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The WAVE Report on Digital Media
3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space ---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.--- Issue #0435------------------9/10/04 |
The WAVE Report is Searchable on
http://www.3dlinks.com
http://www.wave-report.com
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Ascension Technology Invites Developers to a Personalized Optical Motion Capture Demonstration
0435.2 Photo Procession
0435.3 Animation Storyboard
FrameForge 3D Storyboard Software Adds Military Expansion Pack
0435.4 Public Wireless
Culver City Launches Free Wireless Internet Access in Downtown District
0435.5 Home Media Networking
0435.6 Portable Maps
0435.7 Computer Peripherals
0435.8 PC Market Forecast
0435.9 Laser Printer Recall
CPSC, Lexmark International Inc. Announce Recall of Laser Printers
0435.10 Spam Study
0435.11 Wireless Sensors
Wireless Sensors Without Batteries Open Up a World of New Applications
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***Ascension Technology Invites Developers to a Personalized Optical Motion Capture Demonstration
Milton, VT
Sept. 9, 2004
Ascension Technology has published an offer for programmers and developers of 3D character animation used in broadcast production to visit their facilities in Vermont. In this offer, Ascension will fly persons from anywhere in the world seeking additional information to Vermont and will demonstrate that person’s animated character using Ascension’s ReActor2 and Alias/Kaydara MOCAP 5.5 software. Ascension will also provide as significant discount to purchasers before September 31st, 2004.
The Ascension software is designed to streamline a current or future 3D character animation production pipeline to produce easy and compelling character animation.
The company reports that recent broadcast production customers using ReActor2 include:
- The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: Currently creating a live daily animated children's TV host "Dot".
- France 5: French TV production group 3Dclic is currently creating a 26-episode animated cartoon series to air early 2005.
Ascension asserts that those two users evaluated competing optical motion capture systems and then chose ReActor2, Ascension's latest OPTICAL mocap system because of it’s accuracy, ease of use and extreme reliability in any live broadcast environment. Further, it doesn't require a full crew to operate.
Anyone interested in this demonstration of the ReActor2 Active Optical Motion Capture Workstation, and how it can streamline the 3D animation production pipeline, are asked to contact:
Gregory Erdmann
Ascension Technology
In USA: 800-321-6596 x 44
802-893-6657 x44
Reactor2demo@Ascension-tech.com
***Epson Extends Its Image Permanence Legacy with New Epson Stylus CX6600 All-in-One Featuring Epson's Exclusive DURABrite Inks
LONG BEACH, Calif.
Sept. 7, 2004
Epson, who introduced its own line of water, smudge and fade-resistant inks, is extending its DURABrite ink legacy with the new Epson Stylus CX6600 all-in-one device. This general purpose all-in-one has one-touch photo restoration and the ability to print images from your digital memory card without using a PC. The Stylus CX6600 can print up to 22 ppm(a), copy up to 16 cpm(a) without a PC, and scan documents and photographs at up to 1200 x 2400 dpi with 48-bit color depth.
The Stylus CX6600 uses Epson DURABrite inks to create natural, vibrant-looking colors that are also water, fade and smudge-resistant. Because DURABrite inks are pigment-based, even plain paper output can be submerged in water without the ink coming off the page, unlike dye-based inks, which typically run and smudge when exposed to liquids.
These inks are designed to give creators of photographs, fliers, menus, signs, postcards and any other printed output the ability to produce documents and images that will withstand damage caused by moisture-based threats (such as rain, spills, humidity or people with wet hands) and will resist fading from exposure to sunlight. Bleed-through is also reduced since DURABrite inks rest on the surface of the paper, which is ideal for business applications that require double-sided printing or even for printing photographs. The Epson Stylus CX6600 can also produce frame-ready, borderless photographs in several popular sizes and has a security lock feature that allows users to enter a personalized identification number to lock out the device's control panel and prevent unauthorized use -- an ideal feature and potential cost saver for high-traffic environments such as busy offices and college dorms.
