Vending machines in the US get an organic makeover

A new act, passed by Congress last month, will drive the replacement of junk food with healthier snacks in US school vending machines. Not only will this transition resonate with health-conscious consumers, it will also appeal to those looking for a more user-friendly snacking experience. It is likely that this will mark the start of a large-scale transition towards more organic-based vending.

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FDA: caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks stir controversy in the US

After a year-long review the FDA has issued a warning to manufacturers regarding the safety of caffeine in alcoholic energy drinks. A cloud of controversy has since loomed over the validity of this warning, with accusations that it is a breach of consumer rights. However, steps to defend the beverages are likely to lose out to the regulatory powers of the FDA, resulting in an outright drinks ban.

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US offshore stirred from sleep by State of the Union

President Obama's first State of the Union speech urged Republicans to help him in passing a climate change bill that would crown his term in office. The timing is risky as his authority is critically low after losing his filibuster majority. Considering this adversity, Obama's 15-word allusion to oil and gas developments is particularly significant.

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SunGard Higher Education turns a corner with Banner Relationship Management

SunGard Higher Education's recent announcement regarding the refocusing of its Banner Enrollment Management Suite represents a significant paradigm shift in the market. More pertinently, the move has far-reaching implications for the long-term uptake of customer relationship management for higher education on an institution-wide basis.

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G20: additional funding will benefit Western European banks

Two of the most significant outcomes of the G20 summit in London were the tripling of the IMF's resources to $750 billion and an increase of $100 billion in the multilateral development banks' lending capacity. The increase in resources is a welcome boost to the global economy, but is especially beneficial for Western European financial firms with exposure to Central and Eastern Europe.

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Making strides: Obama and technology

When Barack Obama was elected president last November, his campaign's use of technology was innovative, historic and undoubtedly successful. During his first 100 days in office, Obama has made moves toward improving government IT and there are indications that the campaign's methods have permeated the way the White House leverages technology, both operationally and from a policy perspective.

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Spend on municipal wireless in UK and US to reach $6.4 billion by 2012

Municipal wireless is still in the embryonic stages of development, but the trend is positioned to explode in the UK and the US over the next five years as local governments and internet service providers recognize the economic and community benefits these networks offer. Given this, spend in the US and UK is expected to grow from $900 million in 2007 to $6.4 billion in 2012.

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Education technology: US embraces learning management solutions

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Higher education for software specialists

When you buy application software, services, or other technology from a vendor, or when you need to recruit skilled staff for senior roles, you may wonder what education is the relevant background for such positions. With skilled staff in seemingly perpetual short supply, what type of educational background is likely to inculcate the relevant skills? A new course may have some of the answers.

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Government IT: US public safety technology spending to grow 7% over next five years

Despite the high priority placed on public safety by governments at all levels, first responders continue to struggle to communicate with peers in other agencies or jurisdictions as part of coordinated emergency response efforts. State and local governments must address both the technology and organizational issues that prohibit interoperability among public safety communications systems.

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