Showing posts with label phone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label phone. Show all posts
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Apple Sued Over Noise Reduction Technology
A small Silicon Valley company is suing Apple, alleging the computer maker infringed its patent covering noise-reduction technology for cell phones.
Noise Free Wireless said it presented its technology at several meetings at Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters and provided it with detailed technical information prior to Apple filing its own patent for a similar technology. The technology has gone on to be used in the iPhone 4 and 4S and all three iPad models, it said.
For more, click the link below:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/258925/apple_sued_over_noise_reduction_technology.html#tk.nl_bdx_h_crawl
Friday, June 1, 2012
IBM Mobile Shopper Provides Instant In-Store Digital Scanning, Checkout Capability for Consumers Using Mobile Phones
News release:
IBM Mobile Shopper Provides Instant In-Store Digital Scanning, Checkout Capability for Consumers Using Mobile Phones
Incorporates Advanced Honeywell Bar-Code Scanning Technology
Armonk, N.Y. - 01 Jun 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced retail technology that allows consumers to scan items into a mobile phone as they shop the aisles, then check themselves out at an IBM self-checkout station.
Designed to help retailers provide a more customized in-store shopping experience for smart phone shoppers, the IBM Mobile Shopper application incorporates Honeywell (NYSE: HON) mobile scanning technology capable of scanning virtually any bar code, no matter what background it is printed on, the direction it faces, or the packaging covering it. The solution currently runs on the Google Android and Apple iOS operating systems.
According to a recent IBM Institute of Business Value study, self checkout is the preferred way to shop for most consumers today, and they are very specific about the way they want to use mobile technology while shopping. More than 50 percent say they want to use a mobile device to scan while shopping, and to do final checkout at a self-checkout station. More than 40 percent want to scan samples and retrieve shopping items for pickup, or have the items delivered directly to their homes.
"Retailers can now deliver a more personalized shopping experience that is less of a chore and more of a convenience for consumers," says John Gaydac, vice president, IBM Retail Store Solutions. "By enabling consumers to scan and check-out a wide variety of products at their own pace, retailers can not only create a more customized shopping environment, but also increase in-store traffic."
The new mobile phone application is powered by IBM ACE Store Integrator software and the newest release of IBM Self-Checkout software, which provides shoppers the same access to digital coupons, loyalty programs and special promotions at self-checkout stations that is traditionally available at fully-staffed point-of-sale checkout lanes.
The IBM Mobile Shopper, or "digital shopping assistant," incorporates Honeywell's high-performance SwiftDecoder Mobile bar code decoding software, one of many patented technologies that have helped secure the company's leadership in camera-based bar code decoding. Among them is the practice of decoding bar code-related information from a real-time video image, such as the display of a smart phone or other mobile device (U.S. patent 6,015,088).
"Honeywell has a long heritage of providing bar code scanning for mission-critical applications where inaccuracy is not an option," said John Waldron, president of Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. "Today, with IBM, we're bringing those capabilities to consumers to help make their shopping trips more efficient and productive."
The IBM Mobile Shopper solution with Honeywell mobile scanning is available immediately. For more information on Honeywell’s SwiftDecoder Mobile software, please visit www.honeywellaidc.com.
# # #
According to a recent IBM Institute of Business Value study, self checkout is the preferred way to shop for most consumers today, and they are very specific about the way they want to use mobile technology while shopping. More than 50 percent say they want to use a mobile device to scan while shopping, and to do final checkout at a self-checkout station. More than 40 percent want to scan samples and retrieve shopping items for pickup, or have the items delivered directly to their homes.
"Retailers can now deliver a more personalized shopping experience that is less of a chore and more of a convenience for consumers," says John Gaydac, vice president, IBM Retail Store Solutions. "By enabling consumers to scan and check-out a wide variety of products at their own pace, retailers can not only create a more customized shopping environment, but also increase in-store traffic."
The new mobile phone application is powered by IBM ACE Store Integrator software and the newest release of IBM Self-Checkout software, which provides shoppers the same access to digital coupons, loyalty programs and special promotions at self-checkout stations that is traditionally available at fully-staffed point-of-sale checkout lanes.
The IBM Mobile Shopper, or "digital shopping assistant," incorporates Honeywell's high-performance SwiftDecoder Mobile bar code decoding software, one of many patented technologies that have helped secure the company's leadership in camera-based bar code decoding. Among them is the practice of decoding bar code-related information from a real-time video image, such as the display of a smart phone or other mobile device (U.S. patent 6,015,088).
"Honeywell has a long heritage of providing bar code scanning for mission-critical applications where inaccuracy is not an option," said John Waldron, president of Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. "Today, with IBM, we're bringing those capabilities to consumers to help make their shopping trips more efficient and productive."
The IBM Mobile Shopper solution with Honeywell mobile scanning is available immediately. For more information on Honeywell’s SwiftDecoder Mobile software, please visit www.honeywellaidc.com.
# # #
Monday, May 21, 2012
Business Intelligence in the Palm of Your Hand
News release:
Business Intelligence in the Palm of Your Hand
May 21, 2012
Developed by Microsoft partner Extended Results, the PushBI application provides instant analysis of intelligent systems data through PCs, tablets and phones.
