Web-based, personal finance management services, similar in purpose to Quicken and Quickbooks software, are increasingly adding travel-related features to their offerings.

BBC: Tracking travel rewards

But RIM's management believes its new wireless Web services, third party software agreements and plans to expand to new markets will keep the company on top.

CNN: How BlackBerry conquered the world

Comcast's XFINITY Home Security service provides intrusion and fire protection in addition to a host of interactive features including home monitoring, home management and energy management services, with the added benefits of web and mobile access.

ENGADGET: Xfinity Home Security makes home monitoring and management Comcastic (video)

Indeed, and I do see a lot of savings and efficiency benefits in consolidating services on the Cisco comm servers allowing better subhost store-and-forward switch logic leveraging business process management minimizing installations and connections to myriads of web services and redundancies which often cause inconsistencies and even data integrity issues.

FORBES: Cisco Explains Its $700 Cius: More Than A Tablet

While HP's solid OpenView management software brings in "billions in revenue, to deploy Web services you need to closely tie in application development, " says Governor.

FORBES: IBM Deal Puts The Squeeze On HP

This may mean that you use low-cost Web-based services to provide order taking, accounting, e-mail services, database management, or a hundred other functions that are central to the operation of your business.

FORBES: Extreme Outsourcing

Volt owners also have the MyVolt.com website to provide those remote management features and other Chevy owners soon will have access to similar web-based OnStar services.

ENGADGET: Chevrolet launches MyLink smartphone integration for 2012 Volt and Equinox

Future versions will include tools that let people use popular Chinese web services such as Baidu maps, the Taobao shopping service as well as versions of office programs and image management tools, directly from Ubuntu's main screen.

BBC: China to create home-grown operating system