News Briefs for the Week Ending
04/29/2011
Copyright 2011, Faulkner Information Services. All Rights Reserved.
Docid:00020009
Publication Date: 1104
Publication Type: NEWS
ACQUISITIONS & DIVESTITURES
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AT&T Details Benefits It Sees in T-Mobile USA Acquisition
AT&T filed a Public Interest Statement with the Federal Communications Commission regarding its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA. The carrier’s primary argument is that the merger would enable the deployment of 4G LTE network technology to more than 97 percent of the US population. When the deal was originally announced in March,
AT&T said the transaction meant being able to deploy LTE to 95 percent of the population but “after conducting a more refined analysis of the combined network,” AT&T believes that figure would be 97.3 percent. AT&T said the deal would also create new jobs
and economic growth “in the small towns and rural communities that need them most.” The carrier said in March that regulatory approval of the merger is likely to take a year.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Original YouTube Founders Buy Delicious from Yahoo
AVOS, the new venture of original YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, acquired social bookmarking company Delicious from Yahoo. Delicious users were informed this week that they would have to consent to having their social bookmarks ported to the AVOS system, and following a transition period, would be required to agree to AVOS’ own terms of
service to continue using the platform. That process is easily accomplished, however, in just seconds. No financial terms for the acquisition were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
BMC Software Acquires Coradiant
BMC Software acquired Coradiant a provider of end-user experience and web application performance monitoring. Following the acquisition BMC will launch a new BMC End User Experience Management solution based on
Coradiant’s technology. The company says the new offering will allow businesses proactively monitor the interaction between consumer and application to better improve the end-user experience. No financial terms for the transaction were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
CenturyLink to Acquire Savvis for $2.5 Billion
CenturyLink and infrastructure services company Savvis announced that their boards of directors have approved a definitive agreement under which CenturyLink will acquire all
outstanding shares of Savvis common stock in a cash and stock merger valued at $40 per share, or a total of approximately $2.5 billion USD, plus net debt of approximately $0.7 billion, which will be assumed or refinanced at closing. Under terms of the
deal, Savvis stockholders will receive $30 per share in cash and $10 in shares of CenturyLink common stock. With the addition of Savvis, CenturyLink said it will achieve global scale as a managed hosting and colocation provider, and will accelerate its
ability to deliver managed hosting and cloud capabilities to its business customers. CenturyLink last month received final regulatory approvals for acquiring Qwest Communications. That merger officially closed April 1, making CenturyLink the third largest
telecommunications company in the United States.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Dell to Acquire CIT Vendor Finance’s Assets, Sales, Servicing
Dell reported it will acquire Dell Financial Services Canada, a move it believes will extend its capabilities for customer lifecycle management, and CIT
Vendor Finance’s Dell-related assets, sales, and servicing functions in Europe, which should allow it to globally expand the Dell direct finance model. CIT is a leader in vendor finance and leasing, operating as Dell Financial Services.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
DISH Network Completes Acquisition of Blockbuster
DISH Network posted a brief statement to inform shareholders that is has completed its acquisition of all assets of Blockbuster. No plans for the acquired assets were announced, with company VP Tom Cullen simply
stating “We are pleased to have purchased the assets of Blockbuster and look forward to building on the nationally recognized Blockbuster brand while improving the experience of delivering entertainment to consumers.”
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
News Corp to Begin Accepting Bids for MySpace
News Corp is expected to begin accepting bids for its failing MySpace business this week, The Wall Street Journal reported. The potential buyers include a Chinese Internet
portal, and several private equity firms. The Journal also said that News Corp has set a $100 million minimum bid for prospective buyers. If the company sells for the minimum purchase price, News Corp would be taking a $480 million loss, after paying $580
million for MySpace 5 years ago.
Source: WSJ, 4/27/2011
Novell Announces Completion of Merger with Attachmate
Novell announced the completion of its merger with Attachmate, wherein Novell was acquired for $6.10 per share. Novell is now considered a wholly owned subsidiary of the Attachmate group. In a related transaction,
Novell also completed its sale of certain issued patents and patent applications to CPTN Holdings LLC for $450 million in cash. Following the close of the acquisition Novell’s stock will be de-listed from the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Stockholders and
brokers will shortly be receiving instructions on surrendering their shares for payment.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Yahoo Acquires Video Discovery Software Maker IntoNow
Yahoo acquired IntoNow, a creator of software and a platform for video discovery and programming experiences. The software uses a database of 5 years worth of television programming to identify the program being
watched by the user, and to make that information available for social media purposes. Yahoo plans to use the acquired technology within its own media experiences and video programming. The company will also leverage the acquisition to expand its
multi-screen social media offerings, including interoperability with Facebook, Twitter, iTunes and Netflix. No financial terms for the transaction were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
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Deutsche Telekom Teams with Autotxt for Car Anti-Theft M2M Service
Deutsche Telekom joined with UK telematics company Autotxt to begin offering M2M telematics systems and services to vehicle manufacturers, TelecomPaper reports. The agreement
will see Deutsche Telekom’s network supporting Autotxt’s vehicle anti-theft systems. The devices are used to track and recover stolen vehicles. The participating brands include Aston Martin, Jaguar, Porsche, and Land Rover.
Source: Telecompaper, 4/26/2011
Ericsson, Skolkovo to Establish Russian Innovation Center
Ericsson reached an agreement to help a Russian non-profit group, the Skolkovo Foundation, develop an Innovation Center for promoting science and technology companies in Russia. It will support future developments
of Skolkovo’s R&D infrastructure by establishing a Networked Security Lab, and will support future development of broadband cloud, intelligent transport, and machine-to-machine technologies. It also signed an agreement to provide its CoordCom emergency
call and coordination services technology for SFERA, a Russian technology firm that will use it to integrate telephony, radio, and data communications services.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Nokia to Cut 7,000; Outsource Symbian Development to Accenture
Nokia and Accenture announced plans for a strategic collaboration in which Nokia would outsource its Symbian software activities and transition about 3,000 employees to
Accenture. At the same time, Accenture would provide mobility software services to Nokia for future smartphones. The 3,000 employee transfers are among the 7,000 employees Nokia said it will cut in the coming months as it struggles to slash costs and catch
up with its smartphone rivals. Nokia and Accenture expect completion of the final collaboration agreement during Summer 2011, and expect the transition of 3,000 employees to be completed by the end of the calendar year 2011. “Transitioning” employees –
located in China, Finland, India, United Kingdom, and the United States – will initially work on Symbian software activities for Nokia. Over time, Accenture and Nokia “will seek opportunities to retrain and redeploy the transitioned employees,” the
companies said. Most of the other cuts – some 4,000 layoffs scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012 – will be in Denmark, Finland, and Britain. During this period, Nokia said it intends to “ramp up” its capacity for the development of Nokia
smartphones based on the Windows Phone platform.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
PCCW Signs MOU with CAT Telecom for Telecom Service Research
PCCW signed a memorandum of understanding with CAT Telecom Public Company Limited. The agreement focuses on the joint exploration of opportunities in the area of telecommunications services, particularly for customers
in Thailand and Hong Kong. The agreement was signed following CAT’s recent establishment of a Point of Presence in Hong Kong.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
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Japan’s High-Tech Exports Down Sharply after Quake
Japanese high-tech exports dropped sharply in March as a result of disruption caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to government trade statistics published last week and reported by IDG. The
earthquake and tsunami, and ensuing electricity and delivery problems, halted production for several days or more at major high-tech manufacturers across a large part of eastern Japan. One of the most heavily damaged factories was Sony’s Sendai plant,
which makes blank media including Blu-ray Discs and professional-use video tapes. It was inundated by the tsunami and remains closed. Japan’s semiconductor industry was also hit and several factories have yet to resume full production. Chip exports
dropped 9 percent, according to the figures. In total, the country’s exports in March were down 2.2 percent to $71 billion. It was the first drop in exports in 16 months.
Source: IDG, 4/25/2011
NIST Offers Free Standards Access to First Responders
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), in collaboration with the NIST National Center for Standards and Certification Information, has launched an
Internet pilot project to measure the emergency and first responder communities’ need for documentary standards. As part of the study, NIST will offer US first responders free access to documentary standards published by ASTM
International, IEEE, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during the summer. Such standards can establish accepted test methods and
procedures, characterize materials, and define processes and systems for specific tasks.
Source: NIST, 4/26/2011
CARRIER SERVICES
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Telstra Launches BYO Mobile Phone Plans.
