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The WAVE Report on Digital Media 3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space ---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.--- Issue #0620------------------5/19/06 |
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http://www.3dlinks.com
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0620.2 Satellite Broadband
Telenor Satellite Services Wins Initial Approval to Launch BGAN Service in the United States
0620.3 Mobile Web Initiative
0620.4 Online Entertainment
AccuStream Research: Internet Music Radio in 4th Consecutive Year of Expansion
0620.5 RFID Growth
Alien, TI, and IBM Narrowly Lead Rankings in New RFID Update Research
0620.6 Microprocessor Advances
AMD Delivers Multi-Tasking Performance On-the-Go with First 64-Bit Dual-Core Mobile Processor
0620.7 Graphics Marketing
0620.8 Virtual Reality
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0620.1 Wireless Working Group
***ISA-SP100 Committee Announces Formation of Working Groups
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.
May 18, 2006
At its recent committee meeting, ISA's Wireless Systems for Automation standards committee (ISA-SP100) agreed to form two new standards working groups, SP100.14 and SP100.11.
The SP100.14 working group will define wireless connectivity standards optimized for the unique performance and cost needs of a wide range of industrial monitoring, logging and alerting applications. The SP100.11 work group will define wireless connectivity standards addressing a wide range of applications optimized but not restricted to the unique performance needs of control applications ranging from closed loop regulatory control through open loop manual control. Both work groups will coordinate their activities to enable SP100 to provide a complete and integrated set of standards for industrial wireless applications.
The ISA-SP100 committee is a collaboration of end users and technology suppliers working to establish standards, recommended practices, technical reports, and related information that will define procedures for implementing wireless systems in the automation and control environment with a focus on the field level.
The ISA-SP100 standard must cost-effectively address the wide ranging wireless needs in the industrial environment that includes sensors, actuators and other automation devices, as well as wireless workers, first responders and wireless infrastructure networks. Those needs include coexistence, robustness to interference, interoperability with wired plant infrastructure networks, etc.
The newly created SP100 working groups will define the OSI layer specifications (e.g. PHY, DLL, etc.), security specifications, and management specification (including network and device configuration) and will also include the specifications for wireless workers and wireless first responders as well as wireless automation networks operating within an automation and control environment.
The working groups plan to issue a request for proposals on topics including architecture, radio channel model, network coexistence strategy, RF interference strategy, and security sometime this summer.
The ISA-SP100 committee is actively seeking volunteers to help in the creation of this exciting new standard. Interested participants should contact Lois Ferson at lferson@isa.org for further information. The next meeting of the ISA-SP100 committee will be held concurrently with SENSORS Expo from 6-8 June at the Donald Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, ISA is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts the largest conference and exhibition for automation professionals in the Western Hemisphere.
***Telenor Satellite Services Wins Initial Approval to Launch BGAN Service in the United States
OSLO, Norway & ROCKVILLE, Md.
May 18, 2006
Telenor Satellite Services, a subsidiary of Telenor of Norway, hA announced it has received initial licensing approval to offer Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service throughout the United States.
Telenor's approval to offer the service throughout the United States follows last month's expansion of the new global voice and broadband data service by satellite operator Inmarsat to cover the Americas. Telenor Satellite Services initially announced the commercial launch of BGAN service in Europe, Africa Asia and the Middle East in December 2005.
BGAN offers users high-speed IP-based broadband communications plus simultaneous voice (telephony) calling via a portfolio of small, lightweight user terminals. The robust communications service from Telenor is especially useful for a variety of IP-based applications such as streaming video, videoconferencing and Web browsing. The service allows businesses and organizations to extend networks to their remote operations sites. BGAN is the world's first truly mobile broadband IP service and is the latest addition to the Telenor Portfolio of Broadband, On Demand and Value Added Services.
