Trucking Technology Report - Nov. 14
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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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Web Hosting Firm Digex Teams up With WorldCom
WorldCom's (WCOM) proposed acquisition of Digex next year prompted a partnership between the companies yesterday as Worldcom provided Digex with access to its sales force and network backbone.
Digex, which has been in business for four years, concentrates on Web hosting. The partnership enables Digex to take advantage of WorldCom's backbone as soon as December. Digex has access to the backbone of parent company, Intermedia Communications, which is the largest shareholder in Digex. Intermedia's connection will become Digex's backup. Washington Post (11/14/00) P. E5; ElBoghdady, Dina
Older Palms to Get Wireless Web Access
Palm (PALM) announced yesterday it has introduced a kit for connecting its Palm III, Palm V, and m100 models to the Web. The $40 kit provides Internet connection by using a mobile phone as a wireless modem. The Palm VII and Palm VIIx units will now be able to allow users to go to various Web sites and access POP3 e-mail accounts. In addition, the company introduced an upgraded Palm.net portal, named MyPalm. The new portal, which is scheduled to become accessible by the end of December, will allow customers to download Internet applications directly to their Palm devices. The company also said that Yodlee will provide personalized content and Google will offer Web searching capability to MyPalm customers.
The Web kit will enable users of the older devices to access only some of the MyPalm features. The wireless Web kit provides a WAP browser for surfing the Web and offers a download of Palm's 3.5 operating system beginning later this week for an added cost of $14.95. CNet (11/14/00); Fried, Ian
Study to Help Transport Intermediaries Survive the Information Age
Transportation Intermediaries Association President Robert Voltmann announced that a team of graduate students at Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia is studying transportation brokers to help form strategies for competing with dot-coms.Transcomp 2000 was a joint meeting of the National Industrial Transportation League, Intermodal Association of North America, and TIA, addressing how the Internet is changing business.
Georgy Kirov of the Wharton group believes intermediaries must plan for several scenarios, including the services demanded by shippers and the length of customer relationships. Kirov stated that brokers could become specialized boutiques, gain customer loyalty, or go for high volume transactions. Journal of Commerce Online (11/13/00)
Wireless Devices Expected to Steal Show at Comdex
The Comdex trade show next week is expected to showcase some of the newest wireless technologies offered by the industry. Industry leaders including Nokia, Ericsson, Palm (PALM), and Handspring (HAND) will display and demonstrate their latest mobile devices at the Las Vegas convention, which will have 2,100 exhibitors. Over 200,000 people involved in the business and technology markets are anticipated to attend the convention.Microsoft (MSFT) Chairman Bill Gates, and the CEOs of Oracle (ORCL), Dell Computer (DELL), and Hewlett-Packard (HWP) are scheduled to give speeches. But the mobile devices are expected to attract the most attention from the attendees.
Palm is using Comdex to display its latest hardware add-ons for its PDAs, according to the firm's chief marketing officer, Satjiv Chahil. The add-ons can allow Palm devices to imitate the functions of other devices, such as GPS receivers for satellite applications, says Chahil. Palm has a more than 70% share of the global PDA market.
Meanwhile, Ericsson plans to display several of its Bluetooth devices, such as Web phones, at the convention. Investor's Business Daily (11/10/00) P. A4; Seitz, Patrick
Sierra Wireless Signs $30 Million US Supply Deal With Verizon
Sierra Wireless has completed a $30 million agreement to provide Verizon Wireless, the largest carrier of wireless services in the United States, with tailored telecom access gear.According to terms of the deal, Verizon will receive Sierra's AirCards, which can be inserted into a laptop computer or wireless handheld computer. The devices allow users to access both Internet and corporate networks at high speeds. Vancouver Sun Online (11/14/00)
Aether: The Next Qualcomm?
Based in Owings Mills, Md., the fast-rising mobile and wireless technology company Aether Systems (AETH) is looking to compete with Qualcomm (QCOM) in the trucking and logistics market. Its central offering is a wireless technology called Aether Intelligent Messaging, and its Scoutware has become an industry-standard enterprise-strength mobile and wireless software. Aether entered the truckload and LTL markets in September when it acquired Motient Corp.'s retain transportation business unit, totaling 200 transportation customers and 15,000-plus subscribers. Aether has also acquired such transportation-oriented products from Motient as the Pro 2000 and the MobileMax2, and it has signed a three-year reseller agreement for Motient's satellite and terrestrial network services.
There is still potential for Motient to be acquired by Aether, which has made nine acquisitions in the four years it's been in business. Traffic World (11/13/00) Vol. 264, No. 7, P. 31; Schulz, John D.
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