News Briefs for the Week Ending
05/21/2010
Copyright 2010, Faulkner Information Services. All Rights Reserved.
Docid:00020009
Publication Date: 1005
Publication Type: NEWS
ACQUISITIONS, MERGERS, DIVESTITURES
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Accenture to Acquire Marketing Assets from CadenceQuest
Accenture announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire assets from CadenceQuest, a privately-held company that specializes in consumer data and analytics for the retail sector. The deal would allow
Accenture to expand the offerings of its Accenture Interactive division to include marketing analytics, retail marketing, and merchandising solutions and platforms. Accenture also hopes the acquisition will help raise its position in the field of marketing
technology. Part of the assets it has purchased is CadenceQuest’s Customer Insight software platform, a self-service analytics platform that is designed to enhance retail decisioning. The companies expect the acquisition to close within 30 days, subject to
the standard approval process.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Belgacom Purchases Stake in OnLive Cloud Gaming Platform
Belgacom announced that it has purchased a 2.6% interest in the US startup OnLive. The fledgling company is the creator of a cloud-based gaming service that lets users stream console and PC games over a high-speed
Internet connection to a remote computer. The user may then, theoretically, play the game as if they were sitting at a computer or console with the game installed locally. The company touts, among the product’s benefits, obviating the need for expensive
consoles, or large, locally stored downloads. Other investors in the company include Warner Bros, AT&T, BT, Autodesk and Maverick Capital.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Cisco to Acquire MOTO Development Group
Cisco announced that it is acquiring privately-held MOTO Development Group, a San Francisco-based design consulting firm that develops products and product strategies for the consumer industry. Cisco said MOTO will
enable the firm to “rapidly enhance” its consumer product development efforts. Financial terms of the acquisition were not released; it is subject to standard closing conditions and is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of Cisco’s fiscal year
2010. On closing, MOTO’s 35 employees will become part of the Cisco Consumer Products group.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Cisco to Acquire DSP Technology Vendor CoreOptics
Cisco Systems announced it will spend $99 million to acquire CoreOptics, a privately held designer of digital signal processing (DSP) products for high speed optical
networking. CoreOptics will allow Cisco to equip its service provider customers with 100G-bps transmission technology to scale their networks, also addressing the demand for Internet Protocol traffic driven by video, mobility, and cloud services. It will
also allow Cisco to extend its optical presence in Europe. CoreOptics is headquartered in San Jose, CA, US, but has staff in Nuremberg and Gerlingen, Germany. Its operations will become part of the Cisco Service Provider Technology Group. The acquisition
could close in June.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
FLIR to Acquire Raymarine Holdings for $180 Million
FLIR Systems said it plans to acquire Raymarine Holdings. The transaction is valued at approximately $180 million. Raymarine provides a range of electronic equipment for the recreational boating and light commercial
marine markets.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
Google Makes Cash Offer for Global IP Solutions
Google and Global IP Solutions (GIPS) announced that they have entered into a transaction agreement under which Google Acquisition Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Google, would acquire all of the issued and
to-be-issued shares of GIPS for $68.2 million in cash. The deal must be approved by GIPS shareholders. GIPS is based in Oslo, Norway; it provides voice and video processing technology for IP networks.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Google Agrees to Acquire Web Video Company Global IP Solutions
Google agreed to acquire Global IP Solutions, a maker of technologies to aid in the processing of voice and video over IP. The deal will cost Google $2.12 per share, or a total of $68.2 million. This represents a
142% premium over the company’s most recent stock prices. Assuming the transaction gains the necessary regulatory approvals, Google will most likely be incorporating the assets of Global IP Solutions into its YouTube and Google Voice services.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Harris Corp to Acquire SignaCert
Harris Corp announced that it has agreed to acquire SignaCert, an IT compliance solutions provider. Harris claims the purchase will allow it to move more strongly into the area of cyber solutions for government and
commercial customers. SignaCert’s primary asset is the technology behind its software, which provides users with a list of approved applications that can be installed safely on a system. The company claims it significantly reduces the incidence of virus
and malware infections. As part of the deal, Wyatt Starnes, founder of SignaCert, will accept the position of vice president and chief technology officer for Harris Cyber Integrated Solutions, a newly created post.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
SAP to Acquire Sybase
SAP announced that its American subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sybase. The deal is expected to be completed for $65.00 per share, or a total of $5.8 billion.
This represents a 44% premium over the three-month average stock price of Sybase. While several of the companies’ two product lines will be combined, both entities’ development roadmaps will be adhered to, SAP said. Sybase will continue to exist as a
standalone company; it will now be known as “Sybase, an SAP Company.” The chairman and CEO of Sybase is expected to receive a seat on SAP’s executive board as part of the acquisition. The purchase is expected to close some time during the third quarter of
2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Symantec to Acquire VeriSign’s Authentication Services Business
US computer security giant Symantec is buying a unit of VeriSign that secures online transactions for $1.28 billion. Symantec said it was purchasing VeriSign’s identity and
authentication business, which provides certificates and encryption to allow for secure transactions online, in an all-cash transaction. VeriSign operates the largest domain name registry in the world, managing such domains as .com and .net, and has been
selling off parts of the company in recent years to concentrate on its core business.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
Last State Hurdle Cleared for Frontier/Verizon Deal
Frontier Communications now has the last state regulatory approval it needs to complete its purchase of Verizon Communications‘ local landline operations in 14 states.
West Virginia was the ninth and final state to approve the transaction, joining Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, and Washington. The only remaining approval needed to complete the deal is from the US Federal
Communications Commission, which must approve the transfer of certain licenses for the transaction to close.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Yahoo to Acquire Associated Content, Take it Global
Yahoo announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Associated Content (AC), an online "news" company that publishes sometimes
controversial content from freelance contributors. AC’s contributors are generally not paid upfront but receive compensation based on the number of hits their articles receive. The only requirement to be a "contributor" is to have
reached the age of 18. The deal gives Yahoo access to a stable of roughly 380,000 contributors, whose content it will fold into its own media offerings. Yahoo believes this will attract more advertisers to its family of sites by expanding
the topic matter its properties cover. Yahoo also said it plans to scale the properties it acquires from AC to a global level; AC has been a US-only company. The deal is expected to close during the third quarter of the year. Financial
terms were not released.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
ALLIANCES, JOINT VENTURES
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IBM Teams with Hildebrand to Test Smart Meter Program
IBM announced that it has teamed with UK energy company Hildebrand to bring smart meter access to homes across Britain. The effort will come in the form of a 30 month research project funded by the Seventh Framework
Programme for EU Research. The process will include installing low-cost energy monitoring appliances at homes in Birmingham, Bristol, and Manchester in the UK, as well as Plovdiv and Ivanovo in Bulgaria. For IBM’s part it will be aiding the effort by
providing its Informix software, allowing homeowners and utility companies to monitor energy use through the installed units. The hope is that this will cause consumers to cut back on energy usage by giving them a clearer image of their daily power
consumption.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
KPN Announces New M2M Business with Jasper Wireless
KPN announced the formation of a new division to create and market machine to machine (M2M) mobile communication solutions. The move comes as part of a new deal with Jasper Wireless. The fledgling partnership will see
KPN becoming the preferred network operator for Jasper across Europe, and its exclusive operator in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. KPN claims several companies, including Garmin International and Konica Minolta Europe, have already chosen its M2M
services.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
SAP Teams with EMC to Create Joint Solutions
SAP announced an expansion of its strategic partnership with EMC. The alliance has the goal of expanding the reseller relationship, creating deeper technology integrations, and allowing for joint sales and marketing
activities. The first offering to result from the partnership will come in the form of a new product combining EMC Documentum enterprise content management, EMC Captiva intelligent enterprise capture, and EMC Document Sciences customer communications
management. The new SAP Insurance Broker Statement Processing application by EMC will be available during the third quarter of the year, and is targeted at the insurance industry. The companies say the banking industry is the next area of business it will
be designing a solution for.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
VMware Designates Siemens as vCloud Service Provider
VMware named Siemens IT Solutions and Services as a vCloud service provider, for developing its own cloud Infrastructure offerings for Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a
Service, and Software and Service environments. The news follows the companies’ signing of a Global System Integrator Partnership agreement in 2009.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
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Adobe Delivers HTML5 Addon for Dreamweaver
Adobe announced the release of a new HTML5 pack for its Dreamweaver Web design software. The pack is being made available for free, and is compatible with the latest version of Dreamweaver, CS5. The company claims the
addition was in development since it received positive feedback on the idea at its Adobe MAX 2009 event. It must be said, however, that the timing of this release suggests Adobe was at least partially hinging its timing on Apple’s final response to its
Flash campaigning. The pack contains protocols for both HTML5 and CSS3 as well as new site design templates which use HTML5. The HTML5 pack is available for download from Adobe’s Labs Page.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
Amazon Updates Kindle App for PC with New Features
Amazon announced an update to its Kindle e-reader application for the PC. The company added several new features, including the ability to edit notes and marks, full-screen reading, the ability to change the
background color, and built-in screen brightness controls. This version also retains all the functionality of its predecessor, including access to the Kindle store, Whisphersync cross-device bookmarking, and sample chapters. The update is available now,
for free, from the company’s download link.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
CA Unveils Service Assurance Supporting Cisco UCS
Cisco Systems announced it is expanding its collaborative technology integration agreement with CA Technology. The companies released CA Service Assurance and Service Automation
products that support Cisco’s Unified Computing System (UCS) data center platform. These were designed to help organizations automate and scale data center operations, and accelerate a move toward cloud computing based services.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
HP Announces Apps for Managing Telco Network Operations
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced new telecommunications products for helping service providers manage their network operations. The software – dubbed HP Next Generation Operations Support Services (OSS) – provides an
automated OSS environment for improving the way services are ordered, provisioned, and activated. New solutions in the portfolio are: Universal SLA Manager, Problem Management, Unified Topology Manager, and Performance Management. HP also announced that
communications service providers Wind, and Vivo, and Pakistan Telecommunications selected products from the HP Next Generation OSS. Services are available for managing the customer experience, consolidating internal silos, and converging the
