V4 N31 -  9 January 2005

iTHINK ZONE
 

FEAR AND GREED IN THE LEGACY WORLD
In the past few weeks, the legacy phone companies and the states' regulatory agencies [RAs] have awakened to the fact they slept through the last ten years. Now they see they are going to lose their justification for the telephone public monopoly and the RAs will lose their political power to regulate and tax. They are now manning the turrets to keep unregulated and untaxed technology from crossing the moat.
READ ON
http://cyberzone.pacific-tier.com/iThink.htm
[Posted Jan 6]

A HISTORY OF THE "TELEPHONE COMPANY" IN HAWAII

This series will continue soon.

OTHERS' THINK ZONE

WILL COMPUTERS HAVE LEGAL RIGHTS?
It's time to start thinking about how we might grant legal rights to computers. At some point in the not-too-distant future, we might actually face a sentient, intelligent machine who demands, or who many come to believe deserves, some form of legal protection. The plausibility of this occurrence is an extremely touchy subject in the artificial intelligence field.
http://www.legalaffairs.org/issues/January-February-2005/feature_sokis_janfeb05.html

THE FUTURE OF CALAMITY
Future catastrophes -- from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, mudslides, droughts, malaria, AIDS, crop failures, global warming and other causes -- may be far grimmer than the recent Asian tsunami.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/02/weekinreview/02revk.html?adxnnl=1&oref=login&adxnnlx=1104782247-ZCQMx6z97Y7Sxf1IPRwIzA

VoIP ZONE

VONAGE INTRODUCES WIRELESS VoIP HANDSET
Vonage launched its first wireless VoIP handset, the F-1000. The new wireless VoIP phone is made by UTStarcom and works over most WiFi networks, including public hotspots, allowing Vonage customers to use their service on the go. While pricing details have yet to be announced, most expect Vonage to sell the phone for roughly $100. Vonage plans to ship the handset sometime between April and June this year, offering the F-1000 to its 400,000 subscribers. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-01-03-wifi-phone_x.htm?csp=34

CYBERZONE

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU SAY IT Voicemail software recognises callers' emotions The system uses voice analysis and sends the recipient a text message indicating the emotional state of the caller
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6845

THE BLACKBERRY BRAIN TRUST
The futuristic new Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is a think tank where some of the smartest people in the world are contemplating the foundations of quantum physics. Participants include Lee Smolin, who propounds a "fecund universe" theory holding that every black hole leads to another universe; Raymond Laflamme, the information theorist who changed Stephen Hawking's mind on the direction of time in a contracting universe; and Fotini Markopoulou Kalamara, who figured out how to introduce causality into loop quantum gravity theory.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.01/perimeter.html?tw=wn_tophead_8

BROADBAND ADOPTION INCREASES BY 50 MILLION WORLDWIDE The number of broadband lines grew by 50 million across the world in 2004, according to figures from telecoms analyst Point-Topic. Worldwide growth slowed slightly from 63% in 2003 to 50% in 2004, but some individual countries far outstripped the global average.The world market is dominated by digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, which constitutes 60 per cent of all broadband connections. The US, which is second in the overall league, is still dominated by cable broadband, but added 1.2 million new DSL subscribers in 2004.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

BREAKING FREE OF CABLE's STRANGLEHOLD
Equipment makers at the Consumer Electronics Show are seeking to bypass the cable industry's bottleneck control over the way most Americans watch TV.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/06/technology/06cablebox.html?th

BIO/NANO/MEMS ZONE

COGNITIVE OVERLOAD
Some scientists are concerned that the need for speed is shrinking our attention spans, prompting our search for superficial answers and settling us into a rhythm of constant interruption in which deadlines are relentless and tasks are never quite finished. Scientists call this phenomenon "cognitive overload."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2004/1128/cover.html

IT's CRUNCH TIME FOR COMPANIES WITH PRODUCTS IN THE PIPELINE http://letters.washingtonpost.com/W0RT04186591609A7C77F3F3CBF2D0

LCD TECHNIQUE
A Dutch researcher has developed a technique for making LCDs (liquid crystal displays) without the need for cleanrooms. The technique is simpler and cheaper than current methods and is based entirely upon the self-ordering of molecules on a surface. Furthermore, it has been shown that these LCDs can make DNA visible to the naked eye.
http://link.abpi.net/l.php?20050104A2

TUNING IN TO TECHNOLOGY's PAST
Ultrawideband is not the only technology from the 19th century being dusted off for the 21st. William Grove built the first working fuel cell in 1845; the technology is now being readied to power a new generation of hydrogen vehicles. We've got a lot to learn. By Tom Standage http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/01/issue/forward60105.asp?trk=nl

ORGANIC KETCHUP PROTECTS AGAINST CANCER
Tomato sauce was found to contain three times as much of the cancer-fighting chemical lycopene if grown organically, scientists reveal
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6844

