Forty-four percent pay for non-text mobile data services, reinforcing current business models for mobile carriers

Adoption of non-text mobile data services has exceeded 40% of the more than 70 million U.S. broadband households with a mobile phone service, according to Parks Associates’ new consumer study Mobile Convergence: Platforms, Applications, and Services.

Over one-fourth of mobile service users have adopted mobile Internet and e-mail services, eclipsing other mobile data ARPU drivers like mobile TV and music, indicating that carriers will have to win subscribers through more “practical” services first. The fast adoption of mobile social networking and navigation services, which have both exceeded 10%, also indicates carriers can be successful in deploying popular Web activities as revenue-generating data services on the mobile platform.

“Non-text mobile data services are central to wireless carriers’ long-term plans for revenue growth,” said Harry Wang, Director of Health and Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates, “The strong growth in usage of mobile Internet, e-mail, social networking, and navigation during the past two years shows consumers are eager for mobile applications that offer convenience and rich features.”

Use of multipurpose devices like smartphones is another driver, Wang said. “Smartphone penetration will exceed 30% of broadband households in 2009. These 20 million households will be a perfect target for carriers to market their mobile data services.”

Mobile Convergence: Platforms, Applications, and Services surveyed U.S. consumers to reveal trends and attitudes regarding mobile devices and services. For more information, visit http://www.parksassociates.com/ or contact 972-490-1113 or sales@parksassociates.com.

Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

By Dave Rosenberg

Goldman Sachs’ latest IT spending survey is out and it looks a tech-spending recovery is on the way for 2010. To a large extent, the data suggests not so much that spending is dramatically higher, but that it has normalized at pre-recessionary growth rates, rather than contracting as it has over the past several months.

Goldman is cautiously optimistic about 2010 spending, noting that much of it depends on the macro-economic environment driving more business spending. And while most areas will see growth counter to 2009’s downward spiral, some areas such as off-shore development will feel significant retraction.

Regardless, the sentiments are positive and dramatically different than Goldman’s report from November 2008 where IT spending was in a total death spiral. What a difference a year makes.

Full story at cnet.com.

Server virtualization is the forerunner in the adoption of virtualization, primarily because of the visible benefits of consolidation, reduced operating expenditure, and limited impact on user operations. In CY2008, 24.5 percent of the servers sold were virtualization enabled. With hypervisors available for low cost, as well as improved management tools for managing both the physical and virtual servers, this figure is expected to grow to 60.2 percent by 2015. The entry of market participants such as Microsoft has changed the dynamics of the market, thereby making server virtualization solutions more affordable for a variety of end users.

The desktop virtualization market, including hardware, software, licensing, and management tools, is estimated to have been USD 79.24 million in 2008 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.31 percent from 2008 to 2015.

The ability to consolidate disparate infrastructure, increase utilization levels, and minimize the mounting space and power expenditures are a few of the key drivers for adoption of server virtualization solutions. Enterprises having large computing infrastructure are the first to adopt server virtualization owing to the benefits that consolidation brings about to space, power, and cooling expenditure. The main verticals are Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), Telecom, and IT/ITeS. While enterprises are becoming increasingly interested in the benefits that server virtualization solutions offer, concentrated risk, increased infrastructure complexity, and migration challenges in a virtualized environment are a few of the key restraints for adoption of server virtualization solutions.

According to Saumya Upadhyaya, Industry Analyst, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East, “Interoperability with existing systems is a key criterion for enterprises aiming to migrate to virtualization solutions. With technology advancement in virtualization, enterprises are expected to be able to seamlessly migrate to such solutions soon.”

High total cost of acquisition and drastic changes to user interface are the main deterrents for the adoption of desktop virtualization solutions. Vendors are engaging in increasing the awareness of enterprise users towards the use of total cost of ownership as a tool to measure the effectiveness of a desktop virtualization environment. In addition, improvements in the desktop virtualization software and thin client technology are making the desktop virtualization solutions favorable. Ability to centrally manage desktop infrastructure and meet compliance and security requirements are the key drivers for adoption of desktop virtualization solutions. Government, education, and ITeS sectors are forerunners in the adoption of desktop virtualization solutions in the country.

Infrastructure consolidation, followed by virtualization, is a key trend being witnessed in the market. With controlled capital expenditure being witnessed across the board and virtualization solutions becoming increasingly affordable, virtualization is set to become mainstream in the country.

For further information on this study, contact Amrita Nandi, Corporate Communications, at amritan@frost.com with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state, and country. Upon receipt of the above information, a virtual brochure of the report will be sent to you by e-mail.

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company’s TEAM Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnerships, visit http://www.frost.com/.