Telstra launched a line-up of new Freedom Connect BYO Mobile Plans. The new offerings will allow customers with an existing compatible mobile phone to port that device onto Telstra’s network. Plans range for $55 per
month for a $550 monthly call allowance, unlimited standard national SMS and 1.5GB of data to use in Australia; to a $99 Plan with an unlimited monthly call allowance for standard national voice and video calls, SMS and MessageBank retrieval, 3GB of data
to use in Australia, and $50 of international calling value. All plans require customers to have an existing handset which is capable of using the company’s network.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Swisscom Launches New Fiber Services for SMEs
Swisscom launched new fiber-optic services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new service is available in two tiers: 50Mbps download with 5Mbps upload for CHF160 per month, and 30Mbps download with
3Mbps upload for CHF140 per month. Both plans can be combined with the company’s “Business SLA” option for an additional CHF130 per month. This add-on guarantees that all problems with the service will be rectified within 24 hours.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
CLOUD COMPUTING
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AWS Restores Cloud Services
On April 25th, after its largest and longest outage, Amazon Web Services said it had restored all services to its customers. The outage began April 21st. The AWS Service Health
Dashboard showed all services operating normally this week. The company has promised a detailed post mortem on the outage, which took down operations at a number of well-known Web sites and raised alarms about cloud-computing across the industry, but
AWS had not yet provided that explanation at this writing. While some industry analysts said the incident raises questions about the viability of cloud computing, many others point out that the outage reinforces the need for enterprises to have a disaster
recovery plan – that “renting a server” from a cloud provider is not a substitute for having backup and recovery systems in place.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Dell Introduces New Version of Boomi Integration Cloud
Dell introduced a new version of Boomi Atmosphere, an upgraded integration cloud that adds new features for accessing cloud and Software-as-a-Service services while still using existing middleware and on-premise
equipment. AtomSphere Spring 11 includes features for middleware connectivity, large-scale data management and migration, “anywhere” integration-monitoring, and large-scale data processing.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Fujitsu Launches Cloud Building, Operation Support Services
Fujitsu Japan launched new support services for building and operating cloud environments using open-source software (OSS). They were created to allow organizations and corporations to build a private cloud
environment, as well as to aid cloud services providers in deploying public cloud services using OSS. The OSS clouds can be built using templates pre-verified to work with both Fujitsu hardware. OSS cloud environments can also be built on Fujitsu’s
On-Demand Virtual System Service public cloud, as a backup system in emergencies.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Fujitsu Cloud Technology Used for Japan’s MoAFF System
Fujitsu Japan announced that the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ information system went live on April 19th, using a cloud service based on Fujitsu’s CRMate Software-as-a-Service product.
This system is part of a larger recovery effort by the Japanese government in the wake of last month’s disastrous earthquake and tsunami disaster. It provides details on available housing and job openings for evacuees. CRMate and other such cloud service
offerings will be offered free of charge to corporations, organizations, and local governments involved in the recovery efforts for one year.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
KT Launches Global Content Delivery Network/Cloud Service
KT (Korea Telecom) has deployed a global CDN (Content Delivery Network)/Cloud service platform in Los Angeles and New York in the US, and Frankfurt, Germany. The carrier said it will now be able to provide CDN and
enterprise cloud services to online or mobile game companies, content providers, and multinational businesses, worldwide. The CDN service provides three products: Content Download, Content Cache, and Media Streaming. The global cloud product offers 2Core,
2GB, 100GB, and SAS storage. KT said the new service gives Korea-based enterprises, in particular, a way to shorten the period required to deploy infrastructure overseas to just days or even hours. The service also removes language barriers and provides
for the speedy distribution of content and rapid response to applications, KT said.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Verizon Implements Platform for International Specialty Products
International Specialty Products, a specialty chemicals supplier, has implemented an eBilling platform from Verizon Communications. ISP said it has
been able to move most of its invoices to online billing, eliminating the need for more than 80 paper invoices each month.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Verizon Data Centers Successfully Complete SAS 70 Exam
Verizon said it has successfully completed the annual SAS 70 Type II examination of its data centers, which support the company’s cloud-based computing services and underpin its “everything-as-a-service” cloud-based
information technology delivery model. In addition, the company’s flagship cloud offering, Computing as a Service, also successfully completed the annual SAS 70 Type II examination, Verizon said.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Zoho Launches Full Mac Support for Zoho Meeting
Zoho announced full Mac support for its Zoho Meeting Web app. The new Mac plug-in’s feature’s include simplified invitations, Java and Flash viewers for meetings, high quality audio, and the ability to switch between
presenters during a meeting. Zoho Meeting for Macs is available in a free edition, as well as a $12 per month Professional Edition. The plug-in can be downloaded from Zoho.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS & EQUIPMENT
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Clearwire Footprint Expanded in Washington DC Metro Area
Clearwire, Comcast, and Sprint last week announced an expansion of the Clearwire 4G network footprint and capacity upgrades for mobile
broadband customers in the greater Washington DC metro area. The regional Clearwire CLEAR, Comcast XFINITY Internet 2go, and Sprint 4G service area has added coverage for an additional 288,067 people. Clearwire said that, with the expansion, more than 2.81
million people in the Washington DC area have access to its 4G mobile broadband network. Sprint and Comcast use Clearwire’s network for 4G services.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Clearwire Expands Baltimore Metro Area Footprint
At the same time it announced the expansion of its Washington, DC 4G network footprint, Clearwire said it has also expanded its coverage in the Baltimore, Maryland metro area. The network expansion and upgrade
means the regional Clearwire CLEAR, Comcast XFINITY Internet 2go, and Sprint 4G service area have added coverage for an additional 37,420 people, bring the total to 1.75 million people in the Baltimore area who will have access to Clearwire’s 4G mobile
broadband network. Comcast and Sprint use Clearwire’s network for their 4G services.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Huawei Technologies Rolls Out 200G Router Line Card
Huawei Technologies launched a new 200G line card for high-end routers. It strengthens a router’s clustering capabilities, allowing operators to deploy an ultra-broadband network for cloud computing, mobile
broadband, and high-definition video services.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Level 3 Providing Wavelength Services to Cancer Research Center
Level 3 announced that it has signed an agreement with Moffitt Cancer Center, a non-profit institution, to provide the institute with wavelength services. Level 3 is providing
Moffitt with two, one gigabit Ethernet (GigE) wavelength private lines, one 10 GigE wavelength private line, and four primary rate interface connections. Based in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt is one of the largest cancer research hospitals in the US and acts as
a repository of research information for other institutions.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Nokia Siemens Demonstrates LTE in Rural Germany
Nokia Siemens Networks and Deutsche Telekom demonstrated LTE in the 800-MHz spectrum, as a means of reaching students in rural schools under Nokia Siemens’ “Flying
Classroom Initiative.” Flying Classroom was created under Nokia Siemens’ Social Responsibility program. It allows students to participate in video calls and share education tasks remotely. The deployment includes PCs and video conference software for
remotely collaborating with students and teachers in remote partner schools. With PCs and smartboards interlinked, students can simultaneously collaborate on documents. Deutsche Telekom established an LTE connection with the G-E-Lessing-Gymnasium school in
Doebeln, Germany. The network was supplied and integrated by Nokia Siemens.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Nokia Siemens to Upgrade Zain Iraq’s Data Repository
Nokia Siemens Networks agreed to provide its One-NDS platform for Zain Iraq, as it looks to unify subscriber data that is distributed across its current network. One-NDS provides real-time data access,
across multiple applications. It should provide a high-capacity data repository to help the mobile operator upgrade from its current legacy database architecture to better extend services to more than 12 million subscribers. Nokia Siemens will also upgrade
Zain’s home location register, and provide integration and consulting services.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Nokia Siemens Launches HD Voice Network for MegaFon
Nokia Siemens Networks and MegaFon launched a commercial, high-definition (HD) voice GSM network for MegaFon subscribers in Russia, which should allow them
to enjoy clear voice-call quality and upgraded communications. The operator now provides HD voice services on its Moscow and Sochi GSM and UMTS networks. Nokia Siemens Networks is responsible for the HD voice implementation.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Rogers Confirms LTE Launch for 2011 in 4 Major Cities
Rogers Communications officially announced plans to launch its Long Term Evolution (LTE) before the end of 2011. The initial locations will be Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Ottawa, with the top 25 markets in
Canada expected to have coverage before the end of 2012. When it launches, the network will be capable of peak download rates of up to 150 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of up to 70 Mbps, Rogers says. The LTE network will launch on the
company’s AWS spectrum, and will be gradually deployed on multiple bands at a later time.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Sprint Deploying Enhanced 3G Network at Washington U in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis has selected Sprint to deploy an enhanced in-building and campus-wide wireless 3G network. Beyond wireless connectivity, Sprint said the network will
allow interoperability between land mobile radios and mobile devices and offers the option to selectively migrate from fixed, land-line phones to mobile devices in the future.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Telecom Italia Wins Contract for Italian Public Administration’s Lines
Telecom Italia won a competitive contract to provide fixed-line telephony services to the Italian Public Administration. The contract will see the telecom carrier providing 375,000 lines to the administration,
or about 75% of its total telecom connections. This number could be extended to include as many as 525,000 lines. The agreement has a duration of 36 months, with options to extend the service period to 48 months. The cost of the project is estimated to be
approximately EUR 1.2 billion.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
TeliaSonera Launches 4G Services in Lithuania
TeliaSonera became the first company to launch 4G cellular service in Lithuania. The service areas include Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai and Panevezys. The network will run on the 1800Mhz spectrum, and will
provide speeds ten times faster than what was previously available in the region, the company says. The initial rollout will use Huawei hardware, and 4G modems made by ZTE. The new
services will be marketed under the Omnitel brand in the country.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Telus Submits Proposal for New Safeguards to CRTC
Telus submitted a proposal to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) asking it to implement safeguards against anti-competitive practices by large broadcasting companies. The telecom
carrier’s sudden concern over the matter resulted from the recent purchase of CTV by Bell Canada‘s parent company, as well as other similar purchases, which have occurred recently. Telus’ proposed safeguards include
forbidding distributors from withholding content from competitors, the outlawing of preferential or exclusive programming rights, and the instatement of limits on programming fees to keep them in line with “fees charged for other services of equal
value.”
