ALL E-NEWS

Subject: May2001 ECMgt.com: Customers Rule
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May 1, 2001 *4,200 subscribers* Volume 3, Issue 5
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CONTENT - ECMGT.COM E-COMMERCE NEWS

  • STRATEGIES & TRENDS
  • E-PRODUCTS
  • E-SERVICES
  • E-MARKETING
  • SUPPLY CHAIN
  • CONTENT, PORTALS & COMMUNITY
  • GOVERNANCE & GOING GLOBAL
  • PARTNERS & DEALS
  • MOVERS & SHAKERS

 




STRATEGIES & TRENDS

This section sponsored by ECnow.com, please visit them at http://www.ecnow.com

  • What CEO's Worry About
  • Digital songfest could fall flat
  • One in Three UK Businesses 'Infiltrated By Hackers'
  • Markets for Streaming, Compressed Audio Players Expanding
  • Downturn Moves Brokerage Transactions Offline
  • The New Generation of ASPs Has Learned Much from the Experiences of Their Predecessors
  • Around the Net in Numbers SAP asks: What global recession?
  • Web Travel Traffic Gliding to Airline Sites
  • IT execs nonplussed by Intel's optimism
  • Antivirus firm predicts bug flood
  • Wireless LANS: Good show
  • Travel industry showing growth in online sales
  • Layoffs Not Needed To Save E-Businesses
  • Adobe CEO sees 'third wave' of publishing
  • The Difference Between Girls and Boys...Online
  • The Wired West Certification: What's hot, what's not?
  • Study outlines the cost of internal spam Internet security will get worse
  • Canadian E-Commerce Soars, Despite Shutdowns
  • Tablet PCs stirring minimal interest Cost cutting may spur IT outsourcing deals
  • VC-Backed Dot-Coms Need Quality Time
What CEO's Worry About
Competition, the impact of the Internet, and skills shortages are CEOs' top concerns.
Digital songfest could fall flat
Even as record labels ink a widening circle of deals to bring full commercial distribution of music to the Internet, the question remains: Will listeners pay for what used to be free?
One in Three UK Businesses 'Infiltrated By Hackers'
Researchers say a third of the country's businesses and public sector organisations have been the victims of computer hacking.
Markets for Streaming, Compressed Audio Players Expanding
The number of home users of standalone media players -- the software that plays digital audio or video, whether offline or online -- increased 33.2 percent, from 31.3 million in January 2000 to 41.7 million in January 2001, according to Jupiter Media Metrix.
Downturn Moves Brokerage Transactions Offline
According to a recent Harris Interactive Financial Landscape study of 2,900 consumers in the US who have brokerage accounts, 71% of consumers purchase corporate bonds via the telephone compared to 11% who purchase them online.
The New Generation of ASPs Has Learned Much from the Experiences of Their Predecessors
The next generation of application service providers (ASPs) has emerged, and they are determined to improve upon the mistakes of the first-generation ASPs.
Around the Net in Numbers
New data regarding Internet use outside the United States teaches some interesting lessons.
SAP asks: What global recession?
Bucking the trend among companies reporting first-quarter earnings that fall below analysts' expectations, SAP beat estimates.
Web Travel Traffic Gliding to Airline Sites
Online travel sites are facing fast-rising competition from the airlines themselves and must move quickly to guard their turf, according to a report released by Jupiter Media Metrix.
IT execs nonplussed by Intel's optimism
Corporate customers, still trimming expenses amid an ongoing economic downturn, say they won't be shopping for new high-tech hardware anytime soon.
Antivirus firm predicts bug flood
Virus attacks may triple by the end of the year, according to research from British antivirus software company MessageLabs, which projected that government departments and companies will collapse under the weight of malicious e-mail attachments.
Wireless LANS: Good show
The next act? Faster throughput and greater range, but standards may need taming for enterprise networking.
Travel industry showing growth in online sales
The economic slowdown hasn't yet hit Internet travel sites, if recent announcements about online travel bookings are any indication.
Layoffs Not Needed To Save E-Businesses
Are there ways for dot-coms to trim the fat without resorting to layoffs? According to a study released by Gartner, the answer is a resounding yes.
Adobe CEO sees 'third wave' of publishing
The top executive from Adobe Systems Inc. outlined a vision for what he called "the third wave of publishing."
The Difference Between Girls and Boys...Online
By all reports, the online gender gap is nearly closed, and men and women seem to be using the internet in equal numbers.
The Wired West
U.S. Internet penetration levels. Also, online recruiters, and college students and MP3.

Certification: What's hot, what's not?
As the economy cools, some employers are more selective about what IT skill sets and certifications they'll pay employees extra for.

Study outlines the cost of internal spam
While the government and ISPs are concerned about incoming spam, Gartner Inc. says companies should first take a close look at the internal spam in their own back yards.

Internet security will get worse
The state of Internet and network security is bad and getting worse.

Canadian E-Commerce Soars, Despite Shutdowns
Despite an accelerating rate of e-tailer closures, e-commerce spending in Canada increased by 73.4 percent in 2000 over 1999, according to a study released by Statistics Canada, Canada's census agency.

Tablet PCs stirring minimal interest
High cost and notebook inertia stand in the way of widespread deployment of Microsoft devices

Cost cutting may spur IT outsourcing deals
Analysts say a cooling economy may prompt companies to outsource more IT to reduce costs, though technology users said the economy will probably have little impact on their outsourcing decisions.

VC-Backed Dot-Coms Need Quality Time
With the IPO market continuing to languish, a report released by IDC advises venture capitalists that the current economic climate makes it more important than ever to maximize the attention they provide to each firm in their portfolio.

