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January 31, 2006
Diesel vehicle sales to overtake gasoline autos in Europe
While US and Japanese automakers focused on delivering fuel efficient hybrid cars that combine electric and gasoline propulsion systems, Europeans focused on making cleaner diesel engine.
A study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that diesel accounted for 49% of auto sales in Europe in 2005 and estimates that in 2006 diesel auto sales would exceed their gasoline counterpart.
Leading German automakers such as Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagon have been producing environmentally clean diesel autos for years. However making relatively low emission diesel cars require both newer technology engines and low sulphur diesel fuel. The cost of making cleaner diesel cars is creeping up more rapidly as a result.
Europeans are also experimenting hybrid diesel cars that combine fuel economy advantages of regular diesel engine and electric motors.
PSA Peugeot Citroën on Tuesday unveiled two prototype models with a new diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, the Peugeot 307 and the Citroën C4 Hybride HDi.
Average diesel consumption is 3.4 litres per 100 kilometres, with 90 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometre, tank to wheel - a claimed record for compact cars, the most popular segment in Europe. This is some 25% better than a similar vehicle equipped with a petrol hybrid system, or up to a litre per 100 kilometres in combined urban and motorway driving.
PSA Peugeot Citroën’s Hybrid HDi technology comprises of a 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine, a particulate filter system (DPFS) with the latest generation Stop & Start system, an electric motor, inverter, high-voltage battery pack and dedicated control electronics. The cars are also equipped with an electronically-managed automated manual six-speed gearbox.
Posted by admin at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
Databases for free
IBM joins other big database developers to offer free version of its entrise database server DB2. Big Blue follows the lead of competitor Oracle, which introduced a free version of its 10g database during October, and of Microsoft, which announced the free version of its SQL Server database during November.
Amid mounting pressure from open source community, which offers such popular database products as MySQL, Postgres, and the Ingres.
Unlike its licensed version the free DB2 offers no customer support from IBM directly. Instead users have to rely on web-based support communities to get help.
Customers in developing countries who cannot afford skyrocketting license fees can now opt of free DB products from all major vendors.
Posted by admin at 02:21 AM | Comments (0)
January 30, 2006
Philippines offers zero tariffs for alternative energy vehicle components
Amid rising oil prices Philippine government has imposed zero tariff on accessories for the assembly of hybrid. electric, flexible fuel and CNG motor vehicles.
Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arrovo earlier established a target of 5% reduction in fuel consumption.
While such a move which is certainly a good start won't make that much of difference because tariffs for auto parts range today between 1% and 3% for regular motor vehicle components from most favored nation status countries.
Posted by admin at 05:35 AM | Comments (0)
January 29, 2006
Wind energy capacity grows 35% in US
DALLAS (Associated Press) - Wind energy generation capacity grew 35 percent last year thanks to another 2,431 megawatts coming online nationwide, the American Wind Energy Association reported Tuesday.
Additionally, the Washington D.C.-based trade group forecast another 3,000 megawatts of new development for 2006.
AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher said he attributes the growth to "simple economics" driving power companies' efforts to diversify their power-generating resources.
With the price of natural gas peaking at $15.78 per thousand cubic feet last month before leveling off to a steady $9 range, wind continues to gain attention as an alternative.
http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16025170&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=474107&rfi=6
Posted by admin at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)
Apple expands iPod offering to Universities
After selling 14 million iPods in the final quarter of 2005, Apple Computer Inc. has introduced "iTunes U," in the US. The expansion of a service that makes course lectures and other educational materials accessible through Apple's iTunes software.
Apple's service offers universities a customized version of the iTunes software, allowing schools to post podcasts, audio books or video content on their iTunes-affiliated Web sites. The iTunes-based material will be accessible on Windows or Macintosh computers.
Stanford university of California started offering course material via iPods several years back. Riding on its success many content providers such as the BBC World has jumped on the bandwagon.
Posted by admin at 12:17 PM | Comments (0)
Dell expands customer support in Asia
Ultra cheap personal computer manufacturer Dell is expanding its customer support work force in Asia by launching a new enterprise command center in Malaysia.
