Economy
HP
Intermec
International
iSeries
Leasing
Predictions
Services
Sun

Economy

Commerce Department: QIII/06 GDP revised down
The Commerce Department said the U.S. economy grew slightly less vigorously during the third quarter than previously thought, slowed by the sharpest slump in housing activity in more than 15 years. Spending on new-home building plunged 18.7%, steeper than the 18% drop estimated a month ago. It was the biggest drop since a 21.7% fall in the first quarter of 1991 and was the fourth consecutive quarter in which building activity declined. The data in the GDP report did not change the overall picture of a gradually slowing economy, hampered by a decline in the housing sector but with investments by businesses continuing at a solid pace. Business spending grew at a 10% rate in the third quarter, the same rate as estimated a month ago, more than twice the 4.4% rate posted in the second quarter.
Click here to view the Commerce Department release in its entirety.

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HP

HP CEO says more cost-cutting ahead
There's more cost-cutting in the future for Palo Alto-based Hewlett-Packard. That's the word from HP's chief executive officer, Mark Hurd. During a meeting broadcast over the Internet, Hurd told analysts that management at Hewlett-Packard will continue to look for ways to cut expenses. Hurd also said the computer and printer maker will continue to retool its sales strategies and will make other moves in trying to improve its overall position. He also appeared to indirectly dismiss rumors that HP might buy network security provider Symantec. Hurd said that after the acquisition of software maker Mercury Interactive, HP would likely engage only in what he termed "targeted" mergers and acquisitions.
Visit www.hp.com.
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Intermec

Intermec now shipping SR61 rugged handheld wireless scanner
Intermec Inc. is now shipping the SR61 rugged handheld wireless scanner, the first scanner available with a choice of all Intermec scanning options: standard range area imager, MEMS laser or linear scanning. The SR61 allows companies to standardize on a single form factor and choose the scanning technology that best suits their application needs, from low-light environments to highly dense or difficult to read barcodes.  The SR61 provides fast and easy communication with Intermec handheld or vehicle mount terminal products and with standard PCs. With no cables to tangle, stretch or break and a Class 1 Bluetooth radio with up to 100 feet of range, users can take the SR61 to the product being scanned, lessening the likelihood of damage to the device and increasing productivity.  
Visit www.intermec.com.
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International

International computer sales beat U.S.
U.S. computer sales this year were virtually stagnant despite international success and Apple's 30 percent jump year-over-year last quarter, according to research firm IDC. While Europe and other regions saw a jump of over 10 percent in sales compared to 2005, the U.S. saw only a third of that growth at 3.5 percent. IDC quickly put to rest fears that delays to Windows Vista, which have triggered coupon programs to maintain holiday sales, are the primary factor in the slowdown. The business market -- where buyers rarely adopt new software the moment it becomes available -- proved the hardest-hit segment, which IDC says is due to slower update cycles with system builders and generally poor performance by those companies. Apple is poised to set an all-time record for the company by the end of 2006, according to Electronista.
Visit www.idc.com.
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iSeries

iSeries hosting service announced by Optimus Solutions
OS/400 and i5/OS shops that are looking for additional AS/400, iSeries, or System i capacity, but don't have the budget to justify buying a new or used box, may want to check out the new managed hosting service announced by Optimus Solutions, an IBM value-added reseller. As part of its new iSeries hosting business, Optimus Solutions will provide professional technicians to manage organizations' i5/OS boxes. The company is offering service level agreements that guarantee a 99.9 percent uptime rating for its managed iSeries servers, which corresponds to a little less than nine hours of unplanned downtime per year. Customers can run their choice of applications with the Optimus managed hosting service, or utilize the service for testing, high availability, or disaster recovery purposes.
Visit www.optimussolutions.com.

Laser Photonics introduces the i-Series Fiber Laser Marking Kit for UID Marking
Laser Photonics, a division of Fonon Technology International Inc., released the new integrated Fiber Laser Marking Kit for direct parts marking (DPM), UID, and deep engraving. The i-Series Fiber Laser Kit is an integrated package consisting of a laser scan head controllers, and power supply in just one component. (i-Series FLMK)  A traditional laser kit requires a set of cables and interconnects for installation. However, with the iSeries FLMK, not only has the number of cables been reduced, but installation and integration have been made easier. For quick start-ups or changeovers from existing systems, the plug-and-play software offers users the ultimate in control, quality and speed versus competitive marking technologies. As an option, an external PC is connected via USB to the laser unit, but can be disconnected once all information is programmed into this new technology. The result? A cutting-edge system that can be integrated into any production line at a cost reduction of nearly 25% over traditional fiber laser systems. 
Visit www.laserphotonics.com.
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Leasing

Key Equipment Finance Canada names Wilson VP, Sales
Key Equipment Finance Canada announced that Glen Wilson has been named vice president of sales. In his new role, Wilson is responsible for leading the company's national direct and indirect sales force. Wilson brings more than 20 years of commercial experience in product development, credit and sales in the middle market. He is located at Key Equipment Finance's Canadian headquarters in Burlington, Ontario.
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Predictions

What 2007 and beyond might have in store
It is probably a good idea to take a look at what some experts have to say about the IT ecosystem in general and what its prospects are for the year.  The analysts at Forrester Research are predicting that IT spending will grow in 2007, but that spending growth will slow compared to that of 2006. Specifically, Forrester is expecting a slowdown in IT spending in both geographies in 2007, with the European market cooling a little to $586 billion in sales, up 3.7 percent, compared to $742 billion in the United States, up only 2.9 percent. That compares to a 5.8 percent increase in 2006 in the United States and a 5.1 percent increase in Europe. If you want a second opinion, the prognosis will be much the same over at Gartner, at least among large enterprises in the United States. Gartner released a statement that said the company's analysts have found after checks that big companies are expecting to only increase their IT spending in 2007 by 2.8 percent. Only six months ago, these same executives were forecasting that their 2007 spending would rise by 6 percent. IDC is, however, predicting that overall worldwide IT spending will grow by 6.6 percent in 2007, which is a lot more than either Forrester or Gartner are saying it will. IDC says that IT vendors are adopting new business models and selling new technologies, and that means we are in for a lot of changes.
Visit www.forrester.com or www.gartner.com or www.idc.com.

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Services

MGIC enters $2.5M agreement w/Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan
Magic Software Enterprises (MGIC) announced an agreement to sell more than $2.5 million in eDeveloper and iBOLT services to Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan, Inc. of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada for the implementation phase of a custom reinsurance system that includes integration of Oracle J.D. Edwards World software on the IBM System i (formerly iSeries) platform. The system will provide business process innovations and enhancements for FMRP's members.
Visit www.magicsoftware.com.
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Sun

Sun Microsystems helps retailers manage busy holiday season
Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced a host of retail customers are using Sun's Java CAPS technology now in production to better align technology with Web services and deliver improved quality of service to customers during the busy 2007 holiday season. By helping Harrods, Karstadt and others move to a service-oriented architecture (SOA), Sun is enabling better inventory management and significant bottom-line savings through greater business efficiency. Today over half of the world's top 20 retailers use Sun products, representing a significant percentage of Sun's overall revenue. Based on open standards, Sun's SOA solutions allow customers to reuse, enhance and extend existing IT assets.
Visit www.sun.com.
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