hanges in the way we work are influencing an increase in IT spend at companies across the US and Europe, mainly on more notebooks and Blackberries.

Compared to a few years ago, executives are working away from the office a lot more, either on the road or from home. An ACNielsen study found that over 50 percent of companies in the US and Europe say they will increase IT spend this year, with two in five say they will boost investments in notebook computers and the Blackberry PDA.

About 40 percent of US companies also expect to increase spend on Internet services and web-enabled applications, compared to 33 percent of European companies.

The demand for notebooks is mainly driven by the increasing need for mobility at today?s offices.

Research In Motion?s Blackberry allows e-mail on the go.

The survey reveals that UK business users expect to move towards using the Blackberry next year, with slower rates across the rest of Europe.

Nearly one in five British companies surveyed said they intended to adopt and integrate Blackberries into their business in the next year.

The Blackberry is clearly the most entrenched executive must-have mobile accessory in the US where the perception of return on investment is 51 percent, considerably higher than only 21 percent among European companies.

The survey also highlighted a significant difference in IT ROI expectations between European and US companies.

According to the survey, European firms are less likely than US firms to perceive a benefit on ROI from notebooks, PDA?s and Blackberries.

Meanwhile cultural differences between the two continents account for the difference in what computers the IT department prefers.

It?s a difference IT companies should understand when consulting for companies located in the different regions, as it is a key factor influencing purchasing decisions.

A Dell is still the computer of choice in the US business world, with HP/Compaq the brand of choice in Europe, according to the study.

European companies place great value on reliability and high quality, while US companies value an IT brand that is fast growing, improving and offers high security features.

IT executives in the US voted Dell the best IT equipment brand, saying the company still delivers better value for money than HP/Compaq and almost all other equipment brands.

However European IT leaders voted HP/Compaq as the leading IT equipment brand, with Dell taking second place.

One in three IT executives in the US and one in five IT executives in Europe chose Dell as their leading IT equipment brand.

The difference in opinion is mainly due to HP/Compaq?s international image and global reach, ACNielsen said.

Dell is catching up quickly, and is now the second largest seller of computers in France and UK.

Most senior IT executives in Europe started their careers exposed primarily to Hewlett Packard and IBM HP/Compaq is also perceived as the all-end solution provider, an important consideration for European corporations, ACNeilsen stated.

Don?t forget to have a look at the winners of the annual Webby Awards, the people?s choices of the best Web sites around and the most influential people affecting the industry. I like dipping into them, not so much for the information, but for the design techniques that I can use for my own.

Winners were named in about 70 business, consumer and culture categories.

Some of my favourite highlights include Style Wars for Best Visual Design, and FabChannel.com in the music category.

I?ve been a member of FabChannel for three years.

The site shows live shows of up and coming, and sometime well known music groups.

It?s a way for an oldster like me to keep up with the younger music.

Google certainly deserved the award for Best Visual Design/Function and Broadband for Google Earth and for Services with Google Maps.

Go to Flickr for Best Navigation/Structure and Best Practices. The Book of Cool won three People?s Voice Awards for Best Navigation/Structure, Best Use of Video and Moving Image and Retail.

I note that Thomas Friedman, a columnist for The New York Times and author of ?The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,? was named person of the year.

The book was reviewed in this column earlier this year. If you haven?t read it yet, get a copy so you can catch up with all the buzzwords it is generating.

The Webby award ceremony, scheduled for June 12 in New York, limits acceptance speeches to five words, which makes for some interesting quips.

Al Gore?s speech last year for the lifetime achievement award was: ?Please don?t recount this vote.?

Go to www.webbyawards.com and get an education if you have an eye for design, or the next wave of the Internet.

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