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Sierra Wireless Company Backgrounder
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Company Background
Sierra Wireless is a global leader in providing wireless communication solutions that enable our customers to improve their productivity and lifestyle. Products designed by Sierra Wireless are recognized as unique, offering differentiated and reliable solutions, backed by world-class support.
Founded in 1993 in Vancouver, Canada, Sierra Wireless was instrumental in developing some of the first wireless data devices and continues to innovate with new products and software for new and emerging networks. In 1998, Sierra Wireless formed the WirelessReady? Alliance to advance the development and deployment of wireless communication. In 1999, the company was named Canada's fastest growing technology company by Deloitte & Touche and named the Company of the Year by the British Columbia Technologies Industry Association. In 2000, "Team Sierra Wireless" was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young; in 2002 Sierra Wireless was included on the 2002 Deloitte & Touche Technology Fast 500 list; and in 2003, the company was honored on PROFIT Magazine's PROFIT 100 list. For more information please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com/news/awards.asp.
Wireless Data Industry
The wireless data industry has experienced phenomenal growth over the past several years and is expected to continue its rapid expansion. Breakthroughs in portable computing and communications products, wireless services and the massive adoption of Internet and Intranet wide area networking have all contributed to soaring demand for wireless data. Information - and instant access to it - is crucial to enterprises and organizations with increasingly mobile workforces.
Sierra Wireless is well positioned to capitalize on the soaring demand for wireless solutions with award winning products for every wireless data application. The company has strong relationships with network carriers such as AT&T Wireless, Bell Mobility, China Mobile, China Unicom, KPN Mobile, Orange, Sprint PCS, TELUS Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone to name a few, as well as hardware and software vendors and system integrators. Highly differentiated products and strong partnerships enable Sierra Wireless to develop and deliver complete wireless data solutions customers demand in today's marketplace.
Sierra Wireless has a complete line of OEM solutions that cover all major global wide are wireless technologies including CDPD, CDMA 2000 1X, and GSM/GPRS. The company's OEM solutions are carrier certified and proven in numerous challenging integration environments and sectors including public safety, utilities, transportation, field service, and field sales. Used by global leaders like Intermec, Itronix Panasonic, Symbol Technologies and Toshiba, Sierra Wireless products have been used to increase field force productivity and efficiency and to enhance community or customer support. To each one, Sierra Wireless has delivered a dependable way to reach mission-critical information wherever and whenever it is required.
Shareholders
In May 1999, Sierra Wireless became a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange. In May 2000, Sierra Wireless was co-listed on the NASDAQ Exchange. Stock symbols are TSX: SW and NASDAQ: SWIR.
Products and Solutions
Sierra Wireless's product line is the broadest and most versatile in the industry. Each product features the state of the art in quality, design and performance, and many feature multi-mode network supports. The Sierra Wireless product line includes:
Voq™ professional phone: Windows Mobile™ - based Smartphone for use on global GSM/GPRS networks;
AirCard 750: a tri-band PC Card for laptops and PDAs for use on global GSM/GPRS networks;
AirCard 710: a single band PC Card for laptops and PDS for use on the AT&T GSM/GPRS network;
AirCard 555: a dual band PC Card for laptops and PDAs for use on CDMA2000 1X networks;
AirCard 550: a single band PC Card for laptops and PDAs for use on the Sprint PCS nationwide network;
AirCard 300 for Handhelds: the first wide area wireless modem to deliver wireless connectivity to users of Windows CE handheld computers;
MP750 GPS Rugged Wireless Modem for global GSM/GPRS networks;
MP200 Series of ruggedized, high-powered modems for vehicle-based applications;
SB555 Embedded Module for CDMA2000 1X networks;
SB 220/300/320/508/519 OEM modules for embedded applications.
Partnerships
Value to Sierra Wireless partners is simple. The company's commitment to excellence in customer relationships and product innovation is unwavering. Partnerships, and the creation of best in class products result in a range of complete wireless solutions for vertical markets, mobile professionals, and the enterprise. Sierra Wireless brings its products to customers through a network of industry leading partners including:
Wireless network carriers
Value-added distributors and resellers
Complementary OEM and applications suppliers
Notebook and handheld device manufacturers
Corporate Responsibility
Sierra Wireless is a global leader in providing wireless data solutions that enable mobile professionals to improve their productivity and lifestyle. The Company has a unique ability to design and market the industry's most differentiated and reliable wireless solutions, while providing customers and partners with world-class support.
Our strong product performance and leadership position in the industry allows us to assist others in understanding and learning more about the value and benefits of wireless technology in today's marketplace. And our mission in educating users about the value of wireless starts in our local community.
