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TAKE 2: Intel Demonstrates World's Fastest DSP Architecture for Wireless Handheld Devices
TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2001--Intel Corporation today demonstrated the world's fastest digital signal processor (DSP) architecture for wireless handheld devices. Called the Intel® Micro Signal Architecture (MSA), the new design incorporates DSP and microcontroller functions onto a single chip. The MSA silicon is capable of operating at speeds of up to 400 MHz, more than twice as fast as other DSPs for wireless handheld devices.
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Intel and Analog Devices (ADI) jointly developed the MSA and introduced the architecture last December. Under the joint development agreement, both companies are separately developing and marketing products based on this design.
Today marks the first time Intel has publicly demonstrated working silicon of the MSA. It will be part of an integrated baseband chipset announced later this year for cell phones and other handheld devices.
``Demonstrating working silicon with this level of performance and headroom is a tremendous milestone,'' said Ron Smith, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Wireless Communications and Computing Group. ``The Micro Signal Architecture is a key building block for the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA), and is ideal for processing audio, video, image and voice in next-generation wireless Internet devices.''
Tools that help developers build software designed to work with the new DSP device are available now. These include compiler, simulator, debugger and assembler as part of the ADI VisualDSP++(TM) integrated software development environment.
``The joint development's demonstration of functional silicon and development tools brings this breakthrough DSP architecture to a new level of performance,'' said Jerald Fishman, president and chief executive officer for ADI. ``We are redefining high speed, low power and ease of programming for real-time applications.''
Details of the MSA
DSPs provide the real-time capability to process voice and image signals in cellular phones, personal organizers, digital cameras and handheld video games. DSPs work alongside microprocessors that run applications in these handheld devices.
This is the first DSP architecture to incorporate Dynamic Power Management capabilities, which deliver dramatic improvement in battery life. Dynamic Power Management supports continuous monitoring of the software running on the architecture, and enables dynamic adjustments of both the voltage and the frequency necessary to optimize the power delivered for a given task.
The architecture has been further optimized to process the bit stream for rich multimedia running on battery-powered equipment. Portable devices with video links, downloadable images, handwriting and speech recognition, and text-to-speech are made possible through tuned instructions that provide up to 10 times the performance of other DSPs.
Intel PCA
Intel PCA is a system-level architecture that accelerates development of applications and hardware for next-generation wireless Internet devices. It allows easy integration and expansion of wireless systems using a combination of the world's leading operating systems and global wireless standards. The architecture consists of interchangeable hardware and software building blocks, and enables wireless hardware and software solutions providers to offer a wide range of enhanced wireless offerings across standards, generations and geographies much quicker than today's phones.
About IDF
The Intel Developer Forum is Intel's premier technical forum featuring more than 250 sessions and hands-on labs, and numerous demonstrations of cutting-edge products and technologies. Now in its fourth year, the semi-annual conference provides hardware original equipment manufacturers, and independent hardware and software vendors with in-depth information on Intel technologies and initiatives. Visit http://developer.intel.com/idf for more information. Subscribe to the Intel Developer Update Magazine at http://developer.intel.com/update/ for updated information throughout the year.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
Note to Editors: Third-party marks and brands are property of their respective holders.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Intel
Daniel J. Francisco, 916/356-0546
daniel.j.francisco@intel.com
Intel shows fast DSP chip for wireless
By Reuters
April 17, 2001, 7:55 a.m. PT
TOKYO--Intel on Tuesday demonstrated for the first time a fast DSP chip, designed jointly with Analog Devices, that will play a key role in its strategy for wireless devices.
"The MSA (micro signal architecture) silicon is capable of operating at speeds of up to 400MHz, more than twice as fast as other DSPs (digital signal processors) for wireless handheld devices," Intel said in a statement.
The new DSP design, along with XScale processors for handsets--due for launch by the end of the year--and its flash memory products, comprise the architecture Intel plans for advanced wireless devices such as third-generation, or 3G, mobile phones offering high-speed Internet connections and data transmission.
Tuesday's DSP demonstration, at 340MHz, reproduced a recorded voice message from the companies' joint development center in Austin, Texas.
Ronald Smith, Intel senior vice president and general manager of its wireless communications and computing group, stressed the ability to develop applications for the new architecture using a high-level computer language.
"The key is to get people excited about the applications," he said. "You need to unleash lots of applications developers."
NTT DoCoMo, Japan's dominant mobile carrier, plans to launch the world's first 3G mobile service in late May, although 3G is not expected to attract large volumes of users before next year at the earliest.
Although the high-speed service could eventually include such features as streaming video, CD-quality audio and advanced security, its growth will depend heavily on the kinds of applications, such as games or video Conferences, on offer.
Several leading global chipmakers are poised to launch new devices with faster speeds and lower power consumption to drive 3G and other advances in wireless communications.
Texas Instruments, whose chips are currently used in 60 percent of mobile handsets, is making sample shipments of its OMAP chips for 3G and other devices, with volume production scheduled for the third quarter of this year.
Smith said that in terms of unit shipments, chips for mobile devices are one of Intel's fastest-growing segments, although that is from a small base and margins are lower than for products such as processors for servers.
"We expect it to be one of our significant new businesses," he said.
Intel's share price was hit Monday after Morgan Stanley cut its earnings outlook, ending trade on Nasdaq down 6.5 percent at $26.30.
Listen.com Beta Testing Napster-Compatible App
Listen.com, which has received funding from all five major label groups, yesterday began beta testing a desktop application for PCs that is interoperable with Napster's file-swap service. Called ListenSeeker, the application incorporates Listen's music directory and links to Internet radio stations and videos at Listen.com. ListenSeeker does not run Napster searches or distribute files, a Listen.com spokeswoman said. Instead, Napster users who have installed ListenSeeker can use the app to populate Napster's search window with terms. The app also lets users transfer Napster queries to ListenSeeker's search window to search for related music and information. Listen hopes to build similar apps for partners. The company recently shifted its strategy to licensing services including Listen Radio, whose clients include EMusic, Interscope Records and Sub Pop Records. Listen considered incorporating peer-to-peer file sharing into its business last fall when it bid on the assets of Scour, which developed the Scour Exchange file sharing service. Listen was outbid by Centerspan Communications, which recently launched a beta test of a new iteration of Scour Exchange.
Record industry sues file-swapping students
TERROR ON CAMPUS: In a departure from past tactics, the record industry is taking its fight against the exchanging of copyrighted music onto university campuses
STAFF WRITER
The International Federation of the Phonographics Industry (IFPI), an umbrella group representing the record industry in Taiwan, sent a representative to the Tainan District Prosecutor's Office yesterday morning to file a suit against 14 National Chengkung University students accused of illegally copying and trading copyrighted MP3 music files.
In a case that is currently sending shock waves through many of Taiwan's campuses, the record industry clearly intends to make an example of the students. In addition to filing suit for copyright violations, the federation also plans to bring a civil case against the students and seek compensation.
The industry group's secretary general Li Jui-bin (§õ·çÙy) commented on the industry's position, saying that the problem of copyright violations on university campuses is becoming increasingly severe, but because of misgivings about going onto the campuses, past attempts to ban the practice of illegally copying music have been ineffective. He expressed confidence that this case would serve as a warning to others who illegally copy music files, and declared that if the 14 students are found to have violated copyright laws, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There will be no form of outside settlement for this case, he said.
Meanwhile, students across Taiwan have reacted with alarm to the news from Tainan. Online bulletin board sites have received thousands of postings related to the case. Many acknowledge that downloading illegal music from the Web is wrong but feel that students play only a tiny role in the larger problem of pirated music. The entrance of organized crime groups into the business of pirating music is perceived as far more serious. A few cynics also question why initial investigations of student criminal behavior are not focussed on a campus like that of the Police University.
Other more technically minded postings teach peers "self-defense" techniques of erasing files without a trace, keeping hidden backup files, and even smashing one's own hard drive in the event of a police search in school dorms.
Many students have begun using portable hard drives, which they carry to their classes for fear that a dorm search will take place during the day when they are away from their computers. Those who can burn CDs have been busy helping friends backup their MP3 files.
School authorities at National Chengkung University, including the university's president Kao Chiang (°ª±j), also met yesterday morning with several lawyers who have been retained by the school. However, the lawyers had differing opinions about whether the students involved had violated the law. One teacher compared MP3 files to books, which may be legally shared but not copied. Others referred to similar cases abroad which have yielded inconsistent rulings.
The university authorities urged students to remain calm and focus on their studies.
Midterm exams will begin at Chengkung University next week.
OT: Cisco warns, issues bleak forecast
By Wylie Wong and Sam Ames
Staff Writers, CNET News.com
April 16, 2001, 5:20 p.m. PT
update Cisco Systems announced a profit warning for its third quarter as sales of networking equipment to businesses and telecommunications carriers continue to slump.
In addition, the company announced a variety of charges that could total as much as $3.7 billion.
Cisco expects third-quarter earnings per share to be in the low single-digit range and for revenue to fall 30 percent from the second quarter, when the company earned $6.7 billion in sales. Cisco expects fourth-quarter revenue to range from flat to down 10 percent sequentially as the U.S. economic slowdown has begun to spread to parts of Asia and Europe, executives said.
"The business environment that our segment of the IT industry is facing has never been more challenging," Cisco Chief Executive John Chambers said in a statement. "In fact, this may be the fastest any industry our size has ever decelerated."
Wall Street analysts previously predicted earnings of 8 cents per share and revenue of $5.95 billion, according to a poll of analysts by First Call.
"Everyone expected a miss; everyone expected a charge," said Paul Sagawa, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.
In regular trading Monday, Cisco's shares closed at $17.20. In after-hours trading, the stock slipped to about $15.30. Cisco was the most active stock being traded after the regular market session closed.
Other network equipment manufacturers took a hit on Cisco's news. Juniper Networks, a Cisco competitor, dropped $1.78, or about 4 percent, to $46.60 in after-hours trading. Ciena fell $1.95, or about 4 percent, to $49.56 in after-market trading. Extreme Networks dipped 65 cents to $16.48; Nortel Networks edged down 35 cents to $14.90; Lucent Technologies shaved off 10 cents to $7.30; Foundry Networks lost 49 cents to $8.75; and Avici Systems fell 81 cents to $11.48 after the regular markets closed.
