Sci-Tech Today

IBM Extends Lotus Notes To Millions of Nokia Phones

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:50:54 -0500

Nokia and IBM on Thursday launched IBM Lotus Notes support for Nokia's S60-based mobile phones. That means millions of Lotus Notes users will be able to access their e-mail on Nokia devices in December.

Lotus Notes has almost 140 million licensed users. The announcement opens the door for more than 80 million Nokia S60 3rd Edition devices to connect to corporate e-mail accounts through Lotus Domino Server software known as Lotus Notes Traveler. The software provides real-time access to e-mail, calendars, address books, journals and to-do lists.

According to Soren Petersen, senior vice president at Nokia, the deal with Big Blue is another affirmation of the company's business mobility vision: To establish partnerships with the world's leading enterprise vendors.

"This collaboration means nearly 90 percent of business e-mail can be mobilized with Nokia devices, without needing to purchase additional servers, middleware or licenses," Petersen said. "With the presence, position and technology that IBM has in the corporate e-mail market, they are an essential partner for us in enterprise."

The Rise of Mobile Devices

According to IBM's Institute for Business Value, this year, for the first time, more people in the world will have a mobile device than a landline telephone. In fact, Big Blue predicts one billion mobile Web users by 2011 and a significant shift in the way the majority of people will interact with the Web over the next decade. Mobile devices already outnumber television sets, credit cards and personal computers.

While Nokia casts the announcement as affirmation of its vision, IBM calls it a major development in its efforts to expand mobile support for the Lotus software portfolio. Secure connection to e-mail is an example of IBM's Tomorrow at Work, an initiative that examines a changing work environment and anticipates trends in technology, business, society and culture.

Lotus Sametime for instant messaging...

Glitches Reported as BlackBerry Storm Nears U.S. Debut

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:53:00 -0500

The BlackBerry Storm has been debuting around the world, but rumors are spreading about a possible shortage in the U.S. News reports also indicate Research In Motion discovered a security flaw in the Storm that has left Verizon Wireless scrambling to update the firmware in the final hours before its U.S. release on Friday.

Neither RIM nor Verizon were immediately available for comment. The much-anticipated BlackBerry Storm will be available exclusively from Verizon in the U.S.

"The BlackBerry Storm is big deal for Verizon Wireless customers," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis. "There's pent-up demand for a touchscreen BlackBerry and there's pent-up demand for a touchscreen smartphone at Verizon, especially since AT&T has the corner on the iPhone."

Broad Market Appeal

The Storm was designed to appeal to both consumers and businesses. Ir combines the communications features, global connectivity, and productivity tools expected from a BlackBerry with a touchscreen technology to make typing easier and more precise.

RIM is billing the BlackBerry Storm as having the world's first "clickable" touchscreen. It does qualify as RIM's first attempt at an iPhone-like experience. The company said it responds much like a physical keyboard and also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestures for intuitive and efficient application navigation.

"The BlackBerry Storm is a revolutionary touchscreen smartphone that meets both the communications and multimedia needs of customers and solves the longstanding problem associated with typing on traditional touchscreens," said Mike Lazaridis, president and co-chief executive officer at RIM. "Consumers and business customers alike will appreciate this unique combination of a large and vibrant screen with a truly tactile touch interface."

Mixed Media Advantages

BlackBerry Storm customers can tap into a full HTML high-performance browser that works in either portrait or landscape orientation. Users will navigate Web sites with the touchscreen interface that lets them double-tap to zoom in and slide...

Hewlett-Packard Intros Notebook with Multi-Touch Screen

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:00:08 -0500

Hewlett-Packard has taken the wraps off the TouchSmart tx2 -- the PC maker's first convertible notebook screen to include capacitive multi-touch technology.

The machine's touch-sensitive screen and MediaSmart software work together to recognize and execute commands based on motions such as pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press and drag, as well as single and double taps. The technology combo enables users to more naturally select, organize and manipulate photos, music tracks, video clips and other Web content by touching the screen -- including content from 10 cable-TV channels and online brands owned by MTV Networks.