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E-PRODUCTS NEWS

  • Tool suggests rise of new breed of hacker
  • HP unveils new server appliances
  • Bluetooth Takes a Hit
  • SilverStream to make Web services splash
  • Sony, HP halt future DDS products
  • New ERP Tool To Customize Manufacturing, Sales
  • Microsoft server vulnerable to DoS hit
  • Nokia misdials with handsets
  • iPlanet steps up efforts to woo developers
  • Red Hat offers software management service, new OS
  • SkyCross Announces New 800MHz-2.5GHz Antenna For Telematics and Other Wireless Applications
  • Toshiba Eyes July Launch For Pocket PC PDA
  • Time For A Computer Magazine Comeback?
  • IBM Drops Price, Boosts Quality of Flat-Panels
  • Macromedia to deliver 3-D Web tools
  • 3Com to Embed Firewall On Network Interface Cards
  • Worth The Switch?
  • Aiming for an A in wireless LANs
  • Packaged Software Addresses Mid-Market CRM Needs
  • Ultimate CDS
  • Chips speed secure Web data

Tool suggests rise of new breed of hacker
So, you want to be a cracker? Well, thanks to lax security by vendors and network administrators, not to mention an underground network of devious and talented souls churning out user-friendly cracking tools, it's never been easier.

HP unveils new server appliances
Hewlett-Packard Co. beefed up its hardware line with the release of 19 new server appliance products designed to handle specialized Internet content management functions.

Bluetooth Takes a Hit
The wait has stretched longer than anticipated for the release of products that use Bluetooth, the wireless standard designed to allow devices within 30 feet of each other to communicate.

SilverStream to make Web services splash
As competition intensifies among application server vendors, SilverStream is looking to Web services to provide a way to leverage apps on any platform.

Sony, HP halt future DDS products
Sony Electronics and HP, two of the largest producers of the popular DDS tape backup, say they're no longer considering future incarnations of the 10-year-old DAT technology.

New ERP Tool To Customize Manufacturing, Sales
Mapics, Inc. has released a new, Web-based, integrated product configuration tool designed to automate the processes of manufacturing and selling complex products to meet a customer's exact requirements.

Microsoft server vulnerable to DoS hit
The company has acknowledged that the firewall and proxy server it released earlier in the year is now vulnerable to a denial of service attack.

Nokia misdials with handsets
Nokia is working to fix a software glitch that could cause connection problems for up to 10 percent of all cell phones sold in the United States when carriers upgrade to higher-speed network equipment later this year.

iPlanet steps up efforts to woo developers
New resources and tools to help developers build Java 2 Enterprise Edition applications on top of the iPlanet Application Server were announced by iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions.

Red Hat offers software management service, new OS
Red Hat Inc., a leading Linux software vendor, has unveiled a new service designed to simplify the administration of systems running its software, as well as a new release of its operating system.

SkyCross Announces New 800MHz-2.5GHz Antenna For Telematics & Other Wireless Applications
SkyCross Inc., has announced a new wide-band antenna capable of handling satellite and terrestrial communications -- reducing the need for multiple antennas for next-generation mobile wireless applications

Toshiba Eyes July Launch For Pocket PC PDA
Toshiba is planning its long-awaited entry into the personal digital assistant (PDA) market for July, according to a company source.

Time For A Computer Magazine Comeback?
About two years ago, I wrote a controversial column entitled "Are computer magazines dead?"

IBM Drops Price, Boosts Quality of Flat-Panels
New monitors include $600 LCD at low end, plus high-resolution option for $5929

Macromedia to deliver 3-D Web tools
Developers looking to provide three-dimensional images on the Web got a big boost last week when Macromedia Inc. announced it will release 3-D-enabled tools next month.

3Com to Embed Firewall On Network Interface Cards
3Com and Secure Computing announced they would embed Secure Computing's Sidewinder firewall technology in 3Com network interface cards.

Worth The Switch ?
"Softswitches" promise Web-like flexibility for industrial-strength telecom in your office. But some performance and security hurdles remain.

Aiming for an A in wireless LANs
Chipmaking start-up Atheros is tuning in to 802.11a, a standard that promises both higher performance than the popular 802.11b technology and lower power consumption.

Packaged Software Addresses Mid-Market CRM Needs
Sweden-based CRM services provider IFS has unveiled an initiative it claims is the first prepackaged, portal-based program designed for mid- size companies.

Ultimate CDS
What could you do with a 100-gig CD, or a digital camera that packs 2,000 snapshots in the space of a business card?

Chips speed secure Web data
New dedicated wares from Andes, Corrent and Accelerated can help alleviate processing bottlenecks

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E-SERVICES

  • IBM strengthens its services hand
  • Just Blame The Software Guys
  • BT Launches 'Always-On' Mobile Web Phones
  • Getting help desk to fly high
  • Microsoft gets into the groove
  • It's All About Speed: AARO Demonstrates `Speed of Deployment' for Wireless Internet Services
  • Outsourcing Wave Hits N.Y. Hospitals
  • Company Gives Voice to Self-Service
  • Yahoo! Joins Online Music Crowd
  • Compaq banks on rickety Ricochet for mobile
  • DaimlerChrysler's Net Designs
  • MTVi, RioPort put toll on music downloads
  • Service bots are hot
  • Multi-Unit Broadband Market Hitting Some Bumps
  • Gary Arlen - Satellites Aimed In New Directions
  • QUALCOMM Boosts Security for Eudora E-mail Software Program
  • Internet Can't Match Branch Banking
  • Delta to change core technology
  • MSN filter sparks user fury
  • EMI, HitHive Launch Wireless Music Sharing Service
  • ISP CEOs Focus on DSL, Fixed Wireless
  • CRM Market Appears Headed for Shakeout
  • Online Travel Planning a Good Bet

IBM strengthens its services hand
Flush with cash from a stellar first quarter, IBM Global Services announced an agreement to acquire e-business strategy consulting firm Mainspring.