REDMOND, Wash. — May 21, 2012 — Using embedded devices as part of an intelligent system can enable any organization to collect valuable data in new ways. But once the information is available, how do you make sense of it all? The world of intelligent systems is, after all, about using that data to make better decisions.
Although business intelligence software has progressed mightily from a decade ago when running reports required the help of the IT department, turning raw data into something useful for analysis is still often a team effort that can require a lot of legwork for administrators. Companies such as large retailers, manufacturers and logistics organizations are especially interested in finding a more elegant way to track business performance across complex networks of transactions and interactions.
According to Bryan Colyer of Redmond-based Extended Results — part BI consulting practice and part software developer — as more companies connect embedded devices and enterprise IT within intelligent systems, the need for applications that can turn that information into something usable is exploding.
“We’ve seen a strong need in retail, because so much of their information is in silos,” Colyer says. “But companies across industries are craving a way to help their corporate offices collaborate with stores and warehouses, to monitor the rhythm of the business and provide insight for better decisions.”
To help its clients solve this problem, Extended Results has developed an application called PushBI that is able to tap into almost any data source, fromSQL Server and other databases toExcel spreadsheets and Web services. With business intelligence logic built on top and real-time operational data underneath, PushBI is able to deliver up-to-the-minute metrics on almost any type of data stream and deliver those reports to almost any device — meaning an executive can track performance by region, store or even by item or salesperson, right from a phone or Tablet PC. (Watch a demo video.)
“PushBI provides immediate reporting,” he says. “Before, someone would have to get the information and do analysis. With this, I can see my key metrics anywhere, anytime — and so can my store manager, my warehouse managers, my purchasers.”
With PushBI, data is presented in a graphical format that is easy to understand. Color coding draws immediate attention to problem areas such as stock-outs or lagging sales. For executives, Colyer says the ability to parse information and dial into specifics can really help in keeping tabs on a large organization.
“If I’m visiting stores in New York, I can dial into specific metrics for those stores,” he says. “I can see whether sales are trending up or down. Who are my top salespeople. I can see what’s selling, what’s not, and how that differs from store to store.”
At the store level, Colyer says, this capability can help with replenishment and optimizing shelf space. Store managers can easily communicate with the warehouse, ensuring inventory is available on time. Managers and executives can also track the effects of changes such as special promotions or new signage.
The PushBI application also features integrated IM chat functionality through Microsoft Lync. This allows executives, managers and subject experts such as accountants to discuss issues directly in the context of the application.
“As a senior exec, I can’t be an expert in every single number,” says Colyer. “But I can be connected to experts using Lync. With Lync’s presence information, I can see that my store manager in New York is present and have a quick IM or even start a videoconference.”
Colyer says the emerging market for intelligent systems has created the need for applications such as PushBI that can help companies put new data streams to work. As the market matures, Extended Results is seeing its customers around the world become more creative with the technology. One major global shipping company, for example, is using the product to optimize the offloading of containers at an Australian port.
“This market is still so new, most of our customers have an early adopter mindset and are looking for a competitive edge,” Colyer says. “We can’t wait to see what happens as more customers find new ways to leverage this technology. The ones who are doing this now are definitely getting ahead of the competition.”
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Feeding America Turns to Microsoft for Anywhere, Anytime Access
Feeding America Turns to Microsoft for Anywhere, Anytime Access
May 15, 2012
Move to Windows Phone from Blackberry devices cuts costs and drives employee productivity and satisfaction.
CHICAGO — May 15, 2012 — Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, left its support of Blackberry devices in favor of Windows Phone. The move strengthens Feeding America’s capabilities as it complements the organization’s use of other Microsoft solutions including Microsoft Office 2010 and Microsoft Lync Server 2010.
In an effort to be fiscally responsible, Feeding America conducted a review of its former Blackberry environment and explored other wireless devices, including Android, iPhone and Windows Phone. By migrating from Blackberry to Windows Phone, the company discovered it could avoid costly annual server maintenance expenses. In addition, the organization’s move has resulted in several benefits, including a 24 percent reduction in cost per device and improved access to the information and IT services that employees rely on to collaborate and be productive.
“Windows Phone provides a level of integration with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 and Lync Server 2010 that are not available with the iPhone, iPad or Android,” said Kevin Lutz, vice president of Technology at Feeding America.
Feeding America was particularly satisfied with the ease of interoperation between Windows Phone and its existing Microsoft products. It was also impressed with the excellent end-user experience, which was seamless, coherent and familiar across all Microsoft products and services.
“With Office Mobile built into Windows Phone, employees were able to be immediately productive,” said Andy Isztok, director of Service Delivery at Feeding America. “The Office Hub in Windows Phone is great for quickly getting to PowerPoint presentations, Word documents and Excel spreadsheets — regardless of whether they’re stored on your phone or in the cloud on Windows Live SkyDrive. More and more employees are also discovering Microsoft OneNote Mobile; they love how it uses Windows Live to give them access to their OneNote notebooks on their phones, on their PCs and on the Web.”
With its mobile devices budget in better order, Feeding America is able to remain focused on its mission to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of more than 200 member food banks, which serve all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through its member food banks, Feeding America is able to distribute more than 3 billion pounds of food and grocery products each year.
More information on Microsoft’s customer success stories is available athttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/presskits/customerspotlight.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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