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Foveon Introduces The First Small Format Full-color Image Sensor
James Bond 007: Nightfire for Macintosh
FileMaker Announces Shipment of FileMaker Mobile 7 at National Education Computing Conference (NECC)
iAnywhere and Servoy Simplify the Development of Database-Powered Applications for Mac OS X
Chancery Software Releases Mac School 6.0 for Mac OS X; New Version to Provide Enhanced Security and Set-up Options
Coming Soon From MacSoft
BIAS Unveils Windows Based SoundSoap Audio Solution Mac Audio Software Leader Aims For Windows Market And More
AlphaSmart Extends Classroom Management Capabilities for Neo, AlphaSmart 3000 and Dana Computer Companions
[url=#Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server Keeps Running When Attacks or Queries From Virus-Infected Computers Bring Other DNS Servers to a Stop]Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server Keeps Running When Attacks or Queries From Virus-Infected Computers Bring Other DNS Servers to a Stop
Cisco Announces Availability of Network Admission Control Solutions
Foveon Introduces The First Small Format Full-color Image Sensor
Foveon Inc., a technology leader of award-winning high-quality digital camera image sensors, has announced the availability of the Foveon F19 sensor (FO18-50-F19), a 1/1.8-inch 4.5 Megapixel CMOS direct image sensor that incorporates Foveon’s breakthrough X3 technology to directly capture color in three layers, just like film. The company also announced that the F19 image sensor has been designed into the HanVision HVDUO-5M digital camera for industrial, scientific, medical, and communications applications.
The F19 direct image sensor employs Foveon’s unique X3 stacked-pixel design. Each stack of pixels contains a red, green, and blue pixel, eliminating the need for color interpolation and blur filters which are required for conventional CCD and CMOS image sensors. Color interpolation is used by CCD and CMOS image sensors to estimate the missing color information inherent in these image sensors, which only have a single layer of pixels. Blur filters are also used in CCD and CMOS image sensors to eliminate the color artifacts, which are introduced as part of the color interpolation. The Foveon X3 F19 direct image sensor avoids these image quality compromises by utilizing the X3 stacked pixel design. As a result, the Foveon X3 F19 sensor delivers the highest degree of full color, image sharpness, and artifact-free color detail possible with a 1/1.8-inch image sensor.
The new Foveon F19 sensor also features Foveon’s powerful VPS (Variable Pixel Size) technology. VPS groups neighboring pixels together to form larger pixels that are optimal for high frame rate, reduced noise, and dual mode still/video applications. Other advanced Foveon F19 features include low fixed-pattern noise, ultra low power consumption, and integrated digital control.
New Camera for Scientific and Industrial Markets
Foveon also announced that the F19 direct image sensor has been designed into the HanVision HVDUO-5M, a digital camera designed for industrial, scientific, medical and communications applications. Boasting 30-bit digital color output, real-time color processing, support for still and video sensor scan modes, and a CameraLink interface, the HanVision HVDUO-5M was made for applications needing exact color detail and flexible readout options. The camera is compatible with a wide range of C-mount optics and frame grabbers. It includes an automatic internal dark-frame shutter mechanism and controls for synchronized illuminators for flexibility in exposure control.
Current Line of Digital Cameras Using the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor
• Sigma SD9 – The first digital camera to use the Foveon X3 F7 direct image sensor. The 10.2 megapixel image sensor won awards and accolades in the photography community. ·       Â
• Sigma SD10 – The first camera to incorporate the Foveon X3 F7N. The 10.2 Megapixel F7N direct image sensor is the second generation X3 image sensor, which increased the ISO range from 100 to 800, and added an extended mode option to ISO 1600. In addition, exposure durations were increased to 30 seconds for better low-light photography – important for the pro market.
• The Polaroid x530 (available in September 2004) - will be the first point & shoot consumer digital camera to showcase the new F19 chip with Foveon X3 technology. Affordably priced at only $399, the Polaroid x530 has a modern retro look with the advanced Foveon sensor inside.
Foveon X3 image sensors are the world’s only direct image sensors, which capture red, green, and blue light at every pixel location, and are the first image sensors that leverage silicon’s inherent color separation property. When silicon is exposed to light, blue light is absorbed near the surface, green light is absorbed in the middle, and red light is absorbed deep within the silicon. Pixel sensors are stacked at the corresponding depths within the silicon so that red, green, and blue light is captured for each pixel location.