Just Blame The Software Guys
After Nike blamed its back-office software vendor, i2 Technologies, for lousing up its latest quarter, executives and investors alike are paying more attention than ever to the prosaic science of managing supply chains and inventories.

BT Launches 'Always-On' Mobile Web Phones
BT Cellnet said long-delayed mobile phones with permanent Internet connections will reach British shops on May 18.

Getting help desk to fly high
Boeing gets users to manage own passwords

Microsoft gets into the groove
Microsoft is throwing its hat into the post - Napster online music ring, targeting the same audience rival RealNetworks seeks with its ambitious MusicNet service.

It's All About Speed: AARO Demonstrates `Speed of Deployment' for Wireless Internet Services
As a pair of recent corporate projects show, it's not simply that AARO can deliver blazing-fast 155 Mbps Internet connectivity to its customers.

Outsourcing Wave Hits N.Y. Hospitals
Regional pressures to cut costs, combined with an industry wide drive to improve technology services, have prompted several New York hospitals to outsource their IT departments.

Company Gives Voice to Self-Service
Voice-based CRM services provider NetByTel has launched a new application designed to slash call-center costs by automating routine information requests.

Yahoo! Joins Online Music Crowd
Amid a slew of new partnerships and product announcements in the digital music field, Yahoo! said it has formed an alliance with Duet, a subscription-based music service being developed by two of the world's largest record labels.

Compaq banks on rickety Ricochet for mobile
Compaq Computer Corp.'s decision to extend mobile Internet services on foundering Metricom Inc.'s Ricochet wireless network is raising questions about the offering and fueling speculation that Metricom may be ripe for a takeover.

DaimlerChrysler's Net Designs
Designing a car is expensive and time-consuming. But the automaker thinks it can use the Net to shave both time and money from the process.

MTVi, RioPort put toll on music downloads
MTVi Group and infrastructure company RioPort said that they would offer paid song downloads through MTVi's Web sites.

Service bots are hot
Smart software can save bucks, improve support

Multi-Unit Broadband Market Hitting Some Bumps
The market for multi-hospitality unit (MHU) broadband hardware and services will resume robust growth next year and surge from $59 million in 2000 to $679 million in 2005

Gary Arlen - Satellites Aimed In New Directions
Such rare candor - especially from a company president speaking during a conference panel - triggered unprecedented neck-twisting

Qualcomm Boosts Security for Eudora E-mail Software Program
The new version offers support for the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Internet security standard, enabling more secure connections for sending and receiving e-mail.

Internet Can't Match Branch Banking
Bank branches and other traditional channels are here to stay, despite Americans' growing comfort with technology and Internet use, according to research by TowerGroup.

Delta to change core technology
Steeped in a tradition of mainframe computing, Delta Air Lines has made a radical change, turning to a software vendor to replace the proprietary reservations and pricing systems that have helped run its operations for more than 30 years.

MSN filter sparks user fury
Microsoft gingerly added a widely used spam filter to its MSN Internet service and in the process found itself facing some irate customers.

EMI, HitHive Launch Wireless Music Sharing Service
The substantial archives of EMI Recorded Music, ranging from the Beatles to Frank Sinatra to Garth Brooks, will soon be available on wireless devices, as the world's third largest recording company has linked up with HitHive, Inc., a wireless music network provider.

ISP CEOs Focus on DSL, Fixed Wireless
In a free exchange of ideas at Spring ISPCON 2001, about three dozen owners of ISPs of all sizes got together to talk about broadband and other assorted gripes.

CRM Market Appears Headed for Shakeout
The softening economy and the proliferation of smaller players has made the field ripe for consolidation or downsizing,

Online Travel Planning a Good Bet
We are going to Iceland. I had heard that online tour deals can put travel agents' "bargains" to shame, so despite my unpleasant tile - purchase attempt a few weeks ago, I decided to take a virtual fantastic voyage before setting foot outside the door in real life.

...

E-MARKETING NEWS

  • Dell bumps Compaq as top PC maker
  • Retention-Based Advertising
  • New technology serves ads sans cookies
  • Online Advertisers Must Deploy Campaigns That Match The Behavior Of Europe's Multi-Channel Consumers
  • ASK JEEVES Launches AD Network
  • Web auction site meets resistance to storefronts
  • AOL: The New Online Profit Model?
  • Email Worth its Weight in Clicks
  • Dell seeks to keep the wolves at bay
  • Should Ad Agencies and PR Firms Eliminate Their Internet Divisions?
  • Bear Opportunities
  • Sprint Gains Channels in Multiple Markets for its Broadband Wireless Service
  • Success One Account At A Time
  • Three global ad firms team up to modernize sales
  • Web Travel's Next Big Opportunity
  • Cisco launches major storage networking initiative
  • USi leads worldwide ASP market
  • Awash In A Sea Of Blue
  • A spoonful of e-medicine
  • The Sizzle
  • Judge allows Juno Online to resume banner ads
  • Wireless Firms Target Healthcare
  • Canadian Retailer: We Deserve 'Crappy' Internet Domain
  • Meeting the Needs of Traditional Advertisers

Dell bumps Compaq as top PC maker
It may have ended Compaq's seven-year reign as PC leader in the first quarter, but Dell Computer now finds its empire is on distinctly shaky ground.

Retention-Based Advertising
Advertising columnist Tom Hespos explains why marketing to existing customers is at least as important as trying to win new ones.

New technology serves ads sans cookies
An advertising technology company is hoping to turn concerns about Internet privacy to its advantage, offering a way for companies to deliver online ads without using electronic markers known as cookies.