Telenor Satellite Services is the only BGAN Distribution Partner to offer Terralink, a proprietary IP networking platform and Global Points of Presence (PoP) Network enabling Telenor's BGAN users to take IP networking to higher levels of performance and capability. The Telenor BGAN PoP located in Norway is an integrated part of the Inmarsat BGAN Core Network and is connected to the Inmarsat Satellite Access Station through high-capacity leased lines. Terralink enables IP-connectivity for all BGAN services, including the robust new Streaming IP services with guaranteed data rates up to 256 Kbps. Terralink offers a range of service connection options, each with increasing levels of service quality and security. The premium option enables end-to-end security and guaranteed bandwidth for BGAN users through easy and cost-efficient access to Telenor's worldwide customer interconnect points.
Telenor Satellite Services is one of only two BGAN Interconnect Partners that route circuit-switched, fixed-to-mobile and mobile-to-fixed voice telephony and ISDN BGAN traffic to the Public Switched Telephone Network for added security and quality of service.
***W3C Holds Workshop for Mobile Device Description Repository; Working Group Seeks Input from Applications Developers, Database Experts and Others to Influence Future Work
May 18, 2006
W3C has issued a Call for Participation for its latest Workshop to discuss the design, implementation and intended use of a Device Description Repository (DDR) as part of its Mobile Web Initiative. The event, led by W3C's Device Description Working Group (DDWG) takes place in Madrid, Spain, on 12 - 13 July, and is hosted by Telefonica Investigacion y Desarrollo.
Device Descriptions Are Key to Mobile Web Performance
With ever-increasing diversity of Web-enabled devices it is expected that content adaptation will play a significant role in the delivery of content. Mobile Web-enabled devices exhibit the greatest diversity, and therefore present the greatest challenge.
The successful adaptation of content to the capabilities of a device depends on reliable knowledge about the target device, and a clear understanding of the demands and requirements of applications. For example, the selection of columns of a table may depend on the physical width of the screen. If the knowledge is absent, adaptation prior to delivery cannot take place.
DDWG Looking to Identify Next Steps for Registry Requirements, Design
The DDWG has produced a set of Requirements for a Device Description Repository, but is looking to identify issues related to applications development, requirements of Web services applications, data access and caching.
This Workshop, which will bring the first charter of the DDWG to a conclusion, will examine the Requirements and identify the most appropriate design and implementation strategies.
Call for Participation Open, Deadline for Papers is 31 May
People and organizations who have a specific interest in the work of the DDWG and who wish to participate in the Workshop are invited to send statements of interest to the Workshop Committee. The email address for such statements is team-ddrws-submit@w3.org . Participants are encouraged to first read the full Call for Participation for more details.
About the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The W3C was created to lead the Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. It is an international industry consortium jointly run by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the USA, the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM) headquartered in France and Keio University in Japan. Services provided by the Consortium include: a repository of information about the World Wide Web for developers and users, and various prototype and sample applications to demonstrate use of new technology. To date, over 400 organizations are Members of the Consortium. For more information see
***AccuStream Research: Internet Music Radio in 4th Consecutive Year of Expansion
MONTEREY, Calif.
May 16, 2006
Internet music radio is on course to deliver another solid growth year in 2006, with total listening hours forecast to rise by 39.5%, and average quarter hour listeners already north of 700,000 for 3rd party measured networks.
Total listening hours for the top ten sites rose by 43.8% in 2005 on a per month basis, to 257.3 million (compared to 178.9 million in '04).
Hours grew by 53.2% in 2003 compared to 2002, a year which saw significant contraction in the market due to an advertising and investment slowdown, coupled with regulatory uncertainly over copyright fees.
The report, Internet Music Radio 2001 - 2006: Brands and the Beat Go On, published by AccuStream iMedia Research, also includes an analysis of pay streaming radio services, which have close to 2.4 million subscribers.
The report's sections are divided into years, with each year containing analysis of the market and segment's development, the top streaming music sites, trend data and historical comparisons.
Included is a section examining streaming music subscription services from AOL to Yahoo, with subscriber and revenue analysis.
Streaming Internet music radio revenue from subscriptions rose from $49 million in 2003 to $237 million in 2005 and is projected to surpass $340 million in 2006.