Other image sensors on the market such as CCD and CMOS image sensors have only one layer of pixels and use colored filters to capture a single color per location, resulting in color artifacts and image blurring. Foveon X3 technology is highly scalable for a wide range of cameras including digital still/video cameras, PDAs, cell phones, security cameras, and scientific cameras.
Fact Sheet F19:
http://www.thomas-pr.com/brochures/Foveon_F19_020804L.pdf
James Bond 007: Nightfire for Macintosh
Macintosh game players can take the ultimate secret agent James Bond to explore new heights and depths like never before. Aspyr Media Inc. announced today that it has released the new James Bond 007: Nightfire game that offers a complete 007 experience filled with action-packed excitement and intrigue that leaves players shaken... and stirred!
James Bond 007: Nightfire features an original single player storyline borrowing from the 007 legacy that spans 40 years. As Bond, players operate in the snow-capped Austrian Alps and outer space as well as underwater in the depths of the South Pacific to defeat the evil criminal mastermind Rafael Drake who is secretly bent on world domination. Players can maneuver the sleek Aston Martin V12 Vanquish through the streets of Tokyo while turning on the Bond charm with glamorous Bond women.
James Bond 007: Nightfire features missions filled with fast-paced action and stealth, gorgeous women, exotic locales, and sophisticated spy gadgets that Bond fans have come to expect. The game also offers a large cast of villains and allies, both new and familiar to the Bond universe.
James Bond was first introduced to movie audiences in 1962 when Danjaq LLC and United Artists, released Dr. No. The 20th film in the franchise, Die Another Day, debuted nationwide on November 22, 2002.
Aspyr Media Inc. licensed James Bond 007: Nightfire from Electronic Arts (EA) and Macintosh conversion was done by TransGaming Technologies. James Bond 007: Nightfire is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB.
For more information, visit:
http://www.mgm.com
http://www.aspyr.com
Apple Introduces Apple Remote Desktop 2
Apple has announced Apple Remote Desktop 2, the second generation of Apple’s asset management, software distribution and help desk support software. Along with dramatic improvements in screen sharing performance, Apple Remote Desktop 2 includes more than 50 new features for centrally managing Mac OS X systems.
“With Apple Remote Desktop 2, we’ve delivered a powerful suite of IT management tools that includes high-performance, real-time screen sharing,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Apple Remote Desktop 2 is essential for anyone managing a group of Macs.”
Apple Remote Desktop 2 can perform a wide range of desktop management tasks such as installing operating system and application software, running hardware and software inventory reports and executing commands on one or more remote Mac OS X systems on the network. Remote software installation tools allow IT professionals to install single or multiple software packages immediately or at specific dates and times. Comprehensive hardware and software reports based on more than 200 system information attributes allow administrators to keep track of their Mac OS X systems. In addition, built-in real-time screen sharing enables help desk professionals to provide online assistance by observing and controlling the desktops of any remote Mac® or Virtual Network Computing (VNC)-enabled computer, including Windows and Linux systems.
Apple Remote Desktop 2 also includes:
• Task lists to provide an at-a-glance view of the status of running, queued and completed tasks. Tasks can be saved and used later with new parameters;
• Remote shell scripts that make it easy to run UNIX scripts or UNIX commands simultaneously on multiple Mac OS X systems. Apple Remote Desktop 2 includes new command-line tools for setting network, energy saver and date and time system preferences;
• Remote Control to perform common Mac OS X functions such as opening files and applications, emptying trash, logging out and locking the screen simultaneously on multiple Mac OS X systems;
• Network Scanners to simplify the discovery of Mac OS X systems on the network. Administrators can now quickly search for computers using RendezvousÂ?, by specifying a range of network addresses or by importing a list of machines from a text file;
• Offline Reporting that lets administrators include mobile systems in hardware and software inventory reports even when not connected to the network;
• User Access Mode which allows administrators to delegate a subset of Apple Remote Desktop tasks to standard (non-admin) users; and
• Remote Boot Disk Selection to set the local startup disk or specify a network startup disk when used in conjunction with the NetBoot and Network Installation features built into Mac OS X Server.
