Virginia Tech to upgrade supercomputer to Xserve
Monday January 26, 11:59 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will upgrade its supercomputer that uses Apple Computer Inc. (NasdaqNM:AAPL - News)'s PowerMac G5 computers with Apple's recently introduced Xserve G5 servers that have two chips in each box, the university said on Tuesday.

The new system, which went online toward the end of last year and which Virginia Tech said was the most powerful supercomputer at any university in the world at the time, will be completed by May.

By moving to the thinner servers, the supercomputer will consume less power and generate less heat, said Srinidhi Varadarajan, assistant professor of computer science, college of engineering, at Virginia Tech.

"It cuts the system's size down by a factor of three," Varadarajan said. "The new system will take much less power and generate less heat and free up space."

The current supercomputer that uses 1,100 PowerMac G5 desktop computers occupies 3,000 square feet (280 sq metres). After the upgrade to 1,100 Xserve G5s, which Cupertino, California-based Apple announced earlier this month at its Macworld trade show, the system will occupy 1,000 square feet(93 sq metres).

Apple's G5 chips crunch 64 bits of data at a time, compared with the now-industry-standard of 32 bits found in the vast majority of personal computers and servers.

If laid on its side, the PowerMac G5 is about 7 inches (18 cm) tall. By comparison, the Xserve is about 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) high, said Alex Grossman, head of marketing for servers and storage for Apple.

"They're able to rack these in a much tighter and higher density manner," Grossman said.

The price of the upgrade has not yet settled on, but Varadarajan said it would be minimal compared to the cost of building a new supercomputer from scratch.

Asked what would become of the 1,100 PowerMac G5 computers being retired, Varadarajan said: "We're working on getting them very good homes."

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040126/tech_virginiatech_apple_1.html

video of Greg...

http://showroom.multivisioninc.com/sharePlay.do

Circle Group at CEOcast...

http://www.ceocast.com

SPECIAL SITUATIONS:

Circle Group Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: CRGQ) $6.10

We have been saying for weeks that functional foods have been one of the hottest investment areas, so it is comes as little surprise that shares of Circle Group Holdings, Inc. have been on a tear recently. The company focuses on acquiring life changing technologies and assisting its portfolio of companies in their efforts to bring these products to the marketplace. It appears to have found a big winner in Fiber Gel Technologies, its subsidiary that owns the worldwide rights to Z-Trim.

What is Z-Trim and why is there so much excitement surrounding it? Z-Trim is a natural, zero calorie fat replacement developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service. The best part is it has no taste. In a series of traditional field and lab focus groups conducted late last year, respondents who sampled FiberGel's Z-Trim commercial fat substitute could detect no differences in taste between foods containing the company's low fat product and high fat versions of the same items. These taste studies included cream cheese, salad dressings, chili, chocolate cake and cookies. The ingredient, however, actually lowers calories and fat in cheese, baked goods, processed meats, dressings, confectionery products and a wide range of other prepared foods without affecting taste or texture. It can also carry other functional food ingredients such as Omega-3 fatty acid, phytosterol, beta glucan and beta carotene as an emulsion to decrease fat and calories and increase insoluble fiber in a va!
riety of products.

While there are many promising ingredients available today, few garner the attention of Nestle, which recently entered into a long-term agreement where the company will supply the Swiss food giant with Z-Trim. This is not its first commercial venture. Recently, the company launched a new line of gourmet cookies, in conjunction with The Cookie Garden, a Des Plaines, Illinois gourmet cookie producer. The cookies have 25% less calories from fat and contain significant levels of fiber. CRGQ has also increased its awareness among consumers with an appearance at HealthExpo, currently going on at the Florida State Fair.

The company also has ambitious plans overseas. Recently, it entered into an agreement with Zurich-based DKSH Group to bring the Z-Trim functional fat replacement products to European and Asian markets. DKSH operates in more than 35 countries and is the leading marketing, services and distribution provider in Asia and a major force in Europe serving the commercial food industries. This agreement provides FiberGel Technologies with a strong global marketing partner with extensive accomplishments in marketing and distribution of functional foods and nutritional supplements gained from more than 100 years experience in these industries.

The company, which was founded in 1994, owns other interests as well, although none that have demonstrated the same potential to date as Z-Trim. The company recently announced the establishment of Z-Amaize Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, to market a new line of Z-Bind industrial adhesive products for the plywood manufacturing industry. The Z-Bind products represent an affordable alternative to plywood manufacturers seeking superior and environmentally friendlier adhesives and are an outgrowth of its research for Z-Trim functional fat substitutes.

CRGQ?s revenues of $530,872 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2003 represented an increase of 12% over the nine-month period results of $465,443 in 2002. Circle Group reported a net loss of $1.3 million for the nine-months ended September 30, or $0.05 per share. As of September 30th, the company had cash and cash equivalents of nearly $1.7 million.

The stock has generated eye-catching gains. Last year, shares surged from just 3 cents at the beginning of the year, to end the year at $2.08, good for a return of 68 times on an investment. Already this year, the stock has gained 193%. Last week, the stock jumped 37% on record volume. Despite these outsized gains, the company still has a market capitalization of just $168 million, based upon the number of shares outstanding as of its last quarterly filing. Although the company?s valuation has increased dramatically, investors who stay with strong stocks often outperform the market, as there are usually reasons for the big rise. The company currently qualifies for a listing on the AMEX, which could further increase investor interest. With functional foods being one of the hottest areas for growth, a recently announced deal with Nestle and growing interest in Z-Trim, Circle Group shares could head much higher.

http://www.strangeberry.com/

Acquisition of Strangeberry Inc.

On January 12, 2004 we acquired Strangeberry Inc., a small Palo Alto based technology company specializing in using home network and broadband technologies to create new entertainment experiences on television. Strangeberry has created technology, based on industry standards and including a collection of protocols and tools, designed to enable the development of new broadband-based content delivery services. In exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Strangeberry, we issued shares of TiVo common stock to the stockholders of Strangeberry in a private placement. We have agreed to file a registration statement on Form S-3 to cover the resale of these shares by the Strangeberry stockholders.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/040123/tivo8-k.html

In case anyone wants the 1984 commercial...

http://www.1999gt.com/petrag/mac/commercial.mov

Apple's core: The Mac turns 20


Despite Microsoft's dominance, Apple fans remain loyal


By Marsha Walton
CNN
Friday, January 23, 2004 Posted: 3:47 PM EST (2047 GMT)

(CNN) -- Its dedicated users are so passionate they're often described as religious about their love for the machine.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/01/23/mac.birthday/index.html

NASA plans smart-card pilot using Maximus

By Jason Miller
PostNewsweek Tech Media

NASA in May will begin testing a smart-card program for access to facilities and information systems. If successful, the program would be rolled out to the entire agency, officials said.

