Tools for efficiency — Mobile Computing Tools for Commuting Professionals.

I'm not usually one of the first people to learn of new cutting-edge technology, so when I heard about a fashion show for wearable computers, I wanted to know just how sci-fi things have become. The fashion show in our featured article demonstrated mobile and wearable computing products. It was a collaboration between the manufacturer, Xybernaut, and FedEx, one of their biggest and most innovative clients. The fashions worn in the show were utilitarian, incorporating technological accessories such as computers and cell phones. Some of the clothing contained fuel cells providing a lightweight, portable source of power for mobile devices.

Models on catwalks sported specially designed vests, belts, cases and various head gear with head-mounted displays with integrated microphone and earphones that facilitate continuous hands-free use through speech recognition software. Small, lightweight devices using wireless communication through built-in Compact Flash and PC Card slots were fitted into special pockets. All of the fashions were designed to combine ergonomic comfort with attention to body placement, access, weight balance, materials, hygiene, and body support for seamless human interaction. One day, perhaps we will all remember "the old days" when people only wore pens in their pockets.

Another article in this issue describes new advances in the healthcare IT industry implementing innovative emergency medicine solutions via hand held computers. These improvements are amazing and no doubt are saving many lives. It also makes me wonder, how far off in reality is the "tri-corder" used on television's Star Trek?

The recent unprecedented shortage of flu vaccinations and the resulting impact on the American workplace has been a serious problem that had an unexpected financial benefit for the maker of "GoToMyPC" corporate remote access software. Faced with business losses estimated over $20 billion due to workers forced to stay at home, many companies took advantage of this way for employees to have secure access to all their office files, programs and network resources from their computers at home. Find out more about it in this issue's article.

Another article on a related topic is eLearning. Employees access training from any computer via the Web and electronic courseware. Utilizing eLearning not only helps a company's bottom line; it also reduces textbooks and paperwork allowing employees to work at their own pace. The article tells how eLearning is catching on in a big way among small to medium-sized businesses, especially in the health care industry.

I hope you will find the other related articles and announcements in this Spring 2005 issue of TMIS eNewsletter interesting. Here is a quick mention of a cause I feel worth mentioning -- I recently upgraded to a new cell phone and donated my old one to the Donate a Phone Call to Protect campaign to benefit victims of domestic violence (http://www.wirelessfoundation.org/DonateAPhone/index.cfm). I couldn't think of a better way to recycle my old phone.

I am grateful to be in a collaborative business with many talented and skilled professionals. Additional feedback and recommendations for our products and services at TM Information Services http://www.tminformationservices.com are always welcome.

- Mary M. McLaughlin

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FedEx Express and Xybernaut Corporation Stage Mobile Wearable Computing Demonstration
Sao Paulo, Brazil

High Tech and High Fashion met on the catwalk when FedEx Express and mobile wearable computing maker Xybernaut Corporation presented the first-ever demonstration of mobile and wearable computers in January during Sao Paulo Fashion Week, Latin America's largest fashion event. Xybernaut manufactures and supports the mobile and wearable computing used by FedEx Express that allows workers maximum mobility, portability and hands-free operation in the workplace. "Brazil is a leading worldwide textile exporter and the FedEx/Xybernaut fashion show is a sign of the times in Brazil," said Guilherme Gatti, FedEx director of marketing, automation and customer service for South America, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Full Story

ibex Healthdata Systems Releases Latest Emergency Department Mobile Computing Technology
Rosemont, Illinois

Patient safety and satisfaction, plus physician satisfaction and convenience, are considered high priorities in every busy hospital emergency department across the country. These priorities depend on providing Emergency Physicians the flexibility to order tests, review results and write prescriptions while giving them real time access to medical information as they move around the emergency department. Accomplishing that, up to now has been next to impossible. ibex Healthdata Systems of Rosemont, Illinois, the premier provider of innovative Web browser-based emergency department information solutions to the healthcare industry, has recently released the healthcare IT industry’s most innovative emergency medicine features solution specifically designed for hand held computers.
Full Story

GoToMyPC Corporate Provides Telework Rx for Businesses During Flu Vaccine Shortage
Santa Barbara, California

For a healthy dose of productivity, many employees are forgoing their search for the hard-to-find flu vaccine. Instead, employers are encouraging their staff to leave their fuzzy slippers on and their immune systems intact by teleworking from home, using Citrix GoToMyPC Corporate from Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems Inc. The fast, easy and secure managed service turns telework into a defense against the spread of illness and lost productivity costs -- estimated at $20 billion resulting from the vaccine shortage. With Citrix GoToMyPC Corporate, employees have secure access to all the files, programs and network resources available at the office, thus making it easy to be productive from any Internet-connected computer in any remote location.
Full Story

Web-Based E-Learning Systems Offer Productivity Tool...Particularly In Healthcare Industry
Dallas, Texas

Electronic-learning, which is increasingly used as a productivity tool by small to medium-size businesses (SMBs), has become a $4 billion industry growing at 10-15 percent yearly, reported the Information Technology Solution Providers Alliance (ITSPA), a national, non-profit group that helps SMBs understand how technology and local technology providers can help them succeed. "The implications of the e-learning phenomenon are enormous for SMBs, particularly as they look for ways to go head-to-head with large corporations," said ITSPA President Russell Morgan. "Driving the growth of e-learning are SMB decision makers who understand that online employee education offers many advantages that traditional training simply can't match. "In healthcare, for instance, smaller clinics and hospitals are using e-learning systems to help doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators learn about new medical advances, earn healthcare certifications, and sharpen their skills without leaving the office."
Full Story

