Biotechnology and genetics research have been the subject of extensive investment by both the public and private sectors, with a growing impact on healthcare. Advances in medical genetics promise faster, better, diagnosis as well as a new generation of targeted therapies.
Major applications include diagnostic tests for certain types of cancer and for genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s Disease, as well as therapies to treat diseases with a proven genetic component, including many metabolic diseases and types of cancer.
The possibilities are enormous, yet governments, patient groups and healthcare providers have become concerned about how certain genetic inventions have been licensed and exploited, particularly for diagnostic genetic services in human healthcare. A particular worry is that the patenting of genetic inventions and restrictive licensing of their use is reducing access to the benefits of the technology and discouraging new research.
In response to such concerns, the OECD member countries have adopted an agreed set of Guidelines for the Licensing of Genetic Inventions used in healthcare, in a move designed to help people benefit more widely from advances in genetics while making research and innovation faster and more efficient. By setting out principles and best practices for businesses, researchers and health systems that enter into license agreements for genetic inventions, the guidelines aim to encourage broad licensing and timely dissemination of biotechnological innovation.
The new guidelines were developed by a broad group of experts from diverse backgrounds and were subject to wide public consultation prior to adoption. They are not legally binding, but nevertheless represent an important political and moral commitment on the part of OECD countries to the future of healthcare. Governments have agreed to report back in four years time on progress in their diffusion and implementation of the guidelines.
The full text of the Guidelines for the Licensing of Genetic Inventions and additional information are available on the OECD web site at: www.oecd.org/sti/biotechnology/licensing.
Selasa, 23 Desember 2008
Doctors use plane technology to make new heart
The prototype of a fully implantable artificial heart is seen at the biomedical firm Carmat in Suresnes, west of Paris. The prosthetic heart, which has been successfully tested on animals, is ready to be manufactured and could be tested on humans within 18 months to two years. (AP/Jacques Brinon)
In the race to create the world’s first fully functioning artificial heart, French scientists have turned to technology from satellites and airplanes.
The new heart could save millions of lives if it works in humans. So far, it has only been tested in animals. The device was unveiled at a press conference in Paris recently.
American companies have already produced artificial hearts, and scientists in Japan and South Korea are also working on versions.
But the French artificial heart is the first to be able to determine its patients’ needs and respond accordingly.
“It’s the same principle in the airplane as in the body,” said Patrick Coulombier, chief operating officer of Carmat, the heart’s manufacturer, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautics Defence and Space agency, makers of the Airbus plane.
Coulombier said the same tiny sensors that measure air pressure and altitude in an airplane or satellite are also in the artificial heart, detecting things like the heart’s pumping speed and the pressure on its walls.
That should allow the device to respond immediately if the patient needs more or less blood.
The heart is expected to cost about US$192,140. The most advanced U.S. artificial heart, made by the U.S. company Abiomed, sells for up $250,000.
Abiomed was aware of the French project but said it was ahead in the race.
“Our artificial heart has already been implanted in patients and is FDA-approved,” said Aimee Maillett, a com-pany spokeswoman. On average, Abiomed’s heart has extended patients’ lives by about five months.
Few details are available about the artificial hearts being developed in Japan and South Korea because the scientists have not published their work widely.
Previous artificial hearts have been unable to automatically vary their pumping speed. The French heart is also the most lifelike, with two pumps to send blood into the lungs and the rest of the body, just like a real heart. Past artificial hearts have only had one pump.
The heart was tested in sheep, but scientists did not test how long it would keep the animals alive. Laboratory experiments tested the heart in various scenarios, including, for example, when a hypothetical patient was exercising and suddenly needed more blood.
“This could be a bases-loaded home run if it works,” said Douglas Zipes, past president of the American College of Cardiology and professor of cardiology at Indiana University. Zipes was not linked to the French research.
The French model is made from natural materials including polymer and pig tissue, which have already been used in heart valves implanted into people.
Those have not caused any problems like rejection or clotting, commonly seen with artificial hearts or devices. That makes some doctors optimistic that a heart partially constructed from the same tissues could spare patients lifelong anti-rejection and anti-clotting medicines.
The artificial heart would initially be for patients who had suffered a massive heart attack or who had heart failure, but might eventually be used in patients were are not that sick. French doctors hope to start tests in humans in the next two years.
Heart disease is the world’s top killer. According to the American Heart Association, about 2,200 heart transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2006, and the waiting list is long.
While previous artificial hearts have mainly acted to buy time until a real heart becomes available, Dr. Ottavio Alfieri, a professor of cardiac surgery at Raffaele University Hospital in Milan and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said the French heart might work in the longer term.
Experts warned that many past attempts to replace the human heart have failed.
“Virtually all devices that have been implanted in humans, no matter how well designed, have been associated with unforeseen complications,” said Tim Gardner, president of the American Heart Association.
In recent years, heart doctors have questioned the popularity of drug-coated stents used to prop open arteries. Several studies have linked the tiny mesh-metal stents to fatal blood clots, leading some doctors to scale back on their use.
With problems in using such tiny devices, some experts wonder about the impact of an entire artificial organ in the body. But Alfieri said that, since the artificial heart was essentially a pump, it would not be releasing any drugs like the drug-coated stents and might be less problematic.
Others were more wary.
“This is a high-risk area with a lot of problems,” said Karl Swedberg, a cardiologist at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. He doubted the new artificial heart could be used to alleviate the shortage in donors, since it was very expensive and would still require a major operation.
“An artificial heart is an interesting idea, but we should focus on the established treatments we already have,” Swedberg said.
Doctors use plane technology to make new heart
The prototype of a fully implantable artificial heart is seen at the biomedical firm Carmat in Suresnes, west of Paris. The prosthetic heart, which has been successfully tested on animals, is ready to be manufactured and could be tested on humans within 18 months to two years. (AP/Jacques Brinon)
In the race to create the world’s first fully functioning artificial heart, French scientists have turned to technology from satellites and airplanes.
The new heart could save millions of lives if it works in humans. So far, it has only been tested in animals. The device was unveiled at a press conference in Paris recently.
American companies have already produced artificial hearts, and scientists in Japan and South Korea are also working on versions.
But the French artificial heart is the first to be able to determine its patients’ needs and respond accordingly.
“It’s the same principle in the airplane as in the body,” said Patrick Coulombier, chief operating officer of Carmat, the heart’s manufacturer, a subsidiary of the European Aeronautics Defence and Space agency, makers of the Airbus plane.
Coulombier said the same tiny sensors that measure air pressure and altitude in an airplane or satellite are also in the artificial heart, detecting things like the heart’s pumping speed and the pressure on its walls.
That should allow the device to respond immediately if the patient needs more or less blood.
The heart is expected to cost about US$192,140. The most advanced U.S. artificial heart, made by the U.S. company Abiomed, sells for up $250,000.
Abiomed was aware of the French project but said it was ahead in the race.
“Our artificial heart has already been implanted in patients and is FDA-approved,” said Aimee Maillett, a com-pany spokeswoman. On average, Abiomed’s heart has extended patients’ lives by about five months.
Few details are available about the artificial hearts being developed in Japan and South Korea because the scientists have not published their work widely.
Previous artificial hearts have been unable to automatically vary their pumping speed. The French heart is also the most lifelike, with two pumps to send blood into the lungs and the rest of the body, just like a real heart. Past artificial hearts have only had one pump.
The heart was tested in sheep, but scientists did not test how long it would keep the animals alive. Laboratory experiments tested the heart in various scenarios, including, for example, when a hypothetical patient was exercising and suddenly needed more blood.
“This could be a bases-loaded home run if it works,” said Douglas Zipes, past president of the American College of Cardiology and professor of cardiology at Indiana University. Zipes was not linked to the French research.
The French model is made from natural materials including polymer and pig tissue, which have already been used in heart valves implanted into people.
Those have not caused any problems like rejection or clotting, commonly seen with artificial hearts or devices. That makes some doctors optimistic that a heart partially constructed from the same tissues could spare patients lifelong anti-rejection and anti-clotting medicines.
The artificial heart would initially be for patients who had suffered a massive heart attack or who had heart failure, but might eventually be used in patients were are not that sick. French doctors hope to start tests in humans in the next two years.
Heart disease is the world’s top killer. According to the American Heart Association, about 2,200 heart transplants were performed in the U.S. in 2006, and the waiting list is long.
While previous artificial hearts have mainly acted to buy time until a real heart becomes available, Dr. Ottavio Alfieri, a professor of cardiac surgery at Raffaele University Hospital in Milan and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said the French heart might work in the longer term.
Experts warned that many past attempts to replace the human heart have failed.
“Virtually all devices that have been implanted in humans, no matter how well designed, have been associated with unforeseen complications,” said Tim Gardner, president of the American Heart Association.