Epson’s Easy Photo Fix software comes with the Stylus CX6600 and includes a feature that gives users an easy solution for scanning and then restoring color to old photographs with a single mouse click. It delivers fully automated scanning plus two additional scanning modes for users who want more advanced custom control. Furthermore, Epson Smart Panel software enables users to quickly scan photos, text or graphics with extreme detail to the Internet, e-mail or a fax software program.
The device’s card slots can not only be used to transfer data from a memory card to a PC, but also enable PC-free printing of index sheets or high quality photos directly from the media card. Just a few of the supported memory cards include CompactFlash I and II, Sony Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, MemoryStick Duo, Sony MagicGate SD, Smart Media, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, IBM Microdrive and xD-Picture Card.
The Stylus CX6600 includes four separate ink cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to maximize overall ink yield as cartridges are replaced over time. Ink level information is accurately displayed on the computer screen, while self-sealing valves preserve the inks up to six months once removed from the printer. Therefore, partially depleted cartridges can be reinserted for later use.
The Epson Stylus CX6600 works with both Windows and Macintosh platforms and is capable of large-quantity printing when needed. The printer's paper input tray holds up to 100 sheets of plain paper and can print on envelopes. This product also supports a variety of Epson specialty media including Epson DURABrite Ink Glossy Photo Paper, Premium Bright White Paper, Glossy Photo Paper and Matte Paper Heavyweight. For added value, the DURABrite Photo Series includes a 20-sheet sample pack of Epson photo paper in the box along with photo software that provides easy access to Epson's exclusive photo craft and photo sharing Web site.
***FrameForge 3D Storyboard Software Adds Military Expansion Pack
SAN DIEGO, CA
September 9, 2004
Innoventive Software, LLC has announced immediate availability of the Military Expansion Pack for FrameForge 3D Storyboard Software. This optional object library adds 125+ fully articulated objects and actors including a variety of uniformed soldiers, vehicles and weapons of war, tanks and aircraft, ranging from WWII to the present, air and ground bursts, and firepower effects. Also available is the Crime & Justice Expansion Pack, featuring uniformed police officers, vehicles and accessories, including court-, jail- and press-related objects.
FrameForge 3D Studio, the first multi-camera previsualization software for Windows and Macintosh computers, provides an innovative way for directors, filmmakers and other creatives to easily create and manipulate storyboards. Features include the creation of virtual sets and fully articulated actors that allow users to explore and experiment shot planning in ways never before possible.
FrameForge 3D objects work like their real-world counterparts: drawers pull out, paper folds, trees lose leaves, etc. Optional Expansion Packs contain specific thematic objects that enhance previsualization of genre-based projects. The Military Pack objects invite a wide range of customization, options and relationships: missiles attach to airplanes, tank turrets rotate, weapons jump to firing stance and allow optional muzzle flames.
Downloadable demo available at
http://FrameForge3D.com/download.php
***Culver City Launches Free Wireless Internet Access in Downtown District
FALLS CHURCH, Va.
Sept. 7, 2004
Culver City, California has announced the launch of free wireless Internet access in all outdoor areas of Downtown Culver City effective Thursday, September 9. This service is the first municipal broadband wireless Wi-Fi "hotspot" on Los Angeles' Westside. It will offer laptop users the ability to log on to the Internet without the use of phone lines or other traditional wires that bind most Internet use to the office or home.
On an everyday basis, users will be able to handle e-mail correspondence, get the latest weather, stock and sports updates, search the news - everything a person would normally expect from the Internet - but for free, anywhere they choose outdoors in Downtown Culver City.
Downtown's "hotspot" will cover an area of approximately one square mile. The district includes Town Plaza, an outdoor performance and gathering spot, a public park, the Culver Hotel, numerous outdoor cafes and retailers, and a number of offices including Culver Studios and Westwood One.
http://www.wirelesshotspot.com
***ViewSonic Pursues Home Networking Opportunity; Media Network Products Deliver Unmatched Visual Experience on Home Displays
LA JOLLA, Calif.
