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December 31, 2005
India provides bank loan for solar water heaters
THE HINDU: As part of its basket of loans to popularise renewable energy, Canara Bank has introduced a scheme for financing solar water heaters at concessional rates of interest.
The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Government of India will bear the cost of interest subsidy. The rate of interest for individuals would be 2 per cent, for institutional users like colleges and hostels it would be 3 per cent and for commercial and industrial users, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) it would be at 5 per cent.
The loan amount will be 85 percent of the project cost with repayments spread over five years of monthly instalments. There is no upper ceiling for the loans, which are available for purchase of Flat Plate Collector Based Systems as well as Evacuated Tube Collector Based Systems.
This scheme would be extremely useful for households, hotels, hospitals, small scale units, medium enterprises, sugar mills, milk processing plants, food processing units, wherever heating of water is involved.
In units with small boilers using furnace oil or electrical energy, solar energy could bring down power cost by 40 to 50 per cent.
Income Tax paying SMEs and commercial establishments would be able to claim accelerated depreciation to the extent of 80 percent of the investment, under Section 32 of the Income Tax Act.
Posted by admin at 05:22 PM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2005
Las Vegas tries hybrid route
Learning at the expense of its neighbors such as Los Angeles, one of Americas fastest growing cities, Las Vegas is planning ahead to keep its air clean by running energy efficient and environmentally friendly automobiles.
Chicago-based Lucky Cab Co. have started trials of operating hybrid taxi cabs in Las Vegas by purchasing four hybrid Toyota Prius cars. The four hybrid cabs are being put to test to see if they can withstand taxis' 100,000-miles-a-year average and remain viable.
With Lucky Cab's new venture Vegas becomes one of few American cities that include San Francisco, New York and San Antonio to have hybrid taxis.
Earlier in November of this year, EV Rental Cars tackled another aspect of air-quality problem with an exclusive agreement with US Rent A Car in Las Vegas. EV Rental plans to have 100 hybrid cars manufactured by Honda, Toyota and General Motors available at the 600-vehicle US Rent A Car rental agency.
The booming Las Vegas economy which generates US $2.5 billion annually and brings in more than 36 million visitors yearly has been pushing environmentally friendly transportation modes since the introduction of the electric monorial in the city which opened in 1995.
Posted by admin at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)
Broadband Television Finally Showing Traction
A confluence of factors is gradually driving demand for Internet-based broadband video around the world.
As more homes and offices get broadband connections people are increasingly accessing digital videos including broadband television, video podcasts and downloadable video content such as movies and TV series etc. via the Internet.
One of the oldest braodband TV/Video stream provider, Real Networks, recently added live broadcasts of BBC television to its subscription based services. People around the world for a mere $4.95 can watch BBC television live over the Internet.
Apple Computer which now dominates the online music industry and very close to becoming one of the largest digital music sellers both on and offline has recently added video capabilities to its iPod player. Apple's digital content downloading service iTunes which is now reaching average sales of over 2 million songs (at US $.99c each) per week sold a million downladable TV shows that can be viewed on PCs as well as iPods in the first couple of weeks after launch. Apple's huge dominance in the digital media space is also popularizing video poadcasting which are basically downloadable digital version of blogs.
Emerging countries are not far behind in launching broadband downloadable video and live TV over the Internet. China Netcom Corporation (CNC) announced the official launch of its broadband TV platform CNC MAX on Monday in Beijing, Beijing Times reports. The report said that CNC's broadband TV platform can broadcast broadband TV programs to over 60 countries and regions live. According to the report, CNC's broadband service is growing at more than 30 percent annually.
This January Apple is rumored to be launching a product that will basically make the computer the centerpiece of home entertainment merging tradtional tv with Intenet-based video broadband services.
Very soon we will be able to watch tv/video content from any source anywhere in the world as long as we have an Internet connection.
Posted by admin at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2005
Turkcell, Nokia, HP To Offer 'Visual Radio' In Turkey
EFY News Network: Turkey-based GSM operator Turkcell has signed an agreement with Nokia and HP to bring 'Visual Radio' to Turkey. Developed by Nokia and offered by HP, Visual Radio adds a new dimension to FM radio with interactive content and services for mobile listeners. Visual Radio allows listeners to tune in to local FM radio via their mobile phones while simultaneously receiving interactive information and graphics that are synchronised with the broadcast.
Turkcell will be the first mobile phone operator in Turkey to give its customers the chance to download content related to the FM radio broadcast, get detailed information regarding the songs and even participate in radio quizzes. Visual Radio will also allow Turkcell users to create a personalised archive on their mobile phones.