More charges
Cisco executives said the company expects to take a restructuring charge of $800 million to $1.2 billion as part of a companywide reorganization that includes previously announced layoffs of about 8,500 employees and the restructuring of certain businesses.
The company will take an additional $2.5 billion charge based on excess inventory, mostly raw materials and components that the company uses to build networking products.
"In an effort to meet our customer expectations, we continued to increase our inventory and capacities to keep up with rising demand. This (additional $2.5 billion) charge reflects the recent significant and unexpected drop in customer demand," Cisco Chief Financial Officer Larry Carter said in a statement.
The layoff of 8,500 employees, or about 18 percent, includes about 2,500 temporary and contract workers and is expected to save about $1 billion yearly. In a previous announcement, the company said it expected layoffs of 3,000 to 5,000 full-time workers and between 2,500 and 3,000 temporary and contract workers. This latest layoff announcement includes 500 new job cuts. To further cut costs, the company will consolidate facilities to save $300 million to $500 million.
As for the excess inventory, Chambers said in a conference call with analysts that the company last fiscal year lost 5 percent sequential revenue growth each quarter because of parts shortages. This fiscal year, the company loaded up on parts but will have more than needed because of the sales slowdown. After the $2.5 billion charge, the company will still have about $1.6 billion in inventory, he said.
The restructuring of businesses may include killing off some products that aren't selling well or that aren't profitable, such as digital subscriber line (DSL) equipment, Chambers added. The company earlier this month discontinued an optical router that was selling well.
The magnitude of the warning may turn a few heads, Sagawa said. He roughly equated the charge to something along the lines of 60 cents a share, a huge amount for a single quarter.
Other analysts pointed out that the general negative mood might not stir up much reaction on the Street. "I think (Cisco's executives) have taken a pessimistic view for the past few weeks, which caused Wall Street to take the same view," said Richard Shannon, an associate analyst at Epoch Partners.
Taking the world by storm
Cisco executives said the economic slowdown that has hit the United States has spread globally. Sales in Asia and Europe were weak in the third quarter, Chambers said. In the United States, business sales were down 20 percent sequentially, while sales to service providers were down about 40 percent sequentially.
Long term, however, Cisco executives still believe the company will reach 30 percent to 50 percent revenue growth once the economy turns around. The company plans to report its final third-quarter results May 8.
"The 30 to 50 percent growth rate is something that might be called into question," said Steve Kamman, an analyst at CIBC World Markets.
"It's the price of success," he said. "Everything Cisco has done to become such a fantastically great company has led to the problems they face now."
Kamman noted that some parts of Cisco's businesses might grow that fast, but the company as a whole has become too large to sustain the astronomical growth it once displayed, especially because a depressed stock price has dampened its acquisition prowess.
"You've got to give them their due for what they've achieved, but the market is relentlessly forward-looking," Kamman said.
Another miss
Cisco's third quarter will be the second straight quarter in which the company will miss earnings estimates. Cisco in February missed second-quarter earnings expectations by one penny because of sluggish sales of networking equipment to telecommunications service providers. The company also saw sales to businesses slacken, particularly in manufacturing.
In a conference call with analysts in February, Chambers warned that sequential revenue growth for the next two quarters will be flat. He also predicted that Cisco's revenue for the current fiscal year would grow 40 percent from last year. But that prediction was based on the assumption that the U.S. economy would recover in the second half of this calendar year and that the economic slowdown wouldn't spread internationally.
In mid-March, Chambers warned sales were not picking up, and the company was seeing early signs of a sales slowdown internationally.
Like others in the technology sector, networking companies have been hit hard in recent months by the economic slowdown. Nortel, Lucent, 3Com, Sycamore Networks, Extreme and others have all announced earnings warnings.
THEN AGAIN: ChasingtheDream 9 Jan 2001 at 2:14 PM EST
Post # of 660788
Nutman I talked to Wendy at the show and she said revenues for the last quarter of 2000 would be much greater than the 3rd because of revs from laneir and mp2000 sales in Korea and engineering fees and some royalties she didn't say from where my guess is TI DSP.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
so does 2+2=5?// probably best to wait ands see
REPOST: ChasingtheDream 8 Jan 2001 at 8:40 PM EST
Post # of 660786
To all: Iam not a hypster I rarely post but read most posts I live in Vegas an I went to the show to try an investigate our little company we own a part of I talked to wendy and she wouldn't tell me anything. I asked her what player she thought would be the best seller and she couldn't comment but she said check out the Toshiba player it is the best looking so there maybe big revs from it
IMO she tried to tell me something. I was really bummed about our conversasion when I left, I tried to find the Texas Instruments booth before I left and couldn't so I was on my way out and there it was right in front of me there were a lot of players in there booth like 20 something I found the Toshiba player and it was very cool it used the SD cards which are smart cards that hold 32mb to 1 gigabyte of memory anyways I started asking questions to the lady in the booth she told me that every player had a DSP in it and that wherever their DSP was the micro os was so I said your telling me the micro os is embedded into TI's DSP and she said yes as if I were an idiot for not knowing. take this as you want but I'm a believer the rvs for this will be in the form of royalties and may never be revealed from where but this stock is way undervalued.
holdin 30,000 shares strong be patient
The Appeal of Digital Audio
With digital audio, music is no longer stored on tapes or discs. Digital music consists of compressed audio files that are downloaded onto a memory card. The memory card can be inserted into a compatible playback device for "compact disc quality sound". And since the entire process is solid state, playback music is not interrupted by the player being jarred or vibrated.
The MEA-110 Includes The Following Features:
PLAYER SPECIFICATIONS
Storage Media: 64mb SD Memory Card
Playback Content: SD-Audio Format, AAC, MP-3
Data Rate: Mono 16-32k, Stereo 64-192Kbs
SDMI Compliant (Secure Digital Music Initiative)
OPERATION
Player Controls: Play/Pause/Skip/ FF/REV (one button)
Menu Selections: Volume, 5 Position Equalizer, Play List, Play Mode, Title, Level, Display
LCD Display, Monochrome, 120x36Pixel
Key Lock Feature Included
Headphone Output: Stereo Minijack
External Port: USB Compatible Output
Frequency Response: 20 to 20kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 85db
Battery: 2 x AAA, 5 hours
SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES
Stereo Headphones, 2 x AAA Alkaline Batteries, USB Cable, External Battery Case, Owners Manual
COLOR
Color: Metallic Silver with Aquamarine Trim Dimensions: 3 7/8” x 2” x 1/2”
Weight: 2.65 oz.
DIMENSIONS
Trim Dimensions: 3 7/8” x 2” x 1/2”
Weight: 2.65 oz.
PC APPLICATION
System Requirements: Audio Manager Running On Windows® 98.
IBM® PC/AT Compatible: 233 Pentium® with 32MB of RAM or greater
Hard Drive: 10MB or greater
Sound Card: 16 bit sound blaster
Applicable Content: CD Audio/Wave
File/MP-3 File/Download Audio
Encoding Format: AAC
Content Management: Store Secure Content In PC/Move/Delete/Edit Play List/Title/Comments
Output Contents: Copy/Move Content To Memory Card
Content: Wave Format, 16-48kHz sampling, 16 bit, 1 or 2 channel AAC
MP-3 format: Mono 16-32k, Stereo 64 to 192
someone on the RB board always used to ask if any portable player supported the IBM EMMS drm; the answer is Toshiba, FWIW.
toshiba player w/ edig??
By: ChasingtheDream $$$$
Reply To: None Monday, 16 Apr 2001 at 5:20 PM EDT
Post # of 660765
To all:Has anyone seen the Toshiba player at www.gifts.com
style #D00607? This is the first DAP out to use SD memory
card technology.This is also the player Toshiba told me
E.digital was in at CES. It was at the TI booth also and I listened to it there, incredible sound. I don't know if anyone can confirm this but three different people at CES
said we were in it,Wendy from EDIG,a rep at TI,and a rep at
the Toshiba booth. I think that would sum it up that that is our technology in it. Check it out on the site ,don't know if it's there but it is in the catalog.
toshiba player w/ edig??
By: ChasingtheDream $$$$
Reply To: None Monday, 16 Apr 2001 at 5:20 PM EDT
Post # of 660765
To all:Has anyone seen the Toshiba player at www.gifts.com
style #D00607? This is the first DAP out to use SD memory
card technology.This is also the player Toshiba told me
E.digital was in at CES. It was at the TI booth also and I listened to it there, incredible sound. I don't know if anyone can confirm this but three different people at CES
said we were in it,Wendy from EDIG,a rep at TI,and a rep at
the Toshiba booth. I think that would sum it up that that is our technology in it. Check it out on the site ,don't know if it's there but it is in the catalog.
slightly OT: Power dressing [literally]
Soon you could plug your palmtop into your clothes and throw away the batteries
Exclusive from New Scientist magazine
Your sweater could one day provide all the power you need to run your MP3 player, mobile phone or palmtop computer - as long as you're not standing in a darkened room.
The idea comes from scientists in Germany, who have developed synthetic fibres that generate electricity when exposed to light. The researchers say the fibres could be woven into machine-washable clothes to make the ultimate in portable solar cells.
The discovery may provide a big boost for developers of wearable computers, who've been plugging their devices into mini fuel cells or plain old batteries.
A sail made of solar fabric might even be able to provide power for a boat's electronics, says Martin Rojahn of the Institute of Physical Electronics at the University of Stuttgart.
Silicon sandwich
Just like the photovoltaic cells found in many pocket calculators, the new wires work by sandwiching three layers of non-crystalline ''amorphous'' silicon between two conducting electrodes. The top layer is doped with electron-rich impurities while the bottom layer contains electron-poor dopants. The layer sandwiched in between is not doped.
When photons hit the surface layer, they displace electrons that then flow through the middle layer to the electron-poor layer. This current can be used to power devices or charge batteries.