Sept. 8, 2004
ViewSonic Corp has unveiled a wireless media networking initiative targeted at the burgeoning home networking market, estimated to reach $8.5 billion by 2008. The first products bring consumers a complete solution for sharing digital video, pictures and music across consumer electronics devices.
These product offerings include a wireless media adapter, the WMA100, along with two wireless media gateways, the 80GB WMG80 and the 120GB WMG120, to address growing needs for storing digital content and distributing it to any display throughout the home. Superior wireless video performance is provided through the WMA100's advanced video processing technology, while the WMG80 and WMG120 offer a benchmark combination of wireless routing and network storage functionality--including the ability to simultaneously view different files in multiple locations.
ViewSonic's Media Networks initiative furthers the company's vision of a display-centric world by providing an integrated, seamless solution for transparently moving digital content among displays, devices and platforms--whether in the home or in a business setting. Future product lines will include business-focused networking options for addressing audiovisual requirements in the workplace and in commercial settings. Its entrance into home networking also expands the company's presence in the consumer electronics market, which now spans more than 50 products, including LCD TVs, plasmas, wireless home automation displays, projectors, video processors and computing accessories.
WMA100 Offers Unsurpassed Performance
In keeping with ViewSonic's heritage of display excellence, the WMA100 offers video streaming utilizing the latest scaling, decoding and decompression technology to wirelessly receive and display better-than-DVD-quality video.
When connected to any display via VGA or DVI, the WMA100 automatically detects and scales transmitted video content to the screen's native resolution. DVI, composite-video, component-video, S-Video and VGA video outputs team with analog and coaxial SPDIF audio outputs with Dolby 5.1 pass through to make the WMA100 the most versatile media adapter on the market.
During the initial one-touch autosync set up, the WMA100 will locate and automatically attach to the gateway or allow the user to select from available networks within its range. Once a network is selected, all photos, music and video files that are stored in the user's "My Photos," "My Music" and "My Videos" folders are detected. Folder selections can be managed using the included management software.
Video file formats supported by the WMA100 include MPEG 1, 2 and 4. Audio file support includes MP3, unprotected AAC, WMA and WAV. Photos in JPEG, GIF or PNG formats can be displayed using the WMA100.
WMG80 and WMG120--Gateways for Functionality
ViewSonic's wireless media gateways provide value by functioning as both an 802.11g wireless router and a network attached storage device with print server capabilities. When the WMA100 is combined with either the WMG80 or the WMG120, consumers can store and wirelessly deliver digital content to one or more displays in the home.
By storing content directly on the gateway, users will achieve better video streaming performance by eliminating the multiple distribution stops necessary when using a PC as a server. With the increased available bandwidth, glitch-free simultaneous distribution to two or more displays is possible.
Both models offer two USB ports to support USB printers and external storage devices. The gateways feature a quick and easy set-up wizard and compatibility with Windows 98 SE and beyond.
The products will be available in the fourth quarter through authorized ViewSonic resellers and retailers, including Fry's Electronics, Amazon.com, Hoppins/Onecall.com and other regional outlets. ViewSonic will offer bundles that provide complete home networking solutions.
http://www.viewsonic.com/medianetworks
***MDM Announces ''Directions On The Go''; A Breakthrough Mobile Directions and Mapping Solution for Nokia Series 60 Phones
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.
Sept. 7, 2004
Mobile Digital Media (MDM) has announced the next generation of mobile travel solutions on a plug-and-play MMC card for Series 60 phones.
Directions On The Go is a unique product offering complete on-device navigation, without the need of a PC connection or wireless carrier signal, to millions of Nokia phone owners. With Directions On The Go, users choose major metropolitan areas or cities from a website and load their selection onto the MMC card via the free card reader that ships with the product. Once the MMC card is added to their phone, users can then calculate and display turn-by-turn door-to-door directions right on their Nokia mobile phone.
