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  • Skype Coming To Nintendo DSi


    The Nintendo DSi is likely to follow PSP and join the ranks of the VoIP enabled by getting a version of Skype.

    The company has confirmed that there are no technical restrictions preventing a version of its software being developed for the new handheld gaming console, according to TechRadar.

    There has been speculation that Nintendo was going to extend the device’s functions and include mobile phone capabilities.

    However, despite hints from the company’s creative director, Shigeru Miyamoto, that now seems unlikely.

    But a Skype rep told TechRadar that while he couldn’t comment on any future plans to bring Skype to Nintendo’s DSi, it would "technically be possible".

    Perhaps not a gushing confirmation, but it suggests that Skype for the Nintendo handheld isn’t far away.

  • NetAlly VoIP Assessment Software Eliminates Deployment Risk


    Fluke Networks has released a new version of its NetAlly VoIP Assessment and Troubleshooting Software designed to help eliminate risk associated with deploying or expanding VoIP services.

    Version 7.0 of the package works by assessing the current state of the network and previewing the service before it is deployed on that network.

    This allows maximum call volume and call quality to be determined quickly, while saving money by reducing post-deployment troubleshooting, according to the company.

    Assessing a network, a requirement of many leading IP PBX manufacturers, makes VoIP deployments faster, more successful and less costly.

    However, a recent Gartner Research report highlighted the fact that some enterprises and integrators still do not perform proper predeployment assessments of the enterprise network.

    It said this often leads to unplanned additional costs or deployment delays.

    NetAlly claims its software shortens installation time periods by performing proper network assessments, detecting deficiencies in the network and pinpointing where corrective actions and fine-tuning need to take place.

    The company offers users a preview of the VoIP service as it will be delivered over a production IP network.

    It says that, unlike network simulation software, the package generates traffic over the actual network and provides responses based on real-world measurements.

    This allows IT professionals to determine if there is sufficient network capacity to support a proposed VoIP project.

    NetAlly version 7.0 is the result of Fluke Networks’ acquisition of key technology from Viola Networks, announced in August 2008.

    The new software version is available for immediate delivery worldwide.

  • DiBcom And Solaris DVB-SH Partnership Signals "New Era" For Mobile TV


    DiBcom has signed a partnership agreement with Solaris Mobile to use its receiver technology to enable mobile devices to receive content such as mobile TV transmitted by satellite.

    The link-up centres around Solaris’ recently launched Eutelsat W2A satellite, which carries Europe’s first S-Band payload.

    It will offer Mobile Satellite Services (MSS), including the broadcasting of video, radio and data to mobile devices and vehicle receivers.
    The DVB-SH hybrid satellite will also supply a range of interactive mobile services.

    DiBcom supplies DVB-SH broadcast receiver solutions that give mobile devices access to the multimedia content transmitted by satellite and terrestrial repeater.

    The receivers are a multi-band and multi-mode solution featuring dual RF tuners supports DVB-SH, DVB-H and DVB-T in S-Band and UHF frequencies.

    In February, DiBcom announced it was launching a new platform that offers device manufacturers a solution to the problem of multiple standards worldwide for fixed and mobile TV.

    Yannick Levy, CEO of DiBcom, said its involvement in this "ground-breaking" mobile satellite launch was both a logical and strategic choice.

    He said the agreement between Solaris Mobile and DiBcom will be an enabling force in Europe’s mobile television markets by providing distribution technology for mass market consumption in the most economic way. Live trials using DVB-SH are currently underway in France, Spain and Italy.

    California-based MobiTV is also looking to broaden its reach and is in the process of developing its services for the European market.

    "We are witnessing the dawn of a whole new era for Mobile TV services with truely universal continental coverage," said Levy.

    "There is no doubt that Solaris Mobile will leverage the industry-leading knowledge and experience of its founding companies towards a new set of mobile applications of real value to end users throughout Europe."

    Steve Maine, president and CEO of Solaris Mobile, said it is one of four operators that submitted an application to the European Commission last October for the rollout of mobile satellite services over dedicated S-Band spectrum.

    He said this took place under a single European selection procedure and on behalf of the 27 Member States of the EU.

    "We are convinced that this is the most innovative opportunity in Europe’s telecommunications and media marketplaces and are extremely pleased that DiBcom is a leading participant in one of our major strategic mobile satellite service initiatives," he said.

  • Wizi Releases "SMS with Location" for BlackBerry


    Location-sharing start-up Wizi has announced the release of SMS with Location for BlackBerry.

    The application adds a new option to BlackBerry contacts allowing users to send an SMS with their actual position or the location where they are heading.

    Wizi also recommends the best routes when driving in the city using traffic data collected in real time by its community.

