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The WAVE Report on Digital Media 3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space ---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.--- Issue #0617------------------4/28/06 |
The WAVE Report is Searchable on
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IPA SBRB Study: Small Business Confidence Declines from Start of the Year; IPA SBCI declines 10%
0617.2 Biometrics Acceptance
Consumers Worldwide Overwhelmingly Support Biometrics for Identity Verification
0617.3 Cyber Ethics
Young People Judge Stealing And Cheating In School More Harshly Than Downloading
0617.4 Universal USB
According to In-Stat USB-Enabled Product Shipments Will Double by 2010
0617.5 Payphones Emerge in Blooming Markets
Return of the Payphone: Ultra Low Cost Handsets Getting Down to Business, says ABI Research
0617.6 Operating Systems
0617.7 Laptop Accessories
The First Laptop Computer Stand Designed Specifically for Business Travelers and Use on Airplanes
0617.8 Opera Browser Beta
Widgets, BitTorrent, content blocking: Introducing Opera 9 Beta
0617.9 3D Modeling Software
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0617.1 Small Business Outlook
***IPA SBRB Study: Small Business Confidence Declines from Start of the Year; IPA SBCI declines 10%
BUFFALO GROVE, Ill.
April 25, 2006
Small businesses in the United States are less confident than at the beginning of the year, which had already declined from the beginning of 2005, according to a new study from the International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board (IPA SBRB). The businesses surveyed still reflect confidence in providing increased compensation to employees and the outlook for hiring.
The IPA Small Business Confidence Index (IPA SBCI), which measures expectations about revenue growth, the general economy and hiring looking forward 12 months, which now stands at 47.3, declined nearly 10% from 52 at the beginning of the year. By comparison the IPA SBCI stood at 55 at the beginning of 2005.
Small businesses are providing increased compensation to employees. For 2006, nearly 70% of the businesses surveyed said they are providing raises with 36% providing raises of 5% or more and 33% providing raises of less than 5%.
At the beginning of the year, 67% of those businesses surveyed said they thought revenue would increase for the entire year. In the current survey, 59% still feel their revenues will improve during the next 12 months.
Confidence regarding hiring for the next 12 months is only slightly changed with 39% saying they will increase hiring in the current survey compared with 40% at the beginning of the year.
Confidence in the general economy for the coming twelve months is wavering with 44% of small business owners and managers saying that the general economy will be better, compared to 49% at the beginning of the year. At the beginning of 2005, 53% of those in the IPA SBRB study said the economy would be better over the next year.
However, 27% of those in the current survey say the economy will be worse during the next 12 months. This compares with 18% at the beginning of the year.
The owners and managers were asked about the single most important factor impacting their businesses. The responses in the current survey are:
Cost of Materials 18%
Healthcare costs 14%
Finding quality employees 13%
Taxes 12%
Economic conditions 11%
Energy/fuel costs 9%
Interest Rates 6%
Government regulation 4%
Foreign competition 3%
Ability to obtain capital 3%
Other 6%
(Please note that the IPA SBRB will issue its first survey of the construction/contractor industries in the next week.)
The International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board ascertains and reports the opinions of small business owners and managers on a wide variety of topics related to their own businesses as well as national and international issues that may impact their operations.
Participants in the poll provide feedback on significant issues and allow for real-time insight into the state of small businesses nationwide. The universe of participants is developed from among small businesses across the United States. Nearly 500 small business owners and senior managers participated in this IPA SBRB poll. The IPA SBRB study is a voluntary survey conducted via phone and email. The poll was structured and supervised through an independent resource.
The latest information about the IPA Small Business Research Board can be found at
***Consumers Worldwide Overwhelmingly Support Biometrics for Identity Verification, Says Unisys Study; More Than Two-Thirds Also Favor Biometrics as Preferred Method to Combat Fraud and ID Theft
BLUE BELL, Pa.