Employees at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will kick off the first trial.

NASA today said it hired Maximus Inc. of Reston, Va., to develop and implement the technology for agency employees and contractors.

The $93 million task order went through the General Services Administration’s Federal Technology Service’s Smart Access Common ID contract.

“If the field trials are successful, and we receive the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, we plan to deploy over 10,000 smart cards before the end of 2005,” said David Saleeba, NASA’s assistant administrator for Security Management and Safeguards.

NASA has been working on the program for more than two years with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and a working group of the Interagency Advisory Board, officials said.

The cards will enhance physical and IT security by requiring a higher level of authentication and identity assurance, NASA officials said. Employees and contractors must swipe their card across a reader to enter a center, and also will have to enter their card into a desktop reader to access their PCs.

NASA joins a host of other agencies in using smart cards for physical and system access security. The Defense Department expects to finish rolling out more than 4 million smart cards by the spring and GSA is distributing 14,000 this year.


http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/22543-1.html

Nestlé to change fat for insoluble fibre

19/01/2004
Details of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies, but they said that the deal is looked at on ‘a long term basis.’

Designed to decrease fat and calories and increase healthy insoluble fibre in a variety of products - including cheese, baked goods, meat products, dressings and confectionery - Z-Trim is a patented corn-based ingredient originally developed at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The ingredient was launched in Europe in December by Swiss marketing group DKSH, which said it would target major food makers, currently under pressure to increase the nutritional value of their products and reduce fat, in response to the global obesity epidemic.

Nestlé CEO Peter Brabeck has repeatedly stated that the company is hoping to win a bigger slice of the fast growing market for nutritional products, and that it will invest heavily in new product development and brand support in the next few years. There have so far been but a few signs of this drive towards the functional food market.

The DKSH contract is FiberGel's first major entry into the overseas food industry. The Zurich-based firm, which operates in more than 35 countries, will also roll out the product to Asian markets. The market for fat replacement ingredients is growing rapidly and is expected to exceed $10 billion in the next five years.

Fiber Gel recently announced that it would launch Z-Trim to the US consumer market, selling it over the Internet and by phone.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-NG.asp?id=49168#

Trusted Computing Group Helping Intel Secure the PC
By Robert Meinschein

Overview: Enhancing System Security
Enhanced computer security is always an important concern, particularly as PCs in business environments and in homes continue to proliferate throughout the world, and become interconnected via the Internet. These connected systems present tempting targets to errant hackers and professional criminals.

In addition, the value of business transactions conducted over the Internet is rising dramatically. Improved security is becoming mandatory and consumers and businesses alike are demanding a solution. So Intel began investigating solutions to help consumers and enterprise business in their efforts to secure their critical data.

Responding to this security need, Intel launched the Safer Computing Initiative. As solving PC security problems requires a cooperative effort among hardware, operating systems, and application software, Intel's Safer Computing Initiative brings many vendors together toward this common goal. One key part of the Safer Computing Initiative was the formation of a collaborative group comprised of industry leaders, the Trusted Computing Group (TCG).

Intel helped found the TCG—an incorporated industry working group chartered with making computers more secure. Since its inception in 2003, the TCG has been working on standardizing hardware and software interfaces that will allow interoperability across multiple platforms and provide better protection for online interaction.




















Overview


Integrated Security Hardware


Security Beyond the TPM


Trusted Computing Goals


Security Technology Challenges


Far-Reaching Benefits


Summary


More Info


Author Bio


Print Article


Feedback






















Intel's Breakthrough in High-K Gate Dielectric Drives Moore's Law Well into the Future


Spring IDF Introduces a New Conference Format


Advances in Platform Firmware Beyond BIOS and Across all Intel® Silicon


Configuring Systems for Optimum Performance and Control


Trusted Computing Group Helping Intel Secure the PC


Reader Services


Home






















Integrated Security Hardware
The Trusted Computing Group, known before its incorporation as the Trusted Platform Computing Association (TCPA), is an industry group that has taken on a difficult, important, and sometimes controversial task—that of securing the PC without losing the openness and flexibility that have made it so successful. Within that larger goal, TCG is focused on specifying an important piece of an overall security solution, a hardware chip known as the Trusted Platform Module (TPM).

The TPM alone will not make a PC secure, but it is a required element that must be present—and must be standardized—if platform vendors, operating system vendors, and application software vendors are to have the technology building blocks to make PCs and their transactions truly secure.

The TPM is a hardware device that:



Provides a safe place to store information
Provides a set of cryptographic operations that execute in a protected place
Stores and reports integrity metrics



A useful metaphor when talking about trust states might be to think of it this way: someone might challenge you and find out you're an Indiana University graduate, but they don't like Indiana University graduates because they went to Purdue. So they decide not to trust you. But somebody else might decide that that characteristic is exactly what they need to know in order to trust you. In other words, the technology doesn't determine trustworthiness. It only tries to ensure that when you ask a question, you get a truthful answer. The challenging software application has to decide for itself if the answer is sufficient to allow it to trust the other PC for the transaction at hand.





Security Beyond the TPM
Although the TPM is an important development in security, it is only a part of the overall safer computing solution. Current focus is on the standardization of TPM components, but broader goals for Intel in the future include trusted keyboard and trusted graphics, as well as enhanced security features for processors and chipsets. Intel is already working on these solutions and will soon release products that will include some of these features.









Trusted Computing Goals
TCG is currently comprised of a variety of vendors, including PC platform, operating system, and TPM vendors, with the board of directors consisting of representatives from Intel, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Sony, Sun Microsystems, Seagate, Verisign, and AMD. TPM vendors include Atmel, Infineon, National Semiconductor, and STMicroelectronics. Until now, TCG has focused on specifying a TPM for the PC.

Over four million PCs have been shipped with version 1.1 TPMs installed, mostly by IBM and HP. However, Intel has also begun delivering this technology and has just released the Intel® D865GRH Desktop Board, which has a version 1.1 TPM and ships with a software suite that provides better security for users' personal information. Version 1.2 of the TPM specification was recently released, and TPMs conforming to the new specification are under development.

