News Briefs for the Week Ending
08/26/2011
Copyright 2011, Faulkner Information Services. All Rights Reserved.
Docid:00020009
Publication Date: 1108
Publication Type: NEWS
ACQUISITIONS & DIVESTITURES
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Accenture to Acquire Zenta, Launch Credit Services Business
Accenture agreed to acquired Zenta, a provider of residential and commercial mortgage processing services. The company said it will use the acquisition to enhance its own ability to aid lenders, servicers, and
real estate investment trusts (REITS) in improving their operations. To accomplish this, Accenture is launching a new division called Accenture Credit Services. The new segment will offer
full-service consulting, technology, and BPO products to institutions in the residential mortgage, commercial real estate, leasing, and automotive finance industries. No terms for the acquisition were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Accenture Completes Acquisition of Duck Creek Technologies
Accenture completed its acquisition of Duck Creek Technologies, a specialized software maker for the property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry. The acquired company will become part of Accenture Software, and
will be used to enhance the division’s own P&C software with features such as policy management, including underwriting, billing, rating, ISO-based products support, and claims management. 370 employees will also be transitioning to Accenture as part of
the transaction. No financial terms were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Cisco to Acquire AXIOSS Software Assets
Cisco announced that it plans to acquire the service fulfillment software assets from the UK subsidiary (formerly Axiom Systems) of parent company Comptel Corporation. Employees
associated with AXIOSS will be transferred to Cisco when the deal closes. Cisco said it will pay approximately $31 million USD in cash for the acquisition. The AXIOSS software suite has already been integrated into Cisco’s managed services solutions. The
Cisco Advanced Services operational support systems practice will offer implementation, customization, and integration services for the Cisco Prime fulfillment platform as a result of the deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of calendar
year 2011.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Ericsson Completes Acquisition of Telenor’s M2M Platform
Ericsson completed its asset purchase agreement to acquire Telenor Connexion‘s machine-to-machine (M2M) technology platform, as previously announced on April 19th.
The service offers telecommunications operators the ability to set up tailored M2M services.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Lockheed Martin Signs Agreement to Acquire QTC Holdings
Lockheed Martin signed a definitive agreement to acquire QTC Holdings, a provider of outsourced medical evaluation services to the US government and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The transaction is
expected to close before the end of the year, but remains subject to government approvals, including a review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and satisfaction of other closing conditions. No financial terms were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Motorola Solutions to Sell Wireless Networks Business
Motorola Solutions reached an agreement for private equity firm Vector Capital to acquire its Point-to-Point (PTP) and Point-To-Multipoint (PTM)
wireless broadband networks business for an undisclosed amount. Motorola’s PTP and PMP businesses – which encompass 220 employees in all – include licensed and unlicensed technology to address industry verticals and support many different applications. The
business also offers technical expertise and customer support. The transaction should close by the end of September.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
NCR Completes Tender Offer for All Outstanding Shares of Radiant
NCR completed a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Radiant Systems for $28.00 per share. The offer elicited the sale of approximately 35,859,237 shares of Radiant common stock,
representing 87% of the company’s total outstanding shares. NCR says it also plans to exercise an option includes in the tender offer to purchase an aggregate number of additional shares from Radiant itself, which will bring its total ownership to more
than 90%. Following the closure of the transaction, Radiant will become a wholly owned subsidiary of NCR, and will have its shared de-listed from the NASDAQ Global Select Market.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Skype Gobbles Up GroupMe
Internet telephony company Skype said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire GroupMe, a provider of mobile group messaging services. GroupMe was founded in 2010.
Terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed, Skype said. Microsoft acquired Skype in May of this year.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Bloomberg: Sprint Considering Taking Control of Clearwire
Bloomberg reported that Sprint Nextel is considering buying more equity in Clearwire from the broadband provider’s other strategic investors. The report, citing unnamed
sources, said Sprint is in talks with Clearwire’s other investors, including Comcast, about an investment plan in which it would purchase the equity stakes and essentially take control of Clearwire. The report said the talks are preliminary and no deal is
imminent. Other strategic investors of Clearwire include cable companies Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. The report said Cox Communications and Cablevision, two MSOs that do not resell Clearwire’s service, are also part of the discussions with
Sprint. Sprint and Clearwire executives declined to comment on the story.
Source: Bloomberg, 8/22/2011
Verizon Acquires CloudSwitch
Verizon Communications announced it has acquired CloudSwitch, a privately-held provider of cloud software technology. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Verizon said it
plans to combine CloudSwitch – which is based in Burlington, Massachusetts – with its Terremark IT services subsidiary. The acquisition enhances Verizon’s hybrid-cloud and cloud-to-cloud capabilities, the company said.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
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CA Joins with HyTrust Inc. for Security and Compliance Solutions
CA formed an alliance with HyTrust Inc, a specialist in policy management and access control for virtual infrastructure. The goal of the collaboration will be to jointly develop and market new security and compliance
solutions for customers leveraging virtualized systems and cloud infrastructures. The companies said they plan to address various aspects of virtualized and cloud-based systems, including unified access control, policy enforcement, and audit-quality
logging. The duo plans to unveil the first of these joint solution at the VMWorld 2011 conference in Las Vegas, which begins August 29.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Microsoft Signs Joint Development Agreement with China Standard
Microsoft signed a joint development agreement with China Standard Software, a Linux provider, to collaborate on solutions for the cloud computing market in China. The joint products will be built on Microsoft’s
Hyper-V Open Cloud architecture and will include support to run China Standard’s NeoKylin Linux Server products. The two companies also plan to launch a joint virtual technology lab in Beijing for solution development and testing of cloud solutions.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
McAfee Teams with NEC to Secure Android Devices
NEC will offer McAfee Mobile Security pre-installed on its LifeTouch series cloud communicator, an Android device positioned between computers and mobile phones. The pre-installation
of this security suite on the LifeTouch series represents the first service bundle of its kind to be made available in Japan.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
BIOMETRICS
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AuthenTec Biometric Sensor Adds Security Features to New Tablet
AuthenTec‘s TCS2 TouchChip sensor has been integrated into TazTag‘s new TazPad Android tablet. The TCS2 sensor uses fingerprint authentication for mobile payment
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
CARRIER SERVICES
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Swisscom Announces Changes to Several Mobile Plans
Swisscom announced plans to add several services to its existing mobile phone plans. First, customers on the company’s Natel liberty primo and liberty medio subscriptions will see their data volume allowances
doubling. Additionally, BeFree and BusinessOne flat-rate subscriptions will now include free calls to Europe and North America and free messaging to all countries. The pricing for all of the aforementioned plans remains unchanged.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
CLOUD COMPUTING
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AWS Launches Spot Instance Support for Amazon Elastic MapReduce
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced support for spot instances on its Amazon Elastic MapReduce service. The company said this new offering will significantly reduce the cost of processing large amounts of data on
Apache Hadoop clusters. Customers can run a pure Spot Instance configuration, or combine Spot Instances with On-Demand and/or Reserved Instances. AWS posted a getting started video to teach users how to
launch Amazon Elastic MapReduce clusters on Spot Instances. More information is also available in the Spot Instances section of
the Amazon Elastic MapReduce Developer Guide
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
AWS Launches Amazon ElastiCache Cloud-Based In-Memory Cache
Amazon Web Services announced a public beta for its new Amazon ElastiCache solution. The new service makes it possible for customers to deploy, operate, and scale an in-memory cache in the cloud. AWS said
this will improve the performance of Web applications by removing their reliance on slower disk-based databases. The new service is also protocol-compliant with Memcached, a “widely adopted memory object caching system”, allowing ElastiCache to
interoperate with many existing third-party products and services. Pricing begins at $0.095 per hour, and goes up based on the size of the Cache Nodes used. Amazon ElastiCache is currently only available in the US East (Virginia) region of AWS, but will be
expanded to other regions soon.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
AWS Adds Support for New OS, Virtualization Platforms to VM Import
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced support for additional operating systems and virtualization platforms for its VM Import solution. VM Import is now compatible with Windows Server 2003 R2 in addition to Windows