Apple Remote Desktop will be available in July through The Apple Store ( http://www.apple.com ), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for managing up to 10 systems and $499 (US) for managing an unlimited number of systems. Special education pricing can be found at:
http://www.apple.com/education/store
System requirements:
The administration and client system for Apple Remote Desktop is designed to run on any Macintosh computer with PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 processors and Xserve or Xserve G5, running Mac OS X v10.2.8 or later. An Ethernet or AirPort network connection is required.
For more information, visit:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/jun/21ard.html
FileMaker Announces Shipment of FileMaker Mobile 7 at National Education Computing Conference (NECC)
FileMaker, Inc. has announced the immediate availability of FileMaker Mobile 7, a simplified companion version of FileMaker Pro 7 designed specifically for Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld devices so users can take their data on the road. The popular mobile solution has now been updated for compatibility with FileMaker Pro 7, the award-winning database software from FileMaker. The new software is being shown for the first time here at the 2004 National Educational Computing Conference (Booth #2000).
"FileMaker Mobile 7 maximizes the power of portability to give organizations more productivity in the office or while on the move," said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, Marketing and Services, FileMaker, Inc.
FileMaker Mobile 7 allows individuals and mobile workgroups to extend their FileMaker solutions from the desktop to handheld devices for applications as simple as lists to more complex solutions such as student testing, work orders, help-desk or patient records. FileMaker Mobile 7 also enables inventory tracking using selected Symbol Technologies bar code scanners. Users can transfer just the data they want to one or many handhelds from a single desktop. In addition to providing two-way synchronization, FileMaker Mobile 7 allows flexible data entry and viewing features.
FileMaker Mobile 7 now adds the following new features:
-- Synchronizing multiple devices with the same desktop database.
-- Synchronizing with runtime applications created with FileMaker Developer 7.
-- Creating scripts in FileMaker Pro 7 to run before and/or after synchronization with FileMaker Mobile 7 for integration with solutions.
-- Synchronizing databases even though FileMaker Pro is not running on the desktop.
-- Allows for wide screen viewing on Dana by AlphaSmart
FileMaker Mobile 7 is priced at $69 (U.S.) and is sold through the FileMaker Web Store ( http://store.filemaker.com/ ). Current users of FileMaker Mobile 2.x will receive an in box rebate offer worth $25. FileMaker Mobile 7 is currently available in North America only. Volume licensing and special education pricing is also available.
System Requirements
FileMaker Mobile 7 requires FileMaker Pro 7v2 or FileMaker Developer 7v2. FileMaker Mobile 7 runs on Palm OS 3.5 to 5.2, Windows Mobile 2002 and 2003, Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP, and Apple's Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later.
iAnywhere and Servoy Simplify the Development of Database-Powered Applications for Mac OS X
Anywhere Solutions, Inc. and its parent company, Sybase, Inc. , today announced a partnership with Servoy BV to provide developers with an integrated solution for creating cross-platform applications that leverage the market-leading database for mobile, embedded and small to medium sized business environments. As part of this relationship, Servoy will embed SQL Anywhere(R) Studio in its Servoy Developer solution -- simplifying the creation of database-powered applications for deployment on all popular operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and other UNIX systems.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with iAnywhere," said Servoy CEO Jan Aleman. "SQL Anywhere fits very well into the Servoy philosophy of incredible power coupled with ease-of-use. It is very fast -- three times faster than the previous database we shipped with our 1.2 product. SQL Anywhere is also ideal for embedding into our application because it's very easy to maintain, self- tuning and has high performance right out of the box."
"Servoy Developer greatly simplifies the creation of cross-platform applications for environments such as Mac OS X," said Michael Paola, senior group product manager at iAnywhere. "As a result of the integration with SQL Anywhere, developers can now easily create sophisticated database-powered applications while leveraging their existing Servoy development tool expertise, speeding the time to market."
SQL Anywhere from iAnywhere is the market-leading data management and enterprise synchronization solution for mobile, embedded and small to medium sized business environments. It enables the rapid development and deployment of distributed e-Business solutions -- extending the reach of enterprise information to anywhere business transactions occur. Servoy Developer enables the creation of database front-ends in minutes -- without having to write any SQL code. The resulting application can be deployed on all popular operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and other UNIX systems. Developers can download a free evaluation version of Servoy Developer with SQL Anywhere at:
http://developer.servoy.com/
For more information, visit:
http://www.servoy.com/http://www.ianywhere.com/
Chancery Software Releases Mac School 6.0 for Mac OS X; New Version to Provide Enhanced Security and Set-up Options
Chancery Software has announced the release of Mac School(R) 6.0 for Mac OS X. Chancery's Mac School is a feature-rich student management system for schools and school districts looking for a comprehensive, Mac-based student information system.
