American Airlines says customers will be able to test in-flight Internet access on two flights beginning Wednesday, with broader service expected to begin in the following couple of weeks.
Facing record high fuel prices, airlines are looking at entertainment and information services as ways to make a few more bucks per passenger.
American plans to charge $9.95 to $12.95 for Internet service, depending on flight length.
The test with technology partner Aircell LLC will begin on one flight from New York's Kennedy Airport to Los Angeles and one return flight, said Doug Backelin, American's manager of in-flight technology. The test service will be free, he said.
The airline would not say on which flights it would conduct the test.
American is among several companies preparing to offer in-air Internet service.
Aircell is also working with Virgin America, and JetBlue Airways Corp. started testing free e-mail, instant-messaging and some Amazon.com services aboard one of its planes in December.
The airline will begin charging for Internet service soon on its Boeing 767-200 jets that fly from New York to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.
Passengers will be able to use e-mail and instant messaging and to download video and connect to secure networks on notebook computers or other wireless devices such as smart phones through three wireless access points on the plane, said Dave Bijur, an Aircell executive.
Bijur said Aircell's networks can handle a planeload of Web surfers.
Besides the paid service, passengers will be able to connect free to American's Web site, Frommer's travel guides and limited news headlines, Backelin said.
American won't filter any Internet content. Backelin said attempts to block pornography, for instance, could disrupt legitimate Web sites.
"We already have policies and procedures to deal with inappropriate material that people bring on board, including magazines and DVDs," he said, adding it will be up to flight attendants to enforce online protocol.
========================
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/06/25/airborneinternet.ap/index.html
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
I hope I hide into deep mountains with these games and playing them for a month without any hindrance hahaha. But pls remember, you must plan to go 'real' vacation to avoid your wives' scolding as they will not be satisfied with 'virtual' vacation. Whichever you choose, don't forget your wives' assistances during the semester at any rate. :)
See Hawaii
Some 1000 miles of Hawaiian roads await you in Test Drive Unlimited. The game makers went to a whole lot of trouble to capture the vibe of everything from Waikiki to the North Shore. True story: One rainy day I turned on the game and drove my Maserati to a secluded spot by a beach. I just sat there and read a book as I heard the waves roll in and the occasional car speed by. Want to go on a trip with some friends? Buy a couple extra copies and meet up online. Best part is that this game is about a year old, so you can find it pretty cheap online. Test Drive Unlimited (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): About $20
Go South of the Border
South America is beautiful this time of year, so get down to some exotic locales. Over 250,000 lush acres are simulated in this huge, open environment. When you aren't shooting down drug dealers, you have a lot of ways to get around and see the sights: paragliding, sky diving, jetskiing and base-jumping to name a few. How much will this spicy getaway run you? Not a whole lot. Like Test Drive Unlimited, the Just Cause game is a little older, so a quick online search should find a copy for cheap.Just Cause (PC, PS2, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): About $15
New Yawk, New Yawk
Ah, "The City." Day or night, there is always someplace to go and something to do. Walking through the park during the day and hitting clubs at night is the least of your choices. Play darts in a dingy club. Shoot pool, go bowling, do some shopping in midtown--what, you thought Grand Theft Auto IV was just about sex, drugs, and carjacking? GTA's Liberty City is a dark reflection of New York, and the attention to detail is just scary. I can insert a disc and drive to the corner in "Manhattan" where my apartment should exist. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): $60
European Tour
As much as I want to cruise the Italian countryside or blast past traffic on the autobahn, it just ain't happening this summer. At least not in "meatspace." PS3 owners can not only get a taste of foreign lands, but a sampling of what Gran Turismo 5 will be like when it drives to stores in 2009 with Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Of the six race tracks in the game, a couple camp you in beautifully recreated city streets. While beautiful and a blast to drive, this is a pricey teaser for the final game. Is it worth the trip? Well, considering the exchange rate, it's a whole lot cheaper.Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): $40
Game Breaker
But the most important thing to do, finally, is to take a vacation from playing games as well as from work this summer. Forget Azeroth for five minutes. Ditch downtown demon-busting-land one afternoon. Slather on some SPF 800 and discover your neighborhood. You know, that place you blast past on the way to work. Enjoy life and spend some quality time living it. I will...eventually.
The Great Indoors
Staycation (stay-kay-shun, noun). "A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." --Urban Dictionary
That's the nice way of saying you're stuck--no Tahiti trip this year. Yep, even a check of my favorite deal-scouring travel site, TravelZoo, resulted in few viable destination deals. Hell, I'd be lucky to afford a road trip to Carhenge (apparently, ancient Nebraskan druids stacked up classic American cars to commune with nature). Don't worry, you still have ways to see the world without leaving your living room.
For example, try taking a peek at the strangest sights in Google Earth or get a beachside view of Oahu via Webcams (see bottom of page at this link for different camera locations).
Then, of course, there are video games--and I'm not talking about traipsing through Second Life on some cornball tour of digital never-neverland. I want to try and simulate the real deal--without dropping a fortune.
First stop, the airport. Well, Microsoft Flight Simulator, at least. Don't forget to take off your shoes and have any bags searched before sitting down at the computer. The game lets you control the whole flight in real time. Going cross-country in-game can take the same number of hours it would in real life. Hit autopilot and read a book. Maybe catch a movie. But where should I "fly?"
Staycation (stay-kay-shun, noun). "A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." --Urban Dictionary
That's the nice way of saying you're stuck--no Tahiti trip this year. Yep, even a check of my favorite deal-scouring travel site, TravelZoo, resulted in few viable destination deals. Hell, I'd be lucky to afford a road trip to Carhenge (apparently, ancient Nebraskan druids stacked up classic American cars to commune with nature). Don't worry, you still have ways to see the world without leaving your living room.
For example, try taking a peek at the strangest sights in Google Earth or get a beachside view of Oahu via Webcams (see bottom of page at this link for different camera locations).
Then, of course, there are video games--and I'm not talking about traipsing through Second Life on some cornball tour of digital never-neverland. I want to try and simulate the real deal--without dropping a fortune.
First stop, the airport. Well, Microsoft Flight Simulator, at least. Don't forget to take off your shoes and have any bags searched before sitting down at the computer. The game lets you control the whole flight in real time. Going cross-country in-game can take the same number of hours it would in real life. Hit autopilot and read a book. Maybe catch a movie. But where should I "fly?"
See Hawaii
Some 1000 miles of Hawaiian roads await you in Test Drive Unlimited. The game makers went to a whole lot of trouble to capture the vibe of everything from Waikiki to the North Shore. True story: One rainy day I turned on the game and drove my Maserati to a secluded spot by a beach. I just sat there and read a book as I heard the waves roll in and the occasional car speed by. Want to go on a trip with some friends? Buy a couple extra copies and meet up online. Best part is that this game is about a year old, so you can find it pretty cheap online. Test Drive Unlimited (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): About $20 Go South of the Border
South America is beautiful this time of year, so get down to some exotic locales. Over 250,000 lush acres are simulated in this huge, open environment. When you aren't shooting down drug dealers, you have a lot of ways to get around and see the sights: paragliding, sky diving, jetskiing and base-jumping to name a few. How much will this spicy getaway run you? Not a whole lot. Like Test Drive Unlimited, the Just Cause game is a little older, so a quick online search should find a copy for cheap.Just Cause (PC, PS2, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): About $15
New Yawk, New Yawk
Ah, "The City." Day or night, there is always someplace to go and something to do. Walking through the park during the day and hitting clubs at night is the least of your choices. Play darts in a dingy club. Shoot pool, go bowling, do some shopping in midtown--what, you thought Grand Theft Auto IV was just about sex, drugs, and carjacking? GTA's Liberty City is a dark reflection of New York, and the attention to detail is just scary. I can insert a disc and drive to the corner in "Manhattan" where my apartment should exist. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, Xbox 360). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): $60
European Tour
As much as I want to cruise the Italian countryside or blast past traffic on the autobahn, it just ain't happening this summer. At least not in "meatspace." PS3 owners can not only get a taste of foreign lands, but a sampling of what Gran Turismo 5 will be like when it drives to stores in 2009 with Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Of the six race tracks in the game, a couple camp you in beautifully recreated city streets. While beautiful and a blast to drive, this is a pricey teaser for the final game. Is it worth the trip? Well, considering the exchange rate, it's a whole lot cheaper.Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3). Travel Costs (besides hardware / home theater): $40
Game Breaker
But the most important thing to do, finally, is to take a vacation from playing games as well as from work this summer. Forget Azeroth for five minutes. Ditch downtown demon-busting-land one afternoon. Slather on some SPF 800 and discover your neighborhood. You know, that place you blast past on the way to work. Enjoy life and spend some quality time living it. I will...eventually.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Greenpeace says e-waste from US stopped in Hong Kong
http://www.itworld.com/green-it/53125/greenpeace-says-e-waste-us-stopped-hong-kong
Environmental group Greenpeace said it identified three containers of electronic waste as they were about to be unloaded in Hong Kong Port over the weekend.
The group said the three containers were on the "Yang Ming Success" that had sailed to Hong Kong from the U.S. port of Oakland and were destined for the Sanshui district in neighboring Guangdong province. That meant the shipment was illegal under Chinese law, Greenpeace said.
In a video distributed by the group to news organizations, Greenpeace supporters that had boarded the ship can be seen unfurling a banner along the side of containers that read in English and Chinese, "Toxic waste not welcomed here."
In response Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department has ordered the containers be held on the pier until the owner opens them for inspection, said Lo Sze Ping, a campaign director for Greenpeace. The Hong Kong authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
Greenpeace said that Hong Kong is a major transit point for electronic waste because of several loopholes in the territory's environmental protection regulations. Among them, importers can easily claim the waste is for recycling or reuse to escape the controls, the group said. It also charged the Environmental Protection Department, which issues the import and export permits, with concentrating on waste like old batteries and paying little attention to printed-circuit boards.
The issue of e-waste is one that the Amsterdam-based group is fighting. Between 20 million and 50 million tons of electronic waste is produced each year but 75 percent of it disappears. That's a problem for the environment because if it is not properly disposed, the toxins found inside, including lead, beryllium, PVC, phthalates and brominated fire retardants can poison the environment and damage human health.
Of particular concern in the region is the Chinese city of Guiyu, which is also in Guangdong province. The city is one of the biggest electronic waste recycling centers on earth but the informal industry is centered around primitive, small-scale factories where products are dismantled by hand. The work is often done with little regard for health of the workers or the environment.
Environmental group Greenpeace said it identified three containers of electronic waste as they were about to be unloaded in Hong Kong Port over the weekend.
The group said the three containers were on the "Yang Ming Success" that had sailed to Hong Kong from the U.S. port of Oakland and were destined for the Sanshui district in neighboring Guangdong province. That meant the shipment was illegal under Chinese law, Greenpeace said.
In a video distributed by the group to news organizations, Greenpeace supporters that had boarded the ship can be seen unfurling a banner along the side of containers that read in English and Chinese, "Toxic waste not welcomed here."
In response Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department has ordered the containers be held on the pier until the owner opens them for inspection, said Lo Sze Ping, a campaign director for Greenpeace. The Hong Kong authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.
Greenpeace said that Hong Kong is a major transit point for electronic waste because of several loopholes in the territory's environmental protection regulations. Among them, importers can easily claim the waste is for recycling or reuse to escape the controls, the group said. It also charged the Environmental Protection Department, which issues the import and export permits, with concentrating on waste like old batteries and paying little attention to printed-circuit boards.
The issue of e-waste is one that the Amsterdam-based group is fighting. Between 20 million and 50 million tons of electronic waste is produced each year but 75 percent of it disappears. That's a problem for the environment because if it is not properly disposed, the toxins found inside, including lead, beryllium, PVC, phthalates and brominated fire retardants can poison the environment and damage human health.
Of particular concern in the region is the Chinese city of Guiyu, which is also in Guangdong province. The city is one of the biggest electronic waste recycling centers on earth but the informal industry is centered around primitive, small-scale factories where products are dismantled by hand. The work is often done with little regard for health of the workers or the environment.
Dell adds storage, disaster management services to portfolio
http://www.itworld.com/news/53307/dell-adds-storage-disaster-management-services-portfolio
Dell on Wednesday announced it was adding customizable storage and disaster management services to build out its services portfolio, which it began revamping last year.
The services, which include disaster recovery and data backup services, will offer tools and consulting for customers to meet exploding data storage requirements across multiple networking and hardware environments, the company said.
Dell has done occasional storage and disaster recovery consulting, but this is the first time these services are being pulled together as an offering to customers worldwide, said Paul Kaeley, global practice leader at Dell.
Two levels of disaster recovery will be offered to customers. The first level, for mid-size consumers, will protect data around key applications and provide tools to restore IT operations in case of a disaster. A higher service level targeted at larger customers will include the design and implementation of IT disaster recovery plans through tools and aligning more people to ensure the plan is effectively implemented.
Dell is also offering managed backup services with reporting and monitoring services to stabilize data backup. If a backup system goes astray, Dell is offering a managed backup through remote management. The services will span all storage offerings, including EMC storage resold by Dell.
The tiered storage service will categorize high and low-priority data to different storage levels to help a company cut costs.
The price and size of the services will be proportional to the size and complexity of the environment, Kaeley said.
Part of Dell's effort to "simplify IT," the service upgrades reflect Dell's push to reduce IT maintenance costs via customized hardware, software and services. Dell has acquired companies like MessageOne and Everdream to boost its remote management portfolio.
Dell has also been under increased pressure to improve its service offerings in the wake of Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of services company Electronic Data Systems in May. Analysts have said that EDS gives HP a leg up over Dell in the global services market.
Through its services, Dell does not want to send consultants to sit on a client's site for months only to create a 600-page report, Kaeley said. Dell intends to customize services and solve problems quickly through speedy data collection and reporting, Kaeley said.
The days of services and support being a simple break-fix maintenance are over; as computing systems get sophisticated, the need for remote diagnostic check and triage has increased. Dell has been at the forefront of the effort through its acquisitions and increase service focus, with companies like HP and IBM headed in that direction, said Ron Silliman, principal analyst at Gartner.
The new services may not affect Dell's relationship with channel partners that want to have Dell's brand name attached to product delivery. However, some partners may feel ambivalent as Dell's sudden jump into the space could undercut their support business, Silliman said.
Dell is tying up with companies like GlassHouse Technologies to provide the new services to customers.
"Dell is somewhat like Wal-Mart -- its the best thing and the worst thing -- you get a whole volume of business, but Dell expects a whole level of performance and more cost control."
