www.battery-home.com

A consortium including TelstraClear, Fujitsu and Transfield Services has taken Meridian Energy’s ICT business from Telecom and its subsidiary Gen-i.

TelstraClear will deliver all telecommunications services to the electricity generator, as part of an ICT infrastructure support services  partnership with  IT provider Fujitsu.

TelstraClear will provide: Fixed and mobile communications including data, video, fixed voice, mobile voice, internet services; VoIP telephony; and internet security services by its specialist security unit, DMZGlobal.

Fujitsu will provide full support services for all of its desktops, servers, datacentres, telemetry, networks, carrier services and service desk for the next five years.

The contract includes an opportunity to renew for another two plus two year period.

The transition of services to TelstraClear and Fujitsu is expected to start in early 2010.

Meridian chief executive Tim Lusk says the new delivery model confers major benefits. “It allows significant cost reductions without compromising service standards,” he says.

VGP-BPS9/B VGP-BPS10 VGP-BPS13

The $1.4 billion IBM Australia Limited Superannuation Fund has changed its investment manager from Russell Investments to JANA Investment Advisers.

The IBM fund, which had just under $1.5 billion in funds at the end of September, previously engaged Russell as its investment consultant, according to Rainmaker Information data.

JANA Investment Advisers is expected to replace Russell in early 2010, however the deal is subject to the resolution of transitional project details, noted a fund statement.

“This change does not affect the name, performance or asset allocation of [members'] selected investment options,” said the fund.

Meanwhile, IBM Super is also reviewing its voluntary insurance arrangement to improve its offerings to members.

Changes to insurance arrangements are expected to be implemented early next year.
VGP-BPS8 VGP-BPS8A VGP-BPS8B

Texas-based computer giant Dell has reorganized and added a new mobile device division to their company. This comes only after a month since Dell announced they would make phones and their early showing with the Dell Mini 3i. Dell joins other computer manufacturers Apple, Acer, Lenovo, among others, in the mobile phone space.

Dell’s new mobile phone division will be run by one Ron Garriques, a former Motorola boss who was leading Dell’s consumer computer division. When Garriques was brought to Dell (reportedly personally by Michael Dell) in 2007, it spurred rumors that Dell would reattempt something in the mobile product line.

Dell’s PDA line, Axim, was produced from 2002 to 2007, but sold poorly in the ‘BlackBerry era’ of smartphones with well designed e-mail and other business features. Dell’s Mini 3i is their first phone attempt, although it is only going to be sold (at first) in China and Brazil. Dell said that in addition to phones, Dell will also produce MIDs (mobile internet devices) and possibly a tablet.

Dell was formerly #1 in worldwide computer sales, but has slipped to #2 behind Taiwan’s Acer. Some sources report Dell has fallen even further to #3. With the worldwide recession, both home and enterprise computer sales are down, affecting the revenue of Dell.
VGP-BPS13A/B VGP-BPS13B/B VGP-BPS10A

While the rest of the PC-making world – Acer, Lenovo, HP – were up at least 7 percent this year, poor old dell dropped 5.9 percent and to third place. And, as we all know, being third place means you’re the second loser.

Tech analysts iSuppli estimate that Dell sold 10.34 million PCs and laptops. This means that Acer, once an also-ran in the industry, has hit number two. This is a huge deal.

While there’s no accounting for taste, it’s clear that Acer and HP are selling what people want. Lenovo has always been popular with business and Toshiba is, well, Toshiba. Dell basically needs to step up its game or get left in the dust.
VGP-BPS9/S VGP-BPS9/B VGP-BPS10

We last heard about Sony’s Mofiria vein authentication system in February and then poof, nothing more on the tech.  That is until today.  Sony is set to release the FVA-U1, which is based on the Mofiria technology and plugs into any USB enabled device that can accept the necessary security protocols.  The FVA-U1 will launch December 18th and cost Y30,000 ($350 US).

Vein identification, as opposed to finger print scanning is the next evolution in biometric security since it is far more difficult to replicate and requires, from my understanding, that the finger or person be alive – no more chopping the hand off Mr. Terrorist.
VGP-BPS13 VGP-BPS13/S VGP-BPS11

It seems that Sony is preparing to offer samples of “TransferJet”, a short-range wireless transmission technology. TransferJet was demonstrated at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and could replace Bluetooth as a means of close proximity, high-speed wireless communication, boasting an effective maximum throughput of about 375Mb/s.

Sony will reportedly begin shipping both the “CXD3267AGG” and “CXD3268AGW” chips in January for 1,500 yen each (a bit over $17). If that is true, the company should have a polished demonstration of the technology at the upcoming CES event.

Sony’s new technology is destined for use in products like cell phones and digital cameras, and as of August 2009 the TransferJet Consortium consisted of 19 member companies, including Canon, Kodak, Hitachi, Nikon, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba and others. The consortium is also accepting applications for adopter membership.

VGP-BPS8 VGP-BPS9 VGP-BPS11