The center offers support to its Asia-Pacific enterprise customers which have bought Dell's server and storage products. Dell estimates that these customers, located in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, own about 250,000 systems in all.
The Malaysian support center's services include monitoring of news and weather events, and providing crisis management support.
The newly-launched center is Dell's fifth such facility globally, and the third in the Asia-Pacific region, after China and Japan. Dell currently employs 19,000 people in the region.
With personal computer business becoming a commodity, manufacturers such as Dell which does almost no research and development have been loosing margins rapidly in recent years. Accelerating move of manufacturing and support in developing countries is the only way such PC manufacturers can survive.
Posted by admin at 11:19 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2006
Boeing to outsource engineering work to India
According to a report on Investors Business Daily, US aerospace giant Boeing Corporation will probably outsource engineering design and software development work to India.
Recently Air India ordered 68 aircraft from Boeing. The deal requires Boeing to invest around $1.8 billion in India.
The company has already made announcement of setting up a maintenance and repair facility worth $100 million in India.
Posted by admin at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2006
Hi speed WiFi on the way
WiFi networks that provide wireless network connectivity to within homes, offices, stores and cafes (typically in the 100s of feet) is about to get a massive boost in speed to deliver ultra broadband connectivity.
On Jan. 19, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) working group approved a proposal for the upcoming 802.11n wireless standard. The draft specifications will come out in March, after which engineers will work toward releasing a final standard in 2007.
The new "n" protocol was developed by IEEE's Enhanced Wireless Consortium, a group that includes Intel, Apple Computer, Microsoft, Sony and several other major players. The new protocol aims to increase maximum Wi-Fi speeds roughly tenfold to throughputs of up to 600 Mbps.
The tentative standard is also expected to enable more data-rate consistency across the Wi-Fi cloud. Unlike current Wi-Fi connections with performance that fluctuates depending on how far the user is from the router and other factors, the "n" standard would help equalize speeds and make reliable multimedia streams possible opening doors to delivery HD television on data networks.
Posted by admin at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2006
VoIP providers add multimedia, teleconferencing and more
As rates fall for basic VoIP telephone services, operators are quickly adding new functionality to differentiate themselves from the crowd.
Skype which already lowered rates to Bangladesh to US$ .05 from anywhere in the US has introduced video in Skype 2.0 software.
AT&T's call vantage offers multiple line support, and also allows call forwarding to any phone of your choice. Of course regular call charges apply when you forward calls.
Most VoIP service providers also allow sending instant messaging during voice communication. Handy especially when long text, or internet webpage addresses need to be communicated.
Having your own toll free number is also a snap with VoIP services. Skype for example goes beyond providing just toll free numbers. The service allows you to have local numbers in one country when physically you are located somewhere else. For example, if one lives in India but have many friends in England, he or she can get a local SkypeIn number in UK. Any calls made to the UK phone will be considered local in England.
Skype, Yahoo and Google's services are free for computer to computer based communication today. However, new standalone Internet enabled phones already allow making free calls over the net without using the PC.
http://skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/all_rates.html
Posted by admin at 06:58 PM | Comments (0)
UN Body to Support $100 Computer
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The United Nations has thrown its weight behind a project to place a $100, hand-cranked laptop computer in the hands of millions of schoolchildren around the globe.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will sign a partnership agreement with the head of the project, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Nicholas Negroponte, in the Alpine ski resort of Davos on Saturday, officials said.
Davos is hosting the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, a gathering of top politicians, economists and business executives.
The aim is to provide the lime-green machines free of charge to children in poor countries who cannot afford computers of their own.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060126/tc_nm/davos_laptop_dc
Posted by admin at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2006
China Approves a 3G Standard, Setting Stage to Issue Licenses
The Chinese Ministry of Information Industry's formally approved on Friday China's home grown 3G standard the TD-SCDMA. This approval removes an important obstacle in launching third-generation, or 3G, service in the world's biggest wireless market. There has been speculation in recent months that China has been delaying roll out of 3G services to give time for its own version to be ready.
