News Briefs for the Week Ending
06/17/2011
Copyright 2011, Faulkner Information Services. All Rights Reserved.
Docid:00020009
Publication Date: 1106
Publication Type: NEWS
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Committee Okays D Block Bill for Senate Vote
Urgent Communications reported that legislation that would reallocate the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and provide $12 billion to fund the buildout of first-responder LTE networks was approved
overwhelmingly by the US Senate Commerce Committee, setting the stage for a full Senate vote on the bill this Summer. Committee members voted 21-4 in favor of the legislation sponsored by Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Virginia) and ranking member Kay
Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who have worked together closely on the initiative.
Source: UrgentComm, 6/16/2011
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Accenture Announces New IT Agreement with CF Industries Holdings
Accenture announced an agreement with CF Industries Holdings, a fertilizer manufacturer, to implement a new management and information platform. The goal of the new platform will be to “increase operational
excellence and information flow across CF Industries’ businesses.” Specifically Accenture says its solution will improve the company’s supply chain management, customer interaction, finance, and inventory activities. Accenture plans to accomplish this by
deploying SAP enterprise resource planning software, and building a new data warehouse. No financial times for the contract were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Accenture Announces TBWA Worldwide as New Advertising Agency
Accenture announced TBWA Worldwide as its new advertising agency of record, and Tag Worldwide as its new global production agency. The company says it selected TBWA and Tag Worldwide following a review of several
international agencies, and rigorous market testing. The new contractor’s tasks will include adaptation and translation, production, and distribution to media channels. Accenture plans to continue its work with WPP’s MediaEdge:cia, for its global media
planning and buying requirements.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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Massive Number of Security Issues Result in Two Adobe Bulletins
Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe ColdFusion in versions 9.0.1, 9.0, 8.0.1, and 8.0 for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX have resulted in a vendor-issued security bulletin. Adobe
also released another security bulletin to address 39 critical flaws in Shockwave Player. It is highly recommended that users immediately apply all updates.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Adobe LifeCycle, BlazeDS Users Must Update Packages
Two vulnerabilities have been identified in Adobe LiveCycle and BlazeDS, resulting in the release of a vendor security bulletin. Users are
advised to immediately apply the updates.
Source: Vendor, 6/4/2011
Adobe Security Bulletin Squashes Bugs in Reader, Acroba
Adobe has released a security bulletin to address multiple vulnerabilities in Reader and Acrobat. These vulnerabilities could cause the
applications to crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. Reader and Acrobat users are strongly advised to read the bulletin and apply the updates to mitigate all risks.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Critical Vulnerability Identified in Adobe Flash Player
A security bulletin was issued for Adobe Flash Player, addressing a memory corruption vulnerability that could cause a system to crash. An
upgrade to the latest version is required to resolve this issue.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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ADT Launches New Hosted Video Service for Retailers
ADT has introduced hosted video services for the retail industry. The new service consists of a hosted video recording and management system centrally managed by ADT. Using an Internet connection and IP cameras,
retailers can access their video remotely from any location.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Alcatel Appoints New Transformation Head
Alcatel-Lucent appointed Christel Heydemann as VP, HR and Transformation, starting August 22, 2011. She succeeds Pierre Barnabe, who will leave Alcatel to join SFR. Heydemann will also serve as a member of
the management committee. Heydemann is leading Alcatel’s strategic relationship with HP. She joined Alcatel in 1999.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Alcatel, thePlatform to Create TV Everywhere Video Platform
Alcatel-Lucent announced an agreement with thePlatform – an online video management and publishing company – to offer a multi-screen video platform to help cable and
IPTV providers support live, scheduled video on demand and “TV everywhere” services using TVs, PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other devices.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Alcatel to Provide WDM for MTS Metro Network Upgrade
Alcatel-Lucent agreed to supply Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology for OJSC Mobile TeleSystems. The telecommunications operator is planning to upgrade the capacity and speed of its network in
several metropolitan areas in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, to allow it to deliver 3G services while also preparing to introduce a future LTE deployment.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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AOL Hires Former Vanity Fair Editor as Features Editor for HuffPo
AOL announced Michael Hogan as the new Executive Features Editor of AOL Huffington Post Media Group and Editor-in-Chief of Moviefone and AOL TV. In the new position, Hogan will be tasked with overseeing the news,
opinion, and information network’s senior editorial team. Prior to this appointment, Hogan worked as Executive Digital Editor of Vanity Fair, where he helped launch the periodical’s iPad edition.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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AOL Teams with American Express for Serve Card
AOL announced a new partnership with American Express to launch Serve, a new digital commerce platform. The service will be integrated with the Patch Deals platform, part of AOL’s Patch hyper-local online community.
Users who sign up for Serve will receive a co-branded card that can be used to redeem Patch Deals at participating local merchants. The Serve card is already usable at select small to medium-sized merchants around the country, with the program’s official
launch expected to take place in the Fall.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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AOL Launches New Industry-Specific AOL Defense Web Page
AOL launched the latest in its industry-specific Web page series, AOL Defense. The site will offer visitors news, video, a community platform, and expert analysis of the issues facing the defense industry. Content will
include reporting, news aggregation, data, opinion pieces, and video. The site will be led by Colin Clark, a veteran journalist with experience in covering the defense, intelligence, and aerospace industries. The site is expected to go live before June
20.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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AOL’s Patch Signs Agreement with Hyper-Local Ad Agency Geomentum
AOL‘s Patch signed a partnership with Geomentum, a hyperlocal advertising agency, that will give the ad agency’s clients access to Patch’s 800 news, information, and community sites. Geomentum plans to use the
partnership to deliver scaled digital advertising solutions to its clients via locally-versioned advertising campaigns on Patch sites. The companies also plan to work together to produce research and analytical tools designed to highlight the effectiveness
of using hyper-local advertising. No financial terms for the transaction were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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AOL Launches Revamped Lifestore.com, New AOL TechGuru Site
AOL announced the rebranding and expansion of its online store. The newly renamed Lifestore.com offers a variety of services. Offerings include LifeLock identity theft
protection, McAfee Internet Security, AOL Computer Checkup, and other PC, and non-PC related subscription based services designed to enhance the users lifestyle. The site will also serve as the retail outlet for AOL’s newly launched AOL TechGuru site, a new destination created to offer tech support and advice, as well as paid services.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Apple Settles Patent Dispute with Nokia
Nokia announced it has settled its two-year patent dispute with Apple through a cash settlement and licensing agreement. Apple will make a one-time payment to Nokia and pay
royalties in the future. The agreement settles all outstanding patent litigation between the two firms. The companies also agreed to withdraw intellectual property complaints against each other filed through the International Trade Commission. “We are very
pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees,” said Stephen Elop, the Nokia president and chief executive. Nokia did not disclose financial terms of the settlement but said the agreement would have a “positive financial impact” on its second-quarter results. Nokia has accused Apple of stealing its patented technology for
the iPhone.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Apple Sued Over New iCloud Name
Apple is being sued by iCloud Communications over its use of the name iCloud for one of its new services, in US District Court for the District of
Arizona, according to documents republished by scribd.com. The company has been using the name since 2005 for “identical or closely related goods,” claiming Apple’s use of the term would be identified with Apple instead. iCloud is seeking monetary damages
and compensation for the revenues and royalties Apple might earn from the service – introduced by CEO Steve Jobs last week at the Worldwide Developer Conference – as well as for Apple to discontinue use of the brand on all material and advertisements.
According to the brief, Apple did purchase a US Trademark registration from a Swedish consulting firm, although iCloud alleges it used the name two years prior to that company.
Source: US District Ct, 6/13/2011
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AT&T Offering Free Wi-Fi Services in New York City Parks
AT&T and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a new initiative to provide free Wi-Fi in 20 parks across New York City’s five boroughs. Free Wi-Fi is available from AT&T now in areas of Battery Park, Joyce
Kilmer Park, and Thomas Jefferson Park, with additional locations to follow throughout the Summer, including the popular High Line. The service is free to all users – not just AT&T subscribers.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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AT&T Launches Mobile Barcode Services
Following a trial begun last year, AT&T announced the availability of AT&T Mobile Barcode Services, which allow businesses to create, publish, and manage 1D (UPC) and 2D (QR and Data Matrix) barcodes. The service
includes the AT&T Code Scanner and AT&T Code Management Platform; both use technology provided by Mobile Tag, a provider of universal bar code reader technology. During July and August, AT&T said its customers can try out the new technology by scanning
mobile barcodes printed on AT&T billing envelopes. Without opening their bills, customers can display all of their account information by scanning the barcodes with their smartphones, launching myAT&T, and logging in.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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AT&T Rebrands Advanced Ad Solutions as AT&T AdWorks
AT&T announced the rebranding of its Advanced Ad Solutions business as AT&T AdWorks. The carrier plans for the revamped ad business to connect advertisers with aggregate and
anonymous data from its more than 100 million subscriber connections. The company says the data will be drawn from 97 million mobile subscribers, 70 million online visitors per month, and millions of AT&T U-verse TV subscribers. AT&T notes that it is
committed to its customers’ privacy, and will never record individually identifiable information.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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AT&T Government Services Receives $48 Million SatCom Task Order
AT&T Government Solutions received a series of task orders to provide satellite-based voice, video, and Internet services to deployed military service personnel
around the globe. The contracts were awarded under the 2009 Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quality (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Marine Corps MWR Business Operations Division. AT&T’s tasks will include the design, deployment, and maintenance of a satellite
and IP-based, mobile communications network in support of the US Marine Corps’ Morale Portable Satellite Communications (MoraleSat) program. The contracts have a one-year base period, 4 annual options, and a total value of more than $48 million if all
options are exercised.
