has elevated spur-of-the-moment commentary and outbursts to must-have business strategy and political tactic. But some users are finding their best work is going unheard because the software applications they use are buggy and can crash.

A Southborough software testing company evaluated the reliability of programs that allow users to participate in [...]

Open Source Software, Cloud Computing Can Save Government Money

(GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY) - When it comes to IT, there is a multitude of low-cost, creative ways to make resources available. Which ones are worth considering? Is there a more efficient development approach? How can you effectively combine resources with other government districts? The clear need is to evaluate low-cost resources that save money in the [...]

U.S. pressuring China over censoring software

(SFGATE) - “I think this can be pulled off.” That from a U.S. computer executive closely involved with efforts to get China to reverse course on its mandate that all PCs sold in that country be installed with censoring-enabled software as of Wednesday.
Hope over experience? It depends on how persuasive the full-court press is now [...]

My-Shopping-Channel.Com Displays 850,000 Products from 200 UK High Street Stores in a Little Window in the Corner of your Screen.

A new way to shop comes to the UK’s 36 million Internet users this week. Unlike traditional Internet shopping, shoppers using My-Shopping-Channel.com continue other activities on their computer, while products from leading high street brands like Boots, M&S and Currys display one by one in the corner of their screen. No mouse clicks are needed [...]

FTSE ends in positive territory despite poor retail sales

(GUARDIAN) - Britain’s index of leading shares ended in positive territory yesterday despite being dragged down earlier in the day by worse than expected retail sales figures.
Next, Home Retail Group, owner of Argos, and B&Q firm Kingfisher all lost ground after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that sales on Britain’s high streets [...]

Online retail to offset high street woes

(FINANCE MARKETS) - Online shopping could give the UK’s economy the boost it needs to climb out of recession, according to a new report.
PayPal UK’s Online Retail Report estimates that the amount Brits spend online is set to double by the end of 2011, from £8.9 billion per year to £21.3 billion.
During 2011, consumers will [...]

Austrian regulator aims to stop retail forex loans

(Reuters) - Austrian financial watchdog FMA is pushing banks to formally commit themselves to end foreign currency lending to Austrian retail clients in all but very exceptional cases, the FMA said on Friday.
Lending in foreign currencies, especially Swiss francs and Japanese yen was for many years a popular way to cheaply finance houses in Austria, [...]

UK retail banks present new opportunity for tech marketers

(U TALK MARKETING) - From major high street brands such as Tesco to Vernon Hill, the US entrepreneur who founded Commerce Bancorp, there are a number of companies considering an entry into the UK’s retail banking market.
Business models range from specialized niche offerings for the new mass affluent or small and medium-sized enterprises to fully [...]

Online Retailer Ty’s Toy Box Expands

(ANIMATION INSIDER) - For devoted parents in search of personalized t-shirts, matching bedding materials, or just the right set of themed school supplies that aren’t easy to find at brick-and-mortar retail shops… and for caretakers whose children are in need of the one plush toy, limited edition action figure, or latest book adaptation of a [...]

New trading platform targets retail investors

(FT) - The already crowded market for share trading facilities in Europe received another entrant on Tuesday with the launch of Tom Trading, a Netherlands-based venture that is the first aimed at retail, or ordinary, investors.
Its is a joint venture between Optiver, a privately-held Dutch electronic trading firm, and BinckBank, a locally-listed online bank.
The involvement [...]