Deals
FCC vendor alert
FYI
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IBM
Intermec
Leasing
Linux
Printing technologies
Sun

Deals

Seco Tools signs with Lawson Software
Lawson Software, Inc. has signed a contract with Sweden-based Seco Tools for licenses and support for the Lawson M3 software solution (previously Movex), which will become the standard for Seco Tools and its companies around the world. In total, the contract will encompass about 2,000 users in more than 20 countries. The contract was signed in Lawson's first quarter of fiscal 2007. The Lawson M3 system will provide a global solution for Seco Tools to help the company coordinate and standardize its business processes around the world. It will enable orders to be placed anywhere in the world, fed into the Lawson M3 business system, and within 24 hours, products delivered to the customer. The system will replace several existing sales and manufacturing systems at Seco Tools.
Visit www.lawson.com.
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FCC vendor alert

FCC investigating Terre Haute company
The FCC is investigating a company owned by a convicted felon that sold more than $1 million in communications equipment to the city of Terre Haute. An order to show cause released by the Federal Communications Commission alleges that Commercial Radio Service, Inc., misrepresented itself on license applications. The company is accused of failing to mention the felony convictions of owner Timothy M. Doty of West Terre Haute. An order to show cause is the first step in an administrative law proceeding. If the FCC proves the case, Commercial Radio Service, based in Terre Haute, potentially could be fined. The company also could lose its communications licensing. Doty's wife, Sonya, denied the allegations, stating that her husband's signature is not found on the documents in question. In 1991, Doty was found guilty in federal court involving the manufacture and possession of unauthorized satellite television signal scrambling devices, which is a felony.

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FYI

Web browser leaves no footprints
The latest entrant to the crowded Internet browser market is the appropriately named Browzar, a tool specifically designed to protect users' privacy by not retaining details of the Web sites they've searched. Browzar can be run or downloaded from its Web site; users don't have to register to use the free browser. Browzar automatically deletes Internet caches, histories, cookies and auto-complete forms. It is the brainchild of Ajaz Ahmed, the man behind Freeserve, the first U.K. ISP to offer free Internet access to customers in the late 1990s. He sold Freeserve -- which quickly became the U.K.'s largest ISP -- to France Télécom SA's Wanadoo operation in 2001 for £1.6 billion (US$3 billion). While Freeserve was focused on the needs of the U.K. market, Ahmed hopes Browzar will have global appeal, particularly anywhere users are going online on shared computers. The browser is currently available for Windows and Ahmed plans versions for the Mac OS and Linux. Browzar is in beta testing at present and should enter general availability some time next month, he said.
Visit www.browzar.com.
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HP

Cisco and HP to deliver Pervasive Indoor Wireless solution
Cisco Systems and HP announced a joint effort focused on helping enterprise customers take advantage of a wide array of new applications and services based on Cisco's Pervasive Indoor Wireless technology. The new applications and services include security, guest access, voice over Wi-Fi and location-based services and allow for the creation of a variety of new applications, such as IT asset tracking, presence-based applications, dual-mode voice and integrated intrusion detection and prevention. HP will provide systems integration services for the new and enhanced products within Cisco's Unified Wireless Network Family, including the Cisco Catalyst 3750G Integrated Wireless LAN Controller and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network Software Release 4.0. The companies' joint work is intended to improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs associated with WLAN services.
Visit www.hp.com or www.cisco.com.

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IBM

IBM unveils WebSphere Portal for SMBs
IBM's recently shipped WebSphere Portal Server bundles content and document management and includes collaborative perks. Unlike IBM's Express portal offering, WebSphere Portal Server is full featured, said John Caffrey, program director for IBM WebSphere Portal and content management products. "It has the same core portal engine as the flagship WebSphere Portal Enable product, with portal, personalization and aggregation of applications [as well as] document management built in. And it also packages up Web content management functionality," Caffrey said. "We have not announced a version 6 of WebSphere Portal Express," he added. "We've said publicly we would bring Workplace Services Express and WebSphere Portal Express together, but we didn't say when." IBM's Express products are pared down for simplicity and easy installation, which meant taking away a lot of options, according to Caffrey. The WebSphere Portal Server software is available for Linux, Windows and various Unix platforms. A Z/OS version is slated to come out later.
Visit www.ibm.com.
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Intermec