Server 2008. Additionally, the product now supports the VHD image format, which is compatible with the Citrix Xen and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization platforms. VM Import is available at no extra charge to all users of AWS’ Amazon EC2 and Amazon S3
services. More information about the new features is available from the VM Import product page.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Citrix Releases Version 5.5 of XenDesktop
Citrix released version 5.5 of its Citrix XenDesktop product line. New features includes Personal vDisk, which lets companies store a single version of Windows which can be populated by the personal apps and settings
of each employee; the ability to deliver virtual desktops over WAN to mobile workers; support for a wider range of devices; faster app delivery with the included XenApp 6.5; and support for Microsoft RemoteFX, allowing users to experience their Windows 7
Aero desktops remotely. XenDesktop is available now from the Citrix Web site with prices starting at $95 per user, per month.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Fujitsu Releases Interstage App Server for Cloud Migration
Fujitsu released its Interstage Application Server v10, an application server for consolidating work on private clouds. It can consolidate – without upgrades – multiple generations of business applications, aiding
in business consolidation on the private cloud. It can also simultaneously aggregate and execute multiple applications, developed in different programming languages, including Java EE, J2EE, COBOL, and C, on a single application server. Fujitsu is also
offering an Interstage Application Server v1, powered by Windows Azure, that can be employed in a public cloud environment.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
HP Unveils Software, Systems for Cloud Migration
Hewlett-Packard (HP) introduced new Peer Motion software and P10000 IT-as-a-Service systems, as part of its converged storage portfolio. Peer Motion software offers federated software for moving application workloads
from traditional disk systems to virtualized and cloud computing environments. P10000 is a 3PAR storage system for consolidating workloads to deliver enterprise IT within public and private clouds. It is available for HP Leftl-land and 3PAR storage
systems.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS & EQUIPMENT
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Alcatel to Provide IP/MPLS Backhaul for Zain Saudi Arabia
Alcatel-Lucent was selected to provide IP/MPLS mobile backhaul for Zain Saudi Arabia, a mobile operator looking to address growing bandwidth requirements while better keeping pace with subscriber demand.
Alcatel’s technology will provide a converged, scalable, multi-access, and all-IP network for dynamic service creation and delivery, while also providing broadband accessibility to Zain subscribers.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
C&W Worldwide to Offer Global Ethernet Services to Americas
Cable&Wireless Worldwide announced it is extending its portfolio of global Ethernet services to multinational enterprises and carrier customers based in North and South America. The first Ethernet service to be launched
by Cable&Wireless Worldwide will be the International Ethernet Private Line, which is scheduled to launch in October, 2011. It will offer secure Ethernet connections between global financial trading exchanges. The company also announced plans to launch
Ethernet Wireline and Ethernet Virtual Private Network services in the last quarter of 2011. C&W has also expanded its next-generation Multi-Service Platform (MSP) to the Americas. Already available in Asia Pacific, Europe, India, the Middle East, and the
United Kingdom, the MSP now supports the delivery of multiple services over a single global network.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Cisco Extends Mobile Networking Portfolio
Cisco announced enhancements to its 5900 Series Embedded Services Router (ESR) product line, including the availability of the Cisco 5915 Embedded Services Router and updates to the Cisco 5940 Embedded Services
Router. The 5900 ESR series of ruggedized routers expands the capabilities of Cisco’s Mobile Ready Net solution architecture. Mobile Ready Net and its supporting products are targeted toward military, public safety, and transportation agencies, and are
designed to provide secure data, voice, and video communications to stationary and mobile network nodes across wired and wireless links. Combined with UHF, VHF, Wi-Fi and other radio platforms, the services routers enable transparent roaming over multiple
wireless networks, without requiring a connection to central infrastructure.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Cisco Provides IPv6 for ZON Network Upgrade in Portugal
Cisco Systems deployed its Carrier-Grade IPv6 technology for cable operator ZON Multimedia, to better migrate its Carrier Ethernet network in Portugal. The Cisco technology will provide a transparent, end-to-end
infrastructure – based on an IP NGN architecture – for ZON’s access, aggregation, and Internet peering networks.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Cisco Rolls Out ISR Gateway, Upgrades ESR Lineup
Cisco Systems rolled out its new 819 Integrated Services Router (ISR) Machine-to-Machine Gateway – for integrating networking capabilities into non-traditional IP devices – and upgraded its 5900 series Embedded
Services Router (ESR) lineup of rugged, high-performance routers for mobile and embedded networks. The Cisco ISR gateway offers an integrated platform to extend corporate 3G/4G wireless WAN network services to small devices in more challenging
environments. ESRs provide a next generation of mobile networking for industrial, commercial, military, homeland security, and emergency response applications.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Cisco Deploys CRS-3 Routing System for Russia’s MTS
Cisco Systems Russia provided its CRS-3 Carrier Routing System for Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), a telecommunications service provider servicing Russia and other CIS nations, to allow it to better provide subscribers with
high-quality Internet access despite a shortage of IPv4 addresses. MTS will use the technology to extend services to 80 million address translations, across several regional mobile and fixed networks. An initial phase deployment was installed in
Siberia.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Fujitsu Launches Ethernet-over-Anything Product Portfolio
Richardson, Texas-based Fujitsu subsidiary Fujitsu Network Communications (FNC) announced the availability of an expanded access product portfolio that
enables Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF)-compliant Ethernet services to be offered across different transport networks. FNC said the its new products demonstrate that Fujitsu has reached its Ethernet over Anything (EoX) vision, giving service providers and
enterprises a uniform platform on which high-growth Ethernet services are supported, independent of the underlying transport technology. The integration of EoX technology into the Fujitsu access portfolio also means Ethernet services can be extended to
locations that before may have been out-of-reach, or created quality concerns because of different transport technologies used in different parts of the network. FNC said having EoX at the customer premises and in the access network, as well as at the
metro aggregation and core networks, eliminates those concerns.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Juniper Provides Networking for Harris Farm Markets
Juniper Networks provided SRX series services gateways and AX411 wireless APs for stores and warehouses owned by Harris Farm Markets, an Australian supermarket chain, to support point-of-sale and inventory
management applications. The networking technology is part of an IT upgrade program at 23 stores and warehouses in New South Wales.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Sidus Data to Use Level 3’s Dedicated Internet Access Services
Level 3 said managed hosting provider Sidus Data has signed a deal with Level 3 to increase bandwidth capacity and bring significant upgrades to Sidus’ Managed Services
offering. Under terms of the agreement, Level 3 will provide Sidus Data with dedicated Internet access over its Tier 1 IP transit networks.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
LightSquared Signs Wholesale Deal with InterGlobe
LightSquared announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with InterGlobe Communications under which the competitive local exchange carrier will become a wholesale
customer on LightSquared’s proposed 4G-LTE network. Financial terms of the deal were not released. InterGlobe primarily serves business customers in the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania region. LightSquared is awaiting final FCC approval to operate
its hybrid satellite/LTE broadband network.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Lockheed Martin Debuts “Linguist on-line” Service, LinGo Link
Lockheed Martin unveiled its so called “Linguist on-line service”, LinGo Link. The new service uses a new delivery model to connect the user to a bank of interpreters in a remote service center within the
area of operations. Lockheed said it designed its service to aid the communications of soldiers deployed in areas with too few translators. The system is capable of working over cellular, Wi-Fi, and military communications networks. Users can also transmit
audio, video, photos, and text during conversations with interpreters.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Motorola Mobility Completes IPv6 Evaluation in Belgium
Motorola Mobility and Telenet – which provides media and telecommunications services – reported they successfully tested and evaluated the first phase of iPv6 features on Motorola’s BSR 64000 Cable Modem
Termination System (CMTS) in Belgium. Telenet deployed Motorola’s BSR 64000, across Belgium, to better provide residential broadband and video services. The addition of IPv6 support should allow it to offer IP services to a growing number of consumer
devices, including smartphones, tablets, Internet-enabled consoles, TVs, and home security and monitoring applications.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
NCR Receives ServiceEdge Partner Status in Aruba Networks’ WLAN
NCR received ServiceEdge Partner status in Aruba Networks’ wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions. This clears NCR to function as a service provider to telecoms and system integrators using Aruba’s products. To be eligible for
the partner program, NCR was required to prove that it had made “significant investments” in Aruba training, certifications, and lab equipment, as well as maintaining a proven track record of successfully managing large, complex deployments.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
T-Mobile USA Expands Business, Government Portfolio
T-Mobile USA introduced a suite of new B2B solutions that offer features to help businesses and government agencies manage their wireless telecom programs more efficiently and cost effectively, the telecom said.
