Data analytics should be important part of your business intelligence. It provides your company with critical information giving it an edge to compete in crowded markets. Finding the right mix of people who can ask the right questions as well as looking at similar data in other non-competition industries where they may be willing to freely share their expertise.

Last week, we witnessed an amazing technology feat. After 10 years in space, Rosetta space probe released a lander module Philae. Philae landed on a comet 67P and sent us first close up pictures of the comet. Unfortunately, the scientists didn’t include the Energizer bunny, nor its batteries and for now the lander has ran out of juice. To our dismay, it landed in shade.

There were two news stories from IBM in regards to Watson last week. The first one was about a partnership between IBM and Twitter. The news release is full of great promises – Analytics Services on Cloud, which should deliver cognitive services in the palm of your hand; predictive analytics; visualization. Between Twitter and Watson, you’ll be able to keep the pulse on the planet.

Estonia has made it clear; the country is open for business. Estonia is offering anybody to become an “e-Estonian”. Once your identity is established, you will have the access to banking, education, and government services, amongst other benefits of being a citizen. You can securely store and share documents, digitally sign contracts, and register your business. Short of voting, you’ll be able to do everything as any native Estonian.

Microsoft is killing Nokia. The brand that is. Microsoft announced that it is changing the phone name from Nokia Lumia to Microsoft Lumia. Rebranding will take some time, but with this move, it is evident that the brand is dead.

The Globe and Mail reported that the Maple Leafs are betting big on Big Data. It is surprising that it has taken them this long. Other sport organizations, notably the MLB with its Sabermetrics, have been doing it for quite some time. The Maple Leafs started pouring resources into gathering data, analysis, visualization and predictive analytics. They are planning to use it for drafting, contract negotiation, on-ice strategy and style of play.

Have you heard of Wello or AliveCor? These are a new breed of devices which attach to your smart phone and claim to detect atrial fibrillation, track your blood pressure, temperature and even more. You can also get other devices that can measure your sleep patterns, oxygen level in your blood, and your overall physical activity.

You might have heard by now about a new problem in the computer world – Shellshock. I’ll spare you the technical details. The one thing you should know is that this bug was discovered in a part of the Linux operating system. Linux, the free version of Unix, with numerous variations in distribution, is embedded in countless number of devices. As far as people know, the bug was introduced sometimes in 1992.

As you may remember, IBM nominated its computer ‘Watson’ to compete in the game Jeopardy against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.

Alibaba went public. The Chinese ecommerce company chose the New York Stock Exchange (after Honk Kong regulators refused) to launch their bid to go public. It has been branded the largest IPO of all times, with billions of dollars flying around.