Dell on Wednesday announced it was adding customizable storage and disaster management services to build out its services portfolio, which it began revamping last year.
The services, which include disaster recovery and data backup services, will offer tools and consulting for customers to meet exploding data storage requirements across multiple networking and hardware environments, the company said.
Dell has done occasional storage and disaster recovery consulting, but this is the first time these services are being pulled together as an offering to customers worldwide, said Paul Kaeley, global practice leader at Dell.
Two levels of disaster recovery will be offered to customers. The first level, for mid-size consumers, will protect data around key applications and provide tools to restore IT operations in case of a disaster. A higher service level targeted at larger customers will include the design and implementation of IT disaster recovery plans through tools and aligning more people to ensure the plan is effectively implemented.
Dell is also offering managed backup services with reporting and monitoring services to stabilize data backup. If a backup system goes astray, Dell is offering a managed backup through remote management. The services will span all storage offerings, including EMC storage resold by Dell.
The tiered storage service will categorize high and low-priority data to different storage levels to help a company cut costs.
The price and size of the services will be proportional to the size and complexity of the environment, Kaeley said.
Part of Dell's effort to "simplify IT," the service upgrades reflect Dell's push to reduce IT maintenance costs via customized hardware, software and services. Dell has acquired companies like MessageOne and Everdream to boost its remote management portfolio.
Dell has also been under increased pressure to improve its service offerings in the wake of Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of services company Electronic Data Systems in May. Analysts have said that EDS gives HP a leg up over Dell in the global services market.
Through its services, Dell does not want to send consultants to sit on a client's site for months only to create a 600-page report, Kaeley said. Dell intends to customize services and solve problems quickly through speedy data collection and reporting, Kaeley said.
The days of services and support being a simple break-fix maintenance are over; as computing systems get sophisticated, the need for remote diagnostic check and triage has increased. Dell has been at the forefront of the effort through its acquisitions and increase service focus, with companies like HP and IBM headed in that direction, said Ron Silliman, principal analyst at Gartner.
The new services may not affect Dell's relationship with channel partners that want to have Dell's brand name attached to product delivery. However, some partners may feel ambivalent as Dell's sudden jump into the space could undercut their support business, Silliman said.
Dell is tying up with companies like GlassHouse Technologies to provide the new services to customers.
"Dell is somewhat like Wal-Mart -- its the best thing and the worst thing -- you get a whole volume of business, but Dell expects a whole level of performance and more cost control."
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Virgin Mobile USA to buy SK Telecom's U.S. unit
Virgin Mobile USA is set to acquire a U.S. mobile arm of South Korea's SK Telecom Co as both sides agreed to combine their struggling businesses, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
A deal was agreed in principle and an announcement could be made as early as this week, a person with knowledge of the matter was quoted as saying. SK Telecom declined to comment.
SK Telecom, South Korea's top mobile operator, said in May it was in preliminary talks with Virgin Mobile about strategic opportunities for its Helio U.S. arm.
====================================
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUKSEO21478820080625?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
A deal was agreed in principle and an announcement could be made as early as this week, a person with knowledge of the matter was quoted as saying. SK Telecom declined to comment.
SK Telecom, South Korea's top mobile operator, said in May it was in preliminary talks with Virgin Mobile about strategic opportunities for its Helio U.S. arm.
====================================
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUKSEO21478820080625?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
NYSE sells real-time data to Google & CNBC
The New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday launched a new service that provides real-time stock price data to media companies and Web sites.
The NYSE, a unit of NYSE Euronext Inc., said Internet portal Google Inc. and cable television network CNBC are the service's first customers. The Securities and Exchange Commission last week approved NYSE Realtime Stock Prices for a four-month pilot period.
Both Google and CNBC, a unit of General Electric Co., will provide fresh stock quotes to their audiences free of charge. Previously, stock prices provided on their Web sites were on a 15-minute delay.
Earlier this month, rival Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. signed a deal to provide its market data to Google, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal Digital Network and financial data provider Xignite.
In May, Yahoo Inc. began offering real-time quotes on its financial site for NYSE- and Nasdaq-listed companies. Yahoo receives quotes from BATS Trading Inc., not from an exchange operator.
=========================
http://www.cnbc.com/id/25352473/for/cnbc
The NYSE, a unit of NYSE Euronext Inc., said Internet portal Google Inc. and cable television network CNBC are the service's first customers. The Securities and Exchange Commission last week approved NYSE Realtime Stock Prices for a four-month pilot period.
Both Google and CNBC, a unit of General Electric Co., will provide fresh stock quotes to their audiences free of charge. Previously, stock prices provided on their Web sites were on a 15-minute delay.
Earlier this month, rival Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. signed a deal to provide its market data to Google, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal Digital Network and financial data provider Xignite.
In May, Yahoo Inc. began offering real-time quotes on its financial site for NYSE- and Nasdaq-listed companies. Yahoo receives quotes from BATS Trading Inc., not from an exchange operator.
=========================
http://www.cnbc.com/id/25352473/for/cnbc
Monday, June 23, 2008
Facebook heads MySpace in unique visitors
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/302914bc-40a7-11dd-bd48-0000779fd2ac.html
By Kevin Allison in San Francisco
Published: June 22 2008 23:32 Last updated: June 22 2008 23:32
This article tells that for the first time Facebook lead Myspace in terms of unique visitors. People have claimed that it made $150m in sales last year. That figure is expected to grow to $300m-$350m this year as it attempts to broaden its revenue stream. I could know that Facebook's revenue are mostly from online advertizing which is proper for targeted online ad of group of users. They entered into new business by making partnership with cable broadcasting such as comcast.
By Kevin Allison in San Francisco
Published: June 22 2008 23:32 Last updated: June 22 2008 23:32
This article tells that for the first time Facebook lead Myspace in terms of unique visitors. People have claimed that it made $150m in sales last year. That figure is expected to grow to $300m-$350m this year as it attempts to broaden its revenue stream. I could know that Facebook's revenue are mostly from online advertizing which is proper for targeted online ad of group of users. They entered into new business by making partnership with cable broadcasting such as comcast.
Google's Mobile-Handset Plans Are Slowed
By JESSICA E. VASCELLARO and AMOL SHARMAJune 23, 2008; Page B8
Google Inc. is learning that changing the cellphone industry isn't easy.
The Internet giant and more than 30 partners announced in November a bold plan for a new breed of handsets based on a suite of mobile software called Android. At the time, Google said it planned to have the new phones on the market by the second half of this year.
Google
A screen image of Google's gWalk application running on the Android cellphone software the company is developing for a new breed of handsets.
Google now says that the handsets won't arrive until the fourth quarter. And some cellular carriers and makers of programs that work with Android are struggling to meet that schedule, people familiar with the situation say.
T-Mobile USA expects to deliver an Android-powered phone in the fourth period. But that launch is taking up so much of Google's attention and resources that Sprint Nextel Corp., which had hoped to launch an Android phone this year, won't be able to, a person familiar with the matter said.
China Mobile, the largest wireless carrier in the world with nearly 400 million subscriber accounts, had planned to launch an Android phone in the third quarter but it has run into issues that will likely delay the launch until late this year or early 2009, a person familiar with the matter says.
Meanwhile, the Android software has yet to win broad support from large mobile-software developers. Some say it is difficult to develop programs while Google is making changes as it finishes its own software.
This month Apple Inc. created a stir when it unveiled a cheaper, faster version of the iPhone that supports slick games and entertainment services. While Apple controls most aspects of hardware and software development for the iPhone, Google has to rally many different hardware, service and software providers to support its technology platform.
There is no evidence that Android won't be able to gain momentum over time. But wireless carriers throughout the industry are confronting challenges as they seek to customize the Android software -- which includes an operating system and programs that work with it -- to promote their own Internet services. Some handset makers are taking longer than they thought to integrate Android, test it and build custom user interfaces to meet carrier specifications.
Those challenges are affecting large cellphone makers like Samsung Electronics Co. and smaller ones that are aiming to provide devices that will be branded by carriers, people familiar with the situation say. Samsung didn't respond to requests for comment.
Andy Rubin, director of mobile platforms at Google, says managing the software-development effort while giving its partners the opportunity to lobby for new features takes time. "This is where the pain happens," he says. "We are very, very close."
One hold-up at Sprint is that the carrier would like to develop its own branded services based on Android, rather than just carry a phone with the built-in features Google plans to offer, the person familiar with the situation says. A management shake-up at Sprint, which brought in a new chief executive this year and, more recently, a new executive overseeing product development, may have also contributed to the delay. Sprint is now considering scrapping plans for an Android phone for its current third-generation broadband network and developing one that will work on the faster "4G" network it is helping to fund along with several partners, including Google, the person adds.
China Mobile and a cellphone maker it is working with have had trouble translating the Android software from Roman characters into Chinese and have had difficulty merging China Mobile's own branded data services into it, the person familiar with the matter says. A spokeswoman for China Mobile declined to comment.
AT&T Inc., the U.S. carrier for the iPhone, is still working with Google to determine if it is feasible to launch an Android phone.
Google's Mr. Rubin declines to discuss specific partners. But he says Google is working hard to help them develop new features and drive down costs, collaborating with chip makers and other technology providers so handset makers and carriers don't have to design Android-based phones from scratch.
Google has provided prototypes for carriers and handset manufacturers, though their final versions are likely to vary greatly. One prototype has a long touch-screen, similar to the Apple iPhone, a swivel-out full keyboard, and a trackball for navigation similar to the kind on some BlackBerrys.
For Google, the struggle likely will be worth it if the company can build a big foothold in the mobile market. The Mountain View, Calif., company dominates search on the personal computer, but it also wants to play a central role as Internet activity and eventually advertising dollars move to cellphones.
Until recently, wireless carriers have often called the shots on what consumers see on cellphones, taking a cut of revenues from providers of add-on services and software. Google is trying to make the process more open and less expensive. It is making Android available to handset makers for free -- hoping the investment will eventually pay off in advertising revenue -- and on an open-source basis that makes it easier to add custom programming.
Meanwhile, rivals have a head start. Apple, for example, expects to sell 10 million of its iPhones this year. Research in Motion Ltd., which has roughly 14 million BlackBerry subscriber accounts, recently announced a new BlackBerry device that makes it easier for consumers to download music, watch videos and browse the Web. Microsoft Corp. also has a sizable position in high-end cellphones.
Google executives say the company eventually hopes to power many cellphones at various price-points. But the company is likely to start by zeroing in on higher-end phones that have hardware features to handle advanced services.
The effort hinges on convincing partners to exploit the operating system, which supports capabilities such as the ability to build applications that know a phone's location. Some software developers already have built flashy demos, ranging from security software that scans a person's iris to an address book integrated with instant-messaging and other tools. Google says it has received roughly 1,800 submissions to a contest for developing Android-based application programs.
But some developers say it is easier to work with Apple's programming tools than Google's because of the familiarity with the company's Macintosh operating system. As a result, a wide range of software companies have been scrambling to build new iPhone applications.
Apple and RIM "have superseded the excitement and hype" around Android, says Nihal Mehta, co-founder of Buzzd Inc., a location-based city guide and social network. Mr. Mehta says the company prioritized its iPhone application over an Android version because Apple's guidelines are easier to follow and there aren't any Android phones in the market to use in testing software.
Others developers cite hassles of creating programs while Android is still being completed. One is Louis Gump, vice president of mobile for Weather Channel Interactive, which has built an Android-based mobile weather application. Overall, he says, he has been impressed by the Google software, which has enabled his company to build features such as the ability to look up the weather in a particular neighborhood.
But he says Weather Channel has had to "rewrite a few things" so far, and Google's most recent revision of Android "is going to require some significant work," he says.
Others -- such as Greystripe Inc., whose technology inserts ads into mobile games -- are staying away until Google clarifies key points, such as how applications will be distributed and how developers will earn revenue from them.
Write to Jessica E. Vascellaro at jessica.vascellaro@wsj.com and Amol Sharma at amol.sharma@wsj.com
Google Inc. is learning that changing the cellphone industry isn't easy.
The Internet giant and more than 30 partners announced in November a bold plan for a new breed of handsets based on a suite of mobile software called Android. At the time, Google said it planned to have the new phones on the market by the second half of this year.
A screen image of Google's gWalk application running on the Android cellphone software the company is developing for a new breed of handsets.
Google now says that the handsets won't arrive until the fourth quarter. And some cellular carriers and makers of programs that work with Android are struggling to meet that schedule, people familiar with the situation say.
T-Mobile USA expects to deliver an Android-powered phone in the fourth period. But that launch is taking up so much of Google's attention and resources that Sprint Nextel Corp., which had hoped to launch an Android phone this year, won't be able to, a person familiar with the matter said.
China Mobile, the largest wireless carrier in the world with nearly 400 million subscriber accounts, had planned to launch an Android phone in the third quarter but it has run into issues that will likely delay the launch until late this year or early 2009, a person familiar with the matter says.
Meanwhile, the Android software has yet to win broad support from large mobile-software developers. Some say it is difficult to develop programs while Google is making changes as it finishes its own software.
This month Apple Inc. created a stir when it unveiled a cheaper, faster version of the iPhone that supports slick games and entertainment services. While Apple controls most aspects of hardware and software development for the iPhone, Google has to rally many different hardware, service and software providers to support its technology platform.
There is no evidence that Android won't be able to gain momentum over time. But wireless carriers throughout the industry are confronting challenges as they seek to customize the Android software -- which includes an operating system and programs that work with it -- to promote their own Internet services. Some handset makers are taking longer than they thought to integrate Android, test it and build custom user interfaces to meet carrier specifications.
Those challenges are affecting large cellphone makers like Samsung Electronics Co. and smaller ones that are aiming to provide devices that will be branded by carriers, people familiar with the situation say. Samsung didn't respond to requests for comment.
Andy Rubin, director of mobile platforms at Google, says managing the software-development effort while giving its partners the opportunity to lobby for new features takes time. "This is where the pain happens," he says. "We are very, very close."
One hold-up at Sprint is that the carrier would like to develop its own branded services based on Android, rather than just carry a phone with the built-in features Google plans to offer, the person familiar with the situation says. A management shake-up at Sprint, which brought in a new chief executive this year and, more recently, a new executive overseeing product development, may have also contributed to the delay. Sprint is now considering scrapping plans for an Android phone for its current third-generation broadband network and developing one that will work on the faster "4G" network it is helping to fund along with several partners, including Google, the person adds.
