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Talk about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has been everywhere lately. That’s because several major Web sites, including Firefox, Wikipedia, Google, and others, publicly protested the bill. Since then, the lawmakers behind both SOPA and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) have decided to postpone deliberations on modifying them in the hopes of reaching an accord with critics. Even though those bills have been put on hold, there’s a good chance that they will come back in some form or another. Simply put, SOPA is a major issue that could have a profoundly negative impact on the Internet. Here’s a look at why SOPA is such a major issue for anyone who uses the Internet.

Google started out with a simple goal -- to deliver the best search engine in the business -- and since achieving that has expanded into, well, just about everything.. From advertising to mobile operating systems to even desktop operating systems, Google is pushing for a leadership position in each and every market. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Microsoft tried something similar in the 1990s. And although the company was somewhat successful in achieving that goal, it was met with stiff criticism for trying to take over the world. Critics considered Microsoft the “evil empire.” In retrospect, that actually wasn’t the case. And many of the innovations that we enjoy today are thanks to Microsoft’s efforts. But now as Google makes a stronger push into so many markets, could this search giant be bent on world domination? Here’s a look at Google’s march towards even greater power and influence.

The death of the corporate firewall has been greatly exaggerated. Contrary to the proclamations of some security experts, the firewall is here to stay, and so is the need for someone to manage it. Here's why.

As the CES circus completely takes over Vegas this week, computer geeks over the nation are about to get the lowdown on latest lustworthy gadgets, gizmos and apps making their way onto the market in 2012. Based on our advanced intelligence, Channel Insider predicts the following seven product categories to make the biggest splash on the show floor and maybe even in partners' daily lives.

The year 2011 was a time of dramatic events and changes for the technology industry. From surprising new product introductions to declines of once-great giants of tech. Industry observers from enterprise IT professionals to end-users of technology to consumers found changes around every turn. There’s no telling what 2012 holds, but as we take a look back at 2011, it’s clear that it was a crucial turning point in the industry that could be pointed to as a time when the industry grew and became even greater, or slowly but surely started its decline. Here’s a look back at some of the stories that surprised us this year, and helped cement the idea that no matter what sort of predictions might come up at the beginning of a year, they tend to fall short to reality.

Every large, established company in the IT marketplace knows that it is time to get in the cloud or die trying. That means it’s also time for the big fish to gobble up the small, or the old guys to snap up the startups. With competition heating up, the amount of money it takes to get hold of these innovators has pushed past the clouds, well into the stratosphere. Some acquisitions were steals, others, career-enders. In the end, the big players all dipped deep in their wallets this year with the hope of being the best positioned for the year ahead. Here’s a look at the blockbuster deals of 2011

Although Apple hasn’t acknowledged that it’s doing so, the rumor mill continues to claim that the company is planning to launch a television in 2012. For those that have been following Apple for a while, talk of a television from the company is nothing new. For years now, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has been saying that Apple would release a television of its own, but so far, it hasn’t, causing some to speculate that the iPhone maker won’t do so. However, earlier this year, Munster and his supporters were vindicated when Steve Jobs’ biography was released with a statement made by the Apple co-founder, indicating that he had finally “cracked” the code for developing an integrated television that would come with iCloud support. Since then, rumors have been swirling that the device will come with iCloud, feature several different screen sizes, and perhaps most importantly, revolutionize the way we enjoy entertainment in the living room. Here’s why Apple TV may be the company’s most impressive product yet.

As we navigate that critical time between tryptophan-induced naps and holiday cookie-induced comas it is time to think about those other turkeys besides the ones you just devoured: your kooky office mates. Holiday gift-exchange season is about to kick off in high form and it pays to get your game plan in order, especially if your target is of the geek persuasion. You aren't about to buy your Secret Santa recipient a new Kindle and you'll likely skip an expensive computer accessory for the white elephant gift exchange. Which is why we've run out and found some of the best gifts for under $30 that you can buy to keep your nerdy cubicle mates happy.

Motion Computing's SlateMate tool for the CL900 tablet lets hospitals scan patients' ID bracelets, insurance cards and credit cards, simplifying many hospital processes.

At its iPhone event last week, Apple failed to show off the iPhone 5, deciding instead to unveil its iPhone 4S. Although that device is quite nice in its own right, it fails to live up to the hype that surrounded the iPhone 5. According to rumors that cropped up before the event, the iPhone 5 was "supposed to" have a big display, 4G connectivity, and several other features that would have made it a hit among consumers and perhaps enterprise users, alike. But now that the iPhone 5 won’t be making his way to store shelves, consumers might be wondering when the device will finally do so. At this point, Apple isn’t talking, and it’s quite possible that the company won’t make any announcements for quite some time. But if history is to be one’s guide, it looks quite likely that the iPhone 5 will make its debut in 2012. By then, just about all the pieces will fall into place to make it the right time to release the device. Some might be wondering why Apple will wait until next year to release its iPhone 5. After all, those folks say, if it exists already, why shouldn’t it be coming out this year? Unfortunately, there are several reasons the iPhone 5 will need to wait until next year. Here’s why.

Sure, Steve Jobs founded, built and led a company that created revolutionary technology products – products that harnessed the power of technology for the non-technically inclined. You probably have an iPhone in your pocket or an iPad in your briefcase. But Jobs left us with much more than just products as his legacy. Your iPhone will be obsolete in a few years. But Steve Jobs’ words of wisdom live on. Jobs left us his vision and lessons of a lifetime of not compromising, pursuing an entrepreneurial dream, and reaching for the best. Here’s a look at Steve’s lessons to us all, in his own words.

Iconic Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs has resigned from the top job at Apple and is moving to the chairman seat, recommending Tim Cook succeed him as CEO. He said in a letter that he could no longer fulfill his duties as CEO.

Cloudera is actively recruiting channel partners for Apache Hadoop and is introducing a brand new Hadoop certification program.

While the horror show that was the debt ceiling debate raged on in Washington, legislators were also looking at several other measures so far this year that impact small business and IT. Here's a look at legislative measures this year that affect your business.