Now that TPM definition for the PC platform has evolved, the TCG is expanding its membership and beginning to define TPMs for cell phones, handhelds, and servers—continuing to work toward the vision where all devices can talk to one another and communicate their trust state. Work is also moving forward on defining protocols necessary for communicating and interpreting the trust state.




Security Technology Challenges
Security technology is intertwined with many social and privacy concerns. Current cryptographic technology requires a unique identifier in each platform. Once you put a unique number inside a PC, people are concerned that it will be used to usurp their privacy and monitor their activities.

But TCG has taken great pains to ensure that the PC remains just that, a 'personal' computer. Special care has been taken to ensure strong user controls and privacy protections. This was a design requirement, not an afterthought.





Far-Reaching Benefits
TCG's work will benefit everyone. Consumers are eager for ways to protect their personal data without compromising their privacy. Businesses require better protection of data and corporate assets, more secure remote access, and the ability to expand business with more secure transactions.

Device suppliers and software vendors will find that having a common base of strong security tools across a wide variety of platforms will simplify the work of managing transactions with a large customer base. And of course, many vendors will benefit from the opportunity to sell new products that offer valuable new features and functions to the marketplace.





Summary
With the prevalence of interconnected computers in businesses and homes, security of the data that passes through these machines is a concern. There is a growing need to define methods and technologies for securing data so that it is still accessible to those with permission to use it and prevent unauthorized access.

The Trusted Computing Group was founded by Intel and other industry leaders to develop standards that will define security hardware and software interfaces and make them interoperable on multiple platforms and online. These standards will provide the industry and users with the necessary guidelines to develop the security solutions that will help them to make their data more secure.

http://www.intel.com/update/contents/st01041.htm

Area firm's fat-free cookies are gobbled up by Nestle
By Jordan Sokol Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted 1/16/04

Consumers mouths are watering for a new line of gourmet cookies made with Z-Trim, an all-natural fat replacement with no calories.

Within the last week, Mundelein-based FiberGel Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Circle Groups Holdings Inc., has launched an oatmeal and chocolate chip cookie with The Cookie Garden, the Des Plaines gourmet cookie producer.

Apparently, Nestle has noticed. The mammoth food company announced Thursday that it has signed an agreement with FiberGel to buy Z-Trim on a long-term basis. Nestle and Circle Group would not disclose details.

That catapulted Circle Group's stock up 32 percent, or 83 cents, to close at $3.42 on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board market, just shy of its 52-week high of $3.55.

"It's great to get recognition from the consumers and now from a big food company," said Greg Halpern, CEO of Circle Group.

Z-Trim is made by processing cornhusks so that when mixed with water they form a calorie-free gel that can be substituted for fat in foods. The process has generated significant interest.

"In the past year, Z-Trim has become more known about by weight conscious consumers looking for healthier foods which don't sacrifice delicious taste," Halpern said.

The company began offering Z-Trim to consumers for home cooking this past week. The Z-Trim diet program includes a cook book and a four-ounce supply to help consumers create healthier, fiber-enriched meals at home that can be purchased for $19.95 at www.ztrim.com, he said.

Meanwhile at the Cookie Garden, the response to chocolate chip cookies was so overwhelming that President Dave Anfuso said he couldn't pass up the additional line of oatmeal cookies.

"If you love oatmeal cookies, these are about as good as it gets, and like the chocolate chip cookies, they will be healthier and more filling than other gourmet cookies," Anfuso said.

Halpern expects that more food companies will follow in the footsteps of Nestle and Cookie Garden.

Convincing the big food companies of Z-Trim's potential is crucial because the commercial market is bigger than the consumer market, said Sid Doolittle, the founding partner of McMillan/Doolittle, a Chicago retail consulting firm.

"There is such a strong market right now for reducing calorie content," Doolittle said. "The hold-up for these products has been that they usually don't enhance the taste of the finished product."

Halpern is fully aware that food marketers have met failure in their search for the perfect fat substitute.

In 1998, Proctor and Gamble introduced a food additive called Olestra that replaced fat mainly in snack foods. Olestra was not only a limited, unnatural product with unwanted side effects, but it was plagued by bad timing, Halpern said.

"The fat substitute market was not as good several years ago as it is now," Halpern said. "Being ahead of your time is the kiss of death in emerging technology."

Z-Trim should benefit from its non-chemical makeup and the growing concern about rising obesity rates, Doolittle said.

Halpern is confident his product is the best to hit the market and the timing is perfect.

"Hopefully, this is only the beginning," he said. "We are focused on tackling obesity and are confident that we are one of the key solution makers."

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intid=3800269

ConfectioneryNews.com
Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing
Print / Close



Z-trim for inclusion in Nestle products


16/01/2004

Details of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies, but they said that the deal is looked at on ‘a a long term basis.’

Designed to decrease fat and calories and increase healthy insoluble fiber in a variety of products - including cheese, baked goods, meat products, dressings, confectionery - Z-Trim is a patented corn-based ingredient originally developed at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The functional food ingredient fell under the umbrella of Circle Group when the company acquired Fiber Gel Technologies back in September 2002.

The company said in early January that it will launch its novel fat replacer to the consumer market at the forthcoming exhibition - the HealthExpo exhibit at Florida State Fair from January 16 - February 1. In addition, the US firm said it is due to soon start selling Z-Trim over the Internet and by phone.

Last year Fiber Gel Technologies set up a partnership with Hyacinth Resources to expand distribution of its corn-based ingredient product in the Asian marketplace.

"Hyacinth is in the unique position of having access to substantial prime business commerce relationships in Indonesia," said, at the time, Gregory J. Halpern, Fiber Gel's CEO. "This largely untapped market paves the way for Z-Trim manufacturing opportunities in Indonesia and distribution to the Asian Market."

http://www.confectionerynews.com/news/news-NG.asp?id=49137#

Z-trim for inclusion in Nestle products


16/01/2004

Details of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies, but they said that the deal is looked at on ‘a a long term basis.’

Designed to decrease fat and calories and increase healthy insoluble fiber in a variety of products - including cheese, baked goods, meat products, dressings, confectionery - Z-Trim is a patented corn-based ingredient originally developed at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The functional food ingredient fell under the umbrella of Circle Group when the company acquired Fiber Gel Technologies back in September 2002.

The company said in early January that it will launch its novel fat replacer to the consumer market at the forthcoming exhibition - the HealthExpo exhibit at Florida State Fair from January 16 - February 1. In addition, the US firm said it is due to soon start selling Z-Trim over the Internet and by phone.

