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OT Tiny Battery Management Technology From TI to
Allow Mobile Users to Charge PDAs, Handsets From
a USB Port or AC Adapter
Monday January 20, 9:03 am ET
First Single-Chip 3mm x 3mm Charger for Single-Cell Li-Ion Batteries
DALLAS, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN - News; TI) announced
today the smallest and most integrated single-cell lithium-ion (Li-Ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-Pol)
battery charger to enable personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, digital cameras and
wireless headsets to charge from a universal serial bus (USB) port or AC wall adapter. (See
power.ti.com/03013 ).
The bqTINY(TM) II series of battery chargers offer designers fully integrated, fully compliant USB
port and AC adapter supply management capability through its autonomous power-source
selection, power field effect transistor (FET) and current sensor, high accuracy current and
voltage regulation, charge status and termination -- all on a single piece of silicon.
"As more designers build portable applications that require greater functionality, unique
connectivity and longer battery life, TI continues to drive levels of integration in battery
management integrated circuitry to simplify design and save board space and manufacturing
cost," said Dave Heacock, worldwide general manager for TI's Portable Power Management
Products. "With the bqTINY II's ability to automatically select a USB port or an AC adapter as the
power source for the system, designers can quickly take to market space-limited portable
applications with more options to stay powered up anytime, anywhere."
In USB configuration, the host device, such as a PDA or cell phone, can select from two preset
charge rates of 100mA and 500mA. In AC adapter configuration, the integrated power FET allows
up to 1A of charge current. An integrated current sensor with programmable current set-point
provides design flexibility and eliminates the need for bulky external sense resistors.
As with other members of the bqTINY(TM) family, the new bqTINY II chargers integrate a
reverse-blocking protection scheme to prevent battery drainage in the absence of the DC supply.
Other integrated features include voltage and current regulation, safety timers for pre-charge and
fast charge phases, charge status outputs to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or a microcontroller,
temperature sense and charge termination.
bqTINY II devices charge the battery in three phases required by battery cell manufacturers,
including pre-charge conditioning, constant current and accurate constant voltage. The algorithm
reduces charge times, maximizes total charge and protects the battery from thermal and electrical
dangers. The charger re-starts the charge when the battery voltage falls below an internal
threshold, and enters a low-power sleep mode when both supplies are removed. This unique
deep-sleep feature prevents draining the battery during the absence of input power.
Available Today
The bqTINY II ICs are now available in volume from TI and its authorized distributors. All bqTINY
and bqTINY II devices are packaged in a 10-lead 3mm x 3mm QFN package. Descriptions and
pricing per unit in quantities of 1,000 are shown in the following table.
Table 1 - bqTINY II Options
Device Description Pricing at 1KU
bq24020 USB/AC charging, integrated FET (1A) and $2.09
current sense, 4.2V regulation,
charge enable, temperature sense
bq24022 USB/AC charging, integrated FET (1A) and $2.09
current sense, 4.2V regulation,
charge enable, AC present indicator
bq24023 USB/AC charging, integrated FET (1A) and $2.09
current sense, 4.2V regulation, charge enable,
timer and termination enable
Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog
technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. The company's businesses also
include sensors and controls, and educational and productivity solutions. TI is headquartered in
Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries. More
information is located on the web site at www.ti.com .
Please refer all reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated
Semiconductor Group, SC-03013
Literature Response Center
P.O. Box 954
Santa Clarita, CA 91380
1-800-477-8924, ext. 4500
Source: Texas Instruments Incorporated
Email this story - Set a News Alert
chessplayer- I wrote to edigital to ask about the battery...have not gotten a reply as of yet.
Chessplayer- Yes it does sound like a firmware problem combined with the fact that lithium batteries do lose charging ability. There is a post in the thread that talks about is off really off. Not being a techie I don't understand all the jargon but here is the comment
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Jan 01, 2003 - 12:31 PM
I don't believe it is the battery itself, but rather the new software update. Since I updated
my battery life has gone from 9 hours to about 3. Even worse if you leave it off for a day
or two. Unfortunately this has destroyed the formerly stupendous ipod. I am trying to
figure out how to restore the original software as I am convinced this will fix the problem.
[ Reply to this ]
For most cases it is NOT the battery!(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Dec 28, 2002 - 03:03 PM
Hi Folks,
I researched this in more detail, as my iPod was also showing signs of severely reduced
battery life. I am convinced that 99% of the users reporting battery problems have a
perfectly working battery. Here is what happened:
I used to leave my iPod in the car most of the time, only occasionally charging/updating it.
However lately after a couple of days without use it was always out of power.
It turns out the problem is the firmware. Reverting from 1.21 to 1.1 restored the old
behavior, I can now let it sit for a week and it is still full.
Here is what happened: With the 1.2 firmware Apple tried to reward it's iPod users by
adding PIM (datebook etc.) functionality that wasn't part of the original concept for the
iPod. For this they need a clock. However the iPod does not have a low power RTC
(RealTimeClock) chip that keeps time and can wake up the iPod for alarms. So they
have the main CPU taking care of that task. And I think they underestimated the impact
on battery life this would have. I am pretty convinced that unless they can find a very
ingenious way of doing this at a much reduced power consumption level (which I doubt is
possible), the only way to make this really work is to add a RTC chip, and I bet we will
see this in future redesigns of the iPod (or maybe the new thinner iPods already have
this).
To test your iPod you could use the following method: Charge it, and when full
immediately start playing music. Time how long it plays. If it plays more than 4 hours,
your battery is probably OK. You should actually get about 8 hours, unless you use (like
me) wav files instead of mp3 (wav files require about 5 times more disk access, using
more power). It has also been said that a few of the new features (equalizer etc) also
increase battery drain.
Now if your battery is fine, you will need to decide how to move on:
- Change your habits, charge your iPod more frequently. As opposed to what a previous
poster wrote, charging your iPod more frequently is NOT bad, the type of batteries used
in the iPod do not develop what is known as memory effect and in fact the manufacturer
suggests frequent partial charges instead of letting the battery running low.
- Revert to the 1.1 firmware. You will lose all the new features (and there is a bug that
causes occasional dropout when playing wav files), but now you can leave your iPod in
the car/purse/backpack/whatever for a few days again without it loosing charge.
- Prevent the clock from running by never setting it (I have not tested this myself, but it is
supposed to work). This is a bit difficult: When connecting to the Mac, the clock is
always set from the Mac. But supposedly if you reset the iPod just before you disconnect
it from your PC, the clock will be stopped. To reset, press and hold "Menu" and "Play"
until Apple logo appears (5-10 sec.). As said above I haven't tried this, and you may
need to also turn off some of the new features to get your old battery life back.