telecommunications, IT, and IP networks.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
HP Announces New Business Intelligence Services
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced new Business Intelligence (BI) Assessment Services that support environments running the SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse component, designed for storing
large volumes of data on a single system. The services are designed to provide a single view of data, and help clients reduce their hardware footprint. According to HP, it allows clients to connect data to use BI information more strategically. It includes
services for opportunity assessment, technology assessment, cost benefit analysis, and performance assessment.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
IBM Launches Pair of New Specialized Analytics Software Products
IBM announced the release of a new analytics software designed to give business users access to analytics with “three clicks.” The IBM SPSS Decision Management software allows for customers to run theoretical scenarios
to test out business models without the risk of implementation. The new product comes in two versions, IBM SPSS Decision Management for Claims, and IBM SPSS Decision Management for Customer Interactions . The insurance version contains specialized measure
designed to counteract fraudulent claims, while the marketing version focuses on customer relationship management (CRM). Both versions of the IBM SPSS Decision Management software are available now.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Juniper Announces Data Center Network Management Software
Juniper Networks announced new software and services for provisioning, managing, and support ing data center networks. The announcement includes Web applications for accelerating virtual server deployments, Ethernet
management software, security design software, and software for network performance detection, diagnosis, and resolution. All are based on Junos Space, an open development and deployment platform for creating specialized applications to manage network
operations. It was introduced last October.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Juniper Unveils Upcoming Care Plus Services Portfolio
Juniper Networks introduced Care Plus, an enterprise services portfolio for delivering device level support to enterprises. Juniper Care Plus offers elements for high touch support; network automation tools, and
personalized services for education, network consulting, and account management. It will be available by year’s end.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Microsoft Launches Connector for Dynamics AX and SAP Business Suite
Microsoft announced the launch of a new connector designed to accelerate two-tier enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployments between Microsoft Dynamics AX and SAP Business Suite. The company claims the new
connector will allow for such tasks as financial consolidation, intercompany supply-chain integration, and plant automation. The connector is expected to be available for download some time during the third quarter of 2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
SAP Reveals Latest Business By Design Update
SAP announced the latest release of its Business By Design suite. The software features a collection of software to handle most aspects of the day-to-day operations of a midsize business. The latest release adds new
features such as real time analytics, mobile device support, a newly enhanced user interface, support for multiple tenants, and increased flexibility. Business By Design is available now in the US, Germany, the UK, France, China, and India. SAP plans on
making it available in additional regions some time in 2011.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
BIOMETRICS
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AuthenTec’s Sensor Used in New Phones for New International Markets
AuthenTec‘s cell phone design ATW310 has been chosen by Raydir and Matrix for availability to the African and Middle East markets. The Matrix M5 uses fingerprint security and personalization features of the ATW310
sensor, so that users can unlock the phone with the swipe of a finger.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Minnesota Deploys BIO-key Biometric ID Software
BIO-key announced the statewide expansion of the state of Minnesota’s eCharging pilot program. This service utilizes BIO-key’s WEB-key fingerprint biometric software for officers to establish identity when
electronically signing criminal complaints. The paperless eCharging system enables police officers and prosecutors to electronically transmit charging documents in real-time with the courts.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
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DHS Awards $790 Million in Grants to Protect Critical Infrastructures
The Department of Homeland Security announced fiscal year 2010 Preparedness Grants for nine federal programs, which total nearly $790 million. The grant aim to assist state, local, and tribal governments, and the
private sector, in preparing for acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies. The Transit Security Grant Program alone is set to receive $253.4 million to protect critical transit infrastructure from terrorism while the Port Security Grant
Program will be given $288 million to protect port infrastructure from acts of terror.
Source: DHS, 5/13/2010
CARRIER SERVICES
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AT&T Introduces New Quad-Play Bundle
AT&T introduced a new version of its “Choice” bundled offering that lets consumers bundle four services (U-Verse TV, broadband Internet, voice, and wireless). Qualifying customers can pick the three services they want
in their bundle with the option to make wireline phone or wireless their voice option. AT&T says customers that opt for a U-Verse Choice triple play bundle could save $30-$45 a month, while those customers that go for the full quad play option could save
up to $60 per month.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Bell Canada Launches New Business Internet Service in New Brunswick
Bell Alliant, a division of Bell Canada, announced the launch of FibreOP for Business, its new Internet service for small to medium sized businesses. The new service, currently only available in New Brunswick, features
speeds of 20 Mbps download, and 5 Mbps upload. The company claims this is the first all fiber Internet service in the New Brunswick area.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
China Unicom Posts Wireless Subscriber Gains in April
Like other telecoms worldwide, China Unicom is adding wireless and broadband users, and losing landline customers. The Hong Kong-based carrier reported that, in April, it added 733,000 2G and 681,000 3G
million wireless customers, with a net addition of more than one half million broadband subscribers. China Unicom now has a total of 5.5 million 3G wireless subscribers. It lost 201,000 wireline customers in the same period.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Qwest Introduces New Ethernet Services
Qwest Communications has launched new 3-, 5- and 7-Megabits per second (Mbps) Ethernet bandwidth services. Qwest said the new services target organizations and businesses interested in deploying an Ethernet-based
broadband network, or cost-effectively connecting a remote office branch to a larger enterprise network. The carrier said the new 3-, 5-, 7-Mbps Ethernet services provide for simplified integration of local area networks across multiple locations, and
access to other networks with minimal investment in new equipment or expertise. Using virtual LANs, Qwest can connect multiple customer sites, or the services can be used for last-mile connectivity.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Sprint, Walmart Partner for Low-Cost Prepaid Brand “Common Cents”
Sprint is partnering with retailing giant Walmart for a new low-cost prepaid wireless brand, designed to appeal to cell phone users who want “no frills” plans. Sprint’s new
Common Cents prepaid mobile phone plan charges customers 7 cents per minute for phone calls and 7 cents per text message. Walmart will sell the phones, which will range in price from $20 to $70, in more than 700 stores across the US.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
T-Mobile USA Announces New Prepaid, Unlimited Plans
T-Mobile USA debuted two new prepaid unlimited plans. The new plans, available beginning May 19, include a $15 per month unlimited texting plan and a $50 per month unlimited voice and texting plan, with no
per-minute fees.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Verizon Plans Range of Tablets, Phones for 4G LTE Network
Verizon Wireless plans to offer a range of devices, including tablet computers and new phones, for its new 4G LTE network. The wireless carrier’s chief executive, Lowell McAdam, previewed the plans at the
Reuters Global Technology Summit. He said Motorola, Samsung, and LG tablets are building tablets and Motorola, HTC, LG, and RIM are working on new phones for the network that Verizon plans to switch on later this year. McAdam said the new devices should be
available by May of next year.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
CLOUD COMPUTING & SAAS
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AWS Creates Cheaper, Less Redundant Storage Option
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that it has created a new lower cost storage option called Reduced Redundancy Storage (RRS). The new version of the company’s S3 storage allows customers to archive “non-critical,
reproducible” data at lower levels of redundancy. The company suggests this could include data such as thumbnails, and transcoded media. More information on the new cheaper option is available from AWS’ S3 page.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
AWS Launches Automated, Multi-Location Backups
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the launch of Multi-Availability Zone (Multi-AZ) deployments for Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS). This new service increases the availability and durability of data by
copying it between availability zones, or separate physical AWS storage locations. Upon activating the service, it will create a standby image of the user’s data at a separate location. In the event of planned, or unplanned service disruptions for either
location, the other location will be able to fill in, and maintain data availability. For those interested in more information on Multi-AZ, the company has created an information page.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
CA Technologies Launches Cloud Commons to Educate IT Professionals
CA Technologies announced the launch of a new Web site designed to help IT professionals learn about and choose cloud-based services. The new Cloud Commons site features include the Service Measurement Index (SMI), a protocol being developed by Carnegie Mellon University to quantify various aspects of
cloud services; a cloud computing marketplace; user reviews; and industry articles and commentary.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Capgemini and Microsoft Join to Promote the Cloud
Capgemini and Microsoft jointly announced the formation of an alliance designed to bring more businesses into cloud computing. The deal will allow Capgemini to market and
distribute the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite as part of its Infostructure Transformation Services. Additional goals of the alliance include the creation of an offshore consulting center, the development of a set of migration accelerators,
and the founding of cloud computing educational programs and resources. The two companies will also be jointly investing in marketing, technical training, and sales programs aimed at a wide variety of industries.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Cisco to Provide EoS Hosted SaaS for Olympic Games
Cisco Systems announced that the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games adopted its Eos hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. The technology will allow it to deliver and manage a
interactive content online, based on London 2012 content.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Google Opens Wave Up to All Users
Google opened access to Google Wave to all users. The move was announced at this year’s Google I/O conference. Previously, users had to be invited to the service by a current user, or by signing up for one of the
limited number of public invites. The collaboration software has now been added to Google Labs, and is available to anyone with a Google profile. Administrators of Google Apps accounts for organizations may also now activate the service for all user
accounts under their control.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
HP Announces Management Software, Services
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced a new ten.to.one initiative – including software and a partner program – for helping channel partners manage the data center.To deliver on the initiative, HP established HP Commercial
Solutions within its Software and Solutions unit. ten.to.one includes HP’s new LoadRunner in the Cloud performance testing software. The on-demand software was created to manage mission critical application and Web site performance. It is available via
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud. It uses a “pay as you go” pricing model, but will first be available via a free beta offering in the US. Also announced was software for: protecting environments running Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2. improving business
service availability, and accessing marketing materials and Web content.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Microsoft Announces Plans to Combine Live Workspaces, SkyDrive