Last year Fiber Gel Technologies set up a partnership with Hyacinth Resources to expand distribution of its corn-based ingredient product in the Asian marketplace.

"Hyacinth is in the unique position of having access to substantial prime business commerce relationships in Indonesia," said, at the time, Gregory J. Halpern, Fiber Gel's CEO. "This largely untapped market paves the way for Z-Trim manufacturing opportunities in Indonesia and distribution to the Asian Market."

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For permission to reproduce any contents of this web site, please email our Syndication department:admin@NutraIngredients-usa.com.
Full details for the use of materials on this site can be found in the Terms & Conditions.


Editor:
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http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/news-NG.asp?id=49137#

Circle Group thinks big
By Jordan Sokol Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted 1/18/04

Two things are apparent in today's world: people are getting heavier and terrorism frightens us more.

Greg Halpern, the chief executive of Mundelein-based venture capital firm Circle Group Holdings Inc., is worried that quality of life suffers as a result. And he's built his business around providing funding to bring timely and life-changing technologies to market to address such problems.

While his company still is tiny, with a third-quarter loss of $709,104 on revenue of $134,051, Halpern points out that such losses are typical of an emerging technology firm developing new products.

"We are really working to the future," Halpern said. "Otherwise, we would just be another mainstream business."

Halpern says Circle Group is poised to make a difference in people's lives with products like a fat substitute that it launched last week.

"New technology needs a convergence of interests to solve a global problem," the 45-year-old Halpern said. "Health and public safety are two of those problems that are creating so much pain and suffering that a solution is absolutely necessary."

A lifelong entrepreneur, Halpern brings invaluable experience in computer programming and emerging technologies to Circle Group.

In the 1980s, Halpern developed, patented and successfully marketed a technology as an electronic anesthesia for the dental community.

Over the years, he became focused on bigger, universal problems, precisely 186 of which he has made into a list.

Personal safety joined public safety on the list. Almost three years ago, Halpern invented and began teaching Braveway, a unique brand of self-defense. Community members are taught Braveway at Circle Group's full-sized gym by its staff, several of whom, including Halpern, are judo experts.

Halpern's agenda may seem more in sync with that of a humanitarian or a social activist than a CEO. Rising health care costs and increasingly poor eating habits worry Halpern because they hurt people's ability to enjoy life and live longer.

"Foods have been made to break through people's natural resistance to gorging themselves," he said. "This is a winning product to sell fatty products but a losing formula for the health of the world."

But problems also offer business opportunities.

"There are 14,000 developed technologies that are fully researched and patented at the top 21 universities and government, but 99.9 percent of them do not find a commercialization partner," Halpern said. "That's where we come in. We help build the nuts and bolts of small business infrastructure that may be challenging to the entrepreneur."

Halpern took a crucial step when he made a deal in 2001 with UTEK Corp., an innovative business that assists public companies in acquiring breakthrough technologies from universities and federal research laboratories.

Halpern's strategic alliance with UTEK has helped Circle Group acquire major breakthrough technologies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy.

"Greg is unusual in that he has a higher mission with his ventures," said Cliff Gross, CEO of UTEK. "A lot of companies work with UTEK to improve their product line, but Greg is addressing a major health problem here."

Gross was referring to Circle Group's FiberGel Technologies subsidiary and its Z-Trim product, an all-natural fat replacement developed at the USDA that can lower calories by up to 50 percent without affecting taste or texture. In August 2002, Circle Group acquired FiberGel Technologies from UTEK, and now owns the worldwide license for Z-Trim.

Gross sensed that Z-Trim was a wonderful product when he was given a taste test by the scientist and inventor, George Inglett, who was named Outstanding Senior Research Scientist in 2001 by the USDA.

"Z-Trim just makes sense and is really needed by the market place," Gross said.

Circle Group also has acquired Mini-Raman Lidar and ThraxVac from the Department of Energy, technologies that detect and destroy biotoxins such as anthrax.

Circle Group's acquisitions and hopes for Z-Trim helped it close 2003 atop the Bloomberg News' Illinois Index, which measures the performance of companies with a minimum market capital of $30 million.

"It is no secret that our stock went up because we began to tell our story," Halpern said.

No analysts follow the company, which is traded on the over-the-counter market, and the stock is extremely volatile.

After an initial public offering at about 75 cents a share on June 6, 2002, the stock was trading at under 5 cents by last January. It recorded a 6,833 percent gain to close the year at $2.08 to top Bloomberg's list.

"All validation is relevant, but a good entrepreneur is always forging ahead," Halpern said.

The stock jumped more last week after FiberGel began marketing Z-Trim, jumping $1.03 Friday to close at $4.45.

But the real story is Circle Group's unusual approach to venture capital investment.

"I am not a fan of the traditional venture capital model," Halpern said. "It calls for the control over the entrepreneur and guts his or her passion."

Halperns decision to enter the public market in 2002 has also afforded Circle Group access to capital to make acquisitions such as FiberGel.

The ability to use its stock as equity also has helped Circle Group shift from a minority investor in ventures to fully owning the technologies.

Such decisions and business strategies have impressed Chuck Reaves, the founder and president of Twenty-One Associates, an Atlanta-based sales training and consulting company, who met Halpern at a CEO summit.

"Greg is the corporate renaissance man," Reeves said. "Typically a CEO of a tech company is a whiz in technology, sales, or finance. Greg can do them all."

Much like the man who runs the show, the Circle Group headquarters is multifaceted. In-house photo, video, and sound studios enhance the company's ability to respond quickly to demands. Workout facilities, 14-foot ceilings and the open environment breeds creativity, Halpern said.

"This is a unique and pleasurable environment," Halpern said. "There really is not much room for stress to take over."

Halpern said he believes he has what may be the best infrastructure to foster a small business available.

"We can insert a business in here … and give it huge commercialization in a year … to get it to the next level," he said.

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intid=38004287

Wave Systems Corp · S-3 · On 1/20/4

http://www.secinfo.com/dVut2.1163.htm

eigh8or, how reliable do you think this publication is?

A target of $9 sure sounds good.

eigh8or, the news with Wyeth was big of course...

...but maybe we need to another agreement or two?

On Bloomberg Illinois Index on Friday (16Jan04), CRGQ was the leading gainer.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=ri_movers&Ticker=BILX

coincidental, but OT...

Apple's new OS has an encryption service built in. It is called "FileVault." It is the mindset that I think is important and this is why I posted it.