    Based in Lisbon, Portugal, Wizi’s SMS with Location lets users:

    • Find actual location on map (F)
    • Automatically insert the full address is SMS
    • Automatically insert GPS coordinates in SMS
    • Copy location to clipboard allowing to paste in any IM application
    • Search location by address (S)
    • Switch between BB Maps or Google Maps (M)

    Wizi’s Andre Goncalves said SMS with Location is currently only available for BlackBerry Device Software 4.5 but would be released soon for Windows Mobile.

  • Maps Upgrade Expected For BlackBerry OS 5.0


    RIM’s plans for its soon-to-be unveiled BlackBerry OS 5.0 include an overhaul of maps and messaging options.

    BGR reports that the Canadian smartphone maker is bringing in new maps features, including displaying the address location of a message – such as email, text or PIN.

    They are identifed by the OS and will bring up the location in Maps.

    Maps will also render around two times faster, while lagging will no longer occur when scrolling around and zooming in.

    Other Maps improvements include a lot of new towns, cities, counties and countries being included and the ability to display geotagged images on Maps, according to BGR.

    They also detail a raft of upgrades to the Calendar and Browser functions, while Storm users are to get a full-QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode.

    More details are expected at WES 2009, which starts on 5th May.

  • AQA2U Launches Twitter-like Premium Text Service


    Text message answer provider AQA has launched a new mobile service that it claims will allow content publishers to make money by sending text messages.

    In what could be seen as a reference to Twitter, UK-based AQA’s CEO, Colly Myers, describes the new venture as "web 2.0 with a business model".

    He said the service allows anyone with interesting content to connect and keep in touch with their followers, making money from every text that’s received by subscribers.

    The company started off by setting up AQA 63336 (Any Question Answered) five years ago.

    This service answered questions texted to it – so far it has provided over 17 million answers to over 2 million customers.

    With AQA2U content "publishers" create topics for people to subscribe to, market these topics to their followers, and then start writing content.

    AQA2U sends their content out to subscribers using premium text, giving publishers the majority share of net revenue received.

    Publishers are limited to no more than 14 texts a month or 3 a day, for which they receive 7-9p per message per subscriber.

    Users pay a maximum of GBP £3.50 a month, plus a 98p initial fee.

    Myers said that with no set-up costs, and with only 25 subscribers, a publisher can make GBP £275 per year.

    With 250 subscribers, a publisher can make GBP £3,000 a year.

    "AQA2U puts texts, alerts, updates and offers from anyone who’s got something to say, into the hands of followers who are passionate enough to part with a few pounds per month," he said.

    "We already know people will pay for this, as we get many thousands of texts to AQA 63336 asking the same types of questions time and time again."

    Myers said he was confident of rapid growth as even small publishers who get a few people to subscribe start making money, and all publishers have a vested interest to market their topics.

    "We’ve got over 2 million customers with AQA 63336 in five years, so we’re confident of getting 2 million subscribers in the next five years with AQA2U – delivering 20 million texts per month from publishers."

    We’d be interested to hear your feedback on this new service. Would you pay to receive content?

  • Samsung Launches "Industry First" Self-encrypting SSDs


    Samsung Electronics has unveiled what it claims are the first hardware-based self-encrypting solid-state drives.

    To be available in 256-, 128- and 64-GB versions, the SSDs provide full-disk encryption using Wave Systems’ technology, which activates and manages the encryption.

    Dell has already said that it will use the drives in its next laptops.

    Despite the improved security, Samsung maintains the SSDs’ performance is not affacted.

    It says the encryption provides better security than the software alternative, because encryption keys and access credentials are generated and stored within the drive hardware, making it more difficult to hack.

    Each Samsung self-encrypting SSD will come bundled with Wave’s EMBASSY Trusted Drive Manager, which provides pre-boot authentication to the drive and enrolling drive administrators and users.

    Jim Elliott, memory vice president, Samsung Semiconductor, said the SSD drives offered business users the best of performance and security in a single drive.

    "Samsung has combined the tremendous performance advantages of solid state technology with integrated hardware encryption for drives designed especially for today’s ‘road warrior’ professionals," he said.

  • Cisco Reveals More Details On UCS Platform


    Cisco has revealed more details on its Unified Computing System (UCS) for virtualized data centers a month after it was first announced.

    Company executives used a live Internet TV broadcast to provide further insight into pricing, processing power and memory capacity.

    The networking company’s UCS is a mainstream data center computing platform that promises to seamlessly integrate processor, storage and network systems in a virtualised architecture.

    It offers medium and large enterprises a single architecture that links all data centre resources together, so overcoming the "assembly-required" nature of distinct virtualisation environments.

    Starting in the second quarter of 2009, Cisco plans to offer complete systems of up to 320 compute nodes housed in 40 chassis, with data flowing across 10 gigabit Ethernet.

    When first revealed in March, details on the UCS were limited, largely because the system is based on Intel’s Nehalem-class Xeon 5500 series of server chips, which wasn’t released until March 30.

