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  • New SATA-II 2.5 SSD Introduced

    Accelerated Memory Production today announced the introduction of its exclusive new Sandforce Driven SATA-II 2.5” SSD,. A new generation of Solid State Drives that offers high capacity with faster transfer speeds and smaller form factors. The new flash-based drive delivers the benefits of a small form factor combined with lower power consumption compared to traditional drives with greater speed capability.

    The SATAsfaction Series can eliminate the performance bottlenecks associated with traditional rotating disk drives offering up to 30,000 random write IOPS.

    “Because there are no moving parts with this drive,” amp inc. engineering specialists explained, “the new SATA-II takes up much less valuable real estate.” Reaction to the new product from manufactures and developers, they continued, “has been overwhelming.” The drives offer SATA 3.0 interface support, as well as faster read and write speeds, and high reliability. They also feature zero acoustic noise, and are far less prone to mechanical failure than traditional SATA solutions.

    New SATAsfaction Series drives are available in a variety of capacities, standard 2.5” and embedded specially designed for applications where compact size and robust performance are required in the Enterprise Market.

    According to Ms. Linda Deming, amp inc. development specialist, “data protection makes the SATA-II SSD an ideal storage solution for the server, embedded defense and mobile environment. “Due to its non-mechanical nature it has higher shock resistance and lower access time than a traditional rotating hard disk.” She continued, “Built-in ECC and EDC ensure error-free transaction for the most demanding applications.

    amp incs’ SSD also incorporates some unique features tailored especially for the enterprise market. These features such as data protection and low power standby make amp inc’s SSD a reliable and environmentally friendly source for storage.

    SATAsfaction Series SATA-II Features:

    • Supports SATA 3.0
    • ATA-7 Compliant
    • Supports native Command Queing (NCQ)
    • Supports PIO and UDMA-6
    • Advance power management
    • Built-in ECC function – 12 bytes/sector
    • Supports Trim
    • 22 pin SATA Plug Interface (7 data, 15 power)
    • S.M.A.R.T. Capable

  • Contemporary Research’s Releases QMOD-HDSC

    Contemporary Research will demonstrate the QMOD-HDSC, the AV industry’s first digital signage-centric HDTV modulator, in Booth 6210 at InfoComm2010 in Las Vegas June 9 to 11.

    “The QMOD-HDSC HDTV Scaler/Modulator shows that digital signage isn’t just for Ethernet anymore,” says Scott Hetzler, president of Contemporary Research.

    “Now you can broadcast signage over an existing broadband network as easily as a digital cable channel. In fact, many are already doing just that, employing the popular QMOD-HD modulator with an HD scaler. Signage PCs always need treatment with a scaler because VGA doesn’t exactly match 16:9 HDTV standards.

    “With the new QMOD-HDSC, the HD video scaler is already inside the modulator. And not just any scaler – QMOD-HDSC features a powerful in-stream scaler with less loss in analog-to-digital conversion, and a wide range of options,” Hetzler stated.

    The new modulator can ingest VGA resolutions, upscale SD-quality signage, adjust positioning, and zoom, shrink, and precisely correct overscanning at displays. By using dedicated processors for scaling, encoding and modulation, the QMOD-HDSC delivers superb image control and broadcast-quality motion graphics and video.

    The versatile integrated HDTV modulator accepts VGA, Component, S-Video and composite video, plus digital and analog audio. GPI inputs trigger EAS from the composite video/stereo ports. Front-panel buttons and LCD display simplify setup, and the QMOD-HDSC mounts two-across in a one rack space.

    Doug Engstrom, CR director for technical communications says, “We’ve partnered with many HDTV digital signage applications over the past year. The input from integrators was that using a scaler in concert with the QMOD-HD delivers the best results. Integrating in-stream scaling within the QMOD greatly simplifies installation, saves rack space, and improves performance. We listen to our integrators, and the QMOD-HDSC is the result.”

    About Contemporary Research
    Contemporary Research designs and creates solutions for an HDTV world, offering cutting-edge products, HDTV display control, digital signage and tuning. CR also supports a proven line of analog TV tuners, closed-captioning tools and commercial and educational media systems. For more information about Contemporary Research products, visit us on the web at www.crwww.com or call (888) 972-2728.