Mac OS X includes FileVault, which allows you to encrypt the information in your home folder. Encryption scrambles the data in your home folder so that your information is secure if your computer is lost or stolen.

FileVault uses the latest government-approved encryption standard, the Advanced Encryption Standard with 128-bit keys (AES-128).

When you turn on FileVault, you also set up a master password for the computer that you or an administrator can use if you forget your regular login password.

WARNING: If you turn on FileVault and then forget both your login password and your master password, you will not be able to log in to your account and your data will be lost forever.

If the information on your computer is of a sensitive nature, you should consider using FileVault. For example, if you carry all your company's financial data on your PowerBook, losing your PowerBook could allow someone else access to sensitive data that might hurt your business. If you are logged out of your account when your PowerBook is lost, and FileVault is turned on, your information is safe.

If you're thinking about using FileVault, you should be aware that it could affect scheduled backups and interfere with access to shared folders in your home folder. Since FileVault creates an encrypted home folder, some backup utilities may see your home folder as one folder that's always changing, and this could slow down your backup. Also, if you're not logged in to your computer, other users will not have access to shared folders in your home folder.

Note: This information comes from Mac Help, the help system installed with Mac OS X 10.3 Panther. To access Mac Help on your computer, choose Mac Help from the Finder's Help menu.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=135035

Just returned from the Apple Store,

Kenwood Town Mall in Cincinnati.

The place was packed. Staff on the floor has doubled and they are still jumping from customer to customer.

I bought a 1ghz 12" PB with 1.2 gb RAM and 40gb HD.

I'm looking forward to the migration from the TiPB tomorrow (not!).

I will get the McLaughlin CD today...

...that I bought for my wife and see if it SunnComm protected as it is advertised. If not, humh...that would be interesting.

Anybody know the status of the IP?

Boy this is really strange...Howard Dean campaign and Apple...

Notice the picture of the pick-up truck.

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/003170.html

If this gets into the mainstream food supply if will be worth a fortune.

Greg has done a great job! Anybody tried the new cookies?

FiberGel Technologies Signs Agreement With Nestle To Supply Z-Trim Zero Calorie Fat Substitute
Thursday January 15, 9:05 am ET

MUNDELEIN, Ill., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Circle Group Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CRGQ - News) announced today that FiberGel Technologies, Inc., its subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Nestle to supply its Z-Trim zero calorie fat substitute on a long term basis. In comparison tests between products made with and without Z-Trim, tasters could not tell the difference between the products containing Z-Trim and their full-fat counterparts.

About Fiber Gel Technologies

Fiber Gel owns the worldwide rights to Z-Trim for all fields of use. Invented at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Z-Trim is a patented, zero calorie, multi-functional, fiber food ingredient that lowers calories and fat in cheese, baked goods, processed meats, dressings, confectionery products and a wide range of other prepared foods without affecting taste or texture. Well received by a number of major domestic and foreign food manufacturers, Z-Trim is a vital mainstream component for making healthier foods that respond to the global obesity epidemic and associated health issues. For more information about FiberGel Technologies, visit http://ztrim.com.

About Circle Group Holdings, Inc.

Circle Group Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CRGQ; www.crgq.com), is a pioneer of emerging technology companies. The Company provides small business infrastructure, funding and substantial intellectual capital to bring important and timely life-changing technologies to market through all early phases of the commercialization process.

Company press releases are available on the Company's web site at www.crgq.com/HTML/breakingNews.html

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performances are forward-looking statements. Any statement containing words such as "believes" "anticipates" "plans" or "expects" and other statements which are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking, and these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations. Consequently, actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. Reference is made to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of such risks and uncertainties.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040115/nyth062_1.html

dilleet, thanks...

...I had not really considered that venue. I think I shall consider it immediately.

Thank you for the jump start.

something annoying...

Now figure this out:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86643

So I called and my machine qualified for the trade-in.

Catch (always is isn't there?): I have to ship my machine and wait for one to be shipped back to me. I would be without a laptop for 10-15 days.

Question: Sooooo, how about if I walk into my local Apple Store and buy one, then ship this one, will you send me a rebate?

Answer: Nope.

Take it this way or leave it.

Question: So why are you doing this program?

Answer: An incentive program to get people to upgrade.

Yeah! RIGHT!

NOEL MARK, CURIS INC 

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CURIS INC [ CRIS ]  
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)


 
Director 
 
10% Owner 

X 
Officer (give title below) 
 
Other (specify below) 

Vice President, Tech. Manage. 

 

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/04 

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)


X 
Form filed by One Reporting Person 

 
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 

 



Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
Amount
(A) or (D)
Price



Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
2,000 
A 
$1.09 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
1,000 
D 
$6.002 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
800 
D 
$6.004 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
200 
D 
$6.01 
9,375 
D 
 




Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Excercise Price of Derivative Security
3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)
9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
(A)
(D)
Date Exercisable
Expiration Date
Title
Amount or Number of Shares



Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy) 
$1.09 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
2,000 
09/25/03 
09/25/12 
Common Stock 
2,000 
$1.09 
48,000 
D 
 
http://www.secinfo.com/d14A75.1d.htm

MISSLING CHRISTOPHER U, CURIS INC [ CRIS ]  
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)


 
Director 
 
10% Owner 

X 
Officer (give title below) 
 
Other (specify below) 

Sr. VP, Strategic Planning 

 

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/04 

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)


X 
Form filed by One Reporting Person 

 
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 

 



Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
Amount
(A) or (D)
Price



Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
59,000 
A 
$0.68 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
29,500 
D 
$5.94 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
5,800 
D 
$6.13 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
9,700 
D 
$6.11 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
800 
D 
$6.1 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
100 
D 
$6.05 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
300 
D 
$6.04 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
3,000 
D 
$6.03 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
9,800 
D 
$6.02 
0 
D 
 




Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Excercise Price of Derivative Security
3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)
9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
(A)
(D)
Date Exercisable
Expiration Date
Title
Amount or Number of Shares



Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy) 
$0.68 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
11,500 
09/25/03 
09/25/13 
Common Stock 
11,500 
$0.68 
138,500 
D 
 

Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy) 
$0.68 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
47,500 
10/01/02 
08/26/12 
Common Stock 
47,500 
$0.68 
137,500 
D 
 
http://www.secinfo.com/d14GGy.1e.htm

POTTHOFF MARY ELIZABETH, CURIS INC [ CRIS ]  
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)