The 3G service lets users send and receive data more quickly with their mobile phones, enabling video and high-speed Internet transmission and other fancy functions. Nortel Networks Corp., Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson, Motorola Inc., Lucent Technologies Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. and other big telecom-equipment makers have been eagerly anticipating China's decision to move forward with 3G, which is expected to yield billions of dollars in spending on network upgrades by the country's wireless carriers.
TD-SCDMA is part of a broad effort by Beijing to create increase local expertise and cut technology licensing related spending on imported technology. Foreign companies such as Siemens AG have helped the development of TD-SCDMA, but China's government and Chinese companies have taken the lead in promoting the technology. The two other 3G standards are WCDMA and CDMA2000.
Friday's statement, published on the Ministry of Information Industry's Web site, makes TD-SCDMA the first of the 3G standards to be formally approved in China.
Posted by admin at 04:41 AM | Comments (0)
January 20, 2006
Malaysia's DiGi.com, Nokia team up to offer PC-mobile online game
KUALA LUMPUR (AFX) - DiGi.Com Bhd, in a tieup with Nokia Corp, plans to introduce the world's first mobile phone-to-personal computer (PC) online game in Malaysia, the New Straits Times reported, quoting DiGi chief marketing officer Chee Pok Jin.
The paper said that DiGi and Nokia have teamed up to deliver a cross-platform, cross-boundary game that allows DiGi customers to use their mobile phones to play with others who are on their PCs or mobile phones.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2006/01/19/afx2462955.html
Posted by admin at 01:44 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2006
Latin America sees surge in open source revenues
Latin America is a big growth market for open-source software particularly as a number of governments are putting policies in place to encourage the adoption of such models.
Last year, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the country's public administration will switch to open-source software over the next two years. The Brazilian federal government is also hoping to mandate the use of open-source software through a decree that would force government agencies to migrate.
This week a group of 15 Chilean systems integrators that joined forces last year expects to report joint overseas revenues of US$200mn for 2005, according to Heriberto Covarrubias the group's director, and general manager at local firm Switch.
Today HP joined the bandwagon of selling open-source in Latin America. Mandriva, the company formed when the French Linux vendor Mandrakesoft merged with its Brazilian counterpart Conectiva last year, said it will work with HP on sales, support and marketing in "all Latin American territories" including Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.
Posted by admin at 06:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2006
China Internet users hit 111 million in 2005
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The number of Web users in China, the world's second largest Internet market, grew by 18 percent in 2005 to 111 million, the Economic Daily reported on Wednesday.
Some 8.5 percent of the country's 1.3 billion people now had access to the Internet, the newspaper reported, citing a survey released by the China Internet Network Information Center.
State media previously predicted 120 Chinese million would be surfing the Web by the end of 2005 as computers find their way into more homes and domestic telecoms networks grow.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060118/wr_nm/china_internet_dc
Posted by admin at 06:30 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2006
India to introduce electronic stamps
Amid shortage of stamp paper, Indian government is planning a nation-wide intorduction of e-stamp facilities in the country. The Indian postal service will allow certain financial institutions including banks to produce electronic stamps.
A concept paper on e-stamping has been prepared by the Stock Holding Corporation of India. Payments —in the case of e-stamping — can be done through banks or credit cards. The proof of payment can be attached to the document. Details are still being worked out, even as many states have indicated their willingness to adopt e-stamping.
Posted by admin at 05:43 AM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2006
Indian Manufacturers Introduce Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles
Indian Manufacturers Introduce Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles
Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra introduced a hydrogen-fueled three-wheeler and a prototype for a diesel hybrid SUV at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. Tractor maker Sonalika Group also introduced a hydrogen-powered three-wheeler.
Mahindra & Mahindra’s HY-Alpha three-wheeler fuels a single cylinder combustion engine with 1.3 kg of compressed hydrogen stored in a tank. The Hy-Alpha has a range of 175 km (109 miles).
M & M also showcased a prototype diesel hybrid version of its Scorpio SUV. Expected to be ready for market before 2010, the hybrid is targeting fuel consumption of 6.45 liters/100km (36.5 mpg US).