In recent years, heart doctors have questioned the popularity of drug-coated stents used to prop open arteries. Several studies have linked the tiny mesh-metal stents to fatal blood clots, leading some doctors to scale back on their use.
With problems in using such tiny devices, some experts wonder about the impact of an entire artificial organ in the body. But Alfieri said that, since the artificial heart was essentially a pump, it would not be releasing any drugs like the drug-coated stents and might be less problematic.
Others were more wary.
“This is a high-risk area with a lot of problems,” said Karl Swedberg, a cardiologist at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. He doubted the new artificial heart could be used to alleviate the shortage in donors, since it was very expensive and would still require a major operation.
“An artificial heart is an interesting idea, but we should focus on the established treatments we already have,” Swedberg said.
Dish Network has introduced a line of portable entertainment systems it calls Pocket Dishes
In an effort to make their entertainment options even more widely available, Dish Network has introduced a line of portable entertainment systems it calls Pocket Dishes. The idea is essentially to have an ultra compact multimedia entertainment center that you can take with you anywhere you go. Each model of Pocket Dish can download program content from any Dish Network DVR and replay it on it's own integrated LCD screen or on almost any television. Pocket Dishes can also play music stored in WMA, MP3, or WAV formats, can be used to play video games also available for download from Dish Network, and function as a digital photo album.
The basic model, the Pocket Dish AV402E, is super compact. At 2.4" high x 4.2" wide x 0.7" deep, it's about the same size as a wallet. Considering it's small size, it's storage capabilities are really impressive. It has a 20 GB hard drive which can store up to 20 hours of downloaded Dish Network programming, 200,000 digital photos in JPEG format, and 10,000 songs. It has a 2.2" LCD screen with a standard aspect ratio of 4:3, and delivers audio through headphones. One feature that the AV402E has that the more advanced models lack is a built in microphone which is great for taking notes or recording music or interesting sounds.
The mid level AV500E and the top of the line AV700E have many feature in common that the AV402E lacks. Both of the higher models have LCD screens with 16:9 aspect ratios which make viewing movies in wide screen format easy. Each comes with a remote control, docking station, built in speakers, and a stand.
One feature that both the AV500E and AV700E have that's truly impressive is digital video recording capacity. Both can be connected to just about any television, satellite receiver, VCR, or cable box to record video content. Of course they're forced to record in real time with this set up (all Pocket Dishes can download about an hour of programming every five minutes from any Dish Network DVR with a USB 2.0 port), but the real benefit of recording in this mode is that the Pocket Dish's maximum program content capacity can be quadrupled. In other words, the AV500E which can hold up to 30 hours of Dish Network programming can hold up to 120 hours of programming from other sources!
As far as individual specs, the AV500E measures 3" high x 4.8" wide x 0.8" deep and has a 4 inch screen (with the 16:9 aspect ratio). It's 30 Gig hard drive can contain up to 30 hours of Dish Network programming, 300,000 digital photos, and 15,000 songs.
The AV700E really is a full fledged home entertainment system in and of itself. It's 7" screen makes for easy viewing while at 4.2" high x 8.2" wide x 0.8" deep, it's still very portable. It has a big 40 Gigabyte hard drive that can hold up to 40 hours of Dish Network programming (note that this would be up to 160 hours from other sources!), 400,000 photos, and 20,000 songs.
Pocket Dishes are definitely an improvement for portable entertainment over portable DVD players. Not only are they smaller but they hold more programming. And while a laptop computer has a greater viewing area, Pocket Dishes are much cheaper and make it easy to get content through the use of a Dish Network DVR. Pocket Dishes are a great way to take home entertainment with you wherever you go.
The basic model, the Pocket Dish AV402E, is super compact. At 2.4" high x 4.2" wide x 0.7" deep, it's about the same size as a wallet. Considering it's small size, it's storage capabilities are really impressive. It has a 20 GB hard drive which can store up to 20 hours of downloaded Dish Network programming, 200,000 digital photos in JPEG format, and 10,000 songs. It has a 2.2" LCD screen with a standard aspect ratio of 4:3, and delivers audio through headphones. One feature that the AV402E has that the more advanced models lack is a built in microphone which is great for taking notes or recording music or interesting sounds.
The mid level AV500E and the top of the line AV700E have many feature in common that the AV402E lacks. Both of the higher models have LCD screens with 16:9 aspect ratios which make viewing movies in wide screen format easy. Each comes with a remote control, docking station, built in speakers, and a stand.
One feature that both the AV500E and AV700E have that's truly impressive is digital video recording capacity. Both can be connected to just about any television, satellite receiver, VCR, or cable box to record video content. Of course they're forced to record in real time with this set up (all Pocket Dishes can download about an hour of programming every five minutes from any Dish Network DVR with a USB 2.0 port), but the real benefit of recording in this mode is that the Pocket Dish's maximum program content capacity can be quadrupled. In other words, the AV500E which can hold up to 30 hours of Dish Network programming can hold up to 120 hours of programming from other sources!
As far as individual specs, the AV500E measures 3" high x 4.8" wide x 0.8" deep and has a 4 inch screen (with the 16:9 aspect ratio). It's 30 Gig hard drive can contain up to 30 hours of Dish Network programming, 300,000 digital photos, and 15,000 songs.
The AV700E really is a full fledged home entertainment system in and of itself. It's 7" screen makes for easy viewing while at 4.2" high x 8.2" wide x 0.8" deep, it's still very portable. It has a big 40 Gigabyte hard drive that can hold up to 40 hours of Dish Network programming (note that this would be up to 160 hours from other sources!), 400,000 photos, and 20,000 songs.
Pocket Dishes are definitely an improvement for portable entertainment over portable DVD players. Not only are they smaller but they hold more programming. And while a laptop computer has a greater viewing area, Pocket Dishes are much cheaper and make it easy to get content through the use of a Dish Network DVR. Pocket Dishes are a great way to take home entertainment with you wherever you go.
Battery Maker Takes Lithium-Ion Up a Notch
Chief executive Christina Lampe-Önnerud says her company, Boston-Power, is the first American battery maker to provide power for a major-label laptop. Next stop: cars. (Photo: Boston-Power) The battery company Boston-Power has existed for just three years, but last week Hewlett-Packard — one of the largest technology companies in the world — said it will offer the startup’s earth-friendly lithium-ion batteries in notebook computers in early 2009.
This is the first time a battery company based in the United States has ever sold a battery to a top provider of notebooks, according to Christina Lampe-Önnerud, Boston-Power’s founder and chief executive officer. “I think the revolutionary aspect of our battery is that its fast charge coupled with a long cycle life has never been seen before,” she said.
Boston-Power says their “Sonata” batteries can operate at 80 percent of original charge capacity for three years of typical use. Existing lithium-ion batteries will typically lose half their charge capacity after just one year, and will be all but dead after three.
“I’ve basically been able to have four hours or close to four hours [between recharges] for two-and-a-half years now,” Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said of using a Sonata battery on her own laptop.
When the time to recharge does come, Sonata batteries can charge to 40 percent power in 10 minutes and 80 percent in 30 minutes. In comparison, Hewlett-Packard’s best lithium-ion battery now charges to 90 percent in 90 minutes, according to Ms. Lampe-Önnerud.
The safety of lithium-ion batteries has been an issue for the industry because of instances in which batteries have exploded or caught fire. But Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said the same “quality control systems of exactness and precision” that enable Sonata batteries to work better also make them safer.
“The risks are much, much lower, from already having very low risks,” she said. Hewlett-Packard will offer a three-year warranty on the new batteries — said to be the longest in the industry — and reportedly will price them at $20 to $30 more than a standard replacement battery.
In addition to better performance, Boston-Power is also promoting the batteries for their greenness. Their main advantage in that regard is fairly straightforward: batteries that last longer mean less waste and fewer resources expended to make new batteries.
“The biggest green claim that we make, and frankly, the aspect we’re the most proud of, is you need one battery for three years, not three or five or ten batteries,” Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said.
Also, Boston-Power batteries don’t contain PVC plastic or toxic flame retardants, as some other lithium-ion batteries do. The company is the first provider of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to earn a Nordic Ecolabel certification — akin to a green thumbs-up from one of the world’s leading agencies in evaluating sustainable products.
Casey Harrell, a spokesman for Greenpeace International on toxics and electronics, said extending the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries would indeed have valuable environmental benefits in terms of reducing waste and preserving resources. He speculates that extended-life batteries could have a sustainability impact beyond just the battery itself.
“We live in a world of planned obsolescence, where things are designed for the dump and longevity is a non-concern,” he said. “Having a laptop battery that is very long in life could do wonders for extending the life of the entire product.”