 
Director 
 
10% Owner 

X 
Officer (give title below) 
 
Other (specify below) 

Vice President, General Counse 

 

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/04 

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)


X 
Form filed by One Reporting Person 

 
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 

 



Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
Amount
(A) or (D)
Price



Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
20,000 
A 
$0.8 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
4,110 
D 
$6 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
15,890 
D 
$6.01 
0 
D 
 




Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Excercise Price of Derivative Security
3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)
9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
(A)
(D)
Date Exercisable
Expiration Date
Title
Amount or Number of Shares



Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy) 
$0.8 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
20,000 
09/03/03 
09/03/13 
Common Stock 
20,000 
$0.8 
80,000 
D 
 
http://www.secinfo.com/d14GGg.1e.htm 

RUBIN LEE L., CURIS INC 

61 MOULTON STREET 

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CURIS INC [ CRIS ]  
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)


 
Director 
 
10% Owner 

X 
Officer (give title below) 
 
Other (specify below) 

Senior Vice President,Research 

 

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/04 

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)


X 
Form filed by One Reporting Person 

 
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 

 



Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
Amount
(A) or (D)
Price



Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
11,250 
A 
$1.09 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
33,750 
A 
$1.5 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
2,600 
D 
$6.14 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
2,500 
D 
$6.12 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
100 
D 
$6.102 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
3,000 
D 
$6.09 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
500 
D 
$6.07 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
6,400 
D 
$6.03 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
7,400 
D 
$6.02 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
2,500 
D 
$6.01 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
10,000 
D 
$5.94 
0 
D 
 

Common Stock 
01/13/04 
 
S 
 
10,000 
D 
$5.95 
9,814 
D 
 




Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Excercise Price of Derivative Security
3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)
3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)
4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)
9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code
V
(A)
(D)
Date Exercisable
Expiration Date
Title
Amount or Number of Shares



Non-qualified stock option (right to buy) 
$1.5 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
33,750 
10/01/02 
06/05/12 
Common Stock 
33,750 
$1.5 
178,935 
D 
 

Non-qualified stock option (right to buy) 
$1.09 
01/13/04 
 
M 
 
 
11,250 
09/25/03 
09/25/12 
Common Stock 
11,250 
$1.09 
68,750 
D 
 
http://www.secinfo.com/d14A74.1c.htm

Name and Address of Reporting Person* LAWRENCE JAMES A  

 
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/05/04 
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
APPLE COMPUTER INC [ AAPL ]  

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)


X 
Director 
 
10% Owner 

 
Officer (give title below) 
 
Other (specify below) 

 

 
5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
 

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)


X 
Form filed by One Reporting Person 

 
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 

 



Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Owned (Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)




Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Excercise Price of Derivative Security
5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Date Exercisable
Expiration Date
Title
Amount or Number of Shares



Stock Option 
01/05/05 
01/05/14 
common stock 
10,000 
22.17 
D 
 

Stock Option 
01/05/06 
01/05/14 
common stock 
10,000 
22.17 
D 
 

Stock Option 
01/05/07 
01/05/14 
common stock 
10,000 
22.17 
D 
 
http://www.secinfo.com/d141Nx.12N7.htm

fibait, if I can fault the pricing it is on this ground...

...it is not the price, but what is delivered for the the price - quality.

Midas did a great job with underlining their marketing campaign with, "you can pay a little now or a lot later."

Similarly, Timex watches, "it takes a beating and keeps on ticking."

The Apple story is similar - you don't need the expensive personnel support structure. You don't get the frustration with operation. You don't get the equipment failure rate. However, delivering the story of quality and ease of use result in lower long term prices and frustrations has not been adequately explained.

I have happily paid more over the years because I just want it to work with no long term residual costs.

All imho of course.

go-kitesurf...

I'm sure I've heard that author's name before - but where?

You're getting warmer...

OT...Apple Computer Posts Profit on iPod Sales
Wednesday January 14, 8:27 pm ET
By Duncan Martell

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. (NasdaqNM:AAPL - News) on Wednesday posted a strong profit compared with a year-earlier net loss, boosted by robust sales of its popular iPod digital music player and PowerBook notebook computers.

Even though Apple's profit and revenue topped forecasts, its stock fell about 5 percent in after-hours trading amid what analysts said were even rosier expectations and possible disappointment with results at other leading tech companies.

"Apple three weeks ago was at $19," said Shannon Cross, an analyst at Cross Research. "The stock had run up substantially prior to Macworld and after."

Shares of Apple rose 10 percent since Chairman and Chief Executive Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod mini on Jan. 6 and said the company had sold more than 730,000 iPods in the December quarter. Before that, shares had gained 12 percent from Dec. 19. Shares of Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - News) and Yahoo Inc. (NasdaqNM:YHOO - News), which also reported results on Wednesday, fell in trading after the regular close of U.S. markets.

Apple is best known for its Macintosh computer, popular among graphics and creative professionals as an alternative to personal computers that run on Windows operating software from industry leader Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - News)

Cupertino, California-based Apple reported net income for its first quarter ended Dec. 27 of $63 million, or 17 cents, compared with a year-earlier net loss of $8 million, or 2 cents a share, which included a restructuring charge and an accounting adjustment.

Revenue rose to a four-year high of $2.01 billion from $1.47 billion a year earlier.

STRONG QUARTER

Excluding an after-tax investment gain of $3 million, or 1 cent per share, Apple made a per-share profit of 16 cents, matching the most optimistic forecast from Wall Street.

Analysts had forecast Apple to post a profit of 14 cents per share, on average, within a range of 13 cents to 16 cents, on revenue of $1.93 billion.

Despite the after-hours stock decline, analysts said it was a strong quarter for Apple. Sales of its PowerBook notebook computers increased 70 percent to $399 million from a year earlier, as iPod revenue more than tripled to $256 million.

"It was a good, solid quarter," said Barry Jaruzelski, lead partner in Booz Allen Hamilton's (News - Websites) global technology and electronics practice.

Since its introduction in October 2001, the iPod has been a runaway hit, selling more than 2 million units. Apple also scored a success with its online digital music store, introduced in April 2003, and late last year Apple rolled it out to Windows users as well.

Overall Macintosh computer shipments rose 12 percent to 829,000 from 743,000 while Mac revenue climbed 15 percent to $1.27 billion from $1.10 billion, accounting for 63 percent of the company's total sales.

Shares of Apple rose 8 cents to close at $24.20 on Nasdaq before results were released, which came after the close of regular U.S. trading. In after-hours trading, the stock slipped to $23.00.