Online Advertisers Must Deploy Campaigns That Match The Behavior Of Europe's Multi-Channel Consumers
Net-based advertising will grow to Ä6 billion, or 5% of all advertising spend in 2005, but to exploit this potential, marketers must redefine their own goals and organization

ASK JEEVES Launches AD Network
Ask Jeeves--the Web's most popular butler announced the DirectHit Network, an advertising network based on its keyword search infrastructure.

Web auction site meets resistance to storefronts
eBay Inc. is looking to leverage its 28 million registered auction customers by expanding its e-commerce offerings with hosted storefronts for small business.

AOL: The New Online Profit Model?
Now that AOL Time Warner is proving that its ultimate hedge combination of Internet access and media is working better than most analysts expected

Email Worth its Weight in Clicks
Flash-enabled email helps Northwest Airlinesí online mall take off.

Dell seeks to keep the wolves at bay
With revenue declining for the first time in its 17-year history, Dell Computer is looking at foreign markets and computing services to boost its fortunes.

Should Ad Agencies and PR Firms Eliminate Their Internet Divisions?
A few years ago all we heard about were agencies starting egroups. Now, the client-side integrated online / offline marketing trend is extending to agencies.

Bear Opportunities
An economic slowdown doesn't mean abandoning marketing plans--it means being clever enough to take advantage.

Sprint Gains Channels in Multiple Markets for its Broadband Wireless Service
Sprint announced airtime agreements with several Instructional Television Fixed Service and Multi-channel, Multi-point Distribution Service license holders, bringing Sprint's spectrum portfolio to more than 1,100 channels in 90 markets

Success One Account At A Time
Account development is driven by improvement in customer loyalty. But it's still good for your bottom line.

Three global ad firms team up to modernize sales
Three of the largest global advertising companies are joining forces to create a new Web-based system designed to cut the high costs of bringing ad buyers and sellers together.

Web Travel's Next Big Opportunity
As airlines see their revenues decline and look to cut commissions on ticket sales, online travel companies would be wise to turn their attentions to the virtually untouched opportunities in hotel reservations.

Cisco launches major storage networking initiative
Cisco Systems Inc. is taking its experience in networking and applying it to the storage industry.

USi leads worldwide ASP market
Application service provider USinternetworking Inc., whose customer list includes Hershey Foods, Legg Mason and Kinkos, leads the worldwide ASP market, according to market research firm IDC.

Awash In A Sea Of Blue
Visitors to CBSMarketwatch.com may have noticed that the site's homepage loaded washed in a blue hue that fades a few seconds later, followed by synchronized Flash animation ads in two coordinated ad slots on the site. Or at least, Kmart hoped site visitors noticed.

A spoonful of e-medicine
Extranet helps drug company digest ad material

The Sizzle
What's Up In Digital Marketing and Advertising.

Judge allows Juno Online to resume banner ads
A federal court judge lifted a temporary restraining order against free Internet service provider Juno Online Services Inc., allowing the company to again place third-party advertisements on its floating banner.

Wireless Firms Target Healthcare
Doctors were among the earliest adopters of cell phones and pagers, so it makes sense that they would be willing to use wireless devices to access critical patient information.

Canadian Retailer: We Deserve 'Crappy' Internet Domain
In a move that would make most marketers cringe, an icon of chain-store retailing in Canada is asking an international intellectual property organization to rule that, when shoppers say "Crappy Tire," they really mean "Canadian Tire."

Meeting the Needs of Traditional Advertisers
Advertising columnist Jeffrey Graham offers advice on how to win back the dollars of traditional advertisers.

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SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS

This section sponsored by - Sameday.com, please visit them at http://www.sameday.com

  • Private exchanges, integration technology to drive b-to-b
  • Linking to the e-marketplace
  • PeopleSoft Opts In for Personalized E-Mail ASP
  • GE Global eXchange acquires content management company
  • CRM systems require a mixed bag of apps
  • Integrating the back end
  • North American B2B Dominance to Diminish
  • Asian B2B E-Commerce Approaches Quarter of World's Total
  • Keeping partners together
  • Rockwell App Transcends Call-Routing Barriers
  • Portals to Evolve Into 'E-Commerce Brokers'
  • Infrastructure breakdown
  • Peoplesoft Eyes New CRM Licensing Model
  • NCR Finds Flexible Financing for Teradata Systems
  • Ford Gets E-Commerce Act in Gear
  • Let your Internet browser do the shipping
  • Fishing for a deal
  • Verizon to keep Northpoint users in service
  • Tearing into waste
  • Syncra launches supply-chain product
  • Group maps RosettaNet to supply-chain process
  • B2B firms victims of own failures
  • Retail exchanges push on despite B2B travails
  • CRM, One Step at a Time
  • Pay-per-use models ready for online business

Private exchanges, integration technology to drive b-to-b
Vendors need to shift strategies to address evolving business-to-business trading models during a panel session at the Internet and E-business Expo

Linking to the e-marketplace
Upgrade provides private e-marketplace support for Allegis partnership management software

PeopleSoft Opts In for Personalized E-Mail ASP
PeopleSoft and e2 Communications have formed an alliance to create an ASP-based e-mail messaging platform that promises better delivery and personalization options for PeopleSoft customers.

GE Global eXchange acquires content management company
GE Global eXchange Services (GXS), a business-to-business e-commerce exchange, announced that it has acquired TPN Register, a Rockville, Md.-based content management services company.

CRM systems require a mixed bag of apps
Despite the complexity of implementing software from different CRM vendors, big companies such as Bank of America, UPS, Fingerhut Cos. and FedEx are hard-pressed to find a single package that serves their needs.

Integrating the back end
Tibco, Commerce One and SAPMarkets to ease connecting the back office with B2B marketplaces

North American B2B Dominance to Diminish
North American business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce spending reached US$255 billion in 2000, or 59 percent of the $433 billion spent worldwide, according to a study released by Gartner.