Mr. Harrell also credits Boston-Power for eliminating all PVC plastic and toxic flame retardants. “PVC, when burned — which is common disposal practice for electronics — releases dioxin, a known carcinogen,” he said.
The Sonata batteries will be manufactured in Taiwan and China, and the company has also received a Chinese eco-label certification. Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said a team from Boston-Power will be present at factories “24/7″ to ensure that manufacturing guidelines are adhered to.
Looking toward the future, Boston-Power hopes to expand well beyond laptop batteries. It opened a new lab dedicated to developing batteries for electric cars and other large format systems in October.
“We have a battery that has shown remarkable performance criteria that I think the auto industry would welcome very, very much,” Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said. “In fact, we see quite a bit of interest from the automotive industry.”
Developing this technology will take some time. Boston-Power’s batteries are more likely to appear next in other consumer electronics, or simpler modes of transportation like power-assisted bicycles and electric scooters.
When it comes to electric car batteries, Ms. Lampe-Önnerud said the industry is making progress but still far from having formulated the perfect solution. “Batteries need to be dependable to really make a difference,” she said. “The ability to get the same type of performance every day is going to make or break any one of the players that are coming out now.”
Dell’s Design Future: Chasing the Bamboo
Dell takes hand-crafted bamboo very seriously।
(Credit: Erich Schlegel for The New York Times)
Earlier this year, the company released a new line of super compact PCs under the Studio Hybrid brand. You can stand the computers up or lay them on their side, but either way the Hybrid PCs eat up just 9 by 4 inches of space. Customers can outfit the computers with a variety of different sleeves, including a bamboo sheath that serves as Dell’s pride and joy.
“We’ve been chasing the bamboo for a long time,” said Ken Musgrave, Dell’s head of industrial design. “It took 25 or 30 tries before we cracked it.”
The company is refusing to say exactly how it makes the bamboo cover or who helped it with the design. Dell, long ridiculed for boring computer designs, thinks the bamboo can help revive its brand.
The bamboo PC costs $550, $100 more than a comparable machine without the wood preferred by discerning pandas.
Dell faced a couple of major issues with the bamboo cover. Bending the bamboo around the curves of the PC proved tough, and then Dell had to find a way for the sleeve to keep its shape instead of contracting. A bamboo specialist helped Dell deal with these issues by developing a new manufacturing process that included a proprietary coating to keep the bamboo’s state fixed.
“We now have a unique expertise in bamboo,” Mr. Musgrave said. “It’s all handmade, so it’s expensive, but it does sell, and it sells well. It’s beautiful.”
Design is more important than ever for Dell, which says that consumer impressions of its products carry over to the corporate arena where novel techniques are being applied to servers and storage systems as well. (I touched on some similar themes in a larger Dell story published on Tuesday.)
As Mr. Musgrave sees it, younger workers who grew up with notebooks and slick entertainment devices expect more out of their work computers. Forget the standard issue clunky, corporate laptop, these folks want flash. And, if companies want to keep the youngsters happy, they need to provide interesting computers.
“We had our ear chewed from someone who works with a local government office in Europe,” Mr. Musgrave said. “He said, ‘We need cooler laptops as a retention device.’ These products help stop people from thinking ‘I am now a cog.’”
To improve its business hardware, Dell has conducted numerous surveys with customers, trying to understand what they expect a server or storage system to look and feel like. Where Dell once had handles or latches made of plastic, it’s now using metal.
“The feel of a fan module or disk drive coming out of the server were the things really driving customer perceptions,” Mr. Musgrave said. “Was it rattling? Did it drag on the metal? We have customers who can tell what brand of server they have based on these attributes.”
Such attention to detail hits on the bezels placed on the front of the computers, which are now made of metal, and the buttons used to power the systems on and enter basic management functions.
“We sweated things like the quality of that button and the feel that button has,” Mr. Musgrave said. “We always had the quality, but we just weren’t communicating it.”
Dell’s new server and storage designs will appear next year when it releases a fresh generation of hardware. For the first time ever, Dell will place a logo championing its brand on the inside of these computers. Even the innards have turned into a point of pride.Satellite4All: new technology promises cheap satellite triple-play
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 Technology developed by European researchers promises to dramatically lower the costs of satellite bandwidth, potentially bridging the digital divide and enabling satellites to deliver TV, internet and telephony services via satellite. The technical problems are solved, now the research team is working hard on the business case. Service providers could start offering satellite TV, broadband and voice services for less than €50 thanks to satellite technology innovations by European researchers. Eurostat estimates that 10% of the European population, or 30m people, are too isolated to be covered by landline broadband services and, so far, no viable solution has presented itself. Experts hoped that WiMax – a long-range version of the WiFi wireless technology – would fill the gap, but large WiMax networks are expensive to deploy, and the technology is just beginning to mature. Satellite services could fill the gap, but in this case, the bandwidth costs are very high. A basic internet service via satellite can cost €150 to €200, way out of reach for the vast majority of users. But those costs could drop dramatically thanks to the work of European researchers from the IMOSAN project working on integrated multi-layer optimisation in broadband DVB-S2 satellite networks. IMOSAN took advantage of new standards to squeeze more bandwidth from satellite transmissions. The team also developed components that could offer ‘triple-play’ services – TV, internet and telephony. Finally, they developed optimisation software that could help ensure the best possible service quality in bad weather or during high-demand periods. Impressive technical hurdlesThe EU-funded IMOSAN solved many of the technical hurdles facing widespread satellite adoption for triple-play services. But an equally important element of their task was to prove the business case to make these services viable. “We had to study the market and examine all possible business models to try and establish a competitive offering for satellite triple-play services,” explains Natassa Anastasiadou, a researcher at IMOSAN responsible for market studies and director of the department of funded programmes at OTEplus. “The technical advances made by the IMOSAN project mean that satellite bandwidth is 30% more efficient, but we had to see how that translated into real-world costs for real-world business scenarios,” she relates. Anastasiadou and colleagues whittled the possible offerings to three scenarios for rural and remote regions. They first covered residential users in isolated areas, served by a purely two-way satellite solution, enjoying high-end services, including high-definition TV channels. IMOSAN calls this the ‘gold scenario’. The ‘business scenario’, meanwhile, looked towards isolated areas served by a hybrid satellite-WiFi solution, where the emphasis is put on fast internet access. Finally, for the ‘basic scenario’ the team looked at delivery to scattered residential users, served by a hybrid satellite-WiMax solution, where a standard triple-play package is provided – similar to common packages provided in urban areas by ADSL technology “Obviously, the lowest price the IMOSAN provider could charge the end-user for the triple-play service package provided depends strongly on the maximum number of users it can serve with a given investment,” notes Anastasiadou. Going for goldThe gold service package was designed to fulfil the requirements of residential users in isolated areas and included fast internet access of 1 Mbps download, VoIP services and 13 TV channels (10 standard and 3 high definition). The analysis showed that this package should be priced monthly at €147.60 (at least) for the investment to be depreciated over ten years. At that rate, the terminal had to be provided to end-users for free, whereas if the end-user paid for it, the monthly rate came down to €87.50. But an IMOSAN terminal would cost €1,500 against €350 for standard satellite terminals. The business scenario fared better. The service package envisaged fast internet access of 2 Mbps download, VoIP services and five standard-definition TV channels. It required a monthly rate to be charged to the user/business of €181.30, again over ten years. It included the terminal, and would be competitive with existing services, especially given the very high quality and service standards, as well as the triple-play offer. The basic package was tied into WiMax technology. WiMax is a long-range, high-speed wireless networking standard that is just beginning to experience large-scale deployment in the USA and the EU. The satellite transmits directly to the WiMax transmitter, which then delivers service to individual customers. “It is much more cost-effective to offer the service this way,” reveals Anastasiadou. “Every single end-user does not have to get a satellite receiver, which costs over €1,000, but shares the cost of a WiMax station instead which, although currently costing about €10,000, can serve about 300 end-users effectively.” And as they continue deployment, WiMax receiver prices will probably drop dramatically, making the basic scenario even more cost competitive over time. Europe’s broadband losersThe IMOSAN basic scenario consisted of seven standard TV channels, 1Mbs internet and VoIP targeted at the largest group still without ADSL access: scattered residential users in rural areas. It was the most successful scenario studied by IMOSAN, costing €57.20 with a contention ratio of 30:1. The contention ratio indicates how many users can access a single channel at one time. At a ratio of 50:1, which is reasonable for residential services, monthly costs would drop to €37 month, which is very competitive with alternatives like standard satellite to individuals. The work has generated considerable excitement among service providers and satellite operators, with one company currently considering a basic service deployment in Greece, and many others interested. Through its technical advances, IMOSAN will have an impact on satellite services generally, but its greatest impact could be ensuring that all Europe’s citizens have economic access to the internet – one of the most essential services of the information age. |
Music Games for iPhone Give Artists New Spotlight
Tap Tap Revenge, a free game that challenges players to keep up with catchy tunes by tapping in the right spots on the phone’s screen, was available in Apple’s iPhone application store when it opened in July.