China Mobile and a cellphone maker it is working with have had trouble translating the Android software from Roman characters into Chinese and have had difficulty merging China Mobile's own branded data services into it, the person familiar with the matter says. A spokeswoman for China Mobile declined to comment.
AT&T Inc., the U.S. carrier for the iPhone, is still working with Google to determine if it is feasible to launch an Android phone.
Google's Mr. Rubin declines to discuss specific partners. But he says Google is working hard to help them develop new features and drive down costs, collaborating with chip makers and other technology providers so handset makers and carriers don't have to design Android-based phones from scratch.
Google has provided prototypes for carriers and handset manufacturers, though their final versions are likely to vary greatly. One prototype has a long touch-screen, similar to the Apple iPhone, a swivel-out full keyboard, and a trackball for navigation similar to the kind on some BlackBerrys.
For Google, the struggle likely will be worth it if the company can build a big foothold in the mobile market. The Mountain View, Calif., company dominates search on the personal computer, but it also wants to play a central role as Internet activity and eventually advertising dollars move to cellphones.
Until recently, wireless carriers have often called the shots on what consumers see on cellphones, taking a cut of revenues from providers of add-on services and software. Google is trying to make the process more open and less expensive. It is making Android available to handset makers for free -- hoping the investment will eventually pay off in advertising revenue -- and on an open-source basis that makes it easier to add custom programming.
Meanwhile, rivals have a head start. Apple, for example, expects to sell 10 million of its iPhones this year. Research in Motion Ltd., which has roughly 14 million BlackBerry subscriber accounts, recently announced a new BlackBerry device that makes it easier for consumers to download music, watch videos and browse the Web. Microsoft Corp. also has a sizable position in high-end cellphones.
Google executives say the company eventually hopes to power many cellphones at various price-points. But the company is likely to start by zeroing in on higher-end phones that have hardware features to handle advanced services.
The effort hinges on convincing partners to exploit the operating system, which supports capabilities such as the ability to build applications that know a phone's location. Some software developers already have built flashy demos, ranging from security software that scans a person's iris to an address book integrated with instant-messaging and other tools. Google says it has received roughly 1,800 submissions to a contest for developing Android-based application programs.
But some developers say it is easier to work with Apple's programming tools than Google's because of the familiarity with the company's Macintosh operating system. As a result, a wide range of software companies have been scrambling to build new iPhone applications.
Apple and RIM "have superseded the excitement and hype" around Android, says Nihal Mehta, co-founder of Buzzd Inc., a location-based city guide and social network. Mr. Mehta says the company prioritized its iPhone application over an Android version because Apple's guidelines are easier to follow and there aren't any Android phones in the market to use in testing software.
Others developers cite hassles of creating programs while Android is still being completed. One is Louis Gump, vice president of mobile for Weather Channel Interactive, which has built an Android-based mobile weather application. Overall, he says, he has been impressed by the Google software, which has enabled his company to build features such as the ability to look up the weather in a particular neighborhood.
But he says Weather Channel has had to "rewrite a few things" so far, and Google's most recent revision of Android "is going to require some significant work," he says.
Others -- such as Greystripe Inc., whose technology inserts ads into mobile games -- are staying away until Google clarifies key points, such as how applications will be distributed and how developers will earn revenue from them.
Write to Jessica E. Vascellaro at jessica.vascellaro@wsj.com and Amol Sharma at amol.sharma@wsj.com
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The producer's view: Firefox 3
As a Web producer at CNET for ZDNet, I've been testing pre-release versions of Mozilla's Firefox 3 since November. I'm eager to see the final version adopted by users. Here's why.
The third incarnation of Firefox rides on the new Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. This means stability and speed. The new version of Gecko improves on Javascript 2 compatability and adds better support for XUL applications. HTML5 and CSS3 definitions are still not fully supported, but Javascript developers will be able to create more advanced plug-ins, like FireFTP and maybe even a smoother version of Flickr Uploadr inside the browser shell.
Firefox's memory leaks are not completely fixed, but Mozilla claims that they have refactored caching methods and timeouts. As of the latest release candidate, I have noticed far fewer crashes.
Under the hood, Firefox 3 reads and understands hypertext code faster than ever. It passes the Acid 2 test with flying colors, and improves greatly on Acid 3.
Firefox 2 vs. Firefox 3 in Acid 2. This is a test to see how compatible a browser is with Web standards
more...
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9970672-2.html
The third incarnation of Firefox rides on the new Gecko 1.9 rendering engine. This means stability and speed. The new version of Gecko improves on Javascript 2 compatability and adds better support for XUL applications. HTML5 and CSS3 definitions are still not fully supported, but Javascript developers will be able to create more advanced plug-ins, like FireFTP and maybe even a smoother version of Flickr Uploadr inside the browser shell.
Firefox's memory leaks are not completely fixed, but Mozilla claims that they have refactored caching methods and timeouts. As of the latest release candidate, I have noticed far fewer crashes.
Under the hood, Firefox 3 reads and understands hypertext code faster than ever. It passes the Acid 2 test with flying colors, and improves greatly on Acid 3.
Firefox 2 vs. Firefox 3 in Acid 2. This is a test to see how compatible a browser is with Web standards
more...
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9970672-2.html
LinkedIn networking site joins $1bn club
The biggest online social network intended for professional use has been valued at more than $1bn, putting it among a small group of private internet companies to have crossed that threshold before going public.
LinkedIn, whose members use the site to do things such as making professional contacts, recruiting staff or finding new jobs, said it had raised $53m from a group of venture capitalists led by Bain Capital, taking the total raised to $80m in all.
The latest investment, for about 5 per cent of the company, gives LinkedIn a “pre-money” valuation of $1.015bn, said Dan Nye, chief executive.
Though it pales beside the $15bn valuation for Facebook implied by a Microsoft investment of $240m last year, the latest stake in LinkedIn is still one of the most eye-catching investments in the fast-growing social networking business.
News Corp paid $580m for the parent company of MySpace, then with 17m members in the US, just as the social networking boom was taking off three years ago. This year, AOL paid $850m for Bebo, which claims more than 40m members.
Asked if he had held talks about selling out to a bigger media company, Mr Nye said LinkedIn “had discussions with the cast of characters” but decided to go it alone because of the company’s significant growth potential.
Launched in 2003 by Reid Hoffman, a veteran of online payment company PayPal, the network has 23m members, with more than 1m new ones joining each month. Though it has its headquarters in Silicon Valley, it also claims to operate the largest online professional network in Europe.
The company’s record in finding ways to make money sets it apart from other social networks that have struggled to meet high expectations for advertising revenue, said Jeff Glass, a partner of Bain Capital.
Besides carrying job advertising, LinkedIn charges members a subscription for “premium” services that let them do things like make professional introductions through the network.
It also has a “software as a service” business, charging a subscription to corporate recruiters to help them manage their hiring on the site.
It will generate revenues of $75m-$100m this year, more than double 2007, Mr Nye predicted.
The company has been profitable since 2006 and raised its latest round of capital to strengthen its balance sheet rather than to fund operations, he added.
======================================
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/446fef0a-3ca0-11dd-b958-0000779fd2ac.html
LinkedIn, whose members use the site to do things such as making professional contacts, recruiting staff or finding new jobs, said it had raised $53m from a group of venture capitalists led by Bain Capital, taking the total raised to $80m in all.
The latest investment, for about 5 per cent of the company, gives LinkedIn a “pre-money” valuation of $1.015bn, said Dan Nye, chief executive.
Though it pales beside the $15bn valuation for Facebook implied by a Microsoft investment of $240m last year, the latest stake in LinkedIn is still one of the most eye-catching investments in the fast-growing social networking business.
News Corp paid $580m for the parent company of MySpace, then with 17m members in the US, just as the social networking boom was taking off three years ago. This year, AOL paid $850m for Bebo, which claims more than 40m members.
Asked if he had held talks about selling out to a bigger media company, Mr Nye said LinkedIn “had discussions with the cast of characters” but decided to go it alone because of the company’s significant growth potential.
Launched in 2003 by Reid Hoffman, a veteran of online payment company PayPal, the network has 23m members, with more than 1m new ones joining each month. Though it has its headquarters in Silicon Valley, it also claims to operate the largest online professional network in Europe.
The company’s record in finding ways to make money sets it apart from other social networks that have struggled to meet high expectations for advertising revenue, said Jeff Glass, a partner of Bain Capital.
Besides carrying job advertising, LinkedIn charges members a subscription for “premium” services that let them do things like make professional introductions through the network.
It also has a “software as a service” business, charging a subscription to corporate recruiters to help them manage their hiring on the site.
It will generate revenues of $75m-$100m this year, more than double 2007, Mr Nye predicted.
The company has been profitable since 2006 and raised its latest round of capital to strengthen its balance sheet rather than to fund operations, he added.
======================================
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/446fef0a-3ca0-11dd-b958-0000779fd2ac.html
Web 2.0 Meets Emergency Needs
This would be useful in U.S. but I am not sure if it works in same in Korea. Instead, 'Korean Style" social networking can strengthen members' solidarity by notifying memvers' news such as funeral and wedding ceremony easily.
When the hills of Southern California were burning last fall and residents fleeing the flames as communities were evacuated, Dominic Chan reached out to help -- with Facebook.
A college student at the University of California at Berkeley, Chan was a safe distance away from the fires in the northern part of the State. His first instinct was to organize a group of friends to head south and help out, but a call to the Red Cross made him think twice.
"They said the best way was to donate money through their Web site for relief efforts," he says. "So I set up a Facebook group that posted stories, pictures and a link to donate money."
Organizing Tool Par Excellence
The California wildfires showed that people go to the Internet first to look for information about a disaster in progress, says Ryna Brideau-Thombs, an emergency management specialist at Edmonton-based TELUS Corp.
The State government's public relations office reacted quickly, keeping tabs on the situation by following conversations posted to social networking sites.
People using Twitter, Facebook and Flickr were communicating how close their homes were to the fire, whether they were being evacuated or not, and keeping updated on the safety of loved ones.
Chan's Facebook group was created to raise donations to help fight the California fires, but quickly became a place to exchange information on the disaster. Group members reported seeing fires in the distance from their homes, Chan says.
"The information exchange was primarily through messages," the student says. "The group [offered] information about the severity of the fires, and monetary donations to the Red Cross."
Social Networking as Emergency Management Tool
Another critical piece of the puzzle during a disaster is a geographic map showing affected areas, Brideau-Thombs says. By using Google Maps, the public was quickly informed of the location and severity of multiple fires raging through the brush.
"The first public map of the fires was created within three hours of the start of the incident," she says. "That's a very short time to get the information to the public."
Even non-technical people can create products that are rich in information with such technology, Brideau-Thombs adds. A study in Arizona showed that Google Earth could be used to give field workers a better understanding of a landscape they were rushing into, and aided in knowing what to find amidst an area carpeted with thick smoke.
Emergency managers should take a look at social networking as a way to keep better informed of a disaster situation, the specialist says. "Maybe they know something that we don't."
As for Chan's Facebook group, its membership has dropped down to about 300 since the fires were quenched. But the messages of concern and photos of disaster remain as a reminder of those long days in October.
After calling on a friend in Beverly Hills to help administer the group, the membership quickly shot up to nearly 500 people. Chan was just one of many California residents to turn to social networking sites during the disaster. That has emergency management specialists looking at how the Web can help them communicate and gather information quickly during a disaster.
"It's been a big problem for the longest time because the means of communication weren't always the most effective," says Brideau-Thombs, who presented at Tuesday's World Conference on Disaster Management in Toronto.
Getting the Big Picture
"Social networking sites allow people to pass on information very quickly," she says. "Because we had a problem with getting information out there to a lot of people, these sites might be the answer."
For the 15-year veteran of the emergency management sector in both the public and private space, it is all about building the "Common Operational Picture." That means piecing together all relevant information about an ongoing disaster from multiple sources to get a grasp on how to coordinate rescue efforts.
The ability to put together a complete picture used to be limited to those who were technically savvy. But in the age of user-friendly technology, everyone has access to that information -- made possible, in part, by Web 2.0 tools.
People looking for information about disasters share the same mentality as social network users, Brideau-Thombs says. That makes the two a natural match.
"It's all about me," she explains. "With disasters, it's about how big it is, how close to me it is, and if it's going to hurt anyone I know."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,147385-c,sites/article.html
When the hills of Southern California were burning last fall and residents fleeing the flames as communities were evacuated, Dominic Chan reached out to help -- with Facebook.
A college student at the University of California at Berkeley, Chan was a safe distance away from the fires in the northern part of the State. His first instinct was to organize a group of friends to head south and help out, but a call to the Red Cross made him think twice.
"They said the best way was to donate money through their Web site for relief efforts," he says. "So I set up a Facebook group that posted stories, pictures and a link to donate money."
Organizing Tool Par Excellence
The California wildfires showed that people go to the Internet first to look for information about a disaster in progress, says Ryna Brideau-Thombs, an emergency management specialist at Edmonton-based TELUS Corp.
The State government's public relations office reacted quickly, keeping tabs on the situation by following conversations posted to social networking sites.
People using Twitter, Facebook and Flickr were communicating how close their homes were to the fire, whether they were being evacuated or not, and keeping updated on the safety of loved ones.
Chan's Facebook group was created to raise donations to help fight the California fires, but quickly became a place to exchange information on the disaster. Group members reported seeing fires in the distance from their homes, Chan says.
"The information exchange was primarily through messages," the student says. "The group [offered] information about the severity of the fires, and monetary donations to the Red Cross."
Social Networking as Emergency Management Tool
Another critical piece of the puzzle during a disaster is a geographic map showing affected areas, Brideau-Thombs says. By using Google Maps, the public was quickly informed of the location and severity of multiple fires raging through the brush.
"The first public map of the fires was created within three hours of the start of the incident," she says. "That's a very short time to get the information to the public."
Even non-technical people can create products that are rich in information with such technology, Brideau-Thombs adds. A study in Arizona showed that Google Earth could be used to give field workers a better understanding of a landscape they were rushing into, and aided in knowing what to find amidst an area carpeted with thick smoke.
Emergency managers should take a look at social networking as a way to keep better informed of a disaster situation, the specialist says. "Maybe they know something that we don't."
As for Chan's Facebook group, its membership has dropped down to about 300 since the fires were quenched. But the messages of concern and photos of disaster remain as a reminder of those long days in October.
After calling on a friend in Beverly Hills to help administer the group, the membership quickly shot up to nearly 500 people. Chan was just one of many California residents to turn to social networking sites during the disaster. That has emergency management specialists looking at how the Web can help them communicate and gather information quickly during a disaster.