Asian B2B E-Commerce Approaches Quarter of World's Total
B2B Internet commerce in the Asia/Pacific region reached $96.8 billion in 2000, which was 22 percent of the worldwide total of $433.3 billion, according to Gartner Group, Inc.

Keeping partners together
Suppliers tap PRM to boost channels

Rockwell App Transcends Call-Routing Barriers
Information services provider Maxxar Corporation has agreed to distribute a customer contact routing application from Rockwell Electronic Commerce, the CRM-services unit of Rockwell International Corp.

Portals to Evolve Into 'E-Commerce Brokers'
The future of e-commerce will include beefed-up portals, dubbed "e-commerce brokers," that will offer more than a list of links and a passive handoff to online retailers, according to a report released by Forrester Research.

Infrastructure breakdown
Companies stranded when suppliers close doors

Peoplesoft Eyes New CRM Licensing Model
Wth the release of the latest version of its CRM (customer relationship management) software, PeopleSoft has changed the way it sells the product to a value-based licensing plan.

NCR Finds Flexible Financing for Teradata Systems
NCR Corp. has entered into a seven-year agreement that establishes GE Capital Vendor Financial Services as the preferred provider of leasing services for NCR customers in the United States.

Ford Gets E-Commerce Act in Gear
B-to-b software company WebMethods will help the automaker clean up its mountain of consumer data by syncing its e-commerce systems.

Let your Internet browser do the shipping
Transportation.com links shippers and carriers that are equipped with computers and Web connections

Fishing for a deal
Internet data centers are the focus of a burgeoning alliance ecosystem. But these unions are not just marriages of convenience.

Verizon to keep Northpoint users in service
Verizon Communications says it will leave Northpoint Communications DSL customers in service "for the time being" to give them ample time to find a new provider.

Tearing into waste
Dow Corning moves lots of paper, more than 5,000 pieces of printed literature, from business cards and corporate brochures to product spec sheets and order forms in several languages.

Syncra launches supply-chain product
Syncra Systems is reaching deeper into the supply chain with the announcement today of its new supplier-to-manufacturer collaborative replenishment and inventory management solution.

Group maps RosettaNet to supply-chain process
For the past year, Intel and Siemens have been working together to automate very complex supply-chain processes in the electronics industry.

B2B firms victims of own failures
B2B software providers are the latest to take their turn at the Wall Street whipping post.

Retail exchanges push on despite B2B travails
Key executives involved in the retail industry's major competing online exchanges - GlobalNetXchange and the WorldWide Retail Exchange - discuss the progress and future directions of the B2B marketplaces.

CRM, One Step at a Time
Deploying CRM analytics companywide via a data warehouse is far too complex and costly for companies to do all at once. Fortunately, there are ways companies can simplify the process...

Pay-per-use models ready for online business
With the demise of the pure-play dot-com business model - which said you could give away content and make it up in volume - technology providers are readying pay-per-use content management systems to allow content providers to change the way they run their businesses.

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CONTENT, PORTALS & COMMUNITY

  • What's holding up media convergence?
  • WLANs extend Tarheel net
  • New security initiative raises concerns about duplication
  • IE Hole-Finder in Odd Position
  • Napster alternatives start blocking songs
  • The Real Wireless Innovators
  • Phone search site adds fees for heavy users
  • Techies plug into hot skills
  • Did AOL shoot the messenger?
  • Yahoo to remove adult-related products from Web sites
  • Blockbuster's Big Turnaround
  • IRS Call Center Upgrade Aims To Boost Tax-Time Services
  • Acquisitions squeeze DSL
  • Biggest Job Losses Since 1991 Recession
  • Borderline Savings
  • Despite growth in online usage, banks urged not to forget their roots
  • E-Commerce Shakeout: Mature Web Emerges
  • GM updates BuyPower technology
  • DOT refuses to block launch of Orbitz travel Web site
  • Money! I Spammed the Kids
  • More Bangalore For Their Bucks

What's holding up media convergence?
Convergence--a buzzword much employed in certain circles--is a lot like the weather: Everybody's talking about it. No one can control it, and how you prepare for it depends on where you are.

WLANs extend Tarheel net
Wireless LANs make financial, practical sense to UNC's tech chancellor

New security initiative raises concerns about duplication
A fee-based security information service announced by the Internet Security Alliance prompted some analysts to question whether the new effort will duplicate other programs that have already been set up.

IE Hole-Finder in Odd Position
A hacker who discovered a potentially devastating security hole in Microsoft's Internet Explorer says he has found himself in the undesired position of providing technical support to people who cannot install the patch that Microsoft released to fix the flaw.

Napster alternatives start blocking songs
The record industry's attempts to stop online song trading are gaining traction beyond Napster, as other leading music swapping sites have begun blocking downloads of copyrighted tunes on their services.

The Real Wireless Innovators
The wireless business is futile if you know technology but don't know what your customers want.

Phone search site adds fees for heavy users
Online telephone directory service 555-1212.com is now charging fees for customers who seek more than 30 residential phone numbers a month.

Techies plug into hot skills
If it doesn't produce ROI, kiss the bonus goodbye

Did AOL shoot the messenger?
A little - publicized but startling study released showed that one of AOL's chief rivals in this market, Microsoft's MSN Messenger, tallied more subscribers worldwide.

Yahoo to remove adult-related products from Web sites
In response to media attention and concerns from users, Yahoo Inc. said it would no longer provide adult-related products on its Web sites.

Blockbuster's Big Turnaround
Viacom's announcement that it has abandoned its plan to sell off its 82-percent stake in Blockbuster represents an important milestone in the video-rental chain's history.

IRS Call Center Upgrade Aims To Boost Tax-Time Services
Among its initiatives, the IRS has recently completed a $2 million upgrade of its call center applications, in time for this year's tax season spike.