Rojahn, Markus Schubert and Michail Rakhlin developed their photovoltaic fibres while trying to deposit amorphous silicon on curved surfaces. They found that by depositing different layers around a fibre, they could build up the photovoltaic sandwich in cylindrical form.
''Any substrate that looks like a cylinder, from wires to fibre-optic cables, will work,'' says Rojahn - provided it can withstand the ultraviolet radiation and 100°C temperatures used in the deposition process.
Power lead
One of the biggest challenges facing the German team is creating contacts with each strand in a fabric, says Chris Chapman, development director of ElectroTextiles in Buckinghamshire - a company which specialises in making electronic devices out of fabric. ''The thing that scuppers most things with fabrics is getting power in and out of it,'' he says.
Rojahn, who will present his findings at the Materials Research Society conference in San Francisco next week, admits there are a number of issues that need further work. Solar cells based on amorphous silicon are less efficient than their crystalline cousins, but they still have many advantages, he says.
Besides being flexible, amorphous silicon is about a thousand times better at absorbing sunlight than the crystalline form. ''Amorphous silicon is also much cheaper than crystalline silicon,'' he adds.
As far as fashion sense is concerned, colour shouldn't be a problem, explains Rojahn. Although the fibre is transparent, it can be made to take on different colours by adjusting the thickness of a transparent protective coating.
''Depending upon the thickness of the layer, it could be made to look blue, brown or greenish,'' he says. So let's hope that either blue, brown or green is the new black.
Correspondence about this story should be directed to letters@newscientist.com
1900 GMT, 11 April 2001
April 16, 2001 Sirius May Lose First-Launch Honors to XM Satellite
by Dave Brigham
Long expected to be the first company to debut a nationwide, digital radio service for motorists, Sirius Satellite Radio is in danger of losing that distinction to rival XM Satellite Radio.
Being first to market isn't crucial, as Sirius and XM are the only companies licensed by the government to provide coast-to-coast, satellite radio broadcasts. Still, both companies have suffered technical setbacks, and launching a full service means they can kick their marketing machines into high gear.
Both companies have been developing their networks for years, since winning licenses in a Federal Communications Commission auction. In 1999, Sirius said it would debut about 100 channels of subscription-based, digital-quality music, news, information and other programming in late 2000 or early 2001. However, at a press conference today, Sirius said that only a "very limited" number of its radios -- no more than 20,000 -- would be available in the fourth quarter.
The satellite broadcaster fell victim to production delays at financially struggling Lucent Technologies, which is developing integrated circuits that, in Sirius' words, are "essential" components of radios capable of receiving satellite broadcasts.
Lucent spinoff Agere Technologies won't ship those circuits, or "chipsets," to radio manufacturers until early next year. In the meantime, Panasonic will be the first company to launch Sirius-enables radios, albeit incomplete ones. Consumers who buy the initial Sirius radios will have to upgrade them once Agere's chipsets are available. Complete Sirius-enabled radios will be capable of receiving AM, FM and Sirius signals.
Sirius also has agreements with companies including Alpine, Clarion and Kenwood to manufacture and distribute radios.
XM, too, has agreements with numerous consumer electronics manufacturers to develop and distribute special radios to receive its satellite signals. XM and Sirius have an agreement to, within five years, build interoperable radios that access both XM and Sirius stations.
XM and Sirius have equity and distribution pacts with multiple auto makers. XM counts General Motors and Honda among its backers; Sirius is backed by Ford Motor and DaimlerChrysler.
In a press conference today, Sirius executives stressed that the company won't be hurt by the chipset delays. Sirius is "sitting on plenty of cash, over $400 million," said company Chief Financial Officer John Scelfo. Appointed to the position earlier this month, Scelfo was most recently vice president of finance for the Asian operations of Dell Computer. Prior to that, he was an executive with Exxon Mobil for 19 years.
Sirius shares have slipped steadily since early this year, bottoming out at slightly more than $6 earlier this month. The company's shares closed down 10.44% today at $9.01.
Sirius has launched all of its satellites, and until recently seemed well ahead in its battle with XM. Whereas Sirius had hoped to debut its service late last year or early this year, XM has long maintained that its service would go live in mid-2001.
Things are beginning to even up, though. XM said last month that STMicroelectronics shipped chipsets for XM radios to manufacturers including Sony, Pioneer, Alpine and Delphi. XM-ready radios are available at retail chains including Best Buy; consumers who buy those units will need to upgrade them once the chipsets are available.
There is no guarantee, however, that XM will meet its summer deadline. The company had to halt the launch of its first satellite on the launch pad earlier this year. The satellite has since been launched, and XM plans to boost its second one May 7. An XM spokeswoman said today the company in "on target" to launch its service this summer.
XM and Sirius hope to have their radios available as optional equipment in the autos of their respective partners next year, and as standard equipment down the road.
Sirius expects that its radios will be available as optional equipment in certain autos and trucks in the second quarter of 2002. Sirius is "very cautiously optimistic" that it can secure agreements with automakers to establish Sirius radios as standard equipment within a reasonable timeframe, Sirius Chairman and CEO David Margolies said. In 2003, the company figures that its revenues from subscriptions will be "material," according to Margolies.
At launch, Sirius and XM can expect modest subscriber bases, but their market will grow as satellite-enabled radios become more commonplace in new cars, and the companies begin marketing their services more heavily. Webnoize Research predicts 19.1 million consumers -- or 9.3% of adults aged 18 and over -- will pay for satellite radio services by 2005.
XM and Sirius have each raised more than $1 billion from automakers and venture capitalists. Scelfo said the company has enough cash to last beyond the middle of 2002; its scaled-back service roll-out means Sirius gets an "extension of our cash burn," Scelfo said.
Scelfo said Sirius would need to raise more cash sometime between the middle of 2002 and the middle of 2003, but he wouldn't speculate on how much the company might require at that point.
OT: SIRIous problems w/ LU chips?
OUCH, burned chips at breakfast?
by: snarf317 (M/Miami/Hollywood/Fort Lauderd) 04/16/01 09:42 am EDT
Msg: 28527 of 28557
Gee....Chipburn of the new ASIC should take no more than 6 weeks after fixes, assuming company spends enough effort doing simulations. It should not drag ASIC rollout into CY01. Something is wrong on SIRI's cooktop.
In my book that means the ASIC production acceptance/design is not where it should be at this point.
When asked about why the delays into the 4th QTR CY00 for any consumer availability, which also means SIRI misses this Christmas buying season, when off-the-shelp components could be used, instead of ASICs. SIRI said they are 'still peeling the layers' off the onion, as they run into ? (issues). (Sounds like debug mode to me).
As someone with past experence, I've found when looking down a technical roadmap, there can be unknown delays. SIRI has had too many in the last couple of months. What else is on the PM risk-radar.
I hope (but am very concerned) SIRI Tech experts are not going down the path of a "runaway" project.
SIRI, you can't afford to miss much past Q4 CY00. Again, can you trust your 'partners' to deliver. Yes, as the old saying goes, Your 'partners' have brought the chickens to breakfast, but you brought the pig. Both eggs and bacon are needed for this yummy meal together. But the chicken can lay eggs on another day, but your pig is truly committed!
Are you sure your tech team/partners understand the investment music and not just telling you how great it's going to be, while the market passes the SIRI's solution/product by by by, not buy buy buy this Christmas?
I and other longs (getting slightly-shorter) hope not. And at least I hope the Shorts don't get a free ride on this one.
Sounds like SIRI is this year's version of last years Christmas Sony Playstation II. Sony lost that one. The only winner was Ebay and other auction sites. Sounds to me that Ebay (and of course brand 'X') might be the only winner for SIRI short supply of SAT branded units, at least for this Christmas.
Doug
April 15 Barron's: Semiconductor Market Can Only Get Worse
NEW YORK (Reuters) - If Wall Street thought the first quarter was a tough one for semiconductor stocks, the second quarter will ``most certainly be worse,'' according to Alan Abelson, columnist for financial weekly Barron's.
Citing recent research on the semiconductor industry from Boston investment research firm Fechtor Detwiler, Abelson argues against the current pervasive sentiment that because semiconductor stocks are now so low there is no place for them to go but up.
``The notion suddenly so popular in Wall Street that the absence of any bookings means things can only get better, for some reason, the firm reports, has utterly failed to reassure the sales reps and distributors who peddle the semis and have been wrestling with a 'bigger issue than inventory overhang,''' Abelson wrote.
``And, wouldn't you know, someone plumb forgot to inform folks in the chip business that pricing pressure has been eliminated,'' he added.
Abelson also points to the recent hop in technology stocks, led by such top players as Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE:MU - news), may have been slightly premature, given that other companies are still reporting problems such as significant price pressures and excess inventory, to name a few, and that those issues are not likely to be resolved in the near future.
According to the Fechtor Detwiler reporter, Abelson said, STMicroelectronics NV (STM.PA) has offered to beat any competitor's price and guarantee a 30 percent margin to the distributor, a move that can only hurt related companies like ON Semiconductor Corp. (NasdaqNM:ONNN - news), International Rectifier Corp. (NYSE:IRF - news), Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc. (NYSE:FCS - news) and Toshiba Corp. (6502.T)
He also notes how, according to Fechtor Detwiler, equipment makers such as Sycamore Networks Inc. (NasdaqNM:SCMR - news), Cisco Systems Inc. (NasdaqNM:CSCO - news), Nortel Networks Corp. (NYSE:NT - news) and Lucent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LU - news) have ``gotten the word from their broadband-carrier customers that prices have to be shaved some 40 percent, or they needn't bother wasting their breath asking for new orders.''
``In brief, on closer inspection, that 'bottom' in semiconductors appears to be nothing more than an optical illusion, a dreadful side effect, no doubt, of going so long without even a morsel of good news,'' Abelson wrote
Next-Gen CE Devices Expected In 2003
(04/11/01, 7:04 p.m. ET) By Mitch Wagner, InternetWeek
Microsoft Corp. this week introduced beta code for the newest version of Windows CE, adding wireless and multimedia functionality to an operating system likely to be the foundation of devices ranging from handheld computers to Web pads to embedded industrial devices.