Turkcell demonstrated the Visual Radio service in CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia in Istanbul last fall. The service will be available in 2006
Posted by admin at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2005
Lenovo's conquest for mobile dominance?
After purchasing IBM's personal computer business, the Chinese PC maker which is now the world's third largest is now targeting the market for mobile devices.
Lenovo announced that its ET980 mobile device will be launced by March 2006. The ET980 is a Sony Ericcson P910 lookalike runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 and it is the first Windows Mobile Phone to feature a 4 megapixel camera.
The phone runs on a 312MHz processor, 64 MB of internal RAM and 128MB of external storage via a MiniSD slot.
Lenovo previously announced that its mobile division will initially focus on the Chinese local market.
Posted by admin at 01:15 PM | Comments (0)
Chinese government signals 3G arrival next year
What many consider delaying tactics by Chinese authorities to allow home grown 3G technology to develop before opening local market is now coming to an end.
China's top telecommunications regulator, the Minister of Information and Industry, this week made his most definitive public statements yet on the timetable for licensing third-generation, or 3G, networks. According to a ministry spokesperson who later confirmed statements made by Wang Xudong the Information & Industry minister that China will be finalizing policies guiding 3G deployment in the country by 2006.
With 388 million users, China today is the world's largest mobile phone market. Already networking infrastructure heavy weights Nortel, Alcatela, Ericsson and Lucent along with mobile set makers Motorola, Nokia and Siemens are eagerly making plans to play major roles in the 3G rollout.
China's homegrown 3G technology based on TD-SCDMA met with some initial disappointment during tests several months back. China wants to have at least one of the 3G networks running TD-SCDMA.
Posted by admin at 05:26 AM | Comments (0)
December 27, 2005
Development Agencies Launch Distance Learning in Somalia
The World Bank, the United Nations and the African Virtual University have teamed up to support distance learning using the Internet at six institutions in Somalia according to a report by the Voice of America news service.
The African Virtual University is developing learning material and making it available through interactive teaching to Somali students using the Internet. Additional material such as audio and videotapes are later shipped to the students by the U.N. Development Program (UNDP).
The Somalia distance-learning program was established at the cost of $100 million, a sum 10 times less than the amount required to set up conventional learning facilities in Somalia.
Posted by admin at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)
Welcome wireless VoIP
Wireless VoIP is about to hit mainstream after much anticipation. Vonage , the world largest voice over IP service provider rolled out their first wireless VoIP product this month.
The Vonage F1000 can access any public WiFi (802.11b) wireless network, and make use of all the standard features, including 3-way calling, voicemail, and call display.
Similar in appearance to another wireless VoIP phone from BoradVoice, the F1000 allows for five hours of talk time, or 100 hours of standby time between battery charges.
Vonage isn’t the first provider to launch a wireless VoIP phone, they are getting in on the ground floor of what could be an amazing opportunity. European Internet phone service provider Skype partnered with Motorola to provide Wireless VoIP although the solution requires a PC with bluetooth interface.
Posted by admin at 02:32 PM | Comments (0)
Honda to reduce price gap between regular and hybrid Civic models
Honda Motor Co., the world's second- largest maker of gas-electric hybrid cars, announced that it plans cut the excess cost of so-called hybrid models of the Civic by a third within 5 years, as it phases out the gasoline-powered version in some markets including Japan according to a report by Bloomberg.
The additional cost of using a hybrid system to run Honda's Civic compact car will fall by a third to $1,702 each, as development costs are halved.
A hybrid vehicle combines a gasoline engine with an electric motor. At low speeds and during acceleration, the motor powers the vehicle and the gasoline engine kicks in as the car gains speed. The battery pack for the motor is charged by the gasoline engine and by power regenerated whenever the brake is applied.
Honda's Civic Hybrid can go as far as 31 kilometers on a liter of gasoline, double the average mileage of a comparable model that runs on a conventional gasoline engine. Toyota's Prius, the world's best-selling hybrid car, is rated with 35.5 kilometers per liter in city driving while Honda's Insight Hybrid can travel 36 kilometers on a liter of gasoline.
Posted by admin at 01:08 PM | Comments (0)
December 26, 2005
Mercedes to manufacture gasoline/natural gas powered vehicle in Thailand
Mecedes-Benz, has planned to set up a production base of vehicles using bi-fuel technology that can run either on regular gasoline or natural gas in Thailand.
In the new plant Mercedes will be manufacturing--among other planned models--the E 200 NGT which made its debut on Germany's roads in the spring of last year. The variant of the popular E Class sedan cuts emissions by 20%.
