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.
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February 08, 2006
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)
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.
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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.
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January 29, 2006
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)
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.
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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
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)
December 30, 2005
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.
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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)
December 21, 2005
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
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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.
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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 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 $30m.
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December 10, 2005
Samsung to start cell phone manufacturing in India
Samsung announced this week that it plans to set up a Handset Manufacturing facility in Haryana, India. The plant would be the company's fourth overseas handset manufacturing facility in the world after China, Brazil and Mexico.
With an initial investment of US$ 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.
Posted by admin at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
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.
Posted by admin at 04:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2005
New Internet Protocol Addressing Standard Supports Internet TV on Small Devices
The new Internet addressing standard, IPV6 will be focusing on handling the rising popularity of video capable portable players. The upcoming US IPv6 Summit Conference in Virginia, US.
TV-over-Internet (also called IPTV or streaming video) has been a major news item lately, with most major broadcasters and film studios announcing initiatives to start delivering content over the Internet. Worldwide TV-over-Internet service revenue is expected to grow to over $44 billion by 2009, with almost 54 million subscribers, according to a new report by Infonetics Research. How the New Internet can facilitate this future growth is a major topic at the Conference. "The New Internet" is the informal name of Internet Protocol version 6, the massive Internet upgrade that is slated to replace today's predominant version 4 (IPv4), in use since 1973. The switch to the new format has been widely supported in Europe and Asia, and was recently mandated for the US military and Federal Government.
This month Apple computer anncounced that it has sold 30 million iPod , its popular portable multimedia player. To feed its huge appetite for chips for such devices Apple has spent $1.2 billion in securing supplies from manufacturers. In the final three months of this Apple is expected to sell over 8 million iPods. Addition of video to iPod is raising speculation that portable devices may cross both PCs and regular TVs for watching television. IPV6 not only provides the expanded addressing to cover such a huge number of devices but also allows efficient streaming of media content based on quality required.
Posted by admin at 01:28 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2005
China launch first HD TV end of year
(AP) Chinese state television will launch the country's first digital high-definition TV channel on New Year's Day, the government said.
The pay channel will broadcast 18 hours a day and carry events such as the 2006 soccer World Cup in Berlin, Xinhua news agency said.
High-definition television offers viewers clearer, more vivid images than those of conventional television. Digital format allows for the transmission of greater volume of data and combines audio and visual content, rather than dividing the two, as in analog format.
The Chinese government says it plans to begin shifting all its television broadcasting to digital in 2008 and cease analog transmission entirely by 2015.
China Central Television has been testing the new digital high-definition channel since September in Hangzhou, a city southwest of Shanghai, Xinhua said.
Posted by admin at 01:32 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2005
Wifi TV arrives in developing world
EWPORT BEACH, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 11/14/2005 -- Wi-Fi TV Inc. (OTC: WTVN) announced today that it has expanded delivery of its memberships to over 200 countries. The memberships include Internet delivery of links to live TV for viewing on the Wi-Fi TV Virtual Player ™ and personal communication services, including: phone calls, text and message chat and video meetings with the Wi-Fi TV Virtual Living Room ™.
"Wi-Fi TV continues to implement its plan of making the World smaller by bringing live TV and one-to-one personal chat and communication to a shared online community," said Shelley Dietrich of Wi-Fi TV Inc.
Starting today, annual paid Wi-Fi TV memberships, which recently became available in the United States, are now offered to residents of over 200 countries. Secure online payments may be made by several methods, including major credit cards. The annual cost for membership at www.Wi-FiTV.com , which includes unlimited access to all basic channels, text and message chat, and news stories is the equivalent of USD $0.99 cents per month. Wi-Fi TV members will also have exclusive access to additional premium channels and services, including the Wi-Fi TV Virtual Living Room™, for additional fees. The latter service, which allows live video calls with file sharing for Wi-Fi TV members, is now featured for a limited time in a free Beta test.
Wi-Fi TV Inc. was unclear at press time whether it must restrict access to its service in Cuba due to a U.S. trade embargo or whether other countries or territories might prohibit citizens from obtaining Wi-Fi TV memberships. Wi-Fi TV is not available where prohibited by law.