A New Breed of Merchant Will Help Retailers Succeed in the Post Wal-Mart World
Boston, Massachussetts

A new breed of merchant - comfortable with using advanced technology tools and able to collaborate across the retail enterprise is making a significant contribution to the success of best-in-class retailers, according to a recent report by AberdeenGroup, a leading research firm serving major corporate technology end-users around the world. Aberdeen defines Proactive Merchandising as the use of science-based procedures, including science-based forecasting tools and techniques to optimize financial and assortment planning, buying, allocation and replenishment, and pricing and optimization.
Full Story

Nanosys and Sharp to Collaborate on Nanotechnology-Enabled Fuel
Palo Alto, California

Nanosys, Inc. today announced it entered into a collaborative agreement with Sharp Corporation of Osaka, Japan, to develop nanotechnology-enabled fuel cells incorporating Nanosys' proprietary nanostructure technology. Under the terms of the agreement, Nanosys will collaborate with Sharp to utilize its nanostructure technology to help develop high performance fuel cells for use in portable consumer electronics such as laptop computers, cell phones and cameras. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. "Sharp's expertise and success in the development and commercialization of portable electronics and renewable energy products makes them an excellent collaborator for Nanosys," said Calvin Chow, Nanosys' Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited about the opportunity to apply our nanostructure technology with Sharp to address the numerous opportunities in the rapidly growing multi-billion dollar portable power market."
Full Story

Strategic Alliance to Bring Digital Writing Enterprise Software to the Government Information Processing Marketplace
Fairfax, Virginia

Mi-Co announced today that the company has signed a strategic alliance with ASM Research that empowers ASM consultants to rapidly implement state-of-the-art mobile data capture applications for its government clients. "During the negotiations with ASM Research," stated Jim Clary, Mi-Co CEO, "We came to value the fact that ASMR has a 30-year history as a leading provider of information technology solutions for the Federal Government. More importantly, it became very clear to us that ASMR always puts the needs of their Government customers first. This philosophy completely fits with the Mi-Co culture. Therefore, we are very excited about this new alliance. The combination of Mi-Co's mobile data capture software, Mi-Forms, plus ASMR's project management and solution implementation skills can significantly reduce the Federal Government's costs of capturing data. This will enable all Government agencies to make a smooth transition from their traditional paper-based forms data collection processes to completely electronic forms-based processes. Lowering the effort and time required to manually enter handwritten forms data and re-type the information into computer systems can save the Government extraordinary amounts of time and money."
Full Story

Mobile Phone Market In Need of New Growth Catalyst
Framingham, Massachussetts

When carriers began offering 2.5G mobile phones several years ago with color displays and cameras, existing wireless subscribers rushed to upgrade their basic, existing handsets and significant numbers of consumers decided to buy a mobile phone for the first time. After several years of new purchases and replacements and upgrades driven by color and cameras, a new catalyst must emerge if the market is to continue to expand at its current rate. "Without a doubt, many pieces of the 3G puzzle are falling into place, from infrastructure deployment to semiconductor development to mobile phone availability. In particular, 3G mobile phones continue to improve, offering smaller form factors, longer talk time, and lower price points than ever before," said Alex Slawsby, senior analyst, Mobile devices. "Continued delays in the evolution of compelling 3G services and content, however, remain. Although 3G mobile phone volume will grow, a relatively prolonged transition period from 2.5G to 3G will leave the mobile phone market with a weaker set of demand catalysts in 2005."
Full Story

New CE Device Pioneers ''Placeshifting'' of Your Living Room TV Experience
San Mateo, California

Sling Media, Inc. unveiled the Slingbox(TM) Personal Broadcaster, a breakthrough consumer electronics device that transforms today's television viewing experience. The Slingbox enables a consumer to watch their live TV programming from wherever they are by turning virtually any laptop or Internet-connected device into a personal TV. The Slingbox redirects, or "placeshifts," the TV signal from any cable box, satellite receiver, or personal video recorder (PVR) to a viewer's location and device of choice, whether in another room in the home or anywhere in the world with a high-speed Internet connection. The product is due to ship in the first half of 2005. "Sling Media is taking the television viewing experience to the next level by placeshifting your TV. The Slingbox picks up where timeshifting technologies leave off," said Sling Media CEO and cofounder Blake Krikorian. "Best of all, the Slingbox is designed to embrace, not replace, the consumer's existing infrastructure." At launch, the Slingbox is capable of placeshifting a single, live TV stream to the owner's laptop or desktop PC of choice. The company also plans to provide downloadable software for PDAs and smart cellphones, as faster wireless networks become available to support a high-quality, TV-like viewing experience. "The idea of placeshifting TV is the next logical evolution after timeshifting -- the last notable advancement in TV, popularized first by VCRs, and now by TiVo and other PVRs," said IDC analyst Randy Giusto. "Placeshifting, however, has the potential to create even more value for the TV industry by increasing viewers and boosting advertising reach."
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