Japan's NEC Corp, Hitachi Ltd and Casio Computer Co are in talks to merge their struggling mobile phone manufacturing operations to create Japan's No 2 handset maker, the Yomiuri daily reported on Friday.
Loss-making NEC could hive off its mobile operations and merge it with an existing joint venture between Hitachi and Casio to together develop handsets, or the three could merge their mobile phone production operations, the newspaper said without citing sources.
NEC would be likely to hold a majority of the new firm, it said. The three are struggling in Japan's saturated cellphone market and mounting development costs, said to be about 10 billion yen ($107 million) per handset. In the year ended in March, Sharp Corp controlled over one-fifth of Japan's handset market, followed by Panasonic Corp.
Agencies
Friday, August 28, 2009
Indian firms to shift to Cloud services, says IDC report
Around 40 percent of Indian enterprises are considering the adoption of cloud services to save costs and compete in the challenging market environment reveals, an IDC report. Currently only five percent of the Indian enterprises have adopted cloud technology. "The main reason in India that is driving the interest towards cloud technologies, is its cost-cutting potential," says Surajit Sen, Director Channels, Marketing and Alliances at NetApp India, a storage and data management solutions provider.
Looking at the growing demand for cloud computing, NetApp has unveiled certain enhancements to its storage line. The company is particularly bullish on the Indian market, which is showing more interest to adopt cloud technologies.
"As the technologies supporting cloud computing have improved, the adoption is also set to grow now," said Alok Bardiya, Vice President, Managed Services and Marketing at Tata Communications, which is a cloud computing service provider in India. NetApp is the technology partner for Tata Communications, which has over a million square feet of datacenters around the globe including six datacenters in India.
NetApp unveiled the latest version of its Data ONTAP cloud platform called Data ONTAP 8. According to Sen, the Data ONTAP 8 is a combination of the earlier platforms Data ONTAP 7G and Data ONTAP GX. With this product offering, the company aims to increase the demand for cloud technologies in markets like India.
The Data ONTAP 8 comes with enhancements such as a new technology for seamlessly moving complete data volumes across multiple storage systems called Data Motion. Other enhancements include a new version of its add-on modules for increasing storage performance, an improved end to end multi-tenancy for better security and a new high-density capacity expansion device for its storage appliances.
Agencies
Looking at the growing demand for cloud computing, NetApp has unveiled certain enhancements to its storage line. The company is particularly bullish on the Indian market, which is showing more interest to adopt cloud technologies.
"As the technologies supporting cloud computing have improved, the adoption is also set to grow now," said Alok Bardiya, Vice President, Managed Services and Marketing at Tata Communications, which is a cloud computing service provider in India. NetApp is the technology partner for Tata Communications, which has over a million square feet of datacenters around the globe including six datacenters in India.
NetApp unveiled the latest version of its Data ONTAP cloud platform called Data ONTAP 8. According to Sen, the Data ONTAP 8 is a combination of the earlier platforms Data ONTAP 7G and Data ONTAP GX. With this product offering, the company aims to increase the demand for cloud technologies in markets like India.
The Data ONTAP 8 comes with enhancements such as a new technology for seamlessly moving complete data volumes across multiple storage systems called Data Motion. Other enhancements include a new version of its add-on modules for increasing storage performance, an improved end to end multi-tenancy for better security and a new high-density capacity expansion device for its storage appliances.
Agencies
Browse pure content on NaqaTube; Online version of YouTube
Sick and tired of profanities and explicit nature of some video clips on YouTube, a group of Saudis have developed a “clean” alternative called NaqaTube (naqa being the Arabic word for ‘pure’).
The aim, as they put it, is to prevent the youth from watching sexually explicit video clips online, an Arab news report quoted a moderator of the website as saying. With millions of youth logging into YouTube each day, the group launched NaqaTube, which is simply an amalgamation of “clean” clips from YouTube.
Abu Ibraheem, one of the moderators of the website, said that clips on NaqaTube are religiously safe and often edited prior to being uploaded.
The website’s logo is “participate with us in a clean website.”
The site also censors clips that are against the government, individuals and scholars, or which mock people in general, the report said. Women’s images are totally forbidden, along with music.
“Our dream is to decline the number of visitors to YouTube. Our website has received 5,000 to 6,000 visitors since its launch two months ago,” Ibraheem said.
Much of the material on the site is religiously inclined and the site’s front page displays links to over 10 channels featuring scholars, preachers, children and other Islam-related material. The site hosts clips of scholars from the Arab world delivering Islamic discourse. “We are promoting a moderate Islam, nothing extreme,” he said.