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/indian_manufact.html
Posted by admin at 06:48 AM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2006
Asian telcos heighten focus on broadband
ZDNetAsia: According to the research company, revenues in the Asia-Pacific broadband and mobile market totaled US$246.20 billion in 2004 and will reach US$320.80 billion by the end of 2008.
"Although service providers are providing faster network speed, the pressure to bring down prices persists," Janice Chong, program leader at Frost & Sullivan, said in a statement. "In time, service providers are likely to migrate to flat-rate or capped plans as the cellular market matures and the rate of broadband adoption improves."
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/communications/0,39044192,39304516,00.htm
Posted by admin at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2006
Chinese company takes lead in introducing TV/Computer using Intel's Viiv
TCL Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of television sets, is producing a personal computer & tv combo developed with Intel Corp.'s latest Viiv technology.
TCL's PC resembles a 17-inch flat-panel TV with a carrying handle on top. A metal base folds down from behind the screen, allowing it to stand upright. Inside the base, a wireless keyboard can be slid out to run the device as a computer. It also comes with a remote control and a built-in camera and weighs about nine pounds.
Using the product name Versone, TCL plans to release the PC in China by the middle of January and in Europe at the end of February. In the U.S., TCL says it will manufacture the product for other PC companies as well. Initially the product will be priced at about $2,000.
Posted by admin at 02:17 AM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2006
Toyota introduces hybrid Camry
Japan's Toyota unveiled a hybrid version of its planned 2007 Camry at Detroit auto show. Most popular among Asians from the Indian subcontinent living in the US, Camry is the largest Toyota vehicle to incorporate hybrid technology.
Toyota extends its hybrid leadership by making its exclusive Hybrid Synergy Drive available in the 2007 Camry. Hybrid Synergy Drive consists of dual gas and electric power sources that are complementary and produce a combined 192 horsepower. This system varies power between gas and electric, or both, as needed.
The first half of this system consists of the 2.4L four-cylinder 2AZ-FXE Atkinson-cycle engine, which generates 147 hp and is coupled to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The second half of the Hybrid Synergy Drive equation consists of a small, specially developed electric drive motor that produces 45 horsepower, an ultra-small inverter with a specially designed compact battery and a transaxle to provide the economy and seamless performance hybrid drivers seek.
Posted by admin at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)
Suadi Arabia a major mobile phone growth market
Arab News: JEDDAH, 9 January 2006 — Mobile phones have transformed Saudi Arabia's telecom market thanks to huge investments that it continues to attract.
The Kingdom has emerged as the second biggest mobile market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This market has also experienced strong growth over the last three years.
The cellular market is booming not only in the Kingdom but in the entire Middle East as well, and the region is tipped to overtake Asia-Pacific in mobile penetration rate, according to market leaders.
Saudi mobile telecommunications operator Ettihad Etisalat's Mobily service, which began operations in the Kingdom last spring, signed up one million subscribers by the end of 2005 after successfully bidding $3.2 billion to gain the Kingdom's second mobile phone license late last year.
The Kingdom already comprises the largest telecommunications market in the Gulf and is one of the fastest growing in the Middle East. The sector, which has some four million fixed lines and eight million mobile lines, has been expanding at a rate of 30 percent a year.
The region's mobile market reached a new record in 2005, as a massive 20.6 million new subscribers took up a cellular service. "This boosted mobile subscriber rates across the Middle East by 48 percent, bringing the total cellular subscriber base to 62.9 million by the end of 2005," said Francis who has also authored the Middle East Telecommunications 2005 to 2010 report.
Posted by admin at 02:55 AM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2006
Oracle plans to expand operations in India
(Edited News, Soure AP): U.S. business software maker Oracle Corp. plans to expand its sales, consulting and support operations in India, focusing on small and midsized companies in the country's towns and rural areas, a company executive said Tuesday.
Oracle already operates in six Indian cities, and it plans to set up shop in nine more in the next eight months and add 1,400 employees to its existing Indian work force of 8,600.
Over the past five years, Oracle has invested more than $2 billion in India, including setting up research and development centers in Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Oracle, based Redwood Shores, California, currently has more than 6,400 customers in India, where some 80% of Indian banks and 90% of Indian telecommunications companies use Oracle software, some of which supports 13 Indian languages.