This is according to the new market research report, ‘Concentrated Photovoltaic and Solar Photovoltaic Global Markets (2009 – 2014)’, published by MarketsandMarkets (www.marketsandmarkets.com).

The Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) market includes the submarkets for Low Concentration Photovoltaic (LCPV), Medium Concentration Photovoltaic (MCPV), and High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV). The CPV market is still in a nascent stage but is developing rapidly due to the finite nature of non-renewable sources of energy, and the increasing demand for higher output and green energy. The CPV market is estimated to reach $266.0 million in 2014 from about $63.9 million in 2009.

Among all segments, HCPV commands the largest share of global CPV market, and is also expected to have the highest CAGR of 39.1% from 2009 to 2014. The conversion of HCPV systems lowers land requirement, and facilitates higher energy output at lower costs. HCPV technology is thus expected to achieve cost parity with conventional sources of electricity at a faster rate than other CPV technologies.

The initial high growth opportunity for the CPV market lies in regions with high direct normal irradiance (DNI) or direct solar radiation and high cost of grid electricity. These regions include southwest America, southwest Europe, western and central Australia, the Middle East, and northern Africa. While technology developments in the CPV systems market are currently concentrated in Spain, Germany, and the U.S.; government support for CPV technologies in countries such as India, China, Japan, and Australia are expected to drive future market growth.

The global solar PV market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.5% during 2009 – 2014 to reach $38.1 billion in 2014. Crystalline silicon PV holds the largest market share of 82%; while the thin film silicon market is expected to have highest growth rate of 28.2% from 2009 to 2014.

Scope of the report

The report aims to identify and analyze the global market for concentrated photovoltaic and solar photovoltaic systems. It categorizes the overall market as follows:

- Concentrated Photovoltaic- Products
HCPV, MCPV and LCPV.

- Concentrated Photovoltaic – Application
Present: utilities. Future: space, telecommunication, water
pumping, grid-connected residential power, and rooftop applications.

- Concentrated Photovoltaic – Technology
Lenses and mirrors based on concentrator type, enhanced flat
plate, trough Fresnel lenses, dual optic single cell, dish reflectors
and central receivers based on concentrator arrangement.

- Solar Photovoltaic – Products
Crystalline silicon PV, thin film PV, and other thin film PV cells.

- Solar Photovoltaic – Applications
Automotive, consumer products, grid connected power supply,
residential power supply, commercial lightings water pumping, and
others (electric fences, telecommunications, gate openers)

- Tracking Solutions for CPV and Non CPV Products

In an effort to raise awareness of the increased online risks and to help protect consumers, Sunbelt is offering special limited-time pricing incentives on its top-selling high-performance security product, VIPRE® Antivirus + Antispyware to those looking to safeguard their personal information and protect their PCs this holiday season.

In recent years the holiday shopping season has become synonymous with an increase in cyber crime. Cyber criminals take advantage of the increased online consumer activity in a number of ways, from creating fake shopping sites to tricking consumers to click on infected Web links with the promise of exclusive online savings or a holiday themed e-card. Past years have seen a spike in cyber crime activity on the Friday following Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday — the busiest shopping day of the year, and the following ‘Cyber Monday,’ which is the busiest online shopping day of the year. The Sunbelt survey found that more than 25 percent of respondents plan to do most of their online shopping during this very period.

Sunbelt’s survey of more than 650 consumers found that:
–  More than 90 percent will shop online this holiday season;
–  A majority (56 percent) of respondents admit having security concerns
about using their credit cards online, yet 60 percent of all
respondents plan to do MORE of their shopping online compared to last
year; and
–  More than a third (36 percent) regularly receives special online
offers via email or social networking sites.

“Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the beginning of the busiest time of the year for consumers, retailers, and cyber criminals,” said Alex Eckelberry, chief executive officer for Sunbelt Software. “Cyber criminals feast on the fact that consumers are increasingly participating in ecommerce and online social networking with machines that are unprotected against the latest threats. To help curb the increase in cyber crime this year, today we are announcing pricing incentives for consumers to help keep data and systems safe and secure.”

On Black Friday, Sunbelt will offer a single one-year subscription license for $9.95, close to 70 percent off the normal ($29.95) retail price. The Black Friday special pricing is only available for purchase on Friday, November 27, 2009. Please visit www.vipreantivirus.com/blackfriday for more information.

On Cyber Monday, Sunbelt is making available a one-year unlimited home site license subscription where all PCs in a single household are protected for $19.95. This is 60 percent off the normal ($49.95) retail price. The Cyber Monday special pricing is only available on Monday, November 30, 2009. Please visit www.vipreantivirus.com/cybermonday for more information.