As well as making it one of the most cost-effective models in the Mercedes range, the 120-kW/163-hp four-cylinder engine under the bonnet of the bi fuel E 200 NGT also makes it the most powerful natural-gas-driven saloon currently in production. Operating mode can be switched conveniently at the touch of a button
At present, Thailand operates 58 natural gas (Compressed Natural Gas or CNG) service stations. It plans to increase the number to 160 next year and 740 nationwide in 2010.
The number of vehicles using natural gas in Thailand now total 500,000 units with the consumption of 365 million cubit feet per day.
To promote the consumption, the Thai government will reduce an excise tax on natural gas vehicles (using either CNG or LNG) by 10 per cent to 20 per cent and give an import tariff exemption for NGV cylinders and other related equipment.
Posted by admin at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2005
Japan to adopt high-tech passports
In a bid to counter passport forgery, Japan will start issuing on March 20 a new type of passport, which uses an integrated circuit chip containing the holder's facial data.
The introduction will be in line with a revision of the passport law that goes into effect on the day.
For those who apply for passports after that date, IC passports will be issued. Those who already have passports can still use them until the passports' expiration dates, although they may switch to IC passports if they wish, the ministry said.
An IC chip containing the holder's personal data, such as name, birth date, nationality and passport number, will be implanted in a plastic page of the passport that reading devices can touch to confirm the installed data.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=78902
Posted by admin at 08:07 AM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2005
Chinese version of Mercedes-Benz hit market
BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Corporation, a Sino-German joint venture, announced that Mercedes-Benz E-class sedans manufactured in Beijing were on sale as of Thursday and they were accepting orders beginning the same day.
On sale are E280 and E200K sedans, and retail prices are 620,000 yuan (76,449 U.S. dollars) and 525,000 yuan (64,735 U.S. dollars) each, respectively, said An Qingheng, chairman of the board of the joint venture.
Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler is a new joint venture of DaimlerChrysler and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company (BAIC). The joint venture has built a new plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone at Yizhuang, southern Beijing.
DaimlerChrysler and BAIC each have a 50 percent stake in the joint venture, with a cooperation term of 30 years. The joint venture, which has a registered capital of 400 million U.S. dollar, is responsible for production of Mercedes-Benz E- and C-Class sedans in China.
Production in the new plant began in mid-2005.
A predicted 900 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars would be sold by the end of the year, and the volume of sale would amount to 500 million yuan (61.65 million US dollars).
Posted by admin at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2005
American Indian Tribe Makes Money Selling Electricity to the Masses in California
About an hour from San Diego, California, 25 of the largest turbines in the United States started generating and selling power to San Diego Gas & Electric. The electricity will go to homes and businesses throughout eastern parts of the state.
Houston Texas based Superior Renewable Energy started the $80 million project 60 miles east of San Diego. It is the first wind power project on American Indian land.
Each of the 25 units at Kumeyaay Wind project can produce up to 2 megawatts of electricity at a given time, enough to power 1,300 average-size homes.
On February 10, 1893, Campo Indian Reservation was created. It was about one square mile (710 acres) near the town of Milguatay (Campo). The 300-member Campo tribe today will make money on its land-lease contract, plus royalties on the sale of electricity to SDG&E. Terms of those contracts are confidential.
Posted by admin at 05:26 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2005
Malaysian firms well-positioned to be big time players in production of biofuel
MALAYSIA (The Star): Malaysia is poised to be a significant global player in the production of biofuel, going forward.
Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry general manager Thomas Brandt said the potential for Malaysian companies to venture into palm based biodiesel production was tremendous – catering not only for domestic but also for the export market.
He told StarBiz in Kuala Lumpur that palm oil would likely be one of the major components in the production of biodiesel especially with increasing fossil energy prices and the finite nature of fossil resources, which suggested the usage of alternatives and biofuels.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/12/19/business/12891881&sec=business
Posted by admin at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2005
Korean broadband service provider completes upgrade of state run telecom in Bangladesh
KT, the biggest fixed line and broadband service provider of Korea, announced Wednesday that it completed the joint project with the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) to upgrade telecom networks of Bangladesh. They held a ceremony to celebrate the completion in Chittagong, Bangladesh, KT said.
The project, launched in September 2004, was about building 125,000 telephone lines in Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet. KT managed the whole process, including procurement of equipment, design and construction, of the $28.5m project
Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing mobile markets in Asia with several major global telcos invested in the local infrastructure.
Posted by admin at 06:33 PM | Comments (0)
China challenges Japanese quality?
TOKYO - Two digital cameras produced by Japan's Pentax Corporation have been included on a list of 13 cameras that Chinese authorities have cited for quality flaws, it was learned December 16.
