Trucking Technology Report - Feb. 15
 |  |
Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
ul>
SupplyLinks to Add 10 More Providers to Network
Chairman and CEO of SupplyLinks, David I. Beatson, has announced that his Web-based transportation and logistics management firm has just partnered with 10 more global transportation providers. Among the new partners are AIT Worldwide Logistics, BAX Global, Central Freight Lines, Central Global Express, Exel, Watkins Motor Lines, and Schneider Logistics.
@Track Executes Agreement with Minorplanet
@Track Communications, Inc. reports the execution of a stock purchase and exchange agreement with Minorplanet Systems PLC, a producer and distributor of telemetric-based vehicle management information systems (VMI), and interests representing a majority in interest of the company's senior notes.Minorplanet is to acquire 10 million shares of @Track common stcok for $10 million and receive an additional 140 million shares of @Track common stock in exchange for an exclusive 99 year license to market, distribute, and operate Minorplanet's VMI technologies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Additionally, a majority in interest of the company's 13.75 percent senior notes due 2005, which parties in the aggregate hold approximately 75 percent of the senior notes, have agreed to exchange their senior notes for approximately 56.2 million shares of @Track common stock. @Track News Release (02/15/01)
AT&T to Sell Stock in Wireless Unit
AT&T announced plans to sell roughly $3 billion in AT&T Wireless stock rather than issue it to shareholders as intended. AT&T also announced a one-month postponement of an exchange of its shares for wireless shares, which is included in its plan to divide into three companies and establish tracking shares for the residential long-distance business.The company attributed the delay to an unseen error that resulted in the omission of some financial statements from its submission last year to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
AT&T has been making an effort to lower its debt since CEO C. Michael Armstrong paid over $100 billion to acquire cable-TV operations.
AT&T, which has experienced a more than 50 percent drop in its share value in a year, announced in January that its debt had been reduced from $65 billion to $46 billion, aided a $9.8 billion investment in its wireless division from NTT DoCoMo. Washington Post (02/15/01) P. E16; Cimilluca, Dana
Wireless Displays Change as Services Grow
Personal displays for cell phones and other handheld devices are racing to keep up with consumer expectations, especially as Internet-based content and services multiply for mobile products. However, engineers face difficult tradeoffs when choosing the display technology that may best be suited for their products.Emissive displays generate light at the surface to produce a crisp image but quickly eat up the battery life that is an important factor in any mobile product. Reflective displays are sensitive to environmental conditions, while transmissive displays, which rely on back lighting, are often hampered by the size of the pixel transistors, which can block light transmission.
Electronics companies are investing significant research in solving the problems each of these traditional displays poses. Commverge (01/01) Vol. 2, No. 1, P. 46; Sherman, Erik
Confusion Reigns with Mobile Phone Browsers
As more mini-browsers flood the mobile phone market, confusion will likely result.OpenWave Systems, previously named Phone.com, has the greatest share of the mini-browser phone market. However, the company faces increased competition from such companies as Nokia and Microsoft.
America Online announced in January that it was teaming with Nokia to create a Netscape-branded mini-browser. Meanwhile, Microsoft has launched a mini-browser designed for handsets in Korea.
Mini-browsers are playing an integral role in the expansion of the wireless Web. And many companies use mini-browser technology to help market their products. But AvantGo Chairman Felix Lin notes that the browser is of little use by itself, and that services and applications must be good.
The mini-browser handheld market lacks a global standard, which can cause users frustration. For example, in Europe, Nokia holds the leading share of the mini-browser market. Therefore, software developers design most of their applications for Nokia's handsets, leaving out the seven percent of consumers who employ Openwave browsers. Interactive Week (02/05/01) Vol. 8, No. 5, P. 22; Gohring, Nancy
© copyright 2000 INFORMATION, INC. Terms of Service
| ||||