It quickly climbed the store’s charts, and more than three million downloads later, Apple declared it the most popular free iPhone game of the year.
“We went to No. 1 in three days,” said Bart Decrem, co-founder and chief executive of Tapulous. “Within a week, artists reached out to have their music featured in the game.”
Many software companies have jumped on the iPhone bandwagon, seeing promise in the popularity of the phone and the demand for programs for sale or free download through the App Store. They include Smule, a start-up that created a program that turns iPhones into flutes; and giant game publishers like Electronic Arts, which recently released a version of its classic SimCity game for the iPhone.
Tapulous, based in Palo Alto, Calif., was founded in January after Mr. Decrem, a Belgian software executive, and his business partner, Andrew Lacy, came across an iPhone game called Tap Tap Revolution. They sought out its creator, Nate True, and brought him on board as a developer. (A third co-founder, Mike Lee, was forced out in August after the men disagreed over the company’s direction.)
For Mr. Decrem, who earlier helped create a social Web browser called Flock, the low cost and fast pace of making software for the iPhone made it feasible to create a company that focused exclusively on the device.
“It took two years and north of $5 million to bring Flock to market,” he said. “In this case, the longest you spend building an iPhone application is three months, and it takes four or five people. There’s less risk in terms of betting millions and years on something that might not work.”
To keep its game fresh the company created Tap Tap Thursdays, when it releases new music from artists like Michael Franti and the pop singer Katy Perry. Mr. Decrem said those songs regularly inspire a million game plays — and occasionally a lot of music sales, because players can click to buy the song through Apple. In October, Tap Tap Revenge players bought 50,000 copies of the featured track “Hot N Cold” by Ms. Perry.
The popularity of the game led Tapulous to begin introducing paid versions for $4.99 each, aimed at fans of specific artists or genres of music. In late October it released a Nine Inch Nails edition, followed by a holiday version called Christmas With Weezer, for which that band recorded some carols. Tapulous plans to release one of these each month, including a special edition featuring the Dave Matthews Band.
Tap Tap Revenge is patterned after games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which test players’ abilities to keep rhythm with popular songs. Those games have been hits on consoles like the Xbox 360, and strong sales of music through the games have given some hope to a beleaguered music industry. Harmonix, the creator of Rock Band, said last week that the game’s players had bought 30 million songs.
“The gravy train of the old days of having CD sales buffer you as an artist are gone,” said James L. McQuivey, a principal analyst specializing in media technology at Forrester Research. “Artists recognize that and are trying to be in more places at once.”
The British music label EMI, seeking a new source of revenue, collaborated with Tapulous on a version called Tap Tap Dance that includes tracks by Moby and Daft Punk.
“We absolutely feel these games could be the next big Rock Band or Guitar Hero,” said Cynthia Sexton, a vice president at EMI Music worldwide.
Ms. Sexton said she viewed the expansion into games and other outlets as a natural evolution of the music industry, though that revelation was not necessarily an easy one. “For a moment, we hid our heads in the sand and thought this was the end,” she said. “But it’s not. It’s really the beginning.”
Mr. Decrem said his company saw the opportunity in music sales. “We’re fortunate to be sitting at the intersection of a couple of powerful forces right now,” he said. “The iPhone is a device that is on fire, and artists are looking for ways to reinvent themselves.”
While he would not discuss specifics, Mr. Decrem said Tapulous was well on its way to being profitable, adding that the paid applications had brought in “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in sales so far. But most of the company’s revenue comes from advertisements that appear alongside the games. Artists who license their songs for use in Tapulous games receive a “good portion” of what is left of the games’ sale price after Apple takes a 30 percent fee, Mr. Decrem said.
The company recently raised $1 million from a group of investors that includes the early Google investors Rajeev Motwani and Andy Bechtolsheim, adding to an earlier $1.8 million raised from the same group.
Other companies have seized upon the growing popularity of the iPhone as a way to play games. Charles Golvin, a principal analyst at Forrester Research, said developers were releasing more games and entertainment applications than any other genre. The trick now for developers is distinguishing their wares from the thousands of applications already available.
Although Tapulous has developed programs that are not games — Twinkle, for example, is a way to use the messaging service Twitter on the iPhone — it is planning to focus exclusively on expanding its collection of tapping games for now.
Tap Tap Revenge recently drew the attention of Alex Rigopulos, the co-creator of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, who reportedly said that he would consider developing a music-themed application for the iPhone to compete with it.
Mr. Decrem said he is not concerned. “Music games are a hot genre, so naturally there will be competition in the space,” he said. “I’m quite confident that we’ll be able to hold our own.”
Satnav device gets the shopping done fast
If the prospect of Christmas shopping in crowded malls fills you with dread, help could soon be at hand. Researchers have developed a hand-held device that maps out the fastest route for you to get all your shopping done - and tells you where to find the best bargains.
The device, developed by Javier Bajo at the University of Salamanca in Spain, has been tested in the Tormes shopping mall in Salamanca, where it received a thumbs up from shoppers and store owners alike (Applied Soft Computing, DOI: 10.1016/j.asoc.2008.11.009). "Most shop managers believe that the device has helped their businesses attract more customers and sell more," says Bajo.
The Tormes mall houses more than 80 different stores, and the device has been used by more than 2400 people.
Shoppers key in information about their preferences, the amount of money they have to spend and the amount of time they have available. The device then uses radio frequency identification (RFID) to pinpoint their location, and beams information to them about shops and offers via Wi-Fi.
Even if shoppers are not looking to buy anything specific and just want to spend the afternoon at the mall, the system can help with suggestions such as films on at the cinema or coffee shops, says Bajo. "You can ask the system for suggestions based on your specific interests, and it will suggest a route for you, including different activities."
Bajo is developing a similar system that will help nurses to monitor elderly patients, and suggest which needs attending to first.
Jumat, 19 Desember 2008
Medical students get iPod tutors
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 Lecturers say iPods are here to sta |
University students are being given iPods loaded with useful tutorials.
The University of Derby has given 35 devices - costing £99 each - to radiography students, to provide them with "different ways to learn".
They contain pre-loaded video lessons about how to position patients for X-rays.
It is hoped the portable video demonstrations will be more useful than traditional text books.
Senior lecturer Ruth Chester said: "They (iPods) are not gadgets, they are things of the future that are here to stay.
"Students want different ways of learning."
The iPods have been supplied to first-year students, who will be expected to return them after two years.
Students can upload their own music to the devices, however the university will check they are still using the pre-loaded tutorials.
Radiographer Sue Errett was involved in creating the lessons and said they would be useful for students on placements.
However iPods would be banned from the X-Ray room.
"I don't feel it would be professional to use it directly in front of a patient," she said.
Ms Errett was particularly worried older patients would be unfamiliar with iPods and think the students were simply listening to music.
Sky moves towards 3D broadcasts
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Sky has filmed several sporting events using the new technology
Sky TV says it has made a significant step towards bringing 3D television to British viewers.
The satellite broadcaster says it has successfully tested the delivery of 3D programming to a domestic television, via a high-definition set-top box.
Sky has been filming a number of events using 3D cameras over recent months.
Such broadcasts would require the use of 3D televisions, not yet available in UK stores, and viewers would need to wear 3D polarising glasses.
Earlier this year BBC engineers broadcast a Six Nations rugby union international in 3D to an audience at a theatre in London.
Sky says it has gone further by showing that 3D could be delivered into homes, straight to its Sky+HD set-top box, without much difficulty.
Sky is stressing it is not making a product launch, but producing a technological demonstration.
"We have shown it is a technical reality," Sky's director of strategic product development, Gerry O'Sullivan, told BBC News.
"Now we have to find a way to bring it to viewers."
 The approach requires new recording as well as playback equipment |
At a demonstration at its West London headquarters, the company showed clips from programmes it had filmed in 3D, including a Ricky Hatton boxing match, a rugby union international and an episode of Gladiators.
Mr O'Sullivan said major TV manufacturers were beginning to look at building 3D sets and at January's Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, a number of prototypes are expected to be on display.
He explained that for broadcasters, the move to 3D would not be anything like as expensive as the investment the industry had made in high-definition television.
"It's not hugely costly," he explained, "because it piggybacks on the investment in HD."
Hollywood is beginning to invest heavily in 3D movie production and in Japan some television channels are already broadcasting in 3D.
It is a technology that first surfaced in the 1950s, but modern digital technology has brought new interest from producers and manufacturers.