Nokia Directions On The Go features:
-- Immediate route calculation of door-to-door directions without a PC or wireless connection on Series 60 mobile phones
-- Alternate route calculation should starting point or destination address change
-- Pan, scroll, and zoom between multiple levels of map detail, from street/neighborhood to entire metropolitan area
-- Find locations by address, street name, tap-on-map, nearby point of interest, or fuzzy logic search
-- Thousands of built-in points of interest including gas stations, parking lots, banks, landmarks, etc.
-- GPS support to locate and track your position (compatible GPS receiver & Bluetooth connection required)
-- Free MMC card reader for PC or Mac to swap cities from online website onto MMC card
Nokia Directions On The Go for Series 60 phones is compatible with: Nokia 3600, 3620, 3650, 3660, 6600, 6620, N-Gage and N-Gage QD. It is available now at selected Cingular stores and online with a 6 month subscription of unlimited access to the online catalog of cities. For a nominal subscription fee, after the initial 6 month subscription expires, users are allowed full navigation access to 2 metropolitan areas that they select to keep on the MMC card.
Microsoft Reveals Nine New Ways to Get in Touch With the PC
REDMOND, Wash.
Sept. 8, 2004
Microsoft Corp. has unveiled nine mice and keyboards tailored to today's consumer-computing activities with innovations that set new standards for convenience, comfort, mobility and wireless connectivity. Debuting intuitive and intelligent features -- including the company's first hardware products with fingerprint recognition technology -- these new devices deliver easier and more enjoyable ways to access and share information, whether at home or on the go, revolutionizing how people get in touch with their PC every day.
Microsoft's new mice and keyboards deliver unprecedented advantages in the following areas:
-- Convenience. Users can replace passwords with a fingerprint to quickly and easily log in to favorite Web sites and the PC with the new Optical Desktop with Fingerprint Reader, Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer with Fingerprint Reader, and Microsoft Fingerprint Reader.
-- Mobility. Whether waiting for a flight or working from the deck, the new Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse makes mobile computing a snap with a comfortable design and longer battery life.
-- Comfort. Comfort is key when spending time on the PC and, with the new curved shape of Wireless Optical Desktop, users' hands can type with ease.
-- Ultimate wireless connectivity. Users can experience new ways to share and access information, wirelessly, with the new Microsoft Optical Desktop Elite for Bluetooth(R) and IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth.
Convenience at One's Fingertips
Whether users are shopping online, checking e-mail or tracking frequent flier miles, the Internet delivers countless ways to connect with others and access information; however, it also requires countless passwords. To help reduce password fatigue, Microsoft is introducing three new products that conveniently replace user names and passwords with easy-to-use fingerprint recognition technology. Now, a touch of a finger enables people to quickly and easily log on to the PC, switch between users and access favorite online sites.
The fingerprint reader, designed specifically to be intuitive and reliable, is available in three products: Optical Desktop with Fingerprint Reader, Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer with Fingerprint Reader and the stand- alone Microsoft Fingerprint Reader.
Going Mobile
This year, answering the need for more convenient options for computing on the go, Microsoft is introducing its first wireless optical mouse for notebooks with smart portability features. The Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse includes a small receiver that snaps into the bottom of the mouse when not in use, automatically turning off power to conserve battery life. Working up to three feet away from the receiver, which pivots for the best possible reception, this mouse typically delivers more than three months' battery life on only one battery and smooth tracking on nearly any surface. The compact mouse, available in Slate or Winter Blue, features a symmetrical form with rubber side grips for added comfort.
Curved Comfort and Zoom Control
Microsoft has a 20-year history of taking comfort seriously, with ergonomists on staff and a variety of products designed for comfort, including the first affordable split keyboard in 1994. To also bring flat-keyboard enthusiasts more comfort, Microsoft is debuting Wireless Optical Desktop with a new keyboard design.
Wireless Optical Desktop features a new curved keyboard featuring angled keys that intuitively encourage natural hand and wrist alignment for additional comfort. In fact, Microsoft research found people preferred this new design by a ratio of 3-to-1 over flat keyboards. Also included is Wireless Optical Mouse, a symmetrical mouse that averages more than six months' battery life as well as Microsoft's scroll wheel with Tilt Wheel Technology, which was introduced last year as the first mouse with which users can scroll side to side just by tilting the wheel, as well as up and down.