Microsoft announced that it will be combining its Microsoft Office Live Workspace beta accounts with its Windows Live SkyDrive service. This should theoretically allow users to view, create, and edit documents
from almost any PC, and many other devices. As part of the upgrade, users will receive 25GB of online storage for their files. When the new combined product becomes available, in the coming months, it will be compatible with PCs running Internet Explorer
and Mozilla‘s Firefox on Windows XP, Server 2003, and Vista. It will also work with Firefox and Apple‘s Safari on OS X version 10.2 or later. Oddly, no mention was made of Windows 7
compatibility in this product release.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
Open-Xchange Launches Advanced Server Edition
Open-Xchange announced that it has launched Open-Xchange Advanced Server Edition. The Linux-based software is being positioned as a lower cost alternative to Microsoft’s Exchange and Sharepoint installations for
educational institutions, public administrations, and small to medium sized businesses. The software comes with integrated support for email, calendar, address book, and document and task management. It uses an Ajax-based Web interface, and the company’s
trademarked Social OX framework to aggregate emails, contact info, and more. More information, including pricing and availability, can be found at the product’s new dedicated
site.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS & EQUIPMENT
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Alcatel Provides LTE for Streaming German Boat Race
Alcatel-Lucent provided its longterm evolution (LTE) network technology to provide TV broadcasters with a live video feed of the World Match Racing Tour’s German Grand Prix boat race, stretching five
kilometers. The technology will allow users to view live video streams captured by onboard cameras and transmitted via LTE to on-shore production studios. Alcatel set up a complete end to end network.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
Cisco Selected by TELUS for Switch Deployment
Cisco Systems was selected to provide Nexus switches for TELUS – a national telecommunications company in Canada – for its three full service data centers. TELUS provides communications products and services,
including server hosting services, and its Internet data centers provide managed hosting services for security, load balancing, VPN, and iSCSI.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Cisco Providing MPLS for Montreal Voice, Data Network
Cisco Systems is upgrading the voice and data network of the Universite de Montreal, in Quebec, Canada, with a new Multiprotocol Label Switching architecture. The network will provide secure connectivity for 25
buildings on its main campus, servicing 55,000 students. The university–already Canada’s third largest research institute–will use it to expand research into fields such as science, physics, health, pharmaceuticals, and law. It also deployed an identity
based 802.1X access technology for its wired and wireless networks.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
DIRECTV to Add 16 Additional Markets of HD Local Channels
DIRECTV announced that it will begin a new rollout of HD-quality local channels beginning next month. The company claims that, upon the completion of the rollout, it will have 97% of all US households covered with
local channel availability. The local lineup includes ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. Subscribers wishing to receive the programming will still need to have a H20 or HR20 DIRECTV Plus HD DVR receiver or better, and a Ka/Ku band dish. This will bring the total
number of markets supporting local channels to 172, with 155 of those broadcasting in HD.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Ericsson Provides Fleet Management for Curitiba, Brazil
Ericsson helped implement public transportation technology for the city of Curitiba, Brazil. According to Ericsson, its Electronic Ticketing and Fleet Management Systems is equipped with mobile broadband modules,
and connects public buses to 3G mobile broadband networks. Presumably, it will allow controllers to access information about their fleet and monitor routes, stop times, speeds, distance traveled, and date of departure and arrival. Ericsson was assisted by
Dataprom, a provider of public transport technology.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Juniper Unveils New 3-2-1 Data Center Architecture
Juniper Networks introduced its new 3-2-1 data center network architecture designed for consolidating a legacy network into a single layer. The 3-2-1 architecture applies a Virtual Chassis fabric technology to the
access layer, Juniper claims, to eliminate aggregation and reduce the number of switch interactions compared to legacy three layer networks. It uses Juniper’s “Project Stratus” fabric. Juniper also released new routers and 10GbE switches it claims offer 8X
the network performance of their predecessors.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Telstra Quadruples Throughput of Melbourne/Sydney Network Route
Telstra announced that it has increased the capacity of its network running between Melbourne and Sydney to 40 Gbps. The route previously supported a maximum speed of 10 Gbps. The company accomplished the upgrade by
augmenting its existing Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system. This allowed an increase in speed without having to replace the underlying infrastructure. The technology also gives the company a future upgrade path to 100 Gbps speeds over the same
route. The project was undertaken to alleviate the strain on the network, which has seen its data usage double on average every 19 months.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
tw telecom Establishes Connectivity in Phoenix NAP Data Center
Phoenix NAP, a carrier-neutral datacenter and network access point, announced that tw telecom has established connectivity within the Phoenix NAP facility, and is offering
its Business Ethernet services directly to datacenter clients. tw telecom, headquartered in Littleton, Colorado, provides managed network services to enterprise organizations and communications services companies.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Verizon Upgrading Texas School District’s Communications Platform
Verizon announced that it has been awarded a $5 million, five-year contract by the Irving [Texas] Independent School District in a project designed to move the school district to a modern Internet protocol voice and
data platform that will set the stage for new capabilities, like advanced unified communications applications. Verizon said it will also provide wireless-enabled netbooks to middle school children of migrant-worker families who do not have Internet access
at home. Verizon has implemented its Hosted IP Centrex, a network-based voice-over-IP (VoIP) service. The system enables the school district to tap into enhanced voice and data applications, such as call control, remote access for teleworking,
click-to-dial, auto attendant, and Web-based receptionist services. Some of the new IP services are funded through the federal E-rate program. The program, part of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 and managed through the Schools and Libraries
Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company, provides assistance for eligible schools and libraries to obtain affordable telecommunications services and Internet access.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
ZTE Performs First Successful Test of 10G EPON Solution in US
ZTE announced the successful test of its 10G Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) solution within the US. The test, which was conducted with the help of an unnamed multiple system operator (MSO), was designed to
check the capacity of the new product. The technology would allow MSOs to compete with telecom operators for the overlay market. The 10G EPON network could support 1 Gbps business connections, and 100 Mbps home connections. The company claims this kind of
speed is necessary for such tasks as streaming high-definition 3D television programming. No specific plans to bring the service to market have yet been announced.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
CONFERENCING
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Cisco WebEx Conferencing Deployed for TalktoCanada
Cisco Systems completed the deployment of WebEx conferencing technology to help TalktoCanada.com expand its interactive online English language training services, which were originally offered over the phone. It added
capability for supporting video, annotation tools, and document sharing. TalktoCanada.com is headquartered in Ottowa, and employs staff throughout Canada, Uruguay, China, and France.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
CONSULTING & MANAGED SERVICES
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CSC Signs 3-Year Extension on Sempra Energy IT Contract
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) announced that it has signed a three-year extension on its information technology (IT) outsourcing agreement with Sempra Energy. The deal will see CSC continuing to provide
infrastructure support to the company’s California utility businesses and corporate center in Southern California. The task includes supporting some 11,000 desktop devices, as well as the operation of an IT help desk. No financial terms were discussed.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Ericsson Lands Managed Services Contract in Sao Paulo
Ericsson announced that it has won a 3-year contract to operate Telefonica’s network operations center in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The contract covers core, transmission, and ADSL networks serving some 14 million
customers. The contract extends the managed services contract between Ericsson and Telef¢nica Brazil signed in 2008, when the networking firm was selected to operate and maintain a new multivendor optical fiber network in Sao Paulo state. Ericsson will
also be responsible for spare parts management.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Motorola to Provide Intelligent Optimization Services for NII
Motorola‘s Networks business will provide its Intelligent Optimization Service (IOS) for NII Holdings, a mobile communications services provider that operates under the Nextel brand in Latin America, to upgrade its
iDEN networks in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. According to Motorola, IOS minimizes interference among sites to reduce dropped calls and increase network availability. The agreement covers services to more than seven million users. The firms have had an
ongoing partnership for more than 12 years.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
Motorola Announces Managed Infrastructure, Device Services
Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions announced new Managed Infrastructure and Managed Device services for managing wireless networks and devices within the corporate or
government agency environment. Managed Infrastructure combines elements of infrastructure and network assurance management to provide remote monitoring, management, and troubleshooting for the wireless LAN. Managed Device focuses on management for mobile
devices, including mobile computers, enterprise digital assistants, and barcode scanners. The services include features for 24×7 monitoring, fault and configuration management, software release information, and on-site support. They are available to
customers in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa through the PartnerEmpower channel program.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
SAIC Awarded Defense Intelligence Agency IT Services Contract
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced that it has signed a contract with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to provide IT support to the DIA DoD Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS)
Enterprise, Combatant Commands, and Service Intelligence Agencies. Completion of the contract will require technical support as well as system design, development, fielding, and sustainment tasks. The deal has a one-year base period, 4 annual options, and
a maximum value of $6.6 billion for all awardees. SAIC notes that this is the single largest contract ever awarded by the DIA.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
CRM
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Verizon Implements Customer Contact Solution for Oregon Agency
Verizon Business has implemented a new customer-contact solution at the Oregon Employment Department to help it respond more quickly and cost-effectively to the more than 100,000 calls it receives each month
from residents seeking unemployment benefits. In a nine-month project, Verizon Business contact center consultants worked closely with the department to ensure its transition from time-division multiplexing to Internet protocol was delivered according to
the department’s requirements, Verizon said.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
CYBERCRIME & PUNISHMENT
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Court Orders Rogue ISP Shut Down
A US district court judge has ordered the permanent closure of an Internet service provider long accused of hosting and distributing spam, spyware, child pornography, and other illegal content, at the request of the US Federal Trade Commission. PCWorld reported that the US District Court for the Northern District of California has ordered that the computer servers and other assets owned by Pricewert,
doing business as 3FN.net, be sold by a court-appointed receiver. Whyte also ordered the company to turn over US$1.08 million in illegal profits to the FTC.