The VIPRE Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials include all of the features, U.S.-based toll-free support, and updates of a standard subscription.

The cognitive computing team, led by IBM Research, has achieved significant advances in large-scale cortical simulation and a new algorithm that synthesizes neurological data — two major milestones that indicate the feasibility of building a cognitive computing chip.

Scientists, at IBM Research – Almaden, in collaboration with colleagues from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, have performed the first near real-time cortical simulation of the brain that exceeds the scale of a cat cortex and contains 1 billion spiking neurons and 10 trillion individual learning synapses.

Additionally, in collaboration with researchers from Stanford University, IBM scientists have developed an algorithm that exploits the Blue Gene® supercomputing architecture in order to noninvasively measure and map the connections between all cortical and sub-cortical locations within the human brain using magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging. Mapping the wiring diagram of the brain is crucial to untangling its vast communication network and understanding how it represents and processes information.

These advancements will provide a unique workbench for exploring the computational dynamics of the brain, and stand to move the team closer to its goal of building a compact, low-power synaptronic chip using nanotechnology and advances in phase change memory and magnetic tunnel junctions. The team’s work stands to break the mold of conventional von Neumann computing, in order to meet the system requirements of the instrumented and interconnected world of tomorrow.

As the amount of digital data that we create continues to grow massively and the world becomes more instrumented and interconnected, there is a need for new kinds of computing systems — imbued with a new intelligence that can spot hard-to-find patterns in vastly varied kinds of data, both digital and sensory; analyze and integrate information real-time in a context-dependent way; and deal with the ambiguity found in complex, real-world environments.

Businesses will simultaneously need to monitor, prioritize, adapt and make rapid decisions based on ever-growing streams of critical data and information. A cognitive computer could quickly and accurately put together the disparate pieces of this complex puzzle, while taking into account context and previous experience, to help business decision makers come to a logical response.

“Learning from the brain is an attractive way to overcome power and density challenges faced in computing today,” said Josephine Cheng, IBM Fellow and lab director of IBM Research – Almaden. “As the digital and physical worlds continue to merge and computing becomes more embedded in the fabric of our daily lives, it’s imperative that we create a more intelligent computing system that can help us make sense the vast amount of information that’s increasingly available to us, much the way our brains can quickly interpret and act on complex tasks.”

To perform the first near real-time cortical simulation of the brain that exceed the scale of the cat cortex, the team built a cortical simulator that incorporates a number of innovations in computation, memory, and communication as well as sophisticated biological details from neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. This scientific tool, akin to a linear accelerator or an electron microscope, is a critical instrument used to test hypotheses of brain structure, dynamics and function. The simulation was performed using the cortical simulator on Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s Dawn Blue Gene/P supercomputer with 147,456 CPUs and 144 terabytes of main memory.

The algorithm, when combined with the cortical simulator, allows scientists to experiment with various mathematical hypotheses of brain function and structure of how structure affects function as they work toward discovering the brain’s core computational micro and macro circuits.

After the successful completion of Phase 0, IBM and its university partners were recently awarded $16.1M in additional funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase 1 of DARPA’s Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) initiative. This phase of research will focus on the components, brain-like architecture and simulations to build a prototype chip. The long-term mission of IBM’s cognitive computing initiative is to discover and demonstrate the algorithms of the brain and deliver low-power, compact cognitive computers that approach mammalian-scale intelligence and use significantly less energy than today’s computing systems. The world-class team includes researchers from several of IBM’s worldwide research labs and scientists from Stanford University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell University, Columbia University Medical Center and University of California-Merced.

“The goal of the SyNAPSE program is to create new electronics hardware and architecture that can understand, adapt and respond to an informative environment in ways that extend traditional computation to include fundamentally different capabilities found in biological brains,” said DARPA program manager Todd Hylton, Ph.D.

Modern computing is based on a stored program model, which has traditionally been implemented in digital, synchronous, serial, centralized, fast, hardwired, general-purpose circuits with explicit memory addressing that indiscriminately over-write data and impose a dichotomy between computation and data. In stark contrast, cognitive computing — like the brain — will use replicated computational units, neurons and synapses that are implemented in mixed-mode analog-digital, asynchronous, parallel, distributed, slow, reconfigurable, specialized and fault-tolerant biological substrates with implicit memory addressing that only update state when information changes, blurring the boundary between computation and data.

For more information about IBM Research, please visit www.ibm.com/research.