Sierra Wireless strives to support local community initiatives and programs that meet a community purpose. Our expertise as a leader in the wireless data industry also assists in educating communities about the value wireless data brings to their lifestyle.
Sierra Wireless will consider companies applying for sponsorship based on programs or events that support one or more of the values as listed below:
Innovation: Sierra Wireless is a known leader in developing innovative wireless technology. And its leadership position is driven by its ability to bring quality product to the global marketplace. The Company seeks opportunities to support community efforts that expand the boundaries and further the understanding of wireless technology in the global arena.
Education: Sierra Wireless recognizes that our success in developing products depends on our success in developing people - and in giving them opportunities to grow on the job. The Company continues to take an active role in promoting activities and organizations that promote wireless education, through employment opportunities, training, monetary commitment or time.
Integrity: Sierra Wireless is a company that is conscious about providing quality products and services that exceed the highest standards. All products are tested and approved by environmental and regulatory standards and we have a strong reputation in the industry for continuously delivering great product. We extend the commitment to quality in every product, process and project we work on, and support external events and programs with the same beliefs to ensure the best results are achieved.
Responsibility: As we expand into the global marketplace, Sierra Wireless continues to remain accountable to its employees, shareholders, partners and community. We remain committed to delivering to our customers and support events/programs that are conscious of the same responsible values.
Community Commitment:
Sierra Wireless takes corporate citizenship seriously. We actively participate in the annual United Way campaign and support a number of other local charitable efforts and educational and industry programs. Sierra Wireless is the co-title sponsor of the Sierra Wireless/Air Canada Whistler Cup, an international junior Alpine skiing competition held annually at Whistler. We're also a corporate sponsor of Science World, a non-profit community resource that promotes exploration of the arts, sciences and technology.
Sierra Wireless and employees also provide time, talent and resources to various not-for-profit, educational and industry initiatives, including:
Not-for-profit:
United Way of the Lower Mainland
Science World
BC Technology Social Venture Partners
BC Children's Hospital
Vancouver Food Bank
Camp Fircom
Alzheimer's Society of BC
Ronald MacDonald House of British Columbia
Educational:
Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
Dean's Advisory Board, Electrical Engineering, McMaster University
UBC Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering
Business Council, SFU Management of Technology MBA Program
Industry:
Leading Edge BC Ambassador Program
New Media Innovation Centre (NewMIC)
Wireless Innovation Network of BC (WIN BC)
BC Technology Industries Association (TIA)
Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA)
Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA)
Application Process:
Each request to Sierra Wireless for assistance/sponsorship must be made in writing, identifying the following:
Event goals and objectives
Total monetary amount requested and how the funds are to be used
A list of other companies participating in the event or activity
Relationship if applicable to any government foundation or agency
Details on how Sierra Wireless would be recognized as a contributor
Requests are to be addressed to:
Sierra Wireless, Inc.
Corporate Sponsorships
Wendy Knight
Human Resources department
13811 Wireless Way
Richmond, BC
Canada
V6V 3A4
http://www.sierrawireless.com/news/company_backgrounder.asp
Strategic Partnerships
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Value to Sierra Wireless's partners is simple. The Company's commitment to excellence in customer relationships and product innovation is unwavering. In developing and delivering our products, Sierra Wireless frequently teams with leading application developers, hardware manufacturers, infrastructure providers and distribution and channel partners. Partnerships, and the creation of best in class solutions result in a range of complete wireless solutions for vertical markets, mobile professionals and the enterprise.
It is our commitment to excellence in customer relationships that resulted in Sierra Wireless founding the WirelessReady® Alliance in 1998 to advance the deployment and development of wireless communication. Today, Alliance members include AT&T Wireless, Checkpoint, Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Sharp, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Wireless Knowledge, an initiative of QUALCOMM and Microsoft.
Click for recent Partnership News or visit the WirelessReady® Alliance web site that is loaded with useful information about Sierra Wireless' partner programs.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/news/partnerships.asp
The Wireless Data Market and the Role of Sierra Wireless
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The wireless data industry has experienced phenomenal growth over the past several years and is expected to continue its rapid expansion. With the rapid deployment of next generation carrier networks, advancements in wireless technology, and the massive adoption of the Internet and Intranet wide area networking information - and instant access to it is a reality for today's mobile workforce.