Both the Wireless Optical Desktop and the new Digital Media Pro Keyboard feature a new Zoom Slider that lets users quickly and easily zoom in and out of images and documents, and is tailor-made for people who view and edit digital photos on the PC.
Ultimate in Wireless Connectivity
Building on its commitment to Bluetooth after introducing the first commercially available Bluetooth desktop in 2002, Microsoft is unveiling two new versions of hardware products featuring additional profile support and longer battery life. Using the USB transceiver included with new Optical Desktop Elite for Bluetooth or IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth, people can wirelessly exchange and sync information between their PC and Bluetooth devices -- including Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, cell phones, printers, mice and keyboards -- from up to 30 feet away. For example, a picture can be taken with a Bluetooth camera phone and transferred to a user's PC with just the touch of a button -- all without wires or cradles. Also, Microsoft is including support for the Personal Area Network User (PANU) profile in Windows XP SP2 to help make future Bluetooth experiences easier, more seamless and more accessible.
The new Bluetooth desktop and mouse also feature advanced scrolling capabilities with Tilt Wheel Technology and longer battery life than previous Microsoft Bluetooth products. As well as ridding desks of cables and clutter, these products add sleek style with a deep blue finish and a padded keyboard palm rest featuring the look and feel of leather.
Everyday Affordable
Continuing to offer innovative design combined with reliable performance, Microsoft also introduces Standard Wireless Optical Mouse, its most affordable wireless optical mouse. Featuring enhanced Microsoft Optical Technology for an average of more than six months of battery life and a unique integrated button design that delivers a new way to click, this mouse is available in either a black or white finish.
The new products will be widely available by the end of September.
***DisplaySearch Expects Notebook PC Market to Rebound in Q3'04 Following 5% Sequential Declines in Q1'04 and Q2'04
AUSTIN, TEXAS
September 8, 2004
DisplaySearch has revealed in its latest Quarterly Notebook PC Shipment and Forecast Report that — despite a sluggish first half of 2004 — sales of notebook PCs in the second half have begun to rebound. They will be up 8% sequentially in Q3'04, from 10.7 million to 11.6 million units, and are expected to be up 11% sequentially in Q4'04. The excess notebook inventory that plagued the channel in the first half has mostly been consumed. Falling panel prices and the back-to-school season are poised to stimulate demand.
Sales of notebook PCs in 1H'04 fell below panel shipments as sluggish sales of desktop replacement systems and decreased panel purchases ahead of the then-rising panel prices contributed to the situation. After a record quarterly volume of 11.3 million notebook PCs were shipped in Q4'03, shipments dropped in each of the following two quarters. Notebook PC sales fell to 10.9 million units in Q1'03 and 10.7 million in Q2'04.
Perhaps the biggest story of the quarter has been the dramatic surge in demand for wide aspect ratio notebook PCs. In the prior three quarters, wide notebook PCs represented 14-16% of all notebook systems sales. In the third quarter, this number is expected to leap to almost 25% of notebook PC sales. Numerous new notebook PC models as well as new wide panel sizes and resolutions have emerged in recent quarters.
Other highlights from the new report show that:
By resolution, WXGA (1280 × 800) notebook module shipments are expected to grow to more nearly 19% of the market, up to 2.2 million units. When shipments of WXGA+ (1280 × 854) panels are factored in, share increases to just over 21% and units to 2.5 million. XGA continues to be the dominant resolution, and is expected to represent a 66% share and 7.7 million units in Q3'04.
Despite the sequential increase in unit volume, recent rapid drops in panel pricing will narrow revenue growth to just $19.3 million, representing less than a 1% increase Q/Q and a 14% Y/Y increase.
After 17 months of price increases, by Average Selling Price (ASP), notebook PC LCD sales peaked at $235 in Q1'04. In the third quarter, ASPs are expected to fall to $208 and then continue to fall as the market over-supply widens. The notebook PC market is expected to grow to 46.2 million units for all of 2004.