Mr O'Sullivan dismissed the idea that it would appeal only to a small minority of viewers.
"I heard HD described as a niche product," he said. "Now we've got nearly 600,000 HD customers."
Microsoft issues patch to fix IE
 Internet Explorer is used by the majority of computer users |
Microsoft has issued a security patch to fix a critical vulnerability in its Internet Explorer browser which it said has attacked over 2m Windows users.
The flaw is believed to have already infected as many as 10,000 websites.
The "zero day" exploit let criminals take over victims' computers by steering them to infected websites.
Microsoft's Christopher Budd said the software giant "encourages all IE customers to test and deploy this update as soon as possible".
He also said the threat led Microsoft to mobilise security engineering teams worldwide to deliver a software cure "in the unprecedented time of eight days".
"Even with that, the release Emergency Response process isn't over," said Security Response Alliance director Mike Reavey.
"There is additional support to customers and additional refinement of our product development efforts."
Microsoft stressed that the flaw was proven to exist only in IE 7 on all applicable versions of Windows, but that IE 6 and the "beta" release of IE 8 were "potentially vulnerable".
Users who have automatic updates turned on will receive the patch over the next 24 hours while others can access it via a download.
'Wildfire'
The AZN Trojan has been making the rounds since the beginning of December but became public knowledge in the last week . Unlike other exploits, users only have to visit a malicious site with Trojans or other malware in order to become contaminated.
 Microsoft developed a patch for the "Zero day" flaw in record time |
Once an infected web page is opened, malicious downloaders are installed on the computer designed to record keystrokes and steal passwords, credit card details and other financial information.
The sites affected are mostly Chinese and have been serving up programmes to steal passwords for computer games which can then be sold for cash on the black market.
Internet Explorer is the world's most widely used web browser with nearly three quarters of the market share.
Microsoft estimated that one in every 500 Windows users had been exposed to sites that tried to exploit the flaw and the number of victims was increasing at a rate of 50% daily.
Researchers at the software security firm Trend Micro said attacks were spreading "like wildfire".
"This vulnerability is being actively exploited by cyber-criminals and getting worse every day," said the company's advanced threat researcher Paul Ferguson.
Microsoft labelled the bug as "critical," the most serious threat ranking in its four-step scoring programme.
Firefox update
The update is something of an unusual move for Microsoft and underscores the seriousness of the zero day flaw.
The company rarely issues security fixes for its software outside of its regular monthly patch updates.
 Firefox will soon end its support of earlier versions of its popular browser |
Meanwhile Mozilla has released a scheduled update for its open source Firefox web browsers for at least 10 different vulnerabilities.
The bugs in the browser could have been "used to run attacker code and install software, requiring no user interaction beyond normal browsing," said Mozilla.
It is also reissuing calls for users to upgrade from Firefox 2.0 to Firefox 3.0 as soon as possible and said it is "not planning any further security and stability updates for Firefox 2".
This means Mozilla will no longer support the Firefox 2 browser against future online scams and attacks.
Oracle Earnings Preview: 'Good' News Might be Too Good
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Oracle Earnings |
Unless you're talking about Oracle Corp [ORCL 16.87 
0.13 (+0.78%) 
] .
The company is set to report its fiscal second quarter earnings after the bell later today, and while there's a fair amount of interest in those numbers, analysts will be keeping a careful eye on the company's comments for its current quarter, especially with Oracle's bellwether status for enterprise customers.
The Street anticipates 34 cents on $5.86 billion, even though Oracle itself had projected 35 cents or 36 cents a share in profits. And that speaks to the issue of too much optimism. The Street, on average, already doesn't believe Oracle's own guidance and the analysts I'm talking to are skeptical that if the company raises guidance, it might not necessarily be taken as the "good news" it normally would. Incidentally, the range on the Street right now is 31 to 36 cents.
Brendan Barnicle at Pacific Crest Securities is looking for an inline quarter, along with $1.65 billion in licensing revenue, the other key metric by which Oracle is measured.
"The key thing is guidance," Barnicle tells me. "The biggest risk is that Oracle is too optimistic with the guidance." He's looking for 34 cents on $5.86 billion, and licensing fees dipping to about $1.58 billion.
As far as the second quarter is concerned, Oracle is deeply affected by currencies, and the strengthening dollar surely didn't help the company's bottomline. FBR analyst David Hilal says the dollar's 12 percent jump against the euro since September could cut revenue by as much as $300 million in its second quarter. But if the company cites the weakened dollar lately as a reason to raise guidance, that could give the company's outlook a bit more credence.
I'm told that Oracle has also been engaged in some pretty heavy-duty cost-cutting, without having to institute a broad layoff. Oppenheimer's Brad Reback wrote to his clients that Oracle could shave as much as $700 million in expenses without laying off any workers. Still, with 85,000 employees, if Oracle does announce a workforce reduction, the analysts I'm talking to say it wouldn't be much of a surprise. More likely are cuts in travel budgets and a hiring freeze. Either way, cost-cutting certainly could help bolster the company's second quarter performance as well as guidance.
Bottomline is this: Experts anticipate a serious slowdown in PC, network hardware and enterprise software spending in 2009. That's not a surprise. Goldman Sachs says financial companies, a big Oracle customer base, could reduce budgets on average 20 percent next year. The strengthening dollar won't help Oracle either. But the company could still be better-positioned than rivals IBM [IBM 85.26 
-0.58 (-0.68%) ] or SAP simply because of its licensing structure and diverse software offerings.
The company's in the midst of an additional $8 billion stock buyback program, which might come at a good time, considering shares are below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages of $16.87 and $19.71. Shares are down about 20 percent so far this year.
Some analysts I'm talking to believe that Oracle has been oversold, but is unlikely to see any meaningful break-out until the economy starts turning around. However, they also believe that Oracle will be among the first to benefit from an improving economy and is getting increasingly attractive, on a valuation basis at these levels. This should be an interesting conference call indeed.
Selasa, 16 Desember 2008
USB And Flash Memory Technology Offer Enormous Improvements In Gadgets
There are a lot of new technologies that have made gadgets incredibly more versatile in the past few years. One of the is the USB connection. USB technology allows gadgets to be connected to an increasing variety of devices for greater versatility and functionality. Essentially, USB technology started out as just a way to connect computers to their peripherals. Printers and scanners could suddenly be connected to computers using the USB connection that took up much less space than the older parallel port and cable technology. Then, as digital cameras became more common, USB cables served as a good way to connect them to computers in order to transfer over digital photos. Then the implementation of plug and play protocols with Windows XP and other similar operating systems eliminated the need to install drivers before taking advantage of most USB devices. This particular advancement opened up various electronic companies to the idea that more gadgets could take advantage of USB technology. There are a lot of new technologies that have made gadgets incredibly more versatile in the past few years. One of the is the USB connection. USB technology allows gadgets to be connected to an increasing variety of devices for greater versatility and functionality. Essentially, USB technology started out as just a way to connect computers to their peripherals. Printers and scanners could suddenly be connected to computers using the USB connection that took up much less space than the older parallel port and cable technology. Then, as digital cameras became more common, USB cables served as a good way to connect them to computers in order to transfer over digital photos. Then the implementation of plug and play protocols with Windows XP and other similar operating systems eliminated the need to install drivers before taking advantage of most USB devices. This particular advancement opened up various electronic companies to the idea that more gadgets could take advantage of USB technology.
Now we have a large choice of gadgets that take advantage of USB technology to connect with computers and even home entertainment devices. One example of this is the portable media device. Portable media devices can display video and digital still photos, play audio, and in many cases even be used to play video games. Most of them download video from computers that have in turn downloaded it from the Internet, but some of these gadgets can download video from digital video recorders. This is tremendously beneficial when it comes to getting a variety of video to play on these things!
Of course there are plenty of other gadgets that use USB technology. They include MP3 players, digital audio recorders, and video game controllers. Even more traditional things have made the move to USB connections. Like many mice are connected to computers using USB connections. These can be wireless mice that send their signals to the computer through a wireless receiver that plugs into the computer's USB port or a variety of wired mice. Plus, since power can be sent over a USB connection, there are more options for things like heated mice and mice that glow in a variety of colors. There are even some battery chargers that take advantage of USB technology.
Another handy new technology that goes into gadgets is flash memory. In fact, flash memory is often used along with USB connections in a variety of gadgets like digital cameras, thumb drives, MP3 players, and even some portable media devices. In addition to all of these types of gadgets, flash memory is even finding its way into laptop computers. Flash memory is especially attractive for use on laptop computers because of the fact that its more energy efficient that hard drives and more resistant to shock. Another advantage that flash memory has is that its faster than hard drive technology, and in some cases it's built into hard drives along with conventional technology to improve access speeds. It still has the disadvantages of being more expensive than hard drive technology and not quite as reliable.
