Friday, April 9
Astoria Harnesses Internet To Automate Content Review and Updates
SAN MATEO, CA — Astoria Software, a document management software developer, has released Astoria 4.1, an application for enterprises seeking to automate the authoring, review and publishing processes of complex documents. The product extends enterprise content collaboration beyond core technical writers to content stakeholders throughout the enterprise and its suppliers, and adds features enabling Internet connectivity and remote access capability. It also includes support for Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).
Cingular, NextWave Telecom Close Acquisition Transaction
ATLANTA and WASHINGTON — Cingular Wireless completed its acquisition of 34 PCS licenses from
NextWave Telecom. The licenses, covering approximately 83 million potential customers, are for spectrum primarily in markets where Cingular currently has voice and data operations. Cingular paid $1.4 billion in cash and obtained FCC licenses to operate in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, Atlanta, Boston, San Diego, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and several other markets.
RouteView Helps Furniture Company Cut Delivery Costs, Truck Fleet
MINNEAPOLIS — RouteView Technologies, a provider of delivery management solutions for the retail home furnishings industry, reports Morris Furniture Company, a home furnishing retailer in the Miami Valley area of Ohio, cut its delivery fleet from 12 to eight trucks following implementation of RouteView’s route planning and load optimization software. RouteView Technologies provides delivery management solutions that includes routing software, GPS/Wireless communications and automated call center. RouteView currently supports over 40 of the Top 100 home furnishing retailers in the U.S.
FindLaw Adds West Legal Directory to Microsoft Office 2003
EAGAN, MN — Leveraging the Web Services built into Microsoft Office 2003, FindLaw, provider of client development services to the legal profession, is incorporating the West Legal Directory, a directory of lawyers and law firms, into Office 2003’s research task pane. This will give Office 2003 users can searchable desktop access to contact information for more than one million attorneys and law firms listed in the West Legal Directory.
Thursday, April 8
AT&T Wireless, Convergys Renew Relationship
REDMOND, WA — AT&T Wireless concluded its Request for Proposal for billing services, affirming its billing and customer care relationship with
Convergys, a provider of integrated billing, employee care, and customer care services. Following
the formal Request For Information to determine if alternatives for its billing and customer care systems might be viable, AT&T Wireless
opted to continue using Convergys to bill its subscribers through 2008. AT&T Wireless is the second-largest
U.S. wireless carrier, based on revenue, and had 21.9 million subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2003.
Avocent Completes OSA Technologies Acquisition
HUNTSVILLE, AL — KVM switch maker
Avocent completed its $100
million acquisition of OSA Technologies, a San Jose, Calif. provider of embedded manageability firmware and software using Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) solutions. Avocent expects to include OSA’s technology in future KVM (keyboard video mouse) switches, devices that allow a Web-connected or locally connected user to manage servers from anywhere in the world. OSA
designs firmware and software for the management of server, blade,
telecommunications, networking, storage and client devices.
Premera Blue Cross Selects Vitria for Healthcare Solution
SUNNYVALE, CA — Business process integration provider
Vitria, said
Premera Blue Cross selected
its Healthcare Solutions platform as the integration infrastructure to automate
transaction management for nearly 21,000 healthcare professionals and 120
hospitals in Washington and Alaska.
Siemens Launches Outsourcing Data Center in Illinois
LONG GROVE, IL — IT service provider
and Kemper Insurance
joined to create a 20,000-square-foot data center here. Under the agreement,
approximately 100 Kemper employees, who manage Kemper’s Long Grove data center,
will be offered employment with Siemens to support Kemper and new clients.
Siemens Business Services expects operational efficiencies to increase over
time, delivering lower costs and higher performance. Terms of the seven-year
deal were not disclosed.
Tuesday, April 6
Ceridian Selects EasyAsk to Enhance Web HR Search Capabilities
Littleton, MA — Search software provider
EasyAsk announced its technology has been embedded in Ceridian HR/Payroll, a Web-enabled application that provides HR administrators solution including time management and self-service options.