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
tw telecom Wins Services Contract from Georgia Law Firm
tw telecom announced that Georgia-based the law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell has selected it to provide advanced voice, data and Internet services to its offices in Atlanta, Georgia; New York City, Washington,
DC; and Jacksonville, Florida. tw telecom will provide the firm with a suite of new networking solutions including business Ethernet services and digital voice/voice-over-IP services as part of a multi-year agreement.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
ZTE Signs Agreement to Rebuild Digi Telecom Network
ZTE signed an agreement to build a unified mobile network for DiGi Telecommunications. The hybrid network will support 2G, 3G, and 4G protocols when it launches during the third quarter of the year. Initial maximum
download speeds are expected to reach 42Mbps using HSPA+, with speeds of four times than being possible once 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) spectrum becomes available. ZTE will be powering the new network with its Radio Access Network (RAN) platform, and
will provide managed services to Digi to maintain the new network when it is operational.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
CONFERENCING
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Cisco Launches TelePresence Room at Venezuela Office
Cisco Systems launched a TelePresence room at its office in Caracas, Venezuela. The advanced collaboration technology integrates spatial audio, life-sized ultra-HD video, and interactive elements to provide virtual
face-to-face meetings through the network.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Polycom Launches Trio of New Teleconferencing Products
Polycom launched three new solutions for its unified communications (UC) product line: the EagleEye Director room camera tracking system, the HDX 4500 executive desktop telepresence system, and the mobile
telepresence m100 solution. The EagleEye Director system is capable of tracking individual speakers participating in a video conference, and zooming and centering on each speaker as they begin talking. The HDX 4500 desktop solution is, according to
Polycom, its highest resolution desktop conferencing product. It also offers a reduction in bandwidth usage by 50% compared to competing solutions, the company says. Lastly, the Telepresence m100 software is designed to be installed on laptops, where it
will serve to connect its user to H.323 and SIP deployments. The software can also be installed on compatible tablet PCs. The EagleEye Director and the HDX4500 will be available late April, with the Telepresence m100 expected in June.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
CONSULTING & MANAGED SERVICES
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Capgemini Signs Letter of Intent with Statoil Fuel for IT Services
Capgemini signed a letter of intent with Statoil Fuel & Retail ASA in Norway to provide design and implementation of a new IT infrastructure. Under the terms of the agreement, Capgemini will provide managed
services within the areas of end user computing, server operations, and IT communication to the company’s locations spread across 8 countries. The work will be managed by Capgemini’s Nordic data centers with the aid of delivery teams from Norway, Sweden,
Finland, Poland, and India.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
HP Unveils Strategic IT Advisory Insight Services
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced new Strategic IT Advisory Services for providing insight for helping develop an IT strategy despite changing demands. Clients can create business services that use techniques such as a
hybrid delivery strategy, business benefits analysis, including insight into cloud computing, enterprise architecture or service management. The services focus on IT strategy and transformation, services management, and cloud readiness.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
HP to Provide Desktop Services, Devices for NASA
HP Enterprise Services was selected to provide end-user desktop services and devices for NASA, to allow its employees to more easily collaborate in a secure computing environment. HP will modernize NASA’s entire
end-user infrastructure with personal computing services and devices to more than 60,000 users. The agreement spans four years – with two, three-year optional renewal periods – and is valued at $2.5 billion USD. HP Enterprise Services also announced it was
named a SAP-certified global provider of cloud services.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
HP Unveils IT Services for Cloud Readiness, IT Strategy
HP Technology Consulting announced Strategic IT Advisory Services for helping CIOs address areas of cloud
readiness, transformation, architecture, and IT strategy management. Pricing will vary by location and implementation. Additional information is available at hp.com/services/SITAS/.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
CYBERCRIME
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Iran Claims It Has Been Targeted by Second Computer Virus
Iranian officials say another computer virus has infiltrated key infrastucture systems in order to undermine the country’s nuclear program. The Associated Press reported that the virus, called “Stars,” is the second
serious computer worm to hit Iran in the past eight months. Late last year, a powerful virus known as Stuxnet targeted the country’s nuclear facilities and other industrial sites. Computerworld reported that many
security experts are casting doubt on the Stars story, however, because no sample of the malware code has been produced.
Source: AP, 4/25/2011
FBI Warns of Chinese Hacks Targeting SMBs
The FBI has issued an alert that China has stolen more than USD $11 million from small- to midsized businesses (SMBs) in the US in the past year via cybercriminal activity, according to an article in InformationWeek.The agency has discovered 20 incidents where sensitive data was compromised from the accounts of SMBs and then money was stolen and wired to Chinese companies in the Heilongjiang province. The
transactions ranged between $50,000 and $985,000.
Source: InfoWeek, 4/26/2011
DATA BREACHES
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NY Yankees Accidentally Email Spreadsheet with Customer Information
Blog Deadspin reported that The New York Yankees accidentally distributed a file containing information on more than 20,000 season ticket accounts. The spreadsheet contained account numbers, names, addresses, phone
numbers, and email addresses, and was mistakenly sent to thousands of current Yankees clients. In an email from the Yankees organization published by Deadspin, the organization said an employee sent an email to several hundred Yankees Season Ticket
Licensees, and that the email mistakenly attached an internal Yankees spreadsheet that listed season ticket holders’ information. Team officials claim, however, that no other information (e.g., credit card information) was released.
Source: Deadspin, 4/28/2011
Sony PlayStation Network Breach Affects 70 Million Online Gamers
Sony’s PlayStation online gaming network (PSN) suffered a critical data breach following an incident in which hackers broke into the system, compromising the sensitive data of approximately 70 million
customers, including user names, addresses, credit card details, and passwords. PSN went offline on April 20, and remains offline except for outage notifications at this
writing. The site includes a note saying "our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible." Sony also noted that all credit card information stored in its
systems is encrypted but could not guarantee that the encrypted data has not been compromised.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
DESKTOPS
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Dell Unveils High-Capacity Mobile, Rack Workstations
Dell introduced new Precision M series mobile workstations and a dual-socket R series rack workstation. Each is Intel based and has the computing capacity and scalability for use in professional 2D and 3D computing
environments, as well as for analyzing massive amounts of data.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE
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Alcatel Offers Free Download of OpenPlug Studio Toolkit
Alcatel-Lucent made its OpenPlug Studio freely available to application developers. OpenPlug Studio is a development toolkit for creating native applications for smartphones, tablets, and other Web-connected
devices, from a single code base, using JavaScript, ActionScript, and XML. Developers can download it at http://developer.openplug.com. Alcatel also launched a Certified OpenPlug Solutions Provider Program,
focused on application development and developer testing.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
E-READERS & E-BOOKS
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Barnes & Nobel Nook Color Update Turns Device into Tablet
Barnes & Noble released update version 1.2.0 for its Nook Color e-Reader device. The major update turns the device into a
fully-featured (or nearly fully-featured) Android tablet. New capabilities include video playback with Adobe Flash, enhanced email and Web browsing, and access to the Android App store. The Nook Color update is available now.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
FINANCIAL
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Harris Declares $0.25 Dividend
Harris Corp approved a quarterly divided of $0.25 per share of its common stock. This amount will be payable on June 10, 2011 to all shareholders of record on May 31, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Acer Posts Lowest Quarterly Profit in Six Years
Acer International – the world’s second-place laptop developer – posted preliminary earnings of 1.2 billion NTD (41.5 million USD), with 0.45 per share, for the 2011 first quarter ended March
31st. This represented Acer’s lowest quarterly profit in six years, and was down from 2010 first quarter earnings of 3.29 billion NTD, or 1.25 NTD per share. Preliminary revenues were $27.8 billion NTD, representing a 14 percent drop, year to year. Last
year, Acer’s laptop shipment growth outpaced that of close rivals HP and Dell, as it gained share in the US and Europe with more than 50 percent unit growth for the quarter.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Amazon Posts Big Revenue Gains, Falling Net Earnings for Q1
Amazon released its first quarter 2011 financial results. The online retailer’s net sales jumped to $9.85 billion, up from $7.13 billion during the same quarter in 2010. However, net income fell to $201 million, down
from $299 million during Q1 2010. This resulted in earnings per share falling to $0.44, down from $0.66, year over year. On these results Amazon released guidance for its second fiscal quarter with revenues expected to fall between $8.85 billion and $9.65
billion.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Amerisource Bergen Beats Expectations in Q1 Results
Amerisource Bergen reported its first quarter 2011 financial results. Revenues were $19.8 billion, up from the $19.3 billion reported for the same quarter in 2010. Net income rose as well, reaching $214
million, or $0.77 per share, compared to $181 million, or $0.63 per share, reported for the first quarter last year. The company said it beat expectations for the quarter thanks to better than expected performance from its specialty generics division. On
these results, Amerisource Bergen predicted a FY 2011 earnings per share total of $2.41 to $2.49.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Boeing Reports Declining Revenue, but Rising Net Income for Q1 2011
Boeing reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2011. The company’s revenue was $14.9 billion, down 2% from the $15.2 billion reported for the same quarter in the prior year. Net income, however, rose
13% to $586 million, or $0.78 per share, compared to $519 million, or $0.70 per share reported for the same quarter in 2010. Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer praised the quarter, citing the US Air Force Tanker program as
being a major player in the company’s success during the period.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Broadcom Posts 8% Jump in Q1 Earnings
Chip maker Broadcom posted an 8% jump in first-quarter profit but the Irvine, California-based chip maker said revenue from the unit that makes chips for Nokia and Samsung cellphones declined, affecting its overall
results. Broadcom posted first quarter earnings of $228 million USD, or $0.40 per share, up from $210 million, or $0.40 per share, in the same quarter last year. Revenue rose to $1.82 billion from $1.46 billion in last year’s first quarter.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Cardinal Health Posts Impressive Earnings in Q1 2011 Financials
Cardinal Health posted its financial results for the third quarter of its 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue totaled $26.1 billion, a 7% increase over the same period last year, when it took in $24.3 billion.