The new solutions include options for enterprise messaging, telecom expense management, secure mobile data access, and enterprise device security and management.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
CONFERENCING
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Merck Selects Polycom Immersive Telepresence Conferencing Systems
Polycom announced that global pharmaceutical and chemical company Merck has chosen its immersive telepresence video conferencing systems to enable efficient employee communication despite long geographical distances
between offices, and to lower costs by cutting down on international travel. Merck’s recent acquisition of Millipore, a large biotechnical and chemical company based in the US, accentuated the need for a robust conferencing system, Polycom said.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
CONSULTING & MANAGED SERVICES
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Alcatel Unveils Services for Telecom Network Health Monitoring
Alcatel-Lucent unveiled its new Proactive Services Suite, designed to analyze the health and performance of a telecommunications network. The services, which use Bell Labs-developed monitoring tools, can
identify potential problems, taking preventative actions to minimize their impact.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
CSC Signs Contract to Provides Visa Application Centers for CIC
CSC signed a contract with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to provide administrative support in the submission of visa applications from Latin America. Under the terms of the agreement, CSC will establish Visa
Applications Centers (VACs) in 15 countries across Latin America. These locations will be used to process temporary resident visas, permits, and travel documents. The agreement has a two-year base period and two single-year options. No financial terms were
disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Harris Corp Provides Digital Broadcast Solution to RIC Group
Harris Corp revealed that it supplied an integrated DTV broadcast solution to RIC Group in Brazil for the company’s digital transition of its TV broadcast network. Harris’ solution included routers, transmitters,
master control, and branding systems, as well as signal processing, distribution, and networking equipment. Harris said it will also be constructing additional broadcast sites for the RIC Group in the near future. No financial terms were disclosed.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
HP’s NHIC to Provide Services for US Medicare, Medicaid
HP Enterprise Services‘ NHIC subsidiary was awarded a five-year, $72.3 million USD contract – extended from a prior, 2006 agreement – with the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to service medical
equipment suppliers in 11 US states and the District of Columbia. It will provide claims processing, medical review, medical policy, appeals processing, and customer service.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Nielsen Receives Accreditation from MRC in Puerto Rico
Nielsen received accreditation from the Media Rating Council (MRC) for its Puerto Rico audience measurement service. The MRC validates services for reliable and effective audience measurement, and is composed
of several television, radio, print, and Internet companies. Nielsen’s Puerto Rico service, launched on April 1, 2010, uses a 500 home random area probability sample to provide overnight audience ratings and demographics.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
PAETEC Receives Cisco Master Managed Services Certification
PAETEC received Cisco Master Managed Services Certification. The certificate assures the company’s investment in the ITIL processes, practices, and tools involved in Cisco-based managed services. To receive the
certification, the company was required to demonstrate its ability to deliver solutions, meet requirements for a depth of capabilities, and to undergo an independent audit of its operations.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
SAIC Signs $20 Million Contract for San Diego Airport Work
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) signed an agreement with Turner PCL Flatiron to provide design, engineering, installation, testing, and commissioning services for the security systems at the San
Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Under the terms of the contract, SAIC will be called on to provide design-build services for security, network, and building and maintenance management systems. The project has a 30-month period of performance and a
total value of $20 million.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
CRM
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Adobe Launches Digital Enterprise Platform, CEM Solutions
Adobe announced the public availability of its Digital Enterprise Platform and first set of Customer Experience
Management (CEM) solutions. The pair of offerings are designed to combine marketing and IT assets into a single, multi-channel digital product. The first set of CEM solutions includes Integrated Content Review, a product designed to improve workflow
processes and speed time-to-market; Web Experience management, a solution for creating, managing, and publishing rich content across Web, social, mobile, and email; and Customer Communications, which centralizes and manages the generation and delivery of
personalized, interactive correspondence and statements. The Digital Enterprise Platform and CEM solutions are available now, with Adobe offering a 60-day free
trial.
Source: Vendor, 8/19/2011
DATA BREACHES
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Hacker Snags Data for Government Employees, Posts Details Online
A hacker breached an events management company stealing the personal details for more than 22,000 customers, and posted the information online to two hacker Web sites, eWeek reported. The lone attacker, a fan of the
infamous hacker group “Anonymous,” took the information from allianceforbiz.com, which included sensitive data from US government employees and contractors, and then posted it online.
Source: eWeek, 8/24/2011
Epson Korea Data Breach Affects 350,000 Customers
Sophos reported that Epson Korea’s computer systems were hacked, resulting in the loss of personal information for 350,000 customers. Hackers stole passwords, phone numbers, names,
and email addresses for those customers who were registered with Epson Korea.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
“Anonymous” Hackers Unleash Wrath on Another Government Contractor
Vanguard Defense Industries became the latest government contractor to fall victim to the hacker group “Anonymous.” In a message on the company’s Web site, VDI said that Anonymous spoofed the email of a VDI executive, sending out a fake resignation letter to
numerous law enforcement and private sector individuals. Four days earlier, the hackers had attempted to breach VDI’s servers.
Source: Vendor, 8/19/2011
DESKTOPS
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HP Unveils 8200 Elite Desktop with 23-Inch Display
Hewlett-Packard introduced the new Compaq 8200 Elite, an all-in-one, Intel-based desktop PC developed for the enterprise, mid-market, and public sector. It includes a diagonal, 23-inch LED monitor, and is available in
the US for $999 USD.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
ENTERPRISE APPLICATION SOFTWARE
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HP Updates Service Provider Administration Systems
Hewlett-Packard (HP) updated its life, health, and annuity policy administration systems for service providers. This includes RADIENCE Administration and INGENIUM systems for supporting the Instant-On Enterprise.
RADIENCE Administration is designed to help insurers introduce new products while cutting down on implementation time frames and risks. HP INGENIUM is a Web-enabled, global life, health, and annuity policy administration system for reducing the risk of
systems implementation.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
OpenText Releases Legal Content Management Solution for SharePoint
OpenText released a Legal Content Management (LCM) solution for Microsoft SharePoint. The solution is designed for small to mid-sized law firms already using SharePoint 2010. OpenText said the solution offers
specialized legal industry expertise on matters of lifecycle management and proactive compliance, alongside the usability, collaboration, and document management capabilities provided by its SharePoint integration. OpenText’s LCM solution is available now
in both on premise and cloud-based deployment options. More information is available at the company’s legal product page.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Qualcomm Launches Trip Manager
Wireless technology company Qualcomm announced the commercial availability of Trip Manager, a new application designed to help fleet managers better manage routes, increase driver productivity, and control costs.
