Scope Technologies Announces OBD Fleet Telematics Device

Singapore-based Scope Technologies has announced the MHub 837, a low-cost revolutionary self install OBD fleet telematics device. Scope specializes in Fleet Telematics, Mobile Resource Management and Pay As You Drive (PAYD) solutions.

The company recently won a contract for a a major PAYD project in South Africa with Hollard Insurance. The Mhub837, which is a new generation driver behavior monitoring and GPS tracking device, has been created with a view of the South African project. Utilizing a patented pattern recognition algorithm that analyses OBD and accelerometer data, the MHub 837 will provide vehicle and driver activity information which can be utilized to assess the risk levels associated with any given driver or vehicle.

Behavior patterns analyzed by the device include harsh braking, aggressive lane swerving, road segment speeding, etc., The unit is self installed via a connection to the vehicle’s OBD II port.“MHub 837 is an innovative game changing device which is designed to address the growing needs of the insurance market sector. Scope is very pleased with this development and is equally excited to see the reception this new development has received from our partners spread across over 46 countries now. We are also glad to be associated with Hollard Insurance which is pursuing pioneering work on promoting and deploying PAYD insurance across South Africa based on our technology offerings,” explained Monty Nussbaum, managing director of Scope Technologies. 

The new solution will find wide application in a variety of market verticals including insurance, leasing, automotive, vehicle distribution and aftermarket.

“Within a few weeks of its launch, we have witnessed a huge surge in its demand and orders that has also led us to upscale our production facilities in China and South Africa. Its low cost and self installation ability is even bringing newer verticals to the telematics fold that is further paving the way for us to develop specialized solutions for the new markets and opportunities. We will be launching within the next quarter a suite of consumer location based added value services featuring comprehensive social network integration. The offering shall be available on mobile phones and PC platforms,” Monty added.

Scope Technologies is a leading global technology provider specialising in Mobile Resource Management, encompassing Fleet Telematics and Mobile Workforce Management. 

Established in 1999, Scope has emerged as an internationally recognised technology leader providing Fleet Telematics Services across 37 countries with modular end-to-end solutions. For nearly a decade, Scope's solutions have helped companies around the globe to increase the efficiency of their fleets and mobile resources, decrease operational costs and improve profitability. 

HP Experience StoreNigeria launches back to school promo

To celebrate the coming of a new school term of 2011 in Nigeria, HP Experience Store has launched a back-to-school sales promotion with an offer of a free Microsoft Office Suite for every HP 635 laptop purchased between 22 August and 30 September 2011.

The software suite which includes Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft Office PowerPoint and OneNote, promises to deliver great value to users. Other gift items include Microsoft Headsets, HP Carrier Cases, T-Shirts, etc.

HP Experience Store is a retail IT outlet in partnership with HP and ICT Connect Limited. The company has designed the promotion to on one hand promote its sales and on the other to save money for students.

In an official statement made available to journalists, to kick-start the campaign, Mrs. Ugochi Asinugo, Store Manager, HP Experience Store said, “We understand the underlying issues of affordability and availability of systems and applications, especially to students. This explains our reason for offering the HP 635 laptop which features the exact right tools needed to enhance school work, at a reasonable price and with the right add-ons in which consumers will appreciate the added value given to them.”

She added, “We are a one-stop shop where you can purchase all your genuine technology needs from printing, personal computing, accessories, software, services and IT.

According to Solomon Omorodion, Retail Partner Account Manager, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, Nigerians sincerely desire genuine hardware and software at a comfortable pricing level. This explains our rationale for the partnership which makes certain that the HP 635 laptops comes with genuine Office Suite at no additional cost.

He added, “We are proud to work with HP Experience Store on this fantastic promotion. This is yet another great opportunity for Microsoft Nigeria to support programs that increase access to technology and the fact that the package enjoys installation on up to 3 PC’s owned by an individual ensures that everyone who needs the essential software applications for work, study and play has access.”

Next-geneveration Intel CPUs to improve mobile graphics and battery life

Intel revealed more details about the planned successors for its current-generation SandyBridge processors at its Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco recently. Coming in the second quarter of 2012 will be IvyBridge, a 22nm die-shrink "tick" to SandyBridge's "toick." IvyBridge will benefit from Intel's new 3D tri-gate transistor technology, offering as much as a 37 percent power efficiency improvement along with what looks like serious integrated graphics improvements. Following that in 2013 will be the 22nm Haswell architecture, which promises "all day" laptop battery life along with up to 10 days of what Intel is calling "connected standby."

Sandy Bridge offered significant performance over last generation Intel CPUs within the same power envelop. Additionally, Intel integrated the GPU onto the same die as the CPU, connecting the two with a shared L3 cache. While Intel has had a pretty poor reputation with its integrated graphics solutions, the architectural improvements finally put the Intel HD3000 IGP included on most mobile SandyBridge chips on par with even low-end discrete GPUs. The performance boost was enough for Apple to ditch NVIDIA GPUs in its MacBook Air and other low-end machines.