Multiple trends are both shaping the wireless data industry and spurring its future growth including:
Convergence of lower-cost portable computing devices and lower cost public wireless communications services;
Accelerated growth in the use of Internet and intranets, and the dissemination and sharing of mission-critical, enterprise-wide information;
Growing importance of any-place, any-time data transfer and retrieval for both industrial and professional mobile workforces to improve productivity and enhance customer service;
Continued development of wireless data solutions within those sectors with a long-established need for dispatch services, database access and messaging. These include public safety, utilities and field service.
Sierra Wireless is uniquely positioned to capitalize on these industry developments for many reasons:
Sierra Wireless is an industry leader in developing highly differentiated wireless solutions for the global marketplace;
The company provides a suite of award winning, breakthrough, early to market products with strong acceptance within target markets;
It offers strong endorsement and support to industry-leading service providers, hardware and software vendors and systems integrator organizations;
They have a proven excellence in research and development that has expanded to meet the challenge of providing access to all wireless data networks;
Sierra Wireless has a world-class team respected within the industry for its ability to deliver cutting edge wireless technology solutions.
Customers in the most demanding sectors - such as field service, field sales, insurance, public safety, transportation and utilities - depend on Sierra Wireless to do their jobs more effectively. These customers use Sierra Wireless products to increase field force productivity, improve efficiencies and to enhance customer support in their respective industries. Sierra Wireless continues to offer a dependable way to reach mission-critical information wherever and whenever it is needed.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/news/role.asp
TFWG - someone heard you ask for a bit of news!! but why AFTER the bell? do they want to save us from ourselves? Keep us from buying hand over fist while the market is open? must really have the best intrests of the share holders in mind!
Text of said license
Press Release Source: InterDigital Communications Corporation
InterDigital Signs Sierra Wireless, Inc. to Worldwide 2G and 3G Patent License Agreement
Tuesday March 16, 4:43 pm ET
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2004--InterDigital Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:IDCC - News), a leading architect, designer and provider of wireless technology and product platforms, today announced that InterDigital Technology Corporation and other subsidiaries have signed a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing patent license agreement with Sierra Wireless, Inc. The patent license agreement covers the sale of wireless terminal units and wireless modules built to Second Generation (2G and 2.5G) IS-136/GSM/GPRS/EDGE/IS-95B and all Third Generation (3G) WCDMA/cdma2000® standards.
About InterDigital
InterDigital architects, designs and provides advanced wireless technologies and products that drive voice and data communications. The Company offers technology and product solutions for mainstream wireless applications that deliver cost and time-to-market advantages for its customers. InterDigital has a strong portfolio of patented technologies covering 2G, 2.5G and 3G standards, which it licenses worldwide. For more information, please visit InterDigital's web site: www.interdigital.com. InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital Communications Corporation. cdma2000® is a registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA-USA).
About Sierra Wireless
Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR - TSX:SW) is a leader in delivering highly differentiated wireless solutions that enable its customers to improve their productivity and lifestyle. Sierra Wireless develops and markets the AirCard, the industry-leading wireless PC card line for portable computers; embedded modules for OEM wireless applications; the MP line of rugged vehicle-mounted connectivity solutions; and Voq, a line of mobile phones with easy-to-use, secure software solutions for mobile professionals. For more information about Sierra Wireless please visit www.sierrawireless.com.
Found this while looking back at my notes on ONCE. Hope this helps you identify him in a crowd.
That explains the where. What is the why?
Thanks for keeping me honest! My typo - meant ODM - the below artical is pretty good on explaining. HTC is one
From EMS to CDM: the contract manufacturing industry evolves again
Andrew Maclellan
ebnonline
09/22/2003 3:00 PM EST
URL: http://www.ebnonline.com/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=15200528
Working in the electronics field in any capacity means keeping abreast of the influx of new industry acronyms. The increasingly complex electronics manufacturing arena is no exception.
The latest term identified by companies and analysts in the past six months or so? Contract Design Manufacturer (CDM). Adding to what already resembles alphabet soup, this new category of contractor is broadly defined as a manufacturer that also provides design support services to ease the transition of customers' high-value products from prototype to mass production.
Once upon a time, the term contract electronics manufacturer (CEM) aptly described the majority of companies operating in the sector. Soon, however, the acronym became self-limiting in that it failed to account for the growing number of CEMs that not only made products but also assumed responsibility for sourcing, procurement, inventory management, and a host of other functions.
So the industry lobbied for a name change and became more generally known as Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers.
This worked well for a few years until a new breed of competitor the Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) began cropping up in Taiwan and mainland China. These companies do more than build products or offer services under contract to their customers and possess two characteristics that distinguish them from their EMS competitors: 1) they often own the IP used to design and build their customers' products, and 2) breaking a longheld EMS taboo, they sell products under their own brands--in effect competing with their contract customers.