Mac School 6.0 will provide K-12 administrators and teachers with the key features and functionality they have grown to depend on with Mac School, plus an enhanced user experience through the crisp, clean, and intuitive user interface delivered via Mac OS X. Users can also expect:
-- Enhanced security roles and functions to meet increasing security concerns
-- Intuitive, attractive user interface
-- Easier software setup to help maximize resources and reduce time-on-task
"Many of our customers favor Macintosh and we are committed to supporting them through ongoing enhancements to this platform," said Chris Sherman, Chancery's Vice President, Product & Development. "From initial set-up through use of demographics, scheduling, grading, attendance, to the report manager and more, this release reflects our desire to support the evolving needs of school administrators using the best technology of the day."
"Combining breakthrough performance, stability, and the Mac's renowned ease of use, Mac OS X is the ideal platform for educators and students," said Ron Okamoto, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. "Chancery's Mac School 6.0 for Mac OS X is a comprehensive student management system allowing school administrators to master the challenges of managing increased student data while taking advantage of the powerful and extremely reliable Mac OS X."
Mac School 6.0 will run on both Mac OS X and on Mac OS 9. It is an upgrade path for current users of Mac School 4.9 through 5.0.2. It is also compatible with Chancery SMS and Open District 2.4.1 SP1, as well as K12Planet (r), Library Pro (r) 3.0, Health 1.3, and other school management solutions. For more information about Mac School 6.0, please contact Chancery Sales at 800-999-9931 or email
For more information, visit:
http://www.chancery.com
Coming Soon From MacSoft
MacSoft, the Macintosh business unit of Destineer, has announced three new releases coming in June.Â
First, shipping June 25, a strong re-entry into the children‚s market for MacSoft with Blues Clues: Blues Takes you to School. *Then shipping on June 30, two expansion packs for the best-selling Neverwinter Nights.Â
And coming in august, get ready for Rise Of Nations. Rise of Nations was the 15th best-selling PC game of 2003 (by dollars). So far this year, it is the 17th best-selling PC game! It will prove to be a worthy successor to Age of Empires II, which has been one of the top Mac games for the past 2 years. Rise of Nations should have a natural appeal for the types of players who like either Age of Empires II or Civilization, since it is a blend of both. The game was created by the lead designer for Civilization II.
Awards for Rise of Nations (PC):
RTS Game of the Year 2003 ˆ PC Gamer
Best PC Game of the Year 2003 ˆ Gamespot
2003 Game of the Year PC RTS ˆ GameSpy
2003 Game of the Year ˆ X-Treme Game Radio (XGR.com)
Blues Clues: Blue Takes You to School
Join Blue, Joe and the rest of Miss Marigold‚s class to see how exciting school can be in Blues Clues: Blue Takes You To School from MacSoft. You can do a lot of neat things-take care of the classrooms‚ pet rabbit, explore the garden, play music and more. You can even create original paintings and, with Joe‚s help, share them with classmates. Ideal for children aged three to six, the game lets you have a great time with Blue while discovering that school is cool! Blue Takes You To School contains three levels of learning-for an extended gameplay experience, familiar songs from the TV series, and promotes creative expression through music and art. SYS REQS:
Operating System: Mac OS X v10.1.5 or higher
Processor: G3 400MHz or higher
Memory: 128 MB RAM
Video Card: Rage 128 or better, 8MB
Hard Disk Space: 250 MB Free
CD-ROM Drive: 4X Speed
Shipping June 25, 2004
UPC: 8 28068 10310 1
MacSoft Item#: 10310
MSRP: $19.99
Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark (Exp. Pack)
For tens of thousands of RPG fans, the Underdark (set in the Forgotten Realms) has no parallel. Now, one of the most popular and awe-inspiring worlds in the history of pen-and-paper games is reawakened, in this expansion pack for the extensive Neverwinter Nightsú universe. As war erupts between the diverse hordes of the Underdark and the heroes of Waterdeep, RPG players will experience an amazing array of characters, creatures and conflict. But that‚s only the beginning: Hordes of the Underdarkú provides a remarkable first in Neverwinter Nightsú play ˜ it allows for rare and powerful Epic characters (only for gameplay levels 21 and beyond), making this pack an absolute must-have for true RPG players. Hordes of the Underdark provide 20+ hours of new single-player adventure. This is an expansion pack. Requires original Neverwinter Nights for Macintosh. SYS REQS: Mac OS X v10.2.8 or higher
