Microsoft' s cloud executive is to be named as Microsoft' s next CEO according to nbcnews. Here is what Satya Nadella said in an interview made in 2013:        READ the news on >>

SOCIAL COLLABORATION IN CLOUD Podio, now part of Citrix Systems is the social collaboration tool that allows you to build apps and set up workspaces to support your preferred workflows and help you be more effective. Easily manage projects and other business processes and interact with clients, partners and team members, anytime, anywhere in the world. Cloud-based workflow: Whether you're working alone or with colleagues – inside or outside of your company – Podio has hundreds of free business apps you can customize to create your ideal cloud-based workflow. Or, you can build your own! No technical skills required.  Social collaboration: Give your team a place in the cloud to discuss ideas, share files and organize meetings – it even integrates with GoToMeeting for easy online meetings. Project management software: Keep track of your deliverables, budget, time and files all in one place. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Enable your salespeople to easily store and share lead information and sales stats. Recruiting: Manage the entire recruitment process, from job descriptions and applicant tracking to on-boarding new hires. Events: Plan events and keep everyone on your team informed. Store data about venues, supplies, attendees, budget, deadlines and more. Similar to many social media tools, Podio empowers people in your workspaces to post statuses, make comments, "like" each others' posts and share files. What's different with Podio? You get to decide how to structure these interactions for your business. Plus, conversations don't get lost in the cloud – they're conveniently stored in context with the project being discussed. It's the best way to bring social collaboration to the business world. WATCH THE VIDEO >>

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg  Sheryl Sandberg admits she was terrified to step onto the TED stage in 2010 -- because she was going to talk, for the first time, about the lonely experience of being a woman in the top tiers of business. Millions of views (and a best-selling book) later, the Facebook COO talks with the woman who pushed her to give that first talk, Pat Mitchell. Sandberg opens up about the reaction to her idea, and explores the ways that women still struggle with success. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg TED talk Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions -- and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite.

$1 billion investment for cloud-based cognitive applications and services by IBM has been announced. U.S.-based computer giant IBM says it plans to invest more than $1 billion into a group focused on research and development of cloud-based cognitive applications and services for business. The new Watson Group will be headquartered in New York City's technology hub, near East Village, with more than 2,000 professionals who will design, develop and support the spread of the so-called cognitive computing technology. What is IBM Watson? IBM Watson: A System Designed for Answers Watson is a cognitive computing system designed for complex analytics, made possible by integrating massively parallel POWER® processors and DeepQA technology. As businesses put Watson to work for smarter analytics solutions, each new challenge will be different, combining established analytics solutions with new technologies like DeepQA, and domain knowledge contributed by experts in specific industries. For the first time, IBM will open up Watson as a development platform in the Cloud to spur innovation and fuel a new ecosystem of entrepreneurial software app providers who will bring forward a new generation of applications infused with Watson's cognitive computing intelligence. IBM offers a single source for developers to conceive and produce their Powered by Watson applications. Watson Developer Cloud Will offer the technology, tools and APIs to ISVs for self-service training, development, and testing of their cognitive application. The Developer Cloud is expected to help jump-start and accelerate creation of Powered by IBM Watson applications. Watson Content Store Will bring together unique and varying sources of data, including general knowledge, industry specific content, and subject matter expertise to inform, educate, and help create an actionable experience for the user. The store is intended to be a clearinghouse of information presenting a unique opportunity for content providers to engage a new channel and bring their data to life in a whole new way. Watson Talent Hub Staffing and talent organizations with access to in-demand skills like linguistics, natural language processing, machine learning, user experience design, and analytics will help bridge any skill gaps to facilitate the delivery of cognitive applications. These talent hubs and their respective agents are expected to work directly with members of the Ecosystem on a fee or project basis. READ MORE >>