April 26, 2006
Nearly 70 percent of consumers worldwide support using biometrics technologies such as fingerprints or voice recognition administered by a trusted organization (e.g., a bank, healthcare provider or government organization) as a way to verify an individual's identity, according to new global research from Unisys Corporation.
In the first worldwide survey of its kind to study consumer security preferences, the Unisys research also found that 66 percent of consumers worldwide also favored biometrics as the ideal method to combat fraud and identity theft as compared to other methods such as smart cards and tokens. This finding shows a slight increase from separate research that Unisys conducted in September 2005, which found 61 percent of consumers worldwide favored biometrics as the preferred method to fight fraud and identity theft.
The Ponemon Institute, a leading independent firm that specializes in privacy and security research, conducted the survey on behalf of Unisys. Additional interesting findings on biometrics include:
* Convenience was the top reason for biometrics support with 82 percent citing the benefit of not having to remember separate passwords or other login data. More than three quarters of consumers cited improving the speed of the identity verification process as their primary reason for using biometrics.
* Consumers from North America support biometrics for identity verification more than any other region (71 percent), followed by Europe (69 percent) and Asia Pacific (68 percent). In contrast, Latin Americans were the least supportive (58 percent).
* Voice recognition is the most favored authentication method, cited by 32 percent of respondents, followed by fingerprints (27 percent), facial scan (20 percent), hand geometry (12 percent) and iris scans (10 percent), perhaps reflecting more consumer awareness of and experience with voice and fingerprint biometrics.
* North Americans are significantly less supportive of facial scans compared to other regions, with only 10 percent citing it as the preferred method, compared to 27 percent consumers in Europe, 23 percent in Asia Pacific and 20 percent in Latin America.
* Of those respondents who did not favor biometrics for identity verification, almost three quarters (74 percent) were suspicious of the technology, followed by 62 percent who cited they prefer to give non-biometric identification methods.
Unisys has opened a new biometrics Centre of Excellence in Brussels, which joins its other location in Reston, Virginia. The centres showcase real-life scenarios of biometrics technologies in such solutions as e-passports and other travel and customs applications, as well as identity verification in healthcare records, financial data, law enforcement and other situations.
The Unisys research is part of a broader analysis of identity authentication that Unisys will spearhead at the upcoming 15th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2006). Unisys also will present policy proposals to WCIT delegates on the need for standards around procedures and practices in global identity authentication.
The Congress is expected to draw 2,000 business, government and academic leaders from 80 countries. WCIT 2006's goal is to explore pertinent issues in security and privacy, digital access and healthcare, and to make specific, actionable policy recommendations to the global IT community. A biennial global event, the 15th Congress will take place in Austin, Texas, May 1-5, 2006.
About the research and the Ponemon Institute
The Unisys research consisted primarily of a Web-based survey of randomly chosen consumers in 14 countries: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and United States. The Ponemon Institute sent invitations to 16,683 adult-aged individuals throughout the world, via e-mail or letter, from which it received 1,661 usable responses, resulting in an overall 9.96 percent response rate. Of these respondents, 464 are North Americans, 427 are Europeans, 450 reside in Asia-Pacific, and 320 are Latin Americans. The Ponemon Institute also conducted an additional 262 direct interviews (either in-person or via telephone) in four countries to validate the Web-based survey findings.
The Ponemon Institute is a "think tank" dedicated to advancing responsible information practices in businesses and government. To achieve this objective, Ponemon Institute conducts independent research on privacy and information security, educates leaders from the private and public sectors, and verifies the privacy and data protection practices of organizations.
***Young People Judge Stealing And Cheating In School More Harshly Than Downloading; Youth's Ethics About Right and Wrong Waver in Cyberspace
WASHINGTON
April 25, 2006
According to a new study released by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), youth ages 8 to 18 make judgments about ethical situations in cyberspace differently than they do about those in their physical surroundings. While a large majority of kids are sure about what's right and wrong in real world interactions, digital dilemmas are not as clear-cut to them.