Posted by admin at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)
January 09, 2006
Vodafone brings mobile radio to 3G phones in Europe
LONDON (Dow Jones Newswires)– Vodafone Group PLC said it has teamed up with Sony Corp. to offer a mobile-radio subscription in Europe, the latest attempt to draw in extra sales by offering music services.
The monthly subscription – dubbed Vodafone Radio DJ – allows consumers to listen to personalized radio channels via third-generation mobile handsets or computers. Customers can select a channel based on mood or genre, and they can also buy any tracks for download.
The service will launch in the coming months in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The company didn't specify prices.
Posted by admin at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)
Honda to introduce production version of fuel cell car within 4 years
Honda Motor Co of Japan announced that it will begin production of its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) based on the FCX Concept car that was introduced recently within l4 years.
Fuel Cell vehicle utilize electrochemical engine (no moving parts) that converts the chemical energy of a fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as oxygen, directly to electricity. The principal components of a fuel cell are catalytically activated electrodes for the fuel (anode) and the oxidant (cathode) and an electrolyte to conduct ions between the two electrodes.
The new FCX Concept uses a new, compact 3V System fuel cell platform that enables the lowest-floor platform in a fuel cell vehicle yet. Oxygen and hydrogen flow from the top to the bottom of the fuel cell stack (Vertical gas flow) and the fuel cells are arranged vertically in the center tunnel (Vertebral layout) for new, high-efficiency fuel cell packaging (Volume efficiency).
The new fuel cell stack delivers 100 kW of power, compared to the 86 kw of the 2006 FCX. The key to the fuel cell’s performance is water management; Honda’s new system takes full advantage of gravity to efficiently discharge water formed during electricity generation.
Three energy-efficient motors-one 80kW in the front and a 25kW space-efficient motor in each rear wheel moves the car.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/honda_to_put_hy.html
Posted by admin at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2006
Ultra thin solar cells promises to be more efficient
Researchers with Berkeley Lab and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed the first ultra-thin solar cells comprised entirely of inorganic nanocrystals and spin-cast from solution.
The manufacturing process of ultra-thin solar panel is currently long and complicated. However, these dual nanocrystal solar cells are as cheap and easy to make as solar cells made from organic polymers and offer the added advantage of being stable in air because they contain no organic materials.
Scientist Ilan Gur is one of the scientists involved. "The thickness of the film of nanocrystals is really important because that is our active layer, that is our active material in the solar cell. And obviously we are making a solar cell, we need to absorb all of the sunlight."
The result: something similar to material used in computer chips in DVDs and CD players.
Heated metal is added to that film. The resulting solar cell is then tested to see how well it would work if it were on a rooftop.
The cells are manufactured similarly to photographic film, which could be a great advantage.
http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/MSD-nanocrystal-solar-cells.html
Posted by admin at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)
Hybrid mobile phone promises to cut bill
UTStarcom's new GF200 cell phone, previewed at CES in Las Vegas, combines GSM and VoIP over WiFi. The GF200 looks like just another cell phone, users can get both types of functionality from the one phone that they will be carrying around anyways.
Connecting to both GSM and WiFi networks at the same time, and sending a call over either one at the push of a button will drastically reduce mobile minutes especially for people who have access to Internet at work and home.
In developing countries such as Bangladesh cell phone rates are one of the highest in the world due to limited competition among service providers as governments restrict number of operators.
Posted by admin at 03:01 PM | Comments (0)
January 07, 2006
China's homegrown 3G standard ready?
The People's Daily reported on Friday that China's TD-SCDMA technology has reached a stage where it can be used to offer 3G services.
"China has been able to produce the desired result of the TD-SCDMA standard in a short time," said a Ministry of Information Industry official, quoted by the newspaper.
China's homegrown 3G standard known as TD-SCDMA will be competing with CDMA2000 and WCDMA international standards. By promoting local 3G standards China wants to cut down licensing costs in manufacturing 3G infrastructure, cell phones and mobile devices.
