 |
The WAVE Report on Digital Media 3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space ---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.--- Issue #0613------------------3/31/06 |
The WAVE Report is Searchable on
http://www.3dlinks.com
http://www.wave-report.com
--------------------------------------
Anaheim Calls on FCC to Reduce Regulations and Increase Competition in Video Franchising
0613.2 Summer Travel
0613.3 Data Security
Think data security isn't a small business problem? Think again.
0613.4 Customer Service
0613.5 Phone Line Decline
In-Stat Reports Broadband Growth Not Enough to Offset Wireline Voice Declines in United States
0613.6 Palm Pilot’s Anniversary
0613.7 Biometrics Warehousing
0613.8 Tax ID Safety
Identity Theft Trend Taxes Security of Americans as Deadline Nears
--------------------------------------
0613.1 Regulating Cable
***Anaheim Calls on FCC to Reduce Regulations and Increase Competition in Video Franchising
ANAHEIM, Calif.
March 29, 2006
Mayor Curt Pringle, on behalf of the City of Anaheim, has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) encouraging federal reforms that increase competition in the cable and video service marketplace and encourage new delivery methods. The FCC is soliciting comments to help the commission implement changes to the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984.
Anaheim has had a franchise agreement with various cable service providers since 1979. In order to increase competition and provide greater options to residents, the City recently reached an agreement with AT&T for the delivery of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) to Anaheim residents. Following are highlights from Mayor Pringle's comments.
Anaheim is supportive of maintaining open market competition in which any franchise fee is eliminated for consumers and a variety of service providers have an opportunity to earn customer support.
Anaheim city leaders believe that government should not determine whether residents receive video content through established cable providers, increasingly competitive satellite television, or new concepts like Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), or future technologies like Wi-Fi delivery of video content.
By eliminating franchise fees and impediments, Anaheim leaders believe there will be equitable competition amongst the variety of video service providers. In this way, and without local government interference, the various systems compete in price, quality and quantity, and consumers decide which service provider they prefer.
In the past, local governments have used money collected by the franchise fee to help pay for basic city services, such as public safety, traffic management, and street and sidewalk preservation. But, in fact, cities have created an unfair tax on cable companies and limited competition in a fast-paced, competitive marketplace. Furthermore, many cities have used these fees to fund essential municipal services unrelated to cable.
Some believe that private companies should be required to give free services for police and fire stations, schools, and libraries in exchange for doing business with and in their city. But Anaheim's leaders don't believe that free services like these justify allowing a single company to have a de facto monopoly on the market.
Pringle invited FCC commissioners to visit Anaheim and see a local community that is able to deliver top-quality video service without a franchise fee, giving its residents real choice in the marketplace.
***Rusty Wallace Teams Up With Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 With GPS Locator to Share His Tips and Tricks of the Road
MOORESVILLE, N.C.
March 29
Rusty Wallace and Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator are teaming up to help families embark on successful and stress-free road trips this spring and summer. While Wallace hung up his racing helmet at the end of the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season, he has hardly put it in park. After driving around in circles for over 20 years, Wallace is now helping travelers explore the open road with a wealth of road trip tips and tricks. From planning ahead with a trip-planning tool like Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator to taking the time to enjoy the interesting stops along the way, Wallace's tips will help ensure that everyone in the car enjoys the ride this travel season.
Road trips account for 80 percent of leisure travel in the United States, resulting in thousands of families hitting the roads to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. While the road trip experience is a rite of passage for many, it can be a stressful experience, especially when you add kids to the mix. However, with a little planning, creativity and preparation, road trips can be a cherished experience for all, and families will have the upper hand with advice from a pro like Wallace.
Your Personal Pit Crew
Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator is the latest version of mapping and travel planning software for the United States and Canada. The new version of the software is a companion for any trip and includes the following:
-- Customizable maps with more than 1.8 million points of interest, from ATMs and gas stations to movie theaters and historic monuments
-- The power and versatility of real-time, Voice-Prompted Directions that will serve as a navigator when travelers need a little help getting to the destination
-- Reroute from Here technology to help travelers easily recalculate the route from a current location
http://www.microsoft.com/streets/rustywallace
***Think data security isn't a small business problem? Think again. Better Business Bureau Launches National Initiative to Help Small Businesses Protect Customer and Employee Data
WASHINGTON
March 27, 2006
The Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and Privacy & American Business (P&AB) today unveiled a new national education initiative geared toward helping small business owners improve their security and privacy readiness in a climate of data exposure risks.
