V4 N37 -  20 February 2005

iTHINK ZONE

 

BACKHOES vs ANTENNAS
Guest Thinking by Stuart Browne

The telecommunication industry is entering a dynamic new era as former competitors merge and aspects of the old Bell System monopoly reappear. The recent announcements of the buy-out of ATT by SBC (jokingly referred to as a "mother and child reunion"), the ATT Wireless purchase by Cingular and the merger of Verizon with MCI have been well reported in the mainstream media as a major restructuring of the telecom industry.
Read More

http://cyberzone.pacific-tier.com/iThink.htm
[To Be Posted Feb ]

A HISTORY OF THE "TELEPHONE COMPANY" IN HAWAII This series will continue soon.

VoIP ZONE

FCC PROBES BLOCKING OF INTERNET PHONE CALLS

The federal government is looking into allegations that as many as 200 people who switched from traditional telephone service to placing calls via the Internet had their new service disrupted by the local telephone company in their area.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell confirmed earlier this week that the FCC is examining informal complaints from Vonage Holdings Corp., the nation's leading provider of voice over Internet protocol--VoIP. Vonage declined to identify the phone company involved.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31082-2005Feb16.html

CYBERZONE

WHAT EXACTLY WILL INTERACTIVE TV BRING?
The big telecom companies are gearing up for a battle with cable conglomerates over TV, with the winner having the opportunity to rule information delivery networks.
http://www.TechnologyReview.com/articles/05/02/ap/ap_3021505.asp?trk=nl

BELLSOUTH OFFERS CUSTOMERS SATELLITE TV SERVICES

BellSouth, the largest wireless voice and data provider in the US has stated that about 200,000 customers have appended the DIRECTV(R) digital satellite television service to their communications services packages. The company had started the service in August 2004.  According to the president, consumer services of BellSouth Jan Funderburg, the service bundles that offer local, long distance,  Cingular(R) Wireless services, Internet and DIRECTV services allow the customers a greater choice in terms of content at lower costs. The service offers a package of 125 channels to the customers and also allows access to channels of other languages. The customers who subscribe for the DIRECTV service AND BellSouth(R) FastAccess(R) DSL (any speed)(2) before April 30, 2005 will benefit by way of cash back of $75 and a promotional subscription to BellSouth Answers(R).

EMERGENCY ROOM ACCESS: MATH TO THE RESCUE

A team of mathematicians at CSIRO is developing a system that can predict the likelihood of hospital emergency departments having to go on bypass and turn away ambulances carrying critically ill patients.
http://www.spacemart.com/news/disaster-management-05m.html

A 3-D VIEW OF A CITY, BLOCK BY BLOCK
VEHICLES that move slowly down the street, pausing regularly to take photographs with remote-controlled cameras, tend to make the police a bit nervous. But one trailer loaded with imaging equipment that made its way through the streets of central Philadelphia wasn't spying - although at first, Secret Service agents had their doubts.

Both the vehicle and a plane that flew over the same area were taking authorized pictures of each building and its surroundings, at the behest of the downtown improvement district. Now the terabytes of imaging data are being used to build a three-dimensional model of central Philadelphia, down to the last cornice, mailbox and shrub.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/17/technology/circuits/17next.html?pagewanted=print&position=

TECH GADGETS IN THE PIPELINE SEEN AT DEMO

 A camera that can detect ice on the wings of aircraft before takeoff.
A scanning booth that measures your clothing size with radio waves. Software that stops tasteless e-mail jokes from being dispatched through office computers. All these new products and more were on display Monday and Tuesday at Demo, a yearly conference where about 700 of the techno-elite gather to kick the tires of start-ups from Silicon Valley and beyond.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/columnists/mike_langberg/10912237.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31081-2005Feb16?language=printer

BIO/NANO/MEMS ZONE

A VACCINE THAT CAN BE STORED IN A POTATO

A group of biologists have designed an edible vaccine against Hepatitis-B virus that can be stored inside a genetically-altered potato, hence doing away with the need of cold storage. Charles Arntzen and his colleagues from Arizona State University took a gene out of Hepatitis-B virus and incorporated it in the potato plant, which responded by producing the virus antigen, the Nature magazine reported.
http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=72434

WHO SAYS TO STOCKPILE BIRD FLU VACCINE NOW

Do it before a pandemic starts, says an upcoming recommendation from the WHO, reflecting the fear that an outbreak is becoming more likely
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7012

THE FUTURE IS SMALL....AND DARK
Nanotechnology has some amazing possibilities and some disturbing risks. In today's world, scientists hope nanotechnology will be the technological saviour of the century, making things smaller, faster, stronger, cheaper and more powerful than ever before. But as Amanda Armstrong find out, this technology has a dark side, too http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/nanotechnology/default.htm

AUGMENTED REALITY, ANOTHER (VIRTUAL) BRICK IN THE WALL

Georgia Tech University researchers are working to meld virtual and physical reality together, which will enhance the ways people interact with and perceive the world around them. By Michelle Delio.
<http://wwwnl.technologyreview.com/t?ctl=B9BF34:2EBD7D6>http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/02/wo/wo_delio021505.asp?trk=nl

TRADING COLOR FOR SOUND FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Working with a graphics specialist and another student, a blind graduate student at Cornell University has developed a computer application that translates colors into sounds, allowing him to read and understand colored maps of the atmosphere. Victor Wong, who has been blind since age seven, said he recognized the need for such a tool for his own studies, as well as for blind scientists generally. The application translates the colors of digitally created images into one of 88 notes, with blue at the low end and red at the high end. Users manipulate a stylus on a tablet to "read" the images through sound. Wong believes that because he formerly could see, his "color memory" may afford him the ability to visualize the colors and use the application in a way that someone who has never been able to see could not. The software remains primitive, but Wong said he hopes it can one day be developed to give blind people access to photographs and other images.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4257961.stm