The price gap between 14.1" XGA and 15.0" XGA panels has shrunk to just over $5 in Q3'04. This should further the transition from 14.1" to the larger panel. By Q3'05, DisplaySearch expects that 15.0" panels will surpass 5 million units per quarter and that 14.1" panels will be flat at 3.3 million from now through that quarter. Driving the transition to wide notebooks, 15.4" panels are expected to continue to grow in volume every quarter and by Q2'05, supplant 14.1" panels as the second most popular notebook panel size. By Q2'06, 15.4" panels are expected to narrow the gap between 15.0" panels to 100K units per quarter.
At the highest resolutions (UXGA 1600 × 1200, WUXGA 1920 × 1200, and QXGA 2048 × 1536), growth will be driven by the wide form factor. WUXGA is expected to slowly and steadily grow to more than 4.5% share by mid-2006, while UXGA and QXGA will together represent a 2.5% share at that time.
Slate-style Tablet PCs have made some inroads in vertical markets (chiefly manufacturing, healthcare and industrial applications); however, volumes for these products are still quite small. Clamshell-style Tablet PCs that integrate the touch screen into a fully functional notebook PC have had somewhat greater success. However, the cost premium for tablet PCs, which often tops $150 against comparable notebook PCs, has combined with numerous software issues to prevent more widespread adoption. Many of the software issues should be addressed by the late-August release of Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. Combined with the new Tablet OS, falling prices for panels and touch technology should produce a bump in sales in the second half of 2004.
The preliminary release of the report contains chapters on Notebook PC Shipment Results, Notebook PC Module Shipment Results, Notebook PC Demand Forecast, Notebook Display Module Shipment Forecast, and Notebook Display Price Forecast, ASPs, and Revenue. The remaining chapters are in progress and will be completed in the next few weeks.
***CPSC, Lexmark International Inc. Announce Recall of Laser Printers
WASHINGTON
Sept. 7, 2004
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Lexmark, Dell and IBM, has announced voluntary recalls of the following Lexmark laser printers. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Lexmark, Dell and IBM Laser Printers
Units: 39,431
Manufacturer: Lexmark International Inc., of Lexington, Ky.
Hazard: These printers can short-circuit, posing an electrical shock hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibilities of incidents or injury.
Description: The recall includes Lexmark, Dell and IBM brand laser printers. The brand name and model number for the Lexmark and IBM laser printers can be found on the front of the printer. For Dell laser printers, the brand name is on the front of the printer and the model number is inside the front cover. The recall includes the following model numbers:
Lexmark E232, E232t, E330, E332n, E332tn; IBM Infoprint 1412, 1412n; Dell 1700 and 1700n.
Sold at: These Lexmark printers were sold directly through distributors, and at electronic, office supply and computer stores. IBM printers were sold directly through authorized distributors and resellers and via IBM's web site. Dell printers were sold directly through the firm's Web site. These laser printers were sold from May 2004 through August 2004 for about $200.
Manufactured In: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the laser printer, unplug it, and contact their corresponding laser printer company to register their product to receive a free replacement laser printer.
Consumer Contact: CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
***MX Logic Reports 16 Percent of Spammers Adopt Sender Policy Framework ''SPF'' Email Authentication Scheme; MX Logic Also Reports CAN-SPAM Compliance Increased To 2 Percent In August
DENVER, CO
Sept. 8, 2004
MX Logic, Inc., a provider of innovative email defense solutions that ensure email protection and security for businesses, service providers, government organizations, resellers and their customers, has released the results of a preliminary study showing that spammers continue to develop tactics to dodge both legal and industry-backed efforts to curb spam.
In the study, MX Logic found that spammers are trying to make their messages appear more legitimate by adopting an emerging email authentication technology, Sender Policy Framework (SPF), intended to help stop fraudulent email. The company also reported that compliance with the federal anti-spam law, the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, rose to 2 percent in August -- up from an all-time low of 0.54 percent in July.