Source: PCWorld 5/20/2010
Vehicle Computer Systems at Risk to Hackers, Say Researchers
Researchers are warning that automobiles, which will become increasingly connected to the Internet in the coming years, are prone to hacking just like any other type of computer. Scientists from the University of Washington and the University of
California, San Diego have documented their findings in a paper detailing how a hacker could easily connect to a car’s internal computer system and cause such security devices as antilock
brakes or power steering to fail, ignoring driver input.
Source: UCal, 5/13/2010
Anti-Phishing Working Group Releases New Report
In a new report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group, describes the Avalanche malware scheme attributed to 66 percent of
all phishing attacks that were launched in the second half of 2009. Avalanche successfully targeted vulnerable or non-responsive domain name registrars and registries. The report noted that the amount of Internet domain names and numbers used for phishing
has remained fairly steady over the past two-and-a-half years. In addition, there were at least 126,697 phishing attacks in the second half of 2009, more than double the 55,698 attacks that were recorded in the prior six month period.
Source: Vendor, 5/10/2010
Stolen Laptop Contained Veterans’ Personal Data
NextGov reported that a laptop belonging to a contractor who was working at the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) was stolen on April 22, and that the personal information of
644 veterans that was stored on that computer had never been encrypted. This security breach is a violation of VA information technology policy. The theft was reported the day after the computer was stolen. Veterans who had their information exposed have
been contacted about the breach, and the VA has said that it will provide them with free credit monitoring for one year.
Source: NextGov, 5/13/2010
DBMS
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CA Launches CA Mainframe Chorus Management Workspace
CA Technologies announced the launch of a new piece of management software called CA Mainframe Chorus. The new workspace management software is designed to increase productivity by simplifying common tasks, and reducing
the learning curve needed to master the software. The company claims the efficiency is accomplished by incorporating back-end products under the graphical user interface (GUI) layer. The first product to add the new technology is the company’s CA Mainframe
Chorus for DB2 Database Management solution. CA also plans to bring Chorus workspaces to additional products directed at fulfilling the needs of the IT service industry. More information, and access to the Mainframe Chorus for DB2 Database Management beta
program can be found at the company’s Chorus page.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Oracle Releases Latest Version of MySQL Enterprise
Oracle announced the immediate availability of the latest release of MySQL Enterprise. The highlight of the new edition
is the inclusion of MySQL Enterprise Monitor. The company claims the new component adds enhanced query performance monitoring, improved security, and integration with MySQL Support.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
DESKTOPS
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Dell to Provide Workstations for Siemens Healthcare
Dell OEM Solutions provided Precision T5500 workstation and OptiPlex XE technology for Siemens
Healthcare Sector – a medical technology supplier – to power its ACUSON SC2000 volume imaging ultrasound system.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE
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Eclipse Partners with Google to Open Eclipse Labs for Developers
Eclipse announced the formation of Eclipse Labs with help from Google. The new development environment will
closely mirror the one found within Google’s own Google Code project. Developers will be provided with a tracking system, source code repository, and a web site for their Eclipse-related open source project. Creators will also be provided with a number of
licensing options, EPL being the default choice. Eclipse Labs is now open in a beta form, and is accepting submissions.
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
Google Launches App Engine for Business
Google announced the launch of Google App Engine for Business at this years Google I/O conference. The new framework was created to let business customers design and maintain apps similarly to the normal Google App
Engine, but with specialized management and support features designed specifically for business customers. These include a centralized administration console, 99.9% guaranteed uptime, enhanced security, scalable bulk pricing models, as well as the promise
of future support for a hosted SQL database, SSL, and access to advanced Google services. Google App Engine for Business is currently in a limited preview. More information about the service, and its preview can be found at the company’s dedicated page.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
FINANCIAL
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Agilent Posts Second Quarter Profits as Restructuring Ends
Agilent Technologies reported that its profits rose seven percent for the 2010 fiscal second quarter ended April 30, 2010, as several restructuring initiatives were completed and demand for bio analytical
instruments increased. Net income was $108 million, or $0.31 per share. This was up from 2009 fiscal second quarter losses of $101 million, or $0.29 loss per share. Revenues were $1.27 billion, up 16 percent from 2009 fiscal second quarter revenues of
$1.09 billion. According to CEO William Sullivan, Agilent boosted profits by selling its semiconductor units and making 10 new purchases to grow its test equipment business.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
BIO-key Reports 81% Revenue Jump in First Quarter
BIO-key reported total revenue of $976,175 for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010, an increase of 81 percent from the $538,194 reported for the first quarter of 2009. First quarter 2010 operating loss was
$118,734, which improved from an operating loss of $727,614 in the same quarter one year ago.
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
Blinkx Posts Huge Revenue, Operational Losses, First EBITDA
Blinkx posted in financial results for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. The company posted a revenue of $33.7 million, more than doubling 2009’s total of $13.million. Gross profit also rose more than 100% to
21.9 million, after registering at 9.8 million in 2009. Unfortunately, that’s where the positive news ends. Blinkx posted its second consecutive annual loss from operations. The company dropped $8.9 million this year, after losing $10.5 million during
2009. This resulted in a loss per share of $2.94, down slightly from 2009’s loss of $3.19 per share. Despite these numbers, the company’s outlook on its year was positive, due to it having achieved a positive EBITDA of $30,000 during the second half of the
year.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
BT Reports Much Improved Q4 and 2010 Financials
BT announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending March 31, 2010. For the quarter, the company posted a revenue of 5.4 billion Pounds, representing a small 2% drop from its reported total
during the fourth quarter of 2009. Net profits were up considerably in the quarter. BT took in 251 million Pounds during the period, a huge improvement considering it lost 1.3 billion Pounds during the same quarter of 2009. This had a positive effect on
earnings per share, which came in at 2.7p, after being down 13.1p in Q4 2009. For the full year, the company reported a revenue of 20.9 billion Pounds, down 2% from last year’s total of 21.3 billion. Profits were up just over 1 billion Pounds, resulting in
13.3p in earnings per share. This beats 2009’s totals by a wide margin, since the company lost 244 million Pounds, or 2.5p per share during that year. Ian Livingston, Chief Executive of BT claims that the results will allow the company to form a plan for
its goals over the next 3 years.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
CSC Reports Declined Fourth Quarter, 2010 Financials
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ending April 2, 2010. For the quarter, the company posted a total revenue of $4.2 billion, up very slightly from the
$4.1 billion it reported during the corresponding quarter of 2009. Conversely, Net income was down year-over-year to $259 million. This is after pulling in $382 million during the fourth quarter of 2009. This had a predictably adverse effect on earnings
per share, which fell to $1.69, down from $2.52 during that same quarter. The 2010 fiscal year was less successful as a whole. CSC’s revenue fell slightly to $16.1 billion, down from $16.7 in 2009. Net income followed suit, dropping to $834 million, after
having reached $1.1 billion in 2009. This lead to an earnings per share total of $5.36, down significantly from 2009’s $7.37 per share. One bright spot for CSC in this report was its new business awards, which reached $4.3 billion.
Source: Vendor, 5/20/2010
HP Posts Strong Second Quarter, on PC, Server Sales
Hewlett-Packard (HP) reported revenues of $30.8 billion USD for the 2010 fiscal second quarter ended April 30th, as strong growth in PC and x86 server sales helped offset its slumping services business. Revenues were up
13 percent from 2009 fiscal second quarter sales of $27.4 billion. Profits were $2.2 billion, with $0.91 per share, a 28 percent jump from 2009 fiscal second quarter profits of $1.7 billion, or $0.72 per share. In particular, HP cited strong desktop and
laptop sales, which climbed 27 and 17 percent year to year, and industry standard servers, which jumped 54 percent.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Nortel Posts Financials; May Be Shopping Its Patent Portfolio
Bankrupt Nortel Networks reported revenues in the 2010 first quarter of $484 million, with declines year over year in all segments and in all regions. The revenues excluded first quarter revenues related to Equity
Investees of $180 million and $10 million related to discontinued operations. Earnings in the first quarter of 2010 were $355 million compared to a net loss of $507 million in the first quarter of 2009. First quarter 2010 earnings included reorganization
items of $497 million, primarily related to the gains on the divestitures of the Optical Networking and Carrier Ethernet assets to Ciena of $549 million and the GSM/GSM-R assets to Ericsson and Kapsch of $93 million, other operating income of $60 million
comprised primarily of billings under transaction services agreements, and other income of $61 comprised primarily of a currency exchange gain of $44 million, partially offset by interest expense of $75 million and $12 million in income tax expense. The
net loss in the first quarter of 2009 of $507 million included a loss from discontinued operations of $197 million, $122 million equity in net loss of Equity Investees, interest expense of $76 million, and other expenses comprised primarily of a loss of
$46 million due to changes in foreign exchange rates, and a loss of $22 million due to income attributable to non-controlling interests. Several news organization are reporting this week that Nortel is seeking a buyer or buyers for its patent portfolio,
which includes key LTE patents.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Northrop Grumman Announces $0.47 Quarterly Dividend
Northrop Grumman announced that its board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share for the company’s common stock. The release on the matter notes that this represents a 9.3 percent
increase from the $0.43 per share the company disbursed during the corresponding quarter of 2009. This makes for the seventh consecutive annual increase in the company’s dividend. The amount will be payable on June 12, 2010 to all shareholders of record by
June 1, 2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Telefonica O2 posts Improved Q1 Financials, Strong Customer Growth
Telefonica O2 reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2010. The company posted a revenue of EUR 3.5 billion, a 7.4 % jump from its Q1 2009 total of EUR 3.2 billion. Operating income for the quarter was up
as well to EUR 205 million. This surpasses the first quarter of 2009, during which the company took in EUR 163 million, by a substantial 25.7%. Telefonica O2’s customer base reached 53.9 million, a 15.5% year-over- year growth.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Telefonica Reports Mostly Flat First Quarter Financials
Telefonica announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2010. The company posted a total revenue of EUR 13.9 billion, fairly flat with Q1 2009’s EUR 13.7 billion. Operating income was down for the
quarter at EUR 2.93 billion, a 7.2% drop from the EUR 3.6 billion it reported during the first quarter of 2009. Net income was flat at EUR 1.65 billion, after taking in EUR 1.62 billion during the corresponding quarter of 2009. This caused Telefonica’s
earnings per share to come in at EUR 0.36, identical to the number it reported during Q1 2009. The company’s total customer base rose to 269 million, a 4.5% year-over-year rise when compared to the corresponding period of 2009. The largest gains came from
the company’s Internet access services
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Vodafone Profit Soars
Mobile phone giant Vodafone posted net profit for its fiscal year ended March 31 of 8.67 billion pounds (US $12.5 billion), or 16.36 pence a share, from 3.08 billion pounds, or 5.81 pence a share, earned in fiscal
2009, when the company took an impairment charge of 5.9 billion pounds linked to operations in Spain and Turkey. Excluding one-time items, adjusted operating profit for the year slipped 2.5% to 11.47 billion pounds. Revenue climbed 8.4% to 44.47 billion
pounds (US $65.69 billion), in part because of the British pound’s weakness against other currencies. On an underlying basis to exclude currency swings and acquisitions, full-year revenue slipped 2.3%.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
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CSC Signs Computer Systems Creation Contract with NOAA
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) announced that it has signed a contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The “Research and Development High Performance Computing System” deal focuses
on the creation of a new high-end computing system designed to increase the efficiency of the weather simulation modeling process. The company claims this will allow NOAA to increase the accuracy of its atmospheric predictions, and thus increase its
ability to protect life and property. The contract has a four-year base period, with an additional four-year option, and a one-year transition option. The total value of the contract will be $317 million if all options are exercised.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
General Dynamics to Build New Wireless Network for Oregon State
General Dynamics announced that it has received a contract from the state of Oregon to support its Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN) program. The company is being commissioned to create a
microwave backbone and accompanying radio network. The project will include the construction of tower, shelters, and public safety radio sites. More than 250 wireless facilities are expected to be constructed. The project is part of a mandate by the state
government designed to increase the communications abilities of fire departments and other early responders. The contract has a duration of 3 years. No financial terms were discussed.