I hope this helps clearing up the confusion around this topic. And let's not start beat up
Apple about this, they were trying to give us more, and it just didn't quite work out.
However their information policy should be blamed, there should have long been an
official statement from Apple detailing the above.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by Sammy on Dec 28, 2002 - 05:00 PM
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by ESWIII on Dec 29, 2002 - 04:08 AM
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by Nameless Lad on Dec 30, 2002 -
11:34 AM
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by Nameless Lad on Jan 02, 2003 - 06:52
AM
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by Lindsley on Jan 04, 2003 - 02:58 AM
Re: i totally agree that in most cases it is NOT the battery! by ChristianSands on Jan
09, 2003 - 11:03 PM
Re: For most cases it is NOT the battery! by zeldonovich on Jan 19, 2003 - 08:22 AM
Restoring Firmware back to 1.1 by pirr-e on Jan 19, 2003 - 09:10 AM
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Dec 28, 2002 - 03:07 PM
From the discussion on boingboing: FAQ on Lithium Ion batteries
And one important question, #7:
Q. What is the effect of shallow discharges?
A. Perhaps the most dramatic increase in cycle life and retained capacity results from
cycling at less than 100% depth of discharge. With a 10% reduction in discharge profile,
you effectively double the cycle life of the cell. Discharge profiles of 25% have extended
the cycle life of cells beyond 10,000 cycles and profiles at 12% depth of discharge have
extended the cycle life of cells beyond 17,000 cycles.
(The FAQ states that cell capacity will reduce to 80% after only 400 full
discharge/recharge cycles.)
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 1)
by finelinebob on Dec 28, 2002 - 04:20 PM
(User info / Send a Message) http://
As one Nameless Lad mentions in a reply to a post above (so you might not have read
it), all rechargeable batteries are not alike. Lots of rechargeable "facts" are truths about
NiCad rechargeables in terms of needing to completely discharge them or not to
overcharge them, but there is a wide variety of rechargeable batteries with different
power signatures and, therefore, different uses, and consequently different "rules" for
maintaining them.
Cell phone batteries are a good example of the "discharge fully/don't overcharge"
category (and I really do wish I'd stop forgetting to unplug mine before I go to sleep!
aCk! 8^P), but the Lithium-Ion batteries in iPods are different.
If you've got Sherlock 3, type "ipod battery" into the Applecare search and you'll get a
document high on the list on maximizing the battery's life/charge. Almost all, if not all, the
suggestions have to do with (a) managing the iPod software or (b) managing your usage.
For example, don't play it when it's too cold outside (
In other words, most of the things that make it convenient and usable eat battery charge.
Back to the charging issue. The FAQ boingboing links to above points out how
recharging after only a shallow discharge can actually extend the life of the battery. I've
heard the same when discussing this with some Apple Geniuses at the SoHo/NYC store.
Charge early, charge often can actually keep the battery in better shape than if you let it
discharge completely. Leaving it plugged into your Mac (or PC) will not harm it. Given
the behavior my Pod exhibits when I haven't had it plugged in for two or three days, I
leave mine plugged in almost all the time. Using it after doing this has never given me any
problems with the battery suddenly dying out on me ... well, except for those times I
expose it to 30 degree (F, not C) weather for a good bit of time.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 1)
by Arathorne on Dec 29, 2002 - 03:11 AM
(User info / Send a Message)
My warranty has expired and my battery has died! I purchased an original iPod (5G)
during Christmas of 2001 with great expectations. The iPod is great, but the new battery
technology comes with some risk. Apple has neglected its obligation to educate us about
the new Lithium-Ion Polymer battery that is in the iPod. According to Sony, the
manufacturer, this battery should be charged to its fullest when new, and should be
charged as often as possible during the life time of the battery. The problem with this new
battery starts when you let its charge drain to less than half. The specs for this battery
describe a guaranteed battery life of 500 cycles, but each cycle equals a 50% drain from
full charge. Sony does not recommend letting this battery completely drain before
recharging it.
I am trying to find a battery wholesaler that can order a replacement battery for the Sony
UP325385 battery in my iPod. When I locate one I will post it here. Good Luck to all
iPods out of warranty.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Dec 29, 2002 - 01:31 PM
Since getting the new 1.2.1 firmware for the iPod, my battery life is back to normal. I
used to get 5 hours if I was lucky and had to constantly charge my iPod. So far, it's been
a week since charging it and it's only dropped one battery meter tick! Try the new
firmware.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited by Sammy on Dec 29, 2002 - 10:55 PM
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited by Nameless Lad on Dec 30, 2002 - 12:49
AM
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited by Sammy on Jan 06, 2003 - 09:21 PM
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 1)
by luke on Dec 30, 2002 - 12:57 PM
(User info / Send a Message)
So I just got my 20GB iPod a few days ago and love it. I am concerned about the
battery though. After fully charging the iPod within about 20 minutes it drops down one
battery notch. This seems strange. I spent the day traveling yesterday and used the iPod
for 3-4 hours and the battery seemed to drop to about half (as indicated by the battery
icon). Is this normal battery drainage? In reality what should I expect from the battery if I
were to use it for a full days worth of travel with consistant use? Thanks.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited by Nameless Lad on Jan 04, 2003 - 06:15 PM
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Dec 30, 2002 - 01:33 PM
This is a big problem and one that will make me not buy and iPod or any other
rechargeable item in which the battery cannot be swapped. Currently I have a dead
Handspring Visor Edge with the rechargeable battery built in to the unit. After one year,
my battery will not take a charge. The only way to fix it is to send the unit back to
Handspring along with $119.
[ Reply to this ]
Re: iPod Battery Issues Revisited by Nameless Lad on Dec 30, 2002 - 04:24 PM
did anyone posting actually READ the article(Score: 0)
by Nameless Lad on Dec 30, 2002 - 04:35 PM
from the article:
So for the benefit of myself as well as the numerous other users who have written in, let
me ask: Is anyone aware of an aftermarket, replacement iPod battery that can be
purchased as an alternative to Apple's replacement plan?
THIS (see above) is the question, not just the same rehashed info that weve seen
everywhere. we have seen that stuff before, that is why the authors are asking this new
question.
please someone answer - this is the first ive seen to get out from under apples thumb
when it comes to ipod care (which at $250 for any service is not really an option).
From Everything USB website
Odyssey 1000 to Hit Market Next Month
Posted on 13 Jan. 2003
e.Digital’s Odyssey 1000, regarded by many as the Hi-Speed
USB version of the 20GB iPod, will be shipping February 5th
2003. After several months of delay, the player along with the
Treo is in display at Las Vegas CES. The new portable jukebox
with 20GB hard drive, FM tuner and voice recorder accepts
voice recognition commands, which can be a name of an
artist or track. The $349 MP3 player is also developed with
SRS WOW audio enhancements, and comes with a built-in
Li-ion battery, delivering up to 12 hours of playback time. The
company officials claim that the Odyssey 1000 has a
download speed of 8MB per second when using Hi-Speed USB
interface and that the player acts as a portable hard drive.