Acquisitions squeeze DSL
Prospects
dim for greater choice, lower subscription cost

Biggest Job Losses Since 1991 Recession
The U.S. economy lost 86,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department said. It was the biggest job loss since November 1991.

Borderline Savings
Big money is lost every day while trucks sit idle at international crossings, waiting for paperwork clearance. A new technology hopes to streamline the process.

Despite growth in online usage, banks urged not to forget their roots
Consumers still see the brick-and-mortar bank branch as their main source for financial services, despite a growing comfort with online services offered by such institutions.

E-Commerce Shakeout: Mature Web Emerges
In the face of a very public shakeout of Web businesses, a new, increasingly mature online business picture is emerging

GM updates BuyPower technology
GM announced a deal to upgrade its consumer Web site, GMBuyPower.com, with new technology that lets car buyers access the site faster and on a variety of platforms, from cell phones to handhelds.

DOT refuses to block launch of Orbitz travel Web site
Despite fears from competitors that the not-yet-launched Web site Orbitz will be anticompetitive, the U.S. Department of Transportation says any such designation is premature.

Money! I Spammed the Kids
Once again, e-commerce is getting just a bit too comfortable with itself. Just when the dot-com shakeup seems to be leveling off, surviving companies are neglecting one of the key issues that could prove to be their undoing: children's privacy.

More Bangalore For Their Bucks
The expanded H-1B visa program lets U.S. firms recruit heavily from India. But Indian firms are also profiting.

...

GOVERNANCE & GOING GLOBAL

  • Cheney backs Net access tax ban, more R&D spending
  • White House proposes spectrum plan
  • Baby Bell Broadband Deregulation Bill To Resurface
  • Feds look for better data on attacks against agency systems
  • Worldwide E-Government Still Overcoming Hurdles
  • Desperado storms Capitol Hill
  • Microsoft makes 'clean break' on security policy
  • Canada Earns Top Loyalty Points for E-Gov Services
  • FTC sues to stop gathering of personal data
  • Siberia's Silicon Valley
  • FTC assesses first fines for violating online kids' privacy law
  • Frustrated Tech Investors Trade Brokers for Lawyers
  • Tech lobbyists dangle stock carrot
  • Fifty-Four Percent in U.S. Support FBI E-mail Snooping
  • Law Requiring Schools To Filter Internet Access Causing Problems
  • Bush names insiders to FCC
  • Europe Learns Its E-Commerce Dos and Don'ts
  • Computer Vandals Face 10 Years' Jail Under NSW Laws
  • Federal government eyes more IT outsourcing
  • E-mail Could Cancel Saturday 'Snail Mail'

Cheney backs Net access tax ban, more R&D spending
The Bush administration supports a permanent ban on all Internet access taxes and wants Congress to approve such a measure by the end of this year.

White House proposes spectrum plan
The Bush administration will support efforts to move TV broadcasters off a portion of the airwaves earmarked for advanced wireless services.

Baby Bell Broadband Deregulation Bill To Resurface
The leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee plan to reintroduce legislation that would dramatically expand the number of high-speed Internet customers that baby Bell operating companies are permitted to serve.

Feds look for better data on attacks against agency systems
Federal officials estimate that only about 20% of the computer crimes committed against government agencies are being reported -- a level that the Bush administration and Congress want to increase.

Worldwide E-Government Still Overcoming Hurdles
Although many government bodies are taking steps to implement online services, a report released by consulting firm Accenture concludes they still have "a long way to go."

Desperado storms Capitol Hill
The battle over online music drew stars to Congress, as singer Alanis Morissette and former Eagles musician Don Henley joined Napster and record label executives to debate the future of Net music.

Microsoft makes 'clean break' on security policy
Microsoft Corp. announced a broad set of security initiatives and new product features that it says will make the Windows product line among the most secure software on the market.

Canada Earns Top Loyalty Points for E-Gov Services
Noting that governments have the largest customer bases of any entities in the world, global consulting giant Accenture released the results of its eGovernment study of 22 countries and how well they are delivering government services online to their citizens.

FTC sues to stop gathering of personal data
The Federal Trade Commission said it has filed lawsuits aimed at halting the operations of three online "information brokers" that offer to locate personal financial data, such as bank balances, in return for fees.

Siberia's Silicon Valley
When Dmitri Simonenko visits his company's 35 programmers, it lends new meaning to the word commute. It's a 20-hour haul from his Chantilly, Va., home to his native Novosibirsk, Russia, a city of 1.5 million people dubbed "Siberia's Silicon Valley"

FTC assesses first fines for violating online kids' privacy law
The Federal Trade Commission said three Web sites will pay penalties totaling $100,000 for violating the year-old Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and warned that more fines are likely in the next few months.

Frustrated Tech Investors Trade Brokers for Lawyers
Just over a year ago, investors were pushing each other out of the way to place "buy" orders for soaring tech stocks. Today, the crowds are forming instead at lawyers' offices.

Tech lobbyists dangle stock carrot
Back in the days of heady stock prices and endless launch parties, a group of hotshot dot-com executives had a dream. Reveling in the promise of newfound wealth, the group, formed Pac.com, a political action committee that planned to collect money and stock from flush dot-commers and divvy it out to candidates who supported a Democratic, tech-friendly vision.

Fifty-Four Percent in U.S. Support FBI E-mail Snooping
"While an overwhelming majority of U.S. residents worry about Internet crime like child pornography and credit card theft, slightly more than half say it's OK for the FBI to monitor suspects' e-mail.

Law Requiring Schools To Filter Internet Access Causing Problems
For Twin Cities schools, the information age soon will be turned upside down. It won't be what students see on the Internet that matters, but what they don't see.

Bush names insiders to FCC
President George W. Bush has named three Washington insiders with extensive experience in both policy-making and politics to the Federal Communications Commission.