Trip Manager is integrated with Qualcomm’s Workflow application and is available on the vendor’s Mobile Computing Platform 110 and Mobile Computing Platform 200.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
FINANCIAL
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Acer’s Prelim Results Down 32 Percent
Acer International announced preliminary revenues of 102 billion NTD ($3.5 billion USD) for the 2011 second quarter, ended June 30, 2011. This is down 32 percent from its 2010 second quarter
revenues. Second quarter losses are projected at 6.8 billion NTD, with 2.57 NTD loss per share. This loss accounts for $150 million USD in sales allowance, to clear channel inventory in EMEA, $30 million for cost of EMEA reorganization, inventory clear-up
due to the sluggish economy, and senior executive severance pay.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
CenturyLink Board Declares Quarterly Dividend
CenturyLink announced that its board of directors voted to declare a quarterly cash dividend of $.725 per share, payable on September 16, 2011, to shareholders of record on September 6, 2011. Following its
recently-concluded acquisition of Qwest, CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Fujitsu to Liquidate European Financing Subsidiary
Fujitsu announced that its director board plans to liquidate Fujitsu International Finance (Netherlands), a subsidiary established to conduct group financing activities in Europe.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Lockheed Martin Raises Share Repurchasing Budget by $1 Billion
Lockheed Martin‘s board of directors approved an interim increase to the budget of the company’s current share repurchasing efforts. The new funds are at the discretion of management, but could reach as high
as an additional $1 billion. Lockheed also said it expects to reach the end of this current repurchasing program prior to its next scheduled review. A new repurchasing program is scheduled for consideration by the board during this fall.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Salesforce.com Reports Jump in Revenue, Net Losses for Q2 2012
Salesforce.com posted its financial results for the second quarter of its 2012 fiscal year. The company’s revenue totaled $546 million, a 38% increase over the $368.9 million posted a year ago. Despite the
jump in revenue, the Salesforce posted a net loss of $15.7 million, a significant drop from the net profit of $29.8 million reported for the same quarter in 2011. This translated to a loss per share of $0.03, compared to earnings per share of $0.11 for the
second quarter of 2011. The decline was due to several factors, including a one-time charge of $0.04 per share associated with the legal settlement on June 15, 2011, as well as $55 million in stock-based compensation expenses. On these results the company
updated its FY 2012 guidance to include a revenue of $2.22 to $2.23 billion, and a net loss per share of approximately $0.11 to $0.09.
Source: Vendor, 8/18/2011
Telecom New Zealand Reports Slight Drop in Revenue, Rise in Profits
Telecom New Zealand posted its financial results for the second half of its 2011 fiscal year. The company’s revenue totaled NZ$5.1 billion, down 3.2% from the NZ$5.2 billion reported for the same half, last year.
Net earnings were NZ$388 million, up 1.6% from the NZ$382 million posted for the same period in 2010. This resulted in earnings per share of NZ$20.00, flat with the second half of 2010. Telecom New Zealand did not provide guidance for its 2012 fiscal year,
as it expects to demerge its Chorus business during that period.
Source: Vendor, 8/19/2011
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
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Accenture Signs 3-Year, $5.9 Million Contract with US Navy
Accenture signed a three-year contract with the US Department of the Navy to support the military’s Financial Improvement Program (FIP). Accenture will collaborate with the navy to audit the design standard
financial business processes within all major commands. The goal of the project is to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of financial information as a method of increasing the reliability of the Navy’s financial management capabilities. The
contract has a total value of $5.9 million.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
SAIC Signs $19 Million Contract with US Naval Research Lab
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) received a prime contract from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to provide engineering and physical life sciences research and development services in support
of the lab’s NRL Chemistry Division. Under the terms of the contract, SAIC will provide services including analysis and sensing; carbon cycling in aquatic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems; materials; and development, analysis, and modeling of unexploded
ordnance sensors. The agreement has a one-year base period, four one-year options, and a total value of more than $19 million if all options are exercised.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
SAIC Receives Prime Contract from Army Corps of Engineers
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) a prime contract from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Southwestern Division (SWD) to provide environmental consulting services in support of the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), military, civil works, and international and interagency service customers. Under the terms of the contract, conduct environmental assessments and studies to help the aforementioned entities meet the requirements of new planned
activities and ongoing facility sustainability. The agreement has a one-year base period, four one-year options, and a total value of more than $22 million if all options are exercised.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
SAIC Receives Follow-On Task Order from US NAVAIR
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) received a follow-on task order from the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide technical, engineering, and logistics support to the Command’s Air Combat
Electronics Program Office (PMA-209). Under the terms of the agreement SAIC will be tasked with helping plan and manage communication of voice and data in support of tactical, strategic operations, and among aircrew; secure communications; and
collaborative execution of missions across all relevant platforms. The agreement has a base period including the original task order, as well as 5 one-year options, which bring the total value up to more than $45 million.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
INDUSTRY GROUPS
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NEC Joins OpenStack Community for Open Source Cloud Computing
NEC jointed the OpenStack Community, and industry group dedicated to developing an open source cloud operating system. The group’s 100-plus members hope to encourage the widespread adoption of cloud computing
infrastructure through open source software. The participants say this would make highly reliable public and private cloud infrastructure available at a low cost. NEC plans to use its participation in the group to create new systems integration
technologies, as well as implementing OpenStack developments through its “UNIVERGE PF Series (ProgrammableFlow)” of network products.
Source: Vendor, 8/19/2011
INTERNET
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AOL’s HuffPo Media Group Relaunches Stylelist
AOL‘s Huffington Post Media Group relaunched Stylelist, a site devoted to fashion and beauty news, trends, and opinion. The new destination on the
HuffPo network includes how-tos, celebrity profiles, blog posts, and news from the most recent fashion shows. Stylelist also consists of a user community with the goal of promoting fashion and personal style. The site will be edited by Priya Rao, formerly
a reported for The Wall Street Journal.
Source: Vendor, 8/18/2011
comScore Launches AdEffx Service in Latin America
comScore launched its AdEffx Campaign Essentials product in Latin America. AdEffx is the company’s audience validation tool
for use by digital marketers, agencies, and publishers. The service launched in the US in 2009, and has since been made available in Europe and Canada.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Pew Finds Women Value College More
Pew Research Center released the findings of its latest study on the
gender differences in the assigned value and necessity of a college education. According to Pew, approximately half of the women surveyed said they felt their four-year college education provided a "good" or "excellent" value for the
money it cost them. Only 37% of men queries felt the same way. Despite the negative feelings, 77% of respondents said they felt that a college education is necessary for a woman to succeed in life, while only 68% said the same for men.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
USDA Announces Rural Broadband Funding
The US Department of Agriculture announced that 16 US states will share more than $103 million for 23 projects to provide broadband services to unserved and underserved rural communities in the US. Residents and
businesses that will benefit from the funding include those in an Oklahoma community damaged by a tornado earlier this year. States slated to receive funding are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Source: USDA, 8/23/2011
LEGAL
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Apple Injunction Blocks Samsung Smartphones in Europe
Apple was awarded a preliminary injunction from a court in The Hague, Netherlands, blocking Samsung Electronics‘ distribution of smartphones – including Galaxy S, S II, and Ace
models – in Europe, over concerns they may infringe on an Apple photo browsing patent, according to a BBC News report. Rejected were two other Apple claims,
alleging infringement on registered designs. This infringement also targets Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet PCs, previously the subject of similar injunctions issued by German and Australian courts. The infringement allegations must still be judged in a full
court hearing. The injunction applies, from mid-October, to distribution in the Netherlands and by any Netherlands-based subsidiaries in several European countries where the patent is valid. Samsung does not expect sales in Europe to be disrupted, and it
said it will take legal steps to ensure that sales in the Netherlands also continue.