Specializing primarily in high-volume commodities like PCs and cell phones, ODMs nevertheless have been able to reap better margins than EMS providers. But they have also begun to break down the barriers keeping EMS from moving more deeply into contract product design.
Indeed, the CDM model marks a movement by EMS providers to differentiate themselves from ODMs by taking on higher-end, higher-value, customized product design and manufacturing.
Bill Coker, director of sales and marketing for Elcoteq Americas, recently pointed to the differences between the two by noting that a CDM doesn't compete against its customers; shares, rather than owns, product IP; shares inventory risk and product liability; and has a global manufacturing footprint.
This is more than a passing trend. The advent of the CDM model is a significant evolution and adds another dimension to an already busy landscape. Amazing the power of three letters. OR
It seems that Tom knows how the market and investors work as well as IDCCs value in the EYS OF THE STREET. @ 27 he had a hold @ 17 he has a buy. if we get back to 25 on no new licences I expect him to downshift to a hold again.
his clients are the ones who bennifit from his ANALysis. We can too. I can not remember him ever having a sell. Has he?
could be that the Tiwan MDOs are signing with IDCC because a large vendor, that can't keep up with demand, has signed a contract with them to help with that production load. This large vendor may be a current IDCC licencee, and did not want any trouble, so they asked the DMO to sign with IDCC.
I regretfully withdraw my post of no news leak. It is going to be a rough day. Panic selling will take us below $20 on a day that naz futures are up. Timing sux. Hold tight we in for a bumpy ride.
on second thought after reading my last post I think that there was a news leak. Someone got wind of the new licence and figured the PPS was going to go up so they drove the price down to re-adjust their options holdings. It was the same person who drove the price up a couple of weeks ago to get inventory to use in this down draft. All with the knowledge that this was the other licence that Bill was talking about.
Good night all............. gotta love those leaks.
this should be proof that the run down of the last few days was NOT due to any leak of info from our beloved. My guess is the only people who are going to be upset because they sold in this downturn are the folks who sold out of fear. those that drove the price down were doing it for profit in options and are not phased by this new licence.
good luck to all tomorrow. I expect to see a nice upsurge in the AM.
you two are crack-ups when you discuss IDCC. Keep up the dialog. It makes my day.
BTW - didn't you get that phone number FROM Data? - LOL
I think you are correct in stating that the reason for the narrow focus is to test the validity of the 1x claim by IDCC. If we win it will once and for all put to bed doubt in the claim that we have ALL flavors of 3G. It will also call out the indemnifier into the open, if LU was hiding behind the indemnifier.
Look at the volume on this last run up. 37 million shares. Largest amount of shares on a run up in a long time
http://stockcharts.com/def/servlet/SC.pnf?chart=IDCC,PLTGDANRB[PA][D][F1!3!!!2!20]&pref=G
Another benifit of having the CC on March 10 is that IDCC can brag about their success following the showing of their new suite of products at 3GSM World Congress 2004 in Cannes.
INTERDIGITAL: Interdigital to showcase suite of advanced wireless
solutions at 3GSM World Congress 2004 Company's solutions improve customer
performance, profitability and time-to-market
Nice job Ronnie. It never ceases to amaze me how once you get ahold of something you submerge yourself so deeply in it. That is a trait of yours that we all have gained from.
thanks for all you provide
I agree with you. otherwise I would not be long this stock. I attempted to point those that see conspiricy in the NEC/Siemens JV to the Sienens contract for wording similar to that in the Qs contract. I don't think you will find any such language in the Siemens contract. in fact I believe the company said Siemens has no usage on anything applied for AFTER 1999. IDCC has turned out about a patent a day since 1999. All will pay including QCOM.
mschere presented a great peice of information earlier today pointing to Qs involvement as the possible indemnifier. (I think Q is it) According to their own 10K, ...other product manufacturers ... indicates to me that they are indemnifing at least one of their licencees against suit with an IP provider in the 3G standard. That explains to me why it was easy for Q to licence so many vendors so early and why IDCC is having such a tough time. This will all come to pass. Q may have to pay IDCC part of their 5%. Maybe that is part of what NOK, and the cabal that want to keep IP royaly to 5%, are pushing.
