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February 23, 2006
Intel approved to setup plant in Vietnam
The Vietnamese government recently approved Intel Corp.'s plan to proceed with chip-assembly plant in Ho Chi Minh City according to a report by Wall Street Journal.
The country which attracted $5 billion in 2005 in FDI (foreign direct investments) is seeing more large multinationals moving in to take advantage of its emerging economy.
The plant will be Intel's sixth in Asia and will be used for the final step of chip-making where chips are taken out of wafer and packaged for distribution to PC makers. More complicated and less labor intensive work of etching chips onto wafers at factories in the U.S.
The Vietnamese government approved a request by Intel to spend up to $605 million in the country for setting up the plant.
Posted by admin at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2006
China's mobile market continues to boom
China' two largest mobile-service providers are showing strong growth in subscriber numbers for January.
China Mobile Ltd., which is based in Hong Kong and is the largest mobile carrier in China by subscribers announced that it added 4.07 million subscribers in January. Subscribers to its mobile services totaled 250.72 million in January.
China's second-largest mobile carrier by subscribers, China Unicom Ltd., said Sunday it added 1.31 million subscribers in January, the largest monthly increase since May 2005. This brought the number of its mobile-service customers to 129.10 million.
While analysts attributed January sales to seaosonal factors, clearly China. In 2003 China became the largest mobile phone market according to a BBC report.
Posted by admin at 12:54 PM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2006
From shipping hub to information hub Asia: Singapore takes the broadband route
Armed with BS degree in math, diploma in computer science and masters in public administration from Harvard's Kennedy School Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong seems to have the right strategy to convert his country from a shipping hub to an knowledge hub.
As part of this strategy Singapore government is putting the pumbing together to create a nation-wide high speed broadband networking that will connect schools, offices, homes and mobile users. The plan is similar to one back in the 90s when Singapore put together SingaporeONE which created one networking infrastructure for the country cutting redundent effort and bringing the latest technology back then.
The Singapore government also has created and R&D assistance fund that will grow to $3.5 billion US in the next five years.
Singapore's national carier, Singapore Airlines already provide wireless broadband on selected flights today.
In order to become the knowledge hub the country needs not only to develop the greatest technologies but also a place where such knowledge is exchanged as per statements made by Lee Hsien Loong.
Posted by admin at 04:13 AM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
More Asians flocking to social networking sites
Young (and old) Asians are flocking to social networking sites such as myspace.com and friendster to network with people with common interests and in many cases meet the ideal mate.
While in terms of web hits MySpace has taken the lead with 2.5 time traffic of Google according to a report by Associated Press on Feb 13th, Friendster is emerging as the dating site of choice for many Asians who are first or second generation abroad.
When it comes to using such sites for finding dates or life partners, many Asians believe these sites offer an alternative to an announcement of desperation when listing themselves on matrimonial sites such as sadi.com.
It's not always smooth sailing with these networking sites. Friendter which has approximately 21 million members, scared away many when it introduced a featuer called "Who's Viewed Me." This feature allowed people to see who checked them out recently. Friendster allows users to opt out of "Who's Viewed Me" after much dismay by its members.
Posted by admin at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
Chinese Huawei Signs 3G Handset Deal with World's Largest Mobile Operator
China's Huawei Technologies Co. reached a deal to supply 3G mobile phones to Vodafone Group PLC, the world's largest cell phone company. It is Huawai's first significant breakthrough into Europe's large handset market.
Under the five-year deal, Huawei-made 3G handsets will be sold by Vodafone in 21 countries, Vodafone said. Vodafone anticipates offering the first Huawei handset in September.
Posted by admin at 06:48 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2006
US Army Help Develop Fuel Cell Version of Ford Escape
U.S. Army National Automotive Center (NAC) awarded a contract to develop a hydrogen-fueled Ford Escape Hybrid vehicle for the U.S to Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.
Under the contract, Quantum will evaluate different hydrogen fuel system configurations, considering the feasibility of bi-fuel and dedicated hydrogen systems. Quantum will develop an advanced hydrogen storage system, fuel injection system, and electronic controls required for the Hydrogen Escape Hybrid. The work will be conducted by Quantum at its Advanced Vehicle Concept Center in Lake Forest, CA.
Ford already sells a hybrid version of Escape which combines a regular gasoline engine with an electric powerplant.