Source: Vendor, 6/12/2011
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Automatic Data Processing Investigates System Breach
Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is investigating to address the impact of a system intrusion that occurred with one client at Workscape, a recently-acquired benefits administration provider. The intrusion, which
occurred on a non-payroll legacy platform that is no longer sold by ADP’s benefits administration business, was detected by ADP during routine system monitoring.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Avaya Providing Infrastructure for Chinese Broadcaster
Avaya was selected to provide the data network infrastructure for Sanlih Entertainment Television (SetTV)’s recently launched digital production and broadcasting system. The upgrade includes Avaya routing switches to
improve capacity, and will allow the Chinese firm to forward Layer 2 and 3 traffic across all available links.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Axis Introduces New Video Encoder Series
Axis Communications rolled out the AXIS M70 and AXIS P72 Video Encoder Series, which enable the migration of analog cameras into an IP-based video surveillance system. All video encoders in these two series provide
dual H.264 and Motion JPEG streams.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Bell Canada to Carry HTC Sensation 4G
Bell Canada announced the upcoming launch of the HTC Sensation 4G. The device features a 4.3″ qHD touchscreen display, 1080p video capture and output, a 1.2Mhz dual-core processor, and an 8 megapixel camera with LED
flash, all running on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). The device is also capable of connecting to Bell’s 4G network, which offers download speeds up to 14.4 Mbps. The handset is expected to be available some time in the coming weeks. For updates on pricing and
a release date customers can visit Bell’s Web site.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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blinkX Signs Partnership with Independent Video Producer Diagonal View
blinkX announced a new partnership with Diagonal View, a major producer of independent producer of digital video content. As usual for its content partnerships, blinkX will make Diagonal View’s entire library, more
than 5,500 videos, available on its search engine. It will also be using its AdHoc platform to leverage contextually relevant advertising against the included videos. The revenue resulting from the embedded ads will be shared between blinkX and Diagonal
View.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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BMC Software and Unisys Team for New Cloud Solution
BMC Software formed a new joint initiative with Unisys to deliver and manage an advanced cloud solution. The new offering will be based on BMC’s second-generation Cloud Lifecycle
Management (CLM) product combined with Unisys’ comprehensive cloud advisory solution. The initiative plans to cover the areas of strategy, planning, design, implementation, and operational management of cloud computing solutions. The new cloud solution is
already in use at La Caixa, a major Spanish bank and finance company.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Capgemini Announces Negotiations to Acquire Prosodie
Capgemini announced that it is in exclusive negotiations with the funds managed by Apax Partners and the Prosodie management team to acquire Prosodie, a multi-channel services operator. Capgemini says it would use
the acquisition to expand its offerings in the dynamic client-relationship solutions market. The proposed acquisition would be completed for a total of EUR 382 million, including the cost of two companies recently acquired by Prosodie. Capgemini says its
currently in the process of informing and negotiating with employee representatives, and is seeking authorization from the French competition authorities. Despite these obstacles, the company expects the transaction to be finalized by the end of July.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Capgemini Signs Global Partnership Agreement with Murex
Capgemini signed a global partnership agreement with Murex. The companies say the move was in response to the increased demand from financial institutions for industrialization and package development of their IT
systems. Capgemini says the partnership will position it as a reference integrator in financial package services, and allow it to provide significant enhancement of the technical and functional skills of Capgemini consultants. As part of the alliance,
Capgemini has already launched an “intensive academic and practical training program lasting several weeks, and focusing particularly on back-office, reporting and data migration”.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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Cardinal Health Opens New Cyclotron in Agugusta, Georgia
Cardinal Health expanded its radiopharmaceutical business with the opening of a new cyclotron in Augusta, Georgia. The company says the new location will expands its ability to manufacture molecular imaging
biomarkers used in the early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of cancer, neurological disorders, and heart disease. This is the company’s 36th cyclotron, with the next closest facility located in Charlotte, NC.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Cardinal Health Signs 3-Year Renewal with Prime Therapeutics
Cardinal Health signed a renewed three-year agreement with Prime Therapeutics, a pharmacy benefit management firm, to continue serving as the company’s primary pharmaceutical supply chain partner for its
mail-service pharmacy, PrimeMail. Cardinal health will also continue providing the company with additional supply chain optimization services in an effort to improve its operational efficiency.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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CenturyLink Offers Call Forwarding to Customers Displaced by Wildfires
Qwest, which was acquired by CenturyLink on April 1, announced that customers effected by the Arizona wild fires can activate Emergency Call Forwarding, free of charge. The
service allows customers to receive their home or business phone calls on an alternative number (e.g., a wireless phone, temporary location landline) free for a period of 30 days.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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CenturyLink to Improve 911 Dispatch System in Salt Lake Valley
Qwest, which is now CenturyLink, and the Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) announced plans to improve communications
between residents needing help and the emergency services they require. The improvements will come under a next generation 911 dispatch system being implemented by Qwest at VECC, which serves the largest population center in Utah.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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LulzSec Hackers Attack More Victims: CIA, Senate
Lulz Security, an infamous hacker group, has taken responsibility for launching DDoS cyber attacks on Web sites belonging to the CIA, the US Senate, and Bethesda Softworks, the maker of such video games as Doom and Quake. LulzSec boasts that it attacks sites to expose security holes and that it considers its tactics to be “fun.”
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Cisco Systems Debuts New TelePresence Products
Cisco Systems introduced new TelePresence products for scaling the technology throughout an organization, and improving “any-to-any” interoperability between Cisco telepresence endpoints and standards-based devices.
The announcements include TelePresence MX200, an endpoint for team meetings and personal offices, TelePresence Conductor software, for intelligently assigning meetings to the most appropriate conferencing unit to improve scaling, and TelePresence and
Unified Communications management software.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Cisco, Red Bee Collaborate to Improve Streaming Media
Cisco Systems is working with Red Bee Media – an international media management company – to create a technology for delivering multimedia and other forms of digital media
content, online, using streaming video players and Video on Demand portals. RedPlayer will be a scalable solution for the media sector. It will combine Red Bee digital content and media management services with elements of the Cisco Videoscape
platform.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Cisco Announces Agreements for Borderless Network Architecture
Cisco Systems is providing its Borderless Network Architecture for both the Costa Rica National Bank and Aviatur, a Colombian travel agency. Both entities will use the technology to better connect staff among hundreds
of offices and branches.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Cisco Unveils its High-Performance Trading Fabric
Cisco Systems announced what it is calling a high-performance trading fabric, for the financial sector. It unifies data center switching, storage, and compute technologies into a single system, based on Cisco’s
holistic data center fabric approach.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Citigroup Reports More Breached Accounts
Citigroup provided an update to the data breach that hit its credit card accounts on May 10. The company originally said 210,000 of its credit card customers had been affected by the system intrusion, but has
revised that number to 360,083 accounts.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Citrix Makes Strategic Investment in Cotendo, Plans CDN Service
Citrix announced a strategic investment in Cotendo, a provider of content delivery network (CDN) mobile content acceleration and optimization services. Citrix says the goal of the investment is to drive further
innovation in bringing mobile apps to any device, anywhere in the world. The partnership will combine Citrix NetScaler cloud networking with Cotendo’s advanced delivery network to create a set of new, hybrid acceleration and optimization solutions. Citrix
believes the service will become a replacement for existing CDN solutions, which were designed before the rise of mobile apps. The first solutions based on this joint initiative are expected to be available some time during the second half of 2011.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Comcast, Skype Sign Video Calling Deal
Cable giant Comcast and Internet telephony company Skype announced they have entered into a strategic partnership that will enable Comcast customers to make and receive HD video
calls on their televisions. The service will be provided through an adaptor box, a “high-quality” video camera, and a specially- designed remote control that enables customers to text on Skype as well as control their TVs. The other calling party does not
need any special equipment beyond what is needed to use Skype. Customer trials will begin in the coming months, Comcast said, and further product details will be made available later this year. In May, Microsoft announced the purchase of Skype for $8.5
billion in cash.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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comScore Reports Flat US Search Engine Share List for May
comScore released its US search engine rankings for the month of May 2011. The Explicit Core Search list was extremely stagnant with Google still on top, having gained 0.1% of
the market to hold 65.5%; Yahoo was flat in second place with 15.9% of the market; Microsoft also showed no movement, maintaining a 14.1% market share; Ask.com lost 0.1% to hold 2.9% of the market; and AOL remained steady at 1.5%. The Total Core Search list (including contextually driven searches) showed much more fluctuation. Google was on top, but lost 0.9% to hold 63.3%
of the market; Yahoo was second, gaining 1.7% to reach 19.6% market share; Microsoft was third with a 0.7% loss and 13.1% of the search market; Ask.com dropped 0.1% to hold onto 2.6% of the market; and AOL rounded out the top 5, losing 0.1% and grasping
1.3% of the search share.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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comScore Teams with GfK MRI to Create Online/Print Behavior Database
comScore formed a partnership with GfK MRI to jointly create and launch a service designed to connect US online media habits with print readership and data such as product and brand usage. The combined database