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
Lockheed Martin Signs $77.4 Million Deal with Nuclear Commission
Lockheed Martin announced that it has signed a contract with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The 10-year, $77.4 million dollar deal calls for the company to create secure software tools to be used in
the management of data on radioactive materials and their licensed owners. As part of the Integrated Source Management Portfolio (ISMP) Program, the software will serve the function of housing and maintaining information on licensees, nationally tracked
sources possessed by licensees, and licensee transactions.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS
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Study Sees Health Care Delivery Transformation in US
Health care delivery in the United States will undergo dramatic changes over the next 10 years through the adoption of telehealth, according to a national survey of health care and information technology professionals sponsored by Intel. The study found that a majority of decision makers believe that the emergence of telehealth will have a major role in improving the quality and delivery of care to an increasingly chronically ill and aging
population. Intel said that, according to clinical decision makers interviewed for the study, reimbursement is the primary barrier to telehealth adoption. Concerns that clinical staff and patients will be unable to successfully use new technologies,
despite strong evidence to the contrary in pilot studies, also remain a major barrier to adoption, according to the study results.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Northrop Grumman to Create National EHR Repository
Northrop Grumman announced that it has received a contract from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The deal calls for the company to create a National Level Repository designed to centralize
record keeping for electronic health record (EHR) incentive payment processing transactions to healthcare professionals, agencies, and institutions. Northrop Grumman’s task will include the design, development, and maintenance of the repository. The
contract has a base period of one year, with five single year, and one half year options. It is valued at $34 million, without extensions.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
INDUSTRY GROUPS
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Google, Mozilla and Others Launch WebM Project Royalty-Free Codec
Mozilla, Opera, Google, Adobe and many others have come together to support the founding of the WebM
Project. The goal of the project is to create a free and open Web format for video that is on par with commercially available video solutions. WebM uses the VP8 video codec, and Vorbis audio codec, both packaged in a Matroska media container to produce a
royalty-free Web video format. This move could potentially put these companies into direct competition with Apple‘s own h.264 codec, which it has been promoting as the future of Web video. A preview of what the new
technology is capable of can be viewed at the groups new Web site.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Industry Heavyweights Create UC Interoperability Forum
Logitech announced that, along with its LifeSize Communications division, it is a founding member of the newly-formed Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCIF), a non-profit alliance of vendors promoting
standards-based, cross-vendor interoperability of UC hardware and software Other founding members are HP, Juniper Networks, Microsoft and Polycom. Contributing participants include Acme Packet, Aspect, AudioCodes, Broadcom, BroadSoft, Brocade, ClearOne, Jabra, Plantronics, RADVISION, Siemens Enterprise Communications, and Teliris.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
INTERNET
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Adobe Writes Open Letter Boasting Open Protocols, Scolding Apple
Adobe founders John Warnock and Chuck Geschke have written an open letter in direct response to criticisms leveled against Adobe and its Flash technology by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The letter outlines what its founders describe as Adobe’s history of
supporting and creating open protocols on the Web. The founders point to the company’s publication of the code behind PostScript and PDF, as well as its release of specifications for Flash. The letter claims that Adobe fully supports a Web environment in
which all formats are open, allowing for their use on any platform or device, saying:"We publish the specifications for Flash — meaning anyone can make their own Flash player. Yet, Adobe Flash technology remains the market leader because of the
constant creativity and technical innovation of our employees." Apple, whose CEO slammed Abode’s Flash and refuses to include it with the company’s iPod and iPad devices, was criticized by Warnock and Geschke, who concluded: "We believe that
Apple, by taking the opposite approach, has taken a step that could undermine this next chapter of the web — the chapter in which mobile devices outnumber computers, any individual can be a publisher, and content is accessed anywhere and at any
time."
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
Google Admits to Accidentally Collecting Private Data from Open Wi-Fi
Google revealed that it has been collecting a form of private data during the Wi-Fi polling process performed by its street-view cars. The cars were supposed to be collecting only publicly available information from
nearby wireless networks. This include signal strength, network names, and MAC addresses. However, upon further investigation, Google realized that it had actually been collecting some of the data being transmitted over unsecured wireless networks as the
car passed. The company claims that none of the data was used in any way, and that most of its was fragmentary due to the nature of the collection process. Google has blamed the oversight on a piece of experimental code from 1006 that made its way into the
final software used in the street-view cars. The company says it is working to remedy the situation by isolating the sensitive data and preparing it for deletion. It has also commissioned a third party to examine the possible nature of the data collected
by the faulty software, and has decided to cease collecting Wi-Fi data with its street-view cars entirely.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
Google to Open Web App Store within Chrome
Google announced plans to launch the “Chrome Web Store” at its Google I/O conference. This new outlet will allow participating developers to post their free and paid Web applications for download by users of Google’s
Chrome browser. When an app is purchased the buyer will be able to “install” it, which actually just places a shortcut to the Web-based application in their browser’s app page. Initial applications mentioned at the announcement of the Web store include
games, sports news applications, media streaming services, and social networking applications. Google said it expects the store to launch some time later this year. The company will be providing updates on the progress of the launch at its Chromium Blog and asks potential app creators to visit its developer group page.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
ICANN Head Calls for Rapid Adoption of IPv6
Rod Beckstrom, chief executive of the Internet Corporation for Names and Numbers (ICANN), revealed the immediate need for switching to a system of IPv6 Internet addresses in a recent interview with Reuters. The head of ICANN said only 8 or 9 percent of IPv4 addresses – the current protocol for assigning addresses to devices on the Internet – were still
available, with the number shrinking every day. Beckstrom admits the transition would be a huge undertaking, but says it must happen soon to ensure the continued expansion of the Internet. The IPv6 protocol would add billions of new possible addresses, but
it is not compatible with many of the devices currently facilitating the modern Internet, meaning significant hardware changes would be required.
Source: Reuters, 5/17/2010
ICANN Chief Visits Russia to Inaugurate First Cyrillic Domain
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) sent its chief executive, Rod Beckstrom, to Russia to launch the first Cyrillic alphabet international top level domain. Web site owners in the
country were previously forced to use the .ru suffix on their sites, as non-Latin characters of any kind were not supported. Russia Joins Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as the first countries to gain final approval from ICANN to begin
the distribution of these new, non-Latin domains. ICANN is currently handling 21 other requests for the creation of non-Latin country code top level domains. Beckstrom claims it took the organization 11 years of research to find a way to bring the
unsupported characters to the point of usability as part of the domain name system.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
ICANN Calls for Researches to Study Effect of Proxies on Harmful URLs
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced that it is seeking independent researchers to determine the feasibility of conducting research on WHOIS privacy and proxy abuse. WHOIS
represents a collection of services that provide public information relating to registered domain names. Specifically, these studies would attempt to determine to what extent proxies are being used to register domain names that are later utilized in the
perpetration of illegal or harmful activity over the Internet. ICANN is asking that all potential researchers read both the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Study
Cover Letter and the Terms of Reference for the WHOIS Privacy and Proxy Abuse Studies RFP document. Those wishing more information on WHOIS, or this research
project may visit the Web site of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), the group responsible for advising ICANN on substantive policies relating to generic top level domains (gTLDs).
