Internet-based applications and services - News, Features, and Slideshows

Features

• Ahead of IPO, Twitter shines up multimedia image

  Just a week before its IPO, Twitter moved to go from mainly snippets and quips to a more visual social network

• Salesforce.com's Dreamforce: What to expect

  Salesforce.com is gearing up for its annual Dreamforce conference, which is set to be the biggest yet, with 120,000 people expected to register.

• As its IPO looms, Twitter faces investor grilling

  With its IPO share price now set and its roadshow about to begin, Twitter will soon face some tough questions from potential investors.

• 15 big social media mistakes companies make and how to avoid them

  Social media experts discuss the most common social networking business blunders and what companies can do to improve their social media IQ.

• Twitter faces a tough IPO process

  Twitter executives will face a tough challenge as they hit the road to promote the company's IPO.

• 10 tidbits from Twitter's IPO filing

  Twitter made its IPO documents public Thursday and in the process revealed some juicy information about the company, like how much money it makes (or loses) and how much its executives get paid. Here are a few of the details we learned about Twitter today.

• After getting star billing, Oracle's Fusion Applications take a supporting role

  Last week's OpenWorld conference made on thing clear: Oracle remains committed to its next-generation Fusion Applications but massive growth in the product line is probably not around the corner.

• IT Recruiters Mine Social Media for Hidden Tech Talent

  Dice.com's Open Web tool, currently in beta, lets recruiters harness the power of the social Web to target candidates, even if they're not actively looking for a job.

• Oracle to put on its innovation game face at OpenWorld

  Oracle's annual OpenWorld conference is less than a week away, and as usual the vendor is expected to make a slew of new product and strategy announcements.

• Now is 'good timing' for Twitter's IPO

  Twitter has become part of an international conversation. And now the social networking company is moving to take the company public, and industry analysts say it's great timing.

• Facebook goes after Twitter and its lock on 'immediacy'

  In a new push to compete with Twitter and its lock on immediacy, Facebook took the wraps off two new APIs that enable news organizations to tap into user comments and display them online or on TV in real time.

• Getting around Google+: 25 tips and tricks for power users

  The last of JR Raphael's three-part how-to series includes advanced tips and tricks to help you take your Google+ experience to the next level.

• Twitter moves point to a timely IPO

  As rumors swirl that Twitter is gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO), industry analysts say the timing is right for such a move.

• Salesforce.com's Benioff lays out future strategies

  Salesforce.com's second-quarter earnings conference call featured the usual dose of chest-thumping by CEO Marc Benioff as the company posted US$957 million in revenue and raised its full fiscal year forecast to at least $4 billion.

• Zuckerberg's goal of connecting 5B people could take 20 years

  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's plan to connect five billion people to the Internet is feasible, anlysts said today. But it it could take 20 years to complete.