Agencies
The aim, as they put it, is to prevent the youth from watching sexually explicit video clips online, an Arab news report quoted a moderator of the website as saying. With millions of youth logging into YouTube each day, the group launched NaqaTube, which is simply an amalgamation of “clean” clips from YouTube.
Abu Ibraheem, one of the moderators of the website, said that clips on NaqaTube are religiously safe and often edited prior to being uploaded.
The website’s logo is “participate with us in a clean website.”
The site also censors clips that are against the government, individuals and scholars, or which mock people in general, the report said. Women’s images are totally forbidden, along with music.
“Our dream is to decline the number of visitors to YouTube. Our website has received 5,000 to 6,000 visitors since its launch two months ago,” Ibraheem said.
Much of the material on the site is religiously inclined and the site’s front page displays links to over 10 channels featuring scholars, preachers, children and other Islam-related material. The site hosts clips of scholars from the Arab world delivering Islamic discourse. “We are promoting a moderate Islam, nothing extreme,” he said.
Agencies
Harley-Davidson to ride into India in 2009
US motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson is optimistic about a recovery in the US economy but would continue to tread carefully by adopting cost-saving measures, a senior official said on Thursday. Milwaukeebased Harley-Davidson also said it plans to start selling its motorcycles next year in India, the world’s secondlargest market for bikes.
It is betting on a rising middle class population in the world’s second-fastest growing major economy to create a demand for its large and powerful machines. Harley, whose bikes account for half of the motorcycle sales in the United States, has been hurt by a slowdown in its biggest market and last month reported a slump in second-quarter net profit and slashed its 2009 shipment forecast.
Agencies
It is betting on a rising middle class population in the world’s second-fastest growing major economy to create a demand for its large and powerful machines. Harley, whose bikes account for half of the motorcycle sales in the United States, has been hurt by a slowdown in its biggest market and last month reported a slump in second-quarter net profit and slashed its 2009 shipment forecast.
Agencies
Thursday, August 27, 2009
17% drop in the semiconductor revenue in 2009
The global semiconductor revenue is on course to total $212 billion in 2009, which is a 17.1 percent decline from 2008 revenue of $255 billion reveals a report. The report by research and analysis firm Gartner says that the projection is better than the second quarter projections of a 22.4 percent decline, which shows signs of recovery in the market.
Some of the major semiconductor vendors have reported positive second quarter sequential revenue growth. Intel posted 12 percent revenue growth, while Samsung announced its revenue increased by 30 percent and Qualcomm reported a 35.7 percent increase in its mobile chip sales. "The semiconductor market has performed better than expected, as was evident when second quarter semiconductor revenue increased 17 percent in sequential sales," said Bryan Lewis, Research Vice President at Gartner.
The increasing demand for products using semiconductor was the key driver behind the growth in the market. "Consumers reacted strongly to reduced PC and LCD TV pricing as price elasticity was amazing. The industry also benefited from the China stimulus package that worked remarkably well to boost short-term demand. Governments worldwide took action quickly and extensively to avoid a meltdown and it worked," added Lewis.
Though, the outlook for 2009 has improved, Gartner also points out that all major segments of the semiconductor market are expected to report double-digit revenue declines this year. The application-specific standard product (ASSP) - the largest segment in the semiconductor market - will touch $57.2 billion in 2009, a decline of 16.5 percent over last year's revenue. The memory market is predicted to total $41 billion with a 13.5 percent decline and the microcomponents segment is forecasted to reach $39.4 billion in 2009, a 19.2 percent decline from 2008.
According to Lewis, foundries are concerned that demand may drop off more than seasonal in the fourth quarter, and it may carry into first quarter 2010. Gartner's most likely scenario is a negative five percent growth in the first quarter of 2010, as customers take a break and absorb all the devices they purchased over the previous three quarters.
Agencies
Some of the major semiconductor vendors have reported positive second quarter sequential revenue growth. Intel posted 12 percent revenue growth, while Samsung announced its revenue increased by 30 percent and Qualcomm reported a 35.7 percent increase in its mobile chip sales. "The semiconductor market has performed better than expected, as was evident when second quarter semiconductor revenue increased 17 percent in sequential sales," said Bryan Lewis, Research Vice President at Gartner.
The increasing demand for products using semiconductor was the key driver behind the growth in the market. "Consumers reacted strongly to reduced PC and LCD TV pricing as price elasticity was amazing. The industry also benefited from the China stimulus package that worked remarkably well to boost short-term demand. Governments worldwide took action quickly and extensively to avoid a meltdown and it worked," added Lewis.