Countries and territories where the Wi-Fi TV memberships are now available (subject to local laws) include:
United States, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegowina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde Escudo, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Congo Democratic Rebublic, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique. Mauritania, Mauritius Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia Federated States of, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Territory Occupied, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles., Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands, South Korea, Spain Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, US Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (USA), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Posted by admin at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2005
Apple takes center stage in higher education with iTunes & iPod
After taking over the online music industry, Apple is hoping to do the same in fields like higher education, and it took another step in that direction recently with Stanford University’s announcement that it would make a range of audio content available to its alumni and others through iTunes.
Stanford on iTunes emerged from the longstanding collaboration between the university and Apple. The university had been seeking ways of giving alumni and others access to lectures and other events taking place on the campus, and in the course of continuing conversations with company officials.
Through the Stanford on iTunes Web site, the university will make lectures, music, sports and other content available not only to its alumni but to the public, free of charge.
In the near future Stanford plans to add video capabilities allowing students to synchronize lectures and PowerPoint presentations,” for instance.
Stanford joins Duke and Brown Universities and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor’s dental school as institutions that are distributing course related content via the iTunes Music Store, according to Apple.
Posted by admin at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2005
Motorola invests in fuel cell maker
Global mobile handset giant, Motorola, has made an investment in the North American micro fuel cell developing firm Tekion. Fuel cells are considered to be more efficient in powering mobile handsets than the batteries that we use today, and their demand is projected to shoot up significantly in the future.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i.e. it produces electricity from an external fuel supply of hydrogen and oxygen as opposed to the limited internal energy storage capacity of a battery.
Tekion is well known for their Formira fuel cell. This fuel cell is called the Formira Power Pack, it’s designed for use in mobile phones and is the latest in personal power sources. With the Power Pack you will be able to stay connected for as long as you need, a simple snap, swap the fuel cartridge and you can keep on going.
Motorola will be availing fuel cells from Tekion from 2007 and the initial shipments will be meant for larger devices like satellite phones.
Posted by admin at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2005
IBM to disclose details on new XBOX Chip
ARMONK, N.Y. -- International Business Machines Corp. is disclosing new technical details about the chip it designed for Microsoft Corp.'s second-generation Xbox game system, which is being manufactured by IBM and Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
The chip, a customized version of IBM's Power line, includes the circuitry of three microprocessors and a special "vector" processing unit that handles 128 bits of data at a time, compared with 64 bits for other parts of the chip, IBM officials said. The chip, which operates at 3.2 gigahertz, also has unusually fast "bus" for transferring data with other components in the game console, they said.
IBM is making the disclosures at a chip conference today in Silicon Valley. The company is also announcing that IBM and Chartered have both begun making the chip at high volumes, as part of a plan to begin selling the new console on Nov. 22.
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October 23, 2005
US Targets 2009 For All Digital TV Network
A US Senate panel approved a plan to move toward all-digital television in 2009. Such a move would require converter boxes for millions of television sets.
Digital technology provides a more efficient way to deliver television than with analogue transmissions. It enables the same services to be delivered in less space with greater clarity. Freeing up valuable spectrum both for over the air and cable transmission.
Sound and pictures are converted into a digital format and compressed, using as few bits as possible to convey the information on a digital signal. This technique enables several television channels to be carried in the space used by the current analogue signals to carry one channel. Digital signals can be received by standard aerials, satellite dishes or via cable but have to be decoded and turned back into sound and pictures by using a separate set-top box, or a decoder built into your television (an integrated digital TV set/ iDTV).
In the US transition would free up valuable radio spectrum, some of which would be used to expand two-way radio communications for emergency responders. The rest would be auctioned to telecommunications companies, raising an estimated $10 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Currently UK leads the world in terms of Digital TV with more than 50% of the consumer base using it to access content
Developing countries are far behind in moving to digital television. However, China and Korea are moving towards digital TV. China plans to digitalise its cable TV in four stages, according to the country’s State Radio and TV Administration. It will spread to ground digital TV by 2008 and stop analog TV broadcasts by 2015 when digital TV would cover the entire country.