"It's been a big problem for the longest time because the means of communication weren't always the most effective," says Brideau-Thombs, who presented at Tuesday's World Conference on Disaster Management in Toronto.
Getting the Big Picture
"Social networking sites allow people to pass on information very quickly," she says. "Because we had a problem with getting information out there to a lot of people, these sites might be the answer."
For the 15-year veteran of the emergency management sector in both the public and private space, it is all about building the "Common Operational Picture." That means piecing together all relevant information about an ongoing disaster from multiple sources to get a grasp on how to coordinate rescue efforts.
The ability to put together a complete picture used to be limited to those who were technically savvy. But in the age of user-friendly technology, everyone has access to that information -- made possible, in part, by Web 2.0 tools.
People looking for information about disasters share the same mentality as social network users, Brideau-Thombs says. That makes the two a natural match.
"It's all about me," she explains. "With disasters, it's about how big it is, how close to me it is, and if it's going to hurt anyone I know."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,147385-c,sites/article.html
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Hyundai Debuts 3-D TV in Japan
Badminton matches look so real playing on Hyundai's new 3-D TV that you may reflexively dodge the virtual shuttlecock.
A polar bear pawing the glass of his tank may seem to be inside the TV pushing on the screen.
Hyundai is offering -- in Japan only -- the first product for watching the 3-D programs that cable stations in Japan now broadcast about four times a day.
There are a few catches:
The 46-inch liquid-crystal display requires 3-D glasses; it's expensive -- $3,960, including two pairs of glasses, or about 25 percent more than a comparable regular LCD TV; and the only programs available so far include just a few minutes of video from Japan's northern island of Hokkaido -- shots from the zoo, motorcycle races and other short scenes.
Seen on regular TVs, 3D programs split the screen vertically so the same image appears in both the left and right halves. Conversely, wearing the 3-D glasses while watching regular programming on the Hyundai 3-D TV produces a slight 3-D effect.
The TV uses stereoscopic technology called TriDef from DDD Group Plc in Santa Monica, California, which works by sending the same image separately for the left eye and the right eye.
Ryo Saito of BS 11, the cable channel that runs the 3-D shows, says more content is needed for the technology to catch on, and other manufacturers need to start making 3-D televisions.
"People are showing interest in 3-D programs, but most homes don't have the special TVs," he said.
Samsung already sells 3-D rear projection TVs in the U.S., but there are no 3-D TV broadcasts in the United States. The technology is also available on desktop monitors and for video games.
Hyundai IT is hoping to boost its image by gaining a niche audience in Japan, where the TV market is dominated by Sony Corp. and Sharp Corp. The South Korean electronics maker's 3-D TV went on sale in April, but unit sales numbers weren't available.
There is no plan to sell the TV overseas, said senior manager Kim Pyeng-joong.
===================================
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/06/19/hyundaitv.ap/index.html
A polar bear pawing the glass of his tank may seem to be inside the TV pushing on the screen.
Hyundai is offering -- in Japan only -- the first product for watching the 3-D programs that cable stations in Japan now broadcast about four times a day.
There are a few catches:
The 46-inch liquid-crystal display requires 3-D glasses; it's expensive -- $3,960, including two pairs of glasses, or about 25 percent more than a comparable regular LCD TV; and the only programs available so far include just a few minutes of video from Japan's northern island of Hokkaido -- shots from the zoo, motorcycle races and other short scenes.
Seen on regular TVs, 3D programs split the screen vertically so the same image appears in both the left and right halves. Conversely, wearing the 3-D glasses while watching regular programming on the Hyundai 3-D TV produces a slight 3-D effect.
The TV uses stereoscopic technology called TriDef from DDD Group Plc in Santa Monica, California, which works by sending the same image separately for the left eye and the right eye.
Ryo Saito of BS 11, the cable channel that runs the 3-D shows, says more content is needed for the technology to catch on, and other manufacturers need to start making 3-D televisions.
"People are showing interest in 3-D programs, but most homes don't have the special TVs," he said.
Samsung already sells 3-D rear projection TVs in the U.S., but there are no 3-D TV broadcasts in the United States. The technology is also available on desktop monitors and for video games.
Hyundai IT is hoping to boost its image by gaining a niche audience in Japan, where the TV market is dominated by Sony Corp. and Sharp Corp. The South Korean electronics maker's 3-D TV went on sale in April, but unit sales numbers weren't available.
There is no plan to sell the TV overseas, said senior manager Kim Pyeng-joong.
===================================
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/06/19/hyundaitv.ap/index.html
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Chinese bank backs mobile operator in Poland
China Development Bank has agreed to lend €640m ($993m) to a fledgling Polish mobile phone operator in a deal believed to mark the bank’s first foray into the fast-growing markets of eastern Europe.
The financial backing forms part of an €1.1bn capital injection for Play, a Polish 3G mobile operator, in a tie-up involving Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker.
Play is 75 per cent owned by Novator, an investment group controlled by Thor Bjorgolfsson, an Icelandic entrepreneur with many telecoms interests in Europe.
The remainder is owned by Panos Germanos, a Greek businessman. As part of the refinancing deal, the duo will commit €460m of equity funding.
Play has attracted 1.4m customers since starting operations 16 months ago, becoming the fourth-largest operator in the mobile market, and the fresh financing ranks as expansion capital.
Huawei has been hired to upgrade Play’s infrastructure, highlighting its increasing success in securing contracts in Europe, which have helped it to become a potent competitor to Sweden’s Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent, the French-US company.
The CDB loan underscores the bank’s efforts to diversify its investment portfolio to become more global and spread across more sectors.
CDB is the largest of China’s so-called “policy banks”, which operate like domestic versions of the World Bank, raising money through bond sales and then lending to companies and projects in line with Beijing’s policies.
CDB had more than $330bn in assets at the end of 2006, the last time it published an annual report. Of the $83bn in loans it extended that year, only 3.3 per cent were to the telecoms sector.
Mr Bjorgolfsson developed a working relationship with Huawei while on an Icelandic state visit to China in 2005. Huawei on Wednesday said its relationship with the Polish operator “is not related in any way to any funding offered by CDB”.
CDB declined to comment.
Mr Bjorgolfsson told the Financial Times that the debt facility with CDB had been struck on “market terms” but declined to disclose the coupon to be paid.
Mr Bjorgolfsson said he hoped to work with the CDB on other investments. “We have more plans in central Europe and hope that future partnerships [with CDB] materialise,” he said.
He also said he wanted to establish Play as a “serious” fourth player in the market and expected it to break even in cash flow terms by 2010. Mr Bjorgolfsson said it was likely that the company would file for a public listing within the next two years, although he would remain as its majority shareholder “for a number of years”.
========================================
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca5faae8-3d5d-11dd-bbb5-0000779fd2ac.html
The financial backing forms part of an €1.1bn capital injection for Play, a Polish 3G mobile operator, in a tie-up involving Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker.
Play is 75 per cent owned by Novator, an investment group controlled by Thor Bjorgolfsson, an Icelandic entrepreneur with many telecoms interests in Europe.
The remainder is owned by Panos Germanos, a Greek businessman. As part of the refinancing deal, the duo will commit €460m of equity funding.
Play has attracted 1.4m customers since starting operations 16 months ago, becoming the fourth-largest operator in the mobile market, and the fresh financing ranks as expansion capital.
Huawei has been hired to upgrade Play’s infrastructure, highlighting its increasing success in securing contracts in Europe, which have helped it to become a potent competitor to Sweden’s Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent, the French-US company.
The CDB loan underscores the bank’s efforts to diversify its investment portfolio to become more global and spread across more sectors.
CDB is the largest of China’s so-called “policy banks”, which operate like domestic versions of the World Bank, raising money through bond sales and then lending to companies and projects in line with Beijing’s policies.
CDB had more than $330bn in assets at the end of 2006, the last time it published an annual report. Of the $83bn in loans it extended that year, only 3.3 per cent were to the telecoms sector.
Mr Bjorgolfsson developed a working relationship with Huawei while on an Icelandic state visit to China in 2005. Huawei on Wednesday said its relationship with the Polish operator “is not related in any way to any funding offered by CDB”.
CDB declined to comment.
Mr Bjorgolfsson told the Financial Times that the debt facility with CDB had been struck on “market terms” but declined to disclose the coupon to be paid.
Mr Bjorgolfsson said he hoped to work with the CDB on other investments. “We have more plans in central Europe and hope that future partnerships [with CDB] materialise,” he said.
He also said he wanted to establish Play as a “serious” fourth player in the market and expected it to break even in cash flow terms by 2010. Mr Bjorgolfsson said it was likely that the company would file for a public listing within the next two years, although he would remain as its majority shareholder “for a number of years”.
========================================
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca5faae8-3d5d-11dd-bbb5-0000779fd2ac.html
Targeted Ads Designed for You
Companies are finding novel ways to target advertising to your cell phone and television.
New technologies are making it easier for advertisers to connect with their target audience, whether through the Internet, mobile phones, or television. Many of the companies that gave presentations this week at Venture Summit East in Boston, MA, are working on technologies aimed at making it easier for advertisers to reach specific audiences and measuring how well they respond.
Ad network Quattro Wireless, for example, has developed software designed to make it easier for companies to create content for mobile phones with integrated targeted advertising. The company's new product, GetMobile, automates many of the changes needed to allow mobile phones access to websites, and provides an interface that makes it easy to check the work and make adjustments. Advertisers can use GetMobile to choose a target audience. For example, the advertiser can target users in a specific location or using a particular device. The interface also allows the advertiser to track the success of their ads and to get response rates among particular groups of people.
Joe Cuccinelli, general manager of the GetMobile product, says that the self-service software is a scaled-down version of what the company offers to full-service clients. While the self-service client allows advertisers to target broad areas, such as the United States, the company's full-service arm can, for example, target the residents of Fargo, IN, or the users of a particular model of Nokia phone. Since carriers have historically kept data about subscribers close to their chests, he says, Quattro Wireless uses data gathered by companies that publish mobile content, such as downloadable games, and information provided by users themselves, through mobile social-networking sites, for example. In many cases, he adds, that data is enough to narrow down the user's location and demographics. "The industry has said we already have a good base to go off of here to do this type of targeting, so let's go for it," Cuccinelli says.
But mobile phones aren't the only device that advertisers can use to collect information about demographics and behavior. Navic Networks, which also presented at Venture Summit East, is bringing that type of measurement to televisions equipped with digital set-top boxes. John Hoctor, vice president of business development, explained that the company can add interactive overlays to advertisements and programs that invite viewers to respond by taking actions such as voting or agreeing to view a longer ad. Hoctor said in the presentation that the company's recent release, Admira, allows advertisers to target groups of people based on past viewing behavior, collected from the set-top box. He explained that advertisers who want to target people who watch the news every night would no longer have to wait for the news to serve those ads.
Tore Tellefsen, vice president of program management, explains that Admira gathers data on viewing habits from set-top boxes and correlates it with available demographic information. The results allow the company to suggest additional programs to advertisers that would reach the desired demographic. Though the technology can't target specific ads to individual people in the home, he says, it can track the behavior of groups of people, direct ads toward those groups, and measure how these groups respond. Advertisers can add interactive capabilities directed at specific audiences. For example, Teleffsen says, Seven-Eleven Hawaii recently offered viewers the chance to enter their mobile-phone numbers through their set-top boxes in order to receive a text message containing a coupon.
Ajay Bam, cofounder of Modiv Media, a company that specializes in marketing through mobile phones, said that as carriers launch data plans that allow users to do more on their phones with fewer fees, there are huge opportunities for companies to add content and advertise to those devices. The continued challenge, he said, lies in making users aware of what they can get through their phones. Neeraj Agrawal, a general partner with Battery Ventures, said at the conference that finding ways to target advertising beyond the Internet is "a huge problem area," with plenty of room for new companies and new technologies. In reference to Navic Networks, he noted that "turning traditional media into a more performance-oriented environment is a good wave to ride."
A few companies at Venture Summit East were working on technologies to unify targeted advertising campaigns, so that advertisers could pursue the same audience through their televisions, computers, and mobile phones. A company called ioGlobal, for example, was working on a platform layer that, among other things, would allow advertisers to build applications that rely on behavioral and demographic data and deploy them across television, the Internet, and mobile devices without having to adjust for different media. Access 360 Media also reported working on unified campaigns that would target young adults, sending coordinated ads through screens located in stores, as well as a variety of other devices. Lon Otremba, CEO of Access, noted that, as people get used to accessing content in a variety of media-rich, personalized ways, advertising needs to keep pace with those trends, particularly if it wishes to keep the attention of younger audiences.
New technologies are making it easier for advertisers to connect with their target audience, whether through the Internet, mobile phones, or television. Many of the companies that gave presentations this week at Venture Summit East in Boston, MA, are working on technologies aimed at making it easier for advertisers to reach specific audiences and measuring how well they respond.
Ad network Quattro Wireless, for example, has developed software designed to make it easier for companies to create content for mobile phones with integrated targeted advertising. The company's new product, GetMobile, automates many of the changes needed to allow mobile phones access to websites, and provides an interface that makes it easy to check the work and make adjustments. Advertisers can use GetMobile to choose a target audience. For example, the advertiser can target users in a specific location or using a particular device. The interface also allows the advertiser to track the success of their ads and to get response rates among particular groups of people.
Joe Cuccinelli, general manager of the GetMobile product, says that the self-service software is a scaled-down version of what the company offers to full-service clients. While the self-service client allows advertisers to target broad areas, such as the United States, the company's full-service arm can, for example, target the residents of Fargo, IN, or the users of a particular model of Nokia phone. Since carriers have historically kept data about subscribers close to their chests, he says, Quattro Wireless uses data gathered by companies that publish mobile content, such as downloadable games, and information provided by users themselves, through mobile social-networking sites, for example. In many cases, he adds, that data is enough to narrow down the user's location and demographics. "The industry has said we already have a good base to go off of here to do this type of targeting, so let's go for it," Cuccinelli says.
But mobile phones aren't the only device that advertisers can use to collect information about demographics and behavior. Navic Networks, which also presented at Venture Summit East, is bringing that type of measurement to televisions equipped with digital set-top boxes. John Hoctor, vice president of business development, explained that the company can add interactive overlays to advertisements and programs that invite viewers to respond by taking actions such as voting or agreeing to view a longer ad. Hoctor said in the presentation that the company's recent release, Admira, allows advertisers to target groups of people based on past viewing behavior, collected from the set-top box. He explained that advertisers who want to target people who watch the news every night would no longer have to wait for the news to serve those ads.