According to the Council of Better Besiness Bureaus, small businesses aren't quite in step with their larger industry counterparts in addressing data security. They often believe they're better protected than they really are, because they don't have in-house experts to advise them on what else they should be doing beyond locking up their storefronts. It's difficult for them to know where and how to access support. This makes us all vulnerable, as small businesses are a strong part of our economy. Business owners of all sizes need to be vigilant in protecting their customers, their employees and themselves.
Entitled Security & Privacy - Made Simpler, the BBB's comprehensive initiative is designed to demystify the complexities of data security and give small businesses a non-technical roadmap to securing their customer data. The national program includes free, easy-to-read security and privacy toolkits, with separate kits focused on customer and employee data protection. The customer data kit is being released now, and the employee kit will be released in the fall. In addition, the program will feature a downloadable 'webinar' featuring key topic experts, plus ongoing updates about new security and privacy developments that affect small businesses. The educational materials are accessible online at: www.bbb.org/securityandprivacy.
The program was developed in partnership with two nationally-recognized privacy and security experts
-- Dr. Alan F. Westin, founder of Privacy & American Business, consulting with Dr. Lance Hoffman, Distinguished Research Professor, George Washington University Department of Engineering and Applied Science. Hoffman also founded GW's Cyberspace Policy Institute, serving as its director for seven years.
As a first step, the toolkits will be distributed through the 116 local Better Business Bureaus (BBB) across the country, reaching a potential audience of 380,000 small businesses and thousands of other small businesses nationwide. To dramatically extend the reach of the toolkits to the small business community, the BBB engaged key corporate sponsors to participate in all levels of the program, and distribute the toolkit to their own small business customers. To date, the program is supported by IBM, Visa U.S.A., Equifax, Verizon Wireless, The Wall Street Journal, eBay and PayPal. Each of these companies has demonstrated their commitment to working with businesses of all size to address the growing problem of data security.
The high profile data breaches at major corporations have largely eclipsed small business vulnerabilities. Yet, a 2005 survey by the Small Business Technology Institute reports that more than half of all small businesses in the U.S. experienced a security breach in the last year. Nearly one-fifth of small businesses do not use virus-scanning software for e-mail, over 60 percent do not protect their wireless networks with encryption, according to the study, and two-thirds of small businesses do not have an information security plan. Small businesses, overall, make reactive purchase decisions in relation to information security, and usually purchase products only after suffering an information security incident.
Making Cumbersome Issues Manageable
The Security & Privacy - Made Simpler initiative has been specifically designed for small business owners. The goal is to make the issue less intimidating, and point them in the right direction.
The information emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive security and privacy plan, and takes both an offline and online security approach by reminding small business owners that simple steps -- like shredding documents, spot-checking employees' backgrounds, and not responding to phishing e-mails -- are just as important as buying new security software.
Included in the information:
-- Illustrations of low-tech and high-tech data theft, from dumpster diving and employee theft to phishing and hacking...and steps for prevention;
-- Checklists for everyday security practices, such as restricting access to sensitive records, keeping emails free of personal information, and training employees on new privacy and security policies;
-- Common sense advice, such as "if you don't absolutely need a piece of customer information, the best policy is, don't collect it," and "if you possess customer data you no longer need, discard it--securely;"
-- Practical guidance on whom to notify in the event of a data breach, from law enforcement to potentially-exposed customers.
About The Council of Better Business Bureaus
The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for 116 Better Business Bureaus (BBB) across the US. Founded in 1912, the BBB is supported today by more than 380,000 business members - ranging in size from local enterprises to multinational corporations. The BBB is dedicated to advancing trust between businesses and consumers, deepening consumer confidence, and contributing to a flourishing marketplace. This is accomplished through a range of programs and mechanisms, designed for the constituencies they serve, and are modified over time to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses.
http://www.bbb.org/securityandprivacy
***New Consumer Study Highlights Need for Companies to Improve Customer Service or Risk Losing Customers; Three Quarters of Respondents Focus on Availability of 24x7 Support When Making Purchase Decisions
PLEASANTON, Calif.
March 27, 2006
Five9, Inc., a provider of on-demand telemarketing, customer service, and call center solutions for customer interaction management, has announced results from its annual Call Center Customer Care Benchmarking Study. The survey, based on respondents from throughout North America, sounds an alarm for companies that don't make good customer service a priority, and highlights the fact that companies would be well-served by offering 24x7 support along with shorter wait times, fewer transfers and faster call resolution.