    This week, Soni Jiandani, vice president of marketing for the Cisco Server Access Virtualization Group, and David Lawler, vice president of product marketing for the Cisco Server Access Virtualization Group, provided some more details

    They revealed performance-test results that show UCS performs either first or second in benchmark tests against competing systems in trials conducted by VMmark and SPEC, which will have full results available soon.

    Cisco also added new details around its Memory Extension Technology, a core component of UCS, which Cisco said enables the CPU to access four times the amount of memory compared to typical blade systems.

    The company said its memory extension can cut memory costs by 33 per cent to 60 per cent in 64-GB, 96-GB and 144-GB deployments, while expanding available memory to 192 GB and 384 GB.

    They said this solves the problem of users running out of memory before running out of CPU availability.

  • Replication and Cloud Computing Are Inseparable


    Cloud-based computing is coming of age. The practice is emerging as a computing model that offers flexibility in infrastructure and investment.

    The core of this service is utility that is backed by loosely coupled infrastructure that is self healing, geographically dispersed, designed for user self service, writes Samantha Sai for storage-biz.news.

    The infrastructure is instantly scalable and adjustable to the ebb and flow of business. The services are accessible across IP based networks and all management issues are handled by the cloud provider.

    Users can demand raw compute or storage capacity resources or full blow application services instantly.

    Cloud storage is seen as a solution to the ever present need for cost effective storage.

    Cloud based systems provide easily accessible, affordable disaster recovery options for large enterprises that need to implement off site protection for new projects.

    Small and medium enterprises find this highly affordable and an interesting alternative to expensive investment in storage hardware.

    Recovery point and recovery time objectives of small, medium and large enterprises can be met by cloud storage providers who make available storage space on a pay as you go basis while taking on the management issues of such secondary location storage infrastructure.

    Amazon Web Services, with EC2 Compute Cloud, and GoGrid, with GoGrid Cloud Hosting, are some cloud storage service providers who make compute cycles and storage capacity available on immediate deployment basis.

    The replication creates copies of the enterprise data on these sites and allows the key applications to be restarted and run at the remote location in the event of disaster. Interestingly there will be no capital expenditure—only operational expenditure—till the disaster recovery happens.

    The replication technology is available in storage arrays; network based appliances and through host based software.

    Array based replication and Network based applications require similar setup at both the source and the target locations. Host based replication on the other hand use block based replication approaches or file based approaches to replicate virtual machines in real time.

    Host based replication can also be combined with cloud based infrastructure at a nominal cost for extending protection further down the hierarchy in the organization. The replication can also happen real time.

    Replication and cloud computing have certainly matured and are being considered as an effective alternative to local backup.

    Eric Burgener, a senior analyst and consultant with the Taneja Group research and consulting firm, said replication and cloud computing can also be considered as an alternative to local backup.

    Eric Burgener, Taneja Group

    "Disk-based backup has a lot to offer companies, including faster backups, faster restores, and more reliable recovery (relative to tape-based infrastructures)," he said.

    "If you’re considering moving to disk, don’t overlook the fact that it gives you access to replication technology.

    "For data sets that require stringent RPOs/RTOs, replication can be used to kill two birds with one stone: data is quickly and easily available for file- and even system-level restores from the remote location, but the fact that the location is remote provides the resilience demanded by a DR plan."

  • Double-Take Announces Workload Optimization Products


    Double-Take Software is building on its current data protection repertoire by taking on the challenge of workload optimization, writes Samantha Sai for storage-biz.news.

    Workload management encompasses the hardware, the operating systems, applications and data that underpin an organization’s IT-backbone.

    Southborough, Massachusetts-headquartered Double-Take has designed a workload optimization suite to cater to workload portability, backup and availability needs.

    Dean Goodermote, CEO at Double-Take Software, said the move was to align the business to best meet its customers’ evolving technology needs.

    Dean Goodermote, CEO at Double-Take Software

    "Our new Workload Optimisation suite exemplifies Double-Take Software’s focus on providing highly functional, non-intrusive software to an overloaded IT department looking to reduce costs," he said.

    "It represents our affordable approach to meeting customers’ migration, availability, backup and recovery needs."

    There are four products that make up the new suite:

    • Double-Take Move – as the name suggests, moves workloads between physical and virtual hardware within data centers for hardware refreshes. It can also move data across locations for data center migrations and consolidations
    • Double-Take Flex – is for managing workloads by booting from iSCSI SANs running on any kind of hardware
    • Double-Take Backup – backs up workloads continuously and recovers them on demand to new physical or virtual machines using CDP capabilities
    • Double-Take Availability – makes sure that critical IT workloads are available when disaster strikes for recovery and business continuity. It allows real time replication and failover for protection of individual applications, entire servers or virtualized workloads that run on VMWare ESX or Microsoft Hyper V

    Goodermote said all other Double-Take flagship products are built around the new workload optimization suite with new functionalities and licensing options.

    He said users can now migrate, backup, protect and flexibly operate physical and virtual workloads across the enterprise whatever the Operating system, hardware or location.