"With the introduction of the TouchSmart tx2, HP is providing users with an easier, more natural way to interact with their PCs," said Ted Clark, the manager of HP's notebook group.

A Convertible Twist

Empowered by Windows Vista Home Premium, the tx2 sports an AMD Turion X2 dual-core mobile processor, a built-in Webcam with integrated microphone, and a rechargeable digital ink pen. The laptop's convertible design also incorporates a twist hinge that enables the machine to be configured in three different modes: PC, display and tablet.

Users can transform the tx2 into a tablet PC in order to write, sketch, draw, take notes or graph right onto the screen, with handwriting automatically converted into typed text. The tx2 also ships with a notebook stand that elevates the unit while stationary, which enables the user to put the machine in an upright position to allow for full interactivity with the device's touchscreen.

Rival Dell blazed a trail in the multi-touch notebook field late last year with the introduction of the Latitude XT -- a convertible tablet PC priced at $1,829 that features both pen and capacitive touch capabilities. However, HP's TouchSmart tx2 is available now at a base price of $1,149.

Vast Product Offerings

With its release of the tx2, HP has...

NASA Successfully Tests 'Interplanetary Internet'

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:50:21 -0500

Although the crew of the spacecraft Endeavour experienced a glitch in the first space walk when an astronaut accidentally let her tool bag float away, NASA had a lot to celebrate as it announced success with a high-tech space program.

NASA, along with Vinton Cerf, a Google vice president, successfully tested a deep-space network modeled after the Internet. Engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., have transmitted dozens of images to and from the spacecraft located 20 million miles from Earth using disruption-tolerant networking (DTN) software.

DTN, which sends information differently from the TCP/IP protocol used by the Internet, was developed a decade ago by NASA engineers and Cerf, who is known to many as the "father of the Internet" and is a visiting scientist at JPL.

Interplanetary Internet

"This is the first step in creating a totally new space communications capability, an interplanetary Internet," said Adrian Hooke, team lead and manager of space-networking architecture at NASA.

The month-long experiment is the first of many planned tests to qualify the technology for use on future space missions. If NASA continues to succeed with DTN, astronauts on manned missions will be able to communicate with researchers worldwide. NASA is planning its next round of testing next summer, using DTN software on the International Space Station.

"We have been doing this test for a month and it has been working well and it's exciting getting the word out that we had a good round of testing," said Leigh Torgerson, manager of the DTN experiment operations center at JPL, in a phone interview.

"We needed some way of automating and routing this process in a standard way so any other space agency can pick up the protocol and use it," Torgerson said. "The more nodes you have, the more paths you have to get data back and...

T-Mobile's Web2go Will Use Yahoo's oneSearch

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:46:17 -0500

Yahoo has won another wireless carrier for its mobile Internet search tool. The company joined T-Mobile in announcing Thursday that oneSearch will be the search utility for T-Mobile's web2go service.

Yahoo said more than 70 mobile operators worldwide are now using its mobile search tool.

T-Mobile said oneSearch will provide web2go users a better Web-browsing experience "by making it easier to view and navigate the Web through a customizable home page," as well a simplified shopping and download experience.

Grouped Results

oneSearch enables users to search for a variety of information on the Web. It also allows users to find content on the T-Mobile store, including ringtones, wallpaper and games.

The search results will place relevant ads at the customer's fingertips, with either sponsored search results or display ads.

Since a mobile user's display space is limited, the Yahoo tool has been designed to provide results grouped around a given search term. For instance, a search for a movie title returns theaters with show times, reviews, information on the actors, and related articles. Or a search on a sports team returns relevant scores, schedules, profiles for teams, news, and a link to the team's Web site.

'More Easily Digestible Content'

The basic idea is that, rather than having to use a mobile device to drill down into search links as one might do on a computer, the most common collection of related data comes to the top on the first search. This approach, said T-Mobile USA Chief Development Officer Cole Brodman, "delivers a more intuitive mobile experience that places the most relevant information at the fingertips of T-Mobile customers."