From Qualcomm 2003 10K
A number of other companies have claimed to own patents essential to various proposed 3G CDMA standards. If we or other product manufacturers are required to obtain additional licenses and/or pay royalties to one or more patent holders, this could have a material adverse effect on the commercial implementation of our CDMA products and technologies and our profitability.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2305908
I should have been more clear when putting my thoughts on paper. What I was trying to get across was that to find out if siemens can pass through to NEC, or anyone else, any of the IDCC IPR that they are licenced for, we need to look at the Siemens contract for language similar to the language in the QCOM contract, that allows QCOM to sublet those patents.
hopefully this run on sentence explains what I mean.
Edit: That said, I don't think that is the case, but it is a place to look if anyone is concerned. I am not. IDCC said Siemans & Q must update their licence for any 3G product built, and I believe that if they have to, then EVERYONE else must also.
I would guess there would also have to be someting in the Siemens contract about their right to re-selling. kinda like the Qcom right to pass on the 5 patents they got for $5M
IDCC was in a bad way back then and sold their soul more than once.
not being negative. Just a thought............
If they create a JV would they then have to licence with IDCC as the JV? Sony/Ericy have a seperate licence from Ericy.
,i.JVs will typically look for any operational efficiencies that can lower their COG. Lets say we have licenses with 2 different companies that join together to make a product....you don't expect to get royalties from both do you? No. They will look towards the way that makes them the most money on the product sold.
See my next post. Accounting change lowered net earnings.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=2287616
well I guess I spoke too soon. They did beat the estamates by a penny but all is not that simple. I only saw the inital release that did not mention the drop in net income "due to accounting changes" thing
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Cisco Systems announced late Tuesday that fiscal second-quarter net income fell due to an accounting rule change, but the world's largest networking company boosted sales 15 percent to $5.4 billion.
Cisco (CSCO, Trade) Chief Executive John Chambers said in a press release that the global economy is improving and his company is gaining momentum in the consumer space.
Shares (CSCO, Trade) fell 26 cents to $26.15 soon after the announcement in late trading.
For the quarter ended on Jan. 24, San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco reported net income of $724 million, or 10 cents a share, on revenue of $5.4 billion. During the same quarter last year, Cisco earned $991 million, or 14 cents a share, on revenue of $4.7 billion.
Excluding a $567 million charge for an accounting change that the company referred to during the previous quarter, Cisco earned 18 cents a share, a penny better than analysts expected. Sales also exceed the average target of $5.29 billion established by Wall Street analysts.
Cisco Systems predicted at the start of the period that revenue could be between $5.15 billion and $5.25 billion with gross margins of 67 to 69 percent.
Actual gross margin was 68.5 percent compared with 68.7 percent during the previous quarter.
During the quarter, Cisco announced it was buying Latitude Communications, a maker of business conferencing products, for $80 million in cash.
Cisco beat the street by $.01 with .18 per share EOM
my reference was to the DNA covered dress. I guess Monica was actually wrapped in it, at least at some point. You can not be too far right or too far left and expect to get elected. this country is divided straight down the middle right now and is swinging toward the right. For the last 10 years we have been split even. The prior 30 years were in the left, the 10 before that were in the center and the 25 before that were right. There is a pattern there. the length of time spent in each varies, but the pattern will continue. At any point in time the younger generation will be feed up with what they see as their parents’ excesses. 30, 40, 50's were to strict, 60, 70, 80's solved that and were very promiscuous and go for broke. 90's saw the start of the next wave. 00's, 10's, 20's will be more strict cause the new generation is sick of it. When does this change start? When the group that started the last wave get old and have families. They have changed priorities and are sick of caring the torch. Their kids want to change what the parents stand for, and now is their chance. It will go on long after we are gone. We are living in the moment. Nothing more, nothing less. There are ways to change this tide. But the outcome would be grim and meteorites do not hit earth very often. This country has it good. I have been to many countries in this world and have seen what man can do to his fellow man when there is no rule of law. It is not pretty. The people of this country have much to be thankful for no matter who is in charge. When the swing goes too far one way or another then we will use the tools of our republic to bring it back. I think that is what we are going through right now.
Bush’s financially well oiled and super smooth propaganda machine all wrapped in the flag of 9/11 will be extremely difficult to beat in November and if he is elected,
I guess the blue satin flag Bill wrapped himself in did not help Al any did it. In fact, Bill's games in the oval office, along with Al's belief that the internal combustion engine will kill all Americans in 10 years, may have had something to do with Al not winning the Whitehouse in a landslide as any vice president that served in a time of unprecedented growth. Behavior and the degree of radical ness one holds in their views, all combine to shape peoples thoughts on electability. Dean is proof of that. If Bush is a poor president in most people’s eyes, he will loose. It is that simple, wrapped in the old red white and blue of not.
