Apple polishes shiny new iMacs

APPLE has freshened its line of popular iMac desktops with new models that are slimmer, more powerful and have bigger screens.

Typical of a new Apple launch, the systems are at the cutting edge of industrial design, with widescreen displays and aluminium and polished-glass cases.

In Australia the new models come with a starting price-tag of A$1,698 for the 20-inch model – about A$600 less that the previous low-end model. The 24-inch iMac model starts at A$2,599.

The new models redefine the iMac signature all-in-one design, where the entire computer system is integrated into a sleek, professional aluminium enclosure for a striking, clutter-free desktop.

“This new iMac is the most incredible desktop computer we’ve ever made,” said Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs.

“Our new design features the innovative use of materials, including professional-grade aluminium and glass that are highly recyclable.”

The machines all feature the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors running up to 2.8GHz with 4MB of shared L2 cache and up to 4GB SDRAM.

They also feature next-generation graphics from ATI. The new iMac also offers up to 1TB of internal storage to accommodate a user’s growing library of digital photos, movies and music.

The iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, delivering up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g; Gigabit Ethernet; and five USB 2.0 ports – including two on the keyboard.

The machines also have one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port.
The new iMac line is available immediately through Apple Store online and Apple Authorised Resellers. A new Apple Wireless Keyboard will ship by the end of August.

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3Com succumbs, acquired by Bain and Huawei

AFTER months of rumour, the once dominant networking company 3Com has been acquired by the investment bank Bain Capital and its Chinese partner Huawei Technologies.

The definitive acquisition agreement was signed last Friday valued at $2.2 billion (A$2.5 billion)

“As business becomes ever more global, companies need to enhance their technology infrastructure to compete more effectively in the broader economy,” said a Hong Kong based managing director Jonathan Zhu.

“3Com has a strong competitive position, and we believe there are significant opportunities to grow by acquiring customers and introducing new products,” he said.

Mr Zhu said the company had identified worldwide growth opportunity for 3Com's communications networking solutions in conjunction with the company’s strategic partners.

As part of the transaction, affiliates of Huawei Technologies will acquire a minority interest in the company and become a commercial and strategic partner of 3Com.

Analysts say the closer ties between 3Com and Huawei should prove profitable for both companies.

3Com’s China-based Huawei-3Com business unit contributed more than half of the company’s sales last year, and analysts say Huawei can leverage the 3Com relationship outside of China to better compete with its US rival Cisco.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the first quarter of calendar year 2008, subject to receipt of 3Com shareholder approval.

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BlackBerry outage highlights mobile dependence

THE 24-hour outage at Research In Motion (RIM) in the US, the company that runs the BlackBerry email service, has highlighted just how dependent business users are on the mobile data.

For many users, the outage represented a nightmare: It’s not for nothing that the Blackberry is known by its most ardent fans as the ‘CrackBerry’. For email addicts, the mobile device means uninterrupted, on-the-go email 24/7.

And there were some lessons in crisis management for RIM. The service went don for 24 hours last week, and it took the company two days to respond publicly to the outage in any way. Its customers, meanwhile, were left to climb the walls and tear their hair out as email anxiety set in.

RIM co-chief executive Jim Balsillie says the company is now working to make sure the outage never happens again. He said the company took a while to respond publicly because it was focused on remedying the problem.

Ultimately, the company announced the outage had been caused by the addition of a new storage feature to the service that had not been adequately tested.

Mr Balsillie said the outage like the one experienced at RIM were “very rare” these daya in the context of modern software platforms and said it was extremely unlikely to happen again.

“It wasn't a capacity issue, it wasn't a security issue. It was an outage overnight when there was an upgrade,” he said.

“I think it's pretty likely that the systems are in place that this kind of thing, as incredibly unlikely as it is to happen, is all the more unlikely to happen again,” he said.

There are about 8 million subscribers to the mobile email service in the US, with one million users added in the first quarter. The company expects to add more than million additional users in the three months to he start of June.