will be known as comScore-MRI Fusion, and will closely mirror comScore’s existing offering in Canada. The duo says the new service will be able to offer unprecedented information, such as unduplicated cross-media audience reach, attitudinal and demographic
audience profiles, and product usage information. This will be done by combining US site visitation data from comScore Media Metrix with GfK MRI’s traditional media consumption and product usage surveys. No specific date for the launch of the comScore-MRI
Fusion database was disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Consumer Cellular to Offer Phones, Plans at Sears Retail Stores
Low-cost, no-contract wireless service provider Consumer Cellular, which targets senior citizens primarily, said it is making its mobile phones and plans available through nearly 800 Sears retail stores
across the US. Under the deal, Sears will offer three Consumer Cellular phones – the Motorola WX345, DoroPhone Easy 410, and Nokia C3 – as well as plans and accessory kits. Consumer Cellular uses AT&T’s network.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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CSC Announces Addition of Property&Casualty Insurance to AWD Software
CSC announced an expansion to its business process transformation software that adds the global property and casualty insurance market. The foundation of the new offering is AWD, a business process management (BPM)
system built for CSC by DST Technologies and currently in use at 120 insurers around the world. The new addition attempts to streamline and automate end-to-end processes as a method of lowering operational expenses and delivering improved service. More
information is available at CSC’s AWD product page.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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eBay Reaches Settlement with GSI over Acquisition Price
eBay announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with GSI to settle legal claims related to its acquisition of GSI. Under the terms of the agreement all GSI shareholders will be paid an additional $0.33
per share of the company. This is in addition to the $29.25 per-share merger consideration to be paid out to shareholders as part of eBay’s acquisition. Both amounts will be distributed to shareholders in a single payment. eBay expects to close the
acquisition of GSI on June 17, 2011, subject to regulatory approval.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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New Operations Control Console Introduced for Search and Rescue
EMS Global Resource Management, a division of EMS Technologies, introduced the OCC-600 console, an operations control console (OCC) for Search and Rescue solutions. The
system, which processes distress beacon information from emergency incidents and distributes the relevant data to Rescue Coordination Centers, is a component of Mission Control Centers managed by SAR operators worldwide.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Ericsson Acquiring Telcordia for $1.15 Billion
Sweden-based data communications company Ericsson said it has reached an agreement with Providence Equity Partners and Warburg Pincus to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Telcordia – which develops mobile, broadband, and enterprise communications software and services – for $1.15 billion USD. Closing is anticipated in the fourth quarter of this year. Telcordia is headquartered in
Piscataway, New Jersey and employs more than 2,600 people, according to its Web site. In a press release, Ericsson said approximately 2,600 Telcordia employees will join the
company.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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3 Major UK Carriers for Form Mobile Payment Platform
Everything Everywhere, Telefonica UK and Vodafone UK announced an agreement to form a standalone mobile commerce joint venture. The new service will allow customers with
SIM-based, NFC-enabled mobile devices to user them as an electronic wallet. Credit, debit, and loyalty cards can all be replaced when companies sign up for the new platform. The trio says the joint platform will create an advantage for advertisers, media
agencies, and retailers by providing a single point of contact with the consumer. They will also be able to purchase ad space, provide promotional offers, and track redemptions at the point of sale (POS). No specific date for the launch of the planned
mobile commerce platform has yet been announced.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Facebook Growth Showing Signs of Slowing in the US
According to independent blog Inside Facebook, the social networking site lost more than 7 million active users in the United States and Canada last month. Mexico, where Facebook use started
later than in Canada and the US, added about 1 million users, according to the blog. Facebook, however, disputes the numbers and conclusions reached by Inside Facebook, which suggest the site has reached a saturation point in markets where
it has operated the longest. Worldwide, Facebook continues its explosive growth.
Source: InsideFacebook, 6/15/2011
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France Telecom Lays Out Expansion Plans for HD Voice Coverage
France Telecom announced plans to expand its HD voice coverage through the end of 2013. The first launches will occur this month on France Telecom’s carriers in the Dominican Republic and Uganda. These will be
followed by the company’s subsidiaries in Switzerland, and three countries in the AMEA region before the end of 2011. Going forward, the carrier expects Spain, Poland, and Tunisia to be added to its HD coverage during 2012. These nations will join the 10
nations already under France Telecom’s HD voice coverage: Moldova, Armenia, Belgium, France (mainland France and Reunion), Spain (Catalonia), the UK, Egypt (Cairo), Luxembourg, Mauritius, and Romania. Plans for 2013 include HD voice international calling
between countries with HD coverage, and between the fixed and mobile networks within a single country.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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France Telecom Signs Networking Agreement with SITA
France Telecom announced an agreement with SITA which will see the company become a provider of exclusive 2G and 3G connectivity to the airline industry. Through the partnership SITA plans to offer services
such as mobile data, machine-to-machine (M2M) and application to person (A2P) technologies to air travel companies around the world. The actual connectivity will be supplied by Orange Business Services and its International M2M Centre (IMC). The
international coverage will be supported by the Orange’s catalogue of 400 roaming agreements in more than 180 countries. No financial terms for the agreement were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Fujitsu and SAS Team Up for New Business Analytics Products
Fujitsu signed an agreement with SAS Japan to form a partnership in the field of business analytics (BA). Under the terms of the agreement, Fujitsu will be licensed to re-sell SAS’
business analytics solutions within the Japanese market. Additionally, the companies will collaborate on BA solution proposals and provide joint deployment support. The duo plans for the agreement to be the beginning of a larger, more comprehensive
collaboration in the future. The duo plans to showcase the first products of the collaboration at the SAS Forum Japan 2011 event held on July 12, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Fujitsu to Release SPATIOWL Cloud Location Services
Fujitsu Japan is preparing to launch SPATIOWL cloud services, which employs location data gathered from vehicles and sensors. It includes platform provisioning and task-oriented services. Data is analyzed in real
time, and delivered using cloud computing, allowing organizations to develop services that employ location based data, such as those for reporting traffic information in real time, facilitating urban planning, and the delivery of new services to local
residents. The task-oriented services will be offered in a menu of immediately available services that include traffic information and routing support services for commercial vehicles. Both will be available in July.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Fujitsu, SAS Japan to Collaborate on Business Analytics
Fujitsu Japan announced an agreement with the SAS Institute Japan to focus on business analytics (BA), an area in which advanced analyses and projections are formulated using data. The partnership will allow Fujitsu
to sell and deliver SAS BA technology in Japan, while they also work to develop BA proposals and provide deployment support. Fujitsu will use the technology to compliment the range of business intelligence solutions it currently offers.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Fujitsu Japan to Roll Out 3D-Viewing Mobile June 24th
Fujitsu Japan announced it will release its docomo PRIME series F-09C mobile phone – via NTT DOCOMO – in Japan, on June 24th. The water-resistant phone has a special, 3.5-inch touchscreen display for viewing 3D
content with the naked eye.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Fujitsu Working with Australian Researchers on Supercomputers
Fujitsu Laboratories of Europe announced a three-year contract with the Australian Research Council for applying new mathematical ideas to exploit unprecedented computational power for next-generation
supercomputers. The agreement relates to the country’s “Robust Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations on Petascale Computer Systems with Applications to Tsunamic Modeling and Plasma Physics” project. Fujitsu will contribute toward developing
new techniques and software for better understanding complex dynamic systems, and plans to apply the research toward its development of future supercomputers.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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General Dynamics Introduces Ultra-Rugged Laptop
General Dynamics Itronix unveiled a rugged laptop: the Intel-based GD8200. It was developed to withstand a 48-inch drop, exposure to extreme temperature and climate, contamination by fluids and solar radiation,
fungus, acoustic noise, and gunfire shock. It has a 13-inch display. The $4,460 USD system is considered ideal for first-responder and tactical/military use.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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General Dynamics Signs Agreement to Acquire Fortress Technologies
General Dynamics entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fortress Technologies, a provider of secure wireless networking equipment for the US military and other government customers. The acquired
company will become part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, the company’s own provider of communications systems, command and control systems, and operational hardware. The transaction has already been approved by the Boards of both companies, but is still
subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition is expected to close some time during the third quarter of 2011. No financial terms for the agreement were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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General Dynamics Receives $876 Million Contract for DHS Relocation
General Dynamics received a task order through the US General Service Administration’s (GSA) Alliant Contract to support the relocation of the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) headquarters. General
Dynamics will be providing IT support for the agency’s networking, telecommunications, building management, and physical-security requirements. It will also be designing, developing, and installing the IT infrastructure at the new campus. The agreement
has a ceiling value of $876 million and a duration of 7 years if all options are exercised.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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General Dynamics Delivers 300 Sect‚ra Edge Smartphones to USAF
General Dynamics delivered 300 of its rugged smartphones to the US Air Force. The phone is designed for leadership personnel at the air staff and major command levels, and is the first step in the Air
Force’s planned integration of Secure Mobile Environment Portable Electronic Devices (SME-PED). The device is certified by the National Security Agency for classified voice and data, using wireless access to commercial WiFi and cellular networks.