Pyramid Research’s recently released Mobile Handset Forecasts (http://www.pyr.com/mhfcst.htm?sc=PR111209_FCMBHN) find that smartphones will represent 31 percent of new handsets sold in the U.S. in 2009, more than double from 15 percent two years prior, writes Dan Locke, Senior Analyst at Pyramid in Why BlackBerry Will Be No. 1 by 2014. “Today, BlackBerry has nearly 50 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, but when smartphones’ share of new handsets sales double in 2014, we expect Apple’s exclusive relationship with AT&T to have ceased, which could potentially make the iPhone available to an additional 200 million U.S. wireless customers,” Locke writes. “However, even if competitors, such as Motorola, LG, Samsung, and Nokia, are able to improve their positioning in this growing segment, we expect RIM to remain at the forefront of the U.S. market.”

Read the full Pyramid Point “Why BlackBerry Will Be No. 1 by 2014 (http://www.pyramidresearch.com/points/item/091109.htm?sc=PR111209_FCMBHN).”

Our Mobile Handset Forecast products provide a complete picture of handset sell-through in the 46 markets worldwide, including U.S. and Canada. It includes five years of historical data and five years of market projections for metrics such as total handset sales, handset sales by network technology, new handset sales (by technology, by technology generation, by feature set), smartphone handset sales, vendor market share, and handset ASP. Download a forecast template here (http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=2&sc=PR111209_FCMBHN).

Based on rigorous and time-tested research methodology and data modeling, Pyramid’s Forecast Services stand as the communications industry’s most reliable and robust forecasting tools. Clients have access to 1,200-plus key market indicators updated quarterly covering the mobile, fixed, and convergence sectors for nearly 100 countries, including detailed operating metrics for more than 400 operators worldwide.

Written by Pyramid analysts, Pyramid Points are complimentary online notes that provide insight into market, business, and regulatory developments in the global telecoms industry, based on key findings from Pyramid’s renowned forecast services. View all Pyramid Points here (http://www.pyr.com/points.htm).

IPC Systems ranked 31st on the list of financial technology companies according to their global revenues, attesting to the company’s stability and importance to the industry.

“This ranking illustrates IPC’s leading presence in the global financial services market,” said Lance Boxer, chief executive officer, IPC Systems. “Built specifically for the trading environment, our solutions combine multiple communications options and applications to help traders manage communications and workflow and to organize and process information critical to decision-making. This ranking underscores our team’s expertise and commitment to helping provide our customers with top-notch service and a competitive advantage.”

IPC introduced VoIP to the trading floor and has delivered over 87,000 IP desktops to 2,400 trading floors and exchanges across the globe. Furthermore, IPC’s global network platform ensures fast, secure, reliable access to a community of more than 3,600 on-net financial sites worldwide. Through this integrated approach, IPC’s global customer base can connect more rapidly to trading partners across a resilient and diverse network dedicated to traders.

Meticulously researched, “The Tangled Web Of Patent #174465″ is a story of fraud, collusions, perjury, corruption, bribery and industrial espionage. Employing careful analysis of hundreds of documents, including thousands of pages of sworn testimony before a Congressional investigations committee, Pizer argues that Bell himself was a party to “what might be considered one of America’s most far-reaching historical deceptions”.

“The Tangled Web Of Patent #174465″ points to Bell’s father-in-law, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, as the actual culprit in this historical subterfuge, although Bell certainly was complicit in his actions. Pizer writes:

It will be seen that throughout the early years of the telephone,
A.G. Bell gave different stories about events that surrounded the
invention and issuance of a patent of what became — only via legal
subterfuge — the invention of the telephone. These different stories
cast grave doubts about A.G. Bell’s honesty and that of his father-in-
law, who reaped millions of dollars in profits through what became
the Bell telephone monopoly.

With its unwavering and persuasive arguments based upon solid research, “The Tangled Web Of Patent #174465″ is sure to spark discussion among students and historians everywhere.

Russell A. Pizer holds two degrees in music from the University of Michigan. He is also the author of “Administrating the Elementary Band” (1971), “How to Improve the High School Band Sound” (1976), “Instrumental Music Evaluation Kit – Forms and Procedures for Assessing Student Performance” (1987) and “Evaluation Programs for School Bands and Orchestras” (1990, all published by Parker Publishing).

In 1993, Pizer gave a series of lectures for the Association for Research in Telecommunications History (ARTH) during their annual meetings and was subsequently elected president of ARTH. Now retired, Pizer is also the vice president of the Volusia/Falgler Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Quattro Wireless (www.quattrowireless.com), the leading premier global mobile ad network, today announced it is celebrating the company’s third birthday with the release of the first Mobile R.O.I. Report for Brands: Results and Objectives Indexes for Mobile Advertising. The report shows that mobile advertising, once thought of as the medium of mobile personalization advertisers – such as ringtones – has become an effective strategy for brand and premium direct response marketers. Industries that want to reach a broad audience, such as CPGs, Autos, Finance, and Entertainment, are embracing the medium by integrating mobile into their marketing mix and developing innovative and engaging creative, thus driving more consumers to click, respond and buy.