800MHz Macintosh G4 or faster (1.2GHz recommended.) 256 MB RAM
1.2 GB free hard drive space
8X Speed CD-ROM drive
32 MB or higher (NVIDIA GeForce 2MX/ATI Radeon or better) Multiplayer requires Local Area Network with TCP/IP protocol or established Internet connection (56 Kbps modem or faster required)
Shipping June 30, 2004
UPC: 8 28068 10312 5
MacSoft Item#: 10312
MSRP: $29.99
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide (exp. Pack) Shipping June 30, 2004
Delve further into the Forgotten Realms with the Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide expansion pack! Begin your adventure in the small mountain town of Hilltop as a student under the tutelage of a mage named Drogan, and then traverse the deadly Anauroch Desert to reach the ancient ruins of Netheril. Uncover a fiendish plot as you battle a multitude of new enemies through over 20 hours of original new gameplay. Play as any of the classes in the original Neverwinter Nights, or try out one of the five new Prestige Classes, which you can now customize even further with over 50 new spells and more than 30 new feats! This is an expansion pack. Requires original Neverwinter Nights for Macintosh.
SYS REQS: Mac OS X v10.2.8 or higher
450MHz Macintosh G4 or faster (800MHz recommended.)
256 MB RAM
1.2 GB free hard drive space
8X Speed CD-ROM drive
32 MB or higher (NVIDIA GeForce 2MX/ATI Radeon or better) Multiplayer requires Local Area Network with TCP/IP protocol or established Internet connection (56 Kbps modem or faster required)
UPC: 8 28068 10311 8
MacSoft Item#: 10311
MSRP: $29.99
Rise of Nations
The Entire Span of Human History Is In Your Hands. Dominate 6,000 years of history from the Ancient Age to the Information Age. Rise of Nations is an historical real-time strategy game which combines the epic scope of traditional turn-based strategy (TBS) games with the fast-paced action of RTS games. Originally developed for the Windows platform by Brian Reynolds (Civilization 2, Alpha Centauri), the Rise of Nations franchise has garnered more than 30 awards since its release in May 2003 including Game of the Year (GameSpot) and Strategy Game of the Year (GameSpy). The game allows players to create new cities, improve their city infrastructure and expand national borders. Conquer foes through military might using everything from sling-shots to cannons to stealth bombers to nuclear weapons; corner the market on key commodities and consolidate power under your rule; wheel and deal across time with history's eminent cultures
SYS REQS:
Macintosh OS X v10.2.8, other sys reqs TBA.
Shipping August 10, 2004
UPC: 8 28068 10313 2
MacSoft Item#: 10313
MSRP: $49.99
BIAS Unveils Windows Based SoundSoap Audio Solution Mac Audio Software Leader Aims For Windows Market And More
BIAS, Inc., a leading professional audio software manufacturer now offers solutions for the Windows platform. Previously only available to the Macintosh community, the release of SoundSoap, and SoundSoap Pro represent the first major Windows based offerings from the company. Powerful audio restoration tools, SoundSoap is tailored for the consumer/hobbyist while SoundSoap Pro targets the high-end digital video, film, broadcast, and multimedia professional. The ease-of-use and high-quality functionality is increasingly driving customers outside the music industry (MI) and the traditional Macintosh platform to discover and use BIAS’ award winning products.
“In the last year we’ve seen real growth in sales outside the MI,” said Jason Davies, vice president of worldwide sales for BIAS. “We have been bundling limited editions of Peak with Final Cut Pro since version 2, and that’s brought us a lot of attention from the digital video community. Additionally, the light versions of our products (Peak LE, Deck LE, and SoundSoap) are available in consumer retail channels, as well as music stores. As a result we’ve seen our customer base broaden beyond the high-end audio market in which we have been established for so many years. Our new cross-platform products bring our award winning technology to users of the Windows platform, as well as growing our leadership in the Macintosh domain.”