BlackBerry-based mobile email is marketed in Australia by Telstra Mobile, which was not affected by the outage.

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Coonan moves to reassure angry ISPs

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Helen Coonan has moved to bolster government’s Broadband Guarantee scheme to make sure smaller, regional ISPs don’t miss out on subsidies.

The changes follow complaints by South Australian regional ISPs that had complained that they had already invested in regional infrastructure but would have been denied access to funding under the new scheme.

“These arrangements will give broadband providers clarity regarding the new program and should speed up the rollout of further high speed broadband to consumers to complement the upcoming $600 million Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program,” Senator Coonan said.

Under new guideline announced by the Minister last week, providers that had built broadband infrastructure under the Broadband Connect program but had not claimed subsidies for connecting customers under that program will be able to apply to register that infrastructure under both the transitional period – up until July 2007 – and the full Australian Broadband Guarantee program to mid June 2008.

This change creates an incentive for providers in these circumstances to immediately participate in the Australian Broadband Guarantee rather than waiting for the full program, Senator Coonan announced.

This should mean that consumers in these areas will receive a wider choice of broadband services sooner. It will also allow further time for providers to recoup their investment on new networks.

The incentive payment for non-ADSL broadband services will be increased from $1100 to $2750 for Providers who build new infrastructure in areas that will not be covered by projects funded under the Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program.
Further details of the arrangements are included in the attached industry fact sheet. Full details will be made available in the coming weeks with the release of the full Australian Broadband Guarantee Guidelines and amendments to the transitional period Guidelines.

“These new provisions ensure that consumers are not disadvantaged as a result of new broadband networks being caught between the two phases of the Australian Broadband Guarantee,” Senator Coonan said.

“We particularly wanted to ensure that a number of important projects in South Australia were properly accommodated under the program,” she said.

The changes announced this week follow a complaint by South Australian science and IT Minister Paul Caica, who met with Senator Coonan in a bid to save eight state-funded wireless projects that had been put at risk by changes federal funding.

Senator Coonan confirmed that projects in the Coorong Region, the Yorke Peninsula and the Barossa & Light Region would be eligible to apply for funding under the Australian Broadband Guarantee.

Other regional projects in areas that will not be covered by the Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program are likely to benefit from the higher subsidies for wireless broadband.

Guidelines for the full Broadband Guarantee program are expected to be announced by the end of the month.

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Cisco takes aim at small business

AFTER years focused on almost exclusively on big business and big government sites, networking giant Cisco Systems has turned its attention to the fast growing small and medium sized business market.

At its annual channel conference in Las Vegas this week the company launched a suite of new products targeting SMBs, and revamped its channel program to allow for a new entry level certification for channel partners with a primary focus on small business.

At the heart of the launch is the Cisco Smart Business Communications System, a simple, complete and highly secure platform for enabling anytime anywhere access to information.

“Cisco's success is built on listening to customers and partners to capitalize on market transitions. Three years ago they asked us to transform our SMB strategy in order to better address their specialised needs,” Cisco chairman and chief executive John Chambers said.

“Today we are the network leader in the SMB market. As we continue to raise the bar in terms of our investments in and offerings to SMBs, we believe we are uniquely positioned to deliver the total communications experience they require,” he said.

The system employs new hardware products, integrated unified communications applications and system-management tools designed to complement each other and provide communication building blocks for small businesses, the company said.

The new products include the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series, a platform that includes IP telephony software features for VoIP, internet conmnectivity with firewall protection, virtual private networks (VPNs) and wireless LAN access.

In addition to announcing it first new certification in more than 10 years, Cisco also unveiled its first market segment specialisation – SMB Specialisation. These program enhancements will help accelerate growth and foster differentiation in the channel, by providing the tools, training and incentives that meet the needs of today's SMB-focused partners.