Six Sony Corporation digital cameras are also on the list, which was prepared by China's Zhejiang provincial government. The 13 digital cameras are among 34 that the regional government inspected for possible quality problems. The five other digital cameras listed have yet to be identified.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/GL20Cb03.html
Posted by admin at 03:46 AM | Comments (0)
Pakistan's telecom privitazation bang
Alas the government of Nawaz Sharif managed to break the deadlock and privatize the state run telco.
The Pakistani government and Emirates Telecommunications Corp., or Etisalat, reached an agreement on the privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Ltd., according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Privatization Commission. Under the agreement the UAE company will purchase 26% stake of PTCL for $2.6 billion.
India has already deregulated its telecom industry by selling its state run long distance phone provider back in February 2002. The country is considered one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world.
Bangladesh which has been demonstrating tremendous economic performance (with exports growing at 11% and GDP 5.6% according to World Bank figures) in the past several years also started deregulating its telecom market with several private mobile and fixed line operators. The countries mobile phone market is one of the fastest growing and most profitable in the region. Bangladesh however has not been able to privatize its state run telecom company due to heavy union resistance.
Posted by admin at 03:13 AM | Comments (0)
December 20, 2005
Microsoft expanding reach of its mobile e-mail and IM services in India
Reuters & ZDNET: Microsoft's MSN division and India's messaging company Mobile 365 announced Tuesday that they've reached deals with five Indian mobile service providers.
Under the deals, subscribers will be able to use text messaging on their cell phones to receive and reply to e-mail sent to their Hotmail accounts. They will also be able to use the MSN Messenger service from their phones.
The partnership covers five mobile and fixed wireless operators--Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices, Reliance GSM, Spice Punjab and Spice Karnataka--with a combined subscriber base of 23.5 million users. Microsoft and Mobile 365 are already working with three other mobile networks in India: Airtel, BPL and Hutch.
The MSN Messenger/Hotmail service via SMS is available to 70 percent of Indian mobile subscribers, and Microsoft and Mobile 365 expect to expand the service to cover 100 percent of the Indian mobile market very soon, according to MSN South Asia.
India is among the fastest-growing wireless markets, with about 53 million GSM-standard and 14 million CDMA-standard phone users. Citing figures from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, MSN and Mobile 365 said the market is expected to grow to 200 million subscribers by 2008.
Like many U.S. and European tech companies, Microsoft has been expanding its presence in India. Earlier this month, the Redmond, Wash.-based company said it would invest US$1.7 billion there over the next four years and hire 3,000 more workers to boost its software operations as well as research and development activities.
Posted by admin at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)
As sales slowdown in existing markets Vodafone looks to developing countries
The world's largest mobile phone company Vodafone is targeting developing countries such as India and now Turkey to offset sluggishness in Europe and Japan.
Growth has stalled within Vodafone's core European markets, and in its Japanese venture, Vodafone K.K. But the company has continued push into emerging markets and recently acquired Turkey's largest operator as part of this initiative. With the acquisition Vodafone gains 9 million new customers.
In March of this year, Vodafone paid $3.5 billion to acquire cellphone operators in Romania and the Czech Republic. Vodafone also acquired 10% of India's biggest wireless company, Bharti Televentures, for $1.5 billion. The company spent $2.4 billion to increase its stake to 50% in Vodacom, South Africa's largest mobile phone operator.
Other developing countries can provide very high margins that the company needs. Bangladesh for example has one of the highest mobile phone rates in Asia mainly due to lobbying (and possibly bribing of govt. officials) by existing service providers to keep new players from entering the market. The Bangladesh government has so far provided explanations that make little sense such as running out of wireless spectrum especially in a country with limited military utilization of the airwaves and few existing service providers. If Vodafone however can overcome artificial barriers setup by corrupt governments regaining lost margins may not be too far away.
Posted by admin at 12:58 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2005
Broadband over electricity lines takes of
Imagine every electric outlet in someone's home becoming a broadband Internet connection as well. No new wires have to be laid to connect homes to Internet.
Broadband over electric current lines is about to become a reality with two US firms combining their expertise and resources to offer the service end of next year.
Current Communications Group LLC and TXU Electric Delivery, a unit of TXU Corp., said they plan to offer high-speed Internet over electric power lines to more than two million customers in Texas.
While the technology is still at its infancy successful deployment in Texas would open doors to electric utilities that already have connections to home to offer broadband Internet access.
Electric power lines are believed to be able to carry data at roughly the same speeds as cable or DSL lines. And because electricity is more prevalent in homes even in developing countries than cable TV or even telephone lines, a vast new communications infrastructure could be born overnight -- notably in rural areas, where broadband access has lagged.
Posted by admin at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
Asian automakers sets up R&D facilities in US; hires US engineers
Asian automakers have started hiring research and development staff by setting up development centers in key locations in North America where massive layoffs are taking place by US automakers.