Net earnings saw a significant jump, coming in at 447.3 million, 17% more than the same quarter last year, when Cardinal earned $363.2 million. This caused a 15% jump in earnings per share over the same period, raising them to $0.71 compared to $0.62
during the third quarter in 2010. The vast majority of the quarter’s success came from the company’s pharmaceuticals segment, which saw a $77 million jump in profits, year over year.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
China Mobile Reports More than 600 Million Subscribers
China Mobile Limited ended the first quarter of 2011 with a total of more than 600 million subscribers. This represents a 3 percent increase from the 584 million customers it had at the end of December, 2010.
The carrier’s first-quarter net income climbed 5.4 percent to 26.9 billion yuan (US$4.1 billion), from 25.5 billion yuan a year earlier. Sales rose 8.3 percent to 118.2 billion yuan. China Mobile said 549 million customers made use of value-added services
in the first quarter, which ended March 31, and 476 million used its wireless music service. Value-added services were “the driving force” of sales growth in the first quarter, the carrier said. China Mobile officials expect its data business to be a
significant source of future revenue growth.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
China Unicom First Quarter Profit Plunges 86%
China Unicom first quarter profits plummeted as 3G handset subsidies weighed on the company’s earnings. Revenues were CNY 49.03 billion (US$7.53 billion), up 21.2 percent from CNY 40.52 billion in the
year-ago quarter. Net profit for the first quarter, however, was CNY 166 million (US$25 million), down 86.3 percent from CNY 1.21 billion in Q1 2010. The telecom warned that, although revenue from its 3G business and fixed-line broadband business have been
growing quickly, the company’s earnings for the first half of 2011 may be substantially affected by operating expenses, including cost-of-sales, particularly for 3G handset subsidies.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Citrix Posts Q1 Financials, Sees Revenues, Earnings Increase
Citrix posted its first quarter 2011 financial results. The company’s revenue was $490 million, up from $414 million for the same quarter in 2010. Net income totaled $73.3 million, or $0.38 per share, compared to
$47.3 million, or $0.25 per share. On these results, the company posted its guidance for the second quarter of the year, including net revenue in the range of $515 million to $525 million, and earnings per share between $0.41 and $0.42. Citrix also posted
its FY 2011 guidance, which predicts a net revenue of $2.14 billion to $2.17 billion, and earnings per share of $1.91 to $1.94.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Earthlink Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.05
Earthlink declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share. This amount will be payable on June 27, 2011, to all share holders of record by June 13, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Earthlink Reports Increased Revenue on Acquisitions in Q1 Financials
Earthlink posted its financial results for the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue was $243.0 million, a 55% increase over the same period last year, largely due to the acquisitions of
ITC^DeltaCom and STS Telecom. Net income was $16.4 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to $26.7 million, or $0.25 per share in the first quarter of 2010. During the quarter, the company lost 79,000 subscribers, which was an improvement over the 114,000
that departed the company during the same period a year ago. This resulted in a churn rate of 2.7%, a record low for the company.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
eBay Posts Strong First Quarter, PayPal Shows Impressive Growth
eBay posted its financial results for the first quarter of 2011. The company’s revenue rose 16%, $2.55 billion, up from $2.1 billion during the same quarter in 2010. Net income was $476 million, up 20% from the $398
million reported a year ago. This resulted in earnings per share of $0.47, compared to an EPS total of $0.42 for the first quarter of last year. The company’s PayPal business showed strong growth as well, growing its subscriber base by 16% to reach 97.7
million active users, with a total payment volume of $27.4 billion for the first quarter.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Ericsson Quadruples Net Earnings for First Quarter
Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson announced that its profits quadrupled for the 2011 first quarter, ended March 31st, driven in large part by strong demand for its mobile broadband products. Profits hit
4.1 billion SEK ($675 million USD), or 1.27 per share. This was up a full 220 percent from 2010 first quarter profits of 1.3 billion, with 0.39 per share. Revenues were 53 billion, representing 17 percent growth compared to 2010 first quarter revenues of
$45 billion. This was largely attributed to the rise in higher sales for its key Networks division.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Fujitsu Blames Disaster Damage for Missing Estimates
Fujitsu Japan announced that profits and sales for the 2010 fiscal year – ended March 31, 2011 – fell short of its January projections after the earthquake in eastern Japan caused disruption to Fujitsu manufacturing
plants, regional logistics, and customer facilities. Profits were 55 billion JPY ($663 million USD). Revenues were 4.5 trillion JPY, down more than three percent from fiscal 2009 revenues. Higher sales of LSI devices and electronic components were offset
by temporary production stoppages and shipment delays. Fujitsu recorded 11.6 billion JPY in losses on damage from the natural disaster.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
General Dynamics Reports Flat Revenue, Increasing Backlog
General Dynamics released its financial results for the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue was $6.8 billion, flat with the same quarter in 2010. Net earnings rose slightly, reaching
$618 million, up from $597 million. This raised earnings per share to $1.66, compared to $1.55 for the first quarter of 2010. General Dynamics currently has a backlog on orders totaling $57.6 billion, a number which has grown significantly during the
quarter thanks to an increased demand for Gulfstream aircraft.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
IBM Announces $0.75 Quarterly Dividend, $8B in Stock Repurchase Funds
IBM announced its quarterly cash dividend, as well as an expanded stock repurchasing program. IBM’s board of directors approved a dividend of $0.75 per share of the company’s common stock. This amount will be payable on
June 10, 2011 to stockholders of record by the close of business on May 10, 2011. The announced stock repurchasing expansion will add $8 billion to the company’s efforts. This is in addition to an existing $4.7 billion pool of funds remaining from prior
authorizations. IBM plans to purchase the stock on the open market, as well as through private transactions, depending on market conditions.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
LG Announces Second Consecutive Quarter of Losses
LG Electronics Worldwide posted its second consecutive quarter with losses, as it was hit by investments in affiliates and falling sales in the 2011 first quarter ended March 31st. LG – a top global manufacturer of
flatscreen TVs and mobile phones – lost 15.8 billion KRW ($14.6 million USD) in the quarter, down from profits of 675 billion KRW in the 2010 first quarter. In the 2010 fourth quarter, losses were an even more substantial 256.5 billion KRW. Revenues fell
less than one percent, to 13.2 trillion KRW.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Lockheed Martin Posts Improved Net Sales, Earnings Per Share for Q1
Lockheed Martin released its first quarter 2011 financial results. Net sales totaled $10.6 billion, up from the $10.3 billion reported for the same quarter in 2010. Net earnings, however, fell slightly to
$530 million, down from $533 million for the same quarter in 2010. Conversely, earnings per share actually rose to $1.50, up from $1.41 in Q1 2010. On these results the company reaffirmed its financial guidance. FY 2011 revenue is expected to be between
$45.8 billion and $47.3 billion, with earnings per share predicted at $6.95 to $7.25.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Microsoft Earnings, Revenue Rise Sharply
Microsoft reported that net income for its fiscal third quarter ended March 31, 2011 jumped to $5.23 billion USD, or 61 cents per share, from $4.01 billion, or 45 cents per share, during the same period a year
earlier. The results included a five-cent-a-share benefit from a settlement with the US Internal Revenue Service related to tax audits from prior years. Revenue rose to $16.43 billion from $14.5 billion a year ago. Microsoft said profits were driven by
strong sales of its Office software and Xbox products.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Motorola Solutions’ Profits Up 42% on Strong Demand
Motorola Solutions announced earnings of $170 million USD, with $1.06 per share, for the 2011 first quarter ended March 31st, on the heels of what president and CEO Greg Brown called “outstanding
first quarter revenue growth in all four geographic regions,” and driven by strong demand across its Government and Enterprise segments. This was up 42 percent from 2010 first quarter earnings of $120 million, or $0.29 per share. Revenues were $1.9 billion
for the 2011 first quarter ended March 31, 2011. This is up eight percent from the 2010 first quarter,
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Nielsen Posts 8.9% Revenue Growth, $181 Million Net Loss on IPO
Nielsen released its financial results for the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue was $1.3 billion, 8.9% higher than the same quarter in 2010. Net loss for the first quarter was $181
million, compared to a net income of $43 million for the first quarter of 2010. This is due to a $210 million charge related to the company’s IPO, which took place during the first quarter.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Northrop Grumman Revenue Down, Profits Up in Q1 2011
Northrop Grumman posted its financial results for the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue was $6.73 billion, down slightly from the $6.91 billion it reported for the same quarter of 2010.
On a more positive note, net earnings were up considerably to $530 million, after being reported at $469 million for the same quarter in 2010. This caused earnings per share to rise to $1.79, up from $1.52, year over year. On these results, Northrop
Grumman raised its FY 2011 earnings per share prediction to a range of $6.50 to $6.70.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Polycom First Quarter Profit Surges
Video conferencing company Polycom reported that its first-quarter net income increased almost sevenfold, and revenue rose 25 percent. Net income for the three months to March 31 rose to $34 million USD, or 38 cents
per share, from $5 million, or 6 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding such items as stock-based compensation expenses, adjusted earnings came to 48 cents per share. Revenue climbed to $344 million from $276 million in the first quarter last year..
Polycom chief executive Andrew Miller said the company’s performance was boosted by the rapid adoption of video conferencing, the increasing use of mobile devices, and the growth of cloud computing.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Raytheon Posts Flat Revenue, Modest Profit Growth for Q1 2011
Raytheon posted its first quarter financial results for 2011. The company’s revenue was flat with the same quarter last year at $6.06 billion. Net income rose 4% to $497 million, after coming in at $480 million a
year ago. This raised earnings per share by 10% to $1.38, compared to $1.25 from the same quarter in 2010. William H. Swanson, Raytheon’s Chairman and CEO, praised the company’s performance this quarter in the face of “the challenging budget environment”.