General Dynamics has already delivered thousands of the handsets to users in the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Global Crossing Achieves Cisco Master Managed Services Certification
Global Crossing, recently acquired by Level 3, announced that it has achieved Cisco Master Managed Services Certification. The certification recognizes Global Crossing’s
investment in the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) processes, practices, and tools necessary “to provide high-quality managed services.”
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Les Paul Google Doodle Gets Permanent Home
The playable Les Paul Google Doodle that Google posted on its main search page to celebrate what would have been the
guitarist and inventor’s 96th birthday has found a permanent home. Visitors to the page can strum the doodle’s guitar strings and record their music. Paul died in 2009. The Google Doodle
celebrating Paul’s birthday has proved to be one of its most popular ones.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Google Updates Chrome
Google updated Chrome to fix a critical bug in the Flash Player plug-in. Further information is available from a vendor blog
post.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Google Announces Major Updates to Search Engine
Google announced several major updates to its search engine at its most recent search event. Among the updates: "search by voice" a new option that lets users speak their query. This feature is limited to
Chrome, but will be expanded to other browsers in the future. The second new tool is “search by image”. This lets users of any browsers drag and drop an image into the search field, at which time the search engine will present them with results based on
the content of the image. Google suggests this will be useful identifying works of art, the location of a photo, and other reverse image search tasks. Lastly, Google is expanding the abilities of its Instant Search technology. Instead of just suggesting
results, the new Instant Pages feature will begin pre-loading the Web pages the browser believes the user will visit. This is based on relevance technology that Google says has been in development for several years. This feature is available now on the
latest developer’s build of the Chrome browser, and will be integrated into the next public beta version.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Google to Acquire Admeld
Google has agreed to buy Admeld, a display advertising startup. The acquired technology is a likely candidate for eventual integration into Google’s own DoubleClick Ad Exchange. Although, Google plans to maintain
Admeld’s relationship with other ad networks such as Microsoft’s Atlas, AOL’s AdTech, and Yahoo’s APT, according to the company’s acquisition announcement. No
financial terms for the transaction were disclosed. However, The New York Times says the deal will likely cost Google around $400 million, an amount it expects to attract regulatory scrutiny.
Source: Vendor, NYT, 6/13/2011
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Further TSA Measures Needed for Rail Security, GAO Testifies
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) gave testimony regarding the steps the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
has made to ensure the safety of the US rail security system, the technologies available for boosting rail security, and the TSA’s efforts to provide rail security training to its employees. Better risk assessment and better training are needed, the GAO
concluded.
Source: GAO, 6/14/2011
Auto Recall Process Needs Work, GAO Reports
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) role in the recall of vehicles, which can cause a hazard to auto
operators, other drivers, and pedestrians if they are not repaired. The NHTSA was also assessed on how well it motivated vehicle owners to comply with such recalls. The GAO recommended that the NHTSA
modify requirements for notification letters; publicize its Web site; and seek legislative authority to notify potential used car buyers of recalls.
Source: GAO, 6/15/2011
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HP Announces Upcoming AMD Based Laptops
Hewlett-Packard (HP) introduced 11 new consumer and business laptops that feature AMD VISION Pro technology, a platform that includes AMD chipsets, processors, and graphics for improving business productivity. These
include new Pavilion and ProBook systems. The new HP Pavilion and ProBook models cost $449.99-$699.99 USD and will start to be rolled out June 27th.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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HP Announces A Number of Organizational Changes
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced several organizational changes to better align its corporate structure with the strategy outlined by CEO Leo Apotheker in March. The changes point to what many feel will form the core of
CEO Leo Apotheker’s leadership team. This includes the departures of CIO Randy Mott, who is leaving effective immediately, EVP Pete Bocian, and HP Enterprise Business head Ann Livermore. Livermore – once considered a top candidate to become HP’s new CEO –
who will continue to serve on the board of directors. HP also reported that EVPs Dave Donatelli (Enterprise Servers, Storage, Networking, and Technology Services), Bill Veghte (Software), and Jan Zadak (Global Sales) will now report directly to Apotheker,
instead of Livermore. HP is also expanding the roles of other top executives, citing critical markets in China and India. EVP’s Todd Bradley (Personal Systems) and Vyomesh Joshi (Imaging and Printing) will lead new cross-business initiatives, Joshi
specifically in India. HP is also changing its internal IT management, eliminating its chief administration officer role and collapsing the tasks performed by this executive under the responsibilities of CIO.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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US ITC Rules in Favor of HP in Inkjet Investigation
Hewlett-Packard (HP) obtained a favorable initial determination by the US International Trade Commission (ITC), regarding the importing and sale of patent-infringing inkjet print cartridges. The ITC ruling upholds the
validity of HP’s patents in this case, finding Taiwan’s MicroJet Technology as a direct infringer of HP patents, and Asia Pacific Microsystems in violation as a contributory infringer. The decision is based on
investigations into a complaint filed by HP in June 2010.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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HP ProLiant Servers Used in LeaseWeb Data Centers
Hewlett-Packard announced that Internet hosting provider LeaseWeb implemented ProLiant server technology in its data centers in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Virginia in the US, to upgrade its capacity.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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HP, Toshiba to Collaborate on the “Smart Community”
Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba Japan reported that they will work together on new “smart community” technology that should allow them to better focus on areas such as cloud computing,
networking, and intelligent infrastructures. For example, the cloud – in future smart communities – is expected to realize anytime, everywhere synergistic collaboration among IT systems and services, potentially contributing to energy conservation.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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HP to Provide Outsourced Services in US, Guam
HP Enterprise Services has secured a contract to provide technology and applications outsourcing for public utility company Avista over the next seven years as it transitions into a digital infrastructure. HP
will provide management for its major enterprise systems, data centers, and workplace environments. It will also continue providing application management services, including for its customer information and work-management systems, and will also provide
application modernization, data center, and managed mainframe services, and will monitor and operate about 500 Avista-owned servers in the client data center. It was also awarded a contract by the Judiciary of Guam, to modernize its court case management
system, to improve access to the courts via the Internet. HP will act as a systems integrator, helping provide 24×7 public access to court information and streamlining reporting, administration, and performance management.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Flaws Found in IBM Lotus Notes
IBM Lotus Notes contains some critical vulnerabilities. Users should avoid opening any document from an untrusted source. No patches have been released.
Source: Secunia, 6/16/2011
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IBM Opens New Branch Office in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
IBM announced the opening of a new Indian branch office at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. This is part of IBM’s strategy of expanding its facilities, offices, training and recruitment, sales, marketing, and corporate
citizenship within the nation. The company plans to maintain a presence in 40 cities across India by 2013. The Coimbatore facility will complement the existing branch office in Chennai, and will offer services to local customers in the areas of healthcare,
government, banking, textile, engineering and manufacturing.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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IBM Launches New High-Performance Computing Cloud Offering
IBM launched a new high-performance computing (HPC) cloud offering designed to process advanced scientific and technical computing workloads such as analytics, simulations for product development, climate research, and
life sciences. The company said the new solution will allow customers to connect disparate systems across the enterprise into a single private cloud designed to handle heavy workloads. The new product comes in three components: IBM HPC Management Suite
for Cloud, a resource manager, job scheduler, and energy monitor; HPC cloud implementation service from IBM, a service to install, configure, and optimize new private clouds; and IBM Intelligent Cluster solutions, an integrated HPC cluster solution
including servers, switches, and storage. All of the new HPC cloud offering products are expected to be available some time in the third quarter of 2011.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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IBM Unveils First Ever Graphene-Based Integrated Circuit
IBM unveiled what it says is the first ever integrated circuit created from graphene, a one atom thick experimental material. The created circuit is a broadband frequency mixer operating at frequencies up to 10
gigahertz. The company says the circuit is designed for wireless communications, and could offer an increase in the usable communications frequency ranges, as well as expanded coverage areas. IBM says this is a milestone on the road to consumer-level
graphene products, an outcome which had been hampered by the reluctance of graphene to adhere to the metals and oxides inherent to modern integrated circuits. The project which produced the chip is part of the Carbon Electronics for RF Applications
program, funded by DARPA. No specific plans to for the new technology have yet been announced.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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ICANN Publishes Final Report on Post-Expiration Domain Renewal
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) published the final report of the Post-Expiration Domain Name Recovery
(PEDNR) Working Group. The report was designed to examine to what extent registrants should be able to renew their domain names after they expire. The final document contains a total of 18 suggestions. Among these are providing a minimum of 8 days after
expiration for a registrant to renew; requiring expired Web sites to explicitly state that they have expired; the requirement for all registrars to provide a Redemption Grace Period (RGP); and many others. The full list of suggestions and further details
are available within the report.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
ICANN Opens Public Comment on WHOIS Policy Review Paper
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) put out a call for public comment on the Discussion
Paper published by its WHOIS Policy Review Team. Specific areas discussed in the paper include the clarity of the WHOIS policy, applicable laws, privacy issues, ICANN’s compliance and enforcement of activities, and other issues. The public comment period will remain open until July 23, 2011.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