Companies could increase customer loyalty and repeat business by ensuring that their call centers are able to offer customers the best possible care. Consumers are becoming savvier and will no longer tolerate sub-optimal service such as being put on hold for long periods of time or being transferred among personnel. In fact, customers are speaking with their pocketbooks and will not continue to purchase products from companies unable to meet their service requirements. With new technology available today to help call centers create 'virtual teams,' companies have more flexibility and can easily offer longer support hours, hire more knowledgeable customer representatives, and ensure that customers are helped quickly, efficiently and correctly the first time.
Key findings of the survey include:
-- Seventy-six (76%) reported 24x7 support to be important (52%) or extremely important (24%) to their purchasing decisions.
-- The overwhelming majority of respondents (96%) state that a positive/good experience with a call center agent would increase their sense of brand loyalty.
-- Most respondents (70%) have changed products/services or not made a purchase due to a bad experience with a call center agent.
-- The largest percentage of respondents, 31%, report being dissatisfied with their experiences with call centers, while 26% feel neutral about the experience, and 26% are satisfied. Two percent (2%) report being extremely satisfied, and 8% have left the experience being extremely dissatisfied.
-- Half (50%) of respondents reported being most dissatisfied with call center agents/service in general when the agent was not well-informed on the product/service or could not quickly resolve the issue; 35% reported being most dissatisfied when the hold time was too long; and, one-quarter (25%) found it most dissatisfying when they were required to provide a large amount of personal information prior to being helped.
-- Ninety-one percent (91%) of respondents reported being locked in a self-service menu unable to request to speak with a live agent.
According to Five9, it's not news that customers are the most important part of any organization, but what is surprising is the number of customers who base their vendor choices and purchase decisions on the customer service experience and, in particular, 24x7 availability. With on-demand solutions allowing call centers to use at-home agents, offshoring, and distributed call center models, and add agent seats on-demand, there's no excuse for a company to have limited customer service. Those companies and outsourcers offering 24x7 service should promote this as much as possible because it's an important part of the overall customer experience and relationship.
***In-Stat Reports Broadband Growth Not Enough to Offset Wireline Voice Declines in United States
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
March 27, 2006
While growth in broadband wireline revenues remains robust in the United States, it is not enough to overcome steady losses in consumer wireline voice revenues, reports In-Stat. As a result wireline service revenues in the United States will decline by 3.3% annually, on average, from 2004 to 2009, the high-tech market research firm says.
In-Stat observes that voice services, which have experienced persistent pressure from wireless alternatives, are increasingly being challenged by VoIP solutions. Long distance revenues are increasingly becoming irrelevant as 'any distance' calling plans for wireline and wireless services take hold.
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
-- Traditional data services, including Frame Relay, Private Line and ATM, are experiencing negative revenue trends as businesses increasingly seek lower-cost Internet solutions.
-- DSL and cable modem growth is strong, but bundling strategies are pressuring revenue margins.
-- Business voice services are also experiencing revenue declines, but significantly less than those of consumers.
The research, "Wireline Remains in Decline: US Wireline Services 2005" (#IN0502211TX), covers the U.S. wireline voice and data market. It includes subscriber and revenue forecasts for business and consumer wireline voice and data services through 2009. Analysis of wireline service trends, carrier strategies, and the impact of wireless services is also provided.
http://www.instat.com/catalog/Pcatalogue.asp?id=37
0613.6 Palm Pilot’s Anniversary
***Palm Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary of the Pilot, the Mobile Computer That Changed the Way People Work and Live
SUNNYVALE, Calif.
March 27, 2006
Ten years ago, Palm, Inc. captured the imagination of road warriors everywhere with the first Pilot connected organizer, a mighty 5.7-ounce combination of calendar, contacts, to-do lists and notes. Today, having shipped more than 34 million mobile-computing products, the company continues to improve the lives of people and businesses the world over, staying true to one guiding vision: The future of personal computing is mobile computing.
The original Pilot organizer, which sold for $299, owed its success largely to two breakthrough features: Its ability to synchronize easily with a computer and its unprecedented ease of use -- something often called the Palm experience. As time went on, Palm stayed true to its design philosophy while continuing to innovate, adding numerous new functions such as email and wireless and multimedia capabilities, from images to music. Today's top-of-the-line product is the Treo smartphone, which combines the best of a handheld computer with a great phone and email experience on some of the world's largest carrier networks.
Over the past decade, Palm products have collected data in space, survived a Mount Everest climb, closed million-dollar deals, entertained young and old, and won the hearts of customers around the globe. From doctors and real estate agents to students, celebrities and CEOs, people have grown to rely on Palm products in work and play.