Posted by admin at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)
October 16, 2005
HP expands basic research & development in China
HP Labs, Hewlett-Packard's basic research arm is expanding to China later this year with a focus on computer security and services, according the Labs' executive reports ZDNet.
The plant will complement six other HP Lab sites worldwide in Palo Alto, Calif.; Cambridge, Mass.; Bristol, England; Haifa, Israel; Tokyo, Japan; and Bangalore, India.
Western companies are shifting basic research work to Asia in a bid to lower cost, attract local talent and move R&D closer to growth markets. Recently, HP has announced plans to establish 1,000 retail outlets in 100 major cities in China to better compete with local favorite Lenovo and Dell.
HP Labs employs about 600 people conducting fundamental research worldwide. Researchers in Bangalore are experimenting with a portable photo printer and a solar cell for people whose towns don't have electricity but who need photos for passports or other identification purposes.
Posted by admin at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
October 07, 2005
China developing own High Definition DVD format
For the second time in two years, China has announced plans to develop its very own next-generation High Definition DVD standard to avoid paying licensing fees to foreign companies.
China's move would surely complicate the battle between HD DVD and the competing Blu-ray Disc formats over which will become the dominant new DVD standard.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the new standard will be based on but incompatible with HD DVD, which is being promoted by Toshiba Corp. and Universal Studios, as well as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world's personal computers.
Posted by admin at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2005
Intel expanding R&D in Asia
Intel Corp, is looking at technology partnerships with research institutes, universities and government bodies in Singapore and the rest of Asia-Pacific in a bid to accelerate introduction of products.
A partnership with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), was announced in March 2003. It involved Intel and IDA working with five Asian telcos - SingTel, StarHub, MobileOne, China Mobile, and Hong Kong's PCCW - to develop inter-country WiFi roaming standards in a $3.9 million project.
Intel today is collaborating with video software maker Muvee Technologies to bring digital home technologies to households across Asia. The collaboration is through a digital video contest that runs between now and Oct 9 in Singapore, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Intel has invested US$1.3 billion in China in the past two decades and has 5,000 people there.
Posted by admin at 06:11 AM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2005
Artists from developing countries embrace online music sales
In the past one had to go to an Asian community in the US or Europe to pickup hindi, urdu or chinese music CDs. With the emerging popularity of online legal downloading services, music from many developing countries is finding way to such services.
At Apple's online Itunes music site that sells over 1.5 million songs daily one can find latest albums and songs by Asha Boshley, Ravi Shankar and a slew of popular artists.
Usually, Hindi, Bangla or Chinese album CDs sell much less than their English counterparts at Asian communities such as New York's Jackson Heights. However, on Itunes songs from international artists are selling at the same US 99 cents per song.
Itunes is not the only online legal music download channel. Early this year a California company has launched what it calls the first online music download store dedicated to music from India and the Indian sub-continent.
CrimsonBay offers music from premiere Indian labels such as Saregama India Ltd, Ishq Records, Yatra Communications and others.
Posted by admin at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)
August 18, 2005
Resurgence of Bluetooth
Once considered yet another great technology that just didn't take off, Bluetooth is seeing signficant success today. The demand for Bluetooth wireless technology has climbed to five million units per week, demonstrating the wide acceptance in a variety of products.
Starting from cellphones that support Bluetooth headsets to automobiles such as the Acura RL the technology is becoming ubiquitous. Recently rumors have emerged that Apple may introduce iPods that support Bluetooth in the near future. With iPod sales running at almost 2 million a month, such acceptance of Bluetooth would take the technology to a different level of popularity.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the association that drives development of Bluetooth wireless technology, a low-cost short-range wireless specification for connecting mobile devices and bringing them to market, has been working hard with the developers of a wireless technology commonly known as Ultra-wideband (UWB) to further enforce Bluetooth’s leading position far into the future.
Texas Instruments (TI) this month announced that the company's fifth generation Bluetooth solution has passed the qualification for Bluetooth specification v2.0 and enhanced data rate (EDR) by the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group).
TI's solution delivers the fastest version of enhanced data rate (EDR) to support speeds up to 3Mbps in a Bluetooth network for bandwidth intensive applications on 2.5G and 3G mobile phones, including faster downloads of MP3 files and digital photos.