Automakers from Toyota Motor Corp. to Nissan Motor Co. to Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia Motors Corp., along with automotive suppliers from Japan and Germany, are rushing to Michigan to take advantage of the area's high concentration of automotive engineering talent.
Toyota is pursuing a growth strategy that could propel it past General Manager to become the world's No. 1 automaker, nearly 40 percent of the company's 20,000 engineers in Japan are contractors from agencies and "guest engineers" from suppliers.
Toyota has to fill gaps in its midcareer engineering population that resulted from hiring freezes the company instituted in the mid- 1990s in the wake of a severe economic slowdown.
Posted by admin at 01:40 AM | Comments (0)
Honda to Make Solar Cells for Homes & Automobiles
Honda Motor is entering the market for solar cells designed for use in households and also plans to promote their use in vehicles, according to a report in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Honda is building a ¥10-billion (US$86.5-million) factory to begin mass production in fiscal 2007 of solar cells made an inexpensive thin-membrane non-silicon metal compound developed by Honda engineering. The Honda solar panels, first announced in 2002, feature a light-absorbing layer formed by a compound made of copper, indium, gallium and diselenium (CIGS).
Read more at:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/12/honda_entering_.html
Posted by admin at 01:27 AM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2005
Motorola's WiMAX Dreams in Asia Pacific
Wireless giant Motorola is focusing its efforts on developing WiMAX 802.16e solutions that provide mobility as well as fixed and nomadic access in the Asia Pacific region.
WiMAX is an acronym that stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is similar to WiFi in concept, but has certain improvements that are aimed at improving performance and permits usage over much greater distances. Currently the specification permits ranges up to 31km allowing WiMAX usage in connecting WiFi hotspots.
Motorola’s WiMAX which is grouped under MOTOwi4 consists of a portfolio of access technologies, customer premise equipment, mobile devices and services. The MOTOwi4 WiMAX solutions include a “light infrastructure” solution for rural areas and developing countries that offers cost effective deployment and ownership. The MOTOwi4 portfolio also includes Motorola’s Canopy solution that provides fixed wireless service for more than 200 operators worldwide.
In the Asia Pacific, MOTOwi4 offers solutions that are relevant to operators in both emerging and mature markets. In markets such as Singapore and Australia MOTOwi4 provides a cost-effective last-mile connection to deliver broadband access to businesses and residential customers. MOTOwi4 also can be used to deliver broadband access beyond WiFi zones in metropolitan areas.
Operators in emerging markets such as India, Bangladesh and Vietnam can deploy MOTOwi4 solutions to cost-effectively broaden network coverage as well as to deliver broadband voice, data and video services such as distance learning, video on demand and real time medical support.
Posted by admin at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2005
NEC Launches World's Thinnest Clamshell Mobile Phone in Asia
NEC officially launched one of the world's thinnest clamshell mobile phone with mega-pixel camera in Singapore. The N412i i-mode mobile phone utilizing NEC's proprietary, cutting-edge technology boasts ultra-slim measurements of 47.9mm (width), 101.5mm (height), 11.9mm (depth; when folded) and weight of only 96 grams.
The NEC model supports mobile internet (via i-mode) and GSM/GPRS, the N412i is equipped with Bluetooth and SyncML so users can communicate quickly and freely. The phone also features a built-in MP3 player, two minute movie shooting capability and action-packed Java games.
Posted by admin at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
Shanghai and New York Introduce Hybrid Busses
Across continents two major cities that represent developing and developed worlds have embraced environment friendly hybrid buses that combine traditional diesel engines with electric power units.
About 825 hybrid buses have been launched in New York that provide 1 mile per gallon better fuel economy relative to regular diesel buses. When one considers that buses travel about 2.5 miles per gallon of fuel it's quite obvious that the single mile improvment in mileage makes a substantial difference.
The Orion VII buses, by DaimlerChrysler combines a Cummins diesel engine with electric motor and batteries placed on the roof of the bus. The impact of New York's initiative will be equivalent to 1500 hybrid cars in New York city.
In the developing world China has proved again that its not far behind when it comes to technology. A flagship self-designed hybrid bus just drove off the China FAW Group Corporation production line, announcing the start of the industrialization of environmentally friendly buses in China.
Just one week prior to the debut of FAW's hybrid bus, 12 hybrid-electric buses, made by Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM), were delivered to the Wuhan Public Transport Group.
Hybrid automobiles provide maximum benefit in stop and go traffic making city busses ideal candidates for utilization of this technology. The question still remains when other developing nations will start utilizing hybrid technology to reduce emissions.
