New Services For MagCloud Platform From HP

Hewlett-Packard Development Company has announced a new set of services for its self-publishing web platform, MagCloud.

These new services include:

- shipping to destinations around the world, which means that a customer now has the option to order a single issue of any publication on MagCloud.

- new options for binding hard copies, which means that magazines with pagecount more than 300 can be printed with perfection.

- and an application that enables consuming digital material on the iPad, which is available for free from App Store. There is also an option to buy a hardcopy version of the content. This implies that any publisher can now offer content in both digital and print format to iPad users, using the MagCloud platform.

The MagCloud publishing ecosystem provides facilities to publishers who want to save on preproduction costs or the hassle of minimum print runs. Because the market is moving towards more and more niche, targeted readership, the platform provides people to experiment with their chosen target with minimal investment.

The platform also creates a level ground for new and novice publishers who may have little experience, little or no reach and minimal capital.

Read more about how a SaaS platform is being ramped up to prove more useful for its users, courtesy HP, here.

Microsoft Communicator Mobile For Nokia Devices Released

Redmond, Washington-headquartered Microsoft Corporation has released the Communicator Mobile software exclusively for Nokia’s mobile devices. The software is available for download from Nokia’s online Ovi Store. It is compatible with Nokia’s Symbian operating system, and has been designed around the architecture of most popular Nokia E-series mobile phones, especially the E72 and E52.

The application allows for collaborative communication between Nokia mobile users. The names and statuses of fellow users is embedded into the device’s contact database; and so whenever a colleague becomes available, their status is updated in the app. The application also suggests the best way to communicate with the colleague: instant messaging, phone call, or e-mail. The software is useful in an enterprise environment where fellow workers and colleagues are always on the move, by providing everybody with a common base to remain in touch.

Besides the Communicator Mobile, Nokia has also been using Microsoft technologies for its other functionality. For example, Nokia has deployed Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to optimize direct access to email and other personal information that a mobile user keys in on their device.

The Communicator Mobile will now be pre-installed on select Nokia devices, including the soon-to-be-launched E5.

 Read more about the outcome of the latest collaborative effort between Microsoft and Nokia, here.

Microsoft Reworks Virtualization Technology Offerings

Redmond, Washington-headquartered Microsoft Corporation has announced that it is reworking its strategy for virtualization technology. The company has entered into an alliance with Fort Lauderdale, Florida-headquartered Citrix Systems Inc for this purpose.

Microsoft is offering new Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) promotions to qualified customers. VMware View customers can trade in up to 500 licenses and obtain the same number of Microsoft VDI Standard Suite subscription and Citrix XenDesktop VDI Edition annual licenses free of cost, under the “Rescue for VMware VDI” scheme. This scheme is detailed further here: http://www.citrixandmicrosoft.com.

From July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance customers now can access Windows OS in a VDI environment without having to go for a separate license for the virtual access. Further, they are now free to access Microsoft products such as the OS and Office applications hosted on VDI technology on any secondary, non-corporate network device such as home PCs and kiosks.

In a further simplification of virtualization technology, Windows XP Mode has been freed from the hardware underlying VDI. This means that small / midsize businesses can migrate to higher versions of Microsoft’s OS (such as Windows 7) and still continue to run XP-based apps.

Read more about the strategic changes being made by Microsoft in this sunrise industry, here.

Hitachi Acquires Software Assets From Nortel Networks

Hitachi Ltd, the Tokyo-headquartered electronics company has acquired software assets from Nortel Networks and group companies. The cost of the deal is put to USD 10 million.

The software assets are the Serving GPRS Support Node on Advance Telecommuting Architecture (ATCA), Gateway GPRS Support Node on ATCA, Mobility Manager Element, AGW Serving Gateway, AGW Packet Data Gateway. Besides these, the company has also taken in possession all relevant non-patent intellectual property, equipment, other related tangible assets, a non-exclusive license of certain relevant patents, etc.

Besides Nortel Networks Ltd, other group companies involved in the deal were Nortel Networks Inc and Nortel Networks Technology Corporation.

Hitachi plans to strengthen its Long Term Evolution (LTE) equipment with the help of this acquisition. The company expects the LTE market to expand worldwide, and the standard was established as recently as in March 2009 by 3GPP, an international body that sets industry standards. The demand is mainly in broadband-intensive communications in the mobile communications field, including mobile phones and data card devices for PCs. Applications that necessitate large-volume file transfers, music and video streaming services are the ones that drive LTE. This purchase will give Hitachi a quick head-start.

Read about the latest inorganic growth achieved by Hitachi Ltd, here.

New Online Services From Microsoft For ERP

Redmond, Washington-headquartered Microsoft Corporation has announced a set of three new online services built around its ERP platform, Microsoft Dynamics.

The first service, Sites Service, is built on Azure platform and allows users to create websites in the Dynamics app. This is especially useful for customers who are looking for a seamless way to interact with the external environment such as customers (feedback and registration), vendors (request for quote), prospective employees (recruitment), etc. The service provides capabilities such as embedded intelligence and optimization models to provide analytics.

The second service, simply called “Commerce”, links ERP and ecommerce for the users by providing a single interface that hooks up to B2C e-commerce marketplaces, dedicated e-commerce storefronts, etc. The service has an inbuilt shopping cart functionality, enabling customers to interact with the user’s organization from within their own sites.

The third service, called “Payment”, handles payment transactions from Microsoft’s Dynamics ERP interface. This service works with leading payment processing services such as First Data Merchant Services Corporation, and handles all the major credit cards. Microsoft is on a agreement-signing spree with all major payment processing services across Europe and the rest of the world to bolster this particular service.

Read about the latest in online services being offered by Microsoft, here.

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