Europe Learns Its E-Commerce Dos and Don'ts
With European e-commerce lagging some 18 months or so behind that in the States, the U.S. dot-com shakeout has served as a highly visible business lesson for European e-tailers -- helping to prevent them from making many of the same mistakes.

Computer Vandals Face 10 Years' Jail Under NSW Laws
"Online fraudsters and computer vandals who spread viruses face up to 10 years jail under new cyber crime laws introduced in the New South Wales parliament.

Federal government eyes more IT outsourcing
The Bush administration is ordering federal agencies to consider outsourcing an increased amount of their services, and IT operations are viewed as prime candidates.

E-mail Could Cancel Saturday 'Snail Mail'
Neither rain nor sleet nor snow can keep mail carriers from their appointed rounds -- but maybe e-mail can. The easy, instantaneous and worldwide communication offered by the Internet was one of the factors cited by the U.S. Postal Service in its decision to consider the possibility of eliminating Saturday delivery.

...

PARTNERS & DEALS NEWS

  • Pivotal, Evolve Go Full Circle with Strategic Alliance
  • Internet Security Alliance takes shape
  • Drkoop.com buys in-home IV therapy provider
  • E-Stamp and Learn2.com to merge into e-learning company
  • Loudcloud pumps up enterprise volume
  • Aspect Cements CRM Portal Deal in Mexico
  • RIAA Licensing Deal Lets You Be An Online DJ
  • Kinko's Links with Nortel To Boost Loyalty
  • digiMine to acquire CoRelation
  • Companies Personalize Web Insurance Services
  • Kana, Broadbase announce merger agreement
  • Borders Turns to Amazon for Outsourcing
  • Digital River buys e-commerce platform
  • Sony, Ericsson in Talks on Mobile Alliance
  • Sprint PCS and BlueKite.com Join WirelessReady -TM- Alliance
  • Mail.com sells e-mail users to Net2Phone
  • Compaq provides infrastructure to MS tech center
  • Microsoft makes headway with mobile deals
  • SAP Teams with Yahoo! on Portal Venture
  • Returnbuy Snags EBAY

Pivotal, Evolve Go Full Circle with Strategic Alliance
Pivotal Corporation and Evolve took a page from Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, announcing that they have formed a strategic alliance to integrate their CRM and business intelligence software products...

Internet Security Alliance takes shape
Several high-profile industry groups joined forces to form a new consortium that is dedicated to improving the security of the Internet.

Drkoop.com buys in-home IV therapy provider
Online health and wellness Web site Drkoop.com is buying an in-home intravenous therapy company to try and boost revenues by adding new patient services.

Loudcloud pumps up enterprise volume
The managed service provider continued its attack on enterprise computing, announcing new products and partnerships aimed at the Fortune 1000.

Aspect Cements CRM Portal Deal in Mexico
Aspect Communications passed the scrutiny of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Carso well enough to emerge with a contract to supply its portal contact server to four Grupo Carso call centers.

 RIAA Licensing Deal Lets You Be An Online DJ
Online music startup Kickworks has landed a licensing deal with the recording industry to build a digital library of 25,000 songs for broadcast via its Internet radio network.

Kinko's Links with Nortel To Boost Loyalty
Kinko's, Inc. has decided to do e-business with networking communications giant Nortel Networks, giving more than 25,000 Kinko's workers access to an online CRM system...

E-Stamp and Learn2.com to merge into e-learning company
Two e-commerce companies, Learn2.com Inc. and E-Stamp Corp., plan to merge later this year to focus on the online learning market.

digiMine to acquire CoRelation
Business intelligence service provider digiMine Inc. will announce plans Monday to acquire data mining software company CoRelation.

Companies Personalize Web Insurance Services
Insurance CRM providers Acentas and Entresoft are joining forces to streamline and automate the global insurance industry with a joint system that aims to keep online insurance shopping personalized while improving customer management for service agents and call centers.

Kana, Broadbase announce merger agreement
Two struggling CRM companies have decided to join forces as cash-strapped Kana Communications Inc., announced plans to buy, through a stock swap, only slightly better off Broadbase Software Corp.

Borders Turns to Amazon for Outsourcing
After three years in the red, the second largest U.S. bookseller is calling it quits online, choosing instead to outsource its operation to Amazon.com. For an undisclosed fee, Amazon will to take over the Web operations of Borders.com and relaunch it as a co-branded site.

Digital River buys e-commerce platform
E-Commerce Services Digital River has acquired Calico Commerce's e-commerce platform business line in a deal worth $8 million, the companies announced.

Sony, Ericsson in Talks on Mobile Alliance
Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson and Japan's Sony Corp said they were in talks to team up in mobile phones, sending shares in both companies sharply higher

Sprint PCS and BlueKite.com Join WirelessReady -TM- Alliance
Sierra Wireless Welcomes Two New Valuable Solution Partners to Assist in Creating Compelling End-to-End Mobile, Wireless Data Solutions

Mail.com sells e-mail users to Net2Phone
Looking to focus more on businesses, Mail.com Inc. has sold its five million consumer e-mail users to Internet telephony provider Net2Phone Inc.

Compaq provides infrastructure to MS tech center
Compaq Computer Corp. said that it has contributed $6 million to the new Microsoft Technology Center, representing a commitment to a marketplace seen as hungry for e-commerce technology, hardware and services.

Microsoft makes headway with mobile deals
The launches of a two-way pager and a mobile phone with a color screen that browses the Web are among a flurry of deals being announced by Microsoft Corp. as the software giant makes headway expanding beyond its core personal computer business.

SAP Teams with Yahoo! on Portal Venture
German e-business software giant SAP AG said it has finished constructing a company based on the four main pillars of its mySAP.com e-business platform by announcing the formation of SAP Portals, Inc. and creating a partnership with Internet giant Yahoo!