  • Avaya Introduces New Products at Interop 2010

    Avaya today at Interop 2010 unveiled new data products that are specifically designed to support the growing needs of today’s bandwidth-hungry video and unified communications applications.

    These products address the main challenge that enterprises face today: how to cost-effectively add the bandwidth needed to position them for growth.

    The products introduced at this year’s Interop include:

    • Avaya Ethernet Routing Switch 8800: helps enterprise campuses and data centers boost capacity to embrace UC, virtualization and unified wireless solutions. It is especially suited to support bandwidth-hungry video applications. According to Avaya, the solution provides more than a 150 percent increase in memory while using approximately 33 percent less power compared to existing 8600 options.

    • Avaya Wireless LAN 8100 Series: an advanced Enterprise Class 802.11n wireless solution that “easily and seamlessly” extends UC applications to mobile users. Its ‘split plane’ architecture helps eliminate the inefficiencies and bottlenecks of overlay wired/wireless networks with a solution optimized for voice, UC and video applications. It provides a full 802.11n solution including a wireless controller (WC 8180), 802.11n wireless access points (WAP 8120), management software and partnerships for enhanced application support.

    • Avaya Configuration and Orchestration Manager (COM): is a real-time, web-based, multi-user network configuration management solution. It is part of the Unified Communications Management (UCM) solution that can manage multi-user configuration, provisioning and troubleshooting for a wide range of enterprise technologies. Acting as a unified configuration management platform, COM delivers an extensible architecture allowing it to support pluggable device add-ons through data-driven development models and loadable software components.

    • Avaya Advanced Gateway 2330: a flexible SIP gateway providing cost-effective, survivable voice services for branch locations. It can provide local branch connectivity to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) as well as SIP survivability in case of IP wide-area network failure or service outages. It’s also upgradable to support a full suite of routing and WAN services.

    According to Kevin Kennedy, Avaya President and CEO, the days of the ‘one size fits all’ network solutions are over.

    "The Avaya Data Solutions business is positioned to play a critical role in Avaya’s growth as we lead the industry to ‘Fit for Purpose’ data and SIP-based communications technologies that will redefine the IT value proposition and offer the best return on investment for business communications," he said.

  • RIM Introduces BlackBerry Bold 9650 and Pearl 3G

    RIM today announced two new BlackBerry phones: Bold 9650 – “a global smartphone for CDMA customers” and Pearl 3G – the smallest BlackBerry smartphone yet.

    Bold 9650 supports 3G (EVDO) networks in North America and (HSPA/UMTS) abroad and has a full-QWERTY keyboard, optical trackpad and built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g). It also includes 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, with a 2 GB card included.

    It comes with 2.44" 480 x 360 display, 3.2 MP camera (with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording), built-in GPS with support for geotagging, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for the Bluetooth Stereo Audio Profile (A2DP/AVCRP), support for BlackBerry App World, full HTML web browser, streaming audio and video via RTSP, and 1400 mAhr battery (approx. 5 hours of CDMA talk time).

    Pearl 3G is as powerful as it is compact. Measuring less than two inches wide (50 mm) and weighing only 3.3 ounces (93g), it still manages to pack in support for high-speed 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) networks, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and GPS along with a 624 Mhz processor with 256 MB Flash memory.

    It also features 360×400 display, a 3.2 MP camera with flash, built-in GPS, an optical trackpad, dedicated volume and media keys, support for tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks, voice activated dialing, Bluetooth2.1 (with Bluetooth Message Access Profile standard support), microSD/SDHD memory card slot (support for up to 32 GB), and 1150 mAhr battery ( approx. 5.5 hours of talk time on 3G networks).

    Pearl 3G will be available in two models and several colors. The 9100 model features a 20-key condensed QWERTY keyboard and the 9105 model features a 14-key traditional phone keyboard. Both include SureType software that can complete words as the user types.

    Both Bold 9650 and Pearl 3G are expected to be available from “various carriers” in the U.S. beginning in May.