Link to thread for IPOD battery probs
http://www.ipodhacks.com/article.php?sid=158
BD- heard it is a prob with their RTOS keeps using juice.....anyway with experince with my kids R/C cars....batteries don't last forever but thye replacement issue is a big f up. From the info I read on some IPOD sites...lots of IPODS being returned within the warranty period...not good for Apple. Does anyone know if the O 1000 has a removable battery?"
http://www.cesweb.org/for_press_analysts/new_products/new_product_detail.asp?prodid=845
wasn't sure if thishas been posted before
The iPod's dwindling battery
Posted on: Sunday, December 29, 2002
Everybody loves the iPod, but a lot of owners are discovering that they
don't love how quickly the battery's life dwindles, from ten or eleven
hours on purchase, to as little as a couple of hours after a year of use.
Apple's solution to battery problems after your warranty expires: offering
to replace the entire unit for $50 less than it costs to buy a new one.
Some deal.
Read [Via BoingBoing] #
Gilgamesh....just a description......this company obviously is in business to sell their research and analysis....I found it while poking around on line and thought it was interesting that a company as small as e.Digital warranted a comparative study
January 2003
PLANNER'S PORTFOLIO:
TECH FILES
BY Bob Walters
http://www.meetings-conventions.com/issues/0103/portfolio/port6.html
(O 1000 mention)
THE NEW GADGETS ON THE BLOCK
An analytical look at the latest developments in cell phones, PDAs
and notebooks
If you’re in the market for a new cell phone, PDA (personal digital
assistant) or notebook PC, prepare to spend a lot of time researching
your options. More gadgets are available than ever before, and each
claims to be the latest and greatest. So what actually is new in day-to-day
technology?
CELL PHONES
Can we really still call them cellular? Can we even call them phones
anymore? Even the most basic products have messaging, address books,
games and calculators, some have e-mail capabilities and others have
full-color screens.
Probably the slickest new phone is the Nokia 9290 Communicator, which
flips open to reveal a keyboard and screen where you can actually read
e-mail messages and browse Web sites. At around $600, it still is a little
pricey and has limited options for service — mainly from SkyTel — but it
does an adequate job of being an all-in-one device for phone, PDA and
Web-access purposes. It even has speaker-phone capability of high
enough quality to sit on a conference table and allow everyone to hear
and be heard.
The providers offering the most features right now are Sprint PCS and
T-Mobile, both of which have added services with cameras that can take
and send pictures, play intricate games and browse the Internet in color.
Of course, there is a cost for these functions, and the phones that offer
them tend to be more expensive. Two of the most popular models are the
Sony Ericsson T300 and the Motorola T720, both with color LCD
screens.
PDAs
A whole new series of PDAs have or will soon hit the market with more
memory, lower prices and dazzling color screens. Dell has announced
plans to offer a new handheld called Axim X5; it will be priced under
$300, run on the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system and have the
equivalent power of models selling for $500 or more. A scaled-down
version will be available for $199.
One of the more intriguing new products is the Sidekick from Danger
Hiptop, with service provided by T-Mobile. Functioning as a phone and
PDA, it also has a screen that slides up to reveal a full QWERTY
keyboard and a digital camera. Similar to the RIM Blackberry, it is
always looking for a connection and does a decent job of exchanging
documents.
Handspring’s Treo 300 uses Sprint’s new CDMA2000 1X network,
which currently is being deployed nationwide. The Treo has a flip-up
cover revealing a color screen and full keyboard.
One of the hidden costs to look for are the charges for downloads. Some
services provide unlimited but slow downloads; faster services and the
newer networks can sometimes charge as much as $20 for a megabyte of
data.
NEW ENTRANTS
The talk for the past couple of years has been the Tablet PC – a
Microsoft version of the failed Newton from Apple. The device finally
might have come of age, with several manufacturers introducing their
versions and some unique twists of combining a notebook computer with
a touch-screen tablet. For example, Fujitsu introduced its ST4000 Tablet
PC (priced at around $2,100), which is designed for surfing the Internet,
sending and receiving e-mails, and jotting notes. It comes with a docking
station and keyboard.
Those who take music with them have several variations on the popular
Apple iPOD to choose from. The Odyssey 1000 MP3 player from
e.Digital (about $400) stores up to 4,000 songs, includes an FM tuner,
and can be used to back up computer files via a USB connection to its 20
GIG hard drive.
Bob Walters, based in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, is the founder of Phoenix
Solutions and developer of MeetingTrak software.
Back to Current Issue index
e.Digital Corporation
ICON Press Release
FINANCIAL AND LABOR PRODUCTIVITY BENCHMARKS ON E.DIGITAL CORPORATION
PUBLISHED
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - January 15, 103 - ICON Group International Ltd. today released studies on labor
productivity and financial benchmarks for e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG).
What?
International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis
How does e.Digital Corporation’s balance sheet structure differ from global benchmarks? Does e.Digital
Corporation hold more cash and short-term assets? Does it have more retained earnings compared to the
benchmarks? Does it hold a higher concentration of long-term debt? Does e.Digital Corporation have
relatively higher pre-tax margins compared to global benchmarks?
Labor Productivity Benchmarks and International Gap Analysis
Are workers at e.Digital Corporation productive? There is no absolute answer to this economic question.
The second study considers how labor deployment and productivity indicators for e.Digital Corporation
differ from the global benchmarks. It looks at the amount of labor required to operate e.Digital
Corporation and the resulting return on human investment. What is the ratio of short-term and long-term
assets to employee? What are comparative capital-labor ratios? What are the average operating expenses
per employee in e.Digital Corporation compared to benchmarks in the Communications Equipment
manufacturing sector?
Reports for over 23 Communications Equipment manufacturing companies are available now, including the
following:
Aiphone Co., Ltd.
Allied Electronics Corporation Limited
Ansaldo Trasporti SPA
Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
Ericsson SPA
Fujitsu Denso Ltd.
Group Sense (International) Limited
Hochiki Corporation
Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Lo-Jack Corp.
N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek 'Nedap'
Nanjing Putian Telecommunications Co., Ltd.
NAPCO Security Systems, Inc.
Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
Nohmi Bosai Ltd.
Qualcomm Incorporated
Superior Telecom Inc
Taiko Electric Works, Ltd.
Tamura Electric Works, Ltd.
Tekelec
Teles AG Informationstechnologien
Trans-Lux Corporation
UTStarcom, Inc.
Why?