COUNT THE FISH
New techniques using existing acoustic sonar equipment may help determine how many salmon are in the water as well as distinguish one species from the other. And that could make counting and catching them a lot easier.
http://cl.exct.net/?fe5415727c620774701c-fe20167073670d7c7c1c79

BIO-BRIEFS ZONE

Atlanta-- Biotechnology: Bioscience corridor in the works for Ga. 316
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200496

Baltimore--New Frederick incubator finds success in fort strategy
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200497

Boston--Life sciences: German holiday: Mass. delegation notches Euro-sales
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200498

Honolulu--Experts focus on building biotech industry
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200499

Philadelphia--Cephalon founder touts region's promise as biotech hub http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200500

Philadelphia--Discovery awaits FDA review of flagship drug product
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200501

Pittsburgh--Biostics selects narrow market
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200502

Pittsburgh--Startups find funding universal challenge
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200503

Pittsburg--KeyBay targets speedy FDA approval
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200504

Sacramento--ThermoGenesis rides atop Prop. 71 surge: One to watch
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200505

San Antonio--UTSA prof develops diagnostic tool for diabetic blindness
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200506

San Francisco--Reinvigorated biotech still faces big challenges
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200507

San Francisco--Biotechs forced to work harder to fill openings:
Hiring 'enormously robust' locally, but firms cast wide net
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200508

South Florida--Viragen tries to incubate new strategy
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1200509


ASIA ZONE

CHINA TELECOM FOR INTERNET TV
China Telecom is planning to introduce Internet Television to enable its subscribers to watch TV programs on their computers or through the Internet terminals. According to company officials IPTV will cover almost all Chinese cities in 2005. The company has already introduced IPTV in Shanghai and terms it as a value addition to its broadband service. However the TV programs offered have already been relayed by the broadcasters. China Netcom is also planning IPTV and several of the media organizers in the country including China National Radio, Beijing Radio and China Central Television are eagerly waiting to cash in on the opportunity.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

CHINA UNICOM EXPANSION COMPLETE
The only CDMA carrier in China, China Unicom has completed the third phase of the network expansion. The entire expansion cost about $1.2 billion. The company will now be able to provide services to about 70 million customers in 300 cities across China as against its earlier capacity of 35 million. After this expansion, China Unicom will be able to provide its CDMA 1X data services all across China. The laptop users will be able to access the Internet with wireless network cards or CDMA 1X mobile phones equipped with a connection speed of 153.6 KB.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

WIRELESS ZONE

AIRPORT USES WEB-BASED FLIGHT INFO SYSTEM Fresno's airport is the first in the nation to use a Web-based wireless system that relies on radar - not the carriers - for the flight information displayed in its terminals, airport officials said. Departures, arrivals and other data for Fresno Yosemite International Airport's 92 daily flights are displayed on monitors and portable kiosks around the terminals. The system does not rely on the airlines for their information, but calculates its own schedules using an independent radar, said airport spokeswoman Patti Miller.
The system is called Passur FlightLink.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45756-2005Jan3.html?referrer=email

HOTSPOTS
Vermont's capital gets wireless; Charter offers customers free Wi-Fi access; aiports in Raleigh-Durham and Vegas offer service; and more.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,1bej,1,l0p5,ecft,jcj3,9ffi

WAYPORT TAKES TOP (HOT) SPOT
The hotspot provider says its total number of locations puts it in the position of 'largest hotspot provider' in the United States.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,1bej,1,8kc4,kega,jcj3,9ffi

WIRELESS LAN HOT SPOTS INCREASING IN JAPAN Since the launch of wireless Internet access in 2002 Japan has seen the number of 'Hot Spots" increase to 9,000. These wireless LAN hot Spots allow speeds of 2-5 megabits/second enabling transmission of large-volume data that mobile phones cannot handle. In Japan NTT Communications Corp has the largest number of hot spots numbering 2,200. The company aims to increase this the total number of access points to 3,000 by the end of March 2005. Now companies like Nippon Telecom Co are providing services like "roaming" between wireless networks to increase user convenience.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

SITE CITES

HOW GPS RECEIVERS WORK
A GPS receiver uses signals from satellites to pinpoint its exact location on Earth, any time, anywhere. It's the biggest thing in navigation since the compass! A GPS receiver can tell you where you are, where you've been, where you're going and what time you'll get there. Find out how the Global Positioning System lets you find your way around the globe.
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm
 

Marty Plotnick's CyberZone is a weekly review of Hawaii technology and international technology news.  The Hawaii Technology Calendar is available on the front page of this site, with links and descriptions of events relevant to the Hawaii technology and telecommunications community.  CyberZone takes special interest in researching and collecting links to stories from international technology news sources of interest to CyberZone's readers.  If you have any comments or suggestions for improvements to his site and information resource please contact Marty Plotnick at martycri@lava.net