  • Visiongain: The Perspectives for Mobile VoIP Market

    The mobile market is growing, up 1.4% to €417 billion in 2010. The strongest growth is posted by data services such as mVoIP, both on fixed and mobile networks, finds Visiongain in its recent “The Mobile VoIP Market Report 2010-2015.”

    Analysts predict that sales of internet connections and data services on fixed networks will grow in 2010 by 7% to almost €200 billion. Mobile data services – such as mVoIP are posting even stronger growth: up 16% to over €140 billion.

    The report also examines how the growing market share of smartphones offers potential for third-party applications developers in the mVoIP market. In 2010 for example, mobile phone users will download over 6 billion applications to their mobile phones, growing to 7 billion by 2013.

    According to Visiongain, there will be opportunities for the mobile telecoms industry in the IP convergence/substitution market. By introducing fixed VoIP to cellular telephony and mobile VoIP to fixed telephony, operators will have the opportunities to grow on a unified voice and multimedia service experience.

    “VoIP services are cheaper than circuit-switched services on traditional legacy networks. VoIP has diversified from purely voice implementation to a complete multimedia experience offering video calling, video conferencing, gaming and many other features,” the analysts say.

    Visiongain claims that the global economic crisis appeared to have had only a slight impact on the global telecommunications and IT markets. After a slight dip of 0.5% in 2009, the information and communications (ICT) market will increase by 1.9% to €2.3 trillion in 2010 and by 3.7% to €2.4 trillion in 2011, according to the European Information Technology Observatory (EITO)’s forecast. The number of mobile subscribers (currently four billion) is set to reach 6 billion by 2013, and smartphones will outsell PCs by 2011, growing to over 50% of the total handset market share by the end of 2013.

    As the report highlights, the strongest growth markets are in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) countries – where in 2010 the Chinese telecom market will grow by 8% to €126 billion and the Indian market will grow by a staggering 15% to €40.5 billion. The inherent cost advantage of mVoIP may help drive and contribute towards wider proliferation of the telecoms sector for the near-term, by way of accelerated take-up among more price-sensitive consumers.

    The research group also notes that the online social networks such as Facebook and Myspace have integrated mVoIP services to offer opportunities for development of third-party applications and software, as well as multimedia content and advertising. Facebook users for example currently send one billion IMs per day.

  • Berg Insight: 894 Million Mobile Banking Users by 2015

    According to a new research report by Berg Insight, the worldwide number of users of mobile banking and related services is forecasted to grow from 55 million users in 2009 (at a CAGR of 59.2 percent) to reach 894 million users in 2015.

    Th research group notes that over the past year many of the leading players in both the telecom industry and the financial sector have intensified their efforts to bring financial services to the world’s unbanked population. According to the report, Asia-Pacific is expected to become the most important regional market, accounting for more than half of the total user base.

    Mobile banking is also anticipated to play a key role in bringing financial services to people in the Middle East and Africa. In Europe and North America, the technology will mainly serve as an extension of existing online banks as mobile handsets become more widely used for internet access. By 2015, Berg Insight forecasts that mobile banking will attract 115 million users in Europe and 86 million users in North America.

    “Mobile handsets are in an excellent position to become the primary digital channel for providers of banking and related financial services on emerging markets,” said Marcus Persson, Telecom Analyst at Berg Insight.

    “People who sign up for their first mobile subscription today will likely open their first bank account in the coming years and thus join the modern financial system. Mobile operators can play a vital role in this development and will have the opportunity to take an active part in the creation of some of tomorrow’s most important financial institutions based in Asia and Africa,” he added.

    In addition to traditional retail banking, the report also identifies international money transfer as an important revenue source for mobile industry players. Analysts forecast that 3–15 percent of the international money transfers currently handled by various formal or informal agent networks will be carried out using a mobile handset by 2015, generating US$ 1.2–6.2 billion in service revenues.

  • AT&T Reports Strong First-Quarter Earnings

    A day after Apple announced its record march quarter revenue, AT&T reported strong first-quarter earnings results highlighted by rapid growth in mobile broadband, further expansion of AT&T U-verse services and solid gains in IP-based and business services.

    For the Q1 2010, AT&T’s consolidated revenues totaled $30.6 billion, up $78 million, or 0.3 percent, versus the year-earlier quarter.