One of the fascinating things about technologies like flash memory and USB connections is that they're still relatively new. Which means that we can expect to see more ingenious uses developed for them in the future.
Now we have a large choice of gadgets that take advantage of USB technology to connect with computers and even home entertainment devices. One example of this is the portable media device. Portable media devices can display video and digital still photos, play audio, and in many cases even be used to play video games. Most of them download video from computers that have in turn downloaded it from the Internet, but some of these gadgets can download video from digital video recorders. This is tremendously beneficial when it comes to getting a variety of video to play on these things!
Of course there are plenty of other gadgets that use USB technology. They include MP3 players, digital audio recorders, and video game controllers. Even more traditional things have made the move to USB connections. Like many mice are connected to computers using USB connections. These can be wireless mice that send their signals to the computer through a wireless receiver that plugs into the computer's USB port or a variety of wired mice. Plus, since power can be sent over a USB connection, there are more options for things like heated mice and mice that glow in a variety of colors. There are even some battery chargers that take advantage of USB technology.
Another handy new technology that goes into gadgets is flash memory. In fact, flash memory is often used along with USB connections in a variety of gadgets like digital cameras, thumb drives, MP3 players, and even some portable media devices. In addition to all of these types of gadgets, flash memory is even finding its way into laptop computers. Flash memory is especially attractive for use on laptop computers because of the fact that its more energy efficient that hard drives and more resistant to shock. Another advantage that flash memory has is that its faster than hard drive technology, and in some cases it's built into hard drives along with conventional technology to improve access speeds. It still has the disadvantages of being more expensive than hard drive technology and not quite as reliable.
One of the fascinating things about technologies like flash memory and USB connections is that they're still relatively new. Which means that we can expect to see more ingenious uses developed for them in the future.
4 tech predictions for 2009 The technology outlook for the new year looks pretty grim, but here are a few trends that could pay off.
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| Mini-computers like the Asus Eee are expected to be one of the few bright lights in an otherwise grim market for consumer electronics in 2009. |
Photos
With consumers pinching pennies, prices of Blu-ray players, GPS devices and other tech toys are falling.
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- You can't really blame technology executives and pundits for not wanting to go too far out on a limb in making prognostications and predictions about 2009.
The world tech companies will operate in will be pretty awful, but no one knows just how bad things will get: The global nature of the recession - and the dollars, euros and yuan governments are pumping into their local markets - simply is without precedent.
And it isn't like Internet or even computing companies have a lot of experience with these sort of things: Economists argue that the world hasn't seen a financial crisis this severe since the Great Depression, and back then, the only "tech" companies were making tabulating machines or selling phone lines.
Of course, every company that hopes to survive the current meltdown has to make some forecasts about the future.
We've asked various tech veterans to tell us what to expect in 2009. Not surprisingly, almost everyone believes big-ticket luxury items will suffer, especially in the consumer electronics space. The exception will be so-called "smartphones," those high-end wireless devices such as Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone and RIM's (RIMM) line of Blackberry products.
Many consumers in 2009 will upgrade from plain-old cell phones to gadgets that do e-mail and offer Web access, and they'll increasingly buy special services or software especially designed for the mobile Web (think of the cool games and applications available on the iPhone App Store).
Beyond smartphones, the big sellers in tech will be products and services that help companies and consumers save money or work more efficiently. "Short term," said Shane Robison, chief strategy and technology officer of Hewlett-Packard. "Everybody is focused on how do I get the most bang for my buck."
With businesses and consumers adopting more cheapskate ways, here are four tech trends to count on in the new year.
Spiraling netbooks
The computer industry now ships more portable computers such as laptops than desktops, and an increasingly important part of the mix will be mini-notebook computers, known as netbooks. Industry sources say computer makers will sell more than 11 million netbooks worldwide in 2008, up from just around a million in 2007, and netbook sales could easily double in the new year.
The appeal of these stripped-down portables (no DVD drive, a lot less processing power) clearly is their equally stripped-down price. Market leaders ASUS and Acer, both based in Taiwan, offer sub-$300 netbooks, and U.S. manufacturers Dell (DELL, Fortune 500) and HP (HPQ, Fortune 500) have netbook offerings of their own.
The affordability of netbooks makes them an ideal solution in emerging markets, but analysts think the minis will also appeal to cost-conscious consumers in the United States.
Netbooks "are something to watch in a downturn," said Phil Asmundson, national managing partner of Deloitte's technology, media and telecom practice. "A lot of functionality of a computer goes unused, and netbooks are a good alternative."
Hey, you, get onto my cloud
Evangelists such as Salesforce.com (CRM) CEO Marc Benioff have been predicting for years a revolution in so-called cloud services and computing, in which software and other applications are delivered to end-users over networks, or "the cloud." This may be the year Benioff and the cloud crowd are proven right.
Corporate cloud computing is getting a big boost from consumers who already get a fair number of services via the Net. Photo-sharing sites are great examples of cloud services, as is just about any service that lets consumers store data or information anywhere but their computer or mobile phone. "In the consumer space it isn't hype," said HP's Robison. "It's actually quite far along."
Remember how consumers' adoption of Wi-Fi forced companies to figure out ways to let workers connect to their corporate networks wirelessly? Workers who use lots of cloud services in their personal lives, too, are going to start wondering why software and other applications have to be tied to a specific device, or housed on a database at the company.
The terrible economy will also help. Software-as-a-service companies have long promoted themselves as more capital-efficient alternatives to installed software solutions. Instead of financing a big software purchase and installation, companies can "pay as they go" under the cloud services model.
"The capital crunch of 2009 will put a spotlight on the advantages of cloud computing: less risk, no capital expenditure, predictable operating expenses and fast results," predicted Salesforce's Benioff. "I believe that will translate into greater adoption for both cloud computing applications and platforms."
Virtualization becomes reality
Like cloud computing, "virtualization" helps companies reduce the cost of operating machines such as servers. The technology basically allows a single piece of hardware to run systems or applications that previously had run on multiple machines - essentially allowing companies to squeeze more out of existing hardware and even defer new purchases.
Virtualization has only been around in earnest for about three years, says Dell senior vice president Paul Bell, but he thinks corporate customers are starting to embrace it. (Dell is in the process of virtualizing 9,000 of its own corporate servers, an undertaking that Bell estimates is one of the 10 largest virtualization projects going right now.)
Virtualization also benefits from corporations' efforts to be more environmentally friendly. Neither companies nor environmentalists are thrilled with the energy consumed by server farms, those sometimes sprawling data centers that house thousands of humming computers. By reducing the need to additional servers, corporations save money and gain some "green" cred, too.
Girls (and guys) just wanna have fun
Yes, the economy is terrible and money is tight, but consumers will spend in 2009 on a few fun games and gadgets, says Kumu Puri, a senior executive with Accenture's electronics and high-tech practice. New gaming systems such as Nintendo's Wii have invigorated the console space, but Puri thinks handheld gaming systems like Nintendo's DS will also do well in the new year.
And no matter how bad things get out there, American consumers are unlikely to part with their broadband connections, an Accenture study found. Indeed, they are more likely to get rid of cable television channels (once considered practically a utility) or their mobile phones than their high-speed Internet connections. "It is absolutely recession-proof," she said. 
Let Your Boss Find Your Facebook Friends
Cloud computing, if you listen to Mark Benioff, is all grown up and ready for some action.
When I sat down recently with Mr. Benioff, the chief executive of Salesforce.com, his theme was that it was time for the new generation of software that lives on big servers (colloquially “in the cloud”) to start mingling.
“The concept is called connecting the clouds,” said Mr. Benioff. “We are a little out there, as usual.” Salesforce, he said, is developing links to other big cloud-computing platforms, including Amazon and Google.
But what better place for hook up in the cloud than Facebook?
Mr. Benioff showed me a new application meant to help companies recruit new employees. A company’s workers would give permission to the company to run software that combs the profiles of all of their Facebook friends to find those who might fit open jobs. Why would they do that? One reason is that many companies give bonuses to employees who help recruit people to open positions.
“We are able to take the information on Facebook, and empower you, the Facebook user, to do something you have not been able to do before,” he explained. “We are taking one database, your company’s job listings, and another database, all your Facebook friends and their profiles, and creating a third, the matches for these jobs.”
I found this a bit creepy, a bit like a divorced dad combing through his teenage daughter’s cellphone to find girls to date.
The application is written with an honor system to protect information of Facebook users who haven’t agreed to share certain information with potential employers.
Let’s say you are an employee of a company that uses this system and you install the Facebook application. The application, which runs on Salesforce’s computers, will be able to read all of the information in your friends’ profiles that they choose to show you — not just the information your friends have chosen to make public. Salesforce will match those profiles against the company’s job listings. You then can choose to send a message to any friend it says may fit a job opening, inviting that friend to apply for the job.