Returnbuy Snags EBAY
New, used, or returned? eBay wants to sell it. The San Jose, Calif. based online auction site announced that it has made a minority investment in ReturnBuy, which resells returned items on behalf of traditional merchants and distributors, as part of the company's $15 million second round of funding.

---

MOVERS & SHAKERS NEWS

  • Microsoft spreads more .Net dollars
  • Class-action suit filed against cell phone makers
  • CRM Companies Lock Step with Mid-Size Trend
  • Intel slashes price of 1.7GHz Pentium 4
  • MP3.com To Pay Copyright Damages
  • Captain Connected
  • Thousands of UK E-Tailers Breaking the Law
  • Microsoft, HP settle with FTC
  • Microsoft in Hot Pursuit of Software Pirates
  • Tech Companies Warding Off Takeovers
  • E-Biz Powerhouses Come Together Right Now Over Music
  • Foreign Hackers Stepping Up Attacks On Federal Agencies
  • $65M Awarded in SEX.COM case
  • New.Net's New Deals Will Promote Unsanctioned Internet Addresses
  • Cybernanny Web site hacked with vulgar language
  • Red Hat Hit by Class Action Suit Over IPO
  • Xerox bars installations of Windows XP beta
  • Microsoft discrimination case grows
  • Web Site Tax Schemes Up
  • Losses, Job Cuts Rake CRM Industry
  • Big Blue Wages Open Warfare
  • Winstar files for bankruptcy, sues Lucent for $10 billion

Microsoft spreads more .Net dollars
First came the $135 million bailout of Corel last fall. Now Microsoft is making a $25 million investment in CommerceOne to buy backing for its new .Net strategy

Class-action suit filed against cell phone makers
Noted class-action attorney Peter Angelos has filed suits in four states against 25 cell phone manufacturers and wireless services providers, charging that they failed to warn users about potential health risks posed by the devices.

CRM Companies Lock Step with Mid-Size Trend
"Think mid-sized" seems to be the mantra on the minds of many high-tech company officials these days, as they deal with marketplace uncertainties by tailoring products and services to customers with room to grow.

Intel slashes price of 1.7GHz Pentium 4
Although Intel Corp. won't even start selling its 1.7GHz Pentium 4 until Monday, the chip maker is already cutting its price, sources say.

MP3.com To Pay Copyright Damages
A jury ordered MP3.com to pay a small music company $300,000 in damages for copyright infringement.

Captain Connected
E.piphany CEO Roger Siboni relies on his sizable Rolodex and his gospel of austerity to lead his young software company into battle against Oracle and Siebel Systems.

Thousands of UK E-Tailers Breaking the Law
Thousands of UK e-tailers may be breaking the law by failing to comply with the Data Protection Act, a report released by the London Chamber of Commerce said.

Microsoft, HP settle with FTC
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard have agreed not to run ads in the future that suggest Pocket PC-based handheld computers come with built-in wireless Internet access, the Federal Trade Commission said.

Microsoft in Hot Pursuit of Software Pirates
Software giant Microsoft Corp. announced that it has targeted counterfeiters in more than 20 nations around the globe and removed thousands of illegal offerings as part of its increasing fight against software piracy.

Tech Companies Warding Off Takeovers
A growing number of technology companies are beefing up their defenses against hostile takeovers, from drawing up shareholder-rights plans to staggering the terms of their boards of directors.

E-Biz Powerhouses Come Together Right Now Over Music
More than a year after the first salvo was fired between the recording industry and digital downloading freeloaders, the music industry is still trying to develop a subscription-based service that rivals Napster in popularity.

Foreign Hackers Stepping Up Attacks On Federal Agencies
According to a government study, at least 155 federal computers systems - some with sensitive research or personal data about Americans - were temporarily taken over by hackers last year.

$65M Awarded in SEX.COM case
Online pornography isn't cheap--especially if it's stolen. That statement rang true in San Jose, Calif., as U.S. District Judge James Ware found the former owner of Sex.com liable for fraud and forgery and awarded $65 million to the domain name's original holder.

New.Net's New Deals Will Promote Unsanctioned Internet Addresses
A startup that sells unsanctioned Internet domain names has reached deals with five software companies to promote the use of such Web address suffixes as ".kids" and ".travel."

Cybernanny Web site hacked with vulgar language
Internet filtering software Cybernanny was unable to practice what it preaches this week, as a series of attacks left its Web site smeared with vulgar language.

Red Hat Hit by Class Action Suit Over IPO
Leading Linux software maker Red Hat was sued Tuesday in class action lawsuits filed on behalf of shareholders over the company's initial public offering (IPO) two years ago.

Xerox bars installations of Windows XP beta
Xerox Corp. has pulled the plug on employees running beta versions of Windows XP after the document company experienced several major outages over the past 10 days.

Microsoft discrimination case grows
Celebrity lawyer Johnnie Cochran has filed a consolidated complaint on behalf of four plaintiffs in the ongoing discrimination suit against Microsoft.

Web Site Tax Schemes Up
The number of Web sites selling illegal tax evasion schemes has exploded, bilking consumers and costing the U.S. government $70 billion to $300 billion annually because no one shuts them down

Losses, Job Cuts Rake CRM Industry
A wave of losses and job cuts swept through CRM-related companies, further eroding a foundation that has been battered by the relentless tide of bad news about the U.S. economy.

Big Blue Wages Open Warfare
IBM, the $88 billion behemoth, is committing itself to one of the most radical shifts in its corporate history: a move away from proprietary systems and toward an open computing environment.

Winstar files for bankruptcy, sues Lucent for $10 billion
Telecommunications service provider Winstar Communications Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is suing Lucent Technologies Inc. for $10 billion for allegedly violating a vendor financing agreement.

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