Editor's choice
Review: Acer TravelMate 3012 laptop boasts performance gains
Acer's new laptop is the first we've seen based on Intel's dual-core mobile platform, meaning that it can perform well under heavy loads and will suit mobile staff running demanding applications. The laptop, which has a slightly larger footprint than similar models from Dell, has a built-in camera and includes a clever rechargeable Bluetooth VoIP phone that fits in a PC Card slot. However, the laptop's power comes at a price: its battery life is less than impressive.

Starts this week: IT Week Podcast
News Editor Madeline Bennett chairs a lively discussion dissecting the key events of the week. In this opening podcast she discusses data breaches with James Murray and computer memory advancements with Roger Howorth.

Comment: Big-headed ideas for mobile systems
James Woudhuysen recently attended the Mobile Web 2.0 discussions in the City of London, an event where speakers were in combative mood. Hot topics included HSDPA - is it really 'a turbo charger for 3G'? - and whether mobile video conferencing is a reality. Woudhuysen also takes issue with the "long tail" market theory that underpins much of the web 2.0 hyperbole.

News: Nokia pushes dual-mode phones and fixed-mobile services
Nokia is to reveal five new mobile devices before the summer, with each boasting 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. This week Nokia spoke to IT Week about the new devices as well as its aims to provide operators with handsets capable of supporting converged fixed-mobile services. These will let firms route mobile calls placed in the office via wireless LANs and then into the wired network, cutting out expensive cellular tariffs.

News: Managers call for rethink on offshore organisation
A survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has found that just under half of all responding firms did not involve their HR departments when making decisions about what, why, where, and when to outsource. The author of the report, Ben Wilmott, said this lack of communication tends to lower staff morale and advised firms to reconsider their actions.

Analysis: BPM pulls IT and finance together
This week Phil Muncaster interviewed John Taylor, director of industry solutions at Cartesis, and found out precisely how he sees business process management systems fitting into the workplace. Taylor says that it might be ten years before all companies start to see their benefits, but he is sure that see them they will.

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