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Microsoft Previews New Hotmail, New Features
Microsoft unveiled its plans for a redesigned Hotmail, its Web-based email program. Highlights of the update include a redesigned inbox, which includes new filters, spam controls, and ways to eliminate automated
messages the user no longer wishes to receive; richer photo controls, including slideshows and Windows Live SkyDrive integration for online storage; document viewing using office web apps; the ability for partner sites to send recipients rich media email,
including video, social networking updates, and package tracking updates; and, lastly, a new system of syncing a user’s contacts, calendar and mail on all of their devices. No specific date has been set for the launch of these features butMicrosoft has
set up a site for users interested in updates on the progress of the launch.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
LAPTOPS & NETBOOKS
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Acer Unveils Gateway HD Laptops, Touchscreen PCs
Acer International‘s Gateway unit debuted its new NV laptop series, and new ZX series desktop computers with touchscreen. In particular, the NV laptops include new features it claims help boost
worker productivity. The Intel processor based systems – including the 15.6 inch NV5 series and 17.3 inch NV7 series – include budget models, for students and families, systems for video editing, and gaming laptops. Each has a high definition LCD screen.
They retail starting at $749.99 USD.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Microsoft Files Patent Suit Against Salesforce.com
Microsoft released a brief statement to announce that it has filed a patent infringement suit against Salesforce.com. Although the announcement was light on details, it
did reveal the suit relates to nine patents the company believes have been infringed on by Salesforce.com’s CRM software. The suit was filed with the US District Court for the Western District of Washington. Salesforce.com has not yet responded to the
suit.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Verizon Wireless Launches HP Mini Netbook
Verizon Wireless announced the immediate availability of the HP Mini 210-1076NR. The HP Mini has built-in 3G Mobile Broadband connectivity and runs Windows 7 Starter edition. The netbook is available through
Verizon for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, with a new two-year customer agreement on a Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband plan.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
LEGAL
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Cisco Ordered to Pay in Patent Infringement Case
Bloomberg.com reported that Cisco has been order by a jury to pay $3.7 million in patent royalties to Commil USA for using that company’s wireless-transmission technology
without permission. A federal jury in Marshall, Texas, said Cisco infringed a Commil patent that ensures computers and mobile phones stay connected to wireless networks. The closely-held company, which filed its lawsuit against Cisco in 2007, had been
seeking $53 million in the trial.
Source: Bloomberg, 5/19/2010
Cisco Ordered to Pay $3.7 Million in Case with Commil
Cisco Systems was ordered to pay $3.7 million USD in patent royalties to Commil USA, for allegedly using the company’s 2002-patented wireless transmission technology without permission. A federal jury in Marshall,
Texas said Cisco infringed a Commil patent that ensures computers and mobile phones stay connected to wireless networks. The firm, which filed its lawsuit against Cisco in 2007, had been seeking $53 million in the trial. The patent covers a way of
maintaining network connections through a series of base stations so a person with a laptop computer, mobile phone, or device with a wireless transmission feature such as Bluetooth does not lose signal. Cisco denied infringing the patent, saying it was
invalid.
Source: Bloomberg, 5/18/2010
Microsoft Settles Patent Case with VirnetX for $200 Million
Microsoft announced that it has settled its patent infringement case with VirnetX Holding Corporation. The suit stemmed from patents held by VirnetX dealing with virtual private networking (VPN) technology that
Microsoft infringed on. The software giant claimed the patents were invalid due to previously existing technology, but was unable to prove its case. The settlement will see Microsoft making a one-time payment of $200 million to VirnetX. All other aspects
of the settlement are being kept confidential.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
MALWARE WATCH
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Kaspersky: Email Spam Stays Even in First Quarter of 2010
Kaspersky Lab reported that in the first quarter of 2010 the percentage of spam in email traffic averaged 85.2
percent. This figure coincides with the final result of email spam for 2009. In terms of continents, most spam, 31.7 percent of it, comes from Asia, and Europe is not far behind with 30.6 percent of the spam in circulation. The top three countries that
sent out spam during the first three months of the year were the US, India, and Russia.
Source: Vendor, 5/12/2010
McAfee Reports on Top Threats in Q1 2010
A USB worm has taken the top spot for the most rampant malware worldwide, according to McAfee’s most recent Threats Report. AutoRun related infections held
the number 1 and number 3 spots due to the widespread adoption of removable devices, mainly USB drives. A variety of password-stealing Trojans rounded out the top five threats. China, South Korea, and Vietnam have the most significant diploma spam, which
promotes the purchase of forged documents.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
SonicWALL Spots New Trojan Masking as Amazon Message
Researchers at SonicWALL discovered a new Zbot spam campaign involving fake order payment e-mails from Amazon. The email instructs the user to download an attached file – a
document containing an order tracking number. The file is actually a malicious executable file inside the zip attachment that has an icon disguised as a Microsoft Word document. This malware executable is a new
variant of Zbot Trojan.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
FB Video Is Really a Scam: Sophos
Sophos is warning Facebook users to be vigilant following a video attack on users this past weekend. The attack was designed to infect computers with adware. Thousands have been
hit by the attack which posted a fake video to profiles claiming to be the “sexiest video ever.” The messages were accompanied by what appeared to be a movie thumbnail of a woman on an exercise bicycle wearing a short skirt. Clicking on the video’s
thumbnail triggers an attempt to trick viewers into installing adware.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Sophos: Free “4G iPhone” Sounds Too Good To Be True, And It Is
Sophos has intercepted email spam inviting recipients to sign-up to test and keep the next version of the iPhon. The message is actually a lure for scammers to gather email addresses and other personal information
from unsuspecting people.
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
MOBILE SOFTWARE & PLATFORMS
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Amazon to Release Kindle for Android this Summer
Amazon announced that Google‘s Android mobile OS would be the latest platform to get the Kindle e-reader application. The app will have a similar feature set to its predecessors,
including changeable fonts, Whispersync bookmarks which can be shared between devices, and sample chapters. Additionally, unlike some of the other mobile device versions of the software, users will be able to purchase e-books directly from the app. Kindle
for Android is expected to see release some time this summer. In the meantime, users can visit the newly opened product page to get a preview of the software, or sign up
for email updates.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Blinkx Launches Mobile Video Search Engine
Blinkx launched a mobile version of its online video search engine. The new engine is accessible from any handset capable of playing mp4 formatted videos. This includes, according to the company, the iPhone, Google
Nexus One, HTC Desire and Magic, and Blackberry Bold 9700 devices. The search page is arranged in a mobile device friendly manner, with 9 thumbnails containing links to videos relating to the top stories of the moment, as well as a field for video queries.
The mobile version of the search engine is currently still considered to be in beta. More information on the new offering is available from the company’s Web site.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
MSN Launches Redesigned Mobile Homepage
Microsoft announced the launch of a new MSN Mobile homepage. The new site is a more media rich portal to both existing MSN services and new content. Users are given one-click
access to Bing, Windows Live Hotmail, and Windows Live Messenger. Navigation has been redesigned as well. It now uses a system of “above-the-fold tabs” to allow for rapid transitions from one portion of the mobile site to another. The new site is available
now for a range of mobile phone browsers, including the iPhone, Android handsets, Windows Mobile, and Palm OS devices.
Source: Vendor, 5/13/2010
OPERATING SYSTEMS
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Novell Launches SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Service Pack 1
Novell announced the launch of SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Service Pack 1 (SP1). Enhancements include broader virtualization support, advancements in high-availability clustering, an updated 2.6.32 kernel, as well as
improved bluetooth support and access to the latest versions of Firefox, OpenOffice.org and Evolution. The latest update will be available in several versions starting June 2, 2010. In the meantime, interested parties can find more information at the
company’s product page.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
PERIPHERALS
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HP Extends Large Scale Printing Products, Services Portfolio
HP Graphics Solutions Services announced several new InkJet Web and Indigo digital presses, Scitex and Designjet large format printers, and SmartStream workflow products, all
part of its graphic arts portfolio. The family was created to help service providers access digital applications for publishing, marketing, and large format signage, according to HP. It is also providing services for its graphic arts customers, including
new Print Care tools and services for addressing technical issues and providing performance information. HP also announced that retailer Wal-mart is rolling out its Print in Minutes retail publishing service – through which customers can order and receive
customized prints nearly immediately – in 3,600 stores throughout the US.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
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BMC Software Adds Two Members to Board of Directors
BMC Software announced the addition of two new members to its board of directors. Stephan A. James and Mark Hawkins will be joining the board, effective immediately. James comes to BMC from Accenture, where he was the
company’s international chairman, as well as CEO. He had been with the company since 1968. Hawkins brings 15 years of experience in high-ranking positions in the technology industry to his appointment. He is currently executive vice president and chief
financial officer at Autodesk. Prior to this, he fulfilled as similar role at Logitech.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
BT Plans Expansion in Asia-Pacific Region
BT announced plans to expand into the Asia-Pacific region. The company will hire about 300 employees in the growth area it believes can yield as much as GBP 8 billion, with annual growth rates of 6%. BT plans on
beginning in the region by offering services similar to those available to domestic business customers now. It says it will expand these offerings to include a more robust set of products with the multi-national corporations in the area in mind.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
CA Changes Name to CA Technologies
Computer Associates, the company which had been going by the shortened title of CA, announced that it has changed its name to CA Technologies. The company claims the change is designed to
reflect its new commitment to the fields of managing and securing IT environments. The name was chosen after a selection process which polled the opinions of “700 customers, partners and market thought leaders.” CA Technologies also released a revamped CA.com to accompany the new moniker.