Source: BBC News, 8/24/2011
CSC Reaches Proposed Settlement with US Gov Over Contract Dispute
CSC reached a proposed settlement with the US government over its dispute of contract claims asserted under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. The two parties agreed to enter into an alternative dispute resolution
process on November 19, 2010. Under the terms of the settlement, CSC will receive $277 million, as well as a five-year contract extension with an estimated value of $1 billion. CSC expects these terms to result in a non-cash pre-tax charge of approximately
$250 million, which will reduce its EPS by $1.15 during its second fiscal quarter. The proposed settlement must still be definitively approved by both parties before it is legally binding.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Google to Pay $500 million to Justice Department Over Pharmacy Ads
Google has agreed to pay a $500 million settlement to the US Justice department over its provision of ad space to fraudulent Canadian pharmacies that were illegally selling drugs to US citizens. The Justice
Department said the sales resulted in "unlawful importation of controlled and non-controlled prescription drugs". The settlement is said to be one of the largest in
US history, and was chosen to represent the revenues received by Google as a result of these illegal ads, as well as the revenue made by the fraudulent pharmacies through the sales resulting from ad clicks. An investigation found that Google knew about
the unlawful sales that were resulting from its ads as early as 2003, but continued to provide support to the Canadian pharmacies through 2009. Google ceased the practice after becoming aware of the federal investigation, the company said, and now
requires all advertising pharmacies to be certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s Verified Internet Pharmacy Practices Sites program.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Twitter, Facebook, and RIM to Meet with UK Officials Over Riots
Twitter, Facebook, and Research in Motion (RIM) are all slated to meet with UK Home Office Secretary
Theresa May and other UK officials about the role of social media in the recent riots across the UK, Mashable reported. Rioters were widely reported to have been using social media and messaging technology to plan
crimes and violent behavior during the riots. The UK government said it needs greater control to shut down social network tools but free speech advocates and others oppose such measures. A spokesman from Twitter told Mashable that the company would be
“happy to listen” to what the UK home office had to say.
Source: Mashable, 8/23/2011
MALWARE WATCH
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Kaspersky: Ice IX Is the First Crimeware Based on Leaked Zeus Code
Researchers at Kaspersky Lab have discovered the Ice IX Botnet, which consists of Web applications developed to manage centralized botnets through the HTTP protocol based on leaked Zeus source code. The purpose of
this crimeware is to steal banking credentials, and the latest version of Ice IX Botnet is selling for $1800 USD in underground markets.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
First Android Malware Using a Rootkit Is Identified
Researchers at North Carolina State University have identified a new high-risk type of malware called “GingerMaster,” which is the first Android malware that utilizes a root exploit against Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).
The malware is repackaged to look like legitimate apps to attract user downloads and installation, but it collects and sends personal details about the user to a remote server.
Source: NCSU, 8/17/2011
Symantec Reports on the Emergence of “Pump-and-Dump” Stock Scams
Spammers are using the fluctuations in the stock market to implement new scams, according to Symantec‘s August 2011 Intelligence
Report. “Pump-and-dump” stock email scams, which is when spammers promote certain stocks in order to inflate the price as much as possible so that they may then be sold before their valuation crashes, have become rather popular among cyber criminals.
Symantec’s analysis also revealed that there were as many new boot time malware threats in the first seven months of 2011 as there were in the previous three years
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
MOBILE APPS
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Ask.com Launches Q&A App for Android
Ask.com launched a version of its Q&A mobile applications for the Android mobile operating system. Like its predecessor on the iPhone, the new app offers voice to text functionality, integrated Web-based and
human-provided results, push notifications, personalized Q&As by interest, and the ability to follow users in the Ask.com community. The application is available at Ask.com’s mobile Web page.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Bing Launches New “We’re In” Social Gathering App
Bing launched its new “We’re In” app for Windows Phone. The new application is designed to provide an easy way to
organize and plan social gatherings. It does this by allowing a user to invite their friends to an event; if the friend accepts both users will be able to see the other’s current location until the expiration of the invite. The app also supports a status
message to let other participants know about plans, and the ability to leave an invited group at any time. A phone number is required for sign-up, and all participants must be running a Windows phone device with the app installed. Bing said it plans to
bring the We’re In application to other platforms in the near future.
Source: Vendor, 8/18/2011
MOBILE PLATFORMS
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Nokia Releases Latest Update to Symbian Mobile OS
Nokia announced that Symbian Anna – the latest software update for Symbian smartphones – is now available for download. Symbian Anna significantly enhances the user experience on the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01,
and Nokia E7, the smartphone maker said.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
PERIPHERALS
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HP Provides Digital Press, Print Server for Cenveo
Hewlett-Packard (HP) provided its Indigo W7200 digital press for Cenveo, which provides print and related resources, to upgrade the short-run publishing and customized collateral capabilities at its core digital
production facilities in Hurlock, MD, US. Cenveo also purchased an HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server, to improve data processing and pre-press workflow.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION
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Apple’s Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO
Apple‘s board of directors announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer. The board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected
Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the board, effective immediately. Jobs “strongly recommended” that the board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO, according to Apple’s press release. Industry icon Jobs underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer in 2004, and received a liver transplant in 2009. He has been on medical leave for an
undisclosed condition since January 17. In a publicly-released letter, Jobs wrote: “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and
expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.” Jobs co-founded the company in 1976.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
BT Opens New International Routing Facility in South Africa
BT opened an international network traffic routing facility at Melkbosstrand in the Western Cape, South Africa. The company said the new facility will allow it to gain better control of its South African infrastructure
and improve its enterprise services by providing a local point of presence. The new facility will be linked to Teraco, a vendor neutral colocation site in Cape Town, which will provide a means for other operators to connect to the BT network.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Coveo Appoints Lawrence Pentland to Board of Directors
Coveo added Lawrence Pentland to its Board of Directors. Pentland was the former leader of the Americas International division at dell. He also served as a board member at Telus, and currently resides on the boards of
several other private technology companies, as well as on the Board Research Committee at the University Health Network in Toronto.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Cox Names Jeremy Bye VP of Wholesale, National Accounts
Cox Communications selected Jeremy Bye to serve as vice president of wholesale and national accounts. Bye led the company’s network and business operations teams in the Virginia market since 2009 after joining the
company in 2002. In his new role, Bye will be responsible for all wholesale sales, sales operations, and technical support functions, as well as expanding Cox’s stable of national account customers.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
HP Enterprise Services Appoints New Executive VP
HP Enterprise Services appointed John Visentin – who previously headed Enterprise Services for the Americas – as EVP, effective immediately. Visentin will serve as a member of the company’s executive council,
reporting directly to president and CEO Leo Apotheker. He replaces the retiring Tom Iannotti.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Juniper to Hire 100 in Australia and New Zealand
Juniper Networks reported it will hire 100 new staff in Australia and New Zealand, doubling its regional workforce at a time when rivals such as Cisco are cutting nearly 10 percent of their workforce to cut costs.