Sangoma WANpipe Selected By Mec for Joebox All-In-One Device
TORONTO — Sangoma Technologies, a provider of connectivity hardware and software products for WANs and Internet infrastructure, was selected by
MEC Technology Solutions of Boston to incorporate its WANpipe communications cards into MEC’s ‘Joebox’ Internet appliance. The all-in-one product provides firewall, intrusion detection, content management and Web filtering, VPN and advanced routing including support for RIP, OSPF and BGP4. MEC Technology, a division of the Merrimack Education Center, provides Internet service to educational institutions, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations throughout Massachusetts.
BizFon Launches IP-Based Key Telephone System Under $3,000
SALEM, NH — BizFon, a provider of telecommunications systems for the small businesses and the SOHO market, introduced a VoIP solution consisting of a BizFon 6800 IP-based key switch (IP-KTS) and its new SIP-based BizTouch IP3 phones. Standard features include voice mail, auto attendant, multi-line conferencing, forwarding, and remote access. IT supports up to six incoming lines and 32 IP and/or virtual extensions and can be expanded to 24 lines and 64 IP and/or virtual extensions. Prices start under $3,000.
Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Nears Completion
REDMOND, WA — Microsoft said it plans to release
Mac to manufacturers on April 14. Starting today, Mac users can preorder it.
Syncsort Updates Backup Express
WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ — Syncsort released Backup Express 2.2, a new version of the enterprise data-protection solution for UNIX, Windows, Linux, and NetWare environments. New features include a redesigned interface, catalog operation, NDMP support, device management, log collection, auto-configuration, snapshot support, and addition of the Backup Express Advanced Protection Manager.
Microsoft Announces Availability of BizTalk Accelerator for SWIFT
LONDON — Microsoft announced the full availability of the BizTalkAccelerator for SWIFT, a software solution that supports SWIFT messaging to provide a messaging platform for securities and banking transactions. The Accelerator, unveiled in October, has been implemented by financial institutions and corporations including Siemens KAG and Nicholas-Applegate Capital Management. The solution includes the Payments Toolkit, designed to integrate with industry standards, including RosettaNet Payments, to enable automation of corporate-to-bank payments using the SWIFT payment initiation and cash-reporting XML standards.
Microsoft Announces Innovations and Investments in Storage
PHOENIX — At Storage Networking World Spring 2004,
Microsoft announced a new feature pack for Windows Storage Server 2003 that allows customers to consolidate Exchange Server 2003 data on Windows Storage Server 2003-based network attached storage (NAS) devices. The result is improved manageability, data protection and cost savings. Microsoft also announced innovations to provide simpler and more economical management of Fibre Channel and iSCSI SANs in Windows.
Brooktrout Completes Acquisition of SnowShore Networks
NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MA — Brooktrout
acquired the outstanding stock of SnowShore Networks for approximately $9.0 million in cash. Brooktrout delivers communications products that enable applications for the so-called New Network. a network born through the marriage of telephone and data networks. The acquisition of SnowShore Networks will provide Brooktrout with differentiated software and hardware for Voice over IP-based communication systems. SnowShore’s customers include Cox Communications, NEC, OpenWave, and Sonus.
StillSecure Introduces Intrusion Detection to SMB Market
LOUISVILLE, CO — StillSecure, an enterprise network security software provider, introduced StillSecure Border Guard SMB. The product brings enterprise-quality IDS/IPS functionality to the SMB market. Border Guard SMB is the latest addition to the Border Guard product suite of intrusion detection/prevention products. It targets smaller organizations that must protect confidential data or comply with regulatory statutes and that typically have modest throughput requirements and limited budgets.
KeyLabs, Vinciti Expand Quality Management with Integrated Support
LINDON, UT — KeyLabs, a technology assurance solution provider, is partnering with
Vincinti Networks to offer a quality management solution that integrates technical support and extends the ability of companies to manage the quality of their own products throughout the product lifecycle. Through the alliance, Vinciti, a provider of managed technical services and KeyLabs are adding outsourced and integrated technical support services to its Quality Management Framework. The services allow KeyLabs to help technology vendors manage quality by integrating pre- and post-product release quality management into a single process.
