Trucking Technology Report - Aug. 28
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Today's Technology Headlines:
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Mobile Phones to Feature Radiation Labels Next Year
Cell phone makers are planning to provide labels on mobile phones packages for indicating the level of radiation emissions generated, the top manufacturers of mobile phones announced today. By supplying the labels the companies hope to allay health concerns of consumers and organizations.
Nokia, Motorola, and Ericsson are cooperating to develop a unified standard for measuring specific absorption rates (SAR). SAR measures the amount of radiation generated from a mobile phone. Nokia's Mobile Phones spokesman, Tapio Hedman, confirmed to Reuters that the finalization of an SAR standard is not expected to be completed to early next year. Ericsson has said it will begin labeling its phones by April next year.
SAR measures the highest amount of radiation that can be absorbed by a kilogram of living tissue from mobile phone radiation emissions. Reuters (08/28/00); de Bendern, Paul
FCC Delays Wireless-Spectrum Auction to Allow Larger Firms to Prepare Bids
The FCC announced on Friday that it will allow larger telephony companies to enter the spectrum auction that is scheduled for Nov. 29. Up until the announcement, some of the spectrum for regions with over 2.5 million residents was reserved for smaller companies.The new proposal, while opening up the bidding for larger markets, does not effect existing rules that favor smaller firms in markets with a population under 2.5 million. Larger companies have been categorized by the FCC as having an annual revenue over $125 million and assets worth more than $500 million. The agency said the rule change was in response to many requests to ease bidding restrictions on larger companies.
Permitting the larger companies to enter the auction is also part of the FCC's strategy to eliminate spectrum shortages associated with the upcoming quick deployment of new mobile services and technologies. Wall Street Journal Online (08/28/00); Carroll, Jill
Wireless Web Arrives in Canada
Web services for wireless users are now offered in Canada. And by the fall, all of the nation's major mobile phone companies will offer wireless Web services. The companies hope wireless Web access will generate additional profits from existing customers and provide a new revenue stream by attracting future customers.For instance, Web2Mobile, which is a unit of Wysdom, offers free content and applications to mobile device users. Users who are signed up to the company's Mobile Alerts can receive such information as stock quotes and weather forecasts via their Web-enabled wireless devices. And other companies, such as TheFunniestToGo, are offering unique services that address particular market interests. The company recently formed agreements with cell phone operators Bell Mobility and Rogers AT&T to provide comedy to their mobile subscribers.
While some companies, such as AvantGo, believe that consumers' interest in wireless technology will only increase, they also believe they will have more immediate success offering wired connections for receiving Web data into portable devices, such as the Palm III PDA, until the technology improves. Ottawa Citizen (08/28/00) P. B6; Riga, Andy
Without WMS, E-Commerce Is Just a Net Dream
E-commerce pipe dreams can be turned into reality when an effective warehouse management system (WMS) is deployed. Although e-tailers' Web sites are being designed for better and faster customer service while reducing business costs, back-end systems also need to be solidly in place to perform distribution and order fulfillment.E-commerce places special demands on online retailers' warehouses, which must process a larger number of single-item, customized orders to consumers via overnight or standard delivery. But WMS promises to help ease e-tailers' fulfillment challenges while maintaining high-quality customer service.
The top benefits of a WMS include improved inventory accuracy, productivity, space and labor management, customer EDI support, and value-added services. Reduced errors, paperwork, and the elimination physical inventories are also incentives. WMS-enabled, real-time warehouse visibility allows customers to track their orders and helps e-tailers maintain the inventory accuracy so integral to efficient warehouse management.
Midsize enterprises should seek strong, scalable, flexible WMS products from WMS suppliers with solid implementation and installation track records. Midrange ERP (08/00) Vol. 4, No. 8, P. 14; Majure, Jim
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