On these results, Raytheon amended its FY 2011 guidance to include earnings per share between $5.50 and $5.65.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Rogers Reports Rising Income, 45,000 New Mobile Subscribers for Q1
Rogers reported its first quarter 2011 operating results. The company’s revenue was $2.99 billion, up 4% over the same quarter last year when it took in $2.88 billion. Net income rose to $423 million, or $0.76 per
share, compared to Q1 2010’s totals of $397 million, or $0.67 per share. During the quarter the carrier added at total of 45,000 net new post-paid subscribers, and lost 10,000 pre-paid subscribers. Rogers also saw single-digit growth across its entire
wireline, except for its television business, which lost 8,000 subscribers.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Rogers Board Approves Quarterly Dividend
Rogers Communications‘ board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend totaling 35.5 cents per share. The quarterly dividend will be paid on July 4, 2011 to shareholders of record on June 15, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
SAP Posts Impressive Revenue Gains in First Quarter 2011 Financials
SAP posted its financial report for the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue was EUR 3.02 billion, an impressive 21% increase over the first quarter of 2010, when it took in EUR 2.5 billion. Net
income rose, although not as steeply, to EUR 403 million, or EUR 0.34 per share, compared to EUR 387 million, or EUR 0.33 posted a year ago. SAP’s success this quarter was largely due to its continued record setting software revenue growth, with another
20% jump for this quarter, bringing it to EUR 2.3 billion. The company predicted a FY 2011 software revenue growth of 10% to 14%.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Sprint Narrows Loss in First Quarter
Sprint Nextel reported a first-quarter 2011 loss of $439 million USD, or 15 cents per share, compared with a loss of $865 million, or 29 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue was up 2.8%, from $8.09 billion in the
first quarter of 2010 to $8.31 billion in the quarter ended March 31, 2011. The company continued to lose wireless subscribers in the first quarter as it faces increasingly stiff competition from AT&T (which has bid to acquire T-Mobile USA) and Verizon.
Sprint lost 114,000 postpaid, or contract, subscribers during the quarter. Its churn rate improved, however, coming in at 1.81 percent compared to 2.15 percent during the first quarter of 2010. The company had a total of more than 51 million wireless
customers at the end of the first quarter of 2011. This includes 33.0 million postpaid subscribers, 13.1 million prepaid subscribers, and approximately 4.9 million wholesale and affiliate subscribers. Sprint added more than 1.1 million net wireless
customers during the quarter, but it lost about 114,000 net postpaid subscribers.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
TE Posts 17% Sales Growth on Telecom Network Presence
TE Connectivity – the firm formerly known as Tyco Electronics, which acquired ADC last year for $1.25 billion USD – reported that revenues were up 17 percent for the 2011 fiscal second quarter
ended March 25, 2011, spurred by continued growth in orders for most of its markets, especially in the automotive, industrial, and telecom networks. Sales were $3.4 billion, compared to 2010 fiscal second quarter revenues of $2.96 billion. Profits were
$299 million, or $0.67 per share, down from 2010 fiscal second quarter profits of $304 million. Included were $0.05 per share of ADC acquisition-related charges, and $0.01 per share of restructuring and other credits.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Unisys Declares $1.5799 Dividend for Preferred Stock
Unisys‘ board of directors has declared a dividend of $1.5799 per share of the company’s outstanding 6.25% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A. This amount will be payable on June 1, 2011 to all
shareholders of record by the close of business on May 16, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Unisys’ Revenue Down, Net Loss Up in Q1 2011 Financials
Unisys posted its financial results from the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue fell to $911.2 million after coming in at $977.4 million during the same quarter of 2010. The company’s net
loss worsened as well, with Unisys losing $40.8 million during the quarter, almost four times the $11.6 million it lost during the same quarter in 2010. The company blamed the dismal quarter on “greater than anticipated softness in our U.S. Federal
business associated with the budget impasse in Washington.”
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
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F4W Providing VA with Communications System
F4W announced that it is providing the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with thirteen of F4W’s latest Core communication systems. The systems will be placed at VA’s
twelve Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group regional offices throughout the United States and in the office of VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. F4W said the system will provide VA with secure, resilient communications in the event of natural
disasters and other emergencies
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS
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comScore Launches Physicians Panel Media Planning Tool
comScore joined with ImpactRx, a pharmaceutical insights company, to launch the comScore Physicians Panel Media Planning Tool. The new software is designed to help healthcare marketers and media planners with the
metrics necessary to place online media buys targeted to physicians. Like comScore’s Media Metrix product, the new offering uses previously gathered insights to examine visitation patterns, giving insight into the physicians’ browsing habits. The new
measurement product will launch as part of the comScore/ImpactRx Physician Behavioral Measurement solution, and will run on comScore’s proprietary permission-based panel methodology. comScore Physicians Panel Media Planning Tool is available now.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
McKesson Extends Care Services Partnership with LA DHS
McKesson announced an extension to its partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS). The agreement will see McKesson continuing to provide its care services, including care
management, complex case management, and nurse advice line. The program is designed to help Medicaid members and low-income individuals with managing asthma, diabetes, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure. No
financial terms for the extension were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
NEC Joins with Phillips for New Digital Pathology Solutions
NEC signed an agreement with Royal Philips Electronics to jointly develop new digital pathology solutions. The proposed solutions will combine Philips` high-throughput pathology slide scanner and NEC`s e-Pathologist
Cancer Diagnosis Assistance System. The companies say they will be able to provide quantitative analysis alongside the qualitative information competing solutions are able to provide. The companies expect to unveil the first results of this alliance before
the end of the year.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Verizon Partnering with Healthsense for FiOS-based Monitoring System
Verizon Communications and Healthsense are partnering on health monitoring services that will run over Verizon’s FiOS fiber optic network. The new services will be offered
to senior- and assisted-living housing developments that have Verizon’s FiOS network. Under terms of the agreement, senior-living communities that are served by Verizon’s FiOS broadband connectivity and are interested in installing or upgrading a home
health care solution will be referred to Healthsense. Healthsense will provide the monitoring devices and equipment, Wi-Fi technology, and 24-hour monitoring and maintenance services directly to the participating communities. Healthsense, based in Mendota
Heights, Minnesota, offers integrated solutions for Personal Emergency Response Systems, Wi-Fi wireless nurse call, and remote safety and wellness monitoring.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
INTERNET
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comScore Launches New Total Universe Report
comScore announced the beta release of its comScore Media Metrix Total Universe report. comScore says the new offering provides measurements for 100 percent of a site’s traffic, including mobile usage, app-based
usage, tablet usage, and visits from public computers. The new report will be made available to all comScore Media Metrix subscriber accounts holding the comScore Unified Digital Measurement (UDM) tag.
Source: Vendor, 4/22/2011
Google Launches Chrome 11 with HTML-Based Speech Recognition
Google officially released the stable build of Chrome 11. The key feature of the updated Web browser is its ability to translate spoken
words into text via HTML. Google suggests the feature can be used with translation services, such as its own Google Translate, as well as for inputting search terms and other text entries in any compatible Web app or site.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
ICANN Posts Background Info on Latest IPv4 Redistribution Proposal
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) posted a new background information document on current efforts to create a “Global Policy for post exhaustion IPv4 allocation mechanisms by the IANA
[the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority]”. The current proposal would place blocks of returned IPv4 addresses into a Recovered IPv4 Pool. The pool’s addresses would become available for distribution when one of the official RIRs had exhausted at least
half of its /8 block of addresses. IANA would then assign an “IPv4 allocation unit” to that RIR. This process would be repeated to keep RIRs operation until the eventual IPv6 transition. More information about this current proposal, and previous failed
proposals, is available from the background information document.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
ICANN Publishes Proposed Changes to .MOBI Agreement
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) published a proposed amendment to the .MOBI Registry
Agreement. The proposal would give registry operators the ability to assign one and two-character domain names. The possible changes to the .MOBI agreement are currently being considered by ICANN to determine whether the alterations could cause any
significant competition, security, or stability issues. The public comment period for the proposal runs until May 25.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
NTT Communications Joins World IPv6 Day
NTT Communications and its three subsidiaries announced that they will participate in World IPv6 Day, designed to test the readiness of IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
as the World Wide Web transitions from IPv4. Organized by the Internet Society and major Internet companies including Google, Yahoo, and Facebook, the event is a 24-hour testing of public IPv6 deployment. Participants
will enable IPv6 on their main Web sites for 24 hours starting on June 8th, providing their Web content over IPv6 while testing connections to isolate any possible issues that may affect users.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
SETI Forced to Shut Down Telescope Array
SETI (Search For Terrestrial Intelligence) was forced to shut down its Allen Radio Telescope Array due to a lack of funding. The 42 dish array was named for Microsoft co-founder
Paul Allen following a sizable donation to the organization. The array will be put into a “hibernation state” until SETI can secure the funding to re-open it. This news comes after the National Science Foundation University Radio Observatory funding to
Berkeley for its Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) operations was cut to one tenth of its former size. The project was also hurt by the various budget shortfalls recently suffered by the State of California. SETI was poised to begin searching for radio
transmissions from areas of space confirmed to have "Earth-like" planets. The organization says it is working with the US Air Force and private organizations in its efforts to obtain new funding. It is also accepting donations at its Web site.