The way the system is supposed to work, Salesforce does not store any of the information from the profile or pass it on to the company. That way the only information your company knows about your friend is what he or she chooses to put on an application. But Clara Shih, a product manager at Salesforce, told me later that it was technically possible for a company connecting to Facebook’s system to keep profile data, even though that would violate Facebook’s rules.
I have no reason to think Salesforce or its clients would do anything inappropriate. And I know Facebook does try to keep an eye on users of its platform. But we also know that sometimes people don’t follow rules.
Mr. Benioff’s main reaction to my concern was that Salesforce was following the procedures defined by Facebook. He added another thought that seemed, if cavalier, very apt — and not just for Facebook — in a world where clouds are hooking up in ever more frenzied combinations.
“You have to be cautious what you put on your Facebook page because it will build someone’s database,” he said.
Hyper-Local News Service Outside.In Grows
As newspapers lose readers and advertisers, local news seems to be dying a long, slow death. The debate over what to do about it took on new urgency last week, when the Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy protection.
Some Web entrepreneurs are starting companies to try to resuscitate local news. One of those start-ups, Outside.In, announced its latest round of funding Monday.
The Brooklyn-based start-up raised about $2 million to add to the $5.5 million it has already raised, primarily from existing investors Union Square Ventures, the New York City Investment Fund and Betaworks. Angel investors who have backed Outside.In include big Silicon Valley names such as Marc Andreessen and Esther Dyson.
Outside.In labels information from across the Web with geographical tags, categorizing it by city, neighborhood, intersection or street address. The site can then provide readers with “hyper-local” news from news outlets, blogs and even Twitter. It helps small publishers find an audience and helps big publishers find local stories. By serving up all this local content, it hopes to help advertisers target the reader on precise streets.
Outside.In can tell advertisers where a reader is and affirm that they are reading about their neighborhood. That means an ad for a bookstore that is 50 feet from the reader will be more useful for the advertiser and the reader.
“Our whole premise is that these traditional media companies need to evolve to something that’s more sustainable,” said Mark Josephson, Outside.In’s chief executive officer. “They’re getting squeezed at the top by the national news organizations, and their customers are expecting really granular, specific, local information, but you can’t put a reporter on every corner.”
The site went live in 2007 as a service that aggregated local citizen bloggers who cover topics that a town’s citizens are passionate about but that the newspaper might not have the resources to report on, such as a city library brouhaha, the high school football team or the closing of a favorite coffee shop.
Mr. Josephson, formerly an executive at the ad network service Seevast and at About.com (which is owned by The New York Times Co.), became chief executive in May. He replaced the company’s founder, Steven Johnson, who became executive chairman.
Since then, the company has unveiled new services. One of them, Radar, lets readers subscribe to news feeds about their choice of neighborhoods or cities. StoryMaps lets publishers chart their stories on a map. Outside.In has 2 million unique visitors each month and has grown from 400,000 in January. An Outside.In iPhone application will be available within a month.
Perhaps most interesting is what Outside.In can do for its big publisher partners, including NBC and McClatchy newspapers, who want to be one-stop shops for local news. Outside.In maps stories from around the Web and brings local stories to a publisher’s site.
On NBC Chicago’s Web site, for example, readers can search for stories about the Hyde Park neighborhood, and see results from NBC Chicago as well as the Huffington Post, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicagoist blog.
For smaller publishers, Outside.In offers a map that plots stories by location, giving readers a new way to search. On Mommy Poppins, for example, a blog about what do with kids in New York City, readers can see everything written about Park Slope in the last two weeks.
Outside.In charges publishers to use its service, but mostly depends on advertising for revenue, which is a challenging business model right now. Mr. Josephson believes that Outside.In’s local focus will help it survive the slowdown in online advertising.
“What local media companies have going for them is sales teams with longstanding relationships in these local markets,” he said. “If they only had more to sell, they could sell it.” Other sites target readers by ZIP code, but they do not know if that reader is interested in neighborhood news or reading a foreign affairs story, Mr. Josephson said.
Hand-wringing about the plight of local news has been escalating. We’ve done a lot of it here at The New York Times: Saul Hansell argued in the Bits blog that local advertisers might no longer need local newspapers to spread their message. Richard Perez-Pena wrote about non-profits that cover local news, and Maureen Dowd wrote about local newspapers outsourcing reporting to India. David Carr argued that the political scandal in Illinois proves how important it is that newspapers survive.
What do you think? How can Web sites like Outside.In help keep local news covered? Have you spotted Web sites with promising business models?
Some Web entrepreneurs are starting companies to try to resuscitate local news. One of those start-ups, Outside.In, announced its latest round of funding Monday.
The Brooklyn-based start-up raised about $2 million to add to the $5.5 million it has already raised, primarily from existing investors Union Square Ventures, the New York City Investment Fund and Betaworks. Angel investors who have backed Outside.In include big Silicon Valley names such as Marc Andreessen and Esther Dyson.
Outside.In labels information from across the Web with geographical tags, categorizing it by city, neighborhood, intersection or street address. The site can then provide readers with “hyper-local” news from news outlets, blogs and even Twitter. It helps small publishers find an audience and helps big publishers find local stories. By serving up all this local content, it hopes to help advertisers target the reader on precise streets.
Outside.In can tell advertisers where a reader is and affirm that they are reading about their neighborhood. That means an ad for a bookstore that is 50 feet from the reader will be more useful for the advertiser and the reader.
“Our whole premise is that these traditional media companies need to evolve to something that’s more sustainable,” said Mark Josephson, Outside.In’s chief executive officer. “They’re getting squeezed at the top by the national news organizations, and their customers are expecting really granular, specific, local information, but you can’t put a reporter on every corner.”
The site went live in 2007 as a service that aggregated local citizen bloggers who cover topics that a town’s citizens are passionate about but that the newspaper might not have the resources to report on, such as a city library brouhaha, the high school football team or the closing of a favorite coffee shop.
Mr. Josephson, formerly an executive at the ad network service Seevast and at About.com (which is owned by The New York Times Co.), became chief executive in May. He replaced the company’s founder, Steven Johnson, who became executive chairman.
Since then, the company has unveiled new services. One of them, Radar, lets readers subscribe to news feeds about their choice of neighborhoods or cities. StoryMaps lets publishers chart their stories on a map. Outside.In has 2 million unique visitors each month and has grown from 400,000 in January. An Outside.In iPhone application will be available within a month.
Perhaps most interesting is what Outside.In can do for its big publisher partners, including NBC and McClatchy newspapers, who want to be one-stop shops for local news. Outside.In maps stories from around the Web and brings local stories to a publisher’s site.
On NBC Chicago’s Web site, for example, readers can search for stories about the Hyde Park neighborhood, and see results from NBC Chicago as well as the Huffington Post, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicagoist blog.
For smaller publishers, Outside.In offers a map that plots stories by location, giving readers a new way to search. On Mommy Poppins, for example, a blog about what do with kids in New York City, readers can see everything written about Park Slope in the last two weeks.
Outside.In charges publishers to use its service, but mostly depends on advertising for revenue, which is a challenging business model right now. Mr. Josephson believes that Outside.In’s local focus will help it survive the slowdown in online advertising.
“What local media companies have going for them is sales teams with longstanding relationships in these local markets,” he said. “If they only had more to sell, they could sell it.” Other sites target readers by ZIP code, but they do not know if that reader is interested in neighborhood news or reading a foreign affairs story, Mr. Josephson said.
Hand-wringing about the plight of local news has been escalating. We’ve done a lot of it here at The New York Times: Saul Hansell argued in the Bits blog that local advertisers might no longer need local newspapers to spread their message. Richard Perez-Pena wrote about non-profits that cover local news, and Maureen Dowd wrote about local newspapers outsourcing reporting to India. David Carr argued that the political scandal in Illinois proves how important it is that newspapers survive.
What do you think? How can Web sites like Outside.In help keep local news covered? Have you spotted Web sites with promising business models?
Digital Cameras Are Revolutionary Gadgets
One of the greatest new types of gadget to come into play recently is the digital camera. There are a lot of reasons why digital cameras are so much better than film based cameras, and they all come down to the computer technology that goes into digital cameras. Digital cameras can capture images on special chips that can pick up light and color and convert it into digital data. That digital data is then stored on some kind of computer storage device, which is most often based on flash memory technology these days, though in the past digital cameras have stored pictures on things like floppy disks as well (as preposterous as that may seem to us today). The flash memory can either be built into the camera or be a detachable form memory card or memory stick. Many cameras have combinations of both forms of storage media and pictures from both can be transferred onto a computer for editing, posting on the Internet, or printing out into the form of a more traditional photograph.