Ivy Bridge will mainly be a die shrink of the SandyBridge architecture down to 22nm. To jump down to that process node, Intel basically reinvented how transistors and other components are etched into silicon wafers. The company developed a three-dimensional "tri-gate" transistor which offers serious efficiency improvements over traditional planar design techniques. In particular, it increases the usable frequency at a given voltage level, allowing Intel to either boost the frequency or reduce power—or some combination of the two.

The power savings will matter a great deal for mobile computing, including devices like notebooks and "ultrabooks." For instance, Intel will make an IvyBridge quad-core Core i7 part with a 35W TDP. As AnandTech notes, that means Apple could offer a 13" MacBook Pro, which is limited to 35W processors, to come in a quad-core configuration. The processors will also have a configurable TDP, meaning parts could be configured on the fly to max out at a higher or lower TDP depending on certain configurations. A MacBook Air is designed for a 17W TDP. An ULVIvyBridge processor could be limited to 13W TDP while running on battery power (and hence, likely sitting on someone's lap).

Ivy Bridge's die shrink also makes room for significantly more die area to be dedicated to graphics. IvyBridge processors will have 1.48 billion transistors, nearly half a billion more than SandyBridge. From what we now about Intel's promised graphics performance—OpenCL 1.1, OpenGL 3.1, and DX11—most of those transistors are going towards GPU improvements. Intel has promised a 60 percent improvement in GPU performance; that still won't be enough for serious gamers, but it does mean that more games will certainly be playable even on a MacBook Air.

Intel also revealed a few details of IvyBridge's replacement, codenamed Haswell. The company says the design is complete, and showed off a working prototype during an IDF presentation. While not many details have been revealed, it's clear that low-power mobile computing is the name of Haswell's game. While mobile IvyBridge processors range from about 35-45W, Intel designed Haswell for a 10-20W power envelop. Effectively the kind of processing power you currently get from a MacBook Pro could fit into a MacBook Air.

Intel claims that Haswell CPUs will use as little as 30 percent less power than a comparable IvyBridge part—already a pretty significant savings. But the platform as a whole, including a revised power management architecture, can wring out as much as 20 times the battery life in what it calls a "connected standby" mode. "The idea here," according to AnandTech, "is to be able to put your notebook to sleep and have it continually fetch cloud updates (e-mail, IMs, tweets) for up to 10 days on a single charge." Real-world usage is said to be "all day," so we're thinking for current notebooks that manage 5-7 hours of battery life that could mean more like 8-12 hours. 

It's clear that Intel is targeting Haswell for its ultrabook initiative, which calls for thin, lightweight laptops with instant on capabilities and the ability to run for a full day on a single battery charge. In doing so, Intel is making Steve Jobs' proclamation that the MacBook Air represented the future of notebooks perhaps more prescient than many originally believed.

Wawanesa Insurance Deploys Guidewire Solution for Claims Management

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, which provides coverage to almost 2 million policyholders in Canada and the United States, and Guidewire Software®, a leading provider of core systems software to Property/Casualty (general) insurers, has announced that Wawanesa is in production with Guidewire ClaimCenter®.

Wawanesa is deploying ClaimCenter to manage claims for all its lines of business across its Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions in a phased implementation approach. ClaimCenter is currently in use in four regions (Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, and the U.S. Operations in California and Oregon,) with the remaining jurisdictions (Maritimes, Quebec, Prairie and Alberta) due to roll out late August through the end of 2011. The company is on target to retire its legacy claims systems by the end of 2011.

“We are excited by the possibilities ClaimCenter brings,” said Barbara MacIntyre, vice president, Claims, Wawanesa Insurance. “We now have a modern, stable system to accommodate our diverse Canadian and U.S. claims handling needs, and that system has the multi-currency handling and regulatory support for both countries, as well as built-in language capabilities we need to support our English and French Canadian operations. ClaimCenter provides improved insight into our claims operations, enabling us to deliver better and more comprehensive service to our policyholders and brokers.”

“This was a highly successful project for Wawanesa,” said Syd Church, director, IS Strategic Initiatives, Wawanesa Insurance. “We have been able to deliver a state-of-the-art claims management system, on-time, on-budget and with all the intended scope. We originally selected Guidewire not just for its packaged claims solution, which was very good, but equally as important was our belief that they would be the kind of partner we needed. They did not disappoint us, working side-by-side with our team and guiding us throughout the process.”

Church added, “We were also first time users of the Agile methodology and wholeheartedly support the transparency it gave us throughout the project.” MacIntyre concluded, “This transparency helped the business and IT stay in sync with one another throughout the project, avoiding surprises and helping us quickly address issues.”

