January 08, 2008 | Comments: (0)
Test Center Tracker: Layer One Networking and a New Guide
We keep trying to figure out how do networking without a physical layer, but so far we haven't figured that out, yet. Until then, we'll need to worry about things like cables. Brian Chee has looked at the craft and art of cable lacing, as part of the general focus on cables at InfoWorld. We also introduce a new kind of product article here in the Test Center -- one that should make reviews even more useful to you.
Network Beauty: When you have to network more than two or three systems together, cable management becomes a significant issue. Over in the Geeks in Paradise blog, Brian Chee takes on the nearly-lost art of cable lacing, and discusses why it's so important to current network maintenance and performance. In particular, he asks why more network centers aren't using cable harnesses -- a tool that auto and aircraft manufacturers have used for years -- to maintain order and regularity in their infrastructure. When you pair Brian's post with an object lesson in structured cabling in Off the Record, you have the basis for a serious discussion on just how important good cabling installation and management are to your network's continued performance.
A New Buyer's Guide: One of the constant issues we face here in the Test Center is how to make all our reviews useful to our readers. We've decided that one answer is a new kind of article, the Buyer's Guide. These articles will bring together information on the products, technologies,and companies within a product category, and provide a convenient place for us to link to all the reviews and analysis we've done on the products. Each of these guides will evolve as the market and products evolve, and will be updated to reflect new reviews and analysis. The first buyer's guide, our Buyer's Guide to SIMS, is up now. Take a look, and let us know how we can make it better -- there's much more to come.
Posted by Curt Franklin on January 8, 2008 01:16 PM
October 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Cast Iron Systems forges integration appliance
Cast Iron Systems this week introduced its iA2000 integration appliance for small businesses, enabling companies to integrate with applications such as salesforce.com or Oracle.
Use of the hardware appliance saves businesses from having to custom-code or use third-party software for integration. This saves time and money, Cast Iron said.
The iA2000 has enterprise-level features such as round-the-clock production support, graphical data transformation, content-based data routing, guaranteed transaction delivery and Web-based integration monitoring.
Integration capabilities include support for XML, Internet standards, popular middleware and major ERP, CRM, database, project management and legacy applications. Cast Iron iA2000 is available now for a monthly subscription price of $2,000, with introductory pricing of $1,500 per month.
The appliance is powered by dual-core Intel Pentium 4 processor technology.
Posted by Paul Krill on October 17, 2007 10:23 AM
January 08, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Samsung hedges its mobile search bets
As Google and Yahoo prepare to battle for dominance of mobile search, one company is clearly poised to cash in no matter which search giant wins: Samsung.
Both Google and Yahoo separately announced strategic partnerships with Samsung today through which the consumer electronics company will ship some mobile devices pre-installed with Google search and e-mail apps, and more -- and some select devices packaged with Yahoo search and e-mail apps, and more.
Specifically, the Google-y Samsung devices will come with "a Google icon in the application menu, providing users with one-click access to Google search"; Google Maps, "an application that enables users to view maps and satellite imagery, find local businesses, and get driving directions," and Gmail for mobile devices, according to Google.
The Yahooified devices, Yahoo says, will come with Yahoo Go 2.0, Yahoo's new mobile Internet application that lets users "navigate the selection of Yahoo Go widgets for e-mail, local information and maps, and more"; Yahoo oneSearch, "a new mobile search service designed to give consumers instant answers through more relevant search results; Yahoo Mail; Yahoo Messenger; and Yahoo Personal Information Management for synchronizing contacts from Yahoo Address Book and tasks and events saved on Yahoo Calendar.
Amusingly, the two announcements have somewhat similar canned quotes attributed to Kitae Lee, Samsung's president of telecommunications network business.
Of the Google partnership, she -- ahem -- "said", "We are very thrilled to introduce Samsung mobiles with one-click access to Google services. Our cooperation with Google exemplifies our commitment to leading the evolution from the fixed-Internet era to a mobile Internet era and ushering in a ubiquitous world where mobile enables our consumers to access information about anything, anywhere, anytime. Samsung and Google will enhance users' mobile experience with a powerful, yet easy-to-use handset with simple access to information and personal management."
And of the Yahoo partnership, Lee declared, "Samsung recognizes consumers' need for Internet access through their mobiles anytime, anywhere. Samsung mobile phones with Yahoo services will provide consumers with fast and convenient access to the Internet, even on the move. Our successful partnership with Yahoo builds on Samsung's continuing efforts to enhance consumers' mobile experience."
Hm. The Google quote is much longer. Do you think Samsung is playing favorites already?
Posted by Ted Samson on January 8, 2007 01:06 PM
November 21, 2006 | Comments: (0)
More than a toy, PlayStation 3 does Linux
If you're one of the fortunate few to have scooped up a Sony PlayStation 3 (and not gotten mugged in the process), and you're looking for a tax break, I have some good news: You might be able to count your new "toy" as a business expense.
Seems that Sony was good enough to make available a download called Open Platform for PlayStation 3, which enables users to install third-party apps on their PS3s. Some Linux enthusiasts are already taking advantage of it by loading their shiny new systems with Fedora Core 5 OS.
Intrigued? Well, QJ.net has some instructions on how to go about doing the installation, and videos are popping up on sites like YouTube showing how it's done.
According to QJ.net, once you've put Fedora on your PS3, "you will be able to install any app as long as it has a PPC build of it. That includes most major applications like Mozilla Firefox, VLC player, and more."
Let's face it: The PlayStation 3 could be aptly dubbed The Work-and-PlayStation 3, representing a laudable convergence of home entertainment and the home office. Technologically speaking, it's really an intriguing piece of machinery, rivaling, if not trumping, the high-end desktop systems on the market. Just check out the specs. In addition to having Blu-Ray optical drive and built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, it's the first commercial device powered by the Cell processor, a 3.2GHz chip that Sony developed with assistance from IBM and Toshiba. Boasting seven SPEs, the chip is said to perform at 218 gigaflops.
Plus it has six USB ports, convenient for plugging in your mouse and keyboard as you run Fedora, Firefox, or whatever applications you install on the system.
What do you think about the PS3? Have we witnessed an evolution in desktop computing here, or is it just another expensive toy?
Posted by Ted Samson on November 21, 2006 01:13 PM
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