For the second quarter, Chief Financial Officer Fred Anderson said he expects second-quarter net earnings per share of 8 cents to 10 cents on revenue of about $1.80 billion.

Those forecasts are above the consensus per-share estimate of 7 cents, and the revenue forecast of $1.71 billion, according to Reuters Research. Profit forecasts ranged from 5 cents to 12 cents.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040114/tech_apple_earns_3.html

Dell, HP market war update...

UPDATE - 2003 PC shipments up, Dell, HP swap spots-report
Wednesday January 14, 8:31 pm ET
By Elinor Mills Abreu

(Recasts lead paragraph, updates throughout with more detail, background, comment from analysts, HP, Dell; adds byline)

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Strong consumer demand, increased notebook sales and falling prices boosted global PC shipments in the fourth quarter and full year of 2003, market research firms IDC and Gartner Inc. said on Wednesday.

Dell Inc. (NasdaqNM:DELL - News) overtook Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - News) as the top global PC maker for all of 2003 based on units shipped, according to preliminary market figures released by Gartner and IDC.

Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard took the top spot from Dell in the fourth quarter, the first time in a year but not surprising for the holiday shopping season given HP's consumer focus, the market researcher firms said.

The corporate and professional market showed some growth, particularly in the second half of the year, they said.

While unit shipments grew, total PC revenue, which includes sales of personal computers, laptops and some low-end servers, could be flat due to price cuts, analysts at IDC and Gartner said.

In 2003, global PC shipments grew 11.4 percent from 2002, to a record 152.6 million PCs, up from 136.9 million in 2002, 134.7 million in 2001 and 140.2 million in 2000, said IDC analyst Roger Kay.

During the fourth quarter, the number of PCs shipped increased 15.2 percent year over year, to 44.6 million units, in line with IDC's forecast, the company said.

According to Gartner's preliminary figures, global PC shipments totaled 168.9 million units in 2003, up 10.9 percent from 2002.

Fourth-quarter shipments totaled 48.4 million, up 12 percent from the fourth quarter of 2002, according to Gartner, which is projecting growth of 12.8 percent for 2004, said Charles Smulders of Gartner.

DELL-HP FLIP-FLOP

For 2003, Dell had 15 percent market share and unit shipment growth of 25.8 percent, followed by HP with 14.3 percent share and 12.3 percent growth, according to Gartner.

IDC's 2003 figures have Dell with 16.9 percent market share and shipment growth of 25 percent and HP at 16.4 percent market share and growth of 14.5 percent.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - News) was third, followed by Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo:6702.T - News) and its joint venture with Siemens AG (XETRA:SIEGn.DE - News) and Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo:6502.T - News) in the fifth spot, the market researchers said.

In the United States, the 2003 rankings were Dell, HP, IBM, Gateway Inc. (NYSE:GTW - News), and Apple Computer Inc. (NasdaqNM:AAPL - News).

Round Rock, Texas-based Dell and Palo Alto, California-based HP have swapped positions during various periods since HP acquired Compaq in May 2002.

"We've been driving very hard," said Jim McDonnell, vice president of marketing and sales for HP's personal systems group. "It's a two-horse race between us and Dell and we're committed to driving our strategy to bring innovation to the marketplace."

"We have always compared the health of our business on a year-over-year basis," said Dell spokesman Mike Maher. "What we have said over time, is that Dell will grow at a faster rate than the market and do so profitably, and we've accomplished those goals."


http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040114/tech_pc_market_2.html

PaperProfit,

Unless HP can run iTunes and the formats in an interoperable way.

Did you guys see...

CRIS' news yesterday? Any thoughts?

Bootz,

I regularly scan it. Why - did I duplicate post? If so, feel free to have them deleted. However, I thought that some portions were important which is why I posted them with bolding.

There were a boat-load of posts today so I could have missed them.

DRM Goes to the Movies

By Janet Rae-Dupree

Sony Pictures Entertainment CIO John Stubbs on how digital rights management can be used to thwart pirates.

CIO Insight: You were named the CIO of Sony Pictures Entertainment on Sept. 12. You were a consultant in digital rights management. What lessons can the visual entertainment industry learn from the music industry's experience?

Stubbs: I think movie executives have the advantage of learning from what Napster and other peer-to-peer networks did to the music industry's ability to support its business models. The music industry has suffered greatly and a lot of it is because of the rampant piracy that's going on right now. Forewarned is forearmed.

You'll be heading Sony Pictures' global information technology group, responsible for fully integrating the information systems that support SPE's motion picture, television, home entertainment and corporate-level operations. What's key to your strategy?

It's a tad too early to talk about everything just yet. I just got here. But digital rights management will be one of the priorities. We will continue many initiatives already under way and we will also be investigating DRM policies and initiatives.

DRM includes the rules and protective mechanisms for the exploitation of content. In other words, you can protect content and only allow assets when people abide by a set of rules that have been specified. Typically, the content owner specifies the rules, or it could be specified by people who the content owner gives permission to specify new rules, so it can be a layered rule approach. Basically, these rules are designed to support various business models—for example, a business model might be a pay-per-view, or another business model might be that you own it, but it's only good for viewing on a particular device, or it can be for an unlimited use. These are all different business models that content owners and the retailers, or the distribution industry, will adopt.

You believe that XrML, the language developed by Xerox ContentGuard, will be the successful common platform for DRM in the entertainment industry. Why?

I think it will be one common way of expressing rights. It has a leg up on everybody because it's been adopted by Microsoft and it's a very rigorous language that allows for a lot of flexibility.

What needs to happen technologically to enable the digital distribution of movies and TV shows?

That's a hard question to answer. I think there will need to be a number of technologies further developed. For example, it's fine to say you have a rights language and it's another thing to say you have technologies that can interpret that rights language and enforce those rights before they allow unauthorized people to have access to content. Interpretation and enforcement is still a fairly complicated problem.

There's a lot of intellectual property out in the marketplace right now, or a lot of patents, if you will, which have been issued by the patent office on this subject, and it's not clear which technology providers are going to be stepping up to the plate and getting a license from the patent holders to develop the necessary technology. Microsoft, of course, is a major player. They are quite a ways down the line and are investing heavily in DRM technology.

I think the next three to five years are going to be very interesting and we're going to be addressing these issues of DRM head on. There's a new policy group that's just formed at Sony Pictures Entertainment that will be involved in figuring out where we stand on digital rights issues, and I hope to contribute to and help execute that effort in a meaningful way.

http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,3959,1309315,00.asp

Goodness!