The methodologist for this unique study is Philip Parker, Eli Lilly Chair Professor of Innovation, Business
and Society at INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France and Singapore). According to Professor Parker, “With
the globalization of markets, greater foreign competition, and the reduction of barriers to entry, it becomes
all the more important to benchmark a company’s financial indicators on a worldwide basis. World stock
markets have recently witnessed a return to fundamental financial analysis. ” The goal of the reports is to
assist consultants, financial managers, strategic planners, and corporate officers in gauging certain
indicators of e.Digital Corporation’s financial and human resource structure.
Professor Parker states, "We are intrigued by the wide variations in basic financial and productivity
measures between e.Digital Corporation and other Communications Equipment manufacturing companies.
The Earnings Before Interest And Taxes (EBIT), for example, varied from -199.45 to 38.67. We see this
type of variation in the hundreds of ratios that we estimate.”
How?: Methodology
The report uses a proprietary methodology to generate international financial and human resource
benchmarks and measure gaps that might be revealed from such an exercise. Using common-size
statements, ICON Group International Ltd. prepares these vertical analyses by pooling statistics on tens of
thousands of companies across over 40 countries and applying a seven-stage methodology. (1)
identification of industry classifications, (2) firm-level data collection and aggregation, (3) standardization of
raw statistics, (4) filtering outliers, (5) calculation of global norms, (6) projection of deviations and gaps,
and (7) projection of ranks and percentiles.
Previously available only through booksellers such as Hoovers, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble, two
studies are now available direct from the publisher at a 50% discount off the cover price. This special offer
includes International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis and Labor
Productivity Benchmarks and International Gap Analysis at US$ 199.90 ($99.95 each). E-mail
iconsubs@san.rr.com for more information.
FINANCIAL BENCHMARKS
Audience: designed for financial managers, directors, CFOs, strategic planners
Price: $99.95
Pages: 79 pp
Published: January, 103
Table of Contents
About the Author(s)
Methodology/Excerpt (free to view)
Order Via Fax
Order Online
LABOR BENCHMARKS
Audience: designed for productivity managers, HR directors, strategic planners
Price: $99.95
Pages: 68 pp
Published: January, 103
Table of Contents
About the Author(s)
Methodology/Excerpt (free to view)
Order Via Fax
Order Online
About ICON Group Ltd.
ICON Group Ltd. assists managers with global benchmarking, gap analysis, and productivity
studies. Clients can create their own benchmarks by choosing their competitors from among
over 20,000 companies.
CONTACT:
Ula Tuszewicka
ICON Group Ltd.
4370 La Jolla Village Drive, Fourth Floor
San Diego, CA 92122
U.S. Telephone: 858-546-4345
U.S. Fax: 858-546-4341
E-mail: iconsubs@san.rr.com
Link: http://www.icongrouponline.com/PR/e_Digital_Corporation_US/PR.html
More companies in the same
sector, click here
Search for other
companies:
Important Disclaimer: This report was not prepared on behalf of or for e.Digital Corporation. Please
refer to alternative information sources on e.Digital Corporation for the following: company financials
(quarterly reports, annual report, forecasting, analyst reports, stock filing history, investor reports and
relations, SEC or EDGAR documents, 10K, 10Q, articles, news press releases, projections, predictions,
forecasts), products or services (warranty, guarantee, credit, equipment, accessory or accessories,
service, repair or repairs, rebates or rebate policy, product discount or discounts, part or parts supply,
price or prices, book value or valuation, logo design), personnel information (jobs, careers, career training,
job placement, employment, human resources department, employee compensation or salaries, salary
policy, benefit policies for employees, university benefits, credit union benefits), finding corporation
location or contact information (map, company mail, mailing street address, corporate investor contacts,
website web site, email search, e-mail addresses, regional offices, dealers list, distributors listing, stores
directory, outlets, contact names, CFO, CEO, COO, CIO, CTO, HR, office manager, people, welcome,
conference, etc.), geographic or production locations (e.g. USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa,
China), legal structure or business activity (corporation, incorporated, company, partner, partnership,
partnerships, alliances, limited liability, corp., inc, ltd, co, lawsuit or lawsuits), management plans
(marketing strategy or strategic intelligence). ICON reports do not comment on any of the above.
e.Digital attends IHollywood Forum
http://www.ihollywoodforum.com/PreviousAttendees-2002Events.htm
Judge for yourself as the portable hard-drive makes
its IPEC debut
09.40 mContent: Will distributed mobile platforms challenge
embedded IFE?
Steve Ferguson, VP sales and marketing, e.Digital Corporation, USA
Passengers often spend hours in the terminal - so why should the IFE
experience be confined to the aircraft? Airport wireless networks,
portable hard-drives and laptops could extend the reach of IFE to the
other side of the gate - and even one day make embedded in-seat
systems obsolete. Judge for yourself as the portable hard-drive makes
its IPEC debut
Go to day 3 9:40 break out session.......Steve Ferguson of e.Digital presenting potable IFE....this April 2003
THE WORLD OF IFE Rich content, poor airlines
IFE meets the challenge of the air transport downturn
DAY ONE: MONDAY APRIL 7, 2003
PLENARY SESSION
09.00
Chairman's opening remarks
Michael Planey, IFE, marketing and transportation consultant, USA
09.05
Welcome address
Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for e-Commerce and Competitiveness, Department of Trade and Industry, UK*
09.10
Keynote address
IFE in a transformed air transport industry
How do airlines see the role of IFE in an industry transformed by the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, continuing
adverse economic conditions, reduced business travel, the need for more intrusive security, and the aggressive
expansion of the low-cost operators? What are the prospects for increased investment in systems and content, and
is there any way for the IFE community to help its airline partners weather the storm?
Alexander Arafa, VP product management and development, Swiss International Air Lines, Switzerland*
09.30
Opening address
IFE and the customer service proposition: how big a part does it play?
Past hopes that IFE would swiftly become a key differentiator in attracting passengers seem to have been dashed as
airlines face the realities of operating in a radically different marketplace. Business travellers are now more interested
in security and efficiency of operation than in entertainment and productivity. Or are they? Can the inflight email and
Internet access providers deliver on their promises and help move IFE towards the customer-service centre-stage?
And will the new generation of rich-media digital content prove to be an effective weapon in the marketing war for
the leisure dollar?
Kevin George, senior manager product change, British Airways, UK
09.45
THE 64,000-DOLLAR DEBATE
Revenue generation and return on IFE investment - what's the bottom line?
Airlines have invested heavily in cutting-edge IFE systems, only to see the goalposts move as advancing technology
has raised passenger expectations again and again. Can yet another round of spending be justified and funded? And
can IFE offerings become a worthwhile source of revenue for the airlines and their service providers?