The study prepared for BSA by Harris Interactive shows that of the 1,644 youth surveyed, 92 percent said taking something from a store without paying for it is "always wrong" and 85 percent consider copying someone else's answers on a test as "always wrong." Yet just 56 percent say it is "always wrong" to download software without paying for it, and 60 percent report the same for downloading music or movies from the Internet without paying for them.
According to BSA, the discrepancy among youth in their decision-making between the real world from the online world indicates an unrealistic view of the consequences of cyberspace. It underscores how important it is for parents and teachers to educate the new generation of cybercitizens about good ethical conduct and the proper use of resources in the digital world.
Other findings of the 2006 study show that adults' and kids' behavior track one another, indicating that parents have more of an influence on their children's behavior in cyberspace than they may realize:
-- 18% of adults and 14% of kids report downloading software without paying for it.
-- 25% of adults and 32% of kids report downloading music in the same manner.
-- 15% of adults and 25% of kids report downloading games, and 5% of adults and 10% of kids report downloading movies.
For the BSA-Harris survey fact sheet, please visit
http://www.bsa.org/usa/research/upload/Youth-Downloading-Fact-Sheet.pdf
BSA Offers Free Resources
BSA provides a myriad of resources to help parents, teachers and guardians talk with young people about ethical and legal computer behavior. BSA recently launched a new Web site, www.CyberTreehouse.com, designed exclusively for young people to learn about appropriate computer usage in an interactive, informative way.
At www.playitcybersafe.com, there is a selection of engaging, age-appropriate activities for children in grades three to eight a that make it fun and easy to learn more about intellectual property, copyright and being good cyber ethics citizens. BSA's first cyber ethics curriculum, "Play It Safe in Cyberspace," and the comic book curriculum, "Copyright Crusader to the Rescue," along with teacher's guides, are available for free download at the site. Both were developed with children's publisher Weekly Reader.
http://www.playitcybersafe.com
Survey Methodology: Harris Interactive conducted this online survey in the United States on behalf of the Business Software Alliance. The findings are based on a survey of 1,644 youths 8-18 years old conducted February 15-20, 2006 and a survey of 2,036 adults 21 years of age and older completed February 14-16, 2006. Both studies were conducted online using the Harris Poll Online Panel.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 2.4 percentage points. This online sample is not a probability sample.
***According to In-Stat USB-Enabled Product Shipments Will Double by 2010
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
April 24, 2006
USB-enabled electronics device annual shipments will double from 1.4 billion in 2005 to 2.8 billion in 2010, reports In-Stat. Included in this forecast are products in the PC, PC peripheral, Consumer Electronics (CE) and Communications segments, with several USB types serving applications in these segments, including low-, full-, and high-speed USB, as well as the newest entrant, Wireless USB (WUSB).
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
-- Currently, the primary issue for many peripherals is the transition from full-speed to high-speed USB.
-- WUSB will debut in the PC market in 2006 via hub and dongle solutions that will connect to PCs, and will be marketed by companies such as Belkin and Gefen.
-- The CE segment saw significantly increased penetration of USB in 2005 in digital televisions, set top boxes and DVD recorders.
The research, "USB 2006: Here Comes Wireless" (#IN0602962MI), covers the worldwide market for USB-enabled electronics products. It covers applications for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) in four mass-market segments: PCs, PC peripherals, consumer electronics and communications. It does not cover USB in more specialized commercial applications, such as measurement, control, or point-of-sale systems. It includes forecasts of average selling prices of controllers and USB market penetration by product type through 2010.
http://www.instat.com/catalog/Ccatalogue.asp?id=161
0617.5 Payphones Emerge in Blooming Markets
***Return of the Payphone: Ultra Low Cost Handsets Getting Down to Business, says ABI Research
OYSTER BAY, N.Y.
April 24, 2006
The GSM Association recently announced that its Emerging Markets Handset program is exceeding expectations: mobile operators in Bangladesh, China, India, and Russia have already purchased 12 million of its Ultra Low Cost Handsets (ULCH).