3G wireless systems are designed to move data at broadband speeds to cell phones and other mobile devices, allowing Web surfing, video streaming and downloads of music, video and other content.
Posted by admin at 12:10 AM | Comments (0)
Reverse Migration
According to a recent story in BusinessWeek magazine, westerners are moving to India seeking jobs at various call centers. India even with its vast population is finding it hard to keep up with call center reps with western language skills.
The demand for workers is also being fueled by the change in mix of customers of the call centers. In 2004, 64% of all outsourcing contracts came from the U.S. and Britain while 29% came from the rest of Europe, but that number could jump to 40% within five years, according to Nasscom.
Posted by admin at 12:01 AM | Comments (0)
January 06, 2006
India claims 38.5 million Internet users
The number of Internet users in India has increases 54 percent over the past year to 38.5 million, and will jump to 100 million in two years according to an industry carried out by Internet and Mobile Association of India.
Indians known for their extreme frugal living has been using the web to get bargain prices from high value items such as airline tickets to locally produced books.
While details of the study were sketchy the industry group also claimed the business segment now contributes 42 per cent of the total active internet entities and households account for the remaining 58 per cent.
Posted by admin at 03:08 AM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2006
Nokia's wireless device faces unexpected demand
Nokia's model 770 portable Internet browsing device is facing unexpected demand and the company is ramping out production as a result.
The US $359 device which boasts a 4.1 inch screen and slim in design now has a two-week waiting list in the US.
The 770 doesn't have any mobile-phone functionality and is intended for surfing the Internet over Wi-Fi networks.
Posted by admin at 02:03 AM | Comments (0)
China lifts small car restriction
Since late 1990s, Chinese cities have put restrictions on small vehicles with engines sizes less equal or less than 1 liter (1000 CC). Authorities viewed such automobiles slower, less safe, more polluting and less attractive for a city's image. More than 80 cities in 29 provinces currently have restrictions on small cars, according to a survey by Changan Auto.
However rising energy costs have persuaded Chinese authorities to remove the restrictions by March of this year.
Already Chinese automakers are facing stiff competition as new players are entering with attractive compact cars. The three top-selling models in China during the first four months of last year were all economy models, according to the China Automobile Manufacturers Association: the Elantra, from South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co.; Tianjin FAW Xiali Automobile Co.'s TJ7101U — an angular compact_ and Chery Automobile Co.'s perky little QQ mini-car. Japanese automaker Honda, which introduced the Fit compact car last September, saw 20 percent growth in sales in the first four months of the year.
Posted by admin at 01:45 AM | Comments (0)
Japanese firm promises 20 hr laptop battery life with new fuel cell technoloty
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4: Japan's Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd.
(MBI) has developed a new fuel supply method for fuel cells powering portable devices that makes it possible to reduce the size of the fuel cell to one half of the current industry level.
Matsushita Battery has developed this Direct Methanol Fuel Cell system by incorporating its new fuel supply technology with its stack technology, high power lithium ion battery and battery management system (which is based on previous development work for electric power sources). This cell itself is approximately 400cc (24 cubic inches), which is similar to the size of a beverage can and roughly half the size of models publicly demonstrated to date. With an average output of 13 watts, a peak output of 20 watts, and low
weight that enables true mobility, a laptop PC is using this fuel cell is able to achieve up to 20 hours of runtime.
Posted by admin at 01:36 AM | Comments (0)
Netgear introduces Skype Integrated WiFi phone
LAS VEGAS — January 4, 2006 — NETGEAR®, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically advanced, branded networking products, and Skype®, the global Internet communications company, today announced they are working on a family of innovative new products, including the world’s first Skype wireless mobile telephone and a router equipped to optimize Skype.
The NETGEAR WiFi phone will make mobile Internet telephony a reality for Skype users. Unlike other devices that must connect with a PC, NETGEAR’s Skype WiFi phone will work wherever a consumer is connected to a wireless Internet access point — be that in a home, office, cafe, open public hotspot, or any open municipal wireless access point being deployed worldwide. The Skype experience remains the same, in that users can make free domestic and international calls, as well as host conference calls and chat, with other Skype users anywhere in the world, and to non-Skype users for a small fee. With this device, headphones or USB phones plugged into a laptop or PC are not required.