Source: Vendor, 5/16/2010
Harris Corp to Open Cyber Integration Center
Harris Corp announced plans to open a new cyber integration center. The 140,000-square-foot facility will provide government and commercial customers with infrastructure services, managed security, and customized
applications and services. The center will be located on the company’s recently purchased mid-Atlantic region compound. Harris expects the center to reach full operational capacity prior to the end of 2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Raytheon Appoints James W. Wade as VP of Mission Assurance
Raytheon announced that it has appointed Dr. James W. Wade to the position of vice president, Mission Assurance. The new position will see him reporting directly to Mark E. Russell, the company’s vice president of
Engineering, Technology and Mission Assurance. Wade comes to Raytheon from MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, where he served as the head of its Safety and Mission Assurance Office from 2006 to 2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
Skype Apppoints 2 New Executives for June
Skype announced that it will be adding two new executives to its team as of June. Neal Goldman will be joining the company as Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, while Doug Bewsher will be filling the role of Chief
Marketing Officer. Both men will be working out of the company’s headquarters in Luxembourg, and will report directly to the company’s CEO, Josh Silverman. Goldman comes to Skype from 3Com where he served as Executive Vice President, as well as Chief Legal
and Administrative Officer. This followed a 25 year tenure at the Data General Corporation. Bewsher comes to the company from mig33, a mobile phone community, where he served as Chief Marketing Officer.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Federal Security Director Named for Texas Airports
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) named Amy Williams to the position of Federal Security Director at Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL). In this role, Williams will oversee TSA security operations at DAL as
well as Tyler Pounds Regional Airport, East Texas Regional Airport, and Wichita Falls Municipal Airport, all in Texas.
Source: TSA, 5/17/2010
PUBLIC SAFETY
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More Airports to Deploy Secure Screening Technology
The Department of Homeland Security is deploying advanced imaging technology (AIT) units purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to 28 additional airports in an effort to further secure air travel.
AIT safely screens passengers for metallic and non-metallic threats, including weapons, explosives, and other objects concealed under layers of clothing.
Source: DHS, 5/14/2010
REGULATORY
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EC Fines NEC 10.3 Million EUR for DRAM Violations
NEC Japan reported it was one of several digital rights access management (DRAM) vendors fined by the European Commission for alleged violations of European competition laws between 1998 and 2002. The commission is
fining NEC – as well as its partners Hitachi Japan and Elpida Memory – a total of 10.3 million EUR ($12.7 million USD). The fines relate to the period after March 2001, when NEC transferred its overseas DRAM sales
business to Elpida, a joint venture company with Hitachi at that time.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
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Satellite Operator Plans Maneuvers to Avoid Galaxy 15
Satellite operator SES WORLD SKIES announced plans for an “intricate set of orbital maneuvers” later this month aimed at steering its AMC-11 satellite, and its customers, clear of interference from
Intelsat’s Galaxy 15 satellite, referred to in recent media coverage as the “Zombie” satellite. Intelsat said early last month that its Galaxy 15 satellite had experienced an “anomaly” and that North American cable
programming was being transitioned to its Galaxy 12 satellite. In a press release, SES WORLD SKIES said that, as the stray Galaxy 15 nears AMC-11’s orbital location, it plans to have AMC-11 match the eastward drift of Galaxy 15 in order to maintain a
minimum separation between the two satellites. This synchronized drift is designed to protect AMC-11 services from interference caused by Galaxy 15. At the same time, SES WORLD SKIES will move its new SES-1 satellite to the opposite side of Galaxy 15,
thereby enabling some customers, including cable television networks, to leapfrog their broadcasts over interference caused by the wandering spacecraft.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
SECURITY FLAWS & FIXES
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Fix for Java for Mac OS X Available from Apple
Apple has issued an update for Java for Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6 to fix some vulnerabilities. Two advisories posted at Apple’s Web site provide further details regarding the update.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Cisco Issues Advisory for Softswitch Flaws
Multiple vulnerabilities exist in the Cisco PGW 2200 Softswitch series of products, and all flaws are independent of one another. An advisory has been issued. Cisco has released software updates that address the vulnerabilities; there are no workarounds that mitigate the issues.
Source: Vendor, 5/12/2010
Facebook Attempts Fix on Cross-Site Request Forgery Flaw
Facebook has made an attempt to fix its latest vulnerability, according to Computerworld. The weakness, known as a cross-site request forgery (CSRF), used Facebook’s own
system of authenticating the type of browser trying to access it to gain access to restricted areas. The man who discovered the security flaw, M.J. Keith, claims it could have made it possible for hackers to alter user profiles, or make private information
publicly available. A spokesman from Facebook told Computerworld that it has fixed the issue, and that it has found no evidence of the exploit ever having been used maliciously. However, according to M.J. Keith, at least part of the flaw still exists, as
he demonstrated by creating a proof-of-concept Web page that forced a Computerworld employee’s account to “like” several pages. Facebook had not addressed the apparent continued flaw as of the time of writing.
Source: Computerworld, 5/18/2010
Vulnerability in Hitachi Products Results in 2 Advisories
A vulnerability has been reported in multiple Hitachi products, and an advisory has been issued. Another advisory offers information on other affected products. Both advisories contain a patch matrix.
Source: Secunia, 5/18/2010
HP OpenView NNM Contains Buffer Overflow Flaw
SonicWALL reported that the HP OpenView Network Node Manager contains a buffer overflow vulnerability. The issue is due to insufficient boundary checking when getnnmdata.exe
handles the MaxAge parameter. When getnnmdata.exe receives an invalid MaxAge parameter, it prints the invalid value in an error message. The vulnerable code does not validate the length of the MaxAge parameter and copies the whole string into a
fixed-length stack-based buffer.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
SECURITY PRODUCTS & CONTRACTS
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AT&T Rolls Out New Managed E-mail Security Service
AT&T announced Secure E-mail Gateway Service, a new “Security as a Service” solution that provides e-mail security and message management for enterprises. The cloud-based service integrates McAfee‘s e-mail protection technology and global threat intelligence into AT&T’s network gateway nodes. Customers can manage the service through AT&T’s BusinessDirect portal. The new service replaces the carrier’s earlier
Secure E-mail Gateway offering; AT&T said it will be working with customers to migrate to the new platform.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
New Hosted Storage Offering Now Available from F-Secure
F-Secure Share is a new hosted security storage offering that is being targeted to the customers of telecommunications providers. F-Secure Share works as a virtual drive for an end user’s digital content, which can
be accessed from the Web interface of their home PC, office computer or mobile phone.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Juniper Announces New Dynamic Security Software
Juniper Networks announced a new Dynamic Security Model for helping adapt to changing data flows resulting from virtualization, Web 2.0, and cloud service deployments. The model includes software to address
application level visibility, denial of service prevention, and security architecture design. Juniper also announced that IBM will resell an OEM version of its SRX Series.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
Kaspersky Gives Its Small Office Security Product an Update
Kaspersky Lab updated its Small Office Security software. This latest version of the product includes a new antivirus engine and contains an heuristic analyzer designed to block new malware as it emerges. The
product can check for malicious code and links to phishing Web sites hidden inside communications sent via IM systems.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
McAfee, Citrix Partner for Security, Virtualization
McAfee and Citrix have agreed to collaborate in the areas of security and virtualization. As a result of this partnership, Citrix XenDesktop customers will be able to extend
management of desktop security to virtual environments using the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator platform.
Source: Vendor, 5/12/2010
McAfee Realigns Business Units
McAfee realigned its business units and their offerings in an effort to support customers as they deal with changing threats and increased regulation. The new offerings will consist of products that include a
combination of on-premise software, gateway appliances and cloud-based Security-as-a-Service. McAfee technologies, including the ePolicy Orchestrator platform, and its Global Threat Intelligence, will be an integral part in each business product
offering.
Source: Vendor, 5/12/2010
New Version of McAfee Web Gateway Now Available
McAfee released Web Gateway version 7, a new platform that is designed to secure end-user access to Web 2.0 applications. Web Gateway uses cloud-based technologies which offer mobile filtering for remote users, and
Web reputation capabilities including geo-location and URL categorization.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Motorola Introduces Next Gen Public Safety Strategy
Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions unveiled a plan for delivering advanced communications for national public safety agencies. The Next Generation of Public Safety strategy was created to help mission critical first responders access mobile broadband connection speeds and rich media applications, delivered on advanced collaborative data
devices. Motorola’s next generation public safety technology converges voice, image, data, and video communications from a multimedia command center, to extend the reach of mission critical communications.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
NTT America, Integralis Unite to Offer IT Security Services
NTT America (NTTA) announced the availability of a set of information security professional services, in partnership with Integralis. NTTA is offering customers
strategic security planning, policy development, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and other professional services.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Qualcomm, FleetRisk Advisors to Launch New Safety Performance Service
QUALCOMM and FleetRisk Advisors announced the CSA 2010 Safety Performance Service powered by FleetRisk Advisors’ “The Driving Center.” Incorporating information from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration’s CSA 2010 Safety Measurement System database as well as vehicle-specific safety performance information from a variety of Qualcomm services, the new service is designed to provide comprehensive views of a fleet’s compliance with CSA 2010
regulations; predictive tools to identify potential problem areas in future inspections; and proactive training/driver coaching modules to address identified issues. Qualcomm said the new service is expected to be commercially available this Fall.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
New RSA Suite Fights Man-in-the-Browser Attacks
RSA, a division of EMC, released its Man-in-the-Browser Solutions, a portfolio of anti-fraud services designed to defend against theft of online information, identities, and financial assets. The new services
offer a layered approach to anti-malware strategies, with transaction monitoring, adaptive authentication, FraudAction Solution, and a CyberCrime Intelligence Service.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Sourcefire SSL Appliance Debuts
Sourcefire released its new SSL Appliance. This appliance enables the Sourcefire intrusion prevention system to inspect SSL traffic, blocking malicious traffic that would have previously been masked by
encryption. The SSL Appliance decrypts traffic before sending it to the IPS and then places inspected SSL-encrypted traffic back on the network for its final destination.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
Tyco Buys Brink’s Home Security/Broadview Security
Tyco has completed the acquisition of Brink’s Home Security. Brink’s Home Security, which operates as Broadview Security, will now be combined with Tyco’s ADT security business. With the completion of the acquisition
and the addition of Broadview’s 1.3 million customers, ADT’s North American residential and small business operation will serve more than six million customers under the ADT brand name.