ICANN Publishes Second Milestone Report on New gTLD Participation
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) publishes its Second Milestone Report on its
continuing efforts to encourage new generic top level domain (gTLD) applicants from developing economies. The project was initiated after the ICANN Board directed that the organization “develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants
requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs”. A summary of the report’s content, as well as information on applying for the program can be found at ICANN’s Web
site.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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InterAct Public Safety Creates Federal Systems Group
InterAct Public Safety Systems has established InterAct Federal Systems to serve the needs of its US federal government customers. This move will enable InterAct to provide specialized products and support to meet
the public safety requirements of its customers within the federal government including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Army, and the Navy.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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KPMG Releases Hospital Labor Cost Study
KPMG released the findings of its US Hospital Labor Costs Study. The company found that a single full-time RN currently costs a healthcare facility an average of $98,000 per year, or $45 per hour. Due to regional wage
variations, KPMG says this number can go as high as $75 per hour. 57% of that amount comes from actual wages, with the remainder being accounted for by employer taxes, paid time off, productivity loss, insurance, and other costs. This places the real
world average cost for a full-time nurse at 176% of their regular salary. The study also concluded that there was no significant difference between the overall costs for employing a full-time RN and the cost of employing contingent RNs.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Lenovo Introduces New 16-TB ThinkServer Models
Lenovo unveiled new ThinkServer family SMB and corporate branch office servers, with a 16-TB hot swap capacity. Each use Intel processors, plus RAID and other storage configurations, and were developed for managed
service providers. It also introduced its low-end ThinkCentre M71e desktop PC.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Tests Show LightSquared’s Network Interferes with GPS Signals
Multiple test results show that a proposed nationwide high-speed wireless broadband network being built by LightSquared could interfere with GPS systems used for aviation, public safety, military operations,
and other applications. The US Federal Communications Commission in January gave LightSquared the okay to roll out a combination satellite, wireless 4G network but has said the network cannot be launched until any
interference problems are resolved. The company plans to launch the network next year, selling access wholesale to other carriers. Results compiled by a working group of the National Executive
Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing found potential for widespread GPS interference. The tests showed that wireless signals from LightSquared’s planned network interfered with GPS receivers used by the Coast Guard and NASA and
caused Federal Aviation Administration GPS receivers to stop functioning altogether. The tests also caused GPS receivers used by New Mexico state police and by fire and ambulance crews to lose reception. In addition, GPS receivers built into farm equipment
made by John Deere lost signals, as did most General Motors’ OnStar navigation systems.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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LightSquared Gets Extension for Filing on GPS Interference Issues
LightReading reported that the US Federal Communications Commission has granted LightSquared a two-week extension to report on
recent tests run to determine whether its proposed high-speed wireless broadband network would cripple GPS systems. A technical working group created to study the extent of potential interference from LightSquared’s proposed network was to file its
second report on June 15th. Mandated by the FCC, the working group is controlled by LightSquared but includes representatives from GPS equipment makers and users, and a number of federal agencies that rely on GPS technology. LightSquared asked for an
extension to July 1 to file the latest test results. Other agencies have already released reports that claim to show operations in the spectrum LightSquared proposes to use for its network cause widespread interference for everything from first responder
communications to commercial GPS-based systems like OnStar. The FCC has said it will not let LightSquared operate its combination satellite, wireless broadband network until the GPS interference issues are resolved. Many industry observers believe a major
battle is shaping up not over whether LightSquared’s network will cause GPS interference – it will – but over how to address the problem.
Source: LightReading, 6/16/2011
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Marioff’s Fire Protection System Passes Seismic Test
Marioff, a business of UTC Fire & Security, announced that its HI-FOG System with a SPU-6 Sprinkler Pump Unit, which is used to extinguish fire, has passed a seismic
qualifying test. The test demonstrated that the 7,500-pound system can withstand the effects of an earthquake of up to 1G of force and continue operating.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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McAfee Taps into SMB Market with New Specialization
McAfee launched the SMB Specialization within its SecurityAlliance program to enable partners to address the needs of small and mid-sized customers. The SMB specialization is a program designed for partners to sell
targeted security applications to customers with less than 250 employees.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Microsoft Reissues April Security Bulletin
Microsoft re-released a security bulletin from April regarding a flaw within the Foundation Class Library. Microsoft has reoffered the
update for Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1, Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1, Visual Studio 2010, Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package, and Visual C++ 2000 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Two Earlier Microsoft Security Bulletins Are Updated
Microsoft updated two earlier security bulletins this past week. A critical bulletin from April that fixed a flaw in .NET Framework
had an update FAQ added to announce a detection change that corrects the replaced bulletin for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 on supported editions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The second bulletin, deemed “important,” announced that the updates for Office for Mac, which were not available when the bulletin was originally published, are now available in bulletin MS11-045.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday Bulletin Fixes 34 Issues
Microsoft fixed 34 vulnerabilities within 16 security bulletins in its June Patch Tuesday Bulletin. Nine of the bulletins are rated
"critical" while the remaining seven are considered “important.” Microsoft patched issues within Internet Explorer, Excel, .NET Framework, Excel, and the XML Editor, among other products.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Microsoft Researchers: Cybercrime Statistics Flawed
In a new report, Microsoft researchers claim that statistics derived from most cybercrime surveys are not accurate, primarily
because of flaws in survey methodology, including small sample sizes and unrepresentative sampling.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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MITRE Offers Systems Engineeing Guide
MITRE has published a free online Systems Engineering Guide (SEG), which covers over 100 different subjects written by systems engineering
practitioners. Each article identifies real-world problems that commonly occur in engineering systems and provides best practices and lessons learned for avoiding or mitigating them.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Motorola Launches Cloud-Based Applications Platform
Motorola Mobility has launched its Medios Xperience platform. As part of the Medios multi-screen service management software suite, the cloud-based applications platform enables service providers to merge
video content with social networking, games, and Web-based content. Motorola said the platform also offers greater interaction capabilities with broadcast television and video-on-demand services.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Motorola Mobility, Honeywell to Develop Home Security Solution
Motorola Mobility said it plans to work with Honeywell Security Group to develop an end-to-end security solution for cable and telecom service providers,
offering subscribers a connected home security service that enables remote management of alarm panels and associated security devices. The product would support multiple control interfaces, including TVs, smartphones, PCs, and tablets. Pricing and launch
date were not released.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Motorola Mobility Rolls Out Televation Broadband Streaming Device
Motorola Mobility released its new Televation broadband device, which works with a Wi-Fi router to allow customers to stream live TV content on a connected IP device. It has a digital tuner and CableCard,
for accessing content directly from a coax outlet. It can translate programming in real time, from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4, and changes resolution and bitrate to match the capabilities of a consumer’s viewing device. It also has an Ethernet jack to plug directly
into the home Wi-Fi router, for wireless streaming.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Motorola Mobility Helping TWC Develop Video Platform
Motorola Mobility is working with Time Warner Cable to develop a video gateway platform to offer improved in-home consumer entertainment. It will incorporate
set-top and gateway technology. Time Warner will use the technology to improve video services for premium content and applications.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Motorola Mobility Announces SecureMedia Encryptonite
Motorola Mobility introduced the SecureMedia Encryptonite ONE HLS+, for allowing service providers to provide better streaming of video content to devices, both in and beyond the home. The end-to-end,
adaptive streaming technology provides content delivery for devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, and other consumer electronic devices. It is currently in trial with several North American operators.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
Motorola Launches High-Definition In-Home TV Adapter
Motorola Mobility launched the new high-definition (HD) Digital Terminal Adapter, a device to assist service providers in delivering basic HD subscriber services. It converts an operator’s digital signal in
the home, to allow subscribers to access HD content without requiring a more advanced set-top. It will be available later in 2011.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Motorola Solutions Plans to Hire 400 in Chicago by 2012
Motorola Solutions announced it will hire 400 people in Chicago, adding to the 5,000-person workforce at its headquarters in nearby Schaumburg, IL, US. The new jobs are skilled positions to
support customer-facing operations, including services, sales support, and systems integration. Motorola expects to fill the positions by the end of 2012.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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National Archives Releases Pentagon Papers
On June 13th, the US National Archives and the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon Presidential Libraries released in its entirety the official Report of the Office
of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Task Force (commonly referred to as the Pentagon Papers). This is the 40th anniversary of the leak of some of the then top-secret documents by Daniel Ellsberg to US newspapers. Ellsberg was charged under the
Espionage Act but his case was dismissed in 1973 on grounds of governmental misconduct against him. Approximately 2,384 pages – or 34% of the report – are being released for the first time by the National Archives and the presidential libraries.