Moderated by Walé Adepoju, CEO, Inflight Management Development Centre, UK
John Caulcutt, CEO, Watermark Group, UK
John Rohr, managing director video services, Pace Communications, USA
Don McLaren, head of IFE and onboard IT, SWISS, Switzerland
10.15-10.45 COFFEE BREAK AND EXHIBITION
10.45
Customer attitudes to IFE - what do passengers want?
An exclusive, in-depth look at customer attitudes to IFE. What are their real preferences? How do they rate current
offerings and what do they want in the future? How important is IFE when they book their flights? Are they impressed
by promises of inflight connectivity?
Walé Adepoju, CEO, Inflight Management Development Centre, UK
11.10
SPECIAL SHOWCASE PRESENTATION
The wireless cabin - who wants it?
The wireless cabin is one of the hottest topics in IFE today. Are its potential cost, weight and passenger service
benefits just around the corner, or will safety worries delay its introduction? And if it proves practicable, will airlines
and passengers want it? Dr Andrew Rogoyski of UK consultancy ESYS sets the scene for the Big Issue session by
describing the results from his market research campaign for Europe's WirelessCabin project.
Dr Andrew Rogoyski, consultant, ESYS, UK
11.35
OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION moderated by Michael Planey
12.00-14.00 LUNCH (SPONSORED BY IEC IN-FLIGHT SYSTEMS) AND EXHIBITION
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
14.00
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 1
Moderated by technology chairman Michael Childers, CEO, LightStream
Communications, USA
DELIVERING EMAIL AND THE INTERNET
While inflight phone continues its uphill struggle, the signs are that email
and Internet access will find a ready response from passengers. The
variety of offerings making their way towards the air transport
marketplace reflect two schools of thought - the evolutionaries, building
on existing technologies and adding bandwidth on demand, and the
revolutionaries, with their radical new solutions.
The evolutionaries: Tenzing Communications
Creator of patented techniques to optimise the efficiency and minimise
the cost of air-ground data communications, Tenzing aims to duplicate in
the aircraft the level of access to business data already afforded by
personal mobile devices on the ground.
John Wade, EVP operations and general manager, Tenzing
Communications, USA
14.00 CORPORATE CABIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
MINI-CONFERENCE
Moderated by Chris Nicholls, VP sales and marketing, IEC In-flight
Systems, UK
Opening address
Cabin management systems: too good to be true?
The CMS suppliers appear confident of their ability to meet the growing
demand for more functionality and connectivity. But are they falling into
the same trap as some of the first-generation air transport IFE suppliers
and promising ambitious systems that they may not be able to deliver?
Todd Zarfos, director airplane systems, Boeing Commercial Aviation
Services, USA*
14.20
The evolutionaries: Inmarsat
Aeronautical satcoms pioneer Inmarsat has seen its data capability
evolve from the 9.6kbitsec of its initial system to today's Swift64
64kbit/sec service and is laying plans for the 432kbit/sec potential of its
fourth-generation satellites.
Tony Busby, general manager aeronautical business, Inmarsat Ltd, UK
14.30 CCMS SESSION 1
THE OWNER/OPERATOR'S VIEW
What the flight department wants from a CMS
Owners are usually the prime movers behind what goes into the cabin.
But the people responsible for operating the aircraft also need to have a
say. A flight department's view of CMS technology, functionality,
reliability, ergonomics, support and future requirements
Todd Chisholm, chief pilot, GE Corporate, USA*
14.40
The revolutionaries: AirTV
AirTV believes that only a purpose-built broadband solution is good
enough and is venturing into the virgin territory of S-band to provide
it.Robert M. Sorbello, senior vice-president engineering and technology,
AirTV, USA
14.50 Sponsor presentation
15.00
The revolutionaries: Connexion by Boeing
Connexion by Boeing shares the broadband vision but is avoiding some of
the cost of entry by building its new system on the foundation of
existing commercial satellite capacity.
Ed Laase, director of system development, Connexion by Boeing, USA
15.00 What the big operators want from a CMS
The influences at work on a big lessor or fractional-ownership operator
are significantly different from those affecting a compact corporate flight
department. With many more aircraft and varying numbers of different
airframes to equip, what are the big operators looking for in a CMS?
David Kinson, EVP marketing and development, PrivatAir, Switzerland*
15.20-15.45 COFFEE BREAK AND EXHIBITION
15.20-16.00 COFFEE BREAK AND
EXHIBITION
15.45
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 2
Moderated by Michael Childers
SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY: THE AIRLINE VIEW
The first quarter of 2003 could go down in history as marking the debut
of commercially significant satellite data communications for the air
transport industry. Two airlines talk about their trials work with AirTV
and Connexion by Boeing. Inmarsat users and service providers describe
their operational experience and look forward to the arrival of Swift64 in
the airline arena
Alitalia and AirTV
As AirTV moves towards the introduction of an ambitious four-satellite
system in the middle of the decade, the US company is working with
Italy's national carrier to prove its initial service concepts
Richard Stone, EVP content and programming, AirTV, USAInvited Alitalia
representative. 16.00 Sponsor presentation
Doug Leis, director sales and marketing, IEC In-flight Systems, UK
16.05
Lufthansa and Connexion by Boeing
The head of the Lufthansa airborne Internet project comes to IPEC with
the first results from the German carrier's trial of Connexion by Boeing.
Dr-Ing Burkard Wigger, general manager, Project Lufthansa FlyNet,
Lufthansa, Germany
Stanley Deal, Director of commercial services, Connexion by Boeing,
USA 16.15 CCMS SESSION 2
Moderated by Chris Nicholls
THE COMPLETION CENTRE VIEW
CMS integration - jumping through the regulatory hoops
The plug-and-play CMS is still a long way off. An installations specialist
describes some of the technical challenges - RTCA DO 160
specifications, power interrupt and smoke emission standards, FAA
supplemental type certification, COTS equipment - encountered when
integrating CMS during aircraft completions.
Steve Walton, director systems integration, DeCrane Aircraft, USA
16.25
The Inmarsat service providers and their
customers
Most of the world's long-haul airliners are equipped for voice and data
communications via Inmarsat. A selection of carriers and service
providers talk about their current capabilities, consider applications for
the new Swift64 64kbit/sec service, and look forward to the broadband
potential of the Inmarsat fourth-generation satellites.
David Coiley, director business development passenger services, ARINC,
USA
Stuart Jewell, IFE analyst, Virgin Atlantic Airways, UK
Sasha John, marketing manager aeronautical, Stratos, UK
David Knerr, manager of flight dispatch, United Airlines, USA
Joel Ehrman, aeronautical accounts manager, Telenor Satellite
Services, USA
George Cooper, VP aircraft communications, SITA, International
16.35 CMS requirements - staying one step ahead of the customer
The completion centre's sales team has a unique perspective on what
customers say they want from CMS and what they are ready to pay for.