The findings also make it clear – by illustrating that animated ads are twice as effective as text ads, and that expanding ads also drive higher click-throughs – that those marketers and agencies that provide an engaging experience and take advantage of consumer behavior will make the most of their mobile investments. The executive summary of the report can be downloaded at http://quattro.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/10/q2-2009-mobile-roi-report-for-brands.html

As the largest and fastest-growing premium global mobile ad network, Quattro Wireless analyzes more than 10 billion mobile actions each month – ad requests, served impressions, and user actions such as page views, clicks and video plays – to target and optimize ad campaigns and provide insights to marketers and publishers on consumer behavior. In this new report, Quattro has analyzed its over 4 billion ads sold and served per month during Q2 2009 to produce valuable insights for the industry. This data can be used to benchmark campaigns and understand trends in the usage of mobile devices in a rapidly changing market.

Andy Miller, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Quattro Wireless, said, “The entire team at Quattro Wireless is proud of becoming the leading premium global mobile ad network in just three short years. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Quattro employees, we have built a sustainable business and successful partnerships with many of the world’s largest marketers, agencies and publishers. Today, we are excited to release our first Mobile R.O.I. Report for Brands, which continues to demonstrate our ability to deliver value to our clients and to promote the mobile channel as a critical component of driving ROI for all marketers.”

In addition to bringing new publishers and advertisers into the mobile marketing space, Quattro Wireless has been recognized by its peers and the business community with multiple awards and honors. In 2009, these included: CEO Andy Miller named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2009 in the Emerging Company category in New England; selection as a Northeast 100 Top Private Company by AlwaysOn Media; and selection by the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange as a finalist for the Mobile 2009 category in the 14th Annual MITX Interactive Awards, for its campaign for the Concha y Toro Xplorador brand of wine.

“We congratulate Quattro Wireless on celebrating three successful years in mobile advertising,” said Phuc Truong, Managing Director of the U.S. for Mobext, a Quattro Wireless client. “Quattro has set a high standard for service and delivering results with their focus on premium inventory and innovation. Given the team’s track record, I am not surprised. They have been a terrific partner to us and our clients.”

“Quattro has been an essential partner in driving mobile advertising success for BrandinHand and our clients for the past three years,” said John Hadl, Founder and CEO of BrandinHand, a Quattro Wireless client. “They have reached this milestone as a leader in the industry because they always go above and beyond to ensure that our campaigns make the most impact on our target audiences. We applaud their release of the first Mobile R.O.I. Report for Brands as part of their ongoing efforts to provide actionable insights that help us better understand the mobile landscape, and we look forward to working with them long into the future.”

Quattro Wireless is the leading global mobile advertising company, empowering advertisers and publishers to reach and engage their target audiences across mobile web, application and video platforms with unrivaled precision, transparency and ROI. Employing Q Elevation dynamic targeting technology to optimize every impression, the company’s ad serving, tracking and analytics platform and global network of sites and applications (many exclusive) deliver superior results. Leading companies including P&G, Ford, NetFlix, Time Inc., Visa, Disney and the NFL partner with Quattro Wireless because the company has turned the art of engaging and converting mobile audiences into a repeatable science.

The Global Truck 2020 Study, titled “Transcending Turbulence,” was developed by IBM Global Business Services’ Auto practice and the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV). The study – unveiled at CALSTART’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum National Conference – comprises interviews with 91 executives in 13 countries, representing the entire truck value chain. CALSTART is an organization dedicated to cleaner transportation.

“IBM’s study shows the trucking industry is eager to transform itself,” said Sanjay Rishi, vice president and global automotive industry leader for IBM. “Increasingly fleet owners choose cleaner, more fuel efficient trucks that also have advanced systems to make transport more efficient.”

The study indicates that truck industry executives believe smart systems will play an increasingly prominent role in trucks as well as transportation networks. A few key findings:

* Technology – 71% of respondents said technology will be one of
the most important external forces impacting the industry in 2020,
up from 61% today. Technology will not be limited to the trucks
themselves but will be embedded in roads and traffic signals
increasing the interaction and predictive analytical safety
capabilities of these transport carriers.