In its preliminary study, MX Logic found that some spammers have embraced SPF in the hope that their unsolicited email messages will be viewed as more legitimate because the messages have a SPF email authentication record associated with them. In a sample of more than 400,000 unique spam email messages that passed through the MX Logic Threat Center from Aug. 29 through Sept. 3, 16 percent had published SPF records.
SPF helps prevent domain "spoofing" in email and makes it easier to identify fraudulent email scams and "phishing" attacks by authenticating the origin of an email. Email domain owners identify their "legitimate" sending mail servers by publishing an SPF record in the domain name system (DNS). This enables email servers to validate the source of incoming email against the associated SPF record to determine if the email sender's domain is legitimate and not "spoofed."
Email sender domain reputation combined with accreditation would allow for the development of a clearinghouse of information on good email senders, rather than relying on techniques to identify bad email senders. Such a "guilty until proven innocent approach" to email filtering will help minimize the need for arduous email content inspection and create a "first class" category of legitimate email which can flow through email filters without interruption.
MX Logic's findings on spammers using SPF go hand-in-hand with its findings that spammers have consistently evaded legal efforts to fight spam. MX Logic has monitored compliance with the federal anti-spam law, the CAN-SPAM Act, since it went into effect on Jan. 1, 2004. Since then, monthly compliance has ranged from a high of 3 percent from January through April to July's low of 0.54 percent. While CAN-SPAM compliance increased to 2 percent during August, the amount of spam also increased. Of all email traffic through the MX Logic Threat Center during the month, 92 percent was spam -- up from 84 percent in July.
The CAN-SPAM Act requires that unsolicited commercial email senders:
-- Ensure that the "FROM" line clearly reflects the sender's identity
-- Include subject line text consistent with message content
-- Include the advertiser's valid postal address
-- Contain a working opt-out mechanism as a way for the consumer to decline to receive further commercial email from the sender
MX Logic tracks compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act by examining a random sample of 10,000 unsolicited commercial emails each week. Media and analysts interested in receiving monthly CAN-SPAM compliance statistics can subscribe to MX Logic's CAN-SPAM update by sending an email to canspam@mxlogic.com.
Powering MX Logic's email defense solutions is the MX Logic Threat Center, a sophisticated streaming-data environment where MX Logic monitors the global state of email communication 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides MX Logic's customers with real-time updates and protection. Led by email security experts with extensive experience in protecting messaging networks, the Threat Center provides dynamic email defense -- staying ahead of the next attack by continually incorporating information about the latest spammer, virus and worm tactics.
***Wireless Sensors Without Batteries Open Up a World of New Applications
MENLO PARK, Calif.
BOSTON, MA
MUNICH, Germany
Sept. 8, 2004
EnOcean GmbH, a German-based Siemens AG spinoff, has announced that it will introduce its wireless and battery-free sensors at the 2004 Wireless Sensing Solutions Conference, September 21-22 in Rosemont, Illinois. The company develops and commercializes a revolutionary technology that combines energy scavenging systems with ultra low power consumption radio technology.
EnOcean's sensors are unique in combining two advanced technologies. First, they scavenge minute amounts of energy from the environment around them, perhaps from a small temperature change, or the vibration of a movement, or the pressure of someone turning a switch. Then, that energy is used to transmit very short duration, very low energy consumption radio signals containing data collected by the sensor. The result is sensors that do not need batteries and therefore do not need maintenance.
Removing the need for maintenance not only drastically reduces the life-cycle costs of a sensor, it also opens up the possibility of numerous new applications.
The building automation industry has been the first to launch and install EnOcean products. Building systems technology manufacturers such as OSRAM, WAGO, Wieland and Beckhoff have all designed EnOcean technology into their portfolio and numerous buildings are being monitored and controlled by this technology today.
In addition, EnOcean launched joint developments with major automotive suppliers in 2003. Tire pressure monitors will be the first products to market in this industry, with other applications to follow. The market for tire pressure systems is expected to be approximately 20 million systems worldwide in 2006; the market for buildings is about 100 million switches and sensors.
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