But don't get out your checkbooks just yet. The operating system, code-named "Talisker" for a kind of scotch, is expected to ship in devices beginning in early 2003.
Talisker includes support for Bluetooth wireless connectivity, even though Microsoft (stock: MSFT) recently said that the next desktop version of windows, Windows XP, won't support Bluetooth.
Talisker also supports Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), new USB drivers, and DVD playback.
The new version of Windows CE also features enhanced security, with inclusion of the Kerberos security protocol and Secure Socket Layers (SSL) for the built-in HTTP server.
Hardware manufacturers shipping devices using Talisker will be able to customize the user interface.
Microsoft will release the final version of Talisker in late 2001.
Picture this: While standing at your front door, you say, “I’m home” and your door unlatches and slides open. The hall lights blink on as you step into the house and blink off again as you pass through to the kitchen. Your communications system asks you if you would like to hear your messages.
On the wall display in the kitchen you can see the video mail left by your friends and family. The dinner you left in the microwave that morning is heated. You eat it, as the house computer reads you your text messages, tells you that it has paid the utilities bills and gives you your bank balance.
You go upstairs to the bathroom where tub is ready, piping hot, just the temperature you like. While in the tub and have a voice conversation with your partner who is in the tub in his/her hotel room in another city.
Now, picture the same type of applications in the work place. Well… all accept the tub part, of course. Surprisingly, this is not just a scene from some science fiction film. It is much like the prototypes that some of the world’s largest computer companies such as Philips and Microsoft are working on today.
The concept
The systems are based on an idea first envisioned in 1988 by Dr Mark Weiser, a computer scientist at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. He called it ubiquitous computing. IBM uses the moniker "Pervasive Computing." Intel calls it "Invisible Computing."
But whatever the name the basic idea is the same: To replace the complexity of today's computers with systems that are self-organizing, adaptive, intelligent and everywhere. Indeed, there are dozens of academic and corporate research institutions working on the concept (as mentioned in the first part in this series).
Microsoft Research has a project called “Easy Living” that brings ubiquitous computing to the home. Philips calls its project Ambient Intelligence. Intel is working the concept of ad-hock networks using short-range wireless networks; HP has a project called CoolTown, which envisions a world where every person and device has a Web site.
CoolTown could, for example, allow a smart alarm clock to give its owner a few extra minutes sleep on a day of light traffic. IBM's take on pervasive computing is a $185 million project is called Planet Blue. Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Sun and the European Union also have ubiquitous computing projects on the go. Sun's project is more practical and is encompassed in its Jini and Brazil projects and the European Union initiative is just getting off the ground and is called the Disappearing Computer.
Back when Dr. Weiser, first came up with the idea, it was brilliant but slightly unrealistic. After all, PCs were even more unreliable than they are today. Even simple networking tasks were notoriously difficult.
There were dozens of competing standards and data transfer rates were very slow. And let's face it. If what we had didn't work. Then what the in blazes were we going to do when our hamburger and microwave refused to talk to each other because they supported different standards?
We’ve made a little progress since then. Now, we have laid the foundations for Weiser’s vision. We no longer have just one computing device, the PC, but a constellation of networked devices; phones, PDAs, video games, interactive televisions, and even cars are emerging as networks devices with a new marriage between the automotive, electronics and computer technology.
These devices are able to communication using new short-range wireless networking standards such as Bluetooth. Soon, GPS will open up a whole host of location-based applications, letting the user simply ask their device for the nearest Starbucks or Denny’s depending on their preference.
Following that, context-aware computing will create new levels of utility in the computing arena. A frozen hamburger, for example, will be able to tell the microwave oven that it needed three minutes to cook. No more, no less. That is, of course, if the large technology companies don’t spoil the party by failing to agree on standards.
Easy Living
“It’s not so much the post PC era,” says Craig Mundie, senior vice president of advanced strategies for Microsoft. “It’s more the PC plus era.”
But then, Microsoft, has to hold on to that belief because without it, Windows maybe replaced with a new a computing architecture.
Mundie, whose job entails sprinting out ahead of the corporation’s product development to see what the software giant should be investing in next believes that Microsoft is the largest single investor in ubiquitous computing.
“Since 1993, at Microsoft we have been working towards ubiquitous computing,” he says. “We developed the WindowsCE platform for handheld devices, the games platform, the WebTV platform for interactive TV. All these are iterations of pervasive computing.”
“Of course, in our view it’s about standing on the shoulders of the PC to build this new architecture,” he says. “Think about it, the killer application for the Internet now is Web browsing and email. It’s like the PC circa 1988 when it was only used for spread sheets and word processing.”
According to Mundie, the real potential for the Internet lays not so much in the presentation of Web pages but the connectivity of a variety of computing devices.
Certainly, the company is doing its part to move to ubiquitous computing albeit as a way grown its Windows platform into new arenas.
The Easy Living project, for example, uses video cameras, sensors and actuators to provide an intelligent environment. Cameras detect a person's presence a computer system automatically adjusts the lights and routs the person’s desktop and music to the room when they identify themselves. If there is more than one person in the room all their music is displayed in a shared folder. The same can be achieved for pictures, documents and so on.
It’ll be some time however before such a system is available in the local computer store.
In the meantime, Microsoft is developing technologies that will build on the PC platform to provide ubiquitous computing, According to Mundie. For example a new version of its calendar, contacts and email program Outlook developed by Microsoft Research called LookOut. The program uses complex statistical analysis tools to “watch" how the user manages their email and contacts for the first couple of hundred of hours in service.
“From that it can learn if the user always responds to a certain emails immediately.” This coupled with a type lightweight of instant messaging client on the users cell-phone will enable the program to route important messages to the users immediately if important.
World Wide Information, Communication and Entertainment
Meanwhile, Philips Research has developed a prototype of its in-home system called World Wide Information, Communication and Entertainment (WWICE) as part of its Ambient Intelligence project. According to Emile Aarts, head of New Media Systems & Applications at Philips Research Ambient Intelligence is the integration of technology into our environment with three important characteristics: personalization, adaptivity, and that anticipate the uses intentions.
The Philips prototype features television sets with speakers and remote controls in the living rooms and kitchen and uses a PC in the study. All rooms are also equipped with a microphone and camera allowing the users to watch TV, browse the Internet and set up a video communication session. The system also allows users to be simultaneously engaged in all three activities.
WWICE is only the first in a series of prototypes through which the company will investigate the feasibility and usability of ambient intelligent home systems. Next the company will build systems that integrate Web controllable smart devices that support access to the Internet.
But when can we expect to see ubiquitous computing in the commercial world?
Commercial applications
SRI International’s Vice-President, of Information and Computing Sciences, Dr. Bill Mark, said that there are two ways of answering the question. “On the one hand, voice recognition, machine learning and vision technology will take between ten and fifteen years to begin to give us the utilities that we need to build really sophisticated invisible or pervasive computing architectures,” he says. “On the other, we already have the beginnings of invisible computing at work in our lives today.”
Take something as common as the Antilock Breaking System (ABS), for example, although it looks and feels like any other break pedal, an ABS break is connected to a computer chip which measures the conditions and takes the task of breaking from the driver. Cell-phone manufacturers have taken to the cause of location based computing with a passion because of the US government’s E911 mandate specifying that all cell phones much have a device by which they can be tracked to their physical location. There are more and more context-aware computing applications emerging every day.
For example, in Seattle, Washington most highways include traffic sensors embedded in concrete that can relay details about the amount of traffic in the area.
What the future holds
Despite these foundations we are a long way from moving from a predominantly PC environment to a ubiquitous computing environment. At SRI one component Dr. Bill Mark and his team of scientists believe is missing is the ability to record something as common as your every day company meeting. “We have a concept called Pervasive Dialogue,” he says.
A meeting will usually comprise of drawings on whiteboards, dialogue, PowerPoint presentations and so on. What’s missing is a single control system to capture and store all this information.
Indeed, Dan Russell, director of the IBM’s user sciences and experience group at its Almaden Research Center agrees (see Planet Blue ). There the company is developing a similar technology called a "room in two places," which enables a boardroom in Silicon Valley to connect with a boardroom in New York using video, audio, and software conferencing. During each meeting a number of different kinds of information, such as contacts, calendars, and visual data will be captured, logged and available at a later date.
Another part of SRI’s pervasive computing architecture is it’s next generation personal digital assistant technology code named Janus. This is a sort of PDA augmented with software that captures users preferences. For example, when a person walks into a meeting room it might dim the lights and clear the white board for the next meeting.
At Intel research they are interested in the concept of ad hock networking using wireless standards such as Bluetooth. “Bluetooth started live as a cable replacement technology which is certainly a noble aim,” says Roy Want, Principal Engineer at Intel Research. “However, the next phase for us is the concept of ad hock personal area networks (PANs).”
This means that when your PAN devices, be it PDA, Laptop computer or even cell-phone, comes with in say 20 feet of another PAN enabled device you will be give the opportunity to create a personal area network.
This would make exchanging contact details, meeting notes or even PowerPoint presentations easy.
Certainly, one can imaging this being useful in the context of a business meeting but it would also have many applications in, say, education where a teacher could over the Personal Area Network in a classroom distribute class notes or homework assignments.
But who only knows what applications will emerge once kids get their hands on such a technology. No doubt multiplayer games will be popular. However it could also make exchanging music files as easy as, well… , exchanging football cards.
Furthermore, Bluetooth PANs might become a popular way for a traveler to log on, book in and download their airplane electronic boarding pass.
Meanwhile, Hewlett Packard has a slightly different take. Its ubiquitous computing project is called CoolTown. Basically, the project is similar to both SRI’s and IBM’s view of pervasive computing only CoolTown uses the Web as the standard interface to all devices.
CoolTown’s Eureka Conference Room, for example, enables whiteboards, video cameras and devices in a conference room be connected via the web to another location. The CoolTown, Museum provides a virtual extension to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and uses cameras and handheld devices to bridge the physical and online worlds. Each painting in the Van Gogh gallery broadcasts the URL and provides an in-depth page of information about the artwork.