Posted by admin at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2006
New mobile users to grow 6-8 million per month in India
Reuters
New Delhi, February 14: India, the world's fastest growing mobile market, could add between 6-8 million new mobile users each month once networks reach all rural customers, Telecommunications Minister Dayanidhi Maran said on Tuesday.
Asia's third-largest economy added a record 4.7 million new GSM and CDMA mobile users in January, taking its wireless user base close to 83 million customers.
But more than a decade after launch, wireless networks cover only about one-third of the country and vast swathes of rural areas -- where two-thirds of the billion-plus population live -- remain unconnected.
"I believe that if we are able to reach mobile services to rural consumers, we have the potential to grow at 6, 7 or even 8 million subscribers a month," Maran told the 3GSM wireless trade show in Barcelona, Spain.
Posted by admin at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2006
Nokia sales in China grew 29% last year
(MENAFN) The Finnish telecom giant Nokia said that its net sales in China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, surged by 29 percent to $4.6 billion last year, Xinhuanet reported.
The president of Nokia (China) Investment Co Ltd. said that this revenue growth has turned China into Nokia's largest single market.
China last year contributed 11 percent of the annual global sales of Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker and a major mobile telecom equipment maker.
Nokia's exports from China grew by 15 percent to reach $3.43 billion last year.
The senior vice-president in charge of Nokia's customer and marketing operations in Greater China, said the past year was a banner year for Nokia because the firm made good profits in a mature market.
Posted by admin at 06:22 AM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2006
Japan's DoCoMo to sell adds on mobile devices
Japan's 3G mobile phone service provider NTT DoCoMo Inc., is targeting television advertisements as a new source of growth as falling mobile phone charges deminish margins.
DoCoMo announced yesterday a tie-up with broadcaster Nippon Television Network Corp. to create television programs specifically for its cellphones and to use this to sell ads.
The alliance comes as Japan's cellular industry is preparing to offer digitally broadcast TV over cellphones in April. DoCoMo president yesterday said that it is crucial for the carrier to develop its own content rather than recycle what broadcasters already offer.
Posted by admin at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2006
Lexus GS hybrid raises bar on luxury
Lexus which unveiled the all-new 2007 Lexus GS 450h hybrid luxury sedan at the Montreal International Auto Show in January is again setting new standards for premium hybrids.
The GS 450h is the first full-hybrid in the world to feature a front engine and rear wheel drive. As such, the GS 450h is a ground-breaking vehicle, representing the next generation of luxury sedans.
Lexus has incorporated many performance, styling and safety features into the 2007 GS 450h. The GS 450h features the Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) powertrain. It includes a 3.5-litre V6 engine and high torque electric motor that combine to deliver 335 horsepower at 6,200 rpm - for performance equivalent to a 4.5-litre V8.
Posted by admin at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
Ethanol fuel substitute driving sugar prices higher
Ethanol, which can mixed with regular gasoline to power automobiles, is increasingly becoming popular as an alternative energy source as fuel prices go sky high. Sugar and corn are popular ingredients to produce ethanol today and its demand is increasing the prices of sugar.
A Wall Street Journal report states that the world's largest sugar exporter Brazil is shifting at much as 52% of its sugar-cane production to create ethanol for use as fuel.
Posted by admin at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Air China offers Internet Access on Flights
Air China will offer the Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet service on up to 15 aircraft, Boeing according to Boeing. Installation of the equipment necessary for the service will begin in October. In-flight Internet access will initially be offered on Boeing 747-400 aircraft and may be expanded to other aircraft types, it said.
Air China joins a host of other airlines which have teamed up with Connexion By Boeing to offer in-flight Internet access. The service is currently available on some flights offered by South Korea's Asiana Airlines Inc. and Korean Air; Japan's All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. and Japan Airlines Corp.; Taiwan's China Airlines Ltd.; Germany's Lufthansa AG; Singapore Airlines Ltd.; SAS AB's Scandinavian Airline System; and El Al Israel Airlines.
The Connexion By Boeing service uses a satellite link to provide an Internet connection of around 5M bps (bits per second) downstream and 1M bps upstream. The service can be offered throughout the aircraft's passenger cabin via wired LAN connections or wireless LAN.