Survey rates Intermec highest in expertise, service and support
Customers rank Intermec Inc. best in its class for technical expertise, market expertise, customer service and support, according to a global survey of end-users by Venture Development Corp., a leading technology market research and strategy firm. “These findings are evidence that Intermec is investing in the skills and capabilities that customers value most – and that these investments are paying dividends for the company and its customers,” said VDC Mobile and Wireless Practice Director David Krebs. “This is especially true in the technical expertise criterion, where Intermec's rating was 9 percent higher than the average for its peer group." The VDC survey analyzed telephone interview and web survey returns from nearly 1,000 users of rugged mobile computing platforms during the first half of 2006 and in 2005. This marks the second year in a row that Intermec has distinguished itself in service support among VDC survey respondents.
Visit www.intermec.com or www.vdc-corp.com.
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Leasing

Graphic Savings Group introduces new asset remarketing program
Graphic Savings Group announced the release of its new asset management initiative, REUSE, the Remarketing & Effective Utilization of Surplus Equipment. The REUSE training program teaches leasing professionals how to properly value equipment residuals and manage the remarketing process on IT equipment, including digital copiers and printers. Under the REUSE program, which includes group seminars and individual consultations, Graphic Savings Group will look to teach leasing professionals the process from initialization to de-installation and resale. The first step under the REUSE program is learning how to conduct an audit. Graphic Savings Group will next sit down with partners to discuss the changing strategy involved in managing the life of used and new assets. The final portion of the REUSE program will look at how leasing companies can limit risk and avoid overexposure while attempting to remarket assets. Participating professionals will learn how to develop partnership opportunities and create new channels of distribution.
Visit www.graphicsavings.com.
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Linux

FINEOS joins IBM's eServer Application Advantage for Linux
FINEOS Corporation, an award-winning provider of software solutions for the insurance and banking industries, announced it has joined IBM's Chiphopper program. The program, officially known as the eServer Application Advantage for Linux, enables Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to develop one version of their application that will run across the entire IBM eServer hardware line. Servers included in the program range from IBM's entry-level x86-based xSeries, to blades and clusters, IBM Power processor-based servers (iSeries, pSeries) and mainframes (zSeries). Chiphopper certification assures FINEOS clients, opting to leverage the Linux platform, that the FINEOS 5 suite of insurance and banking solutions, as well as the underlying application and technical architecture, has been tested and approved for use on multiple IBM platforms using the Linux operating system and is "Use Ready for IBM eServer with Linux" according to the program agreement.
Visit www.FINEOS.com.
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Printing technologies

Seiko Instruments' mini-printer useful as label output device
Seiko Instruments Smart Label Printer, which measures only 6.22"(H) x 4.61"(W) x 6.34"(D), is increasingly being integrated into health care systems to provide instant labels for a wide variety of uses. The mini-printer, which can easily be programmed to produce data entered into a freestanding or networked PC or laptop, or from other types of devices, is the output tool for a biomedical waste processing system, a robotic pharmacy system, several hearing testing units and numerous other desktop and mobile health care applications. The printer's labels, ranging in size up to 2 1/8 inches wide, can incorporate text, graphics and barcodes at 300 DPI resolution.
Visit www.siibusinessproducts.com.
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Sun

Sun Microsystems launches record-breaking servers and workstation
Sun Microsystems, Inc. further solidified its server leadership in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region with the addition of 10 new products to its Sun Fire server and Sun Ultra workstation. The newly launched products run on Solaris 10 operating system and offer up to 8x performance boost. With this announcement, Sun has not only expanded its broad systems portfolio but also raised the bar on the industry with its growing UltraSPARC and x64 systems product portfolio -- demonstrating Sun's commitment to be the leading provider of enterprise class systems. Globally, the new servers and workstation have generated wide support from a variety of Sun customers. According to Chris Cornelius, managing director of Sun Microsystems Middle East, factors such as computing speed, longevity in datacenters, performance and support for multiple operating systems are vital to customers in the Middle East.
Visit www.sun.com.
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