For example, telematics will impact everything about the vehicle.
Truck manufacturers that effectively employ telematics to build
solutions for their customers stand to successfully differentiate
and redefine their brands. Telematics will reduce service time by
allowing remote and faster diagnostics and also will enable
prognostic capabilities and proactive servicing.  Today’s vehicle
diagnostic techniques typically require the technician to
physically connect to the vehicle. However, it won’t be long
before telematics capabilities enable remote diagnostics of a
vehicle’s issues and use of remote patches when possible.

In addition, manufacturers will use telematics to provide a
real-time remote read of a vehicle’s parameters, allowing for
proactive service or other action based on the reading. For
example, if a potential problem is identified in a truck, the
operator will be able to pull the truck from service before it
ends up on the side
of the road with a problem.

Telematics will also enable stronger solutions for vehicle safety
that have traditionally been addressed through manual methods and
training.  For example, automated speed controls linked to the
navigation system could slow a truck down when its driver
approaches blind curves, or automated braking could be applied if
a truck approached an exit with too much speed. Not only will
telematics be useful in avoiding accidents, but data recorded
through telematics will also be essential in protecting companies
from litigation when accidents occur.

* Globalization – 54% of the executives surveyed said that
globalization will be one of the most important external forces
impacting the truck industry in 2020, up from 48% today. Truck
manufacturers are just beginning to establish their global
footprint, while light vehicle manufacturers have fought the hard
battles of platform creation, process standardization and the
development of global supply chains.

* Sustainability – 48% of respondents said that sustainability will
be one of the most important external forces in 2020, up from 32%
today. Environmental and fuel efficiency standards along with new
safety capabilities mandated by government regulations will force
the trucking industry to change aggressively over the next decade.

Solutions relating to driver assistance, regulatory compliance and sustainability are closely linked. For example, a manufacturer might offer a solution that uses telematics to help determine the roads on which a vehicle is approved to travel and communicates that information to the driver, assisting both the driver and regulatory compliance.

“Truck transportation drives our economy; goods movement fills our stores and supplies our factories. But those benefits come with costs that are causing rapid change,” said Bill Van Amburg, senior vice president of CALSTART, an organization dedicated to clean transportation. “That’s why IBM’s study is critical. It highlights the emerging needs of truck customers, the technical and environmental challenges for the industry and lays out a roadmap for clean and profitable growth for the future.”

Truck 2020: Transcending Turbulence was produced by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, which provides strategic insights and recommendations that address critical business challenges to help clients capitalize on new opportunities. The Institute comprises consultants around the world who conduct research and analysis in 17 industries and across five functional disciplines, including human capital management, financial management, corporate strategy, supply chain management and customer relationship management.

Telecommunications companies, including Telefonica O2, Deutsche Telekom, and British Telecommunications, were the heaviest social networking site advertisers, delivering more than 949 million display ad impressions on social networking sites in August, or approximately 7 percent of all display ads delivered in the site category. The retail advertiser category, which includes leading brands such as DFS, Tesco, and John Lewis, ranked second with 753 million display ad views, followed by banking brands (e.g. Barclays and HSBC) with 248 million, travel brands (e.g. Thomas Cook and Travelzoo.com) with 213 million, and entertainment brands (e.g. Sky and Sony) with 181 million display ad views.

Of the top 10 advertiser categories on social networking sites, teen content advertisers like Habbo and NHS-owned TeenLifeCheck delivered the highest proportion of their ad impressions in the social networking category at 37.3 percent. Online dating advertisers (33.8 percent) and retail advertisers (30.1 percent) also delivered an above average proportion of their ads in the site category.

AT&T was among the select companies that Forrester invited to participate in its independent report: “The Forrester Wave: Managed Global Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Services, Q4 2009″ (October 2009).

In this evaluation, AT&T was cited as a leader and received the highest scores in both strategy and market presence, including the strongest sales capabilities and the strongest financials.

Additionally, AT&T’s scores for its 2009 to 2010 “strategic plans for network and MPLS service portfolio enhancement and its customer stickiness program are well above average compared with other providers evaluated.”

To assess the state of the managed global MPLS services market, and see how several major international network operator service providers stack up against each other, Forrester evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of nine managed global MPLS service providers against a comprehensive set of 54 criteria grouped into three categories: Current Offering, Strategy, and Market Presence.

AT&T offers connections for customers on the world’s most powerful and advanced IP/ MPLS network, using new-generation routing technology that carries data at 40 Gbps. More than 102,000 wavelength miles of AT&T’s long-haul network use this new technology, which quadruples capacity over previous connections.