Posted by admin at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)
US consumers to learn mobile payments from Asians
Commuters in Tokyo can pay for train tickets just by waiving their cell phones. In fact several Asian mobile cell phone providers allow for paying for everything from groceries to movie tickets. In Helsinki mobile users can pay for drinks at the vending machine.
Now Motorola plans to bring mobile phone based payments to the US consumer with its line of M-Wallet phones.
The company is working with mobile phone service providers as well as retailers to make electronic phone payments a reality.
Posted by admin at 01:23 PM | Comments (0)
Cambodia gears up for wireless broadband
ZDNET ASIA: Cambodia Data Communication (CDC) holds a license from the country's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and has started providing wireless broadband access to the capital city, Phnom Penh. The carrier intends to expand coverage to other Cambodian cities this year.
Wireless broadband typically covers a range of up to 30 miles, delivering Internet access speeds of up to 75 megabits per second. This is more than 20 times the speed of the fastest wired broadband available commercially.
Channda Sok, managing director of CDC, said in a statement that Cambodia's history of civil wars has prevented the deployment of an effective telecommunications infrastructure based on physical wires.
She added that CDC turned to wireless broadband because it needed a solution that would allow the country to take advantage of the latest advances in wireless and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies.
Cambodia has a population of 15 million, and according to the International Telecommunications Union, the country has a low Internet penetration rate of just 0.5 percent, or 41,000 Internet users, as of Sept. 2005.
Posted by admin at 06:52 AM | Comments (0)
Apple increases focus on developing markets?
Apple Computer which already dominate the digital media player market with its IPod product line (70% marketshare in US) is targeting developing markets with lower priced versions of its digital player.
Today Apple introduced a 1GB version of IPod Nano for only $149 (US) and lowered the price of IPod Shuffle which formerly sold for $129 for 1GB model, now costs $99, and the 512-megabyte shuffle, which used to cost $99, is now priced at $69.
An Apple executive commented that Apple's market share of portable media players is small in international markets and the company would like to change that.
With the new prices the company can expect to gain marketshare in poor countries such as India.
Posted by admin at 05:46 AM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2006
Nokia launches 9300I Smartphone in India
With a view to further the growth of the mobile industry, global handset leader Nokia on Tuesday launched an upgraded version of Nokia 9300 smartphone in India.
This latest offering from Nokia, Nokia 9300i smartphone, supports a broad range of enterprise email solutions along with an attachment viewer to meet the growing demand of mobile professionals.
Posted by admin at 01:00 PM | Comments (0)
Mitsubishi Motors to unveil MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV hybrid sport compact and new Eclipse Spyder convertible at 2006 Detroit Motor Show
Tokyo, December 05, 2005 — Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA, based in Cypress, California) will give the MITSUBISHI Concept-CT1 MIEV2 hybrid 4WD sport compact concept, which uses outer rotor type in-wheel motors and a lithium-ion battery system to drive all four wheels, and the new Eclipse Spyder convertible their world premieres at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (the Detroit Motor Show). The show will be held from January 8 to 22 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, and will be open to the general public from January 14.
MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV showcases the company's MIEV concept for next-generation electric vehicles that utilizes in-wheel motors and high energy-density lithium-ion batteries as core technologies. This concept car pairs the MIEV concept with a gasoline engine for series-parallel hybrid propulsion, which delivers higher power and realizes longer cruising ranges, to drive all four wheels.
Created by the Mitsubishi Motors R&D of America, Inc. design studio based in Cypress, California, the MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV sport hatchback is the company's first concept model for the sport compact category that is attracting growing attention in the North American market in recent years.
The new Eclipse Spyder is a convertible version of the Eclipse sporty coupe the company showed at the Detroit Motor Show in January of this year. Eclipse Spyder features a soft top which opens and closes at the touch of a switch, with a new powered tonneau panel. The car is powered by either a 2.4-liter in-line 4-cylinder MIVEC3 engine or a 3.8-liter V6 MIVEC engine. The 3.8-liter model will be available with a 5-speed automatic transmission with sport mode or a 6-speed manual transmission, both of which are new additions over the current Eclipse Spyder model.
Eclipse Spyder will be produced at the MMNA's facility in Normal, Illinois and is due to go on sale in the spring of 2006.