BIO-BRIEFS ZONE

Baltimore--Rare Maryland-Virginia-D.C. team may take on nanotech
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266944

Boston--Incubators reappear with lab focus for bio startups
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266945

Boston--Despite woes, Merck lab marches on: 500 researchers focus on cancer compounds
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266946

East Bay--Wareham took inside track on stem cell institute
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266947

Honolulu--'A potential billion-dollar company': Growing corneas from cells may revolutionize transplant business
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266948

Memphis---Going global: Genome Explorations expands into Europe
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266949

Memphis--Haggard tapped to help develop musculoskeletal industry http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266950

Minneapolis/St. Paul--In Private: Techne takes startup off its books
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266951

Minneapolis/St. Paul--Optimistic Techne buys room for growth
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266952

Philadelphia--Neose development partnership could open door for $61M gain
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266953

Pittsburgh--PA BIO calls for stem cell round table: Officials seek to boost regenerative medicine
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266954

Portland--Portland institutions land grants for cancer research
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266955

Raleigh/Durham--Cardinal Health eyes $500M biotech plant in Triangle
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266956

San Francisco--Stem-cell HQ fight shapes up as free-for-all
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266957

San Francisco--Cerus to pony up $34.5 million to settle dispute with Baxter
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266958
 
San Jose--Small startups look to foreign IPO markets
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266959

Seattle--Inside the deal: In a high-stakes year, WBBA hires UW executive http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266960

South Florida--UM, FAU plan research park buildings
http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/c/1266961

ASIA ZONE

JAPAN POST BLAMES EMAIL FOR Y56,2 BILLION LOSS

Japan Post said Wednesday its mail delivery service posted a 56.2 billion yen net loss in the April-September period of fiscal 2004. Japan Post blamed the sector's red ink on the growing number of people using email instead of ordinary postal services.  FULL STORY (Kyodo News)

SingTel WANTS MORE OF GLOBE TELECOM
Singapore Telecom has offered to raise its equity in one of the largest Philippines cell phone services provider Globe Telecom.
According to Andrew Buay, vice-president for consumer marketing, SingTel, although the company is open to increase its stake in Globe still it will depend on the market conditions. Andrew Buay is also on the board of Globe representing his company. In 2004 SingTel had acquired 5% equity in Globe from Ayala Corporation for nearly $120 million and so far it has acquired 45% stake in the company.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

MATSUSHITA TO HIRE 2,000 CHINESE ENGINEERS OVER 3 YEARS

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co plans to recruit 2,000 newly graduated students in engineering in China over a three-year period beginning in April, company officials said.  The number is almost double that in Japan, they said, in an indication the company wants to enhance its product development in China and benefit from the fast-growing Chinese market. The new hires will be assigned to development of products for the Chinese market at local research and development bases, the company said.
FULL STORY (Kyodo News)

WIRELESS ZONE

SBC PROVIDES Wi-Fi TO CHICAGO's MERCHANDISE MART

SBC Communications launched the biggest Wi-Fi hotspot in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart office, transportation and shopping complex and the 350 W. Mart Center with the start of the FreedomLink Wi-Fi service. The Merchandise Mart is considered to the biggest commercial complex with an average of 18,000 visitors visiting each day. SBC has installed 26 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the two commercial centers. With this, the company now has about 300 hot spots in the city of Illinois. The company has also introduced a new scheme for its DSL customers that will allow them free access to Wi-Fi from April 15,  2005 to May 31, 2005. The users will then be charged $1.99 per month where they will have to subscribe for at least a year.

BLUETOOTH-ENABLED EYEWEAR LAUNCHED
Oakley Inc, the top sunglass maker and Motorola have together launched an eyewear that is Bluetooth-enabled. The sunglasses will enable the wireless users to stay connected. The new sunglass line is called RAZRWire and is available in three colors. The users will be able to use the frames of the glasses to answer and make wireless calls without using their hands. The frames of Oakley have all the trademark features of the other Oakley range including O-Luminum frames and patented XYZ Optics. The eyewear will be launched commercially in 2005.
FULL ITEM [IDG]

A MEAL WITH A SIDE OF Wi-FI
Netopia will push its hotspot solutions to any and all vendors by partnering with their suppliers. First up: giant food service supplier Sysco.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,1ear,1,jwgq,25sh,jcj3,9ffi

HOTSPOTS

Boingo travels by plane; T-Mobile travels by train; GPS installs on French golf carts; and more.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,1een,1,l0p5,ecft,jcj3,9ffi

AS's Seattle to Copenhagen leg is Wi-Fied; Wayport unwires hotel at the Dallas airport; iPass works to increase security; and more.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,1ear,1,l0p5,ecft,jcj3,9ffi

SITE CITES

HOW WIRETAPPING WORKS
Wiretapping occurs all the time in espionage and crime movies.  Spies and gangsters know the enemy is listening, so they speak in code over the phone and keep an eye out for bugs. In the real world, we may not think much about wiretapping. Most of the time, we assume our phone lines are secure. And in most cases, they are, but only because nobody cares enough to listen in. If people did want to eavesdrop, they could tap into almost any phone line quite easily.

This article explores the practice of wiretapping to see just how simple it is. Also it looks at a few different types of wiretaps, find out who taps phone lines and examine the laws that regulate this practice.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/wiretapping.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