In 2005, similar to 2001 and 2002, brands own share. Unlike online video, however, over-the-air broadcast groups (i.e. Clear Channel and Susquehanna Broadcasting) inhabit an Internet music radio medium dominated by brands native to the environment, including AOL (AOL Radio, its MusicNow service and AOL's Shoutcast property), Real Networks' Rhapsody streaming and download service, Live365.com, Chaincast Networks, Yahoo Music Unlimited, Radioio, AccuRadio and MSN Radio.
Internet music radio is being built with brands, both in terms of sites and networks but also the artists themselves.
While online music services guide users in their search to discover new artists and music, and this differentiates the medium from linear or packaged counterparts, the vast majority of users migrate to what they already know and like; that leads to established brands and artists.
http://www.accustreamresearch.com
***Alien, TI, and IBM Narrowly Lead Rankings in New RFID Update Research
ALEXANDRIA, Va.
May 16, 2006
Alien Technology, Texas Instruments, and IBM earned top ratings for brand awareness and thought leadership, as well as the companies most desired to be associated with in RFID, according to the 2006 RFID Marketing Strategies Report, an original research report released by leading industry daily RFID Update. However, of the more than 100 RFID vendors identified as leaders by respondents to a recent RFID Update survey, only one company was cited by more than 30% of respondents, strongly suggesting that leadership positions in the RFID industry are still tenuous and that new leaders have an opportunity to emerge.
The vendor rankings are one of the many findings revealed in this first-of-its-kind RFID industry research. Based on a survey of over 550 RFID end users, providers, and prospects, the research report provides in-depth analysis and guidance that will steer the decision-makers at RFID vendor companies toward the most effective marketing messages and tactics.
The RFID Update 2006 RFID Marketing Strategies Report includes four main sections: marketing tactics, content & messaging, key recommendations, and vendor rankings. The marketing tactics section describes how to maximize the effectiveness of websites, webinars, print and online advertising, trade show exhibits and speaker presentations, white papers, case studies, public relations, and market research. Content & messaging covers the importance of customer references, branding, sensitivity to privacy issues, and industry collaboration. The key recommendations section provides eight essential RFID marketing strategies that all RFID companies can put into action immediately. Finally, the rankings list which companies are the current mindshare leaders in RFID. Rankings are categorized by awareness, thought leadership, and partner desirability, and are broken out by companies offering hardware and those offering software & services. Over 15 companies made the top rankings.
The 39-page report includes more than 30 tables and charts that segment the importance of different marketing tactics and messages by demographic group, including current end users, companies planning to implement RFID, integrators and channel partners, large and small companies, and firms worldwide.
The executive summary, which includes a top-three sample of the vendor rankings, is available free from RFID Update at
http://www.rfidupdatestore.com
0620.6 Microprocessor Advances
***AMD Delivers Multi-Tasking Performance On-the-Go with First 64-Bit Dual-Core Mobile Processor; Acer, Fujitsu Siemens, Gateway, HP Among Leading Manufacturers Launching AMD Turion(TM) 64 X2 Mobile Technology-Based Notebook PCs
SUNNYVALE, Calif.
May 17, 2006
AMD has introduced AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology, the first and only family of 64-bit dual-core processors designed for thin and light notebook PCs. AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology allows people to get more from their mobile lifestyle through long battery life and outstanding performance, even when using multiple applications simultaneously, including demanding digital media applications.
Continuing its technology leadership, AMD also is bringing 64-bit computing to the Mobile AMD Sempron processor family. Now AMD delivers the only complete mobile product portfolio offering the ability to seamlessly transition between 32- and 64-bit computing.
Using an open standards-based approach, AMD collaborates with industry leaders in graphics and wireless solutions to enable OEM customers to deliver feature-rich notebooks that stand out from the crowd of overly standardized choices. AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology-based notebooks will offer outstanding graphics and leading wireless solutions for a visually engaging experience, and high-speed connectivity throughout the home or office.
AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is based on the same Direct Connect Architecture featured in the AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors, providing high-speed links between cores, memory and I/O for increased system performance. The advanced feature set of AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology also includes:
-- Multi-core Power Management, enabling reduced power consumption for extended battery life;
-- AMD Digital Media Xpress for accelerated image processing, audio and video encoding and decoding, 3D graphic rendering; and
-- AMD Virtualization, providing improved performance, reliability, and security for virtualized environments.
Business professionals and consumers worldwide can expect to see notebooks based on AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology in retail stores and through commercial distribution channels this quarter. Systems are initially expected from Acer, ASUS, BenQ, Flocity, FSC, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, MSI, NEC, Packard Bell, Sotec and TongFang.
AMD also has taken the next step in the evolution of its open platform approach by collaborating with ATI Technologies Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation to deliver mobile reference designs based on leading, open industry-standard technologies. These reference designs are an example of best practices in notebook PC development based on AMD and collaborative technologies. The reference designs help ensure AMD customers get to market more quickly, and also help reduce platform development costs.
AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is the only mobile processor today that is optimized for the 64-bit versions of the upcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. AMD has worked closely with Microsoft to identify and develop key hardware components in support of Microsoft Windows Vista, the next generation Windows(R) operating system. In addition to high-end multimedia, premium gaming and secure commercial notebooks, AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is an excellent choice for a mobile workstation-class platforms which allow customers to get high performance from their 32- and 64-bit workstation applications.
***Jon Peddie Research: First Quarter PC Graphics Shipments Up 25% Year-Over-Year; Notebook Graphics Shipments Soar 31%
TIBURON, CA
May 19, 2006
Jon Peddie Research (JPR) has announced estimated graphics shipments and supplier market share for the first calendar quarter of 2006. Detailed first quarter results are available in the Q1’06 edition of Jon Peddie’s Market Watch, the firm’s quarterly graphics survey. Market Watch provides an in-depth look at the PC graphics market and includes unit shipment and segment market share data, trend analysis, shipment forecasts, and profiles of major suppliers.
Jon Peddie Research estimates that approximately 74.9 million PC graphics devices shipped from major suppliers in Q1’06, a 5.7% decline from the prior quarter and a 24.5% increase over the same period the previous year. The desktop graphics segment saw shipments fall 7.5% from Q4’05 to Q1’06 but shipments grew 22.3% year-over-year. Integrated desktop shipments dropped 8.6% sequentially but increased 33.7% annually. Discrete desktop shipments fell 5.7% on a quarterly basis and grew 7.2% year-over-year.
The mobile graphics segment saw quarterly shipments decline just 0.2% and grow 31.2% year-over year. Integrated mobile shipments fell 1.3% sequentially but grew 55.7% annually. Discrete mobile shipments grew 3.0% during the period but fell 8.6% compared to the same period the previous year. Discrete mobile was the only market segment to exhibit sequential growth during the first quarter, but was also the only segment to show a year-over-year decline in shipments.
JPR estimates that approximately 55.6 million desktop graphics devices shipped in Q1’06, 34.6 million or 62.2% of which were integrated parts. Overall, Intel claimed 34.1% of the desktop graphics market, ATI held 26.1%, and Nvidia followed with 23.3% market share. While Intel was the largest supplier of desktop graphics during the period, ATI widened its lead over Nvidia in the desktop segment as compared to the prior quarter on increased shipments of integrated graphics controllers. In the discrete desktop segment, however, Nvidia grew segment share from 51.5% in Q4’05 to 53.0% in Q1’06. ATI saw its discrete desktop share decline from 46.3% in Q4’05 to 45.1% in Q1’06.