Posted by admin at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
China's computer product exports crosses $100 billion
BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- Exports of China's computer products was $104.84 billion in 2005, over $100 billion for the first time, accounting for 13.7% of total exports while 7.9% in 2001. Exports of notebook computer, LCD, integrated circuits and hard disk were $29.9 billion, $14.54 billion, $14.01 billion and $4.11 billion, up by 43.9%, 22.6%, 30.9% and 51.6% separately.
Exports of telecommunication and electronic products amounted to $72.28 billion and $24.48 billion, up by 37.8% and 32.7% separately, listed in the second and third of the exports of high-tech products.
Size of China's high technology amounted to 3.3 trillion Yuan in 2005, value added reached 780 billion Yuan, accounting for 5.2% of the GDP. There were 300 enterprises with exports of high-tech products over $100 million and 50 ones with exports over $1 billion.
Posted by admin at 03:33 AM | Comments (0)
February 02, 2006
BBC World Service TV on mobile phones Australia and Norway
BBC World Service, the commercial arm of British Broadcasting Corporation has signed agreements with Telenor Nordic Mobile and Hutchinson/3 Australia to delivery live video news service over mobile phones.
Mobile subscribers with 3G handsets will be able to watch live running 24-house news, streamed to their handsets.
In the 3/Hutchinson Australia deal, the subscribers are being asked to pay Au$4/month for unlimited access, Au$2/day or Au$0.50/two minutes.
The management and delivery of the service for Telenor is being handled by Rubberduck Media Lab, a subsidiary of the Mobile Media Company.
Posted by admin at 06:24 PM | Comments (0)
Nortel and Chinese competitor Huawei join forces on broadband venture
TORONTO (CP) - Nortel Networks Corp. (TSX:NT) is joining hands with major Chinese competitor Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. in a global partnership to develop "ultra" broadband projects.
The telecom giant said Wednesday that it and Shenzhen-based Huawei have entered into supply agreement allowing Nortel to "immediately begin engaging customers with Huawei's current industry-leading broadband access portfolio."
Huawei has in the past been seen as a growing threat to Nortel and other big established telecom equipment suppliers as it gains worldwide market share and expands throughout Asia.
http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=ba95bcca-a52c-4a17-8f40-0ed2ed458e48&k=90463
Posted by admin at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2006
Motorola unveils second iTunes-compatible phone
Motorola has unveiled its second Apple's iTunes-compatible phone, ditching the ROKR design for the RAZR-inspired SLVR L7.
The Bluetooth capable phone is less than half an inch thick and weighs a mere 3.5 ounces. It contains a VGA camera with video capture and playback and a Micro SD slot for adding up to 512MB of extra storage. The iTunes software enables playback of up to 100 songs.
Motorola's new phone still does not offer over the air download of digital music from Apple's online music service.
Unfortunately, the SLVR L7 is currently only available in the US.
Posted by admin at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)
MALAYSIA AIRLINES VOTED ‘BEST AIRLINE TO ASIA’
Malaysia Airlines won the ‘Best Airline To Asia’ award in the 2006 Travel Weekly Globe Awards polls conducted by Travel Weekly, a UK based magazine.
Malaysia Airlines emerged winner in this category, overcoming stiff competition from 3 Asian, 1 European and 1 Middle East airlines nominated for this award, two of which were winners of this title in previous years.
Malaysia Airlines’ Regional Manager for United Kingdom and Europe, Mr Lim Cheng Hoe, received the award on behalf of the national airline at a presentation ceremony held in London last weekend.
Commenting on this achievement Malaysia Airlines’ Managing Director Mr Idris Jala said, “Malaysia Airlines is no stranger to winning awards for its high quality products and services. We thank the readers of Travel Weekly and travel agents in the UK who voted us for this award.”
Malaysia Airlines has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin to replace the existing flight planning system and to procure a new real-time flight following solution, which will reduce fuel costs and improve flight operations.
Malaysia Airlines is the first commercial airline in Asia Pacific to procure the advanced integrated aviation management system, FltWindsTM and SPEAR System Performance Evaluation & Analysis Reporting from Lockheed Martin.
The contract calls for an integrated suite of technology to be installed at the Flight Operations Dispatch Centre (ODC) located at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by June 2006. The suite includes FltWinds, a flight and weather information tool and decision support system, and SPEAR, which are part of Lockheed Martin’s airport hub management systems.
Posted by admin at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)