Technology Briefs - Jan. 27 - Feb. 2
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The Latest Headlines:
- Government Offers Free Cyber Alerts, Computer Advice
- Xata Narrows Fiscal 1Q Loss
- Love's Travel Stops to Offer Pegasus Scanning Service
- Aether to Install MobileMax on Western Distributing's Trucks
- Sirius' Partnerships May Cut Into Cash Reserves
- Xata Narrows Fiscal 1Q Loss
Government Offers Free Cyber Alerts, Computer Advice
As it seeks to increase Internet security, the Homeland Security Department has started offering Americans free cyber alerts and computer advice, the Associated Press reported.Anyone who signs up with the new National Cyber Alert System will receive e-mails about major virus outbreaks and other Internet attacks as they occur, AP said.
It clogged the Internet with some 100 million infected e-mails in its first 36 hours and prompted the FBI to launch an investigation, news services reported. Transport Topics
Xata Narrows Fiscal 1Q Loss
Xata Corp., a provider of fleet management products for the trucking industry, said Friday its net loss for the fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 31 was $455,000 or 7 cents per share, compared with a loss of $854,000 million or 12 cents a year earlier.Net sales rose to $3.3 million from $3 million, the company said in a release.
Xata said the majority of its revenue was derived from sales of its OpCenter fleet management system. Transport Topics
Love's Travel Stops to Offer Pegasus Scanning Service
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with Pegasus TransTech to offer its Transflo Express truck stop scanning service, the companies said in a release.Love's operates 147 travel stops and convenience stores across 18 states. Transflo Express allows documents to be delivered electronically to fleets for immediate billing and payroll processing.
Implementation of Transflo Express in more than 100 locations should be completed by the end of April, the release said. Transport Topics
Aether to Install MobileMax on Western Distributing's Trucks
Aether Systems Inc. said Thursday that Western Distributing Transportation Corp. plans to install MobileMax on all 170 of the company's trucks.MobileMax is Aether's wireless communications and tracking system that transmits dispatch, shipping and other information to and from trucks on the road.
Aether said in its release that Western plans to utilize several of MobileMax's advanced features including ADV Monitor, which provides real-time information on vehicle and driver performance, state-line crossings and vehicle fault codes. Transport Topics
Sirius' Partnerships May Cut Into Cash Reserves
Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s recent distribution deals with United Auto Group Inc., Penske Automotive Group Inc. and Penske Truck Leasing Co. may eat into its cash reserves, Bloomberg reported.As part of the Penske deal, Sirius will issue Penske warrants to buy 38 million shares of its stock at $2.392, or about $91 million, a 19% discount.
Sirius will pay Penske a commission, as well as costs for installations, promotional kiosks and staffing, according to Sirius Chief Financial Officer David Frear.
Sirius had 261,061 subscribers at the end of 2003, but it is losing ground to larger rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., Bloomberg said. Transport Topics
