IT for Manufacturing Executives
A Tasty Take On Automation
August 16, 2010 12:23 pm | Articles | CommentsAnthony Rowcliffe, a 42 year-old company that has its roots in Peckham, London, has grown over the years and is now operating out of two purpose-built BRC accredited sites at Paddock Wood in Kent, supplying over 1,000 different lines, including its own branded Clemency Hall product.
Turn Right. Turn Left. Recalculating.
August 16, 2010 11:46 am | by Meaghan Ziemba, Associate Editor, PD&D | Articles | CommentsMy recent misguided adventure to a small town has left me wondering again, if we rely too much on technology to guide us through our lives. I have no sense of direction. I won’t try to pretend I do. When asking for directions, I need street names, landmarks, scenery, weather conditions; the whole shebang, or I’ll end up in no-man’s-land, panicky and confused.
Digital Deluge Means More Malware
August 16, 2010 11:22 am | Videos | CommentsA dramatic rise in digital information available over the Internet has, and will, have some major implications for web users. One of the most troubling symptoms of this digital deluge is the uptick in the amount of malware on the Internet. According to antivirus software maker McAfee, the number of free-flowing malware items on the internet increased from about 4 million to 6 million during the second quarter.
Get Connected
August 16, 2010 7:33 am | Product Releases | CommentsAdvantech (Cincinnati, OH) now offers the USB-4620 industrial grade USB hub with five USB 2.0 ports. According to the company, the USB-4620 has isolation protection up to 3,000 Vdc for each downstream port. It also features a lockable casing accessory for type-A USB connectors to help with automation control and online production applications.
Apple Manager Indicted On Kickback Charges
August 16, 2010 4:54 am | News | CommentsCUPERTINO, California (AP) — A manager at Apple Inc. has been indicted by a federal grand jury in an alleged kickback scheme involving suppliers of iPhone and iPod accessories. Authorities say Paul Shin Devine of Sunnyvale was arrested on Friday on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and kickbacks.
No Easy Fix Ahead For Struggling Economy
August 16, 2010 4:21 am | by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has little power left to lift the economy out of its rut. Congress, with an election looming, has no appetite for more stimulus. Shoppers are reluctant to spend, and businesses are slow to hire. Let's face it: There is no easy or imminent fix for the flagging recovery.
India Targets Google, Skype In Security Crackdown
August 16, 2010 4:20 am | by Erika Kinetz, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsMUMBAI, India (AP) — India may ask Google and Skype for greater access to encrypted information once it resolves security concerns with BlackBerrys, which are now under threat of a ban, according to a government document and two people familiar with the discussions. The 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which were coordinated with satellite and cell phones, helped prompt a sweeping security review of telecommunications ahead of the Commonwealth Games — a major sporting event to be held in New Delhi in October.
Shareholders File Suit Against HP Over CEO's Exit
August 16, 2010 4:19 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Shareholders of Hewlett-Packard Co. have filed a "derivative lawsuit" against the technology company and its board over fallout from former CEO Mark Hurd's abrupt resignation last week. A derivative lawsuit lets shareholders sue executives or board members over claims that their actions harmed the company as a whole.
Dell Announces $1.13B Data Storage Firm Acquisition
August 16, 2010 4:17 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Dell Inc. said Monday it's buying data storage company 3Par Inc. for about $1.13 billion cash. 3par, of Fremont, Calif., makes products designed to minimize capacity and energy costs. Dell is offering $18 per share for 3Par, an 87 percent premium over Friday's closing price for the company of $9.
Threats Of BlackBerry Ban Echo U.S. Debate
August 16, 2010 4:16 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Threats by the governments of India, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to shut down BlackBerry's corporate e-mail services reflect unease about a technology that the U.S. government also took a while to accept. The foreign governments are essentially a decade behind in coming to terms with encryption, a technology that's fundamental to the Internet as a medium of commerce.
IBM Buys Marketing Services Firm Unica Corp. For $480M
August 16, 2010 4:14 am | by Andrew Vanacore, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — IBM Corp. said Friday that it has agreed to buy the marketing services company Unica Corp. in a $480 million deal that would give IBM more tools to meet its customers' growing demand for targeted advertising. The all-cash acquisition brings IBM deeper into the advertising business, a relatively new area for the company.
RFID: The Upside Is 'Incredible'
August 13, 2010 10:17 am | Articles | CommentsTom Grant has served as Chairman and CEO of ThingMagic since 2001. Prior to joining ThingMagic full-time as CEO in 2004, he was an early stage venture investor and business advisor to Boston's high technology companies. He is Founder and Managing Partner of Protos, and General Partner for Applied Technology, both early stage venture investment funds.
Defeat Globalization's Unwanted Byproducts
August 13, 2010 10:10 am | by Mike Schmidt, Associate Editor, Mfg. Business Tech. | Articles | CommentsLogistical challenges and inefficiencies are often unwanted byproducts of a globalized industrial distribution enterprise. AquaPhoenix, a U.S. manufacturer and distributor of water treatment chemicals, was a company whose global presence and reliance on outsourcing necessitated a reorganization of its international supply chain.
Quality Can Compete With Hype
August 13, 2010 10:07 am | Videos | CommentsSmartphones powered by Android software are slowly, but surely, becoming more popular among tech consumers. Despite receiving none of the hype and fanfare that greeted Apple's iPhone 4, some of the Android-powered offerings from the likes of Motorola, HTC, and Samsung have become among the tech trend hits of the year.
Avnet To Acquire itX Group In $69.2M Deal
August 13, 2010 5:54 am | News | CommentsPHOENIX (AP) — Electronic parts and computer products distributor Avnet Inc. said Friday it will acquire itX Group Ltd., an Australian distributor of software, hardware and services in an all-cash deal valued at $69.2 million. The deal requires approval by itX shareholders and Australian courts.