Multimedia components -- including audio, photos, and a Palm timeline -- are available at www.palm.com/anniversary. The audio component includes reflections from Palm's founders, industry analysts, and long-time Palm employees.
"The first Pilot organizer was such a runaway success, even we were a bit surprised," said Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer. "But in one of my first conversations with Jeff Hawkins he convinced me that the future of personal computing -- REAL personal computing -- was going to be in these highly mobile devices. That's why he designed the Pilot. And that vision still holds today. The Pilot and its many Palm successors have become an extension of millions of people's lives -- keeping them connected to their work and home, letting them do email and browse the web on the go, allowing them to keep all their favorite files, music, photos and videos with them. I'm enormously proud of what we've accomplished, and I'm even more excited about what's yet to come."
Loyal Customers and Developers
Palm has many important constituencies to thank for its success, including:
-- Customers, who have bought more than 34 million Palm devices over the years, including 3 million smartphones. Among these are individual consumers who stay organized and in touch with important information. For many of them, the Palm V handheld -- with sleek style as well as productivity capabilities -- was the first Palm product to charm gadget fans and trendsetters, marking a tipping point for mainstream market adoption. Other customers hail from business and service settings, such as doctors who use decision-support software to improve patient care at the point of care, at the patient's side.
-- Developers, who support Palm products with innovative consumer and enterprise software applications that today number more than 29,000 for the Palm OS platform alone, plus hardware peripherals such as keyboards, GPS devices and barcode readers. When Palm expanded its platform choices for smartphones to include the Windows Mobile platform, its developer community grew again.
-- Retail partners, distributors and resellers, who have sold Palm handheld computers and Treo smartphones the world over. Palm still works with many of the original retailers it began working with in 1996, including Circuit City, CompUSA, J&R, Fry's and Staples. Palm also has a 10-year history with distributors Ingram and Tech Data, as well as resellers, such as CDW, PC Connection and PC Mall.
-- Carrier partners, representing the largest mobile operators and distributors around the world.
-- Employees, who have worked passionately to deliver on the company's vision that the future of personal computing is mobile computing.
All of these constituencies have inspired the company and helped it determine its product roadmap.
Today, while Palm continues to offer a wide range of mobile-computing products, from simple and inviting $99 organizers to powerful mobile computers with wireless capabilities, it is focusing its investment in smartphones. These powerful phones let customers check email, access personal information such as contacts and calendar, listen to music and take and share photos, plus, with additional software, watch live television, listen to podcasts or post to personal blogs.
Palm also has attracted a growing number of enterprise users. More than 8,000 organizations have standardized on the Treo smartphone using GoodLink from Good Technology for email. Currently, 40 percent of the Fortune 1000 companies use Treo smartphones, and an additional 35 percent are in testing or trials. Frost & Sullivan recently found that mobile professionals are choosing Treo smartphones over competitive offerings for its abundant business-ready applications, high degree of flexibility, choice of operating systems, and power and convenience.
Palm Factoids
-- Palm's early leaders remain involved in the company's success. Jeff Hawkins helps guide Palm's product roadmap. Donna Dubinsky is a board member. Colligan, now president and chief executive officer, was employee No. 20.
-- Palm sold 1 million Pilot organizers in the product's first 18 months -- an adoption rate faster than the IBM PC, Macintosh and even the microwave oven.
-- The original Pilot was the first mobile device that worked as a companion to a PC, so customers could synchronize their information and take it with them.
-- The first Pilot was built on a processor similar to those used by standard traffic lights and was powered by two AAA batteries (which lasted three months).
-- Palm products have touched people's lives, appearing in Broadway shows, major Hollywood movies, reality TV, New Yorker cartoons, and on the red carpet.
-- Palm broke new ground, creating many industry product firsts -- including the industry's first integrated wireless handheld to provide email and Internet access, and the first color handheld under $99.
***US Biometrics Corporation Announces the Release of CentralQ - An Answer For the Market's Need For a Centralized Biometric Repository
NAPERVILLE, Ill.
March 27, 2006
US Biometrics Corporation has announced the release of CentralQ - a centralized repository for biometric profiles in a corporate environment. CentralQ software is a server based system that allows for large numbers of fingerprint profiles to be stored and individually assigned to resources. These resources can be physical entryways (doors), networks, domain controllers, computers, and software applications. Multiple products, including many of those being developed in the US Biometric partner community, are modules which plug into the CentralQ system. CentralQ is the hub for assigning access rights and authority levels, deleting and adding resources, and generating the audit reports required in many industries.