Posted by admin at 07:32 AM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2005
Asimo can now serve "tea"
The walking 51 inch tall, weighing 52kg human friendly robot from Honda which has demonstrated before that it can jog, walk up stairs, avoid obstacles and carry out basic converation can now serve tea.
Honda which now has 40 such robots worldwide plan to use these as receptionists at various Honda facilities. Asimo has been designed from the groundup to move around in homes and serve as assistants for humans.
The robots can be leased for about $170,000 (US) a year.
Posted by admin at 07:32 AM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2005
Taiwan's PC giant joins $100 pc for the poor movement
Taiwan's PC giant with sales exceeding $10 (US) billion this year will be joining with the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative which aims to produce cheap Linux-based laptops for children of developing nations.
The OLPC is backed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)in the US. Major IT vendors are part of the OLPC inititative and these include AMD, Google, News Corporation, Nortel Networks and Red Hat.
Chip giant Intel remains skeptical of the OLPC movement stating even the poor want full blown PCs.
Posted by admin at 06:49 AM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2005
India takes on PC gaming with branded product
Indiagames, a Mumbai-based company, is scheduled to enter the global market with its first self-branded product, the PC and mobile device game Emeror Ashoka.
The game which recreates battles from the life of a legendary Indian king who lived in the third century B.C. is India's first attempt to sell its own branded game in the global markets.
Indiagames has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Electronic Arts, a leading interactive entertainment company, that will bring EA's roster of mobile games to consumers across multiple mobile carriers in India.
Founded in 1999 Indiagames is owned by China's wireless internet company Tom Online which owns 62 per cent of the company. Its key investors also include Macromedia Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc.
According to India's National Association of Software & Service Companies (NASSCOM), a PC game costing between $6 to $7 million to develop in the U.S. could be produced for only $500,000 to $3 million in India, thanks to cheap Indian labor.
Posted by admin at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)
PC based VoIP services marks end of telephone card business?
With major software and telecom companies globally merging their offerings to provide integrated Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, telephone card companies are having a hard time maintaining their margins.
The pioneer of PC based VoIP service, Skype has already taken signficant market share in Europe and doing the same in the US. According to a report on the Wall Street Journal published during October, Skype is adding 170,000 new subscribers every day to its 61 million-person user base, up from 150,000 a day until September.
With its latest software Skype 2.0, the company plans to bring VoIP based service mainstream. The new version provides better voice quality, integration with VoIP based standalone phones that directly connect to the Internet without a PC, and video conferencing/calling features.
Instant messenger providers such as AOL, Yahoo and MSN also are joining the bandwagon by integrating VoIP service to their respective instant messaging clients. Microsoft this week partnered with MCI to provide voice calling to regular phones.
Most of the PC based services provide unlimited free voice calling between PC-to-PC but a nominal fee for PC to regular phone lines.
Certainly the heavily regulated and taxed PSTN telephone networks are at a disadvantage to this onslought of IP based voice services.
In the past one had to purchase telephone card to channel calls via the Internet to lower costs and avoid associated taxes. Now services such as Skype, MSN, AOL and Yahoo are gradually removing the need to carry a phone card around.
Posted by admin at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2005
China tech exports overtake US: Report
Associated Press Report: China has overtaken the United States as the world's largest exporter of a broad category of electronic goods including computers, mobile phones and digital cameras, the OECD said last Monday.
The report by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development marks a milestone in China's diversification.
Chinese exports of information and communications technology goods rose by 46 percent year-on-year to $180 billion in 2004, outstripping U.S. exports of $149 billion, 12 percent higher than the previous year.
China's positive trade balance in tech products almost tripled to $31 billion last year from $12 billion in 2003. The country first became a net exporter of such goods just a year before that, recording a 2002 surplus of $3 billion.
China's booming trade surplus in PCs and laptops stood at $45.4 billion last year, the new data showed, and its overall trade in ICT goods has grown an average 38 percent per year since 1996. China also overtook Japan as the main exporter of such goods to the United States last year.
European and U.S. mobile phone and PC producers have been investing heavily in China, and Chinese computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd. acquired the PC operations of International Business Machines Corp. for $1.75 billion in May.
Posted by admin at 05:33 AM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2005
Singapore to start trial High Definition broadcasts next year
Singapore will start trial runs of high definition TV services or HDTV by the middle next year. Singapore's Media Development Authority will work with MediaCorp and industry players to start the test trials.
Several Asian countries have already launched HDTV and China has committed to HDTV telecasts of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Asian broadcasters are also taking advantage of broadband data networks to delivery HD TV content over the Internet. Last month Broadband TV announced plans to offer HDTV over DSL in Korea.
Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang has assured current TV viewers that Singapore will continue broadcasting regular TV however at some point they will have to switch to HD Tv sets.
The HDTV trials are expected to cost $20m to $30m.
Posted by admin at 04:06 AM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2005
China's Huawei displaces Nortel in VoIP Sales in Asia-Pacific
According to Dittberner Associates, next generation network (NGN) equipment shipments were up 70 percent, with 27.3 million media gateway, softswitch and integrated voice over IP (VoIP) ports shipping last quarter. Worldwide VoIP port shipments alone rose 67 percent during the same period.
Revenues were up 49 percent worldwide as pricing pressure continues. VoIP revenues reached US$609 million in the third quarter, while Voice over Packet; IP/ATM/TDM revenues hit US$671 million.
China's Huawei Technologies displaced Nortel as the dominant player, shipping 12.36 million VoIP ports last quarter. Siemens continues to control the second largest share of the market, with 16%, while Nortel's market share slipped to 11%. According to Dittberner, Huawei's relative growth is due largely to the 202% increase in the Asia-Pacific NGN market, and an 81% growth in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Posted by admin at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
Electronic Arts Expanding to Asia
Electronic Arts Inc., a major player in the PC, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft XBox gaming software market, plans to open a development studio in Singapore that will customize existing company videogames for the Asian market.
Electronic Arts, Redwood City, Calif., said customization will include the redesign of games into at least five different languages for distribution throughout Asia. The software company also may use the studio as an online-game development facility. Irene Chua will manage the studio, which will have 20 workers from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and the Netherlands. Ms. Chua is the company's vice president of operations for Asia.
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December 10, 2005
Samsung to start cell phone manufacturing in India
Samsung announced this week that it plans to set up a Handset Manufacturing facility in Haryana, India. The plant would be the company's fourth overseas handset manufacturing facility in the world after China, Brazil and Mexico.
With an initial investment of US$ 15 Million, this facility will have an initial Plant Capacity of 1 Million units annually, which will be stepped up to 20 Million units per annum by the Year 2010.
Scheduled to start mass production by end of the first Quarter 2006, the plant will produce GSM Handsets models from its 2006 line up at the Manesar facility, while the balance will continue to be imported. The Company will also customize these models with the help of Samsung India Software Operations unit (SISO), Samsung's R&D Centre located at Bangalore.
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Motorola to introduce music enabled Razr this year
Motorola is scheduled to ship a new model of its Razr mobile phone equipped with Apple's iTunes music software later this year.
The move marries Motorola's top selling mobile phone with the iTunes software allowing it to play downloaded music and video content from Apple's popular service. The company aims to bring the phone maker the success that its Rokr handset has so far failed to generate.
Currently iTunes enabled Motorola phones have 100 song limit. The new Razr phone is expected to have ability to store more songs. Motorola has sold about 250,000 Apple iTune enabled phones so far this year.
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December 09, 2005
Low Cost IT Service Provider Infosys and Microsoft Unveil Catalytic IT Centre in Bangalore
Low cost IT service and skilled human resource exporter, India's Infosys Technologies Limited and US Microsoft Corp. unveiled the Catalytic IT concept centre at the Infosys campus in Bangalore.
Catalytic IT combines Infosys' software development, low cost work force and cost saving project management methods with the latest Microsoft application platform, which includes Window Server System, the Microsoft Office system and Visual Studio development tools. With the Catalytic initiative Infosys promises to lower IT costs of companies utilizing cheap labor based in India.
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IEEE Approves Mobile WiMax Standard
IEEE has approved a mobile WiMAX standard to be designated 802.16e-2005. WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) allows wireless Internet connectivity ranging up to several miles versus WiFi that has a range of several hundred feet.
WiMax however, is expected to compliment not replace WiFi. One use of WiMax is to connect WiFi hotspots at cafes and hotels.
Mobile WiMax which would bring long range wireless connectivity to portable devices will be going on trials starting in the first quarter of 2006, organized by the WiMax Forum. Products will likely follow late 2006 and services by early 2007.
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December 08, 2005
UN Study Finds Wind Power Has Much More Potential in Developing Countries
A recent study by the United Nations Energy Program (UNEP), based on satellite measurements and computer models that provide a more detailed assessment of a country's potential for harnessing wind power, has revealed that wind power is much more viable than previously believed.
New data suggests that about 13 per cent of the land in the developing world could have potential. The study defines suitable areas as those that could generate 300 watts per square metre, needing winds of at least 6.4 to 7 metres per second at 50 metres above the ground.
However suitability of wind power varied widely across developing nations. In Bangladesh, for instance, the study identified that just 0.2 per cent of the land would be suitable for windmills. In Nicaragua, Mongolia and Vietnam, the figure was as high as 40 per cent.
