New Zealand agriculture technology company WaterForce is providing an Internet of Things-based water-management and irrigation system for New Zealand farms using sensor technology and software from Schneider Electric, built on a Microsoft Azure and Azure IoT technology platform. The technology, adopted this year by BlackHills Farm, has reduced water consumption by 30 percent, according to Schneider Electric.

Taking over companies can bring IT expense as well as new business opportunities. So an electrical supply manufacturer was delighted that a merger brought unlimited licenses at no extra cost.

FedEx Corp. said it won't charge additional fees for most orders during the holiday season, in contrast with United Parcel Service Inc., undercutting its main rival as they battle for e-commerce customers.

Amazon's Prime Now is now available in Singapore, offering its signature free two-hour delivery. The launch is the e-commerce giant's first foray into Southeast Asia.