Tore Tellefsen, vice president of program management, explains that Admira gathers data on viewing habits from set-top boxes and correlates it with available demographic information. The results allow the company to suggest additional programs to advertisers that would reach the desired demographic. Though the technology can't target specific ads to individual people in the home, he says, it can track the behavior of groups of people, direct ads toward those groups, and measure how these groups respond. Advertisers can add interactive capabilities directed at specific audiences. For example, Teleffsen says, Seven-Eleven Hawaii recently offered viewers the chance to enter their mobile-phone numbers through their set-top boxes in order to receive a text message containing a coupon.
Ajay Bam, cofounder of Modiv Media, a company that specializes in marketing through mobile phones, said that as carriers launch data plans that allow users to do more on their phones with fewer fees, there are huge opportunities for companies to add content and advertise to those devices. The continued challenge, he said, lies in making users aware of what they can get through their phones. Neeraj Agrawal, a general partner with Battery Ventures, said at the conference that finding ways to target advertising beyond the Internet is "a huge problem area," with plenty of room for new companies and new technologies. In reference to Navic Networks, he noted that "turning traditional media into a more performance-oriented environment is a good wave to ride."
A few companies at Venture Summit East were working on technologies to unify targeted advertising campaigns, so that advertisers could pursue the same audience through their televisions, computers, and mobile phones. A company called ioGlobal, for example, was working on a platform layer that, among other things, would allow advertisers to build applications that rely on behavioral and demographic data and deploy them across television, the Internet, and mobile devices without having to adjust for different media. Access 360 Media also reported working on unified campaigns that would target young adults, sending coordinated ads through screens located in stores, as well as a variety of other devices. Lon Otremba, CEO of Access, noted that, as people get used to accessing content in a variety of media-rich, personalized ways, advertising needs to keep pace with those trends, particularly if it wishes to keep the attention of younger audiences.
PlayStation 3 Debuts in Korea
PlayStation 3, the flagship video game console of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., made its debut in South Korea Saturday, the company's unit here said.The South Korean version, which includes an 80 GB hard disk, has a price tag of 518,000 won ($556.85 including value-added tax), which is relatively lower than other regions, considering its inclusion of the hard disk.Sony Computer Entertainment Korea held a launch ceremony at 10 a.m. at the I-Park Mall in downtown Seoul, where around 50 fans had waited in line since Friday to get their hands on the high-end gaming machine as soon as possible, Yonhap News Agency said. Tetsuhiko Yasuda, managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Asia, attended the launch event, conveying his hope that "PlayStation 3's power and South Korea's Internet infrastructures" will converge to work in synergy, Yonhap said.
RFID: New Method to Track From Cattle, Oil Shipments to Criminals
A person can fill up their gas tank at a station without the attendant's help. No need to say the kind of gas needed and no need to count out notes. All it takes is one particular credit card and a chip attached to the vehicle.S-OIL, a local refinery, launched a pilot service based on automatic identification technology at one of its gas stations in Seoul in April.It began to provide the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) service at the station in western Seoul. S-OIL said it is the first time that a local refiner has used the identification technology in service stations.The automatic identification sytsem uses special devices called RFID tags to store and retrieve data.A tag, using radio waves, can be applied to a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification. Some tags are readable even from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.Most RFID tags comprise of two parts. One is an integrated circuit used to store and process information, as well as modulate a signal, and the other is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.In a more advanced form, chipless tags make it possible to discretely identify tags, without an integrated circuit, thus allowing data to be printed directly onto various objects at a lower cost.The RFID service adopted by S-Oil is composed of three systems: wireless payment and point accumulation, customer management and mixed-gasoline alarm.Through a device attached to customers' vehicles, the wireless payment and point accumulation system automatically reads the vehicle and customer information, and supports wireless payment and bonus point accumulation.The customer management system provides customized services meeting specific needs of customers while the mixed-gasoline alarm system prevents putting an inappropriate type of fuel into vehicles.The same technology is set to be available in a completely different field.Korea Post, the nation's postal service, is planning to introduce the technology for grouping mail and keeping track of it. Last month, it released a tender for 600 RFID reader machines as well as 40,000 tags to be used at its branches including post offices and logistics centers.The advanced technology is undergoing trials in Finland. Finn-ID, a Finnish IT company, developed a new system to monitor speed and accuracy of mail delivery using RFID tag-embedded envelopes. The identification technology has a prospective commercial future.Its Asia-Pacific market will grow over $850 million by 2014 with asset management and documentation tracking spearheading it, Frost & Sullivan, a market research firm, predicted in a recent report.The RFID inlay market in the region has already surpassed $150 million last year, up about 150 percent from 2004.The introduction of RFID services is on a constant hike in various industries such as airlines, and energy and mining but also there will be a flurry of niche application markets to be developed as in DVD rentals and sports businesses, it said.Niche Markets EmergingThe technology ― an advance from barcodes ― is muscling its way into more diverse areas, as well as public policies.The city of Busan is now considering a new 7th-day-no-driving system using the identification device, where vehicles are monitored through the RFID chips attached to them. Gyeonggi Province is also putting forward the same policy and is now establishing a management system using RFID, aiming to be launched in October.Elsewhere, lawmakers are planning a new regulation forcing child sex offenders to wear electronic bracelets. The anti sex crime bill passed the National Assembly in May and will be enacted in September. The Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with Samsung SDS consortium, plans to complete the 8-billion won project of locating sex criminals with the commencement of the act.Growing concerns on foods, triggered by the recent U.S. beef row, is drawing attention to the field of food tracking, a technique of tracing food items via electric tags and barcodes. For example, the tags are required to identify a cow's herd of origin and this is used for tracing when a packing plant uses the carcass. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will start a tracking system for all kinds of seafood from August. Especially from December, all hanwoo, an indigenous breed of cattle, will be required to have tags containing information in their ears. "No cattle without tags will be slaughtered in the future,'' the ministry said.Life Enhancer or Big Brother?Outside the country, the use of RFIDs is raising more controversy and even product boycotts by advocates of consumer privacy.Since the owner of an item could not necessarily be aware of the presence of the data and the tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual, it becomes possible to gather sensitive information about an individual without their consent. If a tagged item is paid for by credit card or in conjunction with use of a loyalty card, then it would be possible to indirectly deduce the identity of the purchaser by reading the tag. Most concerns arise over the fact that RFID tags attached to products remain functional even after the products are purchased and taken home, so they could be used for surveillance and other unintended purposes, which are not related to supply chain inventories.
Touch-Sensitive Cell Phones Riding High
The war over the next-generation touch-based mobile phones is seemingly exhibiting uprising momentum, riding on greater consumer appetite despite concerns over the global economic turmoil.On Monday, Samsung Electronics enriched its touch mobile portfolio initially for Southeast Asian consumers in a move to tap marketability of such a promising segment.The world's No. 2 handset maker revealed its SGH-i900 mobile, dubbed ``Omnia'' ― meaning ``everything’’ in Latin. The firm said the phone has a 3.2-inch screen with enhanced wireless internet capabilities such as HSDPA at 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi, as well as a 5-megapixel camera, accelerometer functions and even an extended memory option of up to 16 gigabytes.The handset, which is Samsung’s strategic product for the second half of this year, runs on Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. And its haptic ― from the word meaning ``touch’’ in Greek ― feedback makes the phone vibrate when users touch its screen.The Omnia phone comes ahead of the iPhone release, which is slated for early today.``The quick launch of the Omnia has been in line with the iPhone release,'' a Samsung spokesman said. The phone is also suited to North American consumers with its quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA support, which allow it a full access to networks from AT&T.For iPhone, Steve Jobs will stand up in front of the Apple faithful at its annual conference with ``iPhone 2.0,'' which is believed to be equipped with GPS satellite navigation and a camera with video conferencing capability.Samsung expects that the Omnia smart mobile will grab much attention from business people since it can become an entertainment device during long-haul flights and lengthy meetings.``Our Soul phones have been selling well, however, we need more and I can say this phone is the company's strategy to surge ahead of Motorola in North America in the second quarter,'' the spokesman added.Earlier, Samsung’s chief of mobile phone division Choi Gee-sung told The Korea Times that his company will defeat Motorola in the U.S. company's home-turf in the second quarter even though Samsung will not pay too much attention on the volume of its shipments.Weeks ago, Samsung commercialized a 5-megapixel full-touch-screen phone in Europe. The SGH-F480 Touchwiz handset features the advanced sophistication of a user interface ― drag-and-drop, auto-focus, smile shot and LED flash and the price has been set between 349 and 399 euros.The mobile comes after Samsung introduced their slider Soul phone in February at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain. The 5-megapixel GSM-based handset is being marketed toward European customers for availability in April and Samsung insiders say the company is now focusing on Europe's touch phone market as ``uncertainty'' is very high in North America.Haptic FrenzyHaptic has been a keyword among mobile phone designers. It was LG Electronics’ product design team chief Kim Jin who first used the term in phone design at least in a printed publication. Kim, then the chief of its mobile phone design center, said in a 2006 interview with The Korea Times that haptic would be the next big trend in phone design whether it be a vibrating body or a soft, organic skin. Now the company says all of its phones over 500,000 won ($500) will have the touch-screen platform, and there will be over 10 types released this year.According to Gartner, a market research firm, the global demand for touch phones will increase two-fold from 2007 to 35 million this year, capitalizing on traditionally-proven spots. Another researcher Strategy Analytic forecasts that touch mobiles will account for 40 percent of the phone market by 2012.Korean firms such as Samsung and LG are not alone in the ``haptic phone’’ frenzy. Some believe that the new iPhone from Apple will be equipped with ``haptic’’ functions. According to dvice.com, Apple is reportedly in discussions with a company called Immersion for a vibration response. For South Korean customers, KTF has been discussing with Apple for over a year on selling the iPhone here. The company said they are still in talk and details will be announced later. Motorola is also interested in the haptic technology but it is taking a slightly different approach. Its phone has a ``virtual’’ keypad system named the ModeShift technology, which transforms the keys according to the function being used. For example, the keypad shows numbers in the phone mode. When playing music, it displays control keys for the music player ― play, pause, fast-forward and rewind ― instead of the numbers. Using vibrating haptic technology, the device also provides tactile feedback, so the users can confirm whether they have pressed the correct key.
Korean IT Giants Facing `Survival Game'
From the semiconductor to flat screen sectors, where South Korea has been enjoying dominance over its overseas rivals, worries have arisen that the country might be lose its leadership.South Korea is the home of the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 memory chipmakers _ Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor. Samsung is also the world’s biggest liquid crystal display (LCD) television maker and panel supplier, while LG Display _ formerly LG.Philips LCD _ follows Samsung in the display sector by revenue.Industry experts have generally agreed that it is too early to say whether or not South Korean semiconductor and flat screen giants will soon fall victim to their Japanese and Taiwanese rivals, as the Korean players still have competitive technological advantages. However, they have not ruled out the ``worst case scenario’’ citing the industries’ consolidation moves across the globe.``I admit worries are unexpectedly high that our global share in the memory-implemented chip sector will decrease unless immediate measures are taken,’’ a high-ranking official from Samsung Electronics told The Korea Times Sunday.Samsung Group’s strategic planning team has been spending a considerable amount of time tackling the bribery scandal, resulting in the group’s flagship Samsung Electronics postponing this year’s detailed investment plans in the ``cash cow’’ semiconductor business.In contrast, the global DRAM chip industry is about to see ``fundamental change’’ as major players in the sector are looking for ways to reduce losses by adopting a more cost-effective manufacturing process. Last week, Taiwan-based Nanya and its U.S. partner Micron Technology agreed to set up a joint venture to develop a fine 50-nanometer level technology using the advanced ``stack’’ method (vertical expansion) as opposed to the unprofitable ``trench’’ system (horizontal expansion), an ambitious move by the Taiwanese player to survive in the current gloomy market situation.Moreover, Japan-based Elpida is reportedly seeking additional strategic partners including Micron to challenge Samsung.DRAM chips are used in PCs, and manufacturers have been suffering massive losses in recent years due to a supply glut, spurred by high expectation of Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system.Even in the sector of profitable NAND flash chips, the world’s No. 2 Toshiba is set to expand production lines with its U.S. partner San Disk by 2009 after withdrawing from the HD-DVD business. NAND chips are used in high-end handheld gadgets such as MP3 players.``The DRAM industry is experiencing `consolidation’ as Toshiba wants to overtake Samsung. We have no time to waste,’’ another Samsung official said.Another Ominous Sign for LCDsAlong with the semiconductor sector, South Korean flat screen makers are facing serious challenges from their Japanese rivals, who want to regain the glory they enjoyed in the 1980s.Despite a strong edge in original technology, Japanese TV manufactures have failed to maintain their global leadership as they have been hesitant to invest massively, unlike Samsung Electronics.Recently, Sony, the world’s No. 2 LCD TV set maker, struck a deal with Sharp (rather than Samsung) to jointly construct an LCD plant producing next-generation over 60-inch panels. While Sony says the alliance is a part of a strategy to diversify procurement channels under the booming market situation, some experts claim that the move is a bid to overcome Samsung by riding on the South Korean rivals’ bribery woes.Samsung and Sony have operated a joint venture in South Korea called ``S-LCD’’ since 2004 to produce LCDs used in their own flat-screen televisions. To make matters worse, Japan’s Panasonic, the world’s No. 1 plasma display supplier, announced that it will end the production of display and expects to expand into LCD TVs through a capital business partnership with Sharp.``It is likely that Samsung will plunge after its Japanese rivals in the next-generation LCD business from 2010 as Sharp will produce so-called `10th generation’ panels with strong price competitiveness,’’ an industry source said.``This might affect Samsung’s television business,’’ the source added.No Cooperative Sign?Despite mounting worries, it seems unlikely that South Korean flat screen and semiconductor makers will strengthen ``constructive’’ partnerships with each other.Last Friday, Hwang Chang-gyu, president of Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Business, voiced opposition to Hynix Semiconductor’s proposed technology transfer to Taiwan’s ProMOS by saying the plan to transfer the fine 54-nanometer technology to ProMOS was a ``technology leak.’’``It is difficult to understand Hynix’ move,’’ he told reporters at a Seoul hotel.``Business is business. It seems unlikely both companies will widen a partnership in core sectors,’’ said another industry source.Late last year, Samsung and Toshiba reached an agreement to cross-license interface specifications and trademarks for their NAND flash memory chips, making Hynix feel uneasy about who was eyeing the high-end chip sector to offset falling profits from volatile DRAM chips.However, positive signs have emerged between local players in the LCD sector since LG.Philips Chief Executive Kwon Young-soo said that his company has engaged in talks with Samsung Electronics to supply its distinctive 37-inch panel. ``Korean players need to maintain a healthy partnership with each other,’’ Kwon told reporters after the annual shareholders’ meeting at the company’s LCD complex in northern Seoul.