But will the initiative reach the rest of the three billion unconnected peoples in emerging markets? Under current cost models that is unlikely. The problem is that even at $30 the ULCH's price is too high for at least a billion of this population. The annual gross per capita income in sub-Saharan Africa is just US$371. It is unrealistic to expect people there to spend 10% of their annual income on a mobile phone. So semiconductor vendors, such as Texas Instruments, Freescale, Philips, and Infineon are continuing to reduce the Bill-of-Materials for ULCH even further, heading towards $20 and $15 in the next few years.
But will ULCH markets stall before a low enough price is reached? According to ABI Research, they doesn't think so. There may trends similar to those for the conventional handset in the developed world. In the early years, it was purchased primarily to transact business; it was only when prices had dropped that handsets penetrated the mass market.
Something similar is starting to happen in the developing world. In South Africa, software vendor Sharedphone enables the use of the ULCH as a mobile payphone. Local entrepreneurs buy this phone and sell airtime at the roadside. For such a "service provider," the $30 price is not prohibitive; it is far cheaper than setting up a conventional payphone.
Because per-minute call charges are high, most calls are short and businesslike: Where can I get the best price? Is my order ready? Meet me tomorrow. The "mobile payphone" is facilitating commerce even in regions otherwise lacking in high technology.
What does this mean to handset vendors such as Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson, Samsung, and LG Electronics? ABI believes that they have to think about how they can further enable varied uses such as the 'mobile payphone.' They could add value, for example, with software to manage the whole transaction: making the call, presenting the consumer with a summary of call-times and charges, and keeping track of repeat customers in order to offer discounts.
ABI Research's study, "Ultra Low Cost Cellular Handsets for Emerging World Markets" discusses these issues in detail, examining market drivers, business models, technology trends, forecasts and more. It forms part of the firm's Mobile Devices Research Service and Wireless Semiconductors Research Service.
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in automotive, wireless, semiconductors, broadband, and energy.
***X-Win32 First PC X Server to Support Apple's Mac Boot Camp
Sunnyvale, Calif.
April 26, 2006
StarNet Communications, a publisher of Windows-to-UNIX/Linux connectivity software, announced that X-Win32 has become the first PC X server to support Apple Computer's "Boot Camp" program. Boot Camp allows Macintosh users to install the Microsoft's Windows XP operating system as well as Windows-based applications on a separate partition on a new generation of Macintosh computers built around Intel dual core microprocessors.
X-Win32 easily installs and runs flawlessly on iMac and other Intel-based Macintosh computers. X-Win32 enables users to connect to powerful engineering, database and networking applications running on remote Unix and Linux servers.
StarNet also confirms other industry reports that Windows applications run faster on Intel-based Macintosh computers than on traditional Windows hardware. Tests of several OpenGL-based X Windows applications, running on a remote Red Hat Linux server, show frame rate improvements of up to four times on a 2GHz dual-core Pentium iMac compared to a Windows PC running under control of a 2GHz Pentium processor.
Boot Camp is a publicly distributed beta version of a new feature developed for "Leopard," the next version of Apple's Mac OS X.
Apple's latest Tiger version of Mac OS X also includes an X11 X Windows utility. But it lacks a session configuration tool that would give users the ability to set up sessions to a remote host. StarNet explained that the Mac's X Windows utility was designed primarily to run X11-based applications locally on the Mac, not for displaying remote X desktops or running powerful engineering applications from a remote mainframe. X-Win32 adds the ability to enjoy all of the benefits of a best-of-breed PC X server on a Macintosh computer.
***The First Laptop Computer Stand Designed Specifically for Business Travelers and Use on Airplanes
Austin, TX
April 18, 2006
With the prospect of in-flight internet and 92% of all business travelers carrying laptops on flights, passengers need more comfort, safety and ergonomics when they use their laptops on commercial airliners. The new AVIATOR Laptop Stand from Keynamics LLC is the first and only stand specifically designed for business travelers.