Sean Ryan, an analyst at industry research firm IDC, noted that efforts have been ongoing to determine the most useful way to search on a mobile device. "It's limited, of course, by the small screen, alphanumeric...

MySpace Hoax Trial Resumes After Mother Testifies

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:10:45 -0500

The trial of a Missouri woman charged in a tragic MySpace hoax resumed Thursday. Testimony began Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in the controversial trial of Lori Drew, who is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of computer fraud.

The charges stem from her alleged participation in a MySpace hoax which may have caused the suicide of 13-year-old Megan Meier. Drew is being tried under the Computer Abuse and Fraud Act.

Tina Meier, Megan's mother, took the stand on the first day of the trial. She told the court her daughter, who was battling depression and had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, took her own life after reading a message from a fictitious boy on the social-networking site named Josh Evans, according to the Associated Press.

"Josh Evans" was not who he said he was for the six weeks he and Meier communicated on MySpace.com. Instead, he was a fictitious person allegedly created by Lori Drew, her then-13-year-old daughter, and her then-18-year-old personal assistant, Ashley Grills.

Not Homicide

The case involving Drew has drawn much attention from families in the Missouri town where Drew and Meier live and across the nation as families learned about the cyberbullying that may have caused Meier to hang herself in her bedroom closet.

Attorneys for Drew and the judge have made it very clear that Drew is not on trial for homicide. Drew, however, faces charges that she broke MySpace's terms, which prohibit users from creating false identities. The case is being tried in California, where MySpace's servers are located.

Grills admitted on live television that she created the online account, but added that Drew and her daughter participated in the six-week-long ruse.

Safety Precautions

As a result of Meier's suicide, Missouri has passed a cyberbullying law. That law defines harassment as knowingly communicating with another person...

Microsoft's Morro Could Challenge Security Giants

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:22:46 -0500

McAfee and Symantec could be affected as Microsoft moves to provide free antivirus software. If the software, code-named Morro, successfully protects against viruses, analysts said, it could mean an exodus from well-known security brands.

On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a security offering focused on protecting against malware. The software giant is addressing what it sees as a growing need for a security solution that meets the unique needs of emerging markets and smaller PC form factors.

"This could be third-time lucky for Microsoft in regards to an antivirus product," said Graham Cluley, a senior security consultant at Sophos. "They tried with MSAV in Windows 3.11/MSDOS 6.2, which wasn't terribly successful -- especially when it detected Windows 95 as a virus."

A Smaller Footprint

The secret sauce for Morro is in the architecture. It will offer comprehensive protection from various forms of malicious software, including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans, by focusing on a smaller footprint that uses fewer computing resources.

Microsoft said Morro is ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios or less-powerful PCs. By targeting the core anti-malware features that most consumers don't keep up to date, Microsoft said, Morro will provide the essential protection that consumers need without overusing system resources, and provide better protection against online threats.

As Morro comes on the scene, Microsoft will discontinue retail sales of its Windows Live OneCare subscription service, effective June 30, 2009. OneCare was Microsoft's second attempt at security. Although it was much better at detecting malware, Cluley said, it didn't capture a large home-user audience.

"Anything which encourages more home users to defend their PCs has to be encouraged, provided innovation and competitiveness is not stifled," Cluley said, "but consumers will have to wait until next summer to find out how good the product actually is."

Sleepless Nights?

Microsoft is moving early to educate the market about the product. Morro is...

Cloud Computing and Data Security: Know the Risks

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:49:14 -0500

Some enterprises now consider cloud computing to be the next-best thing to sliced bread. But Jeff Kalwerisky chief security evangelist of Alpha Software, sees the benefits as well as the hype. As an expert in information security and risk management for more than two decades, Kalwerisky has worked for many Fortune 100 companies and sees some security risks that could expose company data in the cloud architecture.

