Mari-Len De Guzman

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel Corp. has embarked on a global initiative to promote wireless connectivity in local government services, as Canadian cities watch in the sidelines for "lessons learned" from the pilot implementations.

Refurbishing old computers for re-use is a common alternative in e-waste management, but vendors are wary that it's not really solving the end-of-life issue, but merely delaying it. Industry Canada's Computers for Schools (CFS) program has been a 13-year beneficiary for obsolete computers that would have otherwise been dumped in landfills across the country or exported to "recyclers" in China.

Business is warming up for Toronto-based Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. and it has nothing to do with natural gas running through the company's pipelines. Enbridge says its new Web-based contracting and reporting system for gas management

Ever get that eerie feeling that you're being watched? With Internet monitoring software that allows companies to record employees' online activities throughout the workday, there's a good chance you are. And a recent survey on workplace productivity has given companies 759 billion reasons to adopt such technology.

At Bruce County, Voice over IP (VoIP) is starting to deliver on its promise of enhanced communications at a lower cost. Business customers could rake in savings of up to 50 per cent with the new VoIP service offered by Bruce Municipal Telephone System (BMTS), according to Hans Nilsson, president and CEO of BMTS, based in Tiverton, On.

About an hour west of Toronto lies an area that has spawned some of the most successful technology companies in North America: Waterloo region. As a result, it has become a captive destination for venture capital investment. The latest milestone in this investment bonanza is a $50 million venture capital fund from Waterloo, On.-based Tech Capital Partners Inc. aimed at giving the region's tech startups a leg up.

Oracle Corp.'s recent purchases are likely to propel the company to a position of leadership in the lucrative retail market, an analyst said.Oracle announced yesterday that it had completed the acquisition of Cambridge, Mass.-based retail software firm ProfitLogic.

Executives the world over are recognizing that effective procurement strategies are the high road to cost savings and competitiveness.