Trucking Technology Report - Dec. 22
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
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IBM Inks Supply Chain, Government Deals
IBM (IBM) announced on Tuesday four new strategic software alliances, the latest of 40 such partnerships with independent software vendors formed over the last year.
IBM Global Services will serve as general contractor in many of the ISVs' implementations, providing customers with systems integration and other consulting services, according to IBM ISV alliances director John Olszewski. IBM also will market and resell the ISVs' solutions to its global network of partners. Smart Partner Online (12/20/00); Moore, John
Online Traffic Reports Get More Sophisticated
Internet traffic Web sites are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but still lag behind their radio counterparts in usefulness and accessibility. However, recent innovations in wireless and traffic-gathering data promise that Internet traffic sites will become integral to the commute.Voice recognition software and more traffic information systems, for instance, will lead to personalized traffic reports accessed by one touch, says one media traffic expert. For now, traffic sites such as MapQuest, TrafficStation, and Traffic.com provide up-to-date information, but are accessible only through a personal computer or Web-enabled cell phone, which is dangerous to use while driving.
Some analysts doubt the viability of such traffic sites, saying that consumers would not be willing to pay for personalized reports. In addition, most traffic sites tally less than 200,000 hits every month according to Media Metrix. USA Today (12/19/00) P. 3B; Kessler, Michael
A U.S.-European Alliance to Track Freight
New joint venture Euro-Log U.S.A. has launched with the intention of tracking large shipments of cargo on the Internet. Euro-Log of Germany and Transentric, a Union Pacific (UNP) subsidiary, founded the new company to track transatlantic freight and provide supply chain efficiency data to manufacturers, retailers, and shippers.Experts say that the service is important to supply chain management by allowing both suppliers and receivers to adjust to random events that occur during shipping. The data would also help carriers improve service and find potential efficiencies.
Euro-Log U.S.A. will use electronic messaging and an e-commerce site to link all the members of the supply chain, including seaport terminals, land carriers, cargo ships, and distribution centers. Euro-Log U.S.A. is negotiating with logistics companies in Singapore, China, and Dubai in order to extend the alliance worldwide. Philadelphia Inquirer (12/19/00) P. C2; Holcomb, Henry J.
Stinnes, IBM in E-Marketplace Pact
IBM (IBM) and its middleware products will receive a €5 million investment from Logistics Group Stinnes. The two companies will cooperate to develop IT solutions that make it easier for companies to join global e-commerce marketplaces and add sophisticated online management functionality to their logistics systems. Dow Jones News (12/21/00); Huf, JohannaSharp Hopes to Re-enter U.S. Handheld Market
Sharp will display its new Zaurus model, which offers video imaging and wireless Internet access, at the International Consumer Electronics Show to test U.S. consumer response to the device. The electronics show will be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 6 to Jan. 9. The new model comes with a memory card to hold video images and employs the Zaurus operating system. In addition, the device is designed with an insert for a data card-like phone system.
According to Sharp spokesman Noriaki Matsumoto, the company wants to see how the U.S. market responds to the new model. Sharp is assessing a re-entry into the U.S. wireless handheld market, Matsumoto adds. Sharp's Zaurus models are the most popular handhelds in Japan. The company wants to ship the products into foreign markets beginning next year. Bloomberg News Online (12/21/00)
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