With ClaimCenter, Wawanesa is able to:

Establish efficient common claims handling processes across its organization;

Improve the quality of service provided to policyholders and brokers;

Collect, retrieve and view information efficiently for better measurement and metrics;

Streamline training of new staff thanks to ClaimCenter’s user friendly interface; and

Notify brokers immediately when claims are filed, enabling them to provide enhanced and efficient policyholder service.

“We congratulate the entire Wawanesa organization on its successful ClaimCenter implementation,” said Marcus Ryu, chief executive officer, Guidewire Software. “Change on this scale is not always easy and Wawanesa is to be commended for the way in which they have capitalized on the significant organizational and operational changes that come with a claims transformation project. We wish them every success with ClaimCenter going forward.”

Guidewire ClaimCenter® is regarded as a leading end-to-end claims management system, built from the ground up to meet the specific needs of today’s Property/Casualty (general) insurers. ClaimCenter’s flexible business rules enable claims organizations to define, enforce and continually refine their preferred claim handling practices in order to optimize and monitor their claim processes. 

ClaimCenter is in use by insurers of all sizes across all product lines to improve speed and accuracy, reduce loss adjustment expense and enable proactive management of claims. ClaimCenter is available as a standalone system or as part of the Guidewire InsuranceSuite™, and can be integrated to an insurer’s legacy systems or third party applications.

Salesforce CEO maintains Vmware is not into cloud computing

Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff pulled no punches on the competition in a roundtable Q&A session at Dreamforce 2011 last week where he said VMware and virtualization are important, but don't fit into his and Salesforce's vision of cloud computing.

"I watched the VMware keynote this week," Benioff added (referring to VMware CEO Paul Maritz's keynote address at VMworld in Las Vegas), "They talked about how they have like 50 percent now of the total market of servers that they are on, if I got the number right, and that they have loaded their software onto 50 percent of all servers and that they're that much more efficient and then they said 'and now they're all clouds.' That's now where you got my attention, because putting virtual machines on servers is great and I understand they call it private clouds, but our vision of cloud computing is not that."

VMware did not respond to CRN's request to comment. In the VMworld keynote last week, Maritz said: "We're not immune from cloud fever, we also tend to use this term a lot." Maritz laid out VMware's cloud stack and discussed its charge into the cloud computing market. Maritz also detailed VMware's Cloud Foundry Platform-as-a-Service play, which will compete directly against Salesforce's cloud development platforms like Heroku and Force.com

But Benioff said Martiz's and VMware's private cloud vision isn't cloud computing as he understands it.

"Our vision of cloud computing is multi-tenancy, shared systems and public networks run as a 24x7 public trusted service …," Benioff continued. "If you're talking about more hardware or if you're talking about more software, it's not about the cloud. And the cloud is really this next generation of computing and that's new software and that's new services."

According to Benioff, Salesforce is targeting companies looking to keep close contact with their customers and to create that relationship, Salesforce's social enterprise combines social, mobile and open cloud elements to transform a business.

"We're not selling components. We're not selling virtual machines," Benioff said. "We're not selling hardware. We're selling social enterprise and it's the cloud that makes it possible." While Benioff said that Salesforce still has a strong relationship with VMware -- which Benioff considers a "tremendous" Salesforce partner -- the pair's VMforce partnership for Java development in the cloud may be dissolving slightly as Salesforce adds Java support to Heroku, a Ruby-based development platform Salesforce acquired last year. Though Benioff said VMware's SpringSource technology is integrated into Heroku for Java.

 Benioff said there's a good way for network managers to determine whether a vendor is offering true cloud computing services or virtualization.

"Some of those companies are software companies," he said, according to CloudPro. "They have versions with numbers after it. That is when you know you are dealing with software; if you hear about versions, you know you are not in the cloud." Benioff also dismissed the notion that virtualization is necessary as a migration tool to the cloud, telling attendees at a Q&A session, "I obviously don't believe that and I don't believe we need more software."

"The deviation between Salesforce and VMware is: VMware, VM, virtual machine; they're about virtual machines and about virtualization," Benioff said. "We have a different approach to cloud computing, which is public services."

Firm Announces Investigation of Juniper Networks

Robbins Umeda LLP, a shareholder rights litigation firm, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of the law by certain officers and directors at Juniper Networks, Inc.

Juniper Networks designs, develops, and sells products and services that together provide its customers with network infrastructure that creates responsive and trusted environments for accelerating the deployment of services and applications over a single network. The company was founded in 1996, and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Robbins Umeda LLP's investigation focuses on whether the directors and officers of Juniper Networks harmed the company and investors by issuing materially false and misleading statements to investors that have damaged the company's value and reputation. Beginning on July 20, 2010, Juniper Networks's fiduciaries allegedly issued improper statements to investors that failed to reflect adverse material facts about technical issues with the company's SRX product line, the impact of increased competition from rival security providers, and high turnover in the company's sales force.