The recruitment drive will occur over the next 3-4 years, according to Australia and New Zealand VP Mark Iles, as it doubled the size of its new Melbourne and Sydney offices to include certification and testing labs.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
LightSquared Names Public Relations VP
LightSquared said it has appointed Terry Neal as the company’s senior vice president of public relations and communications. Reporting to Frank Boulben, chief marketing officer, he will oversee media strategy
and implementation for LightSquared. Neal most recently served in Hill & Knowlton’s Washington office as senior vice president/director of strategic media. LightSquared is building a hybrid LTE/satellite broadband network and awaiting FCC approval for
operation.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Northrop Grumman Italia Receives ISO 1400:2004 Certification
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Navigation Systems Division subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Italia (NGI), received International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001:2004 accreditation for its environmental
management systems. The new certificate assures that the division has met with certain international standards for minimizing its impact on the environment. The certification was awarded by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, an accredited third-party
organization, following an extensive auditing process conducted in June 2011.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Northrop Grumman Appoints Thomas M. Schoewe to Board
Northrop Grumman elected Thomas M. Schoewe to its board of directors. Schoewe is the former executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The new appointment will increase the
size of the Northrop board to 12 members, 11 of which are nonemployee directors. Schoewe also currently serves on the boards of directors of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Company and PulteGroup Inc.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Polycom Names Former Motorola Networks Exec as VP, Services
Polycom appointed Navin Mehta – the former Motorola Networks VP, Professional and Application Services – as SVP, Global Services. Mehta is responsible for the company’s services strategy, including customer support
function, and expanding its portfolio of services offerings. He reports to Sudhakar Ramakrishna, EVP and GM, UC solutions, and chief development officer. Mehta brings 28 years of industry experience in services and customer support. He has also worked for
Nortel and Nokia Siemens Networks.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
SAIC Taps Robert S. Zitz as SVP, Chief Systems Architect of ISR Group
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) appointed Robert S. Zitz as Senior Vice President and Chief Systems Architect of its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group. Zitz will be
responsible for shaping his new division’s strategy in the airborne, maritime, national security space, and ground ISR programs. Prior to joining SAIC, Zitz served as deputy director of mission support for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Verizon Strikers Return to Work; Contract Talks Continue
Verizon Communications announced that its 45,000 wireline employees in nine Northeastern states and the District of Columbia who are represented by the Communications Workers of
America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will return to work beginning at 12:01 AM August 23rd, without new collective bargaining agreements. Verizon said the company and the unions have made
headway in negotiating a number of local and regional issues, and the parties have agreed on a process for moving forward to negotiate the major issues regarding benefits, cost structure, work flexibility, and job security. Wireline employees now on strike
would be working under terms of the contracts that expired on Saturday, Aug. 6. The CWA said: “We have reached agreement with Verizon on how bargaining will proceed and how it will be restructured. The major issues remain to be discussed, but overall,
issues now are focused and narrowed.”
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
PUBLIC SAFETY
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Reports: Fukushima-Area Zone to be Declared Uninhabitable
The New York Times reported that areas around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan could soon be declared uninhabitable, perhaps for decades, after a government survey found radioactive
contamination that far exceeded safe levels. Citing reports from Japanese media, the Times said a formal announcement is expected from the Japanese government soon, perhaps this weekend. The affected communities are all within 12 miles of the plant, an
area that was evacuated immediately after the nuclear accident that followed a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.
Source: NYTimes, 8/23/2011
Carriers Say No Network Damages from Earthquake
According to an Associated Press report, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon all said they did not see any major
disruptions or damage to their respective wireless and wireline networks from the 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23rd in Virginia. Heavy call volume, however, overloaded networks, and service was unavailable for relatively short periods of time all
along the East Coast of the US.
Source: AP, 8/24/2011
Officials Urge Vigilance As Hurricane Approaches US
As Hurricane Irene cut a destructive path through the Caribbean, Bahamas, and US commonwealth Puerto Rico, emergency management officials warned the storm could cause extensive flooding, power outages, and other problems from Florida to New England in
the US. Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said people along the entire Eastern Seaboard need to prepare and closely monitor the hurricane’s progress. The National Hurricane Center urged vigilance, as well. Officials said the threat level from Eastern North Carolina to New England is "extreme" this weekend, as the storm is forecast to hug the shoreline as it
moves North.
Source: FEMA, 8/25/2011
NRC Considering Follow Up Inspections at North Anna Plant after Quake
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said that it is continuing to assess the North Anna nuclear power plant in Louisa, Virginia, as the plant recovers from a magnitude 5.8 earthquake that occurred on August 23rd, which
was centered several miles from the plant. The NRC said North Anna canceled its emergency declaration as of 1:15 PM on August 24th. The NRC said it will soon decide whether to conduct a follow-up inspection, aimed at determining how the quake compares
to what the plant was designed to withstand. The NRC also contacted Eastern US industrial and medical facilities that possess significant quantities of nuclear materials. All of these locations confirmed their materials are secure, the NRC said. Twelve
other Eastern US nuclear power plants declared Unusual Events while they examined their sites following the quake. All 12 had canceled their event designations by Tuesday night, August 23rd, and all continue to operate normally.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Sprint Preparing for Irene Response
Sprint said it is using experienced network engineers, backup generators, and COWs (Cell Sites on Wheels) to restore power and service to cell sites in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands that have already been
impacted by Irene. With the storm expected to make landfall on the mainland US later this week as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, Sprint network technicians and its Emergency Response Team are staging critical resources in Florida and South Carolina,
including SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) that will be needed to manage potential power and service outages.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
T-Mobile USA Introduces Persistent Communications Solutions
T-Mobile USA introduced Persistent Communication Solutions (PCS), a mobile telecommunications solution to support government entities’ Continuity of Operations efforts. T-Mobile USA said PCS lets first responders
stay connected during an emergency from the same phone they use every day without having to switch to a different device, even when commercial wireless networks are out of service. The solution also enables wireless communication in remote areas where no
commercial networks exist.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Rare 5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks East Coast
An earthquake occurred near Mineral, Virginia on August 23rd and was felt up and down the Eastern seaboard of the US from Savannah, GA to New England, and as far north as Montreal, Canada. According to scientists at the US Geological Survey, the magnitude 5.8 earthquake’s depth was approximately 3.7 miles , making it the strongest quake recorded in Virginia in more than 110 years. In Washington DC, the Capitol building, Senate,
House of Representatives, and local schools closed following the 1:51 PM quake. No deaths, critical injuries, or major damages were reported, although some buildings near the quake’s epicenter and in other states sustained minor damage. On August 25th, a
4.5 magnitude aftershock struck five miles south of Mineral, Virginia – the the strongest of four aftershocks, according to the USGS. There were no immediate reports of damage.
Source: USGS, 8/24/2011
Verizon Positioning for Hurricane Preparation, Recovery Tasks
Verizon said its wireless and wireline
operations teams from Florida to Maine are completing the tasks necessary to
prepare for Hurricane Irene, which continues to push toward the East Coast.
Verizon’s Business Continuity and Emergency Management team has activated its
National Emergency Coordination Center, which enables Verizon executives to
quickly deploy recovery efforts on their networks during emergency situations.
The carrier’s wireless and wireline networks include towers, buildings,
transmission facilities, and vehicles, and the company is preparing for possible
flooding, power outages and downed trees and wires from Irene’s aftermath.
Verizon said its teams are reviewing the inventory of such supplies as utility
poles, cable, and other equipment, and are staffing essential positions to meet
recovery needs. Verizon’s unionized wireline workers returned to their jobs this
week while contract negotiations continue.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
REGULATORY & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
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GAO: Further Action Required for Strengthening Maritime Security
The US Coast Guard must take further action to ensure maritime security of energy tankers and offshore energy commodities, according to testimony from the
Government Accountability Office (GAO). The Coast Guard has made some progress in boosting security by implementing response plans, GAO noted, but there are still some issues remaining including ensuring that risk
assessments are conducted on regulated offshore energy facilities.