To provide comfort for laptop users aboard commercial aircraft, careful consideration was given to not only the position of the laptop for optimal user comfort, but also to accommodate the reclined seat in front. The AVIATOR is designed to be sturdy and extremely stable to handle turbulence and bumping from other passengers.
The AVIATOR Laptop Stand safely extends the laptop keyboard 2.5 inches over the front edge of the tray and raises the screen by 3 inches. The keyboard is positioned at a comfortable angle for typing and the screen is placed at the proper eye level for reduced neck bending and back strain.
The stand eliminates the "hunch" and allows the passenger to rest their back against the seat for spinal support, achieving neutral postures as OSHA recommends. The AVIATOR doubles as a portable desktop stand for use at the hotel, coffee shop or office.
Compact in design and weighing only 9 ounces, the AVIATOR stores flat in the side pocket of a briefcase.
Widgets, BitTorrent, content blocking: Introducing Opera 9 Beta
Oslo, Norway
April 20, 2006
Opera Software today announced the first public Beta of Opera 9. This version includes Widgets, small Web programs running in their own windows that are fun, easy-to-use and live on users' desktops. The Opera 9 Beta also features support for BitTorrent, a popular file downloading technology, in addition to an easy-to-use content blocker and thumbnail previews of tabbed sites.
And yes, Opera remains available free of charge.
New features in Opera 9 include:
- Widgets - Small Web applications (multimedia, newsfeeds, games and more) that make your desktop experience more fun. Any Web developer can create their own Widgets and share them, regardless of operating system. Try the Widgets in Opera 9 by pressing F6. Look for further Development of Opera Widgets in future releases.
- BitTorrent - Instead of having to use a separate BitTorrent application for downloading large files, users can now simply click a torrent file and start the download
- Content blocker - Choose the content you want to view. Remove ads or images - it is up to you. Right-click on the Web page and choose "Block content"
- Improved rich text editing - Take advantage of rich text Editing capabilities when using the latest Web mail or blogging services
- Customize your search engines - Use your favorite search engine in the search box. Right-click on the site's search field and select "Create search" from the menu
- Thumbnail preview - It's easy to have many tabs open at once in Opera. But exactly which tab had that video you wanted? Hover any tab to see a thumbnail preview
- Site-specific preferences - Do you need to view a site in a different way or deny certain cookies? Want to block pop-ups on certain sites only? Site specific preferences hold the key
For a complete list of features, view the changelog at
http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/windows/900b1/
Learn more about Widgets:
http://my.opera.com/community/customize/widgets/?show=rec
Start creating your own Widgets:
http://my.opera.com/community/dev/widgets/doc/
Availability
Opera 9 Beta is available for download at
***Caligari Announces trueSpace7.1 plus V-Ray 1.0
Mountain View, CA
April 19th, 2006
Caligari Corporation, a producer of 3D modeling and animation software has announced the release of an updated version of the trueSpace authoring client, trueSpace7.1, as well as the availability of V-Ray TM 1.0. Together, the two products provide artists in a range of industries with a powerful combination for high-end graphics and rendering.
To kick off the introduction of this powerful new combination, Caligari is also announcing a time-limited offer on the product combination called the Ultimate Rendering Bundle promotion. Until April 28th 2006, trueSpace7.1 and V-Ray can be purchased together for just $695.00, compared to the regular price of $895.
trueSpace7.1 introduces improved selection, modeling and texturing tools as well as better support for the robust creation of collaborative online content. V-Ray 1.0 for trueSpace7, a production quality photorealistic renderer from Chaos Group, provides artists with fast and powerful global illumination and ray tracing, as well as support for subsurface scattering, HDRI, fresnel shader, glossy shader, soft shadows and other new features. V-Ray renderer is recognized in the industry as one of the fastest production tools for highest quality film and video production and it will be a welcome addition to the arsenal of tools available to trueSpace7 users.
For more information on the trueSpace7.1, V-Ray or the promotion, visit
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