I think this may be the post you remember. I thoought I remembered the same statement. This doesn't verify that a clause exists but it does indicate that IDCC has had thos type of provisions in past contracts.
thread is below:
mantai1 - Regarding Nokia and delays
IMHO - If the Dollar had been raising against the Euro rather than declining to an all time low, Nokia would have already settled. The difference in exchange rate has already offset the loss of the cash discount to IDCC (assuming that the discount was lost per an Arbitrator decision). JMHO
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=1861228
RE; Exchange rate...18 months or so ago when the dollar was strong re: the euro i talked with IR to confirm my thoughts that that trend would benefit IDCC, but Ms. Point informed me that there was an agreement in place to mitigate the effects of currency fluctuation. I assume there is a provision to protect Interdigital's interests in the current environment.... on my way out the door, but perhaps someone else can inquire about this issue and report back. I can do it next week otherwise. Thanks to all.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=1861405
I think this is or can be the first step to solving the problem. If you provide a way to document everyone that wants to come here to work and make it easy for them to do it then you will allmost eliminate the people sneeking through the river to get here. Most likely it would only be the bad ones that try it that way. This will only work if we bust those that hire the undocumented. once it is made painful to the people hiring undocumented people then the iligal flow will dry up. I think it will also provide a sense of pride to those that now feel shame because they are here illegally. Something has to be done. This can be a first step to a permanent fix to an old problem.
There's a Cowboy in the White House
This site takes a while to load, It has a lot of graphics, when the song starts playing you will know that it is fully loaded.
If you are a Reagan, Bush or cowboy lover, or card toting conservative this is great!
http://67.123.152.89/dm/My%20Heros%20Have%20Always%20Been%20Cowboys.htm
Jim,
I KNOW I speek for many when I say thank you for providing this forum. EOM
I just happen to look in when price was down $1. by the time I figured out what was going, on and sold some others to buy more IDCC, the pup came back up. Got some in the 23.7 area but missed the good digs in the 22s. need to keep some powder dry. I think we see more volitility. Nice how they waited for the big boys to go to lunch for this rumor to released.
can I say but wipes on this board?
To all here's streetaccount's follow uo. Different tune.
14:20
IDCC
Follow-up: IDCC remains in arbitration with Samsung
With regards to the earlier speculation (see 13:28 comment), sources indicate to us that IDCC is still locked in arbitration with Samsung and there is no new information today. IDCC has traded off the $22.23 lows.
your post was less than an hour ago and look how many people have looked at IDCC on the site you linked to. THere is a following on this board, isn't there!
Maximum-Pain Theory Options analysis
Top requested symbols, today:
1) qqq 2) intc 3) spx 4) oex 5) qcom 6) rimm 7) dia 8) msft 9) ebay 10) idcc
http://www.iqauto.com/cgi-bin/pain.pl
Try this 10B$ is a lot
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17300298
Border ID System First Part Of $10B Effort Jan. 12, 2004
More Stories on:
Security
US-Visit involves 19 existing systems with extensive plans for modernization
By Eric Chabrow, Martin J. Garvey
The fanfare surrounding the launch of the US-Visit immigration identification system last week merely marked the beginning of one of the government's most expensive, IT-intensive programs. The system deployed last week at 115 airports and 14 seaports is aimed at deterring terrorists from entering the country and requires most visa-holding foreign nationals to be photographed and digitally fingerprinted as they enter and leave the country.
But the $710 million so far appropriated for US-Visit is chump change compared with its ultimate cost: up to $10 billion, according to a request for proposals seeking a lead contractor for the future development of the program.
Visa holders passing through airports and seaports now have fingerprints scanned and digital pictures taken.
Photo by Justin Lane/EPA/Landov
With Congress demanding quick action to secure U.S. borders, the Department of Homeland Security in about three months implemented the initial version of US-Visit by knitting together existing technologies, including Unix, Oracle 9i, Windows, and IBM zOS mainframe operating systems that pull data from 19 key, but aging, IT systems.
Many of these systems had been housed in agencies that were merged last spring into the newly created Homeland Security Department, with others maintained at the departments of State and Justice and the FBI. The systems perform functions such as tracking passengers' arrivals and departures, biometric and fingerprint identification, immigration lookout, and consular support. For instance, biographical data on terrorist watch lists managed by the FBI is shared with the US-Visit system. Databases used to track criminals by local law-enforcement agencies could tap into US-Visit, if appropriate clearance is granted, to collect data on criminals who try to enter the country.
"This is complex," says Homeland Security CIO Steven Cooper. "A lot of the sourcing of data is external from the federal government. That means we have to look at technical standards on how the information should be represented."