“The Forrester Wave(TM): Managed Global MPLS Services, Q4 2009,” by Brownlee Thomas, Ph.D. with Christine Ferrusi Ross, Phil Sayer, and Sean Galvin (October, 2009)

“All three of the CEAP product categories examined by Heavy Reading posted sequential growth in 2Q09, in contrast to the previous quarter when only the Ethernet-over-bonded copper pair sub-segment grew,” said Stan Hubbard, Senior Analyst at Heavy Reading and author of the CEAP Tracker. “Ethernet-over-fiber access platform sales appeared to grow most rapidly in 2Q09 and were up nearly 14 percent quarter-over-quarter as the top five suppliers in this category all appeared to grow revenues above 1Q09 numbers.”

Heavy Reading projects that the global CEAP market will increase at a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5 percent between 2008 and 2013, reaching nearly $1.73 billion at the end of this period. Each of the three CEAP sub-segments is expected to have a double-digit CAGR.

Hubbard noted, “We expect the CEAP market to continue to hold up relatively well even in the midst of economic trouble because of the performance/price advantage that carrier Ethernet holds over legacy access technologies and because CEAP platforms are being deployed by hundreds of operators and other entities worldwide to support several of the fastest growing telecom services and applications. These include Ethernet business services, consumer triple-play/IPTV/VOD services, and mobile backhaul applications.”

Heavy Reading estimates Huawei led the Ethernet-over-fiber access platform market segment with a 14 percent share in 2Q09. Telco Systems, Cisco, ADVA, and MRV rounded out the top five Ethernet-over-fiber access platform vendors. Ciena posted the largest share gain among established suppliers of Ethernet-over-fiber access products in 2Q09.

Hatteras held onto its commanding lead of the Ethernet-over-bonded copper pair platform segment after posting another quarter of sequential growth in 2Q09. No. 2 Adtran and No. 3 Actelis also reported forward progress in the quarter. Other Ethernet-over-bonded copper pair platform suppliers with notable shares include RAD, NexComm, Positron, and Zhone.

Overture Networks gained several share points and maintained its solid No. 1 position in the competitive Ethernet-over-TDM access circuit market. ANDA edged out RAD for the No. 2 spot. Other suppliers include ADVA and nearly a dozen additional vendors with small market share.

Heavy Reading has identified 74 equipment manufacturers that sell nearly a dozen major types of wireline equipment for Ethernet access, including the three types of next-generation CEAP solutions the research firm tracks: Ethernet-over-fiber access platforms, Ethernet-over-TDM access circuit platforms, Ethernet-over-bonded copper pair platforms.

Heavy Reading’s CEAP Quarterly Market Tracker delivers quarter-by-quarter revenue and market-share breakouts for profiled CEAP suppliers and revenue projections through 2013. The quarterly tracking service also analyzes each profiled vendor’s market strategy and identifies and analyzes customer wins, providing granular insight into this emerging market sector unavailable from other sources. It provides a comprehensive list of more than 200 operators and other entities around the world that have purchased CEAP platforms.

The CEAP Quarterly Market Tracker provides in-depth analysis of 13 vendors that are now generating sales from CEAP products. These include: Actelis Networks, Adtran, ADVA Optical Networking, Aktino, ANDA Networks, Ciena Communications, Hatteras Networks, MRV Communications, NexComm Systems, Overture Networks, RAD Communications, Telco Systems, and Zhone Technologies.

The CEAP Quarterly Market Tracker is distributed in a convenient, plug-and-play PowerPoint format. Quarterly reports may be purchased individually or as part of an annual subscription service.

In the third annual Game Crazy Holiday Gift Tracker, conducted by Weekly Reader Research, more than 1,000 teens and tweens were asked to reveal the video games they want most this season. “Action” and “music” emerged as the hot game categories for 2009, with the most-desired titles including Guitar Hero 5, Wii Sports Resort, New Super Mario Brothers and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. For an added twist, Game Crazy also looked at the most popular games based on personality type, ranging from “girly girl” to “all things sport” to “music addict,” in an effort to guide parents.

Most-Wanted Games Across Age and Gender

Girls and boys are largely in agreement on the hottest games of the season, with musical phenomenon Guitar Hero 5 and the expansive sports action of Wii Sports Resort, leading the pack. The four most-wanted games overall are:

> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 48 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 44 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 41 percent

> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 33 percent

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun … on Wuhu Island

What girl doesn’t want to hang out at a beach resort? While both Guitar Hero 5 and New Super Mario Brothers are wildly popular choices, girls across all age groups want to get in on the resort-themed activities available with Wii Sports Resort.