The Cisco Smart Business Communications System will be available through worldwide channels in June 2007. The US list price for the system will start at US$699 (A$860) per seat, which includes the network with complete Cisco Unified Communications system capabilities and a Cisco Unified IP Phone.

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Warezov now targets Skype users

ROGUE net users have created a new variation of Warezov/Stration malicious code that is currently spreading through the Skype network, attacking Skype users’ machines, security specialists have warned.

WebSense Security Labs issued a warning that Skype users receive a message that says “Check this up”, with a URL containing a hyperlink.

Although the code itself is not self-propagating, when it runs, a URL is sent to all users within the user's contacts list.

When users click on the link, they are redirected to a site that is hosting an .exe file that users are prompted to click. WebSense notes that there is no vulnerability within Skype itself, but if the users runs the .exe file, several other files are automatically downloaded and run.

Once the computer is infected it can be accessed by the attacker and the Trojan will start propagating by sending the rogue message to everyone in the users contact list.

Skype has warned users against opening the malicious .exe file. The company said users should be careful before opening any attachment in general.

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Feds tip another $162m into broadband

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Helen Coonan has found an additional $162.5 million in funding to plug a potentially embarrassing gap between two Federal broadband schemes.

The so-called Australian Broadband Guarantee effectively extends the per-subscriber funding for carriers that has been used in existing schemes like HiBIS (higher bandwidth incentive scheme) and Metropolitan Broadband Blackspots.

Funding under HiBIS was due to expire mid-year. The Guarantee would assist the smooth transition to the $600 million Broadband Connect program that will subsidise the roll-out of next generation infrastructure in rural, regional and remote areas.

“Broadband is an essential service for both individuals and business and is vital for Australia's future economic prosperity,” Senator Coonan said.

“The Australian Government has already provided substantial funding that has seen over 205,000 homes and businesses get a subsidised high quality broadband service and an additional one million premises gain access to broadband services,” she said.

“The Australian Broadband Guarantee will provide universal broadband for all Australians.

“Anyone unable to gain a reasonable level of broadband service at their principal place of residence or small business will receive a subsidised broadband service. It's as simple as that.”

The first phase of the Guarantee will run until June 2008 when the funds from the Government's $2 billion Communications Fund will come on stream.

This will enable the Government to continue the Australian Broadband Guarantee for as long as in necessary to ensure all Australians have access to broadband regardless of where they live.

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AsiaPac governments drive smart home projects

GROWTH in the Networked Home market in the Asia Pacific is expected to outstrip other geographies as governments in the actively back initiatives in home networking R and D and deployment services.

Consulting group Frost and Sullivan analysis says although the market is in its very early stage of development there were encouraging growth signs as Asia Pacific governments threw support behind the technologies.

South Korea remains the regional leader in home networking in terms of both research and development and consumer adoption, the group says, with the South Korean government – along with industry consortia – the biggest proponent in shaping the industry.

Home networking is seen by service providers as the next market frontier, and governments see it as the likely catalyst for moving their industry’s up the broadband value chain.

Governments are looking at home networking as the driver for greater adoption of current and next-generation broadband connectivity, which would in turn drive the convergence of services from computing to consumer electronics, networking, IT, telecommunications and entertainment, Frost and Sullivan said.

Affluent consumers’ lifestyle needs for a ‘smart home’ with entertainment, productivity, home automation and connectivity were urging their service provider to move up that broadband value chain, Frost and Sullivan industry analyst Krishna Baidya said.

One of the biggest hurdles to pushing the market forward would be in educating consumers of the home networking options. It was critical that service providers, device vendors, networking companies and software developers worked closely with each other to make sure that home users “enjoy a plug and play experience,” Baidya said.

“As the success of individual market players in the value chain is tied-in with how the industry evolves with rest of the participants, it is important that they collaborate closely even while they may be competing in many fronts,” Baidya said.

“The growing convergence of networking and consumer electronics is facilitating the union of different industry players.”

“The growing convergence of networking and consumer electronics is facilitating the union of different industry players.”

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