It’s not like any of the individual technologies detailed here are particularly new. What’s new is getting them to work and this is, undoubtedly, what computing will look like in the next ten to fifteen years.
The details, what device, what language, what API have still to be worked out. However what is certain is that, consistent with Weiser’s vision, there will be a subtle but consistent invasion of computing-enabled devices in our everyday world. The question is will this invasion improve or lives or paradoxically will pervasive computing become invasive with machines watching our every move.
The answer is up to us.
MPEG-4 video format picks up key supporters
By John Walko
CommsDesign.com
(04/13/01, 1:30 p.m. EST)
LONDON — An MPEG-4 transfer format based on the Real-time Transfer Protocol (RTP) has moved closer to becoming an accepted standard for the transfer of MPEG-4 compressed video streams.
The RTP video-over-Internet data transport protocol has gained backing from three key organizations that are promoting the development of Internet and wireless Internet protocols.
The format was proposed by five Japanese companies: Matsushita Electric, NEC, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT), Oki Electric and Toshiba.
The 3G Partnership Project (3GPP), the body that has undertaken the detailed standardization of the wideband-CDMA air interface, has now thrown its weight behind the compressed video protocol, along with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The companies said the standardization effort would contribute to promoting audio-video distribution over the Internet and would bring the distribution service to next-generation mobile phones.
Real-time support
The protocol will be particularly important in applications for which interoperability is crucial, the companies said.
RTP is better suited for carrying real-time content over the Internet than TCP/IP because the former provides support for applications with real-time properties, such as timing reconstruction and loss detection.
The protocol has now been adopted by the IETF as the RTP payload format for MPEG-4 video and audio signals; by the 3GPP in its packet-switched multimedia streaming service standard for 3G mobile phones; and by the ITU's standardization group as its recommended format for multimedia conferencing over packet-based networks, such as local-area networks and the Internet.
Intel develops Chinese voice-recognition platform for future applications
Software will run on x86- and StrongARM-based processor products
By Mark LaPedus
Semiconductor Business News
(04/13/01 17:41 p.m. GMT)
BEIJING -- In an effort to optimize its microprocessor lines for next-generation applications, Intel Corp.'s subsidiary in China is developing an advanced voice-recognition software platform that promises to solve some major problems in the industry.
Design to run on its x86- and StrongARM-based microprocessor lines, Intel's distributed speech-recognition (DSR) software technology supports both English and Chinese languages--particularly the Mandarin dialect.
The DSR technology can also be applied to support other foreign languages as well, according to Peter Liou, director of the Intel China Research Center. Based in Beijing, the research center is part of Intel's China subsidiary, Intel China Ltd.
Eventually, Intel hopes to develop more advanced speech-recognition technologies, like universal translation machines, Liou said. These applications will require processors that run at speeds of 10 GHz or faster, he said.
"Speech-recognition is a CPU-intensive application," Liou told SBN in a recent interview at the company's Beijing research center. "What we're doing is developing technology for tomorrow's microprocessor applications."
But Intel has an usual business model for its voice-recognition software. Fearing that it will compete with its microprocessor customers, Intel does not plan to sell the DSR software platform on the open market, Liou said.
Instead, the company will license--or give away--the technology to third-party developers, such as IBM, Lernout & Hauspie, and others, Liou said.
IBM, Lernout & Hauspie, and others separately offer voice-recognition software products for use in Chinese-language applications. These software products are typically optimized to run on a range of CISC- and RISC-based processors, such as Intel's x86, Sun Microsystems' Sparc, and PowerPC architectures.
For these developers, Intel licenses or gives away what it calls "low-level software functions." As a result, the software developer is able to optimize a product on a particular platform, notably the x86 or StrongARM, he said.
Intel's work in speech-recognition is important for other reasons. Speech-recognition technology promises to solve some major problems for Chinese-language populations in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other regions.
At present, the Chinese language consists of over 10,000 characters. As a result, the Chinese-language keyboard on a PC is complex and cumbersome for users. Even the fastest typists in China can only type some 40 characters a minute on a Chinese keyboard, analysts said.
Speech-recognition could eradicate the need for the Chinese keyboard on a PC, but there is still some major problems with the technology. "Speech-recognition is in its infancy," Liou said. "The problem with speech-recognition is that it's only 90-to-95% accurate."
While the jury is still out for speech-recognition products for the PC, the technology is taking off in non-PC applications, like voice-portals, call-centers, and others. "Speech-recognition is taking off in applications where you don't need 100% accuracy," he said.
Intel hopes to solve the accuracy--and the noise-related problems--associated with speech-recognition. Targeted for call-centers, portals, and other applications, Intel's DSR software is designed to reside on both the server and a piece of end-user equipment like a cellular-phone or PC.
By using a proprietary speech-engine technology, voice patterns can be digitized and distributed through the network. "The technology builds a model of your voice," Liou said.
Intel's technology is compliant with an industry specification for voice-recognition. Dubbed Aurora, the specification is still in the state of flux, however. "There is a standard, but there is really no implementation for the standard," he added.
XM Satellite Expects 100,000 Radio Customers in 2001
Washington, April 10 (Bloomberg) -- XM Satellite Radio Inc., a satellite-radio broadcaster, expects to have 100,000 customers by the end of this year, Chief Executive Hugh Panero said. The company's shares rose as much as 26 percent.
The radios will be available in stores and as an option on some General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac models by late September, when XM Satellite plans to start commercial service, Panero said in an interview.
XM Satellite, partly owned by General Motors, Honda Motor Co. and Clear Channel Communications Inc., plans to provide as many as 100 channels of music and news programs for $9.95 a month. XM's competitor, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., said April 3 that the start of its service may be delayed beyond September because automakers hadn't ordered any radios.
``I don't particularly agree with (Sirius's) pessimism as it relates to my company,'' Panero said. ``Its problems aren't my problems.''
Sirius CEO David Margolese last week declined to give customer forecasts for this year. The company's shares fell 36 percent on Tuesday after Sirius said automakers hadn't ordered any of its radios.
Panero declined to estimate how many radios would be sold in new cars from General Motors and Honda's U.S. arm, with which the Washington-based company also has a marketing agreement. Equipment for older cars will be sold in Sears, Roebuck & Co., Best Buy Co. and RadioShack Corp. stores.
There will be 24 models of the radios made by six manufacturers including Sony Corp., Pioneer Corp. and Alpine Electronics Inc., he said.
XM shares rose 77 cents, or 17 percent, to $5.16. They've fallen 83 percent in the past year. Sirius rose $1.40, or 18 percent, to $9.01. Its stock has dropped 80 percent in the past 12 months.
IBM Announces Chip for Internet-Attached Devices
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news) announced on Thursday a semiconductor it said is designed for consumer-electronics devices connected to the Internet, continuing its push into what it and other high-tech players are calling ``pervasive computing.''
The IBM PowerPC Internet Appliance Platform combines a microprocessor with other capabilities such as touch-screen management, memory drivers and liquid-crystal display drivers and will cost about $60, IBM said.
The announcement by IBM is a continuation of a trend in the chip industry to combine more and more functions performed by multiple chips onto one chip. This becomes possible as engineering advances allow more and more transistors to be packed onto a single semiconductor.
IBM's Microelectronics division, based in East Fishkill, N.Y., would assemble most of the chip in advance for customers to help keep costs down, while the customers would still be able to modify the chip themselves for specific applications.
An IBM spokesman said that Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM, the world's No. 1 computer maker, is already working with about six Japanese consumer-electronics companies that are planning to use the IBM chip in future products. The spokesman declined to name the companies.
IBM said that current microprocessors designed for personal computers are not flexible enough to lend themselves to practical use in battery-powered devices that are connected to the Internet
Will this be one of the new platforms FALK referred to????
''International Conference on Wearable Computing - ''Wearables: Computing without Compromise''
You are cordially invited to join Xybernaut Corporation for ICWC 2001, the Sixth Annual International Conference on Wearable Computing.
Over one thousand attendees from thirty-four countries participated in last year's conference.
This year we plan an even more exciting program.
Attendees will participate in active sessions on implementation, productivity, technology and real-life return on investment.
Presenters will be authorities from among the world's leading corporations, universities and government agencies.
In addition, IBM, Texas Instruments and Xybernaut will use the ICWC 2001 forum to launch the next generation of wearable computing and communicating - the Mobile Assistant V Series.
We look forward to your attendance.
when
Wednesday May 30, 2001, 7:30 AM through
Thursday May 31, 2001, 7:00 PM
where
Ritz-Carlton
Tysons Corner
1700 Tysons Boulevard
McLean, VA 22102
USA
April 12, 2001 Convera Delivering Video Highlights For NBA Webcast
Digital media archiver Convera, born out of a partnership between Intel and Excalibur Technologies, will provide online highlights that may be used to creat custom replay reels for the NBA's Friday webcast of the Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks basketball game. Digital highlights will be available 15 minutes after each quarter of the game. Billed as an experiment that will eventually be extended to interactive TV systems, the free webcast is being produced by NBA Entertainment, and made available only at NBA.com and Real.com, exclusively using RealPlayer software. Additionally, Convera and the NBA are creating a searchable database of game clips. Convera, formed last December through the merger of software developer Excalibur and a division of Intel, develops software that manages multimedia content. Additional clients include PBS Online and Viacom.
Loudeye Restructures Operations
Loudeye Restructures Operations to Support New Initiatives, Consolidate Core Business Infrastructure and Integrate Recent Acquisitions
SEATTLE, WA - April 11, 2001
Loudeye Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOUD), a leading provider of services and infrastructure for the authorized delivery of digital content, today announced it is restructuring operations to consolidate its core media services infrastructure, integrate recent acquisitions and support new business initiatives under development.
Having substantially completed the development of its advanced digital music archive and related distribution technology, Loudeye will focus its resources on aggressively exploiting these assets and supporting new business initiatives that directly enable the authorized delivery of digital music. Those initiatives, which the Company will begin rolling out in the weeks ahead, may include new product offerings, key strategic alliances and acquisitions, as well as the reduction or outsourcing of non-core business operations. Additionally, Loudeye is integrating the recent acquisitions of DiscoverMusic, currently the largest purveyor of music samples on the Internet, and certain technology assets of OnAir Streaming Networks, a leading developer of online radio applications.