Asia countries are benefiting greatly from Bluetooth's recent popularity. More than 100 manufacturers in Taiwan are expected to produce in excess of 46 million Bluetooth-enabled devices in 2005 — up 79 per cent from 2004, while Hong Kong makers are forecast to manufacture 5.1 million, up 135 per cent on last year, according to a report published by the Greater China-focused Global Sources media company.
Posted by admin at 01:28 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2005
US tests RFID passports
About 300 United Airlines employees stationed on international flights received new passports in mid-June as part of a three-month, three-country test of IDs equipped with RFID chips.
The RFID chip doesn't actively broadcast, but, with the right equipment, it can be read from a distance. That potential for remote identification draws sharp concern from privacy activists, travel groups, and many others.
The test at United Airlines is intended to see how easily Australia, New Zealand and the United States can read other's e-passports and how durable the chips are under constant use.
The 64-KB chips store a copy of the information from a passport's data page, including name, date of birth and a digitized version of the passport photo. To prevent counterfeiting or alterations, the chips are digitally signed.
The United States is requiring all 27 countries whose citizens do not need visas (note that this excludes countries whose citizens require visas such as India and Bangladesh) to visit to begin issuing e-passports by October 2006.
Posted by admin at 08:22 AM | Comments (0)
August 05, 2005
China develops TV shows for cell phones
Beijing's Le-TV Media Group Corp., announced recently that ``Appointment'' is China's first TV show made just for mobile phones.
Its makers hope the 25-minute series will capture attention in China's crowded mobile phone market, where entrepreneurs are competing furiously to come up with the latest gimmick.
The competition is intense, but with 400 million customers in the world's biggest mobile phone market, China offers a potential jackpot to the company that invents a new craze.
Last year, one company debuted a mobile phone-based novel written to be transmitted in 70-word chapters.
Le-TV Media hopes to pay for this production entirely through company sponsorships. But if the technology proves popular, viewers would pay to watch future programs.
Posted by admin at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)
July 29, 2005
Southeast Asia gears up for chip manufacturing
Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia and Malaysia have launched marketing campaigns designed to attract investors and electronics manufacturers.
Both these countries are portraying themselves as low-cost, hassle-free alternatives to China. Greater respect for intellectual property, lower language barriers and labor costs are key selling points for Malaysia and Indonesia.
Much of Indonesia's effort is focused on the Batam Industrial Trade Authority. Its electronics manufacturing comes from companies based in Singapore seeking to avoid high labor and land costs in the city-state. But leaders of Batam's sprawling industrial parks say they want to reduce their dependence on Singapore, and are seeking investors from India and Japan. Jakarta has funneled millions into infrastructure projects designed to ensure investors that Batam's industrial parks can provide power, broadband network connections and water. But the region is plagued by a history of corruption, fear of terrorism and energy woes.
Malaysia's electronics push is spearheaded by its largest foundry, SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd. SilTerra plays the IP card to the hilt, knowing Western companies are increasingly concerned about the unspoken quid pro quo that access to the Chinese electronics market requires giving away the keys to the store. "We understand the importance of customers' IP and follow the strict industry guidelines," says SilTerra's David Fung. The company claims competitive pricing and quality that match or surpass what China's foundries offer.
Some regional experts predict that Vietnam will also emerge as a player in high-tech markets. The story is told of Vietnamese workers declining overtime to attend night classes. The thinking is that study, not more hours in the sweatshop, provides a better life since it builds the skills for a better job.
Source: EE Times
Posted by admin at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)
July 27, 2005
China becoming major LCD TV market
Market data compiled by DisplaySearch, a flat panel display (FPD) market research and consulting firm, showed that LCD TV sales in China shot up 400 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, the highest sales growth for any country.
Around 200,000 LCD TVs were sold in China in the first quarter this year, accounting for 6.4 percent of the global market. China would boast the largest sales potential, as it is currently the world's largest cathode-ray tube (CRT) TV market.
Sharp Electronics of Japan, maker of high-end Aquos LCD televisions, estimates global demand for LCD TVs will surge 80% to 15 million units in fiscal 2005 from a year earlier.
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