One of the greatest new types of gadget to come into play recently is the digital camera. There are a lot of reasons why digital cameras are so much better than film based cameras, and they all come down to the computer technology that goes into digital cameras. Digital cameras can capture images on special chips that can pick up light and color and convert it into digital data. That digital data is then stored on some kind of computer storage device, which is most often based on flash memory technology these days, though in the past digital cameras have stored pictures on things like floppy disks as well (as preposterous as that may seem to us today). The flash memory can either be built into the camera or be a detachable form memory card or memory stick. Many cameras have combinations of both forms of storage media and pictures from both can be transferred onto a computer for editing, posting on the Internet, or printing out into the form of a more traditional photograph.
The ability to transfer digital photos to a computer is what really makes digital cameras so much better than their film based ancestors. That's because there's so much that can be done with a photo once it's on a computer. For example, you can edit the photo to take out any of the dreaded "red eye" effect that still invariably shows up in some photos despite the best efforts of camera makers to avoid it to begin with. There are also plenty of other special effects that can be added to pictures though even relatively common software programs. For example, a picture can be made to look much older by adding a sepia filter to it and making it a little fuzzy so that it appears slightly out of focus. Besides changing the overall appearance of a digital photo, photo editing programs can also change what's in the photos. For example, it's possible to "clone" trees in a picture and paste them over utility poles. It's also possible to paste the heads of some people onto the bodies of other people or to put people into photographs in order to make it look like someone was in a place where they've never actually been. This can be especially useful for family reunion photos where not everyone could make it to the reunion.
Once a photo has been loaded onto a computer and any editing has been completed, there are a number of things that can be done with it. For example, it's possible to post the photo on the Internet, either on your own web site or on a photo sharing site. It's also possible to email it to specific people, or you can print it out so that you can assembled an actual physical photo album. The thing that the digital camera does best though is allow its owner to take numerous photos and eliminate the ones that aren't up to his or her standards without the expense of developing all of those photos. In that sense, digital cameras are much more economical than film cameras, and better for the environment when you look at how toxic photo developing is.
One of the greatest new types of gadget to come into play recently is the digital camera. There are a lot of reasons why digital cameras are so much better than film based cameras, and they all come down to the computer technology that goes into digital cameras. Digital cameras can capture images on special chips that can pick up light and color and convert it into digital data. That digital data is then stored on some kind of computer storage device, which is most often based on flash memory technology these days, though in the past digital cameras have stored pictures on things like floppy disks as well (as preposterous as that may seem to us today). The flash memory can either be built into the camera or be a detachable form memory card or memory stick. Many cameras have combinations of both forms of storage media and pictures from both can be transferred onto a computer for editing, posting on the Internet, or printing out into the form of a more traditional photograph.
The ability to transfer digital photos to a computer is what really makes digital cameras so much better than their film based ancestors. That's because there's so much that can be done with a photo once it's on a computer. For example, you can edit the photo to take out any of the dreaded "red eye" effect that still invariably shows up in some photos despite the best efforts of camera makers to avoid it to begin with. There are also plenty of other special effects that can be added to pictures though even relatively common software programs. For example, a picture can be made to look much older by adding a sepia filter to it and making it a little fuzzy so that it appears slightly out of focus. Besides changing the overall appearance of a digital photo, photo editing programs can also change what's in the photos. For example, it's possible to "clone" trees in a picture and paste them over utility poles. It's also possible to paste the heads of some people onto the bodies of other people or to put people into photographs in order to make it look like someone was in a place where they've never actually been. This can be especially useful for family reunion photos where not everyone could make it to the reunion.
Once a photo has been loaded onto a computer and any editing has been completed, there are a number of things that can be done with it. For example, it's possible to post the photo on the Internet, either on your own web site or on a photo sharing site. It's also possible to email it to specific people, or you can print it out so that you can assembled an actual physical photo album. The thing that the digital camera does best though is allow its owner to take numerous photos and eliminate the ones that aren't up to his or her standards without the expense of developing all of those photos. In that sense, digital cameras are much more economical than film cameras, and better for the environment when you look at how toxic photo developing is.
Internet Technology Threatened By Download Quotas
Everyone knows that the Internet is growing at an enormous rate. New services are constantly being made available, more households are getting broad band Internet access, and everyone is becoming increasingly reliant on digital media. While this enormous growth in Internet services and access to the Internet provides enormous opportunities, there is one thing that could derail the entire process: the fact that there just isn't enough infrastructure in place to support the strains that are being put on the Internet. In other words, there is a threat that in the very near future the demand for Internet services will outstrip the ability of the Internet to transmit data!
Some Internet service providers are already trying to combat the problem by placing quotas on the amount of data that its subscribers can download within the space of a month. For example, Comcast has placed some unspecified limit on the amount of data that its subscribers can download. If a subscriber downloads excessively, that subscriber's service can be cut off. Of course, nothing in the company's literature (at least nothing that's easily accessible) states exactly what amount of downloading is considered excessive, but some subscribers have already lost their service because of this policy. Sprint also recently announced limits on the amount of data that can be transferred over the course of a month through its 3G mobile data service. This cap is five gigabytes per month, or three hundred megabytes when roaming. While this might not sound like much, Sprint reports that the vast majority (over 99 percent) of its mobile customers don't come close to downloading five gigs worth of data over the course of a month. If you're concerned about your Internet usage, there are some steps that you can take to avoid being cut off. The first step is obviously to determine if your Internet service provider has limits, and if so, what those limits are. If the Internet service provider's literature isn't specific about those limits, you may have to press them to be specific. The more subscribers that pressure an Internet service provider to make their policy available, the more likely the ISP is to be transparent.
If you discover that your Internet service provider does institute limits on the amount of data that you can download, you can take steps to limit your data transfer. The first thing to look at is video. Video consumes an enormous amount of bandwidth. This is especially true if you're downloading or streaming high def video! Opting for standard def video and picking and choosing what you download or stream will reduce the amount of data that is transferred over your Internet connection. Music and photos are the next biggest consumers of bandwidth. Streaming Internet radio might not be particularly data intensive, but it can really add up if you're listening to Internet radio stations for large portions of the day, day in and day out.
In addition to your conscious use of the Internet, you should also be aware of things that your computer may be doing without your knowledge. For example, software updates, virus definitions for your antivirus software, and the activity of malware can all contribute to your overall Internet use. Software updates are a good thing, but it might not hurt to set your computer to ask for your permission before downloading and installing them. That way you can be aware of how much of your download quota is being used for this process. You might also want to shut off your Internet connection when you aren't using it. This will minimize the chances of unauthorized data transfers due to malware and hackers.
Some Internet service providers are already trying to combat the problem by placing quotas on the amount of data that its subscribers can download within the space of a month. For example, Comcast has placed some unspecified limit on the amount of data that its subscribers can download. If a subscriber downloads excessively, that subscriber's service can be cut off. Of course, nothing in the company's literature (at least nothing that's easily accessible) states exactly what amount of downloading is considered excessive, but some subscribers have already lost their service because of this policy. Sprint also recently announced limits on the amount of data that can be transferred over the course of a month through its 3G mobile data service. This cap is five gigabytes per month, or three hundred megabytes when roaming. While this might not sound like much, Sprint reports that the vast majority (over 99 percent) of its mobile customers don't come close to downloading five gigs worth of data over the course of a month. If you're concerned about your Internet usage, there are some steps that you can take to avoid being cut off. The first step is obviously to determine if your Internet service provider has limits, and if so, what those limits are. If the Internet service provider's literature isn't specific about those limits, you may have to press them to be specific. The more subscribers that pressure an Internet service provider to make their policy available, the more likely the ISP is to be transparent.
If you discover that your Internet service provider does institute limits on the amount of data that you can download, you can take steps to limit your data transfer. The first thing to look at is video. Video consumes an enormous amount of bandwidth. This is especially true if you're downloading or streaming high def video! Opting for standard def video and picking and choosing what you download or stream will reduce the amount of data that is transferred over your Internet connection. Music and photos are the next biggest consumers of bandwidth. Streaming Internet radio might not be particularly data intensive, but it can really add up if you're listening to Internet radio stations for large portions of the day, day in and day out.
In addition to your conscious use of the Internet, you should also be aware of things that your computer may be doing without your knowledge. For example, software updates, virus definitions for your antivirus software, and the activity of malware can all contribute to your overall Internet use. Software updates are a good thing, but it might not hurt to set your computer to ask for your permission before downloading and installing them. That way you can be aware of how much of your download quota is being used for this process. You might also want to shut off your Internet connection when you aren't using it. This will minimize the chances of unauthorized data transfers due to malware and hackers.
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