Mp3 Players Turn 10 Years Old
The mp3 player has become a ubiquitous device among music lovers who long ago ditched their portable cassette tape and CD players.So WHERE did these devices come from?Many might say the United States, home to the iPod and Napster.It turns out the first one was developed in Korea TEN years ago by a venture company.This is one of the topics for this week's Buzz in Business, Arirang's economic magazine.To catch more of this and other business trends, you can tune in to Buzz in Business, airing over the weekend.
High Speed Internet Users Top 15 Million
The number of high speed Internet subscribers in Korea stood at over FIFTEEN MILLION as of April.The Korean Communications Commission says the number of high speed Internet users grew by SIXTY ONE-thousand in April alone.KT was the network provider of choice with more than FORTY FOUR percent of the users, second was Hanaro Telecom followed by LG Powercom.Although the growth has been remarkable, market observers do not expect an equally strong expansion in the near future amid signs of saturation.
Windows for GPS
Microsoft's latest operating system makes it easier to integrate location detection with other services.
Internet-enabled services could become more common in vehicles, thanks to a new operating system launched this week by Microsoft. Dubbed Windows Embedded NavReady 09, the operating system is designed to improve wireless connectivity and Internet access in GPS devices. It also includes Bluetooth features that allow GPS receivers to be coupled with other devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, and laptops.
"The industry mostly knows us for Windows PC, Windows Mobile, Zune, and Xbox," says Dan Javnozon, senior product manager of Windows Embedded. But for the past 11 years, he says, Microsoft has been supplying embedded operating systems for everything from huge industrial robots and home automation appliances to temperature controls and some GPS devices.
Whereas the desktop version of Windows adds new functions and requires more memory with every release, embedded operating systems sacrifice versatility for leanness and efficiency. Currently, most GPS companies, such as TomTom and Garmin, use their own custom-built, proprietary operating systems. Others use off-the-shelf embedded systems that may not be ideal for GPS technology. Mio, for instance, uses an existing Microsoft operating system called Windows Embedded Compact, which is designed for real-time handheld devices.
Because GPS devices require relatively powerful operating systems, it can be expensive for companies to develop their own. NavReady makes it easy for GPS receivers to share data with other hardware, so it should reduce the complexity and cost of building and testing Internet-connected GPS devices. "I think Microsoft is laying the foundations for what we see as one of the big frontiers for navigation devices--connectivity," says Clint Wheelock, chief research officer with ABI Research, in New York City.
Like Microsoft's other embedded software platforms, NavReady is modular, says Javnozon: developers can discard the code they don't need, which should make their systems more efficient. "They can pick and choose components, like Lego blocks," Javnozon says.
Microsoft believes that the new operating system will help people retrieve more up-to-date information about nearby places, people, and services. The problem with current location-based services, says Wheelock, is that when they search for points of interest--such as restaurants, businesses, museums, and parks--they simply query a static database stored on the GPS device, which only rarely gets updated.
Existing traffic-notification services have a similar problem, Wheelock says. They generally send out information on a broadcast basis, he says, so drivers are not necessarily getting the latest real-time information, which can be crucial to, say, deciding which route to take home after work.
Javnozon says that by making it easier for developers to add Internet access to their GPS devices, NavReady will enable two-way communication and ensure that the very latest information is retrieved. "It allows you to search for points of interest directly on the Internet within a Windows Live database," he says.
"In Europe, about 20 percent of drivers already have some form of navigational device, while in the U.S., it's more like 10 percent," says Chris Jones, a principal analyst with Canalys, in Reading, England. The market for automotive GPS devices is expanding rapidly, Jones says, but NavReady will likely spur innovation and competition. For example, although some high-end products on the market already have Internet and Bluetooth functions, he says, NavReady should make these features fast become the norm.
Similarly, other applications are likely to emerge from the increased connectivity of GPS devices, such as location-based social networking, says Wheelock.
Although launched this week, NavReady is currently available only to device makers. So we shouldn't expect devices that use it to hit the market until 2009. And when they do, don't expect any kind of familiar Windows interface, says Javnozon. Manufacturers have often spent a lot of time and money developing their own signature user interfaces. NavReady has been designed to work in the background with these interfaces, he says.
Internet-enabled services could become more common in vehicles, thanks to a new operating system launched this week by Microsoft. Dubbed Windows Embedded NavReady 09, the operating system is designed to improve wireless connectivity and Internet access in GPS devices. It also includes Bluetooth features that allow GPS receivers to be coupled with other devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, and laptops.
"The industry mostly knows us for Windows PC, Windows Mobile, Zune, and Xbox," says Dan Javnozon, senior product manager of Windows Embedded. But for the past 11 years, he says, Microsoft has been supplying embedded operating systems for everything from huge industrial robots and home automation appliances to temperature controls and some GPS devices.
Whereas the desktop version of Windows adds new functions and requires more memory with every release, embedded operating systems sacrifice versatility for leanness and efficiency. Currently, most GPS companies, such as TomTom and Garmin, use their own custom-built, proprietary operating systems. Others use off-the-shelf embedded systems that may not be ideal for GPS technology. Mio, for instance, uses an existing Microsoft operating system called Windows Embedded Compact, which is designed for real-time handheld devices.
Because GPS devices require relatively powerful operating systems, it can be expensive for companies to develop their own. NavReady makes it easy for GPS receivers to share data with other hardware, so it should reduce the complexity and cost of building and testing Internet-connected GPS devices. "I think Microsoft is laying the foundations for what we see as one of the big frontiers for navigation devices--connectivity," says Clint Wheelock, chief research officer with ABI Research, in New York City.
Like Microsoft's other embedded software platforms, NavReady is modular, says Javnozon: developers can discard the code they don't need, which should make their systems more efficient. "They can pick and choose components, like Lego blocks," Javnozon says.
Microsoft believes that the new operating system will help people retrieve more up-to-date information about nearby places, people, and services. The problem with current location-based services, says Wheelock, is that when they search for points of interest--such as restaurants, businesses, museums, and parks--they simply query a static database stored on the GPS device, which only rarely gets updated.
Existing traffic-notification services have a similar problem, Wheelock says. They generally send out information on a broadcast basis, he says, so drivers are not necessarily getting the latest real-time information, which can be crucial to, say, deciding which route to take home after work.
Javnozon says that by making it easier for developers to add Internet access to their GPS devices, NavReady will enable two-way communication and ensure that the very latest information is retrieved. "It allows you to search for points of interest directly on the Internet within a Windows Live database," he says.
"In Europe, about 20 percent of drivers already have some form of navigational device, while in the U.S., it's more like 10 percent," says Chris Jones, a principal analyst with Canalys, in Reading, England. The market for automotive GPS devices is expanding rapidly, Jones says, but NavReady will likely spur innovation and competition. For example, although some high-end products on the market already have Internet and Bluetooth functions, he says, NavReady should make these features fast become the norm.
Similarly, other applications are likely to emerge from the increased connectivity of GPS devices, such as location-based social networking, says Wheelock.
Although launched this week, NavReady is currently available only to device makers. So we shouldn't expect devices that use it to hit the market until 2009. And when they do, don't expect any kind of familiar Windows interface, says Javnozon. Manufacturers have often spent a lot of time and money developing their own signature user interfaces. NavReady has been designed to work in the background with these interfaces, he says.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Business continuity: It’s impossible to guard against every risk
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4a4fbc6c-3c54-11dd-b958-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=4dce8136-4a24-11da-b8b1-0000779e2340.html
Business continuity: It’s impossible to guard against every risk
By Stephen Pritchard
Published: June 17 2008 14:18 Last updated: June 17 2008 14:18
Sangwook's comment :
I could realize from this article that business continuity heavily depends on budget of the company; however there are other more important things like business prioritization, organizational preparation and testing of business continuity.
Business continuity is an essential topic for business operations now. From this article, we could be reminded of the concept and necessity of business continuity by IT. There are one of c-level managements called CRO(Chief Risk Officers) relating to this area.
To summarize this article, IT back-up strategy and physical security measures are not enough to ensure business continuity. As always, money matters in business continuity as well. So it requires to plan on business continuity based on prioritization of applications and data. It means budgets will always determine the scope of business continuity arrangements. There are some important tips to do business continuity.
#1. Do business continuity planning
#2. Put emergency response teams consist of both IT head and operation head(risk officer,
HR, PR and facilities)
#3. Conduct test your preparedness
Business continuity: It’s impossible to guard against every risk
By Stephen Pritchard
Published: June 17 2008 14:18 Last updated: June 17 2008 14:18
Sangwook's comment :
I could realize from this article that business continuity heavily depends on budget of the company; however there are other more important things like business prioritization, organizational preparation and testing of business continuity.
Business continuity is an essential topic for business operations now. From this article, we could be reminded of the concept and necessity of business continuity by IT. There are one of c-level managements called CRO(Chief Risk Officers) relating to this area.
To summarize this article, IT back-up strategy and physical security measures are not enough to ensure business continuity. As always, money matters in business continuity as well. So it requires to plan on business continuity based on prioritization of applications and data. It means budgets will always determine the scope of business continuity arrangements. There are some important tips to do business continuity.
#1. Do business continuity planning
#2. Put emergency response teams consist of both IT head and operation head(risk officer,
HR, PR and facilities)
#3. Conduct test your preparedness
Microsoft Unveils First OS for Portable Navigation Devices
As we group 3 introduced GPS in our presentation, GPS market is steadily growing. It is somewhat late for MS to develop OS for portable devices for GPS, however I think this OS can be a standard for GPS devices and developers do not need to spend time for their own OS as we already have seen a similar story of electricity in 'IT doesn't matter'.
Microsoft on Tuesday introduced its first-ever embedded OS for portable devices that use GPS (global positioning system) and maps to get people where they want to go.
Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 is aimed at companies building handheld electronic navigation devices and includes several features to make them Web-friendly, such as easy connections to online services and the Internet, as well as links to mobile phones via Bluetooth, and to Windows-based PCs.
The aim of the new OS is to spread the popularity of portable navigation devices (PND) by adding or enhancing new features such as Internet connectivity and services. PNDs are among the hottest electronic devices this year.
Microsoft included Live Search in the new OS to help people find points of interest on their devices, similar to Microsoft's Live Search Maps service.
People whose mobile phones contain Bluetooth technology will be able to pair them with new NavReady 2009-based PNDs for hands-free phone book access, audio and video remote control, dial-up networking and to make hands-free phone calls and data connections.
The new OS also syncs to MSN Direct for updates on traffic conditions, gas prices and more, Microsoft said.
The OS also allows PNDs to be used as secondary display screens for many mobile PCs using the Windows Vista OS, a Microsoft technology called SideShow. Users may be able to connect their PND to their laptop and access information from the device, without having to boot-up.
The new OS is based on Windows Embedded CE, which has been around for over a decade.
Taiwan's Mio Technology plans to use Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 in its next line of Mio GPS devices. The name of Microsoft's new OS also works well for Mio. The Taiwanese company bought Navman's handheld business from the New Zealand company, Navman, last year. Earlier this year, Mio stopped using the Navman name in most markets, save for a few places the name is strong, such as Australia, New Zealand, Spain and the U.K.
Mio said it expected Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 to help it create and deliver new products faster.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147165/microsoft_unveils_first_os_for_portable_navigation_devices.html
Microsoft on Tuesday introduced its first-ever embedded OS for portable devices that use GPS (global positioning system) and maps to get people where they want to go.
Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 is aimed at companies building handheld electronic navigation devices and includes several features to make them Web-friendly, such as easy connections to online services and the Internet, as well as links to mobile phones via Bluetooth, and to Windows-based PCs.
The aim of the new OS is to spread the popularity of portable navigation devices (PND) by adding or enhancing new features such as Internet connectivity and services. PNDs are among the hottest electronic devices this year.
Microsoft included Live Search in the new OS to help people find points of interest on their devices, similar to Microsoft's Live Search Maps service.
People whose mobile phones contain Bluetooth technology will be able to pair them with new NavReady 2009-based PNDs for hands-free phone book access, audio and video remote control, dial-up networking and to make hands-free phone calls and data connections.
The new OS also syncs to MSN Direct for updates on traffic conditions, gas prices and more, Microsoft said.
The OS also allows PNDs to be used as secondary display screens for many mobile PCs using the Windows Vista OS, a Microsoft technology called SideShow. Users may be able to connect their PND to their laptop and access information from the device, without having to boot-up.
The new OS is based on Windows Embedded CE, which has been around for over a decade.
Taiwan's Mio Technology plans to use Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 in its next line of Mio GPS devices. The name of Microsoft's new OS also works well for Mio. The Taiwanese company bought Navman's handheld business from the New Zealand company, Navman, last year. Earlier this year, Mio stopped using the Navman name in most markets, save for a few places the name is strong, such as Australia, New Zealand, Spain and the U.K.
Mio said it expected Windows Embedded NavReady 2009 to help it create and deliver new products faster.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147165/microsoft_unveils_first_os_for_portable_navigation_devices.html
When kids should get a cellphone
the development of technology also change children's life and their toys.
more story is under
http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&page=email.nytimes.com/todaysheadlines/html&pos=Position5&sn2=9bfe302c/5e39bcb6&sn1=da5366ec/31251713&camp=NYT2008-marketingmoduleTH&ad=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608&goto=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/technology/personaltech/12basics.html%3Fex=1229140800%26en=ffea15b9a786ada4%26ei=5087%26WT.mc_id=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608-HDR%26WT.mc_ev=click%26mkt=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608-HDR
more story is under
http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&page=email.nytimes.com/todaysheadlines/html&pos=Position5&sn2=9bfe302c/5e39bcb6&sn1=da5366ec/31251713&camp=NYT2008-marketingmoduleTH&ad=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608&goto=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/technology/personaltech/12basics.html%3Fex=1229140800%26en=ffea15b9a786ada4%26ei=5087%26WT.mc_id=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608-HDR%26WT.mc_ev=click%26mkt=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M048-ROS-0608-HDR
SOA deployments on rise
Forty-two percent of respondents to a recent IBM-funded study said SOA (service-oriented architecture) is the top spending priority of their organizations, the company announced Wednesday.