A top completions salesman takes a cool look at current and future
customer requirements.
Dan Preble, manager of executive aircraft programmes, L-3
Communications Integrated Systems, USA*
16.45
OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION moderated by Michael Childers
16.55 OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION moderated by Chris Nicholls
17.15 COCKTAIL RECEPTION IN EXHIBITION AREA
THE WORLD OF IFE
Rich content, poor airlines
IFE meets the challenge of the air transport downturn
DAY TWO: TUESDAY APRIL 8, 2003
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
09.00
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 3
Moderated by Michael Childers
SYSTEM SUPPLIERS' FORUM
In recent years the leading IFE suppliers have striven to shake off their
analogue legacy to produce light, robust digital systems capable of
meeting growing passenger expectations. At the same time, all-digital
newcomers have entered the market. Now yet another set of challenges
is emerging. As the low-cost carriers continue their advance, what will
appeal to this most cost-conscious of sectors? And how seriously should
the manufacturers take the idea of distributed IFE, with devices such as
the proposed portable hard-drives and wireless-enabled laptops taking
over from embedded systems on the aircraft?
Rockwell Collins
With its PAVES solution for single-aisle aircraft, Total Entertainment
System (TES) for widebodies and now the connectivity-enabled eTES,
Rockwell Collins has its sights on the whole of the air transport
market.Dave Frankenbach, director advanced product planning, Rockwell
Collins, USA*
09.00 CCMS MINI-CONFERENCE SESSION 3
Moderated by Chris Nicholls
COMMUNICATIONS, CERTIFICATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Communications - meeting the broadband challenge
How much data bandwidth is enough? One leading aviation
communications provider is betting that if it builds a megabit-rated data
pipe the corporate operators will find ways to use it.
Tom Mullan, senior director ARINC broadband services, USA
09.20
Thales Avionics
The i-Series range spearheads Thales Avionics' offer to the airlines,
integrating communications, laptop power and entertainment in a single
flexible platform.
Joe Patti, director product marketing, Thales Avionics In-Flight Systems,
USA 09.20 Communications - data delivery for today's office in the
sky
A leading supplier of communications solutions to corporate aviation
describes how the Inmarsat Swift64 64kbit/sec service is turning the
office in the sky into a practical reality.
David Greenhill, business development director, Satcom Direct Inc, USA
09.40
Delta Beta In-Flight
Delta Beta's Self-Contained In-Seat Entertainment (SCISE) system does
away with servers and seat boxes by packing capability into the
passenger display units.
Henry DeBey, president and CEO, Delta Beta In-Flight, USA
09.40 CMS certification - living with tighter requirements
The completion centres are having to learn to live with new and tighter
requirements governing the certification of CMS installations.
Russ Wenman, managing director, BBJ Design Services, UK
10.00
Global Aviation
Aiming for low costs and high maintainability, Global Aviation has based
its SMC-3000 SkyMediaCenter on commercial off-the-shelf systems and
years of experience in the installations business.
Manuel Beltran, chief technology officer, Global Aviation International,
USA 10.00 Installation or irritation?
The road to customer satisfaction does not always run smooth. A
customer representative with years of experience of overseeing aircraft
completions describes some of the possible pitfalls of a CMS installation
campaign, including unsatisfactory communications between the
completion centre and the CMS supplier, and lack of project planning
Flo Ciobotaru, executive VP, AIMS, Canada
10.20-10.50 COFFEE BREAK
10.50
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 4
Moderated by Michael Childers
SHOWCASE PRESENTATION
The low-cost opportunity
Some say the low-cost airlines, with their tight controls on spending,
can never be a significant opportunity for IFE suppliers. Others point to
JetBlue, which offers its passengers in-flight TV, and to lower-risk
business models for the airlines. The single-aisle solutions look right for
the low-cost fleets - can the operators be persuaded? A leading supplier
weighs up the odds
Alan Pellegrini, senior vice-president marketing and operations,
Matsushita Avionics Systems, USA
Christos Fournias, inflight services manager, Cyprus Airways, Cyprus
10.50 CCMS SESSION 4
Moderated by Chris Nicholls
ONBOARD NETWORKS
The heart of the matter - the case for an airborne server
Not so long ago, a simple telecommunications router was all that even
the most advanced corporate cabin needed in the way of network
management. Now, as users demand a range of new capabilities, the
smart operator is specifying an airborne network server
Bob Rodgers, president, Pentar Avionics, USA
11.15
A new approach to airline IFE installations
IFE retrofits can be inelegant, inefficient and more costly than they need
to be. One installation provider believes there's a better way.
George Smallhorn, president and general manager, Inflight Canada,
Canada* 11.05 Sponsor presentation
11.35
PANEL
IFE reliability and maintainability
Over the years IFE systems have attracted an unwelcome reputation for
complexity and unreliability. Are the criticisms still justified? If they are,
what can be done to toughen up installations, improve availability and
reduce maintenance cost and downtime?
Andrew Armstrong, project manager customer avionics, Air Canada
Technical Services, Canada
Ricky Frick, president and CEO, AirWorks, USA George Smallhorn,
president and general manager, Inflight Canada, Canada*Peter Chilsen,
manager business development, ECS, USA*
Henry DeBey, president and CEO, Delta Beta In-Flight, USA 11.20
Solutions for the big jets
Bigger and even more costly than the top-of-the-range
purpose-designed bizjets, the Airbus Corporate Jet, Boeing Business Jet
and the widebody head-of-state conversions present the CMS
community with some particular challenges.
Andrew Muirhead, manager innovation engineering, Lufthansa Technik,
Germany
11.55
OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION moderated by Michael Childers
11.35
11.50 Sponsor presentation
OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION moderated by Chris Nicholls
12.15-14.00 LUNCH (SPONSORED BY ROCKWELL COLLINS) AND EXHIBITION
14.00
IPEC 2003 EXHIBITION
IPEC 2003 promises to be richer in content than ever before. But delegates also need time to stand,stare, think and
derive maximum benefit from having the industry on one spot. So this session has been set aside to give delegates
time to compare and contrast the latest offerings and discuss their needs with suppliers.
16.30
COCKTAIL RECEPTION IN EXHIBITION AREA
With the day's timetable complete, a relaxed opportunity to meet old friends and new contacts and let the
information and ideas flow.