[bolds are mine - a little far down and underlined too]


Hewlett-Packard: No WMA for IPod 
By Leander Kahney

02:00 AM Jan. 13, 2004 PT

Contrary to reports, Hewlett-Packard will not be supporting Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format in its forthcoming HP-branded iPod.

According to Paul Thurrot's WinInfo newsletter, HP is working with Apple to add support for WMA to the iPod. Thurrot's report was widely circulated online on Monday.

However, a spokesman for HP denied any such plans.

"We're not going to be supporting WMA for now," said Muffi Ghadiali, product marketing manager for HP's digital entertainment products group.

"We picked the service that was the most popular (Apple's iTunes Music Store)," said Ghadiali. "We could have chosen another format, but that would have created more confusion for our customers."

He added, "Most customers don't care about the format they're downloading."

Last week, HP made the surprising announcement that it will be reselling a HP-branded iPod this summer. HP will also bundle Apple's iTunes digital jukebox on all new consumer PCs.

Of course, the iTunes software is tightly linked to Apple's online iTunes Music Store, the most popular online music service on the Net. The store accounts for 70 percent of all the music sold online, according to Apple.

The question of file format is key.

Just as Microsoft gets tremendous leverage from controlling the file formats in Office (and many of its other products), Apple benefits from controlling the format of the world's most popular music store. Controlling the format means competitors have to come to Apple to work with its products -- just as HP has done.

Apple uses a proprietary, copy-protected scheme based on Advanced Audio Coding. While AAC is a proposed standard for Internet audio developed by a consortium of companies, Apple has wrapped its songs in a Digital Rights Management scheme that puts some restrictions on playback devices.

Meanwhile, the majority of Apple's competitors -- Napster, Wal-Mart, Musicmatch, Best Buy and dozens of others -- sell music encoded in Microsoft's WMA format, which is also proprietary.

The problem is that Apple's iPod -- the most popular portable player on the market -- will not play music encoded in WMA.

Likewise, none of the other portable music players from the likes of Dell, Rio or Creative Technology will play Apple's AAC files.

Joe Wilcox, a senior analyst with Jupiter Research, expressed surprise that HP didn't insist the HP iPod support WMA. Without it, he said, a lot of HP customers may find their music incompatible with the upcoming HP iPod. In addition, Wilcox noted that HP's popular iPaq handheld is unable to play songs downloaded from Apple's music store.

"Does the format matter to consumers? If they can't play it, it does," Wilcox said. "If they buy something and they can't play it, of course they care."

Wilcox noted that HP currently has relationships with Napster and Musicmatch.

He also said that between now and summer, HP may come up with a way to convert WMA to AAC, or an equivalent technical fix.

HP's Ghadiali declined to address the issue. "I can't comment on the future," he said. "It's what serves our customers the best. If that's multiple formats, so be it."

Apple declined to comment, but in November Apple's Steve Jobs was asked during a conference call with Wall Street analysts whether the iPod would support alternative formats.

"Why should we work with another music store when we are working with the Microsoft of music stores?" Jobs reportedly said. "I'd rather spend our engineering dollars on enhancing the iPod and the iTunes music store."

The iPod accounts for a third of the market for digital players, according to Apple.

http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,61897,00.html

So however will they make this interoperable?

Hewlett-Packard: No WMA for IPod 
By Leander Kahney

02:00 AM Jan. 13, 2004 PT

Contrary to reports, Hewlett-Packard will not be supporting Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format in its forthcoming HP-branded iPod.

According to Paul Thurrot's WinInfo newsletter, HP is working with Apple to add support for WMA to the iPod. Thurrot's report was widely circulated online on Monday.

However, a spokesman for HP denied any such plans.

"We're not going to be supporting WMA for now," said Muffi Ghadiali, product marketing manager for HP's digital entertainment products group.

"We picked the service that was the most popular (Apple's iTunes Music Store)," said Ghadiali. "We could have chosen another format, but that would have created more confusion for our customers."

He added, "Most customers don't care about the format they're downloading."

Last week, HP made the surprising announcement that it will be reselling a HP-branded iPod this summer. HP will also bundle Apple's iTunes digital jukebox on all new consumer PCs.

Of course, the iTunes software is tightly linked to Apple's online iTunes Music Store, the most popular online music service on the Net. The store accounts for 70 percent of all the music sold online, according to Apple.

The question of file format is key.

Just as Microsoft gets tremendous leverage from controlling the file formats in Office (and many of its other products), Apple benefits from controlling the format of the world's most popular music store. Controlling the format means competitors have to come to Apple to work with its products -- just as HP has done.

Apple uses a proprietary, copy-protected scheme based on Advanced Audio Coding. While AAC is a proposed standard for Internet audio developed by a consortium of companies, Apple has wrapped its songs in a Digital Rights Management scheme that puts some restrictions on playback devices.

Meanwhile, the majority of Apple's competitors -- Napster, Wal-Mart, Musicmatch, Best Buy and dozens of others -- sell music encoded in Microsoft's WMA format, which is also proprietary.

The problem is that Apple's iPod -- the most popular portable player on the market -- will not play music encoded in WMA.

Likewise, none of the other portable music players from the likes of Dell, Rio or Creative Technology will play Apple's AAC files.

Joe Wilcox, a senior analyst with Jupiter Research, expressed surprise that HP didn't insist the HP iPod support WMA. Without it, he said, a lot of HP customers may find their music incompatible with the upcoming HP iPod. In addition, Wilcox noted that HP's popular iPaq handheld is unable to play songs downloaded from Apple's music store.

"Does the format matter to consumers? If they can't play it, it does," Wilcox said. "If they buy something and they can't play it, of course they care."

Wilcox noted that HP currently has relationships with Napster and Musicmatch.

He also said that between now and summer, HP may come up with a way to convert WMA to AAC, or an equivalent technical fix.

HP's Ghadiali declined to address the issue. "I can't comment on the future," he said. "It's what serves our customers the best. If that's multiple formats, so be it."

Apple declined to comment, but in November Apple's Steve Jobs was asked during a conference call with Wall Street analysts whether the iPod would support alternative formats.

"Why should we work with another music store when we are working with the Microsoft of music stores?" Jobs reportedly said. "I'd rather spend our engineering dollars on enhancing the iPod and the iTunes music store."

The iPod accounts for a third of the market for digital players, according to Apple.

http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,61897,00.html