Source: GAO, 8/24/2011
DHS Announces $2.1 Billion in Preparedness Grants
Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano announced more than $2.1 billion USD in federal grants to assist in strengthening the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to, and mitigate terrorist
attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. So far this year, DHS has awarded preparedness grants including more than $1.28 billion to the Homeland Security Grant Program and more than $200 million to the Transit Security Grant Program.
Source: DHS, 8/24/2011
Dish Network Asks FCC for Waiver to Build Out Hybrid LTE Network
Fierce Wireless reported that Dish Network has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow it to combine the
S-Band spectrum licenses it acquired from TerreStar Networks and DBSD North America and grant Dish a waiver to offer terrestrial-only devices to customers on a proposed hybrid satellite-terrestrial mobile broadband network using LTE-Advanced network
technology. Dish, citing the conditional waiver the FCC granted LightSquared, wants to build out a hybrid network using the 40 MHz of spectrum from TerreStar and DBSD under a subsidiary called Gamma, and argues that the network will help promote the FCC’s
goal of expanding broadband access. In its filing to request the transfer of the spectrum licenses, Dish said that the FCC should waive its Ancillary Terrestrial Component “integrated service” rule, and permit Dish provide dual-mode devices to customers
who want them, and single-mode terrestrial devices to customers who do not want the satellite function. LightSquared has encountered opposition to its hybrid network because of GPS interference issues. In its
filing, Dish said its 2 GHz S-Band spectrum “will not raise the technical issues that have hampered the use of the MSS L-Band, such as the interleaving of the operators’ assignments and the severe interference claimed by systems operating in adjacent
spectrum.”
Source: FierceWireless, 8/24/2011
TSA Finalizes Rule on 9/11 Act for Air Cargo Screening
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has implemented recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 concerning air cargo screening facilities. Under the finalized rule, air cargo companies can apply to
become certified cargo screening facilities. Certified facilities can carry out a TSA-approved security program and must adhere to specific requirements to secure cargo.
Source: TSA, 8/18/2011
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
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Globalstar Takes Delivery of 7 Additional Second-Generation Satellites
Louisiana-headquartered satellite services provider Globalstar announced it has taken delivery of seven additional second-generation satellites from manufacturer Thales Alenia Space. The new satellites have been
shipped to the pre-launch preparation facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and six of the spacecraft will now undergo preparations and testing for an October launch using the Soyuz launch vehicle. This will be the third launch of Globalstar’s
new second-generation satellites. Launch services provider Arianespace was contracted in 2007 to conduct a total of four launches carrying six satellites each, using the Soyuz launch vehicle, which has now been used to successfully launch Globalstar
satellites on ten previous occasions.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Spot Releases Spot Connect App for the Apple iPhone
Spot, a subsidiary of Globalstar released its SPOT Connect App for the Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app allows the Apple devices to
connect with the company’s Spot satellite communications devices. The paired devices can be used to send messages via satellite, from nearly anywhere in the world. The messages are transmitted to the Spot units via Bluetooth, and are then routed over the
Globalstar satellite network to their recipients. Users can send normal communications, as well as emergency distress calls. The app is available for free from the Apple App Store.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
SEARCH
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Yahoo Announces Transition of 7 More Countries to Bing Back-End
Yahoo provided its latest update on the global transition to a Bing back-end powered search engine. The most recent batch of countries to make the transition included Austria,
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The company’s Yahoo! Maktoob MENA (Middle East and North Africa) is also now powered by Bing’s technology. Yahoo said the transition is expected to be completed in additional countries across
Europe and Asia soon.
Source: Vendor, 8/19/2011
SECURITY FLAWS & FIXES
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F-Secure Fixes Flaw in Gadget Resource Handler
F-Secure has patched a security vulnerability within its Gadget Resource Handler ActiveX Control and issued an advisory. The flaw is reported in version 1.00.192 and could result in the release of arbitrary code.
Source: Secunia, 8/24/2011
Google Releases Chrome 13.0.782.215
Google released Chrome 13.0.782.215 for all platforms to resolve security vulnerabilities in earlier versions. A blog entry
provides more information about this release.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
HP Advisory Details Flaw in Easy Printer Care Software
A highly critical vulnerability has been reported in versions 2.5 and earlier of HP‘s Easy Printer Care Software. HP issued an advisory, recommending that users set the kill-bit for the affected ActiveX control.
Source: Secunia, 8/22/2011
SECURITY PRODUCTS & COMPANIES
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General Dynamics Releases DS310 “Suite B” Encryptor
General Dynamics released its DS310 commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) “Suite B” encryptor. The device is designed to enable secret communications between wired or wireless devices and networks. It comes in the
form of a driverless PC card and supports multiple types of encryption, including those used by the National Security Agency (NSA). The secure communications device was originally developed in collaboration with the NSA for use in Department of Energy
Nuclear facilities. More information about the new device is available at the General Dynamics C4 Fortress Systems Web site.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
HP to Deploy TippingPoint Security for PrimeLending
Hewlett-Packard (HP) reported that US mortgage firm PrimeLending will use HP TippingPoint Intrusion Prevention Systems and virtualized controllers to improve the security for its virtualized environments. Based out of
Dallas, PrimeLending encompasses 240 locations in 35 states, and employs more than 2,000.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
ICSA Offers Home Router Security Certification Program
ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, is offering a new program under which manufacturers can have their broadband home routers certified. The program, Managed
Broadband Home Router Certification, evaluates a router’s effectiveness in identifying safe versus harmful data, and then in denying access to malicious data. Certified broadband home routers, which are generally used to connect computers on a home network
to the Internet, can offer consumers a higher level of security assurance, ICSA said. ICSA Labs has awarded the first Managed Broadband Home Router Certification to Actiontec‘s M1424WR family of wireless home
routers.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Mobile Platforms Are Major Malware Targets, McAfee Reports
McAfee released its Threats Report: Second Quarter 2011, showing that the amount of malware targeted at Android devices jumped
76% since the last quarter, to become the most attacked mobile operating system. The first half of 2011 has demonstrated a 22% jump in spam compared to the same period in 2010. The report also found that stealth malware, which is when malware is hidden in
a rootkit, has increased more rapidly in the last six months than in any previous period, up almost 38% over 2010.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
New Survey Finds that Security Is a Concern to Most Online Shoppers
A study from McAfee has revealed that only about one-third of online consumers are convinced that Web sites are safe for shopping, a decrease of 11% from 2009. The research showed that online shoppers are concerned
about security when they make purchases, but that many consumers would override their concerns about risks if they felt that they were receiving a substantial price discount.
Source: Vendor, 8/18/2011
Poll Finds SBs Interested in Virtualization but Slow to Adopt
Results from Symantec‘s 2011 Small Business Virtualization
Poll suggest most small businesses are not taking the most basic steps to secure and protect their virtual environments, even though 70% of respondents are considering adopting virtualization. The poll found that small businesses are finding it
difficult to deploy virtualized services because of issues with performance (60%), backup (56%), and security and patch management (56%).