As a result, Loudeye's permanent work force of approximately 300 is being reduced by 45 percent. The Company's Seattle-based operations, presently located in four separate facilities, will be consolidated into the corporate headquarters. Upon its completion later in the second quarter, the operational restructuring is anticipated to produce annualized cash savings of approximately $12 million. Loudeye expects to record a cash charge of approximately $2.5 million in the second quarter related to these changes as well as a substantial non-cash charge for related asset write-downs that will be discussed in the Company's announcement of first quarter results later this month.
"As the emerging market for digital music distribution begins to unfold, Loudeye is focused on developing sustainable, scalable revenue streams," said John T. Baker, Loudeye chief executive officer. "I am confident that Loudeye, with the resources to move aggressively and opportunistically, is well positioned for success."
"Although this restructuring produces significant cost savings and strengthens our financial position, it was engineered to maximize operating efficiency and align resources with a refocused business plan that leverages Loudeye's technology, expertise and customer knowledge," Baker added.
About Loudeye Technologies, Inc.
Loudeye is a leading provider of services and infrastructure for the authorized delivery of digital content that empower today's top media, entertainment and Fortune 1000 companies to transform traditional media assets into dynamic digital content. Through its Digital Media Centers in Seattle (headquarters), New York and London, Loudeye is building the infrastructure to support the next generation of digital media businesses. To learn more, visit www.loudeye.com.
iBiquity Digital Provides FCC With New Test Results on FM Digital Broadcasting
Digital Technology Company Completes Field Tests in the Nation's Most Challenging Radio Market: San Francisco
COLUMBIA, MD and WARREN, NJ (April 9, 2001) -- iBiquity Digital Corporation, the leading developer of digital AM and FM radio broadcast technology, today submitted successful San Francisco test results on its IBOC digital broadcast system to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC). San Francisco is acknowledged to be the most challenging urban area in the United States for reliable and quality analog FM radio reception. The mountains that surround the city obstruct and reflect the analog FM signals, causing severe distortion. The data submitted to the FCC and NRSC, resulting from extensive field testing at San Francisco station KLLC-FM, demonstrated that iBiquity Digital's IBOC system provided superior digital quality audio and much more reliable reception than present analog FM transmissions.
Today, radio in the United States is broadcast using analog signals. iBiquity Digital's iDAB™ technology uses an IBOC approach to broadcasting, enabling radio broadcasters to transmit a digital signal capable of delivering digital quality audio as well as wireless data for a wide variety of consumer applications, including traffic and weather information. In the future, in-vehicle radios, home audio and potentially a host of consumer electronics devices, such as personal digital assistants and smart phones, will receive wireless data transmitted by digital AM and FM radio stations.
"The results from our San Francisco tests submitted to the FCC and NRSC today, along with previously submitted test results from Las Vegas and Washington, DC, clearly demonstrate the superior performance of the IBOC technology in real-world environments," said Robert Struble, President and CEO, iBiquity Digital Corporation. "With the submission of these test results, we continue to move forward toward the selection of our IBOC system as the digital radio standard for the United States."
Glynn Walden, iBiquity Digital vice president of broadcast engineering, who oversaw the San Francisco field tests, stated, "We are extremely pleased with the exceptional performance of our IBOC technology in the nation's most difficult market for radio reception. Our field tests show that in the presence of San Francisco's mountainous terrain, we delivered high quality, CD-like digital audio that was free of the artifacts, noise and distortion that plague FM analog reception in the San Francisco Bay area."
About iBiquity Digital
iBiquity Digital (www.ibiquity.com) is a leading technology innovator working to develop and commercialize digital radio broadcast and audio compression technology solutions. It's AM and FM digital broadcast technology using an IBOC approach, trademarked iDAB™, will transform the terrestrial radio industry from being providers of audio-only analog to being providers of high quality digital audio and wireless data services. PACä is a highly customizable audio compression technology currently being incorporated into wireless solutions, such as XM Satellite Radio's Satellite Digital Audio Radio System (SDARS). iBiquity Digital was formed from the merger of Lucent Digital Radio and USA Digital Radio. The company is privately held with operations in Columbia, MD, Warren, NJ, and Detroit MI.
iBiquity Digital's owners serve as a major source of guidance and support. The broad ownership group includes 14 of the nation's largest radio broadcasters, and other prominent technology, media and investment companies: ABC, Inc., New York (NYSE:DIS); Allbritton New Media, Inc., Washington, DC; Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., Naples, Florida (NASDAQ: BBGI); Bonneville International Corporation, Salt Lake City; Citadel Communications Corporation, Las Vegas (NASDAQ:CITC); Clear Channel Communications, Inc., San Antonio (NYSE:CCU); Cox Radio, Inc., Atlanta (NYSE:CXR); Cumulus Media, Inc., Milwaukee (NASDAQ:CMLS); DB Capital Partners, New York; Emmis Communications, Indianapolis (NASDAQ:EMMS); Entercom Communications Corporation, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (NYSE:ETM); Flatiron Partners, New York; Gannett Co. Inc., Arlington, Virginia (NYSE:GCI); Granite Ventures, LLC., San Francisco; Grotech Capital Group, Timonium, Maryland; Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Florida (NYSE:HRS); Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, Dallas (NYSE:HSP); J.P. Morgan Partners, New York, (NYSE:JPM); J&W Seligman & Co. Incorporated, New York; Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, New Jersey (NYSE:LU); Pequot Capital, Westport, Connecticut; Pictet, Geneva, Switzerland; Radio One, Inc., Lanham, Maryland (NASDAQ:ROIA); Regent Communications, Inc., Covington, Kentucky (NASDAQ:RGCI); Riggs Capital Partners, LLC, Washington, DC; Saga Communications, Inc., Grosse Pointe, Michigan (AMEX: SGA); TI Ventures, Dallas; Viacom Inc., New York (NYSE:VIA); Visteon Corporation, Dearborn, Michigan (NYSE:VC); Waller-Sutton Media Partners, New York; Whitney & Co., Stamford, Connecticut; and Williams, Jones & Associates, Inc., New York
unclejed47 eastech update
Reply To: 659609 by moxa1 $$$$ Thursday, 12 Apr 2001 at 4:08 PM EDT
Post # of 659619
Moxa1,
I spoke with a rep from EastTech, and the player is out in may, with an updated one soon to follow. They do have contracts singed and ready to go, but as you know I was not told who
By: FGATOR POTCE Treo Update
Reply To: None Thursday, 12 Apr 2001 at 3:32 PM EDT
Post # of 659604
POTCE Treo Update
http://www.potce.com/Cat1/01/Electronics/MP3_Players/treo.htm
4/10/01 UPDATE:
Latest news from Hy-Tek is that they are having availability issues with some of the unit's components. New ETA for shipment is June 2001, but we should have a review unit in hand within the next month or so (at least we hope). Rumors also exist that the production unit will have a 10GB hard drive (not confirmed by Hy-Tek at this time). Keep checking with us, and we'll post any new information we receive.
Virgin Moves to Set-Top Boxes
allNetDevices
04/04/2001
Radio Free Virgin, a digital radio broadcasting company, has agreed to partner with Digital eStation to expand its current PC offerings to the Digital eBox, an Internet-based entertainment system delivered through a set-top box and user interface system. The Digital eBox contains a convergence hardware platform for all forms of digital entertainment.
As part of the agreement, Digital eStation will offer its users Radio Free Virgin's music programming through the Digital eBox, giving subscribers access to Radio Free Virgin's 40 streaming channels through the user's television via a remote tuner.
According to representatives for Digital eStation, the Digital eBox is built to receive and translate all existing bandwidth rates, broadcast signals, and digital content, and is compatible with all forms of broadcasting, including cable, satellite, and broadband
The Digital eBox units will come pre-installed and cobranded with the Radio Free Virgin Player, providing an easy link for users to get Radio Free Virgin's programming. The Radio Free Virgin Player also provides users with the option of recording favorite songs from any Radio Free Virgin station for playback later.
"The Digital eBox marks our first move off the PC desktop and demonstrates an important aspect of our offline distribution strategy," said Zack Zalon, general manager of Radio Free Virgin, in a prepared statement. "Because we have invested in programming that can't be found on traditional radio stations and technology to ensure a quality listening experience, which includes the ability to record, we're building a brand that will prove valuable to our distribution partners as well as compelling to our audience."
Financials details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Based in Santa Monica, Calif., Radio Free Virgin is a unit of Virgin Audio Holdings, LLC. The company is funded by Richard Branson.
Wireless Compatibility Approved
By allNetDevices Staff
April 12, 2001
A proposal that proponents claim will insure compatibility between Bluetooth and 802.11b wireless local area networks was confirmed this week by a key unit of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The proposal, initially made by Mobilian Corporation and Symbol Technologies, was confirmed by IEEE's 802.15.2 Coexistence Task Group as a "recommended practice" by vendors.
The proposal, which the companies say they will publish later this year, describes an intelligent "traffic cop" to optimize throughput when the two systems are located on the same device. The system, according to Mobilian and Symbol, virtually eliminates interference.
Bluetooth is an increasingly-accepted short-range wireless technology while 802.11b is widely used for wireless LANs both in the home and the enterprise. Many analysts have said that interference with wireless LANs has been one of the factors holding back acceptance of Bluetooth.
The companies said in a statement that the approval means that chipmakers can implement technology this year so the two technologies can peacefully co-exist.
In-Car Comm Systems to Explode
allNetDevices
04/12/2001
About 56 million cars will be fitted with wireless telematics systems by 2005, according to a new study by ARC Group.
Wireless operators are increasingly interested in in-car systems because growth in the wireless phone sector is starting to slow, the study notes. This interest will lead to ever-increasing investments by wireless companies in that field.
The in-car telematics market should grow at an average rate of 90 percent a year over the next five years, the study says. Wireless operators like in-car telematics because it results in significantly lower churn rates than regular wireless service.
Carmakers are also increasingly supportive of in-car systems. Telematics appears to have a lot of potential for fleet management and freight carriers.