BIAS SoundSoap is a digital audio signal processing application for the Macintosh and Windows computing platforms. SoundSoap is the first professional-quality noise reduction solution that's also easy enough for average consumers to use effectively. By adjusting just two knobs, anyone can remove unwanted hiss, room noise, rumble, electrical hum, and other background noise from almost any digital media file - including Digital Video (DV) soundtracks, PowerPoint and other presentation software soundtracks, Flash and other web-tool soundtracks, digital audio workstation tracks, cassette or other analog tape recordings that have been transferred to a computer, and other sources. SoundSoap works by removing "broadband" noise (such as room noise, tape hiss, road noise from a moving vehicle, or noise from air conditioners). It also removes low-frequency rumble, as well as hum - the 50Hz and 60Hz electrical "buzzing" sound common in many audio recordings. The software can even intelligently learn the difference between the noise and the desired audio - achieving amazingly effective results.
With moderate or subtle noise problems, SoundSoap can make the difference between a project that sounds amateurish and one that sounds professional; with more extreme noise problems, SoundSoap can effectively salvage an otherwise unusable audio file. And in keeping with BIAS' tradition of creating powerful native-capable audio applications, SoundSoap takes full advantage of the processing power of your computer, with no additional hardware needed. SoundSoap ships as a stand alone application as well as a Mac/Win VST and Direct X plug-in. SoundSoap is available through the worldwide network of authorized BIAS dealers and distributors for US $99 SRP.
SoundSoap Pro The Universal Restoration Solution
SoundSoap Pro takes noise reduction to the next level – taking the proven noise reduction technology first developed for SoundSoap, and adding click & crackle removal, a noise gate, and a global spectrogram. SoundSoap Pro is targeted at professional audio producers, engineers, musicians, sound designers, and forensic scientists, and is designed for the audio professional needing total control in the noise reduction process – and offers the tools needed to deal with any unwanted noise problems.
SoundSoap Pro offers the ultimate in parameter control, and incorporates four distinct noise reduction toolsets – Hum & Rumble, Click & Crackle, Broadband, and a Noise Gate – and places them into a single, sleek user interface. Tool navigation tabs are positioned left to right, reflecting the suggested order in which the operations should be performed, to obtain the best possible results. Even with its many knobs, buttons, and sliders – SoundSoap Pro remains easy-to-use, thanks to its intuitively designed user interface. SoundSoap Pro is available in VST, RTAS, Audio Units, and DirectX formats – it gives you the tools needed to restore the worst noise problems in virtually any host application that supports plug-ins, on Macintosh OS X and Windows XP platforms, including Peak 4 (VST/Audio Units), Pro Tools (RTAS), Logic Audio/Digital Performer (Audio Units), Nuendo/Cubase SX/Wavelab (VST), Sonar (DirectX), and others. SoundSoap Pro is available through the worldwide network of authorized BIAS dealers and distributors for US $599 SRP.
For more information, visit:
http://www.bias-inc.com
AlphaSmart Extends Classroom Management Capabilities for Neo, AlphaSmart 3000 and Dana Computer Companions
AlphaSmart, Inc. , a leading provider of technology solutions for education, has unveiled two new classroom management solutions that allow educators to manage up to 30 AlphaSmart devices at one time from a Windows or Macintosh computer.
AlphaSmart Manager 2.0 is a second-generation application that enables AlphaSmart 3000 and Neo by AlphaSmart customers to streamline the configuration and exchange of files for an entire classroom of devices. (See today's press release, "AlphaSmart Introduces Neo by AlphaSmart, a Simple, Portable, Low Cost Computer Companion Designed for One-to-One Classroom Computing.") The company also introduced AlphaSmart Manager for Dana, a first-of-its-kind classroom management solution for AlphaSmart's Palm OS-based Dana and Dana Wireless.
Until AlphaSmart Manager made its debut in 2001, teachers were burdened with the tedious and time-consuming task of installing and maintaining software and files on each student's computer companion individually. With AlphaSmart Manager 2.0 and AlphaSmart Manager for Dana, enhanced administration features make the teacher's tasks easier, including the installation of new software applications, sending and receiving AlphaWord word processor files, assigning passwords and modifying device settings.
