IBM Crowdsources Information on South African Water Distribution

IBM marked World Water Day by announcing a crowdsourcing project to capture, share, and analyze information about the water distribution system in South Africa. The “WaterWatchers” project uses a mobile phone app and SMS to allow South Africans to report water leaks, faulty water pipes, and general conditions of canals. The information will be aggregated into a “WaterWatchers” report to create a single view of issues challenging about Africa’s water distribution system. More

Cisco Borderless Networks Enable Innovative Service for Romanian Skiers

Romanian startup i-Rewind has introduced an innovative service for skiers developed in partnership with Cisco Premier Certified Partner Bitnet Systems. The system allows skiers to capture their performance on video while on the slopes on i-Rewind cameras and provides them with multiangle HD recordings directly on their smartphones when they get to the end of their run. A high-speed fibre-optic network connects cameras, switches, routers, servers, and wireless access points all based on the Cisco Borderless Network Architecture. The system has been active since December on a slope in the Carpathian ski resort Predeal in Romania. More

SAP Issues First Integrated Report Combining Financials, Sustainability

SAP has announced its first integrated report, combining information usually shared in an annual report with information normally contained in a sustainability report. The single online document allows SAP to highlight the connections between the company’s financial and sustainability performance and is a milestone in the company’s journey from a “sustainable strategy” to making its corporate strategy sustainable. More

PwC US Names Tom Solazzo U.S Cleantech Leader

Thirty-year industry veteran Tom Solazzo has been named PwC’s U.S. Cleantech Leader, where he will play a key role in helping clients develop, commercialize, deploy, and maintain go-to-market strategies for products and services across the cleantech ecosystem. He succeeds Tim Cary and also leads PwC’s Management Consulting group in the Power and Utilities Sector. More

Digital Omnivores on the Move Says Deloitte’s “State of the Media Democracy” Survey

The American population’s voracious appetite for digitized information and entertainment is creating a groundswell of consumers who move seamlessly among smartphones, tablets, and laptops, consuming digital content, often using multiple devices at the same time. The seventh edition of Deloitte’s “State of the Media Democracy” survey shows a 160 percent growth in the number of digital omnivores– consumers who own the trio of tablet, smartphone, and laptop. This group now makes up more than a quarter of U.S. consumers. More

Deloitte Announces “Business Trends 2013” Report to Help Global Leaders Energize Strategic Plans

Deloitte has released its inaugural “Business Trends 2013” report outlining eight trends expected to be crucial strategic drivers for global business. The report is intended to help executives bolster strategic planning, become better connected with customers and stakeholders and find opportunities for innovation and growth. More

Deloitte Consumer Spending Index Stabilizes in February

The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index remained steady in February, primarily because of a decline in initial unemployment claims and a rise in real average hourly earnings offset negative forces. The index tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending. More

Despite Growing Optimism, the CFOs at America’s largest Companies Fear Stagnation

The Deloitte Q1 CFO Signals survey shows that the state of the North American economies is both the main driver and top impediment of growth. Positive economic indicators are boosting CFO optimism, but fears of stagnation are restraining their expectations for 2013 sales and domestic hiring. More

Yahoo! to Expand in Lockport, New York

Yahoo! has announced plans to build new data and customer care centers in Lockport, New York, later this year. The expansion will provide additional capacity and customer care service to provide users with fast product delivery and access to helpful customer support. It expects to create 115 new jobs in engineering, technology, and customer care with the expansion. More

Yahoo! to Participate in Morgan Stanley Conference

Yahoo! Inc. CFO Ken Goldman will participate in a question-and-answer session at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference in San Francisco February 27 at 10:15 a.m. PT (1:15 p.m. ET). A live webcast will be available. More