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Trend Micro Survey Finds Online Consumers Practice Risky Behavior
According to a new survey from Trend Micro, 61% of online consumers click on links that take them to unexpected places, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks that can lead to identity theft, theft of their
financial records and banking information, and loss of their digital media. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed reported that they would be financially susceptible if their computers were accessed without their permission, and 67% said they would be
devastated if they lost everything on their computer and/or connected device.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Trend Micro Debuts Titanium 2012 with Added Functionality
Trend Micro launched Titanium 2012, a suite of cloud-based online security products. Titanium 2012 is built on Trend Micro’s Smart Protection Network infrastructure, includes Surfing for Mac, and has enhancements
to parental controls, behavioral monitoring and rootkit detection and removal.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Twitter Turns on SSL Encryption for Some but not All Users
Twitter has begun turning on an automatic SSL encryption feature for some of its users. The social networking site discussed this security feature in a blog post, but did not elaborate as to when the option would become a default for all of its users.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
SERVERS
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HP Deploys Converged Infrastructure, Servers for CA’s DWS
Hewlett-Packard (HP) provided the converged infrastructure for California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR), migrating it from Sun and Dell servers to a 95 percent virtualized environment, and reducing its number of
physical servers from 600 to 160. The DWR operates and maintains the nation’s largest state-built water and power development and conveyance system, furnishing water to 25 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland. The deployment includes HP ProLiant
server blades.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
SMARTPHONES
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BGR: AT&T to Sell Apple iPhone 5 Beginning Early October
Tech blog Boy Genius Report said it has confirmation that AT&T will begin selling the Apple iPhone 5 in early October. According to the blog, citing
“high level” sources, an AT&T Vice President confirmed the launch to “several employees.” Apple is widely expected to debut the newest iPhone in late September.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Motorola Mobility to Debut New FIRE Smartphone
Motorola Mobility introduced its new FIRE Android-powered smartphone, with QWERTY keyboard and 2.8-inch touchscreen. It will be available in the UK at the end of September.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
Nokia Announces New Symbian Belle Smartphones
Nokia announced three new Symbian Belle touchscreen smartphones: the Nokia 700, 701, and 600, as well as new 101 and 100 model mobile handsets. In particular, it is touting the 700 model – measuring at just 50 cubic
centimeters and weighing 96 grams – as the world’s smallest smartphone. It also offers HD video capture.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
Report: Sprint to Get iPhone in October
The Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint Nextel will begin selling Apple’s iPhone 5 in mid-October. The report, which cited unnamed sources “familiar with the matter,” also said
Sprint will sell the iPhone 4 at the same time it starts selling the iPhone 5. At present, the iPhone is only available in the US from Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.
Source: WSJ, 8/24/2011
Sprint to Launch BlackBerry Curve 9350 Smartphone September 9
Sprint said it will launch the BlackBerry Curve 9350 smartphone, made by Research in Motion, on September 9. The latest Curve runs the new BlackBerry 7 mobile operation system. Sprint is selling the smartphone for
$79.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate) with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
MacTrast: T-Mobile USA to Get iPhone 5, Too
Blog MacTrast reported it has confirmation that carrier T-Mobile USA will carry the Apple iPhone 5 when
it is launched this September or October. The report came a day after other reports said Sprint will offer the next version of the popular smartphone, joining AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless in offering Apple’s iPhone 5.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Facebook Changes Permission Controls for Media, Photo Tagging
Facebook announced changes to the way users set viewing permissions for new content they upload. The first change is “Inline Profile Controls”. These new options will appear next to all content uploaded to the
site. Users will have the choice to share the item publicly, just with friends, or to set up a custom sharing profile for it. The second change involves photos in which a user has been tagged. Previously the photos would automatically appear on a user’s
page. The new system requires users to approve all new images before they are added to their profile. Users can also preview how both of these changes affect their own profiles by clicking the new “view profile as” button on the site. This allows anyone to
see how their profile appears to themselves, friends, or to the public. Facebook also used this announcement to quietly discontinue “Places” as a standalone service. These check-ins will now be handled as part of normal status updates. All the changes
are rolling out now, and will be accompanied by a feature tour when they reach users’ profiles.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
Google Reveals Success of +1 Button, New Sharing Features
Google said its +1 button, which can now be found on more than 1 million sites, is used 4 billion times daily. To build on this success, Google is adding a “Share on Google+” option for users who click a +1 button
while logged into the company’s social network, as well as “+Snippets” an automatically included image and link generated whenever a user shares a +1 recommendation. Google said it will also allow companies to customize the +Snippet that appears to users
when someone clicks a +1 button on their site. The new features will be rolled out globally over the next week.
Source: Vendor, 8/24/2011
SAS Announces New Features for Its Social Media Analytics Solution
SAS announced a trio of new features for its SAS Social Media Analytics solution. First, “social scorecards” have been added. The new features allows community managers to view channel activity over time, including
performance metrics for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. The second new feature is an author hub, which tracks the success of various
authors across an online media network. Lastly, a new competitive intelligence functionality provides public relations, research and development, and research functions for with insight into public perception of competitors.
Source: Vendor, 8/23/2011
STORAGE
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Dell Unveils EqualLoic Storage Arrays, Software
Dell announced new EqualLogic storage products and data management software, both “fluid data” products for better managing business information in the virtualized data center. Dell also previewed its upcoming VMware
vSphere 5 virtualization and cloud infrastructure platform.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
TABLETS
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Amazon Registers “Lab126” Trademark in Possible Tablet Ramp-Up
Amazon filed trademark paperwork for the term “Lab126,” a division responsible for the development of the Kindle, and which may also be working on the company’s upcoming tablet, according to PCWorld. The application was filed on August 16, and falls under the category of "design and development of computer hardware and software". On a related note, PC World also reported that Amazon has
registered the domain KindleScribe.com. Rumors suggest the name may be referring to a stylus for use with a future touchscreen version of the Kindle.
Source: PCWorld, 8/25/2011
Lenovo Extends Availability for Tablets, Laptops
Lenovo announced that the 10-inch ThinkPad Tablet – its first business-class Android tablet – is now available through its network of US business partners and online, starting at $499 USD, and that it also began
production of Lenovo-branded laptops in Argentina, courtesy of electronics manufacturer Newsan. An agreement has also been reached with Seton Hall University, located in Newark, NJ, US, to deploy 350 ThinkPads.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
WEB COMMERCE
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Amazon Launches Local Deals Site for NYC
Amazon launched its new “local deals marketplace,” Amazon Local in New York City. The new service offers savings of
at least 50% off products and services at restaurants, spas, public events, and more. The initial lineup of deals include offers such as 50% off Cirque du Soleil tickets and $15 for $30 worth of groceries at any Upper East Side Gristedes. The site will
also launch deals with Amazon affiliated Web sites, such as MyHabit.com and Endless.com, in the coming months.
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
WIRELESS
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Alcatel, China Mobile Complete 4G LTE Mobile Broadband Call
Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile said they have completed a mobile broadband video call using a next-generation 4G LTE mobile network to connect a fixed location and
moving vehicle, in Shanghai, China, with Alcatel’s offices in Murray Hill, NJ, US. The call used Alcatel lightRadio technology,
Source: Vendor, 8/25/2011
General Dynamics Itronix Debuts New GD400 Rugged Handheld Computer
General Dynamics Itronix launched its new GD400 Rugged Handheld Computer, a new portable computing device designed for workers in public safety, warehouse management, and utility maintenance. The handheld
includes GPS, a barcode scanner, a high-resolution camera with flash, and a daylight-viewable, water resistant touch-screen screen display. It runs on the Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 operating system, and can be integrated into enterprise operations and
IT networks, General Dynamics said. Prices for the GD400 begin at $1829, not including several accessories available for the computer.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
Verizon Wireless to Launch LTE Service in Midwestern Cities Sept.15
Verizon Wireless announced it is launching its 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) network in several areas of the Midwest on September 15, and expanding its already-launched LTE network in Cleveland, Ohio. Areas
where Verizon plans to launch LTE service are: Fargo, ND; Moorhead, MN; Iowa City, IA; Mansfield, Canton, and the Akron-Canton airport, in Ohio; and the Quad Cities area in Illinois and Iowa, as well as in central Illinois.
Source: Vendor, 8/22/2011
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