Nokia, Partners Test Wireless Purchases
allNetDevices
04/12/2001
Nokia and two partners said Thursday that they have successfully tested financial transactions using payment technology that is supported by the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 1.2 specification.
Specifically, Nokia, wireless operator KPN Mobile, and infrastructure vendor Interpay Nederland said they completed test transactions using Wireless Identity Module (WIM) technology. The module enables secure, real-time transactions using a digital signature.
Practically, that means users of WIM-compliant phones can perform secure transactions simply by entering a PIN code, the companies said in a statement. The WIM capabilities used in this test were integrated into the SIM card used on GSM phones that include user information.
The companies said they will launch a pilot to further test the technology.
Amid the announcements of problems at Palm, RIM (Research In Motion) has announced that it isn't being affected in the least by the economic slowdown. In addition, it beat analyst expectations for its fiscal fourth quarter with $90.1 million in revenues, a 249 percent jump over the same period a year ago and a 46 percent increase over its third quarter. The company also announced that its subscriber base is now 164,000 users and that it's almost ready to launch a beta of its handhelds in the UK. As for new devices, RIM plans to launch voice-driven pagers based on GPRS and CDMA later this year in North America. It sounds like RIM is doing very well. The above announcements coupled with deals the company inked with AvantGo and Lotus are sure to bring in a fruitful year. Most recently the web browser for RIM devices--GoWeb--added support for PQAs so there's a HUGE untapped market there as well. Of course, many PDA manufacturers are trying to get into the always-on space so RIM better be ready for a fight.
Subscribing to Convergence Theory
by Brad King
2:00 a.m. Apr. 10, 2001 PDT
Internet media companies are convinced that consumers will embrace subscription services for online entertainment, but they also realize they need to keep up with the ever-changing times.
What they've discovered is that consumers are no longer willing to just sit in front of their computers listening to music. They want it on their television and mobile devices. They want entertainment anywhere they can get it, and they don't want to subscribe to numerous services to get it.
So they are developing services that provide online entertainment over multiple mediums.
See also:
Labels Band Together for Service
MTV Gets Down With Downloads
Yahoo Joins Music Craze
Look and listen: Lycos Music
Hear how MP3 Rocks the Web
"If you have one collection of media in your house, you want to consume it in multiple ways," said Mark Tucker, CEO of Hit Hive, a company that has created distribution networks that will transfer data anywhere.
"If you have AT&T cable at home, how does the consumer access the America Online subscription services on the television? We allow for multiple access points. Each access point has an individual relationship with the consumer, but you can get your information anywhere you are."
Hit Hive has developed an infrastructure platform that allows wireless carriers to license and deliver content to their consumers. The Mobile Music Center delivers content to people through a secure distribution network.
But the cell phone isn't the primary market for new media services. The convergence of Internet media with traditional distribution networks is being driven by the development of personalization technologies like TiVo that allow television watchers to control their viewing experience.
As revenue-generating commercials face extinction while personal recording devices gain popularity, the entertainment industry needs to explore new ways to make money.
"Something has to happen with television because of TiVo and personalized television," said Eric Scheirer, Internet media analyst for Forrester Research.
"People don't want advertising, so that is going to be a problem when it comes to regular network programming. There needed to be transaction programming that allows these programs to continue to make incremental revenues for everyone involved."
Analysts at PriceWaterhouseCoopers predict that digital cable will reach 35 million households by 2004, nearly 50 percent of all cable-ready households in America. That opens the door for media companies to develop subscription models built around Internet and television properties that can eventually be delivered across multiple networks.
RealNetworks has been developing its tiered subscription service, called the Gold Pass, around music and sports.
The lowest rung of the service allows customers to have access to all of the local radio broadcasts of major league baseball games for $4.95 a month. The highest rung gives consumers access to content from the House of Blues, video and radio broadcasts of major league baseball and professional basketball, broadband movie trailers and interviews, along with the Real Player Plus media player.
The Gold Pass service comes with a personalized search engine that allows users to search video clips, scan audio snippets and create personal highlights from sporting events without ever watching or listening to a game.
So far, 175,000 people have signed up for the high-end service.
Eventually, RealNetworks hopes to develop its pay service to the point where subscribers will have access to on-demand movies or songs as well.
"Consumers have been screaming out for more action in less time," said Larry Jacobson, the chief operating officer of RealNetworks. "If you add the temporal element to this, then you can get into a space where the programming begins to feel different because you can cut out the editors and you become the producer."
For the service to be successful though, Jacobson said he expects it will move away from the PC. As content migrates from the den to the living room, Internet media companies will increasingly compete with traditional network television.
"When we begin to take the value of the network out of the hands of the television producers and put it into the hands of the consumers, that's going to be a very scary time for broadcasters," Jacobson said.
But providing video to users through the television is going to be a difficult proposition, Scheirer said.
"Within the next couple of years, we are going to see cable bringing very high-quality video to the household, and that makes it difficult for Internet companies to compete with them," he said. "There will be little pieces of video available, but the home for video delivery is going to be through the cable networks."
Still, AtomShockwave has found a way to merge its online destination site, where wannabe filmmakers upload their short films. The company has already signed a deal with Showtime and the Sci-Fi channel that will bring the best of its feature shorts to the small screen.
"There is still lots of space to become an aggregator in the cable world," Scheirer said. "AtomShockwave can position itself with both its Internet channel and its cable television deals. They might be able to leverage themselves in such a way that they can use the cable services to help brand their name and eventually become their own channel."
Not everyone is going after the television market though. For fans of live music, getting out of the house and down to the local clubs is the most important part of the experience.
The House of Blues hopes to develop an entire lifestyle network that consumers will pay to join, much like America Express has deals with merchants to offer discounted rates to its credit card holders.
The company has already started offering limited subscription that allow users to get pre-sale tickets, discount food and retail services, an 800-number that allows you to plan a trip, access digital music and get preferred access to hotels and lounges associated with House of Blues venues nationwide.
"We're offering a lifestyle," said Stephen Felisan, the House of Blues' senior vice president of technology. "We can tailor our subscription to the people who like live music. We want to create a VIP room that spans across the country."
April 11, 2001 Figures of speech
Voice-application activity on the rise
Many software and hardware vendors have recently come to realize that people are more than willing to speak up to get what they really want out of their wireless devices.
Speech recognition is rapidly coming to be seen as a killer application for cell phones, PDAs, Web tablets, and other wireless devices. The technology has been making major headway in the office arena, as businesses adopt automated telephone systems. These systems let callers access company directories by merely speaking the name of the person with whom they wish to talk. The enabling technologies are primarily based on VoiceXML, a standardized language for creating telephony voice-user interfaces that greatly simplify the development of Web-based speech-recognition applications.
According to Cahners In-Stat Group, speech recognition is poised to enter every walk of life as new applications are developed and prices drop. The result is soon to be a speech-recognition-enabled world where the technology can be found at every office, call center, wireless provider, and e-vendor.
"The explosion of this market is due to several factors," says Brian Strachman, senior analyst with In-Stat's Voice Applications Service. "First, microprocessor technology is advancing to the point where speech recognition products are made faster, better, and cheaper. Secondly, demand from service providers and voice portals are creating new markets for speech-recognition products. Finally, development tools such as VoiceXML make it easier to create cutting edge products."
"Coupled with the explosive growth in contact centers and ever increasing demand for CRM [customer relationship management] applications, there is great opportunity for both software providers and application developers to capitalize on the speech-recognition explosion."
Cahners In-Stat presents its findings in the first ever comprehensive speech-recognition market report, "Speech Recognition: Listen to the Market Explode." The Report analyzes the technology and its future, segments the potential markets and forecasts their potential, and provides profiles, market shares, and forecasts. In addition, the report provides forecasts for the speech-recognition software market through 2005, and includes market shares for leading vendors.
In the final analysis, In-Stat finds that, by 2005, annual sales of speech-recognition software engines, the basis for all speech-recognition products, will reach $2.7 billion.
One vendor, Sensory, has just released its Voice Extreme Toolkit, a suite of development hardware and graphical programming tools that allows programmers to turn out demos, prototypes, or entire speech-enabled applications in just a few hours. Available for $129, the Toolkit is a hardware-development platform that includes a Windows-based integrated development environment and works in tandem with Sensory's Voice Extreme IC, a programmable version of the company's RSC-364 speech-recognition chip.
"Unlike traditional speech-recognition development technologies, which require developers to be experts in assembly language, our VE Toolkit is instantly usable by nearly anyone with C programming experience," says Todd Mozer, Sensory's president and chief executive officer. "Now, everyone, from engineers in large companies who want a quick way to sell speech-enabled concepts to their management, to developers with modest-volume applications, can add speech recognition or speech activation to their designs without high-cost tools or custom printed circuit boards."
Available beginning next month, Sensory's VE Toolkit consists of a main board with built-in speaker, microphone, LEDs, power regulation, switches, and prototyping area, as well as a removable VE module that contains the speech processor and flash memory. Also included: a CD-ROM with development software, sample applications, templates, a manual, help, and more. Once programmed via the included serial cable, the tiny Voice Extreme module can easily be removed and wired directly into demos or products. Using a built-in dynamic memory handler, the Voice Extreme chip uses the flash memory to store the program as well as speech prompts (synthesis), speaker-independent weight sets, speaker-dependent templates, record and playback data, music data, and other information.
At last month's CTIA in Las Vegas, Lobby7 launched an integrated speech/graphics interface engine that is targeted at companies designing and deploying mobile communications devices. The company's "multi-modal" interface engine enables wireless users to navigate through menu-driven systems while simultaneously using a mix of voice and visual controls. Mobile users can ask questions or make requests to their wireless devices and then receive a real-time, graphical response that is displayed right on the screen of their handheld units.
"The ability to recognize the user as a person rather than a device, and to follow the session logic is critical and very difficult to do," says John H Hill, communication software analyst for Salomon Smith Barney. "LOBBY7 delivers an integrated graphical UI and voice portal that can be accessed via WAP phones or connected PDAs or PocketPCs, allowing users to request graphical content using their human voice."