"For years AlphaSmart has been delivering effective classroom management solutions, and today's announcement demonstrates our continued commitment to provide both the hardware and software tools necessary to make the promise of one-on-one computing a reality," said Manish Kothari, president of AlphaSmart. "As schools strive to provide students with more access to technology, they must also consider the challenges of managing those products in the classroom. By making our solutions easy to use and administer, teachers and students can focus their time and attention on the learning process rather than worrying about how the technology works."
For AlphaSmart 3000 customers who are already using the original AlphaSmart Manager software, this enhanced version offers several new features:
-- Installation and Management of SmartApplets: Allows customers to view
up to 30 devices at once to determine the files and applications
present on each student's device. It then enables the installation of
SmartApplets (compact software applications designed for Neo and the
AlphaSmart 3000) on a single device, or an entire classroom of devices,
in one operation.
-- AlphaWord File Management and Printing: Allows customers to retrieve
AlphaWord word processing files from all devices with one click and
then organize, save, and print them with ease.
-- Configuration Flexibility: With the teacher in control, configuring
software and settings can be tailored to an individual student's
device, a group or an entire classroom of devices.
AlphaSmart's classroom management software, and its new Neo computer companion, will be on display at the National Education Computer Conference (NECC) in New Orleans, LA this week at Booth 2008.
AlphaSmart Manager software will be included with Neo SmartOption Bundles beginning this summer, and with Dana SmartOption Bundles beginning this fall. AlphaSmart Manager updates for existing AlphaSmart 3000 and Dana customers will also be offered beginning this fall. For more information, visit:
http://www.alphasmart.com
Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server Keeps Running When Attacks or Queries From Virus-Infected Computers Bring Other DNS Servers to a Stop
Nominum, a pioneering provider of IP address infrastructure software, today announced that its Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server offers the highest level of protection available from DNS attacks. Attacks on DNS -- the critical Internet infrastructure that translates the URL requests people type into browsers into IP addresses needed to retrieve a Web page -- have increased significantly over the past year, plaguing both corporations and Internet service providers.
The FBI's SANS Institute and National Infrastructure Protection Center lists BIND as the number-one most commonly exploited UNIX and Linux vulnerability. 70% of DNS servers in U.S. are based on highly vulnerable open source BIND software developed in the 1980s, well before widespread adoption of the Internet and the advent of malicious hacker attacks.
DNS attacks occur when attackers overwhelm domain name servers with bogus traffic, causing response times to slow and making Web pages inaccessible. Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server is a dedicated caching name server that handles several times the traffic of a BIND server, and keeps running when attacks or queries from virus-infected computers bring other DNS servers to a stop. It offers throughput speed of 60,000 name resolutions per second and was built from the ground up to optimize performance. Additionally, a single Foundation Caching Name Server can handle the traffic of four or more BIND servers allowing for significant server consolidation and lower hardware and administrative overhead.
"Telewest is fighting back by replacing its open source servers with very high performance commercial DNS software in critical positions on the network," said Ian Hagon, IP Systems Manager at Telewest, a leading service provider to 1.74 million UK households. "Nominum can handle all of our routine network traffic and also fend off queries from DNS attacks."
"Service providers are leading the charge away from BIND and onto commercial grade DNS servers," said Nominum president and CEO Chris Risley. "In the last couple of quarters, we have seen a dramatic increase in orders for our Caching Name Servers from top-level service providers."
Nominum Foundation Caching Name Server is a dedicated-to-caching domain name server. It delivers the highest available throughput on commodity hardware and improves latency through the use of advanced adaptive algorithms. The server configuration can be modified without re-starting, which eliminates a significant cause of planned downtime. Foundation Caching Name Server supports the DNSSEC protocol to provide an extra layer of security for Internet users by ensuring the authenticity of DNS communications.
Nominum is a pioneering provider of IP address infrastructure software for service providers and enterprises. Nominum's suite of solutions includes highly scalable, reliable and secure DNS and DHCP servers and an advanced IP address management system. These solutions allow service providers to rapidly deploy new services, and enterprises to create resilient and reliable networks that are responsive to changing business conditions.