Source: Vendor, 5/14/2010
Verizon Debuts Security Services for Healthcare Sector
Verizon Business introduced the Data Discovery, Identification and Security Classification (DDISC) suite of security consulting services for health care. Available now in North America, Europe, and the
Asia-Pacific region, DDISC can be used to classify such data as physician notes, x-rays, and insurance and payment information to determine whether it is being appropriately secured and shared. Verizon said the suite combines consulting with data discovery
tools to review the information for relevance and sensitivity and to determine where information is transmitted and stored. Verizon consultants also provide recommendations for additional security measures, as needed.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
SERVERS
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CA Technologies Unveils Suite of Mainframe 2.0 Deliverables
CA Technologies announced a new set of deliverables under its mainframe 2.0 product line. The first is a new version of CA’s Mainframe Software Manager. The company claims the latest version of the mainframe manager
allows both experienced and novice staff to install and manage numerous CA products quickly and efficiently. Like previous iterations, this release will be made available free of charge to customers on active maintenance for CA z/OS products. The second
portion of this set of releases comes in the form of the software stack for CA’s mainframe. It features serviceability enhancements and the addition of CA lab testing to allow customers to optimize mainframe software installations. Additional minor product
updates, and health check functionality are also include as part of the Mainframe 2.0 deliverables announcement. More information on CA’s selection of Mainframe 2.0 products is available at the company’s’ product page.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Oracle Releases Sun Netra 6000 Carrier-Class Server
Oracle announced the launch of Sun Netra 6000 for the communications industry. The server has similar features to the already released Sun Blade 6000 modular system, but adds carrier-specific functions such as
Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) certification, and extended lifecycle support. Oracle claims the release of the Sun Netra 6000 positions it as having the most complete portfolio of carrier-class servers on the market. More information about the
new server can be found at the product page.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
SMARTPHONES
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BlackBerry Service to Launch in China Later this Month
China Telecom andResearch in Motion plan to launch BlackBerry service for enterprise customers in China. China Telecom will offer BlackBerry Enterprise Server software and
the EVDO 3G-enabled BlackBerry Storm smartphone to its enterprise customers beginning in the second half of May. The BlackBerry will be marketed with China Telecom’s “E Surfing” 3G service, and will initially be launched in sixteen provinces.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
EVO 4G Available June 4th; Priced at $199
Sprint will launch the HTC EVO 4G phone on June 4th. The highly-anticipated smartphone, based on Android 2.1, features a touchscreen, multiple apps, simultaneous voice and data capability in WiMAX and Wi-Fi coverage
areas, and an 8.0 megapixel auto-focus camera with HD-capable video camcorder. The EVO will sell for $199 with a two-year contract, and requires a $79.99 monthly plan from Sprint.
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Facebook Launches Zero Data Charge Version for Mobile Users
Facebook announced the launch of a specialized zero data charge mobile site. 0.facebook.com is a mobile-only site accessible from 50 mobile operators in 45 countries. Facebook has secured a deal with these
operators, which allows users to utilize the site without the data charges they would incur from visiting the normal mobile version of Facebook. The zero data version contains most of the same features as its predecessor, including the ability for users to
update their status, view news feeds, “like” or comment on a post, and send messages and wall posts. It should be noted that this version of the mobile site is restricted to users on the networks of the participating carriers. All other users must still
use Facebook’s normal mobile version. For a full list of participating carriers, as well as future participants, interested parties can visit Facebook’s corporate blog post about
0.facebook.com
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Facebook Signs 5-Year Strategic Agreement with Zynga
Facebook announced that it has entered into a long term strategic agreement with Zynga, maker of several popular social networking games, such as Farmville and Mafia Wars. Though details on the agreement are in
short supply, the two companies claim it will allow them to focus on increasing “their shared commitment to social gaming on Facebook.” Additionally, the contract clears the way for Zynga to integrate Facebook Credits – Facebook’s own virtual currency
payment system – into its current and future titles. Facebook credits are currently undergoing testing in several Zynga titles, with their inclusion to be expanded to additional titles in the coming months. No further terms, financial, or otherwise, were
disclosed. The announcement may largely be a move to counteract growing rumors within the blogosphere that a rift was growing between the two companies.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
MySpace Posts Letter About Upcoming Simplified Privacy
MySpace, a News Corp company, has decided to take advantage of Facebook‘s recent privacy firestorm. The former number one social
networking site released a letter delineating its commitment to simple, easy to understand privacy settings. The letter also included the promise that simplified privacy controls will be released in the coming weeks. The letter claims these new controls
have been in development since before the recently increased scrutiny of social networking privacy, but the company decided the moment required that it revel its plans. Additionally, the site will use the most private setting for any given choice as the
default, unlike Facebook, which has defaults to a less private set of choices.
Source: Vendor, 5/18/2010
Twitter Announces Launch of Official iPhone Application
Twitter announced the launch of its official application for the iPhone. Users were previously only able to choose from the numerous third-party applications available from Apple’s app store. However, Twitter’s recent
purchase of the company responsible for Tweetie, one of the most popular third-party apps, allowed it to launch its own official application. Twitter for iPhone is available now, at no cost, from the Apple App Store. A Twitter account is required for its
use.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
STANDARDS & PROTOCOLS
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NIST Revises Guide on PIV Card Application
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a revised version of NIST Special Publication SP 800-85A, entitled Draft Special
Publication 800-85A-2 “PIV Card Application and Middleware Interface Test Guidelines (SP800-73-3 compliance).” The revisions include the additional tests necessary to test some of the optional features added to the PIV Data Model and Card Interface as
well as the PIV Middleware through specifications SP 800-73-3 Parts 1, 2 and 3.
Source: NIST, 5/14/2010
STORAGE
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Mozy Upgrades Online Storage Options
Online backup service Mozy, owned by EMC, announced the general availability of MozyHome 2.0 and MozyPro 2.0 on Windows. Mozy said enhancements include faster upload speeds and decreased
bandwidth usage, new access features, and Mozy 2xProtect – a new feature that lets users back up to a local external drive in addition to Mozy’s online data centers at no additional cost.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
SUPERCOMPUTERS
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IBM Creates Intel/Nvidia Hybrid Unit for Supercomputer Clusters
IBM announced the creation of a computer running a hybrid infrastructure of Intel and Nvidia processors, according to CNet. The so called IBM iDataPlex Dx360 M3 will run Intel Xeon
central processing units (CPUs) alongside Nvidia Tesla graphics processing units (GPUs). Multiple units can also be linked together to create super computing clusters. Although no availability or pricing information was made available, IBM claims it has
already provided the iDataPlex Dx360 M3 to several major companies.
Source: CNet, 5/18/2010
UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
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Polycom Helps Found UCIF to Standardize Unified Communications
Polycom announced that it has become a founding member of the Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCIF). The group, which also includes HP, Juniper Networks, Microsoft, and Logitech / LifeSize, was formed
with the goal of standardizing protocol for unified communications (UC) solutions across vendors. The companies believe this level of interoperability will increase the adoption of future UC solutions. For more information on the UCIF, interested parties
can visit the group’s newly founded Web site.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
VOIP
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Skype Launches Skype Manager, Corporate Control Center
Skype announced the launch of a new method of control for businesses using its software. Skype Manager is designed to replace the company’s Business Control Panel with a more flexible, centralized
controller. The new corporate software allows businesses to control user accounts, purchase and distribute Skype credits, automate credit and subscription purchases, and receive real-time analysis of Skype usage by the company’s employees. Skype Manager is
also compatible with Skype for SIP, which connects a company’s existing SIP-enabled PBX installation with Skype. Skype manager is being offered free to all businesses until October 2010.
Source: Vendor, 5/19/2010
WEB COMMERCE
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Google to Close Nexus Online Store
Google is giving up on its 4-month-long foray into online retailing. While Google is “very happy with the adoption of Android in general, and the innovation delivered through Nexus One,” the Nexus One Web store “has
not” met goals, according to Google engineering VP Andy Rubin, who delivered the news via an official blog post. The company will begin selling Nexus One through
existing retail channels and then stop selling the Android-based phone through its Web store. According to the blog post, “it’s clear that many customers like a hands-on experience before buying a phone, and they also want a wide range of service plans to
chose from.” The Nexus Web store will eventually morph into an online store “window” to showcase a “variety of Android phones available globally.”
Source: Vendor, 5/17/2010
WIRELESS
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Results of Large Cell Phone/Cancer Link Study Inconclusive
A large study of possible links between cell phone use and brain tumours is inconclusive, according to a Canadian
scientist who collaborated on the Interphone International Study Group. Jack Siemiatycki, a professor at the University of Montreal and an epidemiologist at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, says
restricted access to participants compromised the validity of results of the study to be published in the May 18 International Journal of Epidemiology. The investigation was led by 21 epidemiologists from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. More than 10,000 people took part in the study: cell phone users; non cell phone users; cell phone users who survived brain cancer as well as brain cancer survivors who had
never used cell phones. “If we combine all users and compare them with non-users, the Interphone Study found no increase in brain cancer among users. In fact, surprisingly, we found that when we combine users independently of the amount of use, they had
lower brain cancer risks than non-users,” according to Dr. Siemiatycki. But the study also found heavy users of cell phones appeared to be at a higher risk of brain tumours than non-users. Scientists are unsure what is behind the discrepancy but attention
has focused on the methodology of the study and, in particular, on the representativeness of the study subjects who participated.
Source: UMontreal, 5/17/2010
Nearly One Fourth of US Households Have Ditched Landlines
Nearly 25 percent of all US households have eliminated landlines in favor of mobile phones, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed in a recent study. According to the CDC, during the last half of
2009, 24.5 percent of all US households had at least one mobile phone and no landline telephones, representing a 1.8 percent increase compared to the first half of 2009. The CDC also found that approximately 15 percent of US homes had a landline but
received the vast majority of calls on their mobile lines. The CDC collects phone usage data, and corresponding demographic information, in conjunction with its telephone-based National Health Interview Survey. The full “Wireless Substitution” findings are posted online.
Source: CDC, 5/17/2010
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