Girls
> 8-10 Years-Old
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 56 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 49 percent
> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 44 percent
> 11-13 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 53 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 52 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 42 percent
> 14-17 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 57 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 48 percent

> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 48 percent

Boys are a Mixed Bag

More than 50 percent of boys said they often play games they know have an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating above their age. This finding is reinforced by the list of games that boys want most. While the top games of the year are popular across age groups, a few titles with mature ratings performed favorably in certain age categories, including Call of Duty (46 percent) and Halo 3 ODST (39 percent).

Boys
> 8-10 Years-Old
> Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Rated E) – 48 percent
> New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 47 percent
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 47 percent
> 11-13 Years-Old
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 42 percent
> Call of Duty (Rated M) – 41 percent
> Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 41 percent
> 14-17 Years-Old
> Call of Duty (Rated M) – 46 percent
> Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 45 percent

> Halo 3 ODST (Rated M) – 39 percent

“As Game Crazy’s survey indicates, it’s not unusual for younger kids to want to play what the older kids are playing. Parents need to understand that not all video games are intended for younger players,” explained Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which assigns age and content ratings for computer and video games. “The ESRB ratings provide guidance about content and age-appropriateness so parents can make sure the games their kids play are suitable for their age. And if a parent wants more information than what is on the package, they can search at ESRB.org and find a game’s rating summary, which provides additional detail about game content.”

Additionally, the expert staff at Game Crazy will demo games in-store for parents before a purchase is complete. The “try before you buy” option lets parents make the decision on whether or not the content is appropriate. Parents with an iPhone or iPod touch can also download the free Game Crazy video game app and search game ratings, browse detailed information on video games, watch game trailers, and receive new, used and trade-in pricing for games.

Personality Impacts Gaming Choices

Game preferences are largely dependent on the personality of the child. Still, without fail, the most-wanted games of the season reigned supreme across interest types.

> “Girly Girl” -  Enjoys being indoors and loves fashion and all things
pretty
> Top game: Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 57 percent
> “Music Addict” -  If they had their way they would never stop
listening to their iPod
> Top game: Guitar Hero 5 (Rated T) – 57 percent
> “All Things Sports” – Loves all sports and if they’re not playing one,
they’re watching a game
> Top game: Wii Sports Resort (Rated E) – 54 percent
> “The Adventurer” – Loves to be outdoors, enjoying any new mystery or
adventure

> Top game: New Super Mario Brothers (Rated E) – 46 percent

Know Your Systems

Equally important is ensuring the game is for the right system. The 2009 survey reveals that 66 percent of kids plan to ask for a new video game system this holiday season. Game Crazy recommends when choosing a system, parents should consider the following:

> The most desired systems for the season are Nintendo DSi (24 percent),
followed by PS3 and Wii both at 21 percent
> It’s the ideal time to buy: all systems have dropped in price (ranging
from $50 to $100) since last holiday season

> Parents can go in-store to view and demo the numerous systems
available.  To find the nearest Game Crazy store visit
www.GameCrazy.com.

The Game Crazy survey was conducted online August 20 – September 2, 2009, by Weekly Reader Research. 1,005 U.S. male and female participants, ages 8-17, were recruited from Weekly Reader Research’s INSIDERS survey research community to participate. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Respondents: 863 qualifying respondents (likely to ask for at least one video game this holiday season) composed of 450 boys and 413 girls aged 8-17 years-old

Game Crazy® (www.gamecrazy.com) is the nation’s second largest specialty game retailer. Its stores provide customers with a vast selection of game titles, consoles and accessories; terrific value on new, used and trade-in games; and unmatched expertise. Headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, Game Crazy is owned and operated by Movie Gallery, Inc, which is also the parent company for the Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video brands. Movie Gallery, Inc. is the second largest North American home entertainment specialty retailer.

The international research firm recently released Global Digital Photo Frame Market Update, part of its Digital Photo Frame Service, which reports that penetration in U.S. broadband households exceeded 20% in the first half of 2009, up from 7% in 2007.

“The meteoric growth rate of digital photo frames has cooled off, although consumer familiarity and its appeal as a premium gift choice will keep demand healthy over the next few years,” said Harry Wang, director, health and mobile product research, Parks Associates.

Parks Associates states that in this new steady-growth stage, many early-growth drivers like expanded retail availability and price discounts and promotions will have less impact on the future growth of the product category.

“The market is experiencing a shakeup,” Wang said. “Some prominent early-mover brands have exited the very competitive North American market. At the same time, new brands and existing market leaders, like Kodak and Pandigital, continue to bring to market new products with differentiated designs and enhanced capabilities like wireless connectivity.”

Parks Associates started its Digital Photo Frame Service in 2007. Its latest report on this market summarizes sales data for the first half of 2009 by major regions, frame screen sizes, retail channels, and brand market share. It also provides industry growth forecasts through 2014.