"The devil is in the details," says Kalwerisky, who advises exploring security risks from all angles. Data security needs to be measured according to the classic model he calls "CIA": confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Users walk into the cloud expecting that some basic needs will be met. "Users want to be sure their data is confidential and kept private at all times," he says. Users also expect data integrity and accuracy; data needs to be updated with the most current version available 24/7, he says. But that is not always the case. "Even Amazon went down for 4 hours last February. For big companies, it's a nuisance, but for smaller companies, it's a big loss of business." And what happens when the cloud computing company has a hardware or software malfunction or fire? The big question is accountability, he says: "Which throat do you choke if it's not working?" He suggests making sure data is stored in at least two different places for safekeeping and future accessibility.

For anyone who is contemplating using the cloud, Kalwerisky suggests that customers ask a few questions before signing on the dotted line. Know your vendor and what software/hardware is being used and what security precautions are in place. Data is usually at risk when it's in transit. So make sure data is encrypted at all phases. Even if someone should intercept data while it's in transit on the web,...

Creating Do-It-Yourself Databases with Caspio

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:49:43 -0500

In these days of doing more with less, Caspio's Bridge 6.0 gives do-it-yourselfers the tools to create their own enterprise databases and web applications.

The latest enhancements that were introduced to the Bridge offer users more Web 2.0 capabilities in a secure platform. Frank Zamani, founder, president, and CEO, says Caspio's goal is to "empower business users to create databases, forms, and apps easily and without programming." Caspio took software as a service (SaaS) to an all-new level with its platform as a service (PaaS) model. The programming part of the process is something the user doesn't have to worry about. Customers can build applications through a point-and-click process for web forms, registration for classes, or signups for sweepstakes.

"When we started out in 2000, there weren't any tools or programs for do-it-yourselfers," says Zamani. "This usually created quite a backlog in the IT department," so Zamani empowered the individuals to do the job, which has even succeeded in lowering development costs, he says. The result has been "better access and a richer experience for information seekers." In fact, Caspio has powered more than 150,000 apps on Web sites for media, government agencies, and educational institutions, according to Zamani.

Caspio's client base has been built up organically through its customers, which include Deloitte, Uno's Restaurant, Borders, Whirlpool, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Newspapers have been especially ardent adopters, he says. The easy-to-use platform offers step-by-step instructions to guide users of any technical ability through the creation process. Ajax interactivity, cascading dropdowns, and list boxes provide granular filtering, adding as much or as little as needed. Other built-in options can streamline design and implementation: Files and images can be imported, web forms can easily be changed from one language to another with localization, and widgets can be implemented, along with integration with YouTube...

Case Study: First American Transforms Storage Networks

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:48:22 -0500

First American consolidates its IT infrastructure for cost savings and a unified, scalable network for data, voice and video. With roots dating back to the late 1800s, First American Corp. in Santa Ana, Calif., has seen its share of change, but never before has technology played such a critical role in helping the company stay ahead of its competition. First American depends on the alignment of its business with information technology and on the reliable, rapid delivery of information for its survival.

The company's evolution and success are due partly to frequent acquisitions that have helped diversify and expand its business. Incorporating and managing the widely dispersed and siloed information systems from this influx of companies, however, has been no small feat for the company's IT staff.

First American is one of America's largest providers of business information. With nearly 200 business units, 2,100 offices around the world and annual revenue in excess of $8 billion, the enterprise provides information to some of the world's largest mortgage and financial services companies, and leads many of the industries in which it operates.

A key business driver for First American is responding quickly to changing market conditions. While agility gives the company an important competitive advantage during stable market conditions, it becomes essential during periods of volatility and uncertainty.

To transform its business into a single agile entity capable of extending its leadership position and global footprint, First American refreshed and consolidated its entire IT infrastructure. IT strategists employed enterprise architecture principles and Information Technology Infrastructure Library best practices to collapse its widespread systems into two redundant data centers linked by a unified, scalable network for data, voice and video.

This consolidation helped resolve issues precipitated by the sheer number of business units and locations within the company. Other benefits have been cost savings, process improvement, business...