THE WORLD OF IFE
Rich content, poor airlines
IFE meets the challenge of the air transport downturn
DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 9, 2003
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
09.00
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 5
Moderated by:
Brendan Gallagher, editor, Inflight magazine
Peter Lemme, chief technical officer, Tenzing Communications, USA
THE BIG ISSUE: WIRELESS IN THE CABIN AND THE TERMINAL
The growing demand for wireless-based services in the cabin and the
terminal is both an opportunity for the suppliers and a burden for the
airlines and regulators. What are the technology options, how real are
the air safety fears voiced in some quarters, and what are the prospects
for a timely regulatory and technical resolution?
THE BASIC TECHNOLOGIES
Weighing up wireless: the pluses and minuses
Several wireless technologies - cellular, ultra-wideband, Bluetooth, IEEE
802.11b, DIR, Gatelink, Terminal Cellular Bridge - are jostling for a place
in air transport. How do they work, and what are their strengths and
weaknesses?
Joe Winston, director business development, Formation Inc, USA
Rod Farley, president, IMS Consultants, USA
09.00 CONTENT SEMINAR
Moderated by Michael Childers
CONTENT MANAGEMENT IN AN EVOLUTIONARY WORLD
For the first time IPEC devotes a special session to content, both
traditional and the emerging alternatives. The familiar staples of movies,
news and sitcoms are being supplemented by interactive offerings such
as games. What is the likely future balance between "lean back"
traditional content and "lean forward" interactive? And how will digital
delivery and other new technologies affect the nature and management
of inflight content?
CONTENT SESSION 1
EMERGING IFE CONTENT AND HOW TO MANAGE IT
Content management, media integration, media metrics, network delivery
and interactivity are products of the rise of digital technology in IFE.
This session gets its hands on the tools of the new digital disciplines
Network delivery: A content provider's perspective
Content providers are moving towards a world of digital delivery and
asset management. Digital television is emerging rapidly and digital
cinema is in the offing. A new IFE content delivery supply chain is being
forged, and its links are MPEG-4, digital rights management and XML.
Julian Levin, executive VP of digital exhibition and nontheatrical, 20th
Century Fox, USA*
09.20
Wireless in the cabin: a better way to LAN?
How wireless LANs could score over cable-based networks in the airliner
cabin.
Ralf Wolckenhauer, chief engineer, Airbus In-Flight Information
Services, Germany
09.20 Turbocharged software for digital delivery
IFE may be forsaking MPEG-1 for MPEG-2, but content providers are
moving on to MPEG-4 and have MPEG-7 and MPEG-21 in their sights. The
newest versions of MPEG-4 promise MPEG-2 quality at 1-1.5Mbit/sec -
see it demonstrated on a big screen and hear about the developments
that will shift digital delivery up another gear.
Marty Levine, VP business development, Consumer Platforms, iVAST
Inc, USA
09.40
Wireless in the terminal: a quick win?
The regulatory road to the wireless cabin may stretch into the distance,
but carriers and airport operators could quickly meet some of the
demand from passengers by offering wireless connectivity in the terminal
during waiting-to-board and dwell time. A view of wireless "hot spot"
services from the company that pioneered the technology in Europe
Chris Brown, VP business development and UK country manager,
Megabeam Networks Ltd, UK.
09.40 mContent: Will distributed mobile platforms challenge
embedded IFE?
Steve Ferguson, VP sales and marketing, e.Digital Corporation, USA
Passengers often spend hours in the terminal - so why should the IFE
experience be confined to the aircraft? Airport wireless networks,
portable hard-drives and laptops could extend the reach of IFE to the
other side of the gate - and even one day make embedded in-seat
systems obsolete. Judge for yourself as the portable hard-drive makes
its IPEC debut
10.00-10.30 COFFEE BREAK AND EXHIBITION
10.00 Metrics: Opening the door to
real-time content management
The introduction of metrics is taking the
guesswork out of IFE content
management. Reporting quickly and
comprehensively on content usage, could
metrics software combine with digital
delivery to replace the time-honoured
30-day programme cycle with something
more responsive and flexible? User airlines
will be at IPEC to show off the method in
their metrics
Airlines and their suppliers will describe
their operational use of metrics
10.30
IFE TECHNOLOGY SESSION 6
Moderated by Michael Childers and Peter Lemme
THE BIG ISSUE: WIRELESS IN THE CABIN AND THE TERMINAL
(CONTINUED)
INTERFERENCE AND SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT/ALLOCATION
Ultra-wideband and Bluetooth: deadly duo or heavenly twins?
One was pioneered by Second World War film star Hedy Lamarr to
protect radio-guided torpedoes from enemy jamming, the other takes its
name from a Viking monarch with a taste for blueberries. Together they
could revolutionise the use of laptops and other personal electronic
devices. But there are fears that ultra-wideband, particularly in
combination with Bluetooth, can interfere with safety-critical systems on
the aircraft. Is there a sound basis for these concerns? And if so, does
spectrum allocation offer a solution?
James Miller, Programme manager, United Airlines, USA
10.20-10.45 COFFEE BREAK AND EXHIBITION
10.50
Cellular: tomorrow's inflight phone?
After years of profitless operations, inflight telephony recently looked like
a discredited business. But now it could find salvation in cellular
hEY WAY TO GO wENDY...SOME DECENT RESPONSES AND NEVER SAID THE WORD CULT.
CBSMW Frank Barnako's Internet Daily: Paid Web music service breaks into top 10
CBSMW Frank Barnako's Internet Daily: Paid Web music service breaks into top 10
LL....well aware...I am a Braves Fan...since Rico Carty, Henry Aaaron, Felipe Alou, Sonny Jackson, Felix Milan, Clete Boyer and Orlando Cepada....
and DeRosa..
Acutally Marcus Giles is 2nd baseman, but good one anyway! Go Falcons! Go Jets! Go signed Contract!
Go Jets! Go Falcons!
OT-IBM's Translator Makes Handhelds Multilingual
By Jay Wrolstad
Wireless NewsFactor
January 2, 2003
"This is all about adding capabilities to the mobile workforce -- or for anyone who deals
with content that must be translated," said IBM's Sunil Soares. "Users can translate notes,
Web pages or messages to and from English."
You are in a foreign country and need directions to the nearest Starbucks (Nasdaq:
SBUX) . Or maybe you need to translate an e-mail that is sent to your PDA in a
language you do not speak. No problem, globetrotter. IBM (NYSE: IBM) believes it
has what is needed to quickly decipher that foreign tongue.
Called ViaVoice Translator, the recently released software lets handheld users enter
text in one language and get it back in another. It provides two-way text and
speech translations from English to French, Italian, German or Spanish on Compaq's
iPAQ Pocket PC devices.
Mobile Workforce Tool
While typical phrase or dictionary translation applications are
limited to specific words or sentences, the ViaVoice machine
translation, built on technology from IBM's WebSphere server
offering, enables translations of longer documents in
context.