Source: Vendor, 4/22/2011
WebM Launches Patent Cross Licensing Initiative for Members
The WebM Project, a coalition of Internet companies dedicated to developing an open-source online video format, introduced its new Community Cross-License Initiative. The
initiative includes 17 founding members. All of the participating organization have agreed to freely offer patent licenses for any technology they own to other members, if that technology is integral to the WebM protocol. A full list of Community
Cross-License Initiative members is available from WebM.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
LAPTOPS & TABLETS
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Apple Rolls Out iPad 2 in Several New Countries
Apple rolled out its iPad 2 tablet in 12 new countries, and announced it will release the device in China starting May 6, 2011. It is now sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Israel, South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE.
Source: Vendor, 4/29/2011
Best Buy Now Accepting Pre-Orders for HTC Flyer Tablet
US retailer Best Buy has begun taking in-store pre-orders for the soon-to-be released Wi-Fi version of the HTC Flyer tablet. The 16-GB Android
Gingerbread system has a seven-inch touchscreen and runs on 3G and 4G networks. In addition to its seven-inch touchscreen, Flyer is also compatible with a digital pen stylus, which is included. It will sell for $499 USD. No release date has been
announced.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Sony to Launch Tablet PCs Later in the Year
Sony is preparing to enter the tablet computer sector later this year with two models that use the Android Honeycomb operating system. The tablets are the slate-style "S1," which has a 9.4-inch
touchscreen, and the shell-shaped "S2" device, which has a 5.5-inch touchscreen and can be opened and closed. Sony reported the devices might not debut at the same time but will be launched worldwide.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
LEGAL
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Samsung Counter-Sues Apple Over Patents in Three Countries
Samsung Electronics reported it filed a series of counter-suits against Apple in Germany, South Korea, and Japan last Friday, alleging the iPhone maker stole Samsung data- and
3G-related intellectual property. The suit comes in response to Apple’s recent Northern California US District Court suit, accusing it of patent infringement in what is widely being considered more of a proxy attack against Google. The Apple suit involves
user interface issues in Android smartphones and tablets, which Apple believes Samsung stole from its UI and packaging designs to make similar to Apple’s iOS. In a statement, Samsung reported it is protecting its intellectual property – which includes 10
patents related to power consumption, data error-correction, and wireless technology – to ensure continued mobile industry innovation.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Google Fined $5 Million in Potentially Precedent-Setting Linux Case
Google was fined $5 million by a Texas court for patent infringement on the Linux kernel, according to the BBC. The software in question is used by Google in its server platform,
and, to a certain extent, its Android mobile operating system. The relatively modest penalty is, perhaps, the least important part of the case. In reality, this victory against Google by Bedrock Computer Technologies could result in companies being force
to pay royalties to use Linux, something that was previously cost-free in most cases. The alternative would likely be a flood of lawsuits over using open-source software, the BBC says. For its part Google says it plans to do everything it can to safeguard
the open-source community. Bedrock Computer Technologies has also filed lawsuits against Yahoo, MySpace, Amazon, PayPal, Match.com, and AOL.
Source: Vendor, 4/22/2011
M2M
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Verizon Wireless, USA Tech Partner for M2M Payment Services
Verizon Wireless and USA Technologies announced a collaboration for small-ticket, wireless, cashless payment services and M2M (machine-to-machine) applications via USA
Technologies’ ePort Connect Service. The USA Technologies solution will now include the Verizon Wireless network for connectivity that enables wireless point-of-sale payments at vending machines via credit and debit cards. Verizon Wireless’ Machine to
Machine Management Center portal is managed through nPhase, a Verizon Wireless-Qualcomm joint venture.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
MALWARE WATCH
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CA Warns of Fake Kaspersky AV Software in the Wild
CA warned that a fake antivirus product for mobile devices is spreading and claims to identify two threats, encouraging unsuspecting victims to download the rogue software. The fake software claims to be from Kaspersky Lab and is targeted at Russian mobile users.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Feds Announce Plan to Further Cripple Coreflood Botnet
Computerworld reported that the Department of Justice (DOJ) plans to remotely uninstall the Coreflood botnet Trojan from infected PCs in the coming weeks to further
contribute to the demise of the botnet. Both the FBI and the DOJ obtained a restraining order a few weeks back that enabled them to seize the servers managing Coreflood. Once Coreflood was taken offline, spam traffic in
the US fell by 90%.The DOJ is identifying the infected computers that contain Coreflood and will then contact the computer owners to pursue the uninstall strategy.
Source: Computerword, 4/27/2011
MOBILE APPS
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Amazon Releases Updated Kindle for Android App with Tablet Support
Amazon updated its Kindle App for Android to better tailor the software to tablet devices and the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) operating system. Changes to the app include a new customized Kindle store, a new layout for
periodicals, the ability to pause and resume downloads, and enhanced dictionary functionality. The updated Kindle App for Android can be downloaded from
Amazon’s Web site.
Source: Vendor, 4/21/2011
Boingo Releases Wi-Fi App for Nook eReader
Boingo Wireless announced that a special version of its Wi-Fi app for Android is now available to NOOK Color customers as a free NOOK App through the Barnes & Noble NOOK Bookstore. The agreement with Barnes & Noble is Boingo’s first eReader partnership. The Boingo Wi-Fi app enables access to more than 325,000 Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Google Updates Google Docs for Android, Adds Optical Text Recognition
Google released a new Google Docs app for android with text capture capabilities. The application comes with several new features, including a new widget, the ability to upload from Gmail, and new sharing options.
However, the focus of the most recent update is the app’s ability to recognize text in images taken by Android-based smartphone cameras. The tool uses Google’s optical character recognition (OCR) to translate the image of text into actual editable text.
The new feature also supports recognizing text in images already stored on the user’s phone. The latest Google Docs for Android update is available from the Android Marketplace.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
MOBILE PLATFORMS
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Boxtone Mobile Managment Available to Verizon Enterprise Customers
Verizon Wireless and BoxTone, which makes Mobile Service Management software, announced that Verizon Wireless enterprise customers can now use BoxTone’s full lifecycle
mobile management platform to secure, manage, monitor, and support mobile devices, applications, and services. Supported smartphone and tablet devices include the RIM BlackBerry, Apple iPhone and iPad, Android-based devices, and Windows Mobile/Phone 7.
Mobile messaging platforms are also supported, including BlackBerry Enterprise Server, Microsoft ActiveSync, and Good Technology.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
ZTE Predicts 12 Million Smartphones and Tablets to Be Sold in 2011
ZTE believes it will sell more than 12 million smartphone and tablet units combined over the course of 2011. This projection was released as part of the company’s new “smart terminal strategy”. The plan includes
goals of becoming one of the top three global tablet providers, one of the top five for Android device makers, and first in manufacturing Chinese smart terminals in 2011.The company says it plans on reaching these goals by leveraging upcoming 3G and 4G
technologies, as well as continuing to rapidly release new products to the Chinese market.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
OPERATING SYSTEMS
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Microsoft Hold 78% OS Market Share
Gartner released a new study on worldwide operating system revenue and market share for 2010. On the market share side Microsoftretained a commanding lead
at 78.6% of all OS installations; IBM came in next with its AIX capturing 7.5% of the market; HP was third with 3.7%; Oracle grabbed 2.6% for fourth; Red
Hat was in fifth with 2%; Apple, the only other major consumer-level OS maker held 1.7% of the market; with the remaining 3.9% going to smaller competitors. On the revenue list Microsoft earned $23.8 billion, an 8.8%
increase over its 2009 total; IBM took in $2.28 billion to grow 5.6%; while HP’s revenue was $1.1 billion, having grown 1.4%. The big winner of the year was Oracle, which made $780 million, an incredible 7,682% increase over its 2009 numbers, thanks to its
acquisition of Sun Microsystems. The list was rounded out by Red Hat, earnings $610 million, with 18% growth; and Apple earning $520 million, with 15.8% growth.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
PERIPHERALS
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Toshiba Develops 7-Inch Vehicle Multi-Touch LCD
Toshiba Mobile Display developed a seven-inch, multi-touch, thin-film transistor LCD for in-vehicle mounting and other industrial uses. The user can input data using touch-panel technology, without
having to install one..