The VoiceXML-compliant speech/graphics interface engine allows users to interact with applications on mobile handheld devices using a unified two-way speech and visual-input interface that accesses information in real-time through the simultaneous reception of information in speech, audio, and graphical formats. According to Lobby7, the interface can integrate with all major speech-recognition and text-to-speech systems. In addition, the engine employs J2EE and XML-based architecture that is scalable to accommodate the needs of various content sources and users.
SpeechWorks International and VoiceGenie Technologies are also getting into the act through their recently announced partnership in the development of a scalable platform for standards-based speech-driven applications. Set for release in Q3, the forthcoming SpeechGenie system will enable a company's customers to access Web information, conduct online transactions, and manage personal communications through voice commands over cell phones as well as their landline counterparts.
Based on VoiceXML, the SpeechGenie platform is expected to feature pre-packaged, VoiceXML-based application building blocks as well as text-to-speech engine and SpeechSecure authentication, which will enable users to direct their calls, obtain information, and complete transactions automatically, simply by speaking naturally over any phone, anytime.
VoiceGenie also recently introduced VoiceGenie VoiceXML Gateway 5.0, which enables a company's customers or employees to access Web information, conduct on-line transactions, and manage personal communications, including e-mail and voice-activated dialing, by simply issuing voice commands over any telephone. Gateway 5.0 also provides voice-over-IP (VoIP) support. The result, says the company, is a major reduction in line charges, network costs, and IT expenses.
"VoIP capability is especially beneficial to mid-size enterprises and next-gen telcos, as a large proportion of their communications budgets goes to long-distance services," claims Stuart Berkowitz, president and CEO at VoiceGenie. "By utilizing IP telephony for their new Voice Web services, VoiceGenie customers can leverage their data networks by running converged data, voice, and other applications over a single infrastructure."
By avoiding the PSTN, interoffice telephone calls can travel free of toll charges. Voice traffic instead travels over a company's data lines and existing infrastructure at no added cost. VoiceXML Gateway 5.0 is scheduled to begin shipping in Q3.
General Magic recently launched its own VoiceXML-based gateway. Featuring a scaleable, VoiceXML-compliant architecture, the magicTalk Voice Gateway consists of server-based software that integrates VoiceXML, telephony, media, and speech-recognition services. In addition, the magicTalk Voice Gateway can be integrated with any Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and Text-To-Speech (TTS) software. The software product also includes a Java-based VoiceXML custom extension API (application program interface) that will enable customers to add their own proprietary tags to extend the VoiceXML standard as well as a VoiceXML debugger for the line debugging of VoiceXML scripts.
At CTIA last month, Philips Speech Processing rolled out its Speech-enabled Highway, which utilizes core speech-recognition technologies such as voice portals, speech-enabled directory assistance, and voice-activated voicemail. All of these features can be deployed in both fixed and mobile networks. Philips is also teeming with Intel company Dialogic to speed development of voice-portal and speech-recognition applications within the landline environment.
Philips Speech Processing's "say-what-you-mean" SpeechPearl speech-recognition engine can be integrated into third-party voice-processing platforms so that callers can speak naturally and be understood. SpeechPearl even incorporates a "barge-in" feature that allows callers to interrupt and begin speaking before the automated prompt is finished. The host-based software-only SpeechPearl engine supports 200,000-word vocabularies and 22 languages, while allowing for dynamic switching between vocabularies and languages. In addition, the platform's add-word feature enables application developers to provide for the critical needs of auto-attendant applications.
Speech Technology 'to Explode'
4/10/2001 Author: Bien Perez
The market for speech-recognition software in Asia is ready to explode as the region develops more advanced communications infrastructure and services, according to an industry expert.
Drivers for the projected demand include growth of call-centre facilities, wireless-communications systems expansion, improvements in speech recognition technology, and voice-portal applications.
Brian Strachman, senior analyst for voice-applications services at market-research firm Cahners In-Stat Group, said new microprocessors were making speech recognition faster, better, and cheaper.
"Demand from service providers and voice portals is creating new markets for speech-recognition products," he said.
Mr Strachman forecast that sales of speech-recognition software engines would reach US$2.7 billion in 2005.
The main providers of the technology include Nuance, Speechworks, Lernout & Hauspie, IBM, Lucent Technologies, Locus Dialogue, and Philips.
"Any region with a growing telecommunications infrastructure and a need for mobile communications will grow," he said.
In-Stat expects application developers and providers to make significant gains from this growing market.
"The result is a speech recognition-enabled world where the technology can be found at every office, call centre, wireless provider, and e-vendor," Mr Strachman said.
South China Morning Post
(C) 2001 South China Morning Post. via Bell&Howell Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
MH: i dn think so; sorry to hear your alzheimer kicked in.
"Zapmedia, Inc. And Samsung Electro-Mechanics Form Strategic Relationship"
Samsung Electro-Mechanics to manufacture, brand and distribute new entertainment convergence product based on ZapMedia's ZapStation Hardware Reference Platform
ATLANTA - Feb. 21, 2001 - ZapMedia, Inc., a leading Atlanta-based media convergence technology company, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (SEMCO), a constituent member of the Samsung Group, have announced a strategic relationship to manufacture a Samsung-branded product based on ZapMedia's ZapStationTM Hardware Reference Design, the conduit to ZapMedia's entertainment service.
Enabled by ZapMedia's patent-pending ZapStation Hardware Reference Design, ZapMediaEngine software and the ZapMedia Entertainment Portal, the Samsung-branded CD/DVD digital entertainment product (Samsung ZapStation) will allow consumers to access a wide range of digital entertainment through their television or stereo without the need for a computer. Under the arrangement, SEMCO will manufacture, brand and distribute ZapMedia's current ZapStation Hardware Reference Design which includes a 30Gb hard drive that can store up to 30 hours of video and up to 10,000 songs, a digital audio jukebox featuring Windows Media Audio and MP3 formats, CD and DVD player, CD ripper, internet browsing, e-mail and versatile broadband or dial-up service access.
"We are very pleased to be working with SEMCO to bring another ZapStation design to the market," said Eric Hartz, CEO and president of ZapMedia. "SEMCO plays a significant role in the consumer electronics industry and retail market, speeding ZapMedia's vision of delivering ZapMedia's digital entertainment service to consumers through their TV, stereos and the Internet." Added Jeff Ayton, Chief Marketing Officer, "It is exciting to see our technology poised to begin the new era of convergence in home entertainment." "SEMCO and ZapMedia's relationship bolsters the delivery of digital entertainment to a broad consumer base in the near future."
Through the Samsung ZapStation, Powered by ZapMedia, consumers will be able to access the ZapMedia Entertainment Portal, which delivers a wide range of entertainment options in a user-friendly format. Users can access premium content such as news, finance, and sports from USA TODAY, audio from MP3.com and media from a variety of video content providers.
"ZapMedia's technology and services and SEMCO's history of innovation and design excellence creates an ideal business alignment," said Mr. Kim, Ho-Kon, Managing Director of Samsung Electro-Mechanics. "We are excited to use our manufacturing, branding and distribution expertise to bring the future of home entertainment products and services to consumers." Samsung will also manufacture, brand and distribute ZapMedia's next generation hardware platform.
As a member of the Samsung Group, SEMCO maintains manufacturing facilities throughout Korea and five overseas plants in Portugal, China and Mexico. SEMCO manufactures, markets and distributes over 50 kinds of devices and components. The Samsung branded ZapStation design will be manufactured and assembled in Korea.
About ZapMedia.com, Inc.
ZapMedia, Inc., based in Atlanta, is a privately held convergence technology company bringing customized entertainment to consumers. With ZapMedia's co-branded products and services, consumers of all ages can access movies, music, video and the Web, as well as play CDs and DVDs through their existing televisions and stereos. The ZapMedia ecosystem, developed in-house, consists of the ZapStation hardware reference design (device), ZapMediaEngineSM (software), ZapAccessSM (service) and the ZapMedia Portal. For more information about ZapMedia's products and services, visit the web site at www.zapmedia.com.
About Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd., based in Suwon, Korea, started out in 1973 as a maker of electronic parts and has played a key role in Korea's electronics industry ever since.
The people at Samsung Electro-Mechanics are proud to represent Korea's largest producer of parts and components and are now standing tall on the world stage, continuing to develop and supply the parts and components that are essential for market-leading finished products.
Currently EASTECH is working with Strategic Partners such as Arrio,
AudioRamp, and Zapmedia to develop innovative Streaming Audio
products which can play digital audio through an internet
connection. Many of the products being developed can be used as
a Home Theater component or as a stand alone Micro Music
Center.
EASTECH has and will be implementing MP3 playback
capabilities in to future products such as our DVD Players and
Micro Music Centers.
JB- this bud's for you:
Digital-audio engine eliminates PC middleman.
At first glance, PortalPlayer's Tango platform seems like any other DSP targeting the hot digital-audio market. It decodes AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding), MP3, QDesign, and Windows Media Audio formats and also comprehends SDMI (Secure Digital Media Initiative) and other watermarking and digital-security protocols. But take a closer look, and you'll notice the company's PP5001 controller also supports real-time MP3 encoding by combining an ARM7 TDMI core with a custom co-processor, 32 kbytes of SRAM, and 8 kbytes of cache. You can couple the PP5001 with a CD-ROM drive to create a direct-to-MP3 ripping platform, with no interim computer.
The PP5001 provides direct hardware interfaces to a variety of removable-storage media, including CompactFlash and IDE/ATA-33, DataPlay, PocketZip, MultimediaCard, Secure Digital card, and Memory Stick. Embedded memory controllers hook up to one to two banks of external synchronous DRAM and to one to two banks of flash memory with 128-Mbyte maximum density per bank. The PP5001 also includes a USB 1.0 interface, dual RS-232 ports, an LCD controller, 16 GPIOs, and an AC '97 Version 2.1 I2 S interface. The Tango platform costs $40 (1000) and includes not only the chip but also its firmware (with licenses for codecs and digital rights-management software) and a license to PortalPlayer's optional PC application, the PP7001 Digital Media Manager.
PortalPlayer , 1-408-855-0830, www.portalplayer.com.