One of the more visible components of US-Visit is the border ID system, which uses Cross Match Technologies Inc.'s fingerprint-scanning equipment and off-the-shelf digital photographic equipment.
Contractors, including Computer Sciences, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, and Unisys, helped to quickly tie together the technology. "This is the true integration of multiple environments, not what I would do if I was starting fresh," says US-Visit CIO Scott Hastings.
But in many respects, the government will get a fresh start. By May, it hopes to pick a lead contractor to modernize what eventually will be a multibillion-dollar system. In this phase of the program, systems and networks will be set up to let the government strike a balance between enhancing border security and easing legitimate international trade and travel. The enhanced system will integrate real-time, transactional-level biographic, biometric, and watch-list information; improve system interoperability, integrating off-the-shelf technologies; and enhance collaboration among government agencies.
Among those expected to bid for the lead contractor spot are Accenture, CSC, and Lockheed Martin. IBM and EDS are potential subcontractors. In addition, integrator PEC Solutions Inc. received a $60 million, five-year contract last summer to furnish management support.
Over the next two years, the entry-exit system now being used at airports and seaports will be phased in at 165 land crossings. The United States maintains more than 300 land, air, and sea ports of entry, with 80% of entrants crossing on land from Canada and Mexico. "They have scale and accessibility issues, because many sites are off in the boondocks ... places like Montana," says David Lease, chief architect at Wamnet Government Services, a networking and storage-systems integrator that's talking with Lockheed, CSC, and Accenture about partnering as the networking expert on the long-term US-Visit contract. The system also will be installed at 211 U.S. consular offices around the world so digital fingerprint and photographic scans happen when visitors apply for visas.
In developing US-Visit, Homeland Security borrowed best practices from elsewhere in government. For instance, it adopted the Defense Department's program-office approach to managing complex, interagency projects. That office coordinates development and management of the system from among eight Homeland Security units, five cabinet-level agencies, the intelligence community, foreign countries, and local and state law enforcers.
In managing the system, Hastings reports to the director of the program and to Cooper. "I've had dual responsibility from day one to make sure that horizontally we're in compliance with [Homeland Security] architecture, and then Steve [Cooper] makes sure we're compliant with the federal architecture," Hastings says.
As the systems to support US-Visit evolve, they'll rely heavily on the federal enterprise architecture, which serves as a blueprint to link various governmental databases and systems. Ray Bjorklund, VP at the government-IT advisers Federal Sources says, "This is one of the first key platforms for creating this enhanced vision of information sharing."
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17300298
OT many on the board have discussed RFID. This is in a mag I got today in the mail.
RFID technology could be used to build a national livestock-tracking system
By Laurie Sullivan
A Cow in northern Michigan last year developed tuberculosis, and, in just a few hours, the Michigan State Department of Agriculture was able to figure out where the animal was born and what other livestock it may have come in contact with. The quick action was made possible by data stored in a radio-frequency identification chip on a round plastic tag pierced through the animal's ear. As a result, other cattle that might have been infected with TB were found and tested before they could pass the disease along, possibly even to humans.
In contrast, it took two weeks for federal officials to complete the DNA tests that confirmed the Alberta, Canada, birthplace of a Washington state cow that was identified on Dec. 23 as having bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials had to wade through a mound of paper records and other data maintained by breeders and meatpackers to trace and recall beef that may have been exposed to tissue from the infected cow. Prices for live cattle dropped about 15% to 80 cents per pound the week of the discovery. And last week, a herd of nearly 450 Holstein calves, among them the unidentifiable offspring of the infected cow, had to be destroyed.
A national livestock-tracking system would help avert these dramatic outcomes. Such a program would be the biggest IT project ever attempted by the meat industry, potentially costing nearly $600 million over six years, according to those working on the project. An RFID-enabled ear tag alone can cost up to five times as much as a typical 75-cent metal ear tag with an identification number, though RFID tags could drop to $1 each in volume if all 100 million cattle in the country had them.
When you consider that ranchers were paid about $225 less per cow sold during Christmas week, the costs don't seem so high, says Monte Bordner, owner of Bordner Farms, a cattle ranch in Sturgis, Mich., and president of the Michigan Cattleman's Association. "If we could have avoided or minimized that with a national ID system, a $1 investment for an RFID ear tag is nothing." RFID is worth the investment even at today's higher costs, he says.
Plans call for a technology-enabled tracking system for livestock to be in place by summer, although who will foot the bill for it, who will maintain the data, and how data will be secured has yet to be addressed. The retail, consumer packaged-goods, defense, and pharmaceuticals industries already have embraced RFID, and now the livestock industry is preparing to take its own early efforts to a broader audience.