While definitions of SOA vary, it generally refers to an IT architecture approach that eschews monolithic applications and instead breaks down functionality -- such as a customer credit check request -- into interoperable "services," theoretically allowing greater development flexibility and the potential for re-use.
The Link Group conducted the survey for IBM, polling 300 clients that attended the company's recent SOA conference, IMPACT 2008.
Fifty percent of respondents to it said they are now deploying SOA and 27 percent reported having projects in the pilot phase.
Sixty percent said their projects are enterprise or division-wide and 96 percent of that group called their recent efforts "very successful" or "somewhat successful."
The findings ring true, one analyst suggested.
"SOA both as a mindset and technology is largely just how enterprise software is done nowadays. It's like object-oriented [programming] or client/server in the past," said Michael Coté, an analyst with Redmonk. "The encouraging thing with SOA is that people seem to have figured out the basic goals and architectures at this point and have applied both complex and simple solutions to it."
The approach is also gaining steam because of its broad appeal among a company's various constituencies, he noted.
"On the IT side, it gives you a better idea of simply what to do and hopefully provides some efficiencies, if not really with re-use in the simplest term, then allowing people to re-combine things," he said. "From the business side -- in theory -- you can look at all these services and see what IT is providing you rather than just a big glob of stuff."
http://utilitycomputing.itworld.com/5020/soa-deployments-rise-080611/page_1.html
While definitions of SOA vary, it generally refers to an IT architecture approach that eschews monolithic applications and instead breaks down functionality -- such as a customer credit check request -- into interoperable "services," theoretically allowing greater development flexibility and the potential for re-use.
The Link Group conducted the survey for IBM, polling 300 clients that attended the company's recent SOA conference, IMPACT 2008.
Fifty percent of respondents to it said they are now deploying SOA and 27 percent reported having projects in the pilot phase.
Sixty percent said their projects are enterprise or division-wide and 96 percent of that group called their recent efforts "very successful" or "somewhat successful."
The findings ring true, one analyst suggested.
"SOA both as a mindset and technology is largely just how enterprise software is done nowadays. It's like object-oriented [programming] or client/server in the past," said Michael Coté, an analyst with Redmonk. "The encouraging thing with SOA is that people seem to have figured out the basic goals and architectures at this point and have applied both complex and simple solutions to it."
The approach is also gaining steam because of its broad appeal among a company's various constituencies, he noted.
"On the IT side, it gives you a better idea of simply what to do and hopefully provides some efficiencies, if not really with re-use in the simplest term, then allowing people to re-combine things," he said. "From the business side -- in theory -- you can look at all these services and see what IT is providing you rather than just a big glob of stuff."
http://utilitycomputing.itworld.com/5020/soa-deployments-rise-080611/page_1.html
'Critical' Linux kernel bugs discovered
Security researchers have uncovered "critical" security flaws in a version of the Linux kernel used by a large number of popular distributions.
The three bugs allow unauthorized users to read or write to kernel memory locations or to access certain resources in certain servers, according to a SecurityFocus advisory.
They could be exploited by malicious, local users to cause denial of service attacks, disclose potentially sensitive information or gain "root" privileges, according to security experts.
The bug affects all versions of the Linux kernel up to version 2.6.24.1, which contains a patch. Distributions such as Ubuntu, Turbolinux, SuSE, Red Hat, Mandriva, Debian and others are affected.
The problems are within three functions in the system call fs/splice.c, according to an advisory from Secunia.
"In the 2.6.23 kernel the system call functionality has been further extended resulting in... critical vulnerabilities," said iSEC Security Research in an advisory.
Secunia disagreed about the bugs' seriousness, giving them a less critical ranking.
Exploit code for the vulnerabilities has been released publicly on the hacker site milw0rm.com, and Core Security Technologies has also developed a commercial exploit for the bugs, researchers said.
Researchers advised system administrators to update their kernels immediately.
Last month, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bug-fixing scheme uncovered an average of one security glitch per 1,000 lines of code in 180 widely used open source software projects.
Secunia also previously discovered that the number of security bugs in open source Red Hat Linux operating system and Firefox browsers, far outstripped comparable products from Microsoft last year.
http://open.itworld.com/4917/critical-linux-kernel-bugs-080214/page_1.html
The three bugs allow unauthorized users to read or write to kernel memory locations or to access certain resources in certain servers, according to a SecurityFocus advisory.
They could be exploited by malicious, local users to cause denial of service attacks, disclose potentially sensitive information or gain "root" privileges, according to security experts.
The bug affects all versions of the Linux kernel up to version 2.6.24.1, which contains a patch. Distributions such as Ubuntu, Turbolinux, SuSE, Red Hat, Mandriva, Debian and others are affected.
The problems are within three functions in the system call fs/splice.c, according to an advisory from Secunia.
"In the 2.6.23 kernel the system call functionality has been further extended resulting in... critical vulnerabilities," said iSEC Security Research in an advisory.
Secunia disagreed about the bugs' seriousness, giving them a less critical ranking.
Exploit code for the vulnerabilities has been released publicly on the hacker site milw0rm.com, and Core Security Technologies has also developed a commercial exploit for the bugs, researchers said.
Researchers advised system administrators to update their kernels immediately.
Last month, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bug-fixing scheme uncovered an average of one security glitch per 1,000 lines of code in 180 widely used open source software projects.
Secunia also previously discovered that the number of security bugs in open source Red Hat Linux operating system and Firefox browsers, far outstripped comparable products from Microsoft last year.
http://open.itworld.com/4917/critical-linux-kernel-bugs-080214/page_1.html
United to offer iPod and iPhone hookups on some flights
United Airlines announced this morning that it is the first US airline to offer an iPod connector for its in-flight entertainment systems. The systems feature an iPod dock—naturally compatible with the iPhone—which connects it to the 15.4-inch LCD screen for viewing video content as well as listening to music, all while charging the iPod's battery.
The first flight featuring the new iPod connectivity is scheduled to depart at 5:40 PM this evening from Dulles International Airport en route to Zurich, Switzerland. According to United, the feature is being added to all its international aircraft over the next two years for first and business class areas, as the airline beefs up the in-flight entertainment options to also include on-demand movies, games, and XM Radio.
"Our guests may now watch or listen to what they want, when they want, with programming they choose," said United Airlines executive VP Graham Atkinson in a statement today. "United will continue to provide services and technology that makes our customers' travel experiences more relaxed and enjoyable."
That is, of course, unless you are traveling coach. In this case, one will simply have to do with headphones and the iPod's built-in screen. United will happily charge you an extra fee to let you eat cake, as well. With the skyrocketing fuel prices bringing many carriers to the brink of bankruptcy, it might be wiser for United to simply invest the money in fuel efficiency, better logistics, and alternative fuels. But, at least now it can say its planes are "iPod compatible."
The first flight featuring the new iPod connectivity is scheduled to depart at 5:40 PM this evening from Dulles International Airport en route to Zurich, Switzerland. According to United, the feature is being added to all its international aircraft over the next two years for first and business class areas, as the airline beefs up the in-flight entertainment options to also include on-demand movies, games, and XM Radio.
"Our guests may now watch or listen to what they want, when they want, with programming they choose," said United Airlines executive VP Graham Atkinson in a statement today. "United will continue to provide services and technology that makes our customers' travel experiences more relaxed and enjoyable."
That is, of course, unless you are traveling coach. In this case, one will simply have to do with headphones and the iPod's built-in screen. United will happily charge you an extra fee to let you eat cake, as well. With the skyrocketing fuel prices bringing many carriers to the brink of bankruptcy, it might be wiser for United to simply invest the money in fuel efficiency, better logistics, and alternative fuels. But, at least now it can say its planes are "iPod compatible."
Why should it be any different on the Internet?
You can almost guarantee that any slightly shocking or twisted story involving the Internet will grab headlines. Occasionally you'll even come across a nice human interest story about a classroom using the Internet to research a science project or to communicate with children across the globe in a positive and meaningful way.
There are definite schools-of-thought about what children should and shouldn't be able to access. This seems to be more of a philosophical issue rather than a technical one.
How your family chooses to monitor your children's Internet activities should be decided by your family. There are a number of individuals and companies who offer advice and tools to help you find a level of monitoring that is comfortable for you. This page is offered to help you find the information and tools you will need to make informed desicions.
There are definite schools-of-thought about what children should and shouldn't be able to access. This seems to be more of a philosophical issue rather than a technical one.
How your family chooses to monitor your children's Internet activities should be decided by your family. There are a number of individuals and companies who offer advice and tools to help you find a level of monitoring that is comfortable for you. This page is offered to help you find the information and tools you will need to make informed desicions.
City sneezes at WiFi allergy claims, goes ahead with hotspots
City sneezes at WiFi allergy claims, goes ahead with hotspots
By Jonathan M. Gitlin Published: June 17, 2008 - 05:05AM CT
Late last month, we covered the goings on in Santa Fe, NM, and their plans to introduce free WiFi in a number of public buildings. As you may recall, those plans were being challenged by a group of cranky citizens who claimed that the plan constituted discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as they suffered from an alleged sensitivity to electromagnetic radio frequency emissions. Santa Fe’s city council has spoken, and it seems they think the complaint is a spurious as the rest of us.
Santa Fe's city council voted unanimously to go ahead with the plan to provide free WiFi hotspots around the city in libraries and other public buildings, and rejected a motion to leave city hall uncovered by the plan.
Arthur Firstenberg, leader of the group who claim to be allergic to wireless emissions, calls the decisions both a "disaster" and also invites "a lawsuit." On the other hand, Frank Katz, the city attorney appointed to investigate whether Mr Firstenberg's claims held water, came to the conclusion that such a legal challenge would be without merit.
As we've covered repeatedly here at Ars, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever to support the claims of these so-called WiFi sensitives, but it has been noted that patients who present themselves to doctors with such symptoms often also suffer from psychiatric complaints.
That’s not to say that Mr Firstenberg couldn't still bring a lawsuit under the ADA, but I find it hard to see how such a suit could be won. I'm also a little puzzled as to how Mr. Firstenberg manages to conduct his daily business in Santa Fe when he's not in public buildings, what with the proliferation of hotspots in cafes and multitudes of private networks from businesses and residences. As we showed a few years ago, WiFi signals can be detected from as far away as 2,500 feet, although in that case it the distance was vertical. But don't tell the so-called WiFi sensitives.
By Jonathan M. Gitlin Published: June 17, 2008 - 05:05AM CT
Late last month, we covered the goings on in Santa Fe, NM, and their plans to introduce free WiFi in a number of public buildings. As you may recall, those plans were being challenged by a group of cranky citizens who claimed that the plan constituted discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as they suffered from an alleged sensitivity to electromagnetic radio frequency emissions. Santa Fe’s city council has spoken, and it seems they think the complaint is a spurious as the rest of us.
Santa Fe's city council voted unanimously to go ahead with the plan to provide free WiFi hotspots around the city in libraries and other public buildings, and rejected a motion to leave city hall uncovered by the plan.
Arthur Firstenberg, leader of the group who claim to be allergic to wireless emissions, calls the decisions both a "disaster" and also invites "a lawsuit." On the other hand, Frank Katz, the city attorney appointed to investigate whether Mr Firstenberg's claims held water, came to the conclusion that such a legal challenge would be without merit.
As we've covered repeatedly here at Ars, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever to support the claims of these so-called WiFi sensitives, but it has been noted that patients who present themselves to doctors with such symptoms often also suffer from psychiatric complaints.
That’s not to say that Mr Firstenberg couldn't still bring a lawsuit under the ADA, but I find it hard to see how such a suit could be won. I'm also a little puzzled as to how Mr. Firstenberg manages to conduct his daily business in Santa Fe when he's not in public buildings, what with the proliferation of hotspots in cafes and multitudes of private networks from businesses and residences. As we showed a few years ago, WiFi signals can be detected from as far away as 2,500 feet, although in that case it the distance was vertical. But don't tell the so-called WiFi sensitives.
Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Internet Suicide
By REBECCA CATHCART
Published: June 17, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/us/17plea.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
LOS ANGELES — A Missouri woman accused of posing as a teenage boy on the Internet and harassing a 13-year-old girl who later committed suicide, pleaded not guilty in a federal court here Monday morning to charges of Internet fraud and conspiracy to inflict emotional distress.
In May, a grand jury indicted the woman, Lori Drew, 49, under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, used in cases in which hackers gain access to information stored on protected computers. It is the first time that statute will be used in a social networking case, according to the United States attorney for Los Angeles, Thomas P. O’Brien.
Ms. Drew is accused of setting up a false account on MySpace, the social networking site, which is based in Beverly Hills, calling herself Josh Evans and, along with other people, sending cruel messages to the 13-year-old, Megan Meier. Megan was a neighbor in a St. Louis suburb, O’Fallon, who had at one time been friends with Ms. Drew’s daughter.
The last message from “Josh,” in October 2006, told Megan that “the world would be a better place” without her. Megan hanged herself in her bedroom closet later that day.
Ms. Drew sat quietly in the courtroom Monday before entering her plea in front of Magistrate Judge Paul L. Abrams. Her lawyer, H. Dean Steward, told reporters she would have no comment.
Magistrate Abrams set bail for Ms. Drew at $20,000 bail. She was allowed to return to Missouri until trial, which was scheduled for June 29, said Mark Krause, the assistant United States attorney.
Published: June 17, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/us/17plea.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
LOS ANGELES — A Missouri woman accused of posing as a teenage boy on the Internet and harassing a 13-year-old girl who later committed suicide, pleaded not guilty in a federal court here Monday morning to charges of Internet fraud and conspiracy to inflict emotional distress.
In May, a grand jury indicted the woman, Lori Drew, 49, under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, used in cases in which hackers gain access to information stored on protected computers. It is the first time that statute will be used in a social networking case, according to the United States attorney for Los Angeles, Thomas P. O’Brien.
Ms. Drew is accused of setting up a false account on MySpace, the social networking site, which is based in Beverly Hills, calling herself Josh Evans and, along with other people, sending cruel messages to the 13-year-old, Megan Meier. Megan was a neighbor in a St. Louis suburb, O’Fallon, who had at one time been friends with Ms. Drew’s daughter.
The last message from “Josh,” in October 2006, told Megan that “the world would be a better place” without her. Megan hanged herself in her bedroom closet later that day.
Ms. Drew sat quietly in the courtroom Monday before entering her plea in front of Magistrate Judge Paul L. Abrams. Her lawyer, H. Dean Steward, told reporters she would have no comment.