For more information, visit:
http://www.nominum.com
Cisco Announces Availability of Network Admission Control Solutions
Offers Support on Access and Midrange Cisco IOS Routers, Broadens Vendor Integration Program and Delivers Advanced NAC Implementation Services Â
Cisco Systems, Inc.has announced the availability of solutions delivered through its Network Admission Control (NAC) program, which help customers extend their existing network systems to defend against viruses and worms. Combined with a broadened vendor integration program and new Advanced Services for NAC implementations, customers will be able to more quickly deploy these threat-defense capabilities into their networks.
The NAC program, which was first announced in November 2003, now supports the Cisco(R) 830 Series to Cisco 7200 Series access and midrange Cisco IOS(R) Software-based routing platforms as well as Cisco network security management and access products (see "Pricing and Availability" section below), to help enforce network access privileges based on endpoint security information. A key component of the NAC program is the Cisco Trust Agent software, which resides on desktop and server endpoints and collects security state information from multiple third-party security software clients such as antivirus clients. The Cisco Trust Agent software communicates this information to the Cisco network where network-access-control decisions are made and enforced. To facilitate deployment, Cisco Trust Agent software is available integrated with the Cisco Security Agent, an endpoint security solution to prevent day-zero and other attacks, to help ensure endpoint-operating-system patch compliance.
"Complex and ever-changing security threats require a systems-level approach and industry collaboration to dynamically protect networked business-critical resources," said Ken Kucera, senior vice president of First National Bank. "The Cisco Network Admission Control program lets us use the network in our endpoint-validation efforts to audit and enforce our endpoint-security policies, and reduce our risk to potential damages caused by worms and viruses."
Cisco Systems has defined the architecture and specifications of the NAC program in collaboration with leading antivirus software companies including Network Associates, Symantec and Trend Micro, as well as leading network- and system-management vendors such as IBM. Cisco is licensing its Cisco Trust Agent technology to NAC co-sponsors Antivirus products that include support for Cisco Trust Agent include Network Associates' McAfee(R) VirusScan(R) Enterprise 8.0i and McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 7.x, upcoming versions of Symantec Client Security and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition, and the Trend Micro OfficeScan Corporate Edition v6.5.
Cisco is also introducing a NAC vendor integration program, to help provide broader third-party participation in the NAC program, along with a set of advanced NAC implementation consulting services to assist customer deployments of NAC technologies in their networks.
The NAC vendor integration program is designed to foster further industry collaboration, and includes the availability of select NAC technology application programming interfaces (APIs), including an API for Cisco Trust Agent, to third-party vendors for product integration, testing and certification. The goal of creating this broad vendor program is to dramatically increase the range of solutions that will be NAC-enabled, including security and patch management software.
The Advanced Services NAC implementation consulting services are an integrated set of planning, design and implementation offerings to help customers deploy a reliable, efficient and scalable NAC solution. These include:
-- NAC Readiness Assessment: Assess the network infrastructure to determine NAC readiness
-- NAC Limited Deployment: Install a limited NAC deployment to test features and gain experience
-- NAC Design Development: Develop a NAC design specification for a corporate-wide deployment
-- NAC Implementation Engineering: Deliver onsite installation, configuration, testing and tuning of NAC components
Cisco plans to extend NAC support to additional Cisco platforms including its switching and remote access virtual private network (VPN) solutions, support for the 802.1x security protocol, and expanded Cisco Trust Agent operating system (OS) support including Windows 2003, Linux and Solaris. NAC support in the switching infrastructure will help enable customers to ensure endpoint compliance with corporate security policies before obtaining local-area-network (LAN) access.
Today's announcement underscores Cisco's continued leadership in the network security market, and is a key component of Cisco's Self-Defending Network security strategy to help customers build networks that can identify, respond and adapt to security threats.
All components of the first release of NAC are now available at no additional charge to customers with the corresponding product support contracts. These include Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)T using the Advanced Security image or higher feature set on Cisco 830 Series to Cisco 7200 Series routers, Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS) version 3.3, Cisco Security Agent version 4.0.2, and CiscoWorks Security Information Management Solution (SIMS) version 3.2. The Cisco Trust Agent version 1.0 is now available at no charge as well. The NAC vendor integration program is scheduled to be available in the third quarter of calendar year 2004. The Cisco Advanced Services NAC implementation consulting services are now available.
Charles W. Moore
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