Also at this time, Juniper Networks's Chief Executive Officer Kevin R. Johnson, along with other senior executives, allegedly engaged in a coordinated insider trading scheme to reap over $146.5 million in illicit proceeds from stock options sold while the company traded at inflated prices.

Then, on July 26, 2011, Juniper Networks issued a press release announcing disappointing second quarter results for fiscal year 2011. The press release acknowledged that growth during the quarter was far below Juniper Networks's previous guidance and that, as a result, the company would be forced to lower its full-year guidance for 2011. On this news, shares of Juniper Networks fell considerably to close to $31.17 on July 26, 2011, and then to $24.66 on July 27, 2011.

Robbins Umeda LLP represents individual and institutional shareholders in derivative, direct, and class action lawsuits. The law firm's skilled litigation teams include former federal prosecutors, former defense counsel from top multinational corporate law firms, and career shareholder rights attorneys.

Oracle, HP, IBM activities come under FBI bribery investigations

There are reports that Oracle is under investigation by the US Department of Justice, the SEC and the FBI for bribery in West and Central Africa. Oracle could face stiff penalties of up to $2 million per incident under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which makes it illegal to bribe a government official anywhere in the world. In 2008 Siemens settled its FCPA case with the Feds for an unprecedented $1.6 billion on fines and disgorgement of profits. this would not be unconnected with several complaints from competitors especially in Nigeria where Oracle is in stiff competition with Microsoft, SAP and even IBM for big bucks government sector businesses.

It is expected that Oracle would cooperate fully and quickly with investigators because Federal sentencing guidelines allow for a reduction in penalties in the event of wrong doing if the firm can demonstrate the incident was an anomaly and that it gnerally has an effective compliance and ethics program in place. But avoiding a fine maybe only half the battle. The biggest bottom line impact could be the potential loss of business upon conviction if Oracle is banned from public sector contracting in many countries. Such was the fate of Siemens.

Important to note that no one knows the scale of the alleged offences under investigation nor the strength of the government’s case at this point in time. However, it is public knowledge about the broader scale of the corruption problem in Africa and its consequences. Take Oracle’s West Africa main base Cote d’Ivoire - it ranks an alarming 146th as one of the most corrupt countries on earth in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, life expectancy is a miserable 58 years with an average of 3.3 years of education provision and 23% of the population living on less than $1.25 per day.

In fact, Larry Ellison’s personal net worth of $39.5 billion according to Forbes exceeds Cote d’Ivoire’s GNP of $34.5 billion as estimated by the World Bank. Clearly, West African countries such as Cote d’Ivoire are economically vulnerable and create a vortex of social pressure for anyone doing business there. Under conditions of weak local enforcement and weak internal controls, companies can equally be pressured to succumb to the apparent norm of bribing (demand) or they can take their own permission to do so (supply). The results can be tragic as the German Ministry for International development puts it: "Corruption is one cause of poverty. It impedes poverty reduction. Poverty is one cause of corruption. It impedes the fight against corruption".

News of the investigation comes after a run of high profile challenges to Oracle’s reputation including removal from the Nasdaq OMX Sustainability index for lack of sustainability reporting, removal from the FTSE4Good Index for lack of Human Rights protections and a hostile shareholder resolution demanding a board sub committee for sustainability to ensure Oracle ‘walks its talk’ on sustainability.

HP is also currently under investigation for alleged bribery in Russia and IBM settled its FCPA case earlier this year for $10 million. IBM was accused of bribing for business in China and Korea and was found by the SEC to have had ‘deficient internal controls’. According to FTSE4Good criteria the entire tech industry, if engaged in public contracting in high risk countries, must be rated as high risk for bribery. The leading NGO/ think tank on the issue, Transparency International describes the problem of public contracting in high risk countries in its most recent annual report:

The enormous amounts of money flowing from government budgets through procurement create ideal opportunities for corruption. Contracts can be awarded without fair competition and politically connected companies can be favoured over competitors. Companies within the same industry can rig their bids, so each company gets a piece of the pie. Available research shows that corruption can add on as much as 50 per cent of a contract’s value.

The curious thing about the tech sector’s vulnerability to the risk of corruption is that of late it has celebrated the motherhood and apple pie virtues of sustainability for value creation. Its hard then to square up the problems at IBM, HP and Oracle with the promise of a Smarter Planet, A Connected World and an Eco Enterprise respectively. In recent years sustainability has become something of a gold rush though innovators would do well to remember to also take care of the basic hygiene factors - like corruction.