Source: Nat’l Archives, 6/14/2011
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NCR Launches Next Generation of Financial Services Kiosks
NCR launched the next generation of its Financial Kiosks, the NCR SelfServ 4 and the NCR SelfServ 8. The
new automated service stations allow customers to complete such tasks as account opening, account maintenance, and financial product research and purchase without the need to visit a human teller. NCR says this will allow bank tellers to spend more time
with each customers that does require human interaction. Other features of the new kiosks include a touchscreen interface, bill-pay functions, the ability to print statements, flexible configurations, and the company’s APTRA software applications.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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NEC Unveils World’s First Content Addressable Memory
NEC unveiled what it says is the world’s first content addressable memory (CAM), a new form of storage that maintains its current state without a constant power supply. This includes maintaining the same operation speed
and non-volatile operation as existing circuits, but doing so while the system’s power is off. NEC says the new chips is made possible by its spintronics logic integrated circuit technologies. The company lists the benefits of this new technology as
high-speed data retrieval, half the circuit area of existing technologies, and reduced power consumption. NEC plans to release the details of this new technology at the VLSI Circuit Symposium 2011 on June 17 in Kyoto.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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NEC Announces GreenGlobe Data Visualizer Cloud Service
NEC announced the global launch of its GreenGlobe Data Visualizer, a new environmental management cloud service. The new service is designed to provide customers with a method of gathering and centralizing the
management of environmental load information from their locations around the globe. Measurements include CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and the production and usage of chemical substances, paper, water, carbon dioxide, and waste matter. NEC says the
system can be deployed at 10% of the cost of competing proprietary environmental management systems. Supported languages include English, Chinese, and Japanese.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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US Nuclear Energy Industry Formulates New Incident Response Structure
The US Nuclear Energy Institute announced that it has created a leadership structure among major electric sector organizations to better coordinate the nuclear industry’s ongoing response to the Fukushima Daiichi
accident that followed Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Supported by senior electric utility executives and reactor vendors, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and the Electric Power Research Institute will
work through a new Fukushima Response Steering Committee to coordinate and oversee response activities. These activities will be implemented through seven “building blocks” – temporary organizations created to develop and execute action plans in specified
areas of focus. The focus areas are: maintaining excellence in existing plant performance; develop and issue lessons learned from Fukushima events; improving the effectiveness of US industry response capability to global nuclear events; developing and
implementing a strategic communications plan; developing and implementing the industry’s regulatory response; participation and coordination with international organizations; and providing technical support and R&D coordination. The framework is detailed
in a report entitled “The Way Forward: U.S. Industry Leadership in Response to the Accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant.”
Source: NEI, 6/13/2011
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NetSuite Forms Systems Integrator Partnership with Burr Pilger Mayer
NetSuite formed a new systems integrator (SI) partnership with Burr Pilger Mayer (BPM), an accounting and consulting firm. The goal of the alliance to build a cloud integration practice to implement and support
NetSuite’s cloud computing global business management suites, as well as building new vertical SuiteApps for the platform. The duo plans for the new joint venture to serve customers in manufacturing, technology, retail, professional services and life
sciences. More information about the new cloud computing business is available from NetSuite’s partner page.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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NIST Publishes Report on Asset Identification
A final report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “Specification for Asset Identification 1.1,” has been published. The report, identified as NISTIR 7693, discusses the importance of accurately identifying an organization’s assets.
Source: NIST, 6/15/2011
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NOAA to Transition 25,000 Email Users to Cloud-Based System
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced plans to transition 25,000 email boxes onto a new cloud-based solution. The new platform will integrate email functionality with calendar, contact,
and collaboration tools. The system will be provided by Earth Resource Technologies (ERT), a science and technology contractor that has previously worked with other government agencies, including NASA, USAID, and the
Army. The contract has a duration of 3 years, and a total value of $11.5 million.
Source: Vendor, 6/10/2011
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Nokia Siemens to Upgrade Celcom’s Malaysian 3G Network
Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) was selected by Celcom Axiata Berhad to upgrade its 3G network in central Malaysia. The mobile telecommunications provider will use Nokia Siemens’ HSPA+ technology to better
address growth in the use of smartphones, providing faster data download speeds and better coverage in metropolitan areas. NSN will deliver LTE-ready radio access equipment and Flexi Multiradio base stations, and upgrade its network management system.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
Nokia Siemens to Provide Equipment for SK Telecom Upgrade
Nokia Siemens Networks will provide 100G optical network equipment for South Korean mobile operator SK Telecom, to boost its network capacity while also preparing it for a future transition to 100G. The
system uses dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), where different wavelengths of light transport data down the same optical fiber, each carrying information.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Nortel Networks Postpones Patent Portfolio Auction Date One Week
Nortel Networks said that for reasons relating to “the significant level of interest in its approximately 6,000 patents and patent applications,” it is moving the commencement of the auction for the sale of its
patent assets from June 20 to June 27, 2011. In April, Google made a $900 million “stalking horse” bid on the patent portfolio. That bid will set the minimum price for the auction sale.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Task Force: US Nuclear Safety Rules Inadequate
Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials
of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission told a commission panel. The New York Times reported that a task force created after the accident at the Japanese nuclear plant delivered an
oral progress report to a five-member commission. In that session, the Times reported, commission officials said they had learned that some of the safety equipment installed at American nuclear plants over the years, including hardware added after the
Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is not maintained or inspected as diligently as the original components are.
Source: NYTimes, 6/16/2011
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Oracle Releases Enterprise Taxation Policy Management 2.3
Oracle announced the general availability of its Oracle Enterprise Taxation and Policy Management 2.3 solution for revenue collection. The
new edition, developed in collaboration with Wipro technologies, offers improvements such as a Web services adapter for Oracle Policy Automation, a step-by-step detailed view of penalty and interest calculations, more flexible account adjustments, and
manual penalty assessment. This version also includes enhanced security and compliance with industry security standards via its new inquiry audit features and certification with Oracle Access Manager. Oracle Enterprise Taxation and Policy Management 2.3
is available now.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Oracle Responds to HP Lawsuit Over Itanium Support, Refutes Claims
Oracle responded to a lawsuit filed by HP which alleges that it breached its contract to provide continued support for the Intel Itanium processor. The defendant claims that, although HP did request such an
agreement, Oracle refused the provision. Furthermore, the wording referring to a guarantee of support was deleted from the final contract signed by the two companies. Oracle also claims that HP used deceptive tactics to conceal the end-of-life announcement
Intel was planning to make on the Itanium line. Oracle says it has proof that Ray Lane, HP’s current board members, Leo Apotheker, and HP’s current management team all knew of the upcoming termination of the line, but chose to hide the fact from Oracle, in
case the company might choose to end its own support.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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PCCW Signs Engineering Work and Traffic Management Contract with MTR
PCCW received a contract from the MTR corporation to design, develop, and implement a new Engineering Work and Traffic Information Management System (ETMS). PCCW will be tasked with managing the matrix of railway
maintenance and project work required by MTR’s public transit system each night. The company says their solution will allow MTR to maximize the amount of work able to be completed during the 3 to 4 hour window available to it each night. No financial terms
for the agreement were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Pew Finds Facebook Users More Trusting, More Political
The Pew Internet & American Life Project released the findings of its latest survey, which focused on the
social connections of Facebook users and other social networkers. Among the group’s findings were the fact that Facebook users are 43% more likely to feel that most people can be trusted; have 9% more closely-knit
relationships; and are much more politically engaged that non-users. Pew’s research also found that the largest source of the average users’ friends are former high-school acquaintances, with 22% of all friends falling into this category. The second
highest sources of friends was extended family, at 12%. However, Pew says social networking connections are also prevalent between immediate family and close confidants, with 40% of users having friended their closest relations. The full list of Pew’s
findings are available at the survey results page.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Polycom Announces 5 New UC Solutions at InfoComm 2011
Polycom announced 5 new solutions in its unified communications (UC) products line at the InfoComm 2011 Conference and Expo. The new solutions are Polycom UC Intelligent Core, a new scalable video platform capable
of supporting up to 75,000 devices and 25,000 concurrent calls; the Polycom OTX 100 immersive telepresence solution, a single-screen telepresence solution designed for smaller conference rooms; a pair of Video Content Management Cloud-Based Offerings, a
platform for the creation, management, and delivery of video content; and the Polycom SoundStructure VoIP Interface, an HD voice capture system with noise cancellation technology. Details on all of these new solutions – including features, pricing, and
availability – are all available from Polycom’s Web site.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Polycom Announces Two New Executive Appointments in Public Sector
Polycom announced the appointment of two new Public Sector Business executives. First, Sean Lessman joined the company as chief technologist for the Worldwide Public Sector team. His task will include maintaining
the companies product strategy and roadmap, as well as satisfying its federal and public sector customers, and expanding its federal certifications. Lessman joins Polycom from Cisco, where he served as vice president of technology for its Public Sector
practice. Second, Russ Colbert has been named Polycom’s US Federal Government Market director. His responsibilities will include building adoption of Polycom technology, promoting new applications, developing programs, and creating segment tools. His first
task will be the expansion of Polycom’s Federal Applications Program. Colbert is a Polycom veteran, having served as Global Education Market director, prior to this promotion.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Progress Software Releases Enhanced Market Surveillance Solution
Progress Software announced enhancements to its Progress Market Surveillance and Monitoring solution. The updates to the latest version of the software include new analytics capable of researching, analyzing, and
aggregating trade data; Scenario Replay, a feature that plays back trade transactions as they occurred in the market; visualization development, an interactive portal to create customized visualizations of market behaviors; and a new reporting layer, which
specializes in customizable reports of real-time and historical events. More information is available from the company’s Market Surveillance product page.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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IAR, Qualcomm Atheros Developing Wi-Fi SIM Chipset
IAR Systems announced it is collaborating with Qualcomm Atheros on its new AR4100 – an integrated Wi-Fi system-in-package for microcontroller-based design. The new module is
based on Qualcomm Atheros’ 802.11b/g/n single-stream Wi-Fi Align technology, which enables long range transmission while minimizing energy consumption. Devices built on the AR4110 will be initially aimed at customers in the smart home, smart grid, and
smart building markets.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Raytheon Signs $51.6 Million Navy Satellite Communications Contract
Raytheon received a contract from the US Navy to provide logistics support for the communication terminals of the its Extremely High Frequency Satellite Program (NESP). Raytheon will be called on to provide
requisitions; warehouse and track government-furnished material; resolve supply-obsolescence or source issues; and to evaluate, test, repair, and modify the communication equipment as needed. The agreement has a ceiling value of $51.6 million.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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RF Micro Unveils New ZigBee FEM
RF Micro Devices unveiled a new ZigBee front end module (FEM), the RF6555. The ZigBee FEM is optimized for smart energy/advanced metering infrastructure applications. ZigBee is a global low power wireless networking
standard for monitoring and control applications, including energy management, safety and security, home automation, lighting, and electrical appliances.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Rogers, PositiveID Partner on M2M Health Application
PositiveID has partnered with Rogers Communications, Canada’s largest wireless provider, on a system for diabetes management through the companies’ mobile technology.