Magistrate Abrams set bail for Ms. Drew at $20,000 bail. She was allowed to return to Missouri until trial, which was scheduled for June 29, said Mark Krause, the assistant United States attorney.
What's still missing from the iPhone
http://bigtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/06/09/whats-still-missing-from-the-iphone/
The new 3G iPhone is a great update, but it doesn’t come with enough of a software breakthrough to make it revolutionary. Image: Apple
So there’s a new iPhone. (Yawn.) Big surprise. Any groundbreaking software to run on it?
For me, that was the big question during Steve Jobs’s keynote address at Apple’s (AAPL) Worldwide Developer Conference, and it’s still unanswered. Sure, Apple and its partners made a flurry of interesting announcements, including the 3G iPhone everyone expected. Several of the announcements even involved slick-looking new iPhone software. But was any of it groundbreaking for a mainstream audience? Hardly.
I’ll admit that I’m holding Jobs to a high standard. Under his leadership Apple has been on a tear, mastering the market for music players, gaining share in PCs, and shaking up the cell phone industry. Jobs has led the company so effectively that right now the iPhone, the linchpin of Apple’s growth strategy, faces a critical test: Will it redefine the mobile industry, giving Apple the sort of clout in phones that Microsoft (MSFT) has in PCs? Or will it simply occupy a high-fashion niche, and leave the real profit making to others?
The difference between a dominant or dwindling iPhone will be software. Or more plainly, the ability of Apple and other software companies to make the iPhone do amazing things that couldn’t be done before. Jobs & Co. have achieved this feat at least twice in the past. The first time, with the original Mac, Apple joined with Adobe Systems (ADBE) and others to usher in the era of desktop publishing, allowing people to create and print professional-looking documents with a computer. The second time, with the iPod and iTunes, Apple worked with the recording industry to offer the first intuitive system for acquiring, organizing, and listening to music.
The iPhone hasn’t yet proven it has the same spunk. It does a beautiful job surfing the Web, but that’s a cool feature, not a killer app. It’s handy for corporate e-mail and address books, but Research in Motion’s (RIMM) Blackberry got there first. It’s got multimedia features, but so does my iPod.
For this device to truly fulfill its potential, I believe it will have to offer something totally new – something like on-board photo and video editing, or a videoconferencing app, or (most likely) something too cool for me to dream up. By reaching out to software developers, Apple has put itself and its partners in position to achieve that kind of breakthrough eventually – but I didn’t see it this morning.
The new 3G iPhone is a great update, but it doesn’t come with enough of a software breakthrough to make it revolutionary. Image: Apple
So there’s a new iPhone. (Yawn.) Big surprise. Any groundbreaking software to run on it?
For me, that was the big question during Steve Jobs’s keynote address at Apple’s (AAPL) Worldwide Developer Conference, and it’s still unanswered. Sure, Apple and its partners made a flurry of interesting announcements, including the 3G iPhone everyone expected. Several of the announcements even involved slick-looking new iPhone software. But was any of it groundbreaking for a mainstream audience? Hardly.
I’ll admit that I’m holding Jobs to a high standard. Under his leadership Apple has been on a tear, mastering the market for music players, gaining share in PCs, and shaking up the cell phone industry. Jobs has led the company so effectively that right now the iPhone, the linchpin of Apple’s growth strategy, faces a critical test: Will it redefine the mobile industry, giving Apple the sort of clout in phones that Microsoft (MSFT) has in PCs? Or will it simply occupy a high-fashion niche, and leave the real profit making to others?
The difference between a dominant or dwindling iPhone will be software. Or more plainly, the ability of Apple and other software companies to make the iPhone do amazing things that couldn’t be done before. Jobs & Co. have achieved this feat at least twice in the past. The first time, with the original Mac, Apple joined with Adobe Systems (ADBE) and others to usher in the era of desktop publishing, allowing people to create and print professional-looking documents with a computer. The second time, with the iPod and iTunes, Apple worked with the recording industry to offer the first intuitive system for acquiring, organizing, and listening to music.
The iPhone hasn’t yet proven it has the same spunk. It does a beautiful job surfing the Web, but that’s a cool feature, not a killer app. It’s handy for corporate e-mail and address books, but Research in Motion’s (RIMM) Blackberry got there first. It’s got multimedia features, but so does my iPod.
For this device to truly fulfill its potential, I believe it will have to offer something totally new – something like on-board photo and video editing, or a videoconferencing app, or (most likely) something too cool for me to dream up. By reaching out to software developers, Apple has put itself and its partners in position to achieve that kind of breakthrough eventually – but I didn’t see it this morning.
Adobe profit up 41%
Adobe profit up 41%
Software maker reports rise in sales of 19% on global revenue and varied products.
June 16, 2008: 5:19 PM EDT
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/16/technology/adobe_earnings.ap/index.htm?postversion=2008061617
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Adobe Systems Inc. reported Monday that its profit rose 41% in the second quarter because of its strong product mix and geographic diversification.
For the three months ended May 30, the maker of Photoshop design software and the Acrobat publishing tool reported net income of $214.9 million, or 40 cents per share, compared to $152.5 million, or 25 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.
Excluding special items, the software maker reported income of $272.7 million, or 50 cents per share, compared to $223.2 million, or 37 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago.
On that same basis, analysts polled by Thomson Financial had predicted, on average, earnings per share of 46 cents on revenue of $880 million.
Actual revenue beat those expectations at $886.9 million, up 19% from $745.6 million a year ago.
"Our strong performance in Q2 was driven by the product mix and geographic diversity of our business," said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe's chief executive officer in a company statement.
The San Jose-Calif.-based company expects third-quarter earnings of 34 cents to 36 cents per share, or 45 cents to 47 cents per share on an adjusted basis.
Adobe (ADBE) expects revenue of $855 million to $885 million in the third quarter.
Shares of Adobe closed the day at $42.85, up less than 1%, before the results were announced. They were down 38 cents, or 0.9%, in after-hours trading Monday.
Software maker reports rise in sales of 19% on global revenue and varied products.
June 16, 2008: 5:19 PM EDT
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/16/technology/adobe_earnings.ap/index.htm?postversion=2008061617
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Adobe Systems Inc. reported Monday that its profit rose 41% in the second quarter because of its strong product mix and geographic diversification.
For the three months ended May 30, the maker of Photoshop design software and the Acrobat publishing tool reported net income of $214.9 million, or 40 cents per share, compared to $152.5 million, or 25 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.
Excluding special items, the software maker reported income of $272.7 million, or 50 cents per share, compared to $223.2 million, or 37 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago.
On that same basis, analysts polled by Thomson Financial had predicted, on average, earnings per share of 46 cents on revenue of $880 million.
Actual revenue beat those expectations at $886.9 million, up 19% from $745.6 million a year ago.
"Our strong performance in Q2 was driven by the product mix and geographic diversity of our business," said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe's chief executive officer in a company statement.
The San Jose-Calif.-based company expects third-quarter earnings of 34 cents to 36 cents per share, or 45 cents to 47 cents per share on an adjusted basis.
Adobe (ADBE) expects revenue of $855 million to $885 million in the third quarter.
Shares of Adobe closed the day at $42.85, up less than 1%, before the results were announced. They were down 38 cents, or 0.9%, in after-hours trading Monday.
Identity 2.0
One of my favorite video clips i have watched during this MIS class is on Identity 2.0 of Dick Hardt. I myself 100% agreed with the basic idea, especially that Identity is also about 'What I like' When i think about 'Identity' is something on existence or presence.
How many website have i signed up so far?
I have no idea. I try to minimise the numbers as I hate leaking my personal information and once in a while I feel like eliminating not-have-visited-so-far websites. however, it is not easy at all. If Identity 2.0 realise, that would really really decent! But would that be possible?
How many website have i signed up so far?
I have no idea. I try to minimise the numbers as I hate leaking my personal information and once in a while I feel like eliminating not-have-visited-so-far websites. however, it is not easy at all. If Identity 2.0 realise, that would really really decent! But would that be possible?
50 Best Websites 2008
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1809858_1809957_1811228,00.html
Inquiring minds want to know: Where's the cheapest gas? GasBuddy can tell you. The site collects real-time prices from some 750,000 volunteer price "spotters," who send in daily updates from their local stations. With prices varying by up to 50 cents from one station to the next in some cities, it pays to stay informed. A heat map displays where prices are currently the highest (California) and lowest (Wyoming). GasBuddy also shows you how prices have changed over time and can send mobile updates to your phone. Other similar but less comprehensive services include MapQuest's Gas Prices and Gas Price Watch.
Howcast, iliketotallyloveit.com, Omiru, PsychCentral...
It seems to be entirely site that I don't know. ^^
Inquiring minds want to know: Where's the cheapest gas? GasBuddy can tell you. The site collects real-time prices from some 750,000 volunteer price "spotters," who send in daily updates from their local stations. With prices varying by up to 50 cents from one station to the next in some cities, it pays to stay informed. A heat map displays where prices are currently the highest (California) and lowest (Wyoming). GasBuddy also shows you how prices have changed over time and can send mobile updates to your phone. Other similar but less comprehensive services include MapQuest's Gas Prices and Gas Price Watch.
Howcast, iliketotallyloveit.com, Omiru, PsychCentral...
It seems to be entirely site that I don't know. ^^
Woman pleads not guilty in MySpace suicide case
A Missouri woman has pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles federal court to charges in an Internet hoax blamed for a 13-year-old girl's suicide.
Forty-nine-year-old Lori Drew, a neighbor of the dead teen, stood quietly beside her attorney Monday.
She pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers without authorization to get information used to inflict emotional distress. She is free on bond.
The charges were filed in California where MySpace is based.
MySpace is a subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Fox Interactive Media Inc., which is owned by News Corp.
Drew, of suburban St. Louis, Missouri, allegedly helped create a fake MySpace account to convince Megan Meier she was chatting with a nonexistent 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans.
Megan Meier hanged herself at home in October 2006, allegedly after receiving a dozen or more cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her. Drew has denied creating the account or sending messages to Meier.
Lonergan, who used the statute in the past to file charges in computer hacking and trademark theft cases, said the crimes covered by the law involve obtaining information from a computer, not sending messages out to harass someone.
"Here it is the flow of information away from the computer," she said. "It's a very creative, aggressive use of the statute. But they may have a legally tough time meeting the elements."
James Chadwick, a Palo Alto attorney who specializes in Internet and media law, said he has never seen the statute, known as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, applied to the sending of messages.
He said it was probable that liability for the girl's death would not be an issue in the case. "As tragic as it is," he said, "You can't start imposing liability on people for being cruel."
Missouri police didn't file any charges against Drew in part because there was no applicable state law. In response to the case, Missouri legislators gave final approval to a bill making cyber harassment illegal.
I am scared...
Forty-nine-year-old Lori Drew, a neighbor of the dead teen, stood quietly beside her attorney Monday.
She pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers without authorization to get information used to inflict emotional distress. She is free on bond.
The charges were filed in California where MySpace is based.
MySpace is a subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Fox Interactive Media Inc., which is owned by News Corp.
Drew, of suburban St. Louis, Missouri, allegedly helped create a fake MySpace account to convince Megan Meier she was chatting with a nonexistent 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans.
Megan Meier hanged herself at home in October 2006, allegedly after receiving a dozen or more cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her. Drew has denied creating the account or sending messages to Meier.
Lonergan, who used the statute in the past to file charges in computer hacking and trademark theft cases, said the crimes covered by the law involve obtaining information from a computer, not sending messages out to harass someone.
"Here it is the flow of information away from the computer," she said. "It's a very creative, aggressive use of the statute. But they may have a legally tough time meeting the elements."
James Chadwick, a Palo Alto attorney who specializes in Internet and media law, said he has never seen the statute, known as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, applied to the sending of messages.
He said it was probable that liability for the girl's death would not be an issue in the case. "As tragic as it is," he said, "You can't start imposing liability on people for being cruel."
Missouri police didn't file any charges against Drew in part because there was no applicable state law. In response to the case, Missouri legislators gave final approval to a bill making cyber harassment illegal.
I am scared...
MySpace Might Have Friends, but It Wants Ad Money
When the News Corporation added MySpace to its portfolio nearly three years ago, it expected that if its base of 16 million users kept growing — and each user kept adding friends, sharing photos and swapping flirty messages — the advertising dollars would roll in.
The social networking site has grown — to 118 million worldwide users — and the flirtations have not stopped. But the cash is not coming in as quickly as the company had hoped.
In the fiscal year that ends in two weeks, the News Corporation unit that encompasses MySpace will miss its $1 billion revenue target. When the News Corporation announced the projected shortfall in April, several analysts downgraded the company, sending shares down 5 percent.
With an eye toward monetization, MySpace is being redesigned beginning Wednesday with a new home page, which will be less cluttered and more hospitable to advertising. (The home page will also feature a “splash page” for an ad about the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.”) The redesign, to be done by early fall, will include a new navigation bar, search tool and video player.
The redesign is intended to address a problem of social networking sites, which is that many user pages have the aesthetic appeal of a 14-year-old’s high-school locker. But there are still many questions left about the advertising value of social networks.
In the last few months, the bloom has come off social networking’s rose. MySpace and its chief competitors, Facebook and Bebo, all have ambitious plans for making money but not enough proof that the plans are working.
June 16, 2008 By BRIAN STELTER
More details,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16myspace.html?ref=technology
The social networking site has grown — to 118 million worldwide users — and the flirtations have not stopped. But the cash is not coming in as quickly as the company had hoped.
In the fiscal year that ends in two weeks, the News Corporation unit that encompasses MySpace will miss its $1 billion revenue target. When the News Corporation announced the projected shortfall in April, several analysts downgraded the company, sending shares down 5 percent.
With an eye toward monetization, MySpace is being redesigned beginning Wednesday with a new home page, which will be less cluttered and more hospitable to advertising. (The home page will also feature a “splash page” for an ad about the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.”) The redesign, to be done by early fall, will include a new navigation bar, search tool and video player.
The redesign is intended to address a problem of social networking sites, which is that many user pages have the aesthetic appeal of a 14-year-old’s high-school locker. But there are still many questions left about the advertising value of social networks.
In the last few months, the bloom has come off social networking’s rose. MySpace and its chief competitors, Facebook and Bebo, all have ambitious plans for making money but not enough proof that the plans are working.
June 16, 2008 By BRIAN STELTER
More details,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16myspace.html?ref=technology
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