According to US Biometrics Corporation, this product is the key to any corporation or institution because a CentralQ deployment puts into place the infrastructure for the future. What does this mean monetarily?
-- The information technology (IT) group saves sizable amounts of money on an ongoing basis because they only have to MAINTAIN A SINGLE BIOMETRIC PROFILE REPOSITORY. They don't have to learn a new system or maintain a new database every time the need for a new biometric solution arises.
-- Since CentralQ is a biometric profile infrastructure, the deployment and learning curve of future biometric solutions is efficient and cost effective.
-- Regardless of how many biometric solutions from US Biometrics that an institution implements, the customers or employees that enroll into the system ONLY HAVE TO ENROLL ONCE.
Examples of US Biometrics' products that work within the CentralQ system include:
-- AccessQ - biometric door access and control. Who is really coming through that door?
-- PassQ - biometric password management for computers and networks. Is the person that is logging on really who they say they are? How many passwords do you have to remember?
-- MemberQ - Easily add biometrics to most existing software applications that utilize credentials. Make logging into multiple applications and databases convenient and controllable.
***Identity Theft Trend Taxes Security of Americans as Deadline Nears
OAK BROOK, Ill.
March 28
Before signing the dotted line on your federal and state income taxes this year and dropping them in the mail, tax payers should be on high alert. Frank Abagnale, document expert and subject of the blockbuster movie "Catch Me If You Can," and uni- ball 207 are warning taxpayers nationwide that they should be precautious when preparing and sending their personal information to Uncle Sam.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft is the fastest growing nonviolent crime in the United States with an alarming 255,565 complaints logged in 2005 alone.
Tax documents expose some of the most personal information to thieves, including information such as social security numbers, financial accounts and current employer information. All information should be closely guarded.
Abagnale suggests these simple tips to help keep personal information safe during tax time:
Make The Check. When writing a check to the IRS, make the check payable to the Internal Revenue Service. If an individual simply writes the check out to "IRS," thieves can easily alter the "I" to an "M" and make the check payable to themselves as "MRS" anyone.
Choose Experts Wisely. If you chose to have someone help you with your taxes, do some background research before committing to your tax professional. Seek information from organizations such as the Better Business Bureau.
For The IRS' Eyes Only. When mailing your taxes, make sure that your personal documents and enclosed check (if applicable) are not visible from the outside. Don't make it easy for others to see what is inside the envelope. Try wrapping your document and check in a sheet of paper to make it less visible.
Secured Boxes Are Best. Always put your outgoing tax mail in a secured mailbox, preferably at a local post office location. If mailing from home, never use the "mailbox flag." This only alerts "street cruisers" that there may be an outgoing check in the mail. Also avoid putting your mail out at night, when you know a pick up is not until the next day.
Shred It. After that April 15 deadline, make sure to use a criss-cross paper shredder when disposing old, personal documents. The papers that may not seem important to you, could be a treasure to a thief.
Write Wisely. Something as simple as using a certain kind of pen can help protect you from jeopardizing your identity. Remember to always use a black uni-ball 207 gel pen when writing important documents, including the checks you write to Uncle Sam.
The Pen Can Be Mightier
Abagnale emphasizes that commonsense and the most simple precautions are the best.
Check washing, a common form of identity theft particularly popular during tax season, is a process where checks are stolen from the mail or by other means and the ink is erased, using common household products. The thief can then rewrite the check payable to himself or herself, in the amount of their choosing.
Many uni-ball pens, such as the uni-ball 207 gel pen, use specially formulated inks that contain color pigments. The color pigments in the ink are absorbed into the paper fibers. When an individual tries to wash the information written on the check or another important document, the ink is in effect "trapped."
--------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 4th WAVE, Inc.
To subscribe to WAVE go to
To unsubscribe also use the Wave Report Home page or send the preformatted UNSUBSCRIBE message:
Previous issues of WAVE, as well as other info can be found at
http://www.wave-report.com
http://www.3dlinks.com
Comments on or questions about the WAVE may be sent to:
or the below individuals below:
John N. Latta - Editor-In-Chief
Michael Robertson - Web Editor
The WAVE Report may be redistributed in full for individual readership and posted to newsgroups, Web, and FTP sites. This publication may not be reprinted or redistributed for profit. Short quotes are permitted but must be attributed to the WAVE Report. 4th Wave retains the copyright to the WAVE Report.