    Operating expenses were $24.6 billion versus $24.8 billion; operating income was $6.0 billion, up from $5.7 billion in the first quarter of 2009.

    The company’s operating income margin was 19.6 percent, up from 18.8 percent in the year-earlier quarter.

    First-quarter 2010 net income attributable to AT&T totaled $2.5 billion ($0.42 per diluted share), reflecting a previously disclosed noncash charge of $995 million, related to recently enacted changes in the tax treatment for the Medicare Part D subsidy. Excluding this charge, first-quarter earnings would have been $3.5 billion ($0.59 per diluted share). These results compare with net income of $3.1 billion, or $0.53 per diluted share, in the year-earlier first quarter.

    Record First-Quarter Subscriber Gain
    AT&T posted a net gain in total wireless subscribers of 1.9 million, the highest first-quarter total in the company’s history, to reach 87.0 million in service. According to the company, first-quarter net add growth reflects continued rapid adoption of smartphones and a host of connected devices such as eReaders, global positioning systems and alarm monitoring systems.

    Connected devices in service increased by 1.1 million in the quarter to reach 5.8 million, and retail postpaid net adds totaled 512,000 to reach 65.1 million.

    14.9 Percent Growth in Strategic Business Services Revenues
    Revenues from new-generation capabilities that lead AT&T’s most advanced business solutions — including Ethernet, VPNs, hosting, IP conferencing and application services — grew 14.9 percent versus the year-earlier quarter, continuing AT&T’s strong trends in this category.

    "We’re off to a great start to the year, and our fundamental outlook for the business continues to be quite positive,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive officer.

    Related articles
    Apple Announces Record March Quarter Revenue

  • Bluetooth 4.0 Ready to Roll

    The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) unveiled more information about its forthcoming Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0, with the hallmark feature of low energy technology. Bluetooth v4.0 is expected to be brought to market by the end of Q2.

    According to SIG, Bluetooth v4.0 is like three specifications in one – Classic Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth low energy technology, and Bluetooth high speed technology– all which can be combined or used separately in different devices according to their functionality.

    For example, sensors like those in pedometers and glucose monitors will run only low energy technology, thus saving power, cost and space within the device. Watches will take advantage of both low energy technology while collecting data from fitness sensors on the body as well as Classic Bluetooth technology when sending that information to a PC, or separately displaying caller ID information when wirelessly connected to a mobile phone.

    Mobile phones and PCs, which support the widest range of uses, will utilize the full package with Classic, low energy and high speed technology running side by side.

    As with previous versions of the specification, the range of the Bluetooth v4.0 radio may be optimized according to application. The majority of Bluetooth devices on the market today include the basic 30 foot, or 10 meter, range of the Classic Bluetooth radio, but there is no limit imposed by the Specification.

    SIG says that with Bluetooth v4.0, manufacturers may choose to optimize range to 200 feet and beyond, particularly for in-home sensor applications where longer range is a necessity.

    “Bluetooth v4.0 throws open the doors to a host of new markets for Bluetooth manufacturers and products such as watches, remote controls, and a variety of medical and in-home sensors. Many of these products run on button-cell batteries that must last for years versus hours and will also benefit from the longer range enabled by this new version of the Bluetooth specification,“ said Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.

    Bluetooth v4.0 was recently named one of the “10 Mobile Technologies to Watch in 2010 and 2011” by Gartner, Inc. Technologies chosen for the list were selected on their potential to evolve and impact short-term mobile strategies and policies.

    Specifically, Bluetooth v4.0 is cited to have significant impact on the fitness, healthcare and environmental control industries.

  • Symbio: Providing Software Services Globally

    Symbio designs and develops feature-rich products for companies. We met Konsta Hansoon at the Mobile World Congress and he told us about the company and their future plans.

    They are currently present in Asia, Europe and North America.

  • Motion Portrait: Converting Photos Into 3D Animated Models

    Casually at the Avenue of the Mobile World Congress we met Daichi from Motion Portrait. They are a Japanese company that has created a most fun application, you can take the photo of any person and animate the image, have it talk and even dress it up with the simple touch of your finger.

    Watch our video interview with them to see a demo of this fun app.