“Customers can now call anyone on Skype, anywhere in the world for free without using a PC anytime they are connected to WiFi. We’re extremely proud to deliver the world’s first mobile phone enabling customers to enjoy all the benefits of Skype,” said Patrick Lo, NETGEAR’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Moreover, Skype integration with our RangeMax wireless router will further extend our leadership in innovative networking devices. Skype offers the simplicity, WiFi offers the connectivity, and NETGEAR offers the technology to innovate these market-changing products. Our teamwork with Skype is yet another way that NETGEAR is helping people to connect, all around the world.”
Posted by admin at 01:20 AM | Comments (0)
January 04, 2006
Samsung introduces world's first WiMAX phones in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in the United States, Samsung demonstrates WiBro (Korean Wireless Broadband) service on one of its world's first Mobile WiMAX phones, the Samsung M8000. Samsung's WiBro service demonstration is an exciting precursor to the first commercial service in the
Korean market slated for the first half of 2006.
WiBro, a Korean Wireless Broadband service based on the mobile WiMAX
technology (IEEE 802.16e TDD OFDMA standard), is a wireless high-speed broadband service able to deliver voice, data and video at speeds of up to 120 km per hour. The Mobile WiMAX technology provides true mobile connectivity by giving users seamless broadband connections anytime, anywhere.
Mobile WiMAX's advantages include a broad range of converged services
delivered from a single, IP-based network. Home, business, and vehicular applications include Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIp), video telephony, multimedia messaging and conferencing, location and telematic services, broadcast, and multimedia push and demand services.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-04-2006/0004242458&EDATE=
Posted by admin at 06:40 PM | Comments (0)
Cheap 3G phones on the way for developing countries?
China this week announced its own homegrown 3G mobile phone chip based on WCDMA. The chip transmits data up to three times faster than the rival CDMA2000 technology according to a report by Xinhua, the Chinese new agency. It said the chip's designers have obtained 16 domestic and international patents for the device.
The new chip is named Noah3000 and is produced jointly by Southeast University and Dongda Communication Co.
China has in the past tried to create its own 3G service based on TD-SCDMA to compete with existing WCDMA and CDMA2000 standards to avoid licensing fees altogether for its 388 million mobile user market. However the TD-SCDMA has failed to yield data rates required to compete with other 3G standards.
The new chip supports one of the global 3G standards and if succesul would raise competition in the global market to reduce mobile phone prices based on next generation broadband standards potentially helping adoption in developing countries.
Posted by admin at 12:54 PM | Comments (0)
Pakistan phases out diesel from major cities
The federal government of Pakistan has directed provincial governments to phase out diesel-engine buses, mini-buses, wagons and two-stroke rickshaws from major cities by the end of 2007.
The first meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Replacement of Diesel by CNG on Tuesday suggested that no permit be issued to diesel vehicles in the major cities of Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, and Islamabad/Rawalpindi from 2007.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/pakistan_orders.html
Posted by admin at 05:52 AM | Comments (0)
January 02, 2006
Business or consumers to dominate airline WiFi
With a large number or airports offering WiFi Internet connectivity and major airlines such as Lufthansa providing similar access inflight one would expect that such connectivity is gaining popularity.
Research published by Gartner however, show things are otherwise. Only 25% of business travelers are using WiFi hotspots in the US airports and in airlines things are similar.
Perhaps airlines should focus on leisure travelers in getting WiFi up to spead!
Posted by admin at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)
Malaysia's Maxis buys Indian Cell Operatro
Taking a bet on India’s rapidly growing mobile phone market, Malaysia’s Maxis Communications has acquired Aircel, one of India’s smaller cellular operators, for $1.08bn.
The Malaysian group and the Chennai-based Reddy family, an Indian joint venture partner, have purchased 100 per cent of the equity in Aircel, whose 2.2m subscribers are located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/8a4de0b0-7bad-11da-ab8e-0000779e2340.html
Posted by admin at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)