Rogers Communications will provide PositiveID with machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless data and mobile connectivity management services to enable the communication of a diabetes patient’s glucose readings from PositiveID’s new iglucose solution.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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RSA Picks Eddie Schwartz for CSO Position
Eddie Schwartz has been appointed to the position of chief security officer (CSO) at RSA. Schwartz, who reported the news on his Twitter account, previously was the CSO at NetWitness. RSA is struggling to recover from a massive network breach that resulted in the compromise of information from its SecurID two-factor authentication technology tokens.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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SAIC Receives $89 Million Contract to Support USAF Security Initiative
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) received a delivery order to support the US Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, and Requirements, Strategic Plans and Policy Division (AF/A5XP).
The office is responsible for ensuring the military’s compliance with all arms control treaties and agreements. SAIC will be tasked with providing professional and IT support services for the office’s compliance with new USAF national security initiatives.
The agreement has a five-year performance period, and a total value of more than $89 million.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
SAIC Receives $19 Million FHWA Contract
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) received a prime contract from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide technical and programmatic services in support of the agency’s Office of Freight
Management and Operations (HOFM) and the U.S. Department of Transportation. SAIC will be tasked with providing technical and programmatic services, as well as supporting the international transportation system. The agreement has a two-year base period,
three annual options, and a total value of $19 million for the company. SAIC is one of 7 suppliers selected to participate in the contract.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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SAIC Completes Sale of Oil and Gas IT Business to Wipro
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) completed the sale of its oil and gas IT services businesses to Wipro Ltd. The sale included the segment’s primary US-based division, as well as subsidiaries in the
UK, France, and India. The Businesses Middle Eastern segment is also expected to be included once outstanding regulatory obstacles have been dealt with. As part of the sale, 1,450 employees from SAIC’s Health, Energy, and Civil Solutions Group will join
Wipro. No financial terms for the transaction were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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SAP Releases Updated Crystal Server, Business Objects Edge BI
SAP announced the updated release of SAP Crystal Server 2011, and the 4.0 release of SAP BusinessObjects Edge Business Intelligence (BI). Part of the company’s business analytics portfolio, the new solutions are targeted at SMEs and lines of
business seeking analytics tools to maximize the impact of their IT investments. SAP Crystal Server 2011 attempts to accomplish this by offering self-serve data search and exploration core functionality reporting, and dashboard viewing. Business Objects
Edge BI, on the other hands, provides reporting, visualization, and ad-hoc analysis designed to handle any BI task. Both solutions are available now.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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SAP Announces General Availability of NetWeaver Platform 7.3
SAP announced the general availability of SAP NetWeaver technology platform 7.3. The first new release of the platform in 5 years, version 7.3 offers a unified platform for all Java-based SAP NetWeaver usages,
simplified application services and workflows, enhanced open standard support, reusable business rule sets, and enhanced interoperability between SAP NetWeaver Portal and SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse components. More information is available at the SAP NetWeaver technology platform 7.3 product page.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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SAP Introduces NetWeaver Single Sign-On Application
SAP introduced the SAP NetWeaver Single Sign-On application. This new security feature is designed to provide increased protection of customer data across the company’s applications. Based on technology acquired from
SECUDE, the new solution allows customers to use a single password in concert with strong communication encryption to sign into all SAP and non-SAP systems. The system also supports third-party enhanced security measures, such as smart cards, and single
sign-on capabilities for Web applications based on open standards like certificates and security assertion markup language (SAML). More information about the new offering is available from SAP’s Technology and
Platform Web page.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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SAS Releases Updated SAS Fraud Management Solution
SAS announced the release of an updated version of its SAS Fraud Management solution. Enhancements include a new integrated application programming interface (API), improved rule management configuration options,
increased operational management, and real-time transaction scoring. SAS says these new features will help banks to better detect, prevent, and manage fraud across multiple products, lines of business, and channels. More information is available at the SAS Fraud Management product page.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Skype Sued for Patent Infringement
Telecompaper reported that Luxembourg-based company Via Vadis has sued Skype in a US federal court for infringing patents. The complaint by Via Vadis seeks damages and
wants the court to order Skype to stop infringing its technology. The company has already brought legal action against Skype in Germany and Luxembourg. The complaint centers around two patents for accessing and managing data in computer systems.
Source: Telecompaper, 6/13/2011
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Sophos Paper Offers Suggestions for Mobile Workforce Security
Sophos has published a free whitepaper, entitled “7 Tips for Securing Mobile
Workers.” It provides suggestions on thwarting threats to the enterprise network and data.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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Sprint, Motorola Mobility Launch Devices As Part of New Alliance
Sprint and two of its prepaid brands – Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA – will launch more than 10 new Motorola Mobility wireless devices in 2011. Two new devices were introduced last Friday as part of this “renewed business relationship” between the two companies: the Motorola PHOTON 4G, Motorola’s first Sprint
4G device with a dual-core 1GHz processor, Android 2.3, Sprint ID, and worldphone capabilities, and Motorola TRIUMPH, the first Virgin Mobile USA device from Motorola.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Sprint Partners with Lookout Mobile for Security App
Sprint announced it is partnering with Lookout Mobile Security to offer its customers a security app designed to protect information stored on smartphones and tablets. Sprint
said the Lookout Mobile Security application can be downloaded from the SprintZone in the Android Market.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Symantec Traces Evolution to Cloud Services
In its 2011 Virtualization and Evolution to the Cloud Survey, which highlighted topics including server, client, and storage virtualization, storage-as-a-service, and hybrid/private cloud technologies, Symantec
discovered that more than 75% of organizations are discussing private and hybrid cloud deployments. Of the technologies evaluated in the survey, server and storage virtualization are the
most mature with 45% and 43% of enterprises implementing them. However, only 36% of organizations are considering private Storage-as-a-Service.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Flaw Found in Symantec Mail Security
Symantec Mail Security has a critical vulnerability that could allow the attachment content scanning option to be enabled. Users are advised to disable this option.
Source: Secunia, 6/10/2011
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T-Mobile USA Appoints General Manager for New England Area
T-Mobile USA has appointed John Diefenbach as the first vice president general manager for its New England area, responsible for sales across all T-Mobile retail properties, and for customer growth and loyalty
efforts. Diefenbach’s region comprises Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Massachusetts. T-Mobile USA’s New England region has more than 90 company-owned retail stores and more than 600 third-party locations. The company employs
more than 850 people in the region.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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T-Mobile USA Expands Footprint of Faster HSPA+ Network
T-Mobile USA announced that it is doubling the speed of its 4G network in 42 additional markets, bringing the total to 97 markets where customers have access to the carrier’s HSPA+ network, which promises download
speeds approaching 10Mbps with peak speeds of 27Mbps. T-Mobile USA said it expects more than 150 million Americans to have access to the network by mid-2011. In March, AT&T announced it plans to acquire T-Mobile USA from
Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Telecom New Zealand Appoints David Yuile as CEO of AAPT
Telecom New Zealand announced the appointment of David Yuile as the new CEO of its Australian business, AAPT. Yuile will be replacing Paul Broad when his fixed-term contract expires on July 1, 2011. Prior to this
promotion, Yuile worked as GM of Network and Technology at AAPT since June 2008.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Telia Signs Network Sharing Agreement with Telenor in Denmark
TeliaSonera‘s subsidiary in Denmark, Telia, has entered into a network sharing agreement with Telenor. The agreement will combine the 2G, 3G, and 4G networks of the two companies, as well as calling for the
formation of a common infrastructure company to operate the joint network. Additionally, all new mobile towers built will belong to both companies. The duo says customers will begin to see the benefits of the partnership right away, with the combination of
their 2G and 3G networks already taking place. The companies note, however, that the partnership only extends as far as their network tower infrastructure. They will both still be competing with each other in the core network arena, which they will
continue to operate separately. Communications devices, services, and pricing will also remain competitive.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Telstra Announce $800 Investment in Cloud Computing Over Next 5 Years
Telstra announced plans to invest $800 Million in cloud computing over the next 5 years. The expenditure is being made in response to greatly increased demand from the carrier’s customers for cloud services. The
$800 million will be used to fund a new Australian data center; modernize the existing Telstra data centers; expand the company’s range of enterprise applications; create a new integrated online account portal; increase the automation of utility computing
services; and enhance its T-Suite capabilities with new applications. The plans will be carried out in collaboration with Cisco, and Vmware.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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TI Releases Dual-Core Microcontroller Series
Texas Instruments has released the C2000 Concerto dual-core microcontroller (MCU) series, which enables developers to design “green” applications that require high-performance for efficient power conversion and
connectivity for remote data sharing, diagnostics, monitoring and control. This includes applications such as the smart grid, power supplies in server farms, solar inverters, wind turbines, hybrid and electric vehicles, and industrial motor control.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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TIBCOM Launches TIBCO Web Messaging Service
TIBCO launched TIBCO Web Messaging, a new “enterprise-strength messaging solution for mobile and web applications”. The new software uses the HTML5 WebSocket standard to enable two-way communications. It also
integrated with TIBCO Enterprise Message Service, and supports multiple platforms, such as smartphones, tablets, and browsers. TIBCO says the new solution can offer 500 times lower overhead that traditional HTML-based communications solutions.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Toshiba Releases 3D Display Equipped Laptops
Toshiba‘s Digital Products Division released new Intel-based Qosmio and Satellite premium laptops with 3D display, developed for demanding visual tasks such as gaming and media creation. The notebooks will cost
between $629.99 and $1,199 USD, and will be available throughout the remainder of this month at select retailers, e-tailers and directly through ToshibaDirect.com. It also introduced lower-end Satellite L and C
series models that will retail as low as $379.99. They were created for families, students, and small businesses.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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TSA Suggests Removal of Employees after Internal Investigation
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed the removal of more than 30 Honolulu International Airport TSA employees following an investigation into allegations of improper screening of checked
baggage. The investigation determined that some checked baggage during one shift, at one airport location was not properly screened, impacting a limited number of flights each day during the last few months of 2010.
