Editor's note: It's salary survey time again. Take a look at our 2011 report. There are interesting data points beyond just the big number. Also, see how phone companies are trying to help Japan, the speed tests for IE9, and the official arrival of the HTC Thunderbolt. -Jason Our 2011 salary survey: IT compensation is down but not out TechRepublic and Global Knowledge have published one of the IT industry's most comprehensive salary surveys for the fourth straight year. Read 2011's state of the union. Read more | News from ZDNet | | Phone companies step up to help Japan Communication with those affected by the crisis in Japan is crucial, and most U.S. phone companies are stepping up to offer free calls and text messages to Japan. Read more | IE9 vs Chrome 10 vs Firefox 4 RC vs Opera 11.01 vs Safari 5 - The BIG browser benchmark! Now that Microsoft has finally made Internet Explorer 9 available to the masses, it's time for a BIG browser benchmark where we take the leading browsers and pit them against four of the toughest... Read more | HTC Thunderbolt hits Verizon March 17 Verizon has finally confirmed that its first 4G-capable phone, the HTC Thunderbolt, will be available on March 17. Read more | Kerry-Lugar bill targets H-1B Visa holders: Stop being an employee, become an employer A provision in the "Startup Visa" bill offers a new route to permanent residency for graduate students and H-1B visa holders. Read more | Purchased an AT&T iPad 2? Read this first to get a month of free data AT&T is offering new iPad 2 owners a free month of data, but you need to make sure to first call them to take advantage of the offer before you sign up for a prepaid account. Read more | iOS 'web app performance issue' - Bug or feature? Apple's iOS contains several 'bugs' which are hampering the performance of web apps, according to an exclusive report by the The Register. But are they 'bugs' or a 'feature'? Read more | CIO analysis: Why 37 percent of projects fail New research identifies five important reasons that projects fail. Read more | RIM: Disable JavaScript in BlackBerry Browser Research in Motion (RIM) is urging BlackBerry users to disable JavaScript in the smartphone's browser to block exploits from a security vulnerability showcased at this year's CanSecWest Pwn2Own... Read more | Be wary of pre-IPO stocks like Facebook, regulators warn Too late for 50 investors who bought an alleged con man's story about access to Facebook shares and then $9.6 million worth of stock that prosecutors say didn't exist. Read more | Move over, console: the iPad comes to the big screen Apple's new iPad 2 has the ability to mirror its video output on an HDMI display, when paired with the $39 Apple Digital AV Adapter, also on sale this week. And it's going to change iPad gaming in... Read more | eBay expands free listings to 50 items eBay will expand to 50 the number of items sellers may list for free on its marketplace and offer additional incentives to make it cheaper and easier for sellers to use the auction platform. Read more | Airplay is finally delivering on its promise on Apple TV Wirelessly stream your homemade photos and videos to any Apple TV Read more | Study weighs link between hybrid vehicle investments and gasoline prices There's a new survey out from Cargurus.com that studies the link between hybrid vehicles and gasoline prices, research that is covered thoroughly in this post by by SmartPlanet's new... Read more | NASA engineer falls to his death on Shuttle Endeavor launch pad It seems this is the week for tragedy, whether far away in Japan or right here, on the Space Coast. Read more | Featured multimedia | | First Look: Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 final version On March 14, 2011, Microsoft released the final version of Internet Explorer 9 touting the browser's ability to deliver a more beautiful Web experience. Here are some screen shots of the new browser. View on site |  | 10 more Sysinternals tools to simplify routine Windows admin tasks As a follow-up to his list of must-have Sysinternals tools for Windows admins, Derek Schauland adds 10 more that make routine tasks a little easier. View on site |  | Maker Faire UK 2011: Highlights from the geeky convention Maker Faire UK was held on March 12-13, 2011. From Rockets & Robots to Arts & Crafts, if you love to make things, this is the con for you. Here are some highlights from the DIY convention. View on site |  | Gallery: SXSW 2011 Trade Show South By SouthWest Interactive, a yearly event in Austin, Texas, is one of the largest Internet and technology conferences in the United States. View on site |  | Steve Jobs: Then and Now The many faces of Steve Jobs, from his garage days with Steve Wozniak to introducing the Apple iPad. View on site |  | |  |  | About this newsletter | The Tech Sanity Check newsletter is my daily update on the world of technology. You'll get my opinions, reviews, user polls, and hand-picked stories of the day. Jason Hiner TechRepublic Editor in Chief
|  | | My Twitter feed: @jasonhiner | Motorola Xoom: Unboxing and comparison photos The Motorola Xoom is the first device running Google's official Android tablet platform. See the unboxing of the Xoom, photos of it in action, and comparison photos with the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. | | |