"This is all about adding capabilities to the mobile workforce --
or for anyone who deals with content that must be translated,"
Sunil Soares, director of product management for IBM's
pervasive computing division, told NewsFactor. "Users can
translate notes, Web pages or messages to and from English."
The software includes 50 preloaded sentences, such as "Where
is the train station?" or "I would like to exchange money." Text
can be entered from the desktop, from a soft keyboard or from
a handwriting recognizer directly into the iPAQ. It also can be
copied and pasted from any text-based document.
For iPAQ Users
Personalized expressions for real-time translation can be added
or deleted by individual users, and the text-to-speech
function can help with pronunciation of difficult words and
phrases.
ViaVoice Translater is aimed primarily at enterprise users, said
Soares, and runs on iPAQ models H3600, H3700, H3800 and
H3900. Additional memory is recommended to load the language
pairs. It can be downloaded from the IBM Web site or purchased
on CD for US$49.99. Each language pair can be had for $19.99.
While conceding that the software cannot replace a human
translator, Soares said it is 90 percent accurate, with
intelligence to correct grammar and dictionaries for special word
groups, such as medical terminology. It uses phonemes to
translate text to speech and incorporates both machine text
and text-to-speech technologies.
Work in Progress
IBM's machine translation technology also is available through the WebSphere
Translation Server for machine translation for Web pages, documents or instant
messages using Lotus Sametime.
IDC analyst Alex Slawsby, who has tested ViaVoice speech recognition software
on desktop and handheld hardware, said the software works fairly well -- as long as
voice commands are delivered slowly, with careful enunciation. "It is getting better,
but it does not work too well with natural speaking patterns," he told NewsFactor.
"The translation function is an interesting concept, but voice recognition for
handhelds is still in its infancy, and I think we are years away from a truly compelling
application," said Slawsby. "I'm a little skeptical."
email from eidg
Thank you for your e-mail, . After overcoming manufacturing startup
issues, we are pleased to announce that the first Odyssey 1000s are at our
headquarters We will send notification and begin processing orders as soon
as we have sufficient quantities to meet initial demand.
Because of media, consumer, e-tail and retail interest in the Odyssey 1000,
we expect our initial production run to sell through quickly. We expect
continued interest will be generated at the official launch of the Odyssey
1000 at CES 2003, January 9 - 12 in Las Vegas.
Our manufacturing partner, Digitalway, Inc. of Korea, is building
feature-differentiated Odyssey 1000 units for their use in Asia--where their
OEM and branded products are the #1 selling digital audio products--as well
as in Europe and North America. Through royalty-bearing licenses granted by
e.Digital, Digitalway and other OEMs are expected to offer this important
new product, based on our patented MicroOS(tm) technology, with varied
features for sale around the world. Each licensed unit is expected to carry
our "Powered by e.Digital Technology" tag line; e.Digital will be credited
as the developer and we will receive royalties for each unit sold.
Thank you for your purchase of Odyssey 100's and your continued support,
Best regards,
Robert Putnam
Senior Vice President
e.Digital Corporation
13114 Evening Creek Dr. S.
San Diego, CA 92128
http://www.edig.com
Phone: (858) 679-3168
Fax: (858) 486-3922
robert@edig.com
Happy New Year
Loaded music on our O 100's today, so easy to do. Got lot's of sbow too. Mana real white Christmas here in NY.
Good morning and Merry Christmas to all.
Hey Philo.
it wouldn't let me log out. I wrote to IHUB because I thought someone had assumed my identity, LOL. Happy Holidays.
Happy Holidays and a Very Merry Christmas.
The O 100s I ordered for Xmas came today. One for me and one for my son.
OT- ( BW)(CA-SANDISK)(SNDK) ADVISORY/SanDisk Press Conference
Advisory
Business Editors/High Tech Writers
ADVISORY...for Thursday (Jan. 9)
2003 International CES
--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) will hold a press conference at the
Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 9, 2003, at 1 p.m. The event will be at the Las
Vegas Convention Center, Room S-228, Upper Level.
SanDisk will announce that it is entering a hot new technology market for the first time and will
introduce a new line of products. Some of the products will be first-of-a-kind in the industry. Press
attending the event will receive one of the new products. SanDisk also will enter a new, emerging
segment of the imaging market with the introduction of a mass-market product for digital camera
owners. For more information call Bob Goligoski, SanDisk Public Relations Dept. at (408) 542-0463 or
bgoligoski@sandisk.com
--30--cs/sf*
CONTACT: SanDisk
Bob Goligoski, 408/542-0463
bgoligoski@sandisk.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA NEVADA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS
ELECTRONIC GAMES/MULTIMEDIA PRODUCT TRADESHOW ADVISORY
SOURCE: SanDisk
Toshiba's IPod CloneMobilphile can't match Apple's IPod on price and
portability.Sean CaptainFrom the November 2002 issue of PC World magazine
If the Apple IPod didn't exist, Toshiba's $500 Mobilphile might rank as my favorite handheld
MP3 player. The two devices share numerous similarities: Each uses a spacious 1.8-inch
Toshiba hard drive, each has a roomy LCD screen, and each works with both Macs and
PCs.
The Mobilphile even has a few advantages, including a matte aluminum case impervious to
fingerprints (the IPod's stainless steel case smudges badly) and USB connectivity (USB
ports are more plentiful on the market than are the FireWire ports that the IPod requires).
And as one of the first USB 2.0-equipped MP3 players around, the Mobilphile lets you
move files from your PC quickly. I moved music from PC to player about three times faster
with USB 2.0 than with USB 1.1.
Despite these strengths, Toshiba's
decision to use a removable 5GB hard
drive causes the Mobilphile to fall
short of the IPod. Whereas the IPod
uses a built-in hard drive (available in
5GB, 10GB, and 20GB sizes), the
Mobilphile uses a removable PC Card
that costs more, takes up more
space, and offers less capacity.
The end result: The Mobilphile sells for
$500, or about $200 more than an
IPod with the same amount of storage.
(Or you can buy a comparably priced
IPod with four times the storage.)
The Mobilphile is a good product, with
some nice touches. But now that Apple is shipping a Windows version of its popular
player, the Mobilphile just can't compete dollar for dollar.
gernb1--oh so that's the strategy. lol
Just checked on UPS for my O 100s. Scheduled to arrive on the 23rd. In time for XMAS. happy Holidays to all.
good morning longs
http://www.edigital-store.com/mp3-players.html
O1000 coming soon
spectra-just ordered 2 100's- one for my son under the tree and one for my wife to wrap and give to me from the kids
Has any poster here bought the Odyssey 100 and if so what is their experience with the unit?
Q- Looking to buy myself the Odysssey 100 for the gym. Who here has one and do they like it. Any recs over one or the other?