Source: TSA, 6/10/2011
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Trend Micro’s Threat Management Portfolio Gets New Additions
Trend Micro expanded its security product portfolio with the introduction of Threat Intelligence Manager (TIM) and a new release of Threat Management System (TMS). TIM is an event management application designed
to provide insight into the lifecycle of security events. TMS is a network analysis and visibility product that detects evasive intrusions and automates remediation.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Hacker Group: Call-in Attack Requests to Our Tipline
The hacker group known as Lulz Security announced via Twitter that it has opened up a phone hotline so that its "fans" can call and “request” Web sites for the
organization to attack. LulzSec is infamously known for launching attacks against Nintendo and Sony in addition to various other sites. The group used a phone number with a (614)
area code, which suggests that its operations might be found in Ohio, but that is not likely to be LulzSec’s true location.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Unisys Announces New Line of Social Media Integration Services
Unisys announced a new line of value-added services designed to help providers integrate their voice services
with social media channels. Available on the Unisys VoiceSource Express (VSE) 400 Series platform, the new services offer voice and data applications for both smartphones and feature phones. Specific applications include Unisys Voice Tweets, an app that
transcribes a user’s voice into a new Tweet, and Speak to Facebook, a solution which provides the same functionality for the various text entry fields of the social network. Other offerings include messaging services, notification services, and
“voicemail-as-a-service”.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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US Cellular to Launch Range of Smartphones, HTC Tablet This Year
US Cellular said it will launch seven Google Android-based smartphones (including one LTE smartphone), two tablets, and its first Microsoft Windows Phone 7 device this year. The first of the devices will debut this
Summer when the operator plans to launch four HTC devices. The company also said it will launch its first tablet, also from HTC, in the Fall.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Verizon to End Automatic Delivery of Printed Directories in California
The California Public Utilities Commission has granted Verizon‘s request to end the automatic delivery of printed Verizon residential white pages listings to customers in the state. The company intends to provide
customers with an online, electronic version of white pages residential listings as the primary means to access such directory information. Customers also will be able to request a free printed or CD-ROM directory of residential listings. In addition,
print directories – containing business and government white pages, customer information pages and the yellow pages – will continue to be delivered, Verizon said.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
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Verizon Upgrades Global Communications for Ariston Thermo
Verizon Business said that heating and hot water systems company Ariston Thermo Group has chosen an integrated Verizon communications and networking solution that
will enable the manufacturing company to better collaborate across all its global operations, and implement a range of advanced services. Verizon’s solution comprises a consolidated and fully-managed global IP-enabled network platform and the deployment of
IP-enabled collaboration services, including Hosted IP Centrex using Voice over Internet Protocol.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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Verizon, Tata Com Sign Telepresence Agreement
Verizon is extending the range of its immersive telepresence services under a new agreement with Tata Communications. The agreement means meetings can take place
between Verizon’s telepresence customers and any public or private telepresence room on the Tata Communications Global Meeting Exchange, which spans 31 cities on five continents. Verizon and Tata Communications customers currently can use Cisco
TelePresence to conduct intercarrier telepresence meetings. Plans are under way to establish similar agreements with other immersive video providers and services to further expand the availability of telepresence.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
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Verizon’s Cloud Computing Service Achieves PCI Compliance Rating
Verizon Business said the Verizon Computing as a Service (CaaS) solution has successfully completed a Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard audit. To become PCI DSS-validated, Verizon CaaS’ physical and
virtual infrastructure underwent a third-party examination of its policies, procedures, and technical systems, as well as an on-site assessment and system-wide vulnerability scan.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Verizon Wireless Continues LTE Rollout in Connecticut
Verizon Wireless is launching 4G LTE services across Harford, Middlesex, and Tolland counties in Connecticut on June 16. Some 26 communities will be added to Verizon’s LTE footprint with the launch. In May,
Verizon Wireless launched 4G LTE services in Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut, as well as inside Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
Source: Vendor, 6/13/2011
Verizon Wireless Turns on 4G LTE Service in 19 More Metro Areas
Verizon Wireless turned on 4G LTE service in 19 additional metropolitan areas June 16th. The new areas where 4G LTE network will be available include Fresno and Sacramento, California; Hartford, Connecticut;
Boise, Idaho; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana; Flint, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, Michigan; Dayton, Ohio; Erie, Harrisburg, and State College, Pennsylvania.; Greenville-Spartanburg South Carolina; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah;
Spokane, Washington; and Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The carrier is also expanding its 4G LTE network in San Francisco and Detroit.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Vodafone Completes Disposal of SFR Stake
Vodafone announced the completion of its plan to dispose of its stake in SFR. The company divested itself of a 44% stake in SFR for a total cash consideration of EUR 7.75 billion from Vivendi, and a final dividend
of EUR 200 million from SFR itself. Vodafone also signed a Partner Market agreement with SFR, which will allow it to maintain commercial cooperation. Vodafone plans to begin the associated GBP 4 billion share buyback program shortly.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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Vonage Elects Joseph M. Redling to Board of Directors
Vonage announced the election of Joseph M. Redling to its Board of Directors. Redling currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of NutriSystem, as well as chairman of its Board. This election follows
closely on the heels of Carl Sparks’ admission to the board. Sparks is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Travelocity. Vonage says the recent additions are part of an effort to strengthen the company’s operational and marketing experience as it
moves towards offering mobile products through alternative channels.
Source: Vendor, 6/9/2011
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Yahoo Launches New App Discovery Application, Desktop Search
Yahoo announced two new app discovery products: Yahoo! App Search on the PC, and AppSpot, a new mobile application. AppSpot is designed to provide iPhone, iPod touch, and
Android users with daily personal picks based on the user’s own preferences; more precise results than an app store search; a listing of related applications when looking at an app; and direct links to the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace. App
Search on the desktop provides a similar experience, but will direct the user to their mobile device for the actual download. AppSpot is available now as a free download from the aforementioned app stores.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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ZTE USA Earns International ISO/IEC27001:2005 Certification
ZTE USA has been granted international ISO/IEC27001:2005 certification. The certificate is granted following a stringent examination of a company’s data security. This clears the way for ZTE to begin expanding more
of its offerings into the US. ZTE is the first publicly listed Chinese company to earn this particular certification.
Source: Vendor, 6/14/2011
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ZTE’s ZXR10 M6000-16 Edge/Service Router passes EANTC Test
ZTE‘s ZXR10 M6000-16 edge/service router and T8000 platform passed the 100G Ethernet Router Performance and Scalability Independent Test Program organized by the European Advanced Networking Test Center (EANTC). The
test verified such capabilities as IPv4 forwarding, IPV4 multicast forwarding, IPv6 forwarding ,RSVP-TE, MPLS label forwarding, HQoS, L2VPN, L3VPN, and load balancing based on IP routes. ZTE says the most important aspect of the certification is the
assurance that the router supports full-rate forwarding for all packet sizes tested through the 100G port, a capability which, according to the company, is difficult to reproduce.
Source: Vendor, 6/15/2011
ZTE Unveils 4 Transmitter CDMA/LTE dual-mode distributed NodeB System
ZTE unveiled what it says is the industry’s first CDMA/LTE dual-mode distributed NodeB system with four transmitters and four receivers (4T4R). The new product uses the company’s Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
technology, and supports 2×2 or 4×4 MIMO configurations. ZTE says this will allow for an increased number of simultaneous data streams, as well as larger coverage areas, and faster data rates. The new platform will support carriers using CDMA2000 1X,
EV-DO, and LTE technology when it launches.
Source: Vendor, 6/16/2011
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