JPR estimates that approximately 19.2 million mobile graphics devices shipped in Q1’06, 14.1 million of which were integrated chipsets for notebooks. Mobile IGCs claimed share of 73.5% in the mobile graphics market, down from 74.4% share in the prior quarter but up from 62.0% share in the same period a year ago. Intel led the mobile graphics market with 53.3% share, ATI held 36.4% share, and Nvidia followed with 6.6% market share. As on the desktop side, ATI expanded its overall mobile market share on increased shipments of integrated graphics shipments for notebook platforms. In the discrete mobile segment, however, ATI saw shipments decline on a quarterly basis while Nvidia saw shipments increase sequentially. Nvidia grew discrete mobile segment share from 20.3% in Q4’05 to 25.0% in Q1’06. ATI’s segment share fell from 79.2% in Q4’05 to 74.6% in Q1’06.
Intel saw a 1.8% sequential decline in graphics shipments in Q1’06, was the largest supplier of PC graphics devices worldwide, and claimed an increased share of the total graphics market during the quarter. ATI remained the second largest supplier in Q1’06 with a 1.9% sequential increase in shipments and increased market share. Nvidia was the third largest supplier in Q1’06, with a 4.3% sequential decline in shipments and increased market share. The following table lists the ranking and relative market share, based on unit shipments in Q4’05 and Q1’06, of the major graphics suppliers to the PC industry.
Rank Graphics Supplier Q4’05 Market Share Q1’06 Market Share
1 Intel 37.5% 39.1%
2 ATI Technologies 26.5% 28.7%
3 Nvidia 18.7% 19.0%
4 VIA Technologies 12.0% 9.0%
5 Silicon Integrated Systems 4.7% 3.7%
6 Matrox Graphics 0.2% 0.1%
7 Others 0.4% 0.4%
0620.8 Virtual Reality
***Fakespace Wins Contract for World's Highest Resolution Virtual Reality Room, over 1000 Million Pixels Provide Unprecedented Detail
Marshalltown, Iowa
May 18, 2006
Fakespace Systems Inc. has announced it has been awarded the contract to upgrade the C6, a six-sided virtual reality room at Iowa State University’s Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC). Fakespace will apply the latest generation of stereoscopic projection technology and its integration expertise to create an environment supporting the display of simulations generated by a cluster-based computing system at the unprecedented resolution of 100 million pixels.
The C6 at Iowa State originally opened in June 2000, and was installed at that time by Fakespace’s parent company, Mechdyne Corporation.
The C6 was originally equipped with CRT-based projection technology that displayed a resolution of 1024 x 1024 on each of the 10-ft. x 10- ft. walls, ceiling and floor. The total resolution of the six walls was 6.3 million pixels. The upgrade will increase the resolution on each wall to 4096 x 4096 pixels, increasing the image clarity more than 16 times. The total overall resolution will be more than 100.6 million pixels. An incredible 34.1 pixels per inch will produce detail and realism never before experienced in a surround screen virtual environment. Most virtual reality rooms in the world offer less than nine pixels per inch.
Twenty-four of the latest Sony SXRD 4K digital large-venue projectors will be used to create the intense stereoscopic imagery. These projectors produce an amazing 4096 x 2160 pixels, which is four times the resolution of advanced digital projectors that are currently in use in some movie theaters. Fakespace will have to precisely overlap and blend the images from each projector to create seamless, high-resolution 3D imagery. As a point of comparison, the highest resolution HDTV systems available for home use are 1920 x 1080 resolution. More than 100 HD resolution projectors would be required to fill the screens of the Iowa State C6 in order to create the clarity of the Sony projectors. Fakespace demonstrated a prototype of one C6 wall, creating a 10-ft. x 10-ft. stereoscopic display during VRAC’s Human Computer Interaction Forum in April.
A cluster of forty-nine HP xw9300 workstations, each with dual processors and dual GPUs, will drive the display graphics. The cluster will be configured and installed by Fakespace sister company VRCO Inc., another division of Mechdyne Corporation.
Planning for the upgrade has already begun. While
the facility is expected to reopen in the fall of 2006, the grand opening
is expected in spring of 2007. More information about the C6 upgrade
is available on the VRAC
website at:
http://www.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2006/may/c6update.shtml
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