The new IT mantra

The word 'green' is catching up fast with IT companies and Earth Day on 22 April only served as another occasion for many IT companies to renew their pledge to conserve the environment's resources and save energy costs in the bargain, according to Business Standard.

It's also a good business practice and according to the Green Poll, conducted by IDC in the Asia-Pacific region, 18% of organisations surveyed consider the greenness of the IT suppliers before making a selection. Another 30% are expected to do so in the near future, according to Reji Kumar Pillai, head of Energy & Utility for IBM India.

A green data centre, for instance, can cut a typical data centre cost by half and can also protect the environment by reducing emissions that amount to taking 1 300 automobiles off the road.

The ICT minister of Thailand, Ranongruk Suwunchwee, refuses to meet with the two state telecoms enterprises because she is effectively powerless, according to a government source, Bangkok Post states.

The minister made Internet censorship and blocking Web sites she considered offensive to the monarchy her main priority, when she was appointed on 26 December 2008.

She has reportedly met with senior ICT officials only once, and only to inform them of her decision.

Information technology remains a part of many budgets with some businesses using it to cut other costs, according to Nebs.

The recession in the US and economic downturn that has swept the globe is apparently not taking an extreme toll on IT spending.

According to Compass Intelligence's SME Online Experience research, about 42% of the people in charge of purchasing technology for small businesses plan to continue their regular spending while 20% are even planning an increase.