Roxio Introduces VideoWave 7 Professional
SANTA CLARA, CA — Roxio, a provider of digital media software, shipped VideoWave
7 Professional, which sports a new user interface design. New features of the
video-editing application include timeline editing and rich DVD authoring. The
product aims to ease editing tasks for new digital video camera owners and
seasoned video enthusiasts. The product includes a media management system,
capture utility, label creation tool, and a premium DVD authoring application
powered by the Easy Media Creator burn engine.
iSOFT, Microsoft Announce Healthcare Software Strategic Alliance
REDMOND, WA — iSOFT Group plc, a United Kingdom healthcare IT supplier, and
Microsoft agreed to work jointly toward the enhancement of iSOFT’s next-generation healthcare application, Lorenzo. A substantial part of the agreement involves the provision by Microsoft of support to iSOFT to specifically package its solutions for delivery by third-party service organizations on a national scale. As a result of the agreement, Microsoft is committing resources globally to enhance the development of Lorenzo, to allow it to be more easily deployed by third-party distributors, and to further enhance its flexibility and scalability.
I.D. Systems Wins Service Contract from Ford
HACKENSACK, NJ — I.D. Systems, a provider of wireless asset tracking and management solutions, received an order from
Ford Motor Co. to provide enterprisewide support and maintenance for I.D. Systems’ Industrial Vehicle Electronic Control System (IVECS). I.D. Systems and Ford are currently implementing an enterprisewide IVECS product rollout at Ford factories throughout North America. The IVECS system enhances safety, security, and maintenance for forklifts and other industrial equipment by restricting vehicle access to trained (as required by OSHA) and authorized operators. It provides electronic safety inspection checklists, electronically records accidents, reduces maintenance expenses by automatically uploading vehicle data, and reports problems identified on checklists in real time.
Veterans Affairs Dept. Launches BuyIT.gov for Government IT Procurement
AUSTIN, TX — The Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Austin Automation Center, in partnership with VA’s Office of Acquisitions, launched
BuyIT.gov, a Federal acquisition center specializing in the procurement of IT-related services and products for the Federal government. BuyIT.gov is now accepting procurement requests from Federal government agencies for IT products and services. VA’s BuyIT.gov acquisition staff, located in Austin, consists of senior contracting officers who purchase IT goods and services every day. As a Federal fee-for-service acquisition center, the BuyIT.gov acquisition staff helps Federal agencies acquire IT supplies and services for their programs on a project-by-project basis.
Net Safe Garners Exclusive Rights for 8e6’s Web Filter in Ireland
DUBLIN, IRELAND — Irish network and communications integrator
Net Safe Ltd. Was chosen as the only
authorized Irish channel partner of Orange, Calif.-based
8e6 Technologies, maker of the Satellite XP dedicated Website filtering
network appliance. URL-based filtering is based on more than 75 continuously
updated categories.
Monday, April 5
F5 Networks Announces SSL VPN Technology Alliances
SEATTLE — F5 Networks Inc., a provider of application traffic management products, announced alliance with application and security vendors to extend enterprise integration of its FirePass SSL VPN controller. Alliances were struck with Microsoft and Citrix for terminal server integration, McAfee for client security interoperability, iPass and Fiberlink for global roaming interoperability, and Netegrity and Oblix Identity for access management interoperability. FirePass enables users to access Web, client/server, and legacy corporate applications.
Do it Best Corp. Selects Activant for Point-of-Sale System
LIVERMORE, CA and FORT WAYNE, IN —
Activant Solutions Inc., a provider of wholesale, retail and manufacturing business solutions, and
Do it Best Corp., a member-owned hardware and lumber cooperative, will provide retail management solutions to the co-op’s 4,200 independent hardware and building materials retailers. Activant will provide Do it Best Corp. member-retailers with a solution designed to improve customer service, sales and margins, as well as execute Do it Best programs. Members will have access to new applications, such as signature capture, wireless access, document imaging and management. As part of the agreement, Do it Best will resell Activant Eagle.
Filehand Announces File Search Utility for Windows
SALEM, NH — Filehand LLC
released FILEhand Search, a utility for the Windows 2000 and XP platforms that searches files on a computer with the speed of Internet search engines. FILEhand Search uses a proprietary indexing technology that allows users to search through the content of their files using words and phrases, or Boolean operators. FILEhand Search is priced at $39. Updates and support are free for life, including updates for e-mail support and new file types.