IT for Manufacturing Executives
Appeals Court Ruling Threatens Used Software Sales
September 14, 2010 4:06 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court has sided with the computer software industry in its effort to squelch sales of second-hand programs covered by widely used licensing agreements. Friday's ruling by the 9th Circuit of Appeals raised worries that it will embolden music labels, movie studios and book publishers to circumvent the so-called "first-sale" doctrine in an attempt to boost their sagging sales.
Intel CEO: Content Shifting Is The Key To The Future
September 14, 2010 4:04 am | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The semiconductor industry hasn't fully cracked the challenge of making chips that help people move content seamlessly between their devices, Intel Corp. CEO Paul Otellini said Monday. That capability will be critical because there are 5 billion devices connected to the Internet, and that number will rise, Otellini said during a keynote at Intel's annual developer conference.
Boeing To Tear Down Historic Plant 2
September 14, 2010 4:01 am | by George Tibbits, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSEATTLE (AP) — The dilapidated factory that helped make Seattle a high-tech town is being demolished after 75 years, a casualty of time, technology and tails that grew too tall. Boeing Co.'s Plant 2, a sprawling but long outdated building between Boeing Field and south Seattle's Duwamish River, gave birth to some of the world's most significant aircraft.
HP Buys Software Provider ArcSight In $1.5B Deal
September 14, 2010 3:59 am | by Andrew Vanacore, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Hewlett-Packard Co. has agreed to buy the security software provider ArcSight for about $1.5 billion, the company said Monday as it extends a recent spree of acquisitions. It's one of a string of deals that has taken HP beyond the low-margin personal computer market.
Taking A Turn For The Better
September 13, 2010 12:54 pm | Articles | CommentsManufacturing technology consumption in the United States is up nearly 59% when compared with 2009. Peter Borden, AMTDA president Manufacturing technology consumption in the United States totaled $266.08 million in July, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) and The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT).
Implementing On-The-Fly Motor Phasing
September 13, 2010 12:51 pm | Articles | CommentsImagine a scenario in which the implementation of an automated solution resulted in a 20% improvement in the throughput for the particular process the solution is designed to address. Located in Glen Carbon, Ill., near St. Louis, FASTechnology Group (FASTech) is an industrial controls system integration and manufacturing company that specializes in turnkey automation systems.
Apple Softens Stance On Apps
September 13, 2010 10:01 am | Videos | CommentsLast week, Apple announced some sweeping changes to the way it approves apps and which apps the company will allow tech consumers to download for use with its popular devices. It seems as though Apple's latest announcement is partially due to Android's ever-increasing market share in the app business, which has been dominated by Apple from the beginning.
New GM CEO To Get $9M Pay Package
September 13, 2010 4:40 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — New General Motors Co. CEO Daniel Akerson will get up to $9 million in salary and stock, the same pay package granted to his predecessor, Ed Whitacre. Akerson, a former telecommunications industry and private equity executive, will receive $1.7 million in annual salary, $5.
FCC To Open Vacant TV Airwaves For Broadband
September 13, 2010 4:39 am | by Joelle Tessler, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — A new flavor of Wi-Fi, with longer range and wall-piercing power, could show up in wireless gadgets a year from now if the Federal Communications Commission works out the last details of new spectrum rules that have been long in the making. Nearly two years ago, the FCC voted to open up the airwaves between broadcast TV channels — so-called "white spaces" — for wireless broadband connections that would work like Wi-Fi on steroids.
Advanced Batteries Act As Recovery Test Case
September 13, 2010 4:38 am | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The first wave of mass-produced advanced batteries funded by the Obama administration's economic recovery program is starting to roll off assembly lines, setting the stage for new hybrid and electric vehicles. So how will consumers respond? Fending off criticism of the $787 billion stimulus program, the administration has cited the battery industry as one of the success stories.
Inventories Surge By Largest Amount In Two Years
September 13, 2010 4:36 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Inventories held by wholesalers surged in July by the largest amount in two years while sales rebounded after two straight declines. The Commerce Department said Friday that wholesale inventories rose 1.3 percent in July, the best performance since July 2008 and triple the increase economists had expected.
Google Search Accelerates With 'Instant' Results
September 13, 2010 4:35 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Inc. stepped on its Internet search accelerator Wednesday by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests. The change, called "Google Instant," is the closest the 12-year-old company has come yet to realizing its founders' ambition to build a search engine that reads its users' minds.
Obama: Economic Recovery Has Been 'Painfully Slow'
September 13, 2010 4:33 am | by Darlene Superville and Tom Raum, Associated Press Writers | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama insisted Friday that the U.S. economy is digging itself out of the deepest recession in decades but conceded that "progress has been painfully slow" and many voters in November's elections may blame him. Facing a rising jobless rate, Obama told a White House news conference: "For all the progress we've made, we're not there yet.
Keep A Watchful Eye On Quality Assurance
September 10, 2010 12:10 pm | Articles | CommentsQuality assurance needs to go beyond measuring failure to maximize value to a business enterprise . The adage “You can't manage what you don't measure” certainly applies to the Quality Management System (QMS). Keeping a watchful eye on QMS performance metrics is essential for any compliance sustainability strategy.
Skilled Workers Face A Sobering Reality
September 10, 2010 11:33 am | Articles | CommentsEven when the job market picks up, skilled workers will be left behind because the United States economy continues to shift from one driven by manufacturing to one fueled by service industries. NEW YORK (AP) -- American workers faced a sobering reality as they celebrated the U.