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World's First Broadband Satellite Data Service Launched
Inmarsat PLC switched on the first phase of its long-awaited $1.5 billion satellite network Wednesday, giving users across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia access to simultaneous voice and broadband Internet service.
London-based Inmarsat, which operates a constellation of satellites that enable voice and data services, said its Broadband Global Area Network, or BGAN, will allow data transfer speeds of up to 492 kilobits per second.
The first of those satellites was switched on Wednesday. The second is scheduled to come online in the second quarter of 2006 and will extend coverage to the Americas, meaning the entire service will cover 85% of the world's land mass and 98% of the global population.
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December 07, 2005
Ultrathin Solar Panels Seeks Popularity
Most solar panels are bulky, pricey, and difficult to install. However, XsunX, a startup in Aliso Viejo, Calif., has invented a way to stick semitransparent solar cells on plastic film, which manufacturers can use to transform ordinary windows into PowerGlass.
XsunX’s amorphous silicon solar cells aren’t more efficient -- they convert just 6 percent of light energy that hits them into electricity, compared with 15 percent for traditional silicon cells. They are, however, more versatile: A 20-story building has about 10 times more space for PowerGlass than it does for roof panels. That puts XsunX on the cutting edge of a trend in the $7 billion solar industry called building-integrated photovoltaics, or BIPV.
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Bill Gates keen to expand investment in Bangladesh
New Nation, Bangladesh: President of Microsoft Corporation Bill Gates on Monday expressed eagerness to expand his company’s activities in Bangladesh availing the advantage of existing congenial environment in Bangladesh.
“You have done a tremendous work. A suitable investment climate has been created here,” he told Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia when he called on her at the Prime Minister’s Office during his day-long visit to Bangladesh.
Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, who arrived here this morning on a day-long visit, said Bangladesh has many positive aspects which do not get publicity.
Accompanied by his wife Melinda Gates, the Microsoft President appreciated the hospitality he received here and hoped to visit the country again to exploit its potentials.
He appreciated the policy framework and action plans of Bangladesh for the promotion of information and communication technology (ICT) and education.
Bill Gates deeply appreciated the ICT policy and cyber laws and showed interest to expand his company’s programmes here, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Siddiqui told reporters after the meeting.
The Prime Minister said her government wants to develop highly skilled ICT manpower in the country. She mentioned various steps taken by her government in this regard.
Bill Gates said he is going to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for ICT training for school teachers in Bangladesh.
Begum Zia highlighted the successes of her government in health sector, including the fall in child and maternal mortality rate and expansion of the facilities of safe drinking water.
As the Prime Minister raised the issue of child nutrition, Bill Gates, also the Chairperson of Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation, expressed eagerness to cooperate with the government in reducing neonatal threats.
He appreciated the leadership of Begum Zia and her personal commitment to development of female education, health and ICT.
Bill Gates said with Begum Zia’s support it was possible to establish his foundation-sponsored Asian Women University in Chittagong. The university will collaborate with other universities in ICT education, he added.
Science and ICT Minister A Moyeen Khan, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Siddiqui were present.
Tarique Rahman visited the office of Microsoft in Seattle in April this year at the invitation of Bill and Belinda Foundation. He was received there by Bill Gates. During his visit Tarique Rahman invited the Microsoft high-ups to visit Bangladesh to see the steps taken for the development of ICT.
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December 04, 2005
Intel to announce $US 500 million investment in India
Chip maker Intel Corporation, is likely to announce an investment of $500 million in its Indian operations. The announement is speculated to be made by Craig Barrett, chairman at California-based Intel, during his visit to Asia's third largest economy next week, the Business Standard said.
"About half of this investment is expected to flow into Intel's research lab and marketing division, the other half will be used for (jointly) developing a personal computer," the report said.
Intel has a development centre in Bangalore, India's silicon hub, which designs and develops software to power chips that drive computers and high-end networks for Internet-based applications.
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Virgin to create integrated multimedia content delivery company
SIR Richard Branson the UK tycoon and founder of the Virgin brand is to combine Virgin’s mobile phone business with NTL, the cable television company, in a bid to create a media powerhouse in Britain.
The move will create an entertainment and communications giant worth £4.5 billion and with more than 9 million customers. The combined media and telecoms business that would offer customers four services — television, fixed-line telephony, mobile phone and broadband internet connections.
NTL will be rebranded Virgin following the deal. The emerging Virgin media and entertainment group will have 2.5 million broadband internet customers, 4.3 million fixed-line telephony accounts, more than 5 million mobile phone customers and revenue in excess of £4 billion.
Posted by admin at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)