RFID safeguards the food supply, says the Holstein Association's Cronce.
"Our industry historically hasn't been a big technology user, but RFID is a way to implement a national animal-ID system that monitors the country's food supply and adds safeguards against infectious diseases," says Richard Cronce, executive director of IT at the Holstein Association USA, a nonprofit consortium of 35,000 dairy producers. It's one of 70 organizations, including the USDA and the National Cattleman's Beef Association, that 18 months ago banded together to develop the United States Animal Identification Plan, which proposes that ranchers voluntarily use RFID and other technologies by July.
The National Animal Identification Development Team, which is the group working on the national plan, is accepting comments on the proposal through the end of this month. Congress also is looking into the tracking issue, so it's possible that what's now a voluntary effort may become a legal requirement.
A model for a national tracking program can be found in two RFID projects, both partially funded by the USDA: the one in Michigan, which mandated its statewide program about 1-1/2 years ago after a tuberculosis outbreak among cattle, and a pilot that's been under way in California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin for five years. Data on nearly 130,000 of the million head of cattle in Michigan tagged with RFID is included in the database for the multistate pilot as well. The Holstein Association maintains the databases for both programs. In those programs, as they would in the proposed national plan, farms receive a unique identification number and animals at birth get an RFID tag with a related identification number indicating place and date of birth, species, vaccinations, and other information.
Still, some in the industry have reservations. That includes Mike Bumgarner, VP of marketing services at United Producers Inc., an industry organization owned by farmers and ranchers in Columbus, Ohio, that provides services, such as production management and livestock marketing. Some members have voluntarily participated in RFID tagging initiatives since 2001, but not all ranchers are "geared up to handle the required data to cost-justify implementing a full-scale project," Bumgarner says. An obstacle for United Producers is that sometimes the cattle breeders are unwilling to share information about their herds with service providers.
Better tracking methods might have prevented the 15% drop in cattle prices that followed the discovery of mad-cow disease in Washington state.
Photo by E.B. McGovern/AP
Yet Bordner, whose family-owned cattle ranch participates in the Michigan pilot, says RFID tracking has practical benefits for ranchers. The traditional system of running bulls through a narrow passageway while attempting to read information on small metal tags pierced through their ears, then recording that information in 10-degree winter weather, is challenging at best. "The ink in the pen is freezing up, the paper is flying away, and the cattle don't cooperate," he says. Handheld or mounted RFID readers do the job more easily.
RFID vendors say the advantages of using the tags extend to slaughterhouses and beyond. Syscan International Inc. makes an RFID-enabled in-plant tracking app used in two Quebec processing plants operated by Les Salaisons Brochu Inc. The system includes thousands of Syscan's Metal-Mate RFID transponders embedded in the plant's meat hooks, as well as portable RFID readers that communicate with Syscan's internally developed supply-chain tracking software. An RFID tag on a carcass communicating with the reader on the hook lets personnel monitor production processes and record in the company's database information about the carcass, such as quality, grade, yield, inventory control, and food safety, says Axel Striefler, Syscan's president. At the end of the production line, information on the RFID tag is cross-referenced and printed on a bar code for final packaging. If there's a problem, the product can be traced through the entire system, identified, and recalled.
The mad-cow scare has highlighted the need for quick access to information when people's health is at risk. "Having the ability to put your finger on the information is critical when a major crisis arises," says Kevin Kirk, special assistant to the state of Michigan veterinarian at the Michigan Department of Agriculture. And two weeks is just too long to wait.
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17300330&pgno=1
Could have to do with the web site the dozer comes from. You may have a security setting that blocks specific sites and that may be one of them.
it comes from an AOL site.
http://members.aol.com/bigtom3946/dozer.gif
Don't anyone throw a match on the floor! The pool of gasoline is getting big under the rocket. What happened in the past 1/2 hour? Looks like a hocky stick.
OT:I have always said that if all transistors decided to stop working today we would be using rocks and sticks for tools in 18 months because we would never be able to build even the most rudamentry machine tools. Everything now runs on microchips. Lathes, milling machines, grinders and the like. No car would run and the only means of long distance communication would be open your window and yell to your neighbor. Keep your hand tools in a safe place. the value would go up as fast as our stock price is rising right now! LOL
by the way. another company I own stock in is presenting today along with IDCC. TUTS. they are a video company. I feel like I am in good company with my stock picks!
from your post:
everything happening is both cause and effect of Moore's law.
Do you talk to your XMSR friends with that mouth?