IBM Promises Expanded Memory for Servers
New technology will allow IBM to offer its server clients a more expanded base at cheaper costs. That's the claim after an announced partnership between IBM and Broadcom Corp.'s ServerWorks unit. IBM is preparing its "Memory Extension Technology" (MXT) for use in its rack-optimized xSeries line of servers, a compression technology first disclosed last summer. MXT will be integrated inside ServerWorks' "Pinnacle" chipset, and could be later applied to IBM's hard drives as well. IBM is planning to allow customers to reduce the amount of memory within the xSeries servers. The company is tentatively planning to roll the technology out in the second half of this year.
Cisco Ships Wireless Networking Products
The newest line of wireless networking products from Cisco Systems is being rolled out and shipped to customers. The new line of products includes PC card and PCIA client antennas for use in notebook PCs, wireless access points to connect them to the Internet and bridges to connect buildings for high-speed wireless communications. But, the feature that is getting the most attention is a wireless networking security framework based on the 802.1x standard being developed by Cisco and Microsoft. Previous wireless local area networking systems used wired equivalent privacy digital keys to encrypt transmissions using a single 40-bit algorithm per user, but such systems are susceptible to hackers.
Forrester to Hold B2B Forum in the Netherlands
According to new research results published by Forrester, 80 percent of all eBusiness revenues in Europe during the next four years will come from business-to-business products and services. With that in mind Forrester urges B2B firms to attend the group's eBusiness Forum Europe in Amsterdam February 26-28. Key industry speakers include Sally Davis, president, BT Ignite Application Services; Sergio Giacoletto, executive VP EMEA, Oracle; Marcos Gonzalez-Flower, director of Strategy & Planning EMEA, webMethods; Dan Keelan, senior VP & Managing Director EMEA, i2; Erkki Liikanen, commissioner, European Union; Wolfgang Stockinger, director, Global Cash Management, Deutsche Bank AG; Engelbert Suchla, managing director, IT Planning & Control, BMW; and Paul Taylor, VP & general manager EMEA, Commerce One. For more information, visit:
www.forrester.com/ER/Events/Upcoming/Overview/0,1550,301,FF.html
Microsoft Teams with Journals
Microsoft is expanding the options offered through its bCentral site. The site currently sells management tools to small businesses, but the company is partnering with a unit of Advance Publications Inc. that publishes 40 local business newspapers around the country. bCentral will offer free local business news, customized by zip code, from American City Business Journals. Bizjournals.com will be linked to bCentral.com and its readers will have access to bCentral's services. bCentral helps small businesses build websites and manage customer relationships online.
A New Internet Call Waiting Option
eUniverse and Pagoo Inc. are joining forces to deliver Internet call waiting services to customers. This agreement comes on the heels of a successful audience-building campaign eUniverse launched for Pagoo in October that drove more than 1,000 sign-ups per day and more than 40,000 total in November and December. The partnership will see a co-branded "softphone" placed on a users’ desktop. Once downloaded on a machine, the softphone allows users to receive their voice mail and provides a link back to the eUniverse site.
GEM Announces Details of Bingo Conference
GEM Communications today announced the schedule and conference program for the fifth Annual Bingo World Exposition, slated for February 27-March 1 at the Riviera Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. The three-day conference and exposition will feature speakers and exhibitors from around the world. Over 2,500 people
are expected to attend the expo and 60 exhibitors have been confirmed to date. In addition to the exhibits, numerous topic tracks have been organized, which include regulatory issues, technology, marketing, facility operations and management and human resources. Within the tracks, seminars will be presented in a wide range of subjects ranging from international regulation to Indian operations to what influence the Internet has had on bingo. For information, call (203) 852-1340 or visit www.bingworldexpo.com.
Bilingual Phone Banking System Coming Next Quarter
Multi-national banks will soon have another valuable customer service tool when SpeechWorks International launches the first ever bilingual, speech-enabled phone banking system in the second quarter, according to the company. The announcement was made in conjunction with the California Commerce Bank (CCB), which agreed to collaborate on the new technology. The system will provide speech recognition and real-time bank-by-phone services to some 100,000 CCB customers in the United States and Mexico, the companies said. They added that the system is expected to replace the legacy touch-tone phone system and will allow customers to conduct transactions in English or Spanish using wireless and landline phones.
Scandinavian Airlines to Test In-Flight Communications Service
Tenzing Communications, Inc. has secured an agreement with Scandinavian Airlines System to start on-board testing of Tenzing's in-flight communications services. Also joining in the mix with the airline and the communication company is European wireless access provider Telia Mobile, which will provide transparent service via Telia's wireless roaming network and Tenzing's terrestrial Internet service provider (ISP) to in-flight and grounded passengers. During the testing, which will happen later this year, passengers will be able to send and receive e-mail and access the Web. Users will have access to e-mail and Internet services before, during and after their travel.