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION
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Boeing Subsidiary Tapestry Solutions Appoints R. Sam DeFord Jr CEO
Boeing subsidiary Tapestry Solutions announced the appointment of R. Sam DeFord Jr. as its new President and CEO. He is replacing Galen Aswegan, who will move onto a new strategic management position at Boeing. Prior
to this appointment, DeFord served as Tapestry executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Cox Names Kelly Williams VP Wireless Products, Operations
Cox Communications announced that Kelly Williams has been promoted to vice president of wireless products and operations. Prior to joining Cox, he spent 23 years with BellSouth/Cingular/AT&T in a variety of positions,
including VP/GM of Bellsouth’s Nicaragua wireless company, VP/GM of BellSouth nternational Wireless Services, and head of core technology strategy for Cingular Wireless.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Deloitte Unveils Mobility and Usability Lab
Deloitte unveiled its new Mobility and Usability Lab, a joint effort with SAP and Sybase designed to address the mobility needs experienced by
the companies’ combined client base. The new division will research, design, build, and test industry-focused mobile apps. The Mobility and Usability lab will become part of Deloitte’s Mobility Practice.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Deloitte Appoints Bob Contri as Head of Financial Services
Deloitte appointed Bob Contri as the head of its financial services industry group in the US. He will replace Jim Reichbach, who has moved on to lead Deloitte’s global banking and securities practice. Contri has
been with Deloitte for more than 20 years, most recently serving as leader to the banking and securities sector.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Fujitsu Announces Director Appointees
Fujitsu Japan and Fujitsu Laboratories announced several new members to its Board of Directors, pending Fujitsu’s extraordinary shareholder meeting – May 21, 2011 –
and a subsequent Board of Directors meeting. New appointments include six new corporate and executive VPs, as well as new Fujitsu Labs director board member Makoto Murkami. In all, 49 incumbent executives will remain in their current positions.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
KPN Announces Departure of Getronics CEO Erik van der Meijden
KPN announced that Erik van der Meijden, CEO of KPN subsidiary Getronics has tendered his resignation. van der Meijden will leave the company on May 1, 2011. Until a replacement has been determined Steven van
Schilfgaarde, CFO of Getronics, will serve as interim CEO.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
NEC Announces Major Corporate Restructuring
NEC announced a significant corporate reorganization effort, including the establishment of a Nomination and Compensation Committee, changes to its board of directors and the appointment of numerous officers and other
positions. The new Compensation Committee will handle the company’s remuneration system for directors and corporate officers, and will make the process more transparent, according to NEC. As its name suggests, the Nomination Committee will handle the
nomination of directors and corporate auditors. Changes to the board of directors include reducing its membership from 15 members to 13, and the delegation of some of its functions to other corporate officers. Lastly, NEC’s new appointments include 3 new
board members, the departure of 5 previous board members, two new auditors, 4 new corporate offices, 6 new chief officers, 7 lead executives, and 3 advisors. The full list of personnel changes can be found within NEC’s press release.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Northrop Grumman Appoints Mike Papay VP of Cyber Initiatives
Northrop Grumman appointed Mike Papay as its new sector vice president of Cyber Initiatives in the Information Systems sector, and the company lead for cybersecurity. He will report to Linda A. Mills, corporate
vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Information Systems, and will be responsible for the company’s cross-sector cyber strategy development. Prior to this promotion, Papay served as director of engineering strategy for the Information Systems
sector of Northrop Grumman.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
Oracle Names New CFO
Oracle president Safra Catz will be taking on the additional responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer. He will replace Jeff Epstein, who resigned from the company. The appointment is permanent, not an interim
position. Catz has been with the company since 1999, serving as president since 2004. No reason was given for Epstein’s resignation.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
PAETEC Opens Local Office in San Francisco
PAETEC opened a new local office in San Francisco. The new office will start with 10 employees, and may grow to house as many as 30, the company says. The new facility will offer the company’s usual catalogue of
services, including communications, business continuity, security, managed services, and financing.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Telef¢nica Europe Companies Renamed for Individual Countries
Telefonica announced a name change for the component businesses included under the Telefonica Europe umbrella. The individual divisions will now be named Telefonica Czech Republic; Telefonica Ireland; Telefonica
Slovakia; and Telefonica UK, respectively. Telefonica Germany already received its name change as of April 1, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
Toshiba Appoints America Medical Systems Head
Toshiba named Donald Fowler its new GM and SVP, Toshiba America Medical Systems. He will be responsible for the company’s multi-modality business in the US, and will oversee sales, marketing, service,
finance, HR, and IT functions. Fowler is a former executive with Siemens Medical Solutions.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
PUBLIC SAFETY
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Deadly Storms in US Claim More than 200 Lives
The death toll neared 300 in the aftermath of a day of devastating tornadoes in the US. Across Alabama, at least 131 people were killed and more than 300 injured by storms on April 27th. The Associated press reported there were also deaths in
Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. Disaster declarations were issued and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it is sending teams to help state and local officials in affected areas.
Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and other states were hit by severe weather including tornadoes earlier this month.
Source: AP, 4/28/2011
Officials: Damaged Nuclear Plant Core Cooling Faster Than Projected
Kyodo News reported that the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan says the injection of more water is helping to cool the No. 1 reactor core faster than originally projected, and
that there appears to be no major leakage so far from the No. 4 unit’s spent fuel storage pool. Kyodo News also said Tokyo Electric Power Company plans to use new types of remote-controlled robots to gauge radiation levels at the site.
Source: Kyodo News, 4/28/2011
AT&T Debuts Remote Mobility Zone for Disaster Communications
AT&T introduced the Remote Mobility Zone, which provides mobile voice and data services in the absence of wireless coverage. The
new service is designed to support essential communications, enabling businesses and emergency responders to set up their own cell sites during a disaster scenario. AT&T said Remote Mobility Zone is also well-suited for organizations that operate in remote
locations where AT&T holds licensed spectrum, but in which wireless coverage may not be available. Remote Mobility Zone offers three options: fixed site deployment; the “fly-way” solution, which packs a small cell site into a suitcase; and “park and use,”
designed specifically for government use, integrating small cell sites into vehicles, and including roof-mounted satellite antennas. Remote Mobility Zone customers can use their existing AT&T handsets with all three options. In disaster or emergency
conditions, AT&T Remote Mobility Zone clients with AT&T Wireless Priority Service can choose to prioritize cellular traffic to ensure that key personnel can access the network.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
DHS Extends Public Awareness Campaign to Los Angeles
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanded its “If You See Something, Say Something” public awareness campaign to include the city, police department, and sheriff’s department of Los Angeles. This program
encourages the public and key frontline employees to identify and report indicators of terrorism, crime and other threats to the proper transportation and law enforcement authorities.
Source: DHS, 4/25/2011
FCC to Host Earthquake Communications Preparedness Forum
The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission will host an Earthquake Communications Preparedness Forum on May 3, 2011, beginning at 9 AM
at its headquarters building in Washington, DC. The forum will consider preparations that should be made in advance of an earthquake and how to develop and implement national communications policies and emergency procedures to respond to an earthquake’s
potential impact on communications networks and services.
Source: Vendor, 4/25/2011
TSA Enhances Contact Center Procedures
Individuals who contact the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Contact Center (TCC) to report suspicious activity will now receive a tracking number as confirmation of their phone call or email. The tracking
number, which enables follow-up on security concerns, is intended to provide documentation for anyone reporting transportation-related security problems, deficiencies, or vulnerabilities in all modes of transportation.
Source: TSA, 4/21/2011
REGULATORY & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
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DOJ Report: FBI Lacks Ability to Fight Cyber Threats
A new report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general has found that while the FBI has taken steps to
protect US computer networks from cyber attacks, more efforts need to be made to boost security. One point made in the report was that the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force (NCIJTF), which falls under the FBI’s jurisdictiont, was not always
forthcoming in sharing cyber threat information with partner agencies. The audit found that of the 36 agents who were interviewed at 10 different FBI field offices, 36% of the agents admitted that they didn’t have the networking and counterintelligence
experience to investigate security intrusion cases.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
US, Russia Collaborate on Cyber Security Definitions
The EastWest Institute (EWI) and the Information Security Institute of Moscow State University have released a report with definitions for 20 key cybersecurity concepts. The groups hope the effort will lay the foundation for a comprehensive
international cyber taxonomy. "Russians and Americans have never before sat down and really agreed on the terms that are the prerequisite for rules of the road for cyber conflict,” said EWI Chief Technology Officer Karl Rauscher. The groups believe
that "defining terms together is the first step for creating international cybersecurity agreements.”
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
EU’s Cybersecurity Agency Extends Conference Submission Deadline
ENISA, the European Union’s (European Union) cybersecurity agency, has extended the deadline for contributions to the ISSE 2011 (Information Security
Solutions Europe Conference) to May 5. This year’s conference, which is scheduled for November, will flocus on security’s role in business processes and transactions.
Source: ENISA, 4/28/2011
DHS’s Visa Security Program Faulted by GSO
Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessed the ability of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in measuring the Visa Security Program’s (VSP) effectiveness. The VSP reviews visa applications at embassies in an effort to prevent individuals who pose a threat to
the US from entering the country. The GAO noted some weaknesses to the VSP in its report and has advised that the DHS provide more VSP coverage at high-risk posts.
Source: GAO, 3/31/2011
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
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Global Crossing Signs Three New Capacity Deals with SES
SES WORLD SKIES, a division of SES, announced three new capacity deals with Global Crossing to meet “the growing connectivity demand across Latin
America.” The agreements represent the latest expansion in a longstanding alliance between SES WORLD SKIES and Global Crossing’s Latin America unit, which now uses about 290 MHz of capacity aboard SES satellites. Global Crossing has secured an additional
12 MHz of C-band capacity on the spacecraft to enable the implementation of a new VSAT network to support corporate connectivity in Brazil. The company has also contracted for capacity to provide corporate voice, video conferencing, Internet access, and
other offerings in the Andean region using a newly-installed hub in Colombia. Under the third deal, Global Crossing is increasing its corporate network capacity to meet the communications needs of mining and manufacturing companies, multinationals, and
other firms in Argentina and Chile. Earlier this month, Global Crossing announced that it being acquired by Level 3.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Yahsat Launches UAE Communications Satellite
A communications satellite from Yahsat, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, was launched from the European Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Telecompaper reported that the Ariane 5 rocket carrying the spacecraft lifted off on April 23rd. Y1A’s final point of operation is above the United Arab Emirates (UAE). After arriving in position, control of the
satellite will be managed by a team of UAE-national satellite engineers based out of the Yahsat control station in Al Falah, Abu Dhabi. Yahsat has commissioned two satellites to create regionally-focused capacity to manage the expanding requirements for
government, commercial, and consumer satellite communication services in the UAE. The second satellite, Y1B, is scheduled to launch at the end of 2011.
Source: Telecompaper, 4/26/2011
SECURITY FLAWS & FIXES
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Adobe Releases Updated Versions of Acrobat, Reader
Adobe fixed multiple zero-day vulnerabilities within Reader and Acrobat by releasing updates for both products. It is imperative that users immediately update their packages with the latest versions. An Adobe security
bulletin has been posted with further details.