Though, the outlook for 2009 has improved, Gartner also points out that all major segments of the semiconductor market are expected to report double-digit revenue declines this year. The application-specific standard product (ASSP) - the largest segment in the semiconductor market - will touch $57.2 billion in 2009, a decline of 16.5 percent over last year's revenue. The memory market is predicted to total $41 billion with a 13.5 percent decline and the microcomponents segment is forecasted to reach $39.4 billion in 2009, a 19.2 percent decline from 2008.
According to Lewis, foundries are concerned that demand may drop off more than seasonal in the fourth quarter, and it may carry into first quarter 2010. Gartner's most likely scenario is a negative five percent growth in the first quarter of 2010, as customers take a break and absorb all the devices they purchased over the previous three quarters.
Agencies
Is Apple iphone set for a launch in China?
Apple Inc is getting closer to clearing the hurdles to start selling iPhones in China, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
It is one of the last major phone markets Apple has yet to tap, the paper said. China is the world's largest mobile market with some 687 million subscribers, the paper said, compared with more than 270 million subscribers in the United States.
But Apple faces competition from other smart phones that are set to launch in China in coming months, the paper said. The company must still complete negotiations with state-owned wireless operator China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd., which is expected to carry the iPhone, the paper said. Analysts told the paper those talks are nearing conclusion. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison declined comment.
Agencies
It is one of the last major phone markets Apple has yet to tap, the paper said. China is the world's largest mobile market with some 687 million subscribers, the paper said, compared with more than 270 million subscribers in the United States.
But Apple faces competition from other smart phones that are set to launch in China in coming months, the paper said. The company must still complete negotiations with state-owned wireless operator China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd., which is expected to carry the iPhone, the paper said. Analysts told the paper those talks are nearing conclusion. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison declined comment.
Agencies
Mega BP contract bagged by TCS, Infy, Wipro & IBM
India’s top three software exporters TCS, Infosys Technologies and Wipro, along with MNC rival IBM, on Wednesday, announced that they have won new outsourcing contracts from British Petroleum (BP) to be delivered over the next five years.
As reported by ET last month, India’s offshore outsourcing firms, including TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Mahindra Satyam had locked horns with MNC rivals IBM and Accenture over around $1 billion worth of outsourcing contracts to be awarded in August by BP.
While the companies did not disclose the value of new contracts, experts tracking the sector said Indian suppliers are expected to earn revenues in excess of $100 million each over the next few years from BP. “The total application development and maintenance contract value is over $500 million,” a UK-based outsourcing expert told ET on condition of anonymity.
BP, which used to outsource a majority of its application development, system integration and infrastructure management projects to almost 30 suppliers including IBM, Accenture, Mahindra Satyam and Infosys wanted to bring down its IT costs by up to 30% by working with fewer vendors handling more work at lower rates.
“Every business unit at BP was running its IT operations separately, with different set of suppliers. This led to complexity and higher costs of operations. With this consolidation, BP now wants to work with not more than six vendors globally,” a UK-based expert familiar with BP’s sourcing strategy told ET recently. He requested anonymity as he is not authorised to comment about these contracts.
When contacted by ET last week, a BP spokesman confirmed that the supplier review is nearing its end. “Yes, we have been reviewing our strategic IT providers, and are getting close to the end of that process, but I can’t confirm numbers of the current or possible future providers,” Robert Wine, a BP spokesman, had told ET last month.
Economic Times
As reported by ET last month, India’s offshore outsourcing firms, including TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Mahindra Satyam had locked horns with MNC rivals IBM and Accenture over around $1 billion worth of outsourcing contracts to be awarded in August by BP.
While the companies did not disclose the value of new contracts, experts tracking the sector said Indian suppliers are expected to earn revenues in excess of $100 million each over the next few years from BP. “The total application development and maintenance contract value is over $500 million,” a UK-based outsourcing expert told ET on condition of anonymity.
BP, which used to outsource a majority of its application development, system integration and infrastructure management projects to almost 30 suppliers including IBM, Accenture, Mahindra Satyam and Infosys wanted to bring down its IT costs by up to 30% by working with fewer vendors handling more work at lower rates.
“Every business unit at BP was running its IT operations separately, with different set of suppliers. This led to complexity and higher costs of operations. With this consolidation, BP now wants to work with not more than six vendors globally,” a UK-based expert familiar with BP’s sourcing strategy told ET recently. He requested anonymity as he is not authorised to comment about these contracts.
When contacted by ET last week, a BP spokesman confirmed that the supplier review is nearing its end. “Yes, we have been reviewing our strategic IT providers, and are getting close to the end of that process, but I can’t confirm numbers of the current or possible future providers,” Robert Wine, a BP spokesman, had told ET last month.
Economic Times
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