Source: Vendor, 4/21/2011
Google Patches 27 Chrome Flaws in Version 11
Google released Chrome 11, fixing 27 vulnerabilities in earlier versions. Additionally, the vendor released a blog post to provide details about this release, which
includes speech input translation. Google also paid out USD $16,500 to independent developers who reported bugs in Chrome.
Source: Secunia, 4/28/2011
Microsoft Updates its Software Removal Tool
Microsoft released a new version of its Software Removal Tool (MSRT), the second update in the month of April. This new edition includes deflections for variants of the Afcore Trojan along with enhancements to the
MSRT engine for other malware families.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Microsoft Re-Releases Earlier Security Bulletin
Microsoft has re-released a security bulletin from April 12 that is deemed “important” re-offering the updates to address a detection
issue in its Foundation Class (MFC) Library. No changes have been made to the security update files in the bulletin.
Source: Vendor, 4/21/2011
WordPress Releases Version 3.1.2
WordPress 3.1.2 has been released to address a vulnerability. Users should immediately apply the update and can read more in a Codex document that has been posted
by WordPress.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
SECURITY PRODUCTS & COMPANIES
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Apple to iPhone Users: We’re Not Keeping Tabs on Your Locations
Apple has responded to the uproar that was raised last week when two researchers blogged that the iPhone was tracking its users’ locations and
keeping tabs on that data in an insecure file. Apple denied allegations that its devices log locations of users, but admitted that the phones maintain a database of cell phone towers and WiFi hotspots in an effort to provide better service and reception.
The company also said it will begin encrypting the logfile.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
Check Point Debuts ZoneAlarm SocialGuard to Protect Kids on Facebook
In an effort to keep children safe from cyberbullying, hackers, and online predators, Check Point Software has introduced ZoneAlarm SocialGuard, a product that monitors activity in a child’s Facebook account wherever he or she uses the social networking site via Windows PCs, Macs, iPads and other mobile devices. SocialGuard monitors Facebook accounts for various threats including cyberbullying, age fraud,
friend requests, hacked accounts, and Web links.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Facebookers Who “Like” McAfee Get Free Antivirus Software
McAfee‘s security software is now available for free to Facebook users in 41 countries during a special trial period. Facebook users can click “Like” on the McAfee Facebook
page, go to the McAfee 4 Free section, and choose their country from the drop-down menu in order to download a six-month subscription to the vendor’s AntiVirus Plus software.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Orange Selects AuthenTec’s New DRM App for Android Phones
European wireless provider Orange has chosen AuthenTec‘s new downloadable digital rights management (DRM) application to enable secure delivery of movies and TV content to
Android phone and tablet users. AuthenTec worked closely with Orange to create a downloadable application for Android phones and tablets that gives subscribers mobile access to the Orange Cinema
Services, including five channels of movies and TV series content.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Securitas Unveils Online Learning Program
Securitas Security Services has rolled out USA Online University, a learning platform that uses instructor-led, online course delivery methods. The program is scheduled to launch on May 27.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Symantec Report: Targeted Attacks on the Rise Once Again
In its April MessageLabs report, Symantec revealed that targeted attacks rose to 85 per day, the highest figure since March 2009. Following the Rustock
botnet takedown, global spam volumes decreased by 6.4 percentage points to 72.9% in April. The report also found that the global ratio of spam in email traffic from new and previously unknown "bad" sources decreased by 6.4 percentage points
since March to 72.9% (1 in 1.37 emails).
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
SERVERS
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Cisco Deploys Unified Computing for Three Groups
Cisco Systems deployed its Unified Computing System for SENAI Santa Catarina, an industrial training institute, to help expand its server farm to meet the growing IT demands it faces in the professional education
sector. The new system will support 3,000 staff members at 35 SENAI branches in Santa Catarina, which enroll 100,000 students – on-site and through e-learning – annually. It also deployed the UCS for Euronet Worldwide’s central data center in Budapest,
allowing it to provide hybrid cloud services for its IT department and customers, including banks and other financial institutions, using a pay-per-use model to scale capacity to demand, and deployed its Data Center Business Advantage architecture virtual
network system for the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The deployment includes the UCS and switches to aid in provisioning computer resources among students and staff.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
SMARTPHONES
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CNET: Windows Phone 7 Captures Location Data, Too
CNET reported that, like Apple and Google, Microsoft collects the physical locations of customers who use its mobile operating system. CNET said Windows Phone 7 transmits “a
miniature data dump” to Microsoft, including a unique device ID, details about nearby Wi-Fi networks, and the phone’s GPS-derived exact latitude and longitude. Microsoft said location histories are not saved directly on the device, but has not yet
responded to other question from CNET, including how long data is retained.
Source: CNET, 4/26/2011
WSJ: iPhone Collects Data Even When Location Services Disabled
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Apple iPhone collects and stores location information
even when the phone’s location services are disabled. Last week, the Journal reported that Apple’s iPhone and smartphones running on Google’s Android operating system transmitted their locations back to Google and Apple, respectively. Both vendors say any
data they receive is anonymous, and that data collection can be turned off by disabling location services. The WSJ tested that claim and found that even if it disabled location services on an iPhone, the phone kept recording location data, including
coordinates and time stamps.
Source: WSJ, 4/25/2011
Nielsen: Android Now Most Preferred Mobile OS
A post on Nielsenwire, the research company’s blog, says US mobile consumers now name Android as the preferred mobile operating system (OS) for their next smartphone – a change from last year.
The blog cites Nielsen Company‘s monthly surveys of US mobile consumers from January to March 2011. The surveys show 31 percent of consumers who plan to get a new smartphone indicated Android was now their
preferred OS. Apple’s iOS has slipped slightly in popularity to 30 percent, and RIM Blackberry is down to 11 percent. Almost 20 percent of consumers are unsure of what OS to choose next.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Verizon Wireless to Sell Ruggedized CASIO Smartphone
Verizon Wireless and CASIO announced the G’zOne Commando – a new Android-based, ruggedized smartphone. The CASIO G’zOne Commando will be available on April 28 for $199.99
with a new two-year Verizon Wireless contract, plus subscription to a data plan. The new smartphone meets military standard 810G.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Verizon Wireless, Sprint Rolling Out New Android Smartphones
Verizon Wireless started selling the HTC Droid Incredible 2 on April 28, while Sprint will begin offering the Nexus S 4G from Google on May 8, the carriers announced.
Both smartphones will sell for $199.99 with two year service agreements. The Droid Incredible 2 runs under Android 2.2; the Nexus S 4G features Android 2.3, also known as Gingerbread.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Facebook Launches Social Activity-Based Deals on Facebook
Facebook launched a new "deals" program titled simply Deals on Facebook. Unlike the company’s existing Check-In Deals program, the new offering allows users of
the social network to share the cost-saving deals among friends. Facebook is hoping to promote the sharing of offers by kicking off the program with a selection of group deals and "social" experiences. The program’s merchant
participants include HomeRun, kgb deals, OpenTable, Tippr, and others. Deals on Facebook will launch with deals in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, San Diego, and San Francisco, with plans to expand to other cities in the future.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
Friendster to Delete All User-Uploaded Content on May 31
Friendster will be shutting down its long-running social network service on May 31. The site is transitioning from a general purpose social network to “the social gaming destination of choice,” in its own
words. User accounts will remain active, but all user-posted content, including photos, comments, and blog posts will be deleted. The company has been on a steady decline since the rise of MySpace, and later Facebook, with only its Southeast Asian operations showing any kind of success. It was acquired by MOL Global, a Malaysian digital payments company, in 2009. Friendster told users wanting to keep their posted
content to save the content to their own local systems before the May 31 deadline.
Source: CNet, 4/26/2011
Twitter Adds Support for Russian and Turkish
Twitter added Russian and Turkish to its list of supported languages. The new language support was accomplished after added the tongues to its crowd-sourced Translation Center in February. Language preferences are
available in the “settings” page of the user’s account.
Source: Vendor, 4/27/2011
STORAGE
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HP 3PAR Provide Virtualized Storage for Securities Firm
Hewlett-Packard (HP) reported that Samuel A. Ramirez & Co selected a 3PAR utility storage infrastructure to improve its customer responsiveness. HP 3PAR is providing a virtualized, multi-tenant disk array, through
partner ESI. The securities firm – which is responsible for more than $2 billion USD in customer assets – plans to migrate from an aging SAN infrastructure.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
WEB COMMERCE
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eBay China to Become Official Global Outlet for Three Merchants
eBay China signed deals with three Chinese merchants: Breo, an electronics maker; Kwong Pontus Telecom; and Aigo, a technology company. All three will all begin selling their brands globally through eBay. The
companies’ offerings include professional healthcare products, mobile storage, multimedia players, and cordless phones. This is part of a new strategy the company is employing in the region which focuses on expanding its partnerships with local,
large-scale merchants to broaden its online retail offerings. No financial terms for the agreement were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 4/26/2011
WIRELESS
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Verizon Wireless Suffers 4G LTE Outage
Verizon Wireless said it had identified the cause of a nationwide outage on April 27th that affected its 4G LTE network. In a statement originally released to tech blog Engadget, the carrier said, “We have determined the cause of our issue and are working with our major vendors to restore connections.” Verizon customers were unable to activate LTE handsets until the problem was fixed
and subscribers with LTE phones experienced slow data speeds. At about 11 a.m. ET on April 28th, a post on the Verizon Wireless Twitter feed said the carrier’s 4G LTE service was “up and running,” and
thanked customers for their patience.
Source: Vendor, 4/28/2011
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